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|Country Of origin:
|United States of America
Satirist and standup comic Lewis Black rose to prominence in the late '90s with regular appearances as a commentator on the Comedy Central cable network's The Daily Show. Obsessed with human stupidity, Black became one of the show's most distinctive contributors with his weekly Back in Black segment; his delivery was so full of frothing, barely articulate bile and rage that it could sometimes obscure the sharpness of his social and political observations. Black graduated from the Yale Drama School and worked for a government anti-poverty program under President Nixon before becoming the playwright in residence at the West Bank Café Downstairs Theatre Bar in Manhattan. He authored over 40 plays that were produced there and at other theaters across the country (one, The Deal, was made into a movie). Seeking to move into comedy, Black made his motion-picture debut in Woody Allen's Hannah and Her Sisters in 1986, and went on to land a series of guest-starring roles on TV shows like Law and Order, Murphy Brown, Mad About You, Homicide, and The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd (the last of which was recurring); he also appeared in several more films, including 1990's Jacob's Ladder.
Black's standup star began to rise with appearances on Late Show with David Letterman and Late Night with Conan O'Brien, and he landed a big break when he signed on as a regular contributor to The Daily Show. Since then, Black has continued to tour the country as a standup comedian, and in 2000 issued his first CD, The White Album (which naturally took its art design from the Beatles' release). The following year, Black developed a one-man show called Black Humor, which he performed in New York City. After the success of Black's weekly stint on The Daily Show, he starred in several standup specials for Comedy Central, whose record division has also released CDs of Black's on-stage rants including 2003's Rules of Enragement, 2008's Anticipation, and 2010's Stark Raving Black. In 2011, Comedy Central released an archival live recording from 1990 under the title The Prophet, with an album of new material, In God We Rust, following on the label a year later. In 2015, Black delivered a rare family-friendly performance when he was cast as the voice of Anger in the Pixar/Disney animated feature Inside Out. Black released a new comedy album in 2017, Black to the Future, which was released on his own Stark Raving Black label. ~ Steve Huey~ Rovi


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WAKE UP CALL!: A rise in brain injury risk from heading a soccer ball?
PEARL HARBOR: 7 tips for localizing the 70th anniversary
BEST OF THE DAY: Holidays a great time for a family photo callout
PEARL HARBOR 70TH ANNIVERSARY PAGE: A look at the Hawaii site then and now
2011 MEMORIES CALLOUT: http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/reader_callouts/x143553149/Reader-callout-2011-Memories
KIDZBUZZ: Have fun indoors with a puppet show
*NOTE: Posted in advance of the holiday
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2011 YEAR IN REVIEW PAGE: The national, world events that shaped the year
The Street
MARKETS: 5 reasons why stock market rally may fizzle -- Investors are rejoicing on news of central banks' support of the global economy, but deep-rooted risks remain. By Lindsey Bell, The Street
AA BANKRUPTCY: American Air bankruptcy may mean fare sale -- American Airlines' bankruptcy may actually be good for travelers, at least in the short term. By Seth Fiegerman, The Street
JOBS: Why you should apply for jobs right now -- Get your resume out there. It's officially hiring season, whether most job hunters realize it or not. By Seth Fiegerman, The Street
APPLE: 5 ideas for Apple's cash hoard in 2012 -- Apple has $81 billion in cash on its books. Here's five ways the company could put that money to work next year. By Chris Ciaccia, The Street
TECH: RIM seeks sanctuary in software -- Embattled handset maker Research in Motion is making a move to play to its strengths in gadget software. By James Rogers, The Street
INVESTING: Paulson apologizes for worst investment year ever -- Hedge fund manager John Paulson has produced double-digit losses on his funds so far this year. By Frank Byrt, The Street
Find more news from The Street at http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/news/business
HOME HELP: Poinsettia care -- weekly Home Help with how to care for your poinsettia plant, how to decorate for a holiday dinner party, a home-selling tip and more. GHNS
TRENDING COLORS: Hot design colors for spring 2012 - With each change of season, new color palettes emerge. Do you ever wonder who determines this? These new colors seem to be prominent every place we look. Each manufacturer decided a long time ago what colors to present in this season's designs. They are all similar. How does that happen? By Kass Wilson, Hometalk.
YARDSMART: Plant a fountain - Perhaps it's time to turn that cracked old fountain or birdbath in your yard into a planter. By Maureen Gilmer, Scripps Howard.
LOST IN SUBURBIA: Ding dong, the ditty is dead - Something was ringing. Well, it wasn't actually ringing. It was more like some kind of short electronic ditty. Whatever it was, it was obviously meant to alert me to the fact that some device needed my attention. The problem was, I had no idea which device it was. By Tracy Beckerman, GHNS.
CAKE POPS: Cake pops: New darlings of the pastry world - Move over, cupcakes. Cake pops are the new darlings of the pastry world. Dainty, portable and easily decorated to suit the occasion, cake pops are two-bite spheres of cake on a stick. They are showing up at showers, wedding receptions, birthday parties and holiday get-togethers, always themed to the mood of the event. By Kathryn Rem, Springfield, Ill.
* Fun poll idea: Ask readers if they prefer cake, cupcakes or cake pops.
TASTE OF TRAVEL: Enchantment of Ireland - If not for the city sights, rich in culture and history, bite for bite, the countryside fares better for a true foodie experience. By Charlene Peters, Marblehead, Mass.
TRADING POST: Christmas cookie recipes -- Cookie recipes: Salted Chocolate Caramel Rounds, Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Cookies. The State Journal-Register in Illinois held its 2011 Homemade Cookie Contest, and the winners were published in the newspaper in October. State Journal-Register (Ill.)
*Callout idea: Send us the recipe for your favorite Christmas cookie.
JOAN ENDYKE: Spotlight shines on nightshade vegetables -- Nightshade vegetables are a group of plants that produce alkaloids, substances that keep insects away. Some people believe alkaloids cause joint pain and arthritis, but little research is available to substantiate this, and some research suggests the opposite. The Patriot Ledger (Mass.)
DR. JEFF HERSH: Color blindness explained - Q: My nephew was just diagnosed with color blindness. What exactly does this mean? By Dr. Jeff Hersh, MetroWest, Mass.
DR. MURRAY FEINGOLD: Holidays can be hazardous to your health - I don't want to put a damper on your holiday spirits, but, from a health point of view, it has been shown that at times the holidays can be detrimental to your health. By Dr. Murray Feingold, MetroWest, Mass.
PHYSICIAN FOCUS: Respiratory illnesses affect millions - Respiratory illnesses affect millions of people around the world and can result in severely impaired quality of life, lifelong illness and life-threatening conditions. Here are snapshots of five of the most common conditions. By Dr. Ronald Sen, MetroWest, Mass.
HOLIDAY STRESS: Linda Castor: Tips for losing holiday stress, not your mind -- I regroup and ask myself, "What kind of an experience do I want to have this year?" And then I make it happen. Here are some ideas on how to create a great, stress-free holiday experience for yourself and others: Be Healthy Springfield (Ill.)
DAN SEABORN: A little rebuttal to Kim Kardashian -- Please do your part to help spread the word about people having successful marriages. Let's stop celebrating celebrities who collect marriages like they do Academy Awards. The Holland Sentinel (Mich.)
More in home and family at http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/lifestyle
5 THINGS TO DO THIS WEEKEND: This week's suggestions include having a holiday movie night or going to the theater, observing World AIDS Day and doing other holiday activities.
* Localization: This file should ideally be almost completely localized: List places to see Christmas lights, list holiday shows, etc.
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BRITT CARTOON: The other shoe drops on Herman Cain. By Chris Britt, Springfield, Ill.
GRANLUND CARTOON: Herman Cain 2012 chances -- Dave Granlund on Herman Cain's chances of winning the GOP presidential nomination. GHNS
EDITORIAL: Immigration irrationality - Republican presidential aspirant Newt Gingrich committed a heretical, unspeakable, perhaps even unpardonable offense in a debate last week. By Peoria, Ill.
MICHELLE TEHEUX: You're not right about everything -- So it's a good idea for people to talk to each other, and not just to people who agree with everything they say. Talk to someone who challenges your philosophical and political beliefs. You might not change your mind, but you ought to be open to at least trying to understand the other person's point of view. Pekin Daily Times (Ill.)
