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Eligibility & price
Creative Cloud for teams plan is available only to customers who are over the age of 13 at the time of purchase. The regular price for Creative Cloud for teams is €69.99/month per seat (excl. VAT). All seats purchased by 30 May, 2014 are eligible for the introductory price of €39.99/month per seat(excl. VAT)and the 2 year price guarantee promotion. This promotion is only applicable if you have previously purchased CS3 or above and if you have not claimed another introductory offer or promotion previously.
Each month during your one year term, we will collect payment of the fees stated above based on your team size. As soon as you've successfully completed this sign-up process and your payment is confirmed, your team membership will begin and you will be able to invite members to your team. You can purchase additional seats for your team during the one-year term for the fee stated above. These additional seats will co-terminate at the end of your one-year term.
After the first 12 months, we will automatically renew your contract. At your first annual renewal, the seats added during promotional window will renew at the introductory price of €39.99/month per seat (excl. VAT) for a second year. Subsequent annual renewals and renewals for seats purchased outside the promotional window will be billed at the then-current regular subscription plan price. We will always notify you prior to billing for your renewal.
We'd hate to see you go, but if you cancel or remove seats from your team within the first 30 days starting from your contract date, we'll give you a full refund. Otherwise, you'll be billed 50% of your remaining contract obligation for the cancellation or removal of seats. If you ever need to cancel, just call Customer Support.


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Grosse Pointe Husband Allegedly Caught on Tape Ordering Hit
Investigators say they have evidence of Bashara's attempting a hit on handyman.
June 27, 2012 -- Investigators say they have video and audio of Bob Bashara attempting a hit on his former handyman, Joe Gentz, who confessed to killing Bashara's wife, Jane.
An informant worked with police in a sting operation and Bashara, 54, allegedly paid $2,000 for the hit, even signing a receipt, sources told ABC News.
But Bashara's attorney said his client was framed. "We think we have figured out who that person is who set him up," David Griem said.
Meanwhile, Rachel Gillett, who says she was once Bashara's mistress, has gone into hiding. Gillett's attorney, Doraid Elder, said her client is "very afraid" and worried that she might be Bashara's next alleged target after his arrest.
"She was happy that he was in jail but mortified when she found out why he was in jail," Elder said.
It all began in January when Jane Bashara, a marketing executive, was found strangled in the backseat of her Mercedes in a Detroit alley, hours after her husband reported her missing.
Attention quickly turned to Bob Bashara, who repeatedly broke down in tears and denied any involvement in his wife's death.
"I'm frightened about this. To know that I could spend the rest of my life in jail for a crime I didn't commit is a very scary thing," Bashara told ABC News in an interview after his wife's murder. "We had a good relationship. We cared for each other."
Gentz told police Bashara offered him money and then forced him at gunpoint to kill his wife in the garage of their home, an accusation he denies.
"I don't own a firearm," Bashara said. "I absolutely had nothing to do with this. That is a sick assessment on his part. It just shows how deranged he is."
Gentz turned himself in to authorities shortly after the discovery of Jane's body.
Bob Bashara failed a police-administered polygraph test, but passed one arranged by his attorney. He has also been accused of having a mistress and was linked to a secret S&M club located beneath his bar.

subset: commoncrawl


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2010 Golden Globes Trend: Artsy Dresses 2010-01-17 22:00:22
2010 Golden Globe Awards Trend: Alluringly Artsy
2010 Golden Globe Awards Trend: Alluringly Artsy
The 2010 Golden Globe Awards delivered major red carpet goodies. Long, short, poufy, fitted — we saw it all. One major trend we noticed was art-inspired gowns. An architectural bodice here, a swirly design there, a high-rise collar, some insane ruffles, you get the gist. Kate Hudson, Diane Kruger, and Zoe Saldana were just some of the ladies who put their best art forward. Enter to see more.


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Please bring a laptop computer to class. By using Linux on your own computer you can more quickly incorporate what you learn into your own research. Before the first class, please…
You will need to bring either a MAC laptop or a laptop running Windows 10 (build 1607+) or a linux laptop. We will no longer be supporting PC laptops running Windows versions less than 10. If you don't have a Mac, Windows10, or linux laptop, please contact Erin Nishimura. We have Mac OS laptops you can borrow for part or all of the course, available for use during the class time. You will still need to make your own arrangements to perform Assignments outside of class in some other way.
What is a linux terminal? It should look something like this:
Here are the options for accessing a a linux terminal on different systems. Again, please verify you can access your terminal before class:
Lucky you! Your MAC runs on a Linux-like operating system. All you need to get running is to familiarize yourself with the Terminal application.
If you are running 64-bit version of Windows 10 Anniversary Update or later (build 1607+), you can install Linux on top of the Windows operating system. Please read Install the Linux Subsystem on Windows 10 to install the system.
If you have a laptop that is running a Linux distro natively, you are all set to go. To access the terminal, search the DASH for Terminal. Click on the Terminal icon to open the application.
If you can't access a Linux terminal, please contact Erin Nishimura prior to class.
You will need…
Everyone will need to install a text editor for writing and modifying plain text files.
We will use an interactive ftp client to transfer and edit files on remote servers. We recommend FileZilla . To download and install, follow these steps:
Summit is a high performance computing cluster (a.k.a. supercomputer) that is housed at the University of Colorado Boulder and available for us to use. Please request access to Summit by following Step 1 and Step 2 under HPC Summit: Get Started.


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The industry's two largest network vendors will be dueling on wireless with competing wares on display at the Mobile World Congress in Spain next week.
Juniper Networks will demonstrate some fruits of its Project Falcon mobile push announced in late 2009, while Cisco will burn its brand on a 4G LTE gateway obtained from its $2.9bn purchase of Starent Networks made around that same time.
The ever-increasing use of wireless devices to access the web is expected make the mobile market kit a major cash cow, resulting in a furious jostle for products that offer rich 4G multimedia services.
Project Falcon, an answer to Cisco's Starent deal, is an initiative to develop products for the mobile packet core and subscriber management of 4G networks. Juniper plans its MX 3D "universal edge" family of routers and line cards to carry any type of service.
Juniper will demonstrate three new capabilities at the Barcelona, Spain, event - the first tangible results from its Falconry.
The first offering, Juniper Traffic Direct, will let the MX 3D Universal Edge router family offload mobile data traffic to the Internet or landline to help providers reduce network congestion and minimize the impact of newfangled mobile toys. Juniper said the solution is expected to be available in the second quarter of 2010.
Next is Juniper Media Flow, a content delivery network feature for managing adapted bit streaming for video and rich media across mobile and fixed networks. The technology, also expected for Q2, arrives from a partnership with Ankeena Networks that Juniper announced back in October. Media Flow will first debut in the form of a separate appliance, but later become a feature for Juniper's router chassis.
Juniper's final product is Mobile Core Evolution, a mobile packet core system that supports 3G and 4G services on the same network. Available as beta in the fourth quarter, Mobile Core Evolution will be based on MX 3D and Junos software, and hopes to attract a sizable crowd of third-party devs and carriers building their own applications for product.
Cisco, meanwhile, will show off the first product to come from its Starent buy, the ASR 5000. Or as it was formerly known, the Starent ST40 mobile core chassis.
The company's big push for the rebranded box is its existing ability to handle 2G, 3G and 4G traffic. But it also will now incorporate the Cisco Unified Reporting System, which gives administrators the ability to collect real-time information about what the network and subscribers are up to. Cisco also intends to integrate more elements into the platform over time. ®


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|Luxury Jaypee Palace hotel & Convention Centre Agra
Popularly known as the romantic city of love, Agra embodies the elegance of loving your beloved wholeheartedly. It would not be wrong to quote that the travel and tourism industry of the city is on its zenith thus alluring scores of tourist every year who visit this city in order to witness the incredible beauty and architectural grandeur of Taj Mahal. Moreover, in order to channelized the crowd the renowned Jaypee Group has constructed one of the luxurious and regal Jaypee hotel in Agra commonly known as Jaypee Palace Hotel & Convention Centre.
This contemporary landmark is a beautiful concoction of morphological blend of red sandstone and marble that catches every visitor's eye within a click. Spread over an unbounded 25 acres of elegantly landscaped luxuriant greenery, staying in this magical creation of Jaypee is definitely a delightful experience. Sprinkled with enormous water bodies and endless walkways, this architectural grandeur impeccably blends Mughal and Contemporary architecture with ultra modern amenities. This deluxe hotel with its exceptional hospitality fulfills all the expectations of those who seek luxury at their best. Not just this, this magical creation gives you way to the luxurious rooms and lavish suites, its impressive interiors along the way to set the tone for a majestic way.


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* We will never post without your permission
At Meldon Law, we are dedicated to use our experience, resources, and time to fight for Justice for victims of accidents and the rights of individuals charged with DUI and other criminal offenses.
Most Florida accident victims and those arrested for DUI want their questions answered and their options explained to them with respect, understanding, and in terms they can understand. My dedicated and innovative team of experienced accident attorneys and criminal defense attorneys and I, Jeffrey Meldon, do just that. In addition, we add the personal attention that any individual who has been seriously injured deserves. Feel free to contact us and find out how we can help you regain your peace of mind and get you started on the right track towards justice and recovery.
At Meldon Law, our car accident lawyers have helped many injured victims in and around Ocala and we can help you recover for your injuries. If you would like to discuss your car accident, please do not hesitate to contact our skilled legal team today. At Meldon Law in Ocala, our personalized and committed approach to every case helps us best represent the rights and interests of our injured car accident clients. We understand how significantly your injury can affect your life and know that the last thing you need is added stress from your financial losses or legal case. Our car accident attorneys will handle every step of your claim so that you can focus on your physical and emotional well-being.
The experienced personal injury lawyers at Meldon Law in Ocala are committed to helping victims of accidental injuries recover for their losses whenever they can. If you would like to learn about your legal rights following a personal injury, please call our office today to discuss your specific situation with an experienced member of our legal team.
The attorneys at Meldon Law know that you have many different options when it comes to hiring an attorney to defend against your DUI charges. For this reason, we always strive to stand out from the rest by providing the highest quality of defense representation possible. It is important to realize that not every criminal defense lawyer is familiar with DUI defense, so you should always seek assistance from a lawyer who has specific experience handling DUI cases. Our team of attorneys have six decades of combined experience defending against DUI charges in and around Ocala and you can count on us to dedicate all necessary resources to helping you.
Meldon Law
121 NW 3rd St
Ocala, FL 34475
Phone: (352) 897-2031
Fax: (352) 373-8400
Toll Free: (888) 458-1482
Email: email@example.com


