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In the clip, the 'Never Let Me Go' star talks about her look for the new ad campaign for Chanel's perfume, admitting she was caught off guard and describing it as Chanel's superwoman.
In an effort to promote Chanel's perfume Coco Mademoiselle, Keira Knightley has starred in a short film which title comes from the scent's name. Entertainment Tonight has got a hold onto a sneak peek of the short that unveils the screen beauty standing next to a motorcycle wearing a sexy skintight leather catsuit.
The Elizabeth Swann of the first three "Pirates of the Caribbean" movies takes the role of Coco Mademoiselle in this new ad campaign, which will be debuted in its entirety on March 21. Her character has been described as "a modern day Coco Chanel whose mystery, daring and rebelliousness are at the heart of her charm."
When talking about her role as Coco Mademoiselle, the 25-year-old previously gushed, "For me, Gabrielle Chanel is an icon and there was an incredible power emanating from all the photos of her. When I began to delve into her history more closely, I was obviously fascinated by her immense talent as a designer, but more than that, by her singular background."
Keira was first seen donning the figure hugging beige catsuit as well as beige motorcycle helmet and matching gloves in early September 2010. At the time, she was caught on camera mounting a Ducati Motorbike, which color is coordinated with her bodysuit, while filming a new Chanel advertisement at Concorde Place in Paris, France.
The star of "Never Let Me Go" has been the face of the French Fashion House since 2006.


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A new food appointment to process
The BC Food Processors Association (www.bcfpa.ca) has announced the appointment of James Donaldson as their new CEO, reporting to president and board chair Dave Eto.
Donaldson brings a wealth of experience within the food industry in BC, having spent the last 20-plus years with companies such as Diageo, Yves Veggie Cuisine, BC Hot House Foods, Maple Leaf Foods and Superior Freeze Dry.
Most recently Donaldson has been working as a management consultant as Principal of Flashpoint Strategies, providing strategic planning, business development, business process, advisory and coaching services to small to mid-sized consumer goods companies.
"James brings tremendous food business experience from a wide rang of industries, which is fitting for our BCFPA membership," said Eto. "While James is learning about our organization, I encourage our members to make contact and introduce yourselves. The more people he meets and issues understands, the better the orientation to our diverse group. Please join me in welcoming James to the BCFPA."
Originally from Manitoba, Donaldson moved to B.C. in 1991 upon graduating from the University of Manitoba. He lives in Surrey with his wife Sharon and three children, Jordan, Emily and Justin.

subset: commoncrawl


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Chemplast Sanmar: Environment-friendly Manufacturing
Chemplast Sanmar, The flagship company of The Sanmar Group is the leading manufacturer of PVC & Chlorochemicals in India. The group that has businesses in engineering, metals and shipping besides chemicals, has the philosophy of Integrity and Excellence in all its work.
The company has installed Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) facilities at its Mettur plant at an investment of Rs.27 crores. In Cuddalore and Karaikal the ZLD is installed since inception. The plants completely recycle and reuse liquid effluents. The Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) facility involves significant recurring revenue outgo that the company has committed in order to protect the environment. This Zero Liquid Discharge facility ensures that no treated effluent from the plant operations will be discharged onto land or sea.
It is the first chemical industry to achieve 100% ZLD from September 2009.Chemplast Sanmar has also converted its manufacturing process from Mercury cell to environment friendly Membrane cell process for producing Caustic Soda, well ahead of the mandated time period at an investment of approximately of Rs. 80 crores.
The Sanmar Group takes care of not just pollution but also considers water conservation. In line with the water conservation efforts, all coastal plants do not draw any water from the ground but use desalination technology. Even in Cuddalore, where an aquifer runs just three metres below the surface the entire water requirements are met by a sea water desalination plant set up at an investment of Rs. 20 crores.
The Zero Liquid Discharge initiative and its water policies won two awards for Chemplast at the 7th National Award for Excellence in Water Management organized by the CII in December 2010. We have always believed in investing in the best available technology at any point of time. Technology is particularly important for environment management, says Mr N Sankar, Chairman The Sanmar Group. With the unique situation of working with an over 70-year-old plant, such as in Mettur we needed to look at new and innovative methods to ensure that we do not discharge a single drop of treated effluent from our plants. These awards are a recognition of team work but most of all an appreciation of our social commitment.


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Pop Culture, Race & Politics
Don Lemon To Black Community: "F*ck With Me You Know I Got It"
"…it's like these people have a racial commitment to crime…" ~ Danny Vinyard, American History X
That line always struck me as preposterously poetic, sinister, and eloquent at the same damn time. The sad part of it all is that while Danny Vinyard (played by Edward Norton) was a member of a white supremacist group and clearly prone to that line of thinking as a sort of party line when speaking of Black people, I wouldn't be surprised if the standard, common, Joe Blow American doesn't feel some type of familiarity with the sentiment involved. Perhaps its not stated so eloquently or as intentional, but more as a matter of function. It's like the Chris Brown corollary: if chair is thrown from a window and Chris Brown is present, there is a better than 90 percent likelihood that Chris Brown either threw it or was involved with its flight.
Or put more simply, while I don't know that I think most Americans (or people of the world for that matter) view Black people as rampant criminals, I will say that I'm sure there's a significant portion of people that aren't surprised at all when they see news stories involving black-on-black crime.
Which is why its so great that we have both Fox News Bill O'Reilly and CNN's Don Lemon to help us figure out how to stop being such violent creatures and criminals. See, recently, Bill O'Reilly purported that African-Americans (nobody calls us Black in Prime Time) trend towards violence because of the breakdown of the African-American family. Don Lemon took it a step further with his five-point plan on how we could…get it together? Or stop being so violent? I'm not exactly sure what is to be achieved by his five points…but he had five points…perhaps Don Lemon is suuwoo. That's a little gangland reference for those that don't know. What? I'm Black. I'm crime prone.
By the way, I realize I'm late to the Don Lemon party. But upon seeing it I realized that well, if there's something worth discussing its five-points to make you Black folks lives better. So let's take a look at his points, mmkay?
5. Pull your pants up
4. Stop using the n-word
3. Stop littering
2. Graduate
1. No more unwed mothers
There were varying facts and figures that he used to support how exactly these five things were cornerstones of the degradation of the African-American community.
Now let's be completely objective, if we can. On the surface, all of that is right. Or at least there's nothing wrong with any of those points. On a purely surface level, the trend – ongoing for way longer than it should – of folks walking around visibly showing their draws…well I don't get it either. I live in a Black neighborhood. I've seen more draws on a daily basis than the folks in Hong Kong making Fruit of the Looms. It's truly stupefying. Mostly from a practical standpoint…it can't be easy to walk like that. Nor can it be comfortable. I remember when sagging was popular….this ain't even sagging, this is just downright walking with your pants around your knees. I'm just perplexed due to function. Given ALSO how tight pants are nowadays, its like dudes are walking around in cocoons…everybody's just hopping nowadays. No Que.
Again, stop using the n-word, there's a totally practical reason for this as well. Just like not littering (goooooooooo Earth…Captain Planet swag and sh*t). Graduate more? Who can't get behind that? Even Kanye – one of the most notorious college dropouts in American history – named an album Graduation. That must count for something right? No unwed mothers…again, on its face, this makes pure and total sense. In social terms, its the ideal. A two-parent home clearly provides the most optimum opportunity for success – though its no the ONLY opportunity for success as so many of us can attest to.
But it is entirely possible to still be right and wrong simultaneously. None of those "solutions" would fix issues unique to the Black community. To keep it really real here's how it actually works. If you graduate, you are probably more likely to get married…which means your dual income will allow you to live in a place where there ain't much trash around which will likely have much less individuals using the nword OR sagging their pants. That's just about moving to the a gated community.
Jokes aside, I feel like the biggest issue with points like this that aren't wrong on the surface is that they don't address any of the "why" of the situation to begin with. Granted, "why" can be a copout at times. I know. But think about it like this…if the goal is to eliminate violence (?) or change perception (which is not just Black folks fault mind you), will any of that sh*t truly make a difference? If I pull my pants up and stop using the nword, will I be looked at different? What if I put some sh*t in a trash can instead of on the ground – something that EVERYBODY hates seeing by the way, even folks in the hood get annoyed by the littering – and graduate a few times and don't have a child out of wedlock…will that stop all the violence?
No. Part of the problem is the abject poverty may folks live in along with the laws and policies that have intentionally segregated this country for years. If you read transportation policy and understand city planning and redlining you see how cities were constructed to maximize segregation. I don't care who you are, when a motherf*cker builds a HIGHWAY through your community specifically to separate the haves and the have nots (more a class issue) self-esteem issues are going to exist. It's almost as dumb as not allowing a person with daddy issues – man or woman – the space to overcome the self-esteem issues they may or may not have. When sh*t is f*cked up, people are affected by it. Period. The problem is, the way you're affected then resonates with another set of people who have the ability to more or less control some of the outcomes that are desired. Not a copout, just an acknowledgement that tellling Black people to get their sh*t together over a trash can and some sagging pants isn't even a bandaid, its short sighted as hell.
Coming from Don Lemon it almost seems extra irritating. I'm not sure why this is, but it doesn't feel genuine. His little anecdotes about living in Harlem now and the things he sees and how he never saw that before? I'm pretty sure he didn't live in my neighborhood in Atlanta. Things he's complaining about were par the course. NY…be offended. NYC is dirty. Period. The whole damn city. It ain't Philly dirty…but its dirty.
Is he really arguing that if you just pick up trash in Harlem that everything's gonna be alright. No Vinnie. Which remarkably, IS WHAT TREACH SAID! *rimshot*
I realize Don Lemon has caught a lot of flack, and probably mostly from folks in the Black community. I'm also sure he's got a lot of support from that same Black community and much head nodding and agreement from a bunch of folks who treat Blackness as a pathology and not just a race. Ultimately, that's what this comes down to…a white person litters…he's littering and he's a douche.
If a Black man does it, he's predisposed to littering and is going to blame it on slavery. Black people are walking, talking pathologies. Pathology is the new stereotype.
This has gotten long, and yes that's what she said. But what are your opinions about Don Lemon's "No Talking Points" segment?
Agree? Disagree? Why or why not?
-VSB P aka THE ARSONIST aka lower.case.p aka GIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIRL HE A 3