*Poll idea: Do you make an effort to listen to people's views that oppose your own?
PEARL HARBOR: Richard Callahan: When Pearl Harbor and WWII started -- Any abandoned and useless automobiles were stripped of all the upholstery and anything not metal and hauled off to the scrap yard, adjoining the rail lines to be shipped to Detroit for manufacturing of the war goods. It was basically a community effort by just about everyone in every city and town in America, and we went to war. It was a time I will never forget. Wicked Local (Mass.)
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FANTASY FOOTBALL: Fantasy studs coming from out of nowhere - If I wrote at the beginning of the year that receivers Victor Cruz (NYG) and Jordy Nelson (GB) would have more fantasy points 12 weeks into the season than Greg Jennings (GB) you probably would have called me crazy. By Joey Baskerville, Freeport, Ill.
* Facebook idea: Ask fans who their unexpected studs have been.
DIAMOND DIRT: Prince Fielder's best fit is D.C. - If you ask me, the best bet for Prince Fielder is the Washington Nationals. D.C. has a very diverse and lively fan base, they have a very good lineup with Jayson Werth, Ryan Zimmerman (when he's healthy), Michael Morse and Ian Desmond, they have strong stamina on the mound, and if they can retain Rick Ankiel and have another player improve offensively like they've had every season since their move to the nation's capital, they could be very, very effective with a guy like Fielder added to their roster. By Dominic Genetti, Hannibal, Mo.
* Facebook idea: Ask fans where they think Fielder and Pujols will wind up.
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subset: commoncrawl


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Take a seat because that toilet isn't nearly as disgusting as the hand towel.
TIME magazine talked to Charles Gerba, a professor of microbiology at the University of Arizona, to get the dirty truth about what's the grosses thing in the bathroom. Turns out, you're probably touching them in hopes of getting cleaner. But you're wrong. Dead wrong. Nothing is safe. Germs everywhere.
According to Gerba, the top five grosses things are:
Bathroom Towel because bacteria grows in moist conditions, especially in things that, like, never get washed.
Toothbrush Holder — Again, because you never clean that thing.
Kitchen Sponge — There's a reason you don't like touching that thing and it's because it's filled with bacteria. You want something you can wash, like a brush.
Cellphones — You probably already knew this because Japan is putting those smart phone wipes in bathrooms.
Supermarket Carts — I can't even read this quote from Gerba — too scary— so you have to: "Almost 100% of them are home to E. coli because people are constantly touching the handles after holding raw food products."
You can read more about the millions of tiny things that'll make you sick and kill you over at TIME, but I don't see why you'd want to. The germs are everywhere. We're all doomed.


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Kodi (or the platform formerly known as XBMC) is the centralized solution for digital entertainment. Unlike most set-top boxes that are limited to streaming media from official apps, Kodi's become increasingly popular for its versatility. As a free, open-source software application, Kodi plays nicely with tons of different devices. The former XMBC isn't restricted to streaming video from official apps either; it allows users to watch live broadcasts from all over the world, download torrents, listen to the radio, and play nearly any other kind of digital media around.
While it is highly recommended to connect to a VPN while using Kodi, it isn't an absolute requirement for Kodi to function. Beyond the incomparable security benefits that a VPN provides, what a VPN really does is allow Kodi add-ons to shine. There are hundreds of add-ons for Kodi, but due to geographical restrictions, many users are unable to use the add-ons that they download. With a VPN, however, digital borders disappear, making all of the Kodi add-ons accessible from anywhere.
This is a loaded question that depends on the configuration you desire.
Are you running Kodi on a desktop device or a tablet? That's easy! Just run the automated IPVanish app in the background and you'll have secure, unrestricted access to all of the Kodi add-ons that you can install. But if you've sideloaded Kodi, or if you've got it running on a Smart TV or a set-top box, your manual configuration will be more involved.
By using IPVanish, all of your online traffic is directed through an encrypted tunnel, ultimately shielding you from any form of hacking or spying. If someone attempts to monitor your information while you're connected to IPVanish, all they will see is the encrypted data instead of your network traffic. So go on, connect to that convenient Wi-Fi hotspot and stream all of your favorite media through Kodi with peace of mind!
Circumvent Censorship
Regional censorship and corporate firewalls can prevent you from accessing many of the streaming add-ons you install. Why limit yourself to these restrictions when there's a truly World Wide Web waiting for you?
Identity Protection
Companies use tools to collect IP addresses from torrents and P2P file-sharers. Evade these faceless third-parties by cutting them off from your personal information with a replacement IP address!
Wi-Fi Hotspot Security
On an unsecured network, you become a prime target for hackers and tech-savvy identity thieves who are using the same local area network.
A VPN from IPVanish establishes a protected internet environment, void of ISP surveillance, invasive ad trackers, and spying governments. With IPVanish VPN, you have the ability to mask your IP address, the internet address issued by your ISP to identify your personal web activity. This prevents websites, online advertisers, and additional third-parties from monitoring your internet activity in real-time. Simultaneously, IPVanish protects your entire internet connection with military-grade encryption. So, regardless of whether you're running an app on your iPhone or torrenting a video on your PC, your internet traffic will be indecipherable to any third-parties who try to record or access your data.
While the most secure time to use a VPN is always, there are certain add-ons that demand more privacy protection and censorship squashing than others. Some add-ons, especially the official ones such as Hulu, BBC iPlayer, IceFilms and NBC Sports have geo-location restrictions. While other add-ons, such as Acestream, source data from torrents, a P2P file-format that regularly records the IP address of the file-seeders.
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OK couplings
When using the OK couplings for shaft connections, advantage is taken of the powerful oil injection method.
Preparation of the shaft is simple. No keyways to machine, no taper and no thrust ring. When mounting the OK coupling, a thin inner sleeve with a tapered outer diameter slides onto the shaft. A thick outer sleeve with a matching tapered inner surface fits onto the inner sleeve. Ordinary mineral oil is then injected between the sleeves. A built-in hydraulic jack drives the outer sleeve up the taper of the inner sleeve.
When the outer sleeve has reached its final position an interference fit is created – just as if the outer sleeve had been heated and shrunk on. But no heat is required, and the coupling can be removed as easily as it was mounted.
This powerful use of friction enables the OK coupling to transmit torque and axial loads over the entire area of the shaft. There are no stress raisers at the keyway. And no fretting when high shock or reversing loads exist.
Very large couplings, which previously could only be shrunk on after heating, can now be assembled cold with the OK method.


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Tokyo: Japan's conservative opposition swept to victory in national polls Sunday, giving former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe a second chance to promote his hawkish security agenda and reflate the economy.
Voters decisively abandoned Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda three years after his Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) promised a change from more than half a century of almost unbroken rule by the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).
Abe, who spent the campaign pledging to bolster Japan's defences and stand up to China over disputed islands, secured a handsome majority for the LDP in the election for the powerful lower house of parliament, exit polls showed.
Abe, whose brief stint as premier in 2006-7 ended ignominiously, has also vowed to rectify the listless economy after years of deflation, made worse by a soaring currency that has squeezed exporters.
He also offered to boost spending on infrastructure at a time when much of the tsunami-wrecked northeast remains a shell of its former self.
Abe's calls were criticised by opponents as a return to the LDP's "construction state" of the last century which left the countryside riddled with underused bridges and roads to nowhere.
NHK television, citing forecasts based on its own exit polls, said the LDP had won 275 to 310 seats in the 480-seat lower house, with the DPJ reduced to a rump of between 55 and 77 seats. It won more than 300 seats in the 2009 poll.
New Komeito, LDP's junior coalition partner, had 27 to 35 seats, NHK said.
That could give the pair a more than two-thirds majority in the powerful lower house, enough to override the upper chamber in which no party has overall control.
"The LDP sweeps to victory; Abe administration to start," the online edition of the Nikkei newspaper said in a banner headline.
Analysts say the LDP's victory has come by default, with voters disenchanted by the DPJ after three years of flip-flops, policy missteps and diplomatic drift, but having little faith in any of the alternatives.
oter turnout, measured half an hour before the polls closed, was 45.42 percent, down more than seven points on the last election.
