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Call for Action is starting out this new year by living up to its name: getting action. A woman who had lost her job was on the hook for $1,000 after a car accident. Janet West says she never thought she owed that much money, but couldn't get the insurance company to hear her out. Unable to get help, she turned to FOX 5's all-volunteer negotiating team.It stated with a car accident. At the scene, she says the insurance company told her that her deductible was much lower than she thought -- only $250. But that didn't add up, according to West. "The first person I spoke to, she didn't seem very sure of herself, so I asked to speak to a supervisor and he told me $250. He handed me off to another customer service agent and she quoted me $250 as well," said West.She got her car in the shop, but getting it out was another matter. Apparently, her deductible was actually $1,000."So in order to get my car out of the shop, I had to pay the $1,000 which I didn't have because I'm unemployed," said West.She paid, but wanted a refund. Frustrated, she called Call for Action."They kept saying that their recorded messages don't lie. But I knew what I had heard. And the police there heard $250, and the tow truck driver heard $250. But they continued to tell me that's not what they told me," West said.After months of trying, one of the Call for Action volunteers finally got someone on the phone who said get either the police officer or the tow truck driver to back up her story and they'd refund her money. "After Mary and I had worked seven months to get this cleared up, four days later they sent me check. I was tickled about that, so tickled," West said. She was happy enough to consider jumping on board with the Call for Action team who works to solve consumer problems."It's got me inspired. I want to volunteer now because I want to help other people get their cases resolved," said West.West says she had a repair shop lined up that would allow her to pay her $1,000 deductible in payments. But the insurance company insisted it was only $250, so she sent her car to their preferred shop. When the deductible was found to be $1,000, that shop, she says, wanted full payment.
Thanks for contacting FOX 5. To reach our newsroom by phone, please call (404) 898-0100.
WJBK-TV | Fox 2 16550 West Nine Mile Rd.Southfield, MI 48075Main Station: (248) 557-2000Newsroom: (248) 552-5103


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How care is changing in Hampshire
Monday, 30 September 2013
Hampshire County Council's Executive Member for Adults Social Care, Cllr Anna McNair Scott, reflects on the way care is changing to better meet the needs of an increasing older population as we take time to celebrate International Day of Older People (1 Oct)
This week sees International Day of Older people, a day to celebrate our older generation and to focus on their wellbeing.
In Hampshire, the County Council spends more than £1million a day caring for older residents, and with the current population of over 75s to grow by 80 per cent by 2030 this is only set to increase. We need to change the way our older friends and family are supported and cared for if we are to continue to meet the needs and aspirations of older people.
For many people getting older is daunting. Things that used to be easy become difficult and for many it is the thought of losing their independence that worries them most. Some people still believe that if they begin to struggle with everyday tasks then the next step is to go into residential care.
This is not the case. In Hampshire we have moved away from the post Second World War model to provide care that offers residents independence and choice and offers better value.
Older residents tell us that they want to stay in their own home and we help over 10,000 residents to do this each year by providing individual home care packages whether they are physically frail or have dementia. As with everything else in the 21st century technology has a key part to play and alongside more traditional care, the Council is investing in Telecare which ranges from devices focused on preventing problems - such as a fall or forgetting to take medication - to intervention monitors which check sleep and activity.
For those people who wish to remain independent, but find their house unmanageable, or feel isolated living alone, Extra Care assisted living may be the answer. The Council is investing £45million in providing modern Extra Care, which offers people their own apartment but also the security and reassurance of 24hr care on site. Placed in central locations, Extra Care sites are dementia friendly and offer easy access to local shops and services, with onsite restaurant and facilities such as a hair salon or chiropody clinic. They are perfect for providing people with their own space, but also enabling them to be part of a community with communal lounges and gardens.
There is of course still a place for traditional residential care and the Council provides over 6,000 places a year, with 9 out of 10 of the people funded to live in privately run care homes. However, what we are finding is that people are not moving into a residential setting until much later, when their needs are more complex and often require nursing care. That is why Hampshire was the first County Council to have partnered the NHS to invest £60million to provide 10 nursing homes across the county.
We need to ensure we have a care system in place that affords our older generation the respect, dignity, independence and choice they deserve - and that is exactly what Hampshire County Council aims to provide.
Did you know?
- Every day over £1million is spent by the County Council providing social care
- Hampshire County Council supports 6,097 people in residential or nursing care with 4,900 living in privately run homes
- The average cost of a residential care placement in 2012/13 was £481.95 per week
- 10,750 clients are supported to live at home with a long term package of care
- 5,000 people accessed re-ablement services during 2012/13 helping them to regain their independence and avoid the need for long term care or admission to a residential setting
- The Hampshire Equipment Store provides almost 73,000 items of equipment supporting 32,000 people to remain independent in their own home
- There are 697 Extra Care assisted living units in operation
- The current population of over 75 year olds in Hampshire is 116,408
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- Leading double lives as a Royal Navy Reserve - Join the next Live event on 4 Oct 2014

subset: commoncrawl


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Hooded Berber Fleece Coat: Button up your long berber coat and say "Bring it on!" to the season's chillier weather. This fleece coat is fully lined; its longer length is perfect to layer over just about anything while keeping you cozy right down to your boots.
Read what customers are saying about this product:
Rating: 4.67 out of 3 votes cast
Warm in Milwaukee!
I don't usually write reviews, but this coat is the best coat I've ever had. I've have the oatmeal colored one in tall as I am 5'10. It's awesome to have a coat with long sleeves and enough room inside the coat to wear a thick sweater and long Johns. :) I purchased one for my 6 ft tall Swedish friend in MN.' She loves it too! Last winter I purchased a red one for myself. Please continue selling this coat in tall. I noticed that last season the tall size was not an option. I had to purchase it in x lg and tailor it.
milwaukee, wi
Great coat
Living in Chicago can be pretty cold in the winter. This coat kept me warm and looks great! I'm 6 foot and this was perfectly long! Love that!! My only complaints are that the hood is too pointy, you like a cone-head with it up! Also the buttonholes are too big. The coat never stayed closed.
Claudia D
Long Berber Coat
Fantastic coast. Would highly recommend it and the price is great. I bought it in the beige/oatmeal color and get compliments every time I wear it. It is fantastically warm and cozy and can add many layers under it when in snowy climes. I love it so much I am now going to purchase the red one and keep looking at the black one too, but as I live in southern California!!! -- that seems a bit excessive.
Santa Monica, California
Click here to read all of this product's reviews


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Craghoppers Kiwi Shell Jacket Outfit
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Sometimes the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. Use our handy "shop by outfit" feature to go straight to the checkout with all the pieces you need to build a perfect travel wardrobe.
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WIPEOUT - "How Jill Got Her Groove Back" - On this episode of ABC's "Wipeout," THURSDAY, AUGUST 22 (8:00-9:00 p.m., ET), 24 courageous contestants, including a "Time Traveler," a "Homecoming Prince" and a "Park Ranger," each have the chance to walk away a winner with the grand prize of $50,000. Hopefully the contestants coat their stomachs with something, as the Qualifier opens with them paying a visit to the "Wipeout Dump" and ending with a reservation at "Wipeout's" very own "Sushi Bar." The 12 competitors who persevere through the first round will move on to face off against "Wipeout's" sea villain, "Octopushy." Only six contestants will dance off to the next stage on, "Wipeout's Greatest Hits: Disco Edition." The first three competitors to make it through will put it all on the table during the Wipeout Zone. But only one fierce contestant who defeats the tricky "Blockbuster" and the frightening "Space Pod of Doom" will claim the grand prize, while everyone else will Wipeout! (ABC/MIKE WEAVER) CONTESTANT
Use a Facebook account to add a comment, subject to Facebook's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Your Facebook name, photo & other personal information you make public on Facebook will appear with your comment, and may be used on ABC's media platforms. Learn more.


