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Sustaining Farmland Productivity and Ecology
Posted: August 23, 2011
Cropland, forestland, pastureland, and rangeland comprise a majority share of the utilization of the land in the United States, and more specifically in Adams County. These land uses also receive the majority of the conservation services, including assessments of soil, water, air, plant, and animal resource conditions and assistance with environmentally responsible solutions. The NRCS serves as stewards of the land, helping people care for their land and resources. "Our goal is not just a sustainable, nutritious, abundant food supply, but also thriving ecosystems that support a diversity of life," writes Chief Dave White of the NRCS, "In the next century, NRCS will not only continue to tackle familiar challenges like ensuring clean water and healthy soil, but will also rise to meet new issues, such as clean air, clean energy, climate change, and new technology."
Dave Wenk, co-owner of Three Springs Fruit Farm in Adams County, can attest to the NRCS' devotion to helping farmers care for their land and resources. "The NRCS has helped improve the irrigation system on my farm by assisting with the installation of a drip system, which conserves tons of water," he said. According to an NRCS report, agriculture is one of the largest users of the nation's surface water and groundwater, with irrigation consuming the greatest amounts. In 2000, approximately 34 percent of water withdrawn from surface water and groundwater was used for irrigation purposes. "By installing this drip irrigation system I have not only ensured that each tree gets the correct allotment of water, but also it helps to stabilize my water source by cutting excess water usage," said Dave Wenk.
"We have also become involved with a native pollinator project, on the advice of the NRCS, which will prove most useful due to the recent decline in honey bee populations," said Dave Wenk. "They helped us plant a block of wild flowers to draw in native pollinators. It will take a while to pick up, but the long-term effects will be very positive."
When the NRCS was first conceived in 1935 its main focus was nutrient management and erosion control, and that focus remains today. "We have found that by targeting these two issues, we can also simultaneously address other issues, like air and water quality, irrigation, and pest management because there is a domino effect between these issues. A solution to one problem will often positively affect other problem areas. We also aim to implement solutions that address several issues simultaneously and provide multiple benefits," said Jim Gillis.
Earlier this year, President Obama issued an Executive Order to protect and restore the Chesapeake Bay. "Over the years the Chesapeake Bay has been overloaded with sediments and nutrients because of runoff from agricultural operations in the watershed areas of the Potomac and Susquehanna rivers that drain into the Bay area," said Jim Gillis. The Adams County region plays an enormous role in this project because approximately 75 percent of the drainage occurring in this county goes into the Chesapeake Bay. "The recent emphasis on the restoration of the Chesapeake Bay area has resulted in increased cooperation and an increase in the amount of funding we receive," said Jim Gillis. "We now prioritize our services to farms that impact the Bay, which around here is just about every farm. By fixing the little problems on these farms, we are also positively affecting the bigger picture: the Bay."
"As of right now, the Adams County NRCS has taken care of many of the most pressing concerns related to the Chesapeake Bay," said Jim Gillis, "In fact, we are close to reaching this year's goals for county environmental stewardship. We have already helped a number of farmers correctly implement environmentally responsible practices for results that not only affect individual farms, but also the region at large."
"They have helped us with a number of different issues," said Craig Yingling a livestock and row crop farmer in Adams County, "from stream bank fencing to prevent erosion, to water problems, from walkways, to riparian buffers, they do it all. The help I have received from the NRCS has resulted only in positive change. The creeks have come alive again, the animals have returned, the stream doesn't run muddy when it rains like it did before the stream bank fencing was put in. We have seen remarkable improvement in all the areas the NRCS worked on. We have a great working relationship with the NRCS."
For over 75 years, the Natural Resources Conservation Service, along with the help of allied organizations such as the Soil Conservation Districts and the Department of Environmental Protection, has brought about remarkable changes in the stewardship of the land. Since its establishment in 1935, they have helped transform the nature of U.S. agriculture from exhaustive, to revitalizing, through guidance and assistance. By helping people help the land, the NRCS has made it their mission to keep productive lands fruitful and healthy environments thriving.
Amelia Jarvinen is an Ag Innovations Program Assistant at Penn State Extension serving Adams County. Penn State is committed to Affirmative Action, equal opportunity, and the diversity of its workplace. Penn State Extension in Adams County is located at 670 Old Harrisburg Road, Suite 204, Gettysburg, PA 17325, phone 717-334-6271 or 1-888-427-0261, e-mail firstname.lastname@example.com .


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|Up a level
Spencer, Michael (2008) 'Variation' : 32 short performances. [Art/Design Item]
Spencer, Michael (2009) Verification (5 decades). [Performance]
Spencer, Michael (2009) Vindication. [Show/Exhibition]
Peters, Charley, COVO, Connecting Voices (2013) Connecting Voices, Developing a Space for Creative Communication. Project Report. University of the Arts London. (Unpublished)
October, Dene (2013) Adventures in English Time and Space: Sound as Experience in Doctor Who 'An Unearthly Child'. In: Mad Dogs & Englishness: Popular Music and English Identities, 20th to 21st June 2013, St Mary's University College, Twickenham, London.
October, Dene (2012) The Bowie-Newton in 'The Man Who Fell to Earth'. In: Strange Fascination? A Symposium on David Bowie, 26th - 28th October 2012, University of Limerick.
Mirodan, Vladimir (2015) Acting the metaphor: the Laban–Malmgren system of movement psychology and character analysis. Theatre, Dance and Performance Training, 6 (1). pp. 30-45. ISSN 1944-3927 (Print), 1944-3919 (Online)
Mirodan, Vladimir (1997) The Way of Transformation (The Laban-Malmgren System of Dramatic Character Analysis). PhD thesis, Royal Holloway, University of London.
Mirochnikov, Oleg (2007) Teaching and Professional Fellowship Report 2006/7 : The Vakhtangov Technique. Project Report. University of the Arts London, London.
Cusumano, Andrea (2007) The Funeral of Don Quixote. [Performance]
Cusumano, Andrea (2006) Tumor Foderato d'Infanzia. [Performance]

subset: commoncrawl


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Not an april fools joke!
If you have a pair of red/blue 3d glasses, check it out. When you zoom in to street view, it gives you a little icon to the side you can click on to get a 3d view.
My finished maps
"...sometimes the most efficient way to make something look drawn by hand is to simply draw it by hand..."


