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Posts Tagged: prescribed fire
Lessons on wildfire resilience from a 4,000-acre forest lab
In his years managing California woodlands, Rob York has come up with a few quick and easy ways to gauge whether a forest is prepared for wildfire.
Blodgett Forest Research Station is a 4,000-acre experimental forest in the northern Sierra Nevada. All photos by Evett Kilmartin
"The first question I like to ask is, 'Can you run through the forest?'" York says.
York, an assistant cooperative extension specialist and adjunct associate professor of forestry at UC Berkeley, poses the question while standing in a grove of pine trees during a tour of Blodgett Forest Research Station, a 4,000-acre experimental forest in the northern Sierra Nevada. While fire suppression has allowed many of California's forests to grow thick and dense, this patch of forest is one you could actually run through: The area is punctuated by large trees spaced a few meters apart, separated by a smooth carpet of dried pine needles.
"The idea is, if it doesn't have a lot of buildup of surface fuel on the ground — sticks and logs — you should be able to run through it," York adds. "Looking through this forest, I might have to jump over that log, but, generally, I could take a jog through it."
For more than 50 years, York and other Berkeley forestry researchers have used Blodgett as a living laboratory to study how different land management treatments — including prescribed burning, restoration thinning and timber harvesting — can reduce the risk of severe wildfire and improve a forest's resilience to the impacts of climate change. In addition to research, Blodgett regularly hosts workshops to demonstrate different land management techniques to landowners.
After another year of record-breaking wildfires in California, the work at Blodgett is more critical than ever, and state and federal agencies are motivated to enact more effective forest management practices. In 2020, the state and the U.S. National Forest Service jointly committed to managing 1 million acres of California forests a year, and last month the Biden administration pledged billions in new federal funding to reduce wildfire risk in the state.
"[Blodgett] was really designed to eventually demonstrate land management alternatives and offer a glimpse into how they might look at bigger scales," York said.
Though prescribed burning was once banned at Blodgett, it is now one of the primary tools that researchers use to reduce wildfire risk and maintain the biodiversity of the forest.
Experimenting with fire
Blodgett Forest is "pretty representative of millions of acres of Sierra mixed conifer forest," said Ariel Roughton, a research stations manager at Berkeley Forests. After the majority of its trees were logged in the early 1900s, the forest was donated to Berkeley in the 1930s with the intent that it would be used to study sustainable timber production. Aside from a few old relics that survived early logging, the majority of the trees are regrowth and approximately 100 years old.
Kane Russell, interim forest manager at Blodgett, holds two drip torches after demonstrating how they are used to start prescribed burns.
The forest is currently divided into a patchwork of tracts, each having received a different series of treatments since active management began in the 1950s and 1960s. And while fire suppression was once the policy at Blodgett — early fire ecologist Harold Biswell was even banned from using prescribed burns out of fear that they would interfere with the timber harvest — fire is now one of the primary tools that Blodgett researchers use to maintain biodiversity and reduce the risk of severe wildfire.
"Back then, people thought, 'Why would you ever want to use fire for land management?' They wanted to grow trees, they want to grow timber. The idea of seeing black and char was literally off the scale," said Scott Stephens, a professor of forest science and co-director of Berkeley Forests. "It's amazing that just a few decades ago, researchers didn't have the opportunity to do the work that Rob and Ariel and others are doing up here now."
In the open, airy tract of forest that York could easily jog through, blackened scorch marks extend 10 to 15 feet up the trunk of each tree. Ecologists believe that before European colonization, these forests experienced fire once every 10 years or less, leading to open forest structures very similar to this one. Here, two years ago, Roughton, York and their colleagues conducted a prescribed burn to remove excess fuel from the ground and reduce the risk of wildfire.
"I think it's important to remember that nature hasn't taken its course without a lot of human intervention since the last glaciation, because there was strong Indigenous burning here," said John Battles, a professor of forest ecology at Berkeley. "There has always been intense human stewardship of one sort or another."
Rob York says a healthy forest is one that you can run through.
According to the researchers, it took 15 to 20 years of active management, followed by regular maintenance, to get the forest tract to this state. Over the years, they have worked to achieve the open forest structure by harvesting some of the bigger trees for timber, but leaving the largest behind. They have also used a machine called a masticator to chip up smaller trees and conducted regular prescribed burns.
While there are forest management strategies that can be effective on a shorter time scale, it usually takes at least a few separate treatments over the course of a few years to successfully restore a forest and reduce its wildfire risk, York explains.
"It can be a challenge to get to the forest structure that we want," York says. "It takes a lot of time, and it takes a lot of investment."
Climate change is also narrowing the annual windows of time when conditions are best for prescribed burning, limiting when and how often foresters can safely burn. Hot, dry conditions usually make prescribed burning too risky during the summer, while rain and snow in the winter can leave the forest too wet and damp for fire to burn. However, research at Blodgett is showing that, with the right management decisions, prescribed burning during the winter can be made more viable.
"Because of timber harvests that removed some of the canopy and subsequent treatments to remove the ladder fuel, we now have more light hitting the ground, and it dries out faster," Roughton said. "We've gotten to the point out here where we're able to burn more easily because of our past management actions."
Using machines to manually remove small trees and underbrush poses fewer risks than prescribed burns, but often comes at a much higher cost.
Friends of the forest
While York likes to imagine running through the trees, Battles has a slightly different metric for evaluating the health of a forest.
"You need to be able to run through the woods," Battles said. "But I also want to see all six of my friends as I do my run."
Battles' friends are the six tree species that make up the Sierra mixed conifer forest: oak, ponderosa pine, sugar pine, white fir, Douglas fir and incense cedar. Fire suppression — and the dense, overgrown forest structures that can result — often favor the survival of some of these species over others, leading to forests that are dominated by just one or two species. This lack of biodiversity can make the forest, as a whole, less resilient to stressors like bark beetles or tree pathogens, which often target some of these species, but not others.
John Battles likes to see a mixture of all six tree species that make up the Sierra mixed conifer forest.
According to Battles, the open structure and frequent fire at this tract of Blodgett has allowed all six of his friends to flourish.
"I see my friend, ponderosa pine, which you don't see as frequently in the unburned forest because it's shade intolerant — it needs light. I see oak, and it also requires fire to get a lot of the oaks," Battles said. "I see all six of my friends all here, and you only see them when you have management like this."
Over the past 20 years, research has shown that prescribed burning and mechanical thinning with tools like the masticator can also benefit soil quality and water availability, while having no significantly negative impacts on forest ecosystems. While burning or otherwise removing plants and trees can release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, which accelerates the impacts of climate change, reducing the risk of severe wildfire can help maintain the whole forest for long-term carbon storage.
However, applying these techniques across 33 million acres of California forestland remains a monumental task. Prescribed burning requires a great deal of expertise and is also limited by weather conditions and air quality regulations. Meanwhile, mechanical tree thinning can be costly, and unlike timber harvesting, it does not generate any revenue for landowners — though Berkeley researchers have suggested that creating a market for small trees and other woody biomass could help offset the cost while limiting carbon emissions.
"Fire used to be so common in this system, and that's no different than in most forests in California. But, when you take it out for that long, you begin this transformation," Stephens said. "That's why we have to get both public and private entities together to come up with a philosophy to be able to move forward on this. Blodgett is 4,000 acres — that's interesting, but it doesn't really address the needs of the state. We always hope that our work shows people what's possible and then enables them to continue it."
Scott Stephens hopes the work at Blodgett will serve as a model for forest management in the rest of the state.
Posted on Tuesday, February 1, 2022 at 11:53 AM
Author: Kara Manke, UC Berkeley
Tags: Blodgett Forest (2), John Battles (3), prescribed fire (5), Rob York (6), Scott Stephens (21)
First-ever California burn boss class meets in Eureka
Humboldt County Prescribed Burn Association uses prescribed fire to reduce fuels and wildfire risk and to restore habitat, control invasive species, improve rangelands in June 2019. Photo by Lenya Quinn Davidson
New certification program will increase opportunities for prescribed fire across California
A group of 19 experienced prescribed burners are gathered in Eureka this week to become certified as prescribed fire burn bosses. The group is the first cohort to participate in the California State-Certified Burn Boss course, part of a certification program that was mandated by legislation in 2018, but was only recently finalized and approved. The course, hosted in Eureka by University of California Cooperative Extension, is a full week session and includes topics from laws, regulations, and permits to burn planning and smoke management.
"With each catastrophic wildfire season in California, the importance of prescribed fire becomes more clear," said Lenya Quinn-Davidson, University of California Cooperative Extension fire advisor, who is hosting the class in Eureka. "Prescribed fire is one of the most ecologically appropriate and cost-effective tools available, and provides innumerable benefits in California's fire-adapted landscapes. Prescribed burning is used to reduce fuels and wildfire risk, but also to restore habitat, control invasive species, improve rangelands, and promote cultural resources and values."
California is remarkably behind when it comes to implementing prescribed fire, she said. While states like Florida burn up to 2 million acres a year, California typically burns less than 100,000 acres statewide. It's clear that fire agencies can't meet the need for this work on their own — collaboration with local communities and leaders is essential.
The new program will certify prescribed fire practitioners who don't work for a fire management agency but are leading prescribed burning in their communities. This week's inaugural class in Eureka includes retired federally qualified burn bosses, tribal burn bosses, and leaders from state and local agencies and nonprofit organizations. Once certified by the state, these burn bosses will be able to share liability with CAL FIRE on prescribed burns.
"We've needed something like this in California for a long time, but never thought we'd see it happen. This is a historic moment for prescribed fire in California," said Quinn-Davidson, who also leads the Northern California Prescribed Fire Council, and is currently being consulted for legislation that would break down even more barriers to prescribed fire.
In the last several years, more than a dozen community-based prescribed burn associations have developed throughout California. Many of these groups were inspired by the Humboldt County Prescribed Burn Association, which was the first of its kind in the western U.S. when it formed in 2018.
When these newly certified burn bosses leave Eureka, they will be able to go home and lift up efforts on their local landscapes, contributing to fire resilience across the state.
Posted on Wednesday, May 12, 2021 at 4:00 PM
Tags: Lenya Quinn-Davidson (23), prescribed fire (5), wildfire (167)
Humboldt County's Prescribed Burn Association teaches the value of fire
"We use our program to train people, to inspire people, to empower people," Lenya Quinn-Davidson says.
On a crisp and clear morning late last year, around 20 volunteer firefighters, landowners and community members gathered on a plot of land outside of the small rural community of Kneeland in Humboldt County. They listened intently to detailed instructions on how to safely burn 20 acres of private property that gradually rises on a hill before them. The volunteers gathered to learn how to successfully undertake a prescribed burn. It was all part of the ongoing education and training being conducted by Humboldt County's Prescribed Burn Association – the first of its kind west of the Rockies.
Lenya Quinn-Davidson and Jeffery Stackhouse, who both work for the UC Cooperative Extension in Humboldt County, developed the program in 2017 and have seen it steadily grow ever since. The association is comprised of landowners, nonprofits, volunteer firefighters and other community members who work together to carry out prescribed burns on private land. Until the association was created, most landowners and community members had lacked access to prescribed burn information and training.
"Fire is a natural part of California's landscape. Prescribed fire is a way for us to bring fire back to the landscape as a natural process under controlled conditions. We can choose the weather, we can choose how it's going to burn," says Quinn-Davidson. "Private landowners have largely been left out of the fire picture and we realize that is a big part of the problem."
The goal of the prescribed burn on that October day was to eliminate an invasive type of tree that was overtaking the grassy hill and restore the land to a state where native oaks can thrive once again. The property owners are receiving the same training as the volunteer firefighters on hand. Beyond eliminating invasive species, the association is utilizing prescribed burns to reduce fuels to prevent future wildfires, as well as restore wildlife habitat. But most importantly, the training and education empowers landowners and others to reconnect with fire as a management tool.
The Prescribed Burn Association formed by Lenya Quinn-Davidson and Jeffery Stackhouse, UCCE advisors in Humboldt County, was selected by CSAC for its statewide Challenge Award.
Since the Association was created, it has burned more than 1,000 acres in Humboldt County. The association has also been able to build a strong working relationship with CalFIRE, which also conducts prescribed burns on private lands in Humboldt.
Will Emerson is an assistant fire chief for the volunteer Bell Springs Fire Department in northern Mendocino County. He and his three colleagues made the 2.5-hour trip to participate in the prescribed burn training session in Humboldt County. He sees the trainings as a "really great experience" for volunteer fire departments, some of which have new trainees who have never worked a fire before.
"It's excellent training for them — just to get comfortable working with fire," Emerson says.
The concept of a prescribed burn association is catching on. Quinn-Davidson and Stackhouse have presented the Humboldt County model to numerous counties around the state, and new associations are cropping up around California.
"We use our program to train people, to inspire people, to empower people," Quinn-Davidson says.
The value of Humboldt County's Prescribed Burn Association goes beyond the training it provides. Quinn-Davidson and Stackhouse view the association as a "community cooperative," bringing together groups that have traditionally been at odds. At any training session you may find volunteers from the ranching or timber industry, environmentalists or cannabis growers.
"Instead of being on opposite sides of an issue, people are gaining understanding for the other side," Stackhouse says. "It has opened the door for real, honest communication between different groups that otherwise would not be happening. Having people work together who have been on different sides of the community really is amazing."
Quinn-Davidson agrees. "We are building community and we are using fire as this positive, synergistic thing," she concludes. "And I feel so positive about it."
The CSAC Challenge Awards were created in the early 1990s to recognize county innovation and best practices. Humboldt County's Prescribed Burn Association is a recipient of a 2019 CSAC Challenge Award – one of only 18 Challenge Awards presented statewide out of 284 entries.
To view a video of this program on YouTube, click here.
Posted on Wednesday, February 5, 2020 at 12:00 PM
Author: David Liebler, Director of Public Affairs & Member Services, California State Association of Counties
Tags: Humboldt County (3), Jeffery Stackhouse (1), Lenya Quinn-Davidson (23), prescribed burn (6), prescribed fire (5), wildfire (167)
Focus Area Tags: Natural Resources
Can rakes save forests? Yes, as long as you have a drip torch in the other hand
A drip torch and a McCleod, two tools that can be used together to reduce the fuels on the forest floor. (Photo: Lenya Quinn-Davidson)
The humble rake has been in the spotlight in recent weeks, and its role as a forest management tool ridiculed and scorned. However, most fire professionals believe rakes are a necessary part of saving California's forests.
Those who are familiar with fire are undoubtedly familiar with the McLeod, which is a standard firefighting tool and … it is essentially a rake (one side is a rake with coarse tines and the other side has a flat sharpened hoe). The McLeod was created in 1905 by a U.S. Forest Service ranger who wanted a single tool that could rake fire lines (with the teeth) and cut branches and roots (with the sharpened hoe edge). The McCleod is used to scrape fuels off of a fire line, preventing fire spread. The use of hand tools like the McLeod continues to be one of the standard ways that wildfires are stopped (although often aided by the rake's bigger and more powerful cousin: the bulldozer).
While the McLeod is a fire-fighting tool, it is also an essential fire-managing tool. When conducting controlled burns (i.e., purposeful fire), the fire is contained within desired areas by diligent raking with McLeods and other hand tools. These tools are necessary for conducting controlled burns.
While it isn't feasible to reduce fire risk by raking the forest with hand tools, if you hold a drip torch in the other hand, you could get the work done.
A drip torch consists of a canister for holding fuel that comes out of a spout (with a loop to prevent fire from entering the fuel canister) and a wick from which flaming fuel is dropped to the ground when the wick is ignited. The drip torch is the most common tool for lighting prescribed burns, which can be used to remove excess fuel buildup in the forest.
In a forest setting, these two tools — the rake and the torch — must be used together. Without a rake, the fire is not easily contained. And without a drip torch, the fuel that was raked cannot burn. Of course, prescribed burns rely on a number of other pre-specified factors (the prescription), including wind, temperature and humidity.
Using fire in a controlled manner drastically reduces the impacts of wildfire in a forest. Typically flames are kept low and most or all of the trees survive the fire, while much of the dead material on the forest floor (the "fuel") is consumed. This reduces the risk of the forest burning at high severity in the future, thereby protecting nearby homes and towns. It also reintroduces fire as an important ecosystem process, which improves the health and biodiversity of forests and maintains the ecosystem services they provide, including wildlife habitat, water filtration and carbon sequestration.
Participants at a University of California Cooperative Extension with their hand tools (including shovels, Pulaskis, and McCleods) are getting ready to cut fire line so that a prescribed fire will not escape containment. (Photo: Ames Gilbert)
Use of a rake and a drip torch together could make a great difference for reducing the impacts of wildfire in California and the West. The National Interagency Fire Center reported that during 2017, only half a million acres were treated with prescribed fire in the West, while 7.4 million acres (almost 15 times more) burned in wildfires. In the Southeastern U.S., where there is a long-standing tradition of prescribed burning, only 2 million acres burned in wildfires while over 5.5 million were burned using prescribed fire.
This was not always the case. Use of prescribed fire, or 'light burning,' was once common in California until it was outlawed by federal and state policy in 1924. Although the merits of expanding its use are widely known and appreciated, it has been very difficult to do because of concerns about air quality, liability and lack of skilled burners. One of the biggest constraints is that we have very few people who have experience with 'good fire' and very few qualified people who know how to safely burn.
Landowners at a UCCE prescribed fire training are 'holding' the fire on the left side of the fire line that was cut using rakes and other hand tools. The landowner on the far left is firing the burn unit with a drip torch. (Photo: Ames Gilbert)
As foresters and educators for the University of California Cooperative Extension, we are working to expand the use of prescribed fire on private forest and grasslands in California. Central to our efforts are educational events that give people an opportunity to experience prescribed fire first-hand. In the last two years, we have hosted workshops throughout northern California, and many of our workshops have included a live-fire component where landowners and other community members can try their hand at prescribed burning, under the direction and guidance of more experienced burners.
Our efforts in California are inspired by approaches in other parts of the country, including "Learn and Burn" events in the Southeast, prescribed burn associations in the Great Plains, and prescribed fire training exchanges (TREXs), an innovative training model developed by The Nature Conservancy's Fire Learning Network. All of these efforts have a focus on reconnecting people with fire, and they give participants the skills and experience needed to put fire back in the management toolbox.
A prescribed fire burns up to the fire line (installed with rakes and other tools) and stops. The fire is consuming fuel on the forest floor and leaving behind a a healthier and more fire safe forest. (Photo: Lenya Quinn-Davidson)
We hope that by empowering people to pick up the drip torch (and the rake) on their own properties, we can help them reduce the risk of wildfire and improve the health of their forest and range lands. There is no time to waste.
Posted on Tuesday, December 11, 2018 at 9:31 AM
Author: Susie Kocher
Author: Rob York
Author: Lenya Quinn-Davidson
Tags: fire suppression (1), Lenya Quinn-Davidson (23), prescribed fire (5), Rob York (6), Susie Kocher (28)


