text:
Direct-to-consumer advertising under fire
Pharmaceutical companies that market medicines directly to consumers in the United States of America (USA) are under increasing pressure to rein in their inventive urges, while attempts to establish a bridgehead in Europe look doomed to failure. Gary Humphreys reports.
The distinguished doctor who has been introduced as the "inventor of the artificial heart" turns to the camera and says, "Just because I'm a doctor doesn't mean I don't worry about my cholesterol." He then recommends people use an anti-cholesterol drug, Lipitor, and to show just how confident he is in his own ticker, he rows across a lake. It was a killer advertisement, part of a campaign put together at a cost of US$ 260 million for drug company Pfizer. But it relied on the audience being unaware of several important facts: Robert Jarvik, the distinguished "doctor" in the boat, had never been licensed as a medical doctor, could not legally prescribe anything and was not the inventor of the artificial heart (at least according to three former colleagues at the University of Utah). It later turned out that he hadn't even rowed the boat. Welcome to the world of direct-to-consumer advertising.
Direct-to-consumer advertising of drugs has been legal in the USA since 1985, but only really took off in 1997 when the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) eased up on a rule obliging companies to offer a detailed list of side-effects in their infomercials (long format television commercials). Since then the industry has poured money into this form of promotion, spending just under US$5 billion last year alone. The only other country in the world that allows direct-to-consumer drug ads is New Zealand, a country of just over four million people.
Direct-to-consumer advertising informs patients potentially suffering from disease and raises their awareness of treatment options, according to Ken Johnson, senior vice president of Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), an industry trade group. But critics of the practice, and there are many, have their doubts. "The truth is direct-to-consumer advertising is used to drive choice rather than inform it," says Dr Dee Mangin, associate professor at the Christchurch School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Christchurch, New Zealand, pointing out that the 'driving' is typically in the direction of expensive brand-name drugs. New Zealand consumers then go to their doctors and the pressure to prescribe begins. Surveys carried out in New Zealand and in the USA show that when a patient asks for a specific drug by name they receive it more often than not. "In an era of shared decision-making, it's much more likely that general practitioners will just do what the patient asks," says Mangin. It goes beyond that, of course, because doctors are also being enticed by pharmaceutical companies to prescribe their drugs.
The net result is higher cost for the consumer or tax payer. It is the issue of costs that has put the issue of drug marketing and consumption firmly at the heart of the Obama administration's current review of the USA's health-care system. "Some of the more thoughtful people in the USA recognize that part of the reason they have a drug expenditure bill that is completely out of control is this kind of advertising," says Suzanne Hill, a scientist working on rational drug use and drug access at the World Health Organization (WHO). Not so, says PhRMA's Johnson in a statement in May this year: "[direct-to-consumer advertising] benefits the entire health-care system in the USA by encouraging patients to seek medical attention that may help them manage their conditions and avoid unneeded hospital stays or surgeries," he says, arguing that fewer surgical interventions inevitably reduce costs.
Direct-to-consumer advertising is also blamed for encouraging so-called off-label uses of drugs; that is to say uses not approved by the FDA, the USA regulator. An example of this would be gels and fillers that had initially been approved by the FDA as dissolvable sutures that are being promoted as scalpel-free alternatives to cosmetic surgery. For Professor Alexander Capron, University of Southern California (USC) Gould School of Law, the use of direct-to-consumer advertising in the promotion of off-label uses has been if anything, "a more slippery slope", than aggressive or misleading promotion.
In the USA, Democrats in the United States Congress challenged the industry's use of direct-to-consumer advertising in January 2008, when Congress announced an investigation of several advertisements including the one featuring Robert Jarvik rowing a boat for Pfizer's cholesterol-lowering Lipitor. A month later Pfizer pulled the ad and Pfizer's president of worldwide pharmaceutical operations, Ian Read, expressed regret about people getting the wrong impression. Ten months later the pharmaceutical industry announced that it was updating its voluntary standards for direct-to-consumer advertising. It pledged to stop using actors to play doctors, and to make sure endorsers who said they had used a particular drug had actually done so.
Dr Peter Lurie, deputy director of Citizen's Health Research Group, was unimpressed, and he has seen nothing in the past six months to change his mind. "I don't see anyone saying 'where have all the direct-to-consumer ads gone?'" he says, and notes that for all the talk of higher standards, as long as pharmaceutical companies are in the drug business to do business, they will spin the data to improve their bottom line. "If you are employed to deliver short-term results, and getting those results means lighting a fire under a brand, you'll do it," he says.
Unless of course, there's actually a cost for the company. Last year it appeared that some people in the industry might be beginning to think this may be the case, when Chief Executive Officer William Burns of Swiss pharmaceutical company, Roche, stated publicly that recourse to direct-to-consumer ads was "the single worst decision" drug makers had ever made, because of the damage it had done to their image. USC's Capron, formerly director of Ethics, Trade, Human Rights and Health Law at WHO in Geneva, concurs. "DTC has been something of a double-edged sword for [pharmaceutical companies]. It has certainly increased demand, but it has also made companies more vulnerable to the criticism that they are simply trying to maximize profits."
If pharmaceutical companies are on the defensive in the USA, that does not stop them trying to push into markets where direct-to-consumer advertising is not yet permitted. In the countries of the European Union, for example, a concerted effort has been made to lower the barriers to direct access over the past couple of years.
But any hopes pharmaceutical companies had in this regard were recently dashed when 22 of the 27 European Union member states came out against the "information to patients" strand of a European Commission proposal for new pharmaceutical legislation. This despite the fact that the legislation would have limited pharmaceutical companies to using the internet and specialist health publications to disseminate information.


