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Building Mathematics: Sculpture system No. 5
[Update 15/1/10: More pictures (in the snow!) now up]
[Update 16/3/10: A second sculpture built in Newcastle]
[Update 13/5/10: Volcanic background]
Can you get children and young people to build mathematical scultptures in their own time?
Last week I did. We created this strange object in the lava of a volcanic island on the boundary between America and Europe.
The design, Sculpture System No. 5, by Richard Grimes, and far more details of construction are available here. The goal is to open this idea to the crowd and see where it is taken, crowdsourcing art. There is already one other write up. Without further ado, here is my take on events.
If you have never heard of Fab Labs take a look, they are amazing. I came across one by chance on the small island of Heimaey in the North Atlantic. Luckily for me the guy in charge, Smári McCarthy had a liking for mathematics and asked if I could teach something to the people using the facilities. When you get an opportunity like that to try to corrupt kids into mathematics you cannot turn it down. Well I cannot.
The question was what to do? Tilings are nice and produce great images, but they are a little flat. Building something in three dimensions is far more exciting. The idea that came to me was to make a giant version of Polydron. If you have not come across this wonderful product look into it now, especially if you are a teacher. It works best if it just left around so people can start to play on their own terms. Even primary school children can pick it up, play and discover, yet it also holds the interest of many research geometers.
The essence of polydron is regular shapes hinging together. With these you can build anything. I started sketching some ideas in my head, but I am not a natural at building objects. Luckily one of my inspirations for the polydron idea was on hand. My friend Richard Grimes had been working independantly on similar systems and deltahedra for many years, creating everal sculptural systems, individual objects that can be put together in many different forms. He is also a great craftsman, so he was able to create a design that was simple, elegant and beautiful, not to mention easy to put together. He named it "Sculpture system No. 5".
The question was what could we build that was artistically satisfying to me, taught some maths and involved people in the design rather than just as donkey work for the construction. As I am writing this in hindsight, of course these are also goals that were achieved!
For constraints we obviously want to minimise the number of shapes used. The simplest shapes are triangles, the polyhedra built from them deltahedra. I decided that twenty was a good number, it is the number you need for a regular icosahedron. The next step was to get people involved. Polydron is the natural tool for this, and as soon as I brought it to the lab it was sucked up, without even being pointed out to people. However to give some freedom to the construction the common maths art fare of highly symmetric figures would not work. There are not enough of them. In addition, because of the symmetry, they offer the same view from many directions, which is a little boring. So I went to the other extreme. Build figure with no symmetry. With 20 tiles this is not easy, and spotting symmetries is a great exercise. So several groups of children took up the project and we had four different designs. All of which I would have been happy to build. Before construction everyone voted on the final design.
We then fired up the machines and started cutting the tiles, I will let pictures tell the rest of the story:


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Doing The Right Way
Learning The "Secrets" of

subset: commoncrawl


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Trans fats, calorie contents, rising costs: The baking business has made headlines in the last few months, in relation to everything from expanding waistlines to shrinking wallets. But what health-related concerns do customers really have when they enter a bakery?
Amy Scherber, owner of Amy's Bread in New York, said that many of the 100 different products she sells are made with whole grains, from breads to breakfast products, something that her customers frequently demand. She also sells six different organic breads.
"Everyone wants to know so much more than they did back then," she said. "We go back and forth with what we put on labels. People are really very concerned and really look at them. But our stuff is all-natural. There's nothing hidden."
John Woosley, retail manager of Pearl Bakery in Portland, OR, also said that the trend in whole-grain breads and baked goods shows no signs of weakening.
More From Delish
"There are more options than ever for multigrain breads, seeded or sprouted grain loaves, and even dense, 100 percent whole-grain loaves, which tend to be heavy and glutenous, but very versatile," he added.
Michael Gassen, owner of San Francisco's Noe Valley Bakery & Bread Company, said he uses flax seeds in a few more items and has been making heavier-grain breads as well.
Eric Lester, owner of Pearl Bakery, said that sustainably grown local ingredients are essential to him and his customers. The bakery has also developed baked goods that address health considerations.
"We eliminate sugars and fats that people get concerned with and that hurt our bodies," he said. "We get the word out that our products don't have preservatives, don't have additives, and that everything is made from scratch."
BabyCakes NYC bakery in New York City is completely vegan. It opened three years ago, with best sellers that include cupcakes, brownies, and cookies. Owner Erin McKenna says that since she has been in business, she has seen many other bakeries starting to use agave nectar as a sweetener, and more spelt flour. Many of her customers have allergies and sensitivities to wheat, sugar, or dairy products.
At Flour Bakery in Boston, owner Joanne Chang has been observing a lot of requests for vegan and low-fat products, and as a result she has started to tweak a few products. "But we're a bakery, so we are not going to change our core products," she said. "We make a lot of things that are for special occasions. Enjoy our products, within moderation."
Heather Henstock, group editorial director for Modern Baking and Baking Management, said that she sees a lot of bakers offering smaller items, for both health and cost reasons.
"Consumers are looking for smaller portion sizes," she said. "If you look at the whole cupcake trend, it's like a mini cake. People are looking to indulge and look at bakeries for that, but do it in smaller sizes."
Ultimately, the bakers said that their customers patronize them for indulgence, even if they seek smaller items or whole-grain products. Gassen said that his healthier items sell as well as they always have, but so do cakes, cupcakes, and white breads. As for Scherber, she introduced a croissant to her offerings this past summer, which sells out every day in each of her three stores.
Anne E. McBride is a writer and editor for consumer, trade, and academic food media. She is the director of the Experimental Cuisine Collective at New York University and of the Center for Food Media at the Institute of Culinary Education. She wrote Chocolate Epiphany and Bite Size with Chef François Payard, and is currently co-authoring a book about working in the food industry.


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Blood on His Hands
By U-T San Diego Editorial Board October 31, 2012 U T San Diego
What did President Barack Obama know and when did he know it? Why has the Obama administration kept changing its story about how Ambassador Chris Stevens, security officials Tyrone Woods of Imperial Beach and Glen Doherty of Encinitas, and information officer Sean Smith, who grew up in San Diego, died on Sept. 11 in Benghazi, Libya? Why won't the mainstream media treat the incontrovertible evidence of the White House's dishonesty and incompetence like the ugly scandal it obviously is?
These are all questions that demand to be answered after revelations that demolished the tidy narrative the president has been offering about Benghazi.
Until last week, the White House had taken a moderate hit over the fact that for two weeks after it happened, officials had fostered the impression that the four Americans were killed Sept. 11 in a spontaneous protest triggered by a blasphemous anti-Islam video posted on YouTube – not by a coordinated terrorist attack on the 11th anniversary of 9/11. But administration officials pushed back by saying the "fog of war" had left them uncertain about events, and that when White House press secretary Jay Carney and U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice had cited the video, they were only repeating the best available information they had. The president's repeated comments conveyed the impression that he wasn't aware of the attacks as they were unfolding, saying only that the next day, he ordered increased security for embassies in the area.
But after a torrent of leaks of official emails and communiqués – likely coming from CIA officials who refuse to participate in a cover-up and/or who won't accept the role of scapegoat – the "fog of war" narrative looks like damage control: a determined attempt to keep the facts from the public until after the Nov. 6 election. After the leaks, the president suddenly changed his story to say he was aware of the attacks as they unfolded and had quickly issued an order to "make sure that we are securing our personnel and doing whatever we need to."
There was no "fog." There was no spontaneous uprising. Thanks to a drone and other surveillance technology, the White House's national security team knew in real time that the U.S. consulate and a "safe house" a mile away in Benghazi were under coordinated attack by a well-armed group, not from a protest that unexpectedly escalated. Over a seven-hour span on Sept. 11, the besieged Americans made at least two urgent requests for help; the U.S. military has considerable assets in the area that could have been deployed to Benghazi.
Who told the besieged Americans they were out of luck?
After hints appeared in the media that it was the CIA's fault, the spy agency – obviously at the behest of CIA Director David Petraeus – put out a statement Friday that flatly denied it opposed coming to the rescue of Stevens, Young, Doherty and Smith. At roughly the same time, in a TV interview, the president offered his new narrative of being aware of the crisis and taking decisive action, while refusing to answer the direct question of whether Americans in Benghazi requested help but were rejected. A day later, however, the White House said in fact that it had never received requests for help. This sets up the Pentagon to take the fall.
On Monday, incredibly, Obama acted put-upon by the questions about his administration's integrity. In a TV appearance, he said, "I do take offense with some suggestion that in any way, we haven't tried to make sure that the American people knew as the information was coming in what we believed." Remember, the president made this statement only after leaks the previous week demolished his and his administration's dishonest, intentionally misleading Benghazi narrative.
It has now been seven weeks since the terrorist attack. We deserve to know the truth. Charles Woods, father of Tyrone Woods, the former Navy SEAL from Imperial Beach, said it best in a Monday TV interview.
"I can't imagine anyone with any heart that would watch a battle rage for seven hours knowing that heroes were there that were going to be slaughtered if you didn't have help sent in. ... Whoever it was that was in that room watching that video of my son dying, their cries for help, their order 'don't help them at all, let them die' ... you have the blood of my son, you have the blood of an American hero on your hands. I don't know who you are, but one of these days the truth will come out."
The senior Woods is correct. Inevitably, there will be a bipartisan fact-finding commission into this terrible tragedy and its cover-up.
Unless the mainstream media stops abetting the cover-up and the facts come out without a commission wielding subpoena power.
Isn't this a story – a gigantic story?
Of course. But we fear that ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, The New York Times and The Washington Post will only choose to realize how obvious this is after Nov. 6. Then it will come to them – spontaneously, we're sure.
Those of us who have followed this imperial presidency are quite sure that we understand perfectly what happened: Obama's ideology with regard to Muslims in general and to Muslim terrorists (they don't exist any more) and political calculations and timing led first to the decision not to improve security, and then to the decision to look away - and then lie about everything.