In the first national ballot since the tsunami-sparked meltdowns at Fukushima in March 2011, nuclear power had looked set to play a significant role. But an array of smaller parties promising an end to atomic generation made little impression on voters.
The LDP says it will review all nuclear reactors in three years to decide whether to restart them.
Nationalist former Tokyo governor Shintaro Ishihara, whose bid to buy the disputed islands provoked a fierce diplomatic showdown with China, secured a seat as leader of the third largest party.
His populist Japan Restoration Party won between 40 and 61 seats, NHK said, giving him weight enough to shout from the parliamentary sidelines.
Public unease about a worsening security environment — North Korea lobbed a rocket over Japan's southern islands last week and China sent a plane into Japanese airspace — bolstered Ishihara and Abe.
The LDP has promised to revitalise a security alliance with the United States that is widely thought to have drifted under Noda's party.
Hours before polls closed Chinese state media urged a post-election Japan to "devise its foreign policy with a long-term and pragmatic" view so Japan can "repair its strained ties with neighbours".
Yasuko Kono, professor of politics at Hosei University in Tokyo, said the LDP had done better than anyone expected.
"The results are a harsh verdict by voters on the DPJ government. The big win is likely to guide the LDP coalition to a course to stability in power."
Parliament will be called into session as early as December 26th to name Abe as the new prime minister, the Nikkei newspaper said.
In an evening of misery for Noda, TV Asahi reported at least two of his ministers would lose their seats.
Internal Affairs Minister Shinji Tarutoko and Education Minister Makiko Tanaka appeared to have lost their constituency seats. It is possible that they may win through on the proportional representation part of the ballot.
Noda's own fate as leader of the much-diminished DPJ was also in doubt, despite his apparently having retained his seat.
Kohei Otsuka, a senior party official told NHK: "In general, (Noda) can't help but take responsibility for (the defeat). But he will consider how to take responsibility."


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Journal of the South African Veterinary Association
On-line version ISSN 2224-9435
Print version ISSN 1019-9128
J. S. Afr. Vet. Assoc. vol.83 n.1 Pretoria Jan. 2012
An outbreak of canine aflatoxicosis in Gauteng Province, South Africa
Luke F. ArnotI; Neil M. DuncanII; Heleen CoetzerIII; Christo J. BothaII, III
IOnderstepoort Veterinary Academic Hospital, University of Pretoria, South Africa
IIDepartment of Paraclinical Sciences, University of Pretoria, South Africa
IIIToxicology Laboratory, Agricultural Research Council-Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute, South Africa
Sporadic outbreaks of aflatoxicosis occur in dogs when they consume contaminated dog food. During 2011, low-cost brands of pelleted dog food were contaminated with very high concentrations of aflatoxins. Approximately 100 dogs were presented to the Onderstepoort Veterinary Academic Hospital. Clinically, the dogs were depressed to collapsed and icteric, with haematemesis, melaena and haematochezia. The most common pathological findings were icterus, gastro-enterorrhagia and hepatosis. On histopathological examination, fatty hepatosis and bile duct proliferation were observed. A consistent, very characteristic finding was the presence of a blue-grey granular material within the bile ducts. A total of 124 samples of the dog food fed to the affected dogs was analysed to determine aflatoxin concentrations. Concentrations ranged from below the limit of quantification (< 5 mg/kg) to 4946 mg/kg and six samples were submitted to determine the ratio of aflatoxins in the feed. It is estimated that well over 220 dogs died in the Gauteng Province of South Africa as a result of this aflatoxin outbreak.
Over the past few decades, there have been infrequent outbreaks of aflatoxicosis in dogs in southern Africa,1,2,3 with the previous published outbreak recorded in 1999.3 Aflatoxicosis is caused by potent hepatotoxic mycotoxins synthesised by the Aspergillus species.4 After absorption from the gastrointestinal tract, the aflatoxins are transported by the portal circulation and are filtered from the blood by the liver, which is consequently the primary organ affected.5
Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus often contaminate various food sources and fungal infestation can occur in the field and during storage or processing.6 These fungi are ubiquitous saprophytic moulds that grow on a variety of substrates such as groundnuts and maize, as well as feeds that contain grains.7 Certain genotypes of maize and peanuts are reportedly more susceptible to Aspergillus infection.8
Aflatoxins (AF) are difuranocoumarin derivatives and the four major metabolites are aflatoxin B1, B2 and G1 and G2.7 Aflatoxin B1 is the commonest, most toxic and most carcinogenic of the metabolites.8,9 Aflatoxicosis is dose-related, with the conversion of AFB1 into active electrophilic and alkylating metabolites that cause the hepatocellular toxicity.10 The rapid hepatocellular formation of a toxic AFB1-8,9-epoxide depletes hepatocellular glutathione (GSH), thereby overwhelming the natural detoxification pathways. The loss of GSH also compromises the detoxifying conjugation of AFB1 The accumulated AFB1 irreversibly binds to cell enzymes, proteins and DNA, causing impaired metabolism, gene transcription and protein synthesis.6
Species vary greatly in their susceptibility to AF, with dogs being highly susceptible.11,12 Animal species can be divided into three categories of susceptibility: those with a LD50 of 1 mg/kg or less, including dogs and cats, those with a LD50 of 10 mg/kg or more, such as pigs, and others that are resistant.9 Dogs appear more susceptible because of their inherently lower hepatocellular concentration of GSH compared with other species, as well as their inter-individual differences in activity of GSH-S-transferase.13,14 Furthermore, AF are reported to exert an anti-coagulation effect as a result of their coumarin-like structure.15 Exposure to lower AF concentrations in feed over a prolonged period can induce chronic liver failure, indicating a cumulative effect.7
From April to July 2011, a large number of dogs were affected during an AF outbreak in the Gauteng Province of South Africa. Over these months, it is estimated that 100 dogs were presented to the Outpatients Clinic of the Onderstepoort Veterinary Academic Hospital (OVAH), in which aflatoxicosis was strongly suspected based on presenting clinical signs and a history of being fed one of the three incriminated brands of dog pellets, namely Hi-PRO®, Buddy® and Legends®. All three brands are entry level, low-cost pelleted rations and were being sold, relatively cheaply, at petrol stations, vegetable markets, corner shops and similar outlets.
The most common complaints cited by owners of dogs presented to the OVAH included anorexia, food avoidance, vomition and lethargy. Owners often commented that the dogs had been reluctant to eat the incriminated pellets, but the dogs were enticed to consume the affected pellets by the addition of meat or gravy. Many owners reported that other dogs within the household exhibited similar signs and had subsequently died before veterinary assistance was sought.
On clinical examination of the more acute cases, dogs were depressed to collapsed and icteric, with haematemesis, melaena and haematochezia being commonly observed. In approximately 10% of cases petechiae were present on mucous membranes. The more chronic cases, presented during the second half of June and early July, were smaller breeds that had consumed some of the affected foods, but were simultaneously fed other foods such as table scraps with a resultant diluting effect on the AF-contaminated feed. These dogs presented with severe ascites, pale and icteric mucous membranes, were extremely depressed and often showed severe weight loss at the time of presentation at the OVAH.
The vast majority of patients presented at the OVAH with suspected AF poisoning were euthanased because of owners' financial constraints and poor prognosis. The mortality rate of patients admitted for intensive treatment was extremely high as well, with only four patients being discharged. Following euthanasia or death, 31 post-mortem examinations were performed. The most consistent findings on macroscopic examination of the carcasses were icterus, gastro-enterorrhagia and hepatosis (31 from 31 cases) (Figure 1). Serosanguinous ascites was the next most common finding (19 from 31 cases), followed by serosal petechiation (13 from 31 cases) and pulmonary haemorrhage (12 from 31 cases). Less common findings were gall bladder oedema (9 from 31 cases), hydrothorax (6 from 31 cases), subcutaneous haemorrhage (3 from 31 cases) and meningeal haemorrhage (1 from 31 cases). On histopathological examination of the liver, fatty hepatosis and bile duct proliferation (Figure 2) were the most common findings (31 from 31 cases), with lesser numbers showing bile stasis (26 from 31 cases). The presence of a blue-grey granular material within the bile ducts was observed in 24 of the 31 cases (Figure 3), whilst 9 of the 31 cases exhibited signs of early portal fibrosis. Positive staining of the blue-grey material within the bile ducts with mucicarmine identified it as mucous (Figure 4).
