text:
By Erica Silverstein, SmarterTravel.com
To some, researching and booking a cruise is a fun and stress-free experience, complete with happy memories and even new friendships. If this concept sounds utterly foreign to you, you've probably been spending too much time searching the Web and puzzling over pricing. What you need is a travel agent.
It's a common misperception that travel agents can't get the same low prices you can find yourself on the Internet. That's true — at least in some cases — when you're talking about airfare, but when it comes to booking a cruise, travel agents can often find better pricing and provide more personal service than any website. The secret to their success? Cruise lines are actively courting them.
A good travel agent understands the complicated cruise booking process and can direct you to the right cruise line, itinerary and cabin type for your personality. The result: satisfied customers almost guaranteed to cruise again (a win-win for all involved). It should come as no surprise, then, that the cruise lines offer their best agents discounts and incentives to pass on to clients to keep those bookings coming in. They also pay commission, so agents don't have to charge you more in order to take a cut.
In addition to saving you money, the best agents can act as consumer advocates should something go wrong. They'll also turn the planning process into an enjoyable experience and take the burden of research off of your shoulders.
Saving money
Many Web-savvy shoppers turn to the Internet for low cruise prices, but it's the travel agents who have access to the unpublicized deals and upgrades. "Pricing is comparable across the board," says Matt Cervone, owner of Just Cruises & Vacations, "but legitimate agents have relationships with cruise lines that get them offers not available on the websites." These unpublished promotions can range from discounted pricing to free or cheap upgrades and onboard credit. Agents also know about military, senior and location-based discounts that might not be easy to find online; they also have access to reduced single-supplement prices.
In addition, many agents book their customers on "guarantee rates," which means guests don't pick a specific cabin but are guaranteed a stateroom in a certain category or above. These fares let guests risk getting a less desirable location in order to have a chance at an upgrade. "Cruise lines really look at how you've booked when they assign upgrades," says Jo Ellen Kamen, CTC, a leisure specialist at Go Travel. "I can't remember the last time one of my clients didn't get upgraded." High-volume travel agencies will get first crack at those better cabins, while individuals who booked via the Internet will be the last in line.
Travel agents also get access to special deals by belonging to consortiums, such as Ensemble Travel or Virtuoso, which negotiate extra benefits with travel providers on behalf of their clients. The member travel agencies can pass these bonuses on to their customers, offering them perks such as free airfare and shipboard credit. Some agents even surprise their clients with a bon voyage gift, such as a free bottle of champagne.
Another way a travel agent can save you money is by being a fare watchdog. Some cruise lines will refund your money or give you shipboard credit if the price of your cruise goes down after you've booked. "I monitor cruises from the initial deposit to the sail date for price adjustments," says Kamen. If the price drops, she gets that money back for her clients. You may not have time to check the cruise fares every day, but a good travel agent will do the job for you.
Stress-free trip planning
"Going on the Internet can be time-consuming and terribly confusing," says Cecily Macdonald, owner of Nautical Adventures. "Travel agents have resources available so they don't have to search for the answers."
A good travel agency has lots of experience under its roof. The agents go on many cruises and ship tours each year, attend seminars and classes on the various cruise lines, and follow industry trends. They can tell you which ships are a little rough around the edges, and which cruise lines would be a good fit for your interests.
Travel agents will make sure you avoid beginners' mistakes, as well. They're knowledgeable about passport and visa requirements, and will help you get your travel documents in order. "It's very important to remember that if you miss the ship [on a Caribbean island, for example], you can't fly back without a passport," says Macdonald. You might not know that bit of passport law, but a travel agent will make sure you're covered for any situation that may come up. An agent may also recommend appropriate travel insurance and help you navigate the confusing legalese of the various policies.
Inexperienced travelers can often make mistakes when making their pre- or post-cruise travel arrangements. "Some people who book their Europe cruise online don't book the air travel right and miss the ship," says Kamen. Travel agents are well versed in booking transportation, accommodations and packages and can help you sort out the nuances of getting to and from your ship. They can also offer alternatives to the cruise lines' pre- and post-cruise land packages if you want to save money or travel on a different itinerary.
Problem solving
Say your flight to the cruise port gets delayed or canceled, and you fear you might miss the ship. If you've booked online, you're pretty much on your own. But if a travel agent arranged your trip, he or she can work on your behalf to make alternate arrangements and solve the problem. Your travel agent is your consumer advocate.
A travel agent also has more power to fix a booking mistake. If you accidentally book your cruise for the wrong week, you may have a tough time changing the reservation or getting your money back. A travel agent has a relationship with the cruise lines, and can often fix mistakes with little trouble.
How to find the right travel agent
You can find a travel agent through the American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA), the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) and Vacation.com, but Cervone recommends walking into a local agency. He says, "You want to develop a relationship with an agent, so go on instinct. Find someone who knows what they're talking about."
Look to see if the agent has CLIA accreditation or is a Travel Institute destination specialist, proving she's taken courses in selling cruises and travel to specific locations. You can also ask if the agency is a member of a travel consortium or is a key account with any of the cruise lines — those relationships not only prove the dedication of the agency, but its ability to get extra deals for you. Finally, you may want to ask if the agency has a dedicated cruise person or department, and how many years of experience the agents have.
Above all, you want to look for an agent that is interested in building a relationship with you. The agent should spend some time asking you about your interests in order to find the best fit for your vacation. He or she should return your calls or emails promptly and stay in regular communication with you between trips.
Ultimately, you don't have to give up your Internet addiction. By all means, keep checking the Web for great deals and low prices. The next time you find an enticing offer, why not run it by a travel agency? The agents might be able to offer you the same price plus a little personal service, or show you why the deal isn't as great as you thought. Speaking to an agent doesn't commit you to booking with that person. Think of it as another step in your research plan — one that might net you better deals and service than the 'Net.
SmarterTravel.com features expert travel advice and unbiased coverage of travel deals.
Conversation guidelines: USA TODAY welcomes your thoughts, stories and information related to this article. Please stay on topic and be respectful of others. Keep the conversation appropriate for interested readers across the map.


