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Latta: Land of the free, home of the braveWritten by Guest Author | | email@example.com
In a letter to his wife Abigail, John Adams wrote: "The Second Day of July 1776, will be the most memorable Epocha, in the History of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival. It ought to be commemorated, as the Day of Deliverance by solemn Acts of Devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more. You will think me transported with Enthusiasm but I am not. I am well aware of the Toil and Blood and Treasure, that it will cost Us to maintain this Declaration, and support and defend these States. Yet through all the Gloom I can see the Rays of ravishing Light and Glory. I can see that the End is more than worth all the Means. And that Posterity will triumph in that Days Transaction, even altho We should rue it, which I trust in God We shall not."
While Adams may have been off by two days, the Fourth of July is a day for all Americans to remember. Our Founding Fathers laid the framework for what has become the greatest nation on Earth, and it is because of the selfless sacrifices of our troops that these values have held strong. Benjamin Franklin, in response to a Philadelphia woman's question as to what form of government the Constitutional Convention had given them, aptly replied, "A Republic, if you can keep it."
Continuous threats have challenged our Republic, but our military has never wavered and has remained steadfast in its resolve. As we face new and evolving challenges, it is imperative we continue to support our troops both in the field and upon their return home.
We need to look no further than Toledo's own 180th Fighter Wing of the Ohio Air National Guard to see the patriots who make up our military. These brave men and women are our first line of defense in protecting the security of our nation in the air, and we are honored and proud to call them members of our community. Our service members live by a creed that stresses commitment and dedication not only to one another, but also to our country. On a daily basis, they volunteer themselves, making selfless sacrifices in the name of freedom — a further testament to their character and heroism.
Despite difficult budgetary times, it remains critical that we provide our military men and women with the necessary resources to complete current missions and defend against future threats. We must also ensure that both they and their families have the resources to navigate the physical and mental stresses that can result from combat. The U.S. Congress has passed annual legislation to provide for a strong national defense and support our troops and their families. However, as increasingly evidenced by reports regarding the Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA) mishandling of our veterans' care, our country has not fulfilled all of its promises to our troops and veterans.
The care of our veterans is neither partisan nor political. Members from both sides of the aisle, including myself, have been outraged by the terrible failings at the VA, and we will not stand for the continued runaround we have received from the administration. Secret lists, unacceptable wait times and lengthy appeals processes have come to define our veterans' health care system, and it is time for us to defend our nation's heroes. Therefore, both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate have passed multiple pieces of legislation to eliminate the current culture of mistruths and complacency, as well as prevent these injustices from occurring in the future.
One of the most disconcerting aspects of the VA crisis is that these issues could have been prevented. We have made a promise to our nation's heroes and have a duty to uphold our commitment. As more veterans return from overseas missions and veterans from previous wars require greater care, we must ensure they are treated with the same dignity and honor with which they served our country.
Our service members put their lives on the line daily, so that we may continue to call this country the land of the free and the home of the brave. As we celebrate our freedoms and honor those who are currently serving, those who have served and those who have made the ultimate sacrifice, let us also uphold our promise to our veterans by ensuring they have the care they need. We owe an enormous debt of gratitude to all who are wearing or have worn our nation's uniform — one words alone cannot express. It is because of their sacrifice, and the sacrifices of their families, that we can be so proud to call this country our home. God bless our nation's heroes and their families, and God bless the United States of America!
Rep. Bob Latta (R) is the U.S. Representative for Ohio's 5th Congressional District. For more information, visit latta.house.gov.
Tags: 180th FIghter Wing, Abigail Adams, American history, Benjamin Franklin, Bob Latta, Constitutional Convention, Department of Veterans Affairs, Eye on Health, Founding Fathers, Fourth of July, God, John Adams, Ohio Air National Guard, patriots, Representative Bob Latta, republic, U.S. Congress, VA


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Jailbreak for Firmware 1.1.2 Released. Restores Power to The People
The undaunted hacker community has once again foiled Apple's attempts to lock down its platform. Conceited Software (charming name) has released yet another Jailbreak script to free iPhone's latest and rather hidden firmware update; 1.1.2...which can best be described as a DDS upgrade, or Doesn't Do Shit. If you installed this firmware update, which I rarely advise these days, Apple being what it is...then reclaim your unauthorized apps.
Or Apple could simply stop breaking community software, right? Hello?
Have something to say about this story? Leave a comment! Need help with something else? Ask in our forums!
Reader comments
Jailbreak for Firmware 1.1.2 Released. Restores Power to The People
O.K. I went To The Apple Store Here in San Fran,
I asked to Purchase 3 iPhones,I was Told Limit 2,
Then I Whipped out the cash and was told "Oh Sorry,
We Only Accept Credit or Debit"(Illegal As Hell "This Note Is Legal Tender For All Debts Public And Private!!!)So I Went To At&t Store On third and Market,Asked To Buy Three Phones,..."And What Number Will These Phones Be On SIR?"I was asked...Ha HA HA Oh They Are Gifts...They Will Activate from home...I Said..."Actually SIR we only have One iPhone in Stock,...Oh Can You Direct me to another store with more in stock please? Yes 425 Market Street...So Iam Off Again...Now At 425 market,
Hi I Would Like To Buy 3 iPHONES...Oh Ok...He Jumps Around With Joy (COMMISION!!!) "We Just Got In A Full Shipment Of Phones I Will Go In The Back And Get Your iPhones...What Number Would You Like To Activate With?" Oh I Just Want To Buy Them They Are Gifts,The New Owners Will Activate...He Hurries To The Storage Room And Reapears And Says...."Oh Sorry I Cannot Sell You Any iPhones Today!!!!,
I Said You Mean To Tell Me That I Have $1500.00 In Cash In My Wallet And You Will Not Sell To Me The Consumer 3 iPhones!!!,"Try The Apple Store"...Well Apple Only Accepts Credit. ..."Oh We Dont Accept Cash Either"...Oh Really? Lawsuit Number 2!!!!, So I Return to 3rd and Market to Purchase the Single Unit And Explain these are Gifts and they Will Be Activated,And He Sells me One Phone And Says Go To The Kiosk In The Mall And They Will Sell To You,So I Went to the Kiosk...Bottom Of The Food Chain And Purchased 2 Phones No Problem!!!! So Now I Have 3 1.1.2 Unhackable Units That Everyone Was Refusing To Sell To Me The Consumer...I Didn't See Any "We Reserve The Right To Refuse Service"Signs Anywere!!!! Call Me A F*ckin% Lawyer Please!!!!
So, any word on when those genius' will figure out how to unlock the new version? I'm really counting on them!!! I also bought some new iPhones that cannot be unlocked and they are really of no use to me. I heard that they are real close...should just be a couple of more days, anyone else heard that?
ok,DaveNavey. Apple is under no obligation to sell you, "THE CONSUMER" anything. Good lord, were do people like you come get such a sense of entitlement. Also, I'd like to see what lawsuit you would be able to file for purchase limits and a refusal to take cash. Please, go become a nokia customer.
yeah ,seriously. DaveNavy, you are an idiot. While cash is legal tender that doesnt mean a merchant has to accept it. Try sending an envelope of cash to Amazon. Signs don't have to be posted for a business to exercise their right as a privately owned company to refuse service to someone. And finally, you don't have to capitolize every word.

