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Deaths and Severe Adverse Events Associated with Anesthesia-Assisted Rapid Opioid Detoxification — New York City, 2012
During August–September 2012, the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) was notified by the New York City Poison Control Center regarding three patients who experienced serious adverse events after anesthesia-assisted rapid opiate detoxification (AAROD) at a local outpatient clinic. All three patients required hospitalization, and one subsequently died. DOHMH issued an order requiring that the clinic cease performing AAROD pending an investigation and searched for additional cases of AAROD-related serious adverse events at the clinic and elsewhere in New York City for the period September 2011 to September 2012. That search found no serious adverse events at clinics other than the one implicated. Of the 75 patients who underwent AAROD at the implicated clinic during January–September 2012, two died, and five others experienced serious adverse events requiring hospitalization. As a result of the findings, the New York State Department of Health, the New York Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services, and DOHMH jointly issued a Health Alert informing New York health-care providers of AAROD-associated serious adverse events and recommending that they avoid use of AAROD in favor of evidence-based options for opioid dependence treatment.
Health Department Investigation
AAROD procedures performed in the New York City clinic included 1) administration of medications (e.g., clonidine, antiemetics, and antidiarrheal agents) that blunt withdrawal symptoms, 2) intubation and induction of general anesthesia, 3) precipitation of opioid withdrawal by intravenous infusion of high doses of the opioid antagonist naloxone or intramuscular injection of naltrexone, 4) maintenance of anesthesia until withdrawal symptoms were presumed to have subsided, and 5) extubation and monitoring during an overnight recovery. Median duration of anesthesia was 8.3 hours (range: 3.1–15.0 hours); median duration of opioid antagonist infusion was 3.9 hours (range: 2.1–14.0 hours). Median naloxone dose was 80 mg (range: 2–315 mg); median naltrexone dose was 133 mg (range: 25–300 mg). For patients with serious adverse events, the median naloxone dose was 80 mg (range: 4–88 mg) and median naltrexone dose was 150 mg (range: 0–150 mg). All patients were monitored overnight after the procedure.
A serious AAROD-associated adverse event was defined as hospitalization for any cause or death <72 hours after undergoing AAROD in New York City during September 1, 2011–September 5, 2012. DOHMH staff conducted two visits to the clinic. All four clinic staff members were interviewed, and medical records for all patients who underwent AAROD while the clinic was operational were reviewed. Records of emergency medical services calls to the clinic were obtained from the New York City Fire Department. Hospital records for all patients who were found to have made emergency department visits or been admitted to a hospital were reviewed. The practice's patient list was matched to mortality records by patient name and date of birth in New York City and the patients' usual states of residence. New York City's Poison Control Center toxicology database was searched for serious adverse events from other New York City health-care facilities.
No emergency medical services calls to the practice were reported other than those initially reported by the Poison Control Center. The mortality records and toxicology database searches yielded no additional AAROD-related serious adverse events from the implicated clinic or elsewhere. From the clinic's opening in January 26, 2012, until September 4, 2012, a total of 75 patients underwent AAROD; 62 (83%) were men (median age: 37 years; range: 20–63 years). Patient comorbidities included psychiatric disorders (55%), chronic medical conditions (23%), and polysubstance use (35%). In addition to the three adverse events reported, four additional adverse events, including one additional death, were identified during medical record review. All seven patients were men (median age: 31 years; range: 24–52 years), Four were prescription opioid users; two used both prescription opioids and heroin, and one used heroin alone. Four patients had psychiatric comorbidities, and two were polysubstance users. None of the patients had a documented chronic medical condition.
Case Reports
Case 1. On April 14, 2012, a man aged 52 years underwent AAROD. The next evening he experienced vomiting and weakness and was admitted to the hospital with a temperature of 104°F (40°C) and a white blood cell count of 26 x 103 cells/µL (normal range: 3.9–10.7 x 103 cells/µL). He was treated empirically for sepsis and discharged on April 18.
Case 2. On April 16, 2012, a man aged 23 years with a history of depression and panic attacks underwent AAROD; during the recovery period he experienced two panic attacks and was administered benzodiazepines. The next day he was admitted for inpatient stabilization after displaying violent behavior and expressing suicidal thoughts. He was discharged on April 25 with stable mental status.
Case 3. On June 3, 2012, a man aged 30 years underwent AAROD. On extubation, he was unable to speak or follow commands. Eight hours after extubation, he was transported from the clinic to an emergency department, where he was found to have pulmonary edema. He was admitted to the intensive care unit and intubated after an episode of emesis with aspiration. He was treated for aspiration pneumonia, extubated on June 6, and discharged on June 11 with normal mental status.
Case 4. On July 20, 2012, a man aged 46 years with a history of heroin, cocaine, and alcohol abuse underwent AAROD. Urine toxicology on that day revealed trace amounts of cocaine. He was discharged on July 21. He was found dead by his wife at approximately 10 a.m. on July 22 after leaving the bedroom at approximately 4 a.m. and telling his wife that he was going to take something for abdominal pain. Autopsy results indicated pulmonary edema and cardiomegaly.
Case 5. On August 19, 2012, a man aged 31 years underwent AAROD. The next day he experienced diarrhea, weakness, and blurry vision. On hospital admission he had hypokalemia (2.9 mEq/L [normal range: 3.5–5.0 mEq/L]) and elevated creatine kinase concentrations (1,346 U/L [normal range: 30–170 U/L]). He was treated for rhabdomyolysis and electrolyte abnormalities and discharged on August 22.
Case 6. On August 23, 2012, a man aged 51 years underwent AAROD. Approximately 10 hours after extubation, while being monitored at the clinic, he experienced cardiac arrest with ventricular fibrillation. He was resuscitated and transferred to a hospital. At the hospital, his serum potassium was 2.6 mEq/L (normal range: 3.5–5.0 mEq/L). Computed tomography revealed cerebral edema. He experienced brainstem herniation and was pronounced dead on September 1. Autopsy revealed anoxic encephalopathy and marked coronary atherosclerosis; the cause of death was "hypokalemia and cardiac arrhythmia following anesthesia-assisted rapid opiate detoxification."
Case 7. On September 4, 2012, a man aged 26 years underwent AAROD. Approximately 30 minutes after naloxone infusion was initiated, he experienced cardiac arrest. He was resuscitated and transported to a hospital. His hospital course was complicated by necrotizing fasciitis of the right arm, for which he underwent surgical debridement before discharge on September 25.
Reported by
David Berlin, MD, Brenna M. Farmer, MD, Rama B. Rao, MD, Joseph Rella, MD, New York Presbyterian Hospital Weill Cornell Medical Center. Hillary Kunins, MD, Deborah Dowell, MD, Nathan Graber, MD, Robert S. Hoffman, MD, Adam Karpati, MD, Don Weiss, MD, New York City Dept of Health and Mental Hygiene. Christopher Jones, PharmD, Div of Unintentional Injury Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control; Amita Toprani, MD, Alison Ridpath, MD, EIS officers, CDC. Corresponding contributor: Amita Toprani, email@example.com.
Editorial Note
Opioid abuse and dependence is a serious public health problem in the United States. During 1999–2008, emergency department visits, overdose deaths, and substance abuse treatment admissions related to prescription opioids increased substantially (1). Opioid dependence is a chronic and relapsing illness. Evidence-based treatment options include medication-assisted treatment (MAT) with long-acting opioid agonists (e.g., methadone or buprenorphine), maintenance treatment with opioid antagonists (e.g., naltrexone), or counseling and behavioral interventions (2,3–5). Treatment goals include long-term abstinence or reduction in illicit and nonmedical drug use. MAT is considered first-line treatment among the evidence-based options listed previously and, compared with other treatments, is associated with lower mortality, improved treatment retention, and decreased incidence of comorbid illnesses, including human immunodeficiency virus infection (2). However, MAT treatment capacity is insufficient to meet demand in the United States, and patients frequently are placed on waiting lists (6).
Opioid detoxification refers to the discontinuation of opioid use under medical supervision and includes prescribing or administering medications to decrease withdrawal symptoms. Standard detoxification methods include administering gradually reduced doses of long-acting opioid agonists during a 3–21 day period or discontinuing opioids and administering nonopioid medications to block withdrawal symptoms. These methods ameliorate withdrawal symptoms and carry <1% risk for serious adverse events (3,4). The effect of detoxification on long-term abstinence is negligible without the addition of longer term evidence-based substance abuse treatment (5). Medically supervised opioid detoxification, however, when closely associated with substance abuse treatment programs, can provide an entry point to care.
AAROD was developed during the 1980s with the goal of reducing the discomfort of withdrawal and thereby encouraging patients to enter substance abuse treatment. However, AAROD and standard opioid detoxification do not differ in subjective withdrawal symptom scores or in achievement of short-term abstinence (7). Few long-term studies of AAROD exist, but published data indicate that AAROD does not improve 12-month abstinence rates, compared with standard detoxification (7). Furthermore, AAROD is associated with a substantial rate of serious adverse events in the research setting, 8.6% in one study (8).
Government agencies and professional societies,* including the American Society of Addiction Medicine, have recommended against using AAROD in clinical settings (9). There is insufficient knowledge regarding how widely AAROD is used in the United States and the frequency of AAROD-associated adverse events in community practice settings. At least seven deaths occurred following AAROD among 2,350 procedures performed in one practice during 1995–1999.†
The New York City clinic investigation revealed that AAROD was performed on 75 patients during January–September 2012 and was associated with two deaths and five additional adverse events requiring hospitalization, a serious adverse event rate of 9.3%. No standard protocol exists for AAROD; however, the clinic's practice was consistent with AAROD use described elsewhere (7). All events occurred after and in close temporal proximity to AAROD. Although a common mechanism linking these events to AAROD is not evident, the events are consistent with previously proposed mechanisms of AAROD-associated adverse events, including electrolyte disturbance, catecholamine release, altered cardiopulmonary functioning, acute lung injury, and other physiologic effects associated with administration of high doses of opioid antagonists under general anesthesia (10). Given the ongoing epidemic of prescription opioid dependence, further increases in the demand for substance use disorder services are to be expected. AAROD has substantial risks, including a risk for death, and little to no evidence to support its use. Safe, evidence-based treatments of opioid dependence (e.g., MAT) exist and are preferred (2).
Nancey Agard, Guthrie Birkhead, Melissa Corcino, Joanna Eavey, Mascha Elskamp, Matthew Feldman, Chris Goodwin, Lucretia Jones, Steven Kipnis, Giselle Merizalde, Alice Welch, Thomas Merrill, Martha Robinson.
- CDC. Vital signs: overdoses of prescription opioid pain relievers—United States, 1999–2008. MMWR 2011;60:1487–92.
- Gibson A, Degenhardt L, Mattick RP, Ali R, White J, O'Brien S. Exposure to opioid maintenance treatment reduces long-term mortality. Addiction 2008;103:462–8.
- Gowing L, Ali R, White JM. Buprenorphine for the management of opioid withdrawal. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2009;3:CD002025.
- Amato L, Davoli M, Minozzi S, Ali R, Ferri M. Methadone at tapered doses for the management of opioid withdrawal. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2013;2:CD003409.
- Sees KL, Delucchi KL, Masson C, et al. Methadone maintenance vs 180-day psychosocially enriched detoxification for treatment of opioid dependence: a randomized controlled trial. JAMA 2000;283:1303–10.
- Friedmann PD, Lemon SC, Stein MD, D'Aunno TA. Accessibility of addiction treatment: results from a national survey of outpatient substance abuse treatment organizations. Health Serv Res 2003;38:887–903.
- Gowing L, Ali R, White JM. Opioid antagonists under heavy sedation or anaesthesia for opioid withdrawal. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2010;1:CD002022.
- Collins ED, Kleber HD, Whittington RA, Heitler NE. Anesthesia-assisted vs buprenorphine- or clonidine-assisted heroin detoxification and naltrexone induction: a randomized trial. JAMA 2005;294:903–13.
- American Society of Addiction Medicine. Public policy statement on rapid and ultra rapid opioid detoxification. 2005. Chevy Chase, MD: American Society of Addiction Medicine; 2005. Available at http://www.asam.org/docs/publicy-policy-statements/1rod-urod—rev-of-oadusa-4-051.pdf?sfvrsn=0.
- Kienbaum P, Scherbaum N, Thürauf N, Michel MC, Gastpar M, Peters J. Acute detoxification of opioid-addicted patients with naloxone during propofol or methohexital anesthesia: a comparison of withdrawal symptoms, neuroendocrine, metabolic, and cardiovascular patterns. Crit Care Med 2000;28:969–76.
* Additional information available at http://www.nice.org.uk/cg052.
† Additional information available at http://njlaw.rutgers.edu/collections/oal/final/bds10905-99_2.pdf.
What is already known on this topic?
Anesthesia-assisted rapid opiate detoxification (AAROD) does not reduce subjective opioid withdrawal symptom scores more than traditional opioid detoxification modalities, but has been associated with a high risk for severe adverse events, including death.
What is added by this report?
Of 75 patients who underwent AAROD at a New York City clinic during January–September 2012, two died and five others experienced serious adverse events requiring hospitalization.
What are the implications for public health practice?
To reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with opioid dependence, evidence-based approaches (e.g., medication-assisted treatment) should be used for its management.
Use of trade names and commercial sources is for identification only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Department of
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References to non-CDC sites on the Internet are provided as a service to MMWR readers and do not constitute or imply endorsement of these organizations or their programs by CDC or the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. CDC is not responsible for the content of pages found at these sites. URL addresses listed in MMWR were current as of the date of publication.
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Government Printing Office (GPO), Washington, DC 20402-9371;
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Once a next major update (changes in number left from decimal point in product version — 2.0, 3.0, etc.) of the software you have previously purchased is released, you can upgrade for 40% off the end-user price.
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Hot Online: Lindsay Lohan appears on 'Oprah's Next Chapter'
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Journal Star
Trending topic
In her much anticipatedsit-down with Oprah, troubled star Lindsay Lohan opened up about her drug abuse and relationship with her parents. The interview aired on Sunday, and will continue with a reality docu-series about Lohan's attempts to get her life back on track.
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Want a side of pancakes to go with your Monday morning? So does Prince. Check out the cover for his new single, which brings us back to the days when Dave Chappelle was making us laugh and not escaping to South Africa.
Hot video: Prince William talks about fatherhood
In one of his first media interviews since the birth of his son, Prince William talks about being a father.
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To Tame a Highland Warrior by Karen Marie Moning
Genre: Romance
Form: Audio Book
A Woman's Tender Touch
He was born to a clan of warriors of supernatural strength, but Gavrael McIllioch abandoned his name and his Highland castle, determined to escape the dark fate of his ancestors. Hiding his identity from the relentless rival clan that hunted him, he called himself Grimm to protect the people he cared for, vowing never to acknowledge his love for ravishing Jillian St. Clair. Yet even from afar he watched over her, and when her father sent an urgent summons, "Come for Jillian," he raced to her side – into a competition to win her hand in marriage.
A Warrior's Steely Heart
Why had he run from her so many years before? And why return now to see her offered as a prize in her father's manipulative game? Furious, Jillian vowed never to wed. But Grimm was the man she loved, the one who urged her to marry another. He tried to pretend indifference as she tempted him, but he could not deny the fierce desires that compelled him to abduct her from the altar. She was the only woman who could tame the beast that raged within him – even as deadly enemies plotted to destroy them both….


