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Warp Drives Might Be More Realistic Than Thought
Thank you Omega. Very informative.
I can't count how many times I've said it. Warp Drive is realistic not just by theory but by effective demonstration at an event horizon. I've had that discussion a dozen times and it's far too obvious to anyone that knows the slightest bit on how space and gravity work.
Amazingly Trek got alot of stuff right.
So far shot down:
Warp speed isn't possible: Wrong
Trek ship are the wrong shape: Doesn't really matter and wrong
Instant Transportation isn't possible: Wrong
For being in an incredible time our young minds are incredibly hard headed. We could do some amazing things if the average mind would try some thinking and exploring on knowledge rather than believing the tripe their spoon fed from the media and internet outlets.
Dare to understand what you know...
At school, I was always ridiculed for being sure it's possible XD
Whether or not warp drive is possible is still at best an open question. These are little more than interesting intellectual exercises at our current level of technology. There is nothing here in practical terms that could lead to the production of warp drive. Let's not get ahead of ourselves here.
And if it is possible, it's a very long way off.
The article clearly points out this remains theoretical with several hurdles to be overcome even if the theory was moved along to 'practical' stages. We remain unpossessed of all the understanding to make it work.
Like it says, in the 'far future'.................maybe.
Aha, so it doesn't require a gargantuan but merely a giganormous amount of energy which cannot be created by ordinary means but requires that we tap into the funky force that is supposed to cause the expansion of the universe. Realistic sounds different.
More hypothetical than theoretical. Not a naysayer myself, but there's far too many missing pieces in the theoretical aspect. Even if there weren't, it still remains little more than academic. Even with 100% efficiency, powering such a thing isn't even practical. Generally speaking, we aren't even within the ballpark of 25% energy efficiency. Thermal dynamics is kind of a b***h in that regard.
When we say theory, we aren't even talking about the engineering aspects of it. We are saying this is nothing more than interesting abstract mathematical theory. There is nothing even close to anything of a practical nature here yet.
And seldom does the theoretical translate smoothly to the practical.
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Angelman Syndrome Study
The purposes of this study are to gain a better understanding of the disease progression of Angelman syndrome, to follow the natural history of the clinical features of Angelman syndrome and to gain a better understanding of the clinical differences between the various genetic mechanisms of Angelman syndrome.
Greenwood Genetic Center is also an approved site for a Phase 2 Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial of Levodopa in Angelman Syndrome.
Official Study Website
Study Participation
Eligible participants include individuals from birth to 60 years who have had genetic testing and have a documented molecular diagnosis of Angelman syndrome OR patients with a clear clinical diagnosis of Angelman syndrome who do not have a known molecular defect.

subset: commoncrawl


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Shop Layla Grayce
View all items from Currey & Company
The epitome of industrial chic, the Eufaula Double wall sconce was inspired by structural architecture. The use of iron and natural wood gives it a rough luxe style - a brilliant design by Currey and Company.
With a nod to both historical design and contemporary trends, Currey & Company's lighting and accent furniture embrace a transitional aesthetic. A variety of materials — wrought iron, mirror, burlap, hardwood — lend themselves to this collection of rustic yet elegant chandeliers, lamps and wall sconces. Distinctive embellishments and rich hand-applied finishes unite the line in the Currey tradition of quality workmanship and abundant imagination.
Spend $250 on Currey & Company, get $25 in store promo code.Promotion code can be redeemed on your next Zinc Door order. Enter code CURREY25 on the shopping card page.


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I'll never forget my first Christmas in California.
As the family boarded the plane to leave behind the white Christmases we've known in the Midwest, I couldn't help but think it would be a bit bleak without that nip in the air, a blanket of snow, the bustle along Michigan Avenue and the jingle of carriage bells.
I was taken by storm, and total surprise.
From the palm tree lined drives along Highway 111 in Palm Springs to the Mission Inn in Riverside, I was captivated by the spirit and beauty of it all: We watched a rainbow form over the San Bernardino Mountains after a rain storm, heard carolers decked in Old English clothes sing, "Noel," and watched rabbits elude coyotes in a maze of Joshua Trees that were dusted with snow.
Now in Riverside, I can't wait to take in The Mission Inn and see the lights go up on Chapman Place, a one-block enclave of homes that go all out for Christmas — and have since the 1950s.
It's a neighborhood I picked to kick off a string of stories aimed at getting to the heart of a neighborhood — mostly, because I know that when it comes to real estate, there's far more at stake than price.
Schools. Closeness to work. The view. Strong suits. Oddities. Quirks. The sense of community and place.
If you were the Realtor what would you tell the potential buyers? What do you look for, like or want to change?
The first installation of "On the Street Where You Live," entitled, "Christmas Comes to Chapman," will appear in Sunday's print business section of The Press-Enterprise. It's online, now.
If you've got an idea for a story about your house, or your neighborhood that makes it special, helps leverage a deal or is a stand-out, please contact me at firstname.lastname@example.com
Share your comments on this blog; or send a note to Twitter @debinpalsprngs.com


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Product Recall: Voluntary recall of 260 cases of Velveeta Original Pasteurized Recipe Cheese Products. Click Here.
HEAT oven to 350°F.
PREPARE brownie batter, then cake batter in separate bowls as directed on packages. Spoon brownie mix into 24 paper-lined muffin pan cups; cover with cake batter.
BAKE 21 to 24 min. or until toothpicks inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool cupcakes in pans 10 min.; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely.
SPREAD with frosting.


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Welcome to Association of Essex Philatelic Society
The Chairman of the Association of Essex Philatelic Societies (AEPS), Ray How, would like to welcome you to this website which highlights what is going on in stamps and postal history collecting in Essex.
Our twenty two affiliated Societies offer a wide range of speakers and events covering all aspects of this wonderful hobby and all levels of collecting.
Whether you are a traditional stamp collector or a specialist, and wherever you live in Essex or on the boundaries of Essex in east London, south-east Hertfordshire or Southern Suffolk. There is a Stamp Club near you where you will find a warm welcome from fellow enthusiasts. To find your local Stamp club contact:
22nd March 2014
10am -4.30pm
Free Admission, Free Parking Refreshments Available
Organised by: Rayleigh & District Philatelic Society
FOR FURTHER DETAILS CONTACT Ray How 01702 544632