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Interchange News
Perl::Dancer Conference 2014
Posted on 22-Aug-2014 by Jon Jensen
Building on the success of last year's Ecommerce Innovations conference, another conference is being held this year from October 6-9 at West Branch Resort in Hancock, New York. The focus has been broa...
Read more...
Interchange 5.8.2 stable release
Posted on 07-Jul-2014 by David Christensen
We're pleased to announce the immediate release of Interchange 5.8.2, the latest stable version of Interchange. It includes all known bug and security fixes, as well as feature enhancements including ...
Read more...
About Interchange
- Roadmap
- Online demo
- Hall of Fame (sites running Interchange)
- Supported platforms
- Interchange history
- Copyright & license
- Logos & badges
- Endorsements
- Contact
What Interchange users are saying:
"Many business decision makers still think you need a lot of money and a huge IT department to build a secure, scalable e-commerce platform. This is simply not the case. Interchange is a truly disruptive technology, bringing security and innovation to the masses."
Luke Lozier, Principal & Co-Founder at Bibliopolis LLC.
Luke Lozier, Principal & Co-Founder at Bibliopolis LLC.
Users & Developers
- Downloads & source code
- Documentation
- Community resources (mailing lists etc.)
- Upgrade notes
- Professional support
- News
- Chronological list of releases
- Developers & contributors
- Issues, tracked on GitHub


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Stay in shape inside our well-equipped Newark airport hotel fitness center or swim laps in the indoors/outdoors swimming pool . For business or pleasure, take advantage of Newark International Airport hotel event facilities featuring over 13,000 sq ft of banquet and meeting space . Experience the Marriott Newark Airport Hotel for impeccable service, modern amenities and a most convenient location at EWR Airport .
|Check-in Policy
|Check-out Policy
|# Of Rooms
|# Of Floors
Fleur de Lis Beach Motel
Wildwood, New Jersey Hotels & Resorts
The Fleur de Lis is located directly on the beach in Wildwood Crest, surrounded by immense natural beauty and a diversity of resort attractions. We pride ourselves in offering thoughtfully appointed homelike accommodations, and friendly service....
Starting at $122 Per Night
Best Western Plus Newark Airport West
Newark, New Jersey Hotels & Resorts
Travel is a breeze when you stay at this Newark, New Jersey hotel just minutes from New York City and the Newark Liberty International Airport. ...
$80 Per Night
Springhill Suites Newark Liberty International Air
Newark, New Jersey Hotels & Resorts
Celebrate life and great travel at Springhill Suites Newark Liberty International Airport. Marriott's studio suite hotel is designed with up to 25 percent ...
$99 Per Night
Courtyard By Marriott Newark Liberty International
Newark, New Jersey Hotels & Resorts
The Courtyard by Marriott Newark Liberty International Airport hotel, near downtown Newark, is also conveniently located two miles from the Prudential ...
$84 Per Night
Fairfield Inn And Suites By Marriott Newark Libert
Newark, New Jersey Hotels & Resorts
The Fairfield Inn and Suites Newark International Airport offers moderately priced accommodations approximately one mile from the airport and about eight ...
$79 Per Night
Hilton Newark Penn Station
Newark, New Jersey Hotels & Resorts
Linked by skywalk to Newark Penn Station, Hilton Newark Penn Station is about a 20-minute train ride from Manhattan approximately four miles from Newark ...
$101 Per Night
Sheraton Newark Airport Hotel
Newark, New Jersey Hotels & Resorts
The warm and friendly staff, trendy atmosphere and cozy accommodations make the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Newark Airport an awesome choice for business...
$79 Per Night
Wyndham Garden Hotel Newark
Newark, New Jersey Hotels & Resorts
This Wyndham Garden Hotel is located at Newark International Airport (EWR), directly across from the terminals, and discount shopping malls. ...
$89 Per Night
Howard Johnson Hotel Newark Airport
Newark, New Jersey Hotels & Resorts
This economy-class lodging option for visitors to Newark is located approximately a half-mile from the Newark International airport. ...
$56 Per Night
Comfort Suites Newark
Newark, New Jersey Hotels & Resorts
This affordable lodging option for visitors to Newark, NJ, is located approximately two miles from Rutgers University and about four miles from the Newark ...
$100 Per Night
CoCo Key Water Resort
Burlington, New Jersey Water Parks
With more than 55,000 sq. ft. of indoor water park, 150,000 gallons of water, a state of the art arcade and multiple dining options, CoCo Key Water Resort and The Hotel ML have A LOT to offer!...
Delaware River Tubing and Jet Boat Tours
Frenchtown, New Jersey Tubing
"Spend a Day, Not a Fortune!" Come tubing, rafting, canoeing, or kayaking down the Delaware River and enjoy a FREE BBQ meal halfway on your trip at "The Famous River Hot Dog Man" with picnic tables in the water, next to a privately owned island....
Starting at $24 Per Trip
Parasailing In Historic Cape May, N.J. with E.C.P
Cape May, New Jersey Parasailing
Experience the high-flying thrill, panoramic views and pure excitement of parasailing at the Jersey Shore. Come soar 500' over the beautiful Atlantic onboard the CHUTEFACED or HUNGOVER. The Shore's natural high is a phone call away. Call Today!!!!...
$50 Per Person
Cape May Whale Watcher
Cape May, New Jersey Whale Watching
The Cape May Whale Watcher is the Largest and fastest whale watching boat in Southern New Jersey, and the only boat to guarantee marine mammal sightings. We offer both whale and dolphin watching trips, three trips daily. We also do large group tours....
$25 Per Trip
AdventureTours in NJ
High Point State Park, New Jersey Sight-Seeing Tours
NJ Adventure Tours is your premier partner in outdoor and indoor fun and adventure in and around the Garden State. Being an avid outdoors man myself, I have the passion and desire to guide all walks of life through the many wonderful and fulfilling e...
$99 Per Person
The Executive Days Inn
Secaucus, New Jersey Hotels & Resorts
A neat hotel conveniently located across the Hudson from Manhattan, with access to New York City via the Lincoln Tunnel. The Executive Days Inn North Bergen New Jersey near New York City and The Meadowlands...
$129 Per Night
Rent a Victorian B&B, 2 blocks to the beach
Jersey Shore, New Jersey Vacation Rentals
Special, our loss, your gain, rent weeks of 6/1, 6/15, 7/13, 7/27 or 8/17 and get a great rate, up to $2000 off!...
Starting at $358 Per Night
Romantic Cape May Getaway at the Mason Cottage B&B
Cape May, New Jersey Bed & Breakfasts
The Mason Cottage is a lovely country Victorian Bed & Breakfast located in the historic town of Cape May, New Jersey - just one block from the beach and 2 blocks from many fine shops and intimate restaurants. ...
$109 Per Night
Carisbrooke Inn Bed & Breakfast
Atlantic City, New Jersey Bed & Breakfasts
Conveniently located just one mile from the excitement of Atlantic City, and a few steps from the beach and world famous boardwalk, Carisbrooke Inn Bed and Breakfast offers the perfect place to unwind and enjoy the pleasures of the Jersey Shore!...
$95 Per Night
Embassy Suites Hotel Piscataway-Somerset
North Jersey, New Jersey Hotels & Resorts
This full-service upscale all-suite hotel is just a short drive from Bridgewater Commons Mall, the Flemington Outlet Center, The Mall at Short Hills, Princeton University, the New Jersey State Aquarium, the New Jersey Performing Arts Center and the N...
$139 Per Night
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Gets a 1 for selection only. Manager Jeff Dimit is a jerk. And a con man. He charges crazy prices and the... more
© 2014 Local Corporation - US Patent 7,231,405
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Holy nostalgia, Batman! In a bold move, DC is launching a Batman comic with new stories inspired by the classic 60's television series! "Batman '66" is written by Jeff Parker with art by Jonathan Case.
Photo credit: DC Facebook
"Batman" starring Adam West and Burt Ward aired from 1966 to 1969 on ABC. The first episode was titled "Hi Diddle Riddle" and featured Frank Gorshin as the Riddler. It was an instant ratings smash. The one hour show aired over two consecutive nights in 30 minute segments.
The first evening's episode always ended in a cliffhanger with Batman and Robin usually facing dire peril. Viewers were encouraged to "Tune into tomorrow! Same Bat-time, same Bat-channel!" The booming voice of the narrator was provided by the show's producer, William Dozier.
"Batman" was insanely popular for a number of reasons. The humor was designed to attract adults. There was plenty of tongue-in-cheek sexual innuendo that went right over the heads of kids. The campiness and social commentary also appealed to 60's hipsters. And who could forget Neal Hefti's "na-na-na-na, Batman" theme?
The appeal to kids was obvious. There was tons of action and adventure. Batman and Robin wore authentic costumes with a fully functioning Batcave, Batmobile, Batcycle, Bat-poles and the rest of their Bat-arsenal.
The villains were over the top and hilarious. atman's Rogues Gallery was portrayed by brilliant veteran character actors such as Cesar Romero (Joker), Burgess Meredith (Penguin) and Julie Newmar (Catwoman). Writers created a few new villains to torment the Caped Crusaders. King Tut (Victor Buono), Egghead (Vincent Price) and Shame (Cliff Robertson) were original characters and unique to the TV show.
Actors were falling over themselves to win roles as villains. There were so many performers clamoring to be on the show that writers created window cameos. The cameos featured actors, as well as characters from other ABC-TV shows, that popped out of windows as Batman and Robin were Bat-climbing the side of a building.
Sadly, the show's ratings were already slipping by 1969. The formula of the show grew old quickly. Producers added Batgirl (Yvonne Craig) in the third season to help boost ratings. It didn't work. The show was cancelled after only three seasons.
The television series has been treated as poison by DC and Warner Brothers for decades. "Batman" was produced by 20th Century Fox, so they hold intellectual property rights on the costumes and characters as they appeared on the show.
Copyright battles still rage over the show, which is why you won't find the series on DVD or Blu-Ray.
I have a few precious memories of watching "Batman" during its original network run on ABC. The show and the resulting 'Batmania' had a tremendous impact on me. I absolutely cannot wait to get my hands on the new comic book and live it all over again.
The first print issue of "Batman '66" hits comic book stores today and retails for $3.99. The first three issues are now available via digital download for $.99 each.
Greg Belfrage is an avid Star Trek fan, serious Batman toy collector and hopeless geek. He hosts the morning show on KELO Newstalk 1320 AM / 107.9 FM.


