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Latte Science
April 5, 2016 /1 Comment/in Science & Food /by Grant Alkin
About the author: Elsbeth Sites received her B.S. in Biology at UCLA. Her addiction to the Food Network has developed into a love of learning about the science behind food.
Read more by Elsbeth Sites
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ISSpresso & Outredgeous
February 25, 2016 /2 Comments/in What We're Reading /by Grant Alkin
Italy's favorite coffee, Lavazza, and Italian aerospace firm, Argotec, came together to manufacture an espresso machine suitable for space flight; astronauts can finally enjoy decent coffee while in orbit. Also now available in space? Fresh red romaine lettuce, dubbed "Outredgeous", grown and consumed in space, and apparently tastes kind of like arugula.
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Juliet Han
December 29, 2015 /1 Comment/in Profiles /by Grant Alkin
Juliet Han graduated from UC San Diego before moving to Washington D.C. for a music policy internship. She eventually switched to coffee and has now been working in the coffee industry for over a decade. Han has been a judge for regional barista competitions and represented Intelligentsia Coffee in the 2012 U.S. Cup Tasters Championship, where she placed third. Currently, Han is a roaster for Blue Bottle Coffee.
Image taken from Juliet Han's Twitter (@JulietintheBae)
What hooked you on coffee?
It hit me one day after years of being a Barista as a side job…I was never bored with it! It was a number of things…the sensory discipline it took to taste coffee (what we call cuppings) to the people in the industry. After 10 years, I'm still learning a lot and having fun.
The coolest example of science in your coffee?
I would say the process of roasting. The process of roasting has barely been studied academically unlike a lot of culinary subjects. So many things are going on when you roast coffee; it's a volatile process with complicated aromas and many variables to consider.
The food you find most fascinating?
Mushrooms…the way they grow, their flavors, texture, everything about it.
What scientific concept–coffee related or otherwise–do you find most fascinating?
I'm studying chemistry right now, so the idea of matter. Everything around us is basically matter comprised of atoms and molecules. It's that simple, and so complicated. On my first day of class, there was an article of "Chemistry of Roasting" on the bulletin board about the chemicals that are released in the process of roasting; I can't wait to read it again after I finish this class to make some sense out of it.
Your best example of a food that is better because of science?
Dairy, especially milks and cheese, but that's a whole new world I'm scared to explore.
How do you think science will impact your world of coffee in the next 5 years?
Science will impact coffee tremendously as it is slowly starting to already. Coffee is a global agriculture/commodity, a cultural phenomenon and a staple beverage in many countries'. More and more, I'm reading about universities developing "studies" for coffee that vary in topic. From coffee varietals to understanding water temperature, the value of science needed in the coffee community is at a higher demand.
One kitchen tool you could not live without?
My Brita water pitcher—LA water is not the tastiest.
Five things most likely to be found in your fridge?
Eggs, salsa, carrots, onions, baking soda
Your all-time favorite ingredient? Favorite cookbook?
I put Tapatio on most everything. I would put it in coffee if I thought it would make it taste better. Cookbooks, do online publications count? I'm a huge fan of SmittenKitchen.com and ThugKitchen.com.
Your standard breakfast?
Coffee, then followed by whatever I can find (day old pastries, yogurt, bananas) unless it's a big coffee tasting day…then I will make sure to eat a lot of bland carbs so I don't lose my mind an hour into tasting.
0 0 Grant Alkin https://sites.lifesci.ucla.edu/ibp-scienceandfoodnew/wp-content/uploads/sites/123/2016/09/newlogoSm-2-300x31.png Grant Alkin2015-12-29 10:00:442015-12-29 10:00:44Juliet Han
Caffeine vs. Chocolate: A Mighty Methyl Group
September 29, 2015 /2 Comments/in Science & Food /by Grant Alkin
Guest post by Christina Jayson
Photo credit: Lisa Townley (left); Pyogenes Gruffer (right), Flickr.
When my organic chemistry professor told me that the main molecular component of chocolate, theobromine, differs from caffeine only by the absence of one methyl group I was delighted: I could skip an entire step in caffeine metabolism, avoid the bitter taste of coffee, and increase my chocolate consumption. It seemed to make sense that as the caffeine I drank was metabolized by removing the methyl group, caffeine would convert to theobromine (the main compound of chocolate) (Figure 1). At the molecular level, a methyl group is a carbon with three hydrogens attached. It may seem simple, but a methyl group is an integral part of chemistry, biology, and biochemistry. For example, additional methyl groups can help a molecule to cross the blood-brain barrier and enter our brain – this barrier protects our brain from foreign molecules traveling in the blood that can be harmful [1, 2]. In the case of caffeine, it turns out that the extra methyl group on the molecule is what makes coffee active on our central nervous systems and an "energy stimulator," while chocolate functions as a sweet treat and smooth muscle stimulator.
Figure 1: During the metabolism of caffeine in the body, the methyl group (highlighted by the yellow box) is removed from caffeine and it is converted to theobromine (Modified from Wolf LK, 2013) [9].
So how do these two molecules act on different parts of the body, making coffee the substance of choice over chocolate bars when midterm season hits?
Caffeine is mostly derived from Coffea Arabica, or coffee beans, and seeds [3]. It is predominantly a central nervous stimulant, though it also stimulates cardiac and skeletal muscles and relaxes smooth muscles. Chocolate, or theobromine, is found in products of Theobroma cacao, or cocoa plant seeds (Figure 2). Much like caffeine, theobromine is a diuretic; however it mainly acts as a smooth muscle relaxant and cardiac stimulant [3]. While these two compounds have similar effects, the key difference is that caffeine has an effect on the central nervous system and theobromine most significantly affects smooth muscle [4]. In behavioral studies, caffeine intake improves self-reported alertness and mood over a period of 24 hours [5]. Theobromine produces mild positive effects in pleasure, but does not affect attention or alertness in moderate doses compared to caffeine [6].
Figure 2: Chocolate (left) is made from Theobroma cacao, or cacao plant seeds and contains theobromine (PC: Nic Charalambous). Coffee (right) is made from Coffea Arabica, or coffee beans, and seeds and contains caffeine (Photo credit: JIhopgood/Flickr).
But the true difference in the compounds lies at the molecular level. Both caffeine and theobromine belong to the methylxanthine chemical family. These chemicals act as stimulants of the nervous system, most notably by binding to adenosine receptors in the brain and thereby blocking adenosine from binding to the receptors [7]. Adenosine binding to adenosine receptors normally reduces neural activity, so the antagonistic action of caffeine and theobromine prevents this activity reduction (Figure 3). The increased energy and alertness that we connect to massive coffee consumption is due to the caffeine preventing your body from responding to signals that tell it to slow down or de-stimulate. Ever felt your hands jitter uncontrollably after too many shots of espresso?
Figure 3: Caffeine molecules (C) compete with adenosine molecules (A) to bind to the adenosine receptors in the brain (Schardt, 2012) [10].
Experiments show the activity of caffeine on the nervous system is stronger than theobromine [7]. Caffeine and theobromine compete with adenosine to bind to the same adenosine receptor. Studies have shown that caffeine molecules are better able to compete with adenosine to bind adenosine receptors than theobromine – caffeine binds these receptors with two to three times higher affinity than theobromine [8].
To gain access to the different locations of the adenosine receptors throughout the body, the extra methyl group on caffeine ends up coming in handy. Because caffeine has three methyl groups instead of two like theobromine, it more easily crosses the blood-brain barrier. In crossing the blood-brain barrier, caffeine can act on the central nervous system. So while theobromine can act as a heart stimulant and smooth muscle relaxant, caffeine – boasting its extra methyl group – has access to the neurons of the central nervous system and can consequently enhance physical performance and increase alertness.
Photo credit: Chris Swift, Rogers Family Co [11]
This means my master plan to forego coffee for chocolate won't actually improve my alertness and energy to the same extent. However, indulging in chocolate flavored coffee may provide me with all the caffeine derivatives I need for a stimulating day.
Vauzour D, Vafeiadou K, Rodriguez-Mateos A, Rendeiro C, and Spencer JPE. The neuroprotective potential of flavonoids:a multiplicity of effects. Genes Nutr. 2008 3(3-4): 115–126.
Svenningsson P, Nomikos GG, Fredholm BB. The stimulatory action and the development of tolerance to caffeine is associated with alterations in gene expression in specific brain regions. J Neurosci 1999. 19(10):4011–4022.
Barile FA. Clinical toxicology: Principles and mechanisms. 2nd ed. Informa Healthcare Press. 2010. Ch 15, Sypathomimetics. 174-177.
Coleman W. Chocolate: Theobromine and Caffeine. J Chem Educ. 2004. 81(8): 1232
Ruxton C. The impact of caffeine on mood, cognitive function, performance and hydration: a review of benefits and risks. Nutr Bull 2008. 33:15–25.
Baggot MJ, Childs E, Hart AB, de Bruin E, Palmer AA, Wilkinson JE, de Wit, H. Psychopharmacology of theobromine in healthy volunteers. Psychopharma. 2013. 228(1): 109-118.
Kuribara H, Asahi T, Tadokoro S. Behavioral evaluation of psycho-pharmacological and psychotoxic actions of methylxanthines by ambulatory activity and discrete avoidance in mice. J Toxicol Sci. 1992;17:81-90.
Daly JW, Butts-Lamb P, and Padgett W. Subclasses of adenosine receptors in the central nervous system: Interaction with caffeine and related methylxanthines. Cell Mol Neurobiol. 1983. 1: 69-80.
Wolf LK. Caffeine Jitters. Chem & Eng News. 2013. 91(5): 9-12.
Schardt, D. Caffeine! Nutrition Action Healthletter. 2012.
Swift, C. (2014, June 2). Which is better for your brain? Beer or Coffee? You'll never guess. [Web log post].
Christina Jayson is a recent UCLA Biochemistry graduate and currently a Ph.D. student in the Biological and Biomedical Sciences program at Harvard.
0 0 Grant Alkin https://sites.lifesci.ucla.edu/ibp-scienceandfoodnew/wp-content/uploads/sites/123/2016/09/newlogoSm-2-300x31.png Grant Alkin2015-09-29 10:00:102015-09-29 10:00:10Caffeine vs. Chocolate: A Mighty Methyl Group
Coffee Revolution & Freakish Vegetables
April 23, 2015 /1 Comment/in What We're Reading /by Grant Alkin
Are you ready? A cold brew revolution is upon us, according to Espressoworks, and they have an infographic explaining why. If you're looking for greater and colder things, look towards Alaska, where giant vegetables grow to set world records.
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February 17, 2015 /5 Comments/in Science & Food /by Grant Alkin
Gone are the days where all that was needed to make a cup of brewed coffee was an auto-drip machine and a paper filter. Coffee shops now have glass siphons lining the counter, looking as if they came straight from a chemistry lab. Baristas can be seen meticulously pouring water from a swan necked kettle into a ceramic funnel, which slowly drips coffee into a cup sitting on a scale. There is even a ready-to-serve cold brew option that was prepared the night before. These days, coffee shops seem to be stocked with new tools for brewing the delicious caffeinated beverage. With the resulting brews varying in flavor, why stick to just one method? Each apparatus has a different extraction process and requirements for grind coarseness, heat, and time.
A cup of coffee. Photo Credit: (Julius Schorzman/Wikimedia Commons)
For all brewing methods, coffee must first be ground; then its soluble components must be dissolved in water, so they are released into the resulting brew. It is suggested to grind coffee right before brewing, since the process releases flavor as well as results in a higher perceptions of aromas; these aromas consist of highly volatile compounds which can evaporate into the air over time [1]. The grind level and particle size also play important roles in the taste of the final cup of coffee. If the grind is too fine, bitter coffee can result from over-extraction of chlorogenic acids; if the grind is too coarse, a weaker brew may result from the decreased surface area [2].
Coffee brewing is generally classified under three types: decoction, infusion or steeping, and pressure methods.
Decoction: Siphon
In decoction, ground coffee is in contact with high temperature water for a period of time, causing a more intense extraction [2]. Siphon, or vacuum brewed coffee, is an example of this method. Since many variables can be controlled, the coffee can be evenly extracted over a period of 45 seconds to 1 minute [3].
Siphon. Photo Credit: Janne Moren (JanneM/Flickr)
A siphon consists of two glass chambers arranged vertically. Near boiling water is added to the bottom chamber with a heat source underneath. When the water is heated past its boiling point (212 °F or 100 °C), the heat source transfers energy to the water and produces vapor, or steam. Eventually, the pressure created from the gas exceeds that of the atmospheric pressure in the siphon. In order to create more room for itself in the bottom chamber, the gas forces the remaining liquid into the upper chamber. The coffee grounds are added at this point and stirred. The heat source maintains a constant pressure, keeping the brew in the upper chamber. Once the brew is complete, the heat source is removed and the water vapor condenses back into liquid form. Since liquid takes up less volume than gas in the bottom chamber, a negative pressure void is created that is then equalized by the brew flowing down [4].
Infusion/Steeping: Chemex
An infusion involves steeping coffee in water before filtration, and creates a milder brew with more acidity [2]. An example is the Chemex, which is a funnel shaped apparatus with a pour over filter cone attached to a decanter. This is similar to a typical auto-drip coffeemaker where the coffee is steeped and dripped through a paper filter. However, the Chemex has some advantages, including control over water temperature, infusion time, and pouring technique. The filter used is also thicker, so the grounds are able to steep in the water and drip out more slowly. More flavor compounds are released, resulting in a clean tasting brew with "bright" and "high" notes [5].
Chemex. Amy Roth (minimallyinvasivenj/Flickr)
To prepare coffee with the Chemex, a medium to medium-coarse grind is placed on top of a pre-rinsed filter. Hot water is poured from a swan neck kettle (the narrow spout maximizes pour control) in a circular motion. As the first pour touches the coffee grounds, it degasses and carbon dioxide (CO2) is released, resulting in bubbles and puffed up grounds. This is called a "bloom," and this process influences the flavor and aromas of the brew, including increased acidity if the bloom time proceeds for too long [6]. The reasoning behind this is that when CO2 reacts with water, it produces carbonic acid. Interestingly, lighter roasted coffee beans retain more CO2 than darker roasts [7].
CO2 (aq) + H2O (aq) « H2CO3 (aq)
Once the gas is released, the water starts to dissolve the solubles in the coffee grind, which are responsible for many of the flavor components. As the brew starts to drip into the decanter, additional water is poured in the same circular motion to make sure that the grounds are constantly replenished with fresh water [6]. The grounds must always be immersed to maintain a constant temperature for the brew and to keep the chemical reactions going. This method also creates a strong osmotic pressure to extract the coffee concentrate from the grounds: since there are more coffee solutes in the grind and less in the watery environment, the solutes will want to escape through the semi-permeable cell membranes of the coffee beans. However, since water is continuously poured over the surface of the grounds, there is a possibility of over extraction from the top layer [7].
Pressure: Moka pot
Unlike decoction and infusion, this method involves water being forced through grounds with high pressure and heat, similar to the style of espresso [2]. The Moka pot consists of a bottom chamber with water, a metal filter filled with ground coffee, and a screw-on upper chamber.
Moka pot during extraction process. Photo Credit: (RyAwesome/Flickr)
Similar to the siphon, a heat source causes the water in the bottom chamber to form steam. However, instead of mixing the water with coffee for steeping, the water vapor pushes the water through the coffee grounds and the brew emerges out of the top portion as a gurgling sound is made. The bottom chamber is not filled all the way with water to ensure an air gap for pressure to form. In fact, in case the pressure in the bottom chamber gets too high, there is a safety valve on the lower chamber that lets the air out to keep the apparatus from exploding.
With all of these different options, brewing coffee is now more of an art form than just a way to obtain caffeine. Whether you use a Moka pot at home or have a barista prepare a cup using a pour over method, you can be sure that each resulting brew will be far from tasting the same.
Akiyama, M., Murakami, K., Ohtani, N., Iwatsuki, K., Sotoyama, K., Wada, A., et al. Analysis of Volatile Compounds Released During the Grinding of Roasted Coffee Beans Using Solid-Phase Microextraction. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. July 2013; 51: 1961–1969.
Sunarharum W, Williams D, Smyth H. Complexity of coffee flavor: A compositional and sensory perspective. Food Research International. March 2014; 62: 315-325.
How to Brew Coffee in a Siphon or Vacuum Brewer. Seriouseats.
Vacuum Pots: The Science Behind the Method. Casa Brasil Coffees.
A Beginners Guide to Pour Over Coffee Brewing. Prima Coffee.
What is the Bloom and Why Should You Care? The Roasters Pack.
Coffee Science: How to Make the Best Pourover Coffee at Home. Seriouseats.
About the author: Catherine Hu is pursuing her B.S. in Psychobiology at UCLA. When she is not writing about food science, she enjoys exploring the city and can often be found enduring long wait times to try new mouthwatering dishes.
Read more by Catherine Hu
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Coffee Brewing Chemistry: Hot Brew vs. Cold Brew
August 19, 2014 /28 Comments/in Science & Food /by Grant Alkin
Chemex. Photo Credit: Nick Webb (nickwebb/Flickr)
Hot or cold, temperature won't stop many from obtaining their caffeine fix. Depending on the weather and personal preferences, coffee drinkers at home can brew coffee by one of two ways: hot brew or cold brew.
Many are familiar with hot brew coffee. The equipments used for hot brew are widely recognized, and even iconic: the moka pot, French press, Vietnamese coffee filter, and Chemex, to name a few. These equipments, as with all hot brew techniques, involve pouring hot water over a bed of coffee grounds, at a general proportion of 1 oz. coffee to 8 oz. hot water [1]. (That's 2 level tablespoons per 1 cup of water, on a more home-friendly scale.) The resulting liquid, coffee, is then separated from the grounds and ideally consumed as soon as possible.
Left: Moka pot. Photo Credit: Bill Rice (billrice/Flickr) | Middle: French press/press pot. Photo Credit: Bodum | Right: Vietnamese coffee filter. Photo Credit: Marko Mikkonen (markomikkonen/Flickr)
Cold brew demands more patience. In a Mason jar, French press, or Toddy system, coffee grounds are mixed with room temperature water, and then left to sit for hours—anywhere from three to twenty-four hours—before the solids are filtered out. Cold brew recipes often call for a higher coffee to water ratio: 1 part coffee to 4 parts tepid water, which compared to hot brew, is 2 oz. coffee per 8 oz. water (roughly 4 tablespoons per 1 cup water). Once the grounds are removed, what's left is black coffee concentrate that is thinned with water or milk before it is served.
Toddy System for cold brew. Photo credit: Toddy
On the surface, the distinctions between the two methods seem self-explanatory. Hot brew quickly produces fragrant java with bite and acidity, whereas cold brew rewards patience with condensed coffee that is smooth and sweet. To begin to understand the flavor profile differences, it helps to first get acquainted with the coffee grounds.
Coffee grounds contain a hodgepodge of volatile and non-volatile components, such as various oils, acids, and other aromatic molecules [2]. Collectively, these compounds that are found in coffee grounds are referred to as "coffee solubles" and significantly contribute to coffee flavor [2]. Brewing is the process of extracting these components from the grounds, so coffee beverages are technically a solution of coffee solubles and water. Given that coffee grounds are used in both of our brewing methods, the principle variables are temperature and time.
Temperature affects the solubility and volatility of the coffee solubles. Relative to brewing, solubility describes the ability of the solubles to dissolve out of the grounds and into the water; volatility refers to their ability to evaporate into the air. Coffee solubles dissolve best at an optimal temperature of 195-205°F [3]. With more coffee solubles extracted, hot brew coffees are described as more full-bodied and flavorful when compared to cold brew. Moreover, due to increased volatility with higher temperatures, the aromatics are more readily released from coffee, giving rise to that beloved scent of freshly-brewed coffee.
On the downside, oxidation and degradation also occur more rapidly at higher temperatures. The oils in coffee solubles can oxidize more quickly at elevated temperatures, causing coffee to taste sour. Acids also degrade, the most notable of which is chlorogenic acid into quinic and caffeic acid, causing coffee to taste bitter [2].
Where cold brew lacks in temperature, it makes up for in time. Coffee solubles have markedly decreased solubility in room temperature water. Increasing the brew time from a few minutes to many hours aims to maximize extraction of the solubles from the grounds. Even over twenty-four hours, not all the coffee solubles will have dissolved; this is why the amount of coffee grounds is doubled, in an effort to make up for the lower extraction rate. In comparison with hot brew, cold brew is sometimes described as tasting "dead" or "flat" due to the lower yield of coffee solubles [3]. Further, decreased volatility prevents aromatics from escaping from coffee as easily, so cold brew is much less perfumed than its hot brew counterpart.
Oxidation and degradation will still occur in cold brew methods, but this happens much more slowly; bitterness and acidity are just about absent in cold brew coffee, especially if it is kept cold. Though, cold brew doesn't merely taste like hot brew without the bitterness. Fans of the cold brew method have emphasized that cold brews contain a completely different flavor profile that can't be found with hot brews. Going back to the idea of solubility, not all flavor compounds of coffee solubles are equally soluble. A good majority of the coffee solubles are still able to leach out of the grounds, even in colder water. The compounds that don't dissolve are the ones often attributed to unfavorable flavors [4]: these stay in the grounds that are subsequently tossed away. Consequently, cold brews take on a much sweeter, floral profile.
To note, brew time does not determine caffeine content, nor does bitterness indicate coffee strength. Caffeine is extracted early in the brewing process, so extending brew time, by either method, would only result in over-extracted coffee [1]. Coffee "strength" is defined as the amount of dissolved coffee solubles per unit of coffee volume [1]. On that train of thought, cold brew certainly produces stronger coffee, given that the brewing process purposely concentrates the coffee solubles. Though, keep in mind that rarely anyone drinks cold brew coffee straight up; many enjoy this smooth drink diluted with milk or water.
Whether you're an adamant hot brew addict or a die-hard cold brew fanatic, at least coffee drinkers can agree that as long as there's caffeine, everything's mellow.
Brewing—How to Get the Most Out of Your Coffee. Mountain City Coffee Roasters.
Giuliano, Peter. "Why you should stop cold-brewing, and use the Japanese Iced Coffee Method." Dymaxion.
What Everyone Ought to Know About Iced Coffee & Cold Brew. (2012, June 26). Prima Coffee.
About the author: Alice Phung once had her sights set on an English degree, but eventually switched over to chemistry and hasn't looked back since. Read more by Alice Phung
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Scrumptious Strawberries & Caffeine Jitters
August 14, 2014 /1 Comment/in What We're Reading /by Grant Alkin
Supermarket strawberries have become bland through decades of agriculture, so now scientists are figuring out how to bring its flavor back. In the meantime, that banana isn't going to help with your caffeine jitters.
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Spherification Potluck
December 10, 2013 /1 Comment/in Science & Food /by Grant Alkin
There are times when gourmet edges more towards the laboratory than the kitchen; spherification is one of those times. In this culinary technique, liquids are transformed into globular semisolid gels thanks to a hydrocolloid gum extracted from seaweed. When these gel-encased balls are broken, the liquid contents gush out, akin to biting down on mochi or a Gushers candy. In theory, almost any liquid can be spherified, so the possibilities are endless. Ever wanted to eat plum juice caviar, spherical crème brûlée, or mojito spheres? With food-grade sodium alginate, calcium solution, and some creativity, it's possible.
At the Spherification Potluck last month, graduate students Liz Roth-Johnson and Kendra Nyberg delved into the process on the molecular level. Gelation is made possible through the interaction between alginate and calcium ions. Alginate is a long, negatively charged, noodle-like molecule. When mixed into a liquid, alginate floats about freely, its elongated structure creating a thick, jelly-like consistency. Calcium ions are single calcium atoms with two positive charges, enabling each ion to link together two alginate molecules. Many calcium-linked alginate molecules gives rise to a more solid structure—the gel skin that encases a gooey center.
Liz (left) and Kendra (right) explain the nuts and bolts of spherification.
Students brought a variety of beverages, sauces, and condiments to the potluck.
Attendees at the student event opted for items found in kitchen pantries and grocery store shelves, such as pomegranate molasses, rose water, coffee drinks, milk tea, sodas, guava nectar, and hot sauce.
In the first attempt at spherification, coffee was mixed with the sodium alginate to produce a rather thick goop. Plopping globs of this dense solution into the calcium chloride baths gave comical results, as the mixture adamantly refused to form any shape remotely resembling a sphere. Some blobs even broke upon removal from the calcium chloride baths.
Students prepare an alginate solution (left) and attempt to create spherified coffee (right)
Milk tea and Jarritos orange soda gave the best results in terms of shape and stability. Initially, the center of the milk tea spheres was thicker than expected, yielding a much chewier texture than bargained for. Minimizing incubation time in the calcium chloride solution managed to fix this halfway, somewhat decreasing the thickness of the gel casing. A quick search also revealed that our recipe used twice the sodium alginate other spherification recipes called for. If less alginate was added to the milk tea or orange soda, the spheres would have definitely been gooier.
A student shows off a fairly successful attempt at spherified orange soda.
The most difficult to work with was Tapatio, and not just because of the spicy fumes that emanated from the mixing bowl. Hot sauce is acidic, meaning it is full of positively charged hydrogen ions. Mixing it with alginate neutralizes the negative charges, hampering the interaction between alginate and calcium. No alginate-calcium interaction, no cross-link formation, no gel. Dropping the Tapatio-alginate mixture into calcium chloride resulted in nothing more than dissolved Tapatio swirling around in solution.
Spherification encompasses a high degree of flexibility. Besides the gamut of foods that can be used, there are also technical alterations—the ratio of liquid to sodium alginate in the pre-sphere goop; the concentration of the calcium chloride solution; the amount of time the spheres are left sitting in the calcium solution. And this is only the direct method. Other variations on this technique include reverse and frozen reverse spherification. With spherification kits readily available online, why not try spherifying your own recipe? Share your spherification adventures with us in the comments below!
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Prognosis and Long-Term Survival after Operation in Patients with Pancreatic and Peripancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors of a Single Center
Background Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors are very rare. The aim of this study was to assess the survival rate in patients with functioning or non-functional pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors. Methods The data for 49 patients with pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors who were treated at a single institution from January 2004 to December 2010 were analyzed retrospectively with regard to short-term and long-term outcomes, as well as predictive factors for survival and prognosis. Overall survival was evaluated using the Kaplan–Meier method. Cox regression analysis was used to identify factors associated with the prognosis in a multivariate analysis. Results Patients' median age at diagnosis was 59 years (range 17–83 years). Nine lesions (19%) were functioning tumors and 40 (81%) were non-functional. The 5-year survival rate was 85.5%. Among patients who underwent potentially curative resection, tumor stage (P=0.001), pathological classification (P=0.03) and presence of liver metastases (P=0.003), as well as the resection margin, were significant prognostic factors. Conclusions Surgical resection should be attempted and should play a central role in the therapeutic approach to patients with neuroendocrine tumors. The important aspect is early diagnosis, which makes it possible to carry out radical surgery before the tumor has metastasized.
Monika S Janot, Sabine Kersting, Thorsten Herzog, Ansgar M Chromik, Waldemar Uhl