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Hoping to find a partner who can accept her hectic Hollywood career, Carey Mulligan is relieved that Shia LaBeouf is an understanding boyfriend.
Carey Mulligan is relieved she's found a partner in "Transformers" star Shia LaBeouf - because he understands her hectic Hollywood career. The 24-year-old Brit began dating the actor while they both filmed "Wall Street 2: Money Never Sleeps" in 2009 and she insists she's happy to be dating someone working in the same industry.
She tells Britain's OK! magazine, "He is an actor as well, so he works. I have always wanted to keep going for as long as I want to and then I will stop if I get bored or if I get frustrated or tired - but I don't feel it."
"(He) understands how you can fall in love with the cast and the cast becomes your family. It's hard for people who aren't actors to understand how reliant you become on the people around you (on a film set) and how much you can get swept away by a character. You don't mean to but you just do and you are completely consumed by it, but it's lovely."


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The Mini Mouse is so small it'll easily fit in your purse, handbag or pant pocket for extra-portability.
The nano receiver is so small it stays in your USB port—without worry of losing or breaking it. If you do need to remove it, it stores inside the mouse. You'll enjoy the freedom of wireless with more precision and control than your laptop's touchpad.
Say good-bye to cords and enjoy wireless freedom (up to 10 meters (or 33 feet)), so it's easy to use your mouse on the couch with your laptop—or even when you're hooking your laptop up to your TV.
You get the high quality and reliability that have made Logitech the global leader for mice—plus a three-year limited hardware warranty.
The information provided on this page is a property of the manufacturer or the brand.
To find out more, please visit: http://www.logitech.com


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Welcome to Electric Sky. Please feel free to participate in the wide range of subjects available.
green, energy, wind, farms, solar, power, environment, #conservation, milliband, dave, cameron
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 11/1/2013 (1683 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
Two relocations and one arena ago in Winnipeg history may still contain a lesson or two for those about to embark on a lockout-shortened NHL season.
John Paddock, the GM and coach of the Winnipeg Jets of 1994-95, this week recalled a few items about that 48-game season that began Jan. 20, 1995 and followed a half-season lost to a labour dispute.
The most significant: "It was both the coach's and manager's decision, and I made the wrong one for what seemed like the right reasons, to go with the veteran," Paddock said, describing the goaltending issue of the time. "We were probably not that good anyway, but I went with the older, veteran goaltender way too long."
That would have been Tim Cheveldae, who had four seasons under his belt, instead of Nikolai Khabibulin, a ninth round 1992 entry draft pick who at the time didn't have a single NHL game played.
"Khabby had been playing in Springfield the whole time," Paddock said of that season. "The plan was for Chevy to be our goalie. We wanted Nik to keep playing (in Springfield).
"We had a mini camp and had three goalies here and Khabby was obviously so much better than Mike (O'Neill), we just couldn't send him back, even though we'd wanted him to keep playing.
"We thought then we'd try to play him once every four or five games. But Chevy didn't play well enough to give us a chance to win."
At least not early, when the Jets went 1-5-1 out of the gate, and Paddock admitted he didn't switch soon enough.
"I remember starting Nik in (Calgary) after a few games and he won," he said. "I should have switched sooner. We still had it stuck in our minds we had to go with experience, that kind of thing.
"We didn't get him playing, give him the (No. 1) job until it was too late. It was just the gut reaction, to go with what's considered the best rather than be criticized for playing the rookie in a pressure, short-sprint situation. But it's what should have happened that time."
The Jets never recovered from their lousy start. They never got close to returning to .500, finished nine games under that mark and sixth in the Central Division, far out of the playoffs in their second-to-last year in the city.
The schedule in 1995 was slightly less crammed -- there was one more week than 2013's NHLers are going to have for their 48-game season -- but busy to the point where there were effects.
"I remember the little nagging injuries," Paddock said. "When the intensity picks up, unless you're playing regularly -- you can be skating all you want -- but when that different level comes and comes again in regular games for real, it's just natural that those muscle pains and aches are going to happen.
"Not everyone will get them but you can't stop it."
Paddock, now the assistant GM of the Philadelphia Flyers, said practice time is always going to be an issue, especially for coaches.
In 2013, there doesn't figure to be very much, which, he said, could lead many teams to potentially do much shorter practices, or even "mini-practices" on days of games.
"I think today, there's a difference because everyone's chartering (their own planes), and that's helpful for the rest and recuperation," Paddock said.
"But this season, I think it will be (an issue). It's going to have to be work, recuperation, rest, and play with not much practice time."
1995 Jets: 48 games, 16-25-7 for 39 points
Standings: 6th and last in Central, 21st out of 26 teams.
Minor highlights: Alexi Zhamnov 3rd in league scoring, 65 points, behind only Jaromir Jagr and Eric Lindros, both at 70; Zhamnov and Keith Tkachuk, 51, points, chosen to NHL second all-star team.


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Nigel Lythgoe and Ken Warwick says they could've helped the 25-year-old contestant with his legal troubles, but they're worried about him using false names with police.
Nigel Lythgoe and Ken Warwick have spoken up about their decision to disqualify Jermaine Jones from "American Idol". According to the executive producers of the singing competition, it is not his legal troubles which become the main reason to send him packing, but it's his lies.
Calling in to TMZ Live, the show's honchos said they were particularly worried when they found out he had used false names with police. "There might be other false names and other charges out there that we just dont know about," they explained.
Warwick added that if Jones opened up about his legal troubles beforehand, they would have tried to help him. The executive producers claimed there were some other contestants on the show who were entangled in legal issues, but "we help them where we can in clearing them up."
The "Idol" bosses confronted Jones on Tuesday, March 13 about criminal charges pending against him in New Jersey. The confrontation was taped and the footage is shown on tonight's performance show.
Warwick said Jones told them he was trying to get enough money to settle the criminal charges. He went on noting that the so-called "gentle bear" was "very apologetic."
According to new documents released by Gloucester Township, Jones was arrested twice there and then failed to appear for a hearing. He was arrested for disturbance at a hotel in March 2011, and was arrested again in November the same year after traffic stop. He gave a false name in both cases.


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Church prepares to close its doors
The shelves in the basement office at Farmington Community Church are all empty this week. Pastor Luke Wynja has packed the things he wants to take with him and tossed at least some of what he doesn't into a trash can that is filled well beyond its rim.
Wynja's now-bare office is just one sign of a church that on Sunday will hold its final service before members go their separate ways.
The church, which until 2008 was known as Christ Presbyterian, has existed as a congregation since 1984 and has occupied the little white church on Elm Street since 1992. Over the years the church membership came less and less from Farmington, with some members driving from Lonsdale or Woodbury. With growth slow in the city, it was difficult to find new members, Wynja said. So when a few members moved away because of job transfers, it was difficult for the church to recover.
The church was never huge. Wynja said membership peaked about five years ago at 80 to 100. By 2008, it was down to about 40.
Wynja attributed the lack of growth to a number of factors. The church is difficult to find, tucked in between two buildings and behind some trees. And Wynja suggested a small congregation like the one at Farmington Community Church can be intimidating to first-time visitors, who can't help but stand out.
Wynja, who took over in the fall of 2007, made an effort to connect the church to the Farmington community, and he had some success. A few programs drew interest. But they were difficult to sustain and they didn't bring in new members.
The church weathered a first round of departures about a year ago, when two families left as the result of the Delta-Northwest merger. But when another family moved to California a few months later church members decided they couldn't continue.
"When you have a dozen (families) and two are taken out, that's a lot," Wynja said. "That left the group that was left kind of weary."
They were tired because there were fewer people to do the work of running a church, Wynja said, but also because it was difficult to watch so many people leave. Church members decided in August to close the doors at Farmington Community Church.
It wasn't an easy decision. At least one couple has been a member of the church since it moved to its current location.
The weeks since the decision have been difficult. Wynja has tried to help members of the congregation find new places to worship, all while facing uncertainty about his own future.
The decision to close the church has given him a new perspective on the work he's doing. It's no longer his job to help build the church community.
"One of the central purposes of the church is no longer there," he said.
There is a For Sale sign out in front of the church this week. Wynja said a buyer has shown interest and he hopes to have a deal finished by the end of the week.