subset: commoncrawl


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Upright Vacuums
Shop by Brand
12 Items
Cirrus C-CR49 Lightweight Red HEPA Upright Vacuum Cleaner$249.99The Cirrus CR49 Lightweight Red Upright Vacuum Cleaner is very lighweight. only weighing 14lbs. HEPA Filter and 1 year warranty are included in this great deal Learn More
Cirrus CR99 Performance Pet Edition Upright Vacuum Cleaner$409.69The Cirrus CR99 Pet Vacuum is a deluxe, specialized upright vacuum cleaner with hepa filtration, carbon filtration for odor control and a pet hair air driven upholstery brush. This full featured machine handles pet hair and odor and exceeds whole house cleaning needs for pet owners. Learn More
Cirrus Residential Upright Vacuum Cleaner Model C-CR69A$379.00C-CR69A CIRRUS 1000 Watt Single Fan Motor - 14" Metal Brushroll - Metal Bottom Plate - Quickdraw Tools On Board W/Plastic Telescopic Wand - Electrostatic Filter - 24' Power Cord - Headlight -2 Year WarrantyErgonomic Handle The entry level Cirrus CR69 Learn More
Cirrus Residential Upright Vacuum Cleaner Model C-CR79$449.00C-CR79 cirrus vacuum cleaner- 1300 Watt Single Fan Motor - 14" Metal Brushroll - Metal Bottom Plate - Metal Handle - Quickdraw Tools On Board W/Metal Telescopic Wand - Electrostatic Filter (Upgradable to HEPA) - 33' Power Cord - Headlight - Exclusive Tou Learn More
Cirrus Residential Upright Vacuum Cleaner Model CR89$529.00Product Features- 12Amp 1200w Twin Fan Motor - 14" Metal Brushroll - Metal Bottom Plate - Quickdraw Tools On Board W/Metal Telescopic Wand - HEPA Filtration, ideal for homes with allergies or breathing issues - 33' Power Cord - Headlight - Exclusive Touch Learn More
Cirrus CR-9100 Commercial Bagged HEPA Upright Vacuum Cleaner With On-Board Tools, 50ft Cord$395.79Cirrus Commercial Upright Vacuum Cleaner Powerful 10 AMP motor 14" Metal Brushroll Metal Handle and Bottom Plate Quickdraw Style Tools On Board HEPA Filtration with HEPA Type Bag Automatic Height Adjustment Metal Telecopic Wand 50' 3Wire QuickChange Cord Easy Access Belt Change Clean Air Bypass Motor 1 Year Warranty Black Learn More
Cirrus Commercial Upright Vacuum Cleaner Model CR77$499.00Product Features- 12 Amp 1000 Watt Motor - 14" Metal Brushroll - Metal Bottom Plate - Tools On Board - Micron filtration with HEPA option - 50' 3-wire Power Cord - Steel Cord Hook - 1 Year Warranty Parts and Labor Warranty Easy To Carry Handle Cirrus V Learn More
Cirrus Upright Vacuum Clean C-CR79$448.65Works with: Cirrus C-CR79 Learn More
Cirrus Upright Vacuum C-CR89$538.65Works with: Cirrus C-CR89 Learn More
Cirrus Upright Vacuum C-CR69$365.7910 AMP single stage motor, 14" metal brushroll, metal bottom plate and handle, QuickDraw style tools on board, plastic telescopic wand, electrostatic filtration, switch on handle, 24' power cord, headlight. (White) Learn More
Cirrus ProGrade Heavy Duty Commercial Upright Vacuum PRO-P8000$348.79Works with: Cirrus Pro Grade PRO-P8000 Learn More
Cirrus Upright Vacuum C-CR89 12 AMP 14 Inch Brushroll Upright Vac Cleaner$538.27Works With: Cirrus C-CR89 Description:The Cirrus C-CR89, S89 comes standard with a 12 AMP 1200 Watt AMETEK 2-Stage Motor (stages indicate how many suction fans the motor has). The 2-Stage motor will have more suction power, and run cooler then 1-stage motors. AMETEK motors are one of the most durable motors on the market. You can easily expect to get 20-25 years of trouble free performance out of this motor. The S89has a 110 suction rating (waterlift) The Cirrus CR89 is the top of the line for Cirrus residential models. This machine is the only model that comes with a 2 stage (2 fan) motor. Because of the 2 fans, and added suction power, this model is the best Cirrus for pet hair. The 2 stage motor is also a more durable motor. The extra fan helps the motor run cooler, and more efficient. Because of the better motor, GoVacuum is including a 10 year motor warranty at no charge on the Cirrus CR89 The CR89 also is the only residential model that comes packaged with the a variable speed motor control. This allows you to slow the brush speed and the suction power, when doing delicate oriental rugs, or Berber carpeting. Rather then straddling the rug and fighting with it to try and it hold down, simply lower the variable suction control so you are not sucking the rug into the vacuum cleaner. The CR89 also comes standard with HEPA exhaust filter. For homes with allergies or breathing issues, the Cirrus CR89 is ideal. The HEPA filter is very efficient at capturing microscopic particles that cause allergy sufferers major problems such as dust mites, pollen, animal dander, and bacteria. The sealed motor housing prevents any air from leaking, and forces the air through the HEPA filter which makes it very effective. C-CR89 Learn More
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One fine body…
This is a purchase you should Not Hesitate to make. I researched many blinds for quality and price. These blinds live up to both. They are a beautiful creamy alabaster color and I could not be any more pleased with this purchase.
When old friends stop by for late afternoon lunch, Norman's Ultimate 2 1/2" Faux Wood Blinds brighten your warm, cheerful spaces that require privacy.
With lovely lighter colors and patented, SmartPrivacy slats, these blinds make every social occasion in your home more luminous when the sun is out, and buttoned up tight at night when the guests have all gone home. Perfect for the warm, cheerful spots in your home that often require privacy like bathrooms, bedrooms or family rooms, you'll find these blinds bring liveliness and relaxation to your home in equal measure.
With the reassurance of the Blinds.com Warranty, you can trust that this product will last and provide added value and beauty to your home.
Due to the fast production on this product, order changes are not accepted.
The Ultimate 2 1/2" Faux Wood Blinds from Norman offers much more privacy than the average faux wood blind when closed, at a slat size that keeps a better view outside when open. The non-slip, patented SmartPrivacy slats create perfect privacy due to tighter closure than most blinds. This is due to SmartPrivacy's design, giving the slats smaller holes, which are concealed when the blinds are closed. Comes standard with a 3" designer valance and invisible clips.
Install Time: 7-10 minutes
We Recommend:
This product complies with CPSC child safety guidelines. If you have children in your home on a regular basis, CPSC recommends the use of cordless window coverings.


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|Athletic Trainer
|Previous College:
|Bridgewater State, 2010
|Third Year
Carlos Faria is in his third year as an athletic trainer at the College of the Holy Cross in 2014-2015. He works on a day-to-day basis as an athletic trainer for the Crusader football, men's basketball, and men's and women's track and field teams, in addition to providing support for a number of other varsity sports.
Prior to his time at Holy Cross, Faria spent time working in the San Francisco Giants organization from February to August of 2012. He served as an athletic trainer for the Giants' rookie affiliate in the Arizona League, in addition to spending time as a strength and conditioning intern.
Faria previously worked for the Boston Red Sox organization in a number of different capacities in 2010 and 2011. He was the athletic trainer for the Red Sox rookie affiliate in the Dominican Summer League in 2011, after serving as an intern athletic trainer for the Class AAA Pawtucket Red Sox in the spring of 2011. Faria previously served as an intern in both athletic training and strength and conditioning for the Class A Greenville Drive of the South Atlantic League during the 2010 season.
Faria earned both his bachelor's degree in athletic training (2010) and his master's degree in physical education (2012) from Bridgewater State University.


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The internet giant Google has re-launched their counterpart to Apples successful AppStore. They reintroduced their flagging products, Android Market and Google Music and merge them as Google Play. Google Play is the answer to Apples' well established AppStore which service the ever increasing Apple community in everything they ever need with their Apple products like the Macbook, IPad, IPhone and IPod.
Google Play is a digital content website where application, music, e-book and movies is posted and sold to the users of android operating system. Desktop and laptop users can also purchase download or stream music and movies to their system via the Google websites. When you visit the Google Play site, you will be see a myriad of application which are ranked with the highest number of download placed on the top slot. You can also move around Google Play by categories and the lists of categories are divided as either a Game list or an application list. Whatever you want to have in your Android system, chances are you can find it listed in Google Play.
Though the number of Android phone user is quite low compared with Apple users, it is continuously increasing as android phone is starting to gain momentum and the mobile market.


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Focus Area:Prevention
- HIV Prevention Knowledge Base
- See All Topics
- Topics by Alphabetical Order
- See All Topics
- Combination Approaches
- Biomedical Interventions
- Behavioral Interventions
- Comprehensive Sexuality Education
- Comprehensive Condom Use Programs
- Delayed Sexual Debut
- Mass Media and HIV Prevention
- Multiple and Concurrent Sexual Partnerships
- Partner Reduction
- Peer Outreach and Education
- Prevention of Alcohol-related HIV Risk Behavior
- Transactional and Age-disparate Sex in Hyperendemic Countries
- Structural Interventions
- Multimedia Resources
- Podcast: Reaching Transgender and MSM Populations through Social Media
- Video on Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision (VMMC)
- Prevention Update
- HIV Prevention Update: Latest Must-Read Literature
- Subscribe to the Prevention Update
- Resources
- Case Studies
- Promising Practices (G3Ps)
- Reports
- Spotlight on Prevention
- Structural Approaches to HIV Prevention Position Paper Series & Resource Tool
- Technical Briefs
- Technical Consultation Materials
- National Guidance
- National HIV/AIDS Strategic Plans
Subscribe to AIDSTAR-One!
Sign up to receive current HIV technical resources delivered to your inbox. Customize your updates based on your areas of interest.
What can AIDSTAR-One do for you?
From short-term technical assistance to long-term program implementation support and more, AIDSTAR-One provides rapid, evidence-based services to PEPFAR country teams in generalized, mixed and concentrated HIV epidemic settings.
Behavioral Interventions: Multiple and Concurrent Sexual Partnerships
I. Definition of the Prevention Area
Individuals who have multiple sexual partners increase their risk of contracting HIV as each new relationship introduces another pathway for HIV transmission. Concurrent sexual partnerships, defined as having two or more partnerships that overlap in time, also increase risk and have been recently identified as a likely driver of the spread of HIV.
Sexual practices vary widely, and individuals who have multiple sexual partners may or may not engage in concurrent sexual partnerships. Researchers distinguish serial monogamy, in which an individual may have multiple sexual partners without any overlapping partnerships, from concurrency. Individuals who are involved in concurrent relationships may or may not have a high number of lifetime sexual partners since some concurrent partnerships are long-term, stable, or "closed" relationships, such as polygamy. There is some controversy about the nature of various cultural norms and the risks entailed by these relationships.
At a time when HIV rates are declining in other parts of the world, HIV prevalence in East and Southern Africa remains high and is thought to be due to several factors: high rates of multiple and concurrent sexual partnerships (MCP), low rates of male circumcision, and inconsistent and/or incorrect condom use.
II. Epidemiological Justification for the Prevention Area
Since MCP clearly increase the risk of HIV transmission, partner reduction strategies have been undertaken in countries such as Uganda, Thailand, Kenya, and Zimbabwe. These programs have been followed by reductions in HIV incidence and/or prevalence. However, no large-scale population-based surveys have been able to directly link reductions in MCP with a decrease in HIV epidemics.
Although these types of partnerships are not mutually exclusive, different risks are associated with multiple versus concurrent sexual partnerships. The risks of multiple partnerships versus concurrent partnerships are different. For the individual with multiple partners (but not concurrent partners), their risk of acquiring HIV is directly related to the number of sexual partners they have over time. However, in concurrent partnerships the partner's behavior or participation in concurrent sexual relationships has a profound effect on their role as a transmitter of HIV. Because of this, an individual's risk cannot be calculated solely on the basis of his or her behavior, but can only be assessed in light of their partner's behavior. For example, an individual may have only one sexual partner, but if that partner is connected to a wider sexual network through concurrent sexual relationships, then the individual is at higher risk of acquiring HIV.