Samples of the dog food eaten by affected dogs were screened by the Toxicology Laboratory, ARC-Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute using an accredited ELISA method (Veratox Aflatoxin Quantitative Test, Neogen Corporation, Lansing, USA) for total AF concentration. A total of 124 dog food samples were analysed. The concentrations ranged from below the limit of quantification (LQ < 5 mg/kg) to 4946 mg/kg and only 29 samples (23.4%) had AF levels below the LQ. The majority of positive samples were Hi-PRO®, but there were also higher than allowable AF concentrations detected in Legends® and Buddies®.
Six Hi-PRO® dog food samples were submitted for additional analysis (SANAS accredited HPLC method, Perishable Products Export Control Board Laboratory Services) to determine the specific ratio of the different AF concentrations (Table 1). Very high Aflatoxin B1 concentrations (> 90 mg/kg) were detected in four of the six samples. Regulations pertaining to the Fertilizers, Farm Feeds, Agricultural Remedies and Stock Remedies Act (Act No. 36 of 1947)16 stipulate a maximum Aflatoxin B1 level of 0.01 mg/kg (10 mg/kg) in complete feeds intended for pets. The manager of the feed company manufacturing Hi-PRO® indicated that a batch of groundnuts (peanuts) was obtained at some stage and included at a level of 5% in the feed (Van Vuuren D 2011, personal communication, April 24). It is surmised that the peanuts were the main culprit and explain the exceptionally high levels of aflatoxins determined during this outbreak when compared with previous outbreaks. The inspectorate of the abovementioned Act16 visited the premises and the registrar ordered an immediate withdrawal of the contaminated dog food and suspended manufacturing.
A questionnaire to establish the severity and extent of the aflatoxicosis outbreak was compiled and sent electronically to all South African Veterinary Association (SAVA) registered private practitioners via the office of the SAVA. Responses were received from around the country. The majority of cases were reported from Gauteng, apart from a few odd incidents in neighbouring towns. From the questionnaire, aflatoxicosis was diagnosed by private practitioners as the cause of death in an additional 120 dogs.
Owing to the sporadic and relatively rare occurrence of such outbreaks in dogs, the initial cases are often misdiagnosed by private veterinarians.3 Clinicians should always consider aflatoxicosis as a differential diagnosis when dealing with dogs presenting with the abovementioned clinical signs. A very conservative estimate of dog fatalities from the recent outbreak is in the region of 220 dogs. However, this is probably only the 'tip of the iceberg', as often only the last remaining dog in the family was presented. In addition, as these dog food brands were entry level, low-cost brands, many dog owners from the poorer socio-economic group in the townships within Gauteng may have been feeding these affected brands. They would not have presented affected dogs to a veterinarian because of a lack of access to veterinarians in these areas, as well as financial constraints, and these deaths would not have been accounted for.
The authors would like to acknowledge the SAVA for distributing the Aflatoxin survey questionnaire to all private practitioners who are members and would also like to thank the private practitioners who completed and submitted the questionnaire.
Competing interests
The authors declare that they have no financial or personal relationship(s) which may have inappropriately influenced them in writing this paper.
Authors' contributions
L.F.A. (University of Pretoria) performed most of the clinical examinations. N.M.D. (University of Pretoria) performed necropsies and microscopical examination of tissue samples. H.C. (Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute) performed the toxicological analysis. C.J.B. (University of Pretoria) interpreted the toxicological results. C.J.B. (University of Pretoria), L.F.A. (University of Pretoria) and N.M.D. (University of Pretoria) wrote the manuscript.
1. Bastianello SS, Nesbit JW, Williams MC, Lange AL. Pathological findings in a natural outbreak of aflatoxicosis in dogs. Onderstepoort J Vet Res. 1987;54:635-640. PMid:3444619 [ Links ]
2. Naicker D, Botha CJ. Aflatoxins in dog feed. Vet News: Newsletter of the South African Veterinary Association. 2005 Sept; 26. [ Links ]
3. Reyers F, Miller DB. Canine aflatoxicosis. Paper presented at: Congress of the South African Veterinary Association; 2000 Sept 20-22; Durban, South Africa. [ Links ]
4. Bennett JW, Klich M. Mycotoxins. Clin Microbiol Rev. 2003;16:497-516. http://dx.doi.org/10.1128/CMR.16.3.497-516.2003, PMid:12857779 [ Links ]
5. Miller DM, Wilson DM. Veterinary diseases related to aflatoxins. In: Eaton DL, Groopman JD, editors. The toxicology of aflatoxins. London: Academic Press, 1994; p. 347-364. [ Links ]
6. McClean M, Dutton MF. Cellular interaction and metabolism of aflatoxin: An update. Pharmacol Therapeut. 1995;65:163-192. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0163-7258(94)00054-7 [ Links ]
7. Kellerman TS, Coetzer JAW, Naude TW, Botha, CJ. Plant poisonings and mycotoxicoses of southern Africa. Cape Town: Oxford University Press; 2005. [ Links ]
8. Edds GT. Aflatoxins. In: Shimoda W, editor. Conference on mycotoxins in animal feeds and grains related to animal health. Rockville: US Department of Commerce, National Technical Information Service. PB-300 300. Food and Drug Administration Report No: FDA/BVM-79/139, 1979; p. 80-164. [ Links ]
9. Schoental R. Aflatoxins. Annu Rev Pharmacolog. 1967;7:343-353. http://dx.doi.org/10.1146/annurev.pa.07.040167.002015, PMid:5337085 [ Links ]
10. Guengerich FP. Cytochrome P450 oxidations in the generation of reactive electrophiles: Epoxidation and related reactions. Arch Biochem Biophys. 2005;409:59-71. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0003-9861(02)00415-0 [ Links ]
11. Dereszynski DM, Center SA, Randolph JF, et al. Clinical and clinicopathologic features of dogs that consumed foodborne hepatotoxic aflatoxins: 72 cases (20052006). J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2008;232:329-1337. http://dx.doi.org/10.2460/javma.232.9.1329, PMid:18447777. [ Links ]
12. Raney KD, Meyer DJ, Ketterer B. Glutathione conjugation of aflatoxin B1 exo- and endo-epoxides by rat and human glutathione S-transferases. Chem Res Toxicol. 1992;5:470-478. http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/tx00028a004, PMid:1391613 [ Links ]
13. Center SA, Warner KL, Erb HN. Liver glutathione concentration in dogs and cats with naturally occurring liver disease. J Vet Res. 2002;63:1187-1197. http://dx.doi.org/10.2460/ajvr.2002.63.1187, PMid:12171175 [ Links ]
14. Watanabe T, Sugiura T, Manabe S. Low glutathione S-transferase dogs. Arch Toxicol. 2004;78:218-225. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00204-003-0536-x, PMid:14685647 [ Links ]
15. Center SA. Acute hepatic injury: Hepatic necrosis and fulminant hepatic failure. In: Guilford WG, Center SA, Strombeck DR, Williams DA, Meyer DJ, editors. Strombeck's Small Animal Gastroenterology. 3rd ed. Philadelphia: WB Saunders Company, 1996; p. 654-704. [ Links ]
16. Fertilizers, Farm Feeds, Agricultural Remedies and Stock Remedies Act (Act No. 36 of 1947), South Africa. Available from: Government Gazette No. R 227, 2009 March 6. [ Links ]
Correspondence to:
Christo Botha
Private Bag X04
Onderstepoort 0110
South Africa
Received: 18 Nov. 2011
Accepted: 16 Jan. 2012
Published: 29 Mar. 2012


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The Electric Car has Arrived
It runs on fuel that is cheaper, cleaner and made in the USABy Michael E.C. Gery
Imagine never again pulling into a gas station to refuel your car. Instead, when you reach your destination — at work, at home, at a shopping mall — you plug your car into an electric outlet to charge it.
"This is not the future. This is viable now," said Jeff Barghout, director of transportation initiatives at Raleigh's Advanced Energy. Previously instrumental in electric vehicle development at both DaimlerChrysler and General Motors, Barghout recently gave an update on plug-in electric vehicles (PEV) for North Carolina's electric co-op representatives.
