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Understanding Performance Standards for Law Enforcement CBRN Protective Apparel
By Robert J. Eckroade, Market Specialist, CBRN Products, W. L. Gore & Associates Incorporated, Newark, Delaware
n September 11, 2001, the nature of threats to public safety changed. The country came to realize that there was a much greater probability that weapons of mass destruction (WMD) could and would be used in an attack. This in turn created a new reality of personal protection for the law enforcement community, which became more difficult and complex. State, local, and regional law enforcement teams now are expected to play principal roles in the domestic war against terrorism and potential terrorism response missions.
Preparation for the eventuality of an attack must include planning, training, detection equipment, and personal protective equipment, which allow law enforcement personnel to effectively respond to hostilities and perform law enforcement functions in and around contaminated environments. Law enforcement officers must be protected from a range of hazardous agents, yet protective suits must minimize interference with the officers' ability to respond.
These new responsibilities place increasing demands on the personal protective apparel officers will rely upon during chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) incidents. To assist in the critical task of evaluating and selecting personal protective equipment (PPE), several organizations have sought to provide additional resources, PPE performance standards, and new generations of protective products and technology needed by the law enforcement community. This group includes the federal government, standards organizations such as the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), equipment manufacturers, and other knowledgeable groups.
Protection Strategies and Approaches
An important part of law enforcement terrorism response readiness is having appropriate PPE. Law enforcement, while having myriad choices, has essentially been limited to borrowing technology from either military or hazardous materials applications. The borrowed technologies have often come from Department of Defense programs, given the military's long-standing preparedness for potential use of chemical warfare agents by enemy forces. Additionally, although far from ideal, some law enforcement teams have adopted products originally developed for hazardous materials response teams that routinely deal with toxic chemical spills and related hazards. So, although PPE exists for military and hazmat applications, it has become clear that these products do not meet the unique operational and protection requirements required by law enforcement to perform under hostile conditions.
CBRN Threats
With acronyms such as WMD and CBRN becoming more pervasive in public safety, law enforcement personnel are seeing their missions expanded to deal with potential terrorism, involving dangerous, new agents. The magnitude of potential events requires that all first responders be prepared for the unique hazards associated with WMD-based terrorism incidents. These threats involve a spectrum of different substances and scenarios, including chemical, biological, and radioactive agents, which must be anticipated.
Chemical threats include the use of chemical warfare agents (CWA) and toxic industrial chemicals (TIC) against civilian populations. Chemical warfare agents are specifically designed to harm humans through either respiratory or skin exposure. As an example, the CWA sarin has already been used in one attack in Japan, causing multiple deaths of both civilians and first responders, who did not realize initially what the attacking agent was.1 Toxic industrial chemicals, although not as toxic as chemical warfare agents, are much more pervasive, exist in larger quantities, and are more readily accessible. For these reasons, many law enforcement teams often classify toxic agents as more dangerous than chemical warfare agents. TICs were used by terrorists in Iraq, who combined explosives with chlorine containers, resulting in a number of civilian casualties during 2007 and 2008.2 Also, though not acts of terrorism, law enforcement officials must routinely deal with serious health threats from "cocktails" of multiple hazardous chemicals encountered during raids on clandestine drug laboratories.
Biological agents including pathogens and toxins also pose serious threats during law enforcement response to terrorism. The dissemination of anthrax spores through the U.S. Postal Service in fall 2001 shows how pervasive such an attack can be.3 The majority of biological hazards are airborne, where disease is spread through the respiration of biological agents; however, some biological hazards can be manifested through skin contact, or more aptly, blood contact with non-intact skin. While not terrorism, bloodborne pathogens such as HIV and Hepatitis are also threats to which law enforcement personnel may be exposed.
Ionizing radiation emanating from radioactive material is perhaps the most difficult hazard to approach. Certainly, the threat for high levels of radiation coupled with intense energy associated with a nuclear weapon detonation obviates any hope for short-term, short-range protection. Nevertheless, the law enforcement community also is concerned about other radiological hazards, such as those that may occur through the use of a radioactive dispersal device (RDD or a "dirty bomb") in which conventional explosives are coupled with commercial radioactive material (such as that used in health-care imaging equipment) to spread ionizing radiation over large areas. The mantra of protection from radiological hazards is shielding, distance, and time. All clothing will protect against alpha particles—with some forms of protective clothing effective against low-energy beta radiation. However, protection from high-energy beta particles, gamma rays, and X-rays generally exceeds the capabilities of all conventional protective clothing.
Protection Principles
The effectiveness of personal protective equipment in keeping law enforcement personnel safe from CBRN hazards involves a combination of appropriate materials and overall clothing design. Materials must be selected to act as barriers against the specific agents of concern; this is ensured through material-level testing. Additionally, the overall ensemble design, including closures and interfaces, must limit ingress of hazardous agents to safe levels; this is measured by system-level tests.
Material-level testing for CBRN hazards includes chemical permeation resistance and chemical penetration resistance. Chemical permeation resistance involves limiting the amount of chemical that passes through on a molecular level. Tests have been developed to determine how well the material keeps individual chemicals from permeating at levels that can be dangerous to the wearer. It is important that materials be evaluated against a representative battery of chemicals for a range of properties and hazards that may be encountered. For example, air-permeable, carbon-based materials may reduce chemical warfare agent permeation to an acceptable exposure level versus a military requirement; however, several toxic industrial chemicals easily permeate these materials at relatively high rates. For CBRN protection, the commonly accepted approach based on military protocol is to measure the total amount of chemical permeating a given area of material over a specified period of time. The measured amount of permeating chemical is compared to toxicological end points that have been established by military and civil subject matter experts. These toxicological end points are reflected in both Department of Defense specifications and in the civil third-party standards, which will be discussed later in this article.
Chemical penetration resistance refers to bulk liquid transfer (as opposed to molecular transfer) through a material. Materials should be tested for penetration resistance against a battery of potential toxic industrial chemicals. For example, many responders are surprised to find that some of the "borrowed technology" PPE they use does not protect against penetration of common acids such as sulfuric acid and hydrochloric acid. Just as materials are tested for their barrier properties against chemicals, materials also can be tested for biopenetration resistance. Biological agents can pass through materials as extremely tiny particles in minute amounts of liquid too small to see.
Lastly for material-level testing, it is also important to characterize materials in terms of their strength and durability. There are many barrier materials provided by industry, but clothing based on these materials, in some cases, may be easily compromised through contact with physical hazards or wear and tear. The physical properties for materials in terms of their overall resistance to physical hazards such as tears, punctures, abrasion, and repeated flexing is a critical factor in choosing the correct protective clothing material.
The importance of system-level tests of CBRN PPE cannot be overlooked. Even when constructed of an excellent barrier material, CBRN PPE will essentially offer little to no protection if chemical or biological agents can penetrate openings in the garment, bypassing the barrier material altogether. Any opening of the clothing, such as the front closure, must be designed to minimize leakage of outside contamination into the clothing. This challenge becomes even tougher when the clothing design must consider all interfaces between the garment and other ensemble elements. CBRN PPE garments have to interface with respirators, gloves, and footwear, at a minimum, and each point of attachment should offer similar protection as the base materials used in the construction of the garment. Thus, the overall integrity of the garment design and construction becomes equally important to the performance of the barrier material.
There are two principal tests for measuring garment and ensemble integrity. One comprehensive evaluation is Man-in-Simulant-Test (MIST). This technique, employed by the military for years as a way of testing garments against battlefield chemical warfare agents, is now being applied to first-responder CBRN protective clothing and ensembles. MIST involves measuring how much surrogate vapor passes through the garment onto special adsorbent pads located all over the test subjects' bodies while the test subjects perform a series of exercises which replicate response activity. Laboratory analysis of the adsorbent pads yields how much surrogate chemical penetrated the ensemble and allows for the calculation of protection factors—ratios of outside-the-suit to inside-the-suit concentrations. Additional calculations provide protection factors for individual body locations and the overall ensemble; these can be compared against established minimum requirements in the relevant standard.
Protective clothing is also evaluated using an overall liquid integrity test, commonly called the "shower test." In this test, PPE ensembles are subjected to a liquid spray exposure to assess the overall liquid protection provided. Responders are interested in this evaluation as it closely simulates liquid challenges an ensemble will experience going through a wet decontamination procedure. Typically, no sign of liquid ingress is the acceptance criteria. Liquid integrity testing is also useful in specifically assessing the performance of garment closure systems, seam quality, and overall design integrity.
Available and Emerging Standards
Standards play an important role in defining minimum requirements for protective clothing in terms of protection and operational performance. In this fashion, standards encompass a range of requirements that would otherwise be difficult for individual departments to specify. Additionally, standards provide a level basis of comparison, helping departments to evaluate different PPE options against a common benchmark.
A standard that already exists and is being used by law enforcement today is NFPA 1994, Standard on First Responder Protective Ensembles for CBRN Terrorism Incidents. This standard for protective ensembles couples clothing systems with CBRN-approved respiratory protection to provide multiple classes of ensembles that address varying threat scenarios. The most recent edition, from 2007, addresses threat scenarios through three different classes of protective ensembles.
The NFPA 1994 standard is recognized by the Responder Knowledge Base (www.rkb.us), which lists compliant products already being purchased by law enforcement for each the of specified ensemble classes.
Additional standards for law enforcement are currently being developed to help ensure law enforcement needs are fully addressed. The National Institute for Justice (NIJ) expects to soon publish a law enforcement protective ensemble CBRN standard. The proposed NIJ standard, available to the public in draft form at the time of this writing, establishes four law enforcement response levels (LERL). These proposed levels incorporate many of the protection requirements established with NFPA 1994 and related standards. However, there are two major, overarching differences across all NIJ LERLs and NFPA 1994 levels.
An additional difference between the standards is that NIJ has a minimum THL requirement in an above IDLH ensemble (LERL-2) not found in NFPA 1994.
The following is a brief summary of each of the four levels as they exist in the August 2008 draft of NIJ Standard - 0116.00: CBRN Protective Ensemble Standard for Law Enforcement, and how they compare to their NFPA counterpart.
LERL-1. The highest level of protection in the NIJ standard is the LERL-1, which requires a self-encapsulating suit for conditions unknown or known to be above IDLH environments, comparable to NFPA 1991, Standard on Vapor–Protective Ensembles for Hazardous Materials Emergencies. The NIJ and NFPA standards both require material permeation testing to 24 TICs and 2 CWAs and have flash-fire requirements. Also, as with NFPA 1991, ensembles compliant to LERL-1 will require the use of an SCBA. One key difference between the standards is that LERL-1 utilizes MIST for the system-level test, whereas NFPA 1991 utilizes the sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) test. Note that users often refer to self-encapsulating PPE as "level A" suits.
LERL-2. The LERL-2 corresponds to NFPA 1994, Class 2, with very similar barrier material chemical permeation and MIST system-level requirements. LERL-2 is for use in conditions unknown or known to be above IDLH environments and requires the use of an SCBA. One key difference between the standards is that NIJ proposes adding a minimum 450 Watts per square meter Kelvin THL requirement for this level, which is not included in NFPA 1994, Class 2.
LERL-3 The LERL-3 corresponds to NFPA 1994, Class 3. The requirements are closely aligned between the NIJ and the NFPA standards for chemical permeation challenges and MIST system-level testing. Both standards require the use of an APR or PAPR for environments known to be below IDLH. Additionally, there are THL requirements for both NFPA 1994, Class 3, and the NIJ standard, although NIJ is proposing higher levels than NFPA (450 Watts per square meter Kelvin versus 200 Watts per square meter Kelvin).
LERL-4. The LERL-4 is most similar to NFPA 1994, Class 3, for materials, system-level performance, and use of an APR or PAPR. Primary differences with LERL-4 concern reduced durability needs versus what is required by LERL-3.
Recommended Selection Practices
Evaluation and selection of protective ensembles require an understanding of both the CBRN hazards personnel may face during terrorism response missions and the capabilities needed to respond to hostilities and perform law enforcement functions in a potentially contaminated environment.
The use of performance standards in the selection of CBRN protective clothing should be a prerequisite. These standards arise from balanced groups that have worked together to determine minimum requirements for end user protection and operational performance. The level of investment and expertise needed to develop these recommendations is typically beyond the resources of individual departments. Standards also provide a basis for departments to evaluate different PPE options against a common reference point.
Fortunately, manufacturers have responded to better meet law enforcement needs for enhanced response capabilities. A range of CBRN PPE compliant to independent third-party performance standards is now commercially available from multiple manufacturers; it's no longer necessary for law enforcement to compromise by choosing borrowed technologies.
Departments can help ensure officer safety by specifying only CBRN ensembles that are compliant with third-party standards. Within the applicable standard, departments must identify the class or level relevant to the officer's operational needs or anticipated mission requirements. Further, departments should seek third-party documentation for any additional PPE performance they wish to specify. An individual department's performance requirements, above what is required in a standard, can include testing of additional CWAs, TICs, higher THL or mechanical strength, and flame resistance.
Since 9/11, it has become clear that new threats to public safety exist and that law enforcement teams now play an increasing role in the domestic war on terrorism. Fortunately, departments no longer must accept compromises associated with borrowed PPE technologies when planning for CBRN terrorism response missions. Recognized performance standards already exist and additional standards are in development. These standards can assist and guide law enforcement in the critical task of evaluating and selecting CBRN PPE for a range of potential response missions, to enhance both officer safety and terrorism response capabilities. ■
1Kyle B. Olson, "Aum Shinrikyo: Once and Future Threat?" Emerging Infectious Diseases 5, no. 4 (1999): 513–516, http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/EID/vol5no4/olson.htm (accessed May 24, 2010).2Anthony H. Cordesman and Emma R. Davies, Iraq's Insurgency and the Road to Civil Conflict (Westport, Conn.: Praeger Security International, 2008), 580.3Frank Gottron, The U.S. Postal Service Response to the Threat of Bioterrorism through the Mail, February 11, 2002, RL31280, CRS-4, http://www.au.af.mil/au/awc/awcgate/crs/rl31280.pdf (accessed May 24, 2010).Please cite as: Robert J. Eckroade, "Understanding Performance Standards for Law Enforcement CBRN Protective Apparel," The Police Chief 77 (July 2010): 16–19,http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/naylor/CPIM0710/#/16 (insert access date).Top
Please cite as:
Robert J. Eckroade, "Understanding Performance Standards for Law Enforcement CBRN Protective Apparel," The Police Chief 77 (July 2010): 16–19,http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/naylor/CPIM0710/#/16 (insert access date).
From The Police Chief, vol. LXXVII, no. 7, July 2010. Copyright held by the International Association of Chiefs of Police, 515 North Washington Street, Alexandria, VA 22314 USA.