Since 2003, November has been synonymous with growing a moustache. But it's not just a fashion statement (in some cases, far from it). It's all in honour of Movember, a movement started right here in Australia, which encourages Mo Bros and Mo Sistas to raise awareness of men's health issues like prostate cancer, testicular cancer mental health and suicide prevention by growing a moustache.
With over 5 million participants worldwide and over $700 million dollars raised for good causes in Australia alone - according to the Movember website - the Movember campaign is in full swing.
With men's health firmly in the spotlight, there's no better time to check in with yourself and those around you. There are a few things you can do to make sure you're aware of changes to your own body.
If you're over 45, it's recommended on the Movember website that you take a simple blood test to monitor for prostate cancer, and men of all ages should be regularly checking for testicular cancer – there's a step-by-step guide from Movember that can be found here. For more information about other health checks you should think about performing in your twenties, thirties, forties and fifties take a look at our blog.
As well as taking steps to check that you are physically well, it's also a good time to reflect on your mental health – and that of your nearest and dearest. Taking a proactive approach to your mental health can be hugely beneficial and there are some tips to help you with this on our Slice of Life blog.
At TAL, we are here to support you and your family. Our Life Insurance, Total Permanent Disability (TPD) Insurance and Income Protection Insurance are designed to take care of you and your loved ones.
Our TPD insurance can cover some mental health issues and illnesses, find out more in our blog.
To get a quote, visit our cover builder.
If you'd like to get involved with Movember this year, take a look at their website to find out how.
If you or a friend needs further support with mental health, organisations like Beyond Blue are here to help you.


