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This Young Professional Traded His NFL Dreams for a Career in Insurance … And Never Looked Back
At 23 years old, Keyson Dingle holds nine insurance designations. He's asking industry leadership to engage and entertain young talent before it's too late.
By: Emily Spennato | April 2, 2020
Topics: Future of Insurance | Insurance Designations | Insurance Industry | Profiles
The most impressive people are the ones who let you decide the caliber of their accolades without selling you on it. Keyson Dingle is not only impressive, Keyson Dingle is humble.
At 23 years old, he has just received his ninth insurance designation. That's right, ninth. And he's not stopping there.
The talent gap speaks for itself regarding how young people feel about insurance. It's an industry that is widely known to millennials and Gen-Z'ers as unsexy, black and white, and fifty-something-male. Young professionals like Dingle are paving the way for the future of leadership.
"I think, as young professionals growing in this industry, it's important [for us] to seek out opportunities where we get to try new things," said Dingle, with his CPCU, RPLU, ARe, AU-M, P&C license, AIS, AINS, ARC and AIAF designations.
Trying new things is precisely how Dingle found a niche in insurance.
His Journey to the Industry
Growing up in urban Jersey City, New Jersey, Dingle saw that not all of his peers were granted the same opportunities that he was. Not only did he grasp every opportunity that came his way, but he also made the most of them.
Because of that attitude, he found himself playing collegiate football at Cheyney University in Pennsylvania. When he eventually realized that his dream of someday playing professionally for the National Football League would not become reality, Dingle knew he needed to channel the lifelong effort he dedicated to football into a career.
"When I first came to the realization that I was not going to make the NFL, it was definitely disheartening," said Dingle.
"But that's also when I understood that I had a good resource at USLI … Why not channel all of that hunger into something that could be really beneficial in the long run?"
During his freshman year, Dingle curiously approached the College Help recruiter from USLI while walking through the student center. After learning of internship opportunities, Dingle interviewed with USLI before winter break and began his internship at the beginning of the next semester.
"That helped me start my journey of learning more about the insurance industry, getting the designations and it also helped me get a full-time opportunity and discover different business opportunities inside my office."
Knowledge Is the Foundation for Success
Passion is the driver for success, but knowledge is the foundation; Dingle soaks up knowledge like a sponge.
"I love to learn," he put it simply and genuinely. "When I was playing football, I practiced everyday; you run, lift, go to the gym, watch film. With insurance, I can read books, read an article. There's always something more to learn."
And learning is something that Dingle takes seriously. After graduating college in May 2018 and accepting a full-time position with USLI, he made the decision to pursue his third insurance designation, a chartered property casualty underwriter; the CPCU.
His colleagues tried to convince him to wait. They told him it was something that couldn't be obtained so early, or with as little experience as he had. Dingle used the naysayers as motivation.
"I always try to be the best version of myself," he explained.
"I wasn't always an underwriting assistant, but as soon as I stepped into the role I tried to be the best underwriting assistant I could be. If I'm a policy issuer, I want to be the best policy issuer I can be. When I played football, I decided to be the best football player I could be."
Tackling the CPCU
Dingle not only passed the CPCU, he passed all eight exams in eight months.
The recommended study period for each exam is 2-3 months.
In the wake of his incredible achievement, he was invited to be the 2019 Conferment Class speaker at the annual CPCU Society Meeting in New Orleans.
"My proudest accomplishment is completing the CPCU in eight months and being able to speak onstage at the annual meeting. After I gave the speech, a lot of people came up to me and told me how inspired I made them feel."
Now, Dingle wants others to feel the same sense of confidence and has become the go-to person in his office for those studying for the exam.
"Being a guide for people and helping them accomplish their goals makes me feel really good."
He approaches his everyday responsibilities at USLI with the same attention to detail that helped him earn nine insurance designations.
"I have a lot of technical background, so I think people depend on me when they need information," he explained.
"Yes, I have the designations, but I also take it upon myself to pay attention to detail; making sure I look over everything twice, making sure I understand what the customer wants and that I can give it to them as fast as possible. We have to do things very quickly and very efficiently without error. That being said, the best thing I can be in my job is efficient and someone who pays attention to detail."
Entertaining Young Talent
Dingle hopes to translate his technical knowledge and desire to help others into educating young people about the insurance industry.
"The biggest challenge companies will face in the next five years is trying to keep young talent within the industry. The insurance corporations are going to have to make sure they entertain, challenge and engage young professionals so they can grow within the industry. If we can do that, then we can grow together and help more people. We have to retain young talent to help take care of our policyholders"
One of the strategies that the industry can use to engage young talent is mentorship, which has influenced Dingle profoundly.
Dingle met his mentor, Pete Kidd, director of claims at Hartford Steam Boiler, while he was working a summer job at a Wawa convenience store.
"He's guided me through my career so far, helping me to stay focused and further my learning," said Dingle of Kidd.
"Any type of obstacle that I went through, he helped me understand the light at the end of the tunnel. Everyone should have a mentor, because it's something that you can utilize in your career as you grow."
The Inspiration Behind the Drive
So where does the drive come from? As the eldest of six children, becoming the best role model he can be has always been Dingle's prerogative.
"My dad always told me never give up and to always keep working, no matter what people say. Just keep your head down and focus on you. That was great advice. When you don't focus on others, that's when you improve yourself."
When I asked Dingle if he would eventually go for a tenth designation, his response required no reaction or reservation: Yes.
His willingness, determination and palpable essence of decency are what make him such an invaluable asset to the insurance sector.
"You can shoot for the moon, and even if you miss you can land among the stars, but that's still good progress. You can always dig deeper and give it even more." &
Emily Spennato is a former staff writer with Risk & Insurance.
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No band shots here either. Sorry again all you Mike Strunk fans. That's at least one person. Maybe. But we do have nice pictures of some of the folks who were in the house that night. Thanks to Dale for providing the shots.


I'm so excited to be sharing Christine Feehan's new book, 'Covert Game' today I'll be sharing my review and GIVEAWAY! But first, a bit about the book.
Covert Game is the 14th GhostWalkers' novel, and the 589632 book Christine Feehan has written… Okay, she hasn't written that may books. This is actually her 75th books!! YOU GUYS!! How does she do it? How can she write so many novels so many series and wonderful characters and keep them all straight?? As many of you know, I'm still new to Feehan (I know…*hangs head in shame*) But I climbed out from under my rock and I am addicted! I requested this book knowing I hadn't read the previous novels… Why you ask… I wanted to see just how standalone these novels are. I have shared a couple of her books on the blog when they were on sale, that wasn't the first in the series but that looked really good. I figured if I was clicking I'd share with you guys. So I wanted to jump in, in the "middle" of a series to see. Could we really enjoy it without reading the previous novels? I hate spoilers so, would it ruin the previous books so much that going back would be a waste of time?
If you're familiar with the series you know that Whitney isn't going to let the Ghostwalkers just keep Zara. If you're new to the series, Whitney is a bit of a mad scientist and creator for the Ghostwalkerprogram. He prides himself in his "patriotic" work. He's especially proud of what he's created Zara for. Without giving too much detail I will say that Zara is very special and contains something so important, that Whitney will stop at nothing, until he get's what he wants.
Even without reading the previous stories you get a feel for each character, their love and loyalty for one another and yet. I don't feel like their books will be spoiled when I go back to read them. Which I totally will! If anything just the bits and pieces I was given only intrigued me more. Yes, I know who ends up with who so far and I know what some of their "abilities" are. But don't we always know who will end up with who? It's definitely about the journey with these characters and I can't wait to dive into more or the Ghostwalkers.
*Must complete all tasks. Must be a follower of the blog. You will be required to provide the email you follow the blog with. US only, because I can only gift the US publisher's edition. No purchase necessary. The publisher and Christine Feehan are in no way associated with this giveaway.
Thanks, I'll have to look that one up!
WOW she's written a lot of books. I'm so impressed right now. Talk about prolific!
I'm amazing I hadn't heard of her before the end of last year!
It's been a huge hit and she has many series that are almost just as long! Very talented writer though so I can see why!
I'm so tempted. It sounds like a super engaging book from an author I hadn't heard of before. Thanks for sharing this.
https://www.goodreads.com/ijpanko, loved your review. I have read almost all of her books. She does write a lot but I guess it's the alpha males I read it for.
Her alphas are amazing! Have you read Judgment Road yet? So so good!
I have never read her before. With 75 books and 14 in this series, I have no idea how I have not!
I actually have never read anything by this author but this sounds interesting. I'll have to check her out.
So many to choose from that's for sure! I hope you get a chance to read her!
Wow, 14th in the series and her 75 books altogether. That's a huge accomplishment.
Isn't it! I can't imagine having that many stories in my head and she has so many releasing coming up still!
I'm impressed with that many books written! But it would probably make me not want to start it because I have a thing about finishing series–even if they can all function as standalone like this one did.
I have yet to read one of her books, though I have a few on my shelves. This one looks great!
I haven't read any works by this author but after reading your review, I most certainly will!
Great review, I haven't read any books by Christine Feehan yet, I know the shame but I hope one day I can read at least one of her book series. And this book looks and sounds absolutely amazingly fantastic and right up my alley. Thank you so much for sharing your awesome post.


