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EDITOR'S NOTE: The Denton Record-Chronicle staff and graduate students from the University of North Texas School of Journalism under the direction of professor George Getschow worked more than a year interviewing people across Texas and researching the issue of how people are using water, the state of this necessary resource and how some are searching for solutions. The series launches an ongoing effort to keep readers informed about how the drought is affecting daily lives across the state and how some are seeking alternative measures to solve a growing issue as the drought continues and the state attracts more residents. Look for the "Water Woes" logo throughout the next week and coming weeks and months. And, if you have any suggestions, ideas or stories of your own to share, please visit our special projects page on Facebook or send an email to firstname.lastname@example.com.
— Dawn Cobb, managing editor
BORDEN COUNTY — A crisp breeze rips across the prairie as Ralph Miller steps from his dirt-encrusted Ford F-250. He adjusts a sweep of gray hair under his black Stetson and stands over a grave marked "The Water Well Man."
Miller's good friend and ranch hand, Randell Laurence, is buried here under the Bar V's most sacred ground. Laurence played a key role in keeping the cattle, the grass and the rest of the ranch going for decades. But on a fall day in 1997, tragedy struck.
As Laurence lowered his water drill into the ground, the machinery sucked him in with it. A young boy who was helping him backed off in fear, and as the derrick was raised, the rig hit a power line and electrocuted Laurence. He was 62.
Miller, the owner of the 32,000-acre Bar V Ranch in drought-stricken West Texas, was so grateful to Laurence for devoting his life to digging, repairing and servicing the ranch's water wells that he made sure Laurence rested in peace inside the family cemetery, a grassy knoll surrounded by pecan trees and a creek nearby that murmured with the melody of flowing water.
Standing inside the cemetery, Miller gazes over the gravestones of "The Water Well Man," his father, "Mr. Clyde," his mother, Bessie, their cook and their faithful cowboy, contemplating the future of the ranch. All of the men and women buried here lived and died fighting to keep the Bar V alive through the now legendary droughts of the 1930s, '50s and '70s.
Now, a brutal and relentless drought that's ruined ranches and farms throughout Texas and the Southwest over the last decade seems hell-bent on sending the 114-year-old ranch to its grave.
Some drought-weary ranchers in West Texas, the hardest-hit region in the state, have given up hope that the drought will ever end. And there's no shortage of drought experts who agree with them.
"It may take a hurricane to end this," says Raymond Slade, a former hydrologist for the U.S. Geological Survey who now is an adjunct professor at Austin Community College.
Consequently, some West Texas ranchers are liquidating their herds and selling their land to anyone willing to make an offer. But Miller says he'll never sell the ranch. To him, the Bar V is not just a ranch, it's a family heirloom.
Miller's pride in the Bar V and his ranching heritage is embodied in a plaque mounted on the west gate of the ranch. The plaque, awarded by the state of Texas to Miller in 2000, designates the Bar V a "century ranch," meaning it's been operated continually by the same family for 100 years.
And the family has taken steps to make sure it stays that way. Miller's brother, Riley, owns and operates half of the original homestead and Ralph Miller has partitioned some sections of the ranch to his daughters, Tammy and Rebecca.
The Bar V's history is deeply intertwined with Texas's storied history. Quanah Parker and his tribe of Comanche Indians established a large village alongside Gavett Creek, hunting vast herds of bison and deer. Cattle drives and wagon trains heading west stopped here to water their cattle herds and horses.
And many of Ralph Miller's ancestors and ranch hands buried in the family cemetery gave their lives to the Bar V. The ranch is hallowed ground, says Miller, and the idea of abandoning it is unimaginable.
"You have to stay and keep a-fightin'," says the 82-year-old rancher. "This is my life. I'm a rancher. That's all there is to it."
Miller is no Pollyanna. But having lived through some of the worst droughts in Texas history, he considers himself a survivor.
During the Dust Bowl of the 1930s, for example, when little rain, high winds and heavy tilling of the topsoil formed black blizzards across the great southern plains, tens of thousands of farms, ranches and banks went under. With no money, no water and no grass to feed their cattle, the federal government ordered the mass slaughter of cattle herds in Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas.
"They shot 400 on our land," recalls Miller. "My dad had to round up cattle and a man hired by the government shot them and rolled them off the caprock (a rocky ledge at one corner of the ranch) where they rotted for five or six years. Their bones were eventually ground up for their calcium and phosphorus, which were used (as a feed supplement) for livestock. The bones brought in more money than a living calf."
As a 3-year-old, watching his dad's steers and calves shot in the head and shoved off the edge of their ranch nearly sent him off the caprock.
"We had a calf feeding on a bottle and his mother had died," Miller says. "A man said we had to kill the calf. So he did. Blood came out of its mouth and she ran around bleeding." That scene, stuck in his memory, still deeply pains him today.
During the 1950s, a time Texas ranchers refer to as "The Great Dry Up," severe drought devastated the region's ranches. Soaring temperatures and low rainfall scorched the Bar V's grasslands.
With grass scarce, hay prices skyrocketed, forcing the Millers and some other ranchers in the region to feed their cattle a mixture of prickly pear cactus and molasses. By the time the drought subsided in 1957, many counties across Texas, including Borden County, home of the Bar V, were declared federal drought disaster areas.
But to Miller, the Great Dry Up seems almost picayune compared to the pernicious, present-day drought that has been sucking the life out of the Bar V and surrounding ranches in Borden County since 1983.
"We've run out of water and grass," he says.
Miller steps out of the family cemetery and walks a few feet to a gaping, 100-foot-wide, 25-foot-deep hole in the hard ground.
It's one of 200 "cattle tanks" dug with bulldozers during the Great Dry Up to hold as much as 1,000-acre feet of water, enough water to fill up 500 Olympic-size swimming pools. As a boy, Miller couldn't wait after completing his chores to dive into the tank.
"It was like a giant swimming pool," he says.
But the water tank on the outskirts of the family cemetery, like all the other tanks on the Bar V, has little water in it these days. There simply hasn't been enough rainfall, and the Mesquite Creek that once fed the tank has since dried up. Now this tank and all the others contain a murky mixture of mud, silt, manure and dead flies.
Sometimes Miller's steers wander into one of the tanks only to get swallowed up in the mud. When he sees one of his steers, stuck up to their necks, scratching and fighting for its life, Miller will quickly dispatch a Caterpillar loader with rubber tires to haul the distressed steer out of the tank.
Two years ago, with his creeks dry, all of his water tanks evaporating by the minute and his "drought-resistant" buffalo grass turning brown, Miller had to make a hard choice.
He had done everything he could — including digging 100 water wells under his ranch in search of water. But all of them were dry holes — except for one that hardly produced enough water to fill a bird bath. In desperation, Miller sold his entire herd — nearly 2,000 head in all. It was the first time in 111 years that the Bar V had no cattle grazing anywhere on the ranch.
For Miller, it was one of the most distressing days of his life. Having survived the monstrous droughts of the '30s and '50s, Miller never thought he'd face the day when the Bar V would have to liquidate an entire herd. But the Texas inferno had baked the Bar V into scorched earth, he says, leaving him no choice.
His only consolation was that he wasn't alone. Day and night, every rural back road in Borden County was jammed with cattle trailers hauling their bawling steers off to area auction barns and selling them at prices that didn't begin to cover the costs of raising them.
But while some of the ranchers in Borden County and the surrounding region liquidated their herds and said goodbye to ranching altogether, Miller told himself he'd stick it out, somehow, until the drought subsided.
For the last two years, he's been slowly rebuilding his herd, planting Sudan and other hybrid grasses considered more drought resistant than native buffalo grass and signed up with an Israeli company that, he says, plans to build a giant water purification plant on the ranch that will be able to process abundant quantities of brackish water flowing deep under the Bar V into "fresh water."
The rancher hopes that the Israeli company can turn back the clock to the time when his grandfather moved to the area in 1900. He crossed Little Bull Creek a few miles southwest of Miller's current home, complaining to his wife and other family members "that the only drawback of Borden County is that there was too much water," Miller recalls. "Too much water!"
Even during the Great Dry Up, Miller recalls that after he and his wife got married in 1951, there was a big lake below the house they built that they used for drinking water.
"Everyone said, 'You got the best water I've ever tasted,'" he says.
But starting in 1983, the big lake that supplied Miller's drinking water dried up. Miller blames an invasion of mesquite trees that spread across the Bar V like a plague, aided by the drought.
Mesquite sprouts during prolonged drought because the seeds don't wash away. Today, Miller says he's got "hundreds of thousands" of mesquite trees that have taken over his ranch, burrowing their roots 30 to 40 feet into the ground. Each tree, he says, will vacuum up to 20 gallons of water a day.
"They consumed our water and the springs quit running," Miller says, as if he's referring to an enemy combatant.
The family has tried to destroy the enemy with chemicals or by uprooting them with giant machines called grubbers. But none of these efforts has met with much success.
"They are tougher than we are," Miller says.
The drought also proved tougher than the Bar V's daring effort to grow hay on dry land last year. But with his grass wilting and the cost of imported hay skyrocketing, Miller felt it was worth a try. So he plowed under about 3,200 acres of his prairie and planted hay seed. But without sufficient rainfall, it never even sprouted.
With little rainfall and the price of hay skyrocketing, the state's cattle inventory has fallen to 4 million, the lowest level since 1959. As a result, cattle prices have risen 20 percent in the last few years, making Miller's quest to restock the Bar V Ranch seem quixotic.
In Borden County and throughout Texas, many ranchers aren't restocking their herds because they can't afford to.
"Ranchers throughout Texas have thinned their herds because they cannot provide enough ambient grazing and cannot afford to import hay," says Alyssa Burgin, director of the Texas Drought Project, which brings together ranchers, hydrologists and climatologists to study the drought's impact on Texas and suggest ways to cope with it.
Just a few months ago, in fact, Miller, his son-in-law, two of his grandsons and a few cowboys in Wrangler shirts and leather chaps found themselves rounding up a herd of steers and calves they had just bought the year before.
A siren wails, calling a curious herd of Black Angus and Herefords toward Miller's truck.
Using his truck to guide them, Miller and his crew circle the herd and slowly guide them into a 150-foot holding pen where a special ranger from the Texas Southwest Cattle Association is standing by to inspect them.
The calves are separated from the Herefords and Black Angus steers and coaxed into a separate pen. The calves that Miller plans to sell that day are weighed and loaded onto a gigantic trailer.
As the grandsons and cowboys wave goodbye to the 142 calves getting shipped off — about a quarter of the Bar V's herd — Miller drives away slowly, and starts spreading "cake" — cubes of barley and other grains that, Miller hopes, will make up for the nutrients his cattle aren't getting in their drought-ravaged grass.
Leaving his herd and his grandsons behind, Miller heads north on a gravel road, passing by his house, patches of buffalo grass and a few pump jacks cranking and grinding from old age.
The old rancher gazes at the endless expanse of his parched land and turns nostalgic. For eight decades now, the Bar V has been his life, his love, his obsession. Having withstood the fury of the most ferocious droughts in Texas history, Miller says his greatest hope is that "my kids will hold onto it."
Miller stops by the family cemetery once again to pay his respects to his father and mother, "The Water Well Man" and the other ranch hands who battled to keep the Bar V going for the last 114 years. He hopes his children and grandchildren embrace the hard lessons he learned from giving his life to the Bar V.
"If you turn around and say you got it made and sit down, you'll lose everything you got," he says. "If you ever decide that you did all you can do, you'll lose everything you got."
Simply surviving — not now, not ever — is never a sure thing on the Bar V.


