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When METALLICA's founders James Hetfield and Dave Mustaine came to blows in 1983, there was only one solution: the latter axeman had to bail. Although still coming a close second to his former band, Mustaine's MEGADETH have since become one of the world's biggest attractions, with uncompromising speed-metal always at the core of their hardcore agenda. Personnel arrivals and departures were constant in MEGADETH's nihilistic manifesto, only bassist Dave Ellefson a stalwart until his return-ticket wasn't stamped when the band came back from a two-year hiatus in '04.
Shifting bases from San Francisco to Los Angeles, California, Mustaine and Ellefson rehearsed many a singer until it was decided that the mainman and lyricist himself would take on the role. Lead guitarist Greg Hardevidt and drummer Dijon Carruthers were first to their leave, while respective replacements Kerry King and Lee Rausch also saw out only a few gigs before they were, in turn, superseded by Chris Poland and Gar Samuelson.
Mustaine duly secured the "quick-fire" quartet a deal with the small Combat imprint, although a spending spree of the advance money led to them to cancel the proposed LP producer, leaving them to do the job themselves. Clocking in at under half an hour, MEGADETH's breakneck debut album, KILLING IS MY BUSINESS… AND BUSINESS IS GOOD! (1985) {*6}, kicked off in chaotic aplomb. Taking the aural assault of METALLICA as a template, Mustaine and Co had carved out an even more intense, speed-driven variation on heavy metal, but unlike many of their similarly thrash-obsessed peers, MEGADETH had the instrumental prowess to pull it off. Saving their best for last, the co-Hetfield/Mustaine-scribed `Mechanix' was the set's RUSH-riffed highlight, while at the other end of the spectrum, an ill-advised cursing cover of a LEE HAZLEWOOD song, here as `These Boots', was almost embarrassing.
Signing to Capitol Records, the band followed up the debut with PEACE SELLS… BUT WHO'S BUYING? (1986) {*8}, a paranoid and politically aware record that also drew from elements of the afterlife on planet Earth. `Wake Up Dead', the ALICE COOPER-esque `Peace Sells' and `Devil's Island', were almost punk in their evil, blistering theatrics; the need then for another token cover through WILLIE DIXON's `I Ain't Superstitious', was unwarranted.
Rumours attaining to Mustaine's heroin abuse and unpredictable nature were proved to be confounded when he sacked both Poland and Samuelson; the former musician would later deliver his first of a three sporadic solo albums, "Return To Metalopolis" (1990). Replacing them with Jeff Young and Chuck Behler respectively, MEGADETH returned in early '88 with a fierce cover of The SEX PISTOLS' `Anarchy In The UK', complete with original Brit-punk guitarist, Steve Jones.
Picked out from parent set, SO FAR, SO GOOD… SO WHAT! (1988) {*6}, was the pinnacle of their career thus far, at least in terms of Top 30 sales. Lyrically, Mustaine was as reliably pessimistic as ever; `In My Darkest Hour', `Set The World Afire' and `Hook In Mouth' seeing the frontman wracked with bitterness and frustrated rage. Which possibly accounts for his headlong descent into further substance abuse following the album's success, while the single `Mary Jane' cracked the UK charts.
Mustaine again fired two of his musicians; drummer Nick Menza had been lined-up to deputise for the ailing Behler while on tour. MEGADETH did not surface until their late '89 cover of ALICE COOPER's `No More Mr. Nice Guy' appeared as a single, taken from the horror flick, Shocker; their first UK Top 20 hit. Going on Mustaine's track record, there had never been a "Mr. Nice Guy", although it must be said that new recruits Menza and lead guitarist Marty Friedman (from CACOPHONY) stuck with the band for an unprecedented eight years.
Mustaine and Co obviously got it together enough to record the critically acclaimed Top 30 (UK Top 10) set, RUST IN PEACE (1990) {*8}. While bitter rivals METALLICA were in throes of delivering their "Black Album" magnum opus (unleashed almost a year later!) and while metal was going through an impending grunge phase, MEGADETH gave thrash-metal an impressive makeover by way of some complex and acerbic cuts. Both tracks, `Holy Wars… The Punishment Due' (allegedly named after Mustaine's drunken gaffe during a concert in Antrim, Northern Ireland) and `Hangar 18' (about UFO conspiracy theories), hit the UK Top 30, while there was evidence that writers Mustaine and Ellefson were firing on all cylinders on `Lucretia' and the politically-motivated `Rust In Peace… Polaris'. The latter was an uncannily prescient piece of writing in light of the Gulf War, while `Holy Wars…' was made even more eerie by dint of its wailing Arab-esque embellishments. The whole set was more mature, both musically and lyrically, the virtuosic Friedman ripping out solos at furious speed, note for perfect note as Mustaine tackled subjects that others might've baulked upon.
COUNTDOWN TO EXTINCTION (1992) {*7} featured equally topical lyrical themes, mainly dealing with the danger to the Earth's environment. Musically, the band had inevitably slowed the pace down somewhat; allowing more consideration for melody and structure. With this, MEGADETH scored their biggest success to date, the album reaching No.2 in America, No.5 in Britain. The attendant, `Skin O' My Teeth', recounted Mustaine's brushes with death; rather than banging on about saving the planet (on `Symphony Of Destruction', `Sweating Bullets' and the title track), perhaps Mustaine should have dealt with his own affairs first, as reports began to resurface about his drug problems, which led to cancelled gigs in Japan and a couple of months in rehab.