In this example, we continue to work with the model and analysis from Immuno-modulation in Chronic Inflammation: Clinical Candidate Selection. We are targeting a membrane bound protein, which is often found to be involved in the pathogenesis of Immune thrombocytopenic purpura and Rheumatoid Arthritis, using a monoclonal antibody. The competitor molecule is still ahead in the clinic, dose administration and frequency are still the major Go/No-go criteria, and thus far we have observed high non-linear PK (IV and SC dosing) and high PK variability with SC dosing.
In this case study, we look at whether the non-linear PK and SC PK variability can be explained. Will it be possible to achieve >90% target inhibition in patients and should this program be discontinued?
The model was updated with clinical data. The model predicted non-linear PK and target occupancy as well as variability in SC dosing.
The model results were used to amend Ph1 protocol, to prepare Medicine and Marketing for counterintuitive Ph1 results and to obtain regulatory approval to change Ph2 trial design.
Customer's best-in-class molecule is now positioned to be first-in-class as well (competitor postponed clinical trials).
The preclinical model was updated with cynomolgus monkey data and parameters were varied to match physiological ranged for healthy volunteers. The model accurately predicted the non-linear PK and target occupancy.
Model parameters were varied to match patient ranges for two indications. The model predicted that the highest SC dose may not provide the required >90% target inhibition for indication 1, but liekly will for all patents in indication 2. A higher dose is required to test proof of clinical concept in both indications.
Ph1 study was amended with specified higher dose in support of Ph2.


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Scarborough Shooting Stars owners hope new CEBL team inspires next generation
The Scarborough Shooting Stars will begin play in the Canadian Elite Basketball League in 2022. (Photo courtesy: CEBL)
Steven Loung | @loung_s August 16, 2021, 2:22 PM
Steven Loung @loung_s August 16, 2021, 2:22 PM
Donning the historic Scarborough Blues uniform as a child, Nicholas "Niko" Carino grew up with the game of basketball, always keeping it close to his heart, and the city he's from even closer.
One of the co-founders of famed clothing and lifestyle brand OVO (October's Very Own), the Scarborough native who grew up around the Sheppard and McCowan area saw a dream fulfilled on Monday with the announcement of the Scarborough Shooting Stars, a new expansion franchise in the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL).
"When this opportunity came, it was definitely a no-brainer," said Carino. "I think a kid growing up from Scarborough and having the opportunity to help and expand a league and call it 'Scarborough' is like the next best thing that anyone could ask for."
A new @CEBLeague expansion franchise has been announced: The Scarborough Shooting Stars. pic.twitter.com/1E7c9c9fzi
— Steven Loung (@loung_s) August 16, 2021
Carino, alongside fellow Scarborough native Sam Ibrahim, is the co-owner of the Shooting Stars, who are expected to begin play next season around May of 2022.
Ibrahim is one of the founding members of Playground Global, a company dedicated to building basketball-only training facilities and recreational courts with locations spread out across Southern Ontario, including Peterborough, Brampton, Burlington and, of course, Scarborough.
Together, Ibrahim and Carino are hoping to inspire the next generation of hoopers from the Scarborough area with the creation of this new team.
"That's my inspiration. I look back on myself and I definitely know how it feels to be that kid, that dreamer who dreams big," said Carino. "I feel like it's part of my duty to give back and help and give more opportunity and that type of support for sure."
JUST IN: @sss_cebl becomes the 8th franchise of the CEBL.
Owners Nicholas (@OVONiko) Carino, a founding member of @welcomeOVO and Sam Ibrahim, a founding member of the Playground Global could not be more excited to be a part of the league.
-ScarboroughShootingStars.ca pic.twitter.com/gHZZoAsCUA
— CEBL (@CEBLeague) August 16, 2021
The Shooting Stars will be joining the CEBL, a Canadian professional basketball league that plays its season during the summertime. The 2021 season, the third in the league's existence, will come to its conclusion this week as part of the league's championship weekend event taking place from Aug. 18-22 in Edmonton where the Niagara River Lions and Fraser Valley Bandits will be facing each other in one semifinal and the host Edmonton Stingers will see the Ottawa BlackJacks in the other semifinal.
For the moment, there are seven CEBL franchises spread out across the country: Edmonton, Fraser Valley, Guelph, Hamilton, Niagara, Ottawa and Saskatchewan. The Shooting Stars will join the league next season with a Montreal franchise slated to enter in 2022 as well, bringing the total to nine clubs.
"Today marks an exciting milestone in the history of the CEBL as we announce our expansion to another market, while adding a tremendous new ownership group to help us continue to grow the game across the country," said Mike Morreale, CEO and Commissioner of the CEBL in a statement. "Scarborough is a basketball hotbed that has produced some of Canada's very best players. When the new team hits the court in 2022 it will bring an elevated passion and love for the game, the Scarborough community, and for the next generation of CEBL stars."
An interesting quirk of this forthcoming Scarborough franchise is the fact it's the first club to be independently owned. The seven existing franchises are all owned and operated by the league itself, but the Shooting Stars, with their owners Carino and Ibrahim, will be the first team, it looks like, that will have an ownership group separate from the league, operating as its own independent business.
"It was just having that independency," said Carino. "We have some good partners and, obviously, The Playground and Sam Ibrahim, he's a great partner to have and he's a Scarborough native, so it made super sense to me."
An exact venue for the Shooting Stars hasn't been determined yet, but when that gets sorted out and the ball tips on Scarborough's professional basketball team next year, it should prove to be something of a full-circle moment for the 36-year-old Carino. An actual dream come true.
"I remember watching Glen Grunwald and the Toronto Raptors and, in '95, drafting Damon Stoudamire, watching Vince highlights," said Carino. "I was that kid that I guess you could say that I was part of that 'Carter Effect.' I love basketball and, unfortunately, I didn't grow, but at the same time it's still good to be part of the game and do something I'm really passionate about, which is, obviously, basketball and supporting the kids, for sure."
LATEST BASKETBALL NEWS

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Fight against evil terrorist organizations!
It's brilliant. A scathing review of an industry in decline. Lost King's "Press X to Win" breaks new ground with its innovative AAAA gameplay and stellar sound design. I can't imagine a human being who won't be moved by the brilliant characterization and dramatic story. This game is a testament to the age we're living in. 10/10 Two American thumbs WAY up.
"...Revolutionary. Lost King delivers a knock-out one-two punch to industry convention. 10/10"
"This is the best game you will ever play...Period."
I think the game would benefit a lot if you could simplify the control scheme. It takes far too much effort to get a hold of.
The last achievement you get is pure gold.
With all the quick time events and deep intricate plot, I thought I was playing the latest AAA game from David Cage. It's like Heavy Indigo Two Souls Rain! I felt like my choices really effected the outcome of the story.
Oh god I was laughing so hard at all the splash screens. Too bad my X button is broken or I would have won.
Can I get an album with your credits song as every track on that album?
Nice parody of the modern shooter genre :D I really liked the song at the end, so much patriotism overall.
This was pretty funny although lacking in gameplay, especially for the Jam.
I liked the visuals quite a bit.
Also was an interesting take on the theme, although, again, you could have made it a bit more of a game while still retaining the idea you were going for (hit x at the right time, mash x a number of times in a limit, hit x to a rhythm, etc...).
The music was fitting and sometimes funny, but that midi guitar at the beginning was so freakin bad lol.
All in all, it wasn't a cookie cutter "you only get one weapon" so I liked it.
An awesome new installment in the proud tradition of AAA shooter game development. Mechanically devoid of any kind of depth or innovation, but a glorious experience nonetheless, worth passing on to future generations.
A must have on any platform although it benefits most of the fine control offered by a mouse and keyboard.
I'm not Lost King, but I did make the music.
All the music for the game is there and free to download.
Kwaze was in charge of all the music, so yeah if you're looking for the soundtrack feel free to follow that link. On the flip side you could just open the resources folder in the game folder and go into sounds and you'd even get the sound effects!
Funny from the splash screens to closing the game. Of course, it was more of an animation than a game, and even limited to pressing one key, it might have been nice to have actual gameplay. I guess that's because it's a commentary on AAA games, but it's not much of an excuse. Still, it was funny.
Despite the lack of gameplay, I enjoyed it. The audio and graphics fit the humor very well and the idea is well executed.


Each year, numerous art and design students graduate then enter the creative industry. Some take a path of contemporary fine arts field, while others begin their career in numerous design agencies. As there is no significant difference in art education across Asian countries (due to its Western influence), a similar phenomenon occurs everywhere. Whichever path taken, the students often experience a baffling gap between what is learned in school and what is actually expected in the field. In order to meet the needs of times, ARCOLABS developed SPEKTRUM in 2016 as an annual incubation program where student-artists can acquire knowledge and experience needed in the field.s one of the seminal programs of ARCOLABS, SPEKTRUM connects students from various higher education institutions, providing mentoring workshops by numerous professional artists and curators who are most active at the present time. Since its inception in 2016, we have worked with students from 12 Indonesian, 3 Australian and 1 Thai universities, who major in painting, printmaking, visual communication design, mass communication, and animation. Diverse backgrounds of the students from numerous institutions have shown the rich constellation of art and design education in each country.
The 4th SPEKTRUM 2018 is the extended version of the 3rd SPEKTRUM 2018 "Story Never Dies" that was held last March in partnership with Multimedia Nusantara University, Indonesia. I believe that this year's partnership with Chulalongkorn University would allow us to make a positive leap in further expanding our international network. Moreover, by having the program and exhibition at the gallery in Chulalongkorn University, we are able to build a mutual exchange between the two countries that will help both Indonesian and Thai students understand each other better through direct contact and communication.
This entry was posted in APPRECIATING, ART & INCUBATION, RECENT. Bookmark the permalink.


