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Renal Artery Stenosis
On this page:
- What are renal artery stenosis (RAS) and renovascular hypertension (RVH)?
- What are the kidneys and what do they do?
- What causes RAS?
- Who is at risk for RAS?
- What are the symptoms of RAS?
- What are the possible complications of RAS?
- How is RAS diagnosed?
- How is RAS treated?
- Eating, Diet, and Nutrition
- Points to Remember
- Hope through Research
- For More Information
- Acknowledgments
What are renal artery stenosis (RAS) and renovascular hypertension (RVH)?
Renal artery stenosis is the narrowing of one or both renal arteries. "Renal" means "kidney" and "stenosis" means "narrowing." The renal arteries are blood vessels that carry blood to the kidneys from the aorta—the main blood vessel that carries blood from the heart to arteries throughout the body.
RVH is high blood pressure caused by RAS. Blood pressure is written with two numbers separated by a slash, 120/80, and is said as "120 over 80." The top number is called the systolic pressure and represents the pressure as the heart beats and pushes blood through the blood vessels. The bottom number is called the diastolic pressure and represents the pressure as blood vessels relax between heartbeats. A person's blood pressure is considered normal if it stays at or below 120/80. High blood pressure is a systolic pressure of 140 or above or a diastolic pressure of 90 or above.1
What are the kidneys and what do they do?
The kidneys are two bean-shaped organs, each about the size of a fist. They are located just below the rib cage, one on each side of the spine. Every day, the two kidneys filter about 120 to 150 quarts of blood to produce about 1 to 2 quarts of urine, composed of wastes and extra fluid.
What causes RAS?
About 90 percent of RAS is caused by atherosclerosis—clogging, narrowing, and hardening of the renal arteries.2 In these cases, RAS develops when plaque—a sticky substance made up of fat, cholesterol, calcium, and other material found in the blood—builds up on the inner wall of one or both renal arteries. Plaque buildup is what makes the artery wall hard and narrow.
Most other cases of RAS are caused by fibromuscular dysplasia (FMD)—the abnormal development or growth of cells on the renal artery walls—which can cause blood vessels to narrow. Rarely, RAS is caused by other conditions.
Who is at risk for RAS?
People at risk for artherosclerosis are also at risk for RAS. Risk factors for RAS caused by artherosclerosis include
- high blood cholesterol levels
- high blood pressure
- smoking
- insulin resistance
- diabetes
- being overweight or obese
- lack of physical activity
- a diet high in fat, cholesterol, sodium, and sugar
- being a man older than 45 or a woman older than 55
- a family history of early heart disease
The risk factors for RAS caused by FMD are unknown, but FMD is most common in women and people 25 to 50 years of age.3 FMD can affect more than one person in a family, indicating that it may be caused by an inherited gene.
What are the symptoms of RAS?
In many cases, RAS has no symptoms until it becomes severe.
The signs of RAS are usually either high blood pressure or decreased kidney function, or both, but RAS is often overlooked as a cause of high blood pressure. RAS should be considered as a cause of high blood pressure in people who
- are older than age 50 when they develop high blood pressure or have a marked increase in blood pressure
- have no family history of high blood pressure
- cannot be successfully treated with at least three or more different types of blood pressure medications
Symptoms of a significant decrease in kidney function include
- increase or decrease in urination
- edema—swelling, usually in the legs, feet, or ankles and less often in the hands or face
- drowsiness or tiredness
- generalized itching or numbness
- dry skin
- headaches
- weight loss
- appetite loss
- nausea
- vomiting
- sleep problems
- trouble concentrating
- darkened skin
- muscle cramps
What are the possible complications of RAS?
People with RAS are at increased risk for complications resulting from loss of kidney function or atherosclerosis occurring in other blood vessels, such as
- chronic kidney disease (CKD)—reduced kidney function over a period of time
- coronary artery disease—narrowing and hardening of arteries that supply blood to the heart
- stroke—brain damage caused by lack of blood flow to the brain
- peripheral vascular disease—blockage of blood vessels that restricts flow of blood from the heart to other parts of the body, particularly the legs
RAS can lead to kidney failure, described as end-stage renal disease when treated with blood-filtering treatments called dialysis or a kidney transplant, though this is uncommon in people who receive ongoing treatment for RAS.
How is RAS diagnosed?
A health care provider can diagnose RAS by listening to the abdomen with a stethoscope and performing imaging tests. When blood flows through a narrow artery, it sometimes makes a whooshing sound, called a bruit. The health care provider may place a stethoscope on the front or the side of the abdomen to listen for this sound. The absence of this sound, however, does not exclude the possibility of RAS.
In some cases, RAS is found when a person has a test for another reason. For example, a health care provider may find RAS during a coronary angiogram for diagnosis of heart problems. A coronary angiogram is a procedure that uses a special dye, called contrast medium, and x rays to see how blood flows through the heart.
The following imaging tests are used to diagnose RAS:
- Duplex ultrasound. Duplex ultrasound combines traditional ultrasound with Doppler ultrasonography. Traditional ultrasound uses a device, called a transducer, that bounces safe, painless sound waves off organs to create an image of their structure. Doppler ultrasonography records sound waves reflected off of moving objects, such as blood, to measure their speed and other aspects of how they flow. The procedure is performed in a health care provider's office, outpatient center, or hospital by a specially trained technician, and the images are interpreted by a radiologist—a doctor who specializes in medical imaging. Anesthesia is not needed. The images can show blockage in the renal artery or blood moving through nearby arteries at a lower-than-normal speed. Ultrasound is noninvasive and low cost.
- Catheter angiogram. A catheter angiogram, also called a traditional angiogram, is a special kind of x ray in which a thin, flexible tube called a catheter is threaded through the large arteries, often from the groin, to the artery of interest—in this case, the renal artery. The procedure is performed in a hospital or outpatient center by a radiologist. Anesthesia is not needed though a sedative may be given to lessen anxiety during the procedure. Contrast medium is injected through the catheter so the renal artery shows up more clearly on the x ray. Catheter angiogram is the "gold standard" for diagnosing RAS due to the high quality of the image produced. In addition, severe RAS can be treated during the same visit. However, a catheter angiogram is an invasive procedure, and a person may have side effects from the sedative or contrast medium or may have bleeding or injury to the artery from the catheter. The procedure is also more expensive than other imaging tests.
- Computerized tomographic angiography (CTA) scan. CTA scans use a combination of x rays and computer technology to create images. The procedure is performed in an outpatient center or hospital by an x-ray technician, and the images are interpreted by a radiologist. Anesthesia is not needed. Contrast medium is injected into a vein in the person's arm to better see the structure of the arteries. CTA scans require the person to lie on a table that slides into a tunnel-shaped device where the x rays are taken. CTA scans are less invasive than catheter angiograms and take less time. However, the risks from the x-ray radiation still exist, and the test often requires more contrast medium than a catheter angiogram, so it may not be recommended for a person with poor kidney function.
- Magnetic resonance angiogram (MRA). MRA uses radio waves and magnets to produce detailed pictures of the body's internal organs and soft tissues without using x rays. The procedure is performed in an outpatient center or hospital by an x-ray technician, and the images are interpreted by a radiologist. Anesthesia is not needed though light sedation may be used for people with a fear of confined spaces. Contrast medium may be injected into a vein in the person's arm to better see the structure of the arteries. With most MRA scans, the person lies on a table that slides into a tunnel-shaped device that may be open ended or closed at one end; some newer machines are designed to allow the person to lie in a more open space. In addition to providing high-quality images noninvasively, MRA can provide a functional assessment of blood flow and organ function. However, the use of contrast medium for an MRA is not advised for people with poor kidney function because of the risk of complications to the skin and other organs if the kidneys do not remove the contrast medium well enough.
How is RAS treated?
Treatment for RAS includes lifestyle changes, medications, and surgery and aims to
- prevent RAS from getting worse
- treat RVH
- relieve the blockage of the renal arteries
RAS that has not led to RVH or caused a significant blockage of the artery may not need treatment. RAS that needs to be treated, also called critical RAS, is defined by the American Heart Association as a reduction by more than 60 percent in the diameter of the renal artery.1 However, health care providers are not exactly sure what degree of blockage will cause significant problems.
Lifestyle Changes
The first step in treating RAS is making lifestyle changes that promote healthy blood vessels throughout the body, including the renal arteries. The best ways to keep plaque from building up in the arteries are to exercise, maintain a healthy body weight, and choose healthy foods. People who smoke should quit to help protect their kidneys and other internal organs.
People with RVH may need to take medications that—when taken as prescribed by their health care provider—lower blood pressure and can also significantly slow the progression of kidney disease. Two types of blood pressure-lowering medications, angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs), have proven effective in slowing the progression of kidney disease. Many people require two or more medications to control their blood pressure. In addition to an ACE inhibitor or an ARB, a diuretic—a medication that helps the kidneys remove fluid from the blood—may be prescribed. Beta blockers, calcium channel blockers, and other blood pressure medications may also be needed. Some people with RAS cannot take an ACE inhibitor or ARB due to the effects on the kidneys. People with RAS who are prescribed an ACE inhibitor or ARB should have their kidney function checked within a few weeks of starting the medication.
A cholesterol-lowering medication to prevent plaque from building up in the arteries and a blood-thinner, such as aspirin, to help the blood flow more easily through the arteries may also be prescribed.
Although surgery has been used in the past for treatment of RAS due to atherosclerosis, recent studies have not shown improved outcomes with surgery compared with medication. However, surgery may be recommended for people with RAS caused by FMD or RAS that does not improve with medication. Different types of surgery for RAS include the following. The procedures are performed in a hospital by a vascular surgeon—a doctor who specializes in repairing blood vessels. Anesthesia is needed.
- Angioplasty and stenting. Angioplasty is a procedure in which a catheter is put into the renal artery, usually through the groin, just as in a catheter angiogram. In addition, for angioplasty, a tiny balloon at the end of the catheter can be inflated to flatten the plaque against the artery wall. A small mesh tube, called a stent, may then be positioned inside the artery to keep plaque flattened and the artery open. People with RAS caused by FMD may be successfully treated with angioplasty alone, while angioplasty with stenting has a better outcome for people with RAS caused by atherosclerosis.
- Endarterectomy or bypass surgery. In an endarterectomy, the plaque is cleaned out of the artery, leaving the inside lining smooth and clear. To create a bypass, a vein or synthetic tube is used to connect the kidney to the aorta. This new path serves as an alternate route for blood to flow around the blocked artery into the kidney. These procedures are not performed as often as in the past due to a high risk of complications during and after the procedure.
Eating, Diet, and Nutrition
Limiting intake of fats, cholesterol, sodium, and sugar can help prevent atherosclerosis, which can lead to RAS. Most sodium in the diet comes from salt. A healthy diet that prevents people from becoming overweight or obese can also help prevent atherosclerosis. People with RAS that has caused decreased kidney function should limit their intake of protein, cholesterol, sodium, and potassium to slow the progression of kidney failure. For more information about nutrition for CKD, see the National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse fact sheets Nutrition for Early Chronic Kidney Disease in Adults and Nutrition for Advanced Chronic Kidney Disease in Adults. People should talk with their health care provider about what diet is right for them.
Points to Remember
- Renal artery stenosis (RAS) is the narrowing of one or both renal arteries. The renal arteries are blood vessels that carry blood to the kidneys from the aorta—the main blood vessel that carries blood from the heart to arteries throughout the body.
- Renovascular hypertension (RVH) is high blood pressure caused by RAS.
- About 90 percent of RAS is caused by atherosclerosis. Most other cases of RAS are caused by fibromuscular dysplasia (FMD), which can cause blood vessels to narrow.
- RAS often has no symptoms until it becomes severe. The first symptoms of RAS are usually either high blood pressure or decreased kidney function, or both, but RAS is often overlooked as a cause of high blood pressure.
- People with RAS are at increased risk for chronic kidney disease (CKD), coronary artery disease, stroke, and peripheral vascular disease.
- Imaging tests used to diagnose RAS include duplex ultrasound, catheter angiogram, computerized tomographic angiography (CTA) scan, and magnetic resonance angiogram (MRA).
- Treatment for RAS includes lifestyle changes, medications, and surgery.
Hope through Research
The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) conducts and supports research into many kinds of kidney disease, including RAS. Researchers supported by the NIDDK have completed a study exploring ways to improve the diagnosis of this disease using new MRA techniques that provide more information about blood flow to the kidneys and how well the kidneys are functioning. The study results will point the way to more effective treatments for RAS and healthy kidneys. The Magnetic Resonance Imaging for Evaluating Kidney Function study was funded under National Institutes of Health (NIH) clinical trial number NCT00006173.
The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute is also funding a clinical study comparing the efficacy of medication alone and medication with angioplasty and stenting for treatment of RAS. More information about the Benefits of Medical Therapy Plus Stenting for Renal Artherosclerotic Lesions (CORAL) study, funded under NIH clinical trial number NCT00081731, can be found at www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct/show/NCT00081731.
Clinical trials are research studies involving people. Clinical trials look at safe and effective new ways to prevent, detect, or treat disease. Researchers also use clinical trials to look at other aspects of care, such as improving the quality of life for people with chronic illnesses. To learn more about clinical trials, why they matter, and how to participate, visit the NIH Clinical Research Trials and You website at www.nih.gov/health/clinicaltrials. For information about current studies, visit www.ClinicalTrials.gov.
For More Information
The AHRQ Publications Clearinghouse
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Call for a free copy of the consumer guide Renal Artery Stenosis Treatments.
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National Kidney Foundation
30 East 33rd Street
New York, NY 10016–5337
Phone: 1–800–622–9010 or 212–889–2210
Fax: 212–689–9261
Internet: www.kidney.org
Society for Vascular Surgery
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Chicago, IL 60611
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Publications produced by the Clearinghouse are carefully reviewed by both NIDDK scientists and outside experts. This publication was reviewed by Christopher Cooper, M.D., University of Toledo.
You may also find additional information about this topic by visiting MedlinePlus at www.medlineplus.gov.
This publication may contain information about medications and, when taken as prescribed, the conditions they treat. When prepared, this publication included the most current information available. For updates or for questions about any medications, contact the U.S. Food and Drug Administration toll-free at 1–888–INFO–FDA (1–888–463–6332) or visit www.fda.gov. Consult your health care provider for more information.
National Kidney Disease Education Program
3 Kidney Information Way
Bethesda, MD 20892
Phone: 1–866–4–KIDNEY
Fax: 301–402–8182
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Internet: www.nkdep.nih.gov
The National Kidney Disease Education Program (NKDEP) is an initiative of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The NKDEP aims to raise awareness of the seriousness of kidney disease, the importance of testing those at high risk, and the availability of treatment to prevent or slow kidney disease.
National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse
3 Information Way
Bethesda, MD 20892–3580
Phone: 1–800–891–5390
Fax: 703–738–4929
Email: email@example.com
Internet: www.kidney.niddk.nih.gov
The National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NKUDIC) is a service of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). The NIDDK is part of the National Institutes of Health of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Established in 1987, the Clearinghouse provides information about diseases of the kidneys and urologic system to people with kidney and urologic disorders and to their families, health care professionals, and the public. The NKUDIC answers inquiries, develops and distributes publications, and works closely with professional and patient organizations and Government agencies to coordinate resources about kidney and urologic diseases.
This publication is not copyrighted. The Clearinghouse encourages users of this publication to duplicate and distribute as many copies as desired.
NIH Publication No. 14–6020
February 2014
Page last updated July 30, 2014