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Niese to begin season on disabled list
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- As expected, the Mets plan to place Jon Niese on the disabled list before the start of the season, clearing the way for Dillon Gee to start Opening Day on March 31.
A source acknowledged that Niese will open the season on the DL with the intention of pitching April 6 against the Reds, the first day he will be eligible to return. The delay will allow Niese to make one additional Minor League start in Florida, stretching out his arm in advance of his season debut. The Mets can carry an extra bench player or bullpen arm in the interim.
Niese has not pitched since flying to New York last weekend for an MRI on his sore left elbow, which revealed no structural damage. He was scheduled to toss a weighted ball Thursday in the hopes of throwing a bullpen session Monday, which would put him in line to make two starts in Minor League games before rejoining the team.
With Niese sidelined, the Mets will likely turn to Gee as their Opening Day starter. Though manager Terry Collins has not told Gee of his status, he acknowledged Thursday that it is the most likely scenario. Unlike Bartolo Colon, the other candidate Collins has mentioned by name, Gee is lined up properly for Opening Day.
"We haven't etched anything in stone," Collins said, "but he's probably the lead guy because of his success against the Nationals. No disrespect to Bartolo or anyone else, but this guy's won more games for us in three years than anybody on the staff. So we're kind of leaning that way."
After going 12-11 with a 3.62 ERA last season -- including a 10-5 record and 2.71 ERA from May 30 until the end of the year -- Gee said the assignment would be "obviously a big honor."
"It's what every starter wants," Gee said. "It's cool to pitch on that day, I'm sure."
Anthony DiComo is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @AnthonyDicomo. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

subset: commoncrawl


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In this age of shortcuts and entitlements, attendance at the School of Hard Knocks has dropped off drastically.
Marc Jones remembers his own enrollment, the late nights, the hours of labor and all of life's knees to the groin. Now looking back at age 34, he wouldn't change a thing.
"It made me who I am today," he said.
Today that means "executive chef" of a restaurant he built from the ground up inside the 93-room, 4-year-old Hotel Abrego (755 Abrego St. in Monterey). Bistro Abrego is now open for breakfast and dinner, with Jones eager to widen its scope.
It all started with Jones refusing to sit still and mind his own business.
At age 19, he found himself waiting tables at Club XIX in Pebble Beach. When he saw the arrival of super chef Hubert Keller (hired by Pebble to consult in the kitchen) Jones seized an opportunity to arrive to work early and peel potatoes, or stay late to wash dishes ... anything to join the more creative back of the house and soak up knowledge from a master chef.
"I learned more during that time than I ever would have at culinary school," he said. "I tell young (aspiring) chefs to go pay your dues at a place and learn the hard way."
This is Jones' first gig as executive chef. He's worked in many local kitchens and for the past five years has run Tasty Solutions, his own catering and consulting company.
One day a few months ago while biding his time in a long line at the grocery store, Jones struck up a conversation with Tracy Call, the owner of Hotel Abrego. The hotel ran the nondescript California Grill, but in truth, nothing much was grilled; a freezer and a microwave did most of the work.
Jones struck a deal to come on board as executive chef and food and beverage manager, and was given total creative control. First thing he did was fill two garbage cans full of frozen food items. Second thing he did was call his best contacts in the restaurant distribution and produce businesses.
The menu is at once classical (salmon en papillote), whimsical (loco moco) and homespun (oatmeal crme brulee). The salmon Jones picked up from the likes of Keller, the oatmeal crme brulee came from his mom and the loco moco from his time last year helping launch Pono Hawaiian Grill in Santa Cruz.
Loco moco is a classic plate lunch staple consisting of white rice topped with two beef patties, two fried eggs and brown gravy. Loco moco could also stand for "crazy Monterey County," and Jones doesn't want to take himself too seriously. His idea is to make a bistro inside a hotel attractive to locals who want to unwind and enjoy some comfort food.
Look for the likes of braised short ribs with mashed sweet potatoes, bone-in pork chops with pineapple-bourbon chutney, ratatouille with polenta and fried chicken and waffles with bacon-cooked Swiss chard, syrup and country gravy. For dessert, how about vanilla bread pudding finished tableside with warm crme anglaise? Or bean pie, an African-American Muslim sweet custard with a filling of mashed white beans, sugar, butter, milk and spices? Soul food that's high in protein, low in calories and a real conversation starter.
Bistro Abrego (755 Abrego St., Monterey) has a license to serve wine and beer, and cocktails will follow in the coming months. Look for happy-hour specials, wine dinners, cooking classes and novelty events such as Jones' idea for a blind dinner, with courses served in complete darkness to help awaken the senses.
Breakfast is served daily from 7-10a.m., and dinner from 5p.m. Call 372-7551.
Use your noodle
Here's a weekend assignment for you. Rent the 1985 Japanese-made foodie flick "Tampopo," an off-beat comedy featuring several intersecting stories about the search for the perfect bowl of ramen, a traditional noodle dish. Don't think college-student Top Ramen. These wheat noodles are served in a meat broth, flavored with soy sauce or miso and topped with sliced pork, dried seaweed and green onions.
The search for quality ramen on the Peninsula ends quickly. One of my food spies reports a quality version at Café Lumiere in Monterey, where owner Brandi Lamb makes a bowl in honor of the signature ramen served at New York's famed Momofuku.
Look for it on the rotating menu for $9. It's packed with pork (both tender shoulder and pork belly). The broth is a smoky bacon dashi and includes Momofuku genius David Chang's famous 40-minute poached egg on top.
The Carmel Valley Chamber of Commerce presents "Night at the Oscars" on Sunday, Feb. 24, from 4:30p.m. to 9p.m. at Quail Lodge. The event will showcase a live Oscar viewing, including a red carpet entry that will truly bring "Hollywood" to Carmel Valley. Cost is $95 per person, and includes a three-course dinner with Carmel Valley wine pairings. Purchase tickets at cvnightatthe oscars.eventbrite.com ... Local chef/restaurateur Tene Shake was elected President of the American Culinary Federation Central Coast. The ACF, founded in 1929, provides accredited educational programs, certifications, competitions and networking designed to enhance professional growth for all current and future chefs and pastry chefs. Among Shake's goals for 2013 is to inspire the local Latino kitchen community (more than 70percent of all back-house employees are Latino). Kudos. You can email Shake at email@example.com ... 1110 in Monterey will continue its Salon of Culinary & Visual Art dinner series Wednesday night when fine-art photographer Carol Henry and painter Rich Primer present "acqua calda." Among the menu items: blood orange martinis, tuxedo linguine alle vongnole, pan-seared scallops with asparagus and pancetta and bread pudding with Port-candied pears and lemon gelato. Cost is $75. Call 655-0515 or visit www.hotel1110.com ... Restaurant 1833 hosts the Pisoni Family Feast, featuring a side-by-side comparison of 2002 and 2009 vintage Pisoni Estate Pinot Noir on Monday, Feb. 25. Cost is $85 for this rare experience. Call 643-1833 ... Tickets for this year's Cooking for Solutions (May 17-19) went on sale Tuesday and will evaporate quickly. Go to www.cookingforsolutions.org for more information ... The other day I got into an actual argument with a friend about how to pronounce Montrio, the popular Old Monterey restaurant. I say it's MON-trio and he says it's Mon-TREE-o. Went right to the top and called owner Tony Tollner, who said ... well, I was wrong. It's Mon-TREE-o. Tollner said the word incorporates the words"Monterey" and "trio," the Spanish word for three (after three original partners and three culinary influences). That deal cost me a six-pack, which brings up other pronunciation quandaries. Consider Marinus at Bernardus Lodge. Is it Mah-REE-ness or MARE-eh-ness? Is Aubergine in Carmel pronounced AH-burr-geen or OH-burr-geen? Is it A.W. Shucks or Awww Shucks. Is it PHO King or ... well, never mind. And don't get me started on Stammtisch, the German restaurant in Seaside. Oh, well. You know what they say: tomayto, tomahto.
Mike Hale is a food writer and blogger from Monterey. Write to him at email@example.com and read more at www.thegrubhunter.com.