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Countdown to Spring Training: Day 43
The Tampa Bay Rays are preparing for February as they make changes to their roster prior to Spring Training.
The Rays?inked two minor league contracts?Monday, signing 33-year-old outfielder?Justin Christian?to a minor league deal, with an invite to spring training. He's played parts of three seasons in the majors; 2008 was spent with the?Yankees, 2011-2012 was with the?Giants?and last season with the?Cardinals?Triple-A team.
The second deal was with 28-year-old catcher Eddy Rodriguez, who had one stint to the majors in 2012 with the?Padres?and spent 2013 in Double and Triple-A.
The deadline to file for arbitration was Monday, but Friday, per Rays policy, is the cut off for negotiating, with a hearing then scheduled.
Seven players remain in the arbitration process,?players and projected salaries provided by Marc Topkin:
LHP David Price ($13.1-million)
OF Matt Joyce ($3.7M)
RHP Jeremy Hellickson ($3.3M)
INF/OF Sean Rodriguez ($1.3M)
LHP Jake McGee ($1.2M)
C?Jose Lobaton?($1M)
LHP Cesar Ramos ($700K)
Spring Training tickets go on sale this week, available to Rays Insiders on Thursday and to the general public Friday, on?raysbaseball.com.
For more on this story, please visit draysbay.com.

subset: commoncrawl


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Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Some run into the fire, some help bring a smile to a young child's face while others look to lend a hand wherever they can but they all have a common thread they share. Everyday, people across the community, the state and the country volunteer their time in an effort to give back.
Whether someone wants to work with children, senior citizens or put their work skills to use for a good cause, there is a volunteer program in the Lowcountry for them. Below is a small example of the many programs available, many which are always looking for volunteers.
'Tis the season of giving and what better way to give than volunteer your time.
© 2016 The Journal Scene an Evening Post Industries company. All Rights Reserved.
Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service, Privacy Policy and Parental Consent Form.