text:
how do i detail my freshly painted car?
Hi folks
i have a ok knollage on how to detail a car. However i am in the middle of doing a Full color change on my bm. its going frozen white with blue pearl through the clear coat and a black high gloss roof and wing mirrors and lip spoiler. the original colour is topaz blue.
I am just wonder how soon after it rolls out the booth can i detail it, (i hate having a dirty car)
also what stuff is the best to use and what stuff should i NOT use?
thanks robaidh
It can be cleaned right away, but not waxed. Most shops will do a wet sand and buff to knock down any orange peel so in most cases it has already been cleaned up before you picked it up.
I would ask this same question of your paint guy to see what his answer is as well.
Please post pics too :-)
HAND wax with turtle wax caranuba. Give a nice sheen and eye popping finish to the paint. And im on for pics too! :thumbup:
Rule of thumb for me... washing is fine, don't wax the car for a month. Nowadays paints cure from the heat/lighting in paint booth, but i always stick to what i was told years ago. Half peace of mind, half ignorance.
Always stay away from the shampoo/wash mix, its a marketing gimmick and it does nothing for the car...
thanks for the help guys
Since it is being done by a friend I would look into a few "how to wet sand and buff" fresh paint diy, or pay a pro to do it, it will make all the difference in the world. It can make a decent paint job look much more professional.
I recently had my winter truck painted by a hack on the cheap and it looked so bad I did a full wet sand and buff on it, and it looks super now, but I used to paint cars many years ago and feel comfortable enough. It is not for the faint of heart as burn throughs can be heartbreaking.
You do NOT wax or put any sort of sealant on a freshly painted car unless it has already been baked. New paint needs time to cure!
DO NOT apply a wax, sealant or coating type products on new (non OEM) paint
Be cognizant that OEM and refinish paint used by body shops are different formulations, even if its the same paint manufacturer; this is due to the way the paint is cured. OEM paint is applied to a body that has no wiring, upholstery and etc so it can be subjected to elevated temperatures that would not be possible on a refinished vehicle
The majority of refinish paint is supplied by BASF DuPont, PPG and Sherwin Williams is 2K (2 component paint + activator) polyurethane systems; one component is polyisocyanate and the second is a polyol (acrylic or polyester polyol). Solvent-based paints (which still constitutes the majority of what is still being used, low solvent content VOC compliant) once the two components react they form a strong polymer chain. Or a water-based paint, much more prevalent in European imports than US mfg vehicles
Newly applied paint is soft, much softer than OEM paint, dehydration (drying) is a different process from cross-linking; while newly refinished paint is about 90% cured within 24 hours, even with the help of a drying oven and various additives, and will fully harden (dehydrate) after 60-90 days dependent upon local environmental conditions
Fresh paint safe glaze - while a paint is cross linking, using solvent- based waxes or sealants is not ideal since the solvents penetrate the paint and soften it and will interfere with the outgas / cross linking process.
The common ingredients in a fresh paint safe glaze are: water, glycerine or mineral oils(to produce a high shine) and a mild abrasive Kaolin (China clay) to burnish the surface and produce a gloss, some polymers are also formulated as fresh paint safe for the same reasons
The application of a specific fresh paint safe water-based or polymer type product, Zaino Polishes (exclude the use of either Z1 or ZFX) Optimum Car Wax is water-based and is safe on fresh paint, or use Presta Fast its a liquefied paste wax manufactured with premium, natural and synthetic ingredients. This unique wax can be applied over 24-hour old clear coat and single-stage finishes without risk of die back, because it creates a breathable film that permits solvents to cross the wax film. Allow an initial gas off (evaporate) /cure aerobic process of 7 days before application
These products are completely safe for any fresh paint system as they allow the solvents in a water-based paint to outgas / aerobic cure process and provide some protection for any type of paint surface.
After thirty days (30) the paint surface can be protected with a regular polymer sealant and/or Carnauba wax.
If in doubt ask the body shop or the person who painted your vehicle
If you listen to any post, excluding the one above, you should save your money and wait till you have enough to get a new car..... Listening to most of the posts here will ruin it...
If you really car about your paint, listen to the above post and YouTube Junkman2000. You'll get plenty of great tips and advise on how to properly care for your paint...
BTW- if you even attempt to put Turtle Wax on your car, well just please don't do it. You'd have better luck pissing on it....
You should ask whoever painted the car but usually it's 4-12 weeks before you can PUT ANYTHING ON THE PAINT. My friend just had a car painted and was told to only clean it with water before 8 weeks before he can do anything else.
The painter will know best depending on whatever paint they used.
okay thanks guys that's a big help, as i said earlier i just wanted a second opinion so that i don't go and destroy my new paint job.
Hi wow thanks for all the info. big help
we are useing ford frozen white 2k (2pack) if thats any help?
Can i use a presher washer and snow foam?
can i use normal car shampoo to was the car?
and can you give me some names/brands of any other products that i need to apply to the paint or any products that can apply to the paint so that i can get a good shine?
1. Can i use a presher washer and snow foam? Yes
2. can i use normal car shampoo to was the car? Make sure it doesn't contain wax
3. and can you give me some names/brands of any other products that i need to apply to the paint or any products that can apply to the paint so that i can get a good shine?Optimum Car Wax
|All times are GMT -5. The time now is 10:32 AM.
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2017, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
(c) 1999 - VerticalScope Inc. All rights reserved.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Write an Android application
Budget $250-750 USD
this is mobile application that will be a calender of Afghans months and date
31 freelancers are bidding on average $578 for this job
Hi I am a Senior Mobile App Developer. I have already developed many Android and iPhone apps. You might have read this in my profile. Please send me your detail requirements. We can discuss it. Of course, I will More
We are happy to discuss our proposal with you. KEY POINTS THAT MAKE US DIFFER FROM OTHERS: ~ We have 5+ years of experiences in Unity 3D, Xcode, CoCoa 2d, Phonegap and major iOS and Android developement. ~ 150+ su More
How are you? I am a Mobile App developer and have 5 years experience of program develop. also I have rich develop experience with XCode, Android studio, Eclipse, Xamarin,PHP Storm and have developed many apps . More
Hi, Dear I am Zhang. I am Senior Android Developer who has 6 years experience. I have made a lot of Android apps with high quality. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.inity.photocracker https://play More
Hello Sir, First of all, we would like to tell you how we will initialize the project with you Please have a look at our portfolio for Mobile App and Unity Game based projects: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B4F8 More
Hi Dear Employer, how are you? I Will Provide You Great And Perfect App To Lead You To The Success In Your Business As Well As Full Services. I saw your project description carefully and thought that your project was More
I am SWIFT/IOS Certified,IBM Certified Enterprise Architect, ORACLE Certified Weblogic Expert, GOOGLE Partner Company, ORACLE Certified Expert, , Sun Certified Web Component Expert, Sun Certified Java Expert, HUBSPOT I More
Hi, Let's discuss in detail about your project. We have great skills in Android, iPhone/iPad, PhoneGap,Cordova, ionic, php, Angular JS,Node JS, Laravel Codeigniter, Wordpress, Magento, Joomla, HTML/CSS, Database More
Hello, We have more than 4 year experience in iPhone,Android,Windows,Blackberry app and Php development. We worked in more than 50 apps. We Provide Full service even after app uploaded.one of my Client app(RoundMen More
Services of a professional and experienced designer are available who is expert in delivering quality and creative designs. Send me a text to start the discussion on your project.
Dear Hiring Manager, Hope you are doing well. My name is Sarah and I represent Nuance Infotech. Nuance Infotech is a multi- facet software development organization. we have history of developing cloud-based c More
**** PLEASE CHECK OUR Android APP DEVELOPMENT WORK **** Going through your requirement brief, we will willing to discuss in more detail to know your expectation, Can we setup a meeting? Let me share few of our mo More
Hello I'm interested in working on your project. I'm offering a bid lower than the average bids because I'm still trying to improve my ratings here, and hopefully I will get a good review after delivering the projec More
Hi, Let's discuss more about the project and turn it into reality with your idea and our skills. We work on Website development, Mobile application development, Website design, APP design, UX/UI design few name More
Hello, I hope you are doing good, I have a Experience with Custom SDK,Facebook SDK, Google API, Taxi booking app,Hardware based APP, Clover Based APP, Health care,E-commerce App, High level API Integration , Taxi Boo More


text:
Daniel R. Farrell
Moatz, Harry
From: DRFarrell@....
Sent: Friday, February 06, 2004 5:11 PM
To: ethicsrules comments
Subject: Proposed new rules -- I am opposed to them
Expires: Sunday, February 06, 2005 1:00 AM
My name is Daniel R. Farrell, I am a Registered Patent Attorney.
I currently work in the Legal Department of The Dow Chemical Company, but I in this particular instance I am not representing the views of Dow or Dow's Legal Department. These comments are my personal reactions to the proposed rule changes that would significantly (adversely) impact my practice.
As a long-time Registered Patent Attorney (Reg. No. 28,599) I am strongly opposed to the proposed new rules imposing additional burdens and fees on those registered to practice before the USPTO.
I have worked in a corporate IP section for all except two years (law firm) during my practice before the USPTO (first registered in 1977), from 1977 through 1994 at a large oil company, and since 1996 with a large chemical company. During that time, I have spent time on various assignments -- sometimes focusing on patent procurement, other times on other aspects of patent law. For a large fraction of my career, I have not had responsibility for patent filing or prosecution, instead focusing on Intellectual Property agreements (such as licenses, joint development agreements, research agreements, etc.). Accordingly, my need to understand the fine points of USPTO practice has varied considerable from needing intimate knowledge (at times) to needing little knowledge of USPTO procedures. When I do have need for such knowledge, I re-learn or refresh my knowledge, or I work with another patent attorney who is current on those matters. Currently, my practice is about 80 percen! t IP agreements and about 20 percent client counseling on IP matters. I spend almost no time in patent procurement. Yet it is very important to my clients that I am a Registered Patent Attorney -- which means to them that I know the patent law (even if not the minutia of USPTO practice).
Many of the fundamentals of the patent law required to competently represent my clients do not change significantly from day to day or year to year. One concern I have with the proposed new rules is that the recertification test will be so focused on the minutiae of USPTO practice that the understanding of over-riding patent law will be of little or no avail in recertification. For example, in my current practice, I do not need to remember how many days I have to file a responsive paper to a particular USPTO office action -because that rarely is involved in my practice. If it is relevant, I can look it up. Should failing to know (or momentarily memorize -- for the test) that time period disqualify me as a competent patent advisor to my client? I think not. Yet that is the kind of thing that changes most often in the USPTO procedures -- the knowledge of which (or lack of such knowledge) seems to be the primary motivation for the rule changes.
I am an active member of the Texas State Bar, and a voluntarily inactive member of the California Bar. I must take 15 hours of MCLE to meet the Texas State Bar requirements -rarely would more than 4-5 hours per year be focused on patent law, and none would be focused on USPTO procedures. I am opposed to the USPTO's imposing still more MOLE requirements -- and also requiring a re-certification exam. No state bar of which I am aware requires a re-certification exam.
The proposed rules seem targeted at a few bad-actor practitioners which might lead to a public perception of incompetence. Would these new rules really change the behavior or eliminate those few bad-actors? I think not.
It seems to me that, at least as to patent attorneys (as
opposed to patent agents), any incompetence is easily
addressed by the relevant state bar disciplinary procedures.
Those ."procedures most likely would be more available to
clients who have been wronged -- unless of course the client
lived near Alexandria, and his/her attorney was in
California. Why not limit your proposed rules to those not
already covered by a State Bar's oversight?
Please reconsider the proposed rules -- and do NOT impose them.
Dan Farrell Cell phone 1-281-435-5131 e-mail:


text:
Weekly Report: Recap Marlins Series & Look Ahead To The PhilliesApril 4, 2011
Dave Doyle of Mets Report and I recap the opening series against the Marlins, look ahead to the Phillies and talk Willie Harris, Mike Pelfrey, Carlos Beltran, Daniel Murphy and More.
This entry was posted in New York Mets, On The Black TV and tagged Carlos Beltran, Daniel Murphy, Florida Marlins, Mike Pelfrey, New York Mets Weekly Report, Willie Harris. Bookmark the permalink.