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The Pioneer Homes Payment Assistance program is available to residents who have applied for a Medicaid Waiver or any other program and have been denied and unable to pay the monthly fees to live in the Pioneer Homes.
For answers to questions regarding this program and other Alaska Division of
Pioneer Homes programs please call: (907) 465-4416
For information and questions regarding costs and billings please call our
toll free number, if calling from an Alaskan telephone number: 1(888) 355-3117
Division of Alaska Pioneer Homes
P.O. Box 1106090
Juneau, AK 99811-0690
Phone (907) 465-4416
Fax (907) 465-4108


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SAN DIEGO (AP) Chase Tapley scored 23 points, going 6 of 8 from behind the 3-point line, to lead five players in double figures and No. 17 San Diego State beat future conference rival UC Santa Barbara 84-70 on Thursday night, their seventh straight win.
Jamaal Franklin added 14 points, JJ O'Brien 12, Xavier Thames 11 and James Rahon 10 for the Aztecs (7-1), who join the Big West next season. It was their eighth straight victory over the Gauchos (3-5).
San Diego State hasn't lost since a 13-point defeat to No. 4 Syracuse in the season opener on the USS Midway.
The Aztecs made 11 of 17 3-pointers, a season-high 64.7 percent.
UCSB's Kyle Boswell made 7 of 10 3-pointers for a career-high 23 points. Alan Williams had 18 and Taran Brown 16 before they each fouled out late in the game.
The Gauchos' only lead was 5-4 after Brown made a 3-pointer 2 1/2 minutes in.
San Diego State then took control with a 14-0 run. JJ O'Brien scored six points and Tapley and Thames each hit a 3-pointer.
San Diego State led 46-29 at halftime. Tapley, Thames and Rahon all made two 3-pointers in the first half.
The Aztecs have won 27 straight games against teams from California.


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Photographer Adrian Fisk traveled 2,700 kilometers across China and India to discover that most young people are, in essence, exactly the same.
While living in India, Fisk realized he knew nothing about young people in the nearby country of China, and neither did anyone else in India. Fisk dug deeper into the subject and came across the staggering fact that there are 1.2 billion people under the age of 30 years old in China and India.
"I wanted to find out what these young people thought," said Fisk, 41, who is currently in London. "If I found out what was in these people's minds, I figured I would get an idea of where our world is headed at this pivotal time."
Fisk wanted his project to be a voice for these young people that the rest of the world knew little about.
He started his photo project "iSpeak" in China in 2008. The project consists of portraits of Chinese men and women between the ages of 16 and 30 in their natural environments. Each would hold up a white sign on which they would write a message expressing their worldviews or desires.
In 2010, Fisk expanded the iSpeak project to India. In the meantime, the project went viral back in China as blogs and major media outlets started discussing its significance.
The United Nations Population Fund is now supporting the project, which will be called iSpeak Global. Fisk hopes to expand to 25 countries, starting in Africa next.
The 25 countries are all relevant to the 21st century in political, economical and social ways and when the project is completed, the exhibition will go on tour. There are also plans to publish a book with all of the portraits.
Currently, Fisk is in London seeking additional fundraising from companies for the continuation of the project. He has been kind enough to share some images with us, but be sure to check out the full collection at AdrianFisk.com.
As Fisk traveled across China during a 30-day period with a translator in tow, he randomly selected people he saw on the streets, on farms, or seated next to him at a cafe, and asked them to be part of his project.
At first, he said, most of the Chinese would respond, "what would you like me to write?"
"The Chinese struggle with freedom of expression," Fisk said. "I then said, 'No, this is about you.'"
The answer was typically: "China's a great country and I want to be rich." This was an unacceptable answer to Fisk, because all 1.2 billion people would respond that way.
He then probed his subjects asking, "What were you thinking about two hours ago?" "What will you be doing tomorrow?" "What is your relationship with your parents like?"
Sometimes these conversations would last two hours, and once the subject's mind was buzzing, they'd have a truly original thought to write down.
One of the more powerful messages to Fisk was from a 22-year-old software engineering student named Rainbow Su. Su wrote on his card, "I am worrying something. Girls in China is becoming materialistic, without house my girlfriend would not marry me. My parents cannot help me either. So I need to get good job with high payment, that's what I totally want."
"It just goes to show how increasingly materialistic and consumer driven China is," Fisk said.
During his journey, Fisk came across illiterate people who couldn't write for themselves, but still had something to share. He dealt with this challenge by asking those people to hold up blank posters, which made for an "even more powerful political message," Fisk said. Then, Fisk wrote down what they wanted to say for his captions and included them in the project that way.
"Everyone has something to say," Fisk said. "Just because you don't know how to write, doesn't mean you can't take part in the project. ... It's even more important these people, who don't have a voice on any level, participate."
As Fisk finished his project, he reflected on the trust he built with his subjects. He referred to himself as a "strange white bloke" who came up to them, tapped them on their shoulder and asked about their inner most thoughts.
"Whether you're in rural China or New York City, you begin to realize over time looking through these photographs that the essence of humanity remains the same," Fisk said. "We all want a good life, to get ahead, we want love. That's a part of the essence of the project. It is understanding who we are and that we're not so different."


text: Robotic assassination campaigns directed from the Oval Office. Cyber espionage programs launched at the president's behest. Surveillance on an industrial scale. The White House already has an incredible amount of power to monitor and take out individuals around the globe. But a new wave of technologies, just coming online, could give those powers a substantial upgrade. No matter who wins the election on Tuesday, the next president could have an unprecedented ability to monitor and end lives from the Oval Office. The current crop of sensors, munitions, control algorithms, and data storage facilities have helped make the targeted killing of American adversaries an almost routine affair. Nearly 3,000 people have been slain in the past decade by American drones, for instance. The process will only get easier, as these tools of war become more compact, more powerful, and more precise. And they will: Moore's Law applies in the military and intelligence realms almost as much as it does in the commercial sphere. For decades, political scientists have wrung their hands about an "Imperial Presidency," an executive branch with powers far beyond its original, Constitutional limits. This new hardware and software could make the old concerns look more outdated than horses and bayonets, to coin a phrase. Here are seven examples. -- Noah Shachtman Photo: François Proulx/FlickrDrone Autonomy There's a standard response to skeptics of the killer flying robots known as drones that goes something like this: Every time a drone fires its weapon, a human being within a chain of command (of other human beings) made that call. The robot never decides for itself who lives and who dies. All of that is true. It's just that some technical advances, both current and on the horizon, are going to make it less true. On one end of the spectrum is the Switchblade, AeroVironment's mashup of drone and missile. Weighing under 6 pounds and transportable in a soldier's backpack, the drone carries a function whereby an operator can pre-program its trajectory using GPS; When it reaches the target, it explodes, without its operator commanding it to. On the other end is the Navy's experimental UCLASS, which by 2019 ought to yield an armed drone with a 62-foot wingspan that can take off and land from an aircraft carrier at the click of a mouse, its flight path selected earlier while Naval aviators go get a snack. The Navy has no plans to let the UCLASS release its weapons except at a human's direction, but its autonomy goes beyond anything the military currently possesses. All of this stands to change drone warfare -- ironically, by changing human behavior. As humans get used to incremental expansions in drone autonomy, they'll expect more functionality to come pre-baked. That might erode the currently-rigid edict that people must conduct the strikes; at a minimum, it will free human operators to focus more of their attention on conducting attacks. The first phase of that challenge has arrived: the Army confirmed this week that a unit in eastern Afghanistan is now using the Switchblade. — Spencer Ackerman Photo: Jared Soares/Wired'City-Sized' Surveillance Predator-class drones are today's spy tools of choice; the military and CIA have hundreds of them keeping watch over Pakistan, Libya, Yemen, Mexico, and elsewhere. But the Predators and the larger Reapers are imperfect eyes in the sky. They rely on cameras that offer, as the military cliche goes, a "soda straw" view of the battlefield -- maybe a square kilometer, depending on how high the drone flies. Tomorrow's sensors, on the other hand, will be able to monitor an area 10 times larger with twice the resolution. The Autonomous Real-time Ground Ubiquitous Surveillance Imaging System ("Argus, for short) is a collection of 92 five-megapixel cameras. In a single day, it collects six petabytes of video — the equivalent of 79.8 years' worth of HD video. Argus and other "Wide Area Airborne Surveillance" systems have their limitations. Right now, the military doesn't have the bandwidth to pull all that video off a drone in real time. Nor it does it have the analysts to watch all the footage; they're barely keeping up with the soda straws. Plus, the camera bundles have had some problems sharing data with some of the military's other spy systems. But interest in the Wide Area Airborne Surveillance systems is growing -- and not just among those looking to spy overseas. The Department of Homeland Security recently put out a call for a camera array that could keep tabs on 10 square kilometers at once, and tested out another WAAS sensor along the border. Meanwhile, Sierra Nevada Corporation, a well-traveled intelligence contractor, is marketing its so-called "Vigilant Stare" sensor (.pdf), which it says will watch "city-sized fields of regard" for domestic "counter-narcotics" and "civil unrest" missions. Keep your eyes peeled. — Noah Shachtman Photo: DarpaMassive Data Storage The idea of the government watching your every move is frightening. But not as frightening as the government recording your every move in digital database that never gets full. This nightmare data storage scenario is closer than you think. A study from the Brookings Institute says that it will soon be within the reach of the government -- and other organizations -- to keep a digital record everything that everyone in the country says or does, and the NSA is clearly on the cutting edge of large-scale data storage. The agency is building a massive $2 billion data center in Utah — due to go live in September of next year — and taking a cue from Google, agency engineers have built a massive database platform specifically designed to juggle massive amounts of information. According to a senior intelligence official cited in Wired's recent feature story on the Utah data center, it will play an important role in new efforts within the agency to break the encryption used by governments, businesses, and individuals to mask their communications. "This is more than just a data center," said the official, who once worked on the Utah project. Another official cited in the story said that several years ago, the agency made an enormous breakthrough in its ability to crack modern encryption methods. But equally important is the agency's ability to rapidly process all the information collected in this and other data centers. In recent years, Google has developed new ways of overseeing petabytes of data -- aka millions of gigabytes -- using tens of thousands of ordinary computer servers. A platform called BigTable, for instance, underpins the index that lets you instantly search the entire web, which now more than 644 million active sites. WIth Accumulo, the NSA has mimicked BigTable's ability to instantly make sense of such enormous amounts of data. The good news is that the NSA's platform is also designed to provide separate security controls from each individual piece of data, but those controls aren't in your hands. They're in the hands of the NSA. — Cade Metz Photo: Peter McCollough/Wired.comTiny Bombs and Missiles Unless you're super strong or don't mind back pain, you can't carry a Hellfire missile. The weapon of choice for drone attacks weighs over 100 pounds, and that's why it takes a 27-foot-long Predator to pack one. But that's all about to change. Raytheon's experimental Small Tactical Munition weighs nearly a tenth of a Hellfire. In May, rival Textron debuted a weapon that loiters in mid-air, BattleHawk, that weighs a mere 5 pounds. Normally, a smaller bomb or missile just means a smaller smoking crater. But as the weapons get smaller, the number of robots that can carry them increases. The U.S. military has under 200 armed Predators and Reapers. It has thousands of smaller, unarmed spy drones like Pumas and Ravens. Those smaller drones get used by smaller units down on the military's food chain, like battalions and companies; if they get armed, then drone strikes can become as routine as artillery barrages. That's heavy. — Spencer Ackerman Photo: Raytheon'Tagging and Tracking' Tech Right before the Taliban executed him for allegedly spying for the Americans in April 2009, 19-year-old Pakistani Habibur Rehman said in a videotaped "confession" that he had been paid to plant tracking devices wrapped in cigarette paper inside Taliban and Al-Qaida safehouses. The devices emitted barely detectable radio signals that allegedly guided U.S. drone strikes. The CIA has never copped to using such trackers, but U.S. Special Operations Command openly touts its relationship with manufacturers of "tagging, tracking and locating devices." One of these firms, Herndon, Virginia-based Blackbird Technologies, has supplied tens of thousands of these trackers as part of a $450 million contract. The company's 2-inch-wide devices hop between satellite, radio frequencies, CDMA and GSM cellular networks to report the locations of whatever they're attached to. If SOCOM has its way, these trackers will only be the start. The command has spent millions developing networks of tiny "unattended ground sensors" that can be scattered across a battlefield and spot targets for decades, if its makers are to be believed. SOCOM is also on the hunt for tiny, plantable audio and video recorders and optical and chemical "taggants" that can mark a person without him knowing it. The idea is for spies like Rehman (if that's what he was) to more accurately track militants ... and get away with it. — David Axe and Noah Shachtman Photo: Lockheed MartinGlobal Strike Take the military's current inventory of Tomahawk cruise missiles, which can scream toward their targets at speeds of more than 500 miles per hour. Not too shabby. But also positively slow compared to a new generation of experimental hypersonic weapons that may soon travel many times that speed -- and which the Pentagon and the Obama administration dreams about one day lobbing at their enemies anywhere on the globe in less than an hour. And don't count on the current president, or perhaps even the next one, on abandoning the project any time soon. It's called "Prompt Global Strike," and the Defense Department has worked for a decade on how to field such radical weapons with a mix of trial and error. Among them include the shorter-range X-51A Waverider, a scramjet-powered cruise missile hurtled at up to six times the speed of sound. Even more radical is Darpa's pizza-shaped glider named the Falcon Hypersonic Technology Vehicle 2, and the Army's pointy-shaped Advanced Hypersonic Weapon — designed to travel at Mach 20 and Mach 8, respectively. If any of these weapons or a variant is ever fielded, they could be used to assassinate a terrorist while on the move or blast a nuclear silo in the opening minutes of a war. Or inadvertently start World War III. While the Waverider is launched from a plane and resembles a cruise missile (albeit one traveling intensely fast), the HTV-2 is launched using an intercontinental ballistic missile before separating and crashing back down to Earth. But as far as Russian and Chinese radars are concerned, the HTV-2 could very well be an ICBM potentially armed with a nuke and headed for Beijing or Moscow. The Pentagon has apparently considered this doomsday scenario, and has walked back the non-nuke ICBM plan -- sort of -- while touting a potential future strike weapon launched at the intermediate range from a submarine. But there's also still plenty of testing to do, and a spotty record of failures for the Waverider and the HTV-2. Meanwhile, the Russians are freaked out enough to have started work on a hypersonic weapon of their own. — Robert Beckhusen Photo: Air ForceSensor Fusion The military can listen in on your phone calls, and can watch you from above. But it doesn't have one thing -- one intelligence-collection platform, as the jargon goes -- that can do both at once. Instead, the various "ints" are collected and processed separately -- and only brought together at the final moment by a team of analysts. It's a gangly, bureaucratic process that often allows prey to slip through the nets of military hunters. The exception to this is the Blue Devil program. It outfits a single Beechcraft King Air A90 turboprop plane with a wide area sensor, a traditional camera, and eavesdropping gear -- all passing information from one to the other. The electronic ear might pick up a phone call, and tell the camera where to point. Or the wide area sensor might see a truck moving, and ask the eavesdropper to take a listen. Flying in Afghanistan since late 2010, the system has been "instrumental in identifying a number of high-value individuals and improvised explosive device emplacements," according to the Air Force, which just handed out another $85 million contract to operate and upgrade the fleet of four Blue Devil planes. There's a second, more ambitious phase of the Blue Devil program, one that involved putting a lot more sensors onto an airship the size of a football field. But that mega-blimp upgrade never made it to the flight-testing phase, owing to a series of bureaucratic, financial and technical hurdles. But the idea of sensor fusion is not going anywhere. And, let's be honest: If one of these surveillance arrays catches you in their web, neither are you. — Noah Shachtman Photo: David Axe