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Last Update
Visa Application
Exchange students should apply for a Resident or Visitor Visa in their resident country (http://www.mofa.gov.tw/EnOfficial ) before entering Taiwan with CGU's admission letter.
For more visa information, please visithttp://www.boca.gov.tw/ct.asp?xItem=6139&ctNode=778&mp=2.
Visitor Visa: for exchange students who hold valid passport and intend to stay in Taiwan for one semester (less than 6 months)
Resident Visa: for exchange students who hold valid passport and intend to stay in Taiwan for two semesters (more than 6 months)
Note: from previous students' experience, it is likely that some ROC embassies issue visitor visas to international students instead of resident visas.
In this case, you can enter Taiwan with a visitor visa first and then change to a resident visa after you complete the registration.


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Home > About IEEE > Corporate > Assembly
The biography and position statement of the 2016 IEEE Vice President, Member and Geographic Activities is below.
Wai-Choong (Lawrence) Wong is Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National University of Singapore (NUS). He is currently Deputy Director of the Interactive and Digital Media Institute at NUS. He has held various management positions in NUS, including Head-Department of Electrical Engineering (2008-2009), Director–Computer Centre (2000-2002), Director–Centre for Instructional Technology (1998-2000). He was Executive Director of the Institute for Infocomm Research (I2R) from November 2002 – November 2006. Prior to joining NUS in 1983, he was a Member of Technical Staff at AT&T Bell Laboratories, Crawford Hill Lab, NJ, USA (1980-1983).
He received the B.Sc. (1st class Honors) and Ph.D. degrees in Electronic and Electrical Engineering from Loughborough University, UK, in 1976 and 1980, respectively. His research interests include wireless and sensor networks, ambient intelligent platforms and source matched transmission techniques with over 270 publications and 5 patents in these areas.
I have been a volunteer and volunteer leader in several positions at the chapter, section, region, MGA and Board levels since 1984. These include being elected as chapter chair, section chair and region director, appointed as MGA vice chair, and elected as vice president - MGA. As a result of my involvement and contributions in these various roles as well as other volunteer portfolios, I have the opportunity to learn and appreciate the diversity and complexity of issues relevant to the position for which I'm now nominated. Having the benefit to be exposed to different levels of geo-unit operations and activities, and the diversity of how such organizational units (OUs) are structured and the landscapes within which they operate, I believe I can bring greater value to enhancing geo-unit capacity and capabilities that will ultimately result in increased member value at the local level.
At my day job, I have taken on a number of management roles, including Executive Director of the Institute for Infocomm Research, a research organization with about 500 research and administrative staff, Head of the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department at the National University of Singapore (NUS) (which is one of the largest departments in the university with a faculty strength of about 100), Director of the Computer Centre at NUS and Director of the Centre for Instructional Technology at NUS. These roles enabled me to contribute both in terms of managing daily operational routines as well as charting strategic and long-term directions.
Among the major accomplishments that I have brought to IEEE include:
I believe the need to enhance value to members is of paramount importance to enable IEEE to grow. Member benefits and professional content and engagement are key. In terms of member benefits, IEEE needs to be responsive to the livelihood issues of members, while on technical and professional aspirations, IEEE's quality content is a major draw. At the local level, it is the local IEEE Sections and Chapters where there are greatest opportunities to reach out to members and to provide them with tangible value and benefits. However, this is a key challenge facing IEEE volunteers. As 2015 VP-MGA, I started and supported priority focus at the MGAB on:
As MGA moves from the planning phase to the implementation phase, and if I am re-elected as 2016 VP-MGA, I can follow through with the programs and activities started in 2015 to ensure successful implementations in 2016. The priority focus topics aim to address the challenges and in so doing create meaningful and sustainable benefits to members and volunteers.
Learn more about the qualifications, roles and responsibilities of the IEEE Officers, and other members of the IEEE Board of Directors.


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The public is invited to celebrate the importance of cultural awareness during International Days Nov. 15-16 at The University of Texas-Pan American.
This year's theme is "Internationalizing the Campus." The 12th annual event is part of International Education Week, a national campaign led by the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Education. International Days provides a unique opportunity to raise awareness of global cultural issues at the institution. The Office of International Programs (OIP) is hosting the two-day event.
"International Education Week is designed to provide an opportunity to promote the benefits of international education and exchange," said Dr. Sandra Hansmann, OIP faculty director. "Internationalization is a major trend in higher education, and by improving international outreach and education on campus, we improve a student's ability to participate in a more globalized world."
Hansmann said it is vital for UTPA students to be familiar with international issues because it prepares them to be active and engaged participants in an interconnected world. As part of the celebration, a ceremony will be held Nov. 12 to present the yearly UTPA Provost's Awards. The awards recognize exceptional faculty in each of UT Pan American's seven colleges for their efforts to promote international studies through teaching, research and service.
On Thursday, Nov. 15, UTPA faculty members Dr. Lorenzo Pace and Dr. Robert Bradley will give a presentation and lecture on "The Segundo Simposio Internacional de Escultura 'Bicentenario' Cajamarca." The event, which will be held at 10:45 a.m. in the UTPA Ballroom, tells the history of the first contact between the Inca emperor and the Spanish conquistadores through music, dance and projection.
Pace, a professor of art, said it is important to tell the history of the Inca people at International Days because it reminds everyone that all history, in this case, all American history, is connected.
"Everybody loves freedom, everybody wants their freedom," Pace said. "That is what connects us to America."
Pace and Bradley, an assistant professor of art, also plan to travel to Cajamarca, Peru in July to participate in the country's Fiestas Patrias 2013 where they will display their artwork paying homage to the historic event.
Also on Nov. 15 is a Study Abroad Fair that will be in the Student Union Commons from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Course instructors from each study abroad program will be on hand to endorse their program and answer questions from students.
Culture Night, the highlight of the two-day agenda of activities, will also be held on Thursday, from 6-8 p.m., in the Quad featuring live music, games, food booths and entertainment.
"We will have seven different groups presenting songs and dances from a variety of groups including a Filipino choir, native Italian dances, belly dancing, a martial arts demonstration and traditional Chinese dance," Hansmann said. "The UTPA mariachi will also perform."
Both days will also feature lectures, panel discussions and presentations by faculty members on topics such as environmental sustainability, human rights, and ways to address worldwide challenges. These activities and Culture Night are free and open to the public.
A closing ceremony for UTPA students and staff at the International Trade and Technology Building will cap off the festivities Friday, Nov. 16. This past year's study abroad students will be given the opportunity to reunite with their fellow classmates and meet students that participated in other international programs. The winners of the Broncs Around the World photo contest will also be recognized.
For more information and a complete schedule of events, contact the Office of International Programs at (956) 665-3572.