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Now that the iPad app is out of the way, Skype's next priority is Windows Phone. And the software company is not wasting any time.
Skype is looking to hire an engineer who'll build and optimize "the Skype Video Engine solution for Microsoft Windows and Windows Phone platforms." With support for a front-facing camera possibly included in Mango, this move may be perfectly timed. [Skype Careers via WPcentral]


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This forum is closed. Thank you for your contributions.
I would like to note that recently (2 or 3 weeks) the author
Alexei Poikrovskii (University College Cork National
University of Ireland)
is incorrectly displayed in the database as
Marjan P. Hagenzieker
Hi Victor,
Thank you for your interest in Microsoft Academic Search! Sorry it's taken us a little while to respond here.
To clarify, are there publications that belong to
Alexei Poikrovskii that have been incorrectly attributed to Marjan P. Hagenzieker?
We appreciate in your help in resolving this issue,
Microsoft Academic Search Team


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VANCOUVER — A timeline of some of the key events in British Columbia's election campaign:
April 10: On the eve of the election, the Liberals release an campaign platform containing $157 million in new spending over three years and promising a personal income tax freeze, as well as new tax credits for seniors and family members who care for them. The Liberals projected a surplus of $295 million in the 2017-18 budget released before the election.
April 11: The election begins. Linda Kayfish, the sister of a health researcher who was fired by the province in 2012 and later killed himself, accused Liberal Leader Christy Clark of being "callous and cynical" in her government's response to a recent report by British Columbia's Office of the Ombudsperson about the firings. Clark offers to repeat government apologies if it would give Kayfish some closure.
April 13: The NDP releases its platform, which includes $717 million in new spending for this fiscal year but forecasts a $108 million surplus for 2017-18 by generating new revenue and finding savings in government spending. The party's promises include increasing the corporate tax rate by one point to 12 per cent, a speculation tax on out-of-province property owners, $10-a-day childcare and an annual $400 rebate for renters.
April 17: The Green party promises to overhaul the tax system to pay for spending on childcare, education, public health and the environment in its platform. Green Leader Andrew Weaver forecasts operating deficits in the second and third years of a four-year mandate with a $216-million surplus in the final fiscal year.
April 19: Michael de Jong, the finance minister in Clark's government, says a Liberal analysis of the NDP platform reveals $6.5 billion in costs that have not been accounted for. Carole James, the NDP's finance critic, calls the Liberal accusations "fearmongering."
April 20: Clark touches NDP Leader John Horgan on the arm during a radio debate and tells him to calm down. "Don't touch me again, please," Horgan replies.
April 24: Facing questions about donations to her party from forestry company Weyerhaeuser, Clark says she isn't compromised because she doesn't defend American demands for tariffs on Canadian softwood. She accuses Horgan of "cozying up" to the United Steelworkers Union because it's paying the salaries of some NDP campaign staff.
April 25: If he's elected premier, Horgan says he would travel to Washington, D.C., within 30 days to meet U.S. representatives on a new softwood deal after the Americans announce duties on Canadian exports.
April 26: The moderator in the TV debate asks Horgan if he has anger-management issues, which he denies, adding he gets angry when he sees government inaction on a range of issues from underfunding of schools to a lack of support for children in care that has resulted in suicide. Clark is asked about a stipend she once collected from the Liberal party on top of her salary as premier and political donations that have led to a police investigation of B.C.'s political parties. She deflects the question on trust, partly by discussing her economic record.
April 26: Clark reacts to the softwood duties by calling on Ottawa to ban the shipment of thermal coal through British Columbia, a move that would hurt producers south of the border.
April 28: Clark ratchets up the pressure in the trade dispute over softwood, saying if Ottawa doesn't ban thermal coal she will act on her own. Horgan says Clark has not addressed thermal coal as premier, but now there's an election campaign she's making "provocative" statements.
May 2: Clark promises a hefty $70-per-tonne carbon tax on U.S. thermal coal to make it uncompetitive in the global market.
May 3: The Liberals say they "stand corrected" on claims the NDP planted a woman at a campaign event to confront Clark. The encounter days earlier generates a buzz on social media as the hashtag #IamLinda became a rallying point on Twitter for those opposed the Liberal government.
The Canadian Press


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What governments, farmers, food businesses – and you – can do about food waste
Reduce and prevent
One major front for action in the effort to reduce food wastage is developing better food harvest, storage, processing, transport and retailing processes, according to FAO's guide, Toolkit: Reducing the Food Wastage Footprint, released alongside its new report on the environmental consequences of food waste.
Harvest losses have several causes, including bad timing and poor conditions during the harvest as well as inadequate techniques and equipment. Similarly, lack of good infrastructure for transportation, storage, cooling and marketing cause food to spoil, especially in hot climates.
Both the private and public sectors need to increase investments to address such shortcomings; doing so will also have additional benefits for food security and mitigating climate change, land degradation and biodiversity erosion.
In addition to these core investments, new technologies can help too. Improved rice-storage bags in the Philippines have helped cut losses of that staple grain by 15 percent. In West Africa, use of solar dryers to extend the shelf life of fruit and tubers is showing promise in reducing post-harvest losses.
Often, food losses can be significantly reduced simply through training farmers in best practices - this too merits investing in, according to FAO's toolkit.
Joining farmers together in cooperatives or professional associations can help to greatly reduce food losses by increasing their understanding of the market, enabling more efficient planning, enabling economies of scale and improving their ability to market what they produce.
On the retail and consumer side, raising awareness of the problem - and how to prevent it - is just as important, according to FAO.
And businesses and households alike need to implement better monitoring to improve data on the scale of wastage and where it occurs.
Business - both those operating within the food chain and others with a large "food footprint" (large cafeterias, for instance) - can conduct food waste audits to determine how and why they waste food and identify opportunities to improve their performance.
Households can conduct relatively simple food waste audits as well.
Better communication among all participants in food supply chains will be crucial. In particular, there is vast room for improving communication between suppliers and retailers to match demand and supply. Discrepancies between demand and supply are a major cause of food wastage. They can involve farmers not finding a market for products and leaving them to rot in the field; mothers cooking for five family members while only three actually make it to dinner; supermarkets downsizing product orders at the last minute, leaving producers with unsalable products; or restaurants overestimating demand and overstocking food supplies that go bad.
Reduced, or better, food packaging has a role to play as well - excessive or unsustainably sourced packing forms part of the environmental cost of food.
Especially in developed countries, more environmentally-minded food retailing is needed, says FAO - for example, moving away from the practice of displaying very large quantities of food (perceived as contributing to increased sales) or discarding food when it starts to approach the end of its shelf life.
Rejection of food products on the basis of aesthetic or safety concerns is often another a major cause of food losses and waste. In some cases, farmers discard between 20-40 percent of their fresh produce because it doesn't meet retailer's cosmetic specifications.
Regulations and standards on aesthetic requirements for fruit and vegetables could stand to be revised. Some supermarkets have already begun relaxing their standards on fruit appearance, selling "misshaped" items for a reduced price and helping raise consumers' awareness that odd-shaped does not mean bad.
Better consumption habits are also badly needed. In developed countries, a significant part of total food wastage occurs at the consumer level; in some places this is a trend that continues to rise.
In addition to conducting household food waste audits, consumers can take many steps to reverse these trends, such as: making weekly menu plans, buying so-called "ugly fruits and vegetables," ensuring that refrigerators are working properly, using wilting produce in soups, and making better use of leftovers. Smaller servings, rotating older food items towards the front of shelves and refrigerators, freezing surplus items, and composting waste can also help.
One factor that often contributes to food waste by consumers is confusion over sell-by and best-before dates, notes the FAO toolkit. In some cases "overzealous" legislation has been adopted and should be revisited and revised; lawmakers and other authorities should also issue clearer and more flexible guidelines for businesses and consumers alike.
Governments must do more to implement legislation aimed at lowering food wastage, says FAO. According to the toolkit, "Legislators will have to adopt a range of measures which may vary from broad policy frameworks to statements of intent, from soft law measures like recommendations and guidelines to more decisive legislation, such as directives, regulations and statutory acts."
Markets for products that wouldn't normally stay in the food chain must be developed, argues Reducing the Food Wastage Footprint. Gleaning, for example, is the practice of gathering groups that would, for one reason or the other, be left in the fields to rot and be plowed under. In some places, entrepreneurs have spotted opportunities in acquiring such produce at reduced rates and marketing it, developing new food value chains.
Similarly, markets can be developed for products rejected by retailers but still good for consumption - farmers' markets are already playing a role here.
Redistributing safe surplus food to those in need represents "the best option" for dealing with food waste, argues FAO's study.
At present, the amount of food redistributed to charities that feed people remains a tiny fraction of the edible surplus food available, due to the fact that such food redistribution faces a number of barriers.
"Retailers are largely influenced by the idea that it is cheaper and easier to send wastage to the landfill, although higher landfill taxes are now working as a deterrent," explains FAO's toolkit. But, it adds, the factor that has most deterred businesses from donating food surpluses is the risk of being held legally liable in case of intoxication, illness or other injury. Increasingly, governments are looking at ways to smooth the process and afford protections to food donors should products given away in good faith cause illness.
In order for cities and local governments to efficiently and effectively recycle food waste, actions taken at the household level to separate it out are essential -- recycling schemes only work when waste is properly sorted at the source. Judiciously used, regulations can spur businesses and households to reduce food waste and better manage it when it is time to recycle.
Rather than merely disposing of such waste in landfills, the use of anaerobic digestion to break it down into digestate -- which can be used as fertilizer -- and biogas, which can be used as an energy source or injected into the gas grid -- is environmentally preferable to both composting and landfill disposal.
Where digestion is not possible, composting represents the best fall-back option. At the individual level, home composting can potentially divert up to 150 kg of food waste per household per year from local collection authorities.
Finally, incineration of food waste with the energy released being recovered presents the option of last resort for preventing food waste from ending up in landfills. Methane emissions from landfills represent one of the largest source of GHG emissions from the waste sector.


