Ecologists are aware of the importance of natural dynamics in ecosystems. Historically, the focus has been on the development in succession of equilibrium communities, which has generated an understanding of the composition and functioning of ecosystems. Recently, many have focused on the processes of disturbances and the evolutionary significance of such events. This shifted emphasis has inspired studies in diverse systems. The phrase "patch dynamics" (Thompson, 1978) describes their common focus.
The Ecology of Natural Disturbance and Patch Dynamics brings together the findings and ideas of those studying varied systems, presenting a synthesis of diverse individual contributions.


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Stress triggers a bodily phenomena known as the fight-or-flight response, which increases blood glucose levels, as noted by the American Diabetes Association. The stress can be either physical or mental, and it impacts the level of insulin in the blood.
Stress can impact blood glucose levels either directly or indirectly, explains the American Diabetes Association. Certain hormones, such as epinephrine and cortisol, are responsible for regulating blood sugar, notes WebMD. When under stress, a person's hormones behave abnormally and cause a direct spike in blood sugar levels. Indirectly, a person under a stressful situation may partake in unhealthy activities such as excess drinking. These activities have an adverse impact on glucose regulation and can cause an increase in blood sugar.
Diabetics are at greater risk of experiencing blood sugar spikes when feeling stressed, according to WebMD. Type 1 diabetics have a relative lack of insulin in their body, whereas Type 2 diabetics have a complete lack of insulin. Therefore, when experiencing stressful situations, the body is unable to self-regulate insulin levels, and certain medications are required. In addition to prescription medications, therapeutic solutions are available. For example, a stressed patient can take on yoga, progressive relaxation therapy or cognitive behavior therapy, states WebMD.Learn more about Medical Ranges & Levels


A Teacher on 'Listening' Rather Than 'Disciplining'
Listening closely to students, especially to those with disciplinary issues, can transform the teacher-student relationship, according to Sarah Camiscoli, a literacy-intervention teacher for English-language learners at a small public middle school in the South Bronx.
When Camiscoli moved away from disciplining to listening and trying to gain a greater understanding of her students' needs, they started staying in the classroom and participating more, she wrote recently in Chalkbeat, a nonprofit news organization that covers educational efforts and policy in several communities, including New York, Colorado, Indiana, and Tennessee.
Camiscoli says that, during her first year as a teacher, she sought out training programs like Teachers United, an organization of public school educators in New York City working to counter the school-to-prison pipeline. The meetings with Teachers Unite encouraged her to transform her classroom into a supportive community. She also gained new methods of dealing with students.
I held conferences instead of writing up detentions and (when I was able to) facilitated mediations instead of calling the deans. If I listened closely during these moments, I began to hear what my students were saying: how I hadn't been mindful, how I hadn't recognized certain requests, and what I could do to restore our relationship moving forward.
Teachers should try to listen to what their students feel and need, especially if they are having disciplinary problems, Camiscoli said. She writes that they will benefit if they can redefine the relationship:
We need to seek additional training to help us understand the ways our own limitations can lead students to feel like they don't belong at school ... Students need new teachers to take the time to find fairer, more comprehensive, and effective models to engage them.


May 2012, John Schmitt and Marie-Eve Augier
Unionization rates – and the gender and racial composition of unionized workers – vary widely across the 50 states and the District of Columbia. The figures and tables in this issue brief, based on our analysis of the Current Population Survey, give an overview of the size and basic demographics of the unionized workforce in each state. Throughout, we define a unionized worker as anyone who is a member of a union or represented by a collective bargaining agreement.
Graphs (Click for Larger Versions)


Banks in Europe are using a practice called risk-weighted asset optimisation to bolster their capital ratios without going to shareholders, selling assets or reducing lending. "By allowing sophisticated banks to do their own modelling, we are allowing the poacher to participate in being the gamekeeper," said Adrian Blundell-Wignall of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development. "That risks making core capital ratios useless."


Strange Rumblings Strike Again in the American Southwest 0 Comments December 24, 2015 Micah Hanks
The American Southwest has been recent home to an unexplained series of rumblings, described by some as being similar to earthquakes, which have caused widespread disturbance among residents in the region.
With several incidents now being reported, officials are seeking to understand what might have caused the mysterious shaking which, according to those nearest to the disturbance, is often accompanied by loud booming noises.
Among the most recent reports, a significant booming incident was reported outside of Rainbow Valley, near Phoenix, Arizona, on December 19, 2015. One witness described that the shaking had been so significant that he had gone to observe whether the neighbor’s home nearby had been damaged or destroyed.
The witness’s report details the following:
Phoenix news outlets including CBS affiliate station AZ KPHO reported on the incident as well, noting they had received several hundreds of reports from Phoenix residents about the incident.“Approx 0600 hrs. Dec. 19, 2015, in Rainbow Valley west of Phoenix, AZ. My wife and I were drinking coffee in bed when a large explosion seemed to take place. It felt/sounded like a significant pressure wave hit the east exterior wall of the house, jarring the whole house. I had to get up and check to see if the neighbors house was still there – about 150 yards away – it’s rural. They’d heard/felt it also. In fact everyone in the area heard/felt it. One person I work with who lives in west Phoenix to the NE of us heard it also.
According to the USGS website, no significant earthquake activity had been occurring in the area coinciding with the date in question.
Another report recently sent along from Arizona describe a similar earthquake-like rumbling that shook the witness’s home:
“Tonight at 10:30 PM in Dewitt, Arizona, there were two quick explosions that rattled the house. My first thought was someone had run a vehicle into the house. I waited a while then checked social media. It seems 20-25 miles north in Stuttgart, the incident may have been even more intense. Also, similar reports came from 20 miles east of Stuttgart, in Casscoe. Local authorities haven’t a clue. I Googled it to see if there was any news of what happened and found the happenings in 2014. Having encountered a small earthquake here it was definitely not an earthquake. The explosion takes that possibility out for me. It’s a very unsettling thing.”
There is debate over the causes of these recent mysterious rumbling incidents in Arizona. However, a number of known geological and atmospheric phenomena have been attributed to to so-called “mystery booms” in recent years. Among them, some shallow earthquakes, given the right conditions, are known to be capable of causing significant shaking, especially for those located nearest to the epicenter of the quake, while failing to significantly register with seismic equipment.
Reports of similar booms and shaking were making significant headlines in the previous two winters, with reports of such incidents ranging from areas as far apart as the U.S. Pacific coast, and London, UK, as reported previously here at
Mysterious Universe. Particularly in the winter months, a similar seismic phenomenon known as cryoseism,which are commonly referred to as “frost quakes“, can cause similar shaking to that of a mild earthquake.
Other causes include refraction of sounds off of the stratosphere, which at times is able to carry loud explosive sounds (such as that of munitions detonations) and other controlled blasts for hundreds of miles, despite locations nearby being unaffected by the explosions that cause the booms heard further away.
Sonic booms produced by military aircraft are also cited as a cause of frequent reports of “mystery booms”, where sounds of such supersonic aircraft produced as they break the sound barrier may occasionally be carried significant distances due to anomalous propagation, which involves super refraction that occurs in an atmospheric temperature inversion.
In truth, there are a host of other things may be attributed as causes underlying such boom reports, given certain conditions that generally deal with atmospheric phenomena. Additional information on these booms, and their various causes, can be found here.
Thanks to: http://mysteriousuniverse.org/


We demonstrated in an in vitro model (human HepG2 liver cells) that chronic hypoxia induced gene expression is associated with an aggressive phenotype in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The aim of this study was to characterize this model further using gene expression microarray, real-time PCR and immunocytochemistry. Subsequently, pathway analysis software was used to identify relevant processes. After examination, we selected 2% O(2) during 72h as conditions to study chronic hypoxia. The most affected signaling is centered on TGF-β1 and PPARα/RXRα. Cells at 2% O(2) showed a shift in expression of Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal-Transition (EMT) related genes. Furthermore, a downregulation of liver specific detoxification pathways including cytochrome P450's and glutathione-S-transferases was observed. Both up- and downregulation events within different signaling cascades indicated a cellular adaptation and the onset of a new equilibrium. The prominent role of TGF-β1- and PPARα/RXRα signaling and cell motility pathways warrants their further investigation for therapeutic targets in HCC.


Electricity isn't new, but modern science has found interesting and eco-friendly uses for it. Electric vehicles are eco-friendly because they don't produce tailpipe emissions, although the generators producing the electricity used to charge EV batteries do emit pollutants. However, these pollutants are considered to be minimal when compared to the usage of gas. There were over 55,000 Full-Electric Vehicles in 2004, and this doesn't even include hybrids! Annual growth has skyrocketed since then at an approximate growth rate of 39%


Abstract 10081: Inhibition of RAGE-Related Pathway Prevents Subarachnoid Hemorrhage (sah)-Associated Neuroinflammation and Neurologic Dysfunction in Rats Abstract
Recent study from our laboratory indicated that, in SAH, activation of the receptor for advanced glycation end-products (RAGE)-related pathway contributes to cerebral arteriolar dilating dysfunction. Since RAGE activation is linked to the occurrence and exacerbation of inflammatory reactions, and neuroinflammation is a contributor to cerebrovascular dysfunction, we tested the following hypotheses: (1) RAGE is involved in post-SAH neuroinflammation; and (2) preventing RAGE activation, using the RAGE decoy protein, soluble RAGE (sRAGE), attenuates SAH-associated neuroinflammation, and recovers neurological function. Rats were randomized into three groups: sham surgical controls, vehicle-treated SAH controls, and sRAGE-treated SAH rats. The SAH model involved suture perforation of the anterior cerebral artery. Neuroinflammation was assessed by pial venular leukocyte adhesion (PVLA) on day 2 post-SAH. PVLA, viewed through a closed cranial window, was expressed as the % pial venular area occupied by adherent rhodamine-6G-labeled leukocytes. Neurobehavioral function, which included spontaneous activity, muscle tone, and neurologic reflex was evaluated during the post-SAH recovery period (up to 3 days). Compared to the sham surgical group, a marked increased PVLA was observed in vehicle-treated animals (10.78±2.20 % vs 2.72±0.09 % in sham), with a profound leukocyte extravascular infiltration revealed during extended observation period (infiltration index was 4.83±2.82% of the venular area). No sign of infiltration was found in the sham surgical group. sRAGE treatment significantly decreased SAH-associated PVLA to 5.53± 0.29%, with complete suppression of leukocyte extravascular migration. Additionally, a significant improvement in SAH-related neurological deficits was found in the presence of sRAGE. In summary, RAGE plays an important role in mediating post-SAH neuroinflammation, which may contribute to SAH-associated neurological dysfunction.
© 2011 by American Heart Association, Inc.