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July 15, 2008
Blogging Jobs: How Much Are Bloggers Paid to Blog?
As we continue with this series on blogging jobs, it's time to look at the income a blogger can make by blogging for pay.
The skills and qualities a company or blog owner is looking for from a blogger are extensive, far beyond just writing abilities. As with any freelance job, determining how to put a value on the time it really takes, and the costs associated with the time and production, is really hard when the real cost is in time, not materials. Bloggers should be paid for the time as well as their expertise and abilities. Are they? This is a problem that has been around for a very long time. How much is your time worth?
For many decades, professional editorial writers found a compromise on the time/value issue with payment by the word with a restriction on word count. I often was told, "We'll pay you a dollar a word up to 1,000 words maximum."
This meant the magazine, newspaper, newsletter, or other print publication had space for one thousand words that needed to be filled. Going over meant changing their magazine or newspaper design structure. Giving them less meant I'd be paid less, but somewhere in the middle was a compromise for both of us, usually in the form of me setting a minimum fee I was to be paid, no matter the word count, such as "I want $500 minimum for 700 words and a dollar a word thereafter." If the article came it at 400 words, I would still be paid my minimum. If it crossed the 700 word mark, at which point I should have been paid $700 for a dollar a word, that's when they have to start paying me the dollar a word rate. It wasn't the best, but the companies felt like they were getting a deal and for the most part, I covered the minimum I needed to pay my rent and eat.
Here is a chart for the various traditional writer's pay scale based upon a dollar amount per word. The more experience and expertise, the higher the fee per word.
read more
Tags: blog business, blog business writing, blog content, blog content generation, blog income, blog jobs, Blog Marketing and Monetization, Blog Monetization, blog writing, blogger jobs, Blogging, blogging jobs, content generation, dollar a word, Ethics, Freelancing, how much are bloggers paid, how to blog, how to make money online, Make Money Online, making money with your blog, onine income, pay per post, pay per word, Problogger, Professional Bloggers, Professional Blogging, professional blogs, writing

subset: commoncrawl


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4 Stars
I would recommend this item to a friend. |
Nice boots!
January 28, 2014
I ordered these in black size 9 (US). They are great boots and they hold their shape. The "leather" looks nice and thick. Its not that rubbery looking "leather" that I hate. I was shocked when I received them: the box said size 9 but when I looked at the boots they said size 7.5. I was so disappointed! But when I looked at the boots I thought they looked too big for a size 7.5 so I tried them on and they fit perfectly. I'm assuming the size on the actual boot is the UK size not the US size. Crisis averted :) Love the boots so far.


