text:
JET-AER G-96 Hunting Knife Japan Buck Nice 940 Jersey
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- Sold Date:
- Source: eBay
High quality steel Japanese made Buck knife. Jet-Aer Corp. The gun oil people. The knife resembles a Buck 119... except it has better steel than you can find in most knives today. This older Jet-Aer, G-96 No. 940 Look like it has not been sharpened and it looks like its been useb a couple times, maybe to cut paper or a box. Small nicks on the pummel and guard. Flourescent orange plastic bands on this baby!! Blade is 6" and overall length of this beauty is 10-3/4". Sheath has some cosmetic issues as seen in the photos. I noticed one time when I put the knife in the sheath, the blade tip protruded from a slit in the leather. Heck, it's old. Good luck bidding and thanks for looking.


text: When tickets went on sale for the rescheduled Monday final they sold out in an hour. 1500 tickets were held back to be sold on the morning of the final and the queue seemed to be 1000's long from what I've just seen on TV. I always find myself bringing up this subject every year about how the crowds at Wimbledon, and Queen's for that matter, are so much better than the other slams and tournaments. Other stadiums around the world are always empty whereas Wimbledon Center Court and the grounds are always packed at 12pm from day 1. People always come up with the excuse that the public are at work and that is why the stadiums are empty at the start of the tournament. Well today's Monday final hasn't been an excuse for the British public not to turn up in their thousands to watch this match, as it wasn't all the way through from last Monday at the start of the tournament, with the stands being packed every day. (Before anyone mentions it, no Wimbledon and Queen's are not during the school holidays so that is not the reason these stadiums are always packed.)

subset: commoncrawl


text:
HAAS-L ArchivesArchiver > HAAS > 2000-01 > 0948808060
From: Michael J Krasulski <>
Subject: Re: [HAAS-L] Germany
Date: Tue, 25 Jan 2000 08:47:40 -0500 (EST)
Hey Fran,
Bavaria is in Southern Germany. The city of Munich is there. Baden is in
more toward the north-east. I think Baden is the seat of the Black Forest.
There is aslo a Baden in Switzerland.
Mike Krasulski
Mike Krasulski Jr.
visit my web page http://wilkes1.wilkes.edu/~krasulmj
"All things excellent are as different as they are rare" - Spinoza
"Those Balkan peoples...unfortunately make more history than they can
consume locally." - H. H. Munro
On Tue, 25 Jan 2000, Fran Kondek wrote:
> Can someone tell me the difference between Baden, in Bavaria and Baden,
> in Germany? Thanks.
> ==============================
> Join the RootsWeb WorldConnect Project:
> Linking the world, one GEDCOM at a time.
> http://worldconnect.genealogy.rootsweb.com/
This thread:
|Re: [HAAS-L] Germany by Michael J Krasulski <>


text:
Trabuco Canyon, Calif. — November 25, 2003 — Board-Trac 2003 WaveRiding, Skateboarding and Snowboarding studies are being released with data compiled from thousands of active board sports participants on their hardgoods and softgoods brand preferences, shopping habits, core sport and cross-over sport participation, as well as influences on buying decisions.
Each report contains charts, data tables and narrative points illustrating the frequency of purchasing softgoods and hardgoods, amount spent, where they shop – stores, catalog or internet – how often they shop and influences that drive brand purchasing decisions. Results also include current board(s) owned by sport, number of boards owned by sport, which sport they first started with and coolest brands on the market. Favorite apparel brands are also included in the survey covering such items as T-shirts, board shorts, jeans, shoes, watches and sunglasses.
New this year are narrative analysis points that compare 2003 results with 2002 plus brand rankings are presented on one chart reflecting the responses from the total sample. Data tables are also included in each section of the reports for more detailed information on results by gender and age.
Each of the Board-Trac 'vertical' reports is now available for $1,500. Other studies available from Board-Trac include Size of the Action Sports Market, Action Sports Girl and the ASR/Board-Trac Retail report. In addition, Board-Trac offers an annual subscription program called Trend Watch featuring charts and information from presentations, seminars and articles written by Board-Trac principals. The information and data used to compile the annual reports is also available for custom analysis. Based upon a Subscriber's request or objectives, Board-Trac can rerun the data in order to develop a custom report that is proprietary to the Subscriber.
Board-Trac® specializes in syndicated and proprietary market research for the action sports industry. Board-Trac® syndicated marketing research studies track the lifestyles and purchasing habits of young people between the ages of 12 to 20 who participate in or are influenced by board sports. The reports are designed to give subscribers the information they need to be competitive in an ever-crowded market, to learn about their consumer, what they like, what they dislike, how to reach them, what to say and where to say it.
For more information on the syndicated Skateboard, Snowboard and WaveRider vertical studies contact Board-Trac at 949-858-9095, or visit the web site at www.board-trac.com.


text:
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text:
Ard Fheis reveals alarming divisions
Old attitudes die hard among republicans.
Even as Sinn Fein's leadership speaks encouraging words about working more closely with unionists and uses harsh words to describe dissidents, the view from the grass roots of the party is at least disquieting, at worst alarming. While it has to be accepted that our snapshot of views from party members at the Ard Fheis is not a scientific poll, it nevertheless shows that hardline opinions remain.
A quarter believe armed struggle is justified while British rule remains; only one in eight agree with Martin McGuinness' description of dissidents as traitors; a majority view dissidents as political offenders not criminals and only a third feel it is their civic duty to report dissidents to the police.
Even though the party signed up to policing and justice, just over half of those questioned believe the PSNI is not an impartial force.
It can be argued that these statistics show some progress, but they are alarming views for a party which is in government in Northern Ireland and which wants to hold office in the Republic.
Governments should not condone the action of terrorists nor doubt the impartiality of its police force, one of the bedrocks of any democratic society.
Allied to some ambivalence about the Queen visiting Ireland and a clear majority against a united Ireland joining the Commonwealth, it is clear that for many within the party Sinn Fein means exactly what it says – ourselves alone.
There is a clear division between the views articulated by the leadership – which certainly in the case of Martin McGuinness has been courageous of several occasions – and what a significant number of rank and file members feel.
It shows that the party, while disciplined, is open to greater internal debate than is generally believed. It means that other parties will remain suspicious about Sinn Fein and its members' dedication to the peace process and the rule of law.
Belfast Telegraph


text:
TAU Professors Denounce Dershowitz for Speech Against Left
Academics hit back after U.S. commentator slams university staff for backing boycotts against Israel.
Senior faculty members at Tel Aviv University have come out against remarks by Harvard Law School professor Alan Dershowitz on Saturday in which he condemned Israeli university faculty who criticize Israel and have even supported an academic boycott of the country.
Dershowitz made the remarks, in which he also criticized academics who use their academic freedom and their Jewishness to chastise the Israeli government, at a ceremony awarding him an honorary doctorate at the university.
(Watch Dershowitz's speech - starts at 50th minute of video - here)
(Read the complete text of Dershowitz's speech here)
In a letter to the university's president, Joseph Klafter, a group of faculty members demanded that Tel Aviv University disassociate itself from Dershowitz's comments and "unequivocally defend the freedom of expression of all the members of the academic community."
They wrote: "The fact that Dershowitz mentioned the names of [university] lecturers and accused them of hurting students and harming the resilience of the State of Israel already borders on incitement."
The letter was initiated in the history department and within hours attracted the support of 80 faculty members.
Dershowitz, one of the most prominent pro-Israel advocates in the United States, spoke at the university on Saturday evening on behalf of this year's recipients of honorary degrees. But he stressed that the views he expressed were his own. Dershowitz said academic freedom not only meant freedom to criticize the establishment but also the right to defend the government, work with it and be a patriot.
He said students also have academic freedom and the right not to accept lecturers' classroom propaganda. Dershowitz's speech was met by enthusiastic applause.
In their protest letter, the faculty said that Dershowitz "has no evidence that anyone on the faculty has forced his views on students."
Tel Aviv University issued its own statement last night. "Prof. Dershowitz enjoyed the right to freedom of speech and to express his views. Klafter emphasizes that the university will continue to unequivocally defend freedom of expression of all the members of the academic community."
Dershowitz mentioned three faculty members - Rachel Giora of the linguistics department, Anat Matar of the philosophy department and Shlomo Sand of the history department.
Outgoing university rector Dan Levitan recently threatened to bring disciplinary charges against Matar after she took part in a conference in London - while classes were in recess at the university - dealing with the general and academic boycott of Israel. But no action has been taken.
Regarding Levitan's threatened action against Matar, the university said in its statement that "by virtue of his position, the university rector is entitled to approve or not approve vacation time for a member of the faculty during the academic year."
Dershowitz issued a separate statement to Haaretz. "Let the public judge whether the petition correctly characterizes my talk and whether it borders on 'incitement' or is itself an example of the kind of free speech many on the hard left would like to stifle," he wrote.
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text:
Don't catch yourself on thin ice
Mon, 25 Feb 2013 15:43:45 GMT —
A lake may look like it's frozen over but looks can be deceiving.
"Even though the ice looks thick it can still be weak," Quincy Fire Department firefighter, Jerry Maste said. "Just because in one area it might be four inches thick doesn't mean that it's that in another area. This time of the year there's a lot of ice out there. Some of it's thawed out and refroze and every time it does that it gets weaker."
That's why the Quincy Fire Department says to stay off any ice that hasn't been okayed by professionals.
If you do go out on the ice, QFD officials say to always wear a life jacket in case you do fall through. If that does happen, they say to stay calm. Their response time to a call is 3 minutes.
"If there is a problem we don't want anyone else to go out and try to save the person that fell in because there can be two victims instead of the original one victim," Quincy Fire Department Public Education Team firefighter, Jerry Smith said.
When QFD arrives on scene, responders follow an ice rescue procedure.
"What we go by is the reach, throw and go method," Smith said. "To reach first we can use things like the pipe pole with the hook on it. If we can get them to grab the pole or snag their clothing we can possibly pull them out. We also have a Frisbee we can throw out to them, they can try to grab onto the rope and we can try to pull them out that way."
The last resort is the go method when a rescuer goes out to the victim in a cold water suit to physically pull he or she out.
Ice rescue victims face hypothermia and frostbite. The Quincy Fire Department says the best way to avoid that is to not be a victim at all.
"If you don't know about the ice, if you're not ice savvy stay off the ice period," Smith said.
The Quincy Fire Department says ice that is less than two inches thick is unsafe.
KHQA's Kristen Aguirre was involved in a mock ice rescue. Here's the video clip:
Here's more video from our morning show:
Or you can watch then entire video by
clicking here.


