Sam here. Mom dropped the ball by not posting further Doglish posts. I got on her this weekend about it while we were shivering in the latest blast of Winter and she said I could do one. Yippee! Here's a chart I recently saw that explains some of our facial expressions and what they mean to humans.
Dog looking straight at upright with ears up and tongue out. I think it must be Tongue Tuesday.
Eyes open, bright, unblinking. I really, really would like a piece of your cheese.
Ears perked up, whites of eyes showing. You mean, I'm not getting a piece of your cheese?
Rising bark. Woof, woof…that's a mighty fine-looking piece of cheese!
Howling. I do. not. howl. so clearly this is imaginary on mom's part aside from being completely undignified for a poodle of my stature. Don't even begin to accuse me of howling. It's totally beneath me. Uprights may snore but poodles never howl.
Low growling. This is the expression I assume when mom tells me not to bark at the serial killer mail lady. Well…she only said to stop barking, there was nothing said about using an indoor voice! And as soon as the door opens and he mail lady hands us our mail, I'm very happy and relieved to see that it is my friend Corrie, who loves me loads and gives great ear scratches. I don't think that uniform does her any favors; it seems to camouflage her kind face and that mail bag hides those perfect ear scratching hands.
Next time we'll I'll cover dog postures. So what does your pup's facial expressions communicate with you? Are your pup's interpretations like mine?
Hard frozen stare = take cover! lives are in danger!
Ducky was in brat mode this morning, growling and snarling at Shadow. She got told off QUICK, too. Mama does NOT stand for it. Can't blame it on a full moon, so as Jodi said to me this morning, it must be "something in the air". Crazy dogs!
The other night I had biscuits and Blue Cheese. I thought I would be safe – I thought Benji wouldn't want any of that Blue Cheese – I thought he would turn up his nose at it. Yes well, , just shows you how much I know about dogs and cheese – any cheese! Back to the drawing board!!
Life would be easier if people would take the time to learn what their dog is trying to tell them. Bentley is 8 years old and he is just now starting to howl. LOL!
Doglish is easy to master, even human can do it.
The graphic is good, lots of people need to see and understand it!
We all get grumpy at one time or another. I know how she feels!
Sam, I know you. If she gave you a piece of cheese, you'd just want another.
Cheese is the BEST, Cupcake!


text: On the morning of Fagan Vad 13th, Sheth Baldevbhai of Amdavad asked a question in the assembly, "Whether the darshan given in dream by Shriji Maharaj and great Muktas are like the visible (pratyaksha) darshan or with some difference?" Bapashri said, "Darshan given by Shriji Maharaj and great Muktas in dream are as good as visible (pratyaksha) darshan. There is no difference in it, because for them there is nothing like the state of awakening, body, etc. Darshan given in the state of awakening appears more to the person getting darshan because it is given to him directly but darshan given in dream remain hidden inside and the soul is allowed neither to know it nor to tell it; it is stopped. The one who has become realized and is happy in the happiness of Shriji knows that Maharaj gives him so much happiness to some one dwelling in his heart. This knowledge comes to him who dwells in Murti constantly. Muktas give discourses in the talk on it; it is always new because it is limitless. Similarly the bliss of Shriji's Murti comes to Mukta always in new form. Just as there are infinite things in cosmos, similarly there is endless bliss in Murti. This is known only to one who has realized. By constant efforts and by becoming the form of Lord Purushottam one can get that bliss. Those who are not engrossed in Purushottam, will not achieve that bliss and they can not live in it. When there remains nothing of self, it should be known as the state of pativrata (the woman who dedicates her life to her husband). Those who have become such will be happy and those who are proud of their self will be unhappy. The one who is fully engrossed in Mahaprabhuji's Murti, should be known as firm believer and the one who is engrossed in passion, lust and enjoyments, can not be called firm believer. The one who takes prasad Murti (Murti offered as prasad) and printed Murti as equal should be considered as firm believer and the one who does not take them as equal has not become firm believer. The one who has become firm in his belief (atmanishtha) and whose vision sees everything in the form of Shriji Maharaj's Murti- for him prasadi or without prasadi, both are equal and his base is sound. The one who is proud of body keeps pagla (footprints), prasadi for getting service from his disciple and increases the importance of prasadi but prasadi is means and Murti is goal (karan). Therefore, the tendency should be in the form of Murti. That is to be done without fail. The one whose vision has not become the form of Murti and who is the beginner, prasadi purify him and makes him remember Maharaj. The one who wants to realize Murti should forget everything and concentrate only on Murti. If there is attachment in the object of prasad and if it is remembered at the time of death, there will be hurdle in salvation. A preceptor remembered charanarvind (foot print) at the time of his death so he had to take rebirth as a worm. Therefore, tendency should only be for Murti. Everything else is binding without Murti. || 78 ||

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Official transcripts for all undergraduate and graduate coursework attempted. Must be from regionally accredited academic institutions, with a 3.0 minimum undergraduate cumulative GPA.
Either a major or minor degree earned in the field of psychology or related field. NOTE: If applicant acquired a degree in something other than psychology, they may be required to take up to 4 additional co-requisite courses. Determined after transcript review by Registrar.


Acora Surety & Insurance Services, LLC has been recognized for reaching the Champions level of Merchants' Leaderboard program. Acora Surety & Insurance Services is the agency that issues most of the bonds placed by Goldleaf Surety Services and is owned by the same parent company as Goldleaf Surety .
As a Champion level partner, Acora is among the elite in contract surety and is a valued partner of Merchants.
Merchants Champion level recognizes contract surety agencies and agents for their surety excellence and year-over-year achievements. Demonstrating uncommon excellence in surety, Champions are recognized as experts in the surety industry and considered among the most influential and trusted surety professionals in the US.
Goldleaf Surety congratulates Acora Surety & Insurance Services on this achievement.


