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THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA By BRANDON LARRABEE
THE CAPITAL, TALLAHASSEE, December 28, 2012……….Safeguards against hazing at Florida A&M University were not strong enough in the lead-up to the 2011 death of drum major Robert Champion, but inflammatory accusations that university leaders recklessly ignored calls for action by the former band director can't be proven, according to a new report by a Florida Board of Governors watchdog.
The report, released Friday, details the missteps of FAMU officials in responding to multiple hazing allegations, from faulty compliance with university policies that could have helped prevent the tragedy to a lack of follow-up on some reports of hazing.
And it confirms that FAMU administrators met about hazing three days before Champion's Nov. 19 death. Champion died after he was allegedly brutally beaten on a bus as part of a hazing ritual followed by members of the university's iconic "Marching 100" band.
The report said the accounts of officials at the meeting differed on whether they discussed suspending the band and who proposed or supported the idea.
The band has since been suspended, and former FAMU President James Ammons resigned after months of questions about Champion's death and other investigations swirling around the school.
Champion died on a band charter bus in November after the renowned marching band performed at the annual Florida Classic football game in Orlando. Eleven individuals were charged with felony hazing in the incident, which drew nationwide media coverage.
"(We) conclude that the university was unable to demonstrate the existence of adequate institutional controls to ensure the effective implementation of the hazing and Student Code of Conduct regulations, and Band Directive, which formed the basis of the anti-hazing program," said the report from the Board of Governors' Office of the Inspector General.
The report brushes away a complaint from the former director of bands, Julian White, that he tried unsuccessfully to call attention to the band's issues with hazing. It says White contradicted himself on whether he recommended suspending the band for the Florida Classic during the Nov. 16 meeting.
"Because of the conflicting testimony of the participants at the November 16, 2011 meeting, including Dr. White's, there is insufficient evidence to support his assertion of reckless indifference or disregard," the report says.
The inspector general's report recommends FAMU tighten up its record-keeping on hazing allegations, work more closely with the Tallahassee Police Department on hazing investigations and strengthen the university's Office of Judicial Affairs.
FAMU has 15 days to respond to the report.
In a memo to the Board of Governors accompanying the report, Chancellor Frank Brogan said he would recommend that high-ranking officials with the State University System work with interim President Larry Robinson and follow FAMU's progress in trying to end hazing and other issues on campus.
"I have pledged to work closely with Dr. Robinson and his team to ensure they have our full support — not only in addressing the issues detailed in this report and others, but in making sure FAMU fosters a culture that does not tolerate the lack of control that led to its recent problems," Brogan wrote.


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Working as a nanny I have found that the most important thing to getting kids to eat healthy food is to start when they are young, and as they get older, making healthy food fun really helps them to stay on the right track. As parents and caregivers to the children in our lives, we are able to help pave a path that they can take and benefit from for the rest of their lives.
When working with infants I like to begin introducing solids with savory soft foods first like squashes and avocados and waiting before introducing sweeter foods like bananas and apples. Once they've acquired a taste and liking for sweet foods, it's likely going to be harder to get them to eat their vegetables as well.
I've worked with a lot of infants and really young children over the years, and more recently have been working with older children as well, around the ages of 3-6. I am encouraged seeing how much kids really enjoy healthy food when they have the taste for it, when they get to participate in the preparation or be engaged with the food in some way while eating it and when it's just fun. Kids always want to have fun, and this carries over into food. One way to make food fun is with the presentation and here are just a few protein and nutrient rich food ideas that I've used and had success with over the years. I will continue to add more with time. I do love these tasty treats and eat them regularly myself.
Almond butter is great of course because it is rich in protein. Apples, bananas and celery make for a great base, and cinnamon and honey are full of immune strengthening and anti-inflammatory properties.
I set these up usually to allow the kids to have as much participation as possible, unless under a time constraint of course. They love topping the celery with either raisins or Goji berries. Apples and bananas with either cinnamon and/or honey, and on special occasions I even pull out the sprinkles. If there is something here you've tried before or plan to make, I will love to hear what other wonderful ideas you come up with!
Note: A fun trick to making something like a plain apple or banana fun to eat is to slice a few pieces and then put them back together. Sell it to the kids as 'Puzzle' fruit!
Bon Appetit and cheers to good health!

subset: commoncrawl


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Across the country, activists with ties to the Tea Party are railing against all sorts of local and state efforts to control sprawl and conserve energy. They brand government action for things like expanding public transportation routes and preserving open space as part of a United Nations-led conspiracy to deny property rights and herd citizens toward cities.
They are showing up at planning meetings to denounce bike lanes on public streets and smart meters on home appliances — efforts they equate to a big-government blueprint against individual rights.
"Down the road, this data will be used against you," warned one speaker at a recent Roanoke County, Va., Board of Supervisors meeting who turned out with dozens of people opposed to the county's paying $1,200 in dues to a nonprofit that consults on sustainability issues.
Local officials say they would dismiss such notions except that the growing and often heated protests are having an effect.
In Maine, the Tea Party-backed Republican governor canceled a project to ease congestion along the Route 1 corridor after protesters complained it was part of the United Nations plot. Similar opposition helped doom a high-speed train line in Florida. And more than a dozen cities, towns and counties, under new pressure, have cut off financing for a program that offers expertise on how to measure and cut carbon emissions.
"It sounds a little on the weird side, but we've found we ignore it at our own peril," said George Homewood, a vice president of the American Planning Association's chapter in Virginia.
The protests date to 1992 when the United Nations passed a sweeping, but nonbinding, 100-plus-page resolution called Agenda 21 that was designed to encourage nations to use fewer resources and conserve open land by steering development to already dense areas. They have gained momentum in the past two years because of the emergence of the Tea Party movement, harnessing its suspicion about government power and belief that man-made global warming is a hoax.
In January, the Republican Party adopted its own resolution against what it called "the destructive and insidious nature" of Agenda 21. And Newt Gingrich took aim at it during a Republican debate in November.
Tom DeWeese, the founder of the American Policy Center, a Warrenton, Va.-based foundation that advocates limited government, says he has been a leader in the opposition to Agenda 21 since 1992. Until a few years ago, he had few followers beyond a handful of farmers and ranchers in rural areas. Now, he is a regular speaker at Tea Party events.
Membership is rising, Mr. DeWeese said, because what he sees as tangible Agenda 21-inspired controls on water and energy use are intruding into everyday life. "People may be acting out at some of these meetings, and I do not condone that. But their elected representatives are not listening and they are frustrated."
Fox News has also helped spread the message. In June, after President Obama signed an executive order creating a White House Rural Council to "enhance federal engagement with rural communities," Fox programs linked the order to Agenda 21. A Fox commentator, Eric Bolling, said the council sounded "eerily similar to a U.N. plan called Agenda 21, where a centralized planning agency would be responsible for oversight into all areas of our lives. A one world order."
The movement has been particularly effective in Tea Party strongholds like Virginia, Florida and Texas, but the police have been called in to contain protests in states including Maryland and California, where opponents are fighting laws passed in recent years to encourage development around public transportation hubs and dense areas in an effort to save money and preserve rural communities.
One group has become a particular target. Iclei — Local Governments for Sustainability USA, an Oakland, Calif.-based nonprofit, sells software and offers advice to communities looking to reduce their carbon footprints. A City Council meeting in Missoula, Mont., in December got out of hand and required police intervention over $1,200 in dues to Iclei.
At a Board of Supervisors meeting in Roanoke in late January, Cher McCoy, a Tea Party member from nearby Lexington, Va., generated sustained applause when she warned: "They get you hooked, and then Agenda 21 takes over. Your rights are stripped one by one."
Echoing other protesters, Ms. McCoy identified smart meters, devices being installed by utility companies to collect information on energy use, as part of the conspiracy. "The real job of smart meters is to spy on you and control you — when you can and cannot use electrical appliances," she said.
Ilana Preuss, vice president of Smart Growth America, a national coalition of nonprofits that supports economic development while conserving open spaces and farmland, said, "The real danger is not that they will get rid of some piece of software from Iclei" but that "people will be too scared to have a conversation about local development. And that is an important conversation to be having."
In some cases, the protests have not been large, but they are powerful because officials are concerned about the Tea Party.
On the campaign trail, Mr. Gingrich has called Agenda 21 an important issue and has said, "I would explicitly repudiate what Obama has done on Agenda 21."
The Republican National Committee resolution, passed without fanfare on Jan. 13, declared, "The United Nations Agenda 21 plan of radical so-called 'sustainable development' views the American way of life of private property ownership, single family homes, private car ownership and individual travel choices, and privately owned farms; all as destructive to the environment."
Other conservatives have welcomed the scrutiny of land-use issues, but they do not agree with the emphasis on Agenda 21.
Jeremy Rabkin, a professor of law at George Mason University specializing in sovereignty issues, said there were "entirely legitimate concerns about international standards that come into American law without formal ratification by the Senate."
But some local officials argue that the programs that protesters see as part of the conspiracy are entirely created by local governments with the express intent of saving money — the central goal of the Tea Party movement.
Planning groups, several of which said they had never heard of Agenda 21 until protesters burst in, are counterorganizing.
Summer Frederick, the project manager for the Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission in Charlottesville, Va., which withdrew its dues to Iclei and its support from a national mayors' agreement on climate change late last year after a campaign by protesters, now conducts seminars on how to deal with Agenda 21 critics. (Among her tips: remove the podium and microphones, which can make it "very easy for a critic to hijack a meeting.")
Roanoke's Board of Supervisors voted 3 to 2 to renew its Iclei financing after many residents voiced their support.
"The Tea Party people say they want nonpolluted air and clean water and everything we promote and support, but they also say it's a communist movement," said Charlotte Moore, a supervisor who voted yes. "I really don't understand what they want."
Source: The New York Times