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Ehndorf ist eine Gemeinde im Kreis Rendsburg-Eckernförde in Schleswig-Holstein.

Geografie

Geografische Lage
Das Gemeindegebiet von Ehndorf erstreckt sich im Bereich der naturräumlichen Haupteinheit Holsteinische Vorgeest (Nr. 698) an der Mündung der Aalbek in die Stör westlich von Neumünster am östlichen Rande des Naturparks Aukrug.

Gemeindegliederung
Neben dem namenstiftenden Dorf liegen ebenfalls die Streusiedlungen Ehndorfer Moor, Gut Lebenau und Hubertushof als auch die Hofsiedlung Hochmoor als weitere Wohnplätze im Gemeindegebiet von  Ehndorf.

Nachbargemeinden
Unmittelbar angrenzende Gemeindegebiete von Ehndorf sind:

Geschichte
Acht bronzezeitliche Hünengräber im Gemeindegebiet deuten auf eine frühgeschichtliche Besiedlung hin.

Der Ort wurde 1201 erstmals erwähnt.

Ehndorf war von November 1967 bis Dezember 2015 Standort des "Senders Neumünster" der Media Broadcast.

Politik

Gemeindevertretung
Von den neun Sitzen in der Gemeindevertretung hat die CDU seit der Kommunalwahl 2018 sechs Sitze und die SPD drei.

Wappen
Blasonierung: "Von Gold und Grün im Wellenschnitt geteilt. Oben nebeneinander drei Eichenblätter, unten drei schwebende Grabhügel 2 : 1 in verwechselten Farben."

Wirtschaft und Infrastruktur

Wirtschaftsstruktur
Seit dem Ende des Zweiten Weltkriegs hat die ursprüngliche Prägung einer agrarisch strukturierten Wirtschaft im Zuge der sogenannten Landwirtschaftlichen Revolution auch in Ehndorf seine Spuren hinterlassen. Nach eigenen Angabe sind von ursprünglich 36 Höfen am Ende des Zweiten Weltkriegs heute noch fünf erhalten. Mit dem Bau vieler Einfamilienhäuser sind in jüngster Zeit neue Einwohner zugezogen und haben die Funktion als Pendlergemeinde gestärkt. Die vielfach im Stadtumland anzutreffenden Gewerbeparks sind in Ehndorf nicht anzutreffen.

Verkehr
Durch die östliche Gemarkung verläuft grob in Nord-Süd-Richtung die Bundesautobahn 7 auf etwa den Streckenkilometern 97 bis 98. Die Anschlussstelle Neumünster-Mitte (Nr. 14) bindet den Ort über die Bundesstraße 430 an. Bei Wasbek zweigt die in die Dorflage führende Kreisstraße 34 in südlicher Richtung ab.

Weblinks

 Gemeinde Ehndorf

Einzelnachweise

Ort im Kreis Rendsburg-Eckernförde
Ersterwähnung 1201

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


This Certificate is designed to provide a foundation of study in the fine arts. Students who complete this certificate will be prepared to transfer to a four-year BFA program or begin a studio practice.
Students attending part‐time should consult with an academic advisor or art program coordinator for a recommendation regarding sequencing of courses.


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Top royal stories of 2019 The 25 best TV shows Stars we've lost in the entertainment industry in 2019. Latest in entertainment
'Big Bang Theory' star Johnny Galecki welcomes 'beautiful son' with girlfriend Alaina Meyer
Cydney Henderson
Johnny Galecki is a dad!
The "Big Bang Theory" star, 44, announced the birth of his son with girlfriend Alaina Meyer on Instagram Wednesday by way of a sweet picture of the baby's tiny hands clutching their fingers.
"With full and grateful hearts we welcome our beautiful son into this incredible world," he captioned the black-and-white picture. "Thank you for all of your love and support."
Meyer, 22, shared the same image in color on her Instagram page with the same caption. The couple did not reveal the newborn's name.
More: 'Big Bang Theory' star Johnny Galecki and girlfriend Alaina Meyer expecting first child
Galecki couldn't be any happier with a bouncing baby boy based on his sweet Instagram message, even though he was originally on Team Girl.
"I kind of prefer a girl," he revealed on CBS' "The Talk" in May. "So, I painted my nails pink to try to even out the energy there."
But his rose-colored nails couldn't dictate his baby's gender, something Galecki's "Big Bang Theory" character, scientist Leonard Hofstadter, would surely understand. (By coincidence, Leonard and his "Big Bang" wife, Penny, revealed they were having a baby in the series finale in May.)
During Memorial Day weekend, the couple revealed they were having a boy at a messy gender-reveal paint party where friends were invited to paint paper and each other various shades of blue.
"A day I'll never forget," he captioned a picture of himself and Meyer covered in paint.
More: Johnny Galecki is about to be a dad and admits he would 'kind of prefer a girl'
The couple, who made their relationship red-carpet official at the People's Choice Awards in November, announced the pregnancy on May 3.
"We are absolutely over the moon to announce that we will soon be welcoming a little one into this crazy and wonderful world," he wrote on Instagram. "We ask that you please respect our privacy during this celebratory time for us and our families. There truly is love out there for all. We hope ours is the ember of yours, as we feel yours is the ember of ours."
His journey to parenthood marks the second life change for Galecki this year. In May, "Big Bang Theory" ended after 12 seasons.
Contributing: Sonja Haller
More: 'Big Bang' star Johnny Galecki reveals baby's gender and it's not the one he hoped for


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Bi-Monthly Boosts Of Aspirin Benefit Heart
DALLAS, Feb. 3 -- Individuals who take low-dose aspirin to stave off repeat heart attacks or strokes should substitute a higher booster dose twice a month to increase the drug's effectiveness, say researchers today reporting in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.
According to recently issued recommendations from the American Heart Association (AHA), aspirin is advised for individuals who have had a heart attack or stroke or are at high risk due to family history. Prior studies have shown that aspirin offers protection against heart attacks or strokes for only about 25 percent of individuals for whom this inexpensive household drug is appropriate.
The new research suggests that aspirin therapy can work more effectively if a 325-mg booster is taken in place of the lower dose aspirin on the first and 15th of the month.
"Aspirin is not the most ideal agent, but it is one of the best we have and it is the most economical. The goal of our work is to improve therapeutic responsiveness to aspirin," says one of the study's authors Aaron Marcus, M.D., chief, hematology and medical oncology at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center and Cornell University Medical College, New York. Teresa Santos and Juana Balles and colleagues carried out the research at the University Hospital La Fe, Valencia, Spain in collaboration with Marcus' laboratory.
Aspirin helps prevent heart attacks and strokes by blocking the generation of thromboxane, a chemical produced by blood platelets. These disk-shaped blood components accumulate at sites of vascular injury, such as atherosclerotic plaque, and contribute to clot formation. If the blood clot occludes the vessels, which nourishes the heart or brain, a heart attack or stroke occurs.
However, these and other studies from this research group have found that platelets continue to clump, even when aspirin blocks thromboxane formation. The researchers uncovered the reason: When in close proximity to platelets, red blood cells produce substances that stimulate platelets and clot-formation. "This red blood cell-platelet interaction may explain why many individuals respond to aspirin in a less than optimal fashion," says Marcus.
But in their study, researchers found that a single 300-mg dose of aspirin could initially "neutralize" the platelet stimulatory activity of the red blood cells. Subsequent blood tests found that after about two weeks, the red blood cells "escaped from this initial inhibition and began to stimulate platelets again," says Marcus.
To maintain inhibition, a booster dose of 325 mg every two weeks may be needed instead of the lower dose of 81 mg. This schedule reduces the possible gastrointestinal side effects of aspirin, says Marcus.
The results of the study should stir some controversy among physicians who prescribe the same daily dose, without the substitution of a bi-monthly booster. Physicians may require a larger trial to be convinced says Marcus, who has already initiated the twice-month aspirin treatment for his patients.
For individuals who have not experienced coronary artery disease or stroke, aspirin therapy is not recommended unless there is a strong positive family history. "If one or both individual's parents or siblings have had a heart attack before 50, I would consider giving a baby aspirin (81 mg) a day, interrupted by a therapeutic dose every two weeks," Marcus says.
In its latest statement, the AHA recommends a daily dosage of between 75 to 325 mg for such individuals.
The study included 62 individuals from Valencia, Spain who had a heart attack, suffered intractable chest pain, called angina, or had congestive heart failure. The group was given 200 mg of aspirin daily, which is considered a small dose by European standards. Twenty stroke survivors were also included in the study. They received 300 mg of asprin per day. A control group consisted of 200 people who did not take aspirin and 23 individuals who were given a single 500-mg (considered a regular dose by European standards) dose of aspirin.
After three months of aspirin treatment, researchers sampled the participants' blood to test the platelets' ability to respond to stimuli, which causes them to clump. Platelets were tested for clumping in the presence and absence of red blood cells. Thromboxane levels in the blood were also measured.
Even though thromboxane production was inhibited by greater than 94 percent in all individuals taking aspirin, 45 percent of patients still had clumping when red blood cells were present, "indicating a suboptimal response to aspirin." Sixteen percent had clumping even though the red blood cells were not present.
"This latter group may be more thrombosis-prone than the other participants," says Marcus.
In 39 percent of individuals, aspirin blocked clumping in the presence of red blood cells.
"In two thirds of patients, 200-300 milligrams of aspirin was insufficient to block platelet clumping in the presence of red blood cells, despite the fact that aspirin abolished thromboxane synthesis," says Marcus. "Insufficient blocking of this thrombosis-promoting property of red blood cells can lead to additional thrombotic complications."
Eventually individuals will be able to have their blood tested in laboratories to determine whether their platelets are affected by the stimulatory substance produced by red blood cells. That way aspirin treatment can be more tailored, and those who don't require the larger bi-monthy booster can avoid it. Such tests are available in the research setting, but will eventually be used at the bedside.
Media advisory: Dr. Marcus may be reached by calling (212) 686-7500, ext. 3931; fax (212) 951-3389. (Please do not publish telephone or fax numbers.)
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Read More: Heart Attack News and Heart Attack Current Events


