A Life Underwater is an affectionate portrait of one man's deep sea diving career, told through his extraordinary collection of marine artefacts.
The former commercial diver has plundered the deep for over fifty years, bringing to the surface anything that glittered -- even gold.
But their future seems less clearly defined.
Marine experts are concerned about an invisible threat to the animals that has been building in our seas since World War II.
That was when industries began extensively using chemical flame retardants, such as PCBs.
These chemicals were later found to harm human health and the environment, and governments around the world banned their use in the 1970s.
But their legacy lives on in the world's seas and oceans, say biologists, posing a modern threat to animals such as killer whales, also known as orcas.
Ingrid Visser grew up watching killer whales, the largest members of the dolphin family, from the shores of her native New Zealand.
The island nation's orca population is made up of fewer than 200 individuals and as such is listed as threatened.
"They hunt in New Zealand waters in the shallows for the rays and in deeper waters for the sharks," says Dr Visser.
"[These] orca are unique as they are the only population that has so far been recognised to specialise in hunting for rays and sharks."
But according to Dr Visser's studies, this diet could be the reason the population is not growing.
As large mammals, killer whales consume a large amount of prey.
But this position at the top of the food chain, as "apex predators", makes them particularly vulnerable to changes in their prey.
That is because orca feed on fish that in turn eat polluted prey or absorb pollution from the water. So the orca ingest all of the pollution in the chain, in a process called "bioaccumulation".
Dr Visser says her studies of the bodies of stranded orca and the sharks and rays they feed on have confirmed this fear.
"Their prey is definitely polluted - we are seeing spikes in the same chemicals as are seen in the orca," she says.
"Studies have identified high levels of flame retardant chemicals in orca particularly from the Northern Hemisphere, for example from the north Pacific, particularly off Canada and the Arctic," he says.
"These chemicals have also been found at high concentrations in orca from the Southern Hemisphere."
PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) were banned globally from the 1970s.
In recent years, the European Union has also banned the use of PBDEs (polybrominated diphenyl ethers) in foam for furniture and electrical devices due to their potential toxicity.
"The two main groups of flame retardant chemicals, PCBs and PBDEs have a range of effects on animals including interference with thyroid function and vitamin A metabolism, negative effects on neurological and reproductive development and impacts on immune function," says Prof Rogers.
But despite actions to limit use of these chemicals, also referred to as persistent organic pollutants (POPs), marine experts suggest the damage has already been done.
"PCBs are not water soluble, they only dissolve and accumulate in fatty tissue," says Dr Paul Jepson from the Zoological Society of London.
Dr Jepson says this fat solubility is a considerable issue for female cetaceans such as killer whales who feed their young for up to a year on high fat milk to kick-start their development.
"You get this huge maternal transfer. It's been calculated that in whales and dolphins about ninety percent or more of the mother's body burden of PCB can be offloaded, particularly to the first calf," he tells BBC Nature.
POPs are a problem that is not going away.
"Even though PCBs have been banned they're just so resistant to break down in the environment. The decline of these pollutants is happening very slowly," says Dr Jepson.
In his role as co-ordinator of the UK Cetacean Strandings Project Dr Jepson regularly comes into contact with marine mammals.
His studies into harbour porpoises, common to UK waters, have highlighted the ongoing impact of the chemicals.
"We're not really finding any decline at all in PCBs in our harbour porpoises... levels in the UK appear to have plateaued since about 1997."
Studying the predators close-up could help their future survival.
Dr Jepson says that Dr Visser's findings could pose a serious cause for concern for orca worldwide, especially those in seas close to heavily populated and industrialised nations.
"Pollutant levels, particularly with PCBs, will be much higher in European waters than they would in New Zealand," says Dr Jepson.
"If they are finding quite high levels in orcas in New Zealand it's really quite worrying for us."
This remains a controversial area of study however due to the elusive nature of the subjects.
Orca have the most cosmopolitan distribution of any animal, being found in every ocean around the world.
But their wide-ranging territories, predatory nature and deep-sea lifestyles have restricted long-term studies to determine population sizes.
There is precious little opportunity to study the animals on land either as orca rarely strand: Dr Jepson's last encounter with one on the UK coast was 12 years ago.
Not much is known therefore about the causes of orca's deaths and what, if any, pollutants are in their bodies.
Dr Visser however is determined to record New Zealand's orcas in the hope they will provide information that will help conservationists worldwide.
To do this, the scientist is literally immersing herself in the world of the killers: diving with the animals to document their behaviour and health.
Without in-depth studies of populations around the world, there will not be enough evidence to truly know whether populations are in decline.
The power of Hurricane Irene was clearly apparent to people in its path, but the extent of the damage may be easier to appreciate when seen from above.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is using aerial photographs like the one above to assess Irene's destruction.
In this image of Hatteras Island in North Carolina taken Aug. 28, the largest breach of Highway 12, which runs along the Outer Banks, can be seen.
Water is flowing between Pamlico Sound and the Atlantic Ocean, stranding at least 2,500 residents of the island.
The local Island Free Press reported an estimate that the breach shown above is more than 100 feet wide and 8 feet deep.
More aerial photography of the damage can be seen using NOAA's interactive index map of Irene's path.
Veteran sailor Dennis Howard is preparing for one of the most challenging journeys of his life -- a solo voyage around the world.
"There's no question in my mind that I can do this," he said.
"There is also no question in my mind that I absolutely have to take it seriously 24/7, I need to be vigilant."
"My doctor estimates around 5% of my vision remains," he said.
"To see what I see you can cover your right eye and then look through a drinking straw with the other -- that's what I see.
"I can read a license plate from across the road, I just can't see the car," he continued.
He plans to depart on his specially designed 20-foot (6.1 meter) boat the "Avalo" from San Diego, California, in late October.
The voyage is expected to take around one and a half to two years, with Howard hoping to end the journey in France.
Although he admits it will be difficult, Howard sees the voyage as an opportunity to show others that disability needn't be a barrier.
"After I lost my sight I didn't go into the tailspin of despair and fear," he said.
"But the more I thought about it, the more I realized I just had to change the way I sail ... I want people to realize that they shouldn't just give up."
But for Howard to get this far has not been easy.
In order to get back in a boat, let alone sail around the world alone, he has had to learn how to sail all over again.
He said: "It would be false to say there is no additional challenge for me, but I put it in the realm of degrees of difficulty.
"I had to re-learn how to cross busy streets without a disaster after I lost so much vision and I am doing the same with sailing.
"There are the usual concerns about the boat and equipment; it would be foolish to not recognize the reality that things break and a thousand or two miles out at sea, these things can turn catastrophic. So I've spent more than a year reducing those chances."
Howard's 20-foot boat has not only been re-fitted in order to make sailing easier, it is also equipped with essential technologies to ensure the safety of both Howard and other sailors, including an Automatic Identification System (AIS), which alerts Howard to ships within a 50-mile radius.
"It's great, it shows me exactly where the ship is, what its course is, how fast it's going and what its name is," he said.
As well as being tailored to Howard's needs, the "Avalo" has been redesigned to be as eco-friendly as possible.
The boat's diesel engine has even been replaced by a small outboard charged by solar panels.
"The boat is about as green as it's possible to get. All of my equipment onboard from my radio communications to my navigation equipment is powered by wind and solar-generated power," he said.
"I'm hoping along with the educational information about weather, science and geography, these kids who are starting off in life with a particular difficulty can look at this and think they don't need to be limited in what they do."
Asked what his greatest concern was before the trip, Howard answered: "It's not the sea, it's not the storms, the pirates or even my eyesight -- it's my mental state.
"Despair is a common human emotion," he continued.
"At sea for months under conditions of deprivation and occasional terror, and with no one with whom to interact and commiserate, despair can become overpowering if you let it."
"Those who have never sailed in blue water, particularly alone with the moon and stars and phosphorescence and wildlife and the majesty of the ocean would have to struggle to appreciate how beautiful it is."
Two major Arctic shipping routes have opened as summer sea ice melts, European satellites have found.
Data recorded by the European Space Agency's (Esa) Envisat shows both Canada's Northwest Passage and Russia's Northern Sea Route open simultaneously.
This summer's melt could break the 2007 record for the smallest area of sea ice since the satellite era began in 1979.
Shipping companies are already eyeing the benefits these routes may bring if they remain open regularly.
The two lanes have been used by a number of small craft several times in recent years.
But the Northern Sea Route has been free enough of ice this month for a succession of tankers carrying natural gas condensate from the northern port of Murmansk to sail along the Siberian coast en route for Thailand.
"They're often open at the same time in the sense that with some ingenuity you can get through them," observed Peter Wadhams, an Arctic ice expert from the University of Cambridge.
"But this time they've really been open, with a proper Suez-size tanker going through the Northern Sea Route with a full cargo - that's a real step forward," he told BBC News.
A number of major shipping companies are looking to the opening of these routes to shorten journey times and make their businesses more efficient.
But environmental groups are concerned that the progressive ice loss will lead to increased exploration for oil and gas.
This, they argue, presents major safety hazards in the often inclement Arctic, as well as strengthening the world's reliance on fossil fuels and so ensuring the progression of man-made global warming - and the disintegration of summer sea ice cover.
The Arctic sea ice has been melting fast this year, and for a while it appeared set to break the 2007 record for the smallest minimum area in the satellite record.
However, in recent weeks it has been running a narrow second to 2007.
"The minimum ice extent is still three to four weeks away, and a lot depends on the weather conditions over the Arctic during those weeks," said Leif Toudal Pedersen, senior scientist at the Danish Meteorological Institute.
"Whether we reach an absolute minimum or not, this year again confirms that we are in a new regime with substantially less summer ice than before.
"The last five summers are the five minimum ice extent summers on record."
The volume of sea ice continues to decline annually.
Professor Wadhams believes the advent of summers where the two sea routes are routinely open is not far away.
"The Northwest Passage is probably the less reliable because you've got so many small passages in it where chance variations in wind will pile ice up and block it," he said.
"But so long as the ice retreats from the coast of Siberia, you'll have a route there."
Some computer models forecast that the Arctic could be completely clear of summer sea ice within a decade, though others recently published say there may be high years and low years en route to the final disappearance.
Canada and Russia are among the governments jockeying for position as new areas of the seabed open up for exploitation.
The red line in this image shows the long-term increase in global sea level since satellite altimeters began measuring it in the early 1990s.
Since then, sea level has risen by a little more than an inch each decade, or about 3 millimeters per year.
While most years have recorded a rise in global sea level, the recent drop of nearly a quarter of an inch, or half a centimeter, is attributable to the switch from El Niño to La Niña conditions in the Pacific.
Earth's seas have been rising gradually with the influence of climate change, but over the past year, this rise hit something of a pothole, with a temporary dip linked to the El Niño-La Niña cycle and all the rains that have poured onto the planet's continents.
For the past 18 years, the U.S./French Jason-1, Jason-2 and Topex/Poseidon spacecraft have been monitoring the gradual rise of the world's oceans in response to global warming.
This rise is caused both by the expansion of the ocean's waters as they warm up, and by the melting of glaciers and ice sheets.
Most of the time, this rise is a steady one, but between last summer and this one, global sea level actually fell by about a quarter of an inch (about half a centimeter).
The shift from an El Niño pattern (where waters over the eastern Pacific Ocean are warmer than normal) to a La Niña pattern (where the same waters are cooler than normal) is likely behind the dip, as it altered global rainfall patterns, said climate scientist Josh Willis of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, Calif.
La Niña brought massive floods to places such as Australia and the Amazon basin, and drought to the southern United States.
Data from the NASA/German Aerospace Center's twin Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) spacecraft provide a clear picture of how this extra rain piled onto the continents in early 2011.
"By detecting where water is on the continents, GRACE shows us how water moves around the planet," said Steve Nerem, a sea level scientist at the University of Colorado in Boulder.
Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (Grace) map shows how much water was lost or gained over the continents between the spring of 2010 and the spring of 2011.
The red colors show dry regions where water was lost.
The blue colors show places that gained water, usually because of heavier-than-normal rainfall or snow.
All the extra water that piled onto the continents came from — that's right — the ocean. Each year, huge amounts of water are evaporated from the ocean.
While most of it falls right back into the ocean as rain, some of it falls over land.
"This year, the continents got an extra dose of rain, so much so that global sea levels actually fell over most of the last year," said Carmen Boening, a JPL oceanographer and climate scientist.
Boening and colleagues presented these results recently at the annual GRACE Science Team Meeting in Austin, Texas.
Of course, this sea level dip is just a small blip in the overriding trend of sea level rise, Boening said.
Water flows downhill, and the extra rain will eventually find its way back to the sea.
When it does, global sea level will rise again.
"We're heating up the planet, and in the end that means more sea level rise," Willis said. "But El Niño and La Niña always take us on a rainfall roller coaster, and in years like this they give us sea-level whiplash."
but they have never found these dangers sufficient for remaining ashore"


