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About the Author: Tom Weinz is the dedicated Foreign Service Liaison Officer (FSLO) aboard the USNS Richard E. Byrd for Pacific Partnership 2009 (PP09)."Synergy" is a word that is often touted, but seldom realized. PP09's final days in Tonga, however, were memorably synergistic. On July 24, much of the community of Faleloa gathered at the newly refurbished primary school for brief speeches, graceful Tongan dances performed by the school children, and a shared meal. Since most of the people of the area have never been near a helicopter, we flew one of USNS Byrd's EH-96 Pumas for everyone to enjoy. All the children lined up to climb into the copter, and many pictures were taken of child "pilots." That evening, Tongan Prime Minister Feleti Sevele hosted a dinner for an eclectic gathering of sixty: Tongan officials, the PP09 leadership, U.S. Peace Corps volunteer translators and PP09 representatives from different sites, specialties and countries. Typically, the evening ended with music by the Pacific Fleet Band, and joyous dancing.
The grand finale, a true Tongan feast, took place on Saturday, July 25. The day opened with Prime Minister Sevele and his party being welcomed to the Byrd for a tour. Since Byrd's bridge sits nearly ten stories above the surface of the water, the Tongan officials enjoyed a commanding view of the several islands in the vicinity. An official ribbon cutting took place in the afternoon at Hihifo primary school, followed by an array of food such as few of us had ever experienced. Since Tongans from every part of the island (two islands actually, joined by a narrow causeway) came to express their support and appreciation, it seemed an enormous gathering for this small town. I wished we were making a documentary (which was discussed at one point) in order to show this warm farewell in greater perspective.
Currently, we are half way to the French colony of New Caledonia, three and a half days west of Tonga. Noumea, the capital city, offers good airline connections, and 17 PP09 volunteers will change places by leaving the Byrd to fly home, their replacements arriving by air to board the Byrd for the rest of the mission. And all of us intend to enjoy some relaxation and some wonderful French cuisine.
Eileen in California writes:
It is so good to hear how wll PP'09 is recieved in Tonga. This type of visit helps build diplomacy in the PINs. Please give my regards to Scott and Jeff the Medical Team leaders!
Eric in New Mexico writes:
@ Tom, You may be aware of this news item already, but just in case you're not, I figured you and the crew would want to know.
Sorry to be the bearer of bad tidings.
Best Regards,
"About 30 people remain missing after a ferry sank off the Pacific island nation of Tonga.
The ferry, carrying at least 86 people, sank about 86km (54 miles) north-east of the capital, Nuku'alofa, as it travelled to outlying islands.
Two people, including one Briton, are confirmed to have died and the search for survivors is continuing overnight.
Fifty-three people were rescued after the Princess Ashika sent a Mayday call about 2300 local time.
The dead British man has been named by the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office as Dan MacMillan, 48, who had been living in New Zealand.
The FCO said Mr MacMillan's family had been informed and were being offered consular assistance.
It is not yet clear why the ferry sank but there are suggestions that cargo in its hold may have been dislodged, destabilising the vessel.
Tongan officials said at least 86 passengers and crew were on the vessel when it sank.
'Empty lifeboats'
A survivor, Siaosi Lavaka, said only men appeared to have survived, as the accident happened in the middle of the night as women and children slept on the lower decks.
"No women or children made it," Mr Lavaka told news website Matangi Tonga after he arrived at Ha'afeva.
There were nine lifeboats and Mr Lavaka said seven were filled with men. Another lifeboat was empty, and a ninth drifted away, he said.
Speaking at a South Pacific leaders' summit in Cairns, Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said there had been "considerable loss of life".
"Our thoughts and our prayers are with the families of those that have been affected by this great tragedy," he said.
New Zealand maritime officials picked up a Mayday call from the inter-island ferry and launched a rescue mission involving a Royal New Zealand Airforce plane.
People had no choice but to use it because there's no other boat
Pesi Fonua
Four vessels, including a Tongan Navy vessel, were also helping with the search, and a fifth vessel was making its way to the area.
"You have to be very methodical and search every square inch," said Ross Henderson of New Zealand Maritime Rescue.
"It is a time-consuming process, so you know we just work our way through that and we remain hopeful of recovering people as soon as we can."
Mike Roberts of the New Zealand Rescue Coordination Centre (NZRCC) said it was difficult to know when to stop searching until the authorities could confirm how many people were missing.
But conditions in the area were good for searching and the water temperature remained around 25C, meaning anyone in the sea had a good chance of survival, said New Zealand officials."
-BBC World News, Aug. 6 2009

subset: commoncrawl


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Treat yourself to a premium leather hat from Bullhide by Montecarlo Hat Company! The Hidden Pleasure leather hat features genuine top grain leather. Fancy concho and stud accents. Hat has a 3 3/8" hat brim and 4" hat crown. Imported.
Cowboy hat crown height and brim width may vary slightly.


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Tuesday, May 6, 2008
M.A.C Naughty Nauticals Haul and Look
Do you guys like? I was inspired by the promo pic to do this look...all products
used from the Naughty Nauticals line...
I actually took this picture a few weeks ago when buzz was filling up specktra about this collection....I really really liked the promo pic and was inspired to do a look using permanent line colors. Looking at this pic now makes me realize that I could probably done without submarine e/s as it can be easily duped by freshwater e/s or blue calm e/s (pro). However...the red lipstick I used (classic dame) just isn't the same as the Port Red lipstick from the Naughty Nauticals collection...it lacks that extra frosty effect.
Sorry to trick you guys, but you can check out an actual look and swatches below :)
Here are swatches of the lip products: from left to right, bateaux l/g, love knot l/g, port red l/s, and brick red liner. The liner is not part of the collection but it's a great one to match...too bad the camera didn't pick up the blue reflective quality of the love knot lipgloss...it's gorgeous!
Next are the e/s and pigment swatches. Top left to right: submarine e/s and meet the fleet e/s. Bottom left to right: mutiny pigment and shore leave e/s. Mutiny pigment is definitely the star of these four...there isn't really a color on the MAC line similar to it. Also, I was suprised how much I liked shore leave...it's such a pretty shimmery cream color with a great smooth texture.
Can you guess which one is submarine e/s? It's on the top left. Next to it is freshwater e/s and below is blue calm e/s. You can see that it's a little darker than the other two but I think you could carry off the same effect with either of the three.
This is a look I did last Thursday using the collection. For real this time! I mainly used shore leave, submarine, and meet the fleet eyeshadows. I then used Port Red lipstick and Brick lipliner. It's a pretty dramatic look...blue eyes and red lips? You kind of have to be a little brave to wear it. I haven't quite decided if this is the look I'll be doing for my tutorial quite yet. But in the meantime, I thought I'd post anyways! The lightning in my new apartment is a lot less yellow so many have said that colors show up more true to life. Hopefully this will be better for you guys!
Here's what I used (All MAC unless otherwise stated):
-elf brown eyeliner on brows
-soft ochre paintpot
-shore leave e/s
-mutiny pigment
-submarine e/s
-meet the fleet e/s
-revlon colorstay liquid liner in blackest black
-smolder eye kohl
-shiseido mascara base
-max 2000 calorie mascara
-mineralized satinfinish foundation in NC42
-msf natural in medium dark
-sculpt 7 shape duo in lightsweep/shadester
-true romantic beauty powder blush
-brick lipliner
-port red lipstick
Look how gorgeous this lipstick is! The key to a great red lip is to take your time in lining your lips with a matching red lipliner.
For those of you who wanted something a bit more tame...I mixed it up and wore baby sparks dazzleglass...but looking back I think I still needed something with a bit more color...
Lastly, I posted this video Thursday or Friday to my you tube page. It's a quick video on my Naughty Nauticals Haul. Overall, I do think this collection has some nice products for everyone. It's not exactly something to get Hype about…I think I'm more looking forward to Cool Heat and Neo Sci-Fi.
In the video, I'm rocking my super faded makeup that the MUA did for me at M.A.C. It looks kind of crazy in the video, lol, but it had been a long day!
8 comments:
- ilurvemakeup said...
Hehe :P I am loving the red lippies you used! <3_<3
- May 6, 2008 at 8:51 PM
- Askmewhats said...
I love love love your eyes, and the winged eyeliner :) Love love love it
- May 6, 2008 at 9:08 PM
- brainsANDbeauty said...
Both are HOTT looks for a night out with the girls!!
- May 6, 2008 at 11:57 PM
- Christiana Divine @ Memoirs of A Shopping Addict said...
my sis is so damn hot. love it. hehe. :) i always love the looks that you come up with!
- May 7, 2008 at 2:47 AM
- MakeupByRenRen said...
lurve: i knowwww i love this red lipstick!
askmewhats: oh girl you know i cant go without winging out my eyeliner, he he
brainsandbeauty: i love your name, lol...yah i think girls would appreciate this look more...my BF isn't a fan of red lipstick too much he he
chris: thanks sweety! my sis is hot too!
- May 7, 2008 at 9:14 AM
- Ethereal Prey said...
woot! Looking good! Damn that blue looks good, wish I could carry it off.
yeah work places always have one person that u would would go away. gotta work beyond that. show us ur new apt! :P
- May 7, 2008 at 9:26 PM
- (g)ezebel said...
beautiful, very beautiful!!!
i'm expecting my naughty nauticals haul to arrive in the mail today!! wooohooo!
- May 8, 2008 at 3:11 PM
- Bliss said...
OOOo you look gorgeous in blue and you are soo suited with the red lippy great combo :D
- May 10, 2008 at 12:18 PM


