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TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — American proposals for direct talks with Iran are pointless while Washington is "holding a gun" to the country through sanctions, Iran's supreme leader said Thursday, quashing a possible breakthrough in contacts with the West over the nuclear standoff.
The message from Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has the final say in all major decisions in Iran, was reiterated by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad during a news conference in Cairo later in the day.
Their dismissal of one-on-one dialogue raises the stakes when wider negotiations between Iran and world powers, including the United States, resume this month.
Another dead-end round – after three stalemated sessions last year – could fuel accusations by Israel and others that Iran is using the talks as a stalling tactic while it gets closer to having the capabilities to build a nuclear weapon.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has warned that the world has until this summer – at the latest – to keep Iran from building a bomb. He's hinted that Israel could attack unilaterally if all other efforts fail.
Iran denies it seeks atomic arms, saying its nuclear fuel is only for energy-producing reactors and medical applications. Iran officials have frequently called attention to a religious edict by Khamenei that says nuclear arms are contrary to Islamic beliefs.
"Talks are held to arrive at an understanding, not to impose anything," Ahmadinejad said. "Such talks will be meaningless if someone raises a club and imposes" something on Iran, he added.
Talks would be productive only if they were based on mutual respect, he said. "Things will be fine if the Americans correct the manner in which they address us."
The earlier comments by Khamenei were his first public reaction since a White House offer of direct dialogue received a high-profile boost this week from U.S. Vice President Joe Biden during a security summit in Munich attended by Iran's foreign minister.
"Talks will not solve any problems," Khamenei said in comments posted on his website.
"You are holding a gun against Iran saying, `Talks or you'll fire.' The Iranian nation will not be frightened by such threats," Khamenei added in a reference to U.S. sanctions over Iran's nuclear efforts.
The U.S. this week further tightened sanctions, which have already slashed Iran's oil revenue by 45 percent. The new measures seek to cut deeper into Iran's ability to get oil revenue. It calls on countries that buy Iranian crude – mostly Asian nations including China and India – not to transfer money directly to Iran and instead place it in local accounts.
Thursday's comments followed another jab at the United States: This week Iran's state TV broadcast a video allegedly extracted from an advanced CIA spy drone captured in December 2011 after crossing into Iranian airspace from Afghanistan. Iran has long claimed it managed to reverse-engineer the RQ-170 Sentinel, and that it's now capable of launching its own production line for the unmanned aircraft.
After initially saying only that a drone had been lost near the Afghan-Iran border, American officials eventually confirmed that the Sentinel had been monitoring Iran's military and nuclear facilities. Washington asked for it back but Iran refused, and instead released photos of Iranian officials studying the aircraft.
The video, which aired late Wednesday on Iranian state TV, shows an aerial view of an airport and a city, said to be a U.S. drone base and Kandahar, Afghanistan.
"We were able to definitively access the data of the drone, once we brought it down," said the chief of the Revolutionary Guard's airspace division, Gen. Amir Ali Hajizadeh, in the TV broadcast.
In an attempt to embarrass Washington, Iran has claimed to have captured several American drones, most recently in December, when Tehran said it seized a Boeing-designed ScanEagle drone – a less sophisticated aircraft – after it entered Iranian airspace over the Persian Gulf. U.S. officials said there was no evidence to support the latest claims.
Despite the tensions, American proposals for direct dialogue with Iran received a cautious welcome Sunday from Iran's Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi. But with caveats: Washington needs to quiet its "threatening rhetoric" for the offer to get real consideration by Tehran's ruling clerics.
In his statement released following a meeting with air force commanders, Khamenei said: "They say the ball is in Iran's court. The ball is in your court."
"You have to be accountable and explain what it means to offer talks while simultaneously continuing pressure and threats."
Washington has indicated in the past that it's prepared to talk directly with Iran on the nuclear issue, but so far nothing has come of it.
Meanwhile, the talks between Iran and a powerful six-nation group – the permanent U.N. Security Council members and Germany – have made little headway. Three rounds last year ended in stalemate with Tehran pushing for a rollback of Western sanctions in exchange for any key concessions on its nuclear program.
Russia's deputy foreign minister, Sergei Ryabkov, urged Iran to show "maximum flexibility" when the negotiations resume Feb. 26 in Kazakhstan.
"Time cannot be lost," he said, according to the ITAR-Tass news agency. "A lot of time was missed and we would like to encourage our Iranian friends to take these talks very seriously."
The U.S. and Iran broke ties after the storming of the American Embassy in Tehran in the wake of the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Iranian militants held 52 American hostages for 444 days.
"I am not a diplomat. I am a revolutionary and I express my words honestly," Khamenei was quoted as saying.
He noted that some factions inside Iran seek direct U.S. talks because of their "naivety." He did not elaborate, but called for the need to challenge U.S. efforts to return to "domination" over Iran – a reference to the pro-Western shah who was toppled during an Islamic revolution.
"Talk is meaningful if it is based on goodwill, equal standing and when both sides do not want to apply tricks," said Khamenei. "Talk as a tactic, a gesture of superpower, is only a deceptive move."
Khamenei, however, has shown some flexibility in the past over contacts with Washington. Iran and the U.S. have taken part in talks regarding Iraq and Afghanistan.
The Iran Project is not responsible for the content of quoted articles.


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Eddie is fascinated with wrinkles. He can talk for hours about them. He makes me think about them. While we had illuminating discussion of wrinkle theory over pizza one evening, I drew this sketch of how I remembered George Wunder's wrinkle technique looked.
I'm personally interested in how wrinkles are drawn in cartoons and comics. Honestly, most people can't draw wrinkles for crap. Me, included. I learned the "cartoon skin" approach to wrinkles from classic cartoons.Bob McKimson just wraps the clothes (and fur) skin tight onto the characters.
Even Rod Scribner, who is known for liking wrinkles, just draws loose fitting cartoon skin.
See how real wrinkles look. Nothing at all like cartoons.
Here are a couple variations of loose cartoon skin.
I think it's funny that even though this Mickey toy is actually made of fabric, they went out of their way to sew it up as tight as cartoon skin. Wouldn't it be cool to dress like this in real life?
Wrinkles are extremely complicated, and there is actually a physical science of how they work, which is much too complicated for cartoonists.
Old time illustrators like Rockwell, were wrinkle masters.
Wrinkles at one time were studied at art school. It was considered a serious part of art fundamentals. Art schools in general must have been much more serious about actually teaching you things at one time.
Eddie's theory is that art schools should be run like fascism. When I see the results of this kind of teaching 80-100 years ago and more, I tend to agree.
Comic strip wrinkles.
Milton Caniff loved wrinkles and he developed a style of drawing them that was widely copied by other comic strip and book artists. These wrinkles are more realistic ha cartoon wrinkles, but I suspect that they were copied superficially from illustrators like Rockwell.
Comic artists and cartoonists tend to be self taught. These old time great ones had much higher standards of art to imitate that we do though and so their superficiality is still much more skilled than our generations'. That's because we are 20 steps removed from the real thing and they were only 1 or 2.
I always loved Jack Kirby's wrinkles. I don't know if they are strictly sensible, or just stylized from copying his own heroes' work.
Kirby is especially rebellious, because he took a whole comic genre that can only be convincing with cartoon skin and then he went and sagged and wrinkled it up.
Superheroes wear cartoon skin underwear to show off their muscles. When a real live person wears a superhero suit, it is much less impressive and points to how wacky the whole idea of superheroes is. That didn't stop Kirby from creating the first superheroes that wore realistic saggy, lumpy underwear.