text:
Stewart Dakers: Real estate
The new owners of low priced housing in East London have options for treating their existing tenants well
Emma Brockes: Questions we should be asking about the startup: isn't it just a course correction for a real-estate system stacked against us? Also: is someone having sex in my bed?
Why dishonest financial bigwigs are much more prolific burglars than society's small-time offenders
How debt collector Wayne returned to the housing estate of his youth
Stewart Dakers on the background that is driving Scrap to be an Olympic hopeful
Action man is outmoded and male traits are not getting us anywhere, writes Stewart Dakers
Autism looks increasingly like the construct of a masculine culture, drenched in testosterone. Stewart Dakers explains
Nanny's job via speed cameras and the like is to ensure that the different are accommodated, the vulnerable protected and the incompetent supported, writes Stewart Dakers
Stewart Dakers: Contemporary sport acts as a magnet and a refuge for the disaffected opting for a petulant life of perpetual puerility
Stewart Dakers: Former evacuee Enid has just gone through a major change of life. It shows that perhaps good things do come to those who wait
Stewart Dakers: There's a surfeit of suits applying for paid work in the voluntary corridors, but there is a serious deficit of overalls available to deliver
Stewart Dakers: As a method of assessing standards of competence, exams are simply unfair and unrealistic
Stewart Dakers: As Michaela's funeral wept its way to the crematorium on Friday, there was in many hearts a reluctant sense of relief
Stewart Dakers: How I faced up to a deep-seated prejudice against relationships between disabled people
Bloody men! It's a sentiment regularly expressed by half the planet
The 'hood is self-reliant; it handles its own affairs and makes a total cock-up of it, writes Stewart Dakers
Chelsie's life on the estate is hard. Respite from drudgery and the mood swings of mum and her new bloke is a Christmas Eve night out. But is it going happen?
Does reconciliation have to be preceded by atrocity, asks Stewart Dakers
Stewart Dakers: A few weeks ago, when Josh's latest "mother" moved out, he responded by egging the Baswamis' shop.
Stewart Dakers: Billy got a bad smacking a few weeks back, the night of the England v Germany game.
Stewart Dakers: Last weekend, in the early evening, Moselle's house caught fire. She is in hospital with extensive first-degree burns. She had been on her own at the time.
Stewart Dakers: School's out, and already the summer mood is set at the shopfront, a teenage limboland. Under hoods, on boards and blades, behind desperate, angry eyes, chewing, gobbing, blagging, cussing, chuntering.
Stewart Dakers: After a winter slumped in front of screens, the kids are out in front of the garages. The street football season has started.
Stewart Dakers: More shopfront verbal as the teenage crew jostle for macho dominance, with Split in the lead as he justifies his constant presence on the street.
Stuart Dakers: Shopfront, usual crowd, except I'm met with a well unfriendly greeting. 'You lot can be real dickheads,' says Bazza.
Stewart Dakers: Mother's Day may have been 10 days ago, but it's left its mark on Sauterne's face. 'Bunch of flowers before breakfast, bunch of fives after tea - that I could do without,' she explains.
When an adult with a child's perspective interacts with children, rumour isn't bothered by detail, writes Stewart Dakers.
For teenagers in the 'hood, the season to be jolly can be devastating, breaking the structures and networks of street life as 'the kids' are posted like parcels to places and people they do not want to go to or know.
Stewart Dakers: Harry is a child in need. He needs someone to tell him why his mum keeps cutting herself, what he's doing that is making her do this, and what he can do about it. His father walked out before he was two, and the man who was daddy to his siblings left three years ago. Obviously, Harry's doing something wrong.
Stewart Dakers: It's an edgy time on the streets. There's this drunk called Dan, who lives in one of the six small blocks of flats at the entrance to the estate. For the past few weeks, he's been subjected to an escalating bombardment from residents - and especially their kids - who have grown self-righteous at the prospect of a caricature villain.
Stewart Dakers: Samara's social worker announces that Samara is pregnant. "If you ask me, it could be just what she needs," she says. "Yeah, like a Big Mac," I growl inwardly.


text:
Originally Posted by Barry
You want me to turn this up??
No, but did you ever find Daytona Beach?
A third party security audit is the IT equivalent of a colonoscopy. It's long, intrusive, very uncomfortable, and when it's done, you'll have seen things you really didn't want to see, and you'll never forget that you've had one.
Forum Rules


text:
President Obama is sharpening his campaign rhetoric, saying that Republican plans to return to economic policies of the George W. Bush years is "madness."
"You know, the idea you would keep on doing the same thing over and over again, even though it's been proven not to work -- that's a sign of madness," Obama said during a fundraiser Friday night in Portland, Maine.
Obama prefaced that comment by saying, "we won't win the race for new jobs and new businesses and middle-class security if we cling to this same old, worn-out, tired 'you're on your own' economics that the other side is peddling."
"It was tried in the decades before the Great Depression,' he said. "It didn't work then. It was tried in the last decade. It didn't work."
Republicans such as Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., chairman of the House Budget Committee, said Obama's spending and regulation policies are driving the nation to record debt and high unemployment.
Earlier in the day, at a fundraiser in Burlington, Vt., Obama said previous Republican presidents wouldn't recognize today's GOP.
"It was a Republican, Teddy Roosevelt, who called for a progressive income tax," Obama said. "It was Dwight Eisenhower who built the Interstate Highway System."
"The first Republican president, President (Abraham) Lincoln -- who, by the way, couldn't win the nomination for the Republican primary right now," Obama said to laughter and applause. "He'd be a ..."
Obama didn't finish the thought.
David's journalism career spans three decades, including coverage of five presidential elections, the Oklahoma City bombing, the 2000 Florida presidential recount and the 9/11 terrorist attacks. He has covered the White House for USA TODAY since 2005. His interests include history, politics, books, movies and college football -- not necessarily in that order. More about David
Follow the Oval on Twitter: @The Oval, @djusatoday.
Also contributing to the Oval: Richard Wolf @richardjwolf; Aamer Madhani @AamerISmad


text:
Narasimha, R and Das, P (1986) The infinitely strong shock. Technical Report. National Aeronautical Laboratory, Bangalore, India.Full text available as:
Restricted to Archive staff only
Download (557Kb)
A scheme for obtaining an exact solution of the Boltzmann13; equation for an infinitely strong shock has been formulated, in terms of inner and outer limits in velocity space as Mach number tends to infinity. Using a complete expansion for the outer solution, an infinite set of ordinary nonlinear differential equations is obtained. A solution of the first seven equations of this set yields a shock thickness of 6.7 hot-side mean free paths, nearly 20 per cent higher than the value quoted by Sakurai for a hard sphere gas.
|Item Type:
|Proj.Doc/Technical Report (Technical Report)
|Additional Information:
|Paper presented at the fifteenth International Symposium on13; Rarefied Gas Dynamics, Grado, Italy, 16-20 June 1986.
|Uncontrolled Keywords:
|Shock waves;Shock structure;Infinite mach number;Hypersonic13; flow;Rarefied gas dynamics
|ENGINEERING > Fluid Mechanics and Thermodynamics
AERONAUTICS > Aerodynamics
|Fluid Dynamics, Other
|Depositing User:
|Mr. Ravikumar R
|Date Deposited:
|22 Sep 2006
|Last Modified:
|24 Aug 2015 14:12
Actions (login required)
|View Item


text:
Treasurer rebuffs fuel tax cut plea
Page Tools
Consumers struggling with record petrol prices will have to hope that world oil prices fall, because the Treasurer, Peter Costello, said yesterday that the Federal Government will not lower its tax take on fuel.
Responding to a call from the Family First senator, Steve Fielding, for the Government to cut the excise on petrol from 38 cents a litre to 28 cents a litre, Mr Costello said changing the rate would not fix the underlying problem of fuel prices.
"Petrol prices will come down when the world oil price comes down," Mr Costello said.
"And the world oil price will come down at the point when production is increased to meet demand.
"High petrol prices are not in the interests of consumers. They are not in the interests of the economy.
"They are not in the interests of the Government. They are not in the interests of Australians. Like every other Australian consumer I hope they do come down."
Mr Costello said the Government had not increased the excise since 2001.
"In fact, as a consequence of that, in real terms excise is falling," he said.
However, he offered nothing more, and avoided replying to suggestions that the Government was doing nothing because it expected fuel prices to remain high indefinitely. But Senator Fielding argued the Government should use part of the $13.6 billion budget surplus - $4.4 billion more than anticipated - to offer some relief from high petrol prices.
It would cost the Government about $3.8 billion to cut petrol and diesel excise by 10 cents a litre, Senator Fielding said.
"Excises are unfair taxes that hit families on lower incomes harder, because they have to spend more of their limited income on petrol than other families," he said.
"It doesn't matter whether you are a retiree or a millionaire, or live in the inner suburbs and travel short distances, or in the outer suburbs and regions where you have greater distances to travel. Everybody pays the same rate of tax on petrol."
Senator Fielding suggested the Government's inaction was because politicians, senior bureaucrats and business executives were insulated from skyrocketing prices.
"We have government or company cars and do not put our hands in our pockets," he said.
He also said it was wrong to compare petrol prices with Europe, where fuel taxes are high, because the distances travelled there were much smaller.
He said a better comparison was the US, where the price of petrol was about US75 cents (98 cents) a litre.
"Cutting fuel excise would be a win for Australian families, a win for Australian businesses and a boost for the economy and employment," Senator Fielding said.
Get the SMH delivered for as little as $3 a week - SAVE 21%


text:
The former stars of 'The Hills' reportedly 'flat-out rejected' an offer from the show's producers, claiming they are currently on good terms in their marriage.
Though their heyday has passed behind, Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt are apparently still selective when it comes to singing up for a show. Words are, the couple has passed on a chance to star together on "Relationship Rehab", a spin-off to VH1's "Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew".
According to TMZ, Speidi "flat-out rejected" an offer from producers to work on their domestic issues on the show. The pair, whose marriage was once on the edge of a divorce, allegedly claimed that they are now on great terms and don't have any issues to work out.
However, Heidi and Spencer were initially intrigued to join the show since they thought it would feature them working out together, including doing such activities as yoga. Moreover, the former co-stars of MTV's "The Hills" were reported turning down the offer because the money was not great.
While Speidi won't appear on "Relationship Rehab", the likes of Linda Hogan & her new boyfriend Charlie Hill, DMX & his estranged wife Tashera Simmons, as well as "Bachelor Pad" couple Kasey Kahl & Vienna Girardi are allegedly on board for the show.
Heidi herself was cast on another VH1 reality show, "Famous Food" which premiered in summer this year. She was competing with Jake Pavelka and Danielle Staub and more to revamp a restaurant from the ground up.


