text:
The late July opening of Mary Casey Black Elementary School will allow Brentwood resident Elena Brennan to send her daughter to kindergarten in her neighborhood. Like many northeastern Brentwood residents, Brennan has been waiting for the long-anticipated campus to open.
"It worked out perfectly for us," she said. "We have a lot of parents in our neighborhood taking their kids to two or three different schools. We are excited."
Completed in 2011, the Brentwood Union School District's eighth elementary school campus has been unused for two years due to ongoing economic constraints. Students who live near the school at Farmington Drive and Garin Parkway have been attending Brentwood, Garin and Marsh Creek elementary schools.
But at two community meetings this week parents and students got the chance to see and hear more about the first school to open districtwide in eight years.
"We have a lot to do together to make this a special place for students," said newly appointed Mary Casey Black principal and district alumna Liz Ybarra.
Over the next six months, Ybarra urged parents to help set up the library, join the parents club, become members of the advisory committee or take part in organizing the art programs. The campus will be Brentwood's smallest elementary school with 475 to 525 students and room to grow, noted Brentwood Superintendent Merrill Grant.
"This school has the opportunity to grow," Grant said. "It has the capacity to go to 750 (students)."
To prepare for the opening, the district has created a Mary Casey Black attendance boundary, which is the area east of Brentwood Boulevard from Lone Tree Way on the north side to Oak and Chestnut streets along the south perimeter. All elementary school students living in this new boundary will be automatically transferred to the new school unless a parent submits an intradistrict transfer request by March 1.
On Jan. 23, the Brentwood school board will officially consider adoption of the proposed boundary shift. In the spring, computers, a playground and furniture will be added to the school site, which is a replica of Marsh Creek Elementary.
"It looks like it was just finished yesterday," Grant said. "It is a nice luxury to have the school completed."
According to Ybarra, the campus will have the same programs as other elementary campuses in the district, including those for special education students and English-language learners. There will also be on-site, after-school child care.
"They will be receiving the same quality services they are receiving at their current schools," Ybarra said.
Mary Casey Black will have about 18 teachers next academic year, which Grant said will likely be a very veteran staff. Ybarra said that she and her staff will build a sense of excitement, start traditions and ease student anxiety with some back-to-school events.
Contact Paula King at 925-779-7174.


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A Plague and a Blessing in My Empty Nest
September 25, 2017,
Jerky body movement is a condition in which a person makes fast movements that they cannot control and that have no purpose. These movements interrupt the person's normal movement or posture.
The medical name of this condition is chorea.
Chorea; Muscle - jerky movements (uncontrolled); Hyperkinetic movements
This condition can affect one or both sides of the body. Typical movements of chorea include:
These movements do not usually repeat. They can look like they are being done on purpose. But the movements are not under the person's control. A person with chorea may look jittery or restless.
There are many possible causes of unpredictable, jerky movements, including:
The doctor will perform a physical exam. This may include a detailed examination of the nervous and muscle systems.
The doctor will ask about your medical history and symptoms, including:
Tests that may be ordered include:
Treatment is based on the type of chorea the person has. If medicines are used, the health care provider will decide which medicine to prescribe based on the person's symptoms and signs.
Treatment is aimed at the cause of the movements.
Excitement and fatigue can make chorea worse. Rest improves chorea. Try to reduce emotional stress.
Safety measures should also be taken to prevent injury from the involuntary movements.
Call your health care provider if you have unexplained body motions that are unpredictable and do not go away.
Griggs RC, Jozefowicz RF, Aminoff MJ. Approach to the patient with neurologic disease. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Goldman's Cecil Medicine . 24th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Saunders; 2011:chap 403.
Lang AE. Other movement disorders. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Goldman's Cecil Medicine . 24th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Saunders; 2011:chap 417.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
A former Salinas Valley fertilizer maker will spend nearly a year in federal prison for selling bogus product to organic farmers.
Peter Townsley, 50, a Canadian resident, operated California Liquid Fertilizer in Gonzales between 2000 and 2006. At one time, the company was selling about one-third of the organic fertilizer in the state.
Government prosecutors charged that Townsley adulterated his Biolizer XN fertilizer — which contained fish, fish by-products, feathermeal and water — with ammonium chloride and ammonium sulfate, ingredients banned in organic fertilizer.
Townsley pleaded guilty in February to two counts of mail fraud based on his mailing of renewal certifications to a nonprofit group that reviews organic material. He admitted selling $6.5 million worth of adulterated product during a six-year period.
The state Department of Food and Agriculture learned of alleged problems in 2004 from a whistle-blower and ordered the fertilizer off the market in January 2007. Townsley was indicted in June 2010.
He was sentenced Wednesday in U.S. District Court in San Francisco. The court sentenced him to 364 days in prison, fined him $125,000 and ordered him to perform 1,000 hours of community service related to organic farming production.
Townsley was to surrender to the U.S. Marshals Service on Friday to begin serving his prison sentence.
"By cheating and deceiving his organic farming customers, Mr. Townsley took advantage of their trust and undermined the integrity of an entire industry," said Northern California U.S. Attorney Melinda Haag in a prepared statement.
"His actions are particularly troubling given the fact that consumers rely on the representations of all participants in the process when they pay a premium price for certified organic products," Haag said.
The court ordered Townsley to three years of supervised release after his release from prison. The first six months must be spent in a halfway house, the court said.


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Change your sorry tech habits — now
We live in awe of technology, demonstrated with each remarkable advance over the generations. From the cotton gin to the computer, the tools we contrive to enrich our lives have affected how we behave as well as how we work.
Then the awe fades and we begin behaving badly, treating our tools as toys, or worse, as trash. That's because once the bloom is off our newest gadgets, we slip into boredom and let bad habits sprout. We allow gadgetry to supplant or interfere with things it shouldn't, such as responsible behavior, and then we have the nerve to be disappointed with the results. Pretty soon, we're itching for another innovation to come along and make us feel better about our ourselves and our devices when the one thing that really needs to change is … us.
So, start making that change now by:
Improving your passwords — For a couple of decades, technologists have implored us to use passwords that are roundly more complex than our pets' names, or our maiden names, or our nicknames, or — for God's sake — the word "password." Yet we are well into the 21st century and still making bad choices when pretending to protect what little security we have left. Get creative with passwords now, before someone gets creative with your personal information soon.
Standing, or taking a walks — Among the latest in fear-provoking research is a study out of Australia that says too much sitting can shorten your lifespan by 40 percent. And why not? The research material abounds: we're in cars, at workstations or in front of the TV much longer than we're on our feet. Other studies show that inactivity leads to weight gain and potentially fatal blood clots. Do more strolling, less trolling, and add years to your life in the process.
Changing chairs — When we sit, we don't do that properly, either. Part of the blame lies with our poor posture, another part lies in the one-size-fits-all workstations employers impose on staffs. Work can be stressful enough; why compound it with sorry seating? The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) offers suggestions for improving workplace comfort. Study these to create the optimum working environment at home, and make suggestions to your employer's human resources department about replicating that environment at the office.
Taking better care of your equipment — Face it, computers and tablets are not appliances; they require somewhat more care and attention than the average bagel toaster. That includes:
- System updates, to improve performance and security. Do these at least once a week.
- Software backups, to prevent loss of critical data. Do this daily.
- Battery optimization, to improve power-source performance. This involves running batteries all the way down, after their first use, before charging them all the way up again.
- Cleaning and dusting, to reduce strain on components. Even solid-state devices such as cell phones require regular cleaning to prevent dust and grit from damaging their connectors, and to prevent germs from causing you grief.
Putting it all away — There are numerous optimum places to use gadgetry. Your car and your bed are not among them. For the sake of safety, avoid texting or talking on the phone while driving. And for the sake of sanity, set the phone or the tablet on the nightstand and leave them there. No amount of technology compensates for lack of sleep.
David Sheets is a sports content editor at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and STLtoday.com, and president of SPJ's St. Louis Pro chapter. Reach him by e-mail at email@example.com, on Twitter at @DKSheets, or on Facebook and LinkedIn.