subset: commoncrawl


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High School Students Teach Life-Saving Skills in Competition
Published on in CHOP News
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Published on in CHOP News
May 25, 2011 — More than 400 students from the School District of Philadelphia demonstrated ways to teach their peers how to save a life. The teenagers showed their novel projects for teaching skills in performing CPR and using an AED (automated external defibrillator) at an event co-sponsored May 23 by the School District and researchers from The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. The winning teams were Girls High in 1st place, Douglas High School in 2nd place, and Kensington Culinary Arts in 3rd place.
The Student Program for Olympic Resuscitation Training in Schools (SPORTS) study was conducted by CHOP in conjunction with the School District. Fifteen of the district's high schools were involved in the study, which focuses on the students developing innovative new ways to learn and retain the life-saving skills of CPR and AED use.
The study culminated today with the CPR/AED Olympics at Franklin Field at the University of Pennsylvania, where the students were judged on the creativity and innovation of their novel CPR/AED programs, and their ability to acquire and retain the skills of CPR and AED use. Watch a video with highlights of the event.
"Approximately 300,000 individuals in the U.S. die each year from sudden cardiac arrest, including nearly one thousand children, many of them at school and sports events. Most of these adults and children have no symptoms prior to a sudden cardiac arrest," said Victoria Vetter, MD, pediatric cardiologist and medical director of Youth Heart Watch at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.
"To protect against such tragedies and better train a generation who will have the skills to save lives using CPR and AEDs Youth Heart Watch at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia conducted this research study to help engage students in CPR and AED education."
"This is an innovative project and we are happy that many of the high schools in The School District of Philadelphia participated in creating opportunities that will help their peers learn to do CPR and use AEDs and to retain that knowledge," said Arlene Ackerman, EdD, superintendent, School District of Philadelphia. "The District and CHOP have worked together for years to ensure the AEDs are available in our schools. The District's Office of Health, Safety and Physical Education is committed to having AEDs readily available to schools throughout Philadelphia and to have personnel trained to use them in an emergency."
AEDs are small, easy-to-operate devices that are extremely effective in reviving victims of sudden cardiac arrest if administered immediately after the heart stops. They are safe to operate because they are will not shock anyone whose heart is beating normally and who is not in cardiac arrest. Pennsylvania's Good Samaritan law protects people administering an AED to someone experiencing cardiac arrest.
Youth Heart Watch at Children's Hospital advocates the placement of AEDs in every school and has worked with schools in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware to implement AED programs and encourage placement of AEDs in schools and community gathering places throughout the U.S. In addition to AEDs, Youth Heart Watch helps schools put programs in place to educate students and staff about sudden cardiac death and to train them in the use of AEDs and CPR, so that proper care can be administered at the first sign of heart trouble. In the case of a sudden cardiac arrest, immediate care is essential.
Over the years, the School District of Philadelphia has trained more than 800 of its personnel in schools to use AEDs and perform CPR. Youth Heart Watch has provided training grants to fund CPR and AED training in the District's middle and high schools.
The Pennsylvania legislature enacted a law eight years ago providing two AEDs per school district in the state. In 2003, Youth Heart Watch at CHOP partnered with the Philadelphia Trial Lawyers who funded AEDs for every School District of Philadelphia high school that was open at the time. The District also has AEDs available for use at all of its athletic complexes, better known as "Athletic Super Sites."
Schools and families should be aware of the warning symptoms of sudden cardiac arrest.
Symptoms include:
A family history of early (before 35 years) sudden cardiac arrest is another important factor, as the conditions that cause sudden cardiac arrest in the young are frequently inherited, added Dr. Vetter.
Cardiac arrest is often reversible if it's treated within a few minutes with an AED that administers an electric shock to restore a normal heartbeat. Few attempts at resuscitation succeed after 10 minutes, so every second counts. Application within three to five minutes of the heart stopping using an onsite AED is usually successful.
The SPORTS study is supported by the American Heart Association and Laerdal Foundation for Acute Medicine.
Joey McCool Ryan, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, 267-426-6070 or email@example.com
Fernando Gallard, Philadelphia School District, 215-400-4040 or email@example.com


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Storm dumps more than two feet of snow on Northeast
BOSTON — More than 28 inches of snow had fallen on central Connecticut by early Saturday, and areas of southeastern Massachusetts, Rhode Island and New Hampshire notched 2 feet or more of snow — with more falling. Airlines scratched more than 5,300 flights through Saturday, and New York City's three major airports and Boston's Logan Airport closed.
The wind-whipped snowstorm mercifully arrived at the start of a weekend, which meant fewer cars on the road and extra time for sanitation crews to clear the mess before commuters in the New York-to-Boston region of roughly 25 million people have to go back to work. But it also could mean a weekend cooped up indoors.
For a group of stranded European business travelers, it meant making the best of downtime in a hotel restaurant Friday night in downtown Boston, where snow blew outside and drifted several inches deep on the sidewalks.
The six Santander bank employees found their flights back to Spain canceled, and they gave up on seeing the city or having dinner out.
"We are not believing it," said Tommaso Memeghini, 29, an Italian who lives in Barcelona. "We were told it may be the biggest snowstorm in the last 20 years."
The National Weather Service says up to 3 feet of snow is expected in Boston, threatening the city's 2003 record of 27.6 inches. A wind gust of 76 mph was recorded at Logan Airport.
In heavily Catholic Boston, the archdiocese urged parishioners to be prudent about attending Sunday Mass and reminded them that, under church law, the obligation "does not apply when there is grave difficulty in fulfilling this obligation."
Halfway through what had been a mild winter across the Northeast, blizzard warnings were posted from parts of New Jersey to Maine. The National Weather Service said Boston could get close to 3 feet of snow by Saturday evening, while most of Rhode Island could receive more than 2 feet, most of it falling overnight Friday into Saturday. Connecticut was bracing for 2 feet, and New York City was expecting as much as 14 inches.
Early snowfall was blamed for a 19-car pileup in Cumberland, Maine, that caused minor injuries. In New York, hundreds of cars began getting stuck on the Long Island Expressway on Friday afternoon at the beginning of the snowstorm and dozens of motorists remained disabled early Saturday as police worked to free them.
About 650,000 customers in the Northeast lost power during the height of the snowstorm, most of them in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. The Pilgrim Nuclear Power Plant in Plymouth, Mass., lost electricity and shut down Friday night during the storm. Authorities say there's no threat to public safety.
At least four deaths were being blamed on the storm, three in Canada and one in New York. In southern Ontario, an 80-year-old woman collapsed while shoveling her driveway and two men were killed in car crashes. In New York, a 74-year-old man died after being struck by a car in Poughkeepsie; the driver said she lost control in the snowy conditions, police said.
Forecasters said wind gusts exceeding 75 mph could cause more widespread power outages and whip the snow into fearsome drifts. Flooding was expected along coastal areas still recovering from Superstorm Sandy, which hit New York and New Jersey the hardest and is considered Jersey's worst natural disaster.
In Manhattan, streets normally bustling after midnight, were quiet Saturday but for the hum of snow blowers, the scrape of shovels and the laughter from late night revelers who braved the snow.
Bill Tavonallo, 39, said he walked home on purpose from a Manhattan bar to enjoy the snow falling.
"With Sandy, we were scared. But this is wonderful," he said, his glasses crusted with ice. "It's nice to have a reason to slow down."
In Massachusetts, Gov. Deval Patrick enacted a statewide driving ban for the first time since the Blizzard of '78, a ferocious storm that dropped 27 inches of snow, packed hurricane-force winds and claimed dozens of lives.
In New York, Fashion Week, a series of designer showings with some activities held under tents, went on mostly as scheduled, though organizers put on additional crews to deal with the snow and ice, turned up the heat and fortified the tents. The snow did require some wardrobe changes: Designer Michael Kors was forced to arrive at the Project Runway show in Uggs.


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We are looking for PhD Students, Research Assistants and Vet Assistants - Please check here under positions
Taï Chimpanzee Project (TCP)
Director: Roman Wittig
Co-Director: Catherine Crockford
Head of Veterinary Unit: Fabian Leednertz
Long-term data manager: Liran Samuni
Project Administration: Christina Kompo
Taï chimpanzees (P. t.verus) have been the subjects of behavioral research for over fourty years (founded in 1979 by Christophe and Hedwige Boesch). At present the project is following four habituated neighbouring communities totaling some 150 individuals. Each group is followed by a team of two Ivorian field assistants, international research assistants, PhD students and researchers on a daily basis. Local and international research staff has to comply to a strict hygienic protocol to prevent zoonotic disease transmission, which was developed in close collaboration with the Robert Koch Institute (Fabian Leendertz, Project Group Zoonoses). As part of the hygienic protocol staff go through three days of quarantine in the North camp before moving to the research camps. Having a permanent vet on site and using a field laboratory we are able to monitor the health status of staff and wildlife.
Research is conducted out of four research field camps (Barrage, South camp, East camp, North-East camp) from where teams start in the morning to conduct their nest to nest follows of the chimpanzees. Studies of the Taï population have led to insights into the construction and use of tools, cooperative hunting behavior, and many aspects of chimpanzee social life. More recently, comparisons of behavior patterns seen at Taï with those exhibited in other chimpanzee populations all over Africa have led to the recognition of chimpanzee culture, an attribute previously restricted to humans.
Researchers of TCP in the Taï National Park work closely with the Wild Chimpanzee Foundation and the Ivorian national park authorities (OIPR - Office Ivorien des Parcs et Réserves) to protect the chimpanzees' future. The base of TCP in Ivory Coast is the Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques en Côte d'Ivoire in Abidjan, a research institution and TCP's close partner.
At present research conducted at TCP is using several different methodological approaches, principally behavioural observations, bio-banking of feces and urine, hormonal analysis from non-invasive sampling of urine and faeces, genetic analysis from non-invasive sampling of faeces and hair, cognition field experiments, video- and vocalisation-recording, remote video and audiorecording and monitoring.
Since 2012, we are also observing a group of mangabeys, which has an overlapping territory with the North group's home range. Comparing behaviour, physiology and cognition of mangabeys and chimpanzees under the same ecological condition will allow us to understand the differences between monkeys and apes.
Research at Taï currently focuses on:
Topics are:
- Communication and evolution of language
- Cultural differences between neighboring communities
- Demographic changes (long-term)
- Intercommunity interactions
- Parasite and disease effects
- Physical and social cognition
- Ontogenetic development
- Social bonds and cooperation
- Social interactions and stress
- Survey techniques and bio-monitoring
Standing collaborations with TCP (2017)
Within MPI EVA
Department of Primatology
- Dr. Tobias Deschner: PI on Behavioural Endocrinology
- Dr. Gottfried Hohmann: Joint project on Pan-Pan comparison: bonobo - chimpanzee
- Dr. Hjalmar Kühl: PI on Pan-African program
- Dr. Linda Vigilant:Kin relationships of Tai chimpanzees
Department of Behaviour, Ecology and Culture
- Dr. Richard McElreath: Comparison of Life History between Humans, Chimpanzees and Bonobos and Evolution of Brain Connectivity
Department of Human Evolution
- Dr. Philipp Gunz:Evolution of Brain Connectivity
- Dr. Ellen Schulz-Kornas: Biomechanical stress on chimpanzee teeth
Outside from MPI EVA
- Angela Friederici, MPI for Cognition and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, GER. Joint project on Evolution of Brain Connectivity
- Catherine Hobaiter, University of St. Andrews, St. Andrews, UK. Joint project on Chimpanzee communication.
- Peter Kappeler, University of Göttingen & German Primate Center, Göttingen, GER. Joint project on Sociality and Health
- Viktoria M. Oelze, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, USA. Joint project on Isotope studies.
- Julia Ostner, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, GER. Joint project on Sociality and Health
- Oliver Schülke, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, GER. Joint project on Sociality and Health
- Steven Smith, Vetmed University, Vienna, Austria. Joint project on Telomers
- Martin Surbeck, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA. Joint project on Bonobo - Chimpanzee Comparison
- Nikolaus Weisskopf, MPI for Cognition and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, GER. Joint project on Evolution of Brain Connectivity
- Michael Wilson, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, USA. Joint project on Lethal aggression in chimpanzees.
- Klaus Zuberbühler, University of Neuchâtel, Neuchâtel, Switzerland. Joint project on Social complexity and cognition in chimpanzee and mangabeys.
- Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifique (CSRS), Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire
- LANADA, Labo Veterinaire Central, Bingerville, Cote d'Ivoire
- Office Ivorien des Parces et Reserves (OIPR), Cote d'Ivoire
- Robert Koch Institut, Berlin, Germany
- Wild Chimpanzee Foundation (WCF), West African Office, Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire
Want to work with us?
Check jobs available or inquire with Roman Wittig.
For further information contact:
Dr. Roman M. Wittig
Director of the Taï Chimpanzee Project
phone: +49 341 3550204
email: taichimpproject@[>>> Please remove the text! <<<]eva.mpg.de
latest update:
Sep 2019