text:
Use the tools below to refine your search by only displaying reviews with a certain number of star ratings or to only show reviews from a certain time period. Eg click on '1 star' to just display the reviews we have which received a 1 star rating click or 'Within the last month' to display just reviews posted over the last month.
Written on: 24/04/2009
I have been using bbc iplayer now for around 9 months, whilst initially there were serious buffering issues these have now settled down and with the program downloads there is no problem, i have no issues with the content availability as i understand that unless the program is made by the bbc they do not own the license, and tbh the bbc programing is what i use it for. Overall why switch on your tv when everything you want from the bbc is available when you want it on iplayer… Read Full Review
Written on: 11/03/2009
You see anything on BBC and CBBC on BBC iPlayer www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer so it's great. It also keeps what your in the middle of so you can just click on it and doesn't take long to load. I love it. You can watch whatever you want when you want.I can watch whatever I like.It's great!… Read Full Review
Written on: 21/04/2015
Thanks for the post :). For those who live outside UK and want to access BBC iPlayer, you can use UnoTelly as I do to get around the geo block.
Written on: 20/02/2009 by vivcarmit (1 review written)
BBC iPlayer is a very good website ,easy to use with a wide and long length of access for viewing past programmes. Good quality produced. It's a shame that some programmes seem unavailable until quite some time after initial broadcast… Read Full Review
Written on: 02/12/2008
iPlayer now has streaming video, so you can watch programmes live as they are broadcast. You can also listen to the radio.
Not all programmes are shown on iplayer - something to do with broadcast rights.
Generally a good thing to use. You can also watch TV on your iPhone using iPlayer.
Do not recommend BBC iPlayer… Read Full Review
Written on: 20/10/2008
There wasn't enough explanation how to us it. Like you can stop in the middle of watching or go back or forward.
OverallVery good as I don't always remember to video the item I wanted and it is ok now as it is on iplayer. But it would be better if things were on for 2 weeks rather than 1. I do recommend bbc.co.uk/iplayer but think it could be greatly improved… Read Full Review
Written on: 01/10/2008 by jukesears (1 review written)
All the bbc best programs avalible to watch on demand.
Overall I find the Iplayer to be a very handy media tool, one great advantave is TIME! This inable you to watch it in your own ledger, good selectin on programs... I see this as the future of TV. Well recommend BBC iPlayer.co.uk… Read Full Review
Written on: 22/09/2008 by Julie316 (40 reviews written)
I used the iPlayer to catch up with TV whilst living in a university halls of residence with a really fast internet connection, so all of the programmes ran smoothly. However, my home broadband connection is a bit too slow and the programme stops every couple of minutes.
When they first launched the iPlayer, it was much easier to navigate than it is now. The home page is really crowded, but it is fairly easy to find what you're looking for… Read Full Review
Written on: 09/09/2008 by doclee (1 review written)
A good idea in principle let down by the site in my opinion. I had to e-mail a request for directions to find my way from the BBC Home Page to the i-player site. The fact that I am still awaiting an answer says it all - I eventually Googled a link.
From the various blogs it seems most of the problems are to do with the Download Manager (mine certainly are) meaning that if you want to watch or listen to a programme you've missed you cannot download it to listen or watch later but have to do it… Read Full Review
Written on: 21/08/2008 by john bennion (1 review written)
I find it quite pointless and useless, I can bring up iplayer but the chosen programme runs for approx 7 seconds then stops for 7 secondsand so on, how can one be expected to watch this. Is there anything you can do to help, and my laptop is a DELL Inspiron 9400 Intel 5500 dual prosessor 18 months old it should be able to handle the iplayer. The original iplayer gave trouble at first but this new one well what can I say. Therefore I do not recommend BBC iPlayer… Read Full Review
Written on: 07/08/2008 by oldboy86 (1 review written)
I don't feel that the bbc iplayer lives up to all of the hype. Yes in theory its great but when the idea is put into motion its fails to deliver.
I think the bbc made a mistake in using the wrong software for bbc iplayer and should of used something similar to that of youtube. This is due to long load ups and the almost mandatory crashes. I was watching a playback of eastenders the other night and it crashed a total of 13 times during one episode! Its not just me who is experiencing this… Read Full Review
Written on: 13/03/2008
'Help' should be referred to consumer protection in my opinion as I found BBC iPlayer very difficult to work with. I have been on www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer but just can not download! I have nothing good to say about this online video site due to this, in my opinion site navigation needs to be much improved as well as other faults that in my opinion there is… Read Full Review
Written on: 26/02/2008 by bn29 (1 review written)
First Bad Point in my opinion with the BBC iPlayer, there appears to be a problem with the Download player. Even if you have downloaded the Download Manager, when it comes to later downloading something, the website will ask you to download the Download Manager even though you will have it on your computer ready to use.
Second Bad point is that sometimes the internet signal might fail requiring you to wait for the programme to re-buffer. However, even though you might have good quality… Read Full Review
Written on: 20/02/2008 by Clair (1 review written)
The BBC iPlayer has been long awaited for those of us who lead busy lives. It allows you to watch programmes for a week after they have been broadcast on the BBC. So that means there is no more missed episodes of your favourite BBC programmes. This is one thing I found useful today when I realised that Hotel Babylon started again last night, as I was able to log into my computer at lunch time and watch the whole episode on my PC.
It's not all plain sailing at the moment though, call it teething… Read Full Review
As rated by our community of reviewers
" Apple's Weakest Link - iTuns " Read More
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Written by aminemjack


text:
Celkon has launched an affordable price Android smartphone known as Celkon A225 which runs on Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich operating system. The Celkon A225 features a 4.7 inch IPS display with screen resolution of 480×854 pixels. The phone is powered by a a 1 GHz dual core processor. Along wit this phone Celkon also launched Celkon A27 and Celkon A220.
All the new Celkon phones powered by 1 GHz dual core processor with 512 MB RAM. All the three phone are Dual Sim Android powered smartphones. The Celkon A225 Dual Sim Android phone also featuring dual camera an 8 Megapixel rear camera with LED flash and a 2 Megapixel front camera for video calling.
According to storage the Celkon A225 comes with an internal storage of 4GB and the memory expandable up to 32Gb via microSD card slot. This new Celkon Dual Sim phone also features 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.1, FM Radio, micro USB 2.0, 2100 mAh battery. Celkon A225 Price in India is around Rs. 9000.


text:
But who are the Real Crooks in this story?
Ah – Australia! The sporting nation where a backhander isn't merely a tennis shot.
As one user on the Vodafail site complained recently: "how is this company [Vodafone] allowed by the government to operate under a telecoms licence?"
But as with many consumer-rights clusterfucks, she poses an interesting question that the media doesn't seem to be asking.
And talking of things unsaid. All the retailers (and here I'm including everyone from the college mobile phone kiosk right up to the Apple Store selling you a Vodafone SIM with your shiny new iToy) do a three-monkeys routine with regard to the scale of the Vodafone network's unreliability.
In other words, they sell you product in the full knowledge that it's only going to connect to the network some of the time (and that could be less than 20%, going by my own Vodafone experience).
A mate of mine just signed a year+ contract with Vodafone, oblivious to the stampede of customers heading in the other direction.
Bloody shame the class action seems to have fallen on its arse. Legal aid, anyone?


text:
alnajah's albums
On 8/11/1999 m and under the patronage of HH Sheikh / Sultan Al Nahyan, this educational edifice was issued. Educational objective of the project, which seeks to provide educational services to the public at the level of the United Arab Emirates, particularly in the city of Al Ain. The project activities through a set of diverse social and educational to the public and all levels of education, according to the educational needs of the market and with the authorization of the Ministry of Education, according to Federal Law No. 28 of 1999.
Al AIn
United Arab Emirates
Mar 24, 2009