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Blood transfusion is
a medical treatment that replaces blood lost through injury, surgery, or
disease. The blood goes through a tube from a bag to an intravenous (IV)
catheter and into your vein.
You may need a
blood transfusion if you lose too much blood, such as through:
If you have an illness in which your
bone marrow doesn't make enough blood, such as
aplastic anemia, you may need transfusions.
Blood used for
transfusions in the United States is very safe and generally free from disease.
Donated blood is carefully tested. It is very rare to get a disease through a
blood transfusion.
Getting the wrong blood type by accident is the
main risk in a blood transfusion, but it is rare. Getting the wrong blood type
happens in about 1 out of 14,000 transfusions.1
Transfusion with the wrong blood type can cause a severe reaction that may be
life-threatening, but this is very rare.2
Some people bank their own blood a few weeks
before they have surgery. If they need a transfusion during surgery, they can
receive their own banked blood. This reduces the risk of disease and
transfusion reaction from donated blood.
If you have many blood
transfusions, you are more likely to have problems from
immune system reactions. A reaction happens when your
body rejects the new blood and tries to attack parts of it. But tests can help
avoid this. Before you get a blood transfusion, your blood is tested to find
out your blood type. And the blood you will get in the transfusion is tested to
make sure it matches your blood.
You may have a mild allergic
reaction even if you get the correct blood type. Signs of a reaction
A mild reaction can be scary, but it rarely is dangerous
if it's treated quickly.
The most important blood type classification systems are the ABO system and the
Rh system. A, B, AB, and O are the
blood types in the ABO system. Each type of blood in
the ABO system also has a positive or negative
Rh factor. For example, if you have "A+ blood," it
means your blood is type A in the ABO system and your Rh factor is
If you get blood in a transfusion that isn't the right
type, you may have a transfusion reaction. A mild transfusion reaction rarely
is dangerous, but you must get treatment quickly. A severe transfusion reaction
can be deadly.
Blood banks collect blood
from volunteer donors. Before they donate, volunteers must answer questions
about their current health, health history, and any diseases they may have been
exposed to through travel to foreign countries, sexual behavior, or drug use.
Only people who pass this survey are allowed to donate blood.
Donated blood is then carefully tested for certain diseases and to find
out the blood type. If there is any chance that the blood may not be safe to
use, it is thrown away.
Most blood that passes the tests is then
split into its components and sent out for use.
Blood and its
components can be stored or used for only a short time before they must be
thrown away. This is why blood banks are always looking for donors.
Health Tools help you make wise health decisions or take action to improve your health.
Learning about blood transfusions:
Getting treatment:
Ongoing concerns:
are used to treat blood loss or to supply blood components that your body
cannot make for itself.
Blood loss may result from
injury, major surgery, or diseases that destroy
red blood cells or
platelets, two important blood components. If too much
blood is lost (low blood volume), your body cannot maintain a proper blood
pressure, which results in
shock. Blood loss can also reduce the number of
oxygen-carrying red blood cells in the blood, which may prevent enough oxygen
from reaching the rest of the body.
Whole blood is rarely given
to treat blood loss. Instead, you are given the blood component you most need.
If you have lost too many red blood cells or are not making enough of them, you
are given packed red blood cells. If you have low blood volume, you are given
plasma and/or other fluids to maintain blood pressure.
If you have lost a great deal of blood, or if your
clotting factors or platelets are low or abnormal, you
may also need a transfusion of either of these to help control bleeding.
Sometimes you may need replacements of some blood substances if your body does
not make enough of them. For example, you may be given substances to help your
blood clot (clotting factors) if you do not have enough of them
Blood lost during surgery sometimes can be recovered,
cleaned, and returned to you as a transfusion. This greatly reduces the amount
of blood you might otherwise need to receive. Receiving your own blood back is
safer, because there is no chance of a reaction.
One blood
component that affects the blood's ability to clot is platelets. A reduced
number of platelets (thrombocytopenia) or the failure of
platelets to function properly increases the time it takes for bleeding to stop
(increased bleeding time). Transfusion with platelets improves the clotting
time, which reduces the risk of uncontrolled bleeding. This treatment does not cure
the cause of platelet loss.
Anemia is a
decrease in the number of oxygen-carrying red blood cells or a decrease in the
amount of
hemoglobin, the oxygen-carrying substance in the red
blood cells. There are several types of anemia, each with a different cause,
and each is treated differently. Severe anemia may be treated with a
transfusion of packed red blood cells. This temporarily increases the
number of oxygen-carrying red blood cells in circulation and may improve
symptoms, but it does not treat the cause of the anemia.
Almost all of the blood used for blood transfusions is donated by volunteers.
For details on the donation process, see Donating Blood.
The process of blood donation and the handling of donated
blood in the United States is regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration (FDA). The FDA enforces five layers of overlapping safeguards to
protect the blood supply against disease.
If you are going
to have surgery and expect to need a
blood transfusion, you may want to consider donating
or banking your own blood before the surgery (autologous donation).
For more information on this option, see:
Your blood is
typed, or classified, according to the presence or
absence of certain markers (antigens) found on red blood cells and
in the plasma that allow your body to recognize blood as its own. If another
blood type is introduced, your
immune system recognizes it as foreign and attacks it,
resulting in a
transfusion reaction.
The ABO system consists of
A, B, AB, and O blood types. People with type A have
antibodies in the blood against type B. People with
type B have antibodies in the blood against type A. People with AB have no
anti-A or anti-B antibodies. People with type O have both anti-A and anti-B
antibodies. People with type AB blood are called universal recipients, because
they can receive any of the ABO types. People with type O blood are called
universal donors, because their blood can be given to people with any of the
ABO types. Mismatches with the ABO and Rh blood types are responsible for the
most serious, sometimes life-threatening, transfusion reactions.
The Rh system classifies blood as
Rh-positive or Rh-negative, based on the presence or absence of Rh antibodies
in the blood. People with Rh-positive blood can receive Rh-negative blood, but
people with Rh-negative blood will have a transfusion reaction if they receive
Rh-positive blood. Transfusion reactions caused by mismatched Rh blood types
can be serious.
There are over 100 other blood
subtypes. Most have little or no effect on blood transfusions, but a few of
them may be the main causes of mild transfusion reactions. Mild transfusion
reactions are frightening, but they are rarely life-threatening when treated
The risks of
blood transfusions include
transfusion reactions (immune-related reactions),
nonimmune reactions, and infections.
Immune-related reactions
occur when your immune system attacks components of the blood being transfused
or when the blood causes an
allergic reaction. This is called a transfusion reaction.
Most transfusion
reactions occur because of errors made in matching the recipient's blood to the
blood transfused. These administrative errors may occur because of mislabeled
blood samples or misread labels. Much effort is made to prevent these errors;
they occur in about 1 out of 14,000 transfusions.1
Even receiving the correct blood type sometimes results in a mild transfusion
These reactions may be mild or severe. Most mild
reactions are not life-threatening when treated quickly. Even mild reactions,
though, can be frightening. Severe transfusion reactions can be
life-threatening, but this is very rare.2
Mild allergic reactions may involve itching, hives,
wheezing, and fever. Severe reactions may cause
anaphylactic shock.
Doctors will stop a blood transfusion if they think you are having a
reaction. A reaction may turn out to be mild. But at the beginning, it is hard
for doctors to know whether it will be severe.
There are several immune-related transfusion
Fluid overload is a common
type of nonimmune reaction.
Very rarely, a person can develop iron overload after
having many repeated blood transfusions. This condition, sometimes called
hemochromatosis, is often treated with medicine. Too
much iron can have an effect on many organs in the body.
The transmission of viral infections,
such as
hepatitis B or C or
HIV, through blood transfusions has become very rare
because of the safeguards enforced by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
(FDA) on the collection, testing, storage, and use of blood. The risk of
infection from a blood transfusion is higher in less developed countries, where
such testing may not happen and paid donors are used.
It is
possible for blood to be contaminated with bacteria
or parasites. Bacterial contamination can happen during or after donation. Donated blood might have a parasitic infection. Transfusion with blood that has bacteria or parasites can result
in a systemic infection. But this risk is small.
The risk of a bacterial infection in donated blood is small because of the precautions taken in drawing
and handling blood. There is a greater risk of
bacterial infection from transfusions with platelets. Unlike most other blood
components, platelets are stored at room temperature. If any bacteria are
present, they will grow and cause an infection when the platelets are used for
Before you receive a
blood transfusion, your blood is tested to
determine your blood type. Blood or blood components
that are compatible with your
blood type are ordered by the doctor. This blood may
be retested in the hospital laboratory to confirm its type. A sample of your
blood is then mixed with a sample of the blood you will receive to check that
no problems result, such as red blood cell destruction (hemolysis) or clotting.
This process of checking blood types and mixing samples of the two blood
sources is called typing and crossmatching.
Before actually giving
you the transfusion, a doctor or nurse will examine the label on the
package of blood and compare it to your blood type as listed on your medical
record. Only when all agree that this is the correct blood and that you are the
correct recipient will the transfusion begin. Giving you the wrong blood type
can result in a mild to serious
transfusion reaction.
If you have banked
your own blood in preparation for surgery (autologous donation), typing and
crossmatching is not needed. But the doctors and nurses still examine the label
to confirm that it is the blood you donated and that you are the right
recipient. For more information on this option, see:
Sometimes a doctor will recommend that you take
acetaminophen (such as Tylenol),
antihistamines (such as Benadryl), or other medicines
to help prevent mild reactions, like a fever or
hives, from a blood transfusion. Your doctor can treat
more severe reactions as they occur.
To receive the transfusion,
you will have an intravenous (IV) catheter inserted into a vein. A tube
connects the catheter to the bag containing the transfusion, which is placed
higher than your body. The transfusion then flows slowly into your vein. A
doctor or nurse will check you several times during the transfusion to watch
for a transfusion reaction or other problem.
Experts are trying to create artificial blood or blood replacements. Blood replacements being
studied include oxygen-carrying chemicals (such as perfluorocarbon emulsions)
and cell-free
hemoglobin—the portion of the red blood cell that
carries oxygen. There are several advantages to blood replacements.
The blood replacement products being tested still have
problems. For example, blood replacement products can interfere with blood
tests, are more quickly removed from the body, and are less efficient oxygen
Several of these products are being developed. But their
use, after they are approved, will probably be limited to emergencies involving
severe blood loss caused by serious accidents.
The American Cancer Society (ACS) conducts educational
programs and offers many services to people with cancer and to their families.
Staff at the toll-free number have information about services and activities
in local areas and can provide referrals to local ACS divisions.
This Web site has news on what the American Red Cross
is doing in America and around the world. It also has information on disaster
services (for making donations), Red Cross projects, how to volunteer, and
where you can donate time, money, or blood.
The American Red Cross
is one of America's main emergency response groups. It also offers many other
services, such as community services for the needy, support for military
members and their families, and educational programs that promote health and
safety. But the Red Cross is probably best known for its blood drives and
international relief programs.
The American Red Cross is also part
of a worldwide effort that provides care to the victims of war or natural
disasters. This group always aims to prevent and relieve suffering. The Red
Cross is not a government agency. And it relies on donations of time, money,
and blood to do its work.
America's Blood Centers is a network of nonprofit community blood centers in the United States and Canada. The website can help you find a donor center near you. The donor centers are licensed and regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and Health Canada. There are more than 600 donor centers.
This website is sponsored by the Nemours Foundation. It
has a wide range of information about children's health—from allergies and
diseases to normal growth and development (birth to adolescence). This website
offers separate areas for kids, teens, and parents, each providing
age-appropriate information that the child or parent can understand. You can
sign up to get weekly emails about your area of interest.
The U.S. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
(NHLBI) information center offers information and publications about preventing
and treating:
CitationsGoodnough LT, et al. (2003). Transfusion medicine: Looking to the future. Lancet, 361(9352): 161–169.Galel SA, et al. (2009). Transfusion Medicine. In JP Greer et al., eds., Wintrobe's Clinical Hematology, 12th ed., vol. 1, pp. 672–721. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins.Other Works ConsultedDzieczkowski JS, Anderson KC (2008). Transfusion biology and therapy. In AS Fauci et al., eds., Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, 17th ed., vol. 1., pp. 707–713. New York: McGraw-Hill Medical.Galel SA, et al. (2009). Transfusion Medicine. In JP Greer et al., eds., Wintrobe's Clinical Hematology, 12th ed., vol. 1, pp. 672–721. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins.Goodnough LT (2012). Transfusion medicine. In L Goldman, A Shafer, eds., Goldman's Cecil Medicine, 24th ed., pp. 1154–1158. Philadelphia: Saunders.Klein HG (2011). Transfusion medicine. In EG Nabel, ed., ACP Medicine, section 5, chap. 10. Hamilton, ON: BC DeckerMcCullough J (2010). Blood procurement and screening. In K Kaushanksy et al., eds., Williams Hematology, 8th ed., pp. 2279–2286. New York: McGraw-Hill.Murphy M, Vassallo R (2010). Preservation and clinical use of platelets. In K Kaushanksy et al., eds., Williams Hematology, 8th ed., pp. 2301–2315. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Next Section:
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Last Revised:
October 27, 2011
Healthwise Staff
Medical Review:
E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine & Brian Leber, MDCM, FRCPC - Hematology
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text:
The SQLskills SQL Immersion Week is broken down into two primary parts:
Part I: Server-side Performance Tuning delivered by Kimberly L. Tripp – which runs from Monday through Thursday, October 11 through the 15
Part II: Client-side Data Access Best Practices delivered by William R. Vaughn on Friday, October 15.
Monday through Friday the formal lecture will run from 9am until 5pm with breakfast, lunch and snacks included and at 5pm each day we will go into "self-paced laptop lab time" from 5pm until 7pm. During this time we will have more specific project Q&A, self-paced labs (from the course demo databases, course scripts, etc.) and BYOP (Bring Your Own Problem) where you can work on/resolve your own issues in an informal group chat, etc. This extended course time will occur Monday through Thursday with lecture ending at 5pm on Friday. In addition to the intense technical focus, we will offer an opening dessert reception on Sunday evening and on Thursday evening we're going to sample some of Chicago's own with a dinner out!
You'll receive printed materials, a course CD which includes all slides in pdf form as well as all demo scripts and the course demo database, a certificate of completion and a few other special course gifts! All of these things are included in your price.
The course is limited to only 36 people, we'll have wireless internet access in the classroom and cable based access in our hotel rooms and almost all meals are included with the exception of M-W night dinners. Once you arrive at the hotel you'll incur very few additional expenses and the week will be focused on nothing but making your servers scale!!! The hotel has a pool and exercise room and there are tons of great restaurants within walking distance.
For more details, check out SQL Immersion Events on SQLskills.com.
We hope to see you there!