PURPOSE: To determine the feasibility of conducting a randomized controlled trial (RCT) of low radiation dose helical computed tomography (LDCT) for the detection of lung neoplasms in asymptomatic individuals at high risk for lung cancer. METHODS: Six centers from the on-going Prostate, Lung, Colorectal and Ovarian (PLCO) Cancer Screening Trial recruited heavy or long-term smokers who were not in the PLCO trial and randomized them to receive either a screening LDCT or screening postero-anterior view chest x-ray (CXR). RESULTS: 1660 participants were randomized to receive a screening LDCT and 1658 participants were randomized to receive a screening CXR. Screens were completed on 96% of the LDCT arm and 93% of the CXR participants. 19.4% of participants in the LDCT and 9.4% of participants in the CXR arm had screens that were suspicious for lung cancer. A total of 25 lung cancers in the LDCT arm and 7 in the CXR arm were diagnosed following a positive screen. Additional data from the LSS indicate that, among persons at elevated risk of lung cancer, CT use is not pervasive, interest in participating in an RCT of LDCT is strong, and few randomized to CXR either refuse their exam or seek a CT after their study CXR. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the LSS demonstrate the feasibility of an RCT of LDCT in the United States. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: The larger National Lung Screening Trial (NLST) can be done to determine whether LDCT or CXR lead to significant reduction in lung cancer mortality.
DISCLOSURE: P.A. Kvale, None.


Discipline, whether positive or negative, teaches children rules and boundaries. Age-appropriate, consistent and reasonable disciplinary tactics build good self-esteem setting the foundation for a happy, well-adjusted, responsible adulthood. By contrast, overly strict or arbitrary discipline contributes to a child's low self-esteem, which can have negative effects that can ripple through his adulthood. Parents who keep discipline constructive know which styles of discipline have positive psychological consequences and which have a more negative result.
Authoritative Parenting
An authoritative parent sets clear expectations and consequences while demonstrating affection and regard for her children. While strict, this approach allows for flexibility and collaboration. Rewards and punishments are used to shape and correct children's behaviors. This form of discipline is the most effective type of parenting, according to WebMD. Children raised in an authoritative home tend to have higher self-esteem and security. The relationship between parent and child is characterized by warmth and high expectations.
Authoritarian Parenting
While authoritarian parents also set clear expectations and provide predictable consequences for misbehavior, these parents tend to show little affection toward their children. The authoritative parent, for example, might give an age-appropriate explanation for a rule, but the authoritarian parent is more likely to eschew these discussions, instead giving explanations along the lines of, "Because I am the boss." Authoritarian parents also tend to use harsh punishments more frequently. Children raised with this parenting style report feeling unhappy, and have lower self-confidence. They do poorly in social and academic settings throughout their childhood and adolescence, according to a web page on the Weber State University website.
Permissive Parenting
Permissive parenting differs in style from both authoritative and authoritarian parenting in that there are very few rules and consequences. Permissive parents show a lot of affection toward their children, even if they misbehave. The children of permissive parents begin to set their own rules and boundaries. Because they lack parental direction, these children often make poor and potentially unsafe decisions, according to an article on the University of Delaware website. Lacking impulse control, these children might readily throw temper tantrums, tend to be demanding and are often immature. They also perform poorly in school and might become underachievers in life, resenting their parents' lack of involvement.
Other Considerations
Regardless of parenting style, children do better in consistent homes than in inconsistent ones, according to researchers Amy H. Cornell and Paul J. Frick published in the "Journal of Clinical, Child and Adolescent Psychology." If, for example, children are alternatively rewarded, ignored, praised or punished for the same behavior, they might become confused and have trouble learning and maintaining boundaries. These researchers found that for uninhibited children, self-esteem suffers and guilt and lack of empathy might result. In addition to consistency, parents struggle with whether or not they should employ corporal punishment. While strict parents might feel that corporal punishment is necessary, these authors cite some detrimental effects, such as lack of empathy and increased antisocial behavior.
References WebMD: Parents, Kids, and Discipline Journal of Clinical, Child and Adolescent Psychology: The Moderating Effects of Parenting Styles in the Association Between Behavioral Inhibition and Parent-Reported Guilt and Empathy in Preschool Children Weber State University: Parenting Styles University of Delaware: Parenting Styles can Influence Children Photo Credits Comstock/Comstock/Getty Images


Programs at Bickley were first delivered in 1988. Bickley was the Department's first camp to offer outdoor recreation programs. Over the next two years, under the management of Russell Small, the camp facilitated a range of activities including orienteering, low ropes, team games, bush walking, abseiling, flying fox and canoeing. Over the last two decades, the camp has expanded its range of outdoor recreation program options. It currently offers 15 different standard program options. In addition to these programs, the camp has and continues to facilitate a wide range of custom programs for school and non-school groups, including corporate work place adventures.
Programs offered at Bickley support the Department's emphasis on promoting healthy and active lifestyles. By incorporating participation in recreation and physical activity during camping experiences, recreation programs provide a chance for the camp’s guests to experience new activities, learn or develop new skills, explore the benefits of physical activity and promote the maintenance of healthy lifestyles.


David Gerard
Thu, 08/13/2015
Q&A with David Gerard on mining, liability, and the Animas River spill.
Lea-Rachel Kosnik, Roger Meiners
"Restoring Harmony in the Klamath Basin" explains how this conflict developed and offers a solution—markets in water. Written by Roger Meiners and Lea-Rachel Kosnik, this paper persuasively argues that clarification of property rights to water is fundamental to ending the crisis.
Andrew Morriss, Bruce Yandle, Lea-Rachel Kosnik
This paper discusses a new form of regulation. Rather than issuing rules, some government agencies, including the Environmental Protection Agency, have started to file lawsuits.
David Gerard
The 1872 Mining Law, which governs the transfer of rights to mine gold, silver, copper, uranium and other hardrock minerals from federal lands, is the subject of continuing and sometimes rancorous controversy.


BACKGROUND:
The Bioenterics Intragastric Balloon (BIB) is effective for weight loss. However, comparisons of its effectiveness between groups with different body mass index (BMI) are rare. This study compared the effectiveness of BIB treatment in patients with BMI <32 kg/m(2) and those with BMI ≥ 32 kg/m(2) at the time of BIB removal and at 1 year later.
METHODS:
Between April 2009 and June 2011, 28 obese patients who completed a full course of BIB treatment were enrolled. There are 16 patients with BMI <32 and 12 with BMI ≥ 32. Patients who lost more than 20 % of excess weight (% EWL) were categorized as responders.
RESULTS:
The BMI significantly fell from 32.4 ± 3.7 to 28.5 ± 3.7 kg/m(2) (P < 0.01) at the time of BIB removal. All biochemical measurements except for cholesterol level were significantly improved. The median value of %EWL of all patients at BIB removal was 40.1, and 20 patients (71.4 %) were responders. Adherence to dietitian counseling was significantly better in responders than in non-responders (85 vs. 25 %, respectively; P < 0.01). The percentage of responders at 1 year after BIB removal was significantly higher among patients with BMI <32 than those with ≥ 32 (62.5 vs. 16.7 %, respectively; P = 0.02).
CONCLUSIONS:
BIB placement can achieve significant weight loss and improvement of co-morbidities in obese patients. Better adherence to dietitian counseling is associated with better response. Patients with BMI <32 maintain better weight loss at 1 year after BIB removal.


NCCI classification codes, established by the National Council on Compensation Insurance, classify job duties according to the extent of risk for the employee performing the work. In most states, these codes provide the basis for pricing and underwriting workers' compensation insurance rates charged to employers. Classification codes represent businesses whose employees' job duties involve similar risks and thereby similar workers' compensation claim exposure. For example, code 0050 covers hay baling and drivers and code 0042 covers landscape gardening and drivers.Continue Reading
Most businesses are insured under two or three classification codes. A berry farm with office staff should have coverage under NCCI code 8810, covering clerical exposure, and 0079, the code for farms - berry or vineyard and drivers.
The NCCI classification codes provide a basis for establishing workers' compensation rates using statistical experience. Each code is assigned a manual rate that aligns with the risk associated with the specific type of work, based on experience, in a specific state. Manual rates set for each classification code are identified as a dollar figure per $100 of payroll. A business employing clerical staff, code 8810, and others for freight handling of explosives and ammunition, code 7360, pays a lower rate for coverage of clerical employees than for the freight handlers, due to the greater risk of injury to the freight handlers.Learn more about HR


It highly depends on when and who does it. If a medical professional does it to prepare you for a colonoscopy or surgery then it is safe however if it's done by yourself or by someone else for reasons such as cleaning out your bowels of toxins then not really especially if you do it with herbs or coffee as some people do. There have been deaths linked to using coffee as a colon cleanser. If you wish to get a colon cleansing then seek advice from a medical professional.