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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The explosion created an extremely powerful energy aura, blasting the surface of the pond and creating a huge wave that reached the skies. As things started to calm down, the Manor Lord was still standing at the same spot uninjured. The grass in the surrounding area had all disappeared leaving only the bare soil.
But the Manor Lord's eyes did reveal a shocked look while also looking at Lei Yu with eyes of confusion. He couldn't understand how a mere early Gold Core stage person, one that had just reached it as well, was able to release such a powerful attack.
Even though this attack was different from some apocalyptic methods or collapsing an entire region of land, it still had its merits when compared with those large area attacks! This attack concentrated all its power into one point, which was a move that was very difficult for a person to withstand.
The Manor Lord was surprised, but Lei Yu's expression was beyond shocked. Lei Yu couldn't believe what he was seeing were in fact reality!
There was someone that could actually block his focused fifth form attack head on. Was this person still human? But on another thought, this was an expert at the Nascent Soul stage so it completely explains everything.
Tian Ye and Yanrong had their mouths agape for a long time already. For such a powerful and fast attack, if they were the ones on the receiving end, they were afraid they would have already been cut in half. Yet this attack had been completely withstood by the Manor Lord.
That burly guy that Lei Yu had fought with previously was dumbfounded. He felt very fortunate that Lei Yu previously at the Tian Family's Town did not use such a move on him, or else he would never be able to come back to this manor.
"Good! Such a backbone! I'm willing not to kill you in case you really lose your life the moment you regret your words!" The moment the Manor Lord finished his words, he had already disappeared from his spot. Lei Yu was shocked and quickly looked around but didn't find any traces. He then closed his eyes and relied on the resonance generated by his lightning ability to release a magnetic field. Lei Yu was hoping he would be able to find traces of the Manor Lord in the shortest amount of time possible.
With all that effort, Lei Yu still couldn't find anything. Could he have disappeared into thin air? Or has the Manor Lord retreated to a distance beyond the area of his perception ability? No, impossible! Lei Yu shook his head to rescind his thoughts. So what could be the reason? He then thought of one possibility: The Manor Lord wasn't in the air but underground!
Even though Lei Yu had a smile on his face, the burly guy only saw a person holding his death warrant. The burly guy didn't even have time to react when he felt a cold object resting against his neck. The burly guy widened his eyes hoping to beg for mercy but it was already too late. Lei Yu injected internal energy into his Sky Devouring Sword and made a slicing motion with both hands.
A human head flew up into the air and a fountain of blood gushed out. And this human head happened to still show a person with wide and round opened eyes.
Lei Yu gently leapt up, and from bottom to upwards made a slash to cut the head into two. The two parts of the head fell into the pond causing blood and white sticky brain matter to float on top of the water. The two naked girls off to the side shrieked in fear before quickly scrambling back onto land and running off to a corner of the manor.
These girls should consider their lives lucky. Lei Yu's previous attack had been blocked by the Manor Lord and the energy aura from the collision did not take their lives.
A big hand had tightly gripped onto Lei Yu's shoulder. There was no need to ask, it had to be the Manor Lord that had previously disappeared. Lei Yu didn't even notice when this guy had appeared behind him.
Even Tian Ye and Yanrong off in a distance didn't notice how the Manor Lord appeared out of nowhere. This all happened faster than the words used to describe it. The two of them immediately rushed forth hoping rescue Lei Yu from the grips of the Manor Lord but right at that moment, the Manor Lord turned around and waved his blade. A powerful Sword Qi blasted out, forcing the two of them back to their original positions.
"So… have you changed your mind?" The Manor Lord asked in a sinister manner.
One could see the Manor Lord shift his blade to a vertical position before "crack~", stabbing it into the ground. His mouth then started chanting something and his blade looked like it had its own soul. It started shaking like crazy and giving off a sharp metallic buzzing sound.
"You wish!" Lei Yu made his internal energy surround his body, preparing to withstand whatever was going to be thrown at him.
"Go!" Shouted the Manor Lord. The wide blade was really obedient and started flying downwards. It didn't stop spinning and its speed was almost as fast as Lei Yu's previous fifth form attack.
Indeed, there was no doubt about the toughness of the Manor Lord's defense. One could already clearly see it from him smashing apart Lei Yu's Thirty-six Lunar Star technique's fifth form. And at the present, he was obviously controlling his weapon for a long-range attack.
The sharpness of the spinning blade mixed with a powerful internal energy was something that could not be looked down upon. At this time, that spinning wide blade was rapidly flying straight at Lei Yu, about to cut him up into slices of meat!


