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Alumni give back to A&S and future students
Doug and Stephanie Calhoun Establish Endowed Scholarship Fund
Two successful alumni who graduated with A&S degrees have made a generous gift to the college to "support the next generation of young professionals from Kentucky and express their deep commitment to ducation and supporting opportunities for students."
Douglass and Stephanie Calhoun have established the Calhoun Family Endowed Scholarship Fund to provide support to a student "who has overcome adversity, has professional aspirations and a demonstrated commitment to the community."
The scholarship is for Kentucky residents with a declared A&S major and can be used by the student for tuition, fees, and books.
Douglas Calhoun, II, graduated with a degree in biology and was a college athlete playing U of L Letter in Basketball, Football & track. Stephanie Calhoun completed a double major in Sociology and Psychology. They are the proud parents of Sydney and Shelby Calhoun.
Mr. & Mrs. Tim and Nancy Pifer
Tim and Nancy Pifer established a scholarship endowment in the History department. The scholarship is to support an undergraduate student from a rural community majoring in History. Tim grew up in West Virginia and Nancy in Ohio. The Pifers both had very successful military careers and are life-long learners. Tim returned to UofL after retirement and completed a masters degree in History. He was so impressed with the faculty and his fellow students, he wanted to provide an opportunity for many students to come to earn a history degree from UofL. The Pifers are leaving an estate gift to the department which will be the largest gift ever to the Department of History at the University of Louisville.
Mr. Walter K. Smith "The Old Guy on Campus"
Walter K. Smith attended UofL on a football scholarship and graduated with a degree in History from the College of Arts & Sciences in 1950. Following his college career he started Smith Glass Company, a family window and glass company. Walter is better known for being the forever learner. For more than 17 years Walter has taken advantage of UofL's continuing education courses for senior citizens. Generations of A&S students have shared a classroom with the now 85 year old Mr. Smith. He is extremely proud of being "the old guy on campus." Walter has provided a scholarship endowment for students in the College of Arts & Sciences that will honor the memory of his wife Frances K. Smith.
Judge & Mrs. Dwayne and Joy Woodruff
A $100,000 gift from the Woodruffs established the Woodruff Academic Suite in Papa John's Cardinal Stadium, where all student athletes have the opportunity to go for tutoring, access to computers, and academic support.
Dwayne was a football player, business school student, and Vice President of the Miller Hall residents council. A&S alumna Joy was President of the Threlkeld Hall residents council and pledged Alpha Kappa Alpha at UofL. The two met at a resident's council meeting and married their junior year of college. After graduation Dwayne was drafted to play for the Pittsburgh Steelers, and during the office season he attended Duquesne University School of Law earning his law degree. He is now the Pittsburgh Family Court Judge.


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Colorado runs short on foster homes
Colorado needs about 300 more foster homes for abused and neglected children, especially in rural counties.
The state now has about 4,200 children in foster families in 2,800 homes. In some cases, siblings are together, but many of those homes have up to four foster children who are not related.
According to the Denver Post children and teens living in group homes and staff-run residential centers are unable to move to foster homes because there are not enough certified foster parents in the state.
About 800 children are living in residential treatment centers and group homes.

subset: commoncrawl


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I've been upsent for quite some time now. This is because i was onto something. I was learning the framework of Adobe AIR. It's a quite nice tool for rapid desktop development with Web standards. You actually use Javascript and HTML to code desktop applications. In order to find my way around this new technology i needed a project. Some people find it convenient to learn by buying a book. What i do is i throw my self into some serious coding. That is my way of learning. So, i decided to go on with a project. It is called "BloggerBuddy" and it is an approach of mine on an RSS reader. I have tried many readers before and they all organize feeds in a certain way which does not suit me. The one i liked the most is Google Reader but i wanted something to integrate on my desktop. Besides that, BloggerBuddy has another advantage. It is designed from a blogger (yup that's me) for bloggers (and that is you!). It has a nice feature where when a post is marked as a "commented on", next time it tries to fetch the latest comment. This way you will be able to easily track the activity on posts you want to see how the discussion goes. So, go on and check it out. If you find any bugs or you have any suggestions take a look at the "Feedback" button on the left of the homepage.
Other than that, i have about three posts in a draft state for quite some time and i want to post them soon. So, keep on visiting!
Wow!! CSS has been implemented now 🙂 and you have a separate page for BloggerBuddy!! Will check out this version tonight 😀
I love BB.. It's great..
Wow! Nice project. 🙂 I'll try it out and let you know what I think.
Nicelly done Stratos! 😉 😆
One feature to be added… Fetch feed name automatically, if I do not suggest a name, it will stay blank… Good luck 🙂
I wonder why everytime, my captcha goes wrong on your site 👿 though I enter properly 🙁
Nice work man, will check it out tonight
Hi Stratos,
I seem to be having some problem with BB. After installing the latest version, I added my blog's feed but I am unable to read it. Only your blog's feed comes up. Am I missing something?
I did add the feedburner one itself. and yeah there is redirection as well. Anyway I tried deleting the feed and add again and it worked 😯 Now if it is a bug or just my stupidity (typo may be), that's anybody's guess 🙂
Your captcha is troubling me as well now 🙁
Few things I can think of now-
1. Edit feature as you mentioned
2. Selecting a Feed from the list of feeds on the sidebar
3. Hyperlink on the title instead of Go There button
4. May be a simple and cute Blogger Buddy logo 🙂
Regarding the captcha, do you really need that? why not a simple math query instead? and ideally Submit button should be below captcha!


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YONKERS, N.Y. - Virginia Sciarrillo (Aunty Ginny) of Yonkers died July 3. She was 101.
Sciarrillo was a lifelong resident of Yonkers.
Sciarrillo is survived by her nieces and nephews; grandnieces and nephews; and great grandnieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her husband, George.
Calling hours are Tuesday, July 8 from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. at Sinatra Memorial Home, Inc. , 601 Yonkers Ave., Yonkers. The funeral will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday, July 9 at the funeral home. Entombment will be in Ferncliff Cemetery, Hartsdale.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Calvary Hospital.


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Kids, decorate your own giant egg! We'll be decorating giant eggs made out of poster board with glitter, sequins, jewels and more. Come make an egg and enjoy some bunny treats too! The fun starts at 4:30 pm on Wednesday, March 20th. Be sure to hop on by!
[1] http://www.hcpl.net/users/christina-thompson
[2] http://www.hcpl.net/category/tags/childrens-craft
[3] http://www.hcpl.net/category/tags/easter
[4] http://www.hcpl.net/category/branches/childrens
[5] http://www.hcpl.net/category/locations/north-channel


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Ramos, Catherine (2012) Removing Congolese asylum seekers from the UK to face torture is not the mark of a 'decent country'. British Politics and Policy at LSE (08 Feb 2012) Blog Entry.
Download (48Kb) | Preview
The UK's Human Rights Act and international human rights legislation prohibit torture and returning refugees or asylum seekers to countries where they are likely to suffer torture or persecution. In a new report Catherine Ramos details the fate of Congolese asylum seekers who were forcibly removed from the UK and suffered inhuman treatment in the DRC, and argues that the UK should halt removals until returnees' rights can be guaranteed.
|Item Type:
|Website (Blog Entry)
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|© 2012 The Author
|Library of Congress subject classification:
|J Political Science > JN Political institutions (Europe) > JN101 Great Britain
J Political Science > JV Colonies and colonization. Emigration and immigration. International migration
|Collections > British Politics and Policy at LSE
|Date Deposited:
|28 Jun 2012 14:49
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Sony Wants A Robin Hood Cinematic Universe Because Why The @$% Not
Dear every screenwriter in Hollywood: would you like a major studio to purchase your pitch? Then call your idea a "cinematic universe like the Avengers," and they'll be tripping over themselves to write you checks —just like Sony is doing for a massive Robin Hood movie franchise. Sigh.


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Safety Main Page
Meet the Safety Crew
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Find or become a
child care provider.
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A great way to find a child care provider is often through your friends.
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Today's dental patient has extremely high expectations, often asking us to seemingly perform miracles. Sometimes this is unrealistic and just not possible. In the medical world, patients must accept and live with compromises to their health, but some dental patients always seem to expect perfection.
A dentist must be very careful when making the decision to attempt a challenging restoration in the aesthetic zone, especially when the gingival level is directly in the line of vision. The practitioner's clinical judgment is essential. It is important for the dentist to first perform a complete examination, establish an accurate diagnosis, and assess all treatment possibilities. The clinician should then present all the various treatment alternatives to the patient; educated patients will usually make choices in their own best interest.
Root Caries and Fractures
The incidence of root caries and fractures in the adult population is increasing. Root caries (like other caries) results from the interaction of bacterial plaque, dietary carbohydrates, and a vulnerable tooth surface. The incidence of root decay is influenced by numerous factors such as gingival recession, diet, poor oral home care, and xerostomia caused by medications, chemotherapy, and radiation. The primary causes for root fractures are: (1) occlusal forces, both chewing and parafunctional, that overload the tooth and fracture brittle roots that may have had previous endodontic treatment and large post spaces; and (2) trauma to the teeth by accidents, bruxism, chewing ice, etc. Root fractures are usually untreatable and the teeth condemned for extraction.
To Treat or Not to Treat?
A tooth must be biologically savable in order to attempt to achieve a long-lasting, patient-pleasing restoration. We must first decide if the tooth is treatable and then compare the cost of treatment versus the cost of the alternative choices as well as the prognosis for each. We must assess if the structure of the tooth has sufficient root length, width, wall thickness, and ferrule. A retentive tooth preparation requires a grip on solid tooth structure (ferrule) of at least 2.0 mm and a wall thickness of at least 1.0 mm to allow us to place a post buildup to be able to accommodate the intraoral forces placed on it.1 We must also determine if there is root caries, internal or external resorption, parafunctional habits, evaluate the endodontic and periodontal status and judge if the crown-to-root ratio is suitable to hold a restoration.
