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Global elearning company SpongeUK has hosted a visit from Alison Seabeck, MP for Plymouth Moor View and Shadow Defence Minister. She visited the firm’s Plymouth headquarters to learn about its rapid growth. Sponge UK saw its turnover increase from just under £800,000 to £1.4 million last year and is aiming to recruit 10 new staff in the next 12 months. It has moved to a bigger unit at Plymouth Science Park to accommodate its growing team. Mrs Seabeck met with Managing Director Louise Pasterfield to talk about how the company has benefited from local funding opportunities and been able to develop new and innovative services. She also heard about some of the challenges the business faces, including problems with the public transport links to the rest of the country. Mrs Seabeck said: “It was really great to visit the offices and see how well the business is doing. I was really impressed by what is being achieved. “It was fascinating to talk to everyone and also very encouraging that the firm is continuing to grow and create jobs. It shows just how much potential there is in the local area for technology industry and high growth business.” Mrs Pasterfield said the business has a global client base and is proud to be based in the South West and be part of such as diverse and growing business community. She said: “We have strong local links and have really benefited from our location in Plymouth Science Park. We also work closely with Plymouth University and their graduates make up about 40% of our staff so we hope that we are helping to provide opportunities for local people.” Earlier this year, Sponge UK moved its headquarters into new, much larger offices in Plymouth Science Park. At the same time, the organisation also moved its London base to a new, state-of-the-art building in Kings Cross. The company is also in the middle of a large-scale recruitment campaign as the business continues to grow. Since it was founded in 2004 Sponge UK has grown more than tenfold. The team has delivered successful elearning programmes for clients such as Tesco, Adidas, GSK, Toyota and the United Nations, and is continuing to expand. In 2014 the company is on track to achieve more than £2 million sales for the first time. Do you have something to say? Leave your comment here...

Teen Mom Mexico City’s Campaign to Promote Breastfeeding Misses the Mark In Mexico City, a new campaign to promote breastfeeding is doing a lot to raise eyebrows, but almost nothing else. According to a story first reported by NPR, the message behind the city’s new campaign to promote breastfeeding among the urban population is confusing, to say the least. It features photographs of toned, topless female actresses, models, and other celebrities. There’s even one featuring a female boxer known as “La Barbie.” The photos have a banner over each woman’s chest, with the slogan, “Don't turn your back on them ... Give them your breast." The campaign has elicited confusion and some anger from women’s groups. Regina Tames, spokesperson for a reproductive rights groups GIRE, told NPR, “We were very surprised once the campaign was launched." The city launched the campaign because Mexico City has one of the lowest rates of breastfeeding mothers in Latin America, with only 14% of moms choosing to nurse. There are many reasons cited for the low rate, including women in the workforce having long hours, with breastfeeding at work prohibited in many cases, and in others, discouraged. Poverty and poor nutrition are other large factors impacting the low numbers. Mexico has not adopted guidelines put forth by the World Health Organization (WHO), which bans free formula that’s given out at hospitals. Meanwhile, Columbia and Brazil — who have recently followed the WHO guidelines —have seen a reversal in numbers of women choosing to nurse. Mexico City’s health minister declined to comment on the NPR story, but an an official statement was released saying the city will be opening over 90 lactation rooms and several milk banks throughout the city. As for the campaign featuring models and actresses? It has since been removed from the city’s website. Do you think these campaigns were necessary? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below!

Nobel Prize win. History Alfred Nobel was born on 21 October 1833 in Stockholm, Sweden, into a family of engineers. On 10 December 1896, Alfred Nobel died in his villa in San Remo, Italy, from a cerebral haemorrhage., peace, physiology or medicine, and literature.Nobel bequeathed 94% of his total assets, 31 million SEK (c. US$186 million, €150 million in 2008), to establish the five Nobel Prizes. Because of scepticism organise the award of prizes. personal union between Sweden and Norway was dissolved. Thereafter, Norway's Nobel Committee was responsible for awarding the Nobel Peace Prize and the Swedish institutions retained responsibility for the other prizes. Nobel Foundation The Nobel Foundation was founded as a private organisation on 29 June 1900. Its function is to manage the finances and administration of the Nobel Prizes.).Since the 1980s, the Foundation's investments have become more profitable and as of 31 December 2007, the assets controlled by the Nobel Foundation amounted to 3.628 billion Swedish kronor (c. US$560 million)..

A Farmer Rounds Up Monsanto . Schmeiser’s saga began in 1998, when Monsanto claimed it found its canola growing on 1,030 acres of Schmeiser’s farm. Schmeiser hadn’t bought seed from Monsanto. He’d grown canola for 50 years and, as farmers have through the ages, planted seed that he saved from his crops. But Monsanto’s genetically modified (GM) product had found its way into Schmeiser’s fields. Even though Schmeiser didn’t want the GM seed and didn’t hose his fields down with herbicide—the only practical benefit of the GM plants—Monsanto thought he should pay them for their patented seed, to the tune of $400,000. According to the Center for Food Safety, as of 2005, 186 farmers had paid Monsanto a total of $15 million in response to similar Roundup Ready claims. Schmeiser didn’t pay; Monsanto sued. Schmeiser lost at trial and on appeal and was ordered to pay nearly $20,000 in damages and $150,000 for Monsanto’s legal fees. The Canadian Supreme Court, however, saw it differently. The court said the patent was valid, and that Schmeiser had infringed, but held he gained no benefit from using the seed, and that he owed Monsanto nothing. Schmeiser quit planting canola but, in 2005, found more Roundup Ready canola in his fields. Monsanto had a standing offer to clean the stuff out of any fields where it was growing without the company’s permission. But they required farmers to sign a release that included an agreement never to discuss the terms under which the cleanup was done. Schmeiser refused to be gagged. When Monsanto wouldn’t change the release, he hired help to remove the invading canola and sent Monsanto the bill. Monsanto wouldn’t pay; Schmeiser sued. On the eve of trial, the parties agreed to settle. Monsanto paid the cleanup costs and Schmeiser signed a release—without the nondisclosure clause.

Peaches Geldof was not one to shy away from sharing personal photos of her two children on social media. However, in an interview conducted just one month before her tragic death, Peaches opened up about how difficult motherhood was for her to embrace. One month before her death on April 7, Peaches Geldof, 25, confessed that becoming a mother was much more difficult than she originally anticipated. Peaches Geldof — Motherhood ‘Broke’ Her In an interview conducted with Mother & Baby magazine, Peaches, who was a mother of two, admitted that being a mom really took a toll on her. The eerie interview, which took place just one month before her tragic and sudden death, heavily focused on Peaches’ attachment parenting habits. According to the Daily Mail, Peaches told the magazine that “she had cried with exhaustion and said that becoming a mother had ‘broken’ her.” Sadly, Peaches had a troublesome childhood due to her mother, Paula Yates‘, heroin addiction and accidental suicide. Peaches’ Opinion On Motherhood Did Change Once Peaches became adjusted to having a child and the challenges of motherhood, she declared it was a healing experience for her. Since her childhood was so difficult, her nanny started using attachment parenting techniques on her, which is what she says helped keep her from “losing it.” “Becoming a mother was like becoming me, finally,” she told the magazine. “After years of struggling to know myself, feeling lost at sea, rudderless and troubled, having babies through which to correct the multiple mistakes of my own traumatic childhood was beyond healing,” Peaches explained. Even though her Instagram was deleted on April 8, it showed that Peaches was a proud mother who constantly shared photos and videos of her adorable children, Astala, 23 months, and Phaedra, 11 months. — Lauren Cox Follow @Iaurencox

[tag: how-to] Q: In the University Financial Model, my central service provider costs are allocated to other university units and schools. How will those allocations be calculated? A: Each of Melody Bianchetto’s units fits in one of three central service cost categories: Student Services, Support Services, or Business and Executive Management Services. Each cost category has a unique allocation formula. Here is a breakdown of cost categories and Melody’s associated units: - Student Services - Office of Student Financial Services - Research Support Services - Office of Sponsored Programs - Business and Executive Management Services - The Associate VP’s Office - Office of the university comptroller - Managerial Reporting Project Q: So how does it work? A: In general, start with the net cost. Any cost a unit generates, without a cost-covering revenue source or recovery, is a cost that must be covered through the cost-allocation process. So for example, the Office of Sponsored Programs has net costs that are allocated to the units that use its services. A weighted formula based on the number of research awards and dollar value of research awards is used to determine each unit’s proportional share of the OSP costs. Let’s look at a simple hypothetical scenario: If school A had 10% of the total awards processed by the OSP, and those awards reflected 8% of the total research dollars, School A would be allocated 9% of the OSP net costs as in this hypothetical example. Q: Do all of Melody’s units have their costs allocated by the same formula? A: As noted above, most of Melody’s units fall in the central service category of Business and Executive Management. The formula for central Business & Executive Management cost allocation is a little more complex. Those costs are allocated only to academic schools and to specially-designated academic or public service entities (Miller Center, ROTC, Center for Public Service, museums, Virginia Film Festival, etc.). Each of these units is allocated the B&EM costs based on its proportion of direct expenditures for each entity as illustrated in the hypothetical example below. Melody’s other units fit in Research Support Services (whose costs are allocated as shown in the previous example) and Student Services (with costs allocated to schools according to how many students are enrolled in them). For other service areas of the University, there are other formulas—there are a total of eleven central cost-allocation formulas, and Melody’s areas use three of them. Q: Does the University Financial Model apply to all components of the University? A: It is important to understand that the University Financial Model applies only to the University Division (agency 207) and only to operating funds (not capital funds). Two schools, the School of Law and the Darden School, are covered under a different arrangement. They pay a flat tax for the central services they use under an agreement from more than a dozen years ago recognizing that they are “self-sufficient” schools. They earn that description because they each generate enough revenue, largely through their market-rate tuitions, to cover the costs of the central services they consume.

Academy Award-Winning Composer A. R. Rahman to Receive Honorary Doctorate from Berklee World renowned film composer A.R. Rahman, best known for the original scores and songs from films such as Slumdog Millionaire, 127 Hours, Elizabeth: The Golden Age, and Million Dollar Arm, will receive an honorary doctorate from Berklee College of Music. At a concert celebrating his career on October 24, 2014 at Symphony Hall, students and faculty will perform songs paying tribute to his distinguished work with Rahman performing alongside them for select pieces. In addition to the performance, Rahman will conduct a master class at the Berklee Performance Center. He will also explore the college’s new, state-of-the-art film scoring studios, where he will connect with students in their learning environment. Rahman will be joined by three Berklee alumni instrumental to his career: guitarist and film composer Prasanna ‘99, who will perform at Symphony Hall, musical director Kevin Doucette ‘99, and manager Andrew Flad ‘99. In honor of Rahman’s new relationship with Berklee, the college will establish a scholarship in his name to help bring students from India to Berklee. All proceeds from the October 24 concert will go toward this scholarship fund. : At the concert and degree conferral on October 24, a 60-piece Berklee student and faculty ensemble will honor Rahman’s two-decades-long musical legacy, which not only includes distinguished soundtracks and film scores, but also compositions for the 2012 Olympic Games and collaborations with Mick Jagger, Michael Bolton, Andrew Lloyd Webber, and Will.i.am. Hailed by Time magazine as “the world’s most prolific and popular composer,” the two-time Academy Award-winner, two-time Grammy Award-winner, Golden Globe Award-winner, and BAFTA Award-winner is being recognized for his achievements and international influence as a film composer and musician. Past honorary doctorate recipients include Jimmy Page, Annie Lennox, Willie Nelson, John Williams, Aretha Franklin, Paul Simon, Sting, Howard Shore ‘69, Clint Eastwood, Alan Silvestri ‘70, Amar G. Bose, and Gloria Estefan. Rahman’s visit comes in conjunction with the Berklee India Exchange, a new endeavor aiming to connect Berklee students of all nationalities with successful players in the flourishing Indian entertainment industry. The Berklee India Exchange launched in 2013 with a residency by famed Bollywood composer and pop music star Clinton Cerejo. Watch the Berklee Indian Ensemble perform A. R. Rahman's "Jiya Jale" here: More about A. R. Rahman: A two-time Academy Award winning composer, A. R. Rahman has helped redefine contemporary Indian music. He has sold more than 150 million albums featuring music from more than 100 film soundtracks across many languages, including scores for films such as Slumdog Millionaire, 127 Hours, Couples Retreat, Jodhaa Akbar, and Million Dollar Arm, among many others. Rahman has been bestowed with the Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri, two of India’s highest national civilian honors, in recognition of his contributions to music. In 2009, Time magazine named him one of the 100 most influential people in the world. Rahman recently announced initiatives to establish a tradition in western classical music in India and embarked on an ambitious venture to set up the KM Music Conservatory and the KM Music Symphony Orchestra based out of Chennai, India. He plans to provide a platform for non-mainstream music through his music label, KM Musiq. Watch highlights from the A.R. Rahman concert with the Berklee Indian Ensemble: Liz Lupton is a publicist in the Office of Media Relations. Media inquiries: [email protected].

In a court battle over a patented method of delivering content to web sites, Limelight Networks Inc. received some encouraging news last week regarding its petition to have its case reviewed by the U.S. Supreme Court. Although the court hasn’t indicated whether it will take on the case, in which Akamai Technologies Inc. won a favorable ruling in a federal appeals court last year, the high court demonstrated its interest in the case by asking the U.S. Solicitor General to comment on whether it should review it. Both companies provide Internet-based technology that cache and accelerate web content that display on e-commerce and other types of web sites. “We are pleased that the Supreme Court has asked the Solicitor General to weigh in on our petition for certiorari,” Limelight said in a statement. Akamai declined to comment on Limelight’s Supreme Court petition. The case involves whether Limelight can be held liable for infringing on Akamai’s patent for accessing and displaying cached content on the Internet, such as product images and videos. A final determination in the case could have implications for whether retailers as well as Limelight could be liable for patent infringement and monetary damages. Akamai initially charged in a federal district court that Limelight and its web site-operating clients, including retailers, had collectively infringed on its patent. After Akamai won a $45.5 million judgment in November 2008, the same court reversed the verdict in April 2009, citing new case law that had found that a company and its clients were not collectively liable for patent infringement. Akamai lost an appeal of that decision to a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, but it won a subsequent decision by the full court on Aug. 31, 2012. In that decision, the 11-member appeals court voted six to five in favor of Akamai, finding that Limelight could be held liable for infringing on Akamai’s patent, regardless of how many clients it worked with during the alleged infringement. In effect, the court reversed an earlier decision in another case that had held a party could be found liable for induced infringement only if it encouraged another single party to perform all the steps of a patented method. The expanded ruling on induced infringement could benefit patent holders and possibly subject more retailers to liability claims, because it allows patent holders to claim infringement even if steps of a patented method are spread among numerous companies, patent attorneys say. Whereas in the past Akamai would have to show that Limelight worked with just one retailer to take all the steps of a patented method, it could now try to show infringement even if numerous Limelight clients each took only one or a few patented steps. The appeals court remanded the case back to the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, but Limelight filed a petition on Dec. 28, 2012, to have the U.S. Supreme Court review the Federal Circuit’s ruling. Jeffrey M. Drake, a patent attorney with law firm Miller Canfield in Chicago, says individual retailers could be found liable under the findings of the Federal Circuit’s decision, but only if the patent holder could prove the retailer, or “individual actor” in legal terms, was aware of the patent and had a specific intent to infringe it. “So if the individual actor is not aware of the steps claimed in the patent, it would be difficult to hold the individual actor liable for infringement,” he says. A retailer could become liable, however, if it “knows that it is performing one or more of the steps claimed in a patented method and it also knows that another entity is performing the remaining steps,” he says. He adds that such liability rules could still change based on the outcome of the possible review by the Supreme Court. Some retailers have expressed concern that such liability could even extend to individual consumers downloading content on a retail site, though lawyers say this would be a rare case, such as where a consumer was also a retailer familiar with the patent. Patent attorneys Joseph Mencher and Ellie Simpson at Austin, TX-based law firm Haynes and Boome LLP say that, if the Supreme Court agrees to review the case, Limelight is likely to refer to two dissents filed in the August 2012 decision by five of the 11 Federal Circuit judges. One dissent, written by Judge Richard Linn and joined by three other judges, argued that the court’s decision did not adequately address the issue of joint patent infringement by multiple parties. The other dissent, by Judge Pauline Newman, cited a “vast potential for abuse” by patent holders resulting from the court’s decision. “It is likely that the losing parties will utilize these dissents when petitioning the Supreme Court for review and final judgment,” Mencher and Simpson said in a blog post last

Find Your Passion: A Natural Born Storyteller Scheduled to complete her master’s degree requirements in journalism in July, Angle calls the recent experience of working alongside a Sports Illustrated reporter “unparalleled.” (Samantha Hernandez) By Chris Bryant Considering her last name, perhaps it’s no wonder University of Alabama journalism graduate student Allyson Angle loves finding just the right slant for each sports story she writes. “I love sports, and I love covering games and everything, but my passion is storytelling,” says the 23-year-old St. Louis native, “just getting at what’s interesting about the person and what makes them special and what makes the story interesting.” Finding the most powerful angle available, it seems, brings Angle contentment. Contentment was in short supply in Tuscaloosa in the days following the April 27 tornado that blasted its way across portions of the city. Compelling story angles were not. National media outlets, including the Los Angeles Times, CNN and NBC Nightly News traveled to Tuscaloosa to report on the storm’s aftermath, including the loss of lives and the structural devastation but also the uplifting accounts of neighbors and strangers, college students and retirees, banding together to help those who were hurting. Sports Illustrated senior writer Lars Anderson, a 17-year veteran of the iconic magazine, says a general concept for a sports story began taking shape in his mind about eight days after the twister struck. “With the working thesis being,” Anderson says, “sports can help rebuild Tuscaloosa and help save Tuscaloosa because sports are so embedded in the culture there.” Javier Arenas (in jersey) shows Sports Illustrated’s Lars Anderson and Simon Bruty (holding camera) and UA’s Allyson Angle a video he shot of the approaching tornado moments before it struck his Tuscaloosa neighborhood. (Simon Bruty/Sports Illustrated) What was also evident, Anderson says, was that Angle, who had earlier audited a UA journalism class he had taught, could both advance the story and draw professional benefit from helping report it. “She was just absolutely critical to unearthing a lot of information that we got because she, as a former athlete there, had connections to former athletes that I generally don’t have,” Anderson says. Angle says she jumped at the chance Anderson offered. Drawing from her journalism skills -- honed during her UA classes, internships and her leadership roles for Corolla, the student yearbook, and Alpine Living, a student-produced, multimedia lifestyle magazine – and the rapport she, as a former UA swimmer, had with UA athletes – Angle began working the phones on behalf of Anderson and Sports Illustrated. Her first call? Javier Arenas. Alabama’s former All-American cornerback and all-time leading punt returner and current NFL Kansas City Chief, Arenas was in his Tuscaloosa home when the twister struck his neighborhood. And, five years earlier, he and Angle, both freshmen at the time, had a class together and developed a friendship. “I had his number, and I knew he was in town, so I called him, and we set up a time,” Angle says. That contact proved central to the story as Arenas’ personal encounter with the twister – he hid in his bathtub while the twister devastated his 15th Street neighborhood – was a key component in the story and resulted in the magazine’s cover image. Angle, a 4-year member of UA’s Swim Team, stands at Bryant Denny Stadium after the 2010 athletic banquet where she was recognized as president of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and presented with a Community Outreach award for her community service. “He let me have a lot of freedom,” Angle says of working alongside Anderson. “He, would, obviously, run the show, but I asked before how he wanted me to help him, and he said, ‘if you have a question, ask it.’” So, whether it was accompanying Anderson during interviews with UA head coaches Nick Saban, Anthony Grant or Sarah Patterson or numerous UA athletes, Angle was primed and ready with questions in hand. “No moment is too big for her,” Anderson says. Reading the published piece and being able to point to quotes she prompted with her own questions is “amazing,” Angle says. “I’ve worked with a lot of young reporters with the magazine,” Anderson says, “and she displayed the sensitivity of a seasoned reporter that you wouldn’t expect from someone who is just wrapping up grad school.” Angle also got an inside look as Anderson tweaked the article following exchanges with his editor, assisted with an online video the magazine developed for its website and even helped with the lighting for the magazine’s famed photographic shoots. While her degree of involvement didn’t yield a “special reporting” tagline in print, Angle says the experience was “unparalleled,” and she expressed appreciation to Anderson for generously crediting her for her role in follow-up interviews he’s granted about the project to other media. Anderson’s SI colleague, Peter King, referenced Angle multiple times in a column about the feature and referred to Anderson and Angle as “reporters of the week” in a tweet – no small claim to fame as King has more than 550,000 eager followers. In-state radio and newspapers reports have also highlighted Angle’s role in developing the story – creating a cascade of interest among her friends and family members. “It’s been pretty unbelievable,” Angle says. “She played a critical role in the whole story,” Anderson says. “She has a really special gift for interacting with people, and that’s a huge part of being a successful reporter.” Dr. Kim Bissell, an associate dean in UA’s College of Communication and Information Sciences and faculty adviser for Alpine Living, says she’s witnessed Angle’s gifts and journalistic drive first-hand, on numerous occasions. “Allyson is the epitome of what we all want to have in young journalists: she’s passionate, curious, self-motivated and an extremely hard worker,” Bissell says. “Allyson sets the bar very high for herself, and that drives her to keep asking questions and keep pushing (at sources, stories, research) until she gets the answer. I would say the skill that Allyson has that sets her apart is her work ethic and her motivation. She knows what she wants in her career, and she is going after it.” Angle, now interning full-time at the Anniston Star, will complete her master’s degree requirements from UA in July. Prior to her role in the storm coverage, she met with Sports Illustrated editors in New York to discuss her journalism future, a meeting Anderson pushed for and which a profile Angle wrote on Heisman-Trophy winner Mark Ingram for the Corolla helped solidify. She expects to meet again with SI’s editors later in the summer and said she sees working for the magazine giant as a real possibility in the not-so-distant future. “Some people have told me, in the past, that I’m setting my sights too high,” Angle says about her goal of writing for Sports Illustrated. “Maybe, for most people, but I’m not most people,” says Angle, in a manner that comes across more confident than cocky. “I’m not going to let other people tell me what to do. I’m just kind of – the sky’s the limit, at this point.” Angle, like the college town she’s grown to love, isn’t sure what lies ahead, but she remains optimistic. “I’m just hoping for the best,” Angle says. “All I know is – I’d be happiest writing sports. Whatever ends up happening, I’ll be fine.” - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -.

Earlier this year, we covered attempts by Congress to alter how the National Science Foundation (NSF) evaluated grants. The NSF's remit is to fund basic science, but the bill under consideration would require the NSF to consider national security and economic impact as part of the grant evaluation process. So far, that particular bill has gone nowhere. The Senate's Tom Coburn (R-OK) managed to get similar language into the NSF's funding bill, but it only applied to a single field: political science. As of June, the NSF announced that it would incorporate these requirements into the grant review process, but otherwise business would go on as usual. But Nature News is now reporting that the Foundation has simply given up trying to provide its reviewers with guidelines on how to consider economic impact. Instead, it has cancelled a planned grant deadline for August and will not fund any further political science grants this year. People contacted by Nature News suggest that the decision is a result of the difficulties of asking reviewers to evaluate the financial or security impacts of research (it's hard to get anyone to predict what the ultimate impact of basic research is going to be in any field). Given the difficulty, a number of people suggested that the agency just chose to avoid giving anyone the ammunition needed to start another political controversy. The restrictions on this funding were part of the 2013 appropriations bill and thus don't apply to funding in 2014 unless the language is inserted again. Plans for a new round of grants in January 2014 are still on track, but that may change if the restrictions appear again. You must login or create an account to comment.

Environmental Conservation Sheldon Silver, Speaker Thomas P. DiNapoli, Chairman December 2006 Dear Friend, The Assembly Standing Committee on Environmental Conservation took action on a number of important issues this past year – from passing all four of the Environmental Super Bills to increasing funding for the Environmental Protection Fund (EPF) to a record high $225 million in 2006, the Assembly continues to be a leader on environmental protection. For years research has focused on the correlation between the environment and our health. This year, the Assembly has secured $200,000 for Children’s Environmental Health Centers that will increase the accuracy of diagnosis and improve the treatment of children’s diseases caused by environmental factors. The Committee also held a hearing to examine the benefits and costs of requiring New York State to give preferences to green products and green services in its procurement process. This hearing was a logical follow-up to a law enacted in 2005 that I sponsored which requires all elementary and secondary schools in New York State to use cleaning and maintenance products which minimize adverse impacts on children’s health and the environment. The newsletter also highlights other legislation that the Assembly’s Environmental Conservation Committee has focused on this year. I am proud of what we have accomplished to protect our most valuable natural resources, but much more still needs to be done. I look forward to working with the Senate and Governor-Elect Spitzer to ensure a healthy environment for both today’s New Yorkers and future generations. Sincerely, Thomas P. DiNapoli Chairman, Environmental Conservation Committee Assembly Passes All Four, Senate None Last year, for the first time ever, certain environmental bills were designated “Super Bills” by the Green Panel, which is made up of state environmental leaders. According to the Green Panel, these legislative proposals address particularly urgent or timely environmental issues facing New Yorkers. “Once again the ‘Super Bill’ designation served to focus the Legislature’s attention on specific environmental initiatives, and resulted in Assembly passage of all four bills,” said Assemblyman DiNapoli. For the second year in a row, the Assembly has passed all of the Super Bills, while the Senate has failed to pass any of them. The four Super Bills for 2006 were: Community Preservation Act (A.6450. Bigger Better Bottle Bill (A.2517D, DiNapoli/S.1290D, LaValle): Expands the state’s existing bottle deposit law to apply to bottled waters, juices, and other non-carbonated beverages that are not currently redeemable, and reclaims for environmental purposes all unclaimed nickel deposits. Environmental Protection Fund (EPF) Enhancement (A.9283A, DiNapoli/S.6356A, Marcellino): Permanently increases the portion of the Real Estate Transfer Tax that is dedicated to the EPF such that the fund will total $300 million annually by fiscal year 2008-2009. As the prime-sponsor of all four Super Bills, Assemblyman DiNapoli worked hard to ensure Assembly passage of these measures. Unfortunately, the Senate failed to bring any of the bills to the floor for a vote despite strong bi-partisan support for several of the measures. Assemblyman DiNapoli and Assemblywoman Destito, Chairwoman of the Assembly Standing Committee on Governmental Operations, held a joint public hearing in May 2006 to examine the benefits and costs of adopting state policies that favor buying green products. Testimony was presented by government officials and environmental health and procurement experts. Assemblywoman Destito stated, “Green purchasing is gaining momentum across the country. More and more state and local governments are adopting policies that favor the purchase of products that avoid or minimize the use of toxic chemicals, cause less pollution and waste and conserve natural resources. As we move in this direction, it is important to ensure that green products are cost effective and perform adequately to meet their intended purpose.” “Green procurement reflects a new, preventive approach to protecting public health. Instead of waiting for more certain knowledge regarding the dangers posed by the over 80,000 chemicals currently used in commerce, government can take positive steps to invest in products that avoid or minimize the use of potentially toxic chemicals,” DiNapoli said. The testimony submitted was overwhelmingly positive in support of the state’s purchase of green products. Testimony documented that many green products perform just as well as conventional products and are comparable in price. In fact, a large number, including green cleaners, paint, remanufactured toner cartridges and many recycled building and construction products are less expensive. New York is already moving toward green procurement in a number of areas. A new green cleaning law, sponsored by Assemblyman DiNapoli and Senator Saland, was enacted in 2005 (Chapter 584). It requires all elementary and secondary schools in New York State to use cleaning and maintenance products which minimize adverse impacts on children’s health and the environment which began on September 1, 2006. In addition, since January 2005, all state agencies and facilities have been required by executive order to use environmentally preferable cleaning products. The State Office of General Services (OGS), charged with implementing these new laws and initiatives, is currently developing guidelines for green cleaning products. However, there is much more for the state to do. For example, legislation introduced in 2005 by Assemblyman DiNapoli and Senator Carl Marcellino (A.7257 / S.4544) would require all state and local government agencies to buy safe and sustainable products and services. “The purpose of green procurement is to use the power of state investment to foster innovation in the private sector and harness the power of the market to create clean products that perform better and cost less than currently available alternatives. The end result will benefit public health, the environment, and the economy,” DiNapoli concluded. In 2005 and 2006, the Environmental Conservation Committee held a number of hearings across the State on various water related issues. Below is a review of some of the legislation introduced to address problems identified during these hearings. Dam Safety. Tax Credit for Land Conservation As part of the 2006-07 budget, Assemblyman DiNapoli’s proposal to provide an income tax credit of up to $5,000 annually for twenty-five percent of school district, county and town real property taxes paid on land that is under a conservation easement, was signed into law. All across New York State, there have been many real success stories involving both local and state efforts to conserve land. But, land conservation requires not just public action, but private efforts as well. This new tax credit recognizes the on-going public benefits provided by privately owned land that is permanently protected by a conservation easement. With development pressures mounting across the State, public officials and private citizens are feeling a new urgency about land conservation. “We are in a race against the clock when it comes to conserving New York State’s open space and agricultural lands,” said Assemblyman DiNapoli, “and this tax credit will provide an important new incentive for landowners to conserve their land, especially those who could not otherwise afford to do so.” Then there was more good news as the Executive Budget proposed to increase the EPF from its $150 million level for the 2005-06 fiscal year, to $180 million for the 2006-07 fiscal year. Then the Assembly budget proposal brought even better news, as it included $200 million for the EPF. Then came the first setback, when the Senate limited their proposed appropriation for the EPF to $180 million. But the Budget Conference Committee process produced good news again, when the Assembly and Senate agreed on a figure of $200 million for the EPF. But alas, more bad news followed, as the Governor failed to “resubmit” a budget bill containing the necessary authorizations for the EPF. However, the Assembly then provided a bit of light in what was an increasingly dark outlook for the EPF, when the EPF Enhancement Act passed unanimously. Unfortunately, the Senate did not pass the bill, but, after an agonizing two and a half months, the EPF’s bumpy ride came to a jubilant end as the Governor finally resubmitted the portion of the budget containing the EPF. And it was worth the wait, as the final enacted funding level for the EPF was a record-high $225 million. This is terrific news for New York’s environment, as it means substantial increases in traditional EPF programs such as municipal parks, waterfront revitalization, municipal recycling, open space land acquisition, non-point source pollution control and farmland protection. In addition, the extra funding will provide support for three new categories: one for water quality improvement, one for invasive species and the other for the Atlantic Ocean and Great Lakes. Legislation to address the public health threat posed by the combustion of diesel fuel was recently signed into law. The Diesel Emission Reduction Act (A.11340, Chapt. 629 Laws of 2006) sponsored by Assemblyman Grannis and Assemblyman DiNapoli will require that all State-owned heavy duty vehicles and those under contract with the State use ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel (ULSD). It also requires these vehicles to be fitted with the best available retrofit technologies to further reduce tailpipe emissions. Diesel exhaust particle pollution is a clear and present health threat to New Yorkers. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, diesel exhaust particles are a likely lung cancer agent. Diesel exhaust is also a prime contributor to the formation of ground level ozone, a powerful respiratory irritant that is linked to premature death, asthma attacks and can damage the lung tissue of children. Nearly ninety percent of New Yorkers live in an area that fails to meet federal health standards for ozone. The counties of Westchester, Orange, Rockland, Bronx, Kings, Queens, New York, Richmond, Nassau and Suffolk are also listed as being out of attainment for the fine particle federal health standard. New York State consumes over 48 million gallons of diesel fuel each year and owns or operates through contract thousands of diesel-powered vehicles. The use of ULSD in conjunction with best available retrofit technologies will result in a dramatic reduction in emissions of particulates and nitrogen oxides (NOx). In fact it has been estimated that this legislation would result in a reduction of 17,000 tons of NOx, which equates to three or four coal-fired power plants. “The burning of high sulfur diesel fuel is bad for our health and bad for our environment,” said Assemblyman DiNapoli. “With low-sulfur diesel now readily available, this legislation takes the logical step of expanding the list of vehicles required to use this fuel,” DiNapoli concluded.. Health care providers can provide immediate help and limit children’s exposure to environmental hazards through parental education, identification of hazardous exposures, diagnosis and treatment of children and advocating for prevention. However, facilities where children can be seen and evaluated for environmental exposures are relatively few and widely dispersed across the nation. In New York many physicians are not trained to suspect the environment as a cause of disease, with less than 20% of pediatricians receiving specific training in environmental history taking. “An efficient and effective approach to stem the tide of the chronic disease epidemic in New York’s children is to establish a statewide system of Children’s Environmental Health Centers of Excellence,” stated Assemblyman DiNapoli. These Centers of Excellence will increase the accuracy of diagnosis and improve the treatment of children’s diseases caused by environmental factors; help to prevent diseases caused by environmental factors; better quantify and qualify children’s diseases of environmental origin; and will strengthen and expand educational programs in children’s environmental health for professionals at all levels. With the Assembly effort to ensure that $200,000 was made available through the fiscal year 2006-07 Budget, this essential funding can be distributed to the six designated regional centers that are located in New York City, Long Island, Albany, Syracuse, Rochester and Buffalo. This year, the Assembly’s Environmental Conservation Committee had 38 bills pass both houses of the legislature. Ocean and Great Lakes; Chapt. 432 Laws of 2006) Environmental Test Reporting This bill would require the Department of Environmental Conservation to notify property owners of environmental contamination and potential exposure to potential health risks. (A.10633-A / S.7636-A; Chapt. 707 Laws of 2006) further reduce tailpipe emissions. (A.11340 / S.8185; Chapt. 629 Laws of 2006) the means of preserving and properly managing seagrass. (A.11523 / S.8052; Chapt. 404 Laws of 2006) Mercury-Free Vehicles This bill would phase-out the use of mercury-added components in motor vehicles over two years. Under the bill, a state purchasing preference would be granted for vehicles that are mercury-free. (A.10621-A / S.7961; Chapt. 611 Laws of 2006) Regulating Vehicle Dismantlers This bill would protect the environment by regulating vehicle dismantlers, including restrictions on the storage and processing of vehicles as well as reporting requirements. (A.7633-B / S.8405; Chapt. 280, Laws of 2006) Hazardous Substance Spills Reporting This bill would require the Department of Environmental Conservation to notify communities affected by hazardous spills within 48 hours of the Department being notified of the problem. (A.10757-B / S.7307-B; Chapt. 616 Laws of 2006) Hudson River Greenway This bill would add areas of Ulster County within the Catskill Park to the Hudson River Valley Greenway. (A.11338 / S.7013; Chapt. 271 Laws of 2006) Peconic Bay Region Watershed Protection Act This bill would encourage and support initiatives to protect the natural resources of the Peconic Bay watershed, one of the state’s richest natural treasures. (A.7893-D / S.1365-D; Chapt. 289 Laws of 2006) Saratoga-Washington Partnership This bill would create a Historic Saratoga-Washington on the Hudson Partnership to address such issues as collaborative agriculture, open space protection, tourism development, recreational development, the protection of natural and cultural heritage and the revitalization of main streets. (A.11839-B / S.8444; Chapt. 737 Laws of 2006) Fishing Promotion Program This bill would establish a fishing promotion program to promote fishing within New York State. (A.5808-C / S.3232-A; Chapt. 576 Laws of 2006); Passed Both Houses) Wireless Telephone Recycling This bill would require retailers of wireless telephones to accept such telephones for recycling or reuse. (A.3390-A / S.8383; Passed Both Houses) Wetland Protections This bill would strengthen and enhance the state’s wetland protection laws by expanding the Department of Environmental Conservation’s (DEC) regulatory jurisdiction. The current law restricts DEC’s oversight of wetlands to areas that exceed 12.4 acres. Under the bill, DEC would be authorized to oversee wetland areas of 1 acre (or smaller, if adjacent to a water body or of special significance), in order to ensure the continued protection of wetlands, which were previously regulated by the federal government. (A.2048; Passed Assembly/ S.2081; in the Senate Rules Committee) Environmental Protection Fund Enhancement This bill would increase the deposits from the Real Estate Transfer Tax to the Environmental Protection Fund (EPF) to bring total annual EPF funding to $300 million. (A.9283-A; Passed Assembly/ S.6356-A; in the Senate Finance Committee); in Senate Rules Committee) Open Burning This bill would prohibit the open burning of household waste, which has been shown to release toxic pollutants into the air. (A.3073; Passed Assembly) Environmental Protection Fund (EPF). (A.2517-D; Passed Assembly /S.1290-D; in Senate Environmental Conservation Committee)A; Senate Environmental Conservation Committee) Private Well Testing Act This bill would mandate the testing of drinking water from private wells when a property is sold or transferred – reducing the risk that new property owners will unknowingly drink contaminated drinking water. (A.6459-A; Passed Assembly, no Senate sponsor) Light Pollution This bill would provide for the management of outdoor night lighting to protect the nighttime environment, enhance safety and security and conserve energy. (A.7404; Passed Assembly/S.4474; Senate Rules Committee) Mercury Switches in Vehicles This bill would require motor vehicle manufacturers to develop plans to collect mercury switches from end-of-life motor vehicles to prevent the release of mercury into the water and soil due to improper disposal. (A.3336-B; Passed Assembly/ S.4256B; Senate Environmental Conservation Committee) Natural Resource Protection The bill would strengthen the regulation of adopt-a-natural resource stewardship agreements to avoid destruction of natural resources. (A.556 Passed Assembly/ S.525; Senate Environmental Conservation Committee) State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA) The bill would allow individuals to challenge SEQRA determinations without regard to whether the project affects an individual or the public at large. (A.114; Passed Assembly/S.2380; Senate Environmental Conservation Committee) Local Recycling This bill clarifies the obligations of waste haulers regarding the handling of recyclable materials and specifies the materials which are to be separated for recycling. (A.4793;; Senate Environmental Conservation Committee) Dam Safety Measures To ensure the safety of the communities that host the more than 5,000 dams in New York State and to protect residents from the loss of life and widespread property damage the Assembly approved bills that would: require the state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) to provide dam safety inspection reports to local government officials where intermediate- or high-hazard dams are located. The measure would allow local officials to asses their community’s readiness to provide an effective emergency response in the event of a dam failure (A.9517-A / S.6417; Chapter 17 Laws of 2006); enhance New York’s dam safety program (A.11586; Passed Assembly); and mandate the periodic inspection of intermediate and high hazard dams, and require the owners of such dams to report maintenance and operation plans (A.9515-B and A.9516-A; Passed Assembly). Environmental Justice The Assembly passed a package of environmental justice bills which would: require the state to factor in disproportionate or inequitable environmental burdens on minority communities or economically distressed areas under the State Environmental Quality Review Act (A.1808; Passed Assembly); establish an environmental justice interagency coordinating council and a permanent environmental justice advisory group. The bill would also require state agencies to adopt and abide by effective environmental justice policies (A.4190; Passed Assembly); and require the Department of Environmental Conservation to publish a list of those areas in the state that are most adversely affected by existing environmental hazards (A.5982; Passed Assembly).