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The construction of an individual's musical identity is complicated by many factors; these can range from familial and and peer group expectations to cultural and religious traditions. In addition, someone may choose to uphold or reject these influences. As a consequence it is difficult to isolate the role that gender alone plays in young people's relationship with music, whilst categorising 'girls' and 'boys' as homogeneous groups can also be dangerous since each possesses enormous diversity within its boundaries. Nevertheless by examining individuals' preferences for, participation in, and beliefs about, music, on this resource page we focus on gendered patterns that interact with their more complex, all-embracing identities.
When and Why did Issues of Music and Gender Emerge?
Concerns originally surfaced in the UK in the 1980s when discrepancies between girls' and boys' practices became increasingly apparent. Many more girls chose to study GCSE music (or equivalent) in the UK whilst also achieving better grade outcomes than their male counterparts. The greater likelihood of girls' learning musical instruments via formal lessons was initially cited as a primary reason for this. Provision potentially enabled them to receive subtle advantages such as being able to read music notation whilst developing familiarity with the classical canon. Although this was undoubtedly true, investigative research in the 1990s revealed far more sociologically complex reasons for the different beliefs and behaviours that boys and girls were expressing.
Despite concerted efforts in schools to counteract gender-stereotyping, children automatically bring into the music classroom many pre-conceived ideas about what constitutes gender-appropriate behaviour from the outside world. Although some will happily flout conventions (such as those boys who actively enjoy singing and those girls who like to compose on computers) many are bound by established protocol.
When Lucy Green surveyed 78 music teachers from across England about their views on gender and school music they confirmed that negative peer pressure surrounded boys' participation from an early age and only those with exceptional talent or enthusiasm appeared able to rise above this influence, especially at secondary level. Boys were perceived as being reticent to participate in those curricula and extra-curricular activities that they believed to be feminine or 'un-macho'; these included most forms of singing, performing on high-pitched, gentle sounding orchestral instruments or participating in any aspects of classical music.
Nevertheless, teachers noted that boys appeared considerably more motivated when allowed to participate in areas they perceived to be gender-appropriate or in effect 'masculine-gendered'. These included exploring various popular genres, utilising music technology and engaging in improvisatory composition, free from the constraints of conventional music notation. Although the term 'masculinity' should be defined by a diverse range of behaviours of equal validity, in reality it is those forms claiming the highest status that tend to exert the most authority within societies. The dominant modes in the western world are traditionally 'macho' and characterised by the championing of power, aggression, technical competence and heterosexuality. This helps to explain why boys, in the main, seem far happier to participate in musical genres and activities that reflect such precedents.
Gendered Musical Practices: a historical perspective
If schools are fundamentally microcosms of the society in which they function then it follows that they reflect the attitudes that prevail in the wider world. Therefore in order to understand how this situation has arisen in our music classrooms it is first necessary to focus upon the socially constructed beliefs and behaviours that operate in society at large. Since these naturally evolve from those musical conventions that have become established as common practice it is important to explore current attitudes in the light of their historical roots. In particular, it is the existence of a strongly patriarchal musical tradition within the Western world that is of fundamental consideration since its influence appears to have far-reaching effects upon our global thinking. Patriarchy creates a situation whereby men have more overall power, not only economically and physically but also in terms of constructing truths. As a consequence that which is deemed to be male becomes highly desirable whereas that which is perceived as female assumes far less value. A masculine hegemony is thus imposed throughout all structures of society, including the processes of cultural production.
In the musical world this has resulted in the emergence of a largely male 'public' or paid sphere of engagement with music, and a mostly female 'private' or unpaid/lowly paid sphere. Historically, men have a stronger connection with receiving remuneration for their musical involvement than women. Although this is not exclusively so (since unpaid male voice choirs exist alongside highly paid female singing stars), it is the predominant pattern, especially in the world of classical music. As a consequence many more men than women remain widely known as established composers, conductors, but to a lesser extent, performers (the female's role in this arena is explored further on). In contrast women have traditionally been more likely to participate in the non-paid aspects of musical life. These include learning music as a pastime rather than as a career possibility, or for the purpose of educating others.
In essence there are two major outcomes of this situation that might help us to understand the history of boys' greater negativity towards school music.
Firstly, if boys do not perceive the subject as leading to the possibility of gainful employment then they appear more likely to reject it as trivial and useless. This also might explain their greater tendency to give up learning instruments as they progress through secondary school, leaving only those wishing to pursue music at examination level to continue. In contrast, many girls, in accordance with the female tradition of participating in recreational music, remain willing to learn instruments, take part in extra-curricular activities and accept the intrinsic value of music as a school subject, regardless of their likelihood of studying it to a higher degree.
Secondly, it is appears that since, historically, the educational side of music possesses feminine delineations, then both it and its component parts (such as the study of the classical canon, singing, choral participation, learning the majority of orchestral instruments and reading notation) will be denounced by the bulk of the male secondary school population. Meanwhile those boys that do participate are likely to become subjected to homosexual taunts from their peers, unless they demonstrate outstanding musical ability whereby they can transcend such considerations.
In spite of girls' greater participation and apparent overall success in music, there remains an important mitigating factor that inhibits them from being considered superior to boys in this subject. At the very core of the issue lies the patriarchal concept associating the male with the mind (thus stressing his innate ability for controlled, intellectual creation) and the female with the body (and her involvement with the uncontrolled, physical act of procreation). This positioning has a powerful effect upon the consideration of artistic production in western society since it aligns men with rationality and the ability to deliberately construct culture. If culture evolves from the mental realms (unlike nature which is not mediated by the intellect) then consequently both it, and its male creators, assume superior roles in the society in which they exist.
The outcome of this 'culture versus nature' hierarchy has most impact when art products are considered and in the realms of music the most highly regarded is that of the musical composition. Men's ownership of this act of creativity has certainly dominated across the centuries (in both western and other cultures) whilst women's participation, continues to both threaten and challenge the patriarchal status quo. As a consequence, women, have been actively discouraged from, and indeed ridiculed for, engaging in the compositional process. Their products have been denigrated without fair and unprejudiced consideration as the power of patriarchal hegemony automatically judges them to be inferior.
Despite the success of a few women in this regard (several of whom even went so far as to assume male public identities in order to achieve fairer reviews) the majority of highly prized pieces of western art music, and the discourses surrounding them, remain the products of men. In addition, since a substantial minority of women's contributions to this field are not generally acknowledged, most people remain unaware of the true level of female involvement in the history of composition whilst many women and girls fail to see where they might fit in to this male-dominated terrain.
Paradoxically, it is the very attributes that make girls successful as classical performers, such as co-operation, conformity and sensitivity, that are seen to work against them in the field of musical composition. According to Green (1997) teachers generally agreed that most girls lacked creativity, confidence and the essential cerebral qualities required for attainment in this area. However, they considered boys to be predominantly autonomous and inventive in their approaches, despite their greater reluctance to work diligently or conform to guidelines and rules. Green argues that this situation arises because boys are easily able to identify with the male as composer and improviser in the outside world. In fact the influence of the masculine delineation of composition is so dominant that it allows boys to be regarded by their teachers as generally superior in all aspects of the music curriculum, despite clear evidence to the contrary, especially in terms of students' examination outcomes.
At this juncture it is important to acknowledge Green's argument, stressing that gendered musical delineations do not hold absolute truth-values, since not all boys are outstanding composers and not all girls perform in the classical realm. Nevertheless they have the power to sway our perceptions and opinions, not only about what is gender-appropriate but also in terms of constructing the very meanings of the music with which boys and girls are associated.
What is the Relevance of Studying Gender and Music Today?
In the past 20-30 years new technologies and pedagogical approaches have radically transformed the face of educational music. In particular the everyday study of numerous popular and world musics, the incorporation of their diverse methods of dissemination and the widespread utilisation of a wealth of software possibilities have completely changed the face of classroom music. There now exists a common perception that modern-day musical inclusiveness allows boys and girls the freedom to participate in whatever chosen musical genre they so wish, without the constraints of past eras. As a consequence issues of gender are perceived as having diminished in relation to such a varied and ever-changing landscape.
The notion that boys' willingness to partake in school music has increased is certainly undeniable; since 2004-5 equal numbers of boys and girls and, in some years, more boys than girls, have taken GCSE music. Meanwhile the introduction of music BTEC at age 14-16 in many schools is also an important consideration. Despite scant, current evidence to indicate trends in terms of gendered participation, it is hypothesised that these courses, being more reflective of pupils' individual interests and abilities, will be equally popular with, and populated by, both genders.
Whether boys' and girls' achievement outcomes are parallel in BTEC music is yet to be fully ascertained and it is pertinent to note that on average boys still achieve lower grade outcomes than their female counterparts in GCSE music where exact comparisons can be drawn. Consequently, the notion that examinations surreptitiously favour girls' musical practices over those of boys remains an issue.
Meanwhile, beneath the veneer of modern-day musical inclusiveness, variations in gendered behaviour are still clearly evident. Although the act of female display has many positive connotations within patriarchal notions of femininity, it still remains problematic in some forms of musical performance. Girls undoubtedly find positive confirmation in opportunities that invoke peer, familial, school and wider societal approval (such as solo or choral singing, and playing gentle, high-pitched orchestral, plucked or keyboard instruments) especially when within the classical tradition since there is a clear affirmation of the traditional feminine delineations of musical meaning.
However, whether female performers can be unconditionally accepted or approved of in the worlds of jazz and popular musics, which do not affirm but interrupt traditional notion of feminine display, remains an issue. The majority of popular genres are deemed to employ masculine methods of discourse especially with regards to the instruments and technologies used in the making of them, whilst many also appear to require aggression, power and physical strength in their undertaking. As a result, girls may abstain from becoming actively involved in them, especially where performing on the associated instruments is concerned. Instead they prefer to stay within the safer confines of the vocal pop ballad, with its classically-orientated delineations, since this is less likely to cast aspersions upon the very essence of their femininity.
Indeed Green (1997) suggests that a girl's ambiguity, or even total alienation, towards playing bass guitar or drums, is not necessarily about her dislike of these instruments but relates to the interrupting effect of their dominantly masculine delineations. These cannot help but result in feelings of negativity, emanating from both the female performer and audience alike. As a consequence traditionally gendered instrumental behaviours still prevail despite our perceptions that both sexes have the opportunity to make unconditional choices nowadays.
Some of these gendered patterns are evident in the roles taken on by the school children in the School of Rock band started by teacher Jack Black in the film of the same name. Watch the clip below and ask: Who is/is not crossing the conventional gender boundaries?
This film has only one child crossing the traditional gender boundaries – a girl playing bass guitar – but otherwise it's the established roles in evidence: boys on drums/lead guitar/keyboard wizard/computer geek controlling the lightshow & sound; and girls mostly in subsidiary roles e.g dancing/singing as backing singers/one as assistant to the computer genius – and wearing headphones but not actually twiddling any knobs of course!
This clip leads to a further consideration: the role of technology in the current music and gender debate. Although women have undoubtedly made in-roads into certain male dominated areas of the industry they have mostly failed to break through in areas that have a strong technological tendency such as DJ-ing, sound engineering and producing. Meanwhile, popular opinion emphasises the democratising empowerment of technology and, particularly in the realms of music-making, its ability to ensure that the act of composing no longer remains the preserve of the gifted few. Teachers tend to perpetuate this assumption, promoting the idea that technology provides an egalitarian backdrop, being equally conducive to all especially because a knowledge of musical notation is not necessary in its employment. As a consequence there has been a huge emphasis upon its use in the classroom as a means of creative expression for pupils of all age groups.
Nevertheless recent research indicates that girls are more likely to display a lack confidence in all things mechanical and technological. Reasons for this situation are complex but primarily located in the likelihood of girls' weaker socialisation in these matters in the outside world. Victoria Armstrong (2011) argues that although computers are not inherently gendered in themselves, the culture surrounding them produces certain gendered behaviours that become embedded in our notions about technology and ultimately shape our understanding of them.
In terms of music-making it appears that the genders use technology very differently. Boys tend to 'doodle', as they capture fragments of their own random creative ideas through experimentation. In contrast girls tend to be more systematically in order to assist in specific quests, such as giving a performance of a piece. These contrasting approaches have major implications especially when Armstrong's research reveals that many classroom teachers expect their pupils to engage with music software whilst having only a rudimentary knowledge of how to use it. This sort of pedagogy undoubtedly favours boys who are more likely to be comfortable with the 'have-a-go' and 'press-and-find-out' culture. Meanwhile girls, who mostly prefer a more structured, incremental approach and often view technology as a distraction from the compositional process, are more likely to flounder and feel inferior in terms of their inability to use it intuitively.
In essence the issue of gender and music education continues to be a thorny one. Despite the enormous developments in curriculum and pedagogy that have occurred over the past few decades there is constant slippage between what we believe to be the impact of these new practices upon our pupils and what is evident when we fully examine the beliefs and behaviours that they are actually exhibiting. Most notably we should not fail to recognise the powerful effect that many deep-rooted and socially-constructed historical 'truths' continue to assert over today's young people, in addition to those more tangible influences emanating from the value systems of peer groups, families and schools.
Despite commonly held global beliefs that boys and girls are now equally able to pursue any musical interests without experiencing the gender-appropriate constraints of past generations, the majority of young people are not rushing to break down these long-established boundaries. This is never more evident than in the musical genres that young people currently champion and consequently wish to emulate. The mainstream charts are monopolised by an army of female solo singers, who, with a few exceptions, provide glamorous and sexually provocative entertainment. Despite their wish to challenge the passive imagery of the demure classical musician, they merely epitomise another familiar stereotype. Indeed both extremes of performer continue to invoke the polar opposites of a well-known patriarchal construct, that of the madonna-whore syndrome. Meanwhile an abundance of young men continue to dominate in the more aggressive and macho worlds of heavy rock, metal and rap or more anonymously pervade the wealth of technologically-orientated urban genres that currently proliferate in today's musical climate.
Useful Links
GRIME (Gender Research in Music): This is both an international organisation devoted to research in music education involving gender issues, and a special research interest group The National Association for Music Education (USA). The website is a great resource with links to related sites and an extensive reading list.
Project MUSE: Women and Music: A Journal of Gender and Culture: An annual journal of scholarship about women, music, and culture that is published for the International Alliance for Women in Music. Drawing on a wide range of disciplines and approaches, the refereed journal seeks to further the understanding of the relationships among gender, music, and culture, with special attention being given to the concerns of women.
International Association of Women in Music: The International Alliance for Women in Music is a global network of women and men working to increase and enhance musical activities and opportunities and to promote all aspects of the music of women.
Women in Music: Women in Music is a UK membership organisation that celebrates women's music making across all genres of music. They raise awareness of gender issues in music and support women musicians in their professional development.
Further Reading
Armstrong, V. (2011) Technology and the Gendering of Music Education. Farnham, England: Ashgate: An examination of the gendered processes and practices that contribute to how students learn about music technology, the repertoire of teacher and student talk, its effect on student confidence and the issue of male control of technological knowledge.
Baynton, M. (1998) Frock Rock: Women Performing Popular Music. Oxford: Oxford University Press: An ethnographic study of women's popular music-making (1970s to mid 1990s) based on over 100 in-depth interviews with women instrumentalists in female and mixed bands and exploring their experiences of song writing, rehearsing, recording, and touring.
Bjork, C. (2011) Claiming Space: Discourses on Gender, Popular Music and Social Change. Gothenberg: University of Gothenberg: An exploration of four different initiatives in Sweden that intended to increase the number of girls and women involved in popular music production and performance whilst examining the idea that they need to "claim space" in order to participate in popular music practices.
Bowers, J. & Tick, J. (Eds.) (1987) Women Making Music: the Western Art Tradition 1150-1950. Urbana: University of Illinois Press: A comprehensive history of women composers across the centuries in the western world.
Citron, M. (1993) Gender and the Musical Canon. Urbana, University of Illinois Press: Focusing on music since 1800, this book examines the practices and attitudes that have led to the exclusion of women composers from the received 'canon' of performed musical works.
Cook, S. & Tsou, J. (Eds.) (1994) Cecilia Reclaimed. Illinois: University of Illinois Press; Ten of the best known scholars in the field of feminist musicology explore how gender has helped shape genres and works of music (from classical to rap) and how music has contributed to prevailing notions of gender.
Green, L. (1997) Music, Gender, Education. Cambridge, University of Cambridge: Invoking a concept of musical patriarchy and a theory of the social construction of musical meaning, Lucy Green shows how women's musical practices and gendered musical meanings have been reproduced, hand-in-hand, through history whilst also exploring how these notions continue to be replicated in the contemporary music classroom.
Harrison, S. (Ed.) (2009) Male Voices: Stories of Boys Learning Through Making Music. Victoria/Australia: ACER Press: Bringing together Australia's leading thinkers and practitioners in the field of music with parents, teachers, musicians, men and boys, this book offers perspectives on the contemporary male experience of music.
Leonard, M. (2007) Gender in the Music Industry: Rock, Discourse and Girl Power. Aldershot: Ashgate: Marion Leonard explores different representations of masculinity offered by, and performed through, rock music and examines how female rock performers negotiate the gendering of rock as masculine.
Moisala, P. & Diamond, B. (Eds.) (2000) Music and Gender. Urbana, University of Illinois Press: Through the experiences of performers, composers, and ethnomusicologists working across the world, various contributors explore how the uses and descriptions of music shift in response to rapid political, economic, or technological change.
Macdonald, R., Hargreaves, D. & Miell D. (Eds) (2002) Musical Identities. Oxford: Oxford University Press: One of the first books to examine, from a social-psychological perspective. the power of music to profoundly influence an individual's developing sense of identity, values, and beliefs.
Further Reading on Sexuality and Music Education
Brett, P., Thomas, G. & Wood, E. (1994) Queering the Pitch. New York and London: Routledge : The first collection of gay and lesbian work in music and musicology.
Gill, J. (1994) Queer Noise: Homosexuality in 20th Century Music. London: Casell: Explores the contributions of gay
musicians throughout the century, showing how their sexuality shaped their careers and artistic visions.
McClary, S. (1991) Feminine Endings: Music, Gender and Sexuality. Minnesota, Oxford: University of Minnesota Press: Combining musicology with feminism this book covers such topics as musical constructions of gender and sexuality, gendered aspects of traditional music theory and music as a gendered discourse.
Page author: Anna Green
Updated: 15th January 2013