text:
Sanofi and Regeneron Report Positive Preliminary Phase 2 Program Results for Anti-PCSK9 Antibody in Hypercholesterolemia
PARIS and TARRYTOWN, N.Y., Nov. 10, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Sanofi (EURONEXT: SAN and NYSE: SNY) and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: REGN) today announced positive preliminary results from the Phase 2 study program in which patients with elevated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) were treated with REGN727/SAR236553.
REGN727/SAR236553 is a novel, high-affinity, subcutaneously administered, fully-human antibody targeting PCSK9 (proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9). Blocking the PCSK9 pathway is a novel mechanism for lowering LDL-C, the leading known risk factor for coronary artery disease.
One Phase 2 trial studied patients with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (heFH) with elevated cholesterol (LDL-C>/=100mg/dL) despite lipid lowering therapy (statins with or without ezetemibe). The objective of the study was to compare the effect of adding REGN727/ SAR236553 to the existing lipid lowering therapy in heFH patients. In the primary efficacy analysis of the study, after 12 weeks of treatment, patients who received different dosing regimens of REGN727/SAR236553 achieved mean LDL-C reductions from baseline ranging from approximately 30% to greater than 65% depending on the dosing regimen of REGN727/SAR236553 compared to a mean reduction of 10% with placebo (p<0.05 for all dose groups). Patients in the study are being followed for a total of 20 weeks for safety.
In this trial, REGN727/SAR236553 was generally well tolerated over 12 weeks. There were no elevations in LFTs >3 times the upper limit of normal (ULN) and no cases of elevated CPK reported. The most common adverse event was injection site reaction. There were no serious adverse events on active treatment. Full safety data from the 8-week post-treatment monitoring period will be presented at a future medical congress upon final analysis.
Another Phase 2 trial studied patients with primary hypercholesterolemia with elevated cholesterol (LDL-C>/= 100mg/dL) who were on a stable low dose of atorvastatin (10 mg). The primary objective of the study was to compare the effect of switching to a high dose of atorvastatin alone (80mg) versus a high dose of atorvastatin combined with REGN727/SAR236553. In the primary endpoint of the study, after eight weeks of treatment, patients who received REGN727/SAR236553 plus atorvastatin 80mg achieved a greater than 65% reduction in mean LDL-C compared to a mean reduction of 17% for atorvastatin 80mg only (p<0.001). The study also included a third arm in which REGN727/SAR236553 was added to the stable low dose of atorvastatin and the patients achieved a greater than 65% reduction in mean LDL-C. Patients in the study were followed for a total of 16 weeks for safety.
In this trial, REGN727/SAR236553 was generally well tolerated over 16 weeks. There was one serious adverse event of dehydration in the REGN727/SAR236553 + atorvastatin 80mg group that was deemed not treatment related. One patient in the REGN727/SAR236553 + atorvastatin 80mg group with mildly elevated AST prior to randomization (>ULN and </= 3ULN) experienced an elevation of AST>3ULN and </=5ULN and one patient discontinued therapy due to a hypersensitivity reaction (rash).
A third study of this Phase 2 program is still ongoing.
"The preliminary Phase 2 results with our anti-PCSK9 antibody are very encouraging," said Elias Zerhouni, President, Global Research & Development, Sanofi. "We look forward to analyzing and presenting the complete data set and remain committed to advancing this program into Phase 3 development as soon as possible."
"Despite the availability of statins, elevated cholesterol and coronary artery disease remain a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the U.S. and the rest of the world," said George D. Yancopoulos, M.D., Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer of Regeneron and President of Regeneron Research Laboratories. "We are encouraged that blocking PCSK9 with our anti-PCSK9 antibody has the potential to offer a novel mechanism for lowering LDL-C in a broad range of patients. We look forward to further exploring the safety and efficacy of REGN727/SAR236553 in our Phase 3 clinical program."
More detailed data from these Phase 2 trials, as well as from the third ongoing Phase 2 trial, will be submitted for presentation at an upcoming scientific conference.
About REGN727/SAR236553
REGN727/SAR236553 is the first fully human monoclonal antibody directed against proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9). REGN727/SAR236553 is a high affinity, sub-cutaneously delivered, specific inhibitor of PCSK9. It blocks the binding of PCSK9 to the low density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor and interrupts the resultant internalization and degradation of the LDL receptor. In a 15-year retrospective epidemiological analysis from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study, patients with nonsense mutations in PCSK9 had a 28% reduction in mean LDL cholesterol and an 88% reduction in the risk of coronary heart disease(1). REGN727/SAR236553 was developed using Regeneron's VelocImmune® antibody technology.
About the REGN727/SAR236553 Phase 2 Program
The REGN727/SAR236553 Phase 2 program consists of three Phase 2 clinical trials. These are:
- A randomized, double-blind, multi-dose, placebo-controlled, 75-patient trial in patients with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (heFH). In this trial, patients must meet the World Health Organization criteria for heFH, be on a stable daily statin regimen for at least 6-weeks before entering the trial, and have serum LDL-C levels >/= 100mg/dL. Patients could be taking ezetimibe in addition to a daily statin. Patients were randomized to one of four different dose regimens of REGN727/SAR236553 or placebo. The primary endpoint of the study is the change in LDL-C from baseline over the 12-week study period. Patients will be followed for a total of 20 weeks for safety.
- A randomized, double-blind, single-dose, placebo-controlled, 90-patient trial in combination with atorvastatin in patients with primary hypercholesterolemia. In this trial, patients on a stable dose of atorvastatin 10mg for at least 6-weeks with LDL-C levels >/= 100mg/dL or who had LDL-C levels >/= 100mg/dL after a run-in period on atorvastatin 10mg, were randomized to either (a) titration from atorvastatin 10mg to atorvastatin 80mg plus REGN727/SAR236553, (b) titration from atorvastatin 10mg to atorvastatin 80mg plus placebo, or (c) continued atorvastatin 10mg plus REGN727/SAR236553. The primary endpoint of the study is the change in LDL-C from baseline over the 8-week study period. Patients were followed for a total of 16 weeks for safety.
- A randomized, double-blind, multi-dose, placebo-controlled, 180-patient trial in combination with atorvastatin in patients with primary hypercholesterolemia and on stable doses of atorvastatin. In this trial, patients on a stable dose of atorvastatin 10mg, atorvastatin 20mg, or atorvastatin 40mg for at least 6-weeks with LDL-C levels >/= 100mg/dL or who had LDL-C levels >/= 100mg/dL after a run-in period on atorvastatin 10mg, atorvastatin 20mg, or atorvastatin 40mg were randomized to one of five different dose regimens of REGN727/SAR236553 plus continued atorvastatin or placebo plus continued atorvastatin. The primary endpoint of the study is the change in LDL-C from baseline over the 12-week study period. Patients will be followed for a total of 20 weeks for safety.
About Heterozygous Familial Hypercholesterolemia
Heterozygous Familial Hypercholesterolemia (heFH) is an inherited disease that is characterized by elevated LDL-C levels and family patterns of increased risk of premature coronary artery disease and heart disease-related death. The majority of these patients have inherited abnormalities in the gene for the LDL receptor. This results in a decreased ability to clear LDL-C from the blood and consequently, high levels of LDL-C. Because of the severe elevations in LDL-C, many of these patients cannot reach treatment goals with existing therapies. It is estimated that 1 in 500 people carries the genetic mutation that is responsible for heterozygous familiar hypercholesterolemia(2).
About Primary Hypercholesterolemia
Hypercholesterolemia, particularly an increase in LDL-C levels, is a major risk factor for the development of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease. It is estimated that there are approximately 63 million people in the US with elevated levels of LDL-C. LDL-C is identified as the primary target of cholesterol lowering therapies such as statins. Statins have significantly helped in managing the risk for cardiovascular disease. However, since guidelines have established more stringent goals for very high risk patients due to their CV profiles, more than 60% of this patient group does not reach goal and needs new therapeutic options (3,4,5).
About Sanofi
Sanofi, a global and diversified healthcare leader, discovers, develops and distributes therapeutic solutions focused on patients' needs. Sanofi has core strengths in the field of healthcare with seven growth platforms: diabetes solutions, human vaccines, innovative drugs, rare diseases, consumer healthcare, emerging markets and animal health. Sanofi is listed in Paris (EURONEXT: SAN) and in New York (NYSE: SNY).
About Regeneron Pharmaceuticals
Regeneron is a fully integrated biopharmaceutical company that discovers, develops, manufacturers, and commercializes medicines for the treatment of serious medical conditions. In addition to ARCALYST® (rilonacept) Injection for Subcutaneous Use, which is approved for the treatment of a rare inflammatory condition, Regeneron has completed Phase 3 clinical trials of rilonacept for a new indication and of product candidates EYLEA™ (aflibercept injection; VEGF Trap-Eye) in diseases of the eye and ZALTRAP® (aflibercept; VEGF Trap) in a cancer indication. EYLEA is currently under review with U.S. and European regulatory authorities. Additional therapeutic candidates developed from proprietary Regeneron technologies for creating fully human monoclonal antibodies are in earlier stage development programs in rheumatoid arthritis, pain, cholesterol reduction, allergic and immune conditions, and cancer. Additional information about Regeneron and recent news releases are available on www.regeneron.com
Sanofi Forward Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts. These statements include projections and estimates and their underlying assumptions, statements regarding plans, objectives, intentions and expectations with respect to future financial results, events, operations, services, product development and potential, and statements regarding future performance. Forward-looking statements are generally identified by the words "expects", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "plans" and similar expressions. Although Sanofi's management believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, investors are cautioned that forward-looking information and statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties, many of which are difficult to predict and generally beyond the control of Sanofi, that could cause actual results and developments to differ materially from those expressed in, or implied or projected by, the forward-looking information and statements. These risks and uncertainties include among other things, the uncertainties inherent in research and development, future clinical data and analysis, including post marketing, decisions by regulatory authorities, such as the FDA or the EMA, regarding whether and when to approve any drug, device or biological application that may be filed for any such product candidates as well as their decisions regarding labeling and other matters that could affect the availability or commercial potential of such products candidates, the absence of guarantee that the products candidates if approved will be commercially successful, the future approval and commercial success of therapeutic alternatives, the Group's ability to benefit from external growth opportunities as well as those discussed or identified in the public filings with the SEC and the AMF made by Sanofi, including those listed under "Risk Factors" and "Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements" in Sanofi's annual report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2010. Other than as required by applicable law, Sanofi does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information or statements.
Regeneron Forward Looking Statements
This news release includes forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties relating to future events and the future financial performance of Regeneron, and actual events or results may differ materially from these forward-looking statements. These statements concern, and these risks and uncertainties include, among others, the nature, timing, and possible success and therapeutic applications of Regeneron's product candidates and research and clinical programs now underway or planned, the likelihood and timing of possible regulatory approval and commercial launch of Regeneron's late-stage product candidates, determinations by regulatory and administrative governmental authorities which may delay or restrict Regeneron's ability to continue to develop or commercialize its product and drug candidates, competing drugs that may be superior to Regeneron's product and drug candidates, uncertainty of market acceptance of Regeneron's product and drug candidates, unanticipated expenses, the availability and cost of capital, the costs of developing, producing, and selling products, the potential for any license or collaboration agreement, including Regeneron's agreements with Sanofi and Bayer HealthCare, to be canceled or terminated without any product success, and risks associated with third party intellectual property and pending or future litigation relating thereto. A more complete description of these and other material risks can be found in Regeneron's filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010 and Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2011. Regeneron does not undertake any obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, unless required by law.
Media Relations
Marisol Peron
Tel: +33 (0) 1 53 77 45 02
Mobile: +33 (0) 6 08 18 94 78
E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
Investor Relations
Sebastien Martel
Tel: +33 (0)1 53 77 45 45
E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
Media Relations
Peter Dworkin
Tel: 1 (914) 345-7640
Investor Relations
Michael Aberman, M.D.
Tel: 1 (914) 345-7799
(1) Cohen JC et al. N Engl J Med 2006;354(12):1264-72
(2) NCEP ATP III guidelines Circulation 2002, 106:3143
(3) NCETP ATPIII guidelines update Circulation 2004;110;227-239
(4) ESC/EAS guidelines for the management of dyslipidemia European Heart Journal (2011) 32, 1769–1818
(5) Virani S. et al Am Heart J 2011;161:1140-6
SOURCE Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
A bit expensive, Feature-poor in some respects, Low-res screen
Most formats didn't play too well
Stylish design, DAB+ support, Good lossless format support
Decent bundled earphones
Battery life, Easy to navigate menu system, Sound Quality
Touchpad interface didn't work efficiently
Sound could be better, quite bulky
'The FM radio and JPEG photo viewer found on the NWZ-S710F are nothing special, but both are easy to use and add value to the device.'
'In PC World Test Center audio tests, it netted a signal-to-noise ratio score of 82 decibels--just a shade below the latest iPods and the top-ranked Creative Zen X-Fi --as well as a barely registering harmonic distortion and noise level of 0.01 percent. '
'wide volume range'
'built-in speakers'
'Even without any of the whiz-bang options or noise-cancelling activated, music is full-bodied and vibrant. '
'MPEG-4 and WMV videos are playable as well.'
Poor screen quality
Unstable OS
Slow performance
Versatile music player
Ropey interface and navigation
ReviewGist helps you find the best products to buy by making sense of online reviews.
We are currently aggregating 376,500 reviews
covering over 29,474 products.
© 2020 ReviewGist.com. All Rights Reserved.


