text:
Story by
Paul Sawers
Paul Sawers was a reporter with The Next Web in various roles from May 2011 to November 2014. Follow Paul on Twitter: @psawers or check h Paul Sawers was a reporter with The Next Web in various roles from May 2011 to November 2014. Follow Paul on Twitter: @psawers or check him out on Google+.
You may have heard about augmented reality before. If you haven't, you'll be hearing a lot about it from now on, with the smartphone and tablet revolution now in full-swing.
Augmented reality (AR) is a term used to describe a live view of a physical, real-world environment that is augmented by computer-generated sensory input, such as sound or graphics. A typical AR environment has digital information transposed onto a real-world view.
AR is not to be confused with virtual reality (VR), which is an entirely digital experience that mimics real-world situations.
There have been countless notable examples lately of augmented reality in action. It has only been in the last few years that brands have really started to tap into the potential of AR technology, and we reported on this back in December in our retrospective of 2010's most memorable AR marketing case studies. This post is well worth a revisit to get a flavor of how businesses are harnessing AR tools to really take their advertising to the next level.
Just last month we wrote about Blippar, the augmented reality app that brings brands to life – both the iOS and Android apps are due out soon, but here's a video of the app in action:
That's augmented reality in a nutshell. As with any burgeoning technology, before we really look at where we're at and where we're going, it can be useful to take a quick look back at the path it has taken to where it is today. And if you're completely new to this area, it's also a good way to familiarize yourself with something that you'll be seeing a lot more of in the months and years ahead.
So without any further ado, here's a look at augmented reality: past, present and future.
Augmented reality: the past
As with many technologies, hitting a definitive moment when augmented reality was born isn't easy.
For example, way back in 1961, cinematographer Morton Heilig patented his Sensorama machine, an immersive multi-sensory device that looked like a giant arcade game, except it emitted aromas, environmental elements such as wind and it also vibrated and played stereo sounds. Whilst some have referred to this as the earliest example of augmented reality, it probably leans more towards the virtual reality world.
But whatever it was, it was way ahead of its time. As you can see here, even by today's standards, the working prototype that was built in 1962 really doesn't look too shabby at all:
Other key advances that helped blur the boundaries between the physical and digital worlds include American Computer scientist Ivan Sutherland's development of the first head-mounted display (HMD) in 1968. It was primitive and bulky, but it was a sign of things to come:
Indeed, Sutherland envisioned augmented reality in his 1965 essay, entitled 'The Ultimate Display':
"There is no reason why the objects displayed by a computer have to follow the ordinary rules of physical reality with which we are familiar. The kinesthetic display might be used to simulate the motions of a negative mass. The user of one of today's visual displays can easily make solid objects transparent – he can "see through matter!"
Moving forward, computer artist Myron Krueger built what was called an 'artificial reality' laboratory called the Videoplace, in 1974. The Videoplace combined projectors, video cameras and special purpose hardware, and onscreen silhouettes of the users, placing them within an interactive environment.
Krueger developed Videoplace over a number of years, creating his own computer systems to facilitate image recognition, analysis, and response in real-time. This essentially meant that it was possible to combine live video images with graphical images. It sure does sound an awful lot like augmented reality:
Whilst augmented reality as a concept had been brewing for some time, it was Professor Thoma P. Caudell, then a researcher at Boeing, who first coined the term 'augmented reality' in 1990. He was referring to a head-mounted digital display that guided workers through assembling electrical wires in aircrafts.
AR as a concept started to take off during the 90s, and the development of virtual fixtures in 1992 is widely considered as one of the first properly functioning AR systems.
By the turn of the millennium, we were starting to see the first steps towards the type of augmented reality platforms we're now becoming accustomed to – ARQuake is an augmented reality version of the Quake game developed by id Software. The AR game was created in the Wearable Computer Lab at the University of South Australia. Here's a look at an AR shoot 'em up game from back in 2002, this one apparently wasn't taken any further than the lab:
And in 2008, the Wikitude AR Travel Guide was released for the G1 Android phone. It was pretty cutting edge to have such an app on your smartphone at the time:
There are, of course, some gaps in the potted history of augmented reality provided above. Countless academics, scientists and geeks have helped us get to where we are today, and those that dared to dream have taken us to places that once existed only in sci-fi movies.
Augmented reality: the present
There are literally hundreds of examples of very cool augmented reality apps, tools and innovations out there. It would be easy to link through to the cream of the crop and simply say "wow, aren't these awesome?", but this 'wow' factor can only last so long before you have to take a step back and consider what their actual functions are. Doing cool things with technology certainly gets folks' attention, but creating something genuinely useful from AR is another issue altogether.
SpecTrek, for example, is an augmented reality game available of Android and iOS devices. You hunt virtual ghosts in the real world using your smartphone's GPS and screen:
It is pretty cool, and at around two bucks to download, it will hardly break the bank. The game uses GPS, and you need a large open space to play the game, so there's a danger that you'll physically crash into something or tumble off the edge of somewhere steep. Plus the game ultimately suffers from the 'novelty' factor.
There's a lot going on in augmented reality right now, and it's becoming a crowded space. I spoke with Rish Mitra, co-founder and CEO of Blippar, to get his thoughts on where we're currently at in the augmented reality space.
"The broad trends in augmented reality are image recognition and tracking, location layers, virtual product trials and social gaming. Location layers have been popular so far because they were first to launch AR via the app stores. My only concern with them is that they provide information based on Google Maps, GPS and compass functionality, and Google Maps is already sufficient for most users' information needs. Image recognition and tracking is rising in popularity, but user experience is key to the success of technology. The user experience absolutely has to be seamless, instantaneous and offer real value to bring image recognition AR to the mainstream."
And it's this 'real value' element that seems to be lacking across many AR apps. I asked Mitra what he felt the current limitations were regarding augmented reality today:
"Very few technology providers have unshakeable image recognition and tracking. The ability to interact with everything in the world as we see it and get real-time information/interaction out of it is still a big challenge for most providers. Object and colour recognition is still at the lab-stage too, and it still remains a very academic research area. Compasses and GPS accuracy in current handsets are also not good enough to make information layers fully reliable."
So it seems that the actual technology to detect certain real-world elements simply doesn't exist yet, which suggests that AR still has quite some distance to go to realize its full potential. As for the much-maligned 'novelty' factor of many AR platforms, I asked Mitra how he felt Blippar plans to stand the test of time:
"As a technology we are proud of our image recognition and tracking capabilities which gives consumers a much more reliable and exciting experience than has been experienced so far. As a marketing consultancy, we are advising clients about the very best way to use our technology to ensure the usability is either instantly gratifying or functional so that we can embed a new consumer behavior which is no longer subject to accusations of 'fad' of 'gimmick'. Our vision is that our AR should work perfectly every time, it will offer something immediately gratifying and it will become the universal call to action for a 'yes please, I want more information or to engage further with this brand'."
It's probably also worth stressing that Blippar was planned and researched for a year and a half, and the actual development of the app was only a few months. Such an approach will probably prove pivotal to the success of many AR tools, with more focus placed on the research and planning phase, rather than a rush to get something 'cool' to market.
To get a real sense of where we are with augmented reality, it's perhaps worth looking to some of the market leading AR companies.
Total Immersion has been augmenting reality since 1999, and you may be familiar with some of the company's work to date. We've already seen some amazing innovations emerge from Total Immersion, such as these AR baseball trading cards back in 2009:
And two weeks ago, Total Immersion released TryLive, a potentially game-changing AR application aimed at online clothing and accessory retailers. Whilst people have been shopping for clothes online for years, there really is no substitute for trying before buying.
Any device equipped with a camera can tap into the various TryLive applications which essentially bridge the gap between viewing and trying on the product by acting as a virtual showroom. Okay, it won't help you test for the fit, but it will give you an idea of how you'll look in something.
The TryLive Eyewear application lets users try on glasses straight from their iPhone or from a computer. You also have the option to take a picture and send to your friends through social networks:
Companies such as Total Immersion are helping to set the AR expectation levels. Augmented reality has to show that it can cut it as a longer term commercially viable technology.
Another company that is doing pretty groundbreaking stuff in the AR sphere is CrowdOptic, a real-time crowd behavior monitoring tool underpinned by augmented reality technology.
CrowdOptic lets fans at events such as concerts and sporting fixtures point their smartphones at an athlete or performer and view real-time information about the target, such as coaching insights and stats, and also receive exclusive invitations, ticket discounts, marketing promotions and more.
For example, if you're at a concert or football match you might point your phone's camera at the action. If a few hundred other spectators do the same thing, using triangulation and GPS data, CrowdOptic detects where the crowd's attention is at any given moment, relaying the data back to the event's organizers.
By knowing what is being photographed or videoed, this gives the organizers a mechanism for monetizing these insights in real-time during the live event.
Brent Iadarola, Industry Analyst, Mobile Communications with Frost & Sullivan said of the technology:
"CrowdOptic is a breakthrough application in the Augmented Reality space. Without changing anything fundamental about the fan experience, CrowdOptic allows us to point our phones at people and instantly acquire almost limitless information about them."
The results from this technology reveal a new way of understanding what crowds are focusing on which – in time – could well change the nature of live event broadcasting.
This offers something different to the countless cutesy AR apps that are doing the rounds and sets a benchmark for what could be a massive advance not only for augmented reality, but geo-location technology too.
I asked Jon Fisher, founder and Chief Executive of CrowdOptic, where he felt augmented reality – on the whole – was at today:
"Where we are now is augmented reality on static environments. There are great applications on sports stadiums as a function of GPS, for example. The location of the stadium is known (and doesn't change) so companies can place all kinds of bells and whistles on the stadium. Apps can even tell you where the closest bathroom is."
It seems that AR is currently pretty good with static objects and all things 'known'. The next big step for augmented reality – something that CrowdOptic is moving towards – is to focus on 'moving' and 'unknown' targets. For example, it may soon be possible when you're watching the marathon to hold up your smartphone and track how fast they're running with real-time stats.