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Current Newswire:
Cave Dwellers Give Ubuntu Two Thumbs UpSep 17, 2009, 03:05 (0 Talkback[s])
(Other stories by Ken Hess)
[ Thanks to Ken Hess for this link. ]
"Two days after the installation came the first question: "How do I install the Adobe Flash Player in the web browser?" I told them to follow the on screen instructions and promptly shooed them out of my domain (cave).
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He notched up two stage wins in the Paris-Nice race and then was the overall winner of the Tour of Flanders.
The 24-year-old Belgian, a character of the peloton with his jovial presence, has long been heralded as a future king of the sprints.
He showed his potential by winning two stages on last year's Tour and was sixth overall in the points standings.
This time around he is one of the favourites to grab the green jersey in what is only his second Tour de France.
Away from his day job, he lists mountain biking as his number one hobby.


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Drop Two SizesShed stubborn pounds fast with this revolutionary new workout plan (no running involved!)
Stand with your feet together and your arms at your sides. Squat down to the floor and place your hands in front of your feet (a). Jump your legs back into a pushup position (b), then quickly reverse the movement and stand to return to start. That's one rep.
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and place your hands behind your head, elbows out. Keeping your chest up and back flat, push your hips back and bend your knees until your thighs are nearly parallel to the floor (b). Push through your heels to return to start. That's one rep.
Get into a pushup position, your hands shoulder-width apart and your body forming a straight line from head to heels (a). Keeping your body stable and hips parallel to the floor, lift your left hand and touch your right hand (b), then return to start. Repeat with the right hand. That's one rep. Continue alternating.
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, a kettlebell (or dumbbell) sitting between your feet. Push your hips back and bend your knees to lower and grab the weight with your right hand (a). With your back flat and core tight, stand and raise the weight to shoulder height (b). Reverse the move to return to start. Repeat with your left hand. That's one rep. Continue alternating.
Stand with your feet hip-width apart, hands on your hips, chest up, and shoulders back (a). Keeping your upper body still and core tight, take a large step back with your right foot, then bend both knees to lower into a lunge (b). Press through your left heel to return to standing. Repeat, stepping back with your left foot. That's one rep. Continue alternating.
Copyright © 2017 Rodale Inc.


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Obama Using Deadlines to Forge Foreign Policy
President Obama's surge in Afghanistan has a year to show that the increase in U.S. forces and aid can turn the tide there. It is not an open-ended commitment of American troops and money.
Iran needs to respond to Obama's offer of engagement before Sept. 24, when the Group of 20 major economies will meet in Pittsburgh. If Tehran does not accept, the United States will ask Russia, China and other key countries to go the United Nations and impose tougher sanctions on Iran.
That summit is also the moment when Obama will assess progress toward new Middle East peace negotiations by Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, the Palestinian Authority and Arab states. They can deal with each other, or with a displeased American president.
This is how I read public and private statements that senior U.S. officials -- including the president -- have made in recent weeks to foreign leaders and the American public. What emerges is a clear picture of the making of foreign policy, Obama-style.
If conflicts can be halted by setting deadlines and crisply reaching decision points, this president may have a lock on the Nobel Peace Prize for years to come.
Critics will say that I am actually describing a process for putting off tough decisions. Here's why I disagree: In nearly six months in office, Obama has established a set of strategically conceived deadlines to deal with the most urgent challenges he faces, turning international summits and other leadership meetings into policy trampolines that propel him and his ideas forward to the next test.
Not surprisingly, this approach draws heavily on his greatest success, the amazing 2008 election campaign. If there is a danger, it is not that Obama is a procrastinator. It is that he is bunching too many decisive moments together and not leaving himself room to work with unexpected events.
The administration has not publicly fixed a timetable for a reassessment of U.S. commitments in Afghanistan. That would encourage the Taliban and al-Qaeda to sit tight and wait for Western troops to leave.
But U.S. commanders, who must identify and respect the thin line that separates a battle-hardened army from a battle-exhausted one, indicate that they realize they have 12 months from the national Afghan elections on Aug. 20 to show Obama and the American public that they can do this job. After that, a faltering U.S. effort would become a major issue in the 2010 congressional elections.
Such political controversy is already erupting in other NATO countries where public opinion has concluded that keeping combat units in Afghanistan is futile. No military wants to fight wars under such conditions.
"We can't continue to reinforce failure," Gen. Bantz J. Craddock, the outgoing NATO commander, bluntly told a meeting held by the Atlantic Council in Washington recently. "There are a number of things as an alliance we should never do again in this kind of struggle."
Allies such as Canada and the Netherlands, which have taken disproportionately heavy casualties, now mentally measure their Afghan commitments in months, not years. And a sharp increase in British combat deaths this month in Helmand province has ignited a surprisingly divisive debate in London over Britain's ability to stay the course.


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Redwood Shores, Calif. -- Coldwater Creek has deployed Oracle Retail's suite of integrated merchandise planning and optimization solutions as part of a strategic initiative to increase full-price selling and improve the productivity and profitability of store, online and catalog channels. The women's apparel retailer is using the new planning solutions to reduce aged inventory and ensure that popular items are consistently in stock.
"The new Oracle-based inventory planning system provides inventory visibility that simply was not possible for us in the past," said Jim Bell, executive VP and CFO/COO, Coldwater Creek, Sandpoint, Idaho. "Ultimately, this should lead to further reductions in aged inventory and allow us to increase our full-price selling, making us more productive and profitable."
Coldwater Creek is using the Oracle solutions to create pre-season and in-season plans that will ensure the right styles and colors are available to meet customer demand in stores, online and via catalog.
"The new planning process underpins one of our strategic business objectives for this year, which is to optimize the effectiveness of our inventory investments without diminishing our ability to meet customer demand, across all channels," explained Deanna Emsley, senior VP of inventory planning and corporate strategy, Coldwater Creek. "The Oracle Retail solution represents a significant change in the way we approach assortments and inventory by facilitating a 'top-down' and 'bottom-up' approach to planning."
With this level of cross channel and cross category collaboration, Coldwater Creek is better able to tailor and monetize its product assortments and respond more effectively to evolving customer demand. The chain also is using the Oracle Retail solutions to budget and forecast demand more accurately, enabling better buying decisions and faster reaction to item performance by either purchasing more or using promotional mechanisms to strategically clear merchandise faster.
Coldwater Creek expects the integrated inventory management and planning processes to improve the productivity and profitability of store, online and catalog channels.
Relying on an internal team of merchandising and IT experts supplemented by minimal external consulting, Coldwater Creek implemented the suite of integrated of Oracle Retail applications in just nine months.