Whether this marred sessions for the YOUTHANASIA (1994) {*6} album was unclear, but the record did suffer from OTT radio-friendly production. Nevertheless, by the time of the album's release, Mustaine had apparently finally cleaned up in more ways than one, as the masterful effort extracted a transatlantic Top 10 entry that signalled the group was hot on the heels of Dave's old muckers METALLICA. Despite heralding only one UK hit, `Train Of Consequences', it would be a hard task to decipher between the best pieces, `A Tout Le Monde', `Elysian Fields' and the group-penned `I Thought I Knew It All'.
After an odds 'n' sods collection in '95, an MD.45 one-off side-project in 1996, the band returned a few years later with CRYPTIC WRITINGS (1997) {*4}, a disappointing affair that should've served as MEGADETH's epitaph. Incorporating synths and almost embracing the MTV crowd, the set contained no songs worthy of a single release; `Almost Human' and the ambitious `Use The Man' were obvious contenders. Mustaine's MD.45 supergroup project (featuring The FEAR's Lee Ving on vox, bassist Kelly Lemieux and drummer Jimmy DeGrasso) rendered only one set, THE CRAVING (1996) {*6}, a record that did little commercially.
DeGrasso was installed as MEGADETH's new sticksman in 1998, while the band stood their ground for another cocktail of pit-bull metal in the shape of ninth set, RISK (1999) {*4}; another transatlantic Top 30 entry with little to shout about but for its melodic, streamlined AOR.
Having signed off from Capitol via an obligatory "best of" package, CAPITOL PUNISHMENT: THE MEGADETH YEARS (2000) {*8}, the revolving door group – Friedman had lost his place to ex-SAVATAGE axeman Al Pitrelli – signed a deal with BMG side-line Sanctuary (Metal-Is in the UK), although the disappointing THE WORLD NEEDS A HERO (2001) {*4} was hardly worth the wait. Following an arm injury Mustaine sustained while in Texas, he put the band on ice – apparently permanently. Fans had to be content with the limited thrills of double-live set, RUDE AWAKENING (2002) {*5}, a fairly pedestrian summation of their helter-skelter career if a better primer than their "best of" set. While its title harked back to the 80s glory years, STILL, ALIVE… AND WELL? (2002) {*4} was an unashamed cash-in, released in the absence of new material and featuring both a batch of live cuts trimmed from "Rude…" and another batch of previously released stuff from the disappointing "…Hero".
Gradually regaining his guitar playing ability through physiotherapy and hard practice, Mustaine began working with founding member Chris Poland, onetime FRANK ZAPPA drummer Vinnie Colaiuta and session bassist Jimmy Sloas; stalwart retainer Ellefson was unceremoniously overlooked. Nevertheless, THE SYSTEM HAS FAILED (2004) {*7} was the band's first album to go Top 20 in America since 1994. Buoyed by the Mustaine/Poland reunification and hailed by critics as a long overdue return to form, one could at last vouch for improved compositions in `Kick The Chair', `Die Dead Enough' and `Back In The Day'.
Against a background of law suit and counter law suit (involving the missing Ellefson), MEGADETH's mainman took a completely different line-up – ex-KING DIAMOND man Glen Drover, his brother Shawn and former Iced Earth guitarist James MacDonough (duly replaced by James LoMenzo) – out on tour with him, a jaunt which he initially claimed would be the band's final bow before announcing an even bigger jaunt for 2005. That year also saw the release of a compilation set, GREATEST HITS: BACK TO THE START {*8}, its title confirmation of a new era.
Taking anti-war politics rather than the Lucifer geezer, via his preacher's pew, grim reaper Mustaine thrashed out the ghost train manifesto on such gems as `Washington Is Next!', `Amerikhastan' and `Never Walk Alone… A Call To Arms' on the Top 10 comeback set. UNITED ABOMINATIONS (2007) {*7}. Also worth a spin was his duet with LACUNA COIL's Cristina Scabbia on a remake of `A Tout Le Monde (Set Me Free)'. A second album for Roadrunner Records, the Andy Sneap-produced ENDGAME (2009) {*7}, continued MEGADETH's resurgence toward mega-superstardom; the guitar-shredding this time around (on `This Day We Fight!', `1,320'', `Head Crusher', et al) stemming from former NEVERMORE axeman Chris Broderick.
Marking the number of the beast – or album – with the Johnny K-produced TH1RT3EN (2011) {*6}, Dave Ellefson was again back at the helm; LoMenzo bowing out with cordial dignity so that the two Dave's could finally patch up their foibles. Mustaine had been a committed born again Christian for some years now, and with his anti-corporation political stance in tact, `Millennium Of The Blind', `New World Order', `Guns, Drugs & Money', were typical fare to rage against the war machine.
Thirty years in the business, and the business was good, umpteenth Top 10 entry SUPER COLLIDER (2013) {*6} was delivered for Universal Records. `Kingmaker', `Built For War', the banjo diversion `The Blackest Crow' (think a solo-type MARK LANEGAN fronting WHITE ZOMBIE), the speed-blues of `Don't Turn Your Back…', and the 'Zeppelin-esque title track, Mustaine and Co look to be burning up the musical tarmac with little care for fashion or trends.
When both Broderick and Drover bailed for their ACT OF DEFIANCE venture, their berths had to be filled in the interim while Mustaine scribed several songs. When Brazilian Kiko Loureiro (from Angra) came forth on grinding guitar, he and Ellefson had found one hell of an axeman to charge up the batteries, while in the meantime, veteran sticksman Chris Adler (ex-LAMB OF GOD, ex-TESTAMENT) was a necessary ingredient to keep time with 15th set, the conceptual DYSTOPIA (2016) {*7}. Fifty minutes of unrelenting, uncompromising thrash-metal, gnarling xenophobic Mustaine railed hard against terrorism, a la `Post American World', `Foreign Policy', `Death From Within', `Poisonous Shadows' and the Earth-scorching opening salvo, `The Threat Is Real'.
© MC Strong 1994-2006/GRD // rev-up MCS Jun2013-Jan2016