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NEWTON, Mass. (Jan, 2012) – Newton-Wellesley's Physician Hospital Organization has once again been named to Harvard Pilgrim Health Care's (HPHC) "Physician Honor Roll." The Honor Roll highlights adult and pediatric physician groups that have achieved exceptional results in their approach to disease prevention and the treatment of chronic illness. This is the ninth consecutive time that NWH physicians have achieved this designation.
Harvard Pilgrim selected the Honor Roll physician groups based on clinical performance measured against national standards set by HEDIS® (Health Plan Employer Data and Information Set), a tool developed for the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) to assess the clinical performance of doctors and other medical professionals. Harvard Pilgrim identified practices whose performance exceeded the national 90th percentile on a majority of preventive and chronic care measures such as cervical and breast cancer screenings, asthma management, diabetic testing and management, and the number of well-visits a child has.
Honor Roll practice providers are noted in Harvard Pilgrim's printed and online provider directories, enabling members to evaluate and select physicians based on quality measures. Newton-Wellesley Hospital is a full system member of Partners HealthCare System, Inc. (PHCS), a nonprofit organization that includes acute care hospitals Massachusetts General Hospital, Brigham and Women's/Faulkner Hospitals, The North Shore Medical Center, and specialty hospitals McLean Hospital and Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, as well as Dana-Farber/Partners CancerCare, and the community-based doctors and hospitals of Partners Community HealthCare, Inc.
Newton-Wellesley Hospital provides a wide range of services, including medical, surgical, obstetrical, orthopaedic, emergency, neonatal, pediatric and psychiatric care. Newton-Wellesley has been serving its community for over a century. The medical staff of the Hospital includes nearly 1,000 physicians practicing a full range of specialties. NWH is a major teaching hospital for Tufts University School of Medicine and also has established post-graduate training programs for Harvard Medical School residents.
For more information about Newton-Wellesley Hospital, visit www.nwh.org or call CareFinder at 617-243-6566. Also, find us on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
Rachel Kagno
Public Affairs & Marketing
Newton-Wellesley Hospital
Find primary care physicians and specialists.
Newton-Wellesley offers a variety of wellness center and childbirth education classes throughout the year. Learn CPR, practice yoga, prepare a sibling for a new child in the family, and more.
» Class info


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The World's Greatest Music
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Ukuleles, glee clubs, cello choirs and saxophone groups - it's ensembles day at the Music For Youth National Festival. Prepare to be wowed by these high-energy performances at Birmingham's Adrian Boult Hall.
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East Riding Senior Percussion Ensemble on stage at the Adrian Boult Hall in Birmingham during the Music for Youth National Festival. Photo credit: Ryan Phillips
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GameEnthus Podcast ep118: The Ides of November or Podcast Poupon
- By Ind1fference
- 16 November, 2012
- No Comments
Two gentlemen from GeeksGoneRaw have joined us this week. Mark is fighting against overpriced Vita memory cards. Sam, from Geeks With Color, is struggling through portions of the Creed of Assassins. Rob is growing gourmet mushrooms with Fiji water. Mike enjoys a D-Box movie for the first time. Aaron gets … Continue Reading →


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Volunteer Line Judges Needed for 2009 Yonex/OCBC US Grand Prix Championships
The 2009 U.S. Open is only 4 weeks away and once again we are asking for volunteer Line Judges to officiate at this World Class Event held at OCBC in California. Athletes from China, Denmark, Indonesia, England, Korea, Wales, Chinese Taipei, Jamaica, India, Canada, Malaysia & U.S.A. will play for $80,000 in prize money.
Championship schedule:
(Possible qualifying round - Monday, July 6: 12-9pm)
Tuesday July 7..........9am-9pm 1st round
Wednesday July 8..........2pm-9pm 2nd round
Thursday July 9...........4pm-9pm Quarter Finals
Friday July 10.........6pm-10pm Semi-Finals
Saturday July 11..........6pm-10pm Finals
Note: Large numbers of Line Judges are needed for both Tuesday's and Wednesday's matches. New line judges must attend either Tuesday or Wednesday matches for training.
1) Please let us know what days you are available.
2) Indicate what time you will start and finish.
3) Confirm the spelling of your name for your Line Judge Certificate.
4) What is your T-shirt size (S, M, L, XL, XXL)
Your Quick Responce by June 15th (or before) would be greatly appreciated!
Meals, snacks, drinks, T-shirts and entrance passes will be provided. You are responsible for your own transportation and/or lodging. We will be glad to help with ride sharing.
Line Judges: We now use a "0 to 5" Rating system to rank your ability, performance and confidence on the court. If you have reached the rating level of 3, 4 or 5, U.S.A. Badminton will recognize you as a "Court Official: Line Judge-National Level" on your USAB card. Line Judge-International level can also be obtained.
Contact Tom Wilmshurst, 626.287.2546 for your current rating level.
Contact the U.S.A. Badminton office to renew or to get your 1st USAB card and support badminton in the United States. There will be a place on the questionnaire to request Line Judge status.
If you have any questions, call Tom Wilmhurst at 626.287.2546.


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Taxpayers paid more than $2.3 trillion in federal taxes in fiscal year 2009. However, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) estimates that taxpayers failed to pay an additional $290 billion (based on a 2001 estimatethe most recent available). Experts believe the current tax gap, or the difference between the amount of taxes owed and the amount paid voluntarily and timely, may be larger. IRS seeks to allocate its approximately $12 billion budget over several service and enforcement programs to maximize taxpayer compliance. IRS taxpayer services range from telephone, Web site, and in-person assistance to collaboration with paid tax preparers and tax software companies. Enforcement includes audits, a variety of computerized checks, as well as efforts targeting specific industries or types of taxpayers, such as those with offshore bank accounts. However, IRS has little information about either the relative effectiveness or costs of its service and enforcement programs. IRS has begun to estimate return on investment (ROI), which compares revenues collected as a result of such enforcement actions with the cost of collecting them, but use of ROI has been limited.
Increasing IRS's use of ROI and similar information, including developing actual ROI information after an enforcement program is implemented and comparing it to IRS's initial revenue projections, would provide a powerful tool for Congress and other budget decision makers, by identifying both cost savings within IRS and opportunities to cost-effectively reallocate resources to improve compliance and thereby bring in additional revenue for the federal government.
Beginning in fiscal year 2008, IRS has provided ROI information about the projected costs and potential revenues of new enforcement initiatives in its budget justification. For example, in its fiscal year 2011 justification, IRS reported that its proposed new initiatives would cost $237 million and increase revenue collected from noncompliant taxpayers by a projected $2 billion. However, IRS provides projected ROI information for only its new enforcement initiativesaccounting for less than 2 percent of the IRS's fiscal year 2011 budget request. Further, although guidance from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), GAO, and the Government Performance and Results Act of 1993 suggest the use of ROI information, IRS does not provide projected ROI information for any of its existing enforcement or service programs that would continue to be funded under the budget request. IRS also does not estimate the ROI actually realized by its programs.
Citing GAO's June 2009 ROI recommendation in its fiscal year 2011 committee report, the Senate Committee on Appropriations directed IRS to provide detailed information about actual costs, revenues, and ROI for its new enforcement initiatives. IRS officials have been considering options to collect actual ROI data to compare with projections, however, actual ROI data have as yet to be produced. ROI information is challenging to develop and should be supplemented with information on compliance costs for taxpayers and others. Further, it is difficult to isolate the effects of a particular program on taxpayer compliance and IRS lacks some data needed to make complete ROI estimates. However, even limited ROI information could help identify programs that are not justifying their cost or opportunities to reallocate resources to programs that have larger tax compliance and revenue impact per dollar spent.
Similarly, IRS's fiscal year 2011 budget justification included 24 legislative proposals from the Department of the Treasury aimed at reducing the tax gap and generating nearly $26 billion in additional revenue over the next 10 years. For example, two legislative proposals suggest increased information reporting requirements, which are estimated to result in more than $12 million in revenues, but there were no estimates of the upfront costs of these proposals, such as the cost of purchasing or modernizing information technology or training staff or increased costs to the private sector. OMB guidance suggest that agencies should provide estimates of the implementation costs associated with any proposed legislation in their budget justifications, but IRS has provided no such estimates for its proposals. As a result, it is difficult to determine whether the potential benefits of IRS's legislative proposals are worth the costs, or how long it will take for the agency to recoup any initial investments.
To help Congress and other budget decision makers better determine whether IRS's resources could be reallocated to collect more revenue and identify possible cost savings, and building on earlier recommendations, GAO believes that IRS should continue to increase its use of ROI information. IRS recognizes that this will require additional research to identify the impacts of specific programs including the effect on voluntary compliance by taxpayers. Once actual ROI statistics are developed for programs, and supplemented with compliance cost information, IRS could then compare results across programs. Actual ROI information could also be compared to initial ROI projections for a program to determine whether the anticipated results were actually achieved. The potential for cost savings and increased revenue that could result from more use of ROI information is significant. For example, if more effective utilization of IRS's existing resources reduced the tax gap by 1 percent, the additional tax revenue would be about $3 billion.
Also, as GAO has previously recommended, IRS should also coordinate with the Department of the Treasury to provide Congress with preliminary cost estimates or descriptions of resource needs for legislative proposals in future budget justifications. Even though many of the 24 legislative proposals IRS submitted to Congress in its fiscal year 2011 budget justification are conceptualand therefore developing precise cost estimates for them may be difficultproviding approximate costs or other information such as whether the proposal would involve significant systems, staff, or training expenses could help Congress evaluate the proposals. Without such information, Congress is left at a disadvantage when weighing the costs and benefits of competing proposals aimed at increasing the amount of federal tax revenue collected.
The information contained in this analysis is based on the related GAO products listed under the "Related GAO Products" tab and additional work following up on the recommendations from those products.
For additional information about this area, contact James White at (202) 512-9110 or firstname.lastname@example.com.