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Ashton Kutcher files for divorce from Demi Moore
LOS ANGELES – Ashton Kutcher filed court papers Friday to end his seven-year marriage to actress Demi Moore.
The actor's divorce petition cites irreconcilable differences and does not list a date that the couple separated. Moore announced last year that she was ending her marriage to the actor 15 years her junior, but she never filed a petition.
Kutcher's filing does not indicate that the couple has a prenuptial agreement. The filing states Kutcher signed the document Friday, hours before it was filed in Los Angeles Superior Court.
Kutcher and Moore married in September 2005 and until recently kept their relationship very public, communicating with each other and fans on the social networking site Twitter. After their breakup, Moore changed her name on the site from (at)mrskutcher to (at)justdemi.
Kutcher currently stars on CBS' "Two and a Half Men."
Messages sent to Kutcher's and Moore's publicists were not immediately returned Friday.
Moore, 50, and Kutcher, 34, created the DNA Foundation, also known as the Demi and Ashton Foundation, in 2010 to combat the organized sexual exploitation of girls around the globe. They later lent their support to the United Nations' efforts to fight human trafficking, a scourge the international organization estimates affects about 2.5 million people worldwide.
Moore was previously married to actor Bruce Willis for 13 years. They had three daughters together -- Rumer, Scout and Tallulah Belle -- before divorcing in 2000. Willis later married model-actress Emma Heming in an intimate 2009 ceremony at his home in Parrot Cay in the Turks and Caicos Islands that attended by their children, as well as Moore and Kutcher.
Kutcher has been dating former "That `70s Show" co-star Mila Kunis.
The divorce filing was first reported Friday by People magazine.


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Kent Bush: Oh, deer ... the Windstar is hit
I'll never forget where I was when I read the news.
The trusty Windstar that has carried me within feet of a deadly tornado and a few million votes of the presidency had fallen victim to a deer attack.
For those of you who are new to this column, the Windstar is owned by Todd Natvig, who has sacrificed it to hail storms and other severe weather in order to help me get great weather photos. Because the Windstar had been there through thick and thin, we used it as our official campaign vehicle after he joined the ticket in my presidential campaign as an official write-in candidate in Kansas.
As my good friend and running mate was heading to work Wednesday morning, a deer , obviously a fan of the Electoral College , leapt out of its hiding place and sacrificed its own life in order to inflict a deadly blow to the trusty storm chasing and campaign vehicle.
Thankfully, Natvig wasn't hurt.
His wife was the first to post about the tragedy Wednesday morning after he called to give her the bad news. Despite major damage to the fender, hood, headlight and driver's side door, Natvig was able to drive another 15 miles or so into work with bits of deer clinging to his minivan.
This is exactly why I have never been that impressed with deer hunters. You slather yourselves in animal urine and sit in a tree above a feeder all day waiting to shoot Bambi with an assault rifle and act like The Great White Hunter when you bag a bunch of venison.
I have spent the majority of my adult life dodging these vermin with antlers.
That's why I like fishing. It is a challenge. I have never heard of anyone destroying a minivan by hitting a catfish driving to work.
Plus catch-and-release is easier to practice when you don't shoot the animal you are hunting in the face.
But even though I'm not impressed by the skill associated with bagging a buck, I do support the systematic eradication of the Windstar smashing caribou wannabes.
In 2012, we ran a campaign against the Electoral College. I thought that would be the end of my political career. Maybe I should consider a mid-term election for Congress on a "Kill all the deer you can" platform. Instead of more gun control, we could require that every gun permit issued only goes into effect after it is used to kill one of these white-tailed highway hazards. The evil denizen of the ditch may have thought he won the battle Wednesday morning. But I hope with his last breath he saw the Windstar and realized his attack had failed. The Windstar will be back in harm's way soon.
On the other hand, if you need any deer jerky or venison sausage, I know where you can get some pretty cheap.
Kent Bush is publisher of the Augusta, Kan., Gazette.


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North Korean leader Kim Jong-il is dead. North Korean state news reported that the reclusive leader passed away Saturday morning while riding a train after suffering a massive heart attack; the result of "great mental and physical strain."
The South Korean military has been placed on emergency alert, although as of this writing, had not elevated from Defcon 4. At this time, there has been no movement of North Korean forces stationed on the opposite side of the De-Militarized Zone.
Focus now turns to the presumptive heir of the "Dear Leader," his third son, Kim Jong-un. Indeed, Jong-il's failing health has led to the speculation that 2012, the 100th anniversary of his father, Kim Il-sung's birth, would see Kim Jong-un anointed as the new leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. The goal of this live transition was to avert the internal turmoil which followed the death of Kim Il Sung and the accession of Kim Jong-il.
However, the death of Kim Jong-il casts immediate doubt on the succession of Kim Jong-un and has the potential to greatly destabilize North Korea. Kim Jong-un is only in his mid-twenties, and a political novice. Indeed, he was only named Kim Jong-il's heir apparent and elevated in status in 2010. Unlike Jong-il, who had by the time of Kim Il-sung's death spent decades deeply involved within the government, developing useful political allies, Jong-un has no such experience. This is partly due to his young age, but also due to his Jong-il's reported fear of any of his sons developing a power base independent of their father, lest they challenge his authority.
Furthermore, following Kim Il-sung's death in 1994, Jong-il moved to gain the support of the powerful military through adopting a national policy of "military first." Jong-il's policy of promoting the military over all other national interests was instrumental in his ability to first consolidate and maintain power and has left the military as a major power broker in the succession. This was a major reason behind Jong-un's elevation to four-star general and a senior position on the National Defense Commission. Reports indicate that it is likely that while Kim Jong-un will be publicly elevated, his uncle, Jang Song-thaek or a group of senior officials will hold the levers of power until Jong-un has acquired the necessary experience and support. Gaining the support of the military will be crucial to Jong-un's ability to consolidate power. Indeed, the stability of North Korea will likely hinge upon the decisions made by the military and their willingness to accept the accession of Kim Jong-un.
It is likely, however, that Kim Jong-il's death will presage a pronounced shift away from the slight thawing in relations with the international community as the DPRK focuses on internal issues; in effect, placing a hold on external matters as it did following the death of Kim Il-sung. In particular, this will likely have profound effects on recent attempts to persuade North Korea to return to the Six Party Talks. Furthermore, until the situation in the North has stabilized, a process which could take years, even in best-case scenarios, it is unlikely that any subsequent regime concerned with survival would be willing to give up its nuclear arsenal. Furthermore, it is certainly possible that an emerging regime would be likely to brandish their nuclear weapons both as a warning to deter external aggression as well as a bargaining chip with which to secure international legitimacy through recognition as well as aid.
Aid will be particularly vital to North Korea in the near-term as it continues to contend with a worsening humanitarian condition due to food shortages compounded by the rising costs of grain and other staples. Conditions are likely to worsen in coming months as the harshness of winter sets in. Feeding its population will be a daunting early challenge for the new regime.
North Korea's pressing need to secure significant amounts of international aid presents a possible avenue to improved relations with the international community; however, such an outcome is unlikely. Rather, North Korea is likely to tighten its ties with China and seek assistance through its well-established channels to Beijing. Indeed, this will highlight North Korea's "power of weakness," vis-à-vis China. Worried that internal strife will lead to a total collapse of the North Korean state, the Chinese will be unable to resist North Korean entreaties for assistance. While this may not be an ideal outcome, it will allow for some modicum of stability within the DPRK while it sorts itself out, and will hopefully forestall complete collapse and the onset of a humanitarian and potentially military crisis the likes of which we have never before seen.
Greg Chaffin is a research assistant for the Centre for International Studies and Diplomacy at the University of London.