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Even swimmers can have imperfect vision. However, everyone knows that when you swim in the pool, you aren't going to be able to wear your glasses in the water. While you can still wear contacts with regular swim goggles, not everyone is comfortable with wearing contacts. Others simply don't want to risk wearing their contacts in the water. For these people, wearing prescription swim goggles becomes essential for a variety of reasons.
It is extremely important for swimmers to be able to see while they are swimming. Someone who typically wears glasses or contacts aren't going to be able to see clearly in the water when they remove their glasses or contacts and put on their goggles. This is why some companies actually offer prescription swim goggles so those with imperfect vision can still see where they are going in the water. This is extremely important, especially as they reach the ends of the pool to make turns or finish a race.
Ease of Use
When you choose to use prescription swim goggles instead of the typical swim goggles, you won't need to worry about keeping track of your other eye care items while you are at the pool. If you take your glasses off and set them off to the side so you can swim, it can become easy to forget to pick them up again or even forget where you put them. When your goggles are already prescriptions, you won't need to bring your glasses out to the pool at all. Leave them in your locker instead.
When you choose to use prescription swim goggles instead of the typical goggles with your contacts or with no corrective eye wear, you will have just as much style at the pool as anyone else. The styles of the optical goggles are very similar to the styles of the other swim goggles available. In fact, if you put a prescription and a non-prescription pair next to each other, you likely wouldn't be able to tell the difference.
Wearing prescription swim goggles when you typically wear glasses or even contacts can be extremely beneficial to you in the pool. Not only will they allow you to see where you are going in the pool, they will also allow you to keep your glasses away from the pool completely so they don't become lost or damaged. With these optical goggles, you will have all the style and flair as the other swimmers, while still being able to see well.


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Jacobson Space invites you to visit "No Lipstick", an exhibition of contemporary art presented by Jacobson Space, downstairs at 6 Cork Street, London, W1.
Time: Wednesday 1 September at 10:00am through October 2 at 1:00pm
Location: Downstairs at 6 Cork Street, London, W1S 3NX
More Info:
Featuring works by internationally renowned artists such as Bram Bogart and Tom Wesselmann and younger upcoming artists including Jason Martin and Sam Irons, this exhibition is influenced by the so-called Lipstick Effect, an observation made by modern economists that during difficult financial times, when sales of most goods go down, Lipstick sales double.
Consequently, the exhibition is intended to provide visitors with an insight into the visually fun & cosmetically cool artworks that are available through Jacobson Space.
It will be open to the public during business hours until 2 October.
Nearest tube: Green Park or Bond Street.


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John Alvin's Movie Poster Art
Although most people don't know him by name, John Alvin's art is familiar to moviegoers worldwide. Alvin created a series of iconic movie posters, starting with the Blazing Saddles poster in 1974 and including major movies including (in chronological order):
Young Frankenstein Blade Runner E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial Gremlins The Color Purple Pee Wee's Big Adventure Short Circuit Empire of the Sun Predator The Princess Bride Joe Versus the Volcano Cape Fear Aladdin Jurassic Park Scent of a Woman The Lion King Waterworld
...And that's just a few. In total, Alvin created art for more than 135 films, many of them A-list titles from the 70s, 80s, and 90s. He also worked on art for major franchises including Star Wars, Star Trek, The Lord of the Rings, and the Harry Potter films. When Alvin died in February, the web lit up with remembrances, leaving many surprised that a single artist was behind so many iconic images. Here are a few favorites:
Check out a gallery of his work, his Wikipedia page, and a New York Times remembrance for more on this unknown/well-known artist.