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Instagram: Bro's birthday and More/
Here are my instagrams for the week!
My mom texted me this picture of my brother enjoying his birthday breakfast!
Isn't he cute!
Enjoying a refreshing Izze with my hubby <3
Making mother's day cards!
Post coming soon!
1. My mom, my sisters and I getting ready for the Seattle Color Run on Mother's Day!
L to R: Me, Abigail, Alison, My BEAUTIFUL mother, and Anna
2. The second picture is me at the end of the run. My shirt turned out the best!
My dad and brother picked me up for a spontaneous coffee date! So fun!
I love these boys!
I got to take care of my brothers for a day while my mom was busy.
So, of coarse, I treated them to Fro-Yo!
My notes from an awesome and convicting sermon I listened to on Wednesday. It was about work.
Which categories to do you fall into?
Be blessed!
Linking Up:

subset: commoncrawl


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Loafers & shoulder bag
Hehehehe… Just happened I saw a glimpse of Vogue USA electronic edition on August tips. Rather talk about "tips" instead of "must-haves", as if their says were diktats… Those are just stuffs interesting enough to know to be "up-to-date" (feeling myself ridiculous). Still, since my return to Mada (dates back to end 2005), no Vogue … Continue reading


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I just thought these were totally festive and fun looking. You could do any color of sprinkles to change them up, but these are perfect to help celebrate the 4th.
I think the trick to making these so colorful is the amount of sprinkles that are in them. I kind of thought "what the heck, a whole cup?" But after I added about half a cup I realized why there was so much. Half a cup wasn't nearly as colorful! So don't scrimp!
Even the dough looks delicious!
But cooked? Even better!
Thank you Cookin' Cowgirl for this recipe!
- 1 box of french vanilla cake mix
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup of red, white and blue sprinkles
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- In a mixing bowl, add cake mix and baking powder and stir. Add eggs, vanilla and oil and stir until combined. Stir in sprinkles.
- Drop by tablespoons onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Bake for about 10 minutes.
- Let sit for about 5 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack. (They will be very soft at first.)
They were delicious! Soft and moist and full of flavor!
What fun things do you do to celebrate the 4th? Watch fireworks? BBQ? Go to bed early?
Happy 4th of July!
I'm linking to the parties located HERE.


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» Career Center
Are you looking to start enjoying veterinary medicine again? Have you been out of the workforce with your family and want to come back? Then come join our team at Aggie Animal Clinic. We are a 4 doctor practice in the small town of Dixon, Ca just outside of Davis. We offer digital dental radiography, state of the art ultrasound, long appointment times, low case load, fantastic staff and wonderful clients. Most importantly, we offer an environment supportive of practicing great medicine and having a great quality of life. We are looking for someone to start 2-3 days each week with potential for increased shifts as we grow our popular local clinic. Check out or website at https://aggieanimalclinic.com
Valid California Veterinary License
Phone: 866.Macomb1 (toll free)
Phone: 586.445.7999 (local)
Email: email@example.com


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Check out this GIANT Canada Wolf. I got this in an e-mail that said it was "killed while bear hunting in Canada".
How would you like to bump into that guy while packing out deer quarters at night.
Moderator: Todd
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text: What is it about two cookies stuffed with our favorite fillings? Whatever it is, we're calling it a double dose of dessert happiness. These on-trend holiday sandwiches are part of our collection of nine new Christmas cookies, which also include Magical Middles and Wintry Whites. Find even more seasonal entertaining ideas in our 2013 Holiday Lookbook. Easy Cream Cheese-Spice Sandwich Cookies Using a decorating bag and a tip to pipe the dough gives these cookies a fancy-pants style. Adding a splash of bourbon to the cream filling makes them an extra-special grown-up treat. Get Recipe Easier Striped Peppermint Sandwich Cookies We have to say these zippy, striped peppermint squares have attitude to spare. They make an eye-catching addition to any cookie plate. Get Recipe Easiest Chocolate-Hazelnut-Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies Dipping the cookies in melted chocolate and finishing with chopped nuts gives these sandwiches a polished look. Get Recipe How to Make Cream Cheese-Spice Sandwich Cookies These swirly cookies look impressive, but they're not hard to make. Follow these easy steps for cookie success. See How-To If you don't have a pastry bag and decorating tips, you can still make great Cream Cheese-Spice Sandwich Cookies, says Pillsbury food editor Madison Mayberry. Fill a large plastic bag with the cookie dough, cut off the corner of the bag and squeeze out the dough in a spiral. You won't get ridges, but you'll still get an attractive result. Try the Technique Cookie Fillings Sandwich cookies are perfect for playful and flavorful switcheroos. Here are five more fillings we love to put in the middle of our cookies. Get Ideas


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Jack Russell The Dog Using the Napoleon Complex
I used don't enjoy Jimbo much when we first brought him home. At the moment, we had an older Dachshund named Frank which has been so easy going, really simple to look after. Frank needed no oversight. He simply did not have any tendency to push the envelope at all.
But talk about adorable. This Jack Russell canine has been the epitome of adorableness. But what a small arrogant brat he can be!
And this is exactly what we had been used to. We had no idea what we were in for. Nor did bad old Frank. or our bad old cat Peter.
Peter was quite protective of his dignity and appreciated his everyday walk across the lawn to his own personal latrine area. Obviously, things would never be the exact same for Peter. His faith and suave stride were quickly converted to dread and a terrorized sprint as Jimbo, who put in scheming but individual wait, realizing full well Peter's everyday routine, sprung out of cover and conducted that bad cat up the nearest tree.
I will never forget the look on Peter's face as he glared at the tiny tyrant jump away in glee. And, after some deep swallows and regaining his now ruined pride, Peter gradually and gracefully climbed down, swearing his particular and eternal hatred for Jimbo every downward step of the way.
And I wish I could inform you that connection enhanced over time…however, the one thing which enhanced is that Peter got his claws into Jimbo enough time to keep him at bay… all the time anyhow.


