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Having trouble with my double pedal..
I recently got a ludwig double bass drum pedal and at first it was fine, but now the pedals have started weakening (especially the left one). I dont know how to strengthen the pedals basically. Can anybody help? :(
Duck tape and rubber bands!!
I dont think it's that I need. There must be some way of tightening the springs but I dunno..
how about turning the bolts tighter
I don't think the girl knows which bolts to turn, and that it's called "adjusting the tension". I made a vid of myself adjusting my pedals just for you, you should get the basic idea of what's going on.
In the future, browse other threads before posting your own. That other thread is on the first page, so that just adds 10 points to your level of forum ineptitude.
[EDIT] thanks for the vid, that has helped cause I know more about it now. But it actually turns out that it's broken which is gay because I just recently got it. The screw for the left pedal won't tighten against the shaft. I'm gonna take it into a music shop today and see if they can help.
In the shop they gave me a number to this company that apparently are a nightmare to get ludwig replacement parts from. They said it would be unlikely that they'd have it, but that's all they've got. So does anybody know where I could get a ludwig replacement part?
Look for a cheap used one on eBay that you can get the parts from.
Um try some mineral oil on the shaft. Is the pedal new or secondhand? You can use the replacement parts for other pedals if need be, take it into the shop and see if stuff from an another pedal fits (that's what I did with my pedal). The bolts are pretty standard, and it shouldn't be too hard to find a replacement shaft. It's pretty fucking sloppy of them to sell you something broken, when that happened to me I went to a completely different drum store from the one where I bought my pedal and they gave me the parts for free!
It said on ebay that it was new. The screw keeps slipping against the shaft and doesnt grip. Somebody told me how to fix it with some tools so I'm going to try that. If that doesn't work though I'll try and find a replacement shaft like you said.
Ebay? Negative Feedback. Use it.
I've used negative feedback, thanks. He says that it was fine when he sent it. It may not have been broken when I first got it but I dont think it's been very well designed. I've managed to sort of fix it but it keeps breaking in different ways and I give up now so I'm just gonna get a new one, from a shop. Atleast then I will get support if it breaks. I'm deciding between a big dog and an iron cobra (which is more expensive). Has anybody used big dog or iron cobra here?
Well almost every serious drummer will have used or owned an Iron Cobra at some point. They're the industry standard. Some people will argue other pedals are 'the best' (Axis, Eliminator, Janus, DW9000) but really, all those top ones are of a roughly equal quality, it's just down to personal preference in the end.
Big Dog are a bit of an Iron Cobra knock off. They've got a similar feel, although the one I tried had a slightly odd feeling slave pedal. No idea whether they're hard enough to last or not - check out some reviews and stuff on t'internet.
On your Ludwig pedal, where is it slipping? Is it the rod slipping on the pedal, or the adjustable part of the rod slipping on itself? If so there are various things you can do to get it to hold fast. Take a photo of the offending part if you can, I'll try to help out.
I hear more bad then good about Axis, actually..Especially with the pricing and how easily they can fall apart as well as the whole marketing gimmick with long boards and a bunch of other stuff. Big Dog as far as I've heard, are very nice. Iron Cobras are pretty common to use too, although, I've never used them myself, also, only good things. Sounds like your spring tension might be either loose or broken entirely..Could always go for new springs but, it's a pain putting them on and saving for some nice equipment isn't always a bad idea.
Try some pearl double pedals, our drumer has one (dont know what model though) and its good for him with no probs yet, it also comes with different cams for speed,power, and dont know what else, try them see how you like them
Pearl doubles are usually elliminators.
Hell like i've said to some before I have the Iron Cobra Jr. pedals and those things have been beaten to fuck by its previous owner. (my former punk drummer). Sat outside collected rust, squeeks like a bitch, he threw em around alot, and these things hold up like tanks. After spraying some silicon spray on it because it squeeked one too many times for me to handle, they haven't given me the slightest of problems.
I'm satisified with em quite a bit.
no one as opted to mention buying a universal drive shaft that comes with the axis pedals but in reality is the ultimate upgrade for all chain drive pedals, the result is the left pedal feels just like the right one, perhaps your factory pedal slave rod is wearing out and you probably just need to buy an axis slave rod, im gonna buy one as soon as i can afford it lol, but it will turn my 200 dollar dw7002 pedal into a 350 dollar chain drive, fuck what i want to try out its those new TRICK pedals those are sooo orgasmic looking
thanks for trying to help but my old pedal had so many things wrong with it that it's just not worth trying to fix it anymore. I've got a new big dog pedal with a double chain that I'm really happy with, and if anything goes wrong the shop will support me. :D
Cool - the one I played felt sturdy enough. I've got some Big Dog hardware and it's as hard as nails - especially my throne which takes a real beating from me and never complains.
Pedal was a good buy, I reckon.
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(The FRENCH, DUTCH and ENGLISH to AMERICA – continued)
home | 16-17th centuries index
The FRENCH, DUTCH and ENGLISH to AMERICA (9 of 10)
With the rise of prosperity in England, most of those going from there to the colonies were sent by order of the courts. These were vagrants and others judged lewd or dangerous. Some people were given the choice of migrating to the Americas or being hanged, and after little thought they chose America. But not wanting such people, the Virginia colony passed a law prohibiting the acceptance of such importations.
Virginia had around 8,000 colonists in 1644, and by 1675 their number had grown to 23,000. Like most colonists from England they saw themselves as English. They bought their supplies from England. They preferred to dress according to the fashion in England. And they read English books.
Virginia society was marked by class differences, with the Church of England considered a part of social high standing. Many of the successful tobacco growers among the Virginians looked upon Puritans as subversives. Those with thousands of acres of land considered themselves aristocracy. Some tobacco growers possessed several hundred acres of land, while numerous others owned between 50 and 200 acres. Some of the latter had been indentured servants who had served their time during years long past. Many of those who were just recently freed from servitude did not have the opportunity to acquire land that the older freed men had. The large plantation owners did not want competition from more growers and sought to limit the opportunities of these others. The established plantation owners looked askance at the landless young men wandering the colony, fearing they would turn to crime. And the young men without property were likely to wander into what Europeans called the frontier – to establish themselves as best they could.
With the diminished supply of whites to work their plantations, and Indians unwilling to turn themselves into plantation slaves, the plantation owners of Virginia bought an increasing number of slaves from Africa, Virginia's slave population rising from around 2,000 in 1671 to around 4,000 in 1690. And by 1700 there were 16,000 blacks in Virginia – 28 per cent of what has been estimated as the 57,000 Virginia colonists in 1700.
Some plantation owners were unusually kind towards their slaves, but even they resorted to brutal methods to control recalcitrant slaves. Blacks who did not take to slavery might be punished by having a finger or arm cut off. But this diminished the productivity of the slave, and other punishments were used, whippings being the most common disincentive to disobedience. Whether the slaves received decent food or a roof that kept out most of the rain depended upon the master.
England's colony at Barbados was its major source of sugar and molasses. During the Cromwell era it was a refuge for royalists. In the 1660s, hard times hit the growers in Barbados, and some of them, and some Royalists, migrated to the Carolinas. In 1663, Charles created the Carolina Charter, giving to eight "true and absolute Lords Proprietors [sic]" control over territory south of Virginia. The proprietors were obliged to pay rent, or a tax, to the king and one fourth of all the gold and silver mined there. And they were free to establish government, churches, customs duties, to tax people and to suppress rebellion as they saw fit.
In trying to build their colonies in the Carolinas, the proprietors sought European settlers where they could get them. People willing to migrate were rare. It was a migrants market, with the colonial proprietors promising freedom of worship with "liberty of conscience" for all, a representative legislature and taxation by collective agreement.
A colony was begun at Clarendon, where some adventurers from the Massachusetts area and a few hundred migrants from Barbados had settled. The newly arrived colonists did not get along with the earlier settlers. There was trouble with the Indians, and in the late 1660s the colony collapsed, with people moving to another Carolina colony, at Albemarle, or north to Virginia, to the Massachusetts area, back to Barbados, and perhaps some settled in South Carolina.
Albemarle lacked a good harbor or navigable river. It was poorly run, and its land policy discouraged settlement. By the end of the century its settlers were to number only around 3,000. A most successful colony grew in South Carolina. There, at Charles Town, a fort had been built as protection from attack by Spaniards from St. Augustine. In South Carolina the nearby Kiawah branch of the Cusabo tribe welcomed the settlers as allies against Indians they were in conflict with – such as the Westoes. By 1671, however, the settlers in South Carolina were warring against other Indians who were hostile, who turned to the Spaniards in Florida as allies in hope of exterminating the new colony.
The colony in South Carolina had a good harbor and was closely linked more in trade with Barbados and other islands in the Caribbean. Climate in South Carolina was mild. The settlers began raising cattle, engaged in the fur trade and sold supplies to passing ships. In 1680 the colony was relocated as Charleston. Colonists built tobacco plantations and began growing rice, indigo and tropical fruits. The colony's leading exports were furs, lumber, rice, beef and pork. Some of the settlers were involved in exchanging captured Indians for sugar or for black slaves for the plantations that were developing.
The colony's proprietors offered large tracts of land to some wealthy Englishmen, one receiving 12,000 acres, another 35,800 acres. South Carolina was developing similar to Virginia, with many of the planters descended from English families of moderate wealth. By 1700 the number of black slaves in South Carolina was around 2,400. The Indians serving the Europeans as slaves numbered around 200. And the Europeans numbered around 3,300 (Francis Jennings, The Creation of America, p 44). This was only a little more than at Albemarle, but they tended to be more affluent.
Slavery was in greater demand where the slaves were needed in gangs at a common task and where the climate did not require expensive winter clothing and warm housing. The number of slaves in Massachusetts in 1680 has been estimated at 120. Most of them were domestic servants. Slaves in Massachusetts could own and inherit property, and whites and blacks were held to be equal before the law (except that the law permitted the slavery of blacks). Slaves could give testimony in court, and they had the right to counsel and due process.
The land in Massachusetts was harder than in Virginia and South Carolina and the farms smaller. The crop was mostly cereal, and most of the colonists were small farmers rather than plantation owners. New England farms did not produce much that could be sold for profit, and with little money to pay for imported good, New Englanders were encouraged to produce their own goods, including shoes, clothing and ironware, largely for their own use rather than trade. Britain's parliament forbade commercial manufacturing in the colonies, but it did permit shipbuilding. New England had more trees with which to build ships than did England, which had become deforested, and New England had the kinds of rivers on which logs could be moved to sawmills. As Kenneth Pomeranz and Stephen Topic write in The World that Trade Created, "the builders of ships became the users of ships." New Englanders became cod fishermen and then moved into whaling and merchant shipping. Merchant capitalism was developing in New England. A few people there engaged in money lending and banking, and a few began living off their investments, contributing to the formation of an upper class.
The Puritans in Massachusetts were still teaching that misfortune was punishment from God for sin. They saw the magic of God at work and also the magic of demons. People still believed in the supernatural powers of witches, and in 1691 the witchhunts that had occurred in Europe appeared in the area of Salem, where judicial authorities took seriously the accusations of witchery. During a four-month period, hundreds were arrested, 19 were hanged and one was pressed to death for refusing to plead guilty or not guilty.
By 1700, Harvard College was 64-years old, having been founded to serve the Massachusetts Bay Colony and to make literate Puritan ministers. Its charter expressed dedication to the "arts and sciences" and "the education of the English and Indian youth." Also in 1700, the Massachusetts colony passed a law ordering all Roman Catholic priests to leave the colony within three months, upon penalty of life imprisonment or execution.
Copyright © 2001-2014 by Frank E. Smitha. All rights reserved.