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ItŌĆÖs mid-June, and Howard Gillman is four days into his tenure as UC IrvineŌĆÖs new provost and executive vice chancellor. The walls of his office on Aldrich HallŌĆÖs fifth floor are bare. More tellingly, so are the bookshelves. For a scholar who professes that books ŌĆō after family and work ŌĆō are what keep him anchored, the waiting shelves signal that he has set sail on a new adventure.
Expect him to waste no time settling in alongside his tomes of political science, history, law and philosophy. Named in May to his position at UC Irvine, Gillman says heŌĆÖs excited to be joining the Anteater community. The former dean of USCŌĆÖs David & Dana Dornsife College of Letters, Arts & Sciences will assume primary responsibility for academic and organizational functions, as well as for advancing the universityŌĆÖs excellence in education, research and public service. He will also hold an appointment as a professor of political science and law.
He plans to spend the summer ŌĆ£listening to lots of smart peopleŌĆØ ŌĆō his partners in senior leadership, faculty members, students, staff and volunteers. One of his first campus appearances was a speech at the annual staff service recognition event. ŌĆ£The pride and enthusiasm among the staff to do great work was inspiring,ŌĆØ he says. ŌĆ£That spirit is widespread. Along with the strength of the faculty across so many fields, itŌĆÖs part of what makes UCI one of the most exciting places in all of higher education.ŌĆØ
While he considers listening one of his strengths, he has a few ideas of his own about how to elevate UC Irvine to even higher levels of greatness. Its status as a young, world-class university ŌĆō named top in the nation in the ŌĆ£100 Under 50ŌĆØ ranking by Times Higher Education in June ŌĆō gives him much to work with in what he calls an era of rapid and disruptive change.
ŌĆ£Teaching, research, the professions and the creative arts will look different even five years from now, and institutions that merely defend traditional practices and structures are at great risk,ŌĆØ he says. ŌĆ£This context presents opportunities for those who make good decisions. After all, progress assumes change.ŌĆØ
Al Bennett, dean of biological sciences and co-chair of the provost search committee, says GillmanŌĆÖs willingness to embrace change was among the qualities that made him an exceptional candidate.
ŌĆ£In addition to his outstanding record as a dean and scholar, heŌĆÖs credited with promoting innovation throughout USC, particularly in academic programs,ŌĆØ Bennett says. ŌĆ£As Dornsife dean, he increased external funding for research, recruited more than 100 new faculty members, improved Ph.D. programs, promoted institutional diversity, and expanded undergraduate opportunities to conduct research, study overseas and engage in service learning.ŌĆØ
UC Irvine Chancellor Michael Drake says that Gillman brings noteworthy experience in nearly every aspect of a prominent research universityŌĆÖs mission.
ŌĆ£Howard Gillman promises to be a great addition to our leadership team,ŌĆØ he says. ŌĆ£Already, heŌĆÖs outlined goals for enhancing our global reputation for excellence in education and research. HeŌĆÖs also an energetic proponent of building strong community ties. IŌĆÖm very happy to be working with him.ŌĆØ
Gillman grew up in the San Fernando Valley, the only child of working-class parents. With no siblings in the home, books ŌĆō particularly literature and poetry ŌĆō became his companions. Vladimir Nabokov and Leo Tolstoy remain special favorites; in recent months, heŌĆÖs been reading Alice Munro, Rachel Kushner, John Banville, Karl Ove Knausgaard and Junot Diaz.
As he entered his teenage years, the country was embroiled in the evolving Watergate scandal, and it had a big influence on his future development.
ŌĆ£It was Shakespearean drama,ŌĆØ he says. ŌĆ£I remember ŌĆō I was 13 or 14 ŌĆō following the Senate hearings, the revelations about the tapes, the court battles that eventually led to the resignation of the president. As with the civil rights movement, these were constitutional struggles over the kind of country we wanted to live in. I wanted to know more about how the system works.ŌĆØ
Gillman credits a high school history professor with igniting his penchant for inquiry and undergraduate courses on the Supreme Court and constitutional law for fanning it. He fell in love with law, not as a practitioner but as a researcher and theorist. The first in his family to attend college, he earned bachelorŌĆÖs, masterŌĆÖs and doctoral degrees at UCLA. His lifeŌĆÖs work and international reputation are built on his exploration of what a liberal arts perspective can bring to questions of law and politics.
HeŌĆÖs the author of The Constitution Besieged: The Rise & Demise of Lochner Era Police Powers Jurisprudence (Duke University Press, 1993) and The Votes That Counted: How the Court Decided the 2000 Presidential Election (University of Chicago Press, 2001), as well as dozens of scholarly essays and book chapters. Most recently, Gillman has published (with Mark Graber and Keith Whittington) American Constitutionalism: Volume I: Structures of Government (Oxford University Press, 2012) and American Constitutionalism:┬ĀVolume II: Rights & Liberties (Oxford University Press, 2012). He and his co-authors are currently working on a six- to eight-volume academic reference work on constitutional history and politics for Oxford University Press.
ŌĆ£As a faculty member, I love having the opportunity to identify issues I think are important, to strive to make a distinctive contribution, to move the larger conversation forward,ŌĆØ Gillman says. ŌĆ£That autonomy of mind, the freedom to think and write on my own terms ŌĆō I highly value that.
ŌĆ£IŌĆÖm still awestruck by the idea of a constitutional community, where people come together, identify touchstone values and aspirations, agree on a path to the future, argue over the legacy of those decisions ŌĆō itŌĆÖs a deeply hopeful and all-too-rare kind of politics. A university is also a kind of constitutional community, founded in hope and idealism, bound by shared values and purposes. And, of course, scholarly inquiry and educating the next generation are essential to the promotion of a free and democratic society.ŌĆØ
Early stints as a teenage magician ŌĆō once performing at the famed Magic Castle ŌĆō helped him overcome his innate shyness and brought him the satisfaction of producing moments of enchantment for an audience. When, as a graduate student, Gillman first had the opportunity to teach his own classes, he tried to remember the lessons heŌĆÖd learned as a performer.
ŌĆ£I sought to create moments of wonder and mystery to keep students engaged, keep them thinking and reflecting outside of class, help them understand why people would devote their lives to the study of these questions,ŌĆØ he says. ŌĆ£To show them what it looks like to have a calling, to help them find their own passions ŌĆō thatŌĆÖs a force for the better, for rejuvenating the world.ŌĆØ
Gillman has received numerous accolades for teaching and dedication to students, including USC DornsifeŌĆÖs General Education Teaching Award and USCŌĆÖs highest honor for career achievement, the Associates Award for Excellence in Teaching, given to only two faculty members each year. In 2001, he was made a Distinguished Faculty Fellow at USCŌĆÖs Center for Excellence in Teaching.
The transition to administration ŌĆō first as chair of the political science department, then as associate vice provost for research advancement ŌĆō came at the request of a USC dean.
ŌĆ£It was a rare opportunity, after decades doing the same job, to develop as a person and as a professional ŌĆō to learn new skills, develop new interests, take on new responsibilities and see if I was good at other things,ŌĆØ he says.
In 2007, when the deanship of Dornsife College became available, Gillman accepted the job. For five years, he led the largest, oldest and most diverse academic unit at USC. It comprises 33 academic departments, dozens of research centers and institutes, 7,000 undergraduates, 1,200 doctoral students, and nearly 800 faculty members with expertise in the humanities, social sciences, and physical, biological and natural sciences.
Gillman developed and managed a budget of about $340 million and oversaw a staff of more than 600.┬ĀDuring his deanship, he raised almost $450 million and played a central role in securing a $200 million unrestricted endowment, the largest single gift in the history of USC and the largest naming gift in the history of higher education for a research universityŌĆÖs college of letters, arts and sciences.
Working with the leadership of the Jesse M. Unruh Institute of Politics, Gillman also oversaw development of the USC Dornsife/Los Angeles Times poll. A demonstration of GillmanŌĆÖs dedication to the universityŌĆÖs public mission, the poll surveys California voter attitudes on a wide range of political, policy, social and cultural issues.
ŌĆ£We are here to serve the people, provide opportunities, create new knowledge, train professionals and clinicians, inspire artists, articulate human values and make discoveries that improve peopleŌĆÖs lives,ŌĆØ he says. ŌĆ£WeŌĆÖre also part of a young, exciting region thatŌĆÖs proud and energized by the fact that UC Irvine is part of the community. But that requires that we are in the community. You canŌĆÖt make the world better by limiting yourself to a lecture hall.ŌĆØ
Gillman says heŌĆÖs already seen examples of UC Irvine connecting with the community. The School of Biological SciencesŌĆÖ involvement with the Irvine Ranch Conservancy, he notes, shows commitment to the environment and helping people understand it. In return, the protected landscape provides a natural laboratory for biological sciences researchers, which benefits everyone.
ŌĆ£ThereŌĆÖs not a corner of the campus that isnŌĆÖt made more alive by its relationship with the community, from engineering to education to the arts and humanities,ŌĆØ Gillman adds. ŌĆ£The problem isnŌĆÖt a lack of engagement; itŌĆÖs that there are so many compelling and inspirational stories to tell and so many new opportunities to develop.ŌĆØ
He wants to build on the pioneering spirit of the students and faculty who decided to attend UC Irvine when it was just a field and the community that has grown up around it. He says the campusŌĆÖs 50th anniversary, in 2015, provides the perfect occasion to celebrate the highlights of the past and the accomplishments of the present ŌĆō and, most importantly, to set bold new goals for the future.
ŌĆ£I expect that someday weŌĆÖll look back on this time with pride that, working together, we identified areas of excellence and established priorities, programs and practices that enabled UC Irvine to further evolve into a globally preeminent research university for the 21st century and, in so doing, made important contributions to human progress, enlightenment and well-being,ŌĆØ Gillman says. ŌĆ£ThatŌĆÖs the reason weŌĆÖre all here.ŌĆØ


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Peter Andre Is Price-less While Katie Parties
That's a nice, uh, rack purse Katie Price has there. Did she have to knock over a couple of milk jugs with a cricket ball at the country bazaar to win that thing?
Katie, a/k/a Jordan, was out partying Wednesday night at London club Modiva. And, surprise—she hung out with none other than possible soon-to-be expatriate Paris Hilton.
Oh, wait…Paris Hilton…Eiffel Tower…now the purse all makes sense (sadly)!
Meanwhile, Price's husband Peter Andre was nowhere to be found. The Metro paper claims "he wasn't invited along for the ride, only weeks after his wife tried to put to bed talk their showbiz marriage was on the rocks."
Katie would be wise to avoid being drawn into a costly divorce battle. Those plastic surgery missions to the States ain't cheap, after all.