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US Forest Service Plans to Overhaul Tourism at Mendenhall Glacier
Just a short journey from Alaska's capital city of Juneau, Mendenhall Glacier is the state's most popular summer tourist destination, and arguably one of the most accessible glaciers in the world. Located in Tongass National Forest, Mendenhall is one of 38 glaciers that originate from the massive 1,500 square mile Juneau Icefield. From its origin to its terminus at Mendenhall Lake, the glacier stretches some 13.6 miles.
A strong tourism industry around Alaska's glaciers provides the state with substantial economic benefits. It also gives visitors an opportunity to witness the effects of anthropogenic climate change.
The blue of glacial #meltwater on the Mendenhall Glacier looks stunning. I just wish it wasn't the result of the accelerated melting of this most beautiful of #glaciers. #Juneau #MendenhallGalcier #JuneauIcefield #IFBC19 #Alaska #TemscoHelicopters Photo credit: @personify_biz pic.twitter.com/82pbch5fkP
— Dr Gail Barnes (@ZAGrrl) June 23, 2019
Beyond the pristine beauty and temperate summertime weather in Alaska, so-called "last chance tourism" is a huge motivation for visitors, who wish to marvel at immense blocks of blue and white ice as well as Mendenhall's famous ice caves before they melt.
Opened in 1962, the Forest Service Visitor Center at Mendenhall Glacier was the very first in the United States. "When this visitor center was built, there were 23,000 visitors per year, and now there's over 700,000," James King, a region director for the US Forest Service in Alaska, told the Juneau Empire.
The summer of 2019 is expected to break tourism records for Alaska as a whole, with 1.3 million visitors expected, a 16 percent increase from 2018. Visitorship is expected to continue growing by 2-4 percent per year.
Current facilities are designed for up to 485,000 visitors per year. The growth in tourists has caused congestion, long waits, and an experience that is less than ideal for visitors to the 6,000 acre Mendenhall Glacier Recreation Area.
Robin Bouse, a tourist who visited Mendenhall last month, described the overcrowdedness. "The visitor center was crowded, so crowded that I couldn't wait to get out of there," she told GlacierHub. "I came from a cruise ship with about 4,000 passengers aboard and there were four similar ships in port that day."
At its current capacity, the visitor center can only accommodate 4,000 people at a time.
A panoramic view of Mendenhall Glacier and the surrounding Mendenhall Lake, taken in the summer of 2006 (Source: Mike Keene).
In addition, tourist infrastructure will need to evolve to keep up with climate change. From satellite measurements taken by NASA's Landsat 5 satellite in 1984 and Landsat 8 in 2013, Mendenhall retreated almost 4,000 feet, or three-quarters of a mile in under 20 years. Mendenhall Lake, which sits right at the terminus, has grown by roughly the same amount.
Another visitor to the glacier, Tim Denham, thought a visual representation of the glacier's retreat over time would have been a valuable visual to add to the experience. "I think it would have been good to have big 4×4 posts with the years carved into them to show how rapidly it has receded," he said.
By 2050, the glacier itself will no longer be visible from the huge windows that look out from the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center. "The glacier ice was so beautiful and I felt fortunate to see it," Bouse said. "It was easy to see that the glacier is retreating from the bare rocks surrounding it."
Taken from the same perspective as above: Mendenhall Glacier in May 2019. Massive retreat in the 13 years between the two photos is apparent. The photographer, Henry Titzler, noted this day was about 86 degrees Fahrenheit, remembering summer temperatures averaging around 62 degrees during a previous visit in 1979.
From 2016 to 2018, six public meetings were held to develop a plan for revamping the Mendenhall Glacier Recreation Area and Visitor Center. The updated 50-year plan, published by the US Forest Service in February 2019 emphasizes major renovations over the next 10 years.
The Mendenhall Glacier Master Plan aims to create a sustainable recreation experience that can adjust to variations in glacier features. King from the US Forest Service estimated the project's price tag at around $80 million.
As the glacier continues to retreat, the current viewpoints will become more strained, and visitors with a time limit––such as those who must return to their cruise ships––could subsequently be unable to attain the full experience.
"It was difficult to get up close to the glacier with the few hours I had to spend there, but the distant view was still spectacular enough," said Bouse.
Denham similarly noticed the marked appearance of the glacier's retreat, noting it was "barely visible across the lake. We hiked out a half mile on the trail but we were still too far away to see much."
To accommodate increased glacial melt, the new plan proposes to switch from a land-based focus on hiking trails and viewing areas to a more water-based approach, complete with a commercial boat service to take people in small groups right to the terminus of Mendenhall Glacier.
Mendenhall Glacier Caves, Alaska – https://t.co/L6XYDIofRb pic.twitter.com/699V7uqwCg
— Dr. Michael John (@DrVidyanaOM) June 21, 2019
There will also be a smaller mobile visitor center closer to the glacier itself. These new features will fulfill the frequently cited desire of tourists to truly be interactive with the glacier, allowing visitors to "touch the ice."
Other parts of the proposed plan include more restrooms, a larger theater, and expanding parking availability. New walking trails will increase access to ecosystems newly exposed by the glacier's retreat, including salmon, bears, and other wildlife. Finally, an additional visitor center will provide amenities such as food, restrooms, and directions, leaving the original building as an educational center and museum.
Taken together, these alterations could give the visitors a more pleasant and informative stay, showing them the glacier as it is now and as it had been. And it could awaken in them a sense of the urgency of climate change as a pressing issue, whether on vacation or back at home.
Tags: alaska, cruise ships, Juneau Icefield, last-chance tourism, Mendenhall Glacier
Tensions Among Early Glacier Researchers in Alaska
Runyu Liang
A new study published in the journal Isis details a decades-old conflict between early glacier researchers in Alaska, a conflict that remains relevant today. The controversy, known as the Miller–Beckey dispute, started at the Juneau Icefield in the late 1940s when a scientist-climber named Maynard Miller clashed with fellow mountaineer Friedrich Beckey. Beckey discounted Miller's scientific research due to Miller's secondary role as a mountaineer, suggesting that because Miller was a sportsman, he could not also be a serious scientist. The dispute took place at a time when North American glaciology was a nascent geophysical science.
Hikers on the Mendenhall Glacier, Juneau Icefield (Source: Gillfoto/Flickr).
The Background of the Conflict
The Juneau Icefield Research Project (JIRP), which brought both men to the ice, was one of the first programs of glaciology in North America, according to the article's author, Danielle Inkpen. It was an on-site, long-term study of the Taku glacier, an outlet glacier of the Juneau Icefield. Intensive field observations like those made at JIRP required researchers to live on the ice for extended periods of time. Dangers such as hidden crevasses and snow blindness required the traditional skill set of a mountaineer. As a result, JIRP drew many fieldworkers from elite mountaineering circles.
Miller, founder and long-time director of JIRP, was one of these early adventurers. Inkpen writes that Miller was a skilled climber, having joined America's first Mt. Everest expedition in 1963. But he was also an educated scientist who studied geology and glaciology, earning undergraduate and master's degrees from Harvard and Columbia University, and a Ph.D. from Cambridge University. Miller's dual roles as both an active mountaineer and scientific researcher prompted his rival Beckey to cast doubt on his scientific credibility. Nicknamed "lone wolf," Beckey was a legendary American rock climber and an Alpine-style mountaineer. He is known to many from the documentary, "The Legend of Fred Beckey," for having completed more first ascents than any other North American climber.
JIRP Crew, 1949. Miller is in the middle.(Source: Isis/"The Scientific Life in the Alpine: Recreation and Moral Life in the Field").
Miller was first introduced to the Alaskan glacier as a member of an expedition which first summited Mount Bertha, led by Bradford Washburn, his geography instructor at Harvard. Miller and Washburn built a sense of camaraderie when they were roped up together during a climb while both part of the Harvard Mountaineering Club (HMC). Later, Washburn recommended Miller as the field assistant for glacier research in Alaska in 1941 with William Field, one of the founders of the HMC and also a leading mountaineer, photographer and geologist in the 1920s with a number of first ascents to his credit. These men all came to glaciology through mountaineering. Miller's passion for scientific fieldwork in Alaska originated in his desire to explore the climbing potential in southern Alaska.
The Conflict Develops
Miller returned to Alaska in 1947 for JIRP. The project's primary funder was the Office of Scientific Research and Development of the American military. Inkpen explains that investment in glaciology was made possible by the United States military, which increased expenditures during the Cold War amidst national security concerns. The Polar region was a major geopolitical hotspot at the height of the conflict, and launching missiles from secret bases under ice caps was considered a possibility. Observations of Alaskan glacier fluctuations during this time triggered further investigations into the relationship between glaciers and climate. In order for JIRP to avoid a misunderstanding about their primary commitment to science, it had to keep its professional image as a glacial science organization, Inkpen notes. Other glaciological expeditions at the time, like Snow Cornice, were supported by private funders. As JIRP's military sponsor said, ''No funds could be provided for mountaineering."
As a result of this policy, Miller did no climbing during the first summer of research at Juneau. However, he was reportedly located close to the attractive spire, Devil's Paw. He also wrote an article about the mountaineering possibilities at Juneau Icefield for HMC's Bulletin; according to Inkpen, Miller believed that this piece would go unnoticed by his funder. She quotes his article as stating that the 1949 season would bring "many interesting ascents of the magnificent granite and metamorphic rock peaks which protrude out of the ice and snow in this glacial-alpine paradise."
Fred Beckey ascending rope on an "aid pitch," North Cascades, n.d. (Source: North Cascades National Park archives).
Miller and Beckey had an unpleasant history before their confrontation in Juneau. Inkpen explains that as climbing partners, they failed to reach the summit of the Nooksack Tower in North Cascades National Park, in Washington State. However, Miller would later try a second time with another team, excluding Beckey. Then, in 1948, when Miller became field leader at the Juneau Icefield, he wrote a letter to Beckey telling him to stay away, Inkpen reports. She further notes that Miller claimed he was afraid that the press attention from Beckey's first ascent would undermine JIRP's reputation, especially at a time when the organization needed funding. However, the true purpose of the letter remains unknown. Inkpen indicates that it cannot be ruled out that Miller merged private affairs into public ones, wanting to save the first ascent for himself. Beckey followed Miller's request for a time, but in 1949 he marched to Juneau unexpectedly and successfully conquered the Devil's Paw.
The Consequences of the Conflict
Reverberations continued for Beckey and Miller after Beckey wrote to American Alpine Club (AAC) condemning Miller for practicing pseudoscience and using science as a cover for his mountaineering ambitions. Beckey further accused Miller of violating the codes of sharing information with fellow mountaineers. Certain gentlemanly rules inherited from the Victorian golden age of climbing governed first ascent. Using climbing information from other climbers to reach the summit was regarded as improper. Beckey even claimed that Miller had besmirched him and broke his climbing buddy's arm during a visit.
Instead of declaring the scientific importance of his research to defend himself and the JIRP, Miller hit back as a mountaineer, reportedly stating, "That is the most unfortunate [and] uncalled for situation that has ever arisen to besmirch the name of the HMC and the AAC." He asked the mountaineering community to ban Beckey's actions and questioned Beckey's integrity for deliberately concealing his climbing routes. As a result, the AAC convened a three-person committee to investigate this Miller-Beckey dispute. According to the article, the committee concluded the matter as an attack on Miller's professional credibility in order to encourage the club members to work with scientific expeditions. Their judgment had a profound influence on interweaving scientific research with mountaineering, Inkpen reports.
As GlacierHub learned from Erin Pettit, a glaciologist at the University of Alaska who conducts research and teaches at JIRP, the conflict between mountaineers and scientific research is still relevant today. "There certainly is a challenge when ego comes into play," Pettit said. "If someone on a field team has more of a mountaineering ego, he/she wants to summit a mountain and put the science as a lower priority, that may be their choice. However, if it affects the goals of the entire field research team, then that is an issue. Similarly, a team of mountaineers might have the goal of achieving a new route on a mountain. If one of them is also a scientist and gets too distracted by science to support the goals of the mountaineering team, then the team will suffer." Teamwork relies on having everyone on board with the goals of the team, she said. This involves each team member knowing what their role is on the team.