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Lighter Chicken Pot Pie
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Ingredients: Chicken, mixed vegetables, celery, chicken broth, garlic salt and pepper. Tofu will also be out there for a vegetarian options
In a nonstick saucepan, combine the chicken, mixed vegetables, celery and onion. Add 1 cup of the chicken broth.
Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes.
Taste and season with half the garlic salt and half the pepper.
Get together oat flour, chicken broth, soy milk, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper.
In separate saucepan, over low heat, combine the oat flour and the remaining chicken broth and whisk it together until it thickens. Add soy milk and whisk until smooth.
Cook until mixture turns the color of peanut butter (about 5 minutes)
Add Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper
For cooked chicken and vegetable mixture and cooked sauce mixture.
Add the sauce into the chicken and vegetables.
Pull out pre-made double pie crust and pie pan. The bottom crust will be preset in the pie pan.
Pour chicken and vegetable mixture, then cover with the pastry crust- press the edges down. Trim the edges and make a few slits on top.
Bake for 35 minutes.
FOX 13 / WTVT-TV3213 West Kennedy Blvd.Tampa, Florida 33609Main: (813) 876-1313Newsroom: (813) 870-9630Fax: (813) 871-3135


text: I am looking for stories or advice this is my first pregnancy. and i am having to give birth at 32 weeks or 34 weeks. I know mine will be a c-section. but we are still unsure exactly how. they were talking about putting me to sleep but i would like an epiduril. but my biggest concern is I dont know what to except. and I dont know what to pack in a hospital bag for the baby. and what do i except from nicu. please any little advice will help.