Concurrency is also thought to be an important driver of HIV transmission because those involved in concurrent relationships may be more likely to be exposed to a sexual partner during the month-long period immediately following infection, known as the acute phase of HIV, while they are most infectious.
Intergenerational and transactional sexual relationships are closely entwined with MCP and gender dynamics. Women who engage in intergenerational and transactional sex in order to survive or to obtain gifts are at higher risk of HIV infection than women who are not dependent on older men for money or gifts. Information about local culture and behavior can be used to shape messages to communicate the risks associated with MCP and to target behaviors that place individuals at increased risk of HIV.
III. Core Programmatic Components
MCP programs constitute a new area of work. As of yet, there are insufficient data to evaluate which approaches are most effective. However, several approaches appear to show promise. Programs that increase awareness of MCP as a risk factor, followed by assistance in helping individuals estimate their personal risks based on their own and their partners' behavior, appear to be useful.
Communities should be involved in framing MCP messages so they do not stigmatize or place blame on specific groups. MCP programs should use a variety of approaches, such as mass media messages, community mobilization, or interpersonal and one-on-one activities that encourage people to adopt safer sexual behaviors, and activities that are tailored to the specific needs and circumstances of groups at risk.
Finally, programs should integrate MCP messages as one element of a comprehensive approach to prevention. Promoting the use of condoms remains important, since MCP is unlikely to be eliminated entirely. Links to counseling and testing, male circumcision, prevention of mother-to-child transmission, and treatment services will be essential, and it will be important to take all opportunities to integrate consistent messages about MCP.
IV. Current Status of Implementation Experience
Over the last several years increased support for MCP interventions has led to innovative programs. One promising program is the Scrutinize Campaign in South Africa, which uses "animerts," or cartoon ads, to widely disseminate MCP messages. The campaign also uses art, drama, song, dance, and interpersonal activities to reinforce those messages. Scrutinize is supported by private and public organizations, demonstrating that such agencies can work together to produce a high-quality, targeted campaign that is accepted by the local population.
UNAIDS has recently proposed a standardized method of data collection and definition of the term concurrency in order to promote more reliable research regarding the effects of MCP, which in turn will allow better quantification of program outcomes. Larger societal questions such as how programs can address gender inequity and social tolerance for MCP have yet to be answered.
Updated: March 2011
Debate: Is Sexual Partner Concurrency Driving the Spread of HIV in Africa?
Mah and Halperin's 2010 article in AIDS and Behavior, "Concurrent Sexual Partnerships and the HIV Epidemics in Africa: The Evidence to Move Forward," sparked passionate debate around the impact of sexual concurrency on the HIV epidemic in Africa. Critics assert that the lack of consistent data on multiple and concurrent partnerships (MCP) calls into question whether MCP is a true driver of HIV in Africa. Proponents of the concurrency thesis acknowledge the inconsistencies in definition and measurement methods, but maintain the relevance of MCP to the spread of HIV in the region and argue that programming to address MCP remains an important element of a prevention response. Here, AIDSTAR-One summarizes a series of articles and commentaries responding to Mah and Halperin.
Concurrent Sexual Partnerships and the HIV Epidemics in Africa: The Evidence to Move Forward
Mah, T. & Halperin, D.T. AIDS and Behavior (2010), Vol. 14 No. 1, pp. 11-16.
Concurrent sexual partnerships are thought to contribute to the generalized HIV epidemics in sub-Saharan Africa. Such relationships may be particularly risky in part because they are likely to expose individuals to a partner with HIV during the highly infectious month immediately following infection. Concurrency is said to be more common in Southern Africa than elsewhere, fueled in part by migrant work that separates spouses. However, research about rates of concurrency can produce conflicting results depending on the survey method used. The authors discuss the pros and cons of the calendar method of questioning versus direct questioning.
Concurrent Partnerships as a Driver of the HIV Epidemic in Sub-Saharan Africa? The Evidence is Limited
Lurie, M.N. & Rosenthal, S. AIDS and Behavior (2010), Vol. 14 No. 1, pp. 17-24.
The authors assert that current measures and definitions for concurrency are not consistent, casting doubt on the assumption that concurrency is a key driver of the African HIV epidemic. Citing a 2001 study, they comment that concurrency should be "higher in countries with high HIV prevalence compared to those in low prevalence countries, but they were not," and conclude that Mah and Halperin's claim that concurrency can play a critical role in HIV transmission is not the same as empirical evidence showing that it does. They suggest that more targeted research with consistent methodology is needed before public health specialists can draw definite conclusions about the relationship between concurrency and the African epidemics.
The Evidence for the Role of Concurrent Partnerships in Africa's HIV Epidemics: A Response to Lurie and Rosenthal
Mah, T. & Halperin, D.T., AIDS and Behavior (2010), Vol. 14 No. 1, pp. 25 -28.
The authors challenge the assertion by Lurie and Rosenthal that there is insufficient data to conclude that concurrency is any more common in Southern Africa than elsewhere. Mah and Halperin say that survey data they cited are from World Health Organization surveys that support the idea that African populations studied have higher rates of concurrency. They cite surveys showing that in Lesotho, where HIV prevalence is the third highest in the world, 55 percent of men and 39 percent of women report concurrency. They compare this to the 3 percent and 0.2 percent rates of concurrency among women in Thailand.
The Mathematics of Concurrent Partnerships and HIV: A Commentary on Lurie and Rosenthal, 2009
Epstein, H. AIDS and Behavior (2010), Vol. 14, No. 1, pp. 29-30.
Epstein responds to Lurie and Rosenthal, who assert there are insufficient empirical data to support the claim that concurrency is driving the HIV epidemic in Southern Africa. The author defends mathematical modeling exercises that support concurrency as a central factor in the spread of HIV, and criticizes one mathematical model that didn't support the concurrency concept on the grounds that the researchers failed to distinguish between concurrency and serial monogamy.
Barking up the Wrong Evidence Tree. Comment on Lurie & Rosenthal, "Concurrent Partnerships as a Driver of the HIV Epidemic in Sub-Saharan Africa? The Evidence is Limited"
Morris, M. AIDS and Behavior (2010), Vol. 14 No. 1, pp. 31-33.
The author asserts that Lurie and Rosenthal make several mistakes with regard to their assertion that concurrency is not a proven driver of the HIV epidemic. First, she states that measuring concurrency in the index person who acquires HIV is a mistake since "concurrency increases your risk of transmitting infection, not acquiring it." Second, the use of HIV prevalence is an improper message, according to the author, since prevalence is a cumulative measure over time, while concurrency is generally measured over a limited time period, such as 12 months. Only when both prevalence and concurrency are in equilibrium for some years can the effects of concurrency be measured, says the author. For this reason, HIV incidence should be measured instead of prevalence and it should be measured during time window matched to measures of concurrency.
The Concurrency Hypothesis in Sub-Saharan Africa: Convincing Empirical Evidence is Still Lacking. Response to Mah and Halperin, Epstein, and Morris
Lurie, M.N. & Rosenthal, S. AIDS and Behavior (2010), Vol. 14 No. 1, pp. 34-37.
Lurie and Rosenthal respond to authors who are critical of their contention that concurrency is not a proven driver of the HIV epidemic in Southern Africa. They note that their critics agree that the evidence is "limited" and that further research is needed. They assert that even if their critics can point to correlates between concurrency and high HIV prevalence, that association is not causation. The authors say that one study that assessed the temporal relationship between concurrency and the development of HIV did not find a causal link. The authors object to the assumption that in the face of uncertainty about concurrency that "nothing is lost" by discouraging concurrency since, they say, some forms of concurrency, such as polygyny, appear to be protective.
A Framework of Sexual Partnerships: Risks and Implications for HIV Prevention in Africa
Green, E.C., Mah, T.L., Ruark, A. et al. Studies in Family Planning (2009), Vol. 40, No. 1, pp. 63-70.
The authors of this commentary state that "many standard HIV prevention strategies have not proven effective," such as the medically based triad of condom promotion, HIV testing, and treatment of sexually transmitted diseases in the generalized epidemics of East and Southern Africa. They cite the successful reduction of HIV transmission in concentrated epidemics following a campaign promoting condom use among sex workers in Thailand. The authors cite concurrency as a significant contributor to the generalized epidemics of East and Southern Africa and say that campaigns to reduce multiple partners in several African nations have been effective since they have been followed by measurable reductions in multiple partners, which in turn have been followed by reduced HIV prevalence.
Relatively Low HIV Infection Rates in Rural Uganda, But with High Potential for a Rise: A Cohort Study in Kayunga District, Uganda
Guwatudde, D., Wabwire-Mangen, F., Eller, L. et al. PLoS ONE (2009), Vol. 4 No. 1, pp. e4145.
Studies have explored the determinants of HIV infection in Uganda. Using a community-based cohort of 2,025 volunteers from Kayunga, Uganda, researchers administered a questionnaire about participants' sexual behavior and other HIV risk factors every six months. Blood samples were collected simultaneously. At baseline, approximately one of every 10 individuals tested positive for HIV-1. Within one year, 13 new cases of HIV were detected. HSV-2 (genital herpes) was strongly associated with HIV-1 infection. The most significant behavioral risk factor associated with new HIV infection was the number of times in the last six months that a participant had sex with partners whom they thought or knew were having sex with someone else.
Cultural Scripts for Multiple and Concurrent Partnerships in Southern Africa: Why HIV Prevention Needs Anthropology
Leclerc-Madlala, S. Sexual Health (2009), Vol. 6 No. 2, pp. 103-10.
From October 2007 to November 2008, 228 members of nongovernmental organizations in seven Southern African countries were interviewed to understand the role of culture and contextual factors in relation to MCP. Common patterns in cultural scripts regarding sexuality emerged. These scripts (such as "male sexuality is by nature un-restrainable" or "sexual violence sometimes demonstrates caring") affirm and legitimatize MCP and need to be addressed to better orient messages to the population.
Why Multiple Sexual Partners?