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The Project:
Reitersberg Tunnel of the Ebensfeld–Erfurt ICE rail link
Alfred Kunz Untertagebau
Swietelsky Tunnelbau
Leonhard Weiss
Tsurumi support:
Christian Kulik (Field Sales)
The Problem:
The 2975 m long tunnel is being cut using mining methods. After the snow melted, the water incidence in the tunnel suddenly rose to a maximum of 20 litres/second. The medium was made highly abrasive by its slurried stone content.
The Solution:
Massive drainage pump of types KTZ411 and KTZ611 (11kW) transport water over a distance of 500m to 1000m. The KTZ series is the perfect contractors' pump due to its good performance. The replacement of wearing parts is very simple. After training by qualified Tsurumi staff, all maintenance can be done independently on site.


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A certified nursing assistant employed by Broomfield Skilled Nursing was back in court Thursday, where a judge ruled there was probable cause to charge him with seven counts of sexual assault and crimes against at-risk adults against two victims, who were staying at the nursing home at the time.
Judge Amy Bockman said an additional victim, a 93-year-old patient, might also be part of the case. An additional count of unlawful sexual contact of an at-risk adult was filed, and a preliminary hearing on this charge is set for Oct. 17 in Broomfield County Court.
Antonio Nieto, 41, is accused of sexually assaulting two victims who were patients at the nursing facility. The victims, ages 59 and 73, said Nieto sexually assaulted them while he was assigned to care for them.
At a preliminary hearing on Thursday, county court judge Amy Bockman said the case would be bound over to district court after finding probable cause to charge him in the assaults. Nieto's arraignment is Nov. 7.
All the alleged victims "were physically helpless and were at-risk adults," Bockman said.
The first victim, who came forward the week of July 12, told the facility about her abuse, but the nursing home's internal investigation determined the incident was "unfounded" and allowed Nieto to return to work, according to an arrest affidavit.
Nieto was arrested after a second victim came forward in August, according to the affidavit.
Both victims said Nieto had acted professionally until the incidents, which happened at the nursing home while the victims were supposed to be receiving care from Nieto.
Nieto had been employed by the facility since January, and was actively working there when he was arrested, according to the affidavit.
The first victim told police Nieto fondled her and climbed into her bed and had non-consensual sex with her in July. She was recovering from hip surgery at the time and told police she was not able to push Nieto away because she was in a weakened state.
Broomfield Skilled Nursing reported the victim's statements to police, but later allowed Nieto to come back to work after its internal investigation indicated the report was unfounded, according to the affidavit.
The victim had a history of confusion, "altered mental status" and chronic health problems, the affidavit stated.
The nursing home contacted police again once the second victim came forward on Aug. 14, the affidavit states.
The second victim told police she was sexually assaulted while Nieto was helping her use the restroom.
In the affidavit, Nieto told police he was "turned on" at work.
During the preliminary hearing on Thursday, Detective Dale Hammell told the court that Nieto admitted to both the assaults after being questioned in August, even though he initially denied assaulting either victim.
A Colorado criminal arrest record shows no other arrests for Nieto in Colorado beyond the Broomfield Skilled Nursing arrest.
Contact Enterprise Staff Writer Megan Quinn at 303-410-2649 or email@example.com


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Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Neil Young says that he talked to former Apple CEO Steve Jobs about offering higher-quality digital music downloads, but that since Jobs's death, discussion with Apple on the matter has ceased.
Speaking at the D: Dive Into Media conference, Young claimed that modern digital music formats are so highly compressed that 95 percent of the audio content is thrown away. (This is a highly debatable claim, but suffice it to say that Young isn't happy that most music today is sold in a lossy, relatively low-bit-rate format.)
Young doesn't have a company to plug or a solution to the problem. In fact, he turned to the largely well-heeled audience at the conference as said he needed "a rich guy, someone out there" to lead the charge for better music quality. But he did say he had been talking to one particular rich guy: Steve Jobs.
"I was talking to Steve about it," Young said. "We were working on it." When asked by conference co-host Walt Mossberg of the Wall Street Journal what was happening with that now, Young suggested that no discussions were ongoing.
"Steve Jobs was a pioneer of digital music, and his legacy is tremendous," Young said. "But when he went home, he listened to vinyl. And you've gotta believe that if he'd lived long enough, he would have eventually done what I'm trying to do."
Young likened speakers and headphones to "the back end of the donkey," suggesting that the problem with music quality is not in the output methods, but in the lower-quality input formats.
"The ears are the window to the soul," Young said. "You feel what you hear. When you take away 95 percent of the nutritional value, you feel it…. Music is great. Let the people have 100 percent, or 99 percent. Occupy audio!"
Young said that other high-resolution formats, such as Super Audio CD and DVD Audio, failed because of poor marketing and business decisions. He cited Sony's control over the SACD format and the focus on multichannel audio for DVD-Audio.
"The woman of the house doesn't want five boxes out there," Young said. "They've should've made DVD Audio a stereo thing, but they [didn't, and they] failed."


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The 640-hp V10, the curvy fenders, heck, even the carbon treatments—there are enough spotlight features on the 2013 SRT Viper to outfit two or three sports cars of lesser pedigree. While the potent engine and the striking design are clearly the signature elements of SRT's macho machine, there are a few subtle design cues lurking inside for sharp-eyed enthusiasts.
Let's call them Easter eggs, and they're intricate yet intriguing.
Inside, in very small detail, are outlines of tracks conquered by the Viper's ancestors. Most prominent is a tracing of Laguna Seca in the center-console storage tray. That's right, the place where one drops keys or iPhones is marked with one of the West Coast's greatest circuits.
Crossing the Atlantic, or the cabin, leads to Germany's famed Nürburgring. The Nordschleife is the site of another Viper record, and SRT designers placed outlines in the small area where passengers grab to pull the doors closed.
These details are part of a dramatic upgrade of the Viper's interior, which see it positioned to more aggressively fight supercars such as the Audi R8. While the previous generation was known for its race-bred performance, the cabin, materials and raw nature drew criticism.
Obviously the materials and layout are the critical parts of the cabin makeover, but details such as the tracks add a bit of a bespoke feel. SRT boss Ralph Gilles argues that this will allow the new Viper to no longer have to fight an uphill battle against other upscale supercars.
"Even though it's built in a factory, it feels hand-built," he said.
You can judge for yourself when deliveries begin later this year.


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- Share
Breast cancer's stealth mechanism revealed
Cancer pathway Australian researchers have discovered a mechanism that allows some breast cancer cells avoid the immune system and form secondary cancers in other parts of the body.
Their findings raise hopes that new or existing drugs could one day be used to restore the normal immune response against these cells, and stop cancers from spreading.
Dr Belinda Parker from the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre in Melbourne and colleagues set out to understand why some cancer cells spread to different tissues, a process known as metastasis.
In some cases, cancer cells have already spread to other tissues when patients with breast cancer first arrive for treatment, explains Parker.
"Quite a high proportion of patients will have cancers cells that have left the breast when they are first diagnosed, although it can be quite a few years before they grow into cancer," she says.
But once a cancer has spread from its original site it can be harder to treat, which makes a good outcome less likely.
"If we can understand the mechanisms of cancer cell spread to distant tissues, hopefully we can use that information to identify patients whose cancer is likely to spread, and develop new drugs or use existing drugs to treat these patients," says Parker.
In laboratory mice, the researchers found that breast cancer cells which spread to the bone developed a means of avoiding the immune system, silencing a particular immune signal that normally kept them in check.
Their finding appears today in the journal Nature Medicine.
Comparing the expression of genes in primary tumour cells against those that had spread to the bone, the researchers found that a number of genes relating to immune system molecules called interferons were suppressed in the bone metastases.
When the researchers restored the expression of those genes in the tumour cells, or administered interferon to the mice, bone metastases were reduced and the mice lived for longer without metastases.
Identifying risk
Parker hopes that the new discovery could help identify breast cancer patients who are at risk of their cancer spreading to the bone. "Measuring the loss of this immune signal in a given patient's primary tumour may allow us to predict an increased risk of spread to the bone, so these patients can be monitored for spread," she says.
It may also be possible to treat patients who are at higher risk of such spread with interferon to help the immune system fight the metastatic cells, she says. Interferons are already used in other conditions including some cancers, multiple sclerosis and hepatitis, although they do carry a risk of significant side effects.
"Stimulating this immune response has the potential for combination with immunotherapies and chemotherapy," says Parker.
The researchers are now exploring these opportunities, looking specifically at when this kind of treatment would be most useful.
"We think it is most likely to be valuable in the early stage of disease, when you can hopefully eliminate the cancer cells hiding around the body."