text:
Public Meetings
CG Public Meetings, Proposed Regulations
The U.S. Coast Guard is scheduled to hold public meetings in Seattle on Sept. 28 and in New Orleans on Sept. 30 to hear comments about a proposed rulemaking for ballast water discharge standards. A total of six public meetings are slated for the Coast Guard to receive comments about a proposed rulemaking published in the Federal Register Aug. 28 (74 FR 44632) that would add ballast water discharge standards to the Coast Guard's ballast water management regulations in Title 33, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 151, Subparts C and D. The proposed rule would also add approval procedures for ballast water management systems found in Title 46, Code of Federal Regulations, Subchapter Q. The first public meeting is scheduled for Sept. 28, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the Hotel 1000, 1000 First Ave., Seattle. Details about the hotel and surrounding city can be found at: http://www.hotel1000seattle.com/explore.html The second public meeting is scheduled for Sept. 30, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the Hotel Monteleone, 214 Rue Royal, New Orleans. Details about the hotel and surrounding city can be found at: http://www.hotelmonteleone.com/ The public is encouraged to participate by submitting written or verbal comments at the meetings. The comment period for the advance notice of proposed rulemaking closes Nov. 27. All comments and related material submitted after the meeting must be submitted to the online docket at http://www.regulations
U.S. Coast Guard to Host Public Meeting
Media are invited to attend the public meeting on the Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) Reader Requirements Notice of Proposed Rulemaking April 18, 2013. WHO: Personnel from the Office of Port and Facilities Compliance, U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters, Washington, D.C.WHERE: Crystal City Marriott Hotel at Reagan National Airport, 1999 Jefferson Davis Hwy., Arlington, Va., 22202 WHEN: April 18, 2013, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
MarAd Issues Notice for Public Meetings on LNG DWP
The Maritime Administration (MARAD) issued a notice stating that meetings to receive public comment on the planned Clearwater Port liquefied natural gas (LNG) deepwater port (DWP) will be conducted in Oxnard (October 3) and Santa Clarita (October 4). Written comments should be submitted by October 18. Source: HK Law
MARAD to Host Meeting on Proposed Delfin LNG License
MARAD Announces Public Scoping Meetings for Proposed Delfin Liquefied Natural Gas Deepwater Port Export Facility. On July 29, the Maritime Administration (MARAD) published a Federal Register Notice of Intent (NOI) advising the public that the agency, in coordination with the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG), will host public scoping meetings regarding the Delfin LNG, LLC deepwater port export license application.
PHA Commission Considers $9.9m Share of Dredging Project
The Port Commission of The Portof Houston Authority will consider funding a $9.9m share of a Houston Ship Channel dredging and maintenance project and several other matters at its public meeting on August 28 in Houston. Chairman Jim Edmonds will preside over the meeting with Commissioner Steve Phelps, Commissioner Jim Fonteno, Commissioner Kase Lawal, Commissioner Jimmy Burke, Commissioner Janiece Longoria and Commissioner Elyse Lanier.
Marine Mammal Health & Stranding Response Program
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) will hold public meetings to receive comments on the Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (DPEIS) for the Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response Program. Meetings will be held in San Francisco (April 2); Seattle (April 3); Silver Spring, Maryland (April 6); Boston (April 9); and St. Petersburg, Florida (April 10). Source: HK Law
Status Update: Neptune LNG
In November, a public scoping meeting and informational open house will take place in Massachusetts regarding the proposed Neptune Deepwater Port Project in Massachusetts. The Scoping Meeting will be held in Faneuil Hall in Boston, MA on November 2, 2005. There will also be a public meeting at Gloucester High School in Gloucester, MA on November 3, 2005. Both meetings are scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. and are scheduled for two hours in length
Oregon: LNG Project
The U.S. Coast Guard is seeking comments on a proposal it received for construction and operation of a liquefied natural gas (LNG) import facility on the Columbia River in the vicinity of Bradwood, Oregon. The agency will prepare a Letter of Recommendation concerning the suitability of the river for LNG marine traffic. A public meeting on this proposal will be held in Astoria on September 29. Written comments must be submitted by October 6. 70 Fed. Reg. 53677 (HK Law)
Gulf Landing LNG DWP – Enviro Statement
The U.S. Coast Guard and the Maritime Administration (MARAD) issued a Notice announcing availability of the draft environmental impact statement for the proposed Gulf Landing liquefied natural gas (LNG) deepwater port (DWP) to be located in the Gulf of Mexico approximately 38 miles south of Cameron, Louisiana. A public meeting will be held in Lafayette, Louisiana on July 15. Comments on the proposal should be submitted by August 9, 2004. 69 Fed. Reg. 35655 (HK Law)
Compass Port LNG DWP – Enviro Statement
The U.S. Coast Guard and the Maritime Administration (MARAD) issued a Notice announcing availability of the draft environmental impact statement for the proposed Compass Port liquefied natural gas (LNG) deepwater port (DWP) to be located in the Gulf of Mexico approximately 11 miles south of Dauphin Island, Alabama. Public meetings will be held in Dauphin Island (July 12), Mobile, Alabama (July 13), and Pascagoula, Mississippi (July 14)
El Faro Investigators Call for Better Weather Forecasting
New recommendations coming out of the investigation into the 2015 sinking of U.S. cargo ship El Faro call for efforts to improve the weather information available to mariners. All 33 crew on board died when the 790-foot El Faro sank close to the eye of Hurricane Joaquin near the Bahamas
Proposed Sanctuaries Aim to Protect Historic Shipwrecks
The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has released draft plans for proposed national marine sanctuaries in Wisconsin and Maryland that would aim to protect nationally significant shipwrecks, including those from the 1800s, World War I and other maritime battlegrounds.
LA, Long Beach Ports Focus on Updating Clean Air Action Plan
The governing boards of the Port of Los Angeles and the Port of Long Beach will hold a joint public meeting Nov. 17 to discuss proposals for updating the San Pedro Bay Ports Clean Air Action Plan (CAAP). Developed over the past year, the CAAP Discussion Document outlines the ports' plans for
FMC: Update Regarding Commission Briefings on the Status of Hanjin Shipping
The status of Hanjin Shipping and the disruptions caused by its bankruptcy to the American shipping community, as well as global supply chains, was examined closely by the Federal Maritime Commission during the closed session of the September 20, 2016 public meeting.
Los Angeles Pushes for Valero Terminal Improvements
The Port of Los Angeles has released an Initial Study/Notice of Preparation (IS/NOP) — the first step in the Environmental Impact Report (EIR) process — for a Marine Oil Terminal Wharf Improvements Project at the Valero Terminal on Mormon Island in Los Angeles Harbor.
Lack of Communication Led to Houston Ship Collision -NTSB
The probable cause of the 2015 collision of the Conti Peridot and the Carla Maersk in the Houston Ship Channel was the inability of the pilot on the Conti Peridot to respond appropriately to hydrodynamic forces after meeting another vessel during restricted visibility
BOEM's Public Meetings Rescheduled
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) is holding meetings to seek public input on the Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement that analyzes potential impacts of oil and gas activities that could result from lease sales scheduled in the 2017-2022 Five Year Program for Outer
Seattle, Tacoma Prepare for Seaport Alliance
The Northwest Seaport Alliance hits key milestone as ports of Seattle, Tacoma prepare to unify marine cargo management A draft of the final agreement between the ports of Tacoma and Seattle has been released, heralding a milestone in the formation of a Seaport Alliance that will unify the
New Lineup for NOAA Hydrographic Services Panel
Committee provides advice on agency's navigation services NOAA administrator Kathryn Sullivan, Ph.D., has appointed six members to the Hydrographic Services Review Panel, a federal advisory committee that gives NOAA independent advice for improving a range of services and products that
BOEM Issues Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement
The U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), announces the availability of the Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for proposed Central Planning Area (CPA) Lease Sales 241 and 247 and Eastern Planning Area (EPA) Lease Sale 226.
Boost for Offshore Wind Energy
As part of President Obama's Climate Action Plan to create American jobs, develop domestic clean energy resources and cut carbon pollution, Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell and Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) Director Abigail Hopper today announced the release of an
USCG to Address Cruise Ship Security Regulations
The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) will hold a public meeting on February 9, 2015, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida to receive comments on a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) published in the Federal Register on December 10, 2014, under the title "Consolidated Cruise Ship Security Regulations
Cove Point LNG Export Facility Gets US FERC Approval
U.S. federal regulators on Monday approved construction of Dominion Resources Inc's liquefied natural gas export project in Cove Point, Maryland. Cove Point is the fourth U.S. LNG export project to get the green light to begin construction from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
Former FedEx Canada President to Head Long Beach Port
The Long Beach Board of Harbor Commissioners is scheduled to vote Monday, June 30, to name Jon W. Slangerup, a veteran corporate executive with extensive experience in global logistics and environmental technologies, as the Port of Long Beach's new Chief Executive.
Agenda For June 19 Public Meeting on NPREP Guidlines
Leaders of the maritime industry will convene in Washington, D.C. on June 19 with representatives of the relevant government agencies to have a dialogue addressing concerns with, and ways to improve, the recently published draft National Preparedness for Response Exercise Program (NPREP) guidelines


text:
Do you get books from a public library in your town or even in your school library? In many remote areas of the world, there are no library buildings. In many countries, books are delivered in unusual way: by bus, boat, elephant, donkey, train, even by wheelbarrow. Why would librarians go to the trouble of packing books on the backs of elephants or driving miles to deliver books by bus? Because, as one librarian in Azerbaijan says, "Books are as important to usas air or water!" This is the intriguing photo essay, a celebration of books, readers, and libraries.
Library services in 13 countries are described, with colorful photographs and facts about each country.
This item appears in the following Booklists:
Call Number:
J027.4 R9828m 2005