text:
DEAR ABBY: My wife and I have been married a year and a half. I was childless; she came into the marriage with three sons. The middle son went to live with his father, and I bonded with the oldest (age 17) and the youngest (age 9). Both boys called me Dad, and I called them my sons.
Two months ago, the older boy, "Troy," was killed in a car wreck. Friends and family came to console "Cynthia," but not me. The only time they talked to me was to ask how she was doing. When it came time to plan the services, Cynthia and her family did everything. No one asked me a question or for my opinion.
Troy was my son, too – "step" or not. The pain of losing him is real and profound. I have tried to be there for Cynthia, but she has distanced herself from me. She has received cards, letters and phone calls, but I am having a difficult time dealing with the grief and loss, too. Why can't people realize that Troy was loved by both of us, not just by his mother? – In Pain in Oklahoma
DEAR IN PAIN: Please know you have my deepest sympathy for the loss of your stepson. It's possible that you didn't receive more support because people – in the midst of their own grief – didn't realize you needed it. You may feel "distanced" from your wife because she is grieving so deeply she is unable to communicate.
I hope the two of you will join a grief support group. It may bring you closer again and bring you some degree of comfort. Your religious adviser should be able to help you locate one.
A group that has been mentioned in my column before – The Compassionate Friends – can also be helpful. Founded in 1969, it has 600 chapters and offers mutual assistance, friendship and understanding to families following the death of a child. Its Web site is compassionatefriends.org, and the toll-free telephone number is (877) 969-0010.
DEAR ABBY: What is "true forgiveness"? I said some terrible things to a friend in anger and didn't hear from her for a few weeks. Recently, I received an e-mail saying she "forgave" me but no longer wants to keep in touch, adding that it is important for her to know that I am happy.
I wrote back saying I still want to stay in touch and remain friends. I apologized profusely for my lapse in judgment, but she hasn't responded.
Abby, I thought forgiveness meant to absolve, to cease to feel resentment – to "wipe the slate clean." Am I wrong to feel that? Isn't she still holding a grudge against me? I realize it's up to her to communicate, but I'm confused how she can claim she forgives me while still harboring bad feelings. Can you help? – Perplexed in South Dakota
DEAR PERPLEXED: To forgive someone does not mean that you develop amnesia. While the woman you hurt may not be holding a grudge, she may consider you too "dangerous" to allow back into her life. May I offer a word of advice to you? Continue moseying on down the road of life, and in the future watch your mouth, or eventually you may find yourself friendless.
Send letters to Dear Abby in care of Currents, The San Diego Union-Tribune, P.O. Box 120191, San Diego, CA 92112-0191. © Universal Press Syndicate


text:
Prefab Models by Method Homes
Method Homes
Method Homes are an architectural company in the prefabs industry who have built a reputation on several series of products that they have brought to the market. They place extra emphasis on sustainability within all of their developments and this means they are viewed favourably by both the industry and individuals looking for a new building design.
What buildings are Method Homes responsible for?
In comparison to most developers in the prefabs industry, Method Homes are certainly responsible for a large number of buildings. In total, they have developed properties under the following series:
- Series M
- Series Cabin
- Series S-M-L
- Paradigm
- Elemental
- Option
- Cottage
As the names of some of these series may suggest, Method Homes have experience in producing a range of designs - both traditional and modern. It could be said that Series Cabin and Series S-M-L are two of the most prominent for the company, with both containing several properties that have been received very well by industry experts.
In the case of Series Cabin, this is comprised of five different models. Each varies in size, with the smallest being 1,298 square feet while the largest increases to 2,600 square feet. All of the products within this category boast an exterior that is heavily focussed on wood, while the majority are ideal for most average-sized families.
In relation to S-M-L, this product does exactly what the name suggests. It has a small, medium and large product - although with the large being less than 1,000 square feet in size, it would be fair to say that none of the designs are exactly suitable for families. Instead, it is individuals or couples that are seemingly targeted, with the smallest offering being a studio while the biggest can hold two bedrooms in some configurations.
The Island Home Construction project
Perhaps one of the most interesting parts of Method Homes is their Island Home Construction project. This could affect anyone living in a "challenging and remote" area, with the concept aiming to provide aid to those individuals who are usually hindered when attempting to erect a new building. For one to qualify for the project, the site usually has to be highly unsuitable in the way of being very steep or extremely remote.
A summary on Method Homes
Method Homes can be described as being one of the most comprehensive prefab developers out there, with the company responsible for a huge range of products. They have demonstrated superb ability in all forms of construction, whether it is modern buildings or the traditional ones such as those found in the Series Cabin range.
As well as their versatility in relation to design, it is clear that Method Homes pride themselves in the way they are able to implement sustainability and building techniques. All of their buildings contain the latest eco measures and as demonstrated by the Island Home Construction, they are able to work with a range of different environments. This all means that they can be considered for all forms of new buildings.


text:
Rob Magill, born Dreamcolour, is set to release a new tape called Dedicated To Those Who Recently Lived. According to Deep Tapes, the cassette is "an homage to friends & artists past, who have left this dimension." Since I'm unable to form my own thoughts, I'd like to also mention how spot-on Deep Tapes is when describing Magill's music as "sweaty, emotional folk sounds subconsciously channeling twisted visions of Captain Beefheart, Wildman Larry Fisher and Albert Ayler." Check out "Talking: 1" and hear for yourself, and then look for the tape February 28 on the deepest of all tape labels.
• Rob Magill: http://deeptapes.com/artists/robmagill
• Deep Tapes: http://deeptapes.com
More about: Rob Magill


text:
Sep 30, 2008 | 160 Pages
"Slow Sex Secrets's techniques are useful and immediately applicable, and Tokunaga's knowledge of the female body shows that he's intimately versed in the language of women. He's at his best when demystifying the female psyche, directly connecting it with the female form. Read it: She'll thank you." —Playboy.com


text: I lost my link/thread to the directions for the recent bargello quilt that starts out with 32 - 21/2 X 16" strips that you sew together and cut into 2 1/2 in tubes. Can anyone help me find it. I have the tubes made but can't figure out how to put them together. Thanks all!


text: I recently picked up an Ampeg B100R, and like many of them the power light was burned out. That seems to be a common problem. I thought about ordering a replacement, but instead decided to switch from the 'grain of wheat' bulb to an LED. I did this mostly because it seems the lights just don't last and an LED should. WARNING: I did this and didn't kill myself, but if you even think too hard about it doing this mod it will lead to hair loss, chronic bad breath, your car will start to burn a quart of oil every 67 miles, and your dog will become incontinent. You've been warned! Quick check with the voltmeter shows 37 volts across the bulb (maybe why they don't last?), and specs for the replacement bulb say .02 A. I picked up a blue LED from Radio Shack (5mm, 5 V/.03 A). Some quick math shows I need to add about 1600 Ohms to drop that 37 volts down to something safe for the LED (assuming I did my math correctly), so I picked up a few resistors as well. When measuring the voltage I also checked and noted the polarity (topmost connection on the circuit board is positive). A bit of a tug on the wires pulled the old bulb assembly out of the tube it's mounted in. There's a small plastic bit that holds the bulb and the bit where the bulb leads and the jumper leads join together. The jumper leads are joined to the circuit board by spade connectors, so I used some needle-nosed pliers to carefully pull those off. The leads from the original bulb are fastened to the jumpers by a crimp connection. I didn't have a good way to replicate this, so I snipped off the old bulb leaving as much of the bulb lead in place as possible and soldered the LED leads to them. Then I cut one of the jumpers and added two resistors in series (a 1k Ohm and 680 Ohm to get the total resistance needed), using some heat shrink tubing to cover it. Carefully reinsert the bulb assembly back into the tube and reattach the jumpers to the circuit board, paying attention to the polarity again (actually the connectors look the same, so if you did get it backwards I think you could just swap them). Ta-da! A nice blue light that should last the life of the amp.


text:
Quote Of The Day: Sarah Mower On Luella Fall 2009
"Building a brand" can sound like a dull and onerous mission these days, especially for a junior-focused designer who came out of London's free and easy years. Yet that's exactly what Bartley is proving herself capable of now. There's value for money in each of her outfits, from all the patchworking of contrasting fabrics that goes on in a single piece (a dress might be made up of a polka-dot top fused to a draped bustier, connected to a wool skirt) down to the Confederate caps and fur pompoms on the toes of her pumps. The sense of continuity shows an impressive business focus, but even better, somehow, is the way Bartley will also break into a bit of gold lamé to keep things "up."Show Review, Style.com


text:
All quotes by Jan Johnson
(15 quotes found)
"[Sentinel Hill resident Jan Johnson echoed Ward's sentiment.] It feels extremely negligent, ... Many homeowners did not get formal notice."
"No one can guarantee the environmental effects won't be disastrous. How in good conscience can I pass this problem on to an unsuspecting family?"
"We are prepared for at least 250 dogs and cats. Right now we have three to four veterinarians on staff. All the food has been donated from local grocery stores, pet stores, Second Harvest in Milwaukee."
"Some people are very sensitive to sexual harassment, and some are a little more used to it. But when you feel that prickling feeling across the back of your neck, you know that some boundary has been crossed."