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Are the Ravens this good?
Now, that one was easy.
I know there were several of you that were slightly worried that the Ravens could experience a letdown against an inferior Cleveland Browns team.
They did; they allowed a field goal. They should be ashamed.
Seriously, the final was 34-3, more of a blowout than most of you blowout predictors had anticipated (including myself).
Drew Johnston gets a free drink chip for his 34-6 prediction. Ed gets one, too, for his 31-3 guess.
They aren't the big winners, though. This week's free (and fake) bar tab goes to Tay Dizzle, and not just because he has a cool name.
Tay Dizzle went with 31-3, Ravens. But he also called the tiebreaker, predicting Willis McGahee would be the hero of the game. Drew and Ed were thinking running back, but went with Ray Rice.
Plenty of heroes on Sunday, but McGahee ran for two TDs and nearly 10 yards a carry.
So drink up Tay Dizzle.
As for the rest of you, I have a simple question: Are the Ravens this good?
They are 3-0 and look much improved offensively. Their defense is still fierce against the run, and perhaps their pass defense – four picks Sunday – is getting it together.
I know any NFL team can beat any other on any Sunday, but, be honest. Even the most pessimistic Ravens' fan had to expect the team to be 2-1, at the worst, at this point. And the San Diego Chargers, with their injuries last week, weren't as good as everyone expected heading into the season.
So the real test comes next week, when the Ravens travel to New England. If they can beat the Patriots, and then the Cincinnati Bengals and Minnesota Vikings, they would head into the bye week 6-0 and arguably be considered the NFL's best team in 2009.
That will be the week to truly evaluate. But what about now? Are the Ravens as good as they have looked so far? Or is their unblemished record more of a by-product of the teams they have played.
I am thinking it's a combination of both.
Daily Think Special: Are the Ravens this good?


