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This directory contains the OSS sequencer emulation driver on ALSA. Note that this program is still in the development state. What this does - it provides the emulation of the OSS sequencer, access via /dev/sequencer and /dev/music devices. However, the /dev/sequencer device only works for output (playback); it is broken for input such as recording from MIDI keyboards (see bugs below). The most of applications using OSS can run if the appropriate ALSA sequencer is prepared.
The following features are emulated by this driver:
Furthermore, you can find the following advanced features:
Run configure script with both sequencer support (--with-sequencer=yes) and OSS emulation (--with-oss=yes) options. A module snd-seq-oss.o will be created. If the synth module of your sound card supports for OSS emulation (so far, only Emu8000 driver), this module will be loaded automatically. Otherwise, you need to load this module manually. At beginning, this module probes all the MIDI ports which have been already connected to the sequencer. Once after that, the creation and deletion of ports are watched by announcement mechanism of ALSA sequencer. The available synth and MIDI devices can be found in proc interface. Run cat /proc/asound/seq/oss, and check the devices. For example, if you use an AWE64 card, you'll see like the following:
OSS sequencer emulation version 0.1.8
ALSA client number 63
ALSA receiver port 0
Number of applications: 0
Number of synth devices: 1
synth 0: [EMU8000]
type 0x1 : subtype 0x20 : voices 32
capabilties : ioctl enabled / load_patch enabled
Number of MIDI devices: 3
midi 0: [Emu8000 Port-0] ALSA port 65:0
capability write / opened none
midi 1: [Emu8000 Port-1] ALSA port 65:1
capability write / opened none
midi 2: [0: MPU-401 (UART)] ALSA port 64:0
capability read/write / opened none
Note that the device number may be different from the information of /proc/asound/oss-devices or ones of the original OSS driver. Use the device number listed in /proc/asound/seq/oss to play via OSS sequencer emulation.
Run your favorite program. I've tested playmidi, awemidi, gmod and xmp. You can load samples via /dev/sequencer like sfxload, too. If the lowlevel driver supports multiple access to synth devices (like Emu8000 driver), two or more applications are allowed to run at the same time.
So far, only MIDI output was tested. MIDI input was not checked at all, but hopefully it will work. Use the device number listed in /proc/asound/seq/oss. Be aware that these numbers are mostly different from the list in /proc/asound/oss-devices.
The following module options are available:
OSS sequencer emulation uses an ALSA priority queue. The events from /dev/sequencer are processed and put onto the queue specified by module option. All the events from /dev/sequencer are parsed at beginning. The timing events are also parsed at this moment, so that the events may be processed in real-time. Sending an event ABSTIME 0 switches the operation mode to real-time mode, and sending an event RELTIME 0 switches it off. In the real-time mode, all events are dispatched immediately. The queued events are dispatched to the corresponding ALSA sequencer ports after scheduled time by ALSA sequencer dispatcher. If the write-queue is full, the application sleeps until a certain amount (as default one half) becomes empty in blocking mode. The synchronization to write timing was implemented, too. The input from MIDI devices or echo-back events are stored on read FIFO queue. If application reads /dev/sequencer in blocking mode, the process will be awaked.
To register an OSS synthesizer device, use snd_seq_oss_synth_register function.
int snd_seq_oss_synth_register(
char *name, int type, int subtype, int nvoices,
snd_seq_oss_callback_t *oper, void *private_data)
The arguments name, type, subtype and nvoices are used for making the appropriate synth_info structure for ioctl. The return value is an index number of this device. This index must be remembered for unregister. If registration is failed, -errno will be returned. To release this device, call snd_seq_oss_synth_unregister function:
int snd_seq_oss_synth_unregister(int index),
where the index is the index number returned by register function.
OSS synthesizer devices have capability for sample downloading and ioctls like sample reset. In OSS emulation, these special features are realized by using callbacks. The registration argument oper is used to specify these callbacks. The following callback functions must be defined:
int (*open)(snd_seq_oss_arg_t *p, void *closure);
int (*close)(snd_seq_oss_arg_t *p);
int (*ioctl)(snd_seq_oss_arg_t *p, unsigned int cmd,
unsigned long arg);
int (*load_patch)(snd_seq_oss_arg_t *p, int format,
const char *buf, int offs, int count);
int (*reset)(snd_seq_oss_arg_t *p);
Except for open and close callbacks, they are allowed to be NULL. Each callback function takes the argument type snd_seq_oss_arg_t as the first argument.
struct snd_seq_oss_arg_t {
int app_index;
int file_mode;
int seq_mode;
snd_seq_addr_t addr;
void *private_data;
int event_passing;
The first three fields, app_index, file_mode and seq_mode are initialized by OSS sequencer. The app_index is the application index which is unique to each application opening OSS sequencer. The file_mode is bit-flags indicating the file operation mode. See seq_oss.h for its meaning. The seq_mode is sequencer operation mode. In the current version, only SND_OSSSEQ_MODE_SYNTH is used. The next two fields, addr and private_data, must be filled by the synth driver at open callback. The addr contains the address of ALSA sequencer port which is assigned to this device. If the driver allocates memory for private_data, it must be released in close callback by itself. The last field, event_passing, indicates how to translate note-on/off events. In PROCESS_EVENTS mode, the note 255 is regarded as velocity change, and key pressure event is passed to the port. In PASS_EVENTS mode, all note on/off events are passed to the port without modified. PROCESS_KEYPRESS mode checks the note above 128 and regards it as key pressure event (mainly for Emu8000 driver).
The open is called at each time this device is opened by an application using OSS sequencer. This must not be NULL. Typically, the open callback does the following procedure:
Note that the type bit-flags in port_info of this synth port must NOT contain TYPE_MIDI_GENERIC bit. Instead, TYPE_SPECIFIC should be used. Also, CAP_SUBSCRIPTION bit should NOT be included, too. This is necessary to tell it from other normal MIDI devices. If the open procedure succeeded, return zero. Otherwise, return -errno.
The ioctl callback is called when the sequencer receives device-specific ioctls. The following two ioctls should be processed by this callback:
The other ioctls are processed inside the sequencer without passing to the lowlevel driver.
The load_patch callback is used for sample-downloading. This callback must read the data on user-space and transfer to each device. Return 0 if succeeded, and -errno if failed. The format argument is the patch key in patch_info record. The buf is user-space pointer where patch_info record is stored. The offs can be ignored. The count is total data size of this sample data.
The close callback is called when this device is closed by the applicaion. If any private data was allocated in open callback, it must be released in the close callback. The deletion of ALSA port should be done here, too. This callback must not be NULL.
The reset callback is called when sequencer device is reset or closed by applications. The callback should turn off the sounds on the relevant port immediately, and initialize the status of the port. If this callback is undefined, OSS seq sends a HEARTBEAT event to the port.
Most of the events are processed by sequencer and translated to the adequate ALSA sequencer events, so that each synth device can receive by input_event callback of ALSA sequencer port. The following ALSA events should be implemented by the driver:
ALSA event Original OSS events
SEQ_BALANCE (with CTL_PAN)
The most of these behavior can be realized by MIDI emulation driver included in the Emu8000 lowlevel driver. In the future release, this module will be independent. Some OSS events (SEQ_PRIVATE and SEQ_VOLUME events) are passed as event type SND_SEQ_OSS_PRIVATE. The OSS sequencer passes these event 8 byte packets without any modification. The lowlevel driver should process these events appropriately.
Since the OSS emulation probes the creation and deletion of ALSA MIDI sequencer ports automatically by receiving announcement from ALSA sequencer, the MIDI devices don't need to be registered explicitly like synth devices. However, the MIDI port_info registered to ALSA sequencer must include a group name SND_SEQ_GROUP_DEVICE and a capability-bit CAP_READ or CAP_WRITE. Also, subscription capabilities, CAP_SUBS_READ or CAP_SUBS_WRITE, must be defined, too. If these conditions are not satisfied, the port is not registered as OSS sequencer MIDI device. The events via MIDI devices are parsed in OSS sequencer and converted to the corresponding ALSA sequencer events. The input from MIDI sequencer is also converted to MIDI byte events by OSS sequencer. This works just a reverse way of seq_midi module.
Retrieved from "http://alsa.opensrc.org/OSS_Sequencer_Emulation"
Categories: OSS | MIDI