Shelton, J. The Lancet (2009), Vol. 374 No. 9687, pp. 367-369.
In this commentary, individual, social, economic, and cultural factors underlying multiple concurrent partnerships are discussed. Understanding the causes of sexual concurrency in a given geography and with a given group is an important step toward developing effective HIV prevention programming. "High-quality multilevel (mass media, community, clinical setting, individual) approaches" are called for. One Love, Scrutinize, and O Icheke are cited as exemplary.
Young People's Sexual Partnerships in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa: Patterns, Contextual Influences, and HIV Risk
Harrison, A., Cleland, J., & Frohlich, J. Studies in Family Planning (2008), Vol. 39 No. 4, pp. 295-308.
The study authors conducted a household survey to examine the sexual behaviors of young people, aged 15-24 years in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The region is one of that nation's poorest provinces and has the nation's highest HIV prevalence. The researchers found that one third of men reported MCPs and one quarter of women had partners who were five years older than themselves. Nonparticipation in school or civic organizations correlated with higher-risk partnerships for women. Relationships, on average, lasted more than a year and were defined as "serious" by the participants. Partnerships were both sequential and overlapping. Mobility and the distance between workplace and home greatly affected the kinds of relationships that were formed and sustained.
Age-disparate and Intergenerational Sex in Southern Africa: the Dynamics of Hypervulnerability
Leclerc-Madlala, S. AIDS (2008), Vol. 22 Suppl. 4, pp. S17-S25.
Age-disparate (age gap >5 years between partners) or intergenerational (>10 years) sexual partnerships are thought to disproportionately contribute to high HIV rates among young women aged 15-24 years. Most such partnerships are transactional in nature, rooted in cultural beliefs that men demonstrate affection by providing for women, and that women's bodies are assets for transactions. Pairing of older men and younger women is further fueled by men's preference for young, presumably disease-free, partners. Although these partnerships are often mutually advantageous rather than victimizing, women are usually not empowered to negotiate condom use. Along with partner reduction messages, interventions must address education and financial independence in order to empower women to protect themselves. Programs should also foster male norms that discourage exploitative relationships.
Reassessing HIV Prevention
Potts, M., Halperin, D.T., Kirby, D., et al. Science (2008), Vol. 320 No. 5877, pp. 749 – 750.
This commentary challenges several assumptions about HIV epidemiology, including the idea that poverty is an important factor in the spread of HIV. The authors cite data from recent Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) to suggest that within Africa, high HIV prevalence is not associated with high levels of poverty or conflict, but instead correlates with high rates of MCP, and low levels of male circumcision. The authors also cite evidence that microbicides, vaccines, and HIV testing and treatment of sexually transmitted diseases have little effect on HIV transmission. They conclude that male circumcision (which can reduce a man's risk of contracting HIV by more than one half) and reduction in sex partners are the most effective interventions for generalized epidemics.
Small House, Hure, Sugar Daddies, and Garden Boys: A Qualitative Study of Heterosexual Concurrent Partnerships Among Men and Women in Zimbabwe
Taruberekera, N., Kaljee, L., Astatke, H., et al. 17th International AIDS Conference (2008), Aug 13-18; 17 Abstract No. MoAc0203.
2006 study about the nature of sexual partnerships in Zimbabwe found that nearly one third of men and over one quarter of women had more than one regular sexual partner. These concurrent partnerships ranged from short-term casual relationships to longer-term emotional relationships. Short-term relationships included intergenerational sex and transactional sex in which money or goods were exchanged for sex. Sex workers engaged in short- and long-term relationships as some sex workers had long-term boyfriends or regular clients. Long-term relationships included those with spouses, girlfriends, and "small house" relationships in which a man supports his partner and possible children but is not formally married.
Why Is HIV Prevalence So Severe in Southern Africa? The Role of Multiple Concurrent Partnerships and Lack of Male Circumcision: Implications for AIDS Prevention
Halperin, D.T. & Epstein, H. The Southern Africa Journal of HIV Medicine (2007), Vol. 8 No. 1, pp. 19–25.
The combination of high rates of concurrent sexual partnerships with low rates of male circumcision seems to distinguish Southern Africa from other regions affected by HIV, and to fuel the world's largest generalized HIV epidemics. Although African men and women do not have more sex partners than people do elsewhere, their partnerships are more likely to overlap for months or years, creating stable overlapping networks of sexual relationships through which HIV can spread rapidly. In contrast to serial monogamy, HIV can spread more rapidly through concurrent partnerships, in part due to the greater likelihood of contact during the highly infectious month immediately following infection. Consistent condom use can be achieved in casual partnerships, but consistent use is much more difficult to attain in longer-term "trusting" relationships, due to low risk perception.
Sexual Network Structure and the Spread of HIV in Africa: Evidence from Likoma Island, Malawi
Helleringer, S., & Kohler, H.P. AIDS (2007), Vol. 21 No. 17, pp. 2323–2332.
In generalized HIV epidemics, such as those of Southern and East Africa, infections occurring among low-risk individuals account for the majority of new HIV cases. In a study in Likoma Island, Malawi, the prevalence of HIV infection was higher among women than men. Researchers found that half of the island's sexually active, young adult population was linked in a giant network, rendering them highly effective in spreading HIV among lower-risk groups. The structure of the networks observed in Likoma appears compatible with a broad diffusion of HIV among lower-risk groups.
Measuring Sex Partner Concurrency: It's What's Missing That Counts
Nelson, S.J., Manhart L.E., Gorbach P.M., et al. Sexually Transmitted Diseases (2007), Vol. 34 No. 10, pp. 801-807.
Measures for concurrency are not consistent, leading to conflicting study results. In order to assess the different results obtained by two common survey methods, the researchers conducted a study in which both methods (the calendar method and direct questioning) were used to query 680 young adults in three U.S. cities. Although the total rates of concurrency (over one half of participants) were similar using both methods, nearly one third of individuals reporting concurrency in one measure did not do so in the other. The researchers conclude that despite the greater detail provided by the calendar measure, direct questioning might better identify those at greatest risk for HIV infection.
Ten Myths and One Truth about Generalised HIV Epidemics
Shelton, J.D. The Lancet (2007), Vol. 370, Issue 9602, pp. 1809–1811.
The author of this commentary states that common misperceptions impede HIV prevention efforts. For example, he says, commercial sex workers are not the problem since formal sex work is uncommon in generalized epidemics. Nor are men the problem since there is a high proportion of discordant couples in which women, not men, are HIV positive. The author comments on other perceived myths related to HIV, such as those surrounding condoms, HIV testing, and youth. He concludes that concurrency is central to generalized epidemics and that behavioral interventions are effective.
Concurrent Sexual Partnerships amongst Young Adults in South Africa: Challenges for HIV Prevention Communication
Parker, W., Makhubele, B., Ntlabati, P., et al. CADRE (2007).
This 51-page report examines concurrent sexual partnerships (defined in this survey as a person who has "two or more sexual partners in the past month") among young people aged 20-30 years old in South Africa. The researchers found that for these young people, the concepts of sex and love are often separated; sex with love is reserved for a 'main' partner, while sex without love is common with 'other' or concurrent partners. This duality is widely accepted as normative and results in a definition of faithfulness whereby keeping infidelity secret is a sufficient criterion for considering oneself to be faithful. Among people with concurrent partners, condom use declined rapidly with a main partner, and was inconsistent with other partners. The authors conclude that in the South African context, high overall HIV prevalence in conjunction with concentrated sexual networks suggest the need for programs that focus on reducing concurrency. Condom promotion remains an important cornerstone to HIV prevention, and programs need to increase their efforts to promote correct and consistent condom use. HIV testing is a useful complementary strategy for people in established relationships, or for those considering establishing them.
Brief but Efficient: Acute HIV Infection and the Sexual Transmission of HIV
Pilcher, C.D., Tien, H.C., Erron, J.J. Jr., et al. The Journal of Infectious Diseases (2004), Vol. 189 No. 10, 1785-1792.
Empirical biological data suggests that individuals who are acutely infected with HIV (during the first several months) are more likely to infect others than they are during a later phase of their disease, when their viral load is likely to be lower. Using blood and semen samples from 30 patients with acute and long-term HIV-1 infection, the researchers modeled the effect of changes in viral concentration in semen on the probability of transmission per coital act and found that the probability of heterosexual transmission of HIV increases by 8-10-fold during the acute phase of infection compared to infection during the chronic phase of HIV.
Concurrent Partnerships and the Spread of HIV
Morris, M. & Kretzschmar, M. AIDS (1997), Vol. 11 No. 5, pp. 641-648.
Mathematical models comparing the spread of HIV in two populations—one in which serial monogamy was the norm and one in which long-term concurrency was common—indicate that concurrent partnerships amplify the rate of HIV spread. Although the total number of sexual relationships was similar in both populations, HIV transmission was much more rapid with long-term concurrency and the resulting epidemic was about 10 times greater.
Exploring the Potential Impact of a Reduction in Partnership Concurrency on HIV Incidence in Rural Uganda: A Modeling Study
McCreesh, N., K. O'Brien, R.N. Nsubuga, et al. 2012. Sexually Transmitted Diseases Vol. 39 No. 6, pp. 407-13.
The study modeled the effects of reducing concurrency in a rural Ugandan population as a means to reduce HIV incidence while keeping the amount of sex constant. The behavioral, biological, and demographic data used in the model was collected on an annual basis in the rural South-West area in Uganda. There were three measures of concurrency in the model—long-term, short-term and total concurrency—and it was found that men's rates were higher than women's. About 10 percent of men reported a total concurrency level, 4 percent were long-term, and 2 percent were short-term. Less than one percent of women reported any type of concurrent behaviors. The model explored the effects of a 20 percent and 50 percent reduction in concurrency on HIV incidence. It was found that a 20 percent reduction in concurrency would reduce HIV incidence in 2020 by 4.1 percent in men, 9.2 percent in women, and 7.1 percent overall. A reduction of 6.0 percent in men, 16.2 percent in women, and 11.9 percent overall was found in HIV incidence in 2020 if concurrency was reduced by 50 percent. It was also found that reducing concurrency in one gender caused reductions in HIV incidence in the other gender. The authors conclude that countries with high levels of concurrency could benefit from a behavioral campaign targeting sexual concurrency, and that women's rates of HIV incidence would be reduced if their male partners reduced their levels of concurrency.