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Buy 3, Get 1 FREE: SAVE on All Feetures & Thorlo Socks! — Shop Now —
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Date of death: 02-02-2008
until 2015-05-01
Keep on sharing memories of Vumile Dladla.
Vumile, we will truly miss you.
Vumile, we will truly miss you.
Tribute created by:
Cebile Modiba
wish u here wth us 2dy why god has took u away 4rom us now sekuwu BONNI why?
Phumula kahle Mbatha!
Hamba kahle qhawe, sizobonana kwelizayo. I am a stauch Orlando Pirates supperter but i used to admire the way Vumile dladla played soccer for abafana bes'thende. I think god is forming his team in heaven the likes of Vumile dladla,Gift leremi, Fernando Matola ,Lesly manyathela,Mandla Zwane, Clifford Moleko, the list is endless. Rest in peace mfowethu, sohlala sikukhumbula njalo. We can not take the pain away from his loved one's but we can only share it with them. Rest in peace brother!!! Melusi Zulu From Ulundi.
lihlabe lephukela ngokuhamba kwalesihlabani u'Vum-Vum", uze umphefumulo wakhe uthole ukuphumula lapho ukhona nomdali amuthethelele kukho konke ukuphaza abe nako kulomhlaba wezilingo. umama nondeni wonke nezihlobo unkulunkulu unabo ihora ebeselifikile. HALALA VUM-VUM UKE WASITHOKOZISA MFANA OMDALA!! sengathi nabanye abadlali bangafunda okuthile kosekushiwo ngempilo ka Vumile.
We all have sinned....May the soul of this wonderful player rest in peace. May the good Lord accept and welcome him in His Kingdom. To Vumile's family, I say theLord does not make mistakes. Your loss, is our loss. May you find in comfort in knowing that we are sadly all on our way to heaven. Sengathi uNkulunkulu enganipha isibindi nonke nina ebenisondelene nalo mfana
Football isn't the same with you. I will miss you. RIP Vumile.
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If this is true the successor to AMD's Trinity better be faster than what initial benchmarks have shown (or the chips ought to be way cheaper than initially indicated).
Phoronix: Intel Haswell To Boost Graphics Performance 2~3x
Ahead of the official Haswell launch in early June, Intel released more details yesterday concerning the expected graphics performance out of the Ivy Bridge successor...
If this is true the successor to AMD's Trinity better be faster than what initial benchmarks have shown (or the chips ought to be way cheaper than initially indicated).
Too bad, no OpenGL 4.3 support.
Don't you complain about the NVIDIA driver too ? It's the only driver which has OpenGL 4.3 right now.
Back on topic, the performance boost of the IGP depends on the IGP, a lot. An HD 4600 will be faster by 2-32 % (3770K vs 4770K), according to Tom's Hardware, and you'll find an HD 4600 on most desktop CPUs.
HD 5000/5100/5200 will be insanely expensive as usual and are only for the BGA (CPU soldered to the motherboard) and mobile market.
Hoo boy, leave it to Intel to make confusing product names. Their codenames are always so much simpler to understand... Also, people should really stop writing "HD ****", as it's actually "HD Graphics ****"; the former nomenclature is used by AMD, so it gets really confusing now. At least use "HDG ****".
So, if it ends up being 3 times better in performance than HDG 4000, then it should be somewhere close in performance to an HD 5570. That's a pretty impressive leap, considering that HDG 4000 is similar to 9500 GT or HD 3670.
Most of the best graphics will go to mobile processors. AMD may make strong APU, but they probably won't be able to provide it at equaly low power consumption. The desktop BGA (R?) line with strongest Intel graphics is also not so demanding for power.
leave it to intel to confuse the shit out of people,
so let me get this straight, the IRIS thing that you get double performance will be only for the most expensive chips?
the regular chips in i3's etc will only be ~20% faster?
when are laptops with haswell coming out?
Could this have enough performance to be a steambox apu candidate? Dunno if intel is interested in that though.


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Andover Jewelry Box
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- Overview
Designed like a great piece of furniture that offers maximum storage, the Andover Jewelry Box is generously sized and beautifully made.
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- Felted feet protect surfaces.
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- Glass top: Spray a small amount of glass cleaner onto a lint-free cloth and wipe clean.
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This is a general shipping item.
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At Pottery Barn, we take great pride in the quality and craftsmanship of our products. Attention to design, materials, safety and construction is our priority. We carefully inspect your order prior to shipment. Upon receipt, please inspect your purchase and notify us of any damage; we will arrange for a prompt replacement. If, within 7 days for Quick Ship upholstery and 30 days for all other products, you are dissatisfied for any reason, you may return your purchase for a refund of the merchandise value.
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For returns of items purchased from your Pottery Barn registry, we will gladly provide a refund or exchange for the merchandise within 90 days of your event or within 90 days of purchase, whichever date is later.
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We've just released what should definitely now be regarded as the World's best WordPress SEO Plugin, for free, at wordpress.org!
Hence this post, as it'd be lovely if more folk got to find it :)
What's it got in it, well, it's pretty hot, just for a start, there's:
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Hear that bit about SEOMoz metrics, pretty neat huh… not only does it set your site up, but it then analyzes how well you're doing.
Anyway, enjoy and download here.


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Out of Stock
Item # NTW0043
Don't worry though, we have a lot more Men's Mountain Bike Shoes in stock than that.
Northwave Striker S.B.S. Shoes $0.00
Reviews & Community
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Northwave Striker S.B.S. Shoes
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Joel P.
Great shoes so far.
- Familiarity: I've used it several times
- Fit: Runs small
Bought these to replace my old pair of Scotts. I have a difficult foot to fit and these NorthWave Strickers fit but barely. They run a full size small. I wear a 10.5 but the shoes that fit me are 44.5 which according to their chart should be = to 11.5. I suggest buying a full size bigger than the chart. Besides that they are great. stiff and comfortable. For the price I paid they are a fantastic buy and I strong recommend them.
Run small. Smaller than size chart
- Familiarity: I returned this product before using it
- Fit: Runs small
As others have said, these run small. Smaller than the size chart, even. Probably one full Euro size smaller. i.e. I wear a 8.5 US and the 41 was way too small and my toes were still squished up in the 41.5. Seemed like a good shoe otherwise.
Perry Hall
Great Shoe!
- Familiarity: I've used it several times
Definitely lighter than my old specialized. The price is right, the shoe is nice and stiff, and very breathable. Very excited to put more road/cross miles on these. I did size up a half size on the size chart (I am a 9.5/42 and went to a 42.5 and am content with the decision. Only have around 100 miles on these so far, but will be using them a lot more!
Nice shoe but wrong sizing
- Familiarity: I returned this product before using it
Shoe seems nice but sizing information on the website was not right for my feet. I have never worn any shoe size greater than size 11 in my life. Ended up much too small.
Jim Lahey
performs well but falls apart
- Familiarity: I've put it through the wringer
- Fit: Runs small
First real xc shoe coming from the Shimano DX series shoes. Way stiffer and much better for weighting the bike on corners.
Unimpressed with the construction. The anchor for the ankle strap broke on mine as it is exposed to the crank arm. Luckily I don't need to use the larger volume holes as they would be unusable.
Hey Jim, how small do they run compared to the size chart?
are replacement straps available?
are replacement straps available?
What is the silver plates for, under...
What is the silver plates for, under cleats?
New Shoes!!
I love these shoes! This is the second pair of NorthWave shoes that I've owned. The first were twelve years old in May 2013. The Northwave Striker is comfortable, stiff and cool, really, cool and ventilated. A far more sophisticated riding shoe than my first pair, of course. And...they look very nice. I would recommend these shoes to anyone, mtn bike or road. What do I know anyway? I' just happy with my new shoes! TM
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Northwave Striker S.B.S. Shoes
Great shoes
Nice and stiff but still comfy. If get a size smaller--so if you wear a size 46 SIDI get a 45 in these. The toe box is nice and roomy but not so much that they feel sluggish.
Great shoes. Great price.
- Gender: Male
- Familiarity: I've used it once or twice and have initial impressions
I bought these shoes to replace an old set of specialized shoes. These shoes are nice and stiff and really comfortable. As is typical with Northwave, the toebox is a little more roomy than say a SIDI. I think it's nice because you can wear a set of woolies without getting to cramped. I normally wear a 46 in a SIDI and I ordered 45s and they were just the right fit.
Are they Crank Brothers compatible?
Are they Crank Brothers compatible?
Nice shoe
I recieved these as a warranty replacement from Northwave for my Aerlite SBS shoes that were coming apart . First impression was they are very ventilated. The mesh uppers breathe very well. The sole isn't carbon or carbon reenforced, so the sole is nowhere near as stiff. Having ridden a carbon soled shoe for the last six years, I am noticing the difference in sole stiffness, particularly on longer rides. The arches of my feet seem to fatigue over 50k, which is something I have never noticed. For winter riding I don't think the mesh upper will be very warm, but a decent set of shoe covers should fix that.
Quality so far is A+
Sizing is the same as my Aerlites so it is 1 size larger than my old Aerators.
Keri Belle Conrad
Spookyload, check this out: http://www.northwave.com/_pdf/pdf/2011-tecnologie/mtb.pdf
You are correct, it is NOT the sole... rather the plate (the cleat slider), that is reinforced with carbon.


text:
FAQs about PlayStation 3
For a powerful high-definition video game console, packed with features and capabilities, serious gamers turn to the PlayStation 3 (PS3). With a wide selection of exclusive PlayStation 3 games, a built-in Blu-ray drive and Wi-Fi connectivity, it's a hard video game console to beat. If you're considering the PlayStation 3 console, answers to these frequently asked questions may help you learn the details about the system.