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As the Northeast cleans up from Hurricane Sandy's destruction, produce distributors and retailers are working to return to normal operations.
Truck drivers encounter closed and flooded roads, detours, downed power lines and fuel rationing.
Like all other Tri-State region homes and businesses, supermarkets saw power outages and distributors say normal operations for the overall region may not return for up to 15 days after the Oct. 29-30 superstorm devastated parts of the New York metropolitan area and New Jersey.
Parsippany, N.J.-based Kings Super Markets Inc. initially lost power in 17 of its 25 New Jersey, Long Island and Connecticut stores.
Paul Kneeland, vice president of produce, seafood and floral, said employees spent most of their time cleaning stores and discarding perishables and within three days returned to an 80% restocking rate.
The storm closed most Kings stores but some remained open providing firewood, water, peanut butter, bananas and other non-refrigerated items.
Kings stores ran on generators but came close to running out of fuel, Kneeland said.
"Our goal was to get stores open as quickly as possible to serve our communities with basic necessities," he said Nov. 6. "From a community standpoint, it was important for us to keep our stores open. We did a lot of things that we were thinking would be necessary from what a hurricane victim would need. All our associates really jumped in."
The storm disrupted wholesale distribution and Kneeland said his stores worked to time daily shipments to keep the pipeline filled.
Kneeland said he expects Kings stores to return to about 95% of operations by Nov. 8.
Joe Granata, director of produce for West Caldwell, N.J.-based RLB Food Distributors LP, said the hurricane caused many distribution and replenishment challenges.
"We just can't get enough stuff back into the pipeline quick enough," he said Nov. 7. "As fast as it's coming in, it's coming out as fast and the stores are putting it up fast. With another storm on top of it, everyone's just panicking now. The customers are buying fast."
Granata said many Tri-State area stores remain powered through generators but said his own home doesn't have power.
He said the storm's five-foot waves destroyed many Staten Island and Brooklyn stores.
Easy-to-eat produce, including bananas, grapes and clementines, remained in high demand.
Granata estimates 85% of his customers are back in operation, though said he damage prevents distribution to a Staten Island store and cites an Atlantic City, N.J., store that was destroyed.
As 45% of the region's gas stations remain without power, Joel Panagakos, sales ambassador for J. Kings Foodservice Professionals Inc., Holtsville, N.Y., said the fuel disruptions prompted the distributor to abandon traditional delivery windows and save fuel by sending product on straight line deliveries.
The Long Island-based J. Kings also provided cold storage for hospital and healthcare institutional customers.
Expecting trouble with refrigeration, healthcare institution customers brought perishables to J. Kings' warehouse ahead of the storm, and in early November, Panagakos said J. Kings was providing cold storage by parking 25% of its 85 delivery trucks at customers' operations.
Panagakos said J. Kings also produced emergency meals, home meal replacements and box lunches for the Red Cross and area hospitals.
West Coast produce deliveries weren't hampered and Panagakos said the distributor was able to deliver to most customers after the storm disrupted distribution during its first three days.
"The biggest concern is when you put all the effort into selecting, loading and delivering an order," he said. "If someone isn't there when you arrive, for whatever reason, you have to bring that order back and have all the work involved. We've been doing a lot of phone work with customers to make sure everything is good at their location before we ship. We've had storms but never to this extent."
Panagakos said the storm flooded many areas of Long Island which remain without power and said soldiers are guarding the area to prevent looting.

subset: commoncrawl


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Men's Asics Onitsuka Tiger Tokuten Casual Shoes
Select a size above
Size Chart
Buy Online & Pick Up In-Store
Check Availability at stores near you.
Product Details
Wear them to your indoor soccer game, or just wear them as some casual kicks to go the movies in, the Asics Onitsuka Tiger Tokuten Shoes have a great look for versatile occasions.
Feet will stay totally comfortable thanks to the leather construction and rubber cupsole by the heel, talk about a performance fit. Their style is also something to talk about, as the retro, laid back look of these shoes will prove that you know what's in.
- UPPER: Leather with suede overlays
- MIDSOLE: Two-tone EVA
- OUTSOLE: Rubber


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Panthor, Orko, and Keldor...
For a great selection of action figures and collectibles, check out BigBadToyStore.com, BriansToys.com, ToyWiz.com, SmallJoes.com, PastGenerationToys.com, Urban-Collector.com, ZoloWorld.com, MonkeyDepot.com, HobbyLinkJapan.com, and Sekaido.com.
For a great selection of pop culture t-shirts and apparel, check out TShirtGurus.com and 80sTees.com.
The two half swords that come with Keldor do not stay in his hands very well because of how thin they are. Is there any possibility you could release two identical full swords in a future weapons pack which will work better with the character.
As expected, Keldor sold out in record time and many of us had to resort to the secondary market to purchase him. Based on this, will you be increasing the production numbers of future bonus figures?The weapon packs will be repaints of existing weapons. We have already offered a full purple sword with Skeletor who will be available again at SDCC and then on Mattycollector.com later this year.
The SDCC exclusive version of Orko is a great attendee incentive but every one is going to want the standard version of this character for sure. Could you perhaps allow attendees to pre-order the standard version during the show so we do not have to deal with the website traffic the following Monday?We are always adjusting quotas and we do plan to reissue Keldor down the road. We can't comment on any other specifics.
It's pretty safe to say that Panthor will make an appearance at Comic-Con this year. Although the unflocked version will be released first, will you be showing fans how both versions of the figure will look?Sorry, this is not an option we will be offering. Attendees can go online at our booth to order the 2011 Club Eternia subscription!
2010 has been the best year for MOTUC so far in regards to figure releases. What additional plans/strategies are you planing to offer fans to attain their subcriptions for the All-In 2011 Club Eternia subscription?While we do have plans to get to Panthor in time, he will not be shown at SDCC.
NOTE: Read our story HERE for even more CLub Eternia 2011 details.The 2011 subscription will contain the following:
12 monthly 6-inch figures
4 A-list variant 6-inch figures (approx one per quarter)
4 large scale items or multipacks (3 at $30.00, 1 at $40.00)
A bonus subscription-only figure (covered by the $20.00 sign up fee)
A bonus map sent out with the subscription figure
The 2011 subscription will go on sale starting preview night of SDCC and will run for about two weeks. Fans may buy as many subscriptions as they want and all subs bought together will be shipped together.
For even more Ask Matty q&A, visit SuperHeroTimes.com!


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Frank Ortiz Molina wanted to show decision-makers the human side of unemployment. On Monday, he started with U.S. Labor Secretary Hilda Solis, who was visiting Denver to discuss the president's $447 billion job's bill.
Molina was one of a handful of unemployment benefit recipients who participated in a roundtable discussion that included Solis and U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette, D-Denver, at the Denver Workforce Center on Speer Boulevard.
"(The Latino community is) the fastest-growing minority population, and they're the youngest, so we know that they're going to have potentially a large impact on the state," said Solis, in explaining the time she spent on Monday meeting with Latino leaders and business owners as well as unemployed workers.
While the overall unemployment rate in the U.S. is 9%, it's 11.3% for Latinos.
Molina is among that group. He used to work as an executive administrative assistant at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science until budget cuts forced him out last November. Unable to find a job, he eventually decided to go back to school. He is currently working toward a degree in accounting.
"There's somebody at the other end that appears to be listening," said Molina after he explained to a roundtable that included Solis how difficult it has been to find another job and how education, as costly as it is, has been his only alternative.
The American Jobs Act, proposed by President Barack Obama, is a package of tax cuts and new spending that would extend unemployment benefits, help small businesses retain and hire employees and expand the payroll tax cut, among other measures.
The extension of unemployment insurance, which about two million people are about to lose in December, was among the main topics of discussion, Solis said.
"Without this extension many people will become homeless and they will have to look at other means of survival," she said.
In Colorado, extending the benefit would prevent nearly 34,000 people who are looking for work from losing their benefits after only the first six weeks of receiving it.
If his unemployment benefits were not extended, Molina told the roundtable he would survive. But if he's unable to find work here, it might mean moving back to his native Puerto Rico - where the job situation is even worse - because he has no family support here in Denver.
"Does the benefit help? Yes, it helps us stay status quo, so that we can then move on to the next phase of our lives rather than move back five steps," said Molina. "The question is should the population be put in that situation?"
At another discussion earlier in the day - attended by Denver Mayor Michael Hancock, Gov. John Hickenlooper, other elected officials and representatives from business and nonprofit communities - Solis spoke about new measures that would directly affect the Latino community, such as using unemployment benefits to start small businesses, she said.
Besides extending unemployment benefits, Solis also discussed expanding the payroll tax cut passed last December. For Coloradans, whose median income for a family of four is $56,000, that would mean a tax cut of about $1,700.
"Both of these measures will add jobs, and that's really what the focal point of my visit is," Solis said, adding that hearing each particular story behind the issue of unemployment is also always helpful.
"It reinforced a lot of things that I already knew, but it also helps me to go back and share this information with other policymakers, other cabinet members and, of course, the president."