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Eat Your Jack-o'-Lantern and Save!
You really can use every part of a pumpkin. Treat yourself to tasty savings
En español | I like to celebrate Halloween as much as anybody else, but I grimace at the thought of throwing away a perfectly good pumpkin after using it for only a few days as a decoration.
Americans buy more than 1 billion pounds of pumpkins at Halloween, and the vast majority of those end up in the trash. But at this cheapskate's house, we eat our jack-o'-lantern — every last bit of it.
See also: Don't throw that away!
While some varieties of pumpkins are specifically grown to be eaten and are a little meatier and tastier (including sweet Jack Be Littles, Cheese Pumpkins, sugar pumpkins and some delicious heirloom varieties), any commonly available pumpkin is edible.
Pumpkins are a true American vegetable, a favorite of Native Americans before becoming a staple of early European explorers and settlers in the New World. According to the American Institute for Cancer Research, pumpkins are packed with beta carotene, a powerful antioxidant that fights cancer.
Best of all, at Halloween (and immediately after Halloween) you can usually buy pumpkins for less than half a buck a pound. If you're buying a pumpkin specifically for eating, the smaller ones are usually the best. If you're going to use it as a jack-o'-lantern, as well, you can eat or freeze some of the pumpkin when you carve it, and then pickle the remaining rind when Halloween is over, provided that it's still in good shape.
Here's how to eat all of your jack-o'-lantern:
Get Creative With the Seeds
Toasted pumpkin seeds are a healthy snack, filled with magnesium, zinc, manganese, iron, copper and protein. They're also great as a nut substitute in bread, salads, muffins and other recipes.
- Remove the seeds and rinse them in water to get rid of the stringy inner membrane.
- Let them dry on a paper towel.
- Flavor with coarse salt for a traditional flavor, or let your imagination and spice rack run wild. Some of my favorite options for flavoring seeds include: Cajun seasonings, ginger powder, pumpkin pie spice, garlic salt, curry powder, chili powder, cinnamon, vinegar and salt.
- After you've seasoned them, bake the seeds on a lightly oiled cookie sheet (single layer thick) in a 250-degree oven for about an hour, stirring every 20 minutes. Or try my preferred method of cooking them in a spray-oiled skillet over medium heat on the stove top, stirring and shaking constantly for about five minutes.
- Store in airtight containers.
Make the Most of the Pulp
The thick, bright-orange pulp lining the inside of the pumpkin is the real meat of the matter when it comes to making pies, cakes, bread, soups and most other pumpkin delicacies.
- Using a large spoon or other sharp-edged instrument, scrape and scoop the pulp from inside the pumpkin, working down about an inch or so to the whitish-colored layer beneath the skin. This will leave you with the outer shell to carve as a jack-o'-lantern. If you're not going to use your pumpkin as a lantern, then it's easier to simply slice it as you would a melon and use a knife to peel away the outer skin and white layer.
- Once you've extracted the pulp, steam it over a pot of boiling water for about 30 minutes or longer until it's tender.
- Run the pulp through a food processor to puree or mash it by hand (add a dash of lemon juice to prevent discoloration).
- Freeze in plastic bags or containers to use later.
You can eat cooked pumpkin pulp just like squash, with salt, pepper and butter. Here are some of my favorite pumpkin recipes:
Pumpkin Cider Bisque
A fall tradition at The House of Cheap.
- Make a cream soup by melting 2 tablespoons butter and mixing in 2 tablespoons flour, and then slowly stir in 2 cups whole milk. Stir constantly over medium heat until thickened.
- Add 1 cup cooked pumpkin puree (see above), and heat through.
- Slowly add 2 cups cider. Correct the seasoning with salt and pepper.
- Serve hot, with a dollop of sour cream, or cold with apple slices to garnish.
(4 servings; approximate cost per serving: 40 cents)
Pumpkin Milk Shake
Try this one as soon as the pulp cools.
- In a blender, mix 1 cup vanilla ice cream, 1/4 cup milk, 4 tablespoons pumpkin puree and a dash of any or all of the following: pumpkin pie spice, vanilla, nutmeg, rum extract.
(1 serving; approximate cost per serving: 45 cents)
Next page: How does a casserole sound? >>
Jack-o'-Lantern Casserole
I always make this casserole the day we carve our pumpkin. When carving your jack-o'-lantern, save the cutout nose, mouth, eyes, etc., to decorate this face-shaped casserole.
- Fry 1 pound sausage and 1 cup chopped onion on the stove top until brown.
- Add 2 cups cubed, raw pumpkin pulp (you can get about that much by cutting off the pulp from the bottom of your jack-o'-lantern lid).
- Cook the pulp for about 5 minutes, until the pumpkin starts to soften.
- Stir in 1 can condensed cheddar cheese soup and 1/4 cup whole milk and remove from the heat.
- Grease an oval or round casserole baking dish (about the size of a face).
- In the empty dish, mix 2 cups Bisquick mix with 3/4 cup water, spreading the dough evenly on the bottom of the dish.
- Pour the meat mixture on top of the dough. Sprinkle 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese on top of the casserole.
- Spray the "face parts" lightly with spray oil and arrange on top of the casserole.
- Bake in a preheated 400-degree oven, uncovered, for about 30 minutes, until the face parts are lightly browned and the dough has cooked through.
(6 servings; approximate cost per serving: 75 cents)
Pickled Pumpkin Rinds
If your lantern survives the night of hell-raising by neighborhood teens and shows no signs of worrisome rot, inordinate candle scorching or excessive wax buildup, real cheapskates separate themselves from the rest by pickling the rind of their jack-o'-lanterns the day after Halloween.
- One of my Miser Advisers, Doris Sharp, gave me this old German recipe:
- Use a vegetable peeler to remove orange outer skin, and then cut the white-colored rind (about 1-inch thick) into 2-inch squares.
- Cover pumpkin cubes with apple cider vinegar and let soak overnight. Remove the pumpkin from the vinegar (discard* the vinegar) and let it dry on a towel.
- Make a mixture of fresh vinegar, sugar, ginger and cinnamon, and bring to a boil on the stove. (For each pound of pumpkin, use 3/4 pound sugar, 2 cups vinegar and a piece of fresh ginger. Add a stick of cinnamon for the whole batch of several pounds.)
- Add the pumpkin and simmer until the pieces are translucent and golden yellow, about 3 hours on low heat. Never stir with a spoon; just shake the pot occasionally so the pumpkin doesn't fall apart.
- Can and seal, or store in the refrigerator for up to a few weeks.
(*Doris is uncomfortable with the thought of discarding anything, even spent vinegar, so she instead uses it to clean some windows around her house while her pumpkin rinds are cooking. You gotta love a truly frugal woman.)
Jeff Yeager is the author of The Ultimate Cheapskate's Road Map to True Riches and The Cheapskate Next Door. His website is www.UltimateCheapskate.com and you can friend him on Facebook at JeffYeagerUltimateCheapskate or follow him on Twitter.
Updated October 2012