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Mobile Model Viewer is a fully functional COLLADA (.dae) model viewer for Android-based mobile platforms. Simply import your own models and textures either singularly or via a ZIP file, and showcase your models to potential clients, students, bosses, friends, or whomever else. All from the convenience of your Android-based mobile device. Features include simple 360º rotation, panning in/out, full texture rendering, model switching (for multiple models), easy loading/unloading, and an intuitive GUI. If you develop models using the open-source COLLADA format, this app is a must-have!
After installing, launch this app with a sample 3D model by clicking on the link: http://goo.gl/lV0ZU
Additional sample models are included on our website:
A new website has been launched that allows you to easily send models to your device. It also optimizes the models to run on mobile devices. All you have to do is upload your model. The website emails you a copy of the optimized model. Open the email using the Android Gmail client and click the attachment. Mobile Model Viewer automatically launches and renders the model!
Please read the requirements in the User Manual before purchasing:


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The appearance of advertisements and product information on this site does not constitute an endorsement by Equipment World Magazine, and Equipment World Magazine has not investigated the claims made by any advertiser. Product information is based solely on material received from suppliers.
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CAIRO (AP) " Lawyers for a leading Egyptian investigative journalist and human rights advocate said Monday that the military is holding him in an undisclosed location while he faces charges of spreading "false news."
COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) " The president of the University of Missouri system resigned Monday with the football team and others on campus in open revolt over his handling of racial tensions at the school.
GENEVA (AP) " Russian track and field athletes could be banned from next year's Olympics in Rio de Janeiro after a devastatingly critical report accused the country's government of complicity in widespread doping and cover-ups.
NEW YORK (AP) " A leading Swiss watchmaker and two technology titans have combined forces to produce a computerized wristwatch billed as the "world's smartest luxury watch."
SUGAR LAND, Texas (AP) " An alligator dubbed "Godzilla" and tipping the scales at more than 800 pounds is being taken to a gator reserve to live out its days, after being found wandering outside a Houston-area shopping center.
DAKAR, Senegal (AP) " Islamic extremists are expanding their reach in West Africa, using porous borders and exploiting political chaos to further their attacks, security experts said Monday at the opening of a regional conference on the jihadist...
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) " You can't buy hearts, kidneys or other organs but money can still help you get one. Wealthy people are more likely to get on multiple waiting lists and score a transplant, and less likely to die while waiting for one, a new...
NEW YORK (AP) " The owner of Tinder, Match.com and OkCupid hopes to raise as much as $466.2 million in an initial public offering, which would put the value of the dating site company in the neighborhood of $3 billion.
BUJUMBURA, Burundi (AP) " A witness says one man was killed Monday in an ongoing disarmament operation in Burundi's capital, Bujumbura.
WASHINGTON (AP) " The Supreme Court on Monday sided with a Texas state trooper who was sued after he fatally shot a man fleeing from officers during a 2010 high-speed chase outside Amarillo.
COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) " The latest on the protests and turmoil over racially charged incidents at the University of Missouri (all times local):
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July 21, 2011 — An article in La Tribune (France) highlights possible negotiations between China and the European Union to finalize a mutual investment agreement. The Asia Foundation's Director of Economic Reform and Development, Véronique Salze-Lozac'h, explains the growing role of China in the international economy and the importance of cross-country investments. Read the full article: "Des négociations sur les investissements Europe-Chine s'ouvriront bientôt."
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Mike D'Antoni, Steve Nash's longtime coach in Phoenix, said he couldn't recall Nash ever missing one of two late-game free throws, much less both.
D'Antoni hinted that maybe it was the pressure of how important every victory is to the Lakers that contributed to Nash missing both free throws Sunday in Detroit with the Lakers ahead by one point in the final seconds.
Nash said no, in fact, he felt "calm" about it. He said he thought both felt like they were going in, too. They didn't – as shocking to Nash as anyone – and even though they didn't cost the Lakers the game, they did cost Nash something.
He has lost the all-time free-throw percentage lead (minimum of 1,200 attempts) back to Mark Price, who sits in retirement at 90.3895 percent for his career. By missing the two free throws after going 39 for 41 previously this season, Nash dropped to 90.3588 for his career.
That means more work for Nash to do in order to pass Price, which he did earlier this season after trailing Price at various times last season. Nash went into last season with the edge over Price, but went back and forth throughout the season.
Nash recalled once missing two free throws late in a game "12 or 14 years ago" with Dallas, costing the Mavericks the game when the Clippers' Glen Rice nailed a 3-pointer at the buzzer.
D'Antoni otherwise was pretty right. Before Sunday, Nash hadn't missed two foul shots in the final 10 seconds of the fourth quarter since April 14, 2003 – with Dallas in a game he also didn't lose. Nash hadn't missed a single free throw in the final minute of the fourth quarter since Jan. 20, 2012 – which meant he was 33 for 33 until he clanked those two Sunday.
The Lakers did not practice Monday, with D'Antoni giving them a rest day before the game today at Brooklyn. No determination has been made whether Dwight Howard (shoulder) will play, though one might be made at the Lakers' shootaround in New York this afternoon.
Howard, Pau Gasol and Lakers fans can rest easy. General Manager Mitch Kupchak told Newsday he has no intentions of negotiating a trade. Not today or anytime before the Feb. 21 trade deadline, despite the team's 22-26 record.
"It's unlikely that we'll make any trade with any of our principal players," Kupchak was quoted as saying. "To make another change at this time of the year being behind the eight ball like we are, I think that would just make it more difficult. The talent is there. We have to find our way."
It's no secret the Lakers have struggled this season with injuries, chemistry and coaching changes, firing Mike Brown after a 1-4 start , flirting with Phil Jackson, and eventually hiring D'Antoni. Kupchak said age is not to blame for the struggles.
"Old? If you're looking to make excuses, I suppose," Kupchak said. "I put this team together with Jim Buss. We don't think they're too old. We have great experience. I think seven or eight games from now we'll have more answers."


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Peccole Ranch is a beautiful family community of 22 distinctive neighborhoods located near schools, shopping and dining, just south of Summerlin in the western part of the Las Vegas Valley, about a 25-minute drive from the Las Vegas Strip.
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Piggot Elementary School is located adjacent to the Peccole Ranch Clubhouse and offers superb education, while junior and senior schools are only a short distance away. Golf courses and even casinos are nearby along with recreational, social, civic and cultural centers for Peccole Ranch buyers. The popular shopping plaza Boca Park and Village Square are also close to Peccole Ranch. Scenic drives are available just minutes away from Peccole Ranch homes in the Red Rock Mountains.
Peccole Ranch homes for sale range from luxury condos and modest single family homes, to semi-custom and larger luxury estates. Peccole Ranch home sizes range from 750 square feet for Peccole Ranch condos, up to more than 3,500 square feet for single family Peccole Ranch homes. Current home prices range from the upper $90 for condos, up to the low $400s for single family Peccole Ranch homes. Ten of the communities within Peccole Ranch are gated neighborhoods.
Las Vegas communities near Peccole Ranch include The Lakes, Summerlin, Canyon Gate and Queensridge.


