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In regards to trade deadline -- I'm NOT for the White Sox adding Adam Dunn. I've enjoyed their transformation away from the plodding strikeout-prone slugger ( Jim Thome), and Dunn is a step backwards. Is it possible that the Sox extra bat in the second half could come from a turnaround of Gordon Beckham or A.J. Pierzynski or Mark Teahen (a la Carlos Quentin)? And who goes down when Teahen returns? Any chance of Scott Linebrink sent out -- it's a roster spot that Ozzie Guillen doesn't seem to use (plus the $)? -- Dennis Enrietta; Coal City
Dennis, you make great observations. Would there be any issue about adding a bat if Beckham, Pierzynski or Teahen hit with any proficiency in the first two months?
As long as Dayan Viciedo doesn't get much playing time, I can't see why they would keep him when Teahen returns. Viciedo needs to play, and he's not getting the playing time he needs to improve his defense. Teahen must show he can play third better than before his injury.
Linebrink will earn $5.5 million next year. That's a big chuck of money for the Sox to swallow. I can't see it happening.
Who is our No. 3 catcher on the bench? I don't like to second-guess Ozzie, but in the July 11 game, he pinched hit the DH with Ramon Castro. Now I know that if A.J. goes down he can put Castro in at catcher as long as the pitcher hits. If there was a situation where both catchers get hurt, who do we have in an emergency. -- JohnChandler, AZ
I would say Brent Lillibridge by default. Ozzie never likes to play two catchers in the same game for this reason. That's why you saw guys like Jamie Burke linger in professional baseball for a long time, because of their ability to catch and play other positions.
Is there any truth to the rumor that the Sox are still strongly pursuing Roy Oswalt as a starter to fill Jake Peavy's spot, even though he seemed uninterested in joining the Sox and Tigers earlier. -- Jim Troksa; Schaumburg
Roy Oswalt wants to win, which is why he suggested to Houston ownership that it would be best to trade him. With Andy Pettitte out for about five weeks, I think the New York Yankees will make a stronger push -- especially after they lost out on Cliff Lee. Oswalt also is signed through 2011. The Sox would have three pitchers -- Peavy, Mark Buehrle and Oswalt -- making at least $14 million apiece if they acquired Oswalt. I think the price is too steep.
Attendance is always a question mark when it comes to the White Sox. I know the Sox have great fans, but they are inconsistent when it comes to supporting the team at the box office. I live in the southwest suburbs and would like to go to more games, but I don't want the expense of parking and the hassle of driving to the game. When is the Metra Rock Island 35th street train station going to be complete? And are there plans to build a train station along the southwest Metra train line? -- Brian Feehery; Frankfort
I would never tell fans how to spend their money, but I was surprised there wasn't a bigger crowd at the final home game of the first half against Kansas City.
Improving public transportation would be a huge plus to everyone. I know the Red Line gets plenty of use and stops at a convenient location. But a station near the park on the Southwest line would be beneficial. A worker at Target Field told me Sunday that their rail service accommodates about 16,000 Twins fans per game.
Assuming Dan Hudson is not quite ready for the big time and the Sox refuse to overpay for a starter, what are the chances they elevate either Tony Pena for Sergio Santos to the starting rotation? -- Sam A.; Irving, TX
I think it's too late to try to stretch Pena into a starting role for this season. He's certainly saved the Sox in the games when Buehrle was ejected at Cleveland and in the Kansas City game after Hudson was knocked out after four-plus innings.
I think Santos' future is as a late-inning reliever. He's got enough pitchers to be a decent starter, but the transition from a position player is smoother when he's used as a reliever.
It's all too good now for Sox fans. Are we in White Sox fantasy? Conversely, what do you thing could keep them "2005-like?" -- Scott McEwen; Glen Ellyn
Another injury to a starting pitcher or Matt Thornton would severely hurt the pitching staff. Committing errors like they did last Friday at Minnesota or not moving runners into scoring position as they failed Sunday would cost them in a tight pennant race.
A Brandon McCarthy-like effort from Hudson would be welcomed. A surge from Beckham, Pierzynski or Mark Kotsay would further enhance the offense. And perhaps Chris Sale could fortify the bullpen like Bobby Jenks did in the second half of 2005.
There has been a lot of talk about what is responsible for the June turnaround, starting pitching, hitters finally getting it done, more support off the bench. All are probably important, but winning the close games seems to be key. Any idea in the Sox's successful years whether having the advantage in close games made the difference? Thanks for pointing us in the right direction. -- Hank Balikov; Moorestown, N.J.
I firmly believe that starting pitchers must have some run support or some margin for error. With a runner at third, that pitcher must have the confidence to throw a low breaking pitch without fear of having it result in a wild pitch that scores the tying or winning run.
The clutch hitting has resulted from creating more situations with runners in scoring position and not trying to pull the ball all the time. There's a take-what-the-pitcher-gives-you theory that made Harold Baines a clutch hitter, and I see that employed by hitters like Alex Rios and Quentin. Paul Konerko is no longer a dead pull hitter, and I think he's become even more polished at 34.
I think there's more superstition to the jersey question than just comfort... Since June 6, the only time they wore something other than the alternate black was July 6, when Peavy detached a back muscle. Even all three games in Texas, the starter picked black. We might not see the whites and grays for the rest of the year if they stay in first place! -- Rae; Elgin
There seems to be a lot of discussion about which jerseys the White Sox wear. I remember reading that they will wear the same jerseys until they lose a game. The next day they will wear a different one. I am correct? -- Frank Bizon; Munster, Ind.
I'm a traditionalist, so I hope the whites and grays are worn at some point. It's usually up to the starting pitcher to decide, and many players are superstitious so they're not always apt to change.
Do we truly need to add a left-handed bat in the middle of our lineup? It seems like the offense is really clicking and I don't like the idea of tinkering for the sake of it. I am far more concerned with adding a starting pitcher to the mix. Can Dan Hudson really be the answer? What if Freddy Garcia got hurt, like his history suggests? -- David; Bucktown
I believe Hudson is capable of doing the job, but he needs to do well in his next two starts in pitchers' ballparks at Seattle and Oakland. He's a smart kid who knows what he needs to work on, but we're certainly not at the developmental stage so he knows what's at stake.
I'm not crazy about adding a left-handed bat. I think the main thrust should be on pitching and what the cost could be.
Do the White Sox have any insurance policies on their players if they get injured? I've read that the Twins had a policy on Joe Nathan. -- Tom Horvath; Highland, Ind.
It's very common for teams to buy insurance for big-ticket players with multiyear contracts. In recent years, there has been a hesitancy for companies to insure contracts of more than three years on pitchers. Pitchers like Mike Hampton and Kevin Brown are proof of that.
What is going on with Jermaine Dye? I don't recall a player at 35 losing it so fast in midseason as he did. Were there any health issues or was it a loss of talent overnight? -- Jeff Lichtenstein; Palm Beach Gardens
Jeff, I e-mailed Dye's agent about one month ago to check out a rumor that he signed a minor league contract with a team but never heard back, so he's still at home.
For as much that was made about his second-half slide last year, it was his defense that fell under more scrutiny. According to a general manager of another team, there was an evaluation service that gauged players' defensive range. That service detected that Dye didn't get the greatest jumps on balls hit in his direction and convinced this GM to pursue another player. This was reported by another outlet as well.
The conclusion I make is that all the exceptional catches he made last year would have been routine plays by other outfielders.
I've got a spreadsheet where I project wins out to the end of the season. I use runs scored vs. runs allowed, comparing them between the teams. If a team has 10% more runs than a competing team, I project that they'll win 10% more games between them. So if the Sox are really somewhere between the futility of April and May and the awesomeness of June and July, this spreadsheet will be spot on. As of this second, I've got the Sox at 90 wins, Detroit at 88, and the Twinkies at 86. I've been doing this spreadsheet for over five years now, and it gets the final number of wins within a game or two, usually. -- Eric Krieg; Munster, Ind/
Eric, I hope you're right because I predicted the Sox would win the American League Central and that 90 wins could clinch it. There are two trips that should cause some concern -- the three-city trip to Cleveland, Boston and Detroit in late August-early September and a trip to Oakland and Anaheim toward the end of September.
I've seen the Sox make many unconventional and gambling moves over the years. Do you think if Hudson doesn't pan out soon, the Sox take a chance on Carlos Zambrano if they can get the Cubs to eat some salary? -- John; Joliet
I would be shocked if this were to happen, although I never saw Peavy's lat tear coming. Zambrano isn't in pitching shape right now, and I'm not sure what kind of fit he would be in the clubhouse with a team that gets along pretty well.
Perhaps Zambrano would be the left-handed hitter off the bench. His contract is very, very expensive, and I don't think the Ricketts family wants to eat more money after buying the Cubs.
Are the Sox on the hook for the balance of Peavy's salary this year or will insurance cover it? -- Irv Kaage; Park Ridge
Yes, they're responsible for his salary. From what I was told by an official from another team, the insurance money kicks in only if he misses a certain number of games at the start of a season.
What happened with Nick Swisher on the Sox? He came in with a bang and went out with a whimper. He seems to be producing for the Bombers. -- Joe; Bartlett
According to a few clubhouse sources, Ken Griffey Jr. and Ken Williams each detected a flaw in Swisher's back leg (when hitting from the left side). Swisher's hearing tended to waver when these observations were made aloud.
But I really think Swisher should thank the Sox's pitching staff for kick-starting his 2010 season. He was batting only .250 with two home runs and 11 RBIs until going 5-for-9 with two home runs and four RBIs against them on May 1-2 in New York.
He's batting .301 with 16 home runs and 53 RBIs entering play Monday.
There has been some buzz that Ozzie Guillen hated him, but Ozzie said as recently as Saturday that he merely wished Swisher would have performed better for the Sox.
I could write more on this subject, but it's been two years since Nick played for the Sox, and I'd rather devote my time to answering questions about the current state of the Sox.
