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Combat Experiences
Case Definitions of Depression and PTSD
Mental Health Problems
Comorbidity of Alcohol Misuse or Aggression With Depression or PTSD
Smith TCRyan MAKWingard DLSlymen DJSallis JFKritz-Silverstein DMillennium Cohort Study Team, New onset and persistent symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder self-reported after deployment and combat exposures: prospective population-based US military cohort study. BMJ 2008;336 (7640) 366- 371PubMedGoogle ScholarCrossref
LeardMann CASmith TCSmith BWells TSRyan MAMillennium Cohort Study Team, Baseline self reported functional health and vulnerability to post-traumatic stress disorder after combat deployment: prospective US military cohort study. BMJ 2009;338b1273PubMedGoogle ScholarCrossref
Hoge CWCastro CAMesser SCMcGurk DCotting DIKoffman RL Combat duty in Iraq and Afghanistan, mental health problems, and barriers to care. N Engl J Med 2004;351 (1) 13- 22PubMedGoogle ScholarCrossref
Ramchand RKarney BRChan Osilla KBurns RMBarnes Calderone L Prevalence of PTSD, depression, and TBI among returning service members. In: Tanielian TJaycox LH eds. Invisible Wounds of War: Psychological and Cognitive Injuries, Their Consequences, and Services to Assist Recovery. Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation; 2008:35-85Google Scholar
Hoge CWAuchterlonie JLMilliken CS Mental health problems, use of mental health services, and attrition from military service after returning from deployment to Iraq or Afghanistan. JAMA 2006;295 (9) 1023- 1032PubMedGoogle ScholarCrossref
Milliken CSAuchterlonie JLHoge CW Longitudinal assessment of mental health problems among active and reserve component soldiers returning from the Iraq war. JAMA 2007;298 (18) 2141- 2148PubMedGoogle ScholarCrossref
Hoge CWMcGurk DThomas JLCox ALEngel CCCastro CA Mild traumatic brain injury in US soldiers returning from Iraq [published online ahead of print January 30, 2008]. N Engl J Med 2008;358 (5) 453- 463Google ScholarCrossref
Weathers FWLitz BTHerman DSHuska JAKeane TM The PTSD checklist (PCL): reliability, validity, and diagnostic utility. Annual Meeting of International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies; San Antonio, Texas; October6-10 , 2003Google Scholar
Jacobson IGRyan MAHooper TISmith TCAmoroso PJBoyko EJGackstetter GDWells TSBell NS Alcohol use and alcohol-related problems before and after military combat deployment. JAMA 2008;300 (6) 663- 675PubMedGoogle ScholarCrossref
Jakupcak MConybeare DPhelps LHunt SHolmes HAFelker BKlevens MMcFall ME Anger, hostility, and aggression among Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans reporting PTSD and subthreshold PTSD. J Trauma Stress 2007;20 (6) 945- 954PubMedGoogle ScholarCrossref
Killgore WDCotting DIThomas JLCox ALMcGurk DVo AHCastro CAHoge CW Post-combat invincibility: violent combat experiences are associated with increased risk-taking propensity following deployment. J Psychiatr Res 2008;42 (13) 1112- 1121PubMedGoogle ScholarCrossref
Sollinger JMFisher GMetscher KN The wars in Afghanistan and Iraq: an overview. In: Tanielian TJaycox LH eds. Invisible Wounds of War: Psychological and Cognitive Injuries, Their Consequences, and Services to Assist Recovery. Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation; 2008:19-31Google Scholar
Bliese PDWright KMAdler ABThomas JLHoge CW Timing of postcombat mental health assessments. Psychol Serv 2007;4 (3) 141- 148Google ScholarCrossref
Wilk JEThomas JLMcGurk DRiviere LACastro CAHoge CW Mild traumatic brain injury (concussion) during combat: lack of association of blast mechanism with persistent post-concussive symptoms. J Head Trauma Rehabil 2010;25 (1) 9- 14PubMedGoogle ScholarCrossref
Santiago PNWilk JEMilliken CSCastro CAEngel CCHoge CW Screening for alcohol misuse and alcohol-related behaviors in combat veterans. Psychiatr Services In pressGoogle Scholar
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Bliese PDWright KMAdler ABCabrera OCastro CAHoge CW Validating the primary care posttraumatic stress disorder screen and the posttraumatic stress disorder checklist with soldiers returning from combat. J Consult Clin Psychol 2008;76 (2) 272- 281PubMedGoogle ScholarCrossref
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Thomas JL, Wilk JE, Riviere LA, McGurk D, Castro CA, Hoge CW. Prevalence of Mental Health Problems and Functional Impairment Among Active Component and National Guard Soldiers 3 and 12 Months Following Combat in Iraq. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2010;67(6):614–623. doi:10.1001/archgenpsychiatry.2010.54
Prevalence of Mental Health Problems and Functional Impairment Among Active Component and National Guard Soldiers 3 and 12 Months Following Combat in Iraq
Jeffrey L. Thomas, PhD; Joshua E. Wilk, PhD; Lyndon A. Riviere, PhD; et al Dennis McGurk, PhD; Carl A. Castro, PhD; Charles W. Hoge, MD
Author Affiliations: Division of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, US Army Medical Research and Materiel Command, Silver Spring, Maryland (Drs Thomas, Wilk, Riviere, and Hoge); US Army Medical Research Unit-Europe, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, US Army Medical Research and Materiel Command, Heidelberg, Germany (Dr McGurk); Military Operational Medicine Research Program, US Army Medical Research and Materiel Command, Fort Detrick, Maryland (Dr Castro).
Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2010;67(6):614-623. doi:10.1001/archgenpsychiatry.2010.54
Context A growing body of literature has demonstrated the association of combat in Iraq and Afghanistan with postdeployment mental health problems, particularly posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression. However, studies have shown varying prevalence rates of these disorders based on different case definitions and have not assessed functional impairment, alcohol misuse, or aggressive behavior as comorbid factors occurring with PTSD and depression.
Objectives To (1) examine the prevalence rates of depression and PTSD using several case definitions including functional impairment, (2) determine the comorbidity of alcohol misuse or aggressive behaviors with depression or PTSD, and (3) compare rates between Active Component and National Guard soldiers at the 3- and 12-month time points following their deployment to Iraq.
Design Population-based, cross-sectional study.
Setting United States Army posts and National Guard armories.
Participants A total of 18 305 US Army soldiers from 4 Active Component and 2 National Guard infantry brigade combat teams.
Interventions Between 2004 and 2007, anonymous mental health surveys were collected at 3 and 12 months following deployment.
Main Outcome Measures Current PTSD, depression, functional impairment, alcohol misuse, and aggressive behavior.
Results Prevalence rates for PTSD or depression with serious functional impairment ranged between 8.5% and 14.0%, with some impairment between 23.2% and 31.1%. Alcohol misuse or aggressive behavior comorbidity was present in approximately half of the cases. Rates remained stable for the Active Component soldiers but increased across all case definitions from the 3- to 12-month time point for National Guard soldiers.
Conclusions The prevalence rates of PTSD and depression after returning from combat ranged from 9% to 31% depending on the level of functional impairment reported. The high comorbidity with alcohol misuse and aggression highlights the need for comprehensive postdeployment screening. Persistent or increased prevalence rates at 12 months compared with 3 months postdeployment illustrate the persistent effects of war zone service and provide important data to guide postdeployment care.
Two longitudinal studies of veterans of Operational Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Operational Enduring Freedom (OEF) have shown that the incidence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is 2 to 3 times higher among those exposed to combat compared with those who did not report significant combat exposure.1,2 These studies add to growing cross-sectional evidence linking combat duty in Iraq and Afghanistan to the development of postdeployment health problems including PTSD, depression, anxiety, and symptoms attributed to mild traumatic brain injury.3-7
Despite the strong association between combat and mental health problems, prevalence rates between studies have varied widely, most likely owing to differences in levels of combat exposure and to the case definitions used. Studies that use structured clinical interviews are costly and difficult to conduct with working infantry units, and most large studies of OIF or OEF combat veterans have relied on standardized self-report symptom scales, particularly the PTSD Checklist (PCL), which can be scored in several ways.8 To our knowledge, functional impairment measures have not been incorporated into any case definitions. The lack of consistent definitions and functional impairment measures has made it difficult to determine the true effects of combat service in Iraq and Afghanistan or accurately project mental health service needs.
This study examines the prevalence rates of depression and PTSD in a large group of infantry soldiers at the 3- and 12-month time points following their deployment using several different case definitions including a measure of functional impairment. The study also evaluates alcohol misuse and aggressive behaviors, 2 comorbid conditions commonly reported in veteran populations.9-11
In addition, this study provides a unique look at differences between Active Component and National Guard soldiers. While Active Component soldiers have a federal mission to provide full-time military support for the defense of the nation, National Guard soldiers are part of the Reserve Component and primarily have a state mission to provide support to the community as citizen soldiers. During wartime, however, National Guard units can be federally mobilized to active duty to participate in direct combat operations in the same role as Active Component infantry brigade combat teams (BCTs); they have played a central role in OIF and OEF. Although approximately one-third of service members deployed to OIF/OEF have come from Reserve Component units, there is little research on the effect of OIF/OEF deployment by component.4,12
Between 2004 and 2007, we collected 18 305 anonymous surveys from members of 4 Active Component and 2 National Guard BCTs at 3 and 12 months postdeployment. Of the 18 305 surveys received, 13 226 were from veterans of OIF and were used for analysis. Our study extends a previous cross-sectional study conducted 3 to 4 months postdeployment3 by increasing the sample size and adding a second cross-sectional evaluation of the same units at 12 months postdeployment. The 3-month time point was chosen based on research that found that assessing mental health 3 to 4 months postdeployment is optimal.13 The follow-up 12-month period was selected because it is the latest time that would ensure maximal participation without interfering with preparations for subsequent deployment. It is important to note that these units are not intended to be representative of all deploying military personnel but rather typical combat maneuver units of similar structure and function that were known to be at high risk owing to their mission to conduct ground combat operations. The 13 226 surveys used for analysis were obtained from 4933 soldiers from 4 Active Component BCTs at 3 to 4 months postdeployment; 4024 soldiers from these BCTs at 12 months postdeployment; 2684 soldiers from 2 National Guard BCTs at 3 to 4 months postdeployment; and 1585 soldiers from the same National Guard BCTs at the 12-month time point.
Recruitment and representativeness
The data were collected under a protocol approved by the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research institutional review board using procedures previously described.3 Recruitment briefings were scheduled at the convenience of the units, close to their work location. From the 6 participating BCTs, a combined total of approximately 29 460 soldiers were determined to be present in the units at the 2 time points based on information provided by unit personnel staff. Thus, the overall response rate was 62% (18 305 of 29 460 soldiers). This number is consistent with other research that used large population-based surveys and similar procedures.3,7,14,15 Most nonparticipation was related to not attending the recruitment briefings. At each data collection, research personnel conferred with the unit leadership and medical personnel to ensure that there were no systematic reasons that soldiers were not available to attend the briefings on the scheduled days. Reasons for unavailability included other duty or training obligations, medical appointments, illness, or unscheduled or personal leave.
In addition to determining the overall response rate in the units, the participation (consent) rate was calculated for soldiers who attended the recruitment briefing. Completion of any part of the paper-and-pencil survey was considered a response. The participation rate was 97% overall, ranging from 94% to 99% for all 12 data collections. Missing data on the surveys ranged from 2% to 10%; there was an average 2% of values missing for the combat exposure items, 2% for the PTSD items, 5% for the depression items, 7% for the aggression items, and 10% for the alcohol items. Finally, to assess the representativeness of our sample, we compared the demographics of soldiers from our sample to the demographic characteristics of all Active Component and National Guard OIF veterans with a combat occupational specialty. Demographics of OIF veterans were compiled from Post-Deployment Health Assessments from Army personnel obtained after their return from Iraq using the Defense Medical Surveillance System database (Table 1).
Survey measures
Demographics and Combat Exposure Levels
Demographic measures included component, age, sex, race/ethnic group, education level, rank, and marital status (Table 1). A combat events checklist measured whether each event had occurred at least once during deployment (Table 2).
We examined 7 case definitions of PTSD defined in Table 3. Posttraumatic stress disorder was measured using the 17-item PCL,8 well-validated in civilian and military primary care and mental health settings.8,16,17 The PCL is usually scored by summing the answers to the 17 questions (range, 17-85); a stringent cutoff of 50 or higher has been most widely used in military populations. The 7 definitions ranged from broad (liberal) to strict (conservative), based on DSM-IV B, C, and D symptom criteria, a high symptom severity cutoff score (≥50), and/or endorsement of functional impairment.8,16,18
We examined 3 case definitions of depression defined in Table 3. Depression was measured with the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), a well-validated clinical scale for depression based on the DSM-IV criteria that is widely used in primary care and specialty mental health settings.18-20
Functional Impairment
Functional impairment due to depression was measured using the single item from the PHQ-9 that asks, "If you checked off any of the problems above, how difficult have these problems made it for you to do your work, take care of things at home, or get along with other people?" This question has been shown to have acceptable correlations with standard measures of functional impairment and to be predictive of those with a depression diagnosis.19 To vary specificity and remain consistent with other studies in civilian and military populations,3,20 responses of "somewhat difficult" were considered to indicate some impairment20 and responses of "very difficult" or "extremely difficult" were considered to indicate serious impairment.20 Because the PCL lacks any measure of functional impairment and the single functional impairment question has been used with both the PHQ-9 and PHQ generalized anxiety scale,21 the same question was added below the 17 PCL questions.
Soldiers were asked 2 yes/no screening questions about their alcohol use using a validated measure widely used in primary care,22 postdeployment screening,6,15,23 and in a predeployment sample.3 The questions asked, in the past 4 weeks, "Have you felt you wanted or needed to cut down on your drinking?" and "Have you used alcohol more than you meant to?" A "yes" endorsement on either item was considered a positive screening for alcohol misuse.
Aggressive Behaviors
Because anger and aggression are frequently reported among combat veterans,10,11 we asked soldiers to indicate how often in the past month they "got angry with someone and kicked or smashed something, slammed the door, punched the wall, etc," "threatened someone with physical violence," or "got into a fight with someone and hit the person." These questions were based on previous research that demonstrated a strong association between combat exposure and these items as well as other risk-taking behaviors.11 Endorsement of any of the items 1 or more times in the past month was an indicator of aggressive behavior. When investigating the comorbidity of aggressive behavior with depression and PTSD, we used only the most specific item, "got into a fight with someone and hit the person," as evidence of aggressive behavior. Although there are no published baseline comparisons, this item on fighting was used in the predeployment infantry sample included in Hoge and colleagues' study3; in that sample, 11.2% of soldiers endorsed this item.
Quality control procedures and statistical analyses
Surveys were optically scanned using the Scan Tools software package (Pearson Assessments Inc, Bloomington, Minnesota). Protocol quality control procedures stipulated that 10% of the surveys were randomly chosen and checked for scanning errors in all fields. The overall scanning error rate was 0.24% of all fields, a 99.76% accuracy rate.
The SPSS software (version 15.0; SPSS Inc, Chicago, Illinois) was used for analyses. Analyses included simple frequency and descriptive statistics, χ2 tests of association, and logistic regression analysis. Logistic regression was used to determine whether differences observed from the 3- and 12-month time points were significant in both the Active and National Guard groups while controlling for rank, marital status, and combat exposure, and to determine if changes in the prevalence rates from the 3- to 12-month time points differed between the Active Component and National Guard participants.
Table 1 displays the demographic characteristics for Active Component and National Guard soldiers at the 3- and 12-month time points following deployment. The demographic characteristics of personnel who took part in the study at the 3- and 12-month time points were similar to the reference population demographics of OIF combat veterans in both the Active Component and the National Guard. There were slight differences between the 3- and 12-month time points on rank, age, and marital status. Within a year of returning from deployment, it is common for soldiers to get promoted or married, so these were not unexpected. The demographic characteristics of the study groups were similar to those of the general reference population, except that officers were undersampled, resulting in lower rank and age distributions than in the reference groups. This is likely because officers were less available owing to work-related duties. Additionally, National Guard participants included a higher percentage of African American respondents than the reference group. This may be because the 2 National Guard BCTs are from states with a higher proportion of African American individuals than the reference group, which represented 50 states. Rates of combat exposure were similar to rates reported elsewhere.3,24 Active Component and National Guard participants reported similar rates of exposure (Table 2).