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Changes made to All-Star Game rosters
Duke, Hoffman and Pena in for Cain, Broxton and Pedroia
By B.J. Rains / MLB.com
In the National League, right-handers Matt Cain and Jonathan Broxton have been forced to withdraw because of injuries, and the Pirates' Zach Duke and Brewers' Trevor Hoffman have been chosen to replace them.
Starting second baseman Dustin Pedroia of the Red Sox had to withdraw as well because of a family emergency and will be replaced by the Rays' Carlos Pena. The slugging first baseman has also taken the final remaining spot in the State Farm Home Run Derby, to take place on Monday night at 7 CT.
Duke, the Pirates' ace, becomes Pittsburgh's first starting pitcher to make the All-Star team since Denny Neagle did so in 1995. The lefty, 8-8 with a 3.29 ERA, enters the break with three complete games, including one shutout. Duke was chosen after Cain was hit near his right elbow with a line drive on Saturday.
"It's icing on the cake, knowing all the work you put in, to have this kind of recognition," Duke said. "That's what it feels like, that you're being recognized for the work you've done across the league."
It will be the seventh All-Star appearance for Hoffman, who has 20 saves in 22 chances and is 1-1 with a 2.05 ERA. MLB's all-time saves leader with 573, the righty has 20 strikeouts and seven walks in 26 1/3 innings this year.
"It was a big surprise," Hoffman said. "It's nice to come in and have that kind of news get dropped on you. It's a big honor to be able to represent not only the Brewers, but the Brewers' bullpen and what they've accomplished in the first half. It's indicative of putting a guy like myself in position to go."
The left-handed-hitting Pena, who was one of five AL players on the 2009 All-Star Game Sprint Final Vote but lost out to the Tigers' Brandon Inge, was selected by his manager, Joe Maddon, who will lead the AL squad on Tuesday night.
Pena has 24 home runs and 58 RBIs but also 111 strikeouts and a .230 batting average.
"I was in a state of shock," Pena said. "I don't hesitate to say this is a miracle. For me, it's an obvious miracle, so I don't even hesitate to say that. I'm extremely grateful for this. Joe gets another opportunity to pick someone to come to the game, and he picks me. It means the world to me."
The field for the State Farm Home Run Derby now includes Pena, Inge, the Rangers' Nelson Cruz and the Twins' Joe Mauer in the AL. The four NL participants are first basemen -- Albert Pujols of the Cardinals, Ryan Howard of the Phillies, Prince Fielder of the Brewers and Adrian Gonzalez of the Padres.
The moves come a few days after Phillies outfielder Jayson Werth was added to the NL squad to replace injured Mets slugger Carlos Beltran and Cruz was picked to replace the Angels' Torii Hunter.
B.J. Rains is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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Educational profile
Knowledge, skills, character
The educational profile of Tilburg University is unique in the Netherlands. It is built on three pillars: knowledge, skills and character. Students and alumni of Tilburg University stand out among those of other universities in having a great deal of attention paid to 'character building' in their studies. They will be well-equipped to further develop their talents, increase their knowledge, and contribute to society.
Tilburg University aims to educate students to be thinkers who act, who actively contribute to society: thinkers of character. We call them TiU shaped professionals:• The vertical part of T: depth of academic knowledge and professional expertise and expert skills
• The horizontal part of T: breadth of academic knowledge and generic skills
• Character
Academic knowledge & professional expertiseTilburg University imparts to its students a comprehensive and high-quality grounding in knowledge upon which they can build and specialize. We teach them to deal effectively with complexity and change in society. They gain insight into the 'classics' while also becoming conversant with the state of the art in their particular field.
SkillsGeneric and expert skills
We distinguish six categories of generic skills: academic skills, digital and administrative skills, social skills, creative and innovation skills, personal development, and labor market skills. All TiU students are trained in these skills, as part of the curriculum or offered on top of it (such as labor skills). Skills are made explicit and visible in terms of EC credits, either integrated in the course or offered as a separate EC curricular strand. Skills courses and content and experimental courses will always be interrelated, for example by case studies used in the content courses being integrated into the skills courses.
Tilburg University educates students to become thinkers of character. The students are
- academically minded, critical and passionate;
- curious and thinking constructively about solutions to urgent (international) social problems;
- smart and prudent when it comes to taking risks and not losing sight of the human dimension;
- above all, they are thinkers showing initiative, thinkers of character who take action, who put the insights they have acquired into practice, and who, within a social domain, not only understand society, but also move it forward, driven by a strong sense of solidarity and a powerful capacity to empathize.
To ensure that our students graduate as TiU-professionals Tilburg University invests in:
Small-scale classes and mentoring
Tilburg students are part of a learning community in which they develop and grow. Degree programs with a relatively large number of students will apply the principle of 'small within large'. Students will be part of a smaller core group - a 'Class' - which is kept together during at least one year of the program and coached by a dedicated Mentor Team.
Developing 21st-Century Skills
Debating skills, presentation skills, digital knowledge, etc. are directly applicable during classes or assignments. The development of certain specific skills requires special training courses or course components.
This will be an important means to enhance character building. Not only during their education are students invited to take responsibility for their own development; once they are graduated and function as professionals, they are required to reflect on their own role within a team, in a larger organizational context, and in society at large. Self-assessment tools will be introduced in the programs.
Curriculum teams
All study programs come under the authority of a program director who presides over a Curriculum Team. The aims of the Curriculum Teams are:
- stimulating the internal consistency of the curriculum (including course design, balanced assessment, etc.).
- monitoring the content of the curriculum and making sure it is fully up-to-date.
- bringing the outside world into the curriculum.
Extra (curricular) activities
To grow into 'thinkers of character', it is not enough to simply attend lectures and pass exams. Some character-building activities are integrated into the curriculum, such as classes in philosophy (12 EC for Bachelor's programs). However, the 21st century has its own, complex problems for which students need to be prepared. In order to prepare students for these challenges, Tilburg University stimulates students to participate in extracurricular activities, such as participation in the University Council or School Council, active participation in student associations and societies, in honors programs or outreaching programs, activities of Academic Forum, etc. These will enable active students to learn skills and create networks which will facilitate professional opportunities.
Uniform annual schedule – Mobility window
Compatibility of lecture schedules to ensure that students can do a Minor abroad or at another Dutch university, or do an internship without this creating problems in their regular schedule
This will give students the opportunity to collect, organize, and present (multimedia) evidence of their learning experience in the course of their education. e-Portfolios have the potential to assist students in becoming more intentional and active learners by helping them to take ownership of their (academic) progress. It includes things like (self-reflection) assessments, 360-degree feedback, BSA-results (info on official recommendations regarding continuation of their studies), extra-curricular activities, sports-related activities, and paid jobs. Having kept a portfolio like this, students will enter the labor market better prepared.
Philosophy courses
In order to work on character building, academic teaching should have a broader aim than purely the transfer of knowledge of a particular field. This idea goes back to the founding principles of our institution. The central position of the philosophy courses in our Bachelor's programs remains an important prerequisite.Tilburg University educates self-conscious and societally engaged thinkers, who understand society and want to play a meaningful role in advancing it, driven by solidarity, a strong sense of responsibility, and a great deal of sensitivity to the wants and needs of others.
This makes Tilburg University the university par excellence of humans and society.


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The co-chairman of Turkey's Peace and Democracy Party, Kurdish rights advocate Selahattin Demirtash [official profile, in Turkish] was given a 10-month suspended prison sentence on Tuesday for allegedly promoting the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) [BBC backgrounder; FAS backgrounder]. A Turkish court ruled that Demirtash promoted the PKK [Zaman report, in Turkish] during his tenure as a branch head of the non-profit organization Human Rights Association [official website] by publishing a press release drawing attention to the case of imprisoned PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan [BBC profile]. The prosecution also noted that Demirtash made similar statements [Hurriyet report] regarding Oclan on Roj TV, a satellite TV channel broadcasting in Kurdish. Demirtash can appeal this decision. The PKK has been labeled a terrorist organization by Turkey's government and the US State Department [official website].
The Peace and Democracy Party was created on the basis of the Democratic Society Party, which was banned [JURIST report] by Turkey's Constitutional Court [official website, in Turkish] in December 2009 because the party was cooperating with the PKK. Earlier this year, Turkish politician and Kurdish rights activist Leyla Zana [NNDB profile] was sentenced to three years in prison for spreading terrorist propaganda. Zana was convicted [Zaman report, in Turkish] by a court in the city of Diyarbakir for two speeches delivered at the Kurdish political congress and protest in 2008. Zana has previously been convicted for spreading propaganda under Turkey's anti-terrorism laws, most recently facing a 10-year sentence [JURIST report] in 2008 for supporting the PKK.


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A change in lifestyle can help deal with painful gout
GOUT was traditionally known as a 'rich man's disease' or the 'disease of kings' though it has become much more common in recent decades.
Gout is a type of arthritis, though it is very different to rheumatoid or osteoarthritis.
Gout is one of the most common types of arthritis to affect men. Women may also suffer from gout, though men are three to four times more likely to develop it.
Attacks of gout cause severe pain and swelling in one or more joints. The big toe is the most common joint to be affected, making walking very painful, even the weight of bed sheets can cause pain.
Gout is caused by a build up of a chemical called uric acid in the body. Normally uric acid is harmless in the body, but when levels are increased tiny uric acid crystals build up in the joints. This irritates the tissues causing pain and inflammation.
A build up of uric acid in the blood can be caused by a variety of factors. Drinking too much alcohol, particularly beer, or eating too much of certain foods e.g. red meat or sea food may be factors.
A diet lacking in vitamin C may also be a cause.
Some medication may cause an increase in uric acid levels and this may also be found in people with certain illnesses e.g. severe psoriasis.
Treatment of gout involves relieving the pain of attacks and trying to prevent further attacks. This is done though lifestyle changes and medication. Overtime people may reduce their uric acid levels enough so they no longer experience symptoms.
A short course of anti-inflammatory e.g. ibuprofen is often used to relieve the pain of an attack, usually only needed for a few days.
Allopurinol is the most common drug used to prevent gout attacks. It takes 2-3 months to reach full effect and it must be taken every day.
Lifestyle changes are also important aspect of the treatment of gout. Weight loss is advised if the person is overweight, and drinking two litres of water a day is recommended. A healthy balanced diet should be followed.
If you have gout or are worried that you might always feel free to ask your pharmacist any questions that you may have or consult with your doctor.


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Artist description:
Java Draw Created Jul 07, 2011 640 x 460px Unless noted Copyright 2011 TheGreatESCape.
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Wow...very well done,so interesting !
...this is exactly why I have trouble sticking to just one style or technique..even media (in tradit. art). I like that sometimes even I don't know the end result. Sometimes, you get something dazzling...like this! I LOVE the innovation. beautiful.
Never base anything off the first rate ;) This is very innovative and cool. I definitely think this style is worth some further exploration. :) 5 ♥s
very interesting!!!!!!! i like it very much:)
This is truly beautiful & well drawn.. your use & combination of color & textures is awesome 5/5 & Fav's


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Kill the chill with this sweat shirt from Mettle. It goes well with jeans, pants, shorts – almost anything that one can think of.
A fresh brand for the fashion conscious youth, recently initiated in 2011! METTLE offers Men's smart casuals comprising of T- shirts, Shirts, Sweaters and Jackets; and Sweat Shirts and Jackets for Girls.
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The images represent actual product though color of the image and product may slightly differ.