Symposia Meeting Report: Addressing Multiple and Concurrent Partnerships in Southern Africa: Developing Guidance for Bold Action
Harvard University and UNAIDS, Gabarone, Botswana (2009).
This 19-page report provides an overview of a regional meeting held in Gabarone, Botswana, that was organized by Harvard, the World Bank, and UNAIDS. Approximately 40 representatives from various regional and international organizations participated. Topics include the theory, implementation, and evaluation of MCP programs in the region. The report provides links to the AIDS Prevention Research Project at Harvard, which in turn links to meeting symposia documents, prior meeting reports, such as the XVII International AIDS Conference in Mexico City, PowerPoint presentations, videos, and poster session reports.
Strategic Considerations for Communications on Multiple and Concurrent Partnerships within Broader HIV Prevention in Southern Africa (draft)
This eight-page guidance is the result of the joint UNAIDS/Harvard AIDS Prevention Research Project and the World Bank meeting, with input from civil society in Southern Africa. Intended as an aid to national programs and implementers, the draft document offers a rationale for its focus on concurrent relationships, strategic goals for communications around multiple and concurrent partnerships (MCP), and guidance regarding appropriate types of messages regarding MCP.
UNAIDS Consultation on Definition and Measurement of Concurrent Sexual Partnerships (April 20-21, 2009)
This brief, preliminary report on the meeting of the UNAIDS Reference Group on Estimates, Modelling, and Projections, in Nairobi, Kenya, provides an overview of the meeting goals and outcomes. Thirty-five experts addressed the problem of inconsistent definitions of concurrent sexual relationships and how information about concurrency can be obtained during surveys. The experts reached consensus on the following definition of concurrency: "Overlapping sexual partnerships where sexual intercourse with one partner occurs between two acts of intercourse with another partner." A final set of specific recommendations for survey questions to capture information about concurrency is here.
UNAIDS Meeting Report: Multiple Concurrent Partnerships Campaigns and Communications, Towards a Coordinated Regional Response (September 17-18)
Crooks-Chisano, K. UNAIDS, (2008)
This 24-page meeting report builds on the earlier October 2006, SADC Regional Consultation. The document provides an executive summary, statement of goals, and includes sections on Research on Emerging Evidence; Updates on Experiences and Lessons learned from MCP; Effective Social Change Communication; and Building a Community of Practice.
M&E for MCP Programmes and Consultation on Concurrent Sexual Partnerships
UNAIDS & World Bank (2009).
The first of this two-part document is a 54-page guidance on monitoring and evaluation (M&E) for MCP programs, which is intended for use by National AIDS Commissions, HIV M&E officials and organizations in Eastern and Southern Africa. Definitions, epidemiologic evidence, and goals are provided along with guidance for measurement, measurement tools, and ways to incorporate M&E into existing efforts. Four appendices include guidelines and tools for qualitative research and options for measuring concurrency. The second part of this document is an 18-page Consultation on Concurrent Sexual Partnerships, which recommends the following definition of concurrency: "Overlapping sexual partnerships where sexual intercourse with one partner occurs between two acts of intercourse with another partner." Due to confusion about the acronym, MCP, and its implications, experts recommend that when referring to concurrency, terms such as "concurrent partnerships," or simply "concurrency," should be used. If an acronym is desired, they suggest using "CP."
Policy Brief: Sexual Risk Behaviour among Men with Multiple, Concurrent Female Sexual Partners in an Informal Settlement on the Outskirts of Cape Town
Medical Research Council, South Africa (2008)
This two-page brief highlights a respondent-driven survey of 421 hard-to-reach men living in an informal, urban settlement in South Africa. Sponsored by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the study authors developed a surveillance system to measure key risk behaviors and HIV prevalence in a population of men who have multiple and concurrent sexual partners. Key findings were that the men used condoms inconsistently, engaged in "high levels of transactional sex and intimate partner violence," and frequented establishments where alcohol consumption is high in order to find sexual partners. The researchers recommend interventions based on those findings.
Multiple and Concurrent Partnerships: A Support Document for Advocacy Actions and Decision Making Process in Mozambique
Streel, E. (2008)
The brief web document provides an overview of study results of MCP in Mozambique and the reasons individuals engage in MCP. The study found that MCP is common between certain populations such as young girls and older men and men who have sex with women of the same age and/or younger. The report recommends that MCP interventions focus on certain target populations. Contact information is provided to obtain the full 18-page report, which is published by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Centre for Communication Programs.
Report on a PEPFAR technical consultation on "Addressing Multiple and Concurrent Sexual Partnerships in Generalized HIV Epidemics," Washington, DC (October 29-30, 2008)
Stash, S. & Roseman, D. AIDSTAR-One (2008)
The 54-page report summarizes a technical consultation on MCPs held in Washington, DC. The meeting convened researchers, government representatives and program implementers from several nations, including the U.S. and Southern Africa, to address four themes: 1) the relationship between MCP and HIV transmission; 2) core components of MCP programs; 3) engendering community support for MCP activities; and 4) measuring program outcomes. The consultation concluded with group work and discussion on next steps. The report includes appendices with additional resources and a list of participants.
The Invisible Cure: Africa, the West, and the Fight Against AIDS
Epstein, H. Farrar, Straus and Giroux (2007), New York
The author of this book, Helen Epstein, relates the story of her discovery of a long-forgotten study of Ugandan sexual behavior in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The study, conducted by Maxine Ankrah, an African American researcher, explored the myth that condoms were central to the decline in HIV prevalence in Uganda. Ankrah's research demonstrated that the decline was preceded by a successful campaign to reduce MCP in Uganda. Epstein examines the risks of concurrent sexual relationships and the social and economic upheavals that gave rise to an "earthquake" in gender relations in Africa, contributing to the spread of HIV.
SADC Expert Think Tank Meeting on HIV Prevention in High-Prevalence Countries in Southern Africa Report. Maseru, Lesotho, (May 10-12, 2006)
Southern Africa Development Community (2006)
This 18-page report provides an overview of the 2006 meeting's stated goals to "reflect on the key drivers of the epidemic in the region and to provide suggestions for accelerating HIV prevention." The 35 expert participants set priorities, including promotion of interventions to: reduce the number of multiple and concurrent partnerships; increase male circumcision; encourage male involvement and responsibility for sexual and reproductive health; promote HIV prevention and support; increase consistent and correct condom use; and continue programs to encourage delay of sexual debut along with programs for condom use and reduced partnerships.
USAID, Synergy Project: What Happened in Uganda? A Case Study—Declining Prevalence, Behavior Change and the National Response
Hogle, J., Green, E., Nantulya, V., et al. USAID (2002)
This 13-page report focuses on Uganda as one of the first success stories of the HIV epidemic. HIV prevalence in that country peaked in 1991 and decreased through the early 2000s. The U.S. Census Bureau/Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) estimates that national prevalence peaked at around 15 percent in 1991 and fell to 5 percent in 2001. Although the authors of this 20-page report say that the factors that led to the decline "are complex and not yet completely understood," they discuss a variety of observations that a key factor in the decline was the reduction of sexual partners.
PSI's Mass Media Campaign: Reducing Multiple Concurrent Partnerships in Botswana
MCP is thought to be one of the main drivers of the HIV epidemic in Botswana. In 2008, PSI (Population Services International)/Botswana launched a multimedia campaign using billboards, radio, print media and personal communications to raise awareness about the risks of concurrency (distinct from the number of partners that one has). The issue was given prominence when the government of Botswana announced its "National Operational Plan for Scaling Up HIV Prevention in Botswana, 2008-2010," which calls for a single, high-profile national prevention campaign, initially focused on MCP.
Under the slogan "O ICHEKE – Break the Chain" (O Icheke means "check yourself" and is the name of a popular song in Botswana), the campaign will initially focus on increasing knowledge and risk perception around concurrency, before shifting to focus on the values and norms that cause people to engage MCP and create new values and norms that discourage MCP. The campaign will use mass media and community mobilization efforts, such as community theater and interpersonal communications at schools and churches, as well as messages integrated into Botswana's HIV-related services (counseling and testing; the delivery of health services such as antiretroviral therapy and the treatment of sexually transmitted infections) and education sector.
C-CHANGE. Lesotho Multiple Concurrent Partner Program
C-CHANGE, launched in February 2009 in Lesotho, works to reduce the "widespread practice" of MCP, which the project states "will contribute to 65 percent of all new infections in Lesotho in the next 12 months." The program addresses intergenerational sex, transactional sex, and gender norms. The project works in partnership with CARE-Lesotho, Phela Communication and Health Institute, and national and local nongovernmental organizations. The media component of the program is organized under the regional OneLove campaign and focuses on adults 18-50 years old. The interpersonal component includes tools and training materials for group discussions. The program will be evaluated through a national behavior survey that will measure the number of MCP.
Soul City's OneLove Kwasila! Project, Zambia
Soul City is implementing a new 10-part mini-series drama called Club Risky Business, which is part of the Kwasila! Campaign in Zambia. Several episodes of the show, which was first broadcast in June 2009, can be seen on YouTube. The primary target audience of the campaign is married men aged 25 to 50 years and the secondary target audience is women aged 15 to 45 years (the wives and girlfriends of the primary target audience).