text:
A Survey on Health and Chemical Exposures
Nurses' Health
A Survey on Health and Chemical Exposures
Nurses' Health and Workplace Exposures to Hazardous Substances
Caring for patients during a typical workday, nurses handle dozens of chemicals, drugs, and other agents that are designed to prevent, diagnose, control, or cure diseases and other health conditions. These therapeutic agents can heal, but have side effects as well. For most patients, the benefits of tightly controlled doses usually outweigh the risks. But the same may not be true for nurses.
Nurses absorb a small fraction of the substances they use to care for patients, day after day. They incur risks from these exposures in the absence of benefits. But the magnitude of health problems nurses may face from their diverse, chronic, workplace exposures to hazardous cleaning, disinfecting, and sterilizing agents, radiation, mercury, potent medications, and other chemicals has never been studied.
A new online survey of workplace exposures and disease conditions among 1,500 nurses was conducted by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) and Health Care Without Harm (HCWH), in collaboration with the American Nurses Association and the Environmental Health Education Center of the University of Maryland's School of Nursing, and supported by numerous state and specialty nursing organizations. Nurses were asked to provide information about their health, the health of their children, and about their exposures to 11 different common health care hazards.
This comprehensive survey shows that participating nurses who were exposed frequently to sterilizing chemicals, housekeeping cleaners, residues from drug preparation, radiation, and other hazardous substances report increased rates of asthma, miscarriage, and certain cancers, as well as increases in cancers and birth defects, in particular musculoskeletal defects, in their children. There are workplace safety standards for only six of the hundreds of hazardous substances to which nurses are exposed on the job.
Survey findings: Nurses' children, cancer, and birth defects
The many substances that nurses inhale, ingest, and absorb during a typical workday include some that are known or suspected to harm the development of a child in utero. In this survey, nurses report health problems in their children that are associated with exposures to an array of hospital hazards:
- Analysis of survey data shows that nurses' reported exposures during pregnancy to hazardous drugs, housekeeping chemicals, anesthetic gases, and disinfecting and sterilizing agents are associated with increased incidence of birth defects among their children (Figure 1).
- Children born to nurses reporting high exposures to these chemicals (at least once a week for nine months) were up to two times more likely to be born with a congenital defect than children born to nurses with low or no exposures to these agents, and up to nine times more likely to suffer from musculoskeletal defects at birth. Of the hundreds of compounds in these exposure categories, for only one has the government set standards specifically to restrict nurses' exposures (the sterilizing agent ethylene oxide).
- Nurses reporting high exposures to radiation during pregnancy (at least once a week for nine months) disclosed a 36 percent higher cancer incidence among their children than nurses exposed less often or not at all. The government does restrict allowable radiation doses for pregnant nurses. However, monitoring is infrequent, equipment can be faulty, and only the state of California mandates that the lowest possible effective doses be used for patients' X-rays and CT scans.
- These findings are consistent with other studies showing that children face risks from their mother's exposures to hazardous substances. Although the doses that cause harm are often not well-defined, a child in utero faces higher risks than the mother from hazardous exposures. EPA studies show that children are far more sensitive to carcinogens than adults (EPA 2005), and biomonitoring research demonstrates that chemicals linked to cancer and birth defects cross the placenta as readily as alcohol or cigarette residues (EWG 2005).
Figure 1. Nurses in the category of high exposure to hazardous hospital chemicals during pregnancy report elevated rates of birth defects among their children.
Comparative rates of birth defects in nurses' children, scaled to reflect the number of birth defects expected in a population of 1,000 nurses based on the findings of this study. Increased incidence of birth defects in children of nurses with high exposure, relative to those with low exposure, is listed above the bars representing high exposure.
Notes: "High exposure" refers to reported exposure frequency of at least once weekly during pregnancy. "Low or no exposure" refers to all other, lower reported exposure frequencies. Birth defect rates reflect all congenital defects reported by surveyed nurses, with the exception of data shown for high level disinfecting and sterilizing agents (ethylene oxide and glutaraldehyde) and anesthetic gases, which apply to musculoskeletal defects only. See Table 1 for further details of survey findings, including sample sizes.
Survey findings — Do nurses' exposures affect their asthma, cancer, and miscarriage rates?
The 1,552 nurses who completed the survey reported a total of 730 different health conditions ranging from contact dermatitis to migraines, diabetes, and brain cancer. Analysis of the data revealed associations between a diverse range of reported exposures and health problems (Figure 2):
- Nurses reporting high exposures (at least once a week for at least 10 years) to medications of any type reported a 14 percent increase in cancer incidence relative to nurses with low or no exposure. For the nurses reporting high exposure to antineoplastic drugs, this jumped to an over 40 percent increase in cancer incidence relative to nurses with low or no exposure. In addition, nurses with high exposures to radiation disclosed a 20 percent higher incidence of breast cancer.
- Asthma rates increased by up to 50 percent for nurses reporting high exposures to disinfecting and sterilizing agents (glutaraldehyde and ethylene oxide), housekeeping chemicals, and latex, relative to nurses with lower exposures to these hazards.
- Nurses reporting high exposures to ethylene oxide and antineoplastic drugs also reported up to 20 percent higher incidence in miscarriage, on average, than nurses with lower or no exposure.
- Of the literally hundreds of compounds and agents in these exposure categories that are associated with health problems among nurses, for only six has the government set standards that could be used to limit nurses' exposures — radiation, mercury, isopropyl alcohol, the sterilizing agent ethylene oxide, and platinum- and arsenic-based drugs. For all remaining exposures, each health care facility decides what, if any, protective measures to require or recommend to control nurses' exposures to hazardous agents in the workplace.
Figure 2. Nurses report elevated rates of cancer, asthma, and miscarriage linked to their exposures to hazardous hospital chemicals and agents.
Comparative rates of cancer, asthma, and miscarriage in nurses, scaled to reflect the number of health conditions expected in a population of 1,000 nurses based on the findings of this study. Increased incidence of disease in nurses with high exposure, relative to those with low exposure, is listed above the bars representing high exposure.
Notes: "High exposure" refers to reported exposure frequency of at least once a week for at least 10 years. "Low or no exposure" refers to all other, lower reported exposure frequencies. See Table 2 for further details of survey findings, including sample sizes.
Although these results are striking, this study has limitations. The group of participants that responded to the survey was not "controlled," or selected to meet any particular criteria — all nurses who learned of the survey through the publicity efforts of Health Care Without Harm, the American Nurses Association, the Environmental Health Education Center of the University of Maryland's School of Nursing, and other nursing organizations, were free to complete the online questionnaire. Though surveys are common means to collect information on health (e.g. Hemminki et al. 1982, Valanis et al. 1999, Mohan et al. 2003, Dimich-Ward et al. 2004, Yoshinaga et al. 2005, Delclos et al. 2006), research shows that self-selecting respondent pools would be expected to have higher than typical rates of health impacts, and to report higher exposures in cases where the respondent suspects an association with a health problem.
Another common issue when collecting health data via survey is the accuracy with which respondents report their medical conditions. Nurses are typically better educated about disease and health than the general population, and therefore may provide more accurate information via survey, but such "reporting bias" must be considered when reviewing this data. Analytical decisions regarding classification of the nurses into high and low exposure categories may also affect survey interpretation.
Survey analysis did not control for possible confounding factors like a nurses' exposure to multiple chemicals linked to common health effects, or for factors that often influence health, such as age, smoking and drinking habits, and day or night shift work. In particular, this study did not take into consideration the impact of mixed or combined chemical exposures, a serious issue because most nurses are exposed to multiple chemicals in the workplace at the same time. There is a critical need for research on the effects of multiple chemicals and hazardous agents interacting within the human body, similar to studies typically performed to investigate the potential impacts of combinations of medications on human health.
Yet despite these potential biases and limitations, these survey findings are remarkably consistent with laboratory and occupational studies of the hazardous agents investigated. While this survey does not provide definitive answers on health risks faced by nurses and their children, it does illustrate the critical need for standards that limit nurses' exposures to hazardous substances. It also demonstrates the necessity of a comprehensive, national study of nurses' health and exposures to chemicals and other hazardous materials.
Survey methodology
In collaboration with Health Care Without Harm, the American Nurses Association, and the Environmental Health Education Center of the University of Maryland's School of Nursing, Environmental Working Group scientists designed an online survey to assess the relationships between nurses' health and their exposures to 11 different common health care hazards. Health Care Without Harm, the American Nurses Association, and other collaborating nursing organizations publicized the survey at a variety of their sponsored events. Survey responses were collected between March 26, 2005 and March 20, 2006. The survey was open to all nurses. EWG scientists compiled all completed responses from 1,552 nurses from 50 states who reported detailed information on their job and exposure history, health history, and the health of their 2,498 children.
The survey examined exposures to 11 chemicals, chemical groups, or hazardous agents: the high level disinfecting and sterilizing chemicals glutaraldehyde and ethylene oxide; medications, including antiretroviral and chemotherapeutic agents; hazards deriving from medical devices, such as mercury and ionizing radiation; anesthetic gases; natural rubber latex; hand and skin disinfection products; and housekeeping chemicals.
EWG scientists conducted standard statistical analyses of the data, assessing the incidence of health effects known or suspected to be associated with each category of exposure by comparing rates of these effects from among nurses reporting high exposures (frequent and of long duration) against nurses with lower reported exposures. Analysis revealed a striking concordance between survey findings and the health risks expected from a review of the open scientific literature with respect to the exposures assessed. Remarkably, for almost none of these hazardous substances are mandatory safety standards in place to protect nurses — any exposure, no matter how high, is legal.
Nurses face daily, chronic exposures to complex mixtures of chemicals and hazardous agents
The exposure assessment reveals that nearly all nurses face long-term exposures to diverse mixtures of chemicals and other hazardous agents, many of which are never tested for safety. Exposures to hazards are widespread, and typically occur in combination over many years:
- 32 percent of nurses report frequent exposure (at least twice weekly) to combinations of at least five chemicals and other hazardous agents for ten years or more.
- 52 percent of nurses report regular (at least once weekly) exposure to combinations of at least six chemicals and other hazardous agents for five years or more.
All but eight of the 1,552 nurses surveyed report exposures during their nursing careers to one or more of 11 hazardous chemicals, agents, or products included in the survey, and 10 nurses were exposed to combinations of at least 15 chemicals or agents at least twice a week for at least 10 years. Many nurses indicate long spans of their careers in which they were exposed to combinations of chemicals and agents that raise concerns, including the one of every 15 nurses surveyed who report exposures to combinations of sterilizing agents, waste anesthetic gases, and radiation at least weekly for at least five years.
