You have felt blocked or stuck for some time and you are ready to unclog those blocks.
You have an open heart and are willing to change.
You are building a new business or you are ready for your current business to grow.
This is resonating with you on a level you can't quite explain.
To truly and fully heal you MUST be willing to feel and feel deeply, truthfully and consistently.
Big shifts will happen if you trust that and practice it.
We will meet daily as a group to meditate, talk, explore, write, rest, eat, relax, play, laugh, cry, heal and grow.
You'll learn practical techniques and meditations to go deep within and to invite shifts so that you may know the truth of who you are. You will take mindful steps to invite healing and freedom from needless suffering. When you open up to this journey, you'll learn how to listen to and connect with your intuition in ways that you've never experienced before. You'll release old hurts both known and unknown. You'll find joy. Serious, peaceful joy. You'll feel the lightness that comes from eating life-giving foods. You'll redefine self care. You'll connect with other people who are on the path. You'll feel tremendously loved and pampered by every detail.
This is a course for individuals, an inward journey, but you are welcome to bring your partner if you'd like to experience this work side-by-side. You'll leave with the tools you need to continue your work at home.
This is a non-denominational retreat. Our work will transcend religious and cultural barriers.
It is ok if you've never meditated before and it is ok if you have an established meditation practice. Our meditations will bring you into deep states of consciousness. You will move energy and dislodge layers of old stagnation from within your body in a safe and loving environment. You will receive support both in the group and one-on-one with me.
The only prerequisite is your desire and willingness to shift.
The best and most precious gift I could have ever given myself.
I signed up for the Shift retreat in Costa Rica hoping I'd resolve some painful emotional and physical issues that had been plaguing me for well over a decade. And in a mere 6 days with Lacy's skillful and oh so insightful and loving guidance, I truly and fully shifted. I cleared 18 years of grief and came away feeling so much lighter in my body and spirit. Darkness and despair left and light and love moved in. I'm back home now and the transformation is still with me. I know in the deepest part of me that this is a permanent and real shift. In addition to clearing my grief, through the loving support of Lacy and my beyond amazing retreat mates, I fully stepped into the magnificence of who I am. I have a new and loving relationship with myself that I have never had before. And again, it feels like a full and permanent shift. I am so at peace now in my heart, mind, body, and spirit. I am so thankful that I decided to invest in the Shift retreat. It was worth every single penny and more.
Over the years, I have worked with many highly skilled coaches, therapists, body workers and energy healers. However, none of them have been like Lacy. She is a true gift to the universe. She is a beautiful, loving, insightful, intuitive, and courageous healer and facilitator. She calls you forth into your highest self and she is not afraid to share her laser like, intuitive hits for your greater good. She is also so well resourced, drawing upon many wellness practices and modalities (Eastern and Ayurvedic) that she wove magnificently through our days. In addition to creating a safe forum for us to meditate, chant, journal, share, cry, and laugh, she also provided us daily with wellness rituals we could incorporate immediately and into our lives back home. I can say with full confidence that everyone in my group left transformed. And that is due to Lacy and the group she manifested and brought together. I will forever be grateful for this experience. It was a game changer and the best gift I could have ever given myself.
I experienced a gentle shift from effort to ease.
Before the retreat I spent much of my time making plans and trying to determine exactly what I should do next. I was working really hard and feeling anxious. During my week with Lacy I experienced a gentle shift from effort to ease. I saw how simple it can be to create my life from a place of stillness and order, to live from my heart-center and completely let go of the need to figure it all out. I feel lighter and so much more alive! Thank you, Lacy!
I am waking up to my life.
Shift is all about permission - Permission to feel, permission to choose, to decide, to allow, to experiment, to play, to dance, to cry, to scream, to change my mind, to laugh, to speak my truth, to sit in silence, to resist, to flow, to explore, and to let go. And, it is all okay and even more than that, it is welcome and encouraged. Because Shift is a safe space. And, it is love and perfect timing and becoming part of a magical tribe.
Honestly, I did not know what to expect when I signed up for Shift. I'd done some important work with Lacy and knew her approach resonated with me. I had never been on a personal retreat before and I was craving the experience. I dragged my feet for a while before signing up, and initially put a lot of pressure on needing this to be THE right retreat, and worried whether it would it be worth it? And, what if it didn't change me like I needed and wanted? And then, I just took the leap and said yes. After signing up, all that worry went away and I just knew, that for me, it would be life changing. And, it was. On every level.
When it came time for Shift, I showed up with an open heart, and Lacy blew it open even further. Through the week, Lacy loved us, pushed us, and guided us through the good, the hard, the easy and the uncomfortable. She shared her skills and her knowing and gave us full permission to take what worked for us and let go of the rest. I received tools and rituals that I carried home with me, and still use daily, which have created a beautiful bridge from the magic of Costa Rica and Shift to my life at home. These practices serve to remind me that it is all connected and we are all connected. And these tools allow me to continue my work that started the moment I said yes to Shift.
During Shift, we had permission to fall apart, to fall back together, to pick up, to put down, to question, to experience, to feel, and to rewrite our stories. Every choice was right, and it was all information. For me, it was an end, a letting go, and also a beginning.
The Shift experience opened a whole new world of experience and beautiful possibilities and I gained far more than I even imagined. I am still amazed by how much we accomplished and how little time it took to create lasting and profound change. We stayed in a beautiful place and all of our senses were nourished and nurtured which aided our work and healing. The week was profoundly sacred and by the end, I felt so powerful and loved by the universe and my Shift tribe.
I returned home with a deep sense of connection to myself and to the world around me. And with a profound sense of awe and responsibility for my life, my choices, my thoughts, and my words. Now that I've been home for a while, I remain changed, my Shift is real and deeply personal. I've noticed how calm I feel, how much less reactive I am, and how much more grounded, clear and centered I am in my responses. I am waking up to my life. I am grateful for the life changing experience of Shift and for saying yes.
My journey is now filled with curiosity, enthusiasm, mindfulness, gratitude, and joy.
The SHIFT Retreat with Lacy Young was nothing short of transformative. I arrived with beliefs and habits that did not serve me or my family, and I left with a profound shift in perspective that is rooted in Love. All the winding roads that I've traveled in life, all the triumphs and moments of despair, have set me on a journey of self-discovery. SHIFT provided a safe, sacred space to set myself free - to gently release the persistent negative voice within and step into the authentic empowerment that comes with falling in love with oneself. My journey is now filled with curiosity, enthusiasm, mindfulness, gratitude, and joy. Stumbling is no longer cause for self-loathing, but rather an opportunity to practice compassion and fortitude. And for that I am so deeply, humbly grateful!
Once SHIFT is over, it doesn't end! The power within our group is palpable. We are the living, breathing realization of Lacy's vision in Bali. Her powerful, intuitive guidance helped us to realize individually and collectively the Truth that we have everything we need within us. Each day, as Lacy expertly guided us through powerful processes and life-altering meditations in a space of support and non-judgment, we were bonded together in our sacred circle. As we've all returned back to our homes, that eternal bond just continues to strengthen.
The retreat in Costa Rica may be over, but the journey continues!
Shift retreat is so impactful, effective and life-changing.
Lacy has a very special way of working with people. It is a credit to her, her deep intuition, her professional approach, and her loving persistence that the Shift retreat is so impactful, effective and life-changing. Lacy has a rare gift of completely seeing people and helping them discover what's deep within their hearts. And she does it all with a profound love and respect for each individual.
Every detail of this gathering is being curated with your deeply meaningful Shifts in mind.
COST INCLUDES OUR WORK TOGETHER, SUPPORT MATERIALS, YOUR ROOM FOR SEVEN NIGHTS AND EIGHT DAYS, CHEF PREPARED ORGANIC VEGETARIAN MEALS AND EXCURSIONS.
CHOOSE FROM SHARED OR SINGLE ROOMS WITH PRICES RANGING FROM $3640 TO $4650.
Rates are per person (not per room). Airfare + airport transfers are not included.
... is very straight forward. Your retreat deposit and payments are non-refundable.
I had a college professor (freshman Biology) once say that someone had purchased our pricey ticket to be in his class. He compared it to buying a ticket to see the Beatles perform at a sold out show saying that if we had that ticket we'd make damn sure we showed up for it. I've never forgotten that though I think a ticket to Beyoncé is a better metaphor these days. You bought the ticket to the killer show now find a way to get yourself there no matter what. You'll be so glad you did.
All that said, In some select instances I'll allow you to gift your spot to someone else. If you find yourself in a pickle, let's talk.
Lacy's Shift Retreats have been those once-in-a-lifetime experiences that changed everything . . . and continues to change everything.
The doors to the world of the soul are few but precious. If you have a deep scar, that is a door. If you have an old, old story, that is a door. If you love the sky and the water so much you almost cannot bear it, that is a door. If you yearn for a deeper life, a full life, a sane life, that is a door.