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Why is Eclipse the movie better than Eclipse the novel by Stephenie Meyer? New York's Vulture tells you why. Read and laugh laugh laugh. Thanks to Friend of the Blog Sue C - a HUGE fan of Bella, Jacob and what's his name, the sparkly dude with the pallor and the topaz eyes - for alerting me to this very funny commentary.
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A project to widen route 91 through Dunlap begins this week.
Traffic will be shifted, but no lanes will be closed. The project will be completed sometime in 2015.
Work also begins this week to widen the street at Farmington Road and Sterling Avenue in West Peoria.
Lane closures are expected. That project will be finished in September.


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Earlier this week, NCWD/Youth staff had the pleasure of participating in Washington, DC's Achieving Employment First Conference sponsored by the Georgetown University Center for Child and Human Development. According to the Association of People Supporting Employment First (APSE) Employment First is a concept in which "employment in the general workforce is the first and preferred outcome in the provision of publicly funded services for all working age citizens with disabilities, regardless of level of disability."
People with disabilities want real jobs with real wages and more and more states are realizing that successful implementation of Employment First policies and philosophies are a way to get there. These policies also facilitate the workforce inclusion of people with the most significant disabilities. In October 2012, Washington, DC joined this growing movement when the mayor issued a proclamation declaring DC an Employment First state.
Washington, DC is still new to the Employment First movement. In total, 24 states have an official Employment First policy, 8 of which have passed legislation and 16 of which have an Executive Order or directive on the topic. An additional 12 states have begun Employment First initiatives, but have no formal policy. There is also a distinction among states as some have a cross-disability focus, while others specifically target individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. One of the early leaders in Employment First and the only state to have both legislation and an Executive Order on the issue is Washington state, where full implementation of the Working Age Adult Policy was achieved in 2006. Following this implementation, between 2007 and 2009 individuals in integrated employment increased by 54 percent and in 2011, 89% of adults with developmental disabilities were engaged in integrated employment in Washington.
Because states are in varying stages of Employment First exploration and implementation, the Administration on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AIDD) has funded several organizations under the Partnerships in Employment Systems Change initiative to further enrich state collaboration. Additionally, the Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) selected Washington state to participate in the Employment First State Leadership Mentor Program as a mentor state for protégé states Iowa, Oregon, and Tennessee. These states will receive technical assistance and funding from ODEP to implement their state plans on Employment First.
Below are some strategies used by Washington state and other states around the country to implement Employment First initiatives:
- Raise expectations for ALL youth with disabilities so that they know they can and should enter the workforce;
- Engage youth with disabilities in the processes of self-exploration and career exploration so they can find jobs that coordinate with their strengths and interests;
- Train practitioners on customized employment principles. According to the Griffin-Hammis Associates approach to customized employment, we all customize our jobs in some way based on our interests and abilities. While, the average job-seeker will customize after being hired, for many people with significant disabilities customization is needed prior to beginning work in order to be successful on the job;
- Raise awareness among potential employees of the opportunities for integrated employment in the community;
- Share employment success stories with employers to alleviate fears and remove stereotypes;
- Create partnerships with secondary and post-secondary institutions to ensure the expectation for work and necessary training skills are being taught;
- Ensure all necessary stakeholders are invested in the effort collaboratively; and
- Measure and track successes.
Remember, ALL people with disabilities can work and receive competitive wages. It's up to all of us to ensure the policies and strategies are in place to achieve this goal.
To learn more about what your state is doing around Employment First, visit these related resources:
- Association of People Supporting Employment First (APSE)
- U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Disability Employment Policy, Employment First Leadership Mentor Program
- Administration on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Partnerships in Employment Systems Change Grants
- National Association of State Directors of Developmental Disabilities Services (NASDDS): Workers First
In order to fully achieve Employment First goals, it is also critical that youth with disabilities have an awareness of the jobs available to them and the necessary skills to be successful at their chosen career paths. NCWD/Youth has several helpful resources on the topic including:
- Career Exploration in Action: An Innovative Strategies Practice Brief
- Engaging Youth in Work Experiences: An Innovative Strategies Practice Brief
- Helping Youth Build Work Skills for Job Success: Tips for Parents and Families
- Helping Youth Develop Soft Skills for Job Success: Tips for Parents and Families
- Guideposts for Success
By Dana Fink, Assistant Project Coordinator with the National Collaborative on Workforce & Disability for Youth at the Institute for Educational Leadership's Center for Workforce Development


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Report: Patriots Yet To Make 1st Offer To Welker
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BOSTON (CBS) – The Patriots have been vocal about wanting to keep free agent receiver Wes Welker.
But with free agency just a few hours away, Welker reportedly hasn't even gotten an offer from New England.
Follow: NFL Free Agency Tracker
The NFL Network's Ian Rapoport is reporting the Patriots have yet to make an offer to Welker, who is set to become a free agent at 4 p.m. on Tuesday.
You guys won't believe this: I said Wes Welker was waiting for the Patriots last offer. Received a correction: Actually their 1st offer—
Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 12, 2013
However, ESPNBoston.com's Mike Reiss refuted the report shortly after.
"This runs counter to what we've heard, which is that the Patriots have made an offer to Welker that is known to him to be on the table," Reiss wrote in response to Rapoport's report.
The Patriots opted not to franchise Welker for a second-straight year, and it was believed the two sides were working on an extension. Welker's camp made it clear he would test the free agent waters, and even let it out that Welker was a little upset with the Patriots about how last season started, but it was mostly thought the two sides would come to an agreement after quarterback Tom Brady re-worked his deal to save the team cap space.
Read: Kraft On Welker: 'We Want Him Back, He Wants To Be Back'
Now, only time will tell. It will be very interesting to see what happens when 4 p.m. rolls around.


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Director David Dhawan suddenly fainted at Bunty Walia's wedding reception at Olives in Mumbai. He fell down while chatting to Sanjay Dutt and Abhishek Bachchan at the reception. The party was hosted by Bunty Walia to celebrate his wedding with Vanessa Parmar. He was immediately rushed to L
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PEORIA, Ariz. -- Authorities believe alcohol may have been a factor in a drowning at Lake Pleasant over the weekend.
Maricopa County Sheriff's deputies say 49-year-old Pedro Aguirre Castillo was with family members along the lake's shore when they lost sight of him.
Castillo was pulled from the lake after a passerby spotted him floating in the water near Scorpion Bay Saturday night.
First responders tried to revive him, but he was pronounced dead at the scene.
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Spring 2014 Important Dates:
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Sigma Rho Epsilon is a professional honorary fraternity run through the Department of Special Education at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston, Illinois.
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The primary purpose of this fraternity shall be to recognize and encourage scholastic excellence, develop leadership abilities, and promote fellowship among professionals, faculty, graduate students, and undergraduate students.
Further purposes shall be to develop and encourage loyalty to the Alma Mater, develop an eternal link among members, and instill in all people an awareness of the importance of special education in the enrichment of overall human potential.