Tonight a stunning new development in the battle over the disputed primary in Florida. State Senate Democratic Leader Steven Geller filing a federal lawsuit to force the Democratic National Committee and its chairman, Howard Dean, to recognize Florida's votes. State Senator Geller is among our guests here tonight.
And the Bush administration refusing again to stand up for working men and women and our middle class. The Bush administration deciding to make it easier for corporate America to hire foreign workers to replace American workers. We'll have that report.
And tonight, new efforts to win justice for imprisoned border patrol agents, Ramos and Compean.
Also, an ethics complaint filed against the U.S. attorney responsible for the case. We'll have that and all the day's news and much more straight ahead here tonight.
ANNOUNCER: This is LOU DOBBS TONIGHT: news, debate, and opinion for Thursday, May 22. Live from New York, Lou Dobbs.
Top Democrats in Florida tonight have had a bellyful of the Democratic Party's national leadership and its refusal to recognize Florida's Democratic voters. State Senate Democratic Leader Steven Geller today filing lawsuit in federal court to force the national party to count Florida's nearly two million votes.
Geller telling Democratic National Committee chairman Howard Dean that the votes of those Democrats cannot be ignored. The lawsuit comes as Senator Clinton intensifies her battle to count votes from both Florida and Michigan, the other disputed primary.
Joining me now, Florida Senate Democratic Leader Steven Geller.
Good to have you with us, Senator.
STEVEN GELLER (D), FL SENATE MINORITY LEADER: Thanks, Lou. Nice to see you again.
DOBBS: Why did you decide to file this lawsuit now? Did you simply exhaust all over avenues? GELLER: Let me first say that it's important to note that I filed it. I'm one of those uncommitted superdelegates. But in addition to me, we have a Clinton delegate and an Obama delegate also. And I had agreed to endorse John Edwards before he dropped out.
So let's be clear, we're not doing this to help or hurt any candidate. We're doing this because in nine days, May 31, the Democratic National Committee Rules and Bylaws Committee is going to be hearing Florida's appeal. I've sent them a very nice letter, asking them to seat Florida's delegation and explaining why we should be seated.
DOBBS: What was the response?
GELLER: That's why we filed the lawsuit as well.
DOBBS: What do you expect to happen as a result and how soon will you know?
GELLER: I'm hoping that they're going to read the lawsuit and say, oh, my God, I can't believe, they're going to win this, so we better, on May 31, moot the lawsuit and seat their whole delegation. If not, if they don't do it voluntarily, I expect a federal judge will tell them to seat our whole delegation.
DOBBS: Well as you know, Congresswoman Kareen Brown (ph) put it I think about articulately, as straightforwardly as you can, saying, point-blank, the congresswoman saying to the Democratic National Committee, either count us now or don't count on us later. Senator Hillary Clinton articulating exactly what she means, apparently saying Democratic voters in both Michigan and Florida are thinking that if the Democratic Party doesn't want their votes, perhaps John McCain and the Republican Party will in November.
GELLER: There have been three polls done, one of which I commissioned, in Florida, all showed that between 25 percent and 30 percent of likely Democratic voters would either stay home or vote Republican if they don't seat our delegation. The DNC wants a chance to carry Florida and carry our contested congressional seats, they must seat our delegation.
GELLER: Well, first of all, they're wrong. Most of the lawsuits that have been filed, the DNC is correct. The case law shows that the DNC has the right to prevail over state law. Our lawsuit recognizes that, but also points out three things.
First of all, equal protection. They want to punish all the states that meet early they can, but they gave wavers to Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina, which also broke the rules.
Secondly, procedural due process; their own rules state that they must conduct an investigation before they punish a state if it's based on what happened in the Legislature. In Florida, they failed to do so, they must follow their own rules.
DOBBS: Very quickly, if you would, Senator.
GELLER: Very quickly. In 2000 I was an election monitor in our -- the Gore/Bush fight. The DNC said then, make sure every vote counts. Now they're saying, either don't count any votes or maybe we'll count half votes. That's not OK. Count our votes in Florida.
DOBBS: Senator, let me ask you as we conclude, you have filed a lawsuit against the Democratic National Committee.
DOBBS: The voters in Michigan, outraged and upset that they've been disenfranchised by the Democratic National Committee. The same is true of the 1.75 million Democratic voters in Florida. Senator Clinton has said, in effect, in a veiled, straightforwardly, to me, a threat, saying that Democratic voters in both states will be entertaining going to McCain and the Republican Party if the Democratic Party does not reinstate and recognize their votes. Today we have seen a remarkable, unexpected escalation in this battle for the presidential nomination between these two candidates, have we not?
GELLER: Well, all I'm saying is count our votes. I happen to agree with Senator Clinton to count our votes, but I'm not supporting Senator Clinton or Senator Obama. I want our votes counted, but I'll tell you, if they don't count our votes, they won't get our votes in November. That's an accurate statement. And it will hurt not only the president, but our congressional and our other legislative races.
DOBBS: Senator Steven Geller, good to see you.
GELLER: Lou, always a pleasure. DOBBS: Thank you.
Well let's turn now to our CNN legal analyst, Jeffrey Toobin. Jeffrey has just joined us. You've just heard Senator Geller, who has filed that lawsuit in federal court. He says he has a case, irrespective of the two cases cited by the Democratic National Committee. He means to win and knowing Senator Geller, he's not kidding.
JEFFREY TOOBIN, CNN SR. LEGAL ANALYST: I'm sure he's not kidding. And I think he's right on the politics, but I think he's wrong on the law.
TOOBIN: Because the Supreme Court starting in 1972 and in a series of cases since then has said that political parties are allowed to make their own rules. And that they are allowed to set schedules, allocate delegates in ways that they think will help their candidates win, even if it doesn't abide by things like equal protection, one man, one vote.
And so I think the courts are going to say, this is a Democratic Party issue. It's not something for the courts.
DOBBS: All right. You've just heard also, Senator Geller explain why he believes that his case is outside that precedent and goes well beyond it. You're unpersuaded?
TOOBIN: I'm not persuaded. I don't think his citation of procedural due process, equal protection, Section Five of the Voting Rights Act makes any difference. These -- this is -- courts hate to get in the middle of political controversy. Bush v. Gore was very much the exception. That was not a happy experience for the judiciary.
No court wants to get involved. I think what everyone is hoping, including the judges who get this case, is that on May 31st, the Democratic Party figures out a way to compromise, settle this problem in both Michigan and Florida, so that it doesn't have to fester as it has.
DOBBS: In his -- I think the festering is over. This looks like a declared war, certainly on the part of the state of Florida. One could not argue against their frustration and their disappointment with the Democratic National Committee. It seems pretty clear that Howard Dean has become a significant problem, rather than a man who should be orchestrating solutions.
DOBBS: Oh, it's not his problem.
DOBBS: I think it's his responsibility.
TOOBIN: Well, but I think Barack Obama is the person who's really responsible at this point. He's the front-runner. He's the presumed nominee. Show some leadership. Show the Democratic Party how to solve this problem. He's supposed to be a problem-solver. This is not the Middle East.
DOBBS: (INAUDIBLE) suggest that, that precisely what the Obama campaign knows. They jeopardize their standing going into June 3.
DOBBS: I couldn't agree with you more.
TOOBIN: Michigan and Florida is a bigger problem, and they need to settle it on May 31, or it's just going to continue.
DOBBS: Absolutely and it's very clear. As you heard Steven Geller, who is one of the top Democrats in the state of Florida saying those votes are not going to be going to the Democratic candidate in November. That's about as clear a statement that you can make that Howard Dean and the Democratic National Committee have committed, I think, what we could easily say is a tremendous mistake.
TOOBIN: In two of the most important states for a Democrat to win.
DOBBS: Utterly brilliant, the Democratic leadership. Thanks very much, Jeffrey Toobin. Jeff will be coming back with us as we examine other issues. We'll be talking about some very important developments today in that polygamy case in Texas, extraordinary developments, also legal, brought to you by our court system. Jeffrey Toobin will rationalize all of that for us.
And as we reported, Senator Clinton has repeatedly insisted that those primaries in Florida and Michigan count. Clinton is telling her supporters that Republicans will benefit if the Democratic National Committee refuses to count those Florida and Michigan votes.
SEN. HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON (D-NY), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: If Democrats send the message that we don't fully value your votes, we know Senator McCain and the Republicans will be more than happy to have them. The Republicans will make a simple and compelling argument. Why should Florida and Michigan voters trust the Democratic Party to look out for you when they won't even listen to you?
DOBBS: Senator Clinton says the Democratic Party must have a nominee who represents all 50 states, not only 48. But Clinton's home state governor, David Paterson, a Clinton supporter and superdelegate today said she's becoming, as he put it, a little desperate. Governor Paterson saying it's time for Senator Clinton to give up her efforts to force the Democratic Party to count votes from Florida and Michigan. He says Clinton is unlikely to beat Senator Obama, all of this, as he supports of course Senator Obama.
That brings us to the subject of our poll: Do you believe the votes of Florida and Michigan Democrats should be counted?
What a question to ask in America, don't you think?
Yes or no? Cast your vote at loudobbs.com. We'll pass on the results to Howard Dean and the Democratic National Committee, as well as report them to you at the end of this hour.
Senator McCain today abruptly reversed course and rejected the endorsement of the controversial minister, John Hagee. Senator McCain issued his statement after the release of an audiotape in which Hagee said the acts of Adolf Hitler during the Holocaust were part of God's will. At least that is the interpretation of what he said.
Brian Todd who broke this story on CNN reports now from Washington -- Brian?
BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Lou, for months now, Pastor Hagee, a key endorser of John McCain's has been under fire for past remarks he made about the Catholic Church. Comments he has since apologized for. McCain did not repudiate Pastor Hagee's endorsement during that period. But within the last couple of hours, he's made a dramatic turnaround after our questions about Hagee's sermons about the Holocaust.
TODD (voice-over): John McCain how rejects an endorsement that was once seen as critical to his conservative credentials.
PASTOR JOHN HAGEE, TELEVANGELIST: John McCain will be a strong, courageous and effective leader from the first day he steps into the Oval Office.
TODD: Pastor John Hagee, a popular televangelist from San Antonio with a 19,000-member church and a TV ministry seen around the world. McCain's campaign tells us when Hagee endorsed McCain in February, McCain was not aware of remarks Hagee had made in a sermon years earlier. Hagee cited biblical passages, spoke of what he believed was God's plan to bring the Jews back to Israel.
HAGEE: God says in Jeremiah 16, behold I will bring them, the Jewish people again into the land that I gave unto their fathers. Behold, I will send for many fishers, and after will I send for many hunters and they the hunters shall hunt them. That would be the Jews.
TODD: Hagee then says those Jews who didn't follow Zionism founder back to Israel went through the Holocaust.
HAGEE: Then God sent a hunter. A hunter is someone who comes with a gun, and he forces you. Hitler was a hunter.
TODD: These passages were recently posted by blogger Bruce Wilson (ph), an admitted critic of Hagee and the religious right. Wilson told us he voted for Hillary Clinton, but was not steered toward this by any Democratic operatives. Pastor Hagee would not do an interview with us, but issued a statement saying he had been intentionally mischaracterized, and "to assert that I in any way condoned the Holocaust or that monster Adolf Hitler is the biggest and ugliest of lies."
RABBI DAVID SAPERSTEIN, RELIGIOUS ACTION CTR. REFORM JUDAISM: The notion that the Holocaust was part of God's plan is a way of punishing the Jews is a deeply, deeply troubling assertion that should be repudiated by all people of conscience.
TODD: John McCain not only repudiates Hagee's remarks, but now says in a statement to CNN, "I feel I must reject his endorsement as well." McCain says Hagee's never been his pastor and the campaign says the candidate never had the kind of relationship with Hagee that Barack Obama had with Reverend Jeremiah Wright.
Hagee reacted by saying he's tired of baseless attacks, that they've become a distraction. And quote, "I have therefore decided to withdraw my endorsement of Senator McCain for president." But McCain's got another pastor problem.
PASTOR ROD PARSLEY, TELEVANGELIST: Islam is an anti-Christ religion that intends through violence to conquer the world.
TODD: Pastor Rod Parsley, another popular televangelist who also endorsed McCain in February.
IBRAHIM HOOPER, COUN. ON AMER. ISLAMIC RELATIONS: It was shocking to hear that Senator McCain would associate himself with someone who holds such bigoted views against Muslims and Islam.
TODD: The Council on American Islamic Relations is calling on McCain to repudiate Parsley's endorsement as well. A McCain spokesman says the senator rejects those remarks, says it's entirely inconsistent with what McCain believes, but they are not rejecting the endorsement at the moment. McCain's aid says this was purely a political endorsement and they don't know each other well -- Lou. DOBBS: They don't know each other well? I mean this is becoming absurd. And you're saying CAIR is involved in this. We're listening -- I mean, CAIR is a highly controversial group, purporting to represent Muslims in this country itself.
TODD: They are. They have been involved in some controversies. But they are unequivocal here, saying he's got to repudiate this endorsement, he's got to go back on this.
DOBBS: My question is, Brian, is why would we even be quoting them, given their track record? I mean they're not exactly the pristine representatives of the Muslim people in this country, are they?
TODD: Well they are often looked to for reaction to these kinds of things.
TODD: And they do weigh in. I mean they're not without controversy themselves. But it's important to point out that Pastor Parsley, also for his point, says that -- his response there was -- this was in response to militant Islam. His spokesman told us that Pastor Parsley believes that Christians should be supportive of moderate and peaceful Muslims.
DOBBS: I don't think too many people would argue with that one. Brian, it looks like religion in the public square right now, it's quite a dustup for all of these candidates. Thank you very much, Brian Todd, great reporting.
DOBBS: Still ahead here, new evidence of the Bush administration's outright support for corporate elites and special interests.
Lisa Sylvester will have our report -- Lisa.