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Dodgers aim to stay white-hot vs. transitioning Phils
Opposing Kendrick, Kershaw seeking first career win vs. Philadelphia
Plenty of eyes are on the Dodgers and Phillies this weekend at Citizens Bank Park, but for very different reasons.
While the Dodgers are winning at a torrid pace -- 41-8 since June 22 -- the Phillies are making changes, replacing Charlie Manuel as manager with Ryne Sandberg on Friday.
"There have been signs of lackadaisical play," Sandberg said. "And getting the players re-interested in these games -- remind them that they are meaningful games -- I think will be part of the order."
Phillies fans will see if Sandberg can help the team do just that when the Dodgers and Phillies square off on Saturday. The Phillies took a 4-0 loss in Friday's series opener.
Kyle Kendrick will be on the hill for Philadelphia, looking to bounce back after a rough stretch of starts. He's 2-3 with an 8.63 ERA in his last five starts, and 4-5 with a 6.24 ERA in his last 11 outings, dating back to June 14.
In his previous start against the Nationals, Kendrick (10-9, 4.48 ERA) allowed six runs (four earned) on 11 hits in 4 1/3 innings for the loss.
Meanwhile, Clayton Kershaw (11-7) gets the call for the Dodgers. He's been magnificent this season, leading the Majors in ERA (1.88), opponents' batting average (.185) and WHIP (0.87).
The left-hander has been especially fantastic over his last five starts, tossing six or more innings in each while holding opponents to two runs or fewer. In his previous outing against the Rays, Kershaw allowed two runs (one earned) on three hits in eight innings of an 8-2 win.
"He's been carrying us all year," Dodgers second baseman Mark Ellis said after his last start. "We haven't scored enough runs for him, and he hasn't complained one time. He's as complete a pitcher you could have. You feel good when he's at the plate, too -- it's crazy. He's like the perfect ballplayer."
Kershaw hasn't put up those kind of numbers against the Phillies. In eight career starts against Philadelphia, he's 0-4 with a 4.31 ERA. At Citizens Bank Park, he is 0-2 with a 5.96 ERA.
Dodgers: Ethier gets breather
Outfielder Andre Ethier was on the bench for the Dodgers' series opener against the Phillies on Friday. However, it wasn't because of his sore calf.
"It's two-fold," manager Don Mattingly said. "Obviously, he's ready to play. He wanted to play. If there had been a different matchup, but he's not good against Cliff Lee. It had nothing to do with his health. The computer kicked him out."
Ethier is 0-for-8 with four strikeouts against Lee lifetime. So Mattingly started right-handed hitter Scott Van Slyke in right field. Van Slyke was recalled for the fourth time this year earlier in the day.
"Like I told him, if he was healthy, I would look at this as two days off [following a travel day]," said Mattingly. "This is how I make up the lineups. I look for a combination of days."
Phillies: Manuel contemplating next step
After being dismissed by the Phillies as manager on Friday, Manuel is trying to figure out what's next.
Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said he has asked Manuel to remain with the organization, although it is unknown in what capacity.
"I think what I need to do is have some time off and sit down and think," Manuel said. "I think I can manage for a couple more years -- maybe two, three years. I'm not saying that's what I'm going to do. I want to think about it. And of course, somebody has to be interested in you.
"But at the same time, I definitely respect the Phillies and the position they left for me. They left the door open. It shows how much they care about me, how much they want me and everything. Believe me, I will take the most consideration possible for that."
Worth noting
• The Dodgers have gone 12-0-4 in their last 16 series, last losing a series June 14-16 at Pittsburgh.
• In 11 career games (eight starts) against the Dodgers, Kendrick is 5-5 with a 7.36 ERA.


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LEE PRECISION Lube/Sizing Kit
Lee .454 Caliber Lube & Sizing Kit
The fastest and easiest way to lubricate and size cast bullets is by using Lee's lube and sizing kit. Standard 7/8 x 14 threads will fit any reloading press. Bullets are pushed through the sizing die nose first, so no special nose punches are needed. Gas checks are automatically seated and crimped in place while sized bullets are captured in a special container.
SPECIFICATIONS:Mfg Item Num: 90056 Category: RELOADING ACCESSORIES Type :Lube & Sizing KitCaliber :.454Size :Standard 7/8" x 14" ThreadsQuantity :One KitWeight :


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All AADL locations will be closed on Monday, May 26 for Memorial Day.
Regular Library hours will resume on Tuesday, May 27.
Show and Tell for Grown-ups
In elementary school, Show and Tell day was the best! We got to bring our favorite things to school, and tell the whole class what was so special about our treaasures. Why should kids have all the fun? Show and Tell For Grown-ups is sweeping the nation, and it's coming to AADL! Bring a treasure – an old photo or letter, a family heirloom, a souvenir, something you made – and tell us the story behind it. We'll even create a short video of you telling your item's story and share it on our website. Attendees are also welcome to listen and enjoy others' stories. Stories will begin at 6:30 pm on Tuesday, May 5 at the Malletts Creek Branch.
Special Children's Book Week Event
To celebrate Children's Book Week, local author Cindy Shaw will discuss writing and self-publishing her delightful new book, Mr. Red's Balloon. This digitally illustrated book was written, designed, illustrated, and published by Cindy, who will join us at the Downtown Library on Thursday, May 7 at 7 pm. Inspired by a painting, Mr. Red's Balloon is the story of a cheerful blob man who goes through town encouraging his friends. The program will be followed by a book signing and books will be for sale.
Finding Vivian Maier
In the Oscar-nominated documentary Finding Vivian Maier, John Maloof and Charlie Siskel uncover the life a mysterious career nanny who pursued photography in her spare time. Her secret cache of over 100,000 photographs, which surfaced in an auctioned-off storage locker, rocked the art world and cemented the relatively unknown artist as one of the century's best street photographers. AADL will screen the film, which tells the story of both the photographer and the photographs on Wednesday, May 6 at 7 pm in the Downtown Library Multi-Purpose Room.
Featured Services
Value Line
Get your money out of that mattress and get it working for you with the help of Value Line! Value Line has extensive financial and statistical data from independent analysts as well as the Value Line Investment Survey, featuring advice on approximately 1,700 stocks in 97 industries. You can also look through recent news and analysis, educational tools, and information on building an investment portfolio.