. . . a continuum (sometimes semi-fictional) between the past and present. Follow The Marvelous Lindens through our adventures, as I investigate the roles of places within the cultural development of the city, and sometimes even solve mysteries in the cities of San Francisco, New York, Athens, Paris, London, and more.


MLA Style: Praveena M.V., Dr.Ajeet A. Chikkamannur "Techniques for Performance Enhancement of SQL Queries in Relational Databases" International Journal of Engineering Trends and Technology 63.1 (2018): 41-43.
APA Style: Praveena M.V., Dr.Ajeet A. Chikkamannur (2018). Techniques for Performance Enhancement of SQL Queries in Relational Databases. International Journal of Engineering Trends and Technology , 63(1), 41-43.
Information is the most important and critical component of any enterprise. It is a processed form of data and communicated to a user to make decisions.The demand for reliable database systems is on the rise with the consolidation and standardization of information systems. In today's highly competitive world, every organizations require skilled database professionals to manage their information system. The employees need to know the basics of data and databases for its effective utilization. Therefore, the demand and requirement for skilled database professionals is increasing. The database manipulation in relational databases is generally handled through structured query language (SQL) queries. Composing and fine tuning of SQL queries for large and complex databases is an incredibly difficult task. We propose several techniques to enhance the performance of SQL queries written and used in several relational databases to get optimal results. SQL queries plays a vital role in finding solutions in organizational databases in effective and efficient ways.
 Yong-Lak Choi, Woo-SeongJeon, Seok-Hwan Yoon, " Improving Database System Performance by Applying NoSQL", J Inf Process Syst, Vol.10, No.3, page 355-364, September 2014.
 Maria Jose Suarez-Cabal, Javier Tuya, "Improvement of Test Data by Measuring SQL Statement Coverage", IEEE proceedings of the Eleventh Annual International Workshop on Software Technology and Engineering Practice (STEP"04), 2004.
 Dr M. Senthil, K. Sivaraman, "Performance Improvements In DBMS", International Journal of Advance d Computer Technology, Vol. 2, No. 4, page 12-15, 2016.
 Law Y., Wangl H., Zaniolo C., "Query Languages and Data Models for Database Sequences and Data Streams" Proceedings of the 30th VLDB Conference, Canada, vol.30, page 492-503, 2004..
 Bahmani A. H., Naghibzadeh M., Bahmani B., "Automatic database normalization and primary key generation" IEEE CCECE/CCGEI, May 5-7, Niagara Falls, Canada, page 11-16, 2008..
 Ajeet A Chikkamannur, Handigund S. M.," A concoct semiotic for recursion in SQL", International Journal of Emerging Trends and Technology in Computer Science, Vol 2, Issue 3, page 204-210, ISSN 2278-6856, 2013.
 Dr. Shivanand M. Handigund, Bhat S., " An Ameliorated Methodology for the Abstraction of Object Class Structures for an Information Systems", CETS 2010, International Conference on E-business Technology & Strategy, Ottawa, Canada, page 362-367, 2010.
 Elmasri, Navathe, "Fundamentals of Database Systems", 5th Edition, Pearson Education, 2008.
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 Date C. J., Darwen H., "Guide to The SQL Standard", third edition, Addison Wesley Publishing Company.
 Sumeet Bajaj, RaduSion, "CorrectDB: SQL Engine with practical query authentication", 39thInternational Conference on International Conference on Very Large Data Bases, Trento, Italy, page 529-540, 2013.
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Database, Performance, Query, RDBMS, Relation, SQL.


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Marcus Morris Says Celtics Season Hasn't Been Fun 'For A Long Time'
Filed Under:Boston Celtics, marcus morris
BOSTON (CBS) – Marcus Morris feels the pain of Boston Celtics fans. He's not having any fun this season either.
A dejected Morris ripped the team after the Celtics blew a 28-point lead to the Los Angeles Clippers Saturday and then got booed off the Garden court by their own fans.
"We don't have no attitude. We don't have no toughness. We ain't having fun. It's going to be a long season," Morris told reporters after the game.
▶ Marcus Morris Sr. keeps it real about the Celtics loss and how he feels the team has been playing lately pic.twitter.com/AakcU4ag7i
— Celtics on NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSCeltics) February 10, 2019
"I watch all these other teams around the league and guys are up on the bench, they're jumping on the court, they're doing all other stuff that looks like they're enjoying their teammates' success. They're enjoying everything and they're playing together and they're playing to win. And when I look at us, I just see a bunch of individuals," he said.
Morris said there's been no joy this season, even recently when the Celtics ran off 9 wins in 10 games.
"We have a great team but if it's not fun and we're not together then how can you win?" he said. "It hasn't been fun for a long time."
"The goal has to be to win. Bottom line," he said.
The Celtics, pre-season favorites to win the Eastern Conference, are now in fifth place in the conference with 26 games left in the regular season.
WBZ-TV's Dan Roche, as you might expect, is still optimistic.
.@celtics fans that are freaking out today with 26 games left…
I recall two Boston fan bases that had similar feelings:
One went 7-8 over its final 15 reg season games.
One was 9-5 and looking at best, a 3rd seed.
Both won Championships in the past few months
— Dan Roche (@RochieWBZ) February 10, 2019
The Celtics will play the Sixers in Philadelphia Tuesday night.
Mark Trachtenberg says:
No fun hunt. If the players start playing 48 minutes of basketball and stop blowing games it might be more fun. The players need to look in the mirror and figure out why the season has not been fun.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Q: Copy folder using dropbox shared link to a dropbox account without downloading and uploading again User A shares a folder link.
I want to use that shared link to copy that folder to my business dropbox account.
Catch is I don't want a method which downloads the folder to my server and uploads it to my dropbox account. I want a method by which I can pass that shared link as a parameter and make the api call and then dropbox copies the folder to my dropbox account at there end.
Is there a way using dropbox-api to copy directly to my dropbox account.
Thanks

A: Unfortunately, the Dropbox API doesn't offer a way to add a folder from a Dropbox shared link directly to an account via the API, without downloading and re-uploading it. We'll consider this a feature request for a way to do so.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Is it Prom Time yet?
Some times I cannot sleep at night. I hate it because I lay in bed and know that the next day is going to be long day with me dragging and tired. Those nights when I cannot sleep I would give anything or do anything to fall asleep. So finding a natural sleep aid can be a real God send. I have tried drugs before but only make you feel groggy all day and really it is not such a great feeling. Natural sleep is much better than trying to use drugs. I have been sleeping so much better and it has reflected in my work and it is much better to work when you feel better.