Does where you live influence your health? Yes, and maybe even more dramatically than you might expect.
neighborhood
A new study from researchers at the University of Michigan suggests that where you live — and whether neighbors willing to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) rush to your aid — can have a significant impact on whether or not you survive a heart attack. The findings, published in the June issue of the
Annals of Internal …


Disruptions in a cluster of computationally identified enhancers near FOXC1 and GMDS may influence brain development
Haliburton GD1,2, McKinsey GL3, Pollard KS4,5,6
摘要:
Regulatory elements are more evolutionarily conserved and provide a larger mutational target than coding regions of the human genome, suggesting that mutations in non-coding regions contribute significantly to development and disease. Using a computational approach to predict gene regulatory enhancers, we found that many known and predicted embryonic enhancers cluster in genomic loci harboring development-associated genes. One of the densest clusters of predicted enhancers in the human genome is near the genes GMDS and FOXC1. GMDS encodes a short-chain mannose dehydrogenase enzyme involved in the regulation of hindbrain neural migration, and FOXC1 encodes a developmental transcription factor required for brain, heart, and eye development. We experimentally validate four novel enhancers in this locus and demonstrate that these enhancers show consistent activity during embryonic development in domains that overlap with the expression of FOXC1 and GMDS. These four enhancers contain binding motifs for several transcription factors, including the ZIC family of transcription factors. Removal of the ZIC binding sites significantly alters enhancer activity in three of these enhancers, reducing expression in the eye, hindbrain, and limb, suggesting a mechanism whereby ZIC family members may transcriptionally regulate FOXC1 and/or GMDS expression. Our findings uncover novel enhancer regions that may control transcription in a topological domain important for embryonic development.


Can Vitamin D Help Alleviate Fibromyalgia Pain?
(HealthDay News) – Oral supplementation with vitamin D reduces pain in women with fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) and low vitamin D levels, according to a study published in the February issue of
PAIN.
Florian Wepner, MD, from the Center of Excellence for Orthopaedic Pain Management in Vienna, and colleagues randomly assigned 30 women with FMS with serum calcifediol levels <32ng/mL to placebo or oral cholecalciferol supplementation, where the dose was periodically adjusted to maintain serum cholecalciferol between 32 and 48ng/mL. At week 25, treatment was discontinued for 24 weeks.
At the end of the supplementation period, as assessed by a visual analog scale, the researchers found a significant reduction in pain severity in the group receiving cholecalciferol supplementation. Supplementation also significantly improved physical role functioning and morning fatigue, but had no significant effect on depression and anxiety or somatization.
"In addition to known therapies, oral substitution of vitamin D may be regarded as a relatively safe and economical treatment for patients with FMS," Wepner and colleagues conclude.


Evolving political landscapes must be met with innovative advocacy methods. In a world where everyone has a voice, the key to success is unity of message and purpose. The establishment of a unified and credible association, coalition or nonprofit allows groups to seize their industry’s public policy conversation.
Our attorneys and public policy professionals have extensive experience forming and managing trade associations and nonprofit entities on behalf of corporations and individuals. Our team has created 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4) groups to achieve short-term goals for specific companies and to serve the long-term policy needs of an entire industry. Our services include:
Our team has demonstrable success in the execution of short-term and permanent policy campaigns via associations, coalitions and nonprofits. We have seized control of national policy debates, created and reformed regulatory and legislative policies, and positioned our clients to serve as powerful watchdogs over industry policies and regulatory bodies.


A plan aimed at improving New York CityÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s environment has been unveiled by Mayor Michael Bloomberg. Among the proposals, the idea to charge an $8 congestion fee to drivers entering Manhattan at peak hours during the week. A series of cameras would capture license plates, either charging the carÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s commuter account or generating a bill. Modeled after a similar congestion charge introduced across the pond in London in 2003, the plan may have significant implications for auto insurers and their policyholders. ItÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s easy to identify a few potential benefits right away. As the risk of auto accidents increases in areas of high traffic density, a reduction in the number of vehicles on the road could have a positive effect on auto claims. For drivers who decide to leave their car at home and take the train instead, the lower average miles per year driven could reduce the price they pay for auto insurance. What is not so certain and perhaps up for debate is how the new technology under such a scheme might intersect with the auto insurance underwriting process. What are your thoughts?Ã‚


The Anthropocene, an informal term used to signal the impact of collective human activity on biological, physical and chemical processes on the Earth system, is assessed using stratigraphic criteria. It is complex in time, space and process, and may be considered in terms of the scale, relative timing, duration and novelty of its various phenomena. The lithostratigraphic signal includes both direct components, such as urban constructions and man-made deposits, and indirect ones, such as sediment flux changes. Already widespread, these are producing a significant ‘event layer’, locally with considerable long-term preservation potential. Chemostratigraphic signals include new organic compounds, but are likely to be dominated by the effects of CO2 release, particularly via acidification in the marine realm, and man-made radionuclides. The sequence stratigraphic signal is negligible to date, but may become geologically significant over centennial/millennial time scales. The rapidly growing biostratigraphic signal includes geologically novel aspects (the scale of globally transferred species) and geologically will have permanent effects.


Letter: Our wasteful spending
Yes, Lee Paulson, I, like most patriotic Americans, will also be observing Memorial Day as a day of remembrance. And yes, I also don't like paying taxes, but that has been part of our culture since Biblical times. Even "Hagar the Horrible" didn't like paying taxes, but taxes are a necessary evil.
Over the years, we've all gotten spoiled. When I was young, it was rare to see a hard surfaced road. If my memory serves me correctly, Highway 12 was one of the few concrete roads in the area. All the county roads were gravel.
My point is this: We all want good roads, safe bridges, good schools, adequate fire and police protection, clean water and clean air. All these things cost money. Taxes are how we pay for them.
I am now semi-retired. However, when I was working full time, I never objected to paying taxes, especially for services that society deemed necessary, such as supporting a strong military to defend our borders and protect our freedoms, supporting a strong intelligence community that is capable of doing its job without fear of reprisal, in addition to those I listed previously.
What I take issue with is wasteful government spending, such as the Obama administration's trillion-dollar stimulus bill, which is loaded with pork and earmarks. This program was followed by the bill that is often referred to as Obamacare.
By all estimates, this bill will cost taxpayers another trillion-plus dollars over the next 10 years. We simply can't afford programs like these. Our grandchildren will be forever saddled with debt, debt that we created. What a legacy to leave behind.
I also don't like paying for President Obama's "apology" trips on Air Force One. I also don't like paying taxes to support second-, third- and fourth-generation "welfare queens." Yes, I realize there are times when people need help, but not generation after generation.
I could go on and on, but I think you get my point. We don't have to keep raising taxes, but we do have to start cutting spending, at every level of government.
Norm Baker
Willmar


Decomposing variation in population growth into contributions from both ecological and evolutionary processes is of fundamental concern, particularly in a world characterized by rapid responses to anthropogenic threats. Although the impact of ecological change on evolutionary response has long been acknowledged, the converse has predominantly been neglected, especially empirically. By applying a recently published conceptual framework, we assess and contrast the relative importance of phenotypic and environmental variability on annual population growth in five contrasting ungulate populations.
Results/Conclusions
In four of the five populations, the contribution of phenotypic variability was greater than the contribution of environmental variability, although not significantly so. The similarity in the contributions of environment and phenotype suggests that neither is worthy of neglect. Population growth is a consequence of multiple processes, which strengthens arguments advocating integrated approaches to assess how populations respond to their environments.


Opternative is not a replacement for a comprehensive eye health examination. Our licensed Ophthalmologists use Opternative’s on-line technology to evaluate your visual acuity and a portion of your ocular health profile, diagnose refractive error, and issue a prescription for corrective eyewear, where clinically appropriate.
Because our service is not a replacement for a comprehensive eye health exam, our doctors recommend that all patients between 18 and 50 years old receive a comprehensive eye health exam at least once every two years. Opternative will encourage patient eye health by taking the following steps:
Restricting our service to adults 18-50 that state they are asymptomatic and in good health;
Not allowing patients to use our annual prescription services four consecutive times within a five-year period without receiving a comprehensive eye health exam. Opternative will verify that the eye health exam was completed with the patient’s eye care professional;
Recommending contact wearers get screened for contact-related eye health issues as directed by their ophthalmologist;
Educating patients about the importance of their eye health; and
Providing referral tools inside our patients’ online accounts that enable them to find and schedule comprehensive eye health exams with a local eye care provider.
If you need any help finding an eye care professional near you, please contact us at info@opternative.com.info@opternative.com.


Mindfulness receives a significant amount of attention and discussion throughout the media. Mindfulness is the practice of attending to one’s experience in the present moment in a non-attached manner. The experiences may include thoughts, feelings, physical sensations, and external stimuli. Jon Kabat-Zinn defined it as “paying attention in a particular way; on purpose, in the present moment and nonjudgmental.” (source: http://www.wildmind.org/applied/daily-life/what-is-mindfulness)
Mindfulness relates to the psychology of performance directly in that when the individual’s beliefs/filters/assumptions/schemas that are the cognitive filters we perceive events through are irrational, the individual can get emotionally triggered. This reaction can lead to negative judgmental statements that interfere with performance in any area of one’s life. For example, at a recent tae kwon do tournament, I was coaching a participant who lost a match. He had a set of beliefs that were perfectionistic: all or none. This led him to a series of negative self-talk statements such as “I am no good; I am a bad person; I can’t get this right.” He then sat down, became non-communicative, tearful, and refused to fight in the next match resulting in another “defeat” as he was classified as a no-show and the fight went to the opponent. It took a series of discussions regarding his negative self-talk and corresponding negative feelings and physical sensations for him to get to the non-judgmental state of mind where he could then start to be kind toward himself. The important elements of this example are that the individual perceived an event through a negative set of beliefs resulting in judgmental, negative self-talk leading to negative, low performance behavior. The examples from business, relationships, sports, the arts, and other areas are endless.
The practical question is how can anyone enhance their performance if these automatic thoughts evoke almost instantaneous negative reactions? The first aspect to be learned and practiced is to learn to sit mindfully and observe without judgment one’s thoughts, feelings, and physical sensations as they arise and disappear. The breath (mantras, chants, and other focus objects) is often used as an anchor activity to return the mindfulness awareness to when the mind wanders. Many examples can be found on youtube. This is one that MINES produced as a quick starting point.
After observing the thoughts, feelings, and body sensations, one proceeds to notice any judgments about them. This is a starting point for analyzing these judgments and how they impact performance in any area of concern. To the extent that the judgments are viewed as dysfunctional, irrational, or just plain unfounded or unsubstantiated, they are fair game for retraining your self and your reactions under those circumstances so as to improve performance the next time.
Other blogs have addressed areas that can also negatively affect performance that mindfulness also can shine the light of nonattached observation related to conditions such as sleep deprivation, substance use, over eating, lack of exercise, and others that also negatively affect performance.
Have a day filled with mindfulness,
Bob
Robert A. Mines, Ph.D., CEO & Psychologist


Cerebral glucose metabolic mapping using positron emission tomography (PET) and 2-[18F]fluoro-2-deoxyglucose (FDG) has been extensively studied in the epilepsies. Regions of interictal glucose hypometabolism are highly associated with cerebral sites of seizure generation-propagation in focal epilepsies. The volume of reduced glucose metabolism is often widespread and even bilateral in focal epilepsies, although ictal onset zones typically are located at the sites of most severe hypometabolism within a larger volume of hypometabolism.