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http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=A ... endryfired
Can't say it was unexpected, especially after he'd gotten a vote of confidence earlier in the week. It's like Michael Corleone telling you that you can leave the family unharmed.
The minuses outweighed the pluses with Hendry, really. He got the team to a point where they should have gone to the World Series in 2003 and had some success in 2007-8. He lost me when he signed Milton Bradley, quite frankly. That was his jump the shark moment. Soriano's stupid contract is going to be ugly money the next three seasons, and I think they'll pretty much cut Carlos Zambrano loose after the season, regardless of how much money he makes. They'll have to decide on Aramais Ramirez' $16M option as well.
For a franchise with as much money as they have, they really needed to adapt the last 5 plus years, much like Boston and New York did. Sure, those teams spend a ton on their ML roster, but they also spend huge money on the draft and their player development, something the Cubs never quite figured out until recently. The new ownership up here is cleaning house and re-modeling the team to be on par with its big-market peers. The next couple of seasons might be painful, though. I don't see them spending stupid money to try to lure Pujols or Fielder to the North Side.


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Topic: Refresh/reload an external js file?
My rails app currently writes js code to a file. I have button to press reload. I could have it refresh the page, but id rather it just reload the js file. Is there a way i can refresh the current tag? I know i could create a new one with the src file path, but id prefer not to keep appending script tags.


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Eat smart this summer with lean proteins, plenty of produce, whole grains and fresh-fruit desserts.
A link to %this page% was e-mailed
Steak Fajita Wraps
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Dazzle your guests with this delicious appetizer.
Feast on sweet summer corn, fresh from the farm stand.
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I am a BIG fan of Jeaniene Frost and her night huntress series.
I thought i would read something similar to her earlier books, but no, i got hock..Show More »
This book is worth the wait, you wouldn't expect all the events that will happen here, you would think they will be continuing the search as all wi..Show More »
What a great addition to the series... So good!!! It was satisfying and really packed with events, you won't expect them.
You always get t..Show More »


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Nike Women's Home Game Jersey Denver Broncos Peyton Manning #18
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Machine washable, cold
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The Creators Project: As one of the parts of the NASA duo, can you tell us how you came to be a musician?
DJ Zegon: I think that my first musical influences would be my nanny, the maids, and AM radio stations. My mom was a DJ influence for me as well. In the mid-70s she had two record players and a mixer, and she would record her mixes in reels and cut them. So since I was able to reach the record players I would put my hand there and touch it. Then later, when I was 10, 11, 12 years old, I played the guitar with a band. From the record players to the guitar, and then to the record players again, see?
Is this when hip-hop entered your life?
We were always on Praça Roosevelt, in the downtown area of São Paulo, and in the same places where the first B-Boy generation in Brazil appeared, around 1984, 1985. We also enjoyed punk rock, heavy metal, and new wave. The skater group has always been eclectic. A few years later I met Thaíde, who took me to DJ Shopping, which was this DJ shop. Later on he took me to his rehearsal with DJ Hum, before they recorded their first album, in '86, something like that.
I'd love to talk about your live show for a bit. Your Coachella set, for example, was a major production--there were the astronauts, puppets… How did this come about?
I'm not much of a person who enjoys speaking on the microphone. But I do enjoy expressing myself--every place I go I prepare a vignette, a collage. But I think that the DJ's charisma also comes from how he sends his message, how he sees things.
And how does that play into the technologies you incorporate?
I think that the tools don't really matter--you have to use them. Sometimes you feel a bit lazy because these things make it too easy sometimes. The programs give you everything, but actually you end up going back to the origins and sampling without seeing waves, editing by the numbers. This rocks.
So you think that music is all too similar today? Because the means of production are universal and because everybody is using the same tools?
In part, yes. There are many, many clones, and only sometimes does something original come up. I went through a phase without making any music, without distributing music, just trying to rediscover myself, because I didn't want to be part of that. So I think I'm starting to return now.
Are you finding that you now know exactly what you want to do musically?
As an artist, you don't want to be like the others, so the thing I've been giving priority to for the past six months is my main instrument: the record player. As a DJ I have to express myself greatly.
What do you think is missing in music right now, technology-wise? If you were to develop a product based on your needs, what would it be?
Well, people are inventing new ways of selling music. We have to find out new formulas to make money with music. I can't complain, but I see very talented people, who never earn enough money to live. A record company will not record an album spending as much as it used to three, four, five years ago. This is surreal. So in order to maintain quality you have to be more creative and be smarter to sell and to live off that. You have to make a miracle.


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Partner: UNT Libraries
Country: Antarctica
Country: Kenya
Collection: Environmental Policy Collection
Tunza: The UNEP Magazine for Youth, Volume 4, Number 1, 2006
Date: 2006
Creator: Lean, Geoffrey
Description: Tunza is a magazine published by the UN Environment Programme about environmental issues from a youth perspective. This issue is about deserts and arid ecosystems.
Contributing Partner: UNT Libraries
UNEP Year Book 2009: New Science in Our Changing Environment
Date: 2009
Creator: unknown
Description: This publication provides an overview of global and regional environmental issues policy decisions during 2009.
Contributing Partner: UNT Libraries


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Parainfluenza Virus 2
Test Code: 0920
Cpt Code:87798 (x1)
Clinical UtilityThis assay is only available as part of a panel and cannot be ordered individually.
Human parainfluenza (HPIV) virus infection is one of the leading causes of lower respiratory tract disease among children, second only to respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). HPIV serotypes 1 and 2 are the leading causes of childhood laryngotracheobronchitis (LTB). HPIV serotype 3 is more often associated with adult respiratory disease, bronchiolitis, or pneumonia, especially in elderly and immunocompromised patients. The Respiratory Viral Panel detects HPIV serotypes 1, 2, and 3.


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Topic: Working with SQLite 3
Hi Guys
I'm building a web app using RoR 3 and SQLite 3. I have done my database migrations.
My question is > How can I now query the database directly ? I know on mysql you can type something like:
mysql -u user -p database_name
But what does one do for SQLite 3 ?
I would greatly appreciate any help.
Thank You.


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In the aftermath of Irene ... today is declared a FreeDay TeaDay. I will recharge my TeaCells and resume TeaDay topics Tuesday.
However, please do share what is in your cup throughout the day.
In addition, please continue to discuss yesterday's topic regarding most memorable storms.
Also, please feel free to discuss whatever topic is on your mind today ... this is after all our TeaRoom.
We are looking forward to sharing this TeaDay with ... everyone, bottoms up.


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Area Police Reports
Tory C. Arrance, 24, was charged at 3:30 a.m. on Wednesday with driving while intoxicated, third-degree aggravated unlicensed operation and third-degree unauthorized use of a motor vehicle. Officers were on patrol on Kinney Street when they noticed a vehicle that appeared to have been in an accident sitting in the middle of the street with no one around. Arrance was allegedly found to have been driving a vehicle that he took from a family member without permission and crashed into a parked car then fled the scene. He was taken into custody and was found to be intoxicated and had a revoked license. Arrance was being held pending arraignment.
KIANTONE – Justin R. Samuelson, 27, of Prendergast Avenue, Jamestown was charged at 11:12 a.m. on Wednesday with driving while intoxicated, DWI with a blood alcohol content of .08 percent or greater and speeding. Deputies stopped a vehicle for speeding on Busti-Stillwater Road in Kiantone. Samuelson was taken into custody after an investigation for allegedly being intoxicated. He was later released and is scheduled to appear in Kiantone Court at a later date.
Carl E. Weidner, 37, of East Main Street, Corry, Pa., was taken into custody at 1 p.m. on Wednesday on two warrants for petit larceny. On April 20 and May 16, Weidner allegedly entered Wal-Mart and selected merchandise and attempted to return items without paying for them. He is due in Busti Court on May 28 for arraignment.


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Photography exhibit
A new exhibit of photography is at the Princeton branch of the Barre Bank and Town Hall through
September, by
Princeton Arts Society member Mary Anne Magiera of Charlton. Magiera is semi-retired from two careers, one in public service and the other as a newspaper reporter and columnist. She has a BS in journalism/photography from Boston University and has been exhibiting her work for 35 years. Her work is sold in several locations in New England and included in private collections throughout the country.
The exhibit includes 27 photographs of black and white and color photographs. Artwork is available for purchase, which supports local artists and Princeton Arts community events. For more information, e-mail email@example.com.