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Islamic extremist using intimidation tactics in Shahbaz Bhatti murder case
Suspects in the murder of Pakistan's first Christian cabinet minister, Shahbaz Bhatti, could walk free due to intimidation tactics by Islamic extremists, Christians fear.
According to a story by Morning Star News, the suspects have confessed, according to Dr Paul Bhatti, brother of former Minister for Minority Affairs Shahbaz Bhatti, who was gunned down on 2 March 2011.
However, prosecution will be difficult after death threats from Islamic extremists forced Paul Bhatti to flee the country, and banned extremist groups are demanding the release of the suspects for progress in talks with government officials.
Paul Bhatti took responsibility for becoming the complainant in the case when the government's prosecution slowed to a standstill, but he has left the country due to threats on his life by the Pakistani Taliban and Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ) terrorist organisations.
"I've been constantly threatened to withdraw the case, and just recently I received a letter from the Pakistani Taliban and LeJ warning me to stop pursuing the case, or else they will kill me," Bhatti told Morning Star News by phone from Italy.
He added, "I informed the government and other concer ned quarters about these threats, but I'm yet to hear something from their side."
Bhatti has not given up on prosecuting, but Sub-Inspector Riaz Gondal, the investigating officer in the case, admitted that the suspects and their handlers did pose a serious threat to the murder victim's brother.
"Indeed it is a serious matter - perhaps this is why they hadn't been pursuing the case," he said, noting that Bhatti's absence from hearings and reduced contact with investigators would impair prosecution.
"We did our job and arrested the accused. It's now up to the court to punish them. But if the complainant does not show up at the hearings, there's little hope for the killers to be convicted."
Bhatti said that the public prosecutor assigned by the Punjab government had refused to pursue the murder case in the Rawalpindi anti-terrorism court.
"I then hired a lawyer on my own, although it was the responsibility of the Punjab government," he said.
Asked why the government was not the complainant in the murder case of its cabinet minister instead of the victim's brother, especially with the case carrying such high risks, Gondal said, "I was assigned the investigation some months ago, so I can't really say why Shahbaz Bhatti's brother became the complainant in the case. As for the government's role in this matter, the police are doing their job, and arrests of the accused are a testimony of their efforts."
Morning Star News said Gondal denied receiving any information regarding the threats to Paul Bhatti.
Complicating the case is the possibility that the suspects could be released as part of an agreement for government talks with banned Muslim extremists groups.
The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan has reportedly demanded the release of Bhatti's alleged assassins along with other imprisoned terrorists as a pre-condition for progress in "peace talks" with the government.
Bhatti said that it was the government's responsibility to keep the murderers of a sitting cabinet minister from walking free.
"The men themselves confessed to killing my brother," Morning Star News reported he said. "I'm certain that they are the real culprits, because the Taliban are demanding their release. It would be very unjust if the government submits to the Taliban demand."
Almost three years have passed since Bhatti's murder, but the trial has barely begun. Islamabad police believe the latest threatening letters were sent to pressure Bhatti following the arrest of four Islamic extremists accused of killing his brother - Omar Abdullah, Hammad Adil, Abdul Sattar and one identified only as Tanveer, who all belong to the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan.
Adil had already been detained for planning attacks on key installations in Islamabad, a vehicle laden with 120 kilograms of explosives was recovered from his residence.
Adil and Abdullah reportedly confessed to killing Bhatti and named the two accomplices, who were detained shortly afterwards.
In June 2011, then-Islamabad Senior Superintendent of Police Tahir Alam submitted a joint investigation report to the National Assembly's Standing Committee on Minorities saying that police had decided to shelve the Bhatti murder case as investigators could not find any leads.
The case was reopened on September 30, 2013, at the request of Capital Police, and a joint investigation team was formed following the arrest of Adil.
Gondal, the investigator and officer in charge of the Sabzi Mandi Police Station, said police have filed charge sheets against Adil and Abdullah and sent them to jail on judicial remand. The other two suspects will also be formally charged soon, he added.
Gondal said he could not comment on chances of the suspects walking free as a result of a deal between the government and Taliban.
"I can't comment on this issue, because it's for the government to decide," he said. "But I hope they know how dangerous these men are."
The right-wing government of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is holding "peace talks" with the Taliban. Among the preconditions set by the terrorists for a "meaningful outcome of the talks" is the release of Pakistani and foreign terrorists languishing in Pakistani jails.
Most political analysts believe that the government might release some Taliban prisoners as a confidence-building measure with the Taliban.
Prominent human rights activist Asma Jahangir said that if the government caved in to the Taliban demand and released all terrorists affiliated with the group, then it might as well set free all other prisoners languishing in jails across the country.
"The Taliban have killed thousands of innocent people and members of security forces in the last seven years," Jahangir said. "How can the government even think of negotiating with such barbarians? The government must not accept the Taliban's demand for release of hard-core militants, as the peace talks may turn out to be a Taliban ploy to get their friends released from prisons."
An Interior Ministry senior official refused to comment on the eventuality of any person involved in Bhatti's murder being released as part of a deal between the government and terrorists.
"The government has not taken any such decision as yet, but the final authority rests with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif," he said.
Speaking on condition of anonymity because he wasn't authorized to talk to media, he told Morning Star News that officials had received Paul Bhatti's application for provision of security due to Taliban threats to him.
"We are looking into the matter," the official said. "Almost every other important person is facing high risk, but it is not possible for us to provide extensive security cover to everyone given our limited resources."
Lack of progress in the case at one time led Bhatti to lose hope that the killers would ever be brought to justice, said the former minister for national harmony and minority affairs, appointed to replace his brother.
"However, when the police announced that they had the assassins in its custody and shar ed the investigation details with us, I thought that perhaps my brother's killers would be punished for their crime," he said. "But there has been little progress over all."
Morning Star News said he doesn't plan to remain in Italy.
"I know we are potential targets, but we will not give up," he said. "Those threatening us are the same people who are responsible for the murders of my brother and countless other innocent people in Pakistan."
He said that after the murder of his brother, he left his medical practice in Italy and returned to Pakistan to continue Shahbaz's mission. He was selected as chairman of his brother's party, the All Pakistan Minorities Alliance, and was accommodated in the federal cabinet in place of the late minister.
Since the Pakistan Peoples Party lost power last year, however, risks have increased, Bhatti said.
Two months before Shahbaz Bhatti was killed, Punjab Governor Salmaan Taseer, a Muslim, was assassinated on 4 January 2011.
Morning Star News said Al Qaeda-link ed militants targeted both men for their criticism of the country's blasphemy laws and for their defense of Asia Bibi, a Christian mother sentenced to death for allegedly blaspheming Islam's prophet. She has been waiting for three years to have her appeal heard.


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After their parents' divorce, once-inseparable brothers Koichi and Ryunosuke are forced to live in separate cities. Dreaming of a way to bring their family back together, they see opportunity in the opening of a high-speed train line between their two cities. Legend has it that wishes can be granted when two trains first meet. Armed with this knowledge, the brothers set out make their dream come true. The latest from Hirokazu Kore-eda (After Life, Nobody Knows), I Wish is easily the acclaimed Japanese director's most joyful film to date. While this tale of childhood adventure is sunnier than Kore-eda's recent work, the master filmmaker uses all his skill to bring the story to life. Drawing remarkable performances from his young leads, Kore-eda lets his audience view the world through a child's eyes, with all the wonder and confusion that entails.
Director Hirokazu KORE-EDA
Full Credits
Producer: Kentaro KOIKE, Hijiri TAGUCHI
Screenwriter: Hirokazu KORE-EDA
Cinematographer: Yutaka YAMAZAKI
Editor: Hirokazu KORE-EDA
Production Design: Ayako MATSUO
Cast: Koki Maeda, Ohshiro Maeda, Ryoga Hayashi
Music: Quruli
AWARDS: Hong Kong International Film Festival 2012, San Sebastian International Film Festival 2011,
FESTIVALS: Toronto International Film Festival 2011