As PEVs continue to emerge in the U.S. market, not just drivers will be changing behavior. Electricity providers will as well. And so will anyone who manages municipalities, office buildings and commercial establishments. They all will become familiar with the logistics of powering electric vehicles.
A 2010 Touchstone Energy "Cooperative Difference" survey found that 10 percent of North Carolina electric cooperative members "definitely" would consider buying an electric vehicle, and 32 percent "probably" would. The findings are similar to interest nationwide among co-op members, according to the survey. "If 10 percent of North Carolina's electric cooperative residential membership purchased an electric vehicle," the survey report says, "cooperatives would need to supply electricity and recharging equipment to approximately 80,000 to 100,000 vehicles."
Electric cars in the mainstream
Nearly all vehicle manufacturers today are preparing to introduce PEVs. The two most common ones now are the General Motors Chevy Volt and the Nissan Leaf. About 3,000 of each are on the road. The $41,000 Chevy Volt can run 30 to 40 miles on its electric battery until it requires either a recharge or power from its back-up gasoline engine (taking it another 340 miles). The $32,000 Nissan Leaf can run 70 to 140 miles before it needs recharging. Factoring in today's $7,500 energy tax credits, these cars cost about the same to buy new as a similarly sized gasoline car. Over five years ownership, Barghout said, it's estimated that the PEV will cost less to own than a Toyota Corolla, given that it won't require as much energy and its maintenance costs are lower to begin with.
"And," Barghout added, "the fuel is cheaper, cleaner and made in the U.S.A."
Because PEVs do not send emissions out a tailpipe, they could reduce the nation's greenhouse gas emissions by 25 to 30 percent, according to U.S. Department of Energy estimates, whose calculations included using coal to fuel electricity generation plants. While there are some 250 million vehicles on U.S. roads today, DOE estimates 1.5 million will be PEVs in 2015.
From electric to gas and back to electric
Why have we not had plug-in electric cars before now? Actually, we did. An electric car preceded the Ford Motel T by about 70 years. When the 1908 Model T came out, there were some 6,000 electric cars already in motion in the U.S. But Ford's newly introduced gasoline-powered car was far less expensive to make and buy, so that by 1920 it had taken over the market.
We saw renewed interest in electric cars in the 1960s and 1970s when new and stricter safety and emissions standards ushered in cleaner, more fuel-efficient vehicles. In the 1990s, as "hybrid" vehicles were introduced (powered by gasoline while charging an electric battery pack), all-electric vehicles still cost about $200,000 to buy. Now, with nearly universal support from American industry, government and consumers, the PEV has entered the mainstream.
What's it like to run an electric car?
Today's PEVs use electricity at the equivalent of 50 to 75 cents per gallon of gasoline for conventional vehicles. And that cost is expected to decline as battery prices do. The batteries are rechargeable lithium ion, the same technology that powers laptop computers and cell phones. And even after 10 years of vehicle use, they can serve as standalone power producers or they can be recycled.
While they are somewhat smaller than today's average family car, the PEVs perform like normal cars, except more quietly. The Volt can do 0 to 60 mph in 8.53 seconds, while the Leaf does it in 7 seconds. They both can reach 100 mph. Tesla Motors of California has a $100,000 2-door Roadster that goes from 0 to 60 mph in 3 seconds, and a $60,000 4-door that does it in 5.6 seconds and is available with a battery pack that can take it 300 miles before a charge.
The vehicles have navigation systems that calculate your travel range and are capable of locating the nearest charging station. Their cabin designs are more rigid than standard vehicles, mainly to protect the battery packs.
What about the electricity?
While PEVs can be plugged into your household power via a standard outlet, charging time could be 10 hours. More convenient is the industry-standard "Level 2" charging stations available from car dealers. They are 240-volt chargers that can be placed in a garage or outdoors and will fully charge a PEV in two to four hours.
While most charging will take place at home, public charging stations also are popping up in major markets. At a recent national Plug-In 2011 conference held in Raleigh, GE Energy Industrial Solutions announced the impending installation of 10 stations in Raleigh, Cary and Mebane (location of the manufacturing plant). Others are in Asheville and Charlotte. These eventually will be located at work places, parking decks, shopping malls and on street corners.
"Once people start seeing public charging stations," Barghout said, "they will begin losing their range anxiety."
Auto dealers typically guide buyers on all aspects of driving and charging these vehicles.
Today's vehicles draw about 700 watts of electricity to charge. Electric co-ops and other utilities already are gearing up for the extra load that PEVs will require.
"Each PEV is like putting another house on the grid," Barghout said. He mentioned a study by Oak Ridge National Laboratory that estimated if all PEVs are charged during peak-demand hours, the nation will need to build lots of new power plants. But if the plug-in charging time is "controlled" for off-peak hours (late night, for example), the need for new generation facilities will be next to none. Some control methods include timers at the charging station, lower rates for consumers who charge during off-peak hours, and various "smart grid" controls.
Is there an electric vehicle in your future?
If you are interested in buying one of these vehicles, your electric cooperative needs to know. Your cooperative can help you determine if the existing wiring and transformers that serve your home or business are capable of handling the extra power requirements your battery charging will demand.


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At North Mill Capital, our mission is simple: To deliver a trusted means for businesses to survive and thrive in periods of volatility, including times of significant growth or economic downturn. Our flexible credit decisions and commitment to customer service has made us a respected leader in the finance industry.
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text: Seller: celloexpress.ni (117,561) 100%, Location: Antrim, Ships to: Worldwide, Item: 392033887474 email Click here to contact via eBay message Welcome to cello EXPRESS your one stop craft shop Home About Us Payment Delivery Returns T&C Size Guide Contact us One of the UK's largest suppliers of soft toy accessories Quick links : mailoutline favoriteborder chat menu SHOP CATEGORIES Home BOXES Bag Making Acessories Buttons Cello Bags - Cellos Mixed Types of Cellos Square Cello Bags Tall / Slim Cello Bags Photo Mount and Artist Cellos Card Cello Bags Multiple Cards Cello Bags Euroslot Cello Bags Calendar Cello Bags Small Cello Bags Landscape Cellos Euroslot / Header Display Bags Flush Top Cello Bags Tape on Bag Cellos Comic / Mag Sized Cello Bags Cellophane Rolls Crafters Crystals Self Adhesive Stickers Organza Bags Ribbons Decoupage Children's Crafts Genuine Glass Beads Scrapbooking Fabrics Featured Blue and Grey Mixes Felt Felt - Squares and Lengths Self Adhesive Regular Felt Findings - Jewellery Makers Florist Supplies Hair Accessories Key rings Multi Cello Packs Party and Sweets Bags Picture Mounts Sewing Trimmings Silica Gel Sachets Taxidermy Eyes Top Picks Toy & Bear Making Safety Eyes Safety Noses Fake Fur Squeakers and Rattles Joints Accessories Felt Squares and Lengths Wholesale Shop categories BOXES Bag Making Acessories Buttons Cello Bags - Cellos Cellophane Rolls Crafters Fabrics Featured Felt Felt - Squares and Lengths Findings - Jewellery Makers Florist Supplies Hair Accessories Key rings Multi Cello Packs Party and Sweets Bags Picture Mounts Sewing Trimmings Silica Gel Sachets Taxidermy Eyes Top Picks Toy & Bear Making Wholesale Product Information GLASS LIKE EYES with PLASTIC BACKS Teddy Bear Making Soft Toy Doll Animal Craft Click on the Image to Enlarge zoomin Description Useful for toy making or replacements for lost parts on your existing soft toys Product Details Plastic Animal Glass Effect Eyes Blue, Royal Blue, Orange, Gold, Green, Raspberry Pink, Light Brown & Dark Grey Grey 8mm, 10mm, 12mm, 15mm & 18mm An amazing variety of colours with Plastic Push on Washers (see picture) The eyes have a high shine on them making them appear to be made of glass These eyes are great colours, as can be seen from the pictures We have a variety of different sizes, so pick the correct size carefully Great DIY accessories for home toy & bear making Comes complete with safety clips to hold them securely in place GLASS LIKE EYES with PLASTIC BACKS Teddy Bear Making Soft Toy Doll Animal Craft Size Guide Payment Payments Policy Paypal Shipping Delivery Policy Standard Delivery is Free to UK Mainland, Northern Ireland and the Highlands and Islands for all items. Upgrade to 1st Class at the checkout for a faster shipping time. Prices will be displayed before confirmation of payment. Items are shipped by Royal Mail or Parcelforce. All items will be dispatched within 24 - 48hrs of Cleared Payment Received. Parcels are packed on a daily basis, Monday to Friday. Please however allow up to 5 working days for delivery of your order. Most will arrive between 2 