text:
Budget concerns may slow Zoo Interchange project
Gov. Walker against toll roads, gas tax hike
The plan to rebuild the busiest freeway interchange in the state might have hit a road bump.
The Wisconsin Department of Transportation is proposing a delay on the Zoo Interchange project of up to two years.
The governor, people who drive through the interchange regularly, people who live nearby -- everybody seems to have an opinion.
The rebuilding of the roadway is a hot-button issue, and for some, this proposal from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation has hit a nerve.
The plan to rebuild the Zoo Interchange starting next year, may be slowed by budget concerns.
The DOT's budget proposal states that under current funding, reconstruction of the Zoo Interchange in Milwaukee County will be delayed up to two years.
A drawn-out construction schedule isn't sitting well with some neighbors.
"A couple more years of them doing construction is just more chaos, and it's just hectic for the people around here," said Marissa Scheinoha, who lives near the Zoo Interchange.
The interchange has had its troubles. In 2009 a WISN-12 News investigation showed dangerously decaying bridges. The DOT decided the problem was so bad it couldn't wait for the long-term fix and constructed new bridges as a short-term solution.
Slowing construction would cut the state's cost over the first two years by $200 million, pushing that cost on to future budgets.
Some drivers told WISN 12 News they're troubled by a possible delay, but said they will deal with it.
"It needs to be done, regardless. Would we all love it to be quicker? Yes. It's going to take as long as it's going to take. What can you do?" driver Maddy Perry said.
"It might be just something we have to deal with for the time being. I think in the big picture around it, it's probably a better pay off for all of us," driver Joe Howard said.
Gov. Scott Walker has pushed for a Zoo Interchange rebuilding for some time, and was asked about the possibility of a two-year delay.
"I would like to, not only as a transportation issue but also as an economic development item, I'd be inclined to like to see that to stay on schedule," Walker said. "The question becomes how can you do that, balancing out the resources that are available without delaying other projects around the State of Wisconsin?"
In order to keep the work on schedule, the state will have to come up with a way to pay for it.
Both the governor and the DOT stressed that this proposal is just a starting point in the budget talks.
The governor will present his complete budget in February.
A special committee is looking into ways to increase transportation funding, considering things such as: increased vehicle registration fees, a hike in the state gas tax and toll roads in Wisconsin.
Walker said Monday he doesn't support the idea of toll roads and would oppose any gas tax increase.


text:
TSU Men's Tennis: Belmont 4, Tennessee State 0 (Non-Conference)
Tennessee State Men's Tennis
Belmont 4, Tennessee State 0
Tennessee State vs Belmont (April 10, 2013)
April 10, 2013 at Nashville, Tenn. (TSU Tennis Courts)
|Singles competition
|1. Henrique Norbiato (BELM) vs. Daniel Bernal (TSU) 4-6, unfinished
|2. Fernando Mussolini (BELM) def. William Simmons (TSU) 6-0, 6-0
|3. Bruno Silva (BELM) def. Jared Asher (TSU) 6-0, 6-0
|4. Hans Nardelli (BELM) vs. Branden McClain (TSU) 6-0, 4-0, unfinished
|5. Henrik Claesson (BELM) def. No player (TSU), by default
|6. Navarro Veys (BELM) def. No player (TSU), by default
|Doubles competition
|Match Notes
|Tennessee State 0-16
|Belmont 7-13
|Only singles matches were contested.
|Played as a non-conference match.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
These are individuals: see also Factions
Alexander Ducant:Ambiguously famous. Biologist? Theorist? Shared nom de plume? --See Alexander Ducant, Amorphians, Antiphon, Binata Complex, Elision (And Battle for Oubliette 2, Bifurcative Spacetime Strategy Theory, and Book of the Veere. He gets cited quite a bit. --Ben)
Angostura Finch: "was responsible for tracing the Kelvod agitation theory to Z-Tel?" --See Belasyse Finch
Bartleby Scriven: Close friend of [Xerxes Smith]? -- See Bartleby Drive
Belasyse Finch: "President of the Union during the first three phases of the Orbital War;" also created the Copyright Dispute to destroy barriers to potentially harmful innovation
Binata Complex: Pilot of the Binata Colony Ship, a crystal matrix AI including the fused minds of former crew. -- See Binata Complex
Dexter Potent: An extremely popular science fiction author. -- See Dexter Potent
[Frall Wikozia]?: A famous Manitobian composer; wrote [The Manitobian Polka]?.
General Mark Gordon: Associated with the [New Unified Terrans]?, appearantly with a negative reputation.--See Coronal Manipulation, Crylla Treaty.
[Govarl Madiss]?: The current High Preist of Manitoba.
[Ilona Bevan]?: Co-led campaign to ban Crackers with Alexander Ducant, founder of the [Union Reform Movement]? -- See Antiphon, HMS Ark Royal XVI
Leo Brande: Cardinal of the Church At Nine West --See Church At Nine West
[Mikhail Un]?: "infamous" abrasiatic, false Kelvodist and creator of Erasing the Impossible --See Abrasia, Belasyse Finch, Calm, The
[Prince Ertoth Jatok]?: Leader of the Jatok fleet -- See Battleship Jatok
[Puri of Tandin]?: Kelvodist, co-signer of the Crylla Treaty, possibly when already dead from "Hypocerebral Abrasia"
[Qeturah Little]?: Terran ambassador to the [Union], orchestrated the Little Coup, which took advantage a loophole in Union policies to have Terrans? appointed as Senior Member of the Union.
[Sable Aliss]?: possibly among the first users of Alluria, and possibly the founder of the Dygnostics?; also discovered and traced the source of Elision.
[Shayden Kraster]?: The ex-high priest of Manitoba; hired [Frall Wikozia]? to write a new anthem.
[Xerxes Smith]?: Inventor of the Bartleby Drive and chief rival to Alexander Ducant -- See Bartleby Drive, Binata Complex
Xythulhu?: Hero in the Kingdom of Atholl, played a leading roll at the [Massacre at Woulsea]?.
[Zakarin du Veird]?: "renowned General", died at the [Sacking of Surrator]? -- See Book Of The Veere


text:
Project Brief:
Objective: starting with your own design concept of a radio controlled floatplane; you are expected to re-engineer an existing product from existing mechanical parts. The quality of your design, model(s), renderings and x3 A3 professional printed brochures will be on show to a real world client.
Final grade will be calculated from your ability to accurately model and render your design of a radio controlled floatplane. A little fluctuation from original concept is accepted, however, models/renders not closely adhering to original concept will result in penalty. Each component of this assessment will have a weighting based on degree of difficulty.


text:
I'm a product description. This is a great place to "sell" your product and grab buyers' attention. Describe your product clearly and concisely. Use unique keywords. Write your own description instead of using manufacturers' copy.
Two Too Many
Giclée prints are offered on either canvas and quality Fine Art paper. Gary Lynn Roberts gives you the choice of getting your giclée prints shipped to you rolled, mounted on foam core or stretched on stretcher bars. Shipping rates will be assessed after purchase and based on size, weight and desired destination. We recommend the paper prints are placed under glass for their protection. Canvas prints are sprayed with a UV protection coat, as a result they can be framed and hung without being placed under glass. Custom sizes can be requested via email or phone. All the prints that we offer are available with the option to add the artist signature. Custom Frames are available to compliment your order, check out framing options here. Please email us with any questions.


text:
That is unless something interesting happens in the world of dogs in the next 21 hours.
DC Sun-Yak Spellbnd Heaven Scent
For fans of the underdog the place to be yesterday was the Oakland Kennel Club show in San Mateo CA. As reported here, the country's number one Sporting Dog, the Pointer, CH Cookieland Seasyde Hollyberry, lost the chance to compete for the Number One All Breed Ranking when Judge Honey Glendinning, placed her a disappointing Group Three behind two California dogs, the country's number one Vizla, CH Koppertone's Classical Minuet, and the multi-group winning Gordon Setter, DC Sun-Yak Spellbnd Heaven Scent.
Hound Group Judge Joe Tacker also raised some eyebrows when he gave the 15 inch Beagle, CH Just-Wright The Full Monty, his second Group One this year at the expense of the Scottish Deerhound, CH Jaraluv Ouija, who finished second, and the Harrier, CH Downhome Family Tradition, who was left out of the ribbons. However, the reliable Sealyham Terrier, CH Efbe's Hidalgo At Goodspice, took the Terrier Group, courtesy of Judge Ekarat Sangkunakup, and joined the Giant Schnauzer, CH Galilee's Pure Of Spirit, in the final ring. Rounding out the final seven were a Pomeranian import from Thailand, Starlight's Smile From Siam (This is a dog to watch, from a Thai breeder to watch, Suradej Ekviriyakit), the Keeshond, CH Windrifts Non-Negotiable Asset, and the Border Collie, CH Hitop's Whiz Kid.
Well, you know how it all turned out. Just like 70 times earlier this year, the Giant Schnauzer, Spirit, the Number One Dog in 2008, went Best In Show. What a year it's been.