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Canceled wedding turns into a meaningful time for homeless guests
INDIANAPOLIS — A school bus pulled up in front of the manicured landscaping of the Ritz Charles in Carmel on Saturday. It was a sunny, beautiful day for a wedding.
About a dozen homeless veterans from the Hoosier Veterans Assistance Foundation stepped off the bus. Sarah Cummins, in a jeweled sleeveless peplum top and pastel pants, cheerfully greeted and welcomed them to the reception in the glass house, one of the many Pinterest-picture-perfect spots at the Ritz.
"Thank you for having us," one of the veterans said, standing near a stunning tiered fountain. "It means more than you know."
This was supposed to be Cummins' wedding day.
But after the 25-year-old Purdue University pharmacy student and her fiance, Logan Araujo, canceled their $30,000 wedding a week ago for undisclosed reasons, the two were left with the non-refundable would-be celebration.
Bride-to-be calls off wedding, invites homeless to her reception
Temple student collects over 2,000 holiday cards for the homeless
So Cummins decided to invite people from four area homeless shelters to enjoy the 170-person reception she and Araujo spent two years planning.
"For me, it was an opportunity to let these people know they deserved to be at a place like this just as much as everyone else does," Cummins said.
Inside, the guests from the veterans foundation, Wheeler Mission, Third Phase Christian Center and Dayspring Center, many dressed in semi-formal apparel, dined on hors d'oeuvres of bourbon-glazed meatballs, goat cheese and roasted garlic bruschetta.
"It's beautiful," guest Erik Jensen said. "We're having a great time."
Jensen, who has been at Wheeler Mission for five months, said he was humbled that he was the recipient of the former couple's kindness.
"It's just a really great opportunity for us, that was going to be a huge tragedy in her life," he said. "It's a great opportunity to spread love. Being homeless is kind of a big loss for all of these guys. This is just a very nice thing to do."
The men who attended from Wheeler were selected based on their success in the mission's Steps Toward Economic and Personal Stability program.
"We want to show them that if you excel, good stuff happens," Wheeler case manager Bryan Schrank.
The reception went on as the staff at the Ritz Charles planned it, event manager Sherry Harper said. Outside of rearranging the tables to remove the head table and compressing the time, dinner service happened as it usually would, right down to serving the wedding cake and the former couple's late-night snack of pizza. The cake, though, was pre-sliced behind the scenes.
"We really didn't change anything," Harper said.
The story has inspired a wave of goodwill around the city and beyond. Matt Guanzon was among those reaching out locally.
The Indianapolis man donated some suits from his own closet so guests could dress up for the dinner, and others pitched in after he posted a request on his Facebook page. His tailor, A. Mina Fine Clothier & Tailors on Monument Circle, donated several pieces, and The Gifted Gown contributed dresses and accessories.
Guanzon, a contract negotiator for United Healthcare, rushed around Saturday in a cargo vehicle loaned by a friend, picking up the formal wear and dropping it off at the shelters throughout Central Indiana.
He even thought of the kids, asking that friends drop off children's items at the Ritz before the dinner.
"We mark our lives with the good times and sometimes the bad, so if we can help out in the good times, that's what we're doing here today," Guanzon said. I'm just trying to show that even a little bit can help."
Charlie Allen, who's spent three months at Wheeler Mission, received one of Guanzon's donated jackets.
"I didn't have a sport coat," he said, tugging gently at the lapels of his new coat, smiling. "I think I look pretty nice in it."
Allen, like others, was grateful for his invitation.
"For a lot of us, this is a good time to show us what we can have," he said. "Or to remind us what we had."
It was a difficult decision to attend, Cummins said, but when one of the homeless program directors said he was looking forward to meeting her, she knew she had to.
Three of her original seven bridesmaids, along with her mom and aunts, also came to support her during what they knew would be a hard day for her.
"Out of everything, I just want people to understand that there are still wonderful people in this world," said college friend and bridesmaid Kendell Suevers.
The Indianapolis Star first reported this story Thursday, and it was quickly picked up by national and international media. The massive response, both negative and positive, was overwhelming, Cummins said. She says she doesn't want any of the attention, but was caught off guard by how many people reached out to her.
"There have been hundreds of people that have said how touched they were and how this is something that really meant a lot to them," she said.
When Cummins approached Araujo with the idea of donating the dinner, he agreed to what he thought was a selfless way to deal with something that would go to waste.
Cummin said Araujo footed most of the bill for the wedding and ceremony, both of which were to be at the Ritz Charles. Cummins and her parents, and one of Araujo's family friends, paid for the rest. They got $500 back from the photographer, but everything else — the DJ, a harpist, suits, bridesmaid dresses, centerpieces and a wedding dress — is sunk.
"Everyone has done so much to give me the most wonderful experience and it just really sucks that they had to waste it," Cummins said. "It was a huge loss. But you gotta do what you gotta do, I guess. And that was one of the reasons I wanted to do something with the reception, because it literally felt like I was throwing that money in the trash. At least we can use it somehow."
She's not sure, yet, what she's going to do with the wedding dress.
"It's too painful to think about," she said. "I just love it so much. For me, I know my dream wedding is already gone. It's happened. I got the dress, I got the place, I got everything I wanted."
And for one day, her guests felt a little bit of that.
"It's a fantastic way to take something that's an unfortunate event, and to bless others," Schrank said. "This is like Thanksgiving 2.0 for these guys. Many of them have never had a meal like this in their lives — or at least not in years."
Follow Amy Bartner on Twitter: @AmyBartner


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The Perfect Edge: the Ultimate Guide to Sharpening for Woodworkers
"If... you don't own a book on sharpening, I think "The Perfect Edge" should be at the top of the list, if only for the fact that it covers the latest innovations in sharpening equipment and is written in a very breezy style that makes the technical information easy to digest."
-- Chris Schwarz
The Perfect Edge
by Ron Hock
#PE100 $27.00 Order Now
Click here for a review from Chris Schwarz at the Woodworking Magazine Weblog
224 pages with over 400 photos, charts, illustrations (some with circles and arrows...)
I've included a lengthy chapter on tool steel metallurgy, heat treatment, even rust, as well as a chapter on abrasives: what they are and which one does what best, along with how-to chapters on how to sharpen your favorite tools.
While doing the research for the book I found and used a large number of websites. I've posted that list as a blog entry for those seeking more info about sharpening and related subjects.
Praise for The Perfect Edge:
"I'm working my way through your book, The Perfect Edge, which I recently got from you. It's extremely informative, and, perhaps just as important, a lot of fun to read. Too often technical books are dry and yawn-inducing, but your "voice" and sense of humor make this one a real pleasure. Well done!" -- K.L.
"Ron, man, I love the book!! I don't know how I overlooked it earlier. I've had to search everywhere to get useful, accurate information about tool steel. Everything on the internet is either somebody's amateur, second-hand opinion ("Yeah, Rockwell 65 will keep an edge longer but gimme a good high carbon Sheffield O2 over them brittle Japanese chisels any day") or it's very general information designed for manufacturing customers. Everything in steel textbooks is designed for metallurgists, never for woodworkers. Blacksmithing and knife-making websites sometimes have good information, but they usually assume more knowledge than I have. I look forward every day to the half an hour of peace when I get to read parts of your book. I think I'll order a few replacement irons for some of my old bedrocks, just to show a little appreciation for all you do for our hobby. Thank you!" -- T.H.
"I have read your book and it is fantastic. Thank you for writing it. Really a good book and excellent reference book." -- B.V.
"First I'd like to say that your new book is the best reference on sharpening available anywhere. I go to it often for answers to my questions." -- R.W.
"Aye, mate, 'twas worth the wait. I haven't had much time to myself until today, but on Christmas Day, amid all the extended family commotion, I was finding some peace in my leather recliner reading the first few chapters of your latest work. Well done. It's been 38 years since I was in Materials Science class, a course I enjoyed and did well in, and your section on metallurgy should be adopted as a supplement for those courses. Much better written than any textbook I've ever had to wade through. It is a credit to you on how you've written this that I find it draws the reader in and I just keep reading along. I particularly commend you on your choice of advisors ... an impressive list of experts lending their assistance, further improving the books credibility for me. I have much more to read, but this effort looks to be worth every bit of the energy you put into it -- and having an autographed copy may well prove at some point to significantly enhance the perceived value on the bookshelf." -- C.D.
"Received the sharpening book today. First pass through - very satisfied - exactly what I bought it for: great information on sharpening, steel, and machines for sharpening. Glad you chose to write this book!" -- B.P.
"I just received your book. I am not a non-fiction lover preferring murder mysteries. But, as a woodworker also, I have been fascinated and have learned as much about sharpening in a few hours of reading, as I accumulated over the past years. Thank-you for your efforts." -- G.T.
"Wow! I must say that you have done a masterful job of tying together an enormous amount of technical data. Your sense of humor comes through as well without distracting from the flow. The book is also a visual treat- clear large images leave no doubt as to what you mean to illustrate. There is plenty of hard data to keep the controversies going. I think you have given a very balanced view of the great variety of methods available.
In my opinion you have the absolute top book on the topic-period. Congratulations." -- B.B.
Questions? First, please read the FAQ (all will be revealed.) If that doesn't scratch that itch, call me: 888-282-5233 (that very cleverly converts to: 888-28 Blade).