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Chemotherapy after Surgery Benefits Some Lung Cancer Patients
A new study adds to growing evidence that patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) may benefit from a course of chemotherapy after their tumors have been removed surgically.
Patients who received chemotherapy as early as possible following surgery lived significantly longer than similar patients who had surgery alone, according to findings in the June 23 New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM).
After 5 years, 69 percent of the patients who had surgery and chemotherapy were alive, as compared to 54 percent of the surgery-alone group. Overall, the median survival for the chemotherapy and surgery group was 94 months as compared to 73 months for patients in the surgery-alone group. Read more
Guest Update by Dr. Dinah Singer
Protein Structures: A Key to Unknown Treasures
It took Dr. Max Perutz 22 years to determine the structure of hemoglobin, for which he was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1962. Today, thanks to extraordinary technological advances, including advances in x-ray crystallography techniques initially developed by Dr. Perutz, some protein structures can now be determined in a matter of hours. And, as we are learning, this research is becoming an essential component of developing new cancer treatments.
Yesterday, at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory outside of Chicago, a ceremony was held to dedicate the first of three new macromolecular crystallography beamlines at Argonne's Advanced Photon Source (APS) synchrotron. This synchrotron produces the most powerful radiation in the Western Hemisphere. The National Cancer Institute (NCI) teamed with the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) and DOE to fund the beamlines' construction and took a lead role in facilitating the construction process. As part of our partnership with NIGMS, NCI receives dedicated time on the beamlines for its researchers. Read more
Chemotherapy after Surgery Benefits Some Lung Cancer Patients
A new study adds to growing evidence that patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) may benefit from a course of chemotherapy after their tumors have been removed surgically.
Patients who received chemotherapy as early as possible following surgery lived significantly longer than similar patients who had surgery alone, according to findings in the June 23 New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM).
After 5 years, 69 percent of the patients who had surgery and chemotherapy were alive, as compared to 54 percent of the surgery-alone group. Overall, the median survival for the chemotherapy and surgery group was 94 months as compared to 73 months for patients in the surgery-alone group.
"These results are extremely good news for lung cancer patients," says Dr. Timothy Winton of the University of Alberta, who led the study. "We thought that intervening with an effective chemotherapy regimen after surgery might have long-term benefits for relatively healthy patients, but the findings far exceeded our expectations."
The randomized trial included 482 patients with early stage NSCLC in Canada and the United States. The chemotherapy, which began about 6 weeks after surgery, consisted of two drugs, vinorelbine and cisplatin, given intravenously over 4 to 6 months. Chemotherapy after surgery is common in treating breast and colon cancers, but early lung cancer trials failed to show that chemotherapy helped patients, and its use has been controversial until now.
Unlike those trials, this one included only patients with minimal symptoms who were likely to tolerate the chemotherapy. The trial also used a more active chemotherapy regimen than some of the older studies, and postoperative radiation was not given.
"We believe the strategy of focusing on a select patient group shortly after surgery was critical to achieving the results," says Dr. Winton, who first presented findings from the study at the 2004 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) annual meeting.
Dr. Katherine M.W. Pisters of the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center attended the ASCO presentation, and she initially had trouble believing the results. The study's 31 percent reduction in the risk of death for the chemotherapy group "is unheard of in lung cancer," she explains.
Dr. Pisters wrote a commentary in NEJM entitled "Adjuvant Chemotherapy for Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer - The Smoke Clears," a reference to the controversy that she argues is now over based on the results of this and at least two other trials.
"There is no longer any question that postoperative chemotherapy improves survival for these patients," says Dr. Pisters. "This really does work, and it's not controversial anymore."
Both Dr. Pisters and Dr. Winton say that more patients with early-stage NSCLC are receiving chemotherapy because of these clinical trials, though no statistics are available.
With the results published in a high-profile journal read by many physicians, the trend is likely to continue. It will help that two professional organizations, the American College of Chest Physicians and ASCO, are revising their treatment guidelines for physicians to make this the new standard of care for patients with early-stage NSCLC.
"The preponderance of evidence from the relevant clinical trials supports the consideration of chemotherapy following surgery" for these patients, notes Dr. Janet Dancey of NCI's Cancer Therapy Evaluation Program.
By Edward R. Winstead
Guest Update by Dr. Dinah Singer
Protein Structures: A Key to Unknown Treasures
It took Dr. Max Perutz 22 years to determine the structure of hemoglobin, for which he was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1962. Today, thanks to extraordinary technological advances, including advances in x-ray crystallography techniques initially developed by Dr. Perutz, some protein structures can now be determined in a matter of hours. And, as we are learning, this research is becoming an essential component of developing new cancer treatments.
Yesterday, at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory outside of Chicago, a ceremony was held to dedicate the first of three new macromolecular crystallography beamlines at Argonne's Advanced Photon Source (APS) synchrotron. This synchrotron produces the most powerful radiation in the Western Hemisphere. The National Cancer Institute (NCI) teamed with the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) and DOE to fund the beamlines' construction and took a lead role in facilitating the construction process. As part of our partnership with NIGMS, NCI receives dedicated time on the beamlines for its researchers.
The synchrotron, one of only a handful in the United States, is a powerful tool for deciphering the structure of proteins involved in cancer and other diseases that affect hundreds of millions of people around the world. The new experimental facility includes several novel design features, including the ability to split a single beamline into two without sacrificing intensity - effectively doubling its work capacity.
Although we have become increasingly adept at identifying cancer-related genes and the proteins they produce, there is still much to be learned about cellular mechanisms, the effects of mutant proteins on these mechanisms, and how to design agents that can effectively disrupt these proteins' aberrant behavior. That is why NCI, with funds from the Division of Cancer Biology, has partnered with NIGMS to develop the new beamlines. By advancing efforts to elucidate protein structures, we believe we can bridge that knowledge gap.
Structural biology research has already helped generate important advances in our understanding of transcription, translation, DNA repair, cell death (apoptosis), and protein degradation mechanisms. It also is beginning to play an important role in drug development, as was the case with the development of two agents that have demonstrated the ability to overcome resistance to the targeted agent imatinib (Gleevec). Only after researchers solved the structure of imatinib bound to BCR-ABL could agents be developed that bind to the mutated forms of BCR-ABL to which imatinib can no longer bind.
Progress in this area has been exponential. NIGMS' Protein Structure Initiative has given rise to important technological advancements and generated the structures of 1,000 (primarily bacterial) proteins. And last month, an Anglo-Canadian effort, the Structural Genomics Consortium, reported that, in less than 1 year, it had determined the structures of 50 complex proteins relevant to human diseases, including cancer.
We're glad to be part of such an exciting effort that will help untangle mysteries scientists have pondered for many years. We believe that this research will generate many important advances that move us closer to the 2015 goal.
Sunlight and Cancer:
Testing the Vitamin D Hypothesis
The beaches will be packed this Fourth of July weekend, and dermatologists can only hope that people will wear sunscreen and avoid the sunburns that increase the risk of skin cancer later in life.
While the ultraviolet radiation in sunlight can harm skin, it also stimulates the production of vitamin D, and some researchers are now investigating whether vitamin D may have a role in preventing or treating cancer.
The hypothesis that vitamin D may reduce cancer risk is based in part on studies showing that vitamin D deficiency is associated with an increased prevalence of cancer, and on evidence that vitamin D, when converted into a hormone, promotes the normal growth of cells and has anticancer properties.
"Many pharmaceutical companies are interested in developing the vitamin D hormone or analogues for use in cancer treatment," says Dr. Anthony Norman of the University of California, Riverside, who is a leader of the Vitamin D Workshop, a group of researchers that meets every 3 years.
The group cosponsored a 3-day meeting on vitamin D and cancer at NCI last November, where participants stressed the need for a new analysis of all of the studies, both positive and negative, on vitamin D and cancer risk.
A summary paper on the NCI meeting to be published this fall in the Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology reports that there was general agreement that vitamin D deficiency is associated with a higher prevalence of cancer (and several other diseases), and that the vitamin D hormone can decrease the proliferation of cells and control malignant cell growth.
Most important, perhaps, the participants saw a need for larger studies that could begin to address the many unresolved questions for the field, and they said "academia, public funding agencies, and industry should urgently design appropriate studies to better define the causal relationship between vitamin D nutrition and cancer."
The current information about vitamin D can be confusing. The skin manufactures vitamin D after exposure to ultraviolet radiation, yet dermatologists say that no amount of sun exposure is safe because ultraviolet radiation can cause skin cancer. The amount of vitamin D that might help prevent cancer, if any, is not known.
Nor is it known just how much or how little sunlight is needed to replenish stores of vitamin D because the answer varies depending on the season, a person's skin color (the process takes longer for people with darker skin), a person's distance from the equator, and clothing.
"If you want to increase your vitamin D levels, the safest way is to take supplements," says Dr. Sue Ingles of the University of Southern California, who co-authored a new study on sunlight and advanced prostate cancer among men in San Francisco.
The study found that the risk of prostate cancer was reduced by 50 percent in men who had high levels of sun exposure during their lifetimes, compared with men who had low lifetime levels. The study, in the June 15 Cancer Research, included 450 white men with advanced prostate cancer and 455 healthy white men.
"A risk reduction of 50 percent is quite large, given how little is known about what men can do to prevent prostate cancer," says co-author Dr. Esther John of the Northern California Cancer Center. "It will be important to see if other studies replicate these results."
Most of the risk factors for prostate cancer are things that cannot be changed, such as growing older, being African American, and having a family history of the disease. A vitamin D deficiency, on the other hand, may be a modifiable risk factor.
"It would be profoundly important for public health if vitamin D could prevent some prostate cancers," says co-author Dr. Gary G. Schwartz of the Wake Forest University Comprehensive Cancer Center in North Carolina. "Vitamin D is safe, inexpensive, and available, and there's no need to get it from sunlight."
The researchers detected an even greater risk reduction among men in the high-exposure group who had certain forms of a gene involved in regulating vitamin D.
"What's interesting here is that it was the combination of sun exposure and genetic variants that made the difference," says Dr. John. "The field is moving toward trying to understand the combined effects of genetic and nongenetic factors, but you need large studies to detect these effects."
The researchers expect to publish results from larger studies now underway involving more Caucasians, as well as African Americans and Hispanics, in northern and southern California.
In October, the Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology is slated to publish 25 papers representing the proceedings of the vitamin D/cancer meeting held in November 2004.
By Edward R. Winstead
BSA Approves Proteomics Initiative
NCI's Board of Scientific Advisors (BSA) yesterday approved the Clinical Proteomics Technologies Initiative, a $104 million program aimed at optimizing current proteomics technologies and developing the new technologies, reagents, systems, and working consortia to significantly advance the field of cancer proteomics research. At its last meeting in March, BSA deferred action on the initiative, requesting that NCI staff work with a board subcommittee to further refine and develop the proposal to address several specific issues.
That process, noted subcommittee chair Dr. Joe Gray, director of the Division of Life Sciences at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, generated a superior product that addressed the issues raised by BSA.
"The revised proposal reflecting BSA's input builds on a 2-year process that sought feedback from the research community through workshops and meetings," said Dr. Anna Barker, NCI deputy director for Advanced Technologies and Strategic Partnerships. "We heard over and over again from across the cancer research enterprise that we need to provide the community with specific support to advance the field of proteomics," Dr. Barker stated, especially in the areas of technology, reagents, bioinformatics, and data standards to ensure reproducibility and comparability of data.
The initiative, she added, is not "all encompassing." Rather, it's "a step forward," meant to bring the field of proteomics "to a point where we can move ahead … hopefully very quickly."
The initiative, explained Dr. Greg Downing, director of NCI's Office of Technology and Industrial Relations, encompasses a three-pronged strategy:
Following is a newly released NCI research funding opportunity:
Diet Induced Changes in Inflammation as Determinants of Colon Cancer
The goal of this PA concept is to foster innovative research that will identify and characterize diet-induced changes in inflammation and colon cancer risk. This PA does not encompass epidemiological studies.
This funding opportunity will use the NIH investigator-initiated research project grants (R01) and exploratory/developmental (R21) award mechanisms. For more information, see http://cri.nci.nih.gov/4abst.cfm?initiativeparfa_id=2824. Inquiries: Dr. Young S. firstname.lastname@example.com.
For comprehensive information about NCI funding priorities and opportunities, go to http://www.cancer.gov/researchandfunding.
The NIH Roadmap for Medical Research Funding provides a framework of the priorities NIH must address to optimize its research portfolio. It identifies the most compelling opportunities in three main areas: new pathways to discovery, research teams of the future, and re-engineering the clinical research enterprise. For information on additional Roadmap funding opportunities, go to http://nihroadmap.nih.gov
Outpatient Treatment for Older Patients with AML
Name of the Trial
Principal Investigators
Why Is This Trial Important?
In this study, researchers are testing a new drug called tipifarnib (Zarnestra) to treat patients aged 70 or older who have AML and who are not eligible for standard treatment. Tipifarnib belongs to a class of drugs called farnesyltransferase inhibitors, which inhibit the biochemical signals that tell cancer cells to grow.
"In a previous clinical trial, about 20 percent of AML patients treated with tipifarnib achieved a complete response, and an additional 15 percent achieved partial response," said Dr. Erba. "Those who responded to tipifarnib experienced better survival rates.
"Tipifarnib has several advantages over standard treatments. It is administered orally, which allows patients to be treated in an outpatient setting, and it is generally well tolerated," added Dr. Erba. "We believe that this study represents a novel approach to treating AML in patients who are not eligible for or cannot tolerate standard treatments."
Who Can Join This Trial?
Where Is This Trial Taking Place?
Contact Information
An archive of "Featured Clinical Trial" columns is available at http://cancer.gov/clinicaltrials/ft-all-featured-trials.
Thinking About Complementary and Alternative Medicine, a new brochure from NCI, helps cancer patients and their families find information on this often confusing topic. The booklet is a joint project between NCI's Offices of Education and Special Initiatives and Cancer Complementary and Alternative Medicine and the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Written in plain language, it is designed to help cancer patients, caregivers, and health professionals find reliable CAM information and resources.
NCI conducted focus groups and interviews with patients who used complementary treatment with, or instead of, conventional treatment. As a result, the booklet identifies the major CAM domains, provides guidance on evaluating the available cancer CAM information, identifies reliable government sources for CAM information, and gives advice on how to speak with conventional health care providers about CAM and find a suitable CAM practitioner.
Thinking About Complementary and Alternative Medicine is available online at http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/thinking-about-CAM. Free copies can also be ordered online or by phone at 1-800-4-CANCER (1-800-422-6237).
Science Writers' Seminar Highlights Blood-Borne Cancers
Web Site Matches Patients to Trials
Breast cancer patients enter their cancer histories into BCT's secure online database. They are then matched with trials for which they may be eligible. Clinical trial staff make the final determination as to whether a patient is accepted for a trial.
The pilot launch of BCT includes only trials located in the greater San Francisco Bay Area and Sacramento, Calif., but is open to all U.S. patients. For more information, go to http://www.breastcancertrials.org.
New Booklets Available
The series of 25 booklets is intended to answer the questions of cancer patients and their families about symptoms, diagnosis, staging, and treatment. Some booklets in the series are as long as 75 pages, and several are available in Spanish.
State Cancer Control Plans: The Science of Collaboration
In Michigan, they have a plan: By the end of the decade, the number of new cases of invasive cervical cancer will be slashed by 50 percent. In the same time frame, 80 percent of women in the state will receive an age- and risk-appropriate screening for breast cancer via clinical breast examination and mammography. The Great Lake state has similar hopes for colorectal cancer screening. And if health care providers in Michigan are unclear about the appropriate screening recommendations for these cancers, they can visit the Michigan Cancer Consortium Web site and print off a concise one-page summary of screenings, the age at which they should begin, and their recommended frequency.
All of this is part of Michigan's state cancer control plan, developed by the Michigan Cancer Consortium over the past decade with input from its 80-plus members which, among others, include health insurers, major medical centers, advocacy groups, and two NCI-designated Cancer Centers.
In partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) National Comprehensive Cancer Control Program (NCCCP), all states are currently developing or implementing comprehensive cancer control plans, as are U.S. territories and a growing number of tribes. According to Dr. Jon Kerner, deputy director, Research Dissemination and Diffusion, in the NCI Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences, comprehensive cancer control is an emerging model that involves a broad range of activities to integrate research with practice to maximize the impact of limited resources.
The development and implementation of state cancer control plans has been driven in large part by national partnerships between public- and private-sector stakeholders, including NCI, CDC, the American Cancer Society (ACS), C-Change, the American College of Surgeons, and a number of other national organizations. As is the case in Michigan, NCI-designated Cancer Centers often participate at the state level.
With funds from NCCCP and other sources, explains Dr. Kerner, state, tribal, and territorial health agencies develop individual cancer plans to address their own unique cancer burden and resources.
"As they implement cancer plans, they integrate expertise and efforts from many disciplines, including population science, clinical and basic research, public health and clinical practice, health education, public policy, and health communication," he says.
Among other things, NCI has provided support to NCCCP to train state teams on the principles and practice of integrating cancer control science with comprehensive cancer control plans, and collaborated with CDC, ACS, and other federal agencies on the development of Cancer Control PLANET, a Web-based portal that provides tools and resources to help states design, implement, and evaluate evidence-based comprehensive cancer control programs.
When it comes to cancer control planning, Dr. Kerner stresses, collaboration continues to be key.
"We're enhancing our investments in interagency collaborations," he says. "Not only does it reduce duplication of effort, but it's really serving to integrate science with service across the cancer control continuum."