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How to Rescue the U.S. Postal Service
Robert Klein, Davy Crockett, and the Quest for Another $5.5 Billion for Stem Cells
Will FDA Approve Biogen's Promising New Treatment for Alzheimer's?
Federal Reserve Underwrites Washington's Spending Binge
Iran's Greatest Myth: Moderates Waiting in the Wings
Pentagon Announces New Strategy for Combating Price Gougers: Paying Attention
Bombshell Bombs With Too Much Hollywood, Too Little Real Life
Vicki E. Alger (139)
Jonathan Bean (119)
K. Lloyd Billingsley (171)
Carl P. Close (129)
Chris Conrad (2)
Craig Eyermann (136)
John R. Graham (341)
Robert Higgs (496)
Jonathan Hofer (1)
Randall G. Holcombe (414)
Raymond J. March (56)
Lawrence J. McQuillan (77)
Robert P. Murphy (20)
George D. O'Neill Jr. (1)
William F. Shughart II (104)
Samuel R. Staley (118)
Adam Summers (6)
David J. Theroux (190)
Mary L. G. Theroux (270)
Ronald L. Trowbridge (3)
Alvaro Vargas Llosa (87)
William J. Watkins, Jr. (60)
Ben Wilterdink (1)
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IN ALL FAIRNESS: Equality, Liberty, and the Quest for Human Dignity
Christopher J. Coyne,
Michael C. Munger,
Robert M. Whaples
LIBERTY IN PERIL: Democracy and Power in American History
WAR AND THE ROGUE PRESIDENCY
IVAN ELAND
RESTORING THE PROMISE: Higher Education in America
Richard K. Vedder
GUN CONTROL IN NAZI-OCCUPIED FRANCE: Tyranny and Resistance
T.R.M. HOWARD: Doctor, Entrepreneur, Civil Rights Pioneer
David T. Beito, Linda Royster Beito
ELEVEN PRESIDENTS: Promises vs. Results in Achieving Limited Government
POPE FRANCIS AND THE CARING SOCIETY
CHINA'S GREAT MIGRATION: How the Poor Built a Prosperous Nation
Bradley M. Gardner
CROSSROADS FOR LIBERTY: Recovering the Anti-Federalist Values of America's First Constitution
William J. Watkins
Will More Preventive Care Help Reduce Healthcare Costs?
John C. Goodman • Wednesday March 6, 2013 10:23 AM PST •
The new healthcare law promises people on Medicare annual wellness exams, mammograms, prostate cancer screenings, and other preventive services—without any co-payment or deductible. The rest of the population will also have access to a lengthy list of preventive services. Unfortunately, the law that mandated these benefits contained no provision to make sure doctors will be able to deliver the services.
What Services Will I Be Entitled To?
All new health plans (plans that are not grandfathered) must now cover the preventive services recommended by the US Preventive Services Task Force, without cost-sharing. Depending on your age and sex, the following preventive services must be covered by your health insurance.[1]
Blood pressure, diabetes, and cholesterol screening
Counseling on weight loss, healthy eating, smoking cessation, alcohol use, and depression.
Vaccines for measles, polio, meningitis, and the human papillomavirus (HPV).
Shots for flu and pneumonia prevention.
Screening, vaccines, and counseling for healthy pregnancies.
Well-baby and well-child visits up to the age of 21, as well as vision and hearing, developmental assessments, and body mass index (BMI) screenings for obesity.
Mammograms for women over age 40.
Pap smears for cervical cancer prevention.
Colon cancer screening tests for adults over age 50.
Will I Be Able to Get the Preventive Services Promised Me?
The answer is probably not. Providing preventive care takes time, and most primary care physicians already have their hands full. Nationwide, more than one out of every five people is living in an underdoctored area, and the shortage of primary care physicians is expected to grow worse in future years.[2] Furthermore, since preventive screenings are often reimbursed at lower rates than other services, when you call your doctor for a preventive care appointment, you may find there is a long wait.
Is Preventive Medicine Cost-Effective?
Much rhetoric suggests that preventive care pays for itself. If a disease is caught in its early stages, so it is said, treatment costs will be lower. So can wider access to preventive care lower the nation's healthcare costs? In general, no.
For an individual with a health problem, the old adage that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure is true.[3] For the few patients who are diagnosed with a disease, preventive screenings are definitely worth the cost. But the cost of screening thousands of healthy patients to find one patient with a problem usually swamps any savings on patients whose diseases are diagnosed early.
In general, preventive medicine adds to healthcare costs, rather than reducing costs. Mammograms don't pay for themselves. Nor do Pap smears, prostate cancer tests, or general checkups for healthy people.[4] That doesn't mean we should avoid these tests, but we should obtain them judiciously.
There are some exceptions—childhood immunizations and prenatal care for at-risk mothers, for example. But the exceptions are few and far between. Louise Russell, who has studied the economics of preventive care for many years, explained this in an article in Health Affairs:
Over the past four decades, hundreds of studies have shown that prevention usually adds to medical spending. [Data] from 599 studies published between 2000 and 2005 [show that] less than 20 percent of the preventive options (and a similar percentage for treatment) fall in the cost-saving category—80 percent add more to medical costs than they save.[5]
Dr. Russell's finding bears repeating: hundreds of studies showed that 80 percent of preventive services added more to medical costs than they saved.
For more on the Affordable Care Act, please see my Independent Institute book, Priceless: Curing the Healthcare Crisis.
1. "Preventive Services Covered under the Affordable Care Act," HealthCare.gov, July 2010, http://www.healthcare.gov/news/factsheets/2010/07/preventive-services-list.html.
2. "Designated Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSA) Statistics," Office of Shortage Designation, Bureau of Health Professions, Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), US Department of Health & Human Services, December 12, 2011, http://ersrs.hrsa.gov/ReportServer/Pages/ReportViewer.aspx?/HGDW_Reports/BCD_HPSA/BCD_HPSA_SCR50_Smry.
3. David Brown, "In the Balance: Some Candidates Disagree, but Studies Show It's Often Cheaper to Let People Get Sick," Washington Post, April 8, 2008.
4. Louise B. Russell, "Preventing Chronic Disease: An Important Investment, But Don't Count On Cost Savings," Health Affairs 28, No. 1 (2009): 42–45. doi: 10.1377.
5. Louise B. Russell, "Preventing Chronic Disease: An Important Investment, But Don't Count On Cost Savings," Health Affairs 28 (2009): 42–45, doi: 10.1377.
[Cross-posted at Psychology Today]
John C. Goodman is a Research Fellow at the Independent Institute, President of the Goodman Institute for Public Policy Research, and author of the Independent books Priceless, and A Better Choice.
Posts by John C. Goodman | Full Biography and Publications
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Odd Journey
Why We Are Born: A Story of love and hope
Feeling lost and unsure about the purpose of life? If so, this blog is for you. We will also investigate what happens to love after death and question the reason for our existence.
Are you at a loss for what the point of life is? Do you feel like you're just running in circles, chasing your own tail? If so, this blog is for you! We'll explore the meaning of life, the point of living, and the purpose of love.
We'll also look into what happens to love after death and ask why we are born in the first place.
Whether you're looking for answers to questions that have been bothering you for years or just want to take a step back and understand life a little better, read on!
The meaning of life is a question that has been asked by people throughout history. Some believe that we're born to experience love and hope, while others believe it's a journey without a destination.
Whichever perspective you take, the key is to live life to the fullest and make the most of every moment. What does that mean for you? It means seizing opportunities and following your passions.
It means fighting for what's right and standing up for what's good. And most importantly, it means being kind and compassionate to others - even when they don't deserve it.
So, whatever the future holds, let's hope for love and hope - and live our lives in such a way that makes them real.
What is the point of living?
We all ask ourselves, "What is the point of living?" at some point in our lives. In the story, a young girl is on a quest to find an answer to this question.
She understands life is full of love and hope, even in the darkest moments. Ultimately, she learns that everything matters - no matter how small or insignificant it may seem at first glance.
This beautiful story provides comfort and understanding to readers, reminding them that life is worth living even when things are tough. So go ahead and take a breath, open your heart, and let this story inspire you to live life to the fullest!
A story of love and hope
Love is powerful. And it's the driving force behind our story. From the very beginning, love sustains us and motivates us to fight.
It gives us the will to live and fight against our fate, no matter what it may be. In fact, our story begins with two strangers who fall in love despite all odds.
They fight for each other until the very end, even though they don't know if they'll make it out alive. Their story is full of hope, love, and determination - something we can all learn from.
So go ahead and let your love shine through in all your content. It'll make all the difference.
Why do we love?
Love is the most essential thing in the world. It's the reason we are born, the reason we love, and the reason we hope.
The light guides us through our darkest moments and is the reason we long to feel its warmth again. Love is at the heart of everything we do, and it's important to remember it every day.
Is love blind?
Love is often described as being blind, but does that mean it's a random act? For some, love is an innate feeling that we are born with and can't be taught.
Other thinkers argue that love can be learned through experience and understanding. Regardless of how you view it, one thing is for sure: love makes us happy!
Whether it's the tender love between a husband and wife, the love between friends, or the love between a parent and child, love is an emotion that is hard to put into words. But that's precisely why we love it - because it's impossible to describe!
What happens to love after death?
Love is an emotion that can touch our hearts in many ways. It can help us through difficult times, and it's something that we can't lose.
Even after death, love remains alive as memories of those we've loved staying with us. We can learn to live life more fully by remembering the good times we shared with those who have passed on. What happens to love after death?
That's the question that this blog seeks to answer. Through beautiful and thought-provoking stories, it explores the various ways in which love affects our lives and how it can continue to be a powerful force even after we've gone. Thank you for reading!
What is the point of life?
The point of life is a question that has plagued humanity for centuries.
However, there is one answer that we can all agree on - we are born to experience love and hope. What does that mean for us?
Well, it means that we are meant to learn, grow, and thrive. In other words, life's journey is never-ending, and we should never miss out on any moment.
Whether it's a loved one's smile, the sun shining down on your skin, or just a simple moment of peace, take the time to appreciate all the beauty life has to offer. Life is a never-ending cycle of love and hope, so make the most of every day!
Why are we born?
We all know the saying, "love is love." But what does it really mean? On a metaphysical level, love is the light in our lives that guides us through difficult times. It is the force that gives us hope in the face of darkness.
It is the energy that propels us forward and helps us to reach our full potential.
And most importantly, love is the reason we are born.
We come into this world as innocent new beings who need love and guidance to thrive. Our life journey begins with birth, and it is through our interactions with others that we learn the most important lessons.
Ultimately, our purpose on Earth is to create a legacy of love that will be remembered and admired for centuries. So, let's start loving more and living more authentically today!
What do we learn from this story about how to live a meaningful life?
The main lesson from the story is that love is at the heart of all human experience. Without it, we would be lost and unable to find our way in the world.
Hope is also a key ingredient to living a meaningful life - without hope, we would give up on our dreams and be stuck in a cycle of unhappiness. However, as long as we have love and hope inside of us, anything is possible.
What other themes could be explored in relation to birth and human existence?
Themes that could be explored concerning birth and human existence include themes of love, hope, growth, and security.
Birth is an incredibly precious moment that marks the beginning of a lifelong journey toward self-discovery and growth.
Our mothers instinctively provide us with the essentials for life - food, water, warmth, and protection - at birth. Birth is also an opportunity for new parents to bond intimately with their children, providing them with the love and security they need to start their lives.
What does it mean to be human?
Being human is about more than just the physical attributes we possess- it's about our innate desire to connect with each other and share our feelings. Love is at the heart of being human.
We are shaped by the love we experience in our lives, and the love we give to others shapes who we are. We will face pain and suffering throughout our journey toward happiness but ultimately find hope.
The essence of being human is resilience- the ability to go on even after experiencing hardship.
What advice would you give to someone struggling with their faith?
When it comes to faith, the most important thing is to not focus on having the correct beliefs but on trusting in something more significant.
This doesn't mean that you have to blindly believe in anything - it simply means that you must believe in something even when you can't see it. Ultimately, it's up to each individual to find their path in life and determine what brings them joy.
If you are struggling with your faith, don't beat yourself up - there is always hope. Talking openly and honestly about your struggles can help others understand you better and connect with you on a deeper level.
Why is it important for us to remember our origins?
Our origins are the foundation of everything we are and do. They tell us who we are as individuals and how we came to be where we are today.
Our journey toward our origins is a source of untold hope and beauty. By remembering our origins, we can understand ourselves better and learn more about the world around us. Focusing on our roots can lead to love, healing, and direction in our lives.
We have all asked ourselves this question at some point in our lives - what is the point of life? Is it to make the world a better place, to find love and happiness, or is it simply to exist?
In this blog, we have shared a story of love and hope that will leave you pondering these same questions. We believe life has a purpose and is worth living for.
We hope that by reading our blog, you will find comfort and hope in facing life's uncertainties. Thank you for taking the time to read it.
How to Deal with Sadness: A Mindful Guide
Everyone experiences sadness from time to time. However, for some people, sadness can become a problem they can't seem to shake. In this post, we will talk about how our brains work when feeling sad and give tips on how to deal with sadness mindfully.
How to be a mindful minimalist: A guide for beginners
Minimalism is a mindset and a way of living that values simplicity and intentionality. It can help to declutter your physical space and reduce stress, as well as improve your focus and productivity. Here are a few tips for beginners who want to start practicing mindfulness and minimalism:
How to Deal with a Breakup in a Mindful Way
Breakups can be emotionally challenging and painful, but it's important to remember that it's okay to feel a range of emotions and to take the time to process and heal. Here are a few tips for dealing with a breakup in a mindful way:
Odd Journey © 2023