And this gives us a glimpse into possible future uses of AR technology.
Augmented reality: the future
Waving a smartphone or tablet in front of an object is already producing some truly inspiring results for current AR users, but it doesn't always seem like the most practical way of doing things – it would seem that a pair of AR-enabled glasses would be a lot easier to use. However, Blippar's Rish Mitra thinks the next big developments in AR probably won't be goggles or glasses. He says:
"The next big thing in AR will still be via smartphones, and we will see developments in the field of image, object, color recognition. There'll be few verticals in the area where startups will find niche uses of this technology. Also, location layers and image recognition might merge to give users a more wholesome experience. In terms of beyond mobile, I do believe an AR eye-lens and glasses will evolve, but the gear needs to be lightweight, attractive and comfortable to wear."
So when will this happen? Mitra says that social acceptance of the idea needs to be there first. The route in, it seems, will be through a typically early-adopting crowd – the gaming community – before it becomes a mass market product.
However, we are already seeing some steps towards non-smartphone/tablet augmented reality consumer hardware. The 'world's first GPS enabled goggle', aimed at snowboarders, is already available, which displays key data on the inside of the user's field of view, such as speed, distance, temperature and location:
In the academic sphere, Helen Papagiannis, a designer, artist and PhD researcher specializing in augmented reality, has been working on some pretty cutting-edge concepts for using AR technology. She recently developed the first AR pop-up book for mobile devices. Check out the video here – the tarantula attacks when it's touched on the screen:
This is a neat example. The inspiration behind the pop-up book was augmented reality that had been used in psychotherapy studies for the treatment of phobias such as arachnophobia. Papagiannis notes:
"AR provides a safe, controlled environment to conduct exposure therapy within a patient's physical surroundings, creating a more believable scenario with heightened 'presence' and greater immediacy than Virtual Reality (VR)."
So, augmented reality has the potential to affect all industries and walks of life, from advertising and marketing, to gaming and medicine. But, as Papagiannis has previously said, much of our current AR experiences are 'single viewer', something she believes we should be moving away from:
"I strongly believe AR is emerging as a new medium and it will come to play a large role in entertainment and information sharing…I'd like to see more work move beyond the single-viewer experience in AR and engage larger audiences in a simultaneous viewing and even collaborative interactive experience. I think this is particularly relevant for museums in designing and producing AR experiences."
Whilst the ability to enjoy AR experiences simultaneously and collaboratively may help bring the technology mainstream, it will also help if the power of augmented reality technology is broadened to be made accessible to as many people as possible.
There are countless tools and platforms these days that enable non-techie people to build pretty comprehensive and functional websites. If this can be replicated in the AR sphere, then we could see its uptake grow exponentially. We wrote about Poistr back in March, and this could be the type of tool to do just that.
Poistr enables non-developers to create elements and points of interests that are viewable using the Layar app, one of the most popular augmented reality browsers. Poistr is still in beta mode, and it's currently free to use, but it could be a sign of things to come as AR technology is gradually opened up to the masses.
Augmented reality at present still largely feels as though it's finding its feet, finding a niche and, ultimately, finding a purpose. But there are clear signs of the direction in which it's heading.
The next five years should see some significant advances in AR technology, and you can expect to see it become far more integrated in our everyday lives. And that's the real challenge – seamlessly merging the digital and physical worlds. Only then will we stop hearing cries of "wow, that's cool…", followed by "what do I do with this, exactly?"
Meanwhile, if you want to follow what's happening in this field of technology, why not read our recent post outlining the 25 most influential people tweeting about augmented reality.
Get the TNW newsletter
Get the most important tech news in your inbox each week.


text:
Product Description
- Indoor & outdoor material available
- Economy, premium & professional styles
- Quick & easy setup
- Single- & double-sided banners
- Preassembled stand, banner & case
Announce your presence during trade shows, conferences, in-store events, farmers markets and more with custom retractable banners. Our standing banners come preassembled with everything you need – base, banner and case – in an assortment of options for your event, needs and budget.
Durable and ready for repeated, indoor or outdoor long-term use, these roll-up banners are a great way to get your brand noticed in busy settings. Upload your own artwork or choose from our wide selection of professionally designed templates and start creating today.
Which is right for you?
Specialty options for Premium retractable banners
Premium Double-Sided (34" x 81")
Premium Wide (47" x 81")
Open your carrying case and remove the base and pole.
Set you base on the ground. Turn the stabilizing foot (or feet) perpendicular to the base.
Connect the pole pieces and then insert into the hole in the base.
Pull the top of the banner up from the base and attach it to the top of the pole. Premium Double-Sided: Repeat with the second banner.
Q: Will my banner come with a carrying case?
A: Yes, all retractable banners come with a case. Scroll through the images at the top of the page to get a closer look.
Q: How thick is the banner material?
A: Our Economy retractable banners are .37 mm thick. Our Premium retractable banners are .30 mm thick. And our Professional retractables are .32 mm.
Q: How do you get the retractable banner to stand up?
A: When you're setting up Economy or Premium retractables, make sure to turn the bottom foot (or feet) perpendicular to the banner's stand. The Professional retractable banner has a hidden base for a modern and clean look.
Q: Can I use my retractable banner outdoors?
A. Yes. Just select our outdoor style which is heavy duty with stable feet and four stakes to secure into the ground.
Q: How can I design an effective pop-up banner?
A: There are several key ways you can make sure your banner is clear, legible and effective:
- Use large fonts and images so people can see your banner from a distance.
- Contrast your background and text colors to ensure clear readability.
- Focus on one main message that people can quickly understand.
- Keep your safety margins in mind as you design. (See below for details on these important measurements.)
Q: How quickly can I get my standing banner?
A: Our retractable banners can arrive in as few as 3 business days
Q: Can I buy a vinyl or fabric banner to put into the retractable banner stand I already own?
A: Sorry, but we don't offer replacement banners on their own.
Q: What other products work well with a standing banner?
A: If you're building out your booth for a trade show or expo, consider rounding out your professional look with matching tablecloths, vinyl banners or foam board signs. Looking for even more inspiration? Check out our Guide to Trade Shows, Markets & Events.
Q: What's the min and max height of the Professional retractable banner?
A: Visible graphic size:
- The minimum height is around 1.6 m and the maximum is 2.19 m.
Q: What is the bleed, the trim and the safety margin? How much of the banner is hidden by the stand?
A: Specs are as follows:
Premium Wide:
- Distance between banner bottom and safety margin: 0″
- Trim: Trim: 47.24″ x 81.10″
- Bleed: 47.48″ x 81.34″
- Weight: 8.39 lbs
Premium Double-Sided:
- Distance between banner bottom and safety margin: 2.36″
- trim: 33.46″ x 81.1″
- Bleed: 33.7″ x 81.34″
- Weight: 12 lbs
Premium Single-Sided:
- Distance between banner bottom and safety margin: 7.94″
- Trim: 33.13″ x 86.18″
- Bleed: 33.38″ x 86.43″
- Weight: 8.39 lbs
- Distance between banner bottom and safety margin: 2.6″
- Trim: 33.46″ x 81.1″
- Bleed: 33.7″ x 81.34″
- Weight: 6.1 lbs
- Distance between banner bottom and safety margin: 0″
- Trim: 33.46″ x 81.10″
- Bleed: 33.70″ x 81.34″
- Weight: 7 lbs
- Distance between banner bottom and safety margin: 9.5″
- Trim: 33.25″ x 77.25″
- Bleed: 34.24″ x 84.75″
- Weight: 22.75 lbs
Things to know:
- Don't try to pull the pull-up banner more than the height of the pole. Otherwise you may damage the retracting mechanism.
- Be careful with the edges of the banner and make sure they are not caught up to the cassette. This could lead to fraying and/or scratching your design.
- When connecting the pole pieces for Economy retractable banners, find the round part inside the hole and stick the pole into it to make sure the banner stands straight.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Unlike Silicon Valley's, San Francisco's summer is fake, cold and foggy. Every year that goes by away from my beloved New Jersey, I forget what the season is really about: Fun away from the PC. And sweaty pants.
For most of my adult life, I lived up to the modern stereotype of a geek by staying connected and staying inside and equally pale year round. And I regret it. I don't know why we live like this, when the gadgets are inherently meant to be used outside, capturing photos and videos of the best memories not in front of our Xboxes, and wireless speeds and smartphones are so good at keeping us in touch with work and loved ones while we're traveling. There's no excuse, if you love life.
Except, as I said, my excuse has been San Francisco. Because of the consistent climate, I just always tend to forget about any seasonal change. June hits and we have all these Apple keynotes and whatnot, and then July starts and finishes within something like, oh, 30 days and August will inevitably do the same. Then September happens, which is the spiritual death of Summer for everyone, student or not. I thought to myself, here you go again, taking things for granted. So I sought out the sun. Lisa plotted a vacation, to Kauai and Oahu. Hawaii was personal time. I was doing nothing but camping on the beach, jumping into lava formed tide pools and did not check my email or phone for 4 days. The world did not end. I surfed a little and visited friends like Philippe resting after his big race. I brought minimal technology along the way. I can't say it was good. Apparently, when I ditch the internet, I start binge eating to replace the stimulation of twitter and blogs and email. Once, I ate three meals in a row with major ingredients being SPAM (the meat) before 4pm one day. There was a second, non SPAM dinner after that. And two working days later, 4400 new messages. Christ alive.
I got back last Wednesday and immediately took off with some Gizmodo writers and friends to REAL Watersports at Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, to learn how to kiteboard, surf, drink a lot of sponsored beers (Heineken Light, thanks for the trip) and ultimately, test beach and water gadgets. And in the proper context of being outside, we realized that half of the gadgets we thought were cool were dumb, and half of the ones we thought were useless were totally impressive. You can't really test out waterproof cameras without spending time with them on the beach or in the ocean. Cases get beat up, lenses get smudged with grime and cam housings cause ridiculous amounts of glare out of the H2O. Nor can you do the same with Jetskis or metal detecting sandals. It's all more subtle than that, but I'll save it all for the reviews, which will come.