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In 2011, the starting rotation for the Pirates consisted of Paul Maholm (4.03 ERA), Jeff Karstens (4.01), Charlie Morton (4.08 ERA), Kevin Correia (4.37 ERA), and lastly James McDonald (4.46)—Brad Lincoln also had a few spot starts during injuries. Kevin Correia somehow managed to get 11 wins before the All-Star break, and then seemingly proceeded to nosedive for the remainder of the season. James McDonald was spotty at best and never really gave anyone a reason to have faith in him. Karstens was strong, with an impressively slow curveball, but struggled through a few injuries. Morton and Maholm were both consistent but struggled to get run support so their win-loss records never showed their true performances.
The problem with Maholm and Morton being the best pitchers in the rotation was that either one of them would have been a number three in the rotation—at best--on any other ball club. The rest of the rotation was really an interesting bunch. Karstens performed well at times but really could've fared better as a middle reliever. Correia spent a majority of his time in San Francisco and San Diego as a middle reliever before coming to Pittsburgh and never had an ERA below 5 in time that he did spend as a starter. Lastly, James McDonald was drafted in 2002 by the Dodgers and spent nearly a decade in the minor leagues trying to figure out whether he belonged on the mound or in the outfield.
The main point is that the "rotation" was not much of a rotation at all. It consisted of two mediocre starters and some middle relievers with a few spot starts under their belts, and to put it in the easiest terms possible: No one was prepared to throw for as many innings as they did. The reason for the collapse is easily blamed on exhausting the arms of the starting rotation. The bullpen was never an issue, they spent the second half of the season digging the starters out of holes and Joel Hanrahan collected 40 saves. This is not to say that Hurdle put the starters on the mound for too long and too often, it's more to say that the starters were never prepared for innings of that multitude.
A year later Maholm had left to give free agency a shot and had signed with the Chicago Cubs, and Neal Huntington had decided to attempt to replace him in the lineup with lefty free-agent Erik Bedard. Correia had been done with after being dropped to bullpen and then shut down with an oblique strain the previous season. Huntington took a chance on aging pitcher A.J. Burnett, who the Yankees were trying so badly to get rid of that they were willing to pay over half of his salary for the two years remaining on his contract.
With those two deals the rotation consisted of Burnett, Bedard, Karstens, Morton, and McDonald, with Brad Lincoln once again providing a few spot starts. The addition of Burnett proved to be a great deal. He pitched well putting up an ERA of 3.52 with a 16-10 record, and was the marquee starter in the rotation. The addition of Bedard proved horrible. He never seemed to be able to hit his spots, and spent virtually every inning working his way out of trouble. He also had to work through a few injuries and never really looked back to his old form. Through it all, he didn't spend the whole season with the bucs after being released following the trade-deadline addition of Wandy Rodriguez.
Although Burnett and Wandy were proven starters and never really faltered, the rest of the rotation still consisted of pretty mediocre guys. McDonald had a great first half of the season, but once the all-star break was over he looked as if he had never pitched an inning of professional baseball. Morton and Karstens both had strong starts to the season, but they both struggled with injuries and ended up having to be shut down for Tommy John-Surgery.
The 2012 season looked a little more promising than the previous season, but it once again ended with a post all-star break collapse. The bucs went from 16 games over .500 at the break to 3 games under .500 at the end. Although this downfall could be attributed to injuries and a major drop in offensive production, the starters also completely started to fall apart. McDonald went off the deep end, and although Burnett and Wandy continued to show good stuff, they did not look as impressive as they had at the start. The bullpen was once again impressive, and is a department that Huntington and company have continued to perfect over the years. The 8th and 9th inning combination of Jason Grilli and Joel Hanrahan was one of the best one-two punches in the league. Hanrahan posted 36 saves, and virtually every time Grilli approached the mound you could count on a win being in the books.
The 2013 season has been an interesting one. At the beginning of the season the rotation consisted in order of A.J. Burnett, Wandy Rodriguez, James McDonald, Jeff Locke, and Jonathan Sanchez. Burnett and Wandy had earned their spots, people were hopeful that McDonald could become more of a consistent starter, Locke had won the starting spot in spring training, and Sanchez had been an off-season addition.
Sanchez was one of four off-season additions to the pitching staff. Jonathan Sanchez, Jeanmar Gomez, and Francisco Liriano had all been acquired via free agency, and Mark Melancon was brought over in a trade that sent closer Joel Hanrahan to the Boston Red Sox.
The Hanrahan trade caused a lot of hoopla initially among fans because no one wants to give up a proven closer; however, that trade seems to be a steal by Huntington as the Melancon-Grilli combination has already provided 27 saves.
The early holes in the rotation seemed to come from Jonathan Sanchez and James McDonald. Sanchez started almost every game allowing a few runs and having to be saved by Jeanmar Gomez, and McDonald was as unreliable as a weatherman.
Liriano started the season on the DL, but came back with good timing and great performances. Eyes were eventually opened, and Gomez became a starter while Sanchez was optioned to Triple-A. Gomez has been as impressive, if not more impressive, as a starter as he was coming from the pen, while Liriano has posted some of the best numbers in the MLB with a record of 7-3, an ERA of 2.23, and an average of 9.9 strikeouts per 9 innings pitched. Burnett and Wandy have both been impressive with ERAs of 3.12 and 3.59 respectively, but both were sent to the 15-day DL. The absence of the top two starters has allowed for two decent spot starts by minor-leaguer Brandon Cumpton, an impressive comeback by Charlie Morton, and the debut of star pitcher Gerrit Cole. Morton has gone 1-1 with an ERA of 2.81, and Cole has gone 4-0 with an ERA of 3.7 while showing an impressive command of the strike zone.
The most impressive piece of the pitching staff has been lefty starter Jeff Locke. Locke lost his first start of the season, but since then he has gone 7-0 in 15 starts while posting the second best ERA in the league of 2.06. With Burnett—and after yesterday's news of the hiccup in rehab—hopefully Wandy coming back into the starting rotation it will be interesting to see just how the pirates deal with having the issue of too many starting pitchers.
There are a few options. The option of sending Cole back to Triple-A seems to be about 70-30 in favor of keeping him up, so in that situation one would assume that Gomez and possibly Morton would move back to a middle reliever position. I personally think this is the best option, and I also believe it would be the way to solve the problems that have plagued our pitching staff over the last two seasons.
This may seem like a stretch to some, but there is a possibility that if the starters continue to come back strong from injuries as Liriano, Morton, and Gomez have done that the injuries may prove to be a bit of a saving grace for the pitching staff. The ability to take a "break" could possibly save the starters from being exhausted this season. Along with this, moving Morton and Gomez into the bullpen could provide some relief for guys like Justin Wilson and Vin Mazarro, who at some points seem to be overused. Lastly, we may be avoiding exhaustion by having a staff that consists of proven starters the whole through for everyone but Jeff Locke. While Locke has been the most impressive, he also provides the largest risk due to his lack of experience—only having started 10 major league games prior to this season.
While it is true that we need to avoid more injuries, continue to show impressive pitching performances, and keep with the run production the major problem of starting pitching seems to have been solved so far this season. It is a long season, with 81 games remaining, but we have managed to show plenty of good reasons for why this might be the season where the Pirates give something back to the fans for the entire season—instead of just the part before the all-star break.