LISA SYLVESTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Lou, the Department of Labor makes changes to the H-2B program. Critics say it will make it easier to bring in cheap foreign labor, all without congressional approval -- Lou.
DOBBS: Maybe we should call the Labor Department the cheap Labor Department under this administration. Lisa, we look forward to your report. Thank you.
Also new efforts to win justice for imprisoned border patrol agents, Ramos and Compean. We'll have that special report.
DOBBS: The Bush administration again putting the interest of big business ahead of the people's interest; the Labor Department changing the rules unilaterally of its H-2B temporary worker visa program. Those changes will make it even easier for companies to hire cheap foreign labor instead of American workers.
Lisa Sylvester has our report from Washington.
SYLVESTER (voice-over): U.S. businesses bring in 66,000 foreign workers every year to work seasonal jobs in landscaping, at restaurants, and hotels. The program known as the H-2B temporary worker visa program requires companies first offer the jobs to U.S. workers. Now the Department of Labor is overhauling the program to, quote, "remove duplicative bureaucracy". The proposed regulations would change the definition of temporary worker from 10 months to three years. Critics say the new regulations would undercut American workers and reduce U.S. wages.
ROSS EISENBREY, ECONOMIC POLICY INSTITUTE: They'll be able to offer a substandard, even a poverty wage, have U.S. workers decline it and then reach overseas and pay transportation costs and housing to bring people in from other countries instead of paying a decent wage to U.S. workers.
SYLVESTER: Business groups have lobbied Congress to expand the H-2B program above its current cap of 66,000 workers since comprehensive immigration reform failed to pass on Capitol Hill. Dan Musser, president of the Grand Hotel, a famous resort hotel in Michigan, told a congressional committee his hotel hires 300 temporary workers every summer and he welcomes any changes making it easier to bring in foreign workers.
DAN MUSSER, GRAND HOTEL: It would be extremely difficult, if not impossible, for us to continue and operate successfully without these H-2B workers. They are the life blood of our seasonal business.
SYLVESTER: The new rule changes do not require congressional approval. The Department of Labor responding to critics who say the proposal will hurt U.S. workers said, quote, "nothing in our proposal changes the contours of the H-2B program that was created by Congress. There is nothing here that lessens the requirement that you have to first recruit U.S. workers and take affirmative steps before you hire a foreign worker."
SYLVESTER: Another major change is that employers would no longer have to send in proof that they advertised the position to U.S. workers. They would only have to sign a paper attesting that they've fulfilled this requirement. The Department of Labor says it will audit those and violators could face up to a $10,000 fine and could be barred from the program up to three years -- Lou. DOBBS: Another Bush administration free market police yourself kind of deal. Just -- one good piece of news in all of this is that in the Senate, from the Iraq war funding bill, they stripped the H-2B legislation that had been amended to it. Lisa, I mean, what is the reaction here? I mean, this is -- why now? Do we know what is going on with this so-called Labor Department? As I say, it's a cheap Labor Department?
DOBBS: Did the Labor Department in any way, Lisa, say you know this is something that the American people made it clear to the United States Senate last summer they didn't want, and therefore we think we should follow the people's will too, because this is a democracy and the rule of majority does still does matter a little, at least even to this administration?
SYLVESTER: We did an extensive interview with them, and they did not say that, Lou.
DOBBS: Lisa, thank you very much. Appreciate it. I want to be very clear. We did invite the Secretary of the Department of Labor, Elaine Chao, to join us here tonight. She was unable to make it. Secretary Chao has an open invitation, I assure you, to join me anytime here. I should let you know also despite our repeated invitations to be with us, it's been five years since the last time Secretary Chao was a guest on this broadcast. Apparently we have different views that somehow she finds unsettling.
New efforts are underway tonight in the fight to secure the freedom of imprisoned border patrol agents, Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean. Attorneys for Ramos tonight are arguing for his immediate release on bond and the prosecutor in charge of this case, U.S. Attorney Johnny Sutton, the man who brought these charges is facing an ethics complaint for his handling of the Ramos and Compean case.
CASEY WIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Attorneys for imprisoned border patrol agent Ignacio Ramos have filed a motion with the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals seeking his immediate release. Ramos and fellow agent Jose Compean are appealing their convictions for shooting and wounding an illegal alien drug smuggler and covering it up.
Ramos was sentenced to a year in prison, plus another 10 years for using a gun to commit a crime. Compean received two years, plus the 10-year gun charge. Because Ramos has already served more than a year, his attorneys say he should now be released on bond, because the appellate court is likely to overturn the 10-year gun charge. REP. TED POE (R), TEXAS: Neither one of these individuals are a flight risk. They're never going to run away from any sentence if they have to serve it. So I think it's an excellent motion. But on the other hand, the U.S. attorney's office continues to be relentless in making sure that they stay behind bars.
WIAN: Federal prosecutors filed a motion opposing bond for Ramos, saying his convictions on all counts should be affirmed. Texas U.S. Attorney Johnny Sutton has been harshly criticized by some for overseeing a prosecution that portrayed the smuggler, Osvaldo Aldrete Davila, as a low-level mule.
Prosecutors persuaded a judge to prevent jurors from hearing about Davila's drug-smuggling backyard. Defense attorneys say that would have bolstered Ramos and Compean's claim they believed he was armed. Now a group called Christians Reviving America's Values has filed an ethics complaint against Sutton with the Texas State Bar.
REV. DON SWARTHOUT, PRESIDENT, CRAVE: He twisted facts. He kept facts out of the trial and as far as I'm concerned, he should lose his law license, should be disbarred from practicing law in the state of Texas.
WIAN: Swarthout's group accuses Sutton of quote, "misleading statements." The Texas State Bar would neither confirm nor deny that an ethics investigation of Sutton is underway. Sutton's office declined to comment on the complaint.
WIAN: Compean's attorney was not available to discuss whether he will also seek bond for his client. Both Ramos and Compean are still waiting for a decision from the Court of Appeals, which could of course overturn their convictions and set the men free. At a hearing in December, two of three appellate judges criticized the prosecution of the agents, Lou.
DOBBS: It's been just almost half a year now since the case was heard. Is there any indication about why the appellate court is taking such, by any measure, historically long period of time in which to render a decision?
WIAN: Supporters of the agents are scratching their heads, Lou. They have no idea why this is taking so long. They are choosing to view it as a good sign and that the judges are taking this case very seriously and perhaps trying to reach a decision to overturn what a lower court did is a little more difficult than just reaffirming what the lower court did. At least that's what supporters of the agents are saying, Lou.
DOBBS: I suppose it would be too much to ask for an investigation to be ordered by the appellate court at the same time it rendered its decision of the prosecutor and the trial judge both for their -- for what they permitted to occur there?
WIAN: I suppose so. But I will say this, supporters of the agents are hoping for a very quick decision on this bond motion. So if it does go in Agent Ramos' favor, there is a chance that at least he could be out sometime soon, Lou.
DOBBS: Well let's hope justice prevails and that he is out. Casey, thanks very much. Casey Wian.
Coming up, a left-wing advocacy group calls itself a watchdog group attacking me and this broadcast over illegal immigration and hooking up with the Congressional Hispanic Caucus who wants to make it a racial issue. I'll be talking with Paul Waldman. He's one of the authors of a report that says, "I serve up a diet of fear about illegal immigration."
Oil and gasoline prices continue to soar while oil executives are on Capitol Hill defending their actions and their profits.
An important ruling in the Texas polygamy case and what it could mean for hundreds of children. What's happening in Texas? We keep asking that question quite frequently here, don't we?
DOBBS: Crude oil prices today soaring to a new high of more than $135 a barrel before falling back and then closing at $131. Prices setting record highs, seemingly on a daily basis. And that's pushing gasoline prices higher, as well. Gas now at a national average of more than $3.80 a gallon.
And the debate over who's to blame for those high prices continuing on Capitol Hill today. Oil company executives being grilled by House lawmakers. The oil companies claiming they're not at fault for making excess profits.
Steven Simon of ExxonMobil argued his company invests more in energy development than it earns. Congresswoman Maxine Waters, she wasn't so impressed.
REP. MAXINE WATERS (D), CALIFORNIA: We know that the compensation of the executives is very high. We know that you get your bonuses. We know that you spend a lot on promotion. So we don't -- we don't like to hear that you are broke.
DOBBS: Simon responded his company invested $21 billion last year alone to bring new oil and gas supplies to the market.
The executives also saying, fundamental economic factors, such as strong demand from developing nations, a weak dollar, and speculation, all contributing to those price increases.
The upcoming Atlantic hurricane season, we're told, again could have an effect on gasoline prices. Government forecasters again predicting a more active-than-normal hurricane season. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicting between six to nine hurricanes to form this season, 12 to 16 named storms. That forecast also calls between two to five major hurricanes.
An average season has about six hurricanes, two of them major. And by the way, this would be the third year, if they are wrong, that they have blown a forecast.
Colorado's governor tonight declaring a state of emergency, calling out the National Guard. That after tornadoes cut through northern Colorado. One person, today, killed in the town of Windsor as a twister touched down along Colorado's Front Range.
The tornado dropped golf-ball-sized hail, tore roofs off buildings in towns about 80 miles north of Denver. About 100 or more homes damaged by those tornadoes.
And in California tonight, strong wildfires sweeping through the Santa Cruz Mountains. The fires there burned now more than 3,000 acres, destroying ten buildings. Some evacuations have been ordered. About 50 homes are being threatened by those fast-moving fires. The fires have being fueled by dry brush and high winds. No reports of any injuries at this time.
Let's take a look now at some of your thoughts.
George in California said: "I'm so tired of hearing that the voters of Florida and Michigan must be punished for voting early. If someone must be punished, then go after those that changed the dates, not the individual voters."
It is so simple, isn't it?
Paul in Oklahoma: "Lou, if you want to see the DNC get off their dead ends and count Michigan and Florida votes, just let Hillary announce she's going independent. I'd love to see it."
You know, that's an intriguing idea.
And William in New York: "I've been a Democrat since 1964. I'll now register as an independent. I'm fed up with the phony B.S. from both parties. Keep up the good work."
Good idea. We welcome you to our ranks.
We'll have more of our thoughts here later in the forecast.
And a reminder to join us on the radio Monday through Friday for "The Lou Dobbs Show." Next Tuesday my guests include Bill Fleckenstein, the author of "Greenspan's Bubbles: The Age of Ignorance at the Federal Reserve," a scathing assessment of Alan Greenspan's 19- year tenure. And China expert, Professor Gordon Chang on earthquake relief efforts there.
Go to loudobbs.com -- loudobbsradio.com to find local listings for "The Lou Dobbs Show" on the radio.
Up here next, a left-wing group purporting to be an independent watchdog has joined forces with a congressional Hispanic caucus. They're attacking me and our reporting here on illegal immigration. One of the leaders of the advocacy group, Paul Waldman, joins me.
And a top military commander hinting at the possibility of more troop withdrawals from Iraq. General David Grange will be here to assess that.
And the legal fight between a polygamous sect and the state of Texas goes to a public court. The polygamists are winning.
DOBBS: Important legal ruling in that polygamy case in Texas, an appellate court ruling. The state of Texas should not have removed those children, the children of 38 women from the polygamist ranch last month.
Child Protective Services removed those children, believing that girls as young as 13 were married to much older men.
Jenny Hoff of our affiliate KXAN reports now from San Angelo, Texas -- Jenny.
JENNY HOFF, KXAN CORRESPONDENT: Lou, today in San Angelo, there were a lot of happy emotions here at the courthouse. That's because the 3rd Court of Appeals ruling filed on the writ of mandamus filed on behalf of 38 FLDS women came down.
That court ruling was in the mothers' favor. The ruling said that CPS never had a right to take all of the children off the Yearning for Zion Ranch without evidence and on the assumption that their religious beliefs would damage them.
So today Texas Rio Grande Legal Aid, which filed the mandamus, said this was a great day for all families in Texas.
Now, what CPS said they are doing at this time is working with the attorney general's office here in Texas to see what steps they should take next. They stand by their belief that those children were in danger on the ranch. They said in their statement that they did see many reasons -- many reasons to believe that there was abuse out here. But they won't say if they plan on filing an appeal to the Texas Supreme Court.
Meanwhile, they have ten days here for the judge to reverse her decision and send those children back home with their kids. Otherwise, CPS can file for a stay, and if they're granted that, those children should stay in state custody.
Meanwhile, all of the hearings here at the courthouse, the status hearings that were scheduled for the next two weeks. They've at least been canceled until the end of this week so CPS can figure out what they're going to do and mothers can, of course, meet with their lawyers and see if they can get their children back as soon as possible.
Jenny Hoff of our affiliate, KXAN in San Angelo, Texas.
Joining me again, our senior legal analyst. A busy day for you, for all of us. This was a blockbuster decision: 460 children, 38 of them under this ruling, the appellate court saying, you know, "You made a mistake, Texas."
TOOBIN: It's really a breathtaking decision, and a total rebuke of the Texas authorities who removed those kids and of the lower court judge who said it was OK to do it.
DOBBS: Well, now, anyone worried about two things here. We keep calling it polygamy. It's pedophilia as far as, certainly, I'm concerned.
TOOBIN: That's right. That's the real issue.
DOBBS: And for the judge to make this decision without addressing that issue and the welfare of all of these children without ascertaining it, it seems peculiar to me.
DOBBS: My God. Puberty is the demarcation point for the appellate court?