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NHS reforms live blog. It's shaping up to be a busy day, with David Cameron's summit of health professionals – well, some of them – convening at Downing Street this afternoon, as the row over the health and social care bill shows no signs of calming.Good morning and welcome to the
Our political editor Patrick Wintour reports that the prime minister has been accused of "divide and rule" tactics over the summit, excluding key NHS players such as the British Medical Association (BMA) and the Royal College of GPs. He writes:
Lord Owen – who has long argued that the position of the royal colleges will be critical to the bill's fate – accused Cameron of "reprehensible tactics". The doctor and former foreign secretary said: "He is clearly trying a policy of divide and rule in the hope that he can break the opposition to the bill by only asking those he believes will support him. The health service is based on much more integrated team work these days right across from nurses, doctors, commissioners and clinicians, and this is not the way to treat an integrated health service. A divided health service cannot function effectively."
The Times (£) reports that it will be a meeting "of moderates and enthusiasts for the changes" and cites a source insisting: "The practicalities of scrapping the bill would be awful."
Elsewhere, the Telegraph reports on claims – denied by hospital bosses – that Cameron had a hostile reception from staff at Newcastle's Royal Victoria Infirmary last week.
We're working on a definitive guest list of who is and isn't invited to this afternoon's meeting – all contributions below the line or to @Claire_Phipps very welcome.
Some of those who haven't been invited to the official summit are heading to Downing Street today anyway. The "summit of the invited" will see some of those not on Cameron's guest list protest close to No 10 from midday.
Professor Wendy Savage of Keep Our NHS Public said:
"The prime minister is putting himself in the centre of the disaster that is the health bill. The attempt to exclude the most vocal critics of the bill from the No 10 simply makes him look desperate.
It is now the prime minister who is trying to ram the bill through, even as public opposition to it grows to record levels, and its support among health professionals dwindles to nothing. Those who do attend the No10 meeting will need to be careful that they do not find themselves caught up in a political stunt designed to give a false impression of support for the bill."
We'll be asking our politics team at Westminster to go along to the unofficial summit to speak to some of those protesting.
reported this morning on a report from the London School of Economics, which says that competition between NHS hospitals can boost efficiency and cut costs, but that the introduction of private-sector competition can result in "cherry-picking" and leave NHS hospitals with the poorest and most needy patients.Our health correspondent, Denis Campbell, has
Dr Zack Cooper, who led the study team, said:
"This research will make everybody upset. The folks who don't like competition will say they don't like it; the gung-ho types in the private sector will also not like it. But we have to move past public and private debate."
What do you think?
Denis Campbell has also been talking to healthcare professionals on and off the Downing St guest list. He reports that Sir Richard Thompson, president of the Royal College of Physicians, which represents hospital doctors, is under pressure from within the organisation to boycott today's summit. The RCP is one of the few major medical organisations to have been invited.
Denis writes:
Both individual members and groups of RCP members have been emailing Thompson asking him not to go or, if he does, to criticise the health and social care bill, the "implementation" of which is – officially – the subject of today's gathering. One prominent RCP member involved in the medical community's efforts to have the entire bill abandoned says "at least two" members of the RCP's ruling council have contacted the president asking him to stay away.
Discontent among RCP members about the college's stance on the bill has forced the college to hold an emergency general meeting next Monday to clarify its position. The other royal colleges of medicine are also being lobbied to do the same or have already decided to.
Professor Walter Holland is a former president of the Faculty of Public Health (FPH), which is part of the RCP and represents about 3,300 public health specialist in the NHS, local government and academia. It is also one of the organisations not to have been invited today; it recently called for the whole bill to be scrapped.
Holland, now emeritus professor of public health medicine at the London School of Economics -- has written to Thompson:
"I believe that the RCP has been invited to meet the PM, but the FPH, Royal College of GPs, Royal College of Radiologists and Royal College of Nursing have been excluded. I do hope that you will not betray us. OUR college helped to create the NHS and I hope that you will not allow the meeting to be used to suggest that the medical profession agrees to actions that are so contrary to the basic principles of the NHS."
(Holland wrote the letter before it became clear that the British Medical Association, who are also in the 'drop the bill' camp, had not been invited either.)
Denis adds:
Asked by the Guardian to clarify if he wanted Thompson to boycott the summit or attend but criticise the bill, Holland responded: "It is difficult for an individual to refuse an invitation from the PM; all should have refused to attend as a body. BUT if RCP attends it is crucial that they make clear in any press or other announcement that attendance does NOT imply support to the bill.The basic principles of coordination, NOT competition, non involvement of for-profit commissioner support agencies unacceptable, freedom of speech for directors of public health, planning on the basis of local authority boundaries, retention of public health in the NHS, [and] support for education and research."
An RCP spokesman confirmed to the Guardian that Thompson is definitely attending the summit, and that they hope to issue a statement after it. On the contentious question of the college's attitude to the government's NHS shake-up, he added: "The RCP is neither for nor against the Bill, but is committed to improving standards and quality of health care, and is lobbying hard to improve the Health and Social Care Bill to enable higher standards of care for patients. The RCP still has serious concerns about key elements of the reforms."
The Press Association has just put out this from the regular Downing Street morning briefing. It appears we will not be issued with an official list of names for the summit. PA reports:
The prime minister's official spokesman declined to give details in advance of those attending today's meeting, but denied that Cameron was dodging critics of his reforms. "We are not excluding anyone," the spokesman told reporters at a daily Westminster briefing. "The purpose of today's meeting is to hear first-hand from people who are implementing the reforms about how the process is going."
The spokesman added: "He is meeting a number of national healthcare organisations and clinical commissioning groups. There will be several royal colleges represented.
"He will also be talking to a number of GPs who will be setting out their experiences in implementing the reforms.
"This is about the prime minister listening to health service professionals about how we can implement the reforms that we have set out."
this handy summary from Ben Goldacre. Anyone else we should be checking on?While we're working on our breakdown of who's invited (and not) to the Downing St summit, and where they each stand on the health and social care bill, I should point you in the direction of
@patrickjbutler and @Claire_Phipps – on this throughout the day, or comment below the line.I'm shortly handing over to my colleague Patrick Butler, who'll continue the blog, but you can tweet us both –
Thanks for all your contributions so far.
My colleague Denis Campbell reports that the Royal College of GPs has just issued a surprisingly mild statement about their exclusion from today's Number Ten summit.
Interestingly, the statement suggests that the event may be merely the first of several such gatherings and thus that organisations critical of the Health Bill will, after all, get their chance to state their case.
That is the first I have heard about that. Perhaps this is part of a Downing street damage limitation exercise, given today's meeting has proved a PR own goal?
It says:
"We are disappointed that the RCGP has not been invited to the meeting at Downing Street today. The RCGP, with its 44,000 members, is the largest professional body of GPs in the UK. It is our Members who will have to implement the changes if the Bill goes through so it is very important that we are part of any discussions on the way forward.
"We have heard that the meeting could be one in a series of similar meetings to which we would hope to be invited to have the opportunity for constructive dialogue.
"We now need a sensible debate to determine exactly what the NHS can provide and how we can stabilise the NHS to get the best in patient care. Whatever the outcome of the wider Health Bill, the College will continue to work with Government to improve the care that we provide to patients.
"The RCGP is not a political body, it is here to protect and promote the best possible standards of care, and will remain so whatever happens."
Telegraph piece on the prime minister's alleged altercation with a staff member during a visit to an NHS hospital in Newcastle last week.Blogger and activist Dr Éoin Clarke was the original source for the
Clarke constantly updated his The Green Benches blog over the weekend as more pieces of the story came to light as a result of his digging. Both the Newcastle upon Tyne hospitals NHS trust and Downing street are adamant that no incident took place.
Here's an extract from Clarke's summing up post on Sunday evening:
Now, what happened upon David Cameron's entry into the hospital itself, was until now, difficult to publicly confirm. 4 staff members have made their stories known privately but all are reluctant to come forward because they fear for their jobs. However, we do have the public account of a visitor to the hospital that day, and the account of a patient whose brother contacted me to give me an update on what went on at the hospital. It makes for interesting reading. My private sources tell me the Prime Minister got a bad reception. Much of the staff ignored him for his entire visit and he had to be closely guarded by police security. A young visitor Alexander Hay, who can be followed at @Alex_Hay tweeted about the Prime Minister's visit real time. He stated that he heard a nurse say to the PM "'I am vehemently opposed to reforms they're bad for patients and bad for care". Alex also confirms that the Prime Minister simply ignored the nurse and refused to reply to her. He said that Cameron's entourage moved on leaving the staff member in the lurch and other staff shocked.
Clarke adds:
Has the PM lost the entire faith of the medical profession that he is reduced to locking journalists in rooms and being shielded from contact with patients?
This is what the veteran trust chief executive Sir Len Fenwick told the Telegraph:
"I didn't observe any such encounter and neither did the chairman of the trust.
"For me it was a visit without incident and I've heard no adverse feedback from the staff."
If you were there, and can tell us more about it, please tweet me or email firstname.lastname@example.com
Just picked up tweets from the BBC's Louise Stewart (@BBCLouise), who appears to be outside Downing street, where the summit is being held.
Andrew Lansley mobbed by angry members of public, including a GP, as he tries to enter Downing Street
Followed by:
Protestors shout "Shame on you" at Health Secretary Andrew Lansley
She then retweets Paul Twinn (@paultwinn), a BBC news producer:
Extraordinary scenes outside Downing Street as Lansley tries to get through the gates. Shouts of "traitor". Disaster PR! #thickofitmoment
@latentexistence points out. Compare those tweets from BBC reporters on the spot in my 1.07pm post with this one from the official BBC Breaking news:The BBC tweets in mysterious ways, as
UK Health Secretary Andrew Lansley confronted by small group of protesters as he arrives at #NHS meeting at No 10 http://bbc.in/zgqf4F
It's all about perspective.
Lots of Twitter interest in Lansley's impromptu encounter with protesters outside Downing street:
@giovanni218 is exasperated:
why no paint? why no eggs? Nice to see Lansley getting an ear-bashing @ his #NHS privatisation, though his smug arrogance makes me vomit!
@ambushpredator has a different take:
"Lansley mobbed by vested interests as he tries to enter Downing Street"
@cathbythesea is perhaps a little world-weary, and who can blame her:
Not that he'd take any notice anyway
some BBC footage of Andrew Lansley, the health secretary, as he is confronted outside 10 Downing street by a protester.Here's
@scribbles123 tweets:
Seeing Lansley being manhandled by a white haired lady in Whitehall shows the strength of anger in this country over #nhs
You can probably begin to understand why David Cameron, the prime minister, opted not to tell the public he was visiting a Newcastle hospital last week.
Queen's hospital in Romford, Essex, this afternoon.This may not be Andrew Lansley's only encounter with an angry public (and health professionals) today: he's due to make an official visit to the
I've just called the Department of Health press office and it has confirmed he's be going ahead with the trip. Let it never be said Lansley is not resillient.
Meanwhile, Politics Home editor Paul Waugh has tweeted:
Is this Lansley's Mrs Duffy moment? Great SkyNews footage of pensioner protestor haranguing him ahead of NHS summit
Speculation has already started that forcing Lansley to enter Downing street past an angry group of protesters was part of a cunning Machiavellian plan on the part of Number 10:
@sallygainsbury of the FT tweets:
why did Number 10 make Lansley walk the gauntlet like that? Isn't there a nice mob-free entrance for times like these?
There's general consensus that the encounter has been a PR disaster for Lansley, and possibly for the government. Lilian Anekwe, editor of BMJ Best Health (@LAnekwe), tweets:
#Lansley's how not to handle protests: Patronise, sneer, look affronted, then walk away
@tomdaviesE17 tweets:
Life imitating The Thick of It. More please
My colleague Denis Campbell wonders if the Royal College of Physicians - which attended the summit today - may yet withdraw its support for the bill.
Further to my post at 11.44 about potential trouble for Royal College of Physicians (RCP) president Sir Richard Thompson over his decision to attend the summit, I am now told that a survey of college members and fellows suggests that 92% want the Health and Social Care Bill scrapped.
Dr Kevin O'Kane, an RCP member and chair of the British Medical Association's London region -and fierce critic of the NHS restructuring - tells me that he and some other medics set up a "survey monkey" last Friday in which they invited all the college's members and fellows to participate, even though members are not allowed to attend or influence its emergency general meeting next Monday.
Only the RCP's 14,959 fellows worldwide have that right.
The question asked in the survey is: "Do you want RCP (London) to call for the government to drop the Health and Social Care Bill?". So far 92% of respondents have answered saying "yes".
That is obviously a huge proportion and may be a sign that the RCP will next week join the ranks of those medical organisations which want the Bill dropped altogether rather than simply amended.
Opponents already include the BMA, the royal colleges representing nurses, midwives and psychiatrists, the Chartered Society of Physiotherapists and others. While such surveys are notoriously self-selecting and therefore more likely to highlight the views of those not content with a proposal, it - plus
the hardening attitudes in the wider medical establishment - suggests that the organisation representing the UK's hospital doctors may yet join the ranks of the 'drop the bill' brigade, despite Sir Richard's presence inside Number Ten today.
I'm picking up some snippets from the summit on Twitter.
According to ITN political correspondent Lucy Manning, the prime minister David Cameron has made it clear there will be "no u-turn" on the NHS bill.
She tweets:
PM says "I'm committed to the changes, committed to taking them through"
PM says "but we need to do everything we can to explain to people that this is about improving and enhancing our NHS not endangering it
So admission from PM that they've still got some explaining to do on NHS reforms. Talks about busting some myths. But no Uturn.
But what happened inside? Chris Ship, ITV news senior political correspondent Tweets:
NHS Confederation says it was made very clear to PM at top of #NHS meeting that more medical organisations SHOULD have been invited
Andy Bell of BBC 5Live news tweets:
Told NHS meeting in Downing St "quite tense" by one participant
My colleague Denis Campbell has compiled a list of the attendees at today's summit (and those not invited). It's not an exhaustive list, he points out.
Royal College of Physicians (London)
Royal College of Surgeons of England
Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists
Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health
Royal College of Anaesthetists
NHS Confederation
Foundation Trust Network
British Medical Association
Royal College of General Practitioners
Royal College of Nursing
Royal College of Midwives
Royal College of Pathologists
Royal College of Radiologists
Royal College of Psychiatrists
Royal College of Opthamologists
Chartered Society of Physiotherapy
Faculty of Public Health
British Association of Occupational Therapists and College of
Occupational Therapists
College of Emergency Medicine
An interesting report from Health Service Journal reporter Dave West (@davewwest), who tweets:
Former Labour health minister Ara Darzi attended no10 #nhs summit - still v influential - also perhaps helps bipartisan appearance?
Lord Darzi is a consultant surgeon who was enobled in 2007 by former Labour prime minister Gordon Brown to oversee Brown's own shake-up of the NHS.
Indeed, he was specifically chosen because Brown considered that as a respected doctor he would help win round medics disgruntled by Labour's plans to close several hospitals in London, and replace them with controversial poly-clinics.
HSJ editor Alastair McLellan (@HSJeditor) notes on Twitter:
What would Darzi think?' oft asked Q in Dep of Health HQ
Labour leader Ed Miliband has attacked the PM's "bunker mentality" over the NHS during a hospital visit today - the Homerton in Hackney, East London.
Here's the PA report of Miliband's speech:
Speaking during a visit to Homerton Hospital in east London, Mr Miliband said: "This bunker mentality is the wrong way to run the NHS.
"And I want to say something directly to David Cameron today - it's not too late to start listening to the doctors, the nurses and the midwives. It's not too late to listen to patients."
Mr Miliband said the Health Bill, if passed in its present form, "will cause lasting damage to the NHS, it will divert billions from patient care and undermine our health service's basic principles".
And he added: "David Cameron should drop his Bill and get round the table with everyone who cares about the future of the NHS, including those who work in the health service and other political parties. I stand ready to be part of that."
Meanwhile, it seems the health secretary Andrew Lansley is en route to his own hospital visist today - the Queen's hospital in Romford, Essex.
If you at the hospital, as a worker, visitor or protestor please let us know what happens. Tweet me at @PatrickJButler or email at firstname.lastname@example.com
In case you haven't seen the video of health secretary Andrew Lansley's kerfuffle with protesters outside Downing street, here it is:
These images will define coverage of the Number 10 summit today.
Sir Stephen Bubb, who represents charities who contract to provide public services, has revealed that the mood of the meeting in Number 10 today was that everyone should "get cracking" on the NHS reforms.
Sir Stephen's organisation, Acevo, is a firm supporter of introducing more competition into the NHS, and vociferously opposed attempts by the former NHS secretary Andy Burnham to make the NHS the "preferred provider" of health services back in 2009-10.
Here's the PA report:
Sir Stephen Bubb, chief executive of the Association of Chief Executives of Voluntary Organisations (ACEVO), said some of those around the cabinet table raised concerns about the scale of professional dissent.
But the mood of the meeting was that it was time to "get cracking" with the reforms and that continued debate could damage the NHS.
"People raised concerns that there's a strong professional voice against the Bill. Clearly, that's important.
"But most of us think it's now time to talk about how we implement these changes - the health service has some rather important challenges.
"We want to get cracking. Continuing debate is getting to the point where it is unhelpful all round. The sooner it is resolved one way or another the better."
Asked if that meant he could envisage the legislation being dumped altogether, he said: "No. The impression I got from the Prime Minister and Andrew Lansley was that that's not going to happen."
3.04pm list)More on who was at the summit and who wasn't (updating our
According to Politics Home reporter Isabel Hardman (@IsabelHardman), we should add to the invitees:
National Voices
NHS Alliance
Torbay CGC
The Association of Chief Executives of Voluntary Organisations (Acevo)
Among notable absentees were health minister Simon Burns, and, it seems, any Liberal Democrats.
Hardman quotes the Prime minister's spokesman as saying:
There were "no criteria" for who was on guest list...
No criteria? What, none at all?
this compilation of MP's and Lords' financial interests in private healthcare, put together by the Social investigations blog.While we are on the subject of lists, take a look at
The blog asks:
Why are these people allowed to ...vote on a bill that they clearly have something to gain from. Who cares that they have put it in the register of interests. This doesn't excuse their interests, it merely highlights clearly why they should have no part in voting for the privatisation of the NHS.
It would certainly be interesting to match those named on the list to their voting record on the bill.
An interesting statement from Sir Richard Thompson, president of the Royal College of Physicians, who was at the meeting at Number 10 today.
Sir Richard makes it clear that the college is not "sitting on the fence": it is neither for or against the bill, and feels it is better to reform the NHS from inside the policy process than outside:
He said:
"As the professional body that exists to raise the quality of care for seriously ill patients in hospitals, the RCP and its fellows and members must be embedded in national and local structures to provide advice on setting standards, education and training and other areas, such as clinical audits and guidelines. We felt we could best represent the views of our members by attending the meeting and briefing the prime minister on the RCP's concerns.
I raised with the prime minister our concerns that competition could damage, and is already damaging, integrated care pathways, and that the government should commit to a high quality threshold for any qualified provider (AQP) for clinical services. In addition, I raised our view that the raising of the private income cap must not displace NHS provision. For example, NHS beds must not be closed to open private beds, and so any private provision in NHS hospitals must be additive.
I also discussed the considerable amount of anxiety among the medical profession regarding their ability to provide high quality medical care to patients due to the effects of the New Deal and the European Working Time Directive (EWTD), and the increasing number of acute admissions and the ability of current services to respond to an ageing population.
The RCP has from the outset been neither for nor against the Bill. This should not be taken to mean that the RCP is sitting on the fence or is undecided. From the start we have lobbied vigorously, with some success, on the issues where we feel change was necessary, and shall continue to work with all politicians and stakeholders to ensure the legislation is the best it can possibly be to improve health care for patients."
But as we speculated earlier, could the RCP be inching towards a more solid and decisive position on the bill?
Next week (Monday 27 February) the RCP is holding an Extraordinary General Meeting for fellows of the RCP. There will be a debate on the Bill and a vote to decide if the RCP should survey its membership on the reforms.
Hot on the heels of the RCP comes another statement from a Number 10 summit attendee, this time from Professor Terence Stephenson, President of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health.
Stephenson says opposition to the bill among paediatricians is "increasingly hardening" and that there is "growing concern among our membership."
Again, it suggests it its studiedly neutral position on the bill may change. It will make its formal position on the bill clear later this week.
Here's the full statement:
"The RCPCH has today taken its concerns about the Health and Social Care Bill to the highest level of government. We made it clear that our top priority is the best outcomes for children's health and restated our grave reservations that the Bill carries risks for England's 11 million children and young people.
"Whilst I made it very clear to the Prime Minister that opposition to the Bill amongst paediatricians is increasingly hardening and we have serious concerns, he reinforced his determination to push the Bill through Parliament.
"The RCPCH has never supported the Bill, but we have embarked on a strategy of critically engaging with Government, consistently conveying our concerns to all political parties and pushing for amendments.
"It has become clear over the last few weeks and months that despite several concessions, there is growing concern amongst our membership, healthcare professionals generally and the wider public. That's why we have decided to survey members on whether to continue our current approach of meeting with Government to influence the Bill or whether to call for its withdrawal.
"We expect to be able to confirm the RCPCH's formal position on the Bill after the survey closes this week and the result has been considered by the College's Council."
This could be a crucial decision.
The government has admitted that it has failed to explain its NHS reforms, writes my colleague Nicholas Watt. Here's his report:
Downing Street admitted this afternoon that the government has failed to explain its NHS reforms, highlighting David Cameron's unease over Andrew Lansley's handling of the health and social care bill.
The prime minister's spokesman said ministers need to "explain more clearly" the thinking behind the reforms amid irritation in No 10 that the government is still facing accusations that it is privatising the NHS.
The spokesman added: "The NHS Confederation were there and made the point, which the prime minister would certainly agree with, that the focus needs to move on from the theory of the reforms to the reality of implementation.
"It is being implemented, this reform programme, around the country. We saw today the experience of certain commissioning groups highlighting how those reforms can be implemented to the benefit of patients."
But Downing Street highlighted frustration with Lansley. Cameron believes privately that the health secretary is guilty of a catastrophic political failure to explain in simple terms why it is right to devolve commissioning powers to GPs.
The No 10 spokesman said: "Clearly there are concerns in some quarters about some of the reforms that are being proposed.
"As the prime minister made clear after the meeting, often that is because people don't necessarily understand what those reforms are and they are responding to the myth rather than the reform itself. We are not proposing to privatise the health service.
"We are trying to create more choice for patients and put patients at the heart of the health service and improve outcomes for patients. So sometimes it is because people don't actually understand what is being proposed.
"The other thing that he made clear in the meeting was that this is about evolution not revolution in the health service. It is not necessarily always seen in that way and we need to explain more clearly how we are going about the reforms."
Ok, that's it for today's NHS Reforms live blog. Here's a summary:
• The prime minister David Cameron held a "summit" at Number 10 to discuss his proposed reforms, although there was controversy over his failure to invite a number organisations opposed ot the bill, including the BMA, the RCN, and the Royal College of GPs.
• The health secretary Andrew Lansley walked into a PR disaster when he was met at the gates of Downing Street by angry protestors and harangued by pensioner and former trade union rep June Hautot in front of the TV cameras.
• Labour leader Ed Miliband, speaking at Homerton hospital in Hackney, east London, accused Cameron of adopting a "bunker mentality" over the reforms.
• Two key voices in the debate who have yet to come down for or against the bill - the Royal College of Physicians, and the Royal College of Paediatricians and Child Health - made clear at the summit they have reservations over aspects of the bill.
I'll leave you with this picture, tweeted from outside Downing street this lunchtime by registered nurse Kathryn Anderson (@kaffando). She says:
not sure but this could be the picture of the day?