Brad Norman is a marine biologist who has been studying whale sharks at Ningaloo Reef since 1994.
"Jumping off a boat into crystal-blue oceanic water 50m deep is thrilling enough, but knowing that you're plunging into the path of the world's biggest shark – up to perhaps 15m long – really sends your heart into overdrive.
At least 10,000 tourists do this every year at Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia, which was recently named a World Heritage site.
There are more than 20 locations worldwide where you can swim with whale sharks, but Ningaloo is perhaps the best site of all; it's certainly the most famous.
I often relive my first time: as I snorkel languidly at the surface, a creature as big as a bus powers towards me. The shark slides effortlessly past, seemingly unconcerned by my presence.
For a list of operators at Ningaloo Reef, visit the Western Australia Tourist Board website.
If you go swimming with whale sharks, take a camera and upload your photos to ECOCEAN to help with research and conservation efforts.
When you enter the water and first see the shark, swim out to the side and stay at least 5m away. Try not to splash.
Jeremy Stafford-Deitsch is a photographer and the author of three books on sharks.
"Beyond the reef, out in the current, the hammerheads gather in schools. They are most likely to be seen on an early morning dive, but here, off Sanganeb Atoll in the Sudanese Red Sea, you must wait for them to come to you.
I plunge through the thermocline and down to the colder water that the hammerheads prefer. The current is strong, so I work against it with biting fin strokes while controlling my breathing.
I gaze into the crepuscular emptiness then clang my knife against my air tank a few times. The shimmer of a distant ghost appears through the haze; then several others materialise, followed by many more solidifying forms.
A school of scalloped hammerhead sharks populates the liquid half-light, their beautifully ugly, flattened heads jerking from side to side.
Schooling scalloped hammerhead sharks can be encountered on healthy offshore reefs throughout the Indo-Pacific including the Red Sea. Famous locations include Cocos Island, off Costa Rica, and the Galápagos Islands.
A number of dive operators run trips to see hammerheads, including Diving World and Undersea Hunter.
Wherever you go, expert local knowledge is vital, as are good diving skills.
Tui De Roy is a wildlife photographer and author who spent 40 years living in the Galápagos and still returns there frequently.
"From the moment I hit the water, I know the tables are turned. I thought I was going to be the observer – but I quickly realise that all eyes are on me, and the curious young sealions are eager to engage in rambunctious play.
These underwater aerialists put on quite a show, transforming this undersea realm into a veritable circus. They are full of confidence, reassured by their strength in numbers and bursting with energy, still nourished by their mothers' milk.
The sealions dart, spin, turn, loop and leap, while blowing bubbles and chasing each other in tight circles.
They egg each other on – some come closer and closer, heading straight for my mask, then veer away adroitly at the last moment, constantly watching my reactions.
Their greatest joy – and mine – comes when I try to imitate them by turning somersaults of my own. My clumsy antics drive them wild, and they circle me in ever-tighter loops.
Tui runs workshops with Galapagos Travel.
Alternatively, help conservation by joining a trip in support of the Galapagos Conservation Trust.
Engage the sealions' curiosity by copying their movements or swimming in short bursts then stopping. Trying to get too close will only put them off.
Zoologist Mark Carwardine is never happier than when swimming with a top marine predator.
"Tysfjord is Norway at its deepest, narrowest and moodiest. Winter daylight is in short supply, and the air is very, very cold. We head out to sea in a small boat, and I'm ready for action, dressed in a drysuit, mask and snorkel.
I keep an eye out for the familiar dark dorsal fins of the world's apex marine predators – killer whales.
Once we've spotted a pod, we try to get ahead of it and then jump into the water so that the animals swim right past us. There's no guarantee that it will work, but I plunge into the frigid fjord anyway and wait.
Staring into its cold, dark depths, I am suddenly engulfed by a huge school of herring. A moment later, I feel a swishing movement and turn to see an adult female orca disappearing into the murk in hot pursuit. For the brief moment she's in my field of view, the killer whale appears much bigger than she did from the sanctuary of the boat.
The number of local orcas has decreased in recent years because the herring have thinned out.
Orca Tysfjord runs trips to swim with them between November and February.
Don't try to chase after the orcas – just lie still on the surface and watch.
Sue Flood is a wildlife photographer and film-maker who specialises in polar and marine environments and species.
"In the crystal-clear waters of the South Pacific, off the coast of the Vava'u Archipelago in the Kingdom of Tonga, we watch a female humpback apparently dozing near the surface. Her young calf, just a few weeks old, is nearby, and the mother lazily opens one eye to take a better look at us.
Satisfied that we pose no threat to her or her precious offspring, she drifts back to sleep, allowing us so close that we can see the wrinkled skin around their eyes and even the tiny whale lice clustered in folds in their bodies.
At this point my husband, wildlife cameraman Doug Allan, and I have been filming the humpbacks for nearly 10 weeks for the BBC series Planet Earth.
We have been swimming with this pair many times; perhaps that's why mum is so relaxed in our presence. Then again, every year hundreds of people swim with the whales here, so they probably know by now that they have nothing to fear.
Sue worked with Whale Watch Vava'u, Tonga's longest-established whale-watch operator: Other operators include WhaleSwim Adventures, Whaledive.net and Swimming With Gentle Giants.
When swimming with humpback whales, move very slowly and gently, and let them come to you.
Charlie Hamilton James is a wildlife photographer, cameraman and TV presenter.
"Tumbling over the side of the boat into the warm waters of the Caribbean, I look around. Immediately some dark shapes below start moving my way. As they get closer, they resolve into a group of green turtles.
They come right up to inspect me, and I fall in love with them on the spot. They're so graceful in the water, a complete contrast to their lumbering movements on land.
Local operators have been feeding them strips of fish for years, and the turtles no doubt think I've got my own secret stash. I spend half an hour in the water with them, during which I'm even graced with the company of a couple of hawksbills as well. I return here almost daily for three weeks.
Find a list of operators here.
Learn more about turtle conservation with Barbados Sea Turtle Project.
Never attempt to chase, grab or feed the turtles – they are easily stressed.
Reinhard Dirscherl is an experienced diver and specialises in marine and travel photography.
"As the cry of "Manta! Manta!" rings out over the vermilion blue waves of South Ari Atoll, I prepare to dive. Just 15m below the surface hundreds of cleaner wrasse surround a small coral block.
Three manta rays soon join them at their cleaning station. They circle around, each time approaching within a few metres of me.
To swim with manta rays in the Maldives, contact Sub Aqua.
Mirihi Island Resort is located on South Ari Atoll.
TV presenter Nick Baker loves swimming with sharks, from great whites to dogfish.
"It's strange meeting a basking shark. Even though I know that its immense bulk is fuelled entirely by tiny crustaceans, I'm still nervously chewing the little rubber blocks off my snorkel.
But it's hard to stay cool as a vast, pale maw the size of an inglenook fireplace comes hurtling towards you, gills billowing like satin sheets in the wind, seemingly engulfing the entire ocean as it moves.
This is my first encounter with this mighty fish and what makes it so much sweeter is that I'm bobbing around in the water off the Lizard Peninsula in Cornwall. It's amazing what you can find off our coasts.
Manx Basking Shark Watch provides information about boat trips on its site.
If you want to get close to basking sharks, position yourself ahead of them and hang in the water like a jellyfish.
BBC Wildlife environment editor James Fair visited the Cayman Islands in 2006.
"With a chunk of squid grasped in my right fist, I dive beneath the surface of North Sound and offer it to the creature on the sandbar at my feet.
The stingray locates the prize and then there's a strange rasping sensation as it hoovers up the treat.
Whenever you feed a stingray, make sure you keep your thumb tucked in to avoid it being sucked into the fish's mouth.
Alexander Mustard is a marine biologist who has worked as a professional underwater photographer since 2004.
"Mist hangs over the dark waters and I am pleased to see the first rays of sunlight stretching across Three Sisters Spring. It's dawn, and I'm right on time. In Florida, the early snorkeller catches the manatee.
During winter, these animals seek out the warm waters here to keep them toasty while they sleep. On particularly cold nights, the springs fill up like dormitories and if you arrive early you can expect quite a reception.
There is no need to keep your distance – the manatees actively seek you out. Life for them is an itchy business, and there is nothing they like more than a good ol' scratch. And they know just where to get one.
Go with a professional operator and be sure to heed all of their instructions so that you don't stress the manatees.
Alex travelled with Bird's Underwater.
Other operators include Save the Manatee Club, Swim with the Manatees and River Ventures.
The less you move in the water, the more manatees will be attracted to you.


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Home > Sports > OHIO STATE HOLDS ON FOR...
OHIO STATE HOLDS ON FOR 64-56 WIN AT CINCINNATI IN 2018-19 OPENER
CINCINNATI, Ohio – The Ohio State men's basketball team withstood a late run to take a 64-56 win over Cincinnati in its 2018-19 season opener Wednesday night at Fifth Third Arena.
Kaleb Wesson led four Buckeyes in double figures with 15 points while C.J. Jackson added 13, Luther Muhammad scored 11 and Kyle Young chipped in with 10 points and a game-high eight boards. Cincinnati's Jarron Cumberland scored all 22 points after the break to lead all scorers.
The Buckeyes shut down the Bearcats offensively in the first 20 minutes, limiting Cincinnati to 4-of-29 shooting and 2-of-12 from 3-point range. After Cincinnati scored the opening points on a Justin Jenifer 3-pointer at the 18:59 mark, the Bearcats were able to keep the Buckeyes off the board until a Wesson layup with 16:14 remaining. Ohio State then took the lead on a Keyshawn Woods jumper at the 14:50 mark and were able to push the advantage to 12-6 on a Musa Jallow layup at the 11:02 mark. The Buckeyes held Cincinnati without a field goal for the final 6:38 of the half on their way to a 27-8 lead at the break.
Young paced Ohio State with six points in the opening stanza while Jackson scored five and Woods and Wesson added four apiece. Cane Broome led the Bearcats with five points before the half.
Ohio State came out of the break strong and extended its lead to 38-22 after a 3-pointer from Andre Wesson less than five minutes into the second half. A Muhammad 3-pointer held the Buckeye advantage at 55-39 with 5:23 remaining but Cumberland scored 12 points over the next four-plus minutes to spur a 17-5 Bearcat run and cut the Ohio State lead to 60-56 with one minute left. However, Jackson hit a layup with 29 seconds left and iced it with two more free throws to seal the win.
For the game, the Buckeyes limited the Bearcats to 27.4 percent (17-of-62) from the field and 23.1 percent (6-of-26) free 3-point range.
The Buckeyes open their home slate with a 4 p.m. matchup against Purdue Fort Wayne Sunday at Value City Arena.