The story line of Club Risky Business centers on the relationships of three Lusaka men who frequent a local bar, Club Risky Business, and how their involvement in multiple and concurrent partnerships exacerbate the HIV pandemic in Zambia. The central character, David, uses his wealth to attract women and frequently exchanges gifts for favors. The second man, Sachi, thinks that he is safe because he only has one other partner besides his wife, and the third character, Charlie Lucky, has multiple sexual partners but maintains that he is safe because he always uses condoms.
Social, cultural, and gender dynamics surrounding MCP, the riskiness of the sexual network, and the idea that a lifelong relationship can be happy and fulfilling, are all integrated into the story lines.
Other aspects of the campaign include multimedia projects involving radio, television talk shows, a feature length film, print materials, and a website.
PSI's Reducing Multiple Concurrent Partnerships in Mozambique
Addressing MCP is a priority for the Mozambican Ministry of Health and National AIDS Council (CNCS) and is part of the accelerated HIV prevention plan for 2009. Accordingly, PSI/Mozambique initiated a community-based communication program of 30 community agents in Maputo and Gaza Provinces in May 2008 to conduct face-to-face sessions to increase awareness of the risks of MCPs. These efforts are part of a participatory discussion group module that is implemented by the existing network of 180 community agents, and the integration of MCP themes into the activities and discussions of 12 community theater groups.
Interpersonal communication sessions generally consist of 15-20 adults who sit around a blackboard with pictures of men and women. The participants are asked to identify the sexual networks in their communities. The community agents visually demonstrate with lines linking the men and women on the blackboard how having just one or more additional concurrent partner(s) can put everyone at greater risk of infection by building an overlapping network of sexual relationships across which HIV can spread.
PSI/Mozambique also conducts research. In 2008, PSI undertook a large-scale, population-based survey to assess the levels and determinants of condom use and MCP within three provinces. Over 40 percent of men in Gaza, 30 percent of men in Sofala, and 20 percent in Zambezia provinces reported having more than one sexual partner during the past month. Condom use was very low among individuals in long-term, concurrent partnerships.
PSI is currently working with USAID, PEPFAR, Johns Hopkins University and Mozambican partners FDC and N'weti (the local affiliate of Soul City) to develop a mass media, TV, radio, and print campaign with similar behavior-change messages to increase risk perceptions of MCP and HIV.
Is Concurrency Driving HIV Transmission in Sub-Saharan African Sexual Networks? The Significance of Sexual Partnership Typology
Kretzschmar, M. & Caraël, M. AIDS and Behavior (October 2012), Vol. 16 No. 7, pp. 1746-52.
There has been strong disagreement in the past few years about the role that concurrent partnerships play in HIV transmission. With few empirical studies to back up the mathematical modeling that supports the concurrency theory, particularly in regions of very high HIV prevalence such as Southern Africa, the authors explore the difficulties of testing the "seemingly simple hypothesis" of concurrency as a primary driver of HIV transmission. First, they question whether mathematical modeling efforts—which abstract sexual behavior and thus create idealized factors to explain the spread of epidemics—are sufficiently sensitive to assess the real-world complexities of sexual networking at the population level. The authors also cite the difficulties inherent in defining quantities that can be measured in fieldwork and in HIV incidence, and in working without a universal standard definition of concurrency. They recommend developing a typology of concurrent partnerships that classifies by social determinants and sexual behavior within partnerships to better analyze sexual network structure and, ultimately, the impact of concurrency. In their conclusion, the authors argue that, while concurrent partnerships in theory play an important role in HIV transmission, concurrency has not yet been proven to be a "driving force" in the epidemic. They urge epidemiologists and mathematical modelers to work together to improve methods of investigating the impact of concurrency.Africa, AIDS, HIV, Sub-Saharan
Social and Cultural Contexts of Concurrency in a Township in Cape Town, South Africa
Mah, T.L. and B. Maughan-Brown. 2012. Culture, Health, and Sexuality [Epub ahead of print].
The goal of some prevention interventions in South Africa is to reduce concurrent sexual relationships as a means to decrease HIV incidence. This qualitative study explored individuals' perceptions of the prevalence of concurrency in their communities and what terms they use to describe this behavior. It also investigated why individuals engage in these partnerships as well as participants' understanding on the link between concurrency and HIV infection. The participants were selected using a disproportionate stratified sampling methodology among a township in Cape Town with a reportedly high level of concurrency (17 percent). Six gender-specific small group discussions were conducted in the local language and then transcribed into English. It was found that the most common term for concurrent sexual partnerships was "roll-on," which referred to underarm deodorant and something to be hidden. These types of partners were viewed as common and equally practiced by both men and women. The predominate reasons given for having concurrent sexual partnerships was for material or financial gain/exchange and sexual dissatisfaction with a main partner. Other reasons that were given for having concurrent sexual relationships were separation from the main partner, revenge on the main partner for having another partner, alcohol, and "human nature." Reasons for remaining monogamous were trust that the main partner was also faithful, being sexually satisfied, religion, and fear of being infected with sexually transmitted infections. Participants stated that the knowledge of the link between concurrency and HIV acquisition did not stop people from engaging in such relationships. The authors conclude that increasing condom use within concurrent partnerships and increasing sexual satisfaction among couples could be effective prevention strategies in this population.
The Scrutinize Campaign: A Multi-Level Communication Program to Address Concurrency in South Africa
The Scrutinize campaign, created in partnership with USAID, the Johns Hopkins Health Education in South Africa (JHHESA), and Levi's®, helps young people change their sexual behavior in order to reduce their risk of HIV infection. The campaign uses social networks (peers and friends), community (community leaders) and societal influences (policy and services) to disseminate messages about MCPs and the correct use of condoms. Seven "Animerts" or cartoon commercials are central to the Scrutinize media campaign. The cartoons are specifically tailored for young South Africans, aged 18-32 years old.
Characters featured in the campaign mimic South African celebrities, and mirror local stereotypes in the community that many can relate to, from taxi-drivers to sugar daddies. The Scrutinize Campus Campaign is active at five higher educational institutions, where peer educators are identified and trained to communicate through art, drama, song and dance.
A Scrutinize Live Event features South African celebrities and musicians who interact with the audience. Campus-based radio disk jockeys have developed a Scrutinize magazine program. The campaign promotes linkages to HIV counseling and testing services provided by a partner organization. A "Scrutinize on-line" Website draws attention to Animerts. Cell phone numbers collected during events are used to disseminate campaign updates.
Marketing research shows that the campaign has reached 98% of the target audience and Animerts were seen as relevant, educational, and depicting contexts and situations that were familiar to the viewers. Over time, the two primary messages that the audience associated with the campaign were: (1) having multiple and concurrent sexual partners increases the risk of HIV, and (2) inconsistent condom use with all partners increases the risk of HIV infection.
OneLove: Multiple and Concurrent Sexual Partnerships in Southern Africa: A Ten Country Research Report
This 40-page report is an analysis of earlier reports from Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, where 179 focus groups were conducted after a research design workshop held in May/June 2007. The focus groups were followed by 116 in-depth interviews with men and women of all ages and various backgrounds who were, or had been, involved in MCPs.
The groups were part of the OneLove campaign, which is sponsored by the Soul City Regional Programme and which focuses on reducing MCP. The focus groups provided insight into attitudes and practices regarding sexual relationships in the context of HIV prevention among individuals in the ten southern African nations. Findings were consistent across the ten nations and included a low level of condom use among those involved in MCP and superficial knowledge about risks associated with MCP.
Cultural norms, gender inequality, poverty, transactional sex and alcohol were identified as significant contributors to MCP. The report authors recommend educational messages about the risks of MCP; the problems related to female subservience and male dominance; the correct use of condoms; and the concept that a lifelong relationship can be happy and fulfilling.
SAfAIDS, Changing the Rivers Flow Series: Challenging Gender Dynamics in a Cultural Context to Address HIV (2009)
The Changing the River's Flow Series is a project that addresses "harmful cultural practices" that can feed into the transmission of HIV. The project includes an 89-page "best practices" document, two community education handbooks, a training manual, booklet, poster, banner, and sticker. Separate links are provided for each.
CADRE, Tsha Tsha, 2008
Tsha Tsha is an award-winning television series consisting of 78 half-hour episodes that were broadcast between 2003 and 2006. The educational/entertainment drama series focuses on young people and how they live with HIV/AIDS while coping with poverty and other social issues. A DVD companion discussion guide about strategies for the effective management of HIV and a facilitator's guide to the first segment of Tsha Tsha are available.
HIV Peer Education Picture Codes
McLellan, I. CARE (2008).
A set of picture codes produced in Botswana is available for a variety of topics, including abstinence, alcohol abuse reduction, sexual behavior choices, gender and sexual abuse reduction, better couple communication, and values and goal setting.
SAFAIDS, Inter-linkages between Culture, Gender Based Violence, HIV and AIDS and Women's Rights: Training Manual (2008)
This 85-page training manual provides information for a four-day training program on the linkages between gender-based violence (GBV), culture, women's rights and HIV/AIDS. The project was developed for community-based workers and volunteers, HIV implementers, and others. The manual includes a section on creating an action plan and provides handouts that can be used during the program.
Outreach Guides: HIV/AIDS Prevention Programs
CARE (December 2007)
PACT Botswana has developed 10 outreach guides to assist HIV program implementers. The guides use participatory methods and focus on promotion of behavior change, especially for at-risk groups, taking co-factors such as alcohol abuse, sexual violence, and intergenerational sex into consideration. Each guide can be downloaded by topic or as a single large packet. Topics include: Organizing and Conducting Outreach; Abstinence Promotion; Assertiveness and Peer Pressure; Values and Goal Setting; Sexual Behavior Changes; Alcohol Abuse Reduction, Gender Roles and Sexual Abuse Reduction; Better Couple Communication; Enhancing Parent-Child Communication; and Partner Reduction and Protection
OneLove. Loving with Respect: A Guide for Men Who Care
This 16-page guide for men addresses myths that interfere with positive relationships and that may contribute to MCP. Such myths include the idea that a woman can't say "no" to sex after going on a date or that it is in men's "biology" to have more than one partner. The guide lists the phone numbers for various regional offices of the National AIDS Council (NAC).