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By News Staff
Twitter: www.twitter.com/abc6
BOSTON (AP) - The chemist at the center of a Massachusetts drug lab scandal always had a reputation for diligence and hard work.
Now her former co-workers, classmates and neighbors are struggling to understand how she could be accused of falsifying test results on drugs tested for criminal cases.
Annie Dookhan, originally of the Caribbean nation of Trinidad and Tobago, is charged with obstruction of justice for allegedly skirting lab protocols, faking test results and sometimes mixing samples to cover her tracks. The 34-year-old chemist has pleaded not guilty.
People who knew her as a girl and young woman say they are shocked by the charges. Dookhan is the only child of working immigrant parents, attended the prestigious Boston Latin Academy and received a degree in biochemistry from the University of Massachusetts. Before the lab was shut down in August, she was known as an academic standout and a hard worker.
The scandal has put thousands of criminal cases in jeopardy and sent the Massachusetts legal system into a tailspin.
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Golden Boot summer camps are designed for players in all ages and level of play. Whether your child is taking their first steps on a soccer field, is a recreational player who wants to improve technical skills or an advanced player interested in taking their game to the next level, we have the camp for you!
This summer, we are offering a variety of camps including our traditional Player Development camps, Specialty camps, LiL Boots camps, Team camps and our renowned AC Milan camp.
We look forward to seeing you on the field!
Golden Boot Soccer and AC Milan, one of the most storied soccer clubs in the world, are excited to bring the unique AC Milan Junior Camp to the Washington DC metro area. The camp's curriculum was exclusively designed by AC Milan coaching staff. AC Milan staff together with Golden Boot trainers will run the camp which focuses on technical skills and small sided games.
The Milan Junior Camp program is the official camp program of the Italian club, AC Milan, and the first stepping stone in a follow-up program for young talents that feature the characteristics and values the club is seeking for in athletes. It's a recreational program that serves the dual purpose of entertaining while also identifying those highly qualified talents from an early age, and follow them during their development as athletes and individuals.
This program will provide your child with the opportunity to not only have a great time during camp while learning from highly skilled trainers coming directly from the AC Milan youth program in Milan, Italy, but will also provide the opportunity to be selected to participate in international tournaments and events such as Milan Junior Camp Day and the Copa Americana Milan Junior tournament.
This is not just a one time camp...... it is a program intended to provide your child and family long lasting experiences as well as an opportunity for your child to be selected to play with an Elite team made of children from 15 different countries.
*Discounts, coupon codes and gift certificates not valid for this camp.
The last line of defense and the first step to an effective attack, Goalkeepers must possess and improve a separate set of technical, mental, and physical skills than the field player. If players don't receive this kind of focus and attention during their regular practices, it's even more important to obtain quality training in the summer months.
Through our GK summer camp, players learn through instructional demos, technical activities, footwork and other dynamic exercises. It's important for young players to learn proper technique, and our Professional GK Trainers know how to implement healthy technical habits.
Even better - coupled with our Art of Scoring Goals program, players get the opportunity to face game-like situations and apply the learned concepts throughout the week. Above all, this program teaches young GK's to make smart and quick decisions and how to be a communicating leader on the field.
Golden Boot Soccer's Lil' Boots programs have created positive experiences for young players for over 15 years with more than 1000 kids going through our programs annually. Lil' Boots is the perfect introduction for children ages 3-6 to the wonderful game. It is a specially designed program that initiates a positive experience for young players to learn the basic fundamental skills of the game and the concept of team play. The program builds self esteem, confidence, and promotes sportsmanship and fair play all while developing a child's coordination, physical, mental and social skills in a non- competitive environment.
The first step to becoming a complete soccer player is a solid technical base, especially between the ages of 7-14. This window in any young player's development is by far the most crucial – and for this reason alone requires very specifically designed training. Players learn through close interaction with professional trainers, instructional demos, footwork training and dynamic activities proven to create healthy soccer habits. Players are then required to perform these concepts in game-like situations – providing a solid foundation to allow each player to be the best they can be.
While we can't guarantee anyone will win the real Golden Boot Award, we can help our participants improve their offensive skills and learn what it takes to be a true goal-scorer. ASG breaks down goal-scoring into 3 arts: striking, finishing, and creating opportunities to score. Players are challenged to develop individual offensive skills and stimulated to find their hunger for the goal. Through concepts learned in dynamic activities and exercises, players are encouraged make smart decisions in the offensive third and find their niche as goal-scorers.
Keep up with the competition! Performance Training is a comprehensive training program combining technical soccer skills with speed and agility. Why spend time training solely on your fitness when you can better use that time with a ball at your feet? Golden Boot gives young players a better look at what it takes to be at the top of their game, both as a technical soccer player and as an overall athlete.


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- Details
- Written by Administrator
- Published: 23 October 2013
On April 29 a Good Samaritan brought a limp, severely injured Persian kitten to the Duxbury Animal Shelter that he found lying by the side of the road. Her condition was grave and she should probably have been put to sleep but her story was so compelling that the staff at the shelter decided to try to save this young cat's life. The Good Samaritan told the staff that this gorgeous kitten had been laying by the side of the road from the night before in the heavily wooded area where she was found, it was nothing short of a miracle that she survived the night with the wildlife that call that area home.
The first order of business was to get the kitten evaluated, only to find that she was paralyzed from the middle of her back down from a severe contusion on her spine and, to make matters worse, she also had a diaphragmatic hernia which, left alone, can be life threatening. Because the spine was not severed, the staff at the Duxbury Animal Shelter decided to see if they could get any improvement on her paralysis by bringing her to an acupuncturist and two chiro- practors. The kitten's condition improved dramatically over a six-week period and she now has feeling down to the base of her spine. They decided to name her Lucky Clover (Clover for short) and so began her journey to wellness. Clover has no idea that there is a thing wrong with her. She scoots around the shelter like any of the other able bodied animals there. She plays, chases toys, uses the scratching post and rolls around on her bed with great joy. She has inspired every person that has had the pleasure of meeting her.
The Duxbury Animal Shelter is hoping to raise the funds to have Clover's hernia repaired so they can, in turn, get her a kitty wheelchair, or cart, to improve her mobility. They are hoping that some day Clover will actually walk again so she may then become someone's beloved pet. It is not beyond the realm of possibility given this wonderful kitten's determination and feistiness.
Anyone interested in donating to this amazing, resilient, little tiger's medical fund can make a tax-deductible donation to The Town of Duxbury/Animal Shelter, c/o of
Susan Curtis, P.O. 1071, Duxbury, MA 02331-1071. If anyone is interested in meeting Clover, please call the shelter at 781-934-6424 to arrange a meeting with this truly inspirational, sweet kitten.


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There's something about finding nothing
By Dane Kennedy
Harvard University Press, $49.95
Young boys growing up in the 1960s would dream of being astronauts. A century earlier, their youthful counterparts throughout the far-flung British Empire could imagine themselves as explorers: Burke, perhaps, or Stuart, Leichhardt and also, presumably, Dr Livingstone.
The word "explorer" was a 19th-century invention: it denoted a distinct type of traveller; not hedonistic holidaymakers but, rather, men on a mission, their purpose often to fill in holes on maps. Maps of Africa and Australia looked alluringly empty. In Heart of Darkness, Joseph Conrad has his narrator, Marlow, recall: "When I was a little chap I had a passion for maps. I would look for hours at South America, or Africa, or Australia, and lose myself in all the glories of exploration.
"At that time there were many blank spaces on the earth, and when I saw one that looked particularly inviting on a map ... I would put my finger on it and say, 'When I grow up I will go there'."
In Lewis Carroll's epic poem The Hunting of the Snark (1874), the crew laud their brave captain for bringing the best kind of map - "a perfect and absolute blank". Dane Kennedy quotes from Carroll at the start of his, well, exploration of the impulse to explore.
His allusion to Snark offsets a tendency to lapse into academic language, as when he defines his theme as "this irreconcilable tension between exploration as experience and exploration as epistemology". Luckily, the points he loses for "epistemology" are regained by an inspired reference to the song Hooray for Captain Spaulding, from the classic Marx Brothers film Animal Crackers (1936). Anyone in danger of taking explorers too seriously need only picture Groucho in a pith helmet.
In the film, the famous Captain Spaulding has just arrived "from climates hot and scalding". His enthusiastic reception matches those afforded the explorers who ventured far afield and then managed to come back - men such as Livingstone and Leichhardt (before he disappeared) and the bewildered John King, sole survivor of the advance party of the Burke and Wills expedition, who was gawped at by huge and pushy crowds on his return to civilisation in 1861. These days, perhaps only Justin Bieber could relate to that kind of scrutiny.
King was Irish, like Burke. Wills was English; Stuart and Livingstone were Scots; Leichhardt was Prussian. Exploring was a distinctly European endeavour. A problem for most of them, and this held true into the Antarctic expeditions of the early 20th century, was all those armchair experts back in London, quite often at the Admiralty.
A theme of Kennedy's is the way explorers approached blank spaces rather like sailors confronting a huge expanse of ocean. One of their many problems, especially in the flat Australian outback, was that often an ocean would offer more distinguishing features. It can be hard to find your way in a lot of nothing.
Yet Kennedy also points to a fundamental (and often fatal) flaw in the European approach: often those blank spaces were not as empty and uninhabited as they seemed. The trouble was, existing residents had dark skins and were not, by definition, civilised. Nor were they to be trusted.
Only as a last resort (and too late) did Burke and Wills seek assistance from the indigenous people who lived where they were languishing. The more enlightened explorers, such as Thomas Mitchell, acknowledged that "we were rather unceremonious invaders of their country". A degree of resentment was therefore to be expected, especially if blow-ins with white faces felt free to plunder scarce water supplies.
From native people in both Africa and Australia, European explorers encountered more incredulity than hostility. What, exactly, were these travellers hoping to achieve, especially in barren country?
In Australia, George Grey lamented: "It is impossible to make a native understand our love of travel."
In Africa, Samuel Baker, travelling up the Nile in search of Lake Albert, was asked by a local chief: "Suppose you get to the great lake, what will you do with it? What will be the good of it?" To which Baker pompously replied: "I could only assure him, that in England we had an intimate knowledge of the whole world, except the interior of Africa ..."
There it is again, that desire to colour in blank spaces on maps. There were, of course, more materialistic motives, such as trade opportunities or the discovery of vast expanses of fertile land.
Not uncommonly, that quest for "intimate knowledge" extended to comely natives, any reference to which tended to be excised from journals by the chaps in head office. Most, including Burke and Leichhardt, hoped for fame that would set them up for life. Like Conrad's Marlow, they hoped to lose themselves "in all the glories of exploration". And instead were simply lost.
- Alan Attwood is editor of The Big Issue and author of the novel Burke's Soldier (2003).