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(It has support for xrandr 1.2/1.3 and can distinguish between 23.976 and 24)
Howto achieve judder free perfectly synced playback.
Since there's a lot of misinformation in the forum about how xorg display modes works, I though I'd post a howto and explain how to do it the (in my opinion) right way.
First of all, modelines are not a the magic solution to all your problems. Modelines are only needed with tv's that have faulty EDID information. Most TVs provide the correct modes for 29.97/59.94 Hz, but the modes are not used by xrandr by default, so XBMC can't see that they are available.
To check how ~24 and ~60 Hz modes are currently handled on your setup you can run the following command:
(XBMC Live doesn't have libgtk, which is required by nvidia-settings. Either check the refresh inside XBMC instead by pausing a video and pressing "o", or run "sudo apt-get install libgtk2.0-0".)
for i in 24 60; do xrandr -r $i; nvidia-settings -q RefreshRate | grep -o "[0-9][0-9].*Hz"; done
The steps needed to set everything up are:
- Adding a proper xorg.conf
- Finding what modes the TV says it supports in it's EDID.
- Adding the wanted modes to xorg.conf so XBMC can use them.
- Adjusting the settings in NVIDIA's drivers.
- Adjusting the settings in XBMC.
- Automatic installation
All the steps can be performed automatically by dropping to a shell by pressing CTRL-ALT-F1 and running this script either by using copy & paste to an empty file
or by downloading it using:
curl "http://pastebin.com/download.php?i=bU1QFQ3c" | tr -d \\r > nvidia.sh
sh nvidia.sh
The script has been tested on
- Ubuntu 9.10
- Xubuntu 9.10
- Ubuntu 10.04 Alpha 3
- XBMC Live 9.11 LiveCD
- XBMC Live 9.11 (installed on a USB stick)
- If you don't trust my bash scripting skills. (Nobody's perfect... ) Here's how to do it step by step:
Manual installation
Backing up your current settings
mkdir $HOME/old; cp /etc/X11/xorg.conf $HOME/.nvidia-settings-rc $HOME/.xbmc/userdata/guisettings.xml $HOME/old 2>/dev/null
wget "http://pastebin.com/download.php?i=5xAKDHNi" -O ~/nvidia-xorg.conf
sudo bash -c "tr -d \\r < ~/nvidia-xorg.conf > /etc/X11/xorg.conf"
Section "Device"
Identifier "nvidia"
Driver "nvidia"
Option "NoLogo" "true"
Option "DynamicTwinView" "false"
Option "NoFlip" "false"
Option "FlatPanelProperties" "Scaling = Native"
Option "ModeValidation" "NoVesaModes, NoXServerModes"
Option "UseDisplayDevice" "DFP-1"
Option "ModeDebug" "true"
Option "HWCursor" "false"
Section "Screen"
Identifier "screen"
Device "nvidia"
SubSection "Display"
Modes "1920x1080_60"
Section "Extensions"
Option "Composite" "false"
This is all that is needed. Don't use options you don't understand! Explanations to all the options can be found in the NVIDIA drivers manual.
The ModeDebug option makes the nvidia driver print all the available modes to Xorg's log file.
2. Finding what modes the TV says it supports in it's EDID.
Now that ModeDebug is enabled Xorg needs to be restarted so the available modes will be written to the log file.
Hook up your HDMI cable and restart Xorg.
sudo service gdm restart
sudo service xbmc-live stop
sudo service xbmc-live start
sed -n '/- Modes/,/- End/p' /var/log/Xorg.0.log | sed 's/.*(0)://g' > $HOME/Desktop/modes.txt
Open up modes.txt and /etc/X11/xorg.conf in your favourite editor.
nano $HOME/Desktop/modes.txt
sudo nano /etc/X11/xorg.conf
--- Modes in ModePool for Philips FTV (DFP-1) ---
"nvidia-auto-select" : 1920 x 1080 @ 60.0 Hz (from: EDID)
"1920x1080" : 1920 x 1080 @ 60.0 Hz (from: EDID)
"1920x1080_60" : 1920 x 1080 @ 60.0 Hz (from: EDID)
"1920x1080_60_0" : 1920 x 1080 @ 59.94/60 Hz (CEA-861B Format 16) (from: EDID)
"1920x1080_50" : 1920 x 1080 @ 50.0 Hz (from: EDID)
"1920x1080_30" : 1920 x 1080 @ 29.97/30 Hz (CEA-861B Format 34) (from: EDID)
"1920x1080_25" : 1920 x 1080 @ 25 Hz (CEA-861B Format 33) (from: EDID)
"1920x1080_24" : 1920 x 1080 @ 24.0 Hz (from: EDID)
"1920x1080_24_0" : 1920 x 1080 @ 23.97/24 Hz (CEA-861B Format 32) (from: EDID)
"1920x1080_60i" : 1920 x 1080 @ 59.94/60 Hz (CEA-861B Format 5) (from: EDID)
"1920x1080_50i" : 1920 x 1080 @ 50 Hz Interlace (CEA-861B Format 20) (from: EDID)
--- End of ModePool for Philips FTV (DFP-1): ---
My TV supports both both 60 and 59.94 Hz. The left column is the name of the mode. As you can see both modes have names that start with "1920x1080_60". Since xrandr can't have two ~60 Hz modes available at the same time, we need to tell it to use the 59.94 Hz mode when switching to a ~60 Hz refresh rate. Same needs to be done with the ~24 Hz mode.
The two modes I want are called "1920x1080_60_0" and "1920x1080_24_0" since they provide the correct refresh rates. To enable these, paste the names of the modes to the Modes-line of /etc/X11/xorg.conf replacing the current setting. The first mode on the line will be your default mode. In my case it looks like this when done:
Modes "1920x1080_60_0" "1920x1080_24_0"
sudo service gdm restart
sudo service xbmc-live stop
sudo service xbmc-live start
To enable all the right and disable all the wrong options in the drivers you can run this command: (Not needed on XBMC Live)
export DISPLAY=:0; nvidia-settings -a "SyncToVBlank=1" -a "AllowFlipping=1" -a "FSAAAppControlled=1" -a "OpenGLImageSettings=3" -a "LogAniso=0" -a "GPUScaling[DFP-1]=1,1"; nvidia-settings -r
5. Adjusting the settings in XBMC.
In XBMC you want to set "Render method" to Auto, "Use pixel buffer objects" to On, "Adjust display refresh..." to On, "Sync playback to display" to On, A/V sync method to "Audio" and "Vertical blank sync" to Always.
Voila, XBMC now automatically switches between 23.97, 50, and 59.94 Hz for 23.97, 25 and 29.97 FPS content respectively.
Two settings that you might want to try if you run into trouble is setting "Sync playback to display" to Off in XBMC and/or change NoFlip to "false" in /etc/X11/xorg.conf.
Restoring your previous settings
Your Xorg settings:
sudo cp $HOME/old/xorg.conf /etc/X11/xorg.conf
cp $HOME/old/.nvidia-settings-rc $HOME; nvidia-settings -l
cp $HOME/old/guisettings.xml $HOME/.xbmc/userdata
Forcing target refresh rates for ranges of source fps
- If you don't trust my bash scripting skills. (Nobody's perfect... ) Here's how to do it step by step:
- Automatic installation


text:
Topic: Newly Diagnosed
Hello Everyone! I am so glad that I found this website. My 59 year-old husband, Ron, was recently diagnosed with Stage 4 inoperable Cholangiocarcinoma, which has spread to the liver. There was no other presence of cancer in the body according to all the scans. One lesion on the liver was 10 cm on the original scan with several smaller lesions on the other lobe. It took nearly a month to determine the origin of the cancer and finally a regimen of chemo was started this month. Before chemo was started Ron was nauseated most of the time, smells bothered him, he suffered from pain, and lost 15 lbs. After his 1st chemo treatment he felt great. Pain and nausea are rare. We live in a small rural area in ND and are seeing an Oncologist in Bismarck, ND, whom we have a lot of faith in. However, he is telling us that the cancer is not curable and chemo will only prolong Ron's life for 2-5 more years, unless of course he can get his cancer into remission. Dr. was impressed how much the lesion shrunk after only 1 treatment. If blood levels continue to look good, Dr. may increase his chemo treatments to once a week for 3 weeks with 1 week off, instead of the present 2 weeks on, 1 week off. It seems to me that since the cancer was not found in the lymph or anywhere else other than the liver, Ron's chances of survival should be higher than average. Dr. did refer us to Mayo Clinic in Rochester for a 2nd opinion but Mayo wants Ron to go through 3 months of treatment and have new scans done before coming to Mayo. In 5 weeks we'll be leaving for our winter home in the Sun City, AZ area and will need to start with a new oncologist. None of our doctors in Bismarck are familiar with any oncologists in the Sun City area. Does anyone in this Forum know of a good hepatic oncologist in this area? Here are some other questions I have:
1. If the treatments shrink the tumor enough can a resection usually be done?
2. If the treatments are successful is it necessary to get another opinion?
3. How long do patients usually undergo chemo treatments as in Ron's case? Months? Years?
Thank you in advance for any feedback. I'm learning a lot reading everyone's topics. Godspeed!


text:
"Be Our Guest" Concert Raises Nearly $13,000 to Benefit Feeding South Dakota
Donations will be used to purchase dairy foods for food banks and hunger relief centers
Thanks to the support of nearly 1,300 South Dakotans, dairy farm families presented Feeding South Dakota with a check for nearly $13,000 at a benefit concert on March 27. Dairy farmers invited the public to "Be Our Guest" at a Sawyer Brown concert at the annual Central Plains Dairy Expo in return for a $10 donation to Feeding South Dakota. Donations will be used to purchase dairy foods to stock food banks across the state.
"We appreciate all of the donations and support we received from South Dakotans," said Jim Dawson, food sourcing specialist with Feeding South Dakota. "We're especially excited about having additional funds to purchase dairy foods at times of high demand. Because of the perishable nature of these products, we don't often have them in stock at our distribution centers."
"Feeding people is at the heart of what dairy farmers do," said Allen Merrill, a dairy farmer from Parker, S.D. "Each day that means producing a great-tasting and nutritious product on our farms. But this event a great partnership for us to take that mission of feeding people a step further."
Donations were accepted at First Bank and Trust locations in Sioux Falls and Canton, Lewis Drug Store locations in Sioux Falls, Brandon, Brookings, Huron and Madison, and Hy-Vee stores in Sioux Falls.
Feeding South Dakota (www.feedingsouthdakota.org) is a hunger relief organization that serves approximately 500 hunger relief and emergency food distribution sites throughout the state. These agencies received more than 12 million pounds of food and grocery items from Feeding South Dakota in 2011. Feeding South Dakota now operates distribution centers in Sioux Falls, Pierre and Rapid City, and food pantries in Sioux Falls and Rapid City.
Milk provides a unique package of nine essential nutrients, and dairy foods are a substantial contributor of many nutrients that are important for good health. Dairy's importance in building strong bones and maintaining a healthy weight has been reaffirmed in the Surgeon General's Report on Bone Health, the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, and MyPlate. All recommend eating three servings of low-fat or fat-free milk, cheese or yogurt daily for optimum health.


text:
Medela Accessory Starter Set
Item #: 87290
Get off to a great breastfeeding start with a collection of Medela's best-selling accessories!
- Key accessories support mom in the first few weeks after giving birth: breastfeeding education, breast care, breastmilk storage, cleaning and more!
- Great as a registry or gift item!


text:
by Chamberlain |
Item #
Model # WD822KD |
About this item
The Chamberlain® Whisper Drive® 1/2 HP Belt Drive garage door opener is the ultimate in quiet performance.
We're sorry, this item is not available in your selected club.
Whisper Drive® 1/2 HP Belt Drive Garage Access System
The Chamberlain® Whisper Drive® 1/2 HP Belt Drive garage door opener is the ultimate in quiet performance. It features our exclusive Motor Vibration Isolation System (MVIS®) – which eliminates powerhead vibration for reduced noise – making it the ideal choice if you have rooms positioned above the garage. The 1/2 HP heavy-duty motor offers steady performance and lifting power year after year. The quick-install rail system provides faster and easier installation – it assembles in just 60 seconds. This model has also earned the Good Housekeeping seal.
- 1/2 HP belt drive system
- Ultimate in quiet performance
- Exclusive Motor Vibration Isolation System (MVIS®)
- Quick-install rail system provides faster and easier installation – assembles in 60 seconds
- 200 watts of light with adjustable light time delay
- HomeLink® compatible
- Includes two 3-button remote controls
- Earned the Good Housekeeping seal
Safety and Security Features:
- The Protector System® safety sensors with Rapid-Snap® brackets project an invisible light beam across the garage door opening
- Automatically reverses the door if anything interrupts the beam while door is going down
- Sensing technology will stop the door from closing if contact is made with a person or object
- Opener lights turn on automatically when The Protector System's infrared beam is broken
- Security+® anti-burglary technology assures a new code is sent every time the remote control is used
- PosiLock® theft protection assures that once the door is closed, it stays locked
- Manual release handle in case of power failure
Included Accessories:
- Multi-Function 3-Button Remote Control 953D – operates up to 3 garage doors and/or turns on lights or small appliances inside your home
- Motion-Detecting Control Panel 935CB – turns the garage door opener lights on automatically when you enter a dark garage
- Wireless Keyless Entry System 940D – get the added convenience of being able to open your garage door by a code that you program directly into the unit instead of using a remote control or key
Lifetime motor warranty
10-year belt warranty
1-year warranty on EverCharge® Standby Power System
10-year belt warranty
1-year warranty on EverCharge® Standby Power System
Assembled Country
Assembled Size
- Box dimensions: 27.25 x 9.69 x 13.06
- Weight: 38.75 lbs.
Component Country
Shipping Info
Standard - 2 to 6 business days
Premium - 2 to 4 business days
Express - 1 to 2 business days