Estimated PTSD prevalence based on DSM-IV symptom criteria ranged from 20.7% (Active Component, 3-month time point) to 30.5% (National Guard, 12-month time point). Most of these soldiers reported functional impairment at the "somewhat difficult" level, and a relatively high percentage reported serious impairment ("very difficult" or "extremely difficult" level). For example, PTSD rates based on DSM-IV criteria and serious functional impairment were 7.7% for the Active Component at 3 months and 8.9% at 12 months and 6.7% for the National Guard at 3 months and 12.4% at 12 months. More than 6% of the soldiers (and up to 11% of National Guard soldiers at 12 months) met the most stringent case criteria defined by the DSM-IV plus a high level of symptoms (PCL score, ≥50) and serious functional impairment.
For depression, estimated prevalence rates ranged from 11.5% (National Guard, 3-month time point) to 16.0% (Active Component, 3-month time point) using the PHQ definition alone. When using the PHQ definition plus serious functional impairment, rates were 8.3% and 8.5% for the Active Component (3- and 12-month time points) and 5.0% and 7.3%, respectively, for the National Guard. The estimated prevalence of either depression or PTSD based on the DSM-IV and using a high-specificity cutoff (PCL score, >50) ranged from 21.8% to 22.8% for Active Component (3 and 12 months) and 18.7% to 27.8% for National Guard soldiers, with most reporting some functional impairment. Prevalence rates for PTSD or depression with serious functional impairment ranged from 11.1% to 12.3% for Active Component and 8.5% to 14.0% for National Guard soldiers at 3 and 12 months, respectively.
Component differences from the 3- to 12-month time point
Estimated prevalence rates of depression, PTSD, or the combination of PTSD or depression between the 3- and 12-month time points reveal a clear pattern across case definitions (Table 4).
(1) Symptoms of PTSD increased significantly in both groups but with much larger increases observed in National Guard participants. The Active Component group showed increased prevalence rates on 4 of the 7 PTSD diagnostic criteria: PTSD according to DSM-IV (broad); PTSD according to DSM-IV with some functional impairment; PTSD according to DSM-IV and a PCL score of 50 or higher with some functional impairment; and PTSD according to DSM-IV and a PCL score of 50 or higher with serious functional impairment. In the National Guard group there were significant increases from the 3- to the 12-month time point on all 7 case definitions of PTSD. (2) Estimated prevalence rates for depression symptoms increased significantly from the 3- to 12-month time points across all case definitions in the National Guard group only. (3) Estimated prevalence rates for PTSD or depression case definitions increased significantly from the 3- to 12-month time points for both the Active Component and National Guard groups on all 4 defined criteria. (4) The magnitude of the increase between 3 and 12 months was greater for the National Guard than for the Active Component group for several outcomes using logistic regression models that included a time-component interaction (Table 4). If the interaction term was significant (P < .05), the magnitude of the change from 3 to 12 months for the National Guard group was significantly greater than the magnitude of the change for the Active Component group. In summary, depression and/or PTSD symptoms increased significantly in the National Guard from the 3- to 12-month time points across all case definitions, whereas in the Active Component, depression symptoms remained stable and PTSD symptoms increased across several criteria.
We also examined rates of alcohol misuse and aggressive behaviors (Table 5). We found a significant increase from the 3- to 12-month time point for National Guard soldiers in aggressive behaviors (ie, threatening someone with physical violence and getting into a fight and hitting the person). The prevalence rates of depression or PTSD with accompanying alcohol misuse or aggressive behavior were 9.7% and 14.7% for the 3- and 12-month time points, respectively, in the National Guard group. Using the most stringent criteria for a combination of depression or PTSD, serious functional impairment, and either alcohol misuse or aggressive behavior, the rates were 4.2% and 8.0%, respectively, for the 3- and 12-month time points in the National Guard group. The National Guard sample had higher prevalence rates across all combined criteria at the 12-month time point.
There were no significant changes from 3 to 12 months in the Active Component group for alcohol misuse or aggressive behaviors. A component effect was found; the magnitude of the increase on all comorbid criteria from the 3- to 12-month time points was significantly different for the National Guard compared with Active Component soldiers.
The 3 objectives of the study, focused on delineating the broad mental health effects of combat deployment during the first year after return from Iraq, were to (1) examine the prevalence rates of depression and PTSD using several case definitions, with the addition of functional impairment, (2) examine the comorbidity of alcohol misuse or aggression behaviors with depression or PTSD, and (3) compare prevalence rates between Active Component and National Guard study groups.
Available data from deploying military samples indicate that the expected baseline (predeployment) rates of PTSD and depression are comparable with large population samples such as those found in the National Comorbidity Study.1-3,25 The baseline PTSD prevalence ranges from 3% to 5% (defined using the DSM definition combined with a PCL score ≥50); depression rates are also in the same range (3%-5%). It has been estimated that 9.3% of soldiers have either PTSD, depression, or generalized anxiety symptoms before deployment.3
Using the least stringent definition, we observed PTSD rates across Active Component and National Guard study groups, study time points ranging from 20.7% to 30.5%, and depression rates ranging from 11.5% to 16.0%. Using the strictest definitions with high symptom rates and serious functional impairment, PTSD prevalence ranged from 5.6% to 11.3% and depression prevalence from 5.0% to 8.5%. Between 8.5% and 14.0% of all soldiers reported serious functional impairment due to either PTSD or depression symptoms.
This is the first study, to our knowledge, that looked at the prevalence in a population of veterans of OIF across different case definitions of PTSD with the addition of a functional impairment measure. The PTSD functional impairment question was modeled after the PHQ-9 measure for comparability and validity and showed that almost all soldiers who reported PTSD symptoms according to the DSM-IV also reported some functional impairment; roughly half reported serious impairment (at the "very difficult" or "extremely difficult" level).
The selection of both the DSM and the 50-point cutoffs as anchors for several of the PCL case definitions in this study is supported by a recent review of PCL studies that showed that a high cutoff is necessary to achieve the most accurate prevalence estimate in population research (as distinct from using the test in primary or specialty care settings).16 In this review, a cutoff of 48 to 50 produced the most accurate estimate of PTSD prevalence in a hypothetical population, with a true prevalence rate of PTSD of 15%. Lower cutoff values produced significant overestimates of prevalence because of the higher number of false positives and lower positive predictive value. Applying the DSM definition to the PCL has been shown to correspond to a somewhat lower PCL cutoff of 44 in a military sample.16 Our study expands on this knowledge by applying the different definitions with the addition of functional impairment.
These prevalence rates based on functional impairment are consistent with earlier estimates in OIF/OEF infantry populations based only on high symptom endorsement.3 For example, Hoge et al reported that 12.9% of Active Component soldiers met PTSD criteria 3 to 4 months postdeployment using a DSM definition combined with a PCL score of 50 or higher. In our study, in the Active Component sample at 3 months, 14.8% met the criteria for PTSD using the same criteria that Hoge used, 12.6% met criteria using the DSM plus high sympton severity (PCL score ≥50) and some functional impairment, and 6.3% met the most stringent definition, DSM plus high symptom severity (PCL score, ≥50) and serious functional impairment.
This study also showed that comorbid alcohol misuse or aggressive behavior was common across all case definitions. Around 50% of soldiers who screened positive for depression or PTSD, based on the strict definition, also met criteria for alcohol misuse or aggressive behavior (Table 5); aggressive behaviors showed increases in both Active Component and National Guard soldiers from the 3 and 12 months time points. The significant overlap between alcohol misuse, aggressive behavior, and mental disorders highlights the high rate of comorbidity in this population. Responses to the items that assessed aggressive behavior and alcohol misuse had slightly more missing data (7% and 10%, respectively) than other study measures, likely owing to the sensitive nature of endorsing alcohol misuse and aggressive behaviors in this occupational setting. However, we do not believe that the missing data for these items occurred at high enough rates to affect the results given the high valid response rate (more than 90%) and the consistency in the findings across different population subgroups and definitions. These findings indicate that it may be beneficial to screen for alcohol and aggressive behaviors when soldiers present for treatment of PTSD or depression.
Despite efforts to systematically assess soldiers following deployment, dispel stigma, encourage treatment, and improve access to care, the prevalence rates across the study's case definitions showed increases from the 3- to 12-month time points. These data make clear that, at 12 months following deployment, many combat soldiers have not psychologically recovered, which has immediate implications for current Department of Defense policy and troop rotations supporting OIF and OEF. The time between deployments (dwell time) has been 12 to 18 months for many Active Component combat units. While these data do not directly assess whether increasing dwell time between deployments would be associated with lower mental health disorder rates in returning veterans, the data indicate that, for many, 12 months appears to be insufficient time to recover. Because PTSD may develop or persist months after exposure to trauma, interventions are thought to be best provided as early as possible after returning home.6 Providing the time for treatment, intervention, and psychological recovery following deployment is particularly important because many Active Component BCTs have deployed 3 or 4 times to Iraq or Afghanistan, and many National Guard BCTs have also deployed on more than 1 combat tour in the past 8 years, with each extending greater than 12 months with predeployment training.
Increases in the prevalence rates of mental health problems from the 3- to 12-month time points postdeployment were significantly greater among National Guard soldiers. National Guard and Active Component soldiers reported similar rates of combat experiences and similar prevalence rates of mental health problems 3 months postdeployment. Therefore, the emergence of differences by 12 months likely does not have to do with differences in the health effects of combat but rather with other variables related to readjustment to civilian life or access to health care (as noted previously by Department of Defense researchers6). Because National Guard soldiers return to civilian status following their deployment, they do not have the same uninterrupted access to military medical care as Active Component soldiers. National Guard soldiers have access to free military medical coverage until 6 months following their deployment, after which they may purchase additional coverage or receive care at veterans affairs medical facilities.26 However, these facilities are often not as conveniently located compared with medical facilities on the same posts as the Active Component units. Other potential differences between National Guard and Active Component soldiers include the time spent continuing to work with unit peers who may provide support for deployment-related problems and the stresses of reintegrating with civilian society and civilian employment. Another difference is that at 12 months postdeployment, Active Component soldiers are becoming collectively focused on the multiple tasks required to prepare a unit for another deployment including heavy training schedules (ie, field exercises). This high level of work engagement may result in less time to address personal problems or lingering mental health issues from a previous deployment.
The data reported here were collected using a cross-sectional design similar to previous studies with large intact military units.3,7 Because the survey was anonymous, the data are not longitudinal. However, we are confident that the cross-sectional data were representative of soldiers in combat infantry units who returned from Iraq. Although some soldiers move to other duty locations or leave service shortly after returning home, most remain in the unit with which they deployed. The estimated turnover is 28% during the first year post-deployment (based on the surveys received from those who did not deploy), and it is likely that many soldiers in our study completed both surveys. The study groups also had comparable demographics with the Army combat occupational reference groups, and combat exposure levels were similar to those found in other studies.3,24
There is potential selection bias in terms of soldiers who were available to take part in the survey. The participating units scheduled the recruitment and survey sessions to minimize adverse effects on the work requirements. However, some soldiers may not have been available owing to reasons such as temporary duty elsewhere, being on leave, or attending schools or training. Soldiers who were ill or injured, or who had been removed from the unit for administrative reasons such as drug abuse or misconduct, would also not have been available to take part in the survey. This potential bias is most likely to lead to underreporting of mental health problems in the study population compared with the larger population. Compensation-seeking bias is not likely, given that the surveys were anonymous and not linked in any way with health care or disability agency processes. Although officers typically have lower rates of mental health problems than enlisted soldiers, the undersampling of officers would have had a minimal effect on overall prevalence rates because officers account for less than 15% of all personnel in these combat units.
Additionally, although the sample only included 2 National Guard BCTs (compared with 4 Active Component BCTs), the findings of this study were consistent with another study indicating that soldiers from Reserve Component units appear to have greater increases in mental health problems after returning home than soldiers from active units.6 As a whole, our sample of National Guard soldiers was similar to the National Guard reference population on demographic variables other than race/ethnicity. Most importantly, National Guard soldiers were comparable with Active Component soldiers on combat exposure, a leading predictor of postdeployment mental health problems.
Implications and future research
From an epidemiological perspective, the present study is an important contribution to the literature because it provides a comprehensive assessment of how different case definitions influence PTSD and depression prevalence in combat veterans. Using the same case definition reported by Hoge and colleagues3 across study groups and time points, 23% to 31% of soldiers described symptoms that met DSM criteria for PTSD or depression along with some functional impairment. Using an even stricter case definition including reporting serious functional impairment across study groups and time points, 9% to 14% still met criteria. Further studies are needed to better understand the nature and severity of the impairment along multiple dimensions to include work, family, and social relationships. Research is also needed to better quantify the effect of comorbid factors such as alcohol misuse, aggression, risk-taking behaviors, and physical symptoms to understand the full extent of the effects of war-related trauma.
We believe that these data have clear implications for the care of soldiers and their families. The findings of the study show that at 12 months following combat, the prevalence of mental health problems among veterans does not abate, and in many cases, increases. It is a virtual certainty that soldiers who remain in service will deploy again; this study shows that a sizable proportion (9%-14%) have depression or PTSD symptoms with serious functional impairment. Data collected from the US Army's Mental Health Advisory Teams has clearly demonstrated that multiple deployments are associated with a higher prevalence of mental health problems,24 and the cumulative effects of combat deployments are worrisome. These data also have implications for individual soldiers and unit peers. If soldiers who are struggling with serious functional impairment as the result of a previous deployment are deployed again, there is potential that this could impair their performance in combat. This has implications for the safety of unit members and mission success. Further research is needed to understand the effects of self-perceived serious impairment and military occupational performance.
Our findings showed that National Guard soldiers' mental health problems increased dramatically from the 3- to 12-month time points. Therefore, it is imperative that members of the National Guard and other Reserve Component units have as ready access to care as Active Component members beyond the first few months of returning home. Functionally and culturally, National Guard soldiers are different from Active Component soldiers in that they return to civilian life after combat and have more restricted health care access.26 It will continue to take a collective effort from Department of Defense, Veterans Affairs, community providers, and veteran organizations to help this generation's veterans readjust after service in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Correspondence: Jeffrey L. Thomas, PhD, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Department of Military Psychiatry, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, 503 Robert Grant Ave, Silver Spring, MD 20910 (jeffrey.l.thomas@us.army.mil).
Submitted for Publication: March 24, 2009; final revision received November 3, 2009; accepted November 9, 2009.
Author Contributions: Dr Thomas had full access to all of the data in the study and takes responsibility for the integrity of the data and the accuracy of the data analysis.
Financial Disclosure: None reported.
Funding/Support: This study was supported by the Military Operational Medicine Research Area Directorate, US Army Medical Research and Materiel Command, Fort Detrick, Maryland.
Disclaimer: The material has been reviewed by the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research. There is no objection to its presentation and/or publication. The opinions or assertions contained herein are the private views of the authors, and are not to be construed as official, or as reflecting true views of the Department of the Army or the Department of Defense.
Additional Contributions: We thank the leaders and the soldiers of the units studied for their service to our nation and their participation in the study. We thank Paul Bliese, PhD, and Richard Herrell, PhD, for their guidance on the manuscript. We thank the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research Land Combat Study Team who collected the data: Wanda Cook, Allison Whitt, Tony Cox, MSW, Oscar Cabrera, PhD, Michael Wood, PhD, Dave Cotting, PhD, Tim Allison-Aipa, PsyD, Julie Clark, MA, Paul Kim, MA, Karen Eaton, MA, Matthew Baker, MA, Athena Kendall-Robbins, MA, Kyle Schaul, Megan Legenos, Nickolas Hamilton, Lloyd Shanklin, Nadia Kendall-Diaz, Duriel Randolph, Michael Brouillard, Lakisha Holley, and Akeiya Briscoe-Cureton.