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2009 Idea Home: Chicago Remodel
Idea Home: At first look, the house didn't exactly sell itself—107 years old, 2,000 usable square feet (divided into two apartments), an unfinished basement and a tiny city lot. But Midwest Living®, and our young urban professional homeowners, saw a chance to create a greener, better-than-the-original, family home. The following slides show how we transformed this home's existing footprint into 2,900 usable square feet with four bedrooms, three and a half baths and a large, standout kitchen.
Your home: Use our lessons to help you reimagine the house you have as the home you've always wanted.
Take it outside
Idea Home: We modernized the original look of this home by accenting front peaks with shingles in a darker green, beefing up window trim and adding decorative grilles over new Jeld-Wen Windows. To reduce upkeep, the home now wears James Hardie fiber-cement lap siding and trim that has the color baked on. Want to see what the house used to look like? Click on "Idea Home: Before the Remodel" below.
Your home: Be a good neighbor; design your exterior to harmonize with the architecture of homes around it. But also consider modern improvements such as no- or low-maintenance siding, plus energy-efficient windows and new insulation.
James Hardie Building Products
An expansive makeover
Idea Home: The homeowners wanted to open up the first floor to create a single, flexible space. Removing an unneeded stairway between the former living/dining room and kitchen opened up the home's visual proportions and provided more space for socializing with friends and family. Light walls and bright windows create a spacious feel, while dark floors provide contrast and visual continuity. (See the floor plans, beginning on slide 21; you can also download the floor plans at the link below.)
Your home: Get creative with limited space. If you have a long, narrow area, plan traffic flow to one side so the other side can contain key "rooms." Furniture and rug placement can delineate living spaces. A focal point, such as the stone fireplace we installed, helps anchor a long area.
Halquist Stone (fireplace stone)
Top priority
Idea Home: A big kitchen for entertaining friends and family was the homeowners' No. 1 priority. To enlarge the kitchen, we removed one wall and a divisive ceiling soffit, and rearranged cabinets and fixtures. The result: a functional cooking and entertaining area that defines the main level.
Your home: Reimagine a kitchen with a view or more counter space. Improved traffic flow. Better function. Room for an island. Connected to other living spaces. Increased storage. More stylish with new finishes.
Anchor the room
Idea Home: A striking wall-to-wall glass tile treatment by Mandala, asymmetrical upper cabinet placement and a tall stainless-steel backsplash/range hood combine to act as the kitchen's eye-catching centerpiece. The 48-inch KitchenAid professional-style gas range, microwave and nearby warming drawer help with food prep for entertaining.
Your home: Combine practicality with beauty in a redesigned kitchen. Open your kitchen to adjacent rooms, but keep traffic flow out of the cooking area. Consider multiple work zones. Seating areas should offer flexibility for family and friends; in smaller areas, counter stools with low backs and thin, tubular bases take up little actual or visual space.
Make an entrance
Idea Home: The new front foyer is a generous, welcoming space with an open staircase and expansive views to the living areas. We set it apart architecturally with a dividing ceiling soffit as a transition to the living room. Once old walls came down, we found space to tuck a coat closet in the stairway turn and add custom ledges that go up the staircase. A Design Within Reach acrylic "Ghost" chair offers extra seating but virtually vanishes in the room.
Your home: Rethink your entry. Does it welcome you home? Can you see into adjacent rooms? Is it a clearly defined transition space? Is there a nearby closet? Is there glass in or around the door to let in daylight? Although small, your foyer makes the important first interior impression of your home.
Find privacy
Idea Home: We planned a private main-floor study to give a dedicated space for bill-paying or listening to music. Just 8 feet wide, our retreat has a built-in bank of office-specific cabinetry and plenty of space for an Oly Studio desk and guest chair. French doors allow views of adjoining rooms but shut out noise.
Your home: Pay just as much attention to smaller, secondary rooms in the house—in terms of placement, function, beauty and impact—as to the rest of the home.
Beautify a bath
Idea Home: A pocket door, instead of a standard swing, conserved square footage, allowing us to carve out space for a main-level powder room adjacent to the study.
Your home: Details matter. Even a small space looks sophisticated with touches such as our bath's textured metallic Seabrook wallpaper and sophisticated glass Kohler sink and wood vanity.
A getaway plan
Idea Home: We revised the layout of the master bedroom to create a space that is comfortable, relaxing and pampering. By removing an awkwardly placed single window and replacing it with two symmetrically separated taller versions, we could center a king-size bed between the windows. A sitting area emerged from the square footage of a former enclosed but unheated porch. And the former fire escape, no longer needed for a single-family home, could be transformed into an outdoor balcony.
Your home: Rearrange the space you have. Do you really need or use three, four (or more) bedrooms? Could one become extra master bedroom or bath space? Do you have an attic that can become a master suite? Are there closets or hallways that can be turned into bed or bath square footage? Is window placement awkward for furniture arranging? Would your daily routine benefit from a walk-in closet or a larger bath? If so, maybe a master suite remodel is right for you.
Consider light and privacy
Idea Home: In the master bedroom and sitting area, Roman shades by Levolor have room-darkening fabric. In other rooms, we used wood blinds and shade treatments that can open from the top or the bottom for privacy control. In the bathrooms, frosted glass made sense.
Your home: Uncovered windows visually expand small spaces, but night demands more coverage, especially in the city, where older houses are close together. Flexible window treatments work best.
Give-and-take design
Idea Home: The homeowners made a list of must-haves for their new master bath, but as they fine-tuned floor plans, they realized there wasn't room for both a shower and a bathtub without giving up the separated double vanity areas and roomy shower that they really wanted. The compromise: We built a large, luxurious shower here, and installed a whirlpool tub in the upstairs guest bathroom.
Your home: Reconsider your budget. One of the most expensive parts of a remodel can be moving plumbing. Weigh necessities. Can you keep existing fixtures or faucets where they are? Can you incorporate existing tile? Do you shower more than bathe, or vice versa? Would a second sink solve traffic problems? Is a separate water closet a priority?
Storage and sparkle
Idea Home: The master bath has a multitude of cabinets, drawers, pullouts and cubbies from KraftMaid. Deep countertop vessel sinks from Kohler and a mix of white, iridescent and clear glass tiles from Oceanside Glasstile lighten up the deep coffee-color cabinets.
Your home: Reduce bathroom clutter by creating two individual vanity areas. Solve storage dilemmas with good cabinet design. In our house, for instance, we couldn't find space for a linen cabinet upstairs, so we put in a tall bathroom cabinet (reflected in mirror) that serves as a linen closet.
Be space-smart
Idea Home: Most old homes have second-floor challenges like the pitched and low ceiling in this bedroom. To maximize usable floor space, we tucked a low platform bed from Charles P. Rogers under the slant. A wall-hung shelf acts as a nightstand. All through the home we chose tiny side tables to avoid "filling up" rooms.
Your home: Choose low-to-the-ground furniture profiles to mitigate the impact of low ceilings. Hang art low and place other pieces on the floor to create the illusion of higher ceilings. Limit colors to one or two, enhancing the feeling of space in a room.
Eliminate superficial elements
Idea Home: In the former front bedroom, we did away with an unneeded walk-in closet and found room for a smaller closet over the stairwell. This almost doubled the room's square footage, to create a guest bedroom with a comfy sitting area. We also eliminated a small window under the eaves for better bed placement and exterior symmetry.
Your home: Revive rooms that just need a little help to look and function better. Repurposing a closet's square footage, changing the location of a window or doorway, or just rethinking furniture arrangements can make a startling difference in a room -- without a lot of cash investment.
Opt for flexibility
Idea Home: The third second-floor bedroom, comfortably outfitted for snuggling up with a book, serves as a "place of her own" for the homeowner, but offers design flexibility as a future nursery. The second bath upstairs (next slide) will accommodate guests, but it also has the whirlpool tub the homeowners wanted.
Your home: Focus on what you would like now, but adapt your furniture choices, placement and decor as your family and needs change.
Smooth solutions
Idea Home: The guest bath upstairs has a whirlpool tub plus stylish KraftMaid cabinets, a marble countertop and a Kohler sink.
Your home: Even if you're not ready for a full bathroom re-do, some simple changes can bring a new vibe to your bath. Consider a fresh coat of paint (our bathroom has Benjamin Moore #AF-125 Morrel), new framed prints or a wood-framed mirror.
Reimagine unused areas
Idea Home: We added 900 usable square feet to the home by finishing the raw basement. We found space for a family/TV room, a fourth bedroom/hobby room and a third full bath, not to mention understairs storage, a laundry room and a back entry hall big enough to stow the homeowners' bikes.
Your home: Rediscover unused square footage. Think creatively to solve minor basement issues like support posts, small windows and utility meters. After all, the net investment for so much useful space is a relative bargain.
Color a mood
Idea Home: The homeowners initially were leery of a basement remodel because they thought the finished space would be cold and dreary. We altered that perception with warm Benjamin Moore paint colors (Affinity #AF-295 Pomegranate and Classic Color #1060 Blanched Almond). To coordinate, we revived a bargain plastic mirror with Colonial Red color from Rust-Oleum's new Painters Touch Ultra Cover 2x spray paint.
Your home: Don't be afraid to try new, rich colors to brighten a basement. Make basement ceilings feel taller by hanging your framed pieces relatively low. Camouflage piping with cabinets such as the ones pictured, and enjoy the extra storage you'll get, too.
Consider maintenance first
Idea Home: In addition to its new James Hardie fiber-cement lap siding, our home has TimberTech PVC stairs, railings, porches and privacy fencing that won't need maintenance or painting.
Your home: No- or low-maintenance improvements give you time to enjoy your outside space.
Make a plan
Idea Home: Mariani Landscaping designed a backyard that includes four pear trees for privacy from adjacent apartment buildings, along with an assortment of colorful-foliage perennials that take the place of annual flowers. Belgard pavers form a central patio, allowing water to drain into the ground and reduce runoff. Gloster outdoor furniture provides plenty of stylish seating for gatherings.
Your home: Redefine outdoor living spaces. Whether you host parties, want a private getaway, or love to putter in a vegetable garden, replotting yard space can make your home feel twice as big.
Main level floor plan--before
We redesigned two apartments back into a single-family home better than it was originally. Within the confines of a narrow lot and footprint, we maximized space and redefined indoor and outdoor areas into a functional, contemporary living plan.
Before we started renovations, the main floor had a staircase isolating the kitchen from the dining/living room, a walk-in closet that narrowed the entry and a bedroom that we would no longer need on this floor.
To see all the before-and-after floor plans on a single page, click on "Download the floor plans" below. You'll need free Adobe Acrobat Reader software to view the page.
Main level floor plan--after
We removed the unneeded stairway between the dining/living room and the kitchen. We also reconfigured the space on the right to have a more spacious entry, a study, a bath and a pantry rather than the former small entry, walk-in closet, bedroom and full bath.
Upper level floor plan--before
Before we remodeled, the upper level had two bedrooms, a living room, kitchen, porch and bath.
Upper level floor plan--after
Our new design created a master bedroom and sitting area where the kitchen and porch had been, a bedroom in the former living room, and a front bedroom that widened to include a former walk-in closet.
Lower level floor plan--before
The basement was unfinished, opening up possibilities for a significant expansion of living space.
Lower level floor plan--after
The basement level became a family room, bedroom, bath and laundry area.
Ready to remodel?
Builder Jim Vaughn offers some valuable tips.
-- Be flexible. Structural repairs and on-site revisions will invariably occur once demolition starts. Budget at least a 20-percent contingency for unavoidable problems. We found both insect and water damage under the original asbestos siding.
-- Choose experience. A contractor familiar with the type of project you are undertaking is more likely to give a realistic time frame and budget.
-- Communicate. Choose a contractor who shows diligence in responding to you from day one. If it's hard communicating at the start, imagine how hard it will be during the construction process. Then plan time for almost daily contact to manage the sheer volume of decisions that will pop up.
-- Design creatively. Work with an experienced architect to find the inherent assets of your home, and use them to save money and maximize the final result. Anticipate future needs to validate investment.
-- Get away. If possible, live off-site during construction. Remodeling can be difficult. No use adding stress.
(A version of this story appeared in Midwest Living® September/October 2009.)