Mayor Rawlings-Blake’s Panama Canal Visit Could Lead To Big Business in Baltimore BALTIMORE (WJZ)—Big plans for the port. The mayor just returned from visiting the Panama Canal with Vice President Joe Biden. Improvements being made there will have huge impacts on Baltimore. Linh Bui sat down with the mayor one-on-one. The mayor just returned from her two-day trip to Panama. She says the new canal is incredible and could mean big business and more jobs for Baltimore. Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake joined the vice president and others to see the Panama Canal expansion. Its completion in 2015 could be a big boost for the United States. “We have the possibility of expanding our economy by hundreds of billions of dollars over the near term,” Biden said. Back from her trip, the mayor sat down with WJZ and says Baltimore can benefit if it’s ready. “Baltimore is ahead of the game. And I want to make sure that we stay there, so we’re able to take advantage of the expansion of the canal and expand job opportunities for people right here at home,” Rawlings-Blake said. At the Port of Baltimore, deep dredging, big cranes and widened docks are in place. But the mayor says an intermodal facility or CSX transfer station is critical in getting more cargo out to the rest of the country. There are plans to build the transfer station in Southwest Baltimore. However, there’s been opposition from some council members and people in the community. In Morrell Park, signs in front of homes and businesses read, “Don’t Get Railroaded, Stop CSX.” There are concerns about pollution, noise and traffic. Councilmember Edward Reisinger says build the facility somewhere else. “You’re looking at 300 to 350 trucks a day, and that really concerns me that some of these trucks are going through the neighborhoods,” Reisinger said. But the mayor says the facility is vital and she’s confident they’ll reach a solution. “There’s a way for the project to be a win-win. A win for jobs, a win for the Port of Baltimore, a win for CSX–and more importantly, a win for that community,” the mayor said. Right now, there are more than 100,000 jobs at the Port of Baltimore. That could double with the Panama Canal expansion. The mayors of Philadelphia and Atlanta were also part of the trip to Panama. Other Local News:

How Harvey Mudd Students Brought Taylor Swift to Their Campus 4 There’s been a lot of talk around how a school under 800 students could have possibly accumulated enough votes in the Taylor Swift competition. Were the votes inflated? Was the competition fixed? Did Chegg just choose the winner? These are few of the baseless theories thrown out there. Harvey Mudd won fair and square – and it’s all thanks to these guys. Travis Beckman a 19 year-old sophomore studying engineering has been a Taylor Swift fan for years. Meeting Taylor in Los Angeles for the first time pushed him to become a self-described “super fan.” “Even in the 3 seconds I got to talk her and take a picture, she was extremely genuine and the nicest person. Then she rocked the concert.” It was Taylor’s tweet that let Travis know about the #tswiftoncampus competition with a grand prize of a VH1 Storytellers concert featuring Taylor Swift. He was stoked by news. The fact that the votes were normalized to the school’s population meant that Harvey Mudd had a very real chance at winning the performance and $10,000 music grant. Motivated to get Taylor on Mudd’s campus, Travis put together a game plan. The first order of business: rally the troops. Using a Facebook event he began inviting fellow classmates and friends encouraging them to share the event and vote for Mudd every day. On the other side of campus another student had a similar idea with a more impactful reach. Yeahmoon Hong also leveraged Facebook to encourage his network to vote for Mudd. After catching wind of each other’s campaign Hong & Beckman combined their efforts, optimizing for maximum coverage. What’s unique about Harvey Mudd is its extended network. Eight independent colleges and universities create the group of schools known as the Claremont Colleges. These schools are all in close proximity of each other and often act as one unified student body. “Even if students weren’t fans of Taylor they were like ‘Hey, Mudd needs help, let’s do it,’” Travis recalled. ”It’s that type of unity that helped us win.” It didn’t take much for Travis and Yeahmoon to have students at all of the schools voting for Mudd. If their efforts were successful, the biggest artist of their generation would perform an intimate concert right on their campus. With time on their side and a student body determined to win they voted by the thousands and secured their place as the school that brought #tswiftoncampus. “I don’t think it’s really set in for a lot of students that it happened because it came and went so fast.” Image Credits: Frank Micelotta for VH1 Storytellers Nov 07, 2012 @ 12:07:42 You leave out the part that they only won because Horace Mann was pulled from the contest. Nov 08, 2012 @ 09:01:58 Lol. Seton won second. We have a surprise from her today in school, in less than two hours. Supplier, Meet Customer: How Chegg represents a bold new philosophy that’s changing commerce | PandoDaily Nov 25, 2012 @ 17:13:56 [...] the classroom as it dominates everything connected with the classroom. Earlier this year, it did a promotion with Taylor Swift’s new album to pick a college for her to do a televised concert. Students [...] Jan 22, 2015 @ 20:51:04 For the record, there are 7 Claremont colleges, and two of them are graduate schools so they don’t mobilize with the other 5.

Zac Brown, frontman of the Zac Brown Band, and his father, Jim Brown, recorded a special iTune’s Celebrity Playlist Podcast just in time for Father’s Day. In the podcast, Zac and Jim have chosen their favorite songs and discuss what it is that makes them special. Heavy on traditional country music, their playlist features Willie Nelson, Dolly Parton, Porter Wagoner and Johnny Cash, among others. Dan Fogelberg’s “Leader Of The Band,” a song Zac calls one of his favorites, made the playlist as a dedication from Zac to Jim. “He wrote it about his life as a musician and how his dad always loved him with a thundering and velvet hand and let him do what he needed to do…what he wanted to do, even though sometimes it wasn’t necessarily the easiest way to go,” Zac said. “This is the song I dedicate to my dad until I write a song that’s worthy of, that’s better than that. It’s going to be a hard one to beat though.” Jim added a favorite song of his as well, “A Satisfied Mind” by Porter Wagoner. It is the lesson in the song that Jim said is his favorite thing about it, adding that he and his buddies used to sing harmony while playing it. “I think it just has a lot to do with life and your expectations and that you can work through everything…as long as you have a satisfied mind, you can handle the problems and the song speaks to that. The whole songs speaks to that,” Jim says. Another pick on Zac and Jim’s playlist was a song both of them believe to be one of the best country songs ever written – George Jones’ “He Stopped Loving Her Today.” “Me and Dad are in agreement that, if not the best, one of the top five county songs that have ever been written, is George Jones’ ‘He Stopped Loving Her Today,’” says Zac. Nickel Creek’s cut of “The Fox” also made the list. Jim first heard it while listening to the Grand Ole Opry on the radio and made a habit out of going to kindergarten classes to sing it to the kids while they were at recess as well playing it for his own kids. “I just know I used to sing it to all the grandkids and the kids as they were growing up,” he said. To hear the complete podcast and see what other songs Jim and Zac chose, visit iTunes Celebrity Playlist Podcast. Speaking of the Zac Brown Band, fans can catch them on GAC on Father’s Day — Sunday, June 20 — at 3 p.m. Eastern in “Pass The Jar: Zac Brown Band and Friends,” a special featuring performances from “Pass The Jar – Zac Brown Band and Friends Live from the Fabulous Fox Theatre.”

While fanfiction may seem like an Internet-dependent phenomenon, its origins stretch far back into the past, beyond even the age of print. Adapting others’ literary creations for new purposes is at least as old as the Aeneid, in which Virgil adopts a minor character from Homer’s Iliad, Aeneas, as the hero of his story. The scholar Henry Jenkins has argued for fanfiction as modern myth-making, “a way of the culture repairing the damage done in a system where contemporary myths are owned by corporations instead of owned by the folk.” Just as ancient Greek storytellers could draw upon shared cultural knowledge to spin a tale featuring Theseus or Ariadne, their present-day counterparts seeking a similar resonance might instead turn to Harry Potter, Captain James T. Kirk—or Sherlock Holmes. Holmes captured the imagination of other writers almost from his inception. In 1891, an anonymous author published “My Evening with Sherlock Holmes” in The Speaker, less than four years after the detective’s 1887 debut in A Study in Scarlet. One might argue that it was not long before other writers were more enamored of Holmes than Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was himself, for Doyle attempted to kill off his obstreperous creation in 1893 in a thwarted effort to refocus attention on his historical fiction. Even Holmes’s apparent death at Reichenbach Falls did little to stem the rising tide of Sherlockian pastiches, parodies, and fanfictions, of which the Ransom Center holds a diverse selection. Many of the early extra-canonical Holmes sightings crop up as brief, humorous episodes in newspapers or periodicals, often with absurd variations on the detective’s distinctive name. In 1892, The Idler featured the adventures of Sherlaw Kombs, while Punch followed in 1893 with tales of Picklock Holes. Even P. G. Wodehouse joined the fun, publishing “Dudley Jones, Bore-Hunter” in Punch in 1903. Andrew Lang, best known for editing the Blue Fairy Book and its sequels, took a more serious approach in his pastiche “At the Sign of the Ship” (Longman’s Magazine, 1905), in which Holmes applies his deductive powers to the unsolved mystery of Edwin Drood. Across the Atlantic, Arthur Chapman took time off from writing cowboy poetry to pen “The Unmasking of Sherlock Holmes” for The Critic (1905), in which Auguste Dupin derides Holmes as an attenuated derivative of himself. (The story ends with Holmes shamefacedly conceding his debt to Dupin.) While Chapman leaves Holmes at home in London, other authors took Holmes on some distinctly American adventures. In A Double Barrelled Detective Story (1902), Mark Twain transplants the detective to a California mining camp, much to the chagrin of his murderous nephew, Fetlock Jones. In “The Sleuths” (1911), Austin’s own O. Henry re-imagines Holmes as New York private eye Shamrock Jolnes, whose “thin, intellectual face, piercing eyes, and rate per word are too well known to need description.” The Center holds unusual copies of both books: Twain’s is a signed first edition from the author’s own library, while Henry’s is a tiny volume originally distributed as a free prize in cigarette packets. Alongside the proliferating Holmesian fictions, a tradition of tongue-in-cheek nonfiction also arose that treated Holmes and Watson as real people, with Doyle demoted to mere editor when he was acknowledged at all. In 1911, future mystery writer and Monsignor Ronald Knox regaled an Oxford audience with “Studies in the Literature of Sherlock Holmes,” couched in the stentorian style of Biblical exegesis. Knox’s disquisition not only presumed the actuality of Holmes himself, but also fabricated a bevy of rival Holmesian scholars, whose interpretations of the canon Knox demolished with great relish. Taken up by other enthusiasts, this practice of fan-nonfiction became known as the Higher Criticism or the Great Game. The Center’s collections include key entries in the genre by Vincent Starrett, H. W. Bell, S. C. Roberts, and Dorothy L. Sayers, among many others. Fascination with Holmes soon expanded beyond his English-speaking audience. A German newspaper wrote in 1908, “It is certain that contemporary Europe is suffering from a disease called Sherlockismus […] a literary disease similar to Werther-mania and romantic Byronism.” The Bookman concurred, diagnosing Paris with “what may be described as a bad case of Sherlockitis,” and citing some alarming symptoms: “In connection with two recent sensational murders the Paris newspapers have been giving their versions of how these crimes were committed in the form of imaginary interviews with Sherlock Holmes.” Versions of Holmes also thrived on the Spanish stage, with several plays produced and published between 1908 and 1916. While some of these drew directly on the canon, many were original works that borrowed only the character (and sometimes no more than the name) of Holmes. As Doyle’s frustration with Holmes’s popularity became more and more apparent, and new adventures appeared less and less frequently, fans turned to supplementing the canon with their own creations. After the publication of the final Holmes tales in 1927, a Wisconsin teenager named August Derleth started writing stories that both imitated and explicitly referenced Holmes, introducing his detective Solar Pons as “the Sherlock Holmes of Praed Street.” Derleth again translated his fan enthusiasm into action when he founded Arkham House to ensure the publication of H. P. Lovecraft’s works in formats more durable than pulp magazines. Arkham later published the Pons stories under the imprint Mycroft & Moran, with each volume featuring an introduction by a noted Sherlockian. Derleth eventually wrote more stories about Pons than Doyle did about Holmes. The rise of organized fan societies created new venues for fans to communicate with other fans. In 1934, Christopher Morley founded the Baker Street Irregulars, which began publishing The Baker Street Journal in 1946. After a brief stint in the 1930s, The Sherlock Holmes Society of London re-formed in 1951, bringing out the first Sherlock Holmes Journal the following year. Both periodicals featured stories by fans alongside Sherlockian news, reviews, essays, and criticism. In addition to issues of both journals, the Center also holds the papers of Christopher Morley, including many documents from the early days of the Baker Street Irregulars. A limited edition pamphlet of the sonnet in which Vincent Starrett famously declared “It is always 1895,” a recreation of the portrait of Irene Adler that caused so much trouble in “A Scandal in Bohemia,” and a self-published book of original songs about characters from the stories illustrate the wide range of creative engagement that flowed through these channels for fan-centered community. The mythology of Sherlock Holmes continues to expand across media. Recently published fictions by Michael Chabon, Neil Gaiman, and Laurie S. King re-envision the classic Holmes in new contexts. On television, BBC’s Sherlock and CBS’s Elementary each mix and match elements of the original adventures and characterizations to produce two very different modern takes on Holmes and Watson. Fanworks inspired by the original Holmes or his many reincarnations proliferate both online and in print. The Ransom Center’s collections illustrate that the current boom in re-imagining Doyle’s detective is only the most recent chapter in a long history of Sherlockian creative enthusiasm. The case-book of Sherlock Holmes is nowhere near closed. In 2011, the Baker Street Irregulars published “Bohemian Souls,” a facsimile of the original manuscript of “A Scandal in Bohemia,” accompanied by annotations and commentary. This was followed by their 2012 edition of “The Golden Pince-Nez.” Both manuscripts are owned by the Ransom Center. Please click on the thumbnails below to view full-size images.

In 2012, initial public offerings (IPOs) did not quite make the rebound analysts had predicted. In the year of the botched Facebook offering, just 128 IPOs were made. Although quadruple that of 2008, this marks a decrease from 154 IPOs in 2011. Last May, the Economist observed that this decline was part of a larger trend: the decline in popularity of the public company. Since 1997, the number of U.S. public companies has fallen by 38 percent. Additionally, the average number of IPOs has declined from 311 per year between 1980 and 2000, to 99 per year between 2001 and 2011. In addition to companies actively not going public, in the last year several well-known businesses “went private,” such as Quest Software, CKE Restaurants, Burger King, and J. Crew. In addition to the obvious distinctions of private companies—a lack of shareholders and adherence to regulation—NACD’s recently released 2012—2013 Private Company Governance Survey found many lesser-known differences. This survey features responses from over 550 individuals who serve private company boards. Some of the contrasts include: Private company boards are smaller. On average, private company boards have 7.3 members—a decrease from 8.9 members in 2011. For the past several years, public company boards have consistently maintained an average of 8.8 members. Public company directors are more likely to receive continuing boardroom education. In 2012, 82 percent of public company directors received continuing education in the last 12 months, compared to 57 percent of private company directors. This may be connected to company policy, however: 83.1 percent of public directors were reimbursed for education expenses, while only 54.5 percent of private company peers were. Trend in the private company boardroom: D&O Insurance. Additional directors and officers liability insurance was obtained by just 15 percent of private company directors in 2008. In 2012, this figure jumped to 50.4 percent. In comparison, 42.8 percent of public company directors purchased additional D&O insurance in 2012. Nominating and governance committees are much less prevalent at private companies. Similar to public company counterparts, audit and compensation committees are nearly ubiquitous at private companies. However, just 49.2 percent of private company survey respondents indicated that their board had a committee dedicated to nominating and governance. Private companies employ different mechanisms to ensure director turnover. The most commonly used method of director turnover at private companies is director evaluation. Age limits and term limits are both used by nearly one-fifth of respondents. At public companies, the most prevalent mechanism to renew and replace directors is age limits, closely followed by evaluations. Term limits are used by just 6.5 percent. Generally, private company boards maintain less diverse composition. Compared to 27.4 percent of public companies, 38.5 percent of private companies do not have any female directors. With respect to minority directors—based on race and ethnicity—70.3 percent of private companies have no such representation, compared to 51.8 percent of public boards.

. I took this photo of a West Indian Manatee in the Crystal River Wildlife Refuge Area, a protected area for the endangered species who uses its spring-fed waters to stay warm in the winter. With my long history of interest in manatees, you can imagine my excitement when I got the opportunity to swim with them in the wild. Though the West Indian Manatee is endangered and thus there are strict rules preventing people from disrupting them in their habitat, there are rare areas where the public can passively observe them in the water under supervision. After arriving in Crystal River, Florida, and watching a video clarifying what to do and not do when you are in the water with manatees, I dived in with my snorkel gear to see the sea cows. Watching them move in the water, seeing their faces stare at mine, and observing them in their own habitat was an experience like no other. I saw their impressive size, their docile nature, and the toughness of their skin. I even saw some animals with scars on their backs from past encounters with speed boats. Species have rights: The significance of the Endangered Species Act Tomorrow is Endangered Species Day and I want to take a moment to appreciate efforts like these to preserve threatened species in the U.S. I was grateful to have had this experience and I know that it was only possible because of the ongoing conservation efforts of those at Crystal River, in the Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service at-large, and elsewhere. The Endangered Species Act allows for federal protections that limit human impacts to species and their habitats and help species recover. The Endangered Species Act (ESA) was passed by Congress in 1973 after President Nixon recognized the need for legislation to prevent the extinction of species. The law and its predecessors were the first major recognition by the U.S. government that species have rights. What made the law so significant was its reliance on science to determine if species were threatened and its mandate that efforts be made to protect threatened species and their habitats independent of economic or political considerations. The U.S. Supreme Court upheld this mandate in 1978 when it declared that the intent of the law was “to halt and reverse the trend toward species extinction, whatever the cost.” Since its enactment more than 40 years ago, the law has seen several success stories—species for which we’ve stopped population declines and even recovered populations. My colleague Deborah wrote about how the law has helped several such species—the bald eagle and the southern sea otter—and the post details how we should define success when it comes to the Endangered Species Act. Political interference in endangered species listings But the law, unfortunately, is not without challenges. The inclusion of species on the endangered species list has often become a political issue. In many cases, the economic and political implications of species’ listings have led the science to be compromised. Sometimes, these attacks come from Congress, with members seeking to weaken the act in the name of reducing economic impacts of species protection. Other times, attempts to undermine the act stem from political sensitivities around a species, like in the cases of wolves, sage grouse, and right whales. Sometimes the cases involve scientific misconduct issues, such as in the cases of freshwater mussels and American burying beetles. Researchers study manatees to get a sense of their population and what factors might threaten their survival. The science that goes into ESA decision making is peer-reviewed by federal agency scientists and by external scientists. Currently, two bills under consideration in the House of Representatives threaten to undermine the ESA. H.R. 4315, the 21st Century Endangered Species Transparency Act and H.R. 4317, State, Tribal, and Local Species Transparency Act, would place a crippling burden on the agencies that administer the ESA. The bill’s authors claim that the bills would promote use of the best available science in endangered species listing decisions; however, the bills would place unnecessary demands on federal agencies to release data and inhibit their ability to carry out the ESA mandates. The ESA already demands use of the best available science including the use of peer-reviewed scientific studies. The bills also could have chilling effects on scientists who participate in the process of evaluating and listing species, as the bills may require that scientists release data—before they have the opportunity publish or despite confidentiality agreements they may have with landowners. UCS, along with other members of the Endangered Species Coalition, will continue to speak in opposition to these bills. Because attacks like these continue to happen, it is essential that we work to preserve the Endangered Species Act (along with implementing strong federal agency scientific integrity policies). To effectively protect species, we need to ensure that we have a science-based process for identifying which species need to be listed and how threatened plants and animals should be protected. Protecting Species, Preserving Processes This is the manatee calf I encountered in Crystal River, Florida. Also displayed is my poor camera aim. When I was in the water at Crystal River, I encountered a manatee calf all by himself. He looked at me and I looked at him. We sat suspended in the otherwise silent water. At that moment, I couldn’t help but think of what my nine-year-old self would feel if she was given this opportunity. I know she would want us to do everything we can to protect this manatee and others. She would want us to help ensure that future generations could have this experience and that the species could survive and thrive in these warm Florida waters. As an adult, I carry her wishes with me and I know science has and can continue to help us protect our endangered species. Posted in: Science and Democracy, Scientific Integrity Tags: attacks on science, Endangered Species Act, federal science, Fish and Wildlife Service, Manatees, science-based decision making Support from UCS members make work like this possible. Will you join us? Help UCS advance independent science for a healthy environment and a safer world.

Name: Tatum Hauck Allsep Age: 38 Job: Founder and executive director, Music Health Alliance Background: Tatum Hauck Allsep earned her bachelor’s degree in human and organizational development from Vanderbilt University. Originally from Mississippi, she is married with three children — 10-year-old twin sons and a 2-year-old daugther. Allsep has been in the music industry for about 20 years. She previously owned an artist management company and served as the co-founder of a for-profit business that was created to bring health insurance and advocacy to members of music trade organizations. Her newest venture is Music Health Alliance, a full-service health care advocacy firm that serves the music community, and she serves as the executive director. The 38-year-old was inspired to launch the nonprofit organization based on a personal health care experience that nearly bankrupted her despite being insured, as well as from conversations she had while helping to launch the first Vanderbilt Medical Center/Children’s Hospital music industry relations department. “I started looking at the system and doing feasibility studies to figure out how do we fix a model that is inherently flawed, and the only way to do it and be unbiased was to remove the profit,” she said. “How do you run a business with no profit, in health care?” The business model that Allsep adopted is one that allows Music Health Alliance to provide not-for-profit, nationwide advocacy services to individuals who can demonstrate they have been working in the music industry for at least two years. The free services consist of health insurance, health care resources and confidential guidance. “I’m really passionate about what we do. Advocacy was very important to me, being able to walk people through the process if they didn’t qualify for major medical/health insurance, which is lots of people.” She noted that Music Health Alliance is licensed and certified as a patient navigator and health insurance agent in all of the states. The alliance serves clients in Nashville and beyond, particularly the Grammy chapter areas, including Austin, Texas; Los Angeles; New York City; Miami; Chicago; and New Orleans. Since it provides insurance, Allsep explained that any commissions — or revenue outside of donations or fundraising — earned from the sale of health insurance go directly into a fund called the Cowboy Jack Clinic Fund. Allsep said that, starting in January, the fund will open to award grants to those in the music industry who have medical bills that are not covered by health insurance. “I developed a model that everyone asks, ‘Why would you want to do this?’ The reason is because it’s the right thing to do,” Allsep said. “I do feel like health care is a right and not a privilege, and I think that we should all have access to health care. We have built a model that is about removing the barriers from the health care equation.” Who inspires you? “In the music industry, it’s the outlaws who buck the system — Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Cowboy Jack Clement, Loretta Lynn. And, of course, any entrepreneurial spirit. But the person who inspires me most is my husband because he believes in me and that gives me a feeling that I can’t fail.” What is the best book you’ve read in the past year? “The Element: How Finding Your Passion Changes Everything,” by Sir Ken Robinson. What is your favorite quote? “Think different.” — Steve Jobs Hobbies and interests: “I love dumpster-diving and deal-finding and garage sales. I do it with my kids. I’ll start with $5 and see who can get the farthest.” Besides family and friends, what can’t you live without? “Music. My favorite song is ‘If I Had a Boat,’ by Lyle Lovett. I really love singer-songwriters because they’re the storytellers and I love the stories.” — June Manning For The Tennessean

The Laramie Project cast. Back row (left to right): Nate Brown, Sebastian Stephenson, Mia Peloquin, Alexis Olson, Joseph Frank, Tommy Brockman, Blaine Anderson, Teresa Mahnke, Abby Rue, Olivia Westphal, Amanda Hennen. Front row (left to right): Bri Flasch, Graham Westphal, Kelsey Sarver, Jack Rudman, Beza Daniel, Aryn Ritchie, Zach Marleau, Brooke McGraw. Not pictured: Jarod Bowers, Grayson Dewolfe and Jess Tamusko. A community looks at human rights Over the next year and a half, the Tectonic Theater Project made six trips to Laramie to conduct more than 200 interviews with residents. The result was “The Laramie Project,” a play written by Moisés Kaufman and members of Tectonic Theater Project. All words in the play come directly from the interviews or from court or police records. It premiered in Denver in 2000 and was made into a film in 2002. This year the theater department at Forest Lake High School will present “The Laramie Project” as its spring play, four showings in a single weekend. The play will be performed daily from Thursday, May 1 to Sunday, May 4. Thursday, Friday and Saturday performances will begin at 7 p.m. The Sunday matinee will begin at 2 p.m. Tickets are $6 for adults, $4 for students and senior citizens. They can be purchased at the door or one week in advance at the high school activities office. Overview Based on the interviews, the play gives insight into the perspectives of Laramie citizens as they examine how this could happen in their town and how the town can recover. The play also challenges other communities to question themselves: What defines us? Do we deserve the identity that others have given us? How can we be a welcoming place to all people, regardless of differences? Not simply a gay rights play, “The Laramie Project” is about human rights, challenging audiences to look deeply at beliefs about religion, race, sexuality and social class. The spring play alternates between drama and comedy – last year’s production was “You Can’t Take It with You,” a 1938 comedy – so modern documentary theater is appropriate this time. “We’ve been talking about it for a few years,” Director Tim Newcomb said. “I try to pick shows that are relevant.” He said reaction has been positive and students are excited. High School Principal Steve Massey said that while there have not been incidents here that make the show especially relevant, “these are real-life issues that affect Forest Lake kids.” The play, set a year after the event, includes word-for-word quotes from the interviews in chronological order, plus representations of press conferences held. Cast The 76 characters are portrayed by 22 student actors. Because the entire story takes place after the murder, Matthew Shepard never appears in the play. Brooke McGraw plays Reggie Fluty, the first law officer on the scene. Jarod Bowers is Dennis Shepard, the victim’s father. Playwright Moisés Kaufman is portrayed by Sebastian Stephenson. Jack Rudman plays the Rev. Fred Phelps, who came from Topeka to attend Shepard’s funeral, praising a God who “hates fags.” Three of the actors, Zach Marleau, Amanda Hennen and Olivia Westphal, saw the show at Lyric Arts in Anoka in September, before they knew it would be produced here. “As soon as the first line was spoken, I was immediately transported to Laramie, Wyoming, in 1998,” Marleau said. “Reading it is awesome, but seeing it is another thing.” Westphal said while some characters are more insightful, no one stands out as being especially magnanimous or wise. The play illustrates that every community has multiple leaders, Newcomb added. Because the play is based on an event that happened not that long ago, it presents a unique situation: The actors portray real people, most of them still alive. One example is Rulon Stacey, who was CEO of Poudre Valley Health and now is president and CEO of Fairview Health Services in Minneapolis. “He’s a very nice man,” Marleau said. Marleau found him on Facebook and did a friend request, which Stacey accepted. “It’s a really great experience for kids to get to portray real people,” Marleau said. “To do that in high school is a real opportunity.” Westphal plays Rebecca Hilliker, theater director at the University of Wyoming. It’s not a difficult role, she said, because “I sort of identify with her views.” “Hilliker clearly cares a lot for her students,” Westphal said. “She feels it is important for students to talk about this with their teachers; she emphasizes that point through the whole show.” The other character she plays is Dr. Cantway, the emergency room doctor who treated Matthew Shepard before he died six days later from severe head injuries. Cantway’s words conclude Act 1: “For a brief moment I wondered if this is how God feels when he looks down at us. And I felt a great deal of compassion.” “It’s pretty deep,” Westphal concluded. For what ages? Parents may wonder whether to bring their children to see this story of fear, anger, hate and violence. Director Newcomb advised that the play is probably appropriate for most junior high students, provided they watch it with people they can talk to later. After each performance, the cast and director will hold a talk-back session, giving students an opportunity to ask questions. For younger students, Newcomb recommends extreme caution. “There is profanity and language I wouldn’t want elementary students to hear, and there are things they won’t understand,” he said. Bri Flasch, who plays prosecuting attorney Cal Rerucha, agreed. “When I was 10, I wouldn’t have been ready,” she said. “Serious ones will want to hear about an issue they think relevant, and should have that opportunity.” Marleau suggested that the presence of profanity should not keep 10-year-olds away. “It’s a great message,” he said. “There’s profanity everywhere. We took out unneeded profanity. But it’s really about human rights.” In spite of the overall serious theme, the characters are interesting and at times humorous. But viewers should be aware that entertainment is not the main goal. “Our underlying motivation is we want to do them justice,” Westphal said. “It’s their views, and we want to interpret it correctly so it represents them well.” Aftermath Shepard’s murderers were given life sentences. No hate crime laws applied at the time. In 2009 the federal hate-crime law was expanded to include crimes motivated by a victim’s sexual orientation. Ten years later Moisès Kaufman and the Tectonic Theatre Project returned to Laramie to explore long-term effects on the community. Instead of a short epilogue as expected, the result was a second play, “The Laramie Project: Ten Years Later.” The play, which debuted in 2009, documents attempts to rewrite the history of the murder. Like the first play, the sequel uses no fictional words.

KAHNAWAKE — Lance Delisle continued to tear into the wall of K103.7’s offices with a mallet, covering his hands with insulation, searching for a small package that he couldn’t find. Some people wondered if the packet he sought was even still there, or if it was ever put there in the first place. After breaking down a strip of about six meters of drywall, someone thought they saw something: a plastic bag with tape on it that contained a smattering of station business cards, a t-shirt commemorating the 10th-year anniversary of the station in 1991, and a cigarette lighter. It was a time capsule of the station’s first 10 years in existence. Lance Delisle takes a hammer to the wall in search of a time capsule from 1991 in Kahnawake, Que. on July 11, 2014.Billy Shields/Global News “When the time capsule was put into the wall, I don’t think any of us thought we would be opening the time capsule,” Delisle said afterward. He spoke while sitting at the controls of the station’s brand new three-studio complex, a milestone of its own. The shiny new $1.4 million facility — half of which comes from a provincial grant aimed at Aboriginal communities — is the radio station’s new home, and a far cry from the converted hockey dressing room it occupied during its first three decades. For many Mohawks in Kahnawake, just the presence of the radio station was a landmark. But moving into its new and relatively palatial surroundings was a dream come true. “I remember my grandmother saying ‘I can’t believe I’m hearing the Mohawk language on the radio!'” said Joe Delaronde, who was on the air the first day the station broadcast. “It started off almost as if it was in someone’s basement,” said Paul Graif, the station news director. “This is something for the community to be proud of.” Overhead costs may become an issue, as operating costs for the non-profit station could rise in the new space — but programming will remain the same. “We’re not looking at changing much: country on weekends, radio bingo on Fridays,” said station manager Cheryl Deer. The station’s niche also remains untouched, which has focused on Mohawk culture while being accessible to the greater English-speaking community. “Finding that common ground, language and culture, it’s not different from what happens in Montreal and the rest of Quebec,” said program director Al Gravelle. © Shaw Media, 2014

In Memoriam Hermann-Josef Rupieper (1942-2004) Klaus Schwabe, May 2005 Hermann-Josef Rupieper, professor of contemporary history at the University of Halle, died unexpectedly of heart failure on August 31, 2004. He will be missed not only by the historical profession of his native Germany, but also by numerous American colleagues and friends. Both his career and his scholarly productivity were remarkable. Born on February 23, 1942, into modest circumstances and apparently not in a position to attend a regular Gymnasium, he acquired the Abitur by way of evening classes at the age of 23. A true self-made man he enrolled at the Free University of Berlin and in 1968–69 and again from 1970–72 at Stanford University, where Gordon Craig became his doctoral adviser. Having received his PhD in 1974, Rupieper returned to the Free University of Berlin in order to prepare his Habilitation, which he completed in 1981. In a way an outsider not connected to one of the then-established scholarly networks in Germany, he needed some patience until he gained a permanent academic foothold. The most important position he held during that waiting period was that of a founding and acting director of the German Historical Institute in Washington, D.C. that opened in 1987. Starting from scratch, he did the indispensable organizational and scholarly groundwork to assure the future functioning of that prestigious institution. In the same year he got his first tenured position as an associate professor of international relations at the University of Marburg. After a sabbatical spent at the Woodrow Wilson Center in Washington in 1990–91 he was offered a full professorship at the University of Halle. To him, an avid observer of contemporary political affairs and a German patriot, who was deeply moved witnessing Germany's reunification, this was a fitting point of culmination of his academic career. At once, he resumed his role as an intermediary between the United States and Germany by serving as a guest professor at the Vanderbilt University in the academic year of 2000–01. But primarily, of course, he focused on his new academic duties in the environment of the former GDR. He turned his scholarly attention to the roots of the collapse of the Soviet German state, and invested a lot of his energies in participating in the academic affairs of his alma mater. Serving as dean and later as a member of the academic senate he got more and more involved in fending off losses in the teaching staff as a result of the policies of austerity imposed by his state's government. Still, he regarded it as his major professional duty to teach and advise his students. A highly popular teacher, a prolific writer, and committed member of academic self-government he had ultimately, as it seems, overtaxed his physical resources, and thus, to an extent, became a victim of the largely politically induced reformist plague that more often than not descends on German universities. Rupieper leaves behind an astounding array of publications—impressive both by its quantity and its diversity. His dissertation, The Cuno Government and Reparations 1922–23 (1979), still today the definite study of this subject, dealt with a crucial phase of the reparations controversy that preceded the Ruhr crisis and the Dawes Plan reparations settlement. His first publication was distinctive in three respects: it was written in English, it took the demands of multi-archival research seriously, and it transcended the customary purely national approach to an international controversy. Rupieper then qualified himself as scholar in social history by publishing his Habilitationsschrift, a study about the conflict between blue-and-white collar labor in 19th-century Bavaria (Arbeiter und Angestellte im Zeitalter der Industrialisierung. Eine sozialgeschichtliche Studie am Beispiel der Maschinenfabrik Augsburg und Nürnberg (M.A.N.) (1982)). In the following years he advanced his standing as the author of numerous scholarly articles that covered a wide range of topics extending from the German Revolution of 1848 to working class mobility, Nazi German rearmament, and the international implications of the German question during the 1950s. A few of these publications foreshadowed what was to become the main area of his scholarly interest during the 1980s: American-German relations, particularly during the early years of the Bonn Republic. Based on intensive archival research mostly in American depositories, his next major publication, Der besetzte Verbündete: Die amerikanische Deutschlandpolitik 1949–55 (second printing 1992), was an in-depth study of the seminal phase of West Germany's integration into the family of Western powers with John McCloy, the American High Commissioner, occupying the central position on the Western side. Another outgrowth of his archival research was an analysis of the achievements and deficiencies of the American policy of democratizing West Germany, Die Wurzeln der westdeutschen Nachkriegsdemokratie. Der amerikanische Beitrag 1945–52, (1992). Both books established Rupieper as a leading authority in this subject. As a member of the University of Halle, Rupieper returned to his previous interest in the ramifactions of the German problem after 1945, now focusing on the history of East German developments that set the stage for the "Wende" of 1989–90. Among his related publications I just mention his documentary: "Es gibt keinen Ausweg für Brandt zum Krieg." August 1961 an der Martin-Luther-Universität (2002) and his account: Die friedliche Revolution 1989-90 in Sachsen-Anhalt (2002). Most recently, I am told, he turned back to German-American relations, this time doing research on the era of President Carter and Chancellor Helmut Schmidt. Death prevented the completion of this project as well as the conclusion of the important documentary: Die Lageberichte der Geheimen Staatspolizei zur Provinz Sachsen 1933–1936 (first and only volume 2003). Above all, Rupieper will be remembered as a leading German historian in the field of international relations. Friends and colleagues on both sides of the Atlantic will keep an inspiring memory of him as a most assiduous worker in Clio's garden, as a scholar of an inexhaustible intellectual curiosity, and as a source of untiring helpfulness whenever approached by any of his fellow historians. — Klaus Schwabe

Assembling a Portrait of Early American Jewish Life Multimedia When it came time to find permanent lodging for the 11,000 objects in their collection of Early American Judaica, Arnold and Deanne Kaplan had two non-negotiable requirements for any institution interested in its acquisition: That the treasures remain together as an organic whole, and that they be made accessible to as broad an audience as possible. The couple also let it be known that it wouldn’t hurt if the collection’s new home was somewhere in the Philadelphia area, where many of the documents and other memorabilia in the vast assemblage originated. “Dee and I had always known — maybe not in the ’70s, when we began collecting, but certainly by the ’80s — that we would give this collection somewhere,” Arnold Kaplan, a retired businessman, says. “We decided early on that if we were lucky enough, an institution would want it.” In fact, numerous institutions expressed an interest in obtaining the objects. In the end, the University of Pennsylvania Libraries and the National Museum of American Jewish History formed a rare partnership to secure what Philadelphia historian Beth Wenger calls “perhaps the richest archive of early American Jewish life ever assembled.” The Kaplans’ collection is the product of more than four decades of lovingly executed legwork. They haunted antique markets and auction halls, beginning in the Philadelphia-Lancaster area and gradually expanding to any place in the world that offered their preferred Americana. By tracking down even the most elusive of contacts and scouring the Internet, they ultimately created a historical record that spans the years 1555 to 1890, featuring art objects as well as paper ephemera. Its treasures include engravings illustrating Jewish mercantile settlement in Dutch Suriname in the 17th century and in the Caribbean; an original print of a document granting Jewish emancipation issued by the British Parliament in 1739; and the passport of Sabato Morais, issued by the Italian Consulate in London in 1854 to the Philadelphian recognized as the principal founder of the Jewish Theological Seminary. “They amassed their collection so quietly and so brilliantly,” says Arthur Kiron, Penn’s Schottenstein-Jesselson Curator of Judaica Collections and the librarian charged with overseeing an exhibition devoted to the items on display now through June 6 at Penn’s Van Pelt-Dietrich Library in Philadelphia. “A large part of it was having the judgment and the insight to realize what was meaningful and significant.” Valued at $8.5 million, the Kaplan Collection of Early American Judaica offers a day-to-day look at how American Jews made their livings, observed their holidays, nurtured their families and buried their loved ones back when the United States was young. The couple was in their 30s when their collecting odyssey began, fueled as much by economic realities as by a growing passion for early Americana. Just out of school — he with a master’s in computer science and finance from Carnegie Melon University, she with a bachelor of science in education and history from the University of Pittsburgh — they realized that a used early American chest of drawers would cost less than a medium-priced new piece. They started amassing memorabilia on a modest budget — “extremely modest,” Kaplan says — first with non-Jewish items such as German-style baptismal certificates known as Taufschein, prepared by traveling scribes between 1830 and 1870 for Pennsylvania Dutch families. In a catalogue for the exhibition, which opened in February, Kaplan relates what happened next. “In the early 1970s, I came across a printed Taufschein, circa 1840, at Renninger’s Flea Market in Lancaster. It was sold and filled in by a literate traveling merchant/scrivener at a farmhouse in the area. The certificate was not unusual, except for the fact that the scribe signed his name in cursive Yiddish. To the dealer, the document was just another piece of low-value ephemera. After some customary haggling, it was mine for about $10. “My interest in early American Jewish history had been piqued. So began the long journey of collecting in an arena that Dee and I have shared,” writes Kaplan, a native of Pittsburgh who lived for many years in Allentown and West Chester. In those early years, the couple flew mostly under the radar. So-called “serious” collectors turned their noses up at the business receipts and Victorian-era trade cards — Deanne’s specialty — that would ultimately weave a tapestry of American Jews’ impact on the nation’s commerce. When the market for Judaica began heating up in the 1990s, the Kaplans’ quest became more challenging. But to this day, they conduct it on their own, with no agent or middleman involved. Even with the collection safely donated, they continue to seek new acquisitions. Among Kaplan’s favorites is a 16-page handwritten luach, or calendar, begun in 1778 by one Abraham Eliezer Cohen, schoolmaster at Mikveh Israel Congregation in Philadelphia, and completed after he and many of the city’s Jews fled to Lancaster County when the British invaded Philadelphia. Kaplan dubbed it the “Patriot’s Luach.” It is one of only 10 or so in existence inscribed to a woman in an era when few women learned to read. “Every collector has that emotional spark when they find something,” says Kaplan, who retired as chief financial officer of United Health Group in 2002 and now lives with Deanne in Lakewood Ranch, Fla., near Sarasota. “The fact that you found something and you identified it — that’s a fairly adrenalin-filled emotion.” Because the collection includes three-dimensional works such as oil paintings, silver pieces and ritual items, the Kaplans, Penn and the museum reached an agreement stipulating that Penn, which owns the entire collection, would loan the 3D objects to the museum on a long-term basis. Kiron says such arrangements are fairly unusual. As for easy public access to the rest of the collection, there are plans to digitize it all by 2015 as a resource for scholars, historians and anyone with an interest in Jewish life in America. As it stands, the museum has already taken receipt of all 3D objects from the Kaplan collection not currently being shown at Penn, with those items to be brought down at the end of the show. As with the items at Penn, they will be available for viewing by request. The museum has yet to determine how to best display the objects. “It’s a beautiful marriage when you put all those things together,” says Kaplan. “And I get the best of both worlds: I still collect, but I have the pleasure of talking with Arthur and other academics on a regular basis and I don’t have to worry about the physical safety of the items.” The Arnold and Deanne Collection of Early American Judaica is on display at the Goldstein Family Gallery in the Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts at the Van Pelt- Dietrich Library, 3420 Walnut Street during library hours (library.upenn.edu/kislak/).