Ozzie must be on a different medication this year. The Sox hitters seem to be getting hit by pitches on an almost daily basis. I think they have been hit at least three times at least twice. Ozzie seems awful calm about it. Are they leading the league in HBPs? -- Donald First; Plano
There are times when the Sox miss D.J. Carrasco and Octavio Dotel, and this is one of them. The batters never got comfortable when these guys were on the mound.
Granted, batters like Carlos Quentin are on top of the plate, so they're susceptible to getting hit. And if a team plucks Juan Pierre, it helps the Sox's chances of scoring a run.
I found it amusing that Milwaukee manager Ken Macha complained to MLB that his batters are getting nailed too many times. As long as they pull that act like they did last September when Prince Fielder's teammates fell down at home plate after he hit a walk-off home run, they're not doing themselves any favors.
How many more games will Jenks blow for the Sox until they get rid of him? -- Larry Oller; Lowell, Ind.
I think he lasts through the rest of the season. A bigger question is who is the Sox's closer in 2011? Bobby will earn $7.5 million in 2010 and will get a raise as an arbitration eligible player. J.J. Putz will be a free agent next winter and has proven that he's back a future closer and will get plenty of offers.
Sergio Santos needs to throw strikes more frequently, but I see him as a closer soon.
This loss Sunday will destroy the Sox's confidence for the remainder of the season, I know what Minnesota can put in their heads, The Sox will not even be close to winning the division this year! Do you agree? -- Doug; Hilton Head Island
I don't think it will ruin their confidence as much as it could haunt them if they finish one game out of first place. Blowing a three-run lead against a team without Justin Morneau is painful to a team like the Sox. They could/should have won three of those four games in Minnesota.
It just goes to show you can't add enough runs against the Twins, and that failing on sacrifice bunt and squeeze attempts also fueled Sunday's loss.
After reading Ozzie's comments on Bobby Jenks' pitch selection after Sunday afternoon's disastrous finish in Minnesota, perhaps you can help me understand who is typically making the call. Used to be the catcher called pitch and location, then the game changed to where the manager would relay to the catcher what he wanted. Ozzie got on Jenks for the cutters/sliders to Orlando Hudson, but who is telling Bobby what to throw? -- Mark Sherman; Elk Grove
There's no sense in trying to finesse pitches to Hudson, who struck out on a fastball in the dirt on Thursday against Bobby.
What do you believe Dayan Viciedo's ceiling is? In his limited role so far he has been very impressive with the bat but my gut feeling is that he is a defensive liability. Also, is he a prospect who we could build a trade around for either a power bat or a fifth starter without having to sacrifice Gordon or Hudson? -- Al; Chicago
Viciedo has tremendous upside as a hitter. He's only 21, so keep that in mind. He must learn to take more pitches and improve his defense. I've compared him to a young Pedro Guerrero, but Viciedo has plenty of time to make his defense better than Guerrero.
The power area is fluid, with the uncertainty of Konerko returning vs. risk losing a young bat by trading Viciedo. Plenty for the front office to ponder.
When did Mr. Big Bucks Konerko figure out it's OK for him to jog down the line watching his "big blast" bounce off the right field wall? Reggie Jackson he's not. What makes him think he doesn't have to hustle? The Twins crowd booed him off the field Sunday, and rightfully so. When will Juan Pierre realize that if he has ANY offensive value with his bat to the team he HAS to be able to get a bunt successfully down in a bunt situation. His effort Sunday was a disgrace for a big league player. -- Chuck Peter; Milford, IA
Chuck, that was Paul's blazing speed you saw. He was running as hard as he could. He knows that hitting an opposite field home run at Target Field is next to impossible. He just doesn't have the speed. The fans were chanting "Kuuuuu" for Jason Kubel's throw that easily nailed Konerko.
Agree with you on not getting the bunt down twice in that situation. Ditto for Kotsay.
Did the Dodgers pick up a big piece of Pierre's salary, as he's making $7 million and Scott Podsednik is making $1.7 million and I'd much rather have Pods. At least he hits the ball hard -- you rarely see Pierre hit the ball hard. What was Kenny's love affair with Pierre, though I know he's a better fielder than Pods. Was that the key? -- Skip Bartolich; Aurora
The Dodgers picked up about $10 million of the remaining $18.5 million of Pierre's contract.
I was wanting to know if a Philip Schuber plays for the White Sox. I met him a few weeks ago and that is what he told me but I couldn't find him on the MLB website. -- Rebecca; Douglasville, GA
There is no one by that name listed in the 2010 media guide or listed in the minor league statistics.


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Daniel Sperber has just published a new book, On the Relationship of Mitzvot Between Man and His Neighbor and Man and His Maker. The Seforim Blog is happy to present chapter 4 from the book.
Ha-Osek be-Mitzvah Patur min ha-Mitzvah: The Case of Prayer and Torah Study
Daniel Sperber
We find in Sefer ha-Rokeah, section 369 ad fin., that a person who is sitting in the synagogue, wrapped in his talit and with his tefillin on his head and is reciting liturgical songs, must, nonetheless, rise up before his teacher, since he can carry out both actions and he will receive fine rewards in both worlds. Now there are early authorities who hold that the principle that one who is engaged in one mitzvah is exempt from another is also the case when both could be carried out. (See Shulhan Aruch Orah Hayyim 38:8, and in the Beur Halachah, ibid., and also R. Yaakov Hayyim Sofer, Brit Yaakov [Jerusalem: 1985], section 2, 36; R. Ovadiah Yosef, Hazon Ovadiah: Sukkot [Jerusalem: 2005, 167].) The author of the Rokeah, R. Elazar of Germaiza, was a disciple of R. Yehudah (b. R. Shmuel) he-Hasid, the author of Sefer Hasidim. And it is the view of R. Yehudah he-Hasid that even if one can carry out both mitzvot, one is exempt from doing so, if one is engaged in a prior mitzvah; and this, indeed, is the view of R. Elazar Rokeah himself (Rokeah, Hilchot Sukkah, section 299; see Sofer). Why then should one who is engaged in praising the Lord in the synagogue, have to rise up before his teacher? Surely he is already engaged in a mitzvah, and therefore exempt from others! The answer, I suggest, is because ritual synagogue worship is directed towards God, but respect for one's teacher is a mitzvah between man and his fellow, and he is therefore not exempt from it. So too the Hida, R. Hayyim Yosef David Azulai, rules, that even in the hour of prayer one rises before a Torah scholar, (Birkei Yosef Orah Hayyim, section 244:1; and see Sofer, note 8 on page 37; and see most recently the discussion of R. Yitzchak Eliyahu Stessman, Kimah ve-Hidur [Jerusalem: 2011, 88–91], with additional references).
Indeed, the severity of not rising before one's teacher is expressed by R. Eleazar in very extreme terms in BT Kiddushin 33b:
Any scholar who does not rise before his teacher is called a wicked person (רשע), and will not live long and will forget his learning.
(See also R. Yaakov Hezkiyahu Fisch, in his Ve-Haarachta Yamim, ed. Y.M. Sofer, [Jerusalem: 2010, 71–72].)
To this we may add what we are told of the Arizal, by his disciple R. Hayyim Vital, that he was very particular in paying his workers exactly on time and without delay. And if he did not have the money with which to pay these wages, he would delay his afternoon prayer (minhah) until close to sunset in order to search out a loan with which to make the payment. Only afterwards would he hurriedly daven minhah. He would explain himself by saying: "How can I pray to the Lord, may He be blessed . . . , when such an important mitzvah is incumbent upon me, and I have not carried it out?" (See R. Hayyim Vital, Shemonah Shearim: Shaar ha-Mitzvot [Jerusalem: 1872], Parshat Tetzeh; Avraham Tobolsky, Hizaharu be-Memon Haverchem, vol. 2, [Bnei Brak: 1981, 211–212].)
In a somewhat different vein, but with much the same principle as its basis, we read in Niflaot Beit Levi, by A. Kleiman (Pietrokov: 1911, 32, [Yiddish]), cited in Louis I. Newman and Samuel Spitz, The Hasidic Anthology: Tales and Teachings of the Hasidim (New York: 1944, 178:2, 480) as follows:
A teamster (=wagon driver) sought the Berditchover's (Reb Levi Yitchak of Berditchov's) advice as to whether he should give up his occupation because it interfered with regular attendance at the synagogue.
"Do you carry poor travellers free of charge?" asked the Rabbi. "Yes," answered the teamster. "Then you serve the Lord in your occupation just as faithfully as you would be frequenting the synagogue."
(However, see A.Y. Pfoifer, Ishei Yisrael [Jerusalem: 1998, 104, section 11, and notes ad loc].)
And indeed, the Rambam in Hilchot Talmud Torah 3:4, followed by the Shulhan Aruch, Yoreh Deah 246:8, rules:
If there came before him [the choice of performing] a mitzvah and (i.e., or continuing) learning Torah, if that mitzvah could be carried out by another, he should not interrupt his learning; but if not, he should carry out that mitzvah and then return to his study. And when it comes to giving charity, one should always give charity first.[1]
This indeed is the conclusion to be drawn from the sugya in Yerushalmi Pesahim 3:7 (and parallel to JT Hagigah 1:7). There we read that R. Abahu, who lived in Caesarea, sent his son R. Haninah to study in Tiberias, in the Yeshiva of R. Yohanan.
They came and informed him that [his son] was engaged in charitable activities (i.e., in the burial of dead). He sent him a message, saying to him: "Are there no graves in Caesarea that I sent you to Tiberias?" (i.e., for such activities you could have stayed at home).
The Talmud continues that it was already decided at Beit Nitzeh in Lod that "study is greater for it leads to deeds," (see below). However, the rabbis of Caesarea qualified this by saying:
This is the case when there is someone else to carry out the deeds. But if there is not anyone else to carry them out, the deed comes before [the study], (i.e., has precedence).
We then are told a tale:
R. Hiyya, R. Yosi [and] R. Ami were late coming to R. Eleazar [for their lesson with him]. He asked them, "Where were you?" They replied, "We were involved in charitable activity" (meaning in the burial of someone). "Was there no one else [who could do this?]" he asked of them. They replied, "He was a neighbor [according to the Pnei Moshe, or a proselyte – according to the Korban ha-Edah," i.e., and there was no one else to deal with his burial.]