Apple MacBook Air Laptop
Powerful performance
The M1 chip delivers 3.5x faster performance than the previous generation all while using way less power. Get up to 18 hours of battery life.
The reason the trip was sponsored is that we wanted to get some help from our friends. We invited Joel Johnson of Gizmodo/BoingBoingGadgets fame, John Mahoney from Giz and Pop Sci, and Seth Porges from Popular Mechanics, and invited them to bring as much gear as they could haul down. And Cape Hatteras was an incredible place. Basically, the area is a mecca for kiteboarding and surfing, with the outer banks being exposed to a shallow body of water to the west, almost 30 miles wide in some parts, calm but windy for kiteboarding, and the biggest surf breaks on the Atlantic coast on the other side of the island, which was walking distance away. When it came time to kiteboard, we got slaughtered. It's basically like wakeboarding on a boat while remote controlling a kite that's pulling you. And really, we're not the most athletic crowd, so that didn't help much. Also, it rained a whole bunch. One day, we only got into the water by borrowing some demo skimboards and surfboards from REAL and heading towards the Atlantic. The current was strong, but it was just so satisfying to finally swim in the Atlantic, after all these years. It's a little darker, but because of the gulfstream, a lot warmer. Can't say I missed my wetsuit all that much.
It was muggy, and the summer showers as relentless as the mosquitoes, things that I wouldn't have to deal with in the monotone climate of SF, but nothing compares to the lift of spirits I get spending time with the people who write for this site, eating bbq and testing tech. We all work remotely and generally only see each other when there's a, like, super-serious liveblog or CES show to cover. And I remembered not only how much I love this feeling of...well, summer, but how much different tech is in the context of the heat, the moisture and really the distraction of the real world.
'Till school starts we'll be running more stories about tech and summer. Sometimes involving the ocean sometimes the beach, sometimes just the most tangential of connections. It's already August, but I'll be satisfied if we can celebrate what's left of the most glorious time of the year and what it means to all of the tech nerds here.
Summermodo is a chance for Giz to get outside and test our gear where it belongs.


text:
Kansas lawmakers are looking into how the state provides funding to school districts for students identified as being at risk of failure.
The House and Senate Education Committees scheduled a joint meeting Thursday afternoon to hear from officials from the Kansas Department of Education and an analyst from the Kansas Policy Institute.
Kansas provides additional funding to districts for at-risk students based on the child's eligibility for free and reduced-priced lunches. The funds must be used to provide support programs, such as tutoring or other instruction, that will help the students improve their grades.
The funds can also be used to provide before- or after-school programs, or in some cases pay for all-day kindergarten.


text: After their workshop in Beirut, Astrakan's leading team, Simone Alvez (voice) and Yann Gourvil (guitars, Ꜥūd, sāz etc.) went on and published their first album ; soon after, Yann decided to finish the mix of the Beirut session which is now available for downloading. Yann featured also an interesting percussion instrument for the published album.


text:
The Department of Natural Resources today confirmed the presence of a cougar in northern Houghton County, in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. The animal was captured on a trail camera on Sept. 24, walking directly toward the front of the camera and clearly showing it has a radio collar.
DNR Wildlife Division staff visited the property Sept. 26 where the trail cam is mounted and verified the location of the camera. The property owner wishes to remain anonymous.
"This is almost certainly the same cat as was confirmed in Ontonogan County on Sept. 8," said Adam Bump, a wildlife biologist with the DNR's Cougar Team. "What is also interesting is that the Wisconsin DNR earlier verified two trail camera pictures of this cat as it passed through Wisconsin on its way to the UP."
The DNR is still in the process of tracking down where the cougar is from and has been checking frequencies from collars of cats from South Dakota. Only western states currently have cougars collared for research projects, so the animal likely traveled a great distance to reach the Upper Peninsula.
The Department will inform the public as soon as more details are known about this cougar.
Cougars, also known as mountain lions, originally were native to Michigan but were thought to have been extirpated around the turn of the last century. The last known wild cougar taken in Michigan was killed near Newberry in 1906. However, sightings are regularly reported and although verification is often difficult, the DNR has verified sets of cougar tracks and confirmed the location of a cougar photo in the eastern Upper Peninsula in 2009 and several sets of cougar tracks in Marquette and Delta counties in 2008.
Established cougar populations are found as close to Michigan as North and South Dakota, and transient cougars dispersing from these areas have been known to travel hundreds of miles in search of new territory. Characteristic evidence of cougars include tracks, which are about three inches long by three and a half inches wide and typically show no claw marks, or suspicious kill sites, such as deer carcasses that are largely intact and have been buried with sticks and debris.
Reports of cougar tracks and other evidence should be made to a local DNR office or by calling the department's 24-hour Report All Poaching line at 800-292-7800. If a citizen comes into contact with a cougar, the following behavior is recommended:
– Stop, stand tall, pick up small children and do not run. A cougar's instinct is to chase.
– Do not approach the animal.
– Try to appear larger than the cougar. Never take your eyes off the animal or turn your back. Do not crouch down or try to hide.
– If the animal displays aggressive behavior, shout, wave your arms and throw rocks. The idea is to convince the cougar that you are not prey, but a potential danger.
– If a cougar attacks, fight back aggressively and try to stay on your feet. Do not play dead. Cougars have been driven away by people who have fought back.
Cougars are classified as an endangered species in Michigan. It is unlawful to kill, harass or otherwise harm a cougar except in the immediate defense of human life. If you see a cougar, call your local DNR office to report it or report it on their website. To learn more about cougars and how to identify their tracks, go to www.michigan.gov/cougars.


text:
Friday Afternoon Visits: September 11
September 11, 2009
September 11th will never again be just another day. One can't even think about the date without remembering the events that occurred 8 years ago. My heart goes out to the friends and family members who are still grieving. The people lost on 9/11/01 will never be forgotten.
But I think that remembering terrible things only makes it that much important to take positive actions when we can. In doing so, even when the actions are small, we send out a tiny light into the darkness. And so, this Friday, September 11th, I bring you the news from the largely joyful place that is the Kidlitosphere. First, some September 11th-related remembrances and reviews:
At Rasco from RIF, Carol Rasco shares RIF's plans for the first official September 11 Day of Service and Remembrance. She says: "The tragic events of September 11, 2001 unified us as a nation. The memory of that day continues to inspire us to serve our neighbors, our communities, and our country. We are pleased to join this national effort and thank the President for making this call to service."
At The Reading Tub, Terry Doherty shares her personal response to the book 14 Cows for America, saying: "Although September 11, 2001 is the backdrop for the story, Deedy is offering us a timeless, universal story of empathy, compassion, and shared dreams of hope. Sharing this book with a child will open their minds to other cultures, traditions, and belief systems."
And at Finding Wonderland, Tanita Davis intermingles her memories of 9/11 with a review of David Levithan's Love is the Higher Law. She says: "David Levithan is a New Yorker whose own impressions of that bewildering, horrifying, terrifying day are reflected in these pages. Few readers, teens and adults alike, will be able to experience this novel without remembering their own story -- where they were that day, what they did." Jackie Parker reviews the book, too, at InteractiveReader. She says: "I read it because it was David Levithan writing about 9/11. I know that Levithan is a New Yorker. And I trusted him as an author to deal with this subject with barefaced honesty, never pandering, never with any sense of self-importance or false heroism, or anything else that sullies that day."
At The Simple and the Ordinary, Christine M. shares her fragmented but crystal clear 9/11 memories. Sarah shares hers at The Reading Zone, and Susan hers at Chicken Spaghetti. Me, I was in Austin, Texas on a business trip, and I heard about the events in New York on the car radio, on my way to work. During the course of that half hour drive, the first tower fell. And things were different. We all remember.
But, now, because life does go on, I'll go on to the regular blogosphere news:
Sherry Early has been running a great feature at Semicolon. She's going through the shortlists for Book Blogger Appreciation Week, checking out each blog, writing a short blurb about the blog, and identifying her pick in each category. For example, here's her assessment of the Best Thriller/Mystery/Suspense Blog category. I've flagged several of her posts to go back to, as I seek out new blogs to follow myself. (In the interest of full disclosure, I should admit that Sherry has some nice things to say about my own blog, shortlisted in the Best KidLit Blog category. But I would think it was a neat feature in any case, I'm sure.) See also a thoughtful post at Chasing Ray, in which Colleen Mondor shares her opinion about shortlisting blogs, in general. Incidentally, voting for BBAW closes at midnight Saturday night. I hope that if you have opinions about any of the categories, you'll take a few minutes to vote. And stay tuned for lots more BBAW activity next week.
Thanks to the talented and hard-working Sarah Stevenson, new Cybils Bling is now available for purchase at Cafe Press. All of the new merchandise (t-shirt, mugs, buttons, tote bag, etc.) features the snazzy new Cybils 2009 logo. You can find details at the Cybils blog. Personally, I have my eye on a new mug, to go with my assorted Kidlitosphere Conference mugs from years past.
Pam and Susan have both hit it out of the park at Booklights this week, in my opinion. On Wednesday, Susan wrote about the ups and downs of reading aloud. She offers practical advice for parents who might be disappointed by their young kids' unwillingness to sit still for read-aloud. Her conclusion: "Go easy on yourself and your children when it comes to reading aloud. And enjoy the wonderful moments when they happen." Then yesterday, Pam used her Thursday Three feature to offer reading help for "the three people involved in your child's reading development - the teacher, the child, and yourself." I especially liked her strong suggestion that parents try to avoid The Reading Game (parental competition over kids' reading levels and books). Both of these posts have the same general message for parents: raising readers works best if you keep it fun, and keep from being too hard on yourself or the kids. And that, my friends, is why I'm so happy to be working with Pam and Susan (and Gina, who guides us all, and Ann, who reinforces what we're doing) at Booklights.