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Golden Living Designated as a Special Focus Facility
Lancaster ratings reveal that while some facilities have improved their standings, Golden Living is now one star and has been found to have a history of poor care. To read more, click here.
Lancaster ratings reveal that while some facilities have improved their standings, Golden Living is now one star and has been found to have a history of poor care. To read more, click here.
Claiming that it was corporate policy, an assisted living facility refused to provide medical care that might have saved a woman's life. This is an example of corporate disinterest in the safety and welfare of the elderly. To read more, click here.
Though we've always known that poor staffing leads to falls and pressure ulcers, new research shows that Norovirus is also causally linked to poorly staffed nursing homes. The Journal for the American Medical Association recently published these findings and they are summarized in an article by Dr. Jeffry Levine.
One of the most common mental conditions we see with nursing home residents is Alzheimer's disease. It can be very difficult for a family to watch a family member slowly slipping away mentally. This condition can also increase someone's risk for falls and other injuries.
The government today announced that a new plan is being launched with "the goal of finding effective ways to prevent and treat the devastating effects of dementia by 2025." New studies are being conducted to learn to treat and prevent the illness, as well as optimizing care quality and expand support to families.
You can read the entire article online here.
Families for Better Care – a citizen's advocacy organization – showed in a recent study that the largest publicly traded nursing home chains remained very profitable despite Medicare payment cuts last year. The director of Families for Better Care, Brian Lee, believes that the profits are driven by lower nursing hours and less care based on a study conducted last fall.
'"The reason care declines in nursing homes is that executives unnecessarily target labor costs to offset any reimbursement adjustments," Lee said. "While this obviously maintains a robust bottom line for investors and cushy CEO salaries, the decline in frontline staff puts residents in jeopardy for harm while simultaneously creating dangerous working conditions for employees."'
A new study conducted by Center For Medicare Advocacy (CMA) concludes that while "some for-profit nursing facilities give excellent care and some not-for-profit nursing facilities give poor care – the general rule is documented in study after study: not-for-profit nursing facilities generally provide better care to their residents."
While each nursing home is truly different, knowing the facts before choosing a facility is key.
You can read the full study results online here.
A new study conducted by Center For Medicare Advocacy (CMA) concludes that while "some for-profit nursing facilities give excellent care and some not-for-profit nursing facilities give poor care – the general rule is documented in study after study: not-for-profit nursing facilities generally provide better care to their residents."
I just happened upon an excellent website (http://www.neverevents.org/), promoting the value of 11 years of "Never Events" as establishing safer practices in our hospitals. This site is authored by a physician and notes that another physician, Ken Kizer, MD, former CEO of the non-profit, National Quality Forum (NQF), first introduced this term in 2001.
Since then, insurance companies, health organizations and later, the U.S. government, came on board – to support the notion that failing to protect the consumer public from preventable errors has devastating consequences for this nation. Topping the list on this site are preventable pressure ulcers.
Recently, I had the opportunity to review a long term care insurance policy. The document was confusing and full of exceptions. It was difficult for me to believe that the people who bought the policy could understand what it said.
Even worse is when a person who has paid for a long term care insurance policy is having difficulty getting the benefits. That is what some plaintiffs in California are alleging – that the company's claims process is "designed to frustrate and confuse policyholders with needless demands for irrelevant information."
While long term care insurance can be terrific protection for a family's assets if long term care or home care is needed, not all policies or insurance companies are the same. It certainly can't hurt to have someone familiar with insurance products review a policy before purchase. Many certified financial planners can review policies, or can assist in purchasing a policy best for the individual. Researching companies before buying the products is also a good idea.
Insurance is only good if it works when you most need it!
A new study confirms that a large percentage of nursing home residents are prescribed anti-depressants, or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). While in most cases, anti-depressants are beneficial to the well being of the residents, in patients suffering from dementia, they can significantly increase the risk of falls - leading to serious injuries, and even death.
Researchers from the Netherlands recently reported that a study, which included 248 nursing homes, shows that anti-depressants were used on over 13,000 patients of which more than 650 sustained injuries. These falls occurred in 152 out of the 248 nursing homes included in the study. Additionally, 38 residents fell once during the time of the study, while 114 had multiple falls. Of those 650 falls, 220 resulted in serious injury, or even death.
It is imperative that these facilities conduct interdisciplinary care meetings to ensure that the proper protocols are followed, in order to reduce the risk of life-threatening accidents.
While nursing homes should always look to prevent bed sores – a painful and sometimes deadly condition – a recent study conducted revealed that the prevention of bed sores is also cost effective.
Foam mattresses which reduce pressure were found to be cost-effective 82% of the time as opposed to using standard mattresses. This simple change could save on average $115 per resident. Additionally, foam cleansers for incontinence were found to be cost-effective 94% of the time, as opposed to traditional soap and water, which results in an average savings of $179 per resident.
On average, roughly 10% of residents in long-term care facilities have a pressure ulcer. And for those residents, treatments are critical early on in order to prevent a serious, and even life-threatening condition. A better solution to this problem is prevention. Nursing homes and assisted living facilities can, and should, prevent these problems from happening rather than treating them after the fact. Most importantly, not only are these prevention techniques the right thing to do, but they also save money for the facility!
A recent article in the Star Ledger, Stronger safeguards needed in N.J. hospitals, nursing homes, asks the questions, "Should corporate lobbyists decide whether safe equipment and procedures are needed if you or a loved one have to go to a hospital or nursing home? Or should health care professionals make those decisions?"
All too often high power corporate interests utilize lobbyists to cut corners, increase profits and put patients at tremendous risk. In this recent article, we see how this plays out in ways that not only harm nursing home residents and hospital patients, but also places healthcare workers at risk.
I have had cases where a person suffers from a bed sore that is so large the spinal column is visible, and yet the cause of death listed on the death certificate states, "natural causes", or "dementia", or "Alzheimer's". While we may still pursue a claim to hold those responsible for the large and painful wound accountable, it is frustrating to the family that the bed sore is not listed on the death certificate.
We are currently prosecuting cases where had a resident not been taken to the hospital and died in the nursing home, the true cause of death would have never been discovered.
Unfortunately, this situation is far from unusual. As reported in ProPublica, suspicious elder deaths are rarely investigated. According to the article, autopsies performed on seniors are increasingly rare even though the United States population aged 65 and older has grown. From 1972-2007, the number of autopsies performed on seniors dropped from 37% to just 17% percent. Additionally, of the 1.8 million seniors who died in 2008, autopsies were performed on only 2%, and only performed on 1% for those elderly who passed away in nursing homes or care facilities.
With the passing of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), this nation has seen the beginning of a dramatic shift in both the delivery of healthcare and the means by which payment is made for medical services. Under the ACA, a new type of medical agency was created, known as Accountable Care Organizations (ACO). These entities are required to coordinate all levels of care in a fashion that is both more efficient and better focused on the provision of quality care.
As we have written on our blog, hospitals will no longer be paid to rectify medical errors which have been deemed as "never events." This is a class of medical error which non-profit research groups and the federal government alike have determined to be wholly unacceptable in the hospital context. ACO's are being organized to help prevent the occurrence of never events.
At present, we may be at a crossroads in terms of whether ACO's will be lead by physicians or hospitals. Either scenario has its share of opportunities and pitfalls. The New England Journal of Medicine has been following ACO issues and includes some excellent commentary.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) have recently designated certain injuries in hospitals "never events" – or injuries that should not happen. These injuries include Stage III and IV bed sores and falls with fractures. The penalty to hospitals when these injuries happen is that CMS will not pay for treatment rendered for these injuries. The result is that many hospitals are reporting the incidence of these events has gone down, and in some places tremendously.
Now, the Obama administration is doing a similar thing to nursing homes according to an article in Forbes magazine.
According to the article, a recent study showed that 25% of nursing home hospital admissions may be preventable. A further congressional review panel estimates that 14% of hospital patients sent back to nursing homes return to a hospital for a preventable condition. The Obama administration wants to penalize nursing homes that have unnecessarily high hospital admissions for preventable conditions by reducing their Medicare payments.
So, why are these residents being sent to the hospital to be paid for with your tax money? The author of the article documents that, "I've seen hospital emergency rooms filled with very frail seniors on Friday afternoons. Why? Because nursing homes know they won't have enough weekend staff to care for their sickest residents, so they simply send them back to the hospital. The new rules could stop those practices."
Perhaps hitting substandard nursing homes in the pocketbook will force them to take better care of their residents.
A recent article in The Bergen Record, New Jersey ranks poorly on long-term nursing care, discusses the fact that New Jersey nursing-home care is less affordable and patients are more likely to suffer bedsores or need trips to the hospital than in many other states. New Jersey ranked in the second tier of states — 22nd — for choice, affordability, quality of care and support for family members who take care of the elderly and disabled at home.
I recently wrote a post on my firm's Facebook page discussing the implications this article, and these new findings, could have on the health care industry in New Jersey.
Recently, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) made certain information regarding safety issues in hospitals public information. Data tracking "hospital acquired conditions" - injuries/conditions a patient suffers that they did not enter the hospital with - are now available to the public. They are serious conditions that if proper procedures are less likely to occur. They have been deemed "never events" and CMS does not pay for services related to these injuries. The injuries include:
You can download the most recent results online here. Now, you can now know your area hospitals before you become a patient in regards to these serious conditions.
Currently pending in congress is bill HR5 sponsored by Representative Phil Gingrey. If HR5 passes, it would protect some of the worst nursing homes from even the most egregious abuses by severely limiting damages.
If this law passes, even a nursing home where a resident was admittedly beaten to death or raped by a known dangerous employee, damages are capped despite what a jury believes is the right thing to do.
Interestingly, when it comes to his own lawsuits, Representative Gingrey seems to have a different point of view.
A recent article by Public Citizen writes that after a 2004 rear-end car accident, Representative Gingrey sued the other driver and sought damages for "mental pain" and punitive damages to be determined by "the enlightened conscience of fair and impartial jurors." He claimed he "was injured grievously, has experienced conscious physical and mental pain, suffering, fright and distress in the past, and will continue to suffer the same in the future, for which he is entitled to recover general damages … in amounts to be determined by a jury."
A Gingrey constituent, who had both her arms amputated as a result of medical errors after her car accident, wrote him a letter asking him to reconsider his bill.
It seems hypocritical that for his car accident, Mr. Gingrey should have the right to a full and fair jury award, but a person who is seriously injured or killed in a nursing home is restricted.
By now, most of us have heard of the tearful testimony of the great Mickey Rooney in Congress, on abuse and victimization of the elderly. Here is yet another story on how abuse of nursing home residents is not only physical, but often financial. In this case, Tanya Fredrick, the business office manager at Golden Living Center, was fired after police revealed that she had been stealing thousands of dollars from the center and residents.
With painfully shocking testimony, American Icon, Mickey Rooney, told a gripping story about how even he was the victim of elder abuse. It has become quite clear that the degree of this form of elder abuse is much more widespread than previously thought. We all need to be on the lookout for this abuse in our loved ones.
We have blogged before on the dangers of proposed HR 5 legislation, which in large part is designed to eliminate elder abuse claims. Should this bill pass, our ability to prosecute such cases, uncover these horrors and protect the elderly will be severely limited.
Here is a link to the video of Mr. Rooney's testimony. It is worth watching.
A disturbing recent story was released and ultimately televised involving an over-stressed nursing home employee who was caught on tape assaulting an innocent resident. No matter how difficult the job, harming an innocent senior is vicious and wholly worthy of the prosecution that this employee faces. It is imperative that nursing home owners carefully screen and supervise employees to prevent the needless harms that inevitably will ensue.
A recent study of nursing home risk factors conducted by the American College of Preventive Medicine shows that washing hands with soap and water is far more effective in preventing norovirus - a virus common in nursing homes characterized by vomiting and diarrhea - than using alcohol based solutions found in dispensers throughout most nursing homes and hospitals.
However, what was also interesting in this study was the identification of another risk factor - low and part-time staffing. The study found that other risk factors with high risk ratios were the use of part-time staff when the proportion of staff-to-patients was less than 1:2, and when the total staff-to-patient ratio was less than the industry median.
You can find how nursing homes are rated in regards to staffing on the Medicare's Nursing Home Compare website. Nursing Home Compare rates staffing, like other measures, on a one to five star scale.
Many of our cases involve terrible injuries and death as a result of neglect, negligence and abuse, such as bed sores, hip fractures and assaults. However, many of our clients and their families also complain about living in nursing homes that are just bad - a lousy building, freezing in the winter, hot in the summer, residents not being changed and bathed, broken plumbing, roaches and rodents, uncaring staff, or not enough nurses or CNAs. After receiving complaints, the nursing home promises to fix these problems and don't. What can someone do in these circumstances?
Know your rights.
New Jersey, like many other states, gives nursing home residents specific rights by law. If nursing homes infringe these rights they can be punished. Resident rights must be in writing, posted, and given to each nursing home resident when admitted. These are important rights, and include the right to:
Make sure you have a copy of the law. You can view the full text online. If the nursing home is not meeting these rights, demand that they start doing what the law requires.
A government study released today states that roughly 15,000 Medicare patients die each month due in part to the care they receive at hospitals. The study focuses on understanding adverse events in hospitals, or more specifically, any medical care that causes harm to a patient.
The study included 780 Medicare patients who were discharged from a hospital in October 2008. Those patients suffered from problems such as bed sores, infections and excessive bleeding from blood-thinning drugs. Of the 780 patients in the study, 12 died as a result of hospital care, five of which were related to blood-thinning medication. Additionally, two other medication-related deaths involved inadequate insulin management resulting in hypoglycemic coma and respiratory failure resulting from over-sedation.
This is simply devastating and completely unacceptable for the roughly 47 million Americans enrolled in Medicare across the country.
Bed sores (also called pressure ulcers and decubitus ulcers) can develop into severe wounds that can be fatal. Wounds can at times be so large that bones become exposed inviting infection. It is not uncommon for a family member not to see the bed sore until it is serious.
While most people have heard the term bed sore before, very few have actual experience with them. They are fortunate. One person recently told me they thought a bed sore was akin to a bad rash, until she first saw one on her mom and almost passed out.
A bed sore forms when a person is not moved. Areas with constant pressure on the underlying tissue such as the tail bone (also called the sacral area), elbows, heels and head, and areas where there is a brace, prevent blood flow that can kill tissue. This causes a bed sore.