text:
Pure Hothouse Foods Inc. is voluntarily recalling fresh-cut vegetable grilling trays in Canada and the U.S. because of possible listeria contamination of whole and sliced mushrooms.
No illnesses have been linked to the recalled products, which include 1,402 cases of the fresh-cut trays and 8,412 individually distributed units. The recalled products are packaged under the Meijer and Pure Flavor brands. Sell-by dates on the products range from Aug. 11-26.
In the U.S., three varieties of the products under the Meijer brand were distributed to retailers in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Kentucky, according to the recall notice. Four varieties were distributed in the Canadian province of Ontario, according to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.
Pure Hothouse Foods, Leamington, Ontario, stated in a recall notice on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration website that listeria had been confirmed in finished product, which is marketed in 14-ounce trays.
"Pure Hothouse Foods Inc. customer service representatives have already contacted all customers impacted and are in the process of confirming that the recalled products are not in the stream of commerce," states the notice on the FDA website.
The Meijer brand products and their Universal Price Codes are: "Grillers Mushroom with Rosemary" 7-08820-85464-2; "Grillers Steak Topper" 7-08820-85468-0; and "Grillers Asparagus Blend" 7-08820-85353-9.
In Canada, the four recalled products and their UPCs are: Premium Medley 6 84924 06001 4; Asparagus Blend 6 84924 06012 0; Rustic Blend 6 84924 06003 8; and Steak Topper 6 84924 06002.


text:
Sign into our member site to view your information online.Forget your username or password? Not registered? Register here
methylphenidate (generic name)
Concerta (brand name)
It is used to treat attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
(meth il FEN i date)
Table of Contents
Top Learning Centers(Recursos en Español)
What is this medicine?METHYLPHENIDATE (meth il FEN i date) is used to treat attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). It is also used to treat narcolepsy.
What should I tell my health care provider before I take this medicine?They need to know if you have any of these conditions:
How should I use this medicine?Take this medicine by mouth with a glass of water. Follow the directions on the prescription label. Do not crush, cut, or chew the tablet. You may take this medicine with food. Take your medicine at regular intervals. Do not take it more often than directed. If you take your medicine more than once a day, try to take your last dose at least 8 hours before bedtime. This well help prevent the medicine from interfering with your sleep.
A special MedGuide will be given to you by the pharmacist with each prescription and refill. Be sure to read this information carefully each time.
Talk to your pediatrician regarding the use of this medicine in children. While this drug may be prescribed for children as young as 6 years for selected conditions, precautions do apply.
What if I miss a dose?If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you can. If it is almost time for your next dose, take only that dose. Do not take double or extra doses.
What may interact with this medicine?Do not take this medicine with any of the following medications:
This medicine may also interact with the following medications:
What should I watch for while using this medicine?Visit your doctor or health care professional for regular checks on your progress. This prescription requires that you follow special procedures with your doctor and pharmacy. You will need to have a new written prescription from your doctor or health care professional every time you need a refill.
This medicine may affect your concentration, or hide signs of tiredness. Until you know how this drug affects you, do not drive, ride a bicycle, use machinery, or do anything that needs mental alertness. If you are having trouble sleeping, and this continues to be a regular and bothersome side effect, contact your health care provider to discuss your options.
Tell your doctor or health care professional if this medicine loses its effects, or if you feel you need to take more than the prescribed amount. Do not change the dosage without talking to your doctor or health care professional. Do not suddenly stop your medicine.
Decreased appetite is a common side effect when starting this medicine. Eating small, frequent meals or snacks can help. Talk to your doctor if you continue to have poor eating habits. Height and weight growth of a child taking this medicine will be monitored closely.
If you are taking the Concerta tablets, you may notice the tablet shell in your stool. This is normal.
If you are scheduled for any surgery, tell your healthcare provider that you are taking this medicine. You may need to stop taking this medicine before the procedure.


text:
Photos and Audio: Tonight on GLEE- GREASE, P!nk and More!
On tonight's episode of GLEE, titled, 'The Role You Were Born to Play,' the school production of Grease is underway, and Marley (Melissa Benoist), Jake (Jacob Artist), Kitty (Becca Tobin) and football player Ryder (Blake Jenner) compete to play "Danny" and "Sandy." Meanwhile, former Glee clubbers Mercedes (Amber Riley) and Mike (Harry Shum Jr.) return to cast the play, and Mr. Schuester (Matthew Morrison) struggles with a difficult decision. Check out photos and tracks from the episode below!
GLEE is a musical comedy about a group of eager and ambitious students who strive to outshine their singing competition to win Nationals while navigating the cruel halls of McKinley High. Since its debut, GLEE has become a bona fide cultural phenomenon, received prestigious honors including the Golden Globe and Peabody Award and singlehandedly made glee clubs cool again.
In addition to the regular cast, GLEE has featured guest appearances by a wide range of talented performers, including Gwyneth Paltrow (who won the 2011 Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series), Carol Burnett, Kathy Griffin, Cheyenne Jackson, John Stamos, Britney Spears, Kristin Chenoweth, Idina Menzel, Jonathan Groff, Molly Shannon, Olivia Newton-John and Neil Patrick Harris, who won a 2010 Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series for his work on the show.
Photo Credit: Mike Yarish/FOX
Amber Riley, Chord Overstreet, Jacob Artist, Melissa Benoist, Alex Newell
Blake Jenner, Melissa Benoist, Becca Tobin, Jacob Artist)
Dot Marie Jones
Cory Monteith, Kevin McHale, Harry Shum Jr., Amber Riley
Harry Shum Jr., Amber Riley, Cory Monteith, Kevin McHale
Click Here to Watch the Video!


text:
Bigger arenas baby!!
Release some wrestlers.
Buy some new wrestlers.
Their fine the way they are now.
Build the Diversionary wrestling back up (X-Division, Tag Team)
Move into bigger arenas
Get a new TV Channel provider
Go back to the more Hardcore days of TNA.
Last edited by ThatSebangGuy; 11-17-2012 at 05:24 PM.
"Victims.. Aren't we all ?"
Divas to believe in.


text:
" Brand: Boots 17 / Type: Bronzer / What it does: Bronzes, "
Well......I wouldn't rave about this product.
It doesn't give you a great bronzing glow, it's literally just a slight bit of colour that I now use for my cheeks on the odd occassion.
I am (unfortunately) naturally pale and tend to use a bronzer on top of a liquid based foundation, but this does not do anything to make me look any less pale. I've used many other bronzers which have been much better.
This product is fairly cheaper than the many other bronzers available and it isn't exactly a big pot, and I think unfortunately on this occassion you get what you pay for. There are different coloured pearls in this tub - mainly browns & pinks and it does just give me rossier checks onnly very lightly though.
Also......I woulnd't be too fooled by the size of the tub because it isn't full of pearls - there's a bit of foam padding underneath the lid.
Quite honeslty I wouldn't recommend it as bronzing powder if you want a nice brown complexion.
I have fairly pale skin naturally so, especially in winter, I like to give my complexion a lift with make-up products. Along with foundation, I find a bronzer to be essential for this task. I have tried quite a few products from Boot's 17 range as this is quite an affordable range, yet the products seem to be of good quality.
I bought a pot of bronzing pearls from 17 for £4.99 and they are available in two shades - light and medium. I opted for light as my skin tone is light and I didn't want the bronzer to be too obvious. Looking at the balls in the pots, the two shades are quite similar but one of the shades of the balls (there are 3 different shades in each pot) is a lighter colour in the light pot. The balls are quite small and the pot well filled, so the bronzer is pretty good value for money.
I use a bronzer brush to apply and found this could be quite messy. The balls are so small they get caught up in the bristles quite easily and can lead to a streaking effect on your face if you do not remove these all before application. They can also be scattered from the pot easily as the pot is quite small in comparison to the bronzing brush so this tends to flick them over the sides.
The actual colour of the bronzer is good, slightly darker than I had expected but still fairly natural. I do feel cautious when applying though as I have found if I apply any more than a dusting, it can get quite dark and obvious very quickly. One application lasts all day and it can easily be layered for more dramatic evening wear.
Overall, this is an ok bronzer - pretty good value for the price paid. I probably find powder rather than pearls suits me better and gives a more natural effect, but this is personal taste. When the pearls become crushed up a little with use and a powder residue appears, this becomes easier to use. I probably will not purchase again because I found them difficult to apply to give a natural effect.
17 is a make up range by Boots that I love because the products are affordable and of an excellent quality. I actually had no plans to buy this product; I wanted to purchase the 17 Instant Glow Shimmer Dust but I couldn't find it at any of the stores nearby so I bought this product instead. I didn't really have high hopes for it, but I was pleasantly surprised.
What Boots Says
17 Instant Glow Bronzing Pearls for sun-kissed skin all year round. 17 Glow Bronzing Pearls is quick and easy to apply, giving a fresh, healthy glow in an instant.
What I think
These bronzing pearls are available in two shades-light and medium. I bought them in light as I am fair skinned. The pearls come in a small clear tub with a black screw on lid, and there was actually a little piece of white foam on top of the pearls which blew away when I first opened the tub.
I like to sweep my blush brush over the pearls and then brush onto my cheeks, temples and anywhere else that I want a bit of a glow. I feel that while these pearls give me a gorgeous natural glow, they don't really bronze. I find that this is more of a highlighter than a bronzer. Maybe the medium would have been better for a bronze glow, but that's not what I really wanted, so I am happy with this product. It looks gorgeous when applied and lasts for a good 5-6 hours. The shimmer is very fine (no chunky glitter here) and doesn't give an over the top, in your face, glittery look.
Some people have complained that the bronzing pearls fall out of the tub when they sweep their brush over them. I have not had this problem, but to avoid this, you could crush the pearls to make a bronzing powder. You could even crush a pearl and use it as eyeshadow!
This product is available at Boots for £4.99 but I bought it on offer for £3.99.
Final Word
I don't regret buying this product at all. It is my favourite highlighter at the moment and I love the natural glow that this gives me. I would definitely repurchase this as I think it's a great product available at a great price. You can use it all year round as it doesn't give you that summery bronze look.
This review may appear on other sites under the same username.