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Former Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan abruptly dropped his initiative to overhaul the city's pension system on Monday, saying he wasn't able to gather enough signatures by the deadline.
To date, Riordan's team had gathered about 100,000 signatures to qualify for the May ballot. The city recommended a Dec. 7 deadline to turn in the needed 300,000 signatures.
In an interview Monday, Riordan said he became concerned when told the day before Thanksgiving how many signatures had been collected.
After consulting over the weekend with the group behind the initiative – a 10-member team that includes attorney David Fleming – the campaign was jettisoned.
"In hindsight, there were some things we should have known, such as how difficult it would be to get signatures," the 82-year-old millionaire said. "But you grow up and you learn."
Warning Los Angeles' spiraling pension costs will lead the city to bankruptcy, Riordan sought to change the pension system, including bringing newly hired employees to a 401(k)-style plan.
The proposal, introduced in October, was forcefully opposed by unions, who argued Riordan's plan would initially cost more upfront to the city.
To counter the initiative, the Coalition of L.A. City Unions set up a special phone hotline for union members to call, and sent them to the same parking lots where Riordan's team had workers collecting signatures in their own efforts. The union members collected their own signatures opposing Riordan's efforts, gathering about 10,000, said Alice Goff, a coalition member.
Meanwhile, Riordan's campaign may have made some missteps in its approach, including putting signature-collectors outside the city boundaries, a move that could result in the collection of ineligible names.
Tony Jordan, a clerk typist with the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 3090, encountered Riordan campaigners at a table outside of Sprouts in Culver City.
"Maybe they didn't know they were in Culver City," Jordan said. "I don't know what they're telling these people who are they soliciting."
Riordan said was unaware of whether his workers were campaigning outside of city limits.
While Riordan's group needed millions of dollars to pass the pension measure, attorney Fleming said money didn't factor into the decision to pull the plug on the campaign.
"It was never an issue of money, there was always money," Fleming said. "It was just an issue of time."
Fleming and Riordan's pension overhaul plan came on the heels of the City Council's approval of another pension change, one backed by Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, to raise the retirement age for newly hired civilian workers from 55 to 65, and reduce pensions for those who retire early.
In a statement Monday, Villaraigosa said he "has long appreciated Mayor Richard Riordan's love for the City of Los Angeles and his efforts to keep it strong."
"Most people concluded, however, that his pension reform proposal went too far and would have cost the City more money than the current system."
Union members were quick to call the plan "half-baked."
"It was risky and would have cost the city more money," said Simboa Wright, a member of SEIU Local Union 721, which represents more than 10,000 city workers.
Despite the cancellation of the ballot campaign, backers are considering trying to put an initiative on the 2014 ballot.
Addressing the celebratory statements issued Monday by the unions, Fleming said: "They may be celebrating today, but the question is: does it work out from a math standpoint in the future?"


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A blaze destroyed several chicken sheds on a Silsden allotment.
Crews from Keighley fire station and Bradford were called out to tackle the incident, late this morning.
About four sheds, on a site in Sykes Lane, were affected.
The huts had housed ferrets as well as chickens, but all the animals were freed unharmed before firefighters arrived.
Because of the isolated location of the plot, crews had to park the fire appliances about 300 yards away and relay hose reels to the scene.
"We spent around two hours there," said a fire service spokesman.
"The fire started when some controlled burning spread to the sheds."


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Fibromyalgia Syndrome: Can It Be Treated?
Fibromyalgia Syndrome: Can It Be Treated?
Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) is a chronic, painful, and sometimes disabling condition commonly encountered by primary care physicians. Recent research has provided information about the pathophysiology of FMS that has implications for treatment. For example, it now seems most likely that the major pathophysiologic mechanisms of FMS involve central sensitization in the CNS, although a peripheral source of nociception may initiate and/or perpetuate this sensitization. Thus, drugs that act through the CNS (such as tricyclic agents, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors [SSRIs], and tramadol) are more likely to be effective than those that act primarily at a peripheral level-for example, NSAIDs. The same CNS mechanism may also explain why hypnotherapy or meditation may be beneficial in FMS.
Understanding pathophysiologic mechanisms, as discussed in our article in the September 1, 2003, issue,1 is important for treating disease. Although the mechanisms in FMS are incompletely understood at this time, the relevant factors for treatment purposes include central sensitization (amplified or perpetuated by poor sleep); psychological distress; peripheral pain generators (eg, overuse of body parts, repetitive trauma, and arthritis); deconditioning; and other aggravating factors (eg, weather, noise, and comorbid conditions).
The management of FMS has been reviewed in detail.2Key components of treatment are shown in Table 1. We will describe each of these below.
The management of FMS begins with the very first contact with the patient. Many patients with aches and pains have had an unhelpful or even unpleasant experience with their previous health care providers, or heard of such experiences from their friends. Greeting a patient in a friendly and positive manner goes a long way to assure that you are a kind and interested physician. Maintain such an attitude of caring throughout the period of consultation and subsequent follow-ups.
As we emphasized in our previous article,1 FMS should be diagnosed by its own characteristic features of widespread pain and multiple tender points, and not by "ruling out" other conditions, as stated in the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria.1 Ordering one more test to exclude such and such disease may cause anxiety, since such an approach is not only unnecessary, it may also indicate uncertainty on the part of the physician, and thus erode a patient's confidence in him or her.
After the diagnosis is made, patient education is a most important step. Provide information to patients with FMS, in a simple, understandable way regarding the diagnosis and probable cause, aggravating factors (Table 2), and prognosis, and then use Table 1 to discuss various elements of management. Emphasize that a patient's pain and other symptoms are "real" and based on a "chemical imbalance," such as excessive substance P and decreased serotonin. However, reassure your patient that FMS is not life-threatening (despite much pain), and that it does not cause tissue damage. (We avoid using the term "benign" because patients who are suffering may resent it.) Advise on general healthy behavior, including weight loss, smoking cessation, good sleep habits, and regular exercise. Also emphasize the need for both nonpharmacologic and pharmacologic therapy. A recent study has found an association between overweight and several important FMS features, such as fatigue, decreased physical function, and increased number of tender points.3Smoking is positively associated with pain, global severity, and functional difficulties.4
Tailor your management according to each patient's symptom profile. For example, some patients may have significant psychological distress, while others have a predominant sleep problem, and yet others have specific aggravating factors, such as poor sleep, repetitive trauma (vocational and recreational), and mental stress. Some patients cope with their symptoms fairly well, while others do not. Although FMS is a chronic painful condition, emphasize that most patients find relief with appropriate treatment for a period of time, and that during this time they can be meaningfully functional.
Aggravating factors that should be addressed are listed in Table 2. The importance of physical fitness (in the context of deconditioning) will be described in detail under "Nonpharmacologic Intervention."Other important factors will be discussed here. Note that treatment of concomitant hypothyroidism does not eliminate FMS symptoms, but it may help relieve fatigue and low energy.
Psychological factors. Psychological distress is correlated with pain, including pain in FMS.5 Thus, psychological factors, such as anxiety, stress, depression, and poor coping, should always be addressed. Stress is an important factor in both triggering and perpetuating FMS symptoms. Besides counseling for psychological difficulties, anxiolytics and antidepressants in appropriate doses may be required. SSRIs are as effective as tricyclic agents for depression and have fewer side effects. If necessary, refer patients to a psychologist for stress reduction or to a psychiatrist for refractory anxiety and depression.
Improving sleep quality. Nonrestorative sleep exacerbates pain and fatigue. Poor sleep at night predicts pain the next day.6 Take a good sleep history and offer suggestions for improved sleep quality (Table 3). Morning fatigue is a sensitive indicator of nonrestorative sleep. Restless legs syndrome and/or periodic limb movement disorder is an important cause of sleep disturbance and is treatable with medications (see "Pharmacologic Management").
Environmental factors. Depending on individual sensitivity to specific weather factors, advise your patients to avoid unnecessary outside trips in the winter and to stay in comfortable temperature in an air-conditioned room in the summer as much as possible. Many patients are also sensitive to noise, smell, and light. Hyperresponsiveness to many of these environmental stimuli, as well as to many medications, is thought to be attributable to central sensitization.1
Occupational factors. Prolonged sitting or standing at work, adverse ergonomic factors that cause muscle or other soft tissue strain, repetitive motion, and job stress and dissatisfaction may all contribute to FMS symptoms. Based on current knowledge of pain physiology, repetitive motions are likely to cause central sensitization1 and subsequent amplification and intensification of pain. Because an important goal of treatment of FMS is to keep the patient employed, both for psychological and economic reasons, these work-related aggravating factors should be discussed with the employer, along with appropriate recommendations, such as change of duties and improvement of adverse ergonomic conditions.
Comorbid conditions. Although this theory has not been directly proved in patients with FMS, current knowledge of central sensitization operative in FMS suggests that any continued source of peripheral nociception enhances this sensitization and worsens pain. Thus, arthritis of any kind, neuropathy, or headaches should be treated. Restless legs syndrome disturbs sleep (Table 2).
Family and social factors. Adverse family circumstances, such as a stressful marriage, demanding children, and a lack of empathy and understanding by family members, can add significant distress. This, in turn, may aggravate pain, fatigue, and other associated symptoms, such as headaches and migraine. However, excessive attention from a solicitous spouse may also adversely affect a patient's pain.7 Refer your patient to a psychologist for assistance with coping skills, if needed. Encourage patients to have a hobby and a network of support.