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Giles Maskell: The practice of radiology needs to change
Current working models and poorly designed working environments need to be improved
The advances in medical imaging over the last few decades are frequently cited as being among the most important achievements of modern medicine. The diagnostic possibilities afforded by new imaging modalities have driven an explosion in demand for scans of all types.
And yet the ways in which radiologists work have not evolved to the same extent. Yes, the light box has been replaced by a workstation, but the principle of a single individual reviewing the images on a single occasion and then issuing the definitive report remains unchanged.
Our current working model was established at a time when a whole examination consisted of a small number of images and the time taken for interpretation was no more than a minute or two. We now apply the same way of working to examinations which consist of thousands of images and may take half an hour or longer to assess.
In addition, we frequently work in poorly designed environments, subject to frequent interruption and multiple distractions. Fatigue is a constant concern—sustaining focus for the time required to review and interpret a couple of thousand images is difficult and a moment's lapse in concentration can result in a significant abnormality being overlooked. We are set-up to fail.
Somewhere in the region of 40 million radiology reports are issued each year in England. We can estimate from numerous studies that the reporting error rate in daily practice is around 3-5%, rising to 20-30% for more complex studies such as computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). A rough calculation therefore suggests that at least a million of these reports each year will contain errors. Most of these errors will not result in harm to patients but some do.
Radiologists have come a long way in acknowledging the extent of the problem, but have made little progress as yet in reducing the number of errors we make. In the future, advances in artificial intelligence and machine learning will mean a growing role for computer-assisted interpretation. For now, the only clear solution is for images to be reviewed independently by more than one individual (or perhaps by the same individual on more than one occasion). Workforce constraints have severely limited our ability to do this, but perhaps the time has come to put considerations of quality and safety first and start to define certain types of high-risk, "high stakes" examinations where interpretation by a second reader is mandatory. Examples might include examinations in which there is a strong clinical suspicion of new or recurrent cancer.
Structured reporting templates can perform the role of checklists in other disciplines in helping to ensure that all relevant aspects of a study are considered and communicated to the referrer. Attention to the working environment and system factors which result in fatigue can almost certainly help. Awareness of the many cognitive biases which may contribute to a discrepant report should theoretically be of assistance although the evidence to date is limited.
Of course having a second pair of eyes looking at the images would not guarantee a correct diagnosis in every case but it would improve the chances and would carry the additional benefit of highlighting to the patient and referrer the level of uncertainty associated with a particular opinion.
I am as wary as the next doctor of drawing parallels between medicine and aviation, but most passenger flights do not rely on a single pilot in the cockpit. Should we? By persisting with outdated working practices we are putting patients at greater risk of an incorrect or delayed diagnosis, and radiologists at risk of the consequences of making a significant error.
Giles Maskell is a radiologist in Truro. He is past president of the Royal College of Radiologists.
Richard Lehman's journal review—19 June 2017
Richard Smith: Jimmy Reid on alienation in 1972—a great speech

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Joy has just given birth to Zach and is completely in love with her new son- exhausted but in love. As we meet her she's just beginning to realize that there's just no longer enough time to do anything but take care of this baby. No time for washing, cooking or checking email… let alone time for her husband or herself. Her husband is becoming more and more distant and is completely ignoring the fact that he even has a son, let alone a wife that really needs his help. As she starts to lose control of ever getting back to her old life she has to examine everything else around her to find out what her future holds.
I loved This Little Mommy Stayed Home and laughed out loud from the first page right through to the end, and I haven't even had a baby. I do know many women who have in the last year though so I've heard all the stories and many of them are told in Wilde's novel from the good, the bad and the ugly.
This wasn't just a novel about being a new mom, but about the main character, Joy, finding herself amidst the chaos of motherhood including the lack of sleep, piles of laundry and a new dynamic with her increasingly distant husband. Add her newly engaged mother, a smothering mother in law and a resurfacing ex-boyfriend to the mix and we find Joy struggling to figure out just what she wants out of her new life. Every new mother should read this book. Perhaps even their baby-less friends and husbands to get a glimpse of what their friends or wives are going through.
There were times that I wasn't sure about Joy's character which is my only complaint. She was so self-absorbed at times that it became hard to take (possibly my own fertility issues skewed my opinions here), but about half way through the novel we find out exactly why she was so grumpy with her husband and she rounds out as she comes to a few realizations along the way.
This novel was well written and Wilde's descriptive flair was vivid throughout with descriptions and comparisons I found unusual, but accurate. Several are still with me, making me jealous that I didn't think of them first!
If you want a laugh out loud, interesting and absorbing read on new motherhood check out This Little Mommy Stayed Home. I will definitely be seeking out Wilde's novels in the future.
I absolutely loved the concept of this book! I just had my first child last winter so could relate to everything she was writing about first hand- however I don't think that this book is only entertaining for a current mummy- it's full of useful insights into marriage and finding oneself too so don't be put off if you're not right in the midst of the baby thing at the moment.
I was hooked from the very first pages of This Little Mommy Stayed Home as it doesn't seem so long ago that I was in the same predicament of trying to keep a house while tending to an infant. I tried to cook dinner while breastfeeding once (and I didn't have one of those pillows that attaches around your waist) and realized that this was just going to end in tears- mine and hers. We ate a lot of soup and meals brought by fabulous family members for the first 3 months! There were a lot mummy moments that were funny and earnest which I related to instantly. Unfortunately about half way through I found that I lost interest a bit in the main character- possibly because she seemed determined to try and find something or someone else to make her herself again. I realize that this is part of the story but it left me bored. However once I reached the end and put it all in perspective I decided to let this go and appreciate how well Samantha Wilde picked out pieces of motherhood (and fatherhood) for us to laugh about…now. I wasn't always laughing when it was happening to me!