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Lessons has the largest independent data resources for the lessons and extra curricular industry. We are currently collecting results for our first Lessons Survey. The study, drawing up data from over 10,000 small business owners, provides unique and new insights into lessons industry across the nation.
To stay up to date with our research, please fill out the form to the right. You may also email Lessons Cheif Executive, Tom Grupa, at [email protected] with any questions or comments you might have.


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Today's News: Our Take - Exclusive Vampire Diaries Sneak Peek: Stefan and Caroline Team Up to Hunt Down Bonnie
Who's returning from the dead?
That is the question posed on The Vampire Diaries' last two episodes of the season since Silas is hell-bent on forcing Bonnie (Kat Graham) to drop the veil to the other side. Will anyone be able to stop her? Stefan (Paul Wesley) and Caroline (Candice Accola) will certainly try as they team up to track Bonnie down in hopes of preventing the catastrophic event. And with graduation looming, it seems only fitting they just might find her at the high school.
Vampire Diaries' Candice Accola: The final episodes will leave "Klaroline" fans satisfied
Check out an exclusive sneak peek from the penultimate Vampire Diaries episode, airing Thursday at 8/7c on The CW, and be sure to check back Wednesday for more scoop from Accola!
View original Exclusive Vampire Diaries Sneak Peek: Stefan and Caroline Team Up to Hunt Down Bonnie at TVGuide.com
Related Articles on TVGuide.com
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April 8th, 2013
Brad Paisley and LL Cool J team up for 'Accidental Racist'
Brad Paisley and LL Cool J broach sensitive topics in their new collaboration, "Accidental Racist," and it's left some critics hoping the entire song was an accident.
The track is part of Paisley's new album, "Wheelhouse," and was sparked by the reaction the country star said he received after he wore a shirt with the Confederate flag on it to showcase his adoration for the band Alabama.
"I was called a racist on Twitter for that," Paisley told The Tennessean. "That was the beginning of this song: Me thinking, 'Am I a racist? Is that all it takes?'"
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4bq4hP35yc&w=560&h=315%5D
And so, with "Accidental Racist," Paisley and LL Cool J are hoping to launch a dialogue about prejudice, the South and its history with race relations.
Paisley sings from the perspective of a "a white man coming to you from the Southland, trying to understand what it's like not to be," as the lyrics say. The song paints the picture of a guy who walks into a Starbucks wearing a shirt like one Paisley himself has worn, and finding that it was like walking an elephant into the room.
"Just a proud rebel son with an old can of worms, looking like I got a lot to learn," Paisley croons. "I'm proud of where I'm from, but not everything we've done, and it ain't like you and me can rewrite history. Our generation didn't start this nation."
The country singer continues with"They called it Reconstruction. Fixed the buildings, dried some tears. We're still sifting' through the rubble, after 150 years."
LL Cool J offers another point of view, rapping, "Dear Mr. White Man, I wish you understood what the world is really like when you're living in the hood. Just because my pants are sagging doesn't mean I'm up to no good; you should try to get to know me, I really wish you would."
The rapper also says "Feel like a newfangled Django, dodgin' invisible white hoods."
Opinion: Don't be offended by 'Accidental Racist'
Chris Willman, who wrote the book "Rednecks and Bluenecks: The Politics of Country Music," told The Tennessean he fond the song "pretty radical," but Gawker saw it differently, likening it to an "11th grade A.P. History project."
Salon found it "bizarre," and to The Hairpin, "the song itself is a lyrical disgrace filled with awkward non-apologies and faux-pensiveness over the history of racism in the south."
Paisley has explained that he doesn't think they "answer the questions in this song," perhaps chiefly because he says he doesn't "know the answers." But, he told Entertainment Weekly, "Accidental Racist" isn't a stunt.
"At this point, after all these albums and all these hits, I have no interest in phoning it in, and I think that [the song] comes from an honest place in both cases, and that's why it's on ['Wheelhouse'] and why I'm so proud of it ... This isn't something that I just came up with just to be sort of shocking or anything like that. I knew it would be, but I'm sort of doing it in spite of that, really."
Instead, he created it "because it just feels more relevant than it even did a few years ago," he said. "I think that we're going through an adolescence in America when it comes to race. You know, it's like we're almost grown up. You have these little moments as a country where it's like, 'Wow things are getting better.' And then you have one where it's like, 'Wow, no they're not.' ... This is a very sensitive subject, and we're trying to have the discussion in a way that it can help."
Paisley's album "Wheelhouse" arrives Tuesday.
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Bulbs come in a variety of shapes, types and sizes.
Bulb Basics
There are actually a number of more specific terms including rhizomes, tubers, corms, and tuberous roots. We commonly use the terms fall bulbs, spring bulbs or flower bulbs when referring to a wide range of plants for both spring and fall.
Bulb Groupings
Lilies, a popular choice at florists, can be grown from bulbs.
Spring-flowering bulbs are actually planted in the fall. These tend to be hardy.
Summer-flowering bulbs planted in the spring and tend to be more tender.
Some of the more popular bulbs available for spring planting are:
Dahlia gladiolus
tuberous Begonia
poppy anemone
Peruvian daffodil
Persian buttercup
jacobean lily
calla lily
Tips for Buying Bulbs
Photo by: VideoFocus
are another bulb flower variety.
Look for bulbs that are firm and blemish-free.
Bulbs are graded according to diameter (centimeters), and are priced accordingly. Be cautious of bargains if you need a good show the first year. It's possible that a bag bargain "bag of bulbs" contains individual bulbs that are uniform in size or quality, or not in the best of health.
Reputable mail-order is a viable source for bulbs, but buying from a local nursery that sells them in bulk allows you to pick out the biggest, firmest bulbs, free of soft spots or white mold (fusarium fungus).
The presence of bluish gray mold (Penicillium) or blackish mold is typically nothing to worry about and can be wiped off.
To get those summer flowers, plant your flower bulbs in late spring to early summer.
For high-profile bed plantings, you may find that it's worth the higher price for the more mature, showier bulbs.
Younger (smaller caliber) bulbs, which are often sold at lower prices, can offer a great way of adding color to large areas or marginal areas of the yard where they can be left in place to naturalize and mature, gaining in size over time.
Bulbs generally have few insect or disease problems.
When and Where to Plant Bulbs
In terms of location, groups of bulbs make a much nicer show than individual "soldiers marching single file."
Most bulb flowers require full sun to light shade.
Create greater color impact in the garden by planting clusters of same-color flowers together in blocks or "bouquets." Visually, you get more "bang for the buck."
How to Plant Bulbs: Depth and Spacing
As a general rule of thumb, plant bulbs three times as deep as they are high and the same distance apart.
There are exceptions for some species, so it's always best to consult planting guide.
Larger bulbs should be planted three to six inches apart; smaller bulbs one to two inches apart.
Here are the basic steps for planting bulbs:
- Use a bulb planter or small shovel to dig your holes.
- Place bulb in hole with the tip pointed up.
Proper Spacing
Be sure to space bulbs the proper distance apart when planting.
Plant bulbs three times as deep as they are high, and space them apart equally.
Bulbs and Soil
Clay soils will typically kill the flower bulbs. Sandy soils are equally deadly as they drain water away too quickly. The ideal soil will hold its shape when squeezed into a ball but will break apart when gently poked with your finger.
Post-Planting Care
Bulbs love soil that will hold some water, but not too much water.
Bulbs like their soil kept moist while they are actively growing and reasonably dry while they are dormant. Begin watering when green shoots appear and stop when foliage starts to yellow after flowering. Follow the planting guidelines for the flower variety for feeding and fertilizing.
Problems and Troubleshooting
Some reasons for poor flowering the first year could be the following: bulbs were planted too shallow; planted too late in the season; bulbs selected were not hardy for the region; bulbs were disturbed by animals–moles, squirrels, chipmunks, mice, etc.; bulbs rotted.
Rotting of bulbs is typically caused by using fertilizers excessively high in nitrogen or fresh manure, overly wet soil conditions, or because bulbs were of poor quality, bruised or cut.