text:
Shortboard Contest – $1000 1st Place / $500 2nd Place / $300 3rd Place
- Fundraiser for Quileute Nation Surf Camp!
- First ever public demo of Lib Tech Surfboards!
- Beach clean-up, raffle, salmon bake, music and more!
Made possible by our friends at the Quileute Nation, NXNW Surf Shop, West End Surf Shop, Sno Con, NWS and One Ball Jay.
More info coming in the next few days!


text:
Anatomy of Seed PlantsAuthor:
Katherine Esau
Edition: 2
Pub Date: 1977
Publisher: Wiley
Summary: An authoritative text/reference on the structure and development of seed plants. Presents the latest concepts in plant anatomy through experimental, histochemical, and ultrastructural approaches to the study of biological material. Includes new concepts and terms; expanded sections on flower, fruit, and seed; and a new description of characters used in keying out woods.
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Pub Date: 1977
Publisher: Wiley
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Pub Date: 1977
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text:
Commissioned in 1980 for the 20th anniversary of Melvin Simon & Associates (now Simon Property Group), Robert Indiana's eight-foot-tall polychrome Numbers are iconic works from one of America's most recognizable artists. The new exhibition Indiana by the Numbers (opening this Friday, May 24) traces the history of their design and fabrication, tells the story of their display before they were donated to the IMA in 1989, and provides a glimpse into their recent restoration and repainting by the IMA conservation department.
I asked Richard McCoy, conservator of objects and variable art, about the exhibition.


text:
Vidyaraja wrote: I haven't researched as much about Shingon as I would like and I know that Shingon doesn't have the later tantras that Tibetan Buddhism has, but is there an equivalent practice or something similar to Dzogchen within Shingon?
from what little i know shingon is a path of transformation.
And because of that i dont think there would be anything similar to dzogchen within shingon.


text:
From last season:
Baker unhappy with Phillips
It will be very interesting to check out the Reds lineup on Tuesday and see if Brandon Phillips is in it.
Phillips was caught not hustling again on what he expected to be a routine fly out in the first inning. The ball was lost in the sky by right fielder Andre Ethier. Because he wasn't running hard out of the batters' box, Phillips missed a chance for a RBI double that would have put him on second with no outs and a 3-0 Reds lead.
"I was just happy I finally did something with runners in scoring position," Phillips explained. "I hit a fly ball to get the run and I was satisfied with that. I hit the ball in the outfield and was 'I missed it.' I put my head down. I didn't know he missed it until I looked back up. I could have done worse and not get the run in at all."
Moments later, Phillips admitted his mistake.
"I messed up," he said. "That's my second time not hustling this year. It won't happen again."
Full story: http://marksheldon.mlblogs.com/archi..._phillips.html


text:
Weird I kind of forgotten all about this
NBC to air Tony Dungys interview with Jonathan Martin
NBC will air part of Tony Dungys exclusive interview with Dolphins offensive tackle Jonathan Martin on Tuesdays NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams at 6:30 p.m. Eastern and on Wednesdays edition of Today.
The interview will air in full on a special episode of Pro Football Talk on NBCSN on Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. Eastern.
Martin left the Dolphins in October amid allegations he was bullied by teammate Richie Incognito.
He has a passion for playing football, Dungy said of Martin on Tuesdays Pro Football Talk on NBCSN.
However, Dungy added: (He) was wounded by this whole experience, and I think thats what will come across when people see this interview.


text:
Thomas: Romney will stop at nothing
November 4, 2012
Re: "Can't afford 4 more years," by Dortha McNaul, letters, Nov. 1
It's okay to vote against the president. You can even harbor an intense dislike of the man. But to send a letter where every point is either an out and out lie or, at best a gross distortion. You must realize when you listen to Rush or read assorted websites that you are not reading the unvarnished truth. The worst point was that Mr. Obama chants prayers from the Koran every morning. When will you and others who doubt his birthplace and his religious beliefs please realize that it you were right about this the Koch Brothers and others would spend millions of dollars to publish the facts. If they existed. Must be the time as the election nears that the GOP reaches for more lies. Romney running a commercial about Jeep and China that is totally and completely untrue. He wants the office so bad that he will stop at nothing to win. Thank heavens it will all be over in five days.


text:
The Commission is holding a public hearing on October 17-18, 2007, concerning its proposed rules on electioneering communications. The schedule for the hearing appears below with links to the written comments submitted by each witness (in PDF format). PDF files on this site can be viewed using the free Adobe Reader available from Adobe. For more information on this rulemaking, visit our searchable electronic rulemaking system.
This page has been updated with audio files (.mp3) of each item of the agenda. The speaker icon following each item is a link to the sound file. For detailed help with playing these files on your computer visit the Audio Recordings page.
|10:00 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.
|Opening Remarks
|10:15 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
|Panel I: [43.4MB]
|12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.
|1:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
|3:00 p.m. - 3:15 p.m.
|3:15 p.m. - 4:15 p.m.
|10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
|11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
|1:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.


text:
MULTI-million pound plans for new police headquarters in North Yorkshire have been dropped by the county's police and crime commissioner, amid plans to merge some functions with neighbouring Cleveland Police.
Police and crime commissioner Julia Mulligan has today announced a scheme to build a state of the art new HQ and northern base at South Kilvington has been abandoned in favour of a cheaper deal with Cleveland Police.
Instead of the plan, which attracted opposition from people in the village near Thirsk, the force will merge some operations with Cleveland and use its planned Community Safety Hub at Hemlington in Middlesbrough, around 23 miles north of the South Kilvington site.
Mrs Mulligan said she no longer believed the new build HQ offered value for money.
She added: "Closing the Northern Base project was a tough decision to make, because a lot of effort has gone into the preparatory work, but it is the right thing to do. The new information we have about custody demand, and the possibilities offered through a partnership with Cleveland, give us scope to explore different accommodation solutions. And if that can save us around up to £10m, and cushion North Yorkshire Police from some of the tough economic challenges ahead, then we must take that opportunity."
The new HQ would also have housed a custody suite to serve the north of the county, but those plans have too been halted in favour of saving Northallerton police station from closure and bringing its existing custody cells up to scratch.
In December, the North Yorkshire force announced it had put down a deposit on land for its new HQ, but today's announcement said no planning permission had been applied for and no land purchased, meaning the decision to abandon the scheme could save as much as £10 million.
With new plans at a very early stage, a spokesman for the commissioner said he could not confirm what services would be combined with Cleveland at the Hemlington base.
Mrs Mulligan said working with Cleveland Police would also help tackle cross-border crime and North Yorkshire's Chief Constable Dave Jones has leant his support. He said:
"This is a difficult time financially for all public services, so if there is an opportunity for us to secure the right facilities - at a lower price tag - by doing things differently, then we must grasp it with both hands.
But, the future of the Force's current home in the Grade II* listed Newby Wiske Hall remains under threat as the Commissioner still plans to sell-off the building. Some police jobs will have to move to new locations, but the commissioner's spokesman said they did not yet know whether these would be to existing police stations or new offices.
Story first published: 7.30am, Thursday 31 July 2014


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Impact of Deep Brain Stimulation of Subthalamic Nucleus on the Hepatic Glucose Production in Parkinson's Disease
- Full Text View
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- No Study Results Posted
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- How to Read a Study Record
Parkinson' disease is a neurodegenerative disorder characterised by bradykinesia, rigidity, rest tremor and postural instability. Dopaminergic therapy such as L-Dopa and dopamine agonists usually leads to a dramatic improvement of symptoms, but disease progression nevertheless remains inevitable. Bilateral Deep brain stimulation in subthalamic nucleus (STN) leads to a spectacular clinical improvement in patients with motor complications and is now considered as the gold standard surgical treatment.
However, this surgery induces a post-operative body weight gain which may limit the benefits of this technique and induce critical metabolic disorders such as profound alterations in the central control of energy metabolism. Previous data seems to show that glucose metabolism is also altered.
The aim of this prospective study was to identify if the STN stimulation could modify glucose metabolism regulation especially the endogen glucose production (by liver) Hypothalamus is able to detect glucose concentration variations and to control/adjust glucose levels by modulating the hepatic glucose production. As hypothamus and STN are anatomically closed, we hypothesise that the STN stimulation could modulate the hypothalamus function and consequently modify glucose production.
|Idiopathic Parkinson's Disease
|Behavioral: e.g., Protein and calorie controlled diet; Self-hypnotic relaxation
|Study Type:
|Study Design:
|Allocation: Non-Randomized
Intervention Model: Crossover Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)
Primary Purpose: Diagnostic
|Official Title:
|Impact of Deep Brain Stimulation of Subthalamic Nucleus on the Hepatic Glucose Production in Parkinson's Disease
- The primary outcome is the hepatic glucose production determined using the 2H2 glucose enrichment measurement and the infusion flow. [ Time Frame: The hepatic glucose production was calculated during OFF stimulation period and ON stimulation period ]
- -Insulin plasma concentration kinetic -Glucose plasma concentration kinetic -Glucagon plasma concentration kinetic [ Time Frame: During plasma concentration kinetic ]
|Estimated Enrollment:
|Study Start Date:
|April 2008
|Study Completion Date:
|June 2008
|Primary Completion Date:
|June 2008 (Final data collection date for primary outcome measure)
Behavioral: e.g., Protein and calorie controlled diet; Self-hypnotic relaxation
ilot study 8 patients
Inclusion visit :
- Clinical examination/ Interview on health and medical history
- Complete UPDRS
- Body composition measured by DEXA
- Biologic check up
Protocol :
All subjects were studied in the postabsorptive state after a 10-h overnight fast.
On the day of the experiment, patients do not receive their treatment (MED OFF). One catheter was retrogradely inserted into a dorsal vain and was used for blood sample. A second catheter was inserted into the controlateral arm for the tracer infusion. A continuous infusion of D-6,6 2H2 glucose (0,05mg/kg/h) was performed during 6 hours (after a primed dose of 0,05 mg/kg of this tracer).
The first 3 hours, patients were studied without stimulation (STIM OFF); the last 3 hours the stimulator was actuated (STIM ON). Blood samples were regularly collected for the 2H2 glucose enrichment determination, and for the insulin, glucose and glucagon plasma concentration analyses.
|Ages Eligible for Study:
|18 Years to 70 Years (Adult, Senior)
|Sexes Eligible for Study:
|Accepts Healthy Volunteers:
Inclusion criteria :
- Age : 18-70 years
- Patient with an idiopathic Parkinson's disease according to the criteria of the "Parkinson's Disease Society Brain Bank" (Hughes et al., 1992)
- Patient treated with a deep brain stimulation according to the French consensus conference of treatment of Parkinson's disease (Consensus Conference Proceeding, 2000)
- Effect of the stimulation 50%
- Weight gain >5% (after surgery compared to before surgery)
- No treatment modification 7 days before the inclusion
- Affiliation to social security
- Agreement of patients
Exclusion criteria :
- Patient treated with antibiotics, AINS, AIS or other treatment which could interfere with the protocol
- Patients with significant heart, respiratory, psychiatric, metabolic, hepatic, kidney diseases; diabetes, heart deficiency, chronic kidney deficiency, untreated thyroid disease …
- Patients with metabolic and/or biological anomalies
- Pregnant women
- Medical or chirurgical previous history which could interfere with the protocol
- Alcohol (>30g/day); Tobacco (>10 cigarettes/day)
- Participation to an other study at the same time
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00663312
|Clermont-Ferrand, France, 63000
|Principal Investigator:
|Franck Durif, Pr
|University Hospital, Clermont-Ferrand
Publications automatically indexed to this study by ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier (NCT Number):
|Responsible Party:
|Pr Llorca, CHU Clermont-Ferrand
|ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
|NCT00663312 History of Changes
|Other Study ID Numbers:
|Study First Received:
|April 14, 2008
|Last Updated:
|October 7, 2008
Keywords provided by University Hospital, Clermont-Ferrand:
Idiopathic Parkinson's disease
Deep Brain stimulation
Hepatic glucose production
Weight gain
Patient with an Idiopathic Parkinson's disease
Additional relevant MeSH terms:
Parkinson Disease
Parkinsonian Disorders
Basal Ganglia Diseases
Brain Diseases
Central Nervous System Diseases
Nervous System Diseases
Movement Disorders
Neurodegenerative Diseases
Hypnotics and Sedatives
Central Nervous System Depressants
Physiological Effects of Drugs
ClinicalTrials.gov processed this record on September 20, 2017