Sen..” GCI is required to respond to the petition by March 15. The FCC will then make an initial ruling, which could come as early as March 22, MacLeod said. If the commission approves the petition the process could go on for more than half a year. General Communications Inc. announced in November 2012 its intent to purchase two low-power NBC stations in Southeast Alaska, Juneau’s KATH-TV and KSCT-TV Sitka, from North Star Television Network. Dan Etulain established KATH in 1998. A majority of Alaska’s over-the-air broadcasters petitioned the FCC to either prevent GCI’s acquisition or to impose conditions on GCI’s purchase to prevent the telecom and cable company from monopolizing Alaska’s cable service and airwaves.Currently KTUU provides Juneau its NBC broadcast feed. “Who does a good job of news on television,” Egan asked. “KTUU they are the only ones. That worries me.” Egan said the FCC could help clear the fog of rumors and questions about the acquisition if it held a hearing. He said constituents from around his district have voiced concern. “I don’t think enough information is given out,” Egan said. “Let over the air television stations that are going to be affected to testify. What could that hurt?” Juneau’s television viewers will still have choice in their programming “and we believe they are intelligent enough to switch channels if they don’t like what they are viewing,” GCI spokesperson David Morris said. Concerns that Juneau and the Southeast region might suffer reduced quality of programming if GCI purchases KATH and KSCT are unfounded, Morris said. GCI has released its response to the broadcasters’ FCC petition to deny. Alaska “suffers from a stunning lack of broadcast competition, local news diversity, and technological innovation,” according to GCI’s response. “GCI will invest heavily in local programming, more than doubling KTVA’s news offerings, hiring dozens of full-time news employees, and launching Alaska’s first high-definition local news.” • Contact reporter Russell Stigall at 523-2276 or at [email protected].

Senior News By Marianne Mills This year 78 million baby boomers will start to turn 60 years old. Alaska ranks No. 1 in the nation in the percentage of the statewide population who are baby boomers. "The whole country, especially Alaska, needs to figure out how we are going to have a trained workforce to care for all those seniors," says Pat Luby, Advocacy Director for the AARP Alaska. Sound off on the important issues at Fortunately, in 2003 the University of Alaska Anchorage, University of Alaska Fairbanks, and University of Alaska Southeast Sitka formed a consortium to create Alaska's Geriatric Education Center. The AKGEC offers training for a wide range of professional and paraprofessional workers, including senior center staff, certified nursing assistants, home health nurses, social workers, administrators, policy makers, health professions faculty, and current or aspiring health care professionals. The program emphasizes the unique needs and issues affecting older Alaskans, celebrating Alaska's unique history and cultural diversity. AKGEC staff members, experienced in elder care issues, are located in Anchorage, Fairbanks and Sitka, although distance learning is offered throughout the state. During its first year, AKGEC served 569 trainees, with 818 persons receiving training in the second year. At le'ast 30% of AKGEC trainees have been from the rural and bush areas of the state. A growing number of Alaskans who work with seniors have benefited from the annual Care of the Elderly Conference, the certification course about Alzheimer's disease, and the "Promoting Best Practices in Elder Health" event. These are just a few of the many training opportunities offered by the AKGEC. Funding for the program is made possible by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration, Bureau of Health Professions. The AKGEC is one of 50 Geriatric Education Centers nationwide. Unfortunately, funding for these programs was eliminated in fiscal year 2006. "For the Feds to think of cutting back training in gerontology makes absolutely no sense when we know that we are going to have more older people," explains Luby. "We need to start training people now." Pat has a master's degree in gerontology, thanks to the federal government. Back in the '70s there was a program funded by the U.S. Administration on Aging that paid tuition fees to prepare people for the workforce. "We need to return to those days," tells Luby. Pat goes on to explain that the AARP recently signed onto a Leadership Council of Aging Organizations letter urging U.S. Congress to restore funding for programs that train health professionals in geriatrics. The HRSA supports three initiatives: the Geriatric Academic Career Award, which helps develop newly trained geriatric physicians into academic medicine; the geriatric faculty fellowships, designed to train physicians, dentists and mental health professionals who decide to teach geriatric medicine, dentistry and psychiatry; and the 50 geriatric education centers across the country that have trained personnel from over 20 professions to care for elderly patients. Given the lack of adequately trained health care providers in geriatrics, it is critical that the funding be restored. Marianne Mills is the program director of Southeast Senior Services, which offers home and community-based services for older Alaskans throughout the region. Juneau Empire © 2015. All Rights Reserved. Terms of Service | Privacy Policy / About Our Ads

March is Women’s History Month, a time to look at the many contributions women have made throughout history. But lately, there have been a number of studies examining the lives of Black women, from their body sizes in comparison to White women to assessing that they’re more likely to get swept up in a tsunami than to get married. The latest survey comes from “The Washington Post” and the Kaiser Family Foundation and, surprisingly, they found that contrary to popular belief, Black women are doing just fine. Krissah Thompson, national staff writer for “The Washington Post”; Rahiel Tesfamariam, founder of urbancusp.com; and Dr. Tricia Bent-Goodley, Howard University professor, joined Roland Martin on Washington Watch to talk about this new survey. ‘LIKE’ NewsOne’s FB Page To Stay Up On Black News From Around The World SEE ALSO: 6 Female Politicians Go After Male Masturbation, Viagra Woman Strangled By NY Train Station Escalator

Fighting Public Welfare Fraud In Washington Keeps State Investigators Busy Fraud investigators in Washington state say they expect to announce a major case of public welfare theft next month. Food stamp theft and misuse of welfare benefits happens every day in Washington state. The job of stopping it falls to the three-year-old Office of Fraud and Accountability within the Department of Social and Health Services. In one year alone, the team investigated more than 4,000 criminal fraud cases and referred nearly 300 of them for prosecution. Add to that the hundreds of welfare fraud tips that come into a hotline each month. Steve Lowe, a former county prosecutor who heads the fraud office, acknowledged there’s still a lot more work to do. “We’ve been so busy on the criminal cases trying to put criminal cases [together], it’s been so much work," he said. "I have 11 criminal investigators, they each have an average caseload now of 40 cases.” The Fraud office also gets more than 7,000 requests per year to review suspicious applications for public benefits. 9(MDEwMDE0NjgyMDEzNDY0NDY5NTBmNTc1Yg004))

[tag: science] Patients suffering from cancer in England are up to seven times more likely to be prescribed expensive cancer drugs than fellow sufferers in Wales, a new study assessing the impact of the Cancer Drugs Fund (CDF) has revealed. Researchers from the University of Bristol compared the prescription of 15 cancer drugs in both countries to show the divide created by the introduction of the CDF in 2010 to help patients in England access certain drugs. The CDF is money the Government has set aside to pay for cancer drugs that haven't been approved by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and aren't available within the NHS in England. The scheme was due to end this year, but David Cameron has pledged £400 million to keep it running. The governments of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland decide on how they spend money on health and so far haven't decided to run a similar programme. There are currently over 70 drugs available through the CDF, with over 38,000 patients in England receiving them in the past three years. Reasons for NICE not approving them could be because the drugs haven't been looked at yet or because NICE have said they are not cost-effective. For this study, researchers analysed data from hospital pharmacies in both England and Wales from August 2007 to December 2012, to capture data from before and after the establishment of the Cancer Drugs Fund. The 15 drugs were selected to represent different categories of NICE approval – recommended, not recommended and not appraised. The results, published in the British Journal of Cancer, show that drugs recommended by NICE were not prescribed any more in England than in Wales following the introduction of the Cancer Drugs Fund. However, drugs that were rejected by NICE because they were not good value for money were prescribed up to seven times more often in England than in Wales. Unexpectedly, the three most recently launched drugs (Pazopanib, Bendamustine and Abiraterone), which were awaiting appraisal by NICE at the time of the introduction of the Cancer Drugs Fund and have since been approved, were adopted faster in Wales than in England. This suggests that doctors in England have been slower to adopt newer drugs which do provide good value for money. The research was led by Dr Charlotte Chamberlain, an NIHR Doctoral Research Fellow from the University of Bristol's School of Social and Community Medicine. She said: "There's been much debate surrounding the Cancer Drugs Fund. The vast majority of Cancer Drugs Fund drugs do not cure the cancer, but may extend life or improve symptoms in some people. "The high cost of these drugs means that the NHS cannot afford other treatments and therefore, critics argue that public money is being spent inefficiently. It's also been controversial because people perceive that the fight against cancer is being prioritised over other diseases. "Our research has highlighted that the CDF has created an inequality between cancer sufferers in England and those in Wales. This raises ethical, moral, financial and policy concerns." More information: "Does the cancer drugs fund lead to faster uptake of cost-effective drugs? A time-trend analysis comparing England and Wales." C Chamberlain, S M Collin, P Stephens, J Donovan, A Bahl and W Hollingworth. British Journal of Cancer advance online publication 25 February 2014; DOI: 10.1038/bjc.2014.86

Results. UB alumni achieved a 52 percent pass rate on the 2010 exam—four-percent above the national pass rate of 48 percent. Of the nine state public and private institutions with reported results— Bowie State University, The Johns Hopkins University, Loyola University Maryland, Morgan State University, Salisbury University, Towson University, University of Maryland, College Park, and the University of Maryland University College—UB’s 52 percent pass rate was the second-highest finish and just six percentage points behind College Park. UB’s graduates also compared well nationally on the four sections of the exam, scoring above the national average in auditing (56 percent pass rate; the national average is 48 percent), business environment (48 percent pass rate; the national average is 47 percent), and regulation (58 percent pass rate; the national average is 51 percent). Alumni scored one percentage point below the national average on the financial accounting and reporting section (47 percent pass rate; the national average is 48 percent). Merrick School of Business Dean Darlene Smith said the NASBA results are indicative of a strong UB accounting program that continues to provide accounting talent to area employers. “As businesses everywhere have strengthened their methods of accountability for their customers and their shareholders, the accounting profession has reached its rightful place as a top priority and a source of excellence,” Smith said. “In the past 15 or so years, accounting has become a nexus of dependable data and reliable rules; it’s the bedrock on which any business, large or small, is built. Many of our very best students and alumni have recognized that, and certainly we’ve been a consistent provider of a top-level accounting degree.” Smith pointed to Merrick’s Honors Accounting program as an example of the institution’s determination not only to maintain a market-ready, forward-looking accounting program, but to build on that strength by keeping pace with trends in the accounting profession. It’s not only in test results that Merrick School of Business accounting alumni are excelling. For the past several years, the school has been the single largest producer of graduates who go on to lead the largest accounting firms in the Baltimore area. According to the Baltimore Business Journal, which each year compiles the list of the 25 largest accounting firms with offices in metropolitan Baltimore, there are 10 UB alumni serving as managing partners in those firms. Over the past several years, no single institution can claim a larger number of its graduates holding the reins at these area firms. The 2010 C.P.A. exam results are available in the 2011 edition of the Candidate Performance on the Uniform CPA Examination: Reports and Commentary on the 2010 CPA Examination, published by the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy. Learn more about the NASBA.

[tag: science] A Notable Obit In Today’s Paper [3:08 pm] William C. Conner, 89, Judge Known for First Amendment Rulings, Dies (pdf) Judge Conner’s expertise in intellectual property issues was the principal reason he was given responsibility in the mid-1970s for overseeing a 1941 consent order governing the activities of Ascap, which represents songwriters and music publishers in royalty and other matters. Under the order, the federal government and Ascap — an acronym for the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers — agreed to put Ascap’s dealings under the supervision of the federal court in Manhattan to settle an antitrust suit. Judge Conner in 2004 approved a new deal for Ascap’s licensing of songs to radio stations. The pact is estimated to have increased payments to composers and publishers by $1.7 billion since 2001. In 2007, Judge Conner vetoed an Ascap request to classify digital downloads as performances; the designation would have given songwriters an extra royalty. Last year, he turned down Ascap’s request to get 3 percent of revenues from songs streamed over AOL, Yahoo and RealNetworks. Instead, he decreed 2.5 percent. [...] The Marx Brothers case in 1981 involved the Broadway show “A Day in Hollywood/A Night in the Ukraine.” Heirs of the Marx Brothers’ contended that the show had illegally appropriated the names and likenesses of Groucho, Harpo and Chico Marx. Judge Conner said that publicity rights held by the brothers, all of whom had died, trumped the producers’ First Amendment claims. The ruling was reversed by the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. Later: A related op-ed on the role of the courts in intellectual discource — The Day Obscenity Became Art Looking over the Roth decision, Rembar spotted a loophole. The opinion, written by Justice William J. Brennan, noted that the First Amendment’s purpose was “to assure unfettered interchange of ideas” and that “all ideas having even the slightest redeeming social importance — unorthodox ideas, controversial ideas, even ideas hateful to the prevailing climate of opinion — have the full protection of the guarantees.” But, Brennan went on, “implicit in the history of the First Amendment is the rejection of obscenity as utterly without redeeming social importance.” Rembar mulled over a question that Brennan apparently hadn’t considered: What if a book met the standards of obscenity yet also presented ideas of “redeeming social importance”? By Brennan’s logic, wouldn’t it qualify for the First Amendment’s protection after all? On a sheet of paper, Rembar drew two slightly overlapping circles. He labeled one circle “Material appealing to prurient interests.” He labeled the other “Material utterly without social importance.” By Brennan’s reasoning, only material that fell inside both circles — that was both prurient and worthless — should be denied the privileges of free speech. This was the argument that Rembar made before Judge Frederick van Pelt Bryan of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York. [...] Where would we be without the “new math” education? permalink to just this entry

Branded as Improvest in the United States, the generic name for the active ingredient is gonadotropin releasing factor analog-diphtheria toxoid conjugate. Its mode of action is to temporarily and immunologically block gonadotropin releasing factor (GnRF), which reduces the levels of androstenone and skatole in mature male pigs — the primary source of “off odors” in pork. Androstenone and skatole occur naturally in male pigs as they reach puberty at 4 to 6 months of age. This off odor is often referred to as “boar taint.” Castration of male pigs at an early age prevents them from reaching sexual puberty, thus eliminating the source of off odors. Improvest was approved by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) in 2011. Regulatory authorities in more than 60 other countries, including the European Union and Japan have also approved its use. Labeled as Improvac in some countries, it has been in use for over 10 years. Shelley Stanford, DVM, Pfizer technical services director, positions the product as an alternative way to capture the value of intact male pigs while also managing the occasional issue of off odors in pork. “Improvest is elegant in its simplicity,” she explains. “It is a protein compound that works like an immunization. It uses the pig’s own immune system to temporarily provide the same effect as physical castration to manage the substances that can cause unpleasant odor in pork from male pigs. It is administered later in life, which allows these pigs to grow as intact males, capturing the inherent value and efficiencies of growing intact males.” Explaining the generic name further, Stanford breaks it down like this: - Gonadotropin releasing factor (GnRF) is a compound that all animals produce naturally as they mature. Improvest does not contain naturally occurring GnRF, but rather contains an incomplete version of it (analog), which makes it inactive. - Diphtheria toxoid (DT) is the same as the standard diphtheria vaccine that has been safely used in global childhood vaccination programs since the 1930s. It is a protein that contains natural amino acids. It is used as the carrier (conjugate) protein for the incomplete GnRF analog molecule. - Conjugate means to join together. Two compounds need to be conjugated to produce the immunological response in the pig. Together, the compounds act as an immunization to control the substances that create off odors. Stanford feels it is particularly important for consumers to understand what Improvest is not. It is not a hormone. It is not chemical castration, which would potentially imply a direct injection into the testicle. It is not genetically modified or permanent. It is not in and of itself a feed additive or a growth promotant. Rather, the growth rate and feed efficiency improvements commonly seen with the use of the product are the result of allowing intact males to grow naturally until later in life, when the product is administered. “There are no residues in the meat from Improvest-managed pigs that could affect human health,” Stanford explains. There are no export restrictions on the meat from Improvest -managed male pigs, and the product has no withdrawal. While Improvest has been cleared for use, the company has been working with university researchers and swine veterinarians in the United States to gather more scientific and field data before formally rolling it out to the broader industry during a mid-December Pork Chain Summit in Miami, FL. Understanding Boar Taint Setting the stage, swine behavior specialist John McGlone, Texas Tech University, provides a brief overview of boar taint and the reasons young male pigs are castrated to manage the off odors caused by androstenone and skatole. As the complete pig genome has unfolded in recent years, much has been learned about the pig’s ability to smell and taste, he begins. “The pig is unique in that it has more olfactory — sense of smell — genes than most other species. It can smell more things than people can smell and they can smell them at lower concentrations. In fact, the pig’s olfactory capabilities are about 40,000 times more sensitive than a human’s,” he says. While their ability to smell is acute, their sense of taste has fewer genes than humans. “They can find all kinds of smelly things to eat, but they don’t care what it tastes like,” McGlone says. In the wild, pigs became scavengers and opportunistic feeders — consuming most anything they could find. These feral ancestors developed matriarchal pig societies where the mature females were clearly in charge. Boars were loaners, allowed into the group only when the females were in heat. That’s where the sense of smell became very important. As pigs evolved, successful boars produced more of the pheromone androstenone in their saliva. “The saliva advertises a boar’s ‘boarness’ by releasing these stinky steroids into the air to attract the female. The sows select the smelliest boar around,” he continues. The first pheromone discovered in mammals was the discovery of androstenone in pigs in 1968, primarily because it was present in such high concentrations in the saliva and the fat of male pigs, McGlone notes. Skatole, produced in the lower gut, is also taken up in the blood and fat and remains there in intact male pigs. In gilts and barrows this compound is cleared efficiently by the liver, while in intact males the efficiency of liver clearance is reduced by testicular steroids. As a means to eliminate this innate ability of male pigs to produce pheromones when they reach sexual maturity, hog farmers castrate the young males. Odor of the Beholder Sensitivity to boar taint in pork varies in people. According to a recent meat science study, about 43% of women and 53% of men cannot smell androstenone. However, about 20% of people are highly sensitive to the pheromone and 28% have medium sensitivity. “The first thing to remember about boar taint and the androstenone pheromone is that people in the United States do not know this story; they do not know about boar taint and that it smells bad. Nor do many people know that pigs are castrated or why they are castrated,” McGlone continues. Still, the fact remains that literally half of the pigs born in the United States have the innate potential to develop off odors when grown beyond their sexual maturity (over 220 lb.). The options available to eliminate the off-putting odor are castration, genetic selection (slow and expensive), semen sexing (cost prohibitive), developing methods to block pheromone-producing capabilities and, now, immunological castration. The Improvest Program Use of the product requires a veterinary prescription to ensure proper handling, administration and tracking. “Everything that happens with these Improvest pigs is tracked,” Pfizer’s Stanford assures. Everyone who administers the product must complete a three-step training program: Level 1 — Web-based, audio-visual training. Level 2 — Introduction to the product and training in biosecurity protocols, care and use of specially made injection equipment, administration techniques, professional behavior and worker safety with the product and with the animals. Level 3 — Quality assurance training to ensure technicians are competent to administer Improvest and utilize the tracking program, Improvest Platform with Global VetLink. Veterinarians can serve as quality assurance administrators and provide training. The first injection, given at 9 weeks of age or older, simply primes the pig’s immune system. The second dose is given at least four weeks after the priming dose. Two weeks after the second dose, a quality assurance inspection takes place. Pigs are checked closely to identify “suspect” animals — those exhibiting boar-like behavior such as mounting penmates. “This is critical to the program,” Stanford emphasizes. The quality assurance inspector records key information into a SmartPhone, such as training certification, the number of vials and doses prescribed and used and key production data (i.e., growth rate, pen or barn feed efficiency). The program is linked to a GPS to track pig location and movement. “Very critically, a certificate accompanies pigs to market, which links to the Improvest Platform and assures packers that these are barrows,” she says. “We have taken a gradual, thoughtful approach to introducing this product to the market. First, we wanted to ensure that ‘best practices’ were in place, including nutritional guidelines, best handling practices, animal care and management guidelines. We’re raising intact males now and we want to capitalize on all of the efficiencies associated with that. We also wanted to ensure a coordinated food chain effort — giving packer-processors time to integrate these intact males into their systems,” Stanford explains. Carcass Quality Traits Much of the carcass quality work pertaining to Improvest was conducted at the University of Illinois. Former Illinois graduate student Dustin Boler, now at Ohio State University, provided an overview of pork quality attributes of immunologically castrated (IC) barrows. “At a similar age, live weight of IC barrows is greater than physically castrated (PC) barrows,” he begins. “The presence of the testicles accounts for about 0.3% of carcass yield, plus we have an increase in visceral weight (other reproductive tract components, liver, kidneys) and intestinal mass/gut fill, which decreases carcass yield of IC barrows by about 1.12 to 1.87%. But overall, IC barrows are about 8% more efficient in converting feed to lean, and their average daily gain is about 4.2% better,” he says. Boler analyzed a composite list (seven to nine research reports) that identified four key pork quality parameters that are important whenever a new technology is considered: Pork quality: “Often, when we talk about meat quality, the discussion begins and ends with color because it is the number one driver of a consumer’s intent to purchase,” he says. No lean color differences were noted in IC vs. PC barrow carcasses. Next in the quality discussion is tenderness, measured objectively by Warner-Bratzler shear force, which simulates the amount of force required to chew through a piece of meat. Subjective estimates of tenderness were also conducted with trained and untrained panels. “Tenderness drives repeat customer purchases,” Boler says. No difference in tenderness was found. “Muscle is about 75% water, so water-holding capacity (WHC)/drip loss is very important to its ability to retain water,” he explains. No WHC differences were found. “One of the most important measures of meat quality is pH because it most closely influences the other meat quality parameters,” Boler points out, noting there was no difference between IC and PC barrows. Carcass cutability: Proportional distribution throughout the carcass, not constrained to specific cuts, is important. “IC barrows have a relatively consistent increase in carcass cutability of 2.0 to 2.5%,” he notes. Fat quality: “We know that the IC barrows are slightly leaner, grow faster and have slightly thinner bellies, so we need to be able to manage fat quality differences. This can be done by adjusting the timing between the second dose and harvest. If a consumer wants a leaner product, you would harvest IC barrows 3-4 weeks post second injection. If they want a little more fat, harvest animals 7-9 weeks post second injection,” he suggests, noting that intramuscular fat can be managed with diet. Further processing: “About 75% of pork in the United States is further processed,” Boler reminds. Research showed virtually no difference in loin depth in IC barrows vs. PC barrows. IC barrows consistently had a slight reduction in 10th rib backfat and a slight improvement in carcass lean — the packer advantage. But the slightly thinner bellies of IC barrows must be monitored and managed, he explains. Feeding Management University of Guelph swine nutritionist Kees de Lange describes the immunologically castrated (IC) barrow as a “fascinating animal.” “Understanding it in terms of feeding management has proven to be a challenge, but it’s exciting too, because it is a new tool to manipulate feed efficiency and carcass quality in pork production,” he says. “In a discussion about the biology of growth, swine nutritionists like to talk about whole-body protein deposition and how it changes over time. These changes determine optimum market weight, marginal feed efficiency, nutrient requirements and cost of production. Clearly, entire males are superior in protein deposition. They peak later in life, so raising entire males is an advantage,” he explains. During the grow-finish phase, feed efficiency in entire males can be as much as 15% higher than that in physically castrated (PC) barrows. Based on the various studies, growth performance of IC barrows is identical to entire males up to the second dose of Improvest. After the second dose, the IC males gradually change, which results in higher feed intake, growth rate and whole-body protein deposition. Based on six growth performance studies conducted in the United States, Improvest reduced feed required per pound of gain by about 7% and improved growth rate by about 3%, when IC barrows were compared to PC barrows over the entire growth period. Feed intake of PC barrows is about 13% greater than IC barrows before the second dose is administered. After the second dose, the difference is reversed. IC barrow feed intake is about 5% higher, on average, but the difference was 1% in some studies and 9% in others, de Lange explains. “Predictability of performance after the second dose seems to be poorer than it is prior to that dose. This will have some implications on how we feed those animals in specific units,” he adds. Feed intake is the key. “Essentially, after the second dose, the physiology of the IC male becomes more like that of a PC barrow. Suddenly, it wants to become fatter and that means it’s going to eat a lot more feed. In the metabolism studies with individually housed pigs, we saw feed intakes increase by 20-30% within days after the second dose. It’s quite remarkable,” de Lange says. “However, this increase in feed intake appears smaller and more gradual under commercial conditions. The biggest questions that remain are how does group size, pig space, feeder space and maybe genotype affect feed/energy intake after the second dose?” The PC barrows grow a little faster than the entire males up to when the second dose is given, but the difference is minor, he says. “After the second dose, the IC barrows begin to overtake the PC barrows and their growth rate is 10-15% higher,” de Lange says. Protein and lysine requirements for the intact males (prior to the second dose) are much higher than are normally fed to grow-finish pigs in North America, he explains. But after the second dose, when feed intake increases substantially, the protein and lysine levels in the diet can be reduced for IC barrows. “The real opportunity lies in adjusting the feeding program of those animals. Split-sex feeding and phase feeding will become more important, which will have implications for flow and management of those animals,” he adds. “The carcass yield will always be lower in the IC barrow than the PC barrow because we remove a little extra weight at the slaughter house (testicles, gut fill, etc.). That just means we have to get about 1.2% extra weight on those IC barrows before they are sent to market in order to achieve carcass weights that are similar to PC barrows,” he observes. About three years ago, Pfizer assembled an international nutrition panel to review nutrient requirements and feeding recommendations for IC barrows. More recently, a North American panel was assembled to review U.S. and Canadian pig performance studies and to update recommendations from the international panel. The North American panel agreed that nutrient requirements for intact males and IC barrows can be derived using the nutrient requirement model from the new National Research Council (NRC) publication, “Nutrient Requirements of Swine,” 11th edition (available via or call (800)-624-6242. Based on observed performance in the six North American studies, the nutrition panel suggests the dietary lysine requirements of IC barrows are similar to lean gilts. Therefore dietary lysine levels that are 104, 108, 112 and 98% of those for gilts are recommended when IC barrow body weights are 55 to 110, 110 to 165, 165 to 220 and 220 to 275 lb., respectively. “Other nutrients in the diet basically increase in proportion to lysine because most of the requirements are driven by muscle growth and protein deposition,” de Lange explains. Ractopamine (Paylean from Elanco Animal Health) also changes the physiology of the pig. When fed to Improvest -managed pigs, the responses are additive, which means the nutrient requirements are additive too, he says. “We don’t need to spend a lot of time estimating the nutrient requirements because we know and understand the animal’s biology sufficiently to say those responses are additive. This is also very exciting because we now have an additional tool to optimize and manage feed efficiency and carcass quality,” he adds. Payback Potential In an effort to establish the baseline variables, assumptions and criteria needed to begin to analyze the payback potential of Improvest at the farm level, Kelly Zering, North Carolina State University Extension economist, developed a standard partial-budget analysis. Key assumptions include the need for split-sex feeding, elimination of the materials and labor for castration and a lower pre-weaning mortality and morbidity of intact males. The cost of Improvest and the labor and equipment required to administer two doses was set at $5/pig in the model. In the extensive partial budget model, factoring in pig performance and carcass differences, the predicted net revenues after costs were $6.36/IC barrow, including $1.16/male pig weaned, by reducing preweaning death loss. The predicted results are specific to the prices and production parameters used in the model. Vast differences in farm facilities and pig management capabilities will impact return on investment, Zering emphasizes. Editor’s Note: Future issues of National Hog Farmer will feature results of research trials studying the impact of Improvest .

Last month, city council in Kitchener, Ont., voted soundly to axe half a million dollars from the city’s fire department budget after noting that its staff costs had leaped an incredible 22% in only five years. “It is not just Kitchener, it is every municipality … it is totally unsustainable,” said Mayor Carl Zehr in the lead-up to the vote, according to the Waterloo Region Record. The decision went counter to a 14-page November letter drafted by the Kitchener Professional Fire Fighters Association. In it, complete with graphs and charts showing how quickly residential fires can spread, the union wrote that “community safety” was in jeopardy. “We realize that although financial constraints are always present in budget management, we must … not sacrifice safety in order to balance operating budgets,” it concluded. Road workers get pink slips and librarians get salary cuts, but firefighters have often ridden through tough economic times with steady pay and untouched staffing levels. But in an age of fireproofing and smoke detectors, increasingly idle fire stations are proving a tempting target for belt-tightening cities across Canada. As firefighters hit back with warnings of untended blazes and trapped families, however, the struggle to reform Canadian firefighting is not looking pretty. According to a regularly updated profile of firefighting maintained by Service Canada, “prospects in this occupation are good.” There are fewer fires and the risk of government cutbacks, sure, but those “have been offset by people’s fears about the elimination of firefighters’ jobs in their neighbourhoods,” notes the document. In other words, while fire departments may typically be expensive and overstaffed, making them reasonable cutback targets for cities with strained budgets, the public retains a reflexive fear of their homes going up in flames. Add to that our admiration for the heroes in helmets, and firehalls have become one of the most sensitive areas for budget-conscious politicians. That has not stopped city governments from trying. ‘We’re basically sending four very well-paid lifeguards in a very expensive truck to a scene that requires highly trained paramedics to provide definitive care’ In Saint John, N.B., city councillors had been trying for years to trim the fire department budget but by 2011 had succeeded in little more than a formal request asking firefighters to forego a new set of dress uniforms. By 2012, citizens had begun packing into public meetings demanding a second look at the fire department budget — even if it meant a cut to service. In 2011, after the Calgary Fire Department was asked to make $7.9-million in cuts over three years, Fire Chief Chief Bruce Burrell warned that the growing city faced a “crisis point.” “If we’re not at the crisis point, we’re very close to the crisis point of being able to provide an effective fire service for a city of over a million people,” said Chief Burrell. In response, Mayor Naheed Nenshi said, “if they come to us with scary things, we will send them back to look for efficiencies.” Of course, nowhere has the fight gotten quite as bitter as in Toronto. In early January, to kick off the new year, Toronto firefighter’s union president Ed Kennedy held a press conference in front of a boarded-up house where a fire had claimed an elderly woman — and denounced a city council plan to flatline the department’s budget. “I’m just saying that the trucks that arrived here, there was definitely a delay … a delay because we had not enough firefighters on duty that day,” he said. Budget grandstanding by Toronto firefighters has particularly irked the city’s paramedics, who are often beaten to medical emergencies by the better-staffed and better-funded fire department, only to see Toronto’s bravest do little more than direct traffic. “What we’ve found is that fire has only been able to provide any relevant medical intervention 2% of the time,” Toronto EMS union president Geoff MacBride told the Post in January. “They essentially have the same skills as a lifeguard and we’re basically sending four very well-paid lifeguards in a very expensive truck to a scene that requires highly trained paramedics to provide definitive care,” he added. Ultimately, Toronto firefighters won the latest budget round when, last month, city council voted against the proposed flatlining — despite assurances from fire chief Jim Sales that the money was unnecessary. After all, Toronto, just like everywhere else in Canada, is catching fire less. Smoking rates have plummeted, electrical wiring is better and when fires do start, automatic sprinkler systems can have it quickly tamed. In 1977, when Canada only had 23.7 million people, the country reported 74,043 fires — about one every 7 minutes. Twenty-five years later, there were eight million more Canadians and 21,000 fewer fires. ‘If you were to get any kind of incident that requires a large amount of your manpower, you’re now leaving the balance of your city somewhat unprotected. As a taxpayer, I’d be alarmed’ Ideally — all other things being equal — the most fireproof city is the one that shrinks its fire department and pours the savings into fire prevention and building codes. “It’s very heavily resisted by [firefighter’s unions], but if you look at the situation from an unbiased perspective … the biggest bang for your buck absolutely happens with a combination of non-combustible construction, sprinklering … and early detections such as smoke detectors,” said Michael R. Currie, the Director of Fire Underwriters Survey for Western Canada. The philosophy has found a ready practitioner in the 9,000-person community of Sechelt, B.C. “Over 20 years ago, we realized that the muscle and hose version of fire protection doesn’t really work,” said Chief Bill Higgs of the Sechelt Volunteer Fire Department. “Fighting fires after they’ve started and progressed to the point where you need a large contingent of career firefighters to come in … isn’t at all effective as far as the provision of fire protection,” he said. Vancouver remains the only major Canadian city that could still be levelled by a “great fire” the likes of which struck Chicago in 1871 and Vancouver itself in 1886. In the wake of a much-anticipated major earthquake, said Mr. Currie, “you could reasonably expect the kind of significant conflagration where a large portion of the city is wiped out.” And yet, the city has already undergone the painful fire department restructuring just now facing the likes of Kitchener and Toronto. “You go back to the 1970s, we had well in excess of 900 firefighters and a population of just over 300,000,” said Gord Ditchburn, president of the Vancouver Firefighter’s Union. In the four decades since, the population has more than doubled, the seaside has become lined with glass condo towers and the fire department has lost nearly 150 positions. The fire department that remains, meanwhile, has shifted from an organization that dealt almost exclusively with fire suppression to a “civilian army,” in the words of chief John McKearney of Vancouver Fire & Rescue Services. The department now boasts a fully-equipped Heavy Urban Search and Rescue Team, building inspection units and even anti-hoarding units. Like its counterparts across the country, Vancouver firefighters spend the lion’s share of their time on medical calls, but instead of zooming through the downtown on full-size pumper trucks, they make medical calls in specially-equipped pickup trucks. According to Chief McKearney, it is the wave of the future. “I talk to my counterparts across the country and they’re moving this way; to have firefighters move into smaller response units while still having the capability to respond to a fire and perform other duties,” he said. Still, as is the case almost everywhere else, Vancouver firefighters are quick to warn that a reckoning could be nigh. “Every day you add new citizens to the city, and every day that’s a burden on your system,” said Mr. Ditchburn, speaking by phone Thursday night from Vancouver Fire Hall 15. “If you were to get any kind of incident that requires a large amount of your manpower, you’re now leaving the balance of your city somewhat unprotected. As a taxpayer, I’d be alarmed at that.” National Post

October 29, 2012 James Salmo named vice chancellor at SIU CARBONDALE, Ill. -- Southern Illinois University Carbondale Chancellor Rita Cheng today (Oct. 29) named James G. Salmo as vice chancellor for development and alumni relations. In his new role, Salmo also will serve as CEO of the SIU Foundation. Salmo is vice president for college advancement at Rhode Island College in Providence, R.I., which has an enrollment of 9,000 students. Salmo also serves as executive director of the Rhode Island College Foundation. His appointment, effective Nov. 28, requires SIU Board of Trustees approval, followed by formal endorsement by the SIU Foundation Board. “Jim will bring significant experience in fundraising, management and leadership to the position, along with a demonstrated ability to hire and develop staff,” Cheng said. “I am excited that he will be joining us.” A St. Louis native, Salmo is familiar with SIU Carbondale and the region. His father is a Herrin native, and early in his career, Salmo spent three years as director of annual giving at Southeast Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau. “I also have family friends who graduated from SIU who have nothing but positive things to say,” he noted. “Knowing that is a plus; in this position, you have to know how alumni feel.” Salmo also noted that SIU is “one of those great institutions” with strong research, teaching and athletics. “The University offers a really strong balance,” he said. Salmo has served in his current position at Rhode Island College since 2010. He is responsible for developing and implementing all fund-raising strategies for capital, annual and deferred giving, and provides overall guidance and director to the college’s alumni relations program. From 2003 to 2010, Salmo served as associate vice chancellor for development-health sciences at the University of Missouri in Columbia. He was responsible for providing executive leadership and strategic direction for all health-care related fundraising programs at the university. Among his previous positions, Salmo servied as vice president for advancement at the St. Louis College of Pharmacy (1997-2003); director of development for Whitfield School in St. Louis (1996-1997); and director of development for the University of Missouri School of Law (1991-1995). Salmo earned a master’s degree in media/communication from Webster University in 1985 and a bachelor’s degree in theater from Saint Louis University in 1981.