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Word on The Town (ft. Juicy J, Pimp C) Lyrics[Intro:]
Yea, I'm still just hustling man
I don't know about ya'll
You see, I've been doing this shit
So, this shit ain't nothing
[Hook: Juicy J]
Word on the town that you niggas snitchin'
Word on the town, I'm fuckin' niggas bitches
Word on the town, that you ain't sellin' dope
Word on the town, that you niggas going broke
[Verse 1:]
Chop up brothers, we kill this shit
No 22's, no Emmitt Smith
Pulled out on your (?) reel
Killed ya'll dogs like Michael Vick
Yellow tape, first 48
Don't give a fuck if they catch a case
Done gunplays in broad daylight, no mask on they barren face
Barren face when we get 'em, don't become a victim
Shoulda used his intuition when I caught him slippin'
Open banana peel ass nigga, we got your number
Put 'em in the trunk, treat 'em like some Louie luggage
Just in-case a nigga think he finna take mine
I'mma give his ass a clip, tell the pussy nigga take five
Real street niggas, get it how they live
Cut that gangsta shit out cause that ain't who you is
[Verse 2:]
Niggas tellin', aw man they ain't gettin' money
How you get caught up for a strap and tell on your homie
Nigga, theres rules to this game and you ain't livin' by 'em
Like you don't talk about them drugs if you really buy 'em
You don't talk about them goons if you really got 'em
And you don't talk about them bodies if they really droppin'
You from where I'm from, you don't do no talkin'
When the police come we just change the topic
In my hood niggas really robbin'
You get your brains blown off if you don't use precaution
Take off your head just be like what the cost is
In Pittsburgh it's Taylor Gang and niggas I'mma boss man
Word on the town that you niggas snitchin'
Word on the town, I'm fuckin' niggas bitches
[Verse 3:]
(?) Then pulled off the talkin' 'bout
Taking mines
If you run up on that Bentley, bitch your life is on the line
Yea, bitch, I'm on parole
But that thing in my possession
Ain't gonna be no ho and pimpin'
Ain't gonna be no disrespect
And I don't owe you niggas shit
And I don't need no new buddy
I don't wanna fuck your bitch cause the ho is too slutty
Jaws too nutty, kiss her lips - you eat a dick
I ain't came out here to play, I'm out here representin' this shit
I'm not the king of the south, ya'll can fight over the title
But I got more hoes calling me than American Idol
Young Pimp C holdin' it down
Come around with that fuck shit, we'll leave you shakin' on the ground
(Lil Bitch!)
Si les paroles de 'Word on The Town (ft. Juicy J, Pimp C)' contiennent des erreurs, laisse nous un commentaire. On fera le maximum pour les corriger dans les plus brefs délais.


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Implementing Live Chat: Dos and Don'ts
Many online merchants who use live chat on their stores have seen significant increases in sales.
This includes Bloom Nation, an online florist. According its founder, Gregg Weisstein, shoppers are 11 times more likely to convert when engaged in live chat. Similarly, David Handmaker of Next Day Flyers, an online printing company, told me that live chat has boosted his site's conversion rates. "We've run split tests and seen a lift of 47 percent when using live chat versus when we haven't had live chat turned on."
There are a number of reasons behind these conversion increases. For one, live chat facilitates instant answers to shoppers, who frequently leave a store without buying anything because they are either unsure about a purchase or have unanswered questions. Live chat can therefore be an effective tool in lowering your site's bounce rate and shopping cart abandonments. You can use it to convince undecided consumers who have questions but don't want to call on the telephone.
Additionally, live chat can be used for upselling or cross selling. If you find out why the shopper is purchasing a particular product, you can then use the live chat to quickly recommend similar or complementary items.
"Live chat is instrumental in cross selling other services to our merchants," said Bloom Nation's Weisstein.
Live Chat Offers a Personalized Customer Experience
Live chat gives you the ability to personalize the shopping experience to each visitor by providing tailored answers and recommendations.
Moreover, live chat can help you understand visitors' intentions as they're browsing your site. What's the purpose of their visit? What are they looking for? Are they finding everything? These insights can help suggest the most relevant products and otherwise help shoppers make more informed decisions.
Live Chat Helps Customer Service
Live chat also saves time. It eliminates extended email conversations and provides quick answers to questions and follow-ups.
It also makes your team more efficient. Instead of taking just one phone call at a time, live chat reps can respond to two or three shoppers at once.
Moreover, you can use your live chat logs to train your representatives for better service. Reading through past conversations is much easier than listening or transcribing phone call recordings.
Live Chat Dos and Don'ts
Below are a few dos and don'ts before implementing live chat with your shoppers.
Do indicate the times when you are available. Are your live chat reps only available during regular business hours? Be sure state that on the chat box. You don't want your shoppers to send live chat messages if there isn't anyone on the other end to respond.
Don't immediately open up the chat client. Don't approach customers with a live chat box the instant they click on your site. Give your shoppers time to click on a few things before asking them if they need assistance. One merchant told me that practice of instantly chatting a site visitor was "as annoying as a sales person pestering you in a brick-and-mortar store when you step through the door."
Do personalize your encounters. Having a live chat application on your site helps with personalization. Consider personalizing even more by sending chat messages based on shoppers' behavior on your site. For instance, if you see that a shopper is spending time in the men's shoes section, send a chat message offering help with finding the right pair of shoes.
Don't creep out your customers. You'll be able to see a lot of information about your site visitors — such as where they're located. However, you should not use all the information when chatting with visitors because it might cause them to feel uncomfortable.
Do run some tests. As effective as live chat may be, don't implement it without testing. Before entering a long-term agreement with a chat provider, test a live chat app for a couple of months and observe its effect on your conversion rate. If you decide to keep it on your site, then you may also want to test the details associated with it, such as your welcome messages, the amount of time before the chat box appears, or the appearance and behavior of the chat window. This helps you optimize your live chat application for maximum conversions, engagement, and personalization.
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Comments ( 7 )
Live chat really does help convert but is a struggle for solo retailers as you cannot always be available! Live chat is a great, free source of insights into how customers understand your product offerings and thanks to it, I updated my descriptions and FAQs from their queries.
Hi Elizabeth, I would implore you to check out Syncro at http://syncrowebchat.com! We developed our software to combat this very problem. Rather than being at the mercy of sitting in front of your computer all day waiting for live chats, Syncro sends live chats to your mobile phone via text message, where you can simply respond back like you would in a normal text conversation.
Syncro has tons of great metrics in the account dashboard, no need to install special software, no need for a special phone, and we also have a wordpress plugin to ease installation!
One way I've avoided late-night live-chat requests from customers is by placing my time zone next to my contact phone number on the top of my website.
Thank you Elizabeth for your feedback – that is such a great practice to update your FAQs based on the questions you received to save time in the long-term. Appreciate you reading and commenting!
Derek, agreed. It's important to list your time zone so you can help manage your customers expectations as they should not expect us to be answering 24 hours / day or during non-business hours. Great tip.
Great article! Talking about live chat, I accidentally came across inside, and after looking through their site http://www.inside.tm/, it morphs a business website into a virtual storefront so business personnel can see and help their site visitors in real-time using chat.
Thanks for sharing! I agree with Elizabeth that, if you are a solo retailer, using Live Chat can be sometimes time consuming but I think the pros definitely outweigh the cons. I have been using Live Chat on my site for 3 months now, and my personal experience is very positive, the drop rate of my shop has decrease dramatically.
In case you are interested, the solution I use is Visitlead.com. I really like the fact that it's not only limited to chat, but also has some interesting extra features that I have been using a lot, for example the Co-Browsing.


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Anne Hathaway says she's "trying to move on and have a sense of humor" in the wake of her breakup with ex-boyfriend Raffaello Follieri and his subsequent guilty plea on money laundering and fraud charges.
In an interview with Good Morning America's Robin Roberts on Thursday, Hathaway steered clear of specifics on Follieri, who is awaiting sentencing on Oct. 10.
The actress, 25, who is promoting her latest film, Rachel Getting Married, said she's grateful for the support she's received during troubling times.
"I have a lot of people that love me that have protected me, that were trying to protect me before and are doing even more so now," Hathaway said. "And when you have that focus on you ... and that kind of love, I'm in a position right now, where I'm in a place to grow."
The interview came a day after her the Devil Wears Prada star was visibly uncomfortable – but a good sport – as she was grilled by David Letterman about Follieri.
Anne's prince turns out to be a 'conman'
Where the trouble began: Follieri bounces a $215K check!
Anne Hathaway: 'I'm Trying to Move On'
Lester Cohen/WireImage


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Amtrak's California Zephyr, Train #6, has derailed in rural southwestern Nebraska after hitting an agricultural vehicle that was on the tracks causing both locomotive engines and three railcars to leave the tracks.
The train was traveling from San Francisco (Oakland) on Wednesday for Chicago when the accident happen around 9am this morning. Dundy County Hospital Spokesperson Sandy Noffsinger said three people have been hospitalized as a result of the train accident, but none were life threatening.
The California Zephyr passes through the Sierra Nevada mountains, the Rocky Mountains, along the Colorado River, and across the great plains. The location of the accident is near the Kansas and Colorado state lines. it is a double decker train, with 15 or more rail cars normally.
Relatives and concerned friends that had passengers onboard may call 1-800-523-9101 for information. Passengers have been taken to a nearby school where they will then be taken to their destination.