text:
Agency's FY 2006 request seeks level funding
President Bush's fiscal year 2006 budget request for the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) seeks funding of more than $138 million, including $11.2 million for the agency's We the People initiative. The request keeps NEH's budget at the current year's level, maintaining the Endowment's core programs while extending support for the ongoing We the People initiative.
"President Bush has again demonstrated his commitment to strengthening humanities education, promoting excellence in scholarship, and enhancing public knowledge of the humanities," said NEH Chairman Bruce Cole. "The We the People initiative is a proven success, and this request will continue its momentum and build on its achievements."
In addition to sustaining the Endowment's grant programs in support of excellence in the humanities, the FY 2006 funding will continue support for the We the People initiative through a variety of projects, including the following:
- Landmarks of American History: NEH has established a Landmarks of American History program in the Endowment's Education Programs division to support enrichment workshops for K-12 teachers at important historical sites around the nation. The program supported 17 projects in its first grant competition and the initial workshops-which were held in such historic places as St. Augustine, Florida, the Vancouver Historic Preserve in Washington, and Mt. Vernon, Virginia-drew almost 1,900 teachers last summer. Building on the resounding success of this new program, the Endowment has broadened the competition to include workshops for community college faculty.
- National Digital Newspaper Program: NEH and the Library of Congress forged a long-term partnership to support a new National Digital Newspaper Program (NDNP) that will convert microfilm of historically important U.S. newspapers into fully searchable digital files and post the files on the Internet. NEH will make the initial NDNP awards in FY 2005. This long-term investment ultimately will make millions of newspapers pages accessible online. Anyone with Internet access will be able to peruse this rich source of American history. This project will yield untold benefits for the American people far into the future.
- State Humanities Councils: The state humanities councils have enthusiastically embraced the goals of the We the People initiative. The Endowment has provided significant funding to the 56 state councils, thus enabling them to develop high quality local and statewide projects and programs on American history and culture. The state humanities councils are helping to ensure that the initiative reaches citizens in every state by sponsoring reading and discussion programs, speakers' bureau presentations, films, exhibitions, teacher institutes and workshops, and Chautauqua-type historical performances.
- We the People Bookshelf: In partnership with the American Library Association, the Endowment established a special We the People Bookshelf program for the nation's school and public libraries. Through this program, NEH annually makes available to 1,000 libraries a set of 15 classic works of literature that convey important themes from American history and culture to an audience of young readers. Each year the program will explore a different theme--the first year's theme was "courage." This year's Bookshelf theme, "freedom," includes such classic titles as Longfellow's Paul Revere's Ride, Willa Cather's My Ántonia, and Catherine Drinker Bowen's Miracle at Philadelphia.
- EDSITEment: NEH awarded two cooperative agreements to institutions to develop resources for the teaching of U.S. history through EDSITEment, the nationally recognized gateway for teachers seeking rich humanities resources and materials on the Internet. Over the next two years, these projects will develop approximately 75 lesson plans that will be mounted on EDSITEment and made accessible to the nation's elementary and secondary school teachers, as well as to students and parents.
- Historic Places, Family Programs: Two new special grant categories were established in the agency's Public Programs division to provide opportunities for general audiences to engage in lifelong learning related to the themes of We the People. "America's Historic Places" supports projects that use one or more historic sites to address themes central to American history. And "Family and Youth Programs in American History" supports projects designed to encourage intergenerational learning about significant topics in U.S. history and culture.
- Challenge Grants: The NEH Challenge Grants program is offering special awards for educational and cultural institutions to strengthen their programs that advance knowledge of the founding principles of the United States.
- Heroes of History Lecture: NEH launched an annual "Heroes of History" lecture where an acclaimed humanities scholar tells the story of heroic figures in American history or speaks on the role of heroes in forging our national identity. Last year's lecturer--writer, scholar, and co-chairman of the Lincoln Bicentennial Commission Harold Holzer--spoke on "Abraham Lincoln, American Hero" at Ford's Theatre.
- Idea of America Essay Contest: The Endowment established an annual "Idea of America" essay contest competition to encourage students to research and analyze aspects of our nation's history and democratic principles. Medals and cash awards are presented to a grand prize winner and five runners up at ceremony held in conjunction with the "Heroes of History" lecture. The 2004 contest-in which students were asked: "How does President Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address reflect America's founding ideas, and what is the relevance of the speech today?"-drew over 1,500 entries from 11th grade students across the country.
- New Elements of We the People: New elements of the initiative will be introduced, including a special program aimed at elementary and middle schools on key works of American art; support for projects to digitize copies of scholarly editions and reference works on important figures and events in American history and culture; a special Armed Services version of the popular We the People Bookshelf program; and a national history competition for elementary and middle school students.
The Endowment also is continuing two special preservation initiatives. NEH is awarding grants under the agency's special initiative, "Recovering Iraq's Past," to support projects to preserve and document Iraq's cultural resources and to develop education and training opportunities for Iraq's librarians, archivists, and preservation specialists. In addition, NEH entered into a multi-year partnership with the National Science Foundation (NSF) to develop and advance knowledge concerning endangered languages.
The FY 2006 budget includes essential funding for NEH grant programs in support of high quality education, research, preservation, and public programming in the humanities and for the projects and programs of the state humanities councils; challenge and other matching grants to stimulate and match nonfederal contributions to humanities projects; and the Endowment's administrative expenses necessary to operate the agency.


text: Hello Guys, Please i am considering the idea of learning programming and i want to start with JAVA why because many peaple (pro programmers)recommeded it because of its explicitness and great features. Please my quesion is " Is there any ebook which i can start with, which can also help me with all that i need to know in order to be a JAVA programmer ?... And please if Yes i need the download link")... Thanks in Adavance


text:
One underground room, a dirt floor and roof, and fleas
|An Oklahoma dugout photographed c. 1909.
The family is probably sitting in the only available shade.
From a picture postcard series by J. V. Dedrick
The following paragraphs are excerpted from an account of homestead days that Mr. Barton wrote in 1936.
In the spring [of 1872] father built our dug-out. Now you young folks, who think your pretty homes are not comfortable enough, you should have seen our first Kansas home -- one underground room, dirt floor, dirt roof, and fleas and snakes for company. You never saw so many fleas-- we always blamed the buffalo and buffalo grass for these fleas, for all sod-house and dug-out families had them.
Our first crop was cut by father and a Mr. Zavodsky with a "cradle" scythe, -- a hard beginning for our parents, but how we children enjoyed the pretty country-- miles and miles of "Blue-Stem" in places three and four feet high, and just a lot of fun to play and hide in! There were no roads -- no towns -- no churches -- no schools -- no doctors -- and no railroads... When father went for provisions, it took him about a week to drive it with oxen, where you young folks now could motor it in an hour and a half...
While herding cattle we would see lots of buffalo heads and bones, undoubtedly left behind by Indians. Wild game was plentiful, including countless prairie chickens and quail everywhere. That first fall, we saw several deer and antelope grazing on our rye, but our nearest buffaloes were west of the Republican River. However, we often had buffalo steak brought back by other pioneer hunters. My father never owned a gun. I don't know what we would have done, had some of our Indian scares developed into reality.
Source: James Barton's pioneer memories of Republic County, Kansas.
My great-great-grandparents Ashbel and Martha Mapes were among the earliest settlers of Republic County, arriving in 1869, so this account is very interesting to me.
I have heard people say that in the Nebraska Sandhills, a quick "dugout" was sometimes made by simply laying a board roof across a wind-eroded "blowout" in a hill.
Here are three more photographs of dugouts from the Library of Congress. I think all of these are more elaborate in construction than most of the initial underground shelters that pioneer familes dug. If you have time, you might enjoy visiting the links in the picture captions -- they contain additional photos and more information.
|This dugout in Humboldt, Nevada, appears to have a rock front.
Source: http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/wy0223/
Photographed by Larry Kingsbury, October 1994
|A thatched dugout in Minnesota, about 1900-1910.
Source: http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/det1994020491/PP/
Photograph by the Detroit Publishing Company
|A homesteader's stone dugout in Campbell County, Wyoming.
Probably constructed between 1917 and 1936. "Unusually well crafted."
Source: http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/wy0223/
The associated data pages at this link are full of info about dugouts.


text:
Adviser, teacher, role model, friend: on being a mentor to students in science and engineering
National Academy Press, Jun 15, 1997 - Education - 84 pages
This guide offers helpful advice on how teachers, administrators, and career advisors in science and engineering can become better mentors to their students. It starts with the premise that a successful mentor helps students in a variety of ways: by helping them get the most from their educational experience, by introducing them to and making them comfortable with a specific disciplinary culture, and by offering assistance with the search for suitable employment. Other topics covered in the guide include career planning, time management and professional development, responsible scientific conduct, and writing. Also included is a valuable list of bibliographical and Internet resources on mentoring and related topics.
From inside the book
Try this search over all volumes: reer
Results 1-0 of 0
What people are saying - Write a review
We haven't found any reviews in the usual places.
Professional Ethics
Mentoring Graduate Students
4 other sections not shown
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
ability academic actuarial advice American Physical Society aware Career Planning Center Careers in Science Cell Biology colleague Committee on Science COSEPUP course degree dents develop doctoral Education of Scientists effective mentoring employment ence Encourage students ethical evaluation faculty members feedback fields Grad School graduate education graduate school graduate students guidance Guide to Grad help students help the student Hispanic Id Id important institutions Internet Resources job market laboratory meetings mentoring relationship MILDRED DRESSELHAUS National Academy National Science Foundation NextWave nonacademic offer POOR MENTORING postdoctoral position postdoctoral students profes professional Professor RECOMMENDATION reer research experience Research Triangle Park role models science and engineering scientists and engineers senior Sexual harassment Sigma Xi sional student find Student Planning Guide STYLES suggest Summary Points teaching tion ulty undergraduate understand University Washington WILLIAM JULIUS WILSON Women in Science writing