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Ernst & Young Global Ltd.
Senele Mbatha is no stranger to disruptive changes. He joined EY in 2005 at a time when significant regulatory changes were underway in South Africa. Most companies had already started to transition from local generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) to International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS); new standards kept on being issued; and Senele himself had to learn to work in new domains and with new regulations.
Now, as the CFO of AIG Africa, he's witness to bigger industry-wide disruption. "The biggest challenge we face in the insurance sector in Africa is the change in our regulatory framework," he says. "In South Africa, we are introducing Solvency II. In Kenya, we are introducing RPC. And other jurisdictions are also really changing their regulatory environment."
The fury of nature has made things even more disrupted. "We had floods in Cape Town, fire in Knysna and storms here in Johannesburg. And that really is starting to create a dent."
In spite of the stress these external factors have exerted on insurance companies, they are under pressure to reduce cost, and decrease and eliminate manual work in their processes. Therefore, "everyone is asking, 'How can we innovate? How can we automate? And how can we get to our policyholders quickly?'"
For Senele, EY is still his home. He continues to reach out to EY people for advice. "If I come across a challenge, I know who at EY can solve it for me. I have been reaching out to EY for their support, to challenge the assumptions that we're making, and also to get a perspective of what the market is doing and where the market is going."
He says he also works with EY "to see how they can assist me with having a few bots in our organization that can help us eliminate the manual processes and concentrate on doing the work that adds value to our policyholders."
So, what do companies that want to navigate disrupted landscapes look for in their consultants? According to Senele, it is confidence and resolve as much as it is knowledge and experience. "If they advise me on something, that's because they know it and they've got experience on it. And they will stand by it and defend it. That's really what I want."
Confidence and resolve, as well as knowledge and experience, are what companies looking to navigate disrupted landscapes look for in their consultants.
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text: This course covers the theoretical foundation for different techniques associated with supervised machine learning models. In addition, a business case study is defined to guide participants through all steps of the analytical life cycle, from problem understanding to model deployment, through data preparation, feature selection, model training and validation, and model assessment. A series of demonstrations and exercises is used to reinforce the concepts and the analytical approach to solving business problems. This course uses Model Studio, the pipeline flow interface in SAS Viya that enables you to prepare, develop, compare, and deploy advanced analytics models. You learn to train supervised machine learning models to make better decisions on big data. The SAS applications used in this course make machine learning possible without programming or coding.


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November sees more interesting obituaries from the Portland Guardian. The Horsham Times is now available at Trove, so I have included obituaries from that paper.
Read about a long time manager of Burswood, the Henty homestead, a man who grew new teeth at 80 and two women who lived in the same houses for over 60 years.
Benjamin EDRICH: Died 18 November 1887 at Portland. The Portland Guardian reported at the time of Benjamin EDRICH's death that another resident "had been removed by the hand of the "Grim Destroyer". Benjamin had been in the hotel business for many years.
George BUSH: Died 18 November 1909 at Portland. George BUSH arrived in Portland in 1853 in his early twenties. A seaman, George was instrumental in rescuing passengers from the wreck of the "Jane" at Bridgewater some years later.
Peter GOLDSMITH: Died 23 November 1909 at Portland. Peter GOLDSMITH arrived in Portland in 1853 aboard the Cornelius captained by Thomas H. CLARKE. Clarke's son Thomas Denton CLARKE was mentioned in the October Passing of the Pioneers. Four months after his arrival Peter GOLDSMITH married Miss BLAY and they had nine children. He was eighty-five at the time of his death.
Michael TOBIN: Died 13 November 1916 at Murtoa. The Horsham Times reported the death of Michael Tobin, a Justice of the Peace and former Councillor with the Dunmunkle Shire. Michael arrived at Geelong in 1853, with his parents from Kilkenny, Ireland. He worked with his father who ran a carrying business to the diggings. Michael later lived in the Warrnambool area where he married Mary CLUNE. In 1872, Michael was one of the first settlers in the Wimmera.
George JARRATT: Died November 1919 at Portland. George JARRATT arrived in 1848 to Portland and married soon after. He and his wife, a daughter of Thomas KEAN, had twelve children.
Rose Genevive McCRYSTAL: – Died 8 November 1920 at Caulfield. Rose McCRYSTAL, was the daughter of well-known Portland resident Pat McCrystal. She married W. PEARSON, and moved to Hamilton. After her husband was killed in a buggy accident, she moved back to Portland where she married Antonio RIZZO in 1891. They later returned to Hamilton.
William POLAND: Died 20 November 1922 at Portland. William POLAND arrived in Portland in 1856. He met Edward HENTY and acquired the position of manager of Burswood, the Henty's original homestead. William held the position for twenty-five years.
Mary Stanton SLEEP: Died 3 November 1923 at Portland. I enlarged this obituary to make sure my eyes weren't deceiving me.
Mary Sleep was ninety-five when she died in 1923, however, the obituary reads she arrived in Portland in 1836 as a married woman! I think this may have been a typo. A check of the Victorian Marriage Index shows Mary married Francis ROW in 1853.
Isabella MARSHALL: Died 8 November 1927 at Portland. Isabella MARSHALL managed to pass Mary SLEEP (above) for the longest time in one house. She lived in the same house for sixty-five years. Originally from Scotland, Isabella arrived in Portland aboard the Indian Ocean in 1854 with her husband William ROBB. She was ninety-six when she died and left seven children, twenty-three grandchildren, twenty-nine great-great-grandchildren and one great-great-great grandchild. She was buried at the North Portland Cemetery.
Sarah MILLARD: Died 10 November 1927 at Paschendale. Sarah MILLARD was the daughter of William MILLARD of Narrawong. She married William Henry ANNETT in 1870 and they had ten children, eight sons and two daughters. William, or Henry as he was known, was also known as the "Father of Wallacedale". He died only weeks earlier than Sarah on 29 September. Unfortunately, I missed his obituary for the September Passing of the Pioneers, as it appeared in an October issue, but it will definitely appear in September 2012. Henry's obituary is one of the best I have read, and what a life he led, especially before he married Sarah. If you can wait until next year, this is the link: Obituary of William Henry Annett. I also spent too much time trying to find a link between Sarah MILLARD and William MILLARD, the winner of the first Stawell Gift. He may have been Sarah's brother, but there were a lot of Millards. Research for another time.
Agnes MUIR: Died 10 November 1942 at Horsham. Agnes MUIR arrived in Brisbane with her new husband Ralph CHEQUER in 1886 aboard the Roma, having married in their home country of Scotland before departing. Over the years, they spent time in Melbourne, Portland and Quantong. At Quantong, the CHEQUERS cleared the land and planted orchards and for thirty years Agnes helped Ralph with the orchard work. One memorable event for the CHEQUERS was in 1911 when they travelled to England for the coronation of King George V.
James COLES: Died 18 November 1944 at Stawell. James COLES was born in the mid-1850s close to the Melbourne GPO. After time in Avoca, James moved to Stawell as a teenager, later to marry Louisa GILHAM. He remained in Stawell until his death at ninety-one, aside from a short stint at nearby Fyans Creek.
Thomas THOMPSON: Died 17 November 1945 at Portland. Thomas THOMPSON from Ireland began his time in Australia in Western Australia as a miner. Unsuccessful he headed to Victoria and the Portland district.
Annie KERR: Died November 1947 at Portland. Annie KERR was the daughter of early Portland residents, her father a doctor. Interesting that he had not practised before his arrival in Portland! Annie went on to marry John NEWTON.
Joseph Levi Richard BAKER: Died 27 November 1950 at Hamilton. Joseph BAKER was born around 1877 and lived in Collins Street Hamilton. He enjoyed tennis and summer trips to Portland. The obituary reported he was known throughout the Commonwealth for his calligraphy skill. He left a wife Bertha and two daughters.
Carl Frederick Wilhelm PULS: Died 12 November 1953 at Lower Norton. Carl PULS had many claims to fame, but one was his ability to grow new teeth at the age of eighty. Carl was a respected pioneer of the Horsham district and was sadly found dead by his car after a trip to gather wood.
John BERRY: Died 12 November 1953 at Horsham. John BERRY'S death came on the same day as Carl ULS (above). The BERRY family were pioneers in the Blackheath district, north of Horsham. They later moved to Horsham and John attended the Horsham State School. John married Ethel KNIPE of Ballarat and worked at Horsham car dealer Wilson Bolton for over forty years. He held one of the first driving licences in Victoria but had driven previous to that, in a time when a licence was not required…scary. I noted that John had a brother James from Hamilton. This may have been the same James BERRY of James Berry & Sons Jewellers, a long-established business in Hamilton when I was growing up there in the 1970s and 80s.