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We're going to get a little personal today on Total Recall, and take a look at my favourite Nintendo console of all time. Not the best, not the biggest-selling, just...my favourite.
And that console is the Panasonic Q, a machine sadly never made commercially available in the West.
The Q, a very fancy version of the GameCube, was released in Japan in December 2001, the latest in a long line of Japanese consoles licensed for manufacture by a company other than the actual platform holder (the original console being made not by Nintendo, but by Panasonic).
It was something Nintendo fans in other parts of the world are still waiting for: a home console that doubled as a multimedia centre. Not only was the machine a GameCube, complete with all the controller ports and memory card slots of a regular console, but it was also a DVD player.
Why? Well, Nintendo feared - rightly so, it turns out - that the competing PlayStation 2's DVD player would be a major selling-point for the console, and since the GameCube lacked this feature, that its sales would suffer as a result. So it struck a deal with the company manufacturing the GameCube's optical disc drives, Matsushita (who own Panasonic), to produce a variant model of the console, which would be capable of playing DVDs.
The Panasonic Q in all its glory
That variant was the Q, which in addition to its regular GameCube components also boasted more advanced features like an optical out port (for true 5.1 surround sound support), a swish front-loading disc tray, a neat little LCD display panel at the top, a separate subwoofer output for the Q's "Bass Plus" feature and, best and most badass of all, a polished glass front with a stainless steel chassis.
Despite this more advanced feature set, and a price tag of around USD$450 (which wasn't that expensive), the Q remained something of an oddity, an ugly stepsister, and sadly never really took off in Japan. It was discontinued only two years later, in December 2003, and was never officially released outside Japan.
Because of its unique appearance and capabilities, though, the Q remains a favourite of hardware collectors, and can be had quite easily online for anywhere between $300-$600.
Why, then, is the Q my favourite? Well, I've always had a very soft spot for the GameCube, because of its catalogue of amazing games, cute form factor and its innovative wireless control pads, so a heavily modified GameCube with a steel chassis is right up my alley. As a lover of the last generation's clear loser, it also acts as a sort of beacon of alternate history, which continually makes me wonder what kind of gaming industry we'd be wading through today if this more feature-packed console had somehow won out over Sony's PlayStation 2.


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Bullet journalling for me is not only about being organised but it is another creative outlet for me to experiment with lettering, colour and washi tape. There is so many different designs and so many creative possibilities to fill those blank pages. It makes me happy. If I feel stressed or anxious I get my bullet journal and do something creative. I am going to share 5 other reasons why I love to bullet journal and how it benefits me.
I can design a weekly planner in a layout that works for me.
I can keep log my weekly planner, habit trackers, blog statistics and to-do lists all in one place.
I can practise my brush lettering
I can practise doodling, writing titles and designing borders.
If I want to change a layout or design because I don't like it or I have made a mistake I can just change it or start a fresh page, it doesn't matter.
Do you bullet journal , if so what do you love about yours? If you don't bullet journal, what do you do to be creative? I'd love to hear in the comments.


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About Warm Cocotte
The feelings concerning the experience of tasting certain meals are affected by food physical properties as well many other factors such as culture, environment, peers and parental influence, tools, appearance and diners.
These play a role on our liking rate, willingness to eat and sense of satisfaction equally to taste.
Warm Cocotte is founders by me and Gloria Viganò, both Italians and with a great passion for food which we combine with a background in design studies with several experimentations in food and eating design fields.
Big cities fast mentality judges food as mere nourishment losing the values of sharing a gratifying meal with someone special and preferring quick packed lunches or cheap junks.
The intent of the studio is to spur people to reflect on food as social catalyst and vehicle of unpredictable emotions.
The experimental process allows us to collect real feedbacks from our guests and to design any time different custom dinners to canalize consumers' reactions and feelings.