There are also aesthetic parameters to observe and follow when working in the aesthetic zone. We must be aware of the tooth position, gingival levels, tooth arrangement, contour, and color. Sometimes these must be intentionally altered even if we are planning to lose the tooth.
Orthodontic Extrusion
A commonly used simple recipe from our dental cookbook is the use of orthodontic extrusion of teeth as a tool to modify gingival and bone levels to recreate aesthetic harmony. Forced orthodontic eruption is a technique for soft- and hard-tissue augmentation, based on osteophysiologic and orthodontic principles. It was first described in the literature by Heithersay2 and Ingber.3 Depending on the forces exerted, orthodontic extrusion is able to alter the position of the gingiva and the underlying crestal bone or can erupt the tooth further out of the bone, allowing us to have a more solid tooth ferrule to work with. Forced orthodontic eruption can be used as a tool to correct infrabony defects, reposition a gingival margin, change a root position, and to achieve a clinical crown lengthening.
There are 2 types of orthodontic extrusion: (1) low intensity extrusion of less than 30 g of force, and (2) high intensity (rapid) extrusion with forces exerted greater than 50 g.
Low intensity orthodontic extrusion, using less than 30 g of force, can produce approximately 1.0 mm of extrusion per week. It stimulates the marginal positioning of the crestal bone and allows the gingiva to follow it. The alveolus, being attached to the root by the periodontal ligament, is in turn pulled along with the movement of the root.
The ability to change the gingival position via the extrusion of teeth gives the clinician the ability to control dental aesthetics.4 Traction forces are placed on the tooth, bringing the crestal bone along with it into a new position. The gingiva follows the vertical movement of the tooth and bone. The presence of the tooth allows us to modify the position of the bone and gumline. The absence of teeth makes these alterations difficult.
Untreatable Teeth
We must manage the anterior ridge at the time of extraction to maintain tissue with good interproximal and facial tissue height, as we do not want to lose papillae, creating spaces between the adjacent teeth that are often described as "black triangles." This is especially critical in patients who have gingival margins that are visible in the direct line of vision.5
The easiest way to maintain gingival aesthetics is to retain a natural tooth or root, because natural teeth stimulate the body to maintain tissue and bone. Before we extract a tooth, we must think about how we will maintain the aesthetics of the anterior ridge. We must maintain the interproximal tissue height in order to retain the interdental papilla. We must maintain the position of the facial free gingival margin in order for the replacement tooth to be in gingival harmony with the adjacent teeth. We must also maintain adequate facial tissue bulk in order for the tissue labial to the tooth to have proper aesthetics.6
There are several alternatives available to us to replace a missing anterior tooth: (1) acid-etched bonded bridge, (2) partial denture, (3) traditional fixed bridge, (4) cantilever bridge, and (5) implant.
Single-tooth anterior implants can be viewed as the most conservative form of treatment available today due to their ability to leave the adjacent teeth unrestored. An understanding by the surgeon and restorative dentist of implant placement and soft-tissue management is the most critical element in their use. There are biological considerations to consider: Is there available bone for an implant? Is there sufficient interroot distance for an implant? Does the patient require and/or consider orthodontics?
Single-tooth implants are especially indicated if the teeth adjacent to the edentulous area do not need restoration, and the natural teeth guide the patient's occlusion so as not to place excessive occlusal forces on the implant. The use of a surgical placement stent allows the surgeon to maintain the tooth's incisal edge and the desired free gingival margin position.
If all the aesthetic parameters surrounding an implant site are met, and we believe they can be maintained after extraction, the ideal treatment is to extract the tooth and to place an immediate implant within the envelope of bone. However, when our parameters are not met, or cannot be guaranteed to be maintained after extraction, we can turn to orthodontic extrusion to overbuild the bone and soft tissue. This would then be followed by immediate placement (at the time of extraction) and the placement of a provisional restoration to support the postextraction gingival soft tissue.
Salama and Salama7 described using orthodontic extrusive remodelling to augment both hard- and soft-tissue profiles of potential implant sites. Tooth extractions in the anterior maxilla usually cause defects and deficiencies in the alveolar ridge. Orthodontic extrusive remodeling can create a greater volume of alveolar bone and soft tissue in the vertical and horizontal plane, without the need for further surgical intervention. By stretching the gingival and periodontal ligament fibers, low intensity orthodontic extrusion places tension on the entire alveolar socket, stimulating apposition of the alveolar crest. This conservation of the ridge allows the placement of the dental implant in the exact position and axis of the extracted tooth. Making the diameter of the remaining alveolus smaller by extrusion allows the endosseous implant to be firmly placed at the time of extraction. The implant is able to have more intimate contact with the alveolar bone, making it more stable and for osseointegration to occur earlier. It is much easier to remodel bone and tissue using a patient's existing tooth than by using additive procedures. The orthodontic eruptive phase usually takes 4 to 6 weeks with a stabilization period of a minimum of 3 months or 4 weeks for every millimeter of extrusion.
Orthodontic extrusion is indicated any time there is facial or interproximal bone loss because, by moving the bone and gingival level coronally, we create a more predictable environment to place the implant.8 Even if some bone is lost following the extraction, by overbuilding the bone in advance, rarely is any bone or gingival grafting necessary and the temporary restoration able to support the tissue. The tooth comes out, the implant goes in, and we place a provisional without occlusal interferences.
Preparing an Aesthetic Implant Site
Orthodontic extrusion can be used to help predict aesthetic harmony in situations where a tooth must be lost. When teeth are broken or decayed under the gumline, the extraction of these teeth may quite possibly leave a defect in the gingiva and bone. Even with current gingival and bone grafting technology, these defects may be difficult and unpredictable to repair. The presence of an existing root gives us the ability to use orthodontic traction, enabling us to alter the position of the gingival crest and underlying alveolar bone. If we overcompensate the position of the gingival crest, we leave ourselves a safety factor if a defect remains after the extraction.9
Diagnosis and Treatment Planning
Our patient presented with a loose post and crown on her upper left central incisor (tooth No. 9). Endodontics had been performed on this tooth due to an accident 25 years earlier when she was a teenager (Figures 1a and 1b). The remaining root was decayed, discolored, internally resorbing, and had very thin supporting walls inhibiting the creation of a retentive ferrule (Figures 2a and 2b).
|Figure 1a and 1b. A loose crown and post on an upper left central incisor.
|Figures 2a and 2b. The weak and fragile root.
It was determined that any attempt to salvage this root would be highly unpredictable. It would be unlikely that a new post and crown would last for more than a few years and, after assessing the cost of treatment versus the alternatives and the prognosis for each, it was determined that extraction of the root and placement of an implant was the logical choice.
However, the extraction of this decayed and fragile root presented the possibility of creating a large bony defect that would likely be extremely difficult to repair after the extraction. Single-tooth implants placed in aesthetic areas require extreme precision. The fact that this patient displayed gingiva in our direct line of vision made this situation even that much more challenging. A single-tooth implant must be successfully osseointegrated, and in harmony with the adjacent teeth and surrounding hard and soft tissue. The fact that her existing root was still firmly in the alveolar bone allowed for the opportunity to alter the level of bone and gingival using orthodontic extrusion. If the position of bone and gingiva was deliberately overcompensated before extraction, it would help safeguard against a huge defect following the removal of the tooth.
Clinical Protocol
As much as possible of the decay and resorbtion were removed from the remaining root, and then the canal was instrumented to the size of an anterior Super Post No. 3 (Dental Savings Club). This large-diameter fiber post fit intimately into the prepared canal, allowing sufficient orthodontic traction forces to be placed, enabling the root to be extruded. The instrumented canal was first treated with etching gel (Uni-Etch [BISCO Dental Products]) and an adhesive (All-Bond Universal [BISCO Dental Products]). A multipurpose (dual-cure) core and build-up resin (Spee-Dee Build Up Core [Pulpdent]) was injected into the treated canal as a cement. Next, the fiber post was placed into it and light-cured for 30 seconds with a curing light (VALO [Ultradent Products]). We then continued to build up the tooth with the multipurpose core material and allowed it to cure. The tooth was then prepared for a provisional crown. The Spee-Dee Build Up Core material has a glasslike and void-free consistency that cuts like dentin, and it contains flouride. The crown preparation incorporated subgingival margins, creating a definitive ferrule on solid root structure. A provisional crown was then fabricated using a pretreatment template. (Crystal Affinity [CLINICIAN'S CHOICE]) filled with a bis-acryl resin (Luxatemp Ultra [DMG America]). After setting, the bis-acryl resin material was trimmed and coated with Luxaglaze (DMG America). It was then cemented (Fuji Plus Cement [GC America]) to the prepared tooth (Figures 3a and 3b).
|Figures 3a and 3b. The new post build up and permanently cemented bisacryl crown.
Damon Clear Anterior brackets with a 0.022 slot (Ormco) were bonded from canine to canine and brackets (Speed Brackets [Speed Ortho]) were placed on the posterior and lower teeth; their clip allows for easy wire changes and for all torques to be fully expressed, ensuring accurate angulation of the teeth. Heat-activated high-memory wire (Ormco) was used with gauges increasing from 0.14 to 0.16. Extrusion forces of 16g to 20 g were placed, altering the position of the left maxillary central incisor and its supporting structures. The patient also chose to correct her crowded mandibular incisors. Having the lower arch in ideal position allows the restoration of the maxillary teeth to be much easier since balanced functional forces can be achieved (Figure 4). As the central incisor was extruded, we progressively reduced the lingual surface, allowing the extrusion to occur without any interference from the lower anterior teeth. We migrated the bracket gingivally every second appointment, allowing an extrusion of one mm per month. Once the gingival height was 3mm to 4 mm incisal to that of the adjacent central, the orthodontic forces were eliminated and the root allowed to stabilize in the alveolar bone for 4 months (Figure 5).
|Figure 4. Orthodontic placement with extrusion forces placed on the upper left central incisor.
|Figure 5. The completed extrusion, overcompensting the gingival position.
|Figure 6. Creating an even scallop on the crest of the buccal plate.
|Figures 7a and 7b. Immediate implant placement 4 mm subgingival allowing for subsequent recession.
|Figure 8. Allogeneous bone graft placed between the buccal plate and the implant.