Fla. Panhandle Counties Close To Receiving $88M For Oil Spill Restoration Projects Several Florida Panhandle counties are slated for about $90 million worth of early restoration projects to address areas impacted by the Deepwater Horizon oil-spill. Florida Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Herschel Vinyard, other Environmental leaders, as well as local officials made that announcement Friday in Panama City. A total of 28 projects are slated to benefit an eight county area in the Florida Panhandle that Governor Rick Scott designated as hugely affected by the oil spill. Former Florida DEP Secretary Mimi Drew says the biggest amount of the $88 million will go to Escambia County. “An $18 million project in Escambia for a hatchery that Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission will be building and managing, and of course, that will allow them to raise fish-gulf types of fish—and then release into the gulf to enhance fisheries,” said Drew. But, she says there’s also regional projects that will stretch along all eight counties, including Franklin, Okaloosa, and Santa Rosa. There’re also Bay, Gulf, Wakulla, and Walton counties. “For example, some oyster reefs—well be doing some oyster reef restoration will occur in multiple counties among those eight. And, living shorelines will be jointly shared between the state and the federal agencies on funding. So, we have some regional and some shared projects,” she added. But, Drew says before any of that is finalized, the projects will go through a 60-day public comment period that runs through February 4th: one in Pensacola on January 28th and another on January 29th in Panama City. For more news updates, follow Sascha Cordner on twitter @SaschaCordner.

THEY say that, in the theater, the playwright is king. So today’s column is a royal procession – Tennessee Williams, Harold Pinter and Noel Coward. Gore Vidal, who abandoned Broadway in the ’60s because he was tired of “being graded” by critics, has just completed an unfinished Tennessee Williams play called “Masks Outrageous and Austere.” Directed by Peter Bogdanovich, and starring his former lover Cybill Shepherd, the play is likely to open on Broadway in the spring. “Tennessee left about 10 pages of the play behind when he died,” Vidal tells me. “You could tell where he was going with it. I’ve tried to get the best of him because I think it’s a very good play.” He declined to discuss plot details, but a source says the play is about a billionairess (Shepherd), her gay husband and his young male lover. The source says the billionairess is based on Jane Smith, a friend of Williams who was an actress, an opera singer and part of the circle of Abstract Expressionist artists in the ’40s and ’50s. The wife of sculptor Tony Smith, she died in 2005. Vidal, however, vehemently denies she’s the subject of the play. “Good God, no! Why do they bring poor Jane Smith into this? The woman in the play is an alcoholic nymphomaniac. There is no remote connection. Tennessee had a number of monster women in his life – starting with his mother – but Jane was not one of them.” Williams did in fact hang out with rich women in New York, though Vidal says the playwright was no Truman Capote when it came to courting society. Imitating Capote’s high-pitched nasal voice, Vidal says: “Truman thought he was dealing with aristocracy, when all he was doing was having lunch with women who outlived their rich husbands.” Vidal, who was a close friend of Williams, is still bitter about the shabby treatment the author of “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” and “A Streetcar Named Desire” received from critics later in his career. “He suffered a lot from them, though I do not consider people who write for newspapers critics,” he says. “They may up their humble situation, but they make no contribution. “They said he was a little faggot, so what would he know about women? And I went on television many times to cut their throats.” HAROLD Pinter, who’s fight ing cancer, wasn’t well enough to attend the revival of “The Homecoming,” which opened Sunday night at the Cort. But his producer, Jeffrey Richards, phoned him in London at 4 a.m. New York time to read him the raves. “How are you feeling?” Richards asked. “All right. (Pause) Much better now, Jeffrey.” The 77-year-old Pinter kept tabs on the production from London, vetoing an ad that showed a pair of sexy legs under the tagline: “There are some things fathers and sons should never share.” “My play is sensual,” said Pinter. “It is not vulgar.” THE best theater book in stores right now is “The Letters of Noel Coward” (Knopf), edited by Barry Day. Coward’s wit and sophistication sparkle on every page, though here and there a scratch of frustration cuts across the gem-like surface of his prose. Here he writes about a young man with whom he’s smitten: “I can already see the hoops being prepared to put me through . . . He called me up, very tenderly; since then, I haven’t heard a bloody word.” To his friend Marlene Dietrich – herself madly obsessed with Yul Brynner, whom Coward called “Curly”: “To hell with God damned L’Amour. Don’t run after it. Don’t court it. Keep it waiting off stage until you’re good and ready for it. And even then treat it with the suspicious disdain that it deserves.” But his wit never deserted him for long. After seeing his by now former young lover in a play, he wrote: “He is much improved and acting in an Off Broadway artistic symbolic drama with a cast of four and an audience of thirteen.” [email protected]

( ) Some cookbooks inspire readers to hit the kitchen and prepare something great. Others inspire them to surrender and call for takeout Chinese. Take a guess as to which “Modernist Cuisine: The Art and Science of Cooking” is. The $625 tome, one of the most thorough and jaw-droppingly intricate food books ever published, aims to be nothing less than the bible of molecular gastronomy. At six volumes, 2,438 pages and some 50 pounds, you’ll need two people to lift it — and quite a few more if you plan on cooking anything in it. Its techniques are the stuff of the far-out culinary science made famous in such restaurants as Spain’s elBulli, England’s Fat Duck and Clinton Street’s wd-50. These places are less like kitchens and more like labs, deploying liquid nitrogen, $1,000 sous vide machines, rotary evaporators and vacuum centrifuges to put food on the table. The book, out March 14, was conceived and edited by Nathan Myhrvold, a former Microsoft executive who compiled cooking techniques, ingredient properties and the physics behind food preparation. (Diverse chapter headings include “How Muscle Works,” “Flavor Infusion Into Fats” and “Transglutaminase Gels.”) And then there are the recipes. Like most everything in the book, they’re cutting-edge and obsessively detailed — as well as nearly impossible for normal cooks to prepare. In the name of science, The Post set out to make one of the book’s key recipes: a mushroom Swiss burger. Despite the deceptively simple title, it’s a Dr. Frankenstein take on a hamburger that takes 30 hours to prepare — two hours longer than last week’s Oscars ceremony. We asked the expert chefs at SoHo’s French Culinary Institute to lend us their kitchen and expertise. “This is really a classic combination of ingredients,” says chef Jason Potanovich, a FCI instructor who spearheaded the burger project. “It’s the methodology that’s new.” Let’s get cooking, and bear in mind that this all went a lot faster because Potanovich had, at times, six other trained chefs helping out. The meat Because this is “Modernist Cuisine,” it obviously requires more than just dropping by your local Associated and picking up something in a Styrofoam tray. Instead, Potanovich assembles a blend of dry-aged rib-eye steak (for flavor), hangar steak and short ribs (for texture). It’s seasoned with salt and pepper, then cooled by pouring liquid nitrogen over it. Cold meat grinds better because the fats don’t break down due to heat. You could also just chill the meat in the freezer, but, as Potanovich says, liquid nitrogen is just more awesome. As the meat is fed into a grinder, the extruded ropes of ground beef are kept parallel, like a bundle of twigs. The recipe calls this “vertically align[ing] the grain.” The key is to manipulate the meat as little as possible, which keeps it tender. The patties will be cooked by a method called sous vide. The meat is vacuum-sealed in a plastic bag, then submerged in 133-degree water, where it will cook slowly for a long, long, long time. Thirty hours, to be exact. Probably not a good idea for dinner parties, but sous vide cooks the meat evenly. The veggies “Now it’s time to smoke the lettuce,” Potanovich announces. This is probably the first and last time this sentence has ever been uttered. A slice of iceberg lettuce is submerged in a bath of cold water seasoned with a couple drops of liquid smoke (available at your local grocery). Then it’s put into a vacuum machine, which looks like a tiny silver coffin. As the air is sucked out of the machine, the lettuce absorbs the solution, giving it a smoky flavor but preserving the leaf’s crisp texture. “It’s pretty ingenious,” Potanovich says. Simply slicing a tomato for your burger would be far too boring (and easy), so slices are seasoned with salt and olive oil, then “compressed” in the vacuum machine. As with the lettuce, the vacuuming process improves the tomato’s flavor while preserving its texture. The cheese For the cheese, a wild take on American singles, a mix of grated Emmental and Comte is heated in a pan with wheat ale — as well as two ingredients home cooks will have trouble laying their hands on, carrageenan and sodium citrate, which act as thickening agents. The hot, liquid mixture is poured into cylindrical molds, then cooled in the fridge. So why not just put a slice of regular Emmental cheese on the burger, instead of going to all this trouble? “It’s a novelty,” Potanovich says. “I think they just wanted a perfect bun-sized slice of cheese.” The condiments The burger is also topped with a homemade mushroom-ketchup, seasoned with fish sauce and horseradish. The next topping is so surprisingly straightforward, you wonder if there’s been some mistake. Slices of maitake mushroom are sauteed in a little oil. And that’s it. No machinery or NASA tech required. With such a high-maintenance burger — Potanovich estimates it would cost $60 in a restaurant because of the labor — the question is what to serve on the side. “Modernist Cuisine” suggests French fries. Only these are prepared with a vacuum sealer and an ultrasonic water bath. Naturally.

Genesys (News - Alert), a leading provider of customer service solutions, today announced a key addition to its executive team with the appointment of Reed Henry as Chief Marketing Officer. With deep marketing, strategy, product and alliances experience in the enterprise software market and a proven track record of successfully guiding companies through strategic transformations, Reed will complement Genesys' existing management team as the company expands its global reach. Key Facts: "I am pleased to welcome Reed Henry as Chief Marketing Officer," said Paul Segre, President and CEO of Genesys. "Reed's extensive experience in growing leading-edge companies, leading strategic transformations, and creating demand within new markets will help drive Genesys forward and strengthen our global brand position across the enterprise market." "I'm extremely excited to be joining Genesys," said Reed Henry. "With innovative technology, an expansive customer base, and strong market leadership, Genesys has an incredible position to build on and expand. I look forward to working with the Genesys team to grow the business in existing and new markets worldwide." Outbound Call Center's Homepage ] Ph: 1-800-243-6002 or 203-852-6800 Fx: 203-853-2845 | Contact Us © © 2015 Copyright, TMC

IBM, which employs thousands in the Triangle area, doesn’t want North Carolina to adopt a controversial religious freedom bill that opponents say would allow discrimination against the LGBT community. The company’s senior executive in North Carolina, Robert Greenberg, wrote a letter to Gov. Pat McCrory noting the company’s opposition, as reported by WRAL earlier this morning.. Several other tech companies have spoken against the bill, which would allow businesses to choose who they do work for based on religious beliefs. Opponents have said that essentially is a license to discriminate against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender residents. Similar legislation that became law in Indiana ignited a national firestorm of opposition. Red Hat CEO Jim Whitehurst wrote earlier this month that his Raleigh-based company embraces diversity and called the oroposed North Carolina legislation “divisive” and harmful to the state’s economy. Ltr_NCMcCrory_RFRA_040715.pdf by NC Policy Watch

[tag: how-to] Q & A; As Old as Dirt By C. CLAIBORNE RAY Published: June 14, 2011 Q.How old is backyard dirt? A. ''The short answer to the question is that it depends a lot on where one looks and how deep one digs,'' said Robert F. Anderson, a geochemist at the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory in Palisades, N.Y. ''Many areas at our latitude and further north had their soils scraped off by ice sheets during the last ice age,'' he said. ''The soil that exists in these regions now was formed since the ice sheets melted, so less than 18,000 years ago.'' In contrast, areas farther south, which have never been covered by glaciers, have been experiencing the weathering of rocks into soil for millions of years, Dr. Anderson said. Depending on whether one considers ''backyard dirt'' to be the rich organic layer that plants grow in, which may have formed over the last thousand years, or the deeper layers of soil that may be excavated for a basement, which may have formed over millions of years, the answers would be different. ''But for sure, if one tried to dig as deep as possible in some heavily weathered soils of the Southern United States, there are regions where the deeper horizons are millions of years old,'' Dr. Anderson said. C. CLAIBORNE RAY Readers are invited to submit questions by mail to Question, Science Times, The New York Times, 620 8th Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10018, or by e-mail to [email protected]. Questions of general interest will be answered in this column, but requests for medical advice cannot be honored and unpublished letters cannot be answered individually. DRAWING (DRAWING BY VICTORIA ROBERTS)

A ‘Full Life’ Remembered When Alice Dixon ’82 was a student at Sweet Briar, she took every single class Maxine Garner offered. That Garner taught religion and Dixon majored in biology didn’t matter. “I liked Miss Garner almost immediately,” Dixon remembers. “Her care and concern for her students was absolutely sincere … She was kind and charming, and we all enjoyed her Southern ways and accent.” Garner began her 26-year term at Sweet Briar in 1957, eventually becoming the Wallace E. Rollins Professor of Religion. She died March 8, 2013, at the age of 92, in her native Liberty, N.C. Sporting Peter Pan-collared shirts, knee-long dresses — “never pants” — and Keds in matching colors, along with a headband that was “perched on top, almost like a tiara,” Garner was as distinctive in appearance as she was in character. Admired by her students, she fit in well with the young crowd. Dixon remembers that the professor was unfazed by the noise level on Randolph Hall’s first floor, where she lived. Garner called her students “Friend” and made sure they mastered their grammar as well as their course material. “She was a full-service educator,” Dixon says. “One of my favorite things she once said was: ‘Jesus was a good boy, but Paul spread the Word!’ I can still hear her say it now.” Garner was so popular that the graduating class of 1983 made her an honorary member of their class, and the professor spoke at opening Convocation that fall. Garner retired in 1984 and returned to Liberty, N.C. Dixon had not seen her in years when, after field hockey coach Jennifer Crispen’s death in 2008, she decided to reach out to the professor emerita. “I realized how quickly time passes, and that if she was still living I would enjoy reconnecting with her,” she says. “I got her number and just called out of the blue. She was delighted to hear from a former student, and after that I made a point of talking with her occasionally, especially on holidays and her birthday.” Dixon visited her twice — the last time during Christmas last year. They talked about this and that, but mostly Sweet Briar. “I asked her what she liked the most about teaching there, and she immediately said the students. She told me about how fine the faculty was and how many travel and professional development opportunities Sweet Briar provided to her. She especially commented on going to India. “She mentioned to me often that she had a good life, very full and satisfying … but that she was ready to go.” Born March 15, 1919, Garner graduated in 1939 from the Woman’s College at the University of North Carolina, where she edited the student newspaper and was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa. She later attended Columbia University and Union Theological Seminary in New York, completing her master’s degree in 1946. From 1950 to 1952, she was a Fulbright scholar at the University of Aberdeen in Scotland, where she earned her Ph.D. Sweet Briar remained a constant in her life, even 30 years after she retired. During Dixon’s last visit, the professor gave her a special photo she had received from former Sweet Briar President Harold Whiteman. It pictures the Fletcher Oak during all four seasons. “It seemed to be such a relief to her to give the photo to someone she knew would appreciate it and value it as she did,” Dixon says. “I cherish it.” Garner’s memory lives on in other ways, too. Dixon, now a chemistry teacher at Collegiate School in Richmond, Va., is glad Garner knew before she died that her former student had become a teacher as well — both Garner and Crispen had encouraged her to go that route, but it took 25 years for it to sink in. “In homage to Miss Garner, I always grade with a green pen,” Dixon says. “[It’s] something she often did.” Category: Alumnae News, In Memoriam, Summer 2013

The Pierce Transit Board of Commissioners voted last night to cut service by 34 percent, starting September 29, 2013. The service reductions come in the wake of the defeat last November of a proposed three tenths of a cent sales tax increase. The cuts will likely include the elimination of all weekend and holiday service because the working poor who rely on bus service never work weekends and holidays. Or something. “We understand these reductions will deeply impact thousands in our communities,” Tacoma Mayor and Pierce Transit Board Chair Marilyn Strickland said in a statement. “This was a difficult decision.” These cuts will come on top of a 35 percent service reduction just last year. That's a 57 percent cut in service over just two years. Pierce Transit, which relies on sales tax revenues for 71 percent of its operations, has seen a four-year decline in sales tax revenues, but the legislature refused to grant it the same temporary car tab authority King County Metro exercised last year to stave off deep cuts. Fifty-six percent of Pierce Transit riders earn less than $20,000 a year, and 45 percent do not own a working vehicle. But, you know, fuck 'em. 27 Comments

Waynesville debates which special events merit street closingsWritten by Bibeka Shrestha Waynesville’s town board is drawing the line at 14 Main Street closings annually. As a result, the town has rejected a request to shut down part of Main Street to traffic for a Sept. 11 memorial ceremony. The group organizing the memorial was hoping to close the area in front of the Haywood County Courthouse for three hours so that an American flag could be raised between two parked fire trucks during the ceremony. The group putting on the ceremony is the 9-12 Project, a political group that shares many of the philsophies and goals of the Tea Party. Representing the 9-12 Project, Jan Sterret said she wanted to interrupt traffic as little as possible. “I think the greatest thing is the visual of the two fire trucks with the huge flag hanging down,” said Sterret. “It would be very meaningful for a lot of people.” But Mayor Gavin Brown, Town Manager Lee Galloway and town aldermen expressed concerns about irking the N.C. Department of Transportation with yet another closing. Main Street doubles as U.S. 276, a state maintained highway, and is not technically under the town’s jurisdiction. Whether it’s for a street dance, International Festival Day or a block party, closing Main Street requires permission from DOT 60 days in advance. So far, the DOT hasn’t objected to the large number of street closings in Waynesville. “Although they don’t particularly care for it, they’ve allowed it,” said Alderman LeRoy Roberson. But town officials fear the DOT might begin clamping down if the town adds any more closings to the list. “Sooner or later, DOT’s going to start knocking on the door,” said Brown. Jonathan Woodard, a DOT district engineer over Haywood, Jackson and Swain counties, said he would normally expect one or two street closings a year. “I wouldn’t expect it to be an every weekend or once-a-month type situation,” said Woodard. Though 14 street closings a year certainly doesn’t meet that threshold, Woodard said it really depends on which street is being closed. Making the call Festivals and events that have historically been part of Waynesville’s repertoire will likely continue to be approved for street closings. “The newer ones have a tougher time, there’s no question,” said Brown. Even the Haywood County Chamber of Commerce’s request to shut down Main Street for the inaugural Fire & Ice festival last winter was denied. The detour would take drivers down the much steeper Depot Street. “If it was snowy or icy, that could be a hazard that we were directing people into,” said Galloway. Waynesville’s tight budget continues to remain a concern. During each street closing, town employees must set up and remove barricades and clean up streets during the aftermath. A few extra police officers are often called in to work the events. “We have to try to control those costs to some degree,” said Galloway. Brown’s other reservation was that the 9-12 Project is not a legal entity that could held responsible if something went awry during the Sept. 11 memorial. “You would rather have a group of individuals who collectively take responsibility,” said Brown. “And the 9-12 group is not organized like that.” In contrast, the Downtown Waynesville Association — which coordinates most of the events on Main Street — is an established organization that carries a large insurance policy for its festivals. Brown said the 9-12 Project didn’t notify the town until Aug. 17 of its request for a street closing, while the Downtown Waynesville Association applies annually for street closings every February. “It shows me a lack of coordination,” said Brown. With about 100 people showing up at the Sept. 11 memorial last year, town officials say the Haywood County courthouse lawn will easily accommodate the entire ceremony again. Fire Chief Joey Webb is working with the group to possibly close down Depot Street to allow a flag to be draped across two fire trucks. Buffy Messer, director of the DWA, points out that unlike other towns, side streets can’t always accommodate events. The Apple Festival once took place on Church Street, but its slope made setting up booths challenging. “Main Street is just on this little ridge,” said Messer. “All the side streets are sloped. Our topography is just a little different than any other town.”

Givers and Takers — St. Louis County Towns Fight over How to Divide Sales Tax Rich Magee, President of St. Louis County Municipal League ST. LOUIS–(KMOX)–The municipal sales tax you pay every time you buy anything from a pack of gum to a diamond ring in St. Louis County is about to be divided up differently, as bickering cities complain they aren’t getting their fair share. Last year, 28 county cities generated $140 million in municipal sales tax revenue, which was then distributed according to a formula in place for decades. Cities with a high number of retail outlets complain they’re the givers and they view cities with less retail as the takers. “Some cities feel they have infrastructure projects they would like to do, but they don’t have enough money, because they feel they’re contributing too much to the pool,” said Rich Magee, President of the St. Louis County Municipal League, which oversees the sales tax pool. The Municipal League has convened a special task force to change the distribution formula — fearing if it doesn’t act, the state legislature could abolish the system entirely. “You can’t do away with this system and not have something to replace it, because you would be putting a large number of cities completely out of business,” Magee said. “Then what would happen is probably you’d have a lot of forced consolidations that were not in a reasoned, well thought-out manner, but just in desperation.” Currently, cities are designated as either “A-cities,” which are point-of-sale cities, and “B-cities,” which some grumble get more from the sales tax pool than they chip in. But Magee says even that generalization is debatable. For instance, take Glendale, a “B-city” where Magee is mayor. “I guess in a sense we are a taker, but we also believe we are a giver, because our residents pay sales tax in the county and shop in cities that are point of sale,” Magee said. Traditionally the “A-cities” got to keep 80 percent and the “B-cities” kept 20 percent, Magee claims. But now, he says some “A-cities” claim they’re forking over upwards of 50 percent. The sore spot — Magee says, is the state statute contains an algorithm that many feel is complex and unfair. “You’re dealing with a system that everybody feels is a little squishy and not easily comprehended,” Magee said. He cited Fenton as an example of an “A-city” that feels it’s giving more than it gets. Working to create a new formula, the 28 cities are discussing the pros and cons of the current system. They hope to have a proposal ready by the fall — before a bill to abolish the system might be filed for the next session of the legislature that starts in January. This past session, a bill to toss out the current system got out of committee with a do-pass recommendation, but languished in the Dandelion Days of the legislature.

Madison County Board Voting Tonight on Jail Improvements EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. (KMOX) – Madison County board members will decide tonight whether to spend $18 million to renovate the nearly 40-year-old county jail, despite calls by some to give voters the final say. The county board will vote on a proposal to issue bonds to pay for the improvements which would include a sprinkler system, electrical and plumbing upgrades, and an expanded cafeteria. Board Chairman Alan Dunston argues that it is something which simply has to be done but would be a tough sell to the public. “We have an antiquated building that we need to get fixed. If it went to the voters, I honestly don’t think it would pass so if you think the project’s worthwhile, I mean, we just have to do it,” Dunston said. “It would be different if we were trying to build a new jail, we’re not doing that, or building a new school. I think it would be a hard sell to the public to try to get votes in an open vote.” Dunston says the jail, which was designed to hold 100 inmates and now holds 300, is still passing state inspections but may not in upcoming years without the improvements. “I don’t know what’s going to happen when the state comes down and they start mandating you to fix some things that are not adequate now,” he said. “Sooner or later they’re going to come in and tell you you have to have a sprinkler system.”

GOING THE DISTANCE Beyond making individual women feel more comfortable nursing in public, the WW campaign has broader goals. Indeed, one-on-one resources are in abundance for moms in Maine, where there are 5.6 International Board Certified Lactation Consultants for every 1000 live births (the national average is 2.7). In addition, the international La Leche League, a non-profit that provides education and encouragement to breastfeeding moms, has several outposts and regular meetings around the state. And the all-volunteer Maine State Breastfeeding Coalition is working to increase the number of baby-friendly hospitals in the state (see sidebar, "The Business of Baby-friendliness"). But what happens when women leave the hospital, or their homes, or the security of a support group? "No one was really doing, on an ongoing basis, anything to change the public perception . . . in the workplace and out and about in women's daily lives," Miller says. While Maine has relatively high breastfeeding rates — just under 75 percent of babies are ever breastfed in this state, which roughly corresponds with the national average — there's a quick drop-off: by six months, the percentage of breastfed babies is down to 50 percent (this too aligns with national statistics). The US Department of Health and Human Services' Healthy People objectives, which set benchmarks for public health, would like to see those numbers increase to 82 and 60 percent by 2020. In turn (fingers crossed), national medical costs will go down and indicators of health will improve. "Breast milk is uniquely suited to the human infant's nutritional needs," reads the surgeon general's Call to Action, "and is a live substance with unparalleled immunological and anti-inflammatory properties that protect against a host of illnesses and diseases for both mothers and children." Breast-milk proponents claim that long-term nursing helps prevent or reduce a wide range of health problems, from the more common ear infections and infant diarrhea, through more serious conditions like respiratory infections and asthma, all the way to life-altering conditions such as obesity and diabetes. Even mothers reap benefits; studies suggest that the risk for both breast and ovarian cancers is reduced for moms who breastfeed. (It's worth noting that breastfeeding data is by nature observational and it is difficult to control for the many associated factors and outcomes.) "It benefits everybody," Rogers says, echoing the WW campaign slogan. "If everybody made a commitment to make families feel more comfortable breastfeeding, it would have an impact on community health." One way to do so is to support breastfeeding in public places. Another is to continue to find innovative ways to support breastfeeding in the workplace — which will be the second phase of the Whenever, Wherever campaign. There are other initiatives happening in other sectors, such as a research study currently taking place at Maine Medical Center examining how hospital practices affect how long a mother chooses to breastfeed. "We've enrolled 1200 moms and are excited to analyze our results in the upcoming months," says Kara Kaikini, parent education program coordinator at Maine Med and principal investigator on the research study. "Hopefully we'll learn more about how we as a hospital can help influence breastfeeding duration rates, which would then hopefully influence the number of mothers and babies breastfeeding while out and about. The more support mothers can feel prenatally, throughout their birth and postpartum experience in the hospital, and once they are home . . . will all help make breastfeeding more accepted, and normal, and possible." The business of baby-friendliness Table of Contents Cover Archive Masthead | Authors | Contact us See all articles by: DEIRDRE FULTON All Slideshows

(Houghton Mifflin, 276 pages, $23) When Jane Alison was 4, she met a girl from overseas named Jenny, who shared her birthday and had a family much like her own. Both girls’ fathers were diplomats, their mothers were near equals in charm and beauty, and each girl had a 7-year-old older sister. For one glorious half-year in Australia, the four parents and the four children were inseparable. But when Jenny’s family had to return to America, the adults made an unusual decision: They would trade spouses. Suddenly, Jane and her sister were bidding goodbye to their father and following their mother and a stand-in dad to Washington, D.C. Their real father had replacement girls. Jane Alison is now a novelist, and she recounts the “extraordinary facts” of her own life with an “unflinching eye,” said Mameve Medwed in The Boston Globe. The parents apparently assumed that their trade would work out fine, but the girls in The Sisters Antipodes all struggle with “the blackness of loss.” Intense transglobal rivalries spring up between them. Jenny “spirals downward” after reaching adolescence, cutting her wrists and taking up heroin. Jane pushes herself to become a superachiever but also, tortured by feelings of jealousy toward Jenny, “obliterates” her “father-longings” with binge drinking and promiscuous sex. Can love even be said to exist, the author wonders, if a father can leave his daughter? Her book examines such questions “not just obsessively but excessively.” The Sisters Antipodes might have been better if the narrator had allowed even more years for healing, said Francine du Plessix Gray in The New York Times. Though she recounts her own stretch of bad behavior “with wonderfully harrowing vividness,” the story is muddled by “turgid” metaphors and “tedious” ruminations about memory. Even so, the book is “sprinkled with breathtaking intuitions,” said Rachel Rosenblit in Elle. Its author worries that her family won’t welcome this public airing of their history. She shouldn’t. She has “spent so many years just figuring out” to whom she belongs that the book “seems less a breach of family ties than an act of bravery.”

Maine Gov. LePage Unveils Budget That Guts Necessities For Main Street To Pay For Tax Cuts For Rich CREDIT: Last fall, newly-elected Gov. Paul LePage (R-ME) told the citizens of his state that he pledged to enact “new ideas to get Maine working.” He also promised to defend “the traditional Maine values that have created strong communities and strong families across the state.” It now appears that LePage is ready to abandon Maine’s strong communities and families with a very old Bush-era idea that has repeatedly failed to get people “working” — gutting necessities for hardworking Main Street Mainers to finance tax cuts for some of the richest in the state.: And while Millett and business groups gave the tax cuts high marks, the Maine Center for Economic Policy, a liberal think tank, said the cuts give the rich much better benefits than the poor. “Where’s the sacrifice that’s being asked of Maine’s wealthiest residents?” said Garrett Martin, associate director of the center. The think-tank estimates that the average income tax break for families that earn between $28,139 and $48,050 would be $83 in 2013. That jumps to $874 for those who make more than $199,783 and to $2,770 for those who earn more than $363,438, according to the center. While unveiling his budget, LePage said that “if you want prosperity, you have got to make sacrifices.” Yet this chart of his proposed tax cuts from the Maine Center for Economic Policy shows that it appears that the richest Mainers aren’t sacrificing at all: There is reason to believe that Mainers are not going to take such an unfair deal lying down. As a part of a wider Main Street Movement, hundreds of Mainers marched on the State House this past week in support of Wisconsin workers. “The governor proposes largely balancing the state budget on (state workers’) backs,” said Ginette Rivard, vice president of the Maine State Employees Association, who has threatened to lead opposition to LePage’s budget.

Professor Patricia Kelley to Receive Board of Governors Award for Excellence in Teaching Tuesday, March 18, 2014 The University of North Carolina Wilmington’s Patricia Kelley, professor of geology, has been selected to receive a 2014 Board of Governors Award for Excellence in Teaching. Created in 1994, the award is the highest honor given to faculty for teaching excellence. It encourages, identifies, recognizes, rewards, and supports excellence in teaching within a university and Kelley will be honored during UNCW’s Spring commencement ceremony. “It is an honor to be the one selected for this award among my many talented peers at UNCW,” said Kelley. “This university is known for its dedication to teaching excellence and it is a true gift to be part of an institution that is so widely recognized for its achievements in higher education.” The Board of Governors of the University of North Carolina unanimously approves recommendations of its Committee on Personnel and Tenure for the twentieth annual system-wide awards and bestows this award to sixteen recipients, one from each institution, at an annual recognition luncheon hosted by the North Carolina Board of Governors in the spring. “Kelley’s philosophy demonstrates her willingness and ability to evolve her teaching styles and methods,” said Chancellor Gary L. Miller. “She is an expert not only in her field of research, but at facilitating thought and understanding in an energetic and enthusiastic classroom environment.” Kelley joined UNCW in 1997, serving as the chair for the Department of Earth Sciences from 1997-2003. Kelley aims to engage all of her undergraduate and graduate students by creating a student-centered classroom, using inquiry-based methods, and collaborative forms of applied learning. Kelley’s extensive resume includes a multitude of career highlights. She has received National Science Foundation grants for more than 15 years, has directed three PhD dissertations to completion and 25 Master’s theses, plus four that are in progress. Kelley’s professional leadership includes serving as President of the Paleontological Society, President of the Board of Trustees for the Paleontological Research Institution, and as a current member of the National Evolutionary Synthesis Center’s Advisory Board. She has edited five scholarly books and published two field trip guidebooks, 91 articles, and 200 abstracts. She has also served as a reviewer for 49 different journals, publishers, and granting agencies. Kelley is also the recipient of the Association for Women Geoscientists Outstanding Educator Award, as well as UNCW’s Chancellor’s Teaching Excellence Award, Distinguished Teaching Professorship Award and Distinguished Faculty Scholar Award. She also was named a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, 2006.

USA Swimming today announced that it has secured an eight-year sponsorship agreement with global swimwear company Arena. The core feature of the new deal is Arena’s role as exclusive sponsor of the U.S. National Team, which includes the creation of new National Team uniforms. The sponsorship goes into effect in January of 2013. In addition to its role as sponsor of the U.S. National Team, Arena will also be the exclusive title sponsor of USA Swimming’s annual Grand Prix Series, play a key supporting role in the USA Swimming Foundation and its Make a Splash water safety initiative, and enjoy worldwide merchandising rights for the USA Swimming brand. “Based on our international success over the past decade, it was time for us to target one of the most ambitious projects in our history – to be a leading player in the U.S., the most important market in the world of swimming,” said Arena CEO Cristiano Portas. “USA Swimming is an organization that excels both in and out of the pool and is a leader worldwide in advancing the sport. Today, we are immensely proud to partner with them, because we share their vision, passion, and determination.” The new partnership signals Arena’s growing presence and commitment to the U.S. market and comes on the heels of the recent opening of its wholly-owned North American subsidiary in Portland, Oregon. In less than two years since re-entering the U.S. market, propelled by the groundbreaking technology found in its top-performing suits and the speed of innovation that is powering its surge worldwide, Arena has now claimed a leading role in the racing category. “It was clear from our first meeting with USA Swimming that we share the same values and devotion to making sure the sport of swimming continues to grow for generations to come,” said Vice President and General Manager of Arena North America, Tim McCool. “We are excited to work with them on multiple levels, from elite to grassroots, all to benefit and celebrate the sport year-round.” American swimming is stronger than ever, and rapidly growing in popularity and participation. The strength of the sport in the U.S. is growing with a projected growth in membership after London 2012 of 10% or more, record attendance and TV ratings for the U.S. Olympic Trials, long-term TV and Internet partnerships, and all topped off by the highest medal production of any swimming country in the Olympic Games. “Arena.” Arena’s commitment to the highest level of U.S. swimming builds upon the brand’s existing involvement in the nation’s swimming community. Arena is involved at numerous levels, from individual sponsorships of athletes including Rebecca Soni, Aaron Peirsol, Eric Shanteau, and Conor Dwyer, to strategic college sponsorships (including the 2011 and 2012 NCAA Men’s champions the Cal Bears), grassroots sponsorship of Swim America (an American Swimming Coaches Association (ASCA) program), and charitable initiatives including the Edith Sanford Breast Cancer Foundation and Eric Shanteau’s Swim For Your Life program. “The fact that USA Swimming and Arena are joining forces creates an extremely powerful combination. I’ve been a member of the U.S. National Team, as well as a member of the Arena family, for several years and have a tremendous amount of respect for what both organizations stand for,” said six-time Olympic medalist Rebecca Soni. “This partnership will absolutely benefit the swimming community, both here in the U.S. and on a global level.”.