text:
Peak Lists
Log In
Ascent of Lincoln Peak on 2010-10-24
Dave Dunham
Others in Party:
Ed Horse
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Ascent Type:
Successful Summit Attained
Lincoln Peak
3975 ft / 1211 m
Ascent Trip Report
Addison and (half of) Washington County
Mt Abraham and Mt Ellen
I was hoping to finish off most of Vermont last weekend, but the icy conditions on the very exposed summit of Camel's Hump, squashed any plans of even attempting that peak. Eric, who'd joined me the day before on his first bushwhack hike, came up with an interesting plan for getting Mt Abraham and Mt Ellen. All of the accounts we'd read mentioned traversing the range but none seemed to consider using the ski areas as access points. We figured that by starting at Sugarbush and running the ridge to Mt Ellen and descending on the ski trails would be a lot more run-able, and in our minds more fun. It also looked like the road to the gaps on either end might be closed for the moment as the region had gotten anything from a dusting to over 1.5 feet of snow.
We dropped my car at Mt Ellen just before sunrise then headed over to Sugarbush. We'd prepared our packs the night before and included strapping our snowshoes on to the back (just in case). Eric went with some Nike XC shoes with "aggressive tread" and I wore my Stumptown END high top running shoes. Eric was familiar with the first 2.5 mile up Sugarbush (2,300' of climb) as this was the first 2.5 miles of the HERC race a couple of years ago. We took it pretty easy and ascended to the snow line without any trouble. There were some slick spots after that and some postholes to avoid but mostly the footing was very good. From about half-way up to the summit there was anywhere from a dusting to a foot of snow. We reached the viewing platform on top of Lincoln Peak in 48:21 and spent 4 minutes on the summit snapping a couple of quick pictures and taking in the limited (clouds) view.
We headed off to Mt Abraham and right away the trail looked awful, but after a very short time the grade was less and the footing was excellent. We shuffled over to Abraham (.8 mile) in 14:10 and found that the weather was closing in. Big dark clouds had eliminated pretty much any view and there was snow falling in the gap. It wasn't snowing on Abraham but we didn't waste any time, after 2 minutes we were heading back to Lincoln Peak. An easy 15:10 later we tagged the top of Lincoln for the second time and headed off for Mt Ellen. We only had a moment of concern as we hit the final ski slope and weren't exactly sure where the Long trail was (it was on a ski trail). We spent the next 57:28 covering the 2.9 miles across the ridge and over the bumps of Nancy Hanks, Castle Rock, and Cutt's Peak. We hesitated again on Mt Ellen, not 100% certain because we did not find a sign (but there was a cairn). We took a 3 minute break and took a few more pictures before the zip zag descent via the ski trails to the base of the mountain. The final 2+ mile descent took us 35:14, the upper slopes were a blast with just enough snow to make for a rapid and minimal impact descent. From the middle part of the mountain down we ran on a dirt access road and had no trouble with footing. We picked up the tempo when we finally spotted my car and realized we'd be right around the three hour mark. I hit my watch at the bottom 2:59:55 after we started. We both had a lot of fun picking up a couple of more miles of Long Trail and getting me close to completing the county high points of Vermont.
Distance = more than 9 miles
Climb/descent = 3,675
Summary Total Data
Total Elevation Gain:
2375 ft / 723 m
Route Conditions:
Maintained Trail, Snow on Ground
Ascent Statistics
Gain on way in:
2375 ft / 723 m
2.5 mi / 4 km
trail from Sugarbush
Start Trailhead:
Sugarbush 1600 ft / 487 m
Descent Statistics
This page has been served 616 times since 2005-01-15.
Copyright © 1987-2020 by Peakbagger.com. All Rights Reserved.
Questions/Comments/Corrections? See the
Contact Page
Terms of Service


text:
This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2013, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Los Angeles • Even as he prepared for Saturday's game against the L.A. Clippers, the Cleveland Cavaliers were somewhere in the back of Diante Garrett's mind.
The opponent hardly matters, but the date means everything. The Cavaliers come to EnergySolutions Arena on Jan. 10 the day all contracts in the league become fully guaranteed.
"I'm just going to not think about it," Garrett said. "Make sure I come out every day and do what I have to do to make sure I get past that deadline. Stay positive, not think about it and stress myself out. But it's in the back of my mind."
Since signing with the Jazz in November, Garrett has averaged 3.1 points and 2.4 assists a game. But Garrett, along with guard Ian Clark and forward Mike Harris, has a non-guaranteed contract.
Of the three, Garrett has logged the most serious minutes though they've been in shorter supply of late.Garrett hasn't seen action in the Jazz's two games heading into the night, while veteran point guard John Lucas III has taken on a larger role.
"I just have to make sure I keep my head up and whoever gets a chance to get out there to play brings it and the other will cheer on the other guy," Garrett said.
Pre-game meal
Kobe Bryant is hurt. So is Derrick Rose, Russell Westbrook and Al Horford.
As injuries continue to mount for the league's marquee players, Clippers coach Doc Ricers joked a return to the old ways might help.
"I laugh because in this generation they have all this stuff, strength coaches, you know," Rivers said. "Maybe Dominique [Wilkins] was right. Chips and hot dogs before every game. And he was never injured. It's amazing."
"Hopefully by the end of the year everybody is healthy and can play," he added. "That would be great for the league."
Twitter: @tribjazz


text:
I'll be starting our second Pharyngula podcast on Google+ in one hour, at 10am Central time. You can look for it on my google+ stream, or wait patiently and I'll post a link to the Google+ hangout and the youtube live stream somewhere early in the process. So get your webcam and your headset ready if you'd like to join in the conversation about those silly creationist claims.
I'll also embed the video right here when the recording is all done.
We've started. I think these links will work:
The Google+ hangout, if you have a Google+ account.
The YouTube stream, for everyone else.
I think you can leave comments in real time at either place, I'll try to monitor them and bring up any interesting points people might want to make.
Anybody want to try those and let me know if they're working? Leave a comment if I need to fix something.
Hey, we sort of got it working. I think the problem was that I have to send invites to a discrete set of individuals, and a lot of people weren't getting that and couldn't log in. Next time, we'll arrange it better ahead of time, and I'll have a group of 8 or 10 people lined up to participate.
Here's the video anyway. Ignore the first half hour or so (make that the first 15 minutes — it didn't take as long as I thought), it's just me and Russell Glasser floundering as we try to figure out why we're not making contact.


text:
Phil: What's in the air in Augusta these days? Seems a little tense.
Ethan: You referring to my Democrats vaporizing former Rep. Jonathan McKane's nomination to the Dirigo Health board?
Phil: Indeed. But not just your party. Democrats did that on the heels of Gov. Paul LePage threatening to veto every bill the Legislature sends to his desk if they didn't agree to pay the hospitals the $484 million they are owed.
Ethan: Which, of course, was right on the heels of Republican House Minority Leader Ken Fredette saying the state shutdown train may be entering the station this spring.
Phil: And didn't you tell me you got a couple of calls from legislators "off the record" bemoaning the state of affairs between the two parties?
Ethan: Yup. I actually got a call from a Republican this week telling me that he has never seen committee work this divided. He's been there under a lot of different leaders, and he said he has never seen it this partisan.
Phil: When Republicans start calling you, maybe we should call in Homeland Security to investigate what was injected into the ventilation system. Or maybe Washington, D.C., has wafted into the Maine State House.
Ethan: Any thoughts on why it's occurring? I know many will blame LePage as setting the tone for the state, but that feels too simplistic to me.
Phil: Remember our post-election comments last fall on WCSH 6 and WLBZ 2 where I offered the opinion that Democrats regained control of the Legislature by vilifying key Republican candidates for casting votes that they themselves voted for?
Ethan: Yes, I do.
Phil: Then, post election day, your party tattooed a videographer to LePage to record "special moments" for the next campaign. These win-at-all-cost efforts mirrored the D.C. elections. Campaigning hasn't ended, and governing for the people hasn't started.
Ethan: I am trying to steer clear of blaming one party over the other, and you are flat out blaming the Democrats. C'mon, no one buys that.
Phil: Stay with me. My point is that the political philosophies are deeply rooted. One side sees no problem with government spending; the other sees it as cruel to inflict this generation's bills on the next.
Ethan: If you honestly believe your last sentence, then you are perpetuating the problem. You know as well as I do that there are hundreds of examples of Democrats opposing spending and hundreds of examples of Republicans inflicting bills on the next generation. The issue between the two parties is simply priorities around spending and where and when the government should get involved. But that philosophy hasn't changed for 100 years, so this tension in Augusta has to be related to something else.
Phil: In a word: emotion. If Augusta could just find enough votes it could appropriate money for almost anything. I recall my former colleague, now-U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree declare from the floor of the Maine Senate that there should be no budget surpluses with so many unmet needs out there.
Ethan: The difference between our parties is often the difference between what one side says we can't afford to do and what the other says we can't afford not to do. But again, something is different today.
Phil: Well, what do you think it is?
Ethan: I suspect it has to do with this being the first time in 10 years that Maine has divided government. Since 2002, one party or the other has ruled both the executive and legislative branches. Not so today, and both sides don't know how to handle it.
Phil: In fact, if you really think about it, this is the first time we have truly had divided government since the early 1990s when Republican Gov. Jock McKernan was in the Blaine House, and Democrats ruled the State House.
Ethan: True. And we all know how that turned out. Sixteen days of government shutdown. You think we are headed down the same path?
Phil: I hope not. But again, I come back to the issue of campaigns. I sense the tension will just get worse and worse if the 24/7/365 campaigns we see these days don't slow down. The Democratic Party tailing the governor with a video camera two years prior to a vote being cast doesn't send a very welcoming message.
Ethan: Nor does it comes across as genteel when "Maine GOP Research" sends out daily slams against the speaker and Senate president.
Phil: It's time to govern, face facts and recognize that just because you have the gavel or the keys to the Blaine House, it's not "winner take all." That happened on Election Day last November.
Ethan: Both sides have got to rise above the fray and see beyond the fighting. The greatest lesson of politics, in my opinion, is to never let all the praise you receive go to your head. And never let all the attacks get into your blood.
Phil: Otherwise known as finding a way to become a states-person Maybe it will take time, but let's hope they get there.