These diverse exposures should come as no surprise to anyone in the health care community, or to anyone who has been a patient at a hospital or clinic for any length of time. What is surprising, though, is the lack of mandatory protections in place for nurses. Instead, health care workers must rely on their employers to implement voluntary controls, and to choose safer products, even when more hazardous alternatives may be less expensive or more commonly used.
Untested, low-dose mixtures of chemicals and hazardous agents. In this survey nurses report frequent, long-term exposures to compounds and agents for which exposures are typically legal at any level. Anesthetic gases leak from complex anesthesia machines and from a patient's exhaled breath into operating and recovery rooms where adequate ventilation is not mandatory (NIOSH 1994). Disinfecting and sterilizing agents, linked to allergies and cancer, volatilize and aerosolize into hospital air when equipment is disinfected with these chemicals (EPA 2002 & 2006a, Van Miller et al. 2002, NTP 2004, HCWH 2006). Housekeeping chemicals can build up on surfaces and in the air each time cleaning or disinfecting occurs, and may lead to asthma, allergies, and other, more serious health problems (GS 2004, HCWH 2004 & 2006).
Residues of hazardous medications cover chairs, tables, and counter tops throughout the hospital as a result of nurses administering these therapeutic agents in poorly ventilated areas (Minoia et al. 1998, Connor et al. 1999, Pethran et al. 2003). Latex gloves spur severe, debilitating allergies including anaphylaxis in some nurses (NIOSH 1997). Mercury-containing equipment breaks, spreading mercury vapors through the air of a room where a nurse works and breathes (OSHA 2006). When a nurse cleans or moisturizes a patient's skin or hair with personal care products, the products used contain ingredients that may be hazardous and that are never required to be tested for safety (EWG 2005), and when a nurse disinfects skin and hands to protect against the spread of infectious disease, she or he is exposed to additional chemicals that are also largely without safety limits (EWG 2005).
It is not surprising to find that most nurses feel unprotected at their workplace. In this survey, 46 percent of nurses report feeling that the administrations at their health care facilities are not doing enough to protect them from hazardous exposures, and 37 percent do not think that occupational health is taken seriously at their place of employment. Without safety standards, hospitals should at a minimum educate nurses to protect themselves, but only 38 percent of nurses report that chemical hazards like those mentioned in this survey were part of the occupational health education programs offered at their workplaces.
Nearly one in 10 nursing jobs in the U.S. currently stands open (AACN 2007). Projections show that this gap is expected to grow, as the 40 percent of nurses currently over age 50 begin to retire (ANA 2006); enrollment at nursing schools has not kept pace with this increased retirement rate (AACN 2007). As this country struggles to fill job vacancies and to plan for worse nursing shortages to come, government officials and health care administrators also expect nurses to work increasing numbers of hours, to care for more patients, and to do this in an environment that can be polluted with chemicals and other hazardous agents that have no safety standards and that pose long-term health risks.
To sustain the quality of health care in the U.S., and to encourage new, talented people to enter the nursing field, nurses need mandatory protections that provide them with a healthy and safe environment where they can focus on caring for others, knowing that their own health, and that of their children, will not be at risk in the process.
The government, individual health care facilities, nurses, and patients alike must take action to protect nurses from excess exposures to hazardous substances:
- The government should conduct a long-term, national survey of nurses' health and exposures to chemicals and other hazards, and use this data to regularly assess health risks nurses face from occupational exposures, and to inform efforts to improve safety standards. Those responsible for existing, broad studies of nurses' health should begin to collect data on occupational exposures to chemicals and other hazards. In 2001, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced plans to implement a National Exposures at Work Survey within the health care industry. This survey, which would be repeated every ten years, would provide much needed data on nurses' exposures to hospital hazards, a first step towards identifying those hazards most in need of new or updated safety standards. After extensive preparation, including two pilot studies, funding for the survey has finally been secured. To protect nurses everywhere, we ask that further governmental approval of the study be expedited, so that it can be conducted as soon as possible.
- The government should establish mandatory limits for nurses' exposures to hazardous drugs, chemicals, and agents in the workplace, and should mandate that hospitals phase out the use of hazardous materials, like mercury and latex gloves, that new technologies can render obsolete.
- Health care facilities should act now to replace hazardous materials and to provide engineering controls nurses need to reduce exposures. Hospitals should phase out mercury-containing equipment, replace or control hazardous sterilizing agents, construct ventilation systems to clear waste gases from the air, and phase out latex gloves. They should monitor the air, surfaces, and even nurses' bodies for chemicals. They should educate nurses on the hazards and safe use of chemicals and other hazardous agents. And they should not wait for these actions to be mandatory.
- Nurses should work within their own facilities to catalyze these changes and reduce their own exposures.
- Patients should begin to ask their health care providers about programs in place designed to reduce a hospital or other health care facility's use of hazardous materials. Any such programs will protect not only nurses, but also patients, who can be exposed to the same chemicals that nurses contact day after day.
Nurses are exposed not only to chemicals used in the workplace, but also to trace contaminants in food, air, water and ingredients in consumer products. Studies of ordinary people indicate that typical Americans are contaminated with low levels of a range of man-made chemicals (e.g. EWG 2003). For almost none of these chemicals is the manufacturer required to conduct even the most basic of safety studies. Nurses' total body burden of chemicals, and ultimately the health risks these exposures impart, stem from these complex mixtures of largely untested, low doses of industrial and occupational chemicals.
Nurses' exposures demonstrate that dramatic improvements will require measures that go beyond those that would protect nurses from hospital exposures. Far-reaching reform is needed to overhaul an outdated system of public health protections, laid out in the 1976 Toxic Substances Control Act, that allows broad exposures to chemical mixtures, beginning even before the moment of birth, with largely unknown consequences to human health. This Act is the only major public health and environmental statute that has never been updated (GAO 1994 & 2005). Its reform should be a priority for anyone devoted to protecting public health.
Table 1. Study details - Nurses with high exposures report elevated rates of cancer and birth defects among their children
|Increased incidence in children of nurses with high exposure during pregnancy (versus low or no exposure)
|High exposure during pregnancy: Nurses' children with the listed health problem (values in parentheses are scaled to per 1,000 children)
|Low exposure during pregnancy: Nurses' children with the listed health problem (values in parentheses are scaled to per 1,000 children)
|Selected supporting studies
|Cancer among nurses' children
|5 of 466 (11 of 1,000)
|16 of 2,023 (8 of 1,000)
|Studies from several countries indicate that past radiographic examinations of the abdomens of pregnant women produced an increased risk of development of childhood cancer of about 40 percent (Doll and Wakeford, 1997). Nurses' risk of having children stricken with cancer from occupational radiation exposures in utero has never been studied.
|Birth defects (all types) among nurses' children
|Medications, all types
|63 of 751 (84 of 1,000)
|84 of 1,738 (48 of 1,000)
|A study of nurses in Finland revealed rates of birth defects 4.7 times higher for those handling chemotherapeutic agents, based on eight cases (Hemminki et al. 1985).
|Antineoplastic drugs
|29 of 319 (91 of 1,000)
|118 of 2,170 (54 of 1,000)
|HIV (antiretroviral) drugs
|29 of 296 (98 of 1,000)
|118 of 2,193 (54 of 1,000)
|Housekeeping chemicals
|63 of 687 (92 of 1,000)
|84 of 1,802 (47 of 1,000)
|Musculoskeletal defects among nurses' children
|6 of 206 (29 of 1,000)
|9 of 2,283 (4 of 1,000)
|Animal studies indicate glutaraldehyde and ethylene oxide exposures in utero may cause birth defects of the musculoskeletal system (Marks et al. 1980, NTP 1987, Rutledge and Generoso 1989). Studies of this effect among children of nurses exposed to disinfecting and sterilizing agents are needed.
|Ethylene oxide
|6 of 206 (29 of 1,000)
|9 of 2,283 (4 of 1,000)
|Anesthetic gases
|8 of 274 (29 of 1,000)
|7 of 2,215 (3 of 1,000)
|Animal studies indicate exposures to anesthetic gases in utero may cause birth defects of the musculoskeletal system (Fujinaga et al. 1991). More studies of the health of children of nurses and other health workers exposed to anesthetizing agents are needed.
Notes: "High exposure" refers to reported exposure frequency of at least once weekly during pregnancy. "Low or no exposure" refers to all other, lower reported exposure frequencies.
Table 2. Study details - Nurses with high exposures report elevated rates of cancer, asthma, and miscarriage
|Increased incidence in nurses with high exposure (versus low or no exposure)
|High exposure: Number of nurses with the listed health problem (values in parentheses are scaled to per 1,000 nurses)
|Low exposure: Number of nurses reporting the listed health problem (values in parentheses are scaled to per 1,000 nurses)
|Selected supporting studies
all types
|103 of 777 (133 of 1,000)
|90 of 775 (116 of 1,000)
|Many pharmaceuticals, notably antineoplastic drugs used to treat cancer, can themselves cause cancer. The International Agency for Research on Cancer has classified 36 antineoplastic drugs as known, probable, or possible human carcinogens (Connor et al. 2006). The few available studies of nurses have found elevated rates of leukemia and chromosome damage associated with exposures to antineoplastic drugs (Martin 2005).
|Antineoplastic drugs
|27 of 159 (170 of 1,000)
|166 of 1,393 (119 of 1,000)
|Breast Cancer
|10 of 264 (38 of 1,000)
|40 of 1,288 (31 of 1,000)
|Three studies of a nationwide cohort of over 140,000 radiological technologists indicate elevated risk of breast cancer in women (Doody et al. 1998, Mohan et al. 2003, Sigurdson et al. 2003). Nurses' risk of breast cancer from radiation exposures has never been studied.
|38 of 304 (125 of 1,000)
|107 of 1,248 (86 of 1,000)
|In a study of health care workers with work-related asthma in four states, nine percent reported that glutaraldehyde triggered asthma symptoms (Pechter et al. 2005). Respiratory therapists using glutaraldehyde were three times more likely to report asthma as those who did not (Dimich-Ward et al. 2004). 3,650 health care workers surveyed in Texas, including 941 nurses, were 2.22 times more likely to develop asthma if they sterilized instruments in the workplace (Delclos et al. 2006).
|Ethylene oxide
|14 of 110 (127 of 1,000)
|127 of 1,442 (88 of 1,000)
|Housekeeping chemicals
|70 of 623 (112 of 1,000)
|71 of 929 (76 of 1,000)
|In a study of health care workers with work-related asthma in four states, 24 percent reported that cleaning products triggered asthma symptoms (Pechter et al. 2005). 3,650 health care workers surveyed in Texas, including 941 nurses, were twice as likely to develop asthma if they performed general cleaning tasks as part of their jobs (Delclos et al. 2006).
|85 of 783 (109 of 1,000)
|60 of 769 (78 of 1,000)
|Natural rubber latex is a widely recognized asthmagen. A survey of 3,650 health care workers in Texas, including 941 nurses, revealed that the likelihood that these workers developed asthma during their careers was 2.17 times greater if they used powdered latex gloves during years 1992 to 2000 (Delclos et al. 2006).
|Ethylene oxide
|33 of 110 (300 of 1,000)
|350 of 1,442 (243 of 1,000)
|Nurses performing sterilizing procedures during pregnancy were three times more likely to experience miscarriage than other nurses, according to a study of Finnish hospital staff. Increased miscarriage was linked specifically with exposure to ethylene oxide, as opposed to other sterilizing agents (Hemminki et al. 1992).
|Medications, all types
|208 of 777 (268 of 1,000)
|175 of 775 (226 of 1,000)
|Studies of health care workers from three different countries revealed rates of miscarriage 1.5 to 2.3 times higher for those who handled antineoplastic medications while pregnant, as compared to those who did not (Selevan et al. 1985, Stücker et al. 1990, Valanis et al. 1999).
|Antineoplastic drugs
|44 of 159 (277 of 1,000)
|339 of 1,393 (243 of 1,000)
Notes: "High exposure" refers to reported exposure frequency of at least once a week for at least 10 years. "Low or no exposure" refers to all other, lower reported exposure frequencies.