Encore gets biz as theaters shun On Stage offer NEW YORK — In a move that left several smaller Off Broadway theaters reeling, Playbill Inc. has elected to drop six of them from its list of clients, and has turned away several others seeking its services.The action was taken to cut costs while honoring more profitable commitments on Broadway, where the biz is booming. Those theaters dropped are Chicago City Limits, the Jewish Repertory at Playhouse 91, the Soho Playhouse, the Lambs, the American Place and the Players Theater, all in Gotham. The Signature Theater Co. had approached Playbill about beginning service, but was turned away. Officials at the Signature Co. could not be reached for comment. Higher costs The pull-back by Playbill could mean substantially increased costs for the theaters, which could now be forced to print and provide their own programs to theatergoers. “You operate on a razor-thin margin. Something like this is often the difference between being in business and not being in business,” said Paul Zuckerman, artistic director and a producer at Chicago City Limits Theater. “It breaks your heart.” Reps said Playbill regrets the decision, but maintains it’s purely economic. “We know what we’re doing is not an easy thing. But primarily, these are smaller theaters and less frequently lit,” said Phil Birsh, Playbill prexy and publisher. Playbill distributes 1.29 million copies to relatively upscale eyeballs every month. The ad-supported magazine, which contains features on the industry and info about the shows, is provided gratis to theaters. Birsh says the more copies printed of a particular show, the cheaper each gets. For the smaller shows, clearly, the costs are greater. While a small house might have a hit on its hands, Playbill simply can’t justify going back to advertisers — whose budgets are set well in advance — to ask for more money. “I can’t go back to advertisers and say, ‘We had a big month, I want more (money),’ ” lamented Birsh. But Chicago City’s Zuckerman maintains that the very audience that Playbill is seeking — young, upscale, with changeable brand loyalty — is what these smaller theaters deliver. “You have a lot of little theaters that make a big impact. That elusive young demo that everybody’s looking for? We get that every night. I’d say that 90% of Broadway shows don’t have that.” In its place, Playbill is offering these affected smaller theaters a lightweight version of its regular program called On Stage, sans advertising and with a direct cost to the theaters. According to a source at Playbill, all of the dropped theaters have rejected the On Stage offer. At the American Place, which just renewed an unexpected Off Broadway hit in “Sakina’s Restaurant,” On Stage was simply too expensive. “They can keep it,” Carl Jaynes, general manager of the American Place, sniffed. “I’d just as soon take it to Encore (a competitor of Playbill). If it’s this many theaters, I would think that that’s enough for a whole other business, the same way that Encore started.” Encore’s head, Tom Holmes, confirmed that he has since closed a deal with Jewish Repertory at Playhouse 91, a 288-seat theater, and is in negotiations with both the Americana Place and Soho Playhouse. Zuckerman said that for now, the theater would likely go out and solicit ads to produce its own programs. A source at Playbill added that the main reason for the cancellation was that several of the theaters were difficult if not impossible to contact regarding deliveries of the programs. “A lot of these places, there’s no one there during the day. No one answers. It’s impossible,” said one Playbill source, speaking on the condition of anonymity. Several calls by Daily Variety to the Player’s Theater, the Soho Playhouse and Playhouse 91 were all met with answering machines. Messages left there and at the Lambs Theater were not returned.

Former TV agent bows on bigscreen While it’s not uncommon for Hollywood players to jump between acting, writing, producing and directing, it’s very rare for an agent to become a director.Fifteen-year CAA vet Tony Krantz is solidifying this unusual leap from suit to creative with his third helming effort, “The Big Bang,” a surreal, modern noir thriller starring Antonio Banderas that hits New York and Los Angeles theaters May 13. “After college, I was looking for a career that had a kind of structure to it,” he explains. “CAA had a training program, so I became an agent, then a producer and finally, three and a half years ago, I came back around to becoming the director I always wanted to be.” Krantz’s path is a bit less surprising when you look at the quality of projects he packaged after rising from CAA’s mailroom to run its primetime TV department: They include “Twin Peaks,” “The West Wing” and “ER,” plus such features as “Wild at Heart” and “The Doors.” His genetics, as son of the late producer and comedy writer Steve Krantz and bestselling author Judith Krantz, who belatedly switched from magazine writing to novels, probably didn’t hurt the transition. Krantz sees a link among his choices in projects that he traces back to his days promoting such shows as a Grateful Dead/Miles Davis Quartet double bill at Berkeley. “It was brilliant music that would inspire and uplift the audience, with a spiritual element to it,” he says. “That feeling is what I’ve wanted to find in everything I’ve done.” Krantz exec produced “Sports Night,” “Felicity” and “24” (which earned him a PGA award) as a founding partner of Imagine Television, and produced former client David Lynch’s “Mulholland Drive.” He went on to found the production outfit Flame Ventures and helm two features for Warner Bros.’ Raw Feed video label: the sci-fi thriller “Sublime” and the black comedy/horror film selected to open the 2008 SXSW Film Festival, “Otis,” both in collaboration with “Bang” writer Erik Jendresen. Krantz’s next producer-director efforts include “Honey Vicarro,” which he’s helping writer Daniel Knauf (“Carnivale”) transform from a Fox mockumentary TV pilot into a serious 1960s-era conspiracy thriller with a “Boogie Nights”-meets-“Network” feel. He hopes to begin shooting the feature in New Orleans by the end of this year, but that depends on financing and landing the right lead, among other factors. With the Anchor Bay-distributed “Bang” marking his first theatrical effort, Krantz seems to have completed the journey from project enabler to film director. “If you’ve been an agent or producer, there’s a preconception that you’re not an artist, or as much of an artist as somebody who may have gone to film school, started as a writer or in theater, because there’re been so few examples where people have made that transition,” he says. “But I take Bill Graham, my first client and one of my early heroes, as an example. He was an artist-businessman, and I think you can be both.”

You are hereBlogs / Stephen Lendman's blog / Fukushima's Catastrophic Aftermath Continues Fukushima's Catastrophic Aftermath Continues Fukushima's Catastrophic Aftermath Continues by Stephen Lendman 'clean,' ". Michel Chossudovsky calls Fukushima "a nuclear war without a war." It's an "unspoken crisis of worldwide nuclear contamination." Tens of thousands of children have confirmed thyroid abnormalities. They reflect the tip of the iceberg. Children are especially vulnerable. No radiation dose is safe. Karl Grossman wants planet earth made a "nuclear free zone." We barely made it through the last century without a "major nuclear weapons exchange," he said. Nuclear energy in all forms is unsafe. Safe, clean, renewable solar, wind, geothermal, and other energy sources are readily available.." " "Therefore, we must expect, if another war, a serious war breaks out, we will use nuclear energy in some form. We will probably destroy ourselves." Widespread contamination acts in slow motion. Disturbing reports explain. In early April, around 120 tons of contaminated water leaked from Fukushima's No. 1's underground storage tank. It contained an estimated 710 billion becquerels of radioactivity. Water around the affected tank is highly radioactive. It's about 800 meters from the Pacific. Government and Tokyo Electric (Tepco) claimed it won't likely reach it. Numerous previous reports suggest otherwise. Tepco general manager Masayuki Ono said "(w)e cannot deny the fact that our faith in the underwater tanks is being lost." In November 2012, Nature.com headlined "Ocean still suffering from Fukushima fallout," saying: "Radioactivity is persisting in the ocean waters close to Japan's ruined nuclear power plant at Fukushima Daiichi." New data show high contamination levels. "The Fukushima disaster caused by far the largest discharge of radioactivity into the ocean ever seen." Radiation levels aren't dropping. "The implications are serious for the fishing industry." On December 26, CleanEnergy.org headlined "Japan Continues Struggle with Aftermath from the Fukushima Nuclear Disaster," saying: "….an estimated 160,000 (Japanese) citizens still have not returned home. Reports of illness in humans and livestock continue to underscore the far reaching and difficult to predict impacts that a nuclear accident can cause." In July 2012, 36% of Japanese children screened had abnormal thyroid growths. Months later an illness called the "Fukushima syndrome" was killing cattle throughout Fukushima Prefecture. Mutations were found in butterflies and other insects. Their shorter life cycles allow genetic disruptions to show up sooner than in humans or other mammals. On April 11, Bloomberg.com headlined "Tepco Faces Decision to Dump Radioactive Water in Pacific," saying: "Leaks were found in three of seven pits in the past week…." Options for moving contaminated water are limited. "With Japan’s rainy season approaching, contaminated water levels are likely to increase…" "Yesterday, Tepco reported another leak of radiated water, this time from a pipe." "Pacific bluefin tuna caught off San Diego in August 2011 was found to contain radioactive cesium 10 times higher than fish seized in previous years…." Perhaps its much higher now. On April 15, Science Daily headlined "The Fukushima Dai-Ichi Power Plant Accident: Two Years On, the Fallout Continues," saying: "….(S)cientists are still trying to quantify the extent of the damage." Most important is "determining just how much hazardous material escaped into the atmosphere…." Japan Atomic Energy Agency researchers now say previously estimated "137C and 131l" release rates were too low. On March 11, 2013, nuclear expert Arnie Gundersen said "(t)here's definitely a large crack, perhaps five inches in diameter, in Fukushima reactor 2." Containment is sorely lacking. Pacific Ocean leakage continues. On April 24, Natural News headlined "Massive, uncontained leak at Fukushima is pouring over 710 billion becquerels of radioactive materials into atmosphere," saying: It's the largest ever plant leakage. Fukushima's disaster never ends. It "keeps on giving." "(N)ew reports indicate that a wealth of new radioactive materials have been spewed into the atmosphere." It's spreading globally. Nuclear radiation is forever. It doesn't dissipate or disappear. No safe level exists. Every dose is an overdose. Bertell was right. "Omnicide" threatens

[lin_video src=×9&auto_next=1&auto_start=0&div_id=videoplayer-1377474941&height=360&page_count=5&pf_id=9627&show_title=1&va_id=4247744&width=640&windows=2 service=syndicaster width=640 height=360 div_id=videoplayer-1377474941 type=script] A Valley pioneer was remembered at a special gathering in Boardman Sunday. Rosemary Durkin was recognized for her career accomplishments and her service to the community. “Love You More” was the response Durkin gave anytime someone said I love you to her. Durkin died this past April and friends and family came together at Mr. Anthony’s on South Avenue to make sure her spirit lives on. “She had the longest memory of anyone I have ever known about the good and the bad, and the friends and the foes,” said former Sen. Harry Meshel. “The positive opposed to the negative in everything she ever did.” Durkin was elected Youngstown clerk of courts in 1975, the first woman to hold that high of a position in public office in Mahoning County. While in office, she appointed the first black woman as administrative deputy clerk and was praised for hiring people on their work ethic and skills rather than their name. “She was an icon, and she grew into that,” said Durkin’s brother Rick Durkin. “She wanted to b with people. She did not care about politicians or public service, she wanted to be of the people” “She really, really set the bar for so many elected officials, females who now hold public office in our community,” said Durkin’s nephew Jack Durkin. But it wasn’t just what Durkin did in office that made her reputation shine, it’s what she did for the community. She was an active member in the church, chairperson for the door-to-door canvass for the American Red Cross and volunteered for the American Heart Association and United Way. “She, as many people have said today, has been about the community, her family and her faith,” said Jack Durkin. “This demonstration today and this legacy of love will speak to so many causes that meant so much to her.” This year, the Legacy of Love beneficiaries are The Society of St. Paul, Sister Jerome’s Poor, The Difference Makers and The Beatitude House. If you would like to give to the initiative contact Rick Durkin at 330-547-9511.

WMU Home > WMU News Jan. 21, 2011 KALAMAZOO--A popular chemistry fundraiser at Western Michigan University has reached its halfway mark, garnering $65,000 for graduate-student assistance in the five years since it was launched. The Elemental Chemistry Fund has sold sponsorships for 52 of the 118 elements displayed on a large mural of the periodic table in the first-floor lobby of the Chemistry Building. Alumni, faculty, staff, friends of the department and local industries have purchased sponsorship rights for tiles of the elements included in the table--from $500 for regular elements to $10,000 for precious metals. About $11,000 of what has been raised has been used to help chemistry graduate students dealing with personal and financial emergencies continue their education. One student was helped after her apartment was destroyed by fire and two others received aid to return to their home countries in Africa so they could attend the funerals of close relatives. "It's very gratifying that it's taken off like this," says Dr. Michael Barcelona, professor of chemistry and a former chemistry department chair who helped develop the fund. "It's something we can do that provides long-term solidarity in the department." The idea for the mural and the fund was formed in 2005, with the tiles being placed in the newly constructed Chemistry Building during its 2007 opening, says Sean Bashaw, the facility's building coordinator and the electronic shop supervisor for the chemistry department. Artists Amy Baur and Brian Bolden of In Plain Site Art in Minneapolis produced the mural. Images including that of chemistry pioneer Madame Curie were chosen to accent the periodic table and recognize the strength, courage and persistence of scientists. Bashaw notes that sponsorship of a tile is a way to support chemistry students, recognize a current or past member of the department or University, or even just have a little fun. In reference to Superman, for example, the element Krypton was purchased for "Clark Kent and Lois Lane." For more information or to contribute to the Elemental Chemistry Fund, contact Sean Bashaw at [email protected] or (269) 387-3845 or Dr. Michael Barcelona at [email protected] or (269) 387-2837. Media contact: Jeanne Baron, (269) 387-8400, [email protected] WMU News Office of University Relations Western Michigan University Kalamazoo MI 49008-5433 USA (269) 387-8400

- Legal Rebels - Lawyer Found Niche Representing Cash-Strapped Tenants in Rent-Controlled NYC Profile Lawyer Found Niche Representing Cash-Strapped Tenants in Rent-Controlled NYC Posted Sep 24, 2010 6:00 AM CDT By Stephanie Francis Ward Steven De Castro See video below. Finding an affordable apartment in New York City is serious business—so serious that tenant lawyer Steven De Castro grossed about $200,000 in contingency fees last year representing clients in rent-stabilized apartments. And that doesn’t include a $664,000 contingency-fee judgment he finally collected, which he had recovered a few years earlier. De Castro doesn’t take nonpayment cases in which the tenant is behind on the rent. His work focuses on tenants in rent-stabilized apartments who think their landlord is overcharging them and on tenants facing eviction because, according to De Castro, the landlord wants to find a new tenant and get around the city’s rent-stabilization ordinance. A former ACORN organizer and Legal Aid Society paralegal who’s still active in civil rights causes, De Castro, who turns 45 this month, has long sported a ponytail. He grew up in Staten Island and now lives in Queens in a rent-stabilized apartment. “It’s the hardest thing in the world for a tenant lawyer to get an apartment in New York City,” De Castro says. “I had to find a landlord who doesn’t have the Internet!” Among the New York housing court bar, De Castro is seen as a bit eccentric, but not in a bad way. “He has an intriguing style and also a unique energy level, the way he carries himself,” says Lucas A. Ferrara, a partner with New York’s Newman Ferrara who represents landlords. “He’s extremely aggressive and comes up with innovative theories. He truly believes in what he’s presenting to the court—even if he’s wrong.” In eviction cases De Castro’s clients pay $300 an hour. He also has one associate who usually handles court appearances. She bills at $190 an hour. “In New York City the average unstabilized rent is $2,500 a month,” De Castro says, “so for stopping an eviction, it’s worth it for them to pay by the hour.” De Castro handles other matters that require more time on a contingency-fee basis. According to him, many rent-subsidized leases include language promising that, if lawsuits arise, the other side pays the prevailing party’s legal fees. One De Castro client, cat lover Siiri Marvits, has lived in the same one-bedroom, rent-controlled apartment in the West Village since 1962. She pays $600 a month rent. Five years ago her landlord started eviction proceedings on the basis that her two cats violated a no-pets clause in the lease. “She loves the cats and thinks that they are paying my legal fees because she played the lottery with the cats’ license number and won,” says De Castro, adding that her luck may have run out with the lottery, and he’s now handling the case on a contingency-fee basis. New York City’s pet law prevents landlords from enforcing a no-pets clause if a tenant openly had pets in the apartment for at least three months. According to De Castro, the woman’s landlord argued the cats hid under furniture when visitors came, so the pets were not kept openly. De Castro maintained cat food bowls and litter boxes were in plain sight. The housing court found in Marvits’ favor, but denied De Castro’s motion for $50,000 in legal fees. De Castro is appealing; he estimates he’s put about 200 hours into her case. “I told her we were going to keep going until the landlord pays the bill.” When business is slow—in the past year, according to De Castro, the credit crunch hit New York landlords so they don’t have as much cash to start evictions—he works on marketing his law firm. Besides community outreach with tenant rights groups, you can find him on YouTube talking about things like landlord research, property repairs and bed bugs, or commenting on cases on Court TV. And he has issued a DVD, How to Fight a Housing Court Case. It’s handed out at city council and borough president offices, and can be checked out at the New York Public Library. “You have to be marketing yourself every day,” De Castro says. In tenant law, “it’s not necessarily true that one client leads to another, as it often does in other areas.” 27229 We welcome your comments, but please adhere to our comment policy. Flag comment for moderator.

The 'working poor' are Australia's hungriest When Foodbank Queensland was established in the 1990's it fed the homeless in Brisbane's Valley district. Now in 2011 Foodbank provides food for working families that cannot afford to put food on the table at the end of the week. Print page Permalink According to Foodbank Australia two million people across the country live in a world where they can't secure enough food to feed their families, which General Manager of Foodbank Queensland Ken McMillan says has changed the demographic of the people accessing food donations. "Our demographic started out feeding homeless people in the valley now we're feeding the 'working poor', people and families that are working but at the end of the week are struggling to put food on the table. Mr McMillian says the 300 charities that work with Foodbank Queensland provides food for one hundred thousand people each week, and the demand is increasing each year, particularly in Queensland. "Unfortunately we've been busy. We've had an extremely busy year after the flood and cyclone; it's been a real tough year for a lot of people. Foodbank Australia was established in 1996 to collect surplus food to pass on to charities to feed the homeless, and has become the largest hunger relief charity in Australia, providing food to over 2,500 welfare agencies each week. Foodbank acts as a conduit between the food and grocery industry's donations and the welfare sector's needs. Food companies deliver their donations to Foodbank warehouses and welfare agencies collect the donated food and distribute it to people in need. Mr McMillian says the Queensland distribution centre in the east Brisbane suburb of Morningside has enough room for about 1000 pallets. In 2010/11 20.8 million kilograms of food was donated to create 28 million meals - around 75,000 meals every day. Mr McMillian says something needs to be done with the food waste in Australia, which is excessive. "In this wonderful country where we live we still throw away one third of the food that we produce. "More and more we're turning to farmers who have to throw [their produce] away because the potatoes might be too big or the carrot might be broken. We bring that imperfect fruit and vegetable back here and we give it away. "If the produce doesn't look right, if it doesn't look cosmetically correct there's not a market for it." Mr McMillian says Anti-poverty week is a good time to highlight that 11% of Australian adults and 12% of children live in poverty, and the numbers are growing. "Half the people we're [Foodbank Queensland] feeding are kids. Kids are our future and it's not right that they should go hungry in this great country of ours."

Locust outbreak under control in central west NSW Updated Farmers and pest authorities are getting on top of an outbreak of locusts near Dubbo in the central west of NSW. Pest ranger Rhett Robinson says the outbreak affected between 20 and 30 properties in a narrow strip which covered a total of about 60,000 hectares. He says it was a small outbreak but was still a significant concern in the current dry conditions. "With early sown crops and stuff, they were still doing a fair bit of damage anything that was green - certainly eating that as well, and even at those levels they can still cause quite a bit of damage. "Once they get into breeding and laying again, which they're due to do now, a female locust can lay 20 to 30 eggs, so they can really blow out in big numbers." Topics: pest-management, pests, pasture, dubbo-2830, balladoran-2831, armatree-2831 First posted

By Daniel Reynolds Originally published on Advocate.com June 03 2014 1:49 PM ET A video has surfaced online of Carmen Carrera using the T word, prompting the transgender model to reiterate her current view that the word is a slur. The YouTube video, which has accrued nearly 20,000 views, showed Carrera referring to other drag performers as “trannies” at a spring 2011 event at Bounce night club in Cleveland. Carrera has recently spoken out against the T word after RuPaul Charles defended its use in a recent interview with Marc Maron. The video was widely circulated among critics of the former RuPaul’s Drag Race contestant after Carrera said the T word should not be used in an interview with Xorje Olivares last week on SiriusXM OutQ. “I don’t want to reclaim the word ‘tranny.’ I don’t want anyone to refer to me as ‘tranny,’” Carrera told radio host Xorje Olivares. “Because from what I’ve seen and what I’ve witnessed growing up in this scene, is that it was never a good thing. It was never to empower you.” Carrera, who first came into the public eye with her appearance on RuPaul’s Drag Race, has become a lightning rod in the T word debate, with critics saying that she does not have the authority to critize RuPaul because of status as an alumna of the show. Many have also pointed to Carrera’s past use of the T word in her social media accounts as a means of undermining her credibility. Responding to the video, Carrera posted a long note on Facebook, which explains that her position regarding the controversial term has evolved since the time of the interview in question. She says that she made this remark before her gender transition, when her only other points of reference were drag performers in the club scene. Carrera publicly came out as a transgender woman in May 2012. “My experience started in the gay nightlife/drag life,” Carrera wrote. ,” she continued. ,” she concluded. .” After posting this note to Facebook, Carrera reached out to The Advocate to reiterate that she does not support the language she used in spring 2011. For Carrera, the posting of the old clip exemplifies the kind of resistance she has faced in her message about the relationship between language and transphobia, particularly when used on shows with a worldwide reach like RuPaul’s Drag Race. “It just goes to show you how stubborn people are. They don’t want to learn. They don’t want to change. They’re so hard-headed. They’d rather come at me for standing up for what I believe in,” Carrera tells The Advocate. “That person … must have gone through every single video of mine on YouTube. That just goes to show you how much hate is really out there and a lack of understanding, [that someone would do this and say] ‘No, I have to discredit Carmen in some way. I have to find something on her.'” “I’m still trying to figure out how to be a good partner to somebody,” she says. “I’m still trying to be a good stepmother to somebody. I’m still trying to make my mom proud. I don’t dedicate my whole life to being a trans advocate. But I do believe that me, and how I represent myself and how I am honest and open to everybody, I do feel like I’m doing something for the trans community. I’m not Laverne Cox. I’m not Janet Mock. ... I’m just a girl from New Jersey who has experience and lived.” Links: [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9]

Changing a vintage design piece would be madness, right? Gerry McGovern, Land Rover’s design director and chief creative officer, agrees. But that doesn’t stop him. “I’m a nutcase," he laughs. The 56-year-old Brit, who splits his time between a townhouse in London’s Chelsea, shared with his wife and daughter, and a house (pictured) near head office in Warwick, has a penchant for collecting modernist furniture, then giving it a treatment all his own. He loves the shape of his 1952 George Nelson cabinet, for example, but felt compelled to paint a high-gloss white over its original black-lacquer and burgundy finish. “I just think, ‘Forget the fact that it’s vintage, what would be the best colour to work in this room?’ I probably devalued it by doing that, but I wasn’t looking at it in a monetary sense," he says. It’s not just furniture that gets the McGovern treatment. He’s taken a paintbrush to artwork too, including that of Italian friend Nino Mustica. “When I bought his work, originally I had it in my house in California and it worked beautifully in that environment. Back in the UK, when I put it with other things, it jarred. So I repainted it to be monotone and it was in much better harmony with the things around it." But don’t mistake McGovern’s approach for irreverence. He almost swoons when he talks about his modernist collection, which includes what he dubs “the predictable classics" – a Herman Miller Eames lounge chair, Florence Knoll benches, pieces from Saarinen’s Tulip collection and Arne Jacobsen’s Egg and Swan chairs. But even George Nelson Ball clocks aren’t immune. “I like to repaint them different colours and put a different twist on them," he says. Born in Coventry, McGovern met Chrysler’s then design boss Roy Axe when he was in high school. Chrysler sponsored him to study industrial design, after which he attended the Royal College of Art in London, specialising in automotive design. He began work with Chrysler in 1978, then moved to Austin Rover, and Ford, where he helped revive the Lincoln Mercury. By 2004, he was head of the design team responsible for Land Rover and its stablemate Range Rover. Describing himself as a “design nerd" – as opposed to the “car nerds" he works with – McGovern emphasises that his day job is about functionality, not just aesthetics. “Everything we design . . . has to be fit for purpose. You can’t just design for designers." AFR Magazine

Burmese democracy leader Foreign investment must be “responsible", she insists, and the Australian government must press for greater transparency in any dealings with her country’s government. “We don’t just want any old investment but responsible investment that will benefit the country and its people," she said. “At the moment, there’s a lot of ad-libbing and quick agreement to do whatever people are demanding in order to attract funds or loans or investment. But once that is received, things can fizzle out." Burma’s political and economic systems are rapidly opening up after decades of isolation. This is leading to a surge of interest from foreign governments and companies interested in the potential of such a strategically located south-east Asian country of 60 million people. Australian companies are already investigating possibilities in everything from banking to manufacturing to resources. A new Australian Myanmar chamber of commerce is trying to establish itself, and Canberra lifted economic sanctions in July. But the previous lack of investment and financial regulation are creating uncertainty about how investment will work in practice. Aung San Suu Kyi told a recent business and investment delegation led by Financial Services Minister “If you bring on all this quickly, without the right sort of requirements, it will be problematic," she said. “You will find out the laws need to be changed after the damage has been done." A range of Australian government and non-government organisations want to help in the reform effort. While the Burmese government is still dominated by former military leaders, including President U Thein Sein, ministers concede that political liberalisation and foreign investment are vital for economic growth.The president is hoping to visit Australia next year. “Parliament will be adopting a foreign direct investment law very soon, which will be very much in line with neighbouring countries’ protection of investors," he told the delegation. “Because of our geographic position, we have access to huge markets. The urgent need is to create job opportunities, so we welcome foreign investment to create factories in areas like garments or electronics or auto assembly manufacturing. “But we also have huge natural resources and potential for mining and agriculture investments." After years of house arrest under the former military regime, Aung San Suu Kyi has been a member of parliament since she won a seat in a by-election last April. She describes the legislature as by far the most open institution in the country but says parliamentarians need to be taught about the responsibilities of national assemblies and what role they can play in a democratic society. “Governments and donor countries must refer decisions to the will of the population and the will of the legislature," she said. She also warns the rapid growth of trade unions in the country won’t protect workers’ rights if trade union behaviour undermines the economy. “When people are taught about their rights, they also need to be taught about their responsibilities," she said. “If the economy is doing badly, they will soon find that joining trade unions can do nothing to lift their standards of living." “It militates against the interest of the country to have a lot of little trade unions all trying to outdo one another. Many groups are interested in helping labour but many others would like to use labour for their own ends – and not just employers." The Australian Financial Review

He said suggestions the government would back down on the RSPT were premature as Treasurer Wayne Swan said negotiations with companies were going well and mining executive Andrew Forrest declared the tax was dead. As the government drew on a visit by Chinese Vice-President Xi Jinping to argue the RSPT was not deterring foreign investment, Mr Swan repeated his attack on some unnamed mining companies for not conducting their tax campaign properly. In an appeal to his fellow economists on tax reform, Dr Henry drew on the failed emissions trading scheme to plead with economists to “put down their weapons", call a “halt to the war" and join the consensus on changes to the tax system. In an address to tax professionals, Dr Henry said that, as the global economy further integrated, a shift to a corporate tax system based on an “allowance for corporate equity", whereby only above-normal profits would be taxed, was worthy of serious investigation. Under such a system, highly profitable companies – particularly those operating in less-competitive oligopoly markets like banking – would pay more tax, experts said. The Henry report, drawing on the thinking of leading international tax academics, recommended Australia stick with its current corporate tax system for the near term but consider introducing a new system in the longer term. Dr Henry, who interrupted his overseas holiday to deliver the address, said an allowance for corporate equity model showed the “most promise" and was already used to varying degrees in Croatia, Brazil, Italy, Austria, Belgium and Latvia. “On paper, it offers a more neutral treatment at the corporate level between debt and equity financing decisions, which has the added benefit of reducing the need for complex rules," he told the University of NSW’s Australian School of Taxation conference. “It is also provides a more neutral treatment in respect to investment decisions at the intensive margin, theoretically allowing a higher level of production than under the current company income tax system." Dr Henry conceded such a model did have limitations, notably setting the imputed rate of return at the right level. This point has similarities to the RSPT dispute over whether the tax should apply to returns above the long-term government bond rate. Melbourne University tax economist John Freebairn later told the conference such a model would tax economic rents earned in the finance industry (where competition is restricted) more heavily. As the Rudd Government battles to win public support for its controversial RSPT, the reform’s architect vented frustration at the difficulty in pursuing major policy reforms in Australia. In a candid question and answer session after the prewritten speech, Dr Henry said it was “unbelievably frustrating" that debate from public policy experts over the detail of major proposed reforms could cause the policy to fall over, even if most supported the broad principle. To say [an] emissions trading scheme is not a bad idea but a carbon tax would actually be better, for example, doesn’t increase at all the chances of a carbon tax being legislated," Dr Henry said. “All it does is reduce the chances of the proposed reform." He said the increasing impact of globalisation would present challenges for the economy’s ability to attract “desirable" foreign investment. “Deepening international integration, a shift in the centre of gravity in the world economy towards Asia, is reducing the distance between Australia and its export markets, adding considerable value to our natural resource wealth," he said. “Given that company tax acts as a final tax on foreign equity investment, lower rates of company tax can attract marginal investments. Lower company taxes would lower the cost of corporate capital at the margin, encouraging capital deepening in all sectors, in turn increasing labour productivity and boosting real wages." The Henry review concluded Australia’s 30 per cent corporate tax rate was high relative to other similar- sized OECD countries and recommended the rate be cut from 30 per cent to 25 per cent over the short to medium term, with the timing subject to economic and fiscal circumstances. The Rudd Government has committed to a phased cut in the corporate tax rate to 28 per cent by 2014-15, which will move Australia from 22nd to 17th among similar-sized OECD countries. The Australian Financial Review

Lady Elizabeth Designing an Elegant Retreat on the High Seas The couple had planned to hire a professional boat designer for the interior of their new one- hundred-and-twenty-foot yacht. But at the time, Juan Montoya was busy converting seven apartments into one 6,000-square-foot space for them on Rittenhouse Square in Philadelphia. “They casually mentioned that they were doing this boat,” he recalls, “and asked if I would be interested. Obviously, I wanted to do my own thing, so my ideas were very different from what a yacht specialist would do.” Construction of the Lady Elizabeth was about to begin in Viareggio, Italy, but even when it was in that infant stage, Montoya saw the boat as a home, and the concept he proposed for its interior reflected that. “I use Lalique, for example, as an element throughout. I designed most of the cabinetry. I selected fabrics that aren’t usually used on boats.” On land, the couple’s taste runs to the sleek, the comfortable and the well detailed. Yet this was not their first boat, and they had learned from their mistakes. “They knew what they didn’t want,” says Montoya, “and understood what works for them.” A boat this size generally has four cabins, to accommodate eight guests. The owners, however, preferred to have fewer guests and more gracious cabins, so Montoya gave them three suites with queen-size beds. “Of course we needed objects that could be secured to the surfaces,” adds Montoya. “They didn’t want too many superfluous elements either. Everything had to be accessible and uncomplicated.” Uncomplicated did not mean the typical nautical décor of white canvas and blue pillows. The couple entertain regularly on board, and although comfort was essential, Montoya thought the fabrics in the main saloon should be rich in texture and color. The silk-and-cotton stripe—selected from local vendors in Viareggio—on the streamlined banquettes caters to both objectives. A feeling of luxury is also captured in the sensuous curves of the low table and bar. “I wanted the shape of the table to be soft enough so that if you bumped into it, you wouldn’t get hurt, but I designed it in the shape of a boat. The top references a deck with brass railings.” Though Montoya never tries to re-create a specific period in his work, the bar is evocative of the Art Déco style. The leather stools, also Montoya originals, are antiqued hand-dyed cowhide. The custom-made pieces echo the curved ceiling. The light fixtures are from the sixties and seventies. The dining room is a continuation of the main saloon in terms of wood selection. The clients were attracted to a sample of mahogany but were afraid it would be too dark. Montoya assured them that his design would, in fact, make everything lighter. “The wood adds warmth and gives the space a cozy feeling.” He chose decorative items that would never fall or rock. Reflected in the recessed mirror is a crystal mask by Lalique that the owners had long admired and wanted to use. The dining table has insets of blue marble. “Juan saw the marble at a stone yard in Italy, and I fell in love with it,” says the wife, “so I asked him what I could do with it. I would never have conceived of it as inlays for the dining table.” The same holds true for the fabric on the dining chairs. “I wear sweaters that are made out of this fabric, but who knew you could put it on a chair?” she says. The sconces are Art Déco. Again, the room conjures up that era, yet Montoya avoids mere period re-creation. “It’s always difficult to find a balance between Art Déco and modern,” says the designer. “It’s easy to make a boat look too retro. You want it to be contemporary but not too theme-oriented.” The three cabins are large by boating standards, but Montoya still had to solve a classic yachting problem: how to create an illusion of spacious and luxurious accommodation within an ungenerously sized space. To give the rooms a sense of height, he upholstered the walls behind the beds in the same cotton fabric he used for the headboards, bed- coverings and banquettes. He also departed from traditional boat décor by lining the ceilings in off-white Ultrasuede, which, combined with beige carpets and blue-and-white fabrics, expands the rooms visually. In spite of the limited space, dressing tables, with soft, rounded edges, were installed. “The hardest part of designing this boat was finding a way to have elegance and beauty as well as function,” says the wife. The master bath is as impressive as one found in a four-star hotel. Montoya divided the space to create his-and-her quarters and then connected them with a shared shower. All the surfaces are done in Macaúba marble from Brazil. Imaginative touches also find their way into unexpected places. In the case of the stairway leading from the main saloon on the upper deck to the lower cabin level, Montoya could easily have put in a handrail in the same wood used throughout the yacht. Instead, he joined four Lalique door handles that extend from the floor to the ceiling and illuminated them from within. “I wanted to add drama to this tight space,” he explains. “You always see a railing in wood, so I thought, Why not Lalique?” “It’s easy to fall into so many traditional things on a boat, and Juan stopped me from doing that,” says the wife. “Our previous boat wasn’t customized to this extent, and it wasn’t as big. There were so many details to consider, it would have been overwhelming for us to do it on our own.” Montoya had the opportunity to enjoy the fruits of his labor when the couple invited him to join them for a seven-day cruise off the Italian coast. With the exception of the four barstools that he insisted his clients have instead of the three that they assured him would be better, it was smooth sailing. The Lady Elizabeth was Juan Montoya’s maiden voyage as a boat designer. It will not, he hopes, be his last. For the moment, however, he’s testing his talent for innovative ways to marry form and function in another design—this time for an entire town.

Maryland universities expect to grow enrollment 15% by 2023 The University of Maryland, College Park is the state's flagship school. University System of Maryland schools are expecting enrollment to grow on average about 15 percent over the next 10 years, but this year, most schools will be seeing single-digit growth.. PHOTOS: Projected growth of USM schools over next 10 years Bizspace Spotlight. “At the individual institutions they all have individual missions,” Passmore said. Among the schools where the goal is to grow, there are a couple common denominators: student retention and transfer students.Coppin State University, for example, is focusing on bringing in more transfer students and improving retention and graduation rates. The school has among the lowest graduation rates in the university system and is currently the focus of a special review committee set up by the Board of Regents. By 2023, Coppin expects to grow enrollment almost 30 percent to 3,807 full-time equivalent students. University of Maryland Eastern Shore is expected to see the biggest jump in enrollment next year (8.4 percent) and over the next 10 years (47.8 percent). The school plans to have about 6,156 full-time equivalent students by 2023. UMES has also been working to improve student retention and graduation. The expected enrollment spike is also do to the school’s plan to go after more transfer students, Passmore said. While individually the system’s schools may be meeting their enrollment goals, the university system as a whole will likely fall short. In order to help the state meet its goal of bachelors degrees for 55 percent of the state population by 2025, administrators estimate the system needs to graduate between 27,000 and 28,000 students by 2020. Based on the current growth projections, the system will be graduating about 26,000 students.