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Kohl's Corp (KSS): Today's Featured Services Laggard
Kohl's ( KSS) pushed the Services sector lower today making it today's featured Services laggard. The sector as a whole closed the day down 0.5%. By the end of trading, Kohl's fell $0.56 (-1.1%) to $52.94 on average volume. Throughout the day, 2,818,308 shares of Kohl's exchanged hands as compared to its average daily volume of 2,464,100 shares. The stock ranged in price between $52.86-$53.76 after having opened the day at $53.61 as compared to the previous trading day's close of $53.50. Other companies within the Services sector that declined today were: ENGlobal Corporation ( ENG), down 24.6%, Heidrick & Struggles International ( HSII), down 17.2%, China Jo-Jo Drugstores ( CJJD), down 16.0% and Beasley Broadcast Group ( BBGI), down 14.3%.
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WASHINGTON (WUSA) -- A 30-year-old man has been charged with misdemeanor sexual abuse after being accused of several sexual assaults in the Dupont Circle Northwest area, say D.C. police.
Thursday night, police arrested Oscar Mauricio Carnejo-Pena of Northwest Washington, D.C. and charged him with four counts of misdemeanor sexual abuse.
Carnejo-Pena is accused of four sexual assaults that happened in the first two weeks of August. Two assaults happened in the 1200 block of Connecticut Avenue, one assault in the 1900 block of Q Street and another assault 16th and U streets. In each case, a man approached women, touched them inappropriately and then fled.
Police say Carnejo-Pena was identified as the suspect after an investigation. Police are trying to determine if he may be responsible for any other assaults.