Joy Global Inc. (NYSE: JOY), a worldwide leader in high-productivity mining solutions, today reported fourth quarter and fiscal 2015 results.
"During 2015, global commodity markets declined further as supply surpluses led to prices of most major commodities falling well over 25 percent which adversely impacted our bookings rate," said Ted Doheny, President and Chief Executive Officer. "Despite the resulting significant drop in our sales volume, we were able to deliver solid adjusted operating profit margins and strong cash generation. In an effort to stay ahead of the market, we implemented further cost reductions and accelerated our footprint optimization plans."
"Due to the continued weakening of global commodity markets, we took several impairment charges in the quarter. Despite these unprecedented times in mining, we remain steadfast in driving our growth strategies and prudently managing our balance sheet."
Consolidated bookings in the fourth quarter totaled $617 million, a decrease of 21 percent versus the fourth quarter of last year. Original equipment orders decreased 27 percent while service orders decreased 20 percent compared to the prior year. Current quarter bookings were reduced by $60 million from the impact of foreign currency exchange movements versus the year ago period, an $18 million decrease for original equipment and a $42 million decrease for service bookings. After adjusting for foreign currency exchange, orders were down 13 percent compared to the fourth quarter of last year, with original equipment orders down 14 percent and service orders down 13 percent.
Bookings for underground mining machinery decreased 10 percent in comparison to the fourth quarter of last year. Original equipment orders increased 15 percent compared to the prior year, largely due to a conveying system booked in Eurasia in the current quarter. Original equipment orders increased in Eurasia and Australia with decreases in all other regions. Service orders decreased 16 percent compared to the prior year with decreases in all regions except Eurasia. The year-over-year service decrease was primarily driven by reduced rebuild activity in North America. Orders for underground mining machinery were reduced by $46 million from the impact of foreign currency exchange compared to the fourth quarter of last year.
Bookings for surface mining equipment decreased 27 percent in comparison to the fourth quarter of last year. Original equipment orders decreased 53 percent compared to the prior year. Original equipment orders decreased in all regions except for modest increases in China and Australia. Service orders decreased 22 percent compared to the prior year, with declines in North America, China, Latin America and Africa partially offset by increases in Eurasia and Australia. Orders for surface mining equipment were reduced by $14 million from the impact of foreign currency exchange compared to the fourth quarter of last year.
Backlog at the end of the fourth quarter was $873 million, compared to $1.3 billion at the beginning of the fiscal year.
Consolidated net sales totaled $865 million, a 24 percent decrease versus the fourth quarter of last year. Original equipment sales decreased 46 percent while service sales decreased 12 percent compared to the prior year. Current quarter net sales were reduced by $76 million from the impact of foreign currency exchange movements versus the year ago period. When adjusting for foreign currency exchange, sales were down 17 percent compared to the fourth quarter of last year, with original equipment sales down 38 percent and service sales down 6 percent.
Net sales for underground mining machinery decreased 16 percent in comparison to the fourth quarter of last year. Original equipment sales decreased 25 percent compared to the prior year, with decreases in all regions except Australia and Africa. Service sales decreased 10 percent compared to the prior year, with declines in North America, China, and Africa partially offset by increases in Eurasia and Australia.
Net sales for surface mining equipment decreased 33 percent in comparison to the fourth quarter of last year. Original equipment sales decreased 79 percent compared to the prior year, with decreases in all regions except Eurasia. The year-over-year decrease was led by Latin America and was attributable principally to markedly reduced shovel and wheel loader sales compared to the prior year. Service sales decreased 14 percent compared to the prior year, with increases in Africa and China more than offset by declines in all other regions.
Operating loss for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2015 totaled $1,343 million, compared to a profit of $176 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2014. The fourth quarter of 2015 included an aggregate negative impact of $1,418 million from impairment charges, mark to market pension charges, restructuring charges, excess purchase accounting and acquisition costs compared to a $26 million negative impact for such items in 2014. The $127 million year-over-year decrease in adjusted operating income in the quarter was due to the loss of margin on lower sales volumes, unfavorable product mix, lower manufacturing absorption and increased bad debt expense, which were partially offset by savings from the company's cost reduction programs and decreased incentive compensation costs.
Restructuring activities continued in the quarter to align the company's workforce and overall cost structure with current and anticipated levels of future demand. The restructuring charges in the current quarter of $14 million were primarily in North America, Latin America and China. Additional restructuring charges in the range of $30 million to $40 million are expected in fiscal 2016 as the company continues to reduce staffing levels and optimize its global manufacturing and service footprint.
The company incurred $3 million of excess purchase accounting charges associated with the write-up of the acquired inventory and backlog from the Montabert acquisition. Excess purchase accounting charges from this transaction were fully recognized in the fourth quarter of 2015.
We disclosed in our third quarter report on Form 10-Q that we had an indicator of impairment due to the prolonged severe downturn of global commodity markets and the resulting impact on our market capitalization. As a result, we then performed an interim test of impairment on our goodwill on the last day of the third quarter. After completing this analysis in the fourth quarter, we determined that the estimated fair value of our underground reporting unit was lower than the carrying value of the reporting unit. The global commodity markets continued to deteriorate in our fiscal fourth quarter, so we again tested for impairment of our long-lived assets, including goodwill, other intangible assets and other long-lived assets. These impairment tests resulted in the full impairment of the underground reporting unit goodwill of $1,199 million, other intangible assets and other long-lived asset impairments of $118 million on the underground segment and $21 million of other intangible assets and other long-lived asset impairments on the surface segment.
The fourth quarter results also included a non-cash charge of $63 million and $16 million for fiscal 2015 and 2014, respectively, associated with the company's adoption of mark to market accounting for recognition of expense under its pension and postretirement benefit plans. This change in accounting policy eliminates the deferral and subsequent amortization of historic gains and losses on the company's pension and postretirement obligations and related plan assets and reflects those gains and losses immediately upon remeasurement of the plan assets and liabilities at each fiscal year-end. Other benefit costs including administrative costs, interest costs and expected return on assets continue to be recognized within operating results. Given that the plans are frozen and well funded, the company believes that the move to mark to market accounting more clearly depicts the impact of current economic conditions in our consolidated statement of operations.
Fully diluted loss per share for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2015 totaled $13.43. This compared to fully diluted earnings per share of $1.31 in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2014. The fourth quarter of fiscal 2015 included a net negative impact of $13.86 per share for impairment charges, mark to market pension charges, restructuring charges, excess purchase accounting, loss on early debt retirement and net discrete tax benefits. This compares to a positive net impact of $0.02 per share benefit from restructuring charges, mark to market pension charges, excess purchase accounting and net discrete tax benefits in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2014.
The effective income tax rate was 4.0 percent for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2015, compared to 20.7 percent in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2014. Excluding impairment charges, pension items, restructuring charges, excess purchase accounting, acquisition activities and net discrete tax benefits in both periods, the effective income tax rate was 32.2 percent and 32.7 percent in the fourth quarter of 2015 and 2014, respectively.
Cash provided by continuing operations was $187 million for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2015, compared to $65 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2014. The year-over-year increase in cash from continuing operations was primarily due to the collection of long term receivables and the reduction of trade working capital compared to the prior year period, partially offset by lower earnings. Included in cash provided by operating activities for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2015 is a loss on the retirement of debt of $14 million, which represents the make whole premium on the redemption of our 6.0% Senior Notes due 2016.
During the fourth quarter of 2015, the company elected to redeem the entire $250 million aggregate principal amount of its 6.0% Senior Notes due 2016 to reduce interest expense and improve bank and credit rating leverage metrics. The cost of the redemption, including the payment of the make whole premium, was funded with a combination of cash on hand and borrowings under the company's unsecured revolving credit facility.
The company announced today that its Board of Directors declared a dividend of $ 0.01 per share, which is a reduction from $0.20 per share. If maintained, this action would reduce annual cash outlay by approximately $75 million.
Effective December 14, 2015 the company amended its revolving credit facility and term loan agreements to provide increased financial flexibility to manage through continued challenging market conditions. This amendment provides higher leverage limits for the period beginning in the second fiscal quarter of 2016 and ending in the second fiscal quarter of 2018. Although we ended 2015 within compliance with our financial covenants, the combination of the step down in our bookings in the second half of 2015 and our outlook for 2016 have caused us to proactively seek this amendment. At the same time, we have reduced the total commitment on the revolving credit facility from $1 billion to $850 million, which will reduce undrawn bank fees.
Capital expenditures were $14 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2015, compared to $22 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2014.
During the fourth quarter, the company did not repurchase any shares of its common stock.
Consolidated bookings in fiscal 2015 totaled $2.7 billion, a decrease of 25 percent versus last year. Original equipment orders decreased 49 percent and service orders decreased 16 percent compared to the prior year. Current year bookings were reduced by $189 million from the impact of foreign currency exchange movements when compared to the prior year, a $49 million decrease for original equipment and a $140 million decrease for service bookings. When adjusting for foreign currency exchange, orders were down 20 percent compared to last year, with original equipment orders down 44 percent and service orders down 11 percent.
Bookings for underground mining machinery decreased 14 percent in comparison to last year. Original equipment orders decreased 21 percent compared to the prior year. Original equipment orders increased in North America and Australia but were more than offset by declines in all other regions. Service orders decreased 11 percent compared to the prior year with decreases in all regions, which were partially offset by Montabert hard rock orders of $34 million in the Eurasia region. Orders for underground mining machinery were reduced by $141 million from the impact of foreign currency exchange compared to last year, due primarily to the decline in the value of the Australian dollar and South African rand relative to the U.S. dollar.
Bookings for surface mining equipment decreased 34 percent in comparison to last year. Original equipment orders decreased 70 percent compared to the prior year. Original equipment orders decreased in all regions except Eurasia. Service orders decreased 20 percent compared to the prior year, with decreases in all regions except China, which was flat. Orders for surface mining equipment were reduced by $48 million from the impact of foreign currency exchange compared to last year, due primarily to the decline in the value of the Australian dollar relative to the U.S. dollar.
Consolidated net sales totaled $3.2 billion, a 16 percent decrease versus last year. Original equipment sales decreased 31 percent and service sales decreased 9 percent compared to the prior year. Current year net sales were reduced by $174 million from the impact of foreign currency exchange movements versus the year ago period. After adjusting for foreign currency exchange, sales were down 11 percent compared to last year, with original equipment sales down 27 percent and service sales down 4 percent.
Net sales for underground mining machinery decreased 14 percent in comparison to last year. Original equipment sales decreased 24 percent compared to the prior year, with decreases in all regions except Africa. Service sales decreased 9 percent compared to the prior year, with increases in China and Eurasia more than offset by decreases in all other regions. Net sales for underground mining machinery were reduced by $132 million from the impact of foreign currency exchange compared to the prior year, due primarily to the decline in the value of the Australian dollar and South African rand relative to the U.S. dollar.
Net sales for surface mining equipment decreased 18 percent in comparison to last year. Original equipment sales decreased 42 percent compared to the prior year, with declines in all regions other than China which experienced an increase, and North America, which was flat. Service sales decreased 9 percent compared to the prior year, with declines in all regions except China which was flat. Net sales for surface mining equipment were reduced by $42 million from the impact of foreign currency exchange compared to the prior year, due primarily to the decline in the value of the Australian dollar relative to the U.S. dollar.
Operating loss for fiscal 2015 totaled $1,109 million, compared to operating income of $528 million in fiscal 2014. Fiscal 2015 included an aggregate negative impact of $1,435 million from restructuring charges, asset impairment charges, mark to market pension charges, excess purchase accounting and acquisition costs compared to a $42 million negative impact in fiscal 2014 for restructuring charges, mark to market pension charges, pension curtailment charge, excess purchase accounting and acquisition costs. The $244 million year-over-year decrease in adjusted operating income in fiscal 2015 was due to loss of margins on lower sales volumes, unfavorable product mix, lower manufacturing absorption and increased bad debt expense, which were partially offset by savings from the company's cost reduction programs and decreased incentive compensation costs.
Fully diluted loss per share for fiscal 2015 totaled $12.02. This compared to fully diluted earnings per share of $3.35 in fiscal 2014. Fiscal 2015 included a negative impact of $13.97 per share for impairment charges, mark to market pension charges, restructuring charges, excess purchase accounting, loss on early debt retirement, acquisition costs and net discrete tax items, compared to $0.09 per share negative impact in fiscal 2014 which includes mark to market pension charges, restructuring charges, excess purchase accounting, pension curtailment charge, acquisition costs and net discrete tax items.
The effective income tax rate was (0.1) percent for fiscal 2015, compared to 28.4 percent in fiscal 2014. Excluding impairment charges, pension items, restructuring charges, excess purchase accounting, acquisition activities and net discrete tax benefits in both periods, the effective income tax rate was 29.5 percent and 32.6 percent in fiscal 2015 and 2014, respectively. The decrease in the effective tax rate for the year was primarily attributable to a change in geographical mix of earnings.
Cash provided by continuing operations was $355 million for fiscal 2015, compared to $363 million in fiscal 2014. The decrease in cash provided by continuing operations was primarily due to lower earnings, partially offset by changes in trade working capital levels and the collection of long term receivables. Included in cash provided by operating activities for the year ended October 30, 2015 is a $14 million loss on the retirement of debt, which represents the make whole premium on the redemption of our 6.0% Senior Notes due 2016.
Capital expenditures were $71 million in fiscal 2015, compared to $91 million in fiscal 2014.
During the year ended October 30, 2015, we purchased 954,580 shares of common stock for approximately $50 million, all of which occurred in the first quarter. Since the inception of the share repurchase program in the fourth quarter of 2013, the company has repurchased approximately 9.8 million shares of its common stock for $533 million, leaving $467 million available under the current Board authorization.
Adjusted net income and adjusted diluted earnings per share metrics are non-GAAP measures that remove the effect of certain items and are provided to present consistency to aid investors in comparing our operating results across periods. These measures are not purported to be alternatives to diluted earnings per share or net income presented in accordance with GAAP.
Over the course of 2015, pricing for most major commodities served by the company's customers fell between 20 and 30 percent as supply curtailments were slow to materialize in a tepid global growth environment. Global growth is expected to improve modestly in calendar 2016. Commodity prices are not expected to see any material improvement with current over-supplied conditions which will continue to strain cash flows for most mining companies. We expect further austerity driven cost reduction measures and asset consolidation to define the mining industry in 2016.
Slowing global growth, particularly in China, impacted copper markets during the year with prices falling to just above $2.00 per pound in calendar fourth quarter. In response to the 30 percent decline in pricing this year, several major mining companies have recently announced significant production cuts over the next 18 months. Accordingly, some forecasts have the refined copper market returning to an approximate 100,000 tonne deficit in 2016. While a return to deficit could provide some support to pricing, a weaker-than-expected demand profile will likely keep copper pricing below $2.50 per pound.
The combination of regulatory pressures along with sustained sub $3.00/mmBtu natural gas has resulted in calendar 2015 being one of the most challenging years on record for the U.S. coal market. Coal fired power plant closures and coal-to-gas switching are expected to drive a nearly 100 million ton reduction in coal burn in the U.S. this calendar year. The significant reduction in coal burn along with decreased export opportunities due to the strong U.S. dollar will likely see coal production fall nearly 10 percent in 2015. With the expectation of continued natural gas pricing below $3.00/mmBtu and further coal fired power plant closures, we expect coal burn to be down approximately 50 million tons in 2016.
The international seaborne thermal coal market remains oversupplied with prices trending to the $50 dollar per ton range since May. Reduced Chinese coal imports, which are down nearly 75 million tonnes this year, have outweighed the increases in India and Southeast Asia and left the market oversupplied. During the year, currency fluctuations benefiting Australia and Russia also resulted in excess supply in the market. However, in response to low prices, exports from Indonesia have fallen nearly 20 percent through the calendar third quarter which has helped to reduce the surplus in the market. The seaborne thermal coal supply surplus is expected to persist into 2016 although increasing imports into India and Southeast Asia along with fewer new projects will help to rebalance the market.
Seaborne metallurgical coal markets have also seen reduced demand as a result of global steel production contracting nearly 3 percent through October. As a result, met coal spot prices have fallen to below $80 per tonne putting approximately 70 percent of global supply below their cash operating costs. Iron ore markets have faced a similar trend down with weakening demand driving prices below $50 per tonne. While global steel demand is projected to increase just under 1 percent in 2016 following a 1.7 percent contraction in 2015, new supply growth is expected to exceed demand growth resulting in prices likely trending at or below current levels.
The global mining market is expected to remain under pressure in 2016 as oversupplied markets continue to rebalance. Supply curtailments along with improving demand in some markets could provide some relief. However, with most mining companies' cash flows under pressure, industry capital expenditures are now expected to decline nearly 20 percent.
"With global mining capital expenditures expected to step down again in 2016, we remain intensely focused on cost reduction and cash generation," continued Doheny. "We exceeded our cost reduction targets again in 2015 and are proactively taking actions to achieve another $85 million of cost reductions in 2016. Our cash generation in the fourth quarter was strong and was driven by good results in bringing our inventory in closer alignment with current order levels. We believe there are additional opportunities to structurally reduce inventories in 2016 by leveraging our global supply chain and the recent investments we have made in our service network.
"We will also continue to drive our growth strategies with service, new product development and expansion of our hard rock platform. While adoption rates are slowed by current market conditions, we have expanded our design capabilities to deliver value-added, new Joy branded service products and consumables to our customers and are well positioned to drive growth in this area in the future. Our hybrid excavator, underground hard rock loader and prototype hard rock mechanical cutting machine are all currently operating and proving out their capabilities with customers in the field. These organically developed new products in combination with the recent acquisitions and our global service network will enable us to drive growth in current and adjacent markets in the future.
Management will host a quarterly conference call to discuss the Company's fourth quarter and fiscal 2015 results at 11:00 a.m. Eastern time on December 16, 2015. Interested parties can listen to the call by dialing 888-504-7966 in the United States or 719-325-2437 outside of the United States, access code #7285398, at least 15 minutes prior to the 11:00 a.m. Eastern start time of the call. A rebroadcast of the call will be available until the close of business on January 6, 2016 by dialing 888-203-1112 or 719-457-0820, access code #7285398.
Alternatively, interested parties can listen to a live webcast of the call on the Joy Global Inc. website at http://investors.joyglobal.com/events.cfm. To listen, please register and download audio software on the site at least 15 minutes prior to the start of the call. A replay of the webcast will be available until the close of business on February 1, 2016.
Joy Global Inc. is a worldwide leader in mining equipment and services for surface and underground mining.
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Terms such as "anticipate," "believe," "could," "estimate," "expect," "forecast," "indicate," "intend," "may be," "objective," "plan," "potential" "predict," "should," "will be," and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements in this press release are based on our current expectations and assumptions and are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from any forward-looking statement. In addition, certain market outlook information and other market statistical data contained herein is based on third party sources that we cannot independently verify, but that we believe to be reliable. Forward-looking statements contained herein are made only as to the date of this press release and we undertake no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect new information. We cannot assure you the projected results or events will be achieved. Because forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, they are subject to change at any time. Important factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from the results anticipated by the forward-looking statements include (i) risks associated with general economic conditions and cyclical economic conditions affecting the global mining industry, (ii) risks associated with the international and U.S. commodity markets for coal, copper and other materials mined by our customers, (iii) risks of international operations, including currency fluctuations, (iv) risks associated with acquisitions, (v) risks associated with indebtedness, (vi) risks associated with access to major purchased items, such as steel, castings, forgings and bearings, and (vii) risks associated with labor markets and other risks, as well as the risks, uncertainties and cautionary statements set forth in our public filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Note - For complete information, including footnote disclosures, please refer to the Company's Form 10-K filing with the SEC.