Buffalo State seeks jump start on STARTUP-NY SUNY Buffalo State is actively engaged with several companies that could set down roots as part of the START-UP NY program, and officials said they hoped to have those companies operating on campus when the program formally takes effect Jan. 1. Susan McCartney, director of Buff State’s Small Business Development Center and the institution’s point-person on START-UP NY, wouldn’t name the specific companies because they are still working to gain the necessary twin approvals from the college and Empire State Development. But she did say Buff State has set aside space for them and is also preparing academic units, from engineering technology to art conservation to fashion technology, to play a role in the program. The program was unveiled by Gov. Andrew Cuomo earlier this year, and provides tax-free zones to companies that locate on college campuses. They cannot compete with existing businesses in the community and must prove positive economic benefits. McCartney said Buffalo State has embraced the program and accepts direct inquiries, at 716-878-4030 or [email protected], or those directed to the college by the state. Buffalo State has developed fliers and literature and, in some cases, sought to recruit companies it thought would be a good fit, McCartney said. That includes several Canadian companies. “We want these businesses to feel like they are part of our campus, to be seen on campus and engaged in lectures and research,” she said, adding that Buffalo State students will act as interns. Many business and college leaders said the program, as initially proposed, was nebulous and unpredictable, but the state has been tweaking it to ensure it isn’t seen as unfair competition to existing businesses. The state held a ceremony Tuesday to promote the program, where Cuomo announced.

It doesn’t take a natural disaster or terrorism to bring a business to its knees. The culprit can be as common as a fire, theft, or a computer virus. That was the case for one of Al McGinty’s clients. McGinty, a security advisor for the crisis-response firm IMAC Consulting Group in Cleveland, was called in when a small-time burglar nearly disabled a machine shop. The 75-employee company regularly left its rear-loading dock door open for ventilation during the summer. That was until the burglar came through it and stole a laptop that stored the firm’s only copy of a computer program used to make Tomahawk cruise missile components. The program meant nothing to the thief, who was only after the computer hardware, but it was priceless for the firm. The stolen computer resulted in the loss of a major contract for the company and a $50,000 bill to have the critical program rewritten. “It crippled them,” says McGinty, a retired FBI agent who notes that simply backing up the data or installing a security system would have prevented the catastrophe. “In general,” he adds, “such systems are relatively cheap to implement, and certainly less expensive than the kind of loss that can put you out of business.” While disasters may not be preventable, there are measures small business owners can take to ensure the safety of critical data or assets. It could be something as simple as drafting a plan for dealing with potential disasters, says Al Passori, vice president of the Chicago-based research and consulting firm META Group. Passori says 80% of large global companies lack a comprehensive, systematic continuity plan. The Disaster Recovery Journal reported in 2002 that 43% of firms that suffer a massive data loss will never reopen, and 51% will reopen just to shut down permanently within two years. For small businesses, the results can be even more devastating, says Regina A. Brassil, director of mobile recovery services for the Toronto-based Agility Recovery Solutions. “If a Fortune 500 company loses a data center or access to a warehouse, its typically unscathed, due to sheer size,” says Brassil. “But in a small business, even a short-term outage could translate into real problems.” PROTECTING YOUR BUSINESS Brassil says small business owners who want to keep their company’s wheels rolling in the face of catastrophe must take three basic, proactive steps: Add business-continuation insurance to your policies to provide coverage for disaster-related expenses that may be incurred until operations are fully recovered. Adding such a policy can also reduce other business insurance premiums, says Brassil, since it protects revenues. Back up all critical company data off-site at a location with 24-hour access. If a company’s data is safe and far from the place where a catastrophe hit, getting operations rolling again will be much easier. Create a company-wide plan that addresses risk assessment, vulnerabilities, and crisis management. Include information about vendor backup for access to emergency facilities, technology, and communications. For companies that don’t know where to start, McGinty suggests contracting an outside consultant to review the facilities and

Jacques-Antoine Granjon, the long-haired founder of Paris’s vente-privee.com, is not happy with France’s presidential candidates. “The Web is a gold mine for jobs,” says Granjon, the 49-year-old creator of Europe’s biggest online discount retailer. “But politicians just don’t get it.” With the jobless rate at a 12-year high, the candidates are making cutting unemployment a top priority. But they haven’t said much about encouraging the creation of the next Facebook or Google (GOOG) in France. France’s Internet entrepreneurs have already made a decent contribution to the economy, according to a study by consultant McKinsey. The report says the French Internet sector contributed €72 billion ($94 billion) to France’s gross domestic product in 2010. That’s 3.7 percent of GDP. Internet businesses created 700,000 jobs from 1995 to 2010. Yet Facebook, Google, and Microsoft (MSFT) do more to foster French startups than the government, say entrepreneurs such as Dan Serfaty, who started Paris-based Viadeo, a European social network for professionals that ranks second behind LinkedIn (LNKD) in subscribers. The French units of the U.S. companies identify local stars, support them with funds and technology, and export their ideas. “France has a very promising ecosystem; it’s packed with seed companies, innovative startups, engineers, and talent,” says Olivier Esper, Google’s policy counsel in France, where the company has more than doubled its staff in the past 18 months, to 400. “The country’s definitely at a turning point.” The first round of the election will be held on April 22, with the top two contenders squaring off on May 6. The two front-runners’ efforts have already turned into a race to tax the most. President Nicolas Sarkozy has revived proposals to tax companies such as Google, Amazon.com (AMZN), and EBay (EBAY) on their French revenue, accusing them of “fiscal dumping”—paying barely any tax—in a speech on April 5. Socialist candidate François Hollande plans to slap a 75 percent tax on all personal income exceeding €1 million. “Entrepreneurs get hit by more stray bullets,” Marc Simoncini, founder of dating site Meetic, said in a Twitter post after Hollande’s “millionaire tax” announcement. Tech startups had expected more from Sarkozy, who created a National Internet Council in 2011 and hosted the likes of Google, Facebook, and EBay at an Internet conference. To create the next Facebook or Twitter, France needs to keep investors happy, says Viadeo’s Serfaty. “If you want your companies to develop and not just get bought out, you need business angels, venture capitalists, and the possibility for entrepreneurs to get their business listed on the stock market,” says Jean Ferre, head of platforms and ecosystem development in France for Microsoft. The candidates have taken a different approach. In his first major campaign speech, Hollande said that finance is his “greatest adversary.” French startups often have no choice but to sell out. Axel Springer acquired French real estate ads website SeLoger.com in 2010, while Japan’s Rakuten bought France’s PriceMinister, which sells secondhand goods. Tariq Krim, who sold his software company Netvibes to Dassault Systemes (DSY:FP) two months ago, says France may lose its talent as more startups get taken over by foreign competitors, and London and Berlin prove better at luring workers. As heavier industry moves to low-wage countries, politicians would do well to court tech startups instead of getting in their way, says Granjon. “The Internet scares politicians,” he says. “It’s new, and they’re having trouble keeping pace with it. Companies don’t vote, so politicians just aren’t interested in them.”

Obama Sets Deadline for Deficit Deal in Challenge to Republicans April 14 (Bloomberg) -- President Barack Obama set a June deadline for a bipartisan deal to cut the federal deficit and offered a path to get there that was designed to contrast with a Republican proposal he called unfair to the elderly and overly generous to the wealthy. Obama’s plan, outlined in a speech yesterday at George Washington University, would cut $4 trillion in cumulative deficits within 12 years through a combination of spending reductions and tax increases that draws heavily on recommendations from the chairmen of his bipartisan fiscal commission. The timeline Obama proposed for coming up with an agreement -- beginning talks in early May and completing them by late June -- sets up a negotiation over the nation’s long-term fiscal challenges in parallel with a congressional debate over raising the $14.29 trillion legal debt limit. The Treasury Department projects that it will reach the limit on May 16, though it could use emergency measures to avoid default until about July 8. Moody’s Investors Service said the plan Obama announced may be a “positive” for the nation’s credit quality. “It seems both sides of this debate are now targeting lower debt and lower deficits,” said Steven Hess, senior credit officer at Moody’s. “We do see this as a turning point in terms of the debate. We would view that as a positive, but we’ll have to wait to see the outcome.” The president’s speech also sought to frame the issues for the 2012 presidential campaign by casting the partisan struggle over budget priorities as part of the debate over values. ‘Basic Social Compact’ Obama called his approach to the deficit “a more balanced approach” than the Republicans have, saying “their vision is less about deficit reduction than it is about changing the basic social compact in America.” He said a proposal in the House Republicans’ budget plan to replace Medicare’s current fee-for-services plan with a subsidy to buy private insurance “ends Medicare as we know it.” Obama rejected that idea. “I will not allow Medicare to become a voucher program that leaves seniors at the mercy of the insurance industry, with a shrinking benefit to pay for rising costs,” he said. Instead, Obama would build on cost-containment measures in the health-care overhaul law and strengthen a Medicare cost-cutting board. He also proposed allowing Medicare to negotiate drug prices with manufacturers, accelerate availability of generic versions of higher-priced biotech drugs, and prohibit brand-name drug companies from paying generic competitors to delay their products. Voting Group Though the Republican plan would not change benefits for anyone currently over 55, Obama’s stand positions the president as a defender of a program important to the elderly, potentially bolstering his support among a constituency that recently has deserted Democrats. Among voters age 65 and older, support for Democratic House candidates dropped from 49 percent in 2006 to 38 percent in 2010, according to exit polls. In the months before the 2010 midterm elections, Republicans charged that Obama’s health-care law weakened Medicare benefits. Obama drew a connection between the Republican plan, which he said would raise the cost of Medicare to a new recipient in 10 years by almost $6,400, and the party’s support for extending the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts for the wealthy. “They want to give people like me a $200,000 tax cut that’s paid for by asking 33 seniors to each pay $6,000 more in health costs,” said Obama, who vowed to block renewal of tax cuts for individuals making more than $200,000 a year and married couples earning more than $250,000. Republican Response Obama’s speech was noteworthy for “setting a new standard for class-warfare rhetoric,” said Representative Jeb Hensarling of Texas, the chairman of the House Republican Conference. House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan, a Wisconsin Republican who was the main author of his party’s budget plan, said Obama’s proposal was “hopelessly inadequate to address our country’s pressing fiscal” problems. “What we heard was a partisan broadside from our campaigner in chief,” Ryan told reporters after Obama’s speech. “We don’t need partisanship, we don’t need demagoguery.” Treasuries gained, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index halted its longest slump since November. Yields on the benchmark 10-year note fell four basis points, or 0.04 percentage point, to 3.46 percent at 5:05 p.m. in New York, according to BGCantor Market Data. The S&P 500 rose less than 0.1 percent to 1,314.41. Lower Yields compares with the average of 5.48 percent in the 1998 through 2001 period, according to Bloomberg Bond Trader prices. Obama set a target of reducing the annual U.S. deficit to 2.5 percent of gross domestic product by 2015, compared with the 10.9 percent of GDP projected for this year. In contrast to the House Republicans’ budget plan, which includes no tax increases, Obama would get a quarter of his $4 trillion in deficit reductions from higher taxes. Republican leaders said after getting briefed by the president that they won’t accept tax increases to cut the deficit. “If we are going to resolve our differences and do something meaningful, raising taxes will not be part of that,” said House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio. Debt Commission The president borrowed some ideas from the debt commission he created last year, drawing on the recommendation by co-chairmen Alan Simpson, a former Republican senator from Wyoming, and Erskine Bowles, a former chief of staff for President Bill Clinton, for a simpler tax code that lowers rates and increases revenue. He also adopted the recommendations on non-security discretionary spending, which would save $770 billion by 2023. Obama proposed saving $400 billion in current and future defense spending and called for a “fundamental review” of U.S. military missions. The deficit commission majority recommended deeper cuts in the defense budget. Obama’s plan also calls for $480 billion in savings from Medicare and Medicaid, with an additional $360 billion coming from other entitlement programs such as farm subsidies. To achieve the debt targets, the president is urging Congress to pass a “debt failsafe” that would trigger across-the-board spending cuts and tax changes if the debt-to-GDP ratio hasn’t stabilized by 2014. The automatic cuts wouldn’t apply to entitlements, including Social Security, Medicare and programs intended for low-income Americans. Triggers Stan Collender, managing director of Qorvis Communications and a former staff member of the House and Senate budget committees, said the president’s approach for a trigger attempts to overcome the limits of the 1985 Gramm-Rudman-Hollings Act, which required automatic cuts if deficit targets, based on budget projections, weren’t reached. That plan, he said, could be bypassed with optimistic economic assumptions. “We had triggers in the past, but no one decided to comply with them,” Collender said. A debt trigger “is going to be monitored by people in the markets who are very serious about it and who aren’t in the political system.” To contact the reporter on this story: Mike Dorning in Washington at [email protected] To contact the editor responsible for this story: Mark Silva at [email protected].

Eyes filling with tears as he quoted Scripture on Friday, Governor Deval Patrick strongly defended his plan to provide temporary shelter for up to 1,000 children who have crossed the US-Mexico border illegally and said he had identified two possible locations for them, one in Western Massachusetts and another on Cape Cod. The facilities are Westover Air Reserve Base in Chicopee and Camp Edwards in Barnstable County, which housed evacuees from Hurricane Katrina in 2005. The bases are being submitted for federal approval, and only one will be selected, said Patrick. Speaking at a news conference, the governor sought to move the issue beyond the caustic national debate over immigration and used the Bible to frame the problem as a moral one. He seized on the influx of migrant children in a way that other governors have not, showcasing the sort of oratory that helped propel him to office in 2006. “I believe that we will one day have to answer for our actions — and our inactions,” Patrick said, choking up as he was flanked by religious leaders, including Cardinal Sean P. O’Malley, the Roman Catholic archbishop of Boston. However, many officials and residents around the bases voiced strong opposition to bringing migrant children from Central America, saying that they had not been consulted and that they believe the children will pose a public health and financial burden. Continue reading it below “The people up here are going to be up in arms over it,” said George Moreau, president of the Chicopee City Council. “It could be a major disaster for this country.” Others raised logistical concerns. Staff Sergeant Kelly Goonan, public affairs officer at Westover, said the base does not have barracks where the children could stay. “We do not have the facilities or personnel to house the children, especially during the weekends,” she said. “We have all four branches of the military, minus the Coast Guard, on our base, so the weekends fill up the limited space we do have.” Peter J. Meier — chairman of the Board of Selectmen in Bourne, which includes part of Camp Edwards — said the board is set to discuss the plan Tuesday. He said 80 percent of the residents in Bourne he has spoken to oppose the idea. “We need to take care of our own people before we take care of anybody else,” he said. The governor conceded that there are many unanswered questions about the plan, including how many children might come to the state. He said the federal government may ultimately decide against using either base as a temporary shelter. Some governors and officials in other states have resisted the federal government’s requests for help. Patrick said he held a press conference Friday to explain his reasoning for offering the shelter. Patrick reiterated that the shelter will be managed, paid for, and staffed entirely by the federal government. It would be ready for up to 1,000 children ages 3 to 17 and remain open for up to four months, he said. The children, aides said, would receive health screenings and vaccinations before entering the state. They would not attend local schools, but remain on the base while federal officials give them food and schooling and schedule them to appear before federal immigration judges. In other states, the average stay for children was 35 days, he said. Ultimately, Patrick said, the migrants will either be deported or reunited with relatives in the United States. The governor said his office would accept donations of toys and books and is looking for volunteers, particularly those who speak Spanish. But he said it is not yet clear how volunteers will be able to help, or if they will be allowed onto the base, since the federal government will oversee the children’s care. At his press conference, Patrick said he had “searched my own conscience,” and decided to shelter the children in Massachusetts for two reasons: “love of country and lessons of faith.” He recounted historical examples of Massachusetts taking in young refugees from famine in Ireland, religious persecution in Russia and Ukraine, genocide in Cambodia, an earthquake in Haiti, civil war in Sudan, and from the storm in New Orleans. “My faith teaches that, if a stranger dwells with you in your land, you shall not mistreat him, but rather love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt,” he said. “Every major faith tradition on the planet charges its followers to treat others as we ourselves wish to be treated,” he added. “I don’t know what good there is in faith if we can’t, and won’t, turn to it in moments of human need.” Asked if he was willing to speak out on the issue because he is not running for reelection, Patrick, said, “This isn’t political.” Several hours after his speech, his political action committee sent out an e-mail promoting the remarks and included a link to a video of his news conference. The federal government is scrambling to find shelter for some of the 50,000 unaccompanied minors — most from El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras — who have illegally crossed. Without enough housing for the children near the US- Mexico border, the Obama administration has asked states to help shelter them. The governor, in turn, said he has asked community and religious groups to assist. O’Malley said the Archdiocese of Boston, though already struggling to help the needy, will do what it can. “I ask my faith community and the wider public to understand compassionately the extreme circumstances these children are facing,” the cardinal said. “As a country and a church, we are capable of providing crucial assistance.” Yusufi Vali, executive director of the Islamic Society of Boston Cultural Center, said the state is facing “a basic choice to be compassionate and hospitable to these immigrant children or to be callous and simply turn them away.” But Representative Bradley H. Jones Jr., the House Republican leader, said that “while I appreciate the desire to be sympathetic and helpful,” the state already faces enough of a challenge trying to care for its own homeless children and those under the care of the troubled Department of Children and Families. In Chicopee, Mayor Richard J. Kos also spoke out against Patrick’s proposal. “Westover should not be an option because it’s not an option,” he said. “It’s an operational airfield without the logistics to house children and maintain its security without impeding its operations.” A Patrick aide said Westover has land that could be used for temporary shelters set up by the federal government. Camp Edwards already has barracks available. Representative Joseph F. Wagner, a Chicopee Democrat, said the governor was rushing through the operation without consulting local communities. “The fact of the matter is this proposal would come at a cost to Chicopee residents and taxpayers,” he said. “It would place a new and additional burden on our city at a time when people are already stretched too thin.” In Bourne, Julia Ross-Golen, who works in a gardening store close to Camp Edwards, said the children should be sent back to their countries. “We will do anything for illegals, and we won’t do anything for Americans,” she said. “I don’t have sympathy for people breaking the law.” More coverage: • Patrick wants Mass. to host immigrant children • Children trying to sneak into US aren’t always alone • Migrant children traveling alone strain makeshift Ariz. shelterGlobe correspondents Zachary T. Sampson and Kiera Blessing

John Bravman, the next president of Bucknell University, is currently the Freeman-Thornton Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education at Stanford University. He is the Bing Centennial Professor of Materials Science and Engineering; a Professor of Electrical Engineering, by courtesy; and the founding Dean of Stanford's Freshman-Sophomore Residential College. Born in 1957, Bravman grew up in New York City and on Long Island. He entered Stanford as a freshman in 1975, and completed his B.S. in Materials Science and Engineering in 1979. He remained at Stanford for his graduate education in materials science, completing his M.S. in 1981 and his Ph.D. in 1984. His thesis work comprised structural analyses of silicon-silicon dioxide interfaces. While completing his doctorate Bravman was appointed to an Assistant Professorship in his department. He was promoted to Associate Professor with tenure in 1991, and to Full Professor in 1995. Since 2001 he has been Professor, by courtesy, of Electrical Engineering. Bravman has held several administrative positions and appointments at Stanford, including Department Chair from 1996 to 1999, and Senior Associate Dean in the School of Engineering from 1993 to 2001. In the spring of 1999 he was elected Chair of the Faculty Senate, but by policy vacated that position when he was appointed, later that year, Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education. In 1999 he also established a two-year residential college, Stanford's first, which he still serves as Dean. Bravman is currently Co-Chair of Stanford's accreditation reaffirmation process, conducted under the auspices of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. He is a member of the President's Executive Cabinet and an ex-officio member of the Faculty Senate. Bravman has written and taught primarily in the fields of materials structure and analysis, thin film mechanical phenomena, microelectronic reliability, and high temperature superconductivity. Early in his career, he pioneered new applications of transmission electron microscopy to various studies of thin film structures, laying the foundations for research based on both the development of novel techniques and on their application to technologically important materials systems, mostly within the microelectronic domain. He is the coauthor of over 160 scholarly publications. Bravman has won numerous awards as a teacher and advisor, including the Walter J. Gores Award, Stanford University's highest teaching honor. Bravman has been active in serving the scholarly community through work on various government panels, editorial boards, and scientific societies. He was a member or chair of national review committees at Sandia National Laboratory and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory for over a decade. Bravman has served the Materials Research Society in one or more capacities for more than twenty years, including as President, in 1994. He is also a highly sought technical consultant, and has been engaged by major law firms across the country as an expert witness in numerous intellectual property, product liability, and trade secret arbitration and litigation matters. As Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education, Bravman has led a far-ranging transformation of Stanford's undergraduate experience. He nurtured, built, and/or manages programs that bring faculty and students together, in small groups, through seminars, overseas studies, and undergraduate research; that provide instruction for all undergraduates, through required core-courses in the humanities and in newly-developed pedagogy in writing and oral presentation; that are establishing, for the first time, a comprehensive advising infrastructure for all undergraduates; that reinvigorate Stanford's system of residential education; and that work with all seven of Stanford's School Deans to maintain and extend Stanford's excellence in undergraduate education. He represents the university administration on the Parent's Advisory Board, and has spoken on hundreds occasions for the Office of Development, the Stanford Alumni Association, and the Office of Undergraduate Admission. Issues of access and retention have also been a focus of Bravman's attention. He created the Stanford Summer Engineering Academy more than a decade ago, a program designed for entering Stanford undergraduates from under-resourced school districts. He has worked closely with the Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid to attract and recruit students from all backgrounds, and serves on the University's Diversity Cabinet. Bravman's work with the Office of Development has rapidly expanded over the past decade. He played a pivotal role in the Campaign for Undergraduate Education, which raised over 1.1 billion dollars and which reignited the donor community's support for Stanford's undergraduate mission. He was a member of the President Hennessy's Needs Assessment Task Force, and is now engaged in the Stanford Challenge, the university's 4.3 billion dollar capital campaign that grew out of that task force. He regularly meets with some of the university's most dedicated supporters, speaks to groups of all sizes around the nation and the globe, and has been successful in motivating and soliciting both those with established records of support and those who are new to significant philanthropy. Bravman is married to Dr. Wendelin Wright, the Clare Boothe Luce Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Santa Clara University. Together they enjoy entertaining students, faculty, and alumni in their campus residence, where they host scores of official events each year. Bravman has two grown sons, and enjoys cooking, reading, photography, and travel. He's a devoted fan of Stanford Athletics, and enjoys golf and bicy.

mightykenny/flickrFacebook's own customers rank it as the worst among all social media sites, a category that sits near the bottom in the latest American Customer Satisfaction Index survey, or ASCI. That reported lack of customer satisfaction did not stop the social media giant from posting record revenue and huge gains in users in the recent quarter. People may not like Facebook, but more of them are using it -- and more advertisers are spending money on the platform. It's possible, however, that poor perception will catch up to the company and hurt its business. Facebook has become something like a busy public highway -- everyone has to use it, but if an alternative emerged, many might be quick to change. What the ACSI survey said Overall customer satisfaction with social media, search engines, and online news and opinion websites climbed by 2.9%, to 73.4 on ACSI's 100-point scale. Split out social media, however, and the number drops to 71. That's up 4.4% but still leaves social media as the fourth-lowest-scoring category tracked by ACSI. Only airlines (69), subscription TV (65), and Internet service providers (63) fared worse. Facebook did climb 8%, but its score of a 67 was well below the category average for social sites. The company may also be in for a big fall, as its improved numbers are from before news that the social networking giant manipulated the news feeds of a half-million users as part of a psychological experiment. ACSI believes that efforts to monetize -- which Facebook has done extremely well -- may also lead to customer dissatisfaction. "Advertising continues to be a drag on the social media customer experience, but it is hard to tell if consumers are getting used to the advertising or if these companies have been able to offset disruption with tweaks to the rest of the experience," says ACSI Director David VanAmburg. "I'm surprised at the movement at the bottom of the industry, but it remains to be seen if these scores can hold as social media continues to monetize its users." That idea is backed up by the fact that the top-rated social media company, Pinterest, which has an ACSI of 76, has just started to monetize. The presence of ads is still very subtle on the site. How well is Facebook doing? People may not love Facebook, but that hasn't stopped them from using it. During the second quarter, the site reported a 19% increase in daily active users, to an average of 829 million, from the same period last year. The company also saw a 39% rise in mobile daily active users, as well as a 14% increase in monthly active users, and a 31% spike in mobile monthly active users. "We had a good second quarter," CEO Mark Zuckerberg said. "Our community has continued to grow, and we see a lot of opportunity ahead as we connect the rest of the world." In addition to growing its audience, Facebook also grew its revenue to $2.91 billion for the quarter, an increase of 61% over the $1.81 billion recorded in the second quarter of 2013. Revenue from advertising was $2.68 billion, a 67% increase from the same quarter last year. Mobile advertising revenue accounted for approximately 62% of advertising revenue for the period, up from approximately 41% in the second quarter of 2013. It's hard to see how Facebook has been hurt in the short term by customers being less than satisfied with its product. Does Facebook need to be liked? When a company becomes as ubiquitous as Facebook, a backlash is inevitable. The social media site, which was once just for the cool kids, has now become the place your parents and grandparents hang out. That has not yet caused younger, hipper users to flee the site, partly because there is no real alternative. You may not want to be on Facebook, but it has become ingrained in our society that if you stop using it, you will miss out on things like high school reunions, birth announcements, and even deaths. The challenge for Facebook is not whether it stays popular while it's the only game in town, but what it would do if a real alternative arises. The reality is that while users love to grumble about every change made by Zuckerberg and his team, the social media giant is not actually disliked. People have negative feelings about cable companies and ISPs because they offer poor service, high prices, and a bad attitude. Facebook is almost never down, remains free, and provides a useful service. Cable companies and ISPs are the crazy girlfriends/boyfriends we break up with as soon as we can figure out how to do so without them boiling our proverbial bunny. Facebook is the long-term spouse we've grown familiar and comfortable with but don't always have something to say to. Should Google find a way to offer nationwide Internet service, it would likely devastate the traditional ISPs. Facebook is as vulnerable to competition as any company, but people aren't looking to leave, and any competitor that hits a certain scale would likely face similar satisfaction issues. Facebook is like McDonald's -- the place everyone pretends they don't go, even though they're secretly sneaking Big Macs ... probably while typing in Facebook status updates. Read the original article on The Motley Fool. Copyright 2014. Follow The Motley Fool on Twitter.

The World's Best Business Schools What's the best business school in the world? BusinessWeek says it's University of Chicago. U.S. News says it's Harvard. The Economist says it's Spain's IESE. Unfortunately, most of them are wrong. Just jump right to the list > The best business school in the world, according to our proprietary ranking, is Harvard Business School. By a long shot. Already, many of you are bristling. There are so many other great MBA programs! Lots of business-school grads do very well -- or better -- than the self-anointed wunderkinds from HBS! And all those arrogant HBS people think they should all be CEO at 27! Maybe so. But the value of a business school is not just about the quality of the professors. Or the "education." Or the campus facilities. Or any of the other things business schools love to brag about and most business school rankings focus on. These factors are obviously important. But lots of schools have them. And they're hard to tell apart. At the highest levels, moreover, there's only one thing that really differentiates one business school from another: The amount the school will help. So, given this, how do you determine the proper ranking of the world's top full-time MBA programs? You ask the folks who matter to your future career--employers, executives, investors, and journalists--what they think. And that's what we've done. Over the past month, we have asked our readers to name the 10 best business schools in the world. They have responded with an overwhelming endorsement of Harvard, Stanford, Wharton, and other top full-time programs. We have also interviewed more than a dozen recruiters across a wide range of companies--IBM, GE, McKesson, Bain, VC firms, startups--to get their sense of the top business schools. Their comments confirmed the feedback we got from our readers. Our readers confirm that the quality of the curriculum at the school is very important. In fact, when asked to list the single MOST important differentiator among the schools, they responded as follows: - 38% said the skills and knowledge acquired in courses was was most important - 31% the network of contacts acquired was most important, and - 28% said the brand value of the school and degree was most important. Other business school rankings do a good job of evaluating the curricula and facilities of the various schools, and we've included their findings here. But in our opinion the other lists underweight the value of the network of contacts and the brand value of the school and degree. Unlike the other business-school ranking lists, which often trigger bewilderment among those who actually work in business, our rankings probably won't surprise anyone. Our list is also global: We know too many wildly successful executives educated at INSEAD, LSE, and other schools located outside the U.S. to confine our rankings to the U.S.A. The business world has gone global. And so should lists of the world's best business schools. So, let's get to it... Scroll through the World's Best Business Schools >> See the whole list on one page >> See what top recruiters really think >> Read about our methodology > With assistance from Antonina Jedrzejczak

Hanging." "No tree grows to the sky," one of the company’s directors was fond of pointing out at Marriott board meetings. Or as J.W. Marriott says, Growth can’t go on forever; inevitably, it slows. So when Shaw, a 29-year Marriott veteran, became COO and hired Wilson as CIO in 1997, they started working to get those costs back out. Shaw began to sell off more of the company’s noncore businesses, including food service, senior living communities and distribution. Wilson evaluated the systems the business was running on to see how the company could streamline operations and boost revenue, and decided that Marriott’s single biggest business application—the enormous Marriott Automated Reservation Systems for Hotel Accommodations, better known as Marsha—needed a complete and immediate overhaul. "Even in the good times, you ought to behave like you’re in the bad times," Wilson says. In the wrong hands, such a corporate outlook could create a pessimistic, "sky is falling" kind of culture. But at Marriott, that belief is spun in more positive terms: Employees are expected to improve the way the company operates no matter what the balance sheet says. Reuse if possible, buy if available, and build for competitive advantage. -"Information Resources Operating Values" As Mike Keppler, vice president of sales, marketing and revenue management systems, explains: "In the IT business, the pressure is always there to do more with less and bring things to market faster." Keppler hit the ground running in 1998 on the Marsha overhaul. Marsha’s importance to Marriott is best understood, says Misha Kravchenko, senior director of Marsha systems and performance measurement, by thinking of it as a "supply chain system for the hotel industry." Much more than a database of reservations, it connects in real-time to Marriott’s customers, partners and suppliers and contains more than 6,000 programs. Some questioned Wilson’s rush to refurbish a system that seemed to be working. Marsha was 14 years old and outdated, but most companies in the industry were content with their similarly dated systems. Nonetheless, Wilson’s department embarked on an upgrade, taking as its guide the "Information Resources Operating Values" that decreed, "Reuse if possible, buy if available, and build for competitive advantage." So Wilson kept much of the original system while adding functionality and reducing the cost of operation. "Some people said, Why are you pushing so hard to make this happen? We don’t have any issues right now," recalls Wilson. His response was this: "It wasn’t raining when Noah started to build the Ark. "Resourcefulness," Wilson continues, "is actually a journey that starts way back here somewhere—you have to be continually doing it even when you don’t need to." Some of the work to transform Marsha had a looming deadline: Y2K. But Marriott had another, earlier Armageddon in mind. With the advent of the Internet, the look-to-book ratio (the number of times a traveler browses the system before buying) had skyrocketed from 5-1 to 100-1. If that held, Kravchenko calculated that Marsha would run out of capacity by September 1998. In addition, Marsha ran on just one processor, so Marriott was forced to buy ever bigger and more expensive single processors. Kravchenko and his team converted all the application components and systems middleware so that Marsha could run on parallel processors. "It was like performing open-heart surgery on a marathon runner while he’s running the race," Kravchenko says. The move allowed the IT department to take advantage of the plummeting prices of new, smaller disk storage devices. The team expanded Marsha’s network capabilities to respond to increased Internet demand, moving from the older IBM SNA network infrastructure to open TCP/IP architecture. That took three years. "We had so many connections to so many partners, from our hotels to booking companies to banks and rental car companies, and they all had to be moved from the legacy architecture," says Kravchenko. But it was a boon in terms of cost savings as the older IBM system was much more costly to maintain. Marriott plowed those savings into additional upgrades to Marsha. Keppler replaced a decades-old DOS front end with a Windows application called Merlin for call center operations; Merlin typically captures more than $15 million in revenue each weekday. This was a situation in which it was worth it from a competitive standpoint for Marriott to build its own application, Keppler says. The final upgrades to the operating system and network infrastructure are being implemented this year, but Marsha handled 59 million reservations last year, and its processing capacity has increased 300 percent. The cost per transaction (which Marriott charges to hotel owners and wants to keep flat) has dropped 16 percent since 2000. And Marriott can now boast a single image inventory (one view of all rooms across all channels and 17 Marriott-owned hotel chains). "We’ve been able to reduce costs and deliver more power while increasing the scale, scope and functionality of the system," Keppler boasts. Preserve change amid order. -The Spirit to Serve When questioned about Marriott’s current fiscal condition, company executives quickly turn to the positive effects of the negative forces at work. They believe the current downturn comes with a gift: the discipline to take a hard look at what’s not adding value to the company. The slump just makes it easier to, as J.W. Marriott writes in his book, "preserve change amid order." That is, the best time to shake things up is when things are going smoothly. Just before the recession settled in, in early 2001, each department cut its budget by 10 percent. After Sept. 11 that same year, each department trimmed its budget by another 20 percent. Marriott IT was asked not just to cut its own costs but also to help the rest of the business units cut theirs. "You have to stop doing things that aren’t adding value," Wilson emphasizes. Like using two separate yield management systems. Marriott wants to sell its rooms at the highest price possible. But if it doesn’t book a room (which has a shelf life of 24 hours) because it’s overpriced, that revenue is lost forever. In order to sell the right product to the right customer at the right time for the right price, the company uses software: a yield management system. But Marriott was using two different architectural platforms: one for full-service hotels such as Marriott, the other for less upscale properties such as Courtyard. IT had to employ almost twice as many people to maintain the two systems and reply to requests from two separate user communities. In addition, franchisees who owned both types of hotels had to invest in both systems. In 2001, Senior Vice President of Information Resources Howard Melnick and his team began to work on a unified system. Rather than replace the two apps, Melnick employed IBM WebSphere to combine the best of each and introduced a new standard desktop. In the resourceful spirit of "reuse before buy before build," he explains that he used as much of the existing batch architecture and code base as possible and bought the WebSphere to combine them in a more flexible Web-based environment. The final product enabled the IT department to reduce the number of support personnel and integrate the hardware the system required. At the corporate level, collapsing and upgrading the two independent systems has enabled Marriott to improve the accuracy of its reservation forecasts and lift lodging revenue 20 percent, according to Amy McPherson, senior vice president of global revenue management and the business owner of the system. "These systems are hugely important and a key part of our competitive advantage," McPherson says. "Last year we had the worst year in our history, yet we were able to grow revenue and maintain our costs." Success is a team sport. -The Spirit to Serve If a company is going to be resourceful, IT and the business better be aligned. Marriott’s IT employees receive a crash course in the hospitality industry; Marriott’s businesspeople are intimately involved in IT projects. They must sponsor any new initiative and retain ownership for the life of the system. The result: Marriott employees, whether in IT or marketing, are on the same page. "Sometimes when I’m in a meeting, I can’t tell if the person speaking is in IT or on the business side," Wilson says. "We’ve developed a culture of IT-literate, business-knowledgeable professionals. You don’t find people in one department saying to people in another that the hole’s in your end of the boat. We’re all in the same boat." In fact, the phrase "IT project" has been banned; Wilson’s team works only on business projects. "We’re not a technology business. We’re not even a technology shop." says Melnick. "We’re a lodging business, and we want to do things that move Marriott forward as a lodging company." Thus, the IT department focuses on business results, not technology. COO Shaw contrasts the current joint IT-business approach with mistakes made in the 1970s. Marriott would start to build a hotel, and then the business would say, I want a different kind of restaurant or room layout, and people just kept changing things around. Today with IT, says Shaw, "the business has to put a stake in the ground" to prevent that costly and time-consuming back and forth. Therefore, as resources become scarce and the IT department has to become hyper-resourceful by, say, halting certain projects or introducing new cost-cutting systems, the business is already on board and changes can be made quickly and effectively. When hard times hit recently, this teamwork came in handy. For example, Marriott had nine help desks that "weren’t providing the level of satisfaction required by our business partners," Wilson explains. So IT rolled those systems into one, adding some automated self-service capability that would help them support the 24/7 global operation they had become and, more important, cut costs. The problem, as Wilson puts it, was "We have what I call a very facing culture. In the hospitality business, you greet people and the cultural preference is to do a lot of things face-to-face." Business partner satisfaction is one of the IT department’s missions, and there was concern about user resistance to automated tools. But teamwork kicked in.

When the new aquatic center opens in Greenwood next summer, families from all over the city will come to Freedom Park to swim, splash and cool down. But before that happens, city officials are ensuring that people can get to the park in the safest, easiest way possible. The Greenwood parks department is planning to build a half-mile extension of trail connecting Freedom Park to the neighborhoods surrounding it. The trail will be vital in ensuring families can walk or ride bikes to the new aquatic park when it opens in 2015, said Rob Taggart, director of the parks department. “We want to make sure people can get to the new aquatic center safely and easily,” he said. The new trail will start on Averitt Road, where sidewalks already are built extending south from Smith Valley Road. Where the sidewalk ends, the trail will continue farther south, until reaching the Freedom Park entrance near Stop 18 Road. It will then turn west and connect with the park’s trail loop. The newly built trail will be slightly less than a half-mile, Taggart said. The new aquatic center will include a lap pool, 600-foot lazy river and water slides. The lazy river will have a bridge and a waterfall. The cost of construction is $7.2 million. When it opens in May 2015, the center will replace the city pool, which was closed in 2012 due to safety concerns. The city recently received bids for the cost of the new trail of between about $100,000 and $130,000, Taggart said. Earlier in the year, the city set aside $65,000 to pay for the cost of the design and construction of the trails. That could be supplemented with $30,000 from the parks department general fund, which has been earmarked for trail projects. The project is expected to begin in the coming weeks, and Taggart would like to see it all done by the end of October. “You’re dealing with asphalt, and that means when it gets too cold, you can’t lay asphalt down. I’m pushed by the climate,” he said. The new trail at Freedom Park is one of multiple ongoing trail expansions in the county. Franklin is attempting to link 750 homes in the Knollwood Farms neighborhood with its existing trail system and also has discussed adding more trails on the east side of the city. The hope is to eventually create a city-wide loop, connecting schools, parks and the downtown area. Greenwood has more than 20 miles of connected trails and sidewalks within city limits. Future projects could include extending walkways past State Road 135, north along County Line Road and to the farthest southern boundary of the city.