The tooth was then easily extracted and the crest of the buccal plate was reshaped with a No. 4 round bur to create a uniform scallop (Figure 6). A Zimmer Tapered Screw Vent 4.7 mm implant (Zimmer Dental) was placed into the extraction site 4 mm subgingivally out of contact with the buccal plate (Figures 7a and 7b). Allogeneous bone graft (Citagenix) mixed with platelet rich plasma was then grafted between the implant and the buccal plate (Figure 8). The subgingival placement of the implant will compensate for the possibility of the gingival and bone height receding following the extraction and implant. By overcompensating the depth of the implant placement, any further gingival tissue reduction necessary can be simply performed following healing. The implant was judged to have exceptional primary stability and suitable for immediate provisionalization.
A plastic temporary abutment (Zimmer Dental) was prepared and screwed directly to the implant (Figures 9a and 9b). A new bis-acryl provisional was then fabricated using the template of the original tooth. This immediately loaded provisional did not have any contact in centric occlusion or in any excursive movement, allowing no force to be placed on it. The patient was advised to avoid biting in this area. The immediate placement of the provisional satisfied the patient as she did not feel toothless, and it gave us the ability to align and preserve the patient's tissue levels and gingival papilla (Figures 10).
|Figures 9a and 9b. Preparation of the plastic temporary implant abutment.
|Figure 10. The immediately loaded provisional is short incisally and gingivally allowing no centric or excursive contact.
After allowing 6 months for implant integration, gingival healing and adaptation, the transitional post and provisional crown were removed, and impressions, bite registration, and shade selection taken for the final all-ceramic restoration. A series of intraoral photographs illustrating the nuances of the internal coloration and transparencies of the adjacent incisors was forwarded to the dental laboratory team.
An Atlantis zirconia abutment (DENTSPLY Implants) was milled, allowing the creation of all ceramic crown for maximum aesthetics (Figure 11a and 11b).
The Atlantis abutment was then waxed to create the design for a lithium disilicate all-ceramic crown (IPS e.max [Ivoclar Vivadent]). An LT BL2 ingot was pressed, and then cut back to accept incisal and cervical characterization. The IPS e.max Ceram Essence Essence stain kit's (Ivoclar Vivadent) E15 profundo was placed on the incisal third and the cervical third received shade 010 terra-cotta. Delicate white staining was placed to simulate fine internal fissures using IPS e.max Ceram shade 0. A wash firing sealed the colors. EO2 e.max Ceram was then built up the body, giving an opal effect to subdue the internal staining. EO1 e.max Ceram was placed in the incisal portion for a transluscent effect. The porcelain then received another firing. A further cutback of 0.2 mm accomodated the placement of IPS e.max Ceram Dentin 020 in the cervical third and IPS Empress Universal Shade Incisal 2 violet with a touch of mamelon porcelain enhanced the incisal third. The crown was then fired for the final finish and glaze.
|Figures 11a and 11b. The Atlantis zirconia abutment and e.max crown.
|Figures 12a and 12b. The Atlantis zirconia abutment torqued and sealed.
|Figure 13. The final e.max restoration.
|Figure 14. A difficult challenge being successfully met.
When the final post and crown was delivered from the dental laboratory team, it was assessed to be sure it satisfied the parameters of our lab photos and provisional model. The patient was then called for the restoratove delivery appointment.
The Atlantis abutment (DENTSPLY Implants) was torqued to the implant (Zimmer Dental) (Figure 12a and 12b). The access opening was closed using teflon tape covered with composite resin. The lithium disilicate crown (IPS e.max) was then permanently cemented (Fuji Plus [GC America]) 9Figures 13 and 14). The excess cement was meticulously removed, and then a radiograph taken to ascertain that no excess cement remained.
Our patient was delighted with the final restoration, with her expectations totally satisfied. She could not differentiate the all-ceramic crown from her natural teeth.
The combination of meticulous treatment planning together with special chemistry among patient, dental team, and laboratory ceramist usually is common to our most successful cases. This magic combination often enables even the most difficult aesthetic challenges to seem to be easily accomplished.
Dr. Mechanic would like to thank his exceptional team: Dr. Brita Nadeau (orthodontics), Dr. Eric Chatelain (implantology), Sophie Labelle (chairside assistant), and Mr. Bassam Haddad, Vivaclair Dental Lab (ceramics).
- Libman WJ, Nicholls JI. Load fatigue of teeth restored with cast posts and cores and complete crowns. Int J Prosthodont. 1995;8:155-161.
- Heithersay GS. Combined endodontic-orthodontic treatment of transverse root fractures in the region of the alveolar crest. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol. 1973;36:404-415.
- Ingber JS. Forced eruption. I. A method of treating isolated one and two wall infrabony osseous defects—rationale and case report. J Periodontol. 1974;45:199-206.
- Brindis MA, Block MS. Orthodontic tooth extrusion to enhance soft tissue implant esthetics. J Oral Maxillofac Surg. 2009;67(suppl 11):49-59.
- Buskin R, Castellon P, Hochstedler JL. Orthodontic extrusion and orthodontic extraction in preprosthetic treatment using implant therapy. Pract Periodontics Aesthet Dent. 2000;12:213-219.
- Kokich VG. Esthetics and vertical tooth position: orthodontic possibilities. Compend Contin Educ Dent. 1997;18:1225-1231.
- Salama H, Salama M. The role of orthodontic extrusive remodeling in the enhancement of soft and hard tissue profiles prior to implant placement: a systematic approach to the management of extraction site defects. Int J Periodontics Restorative Dent. 1993;13:312-333.
- Korayem M, Flores-Mir C, Nassar U, et al. Implant site development by orthodontic extrusion. A systematic review. Angle Orthod. 2008;78:752-760.
- Mantzikos T, Shamus I. Case report: forced eruption and implant site development. Angle Orthod. 1998;68:179-186.
Disclosure: Dr. Mechanic reports no disclosures.


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Scott Howson - vindicated, or deserving of his reputation?
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Mayor Bee
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 17,667
vCash: 500
It's been a few days, so I've had the chance to do
Part 8: Contracts and Signings
One of the unfortunate things that happened when Howson took over was that he inherited a farm system that was generally regarded as being in great shape. (Top five prospects in THN: Derick Brassard, Kris Russell, Alexandre Picard, Geoff Platt, Joakim Lindstrom. Top prospects on the roster: Gilbert Brule, Dan Fritsche, Ole-Kristian Tollefsen.)
What this meant was having to play the waiting game to see if they would ever amount to anything, rather than dumping them and charging headlong into free agency. When Brule, Fritsche, and Nikolai Zherdev were all traded a year later, there were plenty who felt that Howson had made moves that would doom the team for years...not only was their talent lost, but they'd inevitably excel against Columbus. Not many would admit to it nowadays (despite it being a very popular opinion); I have no problem admitting that I thought it about Zherdev. Of course, Zherdev's spot was immediately filled by Kristian Huselius, which shut me up.
Anyway, Howson has faced a lot of criticisms for signings, losses in free agency, and personnel moves. This is a somewhat closer look at the major moves and is by no means extensive.
Signed Jiri Novotny to a 2-year contract
- Pretty straightforward. Novotny was a former top prospect being given his last best chance, and he was better than a lot of forwards on the roster.
Signed Derek MacKenzie to a 1-year contract
- NHL/AHL guy; scoring forward in the AHL who converted to a defensive role in the NHL. He's still in Columbus.
Signed Mike Peca to a 1-year contract
- Last kick at the can; he could slot in on the third line.
Signed Jan Hejda to a 1-year contract
- Immediately became the team's best shutdown defenseman.
Lost Derrick Walser, Bryan Berard, Anders Eriksson, Aaron Johnson, and Brian Boucher
- Big deal
Re-signed Jason Chimera to a 4-year, $7.5 million deal
- Chimera was then what he is now: a third-liner who could (theoretically) play multiple roles. This isn't exactly an overpriced contract here.
Re-signed Jan Hejda to a 3-year, $6 million extension
- After proving himself to be an NHL defenseman, Hejda (a pending UFA) was re-signed at a bargain price.
As you can see, not a ton of movement in this first year. No one of consequence was lost, three important pieces were gained (Peca in the short term, MacKenzie in the long term, and Hejda immediately and into the 2010-11 season).
Bought out Duvie Westcott
- One of Doug MacLean's last acts had been to sign Westcott to an extension. Bringing in actual NHL defensemen like Hejda made him obsolete; he was bought out. Westcott finally collected his last paycheck in June 2012, over five years after MacLean was fired.
Signed Mike Commodore to a 5-year, $18.75 million deal
- This one ended up hurting. For the 2008-09 season, Commodore provided a physical shutdown presence and actually a decent amount of offense. Then he tailed off the next year...then rumors of other problems that won't be addressed here began. He ended up being bought out of this deal, and will be off the books in June 2015. I'll point out that defensemen in free agency were able to cash in big-time in 2007, 2008, and 2009
Signed Kristian Huselius to a 4-year, $19 million deal
- First-line scoring forward, brought in to replace the void left by the traded Nikolai Zherdev. Had 56 and 63 points his first two years, then 23 (in 39 games) in 2010-11. He missed all of 2011-12 with injuries, and has since retired. Since I can't resist, Kristian Huselius had 14 goals and 23 points in 39 games in 2010-11...Jeff Carter had 15 goals and 25 points in 2011-12. Yet one has been tagged as a lazy floater his entire career, and the other has hordes of screaming fans decrying anyone who would ever accuse their golden child of playing like a lazy floater.
Lost Ron Hainsey and David Vyborny
- Vyborny had missed nearly the entire 2007-08 season and clearly was on his last legs. Hainsey could put the puck in the net, although whether it was the opposing team's or his own was a 50:50 bet. Don't believe me about any type of defenseman cashing in in these FA years? Hainsey got 5 years and $22.5 million.