Education Qualification: Government of India government Job aspirant should complete his Graduate/PG or its equivalent qualification from a recognized institution or university.
Age Limit: As per the Government of India Recruitment 2019 2018 norms, candidate's age should be between 21 to 27 years. As on 01 March 2017.
Age Relaxation: As per the NICL Recruitment 2019-18 Notification, reserved category candidates can get the age relaxation as per the govt of Across India. Job applicants need to provide the relevant documents for the same. Age relaxation details are below.
How to apply for NICL Jobs: Across India govt Jobs aspirants and eligible candidates for Administrative Officer Vacancies in Government of India may apply online through the official website of NICL, nationalinsuranceindia.nic.co.in.


You are here: Home / Daily Blog / Greek yogurt as a sour cream substitute.
Last night I made one of my favorite salmon recipes, Broiled Salmon with Mustard and Dill. I've been making this dish since my original fat loss program back in 2003, and it's absolutely fantastic.
My salmon recipe calls for 3 tablespoons of reduced fat sour cream, which adds about 60 calories, 4.5g fat (most of it saturated fat), 1.5g protein and 3g carbs. Several JSF members have suggested that I give Greek yogurt a try as a sour cream substitute, and so last night when I made this dish for dinner I did just that.
I've got a fairly decent palate, and I was expecting to notice the substitution. When I tried the sauce before putting it over the top of the salmon steaks I was quite surprised that the taste was virtually identical to the original recipe. In fact, truth be told I don't think I would have noticed the difference at all had I not known about the ingredient swap.
Of course the real test was how good the salmon tasted, and it was perfect. I've eaten this salmon recipe at least 100 times over the years, and so I'm very familiar with how it tastes. I really could not tell the difference!
Greek yogurt is significantly lighter than reduced fat sour cream: 3 tablespoons has just 24 calories, 0g fat, 4.3g protein and 1.7g carbs. That's less than half the calories, no fat, almost triple the protein and almost half the carbs of reduced fat sour cream.
Needless to say I'll be using Greek yogurt instead of sour cream in all my recipes from now on. I'm also going to update the salmon recipe with the new ingredient; I absolutely would not do that if I didn't think it was every bit as good as the original.
I also like to make light chicken fajitas with fresh pico de gallo served on whole grain tortillas, and I'll definitely be using Greek yogurt instead of sour cream with those from now on, too.
Thanks to everyone who suggested I try this awesome ingredient. Good stuff!
I have been known to take my own yogurt when dining out so I can avoid sour cream. I think Greek Yogurt tastes much better than sour cream, not to mention the health benefits.
we've used it as a marinade for chicken along with hot sauce. Very good, we use Fage.


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Stephanie Mills Net Worth 2018
A Grammy award-winning artist, Stephanie Mills initially rose to fame for her role as Dorothy in the Broadway musical, The Wizz in the mid to late 70's. Since then, she has released numerous records including the albums Sweet Sensation, Stephanie, If I Were Your Women, and Home, among many others.
To date, some of her most popular hits include Home, I Feel Good All Over, and I Have Learned to Respect the Power of Love. Over the past couple of decades, she has also appeared in a number of stage plays including Children of Eden, Funny Girl, and Purlie.
How many records has she sold throughout her career? How wealthy is the singer-songwriter? According to various sites, Stephanie Mills' current net worth stands at around $1.5 million. Where was the majority of this earned from? What is she up to nowadays? These are some of the questions that we'll be looking at below.
Stephanie Mills' Net Worth 2018 – $1.5 Million
How did Stephanie Mills Make Her Money & Wealth?
Stephanie Mills' Personal Life and FAQ:
Born on March 22, 1957, in New York, Stephanie Mills grew up in Brooklyn, where she sang gospel music as a child. Naturally talented, she later launched her professional career at the age of nine in the Broadway production, Maggie Flynn. From there, she won Amateur Night at the Apollo Theater for six consecutive weeks at the age of eleven. Before long, she had landed a music deal with Paramount Records in 1973.
In 1974, she released her debut album titled, Movie' in the Right Direction. However, it wasn't until the release of her third project, What Cha' Gonna Do with My Lovin' that she began to rise in popularity. Produced by Reggie Lucas and James Mtume, it ultimately peaked at number 22 on the Billboard Top 200, with praises from music critics.
By the 1980's, she had released several additional albums including Sweet Sensation, If I Were Your Woman, Home, and Stephanie, all of which received RIAA accreditation. Some highlights include the songs I Feel Good All Over, Two Hearts, and Never Knew Love Like This Before. Later in 1987, she came out with her first compilation album, In My Life: Greatest Hits.
Since then, Mills has added a handful of additional titles to her catalog including Christmas, Something Real, Personal Inspirations, and Born For This!. While popular among fans, however, they ultimately did not rival the success of her previous records. Regardless, thousands upon thousands of units were sold across the U.S. and worldwide.
In addition to her solo efforts, the singer has also done a number of collaborations throughout her career. For instance, she's worked with Teddy Pendergrass, The King Dream Chorus, Robert Brookins, and J.T. Taylor.
Aside from her music career, which has obviously contributed a significant amount to her wealth, she has also participated in a number of stage plays in the past. For instance, she appeared in the productions Harlem Suite, Stephanie Mills Comes Home to Broadway, Purlie, Children of Edie, and Funny Girl.
Is Stephanie Mills Married?
In the past, she has been married three times to Michael Saunders, Dino Meminger, and Jeffrey Daniel. As far as we can tell, she is currently single.
Does Stephanie Mills Have Any Children?
Yes, she has a son named Farad, who has down syndrome.
Does Stephanie Mills Go to College?
No, Stephanie Mills did not go to college. Instead, she chose to pursue her music career.
What is Stephanie Mills Famous For?
Stephanie Mills rose to fame with the release of her third studio album, What Cha' Gonna do with My Lovin', which went all the way to number 22 on the Billboard 200.
Where Does Stephanie Mills Live now? Pictures of Stephanie Mills' House
Unfortunately, we do not have any details on Stephanie Mills' location at this time.
What Kind of Car Does Stephanie Mills Drive?
Details on Stephanie Mills' vehicle is not available at this time.
How Much Money Did Stephanie Mills Make Last Year?
Unfortunately, we do not have any information on Stephanie Mills' 2017 earnings at this time.
Earlier this summer, the singer made an appearance at the Indiana Black Expo, where she sang a few of her classics. Some of the other celebrities that were present include After 7, Loose Ends, DJ Kid Capri, and Rakim, to name a few.
What's the singer up to nowadays? If you want to keep up with her, why not follow her on social media? You can find Stephanie Mills on Twitter at @PrettyMill1 and on Instagram at @IamStephanieMills. On Facebook, she also has an official fan page that you can check out here.
StephanieMills
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This candle is suited to those who enjoy sweet, rich scents. Tuberose is a very popular perfume ingredient, described as 'warm, intoxicating and enticing'.
The Australian-made Aroma boutique wax candle is made with essential oils and pure extracts, it is double-wicked, hand poured and comes in a glass jar.
This candle makes a great gift as it smells devine and comes gorgeously packaged.


1967-8 USS Kearsarge Cruisebook photo when Al was the C.O. Al at our San Diego reunion in 2007.
Al Fox's letters home to our families during the 1967-8 WESTPAC cruise.
Al welcomes all Raunchy Redskins to the 2007 Reunion.