I wasn't actively seeking another job, however I always did have my eye out for a position at my dream company: Fossil. Fossil is a clothing, watches + accessories store with immaculate color palettes, and quality materials + designs.
If you wait for your branding, that idea you have, or your blog to be perfect… you just might never start it. Don't overthink it!
Don't complain. Make a change.
Each of us is uniquely different than each other. We have different God-given gifts and abilities. If we see a problem, instead of allowing that negativity to consume us, we can make the choice to make a change.
My birthday was earlier this week (yay!), so I thought I would get a bit more personal on the blog by sharing a few things about me, to help give you some insight to who this person is behind Spruce Rd.
This past week I went to Circles Conference – and can't tell you how inspired I left. Here is a bit of what I took away from this inspired conference.


As an Overnight Custodian, you will be responsible for creating a positive member experience by ensuring they return to a sparkling clean environment. At Planet Fitness, our members come first and everything we do is geared towards providing them the best experience possible. You will be responsible for:* Thoroughly clean and sanitize restrooms, locker room areas, fitness equipment and gym floor.* Stock locker rooms with proper supplies/paper products.* Report any broken or missing amenities or equipment (Toilets, faucets, showers, hair dryers, gym equipment etc.) to the Club Manager.* Follow "Lost and Found Policy" and turn in lost member property to the Club Manager/Assistant Club Manager immediately We want you to join our team if:* Are at least 18 years or older* You have an upbeat and positive attitude!* Are punctual and are reliable.* Have good communication skills.* Can flex more than just your muscle. Must be open to a curve ball every once in a while, and must be flexible in responsibilities.* You are willing and able to work extra hours as required* Can interact in a positive and professional way with members and co-workers. Enjoy exceeding the member's expectations and only use appropriate behavior and language of course when dealing with any issues at the club. Shift Structure (subject to change based on business need)* Weekday Maintenance* Monday to Thursday from 10pm to 5am* Friday shift from 8pm to 3am* Weekend Maintenance* Select days Monday to Thursday from 10pm to 5am* Sunday 12am to 5am* Friday shift start at 8pm to 3am* Saturday 6pm to 12am Want more reasons?* Consistent work schedule* On the job training and skill development* Performance based pay increases* Medical insurance, if hourly requirements are met* Free Black Card Membership!* Company sponsored social events Physical Demands:* Continual standing and walking during shift, so wear comfortable shoes.* Continual talking in person or on the phone during shift.* Must be able to lift up to 50 lbs.* Will occasionally encounter toxic chemicals during shift like disinfectant products.