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European CommissionSETISPublicationsSETIS MagazineStephen Salter talking to SETIS
Ocean Energy - 2013
EC's new SI Ocean gives European marine energy a boost
Editorial: Dr Sian George, CEO, European Ocean Energy Association
Ocean energy receives funding under NER300
Open-Centre Turbines – invisibly harnessing the power of the oceans
SET-Plan Update (April 2013) – Ocean Energy Focus
The European Marine Energy Centre: testing the potential of the oceans
Stephen Salter talking to SETIS
Back to Magazine
Stephen Salter is Emeritus Professor of Engineering Design at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland. In the 1970s and 80s he pioneered the first viable design for producing wave energy, called Salter's (or the Edinburgh) Duck. Some of the innovative technology is now being used in the latest wind turbines.
© Aquamarine Power
Wind and wave power technology were both starting out in the 1970s, when you invented the 'Duck' design for producing wave energy. But today wind energy is a mature technology, while wave energy is about 20 years behind. The Duck is still probably the most efficient source of wave power. What happened? Why hasn't it taken off?
Wind took off because the investors were there. Back in the 1970s there were tax incentives in the United States for investment in wind energy, even though the machines didn't ever generate any energy, had absolutely awful reliability and only about 5% efficiency. Meanwhile, in Denmark things were better organised, with local ownership of single turbines. But in the UK, wave energy was under the control of the Atomic Energy Authority, which was basically hostile to the whole concept. So there was a benign government in Denmark supporting wind and a hostile control of information flow in the UK that held wave power back.
The only problem with the Duck is that it produces far too much energy, because you need to have a lot of them to take an average of the wave amplitudes. You need lots of phases of waves. Originally, we thought that a 250 MW system was about right. We then tried to do it with small ones in the wave tank. We think that an absolute minimum is about 10 Ducks, which means you'd be developing about 60 MW. And that's far too big for the present market. Investors want about 1 MW. They are rather cautious and want to try a small one before they try a big one. That's why Ducks can't raise any money for investment.
The second thing is that to make the Ducks work we needed to invent all kinds of new hydraulic technology and make it compatible with digital control. The pumps and motors at the time didn't have good enough part load efficiency, were hard to control and couldn't combine energy from different places. The consultants who were selected by the Atomic Energy Research Establishment in Harwell to scrutinise the work back then didn't have any feeling for electronics at all. They were basically engineers and thought that computers were great big things in special rooms with air conditioning and men to look after them. They didn't realise they could be available very cheaply. Now I think the chip in the digital hydraulics controller costs less than £2.
© Jamie Taylor
But this situation has changed. In Edinburgh, we managed to get a little spinoff company going, called Artemis, to develop the digital hydraulics. Artemis was recently bought up by Mitsubishi. They are fitting digital hydraulics into wind turbines for power conversion and should be installing them off of Fukushima, of all places. They offer great savings in weight and also improvements in efficiency. If this builds confidence in digital hydraulics they might be tempted to do it in tidal stream technology and then in wave energy. I'm quite happy to leave the Ducks on the back burner until we really believe in the digital hydraulics.
So tidal stream is likely to be commercially viable first?
It's more marketable, because it's more predictable. In the spot market, every half hour the electricity producers bid for how much they can produce in a given time for an agreed price. Knowing when you'd be able to deliver makes bidding a lot easier. Also, tidal is usually near to shore. In the UK there is already a 250 MW connector from Dounreay. So everything needed for tidal is already there.
So, is synergy between wave, tidal stream and wind the best way forward?
Well yes, because the waves come a day or so after the wind. There's a phase lag, so the two are less intermittent in combination with each other. Tidal streams have their own very predictable cycle. And both wind and wave are more plentiful in the winter, when the demand is greater and that's a good thing.
But if we did all three together, there would be times when there was too much electricity. So you'd have to find a way to use the electricity that you can't put into the grid. One way to do this is to use synthetic chemical processing to make liquid fuels. We're going to be short of liquid fuel and we have too much electricity. There is a chemical process, called the Fischer Tropsch process, to do this that's well established. It needs a source of carbon, electricity and a catalyst. If you used carbon from municipal garbage you could get a credit on landfill. Anything with carbon in it can be used, especially if it has a negative cost. You can then use it to make a fuel that would substitute for diesel or natural gas. Anything that's not used can be recycled back into the system.
Isn't there another issue, in that the grid interconnections off northwest Scotland, where wave energy potential is greatest, are not yet adequate even for wind?
The UK is building a DC bus down the West coast from the Hunterstone area and I'd like to have another one that went from the Pentland Firth down the east coast. You could get into it from Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Newcastle and all the way down to London. Also, there are plans for a complete joining up of the whole of Europe in one grid. One idea is to produce solar energy in North Africa and bring it up to Norway. If you produced a single European grid, a lot of the worries about intermittency vanish.
I want to see successful digital hydraulics in wind followed by digital hydraulics in tidal streams. That's going to give us a lot more experience and confidence. Then we can go back to the Ducks. That's why they're on the back burner. The quieter we leave them the better. However, Richard Yemms's Pelamis wave power design basically started with the work on the bending sections on the spines of the Ducks. Pelamis is essentially Duck strings without any Ducks on. It's teaching them a great deal about what they need to know about bearings and joints and rams and hydraulics. It's very nice and a good, cheap source of electricity. But it's wasteful of sea front. We haven't got an infinite amount of sea front; Scotland has probably got about 400 km of sea front and each Pelamis, I think, takes about 500 metres of width. The Duck strings use every millimetre.
And what are the main remaining obstacles?
Well, apart from investment, we still need to build a component test raft. Technology that costs EUR 20 million to put in is still failing because of an off-the-shelf component that costs EUR 2 that the manufacturers thought was OK. They're finding that this is costing them a year's development and lots of electricity not generated. It would be nice to have individual components being tested in large numbers in the right chemistry and biology but they don't do it. It wouldn't cost much. The things we're testing aren't expensive. What you need to do is test lots of them in parallel and find out which ones work and which don't.
You'd want all the information about this, – how long seals work and under what conditions and so on. Everyone would want this information. This happens with aeroplanes. You get type approval for components that go into aeroplanes and if anything doesn't work there's an air crash and everybody in the aircraft industry in the whole world is told about it. At the moment things are going wrong with wave energy devices and it's all hushed up. They're risking the whole credibility of the technology but also risking causing shipwrecks. That's the first thing I'd try to sort out.


World Cup Fever... World Cup books!
1.Futebol Nation: The Brazilian Way of Life (Bloomsbury).
An updated version of Alex Bellos's classic.
"No nation has so closely aligned its national identity with playing and watching football as Brazil.
More information is available on Penguin's site here.
Uruguayan writer Andreas Campomar examines how football has shaped not only the sporting, but also the political, economic, social, and cultural development of Latin America.
More info from Quercus here.
An insightful, entertaining and informative account of Brazil through the lens of football.
James Montague's journey to some of the most remote and obscure footballing nations in the world, finding out what the world cup means to them.
More info from Bloomsbury is here.
Finally, this one is especially for our team, England, who have been eliminated from 6 of their last 9 major tournaments after a penalty shootout… not again, surely?
Ben Lyttleton tells the definitive story of spot-kicks: the psychology, mental attitude and art-form required to take them.
More info from Bantam is here.
So if you're looking for a world cup read, or something related to football, Brazil or the world cup, take your pick of the above… Enjoy!
0 Responses to World Cup Fever… World Cup books!