TOOBIN: Well, that's -- if you were going to remove children from their parents, you have to show specific threats to specific children. And that's what they said the Texas authorities didn't do.
DOBBS: Well, this is -- could this ultimately apply to all 460 children?
TOOBIN: It does apply to all 460 children.
TOOBIN: That's right. I'm sorry, you're absolutely right. Certainly, the evidence presented here applies across the board. And the hostility to the government's position would certainly apply broadly if the evidence, as I suspect, is the same about all the rest of them.
DOBBS: But simply, do you agree or disagree with the appellate court decision?
TOOBIN: I was persuaded by the appellate court decision. I think it is such a huge step to take a child away from his or her mother that you have to be more sure that there's a good reason than the Texas authorities had here.
DOBBS: Jeffrey Toobin, thank you. Appreciate it.
We'll have much more on this polygamy case on CNN throughout the evening. "LARRY KING LIVE" will have exclusive reaction from the mothers who have children in state custody in Texas. We'll join Larry at 9 p.m. Eastern right here on CNN, of course.
Up next, one of the authors of a report attacking me and this broadcast because of our coverage of the illegal immigration crisis. It promises to be an interesting discussion.
And more recalls of toxic toys. Can you believe America's toy brands still can't manage to ensure that the toys they're importing from communist China and elsewhere are safe for American consumers? We'll have that report. Stay with us. It gets better and better.
DOBBS: The left-wing advocacy group, Media Matters, which sometimes describes itself as a watchdog group and which purports to be same, has teamed up with the Congressional Hispanic Caucus to attack me, this broadcast, and a few others in broadcast media, but specifically me and this broadcast, for our coverage of illegal immigration.
The group issued a scathing report, saying this broadcast and those other programs on cable television spread what it calls the myths of illegal immigration.
Paul Waldman is senior fellow, director of special projects for Media Matters of America, and is kind enough to join us here tonight.
PAUL WALDMAN, DIRECTOR OF SPECIAL PROJECTS, MEDIA MATTERS OF AMERICA: Thanks, Lou.
DOBBS: Let me ask you this. You're hooked up with the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. Media Matters is itself a left-wing organization. I mean, why -- what credibility do all of you have on this issue? Would you have any more credibility, for example, than the Chamber of Commerce and the Bush administration in proposing amnesty and open borders?
WALDMAN: Well, I know that's the kind of thing you've been saying about this for the last day or two. I heard on the radio today that you said I was out to lunch.
DOBBS: Were you actually out to lunch?
DOBBS: If I said it, but I don't recall saying it.
DOBBS: I'm not any longer. Because what you did here is distort both the record, the reality and the issue. And that's a combination that I frankly don't find endearing.
Let's go to just a couple things. Your report says that 70 percent of the LOU DOBBS TONIGHT programs last year mentioned illegal immigration.
Now, last year, as you may recall, comprehensive immigration reform was a major issue, with a vote, ultimately on June 28, that resulted in its demise in the Senate. You may recall that last year was a campaign year in which a number of the candidates were taking on the issue of illegal immigration and specifically, Governor Eliot Spitzer calling for driver's licenses for illegal aliens.
Why would you be surprised that we would be taking up that issue in such an active period, if you will, in public policy?
WALDMAN: We're not. And we don't criticize you for talking about illegal immigration a lot. Obviously, that's an issue that you care very deeply about. The question, though, is when you talk about it -- the question, though, is when you talk about, how do you talk about it?
Are you propagating myths? Are you encouraging people to believe things that don't happen to be true? That's the real question.
Lou, let's think about it this way. There is probably no more important voice on this issue than you. You talk about this issue almost every night. You have a national -- you have a national television audience. You've got a nationally-syndicated radio program. There is no one whose voice is louder when it comes to the issue of immigration than yours.
DOBBS: Let me say, if that's the case -- Paul, if that's the case, why in the world would you not look at the record and realize how much reporting we've done on this? Instead, you criticize the broadcast for having its own, quote unquote, "own correspondents." So does "60 Minutes."
WALDMAN: We mentioned it. We don't criticize you for having your own correspondents, Lou. The question, though, is, when you talk about this, are you feeding into some of these myths?
And what we found was that, actually, there are a lot of myths that get played on this show. Like, for instance, the NAFTA superhighway. Let me ask you, Lou. Do you actually believe that there is a secret plan to create a superhighway four football fields wide that is going to stretch from Mexico all the way to Canada?
DOBBS: The question is, do you really reject the evidence? Because that's precisely what's going on under the umbrella of the Security and Prosperity Partnership and the fact that the Trans-Texas Corridor is precisely that.
WALDMAN: The Trans-Texas Corridor is in Texas, Lou. So the question is, do you have -- do you have actual evidence that there -- that there is a plan that is going to take this all the way from Mexico to Canada? What is the evidence there?
DOBBS: What is the evidence?
DOBBS: The evidence is straightforward. It is the reporting of -- you know, if you really don't -- you know, I'm not going to get -- we haven't enough time for this.
But even the Texas newspapers, which have resisted this idea for a number of years, now recognize what's happening. Citizens' groups are forming all over Texas to stop it.
WALDMAN: Do you have one?
DOBBS: Of course, we do.
DOBBS: You are a left-wing advocacy group. You're charging nonsense.
DOBBS: And the only way to appease both you and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus would be for me to support illegal immigration and open borders. I reject it, I reject you, and I reject your position.
Now let's get to your report.
WALDMAN: This isn't about what positions you take. You can advocate any kind of particular immigration reform you want.
DOBBS: I'm not going to let you prattle. I want you to listen to this. OK? I'd like you to listen to this. Would you do that?
DOBBS: You cannot reform immigration if you can't control it. You cannot control immigration unless you control the borders.
Absolutely, I am also for raising legal immigration.
No country, no three countries can come close to us on our immigration. Legal immigration levels. And we should be very proud of that. I am. I am just as excited about illegal immigration -- I'm more excited.
DOBBS: Why didn't you report that in any part of your report? My position on illegal immigration?
DOBBS: My position on immigration. My position on border security. Yours is a scurrilous attack, and you pretend that it has some scholarly basis. It is an absolute, pitiful joke.
DOBBS: You do? But you forgot. You forgot to include that in your report?
WALDMAN: You've said that many times. Let me ask you a question. What was the last time you did a story, a positive story about immigrants?
DOBBS: I don't know. Why. What's the issue?
WALDMAN: ... not even beyond the show. Let me make my point. Beyond this show, you know that there are a lot of voices out there that are not very responsible. OK?
DOBBS: Don't conflate illegal and legal immigration, and don't conflate me and anyone else, as you've already done.
DOBBS: So what is your point?
WALDMAN: My point is, if you'll let me make it.
DOBBS: I would -- I'm waiting, and so are millions of others.
DOBBS: What was the last time you did a positive story at Media Matters on a right-wing Republican candidate? When was the last time?
DOBBS: When was the last time you did it?
DOBBS: When was the last time you did that report?
WALDMAN: Are you going to let me make me point?
DOBBS: I think I made it.
DOBBS: My question, straightforwardly, is why did you not include my position on immigration and border security in your report?
DOBBS: Because not to do so is obfuscatory. It's distortion and irresponsible on your part, and for you to pretend that that is a responsible piece of research is a joke.
DOBBS: Pardon me. How many stories have you done on illegal immigration? How much research have you done on illegal immigration? How much?
DOBBS: No, I'm asking you a question, Paul.
DOBBS: So that's the only time.
WALDMAN: We're only a media watchdog group.
DOBBS: So until you went after me and Bill O'Reilly and Glenn Beck, you haven't done anything, had you? We've been reporting on this subject here for seven years.
DOBBS: And you have no standing whatsoever to make such outrageous, arrogant comments.
DOBBS: Let's do in. Shall we do this? Do you recall the 60 -- 60 illegal aliens who were rescued from drop houses in Los Angeles and Phoenix last week?
DOBBS: Where else did you see that reported besides here?
DOBBS: Because that's a positive story.
DOBBS: Please, don't give me that.
WALDMAN: Lou, if I had my own television show, and I knew that there were extremist groups like the John Birch Society and white supremacist groups like the Catholic Conservative Citizens that were cheering me on on their Web site, it would make me want to step back and say, "OK, what am I doing? How can I change to make sure that this debate is responsible in the way it could be?"
DOBBS: Do you like balance? Do you like balance? Do you like balance? Do you like balance?
DOBBS: What have I ever said about illegal aliens? Have I said that illegal aliens, I think, are the most rational actors in this entire mess? Have I said that I have worked with and respect greatly illegal aliens? Have I not said I've got great respect for the work ethic, the family values of most illegal aliens working in this country.
Have I not said that their wages should be increased? Have I not said that we should come to terms with the reality and raise wages of illegal aliens working in fields?
Because you are an ideologue, and a left-wing hack, you will ignore the reality.
DOBBS: Name one of them that you mentioned in your report.
DOBBS: Talking over me a way to avoid the question. I'm asking you, why didn't you include a single element that is positive in your report of the things that I said?
DOBBS: You didn't mention a single one of those things.
DOBBS: What was the crime?
WALDMAN: A whole variety of crimes.
DOBBS: Did that include Ramos and Compean?
WALDMAN: No, it didn't. We excluded any mention of Ramos and Compean from our study. That would have increased numbers. That would have increased numbers.
DOBBS: There were all kinds of different stories that you did about undocumented immigrants and crime.
DOBBS: Paul, let me ask you this. Let me ask you this. Do you read "The New York Times"?
DOBBS: Do you read "The Washington Post"?
DOBBS: Do you read "Newsweek", "TIME"?
WALDMAN: Every once in a while.
DOBBS: Good. How many of those publications have had a report on the impact of illegal immigration in communities across the country, on the economy and the impact of having 95 percent of the cargo entering this country be uninspected, our ports to be insecure?
How many of those publications have reported on the fact that Mexico is the primary source, not only of illegal immigration into this country, but the primary source of methamphetamines, cocaine, marijuana, and heroin, and our borders remain insecure almost seven years after September 11?
Does it -- does it strike you as curious that they have not reported on the issue?
DOBBS: Illegal immigration. Illegal immigration.
WALDMAN: That's why it's so important that your voice be the most responsible out there. DOBBS: Well, I think we are.
DOBBS: There are going to be people who look at what you're doing as a member of Media Matters, a left-wing group, and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, which is advocating open borders and amnesty for illegal immigrants. And it is the only basis in which they have and you have in this debate.
You have the temerity to sit here on this broadcast talking to me about illegal immigration. You've done one report, and it was on this broadcast. And that's your only connection and understanding of the subject that's far more complex than you will acknowledge. That's a shame.
WALDMAN: Lou, it's not about whether there's somebody whose more of an expert on immigration than you are.
DOBBS: ... what it's about.
WALDMAN: We're a media watchdog organization.
DOBBS: You're not a media watchdog organization. You're a left wing. I mean, what's the title of the last book you wrote? What's the title of the last book you wrote?
WALDMAN: The last book I wrote was called "Free Ride: The Media and John McCain." The relationship between media and John McCain.
DOBBS: What was the previous book you wrote?
DOBBS: What was the previous book you wrote? You don't want to answer.
WALDMAN: ... a fascinating subject. I would love to come onto your show and talk about it some more. But now we're talking about immigration.
DOBBS: No, we're through talking. And I appreciate it. Good to have you with us. Paul Waldman.
DOBBS: We'll be right back in just a moment. Stay with us. It's going to get even better.
DOBBS: Well, joining me now to talk about the progress of -- that's right, progress of the war in Iraq, I'm joined by former general, David Grange.
Good to have you with us, General.
GEN. DAVID GRANGE (RET.), U.S. ARMY: Thank you, Lou.
DOBBS: David Petraeus, it looks like he's having real impact. We're not hearing a lot about it, but casualties are down. Last week, one of the best weeks of this war in terms of casualties. What's going on?
GRANGE: Well, the surge is working, even though it's just a military surge. You know, if we want better results, we want to withdraw quicker, I think we need to put some more, other governmental agencies involved with more resources in order to fill out the surge.
DOBBS: Well, General, good luck, because the State Department's having trouble staffing that great big old embassy over there. If you want State Department folks, it looks like you may have some uphill work.
GRANGE: Well, it's -- resourcing is obligated to give to the Department of State, and they do need other training programs to build their force. They've been underresourceed for years.
DOBBS: Well, here is -- on another issue. Let's take a listen to what General Petraeus had to say today about Iran.
GEN. DAVID PETRAEUS, CMDR. MULTI-NATIONAL FORCE-IRAQ: Iran continues to be a destabilizing influence in the region. It persists in its nontransparent pursuit of nuclear technology and continues to fund, train and arm dangerous militia organizations.
DOBBS: What are we supposed to do with that?
GRANGE: Then we take -- make sure that we take the diplomatic informational (ph), military and economic measures to make sure Iran understands the line in the sand that must be drawn.
DOBBS: All right. Let's turn to something else.
I was talking with Senator Jim Webb here last night, and they stripped the Iraq War Funding Bill and added the G.I. Bill.
Are you for it or against it -- the G.I. Bill and improving it for our veterans?
GRANGE: Well -- it's deserved, it's something that the country owes the G.I. It's the nation's responsibility. But the problem is they better make sure they don't underfund other programs that are required for readiness in order to do this.
GRANGE: So yes, I support it.
DOBBS: And -- Senator John McCain, fighting the legislation. Do you think it will cost him the vote of veterans?
GRANGE: It'll cost some votes I'm sure about it. But I think people will come around because it's the right thing to do.
DOBBS: Well, I hope he comes around.
You're saying he'll come around?
GRANGE: I said I hope he'll come around, yes sir.
DOBBS: Well, one would hope everyone would, to support our men and women in uniform.
General Grange, as always it's great to have you with us. Appreciate it.
GRANGE: Thank you, Lou, and thank you for the subject tonight.
Thanks for being with us tonight. Join us tomorrow.