and 5 days. Please note that whilst we will dispatch an item prompty sometimes there can be delays in the service by the delivery companies. If your parcel does take a little longer, then please be patient. Let us know if an item has not reached you within 10 working days and we can help track it down Terms Coming Soon... About us Celloexpress is a small business run by partners John McCrory and Katie Daniels. Founded in 2011, the business is growing steadily. We are based in County Antrim, the largest of the six counties of Northern Ireland. Customer service is a priority and any inquiries are dealt with as swiftly as possible. Our main specialty is the cello bags. Made to a high standard in the UK, we can offer the best customer service to try to make sure you get the best bag for your needs. If you need extra help to choose, then please do not hesitate to call. We have been told we have the best selection of soft toy eyes. We have plastic backs and metal back eyes and noses, and a selection of joints, fabrics, squeakers and rattles. We have a growing selection of general craft items to compliment our main lines. Returns Returns Policy Our "No Quibble" guarantee means that if you are unhappy with your purchase for any reason, you can return it to us in its original condition within 60 days of the date you received the item, unused and unopened, and we will issue a full refund for the price you paid for the item. If you want to exchange it for a different item, then please include a note to let us know. As long as we have stock available, that can be arranged once any price difference has been settled. Postage costs are to be paid by you. In the unlikely event of a fault, then either an exchange or refund is available. Postage costs would then be paid by CelloExpress. Please follow the steps below to enable us to process your refund or exchange efficiently: Please send us a note detailing the reason for return. This note MUST include your name, address, contact numbers and email address. In the case of a faulty product, please provide a full description of the fault. Wrap the item securely and send the package to the address on the contacts page. We recommend you use a signed for delivery service for your return. Your statutory rights are not affected in any way. Contact Us Click here to contact via eBay message Featured Categories At eSellerSolutions.com we create professional and attractive eBay item templates, ebay shop templates, ebay listing templates for eBay listings. ebay templates by esellersolutions.com, ebay shop templates by esellersolutions.com, eBay item templates by esellersolutions.com, ebay auction template by esellersolutions.com, ebay store promotion by esellersolutions.com Shop categories BOXES Bag Making Acessories Buttons Cello Bags - Cellos Cellophane Rolls Crafters Fabrics Featured Felt More Quick links Feedback Add to Favorite Seller Join Mailing List Shop info Store Home About us Payment Delivery Returns Terms & Conditions Size Guide Contact us Get in touch with us emailClick here to contact via eBay message Payment info Secure Payment by Paypal Copyright © 2017 Celloexpress.. All Rights Reserved Designed by eSeller Solutions Condition: New, Type: Safety Eyes, Occasion: All Occasions, Brand: celloexpress


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Released today, the fifth annual SYLVANIA Socket Survey from OSRAM SYLVANIA finds that consumers are adjusting to new legislation and energy-efficient lighting options, with about half saying that they plan to switch to new lighting technologies. Federally mandated legislation, which was enacted in 2007, has already begun phasing out two incandescent-bulb wattages (100-watt in 2012 and 75-watt in 2013) and will begin its final phase in January 2014 with 60- and 40-watt bulbs.
OSRAM SYLVANIA's industry-benchmark Socket Survey shows that 38 percent of those polled are aware that the 100-watt bulb was phased out in 2012, which is up from just 29 percent last year and 19 percent in 2010. While these findings show an increase in consumer awareness of the initial legislative phase outs, nearly half are unaware that there will be additional wattages phased out in 2014.
"Consumers are taking time to evaluate their lighting choices, which are now more abundant than ever, and accepting more energy-efficient options," says Rick Leaman, president and CEO, OSRAM SYLVANIA. "Our company remains dedicated to offering the very best in next-generation lighting choices because it is our responsibility to keep pace with the ever-changing world of technology to meet the various needs of our consumers."
More than a third of Americans have evaluated their lighting options in the past six months, and more than half (53%) have done so in the past year. With lighting education promoting the acceptance of energy-efficient alternatives and about half of consumers planning to switch to new technologies, it is evident that consumers are shifting their lighting preferences based on their understanding of the evolving industry.
Commissioned annually by OSRAM SYLVANIA, the SYLVANIA Socket Survey is the industry's foremost national measurement of the evolving consumer lighting landscape. Now, in its fifth year, the survey shows a significant decrease — a 16% drop year over year — in those who said that they have incandescent bulbs in their homes. About one in 10 consumers say that they have LED bulbs in sockets.
Additional findings of the 2012 SYLVANIA Socket Survey include:
Consumer Habit and Trends
- Since 2008, the number of consumers that listed "burned out or broken" as their main reason for switching out their bulbs dropped by 10 percent. 68 percent of Americans say that they have switched lighting for increased energy efficiency.
- While replacement of burned out or broken bulbs and energy efficiency remain as top reasons why consumers choose to switch bulbs, they are increasingly interested in the amount of light (up 16 percent since 2008) and quality of the light color produced (up 19 percent since 2008).
- Longevity, brightness, energy efficiency and price are the top light bulb evaluation factors and are considered important by 9 in 10 consumers.
- Instituted in last year's survey, the value that consumers are placing on their lighting products being made in America has increased, as 77 percent of Americans now believe it is important that their bulbs are "Made in America."
Phase-Out Preparedness and New Technology Adoption
- Consumers are evenly split about their awareness of the phase-out of additional wattages through 2014.
- Six in 10 consumers say that they are more excited about the phase-out than they are concerned about it, yet 28 percent of respondents are still worried, as they prefer using traditional incandescent bulbs.
- Sixteen percent of respondents say that they plan to save up or "hoard" 100-watt incandescent bulbs while they are still available, which is very similar to the 13 percent that said that they would stockpile 100-watt bulbs in 2009, 2010 and 2011.
- About half of consumers are likely to switch to alternative technologies, significantly less than in 2010 and 2009. While the remainder is more likely to use lower wattages or stock up on 100-watt bulbs.
The survey was conducted over an 8-day period in November, 2012. More than 300 interviews were conducted via landline and cell phone.


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I would like to take this opportunity to thank Governor Christie and the State Legislature for the ongoing commitment to New Jersey's most vulnerable children and families.
The proposed FY'13 budget allows the Department of Children and Families (DCF) to remain focused on its core mission while strengthening its capacity to help the children and families we work with achieve success in their own homes, their own communities and their own schools. I think you would all agree that much has been achieved since the Legislature created the Department of Children and Families. Perhaps most importantly, we have emerged from the days when we were a crisis driven system to one where we planfully work with children, youth, and families across our state to determine service needs and the best approach to strengthen families and communities. Today, this work is accomplished through strong partnerships with service providers, community stakeholders, our sister agencies, AND some new corporate and foundation partners who have become an integral part of the DCF success story! Although our child welfare reform is a work in progress, there are several milestones which have been achieved that I would like to focus on today – particularly as they have helped catapult New Jersey from a system in need of repair to one that helps set an example for other public systems to emulate and learn from.
Specifically, New Jersey continues to lead the way in best practices by reducing the number of out-of-home placements for children – last year I believe I shared that we have achieved and now maintained a forty-four percent reduction in the use of out-of-home care for our most vulnerable children. Unlike other states, we maintain a robust and diverse pool of licensed resource homes available to children and youth (currently with the capacity to serve almost twice as many youth). We have reduced, by ninety-seven percent, the number of out-of-state placements (in other words, serving youth with behavioral health challenges close to home and close to their families); and finally, this past summer we began providing older youth with "Health Passports" so that they are able to make good decisions in managing their healthcare as they transition into adulthood.