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Zaz Museum, Nagoya Japan
Getting back to my Japan trip for a moment…Since I never really, um, wrote much about it here, and I still have thousands of photos left unposted. So, tonight I bring you one of many curiosities I stumbled upon in … Continue reading
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More coverage on the shootings from affiliates KOLD, KVOA, KMSB, KPHO and KGUN.
[Updated at 10:30 p.m. ET] A man who helped subdue the gunman in Saturday's Arizona shooting spree said the man was trying to reload when he was tackled to the ground.
"He was ready for war. He was not playing around," Joe Zamudio told CNN. "He was going to keep shooting. It was not over. He had just ran out of bullets."
The gun, which another bystander had wrestled from the gunman, was empty and cocked open, and the shooter had another magazine at the ready, Zamudio said.
Zamudio pinned him to the ground until police showed up. The suspect, 22-year-old Jared Lee Loughner, is in custody of the Pima County Sheriff's Office, and authorities are obtaining search warrants for a residence and his vehicle. Authorities also are seeking a person of interest but his suspected connection to the incident is unclear.
Loughner is accused of shooting 18 people, including U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, a third-term Democrat who had organized the "Congress on Your Corner" meet and greet. Authorities believe the gunman had specifically targeted Giffords. She is in critical condition after undergoing surgery for a single gunshot wound to the head, but doctors said they are optimistic over her prospects for recovery.
Eleven others were wounded in the shooting and six are dead, among them U.S. District Court Judge John Rolls, a friend of Giffords' who had stopped by the event to say hello after attending Mass, Pima County Sheriff Clarence Dupnik said.
Also killed was Giffords staffer Gabe Zimmerman, director of community outreach who had coordinated the event to introduce Giffords to her constituents.
A 9-year-old girl also was killed.
The shooting sent shock waves through Washington, where Giffords was regarded as gracious and kind, a moderate Democrat known for her dedication to her constituents and willingness to work across party lines.
In light of the shootings, all legislation on the House schedule for the coming week has been postponed, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor announced in a statement.
Americans also struggled to come to terms with the event. Many of them showed up to a vigil at the Arizona State Capitol to pray together and share their thoughts.
In the Twitterverse, theories abounded as to the gunman's motivation. Meanwhile, while speaking to the press , the sheriff lamented "the vitriolic rhetoric" in American political discourse, suggesting it played a role in the shooting.
"This has not become the nice United States of America that most of us grew up in and I think its time we do the soul-searching," he said.
"The anger, the hatred the bigotry that goes on in this country is getting to be outrageous and unfortunately, Arizona has become the capital. We have become the mecca of prejudice and bigotry."
[Updated at 10:00 p.m. ET] A House vote scheduled for Monday on whether to repeal health care legislation has been postponed after Saturday's shooting.
All legislation on the House schedule for the coming week has been postponed in a decision by leaders of both political parties in the House so "we can take whatever actions may be necessary in light of today's tragedy," House Majority Leader Eric Cantor said in a statement.
[Updated at 9:13 p.m. ET] Some who knew Giffords and others who just wanted an outlet for emotions in the wake of the shooting rampage gathered on Capitol Hill Saturday night to honor the victims.
More than 50 marchers braved subfreezing temperatures and gusty winds to march to the Capitol and up the west steps to hold the vigil.
[Updated at 8:55 p.m. ET] A law enforcement source familiar with the investigation says the Glock model 19 used in the shootings was purchased legally. The official did not have details at this time as to when and where the gun was purchased.
The gun was loaded with a 30-round magazine. The official said it is likely the extended magazine used in the shooting was purchased separately and at a different time. The official said such a magazine does not automatically come with a weapons purchase and that it would be extremely rare for them to be sold together in one purchase.
The official said the suspect had purchased another gun a few years ago but this person did not know the details about what happened to that weapon and if the alleged shooter still owned it.
[Updated at 8:23 p.m. ET] Officials are not convinced that the suspected gunman acted alone, Pima County Sheriff Clarence Dupnik told reporters.
Law enforcement is actively searching for a "person of interest" who is a white male in his 50s believed to have assisted the suspect in a shooting, Dupnik said.
A suspect who Dupnik would not name is in the custody of the Pima County Sheriff's Office, he said. The suspect has had previous contact with law enforcement "regarding threats" to kill, Dupnik said, and described him as having a "troubled past."
CNN has confirmed that the suspect's name is Jared Lee Loughner, 22, whose apparent online footprint professes an distrust of government and a fondness for books such as "Mein Kampf," "The Communist Manifesto," "Peter Pan" and "The Republic."
"There's reason to believe this individual has a mental issue and I think that people who are unbalanced are especially susceptible to vitriol," he said.
"Vitriol" in public debate was a recurring theme in Dupnik's remarks as he blasted the media for "the vitriolic rhetoric" heard on television and radio.
[Updated at 7:57 p.m. ET] Gabe Zimmerman, director of community outreach for U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, was among those killed in Saturday's shooting at a constituents meeting outside a Tucson Safeway, Gifford press secretary CJ Karamargin said.
Zimmerman was the staff member who set up today's event in Giffords' district, Karamargin said. The Tucson native was engaged to be married.
[Updated at 7:43 p.m. ET] The Army said in a statement that the suspect in the shooting was never in the Army.
"He attempted to enlist in the Army but was rejected for service. In accordance with the Privacy Act, we will not discuss why he was rejected," the Army said in a statement.
[Updated at 7:21 p.m. ET] Jared Lee Loughner, the suspect, had a limited presence on social-media sites, including YouTube and MySpace. Here's a sampling of some of the messages that CNN found on Loughner's pages:
December 26, 2010: I'm not going to change the mistakes, you don't know – funny! (I think the CIA watches my-space)
December 30, 2010: I now understand a certain word - Cult!
December 15, 2010: If I define terrorist then a terrorist is a person who employs terror or terrorism, especially as a political weapon.
I define terrorist.
Thus a terrorist is a person who employs terror or terrorism, especially
as a political weapon.
If you call me a terrorist then the argument to call me a terrorist is Ad hominem.
You call me a terrorist.
Thus the argument to call me a terrorist is Ad hominem.
December 15, 2010: The majority of citizens in the United States of America have never read the United States of America's Constitution.
You don't have to accept the federalist laws.
Nonetheless, read the United States of America's Constitution to apprehend all of the current treasonous laws.
You're literate, listener?
Read more about Loughner's digital footprint on CNN.com
[Updated at 7:12 p.m. ET] The University of Arizona's men's basketball game against Stanford University has been postponed following the shootings.
"The University feels the game should be delayed with deep respect to the victims and families impacted by this tragedy," Arizona athletics director Greg Byrne said.
The game will be played at 12:30 p.m. MST Sunday.
[Updated at 6:48 p.m. ET] Saturday's deadly shootings at an Arizona constituency meeting outside a Tucson Safeway appear to have "no nexus to terrorism," a law enforcement official said.
This official did not know if there had been any recent threat against Rep Giffords but said there are frequent threats to various members of Congress, mostly via phone calls or e-mails, or mailed threats.
[Updated at 6:30 p.m. ET] U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts released this statement on the death of U.S. District Court Chief Judge John Roll, who was killed in the shootings:
"Chief Judge John Roll was a wise jurist who selflessly served Arizona and the nation with great distinction, as attorney and judge, for more than 35 years. I express my deepest condolences to his wife Maureen and his children, as well as the other victims and their families. Chief Judge Roll's death is a somber reminder of the importance of the rule of law and the sacrifices of those who work to secure it."
[Updated at 6:16 p.m. ET] The Tea Party released this statement regarding the shootings:
"We at the Tea Party Express are shocked and saddened to hear about the terrible tragedy that took place in Tucson today. It is appalling that anyone would commit such unthinkable violence against Congresswoman Gabrielle Gifford, her staff, a sitting federal judge and the many other victims and families impacted.
"These heinous crimes have no place in America, and they are especially grievous when committed against our elected officials. Spirited debate is desirable in our country, but it only should be the clash of ideas. An attack on anyone for political purposes, if that was a factor in this shooting, is an attack on the democratic process. We join with everyone in vociferously condemning it."
Read the full story on CNN.com
[Updated at 5:41 p.m. ET] Who is Gabrielle Giffords? She's a Democrat who was first elected in 2006. She has served as chairwoman of the House Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee and also holds seats on the House Science and Technology and Armed Services committees.
She won her third term in a closely contested race against a Tea Party-sponsored candidate and was one of three Democratic legislators who reported vandalism at their offices following the March vote on health care reform.
She is married to Navy Capt. Mark Kelly, a NASA astronaut who is scheduled to lead a space shuttle mission to the International Space Station. The two married in 2007, after meeting four years prior in China, as young leaders selected by the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations, Giffords told the New York Times in her wedding announcement.
The article described their courtship as a drawn-out affair between two deeply committed civic servants who slowly found their way to each other. When they met, Giffords was seeing someone and Kelly was married.
After Giffords split from her boyfriend, she invited Kelly to join her on a tour of the Arizona State Prison in Florence.
"I'd been working on legislation dealing with capital punishment. Mark is the son of police officers — well, he just really wanted to sit in 'the chair,' " she told the newspaper.
The two married three years later, they married at an organic produce farm in Amado, Arizona, called Agua Linda. An avid recycler, Giffords wore a Vera Wang gown borrowed from a friend.
"To a bride who moves at a velocity that exceeds that of anyone else in Washington, and a groom who moves at a velocity that exceeds 17,000 miles per hour," a wedding guest said in a toast to the couple.
[Updated at 5:20 p.m. ET] Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer expressed condolences for the shooting victims - 6 are dead and 12 injured.
"I am just heartbroken. Gabby (Giffords) is more than just a colleague she is a friend. She has always been a noble public servant," an emotional Brewer said, pausing for composure.
"I ask the people of Arizona and the people of America to keep the victims and their families in their prayers, and pray for their recovery and pray that in Arizona we never have to experience a tragedy like this ever again."
Giffords publicized the "Congress on Your Corner" meet-up at the Safeway in her southern Arizona district on her Twitter account.
Judge John Roll, the chief judge on the U.S. District Court for Arizona, was among 6 people killed, along with a 9-year-old girl, officials said.
Witnesses said the gunman shot Giffords at point blank range through the head and then continued firing. The suspect, identified by law enforcement sources as Jared Lee Loughner, has been taken into custody.
[Updated at 4:52 p.m. ET] Chief Judge John Roll was among 6 people killed at an Arizona constituent meeting outside a Tucson grocery store Saturday.
[Updated at 4:30 p.m. ET] The suspect in a shooting at an Arizona constituent meeting outside a Tucson grocery story is a white male born in 1988, CNN's Jeanne Meserve has confirmed from a federal law enforcement source.
Six people have died, including a 9-year-old girl, and 12 were injured, including U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, authorities said.
[Updated at 4:07 p.m. ET] Rep. Gabrielle Giffords is in critical condition and a young child has died after a shooting at a political meeting at an Arizona grocery store, a hospital spokesman said Saturday.
Giffords, who was hosting the event, is under anesthesia after undergoing surgery for a single gunshot wound to the head "through and through," said Dr. Peter Rhee, Trauma Director at the University Medical Center in Tucson.
"The Congresswoman is not deceased. She is in critical condition," Rhee said in a press conference. "I am very optimistic about recovery."
Giffords publicized the "Congress on Your Corner" meet-up at the Safeway in her southern Arizona district on her Twitter account.
[Updated at 3:40 p.m. ET] Six people have died and 12 - including U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords - were injured in a shooting at a political meeting at a Tucson, Arizona, grocery store Saturday, according to Rick Kastigar of the Pima County Sheriff's Department.
[Updated at 3:20 p.m. ET] A suspect is in custody in the shootings of at least 12 people, including Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, at a constituent meeting at an Arizona grocery store, the U.S. Capitol Police said in a statement.
"The suspect is in custody. No further details on the motive or other victims are available at this time," the statement said. "The U.S. Capitol Police are directly involved in this investigation. As more information is developed, it will be provided. In the interim, all Members and staff are advised to take reasonable and prudent precautions regarding their personal security."
A statement from President Obama confirmed that some people had died.
"This morning, in an unspeakable tragedy, a number of Americans were shot in Tucson, Arizona, at a constituent meeting with Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords. And while we are continuing to receive information, we know that some have passed away, and that Representative Giffords is gravely wounded," he said.
"We do not yet have all the answers. What we do know is that such a senseless and terrible act of violence has no place in a free society. I ask all Americans to join me and Michelle in keeping Representative Giffords, the victims of this tragedy, and their families in our prayers."
[Updated at 3:00 p.m. ET] Rep. Gabrielle Giffords is currently undergoing surgery for a gunshot wound to the head, a spokeswoman for the University Medical Center in Tucson said.
Nine patients were brought to the hospital, including a child. All of them are in either serious or critical condition and are undergoing surgery, spokeswoman Darci Slaten said.
A federal judge was also among those shot, a law enforcement official said. It is not clear whether he was among those taken to the hospital.
[Updated at 2:43 p.m. ET] There were conflicting reports Saturday about the condition of U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords following a shooting Saturday at a Tucson, Arizona, grocery store. Giffords' press secretary said the congresswoman remains in surgery for her injuries, disputing an earlier report from a law enforcement source saying she had died.
[Updated at 2:23 p.m. ET] U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords died Saturday after a gunman opened fire at a Tucson, Arizona grocery store, a law enforcement source said. Giffords, who had been holding a meeting with constituents, was among at least 12 people shot.
[Updated at 1:51 p.m. ET] U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords was among at least 12 people shot at a Tucson, Arizona, grocery store, a Democratic source told CNN's Dana Bash. The source called her injuries "pretty serious."
[Updated at 1:41 p.m. ET] U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords was meeting with constituents at a Safeway grocery store in Tucson, Arizona, where at least 12 people were injured in a shooting shortly after 10 a.m. MST Saturday, a spokesman for the Pima County sheriff's Department said. It is unclear whether Giffords was among those hurt.
"Several" people were shot Saturday at a grocery store in Tucson,
Arizona, a spokesman for the Pima County Sheriff's Department said. No other details were immediately available.
Are you kidding me?? How pathetic and intelectually cowardly of all of you that are pointing fingers at the "Hate Inciters" I mean, come on!!! Listen to yourselves. Your argument is based totally on the the assumption that we as Americans (even this loon) do not have individual choices. That's the key here folks. CHOICE!!! This idiot murderer chose to do what he did. Boy, that's an age old idea, huh???? Americans actually have a choice????? REALLY???? But for those with absolutlety baseless arguments, it's much easier clearly categorize things like this to fully suit their political perspective. BROADEN your minds, folks!!! Rush, Palin, Hannity, Beck and whoever else you want to villify did not pull the trigger.
"Sarah is a evil woman, who will be leader of this country with all her lies. All these people death are down to her she is a vile evil woman I hope she dies."
I'm no fan of Sarah Palin, but how is what you said here any better than anything you're railing against? This kind of hateful and violent speech is equally unacceptable from either side. I don't care what anyone's political views are, I don't want to see them harmed.
Mein Kampf was written by the head of the National SOCIALIST German WORKERS Party. Hitler was not a right winger, he (the government) was running the companies in the Reich, property rights meant nothing to him. He hated capitalists. I think taking over the capitalist economy was not his FIRST priority, but he moved a great deal in that direction. Does anyone doubt that Hitler and the Nazis did not have full control over the economy and all spheres of society? Does anyone think there is any difference between Hitler and Stalin?
You ignorance about systems of government shows. I urge you to take time and read about the difference between dictatorships, communism, socialism, and democracy is. To draw a conclusion from either Nazi Germany or the old USSR to Democratic policy is part of the reason this rhetoric exist and causes people to go out and do acts of terrorism. There are plenty of Social-Democracy governments where the standard of living is higher, less violence, and people are happier. Taxes are higher, but people make more because the government protects the workers and workforce with good policy. Examples are Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Canada.... all have varying forms of what you call "scary socialism". Finally, the western governments with the biggest rift between rich and poor (USA and the UK) and the greatest number of social problems.
I do not think it is apporiate at this time to discuss haters in the political ring. I do wish to express my true sorrow for all who wereinjured or sadly died. This is a terrible crime against inocent people.
The vitriol and hatred coming out of Republicans in AZ has increased during the last few years after Napolitano left. Gov Brewer spews hate and just look at her contorted face when she has to defend against Democrats. Sen Russell Pearce is another one who spews hatred when he can get a camera on him. These people are the radical right wing of the LDS who totally control the politicis in Arizona. There is no dissent. There is no other opinions or discussions which the populace of AZ are privy to. There is only one newspaper, The Arizona Republic, which is cotrolled by the Republican media. The local TV stations are the same. There will be no negative news directed towards Republicans. Gun laws passed by this Gov and Legis are the most lenient in the nation and when lawmen are shot on routine traffic stops, no mention is allowed of these lenient laws. This sheriff knows what he's talking about.
Oh dear,
You sound as nutty as the crazy man who supposedly did the shooting today...
Guys stop calling each other names, THAT IS PART OF THE PROBLEM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
A comment from someone in Dublin, Ireland.
I heard what the Sheriff of Arizona said earlier today & from what I now read in the comments he's right. It's not just Arizona, that's is sick with hatred, it's everywhere in America. And the journalists at CNN are not so lily-white either...not by a long shot. Your freedom of speech amendment should be changed as soon as possible because mouths of hate hide behind it to spout all their hate etc, without any form of fear of the law.
America will all be seen to be shocked & empathize with the Senator & all the other victim's of todays horror for a few days, weeks, maybe months & then it will all return to...as is...with the next victims of hate. It's a sorry state...it's a sad America. Go on, tell the truth! You agree with everything I write...beause it's so very true & you know it to be.
Condolences to all the victims of todays madness & deepest sympathy (RIP) to those who died...on this sad hate filled day in Arizona...& America. But America if you want to right it...you can. I'll change that to, you "Must"!
Yet you are free to spew your hatred of our country. Puh-lease. Defining "hate speech" is like defining beauty. It's all in the eye of the beholder.
EXTRA EXTRA! WHITE, I repeat WHITE shooter kills and injures several people during a rally at a safeway market in Arizona. to be clear, no hispanics were involved, only a WHITE male 🙂 maybe two plus Palin and the tea party .... I wonder how many illegal immigratnts Arpaio and the governor caught while these people were getting shot by a WHITEEEE male.
Our little brown friends were probably busy raping, stealing and killing someone else. They should leave some place for the poor white kids among themselves, shouldn't they? Otherwise that would be racial discrimination, wouldn't it?
When JFK was shot in Dallas, we Dallasites had so live with that burden for decades ... yet we had nothing to do with it. His assassination was the work of a nut, just like this lunatic in Tucson. I don't hold the state of Arizona or the city of Tucson responsible for what happened. I don't hold the media responsible. I hold that one man and his hatred and total disrespect for human life responsible. To kill someone for their a political viewpoint is beyond comprehension to all good Americans ... no matter what their political beliefs. So don't let the haters on either side cloud this tragic incident.
Well, sarah palin and her followers wrote this script. I hear he was trying to reload as sarah encouraged.
Why wasn't McCain there?
Wait.....something doesn't add up. They say he had a 30-round extended magazine for the gun. People claim they heard 12 to 15 gunshots. Why would he be reloading? I smells some BS – someone is trying to play hero.
uhhh! When he was wrestled to the ground there was more ammo in the gun and had not those heroes stepped in there would have been a lot more injured or dead.
The teabaggers an d their inciters should be proud of themselves.
So what about the other people that were killed as well? Don't their lives matter?
Teabaggers are just vicious phonies that have beliefs that have no basis in morality or common sense. They and the current Republican party created and nurtured this behavior. These people have no comprehension of what it is to be an american.