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In anticipation of receiving the stamp of approval on our CEQA (California Environmental Quality Act) document, and the green light to begin trail construction, Drew and I have been out refining the trail alignment on several segments of the Flow Trail. We are preparing for CAL FIRE Ben Lomond Conservation Camp crews to come out to clear the trail corridor to allow for machine construction. As much of the trail passes through a timber harvest area, this is no small task. Much of the trail alignment is buried in a tangle of slash, all the leftover materials from logging, which must be cleared before the fine flagging of the trail alignment can occur.
We have been walking the trail corridor, which has been roughly flagged over the last year, and have been establishing a more finalized alignment. This is sort of a midpoint in the flagging process. The corridor flagging established a very rough general idea of where the trail will be. It takes into account the average grades of the trail alignment and specific spots where the trail will go. Kind of like the dots on a connect-the-dots drawing for kids (or adults, no judgment here). Now we are flagging out a 10-15 foot wide corridor that the trail will ultimately fall within. We are connecting the dots on our picture. Oh look! It's a unicorn! At this stage it's still a rough, somewhat angular unicorn, but it's clearly a unicorn. The goal here is to have a well defined area for the CAL FIRE crews to clear leaving us a nice debris free corridor where we will define the exact trail route with a final flagging pass. This final flagging, known as fine flagging, will be where our unicorn drawing really comes to life, gone are the sharp corners and straight lines, this unicorn has arcing curves, well defined muscles, and even a friggin spiral on its horn.
The CAL FIRE crews are accustomed to building fire line to contain wildfires. This involves laying waste to everything in their path. As we are building a trail that we are trying to integrate into the landscape we want to take a bit less aggressive of an approach. Thus the reasoning for flagging out the exact extent of our alignment. We are giving them a flag line on both the uphill and downhill edges to work between. While they will be removing most of the slash, we want them to leave some of the large logs, stumps, and trees within the alignment corridor to give our trail anchor points, and some character. We have taken the time to mark where to cut logs that must be removed, which logs can be left in place, and which trees to leave standing.
After the CAL FIRE crews have come through and cleared the corridor we will be ready for fine flagging and then machine construction. The ball is rolling and quickly gaining momentum. Until next time folks.


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Claflin's Cooper, Heslop named White House Initiative HBCU All-Stars
Welcome to the Office of Records and Registration at Claflin University. This office is responsible for registration, the creation and maintenance of student academic records, academic transcripts, course information, student status, enrollment verification and graduation.
Claflin University is committed to valuing our students and being customer focused. The mission of this office is to provide students with the best possible service and the most up-to-date and supportive information in an efficient and expeditious manner. To insure we meet all your expectations, our dedicated staff of enrollment professionals and our state-of-the-art resources are specifically developed with you, the student, in mind.
Location: Tingley Memorial Hall, 1st Floor
Hours: M,W,F 8:00 am – 5:00 pm and T,TH 8:00 am – 7:00 pm
Phone: (803) 535-5719
Fax: (803) 535-5387
E-mail: email@example.com
Office of Records and Registration
400 Magnolia Street Orangeburg, SC 29115


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Zalophus californianus generally live along coastlines but have been found in rivers in along the northern Pacific coast. California sea lions often congregate on man-made structures such as jetties, piers, offshore buoys and oil platforms. Zalophus californianus tend to inhabit places which have undergone human intervention (Riedman, 1990).
Habitat Regions: Temperate; Saltwater or marine
Aquatic Biomes: Rivers and Streams; Coastal


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CSPW: A Program of the
Government Accountability Project
Recent Posts
- The Threat of Offshore Oil Spills: An Unheeded Cautionary Tale
- Why Are 21 Kids Suing the Federal Government, and Why Does It Matter?
- ExxonMobil and Climate Change: A Story of Denial, Delay, and Delusion, Told in Forms 10-K (2009-2016) – Part Three (B): 2010
- In Memory of Rick Piltz, Founder of GAP's Climate Science & Policy Watch
- Notes from Underground – Where the Pipeline Ends: How the Dakota Access Pipeline Could – Or Could Not – Happen Again
- Activism
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- Climate Change Education and Communication
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- Congress: Legislation and Oversight
- Energy
- General
- Global Climate Disruption and Impacts
- Global Warming Denial Machine
- International Climate Policy
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Daily Archives: October 26, 2012
Has climate change created a monster?
To adapt a famous quote on another subject: you may not be interested in climate change, but climate change is interested in you. While both presidential candidates and moderators of the debates have taken criticism for avoiding the subject of … Continue reading


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I dare say we both knew this time was coming. We laughed together, we cried together, we even had our pet names for each other. Alas now I find we have grown apart. Oh sure yanking chains was fun for a while, but I can't help[ thinking there is more for me out there somewhere! I have dreams and it's time for this kid from DeMoines to go out and make his mark on the world. I can see it now, my name up in lights right along side the legends ...Yakov Smirnow, Carrot Top, Emo Phillips, and of course the one and only Pauly Shore. Yep, that's right I'm headin for the big City, Branson Missouri!! But before I leave I want you all to know how much I enjoyed our time together, the pillow fights, the late night coffee, and I'll never forget the time we all shared about our dream weddings!! So savor these memories when you find yourself missing me, I know I will. Thanks again for being there for me. Love,
The Fishman


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abriebbeständiger Anstrich
"We must be willing to let go of the life we have planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us."
E. M. Forster
"The sweetest of all sounds is praise."
"The moral arc of the universe bends at the elbow of justice."
Martin Luther King, Jr.
"Defeat may serve as well as victory to shake the soul and let the glory out."
Edwin Markham


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Topic: Match a line
THis is probably a no brainer, but I can't seem to figure it out
What would be the best way to match something in between tags, say if I had this:
i*this is some text*i
I'd want to match everything between the i* *i tags. What would be the best way to regex that so that I can return the value in between them?
Last edited by RailsRhino (2011-02-14 01:27:24)


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Climbing Wall
At 36 feet high, the climbing wall offers new and innovative recreational opportunities for the VWC community. Multiple routes and difficulty levels makes this wall not only unique but challenging regardless of your skill or experience in climbing. Developed and built by NICROS this wall combines west coast style with A.R.T. wall style to create a unique climbing environment. If you have climbing and belaying experience you may choose to complete a skills test anytime the wall is open to obtain your belay card.
The climbing wall is available for special events or teambuilding sessions for campus clubs, organizations, or academic classes. Contact the Director of Recreational Sports and Outdoor Activities at 757-455- 2124 for more information.
Climbing wall hours
|Rock Wall
|7-10 p.m.
Need Some Cash?
RecX is now interviewing for positions at our Rock Wall. Contact Jason Seward for more details. 757.455.2124 or firstname.lastname@example.com


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Apple acquires 3-D sensing technology company PrimeSense
Apple has acquired PrimeSense, a developer of 3-D sensors that allow devices to respond to the environment in three dimensions.
Apple has acquired PrimeSense, a developer of 3-D sensors that allow devices to respond to the environment in three dimensions.
PrimeSense, which developed the 3D sensing technology used in Microsoft's Kinect, is set to unveil a compact 3D sensor that can fit into a variety of consumer electronic devices.
An Israeli startup stepped out from behind the curtain Wednesday and revealed itself as the technology provider for Microsoft's Project Natal, the upcoming motion-control system for its Xbox 360.
In a small meeting room at the edge of the show floor at the Consumer Electronics Show, a startup company is demonstrating a motion-sensing interface technology that could offer a radical new way for interacting with games, PCs and televisions.
The latest business news, reviews, features and whitepapers
Visit our shop for the best deals on hot products
Watch our video news and reviews from around the world
Comprehensive buying guides, features, and step-by-step articles
First impression on unpacking the Q702 test unit was the solid feel and clean, minimalist styling.
For work use, Microsoft Word and Excel programs pre-installed on the device are adequate for preparing short documents.
The Fujitsu LifeBook UH574 allowed for great mobility without being obnoxiously heavy or clunky. Its twelve hours of battery life did not disappoint.
The screen was particularly good. It is bright and visible from most angles, however heat is an issue, particularly around the Windows button on the front, and on the back where the battery housing is located.
My first impression after unboxing the Q702 is that it is a nice looking unit. Styling is somewhat minimalist but very effective. The tablet part, once detached, has a nice weight, and no buttons or switches are located in awkward or intrusive positions.


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Two sales engineers are going to demo their product the next day and decide to do a dry run in their hotel room. The equipment fails. One of the engineers suspects a cold solder joint, so he calls down to room service and asks them to send up a screwdriver and a soldering iron.
Fifteen minutes later a waiter shows up with a glass of orange liquid. He says: "Here's your Screwdriver, but our bartender didn't know how to mix a Soldering Iron."