Movie Theater Prices: Too Expensive or Just Enough?
Movie theaters often overcharge for snacks, is this justified?
Popcorn at the movies is a classic treat. Photo courtesy of Dbreen. "Popcorn, Movies, Cinema" pixabay.com/en/popcorn-movies-cinema-entertainment-1085072/.
Walking into a movie theater, many things greet you: the smell of freshly buttered popcorn, the flashing lights of the arcade and the overwhelming prices.
Over the years, movie theaters have become infamous for their snack prices- which can range from average to excessive. Specifically, teenagers tend to have qualms with these prices, as many of them usually don't get paid as much as adults do (or don't even have a job). Movie theaters are a popular teen hangout with exciting movies and delicious snacks.
Most movie theaters are chain companies, such as AMC, Regal Cinemas or Cinemark, and don't have to deal with many local theaters as competition. This lack of competition gives these companies great incentive to maximize prices. Two-thirds of all the movie theaters in Colorado Springs belong to one of the aforementioned franchises.
Many people enjoy the buttery crunch of popcorn, or a cold, refreshing soda during a movie. Movie theaters tend to anticipate this and capitalize on it.
"I think that theater prices are too far up. They can even be twice as much as usual," said sophomore David Van Remortel.
However, there is a flip side to this: most movie theaters make just enough from the sale of movie tickets alone to keep the movie theater afloat. Furthermore, movie theaters have an 85 percent profit margin on concessions, but the total average profit margin for a theater is a mere 4.3 percent.
Just raising the movie ticket prices won't help, as it'll cause people to stop going to the movies. Paying the actual movie creators for the chance to even play the movie takes up most of the ticket sales. Not only that, but it's hard to imagine paying $30 for a ticket when it would cost around $10 to rent it on Amazon.
This creates the need to raise prices, which is troubling for most people. One common remedy for this issue is to sneak snacks in; this allows people to avoid the high prices, but is frowned upon and generally against theater policies. Even the sneakiest of people can't bring in the amount of food that they could buy at the concessions stand.
"I just think we should be able to bring our own snacks," said freshman Faith Poling.
Of course, this would allow for greater selection in food, but as of 2015, Regal Cinemas instituted a bag check policy to prevent customers from bringing in outside food. Other cinemas simply ban purses and backpacks. On a more extreme level, a few theater policies show that if employees find non-concessional food wrappers in the movie theater, they may land in trouble with their supervisors.
Movie theaters bring about many positive experiences: seeing brand-new movies in brightly lit, sharp images on enormous screens that surround the audience with fictional scenes and captivating characters. Laughing and crying along with peers is an immersive experience, with the smell of popcorn and the occasional quiet chuckle.
While movie snacks are expensive, they allow for cheaper movie tickets and are essential in generating revenue. If you're like me, you are unwilling to spend $5 on a bag of candy (that would otherwise cost half that at a gas station) or sneak snacks in. It might be easier to simply find a movie theater where outside food is allowed. It's a win-win.
Hello! I'm new to the Jetstream Journal, and I can't wait to write here. I'm a sophomore, and I love to ski, draw, and write.