text:
By Mark Felicetti
My friends picked an all-you-can-eat sushi place that I hate, and asked me to give it another chance.
It's so bad I refer to it as "All You Can Wait."
I was right.
The glacier-paced service was impersonal and the sushi chef's name was Miguel … you do the math.
Miguel was so slow that fish were dying of natural causes.
Two of the quail eggs hatched. The chicks matured, mated, built a nest, and raised a brood of their own.
But that was buffered by the bright smiles of the two pretty ladies (a young mother and 9-year old daughter) sitting around the corner from us.
The little one was somewhere between a soccer star and a prima ballerina. Mommy talked of Italian cooking, travel, and heritage … both were very sports savvy.
As usual, I was wearing a San Francisco 49ers T-shirt and the ballerina pointed at it and said, "Oh, I love your shirt!"
Football became the topic.
Mommy commented on the Atlanta Falcons' easy schedule and the ballerina predicted the Niners would beat them.
She was right.
I said S.F. would dominate the entire game.
I was wrong.
Things looked bleak when the 49ers fell behind, 17-0.
Falcons QB Matt Ryan repeatedly targeted three receivers and San Francisco's defense had trouble stopping them.
The S.F. offensive couldn't get into rhythm until halfway into the 2nd quarter and they ended the half trailing, 24-14.
But the Niners' never panicked.
They returned to the field and made some adjustments on both sides of the ball.
The defense began shutting down big plays. They forced turnovers, sacked Ryan, and kept the Falcons scoreless in the second half.
Niners QB Colin Kaepernick began to spread the ball around. He still hit his favorite Wide Receiver Michael Crabtree six times but he also sent the ball to Randy Moss for a nice chunk of lawn and Vernon Davis pulled in five passes, ripped up 106 total yards of turf, and scored a TD.
Their rushing game caught fire.
Running Back Frank Gore mowed 90-yards of grass on 21 carries, for two TD's and speedster RB LaMichael James had 5 runs and a TD of his own.
Things got tense on Atlanta's final drive.
On 3rd and 2 at the 50, Falcons WR Harry Douglas "caught" a ball for a 22-yard gain.
Niners head coach Jim Harbaugh challenged the "catch."
Quotation marks … because it wasn't.
Douglas was pulling in the ball as he hit the ground; it came out of his grip and slid down to his legs where he re-captured it.
The call on the field was upheld … Harbaugh went ballistic.
He jumped, pounded the ground, threw things, and screamed at the referee.
Harbaugh has an Arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat) and you know that ref had to be thinking, "Uh … how many compressions per minute is it?"
Atlanta moved into the red zone on the next play.
But one-man-wrecking crew, Line Backer Patrick Willis made two tackles and Ryan's last-ditch-effort passes were broken up by S.F. defenders.
The Niners won 28-24, pulling off the biggest comeback victory in an NFC Championship game.
The AFC Championship game pitted the New England Patriots against the Baltimore Ravens.
There were a couple of notable similarities between this game and the NFC match.
The Ravens were playing an away game, their head coach is John Harbaugh (Jim's brother), and the Ravens left the field at the half trailing, 13-3.
The similarities continued into the 2nd half.
The Ravens defense shut down QB Tom Brady, hurried him, and intercepted him twice.
They held the Pats scoreless for the entire second half while Ravens' QB Joe Flacco threw three TD passes to win the game 28-13.
The Baltimore Ravens will face the San Francisco 49ers on February 3rd, 2013 in Super Bowl XLVII.
It should be noted that my ballerina also stated that the 49ers would go on to win the Super Bowl.
She's right.


text:
Humboldt County
Eureka - Logging Museum
John Dolbeer was born on March 12, 1827, on a family farm in Epsom, New Hampshire. In 1850, at the age of 23, Dolbeer joined in the rush for gold and sailed for San Francisco. Like many others, Dolbeer was not overly successful in his search for instant wealth. In 1853, he turned away from gold and purchased an existing saw mill (Bay Mill) from pioneer lumberman Martin White on Humboldt Bay. Ten years later, in 1863, after his mill had burned down twice, Dolbeer's capital was exhausted and he was forced to go into partnership with a logger by the name of William Carson. The Dolbeer and Carson Lumber Company quickly grew into one of the largest lumber operations on the Northern California coast and continued in operation well into the twentieth century. It made both men fabulously wealthy.
Dolbeer is famous in the timber industry for having invented the Dolbeer Steam Logging Donkey in 1883. It was composed of a wood fired steam engine mounted on two skids and connected to a system of ropes and pulleys that were deployed out into the area where trees were being felled and cut into logs. Logs were lassoed and dragged to the loading yard in front of the steam donkey. There, they were loaded onto rail cars or pushed into a waterway for transit to the mill. The donkey engine was relatively inexpensive to build, eliminated the need for animals, was extremely efficient and easy to operate. It opened difficult terrain to logging operations and quickly revolutionized the industry. The lumber museum at Fort Humboldt in Eureka has examples of the "improved" steam donkey. (Dolbeer's original donkey did not have a return mechanism and it was necessary for the rigging to be taken back out into the field by men and animals. The return mechanism was added seven years later in 1900 and steel cables eventually replaced rope in the rigging as the size of the logs being moved increased.) Although the steam donkey was Dolbeer's most famous invention, it was far from the only one. He also invented machines and procedures that improved felling, milling, measuring and transporting.
As their business developed and prospered over the years, Carson appears to have been the partner that resided in Eureka while Dolbeer established his principal residence on prestigious Lombard Street in San Francisco, which was the chief market for their lumber and the financial center for their other wide ranging business interests. (San Francisco was frequently ravaged by fire in the nineteenth century and was rebuilt seven times during this period. Redwood was the preferred building material.) Dolbeer's later life was marred by several tragedies including the suicide of his wife and the accidental death of his son. He died in 1902 and is buried in Cypress Lawn Cemetery.


text:
Bayern are on a roll says Gomez
Germany striker Mario Gomez smashed four goals in Bayern Munich's 7-0 rout of FC Basel on Tuesday and insisted his team have big ambitions as they marched into the Champions League's last eight.
"We still have big goals and we've achieved nothing yet," said Gomez, who with ten goals to his credit is second only to Barcelona's Lionel Messi, who has 12, as the Champions League's top-scorer.
Gomez scored in a 23-minute spell, equalling the 2003 record set by Monaco striker Dado Prso for the quickest four-goal haul in the competition.
Having come to Germany holding a 1-0 lead from the first leg three weeks ago, Basel's dreams of reaching the Champions League's last eight for the first time were rudely awakened as they lost the tie 7-1 on aggregate.
Munich's Allianz Arena hosts the Champions League final on May 19 and Bayern's emphatic second-leg victory puts them in tomorrow's quarter-finals draw.
This was the biggest win in a Champions League knockout match as records tumbled in Munich and Bayern bettered their 7-1 home win over Sporting Lisbon from the 2009 competition, also in the round of 16.
Gomez has now scored seven goals in his last two games having netted a hat-trick last Saturday when Bayern hammered Hoffenheim 7-1 at home.
Dutch winger Arjen Robben, who scored twice against Basel, has now scored four in two games, while Thomas Mueller also netted against the Swiss.
"It was fun to play in that, to score seven goals in a Champions League match speaks for itself," said Robben.
"Fourteen goals in our last two games after our defeat at Leverkusen speaks volumes for the way we have played. We have to stay focused, it would be good to get Barcelona or Real Madrid in the next round, but we'll take whoever comes."
Club president Uli Hoeness said his side are showing what they can do after poor recent form sees them second in the German league.
"Now we have shown twice what this team is made of," he said.
"It was fun to watch. Perhaps we need the pressure when our backs are against the wall.
"In the games when things haven't gone so well, we didn't run as much as in the last two matches."
Bayern's performance was as clinical as it was brutal and after 90 minutes the Basel defence was cut to ribbons, especially down their left flank where France wing Franck Ribery provided three crosses for Gomez to score.
"We wanted to show from the beginning what we could do," said captain Philipp Lahm as his side led 3-0 at the interval.
"After the break we showed that we can take a team apart even in this competition."
See our Comments Policy Comments are submitted under the express understanding and condition that the editor may, and is authorised to, disclose any/all of the above personal information to any person or entity requesting the information for the purposes of legal action on grounds that such person or entity is aggrieved by any comment so submitted. Please allow some time for your comment to be moderated.