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Science Policy Report
Address all comments to the Science Policy Office at:
Recent Issues
09 May 2012
In This Issue:
International Corner~ G-8 pledges not reaching local ag projects
~ Smarter ag needed to feed the world
~ 2012 Progress Report on U.S. Leadership in Global Agricultural Development
Research, Education, Extension Funding Opportunities~ Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship Program
~ Alliances for Graduate Education and the Professoriate
~ Missouri Projects
~ Maine Conservation Innovation Grant
~ Supporting Forests and Biodiversity (SFB) Project
~ FY12 Region 2 Wetland Program Development Grants
~ 2012 Washington State NRCS Conservation Innovation Grants
~ Vietnam Forest and Deltas (VFD) Program
~ Sea Grant-NOAA Regional Team Collaboration Grants
~ Farm Bill Program and Conservation Technical Assistance
~ Richard Bartlett Environmental Education Award
Conferences, Meetings and Reports~ USDA State Fact Sheets updated
~ Attend the 2012 AAAS Charles Valentine Riley Memorial Lecture
~ President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST)
~ Fourth Assessment of the National Nanotechnology Initiative
~ Coordinating U.S. Global Climate Change Research
~ Impacts of Modern Agriculture Biotechnology on the US Food & Agriculture System
Congressional/Administration News~ Societies urge Senate to move on Farm Bill
~ New Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research (FFAR) proposed
~ FY 2013 spending bills on hold?
~ Early signs that defense will be protected from budget cuts
~ Obama Administration steps forward to protect student loans
International Corner
(TOP) ~ G-8 pledges not reaching local ag projects
Agriculture and humanitarian experts are urging major nations to deliver on food security promises, saying that only 22 percent of the pledged amount of aid from the L'Aquila Initiative on Global Food Security has been disbursed to projects on the ground. Tom Hart, the U.S. executive director of the humanitarian organization ONE, said, "It's been a challenge," to get nations to apply the funds they committed. "We are looking for a bold global plan coming out of Camp David," he added. The G-8 will meet later this month at Camp David, and the actions and commitments on food security coming out of that meeting will lay the groundwork for the G-20 meeting in Mexico in June. Food security is being forced to compete with tightening belts around the world, and there is a real risk that more pressing financial issues could dominate the G-20 summit.
(TOP) ~ Smarter ag needed to feed the world
In an opinion piece, Mark Tercek, the CEO of The Nature Conservancy (TNC), asks "How can we meet the world's increasing demands for food, water and energy without degrading the natural systems we depend on for survival?" He addressed this question last week at the Fortune Brainstorm Green conference, sharing the stage with Cargill CEO Greg Page, and noting that in the past, it might have been an unusual pairing. But today, faced with a world population expected to grow by an additional 2.3 billion by 2050, agricultural companies like Cargill are collaborating with organizations like TNC to develop a smarter world food system. And what would such a system look like? Tercek calls it "sustainable intensification," meaning we have to produce more food with fewer resources, in an environmentally sustainable way. Since we can't double agricultural land, or use more water, agriculture has got to get smarter, says Tercek, writing, "Between now and 2050, it has to convert much less habitat, increase yields on existing farm and pasture lands and use water and other resources more efficiently. Fertilizer has to be used in a way that minimizes pollution. All this has to be done while adapting to shifting weather patterns and a more unpredictable climate. Read full article here
(TOP) ~ 2012 Progress Report on U.S. Leadership in Global Agricultural Development
The Chicago Council on Global Affairs' Global Agricultural Development Initiative has released a new report, "The 2012 Progress Report on U.S. Leadershipin Global Agricultural Development." The report states that the U.S. government has made major strides toward putting agricultural development back at the top of its foreign assistance agenda. This non-partisan assessment explores how these changes have contributed to U.S. leadership in improving global food security. According to Catherine Bertini, former executive director of the United Nations World Food Program, and co-chair of the Initiative, "It is clear that the U.S. government has begun to develop and implement a focused strategy for global agricultural development, with well-defined goals and benchmarks. Renewed U.S. efforts are helping further the plans of African, Asian, and Latin American country governments to revitalize their agricultural sectors, spur economic growth, and alleviate poverty." Still, despite the recent progress, the report says the hard work is just beginning. Dan Glickman, former Agriculture Secretary, and co-chair of the Initiative, said, "The '2012 Progress Report' is best viewed as a midterm evaluation of U.S. leadership in what must be a long-term effort, rather than a final grade on a finished job. The challenge in the years to come will be to maintain this level of leadership and resourcing for the decade or more needed to bring tangible benefits to the developing world's agriculturalists - and to our global food security." Read full report here
Research, Education, Extension Funding Opportunities
(TOP) ~ Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship Program
The Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship (IGERT) program has been developed to meet the challenges of educating U.S. Ph.D. scientists and engineers with interdisciplinary backgrounds, deep knowledge in chosen disciplines, and technical, professional, and personal skills. The program is intended to establish new models for graduate education and training in a fertile environment for collaborative research that transcends traditional disciplinary boundaries. It is also intended to facilitate diversity in student participation and preparation, and to contribute to a world-class, broadly inclusive, and globally engaged science and engineering workforce. Deadline 6 Aug. Read full announcement here
(TOP) ~ Alliances for Graduate Education and the Professoriate
AGEP is committed to the national goal of increasing the numbers of African Americans, Hispanic Americans, American Indians, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders (URMs), including URMs with disabilities entering and completing graduate education and postdoctoral training to levels representative of the available pool of URMs. Increased URM participation in advanced STEM education and training is critical for supporting the development of a diverse professional STEM workforce especially a diverse STEM faculty who serve as the intellectual, professional, personal, and organizational role models that shape the expectations of future scientists and engineers. To achieve this long term commitment, the AGEP program will support the development, implementation, study, and dissemination of innovative models and standards of graduate education and postdoctoral training that are designed to improve URM participation, preparation, and success. Deadline 12 Jul. Read full announcement here
(TOP) ~ Missouri Projects
The NRCS State Office in Missouri is seeking to partner and support the efforts of natural resource conservation partners and to promote public awareness and implementation of Farm Bill activities. The NRCS State Office in Missouri is seeking to partner with a mutual interest in Missouri agricultural viability, water quality improvements, soil and plant health, wildlife habitat improvements and other natural resource enhancements. Deadline 30 May. Read full announcement here
(TOP) ~ Maine Conservation Innovation Grant
The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), an agency under the United States Department of Agriculture, is announcing availability of Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) to stimulate the development and adoption of innovative conservation approaches and technologies. NRCS anticipates that the amount available for support of this program in FY 2012 will be approximately $250,000. Applications are requested from eligible governmental or non-governmental organizations or individuals for competitive consideration of grant awards for projects between 1 and 3 years in duration. Funds will be awarded through a competitive grants process. This notice identifies the objectives, eligibility criteria, and application instructions for CIG projects. Deadline 31 May. Read full announcement here
(TOP) ~ Supporting Forests and Biodiversity (SFB) Project
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID), is seeking applications (proposals for funding) from U.S. or non-U.S. non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and/or a consortia to provide technical support to improve conservation and governance of priority forest landscapes to mitigate climate change and conserve biodiversity and strengthen capacities of Cambodians at the local, sub-national and national level to produce meaningful and sustainable reductions in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the forestry-land use sector, participate in and benefit from the emerging international Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation-plus (REDD+) frameworks, and conserve biodiversity. Deadline 6 Jun. Read full announcement here
(TOP) ~ FY12 Region 2 Wetland Program Development Grants
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is soliciting proposals from eligible applicants to build or refine State/Tribal/local government wetland programs as described in Section I, FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION, of this announcement. States, Tribes, local government agencies, interstate agencies, and intertribal consortia are eligible to apply under this announcement, as further described herein. Universities that are agencies of a state government are eligible, but must include documentation demonstrating that they are chartered as part of a state government in the proposal submission. Deadline 8 Jun. Read full announcement here
(TOP) ~ 2012 Washington State NRCS Conservation Innovation Grants
The purpose of CIG is to stimulate the development and adoption of innovative conservation approaches and technologies while leveraging Federal investment in environmental enhancement and protection, in conjunction with agricultural production. CIG projects are expected to lead to the transfer of conservation technologies, management systems, and innovative approaches (such as market-based systems) into NRCS policy, technical manuals, guides, and references or to the private sector. CIG does not fund research projects. Projects intended to formulate hypothesis do not qualify. CIG is to apply proven technology which has been shown to work previously. CIG funds projects targeting innovative on-the-ground conservation, including pilot projects and field demonstrations. Deadline 31 May. Read full announcement here
(TOP) ~ Vietnam Forest and Deltas (VFD) Program
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID), is seeking applications (proposals for funding) from U.S. or non-U.S. non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and/or a consortia to provide technical support to accelerate Vietnam's transition to climate resilient, low emissions development through investments in reducing net emissions from forests, and enhancing resiliency of people, places, and livelihoods in the delta regions to short and long-term climate impacts. Deadline 15 Jun. Read full announcement here
(TOP) ~ Sea Grant-NOAA Regional Team Collaboration Grants
For FY2012, the NOAA National Sea Grant College Program and Office of Program Planning and Integration anticipate making available up to $200,000 for projects that support the National Sea Grant College Program Strategic Plan 2009-2013 and the NOAA FY2012 Annual Guidance Memorandum. These regional collaboration grants will be awarded only to proposals endorsed jointly by the NOAA Regional Teams and the Sea Grant programs in the region. Although other federal, state, tribal, Native Hawaiian, other native cultures, academic and non-profit or non-governmental organizations can act as partners, the Project PI and co-PI of the grant must be a NOAA Federal employee and a Sea Grant Program employee. Requests for individual projects may not exceed $25,000. Up to eight grants (one per NOAA region) of up to $25,000 each are expected to be awarded through a competitive process, subject to the availability of funds and number and quality of proposals received. Deadline 4 Jun. Read full announcement here
(TOP) ~ Farm Bill Program and Conservation Technical Assistance
The USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is requesting proposal from eligible applicants to partner and assist with NRCS implementation of FARM Bill Programs and Conservation Technical Assistance and land preservation activities for the conservation, maintenance and improvement of natural resources throughout the state of Maryland. Deadline 30 May.Read full announcement here
(TOP) ~ Richard Bartlett Environmental Education Award
The Richard C. Bartlett Environmental Education Award is given annually to an outstanding middle or high school teacher who successfully integrates environmental education into their curriculum and engages students in interdisciplinary solutions to environmental challenges. The award recognizes an educator who can serve as an inspiration and model for others. The 2012 Richard C. Bartlett Environmental Education Award will go to a high school teacher, which includes grades 9-12. Because middle and high school teachers may face different challenges in their teaching on the environment, the award alternates between middle and high school teachers each year. Winner will receive $5,000 and two merit winners will receive $750 each. Deadline 8 Jun. Read full announcement here
Conferences, Meetings and Reports
(TOP) ~ USDA State Fact Sheets updated
The USDA Economic Research Service has updated its data sets which provide information on population, income, education, employment, federal funds, organic agriculture, farm characteristics, farm financial indicators, top commodities, and exports, for each State in the United States. Links to county-level data are included when available. View updated fact sheets
(TOP) ~ Attend the 2012 AAAS Charles Valentine Riley Memorial Lecture
The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) invites you to attend the 2012 Charles Valentine Riley Memorial Lecture at AAAS headquarters (1200 New York Avenue, NW, Washington, DC) on June 14 at 3:30 pm. Dr. Rob Horsch, Deputy Director for Research & Development at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, will present keynote remarks on the role that food, agriculture and natural resources play in providing for a secure food supply and a sustainable economy. Immediately following the lecture, there will be a panel discussion moderated by Dr. Catherine Woteki, Under Secretary for Research, Education, and Economics, U.S. Department of Agriculture, featuring The Honorable Bill Northey, Secretary, Iowa Department of Agriculture, and Dr. Steven G. Pueppke, Director, Michigan State University AgBioResearch. To view the program and to RSVP, go to View program and RSVP . For more information, please contact Anne Moraske at email@example.com.
(TOP) ~ President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST)
On 25 May, PCAST will meet and focus on U.S. Agriculture, Science and Technology Research among other topics during its public meeting in Washington, DC. PCAST will also hear from speakers who will provide information on the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, the U.S. Chief Technology Officer Team Agenda 2012, and two information technology applications--IBM's Watson Project and Google's Self-Driving Car. PCAST will also receive an update on the status of several of its studies including those on the Future of the U.S. Science and Technology Research Enterprise and Realizing the Full Potential of Government-Held Spectrum to Spur Economic Growth. PCAST may also hold a meeting with the President that day which will be closed to the public. Read full federal register
(TOP) ~ Fourth Assessment of the National Nanotechnology Initiative
The President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) has released its 2012 'Report to the President and Congress on the Fourth Assessment of the National Nanotechnology Initiative' which finds that 'substantial progress' has been made in expanding the efforts to enable commercialization and coordination with industry. Additionally, the report points to the NNI's creation of a stand-alone environmental, health, and safety (EHS) research strategy as a crucial milestone in the responsible development of nanotechnology. The report also underscores the importance of continued efforts to ensure that the United States maintains its leadership role in the field of nanotechnology. PCAST encourages the NNI agencies to: Ensure that Nanotechnology Signature Initiatives are fully supported; Track the development of metrics for quantifying the Federal nanotechnology portfolio; Encourage high-level agency participation in the NNI to more effectively drive agency planning to achieve strategic goals." Read full report here
(TOP) ~ Coordinating U.S. Global Climate Change Research
The U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP) has released its 10-Year Global Change Strategic Plan which identifies priorities that will help state and local governments, businesses, and communities prepare for anticipated changes in the global environment, including climate change, in the decades ahead. The Strategic Plan describes four key goals for the USGCRP during 2012 – 2021: [1] Advance Science: Advance scientific knowledge of the integrated natural and human components of the Earth system, drawing upon physical, chemical, biological, ecological, and behavioral sciences. [2] Inform Decisions: Provide the scientific basis to inform and enable timely decisions on adaptation to and mitigation of global change. [3] Conduct Sustained Assessments: Build a sustained assessment capacity that improves the Nation's ability to understand, anticipate, and respond to global change impacts and vulnerabilities. [4] Communicate and Educate: Broaden public understanding of global change and support the development of a scientific workforce skilled in Earth-system sciences. Read strategic plan here
(TOP) ~ Impacts of Modern Agriculture Biotechnology on the US Food & Agriculture System
The Advisory Committee on Biotechnology and 21st Century Agriculture has scheduled a public meeting for May 29 and 30, 2012 in Washington, DC. Agenda items include final reports from the four AC21 working groups on analyses relevant to the overall AC21 charge; potential economic impacts on farmers from the escape of certain genetically engineered crops with functional traits; and further analysis of committee members' views related to the Committee charge in order to identify areas of agreement as well as differences and to prepare for development of a draft report. View full meeting details here
Congressional/Administration News
(TOP) ~ Societies urge Senate to move on Farm Bill
On 7 May, ASA, CSSA, and SSSA joined with a coalition of over 125 stakeholders to send a letter to Senate leadership urging them to bring the Agriculture Reform, Food and Jobs Act of 2012 to the Senate floor as soon as possible. In the letter, we emphasized that timely action will also enhance prospects for completing new legislation this year rather than needing to extend current program authorities. We also wrote that the Senate Committee bill already contributes agriculture's fair share toward deficit reduction by reducing spending by $23 billion. Read letter here. As reported in the 25 April Science Policy Report, you can also View Senate Farm Bill here. Once there, click on "Summary", "Committee Print" and "Manager's Amendment" for details.
(TOP) ~ New Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research (FFAR) proposed
Within the Senate Farm Bill's research title is language establishing a new Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research. Establishing a Foundation for USDA's agricultural research agencies will support and advance that mission through soliciting and accepting private donations to fund research activities focused on key problems of national and international significance relating to: *plant health, production, and products; *animal health, production and products; *food safety, nutrition and health; *renewable energy, natural resources, and environment; *agricultural and food security; *agriculture systems and technology. FFAR creates a centralized 21st century organization for the agricultural research community to identify, prioritize and address the most important needs facing a growing world. It also: *Complements the efforts of USDA basic and applied research activities while also addressing new and emerging agricultural research needs. *Increases the effectiveness of taxpayer dollars by generating new sources of funding for agricultural research while ensuring that the investment in Federal agricultural research programs is maintained without relying entirely on Federal appropriations. *Fosters new public/private partnerships among the agricultural research community – federal agencies. Read FFAR overview here. The summary of FFAR can be viewed here. Finally, a letter signed by ag stakeholders, including ASA, CSSA, SSSA supportive of FFAR, and sent to the Senate Agriculture Committee can be read in full here.
(TOP) ~ FY 2013 spending bills on hold?
Despite recent action by House Republicans focused on passing a plan this week to reverse automatic discretionary spending cuts, it has become pretty clear that Congress won't reach agreement on how to deal with spending priorities until after the elections. This week the House Budget Committee is expected to advance a reconciliation package that seeks $261 billion in mandatory spending cuts over the next decade. These savings from the mandatory reductions would replace $79 billion in fiscal 2013 discretionary cuts, required by the 2011 debt limit law, and also reduce the deficit. Under the law, $109 billion in automatic cuts, known as a sequester, would take effect in January with $98 billion directed to discretionary spending accounts. House Republicans are seeking to replace those cuts by requiring the Appropriations Committee to work with a fiscal 2013 spending cap that is $19 billion below the $1.047 trillion level laid out in the law, and advancing a reconciliation package that would replace the remaining $79 billion.
(TOP) ~ Early signs that defense will be protected from budget cuts
This week the House committee responsible for defense spending passed a $607.7 billion fiscal 2013 draft bill that includes $850 million to "pause" proposed retirements and reassignments of National Guard and Reserve aircraft until Congress and the Government Accountability Office could review the cost benefits of the Air Force's plans. The draft bill proposes a budget of $519.2 billion for base defense spending and $88.5 billion for the war in Afghanistan and counterterrorism operations. In addition, for base defense spending, the draft bill would provide $1.1 billion more than fiscal 2012 levels, and $3.1 billion more than the president requested. The House Defense Appropriations Subcommittee marked up the bill Tuesday. Interestingly, and a sign of growing support to protect defense spending from sequestration, the bill ignores spending caps for defense included in the deficit reduction law (PL 112-25), setting up a likely compromise later this year with Senate Defense appropriators, who are expected to enforce the cap.
(TOP) ~ Obama Administration steps forward to protect student loans
This week, President Obama and top administration officials continued their public relations push on the student loan issue, despite receiving harsh criticism by Republicans about the campaign distracting from larger economic issues. On 4 May, Obama and Education Secretary Arne Duncan traveled to Washington-Lee High School in Arlington, Va. to speak to juniors, seniors and their parents about the need for Congress to pass legislation to prevent student loan interest rates from doubling in July. "Congress also has to do its part," Obama said. "Right now that means preventing the interest rate on federal student loans from doubling, which would make it harder for you to pay for college next year." On 7 May, Obama held a conference call on the interest rate issue with elected officials and student government leaders, and on May 10, Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. is slated to speak to students and representatives from higher education and youth organizations at the White House. In addition, several Cabinet secretaries and other senior White House officials are scheduled to discuss the issue at events across the country.
Sources: ClimateWire; Congressional Quarterly; E&E Publishing; Food Industry Environmental Network, LLC; The Huffington Post; Meridian Institute
Vision: The Societies Washington, DC Science Policy Office (SPO) will advocate the importance and value of the agronomic, crop and soil sciences in developing national science policy and ensuring the necessary public-sector investment in the continued health of the environment for the well being of humanity. The SPO will assimilate, interpret, and disseminate in a timely manner to Society members information about relevant agricultural, natural resources and environmental legislation, rules and regulations under consideration by Congress and the Administration.
This page of the ASA-CSSA-SSSA web site will highlight current news items relevant to Science Policy. It is not an endorsement of any position.