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Integrated Infectious Disease Capacity-Building Evaluation (IDCAP)
- Full Text View
- Tabular View
- No Study Results Posted
- Disclaimer
- How to Read a Study Record
This evaluation aim is to investigate a cost-effective way to build capacity for the care and prevention of infectious diseases among mid-level practitioners (MLP) in sub-Saharan Africa. Classroom based training continues to be the dominant form of training, despite evidence that suggests that on-site support (OSS) is more beneficial. Definitive evidence that on-site support is the most effective way to deliver the required outputs and related outcomes is still lacking. IDCAP will provide two interventions that integrate training in TB, HIV/AIDS and malaria as well as other infectious diseases, and the effects will be studied: 1) Integrated Management of Infectious Disease (IMID) training program for individual MLP, and 2) On-site support (OSS) for team of health professionals. This study employs a mixed design with pre/post and cluster randomized trial components. Interventions are at the level of the individual participant for IMID and at the level of the site (health facility) for OSS. All participants attend a 3-week course, followed by two 1-week booster courses over a six month period. After the 3-week course, a randomized arm of half the sampled facilities also received OSS every month for 9 months and bi-monthly for 6 additional months.
Condition | Intervention |
Capacity Building Support for Midlevel Health Professionals Diagnostic Training |
Behavioral: Training and supervision Behavioral: Training and Supervision Behavioral: Integrated Management of Infectious Disease (IMID) |
Study Type: | Interventional |
Study Design: | Allocation: Randomized Endpoint Classification: Efficacy Study Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment Masking: Open Label Primary Purpose: Health Services Research |
Official Title: | Cost Effectiveness of Building Capacity of Mid-level Practitioners in Sub-Saharan Africa for the Care and Prevention of HIV, Tuberculosis, Malaria and Related Infectious Diseases |
- Model of Integrated Capacity Building Program [ Time Frame: monthly over 3 years ] [ Designated as safety issue: Yes ]The principal output of this evaluation will be a proven model of an integrated capacity-building package for the care and prevention of infectious disease in Africa. The package will include a single curriculum for MLP and a portfolio of on-site support services founded on Accordia Global Health Foundation's considerable experience in training clinicians in North America and Africa.
- Competence of individual clinicians [ Time Frame: 3 observations at pre/post IMID and final ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]Competence of individual clinicians will be measured by scores on 12 written case scenarios or vignettes. Three blocks of 4 scenarios each covered different aspects of HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, and other infectious diseases and included cases involving children, adults, and pregnant women. Each case scenario addressed 6 principal domains: emergency or danger signs, history and physical examination, laboratory testing, diagnosis or classification of patients' medical problems; initial treatment or referral plan, and evolution of the case over time.
- Practice of individual clinicians [ Time Frame: Baseline and Endline (9 months) ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]Clinical assessments will be conducted by mobile team faculty who will observe individual clinicians during five outpatient visits with children under five years and five HIV clinic visits. Clinical practice will be assessed on history, physical examination, review of medical records (HIV clinic only), laboratory investigations ordered, diagnosis, treatment prescribed and patient education.
- Clinical performance indicators [ Time Frame: Monthly beginning 5 months before OSS ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]54 clinical performance indicators used by the Ministry of Health, the Uganda Malaria Surveillance Program or recommended by international organizations will be used to measure performance in general areas: 1) HIV prevention, 2) HIV care, 3) Antiretroviral therapy, 4) TB/HIV care, 5) Case management of respiratory infections, 6) Case Management of Fever, and 7) Emergency Triage and Treatment.
- Reduce Infection, Illness, and Mortality Rates [ Time Frame: 3 years ] [ Designated as safety issue: Yes ]The population in the areas surrounding the proposed sites will benefit directly from lower infection, illness and mortality rates. The improved ability of clinic staff to deliver quality prevention and care services will increase access to cost-effective interventions delivered according to national guidelines by 9% to 25% depending on the intervention.
Enrollment: | 72 |
Study Start Date: | November 2008 |
Study Completion Date: | August 2012 |
Primary Completion Date: | August 2012 (Final data collection date for primary outcome measure) |
Arms | Assigned Interventions |
Active Comparator: OSS Phase 1
Thirty-six sites will receive the On Site Support service (OSS) activities for nine to 15 months; 18 will be randomly assigned to receive the OSS in phase 1
Behavioral: Training and supervision
On-Site-Support (OSS) service training will occur monthly for a period of 9 months. This training and supervision will support the proper utilization of newly learned clinical skills.
Behavioral: Integrated Management of Infectious Disease (IMID)
The IMID is a 9-month training program that begins with a three-week course at the Infectious Diseases Institute (IDI) in Kampala Uganda. After the course participants engage in 12 weeks of distance learning followed by a one-week boost course at the IDI. Then the engage in 12 more weeks of distance learning and a final one-week boost course. This intervention is offered to two clinicians (clinical officers or registered nurses or midwives) at every OSS Phase 1 and OSS Phase 2 site.
Active Comparator: OSS Phase 2
Thirty-six sites will receive the OSS activities for nine to 15 months; 18 will be randomly assigned to receive the OSS in phase 2 that will serve as a control group in phase 1 and receive OSS nine months later.
Behavioral: Training and Supervision
On-Site-Support (OSS) service training will occur monthly for a period of 9 to 15 months. This training and supervision will support the proper utilization of newly learned clinical skills and continuous quality improvement of processes of care. For the control group, the OSS training will occur during phase 2, after a randomly assigned wait list control period.
Behavioral: Integrated Management of Infectious Disease (IMID)
The IMID is a 9-month training program that begins with a three-week course at the Infectious Diseases Institute (IDI) in Kampala Uganda. After the course participants engage in 12 weeks of distance learning followed by a one-week boost course at the IDI. Then the engage in 12 more weeks of distance learning and a final one-week boost course. This intervention is offered to two clinicians (clinical officers or registered nurses or midwives) at every OSS Phase 1 and OSS Phase 2 site.
Detailed Description:
There are four major components of the evaluation design as described below: 1) Site Assessment, 2) Competence and practice of individual MLP who participate in IDT, 3) Facility cost and performance indicators, and 4) Mortality survey. The site assessment guided the curriculum development and site selection. As shown in Figure 1, it occurred only once in Year 1. The effect of the IMID and OSS on competence of individual MLP will be evaluated with written case scenarios or vignettes. Data on case scenarios will be collected three times: a) before training, b) after the three-week course, and c) after the nine-month program that includes two, one-week booster courses and distance learning. To estimate the effect of IMID, aggregate changes in test score across all 3 time points for both arms will be analyzed jointly. To estimate the effect of OSS, differences in change in test score starting from after the three-week course to the end of the nine-month program will be compared across the 2 arms. The effects on practice of individual trainees will be evaluated with clinical assessments by mobile team faculty during five outpatients visits and five HIV clinic visits by individual MLP. Data on clinical assessments will be collected two times: a) before training, and b) after the nine-month program. Facility performance indicators will be collected on a monthly basis from each site. Sites will be randomly assigned to begin OSS in either Phase 1 or Phase 2 and the facility indicators of these two samples of sites will be compared. The principal investigators of IDCAP are actively considering collecting data on mortality among children under five, but a final decision has not been made. At the request of the acting chairperson of SOMREC, we are including information about this potential activity. Mortality surveys would be conducted before and after the OSS.
Genders Eligible for Study: | Both |
Accepts Healthy Volunteers: | Yes |
Inclusion Criteria:
Facilities selected for OSS:
- The health facility had to be a HC IV or comparable facility such as a small general hospital or non-governmental organization clinic
- It had to be an active ART site or accredited ART site that is scheduled to become active by April 2009
- No past or current participation in a partnership with the U.S. Department of Defense
- Has a population of potential patients who are not prisoners
- Representation from all six administrative regions of Uganda
Exclusion Criteria:
MLP selected from the participating facilities for IMID:
Two mid-level practitioners (clinical officers, nurses, or midwives) who are actively engaged in clinical infectious-disease care will be selected for enrollment in IMID
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01190540
Uganda | |
Infectious Disease Institute, Makerere University | |
Kampala, Uganda |
Principal Investigator: | Marcia Weaver, PhD | University of Washington | |
Principal Investigator: | Sarah Naikoba, BMBCh, MPH | Infectious Disease Institute, Makarere University |
Additional Information:
No publications provided by University of Washington
Additional publications automatically indexed to this study by ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier (NCT Number):
Responsible Party: | Marcia Weaver, Research Associate Professor, University of Washington |
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: | NCT01190540 History of Changes |
Other Study ID Numbers: | 42657-EG |
Study First Received: | August 25, 2010 |
Last Updated: | December 1, 2014 |
Health Authority: | School of Medicine Research and Ethics Committee, Makerere University Uganda: Uganda National Committee on Science and Technology Uganda: |
Keywords provided by University of Washington:
On site support services. mid level health professionals. cost effectiveness. infectious disease. capacity building. |
Additional relevant MeSH terms:
Communicable Diseases Infection |
ClinicalTrials.gov processed this record on May 05, 2015


text:
Business Case for Desktop Virtualization: Information Guide
Click here to download now
Overview: The single operating system and single device per user is a model of the past. In the Post-PC era, IT must protect data security and control user access to data, while managing the range of applications and devices for all users. This guide will help you identify the business and technical benefits of virtualizing your desktop environment.


text:
Wordsmith Talk |
About Us | What's New | Search | Site Map | Contact Us | |||
You are not logged in. [Log In] Wordsmith.org » Forums » General Topics » Q&A about words » Whats the word?? Register User Forum List Calendar Active Topics Search FAQ
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#207482 - 10/02/12 10:59 AM Re: Whats the word?? [Re: Faldage]
Carpal Tunnel
Registered: 04/03/00
Posts: 10528
Loc: this too shall pass ah.. blind faith, cf. fideist.
#207487 - 10/02/12 06:54 PM Re: Whats the word?? [Re: marek0086]
Carpal Tunnel
Registered: 12/01/00
Posts: 13803 Not necessarily blind faith. It could be based on a good knowledge of the reliability of the object of the faith.
#207488 - 10/02/12 10:20 PM Re: Whats the word?? [Re: marek0086]
old hand
Registered: 06/23/00
Posts: 724 Can I sneak in another "what's the word" question? I read a single word that means "people's hatred", which I have now forgotten. The context was "Politicians have to be able to have a high degree of acceptance of *people's hatred*."
#207490 - 10/03/12 10:13 AM Re: Whats the word?? [Re: Avy]
Registered: 06/05/10
Posts: 1554
Loc: Lower Aberdeen, Mississippi Hurry Avy! Remember that word. Obama and Romney debate tonight.
We can Twitter your forgotten word. It will go Internet viral.
#207529 - 10/06/12 04:03 AM Re: Whats the word?? [Re: marek0086]
Registered: 10/01/12
Posts: 2
Loc: Melbourne Im not looking for the name of a PERSON who shows "unquestioning/unconditional loyalty/favoritism". Im looking for the word that DESCRIBES "unquestioning/unconditional loyalty/favoritism" itself. And its a NEGATIVE connotation.
#207534 - 10/06/12 11:38 AM Re: Whats the word?? [Re: marek0086]
Registered: 06/05/10
Posts: 1554
Loc: Lower Aberdeen, Mississippi Well 0086, do you remember the context of your forgotten word's usage?
Me? I like "claque". As a condition that would be "claqueness".
#207536 - 10/06/12 02:30 PM Re: Whats the word?? [Re: marek0086]
Carpal Tunnel
Registered: 04/03/00
Posts: 10528
Loc: this too shall pass from previous list:
obsequious (and synonyms)
so, from thesaurus.com
Definition: groveling, submissive
Synonyms: abject, beggarly, brownnosing, complacent, compliable, compliant, cringing, crouching, deferential, enslaved, fawning, flattering, ingratiating, kowtowing, menial, obeisant, oily, parasitic, parasitical, prostrate, respectful, servile, slavish, sneaking, sniveling, spineless, stipendiary, subject, submissive, subordinate, subservient, toadying, unctuous
(also, from fawning)
adulatory, bootlicking, bowing, cowering, crawling, humble, mealy-mouthed, scraping
and, from me:
smarmy [crossthreading!]
sycophantic, sycophantical, sycophantish
Now regional (chiefly New England)
skulking, furtive; mean, cheap, contemptible; poor, obsequious
#207540 - 10/06/12 03:28 PM Re: Whats the word?? [Re: marek0086]
Carpal Tunnel
Registered: 06/23/06
Posts: 5284
Loc: Netherlands, the Hague The Uriah Heep kind of obsequiousness? Yes, the idea of a context might help.
#207548 - 10/06/12 11:56 PM Re: Whats the word?? [Re: tsuwm]
old hand
Registered: 06/23/00
Posts: 724 How 'bout another one: "just not worth the effort?"
... I mean when the stomach has sucessfully made the trip to iceland who in their right minds will compete with such perfection?
PS: Am I on the wrong thread? I think I'm on the wrong board! This isn't weight watchers anonymous? Shudda taken the left toin for that one! Sorry!
Edited by Avy (10/07/12 01:12 AM)
#207590 - 10/10/12 12:53 PM Re: Whats the word?? [Re: Avy]
Carpal Tunnel
Registered: 06/23/06
Posts: 5284
Loc: Netherlands, the Hague "Politicians have to be able to have a high degree of acceptance of"...... ehmm......bribes?
Edited by BranShea (10/10/12 01:07 PM)
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text:
Description: 110/220GB SDLT Ext Opal LVD SCSI Option Part# 192103-B21
Overview:Compaq's SDLT 110/220 is the first product in the SDLT family offering increased capacity and performance over DLT and with backward read compatibility with DLT Type IV media. Super DLTtape is designed to meet the business critical demands of storage solutions. The SDLT platform is designed for industrial-strength reliability and data integrity for non-stop computing. SDLT will change the way companies protect and use information. Supported through Compaq Insight Manager alerting the administrator when tape status changes or when rewrite/reread thresholds are exceeded. ??Compaq is now offering TSMC - Tape Storage Management Console with every tape drive. This utility allows customers to upgrade their tape drive firmware when necessary. SDLT tape drive has been improved with the added feature of DRTape. DRTape insures that in case of a system failure you will be able to restore your system from a single tape. Specifications: CategoryProliant Sub-CategoryTapeDrive Generation110/220GB Part Number192103-B21 Products ID12974 Tape TypeSuper DLT Native Capacity110GB Interface TypeSCSI Enclosure TypeExternal Native Data Transfer Rate11Mbps Compressed Capacity220GB Data Transfer Rate - Compressed22Mbps SCSI Signaling TypeLow Voltage Differential (LVD) PlatformPC, Unix