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Scientists Turn Skin Cells into Heart Cells and Brain Cells Using Drugs
Studies represent first purely chemical cellular reprogramming, changing a cell's identity without adding external genes
By Dana G. Smith, PhD / Gladstone Press Release / April 28, 2016
SAN FRANCISCO, CA—In a major breakthrough, scientists at the Gladstone Institutes transformed skin cells into heart cells and brain cells using a combination of chemicals. All previous work on cellular reprogramming required adding external genes to the cells, making this accomplishment an unprecedented feat. The research lays the groundwork for one day being able to regenerate lost or damaged cells with pharmaceutical drugs.
In two studies published in Science and Cell Stem Cell, the team of scientists, who were led by Gladstone senior investigator Sheng Ding, PhD, and are part of the Roddenberry Center for Stem Cell Biology and Medicine at Gladstone, used chemical cocktails to gradually coax skin cells to change into organ-specific stem cell-like cells and, ultimately, into heart or brain cells. This discovery offers a more efficient and reliable method to reprogram cells and avoids medical concerns surrounding genetic engineering.
"This method brings us closer to being able to generate new cells at the site of injury in patients," said Ding, the senior author on both studies. "Our hope is to one day treat diseases like heart failure or Parkinson's disease with drugs that help the heart and brain regenerate damaged areas from their own existing tissue cells. This process is much closer to the natural regeneration that happens in animals like newts and salamanders, which has long fascinated us."
Chemically Repaired Hearts
A human heart cell that was chemically reprogrammed from a human skin cell. [Image: Nan Cao, PhD, Gladstone Institutes]
Adult hearts have a very limited ability to generate new cells, so scientists have searched for a way to replace cells lost after a heart attack, such as transplanting adult heart cells or stem cells into the damaged heart. However, these efforts have been largely ineffective, as most transplanted adult cells do not survive or integrate properly into the heart, and few stem cells can be coaxed into becoming heart cells. An alternative approach pioneered by Deepak Srivastava, MD, director of cardiovascular and stem cell research at Gladstone, used genes to convert scar-forming cells in the heart of animals into new muscle that improved the function of the heart. A chemical reprogramming approach to do the same may offer an easier way to provide the cues that induce heart muscle to regenerate locally.
In the Science study, led by first author Nan Cao, PhD, a postdoctoral fellow in Ding's lab, the researchers used a cocktail of nine chemicals to change human skin cells into beating heart cells. By trial and error, they found the best combination of chemicals to begin the process by changing the cells into a state resembling multipotent stem cells, which can turn into many different types of cells in a particular organ. A second cocktail of chemicals and growth factors helped transition the cells to become heart muscle cells.
With this method, more than 97% of the cells began beating, a characteristic of fully developed, healthy heart cells. The cells also responded appropriately to hormones, and molecularly, they resembled heart muscle cells, not skin cells. What's more, when the cells were transplanted into a mouse heart early in the process, they developed into healthy-looking heart muscle cells within the organ.
"The ultimate goal in treating heart failure is a robust, reliable way for the heart to create new muscle cells," said Srivastava, co-senior author on the Science paper. "Reprogramming a patient's own cells could provide the safest and most efficient way to regenerate dying or diseased heart muscle."
Rejuvenating the Brain with Neural Stem Cells
In the second study, authored by Gladstone postdoctoral scholar Mingliang Zhang, PhD, and published in Cell Stem Cell, the scientists created neural stem cells from mouse skin cells using a similar approach.
Neurons created from chemically-induced neural stem cells. [Image: Mingliang Zhang, PhD, Gladstone Institutes]
The chemical cocktail again consisted of nine molecules, some of which overlapped with those used in the first study. Over ten days, the cocktail changed the identity of the cells, until all of the skin cell genes were turned off and the neural stem cell genes were gradually turned on. When transplanted into mice, the neural stem cells spontaneously developed into the three basic types of brain cells: neurons, oligodendrocytes, and astrocytes. The neural stem cells were also able to self-replicate, making them ideal for treating neurodegenerative diseases or brain injury.
"With their improved safety, these neural stem cells could one day be used for cell replacement therapy in neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease," said co-senior author Yadong Huang, MD, PhD, a senior investigator at Gladstone. "In the future, we could even imagine treating patients with a drug cocktail that acts on the brain or spinal cord, rejuvenating cells in the brain in real time."
Nan Cao and Mingliang Zhang, both postdoctoral scholars at Gladstone, were the first authors on the Science and Cell Stem Cell papers, respectively. Other Gladstone scientists on the studies include Yu Huang, Ian Spencer, Yu Zhang, Baoming Nie, Min Xie, Haixia Wang, Tianhua Ma, Tao Xu, Guilai Shi, Saiyong Zhu, Kai Liu, and Ke Li. Researchers from the University of California, San Francisco and Case Western Reserve University also took part in the research.
Funding was provided by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, the National Eye Institute, the National Institute on Aging, the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine, the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Heath and Human Development, the American Heart Association, the Roddenberry Foundation, the William K. Bowes, Jr. Foundation, the Younger Family Foundation, and the Whittier Foundation.
Combination of Three Gene Mutations Results in Deadly Human Heart Disease
New Method to Detect Off-Target Effects of CRISPR
Cell Press Partners with the Gladstone Institutes to support the Ogawa-Yamanaka Stem Cell Prize
Seth Shipman Joins the Gladstone Institutes
Scientists Mimic the Earliest Stages of Human Development


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Megyn Kelly's 3 Kids Mean the World to Her — Meet the Former Fox Anchor's Children!
By Joyann Jeffrey
Before she was fired from Today, Megyn Kelly was making a cool $18 million a year on the popular program. The 48-year-old and husband Douglas Brunt provided for their three kids — Edward, 9, Yardley, 8, and Thatcher, 5 — and taught them a lot about what it means to be successful.
Let's meet the former Fox News host's brood, shall we?
Edward Brunt, 9
Megyn gave birth to her first child, Edward (aka Yates) in September 2009. She was only 38 years old at the time and People reported she gave birth to a "healthy baby boy … one day after delivering the news as co-host of America's Newsroom."
Nyc is amazing. Walking down the street w/our kids over the wknd and found an old piano. Impromptu concert made my heart sing. pic.twitter.com/ciwG8kahdq
— Megyn Kelly (@megynkelly) October 1, 2018
Yates was born at around 10 a.m. and weighed 7 pounds, 10 ounces. "People say Yates is my twin, but I think he's a mini Doug. He came into this world a sweet old soul and he remains that way to this moment," Megyn wrote about him in Settle for More.
Yardley Brunt, 8
Megyn welcomed her second child at age 40 in 2011. According to People, she weighed 7 pounds, 12 ounces at birth and has always been impressed by all of her mom's many achievements.
"Yardley is amazing," Kelly gushed in Settle for More. "A year ago after I went to the Fortune Most Powerful Women's conference, she said, 'What is that?' I said, 'Well it's a gathering of really strong women who celebrate their accomplishments.' I was taking Yardley down there with me and she said, 'Are we two of them?' And then not quite a year later, she joined me at the presidential debate in Detroit."
Happy Birthday to my sweet Yardley, 8 years old today, and just as fun and full of fire as on Day One. Love this girl!! pic.twitter.com/M0mVcj8ghp
— Megyn Kelly (@megynkelly) April 14, 2019
If Yardley follows in her famous momma's footsteps and becomes a news anchor, we won't be surprised!
Thatcher Brunt, 5
Out of all of Megyn's kids, her last child, Thatcher, probably had the best announcement when he was born in July 2013. She was 42 at the time.
"Say hello to Thatcher Bray Brunt," Megyn's former Fox News colleague Shannon Bream said on America Live. "Megyn and Doug's third child was born at 8 pounds, 2 ounces. He has brown hair, blue eyes; he is gorgeous!" Megyn announced that she was pregnant with Thatcher in the best way possible, too.
My job is important to me, but it's dwarfed by my love for my children. #SettleForMore https://t.co/RlRX45pnjv pic.twitter.com/fq0BNhhRP1
— Megyn Kelly (@megynkelly) November 5, 2016
Previously, Megyn took to Instagram on Valentines Day and said she had the perfect gift for Douglas. "Every Valentine's Day we always struggle to find just the right gift, and yet this year I believe that we found the perfect solution," she said. "Happily, Doug and I are expecting another baby."
Megyn has such a beautiful family!
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THE NEW REFORM CLUB: A Response to Fonzone & Geltzer's Can President Trump Just Leave Key Executive Branch Offices Unfilled?
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A heart attack (or myocardial infarction) is one of the ways how acute coronary syndrome (ACS) can present. Other ways are by developing angina, where chest pain occurs intermittently without injury to the heart muscle. In all cases there is a lack of nutrition and oxygen supply to the mitochondria of the heart cells. Heart muscle cells are stuffed with mitochondria, our energy providers. When mitochondria die, heart cells die. This happens when you have a heart attack. With angina pains the mitochondria are strained, but they are recovering again until sometime in the future there is a risk that they may die.
Typically a heart attack is recognized by acute chest pain that may radiate into the left arm. However, instead of chest pain the patient may have abdominal pain abdominal pain instead, especially if a posterior wall MI or an inferior wall MI is present. Once the hardening of the coronary arteries affects two or three branches, parts of the heart muscle will die off and be replaced with scar tissue. There are blood tests that will measure the release of cardiac enzymes as heart muscle cells die. These test results will establish whether or not a heart attack (MI) has occurred.
There has to be a combination of symptoms of ischemia on the one hand with at least one of the following: a pathological Q wave on ECG, ischemic changes on ECG (T wave or ST changes) or a proven significant lesion is detected during a heart catheterization (Ref. 10). According to the European Society for Cardiology and American College of Cardiology (ACC) heart attacks are now classified by the findings on the ECG at presentation in the Emergency Room, as either ST elevation MI (STEMI) or non-ST elevation MI (NSTEMI). This has practical implications of management as will be explained below.
When part of the heart muscle dies, there are several consequences from this: First, there is "pump failure" because the heart has no longer the full pumping power. Secondly, there is an immediate danger of developing irregular heartbeats (arrhythmia) leading to cardiac fibrillation and death. This can be monitored for and treated with antiarrhythmic drugs (such as Lidocaine) in the Coronary Care Unit of a hospital.
The single most effective way to cut heart attack risk is to quit smoking. This link is a summary of many studies that have shown that cigarette smoking is not only causing heart attacks, but also blockage of the arteries to both legs, strokes, and breathing problems (COPD, lung cancer). So the single most effective way to prevent all of this, if you still smoke is to quit smoking.
Another important observation is that supplement, particularly vitamin E an C can prevent heart attacks.


We've been talking recently about the "wiki" phenomenon of community-created web sites - and what they might mean to architecture - both in terms of wikis in general, and in the context of the ArchitectureWeek web family.
This week we're going to roll up our sleeves and actually put a bunch of architecture into a wiki, where all the (online) world can see it.
For this discussion, something like an initial wiki tutorial, we'll be specifically posting some main elements of a building case study to the Archiplanet wiki. The key steps here will be broadly applicable to a range of building presentation opportunities, from an architecture school precedent study to a professional marketing outreach posting.
For a building to work with, let's use the Urban Ecology Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, a really delightful and inspiring place we recently had the pleasure of visiting.
If your case study subject is new to you, as the Urban Ecology Center may be, you'll likely want to start with a web search to collect basic facts, if the building is somewhat known, and to see what is online about it already.
That site gives us enough of the basic facts about the building to start a new page at Archiplanet for the building.
However, there's one more step for us before we actually start the new wiki page. It is always good practice to try a search in the wiki for the subject you're interested in, just in case someone else has come along and started a page on the topic already.
Here (below), we've pointed our browser to Archiplanet, and in the search field near the top of the left-hand sidebar (just below the planet logo), we entered the building name, "Urban Ecology Center", and then clicked "Search".
Looking over those search results (above), we see there's no page yet with the building name or really anything close. So we're clear to make a new page in the wiki for our case study subject.


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Gay Like Me: A Father Writes to His Son
by Richie Jackson
List Price:0.00
In this poignant and timely love letter to his son, producer Richie Jackson reflects on his experiences as a gay man in America and the progress and setbacks of LGBTQ citizens over the past fifty years.
"My son is kind, responsible, and hardworking. He is ready for college. He is not ready to be a gay man living in America."
When Richie Jackson's eighteen-year-old son born through surrogacy came out to him, the successful theater, television, and film producer, now in his fifties, was compelled to reflect on his experiences and share his wisdom on life for LGBTQ Americans over the past half-century.
Gay Like Me is a celebration of gay identity and a sorrowful warning. Jackson looks back at his own progress and growth as a gay man coming of age through decades of political and cultural change. We've come a long way since Stonewall, he marvels: discrimination is now outlawed in most states, gay men and women can marry, and drugs can protect against AIDS and mitigate its effects.
Jackson's son lives in a newly liberated America. Yet nothing can be taken for granted. Bigotry and hatred still exist, nurtured by a president whose divisive, manipulative language exacerbates fear of "The Other," drawing support and votes for excluding minorities and anyone who can be labelled "an outsider." A newly constituted Supreme Court with a conservative tilt could revoke laws and turn the clock back years. Gay identity can be worn with pride, but gay citizens cannot be complacent Jackson warns; they must always be vigilant that their gains are fragile.
As Ta-Nehisi Coates did in Between the World and Me, Jackson offers a response to our anxious and uncertain times. An intimate, personal exploration of our most troubling questions and profound concerns--about issues such as human rights, equality, justice--Gay Like Me is a book for all who care about tolerance, diversity, and social progress. Angry, proud, fierce, tender, it is powerful letter of love from a father to a son that holds lasting insight for us all.
Gay Like Me has descriptive copy which is not yet available from the Publisher.
In this poignant and urgent love letter to his son, award-winning Broadway, TV and film producer Richie Jackson reflects on his experiences as a gay man in America and the progress and setbacks of the LGBTQ community over the last 50 years.
My son is kind, responsible, and hardworking. He is ready for college. He is not ready to be a gay man living in America.
When Jackson's 18-year-old son born through surrogacy came out to him, the successful producer, now in his 50s, was compelled to reflect on his experiences and share his wisdom on life for LGBTQ Americans over the past half-century.
Gay Like Me is a celebration of gay identity and parenting, and a powerful warning for his son, other gay men and the world. Jackson looks back at his own journey as a gay man coming of age through decades of political and cultural turmoil.
Jackson's son lives in a seemingly more liberated America, and Jackson beautifully lays out how far we've come since Stonewall -- the increased visibility of gay people in society, the legal right to marry, and the existence of a drug to prevent HIV. But bigotry is on the rise, ignited by a president who has declared war on the gay community and fanned the flames of homophobia. A newly constituted Supreme Court with a conservative tilt is poised to overturn equality laws and set the clock back decades. Being gay is a gift, Jackson writes, but with their gains in jeopardy, the gay community must not be complacent.
As Ta-Nehisi Coates awakened us to the continued pervasiveness of racism in America in Between the World and Me, Jackson's rallying cry in Gay Like Me is an eye-opening indictment to straight-lash in America. This book is an intimate, personal exploration of our uncertain times and most troubling questions and profound concerns about issues as fundamental as dignity, equality, and justice.
Gay Like Me is a blueprint for our time that bridges the knowledge gap of what it's like to be gay in America. This is a cultural manifesto that will stand the test of time. Angry, proud, fierce, tender, it is a powerful letter of love from a father to a son that holds lasting insight for us all.
Richie Jackson
Oth:
David Pittu


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Boys Do Cry
tuskmagazine
Expanding what it means to be manly.
By Elizabeth Tovar
Times are changing and as such, the notion of masculinity has broadened beyond traditionally accepted forms of expression.
Masculinity isn't as limiting as it used to be, and conversations about gender, mental health, and parenting are shifting in ways that make space for our full humanity.
The term "toxic masculinity" is prevalent in all forms of discourse, but maybe the toxic part is how masculinity is characterized as "toxic" in the first place.
"Lately, toxic masculinity is used as a catch-all term to kind of pick out what we call the negative side of traditional masculinity," said Matt Englar-Carlson, professor of Counseling and Faculty Coordinator for Diversity and Inclusion.
When society reinforces gender roles by immediately assuming men are poisonous, masculinity becomes a problem.
"There are certain toxic and rigid gender roles, but to assume that every male is a potential danger is a stereotype," said Dr. John Ibson, professor of American Studies.
While the appropriateness of the terminology is debated, it's important in that it allows for conversations previously unimaginable; conversations about assault and abuse of power that are necessary ingredients for social change and justice.
"It changes the way we approach sexual assault if we shift the onus from 'feminine folks need to protect themselves' to 'masculine folks need to not assault,'" said Alyssa Samek, assistant professor of Human Communication Studies.
This idea moves the focus away from victim blaming and instead stresses that masculinity shouldn't be enacted through power, dominance, and violence.
The next step is to switch the perspective of the masses.
"The #MeToo movement is a very positive sign of progress in the simple fact that we recognize certain behaviors as very problematic," said Ibson.
Although one of the most traditional traits of masculinity is suppressing emotion, it isn't a marker of manliness. Instead, it imparts and exacerbates the mental health problems men face that often go unaddressed.
"Men who minimize their emotions are more likely to experience mental struggles from trying to conform to rigid masculine notions of expressing themselves," said Englar-Carlson.
If men are discouraged from expressing their emotions, they'll be less inclined to seek the professional help they need. This issue is historically overlooked due to a lack of societal attention for the emotional well-being of men that comes from tying masculinity to stoicism.
Changes in Childrearing
Parents are moving past out-moded child rearing methods and as they begin to change their views on gender roles, the impetus for teaching boys to be "strong men" becomes less important.
"Some parents put less emphasis on being a proper man or woman and put more emphasis on just being a good human being," said Ibson.
While raising a child to be a good person sounds like the solution to hypermasculinity, parents should be more attuned to how they can let children explore their gender expression and accept them for who they are.
"I hope our norms continue to loosen up so that we don't respond negatively toward boys exploring a wide variety of gender embodiments and presentations," said Samek.
A subtle yet powerful way to avoid gendered parenting is by showing children affection.
"It used to be that boy babies weren't touched as much as girl babies because it's almost as if they're going to start toughening them up at six months old," said Ibson. "This isn't the case as much now."
Masculinity Looking Forward
Ongoing shifts in society's conceptualization of and relationship to gender will continue to make room for more robust ways of engaging in masculinity.
"There is a greater awareness around gender and what that means. I think in the future we're going to see more inclusivity and more space for men, women, and gender non-conforming folks to find their identities and live authentically," Englar-Carlson said.
In this article:acceptance, femininity, gender identity, gender roles, masculinity, toxic masculinity
By Darius Faulk At some point in life, we all experience grief. As we go through it, the pain is unbearable. During this process,...
tuskmagazineOctober 16, 2020


Sometimes we forget how much peril everyday life puts our teeth in. Taking a bite out of a fresh apple, playing pretty much any sport, chewing ice, or just a healthy dose of clumsiness can result in a chipped, broken, knocked out, or loose tooth. We at St. Louis Dentistry have treated numerous tooth injuries in Ballwin, MO, and Dr. Postol is an expert in fixing broken teeth. We know that it can be very scary and there are plenty of myths flying around, so we wrote this article as a guide for you to use in times of tooth injury and general tooth crisis. As always, feel free to call us at St. Louis Dentistry and we will walk you through the steps or answer any questions you may have.
Life is full of colorful opportunities to injure your teeth. The important thing is not how your tooth has been broken, chipped, fractured, or knocked loose, but what steps you take to ensure Dr. Postol has the best chance of restoring your smile to its natural, happy state. Use this guide to prepare yourself for any situation.
2) Call Dr. Postol immediately and we'll talk you through it.
3) Head over to St. Louis Dentistry. We'll get you in as soon as we can for an emergency appointment and Dr. Postol will set you right.
3) Again, Call Dr. Postol right away and we'll help you get through your tooth trauma.
4) Get to St. Louis Dentistry and we'll see you as soon as possible.
Time, of course! If you or a family member has experienced a tooth injury, it is best to deal with it immediately. The success of any treatment we administer after an injury is largely dependent on how soon you get here. Ideally, Dr. Postol would prefer to see you less than 30 minutes after the tooth injury in order to give you the best chance of a successful re-implantation. However, don't panic if it's been longer, because we might still be able to help you, even after several hours.
We like to see healthy, confident smiles all over Ballwin, MO, so please let us know anytime you, a friend, or a member of your family has suffered from a lost or broken tooth. We care about your oral health and St. Louis Dentistry will always do our best to keep your teeth safe!


When we were kids, we were probably taught to pray (to whomever) and likely in the prayer you would be taught how to say thank you for what you have. Maybe you still carry that practice once you're an adult but for me, unfortunately, I wasn't being grateful as often as I should.
Gratitude meditation is a type of meditation which, as the name suggests, focuses on gratitude. While some people might think of meditation along the lines of sitting still in a dark room and clearing your mind, gratitude meditation can be practiced in many different settings. One might practice gratitude meditation while they wait for their MRT to arrive, for example.
There are so many things in our lives that we can be thankful for but sometimes we overlooked them and took them for granted. Sometimes we are so blinded with what we think we should have and when we got it, we think it's because we deserve it therefore we didn't say thank you for it. We should also be grateful for the bad things that happened in our lives, since there are things in your life which might initially seem bad, but upon further reflection actually give you an opportunity to learn and grow. Part of gratitude is recognizing there's a blessing in all things.
After observing your gratitudes, you'll realize how blessed you are and life isn't so unfair after all. So reflect on all the blessings around you from the tiniest to the grandest and say thank you.
Thank you. I am grateful. Om Shanti Shanti Shanti.


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Home/Visit
VisitCFSAdmin2017-07-17T11:21:24-07:00
Visit Willamette Heritage Center
photo by: Ron Cooper
What You'll See
Admission to the museum gives you access to exhibits in nine historic structures on our five-acre site. A self-guided tour map is available at the front desk to guide your journey through the museum.
Permanent exhibits in the 1840s homes explore the experiences of Native Americans in the Valley and early European settlement of Oregon including Jason Lee and the Methodist Mission to Oregon and the Oregon Trail.
The Thomas Kay Woolen Mill buildings provide an in-depth look at industrialization and the woolen industry in Oregon. Our special exhibit gallery provides a focused look on seasonal and topical aspects of the heritage of the Mid-Willamette Valley. Click here for more information about our current special exhibits. Additionally, admission grants visitors access to the Research Library and archives which is open Tuesday-Friday 12-4.
Time Requirements
Our five acre site has lots of nooks and crannies to get lost in. You can easily spend two hours or more exploring our exhibits, visiting with our living history interpreters, and visiting the shops and other retailers at the WHC.
In order to maintain our historic structures in their original forms, some of our buildings are not wheelchair accessible. These areas include: 2nd Floor of the Lee House, the Parsonage Building, the Crown Gears and the Pleasant Grove Church. Everything else is accessible by ramp. Please ask at the front desk for information on how to get the most out of your visit.
We have lots of free parking in our lot that can be accessed from Mill Street. We also have an electric car charging station and bike rack.
We have a dedicated group of volunteer docents who lead tours through the Early Settlement Houses and Thomas Kay Woolen Mill for walk-in visitors several days a week, and for group tours (see information below) scheduled in advance. Check the announcement board at the front desk for that day's tours and Living History demonstrators. These tours are subject to volunteer availability.
The Willamette Heritage Center offers special rates for adults, senior and student groups of 10 or more. Click here for more information about Group Tours.
10:00 am Administrative Offices Closed/Mu...
Administrative Offices Closed/Mu...
5:30 pm Member's Preview: Stitches & Sto... @ Willamette Heritage Center
Member's Preview: Stitches & Sto... @ Willamette Heritage Center


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Study: State Must Revise Flawed "Growth Model" & "Proven Provider" Regs
December 22, 2014 /in Charter Schools, Featured, Press Releases, Press Releases: Charter Schools, Press Releases: Education, Press Releases: School Choice, School Choice /by
Charter School Study Calls for Revisions to the State's Flawed "Growth Model" and "Proven Provider" Regulations
Calls for refocusing on model Massachusetts pioneered to support nation's best charter schools
BOSTON – A new study published by Pioneer Institute finds that Massachusetts should revise flawed "growth model" regulations designed to introduce rate of improvement into the formula used to determine which districts perform in the lowest 10 percent statewide and are therefore eligible for more charter seats. The study also suggests that the commonwealth eliminate the requirement that additional charter schools in the lowest-performing districts be opened only by "proven providers," operators with a track record of successfully serving student populations similar to those the new schools would serve.
Innovation Interrupted: How the Achievement Gap Act of 2010 Has Redefined Charter Schooling in Massachusetts
In "Innovation Interrupted: How the Achievement Gap Act of 2010 Has Redefined Charter Schooling in Massachusetts," author Cara Stillings Candal recommends abolishing the cap on charter public schools and refocusing on the model the commonwealth pioneered to create the nation's most successful charter sector: Strong accountability for outcomes coupled with limited regulation and closing charter schools that fail.
"The proven provider requirement hampers charter schools' ability to fulfill one of their intended functions: To provide families with innovative educational options," Candal says. "Instead of innovating, providers are just tweaking and replicating their existing models."
The 2010 law doubled the number of charter school seats in school districts that perform in the bottom 10 percent statewide, but also introduced bureaucratic changes that limit charters' ability to serve the functions intended when they were created as part of Massachusetts' landmark 1993 Education Reform Act.
Earlier this year, the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education voted to change the way they determine which districts are in the bottom 10 percent statewide by incorporating a questionably unreliable student growth measure. The result is limited access to charters in high-demand areas and a shift toward more charter seats in districts with higher overall student achievement.
Another important change is that the districts now considered in the bottom 10 percent have far fewer students, which translates into fewer new charters. Under the new regulations, the districts considered to be in the bottom 10 percent changed in September. Eight districts with more than 70,000 students were removed from the list and replaced with districts that have fewer than 20,000.
The following example of two 8th grade students in 2014 illustrates the shortcomings of the new growth model:
Both students scored 254 on the grade 6 ELA test and 250 on the grade 8 ELA test. The first student, however, scored 240 on the grade 7 ELA test and the second student scored 262 on the grade 7 ELA test. The first student has a 2014 Student Growth Percentile (SGP) of 78 and the second student has a 2014 SGP of 3. Both students were proficient on the MCAS all three years, but the second year difference creates tremendous SGP differences.
The unfortunate effect of the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education's adoption of the growth model is that cities like Brockton became ineligible for charter schools when percentage of students proficient in English and math rose a mere one percent, from 42 to 43 percent over the 2012-2014 period. The policy contradicts the intention, if not the provisions, of the 2010 Achievement Gap Law, which targeted a modest increase in the charter cap in districts where the wealth- and race-based achievement gaps were largest. Only a year after the passage of that law, there was so much demand for charters many of these districts were already bumping up against the new cap.
"The idea behind Massachusetts charter schools was to unleash parent choice and school innovation from bureaucratic barriers to propel statewide education reform," said Jamie Gass, director of Pioneer Institute's Center for School Reform. "But, in spite of having the best charters in the country, increasingly we're seeing arbitrary state regulations and legislative caps block urban students' access to these excellent schools."
The constricting effect of the new growth model is already apparent. This year, the only two applications for new charters to survive the state process thus far required a waiver to continue because Brockton and Fitchburg, where the schools would be located, are no longer considered among the bottom 10 percent of Massachusetts school districts.
Cara Stillings Candal is an education researcher and writer. She is a senior consultant for research and curriculum at the Center for Better Schools/National Academy for Advanced Teacher Education, an adjunct professor at the Boston University School of Education, and a senior fellow at Pioneer Institute.
Tags: Cara Candal, charter schools, school choice
https://pioneerinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/Student-reading1.jpg 1592 1887 Editorial Staff https://pioneerinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/logo_440x96.png Editorial Staff2014-12-22 07:55:432019-07-17 15:57:06Study: State Must Revise Flawed "Growth Model" & "Proven Provider" Regs
What Was Omitted from the Special Advisory Commission Report on Public Officials'... Why We Need Transparency at the MBTA Retirement Fund Now


This spring's Fine Books auction features an array of important manuscript material signed by Chagall, Melville, Theodore Roosevelt, Longfellow, Fitzgerald, Faulkner, Hemingway and others. Rare books include mid-20th century artists' books, incunabula, and unique manuscript material from the colonial and Revolutionary period. The map section is strong in New World and Far East maps and historic atlases.


An ingrown hair is like the annoying kid on the playground who just won't leave you alone. No matter how hard you try to escape, it's there. And it takes forever to get the hint that you don't want it there. I've had my fair share of ingrown hairs, and they're always painful, unsightly and downright embarrassing.
I've tried every trick in the book to get rid of ingrown hairs (I'm sure you have, too), but I've found that prevention is the best way to avoid the heartache and pain of these stubborn nuisances. Here are some easy tricks to help you prevent ingrown hairs from developing in the first place.
I know. I sound like a broken record. But exfoliation really is one of the most important parts of the epilation prep process. Exfoliation gets rid of dead skin cells that play a big role in the development of ingrown hairs. I recommend using an exfoliation glove (a.k.a. spa glove), but you can use any exfoliation method you want. Scrubs are great, too. You can add sugar or salt to your shower gel to create the same effect (at a lower cost). Coffee grinds work great as well (plus your shower will smell like coffee – bonus!).
No matter what method you use, exfoliate before you epilate and do it every other day (or daily) afterwards.
If that layer of dead skin isn't removed, the hair will have a hard time breaking through the surface, which will lead to an ingrown hair.
The most common areas where women get ingrown hairs is the sides of the legs and the bikini area. Why? Because most of us wear tight-fitting jeans.
Believe it or not, tight-fitting clothing is one of the most common causes of ingrown hairs. If you're throwing on a pair of tight jeans after epilating, you're not doing yourself any favors. Wear loose-fitting clothing after each session to avoid getting those pesky ingrown hairs.
Cotton is the best option because it's breathable and promotes better airflow.
Having a good quality epilator is one of the best ways to prevent ingrown hairs, but technique is just as important. Try not to move in rapid circles. Take your time. Use short strokes and move in a slow, controlled way. Move against the growth. Moving quickly will only increase your chances of getting ingrown hairs.
Preparation can go a long way in helping prevent ingrown hairs.
Trim your hair. Epilators work best on shorter hair, so trim your hair down to 1/8 inch. You can also shave two days before epilating if you don't want to trim with a pair of scissors.
Remove any oils, make up or lotion from your skin.
Use cornstarch or baby powder (the talc-free kind) to soak up any moisture. Remember, moisture can cause the tweezers to slip and breakage to occur, which can cause more ingrown hairs.
Use an antiseptic, like aloe vera or witch hazel, afterward to prevent bacteria from getting into your pores. And after a few hours, apply a generous amount of moisturizer to your skin to hydrate your follicles. Remember, when the hair starts to grow back, you want to make sure that it can break through the skin. Keeping your skin hydrated can help you do that.


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(Credit: ABC)
The unsolved mystery that inspired 'Twin Peaks'
Calum Russell
@Russellisation
Wed 11th Aug 2021 22.00 BST
Situated in the Salmo-Priest Wilderness, "five miles south of the Canadian border, and twelve miles west of the state line", as stated by Agent Cooper, 'Twin Peaks' is a fictional town with a veiled, dreamlike quality. Much like David Lynch's 1986 classic Blue Velvet, the story of Lynch's surreal TV show, Twin Peaks, depicts an otherwise normal American land, slowly leaking the surreal tonal energy that fuels its underbelly.
Populated by a host of strange individuals, from Margaret Lanterman (better known as the Log Lady) to the maniacal Leland Palmer, these characters feel like lost spirits wandering through the wilderness, stabilised by the appearance of outsider Agent Dale Cooper.
Twin Peaks became a cultural phenomenon at the start of the 1990s, with Lynch establishing a strong uncanny story that was just intriguing enough to have viewers come back week-on-week. It was a cultural phenomenon that would sow the seeds for the contemporary interest in 'true crime' stories that today permeate through modern media.
Although Lynch and co-creator Mark Frost seemed to be inspired by the land of experimental cinema and the imagery of surreal dreams, their tale of small-town murder was, however, inspired by the real-life murder of Hazel Irene Drew.
The body of Hazel Drew was found lifeless and bloated in Teal's Pond, New York, on July 7th 1908, her skull crushed by the blow of a blunt, unknown object. Immediately a murder investigation was launched, sparking a case that remains unsolved to this very day. The shocking discovery of her body occurred in the same vicinity as where Mark Frost would spend his summer vacations as a youth, becoming a life-long mystery pertinent in his life.
Speaking at a 2013 Twin Peaks reunion at the University of Southern California, Mark Frost noted, "I'd heard stories about [Hazel] all through my growing up, because she's supposedly haunted this area of the lake…So that's kind of where Laura came from". It was during the show's development that Frost started to investigate the case, going to city hall for more information: "It was the notion of this girl's body being found on the edge of the water, the mystery remaining unsolved, the multiple suspects, and the kind of cross-cultural and different social classes of people she interacted with…It really struck my fancy".
Continuing, Frost states, "I'd grown up hearing about people in the mountain who were out of the ordinary, who were a little off-kilter sometimes. So I think all of those stories had an impact on my thinking about folks like this, and I definitely can remember feeling like, 'Yeah, this is a little bit like the guy who used to live out by the sawmill' or 'This is one of the hermits that I'd hear about'".
The land of Twin Peaks straddles reality and surrealism, extracting truth from the real-life murder of Hazel Irene Drew as well as the obscurities of small-town America. Thirty years after the case was opened, it is a mystery still yet to be truly solved.


> ARM Thumb has an If-Then instruction with similar semantics.
> allowed overlap. Andy Glew has termed this "skip under mask".
Etienne (etienne_lorrain.delete@this.yahoo.fr) on February 5, 2013 7:22 am wrote: > > > > > Continued reliance on condition flags. > > Paul A. Clayton (paaronclayton.delete@this.gmail.com) on February 4, 2013 8:43 am wrote: > > ARM Thumb has an If-Then instruction with similar semantics. > > Mitch Alsup has proposed (on comp.arch) a more complex semantic than If-Then that > > allowed overlap. Andy Glew has termed this "skip under mask". > > All those still assume you have a condition flags, the "skip under mask" instruction > do not do the test itself... > > Etienne.


text:
Mighty is the third album from Kristene DiMarco, and her first live album. It was released by Jesus Culture Music and Sparrow Records on July 31, 2015. Jeremy Edwardson and Jeffrey Kunde worked on the album's production.

Critical reception

Jamie Walker of CCM Magazine gave the album a three-star review, stating that "lovers of her powerful worship leading will be delighted with what they find here." Caitlin Lassiter rated it three and a half stars in New Release Today, writing, "Lyrically, Mighty is a strong and worshipful effort, but sonically, things often fall short of expectation." Giving a rating of 3.7 out of five at Christian Music Review, Laura Chambers' view was that "Every song resonates with a calm, assured mood, underscoring the peace we can experience if we trust Him in all things." Calvin Moore, awarding the album four stars in The Christian Manifesto, says, "Mighty is an excellent live worship experience featuring evocative songs, strong music, and powerful vocals." Giving the album four and a half stars at New Release Today, Kevin Davis states, "These excellent songs are all prayers, adorations and declarations about our great God, who is mighty to save." Amanda Furbeck gave a three and a half star review for Worship Leader, stating, "Mighty showcases Kristene DiMarco's talents as a singer/songwriter with 11 original songs interspersed with the familiar strains of a few traditional hymns." In a ten out of ten review at Cross Rhythms, Stephen Luff stated, "This is an amazing release from one of the most gifted singer/songwriters in the whole of modern worship."

Awards and accolades
This album was No. 16, on the Worship Leader'''s Top 20 Albums of 2015 list.

The song, "Eyes On You", was No. 13, on the Worship Leader'''s Top 20 Songs of 2015 list.

Track listing

Charts

References

2015 live albums
Kristene DiMarco albums
Sparrow Records albums

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We are the No 1 "first Call" for Temporary Workers for 100's of Businesses.
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At Nationwide Recruitment we make it our duty to employ workers fairly and within the guidance of the legislation.
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We have unrivalled experience supplying temporary temporary construction workers.
With 24 years experience we really understand the "Built Environment Sector"
With our office network we can supply both locally and anywhere in the UK.
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Enjoy these healthier candy alternative treats on Halloween night with the whole family!
Last year, we did not pass out Halloween candy to trick-or-treaters.
After embarking on my weight loss journey, I did a ton of reflecting and sorted out what some of my binge-eating triggers are and when they typically occur. One of the patterns I identified looking back on my life and my history of binge-eating pointed out the holidays to me, and how as a teenager I would feel anxiety around Halloween time and take out my negative emotions on an entire bag of candy at a time.
It's not a glamorous thing to talk about, and even still I have difficulty opening up about my experience dealing with my binge-eating tendencies that have lead me to where I was when I started my weight loss journey, but I think it's important that I be as authentic as I can be while remaining open and honest.
I did end up sharing my news about not handing out candy on Facebook to close friends and family, and everyone was very supportive of my decision. But one thing that was brought up that I had not considered was how I could pass out candy alternatives so I could still have a treat for my adorable little neighbors on Halloween night. This year, we're taking that advice and I have stocked up on adorable stickers, spider rings, and little under-a-dollar type toys we are going to hand out to trick-or-treaters at our new condo!
With that same mindset, I thought about how Halloween often encourages us to eat lots of sugar and sweets, and while that is delicious, it can be a bad decision to some. Today, I am sharing some healthier, candy alternative snacks and treats to make and enjoy as a family on Halloween!
Halloween is oftentimes overwhelmed by candy and desserts, so it's always a good idea to find ways to balance out all of the sweetness with something that has a little bit more nutritional value to it. Below, I am sharing some of my favorite easy ways to make spooky treats inspired by classic Halloween monsters for a healthier snack you and your family can enjoy this Halloween!
These are all such cute ideas for Halloween, and I love that they're healthier options! I especially love the Frankenstein kiwis and Jack-O-Lantern fruit tray.
Halloween and other holidays can certainly be trigger times for overeating sweets. I think your decision not to pass out candy is a very healthy one for you but having fun non-candy items to pass out still lets you enjoy the holiday.
I love these ideas! I'm always on the lookout for healthier treats for the kids and there's no doubt that these are awesome.
Such cute ideas! I don't like passing out candy either. Partly for the same reason you didn't and partly because we live in the country but a neighborhood. I love my neighborhood kids and seeing them all dressed so cute. It's the trailer loads of other kids that show up from all over that I've never seen and will never see again that get me. This year though, my church gave out some cute pumpkin gospel goodie bags and we had extra so I have some for Tuesday!
These are such fun and clever ideas! You're right, the holidays seem to be about sweet treats and things that aren't so good for us. These are some fun healthier alternatives!
These were such cute and creative ways to hand out healthier treats. I bet the kids didn't even care that they were healthier options.


While this was interesting and I was captivated by what I read I can truly say that this book is not for me. I am one of many who feels this way as you can see to what the other reviewees have written.
Was I sucked into the story? Yes and no. I thought that the MC would have met earlier on in the book but they didn't and when they did it was way past the 52 % mark. I was also under the impression that it would only be based around Jesse and Jenny but there are several POV that we get to see in the book. This obviously adds to the story yet it isn't what I wanted. This is where I'm torn where I thought that it added additional layers to the book but where it was also something I personally wasn't interested in.
The mind of the author is creative, offering in-depth characters with a world filled with raiders, barren lands, robots, and huge difference in societal classes. There is action, suspense with some banter that I liked now I love steampunk and I've read quite a few books in this genre but this book just wasn't for me. IT could be that the paranormal aspect was missing that adds for me more spice to a book.
There was just not enough romance in the book and the character meet far too late in the book that I lost interest. This is just ONE opinion of many and is to be taken with a pinch of salt.


Prior to visiting Taiwan, I was doing some research and discovered that Spirited Away, one of my favorite Miyazaki films, is based on the coastal town of Jiufen 九份. And being a Studio Ghibli fan, of course I had to go see it in person. It's a popular tourist spot amongst people all across Asia (there were a lot of Korean and Japanese fans). We went closer to night time to see the lanterns, but do note that the shops close pretty early (around 7pm)! During the day, you can get some awesome coastal views if it's not too foggy. Wish we had more time to explore while it was still light out.
I was always more of a cat person growing up and so was intrigued upon hearing about Houtong Cat Village in Taiwan (猴硐貓村). A town overrun with cats? Count me in. Unfortunately we went on a rainy day so the cats were more damp than furry. Didn't end up petting too many of them. Some of them were quite friendly and will snuggle up to your legs. We also saw a dog that was mostly ignored. It seems tourism is big business for this village as everything is cat-themed. The signs, the store displays, the souvenirs. Me-ow.


text:
New health insurance plan offers more
June 30, 2008 12:00 am by Chris Wagenheim
USF Student Health Services (SHS) has chosen a new insurance carrier for students, which will offer more comprehensive coverage at an increased price.
After five years with Pearce and Pearce, the USF Student Health Insurance Advisory Committee chose Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) of Florida as the University's new student insurance provider. Despite an annual policy increase to $1,364 - up from $1,253 annually – several deductibles have been reduced while policy caps have been extended or removed.
Along with reduced co-pays for emergency room visits and services outside the USF network, the new policy removes the lifetime maximum benefit cap. Under the old plan, students would only be covered up to $200,000 for life – BCBS covers students up to $200,000 per year, every year.
The new policy also removes the need for referral of services within the USF Physicians Group, a network of USF-employed physicians and specialists around the Tampa Bay area.
"Our students can now get the same level of benefits they get at Student Health Services from the USF Physicians Group," said Marisol Hernandez, assistant director of SHS. "Last year we started a collaboration with them, but it was only with their primary clinics. It meant no referrals required, but they still had deductibles and so forth. Now, we have removed the deductibles and basically if you go there, it's the same level of benefits as Student Health Services."
BCBS representative Greg Ferguson worked on the new policy for USF and said that the company recognized the advisory board's needs and wants.
"I think we were responsive to their Intent to Negotiate (ITN)," Ferguson said. "We also went above and beyond what was on the ITN."
ITN is a formal letter the University sends to providers, informing them that it is entertaining bids for new policies.
The advisory board was required to accept bids for a replacement policy because the contract with Pearce and Pearce ends Aug. 18.
"We indicated what we were looking for from a carrier, and we asked those interested to go ahead and submit a bid," Hernandez said. "We ended up with eight submissions from different carriers, and from those eight, the committee got together, reviewed all the different bids and we narrowed it down to four."
Among the final four were Pearce and Pearce, BCBS, Aetna and United. Hernandez said that BCBS is under a two-year contract with the University, but that contract can be renewed for an additional three.
"If everything goes well, we could possibly be with Blue Cross Blue Shield for five years," she said. "During the second year, for whatever reason, if either party would like to go out or end the agreement, we can."
Former Student Government Senator Keenan Arodak was a member of the selection committee and was glad to see the University go with BCBS.
"Blue Cross was the best of the bidders we had to deal with," Arodak said. "Both in terms of price and coverage."
Arodak said there were other bidders with cheaper plans, but BCBS offered the best plan for the best money. He said that choosing this plan puts USF student coverage with the best policies around the country.
"If you compare it to a lot of the programs that are around the nation, it is very much competitive," Arodak said. "We looked at Arizona State as one example – they use a different insurer entirely, but coverage itself is the same and UF has a very similar plan, but ours is a little better as far as the out of network goes."
Arodak, Hernandez and Ferguson said that BCBS' large provider network was a major selling point. Students that travel outside the Tampa Bay area or the state can receive health care with an 80 percent deductible as long as they stay inside the BCBS network of services. Ninety percent of the nation's hospitals and 80 percent of the nation's physicians are contracted with BCBS, according to their Web site.
"The network was a big deal," Ferguson said. "We wanted to make sure that when they (the students) went home with mom and dad, that a network was available outside of Florida or outside the area. And with our network, they have that not only in Florida, but nationwide."
Other benefits included in the BCBS plan are a $1,000-a-year prescription benefit with a $20 generic co-pay and a $30 brand-name co-pay, 30 outpatient mental health sessions with a $20 co-pay and unlimited hospital room and board. Under the Pearce and Pearce plan, prescriptions were not covered and outpatient mental health had a lifetime cap of $500.
"I think this plan is similar to what most individuals are used to," Hernandez said. "It is now a true PPO plan. Our existing one is a hybrid between an HMO and a PPO."
BCBS will also be providing online resources, which include a weight management program, a stress management program and a smoking cessation program at www.studentinsurancegroup.us.
Students may sign up for the new policy starting at the end of July, Hernandez said, but those interested must apply within 30 days of the institution of the new policy, Aug. 18.


text:
Hagenauer is a surname of German origin. It may refer to the following people:

 Friedrich Hagenauer (1829 — 1909), Australian missionary
 Joachim Hagenauer (born 1941), German information theorist
 Nikolaus Hagenauer (c. 1445/60 — 1538), German sculptor
 Johann Baptist von Hagenauer (1732 — 1811), Austrian sculptor
 Johann Lorenz von Hagenauer (1712 — 1792), Austrian merchant, landlord and friend of the Mozart family
 Johann Georg von Hagenauer (1748 — 1835), Austrian architect
  Franz Hagenauer (1906 - 1986), Austrian sculptor
  Karl Hagenauer (1898 - 1956), Austrian designer

See also
 Hagenau
Surnames of Austrian origin


text:
Q: Basic c++ constructor notation I'm learning c++ and I was looking at the following webpage:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/vstudio/bb384842.aspx
The code given on that page contains the following line of code under step 7.
Cardgame::Cardgame(int players)
    : players(players)
{
    totalParticipants += players;
    cout << players << " players have started a new game.  There are now "
          << totalParticipants << " players in total." << endl;
}

As I understand it, the first line corresponds to an object constructor which takes a single integer argument. However, I don't understand the line directly after it
: players(players)

What does this notation mean? Could someone please explain this to me in as simple a way as possible?

A: It is called member initialization list. You may find this thread C++ member initialization list useful.
In the code you posted, it will initialize the class member players with the input value players. (BTW, bad style to use the same names).

A: It is called the member-initialization-list.
It is used to initialize members of a class by choosing the best initializer for it. Here you are initializing your member players with the parameter of the same. (It can be confusing to choose the same name, it is not a really good practice.)
From the standard :

12.6.2 Initializing bases and members [class.base.init]
In the definition of a constructor for a class, initializers for direct and virtual base subobjects and non-static data members can be specified by a ctor-initializer, which has the form
ctor-initializer:
    mem-initializer-list

mem-initializer-list:
    mem-initializer ...opt
    mem-initializer , mem-initializer-list ...opt

mem-initializer:
    mem-initializer-id ( expression-listopt)
    mem-initializer-id braced-init-list

mem-initializer-id:
    class-or-decltype
    identifier

I really suggest you to read the first post of this thread who explain it very well by quoting Scott Meyers : http://www.cplusplus.com/forum/articles/17820/
You can get more informations here :http://en.cppreference.com/w/cpp/language/initializer_list

A: This refers to initialization list which is another form of initialising the members of an object.
Advantage of initialization list over normal construction is that it usually fast as it doesn't create a temporary object before initializing the members.
And a disadvantage could be that this pointer is to be used a bit carefully in initialization list

A: As it's already mentioned by taocp, the line refers to member initialization list.
There are couple of ways to initialize members
1. member initialization list (efficient approach)
2. using assignment e.g. players = 10
It might not make any difference for built-in types e.g. int, char
but if you are assigning big objects then use member initialization list. Constructor/ Destructor gets called in assignment which is definitely not warranted

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