OneLove. Loving Carefully: A Guide for Women
This 16-page guide for women uses a variety of scenarios to encourage women to speak openly with the men they love to reduce their chances of contracting HIV. Issues from rape to pregnancy are included and the guide concludes with a list of phone numbers for various regional offices of the National AIDS Council (NAC).
OneLove, Multiple and Concurrent Sexual Partners: What's culture got to do with it? A Handbook for Journalists
Soul City developed this 22-page handbook for journalists in order to improve reporting on HIV. Terms are defined and research summaries are provided regarding MCP, concurrency, lack of condom use, interpersonal violence and certain cultural norms. The handbook offers a number of questions and potential stories for journalists to pursue. Reference articles and links are included. An extensive list of resources with contact information is also provided.
The HIV Superhighway
The HIV Superhighway is a two-part educational film on concurrent partnerships and HIV prevention. The film was produced by DKT-Ethiopia and is intended for any audience at risk, especially young people. It could be shown in school- or work-based programs, anti-AIDS clubs or in community-based organizations and NGOs.
Part I uses animated drawings to explain how HIV spreads faster via concurrency than via serial monogamy, even though serial monogamists may have more sexual partners.
Part II describes Uganda's successful "Zero Grazing" AIDS campaign that urged people to stay faithful to one partner, reduce their sexual partners and helped break up the HIV Superhighway that encouraged the virus to spread.
UNAIDS, Talking about OneLove in South Africa (2009)
This webpage provides a brief overview of the South African OneLove campaign.
View Website
Left Behind - Black America: A Neglected Priority in the Global AIDS Epidemic
Black AIDS Institute (2008)
For more information about the role of concurrency in the U.S. HIV epidemic and its impact on black populations, this 56-page report offers a review of the socioeconomic and epidemiologic aspects of HIV among black individuals in the U.S.
View Full Text (PDF, 1.5MB)
C-Change Picks 5: Focus on Multiple Concurrent Partnerships
C-Change program is a project of the Communication Initiative and USAID. The fifth issue of C-Change Picks, an electronic journal, focuses on MCP and provides links to a variety of articles on MCP in Southern Africa.
View Website
Zimbabwe HIV Prevention e-Toolkit
K4Health, 2013
The toolkit offers a selection of different resources including research papers, books, training materials, and behavior change communication materials across the spectrum of HIV prevention topics. Readers can access materials and resources on behavior change communication, condom use, family planning and HIV service integration, male circumcision, multiple and concurrent partners, prevention of mother-to-child transmission, and voluntary counseling and testing.
View Toolkit
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text:
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Giancarlo Giammetti, co-founder of Valentino fashion brand, offers peek into his Paris duplex's well-furnished sitting room. MORE
Apr. 26, 2015
Maxwell Ryan, founder of Apartment Therapy Media, which owns design and lifestyle websites apartmenttherapy.com and thekitchn.com, describes his typical Sunday routine. MORE
Apr. 23, 2015
Actor Jonathan Groff, star of cancelled HBO show Looking, reflects on his roles off screen and on while browsing for home furnishings. MORE
Apr. 3, 2015
Carlos Quirarte, brand consultant and co-owner of cafe Smile, offers tour of his 2-room apartment in downtown Manhattan. MORE
Mar. 28, 2015
Paul Sullivan Wealth Matters column highlights challenges some people with means face as they set about trying to build dream homes, in light of fact that luxury building is again booming; notes that people interested in building or remodeling their homes are often better off if they hire architects and designers to help them. MORE
Mar. 22, 2015
Photographer Eric Perlberg, a Brooklyn native, has relocated to South London, where his newly renovated loft apartment in a 19th century former factory has all the best features of the SoHo, Manhattan, loft he once called home. MORE
Mar. 17, 2015
Bombarded by imagery all day at work, the renowned advertising provocateur comes home to, well, very little. MORE
Mar. 8, 2015
Domains column interview with photographer Massimo Vitali, who discusses distinctive features of his house in Lucca, Italy, a renovated 14th-century church. MORE
Mar. 5, 2015
Ash and Niroupa Shah furnished their Los Angeles home, once owned by billionaire movie mogul and aviation pioneer Howard Hughes, with eclectic items they have collected over the years. MORE
Mar. 1, 2015
Celebrated fashion stylist Lori Goldstein loves her Chelsea penthouse for its eclectic style and space for her crowded, yet discerning collection of design objects and furniture. MORE
Feb. 26, 2015
Rug Company is offering alpaca blankets that are luxurious yet simple and very versatile. MORE
Feb. 26, 2015
Artecnica will offer chandeliers made from recycled glass. MORE
Feb. 26, 2015
Morgan Babst and Scoot Habig, both originally from New Orleans, have purchased a home in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn neighborhood where many other New Orleans natives live. MORE
Feb. 26, 2015
Interior designer Lilly Bunn shops around New York City for a classic match striker; says strikers are the perfect gift for wedding or anniversary. MORE
Feb. 22, 2015
Developers of 53W53,1,050-foot residential tower under construction in Midtown Manhattan, have created a full-sized model of one of building's apartments in Brooklyn warehouse; model allows interior designer Thierry W Despont to troubleshoot potential issues with building's asymmetrical design and innovative system of supports. MORE
Feb. 22, 2015
Dancer, actor and choreographer Carmen de Lavallade loves her Upper West Side apartment, where she remains surrounded by artwork by her late husband, Geoffrey Holder. MORE
Feb. 19, 2015
Suzanne Lipschutz, founder of iconic store Secondhand Rose, prepares to move out of apartment she has occupied in Chelsea Hotel for more than twenty years; will trade multitude of vintage wallpapers for clean white walls. MORE
Feb. 19, 2015
Textile designer Annie Selke shops around New York City for versatile but clean-looking trays. MORE
Feb. 19, 2015
James Ramsey and Jennifer Blumin have kept many original details while modernizing their 19th-century TriBeCa loft. MORE
Feb. 12, 2015
Rosanne Somerson employed faculty, students and alumni of Rhode Island School of Design to furnish historic Colonial Revival house in Providence when she became interim president of school. MORE
Feb. 12, 2015
Homeowners who plan to install their own tin ceiling panels and crown molding must be prepared--job is complicated job and requires a lot of planning. MORE
Feb. 12, 2015
Interior designer Kit Kemp has made collection of furnishings inspired by folk art for Anthropologie. MORE
Feb. 5, 2015
Sam Grubman and Paul Morris spent five years furnishing their 19th-century farmhouse in Hillsdale, NY, after moving from Fire Island; couple decorates with hanging art they had stored and build a dock on their pond. MORE
Jan. 29, 2015
William Stern has his childhood home in Houston remodeled to include entire room for his model train set. MORE
Jan. 29, 2015
Home decor line designed by students from Art Institute of Chicago is available at CB2. MORE
Jan. 25, 2015
Selling fully furnished luxury homes and condominiums is growing trend nationwide and affluent buyers are embracing turnkey homes that offer look of tasteful decor that has been lived in for some time. MORE
Jan. 22, 2015
Tom Dixon's cast-iron Trove boxes feature glass lenses that magnify contents. MORE
Jan. 22, 2015
Alabama Chanin design company produces home collection made out of scraps from T-shirt manufacturing. MORE
Jan. 15, 2015
Art patron and saloniste Peggy Cooper Cafritz has spent last five years creating new art-filled home in Washington, DC, after fire destroyed her old one. MORE
Jan. 15, 2015
Ben Bischoff, owner of Brooklyn design-build firm MADE, shops around Manhattan for perfect cabinet hardware. MORE
Jan. 15, 2015
Giulio Iacchetti has designed updated money box for ceramics manufacturer Ceramiche Rigoni. MORE
Jan. 8, 2015
Behomm, home-exchange website created by graphic designers Eva Calduch and Agust Juste, allows fellow designers and artists with beautifully decorated luxury homes to trade places; site has about 1,200 members, with about 10 to 20 percent of applications being rejected for homes that do not quite measure up. MORE
Jan. 8, 2015
Martyn Lawrence Bullard has designed first collection for French crystal manufacturer Daum, which plays on Garden of Eden theme; pieces are available at Daum Haviland in New York City. MORE
Jan. 1, 2015
Author Rachel Urquhart shares inspiration for her home built on her late grandfather Sidney Howard's farm property in western Massachusetts. MORE
Jan. 1, 2015
Gallery owner Hugo Martinez and pediatrician Dr Juan Tapia collaborate to renovate Manhattanville space that now serves patients and art lovers; $2.4 million project features open waiting area floor plan with relaxed seating and graffiti. MORE
Jan. 1, 2015
Flora Grubb designs Thigmotrope Perch, steel stand to display air plants. MORE
Jan. 1, 2015
Joan Childs and husband Jerry Zaret share their transformation of Portland industrial space in old Ford Model T factory into spacious loft-like home. MORE
Dec. 25, 2014
Musician Joshua Jay has filled his studio apartment in Chelsea with not only his own collection of devices and 5,000 books on magic and magic-themed posters but also memorabilia belonging to his heroes, like Harry Houdini's straitjacket and Cardini's white gloves. MORE
Dec. 25, 2014
Designer Doug Meyer renovates not only interior spaces of Palos Verdes Art Center near Los Angeles, but also creates 'drip' wall in its newly-opened Stripe Cafe. MORE
Dec. 25, 2014
Tanner Mitch Alfus opens Libra Leather's pop-up store in TriBeCa, selling apparel, home decor and sports equipment made from reworked hides. MORE
Dec. 25, 2014
Elspeth Benoit and David Bevan renovate three-story 1870s rowhouse in Cobble Hill, Brooklyn, hiring Ensemble Architecture firm to strip down interior walls to expose original traditional wood details and turn shed into writer's studio; couple fill home with vintage tiles and bathroom fixtures. MORE
There are no additional abstracts to display.