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Gov. McCrory to tour Eastern Carolina facility
KINSTON, LENOIR COUNTY - Gov. Pat McCrory is scheduled to visit Eastern Carolina Thursday.
According to a release from McCrory's office, the Republican governor will be touring Spirit AeroSystems Composite Center of Excellence starting at 2:30 p.m. Thursday. The facility is located on Highway 58 North in Kinston.
Gov. McCrory had previously announced in early September that 159 new jobs will be coming to Beaufort County within the next three years, as IDX Impressions expand its manufacturing operations in Washington.
Gov. McCrory also visited ECU in mid-August to announce a statewide telepsychiatry plan.


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As the world's leading provider of business software, SAP delivers products and services that enable enterprises of all sizes to improve their business operations. SAP facilitates a company's effort to manage risk and compliance, while optimizing efficiency, strategy and growth with a single integrated financial management platform. Addressing business processes in over 25 industries, SAP has maintained its role as the authority on business software.Protiviti and SAP are actively working together to help clients improve their capability in this important area by implementing and effectively utilizing the full SAP BusinessObjects suite of GRC and EPM solutions to enhance their integrated enterprise wide risk mitigation and compliance efforts.For more information, please contact: Carol Raimo at firstname.lastname@example.com or +1.212.603.8371 Protiviti and Oracle formed a strategic alliance in 2005 to deliver a suite of world-class GRC solutions to help our clients comply with the growing list of regulations and requirements associated with doing business in the U.S. and globally. Protiviti's Oracle practice has deep industry and functional knowledge, as well as expertise in all areas of compliance. Protiviti helps Oracle, PeopleSoft and JDEdwards clients:
For more information, please contact:Ronan O'Shea at firstname.lastname@example.com 415-402-3639The PCI Security Standards Council is an open global forum, launched in 2006, that is responsible for the development, management, education, and awareness of the PCI Security Standards, including the Data Security Standard (PCI DSS), Payment Application Data Security Standard (PA-DSS), and PIN Transaction Security (PTS) requirements.
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Since 2004, Protiviti and CA Technologies (CA) have collaborated to provide IT Architecture and IT Process design and implementation services to their mutual clients. Protiviti's consulting approach and methodology coupled with CA's software technology provides clients with a best-of-breed solution implementation. Protiviti and CA have successfully delivered enterprise architecture services, infrastructure management & monitoring, application optimization, IT asset management, IT service & change management, and IT security risk management to the marketplace. Our relationship with CA has helped our customers maximize IT value to the business while simultaneously reducing risk.
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Protiviti is on the advisory board of the Financial Services Information Sharing and Analysis Center (FS-ISAC). FS-ISAC is a non-profit, member owned organization that is the only industry forum for collaboration on critical security threats facing the financial services sector. Launched in 1999, FS-ISAC was established by the financial services sector in response to 1998's Presidential Directive 63. That directive - later updated by 2003's Homeland Security Presidential Directive 7 - mandated that the public and private sectors share information about physical and cyber security threats and vulnerabilities to help protect the U.S. critical infrastructure.
Since 2006, Protiviti has been a managing sponsor of the IT Process Institute (ITPI). The ITPI is an independent organization formed by IT practitioners and academics whose mission is "to advance IT management science through independent research, benchmarking and prescriptive guidance." Protiviti and the ITPI collaborate to identify and study top-performing IT organizations in order to identify practices that can enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of all IT organizations. Protiviti uses tools based on the ITPI research to provide benchmarking and roadmap services to clients.For more information, please contact: Jeffrey Weber at email@example.com or +1.412.402.1712 Protiviti is a supporting member of www.itpolicycompliance.com, and a member of its associated IT Policy Compliance Group. Protiviti and ITpolicycompliance.com collaborate to support the creation and dissemination of research, including compliance benchmarks, which help professionals to more effectively meet the policy and regulatory compliance needs of their organizations.
For more information, please contact: Scott Laliberte at email@example.com or +1.267.256.8825Protiviti is a proud partner of Shared Assessments, a member-driven, industry-standard body that injects speed, efficiency and cost savings into the service provider control assessment process. Shared Assessments Program members work together to eliminate redundancies and create efficiencies, giving all parties a standardized, consistent, faster, more rigorous, more efficient and less costly means of conducting security, privacy and business continuity assessments.
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92% Polyester/8% Spandex
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Your company came up while I was searching for a certain type of shirt. The shirt size runs small. I reordered a larger size and received it right off. Returning the smaller shirt was easy and I received my refund quickly. Unfortunately, my son is an Irish step dancer, so I don't know if I will be able to use other products, but I will certainly check here first just in case.
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I ordered this and it arrived on time as they promised and look very good. It definitely runs small - since the kids to whom I ordered where very lean, it looked nice on them,. But if they were quite chubby, it wudnt have fit them. I ordered gold color and it looks decent sparkly and nice for a dance. I definitely recommend to anyone who is looking for a cute dance costume for kids.


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Precision Tree Service is a locally owned and operated company that is licensed and insured to service Birmingham, AL, and the surrounding areas. Precision Tree Service is proud to provide both residential and commercial customers with professional tree work at affordable prices. It is our goal to provide high quality, professional craftsmanship along with a superior customer service experience. Precision Tree Service offers a wide range of tree services such as stump removals and emergency storm clean-up. Contact us today to learn more about our great services or to schedule a free estimate consultation. Precision Tree Service looks forward to learning how we can provide you with exceptional service and an enjoyable customer experience.
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Recommended to support healthy joint function in dogs. May helps alleviate the discomfort associated with normal daily activity.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). These products are not meant to diagnose' treat or cure any disease or medical condition. Please consult your doctor before starting any exercise or nutritional supplement program or before using these or any product during pregnancy or if you have a serious medical condition.
Active Ingredients (Per Soft Chew):
Glucosamine HCI (Shellfish) 600mg
Chondroitin Sulfate (Bovine) 250mg
Curcuma Longa (Turmeric) 25mg
Boswellia serrata Extract (Containing 65% Boswellic Acids) 10mg
Eicosapentaenoic Acid (EPA) 9mg
Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA) 6mg
Inactive Ingredients: Calcium propionate' corn starch' fish oil' glycerin' purified water' natural & artificial flavors' sorbitol' sorbic acid' stabilized rice bran' sucrose.
Made in the USA.
Pet Weight / Initial Administration (4-6 Weeks)
Under 10 lb: 1/2 soft chew daily.
10-29 lb: 1 soft chew daily.
3-59 lb: 2 soft chews daily.
Under 10 lb: 1/2 soft chew every other day.
10-29 lb: 1/2 soft chew daily.
30-59 lb: 1 soft chew daily.
For animal use only. Keep out of the reach of children and other animals. In case of accidental overdose' contact a health professional immediately. Store tightly closed at room temperature to ensure freshness. Safe use in pregnant animals or animals intended for breeding has not been proven. If lameness worsens' discontinue use and contact your veterinarian. Administer during or after the animal has eaten to reduce incidence of gastrointestinal upset. Federal law prohibits the off-label use of this product in ruminants.
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Choosing his words very carefully, Lakers star Lamar Odom says that if the online reports are true, and wife Khloe Kardashian is expecting a child, it would be news to him
"I can't confirm that," he told ESPN on Wednesday at practice for the NBA Championship Series. "I don't think so."
ESPN notes he was smiling while he said this.
"She hasn't told me if she was pregnant," he added. "I probably would be the first to know."
Both Odom and Kardashian have made no secret of their desire to have a child. Earlier this year, she said she was "not doing anything" to prevent getting pregnant and that "we both want to."
See what other readers have to say about this story – or leave a comment of your own