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Update: the following does not explain the Caramilk secret of MBH99 confidence intervals, which remains unexplained and mysterious. End Update.
OK, Mann starts with a sigma obtained from the standard errors in the calibration period from his hugely overfitted model. He uses this in MBH98. In MBH99, recognizing the autocorrelation in the residuals, he adjusts the confidence intervals through a mysterious procedure. The adjustments as shown this morning in the figure below are done in bulk.
Top: black- MBH99 sigma; red – MBH98 sigma; bottom ratio of MBH99 sigma to MBH98 sigma (using the ignore2 to extend to 1000-1399).
The adjustment that we're looking for is about 1.6 derived somehow. Now look at the following figure from MBH99 posted up previously here:
Original Caption. Figure 2. Spectrum of NH series calibration residuals from 1902-1980 for post-AD 1820 (solid) and AD 1000 (dotted) reconstructions (scaled by their mean white noise levels). Median and 90%,95%,and 99% significance levels (dashed lines) are shown.
This is derived from a spectrum but it is, as noted in the caption, "scaled by mean white noise levels". If you squint at the y-axis, you can perhaps persuade yourself that the value at the y-axis is about 1.6. which is the value in the "adjustment". So maybe what they do is use this y-axis value as an "adjustment" to the standard deviation and thus to the confidence interval. [Update: You cannot reasonably persuade yourself that it is 1.4. I was trying too hard and this possibility – which doesn't make any sense anyway – is ruled out.]
Jean S sent me a note saying that he thinks he's figured it out but was too busy to write it down till the end of the week. Jean S:
I kind of figured out the procedure from Mann and Lees. I don't know what to say anymore, I'm kind of sad this type of papers do get published… Mann&Lees is sad.
[Update: I guess we'll have to wait for Jean S. ]
Jean S has suggested a look at Stoica and Moses, Intro to Spectral Analysis, p. 37, section 2.4, "Properties of the Periodogram Method", so I'll check that out.
I wonder what an econometrician working with spectral methods would say about this. – someone like Granger or Peter Robinson. For that matter, Bloomfield and Nychka of the NAS panel or both specialists in frequency domain. Now however odd Mann's result is, bear in mind that Esper, Briffa, Jones, D'Arrigo are all even worse. At least Mann has indirectly considered the possibility of autocorrelated residuals and tried to allow for them – even if his method was weird. The other folks just ignore the problem and use the same approach as MBH98 for estimating residuals. Fit a model in a calibration period and then use the standard errors to calculate confidence intervals with no allowance for autocorrelation. But hey, they're the Hockey Team.
[Update: The relevant section of Stoica says that the estimates of the Fourier coefficients through the periodogram are inconsistent and do not converge with N, but behave as a random variable. This doesn't sound promising as a method of estimating an adjustment, that's for sure. Now Mann estimates his spectrum using Thomson's multitaper method – Stoica did not discuss this methodology; the purpose of the multitaper method is to reduce the variance of the estimate, so probably it's less bad than the periodogram, but still the whole procedure, whatever it is, doesn't sound promising. Having said that, doing nothing is not an alternative either. ]


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Former Notre Dame lineman Jurkovic dies
Chicago, IL – Mirko Jurkovic, a defensive tackle who played for Notre Dame on its last national championship team, died on Wednesday.
The Chicago Tribune reported that the 42-year-old Illinois native lost a 28- month fight with colon cancer, passing away at St. Joseph's Medical Center in Mishawaka, Indiana -- one town east of South Bend, where Notre Dame's campus is located.
Jurkovic was a freshman defensive tackle on the Irish's 1988 squad, which bested West Virginia for the title. He later switched to guard and also participated in two Orange Bowls and a Sugar Bowl before graduating.
A ninth-round draft pick of the Chicago Bears in 1992, Jurkovic suffered a knee injury which derailed his rookie season and he never played in the NFL.