Last week was a busy one. Not only were we getting ready for my company to host a big event here in Memphis, but we also lost a fellow coworker.
Well, we didn't actually lose because we know where she is – she moved to Atlanta to be with her boyfriend – but she's no longer a part of our happy family here at [company name].
Before she left I wanted to make sure she knew how much we all would miss her, so I planted little gifts in her cube.
She didn't find the one I left for her on Wednesday, so I brought another one in on Thursday, hoping she would find it. I figured if she didn't find them by Friday then I'd have to help because I didn't want her to miss them.
Turns out she found them on Thursday afternoon, although I think she had a little help.
Looking back I think I taped the leftover tuna cans too far back under her desk for the smell to easily be detected. Lesson learned for the next time.
You were a blast to work with [coworker] and we will all miss you. Good luck in Atlanta!!
Now, on to this week's installment of Things I Have Overheard.
CW 1: You like to grip all of it?
CW 1: I wanted to get a voodoo doll, but I didn't want to be screwing up the wrong person.
I'm not holding a grudge, I'm remembering. Let's start bus'in' sh!t up!!
CW: Did you hear me say that there is something wrong with you?
Call me. I believe I have what you need.
CW 1: Geez, he can't get a hold of himself.
Gallery | This entry was posted in Daily Life, Things I Have Overheard and tagged Conversation, coworkers, daily life, friends, humor, life, overheard, Postaweek2013, relationships, work. Bookmark the permalink.
Ha! Makes me wish I worked in an office, though not enough to actually work in an office. I'll leave that to you.
I pinned the unicorn pic on Pinterest though, so my work for the day is finished!
Every week it just keeps getting better.
Most of it sounds sexual. But it's very funny!


Gau P1,2, Curtright A1, Condon L1, Raible DW1,2, Dhaka A1,2.
Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America.
In terrestrial vertebrates such as birds and mammals, neurotrophin receptor expression is considered fundamental for the specification of distinct somatosensory neuron types where TrkA, TrkB and TrkC specify nociceptors, mechanoceptors and proprioceptors/mechanoceptors, respectively. In turn, Runx transcription factors promote neuronal fate specification by regulating neurotrophin receptor and sensory receptor expression where Runx1 mediates TrkA+ nociceptor diversification while Runx3 promotes a TrkC+ proprioceptive/mechanoceptive fate. Here, we report in zebrafish larvae that orthologs of the neurotrophin receptors in contrast to terrestrial vertebrates mark overlapping and distinct subsets of nociceptors suggesting that TrkA, TrkB and TrkC do not intrinsically promote nociceptor, mechanoceptor and proprioceptor/mechanoceptor neuronal fates, respectively. While we find that zebrafish Runx3 regulates nociceptors in contrast to terrestrial vertebrates, it shares a conserved regulatory mechanism found in terrestrial vertebrate proprioceptors/mechanoceptors in which it promotes TrkC expression and suppresses TrkB expression. We find that Cbfβ, which enhances Runx protein stability and affinity for DNA, serves as an obligate cofactor for Runx in neuronal fate determination. High levels of Runx can compensate for the loss of Cbfβ, indicating that in this context Cbfβ serves solely as a signal amplifier of Runx activity. Our data suggests an alteration/expansion of the neurotrophin receptor code of sensory neurons between larval teleost fish and terrestrial vertebrates, while the essential roles of Runx/Cbfβ in sensory neuron cell fate determination while also expanded are conserved.
The zebrafish trigeminal ganglion contains many somatosensory subpopulations defined by the neurotrophin receptors and trpv1 and trpa1b nociceptive ion channels.
A-E, Optical sections of double fluorescent in situ hybridization for trkA (red) and trkB1 (green) (A), trkA (red) and trkB1 (green) (B), trkA1 (red) and trkC1 (green) (C), trkC (red) and trkB1 (green) (D), trpv1 (red) and trkB1 (green) (E) and trpv1 (red) and trkC1 (green in wild-type fish at 3dpf. F-G, Optical sections of antibody staining of GFP (green) in conjunction with fluorescent in situ hybridization for trkB1 (F) and trkC1 (G) in trpa1b:GFP fish at 3dpf. H, Representations of 3dpf wild-type somatosensory subpopulations as a percent of the whole TG. Dashed white line outline green cells; Dashed yellow lines outline red cells; Arrowhead indicates double positive cells. Scale bar: 20μm. Embryos per condition (n = 3–4).
runx1, runx3, and cbfb are expressed in the zebrafish somatosensory system.
A-DD, Colormetric in situ hybridization for runx1 (A-H, Y-Z), runx3 (I-P, AA-BB), and cbfb (Q-X, CC-DD) from 4s-5dpf. A-H, Y-Z, runx1 is expressed in RBs (arrow) and can be detected in facial (VII), glossopharyngeal (IX), and vagal (X) cranial ganglion. I-P, AA-BB, runx3 is expressed in RBs, in the DRG (dashed arrows), the TG (arrowhead) and in the VII, IX, X ganglion. I-P, AA-BB cbfb is expressed in RBs, in the DRG (dashed arrows), the TG (arrowhead) and in the VII, IX, X ganglion. EE, Rohon Beard and trigeminal expression timeline for runx1, runx3, and cbfb. Arrow indicates RBs; Arrowhead, TG; dashed arrow, DRG; VII, facial ganglion; IX, glossopharyngeal ganglion; X, vagal ganglion. Scale bar: 100 μm.
Runx/Cbfβ signaling is required to maintain runx expression in Rohon Beard neurons.
A-L, Colormetric in situ hybridization for runx1 (A-D) at 18s, runx3 (E-H) at 24hpf and 3dpf, and cbfb (I-L) at 24hpf and 3dpf in the runx1, runx3, and cbfb mutants focusing on the RBs. M-N, Quantification of marker gene expression as total number of RB neurons/embryo and as % WT at 18s or 24hpf. Arrow, RBs; Scale bar: 100 μm. Embryos per condition (n = 3–14). ***p<0.001. All error bars represent S.E.M.
Cbfβ expression does not affect runx expression in the TG.
A-F, Colormetric in situ hybridization for runx3 (A-C) and cbfb (D-F) in the runx3w144/w144 and cbfbw128/w128 mutants focusing on the TG at 24hpf and 3dpf. G-J, Antibody staining of Elavl (green) to label the whole trigeminal in conjunction fluorescent in situ hybridization for runx3 (G-H) and cbfb (I-J) in runx3w144/w144 and cbfbw128/w128 mutants at 3dpf. K, Quantification of marker gene expression as total number of TG neurons/ganglion at 3dpf. Dashed line outlines the eye; Arrowhead, TG; X, vagal ganglion. Scale bar: A-F 100 μm, G-J 20μm. Embryos per condition (n = 3–7). All error bars represent S.E.M.
Loss of runx or cbfb expression affects trk receptor expression in the TG.
A-I, Colormetric in situ hybridization for trkA (A-C), trkB1 (D-F), and trkC1 (G-I) in the runx3w144/w144 and cbfbw128/w128 mutants focusing on the TG at 24hpf and 3dpf. J-O, Antibody staining of Elavl (green) in conjunction with fluorescent in situ hybridization for trkB1 (J-L) and trkC1 (M-O) in the runx3w144/w144 and cbfbw128/w128 mutants at 3dpf. P, Quantification of marker gene expression as total number of TG neurons/ganglion and as % TG at 3dpf. Arrowhead, TG; X, vagal ganglion. Scale bar: A-I 100 μm, J-O 20μm. Embryos per condition (n = 3–5). ***p<0.001. All error bars represent S.E.M.
Loss of runx or cbfb expression affects trk receptor expression in the RBs.
A-M, Colormetric in situ hybridization for trkA (A-D), trkB1 (E-H), and trkC1 (I-L) in runx1W84X/W84X, runx3w144/w144 and cbfbw128/w128 mutants focusing on the RBs at 24hpf and 3dpf. M, Quantification of marker gene expression as % total RBs at 24hpf. Arrow, RBs. Scale bar: 100 μm. Embryos per condition (n = 3–12). *p<0.05, ***p<0.001. All error bars represent S.E.M.
Loss of runx or cbfb expression affects ion channel expression in the TG.
A-I, Colormetric in situ hybridization for trpv1 (A-C), trpa1b (D-F), and piezo2b (G-I) in the runx3w144/w144 and cbfbw128/w128 mutants focusing on the TG at 24hpf and 3dpf. J-L, Antibody staining of GFP (green) in runx3w144/w144; trpa1b:GFP and cbfbw128/w128; trpa1b:GFP mutants. M, Quantification of GFP+ cells/ganglion in the TG at 24hpf and 3dpf. Dashed line outlines the eye; Arrowhead, TG. Scale bar: A-I 100 μm, J-L 20μm. Embryos per condition (n = 3–7). ***p<0.001. All error bars represent S.E.M.
Loss of runx or cbfb expression affects ion channel expression in the RBs.
A-L, Colormetric in situ hybridization for trpv1 (A-D), trpa1b (E-H), and piezo2b (I-L) in the runx1W84X/W84X, runx3w144/w144 and cbfbw128/w128 mutants focusing on the RBs at 24hpf and 3dpf. M-P, Antibody staining of GFP (green) in runx3w144/w144; trpa1b:GFP and cbfbw128/w128; trpa1b:GFP mutants. Q-R, Quantification of marker gene expression as total number of RB neurons/embryo and as % WT at 24hpf. S, Quantification of GFP+ cells in the RBs at 24hpf. Dashed line outlines the eye; Arrow, RBs; Arrowhead, TG; X, vagal ganglion. Scale bar: A-L 100 μm, J-L, M-N 20μm. Embryos per condition (n = 3–12). ***p<0.001. All error bars represent S.E.M.
Loss of runx or cbfb expression affects locomotor responses of zebrafish to AITC, but not heat.
A-C, Heat behavior in the runx1W84X/W84X (A), runx3w144/w144 (B), and cbfbw128/w128 (C) mutants. D-F, AITC behavior in the runx1 (D), runx3 (E), and cbfb (F) mutants (G) AITC and touch tail deflection behavior of 3dpf runx1 larvae. Embryos per condition (n = 10–25). *p<0.05, **p<0.01, ***p<0.001. All error bars represent S.E.M.
Runx3 overexpression rescues the cbfb mutant phenotypes in TG.
A-D, Antibody staining for GFP of TG in cbfb-/- trpa1b:GFP mutants injected with 0 or 400pg of runx3 RNA at 3dpf. E-F TrkB1 colormetric in situ hybridization staining for GFP in cbfbw128/w128; trpa1b:GFP mutants injected with 0 or 400pg of runx3 RNA at 3dpf. I-L TrkC1 colormetric in situ hybridization staining for GFP in cbfbw128/x128; trpa1b:GFP mutants injected with 0 or 400pg of runx3 RNA at 3dpf.
trkC1+ neurons switch fate to become trkB1+ neurons in the cbfb mutant zebrafish.
A-F, Optical sections of double fluorescent in situ hybridization for runx3 (red) and trkB1 (green) (A-B), runx3 (red) and trkC1 (green) (C-D), and trkC1 (red) and trkB1 (green) (E-F) in wild-type and cbfb mutants. G-I, Optical sections of antibody staining of GFP (green) in conjunction with fluorescent in situ hybridization for runx3 (G) in trpa1b:GFP fish at 3dpf. H, Representations of 3dpf wild-type and cbfb mutant somatosensory subpopulations as a percent of the whole TG. Dashed white line outline green cells; Dashed yellow lines outline red cells; Arrowhead indicates double positive cells. Scale bar: 20μm. Embryos per condition (n = 3–4). All error bars represent S.E.M.
Scatter labeled trkB1 and runx3 neurons persist in cbfbw128/w128; trpa1b:GFP embryos.
(A-D) Maximum intensity projections of transiently expressed nls-Eos in trpA1b:GFP fish at 3dpf and 6dpf. (A) trkb1:nls-Eos in a WT trpa1b:GFP embryo, (B) runx3:nls-Eos in a WT trpa1b:GFP embryo, (C) trkB1:nls-Eos in a in cbfbw128/w128; trpa1b:GFP embryo, (D) runx3:nls-Eos in a in cbfbw128/w128; trpa1b:GFP embryo. Arrowhead indicates double positive nls-Eos/GFP TG neurons. Scale bar: 20μm.