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A derogatory term for a person of Hispanic descent, usually used to denote their taste for hot, spicy foods.
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What a wildly non-p.c. person calls their friend that exclusively dates hispanic guys.
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Malden was host to the first ever New England Muslim festival on Sunday, September 25. Official estimates report that close to 3,000 people attended the vibrant family event from noon – 6 p.m. A dazzling array of hijabs wove strands of color throughout the crowd on Malden City Hall Plaza.
The stage featured hip hop artists, comedians, traditional music, folk dances, Chinese martial arts, speeches and the Muslim call to prayer. A traditional souk (marketplace) boasted a wide array of arts, henna, Arabic calligraphy, local information and international foods. There was even a booth where non-Muslims could try on a hijab (Muslim headcovering).
According to the organizers, the vision of the Muslim Festival was to celebrate the diversity within the American Muslim community and to create a greater awareness of their rich cultural heritage.
Malden Mayor Gary Christenson (second from right) enjoys a performance.
Trelawney Grenfell-Muir, a doctor of theology and conflict studies, spreads messages of interfaith peace and understanding.
U.S. Representative Katherine Clark attended the festivities.
Malden Mayor Gary Christenson was pleased to host the event in Malden, which was selected as a site not only because of its central location but because of its extraordinarily diverse community. The Outreach Community and Reform Center, a spiritual home and community center for Muslims located in Malden, was one of the many organizers of the event.
The video (posted below) shows the positive energy of the event and the passion of its organizers that want so much to change the negative image of Islam in American culture.