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Organize your life in style.
Your coupon will be applied to the highest regular-price, eligible item in your cart.
Offer good for one item at regular price only. Limit one coupon per customer per day. Must present coupon at time of purchase. Offer is not valid with any other coupon, discount or previous purchase. One cut or one bolt of fabric or trim "by the yard" equals one item. Online fabric & trim discount is limited to 10 yards, single cut. Excludes Heidi Swapp™ Minc.™ Foil Applicator, CRICUT® products, Gemini Machine™ Crafters Companion, Silhouette CAMEO® Machine, candy & snack products, gum & mints, helium tanks, gift cards, custom orders, special orders, labor, rentals or class fees. Cash Value 1/10¢.
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Glam up your style just in time for school.
A great model deserves a beautiful home that protects yet enhances its appearance.
This Crystal Clear Standard Display Case is great for protecting and displaying die cast, sports collections, dolls, trains, trucks and other treasures.
Display case is stackable.
Designed to fit 1:32 scale cars; but will also fit 1:24 scale cars.
Interior dimensions are 8″ x 3 3/4″ x 3 7/8″.
I love it! Add to wish list


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The Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade Database has information on almost 35,000 slaving voyages that forcibly embarked over 10 million Africans for transport to the Americas between the sixteenth and nineteenth centuries. It is the culmination of several decades of independent and collaborative research by scholars drawing upon data in libraries and archives around the Atlantic world.
Resource URL: http://www.slavevoyages.org/tast/index.faces
Online Help: http://www.slavevoyages.org/tast/help/faq.faces


text: Join us for whitewater rafting, kayak instruction, fly fishing and quality white water adventure vacations. Endless River Adventures' headquarters is strategically based in the Nantahala Gorge--the epicenter for whitewater rafting, kayaking, fly fishing and outdoor vacations near the Smoky Mountain National Park. Enjoy white water rafting and kayaking on three remarkable rivers in our area: the Nantahala River, the Cheoah River and the Ocoee River. Our Boater's Store is home to both Liquidlogic Kayaks and Big Dog Kayaks. Internationally join us for Costa Rica Kayak Trips and Ecuador kayaking, Mountain Biking Ecuador, RíoQuijos EcoLodge and International Fly Fishing Expeditions.


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Build a Gaming PC for Any Budget
- Build a Gaming PC for Any Budget
- The $500 Gaming PC
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- The No-Holds-Barred Gaming PC
The No-Holds-Barred Gaming PC
As our most recent (and least fiscally responsible) gaming PC build, this monster needed almost no major changes to be brought up to date. The big thing we did is swap out the two (excellent) overclocked AMD Radeon HD 7950 cards we used for one GTX 690, similar to what we did in our $2,000 build; that gives us better frame rates and considerably improved power efficiency. Because the price of quad-channel memory kits has come down in the last couple of months, we can also bump our RAM up to 16GB—and pay less in doing so. But otherwise our choices, some of which have also come down in price or have new rebates in effect, remain among the best ways out there for you to get the best gaming computer possible when money is no object.
Updated Component List
CPU: Intel Core i7-3930K ($589.99)
Motherboard: Asus Rampage IV Formula ($359.99)
Video Card: Nvidia GeForce GTX 690 ($999.99)
RAM: Corsair Vengeance 16GB kit ($124.99)
SSD (Primary Storage): 240GB OCZ Vertex 3 ($229.99 after mail-in rebate)
Hard Drive (Secondary Storage): 2TB Western Digital Caviar Green WD20EARX ($129.99)
Optical Drive: Asus Black Blu-ray combo drive ($74.99 after mail-in rebate)
CPU Cooler: Thermaltake Frio OCK ($62.99 after mail-in rebate)
Power Supply: Cooler Master Silent Pro Hybrid 1050W ($229.99)
Case: Cooler Master Cosmos II ($349.99)
Total: $3,152.90


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RIO DE JANEIRO - Doctors say a 24-year-old construction worker survived after a 6-foot metal bar fell from above and pierced his head.
Luiz Essinger of Rio de Janeiro's Miguel Couto Hospital tells the Globo TV network that doctors successfully withdrew the iron bar from Eduardo Leite's skull during a five-hour-long surgery.
He said Leite is lucid and shows no negative consequences after the operation. Essinger said Friday that "it really was a miracle" that Leite survived.
The bar fell from the fifth floor of a building under construction, went through Leite's hard hat, entered the back of his skull and exited between his eyes.
The accident and surgery took place on Wednesday.
You may also like:
PHOTOS: Spear shot through boy's head
READ: Woman says dentist dropped tool down throat
Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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The understated beauty of this Riverby sink makes it an elegant and versatile addition to the kitchen. A single, large bowl provides ample space to soak and wash cookware, while a sloped base to a single offset drain minimizes water pooling. Crafted from enameled cast iron, this sink resists chipping, cracking, or burning for years of beauty and reliable performance. It comes with a custom-fit colander with integral cutting board and a left-hand, stainless-steel bottom basin rack.
- 36 in. minimum base cabinet width
- Single bowl
- 9 in. bowl depth
- Four faucet holes
- 2° Basin Slope toward drain minimizes water pooling
- Includes K-6239 colander with integral cutting board and K-6237 left-hand bottom basin rack
- Enameled Cast Iron
- 80% recycled material
- Top-mount


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Our principal, John Kirilov, agreed to take pies in the face if the students were able to meet our fall fundraiser goal.
The students reached our goal, so the top seller from each class was able to give him a pie in the face on Wednesday, Sept. 12. That added up to about 20 pies! He was such a good sport!


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- September 4, 2008, 5:58 AM
After managing and operating the Apex Aviation FBO at Sonoma County Airport in Santa Rosa, Calif., since January, Kaiserair has purchased the FBO and begun remodeling the facility. Kaiserair's plans for the new Santa Rosa Jet Center include a new fuel farm, a 30,000-sq-ft hangar, a renovated 8,000-sq-ft FBO terminal and more hangars for tenant storage. The new general manager is Glenn Barrett, a commercial pilot, flight instructor, mechanic with inspection authorization and designated airworthiness representative.


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I tried my best to give you the best variety of babes from the Starz network original programming and while there was equal appreciation for Lawless and Robertson, it seems that Olga Kurylenko is the babe from Starz you'd rather sparkle with. Now it's time to have a gander at the women of Showtime.
Emmy Rossum
I have come to understand that Moreno is a huge fan of "Shameless," I just haven't decided if he's in it for the characters, the writing or just the fact that Emmy Rossum gets nekkid in it. Back when she was a tad bit on the healthier side (I think it was because she was younger and still hadn't Pilate-d the baby fat off of her body yet), there was a constant rumbling about the desire to see her nude. Now that it's happened, will that influence your vote?
Morena Baccarin
Morena Baccarin has a knack for picking some of the most interesting roles and now that she's a featured player on "Homeland," one of Showtime's most successful shows in recent years, she gets to be all topless and nekkid in addition to acting her exotic little socks off. First Emmy, in her twenties and now Morena in her 30's, I think I might make this a hat trick and...
Mary-Louise Parker
Mary-Louise Parker wasn't considered the level of hot back in 20's as she is now, at the age of 46. Perhaps it's the enticing factor of the world wishing that this sexy soccer-mom would be our weed dealer. Perhaps it's her getting, well, nekkid. Perhaps it was seeing her be thoroughly nailed by Zack Morris on her Showtime hit series, "Weeds." Whatever the case, this babe still has all the fixins and then some.
Who will be the final addition to the pay-cable BoB semi finals? Only YOU can decide!-span>