About one in ten diagnoses are wrong. This leads to a number of problems for medical professionals as their patients potentially receive the wrong treatment, unnecessary treatment, or even no treatment at all for diseases or conditions that could prove fatal. As you might have guessed, the cost of misdiagnosis is staggering. In one case, a jury recently awarded a whopping $4.2 million to a young woman who should have been diagnosed with kidney failure, but was not.
Lacey Povrzenich is 22, but eight years ago she needed a kidney transplant. This was only after a battery of medical tests should have indicated impending kidney failure. Blood work was ordered by Dr. Dawn McCracken. Although multiple readings indicated that Lacey had abnormally high blood pressure, there was no followup to determine the cause.
Two weeks after a May 2010 visit, Lacey ended up in Children's Hospital, Pittsburgh with end-stage renal failure. Her mother donated the kidney which she was to receive.
The massive award doesn't just include medical expenses; it includes damages for pain and suffering, a typical component of any similar case.
McCracken was 85 percent negligent according to the jury's decision.
The problem is hardly unheard of. Almost every American will experience a misdiagnosis at least once. That amounts to over 12 million each year, and the situation isn't getting any better as time goes on.
Part of the problem results from insufficient learning. If you go into the doctor's office complaining of a symptom and are misdiagnosed, you might then find yourself in the emergency room. Whether or not you could have prevented a future complication, the doctor needs to know that a mistake was made. If you don't follow up with the doctor after your visit to the emergency room, or you don't realize that there was a misdiagnosis to begin with, then the mistakes might continue.
It's a slippery slope, and it's one that shows little signs of change.


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In her own words Minnie Birch makes "Sad dreary music that will leave you feeling happy" her 2015 debut album, which received air play on BBC Radio 1, has been called a "Disturbing masterpiece" She is based in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire but spends most of her time away on tour. Her main songwriting influence stems from Fairy Tales and the darker side of life. Her sad song about a long lost sailor won her the opening tour slot for Joan Armatrading. Minnie likes to work with her family, she works alongside her father who creates all her artwork and she takes her name from her Aunt and Granma.
Sycamore Sykes is a man, a musician kind of man based in Cumbria. His second album "The young man blues" received generous praise from Musician and BBC6Music DJ Cerys Matthews.
His live set consists of Americana and Original songs, one-man band drum shenanigans, guitar, banjo, harmonica and depending on how good a day he is having, the Kazoo.


Nobody likes surprises in construction work, because they almost always increase costs. Who pays for job-site surprises, things unanticipated by the owner, architect, or contractor, is often a bone of contention. In new construction, this might be subsurface conditions such as ledge or large boulders that must be removed. In remodeling, it could mean rotted or insect-damaged framing, foundation problems, the presence of toxic materials such as lead, asbestos, or radon, or any number of things that lurk behind walls and ceilings.
Common hidden or concealed conditions include pipes or wires that are in unexpected places, damaged, or obsolete and need to be relocated or replaced. In other cases, expected components are missing: a necessary vent pipe, beam, or other building component was never installed or was removed at some point. I've seen more than one home held up by a wing and a prayer, rather than a proper structural frame (this is possible because all buildings are engineered with a large safety factor, so they tend to sag over the years rather than collapse).
There is some overlap in meaning, but in general the term "changed" or "differing" conditions refers to job-site conditions that are different from what's in the plans and specs, while "hidden" or "concealed" conditions are those that are hidden from sight and not obvious. Hidden conditions are especially common in renovations, since most of the structure is hidden from view. Changed conditions may reflect an error or omission in the plans that ends up adding costs to the project.
Most contractor agreements have a "hidden," "concealed," or "changed" conditions clause, which attempts to pass those costs to the homeowner. From the contractor's perspective, why should he have to pay for things that were not indicated on the plans and could not have been reasonably anticipated? Owners, on the other hand, tend to think that the contractor should have known about these problems based on his experience and site investigations.
With no such clause in the contract, courts have generally supported owners as long as they did not willfully withhold information about the job. If you know that the foundation is settling and that you share the house with a termite colony, you must disclose this. Courts have generally ruled that contractors are responsible for what they should have known had they done a thorough job inspection, following customary trade practices. Even with a hidden or changed conditions clause, courts may rule against a contractor who should have discovered the problem with a reasonably thorough site inspection before bidding.
Any work not indicated in the plans or specifications, that must be added, repaired, or replaced as a result of hidden, concealed, or changed conditions, or that is required for compliance with building codes or other regulations, shall result in a change order, and shall be paid for in full by the Owner, subject to the terms and conditions of this contract.
More owner-friendly (and architect-friendly) contracts like the AIA contracts, place at least some of the burden on the contractor to carefully review all plans and to carefully examine the job site before bidding.
10.3 If concealed or unknown physical conditions are encountered at the site that differ materially from those indicated in the Contract Documents or from those conditions ordinarily found to exist, the Contract Sum and Contract Time shall be subject to equitable adjustment.
8.1.1 Execution of the Contract by the Contractor is a representation that the Contractor has visited the site, become familiar with local conditions under which the Work is to be performed and correlated personal observations with requirements of the Contract Documents.
8.1.2 The Contractor shall carefully study and compare the Contract Documents with each other and with information furnished by the Owner. Before commencing activities, the Contractor shall (1) take field measurements and verify field conditions; (2) carefully compare this and other information known to the Contractor with the Contract Documents; and (3) promptly report errors, inconsistencies or omissions discovered to the Architect.
NOTE: This is why you'll often see "Contractor to verify all measurements on site" stamped on most construction drawings.
The contractor's duty to verify field conditions places a greater burden on him to examine the job site and makes it more difficult for him to pass on costs to the homeowner. In my own experience, there is usually visible evidence of rotten or bug-infested framing that is apparent to a competent building professional. Similarly, in new construction, there is usually evidence of subsurface water problems or subsurface ledge, but the extent of the problem may not be easy to determine.
If problems are suspected, it is worthwhile to tear down some plaster or drywall to get a better look, or make additional test borings to assess subsurface conditions. Then you will be in a better position to negotiate a fixed price, or at least an allowance, prior to construction. For example, the contract may refer to the presence of ledge and provide an allowance, based on X dollars per cubic yard of ledge removed. With rotted framing, the estimate could contain a best guess of the cost to replace, with a similar allowance based on the amount of wood replaced, perhaps with a guaranteed maximum. Anything you can do to nail down costs or at least set some reasonable limits will help you control costs and help avoid disputes.
Bottom line: Minimize surprises and conflicts by doing the extra work needed up front to identify potential "hidden" problems. Use contract language that makes the contractor responsible for verifying field measurements and conditions, so the burden of hidden conditions is shared fairly by both parties.