text:
A Little Radio History
Gigantes da Internet: Leis e Economia das Plataformas Digitais
Universidade de Chicago
This seven-week course will explore the relationship between law and technology with a strong focus on the law of the United States with some comparisons to laws around the world, especially in Europe. Tech progress is an important source of economic growth and raises broader questions about the human condition, including how culture evolves and who controls that evolution. Technology also matters in countless other ways as it often establishes the framework in which governments interact with their citizens, both in allowing speech and blocking it and in establishing exactly what the boundaries are between private life and the government. And technology itself is powerfully shaped by the laws that apply in areas as diverse as copyright, antitrust, patents, privacy, speech law and the regulation of networks. The course will explore seven topics: 1. Microsoft: The Desktop vs. The Internet. We will start with a look at the technology path that led to the first personal computer in early 1975, the Altair 8800. That path starts with the vacuum tube, moves to transistors, then to integrated circuits and finally to the microprocessor. We will look at the early days of software on the personal computer and the competition between selling software and open-source approaches as well as the problem of software piracy. We will discus the public good nature of software. The 1981 launch of the IBM PC revolutionized the personal computer market and started the path to Microsoft's powerful position and eventual monopoly in that market with the selection of MS-DOS. We then turn to four antitrust cases against Microsoft: (1) the 1994 U.S. case relating to MS-DOS licensing practices; (2) the U.S. antitrust middleware case over Microsoft's response to Netscape Navigator; (3) the European Union case regarding Windows Media Player; and (4) the EU browser case over Internet Explorer. These disputes arose at the point of maximal competition between the free-standing personal computer and the Internet world that would come after it and we may know enough now to assess how these cases influenced that competition. 2. Google Emerges (and the World Responds). Google has emerged as one of the dominant platforms of the Internet era and that has led to corresponding scrutiny by regulators throughout the world. Decisions that Google makes about its algorithm can be life altering. Individuals are finding it more difficult to put away past mistakes, as Google never forgets, and businesses can find that their sales plummet if Google moves them from the first page of search results to a later page. With great power comes scrutiny and we will look at how government regulators have evaluated how Google has exercised its power. Both the U.S. Federal Trade Commission and the European Union have undertaken substantial investigations of Google's practices and we will look at both of those. 3. Smartphones. The Internet started on the desktop but the Internet is increasingly mobile and people are seemingly tethered to their smartphones and tablets. And we have seen an interesting shift in that market away from Nokia handsets and the Blackberry to Apple's iPhone and its iOS platform and to the Android platform. The legal infrastructure of smartphones and tablets is extraordinarily complex. We will start by looking at U.S. spectrum policy and the effort to free up 500 megahertz of spectrum. We will look at the activities of standard setting organizations, including the IEEE and the creation of the 802.11 standard and Wi-Fi (or, if you prefer, wifi), the creation of patent pools and the regulation of standard essential patents. We will look at the FTC action against Google/Motorola Mobility and Apple's lawsuit against Samsung over utility and design patents relating to the iPhone. Finally, we will take a brief look at the European Commission's investigation into the Android platform. 4. Nondiscrimination and Network Neutrality. Facebook has more than 1 billion users and measure that against a world population of roughly 7 billion and a total number of Internet users of roughly 2.5 billion. A course on law and technology simply has to grapple with the basic framework for regulating the Internet and a key idea there is the notion of network neutrality. Nondiscrimination obligations are frequent in regulated network industries, but at the same, discrimination can be an important tool of design for communication networks. We will start our look at the Internet by looking at the great first communications network of the United States, the post office and will look in particular at the Post Office Act of 1845. We will then move to modern times and will consider efforts by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission to produce sensible and sustainable nondiscrimination conditions for the Internet and will touch briefly on comparisons from around the world. 5. The Day the Music Died? In many ways, the Internet came first to music with the rise of peer-to-peer (p2p) music sharing through Napster and its successors. We start with a look into music platform history and the devices that brought recorded music into the home: the phonograph and the player piano. We turn to radio and the legal regime that puts music on the airwaves, the performing rights organizations like ASCAP and BMI. We look at the antitrust issues associated with the blanket license. We consider a failed music platform, digital audio tape, and the complicated legal regime associated with it, the Audio Home Recording Act of 1992. We will consider the copyright issues raised by the creation and distribution of music and the litigation over the p2p technologies such as Napster and Grokster. The music industry responded to p2p technology by adding digital rights management tools to CDs. As music distribution switched from physical media to digital distribution, we entered the world of Apple and the iPod and iTunes. We consider the DRM issues associated with Apple's music platform as seen by Steve Jobs. We conclude by looking at emerging subscription services like Spotify and the service that Apple is building based on its purchase of Beats. 6. Video: Listening and Watching. Images are some of the most powerful ways in which ideas and speech are communicated and video has long been regulated by the state. That starts as a communications law issue with government regulation of the radio spectrum, but also leads to the design of the television system with the assignment of channels and eventually the definition of digital television. And with the emergence first of cable TV and subsequently the VCR critical copyright roadblocks had to be overcome for new distribution technologies to emerge. We will consider the legal engineering that led to the DVD platform, which was an exercise in patent pools and trademark creation. We will sort through the creation of the digital TV platform and will also look at the copyright underpinnings for Netflix. And we will consider the question of technology neutrality in the content of the copyright fight over a new video distribution entrant, Aereo. Finally, we close the week with a brief look at the incentive spectrum auctions and the possible end of broadcast television. 7. The Mediated Book. Gutenberg revolutionized books with his printing press and for academics, books are sacred objects. But the printed book is on the run and with the rise of the ebook, we are entering a new era, the era of the mediated book. This is more than just a change in technology. We will look at the issues created by the rise of the ebook, issues about control over content and licensing and of the privacy of thought itself. We will also look at the legal skirmishes over this space, including the copyright fair use litigation over Google Books, the Apple e-book antitrust case. And we will look at the Amazon Kindle platform.
Intellectual Property Law, Law, Competition Law, Market (Economics)
I am so blessed to be part of this amazing course. Prof. Picker is the finest and professional teacher. It was excellent experience of my life. Thank you so much.
Really enjoyed the history and Randy gives us the future by following these trends. Thanks Prof, really appreciate your time and the chance to learn from you!!
The Day the Music Died?
In this module, we will focus on different platforms for distributing music. That will start with the great home technology of the early 1900s—the phonograph and the player piano—before turning to radio and the ASCAP and BMI licensing regime for public performances. We then will turn to a failed technology and legal regime, digital audio tape and the Audio Home Recording Act of 1992. We will then switch to MP3 players, from the relatively obscure (the Diamond Rio) to the ubiquitous (the iPod) and to Apple's digital rights management regime. We will then switch to the issues raised by peer-to-peer software like Napster and Grokster and then close with an examination of the switch from physical distribution media to digital and subscriptions like Spotify.
A Little Radio History4:57
Performing Music on the Radio6:35
The Blanket License8:58
Randal C. Picker
James Parker Hall Distinguished Service Professor of Law and Ludwig & Hilde Wolf Teaching Scholar
So we want to turn to radio briefly.
Want to do two segments.
First one sort of establishing the framework for
radio and the second one turning to the content for radio.
So we've seen this before.
So in 1927 Congress passes a new statute, creates the Federal Radio Commission.
So creates a framework, a vehicle for regulating
the airwaves, and they issued their first report eventually.
It sort of described the position in radio prior to
1927 which they describe as anarchy reigned in ether.
So prior to that point, there had been some uncertainty about the scope of
the regulatory authority that the Federal Government had to control radio stations.
And the Attorney General issued an opinion saying,
well the Secretary of Commerce, maybe he doesn't have the power to control that and
boom, everybody sort of rushes in.
To broadcast and the structure that they had is described here
which is part of what you do in the airwaves,
is you some sense create spaces white space between
broadcasters that had been as they put it here 50 kilocycles separation and
all of a sudden people rush in to fill that up.
And so the problem of interference, my broadcast corrupting your broadcast,
effectively.
That all emerges and so Congress jumps in once again in 1927 to solve that.
The FRC, then, given this new 1927 statutory authority then jumps in and
says okay here's what we're going to do.
We're going to set up channels, we'll separate the channels
with effectively a small space between them ten kilocycles and
they create what we recognize is the structure of AM radio,
basically stations between five-fifty kilocycles and fifteen hundred.
So, if you think about your AM radio dial,
if you like to talk in those terms, that really goes way back.
This is the 1928 FRC recorder.
The other thing that's so interesting in looking at that report is,
those were the very early experimental days of television.
They call it radio television here.
They talk about how that's so complicated and how there's spillovers,
interference, serious problems.
So the commission says, whew, we're not going to quite deal with that yet.
It's interesting to see how these technologies emerge.
Now we're jumping forward in time.
So the Communications Act of 1934 creates the FCC,
Federal Communications Commission as a successor to the FRC.
They issued their first annual report in 1936.
You can find this on the FCCs website.
And that report gives you a sense of what the airwaves look like and
what the radio spectrum, and recall, we looked at that chart looks like in 1936,
and here's what we see.
We see a variety of uses here, agriculture, amateur, aviation.
Broadcast is really our target here and
the idea that we've got 623 stations broadcasting at this point.
A little bit of television experimentation going on, but not a lot.
So, the platform of radio takes a while to create,
both a while from a regulatory standpoint, really three important acts,
maybe more over a 20 year span effectively.
The creation of the Federal Radio Commission, the creation of the FCC,
the creation of these channels.
All of that puts in place as we're talking about these things,
a platform for the distribution of content.
But, the question is, what content?
What can they do and why?
We've looked at that a little bit all ready when we looked at that
not licensed for video broadcast legend on that one record.
But, there's a broader question on what content you can use and
we will turn to that in the next segment.
I'm Randy Picker at the University of Chicago.
This is Internet Giants, the Law and Economics of Media Platforms.