Incidentally, we may add here that the interpretation of the Pnei Moshe is supported by a passage in Sefer Haredim, (by R. Eleazar Azikri, [Safed: 1533–1600]), Mitzvot Aseh . . . ha-Teluyot be-Lev 22, which states that:
A person is obligated to act charitably towards his neighbors and his relations more than to other people, as is clearly stated in the Bavli and the Yerushalmi.
(See S. Lieberman, HaYerushalmi Kiphshuto [Jerusalem: 1934, 426] and his other comments.)
And the parallel text in JT Hagigah 1:7., begins with an additional passage, namely:
R. Yehudah, when he would see a dead person (i.e., a burial) or a bride (i.e., a marriage procession), [and people] praising them (i.e., honoring them in the processions), he would turn to his students (נותן עיניו בתלמידים), and say: "The [dealing with] the dead precedes the study of Torah (תלמוד)."
And a somewhat similar notion, but expressed in a Hassidic vein, may be found in a story related in Yehezkel Shraga Fraenkel's Rabbenu ha-Kaddosh mi-Shinyeve (Ramat Gan: 1992, 256–257). He relates that once the Rabbi of Warsaw came to visit the Divrei Hayyim, R. Hayyim of Sanz. The Sanzer Rebbe asked him, "Do you learn?" "Yes," the Warsaw Rabbi replied. The Rebbe repeated, "Do you always learn?" The reply was, "When someone who is embittered and needs help comes to me, I close my gemara and deal with him, to help and encourage him." "This is what I wanted to hear," said the Sanzer, "whether you have the good sense to close your gemara when someone needs your help,[2] both in word and in deed, and in any case to encourage him and bolster his spirit."[3]
Here we must make something of a digression, which is not really a digression, as this touches upon a very important point. For the Mishnah in Peah 1:1 states that: "the study of Torah is equal to all of them," i.e., even to those mitzvot listed in the Mishnah which are social ones, such as honoring one's parents, doing charitable deeds, bringing peace between rival individuals, etc. The question we ask ourselves is: is the study of Torah (תלמוד תורה) a ritual or a social mitzvah? Into which category does it fall? For if the former, according to our suggestion how can it be superior to those other social mitzvot?
To clarify this issue we must go back to a very ancient discussion that took place in the attic at Beit Nitzeh in Lod, between R. Tarfon and the Elders. For this question was put before them: which is greater, or more important תלמוד או מעשה, learning or deeds? R. Tarfon answered: Deeds are greater. While R. Akiva said study is greater. And they all replied: Study is greater for it leads to deeds (BT Kiddushin 40b).[4] That is to say the importance of study is in that it constitutes the key to the proper execution of the mitzvot. This is also the meaning of R. Shimon the son of Rabban Gamliel's statement in Avot 1:17: Not the expounding of the law (midrash) is the chief thing, but the doing [of it] (maaseh). And this is amplified by Rabbenu Bachya in his commentary ad loc.: that the aim of man's labor in Torah is not that he should just learn a lot, but that [his learning] should lead to deeds, as we have learned from the verse [in Deuteronomy 5:1], 'and ye may learn them [i.e., the statutes and judgments], and keep and do them.' And this is further amplified in Shulhan Aruch ha-Rav, by R. Shneur Zalman Mi-Ladi, in his Hilchot Talmud Torah 4:2, by telling us that "it is impossible to fulfill all the mitzvot in all their details without intensive study and knowledge of them. And for this reason it is equal to all of them," i.e., not intrinsically, but as a means to their proper application.[5]
This issue has been analyzed recently by R. Yitzchak Shapiro, in his article in Hakirah 9, (2010), 221–243, entitled "To know the Forbidden and the Permitted: An Analysis of Rambam's View of the Purpose and Goals of Talmud Study." He shows that the Rambam's view, as expressed in his letter to his disciple R. Yosef,[6] is that "learning Torah is a utilitarian endeavor, with extracting halachic conclusions its functional objective" (227).[7] He goes on to show that "the simplicity and obviousness [of this position] might go unnoticed if not for its staggering ramification and total incompatibility with contemporary realities in derech halimud " (227–228). For as he earlier showed (223–224): "the Aharonim do identify an aspect of Torah study, unrelated to fulfillment of the other mitzvot, based on the verse והגית בו יומם ולילה – 'but thou shalt meditate therein day and night' (Joshua 1:8, cf. BT Menachot 99b). This mitzvah of 'limud ha-Torah' is distinct from the mitzvah of 'yediat ha-Torah,' and can be fulfilled regardless of the subject matter that is learned, whereas the mitzvah of yediat ha-Torah requires a curriculum that is limited to 'halachah' (or at least the sharpening of one's mental acuity, which is necessary for accurate application of halachah). However, one may fulfill both facets of the mitzvah simultaneously only by learning halachic subject matter."[8]
This is the view of the Meiri, as formulated in his commentary to BT Berachot 7b:
The knowledge of how the Torah actually expresses itself indeed requires serving or observing Torah scholars. While intellectual learning is the cause of wisdom, observing the Sages is the cause of knowing how the Torah manifests itself. This is both true for monetary matters as well as that which is prohibited and permitted.
Hence, we may well understand the statement of Rav in BT Megillah 3b, that Talmud Torah is greater than the sacrifice of the daily offerings (temidin).
Here we may also call attention to R. Meir Triebitz's insightful analysis (in his introduction to R. Daniel Eidensohn's Daas Torah: A Jewish Sourcebook [Jerusalem: 2005, 31–35]). He begins by noting that God commands us twice to study Torah: once in Deuteronomy 11:19, and again in Deuteronomy 4:9–11. He analyzes the differences between these two formulations in all their details – e.g., one in the plural and the other in the singular; one talks of teaching, the other telling; one focuses on parents to children, while the other lists three generations. He concludes that "the two verses which obligate us to learn the Torah actually refer to two types of study. One refers to the study of the legal part of Torah, and the other to the study of Torah's theology. Each form of study is deemed a separate scholarly enterprise." He characterizes these two forms of study as "legal" (i.e., halachic) study, and "faith" study, which he states "deals primarily with Aggadic parts of the Torah." But for our purposes it is important to emphasize that both verses, that is to say both classes of study, require the student also to be a teacher, and to pass on his learning to future generations. Hence, Torah study has a social aspect too.
This is a very broad subject that requires a study in its own right, and we cannot enlarge on it here. But what emerges very clearly is that the mitzvah of Torah study is in a very special category, for without it one would not know how to carry out ritual or social mitzvot correctly. Nonetheless, the Or Zarua and the Rav Baal ha-Tanya agree that one interrupts learning Torah to fulfill other mitzvot, if both cannot be carried out at the same time, and one is not exempt because one is already involved in a prior mitzvah.[9]
This is clear from the baraita in BT Ketubot 17a (BT Megillah 3b, 29a) that we interrupt our study of Torah (מבטלין תלמוד תורה) not merely for a met mitzvah and to accompany the dead (הוצאת המת), but also for wedding ceremonies (הכנסת כלה) – all supreme social mitzvot.[10] And in this way, we may better understand the passage in Avot de-R. Natan, chapter 41, (ed. Schechter, Vienna: 1887, 133):
It once happened that R. Tarfon was sitting and teaching his disciples, and a bride went past him. He ordered that she be brought into his house, and told his mother and his wife that they should bathe her, anoint her, and decorate her with jewelry, and dance before her until she goes to her husband's house.
Apparently, he interrupted his teaching in order to carry out the mitzvah of hachnasat kallah.[11]
And indeed we read in the letters of the Hafetz Hayyim (Michtevei ha-Hafetz Hayyim he-Hadash, vol. 2, Bnei Brak: 1986) II, 86:
You occasionally see a Jew who [in a praiseworthy way] learns Torah [as much as possible] and values his time [not wasting a minute]. But if he does not set aside part of the day to do deeds of kindness, what a lack of intelligence!
And interestingly enough, this also becomes evidence from the commentary of R. David ha-Nagid, the Rambam's grandson, to Avot 1:15. There Shammai is cited as saying: "Make thy [study of the] Torah a fixed habit (קבע); . . . . And receive all men as its cheerful countenance." And this is explained by the Nagid to mean that even when you are engaged in your fixed period of Torah study, you should not desist from receiving people cheerfully, thinking that in doing so you are "wasting" Torah-study time.[12] So apparently he regarded proper interpersonal relationship of such importance as even to override one's involvement in Torah learning. And this presumably goes under the category of kevod ha-beriyot, respect for the individual. (Cf. below, sections 15 and 19.)
We are reminded of the statement of Reb Yisrael of Rizhyn (died 1850), who expounded the verse in Psalms 115:16, "the heavens are the heavens of the Lord; but the earth hath He given to the children of men."
There are two kinds of tzaddikim. Those of the one sort learn and pray the livelong day and hold themselves far from lowly matters in order to attain holiness. While the others do not think of themselves, but only of delivering the holy sparks which are buried in all things back to God, and they make all lowly things their concern. The former, who are always preparing for Heaven, the verse calls "the heavens," and they have set themselves apart for the Lord. But the others are the earth given to the children of men.
(Martin Buber, Tales of the Hasidim: The Later Masters,
New York: 1948, 53–54)
New York: 1948, 53–54)
Here, he is contrasting the Lithuanian mitnagdim's way, (in a double-edged complementary fashion), with that of the Hasidim, while we well know with which way he personally sided.
At the same time we should recollect how Yehudah ha-Levi in his Kuzari, begins his definition of the religious man according to Jewish tradition with the negative statement that "in Jewish opinion, the religious man is not to be defined as one who cuts himself off from the world" (Book III, sect. I, ed. Hirschfeld, Leipzig: 1882, 140–141). Perhaps he was combating predominant contemporary Sufi views on extreme asceticism. (See Franz Rosenthal, "A Judaeo-Arabic Work under Sufic Influence," HUCA XV 1940, 440, and cf. page 465 for an extreme view of this form of asceticism, and note 104.)
[1] See Le-Hair Hilchot Tzedakah be-Or Yekarot (Jerusalem: 2010, 6–7). And see below sect. 16 on the overriding importance of charity, and Appendix.