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About IC&RC
IC&RC promotes public protection by setting standards and developing examinations for the credentialing and licensing of prevention, substance use treatment, and recovery professionals.
Quality and integrity are the foundation of IC&RC's work. IC&RC's credentials use the latest research on evidence-based practices. They are updated every five years and subjected to an extensive process of peer review. IC&RC examinations are based on formal Job Analyses, written by subject matter experts, and supported by current references.
Organized in 1981, IC&RC has 73 member certification and licensing boards in 48 U.S. states and territories, four Native American regions, all branches of the U.S. military and 11 international regions. Representing more than 50,000 professionals, IC&RC is the global leader in the credentialing of prevention, substance use treatment, and recovery professionals.
IC&RC promotes public protection by offering internationally-recognized credentials and examinations for prevention, substance use treatment, and recovery professionals.
IC&RC will be the globally recognized resource for prevention, substance use treatment, and recovery credentialing.
The History of IC&RC
The largest credentialing organization in the world began with an vision - of a unified field of alcohol and drug counselors. For several years, it seemed as if this concept could not succeed, until a small group found a way to bridge the differences between states.
In April 1977, the Midwest Area Alcohol Education and Training Program sponsored a meeting of 10 states in the Midwest to discuss certification, standards, and the possibility of reciprocity. The differences between each state's standards were vast, and no solutions were immediately apparent.
The effort continued at the Annual Meeting of the National Association of Alcoholism Counselors (NAAC) in Tennessee in August 1978. New York, Illinois, Ohio, and several other states discussed the definition and value of reciprocity. There was enough interest to organize a two-day meeting, hosted by Texas. While the conversation was extensive, the representatives couldn't come to an agreement.
Finally, Indiana, Michigan, and Wisconsin took a different approach and succeeded. At a meeting scheduled to coincide with the regional meeting of the NAAC, the states looked at the similarities in their standards, instead of the differences. From that foundation – and with the help of an outside facilitator, they were able to start the negotiation process. Trust grew as each state better understood the others' processes, and the group was able to define what it called the Critical Dimensions (now referred to as the International Standards). The three states signed the first reciprocity agreement and, in the process, agreed to develop a uniform evaluation process to assess the competency of counselors. By July 1981, they would start to implement the new process.
Shortly after this agreement was signed, both Michigan and Indiana began to certify drug counselors (Wisconsin had already been certifying drug counselors since 1977). The representatives then met and worked out a reciprocity agreement, which was signed in January 1980.
Building from the Ground Up
In 1981, the Certification Reciprocity Consortium/Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse, Inc. adopted bylaws and articles of incorporation in South Bend, Indiana. The first official office of the consortium was located in Waukesha, Wisconsin.
Also, in January of 1980, the CRC Committee on Evaluation began to develop a method of evaluation, which would better measure competency and could be disseminated broadly. The committee began by defining what knowledge and skill the counselor had to have. The next step was to list the functions and duties a counselor might have to perform. The list of functions was compiled using material from Pennsylvania, Minnesota, the CRC states and others. The total functions gathered were 2,150. The committee worked through these until they had identified a smaller number as core functions (primary functions needed to be competent). The 12 core functions were then defined to assure that all states would be using the same definitions of each. The knowledge and skill required for each of the core functions was also identified.
Then came the big questions. The committee had done all the work on the functions for a certified counselor to be competent, but was unsure how to measure the standards. The committee again began to brainstorm other methods. The result of this work, over a one and one-half year period of time, was the addition of a written case presentation and oral interview to the existing certification requirements.
Growing in Reach
While this work was being done, applications for reciprocity and negotiations were conducted and concluded with Texas (alcoholism counselors), Maryland (alcoholism counselors) and Louisiana (alcoholism, drug and substance abuse counselors).
The CRC began to reach out to other states and interest in the process began to intensify. By 1987, the number of boards included in the CRC had increased to 28. By joining the CRC, each board committed to recognizing the minimum standards established by the CRC. These included minimum requirements in the areas of education, experience, training, recertification and the use of standardized written and oral examinations.
In 1989, the organization changed its name to the National Certification Reciprocity Consortium (NCRC) to reflect its growth in membership and scope of the certification process. In 1992, the final name change to the International Certification and Reciprocity Consortium (IC&RC) occurred to reflect the scope of the organization as it reached out to boards around the world. Canada became the first international member board of the organization.
As the alcohol and drug field has changed and evolved over the years, standards have been developed by the IC&RC for the following credentials:
Alcohol and Drug Counselor – 1981
Clinical Supervisor – 1992
Prevention Specialist – 1994
Advanced Alcohol and Drug Counselor – 1999
Criminal Justice Addictions Professional – 2002
Peer Recovery - 2012


Eating too much over a long period of time can have dire consequences for your health.
One of the keys to losing weight is consuming fewer calories than you burn. But how do you know if you're eating too much or too little?
Click here to find out what a calorie is and how they work.
Gender, age, and activity level affect your recommended daily calorie intake.
To lose weight, you must eat fewer calories than you burn each day.
Be wary of any diet that severely limits what you can or cannot eat or drink.
Avoid diets that dramatically restrict how many calories you consume unless you're under medical supervision.
The number of USDA-recommended calories varies depending on gender, age, and activity level. People who lead more active lifestyles or those who want to gain weight will need to consume more calories.
Guidance on choosing healthy foods that fulfill your daily calorie needs can be found at the USDA website ChooseMyPlate.gov.
If you want to lose weight, the answer is simple, at least in theory. You must eat fewer calories than you use each day.
Rapid weight loss can also cause gallstones. The risk is especially high for women.
To help you determine how many calories you are eating, keep track of what you eat each day. Make a list in a notebook or use one of the many free calorie counters available online, such as this one provided by the USDA.
Limit the amount of added sugar you eat each day.
To make sure you aren't inadvertently eating something high in calories, check the nutrition label on the back of the packaging. Pay attention to the serving size.
Avoid eating foods that contain a lot of "empty calories." These are typically foods that are high in fat and sugars, but contain little to no other nutrients. Check out these tips from the USDA to learn more about empty calories.
When you eat out at a restaurant, ask for nutrition and calorie information about the food on the menu. And remember, you don't have to finish everything on your plate. You can always take leftovers home to munch on later.
Cleanses are based on the incorrect assumption that the body needs help getting rid of toxins. Not only are these diets ineffective, they also can be dangerous. According to the American Heart Association, a recent study found that yo-yo dieting increased the risk of heart attacks in women by 3.5 times. Weight cycling also increased the risk of dying from coronary artery heart disease by 66 percent.
Be wary of anything that severely limits what you can and cannot eat or drink, or dramatically restricts how many calories you consume. The best way to lose weight is to lose weight slowly, which according to the CDC means no more than one or two pounds per week. Think about how long it took you to gain weight. It will typically take you that the same amount of time, or longer, to lose it.
The number of daily calories that your body requires depends on a variety of factors, including your genetics, gender, age, weight, body composition, and activity level. The USDA provides a list of recommended daily calories for men, women, and children of all ages and activity levels. If you're trying to lose weight, you need to consume fewer calories than you use. If you decide to follow a specific diet, be wary if it severely limits your food choices or the number of calories you can consume.
Petersen, Hope Lynn. "How many calories should I eat to lose weight?." Medical News Today. MediLexicon, Intl., 25 Jul. 2017. Web.


The state-of-the-art microscope facility – one of the best in the nation – is helping UVA researchers advance cell research to combat a wide range of disease.
FLIM, FRET and FLIRR don't mean anything to most people, but to scientists studying the inner workings of cells, these high-resolution imaging techniques are essential tools for gaining insights to cellular behavior at the molecular level.
Cells communicate with each other and multiply, and how they operate from within is key to researchers' understanding of the intricacies of an array of diseases, from cancer to diabetes to Alzheimer's disease. But studying cells from the inside out, especially in living tissue, is an expensive and challenging proposition.
Researchers at the University of Virginia, and at institutions across the state, can turn to UVA's Keck Center for Cellular Imaging, which offers sophisticated expertise in 14 state-of-the-art imaging techniques – such as FLIM, FRET and FLIRR – using 10 microscope systems, valued at more than $5 million.
The center's high-tech microscopy allows extremely high-resolution, 2-D to 4-D real-time visualizations of the inner workings of cells, which is where nearly everything happens in the human body – made up of roughly 37 trillion cells of about 200 types.
UVA researchers use the Keck Center to better understand how tumors spread, why birth defects occur, how the body heals after trauma, and how and why certain drugs work (and why they sometimes don't). Advanced microscopy is essential to understand how cells operate.
Members of biology professor George Bloom's lab, which studies Alzheimer's disease, regularly use Keck Center microscopes to investigate how mitochondria, the power plants of cells, become compromised as this disease develops and progresses. Their studies are often focused on a misfolded protein commonly found in Alzheimer's, Parkinson's disease, Lou Gehrig's disease and other neurodegenerative disorders.
Bloom chairs the biology department and has conducted research at the Keck Center since he joined the UVA faculty in 2000. He said that founding director Periasamy has kept the center modern, as the power of microscopes in the field of cellular imaging has advanced over the years. Periasamy even designs and builds specialized microscopes.
"Peri is one of the world's leading experts in a particular and important area of microscopy called FRET (Förster resonance energy transfer), which allows exceptional resolution of live tissue in time and space," Bloom said. "It's really essential to advancing cell biology, and Peri has played a major role in the development of this and other major imaging techniques.
The center's technology allows extreme high-resolution visualizations of the inner workings of cells.
Periasamy and his staff run an annual weeklong, hands-on workshop on two primary microscopy techniques (FLIM and FRET), as well as an international conference on Multiphoton microscopy. Each of these events draw investigators from around the world who are looking to expand their cell and intravital imaging capabilities.
The staff also runs workshops for UVA graduate and undergraduate students conducting research in labs across Grounds, and Periasamy teaches a graduate-level course in microscopy each fall semester.
Most recently, Periasamy and his colleagues published two papers in one of the Nature journals, Scientific Reports, on the use of FLIM (fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy) and FRET for investigations into metabolic changes in prostate cancer cells. They call the combined techniques FLIRR (fluorescence lifetime redox ratio), and it can be used to investigate some of the most serious cancers – including breast cancer, cervical cancer and leukemia – as well as for diabetes and Alzheimer's disease.