text:
This is a log (on the web of course...making it a blog) of my practices and meet results. This way, I can track my progress and hopefully entertain others with my tales of slowness!
Downtown YMCA, SCM (shallow) With Lunch-Time Masters
Warm Up
300 free
200 IM drill
Main Set
2 x Through
2 x 100 back on 2:00 (laughable for me - it took me 2:15 to finish the first)
3 x 50 fly (left down/right back) on 1:10 (~1:00)
3 x 50 free on 1:10 (~0:50)
50 easy
2 x Through
2 x 175 fast on 3:15 (~2:45)
2 x 50 breast with 3s glide on 1:15 (~0:55 to 1:00)
100 IM on 2:10 (~2:00)
Cool Down
100 easy
I think our coach may have been sleep deprived when he wrote this workout (his wife had their first baby last night. Anyway, anyone who knows me, knows that backstroke is my achilles heel. I have a terrible kick and my backstroke definitely suffers for it. Oh well. It WILL get better.
I haven't looked at this blog in a LONG time. And even though I got back in the water in January, I'm just now feeling motivated enough to start posting to it again. So, without further adieu:
SCY with Lunch-Time Masters at Jamerson YMCA
Warm Up
300 free
200 IM drill
100 anything
Main Set
2 x through:
5 x 50 fr pull @ 1:00
50 fr build @ 1:45
250 fr - every 4th 25 all out @ 4:45
50 easy
2 x through:
4 x 75 fr fast @ 1:20
2 x 50 fr @ 1:20
2 x 75 fr (25 left/25 right/25 swim)
Cool Down
The first half of the workout went pretty well. The 250s hurt a bit, especially that first 25 after the all-out 25s. Plus, I probably held back just a bit on the all-out part.
The 75s fast started off pretty poorly since I was still tired from the 250s and I finished them in ~ 1:10. The second time around, they felt much better and I finished them in ~ 1:00. The one-armed swims are starting to help my significantly weaker left side. My stroke is starting to feel a bit more balanced.
I am almost embarrassed to put this one down, but I may as well record my laziness as well as my motivated practices!
I swam 2200 meters today in 45 minutes.
I swam a 400 free w/u
3 times through without stopping
50 back
150 free
50 2-1-2 fly
150 free
50 breast
150 free.
I certainly didn't set the pool on fire with pace or anything, but I kept my heartrate up with the occasional spikes (induced by back and fly) for 45 minutes.
Despite my lack of swimming lately, my backstroke is feeling stronger and I think I have to up my intervals to 100s!
Apparently, I am acting like a triathlete and have succeeded in making it to the pool twice already this week. And NOW, I'm going to blog about my workout!
I am only about a third of the way through that thread and I am enjoying it.
11:30 to 12:30 at the Röthelheim indoor pool (LCM).
100 free 50 dr/50 swim
100 flutter kick on back
100 fly 50 dr/50 k
100 bk 50 dr/50 k
4x50 free descend on 1:00
Main Set:
Twice through:
50 fly on 1:15 - :49, :55
100 free on 2:00 recovery
50 back on 1:15 - 1:01, :58
100 free on 2:00 recovery
Four times through:
100 50 fl/50 bk on 2:15 - 2:00, 1:58, 2:05, 1:59
100 free on 2:00 - 2:00, 1:55, 1:50, 1:41
200 easy free
Fly felt awful as usual, but toward the end, I started to get the timing down and it felt like I was actually cruising through the water. There was a woman in the lane next to me doing backstroke and beating the tar out of me. There was a guy in the other lane next to me wearing board shorts and giant goggles who I couldn't keep up with even when I was trying to push myself! Oh well.
11:30 to 12:30 at the Röthelheimbad pool (LCM) with a 20 minute walk each way to get there and back.
600 fr - 100 swim/50 drill
Main Set:
4 x 50 fr build 1:00
6 x 100 fr desc by 2s 2:00
4 x 50 fr build - 6 beat K 1:00
2 x 50 fr all out 1:00
1:00 Break - 1700
100 50 fl/50 bk 2:30
100 50 bk/50 br 2:30
100 50 br/50 fl 2:30
200 ez
It is time to quit whining about how it is not as convenient to swim here as it was back in Lynchburg. If I want to keep improving, I just have to do it. It has been 13 days since I last dove in and I felt it today. I worked more on 'feeling' the water with a good catch and accelerating my body with each pull than I did about times. I made all my intervals, but I certainly wasn't lighting up the pool with speed!
After one week of sloth, I drug my sorry rear end to the pool again! I did play soccer for two hours yesterday and walked quite a bit over the weekend, but neither is a substitute for some quality laps!
11:30 - 12:15 at the Schimmenhalle in Roethelheim (Erlangen) solo.
600 free - alternate 100 swim/50 drill
Main Set:
4x50 free build on 1:00
6x100 free on 2:00 - descend by 2s - 1:55, 1:50, then 1:45 for each step
4x50 free build with strong 6 beat kick - went :43s for these
2x50 with everything I had - went :39, :40
200 alternate 50 back/50 free
It was not such a creative workout, and it was only 1900 meters, but at least I got in the pool. Now I have to find a team so that I can get back in the swing of practicing!
12:00 to 13:00 at Röthelheimbad mit Hannah-Stockbauer-Halle (in Erlangen, Germany) (LCM) on my own.
600 free - alternate 100 swim/50 drill
Main Set:
4 x 50 fr build on 1:00 - :55s
6 x 100 fr desc by 2s on 2:00 - 1:57, 1:54, 1:52, 1:52, 1:48, 1:47
4 x 50 fr build - 6 beat K on 1:00
2 x 50 fr all out on 1:00 - :47, :44
1:00 Break2 x 100 50 fl/50 bk on 2:30
2 x 100 50 bk/50 br on 2:30
2 x 100 50 br/50 fl on 2:30
200 easy free
2500 meters
Notes: This is the practice that I wrote for myself last week and could not finish it. Today, I finished it in a little less than 1 hour. Now I have to start changing it up a bit. And searching for a team to practice with! Backstroke goes on forever in a LC pool! But I can really concentrate for long(er) stretches of time on the things I need to work on.
13:00 to 14:30 at the Swim Center in Röthelheimbad (LCM) on my own.
600 free - alternate 100 free swim/50 free drill
Main Set:
6x100 free on 2:00 - descend by 2s - Went 1:55, 1:55, 1:52, 1:51, 1:47, 1:47
4x50 free on 1:00 - build with strong 6 beat kick - Went :55s
2x50 free all out on 2:00 - Went ~:41s
4x100 on 2:30 in IM order - Wow, backstroke goes on forever and ever. This is about the point at which the young age groupers jumped in next to me and proceeded to lap me in all four strokes!:-(
200 free
2100 meters
I felt stronger in the pool today than on Wednesday, so that's good. But it will take a few weeks to get some endurance back! The one thing I noticed today, is that I can really concentrate on getting a good catch. I worked on trying to feel some acceleration with each catch and pull. It's nice to get into a rhythm.
I'm finally back on line after moving to Nuernberg and taking two weeks away from swimming.
12:30 to 13:30 at Röthelheimbad mit Hannah-Stockbauer-Halle (in Erlangen, Germany) (LCM) on my own.
600 free - alternate 100 swim/50 drill
Main Set:
4x50 free - build on 1:00 (did :55s)
6x100 free - descend by 2s on 2:00 (1:55, 1:55, 1:50, 1:50, 1:47, 1:48)
4x50 free - build on 1:00 with big, six beat kick
2x50 free all out on 2:00 (there wasn't much in the "all out" tank today)
2x100 - 50 fl/50 bk
2x100 - 50 bk/50 br
2100 meters
Got out without a warmdown because my calves cramped. I don't know what happened since I drank a liter and a half of water this morning. Wow, LC workouts are a bear. I never realized how much I was gaining (and resting) on turns! This stuff should do good things for my stroke.
11:00 AM to Noon at the Downtown YMCA (SCM) coached by Jann.
My last practice in the U.S.
400 free - every 4th dolphin breast
4x25 2 kicks/pull breast drill on :40
Main Set:
3x175 free descend on 3:30 - 3:15, 3:00, 2:45
4x50 fast breast on 1:10 - :50, :53, :53, :52
3x150 free descend on 3:00 - 2:50, 2:40, 2:31
4x50 fast breast on 1:10 - :52, :55, :55, :54
3x125 free descend on 2:30 - 2:15, 2:05, 1:50
4x50 fast breast on 1:10 - :54, :54, :54, :54
100 im drill
100 easy back
2550 meters
I am glad I could sneak away from my last day in the office to make my last practice with my team. Breast stroke workouts are difficult in that they hammer my legs. The intervals weren't as fast as I had hoped, but I felt like my stroke was decent. I liked the long descending free intervals as a change.
Hopefully I will find a team to start practicing with soon so that I don't miss that much time in the pool.
I'll talk to you all from the other side of the pond.
11:00 AM to Noon at the Jamerson YMCA (SCY) coached by Jann.
400 free
200 alternate one arm free (breathe to non-stroking side)/free swim
Main Set:
6x75 on 1:15 - I went 1:07s
12x25 fast on :45 - I went mostly :17s and :18s
8x25 fast flutter kick on :45 - I actually made all of these and held right around :35 for them. I was excited to make an entire kick set even though it was an easy one.
300 recovery kick - mix of flutter, breast, and dolphin
12x37.5 free - work turns with no bad habits, i.e., breathing on the last stroke in and/or the first stroke out!
100 easy free
2350 yards
Notes: I had nothing in the tank today. Most likely because I got little sleep over the weekend with two dogs in a hotel for the first time and trying to finish up with preparations for our move to Germany! No excuses though! I hope that nothing comes up and I get to my last practice here in the States on Wednesday. I found an indoor LCM pool with a Masters team in Erlangen (Germany), but arganized practices are only twice per week. Oh well, hopefully I can get in a routine quickly and figure out a way to get to the pool on my own to get some quality work in.
11:00 AM to noon at the Downtown YMCA (SCM) coached by Jann.
400 free
200 IM drill
Main Set (work on great form and don't worry about speed):
Twice through:
1x150 free on 3:00
2x75 stroke on 2:00
2x75 dolphin kick on 2:00
6x50 free on 1:00 (I did odds back :-))
400 free - alternate 100 swim/100 6 kick and roll
2500 meters
I am down to two practices left after today's, so I was kind of sad. These intervals were not hard, but coaches instructions said good form and no speed worries. I tried to get that easy speed feel for backstroke. I felt like I was getting it a couple of times, but I still need to work on my endurance quite a bit. Back requires more kicking for me to keep a strong stroke. I'm just ecstatic that I am actually able to throw in some back from time to time on freestyle intervals!
Updated May 26th, 2009 at 09:26 AM by Iwannafly
11:00 AM to Noon at the Downtown YMCA (SCM) coached by Jann.
450 free - alternate 100 free/50 6 kick and roll
400 im - dr/kick/dr/swim
12x25 build on :40 - 4fl/4bk/4br
Main Set:
12 x 3/4 length sprints on 1:00 - 4 of each stroke (no free)
25 easy free
8x100 free on 2:00 - 50 pull/50 swim - I held 1:35s except for #4 and #5, where I slowed to 1:38s
2x75 free on 1:30
Warm Down:
100 easy free
1950 meters
11:00 AM to Noon at the Jamerson YMCA (SCY), coached by Jann.
200 free
100 catchup
100 free
I alternated 50 free and 50 back for the warmup.
4x50 free drill on 1:05 - 25 fisted free/25 free swim
Main Set:
2x100 on 1:45 - I went 1:27 and 1:30
4x75 descend on 1:30 - 1:15, 1:10, 1:07, 1:04
2x100 on 1:45 (faster than first two) - I went 1:25 and 1:27
2x50 fast on 1:00 - I went :40 for both
4x25 with a 'turbo' kick on :25
- Repeat
100s - 1:30, 1:30
75s - 1:15, 1:13, 1:09, 1:05
100s - 1:28, 1:25
50s - :40, :40
And the 25s just plain hurt!!!
175 free
4 walkaround starts - go hard for 1/2 length then easy to the wall - I did two fly, 1 breast, and 1 free, then I threw in an extra backstroke start and got almost all the way to the 15m mark!
2475 yards
The 25s with the big kick hurt! My starts were all pretty good except I feel like I'm not getting great distance off the blocks and I don't seem to get a good arch on my backstroke starts making for a nice smack on entry!
Updated May 20th, 2009 at 07:49 AM by Iwannafly
2:00 to 3:30 PM at the Jamerson YMCA (SCY) with no coach.
400 free
16x25 drill - 4 each IMO on :40 except free drills on :35
3x100 free descending on 1:55
3x100 IM descending on 2:00
Main Set:
3x100 fly on 2:00 - I took at least 4 full strokes off each wall before switching to 1 arm fly
3x100 back on 2:00 - My turns were pretty sketchy and my stroke didn't feel as good as it has the past couple of weeks - I took my normal 4 strokes past the flags and was still a stroke or two short of the wall on a couple of turns.
3x100 breast on 2:00
3x50 fly on 1:00 - Did the first 25 of each with full strokes
3x50 back on 1:00
3x50 breast on 1:00
50 free easy
100 free - all out - could only manage a 1:20:-(
100 free
3000 yards
Updated May 20th, 2009 at 07:46 AM by Iwannafly
11:00 AM to Noon at the Downtown YMCA (SCM) coached by Jann.
400 free - every 4th length drill IM order
8x50 drill (2 each IMO) on 1:10 - 2/1/2 fly, 6 kk and roll back, 2br/2 fly on breathing on the fly breast, 6 kick and roll free
8 mid pool 25s on :40 quality (great walls and breakouts) IMO turns as follows
2 fly/fly
2 fly/back
2 br/br
2 br/fr
Discuss areas for improvement and repeat.
Main Set:
3x150 IM all out (without the free) on 4:00 - Ouch!!! Isn't there a law that says anything over 75 isn't really a sprint? Fort, I'm looking for some backup here!
100 easy
1750 meters
11:00AM to noon at the Downtown YMCA (SCM) coached by Jann.
400 free - every 4th, fingertip drag wrist flip free drill
Main Set:
Twice through:
200 free on 4:00 - negative split (I went 3:30 for both)
2x100 kick on 2:10 - I just can't make these. My kick has gotten worse because I have slacked off on my ankle flexibility stretches!:-(
4x75 free on 1:30
12x25 free on :25
2x50 free on 1:10
150 free on 3:00
Warm down:
150 easy free
2900 meters
Notes: I made all the 25s this time, although the last 4 each time through were touch and go! The kicks were difficult for me as usual, but the rest of the workout felt pretty good.
A teammate informed me that I should let my regular readers know that he caught me walking on one of the kick intervals! Yes, I walked like the walk of shame!
Updated May 14th, 2009 at 08:28 AM by Iwannafly
(Shame and guilt)
11:00 AM to Noon at the Jamerson YMCA (SCY) coached by Elisa "This is My Last Practice" Morton!
300 free
100 scull
8x50 on 1:00 - 12.5 shoulder tap drill/12.5 swim/12.5 shoulder tap/12.5 swim
100 kick - 25 easy/25 fast
8x50 free on :50 - descend 1-4 and 5-8
Main Set:
Twice through
8x3/4 free fast on :40 - work a big kick and good breakouts
100 all out free on 2:15 - I went 1:14 high and 1:15 high
100 easy free on 2:00
16x25 on :25 - try to relax and stay long - coach tried to get me to fix my left arm pull - she says it's too wide - I will have trouble with my wife as my coach even though I know she knows what she's talking about - we just communicate differently when I'm in the pool
100 easy - 50 free/50 back
2500 yards
Notes: My 100 free time keeps slowly dropping in practice. Today's was my fastest yet and it was after we had already done some 3/4 sprints.
So, apparently, I misread the email with this weeks workouts so I repeated the workout I did on Tuesday night. That workout was written for the Animals (the fast lane), but it was also written for SCM. I added about 30 seconds for the 200s, but did their workout in the SCY pool on Tuesday. Without further adieu, here is the same workout, only written for my lane.
11:00 AM to Noon at the Downtown YMCA (SCM) coached by Jann.
400 free - every 4th length br pull with a dolphin kick (work the up kick and getting my hips up)
Main Set:
6x125 free on 2:25 - descend 1-3 and 4-6 - I went 2:10, 2:05, 2:00 and 2:08, 2:02, 1:57
6x50 breast on 1:30 - descend 1-3 and 4-6 - I went 1:08, 1:05, 1:02 and 1:05, 1:00, :56
8x37.5 kick on 1:10 - I did mostly br kick with some flutter kick thrown in
2x150 fast on 3:05 - I went about 2:30 for both
2x75 moderate on 1:40 - my stroke fell apart on these, but I went about 1:15
50 free easy - I did backstroke and got under 20 strokes on the way back!!!
2250 meters
7:00 PM to 8:30 PM at the Jamerson YMCA (SCY) self coached with a modified Priscilla workout.
500 free - every 4th br pull with a dolphin kick
Main Set:
6x150 free on 2:45 - descend 1-3 and 4-6
6x75 on 1:30 - alternate br/fr
1x200 easy free
1x200 free fast on 4:00 - I could only muster a 2:55
1x100 easy free/back
1x100 back fast on 2:00 - I went 1:29:-)
Worked on starts with a young woman in our masters group. She has been swimming for four months now and has a meet in June, but she has been losing her goggles on the starts. I had that trouble a lot, so I tried to help her. She started to get the hang of it. We did about 10 starts and a couple of breakouts.
175 easy free/back
2700 yards
Notes: I mentioned this on Monday, but I am horrible when there's no coach. I'm going to struggle in Europe unless I can find a team with a practice schedule convenient for me. Or if I can convince Elisa to coach me!!! On a brighter note, my breaststroke felt pretty good. It was kind of slow, but it felt good.