text:
Reichenberg A, Weiser M, Rapp MA, Rabinowitz J, Caspi A, Schmeidler J, Knobler HY, Lubin G, Nahon D, Harvey PD, Davidson M. Elaboration on Premorbid Intellectual Performance in SchizophreniaPremorbid Intellectual Decline and Risk for Schizophrenia. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2005;62(12):1297-1304. doi:10.1001/archpsyc.62.12.1297
© 2017
Consistent evidence indicates that some, but not most, patients with schizophrenia have below-average intelligence years before they manifest psychosis. However, it is not clear whether this below-average premorbid intelligence is stable or progressive.
To examine whether increased risk for schizophrenia is associated with declining intellectual performance from childhood through adolescence.
Historical cohort study of an entire population using record linkage for psychiatric hospitalization during an 8- to 17-year follow-up period.
Mandatory assessment by the draft board of Israeli conscripts.
Population-based cohort of 555 326 adolescents born in Israel. Data were available on 4 intelligence subtests as well as on reading and spelling abilities and on behavioral and psychosocial variables. A regression-based approach was used to assess the discrepancy between actual IQ at age 17 years and estimated IQ during childhood based on reading and spelling abilities.
Main Outcome Measures
Hospitalization for schizophrenia (as per the International Statistical Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision criteria).
Lower-than-expected IQ at age 17 years was associated with increased risk for later hospitalization for schizophrenia. Results were held after controlling for potential confounders. For 75% of patients with schizophrenia with low actual IQ (<85) at age 17 years and for 23% of patients with actual IQ within the normal range (≥85), actual IQ was 10 or more points lower than expected. Lower-than-expected IQ was not associated with bipolar disorder or with depression or anxiety disorder.
Indirect evidence suggests that intellectual deterioration from childhood through adolescence is associated with increased risk for schizophrenia. Despite within-normal-range premorbid IQ scores, apparently healthy adolescents who will later manifest schizophrenia nevertheless have intellectual decline.
Evidence exists to indicate that, as a group, individuals who later will be hospitalized for schizophrenia have intellectual deficits that predate the manifestation of psychotic symptoms.1- 4 However, there are inconsistent findings and divergent hypotheses as to the onset and course of the premorbid intellectual impairment. A majority of studies5- 7 indicate that intellectual deviations from norms are already present during childhood, and that the gap between individuals with future diagnoses of schizophrenia and normal individuals does not widen during this period (for a different view, see Kremen et al8). However, several lines of evidence from large retrospective studies,9 studies of clinical samples,10 studies of high-risk individuals,11,12 and family and twin studies13,14 suggest that the deviations from intellectual norms might increase as the future patient moves from childhood into adolescence and approaches the onset of active psychotic illness. Only 2 population-based studies addressed this question. In a longitudinal study of the 1946 British birth cohort, Jones et al2 found that the difference in intellectual performance between future patients and controls widens between ages 8 to 15 years. In contrast, no increase in the magnitude of impairment in future patients was found in the 1958 British birth cohort.15
Furthermore, despite group mean differences between future patients and controls, in the majority of future patients with schizophrenia, mean test scores reflective of general intelligence (IQ) are within the normal range.3,16 If cognitive abnormalities are, indeed, a core feature of the illness,17,18 this would suggest that aspects of intellectual performance other than mean IQ scores might be relevant to the pathophysiological abnormalities of the schizophrenic illness. Studies19,20 of clinical samples suggest that some patients with IQs within the normal range experience decline from the previous levels of intellectual functioning. Thus, increasingly larger deviations from intellectual norms may be a characteristic of future patients whose IQs fall within the normal range. To our knowledge, this has not yet been tested in an epidemiological cohort.
To examine change in premorbid IQ in future patients with schizophrenia, we used data collected during the mandatory assessments performed at age 17 years by the Israeli draft board. The data include assessments of language and IQ on almost all of the live births of Israeli-born Jewish persons during 10 consecutive years. The data were linked with psychiatric follow-up data provided by the Israeli National Psychiatric Hospitalization Case Registry (NPHCR). Language functions (reading and spelling), which are acquired early in life (at ages 6-8 years), were used to estimate intellectual potential in childhood, and change was estimated from the discrepancy between estimated intellectual potential during childhood and measured IQ scores at age 17 years.
The study builds on the Israeli military draft board assessment of intellectual, medical, and psychiatric eligibility for service of the unselected population of Israeli-born Jewish adolescents aged 17 years as well as on the availability of the Israeli NPHCR. Some of the individuals included in this analysis were also used in case-control studies.4,21 However, in addition to addressing different questions, the cohort in the present study is twice as large, had a longer follow-up period, and the present investigation uses a cohort design. The study was approved by the relevant local institutional review board committees.
The population assessed by the draft board includes individuals who would be eligible for military service. It also includes those who will be exempted owing to medical, psychiatric, or social reasons.
The cognitive assessment conducted by the draft board consists of the assessment of language ability and intellectual functioning. These assessments are conducted by college-aged individuals who are trained in a 4-month course on the administration of draft board tests. The assessment and its validation are described in detail elsewhere.22
The assessment of language skills includes 4 subtests: (1) reading comprehension test, which measures the ability to understand ideas presented in unfamiliar passages of increasing length; (2) reading and vocabulary test, which measures the ability to correctly read and verify the meaning of single words; (3) spelling ability test, in which the ability to spell increasingly difficult words is assessed (which is similar to the spelling subtests of the Wide Range Achievement Test); and (4) the examiner's overall impression of the fluency and quality of speech (ie, speaking ability). The vocabulary and spelling tests are individually administered. The reading comprehension test is group administered. Each of the 4 language tests is scored on a 5-point scale, and the sum of the scores provides a measure of language mastery.
The intellectual assessment includes 4 tests: (1) the instructions test, a modified, Otis-type verbal intelligence test adapted from the US Army Alpha Instructions Test, which measures the ability to understand and carry out verbal instructions (score range, 0-21); (2) verbal analogies, which is a modified version of the "similarities" subtest of the Wechsler Intelligence Scales that assesses verbal abstraction and categorization (score range, 0-30); (3) mathematical knowledge, which measures mathematical reasoning, concentration, and concept manipulation (score range, 0-25); and (4) nonverbal analogies, which is a modified version of Raven's Progressive Matrices that measures nonverbal abstract reasoning and visual-spatial problem-solving abilities (score range, 0-30). The tests are progressive, beginning with relatively simple questions and becoming more difficult. The tests are group administered and time limited. All of the scores are based on the number of correct answers. The sum of the scores for the 4 tests forms a validated measure of general intelligence (IQ),4,21,22 scored on a 9-point scale. The correlation between the draft board scale and the Wechsler IQ scale was 0.79.23
The Israeli NPHCR contains a complete listing of all of the psychiatric hospitalizations in Israel, and it includes the International Statistical Classification of Diseases (ICD), 10th Revision diagnoses assigned at admission and discharge by a board-certified psychiatrist. Diagnoses recorded in earlier ICD codes are routinely upgraded by the registry. All of the inpatient mental health facilities in the country, including day hospitals, are required by law to report admissions and discharges to the registry. Reporting is monitored by a special department at the Ministry of Health that verifies compliance with reporting and consistency of the information, ensuring the completeness and correctness of the data in the registry. Therefore, through the NPHCR, we were able to identify all of the currently and previously hospitalized cases of schizophrenia in the cohort. Registry diagnoses have shown good sensitivity and specificity when measured against research diagnosis.24
The NPHCR was linked with the draft board registry by the managers of the NPHCR. The registry files were linked by using a method approved by local institutional review board committees to preserve medical record confidentiality. The linking variable was the unique individual Israeli identification number assigned to all of the citizens at birth or on award of citizenship. The merged file included data for all of the adolescents consecutively assessed by the draft board who were linked with the NPHCR. This allowed for a follow-up period of 8 to 17 years since the draft board assessment.
To limit this analysis to individuals with no obvious signs of psychotic illness during the draft board assessment, all of the adolescents who were assigned a psychotic psychiatric diagnosis by the draft board (as described below) or who had a psychiatric hospitalization at any time before the draft board assessment or within 1 year from the date of the draft board assessment were excluded. Also, individuals with mental retardation were excluded. To test for specificity of the putative indices of intellectual decline to development of schizophrenia, similar methods were applied to identify adolescents assessed by the draft board during the same period who were later hospitalized with nonpsychotic bipolar disorder or with depression or anxiety disorder.
Subjects included 556 758 individuals (57% male) born in Israel and consecutively assessed by the draft board at age 17 years. Linkage to the Israeli Bureau of Statistics registry indicated that over 98% of the Jewish boys born during those years who had survived the first year of life appeared in the draft board registry. The proportion for girls was lower since orthodox women are not assessed by the draft board. There were 2026 individuals (0.36%; 77% of whom were male) who had a last-discharge diagnosis of schizophrenia. There were 439 individuals (0.08%; 59% of whom were male) who had a last-discharge diagnosis of nonpsychotic bipolar disorder, and 890 individuals (0.16%; 63% of whom were male) who had a last-discharge diagnosis of depression or anxiety disorder.
On assessment by the draft board, 555 326 of the 556 758 individuals had no obvious signs of psychotic illness and were not admitted to a psychiatric hospital any time before or within 1 year from the draft board assessment. Of the 555 326 individuals, 1856 (76% male) had a last-discharge diagnosis of schizophrenia, 416 (59% male) had a last-discharge diagnosis of nonpsychotic bipolar disorder, and 801 (64% male) had a last-discharge diagnosis of depression or anxiety disorder.
While prospective longitudinal follow-up from early childhood into adulthood is the best method to determine changes in intellectual performance, this is impractical because of the low incidence of schizophrenia. Hence, estimates of premorbid intelligence have been used routinely as a means of comparing current intellectual deficits with intellectual potential before the onset of the schizophrenic illness.19,25 These estimates are based on the assumption that certain intellectual abilities are minimally or not at all affected by the schizophrenic illness and can therefore be used as a gauge for estimating declines in intellectual functions due to schizophrenia.26,27 A frequently used measure of premorbid intellectual ability is the ability to read and spell single words, an ability that is almost always acquired at an early age. Several studies have demonstrated the validity of using reading and spelling tests as estimates of premorbid intellectual ability in patients with schizophrenia, demonstrating comparable performance on such measures between patients with schizophrenia and controls.21,28- 30 Jones et al2 and Fuller et al10 demonstrated that vocabulary and reading abilities were unimpaired and stable over time in future patients with schizophrenia.
Hence, current intelligence scores (at age 17 years) that are lower than reading or spelling scores are, therefore, interpreted as reflecting a decline in intelligence before age 17 years, whereas similar spelling or reading scores and intelligence scores would suggest a relatively stable premorbid intellectual course. Conceivably, comparing measures of current intellectual ability (at age 17 years) with measures of intellectual potential using measures that were all collected before the onset of the illness would allow for the estimation of putative premorbid intellectual change.
Indices of discrepancy between spelling, reading, and intelligence scores at age 17 years were applied using a regression approach. This method enabled us to avoid the psychometric artifacts inherent in raw difference scores, ie, the curvilinear relationship between difference scores and total scores for any 2 tests.31 For this method to be valid, the pairs of tests being used should be fairly highly correlated.31 The multiple correlation between the reading and spelling tests and the IQ scores in never-hospitalized individuals was r = 0.68 (P<.001). For the cohort of never-hospitalized individuals, we regressed IQ scores at age 17 years on reading, vocabulary, and spelling ability scores using linear regression. The resulting regression model was applied to the entire cohort (hospitalized and never-hospitalized individuals). The residual score (observed score minus predicted score) reflects the degree to which an individual's actual score differs from the predicted score. Thus, when we refer to putative IQ change, we are actually referring to a discrepancy between actual IQ in comparison with expected IQ based on predicted score. Owing to the categorical nature of the IQ, reading, and spelling measures, the putative IQ change score (residual score) was limited to 108 values in never-hospitalized individuals. Although this is technically a categorical variable, it was analyzed as a continuous variable since it had a large range of values, and the maximum difference between 2 adjacent values of the putative score was 1. Furthermore, residual scores were normally distributed, and kurtosis and skewness values were close to 0.
Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to examine the association of IQ change and subsequent risk of schizophrenia. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. The P values were computed using Wald χ2, and the significance level was set at .05 (2-sided). The proportional hazard assumptions were tested by examination of Nelson-Aelen cumulative hazard function plots and investigation of Schoenfeld residual plots.
First, we directly compared the number of individuals with extreme IQ change scores between future patients and never-hospitalized individuals. For this analysis, the residual scores (IQ change score) from the linear regression of IQ scores at age 17 years on reading and spelling ability scores were divided into 3 categories corresponding to the 95% CI and the bottom and top 2.5% of the residual-score distribution in the never-hospitalized individuals. The IQ change was then examined as a continuous measure and as a categorical measure to allow for a nonlinear effect of IQ changes on risk of schizophrenia. The IQ change score was divided into 6 categories corresponding to the following cut-off scores: actual IQ more than 20 points lower than expected IQ; actual IQ more than 10 and up to 20 points lower than expected IQ; actual IQ more than 0 and up to 10 points lower than expected IQ; actual IQ 0 to up to 10 points higher than expected IQ; actual IQ 10 to up to 20 points higher than expected IQ; and actual IQ more than 20 points higher than expected IQ. This scheme afforded natural groupings by IQ change scores. Results for IQ change analyzed as a continuous measure are presented in terms of discrepancies of 10-point increments between expected and observed IQ for ease of interpretation. The nonlinear relationship between IQ change and risk of schizophrenia was investigated by inclusion of a quadratic term in the models.
First, we fitted IQ change as the only predictor of schizophrenia. Subsequent models were adjusted for potential confounders and mediators. When adjusted models were conducted, variables were consistently defined, ie, all of the variables were treated as categorical or continuous in any regression model. Because a group with declines in IQ would also be more likely to have relatively low IQs, to ensure that the results are not accounted for simply by low IQ scores at age 17 years,2,3 we controlled for low (<85) actual IQ at age 17 years. We also controlled for the presence of nonpsychotic psychiatric diagnosis in adolescence,32,33 sex,34 and socioeconomic status (SES).35 The SES was based on Israeli National Bureau of Statistics classification of geographical units by socioeconomic level. The first adjusted model included sex, SES, IQ, and nonpsychotic psychiatric diagnosis in adolescence. A second adjusted regression model also controlled for social functioning.4,21,36 Since the draft board assesses social functioning only in male individuals, this adjusted model was restricted to male individuals and did not include sex.
Repeated-measures analysis of covariance models were used to assess change in raw, rather than residual, IQ scores. The within-subjects factor was the IQ measure (estimated and actual). The IQ measures (mean reading and spelling scores and actual IQ) were standardized. Diagnostic group was the between-subject factor. Covariates were as described earlier, but they did not include actual IQ. For effects involving the within-subjects factor, the F test was based on the Huynh-Feldt adjustment for the degrees of freedom. The association between IQ change and age at first psychiatric hospitalization was examined using Pearson correlation. Analyses were repeated for the outcomes of bipolar disorder and depression or anxiety disorder. Since the cohort included large siblingships and since siblings represent nonindependent observations, analyses were also conducted after randomly selecting only 1 sibling per family.
Cox regression analysis demonstrated a significant difference between future patients with schizophrenia and never-hospitalized individuals in the proportion of individuals outside of the 95% CI (χ22 = 215.67; P<.001). Specifically, 8.2% of the future patients were in the bottom 2.5% of the residual-score distribution, 89.4% were within the 95% CI, and 2.4% were in the top 2.5% of the distribution. This indicates that the proportion of individuals with IQ scores much higher than expected at age 17 years was similar in future patients and never-hospitalized individuals. Future patients were represented more frequently among individuals with IQ scores that were much lower than expected.
A significant association between IQ change score and risk for schizophrenia was found (HR = 1.04; 95% CI, 1.03-1.05; χ21 = 414.18; P<.001). Thus, the lower the actual IQ was as compared with the expected IQ, the higher the risk was for schizophrenia. The change in the HR associated with each discrepancy of 10 IQ points was 1.48 (95% CI, 1.42-1.53; χ21 = 408.89; P<.001). In the analysis that adjusted for SES, low actual IQ, sex, and nonpsychotic psychiatric disorders in adolescence, and in the analysis that also adjusted for adolescent social withdrawal for male individuals, the adjusted HRs associated with each discrepancy of 10 IQ points were 1.33 (95% CI, 1.27-1.39; χ21 = 159.65; P<.001) and 1.40 (95% CI, 1.32-1.47; χ21 = 147.57; P<.001), respectively, indicating more than 30% higher risk for schizophrenia in individuals who had actual IQ scores that were 10 points lower than expected, holding SES, low actual IQ, sex, nonpsychotic psychiatric disorders in adolescence, and, for male individuals, adolescent social withdrawal constant.
Having demonstrated a positive association between schizophrenia and IQ change score on a continuous scale, we then examined the effect of IQ change score on risk for schizophrenia using the aforementioned categories of 10-point discrepancies in IQ. The adjusted and unadjusted HRs for each of these categories relative to the group that had an increase of 0 to 10 points in IQ are presented in Table 1. The HRs in Table 1 suggest a nonlinear relationship between IQ change and risk of schizophrenia, with individuals with largely lower-than-expected actual IQs having a greater risk than one would expect from a linear relationship. This was supported by a significant deviation from linearity in the unadjusted and adjusted models (χ21 = 11.48, P<.001; χ21 = 4.15, P = .04; χ21 = 4.72, P = .03 for the quadratic term in the unadjusted, first adjusted, and second adjusted models, respectively). Specifically, only individuals with lower-than-expected actual IQs were at a significantly increased risk of schizophrenia. There was no evidence for a modifying effect of low IQ (<85) on the association between IQ change score and risk for schizophrenia (all P>.50 for the actual IQ by IQ change interaction).
It may be argued that the association between intellectual decline and schizophrenia is owing to a subgroup of future patients who were impaired on the language measures and thus probably already had impaired brain functions at a young age. Although such a group is likely to bias results toward the null, ie, underestimate the true association between IQ decline and schizophrenia, we assessed the interaction between language functioning and IQ decline. There was no significant interaction between the mean of the reading and spelling scores and the IQ change score (χ21 = 0.44; P = .51). Stratifying analyses based on normal language abilities (ie, individuals with intact acquisition of reading and spelling abilities defined as a percentile greater than 16 on the mean of the reading and spelling scores) and abnormal language abilities gave similar results, a comparable association between IQ change score and risk for schizophrenia in both groups (HR = 1.03, 95% CI, 1.02-1.04; HR = 1.04, 95% CI, 1.03-1.05; for normal and abnormal language groups, respectively).
We also conducted analyses based on raw scores rather than residualized scores. Table 2 shows the raw standardized reading and spelling ability (ie, expected IQ) and actual IQ scores of never-hospitalized individuals and of individuals later hospitalized for schizophrenia. Repeated-measures analysis of covariance models demonstrated significant effects of diagnosis, IQ measure, and a significant measure × diagnosis interaction (Table 3). Analyses of covariance showed statistically significant IQ deficits in the schizophrenia group as compared with never-hospitalized individuals for both IQ scores (all F>50.00; all P<.001). However, using the criteria by Cohen,37 the effect size for the estimated IQ was less than small, and it was possibly clinically nonsignificant. The interaction was accounted for by the significantly larger difference between actual and expected premorbid IQs in future patients (P<.05 with Bonferroni adjustment).
Patients were assigned to 1 of 3 groups in accordance with the classification used in previous studies.9,38 The stable good group ("preserved") included patients with normal actual IQ (≥85) who demonstrated a decline of less than 10 points as evidenced by the difference between actual and expected IQ scores. The stable poor group ("compromised") included patients with poor actual IQ (<85) that was also expected to be poor (change of less than 10 points). The "deteriorated" group included patients who displayed a decline of 10 or more IQ points as evidenced by the difference between actual and expected IQ regardless of actual IQ score. Descriptive analysis demonstrated that 51% of future patients with schizophrenia were preserved, 9% were compromised, and 40% were deteriorated. Further analyses showed that whereas 23% of future patients with schizophrenia with normal actual IQ scores had deteriorated, 75% of future patients with schizophrenia with poor actual IQ scores had deteriorated (Table 4).
There was no significant association between IQ change and age at first psychiatric admission with schizophrenia (P = .87). We tested the association between IQ change and other major psychiatric diagnoses. No significant association was found between IQ change and risk of hospitalization with nonpsychotic bipolar disorder or with depression or anxiety disorder, thus supporting the specificity of the earlier association with schizophrenia. Similar results were obtained when analyses were restricted to only 1 randomly selected member per family, and the results are therefore described only for the larger cohort.
The results of the present study suggest that before the onset of schizophrenic psychosis, some future patients exhibit a declining course in intellectual performance. Findings are independent of sex, SES, the presence of nonpsychotic psychiatric disorders in adolescence, and adolescent social withdrawal. The current study extends previous findings of premorbid intellectual deficits in schizophrenia by further demonstrating that for a considerable proportion of future patients, lower-than-normal premorbid intellectual performance is likely to reflect processes occurring during childhood and adolescence. Almost three quarters of the future patients with schizophrenia who had low IQ at age 17 years had lower-than-expected IQs based on reading and spelling scores. In addition, lower-than-expected IQs were observed in approximately one quarter of future patients with schizophrenia with IQ within the normal range (≥85) at late adolescence, and lower-than-expected IQs were associated with risk for schizophrenia in this group as well.
Lower-than-expected IQ may reflect either relative or absolute deterioration. A relative deterioration, or dysdevelopment, reflects a lack of appropriate development of intellectual functions as expected, for instance, based on age or education. Such a process is characterized, for example, by stability of the group mean score in patients coupled with improvement in never-hospitalized individuals over time, suggesting "failure to keep pace" (for a similar view, see Fish et al39 and Bedwell et al40). If absolute deterioration occurs, a decline in the group mean score of patients should be observed. Both processes, however, will be characterized by projected decline in intellectual functioning (ie, patients having lower-than-expected performance based on regression scores more frequently than never-hospitalized individuals).
We found significant change over time in absolute scores coupled with projected declines. Therefore, we believe that the association observed in our study is not mirroring only a relative, dysdevelopmental process, but, for some future patients, an actual decline. This conclusion is supported by several lines of evidence. First, in the 1946 British birth cohort study, Jones et al2 found that the difference in intellectual performance between future patients and controls widens between ages 8 to 15 years. Other studies have also described absolute intellectual decline from childhood to adolescence before the onset of psychosis.9,10,12,41 Kremen et al,8 who studied the association between IQ at ages 4 and 7 years and later psychotic symptoms, found both absolute and projected decline. Finally, children who were exposed to rubella in utero and later developed psychosis had an IQ decline of 11 points from childhood to adolescence.42 However, a definite interpretation is not possible owing to the cross-sectional design of the current study. A prospective longitudinal follow-up from early childhood into adulthood with multiple assessment points is needed to provide a more conclusive test of the hypothesis that absolute IQ decline predates psychosis.
It may be argued that differences between IQ scores and reading and spelling abilities could have existed early on instead of reflecting change over time. In a study of monozygotic twins, Goldberg et al43,44 described a 1.5-point discrepancy between estimated premorbid IQ (based on reading scores) and current IQ in the unaffected co-twins of patients with schizophrenia. A larger discrepancy was observed in the affected twins. The discrepancy in healthy twin pairs was only about 0.5 points. However, the study by Jones et al,2 which followed the British 1946 birth cohort over childhood and early adolescence, indicates that while a difference between language functions such as reading and vocabulary abilities and IQ may indeed exist in schizophrenia early on, it is of small magnitude during childhood and significantly widens from childhood to adolescence. Fuller et al10 described similar findings.
The results described here are consistent with the neurodevelopmental hypothesis of schizophrenia. The early neurodevelopmental hypothesis45,46 postulates that the etiological factors operate early (ie, prenatal or perinatal) in life, creating a static neurodevelopmental encephalopathy that lies relatively silent until the operation of brain maturational processes in adolescence. An alternative model suggested that abnormal development occurs later in life. This late neurodevelopmental hypothesis47 suggests that if brain maturation in adolescence must be invoked, then perhaps it is abnormal rather than normal, and the crucial pathological processes might operate during this period. Woods48 has suggested a progressive neural process that is continuous throughout childhood and adolescence.
Our findings support 3 possible courses of premorbid intellectual functioning in schizophrenia9,30,49: (1) those who start with IQ scores of 85 or higher as children and remain at the same level in adolescence (good and stable); (2) those who start with IQs below 85 and remain at this level (poor and stable); and (3) those whose IQ deteriorates from childhood to adolescence (deteriorating). Our findings suggest a further distinction within the deteriorating group between those patients remaining within the normal range vs those with impaired premorbid IQ. These courses may correspond to the different developmental trajectories in schizophrenia. For example, poor and stable IQ may represent the early developmental group; deteriorating to impaired IQ may represent the late developmental and/or progressive cases. The distinction between different courses is also supported by studies showing a relationship between different courses of premorbid functioning and symptom severity.9,50,51 Patients with deteriorating intellectual functions have been characterized as having more chronic symptoms and being more likely to be treatment nonresponders.51,52
Limitations of the current study should be noted. First, the possibility of bias owing to misclassification of cases should be considered. Although the overwhelming majority of individuals who receive a diagnosis of schizophrenia in the course of their lives will be hospitalized or will receive some form of hospital-based treatment at their first psychotic episode or shortly thereafter,53- 55 some individuals with schizophrenia are never hospitalized, and others are hospitalized later in life. Hence, most, but not all, individuals with schizophrenia are included in the NPHCR. This is, however, likely to bias results toward the null, ie, underestimate the true association between IQ decline and schizophrenia. Furthermore, the prevalence of schizophrenia in our cohort was 0.36%. Prevalence for cohort members with the longest follow-up (17 years since the draft board assessment) was 0.57%, which is similar to rates (0.61%-0.72%) published for cohorts followed until ages 40 to 46 years using similar ascertainment methods.2,56 Hence, our study population probably includes a good representation of lifelong schizophrenia cases with hospitalization. Subjects in the cohort with psychiatric disorders other than schizophrenia are likely to be somewhat less representative of all such cases in the population since admission to the hospital is less invariable. Prevalence of nonpsychotic bipolar disorder was 0.08%, and prevalence of depression and anxiety disorders was 0.16%. Prevalences for cohort members with the longest follow-up were 0.11% and 0.24%, respectively, which are lower than rates from door-to-door interviews.5 Therefore, the results for these groups should be interpreted with caution and are probably generalizable only to cases with severe forms of such disorders.
In conclusion, in a large, historical, population-based cohort study, we demonstrated that schizophrenia is associated with premorbid intellectual decline. However, it is not yet clear whether this is a causal risk factor. Therefore, a parsimonious explanation may be that decline in IQ during adolescence reflects neurobiological processes intrinsic to the development of psychotic symptoms.
Correspondence: Abraham Reichenberg, PhD, Department of Psychiatry, Box 1230, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, One Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, NY 10029 (firstname.lastname@example.com).
Submitted for Publication: October 5, 2004; final revision received May 17, 2005; accepted June 2, 2005.
Funding/Support: This work was supported by a Young Investigator Award from the National Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia and Depression, Great Neck, NY (Dr Reichenberg), and by grant R01 MH66105 from the National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Md (Dr Davidson).
Previous Presentation: Presented in part at the International Congress on Schizophrenia Research; April 3, 2005; Savannah, Ga.