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Quote:Should already be out on them. Says March of last year, but it would probably be on things like Xbox live.
Then I wont buy it.
Quote:Might and Magic: Clash of Heroes has been featured on Extra Credits in an episode about "Games you might not have tried or heard of (At 7:06 first game in the puzzle category!!)!! That's amazing! Being mentioned by Extra Credits as a game you should have heard of and should have played is so prestigious!
batko_zeus said:I will just leave it for you
And thi
NEW M&M Game, guys!


text: Charity bike ride marks Yale and Victim Support partnership 17 Yale employees are hoping to raise over £4,000 for the victims and witnesses of crime charity, by cycling from the Surrey head office of Yale's parent company ASSA ABLOY to the Yale site on School Street in Willenhall. The team, who will be collecting funds for Victim Support along the route, will be leaving Woking on Friday 31 August and are due to arrive in Willenhall on Sunday 2 September. The charity bike ride marks the start of a new partnership that will see Yale working closely with Victim Support to provide security advice and practical help to victims of crime across England and Wales. Commenting on the partnership, John Ward, Managing Director of Yale, said: "By working together with Victim Support, we hope to reduce the devastating impact that crimes such as burglary can have on people's lives. We will be helping Victim Support to advise people on the right security measures for their home and lifestyle, as well as raising money and awareness through events like this. "As soon as we formed the partnership, we began thinking about fundraising initiatives and as there were already a number of keen cyclists at Yale, the bike ride seemed a great idea. There are several novices in the team too, so we're hoping the more experienced cyclists - and Team GB medallists - will provide inspiration!" Brian Senior, Divisional Manager for Victim Support in the West Midlands, said: "We are delighted that fundraising activities, product discounts and expert security advice are all included in our new partnership with Yale. "As well as being able to buy cheaper locks for victims who are left with nothing after a break in, we are now able to offer additional services to burglary victims such as free home security audits. "We are also incredibly grateful to the Yale staff who are taking part in the bike ride. The money they raise will go towards much needed help, enabling victims to move on with their lives after a crime has happened." To sponsor the Yale team and make a donation, visit http://www.justgiving.com/ASSA-ABLOY-ASSA-ABLOY.


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Courtrooms in Bradford and Leeds were packed this morning as judges, lawyers and work colleagues paid tribute to one of the region's most popular and respected barristers.
Judge Peter Benson led the tributes at Bradford Crown Court following the death of former Rastrick Grammar School pupil John Topham.
The judge, who had known John for 40 years, said the legal community in Bradford and Leeds had learned of his death over the weekend with great sadness and the packed courtrooms, which were linked via video for the tributes, were a reflection of the affection and respect in which he was held.
John, who leaves a wife and two sons, was called to the Bar in 1970 and worked as law lecturer in Huddersfield before moving into practice.
Judge Benson paid tribute to John's "warmth and decency" and Yorkshire common sense which endeared him to juries.
John, who was a cricket fan and Huddersfield Town supporter, would have been 70 next year and Judge Benson described him as "a true gentleman" who would be much missed by all.
Barrister David McGonigal said John was always thorough and fearless in putting his clients' cases and he remained his ever-cheerful and good humoured self despite his health problems.


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An end is finally in sight to the long-running parking meter problems in Aberdeenshire.
Pay and display machines are due to be fully operational throughout the region by the end of the month.
Motorists have enjoyed free parking in towns for months after the council encountered problems connecting the meters to the mains supply.
Councillors approved plans for the replacement of machines across Aberdeenshire at a cost of £95,000 in June, 2014, and the system was due to be in place in autumn of that year.
The authority came under fire from some local politicians who complained that valuable revenue was being lost with the machines being out of action.
Ellon and District Councillor Gillian Owen, a fierce critic of the delay and who at one stage branded it a 'farce', confirmed that the problem appeared to be over at last.


text: On Oct 18, 2005, at 2:09 PM, Sam Drinkard wrote: > I just completed the upgrade of everything, and after a reboot, I > have got some broken software. I am getting error messages from > the NCAR command language that "Specified Workstation is NOT Open. > In addition, a system call to opngks_() could not open > "wrf_mass_plots.ncgm" which is the file it needs to read to produce > the metafile. > > What changed that would cause software to think the workstation is > not open? > > Next question.. is it possible to undo the upgrade, or would I be > better off doing a clean install of system files should this > breakage not be repairable with simplicity? > > Sam > _______________________________________________ > I'm guessing you are talking about the NCAR graphics system. How was this software installed? It's not any kind of CentOS package that I am aware of (could be wrong though). I think you need to examine the error returns of your function calls more closely. In GKS, a workstation is a general term for a graphics device, and in your case, it looks like the metafile is the graphics device. You need to find out why it is unable to open the file. Tony