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Bloggers Have metPosted Monday, November 21, 2011, at 11:09 PM
We had a great evening of entertaining conversation. We also plan to do again. BBQ weather might be appropriate.
Today, the Bazookaman (Mike), Brenda (Business Manager of MH News), KH Gal (Bonnie Bird of King Hill, originally) Eagle Eye (Joe, of many recipies) all came together at my house, along with Wayne Lehto. We had snacks, and sat down to share a bit of one another's lives. The group of us have quite a bit in common, coming from the same general generation. Much of the same values, same interests, while at the same time, having not alot in common.
It was great to see us together, and it went as well as, and actually better than I hoped. I really hope all felt the same
Mike brought his guitar, and I got out mine. I told Mike that I'd never gotten it out of the case, and when I did, he asked what I played. I said "I said I never got it out of the case" and I strummed my fingers along the chords. "That is the first time I've done that, and this is the 2nd" as I strummed again. heeehehheee.... He tuned it up for me, and played it some. It was good to see that it really is a guitar. I got it about 5-6 years ago, thinking that in the cold winter evenings I teach myself to play. Well, it never happened, but maybe now it will. Wayned strummed on it some, and I think I heard some Johnny Cash emerging...yes, I'm sure I did. I know I heard some of my favorite music coming from Mike's guitar, as we sat, and he played for us. I've invited him back to maybe give us some tutoring. He has said he would!
Anyway, naturally I took pictures, so they will be forthcoming, I look forward to showing you our getogether.
Thanks Bonnie, Mike, Joe, Brenda, for sharing our home for the evening.
Roy, We will meet you soon! Sorry you could not make it, but you know we talked about you while your back was turned.
Showing most recent comments first
[Show in chronological order instead]
Thank you Jessie! I enjoyed the evening so much. We do have some things in common and even if we didn't we are all unique individuals with great ideas for conversation.
I will be working on a few new blogs from my Idaho trip. Being at the old home place sparked some additional memories.
-- Posted by KH Gal on Fri, Nov 25, 2011, at 10:57 PM
It was a fun evening and the company was the best. I so much enjoy hanging out with grownups once in awhile. I cannot thank you again for opening your home to us. I think you and Wayne both looked like strummin guitar material when you held them and posed. Your right, I did hear strums of Johnny too, but I was sitting next to Mike and was not sure. By next summer if it was Wayne we should have the whole song, or two! Thank you Mike, Joe, Bonnie and of course you and Wayne for a great evening. Next time Roy!! Have the very best Thanksgiving this week. B
-- Posted by Brenda Fincher Publisher MHNews on Tue, Nov 22, 2011, at 3:45 PM
Yep, I had forgot that Justin played it. So I lied, it had been played, just not by me.
Maybe now it's on a roll!
-- Posted by jessiemiller on Tue, Nov 22, 2011, at 10:09 AM
I remember when you got that guitar! You're so funny sometimes. I think Justin strummed it a few times, you got that when him and I first started dating, I think I was living with you at that time? Right around that time anyway.
-- Posted by ktlm on Tue, Nov 22, 2011, at 10:00 AM
Thanks Jessie for hosting the get together. I enjoyed meeting the folks that blog and comment on here.
Thanks Bonnie for the books, am sure I will find some interesting stuff in them.
Thanks Mike for the music, enjoyed it, job well done.
Thanks Brenda for your input on some things we all talked about.
Everyone have a Happy Thanksgiving with friends or family Thursday, The only thing that is suppose to get stuffed is the turkey but we all know that is not going to work. LOL.
-- Posted by Eagle_eye on Tue, Nov 22, 2011, at 7:16 AM
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I am interested in this Community, County, and the beautiful state of Idaho. Most of my photos will be in Idaho, but from time to time, they will be my vacations aay from Idaho. You'll see lots of my Children and Grand children, along with others in my family. Of course there will be horses and horse related things, and things I photo'd horseback.
Hot topicsNew Beginnings
(4 ~ 10:54 AM, Dec 26)
Remembrances and our own Mortality
What Kind of People Come to a Roping?
Wedding of the Year!
Elmore County Fair 2014 and back home again


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A Boyertown client asked me to help her make her eat in kitchen more organized and cozy feeling. She lives in a rental space and everything is WHITE and felt cold and institution-like.
Since we couldn't paint the walls, we chose to add color through curtains, rugs, pictures and accents to the space to warm it up.
Kitchen Organizers to the Rescue
When she moved in to her Boyertown rental, she just put items where they fit without really planning how the kitchen would be used from day to day. So she also needed help getting her cabinets/cupboards/closet spaces more organized and functional.
First, we found her a more logical organization system in the cabinets and drawers to create better flow while she was in the kitchen. We then added several lazy Susan's to store items in the corner cabinet and to the spice cabinet as well. Next, we added shelves inside of the closet to organize her recycling.
Lastly, we moved things around to make more sense for her in her kitchen.
She says it will be fun watching the family search for items for the next few weeks :)..
My client absolutely loves the feel of her new cozy kitchen. She said she feels like she WANTS to be in there now. It's not so cold and institutional feeling to her anymore.
Check out the before and after pictures on the Facebook picture album Adding Warmth to a Cold Kitchen.


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The Hawthorn plant provides a source of bioflavonoids, along with other antioxidant chemical compounds. Hawthorn helps promote cardiovascular health**. The Hawthorn extract in these capsules is made up of aerial plant parts, including the berries, leaves, and flowers of the Hawthorn plant. Hawthorn supports the blood vessels, which supply the heart with vital oxygen and nutrients.** These capsules may be swallowed, or opened and prepared as a tea.No Artificial Color, Flavor or Sweetener, No Preservatives, No Sugar, No Milk, No Lactose, No Soy, No Gluten, No Wheat, No Yeast, No Fish, Sodium Free.
Puritan's Pride
Hawthorn Standardized Extract 150 mg
150 mg / 100 Capsules / Item #004540


text: The shell is solid, swollen, approximately oblong or irregularly triangular in shape, with blunt umbones. The shell is dark blue or purple in colour, however the perisostracum gives adults a glossy yellow or dark brown appearance. In young animals the shell appears bluish and the periostracum is extended into long, smooth spines. The shell bears clear growth lines, and a sculpture of fine concentric lines and ridges. The inside of the shell is white, with a wide pallial line, a large anterior adductor muscle scar and small posterior adductor muscle scar. Adults are usually more than 10cm in length, although very large specimens may reach up to 22cm.


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Expect This Housing Rebound to Slow in 2014
BOSTON ( TheStreet) -- U.S. home prices should continue to rebound from their 2007-11 collapse -- but only at about half the pace of last year's double-digit percentage gains, experts say.
"Prices should continue to go up because we're still in housing-shortage conditions," says Lawrence Yun, the National Association of Realtors' chief economist.
Home values enjoyed their biggest increases in years during 2013 as low mortgage rates, strong investor demand, a shortage of available properties and a sense that the housing bust has finally ended teamed up to push prices upward.
The NAR estimates that existing-construction homes fetched a median $197,300, up 11.6% from 2012 levels. That's the biggest annual gain since 2005.
Yun predicts prices will rise another 5.3% this year, thanks in part to continued short supplies of available properties.
He says the number of homes listed for sale during 2013 came in near a 13-year low due to a long-running construction bust and many homeowners who couldn't sell places for enough to cover their unpaid mortgage balances. Such "underwater" property owners can't easily sell their homes unless they're willing to kick in cash from their own pockets to make up the difference.
In addition to short supplies, Yun expects rising mortgage rates amid the demise of the Federal Reserve's quantitative-easing program to partly constrain further price gains by making home loans more expensive.
But at the same time, the economist predicts an improving job market will push housing prices somewhat higher as more consumers feel confident enough about their finances to buy homes. "Higher mortgage rates will act as a negative and job creation will act as a positive, so those two factors should basically cancel each other out," Yun says.
The expert adds that the 5.3% median price increase he's forecasting for this year would exceed the market's long-term average of around a 4% annual gain.
Homeowners appear likely to benefit from the rising home values even if they don't sell their properties this year.
Market tracker Zillow predicts that its Home Value Index , which tries to measure changes in all U.S. house and condo values (even those not for sale) will increase 3% this year, to around $174,000.
That would make this just the third year since 2006 in which median values have gone up, although the expected gains total only about half of the roughly 5% increase seen in 2013.
Zillow economist Svenja Gudell attributes the projected smaller gains to reduced housing demand amid higher mortgage rates, as well as to a growing supply of available properties as more and more homeowners find themselves "above water."