text:
Save 4%
Save 8%
Save 12%
Save 12%
Customise your garment(s) with your company logos from as a little as +£1.69 per item.
Please note, this is a reflective garment and does not conform to EN ISO 20471
Certified to a 25 wash cycle
Please note that colour samples shown above may not exactly match the colours on the actual garments. Also, for exact sizing, please check the sizing guide. Please contact us if you have any enquiries.
Customisation Locations
The positions above represent the locations to which your logo and other designs can be applied to this garment.
Once you have chosen the colours and sizes of the garments you wish to purchase, click on the "Add To Basket & Add Your logo" button.
From there you will then be able to choose the logo you wish to apply, along with the application method, position and any other requirements you may have.
No-one has reviewed this product yet.
To be officially certified as Hi Vis, all clothing must conform to EN ISO 20471. Garments that conform to EN ISO 20471 are essential for industries where a large part of the work is high-risk, taking place near traffic, cranes and other vehicles, as well as work that takes place in the dark or other environments where visibility is reduced. Certified Hi Vis clothing ensures you and your employees will be visible at night and during the day, from all angles.
In accordance to the risks in your workplace and the level of protection offered to the wearer, garments that conform to EN ISO 20471 are divided into three classes:
The Highways Agency states that all contractors working on or near main or trunk roads in the UK should wear High Visibility clothing that conforms to Class 2 or 3.
*Depending on factors like the width of the band of reflective material and the amount of background material and reflective material used in the garment (per square metre).
RIS-3279-TOM is a high visibility standard that applies to the Rail Industry in the UK. All garments certified to RIS-3279-TOM (formerly GO/RT 3279) will meet the Rail Industry requirements to ensure rail workers on or near the trackside are sufficiently visible to approaching trains. To conform to RIS-3279-TOM, the standard requires that garments must be a specific orange colour.
In work environments where there is a risk of explosion, EN 1149-5 is the European Standard which ensures garments will protect against electrostatic discharge as they are made from anti-static materials, which cannot ignite any potential explosive atmospheres cause by electrical discharges.
Typically worn by electrical workers, garments that are certified to IEC 61482-2 protect against the thermal hazards of Electric Arc. It's not just the fabric of the garment which protects the wearer against Electric Arc, components like zippers and buttons have also been designed to ensure they don't contribute further injury to the wearer by melting.
EN ISO 11611 is a certification which protects workers in the welding industry by subjecting the garments and the specific fabrics to a series of tests. Divided into two classes, Class 1 garments are designed for less hazardous welding situations (low levels of splatter & lower radiant heat). Class 2 garments are designed for more hazardous welding situations (high levels of splatter & higher radiant heat).
Garments that are manufactured to meet EN ISO 14116 are made from flame retardant materials. If the garment were to come into contact with a flame, it would only burn for a limited amount of time. After the flame has been put out, the material will stop burning. Garments certified to this standard should not be worn to protect against convective heat, radiant heat and molten metal.
Offering protection for a wide range of work environments, garments that are certified to EN ISO 11612 provide protection against convective heat, radiant heat, molten aluminium splash, molten iron splash and contact heat, as well as limited flame spread. A general requirement of the fabric should see a heat resistance temperature of 180°C, while not igniting or melting or shrinking by more than 5%.
Garments that are certified to EN 13034 were manufactured for work environments where a total chemical barrier is not required, but there is an increased risk of chemical splashes. Protection is limited though. If chemicals are splashed onto an EN 13034 certified garment, you should immediately move away from the affected area and remove the garment, making sure you avoid direct contact with the chemical splash.
EN 342 certified garments were designed to protect the wearer in cold work environments, usually defined by temperatures lower than -5oC when factors like humidity, wind and air temperature have been taken into consideration. EN 342 does not contain any specific requirements for foot, head or hand protection.
Designed to give protection against mist, rain and snow, EN 343 certification ensures that garments are fully waterproof - perfect for those who work outdoors. Some numbers may follow the certification, for example EN 343 3,2. The first number represents the level of waterproof protection, with the second number representing the level of breathability (3 being the highest level for both, and 1 being the lowest).
Trousers and overalls that provide kneepad pockets to protect the wearer when kneeling will be certified to EN 14404 when worn with the appropriate knee pads. Knee pads are tested on three main qualities - penetration resistance, force distribution and shock absorption.
Standard delivery to mainland UK, Ireland and the Netherlands is free for all orders over £99 (Ex VAT) and just £5.99 if the order total is under £99. This excludes the Scottish Highlands, Northern Ireland and Channel Islands/Isle Of Man. The total delivery charge for these areas is £20, and delivery may take 2 additional business days.
A wide range of delivery options are also available for a number of locations outside of the UK.
Products without a logo or personalisation will have an average delivery time of 1-2 working days or 3-5 working days depending on the product.
Products with a logo or other form of personalisation will have a standard delivery time of 5-7 working days but there are additional delivery options such our 24 hour dispatch service which will see your order dispatched 24 hours from the point in which the order was placed. This delivery option requires additional payment and can be selected when you checkout in the basket should your basket contain all applicable items. Note: Items cannot be left without a signature being given by the recipient.
Click here to view delivery options:
Free delivery is available on orders over £99 - Click here to see more details.
Naturally, we want you to be delighted with every garment you order from us. So you can usually return any item for free for a replacement or a full refund, in the unlikely event you are not completely satisfied. Click here to see more on Free Returns.
Samples: It can often be difficult to make sure you have the correct size and colour prior to purchase, for this reason we recommend ordering clothing samples. Click Here to find out more.


text:
How a holographic Gipper almost -- almost -- appeared at the Republican National Convention
Earlier this week, Fox News hinted that the "mystery guest" at this week's Republican National Convention would be not a piece of furniture, but a piece of history. Ronald Reagan, a party elder who is so elder that he's no longer technically alive, would shine down upon Tampa in the form of a hologram, intriguing and inspiring the assembled crowds with an appropriately godlike glow.
The rumors, it seemed at first, were just that. The Wall Street Journal spoke to John Textor, the CEO of Digital Domain Media -- the firm that created the seminal hologram, the optical Tupac that appeared at this year's Coachella music festival. And Textor firmly denied that Digital Domain was working on a Reagan project. The whole thing seemed to be nothing but a holographic hoax -- the product of wishful thinking on the part of Republicans who miss their leader and a public used to spectacles that are hollow and shiny at the same time.
But we were wrong, it turns out, about being wrong. The rumors were true! Well, sort of! A Reagan-o-gram was, indeed, in the works for this week's Tampa convention. It just wasn't going to be created by Digital Domain. And it wasn't going to be overseen by the GOP. Instead, Yahoo News reports, the hologram was the brainchild of Tony Reynolds, the founder of the crowdsourcing website A KickIn Crowd. Reynolds wanted to promote the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act -- and, given his own interests, to promote the role that crowdfunding could play in doing the jumpstarting. To effect that promotion, Reynolds obtained the rights to an old Reagan speech in which the Gipper discussed small businesses. And he planned to turn that speech into a hologram -- one that would leverage the attention being lavished on Tampa this week.
The hologram was initially slated to be revealed during the convention, but -- being not officially sanctioned, and all -- outside its walls. "It wasn't officially going to be part of the convention," Reynolds told Yahoo News's Eric Pfeiffer. "It was going to be outside of the convention at the Lakeland Center."
But as Reynolds began talking to members of the media about his plans -- which was likely the source of this week's rumors in the first place -- he also began talking to Republican activists. And they were, understandably, wary of the possibility that a hologram of their departed leader would detract attention from the images of their current ones. "At the time [Romney] hadn't chosen Paul Ryan," Reynolds noted, "so I think they were a little worried about his energy." Because "even in a hologram form I think Reagan's going to beat a lot of people in terms of communicating."
Though there's a chair that might say otherwise, Reynolds conceded the point, agreeing to delay the hologram's unveiling until next year or, at least, later in this one. Which means that there was no Gipper-gram gracing the RNC this week. But also that, for better or for worse, one is still on its way.
We want to hear what you think about this article. Submit a letter to the editor or write to email@example.com.