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Designed as a social enterprise network and CRM in one, Bitrix24 enables you to manage your business and operations without making it seem like too much work. The social network interface helps to create that flow of communications between employees, employers, even clients. There are also added functionalities such as a calendar, task and project collaboration system, file and document management system, to name a few, all of which are for free. Privacy settings can also be adjusted so that your information is shared only with relevant parties. Data is stored in the cloud and can be accessible via a mobile phone so you have less to worry when it comes to security and portability. But the best part of this service is that it comes free for companies with a maximum of 12 persons. Those who wish to upgrade to unlimited users can do so by paying an affordable fee of $99 per month. Support is also available to both paying and free members.
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text:
Tag Archives: Race
By Andrew DJ Shield
Imagine that you're a black woman who wants to work for a major U.S. company with hundreds of employees. But you notice something strange: the company doesn't seem to hire black women. They're just not there. Seems like an obvious case of discrimination, right?
This was basically the situation at General Motors (GM) in 1976, when a group of black women sued the company for discriminatory hiring practices. But they lost the case. After all, the court found that GM hired plenty of women, so there was no evidence of sexism. (It didn't matter that these were white women, did it?) And the court found that GM hired plenty of African-Americans, so there was no evidence of racism. (It didn't matter that these were all men, did it?) In short, the court decided that "black women" were not a unique group that needed protection.
Thirteen years later, in 1989, lawyer and law professor Kimberlé Crenshaw, still grappling with the topic of discrimination across multiple axes (race, sex), introduced the term "intersectionality". The 1976 GM court case was central to her argument, as were the works in a 1981 anthology (by black feminist authors) entitled All the Women Are White; All the Blacks Are Men, But Some of Us are Brave. Crenshaw was not the first to discuss discrimination across multiple axes: throughout the 1980s, black feminists—most notably in the U.S., but also in the U.K. and the Netherlands—addressed racism in the (predominantly white) feminist movement, and sexism within the (predominantly male) civil rights movement. So why, in 1989, was it still so hard for so many people to understand that black women—and others who experienced discrimination on multiple axes—faced unique obstacles? Intersectionality was there to help.
The concept of intersectionality relates to how we talk about multiple identities (e.g. black, female) that operate within multiple systems of power and oppression (e.g. racism, sexism). Beyond sex and race, the term "intersectionality" has been expanded to include issues related to class, age, religion, migration status, physical (dis)ability, body type/size, mental health, sexual orientation, (trans)gender identity, educational background, ethnic (minority) background, language skills, and much more.
The most common error that people make when talking about intersectionality is to describe discrimination or oppression as additive: 1+1=2. In other words, they might talk about the discrimination that black women have faced in the U.S. as a matter of "double jeopardy" of sexism + racism. But discrimination can also be synergistic: 1+1=3. In the case of GM, for instance, the black women were even more discriminated against than just sex and race put together.
How individuals experience their identity (e.g. sexual orientation, age, socioeconomic class) is always context-specific, as are the related systems of oppression (e.g. heterosexism/homophobia, ageism, class inequality). These identities and relations of power don't merely operate differently at the state-level, but also at the organizational level, or even within specific subcultures. In order to understand the ways a group might be marginalized in a specific context, one can begin by looking at the political discussions, media representations, cultural norms, laws, social movements, and histories of that specific state, organization, or subculture.
For those studying strategic communication, intersectionality can be a useful concept when talking about target audiences. If an organization's key demographic is, say, "young people," how does the outward communication reflect this? Do the organization's communications include all young people, or are some groups invisible, perhaps even excluded? Does "young people" in fact refer to the much more specific segment of affluent, white, suburban youth? And if so, who might suffer as others are privileged? What different strategies might an organization use to reach out to marginalized groups of young people?
This entry was posted in Chapter 8, Culture, Identity, Sticker post, Theoretical concepts and tagged Andrew DJ Shield, Discrimination, Gender, Intersectionality, Race, Sexuality on August 10, 2016 by Sine N. Just.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Converting my 8" J to a 6" Batch | Rocket Stoves.. Experimenters corner.. Answers questioned!
I did get started last week in the few days I had home, and wanted to share the beginning of this project. I have been pondering the conversion for a year or so, not because I thought there was an advantage or something I was missing out on, I've built plenty of batch burners and am quite familiar with them, and feel they are another great tool in a builder's kit. I'm also a big fan of the J and don't place one above the other, just different tools for different goals in a build. But, I really think there is something to be gained from living with a heater to get a perspective on how it works for an individual, lighting, fuel type/gathering, schedule, etc. Peter and I discussed the conversion of my J to a batch, and decided it was worth a try. The most important variance we were discussing is that I have an 8" J, and want to pair a batch with dimensions for a 6" system to it, since the 8" firebox is enormous, and I don't want to cut that much wood! So, the question we were discussing is how will it perform? A 6" sized box paired to an 8" riser, flue run, and chimney. We speculated on velocities through the system and such, but figured it was worth a try.
I decided to put a window on top, like we did in Montana, since that was so cool. Otherwise, it's fairly standard with the exception being I deleted the sloping firebox floor. Sorry Peter! I have a little shovel that fits the flat floor perfectly so wanted to keep it set up for easier cleaning. I've built a door, and done a few dry out runs. So far, it seems to work very well. It pretty always jumps right up to what was the max barrel temps for my 8" J, which is both awesome and kinda scary. I definitely think I won't run it stuffed full very often if ever, they just have so much power. First runs with the Testo are promising. I haven't had a run where the CO was as low as my 8" J, which ran under 10ppm typically, but the overall profile of the batch is very stable and so far efficiency is pretty high. I definitely need more heat extraction, and that's probably going to be October's project here, either lengthening my bench or adding a bell somewhere. My exhaust temps climb fairly quickly, even from cold. Anyway, here's an early run. Things were still a bit damp, so I expect it to get better in the coming weeks.
Peter, I tried to mimic your test parameters. Starting when O2 dropped by 1% and finishing when CO2 hit 4%. That last one took a while, it hung at just over 4% while the CO climbed through the coaling stage. The chart looked way better before the final 4 minutes or so. At the low point CO was down around 20ppm or so, riding usually at near 50ppm. Not bad. This was not a full load, which probably would have held stable for a longer period, but as I said, I'm a bit scared to stuff the thing as my barrel temps were high with just a half load. This was around 6 pounds of mixed hard and soft wood, at about 12% moisture content.
The longer glowing phase is to be expected due to the wider and thinner glow bed. This is all about making choices which we discussed at length in Montana.
Your diagram is different to mine in the sense that the O2 level is visible between 21 and 10 percent instead of starting at zero. The graph looks good, but the O2 isn't terribly low I would say. Maybe due to leaks in the door frame or because of the small load of fuel. I would suggest to try a smaller main air inlet when running small loads.
On the other hand, the thing isn't properly dry and all so there will be some changes down the pipeline. That top window is very nice indeed, turned out to be a good idea!
Thank you for the input Peter. Funny, I didn't put two and two together with regards to the longer coaling phase and the flat bottom. Of course, that makes perfect sense now that you mention it, and it's certainly a trade off I can accept as it should only occur once every burn session. If it were cold out I would have refilled the fire box somewhere in that coaling stage. I did have higher excess air and I do attribute it to the smaller fuel load. I think I will experiment a bit with different fuel loads and primary air sizes over the coming weeks and try to nail down what works best for my situation. As I said, I will rarely if ever run it stuffed full. Or, at least, I don't think I will. I suppose we will see. I do expect it to improve as it cures completely, and the mass is still damp as well from sitting idle all summer. I am still exhausting a lot of steam on every burn, so when that clears up I'll do some more testing.
What's the box made of?
What's the glass made of?
Where can some of that board you guys used for the door of they 8" monster batch?
Seems like upsizing the heat riser is not a problem.
Would this work with a J?
Would it work with a even smaller batch box??
One size fits all heat risers?
I cast the box with the same low density refractory I've been using for a couple years now, and the glass is what I usually use. Ceramic glass, the brand I use is Schott Robax. The ceramic board is pretty widely available, Fiberfrax uses the brand name Duraboard, but if you find a refractory supplier and just ask for insulating ceramic fiber board they should be able to source it for you. It's not a good choice for permanent doors or tops, but it works well for areas where it is covered and protected. It's fairly fragile and does warp if it's not held securely in place.
I don't know about the sizing thing, with a J or otherwise. I was just hoping I could get away with it since my heater was complete and I wanted to change as little as possible. So far, so good!
Hi! Really a great project! I remember seeing a video on youtube with your RMH!
Thanks Alex, I've really been enjoying following your projects as well. Your batch box is a big boy!
Here's where I am here at lunch time. I decided to go with a barrel and a third to act as the plenum at the end of the run rather than use flue pipe for the turn around. It's pretty warm out right now, so I'll wait until night fall to fire it up and dry things out. It's going to be fairly low mass, I've got it about half full already and there's not much material in there. That's intentional, I'm going for more radiating surface area with lower mass since it's all over a suspended wood floor. We'll see how it all pans out, I've got big gaps underneath and at the back as well, so hopefully it will convect off the floor and up the back wall.
Done for now, I'll dry this out and see how it goes for a day or two before I move on to top coating and finishing the sides.
Wow, nice Matt! That's a pretty significant extension to the bench. I imagine there will be at least some convective flow under and behind it, I wonder how much less wood you'll burn this season. I "feel" like a batchbox would actually use more wood in the long run, but I don't know. Looking forward to seeing the view through the widow during a burn and more updates!
This is very, very good. The stack temp is actually too low, yes. During the discussion we had about this conversion we never had the idea the 6" batch box could deliver more power than the existing 8" J-tube. I think it is remarkable given the fact that the batch box is running on an 8" system including the riser.
And effectiveness does not seem compromised.
Alex, mine is a Testo 330-2g LL. You can get them direct from Testo, and I imagine they are available through other online retailers as well.
Peter, incredible isn't it? Stack temps will hopefully come up a bit as things dry out completely and the mass is kept warm. I think so far my peak measured stack temp has been around 120°F. I do hope to get it up a bit, it's just right on the edge of not drawing enough. As I mentioned though, it's also not cold outdoors yet either, so I think the Delta T will increase from both ends as I go here. The mismatch in sizing is also most likely leading to lazy gas velocity throughout, which is helping with extraction but also keeping stack temps down. Nonetheless, the results are very, very encouraging. It is really putting the heat into the room, that's for sure.