In fact, our efforts in supporting youth in the foster care system was further demonstrated in our most recent Title IV-E Review period under review - transforming New Jersey into a national model for its administration of this program. In our last review, New Jersey was not only found to be in substantial compliance with federal regulations, but had the extraordinary distinction of having a perfect review with absolutely "zero" errors for programmatic determinations.
This is a great accomplishment. This achievement demonstrates the team effort in DCF's case practice, licensing, financial reporting, program review, information technology, and our very important partnership with the courts, and serves as validation that we continue to achieve positive outcomes for the children and families we serve.
I'd like to take a moment to share with you some information regarding DYFS caseloads. Historically, DYFS has experienced annual seasonal peaks in their investigation case load – specifically the months of October and March – and have appropriately assigned staff to respond during these times.
This past year we saw a sustained increase in the number of calls to our Central Registry hotline, resulting in an increased number of investigations. Being mindful of the need to manage all of our cases – both investigations and permanency – we identified appropriately trained staff to handle this increase in referrals. We continue to closely monitor this situation and mindfully address the peaks and valleys of referrals.
Since my appointment as Commissioner of DCF, we have made a commitment to further support youth aging out of the system. To date our successes include: Establishing the Office of Adolescent Services in order to bring to the forefront the unique needs of our youth; engaging youth in the department's policy and decision-making process through the expansion of our Youth Advisory Boards; and developing the Adolescent Strategic Plan that charts our work with youth during the next several years with the goal of improving outcomes.
Needless to say, by ensuring that our youth voice is being heard loud and clear on many levels, we are making strides at normalizing their experiences in our service delivery system, and assuring the experiences of youth in the future will be positive. In fact, as a result of their advocacy last year, the youth inspired Wal-Mart Corporation to donate 7,000 wheeled duffle bags for children to use when they enter out-of-home placement. Just as important, their work in this area laid a foundation for major policy changes within DCF that assure positive results for children and youth who will access our services in the future.
Recently I had the pleasure of attending the Youth Advisory Board Summit and Empowerment Seminar where these amazing youth participated in a discussion of other policy and practice issues with myself and other DCF Executive Staff. I expect that this will serve as the model for future meetings that will allow an invaluable opportunity for youth and DCF staff to engage in quality face-to-face conversations about ways we can improve the lives of the youth we serve. Earlier that same day, in partnership with the Verizon Foundation, we also hosted a Digital Awareness and Internet Safety Seminar in an effort to promote safe and responsible use of social networking among their peers.
Another very important example of our efforts to incorporate the youth voice into our work, and in honor of National Foster Care Awareness Month, this May DCF in collaboration with the Youth Advisory Board, will release a YouTube Video produced by a young man who aged out of our foster care system who wishes to stress the importance of keeping youth cases open to assure they are receiving the support and assistance they need as they transition to adulthood. As you can see, the youth voice is not only making a tremendous impact on our daily work here in New Jersey, but also on a national level.
Just this week I had the great pleasure to announce the launch of DCF's new Adolescent Housing Hub – an online reservation system and electronic database of housing options for youth and young adults, providing comprehensive coordination between DCF and our providers of this vital service. With the deployment of the Adolescent Housing Hub, housing programs for youth ages 16 – 21 are now accessible to all DCF-involved youth and youth that are homeless, but non-DCF involved. We believe this pilot program will not only improve services for our youth, but also provide valuable information regarding housing service delivery and utilization.
New Jersey is also leading the way through its robust prevention network. Through our Division of Prevention and Community Partnerships, we are one of the only states in the nation fortunate to have a network of Family Success Centers across the state.
As you know, these centers are neighborhood places where families can go to receive a wide range of support services. What really makes the Family Success Centers special is that parents represent the governing bodies for these centers, determining the unique service needs of their respective communities, and become advocates for their fellow parents. Many engage in the centers' work not only to build strong families, but also to build strong communities. As of January, we had at least one Family Success Center in every county. This movement is another example of innovative efforts to support families in partnership with foundations and other community agencies. We are joined in this important work by the Nicholson Foundation and several United Ways across the state.
I am excited to share that this spring, the federal government will join this partnership as they help bring the Asset Building Initiative to our Family Success Centers. The Asset Building Initiative will be piloted at six FSCs. It is an approach to overcoming poverty that emphasizes the value of enabling individuals and families to learn about sound family budgeting and money management practices, to address financial issues and to plan for long-term success.
I am certain that you would agree that the State's commitment to empowering parents as advocates of not only their communities' needs, but also of their personal economic status is quite progressive and something that was virtually unheard of until now.
Earlier this month, DCF, in partnership with the Department of Health, was notified for a $9.4 million federal grant award that will position New Jersey to become a leader in providing a statewide array of home visitation services – supporting women and their children in their early parenting years, and preventing them from requiring the intervention of the formal child protection system.
Today, New Jersey is also leading the way through its commitment to both "manage by data", and its use of technology. Our "Managing by Data" initiative, also known as the DCF "Fellows" program has gained considerable national attention in the child welfare realm from the federal government, and other states, as well as foundations, for its ground-breaking use of data in a child welfare agency setting. As you may recall, the Fellows program, the first and only program of its kind in the nation, is an eighteen month program in which close to one hundred of DCF's middle management staff learn how to better utilize data to support improved case practice and outcomes for children and families.
This winter we were joined by representatives from several states, national foundations, and federal agencies as we marked the 12 month milestone of this initiative during which time our Fellows presented the early results of their data investigations – helping to model the use of data in policy and practice across DCF.
Due to the success of this program, New Jersey has already been invited to participate in a number of national conferences and the Children's Bureau has a strong interest in New Jersey continuing our work in this area and doing more to transfer this knowledge to other states. In fact, on May 2, DCF Fellows will be showcasing the Department's emerging quality improvement efforts, using both quantitative and qualitative data, on the ground, on the front lines, and throughout the organization, in a special Webinar hosted by the National Child Welfare Workforce Institute (NCWWI).
This is a pivotal and exciting time for New Jersey. Our role with families and communities are more robust than ever before. The voice of youth, parents and families are an integral part of every aspect of our work. And it is the addition of those voices which will help us achieve the successes necessary for the women and families who will be impacted by the proposed realignment of social services.
With the proposed realignment of social services to DCF, the Department's role will expand, and appropriately so. It is a natural next step toward building a more family-centered system of care able to treat the whole child and the whole family – together – in one place – and not as separate pieces of a whole.
In terms of the Division of Women services currently under the Department of Community Affairs absolutely nothing will change. There will be no reduction in funding, services, personnel, or scope. The full funding for the Division on Women's programs currently within DCA's budget will be completely transferred over to DCF's FY'13 budget.
There will, however, be a benefit to the women served. The move will help augment the domestic violence services already provided by our Department, strengthen our ability to support an at risk group of children and women-and improve our focus to better serve families where child abuse and domestic violence co-occur.
By integrating the domestic violence, sexual assault, and displaced homemaker services currently administered by DCA into our robust support network, we will be able to work closely with service providers and advocates in a more proactive and cohesive manner and improve the coordination of services to better inform, educate and deliver services.
Women will be served in a more comprehensive and holistic manner and will begin to realize better and more natural access to the wide array of support services DCF already offers-through one umbrella agency.
I think it's important to note that two of the State's leading women's advocacy groups, the Coalition for Battered Women and the NJ Coalition Against Sexual Assault are both very much in support of the DOW transition to DCF.
The benefits of the realignment of children and youth services from DHS, will also allow DCF- through an expanded and integrated system of care to better support children and youth with behavioral health challenges, developmental disabilities, those needing addiction services, and those with co-occurring disorders through a single point of entry. Families we serve will be able to access a more comprehensive array of services and navigate through a seamless system of care, finally ending fragmentation and obstacles to accessing much needed services.
In closing, I am confident – and hope that you are as well – that the proposed realignment of social services will strengthen DCF's ability to meet the needs of the children, youth, women and families of New Jersey.
Thank you for your time and consideration.


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Originally Posted by redzone86
I was screaming that same thing.......... Why would we run at 3 and 19 when you have 19 yards to go and eveyone one the other team is after you.... Does Arians think we can run those yards when we almost haven't ran that the whole game
Welcome to the site, and I agree with you and have no idea what kind of a call that was
The play calling the entire 2nd half was questionable but that last series was the icing on the cake
Originally Posted by SteelerSteve
I didn't get to watch the game, what the hell happened??