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U.S. VW executives 'forced' by German boss to sign UAW letter: Sen Corker
By Bernie Woodall and Ben Klayman DETROIT (Reuters) - U.S. executives at Volkswagen AG's plant in Tennessee were "forced" by a German board member to sign a letter disclosing the United Auto Workers' efforts to organize the factory, a move that created distress within the company, U.S. Senator Bob Corker said on Tuesday. VW executives said last week in a letter to employees at the Chattanooga plant they were in talks with the UAW about the U.S. union's bid to represent workers at the factory using an "innovative model," which would be a milestone in the union's long-running effort to organize foreign-owned auto plants. Corker said the letter, signed by Frank Fischer, chief operating officer and manager of the plant, and Sebastian Patta, the plant's human resources manager, was driven by the board member in Germany and not by the U.S. executives. VW's German board includes IG Metall union members who would like to see the UAW organize the Chattanooga plant and bring it in line with Volkswagen's other major factories around the world which all have union representation. "There was a lot of dissension within the company," the Republican senator said in a telephone interview with Reuters. "I don't think it, I know it. Candidly, one board member got very involved and forced this letter to go out. "I know that it's created tremendous amounts of tension within the company," said Corker. "Many people thought that this was a dishonest letter." While it implied that U.S. executives and others at Volkswagen in Germany fully endorsed the UAW, he added, disagreement within the largest German automaker may put that support in doubt. A Volkswagen spokesman at the Chattanooga plant, Guenther Scherelis, on Tuesday night disputed Corker's claims. "The letter to the Chattanooga workforce was drafted, written and signed by Frank Fischer and Sebastian Patta to avoid further speculation from outside the company, without being forced by anyone," Scherelis told Reuters. The UAW has been working with German union IG Metall, which represents VW's workers in Germany. Corker did not identify the board member, although Horst Neumann, who is also a member of IG Metall, said in March that the company was in talks with the UAW about setting up a German-style labor board in Chattanooga, where VW builds the Passat sedan. Neumann is head of human resources for Volkswagen, based in Wolfsburg, Germany. A former mayor of Chattanooga, Corker said if VW didn't pull back from allowing the UAW into the Tennessee plant, it risks becoming a "laughingstock in the business world" and causing a domino effect with other nonunion auto plants in the South. However, the production chief for Mercedes said at the Frankfurt auto show on Tuesday that the German company had no need for a German-style works council at its plant near Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Corker, who was instrumental in VW's selection of Chattanooga, called the UAW's possible entry into the plant "a job-destroying idea" and said the UAW's suggestion that it was more flexible and easier-to-work-with was laughable. "I've got to believe that the CEOs of the three U.S. companies are just rubbing their hands, hoping Volkswagen will carry out this self-inflicted wound," he added, referring to General Motors Co, Ford Motor Co and Fiat's Chrysler Group, all of which have unionized workforces in their U.S. plants. UAW RESPONSE Gary Casteel, the UAW's regional director in the Southeast who is based in Tennessee, said Corker's views on how the UAW operates today is "spoken from a position of ignorance." He said VW had become one of the world's strongest automakers through its policy of co-determination, where labor has a voice at all its wholly owned plants except Chattanooga. Volkswagen has about 100 plants worldwide. "It's ludicrous to think that Chattanooga benefits from being the only outlier in this system," Casteel said in a telephone interview. Casteel added the UAW was ready at any time to sit down and discuss the issues with Corker or Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam, another opponent of the UAW. Casteel said the German-style works council approach has never been tried in the United States. VW has said that the 2,500 workers at the Chattanooga plant would ultimately decide the issue in a formal vote on whether to accept the UAW or any other trade union to represent them. No such vote has been set. Casteel said the UAW has the support of the majority of workers at the factory. UAW President Bob King has been trying to organize foreign-owned, U.S.-based auto plants to bolster union membership that has shrunk since its peak in the late 1970s. King met in late August with VW executives and officials from the company's global works council, which represents VW blue- and white-collar employees around the world. The union said that meeting "focused on the appropriate paths, consistent with American law, for arriving at both Volkswagen recognition of UAW representation at its Chattanooga facility and establishment of a German-style works council." Corker said VW officials have estimated what allowing the UAW into the Tennessee plant would cost the company but declined to say what that figure was. Corker said recruiting companies to Tennessee would be more difficult if the union were to represent workers in Chattanooga. He also said it would make Mexico more attractive to automakers versus the U.S. South. Casteel said U.S. plants owned by the three domestic automakers with UAW-represented workers have boosted efficiency and gained production from Mexico. (Editing by Andrew Hay and Prudence Crowther)


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Happy Friday-Eve! Ready to knuckle down to a new CASE Study? I sure hope so! :)
This week we're studying this fabulous card from our muse, Donna Mikasa.
Hello, gold! Hello, vellum! Two trends here that I just can't pass up on. I threw in a bit of pink into my design in the form of washi tape, but it doesn't really compare to the hot pink of Donna's die-cut! Oh, and I've rounded corners on this tag as a nod to the lower, right rounded corner of Donna's card.
- The super-sparkly, gold material is actually some Cricut Iron-On material. It die cuts very easily with my Clearly Besotted Dies in my Cuttlebug. :)
- You don't always need to thread a piece of ribbon through the top of a tag just because it has a hole in the top. I'm currently loving my mini pegs that I've had since I caught the crafting bug years and years ago.
- Need a more masculine take of this design? Simply change the pink washi tape for some more masculine coloured tape or patterned paper.
This weekend marks the first weekend I have free so I'm really hoping to hit the ink and stamps hard. Winter has arrived so I can't find a more perfect excuse to stay indoors with a cuppa and some crafting *wink*.
As always, thank you soooooooooo much for your visits and sticking around.
Products Used


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Warren Neals accused of trying to strangle woman in front of her son
$1,000 reward being offered for information leading to arrest
Police in Fort Pierce are trying to find a man accused of severely beating a woman and trying to strangle her in front of her 7-year-old son.
Warren Neals is being sought on charges of armed burglary, battery by strangulation and attempted sexual battery.
MUGSHOTS: Who Got Arrested In South Florida?
Fort Pierce police said Neals broke into the woman's home by prying open the door with a knife. Police said Neals entered the woman's bedroom, removed his belt and started to whip her with it. Neals then used the belt to try to strangle her, police said.
According to the police report, the woman's son saw Neals outside the window shortly before the assault, and Neals told him to go to his bed.
The boy told police he peered through the door of his bedroom and saw Neals attacking his mother, so he ran out of the house and went to a neighbor's place for help.
Police said Neals also pulled the woman's pants and underwear off in an attempt to rape her, but he was unsuccessful.
According to the report, Neals hitchhiked to Fort Pierce from Hillsboro County in December. Neals and the woman were romantically involved for several years and have a child together, but they haven't lived with each other since 2011.
Anyone who sees Neals is asked to call police at 772-467-6829. A $1,000 reward is being offered for information leading to his arrest.


text: In less than perfect conditions fenders and mudguards protect you, your clothing, your bike's components and your cycling friends from road or trail dirt and spray. A requirement on most autumn/winter club rides as they make for cleaner, more comfortable biking. Bike mudguards play a vital part in keeping your bike corrosion free over winter, as they reduce the amount of dirt and spray from working its way into your beloved steed and damaging the frame and components. Our wide range of fenders are available with click & collect to any Giant retailer, with free returns available and 0% finance on orders over £99.