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David Hockaday a good fit for manager's job at Leeds United
11:25am Thursday 5th June 2014
By Ashley Loveridge
11:25am Thursday 5th June 2014
By Ashley Loveridge
DAVID Hockaday remains in the frame to be named as the next Leeds United boss.
Left field chairman Massimo Cellino is understood to favour an out-and-out coach with responsibility for solely preparing the team for each and every game and Hockaday is fitting the bill after coaching Watford to the Premier League in 2006, ironically beating Leeds in the play-off final.
Six leading bookmakers have made him the favourite or joint favourite for the position ahead of the likes of Gianfranco Zola, Benito Carbone and Gianluca Festa.
The north-easterner spent four-and-a-years at the managerial helm at Forest Green from February 2009 to October 2013 before parting company with Rovers by mutual consent.
He was previously at Watford, Southampton and Reading and implemented the first football academy in the country at Cirencester College.
He was linked with the Swindon Town post after the departure of Paolo di Canio in February 2013, a season which saw Rovers narrowly miss out on the Conference Premier play-offs.
As a player, Hockaday was a rightl-back with Blackpool, Swindon, Hull City and Shrewsbury Town before retiring in the mid-nineties.
© Copyright 2001-2017 Newsquest Media Group


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NetWellness is a global, community service providing quality, unbiased health information from our partner university faculty. NetWellness is commercial-free and does not accept advertising.
Saturday, September 23, 2017
Obesity and Weight Management
RMR and number of calories to eat
I am a 48 year old female, I weigh 143, and run 4 miles 5 days a week. I want to lose 10 pounds. I had my metabolism tested using MedGem and my results showed that my RMR was1950. I typically eat 1200 cal a day and I wasn`t losing wt. Do I need to increase my calories to more like 1950 in order to lose wt? I am a healthy eater and drink lots of water and don`t drink alcohol. I`m concerned that I`ll gain wt. if I eat more, but eating less isn`t working. If you could refer me to infomrmation on Metabolism and losing weight, it would be most helpful. Thanks
Thank you for your question. I can understand your frustration. Your kilocalorie level is low (1200), and you do not see a change in your weight. Your RMR is higher than I see for most women of your age and weight so that is working in your favor. Your RMR is an indication of the number of kilocalories your body needs when you are resting. When you had your RMR measured, had you been fasting for 4 hours, no aerobic exercise for at least 4 hours, no caffeine for at least 3 hours, no smoking for at least 1 hour, and no supplements or over-the-counter medications that might raise your RMR? You should have sat quietly for at least 10 minutes prior to beginning the test. The RMR gives you a piece of the equation that answers the question, "How many kilocalories do I need to maintain my weight?" The rest of the information you need involves how active you are for most of your waking hours (occupational activity level), time spent sleeping, and planned exercise.
I would encourage you to visit the website, www.healthetech.com and click on the BalanceLog. You can download a two week trial of this software and in that time you should be able to get an idea of your kilocalorie needs. In setting your profile, you will get a more accurate picture of your actual kilocalorie needs, but remember, the information you get is only as good as the information you put in. Sometimes individuals do drop their kilocalorie level low enough to actually inhibit their weight loss. In these cases, the individuals are in a modified starvation mode where the body adjusts kilocalorie needs to preserve tissue. You probably would benefit from a few additional kilocalories.
If after using the BalanceLog and following the kilocalorie level suggested you do not see weight loss, I would encourage you to consult with a registered dietitian to review your food intake. You can locate one in your area by visiting the American Dietetic Association website at www.eatright.org.
Don`t get discouraged. You appear to have many healthy habits.
Shirley A Kindrick, PhD
Former Team Leader of Comprehensive Weight Management
College of Medicine
The Ohio State University


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Pence doesn't pay attention to numbers
DENVER -- Giants right fielder Hunter Pence finished Wednesday's game with a .238 average (20-for-84), having hiked his average from .181 by going 2-for-4 in each of the first two games of the series, including a double Monday and a home run Tuesday, before going 3-for-4 with a double, two walks and three runs in Wednesday's 12-10 Giants victory to cap the series.
During his career, April has been Pence's most trying month. He has a career .258 average, .307 on-base percentage and .406 slugging percentage in April -- his lowest monthly figures in those categories.
By contrast, Pence has thrived in May hitting .330 with a .385 on-base percentage and .554 slugging percentage -- his highest monthly figures in each category.
"I block out what my numbers are as best I can," said Pence who entered the season hitting .285/.339/.476, "and just play that game, what's needed right now to win. It's never comfortable to not be doing well, but there's never a falter in my belief that I can come out and help the team win. No matter whether I'm on fire or I'm struggling, every time I step in the box, I feel that at-bat, I'm going to give you a good at-bat. It's never comfortable to have the start that I'm having, and I don't take it lightly. But I just continue to apply the things that I've been successful with."
Jack Etkin is a contributor to MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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Group Booking Terms and Conditions
Because you are making a Group Booking, there are additional Terms and Conditions that apply. Please read them and click 'I Accept' below to continue with your booking
General Group Booking Terms
By making a group reservation through Hostelworld.com you agree to the following terms and conditions as set by Hostelworld.com and as set by the hostel in question.
- In order to make a group reservation on Hostelworld.com it is necessary to pay a deposit. The balance is due directly to the hostel according to their payment conditions.
- The booking deposit is non-refundable.
- Please note that any cancellations must be notified directly to the hostel at least 24 hours in advance of your scheduled arrival date, unless otherwise stated in the hostel's conditions.
- Hostelworld.com are not responsible for changes or amendments to your reservation once it has been processed. All correspondence with regard to changes to your booking need to be dealt with directly with the hostel.
- Cancellations for reservations must be made directly with the hostel and must conform with the individual hostels cancellation policy (see below)
- It is your responsibility to pay the balance of your accommodation cost to the hostel in accordance with their payment conditions (see below). Failure to do so may result in your reservation being cancelled by the hostel.
- Individual hostels may have special booking conditions relating to group stays, please read the hostel booking conditions carefully before making your reservation.
Hostel Specific Terms & Conditions
The remainder of the amount due will be charged to your credit card 4 weeks prior to arrival. Should numbers or room selection change, the per person deposit times the number of people who actually travelled will be deducted from the total accommodation charge levvied by the hostel.
Cancellation / No Show & Reduction in Numbers Policy
Notice Given To Ardenbeg and Cancellation Charge:
More than 4 weeks:40% of total booking cost will be recovered
Between 2&4 weeks:65% of total booking cost will be recovered.
Less than 2 weeks:Full booking costs will be recovered.
Booking costs are total amount for booking less 10% retained by Hostelworld.
Additional Terms and Conditions
If we are forced to make changes, Ardenbeg will do its utmost to provide all of the arrangements and activities that have been confirmed, but we must reserve the right to alter or cancel any arrangements if operational, weather or other considerations so dictate.
Your personal property, including baggage, remains your own responsibility at all times, unless any loss
or damage is due to our negligence or failure to carry out our responsibility. Please note that due to the nature of accommodation, Ardenbeg is not necessarily the place to bring expensive watches, jewellery or other precious items, none of which are covered by any insurance provided by Ardenbeg.
Equipment hired from Ardenbeg becomes the temporary responsibility of the Hirer. The hirer is to ensure that every possible attempt is made to prevent the equipment from damage, Ardenbeg acknowledges that a certain amount of wear and tear is associated with outdoor activities equipment and its use, however, repair or replacement charges will be raised in light of obvious neglect.
You may wish to bring a sleeping bag although bedding is provided. If you are attending during the winter, bring enough warm clothes to keep warm outside, in 1996 the temperature outside hit a record - 25oC!!
Customer satisfaction:
We hope that you enjoy your stay here, however if you do have a complaint while at Ardenbeg then we
want to be the first to hear about it. Please speak to us while you are here or write within 28 days enclosing full details with reference to the complaint and we will do our utmost to find a solution.
Additional Info:
Stag/hen groups need to contact Ardenbeg on booking to let us know they are in a stag/hen party.
Stag/hen parties will nominate one person to take responsiblity for the group.
All groups are requested to come inside the building after 10.30pm
Any cancellations resulting from agreement to these terms and conditions under false pretences will result in loss of deposit.
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PATIENTS and staff were evacuated from a mental health unit this afternoon when a bed caught fire.
Firefighters from Silsden and Shipley were called out to tackle the blaze, at the Airedale Centre for Mental Health.
But staff had put out the fire when crews arrived.
The alarm was raised at about 3.30pm.
No one was injured but the building, in the grounds of Airedale Hospital at Steeton, was smoke logged.
Firefighters – one wearing breathing apparatus – used a special ventilation fan to help clear the fumes.
A fire service spokesman said: "It's not clear how the fire started but staff had managed to deal with it when we got there.
"We helped clear up and ventilate the building."
A spokesman for Bradford District Care Trust, which operates the centre, said: "We can confirm there has been a small contained fire at the Airedale Centre for Mental Health today which did not harm either staff or service users and which caused minimal damage to property.
"All patients and staff were safely evacuated, following the appropriate procedures, and returned to the ward once fire alarms had been reset and the area made safe.
"An internal investigation will commence into the cause of the fire."


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Your business users want an easy to access, intuitive way to use the services IT provides. Discover how an IT service broker model can help you deliver a great experience for users and increase productivity for your business.
This ebook presents everything you need to know, including:
Please fill out the form below.


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Topic: Financial assistance for family travel
I'm looking for any resources anyone might have that may assist family members that live long distances from recently diagnosed patients. My father was just diagnosed with stage 4. He is in Oregon, I am in Georgia. I have 2 children, 12 & 13. We have not seen my dad, their grandpa for 6+ years.
Our finances are very, very tight. I want my dad and my kids to reconnect while he is still feeling ok. My children are his only grandchildren.
Any suggestions are greatly appreciated!