"Like a midget at a urinal, I knew I had to be on my toes." - Lt. Frank Drevin
Originally Posted by Friday133
The offensive line was the reason this game was lost today. Sean Mahan specifically.
He was definitely the EZ Pass lane!
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Headley returns to Petco to receive awards
SAN DIEGO -- Chase Headley is spending more time in Lake Elsinore than anywhere else these days, but on Saturday, he took a slight detour from his Minor League rehab assignment to be front and center at Petco Park.
The Padres third baseman was the man of the hour during an extensive pregame ceremony, during which he was recognized for a pile of awards he collected for his performance in 2012.
Headley received his GIBBY (Greatness In Baseball Yearly) Award, presented by MLB.com, as the Breakout Hitter of 2012. He also received his National League Rawlings Gold Glove Award for fielding excellence, and his NL Louisville Silver Slugger Award for his performance at the plate.
To top it off, it was Chase Headley Bobblehead Day at Petco Park, giving the Friars star four very good reasons to make sure he was with his team in between Minor League rehab games for the club's Class A team in nearby Lake Elsinore.
"This is a special night for me," Headley said. "As much as I want to get back on the field, I think it would be inappropriate to not be here for this and recognize the fact that I am extremely honored. I want to be able to share it with the fans and with my teammates and coaches. I'm glad to be able to do it."
The timing worked out well. Headley, who is working toward a return after suffering a fractured thumb during Spring Training, played Friday in Lake Elsinore, going 1-for-3 with a double as the designated hitter. He will play there again on Sunday, this time adding defensive work in as he continues to work on his timing at the plate.
Saturday was slated to be a day of rest, giving him clearance to soak in a little pomp and circumstance at Petco.
"I've never been a guy that's been focused on awards by any means, but having said that, when you look at the players that you're playing against every day, and the amount of respect that I have for them -- not only all of the players that play in the big leagues, but especially the players at third base -- they're tremendous players," Headley said. "To be recognized amongst them, I think you have to stop and at least acknowledge that fact and realize how lucky, how humble and how fortunate I am to have won them. It's a great accomplishment."
The 28-year-old finished fifth in voting for the NL Most Valuable Player Award in 2012 after setting career highs in several offensive categories, including hits (173), home runs (31), RBIs (115), runs scored (95), walks (86), on-base percentage (.376), slugging percentage (.498) and OPS (.875).
His RBI total was tops in the NL and third highest in the big leagues. He is the second player in Padres history to lead the league in RBIs, joining Hall of Famer Dave Winfield, who did so in 1979 with 118.
Headley hit .267 with five homers and 42 RBIs in the first half, but exploded after the All-Star break, becoming one of the league's top hitters with a .308 average, 23 homers and 73 RBIs. He was named NL Player of the Month in both August and September.
"I'm really, really proud of the fact that he applied some changes that he and [hitting coach] Phil [Plantier] worked on early in April and May," manager Bud Black said. "They all sort of came together early June, late July. His mindset changed a little bit from a guy who was thinking more line drives, sort of tailoring his swing to the park and not to who he is as a hitter.
"I think that's one of the main things -- the mindset shift from a guy that wanted to hit for a higher average, wanted to keep the ball on a lower trajectory, to a guy that says, 'Hey, I can hit homers. I can be more aggressive early in the count.' He shifted a little bit of his hitting style, and to do it in mid-stream is pretty impressive."
Having hit a lot of home runs in the Minor Leagues, Headley was amenable to figuring out how to get back to what worked for him before he started playing at pitcher-friendly Petco.
"This is a big ballpark and it was even bigger before this," he said, referring to the fences being recently reconfigured. "We really stressed working on hitting line drives and hitting the ball the other way. I worked so hard on doing that that I almost lost some of the areas that helped me get here, areas that frankly were my strength coming up. I knew it was in there."
Before 2012, Headley, who is about to begin his seventh Major League season, drove in no more than 64 runs, a high he reached in 2009. Nearly doubling that number last season merited strong consideration for the GIBBY Breakout Hitter of the Year, and it came as no surprise that voters targeted him as the winner.
The GIBBYs, which have been handed out by MLB.com to A-list ballplayers for 11 years, honors the greatest players, moments, managers and feats of a season. The panel of voters is expansive, involving media, front-office personnel, Major League alumni, fans who log on to MLB.com and experts from the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR).
The GIBBYs are unique in that they recognize greatness from both the regular season and the playoffs, whereas other official Major League awards that are handed out are for top performances in the regular season only. GIBBY voting begins in early November and the winners are announced about a month later, at the Winter Meetings.
Add to that the Rawlings Gold Glove Awards and Louisville Silver Slugger Awards, which are voted on by the league's managers and coaches, and it's obvious Headley has the respect of just about everyone paying attention throughout a Major League season.
"One of the most special things for me was how the coaches and the other players responded how happy they were for me," Headley said. "They're a huge part of it. [Plantier] and [third-base coach] Glenn Hoffman, how many hours did he spend with me on the backfields at Peoria? In a way it's an award for them as well, and I'm glad to be able to share that with them."


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The Community and the Social Worker
F.E. Peacock Publishers, 2001 - 389 pagine
This text is intended to contribute to an understanding of human behavior in the social environment by providing social work students with an introduction to American communities. The primary focus is on local communities of place. Attention is also given to the communities of interest and identification that are intertwined with geographic communities. Ecological systems and social systems perspectives serve as conceptual and practical frameworks for examining the multiple communities in which people have membership, social identity, and social interaction. This edition begins with an exposition of the societal context of communities. American society is recognized as part of a global community and then examined as a social system, a community of communities, a multicultural society, and a civil society. The book emphasizes the way that discrimination, economic deprivation, and oppression affect populations at risk and demonstrates the role communities play in the pursuit of individual and collective social and economic justice.
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24 January 2012 at 6.14pm | 26 Comments
Dame Monica Mason announced this afternoon that Principal Sergei Polunin has resigned from The Royal Ballet with immediate effect.
Born in the Ukraine, Sergei joined The Royal Ballet in 2007 from The Royal Ballet School. He rose rapidly through the ranks and was promoted to Principal at the end of the 2009/10 season aged just 19.
Speaking about the announcement, Monica Mason said:
"This has obviously come as a huge shock, Sergei is a wonderful dancer and I have enjoyed watching him tremendously, both on stage and in the studio, over the past few years. I wish him every success in the future."
You can watch videos featuring Sergei and Royal Ballet Principals including Rupert Pennefather, Sarah Lamb and Lauren Cuthbertson on our YouTube channel.


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Modeling Indoor Air Pollution
Darrell W. Pepper
Emission of pollutants and their accumulation due to poor ventilation and air exchange are serious problems currently under investigation by many researchers. Of particular concern are issues involving air quality within buildings. Toxic fumes and airborne diseases are known to produce undesirable odors, eye and nose irritations, sickness, and occasionally death. Other products such as tobacco smoke and carbon monoxide can also have serious health effects on people exposed to a poorly ventilated environment studies indicate that indirect or passive smoking can also lead to lung cancer. Design for prevention or remediation of indoor air pollution requires expertise in optimizing geometrical configurations knowledge of HVAC systems, perceived or expected contaminants and source locations and economics. Much of the design concept involves ways in which to optimize the benefits or balance the advantages and disadvantages of various configurations and equipment. The fact that a room or building will conceivably become contaminated is generally an accepted fact to what extent indoor air pollution will become critical is not really known until it happens. A series of numerical models that run in MATLAB are described in the text and placed on the Web. These models include the finite difference method, finite volume method, finite element method, the boundary element method, particle-in-cell, meshless methods, and lagrangian particle transport. In addition, all example problems can be run using COMSOL, a commercial finite-element-based computer code with a great deal of flexibility and application. By accessing AutoCad ICES or DWG file structures, COMSOL permits a building floor plan to be captured and the interior walls discretized into elements. Contents: Fluid Flow Fundamentals Contaminant Sources Assessment Criteria Simple Modeling Techniques Dynamics of Particles, Gases and Vapors Numerical Modeling Conventional Techniques Numerical Modeling Advanced Techniques Turbulence Modeling Homeland Security Issues.


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