In the end, the Miller–Beckey dispute revealed a conflict between scientific and recreational values. It shows how pride and a competitive spirit can undermine the teamwork that is required for new accomplishments in the field, a topic of significance even today.
Tags: Danielle Inkpen, Friedrich Beckey, Isis, JIRP, juneau, Juneau Icefield, Maynard Miller, Taku Glacier
Photo Friday: Juneau Icefield Expedition
Hands-on experience visiting glaciers is crucial for students pursuing a career in glaciology. The Juneau Icefield Research Program is one of the longest-running glacier research programs with a 70-year history of bringing young people to the glaciers of Alaska and British Columbia. In 1948, Maynard Miller, one of the climbers on America's first Mt. Everest expedition in 1963, led a group of explorers on a first expedition to Juneau Icefield, which includes some 50 outlet glaciers. Ever since, the program has been leading young students from high school to the graduate level to Juneau Icefield, offering opportunities to conduct field research with faculty and explore various glacial landforms and features.
Students begin their traverse from Juneau, Alaska, making their way up the Coast Mountains of Alaska and British Columbia, Canada. During their expedition, students interact with the other members of the research group and faculty advisers to collect field data and analyze the data in camp sites, where various tools are provided to assist the analysis. They finish their expedition in the small town of Atlin, Canada, where they give presentations about their group research conducted on the icefield.
Below are some pictures taken by students, staff, and faculty during their time on the Juneau Icefield.
For more information on the Juneau Icefield Research Program, visit juneauicefield.com.
Northern Lights appeared above the grand junction of Gilkey and Vaughan-Lewis Glaciers (Source: Deirdre Collins).
Gilkey Trench overlooked from on a nunatak located in the junction of Gilkey and Vaughan-Lewis Glaciers, both tributary glaciers of Juneau Icefield (Source: Deirdre Collins).
A student from 2016 Juneau Icefield Research Program exploring a crevasse (Source: Lucas Foglia, Deirdre Collins).
Arête overlooking the Gilkey Glacier (Source: Deirdre Collins).
Sunset seen from Camp 17, located on a nunatak in Gilkey Glacier (Source: Deirdre Collins).
Tags: Alaska glaciers, Arête, crevasse, Crevasses, Juneau Icefield, Northern Lights, Nunatak
Roundup: Ice Filing, Seas Falling, Rivers Flooding
This Week's Roundup: Glaciers are being collected in Antarctica, "quietly transforming the Earth's surface" and causing floods
A team of scientists, aware of the need to obtain ice cores from threatened glaciers, are working to create a glacier archive bank in Antarctica
From CNRS News: "By capturing various components of the atmosphere, ice constitutes an invaluable source of information with which to examine our past environment, to analyze climate change, and, above all, to understand our future. Today, the science of ice cores lets us study dozens of chemical components trapped in ice, such as gases, acids, heavy metals, radioactivity, and water isotopes, to name but a few…"
"We plan to store the boxes in containers at a depth of 10 meters below the surface in order to maintain the glacier cores at an ambient temperature of – 54°C. The Antarctic is in fact an immense freezer with an ice sheet up to 4 kilometers thick, and is far removed from everything; in addition, it is not subject to any territorial disputes. The subterranean chamber will be large enough to house samples taken from between 15 and 20 glaciers."
A lightweight core extractor that will measure glaciers.(Photo courtesy B. JOURDAIN/CNRS PHOTOTHEQUE).
Read on here.
Study finds that ancient melting glaciers are causing sea levels to drop in some places
From Smithsonian Magazine: "But a new study out in the Journal of Geophysical Research shows that in places like Juneau, Alaska, the opposite is happening: sea levels are dropping about half an inch every year. How could this be? The answer lies in a phenomenon of melting glaciers and seesawing weight across the earth called 'glacial isostatic adjustment.' You may not know it, but the Last Ice Age is still quietly transforming the Earth's surface and affecting everything from the length of our days to the topography of our countries."
A beach in Juneau, Alaska, where glacial isotactic adjustment has prompted sea levels to drop, not rise. (Photo courtesy Joseph, Flickr CC BY-SA).
For the full story, click here.
Glacial flood emerges along Iceland's Skaftá river
From Iceland Magazine: "A small glacial flood is under way in Skaftá river in South Iceland. The Icelandic Met Office (IMO) warns travelers to stay away from the edge of the water as the flood water is carrying with it geothermal gases which can be dangerous….The discharge of Skaftá at Sveinstindur is presently 270 cubic metres per second. The flood is not expected to cause any downstream disruption."
Outburst floods swept away a bridge and caused other damage in the river last year. (Photo Courtesy Egill/Iceland Mag).
Learn more about the flood by reading more here.
Tags: glof, iceland, Juneau Icefield, sealevel rise
Wildfires Melt Glaciers From a Distance
Greg Dietz
Scientists have begun to trace a link between climate change, an increased number of wildfires and glacier melting. Particles emitted by wildfires and then deposited on glaciers are thought to darken the ice's surface, and may lead to more rapid melting.
Natalie Kehrwald, a geologist from the United States Geological Survey (USGS), is currently studying the levels of wildfire particles deposited on the Juneau Icefield in Alaska. Kehrwald and her fellow USGS geologist, Shad O'Neel, who is tracking the retreat of glaciers in the Juneau Icefield, are working together to document the contributions of wildfires to glacier melting.
Collecting ice cores on the Juneau Icefield (Source: Natalie Kehrwald).
"In the past two to three years there have been huge wildfires [in Alaska]… I am trying to see if there are aerosols being deposited on the Juneau ice field and if they are accelerating the melting," said Kehrwald in an interview with GlacierHub.
According to multiple sources, including the University of Alaska Fairbanks and the non-profit research and news organization Climate Central, rising Arctic temperatures are creating longer and more severe wildfire seasons, with larger and more frequent fires. Kehrwald proposes that an increase in wildfires has led to a greater volume of aerosols, a mixture of carbon and other particles, deposited onto glaciers. There may be a minor feedback as well. Since glaciers act as large mirrors and keep the planet cooler by reflecting solar energy back into space, the loss of glaciers could also accelerate the rise in temperaturse.
In early August, Kehrwald and O'Neel led a team of student researchers from the Juneau Icefield Training Program into the field, where they gathered ice cores. They will later analyze these cores for wildfire indicators in a lab.
Natalie Kehrwald's team of Juneau Icefield Research Program students (Source: Natalie Kehrwald).
"We take samples from the highest, flattest parts of the glacier in specific locations that are impacted by air masses. We drill down 7-9 meters, which date back about two to three years," said Kehrwald, summarizing their trip.
The carbon deposits from wildfires can be grouped into a larger category called black carbon, which have been linked to rapid glacier melting. Black carbon refers to carbon released from both biomass burning and fossil fuel emissions. In order to determine whether the carbon on the Juneau Icefield is from wildfires, Kehrwald will look for a specific molecular marker in the ice.
"It is a sugar called levoglucosan and it is only produced if you burn cellulose at a temperature of about 250 degrees Celsius," said Kehrwald. "So if you see high concentrations of that molecule you know the origin is biomass burning, which is generally wildfires but could be a big compilation of household fires."
A team of Alaskan firefighters marches down to meet the flames (Source: BLM Alaska Fire Service/Facebook).
Although the Alaskan wildfires occur predominantly in the boreal forest located in a drier region far north of the Juneau Icefield, smoke from wildfires have been known to travel great distances. The phenomena of darkening glaciers due to particles from wildfires was well documented last year when large wildfires in British Columbia deposited particles on glaciers across the North American Arctic and as far as Greenland.
According to the University of Alaska Fairbanks, three of the top ten largest Alaskan wildfires since 1940 occurred in the last decade. In 2015, Alaskan wildfires burned over 5 million acres of land. Alaska's burnt acreage represented five-sixths of the national total land consumed by wildfires in that year, according to The Washington Post. The acreage of wildfire burned land in 2015 is second only to the approximately 6.5 million acres burned in 2004.
A 2015 report, The Age of Alaskan Wildfires, produced by non-profit group Climate Central stated that large Arctic wildfires are no longer rare.
Satellite image showing Alaskan wildfires on June 25, 2015. Actively burning areas are outlined in red. NASA image courtesy Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Rapid Response Team. Caption: NASA/Goddard, Lynn Jenner (Source: nasa.gov).
"We found the number and size of areas burnt by large wildfires [in Alaska] is on the rise since the 1950s," stated Todd Sanford, climate scientist at Climate Central. "Looking at the length of the fire season in Alaska we found, like in the western US, the length of the season is increasing each year…. Wildfire seasons are over a month longer than they were in the 1950s."
Additional research will further expand understanding of how much wildfires may affect glacier melting.
"In regards to the glaciers in southeast Alaska," Kehrwald told GlacierHub "we don't know if it [the reason for the rapid melting of the Juneau Icefield] is temperature only… or if it's also due to imputes from outside components such as wildfires."
Kehrwald and O'Neel plan to test their ice core samples in the lab and by later this year have a clearer view of how a greater number of wildfires due to rising temperatures can contribute to glacier melting.
Tags: alaska, black carbon, Juneau Icefield, Natalie Kehrwald, Shad O'Neel, wildfire
Adventures in Glaciology: Juneau Icefield Research Program
Excavating a back-lit snow pit, August 2005. Photo by M. J. Beedle
By Allen Pope
A lot of people are fascinated by glaciers. Some people even think glaciers are cool enough that they are wiling to spend an entire summer skiing across the Juneau Icefield, digging snow pits, researching glacier dynamics, and seeing some awesome sunsets along the way. Welcome to the Juneau Icefield Research Program, better known as JIRP.
A fiery sunset over Juneau Icefield so stunning it is hard to capture either in pictures or in words. July 23, 2013. Photo by Muriel Will.
JIRP's mission has been to provide an unrivalled educational and expeditionary experience in the stunning Coast Mountains of Alaska and British Columbia. The program gives students (or JIRPers) a wide range of training in glaciology and outdoor skills, providing unique opportunities for team building and personal growth.
Descending "The Cleaver" : approaching the start of the series of fixed ropes – with the Gilkey Trench in the background. Photo by Adam Toolanen
Founded over 60 years ago, JIRP has given quite a few glaciologists their start, allowing them to learn about glaciers first-hand in the field. Long-term monitoring and fundamental research are both still integral parts of JIRP: participants are active partners with leading scientists in the pursuit of groundbreaking research, such as using GPS tracking and radar profiles to study the flow speed and thickness of the Juneau Icefield's glaciers. Meanwhile, JIRP's ongoing snow pit measurements constitute one of the world's longest glacier monitoring records. Interdisciplinary Arctic system science is also part of the program, including geology, climatology, and biology, to name just a few topics of study. Finally, the science curriculum is augmented with presentations by professional photographers, filmmakers, and doctors specializing in wilderness medicine.
A group of eager students waits at the door of a camp cookshack for a helicopter to land, delivering fresh food, new faculty, and a few letters from home. Photo by Allen Pope
But you don't have to take my word for it – you can read what the students have to say. As students traverse the Juneau Icefield, dispatches (and LOTS of beautiful photos) are sent back to civilization and posted to the JIRP blog. JIRPers blog about all sorts of things:
The scientific research they are doing (glacier monitoring, hydrology, botany, and seismic glaciology)
Daily life at camp (i.e.: "9:45 – Eat breakfast with a topping of nutella")
Exploring crevasses
Traversing between camps
Whimsical holiday celebrations
Interviews of faculty members (climatologists, imagery experts, & more) and
You can check out the full archive here: http://juneauicefield.com/blog/
JIRPers set out on the skis for a daytrip to explore a new part of the Icefield. Photo by Allen Pope.
Finally, JIRP helps local communities understand what is going on up at the icefield. Students and faculty give presentations in both Atlin, B.C. and Juneau, A.K. about the program, detailing their summer research and giving some context into how the Icefield's glaciers influence the region.
JIRPer Laurissa explorers a Juneau Icefield crevasse. Photo by Hannah Rosenkrans.
JIRP is looking for participants for the 2015 expedition, which will run from June 23 through August 18. Undergraduate, graduate and upper-level high-school students are all welcome to apply; more info is available here. I hope to see you on the Icefield!
And if you want to read more about the science being done up on the Icefield, check out these session abstracts from a recent meeting of the Geological Society of America.
Allen Pope is a member of the JIRP Academic Council and is a postdoc working at the National Snow and Ice Data Center and UW's Polar Science Center, studying snow and ice, mostly from space. He tweets about the cryosphere, remote sensing, and few other things @PopePolar.
Tags: GPS tracking, JIRP, Juneau Icefield, snow pits