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Only Simon Winchester, the best-selling author of The Professor and the Madman and Krakatoa, would have the tenacity and the talent to tackle a biography of the Atlantic Ocean. A modern-day Melville, he takes to the waters in pursuit of a larger-than-life creature, adeptly capturing his prey in the engaging Atlantic.
Winchester first focuses on the geological history of the Atlantic, discussing its formation and evolution, then shifts to the more interesting human history. It is here that the reader appreciates Winchester's abilities as both a researcher and writer, for he is able to present detailed historical information in lively prose. Interspersed among these accounts are musings on his personal relationship with the ocean, beginning as an 18-year-old Brit crossing the Atlantic on an ocean liner bound for America.
But the Atlantic is the real star here, and when you consider Western civilization alone, you realize just what an impact the ocean has had on mankind. Winchester discourses on the explorers, from the Vikings to Christopher Columbus, and writes about how the Atlantic inspired artists, including Shakespeare, Monet, Beethoven and, perhaps most famously, Melville and his Moby-Dick. He relates tales of the warriors of the sea, among them pirates, the British Royal Navy, Old Ironsides and German U-boats. And there were also many tragedies on the sea, including the sinkings of the Lusitania and the Titanic, the slaughter of the whales and the use of the waters as routes for ships bringing slaves from Africa to the New World. Finally, Winchester deals with the contemporary life of the Atlantic, particularly the environmental threats it faces from pollution, overfishing and globa[Wed Aug 27 13:06:23 2014] enhancedContent.pl: Wide character in print at E:\websites\aquabrowser\IMCPL\app\site\enhancedContent.pl line 249. l warming.
To read Atlantic is to take a fantastic voyage filled with romance, drama, tragedy and inspiration. Simon Winchester has once again written a masterpiece of nonfiction, one that likely will be as enduring as man's eternal quest for adventure on the high seas.
Copyright 2010 BookPage Reviews.
The prolific journalist and historian returns with a story both geographically immense and profoundly personal.
Winchester (The Man Who Loved China: The Fantastic Story of the Eccentric Scientist Who Unlocked the Mysteries of the Middle Kingdom, 2008, etc.) offers a tale about the Atlantic Ocean that is variably genial, cautionary, lyrical, admonitory, terrifying, horrifying and inspiring. He begins with a memory from 1963—his youthful transatlantic crossing aboard the passenger liner Empress of Britain—and returns to the birth of the Atlantic, perhaps 540 million years ago, providing a John McPhee–like history of its formation and development. Winchester then looks at humans' "infant" acquaintance with the ocean, noting that people first settled its shores about 164,000 years ago on the western coast of Africa. They soon ventured out on the ocean, then endeavored to cross it—the Irish could have done it, he says, but there's no hard evidence. The author chronicles the stories of Leif Eriksson, John Cabot and Amerigo Vespucci, and notes that the "schoolboy" phase of the Atlantic's life includes our attempts to understand it—to chart it, measure it, discover its mineral, vegetable and animal bounties and puzzle over its mysteries. For the "lover" phase of the Atlantic's history, Winchester sails across centuries of literature, art and music that in some sense celebrate the ocean. The "soldier" phase involves warfare on and around the Atlantic, from the Vikings to the Falklands. The "justice" section examines maritime laws of various sorts, from fishing to trade to communication. The concluding chapters deal with the depletion and pollution of the ocean, and the author projects a tone of both dire warning and feathered hope. Throughout, Winchester sprinkles passages of personal history, none more powerful than the epilogue about Namibia's Skeleton Coast, "a place so named because of all the skeletons, of both men and the vessels in which they had wrecked."
A lifetime of thought, travel, reading, imagination and memory inform this affecting account.Copyright Kirkus 2010 Kirkus/BPI Communications.All rights reserved.
How does one attempt to write a biography of a subject as old and vast as an ocean? Driven by a lifelong fascination with the Atlantic, Winchester (The Professor and the Madman) found inspiration in viewing the ocean and our relationship with it through the categories of Shakespeare's seven ages: infant, schoolboy, lover, soldier, justice, old age, and second childhood. Employing a mixture of history, science, and anecdotes from both sides of the Atlantic, he envisions the ocean's birth and eventual death and explores how its boundaries were discovered and defined, the many ways it has affected the development of human society (artistically, militarily, industrially), and humanity's effect on it in turn. Though the sheer size of the subject obviously limits how much of the Atlantic's "life" can be related in a single volume, Winchester does an excellent job at presenting an extensive collection of the most interesting parts of its existence. VERDICT Winchester is in fine form, and his typically engaging style creates a vibrant portrait of an ocean that remains endlessly fascinating. Highly recommended, especially for those who have enjoyed the author's previous works. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 6/15/10.]--Kathleen McCallister, Univ. of South Carolina, Columbia[Page 122]. Copyright 2010 Reed Business Information.


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A Provisional Constitution for Somalia was approved overwhelmingly in Mogadishu, Somalia on Wednesday Aug 1,2012 .The constitution approval in the war torn country is an great step to democratic rule as AMISOM peace keepers continue to restore peace on most parts of the country.
A gathering of 645 nominated community representatives, politicians, and elders approved the new law with a 96 percent majority, paving the way for more inclusive administration and greater human rights.
"The Secretary-General welcomes the adoption," a spokesperson for Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told reporters at UN Headquarters in New York today. "He congratulates the delegates and the Somali leadership for this historic achievement and their commitment to ending the transition and to establishing new, representative political institutions in the country."
"Today is a day of celebration," the Secretary-General's Special Representative and head of the UN Political Office for Somalia (UNPOS), Augustine Mahiga, said in a statement.
"The adoption of the Provisional Constitution is an historic achievement as it completes one of the most important milestones towards ending the current transitional period and ushering in a new political future," he added.
The Provisional Constitution was a key part of the process – it will provide a legal framework governing the workings of the new Somali Federal Institutions after 20 August.
In his remarks to reporters, Mr. Ban's spokesperson said the UN chief condemned the suicide attacks, noting that "terrorism must not be allowed to roll back the important gains that have been made so far."
Until last year, most of Mogadishu, was, for several years, riven by a fluid frontline dividing the two sides – fighters belonging to the Al Shabaab militant group and troops belonging to the Somalia Government, with the latter supported by AMISOM.
Since the Al Shabaab withdrawal from the capital in August last year, the frontlines have been pushed back to the city's surrounding area. However, the use of roadside bombs, grenades and suicide bombers still take place. In addition, Government forces have been on an offensive against the Al Shabaab, which still controls parts of Somalia, primarily in its south-central regions.
By UP


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By Magen McCrarey
Staff Writer
LAUREL COUNTY, Ky. —
Preventing violence in Laurel County for children four and under also means educating new parents on childhood dangers and healthy choices, according to the Violence Prevention Coalition of Laurel County.
The coalition met this month to discuss their task force's implementation of parenting classes this year. June Rawlings, director of Healthy Community Outreach at Saint Joseph London, said their action plan has begun and is beginning to see the coalition's ideas take form.
"It seemed like everything has just come together," Rawlings said. "When there's a purpose and a vision, it will all come together and the right people will be there."
Local organizations and businesses who have supported the coalition's cause include Laurel County Life Center, Parkway Pediatrics, Saint Joseph London Pediatric & Adolescent Medicine, Saint Joseph London, North Laurel High and South Laurel High Family Resource and Youth Services Centers, Saint William Catholic Church and the Cumberland Regional Prevention Center. Rev. Patrick Stewart at Saint William Church has collaborated with Rawlings and Family educators within the Laurel County Schools to provide a support group for teen parents.
According to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, uncertainty overwhelms teen parents because of their new, unclear role as a parent. Many face socioeconomic pressures as it becomes more of a reality and it's common for teens to drop out of school to have their babies and never return. Babies born to teenagers are at risk for neglect and abuse because of a lack of parenting education.
Through the new support group at Saint William and the coalition, Rawlings is hopeful the support will alleviate the pressures and fears of parenthood and provide a sense of confidence to the new mothers and fathers.
Family Educator Annie Hurley at South Laurel High School said there are currently 14 teen parents at the school. Two have dropped out this year. At North Laurel High School, there are approximately 21 teen parents, and several have dropped out this semester already, not including the pregnant teens at the middle school level. The high schools actively provide services and counseling to the teen parents on a daily basis and offer an educational class once a month.
"In the last three years, the fathers in the building have begun to participate," Woodyard said.
Family Educator Vicki Woodyard at North Laurel High stated the rate of pregnant teens may have decreased from the 36 mothers at the school five years ago, but it is becoming a norm to see pregnant teens.
"It's not a big deal to the student body like we would have thought," Woodyard said.
The biggest issue teen parent educators are facing is attendance. Many teen parents do not have access to transportation to receive the education they need, Rawlings said.
Classes for teen parents will continue this month, while parenting classes provided by London Pediatric & Adolescent Medicine will continue throughout the new year. The coalition is open to more collaboration with community organization to further their cause. A countywide parent support group is in the works to be implemented at a later date.
To contact the Violence Prevention Coalition, call June Rawlings at 606-330-7387 or e-mail her at firstname.lastname@example.com.
• Thursday, Nov. 15- Free Parenting Classes for parents and grandparents hosted by Saint Joseph London Pediatric & Adolescent Medicine starting at 4 p.m. for children ages two to three years old. Food and drinks will be provided. (2013 class dates include Jan. 17 for parents of ages three to five, Feb. 21 for parents of ages six to eight, March 15 for parents of ages seven to 10, and April 18 for parents of ages 11 to 18.)
• Saturday, Nov. 17- Free Teen Parent Support Group of teen parents at North Laurel and South Laurel High schools from 10 to 11:30 a.m. at Saint William Catholic Church. Food and drinks will be provided.


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Officials with the Anderson city administrator's office said the former police chief will get a public grievance hearing after he was fired in August.
City officials made the decision Monday afternoon that former Anderson Police Chief Martin Brown's grievance hearing will be open to the public.
Brown requested the grievance hearing after he was fired on Aug. 23. He had been placed on administrative leave prior to being fired.
Anderson city attorney J. Franklin McClain said that although city officials do not think the state statute requires a public grievance hearing, they have decided to open the hearing because Brown requested it.
"We are satisfied that we can conduct this in an open meeting that is respectful of the privacy of those involved," said McClain.
City Manager John Moore said Brown investigated top police department employees after they complained about his performance as chief.
Moore said Brown disobeyed instructions not to confront those employees.
The grievance hearing is scheduled for Wednesday at 2 p.m. at City Hall in the Council Chambers.
Copyright 2012 FOX Carolina (Meredith Corporation). All rights reserved.