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Edge: "He's a bad mother------."
---Insider: Old-school Moore behind Colts' new-age offense
Nov. 17, 2004
By Pete Prisco
SportsLine.com Senior Writer
INDIANAPOLIS -- When Tom Moore walked into a side room at the Indianapolis Colts practice facility for an interview, it was hard not to think the obvious.
This is the offensive mastermind of the Colts, the man behind the curtain, the Wizard of Ahs? Did somebody send the team plumber instead?
At 65, Moore is an old man in a younger man's profession, his graying hair and worn face showing the signs of someone who has been coaching in the NFL for 27 years. If Central Casting wanted the stereotypical throwback coach, Moore would be it.
You almost expect him to pull out a whistle during the interview and tell you to speed up the questioning.
He doesn't have the look NFL owners want to trot out when they hire a coach, not in this era where image sells and when, sadly, how a man looks can be a detriment to his getting a job. Age will almost certainly keep Tom Moore from ever becoming an NFL head coach, and that's a kind of discrimination nobody ever talks about or fights to overcome.
"I don't worry about it," Moore said. "My job is offensive coordinator. My job is to be the best I can be at whatever I'm doing. Everything else takes care of itself. Everybody has aspirations. But I don't feel cheated. I've been very, very lucky. I've worked with great head coaches, great assistants and great players. I'm 65, and nobody's had more fun than me."
There is no letup in Moore. He works the same hours as all the younger coaches, maybe even more. So how much longer can he go?
"Forever," Moore said. "Why not? How many people can say they're doing what they want to do for as long as I've done it. I like what I do. Why would I walk away?"
What's not to like? Moore is the best offensive coordinator in football, the man who makes Peyton Manning and the Colts offense go. He pulls the strings for an offensive attack run by the best quarterback in the game, a man on pace to shatter some of the biggest passing records in history.
Want a reason? OK, aside from having Manning, Edgerrin James and Marvin Harrison.
How many other coordinators would open a game with 22 consecutive passes, as Moore did against Green Bay earlier this year? How many would give their quarterback the freedom at the line of scrimmage that Moore gives Manning? Sure, it's much easier to do with a player like that, but it's still progressive stuff.
"You can't play scared," Moore said.
There lies the secret to his success. In a league full of convention, he isn't conventional. If you play tight and blitz, he'll throw for an entire quarter if he has to do so. Play off, and he'll run it down your throat. Just ask the Patriots, who got a dose of that in the season opener.
Run, run, pass on third down is not the Colts way. It's not the Moore way.
"I don't ever want to be labeled conservative or predictable," Moore said. "That's two things I don't want. I don't believe in playing that way. That's not Tom Moore. Tom Moore has to be Tom Moore. You have to be aggressive. You have to take your shots. No guts, no blue chips."
No guts, no blue chips.
That's a Tom Moore-ism. He is full of them, and he often passes them down to his quarterback, one- or two-sentence phrases to help keep him on top of things.
"He always gives me those," Manning said. "It's one of his old coaching tricks."
"Just things I've collected over the years," Moore said.
He has also collected the wisdom of plenty of good coaches. A former quarterback at Iowa -- would you expect anything else from the way he calls plays? -- Moore began his career as a college coach, working his way up to offensive coordinator at the University of Minnesota, where his quarterback for a year was none other than Colts coach Tony Dungy.
Moore came into the NFL as an offensive assistant and coordinator under Chuck Noll for the Pittsburgh Steelers, staying from 1977-1989, winning two Super Bowl rings. After that, he went to the Vikings as coordinator and then to the Detroit Lions from 1994-96. It was there that he worked a major miracle.
Moore made Scott Mitchell a 4,000-yard passer in 1995 when the Lions led the league in offense. Scott Mitchell?
That 1995 team was a hint of things to come. Brett Perriman and Herman Moore each had more than 100 catches, the first tandem in league history to accomplish that feat, and Barry Sanders' presence in the backfield makes that even more amazing. But Moore doesn't make a big deal about it.
"We did some pretty good things that year," he said.
After a year with the New Orleans Saints in 1997, Moore joined the Colts as coordinator for Jim Mora. Manning came on board in 1998, and the two worked through Peyton's tough rookie year.
"He stuck by me, though," Manning said. "He never held me back. That's one thing about Tom. He wasn't going to restrict me. He let me work through a lot of things. That helped as I got older."
Mora was fired after the 2001 season, and Moore was in limbo. That's when his former player Dungy took over as coach of the Colts. Dungy did the smart thing and kept Moore on as coordinator.
Dungy and Ron Meeks run the defense. The offense is all Moore.
His play-calling and offensive system might be modern, but he coaches with a style that is definitely retro. Ask any Colts player to describe Moore, and they'll all talk about his in-your-face approach.
"Tom's direct," running back Edgerrin James said. "He'll get on you. That can bother some guys. But I'm more laid-back. I'll tell you one thing, he knows everything there is to know about football. He's got a million stories. And he knows how to put points on the board. I know that. He's a bad mother------."
"I don't think I'm jumping on them," Moore said. "I want them to do it right. That's my job. I like to call it constructive criticism."
Whatever it is, it works. The Colts lead the league in scoring at 33.1 points per game, a pace that will give them 530 for the season. If they improve that some in the final seven games, they have a chance to take down the record, 556 by the 1998 Minnesota Vikings.
Manning has thrown 31 touchdown passes, putting him on pace to shatter Dan Marino's season record of 48. Manning has thrown 25 or more touchdown passes in six consecutive seasons, the first man to accomplish that. He has also thrown for 4,000 or more yards in each of the past five years and is on pace to do so again, which would be another league record.
"Tom tells me if I don't get 4,000 yards, it's a bad season," Manning said.
Just blunt and to the point, which is the Moore way.
Moore credits the players and his assistants for his success. He's not one of those to stand up and bask in the numbers his offense is putting up, not at the expense of others. There is no politicking to get a head-coaching job.
He is a reluctant interview subject, but once he sits down he changes. Talking football apparently coming quite easy, the coach in him seeping through at all times. Maybe that's because he says football is all he knows.
"I need to get a life," Moore said. "This is my life, always has been since I was a kid."
Walking away won't be easy. Not after all the years, all the success, all the memories. But it's bound to happen, sooner rather than later.
"When I can't fulfill my responsibility, then I'll retire," Moore said. "As long as I enjoy it. As long as I have the get up and go and as long as I have the energy do to my job, I'll be coaching. I'm not going to hang on, though, I'll tell you that. And I think I will know when that time has come."
Then, and only then, will the man behind the curtain walk away from the game he so loves.
It will be a shame if it happens without getting the recognition he truly deserves.
Asked afterward if O'Neal's absence contributed to Charlotte's win, Knight bristled.
"What about Primoz? They didn't have Shaq, but we didn't have Primoz," he said.