text:
package com.amazonaws.services.chime.model;

import java.io.Serializable;
import javax.annotation.Generated;
import com.amazonaws.protocol.StructuredPojo;
import com.amazonaws.protocol.ProtocolMarshaller;

/**
 *

 * The Amazon Chime account details. An AWS account can have multiple Amazon Chime accounts.
 *

 *
 * @see AWS API
 *      Documentation
 */
@Generated("com.amazonaws:aws-java-sdk-code-generator")
public class Account implements Serializable, Cloneable, StructuredPojo {

    /**
     *

     * The AWS account ID.
     *

     */
    private String awsAccountId;
    /**
     *

     * The Amazon Chime account ID.
     *

     */
    private String accountId;
    /**
     *

     * The Amazon Chime account name.
     *

     */
    private String name;
    /**
     *

     * The Amazon Chime account type. For more information about different account types, see Managing Your Amazon Chime
     * Accounts in the Amazon Chime Administration Guide.
     *

     */
    private String accountType;
    /**
     *

     * The Amazon Chime account creation timestamp, in ISO 8601 format.
     *

     */
    private java.util.Date createdTimestamp;
    /**
     *

     * The default license for the Amazon Chime account.
     *

     */
    private String defaultLicense;
    /**
     *

     * Supported licenses for the Amazon Chime account.
     *

     */
    private java.util.List<String> supportedLicenses;
    /**
     *

     * The status of the account.
     *

     */
    private String accountStatus;
    /**
     *

     * The sign-in delegate groups associated with the account.
     *

     */
    private java.util.List<SigninDelegateGroup> signinDelegateGroups;

    /**
     *

     * The AWS account ID.
     *

     *
     * @param awsAccountId
     *        The AWS account ID.
     */

    public void setAwsAccountId(String awsAccountId) {
        this.awsAccountId = awsAccountId;
    }

    /**
     *

     * The AWS account ID.
     *

     *
     * @return The AWS account ID.
     */

    public String getAwsAccountId() {
        return this.awsAccountId;
    }

    /**
     *

     * The AWS account ID.
     *

     *
     * @param awsAccountId
     *        The AWS account ID.
     * @return Returns a reference to this object so that method calls can be chained together.
     */

    public Account withAwsAccountId(String awsAccountId) {
        setAwsAccountId(awsAccountId);
        return this;
    }

    /**
     *

     * The Amazon Chime account ID.
     *

     *
     * @param accountId
     *        The Amazon Chime account ID.
     */

    public void setAccountId(String accountId) {
        this.accountId = accountId;
    }

    /**
     *

     * The Amazon Chime account ID.
     *

     *
     * @return The Amazon Chime account ID.
     */

    public String getAccountId() {
        return this.accountId;
    }

    /**
     *

     * The Amazon Chime account ID.
     *

     *
     * @param accountId
     *        The Amazon Chime account ID.
     * @return Returns a reference to this object so that method calls can be chained together.
     */

    public Account withAccountId(String accountId) {
        setAccountId(accountId);
        return this;
    }

    /**
     *

     * The Amazon Chime account name.
     *

     *
     * @param name
     *        The Amazon Chime account name.
     */

    public void setName(String name) {
        this.name = name;
    }

    /**
     *

     * The Amazon Chime account name.
     *

     *
     * @return The Amazon Chime account name.
     */

    public String getName() {
        return this.name;
    }

    /**
     *

     * The Amazon Chime account name.
     *

     *
     * @param name
     *        The Amazon Chime account name.
     * @return Returns a reference to this object so that method calls can be chained together.
     */

    public Account withName(String name) {
        setName(name);
        return this;
    }

    /**
     *

     * The Amazon Chime account type. For more information about different account types, see Managing Your Amazon Chime
     * Accounts in the Amazon Chime Administration Guide.
     *

     *
     * @param accountType
     *        The Amazon Chime account type. For more information about different account types, see Managing Your Amazon Chime
     *        Accounts in the Amazon Chime Administration Guide.
     * @see AccountType
     */

    public void setAccountType(String accountType) {
        this.accountType = accountType;
    }

    /**
     *

     * The Amazon Chime account type. For more information about different account types, see Managing Your Amazon Chime
     * Accounts in the Amazon Chime Administration Guide.
     *

     *
     * @return The Amazon Chime account type. For more information about different account types, see Managing Your Amazon Chime
     *         Accounts in the Amazon Chime Administration Guide.
     * @see AccountType
     */

    public String getAccountType() {
        return this.accountType;
    }

    /**
     *

     * The Amazon Chime account type. For more information about different account types, see Managing Your Amazon Chime
     * Accounts in the Amazon Chime Administration Guide.
     *

     *
     * @param accountType
     *        The Amazon Chime account type. For more information about different account types, see Managing Your Amazon Chime
     *        Accounts in the Amazon Chime Administration Guide.
     * @return Returns a reference to this object so that method calls can be chained together.
     * @see AccountType
     */

    public Account withAccountType(String accountType) {
        setAccountType(accountType);
        return this;
    }

    /**
     *

     * The Amazon Chime account type. For more information about different account types, see Managing Your Amazon Chime
     * Accounts in the Amazon Chime Administration Guide.
     *

     *
     * @param accountType
     *        The Amazon Chime account type. For more information about different account types, see Managing Your Amazon Chime
     *        Accounts in the Amazon Chime Administration Guide.
     * @return Returns a reference to this object so that method calls can be chained together.
     * @see AccountType
     */

    public Account withAccountType(AccountType accountType) {
        this.accountType = accountType.toString();
        return this;
    }

    /**
     *

     * The Amazon Chime account creation timestamp, in ISO 8601 format.
     *

     *
     * @param createdTimestamp
     *        The Amazon Chime account creation timestamp, in ISO 8601 format.
     */

    public void setCreatedTimestamp(java.util.Date createdTimestamp) {
        this.createdTimestamp = createdTimestamp;
    }

    /**
     *

     * The Amazon Chime account creation timestamp, in ISO 8601 format.
     *

     *
     * @return The Amazon Chime account creation timestamp, in ISO 8601 format.
     */

    public java.util.Date getCreatedTimestamp() {
        return this.createdTimestamp;
    }

    /**
     *

     * The Amazon Chime account creation timestamp, in ISO 8601 format.
     *

     *
     * @param createdTimestamp
     *        The Amazon Chime account creation timestamp, in ISO 8601 format.
     * @return Returns a reference to this object so that method calls can be chained together.
     */

    public Account withCreatedTimestamp(java.util.Date createdTimestamp) {
        setCreatedTimestamp(createdTimestamp);
        return this;
    }

    /**
     *

     * The default license for the Amazon Chime account.
     *

     *
     * @param defaultLicense
     *        The default license for the Amazon Chime account.
     * @see License
     */

    public void setDefaultLicense(String defaultLicense) {
        this.defaultLicense = defaultLicense;
    }

    /**
     *

     * The default license for the Amazon Chime account.
     *

     *
     * @return The default license for the Amazon Chime account.
     * @see License
     */

    public String getDefaultLicense() {
        return this.defaultLicense;
    }

    /**
     *

     * The default license for the Amazon Chime account.
     *

     *
     * @param defaultLicense
     *        The default license for the Amazon Chime account.
     * @return Returns a reference to this object so that method calls can be chained together.
     * @see License
     */

    public Account withDefaultLicense(String defaultLicense) {
        setDefaultLicense(defaultLicense);
        return this;
    }

    /**
     *

     * The default license for the Amazon Chime account.
     *

     *
     * @param defaultLicense
     *        The default license for the Amazon Chime account.
     * @return Returns a reference to this object so that method calls can be chained together.
     * @see License
     */

    public Account withDefaultLicense(License defaultLicense) {
        this.defaultLicense = defaultLicense.toString();
        return this;
    }

    /**
     *

     * Supported licenses for the Amazon Chime account.
     *

     *
     * @return Supported licenses for the Amazon Chime account.
     * @see License
     */

    public java.util.List<String> getSupportedLicenses() {
        return supportedLicenses;
    }

    /**
     *

     * Supported licenses for the Amazon Chime account.
     *

     *
     * @param supportedLicenses
     *        Supported licenses for the Amazon Chime account.
     * @see License
     */

    public void setSupportedLicenses(java.util.Collection<String> supportedLicenses) {
        if (supportedLicenses == null) {
            this.supportedLicenses = null;
            return;
        }

        this.supportedLicenses = new java.util.ArrayList<String>(supportedLicenses);
    }

    /**
     *

     * Supported licenses for the Amazon Chime account.
     *

     *

     * NOTE: This method appends the values to the existing list (if any). Use
     * {@link #setSupportedLicenses(java.util.Collection)} or {@link #withSupportedLicenses(java.util.Collection)} if
     * you want to override the existing values.
     *