text:
The second Kings episode was not without its flaws, and while I adored the crazed face-off between guest star Brian Cox and Ian McShane, I couldn't get past the soldiers' mall madness. Spoilers below!
This week in the kingdom of Gilboa, King Silas' son is out of control. We learned last week that Jack's penchant for men needed to be "iced down," if he ever wanted to sit on dad's throne, but you can't keep a guy from accessorizing. To get back at his daddy for kicking him out of the super-important peace talks dinner - which country mouse David was invited to - the son plots his revenge by "wasting some money."
I immediately thought: "All right, Jack - let's break out the hookers, cocaine and bottle service, and show these fellas a good time." But instead we got a shopping spree that would make the thigh-high ladies of Clueless jealous. And for some reason, it reminded me of this scene from another movie:
Update: Maybe I need to be more blunt as some of you have been commenting below, sorry for any confusion. Yes I knew this was an evil plot hatched by the brother-in-law, it was obvious and terrible and made me gag. It was as blatant as the previously mentioned movies with its mallet-over-the-head subtlety. Plus it was tonally terrible in comparison to the rest of the show, Zoolander out of place silly so much so that I refuse to take it seriously. This moment was my last week's crown of butterflies. Never again with the bad jokey "I know what I'm doing shooooopiiiiing sluuurpeeees, but it all has a meaning, get it, get it, wink, wink, nudge, nudge?"
Last week I gave Kings' pilot a pass for being a little obvious - it was a pilot, after all - but at least it was an absolutely gorgeous TV show with heaps of promise. This time around, the alternate-reality drama continued to deliver both the lovely angled shots, and the cheesetastic performances from the baby faced David. Including more of David's magical tears that can stop wars, heal baby birds and capture moonbeams. Some moments excelled, but at times the show got bogged down by taking itself too seriously.
David helped end the big war with Gath last weekend, which was what King Silas secretly wanted. So it's no surprise that Silas orders his execution immediately - wait, what? While I understand Silas' delicate ego around those who could threaten him, David's far too useful as a pawn to cast off so easily, and Silas is smarter than that. But apparently, not right away.
The peace talks begin in Gilboa, and the Queen is seen delivering orders to her army of servants and just making me fall in love with her Ice-Queen sensibility all over again. When David's presence is demanded at the peace-talks table, everyone throws a bit of a tiff.
They remind the farm-boy not to say a word - even though his ridiculous speech about brothers and murder, and being tired, just ended the war. Of course, the ruler of Gath absolutely loves David and forces him to get all chatty and spew out how, "he can't speak, so he's saying nothing at all about peace, except for these words right here." While the rest of the fantasy world groans under the pretentious weight of that sentence. But it works, and peace is restored... eventually, after more long speeches and tear-filled puppy eyes that stop guns, and soften the hearts of even the most hardened generals. Then David goes on to heal a bird with his tears, thus saving his own life from a sniper (you remember, because Silas wanted him dead).
In other plot points, the Queen's brother pulls all of the money from the Treasury, thus forcing Silas to go to the deepest darkest cell in the deepest darkest corridor and unlock the frumpy former king, Brian Cox. McShane and Cox then compete in a game called "who can who can arch his eyebrow the highest, whilst chewing scenery and giving crazy-face." McShane wins, and I'd be lying if I didn't admit that I rewound that moment again and again. I really think that Kings' success could hinge on the popularity of the guest characters, such as Cox and Macaulay Culkin (who was finally mentioned last night, as the son banned from court). So Silas wins this match, but I cannot wait to see when they'll put these two together again.
David and the King's daughter tried to resume their country mouse, city mouse relationship, with big sappy smiles and furrowed brows of understanding - but apparently she's made some sort of oath and therefore can no longer pet the country mouse at her leisure. I have no idea what this could be, or why this didn't stop her from making out with David in front of a crowd of people in the pilot, but perhaps she's a Nun, or betrothed to someone else? I'm not sure, and I'm not sure I care either, since this relationship was pushed forward and pulled apart way too quickly for my taste.
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern showed up briefly through out the episode being adorable whilst chasing around birds that were symbols of Jesus or God or hope or something. They end up saving David's ass and opening up yet another metaphor door on this show and competing with all the butterflies. But either way, more of these two please - they provide some comedy to balance out all the drama on Kings, and so far they've been pretty successful.
So that was that - I still don't feel invested in any of these characters besides the two bumbling guards and the Ice Queen. Hopefully, next weeks Jack-centric story can redeem him from last night's shopping abomination. Because in the real world, spoiled rich kids do dark things to bathroom attendants in filthy club basements, while silently weeping and hoping this will make Daddy love them. They don't go around buying everyone shiny watches. I'm still rooting for this series, and I still love the ridiculous dialogue they give Ian McShane (which he completely sells - who else can make "Two pens, one paper, we sign our names, we shake hands," sound interesting and compelling? Only McShane.)


text:
The Uganda Women's Effort to save Orphans (UWESO) was founded in 1986 by Ugandan mothers committed to providing relief aid to needy children left parentless by the civil turbulence of the early mid-1980s, and the HIV/AIDS pandemic. UWESO operated in war-torn areas of the Luweero Triangle which in today's districts includes Luwero, Mubende, Kiboga, Nakasongola, Mpigi, Wakiso, Mukono and Kayunga. Funding of these activities was mainly from UWESO members and donor grant support. With this funding UWESO was able to sponsor 2,000 orphans per year in primary school, and 200 older orphans benefited from vocational training programmes between 1992 and 1994.
The development of a National OVC policy in 2004 by the Government of Uganda and the changes in the political and socio-economic context not only in Uganda but also at regional and international level, led UWESO to change its focus from relief services to development programs in order to improve the welfare of the neediest orphans in a sustainable approach through provision of basic needs and sponsorship in secondary and vocational institutions.


text:
5 Reasons Senate Must Reject the Keystone XL Pipeline
On Tuesday, the Senate will vote on a bill forcing President Obama to green light the Keystone XL pipeline for dirty tar sands oil. The Keystone XL threatens our air and water and would intensify the climate change already pounding our communities. The bill is a gift to the oil and gas industry, but if it passes, the American people will be stuck paying the price.
This bill would bypass essential reviews, skip safety assessments, and fast track a dangerous project. This has sweeping implications for future generations. And yet it is entangled in the politics of the moment.
In its first major vote after the midterm elections, the House passed a bill forcing the approval of the tar sands oil pipeline. Now Democratic Senator Mary Landrieu, caught in a runoff election, is pushing a similar bill in the Senate.
When we take the politics out of the equation and ask the single question before the President—is this in the national interest of the U.S.—the answer is a resounding no.
The President himself outlined some of the problems with the project on Friday, saying, "Understand what this project is: It is providing the ability of Canada to pump their oil, send it through our land, down to the Gulf, where it will be sold everywhere else. It doesn't have an impact on U.S. gas prices."
Here are five reasons the Senate should reject the Keystone XL pipeline:
Total Jobs: 35
TransCanada, the company behind the pipeline, told the U.S. State Department the pipeline would create 35 permanent jobs. There will be temporary jobs for 1,950 construction workers for the two years. Then they'll be gone. Clean energy companies, meanwhile, announced more than 18,000 new jobs in more than 20 states in just the past three months.
17 Percent More Carbon Pollution
Tar sands oil is the dirtiest fuel on earth. Because producing it consumes so much energy, a gallon of tar sands crude generates 17 percent more carbon pollution than conventional crude oil. The State Department calculated that the incremental carbon pollution from the tar sands pipeline would be as much as putting up to 5.7 million additional cars on the road.
Without Keystone, Less Tar Sands Oil and Less Pollution
Industry analysts and energy executives say that without Keystone, they have few options for getting their landlocked product to port. Other pipeline proposals have failed to make headway, and investors are pulling back on expansion plans. Statoil announced in September it was postponing an enormous tar sands project due to rising costs and a lack of pipeline space. That's the third major cancellation this year, preventing significant amounts of pollution from entering the environment, at least temporarily.
Major Threat to America's Breadbasket and Water
The pipeline would cut through Montana, South Dakota, and Nebraska—states where ranches and farms produced $41.6 billion worth of food in 2012. The pipeline would cross 1,073 rivers, lakes and streams and national recognized water resources, such as the Ogallala aquifer, threatening them with a spill of tar sands crude, which has proven more difficult to clean up than conventional oil.
Tar Sands Oil Spills Harder to Clean Up
Much of Michigan's Kalamazoo River is still suffering from a tar sands pipeline blowout that contaminated 38 miles of water in 2011. In Mayflower, Arkansas, more than 200,000 gallons of tar sands crude polluted backyards and neighborhoods when a pipeline blew in 2013. Rare accidents? Hardly. TransCanada's Keystone I pipeline through the Midwest had 14 leaks in its first year of operation.
The Keystone XL pipeline is a threat to our nation. It would increase pollution and intensify climate change for generations to come. We must raise our voices and demand our leaders reject this dirty scheme.
'Keystone XL Clone' to Pump Tar Sands Oil Starting Next Year
Public Opposition Costs Tar Sands Industry a Staggering $17B
Willie Nelson and Neil Young Play Sold-Out Concert Protesting Keystone XL Pipeline
EcoWatch Daily Newsletter
In Major Win for Indigenous Rights, Supreme Court Rules Much of Eastern Oklahoma Is Still a Reservation
Much of Eastern Oklahoma, including most of Tulsa, remains an Indian reservation, the Supreme Court ruled on Thursday.
- Federal Judge Orders Trump Admin to Give Native Americans Their ... ›
- Police Were Ready to Shoot Indigenous Pipeline Protesters in ... ›
- Climate Justice, Indigenous Rights Advocates Rally for Wet'suwet'en ... ›
7 Outdoor Citizen Science Projects to Join This Summer
By Tiffany Means
Summer and fall are great seasons to enjoy the outdoors. But if you're already spending extra time outside because of the COVID-19 pandemic, you may be out of ideas on how to make fresh-air activities feel special. Here are a few suggestions to keep both adults and children entertained and educated in the months ahead, many of which can be done from the comfort of one's home or backyard.
The coronavirus may linger in the air in crowded indoor spaces, spreading from one person to the next, the World Health Organization acknowledged on Thursday, as The New York Times reported. The announcement came just days after 239 scientists wrote a letter urging the WHO to consider that the novel coronavirus is lingering in indoor spaces and infecting people, as EcoWatch reported.
- Airborne Coronavirus Transmission Must Be Taken Seriously, 239 ... ›
- Trump Halts WHO Funding Amidst Criticism of His Own Coronavirus ... ›
- Here's Why COVID-19 Can Spread So Easily at Gyms and Fitness ... ›
- Is the New Coronavirus Airborne? A Study From China Finds Evidence ›
By Angela Nicoletti
The eastern slopes of the Andes Mountains in central Perú are among the most remote places in the world.
- Global Frog Pandemic May Become Even Deadlier as Strains ... ›
- New Species of Diamond Frog Discovered in Remote Pocket of ... ›
- Frogs Are on the Verge of Mass Extinction, Scientists Say - EcoWatch ›
Lemurs and Northern Right Whales Near Brink of Extinction
A new analysis by scientists at the Swiss-based International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) found that lemurs and the North Atlantic right whale are on the brink of extinction.
- Trump Admin Denies Endangered Species Protections to Pacific ... ›
- Trump Admin Failed to Protect 241 Species From Extinction ... ›
- New Border Wall Construction Threatens 8 Species With Extinction ... ›
By Julia Vergin
It is undisputed that vitamin D plays a role everywhere in the body and performs important functions. A severe vitamin D deficiency, which can occur at a level of 12 nanograms per milliliter of blood or less, leads to severe and painful bone deformations known as rickets in infants and young children and osteomalacia in adults. Unfortunately, this is where the scientific consensus ends.
Where Does the Deficiency Begin?
Nobody knows exactly how much vitamin D a person actually needs. The question of when a deficiency starts is correspondingly controversial. However, vitamin D is becoming increasingly popular.Not only is the pseudo-scientific literature on the "sun vitamin" experiencing an upswing, but the number of published studies has also increased enormously in recent years. For example, in 2019 a study found that Vitamin D is responsible for keeping the skeleton functional and is associated with cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes and various types of cancer.