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- Review
- Open Access
The international view of envenoming in Brazil: myths and realities
- Rosany Bochner1Email author
© Bochner; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. 2013
- Received: 7 November 2013
- Accepted: 7 November 2013
- Published: 11 November 2013
Being distant from Brazil's great natural diversity, from its long tradition in the study of snakebites and from the fact that it is one of the few countries which has a national information system for monitoring incidents involving venomous animals, non-Brazilian researchers face risks when estimating the incidence of these accidents in the country. The present work offers a critical review of the main estimates undertaken since 1954. It is interesting to note contradictions between textual and graphic information within the same article, variations over time in the work of a same researcher and differences among distinct authors, and that all these issues remain unmentioned or undiscussed. Comparison among such estimates and the data available at the Brazilian Information System on Diseases of Compulsory Declaration (Sistema de Informação de Agravos de Notificação – SINAN) creates an opportunity to identify the degree of imprecision present in those articles, and draws attention to the need for the production of studies at both the regional and national levels, based on concrete data collected at national, state and municipal levels, which has been available on the internet since 2001.
- Incidence
- Snakebites
- Scorpionism
- Epidemiology
- Information systems
Brazil is a country of continental dimensions, encompassing 515,767,049 km2 divided into five regions, each presenting geographic, environmental, socioeconomic, cultural and political variations. Given this diversity, it is not difficult to understand the statement of some researchers: "Brazil is a country without standards". How can one combine data from the extremes of Oiapoque in the north with data from Chuí in the south? How to mix data from Bahia with that from São Paulo? Regardless of the envenoming case studied, one cannot jump into calculations without taking into account the characteristics and diversity of this immense country.
The situation is even more serious when the object of study also depends on the distribution of animals throughout the length of the country, as is the case with accidents involving venomous animals.
Non-Brazilian researchers, then, being unaware of all this complexity, may be taking a risk in estimating the prevalence of envenomings by animals for Brazil as a whole, based solely on data from one or more states or even from a few municipalities. The results are impressive.
The first estimate of cases of, and deaths from, snakebite in the world was undertaken in 1954 by Swaroop and Grab [1]. They presented a range between 30,000 and 40,000 annual deaths globally (without including the Soviet Bloc, China or the countries of Central Europe). Within this total, the largest figures were for Asia (25,000 to 35,000) and South America (3,000 to 4,000). For Africa, the authors explained that calculation was difficult and ended up estimating the number of deaths as between 400 and 1,000. In regard to the total number of global cases, they admitted that estimation was difficult, but hazarded an initial guess of around half a million people annually bitten by both poisonous and non-poisonous snakes.
In 1998, Chippaux [8] challenged Swaroop and Grab's [1] figures, labeling them severe underestimations. According to him, the true incidence of snake envenoming in the world is in excess of five million cases annually, with 125,000 deaths [8]. In 2000, White [9] estimated at more than three million the envenomings by snakes per year, leading to more than 150,000 deaths. In regard to Brazil, Chippaux [8] suggested an incidence between 350 and 450 per 100,000 (household survey), morbidity of 6.8 to 192 per 100,000 (hospital records), mortality of 0.4 per 100,000 (Southwest region) and of 0.4 to 5 (North region) and lethalness 0.4 to 6.5%. The sources of his data were six articles and a summary of a poster, none of which was based on national coverage. Four of the articles presented data from the state of São Paulo [10–13], one contained data from the state of Minas Gerais [14], the last used figures from the state of Acre [15] and the poster presented data from 24 municipalities in the state of Amazonas [16].
The limited number of country-wide studies was pointed out by Bochner and Struchiner [17], when they identified that only four were published in the 20th century: two in 1989 considered to be grey literature [18, 19], one in 1993 [20] and one in 1998 [21]. This last was published by the Brazilian Ministry of Health and consists of a manual for the diagnosis and treatment of attacks by venomous animals. It also contains national data for the years 1990 to 1993, despite having been published in 1998 and republished in 2001 [22]. According to this manual, from January 1990 to December 1993 there were a total of 81,611 reported snakebite incidents, which represents an average of 20,000 cases per year for the country. The national rates per 100,000 inhabitants for the period from 1990 to 1993 were 13.78, 13.30, 14.08 and 13.94, respectively. The highest observed rates in this same period were found in the Center-West region: 34.75, 28.36, 37.98 and 32.13, respectively. As can be seen, the official national figures contradict the estimates offered by the aforementioned study [8].
In a study published in 2002, the same estimates of 1998 for Central and South America were maintained: 300,000 bites, of which close to 150,000 were envenomings, most of which were treated in hospitals [8, 27].
The author states that, in South America, the annual incidence is around 15 to 45 per 100,000 inhabitants, and this, therefore is based on Chippaux [8], Benítez et al. [32], Ribeiro et al. [13] and Silva et al. [33]. However, in Figure 3 the map indicates a rate in excess of 100 per 100,000 inhabitants for the greater part of South America, thus contradicting the statements contained in accompanying text. For the state of Amazônia, the incidence is understood to be between 350 and 590 snakebites per 100,000 inhabitants, with a mortality rate that may reach five per 1000,000 inhabitants. These results were based on Chippaux et al. [34], Kerrigan [35] and Pierini et al. [15]. It is important to emphasize that, among the group of seven articles cited by Chippaux [29] on which his estimates were based, three refer to data from Brazil, one being from the state of São Paulo [13], one from a small region of the state of Minas Gerais [33] and one from the state of Acre [15]. Such data are limited to generate a solid estimate of the national incidence of snakebites.
The high discrepancy in the incidence attributed to Brazil in Figure 3 may be seen when the value (> 100/100,000) is compared to the 13.8 cases per 100,000 for the country as a whole, and the 52.6 per 100,000 for the North region, where the greatest incidence is observed. These data were published in 2009 by the Ministry of Health in its guide for epidemiological surveillance [36].
In 2008 Kasturiratne et al. [37] commented on the work of Swaroop and Grab [1], Chippaux [8] and White [9]. They observed that the study by Swaroop and Grab [1] was based mainly on hospital data, and for this reason its figures on mortality were underestimated, while the works of Chippaux [8] and White [9] did not informed the methodology used to find their estimates. Given that, Kasturiratne et al. [37] justified a new estimate of the global burden of snakebite with the application of a more rigorous and repeatable methodology. They grouped 227 countries into 21 geographical regions, following the classification used for the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) project [38] in 2005.
These authors used three strategies to gather primary data: electronic searching for publications about snakebites, selection of specific data on mortality in the relevant countries from databases maintained by United Nations organizations, and identification of grey literature from discussions with key informants. In their results they presented an estimate of maximum and minimum for the number of cases and for the incidence of snakebite per 100,000 inhabitants. For Brazil, which makes up almost exclusively the classification "Latin America, Tropical", the number of snakebites for the year 2007 was estimated as being between 29,636 and 31,895. The incidence per 100,000 was in the range from 14.97 to 16.12, these values being very different from those presented in Figure 3[28–31].