Thursday, September 2nd, 2010 By Nancy Allen Aerator test results promising GRAND LAKE - Toxic algae has been choking Grand Lake, but new technology might infuse the air supply needed to save it. Early signs show giant aerators installed in Grand Lake may be helping heal the algae-plagued body of water, though hard data won't be available for at least two to three months. This week scientists from two Columbus-area consulting firms gathered data from the lake at Southmoor Shores where an Airy Gator, and a second unit at Park Grand Resort have been operating since April 30. The Airy Gator is designed to infuse oxygen into the lake's sediment, allowing beneficial organisms to grow, eat the organic material and reduce the sediment layer. "On Aug. 14, I sampled dissolved oxygen levels on the lake and this was the only bay on the whole east side that had levels above 2 parts per million (ppm)," said scientist Henry Pate of Battelle Research Institute. Oxygen levels of 2 ppm would support creatures such as mussels and different types of worms, he said And that's a good thing. In a healthy lake, worms and mussels all require adequate oxygen to survive. "I don't expect to find anything except worms," Pate said. "I'm praying we find mussels." Pate, and Jennie Morgan and David Strong, environmental scientists with MAD Scientist Associates, will analyze the data from the Southmoor Shores site. Their main goal is to assess how the units are performing and if the technology could be used to treat the entire lake, Morgan said. The scientists will look at algae counts, flow levels, water clarity, benthos diversity (animals and plants that live at the lake's bottom), dissolved oxygen and ph levels and the sediment profile. The three scientists rode in a small boat just off the shore to gather data at three sites marked by buoys. Pate dipped a box core, a clear rectangular-shaped container attached to a pole, into about 3 feet of water to get a sediment sample. He noted there appeared to be an "oxic" layer in the water, a sign the Airy Gator is working. He also saw a large zooplankton, another good sign of organism diversity. The critters also eat blue-green algae in its early stages, he said. Toxins resulting from the lake's massive blue-green algae blooms this summer caused the state to issue a no contact advisory for the lake. The advisory has since been downgraded to allow boating. Pate said the Airy Gators could decrease blue-green algae blooms in three ways. First, by moving the water around, which disrupts the formation of floating algae mats. Blue-green algae needs, warm, calm water to grow. Second, by introducing oxygen into the area where sediment and water meet. This makes dissolved phosphorous less available to the algae for food. Third, turning the water over more could expose the algae to additional sunlight which may help break down the toxins. Blue-green algae is fed by excess nutrients, especially phosphorous. In the 13,500-acre Grand Lake, most excess nutrients run off farmland, which comprises more than 80 percent of the acreage in the watershed. The buoys will remain at the three sites so the scientist can sample at the same locations each time. They plan to make two more trips to the site within the next four to six weeks to gather data, Morgan said. The Grand Lake Restoration Commission, a coalition of individuals and organizations from Auglaize and Mercer counties, has raised more than $550,000 in donations to buy the Airy Gators and pay the firms. The commission also has purchased two Collectors designed to catch sediment in creeks before it enters the lake. One each has been installed in Big Chickasaw Creek and in Beaver Creek and a third should be installed in Barnes Creek later this summer or early fall, commission member Brian Miller said. The commission also plans to analyze the effectiveness of the Collectors, he said. Pate said toxic blue-green algae is a worldwide problem. "I know it's no comfort, but the people of Grand Lake shouldn't feel alone; this is happening worldwide," he said. "There's a blue-green algae slick in the Baltic sea the size of Germany as we speak."

FLOWER MOUND — The trophies sprawl, cups and plaques and figurines of gleaming gold and silver plastic. Flags are pinned to an adjacent wall. China, Turkey, New Zealand, Germany. They are countries visited or hosted by Flower Mound wrestling. In the middle, a handful of teenage boys practice grips and holds on soft blue mats. The flags, the trophies, they are mementos of the recent past and present. Wrestling matters at Flower Mound High School, matters as much as it ever has, and the team is primed for the state meet, hoping to replicate last year’s runner-up finish or possibly take that one step further. Seven Flower Mound wrestlers and one alternate qualified for this weekend’s state championship in Austin. They are Dylan Akers, Scott Akers, Greyson Medina, Austin Riddle, Brady Speckels, Tom Beaury, Drake Dudley and Alex Wranik. “We’re a real close team and that’s separated us from years past,” Riddle said. By first or second grade, most of these guys were wrestling with and against each other. They formed a bond. They gained experience together. And that’s why so many have advanced this far. “Wrestling’s a brutal sport, a long season,” coach Steve Davis said. “Practices are not fun. You do a ton of work to spend six minutes, max, out there, and there are many, many times when it would be easier to do something else. And if you don’t have somebody holding you accountable it’s easy to take a day off.” Though Flower Mound finished second at state as a team last year, this season has marked two other important accomplishments for the program. At the State Duals, Flower Mound defeated perennial power Canyon Randall in a semifinal. It was the biggest victory in Flower Mound history. Then earlier this month, Flower Mound won Regional for the first time. Even last year, en route to second place at state, the Jaguars were third at Regional. “If you’re about to go into a tough match or high-pressure situation and the whole team is crowded around that mat,” Medina said, “it’s what’s going to push you to try and win.” A look at the state wrestling archives reveals a program that has come a long way in a short time. Flower Mound finished 51st in 2005, 52nd in 2006, 40th in 2007, 10th in 2008, 17th in 2009 and second last year. The team realizes a state championship is a long-shot with Allen the heavy favorite, but its continued progress ensures the probability of many more trophies to come. “I really feel like we have taken it to the next level this year,” Davis said. Area regional.

Beeching closures in England > Melton Constable railway station Former Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway stations > Melton Constable railway station Railway stations opened in 1882 > Melton Constable railway station Disused railway stations in Norfolk > Melton Constable railway station Railway stations closed in 1964 > Melton Constable railway station Sections Agriculture Applied sciences Arts Belief Business Chronology Culture Education Environment Geography Health History Humanities Language Law Life Mathematics Nature People Politics Science Society Technology Melton Constable was a railway station on the Midland and Great Northern Railway which served the North Norfolk village of Melton Constable from 1882 to 1964.[3] Notwithstanding its rural location, the station became an important railway centre with lines converging from all directions providing connections to key East Anglian towns such as King's Lynn, Norwich, Cromer, Fakenham, Yarmouth and Lowestoft. Although long since demolished, there is a possibility that the station may yet be resurrected as part of the proposed Norfolk Orbital Railway. The Lynn & Fakenham Railway Act 1880 authorised the construction of a railway from Fakenham to Norwich via Melton Constable, followed by a second line east from Melton to North Walsham. The scheme had been born of a desire amongst North Norfolk landowners, including notably Lord Hastings of Melton Constable Hall, to break the East Anglian monopoly of the Great Eastern Railway and to improve communications between the farming community and the outside world.[4] The outcome was the incorporation of the Lynn & Fakenham Railway which began services from King's Lynn in January 1882, with the line to Norwich being opened to traffic in December.[5] The connection to North Walsham was completed on 5 April 1883 thereby enabling through-running to Great Yarmouth over a line constructed by the Yarmouth & North Norfolk Light Railway, some three months after the Lynn & Fakenham Railway, the Yarmouth & North Norfolk and other small companies had merged to form the Eastern & Midlands Railway. The final line to reach Melton Constable was that of the Great Eastern from Holt which opened on 1 October 1884, and was extended to Cromer Beach in 1887.[6] Both the Lynn & Fakenham and the Yarmouth & North Norfolk lines were built by Messrs Wilkinson & Jarvis of London who had raised the necessary funds through a mixture of bonds, debentures and mortgages, hoping that their speculative investment would pay off when a larger railway company would purchase the line. One of their employees was William Marriott who became engineer to the Eastern & Midlands Railway in 1883; he would later play a key role in the development of Melton Constable where he lived for some years. He kept his position when the Eastern was taken over in 1893 by the Midland & Great Northern Joint Railway (M&GN).[7] From a population of 118 in 1881, Melton Constable grew rapidly with the arrival of the railway to reach a figure of 1,157 in 1911. The construction of a railway junction and establishment of a railway works transformed a small parish of 19 houses into what became known as the "Crewe of North Norfolk".[8] Due to its central location on the M&GN, Melton Constable became, after King's Lynn, one of the two main centres from which the M&GN was controlled; it was the line's engineering nerve centre from where an extensive 14-acre (57,000 m2) locomotive works operated over 180 miles (290 km) of track, building and repairing locomotives and catering for the civil engineering needs of the line.[9] All M&GN traffic from and to the west had to pass through Melton Constable where trains were divided or made-up before proceeding west, where goods trains were shunted and assembled.[10] To attract and retain workers to such an isolated location, the railway company engaged a contractor to construct housing in the nearby parish of Burgh Parva. The first street to be built in 1882 was Melton Street followed by Astley Terrace where poor-quality houses costing £150 each were built; later houses in Colville Road and Briston Road are of better quality and date from the M&GN's takeover of the line and the availability of more funds.[11] Architecturally, the red-brick and slate-roofed terraced housing had more in common with an East Midlands industrial town, with narrow streets and small front gardens which gave the area a particular character.[12] The M&GN's gasworks at the bottom of Melton Street lit the establishment, with the coal needed for the plant being supplied by rail via a siding connection from the station's goods yard headshunt.[13] Other amenities included a school, recreational facilities, gasworks and a sewerage station.[14] The station buildings were located close to the great hall at Melton Constable Hall made famous by its use in the film The Go Between. The land on which the station was built on had been donated by Lord Hastings who was in return provided with a specially-appointed waiting room with an adjoining short platform.[15] Other than this private platform, the station was equipped with a single 800 feet (240 m) island platform with through tracks on either side. Access to the platform was via a covered staircase which descended from an adjacent road overbridge to reach a long, single-storey station building containing the booking office and refreshment room. At the eastern end of the platform, there was a single-storey brick public waiting room and toilet block, which was subsequently rebuilt with an outer casing of concrete blocks. The main station building was constructed using yellow brickwork, with the exterior woodwork painted in a two-tone green and cream colour when the London and North Eastern Railway took over operation of the M&GN. The platform was largely covered by a long canopy supported by metal spandrels bearing the initials "CNR", a reference to the failed Central Norfolk Railway scheme. A trap door on the platform surface led to the station cellars.[16] The station and junctions were controlled by two signal boxes at each end of the station and known as "Melton East" and "Melton West" boxes. They controlled typical M&GN somersault signals mounted on square posts, which were in some cases moulded from concrete.[17] The works were situated to the south of the main station buildings and opened in 1883. It was principally a locomotive repair establishment, with the stock accessing the works via a headshunt connection beside the Melton to Norwich line. William Marriott and his workforce carried out several major rebuilding operations at the works, including the reboilering of the M&GN's 4-4-0 and 0-6-0 engines, progressively enlarging them. Up to 12 engines could be housed in the works' three-road engine shed which was situated between the passenger station and the works.[18] Part of the works was dedicated to the large scale production of concrete mouldings which were innovatively used by Marriott in the construction of signals and building blocks. The works closed in 1936 resulting in a significant reduction of activity at Melton Constable.[19] Operation of the M&GN was taken over by the London and North Eastern Railway on 1 October 1936 which transferred all locomotive operations to its Stratford works as part of a move to rationalise functions of the Joint system.[20] Melton Constable Works ceased to repair locomotives after this date, but the facilities continued to be used for wagon repairs and the scrapping of redundant rolling stock.[21] Further rationalisation in 1945 left Melton Constable as a wagon sheet works, whilst declining traffic served to highlight the duplication of facilities between the M&GN and other Great Eastern lines.[22] Most of the M&GN closed on 28 February 1959, leaving Melton Constable as the terminus of a branch from Sheringham until 4 April 1964 when it was closed to passengers.[23] Melton Constable is today a rather smaller village with around 500 inhabitants. The station was demolished in 1971, to be replaced by a telephone exchange. Two of the ornamental spandrels that held up the station roof are incorporated into the bus shelter on the B1354 Fakenham Road. The land of the old railway works and sidings is now an industrial estate, but a number of the old buildings have been retained.[24] A water tower still exists above the factory area and still bears the traces of repaired shrapnel holes sustained during a Second World War air raid.[25] The North Norfolk Railway has long-term plans to restore the line from its own Holt station to Melton Constable, (Extending to Melton Constable would require installing a level crossing and alongside above the new-built road built about long after closure). Coordinates: 52°51′23″N 1°01′57″E / 52.856309°N 1.032424°E / 52.856309; 1.032424 We're sorry, but there's no news about "Melton Constable railway station" right now. Oops, we seem to be having trouble contacting Twitter Digparty Home | Feedback

." Hartford Public School students have narrowed their achievement gap with the rest of the state by a third since 2006-2007. The superintendent says much of that has come during and because of Governor Malloy's time in office.. Since the school shooting in Newtown, Connecticut, the town has paid thousands of dollars in overtime to put more police officers in schools... She said she was proud of her accomplishments since she took office in August 2007. She cited, among other things, improved high school graduation rates and MCAS performance, bringing hundreds of students back to school who had dropped out, and closing achievement gaps. Faced with a self-imposed Friday deadline for picking two schools to shutter, the Richmond School Board opted instead to put off the cost-cutting measure. On Monday, Gov. Rick Scott signed a sweeping education bill that will revamp the state’s high school graduation requirements and place new emphasis on coursework that prepares students for high-tech careers. Privacy Policy | Copyright © 2015 Professional Media Group. All Rights Reserved.

[tag: science] More, Diverse Families Opt for Homeschooling in New Jersey New Jersey is seeing a rise of inclusive homeschooling groups that aim to provide opportunities for parents to network and for children to socialize, conduct science experiments, and play sports and games, says Homeschool World of the Practical Homeschooling Magazine. Before New Jersey parent Heather Kirchner decided to homeschool her daughter, she believed that mothers who homeschooled their children were only the types “who wore long skirts and praised Jesus and all that,” writes Alesha Williams Boyd and Sergio Bichao at USA Today. Kirchner is one of number of parents joining secular organizations across the country that offer homeschooling. And while most records indicate that the homeschooling industry is dominated by religious organizations, an increasing number of parents who are not religiously-inclined are looking towards homeschooling not because of faith, but because of the perceived shortcomings in public and private schools. More and more parents have practical — rather than religious — reasons for taking charge of their childrens’ education, says Joyce Burges, who co-founded National Black Home Educators (NBHE). Her organization has seen a jump from about 500 homeschoolers a decade ago to about 2,500 today, she says. And she believes it’s because of poor public school records. “A lot of the children are just falling through the cracks. “Parents are struggling, trying to see what they can do.” Cincinnati Area Teaching Children at Home also recorded a spike in enrollment, with an increase from 500 families five years ago to 1,000 today. Norma Curry, 67, who homeschooled her daughter, said: “This is southwestern Ohio, home of (Republican House Speaker) John Boehner — it is an extremely conservative place, which is why we started this organization.” Studies that indicate homeschooled students perform better academically also are growing homeschoolers’ numbers, Curry says. But Christopher Lubienski, professor of education policy at the University of Illinois, doesn’t believe the received wisdom that students perform better being home-schooled rather than in a traditional school. “There’s really not good evidence that it’s a better model for children.” He says some parents “just aren’t qualified to provide the education for their children.” However, a Home School Legal Defense Association study in 2009 by the National Home Education Research Institute showed homeschoolers, on average, scored 37 percentile points above public school students on standardized achievement tests. 02 21,

Three flu-related deaths have been reported in El Paso by the city's Department of Public Health, which is urging residents to take preventive steps as the flu spreads across the country. Public health officials said Wednesday afternoon that three women died in El Paso after catching influenza. The women -- ages 83, 70 and 53 -- had serious underlying health conditions before catching the flu, officials said. The cases are the first flu-related deaths in El Paso since 2011, when three deaths were reported. In 2009, officials said, 17 people died during the H1N1 influenza outbreak. "Our efforts to combat this disease have been reinvigorated knowing that three medically fragile members of our community have died after getting the flu," Bruce Parsons, the city's interim health director, said in a statement. "We share this information in hopes of renewing the public's interest in taking the appropriate steps to prevent more cases of flu this season," Parsons said. Public health officials said that 1,989 flu cases have been reported in El Paso since October and that the number of cases in January is still pending. By comparison, there were 31 cases during the same period in the 2011-12 flu season. Medical experts have said some people are at greater risk from complications from the flu, including young children, pregnant women, senior citizens and people with chronic health conditions, such as heart disease, diabetes and asthma. Health officials recommend that people get flu vaccinations to help prevent the spread of the virus. Armando Saldivar, a spokes man for the city's Department of Public Health, said that local doctors' offices and clinics have an adequate supply of the vaccine. "The only shortages we have heard of are some of the retail outlets because, generally, they order what they think they can use," Saldivar said. "We have seen an increase certainly of people calling to get the flu vaccine, and that's a good thing." On Tuesday, Centro San Vicente in the Lower Valley had a strong turnout and administered all 1,100 doses of the flu vaccine that it announced it was offering for free, a center official said. The vaccine had been donated last month by Direct Relief, an organization that helps health-care providers. The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said that experts think the flu is spread mainly by droplets when a sick person coughs, sneezes or talks. Since the mid-1970s, the number of estimated annual flu-related deaths has ranged from 3,000 to 49,000 nationwide, according to the CDC. Health experts said that people can take several steps to help prevent the spread of the flu virus. People should wash their hands often by scrubbing for at least 20 seconds with soap and water or used an alcohol-based hand cleaner. Cover a cough or sneeze with a tissue or use the bend of the elbow. The CDC reported that healthy adults may be able to infect others a day before developing symptoms and five to seven days after becoming sick. People who are sick should stay home until they are well. Call a doctor if a sick person has a fever of more than 100 degrees. Daniel Borunda may be reached at [email protected]; 546-6102. Follow him on Twitter @BorundaDaniel Times reporter Aileen B. Flores contributed to this story.

Chicken Excrement for Fish Stirs Concern in Vietnam HANOI The practice of using chicken excrement to feed fish in southern Vietnam is threatening millions of people with bird flu in Ho Chi Minh City and should be stopped, state media said on Monday. The Ho Chi Minh City Law newspaper quoted Dong Nai province residents as saying farmers there threw at least 100 tonnes of chicken excrement a day into Tri An lake, whose waters flow into Dong Nai river and run through the country's biggest city. "Dropping chicken excrement into Tri An lake during the period when bird flu is evolving into a pandemic is extremely dangerous," Le Hoang Sang, deputy director of the Ho Chi Minh City's Pasteur Institute, was quoted as saying by the newspaper. Chicken excrement is one of the main carriers of the H5N1 virus, which can survive in a cool and wet environment for a month and slightly less if in water, he said. In January, a 9-year-old boy died from bird flu in the Mekong Delta province of Tra Vinh after he caught it while swimming in water in which the bodies of infected poultry had been thrown. ADVERTISEMENT "Throwing chicken excrement into the lake must be stopped immediately," Sang said, adding that tests of the fish food would start this week. About seven million people in Ho Chi Minh City use water purified from the Dong Nai river, Nguyen Van Phu, director of the Saigon Water Supply Co, told the state-run Lao Dong newspaper. "We ordered a stop to fish feeding that way when this rainy season began but it's difficult if farmers move the excrement in at night," said Vu Thi Tho, People Committee's chairwoman of La Nga commune, 115 km (70 miles) northeast of Ho Chi Minh City. But the Lao Dong newspaper said poultry waste was still being taken to the area by truck. Since bird flu arrived in Dec. 2003, 91 people have caught it in Vietnam and 41 have died, fanning experts' fears that the virus could mutate into a form passed easily between people and unleash a global pandemic. Source: Reuters Contact Info:

[tag: science] Summary: National Institutes of Health-funded scientists have determined the genetic sequences of all 12 available strains of Staphylococcus aureus bacteria resistant to vancomycin--an antibiotic of last resort--and have demonstrated that resistance arose independently in each strain after it acquired a specific bit of genetic material called transposon Tn1546. The transposon likely came from vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus bacteria that simultaneously infected the patients. The team also identified shared features among the vancomycin-resistant staph strains that may have helped them acquire Tn1546 and evade human immune defenses. Their findings are reported in the May 22 issue of the journal mBio®. Boston (May 22, 2012) - Antibiotic-resistant superbugs, including methicillin resistant Staph. aureus (MRSA), have become household words. Antibiotic resistance threatens health and lives. Schools have been closed, athletic facilities have been scrubbed, and assisted living and day care centers have been examined for transmission of these bacteria. Since 2005, MRSA have killed over 18,000 people a year in the United States alone. To make matters worse, in 2002 a new MRSA with resistance to even the last-line drug vancomycin (VRSA) appeared. Since the first case in Michigan, there have been at least 11 other well-documented cases in New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware and more in Michigan. Scientists at the Centers for Disease Control, Harvard University and elsewhere have been working to determine the origin of these VRSA, to understand why they have turned up, and to understand the risk of spread.. But there is hope on the horizon. Scientists have now determined the genome sequence for all available VRSA strains. The Harvard-wide Antibiotic Resistance Program is using this information to develop new ways to prevent and treat infection by MRSA, VRSA and VRE. The team identified several new compounds that stop MRSA by hitting new targets, and is currently subjecting these to further tests. This group works closely with partners at the Broad Institute and Harvard's Microbial Sciences Initiative. To sequence the genomes, researchers from the National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded Harvard-wide Antibiotic Resistance Program, headquartered at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear in Boston, assembled an elite international team. Headed by Harvard professor Michael Gilmore, Ph.D., and his associate Veronica Kos, Ph.D., both based at Mass. Eye and Ear, the team included bioinformatics and genomics experts from the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, the Institute for Genome Sciences of the University of Maryland, the University of Rochester, and the Wellcome Trust Sanger Center in the UK. They identified features in the genomes that appear to have made it easier for certain MRSA to acquire resistances in mixed infection. Their findings are reported in the May 22 issue of the journal mBio®, the American Society of Microbiology's first broad-scope, online-only, open access journal. "The genome sequence gave us unprecedented insight into what makes these highly resistant bacteria tick. Several things were remarkable," says Gilmore. "Vancomycin resistance repeatedly went into just one tribe of MRSA, so the question became 'what makes that group special -- why did they start getting vancomycin resistance?"' "What we found was that this group of MRSA has properties that appear to make it more social, so they can live with other bacteria like Enterococcus. This would allow those MRSA to more easily pick up new resistances," adds Kos. "The good news is that some of these properties weaken the strain's ability to colonize, and may be limiting their spread." Gilmore is the Sir William Osler Professor of Ophthalmology, and also serves in the Department of Microbiology and Immunobiology at Harvard Medical School. Kos is a senior research associate in the Gilmore lab. They and colleagues from Harvard's Microbial Sciences Initiative formed the NIH sponsored Harvard-wide Antibiotic Resistance Program in 2009. Authors: Veronica N. Kos, Christopher A. Desjardins, Allison Griggs, Gustavo Cerquiera, Andries Van Tonder, Matthew T.G. Holden, Paul Godfrey, Kelli L. Palmer, Kip Bodi, Emmanuel F. Mongodin, Jennifer Wortman, Michael Felgarden, Trevor Lawley, Steven R. Gill, Brian J. Hass, Bruce Birren and Michael S. Gilmore (list of affiliations available in the PDF) Grant Support: This research was supported in part with Federal funds from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease (NIAID) including the Harvard-wide Program on Antibiotic Resistance (NIH grant AI083214), Contract No.: HHSN27220090018C to the Broad Institute, Contract HHSN272200700055C for the Network on Antimicrobial Resistance in Staphylococcus aureus Program (NARSA), and National Eye Institute (NEI) grant EY017381 (MSG). Both the NIAID and NEI are parts of the National Institutes of Health. faculty from such renowned local institutions as Joslin Diabetes Center, Children's Hospital Boston, the Mass. Eye and Ear-affiliated.

. From 1992 to 2004 he was a professor at London Business School. He has also held visiting or affiliate appointments at the University of Maryland (USA), HEC (France), and Templeton College, Oxford (UK). From 2000 to 2002 he served as founding Associate Dean of the EMBA—Global Program, the pioneering Global Executive MBA between London and Columbia Business Schools. Professor Peiperl teaches, writes, and consults in the areas of organization development, 360-degree feedback, executive careers, change management, HR strategy, and global mobility. He is co-author of the leading textbook in change management (Managing Change from McGraw-Hill), as well as two edited books on careers (Career Frontiers and Career Creativity, both from Oxford University Press) and the key reference volume The Handbook of Career Studies (Sage Publications, 2007). He has also published in Harvard Business Review, Academy of Management Review, Human Resource Management, and Group and Organization Management, among others. His current work focuses on the development of global executives and the management of careers under long-term uncertainty. Outside his research and teaching, Professor Peiperl sits on several boards, including LifeScape BioSciences (USA) and Intelligent Career System (USA), and is an investor in and advisor to numerous other startups. He also serves on the Alumni Council of the Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences and as a trustee of HERA, a UK charity that helps formerly trafficked women to gain independence by training them in business and entrepreneurship. Maury Peiperl holds a BS in engineering from Princeton, and an MBA, AM and PhD from Harvard, and worked for IBM, Merrill Lynch, and LEK Consulting before becoming a professor. He has taught, researched, or consulted in thirty countries on four continents and is dedicated to promoting the role of business in sustainable global development and in the resolution of cross-national conflict.

. In accompanying celebration the current members of Preservation Hall Jazz Band performed and are releasing a recent performance at Carnegie Hall titled: St. Peter & 57th Street. With its birth coming at the turn of the century, New Orleans Jazz was roughly fifty years old when Preservation Hall opened. Jazz moved up river from New Orleans in the 1920’s and found refuge in Kansas City, Chicago, and New York. As Jazz began to develop in these cities the music became a reflection of the culture as it did in New Orleans. Chicago Jazz (King Oliver) developed into “Swing” that is commonly associated with the roaring twenties. New York Jazz (George Gershwin) entwined itself in the Harlem Renaissance and became a symbol of improvisation, urban culture, and bebop. Kansas City later became known as the ‘Home of the Sax” as its Jazz helped to develop the Big Band sound (Count Basie). As Jazz was taking on different forms and identities in various cities of the United States, New Orleans Jazz was the first true reflection of the culture. New Orleans Jazz is an authentic combination of Blues, Ragtime, and Big Brass Orchestra. Known for its Creole and Cajun spice, the cornet, clarinet, and trombone give New Orleans Jazz its distinct sound. The ingredient that puts the pepper in the gumbo, however, is the theme of celebration. If there is any city in America that knows how to celebrate it is New Orleans. Even funerals are seen as a chance to celebrate an honor one’s personal achievements with a parade of music through town. Preservation Hall Jazz Band’s live performance at Carnegie Hall on January 7 was certainly a celebration. Playing a lengthy set, they invited other artists to join in on almost every song. Mos Def performs on It Ain’t My Fault with Trombone Shorty and Allen Toussaint. The Del McCoury Band and the Blind Boys of Alabama close out the set in fashion with I’ll Fly Away. Other guest appearances include: Jim James (My Morning Jacket), Steve Earle, and The Givers. Both The Preservation Hall 50th Anniversary Box Set and the Carnegie Hall performance: St. Peter & 57th Street are now available for purchase.

Judge a book by its cover, and the entrance to Harlem Village Academy Middle School might not appear such a great read. The academically rigorous charter, which has been the recipient of generous donations from Bill Gates and fund-raising galas hosted by Hugh Jackman, is squirreled away on the top floor of Harlem’s run-down PS 194. Before arriving at Harlem Village Academy, you walk up several floors of a traditional public New York school that’s brimming with typical American kids in their loudly chaotic, slouchy, and attitude-laden glamour. But the moment you step foot onto the fourth floor, you arrive at a different world entirely. The absolute quiet in the hallways is almost unnerving. Students, in uniforms of light blue button down shirts and tan pants, walk quietly in straight lines to their next class, passing through hallways festooned with colorful artwork and encouraging slogans (e.g. “Education is every child’s birthright.”) Yet for all its monastic calm, Harlem Village radiates a rare exuberance. Despite – or perhaps because of – its extremely high standards, staff and students seem happy. Kids look you in the eye when you meet them. Teachers address students with obvious affection. When an administrator calls out an enthusiastic, “Hello!” to a classroom of fifth graders, every one of them beams back. Skyrocketing to the top If the story of Harlem’s success can be translated into numbers, it’s not a difficult tale to understand. In 2008-2009, the New York City Department of Education gave the school a stunning rating of 99.2. Even more remarkable is how far these students, many from low-income, low-achieving East Harlem school districts, have come. When the first class of fifth graders started at Harlem Village, they ranked in the nation’s bottom 20th percentile. Three years later, they ranked #1 in eighth grade math of all New York State public schools. In fact, test scores in science, social studies, and math rank Harlem Village and its two sister schools, Harlem Village Academy Leadership Middle School and Harlem Village Academy High School, in the same league as many top schools nationwide. Harlem Village earned the New York State Education Department’s “High Performing” designation. Educators and politicians have extolled Harlem Village as a model that traditional public and other charter schools would do well to emulate. New York’s Mayor Bloomberg dubbed it “the poster child for this country.” What’s Harlem Village’s secret formula? Dr. Deborah Kenny, a former teacher and Time Warner executive, founded the Harlem Village Schools with a crystal-clear vision: to create “schools designed for teachers.” Where teachers are king Reverence for teachers remains the driving philosophy of the school, according to Operations Director Clesont Mitchell, who also serves on GreatSchools’ Board of Directors. “We love, love, love our teachers,” he says. “My job is to keep teachers happy.” [Note: Mitchell is a member of GreatSchools’ Board of Directors]. This means teacher receive full support, supplies, and free reign to design their own curricula, rather than have a teaching-to-the-test curriculum foisted on them. “Empowerment is perhaps the most important element of our schools designed for teachers,” reads the school’s website. “. . . We believed that teachers, not programs, are the key drivers of student achievement – and by tapping into the knowledge, talent and passion of teachers, we could achieve ground-breaking results.” As with many charters, a majority of the instructors are young and energetic, with sizable numbers coming from Teach for America, which trains teachers to approach their profession with an almost religious dedication. Perhaps because the school is designed as much for teachers as for students, every year, says Mitchell, they receive “applications in the thousands” from teachers for the three Harlem Village Academy schools. Good kings never rest While teachers receive “whatever they ask for,” be it a new camera or a field trip to a museum, in return they are expected to approach their job with a missionary’s zeal, doing nothing less than rewriting the future for kids who come from poverty-stricken neighborhoods. This means being available to students almost 24/7. Students and parents alike have the teachers’ cell phone numbers (as well as the dean’s, principal’s, and the operation director’s, whom parents can call any time), and are welcome to call usually as late as 9:00 p.m. and on weekends. Work days can often last as long as 12 hours. At minimum, teachers are at school by 7:45 a.m., when students arrive for breakfast, until the school day’s end at 4:45 p.m., along with four Saturday test-preparation sessions and a new-student Saturday orientation. They participate in Tuesday “workouts,” gathering with fellow teachers and the principal to refine curricula and solve problems that have arisen during the week; a full week-long “workout;” and a gathering of teachers from all three schools. And, exhale! Every summer they take part in a five-week training seminar. On top of this, they’re expected to check in with students during the weekends or holidays if they haven’t been keeping up, or simply to remind them of an upcoming test. In short, they never leave their job behind. (The intensive commitment may explain their turnover rate, which, according to an article at The Huffington Post, is unusually high, with one charter having annual attrition rates of 60 percent and 53 percent and at another 71 percent and 42 percent.) But for a dedicated Harlem Village teacher, this is absolutely “normal” says Mitchell. “If education is your avocation, then you do what’s needed.” Great expectations The school expects a lot from its students as well. Along with nine-hour school days, kids grind through two more hours of nightly home work, weekends included, in addition to reading at least 50 books a year. (A particularly breathtaking achievement for many of the kids who enter the school at fifth grade testing at first and second grade reading levels.) Holiday breaks and summer? More homework! The intense academic schedule has a goal: “We don’t tell kids they are going to college,” says Mitchell. “We tell them they’re going to graduate from college.” With classrooms named after prestigious universities (Harvard, Howard, Yale, Berkeley), the university names on classroom doors serve as constant reminders of the ultimate goal of all the hard work. During their four years at Harlem Village Middle School, students visit at least four colleges and do at least one over night visit – essential, says Mitchell, given that many of these kids don’t know what college is. Whether sitting in rows with the teacher in front quizzing kids on algebra, in a lively (and occasionally downright loud) poker game to learn about European trade during Colonial times, or gathered in small groups to discuss Roald Dahl’s The Curious Crocodile, the kids seem more than simply passive recipients of disciplined teaching. At every moment, students seem genuinely challenged and engaged. They answer quickly and respectfully when called on. They participate. Yet academic rigor doesn’t circumscribe the limits of the school’s philosophy. “We want well-rounded kids,” Mitchell says. During school hours, extracurriculars include music, art, and P.E. During their after-school programs, kids choose from a broad offering of “find your passion” classes, including theater, journalism, sculpture, flag football, and soccer. There are also dozens of field trips, from museums and ice skating rinks to overnight campouts. Taking the high road, 24/7 Like many charter schools, inspirational words like compassion, integrity, respect, community, leadership, and effort are plastered on hallways and classroom walls. Yet at Harlem Village, such not-so-subliminal messaging is so ubiquitous, it frames every moment inside the school. “We teach them math and reading, yes, but we teach them to have integrity,” says Director of Student Affairs Jason Epting, pointing out that that instilling a strong moral code is as important as teaching a work ethic. “We talk about the whole child, not just the academic child.” Older students mentor younger ones, and all classrooms participate in community projects like toy drives and charity walkathons. They often speak of their school community as a family, with every member contributing to the good of the whole and well-being of each individual. A common credo: “When one of us fails, we all fail. When one of us succeeds, we all succeed.” Manners matter Good behavior is essentially required. Those who don’t behave — be it speaking back to a teacher, coming consistently late to class, even coming to school without their belt — must do detention after getting several demerits. The typical consequence for bad behavior? Sitting quietly at a desk during lunch or for two hours on Friday afternoons. Voices aren’t raised, but misconduct is simply not allowed. “We’ve never had a fight in the eight years we’ve been in existence,” says Mitchell. Students who call out or disrespect a teacher or fellow student are immediately sent to the principal’s office. “Students are expected to comfort themselves with dignity, to treat each other with kindness and respect, and to actively pursue academic excellence,” reads the web site. Indeed, R-E-S-P-E-C-T reigns supreme here. Students don’t talk back to teachers and address them as “Miss,” “Mrs.” And “Mr.” You’ll frequently hear teachers address a class with, “Ladies and gentlemen. . . . ” The predictable eye-rolling that transpires on the floors below? Not happening at Harlem Village. Not for everyone With its take-no-prisoners academics and rigorous discipline, Harlem Village doesn’t work for every child or family. When students win a place through the city lottery (a la “Waiting for Superman”), they attend a three-hour orientation with their parents and, after reading through the hefty student handbook, sign an agreement that all are on board — student and parent alike. According to Mitchell, families are told, “We’re going to give you our everything. Are you going to do the same?” When problems arise, parents are often asked to speak on the phone or meet with teachers. They also must make sure their children complete their homework, get a good night’s sleep, and arrive at school on time. Perhaps because students have to meet such high demands, there are years that many kids leave the school. A tough model to follow? Harlem Village has its critics. Most salient among them the high attrition rates that winnow out less determined children. Dr. Ann Lieberman, Senior Scholar at Stanford University and Emeritus Professor at Teachers College, Columbia University, points out that charters can be more selective than public schools when it comes to retaining its students. Making a school environment so disciplinary rigorous that many kids leave, says Lieberman, seems against the public school spirit of “accepting all children and working with them.” Other observers praise Harlem Village for its accomplishments, but argue that it isn’t an easily replicated model. Lieberman finds it frustrating that so many pundits and educational experts today point to Harlem Village and other similar charters as a panacea for our failing educational system. “I think what they are doing is great and charter schools can teach us a lot, but I don’t think charter schools are going to change American education,” she says, citing research showing that only one “one in five [charters] work.” (Read here for more on charters’ effectiveness, or not.) Finally, Leiberman and other detractors argue that the Harlem Village model is simply not sustainable. Most teachers can’t maintain such a taxing schedule and full commitment to every student and family. As well, the school’s very survival depends on large donors like the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation. “I feel it’s never made clear to the public that there is an extraordinary amount of money being spent on these places that’s not made available [to traditional public schools],” says Lieberman. Moving forward Mitchell argues that it’s a mistake to compare public and charter school funding, since charters like Harlem Village, “get only 75 percent of [the] money public schools get. We have to raise funds separately. And we aren’t given a building; we have to raise funds for a building.” Indeed, in almost every highly successful public school in the country, parents or schools somehow provide additional resources to the schools whether its through PTOs or high involved parent volunteers. But Mitchell doesn’t spend much time debating the critics. He’s busy working (usually 14 hour days) with his students, and trying to reach as many as he can. According to Mitchell, Harlem Academy will be expanding its reach with two elementary schools, scheduled to open in the fall of 2012. This is a red-letter year for the Village Academy Schools. Their first fifth graders, who signed on in 2006, will be graduating high school this spring. Already, half of the 12th graders have gotten early college acceptance letters. Mitchell says that in a few weeks, when all the students hear back from colleges, he’s anticipating that “100 percent ” will be accepted into college. As for the middle schoolers who walk silently through the halls of Harlem Village every day, they appear to be following one of the school’s credos in earnest: “Education is my full-time job.”