Sir Frank J. Whittle experimented with and constructed turbo-jet engines in pre-World War II England. In 1929 he patented a turbo-jet engine and in 1937 proved to skeptical British Air Ministry officials that a jet powered aircraft was feasible.
In 1941, a Gloster E28/39 research aircraft was fitted with a Whittle "W.1" engine that produced 800 pounds of thrust. The aircraft reached 466 miles per hour and climbed to 42,000 feet, exceeding all speed and altitude limitations of that period. The success of the Whittle "W.1" turbine engine propelled England into the jet age.
Whittle's formal training was in mechanical engineering. During the war he rose to the rank of air commodore in the Royal Air Force and served as technical advisor to the Ministry of Supply. He retired from the RAF in 1948 and in the same year was knighted because of his contributions. He was later awarded the United States Legion of Merit and the Royal Aeronautical Society gold medal.


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text:
Das Naturschutzgebiet Rothenmoorsche Sumpfwiese ist ein Naturschutzgebiet in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern westlich des Ortes Laase. Die rechtliche Festsetzung erfolgte am 19. August 1981 und umfasst eine Fläche von 13 Hektar. Typisch für das Schutzgebiet sind Flachwasserbereiche und Feuchtwiesen, die eine hohe Bedeutung für die Vogelwelt besitzen. Der Gebietszustand wird durch die weitgehend ungestörte Entwicklung der vergangenen Jahren als gut angesehen. An der südlichen Gebietsgrenze informiert eine Tafel über das Gebiet. Einen guten Aussichtspunkt bildet der nördlich gelegene Kronsberg.

Historie
Der See entstand vor über 10.000 Jahren aus einem Toteisblock der letzten Eiszeit. Das offene Gewässer verlandete, vermoorte und bildete ein Kesselmoor aus. Auf der Wiebekingschen Karte von 1786 ist das Kesselmoor als waldfreie Fläche gut zu erkennen. Im 19. Jahrhundert wurde die ursprünglich abflusslose Senke zur Grünlandgewinnung durch einen fünf Meter tiefen Graben in Richtung Norden entwässert. Einige Wohnhäuser bildeten die Ansiedlung Rothenmoor, die jedoch ab 1956 aufgegeben wurde. Um 1970 begann, nach Verfall des verrohrten Entwässerungsgrabens, der Seespiegel wieder anzusteigen und offene Wasserflächen entstanden. Das Gebiet ist heute nutzungsfrei.