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|November 26, 1999
Volume 1, Issue 48
|Midwifery Today E-News
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1) Quote of the Week:
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As midwives, we have traditionally put ourselves on the line to protect the holiness of women's bodies, pregnancies and births. I propose we broaden our scope and recognize as our own the fight to protect the holiness of mothering. As midwives, are we ignoring our own needs as mothers and the needs of mothering as a whole? Are we assisting each other in birth, but denying each other as mothers? Are we relying too heavily on cultural epidurals like daycare or TV? How can we create change in this vitally important aspect of our lives? How can we work collectively to promote a child-focused world for families? What group other than midwives is better suited to create working conditions that truly honor mothering and place the well being of our children before anything else? While it is true we may not be able to do it all, we midwives can be exceptional at doing it differently.
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5) Question of the Week Responses
Q: I am concerned about the safety of the Rhogam injection, most especially when given during pregnancy. I have no information that makes me concerned; I guess it's just my natural way of questioning *any* kind of injection or intervention. Does anyone know of a reason why we as midwives/moms should be concerned?
- Elaine Friesen
As a CNM practicing for many years, I have had several mothers ask about the safety or necessity of the Rhogam shot. I assure them that it is produced and that it is closely monitored. I discuss with them the greater risk of current or future pregnancy complications by *not* taking the shot. They usually want to do what's best for their baby and get the shot.
- firstname.lastname@example.com
I am assuming that you are referring to Anti-D, given to rhesus negative women when the partner is rhesus positive, leading to a rhesus positive baby. There are associated dangers with this vaccination as it is made of human blood products, obtained from a pool of rhesus negative male donors. However, the risks far outweigh the benefits of the mother being prevented from developing antibodies and being unable to have any normal pregnancy with a rhesus positive baby. I am Rh neg and recently had an early miscarriage because it was prior to eight weeks gestation and I did not have the vaccine. This is usual practice in New Zealand as the placenta was not fully formed and no fetal blood cells would have been able to enter my system. A fabulous way of avoiding lots of these vaccinations is to avoid or minimise interventions during pregnancy, i.e., amniocenteses.
- Karen Blake
I am Rh negative and my husband Rh positive, therefore the Rhogam injection was an issue for me. With my first pregnancy, I did not give it too much thought until after the nurse gave me the injection of Rhogam at 28 weeks. After receiving the injection it was as if a light went off, and I realized I had just received a *blood product*! Foolishly I had not read up on Rhogam nor asked to read the package insert before the injection. My concern was HIV.
So I did some investigating to see whether or not my concern was justified. What I discovered from calling the American Red Cross, inquiring into the procedure used to make Rhogam and speaking with other people who had some background in blood products is that, first of all, there has never been a documented case of HIV transmission from Rhogam, and Rhogam has been around for quite some time (I want to say 30 years or so, but I am not certain.) Second, if I remember this correctly, Rhogam is made from blood plasma, not the whole blood product. And third, the plasma used to make Rhogam is heat treated which would, in theory, kill any HIV present.
This is the information as I recall it. I would advise you to double-check this information with a knowledgeable source in case I have recalled something incorrectly.
Two suggestions I would make to any pregnant Rh negative woman: 1) Have the baby's father's blood type checked before submitting to the Rhogam injection. If the baby's father is Rh negative, there's no need for Rhogam. 2) Type the baby's blood after birth (cord blood). If the baby is Rh negative (like the mother), there is no need for the postpartum injection.
- Dianne Oliver
Q: I would like to know how to treat pregnancy induced carpal tunnel and what causes some pregnant women to get it.
It is best treated with acupuncture. I have had great results in my office with the acupuncturist treating carpal tunnel in pregnancy.
- Sara Liebling, CNM
In reply to some responses in Issue 47 to the question about how to treat carpal tunnel in pregnant women:
How is a woman eight months pregnant supposed to be able to do this exercise [modified sit-ups]? I know that after about four months, I can hardly use my abdominal muscles in this way without straining my back.
- E Stukel
My philosophy is that no pregnant woman should be doing crunches at all. The rectus muscle in the abdomen that runs vertical is quite prone to separation. There are lots of exercises for abs that do not require direct exertion on these muscle groups. So my advice is to abstain from abdominal exercise until six weeks postpartum and let the belly stretch and grow.
- Jill Cohen
As a massage therapist doing myofacial and trigger point therapy, I would be a bit wary of steroid injections, pregnant or not. I would find a therapist who has knowledge of carpal tunnel and ways of treating it a bit more naturally. I have seen countless cases cured through mayo facial and trigger point therapy who had been told that surgery was the only choice.
Visit the multiple award-winning WATERBIRTH WEBSITE for the most complete waterbirth information available on the net!
6) Spread the Word--Support This Book!
"Pregnancy & Childbirth Tips" by Gail J. Dahl, 1998. Innovative Publishing; ISBN 1896937-00-4; Softcover $18.95 (Cdn).
I am not a midwife, doctor or nurse; I am a mother. After the birth of my daughter, I became outraged when I discovered that a doctor risked the possibility of permanently brain damaging my baby in order to "schedule" her birth. It took a year of in-depth research to find out what had gone so horribly wrong during the birth, and I had a choice: institute a lawsuit and perhaps change the ways of one doctor or write a book and help a lot of consumers become aware. So I wrote a book called "Pregnancy & Childbirth Tips" which is now a Canadian regional bestseller and on its way to becoming a national bestseller. I am very proud of my book; it is easy to read, accessible to new moms, and a powerful advocate for the midwifery model of care and women's rights in childbirth.
My book includes a North American birth resource directory, new discoveries on how to have a healthy pregnancy and baby, natural health remedies to use during pregnancy, tips on how to have a faster and easier birth, breastfeeding advice, new research on how mothers can help their babies stop crying, the effects of common obstetrical procedures, and crucial information on preventing premature births.
But I need help. After four years of researching, interviewing, writing, editing, publishing, selling, distributing and promoting "Pregnancy & Childbirth Tips" while raising my daughter single-handedly, I am feeling rather exhausted on this one-woman odyssey! In order to carry on this important project and to ensure that this crucial information is retained on the bookshelves, I need support from the midwifery community.
If I can sell about 100 more copies and reach national bestseller status, my book will very likely be picked up by a major publisher (I have been self-publishing) and distributed widely across the continent, giving gentle birth a very powerful voice. The best way to support this book is to purchase it: please call any bookstore in Canada or the United States or any maternity store and ask them to order it in. Ask your local library to order it in. This book showcases beyond a doubt the tremendous impact that midwives have on our North American birthing society and I know your clients will love it.
- Gail J. Dahl, firstname.lastname@example.com
Happy Holidays! Give a gift subscription to Midwifery Today magazine. 10% discount through January 1. Call 1-800-743-0974. Mention code 940 to receive your discount.
7) Switchboard
I am concerned about the use of dandelion root tincture and yellow dock recommended for itchy skin during pregnancy [Issue 44]. As stated, both herbs are mildly carthartic. Wouldn't that be dangerous during pregnancy, possibly causing uterine contraction and miscarriage or preterm labor? Have these two herbs been used extensively during pregnancy with safe results?
- Stacey Hebner
On the history of black midwives [Issue 46]: I think you are thinking of the doctor who developed a treatment for urine and fecal incontinence and repair of fourth degree tears. He operated on many women with damaged perineal floors under very primitive conditions (until he got it right). Realistically though, women had little choice. They could go through the rest of their lives with no control of their bowels, or they could try experimental surgery. [Editor's note: For more information, read the media review of From Midwives to Medicine: The Birth of American Gynecology, by Deborah Kuhn McGregor in Midwifery Today Issue 51.]
Episiotomy itself has been with us for a long time. Records show it was practiced by the Egyptians, ancient Greeks and the Romans, and it is described in the most ancient medical texts. The only way episiotomy has changed over the centuries has been its modern use as a routine rather than an emergency procedure.
A mother of eight healthy children had a ninth baby die at the beginning of the third trimester. It seemed a very normal baby in every way. Nothing indicated anything was out of the usual. A friend recently told me of a friend of hers who had a similar experience. She had two normal pregnancies, then in her third and fourth pregnancies the babies died at six months. With her fifth pregnancy she sought out a specialist, who immediately checked her hormone level. His experience was that around six months' gestation a woman's progesterone level sometimes drops to such a level that the baby cannot live. They began hormone treatment at five and a half months and the baby survived.
This situation seems so unusual that there's no one to talk to first hand about it. All the information I've obtained has been at least second hand. Does anyone have any experience with this or have any information on it? If hormone levels are a valid possibility in such a circumstance, how can a midwife prevent this from happening in future pregnancies? Is there a way to accurately check for this at home? And what would be an effective natural treatment?
- Anon midwife
[Editor's note: Issue 46 included a good discussion of a similar situation, but if readers have anything to add, please send your comments in.]
In response to IS and her procedure for obtaining blood from her Rh negative moms [Issue 46]: I think it is a wonderful idea and all, but I would venture to say that it would be too early after birth to determine whether or not she has become sensitized. I even wonder about the 72 hour rule. I think that is even too early to give an accurate reading on a Coombs. After my births, I type the baby. If the baby is positive, the mom gets Rhogam; if she had a negative titer during her pregnancy, no further antibody screens are needed at the birth because there hasn't been enough time for the mother to build up any antibodies--unless the baby is born totally jaundiced or direct Coombs positive (which I would attribute to the antenatal Rhogam). In the hospital, if the mom delivers a positive baby, she will receive the Rhogam despite a negative indirect Coombs anyway.
- Cathy O'Bryant CPM
Recently there has been a discussion amongst the doctors on obgyn/net about how many episiotomies are acceptable. In my sample of 800 homebirths I have cut an episiotomy only three times. What can be so different about the vaginas of my clients and the vaginas that appear before these learned gentlemen?
- Gloria Lemay
Private birth attendant Gloria Lemay has served birthing families for over twenty years, and is a popular writer and speaker about childbirth issues. She is internationally regarded as an expert in natural childbirth and its catastrophic medical alternative. She is now under attack by the British Columbia College of Midwives for serving families who choose to give birth outside governmental control. Her page fully details the publicly funded, registered midwife-directed witch hunt against her, and includes information on the Birth Freedom Fund (her legal fund) as well. Please see "Gloria Lemay, Symbol of the Spirit of Births Freely Given," www.birthlove.com/pages/gloria_lemay.html
- Leilah McCrachen
A friend is desperate. Do readers have any information that might help her?
"I suffered a uterine prolapse after my fifth baby was born last winter. I have had five babies in ten years and nursed them all at least two years. I am not overweight at all and I have had very short second stages (actually very short labors). My OB says my muscle tone is great. His theory is that extended breastfeeding has caused such low estrogen levels that the lining of the vaginal wall is very thin. There was probably some ligament damage too. A friend who is a physical therapist has advised me about exercise (mostly kegels).
In my case, the bladder and rectum have herniated too. This is very common when the uterus herniates. All the prolapses are mild to moderate. Here's the big dilemma: surgery to correct the condition is not very successful and is not recommended until one is finished bearing children. Plus with my cancer history and all the chemo damage to my veins, I'm not a great surgical candidate. My physical therapist says she's seen horrible post-surgical cases.
I want to have another baby but I am afraid of further damage. What herbal remedies would strengthen the lining? Have you heard of cases like this? I am hoping that when my fertility returns, estrogen will improve the situation and that if we wait longer between babies, things will be stronger. I'd appreciate any insight you have."
Unless otherwise noted, share your responses to Switchboard letters with E-News readers! Send them to firstname.lastname@example.com. If an e-mail address is included with the letter, feel free to respond directly.
8) Midwifery Today Conference Notes
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Mothering Mommies Doula Service
9) Classified Advertising
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This publication is presented by Midwifery Today, Inc., for the sole purpose of disseminating general health information for public benefit. The information contained in or provided through this publication is intended for general consumer understanding and education only and is not intended to be, and is not provided as, a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
Midwifery Today, Inc., does not assume liability for the use of this information in any jurisdiction or for the contents of any external Internet sites referenced, nor does it endorse any commercial product or service mentioned or advertised in this publication. Always seek the advice of your midwife, physician, nurse or other qualified health care provider before you undergo any treatment or for answers to any questions you may have regarding any medical condition.
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Midwifery Today: Each One Teach One!