Terry Doherty wrote a guest article for this month's Children's Book Insider (subscription required) that some of you may find of interest. It's about generating cyberbuzz (or, how to get your book reviewed online). Terry offers tips based on her experience in moderating book review requests at The Reading Tub. She also makes an interesting distinction between "stories written for kids, titles adults like for their kids; and books meant for adults." There's also a followup interview between Terry and CBI's Laura Backes here. Terry also has a guest piece in the Examiner, as part of Jennifer Finke's series on Toys with Imagination. Terry talks about engaging toddlers and kids with interactive books (no batteries required!).
Nathan Bransford, the literary agent, started an interesting discussion on his blog this week about whether or not children's books should be "content-rated" like movies and video games. As I write there are some 250+ comments - clearly this is a topic that people feel strongly about. I found this post via Dawn Morris from Moms Inspire Learning (who found it via Jon Bard from Children's Book Insider). Dawn says (on her own blog): "I wish the YA section of the library could be split in two, with books that address serious issues being put into a separate section for high school students. Why can't there be a "safe" section just for children between the ages of 10 and 14? Parents can't always read every book, after all." Me, I think it's a complicated question, because content ratings for books are such a subjective and variable thing. What's "safe" for one kid might seem edgy for the next. It's not easy. On a related note, Robin LaFevers writes about "some of the delineations in writing YA versus MG versus adult books".
Another controversy has spun up around the lit blogosphere this week. The latest Notes from the Horn Book (a monthly email newsletter from Horn Book Magazine) included an interview with author Richard Peck. Mr. Peck apparently criticized teachers for reading books aloud. The interview has evoked some dissenting opinions from teachers, of course, particularly from Sarah at The Reading Zone and Monica Edinger at Educating Alice. See also Horn Book editor Roger Sutton's take at Read Roger (he says "I think Peck was complaining about classrooms where kids' only exposure to trade books was hearing them read aloud"). But still... it's always something!
Gail Gauthier linked to an interesting piece in the Denver Post by David Milofsky. The author posits that, as Google and Yahoo start paying publishers to link to news stories, the same might be expected of literary bloggers. A number of prominent bloggers are quoted in the article. I would tend to agree with Gail that if your blog doesn't make money, fair use would probably apply in linking to a news story. Personally, it's not like my blog is a big profit center for me. If I had to pay to link to news stories, well, I just wouldn't link to news stories. Or I'd find some other way to do it, anyway. But it's something to watch.
Quick Hits:
- This week's Poetry Friday roundup is at Wild Rose Reader. The last Nonfiction Monday roundup was at The Miss Rumphius Effect.
- Greg Pincus has an inspirational post about community and the power of #kidlitchat (a weekly Twitter chat about children's books and publishing). I'll tell you, he made me want to participate, and I'm so not a "chat" person (the introvert in me can't cope with the swirl of conversation, even when it's online).
- At Angieville, Angie has a fun post about the appeal of "bad boys" in literature, inspired by a post from Adele at Persnickety Snark. Reading both posts, it's clear to me that in literature and TV, I'm generally in favor of Bad Boys, too (I pick Pacey over Dawson any day, and I am Team Gale all the way).
- At Bookshelves of Doom, Leila is in a bit of a reading slump, and looking for "something that I'll be able to fall into, that has writing that at the very least won't make me roll my eyes, that has characters I can believe in, a story that I haven't read a million times before (unless the writing and the characters make it work), something that I'll remember for more than an hour after reading." Lots of promising suggestions in the comments.
- At Parents and Kids Reading Together, Cathy Puett Miller says that "picture books are for everyone".
- Cheryl Rainfield has pictures of a house and furniture made out of books (well, not really, but they're made to look like they're made out of books, which works, too). Very fun!
- At the Miss Rumphius Effect, Tricia links to a Fledgling post by Zetta Elliott about authors of color. Tricia says: "In addition to being a mighty strong argument for the recognition of works by authors of color, she includes links to some astounding and disheartening statistics." See also Roger Sutton's response.
- Speaking of the need for diversity in publishing, Susan has a great quote at Chicken Spaghetti from Amy Bowllan's School Library Journal blog, in a recent column about writers against racism: "Literature helps us understand who we are and to find our place in the world."
- Responding to the recent trend of adding horror elements to classic romances (e.g. Pride and Prejudice and Zombies), Becky from Becky's Book Reviews suggests adding romance to some of the classic horror stories (e.g. a love interest for Frankenstein). I like it!
- At A Year of Reading, Mary Lee and Franki are commemorating the start of the new school year with a series of posts celebrating teachers. I especially liked Day 4, in which Franki reminds people about Mary Lee and Franki's list of Cool Teachers in Children's Literature.
- Liz Burns from Tea Cozy is one of the winners of the Color Me Brown challenge at Color Online. She links to other winners here.
- Susan Beth Pfeffer unveils the cover of the third Life As We Knew It book, The World We Live In. This is one book for which I don't need to see any reviews. I already want it.
- Colleen Mondor wrote a short history of Guys Lit Wire for Crossed Genres magazine.
- Mary Pearson guest blogged at Tor the other day about everyone's obsession with the future (and specifically talked about how thinking about the future led her to the ideas in The Adoration of Jenna Fox). She also has a smart post at Tor about what YA lit is and isn't (I found that one via Liz B.).
- Sarah Stevenson chimed in on MotherReader's Kidlitosphere Conference meme at Finding Wonderland. Updated to add that Betsy Bird chimed in from Fuse #8, too (and she hardly ever does memes). And Colleen makes a particularly strong case for writers to attend, at Chasing Ray. Oh, I wish that EVERYONE could come this year. At least Liz B. will be there again this year (here's her meme).
- And if this isn't enough news for you, Abby (the) Librarian has some other links today.
Wishing you all a weekend of peace. Me, I just got some good news from my brother, which definitely makes the day a lot brighter.


text:
US economy adds 195K jobs; unemployment 7.6%
WASHINGTON — U.S. employers added a robust 195,000 jobs in June and many more in April and May than previously thought. The job growth suggests a stronger economy and means the Federal Reserve could slow its bond purchases as early as September.
The unemployment rate remained 7.6 percent because more people started looking for jobs — a healthy sign — and some didn't find them. The government doesn't count people as unemployed unless they're looking for work.
The Labor Department's report Friday pointed to a U.S. job market that's showing surprising resilience in the face of tax increases, federal spending cuts and economic weakness overseas. Employers have added an average 202,000 jobs for the past six months, up from 180,000 in the previous six.
June's job gain was fueled by consumer spending and the housing recovery. Consumer confidence has reached a 5½ year high and is helping drive up sales of homes and cars. Hiring was especially strong in June among retailers, hotels, restaurants, construction companies and financial services firms.
"The numbers that we're seeing are more sustainable than we thought," said Paul Edelstein, U.S. economist at IHS Global Insight, a forecasting firm. "We're seeing better job numbers, the stock market is increasing and home prices are rising."
Pay also rose sharply last month and is outpacing inflation. Average hourly pay rose 10 cents to $24.01. Over the past 12 months, it's risen 2.2 percent. Over the same period, consumer prices have increased 1.4 percent.
Stocks rose sharply in midafternoon trading. The Dow Jones industrial average was up about 130 points. And the yield on the 10-year Treasury note jumped from 2.56 percent to 2.72 percent, its highest level since August 2011. That's a sign that investors think the economy is improving.
Among the employers benefiting from Americans' continued willingness to spend is Carlisle Wide Plank Floors, based in Stoddard, N.H. Carlisle makes hardwood flooring used in stores, restaurants and hotels. CEO Michael Stanek said orders jumped 30 percent in the first quarter compared with a year earlier.
The company is hiring factory, sales and administrative employees to meet the higher demand. Carlisle expects to add about 15 employees this year to its 85-person workforce.
Friday's report showed that the U.S. economy added 70,000 more jobs in April and May than the government had previously estimated — 50,000 in April and 20,000 in May.
Further job growth could lower unemployment and help the economy rebound after a weak start this year. If so, the Fed would likely scale back its bond purchases later this year.
The Fed has been buying $85 billion in Treasury and mortgage bonds each month since late last year. The purchases pushed long-term interest rates to historic lows, fueled a stock rally and encouraged consumers and businesses to borrow and spend. The low rates have also helped support an economy that's had to absorb government spending cuts and a Social Security tax increase that's shrunk paychecks this year.
John Silvia, chief economist at Wells Fargo, said he thinks the Fed will announce at its September policy meeting that it will start reducing its bond purchases, perhaps to $75 billion a month.
Chairman Ben Bernanke has said the Fed's bond buying could end around the time unemployment reaches 7 percent. The Fed foresees that happening around mid-2014. But Silvia said he didn't think unemployment would reach 7 percent by then. He thinks the Fed could continue its bond buying into 2015.
Friday's report contained at least one element of concern: Many of the job gains were in generally lower-paying industries, a trend that emerged earlier this year. The hotels, restaurants and entertainment industry added 75,000 jobs in June. This industry has added an average 55,000 jobs a month this year, nearly double its average in 2012. Retailers added 37,000. Temporary jobs rose 10,000.
The health care industry added 20,000 and construction 13,000. But manufacturing, which includes many higher-paying positions, shed 6,000 jobs. The manufacturing sector has weakened this year.
And many of the new jobs are only part time. The number of Americans who said they were working part time but would prefer full-time work jumped 322,000 to 8.2 million — the most in eight months.
Last month's job growth came solely from the private sector, particularly services firms. Government jobs fell 7,000, mostly at the federal level. The federal government has shed 65,000 jobs in the past 12 months. Some of that decline is due to the spending cuts that kicked in March 1.
Declining government employment has been a drag on the job market since the Great Recession ended four years ago. In a typical recovery, governments typically add at least 20,000 jobs a month.