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You're Wearing That? - Scary Day Edition
Happy Halloween everyone! Being that today is All Hallow's Eve, I thought about what I should write while snacking on some inexpensive tooth decay. I have another book review ready to go, but that's going to wait until tomorrow. Instead, I am going to bring you another round of "You're Wearing That". The Scary Day Edition will introduce you to more jersey offenses made by professional hockey teams. The term "professional" is used loosely, though. In any case, like the other "You're Wearing That" articles, this one has some jerseys that may not be suitable for all readers. Viewer discretion is advised.
Please note that you can find the four previous editions on the right under the category of "Highly-Clicked Articles". Here we go with the new addition to the family.
The WHA's Philadelphia/Vancouver Blazers have to get mention on here, mainly because of their name. Blazers makes me think of fire, and they certainly have the colours right. Honestly, though, could that logo be any more boring? Add a flame or two to a few letters, and it would be better than what is currently shown. These jerseys only lasted from 1972-74 - in 72-73 as a team in Philly, and in 73-74 as a team in Vancouver.
The ECHL's Charlotte Checkers decided that a jersey to commemorate Race Night would be a good idea. I have said it before, and I'll say it again: cross-promotion of sports is a terrible idea. These jerseys are horrible, making this one of the worst promotional jersey ideas ever, in my humble opinion, due to their hideous colours and the stupid promotion.
The ECHL's Florida Everblades are celebrating their tenth anniversary this season with a jersey. How many times do I have to repeat myself on this one? Anniversaries are meant for patches, not for jerseys! The fact that they complete the jerseys with some Barney Rubble Hairpiece numbering on the shoulder only makes this jersey even worse.
The WHL's Saskatoon Blades are going to be honouring the men and women of the Emergency Services with their own night and promotional jersey on November 10th this season. The jerseys are alright, and they are honouring real-life heroes, so these jerseys will not get a bad word from me. Like previous instances, good on the Blades for honouring the men and women who risk their lives to save others.
The national Israeli ice hockey team is working towards becoming a hockey power in the IIHF world. Did you even know Israel had an ice hockey team, let alone being an IIHF member? Well, they do, and they played in the 2006 IIHF World Championship Division I Group A pool at Amiens, France from April 24 to April 30, 2006. I'll give the Israelis credit - they showed up and played hard, despite losing all five games while being outscored 47-3. I'm not saying that their home jersey or road jersey had anything to do with it, but they don't look like hockey players wearing those jerseys. At all. Whatsoever.
The AHL's Philadelphia Phantoms wore a purple jersey as an alternate jersey during the 03-04 season. If you ask me, they aren't that special. Yes, they are an alternate colour of the Phantoms, but they don't really come across as anything I'd be proud to wear.
The AHL's Syracuse Crunch also wore an interesting alternate jersey in their history. These jerseys were worn during the 1999-00 season. Apparently, the Crunch players are some sort of superhero or something. However, their average win-loss record from that season of 35-35-9-1 seems to indicate differently. Oh, and they were outscored 294-290 on the season. The Crunch don't seem like they are of superpowers when you look at that season at all. Thankfully, those alternates are gone.
The University of Nebraska at Omaha recently donned pink jerseys to help with Breast Cancer Awareness month in October. The UNO hockey team raised over $10000 auctioning off the pink jerseys in support of breast cancer research. Kudos to the UNO hockey program for doing something that can affect each and every one of us. I may not like the colours, but the promotion gets a thumbs-up from me. For more info, please read the full story at The Gateway, UNO's newspaper.
THe CHL's Wichita Thunder decided that they needed an alternate jersey. Unfortunately, what they got wasn't very pretty. Gray? Crappy little lightning bolts? A wave of colour that does absolutely nothing? Numbers that are hard to read? Yeah, you know I'm not a fan of these.
The AHL's Manchester Monarchs also thought they could use an alternate jersey. Why is it that it seems that teams need an alternate jersey, only to deliver the crappiest alternate jersey ever? These are horrible! Three-coloured stripes? A ripoff of the New York Rangers' diagonal lettering? No logos on the shoulders for identification that this is an actual professional team? What is going on here? However, the Monarchs will honour the men and women of the military with their own night on November 17, 2007. This jersey is decent, and should be used a replacement for that horrible alternate piece of crap.
In keeping with the AHL, the Hershey Bears wore jerseys to commemorate 70 years of hockey in Hershey. I can't tell you how disappointed I am in Hershey for making their anniversary more important than their logo. Hershey, why would you make the most blatent of jersey offences? Especially when you are so steeped in hockey tradition? What bothers me even more is that the nameplate is allowed to spread over the coloured shoulders. That's brutal! Woe is me over these jerseys.
The IHL's Cleveland Lumberjacks had some eyesores, but one very beautiful jersey in their short time. In 1998-99, they came out with two jerseys - one good, and one bad. The bad one was the Turn Back The Clock jersey which nearly blinded me when I first saw it. Tie-dyed jerseys are never good, especially when they turn out as badly as this one did. However, during that season, the Lumberjacks held a Heritage Night as well. During that night, they sported these classy and elegant Cleveland Barons throwback jerseys. I am a fan of these jerseys, and even more of a fan of that logo. These are impressive. Unfortunately, the Lumberjacks went back to their cartoonish ways with their Millenium Night jerseys. They even tried to sci-fi the font on the back which only adds to their cartoonish appearance. I'm not sold on these jerseys, but I would take a Heritage Night jersey in a heartbeat.
The NHL's Dallas Stars wore these alternate jerseys last season. For the longest time, they were simply known as the Dallas Fallopian Tubes in these jerseys. That's not very intimidating at all. And would explain why they didn't keep the alternate logo this season.
And lastly in this look at some questionable jerseys, we feature the CHL's Youngstown Steelhounds. The Steelhounds held an Elvis-themed night in the 06-07 season, and wore jerseys for the event. I am not particularily impressed with these jerseys, but they could have been so much worse. With that fact alone, I'll give these jerseys a passing grade. They aren't bad, but they certainly are not that great either.
There's a little fun for your Halloween web searches. I don't expect many people to be actively searching for these jerseys, but you never know when you can use a funny Halloween costume. Or hockey jersey. In any case, there are certainly some horrible jerseys shown here, and any and all comments will be welcomed below.
Until next time, brush your teeth after all that candy, and keep your sticks on the ice!


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Native Plants
Welcome to the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center's collection of 82,876 plant images.
This site is not designed for commercial use
or publication. All images are copyrighted and are the property
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Epigaea repens
Epigaea repens L.
Trailing Arbutus, Mayflower, Plymouth Mayflower
Ericaceae (Heath Family)
USDA Symbol: EPRE2
Image InformationPhotographer: Smith, R.W.
County: Midland
State: MI
Accession date: 2012-06-29
Filename: RWS_IMG1161.JPG
Slide Index: 6546E-Epigaea repens.jpg
Restrictions: Unrestricted
Collection: Wildflower Center Digital Library
Original Format: Digital
Orientation: Landscape
Shot: Flowers and foliage.
Date Taken: 2012-03-25
NPIN Image Id: 32303
Image VerificationThis image has been verified.
By: Joseph A. Marcus
Date: 2012-06-27
From the Image Gallery
Additional resourcesUSDA: Find Epigaea repens images in USDA Plants
Google: Search Google Images for Epigaea repens


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Mumps, measles return with more than 400 Ohio cases
The summer travel season is here, posing an opportunity to spread outbreaks of mumps and measles now hitting Ohio harder than most states.
State health officials are urging Ohioans to ensure they're vaccinated, with more than 8,000 doses of the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine administered by county health departments this year.
In the past week, Gov. John Kasich signed an executive order allowing pharmacists to administer the MMR vaccine to adults to help provide more protection from infection. The state called the measles outbreak the largest spread of the disease in the United States since 1994.
The outbreaks come as health officials deal with what they say are unfounded but lingering questions about the safety of vaccinations. Sometimes parents have fears — rooted in the renounced work of a discredited scientist more than a decade ago — that the MMR vaccine contributes to autism.
"The most common reason parents elect not to have their child vaccinated is not having all the information," said Dr. Robert Frenck, an infectious disease specialist at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center.
Children aren't the only ones who aren't being immunized. At least 419 cases of mumps have been confirmed across Ohio this year in people ranging from four months to 80 years old.
More than 230 cases of the contagious viral illness can be traced to Ohio State University. Meanwhile, there are 29 cases in 14 other counties, with one case in Marion County.
Meanwhile, Ohio's total in a separate measles outbreak has grown to 298 cases clustered in eight counties in Central Ohio. There have been no cases in Marion County
The disease, which is more serious than mumps, has caused eight hospitalizations.
It's particularly hitting a group of Amish people who had traveled to the Philippines, which has had an epidemic of the respiratory illness. Nearly 190 of the measles cases are in Knox County.
18 states so far
The Ohio outbreak is one of the reasons the U.S. now has a 20-year high number of measles cases, with federal officials seeing no end in sight to the outbreak.
The measles outbreak is in 18 states, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
"This is not the kind of record we want to break, but should be a wake-up call for travelers and for parents to make sure vaccination records are up to date," said Anne Schuchat, director of the CDC's National Center for Immunizations and Respiratory Diseases, during a telephone news conference last week.
The Ohio mumps and measles outbreaks also come at a time when the Ohio Legislature just left for summer recess without passing a bill requiring all children that attend day care centers be vaccinated. The state is the only one in the nation without such a requirement.
The bill — sponsored by Reps. Ryan Smith, R-Gallipolis, and Nickie Antonio, D-Lakewood — remains in the House Health Committee.
In Ohio, only school-age children are required to take nine out of the 17 vaccinations recommended on the CDC schedule.
Ohio ranks 34 out of 51 (including the District of Columbia) for childhood vaccinations by the age of 35 months. The immunization rate for Ohio children for all vaccines by age 35 months is at 66.8 percent; the national average is at 68.4 percent.
The rate of people refusing to get their children vaccinated for religious or other reasons varies from state to state, according to the CDC. Illinois and Alaska had the highest refusal rates in 2012-13, while Mississippi and New Mexico had the lowest. In Ohio, the refusal rate was 2 percent; the national rate was 1.8 percent.
Understanding the risk
CDC statistics show the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine has a much higher acceptance rate, with 90.8 percent of all children up to age 35 months receiving it. MMR vaccination rates in Ohio were slightly under the nation's in 2012-13, CDC data shows.
Health officials say the MMR vaccine is useful because it will give 97 percent of people immunity to measles and 88 percent of people immunity to mumps. Receiving both doses of the vaccination, which takes effect in two to three weeks, is highly encouraged; the Ohio Department of Health considers those who have only taken a single dose to still be a high risk.
Concerns about the MMR vaccine were stoked in 1998, when British researcher Andrew Wakefield, who has since lost his right to practice medicine in the United Kingdom, released a claim that led some people to believe getting the shots could trigger autism in children.
But four major medical studies were conducted from 2002 to 2008 attempting to recreate Wakefield's findings, and researchers found no link between the vaccine and autism. In 2010, The Lancet, which originally published Wakefield's research, retracted his paper, and in 2011, the British Medical Journal called Wakefield's research "an elaborate fraud."
CDC experts say that while signs of autism often appear around the same time the vaccines are first given, the vaccine isn't the cause.
Cincinnati Children's Frenck, who also is a professor of pediatrics at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, thinks the problem with getting children vaccinated is something more basic.
"Many parents think infectious diseases are no longer present," he said, adding that "the only disease that has been eradicated from the Earth is smallpox."
"All the other infectious diseases are still there waiting for their opportunity to infect a susceptible host," Frenck said. "Vaccines are the things that keep our kids safe from these infections."
About mumps
Mumps is a contagious viral disease that is spread via mucus or saliva when an infected person coughs, sneezes or talks.
The disease generally does not cause serious problems. In rare cases, however, mumps can cause encephalitis (swelling of the brain) or meningitis (swelling of the tissue covering the brain and spinal cord). Even rarer are problems with the reproductive system.
Mumps typically starts with a few days of fever, headache, muscle aches, tiredness and loss of appetite, and is followed by swelling of salivary glands.
There is no specific treatment for mumps other than rest. If someone becomes ill, they should seek medical attention but should call their doctor in advance so that they don't have to sit in the waiting room for a long time and possibly infect other patients.
Other than getting the MMR vaccine, people can prevent mumps and other infections by:
• Washing their hands with soap and teaching children to wash their hands.
• Not sharing eating utensils.
• Cleaning any surfaces that are frequently touched, such as toys, doorknobs, tables and counters with soap and water or cleaning wipes.
Sources: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Northern Kentucky Health Department
About measles
Measles is a highly contagious respiratory disease caused by a virus.
Measles is seen so infrequently today that doctors may not always recognize symptoms, which include fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes, sore throat and a red rash that appears after three to five days.
About one out of 10 children with measles also gets an ear infection, and up to one out of 20 gets pneumonia. For every 1,000 children who get measles, one or two will die. Other rash-causing diseases often confused with measles include roseola and rubella (or German measles).
Symptoms usually begin more than a week after being infected. People showing symptoms are highly contagious two days before and five days after they develop symptoms.
Before the measles vaccination program began, an estimated 3 million to 4 million people in the U.S. were infected each year, of whom 400 to 500 died, 48,000 were hospitalized, and another 1,000 developed chronic disability from measles encephalitis (swelling of the brain). Widespread use of the measles vaccine has led to a greater than 99 percent reduction in measles cases in the U.S. compared with the prevaccine era.
Measles is still common in other countries. There were 164,000 measles deaths worldwide in 2008, or about 18 deaths every hour.
Health officials advise people who are showing symptoms to stay at home from work, school and public gatherings for five days after the symptoms appear. Cover your mouth and nose, wash your hands frequently with soap and water and make an appointment with your doctor to be diagnosed.
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
About the MMR vaccine
To get the vaccine, consult your primary care physician or county health department.
The MMR vaccine is a weakened or attenuated live virus vaccine. After it is injected into the human body, the viruses grow and cause a harmless infection in the vaccinated person with few, if any, symptoms. The person's immune system fights the infection caused by the weakened viruses and immunity develops, which lasts throughout that person's life.
The most common adverse events after the MMR vaccine are pain where the vaccine is given, fever, a mild rash and swollen glands in the cheeks or neck.
Studies have shown a small increased risk of convulsions or febrile seizures. Although terrifying to parents, the vast majority of these seizures, which occur eight to 14 days after vaccination, are short in duration and harmless.
Sources: Hamilton County and Northern Kentucky health departments; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; and the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke


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I happened to be looking through the settings of Google's Docs app for Android the other day when I spotted something interesting -- something I'd never before noticed.
Sitting amidst all of the app's everyday options is a quietly significant feature, disabled by default: the ability to create standard Word documents within the app with a single tap -- to start a file that's in the DOCX format from the get-go, in other words, rather than in Google's own proprietary format.
Huh. How 'bout that?
This may seem inconsequential -- and if you're 100% committed to Docs and the greater Google ecosystem, it very well may be. But for folks who still have ties to the Microsoft Office universe (as most business users do, at least to some extent), the presence of this option is actually pretty important.
Google has increasingly been working to make its mobile office offering more compatible with the Microsoft Office standard, as I learned when I tackled my latest in-depth analysis of Android's office options earlier this year. But even so, most of the efforts have felt more like begrudging acceptance than true native support -- more of "Okay, if you really must deal with that kind of file, we'll make it possible" as opposed to "Hey, look, we're giving you a fully Word-friendly word processing client."
Maybe it was just a matter of time. Or maybe it was Microsoft's impressively rapid rise to excellence with its own Android Office apps that forced Google to step up its stance.
Either way, Google Docs for Android is clearly now aiming to exist as a non-myopic Word alternative -- an app that supports the universally acceptable Word format not just as a tacked-on afterthought but as a core part of its functionality, for those who want it. You can still create files in Docs' own format and then convert them to DOCX later, of course, but if and when you're in a position where DOCX is the expected norm, you no longer have to take that extra step.
(See also: the fact that the Docs Android app finally supports Microsoft's popular Track Changes formatting -- a welcome recent addition for those of us who regularly receive documents notated with that system.)
To be sure, Google's Docs app is still nowhere near as fully featured as Microsoft's own Word app for Android. As I concluded in my aforementioned office app shootout, Microsoft's Android Office suite is clearly the best overall choice for anyone who needs all the desktop-level bells and whistles or the guarantee of flawless Office-file compatibility.
But for those of us who prefer the Google productivity approach -- an equally valid setup in which basic features are supplemented by outstanding systems for collaboration, sharing, and platform-agnostic interaction -- dealing with the pesky realities of a Word-dominated world is slowly but surely becoming less painful.


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Foursquare's updated iPhone app brings Explore recommendations to the front page
Foursquare for iPhone was updated version 6.0 today. The update brings the Explore functionality to the forefront of the app. Explore is Foursquare's recommendation engine, which suggests attactions that users may find interesting based on their previous check-ins.
The new update brings the Explore search box to the top of the navigation bar, enabling quick access to the feature, which now serves up results faster than ever.
With the new Foursquare 6.0, we've crunched our billions of check-ins to instantly show you the most interesting things nearby. They're insights that only Foursquare can deliver, the moment you open up the app. We also put search front-and-center, so you can find whatever you're craving fast.
✓ Instantly see the best of what's nearby. In Paris for the first time? We'll show you the top sights and attractions, approved by local check-ins. In a familiar neighborhood? We can tell you about an up and coming restaurant that just opened up a few blocks away. Whether you're near familiar stomping grounds or a tourist fresh off the plane, we show you the most interesting things nearby when you open Foursquare.
✓ Search is front-and-center! You can search Explore from the top of the app as soon as you open it up, so you can find what you're craving even faster. Type what you're looking for (like "dessert" or "park"), browse a type of place (like "Nightlife"), or tap "Best Nearby" to see our top picks in the area.
The update is avaiable for free on the App Store.


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New 2022 Braxton Creek Free Solo OG
- Condition: New
- Type: Mini Trailer
- Exterior Color: STANDARD
- Stock: 177-T28891
- Length 13 ft
- Sleeps 2 people
- Weight 1320 lbs
- Location: RV ONE SUPERSTORES - GREENSBORO
- Description
- Options
- Campers Value Package - Click for Details: Campers Value Package- 2 Burner Cook-top, K2 Cooler(OG Only), 24 gallon Fresh Water Tank, Interior/Exterior LED Light Pkg., Stereo w/ Speakers, 110v and USB Ports, E-Z Swap LP Tank, 5000 BTU A/C , 12V High Capacity Attic Fan, Built-in Underbed Padded Storage Boxes, Multi-Direction TV Antenna, TV Prep Pkg., Go-Power Solar Prep Pkg., Spare Tire Carrier, 12,000 BTU Furnace, Rear Hitch Receiver, Awning, Front Battery/Generator Rack
- Back Country Package - Click for Details: Back-Country Package- Over-Sized All- Terrain Radial Tires, Upgraded Wheel Package, High Clearance Dexter Axle, Torsion-Flex Independent Suspension, Electric Brake Package, Multi-Purpose Roof Gear Rack, Diamond Plate Running Boards, LP Quick Connect
- FLAV Convenience Value Package (Mandatory FLAV)(N/A OG) - Click for Details: FLAV Convenience Value Pkg.(FLAV)- Griddle, Built in sink w/ Faucet, 12 V Outside Access Refer, 6 Gal. Gas/Elec. Water Heater, Outside Shower.
- Color Side Wall: Silver (Std)
- Color Side Wall: Red
- Color Side Wall: Blue
The Free Solo OG was created for adventure junkies, boondocking enthusiasts, and those who forge their own paths. It's a light, compact, and efficiently-designed teardrop trailer that's more than ready for the great outdoors.
Images and video provided may not be of the specific unit listed, so options and features may vary. Please ask your sales associate for more details to confirm before purchasing