Southern Med Law Is Investigating Zika Virus Birth Defects And Microcephaly Birth Defect Lawsuits Associated With The Chemical Pyriproxyfen.
Zika Microcephaly Birth Defects Lawsuit News: Nearly one month after U.S. health authorities concluded the Zika virus causes microcephaly, the first Zika-related microcephaly birth defects case was confirmed in the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico.The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) conducted tests on a fetus that had the Zika virus and microcephaly, a severe birth defect that causes an abnormally small head and underdeveloped brain in a baby, according to ABC News.
Southern Med Law is currently investigating Zika virus microcephaly birth defects lawsuit claims associated with the mosquito borne Zika virus or the chemical, pyriproxyfen, If you or a loved one gave birth to a baby with microcephaly or other birth defects believed to be linked to the Zika virus or the chemical pyriproxyfen, contact Southern Med Law by calling 1-205-547-5525 or visit www.southernmedlaw.com for more information and to fill out a contact form.
Puerto Rican health officials did not provide much information on the death of the infant only to say the woman did not test positive for the virus, but apparently had the virus at some point. Puerto Rico has confirmed 925 cases of Zika virus which includes 128 pregnant women. Additionally, at least 14 pregnant women diagnosed with Zika have given birth to babies who did not have microcephaly, according to the news report.
In April, the CDC published a special report in The New England Journal of Medicine confirming a link between prenatal Zika virus infection, microcephaly and other serious brain anomalies. The Zika virus is spread from from the bite of two species of infected mosquitoes, one of which is more likely to transmit Zika, according to the CDC. The Zika virus poses the greatest risk to pregnant women because of complications the disease can cause during pregnancy including passing the virus to the fetus. A baby infected with the Zika virus can be born with a smaller brain which can lead to impaired development and future medical problems.
As of May 11, the CDC reported 503 confirmed cases of Zika virus in the United States, which includes 48 pregnant women. At the same time, 701 Zika cases have been reported in U.S. territories and 65 cases involve pregnant women. People infected with Zika experience such symptoms as joint pain, rash, fever, and conjunctivitis (red eyes). Symptoms last from several days to a week and people infected with the virus usually do not require hospitalization.
The CDC began warning U.S. travelers in January about the virus after reports increased of Zika-related microcephaly cases in Brazil and other South American countries. In February, a group of Argentine doctors offered another possible reason for the rising number of microcephaly cases in Brazil. The Physicians in Crop-Sprayed Towns pointed to the Brazilian government's project in 2014 to reduce the mosquito population which involved a chemical larvicide called, pyriproxyfen, which causes malformations in mosquitoes. According to the report, the chemical was injected into the drinking water supply to stop mosquitos from developing in drinking water tanks. The areas where pyriproxyfen was used saw a significant increase in microcephaly birth defects in newborns. Pyriproxyfen is made by Sumitomo Chemical, a Toyko-based company which has subsidiary offices in the United States.


text:
Q: проблема с данными при парсинге. Список без кавычек Я новичок в пайтоне, и недавно начал изучать парсинг данных с помощью beautifulsoup. Решил спарсить цены на одежду в wildberries и заметил, что данные о цене приходят в странном формате - списке без кавычек. По тегу с помощью метода get_text цену узнать не удалось, мною было принято решение сделать цикл на отсеивание ненужных символов:
price = [' 6 150 ₽']
counter = 0
text = ''
for i in price[0]:
    if i == '<':
        counter += 1
    elif i == '>':
        counter += 1
    elif counter == 2:
        text += i
    print(text)

Price - это пример списка, который приходит когда я вызываю price = item.findAll('ins', class_ = "lower-price"), разве что в данном примере он с кавычками.
Запустил код в отдельном файле - все работало как и задумывалось, выводилась цена в 6 150 P. Запускаю в оригинальном файле со строкой  price = item.findAll('ins', class_ = "lower-price"), и все пошло наперекосяк. Переменная text выводилась пустой, а когда я выводил вместо text переменнную i следущим образом:
for i in price[0]:
     if i == '<':
         counter += 1
     elif i == '>':
         counter += 1
     elif counter == 2:
         text += i
     print(i)

То почему-то сразу выводилась цена. Может быть я что-то не так делаю? Думаю дело в самих возвращаемых данных - списке без кавычек, но все же хотелось бы услышать поподробнее.
Вот полный пример кода:
import requests
from bs4 import BeautifulSoup as BS

def parse(url):
    response = requests.get(url)
    soup = BS(response.content, 'html.parser')
    items = soup.find('div', attrs = {'class': "catalog_main_table j-products-container", 'data-card-size':"c246x328", 'data-image-size':"c252x336", 'data-countereventsinfo':"", 'data-target-url':"GP", 'data-addtoponed-url':"/product/postpone", 'data-addtobasket-url':"https://lk.wildberries.ru/product/addtobasket", 'data-basket-url':"https://lk.wildberries.ru/basket", 'data-source':"Cataloger", 'data-item-selector':".j-card-item", 'data-enable-arrows':"true"})
    # print(items.text)
    for item in items:
        try:
            try:
                if item.findAll('ins', class_ = "lower-price") != []:
                    price = item.findAll('ins', class_ = "lower-price")
                    counter = 0
                    text = ''
                    for i in price[0]:
                        if i == '<':
                            counter += 1
                        elif i == '>':
                            counter += 1
                        elif counter == 2:
                            text += i
                        print(i)
            except():
                price = item.findAll('span', class_ = "lower-price")
                counter = 0
                text = ''
                for i in price[0]:
                    if i == '<':
                        counter += 1
                    elif i == '>':
                        counter += 1
                    elif counter == 2:
                        text += i
                    print(i)
        except(AttributeError):
            pass

parse('https://www.wildberries.ru/catalog/muzhchinam/odezhda/bryuki-i-shorty/banany')

P.s. насколько я понял, прохождение по price дает только 1 элемент - цену, т.е от туда извлекается только текстовая инфа при проходе, и причем сама цена(условно 3300 р) является 1 элементом. От сюда и отсутствие индексирования(i не будет сначала 3, потом еще раз 3 и потом двумя нолями и значком рубля, она сразу будет 3300 р. И я ошибся, можно извлечь текст - price[0].get_text(). Если что-то забыл - напишите пожалуйста.

A: import re
import requests
from bs4 import BeautifulSoup as bs

url = '...'
r = requests.get(url)
soup = bs(r.content, 'html.parser')
container = soup.find('div', class_='catalog_main_table j-products-container')

text = container.findAll('ins', class_='lower-price')[0].get_text()

print(text)
#  3 419 ₽

print(re.sub('[^0-9]', '', text))
# 3419

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


The workshop aimed at improving the quality of surveillance data to make analyses such as trends in the work environment possible. It focused on interview-based measurements on a national level at several points in time. Issues and perspectives such as the organizational context of surveillance, social indicators, questionnaire design, and surveillance programs were presented. The impact of a political, administrative, and scientific context on surveillance was considered very important. Data on the work environment are also social indicators and are thus a supplement to economic indicators. It was agreed that a social indicator should be responsive to policy interventions but not subject to manipulation. The wording of interview questions should be unambiguous and precise. Finally, the Danish Work Environment Cohort Study was described. It was concluded that the surveillance community could benefit from agreed principles from the social indicator community; data quality affects data analyses; built-in cohorts make it possible to determine the predictive validity; and surveillance programs with representative data on the work environment and data on occupation make analyses of trends in the work environment possible.


I've been using Camino on our ancient G3 iBook for ages. Amazingly, it runs pretty well!
More recently, I gave up on using Firefox 3 on a G5. I think it really expects a dual core CPU; it's dog slow on a single core machine. I use it on my MacBook, but on my G5 iMac I use Camino.
There are some page issues -- especially with Google's more obscure applications (Page Creator). Some sites serve up 2nd rate pages because they don't recognize the browser; in most cases Camino would do fine with their Firefox stuff.
Mostly, though it's been great. Since it's a Cocoa app you get OS X services, classy looks, use of the system dictionary, use of the Keychain etc.
Now we have Camino 1.6 with some great features. Among them are excellent AppleScript support and feed detection (but, happily, not a feed reader) that works with your preferred reader.
There's only one little glitch with 1.6. Sometimes Camino windows get "stuck" to a (Spaces) Space. I can't easily move them to new "Spaces" the way I do my Firefox windows. It's inconsistent, but annoying. Since it's erratic I assume it's a bug, not a misguided feature. Mostly I can move the windows.
Camino is a great piece of open source software.
Update: It's supposed to work with Google Reader, but danged if I can make it work using the Feed Reader preferences setting! There's zero documentation other than the mention of the feature, and I found nothing in my web searches.
Update 12/4/08: See comments for a recommendation about optimized builds and this terrific site. I'm still trying to figure out how we're supposed to be able to subscribe to a feed using Google Reader!
I've been using Camino for a couple of years on my iBook G4. It's nice to have a Gecko based browser that's properly integrated with OS X.
You might try an optimized build on your G3 and see if it gives you better performance.
Thanks, great tip on the optimized builds. I might try that.