Pflanzen- und Tierwelt
Prägend für die Flachwasserbereiche sind Röhrichte mit Breiten Rohrkolben und Kalmus. Im Nordosten des Gebiets findet sich ein kleinflächiger Torfmoos-Schwingrasen mit den typischen Arten Moor-Reitgras, Blasen-Segge, Sumpf-Blutauge und Wasserfeder. Die Randbereiche sind mit Grauweidengebüschen und Baumgruppen von Stieleiche, Schwarz-Erle und Moorbirke bestockt.
Brutvögel im Gebiet sind Kranich, Flussregenpfeifer, Kiebitz, Schnatterente, Raubwürger und Neuntöter. In den Herbst- und Frühjahrsmonaten sind als Zugvögel Bekassine und Krickente zu finden. Durch das Vorkommen von Wasservögeln, zahlreichen Insektenarten und durch die abgeschiedene Lage nutzen Greifvögel, wie See- und Fischadler, Schwarzmilan und Baumfalke, das Gebiet zur Nahrungssuche. Als Amphibienart ist die Rotbauchunke hervorhebenswert.

Literatur
 Umweltministerium Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (Hrsg.): Rothenmoorsche Sumpfwiese 118 in: Die Naturschutzgebiete in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. Demmler-Verlag, Schwerin 2003, S. 502 f.

Weblinks

 Kartenportal Umwelt M-V mit Geodaten, u. a. Schutzgebietsgrenze

Geographie (Warin)
Rothenmoorsche Sumpfwiese
Rothenmoorsche Sumpfwiese


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Michigan Lottery extends deal with GTECH to 2017
Business_Finance
Gtech Corp.
By - Associated Press - Sunday, March 2, 2014
LANSING, Mich. (AP) - The Michigan Lottery has extended its contract with a company that helps run Powerball, Mega Millions and other lottery games in the state.
The contract with GTECH Corp. now will run through mid-January of 2017. The initial six-year deal was scheduled to expire in January 2015.
"The Michigan Lottery games supported by GTECH's products and services are very popular with our players and provide a significant share of the revenue that we contribute each year to the state School Aid Fund," lottery spokesman Jeff Holyfield said in a statement Friday.
Under terms of the contract, the bulk of the company's compensation is based on a percentage of sales. The contract extension has an estimated value of about $53 million. GTECH is based in Providence, R.I., and has worked with the state since 1988.
The lottery contributed about $734 million to Michigan's K-12 schools fund in the last fiscal year and about $5.2 billion over the past seven years.
"This contract extension recognizes that GTECH and its team have proven they share our commitment to provide excellent service to our players and the 11,000 retailers that sell Michigan Lottery products across the state," Holyfield said. "It also provides value to the Lottery and the state by extending for two years the competitive pricing structure put in place in 2008 for these popular products and services."
https://www.michigan.gov/lottery


text:
Severe Job Losses For Black And Latinx Women Expose Workforce Inequalities Within The Pandemic
By Abbie Synan
Feb. 11 2021, Published 4:30 a.m. ET
With one in four women in the workforce leaving their careers behind during COVID-19, the unfortunate reality is that the gender pay gap combined with the effects of the pandemic are keeping mothers out of the boardroom and back into the house.
COVID-19 has altered how we work and households across America are making difficult decisions to succumb to changes during the pandemic. As a means to create as much of a sense of normalcy within our lives and our families, there are some concessions that have to be made in regard to who leaves the workforce. When things like child care and issues surrounding home school or virtual learning are involved, it is women who are staying behind.
COVID has created a major issue for the working mom and just with so many other issues during the pandemic, it has brought light that gender inequalities are very much still prevalent and undoubtedly revealed how this year has impacted women and men differently.
Gender Representation In The Workforce
A McKinsey 'Women in the Workplace' study concluded that we've seen only a modest progression of equal gender representation in the workplace and that within the last year it has regressed significantly. Financial insecurity, career stagnation and economical impacts are all products of our current gender job crisis. Because there is still a pay gap between men and women in the workplace, when COVID-19 created a schedule conflict between work and life balancing act, the lesser compensated spouse is staying at home with the family and that most often is women. As women slowly shift back out of their careers this year, it can have long lasting impact on the future of leadership and diversity in our American workforce.
Representation matters in a workplace. Studies have shown that diversity in senior level management, both in gender and race has a positive impact on profits and employee performance. When women leave their jobs, we lose mentors and allies within the workforce, an integral part of a needed support system for future women entering the work place.
Racial Disparities In The Workforce
And with even more startling data, the Bureau of Labor Statistics revealed that in the month of December there was a job loss of 140,000 that was exclusively Black and Latina women. These statistics continue to reveal the inequalities within the workplace and shed light that the issues go beyond gender, but include racial disparities.
Black and Latina women work in positions that are disproportionally impacted by the pandemic, leading to such a drastic difference in job loss. With positions that often do not include sick days or paid time off, many women needed to make the decision to stay home while their family struggles with erratic family schedules and needs.
Not only did Black and Latina women lose more jobs at the end of the year, but men managed to gain 16,000. Pre pandemic numbers had given both men and women near equal numbers of employment in the workforce, but as the pandemic progresses the gap widens between genders.
Economists have suggested that positions that have been vulnerable during the pandemic, like education and hospitality, are those that are held in majority by women. In addition, the lower paying roles are disproportionately filled by people of color.
According to the Economic Policy Institute (EPI) "Black women face the largest losses" when comparing the labor market during COVID-19. EPI found that "as with the unemployment rates, women suffered greater job losses than men." In terms of employment to population ratios, "18.8% of Black women workers lost their jobs between February and April" 2020. Additionally, "at 45.5%, white women haven't seen such a low share of the population with a job since the late 1970's, when white women were still increasing their participation in the labor market in general," explained the study.
These statistics can be worrisome since we are likely to not see issues surrounding the pandemic ease any time soon. The longer women are out of work, the greater the chance of a widening pay gap, one that women have fought to close for generations.
What will need to happen is support for women to stay connected with their careers, especially for Black and Latina women, and for companies to get creative to help working mothers to stay at work. Establishing new norms within the workplace like reevaluating productivity metrics and priorities for things like mental health will be essential to the value of gender and race representation in the US workforce.
Saying Goodbye To Betty White: America's National Treasure


"A Slick, Action-Filled Fun Ride"
Music Video and Much More!
Take off with the "Thunderbirds!" Armed with the latest high-tech vehicles and gadgets, the Tracy family tackles global rescue operations on a daily basis.
But when their arch enemy 'The Hood' (Ben Kingsley) sabotages the "Thunderbirds" as part of his master plan to rob the world's richest banks, it's up to Alan, the youngest Tracy, to spring into action before disaster strikes.
Loaded with non-stop thrills, "Thunderbirds" is the full-throttle family adventure that has fans cheering..."Thunderbirds" are GO!


text:
Action, Environment
US court orders release of three anti-nuclear activists
May 18, 2015 sndden
A US federal appeals court has ordered the immediate release of three anti-nuclear activists, including an elderly Catholic nun, the group's lawyer says.
Attorney Bill Quigley says he hopes they will be released within days.
Last week, sabotage convictions against Sister Megan Rice, 85, Michael Walli, 66, and Greg Boertje-Obed, 59, for breaking into a Tennessee nuclear facility in 2012 were overturned.
But it upheld guilty verdicts for damaging government property.
Sister Megan was jailed for nearly three years for entering the Oak Ridge facility, which stores uranium.
The other two protesters were each sentenced to more than five years in prison.
The July 2012 incident prompted security changes at the Y-12 site. More…
Previous PostLiberation theology founder praises new 'atmosphere' under Pope FrancisNext PostThousands protest against US airbase in Japan's Okinawa


I've attended a very inspirational lecture by Gojko Adzic, organized by the Oslo XP Meetup. Many people including some respectable persons claim that Lean, Agile, and high-level testing based on specifications (whether you call it Agile acceptance testing, Acceptance-test driven development, Example-driven development, Story-testing, Behavior-driven development, or otherwise – let's call them all Specification by example) do not work.
To prove the contrary, Gojko has collected over 50 case studies of projects that were very successful thanks to using these methods. In his soon-to-be-published book, Specification by Example (download ch1, a review), he investigates what these projects and teams had in common, which was missing in the failed ones. So it's great for two reasons: It documents how great success you can achieve with Specification by Example and it shows you how to implement it successfully.
In the case you've never heard about Specification by Example before, the idea is (as I understand it with my limited knowledge) that the business users can express their requirements in such a way that it can be directly used for verifying that the system satisfies them. A popular tool in this area is FitNesse, where tests are created as wiki pages with tables containing inputs and expected outputs.
Don't start with user stories but understand the business goal – the desired effect – first because user stories may already imply a solution. This is, I'd say, rather known but perhaps too often forgotten wisdom.
Specify collaboratively – it's essential that business users, developers, and testers work together (ideally face to face) on creating the specification for thus a common understanding can arise (we all know that most projects fail due to wrong or misunderstood requirements) and each of them can contribute to increase the quality of the specifications thanks to his unique point of view.
Living documentation – such tests become very valuable and easily accessible documentation of what the system does. Of course you must keep it alive, meaning that it must be updated as the system evolves, and the system itself must evolve as the business needs change (including removal of business functionality which is not anymore needed – something often neglected). Because the specifications are so close to the system, it's actually very easy to keep them synchronized, something that is a huge problem with standard documentation.
These are just few points I've remembered and I've certainly omitted many important things and all the interesting real-world stories that accompany and exemplify.
Already for a long time I'm attracted by the concept of specification by example, but I was never sure whether it can really work. Thanks to Gojko and his book I know it can work and I also have guidance for avoiding the pitfalls and attaining a success. I'm therefore very much thankful to him and looking forward to reading his book.
PS: To be fair, I should mention that also the other lecture of the evening, "Lead better – Essential Skills for Software Team Leadership" by Roy Osherove was excellent and has brought me new insights into the role of a team leader. I've never before thought that team leader should so much care for the personal/professional development of his team members and that helping them grow is his main responsibility (provided that the team isn't anymore in chaos, having enough problems striving to survive). He shares his ideas about leadership in software teams via 5Whys.com, which I'd recommend.