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Horner questions DRS detection point
> News > Formula 1
By Mat Coch
Saturday 2nd April, 2022 - 1:48pm
Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen battle for the lead in Saudi Arabia
Christian Horner has suggested Formula 1 needs to look at where the DRS detection points are placed after it proved a key facet in last Sunday's Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
All new aerodynamic regulations introduced for 2022 have had the effect of allowing cars to run more closely to one another for longer periods.
It has also placed a greater emphasis on DRS, which has been kept despite the new rules being designed such that, at least in theory, the product would not suffer unduly without it.
However, in both Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, it proved a significant contributing factor in battles between Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc.
In Bahrain, a detection point at the end of the front straight encouraged cars to sit behind through the first complex before using DRS to make the move into Turn 4.
Leclerc duly opted to fall behind Verstappen as they battled over the race lead, then making the most of the benefit DRS afforded him to retake the lead three corners later.
Last weekend in Jeddah, a detection point on the approach to the final corner proved as hotly contested as the race lead itself.
With the long pit straight following the final corner, having DRS was therefore a significant advantage.
Realising that, Leclerc first attempted to slow and encourage Verstappen passed to gain the benefit.
However, that had a short shelf life and soon the pair were locking up brakes in their desperate effort to be second to the line.
It's an unusual scenario, a new style of racing in Formula 1 which some have dubbed 'DRS chicken'.
That's prompted Red Bull boss Horner to raise questions about where the detection point is going forward, given the experience of the opening two weekends of the year.
"The DRS is so powerful, you can see that there was a game of cat and mouse game between the drivers, where they'd actually brake to a point that they accelerated then to the corner," he said.
"So I think maybe we should look at where that DRS detection zone is for future years. You definitely want to avoid being in that situation."
Though yet to be formally confirmed by the FIA, next weekend's Australian Grand Prix is set to have four DRS zones, the first venue to boast such a number.
The Australian GP kicks off on Friday, with F1 on track for opening practice from 13:00 AEST, though support categories will take to Albert Park the day prior.


These chocolate coin valentines are my new favorite! We have been making Valentines for different groups of friends and classmates and are having way too much fun with it! We have our woodland animal printables and the matching game printable that we are handing out, and now the chocolate coin valentines, with the message that we love our friends just the way they are.
Put some chocolate coins in a treat bag.
Punch a hole in the corner of the tag, and attach some ribbon, tying the tag onto the bag of chocolate coins.
I talk a lot about individuality and being comfortable with who you are with my kids, and discuss treating everyone equally and with compassion. This is what I want them to see Valentine's Day as right now, a day to celebrate our relationships with other, and show them how much we appreciate and care about them.
Looking for more Valentine's Day ideas? Check out these non-food ideas and our post full of really fun printables!


I work with the European Space Agency, stationed in the European Astronaut Centre (EAC) in Cologne. I am a Research Fellow there.
I have always been deeply passionate about technology, science and space, so my interest significantly drove my career choices. Deciding at an early stage that I wanted to work in a technological/IT field – this led me to studying programming at University. I enjoyed this work, and use the skills I learned during this time very frequently, even to this day. After this period though, I wanted to diversify my skillset a bit and returned to college to do a Masters degree in Electronic Systems. It was during this time that I had the chance to do a real piece of scientific work for my thesis. I found this deeply satisfying, and knew I had found my true calling! I had the chance then to carry out a PhD study in the field of Materials Science, essentially learning an entirely new skillset again. I never lost interest in space – if anything, I grew more engaged with it as I learned how science is conducted. I would begin then to look for a chance to work with NASA and ESA on a scientific level – the final milestone (for now!) would be eventually joining ESA as a scientist.
When I look back, there are a number of people who have influenced my career. Probably most notably it would be my PhD supervisor, Prof. Patrick McNally, who gave me the opportunity to pursue a scientific career in the first place. Without that chance, I would not have ended up where I am now. During my secondary education, I had some great teachers who effectively taught me skills I still use to this day. Fundamentally, I was also heavily influenced by scientists, explorers and astronauts – these people would become my early role models and would instill in me a deep love for learning and discovery.
Absolutely. I can only speak positively about my position with ESA, and also living on the continent. The locale is rich with places to discover and the work is always interesting and varied. Lots to see and do!
1.How did you go about getting your current job?
I was working as a postdoctoral researcher at DCU after my PhD had finished, working on some really fun research projects as part of a team. I was also directing some of my own research and lecturing. These were good times, and I had no reason to complain – by chance though, I seen an opportunity at ESTEC (our technical centre in the Netherlands) that looked really appealing and would allow me to get some experience in the space sector. When I applied, I made it to the last round, but was unsuccessful. Undeterred, and having now seen the work that ESA does first hand, I came across another opportunity at the EAC a year later. This time, I was successful and offered the Research Fellow position there, much to my delight.
Every day here is different! There are a number of meetings daily concerning projects that are currently running at EAC that I am involved in. As well as this, I help manage a number of persons involved with the 'spaceship EAC' project, which is part of the EAC future missions section. Meeting with this team and seeing how things are progressing is another task that comes up regularly. On top of that then there is the daily work of research, which covers analysing data from experiments, running experiments or simulations and keeping on top of the current developments that may be applicable to human spaceflight.
3.What are the main tasks and responsibilities?
Managing the 'Spaceship EAC' project, as well as carrying out research activities on behalf of EAC. Engaging with researchers across Europe and the world on how to prepare for future manned exploration missions.
4.What are the main challenges?
Keeping everyone focused on their project and seeing the teams work through to completion can be trying, but overall it is more of a fun challenge rather than a complaint!
ESA and EAC specifically is a very cool place to work. Working with so many talented individuals from across Europe is a tremendous privilege – it's a great example of what Europe can achieve when united. We like to joke that it's the practical example of the United Federation of Planets from Star Trek.
Being at the coal face of human spaceflight in Europe is awesome also – seeing the astronauts being trained, assigned and flying missions first hand gives incredible insight into how the space enterprise works.
Working with great people is a privilege – I often count how lucky I am to do so daily. When I tell people about the work I do, I wish I could transplant them into a normal day here, just so they can see what it's like. Sadly, this isn't the way the world works, and I often feel down about the fact that not everyone gets to experience such an environment during their career.
7.What particular skills do you bring to your workplace?
I was trained as a Material Scientist, and also did a lot of research in the area of energy systems after that. Before that, I earned my Masters in Electronic Systems and my bachelors in Computer Applications. I have a very broad range of skills from all this, as a scientist and also as an IT guy. Skills like scientific writing and programming are tools I use nearly daily.
1.What subjects did you take in school and how have these influenced your career path?
2.What is your education to date?
Graduated with a B.Sc in Computer Applications (Software Engineering), M.Eng in Electronic Systems and my Ph.D, all from Dublin City University, Ireland.
3.What aspects of your education have proven most important for your job?
Definitely my PhD was crucial, as the position is a scientific one and I am expected to carry out research. The skills you learn from the PhD I have found very transferable, as was the specific experience I gained learning various programming languages over the years.
4.Have you undertaken, or do you plan to undertake any further training as part of your job? Yes, most definitely – there is a lot to learn at ESA and there are a number of internal workshops and courses available to further develop.
1.What have been the most rewarding events in your career so far?
Graduating with my Masters and then later in life with the PhD have been two stand out moments for me. Later, getting the call from my future boss at ESA about joining the team. There have also been some research funding successes that are quite memorable.
2.What personal qualities do you have that helps you in your career? Curiosity, willingness to learn new things quickly and also understanding the value of mistakes and learning from them. Also, being approachable, honest and friendly have helped.
I really enjoy the job at the moment – it would be hard to envision a better position to be honest!
4.What advice would you give to someone considering this job?
Understanding how ESA works is a big bonus – the practical work that the organisation does and how it feeds back into ESA member states is important.
ESA usually hire for specific experience, so having a good depth of knowledge in a field augmented with experience is key.
5.What kinds of work experience would provide a good background for this position?
Any experience in the space or aerospace sector is clearly an advantage, but so is experience with technical and scientific writing. Being able to demonstrate experience as part of a multi-national team is also highly valued, as ESA is made up of personnel from the different member states.


text:
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A Rare Case of Fatal Hyponatremia Due to a Combination of Psychotropic Polypharmacy and Hypothyroidism

To the Editor: Hyponatremia is a very common electrolyte abnormality seen in hospitalized patients. Mild hyponatremia is generally asymptomatic, but severe hyponatremia can be fatal. Hyponatremia is a rare but well-known complication of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Hypothyroidism is also independently known to cause hyponatremia. So far, fatal hyponatremia due to psychotropic polypharmacy has been reported only once.1 Here, we report a rare case of a 44-year-old man with fatal hyponatremia due to a combination of psychotropic polypharmacy and hypothyroidism.

Case report. Mr A, a 44-year-old obese man (body mass index = 34.8 kg/m2), was found unresponsive by his family in the month of January 2009 and brought to the emergency room. His history consists of hypothyroidism, schizophrenia, and depression. History from the family members was significant for change in behavior in the 24 hours preceding presentation. Also, there was no history of excess water intake or a witnessed seizure episode. His medications taken at home included paroxetine 10 mg po once daily, quetiapine 100 mg po once daily, olanzapine 20 mg po once daily, and levothyroxine 300 μg po once daily. Other medications included gabapentin 800 mg po thrice daily, omeprazole 15 mg po once daily, clonazepam 1 mg po thrice daily, and valsartan 80 mg po once daily.