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Hi Mohit, Shekhar, Manish,
@mani0303 said:A,B and C are real numbers and MOD(x) is the largest integer less than or equal to x.If p = MOD(A + B + C) and q = MOD(A) + MOD(B) + MOD(C),then maximum of p - q is ?Options are 0 to 3
@themaster said:A sequence of numbers is written in the following fashion: 1, 7, 1, 1, 7, 7, 1, 1, 1, 7, 7, 7, ... till €˜n €™ terms. What is the value of (T5040 + T5042 + T5044 + T5046)? (Tn is the nth term of the given sequence.)
A city has a park shaped as a right angled triangle. the length of the longest side of this park is 80m. the mayor of the city wants to construct three paths from the corner point opposite to the longest side such that these three paths divide the longest side into four equal segments. determine the sum of the squares of the lengths of the three paths.
ps:aizen bhai and all other bhais regards___/\___
aditiagr SaysWe were told that they don't have our scores and that we must not reveal them under any circumstance.
Here comes a new topic for discussion
Topic: If you were to decide, what should have been the selection criterion for top B-Schools to shortlist people and why!
House is open for discussion!
Who are having problem with the link...here s the file for you


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May 5, 2016
The headmaster of a prestigious Boston school is trying to drive a stake through rumors that vampires roam the campus.
Lynne Mooney Teta sent a notice Thursday to teachers, students and parents associated with Boston Latin School. She denied the presence of vampires and said recent rumors were disrupting classes.
Apparently they were serious enough for Boston police to visit.
Spokesman Eddy Chrispin said police were called to the school Wednesday to help quell the rumors.
The school was founded in 1635. Its students have included Ben Franklin, Sam Adams and Louis Farrakhan.
Copyright 2016 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
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Why does my newborn cry in his sleep?
My 3 week old cries in his sleep all of the time. I think he is ready to get up and by the time I get to him he is sleeping, so I let him be. At first I thought it was gas... but I don't think that is it anymore.
Posted: 10/19/2011 by lmcdonald31
Mom Answers
Sort by: best answers | most recent answers
1 - 1 of 1 answers
I have noticed that babies like either being in a deep sleep or a light sleep but not the transition from one to another. I think they are very black and white in that respect and grey areas are something they need to get used to. Often babies will cry out but not be awake but it doesn't mean they are unhappy or always need your help. Once they are more comfortable with their sleep patterns then I have noticed that they no longer 'cry out' in their sleep. Sometimes we disturb them more by rocking them or doing any more than just checking to see if they are ok.posted 10/24/2011 by Maternitynurse
Answer this question


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Welcome to The UV Printshop!
The UV Printshop offers an affordable solution to all of your identification, awards, and point-of-purchase (POP) needs. Using your graphics and our ultraviolet (UV) printing process, there are virtually no limits to what we can produce. We really are committed to keeping you A Leap Ahead.
We offer a wide variety of services including:
Located in St. Louis County just minutes from Lambert International Airport and downtown, we have offer a full range of printing solutions and promotional products for whatever promotion, event, or situation you may find yourself in.


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This is from this past weeks Bench workout which really went well.
It was the beginning of my preparation for the IPF/NAPF North American Bench Press Championships in Costa Rica this September.
I will be competing as a member of Team USA and I am really looking forward to this competition. Hopefully all the workouts leading up to this meet will be as solid as this one was.
Next week we do bench shirt work!
Have a great day & USA all the way!
525x2, 475x6 Bench Press (RAW 2 Board)


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Business News
Jonathan Jeremiah new face for Kuyichi
03 Apr. 2013
Kuyichi: Jonathan Jeremiah new brand ambassadorBritish singer songwriter Jonathan Jeremiah is the new face and ambassador of the Dutch denim brand Kuyichi. "Jonathan Jeremiah exudes passion and authenticity, but also has the right down to Earth attitude, which fits well with our image", said the green fashion label.
Jonathan Jeremiah: "I try as much as possible to be environmentally friendly. As an artist it is sometimes difficult of course, what with flying and driving, but in other ways I wear my part".
The result of the collaboration will be shown in different music video clips. Jeremiah will be also the face of the upcoming Kuyichi campaign. In addition to the cooperation with the British singer the denim brand also works together with the street organisation Ubuntu, which helps children in South Africa.
Juliette Nguyen
|Back to home
Upcoming Tradeshows


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Consequences of overpricing your home
If you overprice your house everyone will know and potential buyers will be reduced
Overpriced houses are readily apparent to the real estate community and to most buyers who have conducted a thorough analysis of the neighbourhood.
As a result, buyers will by-pass new listings which are considered overpriced.
Real Estate Sales Representatives will also alert their clientele if they believe a property is overpriced.
As a result, the number of qualified serious buyers who will put an offer on your home will be significantly reduced during the early stages as the market waits for the invetiable price reduction of the property.<< Macro and micro factors affecting the price | Market value trends in West Toronto >>


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- Thursdays are big days in our area. Take a look at our calendar to see what's happening today. There's no way we can update you on everything that's listed!
- The ECA is raffling off a queen-sized, homemade quilt to raise money for the Helping Hand Clinic. Purchase a ticket at any Capital Bank location, at the clinic, or by calling Irene at 919-777-9668. View the quilt at Belk in Riverbirch through September 3.
- Job alert: Big Screen Beauty Salon has rental booths available for stylists. They plan to open on Monday at 3100 S. Horner Blvd. Call Christy at 910-964-2895 if you're interested.
- A local family has lost its home to a fire. Click over to their new Facebook page to see how you can help them get back on their feet.
- Sanford BPW is collecting gently used professional clothing for women to donate to the CUOC's Dress for Success program. If you'd like to help, you can bring donations to their next meeting (5:30pm, Sept. 6, La Dolce Vita) or comment on their page.
- Come learn why (and how) to use Google Calendar for your business. I'm excited to get more folks synced up so I can better share your biz info here on SocialSanford!
Do more: See our full calendar for the day on Facebook or right here on our website.