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A BURNLEY man due to be sentenced for child porn offences sent flowers to his solicitor's office before hanging himself at his home, an inquest heard.
Christopher Lyons, 66, had been scheduled to appear before Judge Beverley Lunt on January 31 at the town's crown court, after admitting to a number of indecent images offences, Accrington Coroner's Court was told.
But Richard Taylor, an associate solicitor at Southerns Solicitors in Burnley, confirmed in a statement that 'a large bunch of flowers' addressed to his wife, with a note signed by Mr Lyons, had arrived at his office on the same day.
He told the court in his statement: "There was going to be a lengthy custodial sentence imposed."
When the defendant failed to appear in the crown court dock Mr Taylor, who had represented him for more than 30 years, alerted police.
One of the detectives in the case, who had been to the former gas heating engineer's home the week before the crown court hearing, had found him making out his will, the inquest was told.
Later officers attended Mr Lyons' terraced house, in Ardwick Street, Burnley, where he was found hanged.
Several notes, indicating his intention to take his own life, were found nearby.
Judge Lunt was later advised by Mr Taylor, in her chambers, about what had happened and the court proceedings were formally discontinued at a later hearing.
Mr Taylor said that the following Monday he also received a number of letters at his office, also indicating Mr Lyons' desire to end his own life.
Recording a suicide verdict, Blackburn coroner Michael Singleton said he was satisfied, after reviewing letters associated with the case, that he 'brought about his own demise'.


text:
Get the Recipe
Anyone who knows me knows that I have a secret love of kitsch. I like Tiki bars, aprons with cherries on them, and Saved by the Bell. My house isn't decorated with cat clocks, but that's what so great about having a secret love. Only your closest friends can send you a postcard of two kids kissing and know that deep inside you wish you could put it on your fridge.
On my recent trip to Hawaii, I found myself in kitsch heaven. There were tourists everywhere actually wearing Hawaiian shirts. I got "lei'd" when I checked into a hotel. The supermarket had a wall of Spam. And, more than once, I found myself drinking a mai-tai with a colorful paper umbrella in it. It was everything I had hoped for.
When I got home, I wanted to recreate a little of that Hawaiian magic so I bought myself a jar of salted macadamia nuts and turned on my oven. I didn't want to make the classic (and delicious) white chocolate macadamia cookies, but I did want to pair macadamias with vanilla. Because macadamias are a little soft and creamy, I thought that cream cheese would make the perfect, tender cookie base.
And I was right: these are soft cookies with a prominent vanilla flavor. Because they are so mild, I went heavy handed on the macadamias. (I call for salted nuts but don't worry, these cookies aren't salty.) The cream cheese simply makes for a soft, moist base—in fact you can hardly taste it at all. The resulting cookie is just the kind of nutty vanilla sweet that would be welcome on pupu platters everywhere.
Get the Recipe
Macadamia Cream Cheese Cookies »
About the author: Carrie Vasios is the editor of Serious Eats: Sweets. She likes to peruse her large collection of cookbooks while eating jam from the jar. You can follow her on Twitter @carrievasios


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Quilted Mani/Pedi Roll
No longer available
- Overview
Tucked inside this chic roll are five essentials for updating your nails with great looks. With a pouch for polish and creams, this overnight must-have has everything you need.
- Open: 11.5" wide x 2" thick x 5.5" high
- Closed: 2" wide x 2" thick x 5.5" high
- Expertly crafted of cotton with cotton batting.
- Features five interior elastic pockets.
- Includes five essential mani/pedi tools.
- Tie closure.
- Dimensions + Care
- Wipe with a soft, damp cloth.
- Shipping Info
This item will arrive in 3-5 business days. Please proceed to the Payment & Review page of Checkout for a precise delivery estimate.
- Final Sale
Final-sale items, identified by a price ending in $0.99, cannot be returned. Once placed, your order for any final sale items cannot be canceled.


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Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin today announced grant awards for eight projects totaling $77,800 for the Growing Healthy Communities Grant Program.
"From the establishment of walking trails, and community gardens to planning for a local, natural food store, the innovative projects awarded today focus on our communities' health while encouraging downtown economic development," Gov. Tomblin said. "I'm thankful for the strong partnership between the Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation, the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources, and the West Virginia Development Office for continuing to make this grant program, and the projects it supports, possible."
The West Virginia Development Office (WVDO) administers the Growing Healthy Communities Program, with funding provided by the Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation and the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources. The program provides competitive grants for West Virginia Main Street and ON TRAC communities for activities that increase community health and wellness while also providing opportunities for downtown revitalization and development.
Projects awarded funding include:
Beverly ON TRAC: a $3,000 grant to develop a community garden with programs on harvesting and canning vegetables.
Kingwood Main Street: a $10,000 grant to enhance activities surrounding the farmers' market and developing a youth garden project.
Main Street Morgantown: a $14,500 grant to develop a culinary station at the Morgantown Marketplace Farmers' Market and to promote preparation of local produce at the market.
Main Street Ronceverte: a $10,000 grant to develop a community garden in what was the city swimming pool location.
Mannington Main Street: a $13,000 grant to add outdoor exercise equipment to a rail trail connector and develop a walking program.
Romney ON TRAC: a $14,000 grant to develop the Romney heritage and health walking tour.
Sutton ON TRAC: an $8,300 grant to develop existing and new walking trails to connect the downtown area with the trail along the river. The grant will also assist in promoting walking programs.
Wheeling ON TRAC: a $5,000 grant to develop a business plan for a community run year-round local and natural food store in downtown Wheeling.
Source: http://www.governor.wv.gov/media/pressreleases/2013/Pages/GovernorTomblinPresentsGrowingHealthyCommunitiesGrants.aspx


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The Eagles keep losing games, and keep losing assistant coaches.
Jim Washburn has been fired as the Eagles' defensive line coach, the team announced Monday morning. Former defensive coordinator Juan Castillo was fired earlier this season, but that didn't change the team's fortunes. The floundering Eagles (3-9) lost their eighth straight game Sunday night against the Cowboys.
Head coach Andy Reid is likely to be fired at season's end, but in the meantime, his staff continues to be shuffled. Tommy Brasher, who was the Eagles' defensive line coach from 1999 through 2005, will replace Washburn.
"Jim is a fine football coach and we appreciate the efforts he gave to this team over the past two years," Reid said in a statement. "However, I determined that it was in the team's best interest that we move in a different direction in terms of trying to maximize the production of that position group. We look forward to having Tommy Brasher back on board to work with the defensive line."
Washburn's brought his "Wide 9" defensive line scheme to the Eagles when he arrived in 2011, but it has flopped this season, along with the entire defense. One of Washburn's favorite players, defensive end Jason Babin, was released by the Eagles last week and claimed by the Jaguars.
A dismal season will result in plenty of players and coaches leaving the Eagles. Reid decided to give Washburn an early exit.


text:
24" Windowbox Water Saver Pocket with Pebbles
This item is currently not available.
Additional Information
Exclusive | Windowbox Water Saver Pocket Helps Hold Moisture and Improves Soil Aeration
- Fabric pocket with Aqua Pebbles creates an ideal environment for plant roots
- Aqua Pebbles absorb and retain water while aiding in drainage
This zippered fabric pocket is easy to fill with our exclusive Aqua Pebbles, included. The clay balls absorb and retain water, while also holding pockets of air, creating an ideal environment for root growth. Simply place the pebble-filled pocket at the bottom of your planter, add container mix and plant as usual. The zippered pocket keeps the pebbles separate from the soil, making end-of-season cleanup easier. Both the fabric pocket and the Aqua Pebbles are reusable.
Aqua Pebbles are made from clay that's been fired at high temperatures, creating a porous material that holds water and then releases it slowly as plants need it. Commonly used in hydroponics and terrariums and as a potting medium for orchids, the clay balls are also ideal in container plantings. Our exclusive blend includes pebbles in a variety of sizes to create the optimal amount of air space.
Product Details
- Dacron mesh fabric, zipper, expanded clay pebbles
- Windowbox pocket is 24" L x 6" W x 2" H
- Each pocket includes 5 lbs. of Aqua Pebbles
- Pockets may be handwashed
- Reusable
- Gardener's Supply Exclusive
Reviewed by 2 customers
I still need to check if moist. Flowers dried out with sudden warm days. It's a great concept.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
- Clean And Neat Setup
- Dirty
Best Uses
Very easy to set up although I would recommend adding the beads to the bags outdoors. I'm very hopeful that they will cut down on my watering but as I just started using them a week ago, it's hard to say.
- Was this a gift?:
- No


text: I have a motor that was set up for drag racing in my car. I don't think the previous owner put the right oil in the car. Only using synthetic. How many quarts should I be putting in? I think it's usually 5. But I just want to make sure first.


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Topic: how do I get to the blogs ? Crap I am so inept with this thing
There was a post giving instructions on getting to the blogs and I tried and did not make it (sounds like its a long journey instead of poking digits with fingers) Anyway, can someone get me there? Thanks robyn


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Category: strong names
Boys' names have gone wild. You can hear a sudden growling on the popularity and starbaby lists, with sweet little babies being given such fierce animal appellations as Wolf and Puma, born-to-be-bad names like Bandit, Wilder, Maverick, Rogue and Rebel, Gunners with Colts, and others suggesting such heavy duty gear as Cannon and Diesel, as well as the names of powerful mythological gods like Thor and Ares and Mars. There are lots of boys named Blaze, and even one starbaby called Fire.
What's with the fashion for fierceness in boys' names? We see it as a wish to recapture traditional male strength and power along with an impulse to leave conventional civilization behind. These names suggest old school bad boys in a brave new world, one in which boys still throw rocks and ride dirt bikes but also wear earrings and headbands.
Here are the fierce names we're hearing today:


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Forgot to take a pic of the finished product, but Sat night / Sunday i smoked a 10lb brisket with a mixture of hickory chunks (for heat / smoke) and cherry wood chips soaked in an IPA (for tons of smoke). Not done in the traditional style (mine was smoked @ ~150-175f for the first 6hrs, then baked in the oven [in a bag] @200f for about 12 more hrs), but still had an awesome smoke ring, toothsome crust, and was almost-fall-apart tender.
The rub was mostly home-smoked hickory salt, smoked hot paprika, dark brown sugar, and coffee.
The sweet/tangy sauce was mostly beef drippings, ketchup, sweet tea, and cider vinegar.
The flavor was mostly fucking awesome. Scratch that, completely fucking awesome!
Took this pic about 4hrs into the smoke (about 3am Sunday):
By the time it was finished, that giant fat cap had completely melted and the crust was a deep mahogany / almost black color