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10 things to know about spring
It's as if we've been waiting forever. And maybe, we have been.
Spring couldn't come any sooner for many who are sick of the polar vortexes and other buzz words of this harsh winter that saw record snowfalls and deep chills in some areas of the country, and atypical school and road shutdowns in others.
Officially, the spring season starts March 20. Whether or not it'll actually feel like it a couple of weeks from now — we'll just have to keep waiting.
In the meantime, here are 10 things to know about spring:
1. This year's season begins March 20, 2014.
The timing varies according to local climate, as well as culture and customs. In the Northern Hemisphere, it begins on March 20 this year, in Eastern Standard Time. It can vary in other time zones.
2. It stands for rebirth.
Birds chirping, flowers blooming, sun shining — all that good stuff of the season points to some key terms associated with spring, such as rebirth, renewal and regrowth. Get happy.
3. The first day of spring is called the spring equinox.
On the first day of spring and thereafter, days are close to 12 hours long and we get more daylight as the season progresses. Because the axis of the Earth is increasing its tilt toward the sun, the length of daylight increases for that hemisphere. The first day of spring also is referred to as the vernal equinox.
4. The equinox is special.
The fall and spring equinoxes are the only two times during the year when the sun rises due east and sets due west, National Geographic reports. The equinoxes also are the only days of the year when a person standing on the Equator can see the sun passing directly overhead.
5. It's not spring everywhere.
This might be a no-brainer, but not all countries experience the same seasons during the year. Some places also don't have temperate climates like ours. In Australia, for example, it's winter from June 1 to Aug. 1 because of its location in the Southern Hemisphere. Although winters generally aren't as harsh, Australia still experiences a variety of climates because of its size.
6. It got its name from plants.
Beginning in the 14th century, "spring" became known as the season because of what plants were doing — they started the trend of "springing forth" or "springing forward" with new growth. It was called "springing time," then shortened to "spring-time" a century later. In the 16th century, the "time" finally was dropped to keep things simple.
7. But its first name was Lent.
This was spring's Old English name. And Lent, meaning spring, actually came first before the name for the traditional religious observance was adopted. Lent derives from the Germanic root for "long" because of the lengthening of days during the season, according to the Online Etymology Dictionary.
8. Oh, the floods.
Flooding is most common during spring because of snowmelt from mountainous areas, which is accelerated by warm rains. The weather also gets a bit funky because of warm air from the lower latitudes and cold air from the polar regions duking it out to see who makes a bigger splash.
9. In like a lion, out like a ... flower.
You know the lore: March comes in like a lion, and out like a lamb. What about those April showers bringing May flowers? These sayings have been proven to be false, with about as much accuracy as a Groundhog Day prognostication (read: just for fun).
10. Six months of sunlight?
According to National Geographic, if you happen to be living in the North Pole on the first day of spring, you'll see the sun skimming across the horizon to begin six months of uninterrupted daylight. Six months.
How's that for a polar vortex?


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TV: 'Game of Thrones' and the end of TV as we know it
HBO's "Game of Thrones" begins its final season Sunday, an abbreviated run of six episodes that's likely to claim the lives of nearly every character fans hold dear.
But when it's all said and done, the biggest loss in a post-"Thrones'" world might be television viewing as we know - or rather, knew - it.
When the series, based on the books by George R.R. Martin, began in April 2011, it wasn't the monumental hit it would become. The first episode drew 2.2 million viewers, respectable considering watching required an HBO subscription - and mind you, this was before borrowing your friend's HBO Go password was all the rage.
The show took the old-fashioned route to building a viewership beyond its loyalist book fans by serving up jaw-dropping twists, political power grabs and salacious misdeeds - all in the name of laying claim to the Iron Throne.
Over time, "Game of Thrones" became the show to watch with friends, theorize about with coworkers, read recaps about online and, if you dared, venture into the depths of Reddit boards to engage in a larger community of obsession. In time, it became the biggest television show in years, evidenced by the 12 million people who tuned into the season seven finale live. All told, each episode is now watched by 25 million people over streaming sites and HBO replays.
In no uncertain terms, there will never be another show like "Game of Thrones" simply because it might be the last show we, as a pop-culture-loving country and world, watch together.
As the sands of the television industry continue to shift with streaming services dominating and broadcast and cable struggling to keep up, there's an increasing erosion of the idea of "appointment TV."
Gone are the days of sitting down at 8 p.m. and watching "Friends" or gathering around the TV to watch "Survivor" or "American Idol" - even though those two are still at it. Today, our collective viewing experiences are reserved for sporting events and award shows, live events that lose their shine if not consumed in the moment.
When I was a teenager, I remember the soul-crushing dilemma of having to choose between the series finale of "Will and Grace" and the third season finale of "The O.C.," the latter of which promised the death of a major character. Even stakes like that don't hold the power to draw in viewers in droves today.
This isn't because television has eroded in quality and is no longer worthy of our immediate attention. In fact, ask any number of TV critics and they'll tell you television has rarely ever been better.
But with the gluttony of options for watching content, sitting down in front of your TV sets between one hour and the next is not a requirement.
Efforts have been made to curb that change in behavior. Appointment television adapted, in some ways, to the age of social media consumption by branding watercooler shows like "Grey's Anatomy" and "Scandal" as must-watch-live series that you could tweet along with and risked being spoiled if you missed out.
Some shows still have shades of live retention, such as "This Is Us" and the early years of "Empire." But those have faded with time.
What makes "Game of Thrones" the exception is its perforation of our culture and its towering scale, traits typically reserved for movies. It unfurled week to week, not dropped all at once on Netflix to consume at your leisure.
It was both the future of television and a rare fragment of a past era of it. We are presented with so many shows every week now that most fade in the conversation within days. But "Game of Thrones" established itself early on as a television event - when that meant something. It demanded to be watched live without actually having to demand it. It's narrative, its craft and its dragons did that job for it.
It united us across age, gender, race and political divides - something I think new shows would be hard-pressed to do in today's climate.
It redefined television, gave hope that ratings and collective viewership could still be attainable, and every network and service is desperately looking to recapture that as it fades to black - HBO included.
So, as "Game of Thrones'" characters prepare to make their final play for the throne, don't just let the chaos and budget-breaking action wash over you. Absorb the communal experience of its dominance in the zeitgeist.
It will never be like this again.
Hunter Ingram can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.com. Hunter is a member of the Television Critics Association.