     *
     * @param supportedLicenses
     *        Supported licenses for the Amazon Chime account.
     * @return Returns a reference to this object so that method calls can be chained together.
     * @see License
     */

    public Account withSupportedLicenses(String... supportedLicenses) {
        if (this.supportedLicenses == null) {
            setSupportedLicenses(new java.util.ArrayList<String>(supportedLicenses.length));
        }
        for (String ele : supportedLicenses) {
            this.supportedLicenses.add(ele);
        }
        return this;
    }

    /**
     *

     * Supported licenses for the Amazon Chime account.
     *

     *
     * @param supportedLicenses
     *        Supported licenses for the Amazon Chime account.
     * @return Returns a reference to this object so that method calls can be chained together.
     * @see License
     */

    public Account withSupportedLicenses(java.util.Collection<String> supportedLicenses) {
        setSupportedLicenses(supportedLicenses);
        return this;
    }

    /**
     *

     * Supported licenses for the Amazon Chime account.
     *

     *
     * @param supportedLicenses
     *        Supported licenses for the Amazon Chime account.
     * @return Returns a reference to this object so that method calls can be chained together.
     * @see License
     */

    public Account withSupportedLicenses(License... supportedLicenses) {
        java.util.ArrayList<String> supportedLicensesCopy = new java.util.ArrayList<String>(supportedLicenses.length);
        for (License value : supportedLicenses) {
            supportedLicensesCopy.add(value.toString());
        }
        if (getSupportedLicenses() == null) {
            setSupportedLicenses(supportedLicensesCopy);
        } else {
            getSupportedLicenses().addAll(supportedLicensesCopy);
        }
        return this;
    }

    /**
     *

     * The status of the account.
     *

     *
     * @param accountStatus
     *        The status of the account.
     * @see AccountStatus
     */

    public void setAccountStatus(String accountStatus) {
        this.accountStatus = accountStatus;
    }

    /**
     *

     * The status of the account.
     *

     *
     * @return The status of the account.
     * @see AccountStatus
     */

    public String getAccountStatus() {
        return this.accountStatus;
    }

    /**
     *

     * The status of the account.
     *

     *
     * @param accountStatus
     *        The status of the account.
     * @return Returns a reference to this object so that method calls can be chained together.
     * @see AccountStatus
     */

    public Account withAccountStatus(String accountStatus) {
        setAccountStatus(accountStatus);
        return this;
    }

    /**
     *

     * The status of the account.
     *

     *
     * @param accountStatus
     *        The status of the account.
     * @return Returns a reference to this object so that method calls can be chained together.
     * @see AccountStatus
     */

    public Account withAccountStatus(AccountStatus accountStatus) {
        this.accountStatus = accountStatus.toString();
        return this;
    }

    /**
     *

     * The sign-in delegate groups associated with the account.
     *

     *
     * @return The sign-in delegate groups associated with the account.
     */

    public java.util.List<SigninDelegateGroup> getSigninDelegateGroups() {
        return signinDelegateGroups;
    }

    /**
     *

     * The sign-in delegate groups associated with the account.
     *

     *
     * @param signinDelegateGroups
     *        The sign-in delegate groups associated with the account.
     */

    public void setSigninDelegateGroups(java.util.Collection<SigninDelegateGroup> signinDelegateGroups) {
        if (signinDelegateGroups == null) {
            this.signinDelegateGroups = null;
            return;
        }

        this.signinDelegateGroups = new java.util.ArrayList<SigninDelegateGroup>(signinDelegateGroups);
    }

    /**
     *

     * The sign-in delegate groups associated with the account.
     *

     *

     * NOTE: This method appends the values to the existing list (if any). Use
     * {@link #setSigninDelegateGroups(java.util.Collection)} or {@link #withSigninDelegateGroups(java.util.Collection)}
     * if you want to override the existing values.
     *

     *
     * @param signinDelegateGroups
     *        The sign-in delegate groups associated with the account.
     * @return Returns a reference to this object so that method calls can be chained together.
     */

    public Account withSigninDelegateGroups(SigninDelegateGroup... signinDelegateGroups) {
        if (this.signinDelegateGroups == null) {
            setSigninDelegateGroups(new java.util.ArrayList<SigninDelegateGroup>(signinDelegateGroups.length));
        }
        for (SigninDelegateGroup ele : signinDelegateGroups) {
            this.signinDelegateGroups.add(ele);
        }
        return this;
    }

    /**
     *

     * The sign-in delegate groups associated with the account.
     *

     *
     * @param signinDelegateGroups
     *        The sign-in delegate groups associated with the account.
     * @return Returns a reference to this object so that method calls can be chained together.
     */

    public Account withSigninDelegateGroups(java.util.Collection<SigninDelegateGroup> signinDelegateGroups) {
        setSigninDelegateGroups(signinDelegateGroups);
        return this;
    }

    /**
     * Returns a string representation of this object. This is useful for testing and debugging. Sensitive data will be
     * redacted from this string using a placeholder value.
     *
     * @return A string representation of this object.
     *
     * @see java.lang.Object#toString()
     */
    @Override
    public String toString() {
        StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder();
        sb.append("{");
        if (getAwsAccountId() != null)
            sb.append("AwsAccountId: ").append(getAwsAccountId()).append(",");
        if (getAccountId() != null)
            sb.append("AccountId: ").append(getAccountId()).append(",");
        if (getName() != null)
            sb.append("Name: ").append(getName()).append(",");
        if (getAccountType() != null)
            sb.append("AccountType: ").append(getAccountType()).append(",");
        if (getCreatedTimestamp() != null)
            sb.append("CreatedTimestamp: ").append(getCreatedTimestamp()).append(",");
        if (getDefaultLicense() != null)
            sb.append("DefaultLicense: ").append(getDefaultLicense()).append(",");
        if (getSupportedLicenses() != null)
            sb.append("SupportedLicenses: ").append(getSupportedLicenses()).append(",");
        if (getAccountStatus() != null)
            sb.append("AccountStatus: ").append(getAccountStatus()).append(",");
        if (getSigninDelegateGroups() != null)
            sb.append("SigninDelegateGroups: ").append(getSigninDelegateGroups());
        sb.append("}");
        return sb.toString();
    }

    @Override
    public boolean equals(Object obj) {
        if (this == obj)
            return true;
        if (obj == null)
            return false;

        if (obj instanceof Account == false)
            return false;
        Account other = (Account) obj;
        if (other.getAwsAccountId() == null ^ this.getAwsAccountId() == null)
            return false;
        if (other.getAwsAccountId() != null && other.getAwsAccountId().equals(this.getAwsAccountId()) == false)
            return false;
        if (other.getAccountId() == null ^ this.getAccountId() == null)
            return false;
        if (other.getAccountId() != null && other.getAccountId().equals(this.getAccountId()) == false)
            return false;
        if (other.getName() == null ^ this.getName() == null)
            return false;
        if (other.getName() != null && other.getName().equals(this.getName()) == false)
            return false;
        if (other.getAccountType() == null ^ this.getAccountType() == null)
            return false;
        if (other.getAccountType() != null && other.getAccountType().equals(this.getAccountType()) == false)
            return false;
        if (other.getCreatedTimestamp() == null ^ this.getCreatedTimestamp() == null)
            return false;
        if (other.getCreatedTimestamp() != null && other.getCreatedTimestamp().equals(this.getCreatedTimestamp()) == false)
            return false;
        if (other.getDefaultLicense() == null ^ this.getDefaultLicense() == null)
            return false;
        if (other.getDefaultLicense() != null && other.getDefaultLicense().equals(this.getDefaultLicense()) == false)
            return false;
        if (other.getSupportedLicenses() == null ^ this.getSupportedLicenses() == null)
            return false;
        if (other.getSupportedLicenses() != null && other.getSupportedLicenses().equals(this.getSupportedLicenses()) == false)
            return false;
        if (other.getAccountStatus() == null ^ this.getAccountStatus() == null)
            return false;
        if (other.getAccountStatus() != null && other.getAccountStatus().equals(this.getAccountStatus()) == false)
            return false;
        if (other.getSigninDelegateGroups() == null ^ this.getSigninDelegateGroups() == null)
            return false;
        if (other.getSigninDelegateGroups() != null && other.getSigninDelegateGroups().equals(this.getSigninDelegateGroups()) == false)
            return false;
        return true;
    }

    @Override
    public int hashCode() {
        final int prime = 31;
        int hashCode = 1;

        hashCode = prime * hashCode + ((getAwsAccountId() == null) ? 0 : getAwsAccountId().hashCode());
        hashCode = prime * hashCode + ((getAccountId() == null) ? 0 : getAccountId().hashCode());
        hashCode = prime * hashCode + ((getName() == null) ? 0 : getName().hashCode());
        hashCode = prime * hashCode + ((getAccountType() == null) ? 0 : getAccountType().hashCode());
        hashCode = prime * hashCode + ((getCreatedTimestamp() == null) ? 0 : getCreatedTimestamp().hashCode());
        hashCode = prime * hashCode + ((getDefaultLicense() == null) ? 0 : getDefaultLicense().hashCode());
        hashCode = prime * hashCode + ((getSupportedLicenses() == null) ? 0 : getSupportedLicenses().hashCode());
        hashCode = prime * hashCode + ((getAccountStatus() == null) ? 0 : getAccountStatus().hashCode());
        hashCode = prime * hashCode + ((getSigninDelegateGroups() == null) ? 0 : getSigninDelegateGroups().hashCode());
        return hashCode;
    }

    @Override
    public Account clone() {
        try {
            return (Account) super.clone();
        } catch (CloneNotSupportedException e) {
            throw new IllegalStateException("Got a CloneNotSupportedException from Object.clone() " + "even though we're Cloneable!", e);
        }
    }