Jan. 22, 2007 Long-time Dura Supreme VP Roy Scherer retires after 43 years By Jennifer Gallus Staff Writer “I had to walk a mile, not for a cigarette, but for you. You’re the greatest,” said Dura Supreme employee Brenda Schultz as she hugged retiring Vice President Roy Scherer of Dura Supreme during his retirement party. Schultz was referring to the long walk she took from her work area, across the expanse of the facility, to the lunch room where the party was held. Anyone familiar with Dura Supreme in Howard Lake is well aware of what kind of square footage one may travel from one end of the building to the other. Scherer was the center of attention as people from every area of the company made time to say their good-byes to the well-respected leader. “We’re going to miss you,” was the main sentiment heard over and over at the event. “He has a very unique management style. It sure will be different here without him. A lot of people around here say they will miss that,” Dura Supreme employee Traci Torgerson said. “I graduated from the University of Minnesota and came right to work at Dura. At that time, it was located in Fridley. I’ve been here ever since,” Scherer said. “I started as a controller. I’ve done everything here at one time or another,” Scherer laughed. A controller does all the accounting and handles the books, Scherer explained. “I’ll miss the daily contact with all the wonderful people there, and the friendships I made. I’ll still see them, but not every day,” he said. Scherer was the vice president and general manager of the corporation for about 20 years. “When I resigned, I resigned all my titles. I’m still a notary though that’s about it,” Scherer laughed. His future plans include travelling more, spending more time at their lake place, snowmobiling, golfing, and fishing. “The jobs I have now are all from a ‘honey-do’ list and it’s getting longer every day,” Scherer laughed. “It’s been a long, good run. I enjoyed the people. I was treated fairly. I achieved my goals in life. I was vice president of the corporation, which was the highest I could go,” he said. “Now, I’m going to spend more time with my family,” Scherer said.

Charity Housie is a fast and exciting game, with a fun atmosphere. It has many regular and devoted players who enjoy the camaraderie and the chance of winning. The game is similar to Bingo, with players buying books of tickets, hoping their numbers are called first. Prizes can range from a hundred to over a thousand dollars. The Heart Research Institute has been chosen by various Clubs throughout NSW to be the beneficiary of their Charity Housie Games. The funds raised from these games are put back into the community via The Heart Research Institute’s education and healthy initiatives programmes. In addition to the funds raised by the Charity Housie games, the Clubs make a regular donation from their Community Development Support Initiative.Club Bingo precedes each of the games and regular sessions are held at the clubs below.Come and have some fun in support of The Heart Research Institute and good luck! Look out for the HRI Bingo Markers on sale at each session Since taking over the Charity Housie program at Club Rivers in May 2010, over $260,000 has been raised. These vital funds going towards cutting edge research undertaken at The Heart Research Institute. The success of the program is directly attributable to the support given by the management and staff of Club Rivers. Above: To acknowledge this support an Award of Appreciation was presented by Joy Miller, Charity Housie Manager, to Simon de Munck, CEO Club Rivers. Sydney Bingo Lounge is very proud to announce that since the introduction of ‘The Heart Research Institute’ as their charity for Housie bingo, over $260,000 has been raised for the Institute. These vital funds have not only gone towards cutting edge research undertaken by The Heart Research Institute, it has also been responsible for the recent purchase of a ‘Flow Cytometer’ – a critical piece of equipment for any modern biomedical research laboratory. So what does that mean? ‘Flow Cytometry’ is a technique for counting and identifying cells via a laser-based detection system. “In order to develop therapies for the treatment of diseases such as atherosclerosis and diabetes, it is vital that there is a comprehensive understanding of the molecular changes associated with these conditions” explains HRI Fundraising Executive Valerie Froome “At The Heart Research Institute, the flow cytometry is used extensively by 7 of the 9 research groups, making it one of the most broadly used techniques at the institute.” The Heart Research Institute Charity Housie Manager, Joy Miller was delighted with the results “The success of the program is directly attributes to the support given by the management and staff of Club Rivers.” For the latest information on Charity Housie at a Club near you Donate Now | Contact Us| Site Map | Privacy Policy |Security Policy | Terms & Conditions © 2010 Heart Research Institute Ltd ABN 41 003 209 952

Making a Statement Once a nondescript box with no visible entrance, this Newburgh house gets a big boost in curb appeal via a dramatic two-story porch and some judicious landscaping “It was a muddled mess,” says New Paltz architect Rick Alfandre, describing a Newburgh house in its “before” condition. Built somewhere between the 1920s and the 1940s, Alfandre guesses, the house was originally a fairly elegant, two-story dwelling, with a gambrel roof and a front porch — the kind of nice house, he adds, that a small-town doctor might have lived in. Over the years, though, owners had enclosed the front porch and then built a second story above it, creating an odd, top-heavy facade that, from the street, looked like one box plonked atop another — and with no apparent entrance. “It’s an example of what I call design by accretion,” says Alfandre, “where people do things with no understanding of design.” A few years ago, new owners called Alfandre in to help. “They said, ‘We have a house in the historic district in Newburgh and it has no curb appeal and we don’t know what to do,’ ” he recalls. “The interior had useful spaces and it didn’t make sense to change them, so our main focus was to fix the curb-appeal issue while being respectful of the original structure, as well as to bring attention to the entrance,” tucked away on the side. “The house is also sandwiched between two very grand homes,” he adds, “so it needed some force — it couldn’t be a humble solution.” Alfandre and his colleague Joe Buglino presented several options to the owners, and, once the choice was made, submitted plans — with details on everything from the style of the roof shingles to paint colors — to the Landmarks Commission for approval. (Building restrictions were clearly not in effect when the box-on-box look was created.) After approval was granted, work began — and what was once an architectural “abomination” (Alfandre’s word) became a house in a style that he describes as “somewhere between Greek Revival and Main Street vernacular,” presenting a far more dignified face to the world, and with curb appeal in spades. The dramatic double porch, which is 10 feet deep, not only adds considerable presence, but serves as a balcony off the master bedroom and a comfortable place to watch the world go by on the ground floor. The slender, tapered double columns look both graceful and substantial, add character, and give the house, as Alfandre puts it, “more of a standing-up proud, solid look.” Once-dreary white clapboard siding got a coat of historically accurate creamy yellow paint. New, architectural roof shingles are from a restoration line that specializes in historic patterns and colors. The porches’ gable roof aligns with the gambrel of the original roof, restoring some architectural harmony, while the dramatic sunburst is a “bold statement, but not overpowering,” says Alfandre, who notes that there are several buildings in Newburgh’s historic district with the same sunburst motif, if somewhat smaller. The architects also offered ideas for landscaping to complete the project. The owners added a cobblestone driveway, and a low retaining wall to define the edge of the property. A brick pathway curving across the front lawn to the side of the house leads visitors to the main entrance, which was given some presence of its own with a small covered porch and double columns that mirror those on the front. Alfandre is known for his commitment to environmentally friendly building practices. “Every project is green to whatever extent we can make it,” he says. “Although this wasn’t green so much in the way of materials, it’s very important that we find a way to reinhabit our cities and villages, to make them livable places where people want to be. Instead of building a new house in the country or the suburbs, these owners decided they wanted to live in the city, and they invested in the community. And that helps.” As for the bottom line: The final cost was in the neighborhood of $100,000. But given the large new porch spaces, new roof, additional siding, a full paint job, and — of course — a huge improvement in looks, the work “has significantly increased the value of the property,” Alfandre says. Curbscaping 101 Could your home use a boost to its curb appeal? Architect Rick Alfandre stresses that it’s most important to make your property look cared for, and to keep the exterior finish looking good. Some suggestions: - Clean the windows and gutters, and remove clutter - Keep the paths and driveway free of weeds, and the lawn trimmed - Pressure-wash dirty siding and decks; use on walkways, too, to make them shine - Don’t overlook the mailbox: if it’s rusty, paint or replace it - Paint the front door a contrasting color from the rest of the house (but leave the garage door the same color) - Remove or cut back overgrown shrubs, especially those crowding or obscuring windows or doors - Landscaping has a big impact: break up vast expanses of front lawn by planting shrubs, trees, or flower beds - Hide unattractive elements such as garbage cans, garden implements, and tools - Paint window trim white, or a light color, to brighten things up

Consultants 'fleece' the public purse In the second of a three-part series, the IoS looks at how Government has spent a cool £20bn on management advisers Sunday 17 January 2010 Famously described by Robert Townsend, former chairman of Avis, as "people who borrow your watch to tell you what time it is and then walk off with it", the army of management consultants employed to help to run the UK has come at the staggering estimated cost of £20bn in the past 10 years. Some consultants are being paid daily rates in excess of £3,000. If the sums spent on IT programmes is added, the figure spirals to £70bn – sufficient to pay for hundreds of new hospitals. Instead, the main result appears to be the growth of an industry benefiting from lucrative contracts, according to David Craig, a former management consultant and author of Plundering the Public Sector. Now all political parties are competing to plug the yawning financial chasm in the public budgets. Gordon Brown has promised to slash consultancy bills by half while the Tories have pledged to cut expenditure on consulting and advertising spending if they form the next government. Last night, the shadow Cabinet Office minister Francis Maude accused the Government of fuelling "a culture of waste" by frittering away millions on "incompetent projects". An analysis by The Independent on Sunday has revealed the extent of the Government's profligacy. Among the big spenders are the Department of Health, whose expenditure on consultants totalled £125m last year. The most recent figures for defence chiefs' spending was £107m for 2007-08. The Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) claims £59m went on consultants last year, but the figure rises to £70m if £11m cited for advice from "external experts" is included. The Department for International Development spent £21m on consultancy in 2009 – yet this excludes expenditure relating to developing countries. One department, Defra, parted with more than £1bn for consultants and "professional services" between 2002 and 2007 – £187m of which went to management consultants. And the Home Office got through £662m on consultants in the past five years. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport is among the most parsimonious, spending £1.22m on consultants last year. That figure reaches almost £6m when IT costs and "professional services" are included. The scale of spending is staggering, claims Mr Craig. "All too often, greedy management consultants are completely fleecing government departments because of the incompetence and inexperience of the people they are dealing with." He believes typical mark-ups for consultants can be more than 800 per cent. "Take a basic consultant on a salary of around £30,000. You sell that consultant to government for £6,000 a week – the equivalent of £250,000 a year. Nobody in the public sector ever asks why you are charging so much, but it is a back of a fag packet calculation; any idiot can do it. It becomes immoral when you're taking money from public services." "Risk-averse" civil servants are a big part of the problem, according to Edward Leigh MP, chair of the Commons Public Accounts Committee. He accused them of being "always willing to pass the buck to the consultants instead of making decisions themselves", adding: "More civil servants have got to have courage to say 'no minister, we can't afford to do this', not 'yes minister'." The civil service union, the Public and Commercial Services Union, defended its members' record. "It is scandalous that nearly 100,000 civil and public servants have been cut while billions of pounds has been wasted on consultants, often doing the same work as civil servants, but at 10 times the cost," a spokesman said. The consulting industry said the bill is much smaller. It estimates the government consultancy business was worth £2bn last year. In 2006, the National Audit Office said almost £3bn a year was spent on external expertise. Alan Leaman, chief executive of the Management Consultancies Association, insisted the industry provided good value. "What you are buying is access to specialist skills, knowledge, understanding and experience." However, he conceded: "I think the biggest challenge for the industry is the ability to say 'no, although you're asking us to do that and we'd make money from doing it, we wouldn't recommend<<

If hijacked sites and hosting companies that fail to police malware distribution sources represent two of the most serious threats to Internet security, there may be hope for improvement, according to researchers working with Harvard Law School's StopBadware.org. After publishing a list of rogue Web site hosting companies and launching a campaign to label every malicious site they can find on the Internet, an effort that has filtered out. At the same time, StopBadware admits that sophisticated hackers are still advancing their efforts at an alarming pace and the organization can't keep up with the ever-growing volume of online malware programs. In addition to tracking down the programs, StopBadware is also charting regional trends, and the researchers contend that a growing number of suspicious applications are originating in China. The level of interaction between malware authors in the region and their Western counterparts is also becoming more prevalent, with a fair share of distribution still emanating from former Soviet-bloc regions as well, the team said. The key for legitimate businesses to steer clear of the entire problem is to be careful with the companies they partner with, said Palfrey, who served as host of an Anti-Spyware Coalition conference held at Harvard in June. The security consortium is backed by influential industry players, including AOL, Dell, Google, McAfee, Microsoft, and Yahoo. "The biggest concern for legitimate businesses at this point is related primarily to software bundling," said Palfrey. "There's often a complicated chain between the original purveyor of a program and the consumer, so companies need to be explicit about what they would qualify for badware-type behavior themselves and hold their partners to that."

You are here Research infrastructure associated with a Canada Research Chair – Total eligible costs under $1 million Vision The Leaders Opportunity Fund (LOF) is designed to help universities attract and retain the very best of today’s and tomorrow’s researchers at a time of intense international competition. To this end, the LOF offers universities the opportunity to: - acquire infrastructure for their leading research faculty to undertake cutting-edge research; and - create competitive packages of research support in the form of infrastructure and a portion of the operating and maintenance costs from the CFI, coupled with direct research costs from partner organizations. A joint review process has been developed with the Canada Research Chairs (CRC) Secretariat. The purpose of this collaboration is to lessen both applicant and reviewer workload by reducing the number of proposals needed to secure both CRC funding and CFI infrastructure support. Eligibility to apply In order to submit a joint proposal for a CRC and infrastructure from the CFI, an institution must be eligible to receive funds from the LOF program. The LOF is an allocation-based fund whereby the CFI predetermines the maximum amount of funding available for each eligible institution. Universities having a minimum annual average of $300,000 in sponsored research income (excluding CFI awards) as reported by the Canadian Association of University Business Offices (CAUBO), are eligible to receive a LOF allocation. These allocations may be reviewed periodically as new funds are made available to the CFI. In November 2010, the CFI invested an additional $140 million in the LOF. For universities having received more than 0.2 percent of the total sponsored research income as reported by CAUBO, the additional LOF allocation is proportional to the average amount of sponsored research income over the 2006-07 to 2008-09 period. For universities having received less than 0.2 percent of the total sponsored research income, the CFI has created a Small Institution Fund of $7 million to replace institutional allocations. Eligible universities may apply twice per year to the CRC Secretariat by submitting a nomination or renewal proposal for an individual researcher. The forms and deadlines for submitting proposals are available on the CRC website. Normally, the CFI contributes up to 40 percent of the eligible costs of a project. For smaller universities (category B), the CFI may provide up to 100 percent of the eligible infrastructure costs of CRC infrastructure projects if the total project cost is $75,000 or less. The CFI will also accept a single infrastructure request for a group of chairs. In these cases, the infrastructure request should be attached to a single nomination but should clearly explain how each member of the cluster will use and benefit from the infrastructure. The cluster can include up to three candidates that are nominated in the same cycle or are current chairholders. The original nomination materials for all members of a cluster will be provided to the reviewers, enabling them to properly evaluate the infrastructure request. Universities should contact the CRC Secretariat to update the CV or research program of a current chairholder in the cluster proposal. Application and review process Chairholders should request CFI infrastructure support at the time of nomination or renewal when seeking infrastructure support of less than $1 million. While we acknowledge that there may be circumstances warranting a new infrastructure request between the nomination and renewal of a current chairholder, the CFI and the CRC Secretariat expect that institutions will normally await the renewal of that chair before applying for infrastructure support. The CRC Secretariat consults a number of national and international experts from all disciplines. Proposals with an infrastructure request submitted to the CRC Secretariat will be reviewed, in accordance with the CFI’s criteria, by a minimum of three national and international experts from all disciplines who are members of a College of Reviewers. Should the comments received from the reviewers differ significantly, the CFI may seek advice from additional expert reviewers and/or the Leaders Opportunity Fund Advisory Committee (LOFAC) in making its funding recommendations. Please visit for more information on the review process. Decision process A program Steering Committee, made up of the presidents of the CFI, CIHR, NSERC, SSHRC and the Deputy Minister of Industry Canada, makes the final decision on CRC nominations. Funding recommendations for the infrastructure portion of the proposal are presented to the CFI Board of Directors at the earliest possible decision point. The CFI Board of Directors will make the final decision for funding of the infrastructure portion of the CRC proposals. Universities will be informed of decisions related to the infrastructure portion of the proposal by email shortly after the CFI Board has met. Successful proposals will also be listed on the CFI website. The CFI will inform universities of any conditions associated with an award. Reviewers’ comments received during the joint review of CRC awards and associated infrastructure will be made available to universities by the CRC Secretariat. It is the responsibility of recipient universities to submit the necessary documents to the CFI in order to finalize awards and establish payment schedules. Public announcements The CFI works jointly with the CRC Secretariat on funding announcements for infrastructure associated with CRC. The dates and venues of these announcements are coordinated by the CRC Secretariat. Universities must not make these decisions public until the national announcement is made. The CFI also seeks additional opportunities to work with universities on local or regional announcements following the national event. Support for operation and maintenance of the infrastructure The CFI will contribute to the operation and maintenance costs of projects funded under the LOF through its Infrastructure Operating Fund (IOF). Universities will receive IOF at a rate of 30 percent of the finalized CFI contribution to LOF projects. For further information on the IOF, see section 2.3 of the CFI Policy and Program Guide.

We will change law, says AngieComment on this story Pretoria - Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga has hinted that the government may move to change the law giving school governing bodies the powers to determine school admission policy, and therefore school capacity, if it fails to win an appeal to the Constitutional Court. Motshekga said she was prepared to fight tooth and nail for a reversal of the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) finding that the determination of school capacity lay in the hands of governing bodies – even if it meant changing the law. The SCA found last year that Rivonia Primary School in Joburg had been well within its rights to refuse admission to a Grade 1 pupil as it had reached its capacity of 120 children in that grade. Motshekga said her department would join, as a friend of the court, the application by the Gauteng Department of Education for leave to appeal to the Constitutional Court against the SCA decision. Charles Phahlane, spokesman for the Gauteng department, confirmed on Wednesday that the department had filed a notice of intention to appeal to the Constitutional Court against the SCA decision. “We filed the papers before Christmas,” he said. “Right now we are waiting for feedback from court to hear whether they will hear the case.” Motshekga argued that the SCA ruling would have far-reaching consequences in the long run for pupils being admitted to schools around the country, and would impede the department in its role of securing places for all pupils. Speaking at the Nwa-Mhinga Primary School in Atteridgeville, Motshekga said the government would change the law if this was what it would take to wrest competency for determining school capacity back for provincial education authorities. “As the government we have an obligation to find space for kids. So if, as the governing body, you have the power which is going to exclude other children, it’s a problem. So the Rivonia case is also a problem. “By law, the governing body has the power to determine (the number of) learners, so the governing body can decide that we are only going to have 500 kids and that’s it – that’s what the law allows them. “And we are saying it cannot be. Because, on the other hand, as the state, we have an obligation to find spaces. But where are we going to place those other extra kids if we don’t have the power to instruct schools to place kids?” Motshekga said there were many places where development was far outpacing the building of schools, particularly in Gauteng, and this created a problem for the department in finding places for pupils. “For example, in Midrand, because of poor planning, there are not enough spaces for children,” she said. “So if schools are going to say, ‘By the powers vested in us, we are only going to take 700 kids’, where am I going to place the other kids, because I have a public duty to place those kids? And that’s why we are appealing this ruling to say that it cannot be. It can’t work. “If it means we have to change the law, we are going to change this law because it just can’t work. On principle, it can’t work.” The Gauteng Department of Education confirmed on Wednesday that it would be opening five new schools this week, with nine others to be opened by June to alleviate overcrowding due to migration into the province. “Each year, the (department) has had to contend with late admission applications. This has primarily been a result of huge migration and relocation into Gauteng,” said Phahlane. “We appeal to parents seeking admission to public schools to approach the district admission operation centres for placement. “We will only accommodate parents who have relocated, not those seeking a school of choice.” mogomotsi.magome

NEW YORK – A spate of bird flu cases since the beginning of the year in China has experts watching closely while for humans to catch, and most of the cases have been linked to contact with poultry. However, scientists are worried that could change if the flu mutates into a form that allows it to spread more for the holiday, and it,” he said. The first H7N9 cases were reported in late March last year near Shanghai, and more than 200 others have since been identified, including some 50 deaths. A 31-year-old doctor became one of the latest fatalities, raising fears he may have been infected at the hospital where he worked. So far, none of the doctor. Moreover, infected birds also do not show symptoms, making it harder to track the disease. Cases of the bird flu declined in China over the summer, which is typically slower for influenza viruses, after some local live poultry markets were temporarily closed. In Hong Kong, officials will test all poultry for the virus beginning in the next few days. Hong Kong has logged three cases, while this month, the first human case was reported in North America after a person traveling back from a trip to Beijing became ill and later died in Canada. Both bird flus cause high fever and respiratory problems, including pneumonia and shortness of breath. Scientists have repeatedly warned that the viruses cannot be ignored because of their potential to possibly spark a global pandemic. However, after years of campaigning in countries where it is common for chickens and pigs to live closely with people — even working at the University of Minnesota, said by email. “But the best scientific assessment of microbial genetics tells us we could still fall off of that cliff, and if we do, the global consequences could be devastating,” Osterholm said.

ANKARA – After decades of official neglect and mistrust, Turkey has taken several steps to ensure the rights of the country’s non-Muslim religious minorities, and thusis, has met with these communities’ leaders. Beyond establishing warm relations between the Turkish government and the country’s religious minorities, official policy has been changing as well. In May 2010, Erdogan issued an official statement that warned public servants and citizens against any discrimination against religious minorities, and that emphasized the absolute equality of Turkey’s non-Muslim citizens. But the groundwork for the initiative of recent years was laid long before. In August 2003, the Erdogan-led government introduced legal changes to resolve property-rights issues related to religious minority associations. For the first time in the republic’s history, 365 landholdings and buildings belonging to the minority communities were legally registered under their name. In 2008, the government, despite fierce opposition from other political parties, changed the Law of Associations and allowed religious-minority associations to purchase real estate (and to receive contributions from abroad). Then, in August 2011, an important amendment to the Associations law mandated the return of more than 350 properties to religious minorities. As part of these changes, the Greek-Orthodox Girls School in Beyoglu, Istanbul, and the Jewish Community Center in Izmir have been granted legal status, ending a century-old dispute. Even before that, in November 2010, the Greek-Orthodox Orphanage on Halki Island was returned to the Greek-Orthodox Patriarchy. To facilitate their religious duties, Orthodox metropolitans were granted Turkish citizenship, and the Associations Council, the country’s highest authority on religious associations, now includes for the first time a non-Muslim member representing minority faiths. Moreover, the directorate general of Associations has been charged with the task of renovating houses of worship used by religious minorities, including the historic Aya Nikola Church in Gokceada Canakkale, and the Assyrian Catholic Church and Greek Catholic Church in Iskenderun. A number of other churches and synagogues are also under renovation. The authorities have taken many other historically and symbolically important steps as well. The Ministry of Culture and Tourism has renovated the Panagia Sumela Monastery, a 1,600-year-old church in Trabzon on the Black Sea coast. The first mass in decades was held in August 2010, led by Bartholomew and attended by hundreds of worshippers from Greece, Russia, Georgia, Europe, the United States and Turkey. Another milestone was the renovation and opening of the 1,100-year old Armenian Aghtamar Church in March 2007. The first mass in 95 years was held in the church, led by the Armenian Archbishop Aram Atesyan and attended by thousands of worshippers. These measures have been taken to address the long-standing problems of Turkey’s non-Muslim religious minorities. Turkish Muslims have lived with Jewish and Christian communities for centuries and treated them with respect and compassion. We are determined to solve their remaining problems, and we believe that we can do so through mutual trust and cooperation. Turkey’s Jews and Christians are full citizens with equal rights, and we will work to ensure that this reality is recognized in all areas of the country’s life. Bulent Arinc is deputy prime minister of Turkey. © 2012 Project Syndicate

Christina Hendricks: Johnnie Walker House Christina Hendricks attends the opening of the Johnnie Walker House in the Soho neighborhood of New York City on Tuesday (November 30). Last month the 35-year-old Mad Men actress recently spoke to the Herald Sun about her body image while she was growing up. “I give credit to my mom, who told me to feel good about my appearance and not feel embarrassed about my body because she was never worried about looking too big or feeling fat. I started out as a model and when I went to Italy to build my book I gained 15 pounds (6.8 kg) from all the pasta and cappucinos that were part of my life over there,” she said.” “I saw my body change and I loved how it changed my appearance and how it made me look more womanly and sexy,” Christina shared. “People in the industry, either directly or indirectly, have been telling me to lose weight for years but I like the way I look and only once did I find myself losing a lot of weight after a bad break-up.”

April 11, 2012 Alumni association announces Anderson Senior Award and Graduate Award recipients This spring marks the 15th annual Anderson Senior Awards and the third annual Graduate Awards program initiated by the K-State Alumni Association to honor outstanding students for their contributions to the university. The Anderson Awards program involves the selection of one senior in each of four categories: leadership, service, academics and inspiration. The Graduate Awards program selects one graduate student in two categories: leadership/service and academics. Nominations were made by students, faculty and staff, and a selection committee narrowed down the nominees to one winner in each category. The 2012 recipients of these awards are: Anderson Senior Award for Outstanding Academics Chris Dolezal, premedicine and biological systems engineering Anderson Senior Award for Outstanding Inspiration Chris Littrell, German and political science Anderson Senior Award for Outstanding Service Shawna Peters, family studies and human services Anderson Senior Award for Outstanding Leadership Danny Unruh, food science and political science Graduate Award for Outstanding Leadership and Service Elizabeth Frink, mechanical engineering Graduate Award for Outstanding Academics Andrew Jones, physics The recipients will be recognized at a luncheon at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, April 25, in the Tadtman Board Room at the K-State Alumni Center.

Understanding infertility in cows could shed light on humans' too. It turns out that cattle and humans have the same basic problem, says WSU Assistant Professor, Holly Neiberg. Both species tend to miscarry about a third of the time within the first two to three weeks after insemination. Neiberg is a geneticist. “I think the general public probably doesn’t appreciate how similar a lot of mammalian species are to one another. Obviously, every species has differences, but we also have a lot of commonality. ” The hormonal cycles of cattle and humans are similar, she says. We also tend to have twins at about the same rate as we age. And a cow’s gestation, though about a month longer than humans’, is close enough that scientists can use cattle to learn about human physiology. For this round of funding, Neiberg and two other research biologists – one at WSU and another at the USDA in Montana – have narrowed the issue to problems with the cows’ uterus, not environmental factors. Another study will look at the viability of eggs. A key focus is on the critical phase of pregnancy when a fetus should attach to the uterine wall. They’re looking for genetic markers that indicate fertility. “So, we’re trying to understand the mechanism of how cows become infertile, so that we can have more healthy cows that are fertile without having to use medications or drugs or things like that.” In case you’re wondering, she says this is not genetic engineering. It’s the kind of breeding that’s been done for centuries on all kinds of domesticated animals. Eventually, the researchers hope to help ranchers select for cows that are the most productive, despite some stressors –for example, those that can keep a pregnancy even when they’re lactating. Their results could help save ranchers thousands of dollars on livestock that isn’t reproducing well. And they could help a lot of people avoid the heartbreak and expense of fertility treatments and high rates of miscarriage. The funding for this five-year-study comes from the relatively new Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. For more background on human infertility, here’s an article from the New York Times Magazine in November 2008 about one writer's “broken uterus” and how she hired a surrogate to bear children for her.

RECORD-breaking spin star Jon Fielding says limits to the number of overs one bowler can bowl in Foster’s Lancashire League games are the best thing to have happened to the competition – and believes the new rule could make this season one of the best in years. On Wednesday night clubs voted through a proposal to introduce a cap of 17 overs for one bowler and 14 for all the rest. Concerns had been raised about the idea from some quarters but Ramsbottom captain Fielding, who narrowly missed out on becoming the first man to claim 100 wickets in three successive seasons last term, is delighted with the move. “I think it is brilliant,” said the former Lancashire left-armer. “It means captains will have to think – and it means more bowlers will have to be brought through at clubs. “You will need five or six bowlers in a team and that means the younger lads will be getting involved and having a bowl. “It means clubs will be stronger as a whole and it will set them up better for years to come.” Fielding, who bowled 391 overs last term, is perhaps a surprise supporter of the move but says he wants the best for the league for the future. “I know some people have said that we might struggle at Ramsbottom with needing the extra bowlers,” added the 39-year-old. “We have done okay in the Worsley Cup where the overs are limited to 10 per player. “I am not sure if 17 and 14 are the right numbers but those figures can be sorted out in time. “But one thing I do know is that a good bowler can still do a heck of a lot of damage in 14, 15, 16 or 17 overs.” * Have your say on the rule changes, email [email protected] with your views.

Ornithologist Honoured Story supplied by LU Press Office A Lancaster University scientist has been awarded one of the British Trust for Ornithology's top awards at the Mall Galleries, London. At a ceremony hosted by the Society for Wildlife Artists (SWLA), Dr Ian Hartley bird families. This has involved studies of sexual conflict, offspring begging behaviour, and parent-offspring conflict in a range of species, including Corn Buntings, Alpine Accentors, Blue Tits and Swallows. In addition, Ian serves on several national committees including. Presenting the award, Professor Ian Newton,." Dr Ian Hartley said: "This is a big honour for me. By enabling me to contribute to national surveys, such as atlas work and bird ringing, the BTO gave a purpose to my early birdwatching and helped to start my career in ornithology. Thank you for the award and for giving me that start." Wed 02 November 2011 Associated Links -

News & Events Events Calendar Events Archive Academic Calendar 2014-2015 Lectures CLE Events More News More Faculty News Room Reservations e>Perspectives Quick Links JULY 21, 2009—The University of Minnesota Law School is proud to introduce its new Robina Post-Graduate Fellowships. The Fellowships were funded by the Robina Foundation, which was established through the generosity of a Law School graduate. The Law School will award up to 15 Robina Public Policy Post-Graduate Fellowships and up to 7 Robina Second Judicial District Public Defender’s Office Post-Graduate Fellowships. Fellows are required to work a total of 400 hours, typically scheduled as 15-30 hours per week. However, if a special situation (e.g., the offer of a permanent job) requires early completion, an accelerated schedule can be arranged. Fellows receive an award of $5,000. Applications are open to 2009 graduates of the University of Minnesota Law School. Graduates are not eligible if they have secured another permanent law or law clerk position, regardless of the start date of that employment. Public Policy applicants must have obtained a firm commitment to work on a public policy project or in a public policy role at a nonprofit agency or organization. Each agency will determine whether bar admission is required. Public Defender’s Office applicants must have taken the bar exam or be taking it in July 2009. Offers of employment are contingent on bar passage. Preference will be given to applicants with criminal law experience. Public Policy applicants will design a public policy project or role with a nonprofit agency and apply for funding for that specific undertaking, which can be a new project or an existing one that is unfunded. Funding is not available for alumni with positions that are 100% direct legal services. Organizations that have public policy project openings and are willing to host a Robina Public Policy Fellow can be identified with assistance from the Career and Professional Development Center (CPDC). At present, projects are available at the Battered Women’s Legal Advocacy Project, Cancer Legal Line, Center for Victims of Torture, Children's Law Center of Minnesota, Disability Law Center, HOMEline, Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy, and Minnesota Coalition Against Sexual Assault. Interested applicants should obtain appropriate contact information from Dana Bartocci ([email protected]) and not contact the agencies directly. The required 400 hours are usually completed in weekly segments of 15-30 hours, depending on the organization’s needs. Fellows are paid as employees of the host agency and receive paychecks, with proper withholding, according to the organization’s regularly scheduled payroll process. Public Defender’s Office applicants will be trained to interview and represent clients in criminal matters in felony, gross misdemeanor, misdemeanor, and juvenile courts across the Second Judicial District. They also may conduct policy research and have office hours, during which they assist attorney staff and handle incoming information phone calls. A commitment of 15-30 hours per week during office hours (8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Monday-Friday) is required, and Fellows must be available to work in 4-hour increments (8:00 a.m.-noon; 12:30-4:30 p.m.) in various arraignment courts. Fellows receive a $2,500 award when they begin and a $2,500 award when they complete the 400 total hours. Fellows are responsible for all applicable taxes on their total $5,000 award. To apply for a Robina Post-Graduate Fellowship, upload your resume and a cover letter into Symplicity. Public Policy applicants must also upload a policy project description and a letter of intent to host a Fellow from the nonprofit agency. The deadline is 5:00 p.m. on Monday, August 17. The CPDC will notify applicants who receive an interview. Public Defender’s Office applicants must have their documents uploaded by 5:00 p.m. on Friday, August 14. The Public Defender’s Office will notify applicants who receive an interview. For additional information about the Robina Post-Graduate Fellowship Program, please contact Dana Bartocci, Employer Relations Coordinator, CPDC, University of Minnesota Law School, at [email protected] or 612-625-4694..

A beehive sculpture costing thousands of pounds has been given the chop – after town hall bosses allegedly said it looked ‘too rude’. The artwork was intended to stand next to the children’s play area in Hyde park. But just days after being unveiled, staff were ordered to take it down. Award-winning sculptor Thompson Dagnall – who was paid around £3,500 for the work – says a Tameside council boss told him the design was too ‘phallic’. Baffled Mr Dagnall, 56,said: "I think it’s ridiculous. "It was a fair stretch of the imagination to have it as something phallic. "I don’t think it looked phallic. It did take quite a long time. I find it a bit sad and a bit silly." Mr Dagnall had originally carved an intricate metal bee on a wooden orchid. But he says he was told the flower wasn’t realistic enough. So he replaced the orchid with the beehive – only, he says, to be told that it was too rude. Now council workers have cut the beehive off the top of the sculpture and moved it - along with the bee – to a quieter area of the park. The stump of the sculpture is still standing. Philip Fitzpatrick, chairman of Hyde district assembly, denied making the ‘phallic’ comment - but said he could not speak for his colleagues. He said the bee sculpture was just a project that ‘didn’t work out’. Coun Fitzpatrick said: "I don’t think it’s phallic. He was not told that by me or any of the elected members - but there are thousands of people working for the council. "We had a number of people who said it didn’t look like a beehive and that was the main problem because it was too far away.It’s not near the play area any more but it’s still there for the public. We do get value for money out of it and it’s a great success." But Coun John Bell, leader of Tameside’s Conservative party, said the decision was ‘crazy’. He said: "I can’t see anything wrong with it. I just think it’s crazy that the council should spend £3,500 then take it down on someone’s whim." A council spokesman said: "The original sculpture of the metal bee was commissioned last year. "The sculpture could not be properly enjoyed in its original location due to the density of the trees and has since been re-located. "Its new siting on the wall next to the learning area and closer to the working beehives was seen as a natural home and more likely to be seen and enjoyed."

After four eventful years with the company, Reader's Digest Association President and CEO Mary Berner is leaving the company. She will be succeeded in both top spots by Senior Vice President and CFO Tom Williams. Randall Curran, who was recently appointed to the RDA board of directors, will assume the role of chairman. Berner took the reins at RDA in March 2007, when the magazine publisher was acquired for $2.8 billion by Ripplewood Holdings, LLC, marking the end of 17 years as a publicly traded company for RDA. She previously served as president of Fairchild Publications, a division of Conde Nast. On taking the leadership role at RDA, she also assumed responsibility for WRC Media and Direct Holdings U.S. Corp., both of which were also owned by Ripplewood. Prior to buying RDA, Ripplewood had also managed the Time Life brand, previously owned by Time Inc. and the World Almanac. At the time of the acquisition, RDA's previous CEO, Eric Schrier, touted the advantages of going private, including doing away with the need for "time-consuming public disclosure and shorter-term, quarter-to-quarter pressures..." However, Ripplewood's highly leveraged purchase of RDA did not presage smooth sailing for Berner and company. After hiring financial consultants specializing in distressed companies, outsourcing IT operations, closing the Spanish-language Selecciones and implementing widespread layoffs, in August 2009 Berner was still forced to take RDA into Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection after it failed to make a $27 million payment on $1.6 billion of senior secured debt. Moreover, she scrapped plans for a print magazine produced with mega-church pastor Rick Warren, titled Purpose Driven Connection, after failing to drum up enough interest among readers and advertisers. (The brand remains active online.) Still, Berner charted a course for growth, in part by tapping into niche markets. In January 2010, as it prepared to exit bankruptcy, RDA unveiled plans for three new media brands: Reverse Diabetes, Walk It Off, and No Fail Weight Loss. (RDA exited bankruptcy in February 2010.) In April, she created a new role for a "pure-play" digital executive to lead its Reader's Digest Community division. And in December 2010, RDA unveiled plans for another multiplatform brand (including newsstand-only special-interest print publications, a daily e-newsletter and book tie-ins) called Best You, targeting women 35+ with a holistic approach to health and wellness. Williams, Berner's successor, joined RDA in November 2008. He previously served as executive vice president and CFO for the Affinion Group from 2006-2008. Before that, he served as chief financial officer of AT&T Networks, AT&T Customer Service, AT&T Global Networking Technology Service and AT&T Laboratories.