text:
People are invited to hear yet more about the controversial Teddington Weir hydro proposal.
Ham Hydro hopes to demolish a section of the weir to install three Archimedean screw turbines that will generate electricity for 600 homes in the area and save about 1,000-tonnes of CO2 emissions.
Power generated from the scheme, which will also include a new fish pass and sluice gate, will be sold to the National Grid with profits going towards more low carbon projects in the community.
The scheme has been supported by MP Zac Goldsmith and Greg Barker MP, Minister of State at the Department of Energy and Climate Change, but has also led to fears it could ruin a scenic conservation area and cause noise misery.
The group has changed its name to Teddington and Ham Hydro to reflect the communities on both sides of the river and has received assurance from HMRC that the scheme qualifies for tax relief.
Teddington and Ham Hydro directors said initial investments would qualify for 50 per cent tax relief, which will boost the attractiveness of the community project.
The drop-in evening will offer people the chance to ask questions, while the team will share how the scheme will be delivered and how it will look and feel.
It will be held at St Mary's Parish Hall, in Langham Road, Teddington, from 6.30pm to 9pm on Tuesday, February 4.
For more information, visit hamhydro.org.


text:
The Future of Publishing: Libraries and the changing role of consumers and creators
From scholarly journals to eBooks to print-on-demand "vending" machines, publishing is more complicated than it once was. Thousands of…
This event has passed.
From scholarly journals to eBooks to print-on-demand "vending" machines, publishing is more complicated than it once was. Thousands of individuals, companies, schools and businesses have taken the tools of literary and scholarly production into their own hands. How does the role of the library change when our users go from consumers of content to creators? What do these changes mean for academic activities such as peer-review, collection development and inventory management? How will new publishing platforms—from Amazon to the iPad—alter the public's expectations for reading, writing and sharing?
- Introduction [streaming video, 11 minutes]
Roy Tennant, Senior Program Officer, OCLC Research
- The University as Publisher: Our Value/s, Ourselves [streaming Video, 47 minutes]
Catherine Mitchell, Ph.D., Director, Publishing Group, California Digital Library
- Technology Solutions for Local Book Manufacturing and Delivery [streaming video, 32 minutes]
Andrew Pate, Senior Vice President, Business Development, On Demand Books, LLC.
- Discussion [streaming video, 23 minutes]
Start Date
25 July 2010
End Date
25 July 2010


text:
EQAC - Annual Report on the Environment
The Fairfax County Environmental Quality Advisory Council (EQAC) is appointed by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors to advise the Board on environmental matters. Each year, EQAC prepares an Annual Report on the Environment that summarizes environmental conditions, trends, programs, legislation, and issues in Fairfax County and presents to the Board EQAC's recommendations on a variety of environmental issues. As the report is prepared entirely by members of EQAC, the Annual Report reflects the views of EQAC.
Current and Past Annual Reports


text:
NEW figures released this week show that Job Seekers' Allowance claimants in Swindon have had their money docked almost 1,600 times in a year.
Between October 2012 and September 2013, the Jobcentre Plus Office in Spring Garden House made 1,557 decisions against claimants.
A further 1,586 investigations were carried out which were then decided in favour of the claimant.
There are a total of 3,600 claimants in the town, although the Swindon office also caters for the outlying area.
JSA can be docked for a number of reasons, such as missing an appointment with a job officer, failing to apply for an adequate number of jobs or voluntarily leaving a work placement.
The sanctions can include stopping payments for a period of time or even stopping the payments altogether.
Across the whole country there were a total of 818,000 sanctions. The Government has hailed it as a sign action is being taken to ensure people are looking for work.
However, while claimants in Swindon are broadly supportive of the idea of sanctions, they say payments are often stopped before full an explanation is given.
Among them is 52-year-old Karen Simpson, who has been on JSA for almost two years.
She said: "It is important they look into everything properly before they stop any money and they could be more sympathetic.
"Everyone wants to work and is looking for jobs but sometimes there will be a very good reason as to why someone may not be able to make a meeting."
Ben, 23, who did not want to give his surname, was signing on for the first time yesterday and had concerns about how strict the Jobcentre Plus will be.
He said: "I think sanctions for people who are not doing enough is a good thing but it depends on the situation as to whether sanctions should be in place.
"People get ill and have emergencies so might not be able to make the weekly meeting.
"The Jobcentre should make a proper investigation into why before they stop payments."
North Swindon MP Justin Tomlinson said he believed the figures are positive.
"It shows we are serious about getting people back into work and it's right we do all we can to make sure they seek an opportunity to work," he said.