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By Gerry Crispin, SPHR and Mark Mehler
Since 1996 our Update has been published 10-12 times each year and aims to share commentary, observations, perspectives and data we come across during our staffing adventures. We hope you continue to enjoy it and pass it on to friends. All are invited to register for the Update for free. Coupled with our Bellwether, a provocative monthly look at trends we share with CareerXroads Colloquium members, we are always willing to challenge the accepted wisdom or poke a little fun at the staffing industry and ourselves in the process.
We invite you to keep in touch and join us during the year at the various conferences where we speak or simply attend.
We recently read a memorable Harvard Business Review blog written by Dorie Clark last November, How to Reinvent Your Personal Brand. The blog has acquired more than 60 comments. Many of them are excellent additions to the conversation.
We think that Dorie's "5 steps" are as relevant to your firm's attempt to create a transparent and authentic message for job seekers as they are for personal branding:
A blog entitled, What If Tom Hanks had Starred in Field of Dreams?, by Jason Pankow on Workforce Management's Fistful of Talent told the story about a candidate who pulled herself out of the middle of a recruiting process because "she didn't feel they were recruiting her." Jason went on to illustrate his learning from the story - that there are two kinds of candidates, "those who are sourced and those who apply." It was a good story and a good post but, as stories go we didn't see it the same way.
We read the same story and thought it was about two types of recruiters. One recruiter believes in his product and that everyone would benefit from it and, therefore sells the way Jason described. The other recruiter also believes in her product but recognizes it isn't for everyone - even if they are the most qualified - and helps the selected candidate make the best career decision in the context of where they are and where they want to go with their work and their life.
One recruiter overcomes objections, the other explores them fully.
One recruiter seldom loses the sale and if he does, he simply moves on knowing it's the candidate's loss. The other recruiter loses more sales but knows she has added a long-term connection, a potential referral and a future prospect.
The recruiter who values the sale because he/she has determined it is the right thing for the candidate will make more sales in the short term (and probably more money long term) but will always have to invest the same effort over and over to convince quality candidates that now is the time - even if the candidate is clearly uncertain. It's a paternal approach that will never measure success by what happens downstream to the new employee i.e. 3 months, 6 months or even 5 years. Success is in making the sale - after all it is on that which he is measured and rewarded.
The recruiter whose hires result from insisting on informed choice will lose more top candidates, frustrate more hiring managers and fill fewer positions but, will eventually discover two overwhelming advantages:
Too often we work for employers who value the immediate sale based on whether the best candidate can perform rather than whether the best candidate will choose to perform. To us the story Jason wrote illustrates the difference between those who view their profession as sales and their job description as recruiting versus those who view their profession as recruiting - and just one of their skills as sales.
In this recent article looking for new angles to describe social media's impact, the Wall Street Journal has apparently just uncovered what the Staffing industry has known for years: that investment in recruitment sources is moving out of traditional job boards and into more 'direct sourcing' tools such as Facebook, Linkedin and the like.
The question is whether we are talking seismic replacement or simply the natural evolution that has been underway for two decades. We believe the author is accurate about the underlying reasons for why sources of hire are shifting to incorporate social media by quoting an SAIC staffing leader as saying, "It's almost a throwback to the old, dial-for-dollars method of recruiting. We need to reach candidates earlier, before they're being pursued by competitors."
However, the article is too certain in tolling the bell on the demise of job boards. It fails to offer any balanced comments to its substitution premise. Smaller firms, for example, typically lack the resources or the brand recognition to build and manage relationship pipelines (or to even support dedicated internal sourcing activities). The Corporate Executive Board was noted in the article as saying that "24% of (large) companies (they surveyed) plan to decrease their usage of third-party employment websites and job boards this year" and that "80% plan to increase their use of job board alternative methods."
The article fails to describe the scale of job board, or for that matter social media hiring to the recruiting function. Neither $ invested nor % source of hire is ever mentioned. Lots of smoke- not much fire.
The Corporate Executive Board figures do match up with our Source of Hire whitepapers from last year and the year before showing that the shift to Web 2.0 tools is not a recent trend at all but a continuing change that has been in play for some time. Their figures don't take into account the changes in job sites that are becoming more social and social networking sites that are adding more job services.
This year, we've asked more questions on this topic and hope to have a little more detail in how firms really are rethinking their playbook by the end of February. If you haven't yet completed our 2011 Source of Hire survey (it is designed only for larger firms), please consider doing so. We'll be wrapping it up in the next week.
The DirectEmployers Association launched .jobs Universe this past month. Clicking on and watching the ".jobs value proposition" offers a good look at the DE members view but, in our opinion, misses what is of value to the most important stakeholder, the job seeker.
We think this solid ERE article by John Zappe does a good job describing the events that got .jobs to this point but more analysis and a deeper conversation is needed. We believe our comments at the end of the article (shown below) will determine the initiative's success:
(We're) not surprised there is little comment here John and also not surprised that the underlying value prop for .jobs continues to go un-noticed. Far be it for (us) to rehash 5 years of discussion. Given today's realities:
- a link to NewYork.jobs or a job on NewYork.jobs
- a link to engineer.jobs
- a link to packaging.jobs
- a link to newyorkengineering.jobs
- a link to packagingengineer.jobs
- a link to - - -you get the idea
- AND, in the margin on the results page they (the jobseeker) sees a paid ad with a brand message that resonates around WHY job leads on the .jobs domain are different.
If #4 never happens all the angst will be for naught. No one will be talking about .jobs five years from now. If #4 does happen, it will be too late. The game will have changed and the chips will certainly fall where they may.
Personally, (while DE doesn't have any incentive, given the level of discourse to do this), it's still (our) opinion that a consortium of stakeholders interested in participating in the evolution of .jobs as intended - more as partners and equals to DE than as competitors (perhaps with DE having some veto protection) would change the outcome or at least speed it up. Seems to (us) a positive spin of industry players supporting a shared vision would serve to prove the concept faster and benefit everyone.
According to McKinsey's latest report, The Rise of the Networked Enterprise, more than 50% of the 3,000+ executives in responding firms reported increased usage of more than a dozen Web 2.0 technologies in their businesses (and � of these respondents reported employee usages ranging from 50% to 70 %.)
More importantly, as usage increases, measurable benefits to internal, customer and partner stakeholders (access to information, reduced costs and increased income) are also rising.
As firms moved from early phases in their adoption to fully integrated day-to-day web 2.0, enterprise changes like lower level decision making, increased collaboration across organizational silos, and work performed by a mix of internal and external stakeholders became very evident. The report suggests to us that resistance to Web 2.0 is crumbling and perhaps reports like these, shared internally, will hasten the inevitable - or help you find a place that already gets it.
Dr. Charles Handler (Rockethire) offers a refreshing point of view (at least for most of the PhDs we come across) about all those prescreening questions, personality exams and selection tests. He even takes it a step or two beyond our point of view (and we thought we were on the edge.)
In his recent ERE article, A Pre-Employment Assessment Candidate Bill of Rights, Charles raised the point that we too often focus on how we use the data we collect and suggested the much more important question is "what about the actual people whom companies are asking to take the assessment?"
His answer includes the following eight candidate "rights":
We think this article is a classic addition to the conversation around the candidate experience (even though we can't quite see 'enjoyment' as a right.). We also view the last point, knowing what to expect in terms of feedback, as not going far enough. In point of fact, we think for conversation purposes, it is better to describe Charles' proposals as professional base-line standards or practices adopted by best in class firms.
For years, our advice to job seekers (and we bet yours too) has included suggestions about how to stay in touch with all those folks you are networking with who have agreed to support you in your job hunt. Keeping daily journals, tagging names in Outlook or on Linkedin, periodic status emails, etc.
As Bill Kutik's excellent HR Executive review notes - new service Startwire gives job seekers the means to help manage a job network and much more
Equally as important, Startwire is evidence of what we see as an expanding new class of Apps For Candidates - free or low cost mashups of online tools to improve a job seeker's ability to find relevant data, engage employees as referrals and organize support for their candidacy.
Slowly, active AND passive job seekers are recognizing the importance of managing and exploring career options. We predict specialized Web 2.0 capabilities for job seekers will explode in 2011.
We would like to know about the tools you think are empowering job seekers and balancing the employment equation and we promise to find an appropriate way to list these soon in an online directory.Copyright MMC Group © 1996-2011 all rights reserved.
The Staffing Strategy Connection
By Gerry Crispin and Mark Mehler
firstname.lastname@example.com - 732-821-6652