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9 Things That Are Broken On Twitter (TWTR)
Yesterday we told you Twitter is trying to make itself easier to use.
Today we're identifying all the things that are broken on Twitter. If fixed, they'd make the service so much easier to navigate.
Right now, Twitter's core appeal is to people obsessed with the media, sports celebrities and tech. Conversely, your mom is probably not on Twitter.
That's a problem because up to 1 billion people — moms included — have tried Twitter and largely abandoned it, leaving the service struggling to find new users. In the last quarter, Twitter added only 1 million users in the U.S. (Facebook, for comparison, added double that number even though it is much older than Twitter and largely matured as an American network years ago.)
CEO Dick Costolo believes part of the problem may be the way software code symbols like "@" and "#" are frequently used on Twitter. It may be hard to believe if you work in Silicon Valley or Manhattan, but millions of normal people just don't know — or care — what a "hashtag" is.
Here's what's broken.
1. #ThisStuffIsOftenMeaningless
Functions like @, #, RT, MT and #FF are meaningless to most people. Twitter needs to be conducted in plain English if it is to grow beyond its 241 million users. Other social media like Facebook and Tumblr use hot links or highlights if you reply or mention others on those sites — but the words themselves are largely unadorned by code symbols.
2. Twitter punishes you for replying
The beauty of Twitter — you're constrained to 140 character per message — sometimes becomes ugly if you're trying to reply to more than one person at once. Twitter handles count as part of those 140 letters, severely limiting your ability to reply to them coherently. Note that on Instagram, no one is constrained to short messages, but users generally only publish short messages because the system is designed in such a way to encourage them.
3. Twitter is useless for group messaging.
One of the reasons messaging apps like WhatsApp are so popular is that it's impossible to have a group message conversation on Twitter because usernames take up all the conversation space. Twitter has largely ceded this function to other messaging apps.
4. The direct message function is genuinely confusing.
Anthony Weiner screwed up the difference between an @reply and a direct message, and now New York has a different mayor. You can use a "d:" function to send a direct message to another user that won't be seen by others but ... so many people have screwed this up that "Twitter DM fail" is its own meme. Every single social and messaging app on the planet has made direct messaging super simple and super safe. Twitter should follow suit.
5. You begin with zero friends.
A Business Insider reader noted recently that "Everyone who signs up begins with exactly 0 followers, which makes every new user a LOSER." It's true — open a new Twitter account and none of your friends are there. The desktop version does not ask to pull friends from your email contact lists. You have to go searching for them yourself. This is work.
6. Even if you have some friends, you quickly learn you are not popular.
Twitter becomes a lot more fun if you start to attract a sizeable following. Anyone can become "Twitter famous," but that takes a lot of work and originality. Generally, people do not want social media to become a chore. They want it to be easy. So there are two classes of Twitter users: Famous people like celebrities or journalists whose jobs generate a stream of new content, and everyone else. "Everyone else" is not where you want to be. Facebook, by contrast, lets anyone be "popular" because the vast majority of people already have a couple hundred friends, family members and coworkers they can add to their network.
7. You can't see your entire follower list at once.
If you've ever wanted to see a lit of all the people you're following — or all your followers — you're out of luck. You can click to get the list, but it comes up as an endless scroll, and one mistake click sends you right back to the beginning. It's difficult to sort them, too.
8. It takes too many clicks to navigate around Twitter.
Twitter often requires users to click or tap twice or more to get to the thing they're actually interested in. This occurs most frequently when you click on someone's name on Twitter, and instead of getting a list of their tweets you get a truncated summary of their account. You have to click again on their tweet stream to see what they're saying. This is a user-interface tic with Twitter, the New York Times noted that to see a video users often have to click three times before arriving at the content they want.
9. Fix search.
Twitter search is great for finding out what is happening on Twitter right now. It's terrible if you want to find old tweets, your own old tweets, or to search the tweet archive of a single individual. Search remains the universal way in which navigation on the web and on mobile is conducted, so getting this wrong is a strategic issue.
See Also:
- Twitter Has Reportedly Abandoned An Effort To Keep Your Private Messages Secure
- These Maps Show How Twitter Can Be Used To Predict Crime Down To The City Block
- Twitter Is Trying To Figure Out Whether Killing The '@' Symbol Will Bring Back 1 Billion Disaffected Users
SEE ALSO: Twitter Is Trying To Figure Out Whether Killing The '@' Symbol Will Bring Back 1 Billion Disaffected Users


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...one of the most highly
regarded and expertly designed C++ library projects in the
world. — Herb Sutter and Andrei
Alexandrescu, C++
Coding Standards
io_service( std::size_t concurrency_hint);
Construct with a hint about the required level of concurrency.
A suggestion to the implementation on how many threads it should allow to run simultaneously.


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For some people, joining a fraternity or a sorority is the right decision. Others may feel like they wouldn't have time or that it's just not their scene. It is completely up to you to decide if you want to be part of a Greek family or not, but here are a few questions to think about to help you make a decision.
Do you want to enlarge your social crowd? The Greek system is a great way to meet new people and make friendships that can last a lifetime. If you are going to a school where none of your friends are going, then you may want to consider joining a sorority or fraternity. Even if you and your high school friends are going to the same college, you may want to expand your inner circle in order to obtain new perspectives. However, if you feel you can meet people without the help of a club, then you may be content to bypass the Greek life altogether.
Do you want to develop leadership skills? Fraternities and sororities can help strengthen member's teamwork, time management, motivation, public speaking and organization skills. Greeks are also highly involved in leadership positions on various campuses. This may be a plus for you to join a sorority or fraternity but keep in mind that you can also develop leadership skills through other college organizations, such as student government or key club.
How much free time do you want? At some schools, the Greek life can be very time consuming, almost a lifestyle, while at other schools, it can be just another extracurricular activity. If you are the kind of person who doesn't like to give up copious free time, then going Greek may not be for you. On the other hand, if you thrive off of a busy schedule, then you may want to consider rushing. Just remember that by joining a fraternity or sorority, you are making a commitment to participate in their activities, such as community service and social activities.
Can you afford it? If you decide to join a sorority or fraternity, you will have to pay dues. Annual membership dues vary depending on where you go to school and which sorority or fraternity you join. Membership dues can range from $100 to $1,000 per semester. If you decide to rush, make sure you ask questions about how much dues will be. Some fraternities or sororities may even be able to sponsor you if you decide that you can't afford to join.
Greek life is not for everyone. What some students view as advantages of going Greek, others view as disadvantages. Keep in mind that you do not have to be a freshman to rush a sorority or fraternity. Many students wait until they are sophomores or juniors before they rush. If you are still unsure about whether or not you want to join, there is no harm in rushing a fraternity or sorority to find out more information. Just be sure to take your time checking out your options and making your decision.
Greek Terms Defined
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Helsinki Commission (HELCOM)
Harmonized high quality sea surveying for the Baltic Sea region
Maritime shipping is international and does not stop at borders. That is why nautical information also crosses borders. To ensure that the sea is also surveyed in an internationally coordinated manner, the Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission - Helsinki Commission (HELCOM for short) already decided in 2001 to harmonise the sea surveying of the main shipping routes in the Baltic Sea and the approaches to the most important ports (HELCOM Copenhagen Declaration). The full title of the agreement is: Declaration on the safety of navigation and emergency capacity in the Baltic Sea Area.
As a result, a working group of the Baltic Sea Hydrographic Commission (BSHC) of the International Hydrographic Organisation (IHO) has drawn up a programme which for the first time provides for a harmonised and comprehensive investigation of the main shipping routes in the Baltic Sea. This was implemented on the basis of Special Publication 44 of the IHO (S44). Since 2003, the measurements have been carried out as agreed.
Since then, the cooperation has been continuously expanded. The status of the surveys can be viewed on the HELCOM website. In the meantime, it no longer only comprises the main routes (category I), but also the secondary routes and other maritime areas (categories II and III).
In certain cases, even the survey areas are exchanged between neighbouring countries. For example, Germany surveys the entire Kadet channel including the Danish part (marked green in the graph). Denmark also surveys the German part (marked blue in the graph) in the area to the northeast.


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The Rubik's Cube is a classic puzzle, one that's tough to improve upon. This electronic version tries, but it doesn't look like it succeeds on adding much value to the original.
Rather than twisting the sides around, on this version you push buttons and have the lights move. How unnecessary! What this does add is 5 additional games, so if you've ever thought that the Rubik's Cube could use that, here you go. Only $63! What a deal! [Boy's Stuff via Foolish Gadgets]


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If you think kart racing is zipping around an oval on a burping clunker powered by a lawn mower engine, you've never sat down in a Rotax RM1. This streamlined kart is a lightning bolt capable of speeds that would get you ticketed on any American highway.
"It's so fast it's scary," says Richard J. (R. J.) Valentine, the owner of F1 Outdoors, a 45-acre karting facility in East Bridgewater, Massachusetts, and the Northeast distributor for the RM1. He's right: the RM1 can exceed 100 miles per hour, and that's a machine without seat belts and airbags.
The Rotax, which is designed by Bombardier Inc. and made in Austria, boasts 34 horsepower, phenomenal strength for something that weighs only 200 pounds. It's powered by a sealed engine with a direct drive train, has a much-needed 4-disk breaking system and a wide, stable body that's more narrow in front than in back.
I squeeze into the molded seat, turn on the electric ignition and roar onto the track, following Valentine. The RM1 is simple to drive, with a brake on your left, gas on the right and a clutchless, dual paddle shift on the steering column. The tachometer has a computerized display that tells when to shift (12,200 rpm).
The thing is a beast, pure and simple, and feels more like an F-16 than a go-kart. (It's no wonder that many top auto racers, including Michael Schumacher, whet their chops on the karting circuit.) I couldn't hit max speed. The RM1 ate up F1's long straightaway, and the kart was still accelerating by the time I chickened out and backed off the pedal, wary of the approaching turn. I was going fast—and the considerable speed seems even greater given how close you are to the road—but R. J. tore by me with ease, nipping inches off each corner with a pro racer's eye. On one lap he passed me with his elbow slung over the rear fender, showing off.
"There's three things you can't get enough of in life," says Valentine. "Money, sex and horsepower."
The first two may be out of our hands, but to get plenty of No. 3, visit www.f1outdoors.com. The RM1 retails for $7,995. For an annual fee of $2,500, F1 will store and maintain your vehicle, and give you some lap time. For the dealer in your area, visit www.sscracing.com.