text:
2012 Total Attendance: 71,788 (2011: 68,006)
Visit www.worlddairyexpo.com for complete results
-Complete breed show results: http://www.worlddairyexpo.com/pages/Dairy-Cattle-Show.php
-Full listing of all news releases: http://www.worlddairyexpo.com/pages/News-Releases.php
Registered International Guests: 2,950 from 95 countries (2011: 2,699 from 90 countries)-Top five countries of registered international attendance: Canada, Mexico, Columbia, Brazil and Italy
Commercial Exhibitors: 863 companies from 28 countries (2011: 810 companies from 28 countries), 43 U.S. states and 6 Canadian provinces
Commercial Booth Award Winners: Large Booth Winner: Kuhn North America, Inc.; Intermediate Booth Winner: APC, Inc.; Small Booth Winner: Dairy Grazing Apprenticeship
Number of Dairy Breeds Exhibited: 7
Total Number of Dairy Cattle Checked In On Grounds: 2,385
Breakdown of Cattle Represented:
Ayrshire - 253
Brown Swiss - 374
Guernsey - 217
Holstein -Total= 636 (Junior 242 and Open 394)
Jersey - 448
Milking Shorthorn - 187
Red & White - 270
Total Number of Dairy Cattle Exhibitors: 1234 exhibitors from 41 states, 8 Canadian provinces (AB, BC, MB, NS, ON, PE, QC, SK)
Total Numbers of Sale Lots:
Ayrshire: 15; Brown Swiss: 28; Guernsey: 30; Holstein: 45; Jersey: 37; Milking Shorthorn 4
International Guernsey Classic
Total Sales: $85,550 Lots: 30 Average on live animals: $3,130
Highest Lot: $6,700 for Chupps Hillpoint Fame Tippy-ET to Dan Basse of Chicago, Ill., Consigned by Hillpoint & Chupp Farm, Inola, Okla.
Top of the World Jersey Sale
Total Sales: $98,775 Lots: 37 Average: $2,669
Highest Lot: $9,100 for 1st Choice Tequila Out of Avonlea Connected to Kanada-ET, purchased by Bailee & Calla Mazzaro & Duane Cole of Williamsfield, Ohio, consigned by Craig Walton of Pleasant Plain, Ohio.
World Ayrshire Event
Total Sales: $49,400 Lots: 15 Average: $4,355
Highest Lot: $15,000 for the Reserve Grand Champion, Sharwards Calimero Megan, purchased by Megan Syndicate of Stitzer, Wis., consigned by Kurt Wolf and Gene Hall, Jr. of Epworth, Iowa.
World Classic 2012 Holstein Sale
Total Sales: $1,490,000 Lots: 45 Average: $33,111
Highest Lot: $122,000 for Elm-Park Geisha PP-Red-ET, purchased by David Jones Sahara Holsteins, Newport, United Kingdom, consigned by Elm Park Farms Ltd & Randy Kleinhans, Sheboygan Falls, Wis.
World Premier Brown Swiss Sale
Total Sales: $148,350 Lots: 28 Average: $5,298
Highest Lot: $10,250 for Top Acres Supreme Glow ET, purchased by Lee Anns Swiss LLC, De Witte, Iowa, consigned by Wayne E. Sliker, St. Paris, Ohio
World Premier Milking Shorthorn Sale
Total Sales: $9,400 Lots: 4 Average: $2,350
Highest Lot: $2,700 for Molehill Lir Blue Bell EXP ET, purchased by Caitlyn Cull, Hartland, Wis., consigned by Taylor Graves, Parksville, Ky.
Supreme Champion of World Dairy Expo
Supreme Champion Cow: RF Goldwyn Hailey
Exhibited by Gen-Com Holstein Ltd, of N-D du Bon Conseil, Quebec
Reserve Supreme Champion Cow: Arethusa Response Vivid-ET
Exhibited by Arethusa Farm of Litchfield, Conn.
Supreme Champion Cow of the Junior Show: Siemers Goldwyn Goldie-ET
Exhibited by Jordan and Whitney Ebert of Algoma, Wis.
Reserve Supreme Champion Cow of the Junior Show: Ms Del-Hollow Javent-Red-ET
Exhibited by Kyle Natzke & Kyle Demmer, of Fond du Lac, Wis.
International Ayrshire Show Results
Grand Champion Female: Sweet-Pepper Black Francesca
Exhibited by Beverly J. Donovan, Benton, Maine
Reserve Grand Champion Female: Sharwards Calimero Megan
Exhibited by Kurt Wolf, Epworth, Iowa
Grand and Senior Champion Female of the Junior Show: Four-Hills Tdent Snoopy 2634
Exhibited by Britney Hill, Bristol, Vt.
Reserve Grand and Reserve Senior Champion Female of the Junior Show: Magic Meadows Bbbk Alexus
Exhibited by Britney & Bradley Hill, Bristol, Vt.
Premier Breeder: Palmyra Farms, Hagerstown, Md.
Premier Exhibitor: Old Bankston, Epworth, Iowa
Premier Sire: Blackaddar BB Kellogg
International Brown Swiss Show Results
Grand Champion Female: Forest Lawn Whistler Molly
Exhibited by Renegade Swiss, Madison, Wis.
Reserve Grand Champion Female: Busy Bee Syndicate Jasper
Exhibited by Elisabeth Regusci, Modesto, Calif.
Grand Champion Female of the Junior Show: Busy Bee Syndicate Jasper
Exhibited by Elisabeth Regusci, Modesto, Calif.
Reserve Grand Champion Female of the Junior Show: Onword Diablo Adeline
Exhibited by Logan Worden, Oelwein, Iowa
Premier Breeder: Jo-Dee Swiss, Jodi Coppini, Tillamook, Ore.
Premier Exhibitor: Elite Dairy, Peter Vail, Ken Main, Copake Falls, N.Y.
Premier Sire: Blessing Mort Laura Legacy
International Guernsey Show Results
Grand Champion Female: Misty Meadows Adacka Pixie
Exhibited by Jaclyn Peterson, Wilson, Wis.
Reserve Grand Champion Female: Chupps Farm Mentor Mary-ET
Exhibited by Tyler, Paige & Justin Chupp, Inola, Okla.
Grand Champion Female of the Junior Show: Misty Meadows Adacka Pixie
Exhibited by Jaclyn Peterson, Wilson, Wis.
Reserve Grand Champion Female of the Junior Show: Wee Acres Spider Clara Bell
Exhibited by Lauren & Cara Woloohojian, W. Greenwich, R.I.
Premier Breeder: Adams Creek Farm, Steve & Debbie Nuttleman, Bangor, Wis.
Premier Exhibitor: Chupps Farm, Dale & Stanley Chupp, Inola, Okla.
Premier Sire: Coulee Crest Luxury Spider-ET
International Holstein Show Results
Grand Champion Female: RF Goldwyn Hailey
Exhibited by: Gen-Com Holstein Ltd, N-D du Bon Conseil, Quebec
Reserve Grand Champion Female: Cookview Goldwyn Monique
Exhibited by: Jeff Butler, Joe & Amber Price, Chebanse, Ill.
Grand Champion Female of the Junior Show: Siemers Goldwyn Goldie-ET
Exhibited by Jordan & Whitney Ebert, Algoma, Wis.
Reserve Grand Champion Female of the Junior Show: Shady-Row Dundee Daphne
Exhibited by: Coy Campbell, Gratz, Pa.
Premier Breeder: Ferme Jacobs, Cap-Sante, Quebec
Premier Exhibitor: Gen-Com Holsteins, N-D du Bon Conseil, Quebec
Premier Sire: Braedale Goldwyn
International Jersey Show Results
Grand Champion Female: Arethusa Response Vivid-ET
Exhibited by Arethusa Farm, Litchfield, Conn.
Reserve Grand Champion Female: Random Luck Ray Helen
Exhibited by Budjon Farms & Peter Vail, Lomira, Wis.
Grand Champion Female of the Junior Show: Big Guns Jamaica Vanilla
Exhibited by Madison Fisher and Josh McKay, Claysburg, Pa.
Reserve Grand Champion Female of the Junior Show: Lormiere Fusion Christine
Exhibited by Nic, Jeni, Ben & Andy Sauder, Tremont Ill.
Premier Breeder: Ron & Christy Ratliff, Garnett, Kan.
Premier Exhibitor: Arethusa Farm, Litchfield, Conn.
Premier Sire: Tower Vue Prime Tequila-ET
International Milking Shorthorn Show Results
Grand Champion Female: Mi-San Acre O Lust-ET
Exhibited by David Riley, Williamsfiled, Ohio
Reserve Grand Champion Female: Halpins Reyfene
Exhibited by Halpin Farms, Kempton, Ill.
Grand Champion Female of the Junior Show: Sageser Clay Penny
Exhibited by Morgan Sageser, Shelbyville, Ky.
Reserve Grand Champion Female of the Junior Show: Redien Acres Jr.
Exhibited by Jacob Baker, Homeworth, Ohio
Premier Breeder: Innisfail, Orland, Calif.
Premier Exhibitor: Halpin Farms, Kempton, Ill.
Premier Sire: Kuszmar Alfairs Othello
International Red & White Show Results
Grand Champion Female: Blondin Redman Seisme-Red
Exhibited by Milksource Genetics, Kaukauna, Wis.
Reserve Grand Champion Female: Starmark Ad Hotstuff-Red-ET
Exhibited by Nathan Thomas, Mike Heath,& Will Iager, North Lewisburg, Ohio
Grand Champion Female of the Junior Show: Ms Del-Hollow Javent-Red-ET
Exhibited by Kyle Natzke& Kyle Demmer, Fond du Lac, Wis.
Reserve Grand Champion Female of the Junior Show: Milgene Advn Jezabel-Red-ET
Exhibited by Brett Hildebrandt, Hustisford, Wis.
Premier Breeder: Greenlea, Richard Green, Middletown, Del.
Premier Exhibitor: Milksource Genetics, Kaukauna, Wis.
Premier Sire: KHW Kite Advent-Red-ET
World Dairy Expo International Futurity
Overall Futurity Champion: Arethusa First Prize Vienna-ET
Exhibited by Kari Behling Fox Lake, Wis.
Reserve Overall Futurity Champion: Arethusa Jasper Velour
Exhibited by Exhibited by Arethusa Farm, Litchfield, Conn.
Ayrshire Futurity Class Winner: Grand-View Burdette Diamond
Exhibited by Tim Busch, Hope & Meadow Hahn, Cecil, Wis.
Brown Swiss Futurity Class Winner: Old Mill Starsky Love-ET
Exhibited by Amanda Bassler, Upperville, Va.
Guernsey Futurity Class Winner: Knapps Apie Jaydeen-ET
Exhibited by Troy & Lindsey Nevil, New Glarus, Wis.
Holstein Futurity Class Winner: Arethusa Jasper Velour
Exhibited by Arethusa Farm, Litchfield, Conn.
Jersey Futurity Class Winner: Arethusa First Prize Vienna-ET
Exhibited by Kari Behling, Fox Lake, Wis.
Milking Shorthorn Futurity Class Winner: Sageser Clay Penny
Exhibited by Morgan Sageser, Shelbyville, Ky.
Red & White Futurity Class Winner: MD Hillbrook Sunburst-Red-ET
Exhibited by K.Ehrhardt, G. Iager, E. Dupasquier, Baldwin, Md.
Klussendorf Award Winner: Paul "Buddy" Fleming, Jr., Cortland, N.Y.
Klussendorf-MacKenzie Award Winner: Jack Ross, Lowville, N.Y.
Merle Howard Award Winner: Wayne Cyrus Conrad, Sharon Springs, N.Y.
A.C. "Whitie" Thomson Award Winner: Andrew VanderMuelen, Brighton, On.
Robert "Whitey" McKown Winner: Jason and Donna Myers, New Windsor, Md.
Herdsmanship Awards
Given to individuals and/or dairy farms who exhibit and demonstrate organization, cleanliness and cooperation with show management based on votes by their fellow exhibitors.
Overall Winner: River Valley, Ill.
Barn 1: Voegeli's Brown Swiss, Wis.
Barn 2 & 3: MD-Hillbrook, Md.
Barn 4: Jo-Dee Swiss, Ore.
Barn 5: Woodmohr, Wis.
Barn 9 & 10: Arethusa, Conn.
Hayshed & Barn 11: Budjon Boarding, Wis.
Tent 1 & 2: Jason Robinson-Sale Animals, Ohio; Onward Swiss and P & A Ayrshires, Iowa; Allyndale, Md.; Doug Nifong, Wis.
Tuesday: Butlerview, Ill.
Wednesday: Paule-View, Wis.
Thursday: Smithcrest, Wis.
Friday: River Valley, Ill.
Saturday: Avonlea, Ontario
World Dairy Expo Youth Fitting Contest
1. Wayne Cyrus Conard, Sharon Springs, NY
2. Michael Barton, Copake Falls, NY
3. Adrian Franken, Teeswater, Ontario
4. Lee Morey, Rochester, Minn.
5. Ashley Stolzfus, Berlin, Pa.
World Dairy Expo Youth Showmanship Contest
Juniors (65 Participants)
1. Cole Booth, Plymouth Wis.
2. Ashley Hawvermale, Wooster, Ohio
3. Morgan Betti, Goshen, Conn.
4. Lauren Siemers, Manitowoc, Wis.
5. Megan Breuch, Stoughton, Wis.
6. Nicole Broege, Janesville, Wis.
7. Cole Kruse, Dyersville, Iowa
8. Kianne Hodorff, Eden, Wis.
9. Kylie Nichols, Watertown, Wis.
10. Briana Crull, Monroe, Wis.
Intermediate (105 Participants)
1. Carley Krull, Lake Mills, Wis.
2. Josh Siemers, Manitowoc, Wis.
3. Diana Rigas, Ithaca, N.Y.
4. Coy Campbell, Gratz, Pa.
5. Emma Olstad, Stoughton, Wis.
6. Adam Field, Reedsburg, Wis.
7. Mikayla Luttropp, Berlin, Wis.
8. Taylor Natzke, Greenleaf, Wis.
9. Rachel Coyne, Spring Valley, Wis.
10. Trevor Tuman, Arlington, Minn.
Seniors (117 Participants)
1. Caitlin Moriarty, Chesire, Mass.
2. Jaclyn Peterson, Wilson, Wis.
3. Jennifer Wakely, Rockford, Ill.
4. Max Montplaiser, Trois-Riviere 3 Rivers, Quebec
5. Megan Opperman, Lanark, Ill.
6. Carlie Ostrom, DePere, Wis.
7. Andrew Pagenkopf, Lancaster, Wis.
8. Jade Jenson, Joplin, Mo.
9. Morgan Nofsinger, Milton, Wis.
10. Darren Kamphius, Brandon, Wis.
National Intercollegiate Dairy Cattle Judging Results (Contest included 19 teams)
Overall Top 10 Teams
1. Penn State
2. UW-Madison
3. Iowa State University
4. University of Minnesota
5. UW-River Falls
6. Virginia Tech
7. Cornell University
8. University of Illinois
9. Cal Poly State University
10. Kentucky
Overall Top 10 Individuals
1. Isaac Haagen, 859, Penn State
2. Hayden Hauschildt, 850, UW-Madison
3. Ariel Taxdal, 849, Penn State
4. Jayne Esch, 841, University of Minnesota
5. Abbey Wethal, 840, UW-Madison
6. Jacob Brey, 836, UW-Madison
7. Katie Adams, 833, Iowa State University
8. Chanse Huggins, 833, University of Florida
9. Rebecca Shaw, 831, Penn State
10. Jessica Sentelle, 829, Virginia Tech
International Post-Secondary Dairy Cattle Judging Contest Results (Contest included 12 teams)
Overall Top 10 Teams
1. SUNY-Cobleskill
2. Morrisville State College
3. UW-Madison FISC
4. Michigan State Ag Tech
5. NE Iowa Community College
6. Kaskaskia College
7. Modesto Junior College
8. University of Minn.-Crookston
9. Lakeshore Tech College-1
10. Honduras
Overall Top 10 Individuals
1. Austen Schmidt, UW-Madison FISC
2. Samantha Ropp, Kaskaskia College
3. Sarah Andrew, SUNY-Cobleskill
4. Duncan Baaley, Morrisville State College
5. Whitney Lian, University of Minnesota-Crookston
6. Rachel Scott, NE Iowa Community College
7. Nick Duncanson, NE Iowa Community College
8. Malissa Reed, Michigan State Ag Tech
9. Marshall Hinz, Morrisville State College
10. Rayne Paddock, SUNY-Cobleskill
National 4-H Dairy Cattle Judging Contest Results (Contest included 31 teams)
Overall Top 10 Teams
1. Michigan
2. Minnesota
3. New York
4. Pennsylvania
5. Wisconsin
6. Ohio
7. California
8. New Hampshire
9. Maryland
10. Illinois
Overall Top 10 Individuals
1.Tony Garcia, California
2. Megan Bush, Michigan
3. Megan Filhart, Michigan
4. Dyllan Himmelberger, Pennsylvania
5. Emily Pieper, Minnesota
6. Miquela Hanselman, New York
7. Jacob Duppengiesser, New York
8. Kylie Ward, North Carolina
9. Hayleigh Guerink, Michigan
10. Mary Liebenstein, Minnesota
World Dairy Expo Central National FFA Events
Central National FFA Dairy Cattle Judging Contest
Overall Top 10 Teams
1. Juda, Wis.
2. Campbellsport, Wis.
3. Sauk Prairie, Wis.
4. Plymouth, Wis.
5. Wittenberg Birnamwood, Wis.
6. Bonduel, Wis.
7. Dodgeland, Wis.
8. Spring Valley, Wis.
9. Waupun, Wis.
10. Shell Lake, Wis.
Central National FFA Showmanship Contest
1. Karson Vance, Whitewater, Wis.
2. Emily Olson, Platteville, Wis.
3. Dustin Winkelman, Watertown, Wis.
4. MJ Behm, Winneconne, Wis.
5. Jennah Kaiser, Stratford, Wis.
Central National FFA Dairy Products Contest
Overall Top 10 Teams
1. Prairie Central, Wis.
2. Urbana, Wis.
3. Denmark, Wis.
4. Kiel, Wis.
5. Plymouth, Wis.
6. Marshfield, Wis.
7. Janesville Craig, Wis.
8. Bonduel, Wis.
9. New Lisbon, Wis.
10. Westby, Wis.
Central National FFA World Forage Management Cup
Overall Top 10 Teams
1. Cassville, Wis.
2. Oconto Falls, Wis.
3. Montello, Wis.
4. Prairie Central, Ill.
5. Hillsboro, Wis.
6. Amherst, Wis.
7. Colby, Wis.
8. Plymouth, Wis.
9. Denmark, Wis.
10. Osseo Fairchild, Wis.
World Forage Analysis Superbowl Winners
World Grand Champion Forage Producer: Indianhead Holsteins, Barron, Wis.
Champion First Time Entrant: Atwater Farms of Banker, N.Y.
Dairy Hay: Rainbow's End Dairy, Waldo, Wis.
Dairy Haylage: Tim Mater, Deckerville, Mich.
Dairy Corn Silage (Standard): Sunrise Lake Farm, Cuba City, Wis.
Dairy Corn Silage (BMR): Co-Vista Holsteins, Arcade, N.Y.
Commercial Hay: Lazy 2K Farm, Wheatland, Wyo.
Commercial Baleage: Heatherstone Enterprises, Baraboo, Wis.
Quality Counts Award (Corn Silage): Merrell Farms Inc., Wolcott, N.Y.
Quality Counts Award (Alfalfa/Grass): Dee's Dairy Inc., Morgan, Utah
Championship Dairy Product Contest
Cheese and Butter Grand Champion: Woolrich Dairy, Lancaster, Wis.
Grade A & Ice Cream Grand Champion: Upstate Niagra Co-op, Buffalo, NY
Champion Dairy Product Contest Auction
27 Lots sold for over $34,522
High Sellers: Lot #2-$3, Sixty-two pounds of Colby Jack, Pasturized Processed American Swiss Slice and Pasturized Processed Cheese Food with Jalapenos, AMPI, Jim Falls and Portage, WI purchased by Custom Fabricating
Join us next year at World Dairy Expo October 1-5, 2013
"Center of the Dairy Universe"