This overview covers epithelial, stromal and mesenchymal malignancies of the body of the uterus, excluding the cervix. The distinction of type I and type II endometrial adenocarcinoma with the morphological variants of this tumour is discussed and some molecular aspects are explored. The concept of carcinosarcoma representing a metaplastic adenocarcinoma of the endometrium that behaves more like a carcinoma than a sarcoma is explained. Some types of mixed epithelial and stromal neoplasm are described and contrasted with carcinosarcoma. The concept of stromal sarcoma and high-grade uterine sarcoma is described and an outline of malignant smooth muscle tumours of the uterus includes a description of smooth muscle tumours of uncertain malignant potential and worrying benign smooth muscle lesions.


Exercise during pregnancy is associated with multiple health benefits for both you and your baby, and is safe for most women from the time of conception to delivery. Staying active while pregnant can help prepare your body physically for labor and delivery, as well as boost your mood and energy levels. Exercising regularly will also help you lose weight and recover faster following the birth of your baby.


OBJECTIVE To identify the frequency of medication administration errors as well as their potential risk factors in nursing homes using a distribution robot. DESIGN The study was a prospective, observational study conducted within three nursing homes in the Netherlands caring for 180 individuals. MEASUREMENTS Medication errors were measured using the… (More)


And for that to happen, parents often need to learn how to manage their own anxiety. Numerous studies have examined whether it's helpful to treat parents alongside their children — and most show that it is. At least one study found that kids often get better just through their parents being treated.
Like so much of parenting, getting it right is a balancing act. You don't want to overshelter or overprotect your kids, but you don't want them taking unreasonable risks either.
I'm really trying with my own children. I find myself constantly reining in my own fears and allowing them to take on things that, while they may scare me, are probably perfectly appropriate for them to try.
Last winter, in the name of marital harmony and against my better judgment, I permitted my husband to lead the family down a double-black-diamond ski run. My heart was pounding as I lost sight of my children over the cornice. And when I heard my daughter scream that my son had fallen and couldn't stop himself, I thought it might stop altogether.


This type of fracture occurs when a ligament or tendon connecting the bone to a muscle pulls off a sliver of the bone. These injuries occur when the muscle experiences a shock or spasm that pulls on the ligament or tendon. Avulsion fractures are typically seen in athletes and young people.
Symptoms Pain at the site of injury
Swelling and tenderness in the tissue surrounding the injured bone
Treatment Medication to relieve pain Crutches or a walker to improve mobility Rest and keep weight off the injured limb


“Food Sickens Millions” from Bloomberg Peace all, I recently shared some thoughts on Big Food and land grabbing practices globally and locally with Michigan Citizen readers. Here’s another reason why we need to support local growers and micro-economies that encourage greater accountability. Why are these profit-over-people companies allowed to self-regulate? Respect, ~Gregg
Food sickens 48 million Americans a year, with 128,000 hospitalized and 3,000 killed, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates. The rate of infections linked to foodborne salmonella, which causes the most illnesses and deaths, rose 10 percent from 2006 to 2010.


Our commitment to the quality and safety of our blood products is evident in the complex operational and quality systems we have in place across our donor screening, testing, manufacturing and distribution processes.
In all that we do, we comply with and often exceed regulatory requirements from AABB, the FDA and other regulatory agencies. We consistently achieve favorable outcomes from external inspections and are considered a thought leader in quality management systems for the blood banking industry.
Quality is more than just compliance with regulations. In addition to a rigorous regulatory focus, Blood Systems’ Quality focus extends from the customer to business and performance excellence. This focus includes listening to and understanding the voice of the customer, performance improvement in productivity and efficiency, elimination of waste, reduction in variation, reduction in cost, robust process design, and importantly providing value to the customer.
Across United Blood Services and throughout its Blood Systems parent organization, we apply the concepts of Operational Excellence, including Lean and Six Sigma-based process improvement. These methodologies work to attain operational efficiencies that ensure high customer satisfaction.
Blood centers are licensed by US FDA and accredited by AABB. Additionally, Blood Systems Laboratories holds current certifications for the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Act (CLIA), the Foundation for Accreditation for Hematopoietic Cell Therapy (FAHCT) and the American Society for Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics (ASHI), and licensure with the New York State Department of Health and California Department of Health Services.


A new, two-stage water-purification system that relies nanotechnology could deliver clean water to rural areas at low cost. Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology Madras in Chennai, India, developed the system to remove arsenic, pesticides, lead and other contaminants from the water. It's being tested in India and could provide a family with nearly 3 gallons of water a day for less than $3 per year.


Artikel Symbolic dynamics for the prediction of ventricular tachyarrhythmias Symbolische Dynamik für die Vorhersage Ventrikulärer Tachyarrhythmien Suche in Medline nach Autoren
Veröffentlicht: 10. August 2005 Gliederung
Implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) are the standard therapy in patients with ventricular tachyarrhythmia (VTA) and provide a unique opportunity to analyse beat-to-beat (RR)-interval variability (HRV) before the onset of such life-threatening event. In a pilot study, published in 2000, we found that the symbolic dynamics parameter POLVAR10 was able to differentiate significantly between HRV time series before a VTA and at a control time. Therefore, the MARITA study was conducted to validate these results prospectively. In 186 patients (153 men, mean age 61.0±10.4) with an implanted ICD (Biotronik ICDs, 9000 RR-intervals capacity) 257 heart rate recordings before a VTA (from 94 patients) and 645 series during control conditions (recordings at follow-up date without VTA) were recorded. From these time series 107 VTA and 422 control recordings were in sinus rhythm, being longer than one hour and having less 10 % ectopy. For HRV analysis standard time- and frequency parameters as well as nonlinear dynamical measures were calculated. The mean RR-interval in the VTA group was significantly decreased than in controls (752.4±13.9 vs. 819.1±8.1, p<0.0001), whereas the number of ventricular premature beats (VPBs) was increased (230.5±19.7 vs. 147.7±10.5, p<0.00001). To determine the time of sympathetic activation we calculated all HRV parameter for successive 5 minutes intervals up to 90 minutes before the onset of VTA. Heart rate and ventricular ectopy rate are significantly increased already 90 minutes before VTA, suggesting a state of sympathetic excitation. The symbolic dynamics parameter POLVAR10 was the only parameter which could detect precursors of VTA. Our result suggests that the myocardium becomes susceptible to VTA by a more complex mechanism dependent on variable neurohumoral regulatory systems, rather than solely by sympathetic activation.


Dizziness, or vertigo, is the sensation that the world is moving around you. It may stem from imbalanced or excessive inner-ear fluids, inner-ear inflammation, migraines or, in rare cases, brain hemorrhage, multiple sclerosis or stroke. Hypoglycemia, or low-blood sugar, can also cause dizziness. If you're prone to blood sugar abnormalities or a vertigo-related condition, certain foods and dietary habits may trigger or worsen your symptoms. Discuss severe or lasting symptoms with your doctor.
Salty Foods
Although sodium, which is prevalent in table salt and other additives in commercial foods, is necessary for health, the average American consumes far too much. A high-sodium diet increases your risk for heart disease and kidney failure. If you experience routine vertigo, excessive sodium brings additional risks. Salty foods can offset fluid balance and regulation, according to the Vestibular Disorders Association, or VDA, increasing your risk for dizziness. To cut back on sodium, replace table salt, which contains 2,325 mg per tsp, with natural herbs or low-sodium salt substitutes. Sodium-rich prepared foods include canned soups and vegetables, frozen meals, pretzels, french fries, crackers, tomato sauce, cold cuts, hot dogs, bacon and processed cheese.
Added Sugars
Added sugars contribute sweet flavor, but few nutrients, to many commercial foods and beverages. Avoiding foods and beverages with high sugar concentration may guard against vertigo, according to the VDA. Particularly sugary items include regular soft drinks, candy, milk chocolate, jelly, jam, frozen desserts and commercially-baked cookies, cakes, pies and pastries. For overall health, the American Heart Association recommends limiting added sugars to roughly 6 to 9 tsp., or 100 to 150 calories, per day. When you do consume a sugary food, keep your portion size modest and pair it with other foods, such as whole grains or low-fat milk, to prevent blood sugar imbalances.
Migraine Triggers
If your dizzy episodes are associated with migraine headaches, foods that trigger your migraines may also cause vertigo. Foods that may trigger migraines, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center, include nuts, avocados, bananas, citrus fruits, onions, dairy products and aged, smoked and processed meat and fish. Pickled or fermented foods, such as olives, pickles and kefir, and wine may also contribute. Foods affect people with migraines differently, so take note of and avoid foods that tend to cause problems.
Caffeine and Alcohol
As a stimulant, caffeine can worsen tinnitus, which is a ringing sound in your ear that may accompany vertigo. Caffeine may also flush fluids from your body, leading to imbalances. Alcohol can directly and negatively effect your inner ear, according to the VDA, by altering fluid composition and volume. As well, you can trigger a migraine with caffeine.To avoid these risks, stay away from coffee, black and caffeinated herbal teas, regular soft drinks, energy drinks and chocolate, which contains modest amounts of caffeine. Avoid all alcoholic beverages, including beer, liquors and wine.