Fishing Monthly Magazines : Bundaberg's brutes "
Around Bundaberg at this time of year we get to experience some of the best fishing in Queensland. Right now the gamefishing is at its best, the barra are biting at Monduran and the creeks are firing with big jacks.
As I write this we have just returned from a great weekend's fishing on the Shelf, where we hooked up into some magnificent fish. Small black marlin are around right along the Spit at the northern end of Fraser Island and plenty of sailfish school up here all year as well.
At one point on the weekend I saw some dark shadows move up on the lures in the spread at the back of the boat, and they turned out to be a school of cobia. Two hooked up immediately – one over 60lb was lost at the boat after a great fight on 8kg line, and one about 30lb was bought onboard and taken home for the dinner. I have never hooked cobia on skirted lures before and I think this will be a first for Tropic Angler Lures as well.
Large schools of tuna are working the coastline and are common on the inshore reefs and wrecks. It's a great time of year for tossing small metal slugs on light line and practicing your angling skills on these fish.
Some big trevally are often found swimming with the tuna, and there's also the chance of hooking up into a small black or sailfish. These billfish are caught right along our coastline from 1770 to Tin Can Bay. If you fish the Tin Can Bay area, you can find plenty of billfish in the area around the bar – just look for the bait. 1770 has plenty of large schools of slimy mackerel and these will attract 'billies' as well. The reefs off Bundaberg are also great spots to catch billfish. Just look for schools of bait, especially slimies.
Reef fishing along the coast has been great with plenty of big red emperor around. David Magner and his son James caught a nice snapper while working the wreck of the Barjon recently. This is a great place for all styles of fishing, and it's only a matter of time before a billfish is caught around the wreck. Big schools of cobia and trevally live on the Barjon and you will often see longtom on the surface chasing anything that moves. On the bottom, big cod prowl the area and schools of snapper move in and out on the reef all year.
The annual tournament at Monduran Dam was a great success this year, with plenty of good-size barra caught. Gary Leather from Salty's did very well, and his sons also caught plenty of barra and took out major prizes.
I love this tournament – I go every year and my family also loves the atmosphere and the prize giveaway nights. I must say a special thanks to all the sponsors who regularly support this tournament, particularly Salty's and Tropic Angler Lures.
It was also good to see all the people from MASA who volunteered their time to serve the public and to welcome anglers to fish the waters they have stocked. The people of Gin Gin are the main force behind this stocking group and make the tournament happen. It's worth having a stop off in this sleepy little village, located just east of Monduran Dam, to experience the shopping and to have a meal or stop for the night within easy reach of the dam. Monduran has camping facilities and cabins, but if you feel the need for motel-style accommodation it's best to stay at Gin Gin.
The fishing at Monduran has been excellent this year – I have been catching around about eight fish most afternoons. If you haven't fished here before though, I recommend hiring a guide for your first day just to get some local knowledge.
The rivers and estuaries of Bundaberg are a great place to throw some lures, with plenty of species waiting to nail anything that moves. Fish such as barra, jacks and salmon haunt our creek systems. The best places to fish for theses species are the Baffle, the Gregory River, Deep Water, The Kolan River and (one of the best kept secrets by those in the know) the Burnett River. The Burnett River is one of the most underestimated rivers in our area and produces plenty of good fish on a regular basis. The rocky bars are a great place to catch barra and jacks, and down behind the mill is great place to catch queenies, trevally and barra. It's generally in the lee of onshore winds, so it's a good place to practice flyfishing.
This month I will be mixing up the game- and sportfishing with regular trips to Gin Gin to fish the dam for barra when it's too rough to fish offshore. If you are coming to Bundaberg just give me a call at Bundaberg Fishing Charters and Boat Hire (ph. (07) 4159 0995) and I'll be happy to give you all the up-to-date fishing info.
1) Bill Wagstaff with a hard-fighting cobia.
3) The fishing at Monduran Dam has been excellent lately.
2) James Magner caught this snapper from the wreck of the Barjon.


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text:
DENMARK: 90% Of Omicron Infections Found In 'Fully Vaccinated' Or 'Boosted' Individuals
By Andrew White January 1, 2022
Robin Marchant / Getty Images for ESPN
ESPN Facing a $400 Million Hit as Games Get Canceled
By Andrew Jose, The Western Journal January 1, 2022
Samuel Corum - AFP / Getty Images
Nancy Pelosi Doubles Down Despite Criticism, Makes Big-Money Stock Moves
By Grant Atkinson, The Western Journal January 1, 2022
SICK: Dems Said DeSantis Was 'Missing' or 'Dead' From COVID, He Was Actually at Wife's Cancer Treatment
By Andrew White December 31, 2021
@mbrodkorb / Twitter
Suspect in Violent Mugging of Elderly Woman Gets Busted by His Own Mother
By Grant Atkinson, The Western Journal December 31, 2021
(Gary Winnick / Flicker / Composite)
Episodes of Betty White's Historic TV Show Remain Available Online Thanks to Copyright Oversight
By Tom Pappert December 31, 2021
By Andrew Jose, The Western Journal January 1, 2022 at 12:39pm
Sports network ESPN risks losing millions of dollars in advertising money with the rise in COVID-19 cases because of the omicron variant.
The Walt Disney subsidiary has around $400 million in college football playoffs advertising at stake, according to Bloomberg News, as games are being canceled because of pandemic fears.
247 Sports News reporter Stephen Igoe reported Sunday that a Military Bowl game between East Carolina University and Boston College would no longer take place due to COVID-19.
Multiple sources confirm the Military Bowl game between ECU and Boston College has been canceled due to COVID-19 issues.
— Stephen Igoe (@StephenIgoe) December 26, 2021
According to CBS Sports, for another year, organizers have canceled the annual Military Bowl.
Organizers have also called off the Fenway Bowl, which features a game between the Southern Methodist University Mustangs and the University of Virginia Cavaliers.
The cancelation happened after some players on the University of Virginia team tested positive for COVID-19, CBS Sports reported.
Earlier this Christmas Eve, Hawaii withdrew from a game against Memphis, citing pandemic woes. Texas dropped out of the Gator Bowl for the same reason, the outlet reported.
Should these games have been canceled?
Completing this poll entitles you to our news updates free of charge. You may opt out at anytime. You also agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Yes: 0% (0 Votes)
No: 100% (2 Votes)
For a company that usually bags $350 million to $400 million per year, according to estimates from Bloomberg Intelligence, the pandemic cancelations are likely to bring big losses. Pre-pandemic, ESPN even saw a rise in revenue by a growth of 8 percent annually between 2013 and 2018.
Disney draws in around $12 billion in yearly sales through ESPN. The network helps the media conglomerate earn $4.3 billion every year before taxes, interest, depreciation and amortization, according to Bloomberg Intelligence.
"We are working closely with the College Football Playoff and other bowl organizers and are confident in the health and safety plans they have in place for the games to be played as scheduled," ESPN told Bloomberg News in an emailed statement.
The surge in cases because of omicron is "unlike anything we've ever seen, even at the peak of the prior surges of Covid," Washington, D.C.-based health expert James Phillip told CNN on Wednesday.
"What we're experiencing right now is an absolute overwhelming of the emergency departments," Phillip, who works at the George Washington University Hospital, said.
According to data from Johns Hopkins University, as of Friday afternoon, the United States has witnessed a 28-day rise in COVID-19 cases by 5,409,183 people testing positive. During the last 28 days, the data found, 37,114 people have died. Over the last 14 days, cases have been rising at a rate of 181 percent, according to New York Times data.
The White House, amid the omicron spike, has been urging Americans to get vaccinated as a precaution against the coronavirus and its variants in line with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations.
"The Omicron variant likely will spread more easily than the original SARS-CoV-2 virus and how easily Omicron spreads compared to Delta remains unknown," the CDC said in a fact sheet on the new variant of concern.
The agency believes "anyone with Omicron infection can spread the virus to others, even if they are vaccinated or don't have symptoms," according to its website.
While the agency maintains federal government-approved vaccines guarantee protection against "severe illness, hospitalizations, and deaths due to infection," the CDC said that "breakthrough infections in people who are fully vaccinated are likely to occur."
Advertising, business-money, businesses-and-companies, colleges-and-universities, Coronavirus, Disney, espn, Football, Sports, us-news
Andrew Jose, The Western Journal
Recent Posts Contact
Beloved Actress Betty White Dead at 99
Wisconsin Election Investigators Blanket State with Subpoenas Related to 2020 Election
In Denmark, nearly 90% of Omicron cases were found in "fully vaccinated" or "boosted" individuals.
By Andrew White January 1, 2022 Comment Comment Share MoreShare
Disney draws in around $12 billion in yearly sales through ESPN. The network helps Disney earn $4.3 billion per year before taxes.
By Andrew Jose, The Western Journal January 1, 2022 Comment Comment Share MoreShare
Nancy Pelosi just bought millions of dollars worth of call options for stocks in various companies.
By Grant Atkinson, The Western Journal January 1, 2022 Comment Comment Share MoreShare
While several deranged leftists online recently accused Florida Governor Ron DeSantis of being "missing" or "on vacation," he was actually accompanying his wife's breast cancer treatment.
By Andrew White December 31, 2021 Comment Comment Share MoreShare
A man from St. Paul, Minnesota, was charged with attempted robbery of an elderly woman this week after his mother identified him on a video.
By Grant Atkinson, The Western Journal December 31, 2021 Comment Comment Share MoreShare
Several episodes of Betty White's historic sitcom "Life With Elizabeth" remain available online, even after the icon's death at 99, due to copyright oversights that left a smattering of television […]
By Tom Pappert December 31, 2021 Comment Comment Share MoreShare
Vivien Killilea / Getty Images for Talent Managers Association
White's television career began in the late 1930s, and her popularity only continued to grow throughout the years.
By Kim Davis, The Western Journal December 31, 2021 Comment Comment Share MoreShare
Floyd Wilde / Flickr
'PAPERS, PLEASE': Holocaust Museum Makes Visitors Present Vaccine Passport To Enter
The Illinois Holocaust Museum now requires its visitors to present paperwork proving their vaccination status before entry.
CharlieTong / Getty Images
The 2020 election is still being investigated in Wisconsin and the special counsel just sent out more subpoenas to uncover more information.
By Abby Liebing, The Western Journal December 31, 2021 Comment Comment Share MoreShare
@PMBreakingNews / Twitter screen shot; @ThePerezHilton / Twitter screen shot
Terrified Elites Flood Beverly Hills' Only Gun Store as Chaos Grows in California
Crime has surged so dramatically in Democrat-run cities that even anti-gun liberals are buying firearms to protect themselves.
By Samantha Chang, The Western Journal December 31, 2021 Comment Comment Share MoreShare