[2] See, for example, the practice of the Brisker Rav, Reb Hayyim Soloveitchik, as described in Aharon Sorasky, Marbitzei Torah u-Musar bi-Yeshivot Nusah Lita mi-Tekufat Volozin ve-ad Yameinu, vol. 1 (Jerusalem: 1976, 110).
[3] Cf. BT Shabbat 127a: Said R. Yohanan: Great is the hosting of guests as are those rising up early to the House of Study [of Torah], as we have learned: to make room for guests [to avoid] hindrance in the House of Study. But Rav Dimi of Nehardea said: It is greater than rising up early to the House of Study. For we learned: "for guests," and only afterwards "to avoid hindrance in the House of Study." And see below sects. 11 and 12 on hosting guests.
[4] On this text see Benedict Thomas Viviano, Study as Worship: Aboth and the New Testament (Leiden: 1978, 105–109). Directly related to this is the text in JT Pesahim 3:7, and JT Hagigah 1:7, cited above, from which the Rabbis learned that if others can carry out these charitable activities, a person should not interrupt his Torah studies. And this seems to be the dominant view among the poskim. See further BT Moed Katan 9a; Shulhan Aruch Yoreh Deah 246:18; Meiri to BT Shabbat 9a and Moed Katan ibid.; Rabbenu Yeruham 22a in the name of the Ravad, etc.
See R. Asi ha-Levi Even Yuli, Shulhan Aruch ha-Middot, vol. 2, Halachah u-Musar (Jerusalem: 2009, 243–244).
[5] See R. Mordechai Shmuel Ashkenazi's magnificent commentary to Hilchot Talmud Torah Mi-Shulhan Aruch Admor ha-Zaken, vol. 5 [= ha-Rav] (Kefar Habad: 2000, 86).
[6] Ed. Y. Shilat, Iggrot ha-Rambam, vol. 1 (Jerusalem: 1987, 254–259); and see editor's note on 257–258 to line 4).
[7] At the simplest level, there is, in the Rambam's view, an obligation upon one who has learned Torah, also to teach it to others. See Hilchot Talmud Torah 1:2, and so too in the listing of the positive commandments at the beginning of his Mishneh Torah, no. 11. (This list is also that of the Rambam, as attested by the author of the Magid Mishneh in his introduction to Hilchot Eruvin, and the Kesef Mishneh in Hilchot Hannukah 3:6; Responsa Noda bi-Yehudah Kama, Orah Hayyim, sect. 29; Petah ha-Dvir, vol. 2, sect. 194, subsect. A. See R. Yaakov Hayyim Sofer, Drupteki de-Oraita, vol. 1 [Jerusalem: 1987, 45]. And see further his remarks, 68–69, on the need to teach others.) Of related interest is the article of Sarah Pessin, "Maimonides and the Sacred Art of Teaching," apud Adaptations and Innovations: Studies in the Interaction between Jewish and Islamic Thought and Literature from the Early Middle Ages to the Late Twentieth Century, Dedicated to Professor Joel Kraemer, ed. Y. Tzvi Langermann (Paris & Louvin: 2007, 285–298). See also, most recently, the remarks of R. Aharon Lichtenstein, in H. Sabato and A. Lichtenstein, Mevakshei Panecha (Tel Aviv: 2011, 212–215).
[8] See the material R. Yitzchak Shapiro brings from the letters of R. Yisrael Salanter (no. 27), in this regard. See also Kuntres Aharon shel Shulhan Aruch ha-Rav, Talmud Torah 3:1, ed. Y.A. Lev (Ashdod: 1989, 39 et seq.).
And see R. Aharon Lichtenstein's very comprehensive study entitled "Does Involvement in Torah Study Exempt One from Mitzvot?", which appeared in Alei Etzion 16 (5769 [2009]), 71–107, which examines this issue in depth, dealing with questions of delaying procreation, Megillah reading, prayer, all mitzvot, etc., and seeks to explain Rambam's position that "ha-osek be-mitzvah patur min ha-mitzvah" theoretically applies to Torah study too, when "it is studied with the purpose of performing" (91); and cf. ibid., 105, for his suggestive interpretation of the view of the Maharach Or Zarua. His study of this very complex issue is extremely rich and requires intense study.
See also Moshe Zvi Polin, Sefer ha-Mitzpeh al ha-Rambam, vol. 1, (on Hilchot Talmud Torah) (Jerusalem: 2005, 11–26), that studying (lilmod ) and teaching (lelamed ) are two interconnected mitzvot. See Ramban Hilchot Talmud Torah 1:1; Hilchot Hagigah 3:1: that anyone who is obligated to study is obligated to teach, and cf. ibid., 1:4. I think this is the meaning of the statement in Seder Eliyahu Rabba, ed. Friedman, p. 63 =Tanna Debe Eliyahu, transl. W.G. Braude & I.J. Kapstein (JPS, 1981, 183) that "one who toils in Torah is like a lamp which provides light for the eyes of many." And in this connection, it is also worth reading Benjamin Blech's article "Personal Growth or Communal Responsibility: A Question of Priorities," The Torah U-Madda Journal 2 (1990), 134–142. However, to give a slightly different point of view, see Hatam Sofer to Nedarim 81a; R. Hayyim Volozin's Nefesh ha-Hayyim, Shaar Dalet, sect. 3; Ruah Hayyim to Avot 6:1, and the introduction to Eglei Tal.
A very extreme expression of this view is to be found in R. David Baharan's "Hanhagot u-Piskei Halachah," in Otzrot Yerushalayim, vol. 13 (Jerusalem: [2010?]), 40, where he insists one must learn halachah every day, and it is not sufficient to learn merely Gemara. He goes on to say that one must learn Shulhan Aruch Orah Hayyim or Hayyei Adam, and he who does not do so will surely have no part in the World to Come. (See also ibid., 41–42.)
See further R.S.Z. Auerbach, Halichot Shlomo . . . al Moadei ha-Shanah, ed. Y. Terner and A. Auerbach (Jerusalem: 2007), 537–539, who also is of the opinion that there are two aspects to Torah study: the one being to study in order to learn how to act properly, and the other as an independent positive commandment which is not just in order to know how to act, but the actual practice of learning as an end in its own right. He expands on this position bringing biblical and rabbinic sources to bear out this point of view. However, here too he agrees that ultimately this is in order "to purify his body through the light of Torah, in order to cleave to God . . . who orders the world (àùø äìéëåú òåìí ìå), and without which the world cannot subsist (åáìà ÷éåîí – àéï î÷åí ÷éåí ìòåìí)" so that in the final reckoning this non-action-orientated study is nonetheless direct to úé÷åï òåìí, the betterment of our world, (see ibid., 536).
[9] See Kuntres Aharon ibid., in the editor's Midrashei ha-Kuntres, 36; and also Kuntres Aharon, Talmud Torah 4:3, that one interrupts learning for persuading others to give charity, where others are less persuasive, or helping in burying the dead, etc. See R. Mordechai Shmuel Ashkenazi, ibid., 87 et seq.
See further R. Ovadiah Yosef, Hazon Ovadiah: Sukkot (Jerusalem: 2005, 168), on the special status of Talmud Torah, because it is mandated at all times (îöåä úîéãéú), and, hence, cannot exempt from other mitzvot, as this would free us from all other mitzvot (citing the Birkei Yosef of the Hida 38:7).
This subject has most recently been examined in considerable detail, with a wealth of sources, by R. Asi ha-Levi Even Yuli, in his Shulhan Aruch ha-Middot, vol. 2, Halachah ve-Musar (Jerusalem: 2009, 243–247). He shows that there are two opposing views. For the Yosef Omez, by R. Yosef Juspa Kahn Neurelingen (c. 1639), (Frankfurt am Main: 1908, [reprint, Jerusalem: 1965] 316), writes that the Rabbis said: Anyone who is involved in Torah learning and not in gemilut hasadim, acts of charity, is as one who has no God. And therefore he wrote that a Torah scholar should make sure that every day he should carry out one act of charity. And the Seder ha-Yom (by R. Moshe ibn Machir [Venice: 1599], and numerous editions) wrote that one must not interrupt the learning of Torah for any mitzvah which can be carried out by another, with the exception of acts of charity. And therefore the enthusiastic should take this to heart and pursue acts of charity as one pursues life itself. (And see the continuation of this passage.) Even Yuli further refers us to Responsa Aderet Tiferet (by R. Avraham Dori, vol. 4, sect. 44), who following on the words of the Seder ha-Yom seeks to find additional support for this view in the Rambam, citing the gemarot in BT Megillah 3b, 29a; BT Ketubot 17a as further proof, in that one interrupts Torah learning to accompany the dead to his final resting place. (See below on this subject.) He then refers us to the Sdei Hemed to which we referred earlier on. However, this runs counter to the prevailing majority view found in a multitude of rabbinic sources, to which he referred on 243–244, and therefore very convincingly he rejects and refutes this argument on 246–247. See there in detail. However, the above just underscores what we have tried to point out, namely the complex ambiguity of the status of Torah study.
[10] See Rema, Even ha-Ezer 65:1; Ba"h ibid., that even the leading Torah authority, Gedol ha-Dor, does so. And even public learning is so interrupted, (Pnei Yehoshua to BT Ketubot ibid., on the basis of Tosafot Megillah ibid.). However, see D. Friedman, Piskei Halachot, vol. 3 (Warsaw: 1901, 35), argues that nowadays, that we are not intimately acquainted with the laws and our studies are directed to their correct understanding, therefore, we do not interrupt Torah learning for wedding ceremonies. See, in detail, on all the rules related to this subject, B. Adler, Ha-Nisuim ke-Hilchatam, 2nd ed., vol. 2 (Jerusalem: 1985, 394–395).
Clearly hachnasat kallah is related to the mitzvah of procreation, which is one of the paramount duties of a man, in Jewish halachic thought. See my Netivot Pesikah (Jerusalem: 2008, 162–163, n. 251). (And cf. below, sect. 30.)