Re-signed Mike Peca and Derek MacKenzie to 1-year deals
- See above
Lost Jason Williams, Jiri Novotny, Manny Malhotra, Mike Peca, and Ole-Kristian Tollefsen in free agency
- Novotny and Tollefsen were replaceable. Peca retired. Malhotra hurt, but contract talks had apparently taken a pretty acidic turn. He didn't sign anywhere until August, when San Jose offered him a 1-year deal for close to the league minimum. Williams was a one-dimensional scoring forward whose presence ended up being missed.
Signed Sammy Pahlsson to a 3-year, $7.95 million deal
- Exceptional defensive forward with no offensive game to speak of. Added a little bit of offense, not close to Malhotra though.
Signed Mathieu Garon to a 2-year, $2.4 million deal
- Anyone who says "Howson never addressed goaltending" needs to re-read this line. This was on July 1, 2009, less than two weeks after Steve Mason won the Calder Trophy. Garon had started 142 games from 2005-06 to 2007-08, then got buried in 2008-09. He was one year removed from being an NHL starter when Columbus signed him. So the idea of banking 100%, or even 75%, on Mason is simply erroneous.
Re-signed Rick Nash to an 8-year, $62.4 million deal
- The face of the franchise, and the team captain coming off a playoff year. There's not much that could be done about the dollar amount or the cap hit. Plenty have forgotten that the "lifetime contracts" were strictly forbidden by the NHL under threat of serious penalty. At some point (around July 15, 2009), they simply quit caring until Ilya Kovalchuk came along.
The problem was that any team who had to re-sign a player between 2005 and July 15, 2009 got bent over on cap hit. Ovechkin's $9.5 million cap hit? Re-signed 2007. Malkin's $8.7 million? Re-signed in 2008. Crosby's $8.7 million? Re-signed in 2007. Eric Staal's $8.25 million? Re-signed in 2008. Lecavalier's $7.7 million? Re-signed in 2008. Heatley's $7.5 million? Signed in 2007. Gaborik's $7.5 million? Signed in 2008. This plus Nash equals 8 of the top 11 cap hits in the NHL today. I can go further than that...#13 (Brian Campbell), #15 (Jason Spezza), #16 (Jarome Iginla) were signed in 2007, #14 (Thomas Vanek) in 2006)...you get the idea. Out of the top 16 cap hits in the NHL today, only 4 have been recent (Suter and Praise, Shea Weber's offer sheet, and Stamkos).
Howson didn't just cave and sign Nash to an obscene deal because he could. It's because the future cap-evading lifetime contracts doled out to guys like Carter, Richards, and Hossa weren't permitted when Nash was re-signed. The other option would have been to let Rick Nash walk away a year after making the playoffs and get nothing for him. Which is the worse option?
Re-signed Rostislav Klesla to a 4-year, $11.9 million extension
- Second-pairing defenseman who can play in all situations, signed to a below-market value extension. His extensive injury history is basically random, and includes everything from tearing abdominal muscles while jumping for a puck to a leg injury suffered from when he was checked from behind into an open bench door. It's more gallows humor that suggests that he'll get hurt at the drop of a hat (either from dropping the hat or from picking it up), like with Sami Salo. It's not like Pascal Leclaire, where it's only a question of when he would suffer another groin or knee injury.
Re-signed Antoine Vermette to a 5-year, $18.75 million extension
- Second-line center who can do a bit of everything. He'd been buried in Ottawa and excelled during the playoff year of 2008-09, and then in 2009-10 had 65 points. Yes, you read that right. Antoine Vermette, given good ice time for the first time in his career, had 65 points. Jordan Staal has never come within 15 points of that, and is now and always has been paid more than Vermette.
Re-signed Derick Brassard to a 4-year, $12.8 million extension
- Had 25 points in 31 games in 2008-09, then 36 points in 2009-10 while showing a more complete game. Would have 47 in the first year of this deal, and Rangers fans are starting to see what we saw as well.
Fired Ken Hitchcock as head coach
- The team made the playoffs in 2008-09. 2009-10 started off 5-1-0, then 12-6-2. When Hitchcock was fired on February 3, the team was 22-27-9. That's 10-21-7, and an awful lot of people thought this move was a month overdue anyway (following a 3-14-7 slide). Every complaint that was said about Hitchcock in Dallas and Philadelphia, and has been said recently in St. Louis, was said here at this time as well. To retroactively blame Howson for what was clearly a common-sense move is an indication of intellectual dishonesty. (Under Claude Noel's interim term, the team went 10-8-6, just good enough to avoid the embarrassment of having to pick one of Taylor Hall or Tyler Seguin.)
Hired Scott Arniel as head coach
- This actually came late in the 2009-10 league year (late June), but it more directly affects 2010-11. Arniel had been a pretty good AHL coach, and it looked like this was going to carry over into the NHL. Columbus started off his reign 14-6-0, and went into a Thanksgiving weekend series against Detroit fighting for #1 in the Western Conference. As late as the trade deadline, Columbus controlled its playoff destiny (making moves damn near impossible). This was followed by a 3-12-7 collapse down the last month of the season.
2011-12 started off where 2010-11 had ended, with an 0-7-1 run to begin the season. When Arniel was canned after 41 games, the team's record stood at 11-25-5.
Re-signed Steve Mason to a 2-year, $5.8 million extension
- Let's get this straight real quick. Steve Mason was on an ELC in 2008-09, 2009-10, and 2010-11. The entire team (not just Mason) had struggled in various facets of the game. He faced low-quality shots in 2008-09, he faced higher-quality ones more frequently in the next two years. Guys like Jan Hejda, who'd played suffocating defense in front of Mason, were getting burned left and right. To blame all of Mason's struggles on Mason alone when this contract was signed is just dumb. Recent history had also showed that young struggling goalies could turn it around quickly. Would any Montreal fans be happy if Carey Price had just been kicked to the curb when he was going through his growing pains? C'mon.
It was a two-year deal for a 23-year-old goalie. It wasn't an onerous term, it wasn't an onerous salary. And to look back and act like he shouldn't have been re-signed at all...at least be honest.
Waived Mike Commodore and bought out remaining contract
- He went from very good to serviceable to awful in a very short period of time. Again, I can't address ever-present rumors of off-ice issues, but he became a frequent healthy scratch (even when defensive stalwart Anton Stralman was sick with the flu).
Hired Todd Richards as assistant head coach
- He'd been canned by Minnesota after two years without Marian Gaborik or Pierre-Marc Bouchard, and suffering under some atrocious drafting in the mid-00s. I'm not saying that AJ Thelen would have made a difference, but being a low-scoring team when the top scorers were out...
Fired Scott Arniel and promoted Todd Richards as head coach
- This was in January 2011. Richards had to first deal with the Carter and Nash trade sagas, then with a rash of injuries that left the team with as few as two actual NHL defensemen at a time. They went 18-21-2 under Richards under some very trying circumstances, and have been around the playoff bubble this year.
Lost Jan Hejda, Mathieu Garon, and Scottie Upshall in free agency
- Hejda was clearly not aging well, Garon had played poorly the previous year, and Upshall (who'd been acquired in a trade) hadn't produced a bit. None of these three were truly missed...Hejda's past was, but not what he'd become.
Signed James Wisniewski to a 6-year, $33 million deal
- Wisniewski was a chance to upgrade the defense substantially, and was signed less than an hour before hitting free agency (the team had traded for his UFA rights two days prior). He's injured himself twice by blocking shots, but has produced at his normal level when healthy.
Signed Curtis Sanford and Mark Dekanich to 1-year deals
- Dekanich was supposed to be a Ben Bishop type, a Group VI free agent who'd finally be getting a chance after being buried in a deep system. He injured himself in the preseason, then aggravated it in the AHL while rehabbing and missed the year. Sanford (a former starter) filled in as Mason's backup, then stepped in and played well as a starter. He got hurt late with a back injury, putting Mason back in the rest of the way.
Signed Radek Martinek to a 1-year deal
- Basically was supposed to fill Hejda's spot. Instead, took a puck to the side of the head early on, causing a concussion that ended his season 7 games in. This summed up the team's entire 2011-12 season.
Signed Vinny Prospal to a 1-year deal
- Became a team leader from the day he arrived, and showed he still had some offense left in him. Made waves early on by blasing Scott Arniel for running lazy practices. He was re-signed for another year a couple weeks before the deadline, despite the feeling around the league being that he'd be able to get at least a 2nd-round pick if he were traded.
Re-signed RJ Umberger to a 5-year, $23 million deal
- In the midst of his 4th straight 20-goal season, and having broken 50 points for each of the previous two seasons, Umberger got what amounted to a 20% raise. He's become a popular whipping boy in Columbus, and the contract looks worse as time goes on.
Signed Adrian Aucoin to a 1-year, $2.25 million deal
- Although his play on the ice is in no way reminiscent of his earlier days, the other CBJ defensemen to a man have all raved about Aucoin's work with them. This is one of these deals where the intangible benefits are substantially more than the production on the scoresheet would dictate. (For the record, I've always thought that logic is one of the most overused concepts in sports)
(Last up. Part 9: Summation and "The Big Picture")
May you be tormented until the end of time with an itch in a private spot that can only be relieved by everyone thinking you're some type of deviant if you quote this entire post for the purpose of replying to it
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States, retailers push to end online tax loophole
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — If you buy a book, computer or some other taxable item at a store in Minnesota, you'll pay a sales tax of about 7 percent. Shop for the same item on the Internet, and it's not hard to find a merchant that doesn't charge sales tax and offers free or cheap shipping.
But an alliance of cash-strapped states and angry brick-and-mortar retailers including Minnesota-based Best Buy Co. Inc. and Target Corp. is trying to prod Congress to close a loophole that allows online sales to escape state sales taxes, Minnesota Public Radio reported Thursday (http://bit.ly/sDwTCz).