text:
Chambers Information
Mark O. Hatfield United States Courthouse
Case Management Information
This Chambers e-mail address has been established for receipt of submitted jury instructions and proposed forms of orders per LR 5 only: . This address may not be used to submit filings. Spam or other unauthorized correspondence sent to this address will be deleted.


text:
(Pocket-lint) - Nokia has announced that it will be making a white version of the Nokia Lumia 800 which will be going on sale at Phones 4 U in the UK in March and Pocket-lint was of course on hand to have a gander and snap a few shots ahead of the official release to the UK public.
The new version of the phone is identical to the black, cyan, and magenta versions of the Windows Phone 7 smartphone albeit with a glossy rather than matte shell.
That glossy shiny white look means that it will show up smudges a lot easier, but will also still sparkle when it catches the light - something the black, even the Lumia 800 Batman edition, fails to do.
Like the cyan, magenta and black Lumia 800s that are already available in the UK, the phone packs a 3.7-inch, WVGA 800x480 AMOLED display, an 8-megapixel camera boasting Carl Zeiss optics and a f2.2 aperture lens.
It is powered by a 1.4GHz Qualcomm MSM8255 Snapdragon processor with 512MB of RAM, and it has 16GB of storage (and 25GB of SkyDrive storage). The white finish is a result of its smoothly crafted polycarbonate unibody.
To celebrate the launch of the white Lumia 800, there's a new White selection on Nokia's music service, Mix Radio, featuring music from the likes of White Stripes and Barry White.
Available to pre-order from Phones 4u now, the Nokia Lumia 800 in white will be available on contracts starting from £20.50 a month. It will ship in March.
For American readers, although the Lumia 800 in UK only, the US only Nokia Lumia 900 is also expected to be available in white following a gaffe by Nokia on their Facebook page showing the new AT&T exclusive phone in white even though it hasn't been officially announced as yet.


text:
Opportunities Outside of Harvard
External Opportunities - Postings
Staff Scientist, Geisinger Health System
Job Opening: Staff Scientist in Applied Behavioral Insights (ABI) team
Geisinger Health System seeks an outstanding behavioral scientist to serve as Staff Scientist for its newly-launched Applied Behavioral Insights (ABI) team. The ABI team was created to apply behavioral science methods to the design, implementation, and evaluation of "nudges"-lightweight behavioral interventions intended to improve outcomes and experiences for patients, providers, employees, and other stakeholders of Geisinger Health System. Geisinger is one of the country's largest integrated health systems, serving more than 3 million residents in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. As a learning healthcare system, Geisinger incorporates research into all aspects of medicine and healthcare delivery, aided by unparalleled access to electronic health records, insurance data, and other information.
The ideal candidate will have experience both in conducting original behavioral science research and in implementing research results within organizations. A Ph.D. in psychology, economics, decision sciences, marketing, management, or another relevant scholarly discipline is required, as are track records of publishing original empirical research, collaborating with others, and applying for research funding.
The Staff Scientist will report to Professors Michelle Meyer and Christopher Chabris, the founding Faculty Co-Directors of the ABI team. S/he will be based in Danville, Pennsylvania at the main campus and headquarters of Geisinger (although location is negotiable for an exceptional candidate) and will support Dr. Amir Goren, the ABI Program Director, in developing and executing the team's projects and operational capabilities, including taking lead on ABI projects as appropriate.
Dr. Goren: firstname.lastname@example.com
Professor Meyer: http://www.michellenmeyer.com
Professor Chabris: http://www.chabris.com
At a higher level, this position falls under the Steele Institute for Health Innovation. The Institute serves as the innovation "hub" for Geisinger Health System. The Institute's purpose is to support Geisinger innovators and lead the nation in building transformative, scalable, measurable, and sustainable solutions that improve healthcare delivery, patient experience, and costs. The Institute provides a nontraditional environment where bold, out-of-the-box thinking can flourish and where pioneering innovators can explore, define, and disseminate new models of healthcare.
TO APPLY: Please send a cover letter, C.V. or resume, and two representative scholarly publications in a single email to Dr. Amir Goren, Program Director - Applied Behavioral Insights, c/o email@example.com. Questions about the position may also be sent to the same address. Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled.
Geisinger Health System is a large, integrated health services organization founded in 1915. Through its 13 hospital campuses, two research centers, the Geisinger Health Plan, and the Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine, Geisinger serves more than 3 million residents throughout 45 counties in central, south-central, and northeastern Pennsylvania, and in southern New Jersey. The system includes approximately 30,000 employees, including 1,600 employed physicians, while Geisinger Health Plan serves 583,000 members throughout Pennsylvania and works with affiliates in Delaware and Maine. Research at Geisinger benefits from the system's 20+ years of electronic health records, its clinical data warehouse, and its rapidly growing biobank (more than 229,000 patient-participants consented for whole exome genetic sequencing, with over 92,000 exomes sequenced to date). Geisinger's main campus in Danville, PA, is located within a three-hour drive of New York City, Philadelphia, and Washington, DC.
Required qualifications:
- Experience using statistical software (preferably R, others acceptable)
- Demonstrates strong critical thinking skills
- Demonstrates the ability to work in an independent manner and complete increasingly complex assignments
- Demonstrates strong teamwork skills and the ability to work effectively in a group environment
- Demonstrates exceptional organizational, planning, and analytical skills
- Demonstrates competence in written, oral, and electronic communication skills (interpersonal/communication and technological effectiveness competencies).
Desired qualifications:
- Experience researching and/or implementing nudges
- Training in behavioral economics
- Experience with econometrics
- Experience in interdisciplinary research and working in collaborative teams
- Experience in the healthcare industry
- Experience with programming (e.g., Python)
- Experience with successful applications for external funding
- A Ph.D. in psychology, economics, decision sciences, marketing, management, or any other relevant discipline is required
- Graduate training in behavioral science research methods, including experimentation and multivariate data analysis
- Minimum 2 years' post-doctoral experience managing behavioral or other research projects and supervising or otherwise collaborating actively in a team setting
- Experience applying for research funding or other grant support
- Scholarly publications
- Work is typically performed in a research environment.
OUR PURPOSE & VALUES: Everything we do is about caring for our patients, our members, our students, our Geisinger family and our communities. KINDNESS: We strive to treat everyone as we would hope to be treated ourselves. EXCELLENCE: We treasure colleagues who humbly strive for excellence. LEARNING: We share our knowledge with the best and brightest to better prepare the caregivers for tomorrow. INNOVATION: We constantly seek new and better ways to care for our patients, our members, our community, and the nation.
ABOUT GEISINGER: Geisinger is a physician-led health system comprised of approximately 30,000 employees, including nearly 1,600 employed physicians, 13 hospital campuses, two research centers, and a 583,000-member health plan Geisinger is nationally recognized for innovative practices and quality care. Geisinger serves more than 3 million people in central, south-central and northeast Pennsylvania and also in southern New Jersey with the addition of National Malcolm Baldridge Award recipient AtlantiCare, A member of Geisinger. In 2017, the Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine became the newest member of the Geisinger Family.
We offer healthcare benefits for full time and part time positions from day one, including vision, dental and domestic partners. Perhaps just as important, from senior management on down, we encourage an atmosphere of collaboration, cooperation and collegiality. For more information, visit www.geisinger.org, or connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter.
** Does not qualify for J-1 waiver. We are an Affirmative Action, Equal Opportunity Employer Women and Minorities are Encouraged to Apply. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of disability or their protected veteran status.


text:
NSA's Defense Of All Those Abuses: 'Well, Compared To All The Spying We Do, We Don't Abuse It That Often'
from the uh,-that's-not-helping deptIn our initial report about the Washington Post's astounding revelations about NSA abuses of surveillance, we posted part of the NSA's "defense" of those abuses, but we left out the truly crazy part, which came right after the part we initially quoted:
"You can look at it as a percentage of our total activity that occurs each day," he said. "You look at a number in absolute terms that looks big, and when you look at it in relative terms, it looks a little different."This was a senior NSA official, almost certainly the NSA's "compliance director," arguing, in effect, "we do so much spying that a few thousand mistakes per year is really no big deal." Except, remember, throughout all of this, all of the NSA's defenders, from President Obama to James Clapper to Keith Alexander to Mike Rogers, keep insisting that abuse is next to impossible.
Yet, now even the NSA is admitting that "in absolute terms" there's a lot of abuse, but we shouldn't worry our pretty little heads about it, because in relative terms, it's not that much. This is the point at which anyone who understands the difference between absolute and relative numbers, and when each is the appropriate measure to use, starts coughing up a lung. The relative amount is meaningless here. The absolute number means everything, because it shows that abuse is widespread and happens daily -- something that the program's defenders have been trying to deny for months.
Filed Under: absolute numbers, abuse, nsa, nsa abuse, nsa surveillance


text:
The Sonata Has Been Assigned 534 TSBs
A TSB may provide a hint at potential problems with your vehicle, or help save money by alerting you to future problems.
The 2011 Sonata has 107 TSBs which is more than any of the other 30 years. On average you can expect 37.87 tsbs per model year and we've listed some of the most recent below.
Hyundai Sonata Technical Service Bulletins (TSBs)
Compare with recalls for other models
A TSB can involve multiple model years, so we've ranked each of the 31 Sonata years and sorted them by how many times they've been involved in a specific campaign.
Stay Up to Date
Get FREE email alerts from CarComplaints.com anytime there's a new about your vehicle. Simple as that. Learn about the news before others. Impress your friends. Be a hero.