A new survey about marijuana and cannabidiol (CBD) reveals a surprisingly growing trend of its use among baby boomers. And the trend is growing fast thwarting legal restrictions. Is it that they are carrying (or resuming) their habit of younger days for recreation? Or are there other compelling reasons?
Of 11000+ responders in the survey, 83% are taking cannabis in some form either for medicinal or recreational purpose or both. Nearly 50% use cannabis for recreation and medicinal purposes. 66% of them are daily users and 5% rarely use it for any purpose. 12% have never used cannabis in any form. The findings are quite striking raising the obvious question, how it can be so important in senior living?
According to Sciencedialy, researchers at the NYU School of Medicine and the Center for Drug Use and HIV/HCV Research (CDUHR) at NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing observe a similar trend of marijuana use among middle-aged and senior adults. 9% of adults aged between 50 and 64 and 3% of adults above 65 years are reported to have been using marijuana last year.
The Healthline publishes of a similar trend observed in a past data survey of 2016 conducted by the National Survey on Drug Use and Health. It said that the number of marijuana users among the age group of 65 and up grew by 250% in 2006-13.
Is it the young age cultural exposure driving baby boomers to cannabis usage?
Senior Living Expert and the reputed author of books on senior aging Lisa Cini is of the view that seniors prefer living their life on their own terms. According to her words, 74.1 million baby boomers in the US see cannabis not only as an avenue to freedom but a much-desired fuel for their soul.
Marijuana culture proliferated during the 1960-70's, the growing up period of present day baby boomers. Remember the hippies taking pleasure in weed smoking? Gradually, many may have quitted it for family commitments but resumed at this ripened age or somehow continued their friendship with it.
Cannabis – a tool for senior well-being?
A change of attitude towards marijuana is also being observed. The stigma is on the decline and therefore the rise in usage. Many seniors consider Cannabis as a tool for their well-being. Legal restrictions did not help much in curbing the growing trend. That 37% of survey respondents belonged to a state where marijuana is not legalized comes as a big surprise.
In a 2014 survey, about 50% of adults of all age groups say they sometimes use marijuana as a medicine.
In most cases, marijuana is used to treat pain.
Physicians' groups often silently support cannabis use in treating age-related diseases like cancer or glaucoma.
Is marijuana effective in combating pain?
Old age is vulnerable to a wide range of chronic aches and pains which often becomes unmanageable with prescription killers. Mary Lynch, a pain specialist at Dalhousie University in Canada reports that even if painkillers are combined with drugs, it provides only 50% relief for 30-40% patients. Marijuana helps in such cases.
39% of patients taking prescribed opioids since long take some form of marijuana for more relief. 90% of seniors aged more than 65 registered for the Colorado Medical Marijuana Program reported pain as the prime reason.
Is marijuana as effective as opioid?
As the marijuana legalization rage continues to sweep the world with no signs of declining, it obviously raises the question of its efficacy. Or is it simply another cultural hype in the guise of medical benefits?
Patients apparently seem to prefer cannabis to opioids claiming the former to be more effective. A research survey published in the Journal of Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research speaks in favor of cannabis usage. Data were collected from 2897 patients using medical cannabis.
34% of them received opioid for previous six months. A majority of them reported cannabis equally or more effective than opioids without any side effects.
97% of patients on opioid medication could reduce its dosage or eliminate it completely.
81% of the same group reported cannabis as more effective.
In 2015, 28 studies led by the Harvard group on efficacy of cannabis in treating pain drew similar conclusions. The authors also declared sufficient evidence regarding the use of marijuana in addressing chronic and neuropathic pain and spasticity from multiple sclerosis.
A study by the University of Michigan also found that cannabis reduces side effects of other medications, improves the overall quality of life of users and reduces opioid use by 64% on an average. A huge amount of anecdotal evidence strongly supports the efficacy of cannabis in reducing pain.
One cannot deny the public health emergency caused by opioid abuse, a fact acknowledged by the US President. Of 64,000 deaths from drug overdose in 2016, a majority occurred from prescription and illicit opioid. Nearly 140 Americans die from opioid usage every day.
Long-term opioid use leads to harmful addiction. Amidst this scenario, the Drug Enforcement Agency states that no such death has been reported from the cannabis overdose. In view of public health, Cannabis can be considered much safer than opioid with virtually zero risk of fatal drug overdose.
This has been underscored in 2017 by Weedmaps, a California based online dispensary rating guide that mentioned: "States legalizing cannabis saw 25% less opioid-induced deaths". The message sparked a lot of controversies.
Weedmaps' conclusion was based on the 2014 study published in JAMA Internal Medicine where researchers and authors commented in favor of legalizing medical marijuana usage. According to them, it is a promising approach to cause a steady decline in unintentional opioid-related deaths.
Dr. Lyn Webster, ex-president of the American Academy of Pain Medicine voices concerns about marijuana. It can affect natural balance and slow down reaction time. Elderly people are likely to face sudden falls. This is worrisome. A better understanding of the right dosage and toxicity is required. Who will be most benefitting from it? Not everybody will show similar responses to cannabis.
The risk aggravates when senior folks link marijuana use with other habit-forming substances. They can take to drinking, use cocaine or grow dependence on nicotine and other illicit drugs along with cannabis. It can also interfere with certain medications taken by senior chronic patients.
Often marijuana use by seniors may set a bad example for next generation kids especially the grandchildren who look up to their elders. This may have a negative impact on society. Unregulated or unsupervised marijuana use can invite disasters.
A majority of voters are supporting cannabis legalization and a record number of election candidates this year are speaking in favor of it. But the fact remains that seniors need to have a clear understanding of its advantages and disadvantages before taking a call.
← What is mindfulness? How to achieve?


text:
Imrei Binah is a work by Rabbi Dovber Schneuri, the second Rebbe of the Chabad Hasidic movement. Imrei Binah is considered to be one of the most profound texts in Chabad philosophy.

The central themes discussed in Imrei Binah are the Hasidic explanations for the commandment of the reading the Shema and donning the Tefillin.

Background
Imrei Binah was originally written for the Chassid Yekusiel Liepler, a student of Rabbi Dovber.

Teachings
 "Oil alludes to and symbolizes the esoteric and hidden parts of the Torah."

Study in Lubavitch
The Chassid Rabbi Yisroel Jacobson recalled that Imrei Binah was studied in the first Tomchei Tmimim yeshiva founded by the fifth Chabad Rebbe, Rabbi Sholom Dovber Schneersohn, in the town of Lubavitch. The mashpia, Rabbi Shilem Kuratin, convinced the older students at the yeshiva to study Imrei Binah, which they did for twelve hours a day. The younger students, Jacobson included, resisted Kuratin and chose to study the works of the fifth Rebbe instead.

Publishing
Imrei Binah was initially published in Kapust and was later republished by Kehot Publication Society in Brooklyn, New York.  The Opening Gateway (Petach HaShaar) is available in English under the title "The Gateway To Understanding" at truekabbalah.com

References

External links
Imrei Binah on ChabadLibrary.org
Imrei Binah in English on TrueKabbalah.com

Chabad-Lubavitch texts
Chabad-Lubavitch (Hasidic dynasty)
Hasidic literature
Jewish philosophical literature


It seems we were pretty set on enjoying ALL that there is that is traditional American culture on this trip! Before we left the big city and started exploring the littler towns in America we wanted to catch a sports game. I'll be honest, I didn't care whether it was American Football, Basketball, Ice Hockey or Baseball – I knew whatever we chose would be unlike anything we can get back home.
As it was, it was baseball season and there happened to be a game that matched perfectly with our itinerary. The Texas Rangers were playing the Manta Rays and there was a pretty good turnout at the game – it was busy.
It was also a pretty cheap evening for us. I've since looked at prices for other sports and it was way higher – very fortuitous. It helped that the person serving us for tickets gave us kids prices for our two even though at least Marcus was too old for that.
One thing I'll never forget, was the standstill of the crowds and everyone, no matter what they were doing, when the national anthem was played. I was coming up the escalator after getting some cash from the ATM and everyone just stopped. Really weird! I know you see it on telly, but being there was a bit surreal – say what you like, but the Americans really do take pride in their country. James and the kids missed it all as they were looking out over towards the Dallas Cowboys Football Stadium – so that was even funnier to me!
As for the game – well I was confused from the start! But that was ok, we enjoyed messing around and watching the kiss cam when that came on and all the random happenings over the tannoy.
I also learned that 'tail gating' is a completely different thing in the US – apparantly over there it doesn't mean driving super close to the tail end of the car in front of you, but actually means having a picnic style get together out of the boot of your car. So there you go. Travel is educational!