Kasturiratne et al. [37] also estimated for the same region "Latin America, Tropical" the number of deaths as being between 100 and 299, and the mortality rate was given as ranging from 0.051 to 0.151 per 100,000 people. Amongst the sources used by these authors to generate their estimates there are only one article and a book chapter that contain data about Brazil [23, 39]. The book chapter is more comprehensive, since it deals with the clinical toxicology of snakebite incidents in South America. The article, on the other hand, has a restricted focus, dealing with snakebites in the urban area of Cuiabá. Judging by the research methodology employed, it apperars that Portuguese-language publications were not included, which might explain the lack of national and regional studies that could minimally represent each region of Brazil. It should be noted, however, that the study of Carvalho and Nogueira [39] is in Portuguese.
In 2010 Warrell [40] analyzed the work Swaroop and Grab [1], Chippaux [8] and Kasturiratne et al. [37] and considered them incomplete, faulty, or lacking information about their data-gathering methods, which undermines their extrapolations. He thought that the global estimate of deaths produced by Swaroop and Grab [1] were low, as they were based solely on hospital data and did not took into account the Soviet Bloc, China or the countries of Central Europe. According to Warrel [40], Chippaux's work [8] extrapolated individual cases that occurred in specific locations within countries when estimating annual global cases. The study carried out by Kasturiratne et al. [37] was considered as lacking the essential heterogeneity of the incidence of snakebites within and between countries, and as generalizing this incidence across adjacent territories, thus producing unexpected results (the Caribbean and West Pacific Islands), given that its annual estimates were overly broad.
In 2008 Chippaux [41] had already presented an evaluation similar to that of Warrel [40]. The study suggested that the estimates of Swaroop and Grab [1] were low because of the lack of relevant information and the work of Kasturiratne et al. [37] had limitations attributable to its sources and uncertainties about the primary data, which contributed to the creation of overly wide ranges. It also considered that although another research [8], based on a greater number of publications, was more reliable; it presented gaps in information, including the issue of representativeness of local studies within the general epidemiological field.
It is important to point out that Brazil, in contrast to various other countries, possesses national information systems designed to record incidents involving venomous animals. The most important of these is the System on Diseases of Compulsory Declaration (Sistema de Informação de Agravos de Notificação – SINAN), as it has a specific module for recording that type of incident, which makes the information more detailed and appropriate for epidemiological analysis of this health issue [42, 43].
In the face of all these estimates made by non-Brazilian researchers, the following question arises: what does SINAN have to offer with respect to these figures? By way of comparison, the data on snakebites recorded by SINAN for the year 2007 were gathered. The system recorded 27,030 cases and 125 deaths, suggesting an incidence of 14.28 per 100,000 inhabitants and a mortality rate of 0.066 [44].
It can be noted that the estimates of minimum and maximum figures given by Kasturiratne et al. [37] for the year 2007 contain the values indicated by SINAN for cases, deaths, incidence and mortality rate, despite the fact that the maps displayed values that widely differed from the reality in Brazil. Once again, the relevance and pertinence of these maps should be questioned.
In 2008 Bochner and Fiszon [45], two Brazilian researchers, using the data from SINAN for the period from 2001 to 2006, developed a profile of incidents involving venomous animals in Brazil, taking into account regional variations. In that study, snakebite morbidity for the country was defined as 14 per 100,000 inhabitants, with the highest observed value being in the North region, at 49 per 100,000 inhabitants.
In 2010, a group of four researchers, formed by three non-Brazilians and one Brazilian, published an article in which they indicated that, in Brazil, health statistics related to venomous animals were satisfactory [46]. This group mentioned the work of Oliveira et al. [47], which covers the epidemiology of animal envenoming in Brazil, based on data collected by the Ministry of Health by means of SINAN from 2000 to 2007.
The map presented in Figure 6 contains a few mistakes, the most general of which is the fact that there is no way to represent any incidence rate greater than 10 and less than, or equal to, 100. In the case of Brazil, the SINAN data from 2006 shows that the North region of the country does not have the same incidence as the Northeast. Furthermore, even the Northeast, with the highest national incidence, does not exceed the figure of 100. Neither of the states in this region, Pernambuco or Alagoas, shows an incidence over 100, thus leaving hanging the question of where exactly is the location whose incidence exceeds 1,000, as indicated on the map.
According to Figure 7, the highest rates of scorpion stings in Brazil are found in all the states of the Southeast and South regions, and part of the North (Roraima, Amapá and parts of Amazonas and Pará), the Northeast (a small area in Bahia) and Center-West (Mato Grosso do Sul, Goiás and part of Mato Grosso). The data from SINAN offer a different picture of the distribution of scorpion stings in Brazil. The rate does not exceed 100 per 100,000 in any state. The region with the highest rate is the Northeast, followed by the Southwest, North, Center-West, and finally by the South [44, 45].
It can be seen that part of the Brazilian areas marked in red in Figure 8 do not correspond to the areas of high incidence of scorpion stings presented in Figure 7.
The estimates of the incidence of snake and scorpion envenoming in Brazil made by foreigners have shown themselves to be unsatisfactory and not a faithful reflection of the reality in the country.
Very often, due to the fact that data are presented in maps, the discrepancies have gone unnoticed and have been reproduced over time in various publications.
The methodology of developing indicators based on different regional studies is highly sensitive to the choice of works to be included in the sample. In many cases the estimates are based on very heterogeneous data collected from highly specific locations, which generates unrepresentative and untrustworthy information. It is thus very necessary to be familiar with the peculiarities of Brazil, which is not an easy task, even for a native.
Brazil has a long tradition in the production, control and distribution of antivenom serum, as well as in the free treatment of victims. A concern in regard to information about envenoming has been present in Brazil ever since the first ampoule of serum was delivered to the populace by Vital Brazil in 1901 [60].
Currently, the duty of reporting poisoning occurrences has changed from being obligatory to being compulsory [61]. The records of these reports are the basis of the Information System on Diseases of Compulsory Declaration (SINAN), and, despite the possibility of underreporting in some geographic areas; these records constitute the best picture of the Brazilian reality in regard to envenoming. Thus, the best course is to leave estimates to one side and to undertake research at national and regional levels, based on concrete data from the country as a whole, its states and municipalities. Such data have been available on the Internet since 2001.
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Welcome back to the "Part 2" of this topic! This is fun for me to talk about because I not only use them, I make them!
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Target's Stance on Social Issues Questioned - Company Asked if It Has Any Regrets over Bathroom Flap. CEOs, etc. RESPOND "OK" TO CALL CRITICS BIGOTS
Target's Stance on Social Issues Questioned - Company Asked if It Has Any Regrets over Bathroom Flap
Target CEO Seemingly Fine with Branding of Bathroom Policy Opponents as Bigots - Has No Regrets Over Bathroom Decision