An All-Rounder
Vitamin D levels in the body rise and fall according to sun exposure. If sufficient UV rays reach the skin, the body is able to produce the vitamin itself. However, the human body only derives an estimated 10 to 20 percent of its daily requirement from food.

The vitamin D that we synthesize from sunlight or food is not biologically active at first. Before the kidneys can produce the biologically active form of the vitamin, known as calcitriol, and release it into the blood, some metabolic processes must take place beforehand.

In addition, many organs have receptors to which the precursor of calcitriol binds. Further, this substance is also present in blood.

From this precursor, the organs then produce calcitriol themselves, which the body then uses for countless other processes in the body. This form of vitamin D thus regulates insulin secretion, inhibits tumor growth, and promotes the formation of red blood cells as well as the survival and activity of macrophages, which are important for the immune system.

Low Vitamin D, Severe COVID-19 Disease?
A research study carried out at the University of Hohenheim has now established a link between vitamin D deficiency, certain previous diseases, and severe cases of COVID-19.

According to the study, "there is a lot of evidence that several non-communicable diseases (high blood pressure, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, metabolic syndrome) are associated with low vitamin D plasma levels. These comorbidities, together with the often accompanying vitamin D deficiency, increase the risk of severe COVID-19 events."

"This statement is completely correct," said Martin Fassnacht, head of endocrinology at the University Hospital of Würzburg. However, he qualifies that it is a pure association, "i.e. a mere observation that these events occur together.

Dr. Fassnacht is very critical of the hype surrounding vitamin D, but not because he denies the vitamin serves important functions. However, studies on humans have not been able to show that vitamin D has the healing powers many often propagate.

Fassnacht says, "If you take a closer look, the hopes that the administration of vitamin D has a healing effect have not been confirmed so far."

Association Versus Intervention Studies
Many studies on the vitamin are association or observational studies. "By definition, these studies cannot prove the causal relationship, but only point to mere correlations," said Fassnacht. The physician tries to illustrate this with an example:

"Imagine two groups of 80-year-olds. One group is spry, active and does sports. If you compare them with another group living in nursing homes, the difference in vitamin D levels will be dramatic. Life expectancy would also be extremely different."

But to try to explain the difference in fitness by vitamin D status alone is far too simplistic. "Vitamin D levels are a good measure of how sick someone is. But not more," says Fassnacht.

According to Fassnacht, none of the intervention studies carried out to date -- that specifically examined the effect of vitamin D on various diseases -- has been able to confirm the previous association and laboratory studies or the presumed positive effect of vitamin D.

Further Research Is Needed
"If a coronavirus infection is suspected, it is therefore absolutely necessary to check the vitamin D status and quickly correct any possible deficit," said the recommendation of the paper published by the University of Hohenheim.

"Studies are underway to see whether vitamin D helps in COVID-19 infection, but I personally do not believe that this is really the case," says endocrinologist Fassnacht. Nevertheless, he says it is of course useful to carry out these studies.

"I don't want to rule out that there are actually subgroups of people who benefit from an additional vitamin D dose," he says. After all, this has been proven to be the case with a severe deficit.

In view of the study situation, Fassnacht does not think much of preventive, nationwide vitamin D substitutes. "My belief that the vitamin helps somewhere is very low. But, of course, I can be wrong."

- 8 Ways to Tell if You Are Vitamin D Deficient - EcoWatch ›
- 7 Healthy Foods That Are High in Vitamin D - EcoWatch ›
- 7 Nutrient Deficiencies That Are Incredibly Common ›
Ocean Scientists Create Global Network to Help Save Biodiversity
Ocean scientists have been busy creating a global network to understand and measure changes in ocean life. The system will aggregate data from the oceans, climate and human activity to better inform sustainable marine management practices.
EcoWatch sat down with some of the scientists spearheading the collaboration to learn more.
Climate models are predicting faster warming of the North Atlantic Ocean, which will shift the Gulf Stream. NASA
- Could the Climate Crisis Spell the End for Maine Lobster? - EcoWatch ›
- 5 Reasons Why Biodiversity Matters - EcoWatch ›
- World Leaders, Media Ignore Biodiversity Report Detailing Mass ... ›
- The Top 10 Ocean Biodiversity Hotspots to Protect - EcoWatch ›


text:
CHEMICAL UPDATE: Turfgrass Fungicides
Presented in a format that puts the solution to nearly every turf disease problem within easy reach, fungicides are the subject of our third Chemical Update for 2004. Compiled and updated with the help of chemical manufacturers, this is the most complete reference of its kind. The tables in the following pages list fungicides and their characteristics by the following categories:
- Active ingredient
Fungicides are listed by their active ingredient, rather than brand name. This avoids the confusion that can result from multiple brands that use the same active ingredient. We include nearly every fungicide registered by the Environmental Protection Agency for turfgrass use.
- Mode of action
This lists whether the chemical behaves as a contact or systemic.
- Fungicide group
This column lists the chemical family or class. This information is critical when developing chemical rotation schemes to combat resistance.
- Formulations available
This column lists available formulations for each chemical. This information can help you develop tank-mixing schemes and select products compatible with your preferred method of application.
- Ornamental labeling
This may be important if you need a fungicide that can also be applied to ornamental plantings.
- Diseases controlled
This is the reason you use fungicides and comprises the bulk of the Update. This section lists nearly every turfgrass disease and the chemicals that provide effective control.
The table lists fungicides by their active ingredients. However, the "diseases controlled" is a compilation based on the labels of all products that are available with that active ingredient. Typically, products with the same active ingredient have similar labeling, but this is not always true. Be sure to carefully read labels to ensure that the product you wish to use has labeling for the target pests. The same applies to other registration details, such as use sites, etc.
The Fungicide Sources table lists trade or brand names and the suppliers that sell them. Following this is a directory that provides you with contact information for the chemical companies whose products are listed in the tables.
These tables will not be useful if you cannot identify the pathogen that you wish to control. The importance of proper pathogen identification cannot be overstated. Many pathogens exhibit similar symptoms. However, the controls for each may be different. If you are having difficulty, consult an extension specialist or other expert. Also, you can send samples to a diagnostic lab.
Product labels contain important information that improves applicator safety as well as your level of control when using the product. Therefore, read the labels of the chemicals you apply. It is not only the law, but also a prerequisite for getting the most out of your application.
Use these tables for preliminary planning and reference only. They are not substitutes for label information. If you wish to view a label before purchasing a product, contact the supplier. Suppliers readily provide labels to those who ask. Also, most chemical manufacturers have Web sites that display label and MSDS information for their products. Another source for labels is the new Pesticide Search on our Web site at www.grounds-mag.com. Powered by Greenbook, this online resource also features a list of newly registered chemical products as well as label changes for existing products.
This is our last 2004 Update devoted solely to turfgrass products. Along with the January (herbicides) and February (insecticides) Updates, it's a comprehensive guide for your turf-pest-management planning. But don't overlook subsequent Updates throughout the year, which will cover pesticides for other uses, such as fertilizer/pesticide combinations, ornamentals, vertebrate controls, PGRs and more.
For a comprehensive list of the Chemical Update tables that accompany this article, go to our Industry Research resource at http://research.grounds-mag.com>.
Want to use this article? Click here for options!
© 2020 Penton Media Inc.