Best Buy, Target and other chains are lining up behind a bill that would allow states to require all online retailers to collect sales taxes. Minnesota and other states are backing the legislation, hoping to recover an estimated $23 billion in sales taxes that now go uncollected.
Neal Osten, Washington director for the National Conference of State Legislatures, said states have never had a greater need for more power to collect sales taxes.
"Probably half the states will face budget gaps in the coming fiscal year for 2012 and then for 2013," he said. "And with the deficit reduction efforts in Congress at the federal level, we anticipate states are going to lose hundreds of billions of dollars in state-federal programs."
Paying sales taxes for online purchases would be a change for shoppers like Tim McKinney, of St. Paul.
"I tend to get around them most of the time," McKinney said. "Since a lot of people do not have to usually pay the sales tax, I prefer not to."
But lost sales tax revenue costs the state as much as $400 million a year, Revenue Commissioner Myron Frans said. He said Minnesota probably faces another big deficit and can't afford to let so much revenue get away.
"We clearly have needs at the state and local level to fund government and we need to collect the revenue where it is due," he said.
The problem is that under current laws, retailers that aren't physically present in a state don't have to collect that state's sales taxes. It's up to buyers to pay any sales taxes owed on their purchases.
Efforts to get them to pay voluntarily haven't worked. About eight years ago, Michigan spent $10 million to educate residents about their obligation to pay sales taxes on catalog and online purchases. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, Michigan collected only $1 million in taxes from online sales the following year. Last year, 734 people come forward to pay Minnesota for uncollected sales taxes, amounting to $371,000.
"I've been surprised by how many people simply are not aware of the tax obligation," Frans said.
Best Buy, Target and other big retailers with stores nationwide do collect sales taxes on both in-store and online sales. They're legally bound to collect sales taxes on an online purchase if they have a store in the buyer's home state. But online-only competitors often skip collecting sales taxes in states where they have no stores, warehouses or other physical presence.
Laura Bishop, Best Buy's senior director of government relations, told a legislative committee earlier this year that the sales tax loophole gives online-only merchants a significant edge by letting them sell at a lower total cost to the consumer.
Osten said support for closing the loophole has never been stronger. Even the online-only giant Amazon.com is on board, he said.
"They've always said that they would be willing to collect when everybody has to collect," Osten said.
Information from: Minnesota Public Radio News, http://www.mpr.org
Copyright 2011 The Associated Press.


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Bond Splurge in NJ
Today the NJ Turnpike Authority issued $1.375 billion in bond debt - $175 million more than the Authority said it intended to raise. Not just a routine bond sale, says The Bond Buyer's Amy Resnick. She tells the Financial 411 it's a promising sign that new, federal government-backed Build America Bonds will be a success.


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Printable View
Westboro Baptist Church advertised a protest at Vassar College yesterday, in Poughkeepsie.
4 of their members showed up, to be greeted at the gates by HUNDREDS of Students, faculty, even representatives from other colleges, and a bunch of residents. It lasted 15 mins before the 4 people left.
A bit overkill for 4 ppl(nobody knew only 4 ppl would show obviously lol), but I'm glad we found out about it and the area was able to come together for something like that.
Falcons going for Osi
we all saw that coming
[IMG]http://api.ning.com/files/FPtNKpz0Tol2aYc4Sihe*FGwRX1fAj6QDvab24CS8Z1UGaY99T 9KUMzJ1eDvjxel/0410_ManCave267.jpg[/IMG]
Go **** yourself. Why isn't my link working.


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Straddling the line between laptop and netbook, budget ultraportables like the Lenovo X121e are a great option if you're looking for something that does the basics and does them well. Unlike actual netbooks, little budget laptops like this can handle HD video playback and offer HD Ready screens, usually at 11.6 inches - a little larger than traditional 10in netbook affairs. This is exactly the kind of creature HP's Pavilion dm1 is.
Based on AMD's Fusion processors, in this case the dual-core E350, backed by up to 4GB of RAM (3GB is standard) and a 320GB hard drive while running Windows 7 Home Premium, specifications will be adequate for the daily needs of the majority of users. Price hovers between £300 and £400, though the cheapest we could find it at the moment was £375.
When it comes to style, the Pavilion dm1-3200sa seems to be suffering from dissociative identity disorder: on the one hand it wants to display the elegant touches of a classier, premium ultraportable (like curved sides and white LEDs for power and status), while on the other its cheapness becomes obvious the moment you examine it closely.
The lid at first appears to be the kind of glossy affair we love to hate, but as it turns out it's actually far more resistant to fingerprints and smudges than most of its ilk and its unique pattern is reasonably attractive. Unfortunately things deteriorate from here. First off, the dm1-3200sa is rather bulky, tapering to a thickest point of over 3cm. It's also quite heavy for a non-rugged 11.6in machine, at 1.56kg.
Opening the laptop up reveals a silver inside finish that attempts to give the impression of metal but fails miserably. It's especially distracting on the bezel, which is already fairly large to begin with and is made to seem even more so by this finish. The black keyboard and touchpad look like they're parts of a different machine altogether.
Build quality is decent, yet relative to the brick-like Lenovo X121e it just feels a bit Fisher Price, which is especially disconcerting when you remember that they weigh the same. We hope the Pavilion's heavier battery will make up for the difference by lasting longer (a reasonable expectation as HP claims a whopping nine hours maximum!). To sum up, the dm1-3200sa isn't unattractive or poorly constructed, but neither is it especially attractive or sturdy.
The HP-DM1-32xx series have been phased out more than 4months back. The new series the HP-DM1-4xxx should have been reviewed instead.
Thanks for your comment.
As per the Note before the Verdict of our review (page 3), we are aware that this model is "phased out". We were sent the DM1-3xxx instead of the 4xxx by mistake, but figured we might as well review it for the reasons mentioned: it might help those still looking to buy the laptop (whether new or pre-owned), and it's a good basis to review its successor.
Why on earth are you reviewing this now? Why didn't you review it when it was first released almost 1 year ago?
I bought mine then at just over £300 which represented amazing value as commented by all the other gadget / technology sites that reviewed it, and gave pretty good reviews at the time. Of course 1 year on it's not so hot, but then neither is a core duo Macbook Air now.........!
Can't wait for your review of ZX Spectrum!
Have to agree with the above two comments! After purchasing the HP dm-1 4020sa for £299 quite recently, HP deserve credit for creating a windows 7 64-bit laptop, flawless 1080p playback with radeon graphics (with HDMI out), fantastic keyboard, lovely bright led screen and Beats audio... all with 5hour+ battery life on normal usage.
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Risks is the TUC's weekly online bulletin for safety reps and others, read each week by over 17,000 subscribers and 1,500 on the TUC website. To receive this bulletin every week, click here. Past issues are available. This edition contains Useful links TUC courses for safety reps Disclaimer and Privacy
Editor: Rory O'Neill of Hazards magazine. Comments to the TUC at [email protected]
Union News
TUC spells out how to get rehab right
Rehabilitation of sick or injured workers needs the right services available at the right time and an understanding of the particular job and needs of the affected worker, a new TUC guide says. The new TUC online guide comments on recent government and Health and Safety Executive (HSE) recommendations. It says the DWP pointers are on the whole helpful but fall short in certain key areas. It adds getting it right is crucial to addressing sickness absence - the cause of 172 million lost working days last year, with 34 million of these due to an injury or illness caused by work. TUC says as most workers receive health support from their GP, they miss out on the type of advice that could add a better recovery and a prompt return to work with suitable adjustments to their personal circumstances. 'This may be either as things were before, at reduced duties or with adjustments to their work, working conditions or equipment,' the guide says. 'The lack of access to proper support means that every year many thousands of workers are off work for much longer than necessary, come back to work without getting proper treatment, or simply leave their job all together.' TUC wants workers to have early access to vocational rehabilitation. But it warns that rushing workers back onto the job will sometimes be counterproductive because it 'can lead to a relapse or a delay in recovery. In addition, if it is work itself that caused an illness in the first place (as is the case in many work related stress illnesses and musculoskeletal disorders like back pain and (RSI), then it is also important to remove the causes.' It adds that 'the key to success is seeing the worker themselves as central to the process and ensuring that they feel they are in control of the process.'
- Rehabilitation: A short guide to the evidence, TUC, June 2009
UCATT wins blacklist data battle
Construction workers who have been blacklisted will have more time to access their records following the direct intervention of construction union UCATT. In March the Information Commissioner revealed that over 40 major construction companies were using the services of the Consulting Association to blacklist workers, commonly because they had raised concerns about site health and safety. Since the blacklist was revealed individual construction workers have had the opportunity to contact the Information Commissioner, find out whether they had been blacklisted and receive a copy of their records. However because the information had been collected illegally the entire database was due to be destroyed this summer. UCATT raised concerns that if the database was destroyed this summer many people - particularly non-union workers or those who had left the industry - would be denied the opportunity to discover if they had been blacklisted. The Information Commissioner last week confirmed it will retain the database until at least 31 March 2010, when its future will be reviewed. UCATT general secretary Alan Ritchie said: 'I am pleased that UCATT's intervention has resulted in this commonsense decision. Thousands of workers had their lives ruined by the blacklisters. Many were forced to leave the industry in order to find work.' He added that it was 'essential anyone who could have been blacklisted was given every opportunity to access their files and has the possibility of redress' against the firms that blacklisted them.