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Standard Motif Slippers
Shipton & Heneage - Standard Embroidered Velvet Slippers
Shipton & Heneage's handmade, uniquely customisable Slippers are world famous not just for their comfort but for their style. Each pair is hand-made from finest leather, or sumptuous velvet and satin quilt linings, expertly cut out and lasted using traditional established methods over three hundred years old. Originally intended for home or clubland use, we are increasingly seeing our Slippers sported by the fashion-forward at red carpet and black-tie events.
We serve many clients who wish to decorate their Slippers with a social, sporting, national or humorous motif. Please review our wide library of designs to find just the right emblem to emblazon your slippers. Below you will find a selection of standard motifs that we have embroidered onto velvet and made into slippers.
If you have your own design please see our club, regimental, crested or monogrammed slipper pages. The club velvet slipper attracts discounts when 4 or more pairs of the same embroidery are ordered.All standard motif slippers cost £205
Please click on any image below to view details


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Home > News > World
Monday January 14, 2013 MYT 12:00:00 AM
Monday April 22, 2013 MYT 5:49:05 PM
LONDON - A 19th century steam train took passengers for a rare ride on the London Underground on Sunday to mark the 150th anniversary of the world's oldest metro system.
A red and black locomotive dating from 1898 and specially restored for the occasion ran between Kensington Olympia station in west London and Moorgate station in the financial district.
It was pulling the oldest operational Tube carriage, which was built in 1892, a set of four carriages from 1898, and a vintage electric locomotive.
London mayor Boris Johnson, who was among the passengers, said: "It was just extraordinary.
"We had steam coming in through the windows, huge thick clouds of white steam going past and then bits of soot coming through from the engine."
The last regular steam train service on the London Underground network - more than half of which is actually overground - ran in 1961.
The London Underground opened on January 10, 1863 and a century and a half later the Tube runs for 250 miles (402 kilometres), linking 270 stations and carries passengers on 1.1 billion journeys per year. - AFP
Tags / Keywords:
World, News, london underground, steam train, 150th anniversary
Copyright © 1995-2014 Star Publications (M) Bhd (Co No 10894-D)


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A collection from 2011 of beautiful landscape, nature and abstract shots by John Pedersen
Over de auteurJohn Pedersen
JP55 Portland Oregon
A native Oregonian, John is located in Portland Oregon, which is centrally located to the many beautiful areas of the Pacific Northwest. The Columbia River Gorge and it's many waterfalls, the rugged Pacific Ocean coastline, the lush Willamette Valley, to the snow capped Cascade Mountains, the Pacific Northwest offers limitless photographic opportunities. John frequently travels outside the Northwest for his photography as well, covering many areas along the West Coast, the Southwest, as well as overseas locations.
Datum van publicatie 02 mar 2012
Afmetingen Standaard liggend 32 pags Standaardpapier
Categorie Kunst en fotografie
Labels Mono Lake, Columbia River Gorge, Painted HIlls, Alabama Hills, natural abstract, landscape, nature, pretty, beautiful, photography, Oregon, Washington, California, waterfall, Sierras, Bodie, 5dmkii, Canon, Autumn, Fall, Summer, Spring, abstract, natural, pedersen, photo, picture, sunset, sunrise
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Preterm labor is labor that occurs before 37 completed weeks of pregnancy. Sometimes preterm labor starts due to a problem that can be treated and the preterm labor can be stopped, but other times it cannot or should not be stopped. Therefore, any time a woman thinks she might be in preterm labor, she needs to contact a health care provider.
Why should people learn about preterm labor?No one can predict who will have preterm labor; it can happen to any pregnant woman, and preterm labor can lead to preterm birth.
How does preterm birth affect the baby? Babies born more than three weeks before their due dates can have serious problems such as breathing, eating, keeping blood sugars normal, staying warm and developing jaundice. Some preterm babies will also have life-threatening or life-long health disabilities such as cerebral palsy, blindness and chronic lung problems, or milder problems such as behavior and learning problems, clumsiness or ADHD. The effects of preterm birth can also increase the likelihood of developing diseases in adulthood. One example of this is diabetes, with preterm babies having 18 times the risk for developing diabetes as an adult, compared to babies born at full term.
Should any of the following signs and symptoms occur before 37 weeks of pregnancy, it could mean the pregnant woman is experiencing preterm labor.
She doesn't need to experience all of them - even one symptom means she should seek help.
All women should learn to recognize the signs of preterm labor. If they happen, get help quickly.
How to check for contractionsThe pregnant woman should lie down and place her hands against her abdomen. If her uterus tightens (contracts) and then softens (relaxes), she is having a contraction. Some may be harder or stronger than others, but she should be aware that preterm labor contractions are often painless.
What is the difference between preterm labor contractions and Braxton Hicks contractions?While it can sometimes be normal for the uterus to contract off and on during pregnancy (Braxton Hicks), these are more likely to occur when a pregnant woman first lies down, after sex, or after she walks up and down stairs. However, it is not normal to have regular, frequent contractions before the pregnancy reaches full term. If she experiences six or more contractions in one hour, then her uterus is contracting too often and this puts the pregnancy at risk for preterm labor. She should call her health care provider right away.
What other symptoms should be reported to the health care provider?A pregnant woman should call right away if she has:
Waiting too long to call for help could result in the baby being born too early.
Depending on the woman's symptoms, the health care provider may tell her to come to the hospitalimmediately or may recommend other ways to further evaluate the situation.
What can pregnant women do?Learn what to do to help a pregnancy go to full term.
If the doctor advises her to deliver before 39 weeks, she should understand the medical reasons why and be aware that there are risks involved with having a scheduled induction of labor and/or a scheduled Cesarean section without medical reasons. She should discuss with her provider how to maximize the chances for a healthy, full-term baby. (See also the fact sheet titled "Good Health may Help Prevent Preterm Birth.")
Healthy Babies Are Worth the Wait® is a multifaceted partnership of the March of Dimes, the Johnson & Johnson Pediatric Institute and the Kentucky Department for Public Health. The primary goal of the initiative is a 15 percent reduction in the rate of "preventable" single preterm births - particularly babies born late preterm (four to six weeks early) - in three targeted intervention sites in Kentucky: King's Daughters Medical Center in Ashland, Trover Health System Regional Medical Center of Hopkins County and the University of Kentucky Albert B. Chandler Hospital in Lexington. Health care teams at each site provide mothers-to-be with an integrated approach of education, counseling and clinical care.
For more information, call 1-800-333-8874 or visit our website or the following sites:
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We have the solutions
for your skin!
Heading Back to School…Get Your Skin Back in Shape! It's that time of year again and the first day of school will be here soon. You may already have your lists ready for supplies and school necessities. It's also important to get your skin back in shape so you can walk into school with your best face forward!
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Makeup in a Hurry ~ Tips for quick and easy summer makeup application
Mid-July brings us to the half-way point of summer, and vacations/weekend get-a-ways are in full swing. Summer is flying by, and we don't want to waste a minute of it! There is definitely no extra time to spend in front of the mirror trying to choose and apply makeup. Create a great look in minutes with the tips for "Makeup in a Hurry!"
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Are you getting enough sleep for your skin?


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START OF MY STORY below to read about my issue with Bubblews! Updated on 2nd Sept 2014, 10.47pm, Singapore: More continue to complain of non-payment..
This Anti-Cancer Resource will be expanded from time to time! Anti-Cancer Foods 1. to 6. In 1911, Dr. August von..
The CONS of Consuming 5-O-Caffeoylquinic Acid aka Chlorogenic Acid Forbes reported that the latest research involving just 8 men and 8..
Do you need US$5.4 Million to Buy Cancer-Killing Sweet Potatoes? Yes, that is my question. Sweet Potatoes contain a..
"To be poor and be without trees, is to be the most starved human being in the world. To be poor and have trees, is to be completely rich in ways that money can never buy." ― Clarissa Pinkola Estés.
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Can we talk about the repetitive iOS stagnation posts for a second?
I don't think I've ever gone a day browsing the forums that I didn't see a post like, "Y IOS old" or, "iOS bad"
Let's actually take a moment and look at iOS's actual problems.
Bad Third Party Integration
On Android, you can upload an article to pocket straight from the browser if the app is installed. 3rd party apps have more control within the OS unlike on iOS. On iOS, Apple is the one that integrates the services, and currently the only services are Twitter, Facebook and iMessage. For example, if you want to upload a photo to Dropbox from your camera roll, you have to exit the photos app, open Dropbox, and upload from there. On Android you could upload to Dropbox straight from the photos app. 3rd party integration is easily the weakest point in iOS.
Changing settings and getting quick information is inefficient
Unlike on Android, there are no quick settings. If you want to change a setting on iOS, you're going to need to go into the settings app. While this could also go along with 3rd party integration, there are no 3rd party widgets. iOS DOES HAVE WIDGETS. There is a Weather widget and a stock widget, both of which are excellent. There are also buttons (not seen here) that allow you to tweet or post to Facebook. (Not really widgets, but they are more efficient.) There simply needs to be a way for developers to add widgets for their apps, which the user could turn on or off.
... That's it.
There are really no other problems with iOS. What else is it really missing? Every time I come the forums I see people saying, "iOS has not changed enough! If iOS 7 isn't different, I'm switching to Android!" (Which, let's be honest, you won't)
The reason iOS has changes so little is because unlike Android, it pretty much got it right on the first try.
"The iPhone is 5 years ahead of the competition." -Steve Jobs, 2007
Clearly he knew what he was talking about. While Android was, well, terrible at launch, iPhone OS was just about perfect. It was smooth, and there was nothing else like it. Sure it was missing some things, but those refinements came over time, and made the OS better. It didn't need an overhaul. In fact, Android didn't match iOS until 2011.
This wasn't meant to be an Android bashing post. Android right now is ahead in terms off efficiency. But people saying that iOS needs to be reinvented is ridiculous. There is absolutely no reason for it. Change for change sake is not good. Now hopefully we can stop seeing shoddy iOS concepts and "I'm switching!!!1!!11" posts in the forums every 5 seconds.