text:
What is a conventional loan?
Unlike FHA loans, conventional mortgage loans are NOT insured through government programs. Instead, conventional loans have a separate set of funding criteria and are backed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
Who is conventional financing for?
Traditionally, conventional loans suit the needs of Gambrills homebuyers who have strong credit and can afford a higher down payment.
Advantages of conventional financing
- Unlike FHA loans, conventional loans do not include upfront mortgage insurance premiums. Conventional Gambrills borrowers also have the ability to get rid of PMI once they reach 20% equity in their home, whereas FHA loans do not offer the option to remove PMI.
- New low down payment options. While FHA loans are attractive for their low down payment options, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac announced a new conventional loan program that allows homebuyers to purchase a house for as little as 3% down. Geared toward homebuyers who want the benefits of a conventional mortgage but lack the resources to save for a large down payment, this 3% down payment program reduces the upfront cost of purchasing a home.
- Flexible terms. With conventional financing, homebuyers have the convenience and flexibility of choosing between several repayment options, including the ability to have a fixed or adjustable rate mortgage, as well as a 15, 20 or 30-year term.
- Conventional loans can be used to finance practically any Gambrills property. Some types of properties aren't approved for FHA financing. Conventional loans are accepted for just about any property.
Drawbacks to consider
- Stricter lending guidelines. Historically, conventional loans tend to have tougher standards when it comes to lending guidelines and requirements. This typically includes higher credit score criteria and income requirements.
- While the rates for conventional mortgage loans have been historically lower than FHA rates, we're currently experiencing record interest low rates across the board. This should excite anyone who's thinking about buying a home. Plus, as mentioned above, the additional mortgage insurance premiums associated with FHA financing may actually cancel out any cost-savings.
- Mortgage insurance is required for loans with a down payment of less than 20%. While this may be the case, conventional borrowers can remove PMI payments once they obtain 20% equity in their home, whereas FHA borrowers do not have this luxury.
The key thing to remember when shopping for mortgage loans is to evaluate all of your options. There's more to it than getting a great low rate! Be sure to work with an Gambrills mortgage lender that has your best interest at heart and will work with you to find a mortgage loan that fits your financial needs.


text:
Shoulder/Elbow Poster 20" X 26" Styrene
Shoulder and Elbow Poster
Printed directly onto styrene, this durable plastic chart is approximately 1/16" thick and has metal eyelets in top corners for convenient wall hanging; markable (wipe on/wipe off). Styrene charts are UV coated, latex free and feature bold and bright colors. The chart will remain upright on an easel for presentations and will stand up to heavy use in the office or classroom. Charts can be displayed with chart stands, anatomical charts measure 20" W x 26" H.
Illustrates general shoulder and elbow anatomy. Shows anterior, posterior, lateral, and superior view of the shoulder. Also shows the socket of shoulder joint anterior and disclocation of humerus. Illustrates impingement syndrome and acromioplasty. Shows sagittal view of the elbow, as well as supination, pronation and superior views of extension and flexion. Illustrates elbow fractures and tennis elbow.
Sort By:


text:
Six people were arrested Friday as crowds of protesters and immigrant rights supporters gathered outside a Southern California Border Patrol facility where another convoy of buses carrying undocumented immigrants was expected to arrive.
A chartered airplane carrying the migrant women and children, who were set to be transferred to the Border Patrol's Murrieta facility, landed in San Diego just before 7 p.m. They were bused to the Chula Vista Border Patrol station for processing instead. But crowds continued to demonstrate outside the Murrieta facility into the night.
Tensions were running high as three women and two men were arrested after scuffles broke out about 4 p.m. between demonstrators in Murrieta. Police said the altercation began when a woman on one side of the crowd pushed a person from the other side. An officer who witnessed the shoving stepped in to make an arrest.
- Images: SoCal Immigration Crisis
"At one point in time, at least one of the females jumped on the back of the officer," said Murrieta Police Cpt. Dennis Vrooman.
Four people were taken into custody for allegedly trying to remove someone from the custody of a police officer, Vrooman said.
Earlier in the day, another person was arrested for crossing a police line.
Border patrol agents set up cones and a stop sign along a road in Murrieta, a community of about 106,000 people about 80 miles southeast of downtown Los Angeles, as a crowd camped out in anticipation of the buses. One person was detained early Friday for interfering with a police officer after refusing to stay behind a line of yellow police tape, according to authorities.
Many of those opposed to the transfer of the undocumented immigrants to California from Texas carried anti-immigration signs and American flags. Other members of the crowd voiced support for the immigrant families, whose transfer and release created a strong divide between those who want to help and those who don't want them here at all.
"I just want the buses to come through and these women and children taken car of," one woman said.
The gathering comes three days after protesters blocked buses that were supposed to arrive at a Murrieta border patrol center on Tuesday, forcing federal authorities to process the passengers at other Southern California locations. As of Friday morning, it remained unclear what time the immigrants would arrive.
Protesters said they plan a repeat of Tuesday's events.
"When the buses come, you are going to see Americans that are willing to throw themselves under the bus, that's what you are going to see," demostrator Greg Allison said ahead of the migrants' arrival. "I don't care if I lose a limb. Even if the buses get past me and I lose a limb, guess what? The rest of the country is going to take notice."
- Updates: Download Our News App
Among the protesters was a lone pro-immigrant sign written in Spanish that read, "No tengan miedo," which translates to "don't be scared."
Local news from across Southern California
"I hope they know that there are people supporting them," demonstrator Briana Trejo said.
A line of people waited, meanwhile, with bags filled with clothes and other necessities to help the hundreds of mostly women and children from Central America who are being transferred from Texas to Southern California. Some members of the crowd said they wanted to stop the buses from entering the station because they feared the detainees would be subjected to crowded conditions.
In a letter to President Barack Obama Thursday, Murrieta Mayor Alan Long said the "facility is not appropriate for" processing migrants.
"It is essentially a jail, designed to hold drug runners and criminals caught at the Border Patrol checkpoint on I-15 just south of Temecula," Long wrote.
Long, who has said Murrieta is dealing with the "failure of the U.S. immigration policy and process, and other city officials met with residents about the issue earlier this week at City Council and town hall meetings. Residents expressed health and safety concerns about upcoming migrant arrivals planned for the border patrol station.
"I understand that as a city we do not have a role in immigration policies, but we are certainly being affected by it," Long wrote in the letter.
Since the federal government isn't providing any funding, non-profits and community-based groups, will bear the financial burden of transitioning the migrants into American society, said Luz Gallegos, of the Training Occupational Development Educating Communities Legal Center in Perris.
"Organizations across the Inland Empire, even cities, are coming forward and saying, 'We're here to help,'" she said.
- Border Crisis: Videos, Stories, Timeline, Gallery
After being released from the Border Patrol, the migrants will most likely need food, shelter and clothing as they make their way to family and friends who will take care of them until their court date.
However, tensions are so high in the city that many organizations are not releasing information on where the migrants will be temporarily housed. And organizers don't know how much it will cost to care for them.
"We don't know exactly how much time they'll be spending," said Luis Nolasco, with the Justice for Immigrants Coalition. "It could be a couple of days, a few hours."
The fear is, without any help, they'll likely end up on the streets.
"It's not about the federal government dumping these people or not," Nolasco said. "But rather how we can as a community from the Inland Empire better assist all these people and make sure that all of them get here to their families and are safe."
NBC4's Gadi Schwartz, Lolita Lopez and Samia Khan contributed to this report.


text:
Kyle McLaren got back on the ice this week — skating, checking, shooting — for the first time since leaving Game 5 of the Sharks' opening round playoff series against Calgary with a groin injury.
The good news is that McLaren says he feels very comfortable on the ice, that a summer divided between rest and working out had the desired effect of getting him back into shape for the coming season.
The big question, however, is whether his NHL future is with the Sharks or elsewhere.
Oh, you've seen the reports — most recently at Spector's blog at foxsports.com — speculating that the arrival of Dan Boyle, Rob Blake and Brad Lukowich makes McLaren the odd man out on San Jose's blue line. The Sharks are just over the salary cap and losing McLaren's $2.5 million contract would remedy that with room to spare. Besides that, his playing time last season had fallen below that of younger players such as Christian Ehrhoff and Marc-Edouard Vlasic. On the depth chart, it's hard to imagine McLaren penciled in higher than a fifth or sixth defenseman at this point.
McLaren nods when I bring up the possibility that he might be traded in the coming weeks. It's pretty clear he's aware of his situation.
"All I know is, right now, I'm under contract and I'm getting ready for the start of training camp and get myself ready for the beginning of the season as a Shark," McLaren said, suggesting I talk with either his agent or GM Doug Wilson.
The Sharks' doctors decided that McLaren did not need off-season surgery, that rest was the best treatment for the groin injury that kept him out of the Dallas series altogether — though McLaren said he and the team were hoping he'd be able to play against Detroit if the Sharks had advanced.
McLaren's agent did not return a phone call, but I did reach the Sharks' GM today. Predictably, he declined to discuss any of the speculation about McLaren's future in San Jose.
Two weeks ago, Wilson did say he saw another roster move in the near future. But now it sounds as if that might not happen for a while.
"We're getting ready to go into camp and give Todd all the options we need to build this hockey team," Wilson said, referring to new coach Todd McLellan. "I've got things I need to look at — which I will — but our focus is on the beginning of training camp and the competition that comes with it."
McLaren, 31, did make it clear he hoped to remain with the Sharks.
"I want to play here. I love it here. I love the team. I love the direction we're going in and the guys we've brought in," McLaren added. "But the business side? I can only do so much — and that's get ready for the season."