Solid hiring in the private sector is lifting wages, even in some lower-paying industries. Average hourly pay for retail employees, for example, rose 6 cents in June to $16.64, and is up nearly 2 percent in the past year.
The overall increase in pay is "the standout feature of this report," said Ryan Sweet, an economist at Moody's Analytics. Low inflation rate is also helping consumers, he noted.
"The tide is continuing to turn for the consumer," Sweet said. "The consumer is going to continue to be able to shoulder this recovery."
June's 7.6 percent unemployment rate is derived from a survey of households, which found that 177,000 more people started looking for jobs last month. Most found them. The increase suggests that Americans think their job prospects have brightened.
But because some of the job seekers didn't find work right away, the number of unemployed was largely unchanged at 11.8 million.
The 195,000 job gain for June is calculated from a separate survey of employers.
The percentage of Americans either working or actively looking for work rose for a second straight month to 63.5 percent. This is called the "labor force participation rate." The participation rate has been generally declining since peaking at 67.3 percent in 2000. That's partly the result of baby boomers retiring and leaving the workforce.
Despite the solid pace of hiring, the economy is growing only sluggishly. It expanded at a 1.8 percent annual rate in the January-March quarter. Most analysts expect growth at roughly the same subpar rate in the April-June quarter.
Weak economies overseas cut demand for U.S. exports in May. That led some economists to predict that growth in the second quarter might be slower than forecast.
Still, many areas of the economy are improving. The Fed's low-rate policies have led more Americans to buy homes and cars. They also helped boost stock and home prices in the first half of the year, increasing wealth and lifting consumer confidence.
Auto sales in the January-June period topped 7.8 million, their best first half since 2007, according to Autodata Corp. and Ward's AutoInfoBank. Sales of previously occupied homes exceeded 5 million in May, the first time that's happened since November 2009. New-home sales rose at their fastest pace in five years.
AP Business Writer Martin Crutsinger contributed to this report.
Follow Chris Rugaber on Twitter at http://Twitter.com/ChrisRugaber


text: Scouting Safely Monday, June 14, 2021 12:39:00 AM The BSA's Commitment to Safety is ongoing and we want you to know that the safety of our youth, volunteers, staff, and employees cannot be compromised. The Boy Scouts of America puts the utmost importance on the safe and healthy environments for its youth membership. The Sam Houston Area Council takes great strides to ensure the safety of its youth as well as the adult volunteer leadership that interacts with them. Health and safety must be integrated into everything we do, to the point that no injuries are acceptable beyond those that are readily treatable by Scout-rendered first aid. Few youth organizations encompass the breadth, volume, and diversity of physical activity common to Scouting, and none enjoy a better safety record. The key to maintaining and improving this exemplary record is the conscientious and trained adult leader who is attentive to safety concerns. As an aid in the continuing effort to protect participants in a Scout activity, the BSA National Health and Safety Committee and the Council Services Division of the BSA National Council have developed the SAFE Checklist of BSA safety procedures for physical activity. These 16 points, which embody good judgment and common sense, are applicable to all activities. SHAC ERM Guide for Units SAFE Checklist Guide to Safe Scouting Youth Protection Medical Forms Youth Protection Training Youth Protection Training (YPT) is designed to help you keep youth safe from abuse. During YPT, participants learn the Boy Scouts of America's Youth Protection Guidelines, signs of abuse, and how to report suspected abuse. After each section of material, participants will answer questions about that section's topic. This course must be completed by all leaders and is highly recommended for every parent and adult working with youth. Youth Protection Training (YPT) Guide to Safe Scouting The purpose of the Guide to Safe Scouting is to prepare adult leaders to conduct Scouting activities in a safe and prudent manner. The policies and guidelines have been established because of the need to protect members from known hazards that have been identified through 100-plus years of experience. Limitations on certain activities should not be viewed as stumbling blocks; rather, policies and guidelines are best described as stepping-stones toward an enjoyable adventure. All volunteers participating in official Scouting activities should become familiar with the Guide to Safe Scouting. Unit leaders should be aware of state and local government regulations that supersede Boy Scouts of America policies and guidelines. Guide to Safe Scouting Annual Health and Medical Record In order to provide better care for its members and to assist them in better understanding their own physical capabilities, the Boy Scouts of America recommends that everyone who participates in a Scouting event have an annual medical evaluation by a certified and licensed health-care provider—a physician (MD or DO), nurse practitioner, or physician assistant. Providing your medical information on this four-part form will help ensure that you meet the minimum standards for participation in various activities. Note that unit leaders must always protect the privacy of unit participants by protecting their medical information. The BSA Annual Health and Medical Record is to be completed at least annually by participants in all Scouting events. Annual Health and Medical Record Health and Safety Training The BSA and council offers a variety of training courses to educate the adult leadership through training courses online as well as in a classroom setting. Additional information is also available in the Guide to Safe Scouting and on the BSA Scouting Safely website. BSA Scouting Safety Training site Climb On Safely Cyber Chip Hazardous Weather Safe Swim Defense Safety Afloat Scouting Safety Stop Bullying Now Transporting Scouts Safely Trek Safely Youth Protection Training First Aid/CPR/AED: Would you know what to do in a cardiac, breathing or first aid emergency? The right answer could help you save a life. With an emphasis on hands-on learning, our First Aid/CPR/AED courses give you the skills to save a life. Red Cross First Aid, CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) and AED (automated external defibrillator) training is universally recognized for its effectiveness. It can help ensure that everyone from the Scout working on a First Aid merit badge to a Scouter leading a unit on a high-adventure trek is fully prepared. Find the next scheduled course. First Aid/CPR/AED Training Wilderness First Aid (WFA) is the assessment of and treatment given to an ill or injured person in a remote environment where definitive care by a physician and/or rapid transport is not readily available. Participants will learn how to assess, treat, and (when possible) contain emergencies within the scope of their training. Find the next scheduled course. Wilderness First Aid (WFA) Training Tools to plan events and campouts The campout safety checklist provides guidance on safety issues that you may encounter at a Scouting campout. Along with the Guide to Safe Scouting and the tour and activity plan, this tool will help you in having conversations on identifying risks that need to be mitigated or eliminated. The event safety checklist provides guidance on safety issues that you may encounter at a Scouting event. This is a tool, not a list of mandatory guidelines. The intent of the checklist is to create conversations among event organizers around risks and ways to mitigate or eliminate them. As an aid in the continuing effort to protect participants in a Scout activity, the BSA National Health and Safety Committee and the Council Services Division of the BSA National Council have developed the SAFE Checklist of BSA safety procedures for physical activity. These 16 points, which embody good judgment and common sense, are applicable to all activities. Emergency Preparedness Emergency management, emergency preparedness, and disaster services are common throughout the United States - we take care of each other. By whatever name, these activities encompass preparedness, response, mitigation and recovery related to any kind of disaster, whether natural, technological, or national security. Emergency preparedness means being prepared for all kinds of emergencies, able to respond in a time of crisis to save lives and property, and to help a community or even a nation - return to normal life after a disaster occurs. The Emergency Preparedness BSA program is planned to inspire the desire and foster the skills to meet this challenge in our youth and adult members so that they can participate effectively in this crucial service to their families, communities, and nation. Please review the linked documents to help your family be prepared for emergencies. Emergency Preparedness and Homeland Security Red Cross Hurricane App Emergency Preparedness Awareness Resources Emergency Preparedness BSA (award) Incident Reporting A key responsibility that all volunteers and professional staff share is providing an effective program that meets the needs of young people and provides the proper health and safety of everyone concerned. It is important that we sustain the safe operation of our programs and promote continuous improvement through organizational learning. Timely and complete incident reports support analysis that is critical to identifying needed improvement of the programs offered by the Boy Scouts of America. Guide to Safe Scouting: Incident Reporting Incident Reporting and Reports Mandatory Report of Child Abuse All persons involved in Scouting shall report to local authorities any good-faith suspicion or belief that any child is, or has been, physically or sexually abused, physically or emotionally neglected, exposed to any form of violence or threat, exposed to any form of sexual exploitation, including the possession, manufacture, or distribution of child pornography, online solicitation, enticement, or showing of obscene material. You may not abdicate this reporting responsibility to any other person. Learn More Steps to Reporting Child Abuse Ensure the child is in a safe environment. In cases of child abuse or medical emergencies, call 911 immediately. In addition, if the suspected abuse is in the Scout's home or family, you are required to contact the local child abuse hotline. Notify the Scout executive or designee. Reporting Violations of BSA Youth Protection Policies Reports of child abuse may come in many forms. They may be in the form of conversation, phone calls or letters (either anonymous or with the person making the report identified). The most important thing to remember is that all reports of child abuse involving Scouts or Scouters must be reported immediately. If you think any of the BSA's youth protection policies have been violated, including those described within Scouting's Barriers to Abuse, you must notify your district executive, the Director of Support Services, Brandon Lewis (713-756-3319 or firstname.lastname@example.com) or Wayne McLeland (713-756-3309, or firstname.lastname@example.com). All allegations should be kept strictly confidential, with as few people involved and as little discussion about the matter as possible. It's the Law: If you believe that a child has been physically or mentally abused or neglected, or that a child has died of abuse or neglect, you must report your suspicion to the Texas Department of Protective and Regulatory Services (PRS) or law enforcement agency. You must make an oral report immediately to the nearest PRS Child Protective Services (CPS) office or to the 24-hour Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-252-5400 (voice or TDD). All reports to CPS