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By their nature, mushrooms are a highly sustainable product, but many grower-shippers are taking their desire to be environmentally friendly to an even higher level.
Fred Recchiuti, general manager at Basciani Mushroom Farms, Avondale, Pa., said he launched an initiative in January to persuade customers to switch from white boxes to plain craft boxes.
The chlorine that is used to make the boxes white can end up in streams and other water sources, and the dioxins it contains can cause cancer, he said.
Most of the company's customers have embraced the idea, he said.
Phillips Mushroom Farms, Kennett Square, Pa., is trying to convert all of its retail packaging to recycled PET material, said Kevin Donovan, national sales manager.
Getting the materials at the right price has been the problem so far, he said, but the company is doing more and more of it.
The program should be less costly as the price of mushrooms more accurately reflects grower costs, he said, especially with organic product.
The company's new white mushroom facility is 20% more energy efficient than a conventional mushrooms house, he said.
To-Jo Mushrooms in Avondale, Pa., also is a sustainable operation, said Paul Frederic, senior vice president of sales and marketing.
The company is switching to fully recyclable mushroom tills that are made from recyclable materials.
At To-Jo Mushrooms, "All the raw materials that we utilize to produce compost are byproducts," Frederic said.
But while To-Jo's customers may have concerns about sustainability in the back of their minds, it's usually not a deal breaker in determining whom they'll do business with, he said.


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Storage capacities boosted up to 64GB...
San Diego Comic-Con coverage brought to you by Tonner, Collectibles Insurance, and Big Bad Toy Store.
At the 2011 San Diego Comic-Con, Mimoco unveiled new editions of its popular Star Wars and Hello Kitty collections, along with increased storage capacities across its entire flash drive product line. Previously only available in up to 16GB capacities, Mimoco now offers 32GB and 64GB versions throughout their character-based MIMOBOT flash drive assortment.
The new Star Wars MIMOBOT Series 7 features a product offering based on many iconic characters from Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi.
Leading off is Han Solo MIMOBOT with Carbonite carrying case, a keychain accessory that encases Han Solo in a sculpted plastic protective block re-imagining a new use for the famous frozen intergalactic smuggler. For the first time in MIMOBOT form is Lando Calrissian, Solos redeemed friend who aids in his rescue and pilots the Millennium Falcon helping to destroy the Death Star. Also joining in the fight against the Galactic Empire is Princess Leia MIMOBOT, disguised as the bounty hunter Boushh, ready to save the one she loves from the clutches of Jabba the Hutt. Lastly, the fan-favorite Boba Fett has been reissued in Return of the Jedi styling, updated with a new battle-scarred suit and more intimidating scowl. These new additions join previously announced SDCC exclusive Trandoshan bounty-hunter Bossk. Each Star Wars Series 7 MIMOBOT purchased at Comic-Con comes with a free poster.
Hello Kitty Loves Animals BLOTz is a collection of 11 colorful Hello Kitty MIMOBOT USB flash drives presented in a blind box assortment. Each mystery box contains one surprise MIMOBOT flash drive featuring Hello Kitty dressed up as one of her favorite animals including Panda, Raccoon, Seal, Tiger, Bear, Fox, Penguin, Leopard, and more. Two of the drives, the endangered Giant Panda and White Tiger MIMOBOT designs, are extra rare and serve as chase variants. The Hello Kitty Loves Animals BLOTz collection will also be available in case-packs of nine units, packaged without any repeats, guaranteed.
Those purchasing a full case of Hello Kitty Loves Animals BLOTz will also receive a free Hello Kitty Loves Animals ringer t-shirt, while supplies last. Available in 2GB capacity, the Hello Kitty Loves Animals BLOTz, like all MIMOBOT drives, are Mac and Windows compatible and come preloaded with original content.


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Fresh Member
"Hello Mr Flair, can I help you today?."
"Are you the man!?? WOOOOO!"
"What do you mean?"
"Are you THE man?"
"I don't know, I work quite hard but I think others are more popular.
It's nothing personal it's just how the world is."
I want to begin by saying that this tragedy is, quite possibly, the most controversial and damaging event to ever occur in the wrestling industry.
You don't find many talking about what happened, and a lot of hatred still consumes those fans who either don't want to read up on the evidence, or they know the evidence, and still wish to direct their
Today, I am writing to all wrestling fans. I have a message for you all.
I would usually begin with a Peter Griffin rant, where I act out Peter Griffins upset over a particular subject for comedy value. However .. my creative process is not flowing like a drunken Peter playing a piano, because I have to address
Peter: Hey Homer, you know what really grinds my gears??
Homer: Celebrities?
Peter: Of course, but I was going to say Impact Wrestling.
Homer: Oh, what's that?
Peter: It's
Episode 13 - Commentary Calamity
Yes, this is about wrestling commentary. I am rather perplexed at the downfall of wrestling commentary, because it was such a big part of the shows. Can you imagine watching old school wrestling with no Jesse Ventura?? What about the Attitude


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Ventura wants to handle issues directly
CHICAGO -- White Sox fans want Robin Ventura to be as fiery during this upcoming 2014 season as they were during Saturday morning's SoxFest Town Hall Meeting.
That particular criticism stood as one aimed at Ventura during a 45-minute session at the Palmer House Hilton's Red Lacquer Room, with a much feistier crowd in attendance compared to Friday's representation. While Ventura and general manager Rick Hahn understand the fans' desire to see him become more openly critical of his team during underachieving times, airing out his group publicly just doesn't fit Ventura's style.
"It's just better to be direct, and I would rather not have you guys do my dirty work. I'd rather do it myself," said Ventura about choosing not to use the media to call out his players. "It doesn't mean I don't care or I'm not mad. You realize that you are on TV and it's stuff you can't take back. I prefer to do it inside."
"When things aren't going well, it makes you feel better if you see people caring as much in uniform as you care when you are watching it at home or at the ballpark," Hahn said. "I just think it's important for people to understand that what he does behind closed doors displays that level of passion, fire and discipline that you want to see."
One fan asked Ventura about having credibility in the 2014 clubhouse after losing 99 games in 2013, a question that doesn't really go along with Ventura's strong connection to the players expressed by the players themselves. Another fan brought up Ventura's low-key demeanor, explaining how he was trying to figure out if Ventura was the right man for the job.
"I feel I am," Ventura responded.
Based on the multi-year extension announced on Friday, the White Sox agree. Hahn jumped in to defend Ventura when his passion was questioned -- not that Ventura was offended by the inquiry. The White Sox clearly like Ventura's demeanor and process.
"Quite frankly, although it's not satisfying, perhaps from a fan standpoint, we want that handled behind closed doors," Hahn said. "It's more effective when you have that conversation one on one with a player, as opposed to airing it out in public. The [players appreciate] it and they tend to respond better to it."
Don't take Hahn's assessment as a subtle dig at previous manager Ozzie Guillen, who had a more in-your-face style. Hahn pointed out that Guillen found great managerial success, but just traveled a different road than Ventura.
"Not everybody likes every tactic or every style. Everybody will have an opinion about it," Ventura said. "I get what they're saying. You would feel probably more satisfaction if you saw somebody do it rather than hear about it. Nobody is being thrown under the bus. I'd rather do it myself and not have other people do it."
Scott Merkin is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his blog, Merk's Works, and follow him on Twitter @scottmerkin. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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Suwannee Valley Players will hold auditions for our summer youth program featuring "The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe" a play adapted from C.S. Lewis' classic.
The auditions will be held on Saturday, April 21, at 10 a.m. and Tuesday, April 24, at 7 p.m. at the Chief Theatre, 25 E Park Ave. Chiefland, FL. Participants should be between the ages of 8 and 18 and still be in school.
For additional information please view our website at www.svplayers.com or call the Suwannee Valley Players at 352-493-ARTS.
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Groene at the Legislature: Teacher absences, substitutes
Mail: Southern statues symbolize suppression
More opinion
Senate: Vote no on Graham-Cassidy health care plan
Fall: Good time to spray musk thistle in rosette stage
More Ag News
If you are taking the GED but haven't finished it, you might want to work faster.
The current version, known as the 2002 Series GED test, will be replaced with the new 2014 GED test on Jan. 2, 2014.
Those who have taken the 2002 Series GED test, but not passed all five parts, have until the end of 2013 to pass or they will need to start over again in 2014 with the new GED test in order to receive their high school credential.
We currently have about 140 students scattered throughout the Mid-Plains Community College 18-county service area who have started the GED process, but have not completed the testing, said Robin Rankin, MPCC Director of Adult Education. We want to be sure that everyone is aware of this deadline.
Rankin noted that it is not too late for individuals who have not started taking the tests to complete them before the new series goes into effect.
They have almost a whole year to complete them, she said, adding, We will add more (GED prep) classes if needed to accommodate students. Potential students may call (308) 535-3637 for an Area class listing.
According to Kathy Fickenscher, Area Career Center Coordinator/Evaluator and GED Chief Examiner at North Platte Community College, several major changes are set to take effect with the 2014 GED test.
In the new Series, there will be four tests instead of five and they will be computer-based, rather than pencil and paper as they have been in the past, she said. Also, the price of the tests will go from $10 to $30 each, making it $120 for all four tests.
Fickenscher noted that a benefit of the computer-based testing will be that testers will get immediate scoring results from all tests except Literature. On the other hand, the new tests may prove to be more challenging than those previously used.
The next real big push in education is making everyone career and college ready, she said. We have a greater percentage of people who are not college and career ready and that is truly going to hurt our workforce in the not too distant future. It is important for us to start working on those things and addressing them now.
Fickenscher said the college will be adding computer-based testing as an option in six to eight weeks. It should be noted that anyone who starts the tests using the pencil/paper version will be required to complete the tests that way. The same goes for computer-based testing.
Additionally, the fee structure will change to the new prices on April 1, 2013. Those who opt to take the GED tests this year will still be required to take five tests and MPCCs last 2002 Series GED test will be Dec. 19, 2013.
To anyone who has already started the GED test, your future is calling. By passing the GED test, you can answer that call, said Randy Trask, president and CEO of GED Testing Service. You owe it to yourself. Dont miss the chance to turn one small step into your next big opportunity in life.
For more information, contact Fickenscher at (308) 535-3621 or email email@example.com.
Flatrock Publishing, Inc.
1300 E 4th St., Suite F
North Platte, NE 69101