    @com.amazonaws.annotation.SdkInternalApi
    @Override
    public void marshall(ProtocolMarshaller protocolMarshaller) {
        com.amazonaws.services.chime.model.transform.AccountMarshaller.getInstance().marshall(this, protocolMarshaller);
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
fredag 19. november 2021
Where is Peng Shuai? Why isn't the IOC speaking out?
Where is Peng Shuai? It's a question that must be asked — loudly, for everyone to hear — by the International Olympic Committee as it prepares to hold the Winter Games less than three months from now in Beijing. Peng is, after all, one of its own, a three-time Olympian and tennis trailblazer who suddenly disappeared into the morass of what passes for justice in China after accusing a former top government official of sexually assaulting her.
China has insisted that it doesn't know what all the fuss is about, with a Foreign Ministry spokesperson saying Friday that the matter was "not a diplomatic question and I'm not aware of the situation." An email released in Peng's name by state media — which sounded more like something a hostage might say under extreme duress — backed off her initial allegation that an ex-vice premier and leading member of the ruling Communist Party had forced her to have sex despite repeated refusals.


text:
Drainage Board Opens Bids for Marburger Reconstruction
Updated at 10:48 pm on May 19, 2014
05/20/14 Members of the Marshall County Drainage Board opened bids for the reconstruction of the Marburger Ditch near Dogwood Road. Four companies submitted sealed bids. Thomas Excavating from Argos had a bid of $75,649 while Haskins Underground from Plymouth bid $69,091 and J.D. Excavating from Knox bid $64,948.25. Low bidder was Hunter Transit from Plymouth with a bid of $63,516.89. The project includes the installation of 1308 feet of 24 inch dual wall perforated pipe, 305 feet of 18 inch dual walled pipe and clean 390 feet of open drain. The bids were taken under advisement for review and will be awarded in a special meeting on June 2nd at 8:15.
Don Abbott was granted a variance for the Davenport Tile Arm from a 75 foot setback to a 35 foot easement setback. Mr. Abbott plans to install a post building on the property and requested the variance.
Summer O'Brian from CHA Engineering updated the Drainage Board on the Mitigation Study for the 7th Road Project. The environmental document had been approved allowing the county to move forward with the purchase agreement with John Banning. Stage 3 paperwork will be submitted by June 13th and will include the grading and planting plan. The Drainage Board approved the Corp of Engineers restrictions including no dipping or dredging of the Zimmer Ditch and a 30 foot easement on the west side.


South Tampa Title Insurance Lawyer | Law Offices of Stephen K Hachey, P.A.
South Tampa is home to several gorgeous communities and homes; from Hyde Park to Bayshore Boulevard to the MacDill neighborhood. If you live there, you want to protect your property. Whether you are closing on a new house or in need of a title insurance attorney for other purposes, call the offices of Stephen K. Hachey. This qualified and experienced South Tampa title insurance lawyer will give you the personal attention you need during any real estate transaction involving a title search.
Problems with the title of your home will slow down the closing process and cause you a lot of frustration and even financial loss. A sound title insurance policy can protect you from errors and omissions in deeds, forgeries, mistakes in public records and any unknown heirs who may come forward to claim the property after your sale has closed. A South Tampa title insurance attorney like Stephen K. Hachey will advocate on your behalf.
When is it important to work with a title insurance attorney?
Having a great lawyer at your side to advise you can be a big advantage. Your title insurance attorney will help you with preliminary negotiations, broker contract or listing agreement, purchase contract, mortgage and financing commitment, deciding the status of title to the property, dismissing title problems, surveying, drafting of instruments, and property closings.
Advisement and representation by a South Tampa title insurance attorney who brings knowledge and experience to the closing table is the best solution. Choose a lawyer who will put your needs first and go above and beyond to meet those needs. You are worthy of the best service available, and a great attorney will accommodate just that.
You deserve the advice and representation of a South Tampa title insurance lawyer who not only possesses the skills and experience to provide you with the highest level and quality of service available, but who will go above and beyond to exceed your expectations!
Stephen K. Hachey, an experienced Florida title insurance attorney, can not only help you determine your options, but he can advise you on the best course of action based on your unique situation. And with offices spread out across Tampa Bay, he's available and accessible to begin defending you. We proudly serve Tampa, St Petersburg, Clearwater, Wesley Chapel, Brandon, Riverview, South Tampa and everywhere in between.
The Law Offices of Stephen K. Hachey, P.A.


Thread: Rheumatic, born near ???
I have taken Peter's advice and loaded them intom googledrive. I did try photobucket but the linkage didn't seem to work, I hope this one does..
Hi, Can anyone tell me, or have a guess, where my Barnes Boote was born near?
I guessed India but "born near India" doesn't make sense.


text:
St. Frances Cabrini Coloring Book: Windeatt V. 9
From the time she was a little girl in Italy, Frances Cabrini had wanted to be a missionary sister in China. But as events turned out, she found herself heading not for China but for the United States. Thus in 1889 Mother Frances Cabrini and six other sisters set out on a creaky old ship for New York City to help the poor Italian immigrants there who often could not speak English, had no work, and were even losing their Catholic Faith.Although she had almost no money, in a few weeks Mother Cabrini and the sisters had opened up a school and an orphanage. The sisters went door to door begging for food, clothing and money. People gave generously, and Mother Cabrini opened up more and more schools and orphanages, convents and hospitals in other cities—even in Central and South America. Obstacles seemed to disappear miraculously. People were amazed and began to say Mother Cabrini was a saint, but she said that that was nonsense, and that her only secret was perfect obedience and trust in God. Years ago she had said that even the whole world was too small for her missionary desires; now it was clear that this was true. She was helping to save many souls.After many years, Mother Cabrini became a United States citizen. Then after she died in 1917, so many miracles took place that the Pope declared her a saint. Thus the little Italian girl who wanted to go to China was the very first U.S. citizen ever to become a canonized saint.


Author: Camila Reimers Paperback Many years ago fairies lived in enchanted woods, but now you find them in other places too.
Author: Gabriela Etcheverry Paperback For the young men of the small village where Añañuca lives with her mother, the girl is a symbol of the unattainable love they seek to be happy. Even the son of the god Eol falls in love with her. But Añañuca has other interests.


text:
Homely Jerusalem apartment
Distrito de Jerusalén
We love our home, for the simple reason that we have given it our own style. By that I mean that it's a cozy home, with everything that we need. The bedrooms are comfortable, we try to keep the rooms simple and free of clutter. There is a master bedroom which has an onsuite bathroom and toilet. Our kids all sleep in one room. It's a warm snuggly room with sun that shines in through the window in the mornings till about mid-day. The "play-room" has a number of different names: it's a play room, a work room, a reading room and a climbing room. Again, this room is free of clutter so that kids can play on the floor freely. The "center-piece" in the play room is the home-made climbing wall (see photo) which is suitable for almost all ages (our 2 year old is a pro). This room also has a kid's sofa with cushions where the kids love to sit and be read to or simply to watch the ipad.
The kitchen, lounge and dining room are all connected and are also lovely. A wooden bar separates the kitchen so guests can sip their coffee and chat to you whilst you cook. The dining area is next to one of my favourite parts of the our home. We have a brick wall made from the bricks of an old French home giving the apartment a rustic atmosphere to compliment our large stock of rustik pottery bowls and coffee mugs.
If you're considering Jerusalem, you won't need me to tell of the huge selection of cultural, historical, architectural, religious and gastronomical delights this city has to offer. We are fortunate to live a stone's throw from almost every attraction. Yes, you may need to catch a bus or a taxi to some of the places, but you're never further than 30 minutes from the best places in this city. We're a 5 minute walk to the nicest coffee shop parade in the Jerusalem, 2 km from the Old City, 2 km from the main museums, 3 km from Machane Yehuda market, and 2,5 km to Ben Yehuda Street, the city center.
Last but not least is the Messila. This innovative idea by the municiplity of Jerusalem has improved the area immensly. The Messila, or "path" in English is the old railway tracks built in the early 1900's was used to connect Jerusalem with Jaffa. It has been converted into a 5-10 km walking and cycling path, still maintaining the look of a vintage railway track, that is now used by all parts of the community. The Messila runs almost past our apartment and leads north to The First Station where you can hire bikes, buy food in the organic market, get a mixed-grill and chips at one of the restaurants or listen to a local band play spiritul music to welcome the Sabbath on Friday nights. There is also free community yoga on some mornings. Head south on thre Messial and yo'll find yourself at one of the countless parks along the way (including a skooter park) or eventually at the BIblical Zoo (that's too far to walk).
We'd like to welcome anyone who wants to experience Jerusalem to the full.
We're a couple with two young children and one on the way
Danny is an osteopath and Olly is a manger in an organisation for kids with disabilities
We love cities with good culture as well as serene villages
Restaurantes llenos de vida
We live 5-10 minutes from two of the nicest streets with restaurants and bars. Emek Refaim and Derech Bet Lehem
Terapia de compras
There are about 5 malls just a 5 minute drive from our apartment in Talpiot
Un toque de cultura
The Jerusalem Theatre and The Chan Theatre are all local to us.
Paseos por el parque
The Messila
Un viajecito de un día
We are near all the main Jerusalem attractions both historical and culural. Jerusalem is a great city as it is an hour from Tel Aviv and and an hour from the Dead Sea. You're never far from anything.
Jerusalem, Jerusalem District, Israel
Our home is unique and spacious, just waiting for you and we love it. While we like to cook you will find in the large kitchen every-thing you need. AT the...
Beautiful apartment, 2nd floor with elevator, two bedroom with double beds, possible also to sleep 2 in living room, two balconies with lots of plants.
Mevaseret Zion, Jerusalem District, Israel
Our lovely home is a spacious, light filled villa that overlooks the city of Jerusalem. Spread over five levels, the house has four bedrooms (of which three...