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It's officially unanimous: everyone loved Batman #667. And why not? with a gripping story by Grant Morrison and eye-popping art by J.H. Williams III, this issue may be the best of Morrison's run yet. First he reintroduced some of Batman's craziest adventures into continuity via the Black Casebook, now the mad Scot has brought back The International Club of Heroes:
After going through the vast Again With the Comics archives, I've found part of a reprint of the second Club of Heroes story from World's Finest #89 (1957), recycling characters who first appeared as the Batmen of All Nations in Detective Comics #215 (1955).
Here we see heroes being summoned from all over the world to Metropolis:
Yes, Batman and Superman are too noble and/or humble to assume leadership of the club, leaving the chairmanship up in the air. The other heroes are also reluctant to grab the glory for themselves:
As all of this is going on, a mysterious new hero, Lightning Man, has shown up in Metropolis, appearing to upstage Superman. Superman, meanwhile, is having blackouts just prior to each Lightning Man appearance. It's painfully obvious that Superman is Lightning Man, but my coverless copy of World's Finest #179 is tore up from the floor up, so I'm missing the last few pages of this story. I'm gonna go out on a limb and predict that Lightning Man was elected chairman of the club, while Batman and Superman both retired and faded into obscurity.
Further research indicates that Wingman first appeared in Batman #65 (1951), and Chief Man-of-Bats first appeared in Batman #86 (1954).