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SAN FRANCISCO - October 1, 2012 - People who take statins to reduce their risk of cardiovascular disease are less likely to be diagnosed with the most common form of glaucoma, according to a nationwide study of more than 300,000 patients. A University of Michigan School of Medicine research team, directed by Joshua Stein, MD, MS, found that the risk for glaucoma was reduced by eight percent in patients who took statins continuously for two years, compared with patients who did not take statins. The study, the largest to date on the topic, is published in the October issue of Ophthalmology, the journal of the American Academy of Ophthalmology.
Dr. Stein's study was sparked by growing evidence that statin use may protect the optic nerve and retinal nerve fibers, structures that are essential to good vision and are damaged by glaucoma. His team used healthcare claims data for a diverse population of Americans aged 60 and older who took statins to control high blood levels of unhealthy fats, a condition known as hyperlipidemia, between 2001 and 2009, The researchers assessed patients' risk for open-angle glaucoma (OAG). Unlike earlier studies, their analysis adjusted for patients who also had diabetes and/or hypertension to prevent distortion of the results.
Several of the study's findings suggest that statin use may be most important before glaucoma is diagnosed, or in the early stages of the disease. Dr. Stein's research may lead to new preventive treatments that could especially benefit groups at increased risk, including African-Americans, Hispanics and those with a family history of glaucoma.
Glaucoma affects more than 2.7 million Americans age 40 and older . If untreated, glaucoma causes vision loss or blindness by damaging the eye's optic nerve. The optic nerve sends signals from the retina -- a layer of light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye -- to the brain, where these signals are interpreted as the images we see. Only about half of the people who have glaucoma know it, since symptoms are rarely noticed in the early stages and vision loss is very gradual in most cases.
"Statins' apparent ability to reduce glaucoma risk may be due to several factors, including improved blood flow to the optic nerve and retinal nerve cells and enhanced outflow of the aqueous fluid, which may reduce intraocular pressure," said Dr. Stein. "While more research is needed, we hope our results may contribute to saving the sight of thousands who are predisposed to glaucoma."
Dr. Stein cautioned that the study results apply only to patients with hyperlipidemia, and that further study is needed to determine whether statins also protect patients who don't have this diagnosis or have other characteristics that differ from the study population.
Note to media: Contact Media Relations to request full text of the study and arrange interviews with experts
About the American Academy of Ophthalmology
The American Academy of Ophthalmology is the world's largest association of eye physicians and surgeons -- Eye M.D.s-- with more than 32,000 members worldwide. Eye health care is provided by the three "O's" - ophthalmologists, optometrists, and opticians. It is the ophthalmologist, or Eye M.D., who can treat it all: eye diseases, infections and injuries, and perform eye surgery. For more information, visit www.aao.org The Academy's EyeSmart® public education program works to educate the public about the importance of eye health and to empower them to preserve their healthy vision, by providing the most trusted and medically accurate information about eye diseases, conditions and injuries. Visit www.geteyesmart.org to learn more.
About Ophthalmology
Ophthalmology, the official journal of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, publishes original, peer-reviewed reports of research in ophthalmology, including basic science investigations and clinical studies. Topics include new diagnostic and surgical techniques, treatment methods, instrument updates, the latest drug findings, results of clinical trials, and research findings. Ophthalmology also publishes major reviews of specific topics by acknowledged authorities.
Media Relations
(415) 561-8534