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SEATTLE - The man who was
arrested near the University of Washington Wednesday night
with a truck full of weapons made his first court appearance Friday.
Justin Miles Jasper was pulled over and arrested the night of July 3 after police spotted him driving a pick-up that had been reported stolen in Butte, Montana. After searching the truck, investigators found a long rifle with a scope, a double-barrel shotgun, six Molotov cocktails, two 10-inch knives, one 6-inch knife, a machete, and military grade body armor.
"I have to find that there is a serious threat for the safety of the community," said Judge Arthur Chapman during Friday's proceedings. "Having an assembled Molotov cocktail appears to communicate to this court an eminent threat."
Citing that Jasper was threat to the community and a high flight risk, the judge set bail at $2 million.
It was also revealed in court that Jasper had anti-government literature in the truck, along with detailed maps of three college campuses: University of Washington, South Seattle Community College, and Seattle University. That news alarmed some students.
"It is frightening to feel like you have to watch your back at school," said UW student John Nonato.
Investigators, including detectives from the FBI, also found a podcast that might spell out Jasper's plans for a revolution.
"In the podcast, Mr. Jasper asks, 'Who is supporting the Brazilian revolution?'" said prosecutor Andrew Hamilton. "He goes on to say, 'Because I know I am. I don't know where, but somewhere in the western United States, I'm going to make sure people understand and notice.'"
Police say the truck and guns were stolen from a man in Montana with whom Jasper had been living for the last month. The man is a truck driver, and called police after he returned home Wednesday morning from a long trip to find his pickup and guns missing.
Jasper previously lived in Las Vegas, where records show he had no criminal history.
He does appear to leave a digital footprint which includes a blog with anti-government sentiments and a video posted a few days ago with no sound, only him smiling at a desk burning a $5 bill.


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By JENNIFER PELTZ | AP
NEW YORK (AP) - If Eliot Spitzer and Anthony Weiner are turning the city's elections into a turnoff, someone might want to tell the voters.
Both the post-scandal candidates are making strong showings in their respective races, a poll showed Monday.
Spitzer tops Democratic rival Scott Stringer in the city comptroller's race by a commanding 48-33% among registered Democrats, while Weiner is about even with his closest rival Christine Quinn - 25% to 22% - in the crowded Democratic mayoral field, according to the Quinnipiac University poll.
Weiner is seeking the mayor's job after resigning from Congress over lewd tweets he sent to several women. Spitzer is trying to become city comptroller after stepping down as governor in a prostitution imbroglio.
Monday's survey was the first to gauge both contests since Spitzer splashed into the comptroller's campaign a week ago.
Some political experts have said they could hurt each other's chances by turning discussions of the campaigns into sex scandal central, potentially leaving voters with a sort of forgiveness fatigue.
But instead, both seem to be benefiting from the swarm of attention - however harsh some may be, said the poll's director, Maurice "Mickey" Carroll.
"They're all over the tabloids, so, clearly, that notoriety has produced a certain celebrity. Celebrity, presumably, has produced - at least in the polls - support," he said.
"Will that support hang on? . We'll see."
Some voters may be relating to the men's views of themselves as now-outsiders shaking up campaigns, or to their narratives of seeking redemption, said political science professor Douglas Muzzio.
"It's almost like elections as psychotherapy, but it seems to be working," he said.
The poll surveyed 738 registered city Democrats between July 8 and 14, and its margin of error is 3.6%age points.
For two men whose candidacies prompted women's advocates to hold a news conference last week denouncing them, both drew healthy support from women Democrats in the poll.
Some 44% chose Spitzer compared to 32% for Stringer, while Weiner got 21% to Quinn's 22%. Quinn, the City Council speaker, is the only woman in the mayor's race.
Still, there are signs voters may have misgivings about the comeback candidates.
More respondents view Spitzer unfavorably than favorably, 50% to 45%. And while Weiner's favorable-unfavorable rating is 42% to 36%, another 18% say they haven't heard enough to make up their minds.
Spitzer said in a statement that the poll results were gratifying, while stressing that he "didn't take a poll to enter this race."
Stringer didn't immediately comment, though his campaign sent out a news release saying his campaign had raised more than $183,000 in the last four days. Currently the Manhattan borough president, he had been strongly favored in the comptroller's race before Spitzer launched his self-financed bid.
Weiner - whose campaign raised more than $800,000 in the last two months, the city Campaign Finance Board said Monday - also didn't immediately comment. Some rivals downplayed the numbers.
"The polling in this race will continue to change from week to week," said Quinn spokesman Mike Morey, adding that "what won't change" is what she can offer voters from her experience.
The poll also found former city Comptroller Bill Thompson at 11% among registered Democrats.
Quinnipiac's last poll, which fell shortly after Thompson scored a key endorsement in late June, had him near a three-way tie in the high teens with Quinn and Weiner. Now, he's closer to Public Advocate Bill de Blasio at 10% and current Comptroller John Liu at 7%. Former City Councilman Sal Albanese gets 1%.
"Bad early polls don't freak me out; good early polls don't make me dance," said Thompson campaign manager Jonathan Prince. Thompson has noted that 2009 polls significantly underestimated how close he ultimately came to unseating Mayor Michael Bloomberg that year.
Bloomberg is term-limited and stepping down this year.
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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Does your Sagittarius pet seem to be having a good time all the time? That's because this is the happy-go-lucky pet of the Zodiac, always playful and jumping around and letting their master know just how delighted they are to be in their home.
Extremely energetic as well, this is a pet that would much rather be out of doors, catching the frisbee in the park or playing with the birds in the trees. This is an animal that can't stand to be cooped up, so don't lock it in a car, home, or stall if at all possible.
What the Sag pet excels at is being a scout. That St. Bernard on a mountain trail, barrel around its neck? A Sag, for sure! Bring your Sag pet with you when you hit the (hiking) trail or go camping, as they are sure to enhance the experience.
As Sagittarius is the Sign of Freedom, be sure that Fido has plenty of room to roam -- these animals like to wander off and enjoy getting plenty of exercise while they're at it. That said, they will always remember that they're part of a family unit, so you needn't worry that Kitty won't return from those nocturnal adventures.
Finally, the Sag pet is great with kids, so when it's time for that summer vacation, be sure to bring 'em along!
Unlock the principles of karma and transform your future with a free sample Karma Reading from Astrology.com.
*DISCLAIMER*: The information contained in or provided through this site section is intended for general consumer understanding and education only and is not intended to be and is not a substitute for professional advice. Use of this site section and any information contained on or provided through this site section is at your own risk and any information contained on or provided through this site section is provided on an "as is" basis without any representations or warranties.