text:
Welcome From Bill Perry
We often speak of the importance of students choosing a college that is the right fit. University presidents do this, too.
I chose Eastern, for instance, because I knew that every day when I came to the office, I'd be working side by side with people who understood that no matter what their title was, their job was to help our students succeed.
They do this in a hundred different ways. They make our campus beautiful and keep our physical plant running smoothly. They ensure that our classes are small and that our students receive the full attention of our faculty. They keep our costs low, our campus safe, and our alumni satisfaction rates high.
They see to it that on the other side of every door a student opens, someone is ready to help.
Through their emphasis on excellence, service, and personal attention, they have created a university where every employee works together to provide our students with the opportunities they need to become well educated citizens and leaders.
Visit our campus, and you'll meet them for yourself. I did, and that's why I chose EIU.
If I can be of service to you, please call 217-581-2011 or email firstname.lastname@example.com. Even better, come to see me when you visit the campus: My office is on the first floor of Old Main.
Bill Perry,
Eastern Illinois University - What makes us different is YOU!


text:
Friday federal headlines - September 27, 2013
Friday - 9/27/2013, 9:42am EDT
The Morning Federal Newscast is a daily compilation of the stories you hear Federal Drive hosts Tom Temin and Emily Kopp discuss throughout the show each day. The Newscast is designed to give FederalNewsRadio.com users more information about the stories you hear on the air.
- The Senate will vote today on a six-week continuing resolution to avoid a government shutdown Monday night. Senators stripped the bill of a provision to defund the Affordable Care Act the House had included. Speaker John Boehner says the so-called clean CR won't pass the House. Either way, the House now must work through the weekend to have any chance of keeping the government going. But Boehner has not released a list of amendments the House may add. Republicans disagree among one another over how to proceed. (Associated Press)
- Agencies are notifying both employees and contractors about plans should the government shut down. In a FedBizOps post, Homeland Security Chief Procurement Officer Nick Nayak is blunt. He tells contractors planned buys might be canceled and existing contracts stopped. But he says contracting officers will notify affected businesses. The Commerce Department issues a similar notice. It says access to facilities would be cut off. But officials there say service and supply contracts that don't require access may continue, but only if a supply officer is on duty to receive material. (Federal News Radio)
- In a briefing later today, Pentagon Comptroller Robert Hale will detail the Defense Department's actions under a government shutdown. But in the meantime, leaders of the armed services are trying to answer basic questions. Navy Vice Adm. Bill Moran says in a blog post, if a shutdown occurs, all Navy personnel would report to work on their next scheduled duty day to receive further instructions. Everyone will get paid on Oct. 1. He says some credit unions, like Navy Federal, are volunteering to cover military customers' next paycheck on Oct. 15. Moran says he doesn't know if there is still time for Congress to prevent a shutdown. (Navy)
- More than a third of federal workers would be told to stay home if the government shuts down, forcing the closure of Smithsonian museums and national parks. Workers at the State Department's Bureau of Consular Affairs wouldn't be around to process visa and passport applications. Federal managers at several agencies spent yesterday telling employees whether they were essential enough to come to work during a shut down. In a letter to EPA employees, Deputy Administrator Bob Perciasepe says that label doesn't reflect the quality of someone's work or their importance to the agency, but it's a result of legal requirements. The shutdown could come Tuesday if Congress fails to pass a funding bill. (Associated Press)
- The Federal Aviation Administration could ease restrictions on airline passengers' use of smartphones, tablets, e-readers and other personal electronic devices. An advisory committee has recommended letting passengers use most devices during take offs and landings. Talking on the phone or surfing the web would still be off-limits. The FAA imposed the rules to limit electronic interference with critical cockpit equipment. But that problem isn't as likely in newer planes. Congress has pressured the FAA to change the rules. (Associated Press)
- Unmanned aircraft find growing favor with the Justice Department. A new report from inspector general Michael Horowitz shows Justice has spent $5 million so far on drones. That includes more than $1 million in grants to local police departments clamoring for them. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives plans to use drones in its operations. The FBI says it has used them occasionally. But the Marshals Service and Drug Enforcement Administration both say they have no plans for drones. The IG says Justice needs more oversight and coordination. (Associated Press)
- Federal agencies have been steadily increasing their use of encryption technology to secure data. That requires management of keys, the pieces of software that encrypt and decrypt files. The National Institute of Standards and Technology plans a workshop next spring to help refine its guidance on how to use and manage crypto keys. The workshop will take place March 4 and 5. NIST IT Lab officials want to polish a new draft of Special Publication 800-152, titled, a profile for U.S Federal Cryptographic Key Management. They say the draft will be available for comment before the workshop. (NIST)
- Lawmakers are moving quickly to keep a federal helium reserve going. The Senate has followed the House's lead in voting to maintain the program. It provides 42 percent of the nation's helium from a storage site near Amarillo, Texas. Current law requires the program to end in two weeks, but that could cause a shortage in the chemical. Helium isn't just for floating balloons. Lawmakers say a shortage could slow production of computer chips and optical fibers and have ramifications for the defense and medical industries. (Associated Press)
- Three Homeland Security Department officials move up a notch into acting capacities. Rand Beers moves up from deputy secretary to become acting secretary. Rafael Borras replaces Beers as acting deputy. Chris Cumminsky replaces Borras as acting undersecretary for management. President Barack Obama has not yet nominated anyone to become secretary. The nomination of Alexander Mayorkas as deputy secretary is held up in the Senate. Now twelve of the top DHS leadership positions are held by acting officials. (Federal News Radio)