Target CEO Blasted for Comparing Company's Open Bathroom Policy to Its Civil Rights Era Use of Black Models
National Center for Public Policy Research Shareholder Resolution Starts Dialogue on Company's Support of Leftist Policy Agenda
Free Enterprise Project Supports Corporate Free Speech; Questions Corporate Use of Speech to Alienate Customers, Investors and the American Public
Costa Mesa, CA / Washington, D.C. - TAt today's annual meeting of Target shareholders held in Costa Mesa, California, the National Center for Public Policy Research presented a shareholder resolution designed to question the wisdom of the retailer's seemingly unnecessary foray into national legal and policy debates and asked company executives whether they had any regrets over the public controversy regarding its open bathroom policy. Shockingly, Target CEO Brian Cornell had no coherent response to questions over whether he considers Americans who disagree with Target's bathroom policy to be bigots.
"Target has been making headlines for all the wrong reasons lately," said National Center Free Enterprise Project Director Justin Danhof, Esq. "When Target responded to the controversy over North Carolina's so-called bathroom law by announcing that all Target restrooms are open to all comers, it needlessly entered a major national debate and offended millions of Americans, customers and investors. Target and its leaders are well within their Constitutional free speech rights to engage in legal and public policy debates. However, when a decision to enter the political realm offends vast swaths of investors and consumers, stakeholders have a right to question the corporation's decision-making process."
Danhof asked Target CEO Brian Cornell, in part:
In a May appearance on CNBC, CEO Brian Cornell compared the company's decision to mix the biological sexes in states of undress to the company's decision in the 1960s to use African-American models, saying the decision to use black models "wasn't well received." The implication appears to be that people who believe sex is determined physically, or who simply don't want to be undressed near people who have a different physiology, are bigots, and morally equivalent to racists.
Investors have noted that Target, which as many unisex restrooms and a commitment to building more, could easily have avoided this entire controversy. Instead, as one financial analyst put it, Target "went in guns blazing" and "took a hard-line stance, promoting a very small social movement over the conservative sensibilities of millions of Americans."
I have a quick two-part question: Is it the company's position that Americans who prefer to undress only near people of the same physical gender are bigots, the moral equivalent of racists? And second, since Target could have avoided most of this controversy, do you have any regrets about taking, as the financial analyst put it, "a hard-line stance" that, regardless of your intention, has made many Americans feel unwelcome at Target?
Danhof's entire question, as prepared for delivery, is available here.
"Target's shareholder meeting was appalling from beginning to end," said Danhof. "Liberal corporate leaders such as Cornell throw around the words 'diversity' and 'inclusion' so much they are starting to lose their meaning. In addition to my question, two other shareholders also expressed concern over the company's offensive bathroom policy. Cornell just kept repeating the same vacuous lines about diversity and inclusion. He doesn't seem to get that he has offended the sensibilities of millions of Americans."
"When Cornell ducked my question, I followed up and urged the company's leadership team to think hard about the fact that they are branding millions of Americans, potential customers and investors as bigots.
Not a one of them had a response. If you are offended by Target's decision to allow grown men to be in states of undress in front of young girls, and at the potential for predators to abuse Target's bathroom policy, the company is basically saying that they don't want your business," said Danhof. "That's the message that I took away from today's meeting."
"Company executives also made the bold claim that its absurd stance on bathrooms hasn't impacted the company's financial performance in any way - that's a whopper! Target's stock price was $83.98 the day of the announcement. On Monday, it was $68.81, an 18% drop in seven weeks. For Target to deny any correlation between its announcement and its tanking stock is ignorance of the highest form," added Danhof. "Offending millions of investors and consumers, then denying the financial implications, borders on fiduciary negligence."
At today's meeting, Danhof also presented the National Center's shareholder resolution that also touched on the company's involvement in legal and policy issues. The genesis of the National Center's proposal was Target's involvement in the debates over gay marriage. Target and other corporations played a big role in denouncing traditional marriage laws when the Supreme Court ruled on the Constitutionality of such laws last summer. Since much of this corporate activism went under the radar, the National Center decided to submit a resolution questioning the wisdom of even getting involved in such a contentious Constitutional issue.
Speaking on behalf of the National Center's proposal today, Danhof stated, in part:
I'm sure few investors here realize that Target - and many other corporations - were heavily involved in the Supreme Court's decision regarding gay marriage. In a brief before the Court, these companies bashed American states that supported traditional marriage (which by the way included California where voters overwhelmingly supported traditional marriage) by claiming that traditional marriage laws "hamper employer efforts to recruit and retain the most talented workforce possible in those states." If there was a mass exodus of employees from traditional marriage states to those that recognized gay marriage before the Supreme Court ruled on the issue, the world at large must have missed it. It's worth noting that Target operates in countries where homosexual acts are criminalized. So it's fair to ask: what's the company's position on its employees in those countries? But our proposal is not about re-litigating one Supreme Court decision.
Rather, as corporations get more and more involved in political, policy and legal debates, investors should be given a lens into that decision-making process. Issues such as gay marriage and whom to allow in North Carolina's public restrooms hardly seem like issues that are germane to Target's core business. Yet the company chose to make very public stands on these issues. Many consumers and investors didn't react well to the company's activist positions.......................
The National Center's complete shareholder resolution, and Target's response to it, can be found on pages 66 and 67 of the company's proxy statement, which is available for download here.
"While our proposal predated Target's silly stance on restrooms, it was designed to address just such situations. Target claimedthat it opened its bathrooms to everyone so that its employees and customers would be 'protected from discrimination and treated fairly.' But there is no evidence that anyone was treated unfairly before," said Danhof. "Target admitted that it has single occupancy family restrooms in most of its locations that are already open to everyone. Target invented a solution in search of a problem."
The National Center's Free Enterprise Project is the nation's preeminent free-market activist group focusing on shareholder activism and the confluence of big government and big business. In 2014-15, National Center representatives participated in 69 shareholder meetings advancing free-market ideals in the areas of health care, energy, taxes, subsidies, regulations, religious freedom, food policies, media bias, gun rights, workers' rights and many other important public policy issues. Today's Target meeting marks its 16th shareholder meeting of 2016.
The National Center for Public Policy Research, founded in 1982, is a non-partisan, free-market, independent conservative think-tank. Ninety-four percent of its support comes from individuals, less than four percent from foundations, and less than two percent from corporations. It receives over 350,000 individual contributions a year from over 96,000 active recent contributors. Sign up for free issue alerts here or follow us on Twitter at @NationalCenter.