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MONTREAL — The competitive environment that still prevails in Ontario, along with continued pressure of a systems conversion, added up to a difficult second fiscal quarter of retailer Metro Inc. here and its newly named chief executive officer, Eric LaFleche. As previously announced, LeFleche ascended to the CEO role at Metro Tuesday, taking over for Pierre Lesard, who is retiring. Financial results for the quarter that ended March 15 were a sequential improvement from the first quarter, ...
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(Studio) General Augusto Pinochet sworn in as new Chile president Curfew lifted for few hrs.; sporadic firing conts. in Chile after military coup and former President Salvador Allende's suicide. Unconfirmed sources report former Chilean army commander Carlos Pratz leads revolt against military junta. Allende's widow, Hortensia, recs. asylum in Mexican embassy; she and family to fly to Mexico City soon.
(Rome, Italy) Several demonstrations around world protest Allende overthrow. Workers protest in Rome.
(Paris, France) Socialist party leader and French Communist party chief partake in protest against Chilean military junta.
(Studio) Washington, DC admits reports received with regard to military coup in Chile for some time. Nothing definite learned till right before coup. No American involvement in coup rings from DC. NBC reporter Tom Streithorst reports source states United States Air Force activity incrd. at Mendoza Air Force Base on Chilean border right before coup.
|Program Time:
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Shop late into the evening from 10am - 9pm weekdays, or from 9am - 7pm Saturdays and 11am - 5pm on Sundays.
Many restaurants and leisure attractions remain open after shops close!
It's all here waiting for you, and with 10,000 car parking spaces, don't forget the parking is free.
MetroCentreGatesheadNE11 9YGTel: 0191 493 0219


text: Home|Advertise Show your appreciation by joining us On Facebook Ragini MMS - DVD Mobile Movie - 3GpHDMovies.NetRagini MMS - DVD DetailsDescription: Ragini MMS is a sensuous paranormal film, shot as if in real time! The quintessential couple, Ragini and Uday, set out to have a dirty weekend at a friend`s farmhouse on the outskirts of Mumbai. The weekend getaway quickly changes gears as they find themselves in a house that has been rigged with cameras in Bigg Boss style. The cameras that were meant to capture love-making are witness to something that is beyond the realm of human understanding...something metaphysical.... Within the confines of this house, Ragini and Uday are now at the mercy of an unexplainable paranormal force. With sundown approaching, what will the new entrants of the house do?Release: 13 May 2011Length: 1 Hour 34 MinsGenre: Horror, ThrillerStarcast: Raj Kumar Yadav, Kainaz MotivalaDownload Ragini MMS - DVD :Ragini MMS-DVD-1.3gp (34.44 MB) [178652 hits]Ragini MMS-DVD-2.3gp (33.3 MB) [125465 hits]CommentsNameMessageName :Random No : 199008Random No : 3gp Mobile Movies


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Nassau Palm Resort overlooks the breathtaking Nassau Harbor, across from the white sands of Junkanoo Beach. With 183 elegant, spacious guest rooms and suites and a full-service business center with 5,000 square feet of event space, this exclusive Bahamas resort strikes the ideal balance of fun, relaxation and rejuvenation for business or a once-in-a-lifetime vacation.
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Nearest Airports
- Nassau Paradise Island Airport (PID) / 3.2 miles
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* Not all airports listed here may be open to public use, or service commercial flights
Additional Information
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Traveler Reviews
West Bay St. P.O. Box SS-190SS Paradise Island, New Providence 19055 Bahamas


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New Dawn Studios levels, Programmer, Modeling, Music, Video - Thommoboy Music, Art, Concept, Story, Levels - Godofconcepts Tester, Movie Maker, Art - kennyfrommar Models and animations - domis4 Models and animations - Urban kid New Dawn Studios Started out making a iphone game called anarchy which has been put on hold for our new game The Grind
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on December 14, 2012 - 12:01 AM
Taxpayers receive? plenty in return
To reach a letter writer's conclusion, one must be totally blind to the services provided by all levels of government. I challenge him and other like-minded citizens to provide their own streets, roads, bridges, safe water supply, policing, military, education facilities, public parks, financial support after disabling illness or accident and oversight of utilities, banks and health care, just to name a few. If people should try such herculean tasks on their own, they would soon find that banding together, designating some individuals to carry out each task and sharing the costs is the only way to live in a successful society.
A tax is defined as a sum of money levied on income, property or sales, by a government for services it provides. The taxpayer gets plenty of value in return. That is not theft. If the writer, as he suggests, demanded 15 percent of the neighbor's income and he provided the neighbor with all the services he needed, his "tax" would be justified. There is nothing inherently immoral about requiring payment for services. Furthermore, the Bible has no place in the governmental policy questions of this nation of immigrants of all faiths from all over the world. And I'm not addressing whether his interpretation is well-supported or not.
I would like to add a comment on a related battle-cry issue: that government is too big and smaller is automatically better. The important question is to first determine what services the public needs and then determine the numbers of people and agencies necessary to fill those needs.
Lucy Ryan
Don't blame police ?for driver's actions
What if the police shot the tires of the alleged drunk who should not have been driving? The driver may have hit the woman anyway. What if police chased the driver and he hit someone and killed her? We need to put the blame where it belongs � on the driver who used deadly force in not obeying the officers' command and put his life in danger.
How many of you citizens would put your life on the line as these officers do in dealing with people who refuse to obey the law?
There are way too many people driving drunk, and these people need to be dealt with more severely. Stop blaming the good officers who are only doing their job and making our society better.
David N. Wendt
Right-to-work law ?is seriously flawed
The question arises after recent events in Michigan. The House and Senate are Republican controlled. They, in a lame duck session, voted affirmatively on "right-to-work" legislation. It might be said it was their right, they were elected, it's the democratic way. Not so. The bill was not given proper time for input and debate, voted on prior to next session, knowing that next session this bill likely would not pass as Republicans were being replaced by Democrats.
The bill allows all workers in union shops the right to "choose" to belong to the union. Sounds good. But this would only work if the employees who "choose" not to join the union would then not enjoy the benefits that the union had fought for, negotiated and won for all employees. The "chosen" non-members then should have to negotiate their own wages, benefits, safety protections and disciplinary procedures, hopefully then understanding the benefits of joining the union instead of merely reaping the benefits.
Unfortunately that is not how it works. My 30 years of experience as a federal sector local union president where the right-to-work situation exists shows that much of my work (as required by law) was done for employees who "chose" not to join. The first place they called when an issue or proposed discipline arose was the union office. This bill encourages freeloading. If the "chosen" non-members addressed the many facets the union does, then the legislation would at least be fairer. Now it only decreases wages, puts more power in the hands of management and diminishes workplace safety.
Let's make sure that New York legislators are on notice that this law is detrimental to working families and will not be tolerated.
Ann Converso, R.N.
CWA HCCC political/legislative coordinator
Salvatore's generosity ?benefits the community
Russell J. Salvatore is an exceptional citizen we should all be proud of. A successful businessman, he has always shown his generosity to the community. It's not just the money he spends, it's the way that he shares his success so that others may benefit.
The list of his support includes the Russell J. Salvatore School of Hospitality and Business, Trocaire College, Erie Community College and scholarship awards. Recently he bought unsold tickets for the Bills game so that it would not be blacked out. This is just a partial list of his generosity. It's obvious that he enjoys doing things for our community and has helped so many people.
Bruce Godfryd
Poloncarz and Ryan? right to rein in IDAs
The Nov. 22 News carried an Another Voice by Iskalo Development's David Chiazza, who apparently objects to efforts by County Executive Mark Poloncarz and Assemblyman Sean Ryan to rein in the conduct of our industrial development agencies. Chiazza prattles on about the value of "adaptive reuse," the slogan recently coined by the IDAs to justify taxpayer contributions for commercial projects that do not provide new jobs. Notable among such foolishness are the Amherst IDA's $500,000 contribution to move a Premier Liquor store from Kenmore to Amherst, and a huge Erie County IDA contribution to help relocate the Kenney Shelton law firm from one downtown building to another.
In assessing Chiazza's sentiments, it should be remembered that after Iskalo Development bought the Niagara Mohawk Building for about $2.5 million, it promptly went to the ECIDA for taxpayer contributions, claiming that otherwise it could not afford needed renovations. Over the objections of several downtown competitors, the ECIDA provided that assistance.
David Sweet
Main Seneca Corp., Buffalo
UB is wrong to accept ?so many foreign students
Last week in The Buffalo News there was an article listing how many students from foreign countries were accepted to the University at Buffalo Medical School. I think it is a shame that foreigners are accepted and then return to their home countries while locally we are short of doctors.
A local man who aced the entrance exam was refused again and would stay here after he graduated. Although accepted to other out-of-town schools, his dream was to attend UB. He is now a paramedic and still hoping to attend school here.
Anne SzczepanskiCheektowaga