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The Work of DYS
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text: The wedding reception ought to be an unforgettable occasion. There are many considerations when scheduling a banquet hallway. Before you could begin the preparation procedure, you have to decide on the amount of friends you plan to ask to your wedding event as well as your finances. Your budget determines the amount of individuals it… Continue reading Tips on Selecting a Banquet Hall


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Interview with Michèle ClaudeThe Wonderful World of Muwashshahat
When did you first become interested in Arab-Andalusian music and what was it that triggered your interest?
Michèle Claude: My family hails from the Mediterranean region and spent 30 years in Tunisia. My mother is Corsican. So the Mediterranean played a big part in our lives. I listened to a lot of Tunisian music in my youth. My father often used to go to the French cafés in the Belle Ville quarter of Paris, where lots of North Africans live. He found it very difficult to adapt to French culture, and he was a bit lost when my parents first came to France.
The so-called Arab-Andalusian muwashshah music, which dates from the ninth century, inspired you and gave you the idea of re-interpreting this music and blending it to create new syntheses. How did you discover this musical genre?
Claude: When I began learning about Arab-Andalusian music, I discovered the muwashshah, which combines classical music with rhythm. The melodies are incredibly beautiful, yet hardly known in the West. I said to myself: "It is inconceivable that people here still don't know this music, although it exists right on our doorstep."
[[{"fid":"11406","view_mode":"large","type":"media","attributes":{"height":"243","width":"265","alt":"Cover of Michèle Claude's CD "Jardin de Myrtes"","title":"Cover of Michèle Claude's CD "Jardin de Myrtes"","class":"media-element file-large image-right"}}]]So I set about studying over 200 muwashshahat. Overall, I must have listened to about 500 of them. The Syrian musician Abed Azrie recorded over 20 CDs of this dance music for me and also gave me lots of sheet music. I initially selected 13 muwashshahat and interpreted them freely, just as I wanted to, without actually changing the basic atmosphere of the individual pieces.
What is it about this music that fascinates you?
Claude: Arab-Andalusian music holds a great attraction for me because it contains two major music cultures. It is certainly classical music; it has been an expression of both the beginning of Western classical music and Arab classical music for a long, long time. I have a very close bond with Arab-Andalusian music culture.
This music is a synthesis of oriental, Maghribi and Spanish sounds. Is this why it is easier to combine it with European, Western polyphonic and harmonious elements than with other forms of oriental music?
Claude: The relationship between old Arab and early European music is evident in the compositions. Back then, musicians had the opportunity to improvise as they played.
There is a relationship between the sound of the old instruments, which create more musical warmth, and the oriental instruments. One example of this is the vielle: its strings are made of gut. This is what makes the sound of the vielle so unspoiled and gives the instrument its warm sound, which is very different from that of modern violins.
Moreover, earlier musicians used to change the tuning of the instrument, which is another similarity with oriental music. This gave me the chance to create a synthesis between western harmony and oriental music.
What criteria did you use to select the old instruments?
Claude: We used various different forms of flutes: the wooden flute from the nineteenth century, the F flute and the bass flute Then there was the violin, the viola, the vielle, the viola da gamba and the double bass. The music group is a classical quintet. The harmony is provided by the epinette and the psaltery. The sound of this instrument is reminiscent of the sound of the santur and the qanun in oriental music.
Together, the sounds of the epinette and the psaltery create the impression of a harpsichord. Then there are the rhythm instruments that I play. For some pieces we had a baroque guitar and an archlute, which sounds something like a baroque theorbo. On one track, a Persian musician played the ney to create an oriental atmosphere.
Would some elements of Arab-Andalusian music sound familiar to our central European ears?
Claude: Yes indeed. My first CD, Jardin de Myrtes, for example, opens with the track "Samai", which introduces the muwashshah. This piece is similar to a Bach overture.
This oriental form of music contains a section that we could refer to by the letter A. There is also a rhythmic improvisation known as a "ternaire". Then the music returns to section A. It really is like listening to an extract from a European overture.
In your arrangements, you combine the multicoloured sounds of early European stringed instruments and the driving energy of oriental percussion. Did you intend to cross borders in this way?
Claude: I don't know exactly what I was looking for back then; but I do remember one thing very clearly: the muwashshah contained a salsa element that interested me a lot. For me it was obvious; it was instantly recognisable that there is a salsa element in it.
When I said this to the other musicians in our group, they all looked at me with blank expressions on their faces; they didn't have a clue what I was trying to get at. For me, it was absolutely clear and plain to see; for the others, it wasn't.
[[{"fid":"11407","view_mode":"large","type":"media","attributes":{"height":"270","width":"270","alt":"Cover of Michèle Claude's CD "Partage"","title":"Cover of Michèle Claude's CD "Partage"","class":"media-element file-large image-left"}}]]That was the case with all of the pieces. Every piece had a certain timbre and in every case, I had a very clear idea of what I wanted to do with it.
All muwashshahat were originally intended to be sung, but were later rewritten as instrumental pieces. How were you able to free yourself from the strict nature of this traditional music?
Claude: Sometimes, I listened to the music on CD first and then wrote down the music. This intermediate phase via paper was necessary; I had to go through the written phase so that I could liberate myself from the traditional Arab spirit of this music; I had to rediscover the music. To do that, it was absolutely essential to write down the music first.
But another thing is clear: if I had not already been familiar with these kinds of rhythms and already played them myself, I would not have managed all this. Sometimes I fell back on collections put together by people from Aleppo or Beirut; sometimes I transcribed music myself from what I heard on CD.
You worked with French and German musicians on this project. Was it difficult to play oriental melodies like this?
Claude: Yes, because I could not adopt the original modes in the initial arrangements. And for me, it was out of the question to compose something exclusively Arab, which my musicians couldn't play. Harmony is the basis of Western music.
Without destroying the Arab melody and rhythms – which I still wanted to be to the fore – I had to add something that corresponded to what the musicians could do. But, to put it succinctly, this music portrays the basis of our western music and culture, and when I write this music, it speaks to me because it is also my own music.
Interview conducted by Suleman Taufiq
© Qantara.de 2012
CDs released by Michèle Claude:
- Jardin De Myrtes: Melodies Andalouses Du Moyen-Orient (2004)
- Rayon De Lune Musique des Ommeyades (2007)
- Partage - Melodies Andalouses (2011)
Translated from the German by Aingeal Flanagan
Editor: Lewis Gropp/Qantara.de


text:
Community Preventive Services Task Force and United States Preventive Services Task Force
The Guide to Clinical Preventive Services contains the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommendations on the use of screening, counseling, and other preventive services that are typically delivered in primary care settings. The USPSTF, an independent panel of experts supported by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), makes recommendations based on systematic reviews of the evidence related to the benefits and potential harms of clinical preventive services.
The primary care interventions reviewed by the USPSTF and included in the Clinical Guide can provide support to community interventions as health care providers are typically the gatekeepers to health services for their patients. Similarly, the community-based and health system-based interventions reviewed by the Community Guide can provide support to primary care interventions by:
- Reinforcing health care providers' recommendations to their patients
- Identifying effective community-based and health care system-based programs to which providers can refer their patients for additional education and support (e.g., quit lines that supplement physician smoking cessation counseling)
- Identifying effective health system supports for health care providers (e.g., provider reminder systems)
Health care providers can also help, both in their local communities and nationwide, to support community-based efforts that assist them in meeting the public health needs of their patients and others.
The work of the USPSTF and the Community Preventive Services Task Force complement each other. Taken together, the recommendations of the two Task Forces provide our nation with knowledge of how health is improved by prevention in both clinical and community settings.
The Community Preventive Services Task Force and the USPSTF concurrently release their annual reports to Congress to demonstrate the close collaboration of the two Task Forces, and to provide a full picture of our nation's prevention research needs.
Complementary Work of Community Preventive Services Task Force (CPSTF) and U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF)


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Elastic Director Andy Hall emerged from a field of 2,500 entries from 80 countries to take top honors in the Advertising/Promotional Film category at the Annecy International Film Festival, the world's premier authority on animated films. Hall, a founding member of Elastic and head of CG at boutique VFX studio a52, teamed up with BBDO on the effort, which promotes Red Cross' gift donation program.
Stuff is a claymation adventure set in a whitewashed world, where the only color is the red-accented letters representing the protagonist's stuff. As the stuff is hauled between stores and his home, jammed into closets, and piled into boxes, a narrator wonders at the stress of getting and giving so much stuff each holiday season. Flustered and inspired by the Red Cross' drive to encourage donations in lieu of gifts, the man packs the words "hope," "help" and "compassion" into a box and ships it off to someone in need.
This Red Cross work is the latest in a series of high-profile spots for Hall, including One Show Design Award-winning work for Nike, spots for Honda and Adidas, and a slew of awards for his Newport Beach Film Festival opener. Hall is currently in development on an animated television show and two feature film projects.