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You can copy any Active or Offline job by clicking on the dropdown menu next to the job posting title and selecting Copy Job.
This will create a copy of the job and save it on your Offline Jobs filter (which won't count toward your active jobs limit). You can make edits to the copied job and then publish the job online by selecting Publish Online from the dropdown menu next to the job title.


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The Cove Restaurant at location of former Regatta is busy preparing for Thursday opening
FALL RIVER — The race on the waterfront has reached its final sprint. The Cove Restaurant, 392 Davol St., will open to the public on Thursday.
Partner Peter Cabral said there are only 10,000 more details to take care of before then.
The Cove, on the site of the former Regatta, will hold a ribbon-cutting on Wednesday, a soft opening on Thursday and Friday and then a full public opening Saturday. Reservations are required this weekend, restaurant staff say. The number is 508-672-4540.
"It is still surreal," Cabral said Monday, during the crush of work that precedes any restaurant opening. "We've done employee training today and for the past week. Plus a thousand and one details to get open. I really can't wait to get the doors open and see people in here. That is when it will sink in."
The building is on pilings overlooking the Mount Hope Bay and the Battleship Massachusetts. It will seat 200, with an outdoor deck big enough for another 100 diners.
A banquet room will seat another 180, Cabral said. The restaurant will also be part of a marina with 44 slips and facilities for boaters. There will be a 400-foot dock for transient boaters to tie up while having dinner.
Work began in January 2013, with demolition and permitting. A fire in April 2013 set back work, as did the brutal winter this past year, Cabral said.
Construction crews rebuilding Davol Street continued work directly in front of the restaurant on Monday. A police officer directed traffic into the site.
The restaurant has been assured customers will be able to get in and out of the site without trouble, Cabral said.
"The state said they should be finished with work in front of our restaurant on Thursday," Cabral said. "The city has really helped us out. We have the City Pier for parking with valet service. It should work out."
The restaurant staff was having its first test on Tuesday, when The Cove hosted a dinner for all the contractors and builders who worked on the establishment, Cabral said. The ribbon-cutting will be held Wednesday at 7 p.m. at the restaurant.
David Marks is the executive chef. The menu will feature American cuisine, seafood and steaks. Elroy Lazaro is the restaurant manager.
"We open the doors Thursday at 6 p.m.," Cabral said. "I'm looking forward to it."


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Astronomers Rediscover Life On Earth – By Looking at the Moon
By observing the Moon using ESO's Very Large Telescope, astronomers have found evidence of life in the Universe — on Earth. Finding life on our home planet may sound like a trivial observation, but the novel approach of an international team may lead to future discoveries of life elsewhere in the Universe. The work is described in a paper to appear in the 1 March 2012 issue of the journal Nature.
"We used a trick called earthshine observation to look at the Earth as if it were an exoplanet," says Michael Sterzik (ESO), lead author of the paper. "The Sun shines on the Earth and this light is reflected back to the surface of the Moon. The lunar surface acts as a giant mirror and reflects the Earth's light back to us — and this is what we have observed with the VLT."
The astronomers analyse the faint earthshine light to look for indicators, such as certain combinations of gases in Earth's atmosphere [2], that are the telltale signs of organic life. This method establishes Earth as a benchmark for the future search for life on planets beyond our Solar System.
The fingerprints of life, or biosignatures, are hard to find with conventional methods, but the team has pioneered a new approach that is more sensitive. Rather than just looking at how bright the reflected light is in different colours, they also look at the polarisation of the light [3], an approach called spectropolarimetry. By applying this technique to earthshine observed with the VLT, the biosignatures in the reflected light from Earth show up very strongly.
Co-author of the study Stefano Bagnulo (Armagh Observatory, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom) explains the advantages: "The light from a distant exoplanet is overwhelmed by the glare of the host star, so it's very difficult to analyse — a bit like trying to study a grain of dust beside a powerful light bulb. But the light reflected by a planet is polarised, while the light from the host star is not. So polarimetric techniques help us to pick out the faint reflected light of an exoplanet from the dazzling starlight."
The team studied both the colour and the degree of polarisation of light from Earth after reflection from the Moon, as if the light was coming from an exoplanet. They managed to deduce that Earth's atmosphere is partly cloudy, that part of its surface is covered by oceans and — crucially — that there is vegetation present. They could even detect changes in the cloud cover and amount of vegetation at different times as different parts of Earth reflected light towards the Moon.
"Finding life outside the Solar System depends on two things: whether this life exists in the first place, and having the technical capability to detect it," adds co-author Enric Palle (Instituto de Astrofisica de Canarias, Tenerife, Spain). "This work is an important step towards reaching that capability."
"Spectropolarimetry may ultimately tell us if simple plant life — based on photosynthetic processes — has emerged elsewhere in the Universe," concludes Sterzik. "But we are certainly not looking for little green men or evidence of intelligent life."
The next generation of telescopes, such as the E-ELT (the European Extremely Large Telescope), may well be able to bring us the extraordinary news that Earth is not alone as a bearer of life in the vastness of space.


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|Concerned about cheaters
|By Joel Benjamin
|August 22, 2006
I consider chess to be a noble game but unfortunately often hear rumors of fixed results in U.S. tournaments. There was even talk of one qualifier to the 2006 U.S. Championship not earning his spot legitimately. Tournament organizers, I hear, are in a delicate situation because such rumors are hard to prove and they fear legal repercussions if they ban someone who makes his living from chess. How extensive do you think fixed games are in U.S. chess? And what would you do to fight the practice?
Concerned about cheaters,
Brooklyn, NY
Of course, these cases are almost always circumstantial. The evidence in the U.S. Championship case was quite compelling (I thought the qualifying game you referred to was played by a 1400, rather than a senior master), but the USCF took no action. Bill Goichberg, both USCF President and organizer of almost all the major tournaments in America, is extremely cautious when dealing with cheating controversies. (Ed. Note: Update on Goichberg's recent stricter policies in last paragraph.) A few years ago, he was informed by a grandmaster that two players were about to fix a last-round result. They were both taking breaks for discussions with a third party. When the inevitable result came in, Mr. Goichberg simply wrote out a prize check (it is rumored that the winner asked for two checks, but that may be an embellishment that crept into the story).
Organizers are understandably afraid of lawsuits, but they must take a stand somewhere. Mr. Goichberg may balk at denying a prize, but why not start a policy of probation for suspected cheaters? A private entrepreneur has the right to refuse entries. [If a player tries to bring a lawsuit claiming lost wages, Mr. Goichberg could show that only nine out of forty-six grandmasters made a profit at the 2006 World Open.]
It helps to bring cases out into the open. Recently, Hikaru Nakamura disclosed that an opponent had offered him money for a certain result. I would happily spill the beans myself--except no one has offered me a bribe in twenty years. They know not to bark up this tree.
Fixed results have been the traditional problem in open sections, but recently electronic cheating has come to the forefront. Back in the early 90s, a man entered the World Open under the obvious pseudonym John von Neumann. He had some startling results (including a draw with GM Helgi Olafsson), but was exposed rather easily. When his technology failed, he wasn't able to make any moves at all and forfeited on time!
Nowadays computers are so strong that one can expect to cheat their way to the top. A player in the 2006 World Open under 2000 section was caught red-handed with a communications device in his ear and disqualified. A player in the Open section, produced games of such differing quality - a horrible, dropped-piece-in-the-opening loss to Kacheishvili followed by a brilliant computer-like win over Smirin - to defy credulity. Although no device was found on his person (he may have flushed it down the toilet just prior to being searched), it is easy to draw a conclusion.
It has been brought to my attention that Mr. Goichberg has already begun to take action against "dealers" and "computers." Two prominent grandmasters have already received suspensions from CCA tournaments. He prefers to handle these cases privately, believing it would be overly punitive to shame suspects in public. Naming names might provide a more powerful deterrent, but I respect Mr. Goichberg's position and applaud his efforts to clean up the mess. Let's hope future mischief-makers appreciate that they are officially on notice.
Joel Benjamin


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BC Ferries will upgrade the MV Nimpkish ferry to provide food, water, washrooms, seating and shelter for passengers on the summer run from Bella Bella to Bella Coola, to effort to retain traffic on the Discovery Coast circle tour.
Transportation Minister Todd Stone said Thursday the ferry upgrade and schedule changes are being made to make up for discontinuing the Port Hardy-to-Bella Coola run as part of cuts to under-used ferry routes.
Stone defended the decision to take the larger Queen of Chilliwack off its weekly summer run, replacing it with the Nimpkish four times a week. Connection from northern Vancouver Island to Bella Bella will be done with the Northern Expedition or Northern Adventure, newer vessels that serve the longer Inside Passage route from Port Hardy to Prince Rupert.
The combined sailings provide enough capacity to carry the 500 to 600 vehicles a year that were taking the Queen of Chilliwack, Stone said. At that usage, the former route lost more than $7 million a year, an amount that would double if the aging Queen of Chilliwack were replaced, he said.
Tourism organizations and coastal communities have protested the change, saying foreign tour operators have lost confidence since the changes were announced last November.
Stone said tourism operators should identify their bookings and what is needed to make good on their commitments.
Minister of state for tourism Naomi Yamamoto will visit the Cariboo-Chilcotin to meet with tourism operators who have promoted the circle tour, which continues by road from Bella Coola to Williams Lake.