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Steinbeck's tale of commitment, loneliness, hope, and loss remains one of America's most widely read and beloved novels.
While the powerlessness of the laboring class is a recurring theme in Steinbeck's work of the late 1930s, he narrowed his focus when composing Of Mice and Men (1937), creating an intimate portrait of two men facing a world marked by petty tyranny, misunderstanding, jealousy, and callousness. But though the scope is narrow, the theme is universal: a friendship and shared dream that make an individual's existence meaningful.
Of Mice and Men also represents an experiment in form, which Steinbeck described as "a kind of playable novel, written in a novel form but so scened and set that it can be played as it stands." A rarity in American letters, it achieved remarkable success as a novel, a Broadway play, and three acclaimed films.
©1937 John Steinbeck (P)2011 Penguin
Addicted to Audible since 2009
"Ignorance is Bliss"
Loved the book, loved the movie and now I can say I love the audio book version as well! I knew this was a great, touching story already but Sinise as the narrator really impressed me. He does a great job with all of the voices and I can't wait to listen to more books by him. It also helped that he is also one of the stars in the movie itself. Indeed this is such a great story and just so sad at the end. Definitely a classic and I would certainly recommend this title to anyone who has yet to read/listen to it.
"Gary Sinise Is An Excellent Narrator!"
They really could not have picked a better narrator for this story. He was so good. I love the story too. It was one of my favorites. I would highly recommend it!
"Gary Sinise is Amazing. Excellent!"
The audio is better. Gary Sinise really makes the characters come alive. You feel like you are in the room with them.
Just the whole thing. It's like watching a car heading to a ditch and you just so want to stop it but you know you can't.
This is the only book I have heard by Gary Sinise. He WAS George and Lenny. Truly amazing.
I did listen to the entire book in one sitting.
Must buy. Very good story, very good performance.
"Great Story"
Yes, a good quick read of a classic.
George. He was a compassionate and loyal friend to Lenny.
No but I would like to listen to more. He was a terrific reader.
I laughed and cried. It was a great story and a classic I had never read before.
Makes me want to revisit Steinbeck's other works.
"The reader alone is worth it"
A classic story with a fantastic narrator. His voices felt true to the characters and kept me listening. The story itself is a heart wrenching tale at times. I did not find much enjoyment in Steinbeck's The Pearl but this story completely sold me on the merits of this author
I believe a reviewer should finish a book before submitting a review. What do you think?
"The Poor Little Mouse"
Once again I'm so glad to have downloaded and listened to another classic Steinbeck novel.
The narrator artfully brings along as we travel down the road with the two friends. I so love the way Steinbeck gives us characters we already know. And as we experience the human condition and wish for things to turn out a certain way, your heart gets broken before you finish this book. Oh and a journey worth taking.
Thanks to Audible for including this book on your site.
"A different kind of love story"
Very glad that I chose to listen to this book. Narrator is awesome and turns the characters into real life people. The story itself is all about people, the good, the bad, the ugly and those who are beautiful in their hearts by the love they show to their "brothers". I can't say that I agree with the choice made by George in the end, but I can understand that it was love that moved him to make that choice. I would highly recommend this book, it will make you realize that the people in our lives are more important than the things in our lives.
"Hear the book, then see the movie..."
You can't go wrong with a classic!
Another of Steinbeck's raw, emotion filled, suspenseful tales set in the depression era. You'll be on the edge of your seat like a ballpark fan, coaching George and Lennie through querulous choices and foreseeable plot pitfalls.
Hear the book (great narration by Gary Sinise), then see the movie (with Gary Sinise again, rel. 1992)!
"what a great story of lonliness--so sad!!"
way up there
Lenny--you got to love him and his rabbits
loved his voice and accents and everything
I love learning, teaching, and exploring!
"Nice for a short listen"
This novel was a nice and short listen and is well worth the time. The story is emotional and I certainly won't forgot it anytime soon.
At first I thought the narrator was too fast and had trouble keeping up. But in the later parts of the the book, Gary Sinise really captured the emotion and the pace was perfect. He also had some good voices for different characters.
Report Inappropriate Content
If you find this review inappropriate and think it should be removed from our site, let us know. This report will be reviewed by Audible and we will take appropriate action.


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Many pet owners will give their cats and dogs treats and extra helpings of food to show they care, but this approach to feeding is not the healthiest way to show love. The New York Times reports that about half of all dogs and cats in America are overweight or obese, a number that has risen since 2010. This means the amount owners are paying to treat obesity complications like arthritis in dogs and diabetes in cats and dogs is also on the rise.
In 2011, the average annual cost of diabetes care for a dog or cat was more than $900, the news outlet reports. Owners dish out about $2,000 for arthritis and ligament tears annually, conditions also caused by the stress of extra weight on an animal's body.
In addition to the dent these conditions make in an owner's wallet, they are also extremely detrimental to the animal's overall quality of life. Although many people tend to think chubby animals are cute, they may not realize the consequences, like chronic pain or a shortened life span.
Obesity is one of the few conditions that can absolutely be prevented, and can also be successfully treated or reversed, according to VCA Animal Hospitals. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle with portion control and exercise is key to having a healthy, happy pet.


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August New Teacher Survival Guide
Get more than 50 ideas for a successful start to the school year. Whether you are a brand new teacher or a veteran educator, you will find tips, tricks, and strategies to help.
- Grades: PreK–K, 1–2, 3–5, 6–8
From setting up your classroom to brainstorming icebreaker activities, these tips and tricks will have you prepped, relaxed, and ready just in time for the first day of school.
Preparing Your Classroom
Our Easy Guide to Setting Up Your Classroom (K–5)
At last, a classroom of your own! Time to roll up your shirtsleeves and begin transforming that empty space into a warm and inviting place for your first class. Here's how.
The New Teacher's Crash Course on Setting Up Your Classroom (6–8)
Preparing your classroom for the arrival of your students is probably high on the list of your priorities. Here are some teacher-tested tips to make it easier and more successful.
How to Make an Old Classroom New Again
As a new teacher, a big challenge will be setting up your new classroom and making it your own. Read on for advice.
Clip and Save Checklist: Get Ready for the First Day of School!
There's so much to do before your first day in the classroom. This easy-to-follow checklist will have you relaxed and ready for your students and their parents to arrive!
Fit to Print: Use This Handy Seating Chart
A seating chart to start your school year.
"Been There, Done That" Tips & Ideas
Whether you have two days, two weeks, or two months during the summer to prepare for the first day of school, the time goes by too fast. Discover how other new teachers have managed to get all the essentials done before the bell.
Bookshelf Bests: Favorite Books for Back-to-School (K–5)
Here are some must-have, back-to-school titles for every new teacher in grades K–5.
Bookshelf Bests: Great Books for Beginning of the Year Stories About Middle Schoolers, Friends, and Fitting In (6–8)
For grades 6–8, a teacher's must-have, back-to-school booklist.
Time Management Tip for New Teachers: Outsmart the Clutter
Clutter in the classroom means valuable instructional time lost scrambling to find small items like math manipulatives, glue sticks, and extra No. 2 pencils. Here's how to avoid clutter chaos.
First Day of School Icebreakers
You're not the only one excited and nervous about the first day of school. Your students are, too! Here are several getting-to-know-you activities that will help everyone break the ice and create a sense of classroom camaraderie from the very beginning of the school year.
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U.S. National Arabian Horse Show - Halter Breeding Championships
The 42nd annual U.S. National Arabian and Half-Arabian Championship Horse Show made its debut in Tulsa, Oklahoma, at Expo Square, October 17-25. A total of 1,800+ horses were entered in the show that provided 125 classes across a variety of disciplines that included Mounted Native Costume, English Pleasure, Show Hack, Halter, Sidesaddle, Hunter Pleasure and Western Pleasure.
The Arabian Horse Association produced this nine-day event and was the first year the show was located in Tulsa, Oklahoma after many successful years of rotating between Louisville Kentucky and Albuquerque, New Mexico.
The finest halter horses all came out to compete for the title of US National Champion. A few of the highlights were the multi National Champion DA Valentino who had the highest score of the show and won the Jr. Stallion Championship, beating EKS Bey Al Gazal owned by Mystica Arabians of Australia. DA Valentino is now owned by Michele Pfeifer & David Halsch after being purchased at this year's Scottsdale show for a record price.
The junior champion mare was the beautiful French Psylk owned by Robert and Dixie North and shown by Rodolfo Guzzo, who easily won with a 16 point lead. The former US National Champion LD Pistal, now owned by Felix Cantu of Mexico City, Mexico, came back to compete again winning the title of Senior US National Champion Stallion. The International sensation Dakharo, who has already claimed the titles of Aachen Champion, World Champion, World Cup Champion, and currently owned by HRH Prince Khalid Bin Sultan Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud was the reserve champion Senior Stallion.
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Photographer: Mike Ferrara
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Arabian Jr Mare Champion