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Many agricultural practices produce significant environmental problems. Years of row crop production dependent upon intensive cultivation of the soil has led to considerable soil erosion and with it, nutrient loss from fields into America's lakes, rivers, and then the oceans into which rivers flow. Vital nutrients often travel with the soil, creating additional problems including the hypoxic zone in the Gulf of Mexico. Meanwhile, back in farm fields, the use of monoculture cropping techniques, highly dependent on chemicals to protect against competing weeds and insects, have led to growing water quality, biodiversity, and human safety issues. All the while this common system of intensive tillage and reliance on fossil-fuel based fertilizers contributes to wildlife degradation and greenhouse gas emissions.
Many agriculture programs established through the federal farm bill offer solutions to farmers through technical advice, cost sharing, and land payments to reduce the environmental impacts of agriculture. In many ways, these programs provide the only backstop to complete degradation of numerous ecosystems, wildlife habitats, and watersheds. Moreover, these programs offers some of the most cost-effective solutions available while providing vital environmental protection and employment opportunities in rural America.
Learn more about some of the major environmental issues on agricultural lands today, and how USDA Farm Bill Conservation Programs are helping to address those problems:
Over 100 million agricultural acres across the U.S. currently experience unsustainable soil erosion rates, making soil erosion the leading pollution problem for U.S. rivers and streams. Soil lost from farm fields enters water as suspended particles.
Soil particles shade out lower depths of water...
Particles accumulate through the process of sedimentation. These accumulating sediments can:
All of these impacts cause reduce growth and populations, increase illness and shifts in aquatic community composition. The accumulation of millions of tons of soil annually disrupts not only water habitat for wildlife, but also barge traffic channels, requiring costly and destructive dredging. Sedimentation also creates costs for the thousands of communities that obtain drinking water from rivers. In total, erosion from conventional agriculture practices costs tax payers and consumers an estimated $8 billion to $13 billion per year.
Nitrogen fertilizer is often added to soils under traditional cropping methods to support corn-intensive rotations. In conventional agricultural systems, nitrogen is added in a single, large dose often not synchronized to plant demand which requires a low, steady supply of nitrogen. Since plants cannot immediately use the applied nitrogen and the soil under intensive tillage loses much of its nitrogen holding capacity, much of the applied nitrogen is lost to the atmosphere or to the water supply. Soil erosion is a major cause of nutrient runoff; roughly 90% of all nitrogen and phosphorus received into water bodies result from erosion.
The impacts of nutrients in waterways continue to persist for months after entering the water supply and continue literally thousands of miles away. Agricultural nutrients, nitrogen and phosphorus in particular, from the corn and soybean-intensive region of southern Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana and Ohio have been found to contribute to the hypoxic zone, or "dead zone" in the Gulf of Mexico
Manure from large concentrations of agricultural animals also cause environmental stress. Manure not only carries considerable nitrates and contributes to nitrate pollution problems, it also carries numerous pathogens including E-coli, Salmonella, and Cryptosporidium -- all of which can survive in manure outside of an animal's body for extended periods.
Rural drinking wells may become contaminated when manure is applied on lands with shallow water tables. Improper handling can allow manure to enter surface water, threatening not only human health with the spread of pathogens, but the health and survival of fish and wildlife as well.
Farm Bill programs designed to assist and encourage farmers and land owners to implement erosion prevention practices can have a significant positive impact in reducing erosion and nutrient loss from farmlands.
The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) provides a rental payment to farmers to take their land out of production and plant perennial grasses. Establishing a year-round cover and ending repetitive tilling reduces erosion from agricultural lands by up to 95 percent while at the same time providing valuable wildlife habitat vital for the survival of a number of species.
The Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) pays farmers already implementing conservation practices on their working land while providing them an incentive to implement more conservation practices.
The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) provides cost-share assistance to farmers to help them implement techniques such as riparian buffers, grasses waterways, and treed windbreaks that catch soil and nutrients before they can enter waterways. Additionally, EQIP can provide cost share assistance to livestock farmers to install anaerobic digesters which capture and eliminate methane emissions from stored livestock waste while reducing the nutrient runoff potential of the manure when applied to fields.
Pesticides, herbicides, and other chemical treatments designed to reduce competition for crops from insects and weeds often also have fates similar to nitrogen and other applied nutrients, leaching into ground water or running off into surface waters, creating health hazards for humans and the environment.
In a study by the United States Geologic Survey, pesticides were found in 97% of streams tested in agricultural areas. The most frequently detected herbicides in surface waters included atrazine, acentanilides, and 2,4-D, all commonly used in agriculture. Pesticides, even at low levels, have been shown to affect fish and amphibian species, often sending shockwaves through the entire food chain and ecosystem. Moreover, 61% of all shallow groundwater sources in agricultural areas tested positive for pesticides. Once ground-water contamination occurs, it is difficult to reverse.
The considerable pesticide and chemical presence in America's waters creates considerable health impacts and costs to Americans. Atrazine, present in 97 percent of waterways in agricultural areas, reduces the blood's ability to carry oxygen. Atrazine and other agricultural chemicals have been linked to causing birth defects, various cancers, and other health issues. In total, agricultural chemicals result in billions of dollars of health care costs each year.
Many agricultural chemicals are designed to reduce the competition row crops face from weeds and insects. Farmers spend billions of dollars each year on such inputs in hopes of realizing a larger yield and profit at harvest. However, a number of techniques are available that reduce weed and insect competition while eliminating chemical runoff and increasing farmers profit margins.
Cover crops and organic agricultural practices use natural plants to out-compete pests or to provide natural methods to control insects via natural competitors. EQIP provides funding to assist farmers in implementing cover crops or to transition their farm to organic production. The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) and Grassland Reserve Program (GRP) both offer assistance and funding to farmers to plant perennial grasses that can better compete against weeds and insects without the aid of chemicals.
Throughout many arid regions of the United States, irrigation has served to provide stable and timely water supply to crops; helping farmers to consistently produce bumper crops.
Years of irrigation, however, have led to two chronic problems:
Salinization of irrigated lands and over-drawn water tables -- Continued irrigation of land from ground water sources brings with it minerals, including small amounts of salt. Unlike water which percolates through the subsoil or runs off the surface, salts build up over time where they are deposited, eventually making the land unfarmable.
Water tables are not recharged at a pace that matches the consumption from irrigation systems -- Each year, ground water levels beneath 14 million acres of irrigated crop land fall between 6 inches and 5 feet.
Conventional agricultural production has often challenged biodiversity. In the years following settlement of the North American continent, many species of native wildlife benefited slightly from the small introduction of agriculture by settlers by causing an increase in diversification of food and cover on landscapes still dominated by native plant communities. However, as agriculture expanded and increased in its ability to alter the landscape, most native wildlife species declined; reducing biodiversity. Conversion of native diverse plant communities to monoculture agricultural plantings continues to stand as the greatest challenge to biodiversity and wildlife habitat.
Farmers often implement irrigation systems to avoid temporary drought conditions which periodically occur. However, there are other methods farmers may use to address water issues without relying on costly infrastructure that can, over time, degrade soils and destroy groundwater supplies.
Conservation tillage reduces or eliminates tillage practices. Crops are planted into the residue of the previous crop, skipping multiple tillage steps that remove crop residue and break up the soil into small, loose pieces. This practice has been found to help soils retain more water near the root zone for subsequent crops; dramatically reducing and sometimes eliminating the need for irrigation. Farmers can obtain assistance through EQIP to transition to a conservation tillage system.
The Agricultural Water Enhancement Program (AWEP) helps farmers update irrigation systems to more water-efficient technologies, reducing the amount of water farmers draw from ground water supplies while also slowing the process of salinization that occurs with heavy irrigation.
Since settlement time, North America has lost over 85 percent of its forest, wetland, and grassland acres to agricultural land conversion. This loss of millions of acres is compounded by suburban sprawl as well as the breaking up of larger natural ecosystems by agricultural production areas. By segmenting these ecosystems and using :
Federal programs play significant roles in assisting farmers and landowners to implement techniques to protect wildlife. Land management programs designed to reduce erosion or produce other nutrient management benefits also produce benefits to wildlife.
The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), Conservation Security Program (CSP) and the Grasslands Reserve Program (GRP) provide vital cover within agricultural working lands.
In addition, the Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP) offers long-term or permanent easements to landowners as well as cost-share funding to restore vital habitat to its original condition. WRP protects 1.9 million acres of valuable wetlands. Without such support, these wetlands face the real threat of conversion to farmland.
The Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program (WHIP) provides technical assistance and up to 75 percent cost share to implement techniques to improve wildlife habitat.
Industrial agricultural practices have a heavy reliance on fossil fuel inputs, with production focused on maximizing yield rather than efficiency. This reliance results in considerable greenhouse gas emissions. Nitrogen fertilizer is often applied to cropland in one single, large dose, which plants cannot easily or quickly use. If not taken up in a short period by plants, that nitrogen is either lost to rain which carries it to waterways, or nitrogen becomes volatized, turning into a gas and escaping to the atmosphere where it contributes to climate change. Per molecule, nitrous oxide has 310 times the heat trapping ability compared to carbon dioxide. And agriculture contributes 74 percent of all domestic nitrous oxide emissions.
In addition, agriculture is a major source of methane gas, which has 22 times the heat trapping ability of carbon dioxide. Methane develops as a result of breakdown of organic or plant material by bacteria. Cows and other rumens have such bacteria in their stomachs, resulting in some direct methane emissions. More importantly, when animal waste is stored in a liquid form without oxygen, considerable amounts of methane are released. Agriculture produces 28 percent of all domestic methane emissions.
Finally, the common practice of intensive land cultivation often results in extended periods of soil exposed to the air. This lack of land cover, which persists for up to five months out of the year for many agricultural fields, results in considerable carbon emissions. Plants that sequestered carbon from the atmosphere during the growing season become carbon emitters when tilled into the soil to make way for the next year's crop. Agriculture loses an estimated 19 million metric tons of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere each year due to often unnecessary intensive cultivation practices.
Numerous farm bill programs assist farmers in directly or indirectly addressing greenhouse gas emissions or increasing land sequestration of greenhouse gases.
Programs such as CRP, CSP, GRP, WRP, and WHIP help establish long-term land cover. Permanent land cover increases the carbons sequestration rates of agricultural lands. In addition, farming with permanent cover reduces the amount of fossil fuel inputs required, reducing agriculture's emissions.
The Rural Energy for America Program, REAP, provides funding to on-farm energy projects such as solar powered water pumps, wind turbines, or anaerobic digesters. These projects either reduce agriculture's energy demand, shrinking its carbon emissions, or help farmers implement waste management projects that provide multiple benefits ranging from energy production to cleaner air, odor elimination, and cleaner water.
Through these programs, agriculture has the chance to not only reduce emissions, but become a low cost carbon sink vital to helping the nation and world address climate change.