text:
Additional information
|Select Your Style
Style 8
At Kimkaps we are excited to offer the Aruba print in Style 1. Like all of the Scrub Hats we offer, this hat was hand crafted in the USA and has been designed to keep you cute and comfortable all day long. The years of intense study of the perfect fit and finish we have put into our Scrub Hats becomes evident when you put on a Kimkap for the first time.
This designer-quality scrub cap is handmade in the USA from 100% cotton. Our take on the traditional bouffant, you'll love the stylish wide band and fashionable pleats that provide plenty of room for any hair length. The elasticized toggle closure provides a snug yet comfortable fit, making our Style 1 Kaps perfect for the OR. They can have many other uses including a chic replacement for unflattering hairnets and they also make fun Chef hats!
Don't forget to add custom embroidery for just $7.95!
|Select Your Style
Style 8
There are no reviews yet.
Lets Connect


text:
Use a forward Proxy Server for splunkd
You can set up an HTTP/S proxy server so that all HTTP/S traffic originating from splunkd flows through that proxy server. This lets you manage and control communication between different splunkd instances and lets you manage requests that splunkd makes over the Internet.
How it works
When a client (splunkd) sends a request to the HTTP proxy server, the forward proxy server validates the request.
- If a request is not valid, the proxy rejects the request and the client receives an error or is redirected.
- If a request is valid, the forward proxy checks whether the requested information is cached.
- If a cached copy is available, the forward proxy serves the cached information.
- If the requested information is not cached, the request is sent to an actual content server which sends the information to the forward proxy. The forward proxy then relays the response to the client.
This process configures Splunk to Splunk communication through a Proxy. The settings documented here do not support interactions outside of Splunk, for example:
- Access to Splunkbase via Splunk Web
- Splunk external lookups
- Actions that make a REST API call to an external service outside of a firewall
Configure a forward Proxy Server for splunkd
To set up HTTP Proxy Server support for splunkd:
1. Download and configure a HTTP proxy server and configure it to talk to splunkd on a Splunk node. Splunk Enterprise supports the following proxy servers:
- Apache Server 2.4
- Apache Server 2.2
- Squid Server 3.5
2. Configure splunkd proxy settings by setting the proxy variables in
server.conf or using the REST endpoints
Note: TLS Proxying is currently not supported, the proxy server must be configured to listen on a non-SSL port.
Configure user session timeouts
Install and configure your HTTP Proxy Server for splunkd
This documentation applies to the following versions of Splunk® Enterprise: 6.6.0, 6.6.1, 6.6.2, 6.6.3, 6.6.4, 6.6.5, 6.6.6, 6.6.7, 6.6.8, 6.6.9, 6.6.10, 6.6.11, 6.6.12, 7.0.0, 7.0.1, 7.0.2, 7.0.3, 7.0.4, 7.0.5, 7.0.6, 7.0.7, 7.0.8, 7.0.9, 7.0.10, 7.0.11, 7.0.13, 7.1.0, 7.1.1, 7.1.2, 7.1.3, 7.1.4, 7.1.5, 7.1.6, 7.1.7, 7.1.8, 7.1.9, 7.1.10, 7.2.0, 7.2.1, 7.2.2, 7.2.3, 7.2.4, 7.2.5, 7.2.6, 7.2.7, 7.2.8, 7.2.9, 7.2.10, 7.3.0, 7.3.1, 7.3.2, 7.3.3, 7.3.4, 7.3.5, 7.3.6, 8.0.0, 8.0.1, 8.0.2, 8.0.3, 8.0.4, 8.0.5


text:
Buying the right tires for your car is one of the most important decisions you'll make. Your car's performance, and your safety depend upon you making the right choice. The best choice will vary by car type, tire type needed (for example, all-season vs. summer), your driving style, plus road and weather conditions.
Tire tread wear: first, how do you know when it's time to buy tires?
While there are several factors that can lead tire tread wear, when the rubber hits the road, a single penny is all you need to gauge whether or not you need new ones. If you can see the top of Lincoln's head when a penny is placed upside down in the tread, you need new tires (or good used tires that aren't worn completely).
But, if you live in heavy, wet weather or snow, you'll find that hydroplaning resistance and snow traction occur when tread depth reaches only 4/32 inch. Better to be safe than sorry—don't wait too long to buy when yours show tire tread wear.
How to buy tires that will fit your needs
You'll want to get the best tires for the money—that means tires that last the longest. What criteria should you use to buy tires? Tires that do well in tests for braking, handling and resistance to hydroplaning should be the first choice, with tread wear, ride, comfort, noise and rolling resistance, second. In the final analysis, safety should come first.
On the sidewall of a tire is a designation beginning with DOT (for Department of Transportation) and including four digits. The digits indicate the week and year of manufacture. For example, 1012 means the tire was made during the 10th week of 2012. You should always try to buy the freshest tires available—older tires, even if they are still "new," can and do deteriorate.
What about a tire warranty?
Be aware of tire warranties. Typically, the tread-wear tire warranty provided by manufacturers is pro-rated. This means, the more miles on the tire, the less credit you'll get. A typical tire warranty covers damage that is the result of regular use and not from potholes or other road hazards. Getting the most from your tires also depends on a tire maintenance program. That means your tires should be rotated, according to the manufacturer's recommendation.
Editor's note: Advance Auto Parts carries a wide selection of tire care products for all different types. Buy online, pick up in store.


text:
You aren't signed in Sign In |
This governing body consists of 11 elected representatives from the Delegates Assembly. The group sets policy, receives and approves recommendations from the Ad Hoc and Standing Committees, and approves recommendations to go to the Delegates Assembly including new members, contracts, the budget and major purchases outside the budget.Who should attend: members of the Council and any other interested parties
Categories: LLSAP
This event is sponsored by PrairieCat.Event listed by: Reaching Across Illinois Library System
Questions? Please contact PrairieCat Staff.
Send To a Friend


text:
Move in condition. This home is as clean as a pin. This 2 bedroom home offers hardwood floors along with many recent updates including the roof and hot water tank. Located on a quiet street with screen room, full basement and attached garage. Call today for your private showing !
MLS Source Origin: TRESTLE
Discover Real Estate is located at 162 S. Union St., Spencerport, NY 14559. Equal Housing Opportunity. Information last updated 8/3/20 1:17 PM EST. The data relating to real estate on this web site comes in part from the Internet Data Exchange (IDX) Program of the New York State Alliance of MLS's (UNYREIS, CNYIS AND WNYREIS), powered by New York State Alliance of MLS's. Real estate listings held by firms other than Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Discover Real Estate, are marked with the Broker Reciprocity logo and detailed information about them includes the Listing Broker's Firm NAME. THE information being provided IS FOR consumer's personal, non-commercial use and may not be used for any purpose other than to identify prospective properties that consumers may be interested in purchasing. All information deemed reliable but not guaranteed and should be independently verified. All properties are subject to prior sale, change or withdrawal. Neither the listing broker(s) nor Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Discover Real Estate shall be responsible for any typographical errors, misinformation, misprints, and shall be held totally harmless. Copyright 2020 New York State Alliance of MLS's, All rights reserved.


text:
- 1 General
- 2 Installation
- 3 Usage
What is PDT?
The PDT is working towards providing a fully functional PHP Integrated Development Environment framework for the Eclipse platform. This project will encompass all development components necessary to develop PHP-based Web Applications and will facilitate extensibility. It will leverage the existing Eclipse WTP Project in providing developers with PHP capabilities. The main components in this project are: Editor (syntax highlighting, code assist and code folding), Inspection (file / project outline and PHP explorer view) and Debug (PHP script and web page methods).
How is PDT licensed?
PDT is licensed in accordance with the Eclipse Public License. Third party components built using PDT are made available under their own licenses
Does PDT include a debugger? Where can i find one?
PDT doesn't come with any bundled debugger but you can download Zend Debugger from Zend.com or XDebug from bugzilla.
How do I ask questions?
Questions about the use of PDT in user projects that are not addressed in this FAQ should be posted to the PDT newsgroup. Questions and comments regarding the implementation of PDT itself should be posted to the PDT mailing list.
How do I report a bug or request a feature?
PDT like all Eclipse projects, uses Bugzilla as its bug and feature tracking system. Entering a bug or a feature report is as simple as filling in a web form on the eclipse bugzilla page. The first time you enter a bug you will need to create a new bugzilla account for yourself by providing an email address and choosing a password. Before submitting a bug, please be sure to check the list of open PDT bugs and recentely closed PDT bugs.
How do I make a suggestion for this FAQ?
Sign up for a Bugzilla account, log in here, and contribute your FAQ questions and answers by clicking edit.
How do I install PDT?
See PDT/Installation.
How do I convert an existing project to use PDT?
See How do I manually assign a project Nature or BuildCommand?
Additional Resources
How do I publish files from PDT to a server?
As of PDT 2.0, there is no longer a built-in facility for this. It was deprecated because a more robust solution, the Remote System Explorer (RSE), already exists. You can publish your files using RSE.
RSE does include a Getting Started section in the help system when you install it.
How do I setup and use the Target Management Remote System Explorer?
There is an eclipse Live presentation] that details how to setup and use the remote system explorer.