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Palm oil, Robocop and the sad saga of Detroit
User Rating:
Written By Olivia Williamson
Friday, 26 July 2013
The script for Robocop, a hi-tech story of decline, had a note doodled on top of the first page. It read: "The future left Detroit behind!"
As screenwriter Ed Neumeirer recalls, it had been a prescient message. That statement has never been more relevant to the American city, after it filed the biggest municipal bankruptcy in U.S. history earlier this month with debts around $18 billion. Neumeier notes that Robocop was, and still is, a metaphor "to show the economic decline in America." He said: "The reason Detroit is crucial is actually because it's facing a commercial blight you can imagine happening in lots of places."
The cradle of auto production in the 1950s and home to the likes of Ford and GM, Detroit was once considered the engine of the American economy. But production saw a pointed decline in the 1980s when Japan appeared as a worldwide finance heavyweight and its automakers started to provide cruel competition. Decades of stagnation ended in an $80 billion US government rescue for the auto industry between 2008-2010. Today, Detroit is a shadow of the commercial boomtown it once was. In 2012, Forbes named it the most perilous US town and the most unhappy for 2013.
If we examine the causes of Detroit's meltdown, the reasons are obvious. Decades of decay and denial with corrupt politicians using Asia as the convenient scapegoat for all the ills facing the city's auto industry's decline.
A parallel can be drawn with how the EU is dealing with the onslaught of palm oil into EU markets. Rather than celebrate the fact that the ultra- yielding palm oil could be the panacea to the ills facing EU industry with a source of cheap oil, the European Commission (EC) elected to assemble a rat pack in their Environment Directorate to bring a halt to the growth of palm oil.
More Vile Attempts to Erect Palm Oil Trade Barriers in Europe
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Written By Simon Williams
Friday, 19 July 2013
There have been many historical recounts of underdogs triumphing over giants and these stories now largely serve as motivation for all who face a seemingly hopeless situation. From the biblical times there is of course the story of David and Goliath, a classic story of how the little guy can stand up to the big bully and come out on top.
In more recent times there is the story of the palm oil industry taking on the might of several established Non-Governmental Groups and their unscrupulous donor governments. Taking on the might of the European Commission and NGOs such as Friends of the Earth, Greenpeace, World Wildlife Fund, and the Rainforest Action Network is no easy feat, especially for a product that is grown in countries with very limited media resources in the developing world.
The true story behind the green NGO's palm oil smear campaigns
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Written By Simon Williams
Friday, 12 July 2013
Once upon a time in some tropical lands far, far away lived a flourishing edible oils industry which grew to provide jobs for many thousands of the residents in the developing lands. The workers, appointed organizations, and the government of these lands worked together to ensure that the success of palm oil did not endanger the wildlife living off these lands or cause any significant damage to the environment.
But then one day along came some spurious Non-governmental organizations from foreign lands spreading tales of forestry and environmental doom and gloom supposedly as a result of palms oil's success. These NGOs did not take the time to look at the real state of affairs in the palm industry, or take into account all the conservation work that was being done in these tropical lands.
Quote of The Day
As to marriage or celibacy, let a man take which course he will, he will be sure to repent it. - Socrates