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HELP THERMAL PRINTER in SLACKWARE
Does anyone have any idea how to get a citzen cbm1000 type 2 printer to work in slack?
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|All times are GMT -5. The time now is 11:01 AM.


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Non-Invasive Measurement of Blood Analytes using Raman spectroscopy
NIR Raman spectroscopy combines the substantial penetration depth of NIR light with the excellent chemical specificity of Raman spectroscopy. Additionally, it enables simultaneous determination of multiple blood analytes. As part of our current research, we are developing new techniques to reduce prediction errors for our future clinical studies.
Turbidity corrected Raman spectroscopy
Our laboratory has been developing techniques based on simultaneous acquisition of diffuse reflectance and Raman spectra to correct for turbidity-induced distortions in the Raman spectra. Our initial technique, which we call intrinsic Raman spectroscopy, was proposed in this regard. Since then, studies in our laboratory have led to an improved method that does not require prior calibration and is very simple to implement in vivo. This new method, which we call turbidity corrected Raman spectroscopy (TCRS), can compensate for intensity as well as spectral distortions in acquired Raman spectra. TCRS is based on the photon migration picture. The underlying principle of this approach is that when Raman and diffuse reflectance spectra are acquired with the same excitation-collection geometry, the respective photons undergo similar scattering and absorption events in the turbid medium.
We have demonstrated the effectiveness of this method in prospective prediction of glucose via both explicit and implicit multivariate calibration techniques. The above studies were done using unprocessed Raman spectra; the fluorescence backgrounds were not removed. The reduction in prediction error is expected to be even more significant once the fluorescence background of the observed Raman spectra is removed by the novel implementation of shifted excitation Raman difference spectroscopy (SERDS) technique. In conjunction with the application of SERDS, it is expected that TCRS will be able to further improve the prediction accuracy of the calibration strategy.
Fluorescence rejection using shifted excitation Raman difference spectroscopy (SERDS)
The presence of fluorescence (or luminescence) background in the Raman spectrum can compromise the quantitative prediction capabilities of biological Raman spectroscopy. Hence, it is critical to obtain a Raman spectrum free of such background, especially when the latter has substantial contributions from numerous fluorophores. Moreover, photobleaching of these fluorophores can further complicate the situation. For any Raman spectroscopic study conducted over a substantial period of time, the fluorescence background of successive spectra undergo changes in both intensity and shape. Our laboratory, as well as other research groups, has approached this problem by subtracting a best fit polynomial, typically of fifth-order, to the acquired Raman spectrum and thus removing the slowly varying background, assumed to be fluorescence.
We have currently introduced a novel implementation of shifted excitation Raman difference spectroscopy (SERDS) for measurement of blood analyte concentrations using Raman spectroscopy. This technique, originally introduced by Shreve et. al. [1992], is based on the principle that when Raman spectra are excited by two laser lines closely spaced in frequency, the Raman peaks shift with the laser frequencies whereas the broad fluorescence background remains unchanged. Subtracting the two spectra can thus remove the fluorescence and provide Raman spectra free of fluorescence, which are devoid of spectral artifacts.
To implement the SERDS technique an Argon ion (Newport) pumped tunable cw Ti-sapphire laser (Spectra Physics) is used for Raman excitation. An in vitro study was carried out to compare the relative performance of SERDS and polynomial subtraction techniques in extracting Raman signals. The shifted spectra were acquired by applying an 8 cm-1 excitation wavenumber shift (~0.6 nm shift for a base wavelength of 830 nm). The underlying fluorescence background masks almost all of the Raman features (Fig. 3a). The acquired Raman spectra from the physical tissue model were then subjected to both SERDS analysis and best fit polynomial subtraction. Fig. 3b shows the spectrum obtained after subtracting the best fit 5th order polynomial. The SERDS reconstructed Raman spectrum is shown in Fig. 3c. When the spectra in Figs. 3b and 3c are compared with the pure glucose spectrum of Fig. 3d, a significantly better correspondence can be seen between the SERDS reconstructed spectrum and the pure glucose spectrum (r2 = 0.75) than between the 5th order polynomial subtracted spectrum and the pure glucose spectrum (r2 = 0.4).
In addition, an in vivo study was conducted to demonstrate the feasibility and effectiveness of SERDS under in vivo conditions, as well as to characterize its ability to account for photobleaching in fluorescing samples.
Figure 1. (a) Shifted Raman spectra obtained with two different excitation frequencies (b) 5th order polynomial subtracted Raman spectrum (c) SERDS – reconstructed Raman spectrum (d) pure glucose spectrum.
We expect that the application of SERDS will significantly improve the quantitative prediction capability of our approach. Additionally, it can substantially improve the performance of the constrained regularization (CR) multivariate analysis technique developed in our laboratory [Shih 2007]. While CR outperforms PLS particularly for samples where the analyte of interest has a strong degree of correlation with an interferent, its performance is impaired by the presence of a large fluorescence background. The application of SERDS can therefore enhance the performance of CR over other multivariate calibration techniques.
Correcting for the physiological lag between blood and interstitial fluid space glucose
Blood glucose levels can change rapidly in both healthy and diabetic individuals, especially after food ingestion or insulin injection. During rapid changes in glucose levels, there is a significant lag between the glucose concentrations within the blood vessel and the surrounding interstitial fluid (ISF). This presents a major challenge for noninvasive glucose concentration measurements. In spectroscopic techniques, the excitation light predominantly probes the ISF glucose while blood glucose measurements are used as a reference. This creates inconsistencies and errors in calibration. In order to correct for these inconsistencies, our laboratory has developed a dynamic concentration correction (DCC) scheme, based on the mass transfer of glucose between blood and ISF. In brief, the blood and ISF glucose concentrations can be related as:
Support vector machines for robust spectroscopic calibration
Noninvasive glucose measurement by Raman spectroscopy faces many challenges due to variations in tissue turbidity, physiological glucose dynamics and skin heterogeneity. We have observed that these fluctuations could introduce non-glucose-specific features into the calibration model, thereby causing nonlinear effects in the relationship between the glucose concentrations and the corresponding Raman spectra. This was confirmed by our spectroscopic studies employing physical tissue models at randomized analyte concentrations with varying turbidities. In order to overcome these nonlinear effects, we investigated the use of support vector machines (SVM) as a nonlinear regression method in contrast to conventional linear regression techniques such as partial least-squares (PLS). In this study, we have demonstrated that application of SVM enables at least 30% improvement in cross-validation accuracy over PLS when measurements from multiple human volunteers were employed in the calibration set.


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TEHRAN — Official campaigning for Friday's presidential election ended here Wednesday night with small but spirited rallies by supporters of the six candidates.
The street scenes in the Iranian capital were just a shadow of the massive rallies leading up to the 2009 presidential election, in which hundreds of thousands of Tehran residents participated, but they also served as a reminder of the bitterness and deadly violence of the protests that followed Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's contested reelection.
On the eve of the ballot, the question that many Iranians are weighing is whether they should vote this time.
"Some of my friends are saying that if we don't believe in the system, then we shouldn't vote," said Shabnam, a 30-year-old accountant. "But when I look at Saeed Jalili and compare his views with other candidates, I see a big difference between him and Hassan Rouhani."
Like others interviewed, Shabnam declined to give her last name for fear of reprisals.
In the final televised debate, last Friday, Jalili, Iran's nuclear negotiator and the candidate widely seen as the most ideologically hard-line, said women's place in Iranian society should be at home as mothers, at schools as teachers or at the mosque.
Rouhani, the only cleric in the race and the most moderate of the six remaining contenders, meanwhile, promised to include a new Ministry of Women in his government if elected. Two of the eight candidates approved dropped out Tuesday.
Elsewhere in Iran, similar conversations were taking place Thursday.
"Fewer of my students will vote this year because of what happened in 2009, but from what I see, there is a lot of support for Rouhani among young people," said Karim, a professor of engineering in Mashhad, Iran's second-largest city, speaking by phone.
The country's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, made a last-minute appeal to Iranians on Wednesday to go to the polls. "Public presence is the most important thing for this country, so even those who simply love Iran must be present in the election," he said.
On Thursday, the Basij, a state-funded paramilitary organization that is often used to provide extra security at times of internal unrest, also urged people to vote.
"It is essential that a majority of voters turn out, which will increase our national stability and negotiating possibilities in the international field, and each vote is a reconfirmation of the Islamic Republic," it said in a statement.
For several reasons, some analysts say, turnout could be higher than anticipated.
Many urban and educated Iranians who might not otherwise have voted appear inclined to go to the polls now that the reformist Rouhani is seen as having a real chance of winning. His prospects improved when Jalili, Tehran Mayor Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Ali Akbar Velayati, a former foreign minister and a Johns Hopkins-trained pediatrician, stayed in the race, threatening to split the conservative vote.
Also, for the first time, local council elections are being held on the same day as the presidential vote. In rural areas, those are considered especially important and always attract high participation.
Finally, there are the growing, though unfounded, rumors that people who do not vote will stop receiving direct cash deposits from the government each month.
Of the six candidates, most observers agree that Rouhani and two of the conservatives, Jalili and Ghalibaf, have the best chances of winning.
To claim victory, a candidate needs to secure a clear majority of votes. If no one does, a runoff between the two highest vote-getters will be held next Friday.