Bed sores are categorized by Stages. Basically they are 5 stages of bed sores or pressure ulcers:
Stage I - No skin breakage. May look like a red rash.
Stage II - Superficial skin breakage.
Stage III - Open skin wound. Can see blood but no muscle or bone.
Stage IV - Open skin wound. Can see muscle or bone.
Unstageable - Because of dead tissue covering the wound, these wounds cannot be staged. Generally presumed to be a stage IV.
For more detailed descriptions, you can go to the National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel's website.
The good news about bed sores is that they are both preventable and treatable. With good prevention measures and early intervention bed sores can be avoided or can heal. Even people who suffer from large bed sores may heal with the right care. Treatments vary for the different stages, so its important to understand the different stages when taking part in a care conference or talking to a doctor. Armed with the proper facts, a person can become a better advocate for a loved one.
Here's a great health care industry article that says the same thing that we've been saying on this blog for years: Spending more time and money on improving the care for our nation's most vulnerable citizens is not only the right thing to do, but will actually save taxpayers money. This report from the Kaiser Family Foundation confirms that these type of improvements to long term care can save taxpayers BILLIONS of dollars each year.
I have noted on this blog, as of today, some large nursing home conglomerates increase their profits by under staffing and underfunding nursing homes. Who pays the price? Patients who suffer and the taxpayers. The fallout of underfunded nursing homes is human suffering and taxpayers footing the bills for hospitalizations when unthinkable injuries occur.
I recently wrote an article for the New Jersey Law Journal about the new Medicare Guidelines for Hospitals and Never Events. After some additional research, I have learned that many insurance companies agree that it is unfair for negligent hospitals to pass costs related to their mistakes along to others.
We first learned that after extensive studies by non-profit health related organizations, one of the best ways to improve the quality of care for patients was to prevent hospitals from passing the costs of their mistakes on to taxpayers. So, Medicare now will not pay for treatment related to what are now called Never Events (injuries and mistakes which are never acceptable).
It seems that insurance companies agree....and many are joining in to follow Medicare's lead. As this article from a leading insurance website notes:
Standing in the middle of Never Event messes are health insurance companies. Just like Medicare, they're tired of paying for Never Events and they want hospitals and doctors to be more accountable for their mistakes.
The Milwuakee Wisconsin Journal Sentinel reported this disturbing story. A woman died after bleeding to death when her emergency pull cord located in her "independent living" apartment went unanswered for four hours. Apparently the nurse aide who was working at the time shut off the sound alarm, disregarded a phone call from another resident who heard the alarm, and went back to watching television while the woman was bleeding to death.
What is also remarkable about this story is that the woman lived in what was deemed an "independent living" building. The same facility also included assisted living units and a nursing home. The state Department of Health Services was asked if they were getting involved in the case. Unfortunately, that agency does not oversee "independent living" apartments. Since the District Attorney did not find any crime they could prosecute, it appears that the only one who can punish this facility is the family suing.
Just because a doctor orders something for a resident in a nursing home, it does not mean it gets done - sometimes with lethal consequences. A California state investigator found that Pilgrim Haven Health Facility in Los Altos failed to install an electronic fall monitor as ordered by the resident's doctor, and failed to make sure the resident's walker was in reach. As a result, the man fell twice, and died from head trauma. The nursing home was fined $100,000 by the state.
You can read more on the story online here.
While resident abuse is shocking and disgraceful, there are times where behavior is simply unbelievable. Six employees were recently arrested at a facility where residents with dementia were covered from head to toe in ointment cream to make them slippery for the next shift as a practical joke.
It should be noted that when the elderly are dropped they can suffer fractured hips. A fractured hip leads to disability and severe pain, and has a high mortality rate. The mortality rate is especially high in the first months after a fractured hip, and remains high for the first year.
You can read more on this story online here.
David R. Cohen, Chair of Stark & Stark's Nursing Home Litigation Group, authored the article, Decubitus Ulcers: An Update on Staging and The Impact of Never Events on Hospital Litigation, for the June 21, 2010 edition of the New Jersey Law Journal.
The article features an update on the process of diagnosising and staging decubitus ulcers, as well as guidelines for proper care and prevention. The article also includes a discussion on the applicability of so-called "never events" and what effect they can have in litigation matters.
You can read the full article online here. (PDF)
A recent Attorney General's investigation using hidden cameras lead to the arrest of 22 nursing home health care workers for resident abuse and neglect. Examples included not turning and repositioning an immobile resident for an entire shift, not administering medications, not treating a bed sore, and not changing resident undergarments for long periods of time. Prior investigations by the Attorney General have so far lead to 30 criminal convictions, including a corporate nursing home owner.
In this video, David Cohen, Chair of Stark & Stark's Nursing Home Litigation Group, discusses the benefits of assisted living facilities. Mr. Cohen states that assisted living facilities are a great alternative to traditional nursing homes for people who need assistance, but do not require the level of care offered by a nursing home. Mr. Cohen does warn the families of assisted living facility residents to stay in constant contact with their family member or loved one in order to ensure that they are receiving the appropriate level of care.
Nursing Home Litigation - Part 1 from Stark & Stark on Vimeo.
Leaders from Democracy for America, Blue Wave NJ and the Anakbayan Filipino Youth Group and other community groups collected over 3,600 signatures for a petition which was sent to the administrators of four area nursing homes in support of workers who have been in contract negotiations for nearly three years.
More than 300 workers at three Hudson County facilities - Harbor View Health Care Center in Jersey City, Castle Hill Health Care Center in Union City, and Palisade Nursing Home in Guttenberg - plus a fourth in Bergen County, have been without a contract since July 2007.
The workers went on strike in August for three days, held several days of protests in October, and have run an extensive campaign of television, radio and billboard ads against Avery Eisenreich and Mendel Gold, top executives at the Jersey City-based Omni Health System, which owns the facilities. You can read more on this story online here.
Nursing home care is proving to be a growing priority. After being faced with alarming delays in investigating nursing home complaints, the Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services avows to speed up scrutiny to ensure safety and avoid resident harm. Read more on this story online here.
Dave Cohen, Chair of Stark & Stark's Nursing Home Litigation Group, authored the article, Nursing Homes and Assisted Living Facilities: Understanding the Differences and Keeping Your Loved Ones Safe, for the January 20, 2010 edition of US 1 Newspaper. You can read the full article below:
As a trial attorney for over twenty years and a litigator who has devoted his entire career to protecting the rights and safety of the elderly, I have seen a disturbing trend in recent years in the interplay of nursing homes and assisted living facilities. As many are aware, when our loved ones' health declines, families are faced with critical and emotionally heart wrenching choices.
Traditionally, nursing homes have been the most common choice in working toward obtaining the highest quality of life and safety for seniors who can no longer care for themselves and for whom family members simply do not have the qualifications to fulfill these needs. More recently, assisted living facilities (ALFs) have been gaining popularity. They fulfill a well needed void in the healthcare continuum and are certainly a welcomed addition to the options available to families.
However,Assisted living facilities are regulated, but not nearly as much as nursing homes. The facilities themselves are generally much more attractive and family members tend to feel better about placing parents or spouses in them. However, ALFs generally have fewer nurses and fewer nurses' aides. Additionally, they frequently do not have registered nurses on site for significant periods of time. For seniors with lesser needs and who are otherwise much more independent, this is an excellent environment. However, the danger is twofold:
In the first instance, while the majority of ALFs are owned and operated by caring, professional and qualified individuals, many are so focused on filling beds that they often will admit those who simply are an improper fit for that level of care. In my practice, I have seen far too many residents suffer from malnutrition, dehydration, bedsores, fractures and ultimately death based upon a poor fit for a facility which never could or should have let this person through their doors. The second danger faced by families involves situations where the fit was initially appropriate, but when the resident's health declines, it becomes dangerous to allow that person not to receive a higher level of care. Much like poor admission situations, in my practice I have seen many residents needlessly suffer and die because the tough decision to move them into a higher level of care was overlooked by the staff at the ALF.
In the end, the decision to accept or reject the resident should be based upon the individual's needs and not by profit. This is the formula by which the vast majority of assisted living facilities operate. It is those who do not operate in this fashion who create the dangers we speak of. Families can and should be vigilant about all of these issues. They should also conduct a significant amount of research into what the particular assisted living facility they are looking into can and cannot do.
Unfortunately, there is not a bright-line rule as to the level of care that assisted living facilities provide. I have seen an incredibly wide variance between the lower levels of care and the higher levels of care. At the lower end, there is very little supervision and medical/nursing staff available, while the higher end of care at some of these facilities is nearly indistinguishable from that provided in nursing homes. Without a clear knowledge as to what these facilities can provide, families are ill advised to take the leap into admitting a loved one. Every bit as important is monitoring the health and cognitive status of your loved one while living in an assisted living facility to ensure that they remain an appropriate fit.
With vigilance, attention and research, families can and should look toward assisted living facilities to provide the best of care and quality of life for their loved ones - but must do so with caution and their eyes open.
An article out of Minneapolis, Minnesota last week reports of an 89-year old nursing home resident who, even with all of the proper precautions, died after a fatal fall. Despite a bed alarm, a motion sensor, a sound monitor and a perimeter mattress the resident fell in the middle of the night. Due to a severely understaffed wing, the resident died due to complications from the fall.
The decision to trust a nursing home to care for a loved one can be a difficult one, even when a family does not have the time or resources to properly care for a elderly family member at home. Conflict between family members and nursing home staff is very common, especially when a family feels their loved one is not being taken care of properly. In this article, there is some great advice on what you can do when you feel your loved one is not being properly cared for.
Here is an interesting article which addresses the fact that more than 100 Minnesotans die each year after suffering falls in nursing homes. The article questions why so few of these deaths are fully investigated by the state, and how serious penalties for violations are rarely enforced.
There is a human side to the nonsense spewed by the insurance industry about malpractice. It's about needless suffering and tragedy. It is the face of many tragic cases that a billion dollar industry and its well funded lobby does not want the public to see.
I found an aticle online which gives insight into the lives of those affected by the most severe cases of negligent care. You can read the article online here.
I found an article online last week which reports that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has issued quality ratings for 15,800 nursing homes throughout the USA which participate in Medicare or Medicaid. Each nursing home was assigned a star rating, from one to five - with five being the best. The ratings are based on health inspection surveys, staffing information, and quality of care measures.
Alaska had the best record with 0.0% of all nursing homes have a 1-star ranking, and 26.7% of all nursing homes have a 5-star ranking. While Louisiana had the worst record with 39.3% of all nursing homes have a 1-star ranking, and 2.8% of all nursing homes have a 5-star ranking. New Jersey was in the middle of the pack with 22.2% of all nursing homes have a 1-star ranking, and 12.7% of all nursing homes have a 5-star ranking,
You can read the full article and the complete list of rankings by state online here.
I found an interesting article on NYDailyNews.com this week entitled, Hospital records were sometimes falsified to cover up medical mistakes. The article discusses the recent report that doctors, nurses and support staff at New York City-run hospitals have falsified documents in hospital records in order to cover up medical mistakes. The records were either deleted altogether or were doctored in order to omit specific details of certain cases in order to mislead investigators. The state issued 16 citations between 2004 and 2008.
You can read more on the story online here.
According to US News & World Report, In a typical year, about 3.2 million Americans will spend at least some time in a nursing home. To help find a good choice from among the nation's more than 15,500 homes, U.S. News created America's Best Nursing Homes - a list of the roughly 15,000 best nursing homes from throughout the country. You can search by name of the nursing home, by state, city or by zip code.
Once the search has been conducted, a report is generated with all of the homes which fit your search criteria. Each home is given an overall rating, a rating for health inspections, nursing staff and quality measures. The report also provides a link to a full, more detailed report of each home. You can access the search online here.
I have given a number of talks over the years about assisted living facilities and the dangers they pose to an unsuspecting public. My concern is based upon the fact that these organizations face much less regulatory control than long term care facilities and often are purely profit oriented. I have taken a number of depositions in cases surrounding what I consider to be questionable bonus structures - which focus on what is known as census (i.e. filling the beds) more than providing quality care.
This story involves allegations of evicting residents after bleeding their assets dry. If the allegations are true, it is reprehensible.
You can read the full story here (PDF)
After being bought out by private investors in 2002, along with 48 other nursing homes in Tampa, Florida, Habana Health Care Center began to suffer, and so did it's residents. Within the first few months the number of clinical nurses at the facility had been cut by half in an effort to cut costs by the facility's new management. And, according to Florida's Agency for Health Care Administration, budget cuts were made for nursing supplies, resident activities and other services.
Meanwhile, the investors and operators of the 49 homes throughout the state were making millions. As if that wasn't bad enough, over the three years of budget cuts, 15 Habana residents died from what their families feel was negligent care and since have filed suits in state court. In addition to a severely understaffed team of caregivers, reports found malfunctioning fire doors, unhygienic kitchens and a resident using a leg brace that was broken.
Due to the ever-increasing number of Americans needing elder care, nursing home facilities across the country are being bought out by large investors, who can only see dollar signs as our baby-boomers enter through their doors. The more people admitted to each facility should mean increased support and resources for the home. However, more and more this is not the case.
The severely neglected residents of these homes need more attention and care than ever. Federal and state regulators also said in interviews that budget cuts help explain why serious quality-of-care deficiencies — like moldy food and the restraining of residents for long periods or the administration of wrong medications — rose at every large nursing home chain after it was acquired by a private investment group from 2000 to 2006, even as citations declined at many other homes and chains.
While the suit is still in the beginning stages for the 15 families at Habana Health Care Center, similar cases continue to arise across the country. You can read more on the Habana and other facilities' stories in the New York Times article, At Many Homes, More Profit and Less Nursing.
The fourth annual Patient Safety in American Hospitals Study was released recently, and contains very insightful information for patients and their families when choosing a hospital. Safety in hospitals has recently become an overwhelming concern due to the rise of injuries suffered to patients during their hospital stays.
Often times this process can be quite daunting and somewhat confusing if you are not familiar with the all of the available resources provided to assist you. The study provides patient safety incident rates and associated mortality among Medicare beneficiaries, gives an overall patient safety indicator hospital performance assessment, and provides a list of the best-performing hospitals for overall patient safety across the country.
You can read the full April 2007 report here.