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Journal of the Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy
versão On-line ISSN 2411-9717
versão impressa ISSN 0038-223X
J. S. Afr. Inst. Min. Metall. vol.112 no.7 Johannesburg Jul. 2012
Comparing two mass size distributions
F. LombardI; G.J. LymanII
ICentre for Business Mathematics and Informatics, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa
IIMaterials Sampling and Consulting Pty Ltd, Southport, Australia
We consider in this paper the use of a modified version of Hotelling's statistic in the analysis of particle size distributions. The statistic can be adversely affected by the presence of outliers among the data. We propose a competitor to the statistic that is based on ranks, and hence is less sensitive to outlier effects. The results of a Monte Carlo study suggest that the rank test is highly competitive with the Hotelling test in its ability to detect differences between two mass size distributions. The calculation of the rank statistic is explained in detail and its application is illustrated on two sets of data.
Keywords: mass size distributions, bias testing, rank statistic.
Lyman, et al. (2010) reported in this Journal the results of research, both applied and theoretical, on the analysis of particle size distributions. The Hotelling T2 statistic that was proposed can be adversely affected by the presence of outliers among the data. The paper promised further research into an improved methodology. In this paper we try to fulfil the promise. We propose a robust test procedure based on ranks as a competitor to the T2 statistic. In a typical sizing procedure, a mass M kg of raw material is sorted into p + 1 size intervals (in millimetres)
and the mass of material, M1,..., Mp+1, in each of the size intervals recorded. Thus M = M1+...+Mp+1. Often the value of M that is needed to achieve a target precision in sizing is suggested by an industrial standard (e.g. an ISO document) and is supposed to remain fixed over successive sieve analyses. In practice it is hardly possible to keep M constant, and deviations of a greater or lesser magnitude from the prescribed value occur as a matter of course. Consequently, the results of a sieve analysis are invariably reported as a vector of proportions x = (x1,...,Xp+1), where
so that
As a consequence, the covariance matrix of the multivariate data set that results upon making n > d independent observations on the random vector x is singular.
In order to develop a statistical method to analyse such data, one thinks of the observation x = (x1,...,Xp+1) as a corrupted realization of a 'true' underlying size distribution q = (q0,...,qp+i), Σqk = 1). The principal sources of corruption are mechanical sampling error and laboratory analysis error. Here qk denotes the true, but unknowable, proportion of the total mass of a large (conceptually infinite) amount of material that falls in the kth size interval. In this paper we consider tests of the hypothesis of equality of two such underlying size distributions. In the first of the two applications to be considered, two samples were obtained from the same batch of material, one by each sampling method, each sample having been sized using a set of p = 10 sieves. This pairwise collection and sizing of samples was repeated on n = 28 independent batches of material. Thus, we have 28 pairs
of observed sizings. The question is whether or not it is reasonable to assume that the distributions q underlying the x results are the same as the distributions q* that underlie the y results. We emphasize that the underlying size distributions typically vary from sample to sample because of the timewise variability in the supply of material being sampled. Thus we do not assume that the observation pairs (x¡, y1), i = 1,...,28 are realizations of a fixed pair (q,q*) of underlying distributions. As such, an analysis should be based on the 28 sets of differences
Figure 1 shows for this data set boxplots of the 28 differences within each of the 10 size classes. Comparing the medians with the zero line, the overall visual impression is that the two size distributions differ somewhat. The sampler seems to be producing less coarse material, and consequently more of the finer material, than the stopped belt method. On the other hand, the Hotelling T2 gives a non-significant result (p-value = 0.124), indicating, contrary to what we see in Figure 1, that the observed differences are nothing out of the ordinary. However, we also see that the data abound in outliers (the + signs in Figure 1) and that any real differences between the size distributions may have been masked by the large amount of variability in the data.
The main objective of the present paper is to demonstrate how outlier effects associated with the use of the T2 statistic can be overcome. We will show that replacing the differences (Equation [4]) by appropriate rank scores takes care of the outlier problem without sacrificing much, if anything, in the ability to detect true differences (statistical power). A secondary objective of the paper is to show that the rank score test is, in fact, often more adept than Hotelling's T2 at detecting real differences between commonly encountered size distributions.
The paper is structured as follows. We first review briefly the calculation and properties of the T2 statistic in its application to sizing data. We then describe the rank score version of the statistic, illustrate its calculation on a small set of artificial data, and apply it to two real data sets. Following this, we use a Monte Carlo simulation method to compare the abilities of the tests to detect substantive differences between underlying size distributions. The results of the Monte Carlo study suggest that the proposed rank test is highly competitive with the Hotelling T2 test. Finally, we make some concluding remarks and summarize our main results.
Hotelling's T2 statistic
and form the data matrix of differences
and the (column) vector of means
where k is the average of the n elements in row k of D. Lyman et al. (2010) proposed a procedure based on Hotelling's T2 statistic to test the statistical significance of the observed differences ki by deleting any one of the rows of D, say the last one p+1, and computing the T2 statistic on the remaining rows 1,...,p. The T2 statistic is
denotes the covariance matrix. The reason for eliminating one row of D from consideration is that the constraint Equation [2], which also applies to the j-data, together with Equation [5] implies that
so that the covariance matrix C is singular. This precludes calculation of T2 on the full data matrix D. It is important to note that the numerical value of T2 computed in the manner suggested by Lyman et al. does not depend upon which one of the p + 1 rows is eliminated from the data matrix. This fact is intuitively rather obvious because any p of the p + 1 rows contain the same information as does the full set of p + 1 rowsthe missing row can be reconstructed exactly by applying the constraint (Equation [8]). Thus, the outcome of the statistical test is uniquely determined, no matter which one of the rows is eliminated from consideration.
The following equally important fact will also be used in this paper. Namely, that for any data matrix, not necessarily constrained as in Equation [2], and row l the numerical value of T2 computed on the p nonzero row difference k - l, k ≠ l does not depend upon l. For example, the numerical values of T2 computed on the vectors
will be exactly the same. This follows from the fact that the numerical value of t2 does not depend upon the ordering of rows in the data matrix D.
A rank test
A version of the t statistic that is robust to outliers is obtained upon replacing the differences ik in row k of the data matrix by a rank score which is more or less immune to outlier effects. Towards this, notice that each ik can be expressed as the product of its absolute value and its sign (+1 or -1),
In order to negate outlier effects one replaces | ki I by its rank among the absolute values in row k,
Then, for example, the two largest absolute values in the row receive the ranks n - 1 and n, no matter how large they are compared to each other and to the other absolute values in the row. Appending the sign of ki to its rank gives the rank score
Comparing Equations [9] and [10] we see that robustness is effected by the replacement of the numerical value of | ik |, which may be an outlier relative to the other | d | values in the row, with its rank, which is not an outlier relative to the other ranks in the row. In this way, each row dk = (ki,...kn) of the data matrix D is replaced by a row of rank scores sk = (sk1,...skn) to form a new data matrix
The proposed rank statistic, denoted by T2W, is obtained by choosing any one of the rows, say sp+1, as a 'reference row' and calculating T2 t2 in Equation [6] on the reduced rank score matrix
The subscript w in t2W serves to indicate that the rank scores are, in fact, those upon which the well-known Wilcoxon symmetry test is based. Notice that, in contrast to the ki, the rank scores generally are not subject to the constraint . Hence, it would be possible in principle to compute T2W on the full ranks score matrix S. This is not advisable, though, because near-singularity of the corresponding covariance matrix is a frequent occurrence and gives rise to unnecessarily variable T2W values. Eliminating one of the rank score row vectors from the calculation is also not advisable.
This is because, in the absence of the constraint ski=0 the value of T2W will then depend upon which score vector is eliminated. On the other hand, as was pointed out in the Introduction, basing the calculation on the reduced rank score matrix ensures a unique value of T2W.
Numerical example
We illustrate the calculation of the rank scores on the following small set of artificial data:
Here, p = 2 and n = 5, that is, we have five paired sets of observations on each of three size fractions. The matrix of differences is
From this we derive the matrix of signs
the matrix of absolute values
and the matrix of ranks
The rank score vectors are now found by multiplying corresponding elements of the matrices in Equations [11] and [12],
and the Hotelling statistic is computed on the matrix
or on the matrix
or on the matrix
The value of T2W is 0.915 in all three cases.
A Matlab (Mathworks Inc., 2007) program that does the required calculations for data sets of realistic sizes is available from either of the authors upon request.
Application to sizing data
For the data set exhibited in Figure 1 the observed value of the T2W statistic is 2.980 with a p -value of 0.022 found from the F distribution with 9 and 19 degrees of freedom. (The p -value is the probability that the T2W statistic exceeds the value 2.98 given that it has the indicated F distribution.) This p -value of 0.022 is quite different from the p-value of 0.124 produced by the T2 statistic on this data. Thus, the rank test suggests strongly that the differences seen in Figure 1 are, in fact, real and not merely due to chance. Given this conclusion, an obvious question that arises is 'where do the differences mainly occur'? It was pointed out by Lyman et al. that some care should be exercised when attempting to answer this question. This is because a change in the mass fraction reported by any given size class must of necessity be accompanied by reported changes in one or more of the remaining size classes: the total of the reported fractions must be 1.00 under all circumstances. A glance at Figure 1 suggests that the reported proportions of coarser material (size fractions 7-10) have decreased while the proportions of finer material (size fractions 1-6) have increased correspondingly. This becomes clearer when we look at Figure 2, derived from Figure 1, which shows a plot of the medians of the 28 differences within each size class. Notwithstanding that the differences are relatively small, the pattern is clear.