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University Honors Program
A Distinctive Education at Idaho
The University Honors Program invites students to join their peers and distinguished professors in exploring a rich curriculum of study across the disciplines.
Students are encouraged to explore the world from a variety of perspectives and think critically about the big picture and issues facing today's society.
Honors courses tend to be smaller and more discussion oriented than your typical classroom.
In addition, students often enjoy the dynamic community the program creates.
Learn more about the University Honors Program.


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The flight safety meeting concluded that the recommendations issued in 2015 have led to positive developments at the Baltic Sea.
Trafi organised today an expert meeting on flight safety over the Baltic Sea together with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). The aim of the meeting was to determine how the recommendations for improving flight safety as agreed in the ICAO Baltic Sea Project Team in 2015 have been implemented, and the need for any new actions.
Besides representatives from Baltic Sea coastal states, i.e. Denmark, Estonia, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia and Sweden, participants from NATO, the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and the European Organisation for the Safety of Air Navigation (Eurocontrol) were invited to the meeting. It was arranged by Finland with the support of ICAO and chaired by Mr. Kari Siekkinen, Chief Adviser of Trafi. The same parties also participated in the Project Team on flight safety over the Baltic Sea in 2015.
Finland has taken initiative to organise the flight safety meeting and furthered discussions on flight safety over the Baltic Sea.
Measures already implemented have had a positive impact on safety
The recommendations issued in 2015 concerned, for instance, the collection and publication by ICAO of operating procedures for the busiest parts of airspace (hot spots) as well as due regard procedures for state aircraft. Moreover, the recommendations addressed the exchange of state air traffic pictures, the publication of standardised waypoints, and solutions to problems related to flight plan data.
The publication by ICAO of a bulletin with advice to aviators on the subject was regarded as particularly useful. In addition, waypoints established in the international sea area have now been utilized in flight planning, which has contributed to the foreseeability of air operations. ICAO has also published operating procedures for state aircraft as agreed.
In the meeting today, it was decided that operating procedures to comply with best practices in aviation will be widely collected and published for the use of the international aviation community.
The meeting also discussed about the use of transponders. The participants shared the view that increasing the use of transponders would be one element to enhance the traffic picture at air traffic control, thus further improving flight safety. Practical measures will be prepared in co-operation between ICAO, NATO, EASA, Eurocontrol and the Baltic states.
It is still necessary to finalize the issues addressed in today's meeting, and the countries must agree on practical arrangements. For this purpose, Trafi invited the participants to a new meeting to be held in late May or early June.
Further information:
Mr. Kari Siekkinen, Chief Adviser
Requests for interviews: Ms. Anna Jokela, Communications Director, tel. +358 400 439955


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