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HBP (high blood pressure) is the leading risk of death in the world. Unfortunately around the world, blood pressure levels are predicted to become even higher, especially in developing countries. High dietary salt is an important contributor to increased blood pressure. The present review evaluates the association between excess dietary salt intake and the importance of a population-based strategy to lower dietary salt, and also highlights some salt-reduction strategies from selected countries. Evidence from diverse sources spanning animal, epidemiology and human intervention studies demonstrate the association between salt intake and HBP. Furthermore, animal studies indicate that short-term interventions in humans may underestimate the health risks associated with high dietary sodium. Recent intervention studies have found decreases in cardiovascular events following reductions in dietary sodium. Salt intake is high in most countries and, therefore, strategies to lower salt intake could be an effective means to reduce the increasing burden of HBP and the associated cardiovascular disease. Effective collaborative partnerships between governments, the food industry, scientific organizations and healthcare organizations are essential to achieve the WHO (World Health Organization)-recommended population-wide decrease in salt consumption to less than 5 g/day. In the milieu of increasing cardiovascular disease worldwide, particularly in resource-constrained low- and middle-income countries, salt reduction is one of the most cost-effective strategies to combat the epidemic of HBP, associated cardiovascular disease and improve population health.
- cardiovascular disease
- high blood pressure
- hypertension
- salt
- salt reduction
- sodium
Cardiovascular disease is the single largest risk for mortality both in developed and developing countries, killing an estimated 17 million people each year [1]. HBP [high BP (blood pressure)] is one of the key cardiovascular disease risk factors accounting for nearly two-thirds of all strokes and a half of all ischaemic heart disease [2]. In addition, it is a major risk for dementia, chronic kidney disease and heart failure [3,4]. The most recent estimate indicates that globally 7.6 million premature deaths (13.5% of total global mortality) and 92 million disability-adjusted life years (6.0% of the global total) were attributable to HBP. Of note, approx. 80% of the HBP-related disease burden occurred in low- and middle-income countries, and over half occurred in people aged 45–69 years [5]. Furthermore, it has been estimated that 90% of the population aged between 55–65 years with normal BP in developed countries will develop HBP during their lifetime (Figure 1) [6].
Reducing BP with drug therapy is associated with significant decreases in cardiovascular morbidity and mortality; however, it requires extensive healthcare resources and, in clinical practice, most with hypertension are either undiagnosed, untreated or sub-optimally treated [7–9]. Lack of diagnosis and treatment of hypertension is a particular concern for developing countries, where the treatment and control rate is typically much less than 10% [10]. Preventing hypertension through population interventions is a highly attractive cost-effective companion strategy to programmes to improve the treatment of hypertension [11]. There are a variety of lifestyle changes that are effective in preventing hypertension [12,13].
In the present review, we will assess the evidence regarding the association between excess dietary salt intake and HBP, describe the importance of salt reduction as a population-based strategy to prevent and control hypertension, and highlight some successful examples of salt-reduction strategies from selected countries.
Prior to refrigeration, salt was the major mechanism for food preservation and, thus, has played a critical role in the evolution of civilization [14]. Until recently, there was limited access to salt and, therefore, diets typically contained <0.25 g of salt/day. However, with widespread inexpensive commercial access to salt, most diets now have almost 10 g daily. It is likely that the rapid increase in dietary sodium is contributing to the current epidemic of cardiovascular disease [15].
Salt consumption and its sources
In the INTERSALT study of salt consumption and BP, the median intake in 32 countries was 9.9 g/day [16]. Salt consumption varied from 0.1 g/day in Yanamano, Brazil to 15 g/day in Tianjin, China. In developed countries, salt intake is usually between 9–12 g/day [17], and up to 80% of salt comes from processed foods. In Canada, for example, over half of total salt intake is from ten commonly consumed groups of processed foods/beverages (Figure 2). In Asia and other developing nations, most salt is added during cooking or contained in sauce and seasonings [11,18]. Sodium is naturally present in small quantities in unprocessed foods, but is also added to foods either during processing, cooking or at the table. The main reasons for addition of salt in food processing are for flavour, texture, preservation and to increase thirst to sell more beverages [19,20].
Salt and sodium
The main evidence for the association between high intakes of salt and BP relates to sodium. The major source of sodium in the diet is from salt (NaCl). The terms salt and sodium are often used synonymously, although, on a weight basis, salt comprises 40% sodium and 60% chloride; 1 g of sodium is equivalent to 2.55 g of salt; 1 mmol of sodium is equivalent to 23 mg of sodium; and 1 g of salt is equivalent to 17 mmol of sodium [19]. Table 1 provides an overview of the different units. For simplicity, in the present review we have converted all units, including 24 h urinary sodium excretion, into g of salt/day.
Sodium is a major cation in the extracellular fluid, with a key role in maintaining fluid balance in the body. The kidneys regulate sodium and water homoeostasis, and the sodium composition is regulated largely by renal excretion and conservation. Sodium is needed for maintaining extracellular fluid, acid–base balance and oncotic pressure, as well as muscle and nerve activity. Furthermore, it helps generate transmembrane gradients which permit the uptake of nutrients by cells of the intestinal mucosa and renal tubules. Most functions of sodium are interdependent with potassium. Although any decrease in extracellular fluid volume, due to falling plasma volume, lowers BP, any rise in extracellular fluid volume increases BP by increasing plasma volume [4,19].
Hypertensive mechanisms
Even though the physiology of salt intake in the development of hypertension is complex, animal studies indicate that BP increases with increasing dietary salt. Multiple species of animals, such as mice, rats, rabbits, dogs, pigs and chimpanzees, have an increase in BP when provided high-sodium diets [21]. The lack of the ability of the human kidneys to fully excrete excess salt is one of the major mechanisms in the association between salt intake and BP [22]. Owing to aging, this excretory capability declines and even small increases in salt intake may increase BP. Some recent studies report that potassium also plays an important role in the development of hypertension [4]. Sodium excess and potassium deficits have an impact on VSMCs (vascular smooth muscle cells), and high-sodium/low-potassium diets can increase BP [4]. Furthermore, a high-potassium diet has been found to blunt the increase in BP caused by high-sodium intake in animal studies [23]. Notably, an increase in potassium intake may also reduce sodium sensitivity in humans [4].
The increases in BP are dose-dependent. Different animal models of hypertension have been developed to be more or less sensitive to dietary sodium. Genetically salt-sensitive rats given a low-salt diet had only a small rise in BP with age in comparison with those on a high-salt diet [24]. In monkeys, chimpanzees and baboons, increases in salt intake in the range consumed by humans caused progressive and very large increases in BP that can be reversed by salt withdrawal [25].
Other animal models demonstrate that not all of the hypertensive response to dietary salt occurs quickly or is reversible [21,25–27]. There can be delays in the increase in BP on exposure to high dietary sodium, indicating that acute testing of 'sodium sensitivity' to assess the BP response may not predict long-term increases in BP. Furthermore, increases in BP are not fully reversible in some animal models, indicating the extent of hypertension caused by high dietary sodium may be significantly underestimated by studies that reduce sodium intake in humans [21].
Animal models not only demonstrate that the increases in BP caused by high dietary sodium are strongly associated with adverse cardiovascular events, but also that high sodium in the diet causes significant direct vascular and cardiac damage independent of BP [21,28–31].
Epidemiological investigations
Many large observational epidemiological investigations conducted worldwide link high salt intake and hypertension. In one of the first major global studies on sodium intake (INTERSALT), 24 h urinary sodium was significantly associated with BP as well as the increase in BP with age [16]. Lowering salt intake by 5.8 g was associated with a 3.1 mmHg decrease in SBP (systolic BP) [32]. Furthermore, it also found that populations with low average daily salt intakes had low BP and very little or no increase in BP with age [16]. More recent studies have confirmed these findings and provided more evidence on the salt–BP relationship. INTERMAP (International Study on Micronutrient and Blood Pressure) showed that a lower salt intake and smaller sodium/potassium ratio resulted in lower population BP [33]. Another large study, EPIC-Norfolk (the Norfolk Cohort of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer) also found sodium to be an important determinant of population BP levels [34]. In the WHO-CARDIAC (World Health Organization Cardiovascular Diseases and Alimentary Comparison) study, among post-menopausal women aged 48–56 years in 17 countries, 24 h sodium excretion was positively associated with BP [35].
A few studies from a single group of investigators have concluded neutral or even reverse associations between salt and cardiovascular disease; however, they had methodological limitations leading to potential bias. Importantly, these studies controlled for BP and hypertension, a major mechanism for sodium-induced harm and, hence, are biased to find a lack of harm associated with high-sodium diets [36–38].
Migration investigations
Studies of population groups that migrated from areas with lower salt intakes to areas with higher salt intake have reported increases in BP. In Kenya, the mean urinary sodium/potassium ratio of migrants was higher than that of non-immigrants, and the immigrants also had higher SBPs [39]. In China, Yi farmers living in remote villages were compared with Yi migrants in the county [40]. The Yi migrants consumed more sodium and less potassium, had lower serum potassium levels and a greater urinary sodium/potassium ratio. Urinary excretion of sodium was greater in Yi migrants than in Yi farmers, suggesting that changes in lifestyle, including dietary changes, contribute importantly to the higher BP among Yi migrants. Notably, BP rose very little with age after puberty in Yi farmers, whereas it increased with age in Yi migrants [40].
Human genetic investigations
Currently known genetic causes of human hypertension and hypotension affect the sodium excretion ability of the kidney. Although these are rare, the genetic causes clearly indicate the importance of salt in regulating human BP and suggest the potential for genetic and acquired variation in renal handling of sodium to cause hypertension [41].
Intervention trials
Results from many clinical trials of salt reduction in humans generally confirm increases in BP with increases in dietary salt. The exception is trials where interventions to lower dietary salt had little effect on dietary sodium, or where the interventions were of very short duration or had a small sample size. Meta-analyses of clinically relevant trials provide strong evidence that salt reduction decreases BP. The largest treatment effect was found in trials lasting more than 4 weeks. Findings from a few of the major trials and meta-analysis are summarized below.
Well-conducted dose–response clinical trials provide the most robust evidence about the impact of salt on human BP. The largest among them, the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension)-Sodium trial tested the effects of three different sodium intakes (low, intermediate and high) on BP in two separate diets: the DASH diet (rich in fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy products) and the control diet (Figure 3). Both the type of diet and sodium reduction were effective in lowering BP. Comparing the high- with low-sodium groups, the differences in SBP were 6.7 mmHg among those on the control diet and 3.0 mmHg among those on the DASH diet, with stronger effects among hypertensive participants. The corresponding differences in DBP (diastolic BP) were 3.5 and 1.6 mmHg respectively [42]. Subsequent analyses reported that the effect of sodium reduction remained among clinically relevant subgroups (race, weight and baseline urinary sodium excretion) [43]. Notably, sodium reduction was reported to reduce BP in non-hypertensive subjects on both of the diets. The DASH trial is of particular importance because the food was provided to participants improving adherence to the diet in contrast with many trials where the intervention to reduce dietary sodium was ineffective at reducing dietary sodium.
Findings from the few major clinical trials that lasted 1 or more years and investigated the impact of sodium reduction on BP are summarized below. In Phase I of the TOHP (Trials of Hypertension Prevention), those randomized to the sodium-reduction group had reduced sodium excretion by 2.6 g/day and had a 1.7/0.9 mmHg decrease in SBP/DBP at 18 months [44]. Subsequently, in Phase II of TOHP, the reduction in sodium excretion was 2.4 g/day with a 1.2/0.7 mmHg lowering of SBP/DBP, resulting in an 18% decrease in hypertension incidence at 36 months [45]. In the Hypertension Prevention Trial, which randomized healthy men and women aged 25–49 years to one of four lifestyle interventions based on dietary counselling treatment, a 13% decrease in sodium excretion at 6 months and a mean SBP decrease of 1.7 mmHg was observed in the sodium-reduction group. These decreases were not observed at 3 years [46]. TONE (Trial of Nonpharmacologic Interventions in the Elderly) randomized 975 elderly men and women on hypertension treatment to weight loss or sodium reduction, with the attempted withdrawal from antihypertensive medication after 3 months of intervention. After 29 months, a 31% reduction in hypertension or cardiovascular event was observed in the sodium-reduction group, and they had a 50% decrease in the return to antihypertensive medication compared with those on usual care [47].