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(written from a Production point of view)
King Abdullah II bin al-Hussein (Arabic: عبدالله الثاني بن الحسين) (born 30 January 1962; age 58) is the king of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. An acknowledged fan of Star Trek, King Abdullah (then a prince) appeared as an uncredited extra in the Star Trek: Voyager second season episode "Investigations". Voyager executive producer Jeri Taylor commented, "Take away the title and the trappings, and at the core you have a Star Trek fan." (Star Trek Monthly issue 16)
Abdullah's cameo was arranged as a surprise for him by his US advisor. The prince – who, at the time of his cameo, was thirty-four years old – enthused, "I would have been thrilled just to visit the set but this is too much." After being put into makeup, given pointed sideburns and then fitted for his uniform (a lieutenant of the sciences division), he rehearsed and shot his scene. (TV Guide, 17-23 Feb., p. 26) He appears in the episode's opening scene as a science officer who speaks with Harry Kim as the scene fades in. He was not given any spoken lines, however, because he was not a member of the Screen Actors Guild (now SAG-AFTRA). After filming his cameo, he was crowded by well-wishers, including Robert Picardo, who secretly presented the delighted guest with an autographed picture of himself in his role of The Doctor. (TV Guide, 17-23 Feb., p. 26) Abdullah subsequently gave a party for the Voyager cast. (Star Trek Monthly issue 16) During his time on the Star Trek: Voyager set, Abdullah also invited Robert Picardo and Neelix actor Ethan Phillips to his own country of Jordan, an offer that Phillips took up during the hiatus between Voyager's second and third seasons. (Star Trek Monthly issue 20)
Abdullah was crowned King of Jordan in 1999. Currently he is the majority local investor of a Star Trek theme park, named Red Sea Astrarium, in the Jordan city Aqaba. The centerpiece of this theme park will be the Star Trek themed space flight adventure created under license from CBS Consumer Products. The park will open for business in 2017. [1]
External links Edit
- KingAbdullah.jo – official site
- Abdullah II of Jordan at Wikipedia