Here we may add that a communal positive mitzvah always takes precedence and outweighs a private individual's positive mitzvah. A teacher sitting shiva is forbidden to learn and teach Torah. However, he is permitted to do so if the community needs him (Shulhan Aruch Yoreh Deah 384:1). See Tzvi Marx, Halakha and Handicap (Jerusalem: 1992–1993, 228).
[11] See Schechter's note in his edition of Avot de-R. Natan, n. 24, and p. 131, n. 10.
[12] Midrash R. David ha-Nagid to Avot, ed. BenTziyyon Kipnis (Jerusalem: 1944). The Arabic original appeared in Na Amon 1901. However, there are some doubts as to the attribution of authorship. See Milhamot Ha-Shem by R. Avraham ben ha-Rambam, ed. M. Margaliot (Jerusalem: 1953, 38, n. 8); A. Katz, JQR 48 (1957), 140–160; Midrash R. David ha-Nagid to Genesis, ed. A. Katz (Jerusalem: 1964, 16–18). On R. David ha-Nagid himself, see A. Strauss (Ashtor), Toldot ha-Yehudim be-Mitzrayim ve-Suriah tahat Shilton ha-Mamelukim, vol. 1 (Jerusalem: 1944, 117–128).


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Dual HIV Infection
Winter 2005/2006
A number of individuals infected with more than one strain of HIV have been identified over the past few years. Should people already diagnosed with HIV be concerned? Given the limited number of cases seen so far, the risk of multiple infections (also called dual infection) appears to be quite low. And there are many more pressing health concerns facing people living with HIV/AIDS. Nevertheless, two trends are worth noting: dual infection seems more likely to happen under certain conditions, and it is associated with faster progression to AIDS-related events. This article describes current evidence and theories behind this emerging phenomenon.
Gathering EvidenceExperts once hoped that a single HIV infection would prevent further infections, much like a vaccination. In the mid-1990s, however, studies using analogous viruses in primates showed that sequential infections were possible. Some people believed it was only a matter of time before something similar would be seen in humans.
Compelling evidence of dual HIV infection in humans appeared in 2002. A report in the Journal of Virology in August of that year strongly suggested reinfection in two injection drug users (IDUs) from Thailand (one female, one male). The woman was initially diagnosed with HIV subtype AE only, followed by detection of subtype B approximately two months later. The man was apparently reinfected with subtype AE virus approximately six to ten months after his primary diagnosis with subtype B virus. Neither individual was being treated for HIV during the study period.
In the September 5, 2002 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, researchers from the University of Geneva reported on a man initially diagnosed with subtype AE virus in November 1998 whose viral load became undetectable (below 50 copies/mL) with antiretroviral therapy. He stopped treatment in January 2001 and shortly thereafter traveled to Brazil, where he had multiple unprotected sexual contacts. In April 2001, three weeks after his return from South America, his viral load spiked to 400,000 copies/mL and he reported symptoms of acute retroviral syndrome, which can signal a new HIV infection. Lab tests subsequently detected a second strain of HIV -- subtype B, which is common in Brazil. The researchers concluded that reinfection had occurred.
More recently, Davey Smith, MD, of the University of California at San Diego and colleagues reported in the August 12, 2005 issue of AIDS that a man with wild-type (drug-sensitive) subtype B virus was apparently reinfected about a year after his first infection with a different subtype B virus resistant to protease inhibitors, which he had never taken, and 3TC (lamivudine, Epivir), which he started only after the second infection. Another case of dual infection with two subtype B viruses with discordant drug sensitivity was reported by the same research group in 2003. In that case, however, the subject was first diagnosed with drug-resistant subtype B virus and then found to have wild-type HIV of the same subtype four months later. Like the man in the 2005 report, this individual had not taken antiretroviral therapy before the apparent reinfection event.
Other cases of multiple HIV infection have been identified in the past four years, although the total number remains small -- only 16 apparent reinfections by one measure (a 2005 Medscape survey of the scientific literature done by a group from the Gladstone Institute of Virology and Immunology in San Francisco). The Gladstone researchers, however, did not consider cases of coinfection. In addition, dual infection rates may be higher than reported, since few people with HIV have been tested for multiple strains. Only larger future studies using more sophisticated technologies and better tracking of source partners can provide a clearer picture of the incidence (rate of new cases) and prevalence (total number of existing cases) of coinfection and reinfection in a given population.
Impact on Disease ProgressionDual infection in humans has been linked to disturbances in immune control and poorer prognosis. In the case of the man who traveled to Brazil, the emergence of his subtype B virus while off therapy coincided with a loss of 300 CD4 cells/mm3 and a dramatic rebound in viral load before he resumed highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) four months later.
In a report from 2004, Smith and colleagues analyzed the two dual infection cases mentioned above plus a third man with apparent secondary infection (wild-type followed by drug-resistant virus). Among the three men, CD4 cell counts dropped an average of 132 cells/mm3 within six months of acquiring the second strain, while viral load levels increased an average of 1.6 logs -- a 40-fold increase.
Geoffrey Gottlieb, MD, of the University of Washington in Seattle and colleagues retrospectively located five individuals with dual infection (four U.S. gay men, one female sex worker from South Africa). Four were coinfected near the time of seroconversion, while the other was reinfected 1.3 years after initial infection. All five had rapid disease progression: from seroconversion to below 200 CD4 cells/mm3 within 3.1 years on average, and to an AIDS diagnosis or death within 3.4 years. Time from seroconversion to AIDS typically takes 8-10 years in untreated individuals.
In a letter to The Lancet in June 2005, Gottlieb proposed that the case of unusually rapid HIV disease progression in a New York City man described by local health officials in February 2005 might also be due to dual infection rather than the emergence of a so-called "supervirus" (see "News Briefs" in this issue).
Several factors might explain an association between dual infection and a surge in HIV disease progression. For now, these are hypothetical and could be related to viral dynamics and the way the second virus attacks the immune system or evades immune responses.
Acquiring a drug-resistant viral strain, for instance, would increase the likelihood of losing a response to antiretroviral therapy. This was seen in Smith's 2005 report as well as others. For those not on treatment, overwhelming a drug-resistant virus (considered less able to replicate) with a new wild-type virus (considered more virulent) could result in a higher viral load and speed progression of disease.
Viral recombination might play a significant role in accelerating HIV disease (see table below). Recombination increases viral diversity more rapidly than mutations that evolve slowly through replication errors. Recombinant viruses may be less sensitive to anti-HIV drugs and are potentially more virulent than nonrecombinant viruses. This might result from altered tropism -- specifically, the virus' ability to use the CXCR4 coreceptor to enter cells, as was the case in the New York man; CXCR4-using viruses are associated with worse disease outcomes than viruses that use the CCR5 coreceptor.
Alternatively, the link between dual infection and disease progression might be a product of individual characteristics. Gottlieb has speculated about whether certain people who are inherently predisposed to faster disease progression may also be more susceptible to reinfection. His team noted in their 2004 report, for example, that the one subject believed to be reinfected "had rapid CD4 decline immediately after initial infection, suggesting a host susceptibility to infection with a second virus."
Susceptibility and ProtectionAs to when reinfection might occur, data collected so far show an interesting trend. Researchers at the Gladstone Institute pointed out in their survey of the literature that multiple infections have not been reported in anyone beyond three years after his or her first infection. (Only a female sex worker from Kenya with recombinant AC virus might have been reinfected after three years, but the exact date is unknown due to a nine-year gap in blood sampling.) This observation has been borne out in recent studies in which dual infection was not observed in chronically infected individuals, even among IDUs who consistently shared needles and HIV positive individuals who had partners with different strains and high risk of re-exposure.
While this trend may be an inaccurate observation based on coincidence or testing errors, it has also been seen in primates. A study done in the late 1990s by Ron Otten, PhD, and colleagues from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) showed that macaque monkeys could be infected with two strains of HIV-2 up to four weeks after a first infection, but not between eight and 72 weeks afterwards. Humans might have a similar window of susceptibility to reinfection of approximately three years.
The lack of evidence for dual infection during chronic (long-term) HIV disease suggests a protective mechanism at work, such as immune responses that evolve over time or "viral interference" -- the ability of the original virus to ward off acquisition of another. Any protective role played by anti-HIV therapy in chronic infection would appear to be negligible, since multiple infections have not been reported in untreated chronically infected people after three years.
Dual infection therefore seems to occur only during acute or early infection -- and in these cases, anti-HIV therapy might well make a difference. Evidence suggests that multiple infections happen only in people with acute or early infection who are not being treated or only intermittently treated with anti-HIV drugs. This implies that antiretroviral therapy has a protective effect, at least during early HIV disease, either in blocking secondary infections or in preventing certain coinfecting strains from asserting themselves. Antiretroviral agents used as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PREP), taken before a high-risk incident, might work in a similar way to block a first infection. However, using anti-HIV agents as PREP remains experimental and unproven.
Although continuous antiretroviral therapy (during early disease) and chronic infection (regardless of treatment) each appear to provide protection against dual infection, more research is needed to understand and confirm these observations. Studies are likewise needed to identify any individual characteristics that might make some people more prone to acquiring a second virus. These factors are currently unknown, although cases such as the one described by Gottlieb in 2004 point to the possibility.
Managing Dual InfectionThe appearance of genetically distinct viruses within an individual complicates the management of HIV disease. Because multiple infections often lead to signs of accelerated disease progression, the typical clinical response has been to begin or resume anti-HIV treatment. Some people among the recently documented cases have controlled their secondary infection with standard antiretroviral therapy. Others, even if responding well to a first regimen before reinfection, have required salvage or rescue regimens containing four or more drugs. Resistance tests may help guide clinicians in their choice of therapy. Newer drugs and drug classes might likewise improve the chances of treatment success, especially in cases of secondary infection with a drug-resistant virus.
The current understanding of dual infection raises complex questions for people with HIV, clinicians, and prevention workers alike. What approach, if any, should be taken given the small number of cases? Should people with early HIV disease be counseled to start treatment to avoid reinfection, even if their virus is under control? What impact will reinfection have on HIV positive individuals who "serosort," or choose to have sex only with other positive people? Will those with chronic infection feel freer to have unprotected sex despite the risk of acquiring other sexually transmitted infections (STIs)?