are given to local law enforcement agencies. Immunity: If you, without malice, make a report of suspected child abuse or neglect, you are immune from civil or criminal liability. Confidentiality: Reports of child abuse and neglect are confidential. Information in the reports, including the name of the person who makes the report, may be used only for the investigation of abuse or neglect. Failure to Report: It is the law in Texas that suspected physical or mental abuse or neglect of a child must be reported. Failure to do so is a crime punishable by fine, imprisonment or both. The Scout executive or council designee and the person making a report of suspected abuse are required by law to report all suspected cases to the Texas Department of Protective and Regulatory Service (PRS) and/or law enforcement agency. Scouts First Helpline The protection of youth is the primary obligation of every individual involved in the Boy Scouts of America - including leaders, parents, members and professionals. The BSA has been and will continue to be vigilant in its efforts to create barriers that help prevent abuse and to recognize and report child abuse regardless of where it occurs. As part of the BSA's Scouts First approach to the protection and safety of youth, the BSA has established "844- Scout1st ", (844-726-8871), a dedicated 24-hour helpline to receive reports of known or suspected abuse or behavior that might put a youth at risk. (The call may be answered by a person who gathers initial information and escalates the report for further handling based upon the nature of the situation.) The helpline's goal is to provide immediate assistance to ensure that the victim, unit, and council are fully supported and the actions taken are properly documented. Minor, non-recurring infractions with no indication youth are at risk can still be addressed at the unit or council level. Nationwide, the BSA requires everyone involved with Scouting to report any known or suspected abuse to local authorities. Responding to Abuse: When information regarding known or suspected abuse or behavior that might put a youth at risk is first discovered, the following steps should immediately be taken: Get the victim medical treatment, if required, and to a place of safety if needed Ensure the victim(s) parents are notified as soon as possible Notify law enforcement and/or child protective services Call the 844-Scouts1st Helpline (844-726-8871) Reporting Abuse or behavior that might put a youth at risk: Accurate information is critical to an appropriate response; however, a lack of specific information is not a reason to delay a report. At a minimum. every effort should be made to have the following infom1ation available when reporting to the 844-Scoutslst Helpline: The name, age, council, and unit of the alleged victim(s) The name and phone number of the victim's parent(s) The name, age, council, and unit of any other known or suspected victim(s) and their parents contact information The name, position, council, and unit of alleged perpetrator(s) The name and phone number of the law enforcement or protective service agency to which the incident was reported The name, unit, and council of any known witnesses The name and phone number of the reporter Details of the incident: who, what, where, and when The BSA also offers assistance with counseling to any Scout, former Scout, or family member of any Scout who suffered abuse during their time in Scouting. Individuals can email email@example.com or call toll free at 855- 295-1531 to discuss these sensitive matters. Questions regarding the 844-Scouts1st Helpline should be directed to BSA Membership Standards at 972-580-2365 or 972-580-2007. ScoutsFirst for Counseling and Support The Boy Scouts of America is committed to providing ongoing support to victims and their families, including counseling. We want to help victims heal, on their own terms, with a professional counselor of their choice. Through the ScoutsFirst Helpline, the Boy Scouts of America offers assistance with counseling to any youth member, former youth member, or the family of any youth member who suffered abuse during their time in Scouting. To reach the ScoutsFirst Helpline, call (844)-Scouts1 or (844)726-8871, or email email@example.com. Support is available 24-hours a day, seven days a week. BSA Alcohol, Tobacco and Drug Use and Abuse Guidelines The Guide To Safe Scouting Section IV Alcohol, Tobacco and Drug Use and Abuse states: "An important way adult leaders can model healthy living is by following the policies on alcohol, tobacco, and drugs. Leaders should support the attitude that they, as well as youths, are better off without tobacco in any form and may not allow the use of tobacco products at any BSA activity involving youth participants. This includes the use of electronic cigarettes, personal vaporizers, or electronic nicotine delivery systems that simulate tobacco smoking. All Scouting functions, meetings, and activities should be conducted on a smoke-free basis, with smoking areas located away from all participants. Reference: Troop Leader Guidebook, Volume 1, No. 33009 As outlined in the Scouter Code of Conduct, Scouting activities are not a place to possess, distribute, transport, consume, or use any of the following items prohibited by law or in violation of any Scouting rules, regulations, and policies: alcoholic beverages or controlled substances, including marijuana. In addition, the Code of Conduct specifies that if you are taking prescription medications with the potential of impairing any functioning or judgment, you will not engage in activities that would put Scouts at risk, including driving or operating equipment." Source Resources Bullying BSA Scouting Safely BSA SAFE Checklist Bike safety Emergency Preparedness Energy Drinks Event safety checklist Guidelines/Policies Guide to Safe Scouting Holiday Safety Tips Managing Risk Safe Scouting Newsletter Safety Moments Scouting Safely Forms Training Trailer state inspections Youth Protection


text:
Colgate World Cup Sylt
With the wave contest fully complete, it was only the freestyle and slalom guys that could have possibly competed on the final day of the Colgate World Cup Sylt. Every effort was made to ensure that the second round of freestyle or a few rounds of slalom could be completed in time for the closing ceremony. Unfortunately the competitors were greeted with extremely high winds and huge North Sea waves making any form of World Class competition not only impossible but also very dangerous.
The crowds still flocked to the beach however, so it was decided that a super expression session would be held for those crazy enough to go out. It didn't take long for the sailors to rig the smallest sails they could find and head out into the extreme conditions when they heard there was some cash up for grabs!
Around twenty competitors hit the water early in the afternoon and tried their best to impress both the judges and the crowds. Kauli Seadi (JP, NeilPryde, Mormaii, MFC) went big and rotated around some amazing back loops and a double forward, but the double was just out of time to count. Early in the session, Tonky Frans (F2, Gaastra) landed a really clean back loop, and was winning for most of the time. Unfortunately for him, Marcilio Browne (Fanatic, North, MFC) was on a mission and rotating round as many loops as he could. Browne eventually claimed the cash with a super high stalled forward, landed back on the wave he took off on.
Also heading out to please the crowds were the legends Robby Naish (Naish), Bjorn Dunkerbeck (Starboard, Severne), and Josh Angulo (Angulo, MauiSails, Dakine). They managed to please the crowds with various loops and rocket airs, but most of all, they just loved seeing their idols out on the water instead of on the screen.
The event came to a close in usual Sylt style with thousands of spectators cheering the champions on stage.
1st Antoine Albeau (JP, NeilPryde)
2nd Bjorn Dunkerbeck (Starboard, Severne)
3rd Cyril Moussilmani (Starboard, North)
4th Micah Buzianis (JP, NeilPryde)
5th Julien Quentel (RRD, NeilPryde)
Men's Freestyle
1st Elton 'Taty' Frans (Starboard, MauiSails)
2nd Kiri Thode (Starboard, Gaastra)
3rd Everon 'Tonky' Frans (F2, Gaastra)
4th Jose 'Gollito' Estredo (Fanatic, North)
5th Nicolas Akgazciyan (Starboard, Gun Sails)
Men's Wave
1st Alex Mussolini (Tabou)
2nd Klaas Voget (Fanatic, NeilPryde, MFC)
3rd Josh Angulo (Angulo, MauiSails, Dakine)
4th Antoine Albeau (JP, NeilPryde)
5th John Skye (RRD, Naish, MFC)
Women's Wave
1st Iballa Ruano Moreno (North)
2nd Daida Ruano Moreno (North)
3rd Nayra Alonso (Fanatic, Severne)
4th Karin Jaggi (F2, Severne)
5th Evi Tsape (Fanatic, NeilPryde)
The 2009 Overall Rankings and Constructers Championship will be included in the event summary. Thank you for tuning in to the 2009 Colgate World Cup, Sylt.
That's it for the World Tour this year so be sure to tune in next time to catch up with the action, or in the meantime, for more information on all the entrants, and to keep up to date with every piece of the action, click on www.pwaworldtour.com
Here you can use our:
• Live ticker service for heat-by-heat bulletins
• Check live elimination ladders
• View results
• Read daily news summaries
• Browse awesome action photo galleries
There's also a dedicated event website for our German fans at www.worldcupsylt.de
Or for more information, please contact the PWA office via email@example.com
PWA/Paul Griffiths


text:
Please enter your Mobile Number and Education Level to proceed.
Kindly clarify so that i can clear my doubts
JEE Main Previous Year Paper
JEE Main Previous Year CutOff PDFs
JEE Main and Advanced syllabus
In order to post replies to the question: "What are the most interesting things I can do while working as a Electronics Instrumentation & Control Engineer?"
Post Reply
Career Guide to 3000+ students till date
Have been conducting career guidance workshops in 30 schools in Mumbai, Pune, Panchgani, Nasik and Goa for the past 5
Have engaged with approx. 3,000 students both collectively in groups as well as individually for various programs
Deep knowledge of various career options available and the course details
Handled more than 5000 career queries on email over the last 5 years
Commerce Graduate and an MBA in Finance from IIM Indore
Career Counsellor and Co-Founder of CANVAS CAREER
Mr Tejas is a practicing Career Psychologist. He is a certified Master Trainer of Life Skills from (Khemka Foundation) Delhi and holds more than five year of experience as Career Psychologist and life skill trainer. He has counselled around 50,000+ students over conferences in various part of country .Scholarships and competitive exams are his special areas.
Director At Academic Arena
Sachin Jain is an M-tech from IIT Roorkee in 2006.He is a self-motivated and innovative professional with more than 8 years of progressive experience. His Experience includes Semiconductor R&D for around 3.5 years, organizational and leadership development, Relationship Building, Building/maintaining networks/alliances, Strategic Planning, Project Coordination, Counseling, Program management & event planning, Team Management, Career Counseling, Talent Hiring, Speaker at various student forums, Career Planner, Advising & coaching, Customized workshop design & facilitation, Teaching, curriculum design & development. He is working with Higher Education Institutions providing them consultancy in Admissions, Placement, Branding, Media Planning and other required field.
Chief Career Counselor Abhinav Career Scope
Prof Dinesh has done his bachelors and masters in Chemical Engineering and has submitted thesis For Ph.D. in Chemical Technology under V.C of Nagpur University. Currently he is working as a Asst. Professor at MIT Pune. He had written various books on computer topics, he is also a frequent writer in Daily Prabhat Pune on various career topics. He had been counseling students in his field on engineering from very long time now; he is a director Abhinav Career Scope, Pune (Career Guidance Center). He had delivered lectures and seminars on topics related to career guidance, engineering admission procedure, how to select right branch etc.