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Sorry, Angie! I guess I figured you knew, just didn't want to join in the fun!
How are things with Billy? I saw your post in Feb. Are you guys going to use a counselor through LDSS? They're really great. John's finally going to get himself into one to deal with Taela stuff that he's finally admitting is affecting him. I didn't like it too much because the counselor I saw was male, but I've got a lady one, now, and it's going good.
Maybe even taking Temple Prep classes would be enough of a catalyst to make him realize some things he needs to change. If he starts the class and truly realizes the importance, then he'll also realize the importance of loving you the way you deserve.


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By Stephanie Springer - bio | email ALBANY, GA (WALB) –An Attapulgus woman gets jail time for her argument with a school bus driver.
42-year old Lo'Homal Gilcrest was arrested in September of 2009.
Her child had been suspended from riding the bus, and when the driver closed the bus door, Gilcrest forced it open and argued with the driver.
She was sentenced to one year each for disorderly conduct and disrupting a public school bus.
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The South Korean government is trying to smooth things over with General Bell by saying they will only delay the Camp Humphreys relocation until 2012 now:
South Korea is studying ways to expedite the relocation of U.S. bases, which is expected to be delayed about five years from the original target year of 2008, officials at the Defense Ministry said Monday.
Some have interpreted the move as an effort by Seoul to soothe the United States, which has protested the delay.
"We are reviewing ways to advance the timetable for the relocation at least one year from the expected year of 2013 under the direction of Defense Minister Kim Jang-soo,'' an informed ministry official said on condition of anonymity.
The ministry will soon finalize the study on the relocation timetable and propose it to the United States, the source said.
You may remember USFK Commander, General Bell's "fighting words" to the Korean government last month over the announced delay. After General Bell's statement the Korean government came back with this lame response. This latest announcement it along with the cutting of funds by the Korean government for the relocation while sending over a billion dollars to North Korea this year, is a clear sign that South Korea is committed to dragging this out as long as possible and then hope a change in the US administration in 2008 will bring in a change of policy in regards to the transformation. As much as some sectors of Korean society complain about the US troop presence in South Korea, it is their own government making sure that the status quo remains the same. Its all about keeping the USFK gravy train rolling.
With the Koreans committed to delay tactics, I think General Bell should explore the possibility of setting a goal to either have the personnel from Yongsan Garrison or the 2nd Infantry Division move to Camp Humphreys by 2009. This would be at least be a start to breaking the status quo in USFK. At least move something by 2009. If General Bell wants to see an expanded Camp Humphreys built in record time announce that only Yongsan Garrison will relocate to Camp Humphreys and that the 2nd Infantry Division will redeploy back to CONUS by 2009. That will cause a reaction in South Korea that is sure to show that the government here that the US military is committed to transforming the force on the peninsula.