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Join Important Reforestation Work on the Thailand Conservation Project
Thailand Conservation Director, Ingrid Sprake tells us about the great reforestation work our Conservation volunteers are involved in:
"We are delighted to be working in partnership with APE (Association for the Protection of the Environment) and FORRU (Forrest Restoration Research Unit) of the Chiang Mai University on this incredibly important forest restoration project.
The purpose of this project is to develop a system of community based tree nurseries, where we grow key tree species which we then plant with the local people, thus creating a self-sustaining forest ecosystem, with the local community acting as guardians of the forest.
The indigenous trees we plant will create nature corridors, enabling wildlife to cross over the destructive rubber tree and palm oil plantations. We already have a number of birds and insects on the endangered species lists, which we believe we can save by restoring these forests.
We are also working on creating an education center, aiming to attract educational and eco-tourism into the area, which will provide an additional source of income for the village.
The volunteers have been working really hard on this project every Monday, over the last months, in the heat and in the rain, to make this project happen and we are all feeling excited to see the positive affect all this hard work will have in this area."


text:
A ratchet spanner or wrench uses a mechanism which allows an open-ended, flare or ring head to turn a fastener in one direction but not the other while remaining fitted to the fastener head. By turning the spanner over or flicking a lever, it changes the direction of movement.
This piece of equipment is essential to any toolbox as it can tighten and loosen a nut or bolt, and by applying the correct amount of torque to the fastening, it can save time and effort. Some manufacturers choose to etch the arrows of the torque direction near the lever, making it easier for the user to identify the direction to tighten or loosen in.
Combination spanners only have one ratchet head, with a non-ratcheted head on the other end. They combine a 2 in 1 use where the non-ratcheted end can start or finish the fastening and the ratcheted end can do the hard work, giving the benefit of minimal effort for the end user.
Common ratchet spanner head types:
What are ratchet spanners made of?
Most spanners are made with Chrome Vanadium steel which is structurally strong. It's toughness enables it to withstand high fatigue and wear, with the added benefit of being resistant to corrosion and oxidisation, improving the life of the tool.
What size do ratchet spanners come in?
Ratchet spanners are available in a variety of metric and imperial sizes which makes them a flexible tool for any setting that they are required to be used in."


text:
Watson Marlow Pumps Group is the world leader in peristaltic hose pumps and tube pumps. They have over one million hose and tube pumps metering, transferring and dispensing shear sensitive, abrasive and aggressive fluids in every industry such as: biopharmaceutical, chemical, water and waste treatment, food and beverage, print and packaging and ceramics.
Nothing but the hose or tube touches the fluid, eliminating the risk of the pump contaminating the fluid, or the fluid contaminating the pump. Fluid is drawn into a pump, trapped between two shoes (in a Bredel pump) or rollers (in a Watson-Marlow pump), and finally is expelled from the pump. The complete closure of the hose which is squeezed between a shoe and the track gives the pump its positive displacement action, preventing backflow and eliminating the need for check-valves when the pump is not running.


text:
Cat Meow 4 (0:02)
Cat Sound Effect • Click for Preview
This is a sound of Cat Meow 4. This sound effect was recorded in a custom built sound booth using state of the art valve mic pre amps, and high quality condensor microphones. The effect has been tweaked and optimized for use in film, television, radio and computer games, and will give your visuals the realism and authenticity that they deserve!
View the End User License Agreement (EULA) for this Royalty Free Sound Effect.
Uncompressed 48k AIF, 44.1k WAV or MP3 Download; Length: 0:02


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Damian Westly
Damian Westly's Details
Damian Westly's Likes
A person that is real. I like people as they are without need of pretentiousness. I'm very open so I like others to be the same.
My Fantasies
The best sex is the one that is taken by surprise. I enjoy being at a place and before I even suspect it, a hand approaches me and grabs my crouch. I get wildly hard. That's when I really want to bust a nut nice and hard.
My Obsessions & Desires
I love footwork is my paccione
Additional Info
I think sex is one of the most beautiful, natural, and rewarding things money can buy. Blessed are those that can.
My Fetishes
Domination, Exhibitionism, Feet, Legs, Muscle Worship, Nipple Biting, Nipple Play, Slaves, Submission, Teasing
My Sex Toys
Handcuffs, Whip
Role-Playing Scenarios
Bad Cop/Good Cop, Coach/Trainee, Cowboy/Cowgirl, Dirty Talk, Doctor / Nurse, Gender Play, Master / Slave, Student/Teacher
Damian Westly's Awards
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text: Create account From Stamps of the World To protect the wiki against automated account creation, we kindly ask you to answer the question that appears below (more info): What year did the first stamp, the penny black, come out? Username Password Confirm password Email address (optional) Real name (optional) Real name is optional. If you choose to provide it, this will be used for giving you attribution for your work. Stamps of the World is made by people like you. 757,458 edits 21,273 pages 17 recent contributors Retrieved from "http://stampsoftheworld.co.uk/wiki/Special:UserLogin"


text: New for 2016, the 100mm Revolver full suspension is the ultimate XC Race weapon. The stiff, feather-light carbon frame will have you surging up climbs, while racer-approved Gravity Tune geometry ensures the bike and rider are poised and confident on descents. With kinematics optimized for cross-country racing and A.R.T. suspension, the Revolver delivers maximum pedaling efficiency and predictable, stable support when the course gets chunky. The all-new Revolver FS has what it takes to win – you supply the heart.


text:
Question: "Is there such a thing as an ex-Christian?"Recommended Resource:
This is a question for which there is definitely a clear and explicit biblical answer. First John 2:19 declares, "They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us." This Scripture makes it abundantly clear—there is no such thing as an ex-Christian. If a person is truly a Christian, he/she will never depart from the faith "…for if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us…" If a person who claimed to be a Christian denies the faith, he/she was not truly a Christian. "They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us…their going showed that none of them belonged to us." No, there is truly no such thing as an ex-Christian.
It is important to distinguish between a true Christian and an "in name only" Christian. A true Christian is a person who has fully trusted in Jesus Christ alone for salvation. A true Christian is a person who understands what the Bible says about sin, sin's penalty, who Jesus is, what Jesus did for us, and how that provides for the forgiveness of sin. A true Christian is a person who has received Jesus Christ as personal Savior, has been made a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17), and is progressively being transformed into the image of Christ. A true Christian is a person who is kept a Christian by the power of the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:13, 30; 2 Corinthians 1:22). This true Christian can never become an ex-Christian. No one who has truly and fully trusted in Christ as Savior could ever deny Him. No one who truly comprehends the evil of sin, the terror of sin's consequences, the love of Christ, and the grace and mercy of God, could ever turn back from the Christian faith.
There are many in this world who claim to be Christians, but are not. Being a Christian does not mean being an American or having white skin. Being a Christian does not mean recognizing that Jesus was a great teacher or even seeking to follow His teachings. Being a Christian means being a representative of Christ and a follower / servant of Christ. There are people who have had some connection to a "Christian" church and then later renounced that connection. There are people who have "tasted" and "sampled" Jesus Christ, without ever actually receiving Him as Savior. However, there is no such thing as a true ex-Christian. A true Christian will never, and could never, renounce the faith. Any person who claimed to be a Christian, but later rejects the Christian faith, was never truly a Christian.
Is there such a thing as an ex-Christian?
Eternal Security by Charles Stanley
More insights from your Bible study - Get Started with Logos Bible Software for Free!
What should be our response when a Christian leader renounces the faith and falls away?
How can I detect a false conversion?
How can I overcome a crisis of faith?
Why are there so many fake Christians?
Is a backsliding Christian still saved?
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Questions about the Christian Life
Is there such a thing as an ex-Christian?