Upon arrival, he was hypothermic with a temperature of 94.4°F, had no pulse, and was in asystole. He was aggressively resuscitated, and he regained normal sinus rhythm. Postresuscitation electrocardiogram showed ST segment depression in V1 and V2 with diffuse ST-T wave abnormality. He was started on a dopamine drip for hypotension and immediately taken to the cardiac catheterization laboratory due to the electrocardiographic changes and cardiac arrest, but no significant abnormalities were found in his coronary arteries. Meanwhile, his laboratory values were significant for serum sodium level of 107 mEq/L, serum chloride level of 71 mEq/L, and serum thyroid-stimulating hormone level of 63.03 UIU/mL. Other significant laboratory values included serum glucose level of 200 mg/dL, serum calcium level of 7.7 mg/dL, and serum lactic acid level of 6.2 mmol/L, as well as serum levels of cardiac enzyme creatine phosphokinase (5606 U/L) and the creatine kinase-MB fraction (72.2 ng/mL); MB index and serum troponin levels were within normal limits. Urine drug screen was positive for benzodiazepines, consistent with his clonazepam prescription, and his serum toxicology was negative. Serum osmolality and urine osmolality could not be obtained. His complete blood count and chest x-ray were within normal limits. Computed tomography scan of the brain revealed extensive hypoxic ischemic injury with extensive infarction and diffuse brain injury.

Mr A was transferred to a medical intensive care unit, where he remained comatose and continued to be hypotensive. Due to the presence of severe hyponatremia, he was started on 3% hypertonic saline infusion with an aim to increase the serum sodium gradually to 120 mEq/L. He was also started on intravenous levothyroxine.

Despite aggressive medical treatment, his hemodynamic status did not improve and he continued to be comatose, following which his family agreed to withdraw life support measures.

Depression is a very commonly encountered illness in primary care practice. SSRIs are very widely prescribed drugs for the treatment of depression and are a known cause of hyponatremia. The incidence of hyponatremia in patients taking paroxetine is 3.5/1,000/year.2 Although about 50 case reports of SSRI-induced hyponatremia have appeared in the literature so far,3 fatal hyponatremia due to psychotropic drug polypharmacy has been reported only once.1

The risk of developing SSRI-associated hyponatremia appears to be increased with advanced age, female sex, previous history of hyponatremia, comorbid medical illness, or use of concomitant medications known to cause hyponatremia or alter secretion of antidiuretic hormone (ADH).4

The etiology of hyponatremia associated with SSRI use is highly controversial. Although there are some studies showing no elevation of ADH,5,6 the majority of the reports claim syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion (SIADH) to be the cause of hyponatremia.4,7 Hyponatremia in these studies is seen soon after initiation of therapy with an SSRI, with the median time being 13 days according to previously published reports,2 and 75% of cases presented within 30 days after initiation of therapy.7 Delayed onset has also been reported, with 29% of patients presenting more than 3 months after beginning SSRI therapy.3,7 Quetiapine has also been reported to cause hyponatremia.8

The pathophysiology underlying hyponatremia in hypothyroidism is incompletely understood. Some studies claim that reduced cardiac output in hypothyroidism can lead to release of ADH via the carotid sinus baroreceptors,9–11 whereas other studies have claimed that the glomerular filtration rate and renal blood flow decrease in hypothyroidism and thereby can decrease free water excretion by diminishing water delivery to the diluting segments.12 Some reports cite indirect evidence that SIADH is the cause of water retention in hypothyroidism, thereby causing hyponatremia.13,14

However, more recent reports by Macaron and Famuyiwa15 proved that the ADH levels are appropriately suppressed and therefore do not contribute to the hyponatremia of hypothyroidism. This was further proved correct by failure of demeclocycline to correct the hyponatremia and low serum levels of ADH, leading to the conclusion that SIADH is not the cause of hyponatremia in such patients.15

It may be important to monitor sodium levels closely when a patient is started on SSRI treatment, especially in people with risk factors like advanced age, female sex, and comorbid illnesses and those on treatment with other medications known to cause hyponatremia. If the clinician considers the risk significant, baseline level of serum sodium should be obtained before the first dose.4 Follow-up levels of serum sodium should be obtained at least after the first 2 weeks of treatment4 or at 2–4 weeks after initiation of therapy.7 In case of mild hyponatremia, if the continuation of medication is required, close monitoring of levels of sodium is desired.4 Restriction of fluid intake is somewhat successful, although patient compliance is often poor.16 It is very important to consider the risks and benefits of continuing the treatment in such cases, and clinical judgment is required to make a decision. In almost all cases, the hyponatremia was reversed 2 days to 6 weeks after withdrawal of SSRIs depending on the serum sodium level at presentation.3,7 No guidelines are mentioned in the literature for the management of hyponatremia due to atypical antipsychotics. Also, no specific guidelines exist for routine monitoring of sodium in hypothyroidism.

In our case, hyponatremia could be accounted for due to both psychotropic polypharmacy as well as hypothyroidism, eventually proving fatal. Although fatal hyponatremia due to SSRI use has been reported only once, to our knowledge fatal hyponatremia due to a combination of psychotropic polypharmacy and hypothyroidism has not been reported so far. It is highly prudent that serum sodium level should be routinely monitored closely in high-risk patients to avoid potentially fatal complications of a common and easily treatable medical condition.

 1. Vucicevic Z, Degoricija V, Alfirevic Z, et al. Fatal hyponatremia and other metabolic disturbances associated with psychotropic drug polypharmacy. Int J Clin Pharmacol Ther. 2007;45(5):289–292. PubMed

 2. Corrington KA, Gatlin CC, Fields KB. A case of SSRI-induced hyponatremia. J Am Board Fam Pract. 2002;15(1):63–65. PubMed

 3. Rottmann CN. SSRIs and the syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion. Am J Nurs. 2007;107(1):51–58.

 4. Fabian TJ, Amico JA, Kroboth PD, et al. Paroxetine-induced hyponatremia in the elderly due to the syndrome of inappropriate secretion of antidiuretic hormone (SIADH). J Geriatr Psychiatry Neurol. 2003;16(3):160–164. PubMed doi:10.1177/0891988703255689

 5. Marar IE, Towers AL, Mulsant BH, et al. Effect of paroxetine on plasma vasopressin and water load testing in elderly individuals. J Geriatr Psychiatry Neurol. 2000;13(4):212–216. PubMed doi:10.1177/089198870001300407

 6. Faull CM, Rooke P, Baylis PH. The effect of a highly specific serotonin agonist on osmoregulated vasopressin secretion in healthy man. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 1991;35(5):423–430. PubMed doi:10.1111/j.1365-2265.1991.tb03560.x

 7. Liu BA, Mittmann N, Knowles SR, et al. Hyponatremia and the syndrome of inappropriate secretion of antidiuretic hormone associated with the use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors: a review of spontaneous reports. CMAJ. 1996;155(5):519–527. PubMed

 8. Atalay A, Turhan N, Aki OE. A challenging case of syndrome of inappropriate secretion of antidiuretic hormone in an elderly patient secondary to quetiapine. South Med J. 2007;100(8):832–833. PubMed

 9. Discala VA, Kinney MJ. Effects of myxedema on the renal diluting and concentrating mechanism. Am J Med. 1971;50(3):325–335. PubMed doi:10.1016/0002-9343(71)90221-X

10. Derubertis FR Jr, Michelis MF, Bloom ME, et al. Impaired water excretion in myxedema. Am J Med. 1971;51(1):41–53. PubMed doi:10.1016/0002-9343(71)90322-6

11. Hanna FW, Scanlon MF. Hyponatraemia, hypothyroidism, and role of arginine-vasopressin. Lancet. 1997;350(9080):755–756. PubMed doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(05)62563-9

12. Montenegro J, González O, Saracho R, et al. Changes in renal function in primary hypothyroidism. Am J Kidney Dis. 1996;27(2):195–198. PubMed doi:10.1016/S0272-6386(96)90539-9

13. Skowsky WR, Kikuchi TA. The role of vasopressin in the impaired water excretion of myxedema. Am J Med. 1978;64(4):613–621. PubMed doi:10.1016/0002-9343(78)90581-8

14. Laczi F, Janáky T, Iványi T, et al. Osmoregulation of arginine-8-vasopressin secretion in primary hypothyroidism and in Addison's disease. Acta Endocrinol (Copenh). 1987;114(3):389–395. PubMed

15. Macaron C, Famuyiwa O. Hyponatremia of hypothyroidism: appropriate suppression of antidiuretic hormone levels. Arch Intern Med. 1978;138(5):820–822. PubMed doi:10.1001/archinte.138.5.820

16. Kirby D, Ames D. Hyponatraemia and selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors in elderly patients. Int J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2001;16(5):484–493. PubMed doi:10.1002/gps.367

Chaitanya K. Musham, MD, MPH

chaitanya.musham@gmail.com

Archana Jarathi, MD

Gabriel Pedraza, MD

Author affiliations: Division of Internal Medicine-Pediatrics (Dr Musham) and Division of Internal Medicine (Dr Jarathi), Michigan State University College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University/Kalamazoo Center for Medical Studies; and Adult Critical Care (Dr Pedraza), Kalamazoo, Michigan.

Prior presentation: Poster presented at the American College of Physicians Michigan meeting; September 25–27, 2009; Traverse City, Michigan.

Published online: July 15, 2010 (doi:10.4088/PCC.09l00897gre).

Prim Care Companion J Clin Psychiatry 2010;12(4):e1–e2