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Each day Salt Lake City Police Department receives hundreds of calls for service, not all of which result in a report or arrest. Compiled by Watch Commanders in the field, the Watch Log is a summary of significant events over the last 24-hour period. Items contained herein are based on information available at the time of its release and should not be interpreted as an admission or finding of guilt. Arrest information may differ from formal charges filed by the prosecuting agency. To see a list of completed calls for service in the last 48 hours, please visit: slcpd.com/policecallsforservice.
No Significant Events
Contact: Reporters seeking comment should contact the Public Information Officer at 801.799.NEWS (6397).


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Island Quilter
Sound Investment
People come from all over the country to Island Quilter, located in the heart of Puget Sound in Vashon, Washington, to see the shop known for bright fabrics, beautiful displays, and small-town hospitality. Vashon, situated not surprisingly on Vashon Island, is accessible only by ferry.
Meet the Staff
From left:
Sharon Aukland, Paul Robinson (co-owner), Anja Shive Moritz (co-owner), and Barb Trenary; not pictured: Nancy Zellerhoff.
Work of Art
Both Anja Shive Moritz and Paul Robinson were carpenters before opening their quilt shop. Their strong design skills are reflected in beautiful woodworking and unusual shelves found in the shop. The open floor plan mimics art stores, allowing customers to view hanging pieces, such as Harvest Star by Maggie Ball of Dragonfly Quilts.
Ball of Creativity
Before Island Quilter, locals had to travel off the island for quilting supplies. Now residents can find fabrics, yarn, thread, and notions locally.
Fun Finds
Island Quilter has the largest selection of Kaffe Fassett fabrics in the Northwest. These purses show off Kaffe's bold prints and give customers ideas on how to use his fabrics.
Shades of Fall
The Island Quilter staff designed Shades of Fall for Quilt Sampler® Fall/Winter 2011 magazine.
Machine-Quilting Designs
Mimi Tremoulet machine-quilted a leaf motif in each batik 5-1/2" square in Shades of Fall, continuing the design into adjacent units with free-motion tendrils, leaves, and swirls.
Shades of Fall Color Option
While the original quilt is reminiscent of fall, quilt tester Laura Boehnke's interpretation could be called Shades of Spring. To play up her spring theme, Laura showcased fussy-cut flowers in the 5 -1/2" squares. The bow-tie units even resemble tulips when made in pastel purple and blue. Her fabrics are from the Cape Cod collection by Fabri-Quilt.
For more information about Island Quilter, visit


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Yes I can!
Every small step in the right direction will bring me to my dream.
I can do it!
Author: mage1999
About Serge 'Mage' Cote Why do I write? I believe in the butterfly effect. As small my influence may be on the planet, it is still influence. I want to orient it for the better. I write my book with the idea of bringing something good into this world. "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." – Edmund Burke I want my books to be a good place to be. A place that you visit often and feel good about it. I want my books to bring good energy so the readers will take action to make this world a better place. I want my books to guide those who don't know why they feel so bad about their life. I want my books to be there after I'll be gone. I want people to come back to them and use them in a positive way. "The greatest use of a life is to spend it on something that will outlast it." – William James View all posts by mage1999


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By Ian Steadman, Wired UK
Humanity has been in space for a while, but we really haven't managed to go very far. Carl Sagan once said that "the surface of the Earth is the shore of the cosmic ocean, and recently we've waded a little way out, maybe ankle deep" -- that was in 1980, and we haven't risked testing the water any deeper since then.
[partner id="wireduk" align="right"]One of the main reasons for that, though, is that space is so frustratingly massive. Voyager 1 is the fastest man-made thing ever, but 10.5 miles per second is a piffling fraction of the speed of light. Even getting to one of our nearest neighbours, Mars, would take six to eight months using conventional spaceship engines. Ideas like warp drives are still theoretical, and unlikely to be seen within our lifetimes. However, it might be possible to cut that trip to Mars down to as few as three months using a form of fusion fuel -- "dilithium crystals." Yep, just like Star Trek.
It's not quite the same, of course. In the sci-fi series, the crystals are a rare substance that the crew spend an inordinate amount of time searching for, and their engines can use it to travel faster than the speed of light. This engine, currently under development at the University of Hunstville by a team working in collaboration with Boeing, NASA and the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, would by comparison be about twice as fast as the best current technology.
According to Txchnologist, General Electric's online tech magazine, this fusion reactor would be fueled by "a few tonnes" of deuterium (a heavy isotope of hydrogen) and lithium-6 (a stable molecule of lithium) in a crystalline structure -- hence the "dilithium crystal" claim. Technically, dilithium is a molecule with two covalently bonded lithium atoms, while lithium-6 features six bonded atoms, but we can forgive them for the temptation of using a little poetic license. When the deuterium and the lithium-6 are forced together under high pressure they undergo a fusion reaction -- a process which they're still trying to turn into a net producer of energy. While fusion isn't yet a viable fuel source, recent developments in the field seem to indicate that we can't be far away.
The engine, dubbed the "Charger-1 Pulsed Power Generator", would be constructed in space along with the rest of the spaceship to avoid the tricky engineering difficulties of getting all that delicate fusion equipment up through the atmosphere -- just like the International Space Station. Once ready, the reactor would be engaged, and millions of amps are passed through super-thin lithium wires in 100 nanosecond pulses -- this could generate up to three terrawatts of power. Those wires vaporise into plasma, which is collapsed onto the core of deuterium and lithium-6, inducing a fusion reaction.
The energy from that would be forced out the back of the ship in a so-called "z-pinch" using a "magnetic nozzle", a component which the team are also developing. The engine's potential top speed? Over 100,000km/h. That's roughly the same speed at which the Earth orbits the Sun.
However, as Business Insider points out, it's likely that any commercial or scientific use of the technology will only be if the US army allows it, as the research is being conducted using equipment repurposed from military projects. And, again, that depends on developing a fusion reactor that generates more power than it consumes.
The dilithium of Star Trek was not merely a molecule with two atoms of lithium, though -- it was always described as its own element, and a periodic table seen in one episode listed it as having atomic weight 87 (which would place it between Rubidium and Strontium if its atomic number followed normal convention, but we can probably assume that dilithium is a bit unusual and obeys laws of molecular physics as yet unknown to our primitive science).
Hopefully those astronauts trained to maintain and run these dilithium crystal fusion reactors will not suffer the ignominy of their colleagues asking that they give status reports in Scottish accents. Even if it would be quite funny.
Source: Wired.co.uk