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Zinc is as essential mineral that plays an important role in many enzymatic functions.* Found primarily in the kidneys, liver, pancreas, and brain, Zinc also helps support healthy immune system functions and is an important component of bodily antioxidant systems.
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It Was Bound to Happen: Kitchen Scale With iPod Dock and Speaker
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It's always nice to start the week with a little frivolous nonsense, before we realize the reality of our soul-crushing jobs: that we'll spend almost every day of our lives doing the same thing, over and over again, until we're 65 and ready to die. Happy Monday.
Today's piece of superficial silliness is a kitchen scale, with a built-in iPod dock. That's right. A precision kitchen workhorse, one of a serious cook's most important gadgets, has been "improved" by adding a dock and speaker. The dock is up front, where you can easily touch screens or click-wheels with greasy fingers, and the speaker is underneath the glass weighing platform, ready to shake some bass as you try to delicately measure ingredients in 1 gram (0.04 ounces) increments (up to 5 kg or 0.0055 short tons).
Your first concern is addressed: The dock comes with a tight-fitting cover plate to seal it against liquids and mess. Otherwise, you are buying one gadget that would play nicer as two separate items. To prove that this marriage is indeed forced, both bride and groom bring their own power supplies: a CR2032 button cell for the scale and a power socket and cable for the speaker.
"But," you say, "I have a tiny kitchen. Wouldn't this save space?" Not unless you regularly leave out your scale despite you teeny countertop. Better to buy a speaker and put it on a high shelf or the top of the fridge and keep your (much smaller) scale tucked away. What next? A refrigerator with an iPod dock? Wait… What?
The price for this crazy mongrel of a tool? $100
ADE Joy scale and iPod dock [ADE Frieling via Oh Gizmo]
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Post by Eorl @ 01:00pm 04/08/12 | 1 Comments
Ubisoft has today revealed a release date for the upcoming Anno 2070 DLC, Deep Ocean. Featuring a range of new quests, disasters and of course underwater combat, the DLC will also be adding a new faction into the RTS brand.
The focus of ANNO 2070 Deep Ocean is a new faction called the Techs. Thanks to the new Genius population class, the Techs are able to expand further into the deep ocean. By experimenting with a new energy source called the geothermal power plant, the player will be able to build massive production facilities below the sea surface and might even secure one of mankind's most important needs: Limitless energy supply. Energy transmitters will allow transporting energy between islands while the player can build the impressive new Tech Monument as well as new buildings and decorations to make cities even more beautiful.Anno 2070: Deep Ocean will also include over 150 new challenging quests, hostile natural disasters and co-op features. The DLC will be available only for PC on October 4th.
Buy now from Green Man Gaming for only GBP£19.99 (USD$34.95 on Steam)!
Posted 10:50am 06/8/12