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Commerce City, Colo. (October 5, 2011) - Sanna Nyassi and Omar Cummings had decisions to make this week after both were called in for international duty. Nyassi was called up by The Gambia for an African Nations Cup Qualifier versus Burkina Faso in Gambia on October 8, and Cummings for a friendly in Honduras on October 11.
"Even if we win, our chances of qualifying are slim," Nyassi said of his team's outlook. "So I thought it was better to stay here and help my team make the playoffs. I think it's better to stay then to go all the way to Africa and return with tired legs. I talked to the Federation and they understood everything and said no problem."
The Gambia needs to defeat Burkina Faso in the last match of qualifying to have hope of securing one of two best runner-up spots that would put them in the tournament proper. Nyassi said that there are no flights out of Banjul, Gambia on Sunday, so the earliest he could have started the return back would have been Monday, and with the notoriously long travel that connects through Europe, he would have arrived in Colorado on Tuesday evening.
Cummings was called up last week but did not decide to join the Jamaican until this week. His situation is different since Jamaica is playing in Honduras, and travel their and back takes only one day.
"I wanted to wait to see the result of the Dallas game before deciding if I was going or not," said Cummings Tuesday after training with the Rapids. "A loss would have put us in a more difficult position. And being that our next game is against Salt Lake, it makes it extra special, so I was thinking of not going."
Following the victory over Dallas, the Rapids are now on the verge of qualifying for the playoffs and can do so with a win over Salt Lake combined with with a Portland and Houston draw next week.
Cummings left on Wednesday and is expected to be back in Colorado on October 12, as are midfielder Jeff Larentowicz, who is with the U.S. team for friendlies aganist Ecuador and Honduras, and goalkeeper Stew Ceus, who is with Haiti for World Cup qualifying matches this week.
The Rapids host Real Salt Lake on Friday, October 14 at Dick's Sporting Goods Park in the last regular season home match of the year.


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Opening Day 'just another game' for Nolasco
FORT MYERS, Fla. -- To Twins right-hander Ricky Nolasco, pitching on Opening Day will be just another start. Not that he's taking the recently assigned honor lightly; that's just how Nolasco approaches the game.
That's also exactly how he approached Sunday's Grapefruit League game against the Marlins, in which he limited Miami to two runs on seven hits over five innings, walking none for the third straight start. Despite taking the mound for the first time since being named Minnesota's Opening Day starter by manager Ron Gardenhire, Nolasco said Sunday's Spring Training outing felt no different than any other -- including that upcoming Opening Day start.
"It's just another game," Nolasco said of taking the ball for the Twins' season opener against the rival White Sox. "You don't make too much about it. You go out there and do what you got to do. Set the tempo for your team early, get them back in the dugout and try to score some runs. I don't put too much thought into it, just go out there and keep doing what I need to do."
Signed to the largest free-agent deal in club history this offseason, Nolasco is in line to make his third career Opening Day start when he makes his Twins debut on March 31. He also got the Opening Day nod as a member of the Marlins in 2009 and again last season.
Gardenhire has been impressed with what he's seen thus far out of the 31-year-old right-hander, including the way Nolasco settled in on Sunday. The righty ran into some early trouble against his former team when he allowed three straight hits to start the second inning, the last of which was an RBI bunt single by Reed Johnson that put the Marlins ahead, 1-0.
Nolasco, however, quickly escaped the jam with a double play ball and another groundout, limiting the Marlins to just one run. He eventually retired seven of the final eight batters he faced, including two of the last four via strikeouts.
"He just goes about his business. He knows what he's doing there," Gardenhire said. "Nolasco is fine. We don't worry about him too much, just does his thing."
Including Sunday's outing, Nolasco has a 3.27 ERA through three Grapefruit League starts with the Twins. He's allowed four runs on 13 hits over 11 innings, and he has yet to walk a batter, while notching five strikeouts.
Paul Casella is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @paul_casella. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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19 fun car road trip activities
Turn an ordinary drive into a world of fun adventures and possibilities. more
After an unconscious casualty's airway is cleared, the next step is to check for signs of life including whether or not the casualty is breathing (more then the occasional gasp.) This is done by the "LOOK, LISTEN, FEEL" method:
Do this for 10 seconds.
If the casualty IS breathing:
If the casualty is NOT breathing:
Give this casualty two rescue breaths. This differs depending on age.
Remember, you should feel the casualty's expired air, and as they do this you should be turning your head to the side to get a fresh breath of air.
Double-check the breathing by the "LOOK, LISTEN, FEEL" method once again and re-assess.
This has changed for those used to checking the pulse ("circulation") at this point. There is no need to check a casualty's circulation as this has been proven to be too much room for life-threatening error.
If a casualty is unconscious with no breathing, start compressions immediately:
The next step is regardless of age:
After the 30 compressions, give two more breaths of air, being mindful of casualty's age determining head tilt and breath.
Continue this cycle of 30 compressions, 2 breaths (the ratio of 30:2) until the ambulance not only arrives, but physically takes over from you.
Fibrillation is a life threatening condition in which the heart beats so fast that the casualty doesn't have adequate circulation to sustain life, therefore they become unconscious with no breathing. It is rarely associated with babies and children.
Defibrillation is when an AED machine (Automatic External Defibrillator) is used to increase the chance of survival for a casualty suffering fibrillation. The AED is now available in many public places, therefore formal training for using an AED is encouraged.
ANY ATTEMPT AT RESUSCITATION IS BETTER THEN NO ATTEMPT - Australian Resuscitation Council.
This article was supplied by Little Aid, which provides first aid training for parents, grandparents and babysitters.
Last revised: Monday, 28 July 2008
This article contains general information only and is not intended to replace advice from a qualified health professional.


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Hotel Auberge Van Strombeek
Real Reviews
Real reviews from fellow travellers
These are trusted reviews from guests who have actually stayed here. We hope you find them helpful.
Note: we only give a property a rating once it has received a minimum of 3 reviews.
- Page:1/1
- " In the bathroom there was no soap,towel or toiletpaper. Rooms can be more colorful. Now, like a hospital "
- 01 Jul 2012 Melek


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Email firstname.lastname@example.com: 1-856-461-8883
Free Shippingon all orders $60 or more!*
You have 0 item(s) in your cart worth $0.00
These eye-catching puzzles come in boxes designed to look like
antique books and, just like with a good book, the adventure begins inside!
Made using 100% post-consumer, recycled content. Printed with soy based inks. Puzzles and packaging are finished with a water based coating for gloss and protection in an earth friendly manner. Pieces come in a biodegradable storage bag.


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Topic: If you have questions about extrahepaticCCA ie:stents &related problem
I will go to DDW convention this weekend, This is a convention that GI specialist most often learn the NEW technology,products and ideas in the GI field.And it is more related to the biliary system,colon ,pancreas and upper GI .
Stents , ERCP,EUS Surgical procedure like liver resection and Whipple procedure ,complimentary and alternative (CAM) will also feature as topic for seminars .
If you have a specific question that you cannot be answered by your GI doctor or anything related to the biliarysystem ,I will try to ask the presenters for you if the chance comes up.(normally I will do go upfront at the end of the seminar if the speaker will have a Q&A moment available or I just wait for the chance to come if Q&A is not available).
If so, please make your question short and specific and in one sentence.
I cannot guarantee I can have the answer for you; but it doesn't hurt to try either,right?
God bless.


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Adventure runs evoke instinctual ties to humankind's primate ancestors, such as climbing, running, and drinking mud as a natural milk shake. Channel your inner beast with this Groupon.
$55 for Entry to Obstacle-Course Race (Up to $150 Value)
Choose between two dates: Saturday, April 13, beginning at 9 a.m. Sunday, April 14, beginning at 10 a.m. Each entry includes:
- Bib and bag
- Race T-shirt
- Wristband
- A free beer for of-age racers
- After-party entry<p>
The Gladiator Assault Challenge kicks off at Grand Geneva, sending participants aged 18 and older through a 5- to 7-mile course littered with obstacles and mud. Teens aged 16–17 may participate with a waiver signed by a parent or guardian. Registration must be completed two weeks before the event. See the FAQ page for further information.
Gladiator Assault Challenge
The Gladiator Assault Challenge confronts racers with a 7-mile course surrounded by scenic woodlands, cheering spectators, and 30 intense military training obstacles. Gladiators aged 18 and older go solo or join forces with other competitors to ford the waist-high waters of Mud Mayhem, rope-swing through Jungle Love, and use oversize novelty scissors to break the finish tape. Additional obstacles test physical stamina with 12-foot vertical walls, fallen trees, and cargo nets that act as moats blocking the finish line. After the Slideway ushers racers to a skidding finish, a complimentary beer and raucous after party lend ample time to scrawl "wash me" on opponents' backs.