text:
From Snooze-Button Addict to Morning Person
I have always wanted to be one of those women who jump out of bed and into a pair of running shoes at 7 a.m. What an amazing feeling: to stroll into work after a three-mile jog, a Spinning class, or a series of sun salutations. I wouldn't know.
"Um, really?" my husband asks on Monday night when I tell him I'm going to the gym the next morning at seven. Why the skepticism? He shoots me a knowing look.
7:00 a.m. Alarm blares. Ugh, I should get up.
7:15 a.m. My gym clothes are right there! I laid them out on my chair last night!
7:30 a.m. I should at least get up and do a workout DVD.
7:45 a.m. Too late to work out; might as well cozy up and sleep some more.
8:00 a.m. Now I have to get up or else I'll be late.
Clearly my morning sluggishness is cramping my workout style. But can I change my night-owl ways? Because I've snoozed through the better part of three decades, I'm pretty sure I'm just inherently lazy. But I'm determined to try, so I call in the troops: the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. After I tell them about my mission to get more out of my mornings, they set me up with my very own sleep guru, Colette Haward, MD, a psychiatrist in New York City. At our first meeting, my future as an early riser looks bright. "There's a genetic component to your circadian clock. But for many people, behavioral changes make a big difference," Dr. Haward says. She tells me that it typically takes a few weeks to get on a better sleep schedule. I'm yawning already.
Sizing Up My Zzz's
The first question Dr. Haward asks me is how much I sleep. "A lot! I turn in by midnight and get up around eight. Why is it so difficult to get out of bed every morning?" I complain. She tells me to track when I get into bed, fall asleep, and get up and if I wake during the night for two weeks. "This is the best way to objectively assess whether you have a sleep disorder or just need to change your habits," she explains.
My Bedtime Story
The log is, well, eye-opening. Most nights my head hits the pillow closer to 2 a.m. Seriously? No wonder I'm a zombie in the mornings; the eight hours I thought I was snoozing just turned into six. "Many people think they're getting more or less than they actually are," Dr. Haward says. "Your sleep cycle is pushed back a few hours. It's delayed at night, which causes excessive sleepiness in the morning and during the day."
Another red flag is my weekend wake-up time -- a not-so-respectable 10 or 11 a.m. Sleeping two hours later on Saturday and Sunday throws off my internal clock during the week. "We all have a 24-hour clock that regulates our sleep-wake cycle," Dr. Haward explains. It lives in your brain and enlists a team of hormone helpers to knock you out and wake you up. Cortisol is like your butt-kicking personal trainer who shows up in the morning -- or in my case, around noon -- to rev you up, while melatonin is a mellow meditation instructor who drops in at night -- er, 2 a.m.! -- to help you wind down. It's not news to me that I should get up at the same time every day, but I'm more likely to do it now that I know why I should.
Resetting My Internal Clock
I learn from my snooze sage that to get back on track, I need to stick to a reasonable sleep schedule. But a little research shows me there isn't a one-size-fits-all answer to how much I need each night. When Harvard Medical School scientists monitored hormone levels in people who slept more than nine hours nightly and compared them with those of others who slept less than six, the sleepyheads secreted more melatonin. Translation: Some bodies are hardwired for more sleep, others less. (Hmm.... Something tells me that won't fly as an excuse in the office. "I'm so sorry I missed our 8:00 a.m. meeting, boss, but my circadian clock didn't go off.")
My Bedtime Story
"The best way to determine your individual sleep needs is to let your body guide you during a week of vacation. In other words, don't use an alarm clock," Dr. Haward says. Since I don't have any getaways coming up, she suggests that I start with seven to eight hours a night (the average amount adults need, although some naturally need more) and see how I feel. In an effort to squeeze in a morning run around Brooklyn's nearby Prospect Park, I decide to get up at 7:30, which means lights-out at 11:30 the night before. "Be militant about these times, even on the weekends, when you're used to sleeping in. A regular schedule is crucial," Dr. Haward advises. She warns me that if I'm feeling more tired than usual after a couple of days on the new schedule, chances are I'm still working my way out of debt -- sleep debt, that is. Even though I'll be getting the eight hours I need, it will take a while for those two extra hours a night to have a positive impact on my energy level during the day. Although it won't happen overnight, my new schedule will help me make deposits into my sleep bank account so I'll wake up feeling energetic instead of exhausted.
Creating a Sleep Sanctuary
Once I know when to sleep, we discuss where I sleep. A snooze-friendly bedroom is, you guessed it, dark (light suppresses the secretion of sleep-inducing melatonin) and quiet. It also needs to be cool to allow you to sleep comfortably. "The magic number for a sleep-friendly room is around 69 degrees Fahrenheit," Dr. Haward tells me. Before you sleep, your body temperature drops. As your brain releases melatonin, your body is chilling out -- literally. When the morning approaches, melatonin decreases and you start to wake up.
My Bedtime Story
Dark is easy. I've always wanted one of those "I'm a movie star" sleep masks. Quiet and cool in a New York City apartment are a little trickier, so I check in with Michael Breus, PhD, author of Beauty Sleep: Look Younger, Lose Weight, and Feel Great Through Better Sleep. "Your brain constantly interprets stimuli, even while you sleep," Dr. Breus explains. "A white-noise machine can block any distractions and calm your brain." He suggests Brookstone's Tranquil Moments Sleep Sound Therapy System (brookstone.com, $129.95), with 12 soothing settings. Now for the tough part: the variable temperature in my apartment. Like many city dwellers, I live in a building where I can't regulate my heat, so I never know if it will be sweltering or subzero. Surprisingly Dr. Breus recommends a wool blanket as a remedy. "Wool is a fantastic insulator but also good for wicking away moisture and keeping you cool," he explains. I order a queen-size Natura Classic All Season Comforter ($223.20, naturaworld.com). Dark? Check. Quiet? Done. Cool? Let's hope so.
Establishing a Relaxing Routine
The time has come to put my new sleep environment to the test. Dr. Haward recommends taking 30 minutes to prepare myself for sleep with a three-step plan: (1) Take a hot bath or shower (when you step out, your body temperature drops, which encourages sleep); (2) jot down a list of anything you're worried about to clear your mind; and (3) dim the lights and meditate, do some deep breathing or practice progressive relaxation, in which you slowly tense and then relax all your muscles from scalp to toes. And no more Late Show with David Letterman. Dr. Haward notes that televisions, cell phones, and computer screens all emit blue light, which has been shown to suppress melatonin production.
My Bedtime Story
I'm skeptical when 11 p.m. rolls around. Since it's Saturday, I've been up for only 12 hours. I doubt that a hot bath and a diary entry will make me tired. Plus, I've heard these sleep-inducing suggestions before. Admittedly I haven't tried them; filling the tub takes forever, meditating seems dull, and I usually finish up work or watch TiVoed episodes of 30 Rock before I hit the sack. So long, Tina Fey.
First I hop into the shower and up the ante with a lavender body wash (a recent study in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine found that the scent helped insomniacs sleep better). On to the worry list: "Dear worry diary, I'm worried about ...Deadline tomorrow. Meeting Wednesday. Dentist's appointment at noon. That I will never become a morning person...." Okay, enough of that. Time to flex my zen muscle. My older, wiser, and less frazzled sister has been touting the benefits of meditation for years, so I dig through my sock drawer until I find the how-to CD she gave me. I pop it in. Ten minutes later I feel relaaaaaaxed, and, hey, it's 11:30! Lights out, sound machine on.
The crashing waves are soothing and the comforter is cozy without feeling stifling, but I'm not even on the outskirts of the land of nod. I toss. I turn over. I'm thirsty. I think back to what Dr. Haward said to do if I couldn't fall asleep: "After 30 minutes, get up and engage in a quiet activity. Don't flip on bright overhead lights; use a soft table lamp instead." Twenty minutes into a crossword puzzle in my dimly lit living room, my eyelids droop. Hooray! Oops. I mean, shhhh! Time for bed.
Bypassing the Snooze Button
On any given day, I hit the darn snoozer anywhere from three to six times. What's the big deal? Turns out, besides robbing myself of 30 to 60 minutes of sleep, I'm messing with my system. "It generally takes about an hour to reach deep, restorative sleep. Your fragmented morning dozing actually leaves you more tired," Dr. Haward explains.
My Bedtime Story
Breaking up with Snooze is hard to do. Beep, beep! I want to throw the alarm clock across the room, but I can't, because Dr. Haward told me to put it in the living room. So I have to leave my comfortable bed to turn it off (well played, sleep doctor!). I stumble to the bathroom, splash some cold water on my face, clip the leash onto my dog, Theodore, and stagger out the door. "Go outside and take a walk right when you get up," I recall Dr. Haward telling me. "Bright light suppresses sleep-inducing melatonin." It works; 10 minutes later I feel surprisingly alert. Lesson learned: Once I'm out among the living, I'm fine. But how the heck do I crawl out from under those covers smiling instead of swearing?
Next morning I try an alarm clock that eases me into reality. The BlueMax Sunrise System Model 320 ($129, fullspectrumsolutions.com) grows progressively brighter as 7:30 a.m. nears. "Graduating-light alarm clocks are effective, especially during winter, when mornings are dark," Dr. Breus says. When I open my eyes, my mood is a little brighter too (although I would still rather go back to sleep).
On day three, I sweeten the deal with a get-up incentive. If I wake on time, I get to watch my fave show on TiVo after Theodore's walk (a stop at your favorite coffee shop or breakfast with a pal would also work). My oatmeal is a riot with Tina Fey and Alec Baldwin, and afterward I'm positively cheerful on the subway.
I experience a breakthrough a week later. My early-rising friend Carolina asks me to meet her at the park for a 7:45 a.m. doggie playdate. I'm pretty sure she thought I would say no on a Saturday, but I rise to the challenge. As soon as I step outside, I'm smiling. The sky seems bluer, my down parka feels cozier; I am in love with the morning! When I run into another friend at the park, she nearly falls over and asks, "What are you doing up so early?"
Status Check
Ever since I discovered my inner morning person, I wake up at five every day. Just kidding. But it's way easier to get out of bed most of the time. The night after my two-week experiment ended, I decided to tempt fate and not set the 7:30 alarm. I awoke at a perfectly respectable 8:00! Now I'm typically up and moving at 7:30 on weekdays and 8:30 on weekends. My energy has increased, I no longer doze off on the subway in the morning, I'm in a better mood, and I've even dropped a few pounds, thanks to my new morning running routine.
Originally published in FITNESS magazine, March 2010.
More Sleep-Better Strategies
8-Minute Workout: Yoga for Better Sleep


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Godus Headed To Steam Early Access
Peter Molyneux's return to god gaming is nearly upon us. On September 13, a Steam early access version of Godus is launching to the world.
Molyneux's studio, 22 Cans, announced the game last November, and raised nearly $750,000 for the project by its December 21 Kickstarter funding deadline. The game places players in the role of a minor deity, who must terraform the land to make it more hospitable for his or her believers.
When the other 22 Cans project, Curiosity, came to a close last May, Molyneux revealed that winning player Bryan Henderson would be given the role "god of all gods" when the game launched. Today Molyneux revealed this will be a six month reign, after which another player can challenge him to a multiplayer battle. If Henderson is dethroned, the new god of all gods will have three months of uncontested supremacy before another can challenge him or her. Whoever is in the position of the god of all gods earns a cut of the royalties from game sales.
Godus is slated to eventually release on PC, Mac, Android, and iOS. Check out the new trailer below.
Our Take
It's nice to see another high-profile Kickstarter game on the cusp of release. Molyneux has often been derided by critics for over-promising and under-delivering, but we're excited to see what he can accomplish by returning to a genre he essentially gave birth to with Populous.


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John Coulthart
John Coulthart's first public illustration work was for the Hawkwind album Church of Hawkwind in 1982. Since then his designs and illustrations have appeared on vinyl sleeves, CD and DVD packages for artists including Jon Hassell, Steven Severin, Cradle of Filth, Melechesh and many others. John's collection of HP Lovecraft comic strip adaptations and illustrations, The Haunter of the Dark and Other Grotesque Visions, was published in a definitive edition in 2006 by Creation Oneiros, a book which includes 'The Great Old Ones', an exclusive collaboration with Alan Moore. As a book designer and illustrator John works for a variety of publishers in the UK and USA.
All works by John Coulthart (3 pictures)
from the gallery of John Coulthart
from the gallery of John Coulthart
from the gallery of John Coulthart