text:
The Russian occupation of Tabriz lasted from 30 April 1909 until 28 February 1918, with a brief interruption during 6–31 January 1915. The city of Tabriz was the second city of Qajar Persia at the time, the capital of the region of Azerbaijan, and the traditional residence of the Qajar Crown Prince.

During the Persian Constitutional Revolution, rebellion broke out in Tabriz on 23 June 1908. In early February 1909 government forces under Prince ʿAyn-al-dawla surrounded the city. On 20 April, in response to the siege situation, Britain and Russia agreed that a Russian force should be sent to occupy the city in order "to facilitate the entrance into the town of the necessary provisions, to protect the consulates and foreign subjects, and to help those who so desired to leave the town."

The Russian force under General Snarski occupied Tabriz on 30 April 1909. Negotiations for its withdrawal soon began but dragged on into 1911. On 29 November 1911, the Russian government presented the Persian government with an ultimatum. There were several demands, but most important was to fire the newly employed American lawyer Morgan Shuster. Shuster had been hired by the Majlis (parliament) to organise the country's financial affairs. Upon the Persian parliament's refusal to fire Shuster, the shah dissolved the parliament and agreed to the Russian ultimatum.

The ultimatum nevertheless created unrest in Tabriz. On 21 December, fedayeen attacked the Russian troops, inflicting severe casualties. In response, a brigade of the Russian Imperial Army was dispatched to Tabriz under General Voropanov. Its aim was to occupy three major cities: Tabriz, Anzali and Rasht. The most fierce battle of the Russian invasion occurred in Tabriz, where the constitutionalists resisted. After about three days, the defense of the city's residents broke. The Russians shelled Tabriz with artillery and entered the city on 31 December.

Once in control, the Russians held courts martial to try the fedayeen. The Russians executed the constitutional revolutionaries of Tabriz and their relatives en masse and many civilians of Tabriz as well. The total number of executions is estimated to have been about 1,200. The Seqat-ol-Eslam Tabrizi, a leader of the local Shaykhi sect, was among them. The Russians also destroyed part of the Arg of Tabriz by shelling it. Fire broke out in the Arg while it was held by Russian troops.

During the Russian occupation, Crown Prince Mohammad Hassan Mirza resided in Tabriz. Beginning in 1906 and through a Persian concession, a Russian government company had constructed a road from the Russian railhead at Julfa to Tabriz. While the region under Russian occupation, they upgraded the road to a railroad. It opened to traffic in May 1916 as the first railroad in Persia.

After the Ottoman entry into World War I in November 1914, Ottoman troops advanced into the Caucasus against Russia. This threatened to cut off the troops in Azerbaijan and an evacuation was ordered. Between 17 December 1914 and 6 January 1915, all Russian troops left Tabriz. Many local Christians—Assyrian, Chaldean and Orthodox—left with them. Ottoman Kurds under Aḥmad Mukhtār Bey Shamkhal occupied the city on 8 January.

The Ottoman–Kurdish occupation did not last long. The Ottomans were decisively defeated in the Battle of Sarikamish and the Russians were able to reoccupy the city on 31 January 1915. They remained in control until the Russian Revolution of November 1917 created disorder and confusion among the troops. The evacuation began in early 1918 and on 28 February the last Russian soldiers left Tabriz. On 18 June, the Ottomans began occupying the city.

Gallery

See also
 Tabriz during World War I
 Timeline of Tabriz

References

Invasions by Russia
Russian military occupations
1910s in the Russian Empire
1910s in Iran
Persian Constitutional Revolution
History of Tabriz
Iran–Russia military relations
Invasions of Iran
1911 in Iran
1911 in the Russian Empire
2nd term of the Iranian Majlis
Conflicts in 1911
Mass murder in 1911
Qajar Iran

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Discussion in 'iOS Apps' started by macfan881, Nov 21, 2009.
here are some of the new Features from there blog seems pretty nice.
Users of Echofon Pro can use the new SMS-like notifications too: a mention or direct message from another Echofon is pushed to their iPhone instantaneously. As before, they also get push notifications for direct messages or mentions from any Twitter app, or the Twitter website. We are also making push and sync for Echofon Pro faster with this version. You will receive notification of mentions and direct messages from non-Echofon sources in 5-10 minutes down from 10-15 minutes.


text:
Senica is een district (Slowaaks: okres) in de Slowaakse regio Trnava. De hoofdstad is Senica. Het district bestaat uit 2 steden (Slowaaks: mesto) en 29 gemeenten (Slowaaks: obec).

Steden
 Senica
 Šaštín-Stráže

Lijst van gemeenten

Senica
Trnava (regio)


text:
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Linq;
using System.Web;
using Newtonsoft.Json.Linq;

namespace FODT.Security
{
    public class FacebookAccessToken
    {
        public FacebookAccessToken(string accessToken, int expires, JObject userInfo)
        {
            AccessToken = accessToken;
            Expires = expires;
            FacebookID = long.Parse(TryGetValue(userInfo, "id"));
            Name = TryGetValue(userInfo, "name");
            FirstName = TryGetValue(userInfo, "first_name");
            LastName = TryGetValue(userInfo, "last_name");
            Email = TryGetValue(userInfo, "email");
        }

        private static string TryGetValue(JObject user, string propertyName)
        {
            JToken value;
            return user.TryGetValue(propertyName, out value) ? value.ToString() : null;
        }

        public string AccessToken { get; }
        public int Expires { get; }
        public long FacebookID { get; }
        public string Name { get; }
        public string FirstName { get; }
        public string LastName { get; }
        public string Email { get; }
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
using Discord.Commands;
using MidnightBot.Classes;
using MidnightBot.Modules.Translator.Helpers;
using System;
using System.Threading.Tasks;

namespace MidnightBot.Modules.Translator
{
    class ValidLanguagesCommand : DiscordCommand
    {
        public ValidLanguagesCommand ( DiscordModule module ) : base (module) { }

        internal override void Init ( CommandGroupBuilder cgb )
        {
            cgb.CreateCommand(Module.Prefix + "translangs")
                .Description ($"Listet die verfügbaren Sprachen zur Übersetzung. | `{Prefix}translangs` oder `{Prefix}translangs language`")
                .Parameter ("search",ParameterType.Optional)
                .Do ( ListLanguagesFunc());
        }
        private Func<CommandEventArgs,Task> ListLanguagesFunc () => async e =>
        {
            try
            {
                GoogleTranslator.EnsureInitialized();
                string s = e.GetArg ("search");
                string ret = "";
                foreach (string key in GoogleTranslator._languageModeMap.Keys)
                {
                    if (!s.Equals(""))
                    {
                        if (key.ToLower().Contains ( s))
                        {
                            ret += " " + key + ";";
                        }
                    }
                    else
                    {
                        ret += " " + key + ";";
                    }
                }
                await e.Channel.SendMessage ( ret).ConfigureAwait (false);
            }
            catch
            {
                await e.Channel.SendMessage ("Falsches Eingabeformat, oder etwas ist falsch gelaufen...").ConfigureAwait (false);
            }