text:
Coffee House Money
The snobs won against the FOBTs
Brendan O'Neill
Matt Hancock and a FOBT
It's good to see that for all their bickering over Brexit and war of words over austerity, the Tories and Labour are firmly united on one point of view: that the poor must be saved from themselves. That the wretched are incapable of making sensible choices and therefore their betters must step in and make choices on their behalf. Behold the great bipartisan belief of 21st-century British politics: paternalism.
How else do we explain the cross-party effort to reduce the maximum bet one can place on a fixed-odds betting terminal — or FOBT — from £100 to £2? The government unveiled this state-mandated reduction in how much of our own money we can put inside a fruit machine this morning. The language ministers are using to justify these bureaucratic controls on dumb people's desire to gamble is deeply patrician. These machines 'prey on some of the most vulnerable in society', said culture secretary Matt Hancock, as if the machines were monsters and ordinary people unthinking creatures easily sucked into a vortex of dependency.
Labour MP Carolyn Harris, who has campaigned against FOBTs, says they are 'toxic machines'. The press talks about FOBT in language straight out of The Day of the Triffids. 'They spread misery up and down the country and prey on some of the poorest and most vulnerable people in Britain', said the Mirror. And they do best in poor areas, where people are 'unable to resist the lure of [these] highly addictive [machines]', the Mirror says. Patronising gits.
The image we are left with is of hapless hard-up people being lured into betting shops by the lights of these machines whereupon they gamble away their weekly wage. This is a caricature, and a pretty grotesque one. To begin with, for all the talk of these machines 'spreading' through poor areas, research by the Local Data Company found that only 17 percent of Britain's betting shops are in very deprived areas; 62 per cent are in areas with lower than average levels of deprivation. I know people who frequent betting shops, mainly to bet on horses, and they will occasionally spend 10 or 20 quid on an FOBT if they're bored. I expect that's how the majority of FOBT-users engage with these machines.
Yet that hasn't halted the media elite's creepy obsession with the wicked hold the machines have over 'the poor'. A few years ago the Guardian sent a reporter to Slough — you know things are bad when the Guardian is willing to enter Slough — to investigate FOBTs. She watched in horror as people's '£20 notes disappeared into them'. Yeah, well, I've watched in horror as impeccably middle-class people have queued for hours to get into some hip new restaurant and proceeded to spend £40 on glorified hotdogs and dirty chips. We all do stupid things with our money.
The clampdown on FOBTs is justified with grand words, though the words change depending on who you're talking to. For Tories, battling these machines is about defending community life. For Corbynistas, it's about standing up to big business, in this case the gambling industry. I'm not buying either side. Let's be really honest about this: the new thirst to restrict certain forms of gambling is straight out of the Victorian playbook of paternalism.
Victorian moralists likewise wanted to protect 'the poor' from their own self-destructive instincts. As one historical study puts it, they wanted to 'protect the working classes from their presumed lack of self-control'. A magazine called Moral Reformer said gambling was an 'unmingled evil' and new laws were needed to guard the poor man 'against his own avarice and gullibility'. The same nasty elitism drives much of the anti-FOBT agitation. This is why they talk so much about poor areas, even though betting shops tend to be in non-poor areas: because they see the less well-off as bereft of the self-control enjoyed by the rest of us and thus easy 'prey' for machines.
Is the gambling industry a nice industry? I'm sure it isn't. Do some people develop bad gambling habits? Absolutely, and if they need help, they should get it. But do we really need state diktats telling us what we can do with our own money and what vices we should and shouldn't pursue? No. It's interfering, condescending, and will do nothing, precisely nothing, to fix the deep-seated, structural economic problems in certain parts of Britain. This new movement of plummy moralists and bourgeois Corbynistas who want to use bureaucracy to save the poor from their own avarice and gullibility is a menace to serious politics.
Labour's plan to ban unpaid internships will do more harm than good
Brexit was a revolt against snobs like Tony Blair
The cost of the Matt Hancock app
Mark Carney is finally right about Brexit
Labour is finished. But you can't blame it all on Corbyn
Why Labour deserves a crushing defeat in Stoke


All images in the gallery can be purchased in a variety of sizes.
Can be matted and framed or prints only. Greeting cards are available.
Please contact me for details and/or special requests.
Check out the gallery! Enjoy!
Copyright © 2017 /All rights reserved.


Facebook is planning to open a new sales office in mainland China, despite the fact that Facebook is banned in China and is likely to continue remaining inaccessible in the future. Many other U.S. and global companies have tried various workarounds and compromises in order to tap into the vast Chinese market of Internet users despite the strict regulatory control and censorship of Internet content. Most have failed in gaining any traction, and Facebook presumably understands that when making an investment to boost sales in China.
Facebook stock has struggled to make significant progress over the last couple of months. The stock is currently pulling back and may need time to stabilize. Analyzing the price trend and its strength can be done using key simple moving averages. What are the key moving averages? The 50-day (pink), 100-day (blue), and 200-day (yellow) simple moving averages. As seen in the daily price chart below, Facebook is trading between its rising key averages, which signals neutral price action in the near-term.
As of Friday, there is average demand from call and put buyers or sellers, all neutral over the next two months. To summarize, investors are buying a very small amount of call and put option contracts and are leaning neutral over the next two months.
Facebook looks to provide a valuable social networking experience to its users, developers, and advertisers. The company is planning to open a new sales office in mainland China. The stock has struggled to make significant progress over the last couple of months and is currently pulling back. Over the last four quarters, earnings and revenues have been increasing, which has left investors pleased. Relative to its peers and sector, Facebook has been a relative year-to-date performance leader. Look for Facebook to continue to OUTPERFORM.


His father died September 23, 1801, leaving six children and a widow; she died in mid-December 1804. Thomas went to live with an uncle – who later died from injuries suffered in a duel.
He later fought in the War of 1812; with five gunboats, one tender and a dispatch boat headed toward the passes out to Ship Island, to watch the movements of the British vessels. This little flotilla, barely enough for scout duty at sea, was the extent of the naval forces in the Gulf waters.
A British flotilla of barges started coming from the direction of the enemy's ships, evidently to overtake and attack the gunboats with 1,200-men and 45-pieces of artillery. The American defensive forces were seven small gunboats, manned by 30-guns and 180-men.
These results show that the victory of the British was a costly one. Although wounded and captured, Jones received commendation for delaying the British advance that culminated in the Battle of New Orleans (January 8, 1815,) the final major battle of the War of 1812 when the Americans prevented the British from taking New Orleans.
Later, Jones went to the Islands.
He then asked Charlton if it was customary for a Prince or Potentate to send Consuls, Consuls-General or Commercial Agents, to any part or place within his own dominions? Charlton had no answer.
"Capt. Jones, as a public officer, carefully sought to promote the interests of commerce and secure the right of traders, pressed the rulers to a prompt discharge of their debts, and negotiated articles of agreement with the government for the protection of American interests".
Jones later commanded the US Pacific Squadron, fought in the Mexican American War and later in his career, however, Jones was court-martialed for oppression of seamen and mishandling of Navy funds on the coast of California in the wild days of the Gold Rush. Jones denied all charges. (Gapp) (He was later reinstated and his pay was restored.) He died May 30, 1858.


This post was written by Luis Rodriguez, Library Collections Technician.
Imagine a moment in Harlem in 1939. It's inside the Community Center of the International Workers Order on West 125th Street, where the Harlem Suitcase Theater is putting on bare-bones experimental "proletariat" theatrical productions. The audience has left after a performance of Don't You Want to be Free?—an epic depiction of African-American history that incorporates poetry, music, and drama—and the members of the theater begin to congregate. There is a sense of melancholy because Langston Hughes, the writer and director of Don't You Want to be Free?, is leaving the project and moving to California. Hughes, a founding member of the theater, makes his way around the room, chatting, congratulating, and wishing people well, and then he comes to Robert Earl Jones, one of the evening's featured actors and a member of the theater's Executive Committee. Hughes takes an eight-page typescript folded into thirds from his pocket and hands it to his friend. Jones unfolds it and glances at the title—Seven Moments of Love—and then at the inscription, "To Earl Jones, These monologues, Sincerely, Langston 1939". The two men shake hands and exchange a few kind words, and then the evening continues. Hughes, already known internationally as a writer and cultural figure, continues to travel and publish; Robert Earl Jones begins a career in film and later becomes better known as the father of the actor James Earl Jones; and the Harlem Suitcase Theater, never a great financial success, doesn't make it past the 1939-1940 season. The typescript of Seven Moments of Love, meanwhile, arrives in the collections of the New-York Historical Society in October 1940.
Of course we don't know exactly what the moment looked like when Hughes handed the typescript over to Jones, or if such a moment took place at all, but part of the value of this kind of document is that it can evoke a specific time and place, rich with historic and literary import. During this period in his career, Hughes seemed to be doing everything. After spending time in Spain to cover the Spanish Civil War, he was finishing an autobiography, trying to establish a new kind of theater in the United States, and still writing poetry. His influences during this time ranged from Soviet Constructivism to Shakespeare. The title of his 1940 volume of poetry, Shakespeare in Harlem, underlines the presence of the latter, and we can see it as well in "Seven Moments of Love", the full title of which adds the phrase: "an un-sonnet sequence in blues". Shakespeare, the most famous of English language sonnet writers, adjusted the traditional form to suit his purposes, and Hughes, likewise, applied his own meter and rhyme to the basic sonnet structure in which a speaker gives voice to a problem that is resolved in the poem's final lines. But then this is an "un-sonnet sequence" and the structure and content of the poem are faithful only to the contemporary reader. One nice thing about Hughes' inscription is that it makes explicit the relationship between the writer and his audience, and in this case it leads us to the person reading the poem: Robert Earl Jones. Jones left his young family when he was about 20 years old to work first in Memphis, and then in Chicago where he was a prizefighter, before landing in New York with a WPA job, which is where Hughes found him. In the poem there are echoes of estrangement and Depression-era wages that would likely resonate with Jones on a personal level. An Elizabethan reader, and probably most readers today, wouldn't pick up on the references made to KDQ radio and Owl Head handguns, but these bits of culture, like the typescript itself, belong only to that singular time and place that Hughes and Jones shared.
This post was written by Megan Cherry, Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Fellow for 2016-2017.
New Year's comes with its own unique traditions, especially in New York. Approximately a million people will be gathering in Times Square this New Year's Eve to watch the ball drop – a New York tradition since 1907. But one New Year's tradition has faded into obscurity – the pairing of New Year's and poetry.