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Umpires to be tighter with transfer rule
TEMPE, Ariz. -- Tuesday's overturned call -- the first ever under the expanded-replay rules -- introduced Angels manager Mike Scioscia to a new wrinkle, one in which umpires will be more strict than ever on the transfer call.
With one out in the eighth, Andrew Romine recorded a force out at second base before bobbling a potential double-play ball. But Mariners skipper Lloyd McClendon challenged the call by second-base umpire Chad Whitson, and the review reversed it to an out.
After the game, Scioscia spent about 15 minutes talking with umpires, particularly crew chief Dale Scott, and got word that the ball must be completely out of the glove and in the bare hand before the bobble in order for it to be ruled an out.
"The way it was called on [Romine] yesterday has never been called that tight in 40 years of baseball," Scioscia said. "I mean, the ball was clearly closed by his glove when it was coming out to be flipped. That's always been a guideline for a transfer beginning."
The tricky part about the way that rule is enforced now, Scioscia said, is that "there's more leeway in the neighborhood call now as far as an infielder being on the bag on a good throw, but they're tighter on the transfer. If that balances into maybe more time to get to the ball, we'll see. I don't know."
More stringent enforcement of the rule will no doubt lead to middle infielders being more cognizant of securing the ball when turning double plays. But John McDonald, who has some of the quickest hands in baseball, doesn't think it should change the mechanics of the play.
"You still have to turn the double play," McDonald said. "You have to get it out of your glove. You don't really catch it. You deflect it into your bare hand. ... When you catch things in slow motion, everything looks easy. Unfortunately that's what this is coming to."
Alden Gonzalez is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his blog, Gonzo and "The Show", and follow him on Twitter @Alden_Gonzalez. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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Baloian Farms has promoted Jeremy Angulo to a sales role handling foodservice and retail accounts for the Fresno, Calif.-based grower-shipper's pepper and leaf vegetable lines.
Angulo, known as Jay, has been with the company for nine years. He previously worked in sales coordination, office administration, quality control and field and harvest crew supervision.
"Jay has been part of our company for nearly a decade and he has learned the business from the ground up," Jeremy Lane, sales manager, said in a news release.
Baloian Farms' year-round operations focus on peppers and mixed vegetables grown in California and Mexico.


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Of the three "anti-drone" pieces, two are inspired by Muslim dress. "Conceptually, these garments align themselves with the rationale behind the traditional hijab and burqa: to act as "the veil which separates man or the world from God," replacing God with drone," Harvey writes on his website.
Last year, Harvey designed a type of camouflage makeup for fooling face-recognition software.
"Stealth Wear" is just the latest result of Harvey's ongoing quest for privacy in an increasingly public world. In 2012, he produced "CV Dazzle," a type of camouflage makeup for fooling face-recognition software. Harvey described it then as a way of "hiding in plain sight using ambiguously deceptive fashion."
Want to observe Harvey's work up close? The garments will be on display at Primitive London through the end of the month.
+ Stealth Wear
[Via Discovery News]


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Time wears us down, and Hillary would be 69 in 2016. The past four years have been brutal, and she shows the effects of constant travel, immense pressure and a rather noble lack of attention to her vanities. A presidential campaign, though more familiar, would be worse. So much engagement, so many bad meals, a terrible pace for anyone of any age but especially for a woman who may be musing about grandchildren and doting.
Then again, Hillary is no cookie baker, as we know. And the timing, finally, is right. Her popularity is at its highest level ever. She is admired around the world. She has earned her chops not by inheritance (marriage to Bill) but through her own sweat and, yes, tears. She has managed through hard work and quiet rectitude to erase most memories of her earlier years as first lady and of the woman who did, indeed, stand by her man when most wouldn't.
Not incidentally, the women's vote is hers. Even Republican women would find it hard not to cast a ballot for Hillary. If not her, then who? And when? The Republican bench may be full, but, with the exception of Jeb Bush, a former Florida governor, it seems full of vice presidents rather than presidents. A Bush-Clinton contest might drive the country into dynastic delirium, but there would be a certain poetic symmetry: Finally the right Bush and the right Clinton.