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Originally published at Peaceful Tomorrows by Terry Greene and Gloria Williams on 4/30/15
As family members of those who died in the attacks launched on Sept. 11, 2001, we reflect on the recent MTA ruling to ban political advertisements on all MTA vehicles as an unfortunate sacrifice when a middle ground could have been forged.
Our families still mourn deeply the loss of our loved ones who perished on 9/11.
Our pain is compounded when some choose to respond in kind to that terrorist attack, and other attacks that have followed, by promoting hatred and fear of others who may be different from themselves. While we support the right to practice free speech, we abhor messages composed to incite bigotry and hatred.
Such messages seek to overturn the central tenets of America — a land founded to honor freedom of religion that is reliant upon principles rich with the ideas of life and liberty, tolerance and brotherhood.
The five-fold increase in hate crimes perpetrated against Muslims, or those who may appear to be Muslim, drives another… Continue reading
Originally published at PRI by The Takeway on 2/20/15
In 2002, the Sept. 11 victims' families filed a lawsuit in federal court against the government of Saudi Arabia for their alleged role in funding and supporting al-Qaeda. The lawsuit floundered in 2013 amidst delays and a lack of substantial evidence, but new information has emerged that may resurrect the lawsuit.
Statements from former al-Qaeda operative Zacarias Moussaoui suggest that members of the Saudi royal family had been major donors to the terrorist group as recently as the late 1990s.
Moussaoui gave his account last October to Jerry Goldman, a shareholder at Anderson Kill law firm and a lawyer for Sept. 11 victims' families, and other lawyers from the federal supermax prison in Florence, Colorado, where he is serving a life sentence.
"He has absolutely nothing to gain from this testimony, except for telling the truth," says Goldman.
The Saudi government rejects Moussaoui's 100-page testimony, which describes a close relationship between the government of Saudi Arabia and the al-Qaeda operatives who planned the 9/11 attacks. But Goldman says Moussaoui's testimony fits within a broad historical pattern.
"The bad behavior that we allege of the Saudi royal family goes back a considerable period of time, and perhaps it's still continuing," he says. "That relevance is important, and most importantly, it's relevance that the American people as a whole — not just the victims of 9/11 — need to understand what happened and [to know] that people are finally held accountable for the wrongs that they caused."
In light… Continue reading
Originally published at the NYTimes by Lorie Van Auken and Mindy Kleinberg on 2/17/15
To the Editor:
New Light Cast on Secret Pages in Sept. 11 Report" (front page, Feb. 5) reiterates Senator Bob Graham's finding from the Congressional Joint Inquiry: that the Saudis were tied to the funding of the 9/11 attacks. Philip D. Zelikow, executive director of the 9/11 Commission, has tried to refute this.
Mr. Zelikow reportedly blocked two key staff members from reading the 28 classified pages. He even fired one of them, who tried to get access to the pages because she rightly felt that she couldn't do her job without the information. This is hardly a recipe for forming convincing conclusions.
Bankrupting the terrorists would go a long way toward keeping all countries safe, yet the government is unwilling to expose the facts about the funding of Al Qaeda. Classification isn't supposed to be used for keeping the secrets of a foreign government. With terrorism on the rise, wouldn't it be appropriate for the American public finally to read those pages?
J. Michael Springmann has just published, Visas for Al Qaeda: CIA Handouts That Rocked The World. As a former member of the US Foreign Service, Mr. Springmann exposes the truth about American involvement in the training and international movement of Muslim terrorists and the subsequent increase in jihadist terrorism. Some of these terrorists have links to 9/11.
Thousands of American soldiers and civil servants have lost their lives in the War on Terror. Innocent citizens of many nations, including Americans killed on 9/11, have also paid the ultimate price. While the US government claims to stand against terror, this same government refuses to acknowledge its role in creating what has become a deadly international quagmire. Visas for al-Qaeda: CIA Handouts That Rocked the World sets the record straight by laying the blame on high-ranking US government officials.
During the 1980s, the CIA recruited and trained Muslim operatives to fight the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. Later, the CIA would move those operatives from Afghanistan to the Balkans, and then to Iraq, Libya, and Syria, traveling on illegal US visas. These US-backed and trained fighters would morph into an organization that is synonymous with jihadist terrorism: al-Qaeda.
J. Michael Springmann, a former US diplomat, names individuals and organizations that deny culpability. He analyzes the effects of a nebulous war on the US economy and infrastructure. After thirteen bloody years, Springmann exposes hypocrisy and deceit wrapped in a sullied flag of patriotism and honor.
As investigative journalist Wayne Madsen notes,… Continue reading
Originally published at Washington's Blog by Kevin Ryan on 2/15/15
Science has been misused for political purposes many times in history. However, the most glaring example of politically motivated pseudoscience—that employed by U.S. government scientists to explain the destruction of the World Trade Center (WTC)—continues to be ignored by many scientists. As we pass the 10th anniversary of the introduction of that account, it is useful to review historic examples of fake science used for political purposes and the pattern that defines that abuse.
An early example of pseudoscience used to promote a political agenda was the concerted Soviet effort to contradict evolutionary theory and Mendelian inheritance. For nearly 45 years, the Soviet government used propaganda to foster unproven theories of agriculture promoted by its minister of agriculture, Trofim Lysenko. Scientists seeking favor with the Soviet hierarchy produced fake experimental data in support of Lysenko's false claims. Scientific evidence from the fields of biology and genetics was banned in favor of educational programs that taught only Lysenkoism and many biologists and geneticists were executed or sent to labor camps. This propaganda-fueled program of anti-science continued for over forty years, until 1964, and spread to other countries including China.
In the 2010 book Merchants of Doubt, authors Naomi Oreskes and Erik Conway describe several other examples of the misuse of science, spanning from the 1950s to the present. They show how widely respected scientists participated in clearly non-scientific efforts to promote the agendas of big business and big government.… Continue reading
Originally published at WhoWhatWhy.org by Russ Baker on 2/6/15
On Monday, attorneys representing victims of the 9/11 attacks filed papers alleging substantial Saudi financial support for Al Qaeda and terrorism, including a plan to shoot down Air Force One. This Saudi support supposedly continued up to shortly before 9/11. Donors included leading members of the royal family.
These extraordinary allegations came in rare testimony from behind the walls of a Supermax prison by the so-called "20th hijacker," Zacharias Moussaoui, a convicted Al Qaeda operative.
The New York Times took him quite seriously:
Mr. Moussaoui's testimony, if judged credible, provides new details of the extent and nature of that [Saudi] support in the pre-9/11 period. In more than 100 pages of testimony, filed in federal court in New York on Monday, he comes across as calm and largely coherent, though the plaintiffs' lawyers questioning him do not challenge his statements.
One of the people Moussaoui says he met as an Al Qaeda representative was Prince Salman, who in January became the new king of Saudi Arabia. Others he claims to have met include Turki al-Faisal, who at the time was Saudi intelligence chief, and Prince Bandar bin Sultan, the longtime Saudi ambassador to the U.S.
Both Turki and Bandar were very close with George H.W. Bush and his family. At the time of the 9/11 attacks, George W. Bush was president of the United States—and in what was seemingly a chilling accident of fate, was in Sarasota himself… Continue reading
Originally published at Washington's Blog by Kevin Ryan on 2/9/15
NBC News anchor Brian Williams is taking heat for having repeatedly lied to the public about an Iraq War experience that he never had. Williams has decided to take a few days off to see if the whole affair will blow over but that strategy is not likely to work given the legs that the story has grown. There is a way for Williams to turn it all around, although it would be tougher than anything he has done in the past. He could save face by coming clean on something important that he once reported and never mentioned again.
On September 11, 2001, Williams was covering the terrorist attacks of the day. Late that afternoon a third skyscraper collapsed at the World Trade Center (WTC) and Williams interviewed a New York City fireman named David Restuccio about it. Just after the building collapsed, NBC broadcast the live scene as Williams remarked, "This is like watching the collapse of an active volcano. And the dust from it is not unlike that from a volcano." He brought Restuccio on and continued, "You guys knew this was coming all day." Restuccio replied, "We had heard reports that the building [WTC 7] was unstable and that it would be best if it would either come down on its own or it would be taken down."
This was the point at which a good journalist would have stopped and asked, "It would be taken down"?… Continue reading
Originally published at Digital Journal by Ralph Lopez on 2/2/15
The official US government report on the attacks of September 11, 2001, has altered and obscured the testimony of US Secretary of Transportation Norman Mineta in a manner which absolves former Vice President Dick Cheney of failing to defend the Pentagon.
Mineta's testimony suggested that Cheney had a clear window of opportunity during which he was made aware that an aircraft was headed straight for either the White House or the Pentagon, after it was clear that the nation was under attack, when he could have given an order and brought the plane down before it hit the Pentagon. The targeting of national landmarks such as the Twin Towers and the Pentagon was in integral part of the attackers' strategy.
The 9/11 Commission report was drafted by The National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States.
In an interview given after 9/11, President George W. Bush confirmed that he had given the order to shoot down any "commercial aircraft that did not respond" to requests for identification only after "the third plane had hit the Pentagon," which was at 9:37a.m. Bush said that this was the "first decision" he made on Air Force One after the full extent of the attacks became apparent.
The Twin Towers had been hit earlier, at 8:46 a.m. and 9:03 a.m.
Norman Mineta testified before the 9/11 Commission that, in the command bunker known as the Presidential Emergency Operations Center, hijacked… Continue reading
Originally published at Consensus 9/11 on 9/10/14
NORAD is the US-Canadian military agency responsible for defending North American airspace. Its traditional operating procedures – according to which planes are to be intercepted when they deviate from their courses, turn off their transponders, or permanently lose radio contact – were not followed on 9/11.
As the commander-in-chief of NORAD on 9/11, General Ralph E. "Ed" Eberhart was ultimately responsible for all of NORAD's failures on 9/11 – most importantly, the failure to intercept hijacked airliners before they could strike the Twin Towers and the Pentagon. The fourth airliner, UA 93, which was reportedly headed towards the nation's capital, may have been shot down by NORAD, but NORAD has denied this. Accordingly, the official story about 9/11 is that NORAD was four-for-four in failing to intercept hijacked airliners that day.
Nevertheless, in spite of NORAD's disastrous failures under General Eberhart's leadership, he was never held accountable or even criticized. Indeed, he was promoted shortly after 9/11 and later called a "9/11 hero."[1]
Unlike others, such as Gen. Richard Myers and Gen. Henry Shelton, Eberhart has not written an account of his actions on 9/11. Likewise, he was seldom discussed by the 9/11 Commission. Accordingly, we do not know much about his actions that day. But enough has been said and reported by officials and the media to add up to an official story about his actions.
Originally published at Newsweek by Jeff Stein on 1/14/15