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Howard Shapiro never imagined volunteering in Africa. Fellow veteran educator Judy Labow had to convince him that their skills were desperately needed there, especially in impoverished Uganda.
In 2006, Shapiro was on the verge of retirement after 38 years in teaching and administration, mainly with the Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board, and then as principal of Hillcrest Laval Academy.
His expertise was in helping children with behavioural problems, and he and Labow, who continues to teach in the Jewish General Hospital's child psychiatry department, had a long professional association.
"She had been to Africa as a tourist and then as a volunteer. That year, I had spent six weeks in China teaching teachers how to teach English. We tried to persuade each other that we needed to do something more in the countries we had been to. We compared notes, and she won," said Shapiro, now 66.
Struck by the poverty and desperation when he first visited Uganda (and Africa), Shapiro knew he would do what he could there for as long as possible.
Today, he said emphatically, "It's changed my life, it's become a passion." This soft-hearted man gets emotional talking about the resilient Ugandan people, who inhabit a breathtakingly beautiful but troubled land.
In 2006, Shapiro and Labow, now 73 and still working at the JGH, created a literacy program for children in the squalid settlement of Namwonga, outside the Ugandan capital of Kampala. They did this without the assistance of any non-governmental organization or government body. The program is completely self-financed through Shapiro and Labow's efforts.
They got started through a contact they had with a former Ugandan student at Concordia University, now a deputy minister in his country.
Namwonga, home to many thousands, is a shantytown that sprang up during the years of bloody conflict in northern Uganda between the rebel Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) and government forces. More than a million people were displaced.
Mostly farmers and herders, they have lost the skills to rebuild their lives elsewhere, Shapiro said.
The two Montrealers began by choosing 30 "true" orphans (those without mother or father) aged five to seven, who are numerous. They taught half-day classes in basic English, the official language along with Swahili, and some numeracy. Their first classroom was outdoors.
In time, a local full-time teacher was hired and the days became full ones. "We try to follow the Ugandan curriculum – we don't impose ours," Shapiro said.
While public schooling is free and compulsory, these children could not pay for the mandatory supplies and uniforms, including shoes. It's a pittance by Canadian standards, but a fortune for them.
The program has now graduated its first elementary school class, and a few children who have sponsors have gone onto high school.
These graduates were kids growing up in shacks made of salvaged material, with no electricity, no running water, no sanitation, and often in poor health.
"We are changing lives, however few," Shapiro said.
The program is now in its third home, a private school called Queen Anne's, which provides a classroom and some administration, but is otherwise separate.
Shapiro shows photos of the children lining up for a chance to get into the program. A few are added each year.
They have proven to be good students; attendance is high, behaviour good, and the dropout rate almost nil.
Their grades have been at or above the national average.
This is a place, Shapiro said, where children, especially the rootless, often fall prey to those who would exploit them for labour, sexual abuse and, as happened at the height of the conflict when Shapiro first arrived, to serve as "soldiers" in the LRA.
"The program gives these sometimes homeless children a safe place during the day, and probably their only real meal of the day.
"Children in school uniforms also tend to be left alone because it makes abduction more difficult," Shapiro explained. "It's thought somebody must be expecting them."
About 80 children have been in the program over its history, about an equal number of boys and girls, which was important to the Montrealers.
Although the program has grown, the goal is not to create another school, Shapiro said, but rather to provide individualized attention to those in most need.
Shapiro spends about a month a year in Uganda, always going separately from Labow in order to extend the time they are there. He'll be returning in March for two weeks.
More than 30 volunteers, mostly educators from Montreal, have worked on the program for periods of from two weeks to four months.
The annual budget is modest, about $7,000 to $8,000, Shapiro said, and that includes the $1,200, a competitive salary, paid to the teacher.
Besides Shapiro and Labow's personal networks, most of the funds have been raised by students in his old school board. Shapiro and Labow speak in the schools, and the children create projects inspired by the program.
Contributions in kind, like supplies from the board or shipping from a parent in that business, help. Shapiro and Labow also buy paper-bead jewelry made by Ugandan women, and sell them here for a little extra cash.
"Every penny we raise goes directly to the program," he said.
More money would enable them to reach more kids, but Shapiro, who was born in Germany to Polish parents who survived the Holocaust by being constantly on the run, is content to make a small contribution.
"In Yiddish, we say, 'A bissel mit a bissel/ Macht a groyse shissel' – a little and a little makes a big pot."
The program is not a registered charity, but tax receipts are issued through LOVE (Leave Out Violence Everywhere), the national community organization helping at-risk kids that was founded 20 years ago by Montrealer Twinkle Rudberg, whose husband Daniel was stabbed to death by a 14-year-old gang member in a thwarted robbery.
Any volunteers from here pay their own travel and accommodation expenses, but are issued a tax receipt, Shapiro said.
He has always felt welcome and safe in Uganda, which in recent years has experienced relative political stability and less unrest. But working in Uganda has its risks, and tragedy befell the program early on.
In 2007, Sandra Barbadoro, 30, a kindergarten teacher at Twin Oaks School in Laval, was killed as a result of a hit-and-run accident while volunteering in Namwonga. (In this former British colony, driving is on the left, which is an adjustment for pedestrians, too.)
"It was the most difficult call I ever received," said Shapiro, who was home at the time. "I thought the project would be finished, but it survived."
Shapiro has made contact with the indigenous Jewish population of Uganda, the Abayudaya people, who live in a mountainous region about 2-1/2 hours away from Namwonga.
Uganda is overwhelmingly Christian, but the Muslim population is growing, he said. "Being Jewish has never been an issue. What people respect is that you have religious values, that you believe in God. They may ask you what god you believe in. Just don't say you are agnostic."
In his "retirement," Shapiro, a father of two and grandfather of two, is working again, in part to enable him to continue to keep going to Uganda.
He is now in his third year as director of secular studies at the Belz chassidic community's boys' high school. In the summer, he was a consultant to In Real Life, a new reality TV show for early teens made by Apartment 11 Productions for YTV.
While donations are always welcome, Shapiro is looking for people with skills he and Labow lack. He'd like the program to have a website, and would appreciate finding someone who can design and maintain it. He'd also like help, perhaps from a retired lawyer, in obtaining charitable status. Someone who could organize a fundraiser or help sell the paper beads would be welcome.
Shapiro and Labow are also trying to match prospective sponsors with the Ugandans kids.
"Judy and I also recognize we are getting older and have to think about the long-term future of the program," Shapiro said.
You can contact Shapiro at firstname.lastname@example.com, or Labow at email@example.com.


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The top-ranked Hoosiers go to No. 8 Michigan State on Tuesday night to battle for Big Ten supremacy and the college basketball world will be on alert. Somebody is gonna get rocked. Blood might flow. Tempers could flare. Michigan State's mammoth big man Derrick Nix promised a "bloodbath" to mlive.com, a Michigan Internet sports publication.
In an era where meteors explode and super storms erupt, anything is possible
Zeller will be at the center of it. He won't be alone, of course. Forward Christian Watford will join him in the paint where the meek have no business and the aggressive have a chance.
Still, Zeller is the focal point. He'll get hit. He always gets hit. That's life for a Big Ten big man. The better you are, the more attention you draw, the more punishment you take.
Zeller is fine with that.
"Playing in the Big Ten, I kind of signed up for it. I accept it."
The 7-foot Zeller has bought into the lift-hard-and-eat-well necessity that lightens the physical load. He arrived in Bloomington at a lean 215 pounds. Less than two years later, he's listed at 240.
"Especially in the summer with the weight I put on, and the extra strength I gained, it helps me deal with it better," he said. "It is a long season. Everyone kind of beats up on big guys. I can last longer than last year. Every game is physical, but I feel my body is holding up pretty well."
Coach Tom Crean said Zeller drew nine fouls against Nebraska last week, and that's just the stuff that was called.
"I don't get on the soap box and talk about how much he's getting fouled and how physical the league is," Crean said, "but he's earning his keep when it comes to the foul line. He works very hard to be in position to not foul and to get fouled."
Zeller's game has evolved to where he'll spend time on the perimeter. He'll test the range of Spartan big men Adreian Payne (6-10, 240 pounds) and Nix (6-9, 270). And if that's not enough, Michigan State can also try Alex Gauna (6-9, 245), Matt Costello (6-9, 245), Kenny Kaminski (6-8, 240) and even Branden Dawson (6-6, 230).
"I never view Cody as a center," Crean said. "I don't know if we have a center. He can do so many things away from the post. He gets fouled on the post, but he's also getting fouled on the perimeter. That will continue to go up. He'll be on the perimeter more and more."
The Breslin Center is where Zeller got his true college baptism of fire. As a freshman, he'd never experienced anything like the physical nature of Michigan State and it showed in his four-point, three-rebound, four-foul performance.
The Assembly Hall rematch — 18 points, four rebounds — showed how much he'd learned and grown, and that hasn't stopped, although criticism has surfaced. Zeller began the season as the national player of the year favorite, but much of that talk is gone. Zeller has fallen behind such players as Michigan's Trey Burke, Duke's Mason Plumlee, Creighton's Doug McDermott and even injured Kentucky freshman Nerlens Noel.
Crean has a problem with that. He sees Zeller playing to the hype. Zeller is better this year in scoring (16.6 to 15.6), rebounding (8.2 to 6.6) and free throw attempts (7.3 a game to 6.0), and all the intangibles that affect games.
"His free throws are way up," Crean said. "Everything is way up. That gets over shadowed because of the scrutiny he gets. His numbers are eye popping to me.
"I look at his improvement on things that really matter — percentages, attempts, offensive rebounds.
"When you have a guy that gets that kind of attention and deserves that attention, you have to do as much as you can through him and with him to help him make the game easier for everybody else. That's what he does."
As far as Tuesday's game, nothing will be easy. IU is 23-3. The last time it was 20 games over .500 was in 1992. Michigan State is 22-4 and is 5-0 since a 75-70 loss at Indiana. Both teams are 11-2 in Big Ten play. They are two games ahead of the rugged conference pack.
If IU wins in the Breslin Center to complete the season sweep, it will have, in essence, a two-game lead in the conference race. That might be just the edge it needs for a Big Ten championship and a conference tourney No. 1 seed.
Indiana's last conference title came in 2002. It has never been a Big Ten tourney No. 1 seed.
The Hoosiers will need maximum effort from everyone, and that includes guard Victor Oladipo. He hurt his ankle in the first half of Saturday's win over Purdue. He didn't play in the second half, but all indications are he'll be fine for Tuesday.
It's a big game, but not the last one. And Zeller, as much as anymore, perhaps more than anyone, will have a pivotal role.
If that means getting rough, he's more than ready.
More Information
Up nextTipoff: Indiana at Michigan State, 7 p.m. Tuesday
Online: For more on college athletics, follow Pete DiPrimio via Twitter at pdiprimio.