text:
Not once, not not twice. So many times I get asked why I am not posting as much. The other day, someone asked me if my muse was gone. Even suggested I go to a coffee shop to get inspiration. Now that is someone who reads me far too much. I do not lack something to say. Heaven knows there is even much more going on inside my mind. It's a whirlwind in there. As I child, someone told me that if you covered a whirlwind with a basin, then uncovered it, a snake would appear. Now I never tried that, mostly because even then, I wondered who was that idle to go covering whirlwinds with basins. But that's my mind. I am scared to cover it up. I do not want to find out what happens then.
I am laying on my bed in my hotel room. Hotel rooms do two things to me. Remind me that I am lonely or give me that serenity that comes from finally being alone, kicking off the jeans and the shoes, getting rid of the bra and just letting the air around me caress my body in ways that only the unseen can. I am looking out through the glass sliding doors, past the tiny porch, and out into the lake. Well, what used to be the lake. I am looking at a marsh of green, big lily-like leaves, too bulky looking to even sway in the gentle evening breeze. It was raining earlier. As I type this, the clouds are parting to let through the sun rays. So bright I have to lower my head to hide my eyes with my laptop.
I cannot see the water. But I think I can hear it. Far, beyond, somewhere deep in my mind. It could be a memory of what I once experienced, or a flashback of a sound I heard somewhere. But, its as real as if I was looking at it. It's a cry, not loud. Not weepy and needy. It's a sniffle, one that accepts helplessness, but does not accept powerlessness.
Started in June 2013. Never to be finished.
- ▼ 2014 (1)
- ► 2012 (21)
- ► 2011 (26)
- ► 2009 (27)
- ► 2008 (98)
- ► 2007 (16)
- ► 2006 (24)


text:
Gateway Specialty Insurance has top rated markets to quote package or monoline insurance for a membership organization.
Get a quote for a membership organization by completing an application.
Licensed insurance agents, call 877-474-7868 to phone quote or
Coverage for a membership organization or clinic can include:
General Liability Directors & Officers Liability Employment Practices Liability Abuse and Molestation Equipment Breakdown Professional Liability Employee Benefits Liability Property Business Income Special Events Auto Umbrella Inland Marine Blanket Additional Insureds Cyber Liability
General Liability
Directors & Officers Liability
Employment Practices Liability
Abuse and Molestation
Equipment Breakdown
Professional Liability
Employee Benefits Liability
Business Income
Special Events
Inland Marine
Blanket Additional Insureds
Cyber Liability
Membership organization claim examples
Liquor Liability Claim:
A fraternal club was hosting a private reception for members and their guests. An underage guest presented a fake ID and was served alcohol. The intoxicated minor left the establishment and fatally injured an innocent victim. The family of the deceased sued the club for serving a minor.
Three fraternal club members attended a dance at the local fraternal club where they consumed alcohol. One hour after leaving the dance they were involved in an accident in which one passenger sustained a traumatic head injury. He was in a coma for two months with over $350,000 in medical bills. The passenger sued the club for serving an intoxicated person.
Assault and Battery Claim:
A guest was involved in a physical altercation causing injuries and the fraternal club was sued for $50,000
Directors and Officers Claim:
The personal assets of the directors and officers of a fraternal club were exposed when the organization ran out of funds to pay for a suit brought against it.
A fraternal club employee sued the club's governing board alleging that the directors and officers were negligent for failing to supervise the club manager, who she claimed sexually harassed her.
An officer served a term on the board of directors for a fraternal club. Eighteen months after completing his service, he was named in a suit alleging mismanagement of funds for the last five years. The ex-officer discovered that the current board of directors had failed to renew its insurance policy and, even though he had diligently maintained insurance coverage throughout his term of service, the former officer was left with no coverage for this suit.
Equipment Breakdown Claim:
The fraternal club central heating system (hot water boiler) suffered cracking of one of its sections resulting in $8,000 of property damage, causing the club to postpone its fundraising event.


text:
Previous Lecture
Complete and continue
Corporate SNIPPETS... Dear Leader:
First Section
I Am An Influencer! I Am A Leader!
Why --- Corporate SNIPPETS...Dear Leader: (The Great Reveal!) (0:44)
Raise Them Up - Your Door Openers! (0:05)
Table of Contents - Corporate SNIPPETS...Dear Leader:
Intro. Corporate SNIPPETS... (2:37)
Corporate SNIPPETS...Dear Leader: (0:18)
Yes, People First - ALWAYS!
A Tale - Two Communities! (0:12)
Your BEST customer...
Power in the intangibles...
The Million-Dollar Question...
The Golden Rule!
What defines a great Leader?
The Synergy of Leadership!
Which TYPE are you?
Success Talk...
The Grit of a Leader...
Your Calling? (1:35)
A Farmer's Purpose!
Leadership Traits, Tools, and Strategies: (2:37)
The Optimist Creed!
The Value Proposition!
Empowerment Inside Outside...
A Circle of Team Building...
The View of Transparency
The Promise!
Raise Them Up!
88 SnippTips for the Snippetpreneur's Heart!
Corporate SNIPPETS...Dear Leader: Evaluation
POWER! A fun, loving and energizing lagniappe for Leaders.
POWER Lagniappe!
A Circle of Team Building...
Lecture content locked
If you're already enrolled,
you'll need to login
Enroll in Course to Unlock


text:
Samsung announced a new version of it TecTile mobile app, which programs NFC chips for devices like the new Galaxy Note II. Image: Matt Hamblen NEW YORK - Samsung officially launched the 5.5-in. Galaxy Note II at an elaborate event in New York City on Wednesday night featuring performer Kanye West, following weeks of pre-release disclosures on the device.
The Note II, a mix of a smartphone and a tablet with an improved digital stylus called the S Pen, will sell for $300 on Sprint starting Thursday with a two-year contract and for the same price on AT&T starting Nov. 9.
T-Mobile USA will sell it for $370 after a $50 rebate and a contract. (Verizon Wireless and U.S. Cellular will also sell it, Samsung said, but prices and launch dates aren't known.)
Samsung officials noted that the original Note device quickly sold 10 million copies, despite plenty of initial ridicule from reviewers and analysts. "People were perplexed," said Kevin Packingham, chief product officer for Samsung Mobile U.S.
"It didn't get rave reviews right off the bat."
Earlier in the day, Samsung also released version 3.0 of its TecTile mobile app on the Google Play store. The app, first released four months ago, works with NFC-ready stickers that can be programmed from an NFC-ready phone to contain information that can later be used to automate functions on NFC smartphones.
Analysts see TecTile stickers, sold for $14.95 for a package of five by wireless carriers and at Samsung.com, as a more elaborate form of QR code. An NFC smartphone can be brought close to read the sticker's data to do things like turning on the phone's Bluetooth and launching apps.
Officials at the launch event said the sticker can even be used to transmit a text message to a phone.
Or, it could be used like a QR code on a retail kiosk to transmit information about products to a shopper's smartphone
The new 3.0 version includes the ability to lock the information stored on the sticker so it can't be changed, or it can be left unlocked for future re-writes.
Analysts at the Wednesday event said it's not clear how quickly TecTile stickers will catch on, given they are more expensive than QR code stickers, which use the optical scanning capability of a phone to transmit data. A TecTile sticker has more flexibility for programming and can store more data, however, Samsung said.
The TecTile sticker is an example of how Samsung is trying to innovate, and also to show how its innovation has made it the largest maker of phones globally and in the U.S.
The Galaxy Note II launch, attended by hundreds of journalists and analysts, was nonetheless anticlimactic following weeks of reports on the device's features and functions.
After several days of using the device, Computerworld blogger JR Raphael said in his review he liked the display and the responsiveness of the stylus, but he didn't like the size and the interface.
Samsung's event showed the manufacturer is willing to spend heavily to promote its devices such as the popular Galaxy S III smartphone and the Note II. In addition to bringing West to the event, Samsung has begun TV promotions with NBA basketball starLebron James, a Miami Heat forward.
Samsung officials also said they have put $35 billion into an "innovation pipeline" for research and development of new devices in coming years.
Read more about smartphones in Computerworld's Smartphones Topic Center.


text:
dude you draw hugs awesome in Paint. i like how their tails wrap together too :3
dude you draw hugs awesome in Paint. i like how their tails wrap together too :3
I like your drawings, mate. Let us know when your comics comes out.
Also, Sue for the win, totally! xD
Hey, I'm allergic to cats too!(and I ahd two of them, now only one since one died ). Seriously let know when your comic comes out, your art style is very nice.
Sue your fav? Same here. Sue wins.
Anberlin - Day Late Friend. Pretty on the mark with Lucy and Mike.
you are A-OKAY in my book
W-wesley? surely not...
FINALLY, Somone agrees with me <3
Abbeys face says no, but his hand on her back says yes.
Also 8 made me lol.
Stationary Stationary may be a pretty good song for Mike x Sandy also, but there you have it. Most excellent.
LucyXPaulo is my all time favorite BCB couple too.
I think a song that would fit the love triangle between Lucy, Paulo, and Mike the best is the song "This Boy" by The Beatles. Just imagine Paulo singing it and there you go. Matches perfectly.
PAULO x LUCY!!!
They make the cuuuutest couple and Lucy doesn't even know how much Paulo loves her..
My fucking lord Paulo, STOP BANGING GIRLS AND WIN LUCY OVER!
Ssssscrew Mike Go.. Be with Sandy or something.