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For Immediate Release
Artists with Autism Spotlighted at Art Exhibition
Media Contact:
Matthew Wallace
Tracy Garner
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA, OCTOBER 17, 2022 —Join New Orleans' first inclusive art show on November 12, 2022 at 6 p.m. Nonprofit Easterseals Louisiana Chartwell Center (ESLCC) will transform their Magazine Street campus into an art gallery for the first art exhibition of its kind - Art for Autism - a showcase exclusively highlighting artists with Autism. Community members and local businesses are invited to support ESLCC's therapeutic arts program with their attendance and patronage.
Art for Autism will debut art created by artists ages 2 to 30 years old enrolled in the organization's clinical, academic, and vocational programs. All proceeds will benefit art supplies, lessons, and music therapy for the budding artists this school year. Patrons and supporters can savor light bites and cocktails as they take in the art created by program participants.
Easterseals Louisiana President and CEO, Tracy Garner, is excited to create a space in the New Orleans art scene that includes artists with Autism saying, "We look forward to showcasing the talent and results of the work of our students at our inaugural Art for Autism event."
For over 20 years, the Chartwell Center has been working to make a life of independence and purpose possible for children and adults on the Autism Spectrum in New Orleans. Currently, Chartwell provides Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), academic services, and vocational training. Chartwell's curriculum is rooted in four pillars: Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), community integration, arts education, and health and wellness.
Learn more about the arts at ESL Chartwell, reserve your spot at the show, and find out about opportunities as a Patron at bit.ly/chartwellart
About Easterseals Louisiana:
Easterseals Louisiana (ESL) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to change the way the world defines and views disabilities by making profound, positive differences in people's lives every day. ESL has provided supports to individuals with disabilities in the state since 1951. Each year ESL's 200+ team members support over 10,000 individuals and their families across the state through their 12 service sites. "Like" ESL on Facebook (EastersealsLouisiana) or follow us on Instagram and Twitter (@eastersealslouisiana). "Like" Chartwell on Facebook (TheChartwellCenter) or follow us on Instagram (@thechartwellcenter).
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In Celebration of Judy Heumann
Monday, March 13, 2023, 12:11 PMIn Celebration of Judy Heumann
Monday, March 13, 2023, 12:11 PM
Judy Heumann was known as the Mother of the Disability Rights Movement. It wasn't just because of he…
Read this PostJudy Heumann was known as the Mother of the Disability Rights Movement. It wasn't just because of her undeniable impact, having led the charge through grassroots demonstrations and organizing to pass significant legislation like the Americans with Disabilities Act. She owned that title because she nurtured the movement and the people within it. Her defiance against systemic ableism was a path of overwhelming obstacles. Many people who were on that path with her looked to Heumann to help navigate the unknown, and to bring clarity to a struggle that many were going through in silence. She lifted the movement through storytelling and being candid about her own experiences.
Today, we celebrate Judy Heumann.
"We are the People Who Must Drive Change."
The Impact of Storytelling
Because of Judy Heumann, the lives of millions of disabled people were changed for the better. Her legacy is written within the generations of disability advocates that will look to her example and ensure that her life's work continues on.
Will you join them?
Learn More:
Easterseals Facebook Live with Heumann: Demystifying Disability
Watch Crip Camp (Netflix): Heumann stars in a documentary about a camp that inspired a movement.
Being Heumann (GoodReads): Read Judy Heumann's memoir.
The Heumann Perspective Podcast
New Beginnings for a Long-Distance Relationship
Wednesday, February 8, 2023, 4:50 PMNew Beginnings for a Long-Distance Relationship
Wednesday, February 8, 2023, 4:50 PM
Welcome to a new year! I hope everyone is having a nice start to 2023. New Year's Day is alway…
Read this PostWelcome to a new year! I hope everyone is having a nice start to 2023. New Year's Day is always my happiest day, because it feels like a clean slate and fills me with so much hope for the next 365 days.
This year is no exception. 2023 appears to be a year of new beginnings: after almost 3 years of long-distance dating with my boyfriend Juan, this is the year I'm moving to live with him in Texas!
In the spirit of Valentine's Day, I thought it would be a good time to reflect on the last 3 years and share what I've learned. After trying long-distance relationships with other partners (and subsequently failing at it), I finally got it right this time.
And I learned a lot along the way.
I'm guessing some of my readers may find themselves in this same position, so I thought I'd share some of the things I've learned these past three years — the highs, the lows, and everything in between:
It is not all sunshine and rainbows. I say this because I feel like rom-coms tend to glorify long-distance relationships, only showing us the best parts (the romantic date nights and airport reunions). While I do love the adrenaline rush when reunion day is upon us, it does get lonely sometimes. And the sooner you realize this, the better chances you have of navigating it.
Recognize different communication styles, and learn when to compromise. Find middle ground. I'm more of a texter, while Juan definitely prefers phone calls. It's a lot easier to send quick updates when you text, and I'm the sort who appreciates a "How's your day?" or some sort of other message to quickly check in with each other while we're living our separate lives. He's gotten much better at this over the past three years. At the same time, we've been dating long enough now and I'm secure enough now to not always need that. I can do my own thing while he does his, and we don't text as frequently as we used to.
Learn to adapt under these different circumstances. The first time Juan met my sisters was actually over a FaceTime Video call. It was early 2021, we'd been together for about eight months, and it was peak COVID times so we weren't able to travel. What to do? Arrange a time for all of us to chat over FaceTime! When he did meet my sisters in person, it was a little less awkward than it might have been otherwise. After all, they had spoken with him before.
Juan's preference for phone calls helped me get much better at open, honest, and sometimes difficult conversations. All that practice has helped me improve in-person conversations, too. When all you have is your phone to keep you two connected, you get pretty used to talking. And not all those conversations will be super fun and easy. All those phone conversations made it much easier to discuss things later on when we were together in person, and especially when I had my extended visit with him in Houston last April.
Make sure to still incorporate date nights into your lives! At the start of 2022, Juan and I had a conversation about how we could prioritize our relationship a little bit better, and we agreed to do date night once a month. We did movie nights over FaceTime, played games on the Amazon Alexa, and sometimes watched TV shows. Other times, we just talked over dinner. It didn't really matter what the date was, as long as we had one. And we didn't miss a single month!
Keep an open mind. I remember telling Juan a long time ago that if anyone was going to relocate, it would be him. Why? Because at the time I couldn't imagine ever leaving my hometown. I also remember his response: "Okay, but with all due respect, you haven't really seen Houston yet." He was right. And I did visit (several times) and I loved it. Now I've decided I was wrong to want to stay in my hometown. Living in the same place my whole life doesn't appeal to me the way it used to. Bottom line: If you enter a long-distance relationship, as scary as it may be to realize this, the end goal is that someone needs to eventually relocate. And that might be you.
This brings me to my last point: I decided to move because I want to move, not just because he lives there. It took me a long time to make the definitive decision to relocate., I wanted to make sure that I would actually like where I lived, and I wasn't moving my entire life for one person. So, my one-week visits to Houston turned into two weeks, and then a month-long visit in April 2022, just to be sure. And Juan was very patient with me while I processed everything, because he knows it's a big step.
It's been quite the journey, but I'm so proud of what we've learned and will continue to learn as we embark on this next chapter.
Welcome to 2023: the year of new beginnings!
Inaccessible Hospitality: "What An Incredible Conference…That I Had To Leave Early"
Thursday, December 15, 2022, 5:07 PMInaccessible Hospitality: "What An Incredible Conference…That I Had To Leave Early"
Thursday, December 15, 2022, 5:07 PM
There I was, lying on the pullout couch less than 2 feet above the floor, where my mother and my fri…
Read this PostThere I was, lying on the pullout couch less than 2 feet above the floor, where my mother and my friend, Kathy, were strenuously bending over to pull up my pants, put on my shirt, preparing me for PRWeek.
My mom is a trooper. At 62 years old, she's made countless trips out of town with me – for work, physical therapy, and the occasional vacation – and she's always been my "number one helper." But, lifting and rolling my 225-pound body is more than a one mama job. We are lucky to have Kathy.
Getting in and out of bed, or in this case a pullout couch, could be easier. Unfortunately, all the hotels in Chicago we contacted have beds on "platforms," meaning there is no space between the bottom of the bed and the floor. Why is that important? Well, there is this piece of equipment – a Hoyer lift – that can assist my helpers getting me in and out of bed. Quite frankly, it's the only way I get out of bed.
Because we couldn't find a hotel that simply just had space underneath their beds, where the legs of the Hoyer lift could slide under – lifting and dropping me above the bed – I was stuck on the pullout couch.
And, as I mentioned, the pullout couch is literally only 2 feet above the ground. Not. Easy.
My mom was already fighting a strained back, this inconvenience certainly didn't help – our four-night trip to Chicago, which included two days of a PRWeek conference, a night out with my coworkers, capped off by my first trip to an improv comedy show. It was going to be a great trip!
But, I had to leave early. It was just too much.
I have a great deal of empathy for my caregivers. Knowing that my mom and Kathy were straining so hard literally just to roll me over to get me ready for the conference, we didn't have the energy to continue for any time after the conference. No dinner with my coworkers. No comedy show.
It was a great conference. I believe the Easterseals + Change for Balance duo gave one of the better presentations, and I made a number of new friends, but the experience was overshadowed by the inaccessibility of the hotel, and the fact that I had to skip time with my colleagues to go home.
Look, I'm one of the lucky ones, and I'm well aware. I have a good paying job, which allows me to afford bringing Kathy along. I have a supportive mom, who will travel with me when I need help. But, even this crew of experienced travelers and healthcare workers couldn't take it any longer – we headed home.
Even my mother, one of the toughest and "let's get this done go-getters" made a comment: "It's no wonder many people with disabilities choose not to travel. This is really tough."
And that is the reality. Traveling is really tough. Hotels don't design with full accessibility in mind and airlines are not accessible for people in wheelchairs. Thousands of people with disabilities choose not to risk the travel, whether for work or for vacation, and stay-at-home where it's safe, where it's accessible.
And that's not right. That's not fair. It's not accessible. But it's the reality.
So, what will we do? Do we stay quiet, stay-at-home, and on the occasional burst of courage take a work or personal trip?
I don't think so. Let's get loud. Let's rally for more accessible hotels and airlines. Let's rally for accessibility.
I'll keep on sharing my stories and I'll keep being "loud." I hope you'll keep following.
The Federal Website for the Americans with Disabilities Act Got an Upgrade
Thursday, December 15, 2022, 10:01 AMThe Federal Website for the Americans with Disabilities Act Got an Upgrade
Thursday, December 15, 2022, 10:01 AM
So much has happened during this holiday season that you may have missed this bit of good news ̵…
Read this PostSo much has happened during this holiday season that you may have missed this bit of good news — the U.S. Department of Justice announced it has launched a new and improved version of the Americans with Disabilities Act website.
I just gave the new ada.gov site a look –okay, a listen! –and the updated version of the website is really easy to get through and understand: it's written in plain language, the navigation tools are easy to use, and the speech software on my talking computer read it all beautifully. The new site was designed to work well with mobile devices and features links that answer questions about everything from service animals to accessible polling places.
Check it out: visit ada.gov or call the Justice Department's toll-free ADA information line at 1-800-514-0301 (voice) or 1-833-610-1264 (TDD).
You Might Find Something Accessible to Be Thankful for Within this List
Monday, November 21, 2022, 4:58 PMYou Might Find Something Accessible to Be Thankful for Within this List
Monday, November 21, 2022, 4:58 PM
This is my favorite time of year. I love reflecting on the year and recognizing what I'm thank…
Read this PostThis is my favorite time of year. I love reflecting on the year and recognizing what I'm thankful for. And then, once Thanksgiving is over, the days start leading up to New Year's Eve, which symbolizes the closing of a chapter and the beginning of a new one. For me, a new year feels like a clean slate and a fresh start, an opportunity to look at it from a brand-new lens.
I started 2022 feeling cautiously optimistic. I wrote a post like this before last year, focusing on the pandemic. It was very therapeutic to write it all down — to think to myself, "Okay, it was a rough year, but I'm going to sit here and I'm going to find those silver linings."
This year feels like a breath of fresh air compared to the last two. It wasn't perfect — no year ever is — but sitting down and finding its silver linings, expressing what I'm thankful for, comes much, much easier in 2022. So here is my reflection in all its glory!
I'm thankful for my friendships. I wrote a post about this recently but truly, I can't stress this enough. The first thing that comes to mind when I think of this year are my friends, especially the virtual ones. My friends are spread far and wide, and this year I strengthened so many connections and found routines in the day-to-day that really helped with my mental health. I had monthly movie nights with friends. I had virtual coffee dates on Saturday mornings. I had SharePlay sessions with a friend every time an album came out by an artist that we were both crazy for. These small, seemingly insignificant moments got me through some really hard times, simply because they were things that I was able to look forward to.
I've grown much more confident in my travel abilities. It's been six months since my MetroLift experience to the airport and sometimes I still catch myself thinking about it. A year ago, there's no way I would've felt confident enough to try that. I am an anxious traveler, and a year ago, I would've let that anxiety get the better of me and insist that we come up with a travel plan that does not involve relying on para-transit, maybe asking a friend to drive me instead. But now? I trusted that Juan knew the system, and I trusted myself that I was independent enough and courageous enough to try something new. And so I did it, and it went well, and I felt liberated enough to write about it.
I stayed in Houston for a month and it was a success! Juan and I have been in a long-distance relationship for so long that we knew that one of us would eventually need to relocate. I'd already fallen in love with the Houston area, but I wanted to make sure he and I could live under the same roof before making the big decision. During that month-long visit we had a lot of open and honest conversations about our relationship, cohabitation, and our expectations. And I did a lot of networking, too. I checked out the transportation system, the way strangers treated me as a person with a disability, and other things like that gave me a glimpse of what my life in Houston might be like. And I loved that life.
I've grown grateful to people who take the time to provide equal opportunities for blind and visually-impaired individuals, such as the creators of audiovault.net. This site provides free TV shows and movies guaranteed to be audio described. I prefer this over going to movie theaters — I've had far too many bad experiences at movie theaters (sometimes giving us the wrong audio description device, other times giving us a device that didn't work and needed to be fixed). I've watched so, so many more movies this past year knowing I can count on audiovault to provide us with access to accessible content.
I'm thankful for my family's efforts to include me. Example: during season 41 of the TV show Survivor, CBS started providing audio description. That means that every week now when I watch survivor with my parents, my mom turns on the audio description. That way, she no longer has to describe and can focus a bit more on the show, and I know precisely what's going on in the show without needing extra help from family members.
Thanks in large part to the YouTube channel "Yoga with Adriene," I now do yoga every day. I occasionally turn to Sara Beth Yoga. Both of these channels do a great job at describing yoga poses and, if you aren't familiar with the practice, have beginner videos as well. Therapists have recommended yoga to me for anxiety, and ever since I started doing yoga every day with my mom, it has become part of my day and has done wonders for my mental health.
Lastly, I discovered a good (and very accessible) journaling app called Day One. I wanted to get back into journaling. This app allows me to journal whenever and wherever I am, and I love how it feels to take time to write down my feelings.
Gratitude is something I constantly work on. On bad days, I could always have the mindset that the entire day was awful, and "at least there's tomorrow." I'm learning now that there's always something to be thankful for, even if it takes some time. I think that's something we should all strive for.
I hope you all have a happy Thanksgiving, enjoy the rest of 2022, and have a hopeful, positive opening to 2023. Happy holidays!
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Today's the day Google's broad new privacy policy goes into effect. European regulators are claiming it violates data protection laws, but it's here and it may be here to stay.
There are some not-completely-foolproof ways to hide from Google, but first let's talk about what's changed. Prior to today, Google had more than 70 privacy policies for its various products. But with the company trying to create a seamless experience across search, Gmail, Google+, Google Docs, Picasa, and much more, Google is consolidating the majority of its policies down into just one document covering most of its products. This will make it easier for Google to track users for the purpose of serving up personalized ads.
"The main change is for users with Google Accounts," Google said at the time of its January announcement. "Our new Privacy Policy makes clear that, if you're signed in, we may combine information you've provided from one service with information from other services. In short, we'll treat you as a single user across all our products, which will mean a simpler, more intuitive Google experience."
An example? Google search results can already bring up Google+ posts or photos that have been shared with the user. "But there's so much more that Google can do to help you by sharing more of your information with well, you," Google said. "We can make search better—figuring out what you really mean when you type in Apple, Jaguar or Pink. We can provide more relevant ads too. For example, it's January, but maybe you're not a gym person, so fitness ads aren't that useful to you. We can provide reminders that you're going to be late for a meeting based on your location, your calendar and an understanding of what the traffic is like that day. Or ensure that our spelling suggestions, even for your friends' names, are accurate because you've typed them before."
Today, Google's official blog reminded users of the change, saying it had been the subject of "a fair amount of chatter and confusion."
The updated policy can be read online, and describes how Google collects device information, search queries, cellphone-related data, location information, and collects and stores information on users' devices with the use of HTML5 technology, browser storage, application data caches, and cookies and other "anonymous identifiers."
Before the changes, Google was "restricted in our ability to combine your YouTube and Search histories with other information in your account," Google Privacy Director Alma Whitten wrote in the company blog. Now Google can provide a simpler, easier-to-understand privacy policy to users, and improve its products "in ways that help our users get the most from the Web," Whitten wrote.
Google recently promised to follow Do Not Track guidelines in an agreement with the White House, but those changes won't take effect until sometime later in the year. With Google's expanded ability to serve up personalized ads, the company makes certain privacy promises. For example, "when showing you tailored ads, we will not associate a cookie or anonymous identifier with sensitive categories, such as those based on race, religion, sexual orientation or health."
The policy does not affect most business customers, those who have a signed contract with Google to use Google Apps for Government, Business, or Education. Those of us with free accounts will be affected, and while there are ways to anonymize your Google usage they're not universally effective. Google's privacy policy notes that "You may also set your browser to block all cookies, including cookies associated with our services, or to indicate when a cookie is being set by us." However, Google was recently found to be serving up advertising cookies to users of Safari and Internet Explorer using methods of circumventing the browsers' default privacy settings.
So what else can you do? Most browsers today have private surfing modes that you can select. You can visit Google's "Data Liberation Front" website for instructions in exporting data out of Google products. The Electronic Frontier Foundation also has instructions on removing your Google search history from your account. However, even this is not as simple as it sounds. Disabling Web History in your Google account "will not prevent Google from gathering and storing this information and using it for internal purposes," the EFF notes.
Google does hand over user data in response to government requests on a regular basis, as noted in the company's Transparency Report. The EFF notes that disabling Web History "does not change the fact that any information gathered and stored by Google could be sought by law enforcement."
If your account has Web History enabled, Google will keep the records indefinitely. "With it disabled, they will be partially anonymized after 18 months, and certain kinds of uses, including sending you customized search results, will be prevented," the EFF states.
For those who are really willing to put some work into staying anonymous, downloading a Tor client may be the right step. Tor encrypts your Web traffic and sends it through a randomly selected series of computers, preventing shadowy third parties from learning what sites you visit or where you're located. The Tor Project even played a role in helping Iranians get back online after a recent government crackdown on Internet usage.
How will Ars readers handle the Google privacy changes? Let us know in the comments.
Listing image by Photograph by Richard Holt