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This year, taxpayers in Italy have the option of donating 5 euros to research for every 1,000 euros owed
By Marta Paterlini | May 30, 2006
By Anna Azvolinsky
Analysis of 40 European archaeological sites suggests a gradual extinction of Neanderthals over thousands of years.
By Tracy Vence
Tens of thousands of African elephants have been illegally killed in the last four years, a report shows.
By Kerry Grens
People with the neurodegenerative disease are more likely to have certain epigenetic patterns than those without.
View the August 2014 contents.
© 1986-2014 The Scientist


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Question: What are Cellulose Fibers?
"I want to do a tie dyed t-shirt, but I heard that this dye works best with cellulose fibers. What are these? Can I get a list?"
Answer: Cellulose is the primary structural component of plants, so we call plant material fibers 'cellulose fibers'.
Here are some examples of cellulose fibers:
- Cotton
- Linen
- Rayon
- Bamboo
- Hemp
- Jute
- Rayon (this is altered by people, but plant based)
More on How to Dye Cellulose Fibers
More on Fiber Reactive Dye More Questions About Dyeing Clothing
- Protein (Wool, Cashmere, Silk)
- What are Protein Fibers?
- How to Dye Protein Fibers
- Learn about Acid Dyes
- Cellulose (Cotton, Linen, Hemp)
- What are Cellulose Fibers?
- How to Dye Cellulose Fibers
- Learn about Fiber Reactive Dye
- Synthetics (Spandex, Nylon, Polyester)
- List of Synthetic Fibers
- How to Dye Synthetic Fibers


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I've wanted to try this for a while and I finally have a moment to do it.
One of my favorite websites is ColourLovers. Once you join you are able to post palettes, colours, and patterns you create.
I get a lot of inspiration from historical dramas and I've posted about the Elizabeth movies before and I can't say enough about director Shekhar Kapur's work in partnership with a huge team of talented professionals who work toward this amazing result.
Here is the palette I created using ColorSchemer. (License 49.99, available mac and pc)
I think I will be spending a lot of time with this new 'friend' on my computer. Hopefully not when I should be doing something more important and pressing, like writing report cards.
This palette makes me think of a picture I took on a November trip to Quesnel to visit some really great friends. They graciously picked me up at the Prince George airport (normally 1 hour away) one snowy evening. We traveled for almost twice as long as we should have on dark snowy highways where you couldn't see any markings on or beside the road. It was a harrowing journey, including witnessing the violent end of a farm dog, that none of us will EVER do again. Once settled, I had a lovely time and the return trip to the airport was much better.
Maybe it's because I'm a prairie girl at heart, but I see a cold beauty everywhere in nature at this time of year.


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It feels like Israel is being ripped apart at the seams. Those waving orange flags are passionately protesting Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's Plan to Disengage from Gaza, slated to begin August 15, 2005. Those waving blue flags are supporting Disengagement from Gaza and protesting the vehemence of those waving orange flags. Orange vehemence has included clashing with police and soldiers, blocking traffic, spilling oil and nails on the highway and even planting dummy bombs. How did Israel get herself into this complicated and painful situation?
British troops leave Mandatory Palestine. The State of Israel is declared.
In the Israeli war of Independence, thousands of Palestinians, fleeing other cities like Jaffa and Beersheba, settle in the Gaza Strip, mostly in refugee camps. Gaza Strip's population triples.
Following the signing of the armistice, the Gaza Strip comes under Egyptian military rule. Egypt does not give Egyptian citizenship to the Palestinians of the Gaza Strip.
Israel captures the Gaza Strip during the Six Day War. The United Nations Security Council passes Resolution 242, calling for the withdrawal of Israeli armed forces from territories occupied in the war in exchange for an end to the Arab-Israeli conflict.
In 1970, Kfar Darom - a Jewish community in the Strip evacuated in 1948 - is re-established as a para-military Nahal outpost.
In 1972, Netzer Hazani, the first civilian Jewish community in the Gaza Strip, is founded. And Netzarim and Morag are founded as para-military Nahal outposts.
Israel and Egypt sign the Camp David Accords, in which they pledge to try to reach an agreement on Palestinian autonomy in the Gaza Strip and West Bank. In response, Jewish settlement groups start to establish more settlements to ensure Jewish presence in the Gaza Strip. Jewish settlement in the Gaza Strip grows in the 1980s.
The Gaza-Jericho Agreement is signed; IDF forces leave most of the Strip's Palestinian inhabited areas, but maintain control of the Jewish settlements, borders and certain strategic points.
Hamas and Islamic Jihad carry out suicide bombings against Israelis. Israel surrounds the Strip with a security fence. Israel and the Palestinian Authority sign the Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement on the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.
Camp David Summit fails. The Second Intifada begins. Jewish settlements in Gaza suffer constant attacks. Palestinians in Gaza fire missiles at Israeli communities in the Negev. Israeli helicopters attack targets in Palestinian areas, and IDF tanks enter refugee camps. Curfews placed on Palestinians, security at checkpoints increased.
In response to Palestinian attacks, the IDF recaptures parts of the Gaza Strip. Prime Minister Ariel Sharon presents a Disengagement Plan from Gaza and the northern West Bank.
Knesset ratifies Sharon's Disengagement Plan. Government announces August 15 as the day disengagement is set to begin. Passionate, nationwide anti-disengagement protests begin.