As always, the best guide to risk management is reliable information. The Gladstone researchers wisely counsel that "clinicians and researchers should provide balanced and broad views of the risks of unprotected sex between HIV-1 infected persons, and avoid exaggerated or sensational claims about superinfection that could undermine behaviors such as serosorting and serodisclosure that can help to curtail the spread of HIV." Beliefs about multiple infections can affect behavior. In interviews with 193 HIV positive men who have sex with men (33% Latino, 29% African American), researchers from the San Francisco Department of Public Health reported in 2003 that the 83% who believed reinfection was damaging to health were significantly less likely to report unprotected anal sex with an HIV positive partner or any partner compared with those who did not share this belief.
Vaccine DesignRecent dual infection news has been sobering for vaccine researchers, who study the mechanisms the immune system uses to control pathogens (disease-causing organisms) and work to develop agents that will elicit the same immune responses. The specific protective mechanisms, or "correlates of protection," necessary to subdue HIV are unknown, which has been a major obstacle in HIV vaccine research since the beginning of the epidemic. The task is now made more difficult by the knowledge that the immune system cannot reliably prevent reinfection even when responding vigorously to an initial infection.
At the 2003 Retrovirus conference, for example, Todd Allen, PhD, of Massachusetts General Hospital and colleagues reported that a robust and specific immune response to one HIV subtype (B) did not inhibit reinfection with another. The fact that virus-specific immune responses are unable to stop other invading viruses -- even those of the same subtype, as seen in the cases reported by Smith's group -- suggests that priming the immune system with a vaccine to control one viral subtype will not be sufficient, and that designing a vaccine broadly protective against a range of HIV strains might be impossible.
Still, with the added challenge comes a silver lining: the apparent protection afforded by chronic infection, antiretroviral drugs, or individual characteristics. Figuring out how these or other factors allow the immune system to prevent dual infection could be a significant breakthrough and may help guide researchers toward their elusive goal. Given the moribund state of HIV vaccine development, no time should be wasted in exploring this possibility.
ConclusionWhat little is known about dual infection has been sketched from a handful of case reports. Uncertainty will prevail until scientists resolve the issue of whether reinfection occurs independently of coinfection. If all dual infections are in fact coinfections acquired at or near the same time, there would theoretically be no risk of later being reinfected with a second strain of HIV. Studies would then focus on why, when, and in whom coinfection takes place, as well as why some coinfecting HIV strains emerge virulently and only during early infection.
If, however, reinfection is a distinct phenomenon, researchers will need to determine precisely what conditions are necessary for multiple infections to occur, who might be more susceptible to them, and what are the clinical implications. Only a fuller understanding of dual infection can help people with HIV make informed decisions about risk. (For information about the Positive Partners study, which looks at whether reinfection occurs between sexual partners, see "Open Clinical Trials.") And, with luck, investigating the dynamics of multiple infections might lead to the ultimate protection: an HIV vaccine.
Nicholas Cheonis is the former editor of BETA.
Selected Sources
Back to the SFAF BETA Winter 2005/2006 contents page.
This article was provided by San Francisco AIDS Foundation. It is a part of the publication Bulletin of Experimental Treatments for AIDS. Visit San Francisco AIDS Foundation's Web site to find out more about their activities, publications and services.


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Warning Notice RIGHTHAVEN, LLC is actively suing in copyright court anyone who quotes or LINKS to content originally published in these newspapers. Nearly 300 lawsuits are already in the courts for "infringements" such as LINKING to an article published, or quoting small portions of a story. Notably targeted are Bloggers, individual information websites, which quote death notices, obituaries and published public notices, and any part of a news story.
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IF you have quoted or annotated content from any of these sources It is recommended that that content be removed. ESPECIALLY content from the Las Vegas Review-Journal, and The Denver Post, as well as the listed papers in Arkansas and Tennessee. These cases are rapidly expanding and are often harassment suits filed for collection of settlement fees outside of court, but if the settlement isn't made, the cases DO PROCEED to Federal Copyright court, and often cost thousands of dollars in unrecoverable legal fess, and if lost may cost about $5.000. These cases are not designed to do more than DESTROY small website managers who have little resources to resist this bullying.
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Margot Heumann
Born: February 17, 1928
Hellenthal, Germany
The older of two girls, Margot was born to Jewish parents living in a village close to the Belgian border. The Heumanns lived above their general store. Across the street lived Margot's grandfather, who kept horses and cows in his large barn. When Margot was 4, her family moved to the city of Lippstadt. As a young girl, she learned to swim in the Lippe River, which flowed behind their garden.
1933-39: When I was 9, we moved to the nearby city of Bielefeld, where I was enrolled in public school. A year later, my little sister, Lore, and I were expelled from school. All of a sudden, we were kicked out of class, and not understanding why, we just stood outside crying. Then we walked home. After this, my parents sent us to a Jewish school where we had teachers, who, like us, had been kicked out of the schools by the Nazis.
1940-44: I was 14 when my family and I were deported, and 16 when we ended up in Auschwitz. One day, I was ordered onto a convoy and knew that I wouldn't come back. My mother had the option to go with me or stay with my sister, who was too young to go, and since she felt that my sister needed her more than I, she stayed. I remember hugging my mother goodbye. She used to be a heavy woman, but by then she was all skin and bones. Not knowing any better, I ate her soup, her only food for the day, which she insisted that I take.
Margot never saw her parents and sister again. She was liberated at Bergen-Belsen in April, 1945. The Red Cross brought her to Sweden to recuperate, and in 1947 she moved to America.


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There are a lot of projects that you can take up over a short period of time; start, complete, enjoy, and use. This project may, if you're not careful, lead you down a path of obsession.
Motorcyclists are generally rabid enthusiasts, and some electric motorcycle builders are quite new to motorcycling, having come from the electric vehicle path. Electric vehicles are riding a wave of technology development. Combining the two can be electrifying.
Common reasons range from environmental to economic. Some people do it just to save gasoline.
The deeper implications of building an EV, especially one salvaged from the junkyard, can get interesting. Some people just like being backyard mechanics. Many builders like keeping about 500 pounds of scrap out of the junkyard by salvaging, and sometimes restoring, vehicles that others have passed off as not worthy of repair—it's reduce, reuse, and recycle. And by solar charging, EV/PV enthusiasts can power their rides with completely renewable energy—a 0% carbon footprint.
Many love the attention their unique vehicle gets, using them for RE evangelism wherever they go. They spark questions, conversation, and enthusiasm for the work and ingenuity to convert a gas bike to electric, even among hard-core motorcyclists.
Electric trail bikes have their fans because they open up areas to riding that, because of the noise of gas trail bikes, might not be tolerated.
There is, however, one thing in particular that stands out about electric motorcycles: the power. Electric motors deliver power in a completely different way than their gas counterparts. Power (torque, in particular) is instantaneous, and the power increases the faster the motor spins. There's no gear shifting, and going from 0 to 60 feels like holding onto the tail end of a rocket. Many people build an electric motorcycle simply because it's an affordable way to experience the feeling of an ultra-high performance electric drive train.
Going into your project, have a clear and realistic idea of what you want to accomplish. Assess your skill level, and determine the type of donor bike, the desired performance, and how you want to use the completed bike.
Aiming for 100 mph top speeds with a range of more than 100 miles is a recipe for disappointment. Start with a more conservative target: Most bikes can hit a top speed of about 75 mph, with a range of 30 to 40 miles.
Don't grab the first donor bike you see if it doesn't suit your plan. Too often people try to make a heavyweight cruiser out of a medium-weight sport bike; a lightweight café from a monster frame; or even a street bike out of a trail bike chassis. Start with the style and weight that you want to end up with.
Check the condition of the chassis you are considering. You need a safe, reliable ride, so consider the brakes, tires, bearings, and suspension, just as if you were buying a gasoline-fueled bike. To register it, it's got to have a clean title.
The permanent magnet DC (PMDC) motor has a good price, fairly simple control systems, and reasonable weight and efficiency. Brushless DC (BLDC) or AC motors don't need maintenance, operate at a high rpm, and the controller electronics allow more precise motor control. They are heavier and more expensive, but have more power capacity.
Most motors are mounted where the gas engine used to be, but designing and building a motor mount that's in the right spot and can handle the stresses of the higher torque requires fabrication skills and careful planning. Another option, the hub motor, is integrated into the rear wheel of the bike, eliminating the motor mount, chain, sprockets, and space in the frame demanded by conventional motors.


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09.22.12: The CCRI Lady Knights volleyball team hosted five schools to the CCRI Flanagan Campus in Lincoln, RI for the CCRI Volleyball Classic over the weekend. The teams were Nassau Community College (NCC) from Garden City, NY; Holyoke Community College (HCC) from Holyoke, MA; Lackawanna College from Scranton, PA; New Hampshire Tech (NHTI) from Concord, NH; and Springfield College JV from Springfield, MA. Below are the CCRI results from the first day of action.
On Saturday the Lady Knights went a perfect 3-0, and in the process avenged the loss from their first contest of the season to Springfield College JV. In their first match they defeated NHTI 25-14 and 25-7. In their second match they defeated Springfield JV 25-21 and 25-20 and in their third match they defeated Nassau Community College 15-25, 25-14 and 15-10. With the three victories the Lady Knights improve to 3-1 on the season.
In the first match versus NHTI the Lady Knights were led by Janny Cabrera (Providence, RI) and Meagan Del Re (Coral Springs, FL) who each had six kills and five digs. They were helped by Co-Captain Annie Ragan (North Kingstown, RI) and who had 13 assists and five digs and Co-Captain Paula Cadavid (Lincoln, RI) with six digs and two kills.
In the second match versus Springfield JV Cabrera elevated her game even more with 10 kills while added seven block and two aces. Janny was again helped by Co-Captain Annie Ragan with 12 assists while Co-Captain Paula Cadavid had five digs. Also helping defensively were Zorymar Nieves (Pawtucket, RI) and Haley Greenwood (Goldsboro, NC) with four digs apiece and Megan Del Re added four blocks.