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By Jamie Crawford
The United States imposed new sanctions on Iran on Friday in an effort to further squeeze its crippled economy and pressure Tehran into curbing its nuclear ambitions.
The latest Treasury Department action targets the petrochemical industry, Iran's second-highest source of revenue after oil production, which is also under sanctions.
Treasury targeted eight companies under the authority of an executive order signed by President Barack Obama last year to stem the flow of money that can be diverted to Iran's nuclear program.
Western powers believe Iran is aiming to develop a nuclear weapon. Iran says its intentions are peaceful.
Obama's order put companies and other governments on notice the United States would eventually target Iran's petrochemical sector. Friday's action was the first enforcement of that aspect of the directive.
Treasury also sanctioned companies and individuals from Kyrgyzstan, Ukraine and the United Arab Emirates that lease and sell aircraft to two Iranian airlines the United States says is involved in illicit activities to fund and support Iran's elite Quds Force.
The Quds Force has been implicated by the United States and other governments for its role in plotting or carrying out terrorist operations both in American and around the world.
"Today's actions take aim at revenues from Iran's petrochemical sector, as well as deceptive schemes Iran has employed in an effort to evade sanctions on its oil sales and its airlines," David Cohen, Treasury undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, said in a statement.
Additional sanctions against companies in Cyprus and Ukraine were also announced for their role in helping Iran evade sanctions on its sale of petroleum as part of a clandestine effort to replenish its coffers.
"We will continue to work with our partners around the world to ensure that the sanctions pressure on Iran builds so long as Iran continues to defy its obligation to comply with its international obligations," Cohen said.
Talks between the United States, and the other permanent members of the U.N. Security Council, Germany and Iran that are aimed at getting Tehran to curtail its nuclear ambitions are currently stalemated.
The Treasury also issued an order on Thursday that allows for the export of certain personal communications equipment from the United States to help Iranian citizens circumvent censorship and other efforts by the regime to stifle free speech.
In a conference call with reporters on Friday, a senior Obama administration official highlighted what the United States sees as an "alarming trend" of Iran, and its Lebanese proxy, Hezbollah, to expand destabilizing efforts in Syria and elsewhere.
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Did Beyonce's Halftime Performance Blow You Away? Did Destiny's Child Reunite?
Beyonce wowed the crowd during the halftime show of Sunday's Super Bowl, but did the anticipated Destiny's Child reunion actually happen? Keep reading to find out.
"Excellence must be pursued - it must be wooed with all of one's might and every effort that we have. Each day there is a new encounter. Each week there is a new challenge. In all of the display and in all of the noise and all of the glamour and all of the color and all of the excitement and all of the rings and all of the money, these are the things that only linger in the memory. But the spirit - the will to excel; the will to win, these are the things that endure."
PHOTOS: Everybody's posing nude!
After those inspiring words by the late-great coach Vince Lombardi played over the loudspeaker, screaming hordes of fans were released onto the field amid blazing pyrotechnics at the start of the show. And then Beyonce made her entrance, ascending dramatically in silhouette on a solitary platform.
Kicking things off with an intro tease for "Love on Top," Beyonce started her set in earnest with performances of "Crazy In Love," "End of Time" and "Baby Boy" as periodic aerial kaleidoscopic images of the singer and her slew of backup dancers dazzled viewers. She was soon joined by her Destiny's Child bandmates Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams for "Independent Women" and "Single Ladies." The much-rumored reunion marked the first time the trio had performed live in nearly a decade.
She ended the show with a solo performances of "Halo."
Watch all of the Super Bowl commercials here - What was your favorite?
Taking the stage about two weeks after her performance at President Obama's Inauguration was revealed to be aided by a backing track, the singer left no doubt that her she was singing live for at least the majority of her performance on Sunday.
What did you think of Beyonce's halftime show? Did she and the rest of Destiny's Child live up to the hype?
Check back for video of the full halftime performance once it is available.
View original Did Beyonce's Halftime Performance Blow You Away? Did Destiny's Child Reunite? at TVGuide.com
Other Links From TVGuide.com


text: I have no doubt ... I worked 3 months of trying to film Spencer doing the head tilt that I use at the end of my videos. He does it all the time but point a camera at him and he turns away! Finally got past his resolve ... with bacon!I kid you not. That 3 second clip with all of my pets took over 20 minutes to film. Thanks a lot for watching!