See All Questions


text:
Is Parliament fit for purpose?
Dr Rupert Read, Eastern Region Green Party Co-ordinator
18 December 2013
The European Commission today opened its investigation into the plans of the British government to encourage the construction and operation of a new nuclear power plant by EDF Energy at Hinkley Point C in Somerset.
Brussels wants to check that British plans to ensure predictable revenues for EDF over 35 years, despite the volatility of the electricity market, are not illegal under European Union's (EU) state aid rules.
"We must look whether state aid is really needed and if so whether the level of state aid is appropriate," EU competition commissioner Joaquín Almunia told journalists. The state aid given to EDF "may reach up to £17 billion ($27.8 billion) depending on future electricity prices and the operator's actual capital costs," according to Brussels, which will investigate if the power plant could have been built by market forces alone.
Under EU law, public support given to companies is acceptable as long as it is made on terms that a private operator would have accepted under market conditions. The deal between the British government and EDF says that the former would pay the difference between the agreed price and the market price if the latter price is lower. This strike price has been set at £92.50 ($151.60) per MWh with this reducing to £89.50 ($146.72) if a further plant at Sizewell is built. If the market price is higher than these, EDF would pay the difference to the government. "In either case, the nuclear plant operator will ultimately receive a fixed level of revenues and will therefore not be exposed to market risks for the duration of the scheme," the European Commission explained.
The UK government offers the same kind of mechanism to all low-carbon generating options, each with an individually set strike price. However, support for renewable generation forms is specifically allowed under EC guidelines while no such guideline exists for nuclear power. This means state aid for nuclear investments must be considered on a case-by-case basis.
• Another state aid investigation was announced today concerning exemptions of intensive electricity users from charges that support Germany's vast roll-out of renewables.
• Earlier this year the European Commission approved state aid in the form of a €80 million ($110 million) loan from the Netherlands government for NRG to construct a new nuclear reactor at Petten to produce isotopes for medicine, research and industry.
Brussels must now decide whether the intervention of the British government will distort the energy market in the UK and in the whole EU market. "I cannot anticipate the results of the investigation, but if we opened it that means we have reasonable doubts about the compatibility of the public support that is included in the [UK's] notification, but we will see how the investigation evolves in the coming months," said Almunia. There is no legal deadline by which the investigation must be concluded, he noted. "It depends how complex the file is and I must say this is not the easiest file on my desk," Almunia further explained, adding that the UK plans to attract investment in nuclear energy are of an unprecedented nature and scale.
The cooperation of the UK in the investigation will also be crucial to shorten the amount of time needed for Brussels to reach a conclusion, according to him. "The Commission needs to investigate thoroughly its impact on the UK and the EU internal energy markets, and is requesting all interested parties to submit their observations," the Commissioner added. UK minister for energy and climate change Ed Davey said he welcomed the investigation, noting that London and Brussels had already been discussing the issue for 18 months.
The new plant, composed of two Areva EPR units, is expected to generate 3300 MWe from around 2023.
By Carmen Paun and Jeremy Gordon
for World Nuclear News
Filed under: European Union, New build, Contracts, Politics, Energy policy, United Kingdom
End the scandal of advertisers colonising kids minds... #BanKiddieAds! ...Goto www.leaveourkidsalone.org , and sign our petition.


text:
A threat of cancer, a drastic decision
MY dad did everything he could to look his best that morning. He shaved, brushed his hair and changed into a clean shirt.
I stepped into his room, where he lay on his bed, propped up with pillows. His face was pale and his eyelids heavy; an oxygen tube hung around his neck.
I sat down beside him and handed him my daughter, who was just 4 days old.
This was their first meeting. He looked down at her and softly touched her hair, then looked me in the eye.
"Anna," he said in a hoarse whisper, "now the race is on for you."
My father, Ira Gorman, and I were alike in so many ways. We had the same broad smile, the same freckles across our noses, the same competitive nature. We shared a love of dancing and a love of words.
We also shared a genetic mutation, BRCA1, that dramatically increases the risk of certain types of cancer.
My father had watched cancer kill his mother, aunt and sister. Now, at age 58, it was killing him too.
It was in his pancreas and had metastasized. He was home now, in the final days of 2004, with a morphine drip and hospice nurses. He had just weeks to live.
Still, he was worried for me. Ever since I found out I had the mutation in 2002, he had been pushing me to have my ovaries removed. Since getting sick, he had become more insistent.
The BRCA1 mutation, primarily found among Ashkenazi Jews, raises my risk of ovarian cancer as high as 54% and breast cancer up to 81%. The surgery would cut my chances of ovarian cancer to virtually nothing. And as long as I had the operation by the time I turned 35, it would reduce my risk of breast cancer by half. I was 30.
My father thought I was playing Russian roulette with my life. Now that I had a baby, he believed there was no reason to wait.
I felt terrified for myself as well, as though cancer were this venomous snake waiting to strike. My aunt Lois was just 34, a few years older than I, when she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. She died at 38.
I wanted to tell my father what he wanted to hear. How could I deny him his last wish for me?
But I wasn't ready. I wanted another baby, a sibling for my daughter. Over and over, I apologized. I begged him to trust me.
Soon, I told him. Not yet, but soon.
CANCER was on my dad's side of the family, but my mom was the one following the medical research. In 1996, when genetic testing became available for the BRCA mutation, she urged my sister and me to get checked.
I kept putting it off. But my mom didn't let up, and in 2002, I decided to go ahead.
Even then, I felt oddly disconnected from what I was doing. My mind was on other things. I had just moved from Ventura to Los Angeles with my boyfriend, Coll Metcalfe, after being hired at The Times.
Two weeks after my blood was drawn, a nurse from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center called me with the results. I was in my car.
"Honey, it's positive," she said.
I don't know what I expected, but it wasn't that. I started crying and pulled over. I knew it didn't mean I had cancer, but that's how it felt. I somehow registered her saying that I could be part of a research program for high-risk women.
I immediately called Coll. We had been dating more than two years and although we hadn't talked about it much, I thought we would eventually get married. He was on the same path but not as far along. In fact, he had been reluctant to buy a couch together because of the commitment.
He was filming a documentary in Rwanda. After reaching him through his translator's cellphone, I started to speak, but tears came first.
"I'm scared," I said, rattling off the risks and describing the recommended timeline for surgery.
I was nervous about how he would react, but I gave him a deadline for putting an engagement ring on my finger -- five months later, by the time I turned 29. I knew it wasn't fair. I hated pushing him. Even I didn't feel ready to have children.
He listened and tried to comfort me, telling me everything would be OK and that we would talk more when he got home.
Weeks later, my sister took her test. The results were negative. I was relieved for her, but I couldn't help feeling envious. She didn't have to worry about sprinting toward marriage and starting a family.
That fall, I went to Cedars-Sinai for my first mammogram. After changing into a hospital gown and walking into the screening room, I suddenly became dizzy. I had trouble catching my breath. A nurse tried to calm me. I tried to calm myself. Every time I thought I was OK and stood up, I felt faint again. I rescheduled the appointment.
My birthday came and went without a marriage proposal. I felt hurt and angry.
Six weeks later, we traveled to Cambodia and Vietnam on vacation. As we stood at the ruins of Angkor Wat at sunset, all I could think was, "What is he waiting for?"
On the last day, we went out to dinner in Hanoi, both of us in our last clean clothes, exhausted from our travels. It was Valentine's Day. Coll knelt and held out a ring.
We eloped to Fiji that summer.
Immediately, I wanted to start trying to get pregnant, but Coll persuaded me to wait three months. He wanted to get used to being a husband before becoming a father.
By March of 2004, he was back in Rwanda, finishing his film. While he was away, I took a home pregnancy test. Just to be sure of what I was seeing, I took three more.
"I think I'm ppp ... pregnant!" I e-mailed Coll.
A few weeks later, I was in a hospital gown, waiting to see the doctor for my first prenatal appointment. My sister called my cellphone, crying so hard I could barely understand her.
"Dad has pancreatic cancer," she told me. "And it has spread to his liver. He isn't going to live more than a year."
I remember thinking that couldn't be right. The doctors had said it was just pancreatitis.
I dialed my dad. The doctors had seen spots on his liver during a CT scan. They scheduled a biopsy. He joked that maybe the spots were drops of coffee spilled by a clumsy radiologist.
But after the biopsy results came back, his humor turned to anger. How could he be dying? He was only 58. He felt cheated.
Until his diagnosis, he had refused genetic testing. There was cancer in his family. He already knew that. What more would a test tell him? Ultimately doctors confirmed that he had the same BRCA1 mutation I did.
After that, my brother, Seth, got tested as well. The results were positive. I was scared for him, concerned that he might get the same cancer they had found in my father.
IN the nine months Dad was sick, I drove to his house in Long Beach at least twice a week.
We watched old movies, went out for pizza, took walks along the water. He asked about the baby. I felt uncomfortable even talking about the birth, fearing he might not be around to see it.
Our conversations often came back to the same point: the surgery. It's too late for me, he would say. It's not too late for you.
My dad had his faults. But now, it was hard to remember anything but the good: Him taking me to Lake Arrowhead with my Indian Princesses group, playing hours of Scrabble with me, helping me with school projects. A successful forensic psychologist, my father said more than once that he was most proud in his life of his children.
At the end of my pregnancy, his heart rate spiked. He was hospitalized. My siblings and I visited him in shifts, covering him with blankets and monitoring his pain medication.
While he slept, I read through books of baby names. By Jewish tradition, infants are named in honor of deceased relatives. He had insisted that I give my daughter a name in honor of his father, Morris, who had died years earlier.
One evening, I reluctantly made another list -- of names that began with I, for Ira. When he woke up, I tucked the list away.