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Expert publishing blog opinions are solely those of the blogger and not necessarily endorsed by DBW.
This article was written for the program book distributed for participants of Publishers Launch: Children's Publishing Goes Digital, a full-day conference addressing the digital opportunities and challenges for children's publishers as ereading tablets take off.
McGraw Hill auditorium, New York, NY, January 15, 2013
The children's book business is changing – so much so that it might not be completely accurate to call it a "book business." Between apps, enhanced ebooks and online social communities (see: 39 Clues), just to name a few of the new kinds of products children's book publishers are producing, it might better be called the "children's content business."
Whatever you call it, it has given rise to a new kind of children's author. In fact, we may not even want to continue calling them simply authors. They're designers, developers, technologists, and producers. They're creating digital experiences for children that are native to tablet computers, smartphones, and the Web. I propose we call them "children's content creators," or perhaps something a bit less antiseptic like "children's artists."
It's never been a better time than now to be a children's artist. Growth in children's ebooks has lagged behind growth for adult trade ebooks but it seems to be catching up in 2012. According to the latest data available from the Association of American Publishers, children's ebook revenues are up nearly 200% in 2012 and are on pace to get close to $300 million—similar to the size and growth curve for adult trade ebooks in 2010. And with a holiday season in which 40% of parents with e-reading children say they're going to buy them a new e-reading device and 66% of them are going to buy them digital content, the growth is sure to continue.
One of the pioneers in working with the new breed of children's book authors is Eric Huang, Penguin UK's publishing director for media and entertainment. We sat down with Eric in late November 2012 to ask him what makes these authors different, whether the content they produce will be profitable, and what happened to the old breed of children's book authors.
Jeremy Greenfield: Tell me about the new breed of children's authors. Who are they? Where do they come from? What makes them different?
Eric Huang: The new breed of children's picture book authors are animators and developers by training. The deliverables five years ago were mainly illustrations, manuscript, photography, paper engineering, and so on. Today, these new authors also deliver animation, composed music, code—often working alongside a traditional illustrator and author. Many developers and animators have mates who are already published, and they team up as these new author pairs.
JG: Why do we have this new breed?
EH: I think it's because the next generation of artists and writers were born in a world that always had the internet and the web. And they've grown up with smartphones and are naturally curious about storytelling in this medium.
JG: How does Penguin work with them differently?
EH: We actually work with them in a very similar way. It's just the deliverables that are different and what the editors and designers review is different, too. It's still about great storytelling, artwork, design—but now there's sound, game mechanics, and moving pictures, too.
JG: Are any among this new breed being rewarded for their added skills? That is, are these enhanced children's books selling?
EH: Picture book apps are selling, but most of our digital-first picture books are launching from this Christmas (2012) onwards, so we'll see—although I'm confident there is a market.
JG: Do you see sales increasing for these kinds of books soon?
EH: I do! The people currently making money from app books are gamers and developers. The consumer appetite will increase due to the increase of tablets being purchased for kids for family entertainment.
JG: Is the narrative structure for traditional children's books the same or different from those in the newer products and other digital content like video games?
EH: The narrative structure is essentially the same in both digital and physical storybooks. What's different is how the story is told. In digital picture books—apps and illustrated ones—there needs to be more consideration of what is shown (animated) versus what is said (written text). Also, in digital storybooks, you have a unique component: music. It can help set mood and tone that in a physical book you can only do with copy and static art.
JG: How are publishers dealing with the increase in complexity of these projects?
EH: They're only more complex in that they require new skills, and new ways of approaching storytelling. I do believe that our editors and designers have the skills to be able to look critically at ideas and be rigorous about creative decisions. It's about being a discerning consumer. Plus, we partner with people who live and breathe animation, digital storytelling, etc. whom we learn from.
JG: How has the rise of digital affected what children's authors need to be thinking about and doing?
EH: A lot of new authors and illustrators are coming to us with a passion for digital storytelling. Many of them are multi-disciplined and can write, illustrate, code and animate. It's these people who are naturally interested in stories beyond format that we have been signing up. But there is still plenty of room for traditional writers and illustrators. It's been fun pairing up an illustrator with an animator and writers with developers.
JG: Can you give me an example?
EH: A great example is Edmund and Cecilie, a picture book brand we're launching next year as an app first. The brand was created by Matt Howarth (animator/developer) and Chris Mould (published children's illustrator and writer). They're mates, and together they had an idea for a digital storybook that was a reading experience first and foremost, but heavily animated with simple gaming mechanics. This type of pairing is the typical team in our new media age.
JG: Is there a new children's literature? A new kind of kid reader?
EH: I don't think there's a new reader per se, but I think the definition of what makes a book is changing to include more interactive elements. But the format is still in its infancy. There's loads to be done about the balance of reading content versus gaming content, animation versus copy, etc.
JG: What about the old breed of children's authors? Where do they go?
EH: They still are at the heart of what we publish. Many authors of physical picture books are being paired up with developers and animators to create new titles for tablets and mobile phones.
JG: What is the future for children's authors?
EH: I think the future is very bright for children's authors. Tablets and mobile offer so many more opportunities for storytelling and great ideas!
This article was written for the program book distributed for participants of Publishers Launch: Children's Publishing Goes Digital, a full-day conference addressing the digital opportunities and challenges for children's publishers as ereading tablets take off.
McGraw Hill auditorium, New York, NY, January 15, 2013


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Topic: You KNEW I was going to post today...
Hello everyone!
Today is a very special day. Three years ago I had surgery for cholangiocarcinoma and here I am today, strong, healthy and cancer-free. Take time today to send up a thanks for all of your blessings. In my case, thank you to my family (special thanks to Janis, my sister-in-law who's help saved my life), my friends, Dr. Hector, Dr. Mary and,... especially, my husband who has taken such good care of me for many years, not just when I was sick.
Stay strong in the fight and know that there is GOOD news among our CC family. Thank you to all of you who have helped me fight for my life. You all have helped me keep what sanity I do actually have left!
Hugs to all,


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The Dallas Cowboys have fired defensive coordinator Rob Ryan after two seasons with the team, according to multiple reports.
Ryan had one year left on a three-year contract, according to ESPNDallas.com.
"At this time, the decision has been made to move forward in a different direction philosophically on defense," Cowboys coach Jason Garrett said in a statement. "I have an immense amount of respect for Rob as a person and as a football coach."
Dallas ranked 19th in the NFL in total defense in 2012 and gave up 25 points per game, the ninth-highest average in the league.
"I inherited a team that was 31st in the league in defense and made them better," Ryan told ESPNDallas.com. "I (expletive) made them a hell of a lot better. I'll be out of work for like five minutes."
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones had promised changes to the team after Dallas lost in the final week of the regular season with a chance to win the NFC East and make the playoffs. It was the second time in as many years that happened to the Cowboys.
Ryan has served as a defensive coordinator in Dallas, Cleveland (2009-10) and Oakland (2004-08). Could the fiery defensive coach team up with his brother, Rex, in New York?
FoxSports.com's Jay Glazer reports that Rex will not be hiring his twin brother.
The Jets are expected to tab defensive backs coach Dennis Thurman as the new defensive coordinator, according to multiple reports. He will replace Mike Pettine, who will not be brought back after four seasons with the team.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.


text: Online schooling seems to be the buzzword around public schools nationwide. Oklahoma state superintendent Janet Barresi (R) has mandated that every school K-12 offer at least 5 courses online. These courses will be accessible at home by students, effectively allowing them to stay at home and still gain credits toward a diploma. I ask: How … Continue reading


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Cyprus, EU Work on Bank Contingency Plans
European Central Bank Reaffirms Role as Last-Resort Lender, but Aid Seen as Hinging on Passage of Bank-Deposit Tax
NICOSIA, Cyprus—The Cyprus government was working with European officials on contingency plans to keep the island's teetering financial system afloat in case of a crippling outflow of deposits when the island's banks reopen after an extended bank holiday.
But analysts weren't expecting the same help to come if Cyprus rejects its portion of a bailout deal, as its parliament effectively did on Tuesday by resoundingly defeating a plan to raise its €5.8 billion share from a levy on bank depositors. Imposing costs on bank...


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Please read the attached for the strange description of Brahma.
Are these Buddha's teaching?
Is this, this world or another world?
But in the Brahma world or Rūpāvacara Loka three are
missing. They are nose-base, tongue-base and body-base.
Those who practise Jhāna must keep themselves from senseobjects.
Those who practise Jhāna actually must keep
themselves dispassioned towards sense-objects. When they
are dispassioned towards sense-objects or have no interest in
sense-objects, they also have no interest in the organs that
take those sense-objects as object. So ordinarily we must say
that they are not interested in any of the sense-objects. This
case is not that way. They are not interested in the noseconsciousness,
tongue-consciousness, body-consciousness
because they perpetuate or are conducive to the growth of
Lobha, Dosa and Moha, the mental defilements. They are
interested in seeing and hearing because with eyes they can
see the Buddha and with ears they can hear the Dhamma. For
seeing the Buddha and hearing the Dhamma they leave these
two intact. When they are reborn as Brahmas, these three
sensitivities of nose, tongue and body are not produced. They
are reborn without these three kinds of sensitivity.
That doesnot mean that Brahmas do not have noses, tongues and
bodies. They have noses, tongues and bodies, but they lack
sensitivity. So they do not experience smell. They do not
experience taste. They do not experience touch. They do have
bodies more or less like human beings. So they have noses.
They have tongues or else they could not talk. They have
bodies. Since they lack sensitivity in these organs, they do not
have the senses of smell, taste and touch. These three are
missing in the Brahmas. That is Rūpāvacara Brahmas.
Page 421.
http://buddhispano.net/sites/default/fi ... dies-I.pdf


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Title: Lucien L. Nunn papers, Creator: Lucien L. Nunn,
Inclusive dates: [ca.
ca.53 cubic ft.Correspondence; photographs and negatives; maps,
blueprints, and specifications; clippings; addresses and lectures; printed material;
reports; constitution, by-laws, and amendments; financial records; applications;
minutes; and other papers.Abstract:: Papers documenting the career of Lucien L. Nunn.
Call number: 37-4-1770Language: Collection material in EnglishRepository: Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections, Cornell
University Library
Papers documenting the career of Lucien L. Nunn.
©2016 Division of Rare & Manuscript Collections