I haven't read a Kashi bar, but a couple of their cereals are ok while the others are average. (Thanks for the word suntereo.)
I hunted down bars a while ago. One guideline cited an ideal intake for fats/oils is 10% by calories for cardiovascular health--seemingly an extreme. I wonder, at that level, if that's enough lipid intake to help properly process various vitamins/minerals. I'm sorry; I forget where I saw it. I find that 20-25% of calories from lipids is do-able, per day. Many bars are lipid-heavy, proportionally (e.g. 170cals, 120 from lipids), or sugar heavy.
If you're looking for bars and reading labels, check what the protein & fiber look like. If you're looking for a meal replacement or a snack (5 eats per day type thing), I've carved my meal/snacks down to being a rough 250-400 calories each. I didn't actually count each calorie. Don't over-think it; just glance at portion size. With a bar, are you getting enough food for the session until the next time you'll eat? Good protein is harder to come by; sugar is not.
Regarding fiber, when "whole grain" became the rage, one realist cautioned people to read labels. Unlike lucky charms, a food was only potentially whole grain if there were 100 carb-cals per 2 gram fiber. (Why they didn't say 50cal/g, I don't know.) So, when you check sugar content, look at it in the context of sugar vs total carb & relative to fiber. Then, after all that, is there other nutrition in it? Are there enough various vitamins/minerals.
The first thing I read on a label for anything supplementary is for artificial sweeteners. They're a primary eliminator.
So, in short:
- No artificial sweeteners (sucralose, aspartame, asulfa-something K)
- no sugar alcohols
- no weird other chemistry (short list, msg, others)
- Lower proportion of calories from fats (by calories)
- sufficient protein (by mass, grams)
- Carb cals relative to fiber
- lower proportion of carb cals from sugar, by mass
- Sodium? vs potassium?
- Vitamins & Minerals, esp if meal replacement
I did a small spreadsheet comparing bars within the Odwalla brand.
(Stop laughing; I was curious.
) Their basic protein bar was the best within the brand. It actually has more potassium than sodium. Some other bars are either too sugary or too fatty. You will always be heavy in either of those, sugar or fat. However, that bar gets most of the protein from soy, which is not necessarily a good human food (especially if you're a B blood).


A mine on Minnesota's Iron Range is being penalized for failing to adhere to its air quality permit.
The mines generally don't directly measure emissions, instead they report operations data that indicate how much particulate matter and other pollutants they are emitting.
The reports from Alcelor Mittal's Minorca mine near Virginia were incomplete, according to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency's Katie Koelfgen.
"They were filing the reports, the reports just indicated that readings were being missed and records were not being kept," Koelfgen said, meaning the MPCA doesn't know whether the company was polluting the air beyond what its permit allows.
For three years of incomplete reports, the MPCA fined Alcelor Mittal $19,000, and it's requiring the company to file a plan to ensure future compliance.


Degrees/Education
Ph. D., Cognitive Psychology, 1993, University of Pittsburgh
M. A., Music Theory, 1990, University of Pittsburgh M. S., Cognitive Psychology, 1990, University of Pittsburgh B. Mus., Flute performance, 1987, The Rubin Academy of Music B. A., Musicology, 1987, Tel-Aviv University Area(s) of Expertise
Phonology
Research Interests
My research examines the nature of linguistic competence, its origins, and its interaction with reading ability. I seek to identify the constraints that shape the language system and determine the extent to which this system is specialized for the processing of linguistic information. I am particularly interested in two questions:
Are people equipped with a grammar—a computational system that operates on linguistic variables (abstract categories such as noun and syllable) as opposed to specific instances (such as the noun dog and the syllable blif)? Does the grammar include universal constraints on language structure?
To assess the computational properties of the language system, I examine whether people can learn restrictions on linguistic variables, such as constraints on reduplication (e.g., AAB vs. ABB). My work seeks to identify the class of grammars that are learnable by humans. To this end, I examine whether speakers (adults, children, and infants) of diverse languages (English, Hebrew, Korean, Russian, and Spanish) possess universal grammatical constraints on structures that they have never heard before. I seek to identify such constraints, examine their sources—whether they reflect specific restrictions on language structure, or properties of nonlinguistic systems (e.g., audition or motor control)—and their modulation by linguistic experience. I assess these questions using numerous populations (typical hearing people, deaf individuals, and people with dyslexia) and methods (behavioral and various measures of brain responses). My work also explores the link between linguistic competence, reading ability, and disability.
Location
Department of Psychology
125 Nightingale Hall
Contrary to popular belief, language is not limited to speech. In a recent study published in the journal PNAS, Northeastern University Prof. Iris Berent reveals that people also apply the rules of their spoken language to sign language.
In the 52nd annual Robert D. Klein Lecture, psychology professor Iris Berent argued that human language is a product of a specialized biological system, that we are innately equipped with a language instinct.
Provost James C. Bean announced this week that Iris Berent is this year’s Robert D. Klein Lecturer.
Research on spoken languages has shown that they rely on the human brain’s ability to unconsciously encode patterns in speech in the form of abstract rules. But do those same rules operate in American Sign Language?
New research from Northeastern professor of psychology Iris Berent and her colleagues indicates that language and motor systems are intricately linked—though not in the way that has been widely believed.


ERIC Number:ED383111 Record Type:Non-Journal Publication Date:1995-May Pages:42 Abstractor:N/A Reference Count:N/A ISBN:N/A ISSN:N/A
A Profile of the School Superintendency: Issues and Perceptions.
Webber, Charles F.
This paper presents findings of a study that investigated the concerns of Canadian superintendents. In a three-round modified Delphi design, an inventory of educational concerns was mailed to all 105 chief superintendents in a western Canadian province. A total of 76 superintendents responded in round 1 and 87 responded in round 2. They identified 70 educational issues that concerned them. Their top priorities focused on the areas of declining financial resources and planning for the future. School violence, vandalism, and racism were among the issues that received low-priority ratings. Respondents assigned relatively low-priority ratings to teacher burnout and teacher-work overload, which indicates the potential for conflict with teachers. From these areas of concern, the following themes emerged: power and control, special interest groups, student welfare, personnel development, instruction, resource allocation, program delivery, and school security. Despite the large number of concerns facing them, the superintendents did not express feelings of hopelessness or extreme frustration. The high response rate (83 percent) may indicate that superintendents want to be involved in the professional dialogue. Two tables are included. The appendix contains a sample of the inventory. (LMI)
Publication Type:Speeches/Meeting Papers; Reports - Research; Tests/Questionnaires Education Level:N/A Audience:N/A Language:English Sponsor:N/A Authoring Institution:N/A Identifiers - Location:Canada


In the summer of 1914 Europe exploded into a frenzy of mass violence. The war that followed had global repercussions, destroying four empires and costing millions of lives. Even the victorious countries were scarred for a generation, and we still today remain within the conflict's shadow.
In this major new analysis, published some ninety years after the First World War began, David Stevenson re-examines the causes, course and impact of this 'war to end war', placing it in the context of its era and exposing its underlying dynamics. His book provides a wide-ranging international history, drawing on insights from the latest research. It offers compelling answers to the key questions about how this terrible struggle unfolded: questions that remain disturbingly relevant for our own time. ISBN: 9780140268171 Publication Date: 01 / 11 / 2005 Pages: 784 Dimensions: 129 x 198mm


(WASHINGTON) – Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, along with Reps. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) and Michael Grimm (R-NY), announced that they will be sending a formal bipartisan letter to John S. Pistole, Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), raising serious objections regarding his recent decision and announcement that TSA will start to allow passengers to bring knives and certain sports equipment onboard airplanes.
This decision appears to have been made without formal engagement with stakeholders impacted by this policy, including those most likely to come into contact with someone possessing a knife on a plane – flight crewmembers and air marshals. The Aviation Security Advisory Committee (ASAC), which has played a role in the development of security policy in the past, was also not consulted. The letter will ask the Administrator to refrain from implementing this policy and urge him to utilize existing mechanisms to engage with all relevant stakeholders before enacting significant policy changes that impact the frontline workforce and the flying public.
Congressman Thompson released the following statement with the announcement: “I am concerned by TSA’s decision to modify its prohibited items list and allow knives and other carry-ons that can be used as weapons through airport security. Developing policies in a vacuum that will impact millions of passengers and thousands of front-line workers is a disservice to the American public. This is why I continue to champion stakeholder participation, through the Aviation Security Advisory Committee, so that the voices of all those directly affected can be heard.”
Congressman Swalwell, member of the Committee on Homeland Security and its Transportation Security Subcommittee, added the following statement: “Americans continue to be mystified by TSA and this latest decision is another example of a questionable TSA policy. Before allowing dangerous potential weapons on planes, TSA should have at least meaningfully consulted with flight attendants, pilots and other stakeholders to ensure public safety. I look forward to questioning Administrator Pistole about this policy at a Transportation Security Subcommittee hearing on Thursday.”
Congressman Grimm also released the following statement: “As a former federal law enforcement agent, I believe passenger and flight crew safety must remain a top priority, and allowing knives in the aircraft cabin puts that safety at risk. We must face the realities of a post-9/11 world and make our decisions accordingly. Lifting the ban on knives is an irresponsible and short-sighted decision that could seriously harm innocent passengers or the dedicated crew. That is why I am urging the TSA to reinstate the ban without delay.”