International link up wins rights deal
Unions in the UK and US have linked up to win an employment rights deal for workers in Bangladesh. Workers Uniting, a partnership between UK union Unite and North American union USW said it had achieved a 'major victory' at the RL Denim factory in Bangladesh. In May it was revealed low-priced jeans sold by cash and-carry giant Makro - part of Metro Group, the world's third largest retailer - were being produced in horrific conditions in a sweatshop factory in Bangladesh (Risks 406). The global giant announced at the time that after years of profiting from exploitation at the Bangladesh factory, it was pulling out its work just when the workers were on the verge of winning a union deal. In response, Workers Uniting was joined by the German union Verdi in signing a Joint International Solidarity Statement, in support of the workers. 'Our solidarity sent a clear message that our unions are not only dedicated to protecting and growing the rights of our own members, but that we will fight to protect the rights of workers across the developing world,' said Derek Simpson, Unite joint general secretary. Tony Woodley, who heads the union with Mr Simpson, said: 'Our efforts helped hold a corporate exploiter accountable, and showed what's possible when workers around the world stand together.' A statement from the US National Labor Committee, the organisation that first revealed the employment abuses at the Bangladesh factory, said abusive supervisors at the factory had been fired and pay shortfalls had been corrected. The factory also now has child and health care centres, purified drinking water, a dining area, toilet paper and soap.
Unions fight for asbestos victims
Unions continue to fight for justice for the victims of asbestos diseases and their families. A gardener who was diagnosed with the asbestos related cancer mesothelioma and told he has only months to live has been awarded £205,000, with the help of UNISON. The man, identified by the union as 57-year-old Mr Gaffney, was exposed to asbestos while working for the University of Liverpool during the 1980s. He took his lunch breaks in the boiler room at the university, which had asbestos insulation. The union Unite has recovered damages for a worker afflicted with asbestosis, lung scarring caused by asbestos. Electrician Ken Morton, 70, from the Wirral was diagnosed with a 2-3 per cent disability in 2006 after retiring from a 45-year career where he was exposed to asbestos on a regular basis. Investigations proved he was negligently exposed to asbestos working for Campbell & Isherwood Limited during various periods from 1954 to 1983 at different sites across the UK. Insurers agreed a provisional settlement of £5,000 just four days before trial. The widow of an electrician whose death was caused by exposure to asbestos while rewiring a police station has received £250,000 in compensation. The Unite member from Trowbridge was diagnosed with asbestos related cancer mesothelioma in March 2008 and died five months later, aged just 64. His widow, who does not wish to be named, received the compensation after his former employer Southern Electrical Contracting Limited admitted negligently exposing her husband to asbestos during the 1970s.
- UNISON news release. Thompsons Solicitors news release on the Unite asbestosis and mesothelioma cases.
Payouts for asbestos related lung cancers
The most common work-related cancer is lung cancer - but cases are rarely compensated because doctors miss the work link or blame other possible causes like lung cancer. In fact, thousands - and possibly tens of thousands - of cases of lung cancer each year are part or entirely due to workplace exposures. The few cases that do receive compensation are generally restricted to workers exposed to certain metals like nickel and chromium and to asbestos, the cause of two new compensation settlements. The widow of a pleural plaques sufferer who went on to die from asbestos related lung cancer received £91,000 in compensation with help from the trade union Unite. The widow from Ellesmere Port, who does not wish to be named, said it was important to her husband that she pursued the claim. The compensation was paid in settlement of the claim against six of the lagger's former employers, William Kenyon & Sons Ltd, Harland & Woolf Plc, Cammell Laird Shipbuilders Ltd, Cape Darlington Ltd, Thomas Platt & Sons (Widnes) Ltd and Joseph Nadin Contracting Ltd, all based in Liverpool. In the second case, a settlement of £84,000 was made to a 67-year-old man from Hayes who contracted lung cancer after being exposed to asbestos dust whilst working as a labourer for Cape Building Products Limited in the 1960s. During his 18 months at the firm the man, whose name has been withheld, was heavily exposed to asbestos dust. His tasks included handling sacks of raw asbestos which he was required to open and empty out. The settlement of £84,000 in compensation took into account a deduction of 17.5 per cent to reflect his history of smoking. Smoking and asbestos exposure combined have a 'potentiating' effect, dramatically multiplying the risks of subsequent lung cancer development.
Other news
Caution urged after big fall in fatalities
The TUC has welcomed provisional figures showing workplace fatalities at an all time low, but has warned against complacency and has called on the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) to maintain a focus on enforcing safety laws. Provisional data published by HSE show that 180 workers were killed between 1 April 2008 and 31 March 2009 - a rate of 0.6 per 100,000 employees. This is down from 233 in 2007/08 and 17 per cent lower than the previous lowest total of 217, recorded in 2005/6. The work fatality rate is the lowest on record. TUC general secretary Brendan Barber said: 'This is indeed good news but we should not be complacent, 180 workers still needlessly lost their lives at work last year. Every death is one too many and can be avoided. Nor should these record low figures be seen as evidence that employers are taking more care. Falls in injury and death rates are usual during a recession because fewer new employees are being recruited and introduced into the workplace. Unions will be working with employers to make sure that this downward trend continues when the UK economy emerges from the current downturn.' Mr Barber added: 'Although we do not have final enforcement figures, it does seem that this fall corresponds with an increase in enforcement activity by the HSE, including the use of 'blitzes' on construction sites. The TUC has said for some years that the only way that the fatalities figures will come down is through increased enforcement activity.' HSE's new 'Be part of the solution' strategy features a renewed commitment to enforcement and a move away from the self-regulatory approaches featured in the previous strategy.
Director in court on manslaughter charges
A company director appeared in court on 23 June facing charges under corporate manslaughter legislation after one of his employees was buried under tonnes of soil when a trench collapsed. Peter Eaton and his company, Cotswold Geotechnical Holdings Ltd, are being jointly charged in the UK's first prosecution under the 2007 Corporate Manslaughter Act. Alexander Wright, a 27-year-old junior geologist, was crushed to death in September 2008 when a pit collapsed as he was taking soil samples for the firm. Both Mr Eaton, 60, and his company also face health and safety charges. Judge Thomas Crowther QC granted Eaton unconditional bail until the next hearing before Bristol Crown Court on 19 August, when a plea will be entered. Kate Leonard, of the CPS Special Crime Division, said: 'Under the Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007 an organisation is guilty of corporate manslaughter if the way in which its activities are managed or organised causes a death and amounts to a gross breach of a duty of care to the person who died. A substantial part of the breach must have been in the way activities were organised by senior management. I have concluded that there is sufficient evidence for a realistic prospect of conviction for this offence.'
Crane hire firm fined over deaths
A crane hire company has been fined after two workers fell to their deaths when a crane collapsed. Gary Miles, 37, and Steven Boatman, 45, died in 2005 as the 118ft (36m) tower crane was being dismantled in Durrington, West Sussex. They were working for Eurolift (Tower Cranes) Ltd, which was taken over by WD Bennett Plant & Services Ltd in 2003. Eurolift was fined £50,000 for health and safety breaches and £1,000 in costs, at Chichester Crown Court. The Hampshire-based company had admitted the breaches of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 at an earlier hearing (Risks 400). Judge William Wood said the company deserved to be fined up to £200,000, but he accepted it would not be able to afford it as it had ceased operations since the accident. He said: 'It seems to be right that Eurolift should discontinue trading rather than for me to impose a trivial fine that does not reflect the gravity of the offence.' WD Bennett, based in Gloucestershire, was also due to be sentenced but this was adjourned as nobody attended court to represent the company. It had denied both health and safety breaches but was found guilty following a trial at the same court in March. A third man, Dave Smith, suffered broken bones in the incident. During the trial, he told the court he had been asked to loosen the bolts of the crane's tower despite having no training. Jurors heard there had been a 'management vacuum' at the site because the person in charge of health and safety was off sick on the day of the accident.
Firm ignored HSE for eight years
An aerospace engineering company routinely ignored health and safety rules for eight years, despite having a series of warnings from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). HSE finally saw Crest Engineering Company Ltd in court this month after finding safety guards missing or not in use on several milling machines, used to shape metal. The company had previously been ordered to replace the guards on the machines at its factory in Hyde, Greater Manchester, but they were later removed or unlocked. The firm pleaded guilty to two health and safety offences at Trafford Magistrates Court on 23 June. It was fined £13,000 and ordered to pay costs of £3,003. HSE inspector David Norton said: 'Crest Engineering took a deliberate decision to remove the safety guards on the machines despite receiving a formal warning from us about the issue.' He added: 'We will not hesitate to prosecute anyone who persistently ignores the rules, and I hope this case will act as a warning to companies who do not take health and safety seriously.' HSE first served Crest Engineering with an enforcement notice in 1999 for failing to have a safety switch on a piece of machinery. When inspectors visited the site again in 2001, they served eight enforcement notices after finding safety guards missing on several machines. Witness statements given to the HSE revealed that, although the guards were initially provided following the visit, they were removed or put out of use within a few months. Inspectors took the decision to prosecute the company after revisiting the site in May 2007.
Firm fined for migrant's shredder horror
A firm that makes bedding for pets has been fined after a Polish worker was serious injured in a shredder. Snowflake Animal Bedding Ltd, which is based in Ashton-under-Lyne, was fined £13,300 and ordered to pay full costs of £8,655.16p at Boston Magistrates' Court. On 23 January 2007, the employee was working at the company's manufacturing plant in Boston, Lincolnshire. He was standing on a conveyor belt which fed hay bales into the shredder, cutting strings that were holding bales together. As the bale fell apart, the man lost his balance and fell into the shredder. Prosecuting, HSE inspector Judith McNulty-Green said: 'Amazingly, the worker managed to pull himself out of the shredder, but he suffered very serious injuries to his hand, wrist, feet, legs and hip. Some of his wounds were very deep and he needed several skin grafts.' She added: 'The sad thing is that these injuries could have been so easily prevented. The employee should have been standing on a platform to carry out his work, not on the conveyor belt. However, during our investigation it became evident that even if employees did stand on the platform to cut the string, there would be occasions that the hay got tangled and standing on the conveyor to resolve such problems became custom and practice. It was unacceptable for the company to allow this practice to become commonplace and I hope that other companies can learn from this incident and ensure their responsibility to staff safety is of paramount importance.' The company was also fined £3,400 for a separate work equipment offence, failing to ensure employees had adequate training for driving fork lift trucks.
- HSE news release and migrant workers and forklifts webpages.