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BELLS, PEOPLE, ANIMALS AND LAND Manuscaript version of a lecture given at Merrill-Cazier Library, Logan, Utah 28 October 2009 by Thad Box First, let me thank the Friends of the Merrill-Cazier Library for asking me to give this talk. We are especially indebted to Barbara Middleton and Randy Williams who took a rambling interview with me and a bunch of old bells and made the special educational exhibit that is in the Library. I have been surprised at the many comments from people who saw the notices. My friend Kit Flannery, an artist from Hyde Park, wrote: "I remember 6 in. X10 in. bells on embroidered bands around necks of Lichtenstein cattle being taken off the Alps, "Remember belled cats that perhaps only once or twice worked to scare off birds, who tuned them out and became aware of surroundings, or not. "Remember in Turkey, garlanded harnesses of farm horses for maybe no reason except decoration, and braided strands of camel bells galore in Morocco. Sleighbells from my ancestors' means to winter errands were one of the only (and bison robe) items I coveted (didn't get). "Beat-emphasizing bell wristlets & anklets on any number of indigenies from Borneo to Madagascar to Americas. Bells in Hindu-Buddhist Temples in AngorWat and Thailand summoning spirits ; and in R(oman) C(atholic) churches announcing solemn parts. And rung in bell towers of christian churches in half the world." I thank Kit for summarizing the worldwide use of bells today. I could just read her comments and sit down. But I won't. As an old schoolteacher, I'm not going to waste a chance to talk to a captive audience about the land. (Walking away from the podium and speaking in his father's voice) LISTEN, MARY. WATER GAP MUST OF WASHED OUT. I HEAR OL POLLY'S BELL OVER THERE WHERE ALL THEM WILD ONIONS GROW. MILK AIN'T GONNA BE FIT TO DRINK. LET THE CALF HAVE IT ALL IN THE MORNING. OR FEED IT TO THE HOGS. ME'N'THADIS WILL FIX THE GAP THIS EVENING AFTER HE GETS HOME FROM SCHOOL. As I grew up in Texas, bells were our GPS units that told us where our livestock were. They were like cell phones that signaled when our livestock were at peace or notified us when they were in danger. As a child, I lay awake nights listening to the tinkle of goat bells in nearby hills. I was happy. All was well. But some nights I would be awakened by a chorus of clanging bells, goats bleating and Dad pulling on his boots. That was often followed by blasts from Dad's 10 gauge shotgun. Mother and I would wait to find out how many goats had been maimed and killed. Or if Dad killed a coyote. Or a feral hog. Or if we had to explain to a neighbor why Dad shot his dog. Years later I was part of a United Nations livestock team in Somalia. The people I worked with spoke a language I did not understand, their skin was a different color, they worshiped God differently and they had no concept of how I lived my life. I struggled for a way to relate to them. One moonlight night I lay awake in a Nomad camp staring up a peaceful sky with both the big dipper and the southern cross visible. Camel outlines moved against the sky. The gentle sound of wooden bells broadcast songs of peace. Then bells rattled, camels ran, rocks rolled down the hillside. Herders were on their feet, shouting, brandishing spears in the air, running toward the camels. The hyena, lion or thief that startled the camels got away. But I realized these livestock people were only superficially different from those who raised me. In both our cultures, we were co-dependent on our animals. The next day, I talked one of the herders out of a camel bell. Over then next few months, I bartered pencils and bandanas for bells. That was the start of piles of bells. I'm not a collector. But people give me bells with stories— a bell that was on sheep killed by a mudslide in Montana, a Condamine cowbell from Queensland, a French bell given to me by the Utah Woolgrowers that arrived in Utah with a Basque sheepherder, an ox bell lost near the Temple sawmill. Tonight I will talk about physical items that help identify cultural traditions of land use. I'll discuss briefly the evolution of bells through time, the worldwide spread of bells and relate bells to the European settlement and land use in the United States. I'll talk some about animal bells for other uses and leave time for your comments and questions My thesis is simple. Utilitarian objects used every day by people of a given culture give an indication of how they relate to the land. Bells are one of those tools that give us the understanding that we are part of the land. Bells are used every where livestock are raised. But there are other tools as well. Walking sticks or guide sticks are used to control animals, ward off predators, and signal to other pastoralists. Shepherd's crooks are standard anywhere sheep are raised. Special sticks are used to guide draft animals from oxen to elephants. Sticks are also used to show status or tribal affiliation. Dad's old walking stick is a good example. Dad fancied himself as a livestock trader. He carved his cow brand on his stick, not his name. He used it to pen animals, as a prod to load them, to catch and hold them to examine teeth for age or check condition by feel. But most of all he carried this particular kind of hickory stick to signify that he was a serious trader. Knives are common as a tool for surgery on beast and person, repair of equipment, survival. But knives most important use may be whittling where they became a tool to show one belonged to the culture, to aid discussion or show intention during negotiation. Whittling was not always limited to wood and a knife. Hershel Bell was a special kind of whittler. He was a legendary soil conservationist in Texas. He was one of the most successful planners in the entire Soil Conservation Service. He could get landowners to sign up as conservationists and give them an evangelical spirit about the land. Hershel carried the heavy glass base of a coke bottle and a section of a deer antler in his pocket. As he and the rancher talked and toured the ranch, Hershel chipped away on the glass with the antler tip using techniques Indians used to make arrowheads from stone. When they had developed a conservation plan, Hershel handed the rancher a new glass arrowhead he had made. He said, "There's a jewel in every piece of land if you have the eye to see it. Just keep chipping away the unnecessary ugly stuff to get to that jewel." Now back to bells. Bells are some of the earliest tools in animal agriculture. In its most primitive form, animal agricultural demonstrates that people are part of the land, not a superior organism standing outside the biotic system. It took ecologists a long time to come to that concept. Pastoralists knew that from the beginning. The African pastoral culture is one such system where one can see people as part of the land. I went to Somalia at the end of a long drought. People were thin, their skin dull and scaly. When the rains came and the milk flowed, people fattened up like cows that had wintered hard in central Texas. Their health depended directly on the health of their animals. The animals, in turn, depended on the health of the land. The word for camel bell "kor" is in now in several languages of pastoral tribes in the Horn of Africa. Linguists demonstrate the word existed in a now-extinct root language that was used thousands of years ago. This may mean that bells have been in Africa for at least 5000 years. When I worked with Somalis 42 years ago, the system was much the same as it had been a thousand years earlier. Trade goods from outside the system were rare. The people were part of the biotic community. Their bells came from the land: wooden camel bells, bells made from tortoise shell, and bells from bone. They were attached by collars woven from the inner fiber of acacia trees. Throughout Africa, pastoral nomads still live directly off the land by a commensual relationship between them and their animals The health of the land determines the health of the animals. The health of the people depend on keeping their animals healthy and well fed. This system represents one of the most basic and simple examples that all of us , whether in Africa or Logan, are part of the land. Bells have probably been in Europe since animals were domesticated. Bell factories are some of the earliest recorded businesses in Europe. Factories were making church bells and animal bells by the middle ages. Most animal bells were made by individual blacksmiths. Gypsy metalsmiths sold bells at trades days throughout Europe. Two major types of bells were made. Heavy, cast metal, round bells appeared to be miniature church bells. Lighter bells made from a single sheet of metal were often used for identification, herding and decoration of cattle, sheep, goats, horses and dogs. Bells for decoration of animals, especially at celebrations, became a tradition. Europeans arrived in the Americas with the cultural tradition of using bells. They were met by Native North Americans who had only domesticated turkeys. I find no record of bells on Indian turkeys. There is some indication turkeys were decorated with bright colored feathers or shells, so I would not be surprised if it is proven they had turkey bells. In pre-revolution America animals were fenced out of farms, not fenced in. Bells were used to locate animals on the unfenced areas. Bells made by individual blacksmiths and the design was similar to European bells. America spread westward after the revolution, drawn by military service land bounties or cheap land. Settlers occupied large, unfenced areas. Bells became instruments of settlement and land control. Bells became tools to mark human territories. Bells were no longer used just to locate work stock—oxen and horses. More bells were used on breeding stock, to keep track of them, as alarms to signal the approach of predators and to establish territory. Demand for bells increased. Most American bells were made from single sheets of iron, hand bent and heat welded. They tended to be long, narrow metal bells flared toward the bottom. The first factory made bells were made in New England. Beven Brothers from Connecticut were some of the pioneers. Their factory is still in existence. Their cold-pressed, squarish bells are available for a number of uses other than livestock. As the rangelands west of the Mississippi became open for settlement, the demand for bells increased. The Moore brothers came from Pennsylvania and opened a blacksmith shop in Collinston, Ill. to service coal mines in the area. But the demand for bells was so great that they had little time to do anything except make bells. They developed a design now known as Kentucky cowbells. They sold their business to Christian Blum, an immigrant tinsmith. He patented a "former" and other processes for mass producing bells. He marketed many different sizes of bells, both under his own label and labels of hardware stores and farm suppliers. Most bells used in the western United States between the 1880s and 2000 were probably Blum bells or a knockoff of the Moore/Blum design. Collectively, these bells are referred to as Kentucky Cowbells or simply cowbells. Back east, our nation became more urbanized. More and more people were losing direct contact with the land. Cowbells became used for pointing dogs, musical instruments and recreation. Livestock bells occur on every continent. In Australia they are used on camels, oxen, cattle and sheep. There are some original designs of Australian bells: the Condemine bell and Mieneke bells. But bells there show the influence of American and European bells South American bells are used much like those of Australia and North America. In general bells in South America tend to show a design more like European bells. On the Indian Sub-continent bells are used on camels, cattle, sheep, goats, elephants and water buffalo. In other parts of Asia, I have observed livestock are belled. I have not studied or included them in this talk. The modern use of bells has gone far beyond a tool for animal agriculture. Percussion sections playing most kinds of music have a cowbell. Bell choirs, including one in Cache Valley, perform on special occasions. Hikers wear bells for safety in bear county. Hunters put bells on pointing dogs when hunting in dense cover. Bells are major noise making devices at sporting events. Bells on wind chimes sound from suburban patios. Bells are made for jewelry. One can buy cheap costume bells or those studded by diamonds. Bells are standard devices for advertising and promotion events. Bells with team names are sold as fund raisers for Universities. Obama bells were sold for the last presidential campaign. A special bell was made for his inauguration. There are web sites where you can order and buy bells labeled for any occasion. Unfortunately, Most people who use modern bells do not have a direct tie to the land. They may worry about "the environment" but they don't realize they are really part of the land. I have tried point out that bells are a symbol of co-dependency of two parts of the biotic community we call land. And that in primitive animal agriculture we can see the relationship that demonstrates that people are really part of the land as Aldo Leopold described in his essay on a land ethic. And this concept is now accepted by most ecologists and land managers. LEOPOLD---wrote, "All ethics so far evolved rest on a single premise: that the individual is a member of a community of interdependent parts. His instincts prompt him to compete for his place in that community, but his ethics prompt him also to co-operate (perhaps in order that there may be a place to compete for) In short, a land ethic changes the role of Homo sapiens from a conqueror of the land-community to plain member and citizen of it. It implies respect for his fellow members, and also respect for the community as such." The connection between people, animals and land, in its most primitive setting, is a living example of how humans are part of the land. Most people today look at land as a possession, an investment or a place to park their car. I close by sharing a personal story----the impact of one bell on me, and my quest to keep the College of Natural Resources focused on a land ethic. On January 1, 1970 Jenny, our four children and I moved to Cache Valley for the second time. I accepted the position of Dean of Natural Resources. The following summer our family spent a fair amount of time up Logan Canyon, particularly the School Forest, now known as the Theodore Daniel Experimental Forest. The outings gave us a chance to bond together as a family in a new setting---in a new land foreign to our children. They also provided me an opportunity to let the land speak to me, become one with the land, and give me, a young 40 year old learning to be a dean, guidance in trying to make our college a community work together toward a land ethic. On one outing, I noticed a rusty bell sticking up through the duff on the forest floor. I called the kids over. We unearthed the bell carefully and gouged the composted litter from it. Then I rang it. For the first time in decades its sound moved through the trees. It's sound was not clear and strong, but muffled from many layers of rust. It had lost its voice, but not its power. It would speak to me and to our college for decades. I told our children it was probably lost from an oxen that pulled logs to the Temple sawmill only a few miles away. I told them how the trees had been cut to build houses and tabernacles, stores, barns and temples. Then smaller trees were cut for railroad ties. Others were cut for firewood until the land was bare. We talked about how the grasses and shrubs had been grazed out by uncontrolled, migratory sheep flocks coming from as far as California. And that wildlife was killed. I said it was our job to make the land healthy. The children scattered about, looking for evidence for my story: old stumps, fire scars, pieces of orphan metal, rusted globs where tin cans had become one with pine needles. When we left, the bell was in our picnic basket. That bell became a resident in the Dean's office, where it became a symbol of the mission of a land grant university. It constantly reminded me that we who called ourselves scientists and professors were only ephemeral servants within the land. Some of you may have seen this bell before---in my office, in one of the classes I taught, at my opening message for freshmen or the opening of summer camp or at a faculty retreat. You may have heard me preach that this bell is a rusting symbol of what we humans did to the land, and a durable reminder that we have work yet to do. Aldo Leopold again: A land ethic, then, reflects the existence of an ecological conscience, and this in turn reflects a conviction of individual responsibility for the health of the land. Health is the capacity of the land for self renewal. Conservation is our effort to understand and preserve that capacity." That was the concept that for years motivated the College of Natural Resources to be better than a little college in the desert was funded to be. It reminded us that we, too, were part of the land community. Listen to this sound. (ringing of the bell). Hear in it your personal responsibility for air quality in Cache Valley this winter. Hear your responsibility to keep agriculture healthy and spaces open for all of us to enjoy. Hear its tone when you hike through the forest or attend a public hearing on a new subdivision. Listen to its call for us to understand and adapt to global warming. Personalize your role as a part of the land. Remember your responsibility to the community. Listen,------- land does not belong to us; we belong to the land. With apologies to Hemingway, Ask not for whom this bell tolls; it tolls for thee. Thank you.
Object Description
|Opening remarks for the Bells: Connecting Animals, People and Land Exhibit presented by Thad Box;
|A lecture presented by Thad Box given on October 28, 2009 at the USU Merrill-Cazier Library to open the Bells: Connecting Animals, People and Land Exhibit exhibit;
|Time Period
|Box, Thadis W.;
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|Digitized by : Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library;
|Box, Thadis W.;
|Digital Collection
Bells: Connecting Animals, People and Land
|Reproduction for publication, exhibition, web display or commercial use is only permissible with the consent of the USU Library Exhibit Program Director, phone (435) 797-0893 or the USU Library Folklore Curator, phone (435) 797-3493;
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|Scanned by Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library using Epson Expression 10000 scanner, 8-bit RGB, at 400 dpi. Archival file is uncompressed TIFF (400 dpi); display file is JPEG2000 ;
|Date Digital
|Exhibit Opening Talk
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Aramis Ramirez (knee) will run the bases Monday.
Taijuan Walker will start for the Mariners on Friday night against the Astros.
Sean Doolittle imploded in a big way on Wednesday, allowing five runs while only recording one out in the ninth inning against the Rangers.
C.J. Wilson fired seven shutout innings and yielded only one hit in Wednesday's 5-0 win over the Mariners.
Adam Wainwright threw his third shutout of the season in Wednesday's 2-0 victory over the Brewers.
Francisco Liriano navigated around control problems, allowing one run over six innings to pick up his sixth win of the season on Wednesday against the Red Sox.
Steve Pearce swatted a pair of home runs and knocked in four runs in Wednesday's victory against the Blue Jays.
Carlos Carrasco pitched a two-hitter for his first career shutout Wednesday as the Indians beat the Astros 2-0.
Andrelton Simmons left Wednesday's game after tweaking his ankle and Achilles.
Christian Yelich went 1-for-3 with an RBI double, two walks, and a stolen base in Wednesday's win against the Mets.
X-rays on Jason Heyward's left thumb came back negative.
Brandon McCarthy picked up his eighth win as a Yankee, holding the Rays to two runs over seven innings on Wednesday.