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Charles Dubow was born in New York City and spent his summers at his family's house on Georgica Pond in East Hampton (the primary setting for Indiscretion). He was educated at Wesleyan University and New York University. He has worked as a roustabout, a lumberjack, a sheepherder in New Zealand, a congressional aide and was a founding editor of Forbes.com and later an editor at Businessweek.com. He lives in New York City with his wife Melinda, children William and Lally, and a Labrador Retriever named Luke. Indiscretion is his first novel.
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Home » News » Education
Industrial robots takes center stage in Manchester college classroom
Guests mingle at Manchester Community College's new advanced manufacturing training lab in Manchester on Wednesday. Five robots are part of the assembly and manufacturing station. (DAVID LANE/UNION LEADER)
Students, as part of a certificate program, learn to program the whirring robots in a laboratory that mimics a modern manufacturing plant. Skills taught include designing a product to making it using industrial robots, CNC (Computer Numerical Control) machines and CIM (Common Information Model) management software.
The goal is to train students so they can fill good-paying jobs in high-tech manufacturing - jobs that can pay more than $50,000 a year.
Educators and representatives from manufacturing companies from across the state gathered Wednesday in the lab for a demonstration. One robot assembled a hand-held baseball game, while another was set up for laser engraving.
The robots are pre-programmed with glitches, offering challenges for students to solve, and materials are provided to allow students to design and create a real product.
The laboratory was designed with the input of manufacturing companies from across the state - including Electropac, Degree Controls, Freudenberg North America, Hitchiner Manufacturing and Safran.
College president Susan Huard said before spending $550,000 on the laboratory (another $1.5 million was spent on software and the computerized classroom), the college sought the business community's feedback about what the graduates would need to know.
"We built an advanced program to specifically meet those needs," she said.
Professor Edward Ely, who was in charge of setting up the laboratory, said one student was out of work for two years, but after he completed the Introduction to CAD (Computer Aided Design) course, he quickly landed a $16-an-hour manufacturing job.
The certificate program is funded with a portion of the $20 million in federal funds allocated by the U.S. Department of Labor to the state's seven community colleges for programs designed to rejuvenate manufacturing in New Hampshire.
Bruce Haber, 50, of Raymond, who owns Green Carpet Lawn Co., is currently taking Introduction to CNC (Computer Numerical Control)-Turning, and has signed up for the CAD class. He was last in college in the early 1980s studying pre-engineering, but didn't graduate.
Haber likes the course and just learned how to operate a robot to carve out a blue circle in a waxy block. He proudly showed off his creation to his wife and kids, who he said were impressed.
"My 13-year-old son is interested in robots so it was inspirational," he said.
Haber is learning learn how to program a robot and troubleshoot its operation. "I like making things. I'm a putterer in my spare time," he said.
Haber said basic math and computer skills, such as knowing how to use Windows, is really all anyone needs for the class. The 16-week course, Haber said, costs about $800, a fraction of what a four-year degree would set him back.
Ken Swanson, director of engineering for Fireye in Derry, which manufactures custom fire safety equipment, said his company does not use robots. The laboratory, he explained, was set up as a high volume production line. What he likes about the course, he said, is that it trains students in the entire manufacturing process.
Huard and Philip J. Przybyszewski, project coordinator, both call the Advanced Manufacturing Technology program and the robots the "crown jewel" of the college's programs. She said the college's mission is to provide students with the skills they can use immediately to find a good job.
Currently, two certificates are available: Mechatronics, providing detailed knowledge of machining, electrical and electronic theory where students learn installation, troubleshooting and maintenance for many types of electromechanical and manufacturing machinery, and CAD certificate, which prepares a student for work in an engineering environment creating drawings for manufacturing operations and to help solve engineering problems through graphic communications.
The college said local companies - such as BAE Systems, New Hampshire Ball Bearings, GE, Velcro, L-3 Warrior Systems' Insight Division, Airmar Technology, Olympus, Freudenberg-NOK and Segway - report they cannot find enough employees with advanced manufacturing training to fill jobs such as associate process engineer, lead tech/inventory control coordinator, electromechanical technician, production technician, engineering technician, quality control technician and field service technician.
CAD skills are needed to support drafters in architectural, civil, electrical and electronics and mechanical drafting.
According to the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics, in May 2011 in New England, electromechanical techs, including mechatronics techs, earn about $52,600 a year, while drafters with a CAD certificate earn about $48,413.
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OUATIMD is a sequel of 2010 released movie 'Once Upon A Time In Mumbai'. The movie stars Akshay Kumar, Sonakshi Sinha and Imraan Khan in the lead roles. The movie was released on 15th August in limited screens. Since, the movie was released in limited screens, it bore the brunt. Also, the
Tum Jo Aaye - Once Upon A Time In Mumbai - With Lyrics & English Tranlation
Get Lyrics English Translation: Song Tittle: Tum Jo Aaye :: Singer(s): Rahat Fateh Ali Khan & Tulsi Kumar :: Movie Tittle: Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai :: Music Director: Pritam Chakraborty :: Movie Director: Milan Luthria :: Writer: Rajat Arora :: Stars Cast:Ajay Devgan, Emraan Hashmi and Kangana Ranaut :: Release Date:30 July 2010 ::''Production Co: Balaji Motion Pictures'' Sound Mix:Dolby Digital'' "Tum Jo Aaye" Written by Irshad Kamil Composed by Pritam Chakraborty Performed by Rahat Fateh Ali Khan and Tulsi Kumar ''Courtesy of Super Cassettes Industries Limited (T-Series)' 'Persented By ThestreetOfBollywood. Lyrics & Translation:: Paaya maine paaya tumhe Rab ne milaaya tumhe Honthon pe sajaya tumhe Nag mein sagaya tumhe I have attained you God has mad us meet I have decorated you on my lips And kept you in my jewel Paaya maine paaya tumhe Sab se chhupaaya tumhe Sapna banaya tumhe Neendon mein bulaaya tumhe I have attained you I have hidden you from everybody I have made you my dream I have called you in my dreams Tum jo aaye zindagi mein Baat ban gayi Ishq mazhab Ishq meri zaat ban gayi When you came in my life Everything was complete Love became my religion As well as caste Ho tum jo aaye zindagi mein Baat ban gayi Sapne teri chaahaton ke Sapne teri chahaton ke Dekhti hoon ab kayi Din hai sona aur chaandi raat ban gayi I see many dreams of your love Day is gold while night is silver for me now Hoo tum jo aaye zindagi mein Baat ban gayi Chaahaton ka mazaa faasalon ...
milan luthria
After superstar Amitabh Bachchan appeared on small screen in a reality show, more and more stars are utilizing small screen to promote their upcoming movies. The trend is fast catching up. This is a good medium of promoting movies. Recently, Sonakshi Sinha and Imraan Khan appeared on Sony
After much thought and discussion, the clash of 'Once Upon A Time In Mumbai Dobara' and 'Chennai Express' release dates have been averted but the two superstars of Bollywood is embroiled in Iftar party clash. It is already been reported that Shahrukh Khan and Gauri Khan are hosting a grand Iftar