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Beating Testicular Cancer: One Man's Story
by Rick Alan
Testicular cancer. Just the thought of it causes fear and apprehension. But thanks to the wonders of modern medicine, even patients with later stages of the condition have promising cure rates. Paul, 42 years old, holds an advanced degree in chemistry. Cofounder of a New England research company, he's been married for 15 years and has three daughters. Before he was diagnosed with testicular cancer in March of 1997, he had no major health problems. Here, Paul describes that diagnosis, his successful treatment, and how it has affected his life.
Question: How did you discover you had testicular cancer?
Paul: In late February of 1997, I became aware of a ridge on the outside edge of my right testicle that seemed new, which was noticeable as I held my penis while urinating. After waiting about a week, I made an appointment with my internist, because I was afraid that it could possibly be a tumor.
He had me give a urine sample and told me it was probably only an infection, but strongly suggested a follow-up with a urologist 'just in case.' He asked if I had a regular urologist. I didn't, so he personally scheduled an appointment for me with a urologist at a local hospital for the next day. Needless to say, his urgency in making the appointment, although he acted like everything was fine, was very unsettling.
Question: What happened when you met with the urologist?
Paul: He told me that I had no infection, and that he wanted to rule out some possibilities with an ultrasound. When I came back into his office, he immediately without any preliminaries stated that I had a malignant tumor. In retrospect, I realized that both he and the internist were 99% sure of my diagnosis immediately upon examination. One of the hallmarks of testicular cancer is a marked disparity in testicle size. The afflicted one is usually much smaller, which was the case with me. I remember being surprised when the urologist asked me if my testicles were always so different in size.
Question: What was your first reaction when the urologist gave you the news?
Paul: It was as if I, and everything around me, was suddenly moving at 1000 miles per hour. I was very concerned with possible outcomes and particularly with statistical cure rates which vary widely for the different possible tumor types. I also wanted to know if a biopsy would be done to confirm the diagnosis. The urologist said that no biopsy would be done because based on the ultrasound he was almost 100% certain that the tumor was malignant, and that a biopsy might spread the cancer. I felt an enormous, pervasive fear, as well as an incredible focusing and narrowing of perspective.
Question: What treatment did your doctors prescribe? Did they present you with just one, or a number of treatment options?
Paul: The urologist said that he did not advise waiting to do surgery owing to the possible speed of metastasis (spreading of the cancer). Testicular cancer grows fast, and some tumor types grow very fast.
He said he wanted to perform an orchiectomy surgery to remove the testicle the following Tuesday, which was four days later. I agreed to that. I spoke to a friend's brother over the weekend who is a radiation oncologist and he confirmed that immediate treatment was indicated. The urologist also wanted to schedule x-rays, blood work, and a CT scan for Monday to assess the extent, if any, of possible metastasis. I agreed to that as well.
After surgery, I had a lymphangiogram an x-ray visualization of the lymph nodes , to assess the possible spread of the tumor. This showed minor lymph node involvement, and radiation therapy was scheduled.
Question: What did you do immediately after being told you had cancer?
Paul: I went to the appointment desk at the hospital to schedule preop and diagnostic procedures for the day before the surgery. Then I called my wife. After I told her, I went back to work and made the necessary plans to handle my absence from work in the coming week. Then I went home and had dinner with my wife and two close friends.
Question: What was your wife's reaction?
Paul: She was outwardly very calm, as she normally is in emergencies. I am sure she also was very scared, for her and for me, but she didn't show it.
Question: Did you tell your children?
Paul: Yes, right away. They were worried, but I don't think unduly so. They were, I think, more worried on the day of the surgery, when my wife and I were away all day from early morning until about 8:00 PM.
Question: Other than your immediate family, did you tell anyone else?
Paul: Yes. I told all my close friends. I also told my partners right away. And I decided to be completely open with the rest of my coworkers. It's a small and 'family-like' company, and it would be painful for me if people didn't know immediately, or got fragmentary information. Besides, I knew I would miss time from work and feel somewhat debilitated, so to make up a story and keep the details straight would have been very difficult for me.
Question: Did you seek a second opinion before going forward with treatment?
Paul: Before surgery, other then speaking to my friend's brother, no. But after the lymphangiogram, I got a second opinion with a leading expert in the field before the onset of radiation therapy. I ended up switching radiation oncologists within the same hospital after my consultations. The result was that I had basically the same type of radiation treatment as originally suggested by my first oncologist, just in a slightly different area of the abdomen.
Question: Did you do any research on your own after you were diagnosed, and if so, where (library, online, medical journals)?
Paul: Yes, extensively, using all of them. I found that current medical texts were most helpful. Online information was also useful, but less detailed. The National Cancer Institute has a good database of cancer information.
Question: How did radiation affect your overall health immediately after receiving it?
Paul: Radiation debilitated me for the whole course of treatment, and for several weeks beyond. I vomited uncontrollably after each radiation treatment until I discovered—largely on my own initiative—that a then-new drug called Zofran [...] controlled the vomiting completely. I still felt constantly nauseous, had very little appetite for the entire time of treatment (four weeks), and lost about 15 pounds. It was as if I was constantly seasick.
Question: Did the treatment totally cure you of testicular cancer?
Paul: Yes, although there is a slight chance of recurrence via metastasis to abdominal or chest lymph glands—less than 1%-2% at this point.
Question: What type of follow-up treatment, if any, do you receive now? How often do you have to go in for checkups?
Paul: No follow-up treatment. Checkups at first were every three months, now every six months. I have another year to go and then the doctor says he doesn't need to see me anymore—the chance of recurrence by then is extremely slight.
Question: Did the condition initially, or since treatment, have any effect on your love life?
Paul: Only initially due to discomfort from the surgery. Orchiectomy is similar to a hernia operation, although with an orchiectomy there is more pain in the testicle region, I think. The loss of one testicle still leaves testosterone levels at 90%-95% of normal, and I have noticed no effects on my libido.
Question: Has the condition had any overall effect on your health?
Paul: Not really, except that I only regained about half of the weight I lost during radiation therapy.
Question: Can you describe your thoughts and feelings right before and right after the operation?
Paul: During the weekend before surgery I worried about the upcoming events. Monday passed in a blur of diagnostic procedures and preoperative evaluations. Tuesday's surgery, although delayed five hours, went off without a hitch. I had a variety of thoughts. I felt very fortunate that the medical system, at least to that point, had worked for me as it should.
I was grateful to the internist who suspected the worst but did not want to needlessly frighten me, and to the urologist who had time enough for answers to all of my questions. My internist even called on Monday to apologize for not being more explicit about his initial concerns. Not to worry, I said, the message had come through clearly. And I also wondered what would have happened if the doctor or I had been less suspicious, or if my insurance coverage didn't pay for the confirmatory follow-up tests that I underwent the very next day. I might be getting the bad news only now (21 months later), or I might be still undiagnosed and unaware.
Question: Since the operation, has the condition had any overall effect on your outlook on life?
Paul: Yes, a significant one. I have always considered myself to be a planner and one who can defer pleasure until the 'right' time. I have not become a hedonist by anyone's measure, but I feel a definite shift in myself. I am much more likely not to put off a vacation, major purchase, etc. for the 'right' time.
During my treatment, I was focused on my recovery and felt selfish to an extent not seen either before or since. I feel I have more empathy with the troubles of those close to me since my diagnosis. I try to, and sometimes succeed at, simply sitting back and 'smelling the flowers'. I now know from a vivid personal experience that anyone, self, spouse, child, or close friend can be hit with devastating health news at any time. I don't live my life in fear of such news, but I try to live in and appreciate the moment as much as I can, because of that reality.
Question: What else about testicular cancer and your having had this condition would you share with or tell to others?
Paul: Unless you are a cancer survivor yourself, this may sound trite, but at this point I truly can look at the positive from having had cancer. It is not that my life was seriously out of kilter, but it has nudged me in a very good direction.
How To Do Testicular Self-Examination (TSE)
Men can improve their chance of finding a tumor by performing a simple procedure called testicular self-examination (TSE) once a month.
TSE should be performed after a warm bath or shower. The heat relaxes the scrotum, making it easier to find anything unusual.
The procedure itself is simple and takes only a few minutes:
Testicular self-examination performed regularly is an important health habit, but it cannot substitute for a physician's examination. Your doctor should check your testicles when you have a physical exam. You also can ask your doctor to teach you how to do TSE.
Reprinted from the National Cancer Institute
For more information on testicular cancer:
Testicular Cancer: Curing the Most Common Young Men's Cancer
National Cancer Institute
The Testicular Cancer Resource Center
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Another fantastic finish at Daytona
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — There's one certainty about racing at NASCAR's most unpredictable tracks: a chaotic ending.
Jimmie Johnson dominated the latest restrictor-plate race Saturday night, winning at Daytona International Speedway for the second time this year and joining another exclusive list at the famed venue.
The five-time Sprint Cup champion became the first driver since Hall of Famer Bobby Allison in 1982 to sweep both points races at Daytona in the same season. Fireball Roberts (1962), Cale Yarborough (1968) and LeeRoy Yarbrough (1969) also accomplished the feat.
Johnson joined them after leading 94 of 161 laps, including 55 of the final 57.
But like so many other races at Daytona and Talladega, where horsepower-sapping plates generally keep speeds below 200 mph, it came with a frantic finish.
There were two multi-car wrecks on the final lap, the second one just a few feet shy of the finish line.
"Be glad you were sitting in the stands and not in the cars," runner-up Tony Stewart said.
Scott Speed and Carl Edwards got together in turn 2, starting a six-car pileup. Instead of ending the race under caution, NASCAR decided to let the cars race to the line.
With drivers maneuvering for position through the final turns, David Gilliland and Danica Patrick got tangled, turning Patrick's car into several others. Kyle Busch, Ryan Newman, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Jeff Burton and other were involved.
"I asked my crew when the checkered fell to remind me why I do this," driver/owner Michael Waltrip said. "What's fun about it? ... I just know that 200 miles an hour pushing and shoving — this is fun for the fans and it's going to be fun to watch back on TV. I wasn't having any fun doing it.
"I was too nervous. I'd much rather watch. Why don't I just watch all the time? I've got that option. I don't know what's wrong with me."
There's little drivers can do to avoid all the turmoil that comes with plate racing. It happens at just about every race at Daytona and Talladega, where drivers, fans and everyone watching are always waiting for "the big one."
It usually happens late, too.
Two months ago at Talladega, Stenhouse Jr. and J.J. Yeley triggered a frightening crash in the final few laps that sent Kurt Busch's car airborne and on top of Newman's car.
On Saturday night, the race was fairly clean until a six-car accident with 11 laps remaining prompted a red flag. That wreck included another vicious hit for Denny Hamlin. Hamlin's car inexplicably turned right and spun hard into the frontstretch wall. It then turned back into traffic and was tagged hard by AJ Allmendinger in a hit that caused his car to lift off the ground.
"We knew it was coming," Johnson said. "Getting down to the end of these things, we knew it was going to get exciting."
That excitement can be painful, too.
Hamlin and Allmendinger had to collect themselves after climbing from their wrecked cars.
Hamlin missed four races earlier this season with a compression fracture in a vertebra in his lower back, and took a hard hit last Sunday at Kentucky.
"There's a 50-percent chance you're going to wreck," said Kevin Harvick, who finished third. "The odds are 50/50, and we've had a lot of good luck on them and we've had some bad luck lately on them."
Several drivers, included Stewart and his teammates, have opted to move to the back of the field early in the restrictor-plate races, hoping to avoid any early wrecks and then make a move toward the front late.
"You go back there to try to give yourself a little bit of a buffer," Stewart said, acknowledging that some spectators would rather not see the tactical move. "If you're up there in the mix, if something happens, it's hard to get away from it when you're crammed in there. This is a 195-mile-an-hour chess match, and the lap that pays is lap 160.
"A lot is said about guys that lag back like that, but we're in the most competitive series in the country, and when you're running in the most competitive series in the country, you have to do what you think is in the best interest of you, your car, your team and your situation to get to the end. And part of winning races is knowing to be where at what times."
Johnson seems to have that feel as well as anyone in 2013.
The Sprint Cup points leader won his fourth race of the season and etched his name in the Daytona record books.
"That's amazing, gosh," Johnson said. "To tie anything that Bobby did is really special."