Rail unions dismayed at fatal crashes snub
Rail unions have criticised a government decision not to hold a public inquiry into two fatal rail smashes. Instead, two 'independent inquests' are to be held into rail accidents at Potters Bar in Hertfordshire and Grayrigg in Cumbria, the government said. Seven people died and more than 70 were injured on 10 May 2002 when a train derailed at Potters Bar. In February 2007, one woman died and 82 people were hurt when a train derailed near Grayrigg. The Department for Transport (DfT) said the new transport secretary Lord Adonis had decided 'that two independent inquests will ensure complete public scrutiny of the Potters Bar and Grayrigg accidents'. RMT general secretary Bob Crow commented: 'RMT has consistently called for a full public inquiry into Potters Bar and Grayrigg that looks at all the issues surrounding these disasters including the role played by the privatisation and fragmentation of the rail network. The inquest announcement is welcome but is not an alternative to a full public inquiry and it's a scandal that the government have specifically ruled that out.' Keith Norman, general secretary of train drivers' union ASLEF, said: 'Government pledges about openness and transparency never seem to translate into action.' He added that it was 'a matter of great regret' that the government had refused to hold a public inquiry. Gerry Doherty, leader of the TSSA rail union, said: 'This is another classic example of this government doing the complete opposite of what it claims to be doing. Just like alleged transparency over MPs expenses, these inquests are part of the ongoing cover up over the Potters Bar tragedy in particular.' He added: 'If they were really interested in letting the public know what happened at Potters Bar - and the role that private contractors Jarvis played in that accident - they would have ordered a full public inquiry into the tragedy years ago. They're not and the culture of spin and secrecy which are the hallmarks of the DfT will continue right up until the election next May.'
Tender pressure puts safety at risk
Construction quality and safety standards are at risk as firms are being forced to cut costs to win competitive tenders, a leading industry body has warned. The findings come from a new survey of the sector published by the Scottish Building Federation (SBF). The SBF warns that the cost pressure could lead to the possibility of 'shoddy work' and 'unscrupulous' behaviour by firms desperate to win work. A report in Construction News says two thirds of firms responding to the latest Scottish Construction Monitor indicated margins had been slashed. SBF chief executive Michael Levack said: 'The competitive pressure on many SMEs [small and medium sized enterprises] at the moment is immense. In the public sector, we're seeing upwards of ten firms being invited to tender for each new contract. I've heard cases of recent local authority tender lists that have run to more than 20 companies, which is frankly ridiculous.' He added: 'In such a fiercely-competitive environment, one of my greatest fears is that responsible construction companies risk being undercut by less scrupulous firms, who can offer lower prices by cutting corners on quality and safety.'
Nuclear problems linked to HSE staffing
Britain's nuclear safety watchdog does not have sufficient experienced staff to police the industry, its top official has admitted in a secret report. The report, obtained by the Observer, written by the Health and Safety Executive's (HSE) chief nuclear inspector, Mike Weightman, discloses that between 2001 and 2008 there were 1,767 safety incidents across Britain's nuclear plants. About half were subsequently judged by inspectors as serious enough 'to have had the potential to challenge a nuclear safety system'. In January, Mike Weightman, chief inspector of HSE's Nuclear Installations Inspectorate (NII), sent a 37-page report to HSE. Marked 'restricted', it reveals NII has had to oversee such problems despite an acute shortage of experienced staff. It admits to being 26 inspectors short of the 192 it needs to regulate existing facilities, and its ratio of inspectors to nuclear plants is a third of the international average and far below that of Mexico, Spain or South Korea. To assess new reactor designs, Weightman says he needs a further 36 inspectors, to bring the complement up to 228 by 2011. But he has 'struggled' to recruit new staff and the 'lack of build-up of resources to date' could jeopardise the government's target date of 2017 for deploying new reactors. He said NII faces 'major challenges' to ensure old nuclear plants are run or dismantled safely at the same time as checking new plants are safe to build because of staff shortages. He proposes possible collaboration with China on assessing new reactor designs, hiring French inspectors on secondment and greater use of third-party contractors.
Wind firm blows thousands on dermatitis
A wind turbine firm has been fined £10,000 after workers developed occupational dermatitis. Thirteen workers at the Newport plant of blademaker Vestas Blades UK Ltd developed the condition caused by exposure to epoxy resins. The court heard the company had also spent £400,000 on safety measure to prevent a reoccurrence and substantial legal bills and costs, associated with the two-and-a-half year Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation. After the case, HSE emphasised the importance of preventing exposure to hazardous substances after the 13 employees suffered dermatitis caused by exposure to epoxy resin between 2005 and 2007. HSE inspector Roger Upfold said: 'Symptoms included severe itching and swellings and rashes on their arms, wrists, hands and face, with the effects sometimes lasting for days. As a result some had to stop working for Vestas Blades UK Ltd.' The resins formed part of a gel coating, which was pumped on to a mould to form the outer surface of the blade. A team of workers spread the gel evenly with rollers before the liquid was able to cure. But the operators were put at risk as the substance often splashed and there were other routine opportunities for skin exposure. HSE inspectors visited the factory in February 2007 and found that workers had not been provided with any face protection other than safety glasses. They also discovered that the firm was not monitoring its staff to ensure that they were wearing the safety equipment that had been issued. The company was served with an improvement notice in July 2007 for failing to put in place measures to sufficiently protect employees from dangerous substances. The firm was fined £5,000 for each of two breaches of the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2007 (COSHH) and ordered to pay £25,000 costs.
Warning to investors on nanotech risks
Nanotech firms are hiding potential long-term problems from investors who could face asbestos like liabilities from risks emerging over the coming decades. The warning comes in report from the Investor Environmental Health Network, a partnership of investment managers concerned about the financial and public health risks associated with corporate toxic chemicals policies. Nanomaterials are being pressed into thousands of consumer uses 'yet some of these technologies are showing signs of posing serious hazards to human health and the environment, including the same kind of grave threats resulting from exposure to asbestos,' according to the report. Sanford Lewis, the report's author and a lawyer for the network, says investors cannot afford the repetition of another asbestos-like wiping out of billions of dollars of equity when it comes to new technologies like nanotechnology. He says the problem stems from weak regulations and the fact that companies 'do not assess, quantify or disclose potential and pending liabilities on a timely basis.' The report blames Securities and Exchange Commission and Financial Accounting Standards Board loopholes that require disclosure of only the 'known minimum' of potential liabilities, even though a more realistic assessment might be so much larger that it would indicate the potential for a total wipe out of shareholder value. It adds that nanotech firms are giving different, more worrying, numbers to their insurers - who they would want to payout when thing go wrong. At the same time, they paint a far rosier picture for investors based on lowest estimates of possible numbers adversely affected and glossing over long-term risks.
- Bridging the credibility gap: eight corporate liability accounting loopholes that regulators must close, Sanford Lewis IEHN report, June 2009 - full report [pdf] and related YouTube interview with Sanford Lewis. Cold Truth.com.
- New resource: Literature Review - Workplace exposure to nanoparticles, European Risk Observatory, June 2009. Full report [pdf].
International News
Europe: Social dialogue improves working conditions
Unions play a big role in making work better and safer, a European Foundation report has concluded. It says its research found social partners and social dialogue play a key role in helping to create better jobs and improve the quality of work and working conditions through influencing policy decisions, negotiating social pacts and collective agreements as well as through participating in particular programmes and policies. The draft report noted: 'Based on EU wide regulation social partners, ie. employers, employee interest representations and specific joint bodies play an important role on implementing the respective national framework of working conditions and occupational health and safety standards on the ground.' It added 'social dialogue aiming at improvements in working conditions has to be closely connected to the shop floor level. Here, trade unions seem to play a very important role as well as sectoral employer organisations since they organise and articulate interests of company based actors and vice-versa.'
- European Foundation news release and draft report [pdf].
France: Work pesticide use causes Parkinson's
A new study confirms the link between on-the-job pesticide exposure and Parkinson's disease, and suggests that certain insecticides may be particularly risky. In the study, published online in the Annals of Neurology, French researchers found that among nearly 800 adults with and without Parkinson's, agricultural workers exposed to pesticides - including insecticides, weed killers and fungicides - were at greater risk of the disease. The risk climbed in tandem with the amount of time a worker was exposed, strengthening the case for a cause-effect relationship, according to the researchers, led by Dr Alexis Elbaz of INSERM, the national French institute for health research in Paris. 'We showed that the risk increased with the number of years or hours of exposure', Elbaz told Reuters Health. 'We also found that in men, among the main groups of pesticides - fungicides, herbicides, insecticides - the association was the strongest for insecticides, and among insecticides, with organochlorine insecticides, which have been frequently used in France in the past.' In general, men exposed to organochlorine insecticides had more than double the risk of men with no exposure.
- Alexis Elbaz and others. Professional exposure to pesticides and Parkinson's disease, Annal of Neurology, published online [abstract]. Fox News. ETUI-HESA news report.
Korea: Most teachers suffer from occupational illnesses
Two-thirds of Korean teachers have had or are currently suffering an occupational disease, a union survey has found. The Korean Federation of Teachers' Associations (KFTA) found many teachers are under great stress from negative media and public perceptions. The union survey found 67.2 per cent of teachers said they have or have experienced occupational diseases. The most common symptom was vocal nodules, experienced by over one-in-three teachers (34.4 per cent), and linked to occupational voice loss. Others complained of hair loss due to mental stress or varicose veins caused by long periods standing during classes. KFTA spokesperson Kim Dong-seok said: 'KFTA and Education Ministry agreed to recognise teachers' occupational symptoms including varicose veins as an injury caused in the course of public service in 2006. But it was dismissed due to the opposition from relative government agencies.'