Document Type
Journal Article
Abstract
In the wake of events of September 11, 2001, State and corporate attempts to suppress and repress dissent have increased, taking a more preemptive turn. Sources of specific types of dissent, as opposed to specific types of dissent, are openly targeted. A number of progressive groups were labeled domestic terrorists in the U.S. A significant implication of the ideological rhetoric of terrorism, patriotism and national (in)security is the self-regulation it has fostered: a form of "regulated freedom." This paper explores the implications of governmentality, focusing on radical and revolutionary dissent which seeks to delegitimize capitalism, the property status of nonhuman animals and the environment more broadly.
RIS ID
102255


By BitterGrey
In 1995, this website opened with an essay titled "Understanding Infantilism" and a simple analogy. This analogy drew on fetishism, transvestism, and masochism to help readers imagine what ABDL fantasies might be like. It plotted the different emphases among ABDLs as points defining a triangular area, and countered the presumption that ABDLs were all the same.
The first corner is relatively straightforward. Diaper fetishes are simply fetishes that involve diapers. That is, the diaper becomes an arousing object. Unfortunately, infantilism is often discussed as if it were a diaper fetish. Describing the interests of ABDLs requires two more corners on the triangle.
The second corner is similar to masochism. In masochism, bondage and discipline might be used by the dominant partner to express a transfer control. To apply this corner to ABDLs, replace the harsh mistress with a firm mother figure. Next, replace the leather and chains with diapers and other reminders that the ABDL isn't in control. The differences between the second and third corners are subtle. For example, ABDLs in both corners might soil their diapers. The vestic ABDL might be changed and cuddled. The masochistic ABDL, in contrast, might be scolded and spanked. The masochistic ABDL might hold on to the identity of a grown man, even though cast in a less powerful role, such as baby or child.
The third corner is similar to transvestism. A male transvestite takes on a feminine role and identity. To reinforce these, he dresses up as a woman. In his mind, he wouldn't be a man using women's clothing. He would be a woman, wearing woman's clothing because that is what women wear. He would have a female mindset. The act of crossdressing might not be erotically charged at all. To apply this corner to ABDLs, replace the role of grown woman with that of a baby boy or girl. For a short time, he would be a baby, dressing and acting the part. Although it can be confusing, both the second and third corners would be categorized as infantilism.
It is common for individual tastes to include more than one corner. Specific scenes might change from one corner to another. They may also blend the themes, ending up somewhere on the triangle's face.
While suitable as a brief description, this analogy has limitations. For example, while the transvestite has the option of surgically changing sex, the 'vestic' ABDL does not have the option of becoming a real baby. Furthermore, there are some masochists who approach their scenes with an almost vestic perspective: They accept the identity of slave and are happy that way.
These can be addressed by focusing on role and mindset. A grown man who embraces the role of baby won't feel deprived of control when he is treated as a baby. He will enjoy it. In contrast, a grown man who holds on to the role of grown-up will feel deprived of control if treated as a baby. He will be frustrated. However, he may enjoy the frustration. He would want to reject the role, but not want to be given the choice to reject the role.
Some attention should also be given to the triangle's edges. A reasonable definition for the boundary between the interests of ABDLs and other interests is the presence of diapers or other symbols of babyhood. Unless diapers or babyhood have a specific importance - are central and non-interchangeable - the more general category would be better. For example, someone who enjoys baby humiliations the same as other types of humiliation might best be grouped generally as a masochist, as opposed to an adult baby specifically. Another example would be the masochist who was put in diapers because he was going to be tied up for a long time: This wouldn't necessarily be an ABDL scene, since either diapers or catheters could have been used interchangeably.
The corners can then be restated...
# Focus Role and Mindset Comparable to... 1 Objects No inherent change in role or mindset. Fetishism 2 Loss of status & control Change in role. Role and mindset don't match. Masochism 3 Change in role Role and mindset change and match. Transvestism
Which would look like...
The first corner does not inherently involve a change in role. It emphasizes the objects, the diapers. This corner would look like fetishism with diapers. This corner is a typical, sexual fetish. Diapers are seen as an erotically charged item. This corner may or may not involve other items, roleplay, etc. Depending on individual tastes, the DL, his partner, or both would wear diapers.
The second corner would involve a change in role without a matching change in mindset. This would look like masochism, except that instead of being reduced to a slave, he would be reduced to the status of baby or small child. In contrast to the third corner, it does involve a sense of loss. The ABDL is aware that he is under another's control. He may have the mindset of an adult or older child, being treated as a baby. This may involve bondage and domination, but thresholds for headspace-age-inappropriateness vary and must be respected. If the ABDL is in a juvenile mindset or headspace, then the use of adult-themed restraints and punishments would seem inappropriate. A whip or cage might be disruptive to the headspace, while time-outs and playpens would not be. This is the first of two thresholds of headspace-age-inappropriateness that need to be respected in play. The second involves sexuality.
The third corner involves a matching change in role and mindset. This corner would look like transvestism, except the ABDL would be a baby instead of a woman. Diapers and sometimes other pieces of adult-sized baby clothing are used to express a change in the infantilists role and mindset: He is a baby. This is the corner that would typically involve parent/baby roleplay. Thresholds for headspace-age-inappropriateness are more of a factor for those in an infantile headspace than for those in juvenile or adult headspaces. Those in an infantile headspace might embrace the thought of being powerless, but not be receptive to being chained up. While a lot of control is given up when accepting a baby's role, this corner doesn't involve a sense of loss.
Over its two-decade history of development and use, the ABDL triangle has proven to be serviceable. It has appeared in many forms, some better suited for a given audience than others. However, the core point of the illustration remains.
Do you have Questions, tips, suggestions, or other feedback?


Q: I have fallen behind on my mortgage payments due to illness. Things are better now, and I am back at work, but my home is heading to foreclosure. I heard that loan modifications are no longer available. Is there any hope for me? — Louise A: Yes, there is. The government's Home Affordable Modification Program stopped taking new applications at the end of 2016, but this doesn't mean there aren't options available.
The HAMP program helped many distressed homeowners save their homes, and it will be harder to get modifications now that the program ended. Fortunately, lenders still are offering other modification programs to assist you. Plus, a new...


The antibiotic minocycline, which is used in the treatment of acne, has been associated with various pulmonary complications such as pulmonary lupus and hypersensitivity pneumonitis. We now report a particularly severe case of minocycline-related pulmonary toxicity that was characterized by a relapsing form of hypersensitivity eosinophilic pneumonia complicated by acute respiratory failure.


The U.S. Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Section 8 Housing Assistance Payments Program was established in 1974. It provides project-based and tenant-based housing assistance to low-income persons who rent. It has been one of the best possible uses of federal funds, because it countermands need for costly welfare-type expenditures. For example, sheltering seniors and persons with “certain disabilities” with low incomes who are willing, able, and eager to live independently. (Most low-income seniors are not frail and do not need costly “assisted living.”) When you and your landlord qualify under Section 8 for tenant-based housing assistance, you pay one third of your income for rent, and the balance subsidized.
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Under the Fair Labor Standards Act (), employees are entitled to overtime for hours worked over 40 in any workweek.
However, the law doesn’t specify how a workweek is determined. The Department of Labor has stated that a workweek is “a fixed and regularly recurring period of 168 hours— seven consecutive 24-hour periods.” Some employees have argued that their workweek must start with their first workday and encompass the next 168 hours.
Now the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals, which has jurisdiction over Texas employers, has ruled that this interpretation is wrong. Instead, employers are free to choose on which day their designated workweek begins even if the employee’s actual schedule doesn’t start on the same day.
Recent case: Kevin and Brad sued their former employer over allegedly unpaid overtime. They claimed that the company should have begun tallying their workweek at the start of their first shift and should have ended 168 hours later. If that were the case, both men would have been owed a few extra hours of overtime when their schedules over that 168-hour period meant they worked more than 40 hours.
The court said their calculations were wrong and that the workweek could start on any day of the week of the employer’s choosing. If that meant that they earned less overtime because the hours over 40 then hit a different workweek, that wouldn’t violate the FLSA. (
Johnson, et al., v. Heckman Water Resources, No. 13-40824, 5th Cir., 2014) Final note: Employers can’t change the workweek every week to manipulate the overtime. They must designate a particular 168-hour period as the employee’s workweek and stick with it at least for a reasonable time period. However, different employees can have different workweeks.


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16. How Sensory Inputs are Perceived
The signals induced by sensory inputs are encoded in θ-γ nested oscillations (Figure 16). For instance, while playing tennis, you may see "a white ball moves rapidly along a direction." This visual input consists of four items: the ball's shape, color, moving direction and moving speed. Inside the brain, the input stimulates firing of a group of neurons. The information about an item is represented by the neuronal firing within a γ cycle. For simplicity, suppose the color is represented by only ten neurons. "0" and "1" denote the states of "resting" and "firing" respectively. In the same γ cycle, some neurons may be at rest while others are firing. Thus, the states of this group of neurons may represent the color information, such as:
The signals induced by sensory inputs are carried by GR waves which travel at the speed of light unless they are bound by a geon. At this very moment, your eyes may be reading this article while certain sound may enter your ears. However, you do not perceive the sound if you are focused on this article. Attention to a sensory input occurs only when the input signal (encoded in the θ-γ modulated GR waves) is captured by a geon. In other words, conscious perception of a signal requires the binding of a geon with the GR waves carrying the signal.
Conscious perception of sensory inputs is analogous to the reception of television (TV) or radio signals. At any moment, all kinds of electromagnetic (EM) waves are passing through a TV or radio at the speed of light. When you tune in to a specific channel (corresponding to a particular station), only the EM waves transmitted from the particular station may be captured by a TV or radio, through "frequency resonance" between its electronic circuits and the EM waves. However, a geon does not use frequency resonance to capture signals. Instead, it employs synchronization, or constructive interference, to increase binding energy (see Chapter 13). This mechanism explains why the α frequency should be approximately twice the θ frequency (next chapter).