In their final game of the first day of action Janny Cabrera led the Lady Knights in kills for the third straight match with 10 kills adding six blocks and three digs. Co-Captain Paula Cadavid did a little of everything with six kills, three assists 10 digs and three blocks while fellow Co-Captain Annie Ragan also helped in many categories leading the Lady Knights with 17 assists, while adding 12 digs and two blocks while Haley Greenwood also added 10 digs to help the CCRI defensive effort.
After the action of the first day CCRI Head Coach Samantha Amaral commented "My MVP for the first day would have to be Annie Ragan. Annie was the glue that kept the team together. She is our setter for this year and as we know last year she as a big part of our offence. She was asked to help the team in setting after our setter left the team shortly before the season. Annie took this challenge head on and with a good heart. She knew her team needed her. Annie finished Saturday with 42 assists, seven kills, 21 digs, five blocks and two service aces."
The Lady Knights continue hosting the Classic on Sunday beginning at 9:00am on the CCRI Flanagan Campus in Lincoln.
The Community College of Rhode Island, New England's largest comprehensive community college, enrolls nearly 18,000 students in credit courses and thousands more in non-credit and job training classes. Its athletic program boasts 12 varsity programs and an academic support program for all student-athletes.
This page developed and maintained by CCRI Athletics. Send comments and suggestions to firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Military Records
This article originally appeared in "Colonial Spanish Borderland Research" by George R. Ryskamp, JD, AG in The Source: A Guidebook to American Genealogy
Military records of particular interest to the family historian fall into three categories: administrative records of the local presidio or fort; service records (hojas de servicio); and censuses (padrones).
Administrative records are generally reports by military commanders and notices of transfers, purchases of supplies, and other routine activities. It was also necessary during a military campaign to prepare an auto de guerra (order of war). Northern New Spain, a Research Guide identifies and describes the following sections of an auto de guerra:
- A description of an event necessitating military action by the Spaniards, frequently a type of Indian uprising or the decision to establish a Spanish presence in a new area.
- Reports of preliminary actions by individuals or presidio patrols.
- Orders from the governor giving direction as to a military response to be taken. Generally, local initiative was not encouraged, and no action, unless absolutely necessary, would take place until the governor'and, in many cases, the viceroy or even the Council of Indies in Spain'had responded.
- Field diaries of commanders and other documents such as letters or statements from citizens describing the military engagements once troops were placed in action.
- Final assessments by the officials who requested and/or ordered the action to be taken once the campaign was concluded.
Service records (hojas de servicio) form a significant part of military records. A service record relates to a specific individual, usually an officer of the rank of sergeant or above, giving his name, rank, place of origin, age, and, in some cases, parents' names. The document will then set forth the time periods in which he served in particular places and/or ranks and give a written summary of his service, highlighting important campaigns and locations where he has served. The attached image shows the military service record for Felipe Treviño, who served in Havana, Cuba, and Pensacola, Florida.
Census records of military personnel are, in reality, a class of administrative records, generally containing a list of officers and soldiers serving in a presidio at a particular date, with the name and rank of each individual. Many times, however, they include lists of families of the soldiers also residing in the presidio. In such cases, relationships to the individual soldiers as well as ages are frequently given. The attached image is the initial entry of such a census report for the Mobile Company of San Carlos de Parras, Texas, dated 1 January 1807.<ref>Taken from page 1 of Residents of Texas 1782-1836, Volume 2, by the University of Texas Institute of Texan Cultures.</ref>


text: 2013 Midwest Crop Tour: Nebraska Roundup August 21, 2013 01:03 AM Tweet TAGS: Marketing, Overseas December 18, 2014 By AgWeb.com Editors Email See the final yield data and from-the-field reports from Nebraska, during Day Two of the Pro Farmer Midwest Crop Tour. Reports Drought Conditions Can't Keep Nebraska Yields Down Results from the Pro Farmer Midwest Crop Tour show strong corn and soybean yield potential amid dry conditions. Nebraska, Indiana Crops Looking Good Despite Dryness Pro Farmer's Chip Flory and Brian Grete give midday updates from the field during the 2013 Midwest Crop Tour. Photos from Nebraska Get an inside look at the Crop Tour. Data Final Yield Results from Nebraska Preliminary Day 2 Observations from the 2013 Crop Tour Scout Observations From the Rows: Chip Flory From the Rows: Jason Franck From the Rows: From the Intern Back to news


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This week in Island history
The news of 10 and 15 years ago is from the Jamestown Press. The news of 100 years ago from the Newport Daily News came from the collection of the Newport Historical Society.
100 years ago From the Newport Daily News, July 24, 1907
The largest number of cows ever up at auction on the island was offered for sale yesterday on the Seth Pierce place, near the West ferry, when of a herd of 64 over 40 were sold.
From the Newport Daily News, July 25, 1907
The Knowles wharf property at the foot of Narragansett Avenue was offered for sale at public auction today. This is one of the most valuable properties on the island, but owing to the lack of bidders it was bid on by a representative of the Knowles heirs.
75 years ago From the Newport Daily News, July 22, 1932
Mrs. Willis E. Clarke, chairman of the Fresh Air Children committee of Jamestown, went to Kinston yesterday to meet the children coming from New York, arriving in Jamestown at 5 o'clock. The children were then placed (in the homes of the hosts). … Mr. Commette, manager of the Palace Theatre, will issue passes during their stay in Jamestown.
From the Newport Daily News, July 26, 1932
Mr. P. H. Hazard made a motion (at a meeting of the Jamestown Historical Society) that the paper on "Old" Jamestown, written by Miss Mollie Carr and read at the previous meeting, be printed in the Newport Daily News.
From the Newport Daily News, July 28, 1932
The dance at the casino Wednesday was attended by a large number of the children of the summer colony, and was followed by games and refreshments of cake and ice cream. General dancing followed.
50 years ago From the Newport Daily News, July 23, 1957
A drenching rainfall of more than half an inch, the heaviest in Newport in more than two months, buffeted the area yesterday afternoon in a cloudburst that brought soaking relief to parched fields. … In Jamestown, a lightening bolt entered the Southwest Avenue home of Mrs. Ann Hertel, struck the electric range, passed through a hole in the back of the stove, scorched a small area and left a burn mark the size of a half dollar on the wall behind the stove. The fire department was called but no other damage was discerned.
The Defense Department has rejected the Jamestown Council's request that the government relinquish some of its holdings in the town for public parks, recreational areas and tax purposes. … The town had sought holdings at Fort Burnside and at Beavertail for park and recreational purposes. It further asked that Fort Wetherill be returned to the town for tax purposes.
From the Newport Daily News, July 24, 1957
Four Jamestown summer visitors were rescued this noon when their 12-foot "Pram" sailboat capsized about 1,500 feet from the east shore of the island. (They were pulled to safety by skiffs launched by the town fire department and two civilians.)
Jamestown's Mackerel Cove Beach was closed to bathing yesterday due to heavy pollution from raw sewage.
From the Newport Daily News, July 25, 1957
In an effort to obtain ancient maps that may show the location of treasure buried by the notorious Captain Kidd and his pirate crew, John L. Smith, chairman of the Jamestown Tercentenary Inc., yesterday sent a radiogram to an Englishwoman. … Captain Kidd is reputed to have visited Jamestown in the late 1600s as a guest of another noted pirate, Capt. Thomas Payne (sic) at "Cajacet."
Mackerel Cove Beach in Jamestown was reopened to the public yesterday afternoon. …Two tides since the closing (for a second time), plus the effect of offshore winds, were sufficient to make the beach safe for swimming.
From the Newport Daily News, July 29, 1957
Jamestown is readying for the celebration of the town's 300th birthday anniversary. Attractive markers have been placed to designate many of the historical spots on the island.
25 years ago From the Newport Daily News, July 27, 1982
The Town Council Monday night called for a resolution to endorse a freeze of the nuclear arms race.
15 years ago From the Jamestown Press, July 24, 1992
(photo caption) Seamen stand ready to unfurl the square-rigged sails on the tall ship Esmerelda during the tall ships parade in East Passage Monday afternoon. However, Mother Nature did not cooperate with the event's planners. Shortly after Esmerelda set sail a thick fog caused the tall ships to vanish from the sight of landbound spectators.
10 years ago From the Jamestown Press, July 24, 1997
Refurbishing the town's sewage treatment plant to make it serviceable for another 20 years would cost $3.3 million. Built in the late 70s, the mechanical and electrical components of the plant were designed to last for two decades. With that life span coming to a close, the town hired Vollmer Associates LLP of Boston to evaluate the plant.
Ft. Getty campers indulge in the beauty, relaxation, and friendships of this campground community year after year. Located in the bay's West passage, the campground offers 103 seasonal RV sites with about 80 full season campers.


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Anyone know CPR?
Obviously we've all neglected this precious place. I'll admit life becomes so overwhelming that we don't have time to focus on the things we love to do or have enough time in the day to do them all. Trying to maintain several blogs and now several fantasy baseball teams can be pretty damn tough...but hey I'm willing to continue giving it a try. I've missed the Sistahs and this site so I'm going to try lighting a fire underneath some of them and myself to at least give it a shot to revive this old haunt. Spring Training is beginning in Fort Myers....while I can't be there in person, I can follow along thanks to my good friend, Brenken who attends regularly.