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You'd Have To Be Psycho To Not Pass This 'Test'
Carol Rifka Brunt is author of Tell the Wolves I'm Home.
There's this moment in Jon Ronson's book The Psychopath Test that caught me completely off guard. It comes a little less than halfway through, shortly after he's outlined the 20-point psychopath checklist. I'd read through the list and although most didn't really apply to me there were a handful that gave me pause: "Item 3: ... proneness to boredom," "Item 13: Lack of realistic long-term goals," "Item 15: Irresponsibility."
I found myself vaguely wondering whether there might be a touch of psychopathy in my own personality.
I let my mind trip back to times in my past when I might not have been quite as conscientious as I should have been, when my heart may have been colder or harder than the average person's. I'm caught in this little reverie when suddenly — BAM — like Ronson read my mind — comes the line "If you're beginning to feel worried that you may be a psychopath, if you recognize some of those traits in yourself, if you're feeling a creeping anxiety about it, that means you are not one." I laughed out loud. He caught me red-handed.
Here's why pop psychology books are my guilty pleasure. Not self-help books — I'm talking about books that purport to reveal the inner workings of the mind, the secret ways humans view and process the world. The guilt is in the fact that even though I say "humans" what I really mean is "me." What I'm really interested in is the way I think. It's a total indulgence.
I read The Psychopath Test not just to learn about people who suffer the disorder, but to compare myself with them. To say "Look, I'm not a psychopath. I don't have "superficial charm" or a "parasitic lifestyle." See? See??
This book managed to trigger not only guilt, but also its sisters — shame and embarrassment. I was just a few pages in when I began to regret my choice of reading material. Not because it wasn't a good book. I was gripped by the anecdote about a mysterious cryptic book that's been sent to numerous academics across the world. Later I was even more awed by his portrayal of "Tony from Broadmoor" a man who claims he faked being a psychopath to avoid being sent to prison, only to find that now nobody will believe he's not a psychopath. Then there are Ronson's encounters with Bob Hare, the man who developed the psychopath test of the book's title. All good. All compelling.
My regrets were about the implications of its title. Reading this book in an airport lounge, I wondered if people thought I was taking a psychopath self-assessment? Are they edging away from me? Then a whole different thought emerged: What if the title draws a real psychopath to me?
I tipped the book into my lap and angled my body away. Then, to make extra sure nobody could see the cover, I folded it over.
But once onboard the plane I thought again. Who cares what anybody thinks? I'm not ashamed. I feel no guilt. Hmmm ... but wait ... "Item 6: Lack of remorse or guilt." What if this means I am a psychopath after all?
My Guilty Pleasure is produced and edited by Ellen Silva and Rose Friedman with production assistance from Gavin Bade.
Insane Science: 5 New Books That Explain The Brain
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Reported by
Michael Schaub
When the sun finally comes out and the sweaters get tossed in the basement, we're all at least a little tempted to turn off our brains. Don't do it! Summer reading — in this case, summer reading about the science of the mind — can be a lot more fun than dodging volleyballs on a beach. Neuroscience isn't just about parts of the brain and hard-to-pronounce chemicals; the books listed here cover everything from religion to pornography, from die-hard optimists to remorseless sociopaths. Sure, there's a lot of knowledge to be mined in these volumes, but most importantly, they're all fast, fun reads. As subject matter, the brain, it turns out, makes for the ultimate page-turner and science (don't tell my high school bio teacher I said this) the epitome of cool.
The Compass Of Pleasure: How Our Brains Make Fatty Foods, Orgasm, Exercise, Marijuana, Generosity, Vodka, Learning, And Gambling Feel So Good
By David J. Linden, hardcover, 240 pages, Viking, list price: $26.95
Unless you're at the kind of cookout where words like amygdala and dopamine get tossed around instead of Frisbees, you're probably not thinking too intently about what's going on in your "medial forebrain pleasure circuit." That might change if you read neuroscientist David J. Linden's The Compass of Pleasure, a hugely entertaining look at why we enjoy the things we enjoy. They're not all vices, either — your brain can be stimulated by sex and drugs, but it also derives pleasure from working out and, believe it or not, paying your taxes. There's hardcore biology here, but it's tempered with personal anecdotes, penetrating observations and quotes from the likes of comedian Mitch Hedberg and Wilco frontman Jeff Tweedy. If you're science-phobic, don't worry: Linden is incredibly smart, but comes across as the funny, patient professor you wish you'd had in college.
The Believing Brain: From Ghosts To Gods To Politics And Conspiracies — How We Construct Beliefs And Reinforce Them As Truths
By Michael Shermer, hardcover, 400 pages, Times Books, list price: $28
"Beliefs come first, explanations for beliefs follow." That's the argument professional skeptic Michael Shermer makes in The Believing Brain, a book that fuses neuroscience, sociology and the author's own biographical stories into a compelling and sometimes deeply personal read — even if you don't agree with him on everything. And you won't.
Shermer, a former evangelical Christian who became an agnostic in college, now dedicates his sprawling career to debunking what he sees as superstitions and failures of logic, from religion to alien abduction to Sept. 11 conspiracy theories. In this, his 17th book, he argues that supernatural beliefs are the product of our brains and that we arrive at those beliefs in spite of — not because of — scientific evidence. Shermer is a convincing voice, but he's not necessarily a hardliner — he points out that while the scientific method remains "the best tool ever" when it comes to deflating paranormal claims, "we must always remember that we could be wrong."
The Psychopath Test: A Journey Through The Madness Industry
By Jon Ronson, hardcover, 288 pages, Riverhead, list price: $25.95
When you think about relaxing summer reading, studies of psychopaths probably don't pop into your mind. (At least we hope not.) But that shouldn't stop you from picking up Jon Ronson's The Psychopath Test. The subject matter is, yes, disturbing, but Ronson's book is one of the funniest and most entertaining of the year. In its enjoyable pages, the British journalist and author of The Men Who Stare at Goats goes in search of one of the world's most enigmatic and frightening personality disorders. He talks to psychiatrists, a patient at a notorious English psychiatric hospital, an exiled terrorist and a disgraced CEO. (One theory suggests that psychopaths, who seem to lack a conscience, do inordinately well in business.) It's unsettling stuff, to be sure, but Ronson is a charmingly self-deprecating and remarkably charismatic author. The bad news? Scientists estimate that 1 percent of the population is psychopathic. The good news? A psychiatrist assures Ronson, if you're worried you might be a psychopath, you're almost certainly not one.
The Optimism Bias: A Tour Of The Irrationally Positive Brain
By Tali Sharot, hardcover, 272 pages, Pantheon, list price: $25.95
Even the most cheerful and upbeat among us might be tempted to bang our head against a wall if we are forced to hear "Don't Worry, Be Happy" one more time. But as Tali Sharot points out in her fascinating new book, The Optimism Bias, that stubbornly sunny attitude is not necessarily what optimism means. Even if you're a dedicated cynic, you might be surprised to learn that your brain is wearing rose-colored glasses, whether you like it or not.
Drawing from biology and psychology — as well as from such unlikely sources as the Los Angeles Lakers, Shirley Temple and Guinness stout — London-based scientist Sharot explains why the brains of most people are programmed to predict happy endings in all facets of our lives. Hope isn't just a campaign slogan, she argues; it's an instinct of self-preservation. What your irrepressibly chipper friends have been telling you is right: studies show that optimists tend to live longer and pessimists die younger. Optimism might just be your mind playing tricks on you, but it turns out there's a good reason for that.
A Billion Wicked Thoughts: What The World's Largest Experiment Reveals About Human Desire
By Ogi Ogas and Sai Gaddam, hardcover, 416 pages, Dutton, list price: $26.95
If you want to know what people think about sex, just ask them. But If you want to know what people really think about sex, go to the Internet. That's where scientists Ogi Ogas and Sai Gaddam turned to research their explicit, engrossing and occasionally disturbing A Billion Wicked Thoughts, which seeks to explain how men and women experience sexual desire differently. (It may seem self-evident, but it's worth repeating the authors' warning: this is not a book for children.)
Crunching reams of Internet-browsing data, Ogas and Gaddam draw some surprising conclusions about what turns us on and what "squicks us out." Men's sexual brains, they argue, are more like Elmer Fudd and women's more like Miss Marple. As for our conventional wisdom about sex, it's largely untrue, they write. We all know that straight men prefer young, slender women; that women have no interest in pornography; and that only gay men are turned on by seeing other men's genitals. Right? Wrong. We don't always want what we think we do — and the proof, Ogas and Gaddam assert like a couple of well-meaning psych-major nerds with spyware, is in our X-rated browser histories.
A Psychopath Walks Into A Room. Can You Tell?
Hear this
Explore this
Reported by
NPR Staff
Some psychologists have a theory that many of the world's ills can be blamed on psychopaths in high places.
"Robert Hare, the eminent Canadian psychologist who invented the psychopath checklist, ... recently announced that you're four times more likely to find a psychopath at the top of the corporate ladder than you are walking around in the janitor's office," journalist Jon Ronson tells Guy Raz, host of weekends on All Things Considered.
Ronson is the author of a new book, The Psychopath Test: A Journey Through the Madness Industry. The titular test is called the PCL-R. Invented by Hare, it's a checklist of characteristics common to psychopaths: things like glib and superficial charm, grandiosity, manipulative behavior and lack of remorse.
Picture a psychopath and you might think of Norman Bates. But Ronson says successful businessmen can also score high on the checklist. While researching his book, Ronson visited the Florida home of Al Dunlap — known as "Chainsaw Al" — who as CEO of appliance maker Sunbeam was notorious for his gleeful fondness for firing people and shutting down factories.
"So I turned up at his house, and it was full of sculptures of predatory animals," Ronson says. "And he immediately started to talk about how he believed in the predatory spirit, which was word for word what Bob Hare writes about in the checklist: Look out for their belief in the predatory spirit."
But Dunlap managed to turn the psychopath test on its head, Ronson says.
"He admitted to many, many items on the checklist, but redefined them as leadership positives," he says. "So 'manipulation' was another way of saying 'leadership.' 'Grandiose sense of self worth' — which would have been a hard one for him to deny because he was standing underneath a giant oil painting of himself — was, you know, 'You've got to like yourself if you're going to be a success.'"
Ultimately, Ronson says, spending two years hunting for psychopaths took a toll on him.
"I have great admiration for the Hare checklist. I think it's right. I think it's as scientific as psychology can ever be," he says. But learning to administer it "really can mess with your head."


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Lobster Bisque Recipe and More
A Good Lobster Bisque Recipe on Squidoo
I don't know how many of you are familiar with Squidoo, but it is a community web site that allows members to create web pages called lenses for any subject that may be of their interest. It has become one of them more popular community web sites on the Internet.
I have posted several articles on Squidoo that I welcome you to check out and leave your comments. Here they are:
- Teaching Your Kids To Cook – Kids Can Cook & this lens shows you how
- Coq au Vin – History and how to prepare
- The Best of the Wurst - An Introduction to German Sausages
- Chocolate Truffle or Truffle Underground – what's the difference between these two truffles
- A Romantic Valentine's Day Dinner – need I say more
- Finding the Best Culinary School – A look into deciding what culinary school to attend or not
Lobster Bisque Recipe
My latest "lens" looks at the American classic Lobster Bisque, "a type of soup, historically based on crustaceans, (crayfish, lobster, shrimp, or crab), that are thickened in one of a myriad of ways, and then finished with cream."
What's fun about these lens are the tools Squidoo gives you to describe and explain your message. For example, in my lobster bisque lens I use photos, videos, polls, content and a readers comment section for feedback. There are links to resource sites like Amazon where a critical piece of equipment is needed and links to other related Squidoo lenses.
So if you are interested in the history of lobster bisque, want to test your culinary knowledge and learn how to prepare it at home, I suggest you check out The Reluctant Gourmet's Classic Lobster Bisque.