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Often, when I write critical comments about creationism aka "intelligent design," plenty of readers like to ask me how random, unguided forces of evolution could possibly produce creatures that seem to be so perfectly tuned to their environments. Ordinarily, I'd point out that the non-random process of natural selection would quickly eliminate organisms not suited for the ecological niches in which they evolve, but that doesn't work on creationists. For them, history flows in reverse and every animal has to be predestined to occupy it current niche, otherwise the world makes no sense.
So instead, I try to point out that evolution doesn't actually produce perfectly tuned organisms and if there's some grand designer behind every living creature, he would probably get a D for his over-engineered work. Need a few examples? Well, here are a few of my favorites from a list of ten atrocious evolutionary "designs" compiled by Wired Magazine.
4 Giraffe birth canal. Mama giraffes stand up while giving birth, so baby's entry into the world is a 5-foot drop. Wheeee! Crack.
5 Goliath bird-eating spider exoskeleton. This giant spider can climb trees to hunt very mobile prey. Yet it has a shell so fragile it practically explodes when it falls? Well, at least it can produce silk to make a sail. Oh, wait — it can't!
8 Slug genitalia. Some hermaphroditic species breed by wrapping their sex organs around each other. If one of said members gets stuck, the slug simply chews it off. What. The. Hell?
And I can think of many more cases in which existing biological structures just don't seem to be built for the way we use them. Our bodies alone suffer all sorts of ailments from walking upright, sitting for extended periods of time, and having caloric requirements needed for a feral world in which you never know when your next meal is coming, rather than industrialized societies in which food generally comes on schedule.
Here's what would convince me that there might be some design behind our biosphere. Not only would we share the same structures for transmitting hereditary information and basic genetic toolkits, we would also have very simple, efficient bodies which would be compartmentalized and easily interchanged, like Legos. Rather than praise our over-elaborate complexity as proof of design, maybe, just maybe, creationists should take a few industrial design courses and learn the real hallmarks of good design before trying to look for it in nature.


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* This chapter provides an overview of Awk and a quick tour of its use.
* The Awk text-processing language is useful for such tasks as:
Awk has two faces: it is a utility for performing simple text-processing tasks, and it is a programming language for performing complex text-processing tasks. The two faces are really the same, however. Awk uses the same mechanisms for handling any text-processing task, but these mechanisms are flexible enough to allow useful Awk programs to be entered on the command line, or to implement complicated programs containing dozens of lines of Awk statements.
Awk statements comprise a programming language. In fact, Awk is useful for simple, quick-and-dirty computational programming. Anybody who can write a C program can use Awk with little difficulty, and those who would like to learn C may find Awk a useful stepping stone -- with the caution that Awk and C have significant differences beyond their many similarities.
There are, however, things that Awk is not. It is not really well suited for extremely large, complicated tasks. It is also an "interpreted" language -- that is, an Awk program cannot run on its own, it must be executed by the Awk utility itself. That means that it is relatively slow, though it is efficient as interpretive languages go, and that the program can only be used on systems that have Awk. There are translators available that can convert Awk programs into C code for compilation as stand-alone programs, but such translators have to be obtained separately.
One last item before proceeding: What does the name "Awk" mean? Awk actually stands for the names of its authors: "Aho, Weinberger, & Kernighan". Kernighan later noted: "Naming a language after its authors ... shows a certain poverty of imagination." The name is reminiscent of that of an oceanic bird known as an "auk", and so the picture of an auk often shows up on the cover of books on Awk.BACK_TO_TOP
* It is easy to use Awk from the command line to perform simple operations on text files. Suppose we have a file named "coins.txt" that describes a coin collection. Each line in the file contains the following information:
metal weight in ounces date minted country of origin description
The file has the contents:
gold 1 1986 USA American Eagle gold 1 1908 Austria-Hungary Franz Josef 100 Korona silver 10 1981 USA ingot gold 1 1984 Switzerland ingot gold 1 1979 RSA Krugerrand gold 0.5 1981 RSA Krugerrand gold 0.1 1986 PRC Panda silver 1 1986 USA Liberty dollar gold 0.25 1986 USA Liberty 5-dollar piece silver 0.5 1986 USA Liberty 50-cent piece silver 1 1987 USA Constitution dollar gold 0.25 1987 USA Constitution 5-dollar piece gold 1 1988 Canada Maple Leaf
We could then invoke Awk to list all the gold pieces as follows:
awk '/gold/' coins.txt
This tells Awk to search through the file for lines of text that contain the string "gold", and print them out. The result is:
gold 1 1986 USA American Eagle gold 1 1908 Austria-Hungary Franz Josef 100 Korona gold 1 1984 Switzerland ingot gold 1 1979 RSA Krugerrand gold 0.5 1981 RSA Krugerrand gold 0.1 1986 PRC Panda gold 0.25 1986 USA Liberty 5-dollar piece gold 0.25 1987 USA Constitution 5-dollar piece gold 1 1988 Canada Maple Leaf
This is all very nice, a skeptic might reply, but any "grep" or "find" utility can do the same thing. True, but Awk is capable of much more. For example, suppose we only want to print the description field, and leave all the other text out. We could then change the invocation of Awk to:
awk '/gold/ {print $5,$6,$7,$8}' coins.txt
This yields:
American Eagle Franz Josef 100 Korona ingot Krugerrand Krugerrand Panda Liberty 5-dollar piece Constitution 5-dollar piece Maple Leaf
This example demonstrates the simplest general form of an Awk program:
awk <search pattern> {<program actions>}
Awk searches through the input file for each line that contains the search pattern. For each of these lines found, Awk then performs the specified actions. In this example, the action is specified as:
{print $5,$6,$7,$8}
The purpose of the "print" statement is obvious. The "$5", "$6", "$7", and "$8" are "fields", or "field variables", which store the words in each line of text by their numeric sequence. "$1", for example, stores the first word in the line, "$2" has the second, and so on. By default, a "word" is defined as any string of printing characters separated by spaces.
Since "coins.txt" has the structure:
metal weight in ounces date minted country of origin description
-- then the field variables are matched to each line of text in the file as follows:
metal: $1 weight: $2 date: $3 country: $4 description: $5 through $8
The program action in this example prints the fields that contain the description. The description field in the file may actually include from one to four fields -- but that's not a problem, since "print" simply ignores any undefined fields. The alert reader will notice that the "coins.txt" file is neatly organized so that the only piece of information that contains multiple fields is at the end of the line; a little contrived, yes, but that's the way examples are.
* Awk's default program action is to print the entire line, which is what "print" does when invoked without parameters. This means that the first example:
awk '/gold/'
-- is the same as:
awk '/gold/ {print}'
Note that Awk recognizes the field variable $0 as representing the entire line, so this could also be written as:
awk '/gold/ {print $0}'
This is redundant, but it does have the virtue of making the action more obvious.
* Now suppose we want to list all the coins that were minted before 1980. We invoke Awk as follows:
awk '{if ($3 < 1980) print $3, " ",$5,$6,$7,$8}' coins.txt
This yields:
1908 Franz Josef 100 Korona 1979 Krugerrand
This new example adds a few concepts:
* The next example prints out how many coins are in the collection:
awk 'END {print NR,"coins"}' coins.txt
This yields:
13 coins
The first new item in this example is the END statement. To explain this requires extending the general form of an Awk program to:
awk 'BEGIN {<initializations>} <search pattern 1> {<program actions>} <search pattern 2> {<program actions>} ... END {<final actions>}'
The BEGIN clause performs any initializations required before Awk starts scanning the input file. The subsequent body of the Awk program consists of a series of search patterns, each with its own program action. Awk scans each line of the input file for each search pattern, and performs the appropriate actions for each string found. Once the file has been scanned, an END clause can be used to perform any final actions required.
So -- this example doesn't perform any processing on the input lines themselves. All it does is scan through the file and perform a final action: print the number of lines in the file, which is given by the "NR" variable. NR stands for "number of records". NR is one of Awk's "pre-defined" variables. There are others, for example the variable NF gives the number of fields in a line, but a detailed explanation will have to wait for later.
* Suppose the current price of gold is $425, and we want to figure out the approximate total value of the gold pieces in the coin collection. We invoke Awk as follows:
awk '/gold/ {ounces += $2} END {print "value = $" 425*ounces}' coins.txt
This yields:
value = $2592.5
In this example, "ounces" is a "user defined" variable, as opposed to the "standard" pre-defined variables. Almost any string of characters can be used as a variable name in Awk, as long as the name doesn't conflict with some string that has a specific meaning to Awk, such as "print" or "NR" or "END". There is no need to declare the variable, or to initialize it. A variable handled as a string variable is initialized to the "null string", meaning that if we try to print it, nothing will be there. A variable handled as a numeric variable will be initialized to zero.
So the program action:
{ounces += $2}
-- sums the weight of the piece on each matched line into the variable "ounces". Those who program in C should be familiar with the "+=" operator; those who don't can be assured that this is just a shorthand way of saying:
{ounces = ounces + $2}
The final action is to compute and print the value of the gold:
END {print "value = $" 425*ounces}
The only thing here of interest is that the two print parameters, the literal '"value = $"' and the expression "425*ounces", are separated by a space, not a comma. This concatenates the two parameters together on output, without any intervening spaces.BACK_TO_TOP
* All this is fun, but each of these examples only seems to nibble away at "coins.txt". Why not have Awk figure out everything interesting at one time?
The immediate objection to this idea is that it would be impractical to enter a lot of Awk statements on the command line, but that's easy to fix. The commands can be written into a file, and then Awk can be told to execute the commands from that file as follows:
awk -f <awk program file name>
Given an ability to write an Awk program in this way, then what should a "master" "coins.txt" analysis program do? Here's one possible output:
Summary Data for Coin Collection: Gold pieces: nn Weight of gold pieces: nn.nn Value of gold pieces: n,nnn.nn Silver pieces: nn Weight of silver pieces: nn.nn Value of silver pieces: n,nnn.nn Total number of pieces: nn Value of collection: n,nnn.nn
The following Awk program generates this information:
# This is an Awk program that summarizes a coin collection. # /gold/ { num_gold++; wt_gold += $2 } # Get weight of gold. /silver/ { num_silver++; wt_silver += $2 } # Get weight of silver. END { val_gold = 485 * wt_gold; # Compute value of gold. val_silver = 16 * wt_silver; # Compute value of silver. total = val_gold + val_silver; print "Summary data for coin collection:"; # Print results. printf ("\n"); printf (" Gold pieces: %2d\n", num_gold); printf (" Weight of gold pieces: %5.2f\n", wt_gold); printf (" Value of gold pieces: %7.2f\n",val_gold); printf ("\n"); printf (" Silver pieces: %2d\n", num_silver); printf (" Weight of silver pieces: %5.2f\n", wt_silver); printf (" Value of silver pieces: %7.2f\n",val_silver); printf ("\n"); printf (" Total number of pieces: %2d\n", NR); printf (" Value of collection: %7.2f\n", total); }
This program has a few interesting features:
* This program can be stored in a file named "summary.awk", and invoked as follows:
awk -f summary.awk coins.txt
The output is:
Summary data for coin collection: Gold pieces: 9 Weight of gold pieces: 6.10 Value of gold pieces: 2958.50 Silver pieces: 4 Weight of silver pieces: 12.50 Value of silver pieces: 200.00 Total number of pieces: 13 Value of collection: 3158.50
* This information provides enough background to make good use of Awk. The next chapter provides a much more complete description of the language.BACK_TO_TOP