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Pittsylvania Co., VA - A former Pittsylvania County social worker has admitted to having a sexual relationship with a minor 25 years ago.
55-year-old Mary Laughinghouse has pleaded guilty to four counts of taking indecent liberties with a minor. The abuse happened in 1989 and 1990 while she was the victim's case worker through the county's Department of Social Services.
The victim tried to contact Laughinghouse a few years ago to get some closure and was told not to call back. So he called police instead.
Laughinghouse will be sentenced in January.


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WASHINGTON (AP) — NASA says the International Space Station has lost contact with NASA controllers in Houston. Officials say the six crew members and station are fine and they expect to fix the problem soon.
NASA spokesman Josh Byerly said something went wrong around 9:45 a.m. EST Tuesday during a computer software update on the station. The outpost abruptly lost all communication, voice and command from Houston.
About an hour later, while flying over Russia, station commander Kevin Ford was able to briefly radio Moscow that all was well and they were working on the problem.
Byerly said the problem should be fixed today. Until then, astronauts can talk with Moscow control for a few minutes every 90 minutes.
(© Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
Source: http://washington.cbslocal.com/2013/02/19/nasa-loses-space-station-contact-but-no-danger/
Losing control over communication is not the worst thing that could happen what is "so amazing" is that there is all this "loose junk" flying around in space and they have engaged in putting more junk up there, some of them have been "blown up" by Chinese anti sat weapons, and here we are thinking that the "SPACE STATION" is safe, but all that junk some of which may have flying on opposite trajectories, and if that were to "impinge" on an object at "astronomical speeds" a bolt would just "CUT RIGHT THROUGH" the Space station and come out at the other end, these are things that "need to be addressed" before and not after a "real serious situation" develops, NO MORE SPACE JUNK, otherwise we might decide to clean up our own space up there so that there will be less chance of loss of life in space!
|554 days ago


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We've selected the best candid trip photos submitted by our users to help you decide if the Vancouver Food Trucks Tour is right for you. Make the most of your next trip to Vancouver with Viator's exclusive Photo Galleries.
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Vancouver Food Truck Tour
July 2013
One of our stops on the tour
Vancouver Food Truck Tour
July 2013
Andrew and group


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Panther Racing would like to thank you for visiting its QR Code promotion page, and we encourage you to fill out the form below to be entered for exclusive offers, free merchandise, inclusion in the Panther Racing newsletter and MORE. Fans who enter the promotion will be entered to win several prize giveaways throughout the IndyCar Series season, including autographed JR Hildebrand Panther Racing merchandise, discounts at the team's online store and many more prizes.
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MADISON (WKOW) -- The first Madison Dining in the Dark event will bring awareness to blindness. Guests will learn what it's like to be blind by eating in the dark.
Visually impaired servers will share their stories. The event will present the Foundation Fighting Blindness Visionary Award to University of Wisconsin-Madison Coach Bo Ryan. The fundraiser will also honor UW-Madison McPherson Eye Research Institute Director Dr. David Gamm.
The event is on Wednesday, September 12 from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. It's at the Madison Concourse Hotel.
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The Jackson County Sheriff's office now has a new tool to fight crime.
His name is Luke. He's a Black Labrador Retriever. Luke is 18 months old and can detect a number of drugs including: Meth, Heroine, Marijuana and Cocaine.
Officials with the sheriff's office say the new narcotics dog will help investigators track down drugs and criminals. In addition to Luke, the department also has three Blood Hounds and a Belgium Malinois.
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