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Question for the Money Doctors
Question submitted on Mar 10, 2013.
QuestionActually, the question is not for me personally but in regards to buying retirement time. A family member can add years to their pension at the public entity they work. At this time, they have about 25-26 years into the job and would like to retire with 30yrs but working 4-5 more years is looking dicey. They can buy the 4-5 years to make it an even 30year work and qualify for a 30yr pension. Their only problem, they do not have the money the public pension says they need ~140,000 to buy the time. The family member plans to borrow the money to pay for it. Is this a sound investment on their part? Also, they owe over 450000 on their mortgage and have no other retirement savings. Additionally, the public entity the family member works for did not contribute to social security on their behalf. I guess this is legal for public entities so the only source of income will be the pension. Additionally, their salary is 100k per year before over-time which bumps them up to ~$125K
It depends. Alot more information is needed to access properly. Like mortgage is 450K but is the house worth 3 million or 300K as an example of missing information. Health of the potential retiree? etc..
Wish I could help more but much deeper data is needed. Please submit additional information and we will try to answer your question.
For additional information visit http://www.360financialliteracy.org/


text: The Enomalism Virtualized Management Dashboard (VMD) is a powerful open source, web-based virtual machine manager for the XEN hypervisor. Designed to answer the challenges of fragmented hosting environments, Enomalism provides an easy to use interface to provision hundreds of concurrent isolated servers using the Enomalism Virtualized Grid environment and the Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2). Multiple physical servers can be managed as a single server using a specialized tool set which include a centralized user provisioning system, virtualized server creation wizard and templates which facilitate virtual server configuration, application deployment mechanism, and integration into 3rd party applications via web services API as well as centralized software patch management.


text: This doesn't surprise me at all. I have been following this story for ages and have come away with the same impression KJ is a really bright guy. I like the As quite a bit and listen to a lot of bay area sports talk like the Grant Napear show. KJ is a very good talker and does what he says. When he speaks you listen and you believe it him. He would be a great head coach in basketball because his positive vibe is contagious, he is sincere in his speech that is why I believe he could get players to run through a wall for him. I would court him as a coach after his term is up. He has a very Frank Vogel like vibe.This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote


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Newt Gingrich is always talkative, usually provocative — and occasionally right.
Last Sunday on NBC's Meet the Press, the former House speaker and current presidential candidate took a swipe at Wisconsin Republican Rep. Paul Ryan's plan to essentially privatize Medicare and turn the entitlement into a voucher system.
"I don't think right-wing social engineering is any more desirable than left-wing social engineering... I think we need a national conversation to get to a better Medicare system with more choices for seniors,'' Gingrich said. "I am against Obamacare, which is imposing radical change, and I would be against a conservative imposing radical change.''
Ryan is the 2011 version of the 1994 Gingrich, the bright idea guy and the architect of the budget blueprint for conservative Republicans. In a meeting with the St. Petersburg Times editorial board last year, Gingrich called Ryan "the most sophisticated all-around reformer in the Republican Party." Even though it is entirely accurate to call Ryan's Medicare proposal radical, that was too much truth for Republicans.
By Tuesday, Gingrich was forced to apologize to Ryan and quell the uproar. He even claimed on Fox News that anyone quoting his original quotes would be misquoting him because he made a mistake. Sorry, Newt, I couldn't resist.
Gingrich has a habit of making bold statements and retracting them. But this dustup also illustrates the ridiculous rigidity of what passes for political debate. Mitt Romney is in even worse shape than Gingrich. His effort to distinguish the health care reforms he oversaw as governor of Massachusetts from President Barack Obama's similar national reforms is pretzel logic no one buys — particularly the Republican conservatives he desperately needs as he mounts his second run for president. As the uninspiring Republican field lumbers toward the Iowa caucuses, there is no room for dissent or even debate that might upset the tea party wing.
Republicans aren't alone in their intolerance for views that don't parrot the party line. In an ugly incident in the Florida Legislature this year, Rep. Daphne Campbell of Miami was harassed by at least one Democratic colleague for supporting new abortion restrictions. A difference in deeply personal opinion escalated into a fight with racial and gender bias overtones, and the intransigence on all sides reflected the intolerance that infects state and national politics.
It seems everyone is a sworn enemy of anyone with a different viewpoint, and there is no one searching for the middle ground in Tallahassee or Washington. Both political parties are too often held hostage by their most extreme elements, and there is little consensus building within their own ranks — much less reaching across the aisle. Democrats have been shut out in Tallahassee by perhaps the most conservative governor and Legislature in modern times. In Washington, even the Senate's bipartisan Gang of Six appears to be failing after negotiating a deficit reduction plan for months.
Amid the gloom, I found two small rays of hope last week in a Democratic member of Congress from Tampa and Republican voters from Jacksonville.
In a frank discussion with the Times editorial board, Rep. Kathy Castor recited the Democratic Party line about the fight over raising the federal debt ceiling. She said any plan for automatic triggers to reduce the federal deficit if Congress does not act on its own should include both spending cuts and revenue increases. But Castor went on to say that to raise revenue, she would be willing to explore limiting or phasing out the tax deduction for home mortgage interest as part of a broad deficit reduction plan. Similarly, she also would explore capping or phasing out the tax exclusion on employer-provided health insurance. In another era, Democrats wouldn't dare to raise either issue. But we're in different times, and Castor's moderate pragmatism reflects the sorts of discussions we all should be having about tough choices.
The bigger news came in generally conservative Jacksonville, which elected a Democrat as mayor for the first time in 20 years. Alvin Brown stitched together a coalition of Democrats and moderate Republicans to narrowly upset conservative Republican Mike Hogan, who was backed by the tea party movement and Gov. Rick Scott. Brown, who also becomes the city's first African-American mayor, ran as a centrist and focused on job creation. A Florida Times-Union analysis found Brown ran up large margins in Democratic precincts, won some precincts a more moderate Republican won in the primary, and kept it closer in precincts Hogan won.
Gingrich and Romney are grappling with the extreme ideologues in the Republican Party, and I wouldn't bet on either of them making it to the 2012 national party convention in Tampa to accept the Republican nomination for president. But in Florida, there is at least a glimmer of hope that pragmatic moderates are not extinct — at least outside Tallahassee.


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Internships are extremely important for students pursuing careers in Communication. The School of Communication & Multimedia Studies at Florida Atlantic University has a diverse internship program to allow students to gain practical experience in a wide range of communication-related fields. The internships are designed to enrich the curriculum and to assist students in exploring various career options.
COM 3945 - Communication Internship - is a three credit course offered during the fall and spring semesters. COM3945 is a majors only course that can be used in the Contexts section of the Communication Studies major and in the Production and Focus sections of the Multimedia Studies major. Summer internships, for elective credit, can be arranged through the Cooperative Education Internship Program located in the Career Development Center.
Internships for credit are subject to the policy guidelines adopted by the School's faculty, explained below. Studentsmust first meet the eligibility requirements to qualify for admission to the program. Enrollment in COM 3945, Communication Internship, is a privilege reserved for majors who distinguish themselves as above-average students. The School is able to procure better quality placements because employers are interested in carefully pre-screened candidates. Participation is based upon academic merit, not merely undergraduate longevity. Limited enrollment allows for careful internship supervision.
Attendance at an internship workshop is mandatory for all students interested in pursuing internship placements. Eligible students will be formally enrolled for credit hours in COM 3945 only after attending the appropriate workshop.
The internship program offers placements in media industries that match the goals of the BA in Multimedia Studies, and community organizations and not-for-profit agencies that match the goals of the BA in Communication Studies.
The dates of the Fall 2016 internship workshops will be announced soon.
No reservation is required to attend a workshop.
Please carefully read the following links; they contain important information for prospective interns:
* Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader.


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Long-liquidation reversed early-Friday corn gains. The Black Sea situation, sustained export strength and U.S. dollar weakness boosted the grain and soy markets Thursday night. However, the greenback bounced in response to the monthly U.S. Employment report and appeared to trigger active profit-taking by bulls ahead of the weekend and Monday's WASDE report. The week-ending breakdown was not encouraging. May corn settled 2.0 cents lower at $4.89/bushel Friday afternoon, while December lost 4.5 to $4.8475.
The soy complex bounced from midmorning lows. The export, geopolitical and currency issues that powered grain prices higher overnight did so for soybean and product prices as well. The complex also suffered a sharp midmorning reversal on pre-weekend and pre-report long-liquidation. However, beans and meal rebounded again by late morning, whereas the oil market proved unable to get off the floor. The strong end to the week's trading was impressive. May soybeans surged 19.75 cents to $14.5775/bushel at their Friday settlement, while May soyoil slid 0.17 cents to 44.32 cents/pound, and May soymeal advanced $6.9 to $457.8/ton.
The wheat markets also rebounded from early Friday lows. Events on the Black Sea are rather obviously causing concerns about the availability of grain supplies from that region. Less than ideal conditions in several regions, particularly the U.S. southern Plains, probably spurred early buying as well. The wheat markets also suffered a midmorning bout of aggressive profit-taking, but rebounded from those lows and closed strongly. May CBOT wheat futures bounced 8.0 cents to $6.54/bushel in late Friday action, while May KCBT wheat futures vaulted 8.0 cents to $7.2125, and May MWE futures ran up 9.75 at $7.05.
Talk of persistent wholesale strength boosted cattle futures. News that cash prices had suffered a significant decline despite concurrent wholesale gains depressed cattle futures around midweek. However, belated talk of persistent beef gains reportedly enabled CME prices to rebound from Thursday night lows. April cattle futures moved up 0.10 cents to 143.23 cents/pound as CME trading ended Friday, while August rallied 0.70 cents to 133.85. Meanwhile, April feeder cattle climbed 0.85 cents to 173.65 cents/pound, and August gained 0.65 to 176.07.
Hog futures remained quite strong into the weekend. Talk of sharply reduced hog slaughter this week and in the coming weeks greatly encouraged bullish hog traders this week. CME futures reacted well to the latest news Thursday night, but struggled to maintain their upward momentum into the close. April hogs advanced 0.60 cents to 113.00 cents/pound at Friday's close, while June added 1.15 to 120.50.
Cotton futures turned downward from Thursday night highs. Thursday's Export Sales report seemingly set the stage for the subsequent technical breakout to fresh nine-month highs. The market built upon those gains early Friday morning, but couldn't sustain the advance. Profit-taking and position-squaring ahead of the weekend and Monday's monthly WASDE report seemed to trigger the midsession reversal. May cotton ended the week having dipped 0.34 cents to 91.27 cents/pound Friday, while December cotton tumbled 0.23 cents to 79.32.