Next, we turn to the data analyzed by Lyman et al. (2010) . This involved a comparison of sizings from samples of iron ore obtained with two different cross-belt samplers, a Vezin-type belt-end sampler, and stopped belt sampling. A total of 14 pairs of sizings into 8 intervals from each procedure were available for analysis. Belt sampling was carried out by highly experienced staff and sample analysis (sizing) by a well-accredited laboratory that was closely supervised. The reproducibility of the sizing protocol was established prior to processing the test samples. Figure 3 (which is a reproduction of part of the top left hand one in Figure 3 of Lyman et al. (2010), except that the size fractions are now arranged left to right from finest to coarsest, shows boxplots of the 14 differences in each of the 8 size intervals for the belt-end sampler and the stopped belt samples. Student t -tests comparing each of the size fractions indicated a significant difference at only the finest size fraction. (We point out here that in Table 1 of Lyman et al. (2010) the numbers 0.160, 0.25, 2.68, and 0.64 in the last row of the belt-end block should be replaced by 0.887, 0.162, 14.6, and 5.48 respectively.) The Hotelling T also indicated an overall significant difference (p -value = 0.05). Since a bias from cross-stream (Vezin) sampling was somewhat unexpected, the question was put whether outliers (indicated by a + in Figure 3) could have been the cause of the significance of the values of the t and T2 statistics. The answer seems to be that the observed differences are realthe rank test also gives a highly significant result for these data (p -value = 0.003). Some confirmation that the highly significant T2 and T2W values are at least in part due to the observed differences in the finest size fraction follows upon analysing the subcompositions (x2i,..X8i) / (1 -x1i) and (j2i,-,y87i) / (1 -y1i) consisting of the size fractions in intervals 1 through 7 only. Then neither T2 nor T2W is significant (p-values of 0.54 and 0.31 respectively).
Technical note
The F-distribution with p and n-p degrees of freedom attributed to the T2 statistic and which is used to determine significance levels, requires a formal assumption that the matrix of differences originates from an underlying multivariate normal distribution. This assumption is hardly likely to be satisfied for sizing data, particularly since the entries in the vectors k must all lie between -1 and +1. Nonetheless, extensive simulation results, some of which are reported in the next section, indicate that the F -distribution can be safely used. This can be explained partially by noting that the T2 statistic depends on the raw data only through the mean vector and the covariance matrix C, both of which are averages computed from the differences; see Equations [5] and [7]. Now, the central limit theorem guarantees approximate normality of averages, especially for difference data such as k - l that are constrained to lie in a finite interval and that do not exhibit an excessively skewed distribution. Thus, it is perhaps not so surprising that the F -distribution is applicable to the data that we are dealing with, even when only relatively small amounts of such data are available.
Monte Carlo simulations
In this section of the paper we present the results of some Monte Carlo simulations with a view to (i) demonstrating the applicability of the F distribution when determining significance levels and (ii) comparing the statistical power of the rank test with that of the Hotelling test. The power of a statistical test (or a test statistic) is defined as the probability that the test will succeed in identifying a difference that is indeed present. A test with a power of 1 (or 100%) 'never fails'.
One approach towards these goals is to generate artificial data sets based on models that attempt to simulate the mechanisms that lead to an observed size distribution, such as particle breakage and particle sampling error (Brown and Wohletz (1995); Dacey and Krumbein (1979); Gy (1982); Lyman (1986)). However, since we have a number of real data sets at our disposal, we prefer to base our simulations directly on these.
In order to judge the applicability of the F distribution we require pairs of observed sizings that are generated from the same underlying size distribution and which differ only in respect of uncertainties added in the sampling and sieving operations. Given a data set consisting of n pairs of observed sizings (columns) (x¡, yi), i = 1,...,n, data sets with the required structure can be generated by interchanging at random the roles of xi and yi in the data matrix. That is, we flip an unbiased coin and if it shows heads we replace the pair (x¡, yi) by (yi, xi) in the data matrix, otherwise leaving it unchanged. This means that we are sampling at random from a large collection of 2n pairs of data sets of which any pair of columns is generated from identical underlying size distributions (the size distributions may vary from column pair to column pair). In the numerical example given earlier (n = 5), suppose five coin flips resulted in the outcome H, T, T, H, T
Then the corresponding randomized data matrix would be and the Hotelling and rank statistics would be computed on this data matrix in the manner indicated in the numerical example given earlier. This generation of randomized data sets is repeated a large number of times, say N times. We then compute the observed fractions of these N times in which each of the two statistics exceeded the upper 100 (1 - a)% percentile ca of the F distribution with p and n - p degrees of freedom. If the F distribution is applicable, the fractions should be close to a. Table I shows the results obtained when applying this method to the data in Figure 1 (n = 28) and Figure 3 (n = 14) using in each instance N = 50 000 trials and a = 0.10, 0.05, and 0.01. Clearly, the empirical exceedance probabilities of the rank test are quite close to the nominal values in all cases while the Hotelling statistic seems to undershoot the mark slightly.
To gauge the effect of outliers on the tests we again use the data from Figures 1 and 3, but now in a different manner. We replace in each interval those observed size fraction differences dki that were identified as outliers by pseudo observations constructed as follows. Denote by iqr the interquartile range of the data in row k and denote by m their median. A Gaussian distribution of differences without outliers in row k would have a mean equal to m and a standard deviation equal to 0.69 x iqr. Notice that 0.69 is the ratio between the 68th (median + one standard deviation) and 75th percentiles of a Gaussian distribution. Each outlier in row k is now replaced by an observation from a Gaussian distribution which has mean m and standard deviation F x 0.69 x iqr. Here, ^ is a variance inflation factor. The data set thus reconstructed has exactly the same configuration of median differences as the original. When F = 1, all outliers have essentially been removed. If F is increased, more outliers are artificially introduced.
We illustrate the procedure using the data in the eighth size interval in Figure 1 . There are five outliers, namely -0.046, -0.042, 0.044, 0.056, and 0.068. The median and iqr of the differences in row 8 are -0.002 and 0.019 respectively. A Gaussian distribution with this median and iqr would have a mean of -0.002 and a standard deviation of 0.69 x 0.019 = 0.013. Accordingly, with Ф = 1 we generate five such Gaussian random numbers and insert them into column 8 in place of the original five outliers. If Ф = 2, we replace the outliers by five random numbers from a Gaussian distribution with mean -0.002 and standard deviation 2 x 0.013 = 0.026, etc. Figure 4 shows boxplots of the original data and those that resulted from one application of the above procedure at Ф = 1 (the pseudo observations were -0.022, -0.011, 0.010, 0.017, 0.018) and Ф = 2(the pseudo observations were -0.050, -0.022, 0.008, 0.031, 0.057). We see that there are now no outliers at Ф = 1and just two at Ф = 2.
As Ф increases, so does the number of artificially generated outliers. Of course, after adding the perturbed values, we subtract from each column of differences its average in order that the necessary constraint be satisfied for the new data. This process of replacing the original outliers is repeated N times for each of a range of values of Ф. Then we find the fractions of the N times in which each of the statistics exceeds ca. These fractions are our estimates of the statistical powers of the tests. (Needless to say, this will be a fruitless exercise if neither of the tests gave a significant result on the original data set.) Table II shows the estimated powers of the tests when this methodology is applied to the data from Figures 1 and 3 with a = 0.05 and N = 10 000. Figure 5 shows for each value of 4 in the first line of Table II (data from Figure 1) a boxplot of one randomly generated set of pseudo differences. Figure 6 shows the same in respect of the 4 values in the fourth line of the table (data from Figure 3). A general conclusion from these simulation results is that the T2 and T 2 statistics have similar powers when the numbers and sizes of outliers are not extensive, but that the former statistic loses power much more rapidly than the latter as the numbers and sizes of outliers increase. Overall, it would seem that the rank test is to be preferred because of its greater power robustness.
Concluding remarks
The data used in this study to illustrate the virtues of the ranked score version of the Hotelling procedure by comparison to those of the conventional Hotelling test are real, and reflect the realities of bias testing using size distribution data. This contribution to the tools for making bias tests is motivated by the need to ensure that such tests are evaluated using the most powerful statistical tools.
However, it is critical in bias testing that the magnitude of the detectable bias be economically relevant. That is, the testing protocol, which includes sample masses collected, precision of the particle sizing process, the number of paired samples collected, and the statistical analysis procedure must be adequate to detect a difference between the test samples and the reference samples that is economically significant. Too often, a bias test is carried out using the guidelines provided by a standard. The accuracy of the work carried out is not specifically assessed and so the extent of the detectable bias is not quantified. A bias test which is not qualified by the extent of the detectable bias is no test at all, and may give comfort where none is to be had. Bias tests must be designed to detect a certain level of bias that has been based on an economic evaluation of the critical level of bias to be detected for all analytes of interest. Consideration of the size-by-size analyses of the material sampled for all economically important analytes, coupled with a critical consideration of the contractual tolerances on analytes, can be used to arrive at the critical level of bias to be detected in a test.
The authors continue to work towards a workable methodology for accurate assessment of the detectable bias over the full sizing distribution.
In this paper we propose a robust procedure based on ranks to test for sizing bias in a mechanical sampling system. The data consists of observed mass size distributions and our results are applicable to such data in general. The proposed rank test has been applied to two data sets and its advantages over Hotelling's T2 statistic has been illustrated in a Monte Carlo simulation study using a very realistic method of injecting outliers into the data set. In particular, and in contrast to the T2 statistic, the power of the rank test is not unduly affected by the presence of outliers. Our simulation results indicate that use of the F -distribution to compute p -values is permissible, even if relatively few sizing pairs are available. The testing carried out in this paper clears the way for the ranked Hotelling test to become a reliable standard tool in size distribution comparison, which comparison is a best tool for bias testing of sampling systems.
1. BROWN, W.K. and WOHLETZ, K.H. 1995. Derivation of the Weibull distribution based on physical principles and its connection to the Rosin-Rammler and lognormal distributions. Journal of Applied Physics, vol. 78, no. 4. pp. 2758-2763. [ Links ]
2. DACEY, M.F. and KRUMBEIN, W.C. 1979. Models of breakage and selection for particle size distributions. Mathematical Geology, vol. 11 . pp. 193-222. Gy, P.M. 1982. Sampling of Particulate MaterialsTheory and Practice, [ Links ]
3. ELSEVIER, NEW YORK. LYMAN, G.J., NEL, M., LOMBARD, F., STEINHAUS, R., and BARTLETT, H. 2010. Bias testing of cross-belt samplers. Journal of the Southern African Intitute of
4. MINING and METALLURGY, vol. 110, no. 6. pp. 289-298. Lyman, G.J. 1986. Application of Gy's sampling theory to coal: A simplified explanation and illustration of some basic aspects. International Journal of Mineral Processing, vol. 17. pp. 1-22. Mathworks Inc. 2007. Matlab, Version 7.5 (release 2007b). ♦
Paper received Jul. 2011
Revised paper received Nov. 2011