While he was in the hospital, his body -- and his mind -- started to fail. The doctors convinced us that chemotherapy wouldn't prolong his life. We agreed to send him home for hospice care. My due date was a week away.
On the same day my father was released from the hospital, I gave birth to a baby girl. We named her Sadie Manyara, the M for Morris.
Over the next seven weeks -- the last of my father's and the first of my daughter's -- I often sat on his bed, with Sadie in my arms. He rested next to us.
While I changed my daughter's diapers, the nurses changed my father's. As I breast-fed her, the nurses poured protein shakes into his feeding tube.
At the end, my father lost the ability to speak. The only way either he or Sadie could communicate was by crying.
I held both of their hands. They were both helpless. So was I.
I tried not to cry while at his house. But as I drove home, I couldn't keep it in. I was devastated about losing my father. And I was haunted by this image of me dying, my daughter sitting beside me.
Maybe my father was right. I was fortunate enough to have this knowledge about my cancer risk, yet I hadn't acted on it. Maybe I was risking my life. Maybe I should do as he asked.
MY father died on a Saturday morning. He was 59.
Standing before our friends and family at the funeral, I read a story he had written for me when I was little. Sadie was in the front row, sleeping in my husband's arms.
In the weeks afterward, I became almost paranoid about my health.
As part of the cancer detection program, I had regular blood tests to measure my protein levels. Increased levels can mean ovarian cancer. Mine had never gone above 10. But suddenly they were at 22.
Even though anything under 35 was considered normal by the lab, I became alarmed. I called oncologists around the country. Was it cancer? Could they catch it in time? The experts all echoed what my own doctor had told me, that the results could be skewed by pregnancy.
A few months later, the results dropped to 10.
A second scare came after I weaned Sadie. On a family trip, while putting on a bathing suit, I felt a lump in my right breast. My God, I thought. This is it. My eyes welled up and I could barely breathe. I paged a nurse. She told me it was probably a plugged milk duct; if it was still there in two days, I should call a breast oncologist. The next day, the lump went away.
But the uneasiness lingered. Cancer seemingly was everywhere. I kept hearing about somebody else getting diagnosed or dying.
When Sadie was 6 months old, Coll and I started trying to have another baby. Each month I didn't get pregnant, I became more anxious. My mom kept asking me how long I was going to wait. My sister even offered to be a surrogate.
Coll wanted me to have the surgery too, but he kept reminding me that I was only 31, four years shy of the doctor's recommended deadline.
But I didn't want to wait anymore. I knew how deadly ovarian cancer was, how difficult it was to detect early. I told Coll that if I wasn't pregnant in five months, that was it. I was having the operation.
My anxiety took a toll on our marriage. Coll wanted another baby of his own. He was adopted; Sadie, who had his curly hair and broad forehead, was the first blood relative he knew. If I had the surgery now, would he forever resent me? What if I waited and got cancer?
In November, I took out yet another pregnancy test from the bathroom cabinet. As I held the stick, my hand shook. Coll looked over my shoulder.
"I think there are two lines," I told Coll, my heart beating faster. "No, there are definitely two lines."
"Wow," he said, as he kissed me.
I gave birth to Twyla in July. We gave her a middle name that started with I -- Isalei.
A few weeks later, I set the date for surgery.
ONE month before the operation, as Coll and I walked into the cancer center for an appointment, I looked around at the other women in the waiting room. It didn't take much to imagine the worst: Would I be coming here for chemotherapy?
My doctor, Beth Karlan, explained the surgery. While I was under, she and a pathologist would look for signs of cancer before removing my ovaries, uterus and fallopian tubes. Later, they would dissect the organs thinly to make sure there were no abnormal cells. In 10% of women with BRCA mutations who have this surgery, she told me, doctors discover cancer.
"I don't like that statistic," Coll said.
I didn't either. I started worrying that I had waited too long. Now I had my daughters, but would I be there for them?
After that appointment, it also started to sink in that I was about to hit menopause -- at age 32. This surgery would affect my body, and my mind, in ways I might not know for years.
But as the date of the operation got closer, I started worrying more about my daughters than myself. How would I explain to Sadie why I was going away? Would Twyla, who was underweight and still nursing, take a bottle while I was gone?
I went online to check the message board of an organization called FORCE, Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered, for women with BRCA mutations. Several Los Angeles women -- cancer survivors, cancer sufferers and people like me, struggling not to get cancer -- were getting together for dinner a few weeks before my surgery.
"I am getting anxious," I wrote. "I would love to come and meet you all. Is it OK to show up?"
Another new mother welcomed me warmly. She'd had a preventive mastectomy when her sons were 21 months and 5 months -- and a preventive hysterectomy five months later. On the phone a few days later, she explained that both surgeries were for her boys. When she dropped them off at preschool, she said, she wanted to be able to say -- with conviction -- "Mommy always comes back."
I arrived at the dinner at a Westwood restaurant carrying Twyla, just 2 months old. Across from me sat a 36-year-old, who hadn't had cancer but had had both her ovaries and her breasts removed to be safe. "They are just body parts," she told me, pulling out photographs of what was really important to her: her school-age daughters.
I was still getting used to the idea of losing my ovaries. I had always viewed a preventive mastectomy as a drastic measure. It seemed I risked losing nearly everything -- at least physically -- that defined me as a woman. Yet these women seemed not to regret their choices.
Indeed, a few of them went into the bathroom to show one another their reconstructed breasts. They asked me along. Without much ado, each lifted her shirt and explained what kind of surgeries she had undergone. I was surprised at their openness -- and that the breasts looked so normal.
I left the dinner feeling inspired. I realized why I was doing this surgery. I was doing it for my father. I was doing it for myself.
Most of all, I was doing it for my daughters.
THE night before surgery was Halloween, a welcome distraction.
Sadie was a bumblebee. I took her trick-or-treating, then returned to the house filled with nervous energy. I packed my bag, washed dishes and gave my mom instructions on the girls' napping and eating habits. She and my sister both had come to care for them. Each gave me a card thanking me for my decision.
"It can't be easy," my sister wrote, "but we are all glad and relieved you are going through with it. Dad would be too."
The next morning, Coll and I nervously flipped through magazines in the hospital lobby. I couldn't concentrate.
Dr. Karlan hugged me in pre-op. "Your dad is with us," she said, "from above."
The last thing I remember was the nurse telling me that my husband had called home. Twyla had just finished one bottle and was starting a second. I smiled.
I woke up a few hours later, with Coll by my side. Dr. Karlan walked in. The surgery went perfectly, she said. She would know for sure next week, but she was 99% sure there was no cancer.
"I made it," I said. "Two babies and no cancer."
Coll told me that he had waited next to a man whose wife -- only a few years older than I -- was having the same surgery. But she had learned of her mutation only after being diagnosed with breast cancer. She'd already gone through a mastectomy and chemotherapy. They had one child. She got cancer before they were able to have a second.
"This is really awful," Coll said, holding my hand, "but it could have been a whole lot worse."
Through the fog of anesthesia, I remember feeling overwhelming relief.
But when the medication wore off, I realized it was far from over. I still had the genetic mutation. And I still had to worry about other cancers, including the one that killed my father.
I wished I could call my dad. Being in the hospital reminded me so much of his illness.
I called home. My sister put Sadie on the phone. "Hi, Mommy," she said in a sweet, raspy voice. "I love you."
My eyes filled with tears.
When I got home, Sadie came running to me with a flower from our garden. Twyla waved her arms like a little bird.
My daughters, of course, will not remember that day. I will never forget it.
Days later, I got the call I was waiting for: I didn't have cancer.
For a few weeks, I mostly stayed in bed. Sadie brushed my hair and brought me Band-Aids for my "boo-boos." Twyla slept on my chest.
I decided I wasn't ready for menopause. So I started a low dose of estrogen, through a small, clear patch. The hormone increases my risk of breast cancer, so I don't plan to stay on it long.
I have started considering a preventive mastectomy, though I still find it a much harder decision than removal of my ovaries.
I would like to say that I have put some of my grief behind me now that I have fulfilled my father's wish. But it's not that easy. I miss him terribly. I would give anything to see him playing with Sadie, now just over 2, and Twyla, 8 months.
My greatest fear now is that I have passed this deadly genetic flaw on to them. The odds are 50-50.
When I look at my daughters, I see myself. I see my father. I hope, with everything in me, that they don't share this part of us.
If they share anything, let it be our broad smiles and our love of words.
BRCA genetic mutations
There are two types of BRCA genetic mutations, numbered 1 and 2, which increase the risks of cancer.
BRCA genes are found in males and females and generally help prevent cancer by stopping cells from accumulating mutations and growing abnormally. Women with mutated BRCA genes are at greater risk of developing breast and ovarian cancer. For them, the estimated lifetime risk of developing breast cancer is 85%, compared with 12% for women without a mutation. Their estimated risk of ovarian cancer is 23% to 54%, compared with 1.5%.
Research has shown a link between the mutations and cancers of the fallopian tubes, pancreas and prostate, and melanoma and male breast cancer.
Family history
Genetic counseling and testing are recommended for those with a strong family history of breast or ovarian cancer. Women with the mutations should be screened regularly through blood tests, mammograms, ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging. Many oncologists recommend that women with the mutations consider having their ovaries, fallopian tubes and breasts removed prophylactically to reduce risk.
More information
Contact the National Society of Genetic Counselors at www.nsgc.org.
Source: American Cancer Society, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
On latimes.com
To participate in a live chat with Anna Gorman today at 1 p.m., go to
To see recent Column One articles, visit latimes.com/columnone.
Must-read stories from the L.A. Times
Get the day's top news with our Today's Headlines newsletter, sent every weekday morning.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.


text:
The December 2009 statistics, as well as a look back at 2009, will be posted a few days late, as we are attending the ASSA meeting in Atlanta. Stop by at our booth in the exhibitors hall to say hello and discuss about RePEc.
NB: the monthly emails to authors, editors and series maintainers will also be delayed by a few days.