text:
Cyber Attacks Could Paralyze US Ports, Captain Moskoff Tells CCICADA
Posted on January 29, 2015 by WebMaster in Breaking News, Cyber Security, Homeland Security Projects, News Center, Research
Using a simple GPS-jamming device, terrorists could paralyze ship traffic and operations at US ports, potentially costing billions of dollars in economic losses, Captain David B. Moskoff, a professor with the US Merchant Marine Academy, told CCICADA at a July 8, 2014 meeting.
A Master Mariner and recognized expert on maritime cyber security matters, Capt. Moskoff told CCICADA researchers and other visitors about a variety of serious and little known cyber threats to ports and the maritime domain. CCICADA, a University Center of Excellence under the US Department of Homeland Security, hosted the talk at its Rutgers University headquarters.
The maritime domain is now heavily dependent on computers and, as a result, large tankers, oil rigs, port operations and container-tracking systems, to name a few, are vulnerable to cyber threats, Moskoff said.
Captain David Moskoff explains the dangers of cyber attacks on US ports and ships to CCICADA researchers.
He discussed in detail one particular threat—the "Denial of Service Attack." Those who engage in this attack strategy would use jamming technology to interrupt Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) communications and capabilities. GPS technology is widely used in the maritime industry for commercial ship navigation, port operations and related activities. It is also used by the US Coast Guard to support its protection of the nation's maritime borders.
According to Capt. Moskoff, GPS jamming could close a major port for days, resulting in economic losses as a high as a billion dollars or more. To reduce the vulnerability of ports solely reliant on GPS, he suggested the use of redundant systems to work in parallel with GPS, such as e-Loran land-based, radio-wave technology.
Maritime cyber security is of growing interest to the US Coast Guard, and two Coast Guard visitors participated in Capt. Moskoff's visit: Dr. Joseph DiRenzo, USCG, and CCICADA Advisory Board member and USCG Captain Benjamin A. Cooper, Deputy Sector Commander, Sector Delaware Bay.
Because maritime cyber security issues are not well known even to the maritime community or to the homeland security community, CCICADA and the American Military University are co-hosting a Learning Seminar and Symposium on Maritime Cyber Security, March 2-3, 2015 at Rutgers University.
CCICADA Addresses the Growing Threat of Maritime Cyber-Attacks
Cyber Attacks on Ports and Ships Could be Catastrophic, Symposium Speakers Say
Canadian Naval Capt. Crain Working with CCICADA To Anticipate and Prevent Maritime Cyber Attacks
Countering Maritime Cyber Security Threats Requires a Savvy, Educated Workforce
CCICADA Advances Cyber Security Research Efforts in US
Maritime Cyber Attacks Occur in a World of the 'Quick and the Dead,' says Coast Guard Deputy Commandant
Maritime Experts Gather to Define Cyber-Security Research Challenges
CCICADA Delivers Advanced Boat Allocation Module to US Coast Guard to Help Agency Make Best Use of its Fleet
Lockstep's Stephen Wilson on a More Secure Approach to Cyber Identity
CCICADA's Research Team "Is on the Front Lines" of Homeland Security Research
cyber attachs
Merchant marine academy
Director Roberts Tells Congress How CCICADA's Work Is Making Stadiums Safer for Crowds but Warns of Potential Future Threats
Rutgers Researchers Making Sure It's Safe to 'Take Me Out to the Ballgame'
CCICADA Group Studies Use of Randomization to Enhance Security Protocols at Sports Stadiums and Arenas
Law Enforcement Agencies Using Powerful New Software Tool to Catch Child Sex Traffickers
The Prototype for the New Tool, Which Analyzes Big Data from Hundreds of Sources, Was Developed by CCICADA Researchers


In this blog, PCRI presents an article from guest contributor, Jim Gourley.
I've taken fish oil supplements – omega-3s – for years now and as the second most popular supplement in a 2017 ConsumerLab.com survey, it's clear I'm not alone. Since 2012, though, some negative study results have caused omega-3s to lose some of their luster, particularly as a supplement to improve cardiovascular health. So I looked forward to updating my knowledge by reading the recently released The Omega Principle (TOP), by Paul Greenberg, who has written two previous books on seafood, aquaculture and ocean issues.
My read was quite informative in a more wide-ranging way than expected, so I highly recommend you read this well-written book. TOP is more than a book about a nutritional supplement, although it will certainly get you thinking about omega-3s and your health. TOP is also a book about ecology and will expand your awareness about the interrelationships between industrialized farming, animal husbandry practices, the fish reduction industry and the health of our oceans and planet.
I've never thought much about the methods used to obtain our fish oil supplements, but it turns out there is a whole reduction industry which harvests 54 billion pounds of ocean life, representing 25% of all fish caught, and reduces it down to fertilizer, animal feed and omega-3 supplements. Mr. Greenberg covers the history and practices of this industry in an eye-opening manner and details how the reduction industry is not sustainable and has caused the elimination of one forage fish after another to the detriment of "food fish", cetacean species, and the whole ecology of marine life.
Mr. Greenberg advocates utilizing more sustainable sources for omega-3 supplements, like algae, which are the foundation of the ocean's omega-3 food chain anyway, so we're just eliminating the "middle fish", so to speak.
He also suggests the reduction industry needs to "transition from the direct harvest of wild animals to reprocessing by-products of fish offal"; meaning omega-3s can be sustainably gleaned from the discards of "food fish" to allow the forage fish to repopulate, which will have a positive effect on larger "food fish" species. "Food fish" are also more likely to be refrigerated and better taken care of, so the fragile omega-3 oils will be better protected from spoilage – rancid (oxidized) omega-3s are a health risk, not a health enhancer, and are the most vulnerable to oxidation of any fats.
Mr. Greenberg emphasizes that "omega-3s are a necessary part of the human diet and an integral part of the nervous system". Omega-3s also help with controlling inflammation, which has been implicated in the genesis and progression of modern "life-style" degenerative diseases. Medical recommendations for daily intake of omega-3s from fish/seafood or supplements range from as little as 250mg/day to over 2 grams/day with 500mg/day an amount often encountered.
Mr. Greenberg covers the omega-3/omega-6 ratio concept first popularized by the Greek cardiologist, Dr. Artemis Simopoulos, which posits we need close to a one-to-one ratio of omega-3s to omega-6s to maintain optimal health.
The book also covers the Mediterranean diet, from the pioneering work of Dr. Ancel Keys in the 1960s, to more contemporary experts like Dr. Walter Willet. The Mediterranean diet is a low-animal-protein, mostly plant-based diet which has close to a 1:1 omega-3/omega-6 ratio and is considered by many to have the most scientific support as the candidate for the healthiest eating pattern possible.
Mr. Greenberg notes the standard American diet (SAD) consists of processed foods and livestock products sourced or fed from three government subsidized, industrialized commodity crops – corn, soy and wheat. Corn and soy in particular, have an abundance of omega-6 fatty acids. Consequently SAD is largely devoid of omega-3s and is skewed heavily toward omega-6 fatty acids. Further, in terms of flesh food, Americans eat an average 15 pounds of seafood compared to 210 pounds of livestock meat yearly.
Mr. Greenberg suggests omega-3 supplementation may have evolved as an attempt to "balance out our bad (dietary) behaviors" i.e., the SAD. As a fitness trainer, I'm familiar with this phenomenon, as I constantly run up against the patently false notion that exercise can somehow balance out bad dietary behaviors.
Mr. Greenberg argues we should move to a Mediterranean-type diet with limited animal protein (a few small servings per month), high amounts of vegetables/greens/fruit/whole grains and, most crucially, that the animal protein should come from marine sources like small forage fish, mussels and other farmed bivalves; a diet he terms a Pesca-terranean diet. I would agree with Mr. Greenberg, as I believe a whole food, plant-based eating pattern is the best health promoting behavior available to us; see here, here, here and here for my posts on plant-based eating.
Heart disease kills 610,000 people per year in the U.S. and, importantly, Mr. Greenberg reminds us that "sudden cardiac death is the largest cause of natural mortality in the U.S." and "that half of all patients first report heart disease to their doctors by dropping dead…Just fibrillation followed by abrupt (cardiac) arrest".
He emphasizes that omega-3s are "some of the most studied organic molecules on earth" with over 30,000 studies published.
He notes that there is consistent evidence for an association between "high omega-3 blood lipid levels and lower rates of fatal coronary heart disease".
The book outlines the difference between observational studies which draw associations, randomized controlled trials (RCT) which can help draw firmer conclusions and the modern meta-analysis, which is a data analysis of previously published studies which are aggregated together. RCTs cost much less and have the potential to increase the power of studies, because a large number of subjects are pooled together for analysis, but RCTs also leave room for biased results since study authors can pick and choose which studies get included or excluded and how the data is statistically analyzed.
Mr. Greenberg discusses the favorable results from observational and RCT studies from the 1980s & 90s and contrasts them with the more recent negative meta-analysis and RCT studies of the last 5-6 years and offers possible reasons for the differing results.
Of real interest is his assertion that statins are a confounding factor in more modern RCT studies and that the early positive studies were performed with subjects who were not treated with statins.
Another possible confounding factor affecting studies is omega-3 blood lipid levels; which are rarely measured, so it's possible control subjects could already have reached a possible threshold for protection from omega-3s which would skew results in the negative direction.
Perhaps most interesting was TOP's treatment of the original 2012 meta-analysis, which initiated the recent negative trend for omega-3/cardiovascular disease research. Mr. Greenberg shares a re-analysis of the study data/design by two different statisticians. These biostatisticians note biases in the study design and the methodology to determine statistical significance: with a meta-analysis study, the authors choose the inclusion criteria (which studies get included and which excluded from consideration) and how to determine statistical significance. Re-analysis of the study data shows a 1% reduction in cardiac death – which doesn't sound particularly significant until you consider in the U.S. that's over 6,000 people per year saved from a death from heart disease just by taking a daily omega-3s supplement.
Mr. Greenberg also points out not all studies in the last 6 years have been negative. A 2016 meta-analysis, with 5x the number of subjects and a much longer time frame than the 2012 study above, showed a 6% decrease in all-cause mortality.
Lastly, Greenberg reminds us that the results of several large omega-3 RCTs are expected in the next couple of years. Look for results from REDUCE-IT, STRENGTH, VITAL, and ACSEND to help update and refine your thinking about omega-3 supplementation and cardiovascular health.
Jim Gourley has been a serious student of health and fitness his whole adult life, beginning with a BA in Health Studies from UCSB and later adding an MA in Exercise Science. He earned the first of his many fitness training certifications in 1985. For the last 15 years, he has partnered exclusively with age 50+ adults and seniors to improve their fitness, daily-life function, and body confidence. He is Santa Barbara's most experienced fitness trainer, having a continuous full-time professional fitness training practice for the last 31 years. Medical professionals trust him with their patients, as he receives referrals from doctors and physical therapists. He is lucky and blessed to be a cancer survivor, with lots of exposure to the medical profession, and his clients tell him he always has good advice regarding using and communicating with medical professionals. He is committed to learning new tools, techniques and skills to help his clients, so he regularly attends professional seminars.