        };
    }
}


When a child dies, the shock and pain reverberate throughout the community, sometimes further. As the parents try to get their heads around their loss and how it could be that their child is dead, outsiders are asking this, too – why did your child die?
As a bereaved mother, the cause of death is often the first thing we're asked and, particularly in the early days and weeks, it's one of the hardest things to hear.
It's only natural to want to understand why someone died. Throughout the centuries we have used this knowledge to help prevent similar deaths, to develop vaccines that can guard against horrible illnesses, or to implement new safety practices that keep others safe from harm.
Before Abi, my 12-year-old daughter died, I was a "typical" viewer of tragedy. I'd want to know a cause of death, but in the main, this didn't affect me or skew my perspective on my family's mortality. After her death, with the focus on the sudden and unexpected way she died, I went over the top, feeling compelled to know the cause of pretty much every death I read about on social media or in the news.
I'd click countless links and scroll straight to the part about why the person died. I was driven by a morbid fear of something happening again. Now that I had become part of the news, a statistic, my daughter's death triggered an alarm that, yes, for a while, drove me crazy.
At first, I couldn't quite understand why I was irritated when someone asked me why my child died, as they inevitably would when a general conversation about my children would kickstart the whole chain of explanation that my daughter died.
I realised that it implies (unintentionally of course) that the reason is all that matters and hints that there could have been a way to prevent it because, after all, it's not the natural order of things. Through unspoken words and glances, I feel as though the cause of death should have a rational answer.
Illness—but didn't you see a doctor?
Accident—but why weren't you looking after them?
Miscarriage or stillbirth—is there something wrong with you?
The anxiety and guilt that I already feel trebles if I think I'm being judged by others, as well as myself.
I was too shocked to react. I wanted the ground to swallow me up. I'd never been the subject of attention before, and at that moment I realised how much I was being talked about. I felt exposed, vulnerable, judged. I wanted to shout. She didn't have all the facts. I wasn't just a bit of village gossip! I barely went into my village for two years after that, driving miles out of town to shop in anonymity.
Telling someone why means they will go on to tell someone else. We have to live with that.
Focusing on the "if only" aspect of the cause of death denies the death—and the grief—itself.
Don't get me wrong. Daily, amazing causes and charities are borne out of someone's death; the awareness campaigns are a vital part of prevention and are often the legacy of the person who has died. We all know that death is the surest thing in life.
There's a quote that says "a mother's heart is not designed to be broken by her child's death." I've lately been thinking, "Really? Why not?" Death is everywhere at every stage in life, just because it hurts us doesn't change that. We are designed to adapt to significant losses. Otherwise, the world would have stopped turning long ago.
Every effort seems to be focused on prevention, awareness, fundraising, cures. I'm not for one second suggesting that this is invaluable or that we should have a morbid outlook, but the focus is so much on life as a society… on living longer, avoiding illness, keeping ourselves well… so that when death does happen it is a huge shock.
There's a big gap in the "cause" market for people like me whose loss doesn't fit into any "category" of death, along with the freak accidents and all those many small reasons why a body just stops working. In my case, Abi's death—a brain haemorrhage, so you know—had no cause at all. Yes, her brain bleed killed her, but why her, why then?
There was no medical reason for it, and that leaves me in a very lonely place without a charity, without a campaign, without reason.
This is not to say that you shouldn't ask bereaved parents what happened—when asked what my daughter died from, I am happy to say—but perhaps don't make it the main focus and, especially in the early months, be guided by the grief-stricken parent in front of you. You can always find out in other ways.
Their child has died. It doesn't matter why. They are dead. There are grief and pain to work through and a massive life adjustment. That is all you need to know.
Oh my I completely understand.
It was very unexpected. She didn't have a virus or illness to trigger the seizure. The doctors had no clue.
However, recently I have stumbled across something known as Keppra toxicity. She had shown the same symptoms for this, but from her specialists perspective, keppra was a miracle seizure suppressing drug… A year ago, I would of agreed -coming from seizures myself.
Now I ask myself, did he know? Would he have told me what to look for if he did? Are other parents aware? Have they done testing on long-term use in children?
Thanks for this. Really great post and I can say, I feel ya.


text:
Q: Stability of a falling object Suppose there is a falling object that has flaps around it providing resistance to the non-contact force of gravity. How would the vehicle theoretically not flip over?
From my understanding, the flaps provide an upward force on the vehicle causing a net torque of zero. Algebraic explanations would help.

A: Flaps provide aerodynamic (velocity proportional) force. This is not directly related to gravity.
The aerodynamic force can have a net torque resultant different from zero.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Uploaded: Fri, Apr 29, 2011, 5:41 pm
Greenmeadow embezzler pleads 'no contest'
Kimball Allen to receive a six-month, stayed sentence and pay back $60,000-plus
Kimball Allen booking photo. Courtesy Office of the Sheriff, County of Santa Clara.
Kimball Allen, the former administrative manager who embezzled nearly $70,000 from a Palo Alto neighborhood association, pleaded no contest on Friday morning (April 29) in Santa Clara County Superior Court in Palo Alto.
Allen, 29, was accused of a 2010 spending spree using the Greenmeadow Community Association's credit card. His expenditures included a down payment for a BMW roadster, trips to Hawaii and Mexico and other vacations and hair transplants.
Under a plea deal, he will receive a six-month sentence in county jail and must make restitution of the total amount he took from Greenmeadow within one year.
The jail term will be stayed while he works to pay back the debt. But if he does not make restitution within one year, he must serve the six-month sentence, Rob Baker, Santa Clara County supervising deputy district attorney, said.
Allen is expected to pay back $60,000 to $70,000. The full sum will take several months to compile, Baker said. Upon completion of restitution, the judge will reduce the embezzlement conviction to a misdemeanor, and Allen would be on probation for three years, he said.
His sentencing hearing is scheduled for Aug. 18.
Baker said the primary goal was to hold Allen accountable for his crime and to enable Greenmeadow to recoup its losses.
"The promise of a misdemeanor and six months in county jail provides a great incentive to reimburse Greenmeadow and make them whole again," Baker said.
Allen's age, lack of a prior criminal record and willingness to accept responsibility were also factors in the deal, he said.
"He's been very remorseful. I think it's a very fair resolution," Baker said.
Allen appeared in a neatly pressed gray suit. The front of his hair was combed in his trademark ducktail flip.
His thin frame sat motionless, his hands tightly clasped as he awaited Judge Thang Nguyen Barrett.
Allen had originally pleaded not guilty to the felony charge, which could have resulted in a three-year prison sentence if convicted by a jury. That plea appeared to largely have been a formality prior to the plea negotiations.
He resigned his position in December 2010 to start up a gymnastics studio in Redwood City. Some of the equipment and the business incorporation costs were charged to the association's credit card.
His crime was discovered by his Greenmeadow successor when several items he said would be delivered never arrived. An audit of the association's books found that invoices for many items he recorded in the association's books never existed. He substituted the business-related items to cover for his personal purchases, according to court documents.
Allen wrote a one-page, handwritten confession and apology to the association on March 17.
Douglas Rappaport, Allen's attorney, said Allen is working and "is working very hard" to pay back Greenmeadow.
"It's one of those rare win-win situations," he said of the agreement.
"People do make mistakes, and without disclosing the reason why, there was a reason he made this mistake," Rappaport said.
"Mr. Allen acknowledged he made a mistake very early on. He's very remorseful and is now working very hard to make up for his mistake. In the end, the homeowners' association will be made whole and everyone will come out of this process better people," he said.
He declined a request for an interview with Allen, citing the open case and his client's pending restitution. Allen now reportedly lives in Alaska, where his sister-in-law lives.
Sean Giffen, Greenmeadow's president, said he saw Allen in the courtroom earlier that morning. Allen turned and gave him a nod, he said.
"It was certainly uncomfortable. If I had one feeling, it was probably pity. I really hope that he has the ability and motivation to make us whole, and I hope he finds a good path in life and becomes a productive member of society, We need more good people out there," he said.
He acknowledged that some community members would be disappointed that Allen won't immediately be serving jail time.
"I think we all agree on the restitution," he said.
But as president, his primary focus has been getting the organization to heal and getting the money back, he said.
"It's great news that we have that opportunity," he said.
If Allen doesn't make restitution, "then the wheels of justice will act accordingly," he said.
Greenmeadow's "wholeness" goes beyond just the monetary repair, Giffen said.
"Getting back to a level of trust, I think we own that. It has to do with our own internal processes that we're continuing to refine. Once we've fully arrived at a prudent system or process, we'll be able to move on without fear," he said.
Association members have faith and trust in new administrative manager Donna Rhoan, who first discovered and reported Allen's embezzlement, he said.
The association is working on instituting safeguards that will also protect any future administrative manager from being in a similar position, he said.
"Our processes have changed. There are multiple eyes on the books, so to speak," he said.
Allen's embezzlement does have impacts beyond financial, Giffen acknowledged.
"While we may get the money back, our time and effort can't be returned," he said. "It's been a huge effort that you can't put a price on at the end of the day."
Posted by what is he doing?
a resident of Adobe-Meadow
on Apr 29, 2011 at 6:32 pm
What kind of job does he have in Alaska that pays $70K in 6 months?
Posted by In Answer
a resident of Palo Alto High School
on Apr 29, 2011 at 11:17 pm
No, he has one year to pay it back. If he does not, he goes to prison for 6 months. One year is a short time for someone like him to earn $70,000. It might be easier to serve the time. Probably wouldn't be with the violent criminals anyway since it's a white collar crime. But they will probably be watching to be sure he is at least trying to earn some money to pay back.
Posted by musical
a resident of Palo Verde
$70,000 take-home-after-tax-and-expenses is a good 1-year target for a greenhorn deckhand on an Alaskan fishing boat. Some oil industry jobs also pay as well at the entry level. Takes a strong work ethic and physical fitness. Key is working 24/7 and not having any free time in town to spend ones earnings.
Posted by Hulkamania
a resident of Duveneck/St. Francis
"The front of his hair was combed in his trademark ducktail flip."
That, and a good shyster, must have gotten him the deal. Lucky dude.
Posted by saffron
a resident of Mountain View
Kimball was my daughters swim coach several years ago at lamvac. He was terrific with the kids and really engaged them. She was very saddened to read about whats happened and that he faced jail time. I really hope this was a stupid mistake and he makes full restitution and gets a second chance. He made a big difference for my kid a few years ago and I hope he can put this behind him and move on.
Posted by Karmel M. Sowers
I once worked for Kimball at a non-profit in Saratoga. He was a fine person to have as a supervisor and always treated everyone with respect - his staff and community members. I cannot fathom what could have made him commit this crime but the resolution seems fair and the best for all parties. I will continue to pray for Kimball's emotional recovery. It looks like he is making strides in the right direction.
Posted by recovery
You should pray for his moral recovery as well. I don't think it was his emotions or lack thereof that caused this problem.


text:
Custom «Productivity impacts of information technology» Essay Paper
Custom «Productivity impacts of information technology» Essay Paper essay
The paper seeks to analyze the impact of information technology on the economics and productivity of an organization. The paper argues the preponderance of productivity and economic relations in any information technology activity in UK organizations by reviewing the literature and recent research questions. The paper ascertains how a neglect of the economic and productivity impact associated with information technology results in a mismatch between the system and the purpose for which it was intended. Throughout the paper, it is clear that a failure to understand the benefits of information technology investment or an over or underestimation of the benefits of a planned investment in IT relative to the costs will likely result in less than optimal investment decision. The paper concludes with a brief overview of the lessons learned from attending to the importance of information technology to the economy and productivity of organizations.
The degree to which investment in information technology is related to organizational productivity and performance remains an open question in the minds of managers responsible for such investment decisions. Relationships between an investment of the organization in information technology and the impact of these investments on the organization productivity and performance have been the subject of research and discussion. Also, the managers who are interested in knowing the payoff of such investments are trying to find answers to this question. Khosrowpour (2003) says that on a macro level, the productivity gains from information technology cited by the United Kingdom corporations based on their increased ability to gather and exchange information rapidly, but it is not shown up in the traditional statistic used by economists for measuring economic progress. It was noted that other performance and production measures showed improvements for those organizations with higher IT investment.
Advanced information technology systems have made the speedy and careful transaction of organizational processes. While a significant amount of information is available regarding IT investment, the literature does not demonstrate an unambiguous relationship between IT investment and organizational performance and productivity. The possible reasons for the mixed findings include the fact that most studies have been cross-sectional rather than longitudinal or multi-year cross-sectional. Whilst information technology has to a greater extent encouraged the growth of productivity in organizations, its rapid growth has posed a challenge on the economic value of these investments. Therefore there is need for invention of advanced information technology systems that will work towards scalable and dependable computing to enhance the productivity of organizations.
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Background of the Study
This research unveils thatthe economic and productivity impact associated with the adoption information technology in the United Kingdom is shaped by human actions and choices, while at the same, time having consequences that we cannot fully anticipate or plan. Brynjolfsson (2002) argues that for organizations, it is more appropriate and meaningful to look for returns on the use of information technology rather than only for returns on investments in information technology. It should be noted that information technology per se cannot increase or decrease the productivity of workers performance, only their use of technology can (Brynjolfsson, 2002). Information technology investments in general do not affect the economic value of an organization, but the innovative investments have a positive effect on company value (Remenyi & Brown, 2004).
Information technology can foster a deeper understanding of economic and productivity change within organizations. It is important for this research paper to identify a few key areas where economic and productivity impact of information technology diverges from mainstream conceptualizations of IT in organizations. Brynjolfsson (2002) noted that "further research may amplify our abilities to benefit economically from information technologies" (p. 319). From these key areas, empirically researchable questions emerge which include: What are the organizational and economical processes, the productivity opportunities and constraints, and the dynamics of key combinations that are influenced by the adoption of information technology? How does information technology shape the development of new production techniques and economic viability of the business? What are the benefits of information technology in relation to organizational productivity?
Studies indicate that improvements in efficiency at times are reflected as reduced output and thereby actually force down the out-put per man hour statistic. Khosrowpour (2003) argues that "at organizational level, the research supporting IT investment is based primarily on anecdotal case studies of successful firms in the UK" (p. 219). Overall results of investigations of the economic effect of IT investment on organizational performance and productivity indicate positive impact. According to Khosrowpour (2003), organizations that develop operate and use inter-organizational information systems to support primary business process that can gain competitive edge. This implies that IT has made many new applications of strategic importance feasible by, for example, creating a barrier to entry, switching costs, and changing the basis of competition (Khosrowpour, 2003).
In their studies, Carugati & Rossignol (2011) noted that the relationship between company investment in information technology and productivity is a key topic in studies of economic and business organization. Information technology investment has a positive effect on productive variety which may, in turn, negatively affect productivity. Carugati & Rossignol (2011) indicated that "productivity gains from information technology investment materialize only after time and depend significantly on network externalities and on changes in the complementary infrastructure" (p. 271).
In addition, Carugati & Rossignol (2011) noted that information technology allows hyper automation of organizational processes and enables labor to be replaced with capital. The use of transaction processing systems and their diffusion have led to the automation of many activities previously performed by a large number of employees, to simplification in execution, and to regulation of performance in keeping with set procedures to pursue objectives with regard to efficiency (cost reduction), quality, speed, and flexibility. With the application of TPS in organizations, structured decisions are made emphasizing the use of procedures and routines such as organizational decision-making tools and institutionalized forms of knowledge. Carugati & Rossignol (2011) argue that the combination of two effects allows hyper automation and an increase in labor productivity at the level of the individual organization. It is fundamental to note that the value of information technology in practice concerns effects derived from smart machines.
Information technology systems allow a reduction in the information complexity of relations between organizational actors increasing the elaboration capacity of parties to a transaction and thereby reducing the corresponding costs of coordinating and controlling their respective behavior. Carugati & Rossignol (2011) say that "in the UK, the Bank of England information technology acts as a production technology that reduces technical specificity and allows the dependence between purchasers and suppliers to be reduced; also concerning relations that affect components designed and built ad hoc" (p. 274). Information technology is a coordination technology that reduces transactions and coordination costs within firms and between firms hence being able to directly affect firm productivity. Also, information technology makes use of market mechanisms to make customer-supplier relations more attractive.
The use of information technology impacts productivity in that it enables electronic communication; in other words, the availability of more information in less time at lower cost. Carugati & Rossignol (2011) says that "information technology enables electronic brokerage because IT performs the role of intermediary between vendors and purchasers facilitating trade" (p. 274). Information technology promotes an increase in information processing capacity. As a result, information complexity is reduced.
With the introduction of information technology in the United Kingdom, there has been development of new market mechanisms. Carugati & Rossignol (2011) say that the average number of suppliers to the same firm is lower, and inter-organizational relations are long-term and stable. This is because information technology requires sunk costs and non-contractible investments arising from the performance of knowledge intensive activities. Carugati & Rossignol (2011) say that in products with a low degree of standardization, suppliers are assessed according to flexibility, reliability, and innovation which emerge from long-term relationships. New market mechanisms are attributed to the reduction in the number of suppliers which increases the number of transactions for the supplier reducing information technology investment cost per transaction.
Carugati & Rossignol (2011) indicated that most of the literature on the organizational impact of information technology specifically concerns skill-biased technical change and skill-based organizational change. Under the hypothesis of skill-biased technical change, the adoption of information technology in the United Kingdom increases the demand in firms for more qualified staff and reduces the demand for workers with operative duties. Carugati & Rossignol (2011) continue to say that the changes brought about are chiefly technological and modify operative procedures and processes within organizations. Information technology is interpreted as a new technological paradigm that leads management and staff over a substantial span of time to try out a new production system and adopt it.
Under the hypothesis of skill-biased organizational change, greater importance is assigned to the relationship between organizational changes and the introduction of more skilled staff (Carugati & Rossignol, 2011). Organizations that after investment in information technology, adopt both new organizational models and more skilled staff manage to obtain greater productivity increases than those that have only made use of one of the two variables. Information technology brings about decentralization of decision-making. The management should compare the costs and benefits of organizational decentralization brought about by information technology observing that the presence of more skilled staff amplifies the benefits and reduce the costs of decentralization (Carugati & Rossignol, 2011).
The greatest productivity increases are obtained in firms that support organizational change by improving the skills of their own staff; they are positioned among the more skill-intensive firms. Carugati & Rossignol (2011) indicated that poorer results in terms of productivity are encountered among firms that are not skill-intensive. Information technology cannot completely replace human labor. This implies that if the effects of hyper automation are encountered with transaction processing systems especially for simple, repetitive operational tasks, knowledge level systems, and management level systems represent tools supporting decision-making processes performed by skilled, knowledge intensive organizational positions, broadening their capacities and potential.
The use of information technology increases the volumes of data and information transmitted within and between companies. Carugati & Rossignol (2011) say that this information flow requires changes not only in coordination mechanisms but also in staff management competence favoring more skilled tasks. Information technology enables decentralization of authority and more flexible forms of division of labor such as teamwork, multi-tasking job rotation, just in time, and quality circles (Carugati & Rossignol, 2011).