DEFINITION of 'Dollar Auction'
The basic dollar auction is based on the auction of a $1 bill between two individuals. A dollar auction is a non-zero-sum game, which, like the prisoner's dilemma, reveals that rational behavior can often lead to an undesirable consequence. The winner of the auction receives the bill while the other participant must pay the price of his last bid.
BREAKING DOWN 'Dollar Auction'
After both participants have put in their initial bids, logically it doe not make sense for them to stop bidding up the price. For example, if participant A bids 90 cents, which is followed by a $1 bid from participant B, participant A can either bid $1.01 and lose 1 cent or drop out of the auction and lose 90 cents. Rationally, the bid should be placed. Participant B is now left in a similar situation where he can bid $1.02 or drop out, resulting in respective losses of 2 cents or $1. The bidding process would theoretically continue to perpetuity as both players stay committed to the losing cause.


The facility takes 6,000 water truck trips off the road each day, according to Aqua America, which will displace truck drivers, parts suppliers, fuel deliverers, mechanics, and service employees from their jobs in Lycoming County. The Marcellus shale industry hasn't proposed any relief, solution, or alternative to this loss of employment opportunities for Pennsylvania residents.
The facility's two permits were approved by the Susquehanna River Basin Commission, a federal commission made up of Governors Corbett (R-PA), Cuomo (D-NY), O'Malley (D-MD), and President Obama.
The capacity of the park was 37 units. In March 2012, 32 families lived there. The initial offer from Aqua America included $2,500 for residents to move by April 1 and $1,200 for residents to move by May 1.
Immediately after the tragic story of Riverdale hit the press with the help of volunteers, Aqua America extended the deadline for $2,500 in compensation until June 1st.
A series of town halls, vigils, and picnics were organized by residents with some help from volunteers from around northeast and central Pennsylvania in opposition to the project. Residents and allies even held protests at Aqua America's headquarters in Bryn Mawr, at their shareholder meeting, and in front of Aqua's CEO Nick DeBenedictis' mansion in Ardmore.
Unfortunately, many residents felt forced to leave the park for reasons including fear of losing the $2,500 offer, uncertainty of what Aqua would do on June 1, and termination of their leases.
At the time of the final vigil on May 31, only seven families remained at Riverdale. Those families invited and hosted volunteers from all over Pennsylvania and surrounding states that evening to stay until morning when construction was scheduled to begin in an effort dubbed "Hands Across Riverdale."
They issued the following demands:
We demand that Aqua America sit down with the residents and their representation to negotiate in good faith a fair deal that...
1. Permits the remaining residents to stay living at Riverdale Mobile Home Park.
2. Provides those residents who have left with just compensation to cover their expenses.
3. Allows for the return of all residents who have left and wish to return.
On June 1, no construction vehicles came and road barricades boldly stated, "We Will Fight For Our Homes" and "Aqua America Kills Community." The following day, Aqua America sat down to negotiate with three pro-bono lawyers representing residents at the company headquarters in Bryn Mawr. A tentative agreement was reached and the residents were informed of the terms the following week. Details of that agreement are not publicly available at this time.
For a total of 12 days, Riverdale blossomed once again, despite all the suffering already endured. Volunteers joined to cook, run security shifts to prevent looting, move sheds, salvage building materials, plant a garden, provide child care, leaflet Jersey Shore and Williamsport, and to blast the story of Riverdale all over social networks.
On the twelfth day, Aqua America sent a subcontracted security firm to secure the site. Activists blocked the road in defiance, demanding that Aqua America continue to negotiate with residents in good faith. State police arrived on scene and ordered the protesters to move. There were no arrests. A chain link fence across the front of the park was constructed and later, a barbed wire fence surrounding the pump station construction area was added.
Currently, round the clock security guards are stationed at the front of the park, which is lit with light towers like a stadium and resembles a prison. Construction is proceeding. The seven families remain at Riverdale, including four young children, as we all await the final terms of the agreement from Aqua and the lawyers.
Former residents who left before June 1 are scattered around the area. Some moved their homes to less desirable and more expensive parks, some are renting more expensive apartments and mobile homes, some are on the low-income housing waiting list, and others are staying with family and friends.
Since the volunteers were evicted from Riverdale by Aqua America, we have held two well-attended picnics to generate ideas for our next steps. Stay tuned for our announcements!


ERIC Number:ED333923 Record Type:Non-Journal Publication Date:1991-May Pages:30 Abstractor:N/A Reference Count:N/A ISBN:N/A ISSN:N/A
A Survey of Environmental Scanning in U.S. Technical and Community Colleges.
Friedel, Janice Nahra; And Others
In spring 1991, a survey was conducted of 991 community and technical colleges nationwide to determine the extent to which they engaged in environmental scanning (ES) activities. In particular, the study sought to identify those institutions that currently conduct environmental scans; the nature of the links between ES and program development, evaluation, budgeting functions, and strategic planning; the personnel involved in ES; and institutions that could serve as ES resources to other colleges. Study findings, based on a 60.2% response rate, included the following: (1) in response to questions about the nature of the institution's interaction with the outside environment, 60.1% of the respondents indicated that they would "watch out for the likely impact of the environment on the institution"; (2) 41.3% indicated that their college conducts ES; (3) 19.4% of the 350 institutions not currently conducting ES indicated that they expected to initiate ES within the next two years; (4) in ratings of the sophistication of the scanning methods used, only 3.2% of the institutions conducting ES scored the maximum; (5) among institutions conducting ES, 48% reported that the head of institutional research coordinated ES efforts, while 18% cited the chief executive officer; (6) only 8.5% of the institutions conducting ES reported using a specific scanning model; and (7) 55.9% expressed interest in a national ES planning network. Data tables and the survey instrument are included. (PAA)
Publication Type:Reports - Research; Tests/Questionnaires; Speeches/Meeting Papers Education Level:N/A Audience:N/A Language:English Sponsor:N/A Authoring Institution:N/A


You can have a mediocre workout or the ULTIMATE workout.
- A 100kg bodybuilder with 8% body fat that trains with high volume five sessions per week, will benefit from a higher carb consumption than an 85kg lifter with 12% body fat that trains with moderate volume three sessions per week.
-The bigger, leaner lifter might eat 400-plus grammes of carbs, moderate protein, and low fat the day before a high volume session.
- The other lifter would almost assuredly gain fat with that approach. A more moderate carb intake is appropriate.http://up.tips/PrePrepG


This paper compares price-level-path targeting (PT) with inflation targeting (IT) in a sticky-price, dynamic, general equilibrium model augmented with imperfections in both the debt and equity markets. Using a Bayesian approach, we estimate this model for the Canadian economy. We show that the model with both debt and equity market imperfections fits the data better and use it to compare PT versus the estimated current IT regime. We find that in general PT outperforms the current IT regime. However, the gain is lower when financial market imperfections are taken into account.


Arteriopathies are the leading cause of childhood stroke but mechanisms are poorly understood. Fibromuscular dysplasias are non-inflammatory arteriopathies classically described in adults with a cerebral-renal distribution and distinct 'string-of-beads' angiographic appearance. Diagnostic characteristics of paediatric fibromuscular dysplasia are uncharacterized. We aimed to compare pathologically proven versus clinically suspected paediatric fibromuscular dysplasia stroke cases to elucidate diagnostic features. Children in the Canadian Paediatric Ischaemic Stroke Registry, Calgary Paediatric Stroke Program, and published literature were screened for stroke associated with fibromuscular dysplasias or renal arteriopathy. Comparison variables included pathological classification, presentations, stroke types, imaging/angiography, treatments, and outcomes. We report 81 cases (15 new, 66 from the literature). For pathologically proven fibromuscular dysplasia (n = 27), intimal fibroplasia predominated (89%) and none had typical adult medial fibroplasia. Ischaemic strokes predominated (37% haemorrhagic) and were often multifocal (40%). Children often presented early (33% <12 months). Angiography demonstrated focal, stenotic arteriopathy (78%) rather than 'string-of-beads'. Renal arteriopathy (63%) with hypertension (92%) was common, with systemic arteriopathy in 72%, and moyamoya in 35%. Anti-inflammatory (29%) and anti-thrombotic (27%) therapies were inconsistently applied. Outcomes (mean 43 months) were poor in 63%, with stroke recurrence in 36%. Clinically suspected fibromuscular dysplasias (n = 31) were usually older, normotensive with string-of-beads angiography and good outcome. We conclude that fibromuscular dysplasia causes childhood stroke with distinctive clinic-radiological features including hypertension and systemic arteriopathy. Intimal fibroplasia predominates while 'string of beads' angiography is rare. Accurate clinical diagnosis is currently challenging.


Recent studies of the treatment of obesity by moderate and severe caloric restriction show that patients treated in randomized trials using a conventional 1200 kcal/d reducing diet, combined with behavior modification, lose approximately 8.5 kg in 20 weeks. They maintain approximately two thirds of this weight loss 1 year later. Patients treated under medical supervision using a very-low-calorie diet (400 to 800 kcal/d) lose approximately 20 kg in 12 to 16 weeks and maintain one half to two thirds of this loss in the following year. Both dietary interventions are associated with increasing weight regain over time, although regain can be minimized with the recognition that obesity, in many cases, is a chronic condition that requires continuing care. Patients who participate in a formal weight-loss maintenance program, exercise regularly, or both are likely to achieve the best long-term results.


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Data-driven insights enable digital business transformation by driving meaningful outcomes from collecting, preparing and analyzing data with speed and accuracy. While some insights answer questions and identify trends, actionable insights go further to influence decisions, drive change, push the organization in new directions and potentially even fuel intelligent process automation.
Developing data-driven insights for operational improvement and innovation require a focus on the clients’ business drivers, understanding the business context of the underlying data combined with strong technology skills and industry knowledge. That’s what we bring to every data engagement.
Our data solutions consulting and development experience spans enterprise data strategy, data engineering & management, business intelligence and analytics, big data and advanced analytics across multiple solution platforms and sources of data - on premise, public cloud or SaaS.