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How to Apply for, or revise, a CPT Code - New Technology Pathway
The Physician Payment Policy Workgroup (3P), co-chaired by Jane Dillon MD, MBA, FACS and Robert Lorenz, MD, MBA, FACS, the Coordinators for Socioeconomic and Practice Affairs, is the senior advisory body to Academy leadership and staff on issues related to socioeconomic advocacy, regulatory activity, coding/reimbursement, and practice services/management.
The 3P group evaluates inquiries for new technology coding and requests for new Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes or revisions to existing CPT codes. Members of 3P, including Bradley Marple, MD, Lawrence Simon, MD, and Richard Waguespack, MD, represent otolaryngology interests on the AMA CPT Advisory Committee. Our CPT representatives advocate for otolaryngology by presenting new and revised CPT codes to the CPT Editorial Panel for inclusion in the code set used for physician billing.
When it comes to valuing CPT codes, the 3P group serves as the expert consensus panel to analyze surveys completed by Academy members and make recommendations for appropriate Relative Value Units (RVUs) to the AMA/Specialty Society Relative Value Update Committee (RUC) for otolaryngology-related codes. Some of these members (Peter Manes, MD, Wayne Koch MD, Jane Dillon, MD, and John Lanza MD) also represent the Academy at the RUC meetings. The RUC makes recommendations on the Relative Value Units (RVUs) of new and revised physician services to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). The RUC also performs broad reviews of the Resource Based Relative Value System every five years and rolling reviews of many codes based on screens such as high utilization, frequency of codes used together, and codes not surveyed since the beginning of the RUC process over twenty years ago.
To provide a more streamlined process, consistent with approaches adopted by other specialty societies, 3P initiated development of the New Technology Pathway, a process approved by the Board in September, 2010 that the Academy has adopted and now requires for any requests for guidance on how to code for a new technology, new CPT codes for services or procedures, or revisions or revaluations of existing codes. The newly formalized process includes coordination between 3P and experts from other applicable AAO-HNS Committees (i.e., Medical Device and Drug Committee, CPT/RVU Committee, etc.) as a way to incorporate all of the resources of the Academy in the interest of the members. We are confident that the New Technology Pathway will address such requests in a manner which is clearly defined, consistent with AMA CPT and RUC guidelines, accounts for the interests and perspectives of all stakeholders while protecting against undue influence of any group or individual, encourages the collection of reliable data, and promotes efficient, fair reimbursement for our members and appropriate access to new procedures and services for our patients.
The New Technology Pathway starts by completing the "New Technology Application: Request for CPT/RBRVS Assistance", an internal Academy document.
For the AAO-HNS statement on new technology and information about communication procedures and lobbying policies, please see the "AAO-HNS New Technology Pathway Requests Policies and Procedures" document above.
Inquiring parties, including physicians and industry representatives, should send the completed package to the Academy's Health Policy team.
AMA Criteria for all CPT codes:
- The proposed descriptor is unique, well-defined, and describes a procedure or service which is clearly identified and distinguished from existing procedures and services already in CPT.
- The descriptor structure, guidelines and instructions are consistent with current Editorial Panel standards for maintenance of the code set.
- The proposed descriptor for the procedure or service is neither a fragmentation of an existing procedure or service nor currently reportable as a complete service by one or more existing codes (with the exclusion of unlisted codes). However, procedures and services frequently performed together may require new or revised codes.
- The structure and content of the proposed code descriptor accurately reflects the procedure or service as typically performed. If always or frequently performed with one or more other procedures or services, the descriptor structure and content will reflect the typical combination or complete procedure or service.
- The descriptor for the procedure or service is not proposed as a means to report extraordinary circumstances related to the performance of a procedure or service already described in the CPT code set; and
- The procedure or service satisfies the category-specific criteria set forth below.
AMA Criteria for Category I Code
- All devices and drugs necessary for performance of the procedure or service have received FDA clearance or approval when such is required for performance of the procedure or service.
- The procedure or service is performed by many physicians or other qualified health care professionals across the United States.
- The procedure or service is performed with frequency consistent with the intended clinical use (i.e., a service for a common condition should have high volume, whereas a service commonly performed for a rare condition may have low volume).
- The procedure or service is consistent with current medical practice.
- The clinical efficacy of the procedure or service is documented in literature that meets the requirements set forth in the CPT code change application.
AMA Criteria for Category III Code
- The procedure or service is currently or recently performed in humans; AND
At least one of the following additional criteria has been met:
- The application is supported by at least one CPT or HCPAC advisor representing practitioners who would use this procedure or service; OR
- The actual or potential clinical efficacy of the specific procedure or service is supported by peer reviewed literature which is available in English for examination by the Editorial Panel;OR
- There is a) at least one Institutional Review Board approved protocol of a study of the procedure or service being performed, b) a description of a current and ongoing United States trial outlining the efficacy of the procedure or service, or c) other evidence of evolving clinical utilization.