The impact of information technology upon productivity is related to the demand for labor both directly and indirectly. Carugati & Rossignol (2011) mentioned that the direct effects clearly stem from the fact that if new technologies are adopted, workers endowed with new skills are required. The indirect effects are caused by innovations in procedures, products, and services that are developed at the level of the individual organization. It is important to realize that the relationship between organizational skills and information technology adoption should be considered with the analysis focusing on the effects produced by significant organizational changes (Greenan, L'Horty & Mairesse, 2002).
Information technology produces a 3.6% increase in productivity if the organization is flexible. Carugati & Rossignol (2011) indicated correlated information technology capital stock in individual organizations with their labor productivity and their total factor productivity. Carugati & Rossignol (2011) associated an increase in firm productivity with an increase in investment in software and its use by staff. Research carried out by the London Business School shows that a 20% increase in productivity is achieved in firms if there are suitable managerial and professional skills in using information technology. In smaller organizations, the higher capacity of employees to use information technology systems has proved to be a more important factor of productivity increase.
Organization productivity increases by 1.3% if the number of employees using computers increases by 10%. Carugati & Rossignol (2011) further say that organization productivity increases with the number of staff using the internet. A study carried in organizations based in the United Kingdom shows that UK firms have greater increase in productivity from investment in information technology than other European firms. Carugati & Rossignol (2011) noted that the US firms operating in the UK have greater increases in productivity than other UK multinationals. The UK organizations are more decentralized in organizational terms and have flatter structures allowing greater diffusion of information (Carugati & Rossignol, 2011).
There is a positive effect on a company value if the investment can be characterized as a transformation, if the industry is being transformed by information technology, and if the organization has a leading role in the transformation of the industry. Remenyi & Brown (2004) say that "on average, information technology investment has a positive impact on productivity" (p. 314). There is another hypothesis that with decreasing prices for computers, the demand for routine labor tasks will decrease as a result of substitution and that the demand for non-routine labor tasks which computer capital complements will increase.
Information technology investment has positive contribution to the productivity growth, and whenever the dollar of information technology investment for per person is made, the labor productivity gains (Berghout & Remenyi, 2008). This confirms the assumption that information technology productivity is compounded by the structural change, and it can be ascertained if the structural change comes to equilibrium. Information technology causes migration from production to information sector; and the migration, in turn, causes the reduction of productivity growth.
The adoption of information technology should be seen as a strategic choice presumption when managers rather than users are the key actors in shaping technology to particular organizational or economic ends. Brynjolfsson (2002) says that "once new technology is deployed, developers and managers often have little control over how specific workgroups and teams will use it" (p. 357). It is important to understand that it is through our actions, both individual and collective, and either deliberate or not, that outcomes associated with the impact of information technology change emerge. Greenan, L'Horty & Mairesse (2002) noted that technology in this view is neither an independent, external force completely outside our influence, nor a fully malleable resource that can be thoroughly controlled and bent to our will.
Carugati & Rossignol (2011) say that computers used for the production of documents per se are real work tools, instruments similar to other production technology such as robots, CAD and CAM. In this way, they help to carry out activities previously performed with different technologiesor otherwise and to replace both labor and traditional facilities (Carugati & Rossignol, 2011). The positive impact of information technology in relation to productivity is subject to how new technologies improve efficiency. Information technology enhances automation which are the benefits derived from the substitution or elimination of manual procedures. IT reduces shadow functions in that it cuts errors and potential unsuccessful time consuming phone calls by using emails (Greenan, L'Horty & Mairesse, 2002).
Immediate economics results from the reduction of idle or waiting time and thus the possibility of greater productivity. Carugati & Rossignol (2011) noted that this is significant because it provides leverage by increasing all production factors that depend on economics of speed. Such economics though brings a decrease in unitary costs is fundamentally different from economics of scale. Carugati & Rossignol (2011) argue that the increased total productivity of the factors in the case of the economics of speed is not achieved by adding more production factors but by speeding up the flow of goods through the processes of production and distribution and so permitting a steadier, more intensive use of the factors involved.
When information technology systems are used as work tools to produce and distribute efficient data and documents, the approach used to evaluate economical implications and benefits of ICT is accurate but limited. Carugati & Rossignol (2011) noted that it does not permit us to understand the real reasons why people use information to understand more generally the role of information technology in organizations and relations between them. People should therefore examine the added value and hidden benefits of information and communication in organizations.
Any mechanism that improves the efficiency of transaction speeds up the flow through the economic system and allows a more intensive use of production factors. Carugati & Rossignol (2011) explain that the economic activity is carried out inside or outside the firm depending on relative importance of the costs of internal and external transactions. Analysts say that information technology has a strategic role in the evaluation of the limit of economic activity in a market system. Vertical information systems can render more productivity regardibg the functions of allocation, planning, coordination, and monitoring within the firm. The economic benefits, therefore, derive from a reduction of coordination costs.
The use of information technology supporting external economic transactions of firms tends to reduce the information costs of the transaction itself thus reducing the importance of opportunism, small numbers, and information impact (Greenan, L'Horty & Mairesse, 2002). In addition, Carugati & Rossignol (2011) say that information technology within organization improves productivity by enabling the possibility of faster planning cycles, identifying and controlling the critical areas and simulating alternatives, enhancing interactions between firm subsystems, and enabling more accurate forecasting.
Methods and Procedures
Determining the methodology for research is an important step which can never be underestimated. In this research I propose to employ questionnaires. To determine the nature of the impact of various aspects on the economic and productivity analysis associated with information technology, a structured questionnaire should be developed to collect the quantitative data needed. Rugimbana & Nwankwo (2003) say that questionnaires will use as a research instrument in measuring organizational behaviour, attitudes and perceptions towards information technology. The advantages of using a questionnaire is that it help researchers to obtain accurate information, helps in structuring an interview, standardizing the interview format and assists in facilitating the data analysis process.
Through questionnaires, the respondents can provide the researcher with information required at ease and in relatively short time. Rugimbana & Nwankwo (2003) says that the researchers should be attuned to productivity backgrounds of the organization in order to better understand the economic value of IT investment. Data collected from questionnaire is transformed in to statistic related figures computed by mathematical processes and then produce various tables in which numbers have unique meaning to be interpreted.
The questionnaire offers a consistent data gathering procedure and minimizes the effects of potential human errors. Its use also eliminates any bias introduced by the feelings of the respondents towards the interviewer. The researcher should use closed questions and one open question asking organizational member's suggestion for the impact of information technology.
Data analysis will be based on the answers given in the questionnaires. The basis of the data analysis is to reveal features of the basic composition of the data collected. Parasuraman, Grewal & Krishnan (2006) says that data analysis will provide useful insights pertaining to the research objectives and suggest meaningful approaches for further analysis of the data. Descriptive analysis is the elementary transformation of data in a way that describes the basic characteristics such as central tendency, distribution and variability. The results collected for the data analysis will be discussed according to the answers provide by the respondents for the research objectives.
One of the major limitations of the study is that the findings pertaining a certain set of organizations. Another limitation is that the organizations used in the study where not from one geographical location. The sample size used in the study may be too small. Another limitation of the study is that it may not necessarily be a representative of the population of organizations of interest to the researcher. Lack of formal training of the individuals who profess to be experts in the field may affect the results of the research. This is a major limitation because there is no certification body on organizational productivity research. It is also extremely difficult if not impossible to bluff one's way through this type of research.
Information technology plays a fundamental role in the productivity of an organization. It positively influences productivity when higher levels of financial investment bring about new products and falling prices. Information technology reorganizes how goods and services are created and distributed. It is important for managers in organizations to look at how these technological advancements affect the entire economy rather than just focus on the benefits of improving technology in one information technology sector. While information technology investment has a positive impact on labor productivity, it gives an organization a competitive edge with a positive returns on average. There is, however, a certain degree of unpredictability and improbability which is inescapable in estimating the returns on information technology investment in a wider but more meaningful acceptation. It might include investment in training and changes in organizational practices to adapt the advances in information technology.
In future research, more precise and diverse topics of interest will be demanding our attention concerning the various directions of the diffusion of information technology and how organizations combine these technologies with other productive factors, assets, and resources. Future research should focus on trying to characterize and measure the organization and on investigating how information technology enables organizational change, and how the combination of both contributes to firm productivity. Managers should therefore analyze the clustering and co-evolutions of the main factors of organizational productivity level and growth to unravel the effects of a given factor such as information technology investment from those of other factors to estimate its absolute or relative significance.
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