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With just the push of a button, the Big Shot™ Express leaves the crank behind for easy motorized cutting and embossing. Featuring a quiet motor and all-metal gears for added durability, the Big Shot Express Machine avoids material jams with built-in overload protection and uses lower voltage for less power usage and more safety, while offering the versatility of working with the entire Sizzix product library (with the exception of Bigz Plus and Bigz Pro dies) – from our smallest to our big 6" wide plastic-backed dies and embossing tools. Helpful for users with limited mobility, this portable, electric roller machine cuts and embosses many different materials. The Big Shot Express helps you create one-of-a-kind cards, invitations, scrapbook pages, home décor, fashion, altered art, quilting and much more! (To ensure compatibility, always check machine and accessory requirements. Machine accessories may be sold separately.)


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The Tomorrow People: Is Stephen's Big Secret Blown?
Stephen forgot the first rule of Fight Club being a Tomorrow Person: Don't let anyone find out about your superpowers!
After helping to save one of his classmates a few weeks back on The Tomorrow People, Stephen (Robbie Amell) teleported away from the train tracks just when Astrid (Madeleine Mantock) drove up. But when she confronted him, he lied to her face, causing a rift between Stephen and his only human friend. Has Stephen's big secret been blown?
The Tomorrow People's Luke Mitchell on John's game-changing secret
"She thinks she knows, but when you see someone teleport, you don't really know," Amell tells TVGuide.com. "Your mind won't let you believe that it's true. There's a very big talk about it in [Wednesday's episode]. We try and become friends again."
Astrid's cold reaction to his lie caused quite a stir for fans online, according to Mantock. "I've seen a lot of people saying, 'Astrid is so stupid!' They're calling her 'Pain in the Astrid,' which I love, I thought that was really clever," Mantock says. "They're annoyed with the way she reacted. They thought she was quite cold and not very understanding. Now she's actually seen him disappear and she wants him to explain himself and he lies. She really doesn't know how to take this. She's a bit put out that he's not been honest with her when he should've been."
That chasm growing between them will become even larger on Wednesday (9/8c, The CW) when the homecoming dance comes around. "He does come and try to make amends," Mantock says. "It's homecoming at high school, so there's a will-they-won't-they about whether or not they'll go together." But when it looks like Astrid may get stood up, she'll go to great lengths to unearth Stephen's secret that will put her in a dangerous position. (Read more about that here!)
Stephen will continue to walk a fine line with his secret after trying, and failing, to reveal it to Astrid in the pilot. "It's the superhero syndrome," Amell says. "Even though I've already tried to tell her before, now I can't tell her because the closer she gets and the more she knows, the more danger she's in. It's the Lois Lane thing. She can't know my other life and my super powers, but I'm sure it's just a matter of time."
VIDEO: What's next for The Tomorrow People?
If Astrid is Lois Lane, what does that make Cara (Peyton List)? "Cara is like the Wonder Woman," Amell jokes. "They have this connection ever since the first episode when she was inside his head. She was the person who talked him through this terrible time. You find out more in the next few episodes that there is something deeper, something that they can't explain, there's some sort of connection between the two of them."
Still, Amell doesn't rule out Stephen and Astrid's chemistry. "Astrid is the best friend," he says. "If movies and television have taught us anything, it's that the best friend is probably the one he ends up with. There's a definite chance for either one. There's already the relationship between Cara and John [Luke Mitchell], so it's a love rectangle."
Just don't expect Stephen and Astrid to get together anytime soon. "Stephen has other offers," Mantock says. "Newer people are in his life who may be a little more interesting than Astrid at the moment. But there are a few potential suitors for Astrid."
Who do you think may fill that position for Astrid? Russell (Aaron Yoo) is single! Hit the comments with your guesses!
The Tomorrow People airs Wednesdays at 9/8c on The CW.
(Full disclosure: TVGuide.com is owned by CBS, one of The CW's parent companies.)
View original The Tomorrow People: Is Stephen's Big Secret Blown? at TVGuide.com
Related Articles on TVGuide.com
- The Tomorrow People's Luke Mitchell on John's game-changing secret
- VIDEO: What's next for The Tomorrow People?
Other Links From TVGuide.com


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New owner for storied former Vegas Hilton
LAS VEGAS – The storied former Las Vegas Hilton, famous for staging Liberace and more than 800 sold-out Elvis Presley concerts in the 1960s and 1970s, has a new name and owner.
Florida-based timeshare company Westgate Resorts announced it purchased the LVH hotel from Goldman Sachs and Gramercy Capital and would rename it Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino. About 200 of the nearly 3,000 rooms and suites will be converted to timeshare villas, while others will remain open to regular hotel guests.
"We will be providing the best of both worlds on our resort property," said new owner David Siegel, who was hoisted up by a crane Tuesday to help as crews removed the letters "LVH" from the hotel's giant marquee. "We are very excited to be taking this important part of Vegas history and reinventing it for the next generation of Las Vegas visitors."
A full renovation is planned, according to company officials. The famously large sports book will be upgraded with better televisions and seating, but will retain its name and continue hosting events such as SuperContest, the premier sports handicapping competition.
With 1,500 rooms, the property was the largest hotel in the world when billionaire investor Kirk Kerkorian opened it as the International Hotel in 1969. Barbara Streisand performed an inaugural series of concerts there before Elvis Presley began a 58-show series that broke Las Vegas attendance records.
He later went on to set up his own penthouse in the hotel and generated millions in ticket sales in the years before his 1977 death.
The hotel was the site of the famous 1978 fight in which Leon Spinks defeated Muhammad Ali for the world heavyweight championship. It was also the site of an arson that killed eight people in 1981, just 90 days after a fire at the nearby MGM Grand casino that killed 85 people.
The hotel, which is located in a quieter area close to the sprawling Las Vegas Convention Center and about a block east of the bustling Las Vegas Strip, has been expanded over the years. It was renamed the Las Vegas Hilton in 1971 and retained the name for 40 years before its licensing agreement with the Hilton hotel chain expired.
The property struggled through the recession, defaulting on a $252 million loan in 2010. It was christened the Las Vegas Hotel & Casino, or LVH, in 2012.
The acquisition will significantly enlarge Westgate's portfolio. Before the buy, Westgate owned about 10,000 rooms at 28 other resorts, including the Westgate Flamingo Bay Resort in Las Vegas and others in Orlando, Fla.; Myrtle Beach, S.C.; Branson, Mo.; and Park City, Utah.
Westgate CEO Siegel and his wife Jackie are known for their attempt to build a 90,000-square-foot Florida mansion modeled after the Palace of Versailles. The recession stalled construction on the house, which will be the largest in the U.S. if it's completed.
Their homebuilding effort was detailed in the 2012 documentary "Queen of Versailles," which screened at the Sundance Film Festival.


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A League of Her Own: Teamwork is what makes a team successful
I always loved being part of a team.
I hold a particular place in my heart for my old high school teammates. Some of us played together for 10 years and shared a type of ESP.
We could read each other. We knew each other's mannerisms and personalities. We zoned in on how to inspire one another, and worked hard to avoid what would cause stress.
We got back on defense to cover, and laid up passes ahead of sprinting teammates to score goals.
The best part of playing together that long was that we also were forgiving. There were many times I was open and received a pass, but missed the shot.
Or, someone didn't get back on defense to cover their man, and in doing so let the other team score.
But that didn't stop us from supporting one another. We didn't spite the person who didn't get back on defense the next time down the field, and I still got the pass when I was open.
It's easy to get angry when someone doesn't meet your expectations or flat out hurts you. But what we often forget is that we're all on the same team. We are human. We are going to make mistakes, and sometimes we are going to let each other down, and yes, we are going to hurt each other.
When someone hurts us, the knee-jerk reaction is to hurt them back. If they miss the shot, it's tempting to not pass them the ball again.
But that only makes things worse. You may ruin a relationship by doing or saying something that you can't take back.
It's simple really.
What makes a team successful is teamwork. Not giving up on each other when you've failed one another.
In life, and in sports, there is plenty of room for error. To continue to make someone feel bad for a mistake only creates a negative environment where no one can thrive.
You may not want to pass the ball again to the teammate who missed 80 percent of her shots in the game.
But still, pass her the ball. Because she just might surprise you, and nail the game-winning buzzer-beater.
Heather Gillis Harris is reporter for the Country (Mass.) Gazette. A three-sport high school athlete and two-sport college athlete, sports have long been a passion of hers. Heather Harris can be reached at email@example.com. Follow her on Twitter @heatherharrisWL.


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Administrators must have two years of experience as a teacher or school service personnel before serving as an administrator. Some administrators may have regular contact with students, such as a dean of students or a department chair who also teaches. Some administrators may work more with other adults, such as a curriculum director or a superintendent. Administrators are responsible for the supervision and control of schools. Duties may include personnel management, performance evaluation, student discipline, planning professional development, oversight of facilities and finances, instructional leadership, and engagement with the community.