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Welcome to the SA Transplant Sports Association WebsiteThe Transplant Games Association of South Africa (TGASA) was established in April 1994 by a small group of organ-transplantees, who felt the need for an organization that would promote an active lifestyle and an involvement in various sporting activities to transplant recipients.
These goals have been pursued ever since and a South African Team has been to every World Transplant Games since 1995. In September 2006 the Associations name was changed to South African Transplant Sports Association and a new Constitution adopted.
SATSA is a member of the World Transplant Games Federation and is recognised by the Department of Sport and Recreation in South Africa, is a non-profit organization and are exempt from paying income tax (Fund- raising (NPO) No: 004-595).
SATSA is an Affiliated Member of the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC).
The World Transplant Games (WTG) is held every two years and South Africa has been participating since 1993. In 1997 the Team was, for the first time, awarded South African colours. South Africa , for the first time, participated in the Winter World Transplant Games held in France in January 2010.
The Country is Divided into the Following Recognized Regions:
- Eastern Cape
- Free State (under the auspices of the North West region)
- Gauteng
- KwaZulu-Natal
- Mpumalanga (under the auspices of the Gauteng region)
- Northern Cape (under the auspices of the Western Cape region)
- North West (under the auspices of the Gauteng Region)
- Limpopo (under the auspices of the Gauteng region)
- Western Cape
SATSA Is A non profit organisation representing transplant recipients, donor families (including living donors), Health Care professionals involved in organ donation and transplantation, corporate businesses involved in transplantation and corporate business involved in funding and sponsorships.


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A BARGOED man who attacked an ambulance crew in Torbay after taking a cannabis substitute has been jailed after a judge warned of the dangers of so called legal highs.
Martin Weston left 63-year-old paramedic Vernon Watkin with a dislocated jaw after suffering a psychotic episode on his way to hospital caused by smoking a substance called Pandora's Box.
A Judge called on the Government to ban the substance, which is sold as a herbal substitute for cannabis and has been linked to a spate of violent reactions in users all over Britain.
Judge Francis Gilbert, QC, also warned users of legal highs they risk jail if the substances they take lead to them breaking the law.
Weston was on holiday in Torbay from Wales when he went to a so-called head shop because he was running out of cannabis and wanted an alternative.
He smoked it in his car with his wife and children sat beside and behind him and became so ill an ambulance was called.
The crew loaded him onto a stretcher but he became deranged while en route to hospital and lashed out at Mr Watkin, Exeter Crown Court was told.
Father-of-three Weston, aged 38, of Henry Street, Bargoed, admitted causing actual bodily harm to Mr Watkin and common assault on ambulance driver Gemma Southcott.
He was jailed for 12 months. The judge told him:"I am told Pandora's Box causes agitation, paranoia, increased heart rate, altered consciousness and vomiting.
"I can only hope the Government will make it illegal sooner rather than later and the shop will have the sense to stop profiting from selling a substance that has such serious effects.
"It may be what you did was out of character and as a result of taking this legal high but it is not the same as having a drink spiked by someone else. You bought it and took it voluntarily.
"As a matter of public policy people who do that without regard to the risks they run must be sentenced with regard to the consequences their behaviour has on others.
"It is important those who take this sort of drug should be well aware of the risks they run and shops will have the sense to stop selling it."
Mr Gordon Richings, prosecuting, said the ambulance was called to Barton Hill Road, Torquay at teatime on October 3 last year and found Weston in a car where he was vomiting uncontrollably.
He said:"The crew were told he had smoked a legal high called Pandora's Box which caused him to become agitated. A decision was made to transfer him to Torbay Hospital.
"During the journey he got off the stretcher and told Mr Watkin he was going to rip his head off. He became extremely aggressive and forced his arm to his throat before punching him twice on the jaw."
Mr Richings said Weston refused to allow Mr Watkin to escape and he only got out with the help of the driver who stopped and opened the back door.
Weston kicked the driver and had to be restrained by both crew from running into traffic. Police eventually arrived and he told them he had no recollection of the incident.
The victim returned to work the next day despite suffering a double dislocation of the jaw. He made an impact statement saying it was the worst assault he had experienced in 31 years in the job.
He said:"It was the most horrific moment of my working life. I cannot forget having his deranged eyes in my face. If had not been for my colleague mu injuries would have been even graver.
"I was back at work 24 hours later because I knew I had to get back but it was two weeks before I got my confidence back."
Miss Ceylan Bayram, defending, said Weston bought the legal high at the Head Shop in Torquay as an alternative to cannabis and it had caused a psychotic episode.
She said:"He is incredibly apologetic and describes Mr Watkin as a hero and asks me to thank him for stopping him from running into the road."


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found a new home!
Plenty of my friends are looking
for one too. Find a pet to adopt.
I am up to date with shots.
MaryAnn, a Richmond Beagle puppy was adopted! Here's how you can benefit by looking at adoption as an option to buying a Beagle for sale in Richmond, or seeking a Beagle puppy from a breeder in Richmond.


text:
Residual Risk Assessment Of HIV Transmission (EP 49 EVARIST)
- Full Text View
- Tabular View
- No Study Results Posted
- Disclaimer
- How to Read a Study Record
The main objective of this one year multidisciplinary research is to estimate the frequency of seropositive men having sex with men (MSM) under antiretroviral therapy (ART) having an undetectable blood viral load (VL) and a detectable VL in semen.
Design: Participants'inclusion (n=150) will be done in 6 HIV hospital departments participating to the research project. To warrant feasibility and diversity of participants needed, the centers will be located in Paris and nearby suburbs. The study design is based on one blood and semen sample taken at day 0 and at day 30. Blood and semen samples will be taken in the enrolment centers. Biological and virological analyses will be performed by the laboratory of microbiology at Necker hospital, on blood and semen samples. Pharmacological analyses are planned in a subsequent study. Socio-behavioral data will be collected through a self-administered questionnaire at day 0 and day 30.
Schedule: Patients' enrolment, collection of biological samples and questionnaires will last 10 months (end of first quarter 2012). Biological and virological analyses will be performed until the end of the first semester 2012. Quantitative and socio-behavioral data will be analyzed during the third quarter 2012. Results will be released at the beginning of year 2013.
|HIV Infection
|Biological: blood and semen sampling, specific biological exams and biobank and self administered questionnaires
|Study Type:
|Study Design:
|Intervention Model: Single Group Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)
|Official Title:
- to estimate the frequency of seropositive men having sex with men (MSM) under antiretroviral therapy (ART) having an undetectable blood viral load (VL) and a detectable VL in semen [ Time Frame: up to 30 days ]
- to characterize the biological and behavioral components that might influence VL discordance between blood and semen [ Time Frame: up to 30 days ]
|Study Start Date:
|July 2011
|Study Completion Date:
|March 2012
|Primary Completion Date:
|February 2012 (Final data collection date for primary outcome measure)
|Assigned Interventions
|Experimental: 0
Biological: blood and semen sampling, specific biological exams and biobank and self administered questionnaires
blood and semen sampling, specific biological exams and biobank and self administered questionnaires
Detailed Description:
The secondary objective is to characterize the biological and behavioral components that might influence VL discordance between blood and semen.
Background: In most cases the semen VL reflects the blood VL. However some seropositive people with an undetectable blood VL have a detectable semen VL and thus might be at risk of HIV transmission in case of unprotected sexual behaviors. Most of the previously published studies were made on rather small numbers of HIV+ heterosexual men, were cross-sectional and did not address factors that might be associated with discordant VL between blood and semen. Few studies have been performed among seropositive MSM who are one of the most at-risk populations for HIV.
Issue: The working hypothesis is that virus present into reservoirs and risky sexual behaviors might influence discordance in VL between blood and semen in MSM. Our hypothesis is that this rate might be higher among MSM than among the general population due to the existence of biological and specific factors that could lead to HIV local replication. The main reasons to address this question in MSM are i) no or very few data available in this population; ii) the possibility to measure in this population the impact of life style determinants on semen VL (high number of sexual partners; risky sexual behaviors, multi-drugs consumption…); and iii) a strong expectation from this community to have new prevention strategies and clear information about the HIV transmission risk.
Outcomes: Quantitative data analysis will allow us to evaluate the proportion of people having a detectable semen VL, its variation according to time. Socio-behavioral data analysis will allow us to describe the sexual behaviors that might influence discordance of the VL between blood and semen in HIV+ MSM. These results will provide information on the HIV residual risk of transmission in treated MSM and to better target people who might be at risk for HIV transmission in case of unprotected sexual behaviors. Describing the socio-behavioral characteristics of these people will help to define adaptated interventions in order to improve HIV prevention in MSM
|Ages Eligible for Study:
|18 Years to 65 Years (Adult)
|Sexes Eligible for Study:
|Accepts Healthy Volunteers:
Inclusion Criteria:
- Age ≥ 18 and
- Able to give written consent
- Covered by French Social Security
- be a men and have sex with men
- be treated with the same ARV treatment for at least 3 months
- blood plasma have a CV undetectable (<50 copies / ml) for at least 6 months
- accept the constraints imposed by the study, that is to say one or more masturbation in hospital
Exclusion Criteria:
- Under protection(saving) of justice
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01413152
|Jade Ghosn
|Kremlin Bicetre, France
|Study Director:
|Roland LANDMAN
|Service de maladies infectieuses, VIH et Maladies Tropicales-Hopital BUCHAT
|Study Director:
|Jade GHOSN
|Service de médecine interne Le Kremlin Bicetre
|Principal Investigator:
|David ZUCMAN
|Service de médecine interne Hôpital Foch Suresnes
|Principal Investigator:
|Diane PONSCARME
|Service de maladies infectieuses et tropicales Hôpital St Louis
|Principal Investigator:
|Agathe RAMI
|Service de médecine interne Lariboisière
|Principal Investigator:
|Jean-Paul VIARD
|Centre de diagnostic et thérapeutique Hôtel Dieu
Additional Information:
|Responsible Party:
|French National Agency for Research on AIDS and Viral Hepatitis
|ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
|NCT01413152 History of Changes
|Other Study ID Numbers:
|Study First Received:
|July 1, 2011
|Last Updated:
|December 26, 2012
Keywords provided by French National Institute for Health and Medical Research-French National Agency for Research on AIDS and Viral Hepatitis (Inserm-ANRS) ( French National Agency for Research on AIDS and Viral Hepatitis ):
men having sex with men
Additional relevant MeSH terms:
HIV Infections
Lentivirus Infections
Retroviridae Infections
RNA Virus Infections
Virus Diseases
Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Viral
Sexually Transmitted Diseases
Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes
Immune System Diseases
ClinicalTrials.gov processed this record on September 25, 2017