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Among diseases rife with myths and half-truths, breast cancer is one of the most misunderstood. Whether it's the best age to get a mammogram or the symptoms to watch out for, what you think of as fact may actually be completely false. For example, a friend swears that wearing a bra can cause breast cancer, but the reality is that there is no scientific support for this claim. On the other hand, if you think you're not at risk because there's no history of breast cancer in your family, you might be mistaken. And while a lump can certainly signify the presence of cancer, 10% of all women diagnosed with the disease did not have a lump, pain, or other indicators of cancer. The truth is that scientists still don't know what causes breast cancer—only that certain factors, such as obesity or drinking too much alcohol, may increase risk. Read on to find out how to separate fact from fiction so you can stay safe.
Myth: Breast cancer is largely genetic.
Fact: Just 5 to 10% of cases are due to faulty breast cancer genes BRCA1 and BRCA2.
Even in women who have a family history, many cases are due not to specific gene mutations, according to the American Cancer Society, but, rather, to a combination of shared lifestyle factors and genetic susceptibilities. The truth is that scientists still have no idea what causes breast cancer—but new research is shedding light on what makes cancer return.
Myth: Small-chested women have a lower risk.
Fact: Your bra size doesn't play a role in whether or not you get breast cancer.
All breast cancers develop in the cells that line the ducts or lobules—the parts that make milk and carry it to the nipple—and all women have the same number of these, regardless of breast size. What makes breasts bigger or smaller is generally the amount of fat and stroma (fibrous tissue), which research shows have little impact on cancer odds. Bottom line: the US Preventive Services Task Force recommends having a mammogram and clinical breast exam every 1 to 2 years starting at age 50. Other experts and organizations including the ACS recommend starting mammograms in your early 40s. Speak with your doctor to determine the best plan is for you.
More From Prevention
Myth: Breast cancer always appears as a lump.
Fact: Approximately 10% of those diagnosed with breast cancer have no lumps, pain, or other indications of a problem in their breasts.
And among lumps that are detected, 80 to 85% are benign. They're often cysts or noncancerous tumors called fibroadenomas. That said, any lump or breast symptom (especially from the list below) that does not go away should be checked by a doctor.
- A change in how the breast or nipple feels or looks
- A lump or thickening in or near the breast or in the underarm area
- Breast pain or nipple tenderness
- A change in the size or shape of the breast
- A nipple or skin that turns inward into the breast
- Feeling warm to the touch
- Scaly, red, or swollen skin of the breast, areola, or nipple, perhaps with ridges or pitting that resembles an orange peel
- Nipple discharge
Myth: Mammograms prevent or reduce your risk.
Fact: Regular mammograms will not prevent or reduce your risk of breast cancer.
They just detect breast cancer that already exists—reducing deaths among breast cancer patients by about 16%. However, most breast cancers have been present for 6 to 8 years by the time they appear on mammograms, and screening misses up to 20% of all tumors. That's why it's important that all women pay close attention to their own bodies to spot potential changes as early as possible. Getting a high-quality mammogram and having a clinical breast exam on a regular basis are the most effective ways to detect breast cancer in its earliest stages.
MORE: 20 Celebrity Icons of Breast Cancer
Myth: Mammograms cause breast cancer.
Fact: The risk of harm from radiation is minuscule compared to the huge benefits of early detection.
The ACS recommends that women 40 and older have a mammogram every one to two years. (Other organizations recommend waiting until age 50 and having them every 1 to 2 years.) For a full breakdown, read Mammograms: Who Needs Them?) Radiation doses are regulated by the FDA and are fairly low—equivalent to the amount the average person receives from naturally occurring sources over 3 months. Also, women today receive 50 times less radiation from mammograms than they did 20 years ago, with the risk of long-term health effects being almost zero, according to the FDA. As each case of breast cancer is different, every woman should talk with her doctor about her personal risk factors for breast cancer. Those at high risk may need to start getting mammograms before age 40 or couple them with more sensitive screening methods, like MRI.
Myth: Birth control pills cause breast cancer.
Fact: Doctors say the evidence isn't strong enough for them to recommend that women stop taking birth control pills to avoid breast cancer.
Some studies from the mid '90s showed that birth control users had a slightly increased risk, but researchers caution that pill formulations have changed since then (most contain much lower doses of the hormones linked to breast cancer risk). This research also found that the risk returned to normal 10 years after women stopped taking the pills. Some research suggests that risk may depend on ethnicity or age (African-Americans and those who take pills after age 45 have a slightly increased risk), while other studies found no association between pills and cancer whatsoever. "This suggests that birth control–related breast cancer risk may not be the same for all women," says Susan Love, MD, a breast cancer surgeon.
Myth: Young women don't get breast cancer.
Fact: While it's true the disease is more common in postmenopausal women, breast cancer can affect people of any age.
In fact, women under 50 account for 25% of all breast cancer cases, and they tend to have higher mortality rates. This may be partly explained by the fact that younger women tend to have denser breasts, which makes it harder to spot lumps during mammograms. Because of this, it's a good idea to perform monthly self breast exams starting at age 20, have a clinical exam by a doctor every 3 years, and speak with your doctor about whether you should start mammographic screening at age 40.
If you have a family history of breast cancer, ask your doctor about also getting a breast MRI: Younger women who get breast cancer are more likely to have a mutation in the BRCA 1 or 2 genes than older women are, and one study found that MRI picked up 77% of cancers in these women, compared with 36% by mammography. If your doctor says you have dense breasts, request a digital mammogram, which found 15% more cancers than standard mammograms in women under 50 and 11% more in women with dense breasts in a 2005 study.
Myth: Deodorant and antiperspirants cause breast cancer.
Fact: Skipping these toiletries won't keep your breasts cancer free.
One email rumor claimed that antiperspirant prevents you from sweating out toxins, which can then accumulate in the lymph nodes and cause breast cancer. But in 2002, researchers at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle conducted a study to address this rumor—and found no link between deodorant or antiperspirant and breast cancer.
A second rumor speculated that certain chemicals in antiperspirants, such as aluminum and parabens, may cause breast cancer because there is a lower prevalence of the disease in developing countries where women don't use these products. However, toxins are not usually released through sweat, and in Europe, where antiperspirants are not widely used, the rate of breast cancer is higher than it is in the United States. Finally, although a 2004 study found parabens in the tissue of breast cancer tumors, so far no studies have shown that these or any other chemicals in deodorants and antiperspirants cause breast cancer.
Myth: Wearing a bra increases your cancer risk.
Fact: There is no good scientific or clinical basis to support the claim that plain or underwire bras cause breast cancer.
This rumor appears to have started after a book called Dressed to Kill suggested that bras obstruct toxin-laden lymph fluid from flowing out of the breast. However, this was speculation based on a survey and no scientific evidence. Since then, major medical institutions, such as the National Cancer Institute and the ACS, have refuted the claim. If non-bra wearers do get breast cancer less often, it's probably because they tend to be thinner; obesity is a known risk factor.
Myth: Drinking from a plastic water bottle left in a hot car can cause cancer.
Fact: This rumor falsely claims that dioxins—a group of toxic chemicals associated with an array of health problems, including breast cancer—leach from the heated plastic into the water.
Plastics do not contain dioxins, and the sun's rays are not strong enough to create them, says Michael Trush, PhD, deputy director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Urban Environmental Health. Most single-use beverage bottles sold in the United States are made from polyethylene terephthalate (PET), a substance tested extensively for safety. There is some evidence that heat can cause bisphenol A (BPA), a compound that's been shown to have estrogenic effects in animal studies, to leach from plastic bottles into the water. (The "estrogenic effects" are thought to impact cancer risk.) However, most single-use water bottles sold in the United States are made from BPA-free plastic. And there's no proven link to breast cancer in women anyway. To be safe, drink from a reusable plastic bottle labeled "BPA free," or choose water bottles with a "1," "2," "4," or "5" in the recycling symbol on the bottom.
Myth: I had a normal mammogram, so I don't need to worry about breast cancer.
Fact: Mammograms offer our best means of early detection; current ACS guidelines still recommend them annually for women 40 and older' but they're not perfect.
Research shows they can miss up to 20% of breast cancers in women who don't have any symptoms. Mammography reduces a woman's risk of dying from breast cancer by only 16%, according to the Dr. Susan Love Research Foundation. And just because one exam comes back normal doesn't mean breast cancer won't develop later—which is why some current guidelines call for mammograms annually. To be safe, do self breast exams, paying particular attention to any changes in how your breasts look or feel. Women under 40 should have a clinical exam done every 3 years. Women 40 and older should get one yearly. Ask your doctor about the latest screening technology: Digital mammograms detected 15% more cancers in women under age 50 and 11% more in women with dense breasts, according to one study, and digital MRIs picked up 77% of cancers in women with a genetic mutation, compared with 36% detected by mammography. An MRI should be used in conjunction with, not instead of, a mammogram, according to the ACS.
Myth: Breast cancer is preventable.
Fact: Although you can certainly address certain risk factors like obesity and inactivity, there's not enough information about what causes breast cancer for women to prevent it completely.
"There is a difference between things that are associated with a higher risk of breast cancer, such as obesity after menopause and alcohol, and what actually causes cancer," says Love. "It is likely that these are not the cause but either promote it or are in some way linked with it." A drug called Tamoxifen may reduce the risk of breast cancer in certain high-risk women—although more research is needed for treatments that apply to the general population—and double mastectomies can reduce the risk of breast cancer by more than 90% in women with a very high risk.


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Personality inventory (MBTI)
The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) is the most widely used questionnaire for talent development in the world. The instrument is based on the personality theories of Carl Jung, and describes differences between personalities in a positive way. There is no good or bad personality type, each type has strong qualities and possible pitfalls. The test makes an inventory of 'preferences'. Each preference indicates what gives you energy and what you are comfortable with.
If you would like to do the official test (there are many variants available online that do not offer an official report and feedback) contact trainer/coach Rutger-Jan Scholtens (firstname.lastname@example.com). He is certified to perform the questionnaire and discuss the results with you one-on-one. Taking the test costs €60, including the report, other documents and the feedback meeting. This is at least twice as cheap as through a private coaching agency.


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Thanks for the rep. Glad that you found the video enjoyable.
Thanks for the rep! It's true though, I do actually like the logo.
Please, share your thoughts:
Thanks for the YT link! Busy listening to it now.
Yep so sad that the great man passed away. Cheers for the rep.
Thanks for the reputation point.
your welcome
Thanks for the rep. Yea, I really dug Wild Arms 2. It's exploration and puzzles really drug me in. Some of those puzzles were real mind benders.
I appreciate the reppage.
Your Welcome
Mega Driven
Video Game Modder
Mod 1 Segaphile
a.k.a. hombreimaginario
Stuck in the Past


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Presto, The Rush Tribute Band (1994)August 22, 2009
Band: Presto
Circa: 1994
Style: Rush Tribute Band
Home: Chatham Kent Ontario
Members: (L-R)
Andy Vangaelen – Guitar
Ron McLaughlin – Bass, Keyboards, Vocal
Barry Coleman – Drums
Notes: The legendary Aberdeen hotel in Chatham is where this went down in true rock and roll fashion. I was in a band with drummer Barry's brother in 1990, and I enjoyed going to hang out at his house. In the basement was where his drums were set up. Barry would come down and play the drums by himself for an hour as we watched him work his magic. Allot of talent in this band and it was always a good time to see them play live at the Ab.
If any info/spelling of names are incorrect, feel free to leave a reply below.