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Chicago is a place where young entrepreneurs grow big ideas, transform industries and shape technology and business as we know it. Attendees of ThinkChicago will have the opportunity to attend company career fairs, meet Chicago-based businesses, and participate in panels featuring Mayor Emanuel, industry leaders, and Chicago-based technologists.
Join us in Chicago for 2 days during the week of October 13th, 2014 for a chance to visit and meet with the leaders of some of today's most innovative tech companies. 150 elite students will meet industry leaders, visit business headquarters, gain free VIP admission to select programming at the annual Chicago Ideas Week, and much more. More details to come.
ThinkChicago seeks university students who are enthusiastic about digital technology, computer science, innovation or entrepreneurship and have demonstrated a commitment to achievement and excellence in their field. More details to come on how to submit an application be considered for the ThinkChicago October program.
Past participants were exposed to companies like GrubHub, Belly, kCura, 37Signals and Vibes, and speakers like Eric Lunt (BrightTag CTO), Dag Kittlaus (creator of Siri) and Harper Reed (Obama for America 2012 CTO). Attendees also visited the 1871 incubator space, met Mayor Emanuel and toured the Chicago sites.
Learn more about ThinkChicago at: http://www.thinkchicago.net
For questions, please contact Danyelle Michelini at email@example.com.


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The Best Breakfast?
September 2, 2011
You can find me talking about the benefits of a protein-rich breakfast at Keeper of the Home today.
I'm also sharing our family's favorite protein pancake recipe.
I'll be back here later today with a hearty breakfast casserole recipe that packs a nutritional punch.
I'd love to know what your favorite protein-rich breakfast foods are. Won't you hop over to Keeper of the Home and tell us?
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Tim Madigan of Harper Woods has lost 100 pounds in the last year. He said he gradually built up his workouts as his strength increased.
photo by Renee Landuyt
January 30, 2014
Editor's note: This is the final story in a four-part series on improving health and life styles.
A healthy lifestyle has to start at some point.
Today is that day for Grosse Pointers to embrace "60 Days of Health."
"Sixty Days of Health has been designed for the community to live a healthy lifestyle," said Andrea Beebe, the Neighborhood Club's fitness program coordinator.
"The purpose of the 60 Days of Health program is to celebrate everyone's health and well being; to promote awareness to being healthy, be active and to promote fitness for people in the community," said Stu Alderman, the Neighborhood Club's executive director.
With programs to benefit all ages, the 60 Days of Health offers opportunities to enroll in a new exercise class, sit in on lectures presenting new ideas to enhance healthy thinking options, seek out places to socialize and tips to improve your life.
In a nutshell, 60 Days of Health suggests simple ways to change thinking, step out of the box and try something new.
"Ultimately it starts with thinking, making choices, at the grocery store or time," said Lucy Sternburgh, Beaumont's manager of employee and community health promotion of how to establish a healthy lifestyle. "Make sustainable choices, things that will last. Take small enough steps with community support. Find the right people, keep healthy company."
She goes on to say the human body was not built to sit 10 hours a day. Rather it is designed to be active and one way to achieve that is to get 30 minutes of exercise a day. It can be broken up into 10 minute segments, participating in light activities, standing and walking more.
For example, place the recycling bin or the printer in another room, park the car at the end of the parking lot or walk the dog.
"A lot of people are invested in taking care of others — family, work and the elderly. Self care takes a back seat. We are a product of our environment. We believe we must build an island of health. Find that sacred chunk of time. (For example) Those people with dogs have an accountability partner," Sternburgh said.
Once the lifestyle begins to change — no more grabbing a snack from the vending machine — the culture around us changes because, "Our behavior is contagious. We can't wait for the government to say 'get healthy.' It's a personal choice," Sternburgh said.
Beebe added 60 Days of Health feeds right into that.
"The program that we have been working on is designed for the community to live a healthy lifestyle," she said.
Whether it's a diet change or a change in an exercise routine, it is a conscious choice.
"You have to see this as a positive experience," Sternburgh said. "Viewing it as a personal reward rather than a daunting task. Change the lens of the way we view this personal topic."
The Neighborhood Club has more than 40 exercise classes geared to youngsters through seniors and at a variety of times. Early morning and later afternoon classes are popular with working adults, Beebe said. Retirees come during the day.
"The pool is very well used," she said.
For those reluctant to change, Beebe said, "Try something different and mix up a routine."
Maybe revising your exercise routine isn't up for discussion. Many Beaumont-sponsored speakers discuss current topics, such as how parents can reduce their stress levels. How to make a home more green is a topic to be addressed during 60 Days of Health by LocalMotionGreen @ Ecology Center.
Today is a good day to learn what the Grosse Pointes have to offer as lifestyles are adjusted to the healthy side of the street.
Sixty Days of Health is in collaboration with the Neighborhood Club, its recreation and wellness center, Beaumont Community Health Coalition and Beaumont Hospital, Grosse Pointe and the Grosse Pointe Public School System.
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The Party of Lincoln ...
But not of Hayes, Harrison, Hoover, Eisenhower, Nixon, Reagan, or Bush.
Some Republicans still grasped desperately for black ballots. In an ideologically divided party, liberal leaders, such as presidential nominees Wendell Willkie and Thomas Dewey, incorporated pro-civil-rights language into the platforms. But their efforts paled next to Harry Truman's. Truman, the strongest civil rights president the nation had seen, won 70 percent of the black vote in 1948 with a bold, progressive racial agenda. He supported a Fair Employment Practices Commission to fight job discrimination and desegregated the military by executive order.
By the 1950s racial liberalism in the GOP was fading fast. Dwight Eisenhower, a conservative (though) on race, opposed Truman on key issues. In 1945 Eisenhower testified before Congress against integrating the military, and as president he resisted reviving the FEPC. He opposed the 1954 Supreme Court decision Brown vs. Board of Education, which ruled that segregated public schools were unconstitutional. (Bowing to the inevitable, the 1956 GOP platform endorsed Brown.) Ike remarked that "you cannot change people's hearts merely by laws"—repeatedly justifying his inaction in the face of rising demands for civil rights laws.
(At last week's convention, Bush adviser Condoleezza Rice said the Alabama Republican Party of 1952 registered her father to vote when the Democrats wouldn't. That may be true, but in much of the deep South then the GOP was virtually nonexistent. In Georgia, writes the historian Taylor Branch, "Barry Goldwater had trouble drawing crowds to fill even barber shops.")
Entering the 1960 election the Democrats, behind such leaders as Hubert Humphrey of Minnesota and Herbert Lehman of New York, had become the unquestioned party of civil rights. Richard Nixon, who always overestimated his own popularity with blacks, still hoped to fare well—Jackie Robinson, for one, endorsed him—and he probably had a stronger civil rights record than John F. Kennedy. But JFK courted the black vote, famously phoning Martin Luther King Jr.'s wife, Coretta, when the civil rights leader was jailed. Kennedy would have commanded the black vote anyway, but the closeness of the election led analysts to mythologize the phone call as critical.
The battle over the 1964 Civil Rights Act marked the last hurrah for racial liberalism within the GOP. President Lyndon Johnson, Attorney General Robert Kennedy, and the liberal Democrats decided the time was ripe to pass a bill with teeth, their Southern party-mates be damned. While the Republican leadership took a wait-and-see position, younger GOP congressmen such as New York's John Lindsay (who later became a Democrat) and Maryland's Charles Mathias worked on the bill, helping it to passage in the House over Southern opposition.
In the Senate, Southern Democrats predictably undertook a filibuster, which boded ill. Never had civil rights advocates mustered the two-thirds supermajority needed to close off debate. At first, few Republican senators were willing to vote to end the filibuster, believing strongly in states' rights. But behind the scenes Vice President Hubert Humphrey negotiated with Minority Leader Everett Dirksen of Illinois, a supporter of the bill. Humphrey claimed that he courted Dirksen as avidly as he had wooed his wife, Muriel. Dirksen promised to round up enough Republican holdouts if Humphrey would attach amendments paying lip service to state and local control. The deal was struck, and after more than two months the Senate voted 71-29 for cloture, with six Republicans joining 23 Southern Democrats in opposition (44 Democrats and 27 Republicans voted aye).
Sen. Richard Russell of Georgia, the Democrat who led the opposition, said Dirksen had "killed off a rapidly growing Republican Party in the South." But Russell had it backward. Significantly, the opponents of the 1964 law included the GOP's future leaders, including Arizona Sen. Barry Goldwater and Texas Senate aspirant George H.W. Bush. They knew their electoral success depended on conservative support in the South and West.
Goldwater's "Operation Dixie" in his 1964 presidential race may have meant surrendering the black vote; LBJ won 94 percent that year. But it bore fruit four years later. Richard Nixon's successful "Southern Strategy" of 1968 became the blueprint for Ronald Reagan's Southern inroads and Lee Atwater and George Bush's Willie Hortonism. So, if George W. Bush, running under the guidance of Atwater's protégé Karl Rove, can reverse that trend it will be more than a change in his party's line. He will be declaring, truly, that this is not his father's Republican Party.