The “Dragnet”
In the year after 9/11, the FBI detained over 1200 Arabs and Muslims living in the United States as part of its official investigation into the attacks. This investigation, popularly referred to as the “Dragnet” to highlight its pervasive and indiscriminate nature, focused on people the FBI claimed had suspected links to terrorist activity. The majority of those detained were immigrants living in the United States; the rest were largely American citizens detained on minor criminal charges not related to terrorism. According to a report by the Office of the Inspector General, the detainees were overwhelmingly Arab or Middle Eastern.
Detained individuals were often targeted for highly superficial reasons. Actions as innocuous as expressing an interest in learning to fly planes, developing rolls of film featuring the World Trade Center, or simply being in the presence of another suspected individual at the time of arrest were considered adequate grounds for detention. Individuals who shared common names with known terrorists were detained without any other wrongdoing. As one FBI official quipped, “The only thing a lot of these people are guilty of is having the Arabic version of Bob Jones for a name.”
In initiating detentions, the FBI encouraged Immigration and Naturalization Services (INS) to bring trivial, pretexual immigration charges against these individuals in order to prolong their detention. The FBI also required INS to keep an individual detained until the FBI had “cleared” them—even if immigration charges had already been resolved or a court had already ordered deportation. This “clearance” process took an average of three weeks.
“Dragnet” detentions and ensuing immigration proceedings were ordered secret. So total were these restrictions that an immigrant’s family members could not be told where or for what reason their loved one was being held. To this day, it is unclear who or how many people were detained.
Despite the aggressive nature of the investigation, no terrorism-related charges were ever filed as a result of these detentions.
The Absconder Apprehension Initiative
The Absconder Apprehension Initiative of 2002 was a similar directive issued by Attorney General John Ashcroft in which the names of over 300,000 “absconders”—aliens in violation of their visa terms—were turned over to local police forces. Law enforcement was advised to “locate, apprehend, interview, and deport” these immigrants, beginning, per the Attorney General’s request, with 6000 immigrants “who come from countries where there has been Al-Qaeda presence or activity.” Over 2500 “absconders” were detained as a result, though it is unknown if the remaining aliens from non-Al-Qaeda countries were ever targeted.
The National Entry-Exit Registration System
In September 2002, the Attorney General announced the National Entry-Exit Registration System (NSEERS), which altered immigration procedures by placing “special” registration restrictions on immigrants entering the United States from certain countries. NSEERS provided automatic registration for nationals of Iran, Iraq, Libya, Sudan, and Syria, as well as those from countries that the State Department or Department of Homeland Security considered an “elevated national security risk.” Of the final list of 25 countries, only one—North Korea—was not of Arab or Muslim majority.[1] Immigrants subject to these registration requirements were fingerprinted, photographed, and forced to maintain regular contact with INS on pain of criminal arrest. By the time the law was abandoned in 2011, over 93,000 immigrants had been forced to register, and 1200 people had been detained for violations.
In its coverage of the Department of Homeland Security’s announcement to indefinitely suspend NSEERS, the American Civil Liberties Union described the policy as “mandat[ing] ethnic discrimination on a scale not seen in the United States since Japanese-American internment during World War II.”
Additional immigration statistics
Between September 2001 and September 2002, detentions and deportations of immigrants from Muslim-majority countries—particularly Egypt, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia—had nearly doubled or tripled. In that same period,
total detentions and deportations decreased by around 20 percent.
[1] Federal Register Vol. 76, Number 82, pp. 23830-23831 (April 28 2011) http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2011-04-28/html/2011-10305.htm


The share of people under 30 who own private businesses has fallen to a 24-year low, The Wall Street Journal reported, underscoring the financial challenges and low tolerance for risk among young Americans.
A recent study from the U.S. Small Business Administration sheds light on one additional factor that may challenge this group: rising student loan debt. Entrepreneurs under age 40 with student-loan debt were less likely to apply for a business loan and had fewer employees, according to the SBA’s November 2014 analysis, which focused on the self-employed.


The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released the Producer Price Indexes (PPI) for February. Overall, inflation at the producer level declined -0.1% in February from January (seasonally adjusted), balancing a 0.4% increase in prices for goods and a 0.3% decline in prices for services. On an unadjusted basis, inflation slowed to 0.9% for the 12 month period ending in February, from 1.2% in January.
Among building materials, softwood lumber prices rose 2.2% in February from January, OSB prices declined 0.7%, and gypsum prices rose 4.1%.


I just finished reading The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho (in English, not the original Portuguese). I had a hard time getting into its style, which some people compare to that of Saint-Exupéry’s The Little Prince, but I think the big difference is… about 180 pages. You can get away with being crisp (in terms of sentence structure and character development) and overtly allegorical in a short work, but in a novel, it gets kind of weird. At least, it did for me.
That being said, I definitely appreciate the morals that Coelho presents. Particularly as a young, struggling writer, I found a lot to take away. Basically, Coelho says that following one’s dreams is a person’s only obligation in life, and that doing so contributes to the happiness and positivity of the world. However, not everyone has the courage to try. Why? Because of the four obstacles.
(Note: I’m paraphrasing so I don’t run into copyright issues. Remember, I didn’t originate these ideas, Paulo Coelho did. I’m just recapping them, because I like them.)
1. We are told that our dream is impossible. Over the years, the more we hear this, the less we believe, and the deeper we bury our dream even from ourselves.
2. If we manage to keep our dreams above ground (or dig them back up), then we must overcome love. We are afraid to hurt our loved ones by abandoning everything to pursue our dream, because we forget that those who really love us want us to succeed, and will accompany us on our journey.
3. If we are able to trust in our loves, then we must face our fear. We are afraid because if we fail, we cannot pretend we did not really want to succeed. We do want to achieve our dream, and we have risked everything for it. So we must have patience and persevere.
4. Finally, if we outlast our fears, then we come up against the final obstacle: ourselves. As we stand on the brink of success, we are suddenly filled with guilt. We do not understand why we should be so fortunate as to achieve our dream when so many others have not. This is the most dangerous of the obstacles, because there is an aura of martyrdom around it, around sacrificing your happiness and success for the sake of others. However, if you truly believe yourself worthy of the dream you worked so hard to achieve, then you should finish what you started, and understand that in doing so, you have contributed to the betterment of the universe.
Deep stuff, huh?
Well, reading The Alchemist made me examine myself in light of these ideas. I know what obstacles I’m facing right now (#2 and #3), and I can’t say that this book solved those problems, but I do think that it inspired me to overcome them. As Coelho says, the universe conspires to help everyone who is on their journey to achieve their dream. I guess that means Coelho is part of my conspiracy.


United States District Court, D. Maryland
MEMORANDUM
GEORGE JARROD HAZEL, District Judge.
The Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus, filed pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2241. alleges that Petitioner is improperly detained pending removal to Jamaica. ECF 1. Petitioner has been detained in the Worcester County Jail in Snow Hill. Maryland in the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) since February 27. 2014. Petitioner asserts his detention has surpassed the period of time considered reasonable under the holding in
Zadvydas v. Davis, 533 U.S. 678 (2001).
Respondents tiled an Answer to the Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus indicating that travel documents have been secured for Petitioner's removal to Jamaica and moving to deny the petition. ECF 4. For the reasons stated below, the Petition shall be denied and Petitioner's removal shall not be stayed.
Respondents state that Petitioner is a citizen of Jamaica who was in the United States without legal authority. A final order for Petitioner's removal was issued on March 29, 2007. Petitioner was taken into custody by ICE on February 27. 2014, after he was arrested in Prince George's County. Maryland on drug charges. While he has been detained Petitioner was advised on six different occasions that he was required to assist ICE in obtaining necessary travel documents to facilitate his return to Jamaica and that his failure to cooperate would permit an extension of the removal period. Petitioner refused to cooperate on each occasion he was asked for assistance. Despite Petitioner's refusal. ICE obtained travel documents from the Jamaican Embassy on January 12, 2015, and Petitioner was scheduled for removal to Jamaica on January 29, 2015.
[1] ECF 4 at Ex. 1 and 2.
The decision in
Zadvydas v. Davis. 533 U.S. 678 (2001) governs whether an alien's detention pending removal is constitutional. In Zaduydas, the Supreme Court held that post-removal-order detention under 8 U.S.C. § 1231(a) is implicitly limited to a period reasonably necessary to bring about the alien's removal from the United States and does not permit indefinite detention. In sum, the Court found that after an order of deportation became final, an alien may be held for a six-month period. After this period: [once the alien provides good reason to believe that there is no significant likelihood of removal in the reasonably foreseeable future, the Government must respond with evidence sufficient to rebut that showing. And for detention to remain reasonable, as the period of prior post-removal confinement grows, what counts as the reasonably foreseeable future' conversely would have to shrink. This 6-month presumption, of course, does not mean that every alien not removed must be released after six months. To the contrary, an alien may he held in confinement until it has been determined that there is no significant likelihood of removal in the reasonably foreseeable future.
Zadvydas, 533 U.S. at 700. The purpose of detaining a deportable alien is to insure his presence at the moment of removal. See id. at 697-99. In cases where it is unlikely that removal will occur, detention of the alien no longer serves this purpose. See Clark r. Martinez, 543 U.S. 371. 384, (2005) (where repatriation negotiations for removal of inadmissible aliens to Cuba had ceased, removal was not reasonably foreseeable).
Respondents have provided evidence that establishes that Petitioner's removal is not only likely, but imminent. In fact, based on Respondent's response, removal occurred on January 29. 2015. To the extent Petitioner was detained longer than what is normally reasonable to secure his removal to Jamaica, his own actions are the cause of that delay. Petitioner is, accordingly, ...