Just before Christmas, former FBI special agent Mark Rossini greeted me with his usual good cheer when we met for drinks in a midtown Manhattan restaurant. He told me his life had finally taken a turn for the better. He's spending most of his time in Switzerland, where he works for a private global corporate-security firm. "Life's good," he said.
Good, but with a few major changes. Rossini was drinking club soda instead of the expensive cabernets he quaffed when I first knew him as a high-flying FBI official in Washington a decade ago, when he was a special assistant to the bureau's chief spokesman, John Miller (now with the New York City Police Department). "I've cut back," he said. "Feeling good."
But when I ask him how he's really doing, the light in his eyes dims. "Well, you know, I still miss the job," he said, shaking his head. A boneheaded move—showing confidential FBI documents to his actress-flame Linda Fiorentino, who said she was researching a script about L.A. wiretapper extraordinaire Anthony Pellicano—cost him his career in 2008 and nearly landed him in jail.
"What's past is past," he said. But not all of it. He quickly told me of an encounter the day before on a street in Yonkers, where he keeps an apartment. He'd run into a close family friend who'd lost relatives at the World Trade Center on 9/11. "Mark," she… Continue reading
Originally published at The Profile by Susan Dugan, Jan. 2015 Issue
Right after 9/11, I remember talking to my women's group and saying I just don't think this could have happened without someone knowing about it and allowing it to," says Fran Shure. "It was totally intuitive, because I knew nothing. And that was received with a lot of censoring remarks. I just looked at them and said, you know, I have the right to think the unthinkable and I'm going to look into this. And lo and behold, a video came my way and then a book and I was in shock, like most people would be, reading about evidence that showed we were not told the truth about what happened on 9/11."
A retired psychotherapist and landscape designer who successfully juggled both professions for 30 years, Shure grew up in Texas and has spent most of her life in Colorado. The many causes she has championed include working for a freeze on nuclear weapons, the anti-globalization movement, and recently, the Colorado Community Rights Amendment allowing communities to exclude heavy industry (such as fracking) from their communities, due to deep concerns about fracking's largely untested consequences for the environment. Initial doubts about what really happened on 9/11 and her subsequent inquiry ultimately spurred a kind of spiritual metamorphosis that continues to this day.
FRAN SHURE WAS IMMEDIATELY SKEPTICAL THE ATTACKS OF SEPT. 11, 2001 could have taken place without some sort of advance knowledge. After studying extensive… Continue reading
Originally published at Newsweek by Jeff Stein on 1/7/15
Since the early days after the Sept. 11 attacks, when news emerged that most of the airline hijackers came from Saudi Arabia, dark allegations have lingered about official Saudi ties to the terrorists. Fueling the suspicions: 28 still-classified pages in a congressional inquiry on 9/11 that raise questions about Saudi financial support to the hijackers in the United States prior to the attacks.
Both the administrations of George W. Bush and Barack Obama have refused to declassify the pages on grounds of national security. But critics, including members of Congress who have read the pages in the tightly guarded, underground room in the Capitol where they are held, say national security has nothing to do with it. U.S. officials, they charge, are trying to hide the double game that Saudi Arabia has long played with Washington, as both a close ally and petri dish for the world's most toxic brand of Islamic extremism.
One of the most prominent critics is former Florida Senator Bob Graham, a Democrat who co-chaired the joint investigation of the House and Senate intelligence committees into the Sept. 11 attacks. On Wednesday, in a press conference with two current members of Congress and representatives of families who lost loved ones in the attacks, he will once again urge the Obama administration to declassify the pages—a move the White House has previously rebuffed.
"There are a lot of rocks out there that have been purposefully tamped down, that if… Continue reading
Stand up and be counted: Make this one of your New Year's resolutions. Revel in your courage to stand up for truth and justice and be counted.
If you have been paying attention to what is going on in this country, you know that the 9/11 attacks have been used again and again as the justification for policies that contradict core American values. Endless war, torture and warrantless surveillance do not reflect the values of the overwhelming majority of people who inhabit the land of the free and home of the brave. These policies echo the values of a morally bankrupt elite who control our governing institutions.
Our government repeatedly violates the self-evident truths expressed by our Declaration of Independence: that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. The contradiction between word and deed produces an intentional societal paralysis. Individuals feel helpless. Powerlessness and apathy make it possible for authoritarianism to flourish. Manufactured divisions obscure our common interests from ourselves, shifting our attention away from those who benefit and wield unchecked power.
If you have educated yourself about 9/11, you know that the issue tends to act as a portal through which you discover a hidden history. It is one of many rabbit holes that can lead to a re-evaluation of what passes for "history."
911Truth.org has been educating the public about the events surrounding the 9/11 attacks for… Continue reading
Originally published at Mother Jones by Erika Eichelberger and AJ Vicens on 12/23/14
The cost of US war-making in the 13 years since the September 11 terrorist attacks reached a whopping $1.6 trillion in 2014, according to a recent report by the Congressional Research Service (CRS).
The $1.6 trillion in war spending over that time span includes the cost of military operations, the training of security forces in Afghanistan and Iraq, weapons maintenance, base support, reconstruction, embassy maintenance, foreign aid, and veterans' medical care, as well as war-related intelligence operations not tracked by the Pentagon. The report tracks expenses through September, the end of the government's 2014 fiscal year. Here's a breakdown of where most of that money went:
How taxpayer dollars were spent on Iraq, Afghanistan, and other war-related activities
counter-terror | US military bases |
The key factor determining the cost of war during a given period over the last 13 years has been the number of US troops deployed, according to the report. The number of troops in Afghanistan peaked in 2011, when 100,000 Americans were stationed there. The number of US armed forces in Iraq reached a high of about 170,000 in 2007.
Although Congress enacted across-the-board spending cuts in March… Continue reading
Originally published at the Lexington-Herald Reader by Paul Prather on 12/27/14
Fifty years from now, when a history of the 9/11 attacks can be written from a suitable distance, it probably will be observed that the chief damage done to this nation wasn't the destruction of landmark buildings or even the loss of nearly 3,000 lives, but the further searing of our collective conscience.
We devolved from — in our own opinions, at least — the most civilized country on Earth, the chief guardians of human rights, to medieval torturers.
Earlier this month, the Senate Intelligence Committee finally released its report on the government's use of systematic abuse against suspected terrorists, dozens of whom were later discovered to be innocent.
We've long known about Abu Ghraib, and about the Bush-Cheney White House memos declaring "enhanced interrogation techniques" lawful (although they violated 200-plus years of American precedents, as well as international laws we'd promoted).
Turns out the post-9/11 torture program went beyond anything we'd previously been told, both in scope and in sadism.
Yet it appears that, other than outraged op-eds here and there from squawking pundits, the collective American response has been a shrug of the shoulders.
In a CBS poll, almost half of us (49 percent) said techniques such as waterboarding are sometimes OK; only 36 percent said torture is never justifiable.
Some 73 percent of Republicans — hey, isn't this the party with the devoutly Christian base? — think torturing prisoners can be justified.
Maybe we should survey… Continue reading
Originally published at Newsday by Ridgely Ochs on 12/27/14
Nell McCarthy, the deputy special master of the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund, pointed to two boxes. One contained files about 2 inches thick; the other, a file about 2 feet thick.
That, she said in the fund's nondescript Washington, D.C., offices, showed the range of differences among claims filed by 9/11 responders.
The thinner file was submitted online by a former first responder in law enforcement who had hired an experienced lawyer. The second was filed by a former deliveryman for a restaurant — with no attorney — and included entire notebooks containing handwritten statements in nearly indecipherable block printing that often spilled over and encircled the pages.
Both received compensation, McCarthy said. But the first — who recently died of brain cancer — was a fairly straightforward case and it took eight months to determine his compensation. The second — who for a time called the VCF help line every day, even on the weekends — was not so straightforward. That claim took 2½ years to resolve.
"I am really proud of the work we did with him," McCarthy said of the second claimant, who still calls the VCF.
McCarthy — a former White House staffer who herself… Continue reading
Originally published at Global Research by Prof. Edward Curtin on 12/1/14
The anthrax attacks that followed those of 9/11 have disappeared from public memory in ways analogous to the pulverization of the Twin Towers and World Trade Center Building 7. For the towers, at least, ghostly afterimages persist, albeit fading like last night's nightmare. But the anthrax attacks, clearly linked to 9/11 and the Patriot Act, are like lost letters, sent, but long forgotten. Such disappearing acts are a staple of American life these days. Memory has come upon hard times.
With The 2001 Anthrax Deception, Professor Graeme MacQueen, founding Director of the Center for Peace Studies at McMaster University, calls us back to a careful reconsideration of the anthrax attacks. It is an eloquent and pellucid lesson in inductive reasoning and deserves to stand with David Ray Griffin's brilliant multi-volume dissection of the truth of that tragic September 11th. MacQueen makes a powerful case for the linkage of both events, a tie that binds both to insider elements deep within the U.S. government, perhaps in coordination with foreign elements.
MacQueen's thesis is as follows: The criminal anthrax attacks were conducted by a group of conspirators deep within the U.S. government who are linked to, or identical with, the 9/11 perpetrators. Their purpose was to redefine the Cold War into the Global War on Terror and in doing so… Continue reading
Originally published at The Stranger by Brendan Kiley on 12/12/14
Earlier this week, a real estate attorney from Coeur d'Alene stood up in front of a three-judge panel in Seattle's Ninth Circuit courthouse to argue Smith vs. Obama—a case challenging NSA surveillance that began back in Idaho, and could be the one that ends up before the US Supreme Court.
It was the first time the attorney, Peter Smith, had appeared before the Ninth Circuit—as another lawyer once said to me, "the Ninth Circuit ain't beanbag"—or done anything like it. Smith later said in a phone interview that he and his wife Anna were troubled by the 2013 Guardian stories about Edward Snowden and the NSA and had "an interesting discussion about what that means… Anna didn't feel right." So Smith did some research about the legality of the NSA's bulk-collection programs and decided he had grounds to challenge them. Depending on how the Ninth Circuit rules, Mr. Smith could eventually go to Washington.
"Anna is my wife," Smith started his statement to the judges. (You can watch the arguments by Smith and counter-argument from Department of Justice lawyer H. Thomas Byron III in the video below.) "She is also a neonatal intensive care nurse. She's a mother. And ten years ago, Anna's government began a dragnet collection of her call records. Those call records reveal detailed information about Anna when analyzed in the aggregate—"
"How do we know those records were… Continue reading


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