text:
West Has Changed Its Thinking on Russia (Op-Ed)
By John Lough
Discussions are under way in several Western capitals on how to develop a broad strategy to counter the dangers to Europe posed by Moscow's decision to break out of the security system that it co-authored with the West at the end of the Cold War.
For governments that have tried for nearly 25 years to develop relations based on partnership and cooperation with Russia, the adjustment to a model of confrontation and competition is challenging both intellectually and institutionally, particularly since the expertise of the Cold War generation of analysts and strategists has been largely lost.
The first challenge is to accept that for all the effort expended, the attempt to build relations with Russia based on shared values and interests failed.
While Western countries made many mistakes in their handling of Russia, in particular, the backing of economic reforms that created oligarchic capitalism, the fundamental reason for this outcome was Russia's relapse into a traditional model of governance and its insistence on the need to undercut the independence of the other post-Soviet countries to ensure its security.
The Russian leadership is seeking a new set of rules that give Russia the right to limit its neighbors' sovereignty. This is part of a broader effort to reduce the dominance of Western institutions and realign global forces to Russia's advantage. The objective is to secure and reinforce the existing Russian development model by reducing external competitive pressures.
For all its internal logic, this strategic choice carries enormous risks. Confronting the West deprives Russia of an important balancing force in handling its relations with China and threatens to isolate Russia from the sources of modernization traditionally provided by Europe.
Russia is using a mix of powerful instruments to achieve its goals: for example, political, diplomatic, economic, military and information tools. However, Russia is playing a strong hand from a fragile base. It has clear economic weaknesses and over time, its internal political cohesion could prove brittle in the absence of improved governance and social provision.
The West needs to see the bigger picture and focus on encouraging Russia back on to a reformist course with adapted foreign and security policies that are stabilizing for Russia and Europe.
Rapid Western technological development coinciding with the stagnation of the economy forced the Soviet leadership in the 1980s to reshape the international environment to provide it with a breathing space to reform.
What is striking about Russia's behavior over the past 15 months is that Moscow has returned seemingly without concern to the policies of confrontation that the Soviet Union abandoned because they were unaffordable.
This has happened at a time when the Russian economy had already begun to stagnate after its impressive successes a decade ago. It clearly lacks the resilience to sustain high levels of military spending over the medium to long term.
The outline of an effective Western strategy is simple. It needs to play for time to apply its strengths against Russia's weaknesses. The foundations should consist of five elements.
First, making it clear to Moscow that Western countries remain wedded to the principle that countries in Europe, both large and small, have the sovereign right to conduct their own foreign policies and choose their allies as they wish.
Second, reinforcing the integrity of NATO. The alliance's military capabilities have been hollowed out over the past 25 years in the absence of a perceived threat from Russia.
NATO countries took a firm stance on Russia's actions at last year's Wales Summit and they need to continue along this path. Above all, they need to underline their determination to uphold the credibility of collective defense.
Third, signaling to Russia that Ukraine will not be left to fail. This is going to require much larger Western financial assistance as well as the type of technical assistance at which the EU excels.
Western countries will also need to reinforce their current support for Ukraine, particularly in the areas of defense cooperation, energy sector reform, security of gas supplies and broader institutional reform.
Fourth, keeping sanctions in place with the possibility of their expansion as long as Russia continues to undermine the sovereignty of its neighbors. For some European countries, the economic losses are going to be harder to bear than for others. Sanctions pain can also be seen as an investment in the EU's and NATO's defenses.
Sanctions take time to work and they may already have constrained Russian behavior in Ukraine.
Fifth, educating Western publics about the dangers to Europe from current Russian policies. The Pew Research Center's recent Global Attitudes survey showed that societies in Europe are well informed about Russia and have drawn certain conclusions about its behavior. However, they have not concluded that their countries need to reinvest in defense.
Western countries are now engaged in a competition with Russia over whose security vision for the continent should prevail.
They should have the confidence that if they apply the right strategy over the medium to longer term, the advantage will lie with them and Russia will be under increasing pressure to abandon its current policies. The critical question is whether they have the will to do so.
John Lough is an associate fellow with the Russia & Eurasia Program at Chatham House and a vice president with BGR Gabara, a London-based strategy-consulting firm.
Putin's Mixed Messages Show Loss of Control
West Must Stick to Its Guns in Ukraine
Putin's Options Are Narrowing Down