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Hi all,
I am new to the forum and wanted some advice from fellow moms. PE set in fast and furious in my first pregnancy(I had symptoms that went undetected by my doctor around week 20, mainly swelling and occasional indigestion, and then the day before i delivered i developed the whole list of symptoms) and I delivered our daughter Leilani by C-section on October 27th 2011 @ 23wks + 5 days( day 3 of our babymoon). She became our little angel an hour after her birth.
It has been a rough road this past six months. From delivering away from our home, somehow getting pounded at the hospital because i traveled in THAT condition (i had medical clearance to fly and travel), facing questions about how i did not know i was sick, and not being aware of the risks i was taking. Not only did i feel guilty for somehow being responsible for Leilani's death, i felt foolish for not understanding my body and believing my doctor when he said my swelling was normal.
I was told to wait at least 6 months ( i think more for my physical scars to heal) before TTC. During this time i have seen 2 OB-GYN, 1 internal medicine doctor. I have scanned my kidneys, had a heart ECG, done creatinine tests, full blood work, and tested for auto immune diseases, thyroid problems, nephrotic syndrome, and blood clotting disorders. all tests results came out good. I am also trying to lose some weight (i lost all my pregnancy weight after delivery, plus and additional 5 pounds, within days of the c-section) in order to be at a lower starting point ( i am not overweight, and i know this fits into the can't hurt but not proven to help). My BP is currently normal( it took about a week post-partum for me to be able to be stable enough to leave the hospital, and then it was 130/90 for the first month post-partum). it is now 110/70 @ home, and 120/80 @ doctor's office.
My doctor has given me the clear to start trying but both ob-gyn tell me my risks are high for recurrence (one puts it at 50%, the other at 80% due to the severity and early onset i experienced), I am taking 1000mg Calcium, a pre-natal vitamin, and LDA (81mg). His recommendation has been to take the LDA from preconception and during all the pregnancy. I must say I worry a little about taking aspirin during the first trimester thinking i may restrict baby's growth. But i am willing to take the LDA, hoping it will help delay the on-set of PE until much later in the pregnancy (my goals are to make it to 28 weeks/32 weeks/35 weeks/37 weeks)
No one has spoken about LOVENOX or LABETALOL to me, unless i develop high blood pressure i will not be on meds to control the BP.
So my questions are:
- Should i be advocating for LOVENOX and/or LABETALOL from the get go? i really have an aversion to meds and injections, but if this means i can have a baby that will thrive so be it.
- Are there any tests anyone has done to check if they will have PE? at the hospital they told me next time i should request a doppler scan of the uterine arteries at 20 weeks to determine if something is not right with the blood flow/placenta. One doctor i saw post PE told me he does not favor this because then what does one do with the information? it will be a waiting game since patient will know it is coming, but not when...i intend to request this because after my experience i feel like it is best to know everything.
any thoughts on this from people who have taken this scan? how about tests on Placental Growth Factor?
We will be TTC in a couple of months, i am terrified, but we both want a living child so much. Apart from exercising, eating health, taking the supplements and LDA, and trying to keep myself stress free i don't know what else to do. I have also listed cutting my workload after the first trimester, or even taking a leave of absence/resigning as a possibility. All in order to remain calm throughout the future pregnancy. I had a few hectic months last year at work, and my ankles would be like elephant ankles by the time i got home from work. i did elevate them at home, and would wake up fine in the morning.
Thank you so much ladies, any input is so very welcome. I know i need to follow doctor's advice, but your feedback is valuable as women who have experienced PE and then had PE-free pregnancies.


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Field Report: L.A. Noire
Field Reports provide our first-hand experience with the latest games, but should not be considered a review.
Climbing each blood soaked rung of the LAPD's career ladder is a long and difficult process. As Cole Phelps, players will gain first-hand knowledge of this journey, starting at the very bottom of the pack and rising to the top of LA's finest.
Having only received our copy of the Team Bondi-developed action game L.A. Noire yesterday, I felt it important to put down my badge and shield and relay a few thoughts about the recently released game from publisher Rockstar Games.
Though its controls and core environment looks and feels like a Grand Theft Auto game, L.A. Noire is a much different animal. Taking place during the crime-filled era of the late 1940's, L.A. Noire puts players in the shoes of a newly christened police officer looking to make a name for himself. While the game is promoted as an open-world, the initial experience is more akin to playing within a shoe box. The game is small, confined, and structured.
It's comparison to a small area isn't meant to sway a negative reaction, but to prove a point. From the moment Phelps kisses his wife goodbye on his first day as an officer of the law, the game made me feel like I was taking control of a man venturing off to his 9-5 position. The initial stages, which work as a tutorial, place Phelps within reach of a number of cases. Here I learned how to work a crime scene, investigate leads, piece together clues, apprehend suspects, and make them break. Each piece is structured and cutoff from the outside world--a world Team Bondi says is bigger than any world Rockstar has ever been involved with.
Hours later, the experience is much different. As Phelps rises through the ranks he comes across new opportunities. Five hours deep, I'm only now being introduced to elements that exist in the environment--like Cole's desk, which allow him to explore new cases.
The hint of exploration offered to me comes in the form of all-points bulletins that blare out of Cole's squad car. This is where I want the game to expand. I want more options throughout the world, but the initial run of random crime always seems to end the same, brutal way.
In one instance, I found myself chasing a suspect who ends the pursuit by taking a woman hostage in an alley. Though I purposefully attempted to incapacitate him with a shot to the leg, the subsequent in-game cutscene featured the suspect lying dead in a pool of his own blood with a series of well placed shots to the chest. That's not what happened, but that's how it ends. Later another random pursuit ends with someone jumping off a building. Of the handful I've experienced, they have all ended in death. There are more body bags in L.A. Noire than a mortician's freezer, it would seem. That, so far, is disappointing. I'm trying to serve and protect all, aren't I? Unless there was an initiative in the 1940's to actually "paint the town red," I'm not getting satisfaction from those moments.
The later stages of the game could be different. They could be more in line with the actual story's core narrative, which features cases that include actual investigation and arrests. Being able to be a good cop, without shedding blood is the part that I like about L.A. Noire. The core casework included in the game really whets that part of my appetite.
L.A. Noire's facial animation system, the one in which the entire game's interviewing mechanic relies on, was initially impressive. Soon I became concerned that the embellished mannerisms of each interviewee would become stale and obvious. A few hours later my concerns were thrown away. During one interrogation, a suspect stared right at me and barely flinched, but was later proven to be a liar. The game doesn't only rely on facial animation, but listening to how people answer your questions. Overall, it's a challenge that has left me stumped on a few occasions.
I'm about five hours into the game, putting it down after being promoted to Homicide division (the third rung of that career ladder, I mentioned earlier). So far, I'm enjoying my time. The game keeps surprising me. There are hiccups here and there--ones that I will mention in my full review, which will come as soon as I'm done--but L.A. Noire has really got me craving to go back for more.
Also, the game is a constant reminder that I really need to step up my dress code. Those suits are sharp.
This Field Report is based on the PlayStation 3 version of L.A. Noire, provided by Rockstar Games. This is meant only as a first impression of the final game. A full, critical review of the entire game will be posted soon.
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