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This is a weekly event, hosted at Crazy-For-Books, where book bloggers and readers can connect to find new blogs to read. It's a great way to network with other bloggers and make new friends! In the spirit of the Friday Follow, I thought it would be cool to do a Book Blogger Hop to give us all bookies a chance to connect and find new blogs that we may be missing out on! It will also give blog readers a chance to find other book blogs that they may not know existed! So, grab the logo, post about the Hop on your blog, and start Hopping!!
Your blog should have content related to books, including, but not limited to book reviews.
If you start following someone through the Hop, leave a comment on their blog to let them know! Stop back during the week to see other blogs that are added! And, most importantly, the idea is to HAVE FUN!!
On your blog hop post, tell us about some of the other great blogs you've found while Hopping around!
The Hop isn't just for you to throw your link in there and not visit any other blogs. It's all about networking and finding new blogs that are of interest. So, in the spirit of the Hop, try to make some time to visit other blogs and don't post your link if you are not planning on visiting other blogs in the Hop that week. This is a weekly event, so if you don't have time this week, that's fine! We'll see you next week!
If you sign MckLinky, please share the love and POST ABOUT THE HOP ON YOUR BLOG! How else will anyone else find out about it and come join the party?
I didn't hop last week but I found these interesting blogs two weeks ago:
I look forward to hopping this week and finding some new, interesting blogs to follow.


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Earth Week Plus Expo: Event takes place Saturday at Cheboygan High
The centerpiece event of a month of Earth Day-related activities will take place Saturday.
The Earth Week Plus Expo is slated from noon to 4:15 p.m. Saturday at the Cheboygan Area High School. Three different sessions of programs for all ages will be offered throughout the day. All events are free and open to the public, although non-perishable food donations that will be distributed to the less fortunate through the St. Thomas Food Pantry are appreciated in lieu of an admission fee.
In addition, the Green Dinosaurs, the Cheboygan Area High School's ecology club, will be collecting used toner cartridges to recycle. They also will offer face-painting for kids from noon-3 p.m.
"The Expo is the centerpiece of our month-long schedule of events celebrating our planet and its resources," said Earth Week Plus Chair Judi Chimner."Its intent is to raise awareness of our natural resources, their use and conservation. We hope to emphasize the need to recycle more and conserve energy."
The first workshop session of speakers kicks off at 12:45 p.m. In addition, there are dozens of displays that will be featured by area businesses for those who are eco-minded.
"We hope to help preserve and protect our natural resources through information about their fragility and what is necessary to maintain them," Chimner said. "The Expo also celebrates nature with programs about bees, gardening, bird-feeding, hawks, lake levels and water quality, animal tracks, energy and land conservation and more."
This year's Expo was made possible by many sponsors.
"We'd like to give a shout-out to our Premier sponsors," Chimner said. "PIE&G gave a generous grant to bring the Wings of Wonder program to the Expo this year. And, Perennial Garden Club is sponsoring a youth program — building Kestrel Hawk houses to donate to Little Traverse Conservancy. The houses will encourage the return of Kestrel Hawks to the area. Seedums Garden Club is bringing award-winning educator Maureen Stine to the Expo, who will be discussing problems with invasive species."
The Eagles Auxiliary is among the Expo's premier sponsors as well, Chimner noted.
Youngsters who attend the Expo will be entertained by projects supervised by Cheboygan's Creation Station, and can make plaster casts of animal tracks with Maureen Stine. Ongoing throughout the Expo from noon-4:30 p.m. will be a wildlife room offering hands-on exploration of bird nests, animal skulls and animal artifacts.
The first session of programs will run from 12:45-1:45 p.m. First session presentations will include "Wings of Wonder," a talk about birds of prey by Rebecca Lessard, featuring live hawks; the basics of bee behavior and beekeeping by Dale Giddings; a presentation on timber and grey wolves by Michael Cromley of the Timber Wolf Alliance; "Great Lakes Grief: An Introduction to Invasive Species in our State and Region" by Maureen Stine of Natureology; and a presentation on butterfly gardens and leaf pile gardens by Naturalist Tom Reed.
The second session of programs will run from 2-3 p.m. and will include a repeat of "Wings of Wonder," a talk about birds of prey by Rebecca Lessard, featuring live hawks; a presentation on how Native Americans of the Great Lakes utilized the environment to preserve food, make clothing and build shelters by Kris Daman; a repeat of a presentation on timber and grey wolves by Michael Cromley of the Timber Wolf Alliance; "Where Water Quality and Water Management Meet" by DEQ Senior Aquatic Biologist Jeff Cooper; and how to build kestral hawk houses by Pete Chimner.
The third session of programs will run from 3:15-4:15 p.m. and will include a repeat of "Wings of Wonder," a talk about birds of prey by Rebecca Lessard, featuring live hawks; "Grandmother Moon Drummers," Native American teachings and storytelling with drumming; "Our Furry Northern Michigan Neighbors: Animal Tracks and Pelts" by Maureen Stine of Natureology; a presentation on the differences between organic, natural and chemical gardening by Linda and Don Tracey; and a repeat of how to build kestral hawk houses by Pete Chimner.
Aside from the Expo, Earth Week Plus has assembled a month-long series of Cheboygan County programs that mostly run from mid-April through mid-May. All programs are free.
Visitors can learn about raising backyard chickens, don a bee suit and see bees in their hives, attend an authentic Native American sunrise ceremony, learn about organic hide tanning, see sturgeon in their native habitat, hike Historic Mill Creek Discovery Park with a naturalist, learn more about global warming and energy conservation, visit Sundown Alpaca Ranch and much more. To see a full schedule of events, visit www.earthweekplus.org.


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At least one person died and others were reported missing after a train pulling more than 70 tankers of crude oil derailed and burst into flames in eastern Canada near the U.S. border, CNN affiliates reported, citing authorities.
The train jumped the tracks in the small town of Lac-Megantic in the province of Quebec, officials said Saturday. The inferno spread to nearby homes, and authorities evacuated the center of town and a home for the elderly, CNN affiliate Radio-Canada reported.
Thick fuel spilled into the Chaudiere River.
"Words cannot tell the damage that had been done," Quebec provincial police Sgt. Gregory Gomez del Prado said, according to CNN affiliate CTV. "Many, many buildings have been damaged. It's a catastrophe for the town of course, but also for the whole province."
The sergeant declined to say exactly many people were missing.
"We have several people we are looking for. We do expect casualties," he told CNN on Saturday night.
The train was parked and secured late Friday in Nantes, just west of Lac-Megantic, a company representative said, CTV reported.
Joe McGonigle, a vice president at Montreal, Maine & Atlantic, was quoted as saying the train "came loose" early Saturday and "started rolling down the tracks."
The Nantes and Lac-Megantic town centers are about 12 kilometers (7 miles) apart. McGonigle said the train's engine was found near the site of the inferno.
McGonigle said police were questioning the train's conductor, who was at a hotel in Lac-Megantic when the train derailed.
CNN affiliate CTV referred to the crash site as a "war zone" and it said no other injuries have been reported. Emergency officials say some people may have been away when the derailment occurred.
Authorities were investigating.
"Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families and friends of those affected by this morning's tragic train derailment and subsequent fires," Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper said.
"We hope evacuees can return to their homes safely and quickly. The people of Lac-Megantic and surrounding areas can rest assured that our government is monitoring the situation and we stand by ready to provide any assistance requested by the province."
Firefighters from the United States helped Canada fight the blaze.
Five of the trucks deployed from the United States, after the sheriff's office in Franklin County, Maine, issued an "all call" for help to U.S. fire departments near the border.
Flames welling up stories high into the night sky were caught on camera and uploaded to YouTube. The video appears to reveal an explosion. Thick black smoke billowed into the air.
A "nauseating" odor spread through the town, Radio-Canada reported, and environmental emergency services dispatched a mobile lab to check for airborne toxins.
The radio station said that the oil shipment was on its way to the United States.


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Southeast Asia
Different types of Durian
Here are different types of Durian shown above and some recommended below.
D24 – Bittersweet in taste, with small seed and flesh in dark yellow color.
This is one of the most expensive varieties.
XO – It has bitter taste and XO aftertaste. This is one of the most expensive among all.
Hong Xia- (meaning red prawn) the flesh in the color of cooked prawn, thin and orangey, strong aroma.
Mao Shan Wang- (meaning mountain cat king) the flesh that is firm on the outside, creamy on the inside. Having the most satisfying of all durians types, having said that, this is considered the best among all.
Red, Orange meat- one of the rare varieties, fruits are very small and can be held by one palm. Both are considered as Wild Durians.
Esplanade – The biggest Durian in the world