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Fracking Bust? Shale Wells Across US Churning Out Less Oil Than Projected
Jason Hopkins Immigration and politics reporter
January 02, 2019 5:59 PM ET
The implementation of hydraulic fracturing has helped propel the U.S. into an energy superpower, but there are signs that the fracking boom might not be as productive as developers assumed.
The U.S. surpassed Saudi Arabia and Russia in September to become the largest oil producer in the world. The historic milestone came as American oil production roughly doubled over the course of just eight years. While the fracking boom predates President Donald Trump's time in office, the gains in production were aided in the Trump administration's aggressive regulatory rollback and streamline of drilling permits that encouraged development on federal lands.
The U.S. shale boom has even rivaled the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries' (OPEC) influence on the market, with the international oil cartel being forced to work around the vast increase in supply.
However, an investigation by The Wall Street Journal suggests that thousands of shale wells in the U.S. are not yielding as much as developers originally projected to their investors.
After analyzing around 16,000 wells that are operated by 29 of the largest fracking companies in oil basins in Texas and North Dakota, WSJ found two-thirds of the projections made by producers between 2014 and 2017 in the country's four top drilling regions were too optimistic.
Altogether, fracking companies that made forecasts are on course to pump almost 10 percent less oil and gas than they originally projected, WSJ reported Wednesday. This number is commensurate to nearly 1 billion barrels of oil and gas over three decades, and worth over $30 billion.
Three hydro-fracking derricks are pictured sitting on a plain. Shutterstock
"I certainly expect many of today's estimates will turn out to have been pretty optimistic," Francis O'Sullivan, a director of research for the MIT Energy Initiative, stated to WSJ. O'Sullivan believes the complex geology of shale basins makes it difficult to make reliable forecasts. "There is profound variability in the performance of these wells." (RELATED: Activity Is Plummeting In America's Biggest Coal Region)
The study could spell future trouble for U.S. energy companies.
Numerous shale drillers — which have not yet churned a consistent profit — are under pressure to slash spending as crude oil prices continue in their decline, but the findings suggest companies will soon be forced to increase spending in order to maintain production levels.
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Tags : donald trump organization of oil exporting countries texas
Epstein's Friendship With Bill Clinton Reportedly Invoked As Model Fled His Home