text:
About the Book
Ain't That America questions the current state of our culture and society. The handmade signs and silhouettes are purposefully placed within specific locations with the intention of comparing and contrasting the hypocrisy and contradictions of our policies, opinions, and beliefs in regards to various socio-economic, political, environmental, and religious issues. I am interested in how provocative images challenge and shape our constructed truths and realities.
Features & Details
- Category Arts & Photography
Large Format Landscape, 13×11 in, 33×28 cm
28 Pages
- Publish Date Apr 23, 2013
About the Creator
Jon Slade believes in hard work and being nice to others. Jon primarily shoots portraiture, landscape, and documentary images. His works feature conceptual themes with a clear focus on complete bodies of work. Jon's photographs have been exhibited nationally and locally, garnering awards, while also donating work to auctions benefiting local charities. Having begun his career in film photography, Jon knows his way around a darkroom and continues to develop techniques in many forms of photography. He has begun to satisfy his compulsion to "make things with his hands" by implementing hand-made bookbinding, 19th century collodion wet plate processes, and prop design with his photography, which brings balance to the rigors of academic requirements. Jon says, "Algebra is sadistic," yet after having considered its power in regards to photography and compound interest loans, he has admittedly surrendered to its importance as he pursues a BFA in Photography.
Log in or create an account to post a comment.