Multiple meta-analyses of salt reduction trials have also been reported (Table 2). Meta-analysis of 40 sodium-reduction trials with a minimum duration of 2 weeks reported that a median salt reduction of 4.4 g/24 h (calculated from 24 h urinary sodium excretion) was associated with a 2.5/1.9 mmHg reduction in SBP/DBP. The average decrease in SBP/DBP among hypertensive subjects was 5.2/3.7 mmHg and 1.3/1.1 mmHg in trials of normotensive subjects [48]. The most recent Cochrane review included trials (20 in hypertensive subjects and 11 in normotensive subjects) lasting more than 4 weeks with a reduction in salt of at least 2.3 g/day [49]. It found reductions of 5.0/2.7 mmHg in SBP/DBP among hypertensive patients with a median reduction in salt of 4.6 g/day, and 2.0/1.0 mmHg in SBP/DBP among normotensive subjects with a median reduction of 4.4 g of salt/day. Furthermore, a dose–response relationship was observed, with a BP reduction of 7.1/3.9 mmHg among hypertensive patients and 3.6/1.7 mmHg among normotensive participants in SBP/DBP per 6 g decrease in urinary sodium [49]. Another meta-analysis by Hooper et al. [50] reviewed results of three trials in normotensive participants, five in untreated hypertensive patients and three in those being treated for hypertension, with follow-up between 6 months to 7 years. As most of the trials included had relatively ineffective dietary advice interventions, there was a small decrease in sodium intake (2 g/day), SBP (by 1.1 mmHg) and DBP (by 0.6 mm Hg). The meta-analysis by Hooper et al. [50] may be most useful in demonstrating that dietary advice on its own is not a very effective strategy for the long-term lowering of dietary sodium. In contrast, an older meta-analysis found that salt reduction had no or very little effect on BP in normotensive individuals [51]; however, the meta-analysis which was funded by a food processor included many trials of very short duration with the median duration of salt reduction of 14 days in the normotensive participants [51]. In addition, many trials were included comparing the effects of acute salt loading to abrupt and severe salt restriction for only a few days. Another meta-analysis that included studies of similar duration and intensity of sodium reduction found increased lipid and glucose levels with sodium reduction [52]. Such large acute changes in salt intake increase sympathetic activity, plasma renin activity and AngII (angiotensin II), counteracting the effects of sodium reduction on BP and are not likely to be relevant to long-term sodium reduction or public health.
Some successful population intervention studies
Population decreases in BP, even if modest, could yield substantial reductions in cardiovascular disease morbidity and mortality. A population-wide 2 mmHg decrease in DBP is estimated to reduce hypertension prevalence by 17%, and the risk of CHD (coronary heart disease) and stroke by 6 and 15% respectively [53]. Another estimate indicated that a 5 mmHg population-wide reduction in SBP would decrease CHD and stroke mortality by 9 and 14% respectively (Figure 4). Many population-based intervention studies have been carried out. Some did not achieve a reduction in salt intake and, consequently, there was no difference in BP [54,55]; however, studies in which salt intake was successfully decreased show a reduction in population BP. In Japan, a national campaign reduced salt intake between 1.5–4 g/day, resulting in a population BP reduction and an 80% reduction in stroke mortality notwithstanding an increase in other cardiovascular risk factors [56].
Finland provides one of the best examples of a population-based salt reduction. From the 1970s, it had a population salt-reduction policy based on regulation and education [57]. By 2002, salt intake had decreased by 40% (Figure 5). Notably, there were remarkable decreases in population BP (>10 mmHg), and stroke and CHD mortality (>70%). The reduction in salt intake was estimated to be a major contributory factor [57]. In a community-based educational programme in China, the mean salt intake was reduced by 1.3 g/day in men and 0.6 g/day in women, and the mean SBP decreased 3 mmHg for the total population and 2 mmHg for normotensive subjects [58]. A very substantial 50% reduction in dietary sodium was achieved in an intervention study in Portugal, such that after 2 years there was a 13/6 mmHg difference in SBP/DBP between the intervention and control communities [59]. An intervention trial among 550 healthy rural Japanese showed that tailored dietary education for 1 year reduced salt intake by 2.3 g/day and lowered SBP by 2.7 mmHg [60].
Similar studies from developing countries are few; however, in one of the first salt reduction trials in Africa, where hypertension and cardiovascular disease is increasing, a community-based cluster randomized trial in Ghana among 1013 participants found that at 6 months the intervention group achieved a 2.5/3.9 mmHg reduction in SBP/DBP [61]. A recent community-based sodium reduction trial in Pakistan reported a significant 6 mmHg reduction in SBP among those with high normal BP [62]. These studies provide evidence of the impact of community-based and context-specific salt-reduction programmes in developing countries where most salt is still discretionary rather than from processed foods.
High intake of salt has also been reported to be associated with non-cardiovascular outcomes, such as higher rates of obesity, stomach cancer, urinary calcium excretion that may lead to osteoporosis and formation of kidney stones, and an increased severity of asthma symptoms [31,63–69]. Although many of these health risks remain unproven in randomized controlled trials, they have biological plausibility and underline the significant safety issues with the addition of high quantities of sodium to food.
Decreased salt intake not only reduces BP and related cardiovascular disease risk, but has other beneficial cardiovascular effects that are independent of and additive to its effect on BP [70]. It has been reported to have a direct effect reducing stroke [71], left ventricular hypertrophy [72], aortic stiffness [73], and chronic kidney disease and proteinuria [74,75]. For that reason, it is reasonable to infer that the total impact of reducing salt intake on cardiovascular outcomes could be greater than those expected from BP reduction only.
Several observational studies have examined salt intake and cardiovascular disease outcomes; however, large high-quality randomized trials examining morbidity and mortality have not been conducted. A few ecological studies have reported a direct association between higher salt intake or urinary sodium excretion and stroke mortality [76,77]. Prospective studies [78–80], with the exception of three studies undertaken by single group investigators [36–38], also report higher salt intake to predict the incidence of cardiovascular events. In addition, studies from Finland and Japan found an association between dietary sodium and increased risk of CHD or stroke [79,80]. The Finnish study estimated that a 6 g/day increase in salt intake was associated with a 56% increase in CHD deaths, 36% increase in cardiovascular disease deaths and 22% in all deaths [79].
A cluster randomized trial among elderly Taiwanese veterans, which substituted regular salt with potassium-enriched salt, found that the lower-sodium diet was associated with a markedly reduced cardiovascular event rate [81]. In a more recent long-term post-trial follow-up of patients in the TOHP trials, Cook et al. [82] reported a 30% reduction in cardiovascular disease events at 10–15 years in the reduced salt intervention group. These studies provide important evidence, consistent with animal studies, that salt reduction not only lowers BP, but also prevents adverse cardiovascular disease outcomes.
Assessment of population salt intake is critical in monitoring the effectiveness of salt reduction initiatives. The primary methods are: (i) estimating salt intake by weighing ingested food, (ii) dietary recall, (iii) estimating salt content of food before ingestion, and (iv) measurement by 24 h urinary sodium excretion. However, none of these methods is ideal, and there are several challenges that limit accuracy. The 24 h urinary sodium excretion is considered the gold standard method. However, this and other more reliable methods (method iii) are difficult to implement, whereas simpler ones (method ii) compromise reliability [11,16,83]. Furthermore, there is considerable intra-individual variability in intake such that a single day's measure does not adequately represent usual intake. Current methods when used to assess intake on a single day do not accurately predict usual salt intake on an individual basis. In addition, methods that rely on recall do not adequately quantify salt added while cooking or at the table and, thus, lead to underestimates, rendering them to be of little use in populations where much of the salt is added in cooking or at the table.
Rising salt intakes coupled with escalating burden of hypertension and cardiovascular disease globally has prompted the WHO (World Health Organization) to recommend that salt intake be less than 5 g/day [11]. Many nations have developed their own nutritional/dietary guidelines on dietary sodium [84]. The U.K. guidelines recommend salt intake of 6 g/day or less for adults [19,85]. The US Institute of Medicine report set 3.75 g/day salt as an adequate intake, and 5.8 g/day as the upper tolerable intake level for most adults [86]. However, worldwide, most individuals continue to have intakes well in excess of this level. Groups such as the UK Consensus Action on Salt and Health [17] have calculated dose–responses that support a further reduction to 3 g/day, which it claims could achieve a one-third reduction in strokes and a one-quarter reduction in CHD and, thus, having greater population impact in reducing cardiovascular disease than current guidelines would have (see http://www.actiononsalt.org.uk/). Despite these guidelines and the importance to health, most governments have been ineffectual in implementing these recommendations.
The WHO recommends that governments implement policies on food labelling, legislation and product reformulation in collaboration with the food industry [11]. Processed foods are the major source of salt in developed countries therefore collaboration with or regulation of the food industry to reduce salt content is critical. This strategy combined with public education is being employed successfully in the U.K. [87]. Major reductions in the salt content of foods have been achieved without having an impact upon product marketability.
In New Zealand, the National Heart Foundation's 'Pick the Tick' food-labelling programme influenced the food industry to make 23 product changes (in breads, breakfast cereals and margarine) that removed 33 tonnes of salt in a 1-year period [88]. The same programme in Australia resulted in the reformulation and salt reduction in 12 food products [89]. The Health Check programme of the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada also works with the food industry to reduce salt in processed foods. In an example of the WHO-recommended national multi-stakeholder involvement to reduce population salt consumption, 17 Canadian health organizations, including the Canadian Hypertension Society, have recently endorsed a national collaborative policy statement to advocate for reduced salt consumption by 2020 (see http://www.hypertension.ca/bpc/), and the Canadian Government has struck a work group to oversee the reduction in sodium additives to food and to educate the public on the health risks of high dietary sodium [90].
Regrettably, few developing countries which bear nearly 80% of the HBP-related disease burden have implemented a dietary guideline or a strategy to reduce population salt intake [5]. Furthermore, the food industry in many countries is poorly regulated with very little or no food-content labelling, making informed eating almost impossible. Unlike in developed countries, where the major source of salt consumption is through processed foods, in most developing countries it is through addition during cooking and in sauces/seasonings, emphasizing the importance of public education in these settings. However, in many developing countries, the middle class is rapidly increasing and aggressive marketing is leading to a marked increase in consumption of processed foods. This scenario offers a potential window of opportunity for effectively implementing strong preventive measures. The WHO report in 2006 provides a potential roadmap for governments in developing countries to initiate effective public health action to reduce population salt intake [11]. WASH (World Action on Salt and Health) was formed to assist in the dissemination of information on the health risks of salt and mechanisms to reduce dietary salt (see http://www.worldactiononsalt.com/).
Studies have found that national programmes to reduce dietary salt consumption, including labelling changes and reformulation of products, are very cost effective [91]. Selmer et al. [92] estimated that effective implementation of salt-reduction interventions in Norway could reduce mortality by 1–2%, increase life expectancy and result in a 5% reduction in people requiring antihypertensive medication. This was projected to save $270 million over 25 years. In Canada, where 30% of hypertension is estimated to be associated with excess dietary salt intake, an analysis indicated that reducing salt intake by half would eliminate hypertension in 1 million Canadians, double the number of Canadians with adequately controlled hypertension, and save the healthcare system at least $430 million a year in hypertension treatment costs alone [93]. Most recently, a global analysis indicated that 8.5 million deaths could be avoided over 10 years (2006–2015) by salt-reducing initiatives alone, and the estimated cost/person of implementing this was reported to be between $0.04–$0.32 [94].
The association between salt intake and HBP is causal, and high dietary salt is estimated to contribute significantly to hypertension on a population basis. Currently, salt intake is far above recommended levels in most countries, resulting in a large and preventable burden of HBP and associated cardiovascular disease. Effective collaborative partnerships between governments, food industry and all other relevant stakeholders have been shown to be effective in reducing dietary salt. Nevertheless there are major challenges to achieve the WHO-recommended population target of less than 5 g/day; however, such a reduction would significantly contribute to shifting the BP distribution downwards in populations and yield substantial reductions in cardiovascular disease morbidity and mortality. In the milieu of increasing cardiovascular disease worldwide, particularly in resource-constrained low- and middle-income countries, salt reduction is one of the most cost effective strategies to combat the epidemic of HBP and cardiovascular disease, and to improve population health.
S. M. is supported by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research Canada-HOPE Fellowship, and N. C. is supported by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research Canada Chair in Hypertension Prevention and Control.
We gratefully acknowledge the assistance of Ms Jocelyne Bellerive, Coordinator/Educator, Dietary Sodium Program, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada, and Blood Pressure Canada.
Abbreviations: BP, blood pressure; CHD, coronary heart disease; DASH, Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension; DBP, diastolic BP; HBP, high BP; SBP, systolic BP; TOHP, Trials of Hypertension Prevention; WHO, World Health Organization
- © The Authors Journal compilation © 2009 Biochemical Society