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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.
Friday, September 22, 2017
Infectious Diseases
Hepatitis C
I was poked with a dirty syringe at work .I have not had a flareup in 10 years untill now. I also contacted Hep c. I need some answers. Please help.
You would need to go to employee health and report your needlestick injury. You would need HIV, Hepatitis B testing in addition.
Pamposh Kaul, MD
Assistant Professor
College of Medicine
University of Cincinnati


text:
Cookie Pizza Recipe
3.5 4 4
"I contribute this quick-and-easy treat to every bake sale our two daughters are involved in," writes Debbie Johnson of Centertown, Missouri. "Everyone seems to love the great-tasting combination of yummy chocolate and marshmallows on a homemade peanut butter cookie crust."
Recommended: 16 Favorite Recipes for Fruit Pizza
VERIFIED BY Taste of Home Test Kitchen
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 1/2 cup peanut butter
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups miniature marshmallows
- 1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
- In a bowl, cream butter, peanut butter and sugars. Beat in egg and vanilla. Stir in flour until blended.
- Spread dough onto a greased 12-in. pizza pan. Bake at 375° for 12 minutes. Sprinkle with marshmallows and chocolate chips. Bake 5-6 minutes longer or until lightly browned. Yield: 10-12 servings.
Editor's Note: This recipe is best eaten the same day it's prepared.
Originally published as Cookie Pizza in Quick Cooking May/June 2000, p55
Reviews forCookie Pizza
My Review
Click stars to rate
Any changes to your rating or review will appear where you originally posted your review
Average Rating
Reviewed Jul. 12, 2014
"It was a good idea but I really didn't like the flavors. The cookie seemed a bit greasy to me and as someone else mentioned the toppings didn't really stay on."
Reviewed Feb. 15, 2010
"This recipe was tasty but messy. The topping ingredients wouldn't stay on. I suggest melting the chocolate and spreading it over the crust before putting the marshmallows on."
Reviewed Apr. 27, 2009
"I've made this for ~10 years, and everyone loves it. It's so easy. I make in in a 9x11 pan. Recommend it to everyone"
Reviewed Dec. 9, 2007
"This looks too good to eat."


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Piper System's Electronic Metering And Control Devices Bring Milk Measuring Into The Electronic Age
With its range of highly advanced, electronic milk measuring technologies for tanker and milk collection applications, Piper Systems is bringing milk measuring practices into the electronic age and providing Dairy Co-operatives and their partners with improved accuracy, efficiency, traceability and cost savings.
Piper Systems' custom built, custom designed solutions have been successfully deployed around the globe and dovetail with a range of value-add services such as client sample identification, sample management and GPS tracking of milk collection.
According to Archie Hamilton, his company's category leading technologies are designed to provide unique value in measuring and managing milk purchase and collection.
"Piper Systems works hand-in-hand with clients to design and display a customized solution that meets the very specific measurement and control requirements of each dairy," stated Simon Barcoe, Vice President, Engineering and Construction Sector, Enterprise Ireland. "The company's manufacturing system implements all the necessary pieces dairies across the globe require for an efficient and profitable business."
For more information on Piper Systems, please visit http://www.pipersystems.com


text:
I am searching for a sutta where the Buddha, speaks (among other things I guess) about the perils of fatalism.
He says something to the extent that if someone thinks "I have done this or that bad deed. Therefore surely I will go to hell", if he does not abandon that view then, "as if carried away", or something, he would, with the breakup of the body, reappear in hell.
Googling for the latter phrase just brought up the Maha-Sinanda-Sutta. And otherwise I don't really know the wording or any specific phrase to search by. It would be great if someone had an idea which Sutta I am talking about. I am quite sure I have read it and I would like to read it again.


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The first time Taylor Stratton saw CU-Boulder's mascot Ralphie run onto the field at a home football game, she knew she wanted to join the team of Ralphie Handlers.
Ranked one of the top college mascots in the country, Ralphie is a real buffalo – female American bison to be precise -- that leads the football team onto Folsom Field. Ralphie Handlers are varsity student-athletes who run with Ralphie around the field before the games.
"It's the coolest thing in college sports to watch Ralphie run and I just knew I had to do it," said Stratton, a senior from Colorado Springs who is triple majoring in environmental studies, geography, and ecology and evolutionary biology.
It takes five handlers to run with Ralphie around the field. Two on each side guide her and one bringing up the rear helps control her speed. Other handlers are positioned around the field to make sure Ralphie has a clear, safe path to run.
Keeping up with a grown buffalo running 20 mph requires Stratton and her teammates to be fit and fast on their feet. During the football season they work out five days a week—two days lifting weights and three days practicing their runs with Ralphie. While feisty on the field, Ralphie has a sweet disposition, according to Stratton, and shows her affection toward the handlers by licking their gloves.
"It can be challenging keeping up with her," said Stratton. "The louder people cheer the faster she'll run. It's such an adrenaline rush. Ralphie is so much fun to be around and she has a great personality."
This is Stratton's second year as a handler. She also is a student ambassador and gives campus tours to prospective students and their families. For the past year she has been participating in an American pika research project studying the potato-sized, hamster-like mammals that live in the Rocky Mountains.
During the spring 2013 semester, Stratton will study wildlife conservation and political ecology in Tanzania, Africa, where she will stay with a local family and learn to speak Swahili while earning college credit.
"I want to try as many opportunities as I can while I'm at CU," said Stratton.


text: USDA APHIS VS has just announced its 2012 Ag-Discovery Program http://www.aphis.usda.gov/agdiscovery/ Ag-Discovery, a 2-3 week summer camp for middle school and high school students, is a great opportunity for youth with an interest in Agriculture/Veterinary medicine and other agriculture-related fields. There are 17 venues, all land-grant colleges or universities, across the US that will host camps this summer. Each venue has a unique focus. Virginia's own Virginia State University is hosting an Ag-Discovery camp this year for the first time! All Ag-Discovery camps are FREE, parents just have to get the child there and pick them up! Students can apply to however many as they wish even if there is an Ag-Discovery program in their state. View the AgDiscovery Brochure to learn more. ***STUDENTS' APPLICATIONS ARE DUE TO BY MARCH 16***** Online forms - http://web01.aphis.usda.gov/MeetingReg.nsf/AgDiscovery?OpenForm (It is a secure website) Here are a few items needed. For full details see the brochure. Three character references-letters from people not related to you who know you well. At least one of the three references must come from a teacher or counselor. If applying by mail, references must be submitted in sealed envelopes within the application package. If applying online, please follow the instructions on the application page for submitting reference letters. A completed application form. If you did not receive one with this leaflet, you can print the form from the Web. Go to www.aphis.usda.gov and click on the AgDiscovery Program hotlink. Mail your completed package to: Ms. Beatrice Jacobs USDA-APHIS Office of the Administrator Civil Rights Enforcement and Compliance 4700 River Road, Unit 92 Riverdale, MD 20737-1234 On or prior to April 30, 2012, APHIS will notify you if you have been selected for this summer's AgDiscovery program. 1.18.2012