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Bagels and Briefings
February 6, 2018 - "Statewide Initiatives in Utah"
Statewide Initiatives in Utah Presentation
January 30, 2018 - "Tax Reform"
Federal Tax Reform
February 28, 2017 - "A Closer Look at Utah's Limited Purpose Local Governments"
A Closer Look at Utah's Limited Purpose Local Governments Presentation
Comparison Table: Limited Purpose Local Government Entities and Other Local Entities
February 7, 2017 - "The Way We Tax: Utah's State and Local Tax System"
The Way We Tax - Utah's State and Local Tax System Presenation
Individual Income Tax Credits
Authorized General Sales & Use Taxes and Rates
Januray 31, 2017 - "35/90 Surcharge: Policy Issuesand Recommendations"
35/90 Surcharge: Policy Issues and Recommendations Presentation
January 24, 2017 - "Education 101: Governance and Funding"
Education 101: Governance and Funding Presentation
February 9, 2016 - "Prescription Drug Deaths: Diagnosing the Problem, Prescribing Solutions"
Prescription Drug Deaths: Diagnosing the Problem, Prescribing Solutions Presentation
February 2, 2016 - "U.S. Every Student Succeeds Act: Assessments and Accountability"
U.S. Every Student Succeeds Act Presentation
February 24, 2015 - "The Way We Tax: Utah's State & Local Tax System"
The Way We Tax Presentation
February 10, 2015 - "Budget Process and Tools for It"
February 3, 2015 - "Standing Committee Rules"
January 27, 2015 - "How to Use Your Intern"
February 25, 2014 - "Utah's Population: Growing Fast, Concentrating
More, Diversifying Rapidly"
Utah's Population Briefing
February 18, 2014 - "Air Quality in Utah"
February 11, 2014 - "The Affordable Care Act"
  The Affordable Care Act Presentation
February 4, 2014 - "Funding Transportation"
  Transportation Funding Presentation
  Transportation Funding Video
January 28, 2014 - "How To Use Your Intern Effectively"
  How To Use Your Intern Effectively Video
March 5, 2013 - "The Affordable Care Act: What to Expect Over the Next
10 Months"
  The Affordable Care Act: What to Expect Over the Next 10 Months Presentation
February 11, 2013 - "The Way We Tax - An Overview of State and Local
Taxes in Utah"
  The Way We Tax - Utah's State and Local Tax System Presentation
February 5, 2013 - "How Utah Public Schools are Funded"
  How Utah Public Schools are Funded Presentation
January 29, 2013 - "Getting to Know Your Mobile Phone"
February 28, 2012 - "Tightening the Belt: How Federal Budget Actions
Could Impact Utah's Budget"
  Tightening the Belt: How Federal Budget Actions Could Impact Utah's Budget Presentation
February 23, 2012 - "What Drives Revenue Estimates"
  A Peek Under the Hood Presentation
14, 2012 - "Utah Health Care Reform: An Update"
 Utah Health Care Reform: An Update Presentation
31, 2012 - "Utah's Recidivism Rate in Light of National Trends"
  Utah's Recidivism Rate in Light of National Trends Presentation
24, 2012 - "Population and Demographic Changes 2000-2010 ~ This Is Not
Your Father's Utah"
  Population and Demographic Changes 2000-2010 Presentation
  Utah's Population Growth Briefing Paper
15, 2011 - "Marriage and Divorce"
  Marriage and Divorce Presentation
8, 2011 - "Driving Under the Influence: The $9,000 Drink"
  DUI Packet
1, 2011 - "Immigration"
  Immigration Packet
25, 2011 - "Charter Schools - An Integral Part of the Utah Public Education
 Charter Schools - An Integral Part of the Utah Public Education System Presentation
10, 2010 - "Redistricting: The Basics"
  Redistricting: The Basics Presentation
  Redistricting: The Legal Requirements Presentation
September 15, 2010 - "Still Solvent: Utah's Unemployment Insurance
Trust Fund"
 Still Solvent, Utah's Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund Presentation
18, 2010 - "Property Tax and School Funding Equalization in Utah: Funding
K-12 Schools"
 Property Tax and School Funding Equalization in Utah: Funding K-12 Schools Presentation
 Property Taxes and School Funding in Utah Briefing Paper
19, 2010 - Special Briefing on Federal Health Care Reform
 Special Briefing and Backgrounder Article Notice
 Health Care Reform Legislation: Insurance Market Provisions Timeline Chart
 The Utah Health Exchange: A Utah Solution for Utah Businesses Presentation
 Federal Health Care Reform Presentation
 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act NGA Working Document
 Tax Provisions in the Health Reform Laws NCSL Timeline/Summary
 NCSL - Health Reform | The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation - Health Reform Related Links
February 23, 2010 - "A Peek Under the Hood - What Drives Revenue Estimates"
16, 2010 - "Utah's Sales & Use Tax: Issues and Options"
  Utah's Sales & Use Tax: Issues and Options Presentation
9, 2010 - "Utah's Driver License: Implications of REAL ID and Recent State
  REAL ID Presentation
2, 2010 - "An Overview of Utah's Retirement System"
"Utah State Retirement Systems Overview" Presentation
"Cost of Benefits for Reemployed Retirees and Part-Time Employees" Performance Audit
26, 2010 - "What's Happened to Taxpayers Under Utah's New Income Tax?"
"What's Happened to Taxpayers Under Utah's New Individual Income Tax?" Briefing Paper
"What's Happened to Taxpayers Under Utah's New Individual Income Tax?" Presentation
18, 2009 - "Utah's Economy: What's Happened and Where Do We Go From Here?"
"Utah's Economy: What's Happened and Where Do We Go From Here?" Briefing Paper
16, 2009 - "Administrative Rules: How State Agencies Implement Your Bills"
"Administrative Rules: How State Agencies Implement Your Bill" Presentation
August 19, 2009 - "A Look at Federal Health Care Reform and How It May
Impact Utah"
"Federal Health Care Reform" Presentation
June 17, 2009 - "Are We There Yet? A Discussion of the Economy, State Revenue, and Whether Either Has Yet Hit Bottom"
February 24, 2009 - "The Upside - and Downside - of a Federal Stimulus Package"
February 10, 2009 - Health Care Reform
3, 2009 - Transportation Funding in Utah: Where It Comes From and Where It Goes
  "Transportation Funding in Utah: Where It Comes From and Where It Goes" Presentation
29, 2009 - Understanding Public School Finance in Utah
  "Understanding Public School Finance in Utah" Presentation
22, 2008 - Economic and Demographic Trends Affecting Legislative Decision Making
"Economic and Demographic Trends Affecting Legislative Decision-Making" Presentation provides background information on Utah's strong economy and unique demographics and demonstrates that Utah is not only the youngest state in the nation, but for several months last year led the nation in job growth
31, 2008 - Fiscal Note Process
"Fiscal Note Seminar - Legislator Briefing" Presentation covers what a fiscal note is, its uses, and the process from beginning to end
7, 2008 - Air Quality
"Air Quality in Utah" Presentation includes information regarding the regulatory framework for air quality, air pollutants, air pollutant sources, and pollution control strategies.
14, 2008 - Alcoholic Beverage Control Issues
"Common Myths and Constituent Questions" Presentation uses a hypothetical couple to frame scenarios explaining Utah's regulation of Alcoholic Beverages
"Grape Expectations" Short article from NCSL's State Legislatures magazine on states' regulation of direct shipping
"72nd Annual Report" Annual report of the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control
"Legislation" List of introduced and requested legislation as of February 11, 2008 with primary topic related to Alcoholic Beverages
February 21, 2008 - Use of Intent Language in Appropriations Acts
20, 2008 - Demographic Trends Impacting Utah
17, 2008 - Property Tax and School Funding in Utah
"Property Tax and School Funding in Utah" Presentation summarizes interactions between the property tax and public education funding. Includes charts showing the property tax base, property tax rate, and per-pupil property tax revenue by school district.
15, 2008 - Presentation by Dr. Kelly Matthews, Executive Vice President and
Economist, Wells Fargo Bank
November 19, 2008 - Presentation by Jonathon Ball, Director, Office of Legislative Fiscal Analyst "Is It Raining? How Can the Best Managed State Weather an Economic Storm?" (8:00 a.m. Capitol Board Room)
16, 2007 - Understanding Public School Finance and Governance in Utah - Key
Concepts and Principles
January 19, 2007 - Blackberry Scheduling: "Life Organized"
January 23, 2007 - Legislative Appropriations Process: "How to Get Your Program Funded"
30, 2007 - Medicaid 101
"Medicaid 101 Bagels and Briefing" Tables and charts compare Medicaid spending growth with the growth in state revenues and other health care spending; Analysis estimates the long-term impact of reducing the average annual rate of Medicaid spending growth by various amounts
"Medicaid Interim Committee Recommendations" Nine recommendations summarize the work of the Medicaid Interim Committee during the 2006 interim and the first month of 2007
1, 2007 - Spending Limit: "What is it and How Will it Impact the Budget?"
February 6, 2007 - Revenues From Natural Resource Production: "There's Gold (and other stuff) in Them Thar Hills"
February 15, 2007 - Water Issues: "Life in the Desert State"
"Rainfall by State and River Basin" A comparison of average annual precipitation in western Utah and in Utah river basins
"Estimated Statewide Water Budget" Utah's water supply from precipitation and groundwater mining; and how that supply is distributed and used by vegetation systems, interstate compacts, agriculture, municipalities, and industry
"Water Use and Conservation" Chart comparing municipal, industrial, and agricultural use of water and the 2050 water conservation goal
"Available Water Supply by River Basin and New Large Development Projects" Map showing the number of acre feet of available water supply in Utah river basins, and describing the proposed route of the Lake Powell Pipeline and the Weber Basin Water Development project
18, 2007 - Education Voucher Bills
Comparison Compares H.B. 148 with H.B. 174, the two education voucher bills that passed during the 2007 General Session
Briefing Outline An outline of the presentations
Timeline Statutory time line on statewide referendum relating to H.B. 148, Education Vouchers
20, 2007 - Unauthorized Immigrants
"Immigration: Federal Authority, State Impact" Presentation summarizes immigration demographics, history of federal immigration law and its impact on states, and state immigration legislation
"Unauthorized Immigrants Briefing Paper" Provides detail for issues covered in the presentation
18, 2007 - Health Care Costs and Access
"Health Care Costs and Access" Highlights potential state policy developments; also includes rates of growth in health care spending and factors affecting that growth
September 19, 2007 - The ABCs of Financial Institutions in Utah
"The ABCs" Presentation includes background on the industry, state vs. federal government regulation, and current issues such as payday loans and mortgage lending
"Table of Contents" Table of contents for an information packet provided at the briefing
17, 2007 - Why We Love to Hate Property Taxes
November 14, 2007 - Understanding Utah's Energy Generation Needs