text:
Also known as: Crixivan sulfate, IDV, MK639, L-735,524
Background and Description
Crixivan is a protease inhibitor manufactured by Merck & Co., Inc. It was granted accelerated approval for use in combination with nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) by the US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) in March 1996.
The recommended dose of Crixivan is 800 mg (two 400 mg capsules) every 8 hours. Twice-a-day dosing is possible using Norvir to boost levels of Crixivan, but an optimal dosing regimen is still being studied, as are any potential dangers due to increased side effects from Crixivan.
Food Restrictions
Crixivan must be taken without food, but with water, 1 hour before or 2 hours after a meal. It may also be taken with other liquids such as skim milk, juice, coffee, or tea or with a light meal. Patients taking Crixivan should drink approximately 48 ounces of liquids every 24 hours.
Crixivan should be stored in a tightly closed container at room temperature (59° to 86°F) and protected from moisture.
Patient Assistance
Merck offers a patient assistance program for those who qualify. For more information call 800.850.3430.
Side Effects and Toxicity
The major side effect of Crixivan is the formation of kidney stones (nephrolithiasis), pain on urination (dysuria), and back and flank pain. Proper hydration may prevent the symptoms. Additionally, sustained creatinine elevations have been reported with long-term use of Crixivan. Metabolic (lipid and glucose) and morphologic (fat accumulation and fat atrophy) abnormalities have been associated with protease inhibitors in general. Both Crixivan and Reyataz are associated with increased levels of indirect ("unconjugated") bilirubin in the body (which can give a person a yellowish appearance). Therefore, taking these two protease inhibitors in the same regimen is not recommended. Other side effects that have been reported with Crixivan include hair and toenail problems, allergic or skin reactions, changes in skin color, joint pain, etc. Pregnant women should not take Crixivan.
Drug Interactions
Caution should be taken when Crixivan is given with calcium channel blockers, antiarrhythmics, anticonvulsants, or steroids. Crixivan should not be taken with the following: Propulsid (cisapride), Halcion (triazolam), Versed (midazolam), Cordarone (amiodarone), ergot derivatives (Wigraine, Cafergot, Migranal, Ergotrate, Methergine, DHE 45, etc.), and the lipid-lowering drugs Zocor (simvastatin) and Mevacor (lovastatin). Lipid-lowering drugs such as Lipitor (atorvastatin), Pravachol (pravastatin), or Lescol (fluvastatin) should be used with caution. Nizoral (ketaconazole) inhibits the metabolism of Crixivan and a dose reduction of Crixivan to 600 mg every 8 hours is recommended when combining the 2 drugs. Similarly the dose of Mycobutin (rifabutin) should be reduced by 50% when used with Crixivan. A lower dose of Desyrel (trazodone hydrochloride) should be considered when taken with Crixivan. Rifadin or Rimactane (rifampin) has been shown to decrease Crixivan levels in the body by 80%. Crixivan increases the levels of Viagra (sildenafil), Cialis (tadalafil), and Levitra (vardenafil) -- and the risk of side effects of these agents -- and dose reductions are recommended if taken with Crixivan. Also, St. John's Wort (Hypericum perforatum) is likely to decrease Crixivan levels in the body and therefore should be avoided when taking Crixivan.
Consideration should be given to increasing the Crixivan dose to 1000 mg every 8 hours when combined with Sustiva or Viramune. Rescriptor increases the levels of Crixivan; some studies have used reduced doses (400 or 600 mg) of Crixivan with 400 mg of Rescriptor 3 times a day to compensate for this increase. In addition, the buffering agent in original-formulation Videx interferes with the absorption of Crixivan and thus the drugs should be taken at least 1 hour apart. Finally, combining Crixivan with Viracept results in an increase in Crixivan levels. Studies have used 1250 mg of Viracept with 1200 mg of Crixivan twice a day with a low-fat snack.
Additional Information
Resistance and Cross-Resistance
Mutations at positions 82 and 90 are most associated with treatment failure. Other mutations can occur at positions 20, 24, 48, 54, and 84. Resistance to Crixivan can lead to cross-resistance to other protease inhibitors.
Clinical Data
The approval of Crixivan was based on 3 studies. The Merck 035 study showed durable long-term efficacy of the combination Crixivan/Retrovir/Epivir for the management of HIV. Up to 2 years after beginning triple-combination therapy, 78% of subjects had viral loads below 500 copies/mL, while 66% of subjects had viral loads below 50 copies/mL.
ACTG 320 compared Crixivan/Retrovir/Epivir versus Retrovir/Epivir. The study enrolled 1156 patients. It was terminated after an interim analysis, resulting in a median follow-up of 38 weeks. The percentages of patients with AIDS-defining illnesses or death were as follows: 35% progressed to an illness and 10% died in the Crixivan/Retrovir/Epivir arm; and 63% progressed to an illness and 19% died in the Retrovir/Epivir arm.
Study 028 was conducted in Brazil and enrolled 996 antiretroviral-naive patients who were randomized to 1 of 3 arms: Crixivan/Retrovir, Crixivan alone, or Retrovir alone. Treatment regimens containing Retrovir were modified in a blinded manner with the optional addition of Epivir. The study was terminated after an interim analysis, resulting in a median follow-up of 56 weeks. The percentages of patients with AIDS-defining illnesses or death were as follows: 21% progressed to an illness and 8% died in the Crixivan/Retrovir arm; 27% progressed to an illness and 5% died in the Crixivan-alone arm.


text:
Even before the first formal courts of the war were held, several kingdoms elevated members of their populace or already had sent prople out of peerage vigils.
The first award of the war came during the first week, at Viscount Haakon's bardic circle when King Malcolm and Queen Tessa ofÆthelmearc made Haakon's brother, Boris Dragonslayer, a baron of their court.
Earlier this week, prior to the Rapier Town Battle, the Æthelmearc royalty elevated Illadore de Bedegrayne of the Barony Marche of the Debatable Lands, to the Order of the White Scarf.
King Felix and Queen Madeleina of the Midrealm sent three people on Pelican vigil prior to their Thursday court. They are Caelan O'Rogallary of the incipient shire of al Ja'Far, Ciara McRobbie of Northwoods, and Baron Rocco Barbarossa of the Barony of Roaring Wastes.
The Midrealm also has two new members of the Order of Chivalry .
Angus of Darkmoon and Axle Fairhair were placed on vigil on the field just after the Unbelted Champions Battle. Sir Angus was knighted before the Woods Battle and Sir Axle was knighted before the castle battle.
After Monday's fighting, three Easterners received the Order of the Tygers Combatant, the kingdom Higher Order of Merit for fighting. They were Eloi Albelard of the Barony of the Bridge, Baron Angus Kerr of Conocrdia of the Snows and Dietrich Schwelgengraber.
In addition, King Brion and his queen also sent two members of their kingdom on vigil for Chivalry. They are Christian Knox and Alexander de Hauteville.
At Æthelmearc Court on Tuesday there were two elevations to the peerage and one other gentle was placed on vigil. Valgardr Gunnarson was elevated to the Order of the Laurel.
Baron Cedric the Humble, who just last month stepped down as Baron of Thescorre, was elevated to the Order of the Pelican.
After court had been suspended, HRM Malcolm recalled His Silver Buccle Principal Herald, Baroness Giulietta da Venezia, and placed her on vigil for the Order of the Pelican. She will be elevated at the Festival of Summer's End in the Canton of Beau Fleuve next month.
Also of note, the late Master Johan von Traubenberg was named the 21st Jewel of Æthelmearc. Æthelmearc Court is remaining open throughout the War.
At Ealdormere Court on Thursday evening, Eleanor Fairchild was elevated to the Order of the Laurel by TRMs Aaron and Rustique. Also, THLady Joanna of Northumberland was made a Baroness of the Court.


text:
Long programs
At the universities
Studies are organized into three basic levels:
- Licence: 3 years of study corresponding to 6 semesters and 180 ECTS credits.
- Master: 5 years of study, 4 semestres supplémentaires validés par l'obtention de 120 crédits ECTS.
At the master's level, two paths are possible. Students who choose a "research" master (formerly known as the DEA) typically intend to go on to earn a doctorate, whereas those who elect a "professional" master (formerly DESS) want to begin their careers directly after graduation.
Provided they have sufficient undergraduate experience, international students can enroll directly in a master's program for one or two years of specialized education.
In the grandes écoles and specialized schools
Long programs in the grandes écoles represent 5 years of postsecondary study, starting with 2 years of preparation within the grande école or in a preparatory class at a secondary school.
Preparatory classes for the grandes écoles, also known as CPGE or prépa, are demanding programs that enable graduates to sit for entrance exams for 3-year programs at one or more grandes écoles.
Upon the successful completion of a total of 5 years of postsecondary study, graduates are awarded their school's diploma, which is formally equivalent to a master's degree.
Graduates of private specialized schools receive a diploma that is specific to their school. That diploma may or may not be recognized as the equivalent of a master.