text:
Results Are In For the State Of Texas
Saturday was Election Day across the State of Texas and the results are in. Two to three percent were expected to participate, and thousands turned out to vote in Houston for district elections.
Voters turned down a nearly $500 million bond proposal from Lone Star College. Lone Star wanted $497 Million dollars from taxpayers. The school planned to use part of the money to increase security after an on-campus shooting in January.
And while voters in Harris County approved the measure, voters in Montgomery County overwhelming rejected it, causing the proposal to fail. The bond would have paid for new cameras, lighting, automatic door locks along with new workforce training facilities. More than $1 billion in school bonds were on the ballot. Tomball ISD will build new schools after voters approved a $160 million bond issue.
Residents in Clear Creek ISD agreed to a property tax increase to help build a replacement for Clear Creek High School. And a $40 million bond issue for Lee College district in Baytown passed after gaining the support of 72 percent of voters,
Click the photo for the entire list of election results.


text:
The Great Language Game asks you to listen to brief samples of conversational speech and then correctly guess which language is being spoken, choosing from an ever-expanding multiple-choice selection. It's surprisingly fun! My first score was 350 (I was stumped on distinguishing Dari from Malayayam, neither of which I know anything about).
Great Language Game (via Kottke)


text:
Sheldon and Brownie are being offered for adoption through Cats of all Colors, a San Joaquin County-based nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the welfare of cats.
Sheldon and Brownie are 5-month old Bengal mixes, who are very close and love each other very much. They are sweet, loving, affectionate and very playful boys. To meet them, call Cats of All Colors at 209-369-6076.