text:
£319.99 (inc. VAT)Quantity:
Balanced 3.0 m (9.8') cable compatible with ATH-ADX5000 headphones. A2DC (Audio Designed Detachable Coaxial) connectors at the headphones and a Neutrik XLR4 (male) gold-plated output connector with ergonomic, velour-chromium housing. This 6N OFC + OFC Y-type cable also features a nylon fabric sheath with a highly elastic elastomer inner layer that reduces friction, noise and vibration.
Reference Air Dynamic Open-Back headphones
|AT-B1XA3.0 Manual
Register your AT-B1XA-3.0 for the latest product information, warranty repairs, and easy access to all your Audio-Technica products.
The AT-B1XA-3.0 Headphone detachable balanced cable is covered by Audio-Technica's European Warranty. This covers your product to be free of defects in materials and workmanship.
The Audio-Technica Service Centre offer you spare parts and repairs for Microphones, Wireless Systems, Headphones and all other Audio-Technica branded products.
Help us to put you in touch with the right support team for your country. Select your region and country below:
Whether it's on the boardroom table, the stage or in the studio, Audio-Technica products are trusted time and again by industry professionals looking for reliable, lovingly developed audio products for all budgets.
It's Audio-Technica's commitment to innovation, customer service and meticulous design that ensure professionals turn to us to provide solutions in conferencing, houses of worship, broadcasting, live sound, recording studios and beyond.
For over 50 years Audio-Technica has worked alongside leading figures in sports and music broadcast to develop and hone a range of products that deliver on the highest level.
Audio-Technica have developed and delivered products to power the Grammys, World Cup, Super Bowl, Commonwealth Games as well as every Summer and Winter Games from Atlanta 1996 to Sochi 2014.
Founded in 1962 by Hideo Matsushita, Audio-Technica positioned itself immediately as a leader in the manufacture and design of innovative audio products.
Its expertise in innovation quickly spread to various new fields and led to the development of tone arms, microphones and headphones. Audio-Technica soon became a benchmark in those fields. Making history.
A self-made man and audiophile, Hidéo Matsushita was the former Director of the Tokyo Museum of Modern Art. It all started in his workshop, with the hand crafting of stereo cartridges. 50 years later, Audio-Technica has become a global leader in audio innovation.
Humility, passion, creativity and expertise in sound are the core values behind Audio-Technica's legacy, greatly inspired by its founder - whose imprint on the company's philosophy is still felt today.
Audio-Technica's passion for listening evolved in the 70's, when it started designing headphones, building upon a legacy in innovation, meticulous engineering and artistic design.
Today, Audio-Technica's audio products have become globally synonymous with consistently high sonic performance paired with impeccable build construction and artistic design.
All Audio-Technica products come with a two year warranty as standard meaning you can enjoy your product safe in the knowledge that you're covered.
All Audio-Technica products purchased from Audio-Technica Europe are guaranteed for two years from the date of purchase to be free of defects in materials and workmanship. In the event of such defect, the product will be repaired or replaced without charge*.
(* T&Cs apply)


text:
Water fluoridation – once considered one of the 20th century's greatest accomplishments in public health – is now admitted to be a cause for concern by U.S. government officials, dentists and scientific researchers, alike.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced, last Friday, plans to lower the amount of fluoride in drinking water after recent scientific research revealed an increase in levels of fluorosis in young children. Fluorosis is a condition characterized by tooth streaking or spottiness due to excessive fluoride consumption; in most cases it is mild and hardly noticeable, and poses little cause for concern, but in extreme cases, teeth may actually be pitted by the mineral. While fluoride has been found to reduce the risk of cavities, too much of it can lead to dental fluorosis, or worse, skeletal fluorosis, a condition characterized by brittle bones, increased bone fractures and crippling bone defects. (For more information on the water fluoridation controversy, see our most recent article, "All About Water Fluoridation" – a comprehensive collection of educational resources centered on the issue of fluoride in drinking water.)
Fluoride ingestion also occurs when toothpaste is swallowed. Though most children swallow minimal amounts while brushing, over time it adds up. Fluoride may also be found naturally in certain foods. Health officials are finally recognizing that the mineral is more accessible now than it was when water fluoridation first began; adding it to municipal drinking water supplies, therefore, may not be as necessary as was once thought. Fluoride is now being called "too much of a good thing." (You know the saying… "everything in moderation… even moderation.")
The standard amount for fluoride in drinking water, since 1962, has been a range of 0.7 ppm in warmer climates to 1.2 ppm in colder climates where less water is consumed. The new standard would be set at 0.7 ppm regardless of climate. The maximum allowable amount of fluoride is currently 4 ppm. The EPA is reviewing whether to lower this number; however, opponents of fluoridation claim that even 2 ppm is too much.
While water fluoridation may have been a success in the 20th century, the 21st century may soon announce a new victory – the reduction of fluoride in municipal drinking water – a policy that will enable us to live longer, healthier lives; and when we finally do see our graves – an inevitable fate caused by none other than old age – we will do so while flashing a healthy, white, unspotted toothy smile.
If you have not yet done so, please vote in our poll to the right of this post!


text:
Timothy O'Connor and Meghan E. Murphy
January 14, 2013
A White Plains residence pinpointed on a controversial handgun permit database was burglarized Saturday, and the burglars' target was the homeowner's gun safe.
At least two burglars broke into a home on Davis Avenue at 9:30 p.m. Saturday but were unsuccessful in an attempt to open the safe, which contained legally owned weapons, according to a law enforcement source. One suspect was taken into custody, the source said.
The gun owner was not home when the burglary occurred, the source said. The victim, who is in his 70s, told Newsday on Sunday that he did not want to comment while the police investigation continues.
The Reopen America Back to School Special is now live! Earn double Patriot Points on our hottest items!


text:
Best Blues Clubs around Alexandria, KY
Add an OrganizationRead More »Read More »Read More »
Latitudes Bar And Bistro
7454 Beechmont AvenueCincinnati, OH
Latitudes Bar & Bistro began over a decade ago as Latitudes Cafe & Martini Bar. In 2009 the Khoury brothers, Sam and Cory, took over owner...Read More »
The Southgate House Revival
111 East 6th StreetNewport, KY
Madison Theater
730 Madison AvenueCovington, KY
Madison Theater is a beautifully restored Classic Era Movie Theater located just six blocks from Downtown Cincinnati, Ohio. lt opened on New Year's...Read More »
Alexandria Top Searches
Arnold's Bar And Grill
210 East 8th StreetCincinnati, OH
History Arnold's is a historical, legendary downtown Cincinnati destination with a reputation for good food served in friendly surroundings at mode...Read More »
Legends Nightclub
3801 Harrison AvenueCincinnati, OH
Legends Nightclub is the best place to hold any type of an event: private party, wedding reception, banquet, benefit, corporate gathering, birthday...Read More »
Riff Raff Tavern
130 North Patterson Blvd,Dayton, OH
Dayton's newest venue for entertainment is the Riff Raff Tavern On the Canal at 130 N. Patterson in the heart of Dayton. Riff Raff Tavern will prov...Read More »
Canal Street Tavern
308 East. First Street,Dayton, OH
Jazz Central
2931 East Third StreetDayton, OH
About Established in 1974 by Charles "Ice Man" Stone, Jazz Central quickly established itself as THE place for authentic jazz in Dayton, Ohio!&nbs...Read More »
Pies And Pints
401 West Main Street Suite 106Lexington, KY
Pies & Pints restaurant @ The Square in Lexington, Kentucky serves unique, delicious handcrafted pizza and beer. We are located next to the Lex...Read More »
Cheapside Bar & Grill
131 CheapsideLexington, KY
Kickin' Southwest inspired menu, drink specials, cool Victorian pub inside with a lively patio and deck outside and one of the only places to hear ...Read More »
Headliners Music Hall
1386 Lexington RoadLouisville, KY
Locally owned and operated, HEADLINERS MUSIC HALL is the premiere live entertainment venue of Louisville, Kentucky. We bring the best local and nat...Read More »
O'Shea's Irish Pub
956 Baxter AvenueLouisville, KY
Mary O'Shea was born in 1904. She was one of ten children and learned early the value of hard work. She and her siblings worked ten-hour days, six ...Read More »
Stevie Ray's Blues Bar
230 East Main Street,Louisville, KY
In the early 1990's the concept of Stevie Ray's was born by two visionary Louisville businessmen, Fred Wooten and Michael Pollard. The building...Read More »
Jazzyblu Cafe And Lounge
815 West Market StreetLouisville, KY
The Jazzyblu is an upscale cafe & lounge. We feature nightly live entertainment, excellent cuisine and signature cocktails. The Jazzyblu offers...Read More »
Syl's Lounge
2403 West Broadway,Louisville, KY
Key Palace Theater
123 South Meridian StreetRedkey, IN
About Located in tiny Redkey Indiana, the KeyPalace Theatre stands as one of the top blues venues in the WORLD! A vintage 220 seat theatre, it fea...Read More »
Route 33 Rhythm And Brews
09891 County Road 33AWapakoneta, OH
We offer great food along with national touring entertainment in an intimate setting. Our hours are Tuesday-Saturday after 4pm. Weekly dine-in spec...Read More »
Hey Hey Bar And Grill
361 East Whittier StreetColumbus, OH
The Hey Hey Bar and Grill was built in 1900.During Prohibition, it was a speakeasy, one of the few well documented in Columbus (and there were lots...Read More »
1940 Henderson RoadColumbus, OH
DeArini's Villa was established in September, 1967 by Dick and Catherine Tarini, along with Dick and Sandy Depaso. Fourteen Months later the Depaso...Read More »
The Lazy Chameleon
4028 Presidential Pkwy,Powell, OH
The Lazy Chameleon was developed in 1997 for people and by people who love the thought of being able to have a fantastic meal in a comfortable atmo...Read More »
Search in a different zip code / city:


text:
Nanuet man charged with threatening Cuomo, Bloomberg
WHITE PLAINS -- A man from the New York City suburbs made death threats on Facebook against Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, Mayor Michael Bloomberg, several members of Congress and all supporters of President Barack Obama, police said yesterday.
When investigators searched the man's home, they found two rifles, bayonets, ammunition, body armor, a sword and a knuckle knife, said Clarkstown police Sgt. Glenn Cummings. The weapons were illegal because the suspect was a felon, Cummings said.
Lawrence Mulqueen, 49, of Nanuet, was arraigned yesterday on charges of making terroristic threats, illegally possessing weapons and harassment.
Cummings said police were called on Wednesday by Mulqueen's landlady, who said he'd been harassing her.
The landlady tipped police to Mulqueen's alleged threats, which Cummings said were made on Facebook under a pseudonym.
According to Cummings, Mulqueen said he was eager to start killing officeholders including Cuomo, Bloomberg, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, Sen. Charles Schumer, Rep. Nita Lowey and members of the Congressional Black Caucus. Mulqueen was soon taken into custody.
"We thought it would be better to be pre-emptive than maybe have something go wrong and think we should have handled it differently," Cummings said.
Police said Mulqueen also stated that he wanted all of Obama's followers dead, calling them "traitor scum." "Death to them all," Mulqueen wrote, according to the police report. There were also threats against law enforcement, police said.
The FBI was called and a search warrant obtained, based in part on statements Mulqueen made after his arrest, police said.
At his arraignment in Clarkstown Justice Court in New City, Mulqueen was sent to jail until another court appearance Monday. A court clerk said no defense lawyer was listed.