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BGR says they have RIM's 2012 roadmap—a graphical plan of what they'll be releasing this year. So what's on deck? More of the same: boredom, blandness, and nobody caring at all.
See that thing all the way on the right? The BlackBerry "Device"? That's the "London" phone, which looks OK and will sport RIM's impending BlackBerry 10 OS. Will that be good? We don't know. If you want to hold out until September to see, be our guest. Or, if you're looking for another version of the Bold, this will be your a calendar year of mirth and ecstasy. QWERTY rapture! [BGR]


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John points men to Jesus as the Lamb — the Lamb who would be slain, who would die on the cross to put away sin. Many in that day desired a king, but the message of a dying Savior held no interest. Today men will respect a great teacher, or follow a leader who calls for social reform; but they will reject the gospel of Christ because they have no sense of needing atonement, of needing a substitute to die in their place and take away their sin.
Lessons concerning the Lamb are seen throughout the scriptures. When Abel offered a lamb which was an acceptable sacrifice we see a type of Christ, the Lamb who gave his life for sinners at Calvary. The Lamb was prophesied by Isaiah. The Lamb was identified by John the Baptist. The Lamb is seen glorified as the Apostle John writes in the book of Revelation.
May we on a daily basis follow the admonition to "behold the Lamb". Behold him as he ministers to the poor and the needy. Behold him as he calms the storm and heals the sick. But most of all, behold him as the Lamb whose death on the cross successfully put away sin forever.
Sinners who look to the slain Lamb find a great hope. Those running the race find strength and encouragement as they look to Jesus and his completed work on the cross. And one day the struggle with sin will be over, all the battles will have been fought, the race will have been run and the redeemed will see him and praise him as the "worthy Lamb", who was slain and has redeemed us to God by his blood (Revelation 7:9-10).