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Introduction to Remote Sensing and Mineral Exploration
This article was first published on Gold Investing News on May 16, 2011.
By Leia Michele Toovey-Exclusive to Gold Investing News
Remote sensing involves gathering data and information about the physical "world" by detecting and measuring signals composed of radiation, particles, and fields emanating from objects. This data is collected without direct contact with the object and can be used to identify and categorize objects of interest. Remote sensing has a variety of applications. It is used in medical applications, environmental applications- and in mineral exploration. In terms of mineral exploration, remote sensing is a rapidly advancing, and extremely valuable tool. It allows mineral explorers to more accurately pin-point a resource at a reduced cost. According to Anglo-American (LON:AAL), in terms of diamond exploration the average cost per 'traditional' kimberlite discovery is US $1 million per kimberlite. By using HyMap (Hyperspectral Mapping) the cost per kimberlite discovery drops down to around US$300,000.
Remote sensing is best used for the discovery of high-value rare commodities such as diamonds and gold which are becoming more and more difficult to locate. This is due to the fact that remote sensing, in its simplest sense, can help narrow down a search area. When used in gold exploration, remote sensing is the science of acquiring, processing, and interpreting images and related data acquired from aircraft and satellites. Remote sensing utilizes a variety of sophisticated technology to record the interaction between matter and electromagnetic energy. Remote sensing images are used for mineral exploration in two applications: (1) map geology and the faults and fractures that localize ore deposits; (2) recognize hydrothermally altered rocks by their spectral signatures.
The history of remote sensing
While remote sensing has been around since before World War II, it has rapidly advanced in the past few years. In the beginning, the primary use of remotely gathered data was comparative. If gold was found in a particular area, aerial photos of that particular area would be compared with aerial photos from other locales to find places that had similar surface features hoping they too would be covering a valuable gold deposit. Once satellite imagery became commercially available, the same compare and contrast was used with satellite images. To date, aerial photography still is used as an exploration tool. Aerial photographs are used to identify topographic surface features which may imply the subsurface geology. Such telling surface features as differential erosion, outcropping rock, drainage patterns, and folds/faults can be identified. Faults fractures and contacts often provide a conduit or depositional environment for hydrothermal or magmatic fluids in regions of known mineralization, and thus make excellent targets for further investigation.
The advent of multispectral imaging and thematic mapping has allowed surface mapping to be performed remotely, thereby enabling vast areas to be mapped in a short time at a fraction of the cost of traditional geologic mapping. Different scanning spectrums enabled researchers to begin cataloguing various reflection and adsorption properties of soils, rock, and vegetation. These spectra could be utilized to interpret actual surface lithologies from remote images. Among the most valuable data collected are the weathering and alteration products of mineral deposits, especially clays. Clays and oxides can be readily differentiated by the spectra utilized for remote sensing. By correlating the alteration products to parent materials, potentially valuable ores may by distinguished without the need for extensive soil sampling programs.
Today, there are a variety remote sensing tools available to the exploration geologist. By far, the greatest advancement in mineral exploration has been the ability to synthesize various forms of data. Known drilling results can be integrated with topographic maps, air photos, structural maps, and ore grade data, greatly increasing the accuracy and effectiveness of an exploration program.
Remote mineral data is collected from one of two ways- via low-lying aircraft, or from satellites. Two main sensor types are used in remote sensing, optical sensors and synthetic aperture (SAR) sensors. Optical sensors that measure the spectral data of sunlight reflected from the Earth's surface, and (SAR) sensors sense electromagnetic data by transmitting microwaves and receiving the back scatter waves from the Earth's surface.
Collecting the data in the field is the just the first step in coming up with a product that is useful in exploration. The next step is to translate the data into a form that is useful for explorers. There are a variety of techniques and manipulations that can be used, but one of the more useful, and one of the first applied techniques I learned in school was image classification. Remote Sensing makes use of spectral signatures. For any given material, the amount of solar radiation that it reflects, absorbs, transmits, or emits varies with wavelength. When that amount coming from the material is plotted over a range of wavelengths, the connected points produce a curve called the material's spectral signature. All objects have a unique spectral signature- and similar objects share a spectral signature. Once you have identified the spectral signature of that object- you can look for the same spectral signature on other data sets to pin-point what could be, in fact, the same object. This, of course, is an overly simplified explanation. To determine an objects "spectral signature" the data must be manipulated- in terms of remote sensing most of the manipulation is accomplished by playing around with the spectral colour bands in the imagea. We will go more in-depth into this technology in part 2 of this feature, when we address multi-spectral imagery.
Current remote sensing techniques
While this is a rapidly advancing field, currently, most remote sensing is performed through the following technologies: Landsat, ASTER, Hyperspectral, Field Spectrometry and Thermal Infrared (TIR).


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I live in Charleston SC. I was in the Marines for 4 years and when I got out I became a deep sea diver in the oilfields in the Gulf of Mexico. After years of that I got a job with Boeing commercial Airplanes and now am a crane operator. I ride a 2001 harley road king classic, "the green monster".
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