Move Over, Taxidermy: Contemporary Design Gets Lighter and Cleaner
Furniture design is seeing a return to a brighter, lighter, more contemporary aesthetic, one that favors organic materials but with a more refined sensibility and cleaner lines.
July 30, 2015, Thursday
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Cara Nicoletti, Butcher, Baker and Author
The author of a memoir, "Voracious," lives in a rented apartment in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.
July 26, 2015, Sunday
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Country Living for the Creative Couple
Dana Brandwein Oates, a ceramist, and Daniel Oates, a furniture designer, live in a converted cowshed in Sharon, Conn.
July 19, 2015, Sunday
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William Diamond, Designer of Wildly Colored Interiors, Dies at 63
Mr. Diamond, with his design partner Anthony Baratta, created vividly hued rooms that married antiques and contemporary pieces; their creations were often featured in home design magazines.
July 18, 2015, Saturday
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Living in a Barn, Without the Hay
Lori and Leonard Bruno, owners of three Ligne Roset showrooms, reclaimed an old Pennsylvania barn and turned it into their home.
July 12, 2015, Sunday
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A Gloomy, Glamorous Los Angeles Apartment
The photographer Nicholas Maggio lives in sunny California but prefers a noir look out of the 1930s.
July 10, 2015, Friday
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A Dutch-Belgian Design Showdown
The exhibition 'Design Derby' compares 200 years of design evolution by two 2 often rival cultures.
June 30, 2015, Tuesday
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Office Interior Design on a Dorm Budget
The designer Brad Sherman's specialty is creating cozy, functional offices for start-ups, using a little budget and a lot of resourcefulness.
June 25, 2015, Thursday
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London Gears Up for Its Summer Fairs
Though each exhibition and fair caters to a niche audience, they are all competing to appear among the must-go events of the season.
June 24, 2015, Wednesday
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June 21, 2015, Sunday
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A Midcentury Tree House
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Designs From the 2010 International Contemporary Furniture Fair
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A Loft Filled With Felt
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Inside, Vertical Gardens
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A couple's East Village apartment is furnished with elegant pieces that are sturdy enough for their young sons to play on.
Hand-Me-Downs, Before and After
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Standouts at the Milan Furniture Fair
Fluid, lithe and angular pieces helped define this year's Salone del Mobile in Milan.
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In Seattle, an artist turned her garage into a home for $32,000.
A Concrete-and-Glass Town House in Barcelona
Luis Alonso, an architect, tore down an "architecturally uninteresting" 100-year-old building to build his narrow six-story home.
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Forum Review: AllRecipes.com DinnerSpinner for the iPhone
AllRecipes.com DinnerSpinner by cjvitek For more Forum Reviews, see the TiPb iPhone App Store Forum!
Hey, let's use Urban Spoon to pick a restaurant to go to.
Nah, I want to cook tonight. Let's use DinnerSpinner!
DinnerSpinner is an app based on the same idea as Urban Spoon. It let's you spin (or shake the iPhone) to choose various criteria to match recipes. You can match recipes based on three categories: dish type (main course, bread, cookies, dessert, etc), ingredients (beef, chocolate, fruit, legumes, etc), and preparation time (less than 20 minutes, slow cooker, over an hour, etc). Based on the criteria you "spin" (or select manually) you will get a variety of matching recipes to look through.
Now, before I go any further, yes, sometimes you may get something like "slow cooking cookies made with beef" - and you won't get any matches.
So once you get your matches (in my example, I am using desserts with fruit in 45 minutes or less) you then hit the button to see your recipe matches. In my example, I got 45 matching recipes. You are taken to a page that shows the recipe name, the reviews (presumably from Allrecipes.com), who submitted the recipe, and a quick, two or three sentence description of the recipe. It also shows a picture of the recipe, which can be nice. To go to the next option, just swipe the screen.
Note, recipes are not exclusive. In my example, I got many recipes that were cookies, even though I had chosen dessert (not cookies) as the dish type. I also got recipes that included chocolate as a ingredient - so recipes are cross listed, which is nice to know.
If you see a recipe you like, you can choose to send it to someone via email (with the share button). You can also click on the "view recipe/reviews" to see the recipe or read the reviews. I like the fact they have various reviews of the recipe - you can read what other people thought about it.
The recipe itself includes a list of ingredients, the "summary" you read when scanning the recipes, how many servings and how long it takes, and the directions for cooking. Since the recipes are submitted by people, my guess is that the quality of directions may vary somewhat. You also get the nutritional information, and the "file" ends with some of the reviews of the recipe. If you want to read more that the first ten reviews, or you want to browse more recipes, there is a button at the bottom of the page to go to Allrecipes.com directly.
Please note, you are accessing the internet when using this app, so you need to have a data connection - the recipes are not downloaded onto your phone until you look at it. I am not sure how many recipes are found at AllRecipes.com, but in what I thought was an obscure category (bread made with veggies in 45 minutes or less) I found 20 recipes, so my guess is there are a fair number of options.
Some problems with the app. First of all, you can't "lock in" a category. If you want to cook dinner, for example, you might want to lock in "main course" as the dish type. Or if you have a pound of ground beef, you might want to lock in "beef" as an ingredient.
Also, you can't choose multiple items within a category. For example, you can't look at main courses made with fish or pork, it is only one or the other. Lastly, there is no way to simply browse through all the recipes (either in all groups, or within a category - browsing all pork recipes, for example). IMO, these are pretty important things for a cook book or recipe bank to allow. The concept of "spinning" is fun to play with, but a really useful cookbook should allow these various changes.
- Fun way to approach a cookbook,
- lots of recipes available
- No ability to limit options or to choose multiple options
All in all, I think this is sort of a fun app to use. It adds a little variety and fun to choosing a recipe to use, although I really think being able to "lock" a category is essential. There are a wide range of choices for the categories, so you can be very specific (if you want) about what you want to cook. This app is free, so if it is something you think you might want to try, give it a shot!
Forum Review Rating
[AllRecipes.com DinnerSpinner is available from the iTunes App Store.]
Have something to say about this story? Leave a comment! Need help with something else? Ask in our forums!
Reader comments
Forum Review: AllRecipes.com DinnerSpinner for the iPhone
Good to know. I was looking for a lock button or something.
Bread made from/with vegetables is not a very obscure category actually. There's zucchini bread, potato bread, onion bread and cornbread. And that's just off the top of my head.
On topic, I've been using this app for a few months, and it's got some good recipes in it. I made a lentil pilaf with turkey meatballs, and I didn't think it was going to turn out well, but it was delicious! Highly recommended.
Man, my grandmomma was from Sicily and she made the most incredible meatballs I ever tasted, like you had died and gone to meatball heaven. Sadly, she didnt leave a recipe for us so I've been trying to work it out by myself... slowly working my through the meatball recipes here, I still cant figure out what her secret ingredient was though!!!
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Voters in the town of Warren will be asked to approve a $375,000 article to repave an approximately eight-tenths of a mile section of the Sugarbush Access Road. Warren town officials voted in favor of the article at their January 11 meeting.
If approved, the article would fund phase one of the Sugarbush Access
Road repaving project; the section of road starts near Gold Hill Road
and ends near the Wheeler Brook Apartments.
The one-time $375,000 expenditure will result in approximately 12 cents on the tax rate.
After a discussion about which section of the road should be repaved first, select board members opted for the section of road that was previously disturbed by the culvert replacement project and Sugarbush pipeline replacement.
As to whether the town should ask for the money in an article rather than incorporating it into the budget, select board chair Andy Cunningham said, "Let the town tell us they want us to raise taxes" with an article.
Select board member Bob Ackland said, "We've got to make a dent in this $4 million problem."
Town officials also discussed bonding the project; select board member Kirsten Reilly said she was "uncomfortable with a bond for a continuing expenditure."
Select board member Matt Groom said that the town needs to "catch up on our untenable roads and fund them so it doesn't get to this level again."
Ackland told fellow town officials that the request for potential federal funding to repair the road "went into Senator Leahy's office today" for review. Ackland also presented plans and a framework for the project to members of the Mad River Planning District Steering Committee in December.
MRVPD Steering Committee members voted in support of the repaving project; director Joshua Schwartz said that the project was "not just a priority for them but for us too." Steering committee members agreed, calling the need to repave the road a "communitywide thing."
In October, Ackland told fellow town officials that there was a "remote chance" that the town could receive federal money to repair the Sugarbush Access Road.
Following a summer's worth of construction on the Sugarbush Access Road, contractors for the project, G.W. Tatro, completed patch paving in the spots that were disturbed.
The town then expressed concerns that the patch paving would result in damage to the town's trucks and that the pavement would likely be ripped up by the plow. G.W. Tatro owner Greg Tatro said that the town was overreacting and that the pavement would not come up after the first freeze, as Road Foreman Ray Weston previously predicted.
The total cost of repaving the road in two years, according to Road Foreman Ray Weston, could reach $3 million to $4 million including the replacement of the guardrails.


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Today, I am going to keep my blog short and sweet. My intern and I were talking about her latest purchase, an adorable fedora. (See pic) After dreaming up outfits we started thinking...
Sometimes in the Brazos Valley it's a little scary to leave home without our cowboy boots on. It's so common for us to feel like we can't "pull off a look" so I'm here to give you some words of encouragement... YES YOU CAN!
The key to "pulling off" whatever look you please: confidence!
Take note of Ashley, my intern, she's rocking that fedora. She makes you want one right? Yes, because she's confident.
Now I leave you with one of my favorite quotes to apply to your fashion life. "Nobody can make you feel inferior without your consent." -Eleanor Roosevelt.
Next time you think you can't pull off a look, think of my girls Eleanor and Ashley then remember you make or break your look!
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