USA: Voluntary safety approaches failed - report
An investigation by the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) has confirmed what union and other workplace safety advocates have charged for years - the Bush administration's reliance on voluntary policing by employers of their safety and health actions did not improve worker safety and let some dangerous employers escape scrutiny. The GAO report, released this week, concludes that under the Bush administration the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA) Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) lacked proper oversight, did not improve worker safety and diverted scarce resources from other enforcement duties. VPP companies are able to avoid routine inspections as long as they demonstrate they have an exemplary safety and health programme, have no ongoing enforcement actions and have an injury and illness rate below the average rates for the industry. However, according to Senator Edward Kennedy, chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee: 'GAO's report makes clear that OSHA has strayed too far from its core mission of protecting the safety and health of workers on the job. The agency has spent too much time seeking voluntary compliance from employers and too little time enforcing the law.' Jordan Barab, acting assistant secretary of labor for OSHA, said he agrees with recommendations made in the GAO report. Following publication of the report, OSHA announced that it is beginning a comprehensive review and evaluation of the programme. The GAO found that OSHA did not properly ensure that only worksites that had exemplary safety programmes were eligible for relief from routine inspections. According to the GAO report, 12 per cent of the worksites participating in the programme had an injury or illness rate higher than rates for their industry, and one participating worksite had an injury and illness rate four times higher than their industry average. In addition, OSHA continued to allow some businesses to participate in the voluntary programme even though they were cited for serious safety violations.
- AFL-CIO Now. GAO report [pdf].
Don't let them victimise Penny!
A trade union safety rep was fired last month - just for trying to keep her workplace safe. At the beginning of the national conference of Scottish teaching union EIS, outgoing union president David Drever told delegates the union would ensure 'justice prevails' for Penny Gower, an EIS activist who had been summarily dismissed by Carnegie College in Dunfermline. The disciplinary action started after she undertook a workplace health and safety inspection, a core, legally protected, safety rep function. 'At the time of her dismissal Penny was the elected EIS health and safety representative at the college,' he told delegates. 'There has been a history of problems in relation to Penny's ability to carry out her duties as an EIS health and safety representative and legal action by the EIS had already been initiated in relation to these previous problems.' He added: 'The EIS regards it as entirely unacceptable for any employer, in today's Scotland, to dismiss or otherwise victimise EIS representatives for taking part in legitimate trade union duties and activities. Therefore, could I place on record here that the EIS will continue to provide whatever legal support is necessary to ensure that justice prevails and that no employer can escape the consequences of discrimination, victimisation or anti-trade union activity.'
- Email messages of protest to Carnegie College management and copy to Penny's EIS branch. Scottish Educational Journal, EIS, June 2009, page 12 [pdf].
Events and Courses
TUC courses for safety reps
Useful Links
- Visit the TUC www.tuc.org.uk/h_and_s website pages on health and safety. See what's on offer from TUC Publications and What's On in health and safety.
- Subscribe to Hazards magazine, supported by the TUC as a key source of information for union safety reps.
- What's new in the HSC/E and the European Agency.
Issued: 26 June, 2009


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Hot Artichoke Spread RecipeRead Reviews Be the first to add a review
5 2 3
Green chilies add a bit of zip to this rich cracker spread from Victoria Casey of Coeur d' Alene, Idaho. "I serve this appetizer often because it's tasty, quick to make and looks so pretty with the red tomatoes and green onions on top."
Recommended: 52 Cheer-Worthy Tailgate Appetizers
- 1 can (14 ounces) water-packed artichoke hearts, rinsed, drained and chopped
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chilies, drained
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 cup chopped fresh tomatoes
- 3 green onions, thinly sliced
- Crackers or pita bread
- In a large bowl, combine the first five ingredients. Spread into a 1-qt. baking dish or 9-in. pie plate.
- Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until top is lightly browned. Sprinkle with tomatoes and onions. Serve with crackers or pita bread. Yield: 4-1/2 cups.
Originally published as Hot Artichoke Spread in Quick Cooking January/February 2002, p45
Light-Bodied White Wine
Enjoy this recipe with a light-bodied white wine such as Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio.
Reviews for Hot Artichoke Spread
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Reviewed Jun. 2, 2015
"This is a great artichoke dip. I'm not a huge fan of spinach artichoke dip but I LOVE artichokes. You just can't find good artichoke dips out there. This has great artichoke flavor. I like adding crumbles bacon over the top right before serving."
Reviewed Jul. 16, 2011
"My husband and I are not big artichoke fans, but my sister Judy and her husband are!! I made this when they visited us in Florida, and we all ended up liking it. I guess we need to try more recipes with artichokes."


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Southland bars join Russian Vodka ban
LOS ANGELES, Calif. - As bars around the world, including in West Hollywood, emptied bottles of vodka down gutters today in protest of a series of anti-gay laws enacted across Russia, calls were also renewed for the city of Los Angeles to sever its sister-city relationship with St. Petersburg.
The California-based Courage Campaign and Los Angeles area gay advocates have circulated a petition calling on the City Council to break sister-city ties with St. Petersburg. A ban on ``gay propaganda'' first took root in St. Petersburg and became federal law in June.
``Our sister city took this action, made their LGBT residents into criminals,'' said Adam Bink, Director of Online Campaigns for the Courage Campaign. ``We're doing this to educate our friends in Russia that this is not acceptable.''
Earlier this year, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a law that prohibits gay couples -- and couples hailing from gay-friendly countries, from adopting Russian children. As Russia for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, sports officials there are warning foreigners and tourists that those who violate the ``gay propaganda'' ban and espouse support of homosexuality will be arrested, fined and face deportation. Despite a previous stalled attempt to suspend Los Angeles' sister-city ties with St. Petersburg, Bink said he believes there is now momentum to revive the effort.
Los Angeles Councilman Mike Bonin plans to meet with advocates at the Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center next week to hear the case for cutting ties with the Russian city, but declined to say today if he supports the idea. Bonin called Russia's laws ``an insult to human dignity and a clear violation of human rights.'' ``I find Russia's anti-LGBT laws to be repugnant and offensive,'' he said. ``This is an injustice that assaults and undermines Russia's place in the international community.''
Bonin's predecessor on the City Council, Bill Rosendahl, pressed for suspending ties with St. Petersburg, but his council motion has been inactive since April. Councilman Tom LaBonge, whose office works closely with sister city program in Los Angeles, said he wants to keep the relationship with St. Petersburg intact. Los Angeles has sister-city relationships with 25 cities in countries around the world.
LaBonge said the two cities' relationship occurs through ``people-to-people'' interactions involving cultural activities and student exchange programs. Rather than losing touch with the ``people of St. Petersburg,'' he would rather ``keep our channels open so that we can continue to communicate in some way, shape or form,'' he said.
But petition circulators said Los Angeles should send a message, in the same way it did when it suspended its sister-city relationship with Tehran, Iran in 1979 amid a U.S. embassy hostage crisis. ``Now is the time for action,'' with the boycott of Russian vodka brands such as Stolichnaya and Russian Standard a ``top news story in Russia,'' Bink said. If Russians ``see the world community is prepared to ostracize Russia and take economic action if necessary,'' they may act to change their laws, he said.


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Results 56 to 60 of 147
October 6th, 2013 10:13 AM #56Member
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- Aug 2013
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Most groups have a history of being oppressed though..not to make light of what the jewish ppl have gone through, but if we start knocking names off the list and deeming them as special only for this group and this group can't use it, we are just further 'othering' ppl and seperating people like that is what causes oppression...there are tonnes of groups that have undergone oppression that aren't as widely known as the jewish ppl, we are going to have a very tiny amount of names left lol If someone were meaning to offend the jewish population there are far more obvious names they can name their kid, they wouldnt name their kid 'priest' , for example remeber in the news a few years ago that family named their kid adolf hitler, pretty sure they were the ones trying to offend the jewish ppl
October 6th, 2013 10:49 AM #58
As to the person who said many ethnic/religious groups have been persecuted... Unfortunately, that's true. However, I don't think that counts as an excuse to use one of their holy names in an inappropriate way. It's a logical fallacy to say that simply because something is common, it is not problematic. If it is so common, it instead indicates a need for more sensitivity. Given, I don't think that it's very common to accidentally use the holy name of a persecuted religious minority on accident...Currently exiled from the US
Emiliana Pari 郑煜曈 '14
EDD: Oct '17
XY: Caspian Kaveh, Soren Pasha
XX: Aida ???
October 6th, 2013 10:58 AM #60Member
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- Aug 2013
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Cohen is profane or offensive in any way. Its cuts both ways.
October 6th, 2013 11:17 AM #62
Messiah or Jesus. People who choose those names are selecting a name within their own religious tradition. If it were Jewish people naming their kids Cohen, that would be the same thing. It is non-Jews choosing a name with religious significance to Jews .. just because they like it.
How would you feel about a Hindu or Buddhist or Jew naming their child Jesus (completing disregarding any religious significance) because they like the sound of the name or some famous person who was named that? When you can answer that, then you are comparing apples to apples.
Last edited by paw; October 6th, 2013 at 11:23 AM.Gwendolyn Mae... Meredith Jane. ... Josephine Claire...Catherine Esme... Evelyn Grace ** Arlo Grant ... Drew Thomas ... Eli James ... Owen Vincent... Jay Theodore
October 6th, 2013 11:24 AM #64Member
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State Police: Victims in Swansea murder-suicide case argued over money
Police have identified the two men shot to death Sunday in an apparent murder-suicide in Swansea that allegedly escalated after an argument over money, State Police said today.
Swansea police and State Police responded to a report of shots fired on Stephen French Road around 6 p.m. Sunday and found Mitchell Stevenson, 37, of Tiverton, R.I., fatally shot in a car, State Police said.
Witnesses told police that a single gunshot was heard inside a home on Stephen French Road shortly after a man fled into a house near the car, State Police said. Police entered the home and found Christian Wilson, 43, the resident of the house, dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.
State Police said their investigation into the deaths indicates that Wilson owed Stevenson money, and Stevenson had driven to Wilson's home Sunday to collect the debt when the two began arguing.
Wilson allegedly brandished a firearm and fired several shots into Stevenson's car, killing him. Wilson then returned to his home and allegedly shot himself, State Police said.
The investigation is continuing, State Police said.