text:
// Copyright 1998-2015 Epic Games, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
#pragma once

class IPlacementMode
{
public:

	/** Ends the current placing session in failure, if one is active. Does nothing otherwise. */
	virtual void StopPlacing() = 0;

	/** @return whether currently in a placing session */
	virtual bool IsCurrentlyPlacing() const = 0;

	/** Start a placing session using the specified assets and factory. If no factory is specified the last used factory will be used. */
	virtual void StartPlacing( const TArray< UObject* >& Assets, UActorFactory* Factory = NULL ) = 0;

	/** @return the actor factory currently used for the active or last placing session. */
	virtual UActorFactory* GetPlacingFactory() const = 0;

	/** Changes the actor factory used for the active or next placing session. */
	virtual void SetPlacingFactory( UActorFactory* Factory ) = 0;

	/** @return the last used actor factory when placing a specific asset type. Will return NULL if asset type has never been placed. */
	virtual UActorFactory* FindLastUsedFactoryForAssetType( UObject* Asset ) const = 0;

	/** Adds a widget which when focused will not end the active placing session. */
	virtual void AddValidFocusTargetForPlacement( const TWeakPtr< SWidget >& Widget ) = 0;

	/** Removes a widget which when focused would have not ended the active placing session. */
	virtual void RemoveValidFocusTargetForPlacement( const TWeakPtr< SWidget >& Widget ) = 0;

	/** @return an array of the objects curently being placed */
	virtual const TArray< TWeakObjectPtr<UObject> >& GetCurrentlyPlacingObjects() const = 0;
};

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub