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http://sh.diva-portal.org/smash/person.jsf?pid=authority-person:977
Friberg, Katarina orcid.org/0000-0003-0653-2828
Publications (10 of 14) Show all publications
Friberg, K. (2017). A Co-operative Take on Free Trade: International Ambitions and Regional Initiatives in International Co-operative Trade. In: Mary Hilson, Silke Neunsinger, Greg Patmore (Ed.), A Global History of Consumer Co-operation since 1850: Movements and Businesses (pp. 201-225). Leiden: Brill Academic Publishers
Open this publication in new window or tab >>A Co-operative Take on Free Trade: International Ambitions and Regional Initiatives in International Co-operative Trade
Friberg, Katarina
Södertörn University, School of Historical and Contemporary Studies, Institute of Contemporary History.
2017 (English)In: A Global History of Consumer Co-operation since 1850: Movements and Businesses / [ed] Mary Hilson, Silke Neunsinger, Greg Patmore, Leiden: Brill Academic Publishers, 2017, p. 201-225Chapter in book (Refereed)
This chapter deals with co-operative ambitions to create institutions that would establish international co-operative trade. This implied stimulating trade between the national co-operative wholesales, or more ambitiously, the creation of an international co-operative business organization. Free trade as a trade policy and as an approach to internationalism was a condition for the realization of international co-operative trade. Protectionism was not an option. But the very notion of free trade, and the ways in which co-operators have related to it, has been subject to subtle shifts and changes. In the chapter, we follow the endeavours of co-operators to agree on institutions for co-operative international trade and thereby also their discussion regarding free trade policy. The period covered is the first half of the twentieth century but focus is on the inter-war period.
Leiden: Brill Academic Publishers, 2017
Studies in Global Social History, ISSN 1874-6705 ; 28
consumer co-opertion, free trade, International Co-operative Alliance
urn:nbn:se:sh:diva-33090 (URN)10.1163/9789004336551_011 (DOI)9789004336544 (ISBN)
Från moralisk ekonomi till rättvisehandel: En jämförande samtidshistorisk studie av svensk och brittisk konsumentkooperation i relation till internationell handel och utvecklingsbistånd
Swedish Research Council, 2006-1547
Friberg, K. (2015). Accounts along the aid chain: Administering a moral economy. Journal of Global Ethics, 11(2), 246-256
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Accounts along the aid chain: Administering a moral economy
2015 (English)In: Journal of Global Ethics, ISSN 1744-9626, E-ISSN 1744-9634, Vol. 11, no 2, p. 246-256Article in journal (Refereed) Published
The purpose of this article is threefold. First, it aims to delineate the flow of resources and the claims on those resources within the humanitarian aid system by locating task structures and functional units across the aid chain. Second, it draws on this account to highlight tensions in the system. Different stations in the organisational process are conditioned by the tasks assigned to them, how those tasks are anchored in a moral economy, and their historical interrelations. Third, it explores how aid organisations are perceived by experts in different parts of the aid chain. Four key agents were invited to recount their work experiences. We then consider how the outlook of the interviewees was shaped by their place in the aid chain. The interviews are an inventory of experiences, a preliminary corroboration of the organisational analysis that preceded them, and a source of future hypotheses. © 2015 The Author(s). Published by Taylor & Francis.
accounts, aid chain, fundraising, humanitarian aid, moral economy, needs assessment
Historical Studies; Baltic and East European studies
urn:nbn:se:sh:diva-28187 (URN)10.1080/17449626.2015.1054563 (DOI)2-s2.0-84938526978 (Scopus ID)481/42/2012 (Local ID)481/42/2012 (Archive number)481/42/2012 (OAI)
The Moral Economy of Global Civil Society: A History of Voluntary Food Aid
Swedish Research Council, 2012-614
Friberg, K. (2015). Den glömda konsumtionen. Auktionshandel i Sverige under 1700- och 1800-talen [The neglected consumption: the role of auctions in Sweden during the eighteenth and nineteenth Centuries] [Review]. Scandinavian Economic History Review, 63(2), 207-209
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Den glömda konsumtionen. Auktionshandel i Sverige under 1700- och 1800-talen [The neglected consumption: the role of auctions in Sweden during the eighteenth and nineteenth Centuries]
2015 (English)In: Scandinavian Economic History Review, ISSN 0358-5522, E-ISSN 1750-2837, Vol. 63, no 2, p. 207-209Article, book review (Other academic) Published
urn:nbn:se:sh:diva-36763 (URN)10.1080/03585522.2015.1032342 (DOI)000210594500008 ()
Friberg, K. & Götz, N. (2015). Introduction to the thematic issue 'Moral Economy: New Perspectives'. Journal of Global Ethics, 11(2), 143-146
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Introduction to the thematic issue 'Moral Economy: New Perspectives'
Götz, Norbert
2015 (English)In: Journal of Global Ethics, ISSN 1744-9626, E-ISSN 1744-9634, Vol. 11, no 2, p. 143-146Article in journal, Editorial material (Other academic) Published
History History of Ideas Economics Globalisation Studies
Swedish Research Council, 2012–614
Friberg, K. & Götz, N. (Eds.). (2015). Moral Economy: New Perspectives. Abingdon: Taylor and Francis
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Moral Economy: New Perspectives
2015 (English)Collection (editor) (Refereed)
Alternative title[en]
Journal of Global Ethics : 11, 2 (2015)
Abingdon: Taylor and Francis, 2015
Journal of Global Ethics, ISSN 1744-9626 ; 11, 2
History History of Ideas Economics Globalisation Studies Political Science (excluding Public Administration Studies and Globalisation Studies) Philosophy Ethnology
urn:nbn:se:sh:diva-27988 (URN)
Götz, N. & Friberg, K. (2013). Det globala civilsamhällets moraliska ekonomi: Historien om den frivilliga livsmedelshjälpen. Arbetarhistoria : Meddelande från Arbetarrörelsens Arkiv och Bibliotek (1), 23-25
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Det globala civilsamhällets moraliska ekonomi: Historien om den frivilliga livsmedelshjälpen
2013 (Swedish)In: Arbetarhistoria : Meddelande från Arbetarrörelsens Arkiv och Bibliotek, ISSN 0281-7446, no 1, p. 23-25Article in journal, Editorial material (Other academic) Published
urn:nbn:se:sh:diva-20499 (URN)481/42/2012 (Local ID)481/42/2012 (Archive number)481/42/2012 (OAI)
Swedish Research Council
Friberg, K., Vorberg-Rugh, R., Webster, A. & Wilson, J. (2012). The Politics of Commercial Dynamics: Cooperative Adaptations to Postwar Consumerism in the United Kingdom and Sweden 1950-2012. In: Patrizia Battilani, Harm G. Schröter (Ed.), The Cooperative Business Movement, 1950 to the Present: (pp. 243-262). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
Open this publication in new window or tab >>The Politics of Commercial Dynamics: Cooperative Adaptations to Postwar Consumerism in the United Kingdom and Sweden 1950-2012
Linnéuniversitetet, Institutionen för kulturvetenskaper, KV.
Vorberg-Rugh, Rachael
University of Liverpool.
Webster, Anthony
Liverpool John Moores University.
Wilson, John
Liverpool University.
2012 (English)In: The Cooperative Business Movement, 1950 to the Present / [ed] Patrizia Battilani, Harm G. Schröter, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2012, p. 243-262Chapter in book (Refereed)
Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2012
Comparative perspectives in business history
Cooperation, consumerism, politics
urn:nbn:se:sh:diva-25501 (URN)10.1017/CBO9781139237208.013 (DOI)000311638300013 ()978-1-107-02898-2 (ISBN)
Friberg, K. (2012). Trade, Gender and Membership: Co-operative Policy and Practice in North East England and Southern Sweden in the late 19th and early 20th Century. North East History (NEH) Journal of the North East Labour History Society, 43, 42-56
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Trade, Gender and Membership: Co-operative Policy and Practice in North East England and Southern Sweden in the late 19th and early 20th Century
2012 (English)In: North East History (NEH) Journal of the North East Labour History Society, ISSN 1474-3248, Vol. 43, p. 42-56Article in journal (Refereed) Published
The North East Labour History Society, 2012
co-operation, gender, membership
Friberg, K. (2012). Visions and organisation: Kooperativa Förbundet and the social question. In: Mary Hilson, Pirjo Markkola, Ann-Catrin Östman (Ed.), Co-operatives and the Social Question: The co-operative movement in nothern and eastern Europe (1880-1950) (pp. 57-71). Cardiff: Welsh Academic Press
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Visions and organisation: Kooperativa Förbundet and the social question
2012 (English)In: Co-operatives and the Social Question: The co-operative movement in nothern and eastern Europe (1880-1950) / [ed] Mary Hilson, Pirjo Markkola, Ann-Catrin Östman, Cardiff: Welsh Academic Press, 2012, p. 57-71Chapter in book (Refereed)
Cardiff: Welsh Academic Press, 2012
orgnisation, co-operation, social question
urn:nbn:se:sh:diva-25497 (URN)978-1-86057-055-1 (ISBN)
Friberg, K. (2011). Negotiating consumer and producer interests: A Challange for the Co-operative Movement and Fair Trade. In: Anthony Webster, Linda Shaw, John K. Walton, Alyson Brown, David Stewart (Ed.), The Hidden Alternative: Co-operative values, past, present and future (pp. 115-136). Manchester: Manchester University Press
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Negotiating consumer and producer interests: A Challange for the Co-operative Movement and Fair Trade
2011 (English)In: The Hidden Alternative: Co-operative values, past, present and future / [ed] Anthony Webster, Linda Shaw, John K. Walton, Alyson Brown, David Stewart, Manchester: Manchester University Press, 2011, p. 115-136Chapter in book (Refereed)
This chapter looks closer at the concept fair trade and what this means within a co-operative context. More specifically it deals with the dilemma of negotiating consumer and producer interests and an equitable distribution of resources between all parties involved in the production and distribution of goods. The study puts the present day consumer co-operative organisations' engagement for fair trade into a historic context. It discusses the possible links between classic co-operative convictions and fair trade today. It also shows how different ideals for an equitable distribution of resources developed within the Co-operative movement and that these ideals could clash. It is not a comprehensive study following the dealings between co-operators through the ages. Instead we focus on co-operators' efforts to combine producer and consumer interests and how this relate to challenges for Fair Trade today. Examples discussed and compared in the text are taken from the history of the British and Swedish co-operative movements. The comparative element puts the familiar narratives of the British Co-operative movement into a new context and makes it possible for us to see how co-operative principles travel and are transformed.
Manchester: Manchester University Press, 2011
fair trade, co-operation, consumer, producer
urn:nbn:se:sh:diva-25498 (URN)978-0-7190-8655-7 (ISBN)978-07190-865-6 (ISBN)
Södertörn University, School of Historical and Contemporary Studies, Institute of Contemporary History
Södertörn University, School of Gender, Culture and History, Institute of Contemporary History (Closed down 2012-12-31)
ORCID iD: orcid.org/0000-0003-0653-2828
Show all publications


2018-19 year, eligibility: Sophomore with four seasons of eligibility remaining, including 2018.
Depth chart: At least somewhat due to a foot injury, White (above, on right) fell down the depth chart this spring. Junior Jonathan Jones entrenched himself as the backup Mike linebacker behind senior Te'von Coney, while sophomore Jordan Genmark-Heath moved from safety late in the spring and immediately positioned himself as the backup at Buck behind fifth-year Drue Tranquill. At best, White is in the mix with early-enrolled freshmen Jack Lamb and Bo Bauer on the defense's third-string.
Recruiting: A consensus three-star recruit, White chose Notre Dame from a lengthy offer list including the likes of LSU, Michigan and Ohio State.
White saw no action his freshman season, preserving a year of eligibility.
White never came up in conversation this spring, though that certainly traces in part to his foot being in a boot with crutches at his side for much of the stretch.
"Every tackle White records on defense should register with some amount of surprise. There are simply too many established veterans ahead of him for White to see much, if any, playing time this season on that side of the ball.
"But that does not mean a year spent preserving eligibility is on the horizon. It does not even mean White will not log tackles.
"Notre Dame's lack of defensive depth stood out in spring practice whenever the view turned to special teams. Most pertinently, Irish special teams coordinator Brian Polian lamented the dearth of available bodies for his kick and punt coverage units. White could be a prime candidate to help out in those regards, and given his penchant for finding the ballcarrier, he could tally as many as 10 tackles, which, given only a smattering of chances, is actually a notable figure.
When Tranquill moved to the interior role of Buck linebacker, he greatly reduced the chances of White seeing time this season. Rather than Jones or one of the freshmen earning starting honors and White working as the backup, each of those roles was knocked down a rung, not to mention Genmark-Heath joined the fray.
All that is to say, White should see time on special teams this season, but that may end up the extent of his work.
Part of White's fall down the depth chart is a credit to the linebackers coming in behind him. Bauer and Lamb — and in a different respect, early-enrolled Ovie Oghoufo and incoming freshman Shayne Simon — were brought in by former defensive coordinator Mike Elko and new defensive coordinator (and linebackers coach) Clark Lea. Elko and Lea knew what they were looking for to fit their system. They targeted Bauer and Lamb and Co. with that in mind.
Could White move back up the depth chart? Of course. Coney and Tranquill will be at the next level in a year, and even if Jones and Genmark-Heath establish themselves as the backups du jour, that is still a big step from proving worthy of a starter's workload. White will have that chance next offseason, albeit alongside the two frontrunners, the current class of freshmen and a few more in the recruiting class of 2019 (starting with consensus four-star linebabckers Osita Ekwonu).


A Bristol based plumber, electrician or builder thats right up your street! MJK offer honest, reliable and affordable plumbing, electrical and building services in Bristol.
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For your athletes to excel in the game, they need to consume the right nutrition. Providing nutrition advice to your athletes can help them make the most of their athletic talents.
Promote optimal recovery after exercise.
The most important factor in sports nutrition is water, which makes up approximately 60% of body weight. Athletes require more water than the typical 8 cups of water everyone should drink each day. Remember to stress the importance of staying hydrated to your players to ensure they avoid overheating or becoming dehydrated during play.
Drink about 8 to 10 ounces of water every 15 minutes or so during your workout.
Eating a balanced diet and having the right combination of calories from carbohydrates, proteins, and fats is key to sports nutrition. Prior to competition your athletes should eat a meal high in carbohydrates, choose easily digestible foods, avoid sugary foods within one hour of the competition, and drink plenty of water.
"If your athletes apply these three principles correctly, they can maximize their training efforts and compete at their best level," explains Dr. Gary G. Doss, sports medicine specialist atOrthopedic Associates of Port Huron.
For additional sports nutrition information, contact the sports medicine experts at Orthopedic Associates of Port Huron by calling (810) 985-4900.


Why not we gift our kids with some of the Best Books on this Christmas. Let them enjoy their holidays by reading these books listed in Best Holiday Books for Kids to their heart's content. Here are some of the best authors and their best stories.
Leroy Ninker has a hat, a lasso, and boots. What he doesn't have is a horse — until he meets Maybelline, that is, and then it's love at first sight. Maybelline loves spaghetti and sweet nothings, and she loves Leroy, too. But when Leroy forgets the third and final rule of caring for Maybelline, disaster ensues. Can Leroy wrestle fate to the ground, rescue the horse of his heart, and lasso loneliness for good?
Humorous and action-packed award-winning writing team of Shannon and Dean Hale and illustrator LeUyen Pham. Princess Magnolia is having hot chocolate and scones with Duchess Wigtower when . . . Brring! Brring! The monster alarm! A big blue monster is threatening the goats! Stopping monsters is no job for dainty Princess Magnolia. But luckily Princess Magnolia has a secret —she's also the Princess in Black, and stopping monsters is the perfect job for her! Can the princess sneak away, transform into her alter ego, and defeat the monster before the nosy duchess discovers her secret?
Drywater Gulch has a toad problem. Not the hop-down-your-britches, croaking-all-night toad kind of problem. The thievin', hootin' and hollerin', steal-your-gold never-say-thank-you outlaw toad kind of problem.
In this inspiring true story, beloved artist Patricia Polacco conquers her fear of public speaking, allowing her to discover her remarkable voice. A wonderful companion to Thank You, Mr. Falker and The Art of Miss Chew, it celebrates the lifelong impact of a great teacher.
Missy loves her librarian, Miss Brooks. And she loves to go to Miss Brooks' before-school story time. But to get to Story Nook, she has to pass Billy Toomey's house—and she does not love Billy Toomey. Billy always tries to steal her hat and jeers, "I'm going to get you!" It's vexing. Then one rainy (and hatless) day, Miss Brooks changes story hour to storytelling hour. She teaches the kids about characters and plot and action and satisfying conclusions and encourages them to make up their own tales.
In this seventh installment of the New York Times–bestselling series, Kitty encounters what may be her most formidable foe yet: her creator! Kitty soon learns that feline manipulation works both ways—especially when you're at the wrong end of your author's pencil. Along the way, Nick shows kids how a book is created, despite the frequent interruptions from you-know-who.
Street photographer and storyteller extraordinaire Brandon Stanton is the creator of the wildly popular blog "Humans of New York." He is also the author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Humans of New York. To create Little Humans, a 40-page photographic picture book for young children, he's combined an original narrative with some of his favorite children's photos from the blog, in addition to all-new exclusive portraits.
THEODOR SEUSS GEISEL–aka Dr. Seuss–is one of the most beloved children's book authors of all time. From The Cat in the Hat to Oh, the Places You'll Go!, his iconic characters, stories, and art style have been a lasting influence on generations of children and adults. The books he wrote and illustrated under the name Dr. Seuss (and others that he wrote but did not illustrate, including some under the pseudonyms Theo. LeSieg and Rosetta Stone) have been translated into thirty languages.
Artist and printmaker Jesse Levison brings style to the alphabet in U is for Underwear. Toddlers will keep turning the pages of this chunky board book featuring simple, vibrant, and graphic illustrations. Imbuing everyday objects with a sense of wonder, the bold artwork makes a perfect introduction to the ABCs for young pre-readers who can trace the letters with a finger and begin to understand the symbolic representation that underlies reading and writing.
The helicopter goes, "PITTATATATA PITTATATATA PITTATATATA." The jumbo jet goes, "Wheeeeeeeee VRRRRRRRRRRUUUHHHHHHHHHMMM." The propeller plane goes, "HUK HUK HUK WHIRRRRRRR WHIRRRRRR." Prepare for liftoff with 8 exciting aircraft and the noises they make in this irresistible board book! The long, oversized format lends itself to the shape of the vehicles and stands out on the shelf, and the boisterous text begs to be read aloud.
In a cozy bedtime chat with her mom, a young girl wonders how animal families might say good night. Would Wolf and his pup "kiss and then HOWL"? Would Bear and her cub "kiss and then GROWL"? But what about Sloth and her baby? They move soooo slooowwwww . . . they're sure to be kissing from early evening until long after everyone else is fast asleep!


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Home Epigenetics DNA methylation Children's Cognitive and Metabolic Health Affected by Dad's Nicotine, Exercise Habits
Children's Cognitive and Metabolic Health Affected by Dad's Nicotine, Exercise Habits
Clinical OMICs Staff Writer
Source: Erik Jonsson / EyeEm/Getty Images
The results of studies by researchers at Florida State University College of Medicine suggest that nicotine exposure in men could lead to cognitive deficits in their children and grandchildren. The research found that adding nicotine to the drinking water of male mice led to epigenetic changes in sperm cell genes that might impact on key neurodevelopmental pathways. The immediate offspring of these nicotine-exposed male mice exhibited hyperactivity, attention deficit, and cognitive issues that are typical of those found in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorder in humans. The grandchildren of the nicotine-exposed fathers also demonstrated learning deficits, suggesting that at least some of the detrimental nicotine-related effects can be passed down through generations.
"Our data raise the possibility that some of the cognitive disabilities found in today's generation of children and adults may be attributable to adverse environmental insults suffered a generation or two ago," suggests Pradeep Bhide, Ph.D., the Jim and Betty Ann Rodgers eminent scholar chair of developmental neuroscience at Florida State University College of Medicine. "Cigarette smoking was more common and more readily accepted by the population in the 1940s, '50s, and '60s compared to today. Could that exposure be revealing itself as a marked rise in the diagnoses of neurodevelopmental disorders such as ADHD and autism?"
The Florida State University team and colleagues at Harvard Medical School published their findings in PLOS Biology, in a paper titled, "Nicotine exposure of male mice produces behavioral impairment in multiple generations of descendants."
Studies have shown that nicotine use by pregnant women is associated with an increased risk of behavioral disorders in their children and in subsequent generations, the authors write. But in reality smoking is more prevalent in men than in women, and while studies in humans have suggested that paternal cigarette smoking can increase the risk of ADHD in their children, "human studies cannot fully separate the effects of paternal smoking from those of genetic and environmental factors." ADHD and nicotine addiction often go hand-in-hand, and ADHD tends to run in families, so it can be difficult separating the role of paternal ADHD from paternal smoking on behavioral changes observed in offspring.
To investigate the effects of paternal nicotine on offspring the team exposed male mice to nicotine in their drinking water for 12 weeks, and then bred the mice with drug-naïve females. Both male and female offspring (F1) were then bred with drug-naïve partners to produce a second (F2) generation of animals originating from the nicotine-exposed fathers.
Tests in the resulting litters showed that both male and female F1 offspring of the nicotine-exposed fathers displayed increased spontaneous locomotor activity and deficits in reversal learning. The male offspring also exhibited "significant deficits in attention, brain monoamine content, and dopamine receptor mRNA expression," the team comments. And while the hyperactivity and attention deficit phenotypes evident in the F1 mice weren't transmitted to second-generation offspring, the male F2 mice did display deficits in reversal learning.
An examination of the nicotine-exposed fathers' sperm cells showed changes to global DNA methylation, and in particular, there were changes to DNA methylation at promotors of the dopamine D2 receptor gene. Dopamine receptors play a key role in neurodevelopmental processes. "Nicotine-induced spermatozoal DNA methylation at dopamine receptor promoter regions may be a plausible epigenetic mechanism for transgenerational transmission of the effects of the paternal nicotine exposure," the authors suggest.
"In analyzing spermatozoa from the father we found multiple genes with epigenetic changes," comments co-author Deirdre MCarthy, Ph.D., research faculty at Florida State University College of Medicine. "This includes the dopamine D2 gene, which has an important role in brain development and learning. This is the likely source for the cognitive deficits found in their descendants."
The fact that only some of the deficits evident in F1 offspring were also found in F2 male offspring suggests that "at least some of the deleterious effects of the nicotine exposure may be transient," they continue, although the team acknowledges that more research will be needed. "These findings underscore the need to enlarge the current focus of research and public policy targeting nicotine exposure of pregnant mothers by a more equitable focus on nicotine exposure of the mother and the father."
"I believe the findings from our study can be extrapolated to humans," Dr. Bhide adds. "Doctors may not warn men that their smoking could be harming their unborn child even if the mother never smoked. I believe our study brings this to the fore."
Within the last couple of weeks, researchers at Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center independently reported studies in mice, which showed that a father's level of exercise prior to conception may have long-lasting effects on their children's' metabolic health. A team headed by Kristin Stanford, Ph.D., assistant professor at Ohio State University, bred high fat diet-fed obese male mice that were either sedentary or that had free access to running wheels, with female mice that were fed on a normal diet. They found that while the offspring of the sedentary obese fathers had more fat and demonstrated increased glucose intolerance than offspring of fathers fed a normal, chow diet, paternal exercise suppressed the effects of the paternal high-fat diet, and their offspring demonstrated better glucose metabolism, lower body weight, and decreased fat mass.
"Here's what's really interesting, Dr. Stanford comments. "Offspring from the dads fed a high-fat diet fared worse, so they were more glucose intolerant. But exercise negated that effect. When the dad exercised, even on a high-fat diet, we saw improved metabolic health in their adult offspring."
An examination of the fathers' sperm cells showed that the high-fat diet was associated with decreased sperm motility and multiple changes to sperm small RNA, which could be reversed by exercise training. … We saw a strong change in their small-RNA profile," Dr. Stanford adds. Now we want to see exactly which small-RNAs are responsible for these metabolic improvements, where it's happening in the offspring and why."
The studies were reported in Diabetes ("Paternal Exercise Improves Glucose Metabolism in Adult Offspring"). The Ohio State University researchers believe that their mouse studies may have direct relevance to humans. "There's potential for this to translate to humans," Dr. Stanford comments. "We know that in adult men obesity impairs testosterone levels, sperm number, and motility, and it decreases the number of live births … If we ask someone who's getting ready to have a child to exercise moderately, even for a month before conception, that could have a strong effect on the health of their sperm and the long-term metabolic health of their children."
Epigenetic Link Between Huntington's, RA Uncovered
PAVMed Licenses Esophageal Cancer Precursor Testing Technology
10-Minute Pan-Cancer Test Developed

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Okay, I'll admit it: I'm totally overwhelmed. Your contest entries were touching, profound, hilarious and heartbreaking. They knocked my (handknit) socks off. I laughed, I cried, I marveled at your genius. I am totally unqualified to pick a winner from the 85 perfect slices of knitting pie that you posted.
And thank goodness, I don't have to.
"Hello...is this thing on? Testing one, two, three."
Let me first thank you all for your submissions. They truly are a joy to read, and provide a welcome respite from 180 "The Lottery" essays I've been reading (If I cause any Middle/High School flashbacks by mentioning Shirley Jackson's creepy "The Lottery", well, it's just one more service this English teacher provides).
My main criteria for determining the winner was a vivid story. As you all now know, compressing the beginning, middle and end into six words is no mean feat, and everybody did a fantastic job. I worked my way down to ten, and then re-read. Drank whiskey. Re-read some more. Then I made my choice.
If it were up to me, I'd give all of you prizes, but The Mrs. says there is only one prize to award, no matter how many times I ask her (See how I put it all back on her? It's a skill).
This memoir tells the most vivid story: "Pattern chewed to poop. Dog lived." By Chris.
The image of that bad dog and his plight really resonated with me, which may or may not have been influenced by a certain husband who accidentally threw out some wool fleece a little while back.
Six words speak volumes. Thank you.
From Mary: Congratulations to Chris, and to all of you who took the time to distill and share your pivotal experiences. Gentle Readers, as ever, I am humble in your company.


Forget about importing Canadian drugs. We need to import Canadian drug prices.
How does Canada and most other developed nations get 40% to 80% discounts on brand-name drug prices? The same way the Department of Veterans Affairs does: It uses its purchasing power to negotiate lower prices. This is a healthy use of market forces to secure the best deal.
Each of these nations has universal health coverage. In contrast, Americans are saddled with a screwy for-profit insurance system and suffer the world's highest out-of-pocket health costs, and drug purchases top the list.
High drug prices have serious consequences for the sick. Prescriptions go unfilled. Patients cut pills in half to make them "last longer." The undertreatment of diabetes and hypertension leads to amputations, strokes, heart failure and other devastating complications. The hundreds of dollars a month needed to treat chronic conditions are big factors in personal bankruptcy.
In addition to harming many patients, high drug costs batter businesses, which bear much of the cost of workers' medications. There is increasing disgust by business leaders with drug firms' exorbitant profits, which are four-fold higher than those of every other sector of the economy. Overpriced drugs raise costs for U.S. industry, compromising our international competitiveness.
The drug industry is dominated by a handful of giant global corporations that spend more on marketing than research and, year after year, make at least as much in profits. The claim that they need high prices to cover high research costs is bogus. The government has guaranteed their profits by extending their 20-year patents and protecting them from real competition.
Medicare negotiates prices with physicians, hospitals, laboratories and other health care providers. The drug companies, however, are exempted from this process in the new Medicare drug bill, ensuring that drug prices will continue to skyrocket.
The U.S. health system is in disarray. The economic mess, epitomized by the drug-cost crisis, makes a convincing case for a single-payer national health insurance system. Such reform would make prescribed drugs an ensured benefit and drive down expenditures by allowing the government to bargain for the best prices and highest quality.
Quentin Young, M.D., is national coordinator of Physicians for a National Health Program (www.pnhp.org).
Click here to view the article at USAToday.com.


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Home / News / Advancing climate change goals through multi-level governance and green cities
Advancing climate change goals through multi-level governance and green cities
At the 25th Conference of Parties (COP) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change in Madrid, the Asia LEDS Partnership, on the 9th of December 2019, supported the Government of Vietnam in convening a session at the NDC Partnership pavilion to showcase success stories and outcomes from Asian countries on vertical linkage / national and sub-national integration / city climate action plan / green cities through various initiatives.
Giving the welcome address at the event, Mr Nguyen Tuan Anh, Deputy Director, Ministry of Planning and Investment, Government of Vietnam indicated his country's leadership role in including sub-national governments in their commitment to achieving climate targets.
Dr. Vera Rodenhoff, Head of Division, International Cooperation on Environment, Energy & Cities; OECD and OECD and OECD–Countries, German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation Building and Nuclear Safety, briefed the audience on the importance of integrated action to support NDC Ambition. While cities are responsible for two-thirds of the global energy consumption, emissions and Gross Domestic Product (GDP), they are already actively involved in achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030 and are keen on supporting national governments in meeting the climate goal of restricting the global temperature rise to 1.5oC over the pre-industrial levels. It is now apparent that globally, we are unable to reach the target based solely on national government actions and that there is an imminent imperative to encourage and include sub-national action.
At the United Nations General Assembly in 2019, it was recognised that while cities alone can achieve one-third reduction in global Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions and nations another one-third, the remaining one-third of global GHG emissions can be reduced only through collaborative action; States and Regions have an important role to play in collaborative climate action. Ms. Rodenhoff emphasised the fact that collaboration among partners and agencies is also key to effective climate action. The international initiative to finance climate-smart urban projects – Leadership of Urban Climate Investments' (LUCI) Initiative, will support the scale-up and leveraging of climate finance for climate-friendly urban infrastructure. Led by the Government of Germany, LUCI was developed with other governments and city networks. The initiative intends to engage with 2000 cities in developing over 1000 bankable projects. The multi-stakeholder initiative, the City Climate Finance Gap Fund also announced at the UNGA in 2019, financed by the governments of Germany and Luxembourg, aims for a capitalization of at least EUR 100 million, which will unlock EUR 4 billion in high-quality low-carbon and climate resilient infrastructure projects in cities. The fund will be utilised to develop an at-scale pipeline of bankable projects. The Government of Germany is also leading the way for multi-level collaboration on climate action by linking national long-term strategies to local action plans – at the level of states, communities and citizens. This is through the National Climate Initiative by supporting local communities in implementing and revising their climate action plans. Support is also provided by deploying 'climate implementation managers' who help communities realise projects on LED lights on streets and in schools. Since 2008, more than 29,000 projects have been set up as part of the National Climate Initiative, which has accumulated an investment of Euro 905 million as contribution to the country's NDC as well as a key element for Germany's long-term strategy. Thus it is clear that GHG emission reduction cannot be done by one party alone, and vertical integration is key to successful implementation of our climate goals.
Mr. Ron Benioff, Director, LEDS Global Partnership, elucidated the benefits that the Asia LEDS Partnership offered to national governments, and encouraged governments and practitioners to be a part of the Communities of Practice convened and managed by the ALP and supported by the LEDS GP working groups, Grid Integrated Renewable Energy, NDC Finance, Clean Mobility, Multi-Level Climate Governance and Building Energy Efficiency. The ALP is keen to hear from national governments about their immediate and long-term priorities and, in partnership with other global organisations, is keen to support them in attaining their climate targets, specifically by focusing on deep technical assistance, developing knowledge material and peer learning.
Ms. Le Hoang Anh, Senior Official, Vietnam Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD), shared her country's experiences in preparing and implementing Green Growth Action Plans. The Green Growth Strategy of Vietnam addresses three key aspects – reduced GHG emission, green production and green lifestyle and sustainable consumption – that are included in the conceptual framework for Green Growth Action Plans. The Green Growth Plan for Lam Dong Province was further elaborated; the plan addresses nine key areas that include "Increase production value for key commodities in Verified Sourcing Areas; Control emission from all sectors including from land cover/use change; Control waste production and reuse for greener production; Promoting climate-smart and more sustainable land-use system in Verified Sourcing Areas; Conserving water, natural resources and biodiversity; Promoting and enhancing the use of renewable energy and energy efficiency; Develop green and sustainable tourism; Promote green lifestyle and sustainable urban consumption and Create enabling conditions for transitioning towards a green economy". The role of public–private investment in establishing Verified Sourcing Areas, while also integrating a transparent supply chain with a larger aim of ensuring sustainable production, protection of resources and inclusion of local communities, was further elaborated.
Ms. Anand Tsog, Climate Change Officer, Ministry of Environment, Government of Mongolia, elaborated on how Mongolia is advancing climate change goals through multi-level governance and by developing green cities; specifically by including sub-national goals in the national NDCs and creating multi-level institutional mechanisms. Ulaanbaatar is the largest city in Mongolia, having more than half the population of the country, and also contributing to more than 50% of the national GHG emissions. A national climate committee supported by a technical council, works in tandem with the Ulaanbaatar City Environmental Department in order to ensure consonance with national climate goals. Mongolia is one of the few countries that have an integrated national and subnational NDC action plan. Some of the key actions being pursued include the deployment of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses and electric cars (as included in the framework for a smart low-carbon city); reduction in the use of raw coal in the urban agglomeration; retrofitting of old buildings with energy-efficient appliances; and deployment of heat-efficient stoves and boilers. Implementation of the National Building Codes at the city level is underway with the support of GGGI. A feasibility study for constructing a waste-to-energy plant is also under-way. Since the concept of sub-national climate action is new, the country faces several challenges that can be overcome by strengthening the legal framework, ensuring transparency in the permitting and reporting system, enhancing public-private sector engagement and strengthening the technical capacities of officials at the national and city levels.
A new initiative is the NDC online platform, which will bring together all stakeholders; its necessity for the sustainability of the overall mechanism itself was realised. At the city level, Mongolia has seen active engagement from the private sector, with initiatives such as the zero waste movement and installation of cycling lanes.
The Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) has been supporting several countries in the Asia-Pacific region in developing and implementing Green Growth Action Plans and Low Emissions Strategies. Ms. Susanne Pedersen, Assistant Director General, Investment and Policy Solutions Division, GGGI, cited an example from Mongolia, where an energy efficiency potential assessment of 300 buildings was conducted and the retrofitting of these buildings was being financed by the Mongolia Green Fund, which was instituted with support from GGGI. The development of several other low emission-oriented initiatives are also being funded through the Green Climate Fund (GCF). She mentioned that working at the city level was always a challenge as cities often struggled with resources, both financial as well as technical. To counter this, GGGI has worked extensively with secondary cities in Vietnam on supporting them in the development of urban climate mitigation plans through training of personnel and materialising bankable projects.
Dr. Nurun Nahar, Deputy Chief, Planning Commission, Government of Bangladesh, indicated that the national government supported sub-national action by devolving funds specifically for climate actions. A national-level study on adaptation measures is also informing sub-national actions in the country. Bangladesh is progressing well on achieving the SDG targets, specifically SDG 13. Specific NDC targets exist to further the achievement of SDG 13. SDGs are considered an effective entry point for ensuring city-level climate action. The Local Government Department is currently supporting climate action in seven districts of Bangladesh. There is further potential for integrating sub-national actions into the Bangladesh NDC, and there is a need to increase focus on climate change mitigation, in addition to the several adaptation actions that are being undertaken and proposed.
Ms. Sun Fen from the Climate Change Research Center of the Beijing Municipal Ecology and Environment Bureau presented Beijing City's Cap and Trade System. Having completed six cycles of emissions trading, the trading system covers over 900 entities in the market, covering several sectors including transport, hospitals, schools and property management. At present, the trading price for CO2 is USD 8 per tonne. The key to an effective market-based emissions trading system is to strengthen the top-level policy systems. Beijing Municipal Congress has adopted a law for enforcing and regulating the cap and trade system. A robust information system ensures accurate reporting and verification within the emissions trading system; in addition to third-party verification, fourth party random checks are also conducted. Ensuring effective market regulatory mechanisms is key to the successful implementation of such trading mechanisms.
Panellists indicated to the Asia LEDS Partnership that in order to support the replication of their learnings, the Secretariat should focus on conducting topic-specific in-person trainings, development of knowledge material such as best practices, showcasing good cases on social media and linking member countries to other ongoing technical support programmes and peer learning networks, such as the Green Growth Knowledge Platform.
The Asia LEDS Partnership, based on the good practices presented in the session, will develop knowledge material, including case studies and information notes, for delving deeper into each of the cases, with support from the member countries.
Recent ResourcesView All
Asia LEDS Partnership, Carbon markets, City/Subnational
India's Policy for Scaling up Energy Efficiency Measures at the Local Level: City of Rajkot, India
Achieving a Climate-Responsive Budget in the Philippines through Climate Change Expenditure Tagging
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Creatives, yogi's, storytellers, lovely beings...we invite you to join us for something very special.
Spring will be opening her sleepy eyes, and we will be excitedly weaving together a safe, nurturing and uplifting space to celebrate the closing of winter- the time of shorter days and inner reflections.
Our vision is to create a new kind of retreat, one designed to combine yoga, arts and holistic therapies to assist people in coming back to their body, creativity and sense of connection following a long, insular and perhaps stagnant chapter. We are approaching the body with a daily practice of yoga, the mind with meditation and creative play, therapeutic arts and connection with workshops,storytelling and a cacao ceremony. We will be nourishing our connection to the land in beautiful Devon countryside, our relationship with food with delicious, ethical and healthy vegan yumminess and nutrition advice is available from our experienced team. We are building this retreat from a foundation of professionals in yoga, alternative therapies, and cooking to create something delicious to celebrate the changing of the seasons with.
We invite you to share this experience of joy, creativity, yoga, and wellness with us and be restored, replenished and reconnect with yourself.


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Scientists create tool to detect genes associated with psychiatric, brain diseases
Led Hyejung Won, Ph.D., researchers created H-MAGMA, a computational tool that improves current technology used to link non-coding genetic variants to the genes associated with diseases through genome-wide association
Credit: Hyejung Won Lab, UNC School of Medicine
CHAPEL HILL, NC – March 9, 2020 – Scientists at the UNC School of Medicine and colleagues created a new computational tool called H-MAGMA to study the genetic underpinnings of nine brain disorders, including the identification of new genes associated with each disorder.
The research, published in Nature Neuroscience, revealed that genes associated with psychiatric disorders are typically expressed early in life, highlighting the likelihood of this early period of life as critical in the development of psychiatric illnesses. The researchers also discovered that neurodegenerative disorder-associated genes are expressed later in life. Lastly, the scientists linked these disorder-associated genes to specific brain cell types.
"By using H-MAGMA, we were able to link non-coding variants to their target genes, a challenge that had previously limited scientists' ability to derive biologically meaningful hypotheses from genome-wide association studies of brain disorders," said study senior author Hyejung Won, PhD, assistant professor of genetics at the UNC School of Medicine and member of the UNC Neuroscience Center. "Additionally, we uncovered important biology underlying the genetics of brain disorders, and we think these molecular mechanisms could serve as potential targets for treatment."
Brain disorders such as schizophrenia and Alzheimer's disease are among the most burdensome disorders worldwide. But there are few treatment options, largely due to our limited understanding of their genetics and neurobiological mechanisms. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have revolutionized our understanding of the genetic architecture related to many health conditions, including brain-related disorders. GWAS is a technique that allows researchers to compare genetic sequences of individuals with a particular trait – such as a disorder – to control subjects. Researchers do this by analyzing the genetic sequences of thousands of people.
"To date, we know of hundreds of genomic regions associated with a person's risk of developing a disorder," Won said. "However, understanding how those genetic variants impact health remained a challenge because the majority of the variants are located in regions of the genome that do not make proteins. They are called non-coding genetic variants. Thus, their specific roles have not been clearly defined."
Prior research suggested that while non-coding variants might not directly encode proteins, they can interact with and regulate gene expression. That is, these variants help regulate how genes create proteins, even though these variants do not directly lead to – or code for – the creation of proteins.
"Given the importance of non-coding variants, and that they make up a large proportion of GWAS findings, we sought to link them to the genes they interact with, using a map of chromatin interaction in the human brain," Won said. Chromatin is the tightly packed structure of DNA and proteins inside cells, folded in the nucleus in a way to maintain normal human health.
Won and colleagues used this map to identify genes and biological principles underlying nine different brain disorders, including psychiatric conditions such as schizophrenia, autism, depression, and bipolar disorder; and neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and multiple sclerosis (MS).
Using the computational tool H-MAGMA, Won and colleagues could link non-coding variants to their interacting genes – the genes already implicated in previous GWAS findings.
Another important question in brain disorders is to identify cellular etiology – the cells involved in the root cause of disease. This is especially critical as the brain is a complex organ with many different cell types that may act differently in response to treatment. In the attempt of finding critical cell types for each brain disorder, the researchers found that genes associated with psychiatric disorders are highly expressed in glutamatergic neurons, whereas genes associated with neurodegenerative disorders are highly expressed in glia, further demonstrating how the two disorder clusters diverge from each other.
"Moreover, we classified biological processes central to the disorders," Won said. "From this analysis, we found that the generation of new brain cells, transcriptional regulation, and immune response as being essential to many brain disorders."
Won and colleagues also generated a list of shared genes across psychiatric disorders to describe common biological principles that link psychiatric disorders.
"Amongst the shared genes, we once again identified the brain's early developmental process as being critical and upper layer neurons as being the fundamental cell-types involved," Won said "We unveiled the molecular mechanism that underscores how one gene can affect two or more psychiatric diseases."
H-MAGMA is publicly available so that the tool can be widely applicable and available to the genetics and neuroscience community to help expand research, with the ultimate goal of helping people who suffer with brain-related conditions.
The National Institute of Mental Health, the Brain and Behavior Research Foundation, and the Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative funded this research.
Other authors were Nancy Sey, Benxia Hu, Won Mah, Harper Fauni, Jessica McAfee, all from UNC-Chapel Hill, and Prashanth Rajarajan, Kristen Brennand, and Schahram Akbarian from Mount Sinai Health System.
Mark Derewicz
http://news.unchealthcare.org/news/2020/march/scientists-create-tool-to-detect-genes-associated-with-psychiatric-neurodegenerative-diseases
http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41593-020-0603-0
Tags: GeneticsMedicine/Healthneurobiology


Graphics other than Smilies or Avatars that could be of use to your forum.
If you download graphics, please show your thanks and post a thank you in the thread.
Had the ones here on for ages now and can't think where they came from but there are some category images for arcade in the contrib folder on the download.
Failing that, make your own or just google some images around the size to add..
Thanks for sharing these LDM!


The mission of Center Ice Figure Skating Club (CIFSC) is to provide programs to encourage community-wide participation and achievement in the sport of figure skating.
CIFSC promotes sportsmanship and creates opportunity to develop skaters to their fullest potential in a positive and supportive environment. The Club's main goal is to make the sport of figure skating fun.
Located just off the Oaks Exit of the 422 expressway, Oaks Center Ice is a modern triple surface ice arena. All of our ice surfaces are NHL dimensions. We offer instructional level lessons in recreational skating, figure skating and hockey. Our facility has a Pro Shop, Fitness Center and a snack bar. We offer youth and adult hockey teams for all ages and levels of ability. We are open for your skating and hockey needs twelve months a year.


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Q: why file is not deleted inspite of using delete function?       for (int i = 0; i < listOfTempFiles.length; i++) {
                for (int j = 0; j < listOfFAQFiles.length; j++) {
                    if (listOfTempFiles[i].isFile() && listOfTempFiles[i].length() > 0) {
                        if (listOfTempFiles[i].getName().toLowerCase().contains(".pdf")) {
                            if (listOfTempFiles[i].getName().substring(listOfTempFiles[i].getName().lastIndexOf("#") + 1).equals(listOfFAQFiles[j].getName())) {
                                try {
                                    List<InputStream> list = new ArrayList<InputStream>();
                                    list.add(new FileInputStream(listOfTempFiles[i]));
                                    list.add(new FileInputStream(listOfFAQFiles[j]));
                                    System.out.println(listOfTempFiles[i].getName() + "with FAQ: " + listOfFAQFiles[j].getName());
                                    int iend = listOfTempFiles[i].getName().lastIndexOf("#");
                                    if (iend != -1) {
                                        outputFilename = listOfTempFiles[i].getName().substring(0, iend);
                                    }

                                    OutputStream out = new FileOutputStream(new File(finalPDFParh + "/" + outputFilename + ".pdf"));
                                    doMerge(list, out);
                                    boolean flag=listOfTempFiles[i].delete();
                                    System.out.println("Flag----->"+flag);
                                    list.clear();

                                } catch (FileNotFoundException e) {
                                    e.printStackTrace();
                                } catch (DocumentException e) {
                                    e.printStackTrace();
                                } catch (IOException e) {
                                    e.printStackTrace();
                                }

                            }
  public static void doMerge(List<InputStream> list, OutputStream outputStream)
            throws DocumentException, IOException {
        Document document = new Document();
        PdfWriter writer = PdfWriter.getInstance(document, outputStream);
        document.open();
        PdfContentByte cb = writer.getDirectContent();

        for (InputStream in : list) {
            PdfReader reader = new PdfReader(in);
            for (int i = 1; i <= reader.getNumberOfPages(); i++) {
                document.newPage();
                //import the page from source pdf
                PdfImportedPage page = writer.getImportedPage(reader, i);
                //add the page to the destination pdf
                cb.addTemplate(page, 0, 0);

            }
        }

        outputStream.flush();
        document.close();
        outputStream.close();

    }

I want to delete original file from listofTempFiles after it merges with FAQ file.doMerge methhod merges pdf added in the list.I have used delete function but it is not deleted?What can I do with it? I have used delete function.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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Home Entertainment News Singer, 2face Idibia reacts as a hotel in his state cut bath...
Singer, 2face Idibia reacts as a hotel in his state cut bath soap into two for lodgers
Popular singer, 2face Idibia has reacted to a post where a hotel in his state was called out for cutting bath soap into two for lodgers.
An Instagram user had shared a picture of the soap and disclosed that the hotel is in Ugboklo, Benue state.
According to him, it is a literal representation of the popular phrase "Cut soap for me".
He captioned it, "When you get to a hotel in a rural area and experience a real life situation of "Cut soap for me"… #only in Nigeria.. and yes they actually cut the soap"
The post caught the attention of 2face who reposted it on his Instastory and laughed over the fact that the hotel is in his state.
See below,
In other news, 2Face's daughter, Ehi recently reacted to claims that she looks exactly like her superstar dad.
The beautiful girl turned 15 on April 27th, and in a video shared on her mum, Pero Adeniyi's Insta-stories she complimented her and reminded her that there's a striking resemblance between her and her dad, 2face.
In her mum's word, "You look just like your dad".
In a rather hilarious response, Ehi stated that she doesn't seem to notice any resemblance between the both of them.
In her words,
"Everyone always says that, I don't see it".
When her mum asked why she doesn't think she looks like her dad, Ehi replied, "because I'm not bald, It's a weird compliment. People need to stop saying that to him, what makes you think I look like a man".
2face Idibia
Previous articleZlatan Ibile dragged to filth over his comment to little hawkers who begged him for money (Video)
Next article"Buhari should start paying me for keeping these jobless Nigerians busy" – Reality star, Boma takes a swipe at Nigerians
Wizkid's third baby mama, Jada P sparks pregnancy rumours in new photo
Actress, Uche Ogbodo and her man, Bobby Maris, hang out with Churchill and Rosy Meurer (Photos)
"The only lifestyle poor people know is iPhone and Benz" – Singer, Shakar El
Gabriel December 3, 2021 At 12:02 am
Not just his state oo, his LG


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Fort Walton Beach officials get 'eye-opening' experience spending a day as firefighters
FORT WALTON BEACH — Several city officials strapped on bunker gear and stepped into the boots of firefighters on Friday to experience some of the everyday situations they are faced with on the job.
The Fort Walton Beach Fire Department hosts elected officials and local media representatives at its training facility on Lewis Turner Boulevard about every two or three years.
Fire Chief Ken Perkins said the department began hosting "Fire Ops 101" after recognizing the importance of showing city leaders what it's like to be a firefighter for a day. The event is typically held when there is a change in city council members or other city staff.
"We think it's really important that our elected officials and our media understand what it is the fire department does," Perkins said. "All the different types of services we provide and what goes into those services. It kind of gives an overall view of how complex the services are."
You might also like:'My time to give back': FWB fire marshal honored for helping homeless, volunteering
In other news:New emergency traffic lights for Ocean City-Wright fire station finally go up on Racetrack Road
From 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., participants were exposed to a wide range of tasks firefighters are faced with almost every day. The day began with city leaders being fitted for bunker gear. Just putting the gear on was "eye-opening" to some.
The gear itself adds about 80 pounds and firefighters typically strap on numerous items in under a minute. For many participants, it took much longer. Later, they strapped on the gear again and went into a smoking building to perform a mock search and rescue.
"Just the little bit we did and how hot it was. Imagine doing it in August," said City Council member MG Moran. "These guys don't complain. They're there every day for their shifts. Just seeing what they go through is eye-opening. We don't see it on a daily basis."
Participants also got to see what it's like to run an emergency medical call, and what it takes to save someone's life if they are in cardiac arrest. Perkins said the fire department has become a big part of EMS service.
Ocean City, Fort Walton Beach unveil fire engine, ladder truck to replace old trucks 'We weren't anticipating this': Volunteer fire departments feel impact of rising fuel prices South Walton firefighters rescue dog whose 'curiosity' led to him becoming stuck under deck Okaloosa, Walton firefighters working day, night assisting with Chipola Complex wildfires South Walton firefighter survived cancer diagnosis. Now he's stressing importance of prevention. Calls to DeFuniak Springs Fire have risen by 101% since 2019, last year busiest yet 'Tradition is big': Ocean City-Wright firefighters push new truck into Shalimar station 'It's a win-win': Walton and Liberty fire departments partner to expand medical services Seven Northwest Florida fire departments help with Hurricane Ida recovery in Louisiana New Florosa Fire Department building taking shape
About 72% of their calls are EMS-related. Capt. Dan Corrigan, who led some of the EMS training on Friday, said about a third of the department is trained or in training as paramedics.
"If you just think that we're firefighters coming in to knock down doors and put out fires, we do a lot more than that," Corrigan said. "We have the capability to do everything the ambulance does except drive you to the hospital."
City leaders were taught how to intubate a patient using various medical devices and how to administer an IV. Practice manikins were the main subjects, but a set of pig lungs also gave participants a more realistic look at how the tools work.
In case you missed it:'Our team needs help now': Okaloosa OKs immediate pay raises for EMS members
The fire department typically has to go through the city council when requesting new equipment, and many of the tools are not cheap. Hands-on experience with some of those tools can sometimes help city leaders understand the need, Perkins said.
"We think it's important that when the fire chief steps up at the podium and says 'I need $35,000 for a cardiac monitor' that they actually know what that monitor does and how important it is for our advanced life support services," he said. "And they'll know because they've actually been here and acted like there was a cardiac arrest, so they've actually seen it in action."
Moran said he was surprised to learn how quickly medical technology is advancing and how much EMS training firefighters go through. Corrigan said training to be a paramedic takes about a year and a half, and once firefighters are trained, it's a "lifetime of continuing education."
"We don't see these guys except at the worst times of our lives," Moran said. "Whether it's having to call them for a parent, calling them for one of your children or spouse. Then you want them there trained, and we have no concept of what they go through."
Later in the day, city leaders got a chance to operate hydraulic rescue tools, such as a device commonly known as the "jaws of life," and cut on cars. The "jaws of life" is typically used to free victims trapped in vehicles during car accidents.
Participants also were given the opportunity to operate a fire hose. Many were surprised to discover the strength it takes to direct the water where it's needed.
Moran said he found the event "highly beneficial," and would like to find room in the budget to provide the fire department with more equipment in the future.
"We're not down here with them. We're not at the car accidents pulling bodies out. We're not in a fire trying to save somebody or save a structure," Moran said. "We go by what they tells us, and unless we experience some of it, we have no idea. This gives us that experience."
Though the event was hosted for city officials and media, Perkins said he would encourage the public to stop by any of the Fort Walton Beach fire stations if they are interested in learning more about what firefighters do.
"I would invite anyone from the public," he said. "If they have questions about the fire department or just want to come see what we do — see the fire stations or see the trucks and equipment — stop in and see us any time."


Lots of short videos on a wide range of topics; a great place to find information for research and inspiration needed for writing papers.
This website similar to Wikipedia, but it is more reliable for students. Scholars from all over the world write and fact-check its content.
A human-edited directory of links for students to find reputable websites and other informative resources in many categories.


JOSE MOURINHO is set to make a shock move to land former player John Obi Mikel from Chelsea.
Mikel, 29, has not played under new Stamford Bridge manager Antonio Conte and there are no plans to renew his contract which runs out this season.
Now the Manchester United boss is ready to take advantage with a cut-price New Year offer for the player the Red Devils thought they had signed ten years ago.
Mikel had just turned 19 when the Old Trafford outfit announced on their website that they had signed the teenager on a four-year contract from Norwegian club Lyn Oslo.
The £4million transfer was done directly with the player and his club — bypassing his agents and he was even pictured in a United shirt.
But Chelsea angrily claimed they had an agreement with the agents to buy him.
Things turned nasty when it was reported Obi started to get threatening phone calls and ended up having to take refuge in a safe hotel with a security guard.
He then went missing from Lyn amid stories he had been kidnapped.
The Nigerian midfielder had actually travelled to London where he went on Sky Sports TV to claim that he had been pressured into signing for United, something they denied, and he wanted to join the Blues.
The matter was resolved when Chelsea paid United £12m and Lyn £4m.
So it will be the second time Mourinho has signed Obi, who he believes can play in a defensive midfield role in front of the back four.
He needs that type of player to give £89m Paul Pogba freedom to roam.
The Portuguese is also interested in Leicester's £30m-rated Danny Drinkwater for that role but accepts now that the Foxes continued involvement in the Champions League would make a January move for him difficult.
Michael Carrick is the best midfield partner for Pogba right now but at 35 cannot play regularly enough in the side.
A deal for Mikel, 29, is likely to cost United a nominal fee of £2m.


text:
David Burt . us
Past Press Coverage
In previous roles as an activist and a PR professional, I frequently gave press interviews around online safety issues. Below is an archive of my press clippings – I don't guarantee all the links are live though.
Gizmo's Freeware, "Best Free Parental Filter," 11/22/10
eHow, How to Set Internet Filters, 11/19/10
NetFamilyNews, Latest trends in Web filtering, 11/12/10
InternetSafety.com, Safe Eyes Gets 5 Stars from GetParentalControls.org, 11/3/10
NBC, Need a cell phone for your kids?,10/19/10
WCPO, What is the best cell phone for your child?, 9/22/10
Verizon Blog, Verizon parental controls recognized as comprehensive, 9/8/10
ILookBothWays, New Trends In Child Safety Tools for Cell Phones, 7/13/10
Kiwi Commons, Parental Controls 101, 4/5/10
Tech Liberation Front, David Burt's Amazing Guide to Parental Controls, 3/21/10
Safer Internet, NEW! Parental Controls Product Guide: 2010 Edition, 3/23/10
iKeepSafe, Find Out Which Parental Control Product Is Right For You, 3/23/10
NetFamilyNews, Supremely useful tool for parents: GetParentalControls, 3/29/10
T.H.E. Journal, "What are we protecting them from?," 05/01/2008
Visalia Times-Delta, "Librarian in the nation's headlines," 03/03/2008
One News Now, "Dallas library patrons surfing thousands of XXX websites," 01/21/2008
Family News in Focus, "Many libraries circumventing laws meant to protect kids," 01/15/2008
Family News in Focus, "Public libraries increasingly become safe haven for porn," 01/09/2008
eChannelLine News, "Black marks appearing for commerical Internet filters?," 12/20/2007
Technology Daily, "Filtering Software Hinders Some Research, Studies Find," 01/18/2006
Associated Press, "Will Porn Migrate to .XXX?," 06/12/2005
InformationWeek, "Secure Computing Tries to Block Illegal Downloads in Iran," 10/14/2005
Associated Press, "Teen suspended for Web site," 04/03/2005
MZZM, "Michigan Web site could shield kids from spam," 07/01/2005
Fox News, "US Tech Firms Help Governments Censor Internet," 07/17/2005
New Scientist, "Iranian net censorship powered by US technology," 06/27/2005
Seattle Times, "Sex, the Internet and the future," 09/06/2005
Dallas Morning News, "Snuffing out Net's benefit to democracy," 04/11/2005
Associated Press, "Tunisia Centralizes Web Filtering," 11/17/2005
C-Net News, "Court strikes down Pennsylvania porn law," 09/10/ 2004
Information Week, "IT Confidential : A Mixed Message On Web Filtering," 07/06/2004
NPR Talk of the Nation, "Protecting Kids from Online Porn," 07/07/2004
New York Times, "Antipornography Law Keeps Crashing Into First Amendment," 06/30/2004
Honolulu Star-Bulletin, "Parents retain duty to guide children," 07/02/2004
Agape Press, "Pervasiveness of Online Porn Eliminates Need for 'Searches'," 11/09/2004
Electric News, "Study reveals 60,000 Irish porn pages," 06/25/2004
Kentucky Post, "Libraries Poised for Filtering Law," 06/24/2004
Associated Press, "Software-filtering foe goes after Net-blocking governments," 1/30/2003
C-Net News, "Supreme Court backs library Net filters," 06/23/2003
C-Net News, "Porn spam–legal minefield for employers," 04/07/2003
Wired News, "Filter-Bashing Alive and Well," 06/24/2003
NBC Nightly News, "Library Filtering Law Upheld," 06/23/2003
eSchool News, "Report: Filters work OK, but better training needed," 08/26/2003
Online Journalism Review, "Justices Put Access to Online Information in the Wrong Hands," 06/26/2003
American Libraries, "Supreme Court Upholds CIPA," 06/30/2003
IDG News, "Copyright Act Challenge Rejected," 04/10/2003
Associated Press, "Librarians to filter vendors: Tell us how they work," 07/04/2003
Seattle Post-Intelligencer, "Filtering software firms see opportunity in ruling," 07/14/2003
New York Times, "Librarians Sizing Filtering Law's Impact," 06/24/2003
Associated Press, "ALA cancels discussion on filtering pornography," 07/18/2003
New York Times, "Libraries Planning a Meeting on Filters," 07/03/2003
Washington Internet Daily, "Pa. Law Making ISPs Block Child Porn Gaining Traction," 02/21/2003
Associated Press, "Senator introduces library Internet filtering bill," 02/27/2003
Oregonian, "Bill Proposes Library Porn Filters," 02/27/2003
Oregonian, "Justices to air case involving libraries, Internet censorship," 03/02/2003
NPR: Morning Edition, "Supreme Court to hear arguments concerning CIPA," 03/05/2003
Washington Internet Daily, "Court Appears Skeptical of Comparing Internet to Library," 03/06/2003
Oregonian, "Supreme Court Hears Arguments for Filtering in Libraries," 03/08/2003
Associated Press, "Judge dismisses suit challenging technology copyright law," 04/09/2003
Washington Internet Daily, "Copyright Office Eyes Whether to Extend Exception," 04/14/2003
Education Week, "Anti-censorship tool would evade porn filters," 05/21/2003
NPR: All Things Considered, "Supreme Court rules in favor of Internet filtering," 06/23/2003
Associated Press, "Supreme Court ruling opens up new market for Internet filtering," 06/24/2003
Washington Internet Daily, "Supreme Court Upholds Library Internet Filters," 06/24/2003
Philadelphia Inquirer, "Libraries are left to sort out ruling on Web filters," 06/24/2003
Seattle Post-Intelligencer, "Making Web Filters Work at the Library," 06/25/2003
Associated Press, "Librarians grapple with how to filter computers," 07/11/2003
Washington Internet Daily, "Attempt to Compare COPA to CIPA Won't Wash," 08/15/2003
Daily Oklahoman, "Libraries installing mandatory filters get mixed reactions," 09/05/2003
New York Post, "Porn Spins a Bigger Web," 09/30/2003
Washington Times, "Porn on the Web exploding Foes fear greater risk to children," 10/09/2003
CNN, "Sex sells, especially to Web surfers," 12/11/2003
C-Net News, "On trial: Digital copyright law," 07/25/2002
C-Net News, "Court overturns library filtering rules ," May 31, 2002
IOL, "Porn-napping' is rubbing users the wrong way," 05/30/2002
Wired News, "Filters, Schools Like Oil, Water," 09/06/2002
KOMO News, "Helping Keep Kids Away From Becoming A Pornography Victim," 03/19/2002
Washington Times, "Study finds porn filters leave health Web sites," 12/11/2002
Seattle Post-Intelligencer, "Net-filter firm N2H2 is sued by the ACLU," 07/22/2002
eSchool News, "ACLU sues to ask and tell what sites N2H2 ," 09/01/2002
Student Press Law Center, "Researcher studying Internet filtering challenges DMCA," 08/01/2002
Harvard Crimson, "ACLU Defends Law Student," 11/02/2002
American Libraries, "ACLU Takes on Digital Millennium," 07/29/2002
Internet News, "Corporate Networks Could Be Strained by VoD Market," 11/02/2002
Women's News, "Internet Filters Screen Out Health Information," 12/12/2002
VNU Net, "US union defends hacker code," 07/26/2002
Internet News, "Controversial Web Filtering Storms Schools," 09/18/2002
MedScape, "Web Filters More Effective at Blocking Health Info Than Pornography," 12/12/2002
Media Project, "Internet Filters Often Block Sexual Health Information, Study Says," 12/11/2002
Washington Post, "Study: Web Filters Block Health Information," 12/11/2002
New York Times, "Internet Filters Block Many Useful Sites, Study Finds," 12/12/2002
Washington Times, "Filters not enough, say foes of porn on Internet," 05/03/2002
Agence France-Presse, "Porn-napping" riles Internet users as hijacked sites multiply," 05/30/2002
Dow Jones News, "Federal Judges Overturn Library Internet Filtering Law," 05/31/2002
Canadian Press, "U.S. judges throw out law requiring filtering at libraries," 05/31/2002
Associated Press, "Librarians applaud Internet filtering ruling," 06/01/2002
Oregonian, "Judges Reject Law on Porn Filter for Libraries, "06/01/2002
New York Times, "Court Blocks Law that Limits Access to Web in Library," 06/01/2002
Associated Press, "Freelance computer "superhero" an antihero to some," 06/03/2002
Arizona Daily Star, "Porn filter failures," 06/05/2002
New York Times, "The Tricky Task of Shelving the Web," 06/20/2002
Oregonian, "Library Case Heads to Justices," 06/21/2002
Reuters, "Web filtering lawsuit challenges U.S. copyright law," 07/25/2002
Associated Press, "ACLU Files Suit vs. Tech Copyright," 07/25/2002
Boston Globe, "ACLU Sues firm over its filtering software," 07/26/2002
Boston Herald, "ACLU wants list showing barred sites," 07/26/2002
Oregonian, "Supreme Court Will Weigh Library Net Filters," 11/13/2002
Reuters, "Internet porn filters blocking online health info," 12/10/2002
Oregonian, "Internet Porn Filters Block Health Data, Study Finds," 12/11/2002
NewsFactor Network, "Judges Reject Internet Porn Law," 05/31/2002
eSchool News, "Free-speech groups sound off on CIPA," 11/01/2002
Insight, "Are Internet filters needed on computers in public libraries and schools?," 02/05/2001
Washington Times, "Libraries becoming battlefield over Internet pornography," 02/09/2001
Associated Press, "House considers Internet filtering bill," 06/07/2001
Boston Herald, "Filtering technology earns praise, criticism," 08/12/2001
C-Net News, "Net-porn law applies deadline pressure," 10/26/2001
Wired News, "Sites Forlorn When Reborn as Porn," 12/10/2001
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, "Computer filters give parents tool," 01/07/2001
Associated Press, "Defense in protecting kids from porn," 12/02/2001
ABC News, "Porn Sites Snatch Expired Domains," 12/14/2001
CSO Online, "Watching the Web," 09/12/2001
CQ Researcher, "Should public libraries use filters?," 06/01/2001
Networking News, "Filtering Software Is Not Up to Snuff," 02/15/2001
Wall Street Journal, "X-Rated," 01/14/2000
Student Press Law Center Quarterly, "Down to the Filter," Spring, 2000
USA Today, "Conflicting views on filtering the Net", 3/16/2000
Washington Times, "Libraries Register Gripes Over Porn", 3/16/2000
Orlando Sentinel, "It's common sense to restrict Internet usage in libraries", 3/19/2000
Family News in Focus, "The Problem of Library Internet Porn", 3/22/2000,
CNS News, "Family Advocates Demand Internet Filtering in Public Libraries", 2/16/2000
Newsbytes, "Group Claims Library Association Suppresses Net Porn Data", 3/13/2000
Newsbytes, "Minors Access Porn Using Library Computers", 3/15/2000
World Net Daily, "Libraries allowing Internet sex crimes?", 3/16/2000
Tech Law Journal, "Rep. Istook Blames Clinton-Gore Administration for Stopping Porn Filtering Legislation", 3/17/2000
Baptist Press, "Internet pornography use common in many libraries, report says," 3/20/2000
Janet Parshall Radio Show, National, 3/15/2000
AFA Radio Report, National, 3/22/2000
Chronicle of Higher Education, "Arizona House Declines to Require Filtering Software", January 26, 2000
Free, "Michigan town gears for ballot over library Internet filters", January 20, 2000
Free, "Indiana legislator introduces Internet filtering bill", 2/3/2000. Available at:
Credo, "Kids in danger of porn at school or local library", 1/24/2000. Available at: h
Dan Lungren Radio Show, February 11, 2000
Associated Press, "Holland, Mich., residents set for showdown on Internet filtering," February 21, 2000
San Diego Union-Tribune, "Internet filters | For libraries, it's an issue," 03/28/2000
Security Management, "Library Internet Access Policy Questioned," 07/01/2000
Columbian, "Kids Don't Need This Web Surprise," 08/17/2000
Denver Post, "Library No Web of Sex," 09/11/2000
Sarasota Herald-Tribune, "Parents' help needed with porn problems at libraries," 10/06/2000
Washington Times, "New measure takes aim at obscene sites on Web," 12/24/2000
TechLaw Journal, "Supporters of Internet Filtering in Schools and Libraries Back Franks-McCain Bill," 03/03/1999
Free, "Filtering activist claims many public libraries ignoring FOI requests", 4/6/1999
New York Times, "Librarian Seeks Evidence of Complaints About Internet Misuse", April 20, 1999
Free, "Report says Net filter blocks protected material, fails to block porn," 07/29/1999
Conservative News Service ,"Banned Books Week' Promotes Intolerance, Critics Say," 9-27-99
Family News in Focus, "Unsafe Libraries," 9-23-99
Portland Oregonian, "Filtering porn out of the library," 10/03/1999
Library Journal, "Filtering Facts Claims "Pornography Abuse" at Libraries," 03/08/1999
Library Journal, "Burt Pursues Records of Internet Use from Libraries," 04/26/1999
Library Journal, "Filtering Facts FOIA Requests Generate Debate," 07/26/1999
Newsbytes, "Rep. Franks Changes Language In Internet Filtering Bill," 03/02/99
C-Net News, "Net filters foiled again," 02/03/1999
C-Net News, "Agency frowns on Net filtering," 02/17/1999
Wired News, "Dr. Laura Save Censorware Law," 05/20/1999
CNS News, "ALA Denies Porn Played Role in Library Rape," 11/12/1999
Emergency Librarian, "Filtering the internet for young people," 05/01/1999
Oregonian, "Gen. Powell: Don't Buy ALA's Lines," 05/27/1999
Oregonian, "Gen. Powell: Well Done at ALA Session," 07/15/1999
School Library Journal, "Doing the right thing?," 08/01/1999
Atlanta Constitution, "Wolves in Sheep's Clothing," 09/13/1999
New Orleans City Business, "Local service provider a goody two-shoes for the Internet," 09/20/1999
San Antonio Express-News, "Library left unfazed by 'danger' list," 09/22/1999
Columbian, "Activist Plays Hardball with Internet Porn," 09/25/1999
Grand Rapids Press, "Ohio speaker warns about pornography at library," 10/26/1999
Free, "Decision in library filtering case", 11/25/1998
New York Times, "A look at the watchdogs," 10/15/1998
Wired, "A Crossing Guard for Net Hate," 11/11/1998
Citizen, "Changing the World from your Living Room", 12/02/1998
Free, "Librarian Leads the charge in defending filtering" 12/11/1998
New York Times: "Judge Rules against filters", 11/23/1998
Arkansas Democrat: "Library System Blocks Porn", 11/22/1998
Baptist Press: "Library's Internet restrictions struck down", 12/07/1998
Free, "Filtering out net indecency" 6/8/1998
Free, "Company to filter Internet access for all Tennessee Schools," 11/11/1998
TechWeb News, "Teen Group Distributes New Net-Filter Crack", 10/28/1998
CNET News, "Senate Committee Advances Net Bills", 3/12/1998
Think Local, "Taxpayer Funded Pornography," 12/05/1998
Library Journal, "Loudoun County Internet Suit Headed for Trial?," 09/07/1998
Library Journal, "Burt Posts Testimony in Loudoun Case," 09/14/1998
Columbian, "Taxpayers Support Pornography in Local Library," 2/19/1998
Columbian, "Libraries Should Delete Porn," 06/14/1998
Columbian, "Library's Board Will Decide on Web Access," 07/12/1998
Yahoo! Internet Life, "America's Libraries," 10/01/1998
Yahoo! Internet Life, "Block That Site!," 11/01/1998
Interactive Week, "Court Rules Against Library Filters," 0707/1998
Newsday, "Looking at Porn in the Library," 02/07/1998
New York Times: "ACLU Attacks Filter Software in Libraries", 8/21/1997
SF Chronicle: "San Jose Battle Over Library Online Porn Ban", 9/23/1997
School Library Journal, "Librarian fights ALA on filters," 09/01/1997
Computers in Libraries, "Filters: it's not about porn, stupid!," 10/31/1997
American Libraries, "In defense of filtering," by David Burt, 08/01/1997
San Jose Mercury: "Filters keep smut away from kids" by David Burt, 9/25/1997
Raleigh News and Observer, "Libraries checking out filtering software" 8/5/97
MSNBC: "The Case of the Radical Librarian," 8/15/1997
Library Journal, "ALA Critic Burt Launches New Group to Promote Filters,"07/21/1997
David Burt's website


According to the flash estimate released by Statistics Estonia (SE) on 11 February, the Estonian economy expanded 0.9% in Q4 2015 over the same quarter last year. The result marked a slight acceleration from the 0.7% growth tallied in Q3. According to SE, growth was driven by positive tax movement. Economic growth, on the other hand, was constrained by a disappointing performance of the external sector as foreign demand for mineral products and electrical equipment fell in the fourth quarter.
In seasonally- and working-day adjusted terms, GDP increased 1.2% quarter-on-quarter in Q4, which contrasted the 0.4% drop tallied in the third quarter. More detailed data for national accounts will be released on 10 March.
The Central Bank expects GDP growth to reach 2.2% in 2016 and 3.1% in 2017. FocusEconomics Consensus Forecast participants see the economy growing 1.9% in 2015, which is unchanged from last month's estimate. In 2016, economic growth is expected to accelerate to 2.7%, which is unchanged from last month's forecast.
Note: Year-on-year changes of working day adjusted GDP in %.
Source: Statistics Estonia and FocusEconomics Consensus Forecast.


text:
Ramie (Nettle) Tops
Weight 50g 100g 1kg
50g - Sold Out 100g - $8.50 AUD 1kg - $76.50 AUD
Ramie is a vegetable fibre, made from nettles. It is similar to flax (linen) but a lot finer.
Several species of the nettle family (Urticaceae) produce bast fibres similar to flax, and many of those species have been used to produce fibre for making textiles and clothing for thousands of years. The three main fibre producing species are European nettle, Ramie and Himalayan nettle. European nettle is difficult to grow commercially. Ramie, on the other hand, produces a fine fibre that is produced commercially in China and Japan. Himalayan nettle is a large nettle grown mainly in the Himalayan region. In all these species, the fibre comes from the stem and, incidentally, there is no sting left in the extracted fibre.
These bleached Ramie tops are great for use in spinning or added to felted work.
Bulk orders of 1kg bumps will be shipped approximately 10-14 days from the date of purchase (subject to availability from our supplier). Please contact us for more details.
Back to plant fibre tops


There is a park, free for the public's use, near my brick-ed cottage where the sun glows through snow white honeysuckles. And sometimes, if conditions are just right, they can turn a deep shade of vibrant purple. There some beautiful balls of petals, trying to force themselves out into the light, but you'll miss them if you're not careful!
Photography, mayest thou always give me bursts of light and colour. Mayest thou capture-eth (really drinketh in that word "capture-eth") the sun as it reflects off all the wonders that it bringeth hence. Mine eyes tear at thy beauty, tear at thine brightness and tear because I do not want to shut them and they're getting very dry.
Here are some pics I took last May.


or hopelessness and lost interest in things that used to give you pleasure, it may be depression. Depression can be scary and can make you feel alone, but it's not your fault. If you think you may be depressed, fill out the questionnaire.
Then, print it and share it with your doctor.
Check off any symptoms you've had for 2 weeks or more.
"Folate therapy is the essential cornerstone in the treatment of all patients afflicted with depression."
DailySpark Web site. Folate levels influence depression symptoms. Available at: http://www.dailyspark.com/blog.asp?post=folate_ levels_influence_depression_symptoms . Accessed June 25, 2013.
Spanish men. J Am Coll Nutr. 1994;13(1):68-72.
Mountifield JA. Effects of oral contraceptive usage on B12 and folate levels. Can Fam Physician. 1985;31:1523-1525.
Reynolds EH. Folic acid, ageing, depression, and dementia. BMJ. 2002;324:1512-1515.


text:
module DEVp2p
  module Crypto
    class ECIES

      CIPHER = 'AES-128-CTR'.freeze
      CIPHER_BLOCK_SIZE = 16 # 128 / 8

      ENCRYPT_OVERHEAD_LENGTH = 113

      class <<self

        ##
        # ECIES Encrypt, where P = recipient publie key, is:
        #
        # 1. generate r = random value
        # 2. generate shared-secret = kdf( ecdhAgree(r, P) )
        # 3. generate R = rG [ same op as generating a public key ]
        # 4. send 0x04 || R || AsymmetricEncrypt(shared-secret, plaintext) || tag
        #
        def encrypt(data, remote_pubkey, shared_mac_data='')
          # 1. generate r = random value
          ephem = ECCx.new

          # 2. generate shared-secret = kdf( ecdhAgree(r, P) )
          key_material = ephem.get_ecdh_key remote_pubkey
          raise InvalidKeyError unless key_material.size == 32

          key = kdf key_material, 32
          raise InvalidKeyError unless key.size == 32
          key_enc, key_mac = key[0,16], key[16,16]

          key_mac = Digest::SHA256.digest(key_mac)
          raise InvalidKeyError unless key_mac.size == 32

          # 3. generate R = rG
          ephem_pubkey = ephem.raw_pubkey

          ctx = OpenSSL::Cipher.new(CIPHER)
          ctx.encrypt
          ctx.key = key_enc
          iv = ctx.random_iv
          ctx.iv = iv

          ciphertext = ctx.update(data) + ctx.final
          raise EncryptionError unless ciphertext.size == data.size

          # 4. send 0x04 || R || AsymmetricEncrypt(shared-secret, plaintext) || tag
          tag = Crypto.hmac_sha256 key_mac, "#{iv}#{ciphertext}#{shared_mac_data}"
          raise InvalidMACError unless tag.size == 32
          msg = "\x04#{ephem_pubkey}#{iv}#{ciphertext}#{tag}"

          raise EncryptionError unless msg.size == ENCRYPT_OVERHEAD_LENGTH + data.size
          msg
        end

        ##
        # Decrypt data with ECIES method using the local private key
        #
        # ECIES Decrypt (performed by recipient):
        #
        # 1. generate shared-secret = kdf( ecdhAgree(myPrivKey, msg[1,64]) )
        # 2. verify tag
        # 3. decrypt
        #
        # ecdhAgree(r, recipientPublic) == ecdhAgree(recipientPrivate, R)
        #   where R = r*G, recipientPublic = recipientPrivate * G
        #
        def decrypt(curve, data, shared_mac_data='')
          raise DecryptionError, 'wrong ecies header' unless data[0] == "\x04"

          # 1. generate shared-secret = kdf( ecdhAgree(myPrivKey, msg[1,64]) )
          shared = data[1,64] # ephem_pubkey
          raise DecryptionError, 'invalid shared secret' unless ECCx.valid_key?(shared)

          key_material = ECCx.get_ecdh_key curve, shared
          raise InvalidKeyError unless key_material.size == 32

          key = kdf key_material, 32
          raise InvalidKeyError unless key.size == 32
          key_enc, key_mac = key[0,16], key[16,16]

          key_mac = Digest::SHA256.digest(key_mac)
          raise InvalidKeyError unless key_mac.size == 32

          tag = data[-32..-1]
          raise InvalidMACError unless tag.size == 32

          # 2. verify tag
          raise DecryptionError, 'Fail to verify data' unless Crypto.hmac_sha256(key_mac, "#{data[65...-32]}#{shared_mac_data}") == tag

          # 3. decrypt
          iv = data[65,CIPHER_BLOCK_SIZE]
          ciphertext = data[(65+CIPHER_BLOCK_SIZE)...-32]
          raise DecryptionError unless 1 + shared.size + iv.size + ciphertext.size + tag.size == data.size

          ctx = OpenSSL::Cipher.new CIPHER
          ctx.decrypt
          ctx.key = key_enc
          ctx.iv = iv

          ctx.update(ciphertext) + ctx.final
        end

        ##
        # interop w/go ecies implementation
        #
        # for sha3, blocksize is 136 bytes
        # for sha256, blocksize is 64 bytes
        #
        # NIST SP 800-56a Concatenation Key Derivation Function (section 5.8.1)
        #
        def kdf(key_material, key_len)
          s1 = ""
          key = ""
          hash_blocksize = 64
          reps = ((key_len + 7) * 8) / (hash_blocksize * 8)
          counter = 0
          while counter <= reps
            counter += 1
            ctx = Digest::SHA256.new
            ctx.update [counter].pack('I>')
            ctx.update key_material
            ctx.update s1
            key += ctx.digest
          end
          key[0,key_len]
        end

      end
    end
  end
end

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


My family and I would like to express our sincere thanks and gratitude to you Steve, for providing such a professional, reverent and dignified service for our dearly departed mother. Your help and guidance over the past few weeks made a difficult time more bearable. On the day Richard and his team were exemplary providing compassion and sensitivity. The service ran so smoothly.
Many thanks again for the respect and care shown to our beloved mum.