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Some people may sell or even throw out old tools, but artist Jimmy Hopkins, of Bethlehem, sees something more. Using his creativity, he takes the old tools and other recyclables and creates animal yard art for others to purchase.
''Growing up, I lived on a farm and, through family, I was always around some kind of workshop, it was only natural I would start this as a hobby,'' he said. ''Now it's a second job.''
Hopkins is one of more than 60 artists that will be featured at Oconee County Arts Foundation's seventh Annual Holiday Market this Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the OCAF Center. Dubbed as ''a shopper's haven,'' shoppers not only will have a chance to purchase art, creative crafts, unique holiday items and gourmet delicacies, but to personally meet each artist behind the creation.
''I am really excited to be a part of the market this year,'' said Dana Johns of Watkinsville. ''I have attended in year's past and always walked away inspired. I view this as a stepping stone with my own work, an opportunity to gain more exposure in the community.''
Johns is one of the 20 new artists at the market this year. An oil painter, her work features landscapes, realistic and abstract. The landscapes are memories from her childhood in southwest Georgia, exhibiting flat land and using earthtone colors.
New to the Holiday Market this year are Jorge Ascunce, oils; Russell Everett, stone/watercolor; Catherine Hart, quilts/paintings; Jeanne Lindbergh, fiber; Hollis Hinch, glass; Barry Knapp, clay, pastels; Bryan Kyle, mixed media; Yukiko and Bob Marable, clay; Susan Marling, fiber; Pat McCaffrey, clay; Louise Norrell, jewelry; Katie Ross, acrylics; Renee Speenburgh, clay; Tracy Young/Toni Carlucci/Delores Holt, mixed media
Others among the new artists include the mother and daughters trio, Corinne, Cindy and Elizabeth Workmaster.
''We have three very different styles,'' Corinne Workmaster of Athens said. ''I use cut paper, Cindy paints on a variety of found objects, using lots of color, and Elizabeth creates pieces with a country flair, such as wire art and frames.''
Corinne and Elizabeth are not new to OCAF, they showed art last year at SOUTHWORKS, but this is their first year at the Holiday Market.
''It's going to be fun,'' Workmaster said. ''We have never shown together. I am looking forward to it.''
Sharon Johnson of Watkinsville will be making her debut. A self published poet, Johnson will have her book of verse available for purchase.
''I have been writing all of my life,'' Johnson said. ''This is my first book of collected work that I have sold to the public.''
Her work is combined with the photography of her husband, Hank Johnson, a longtime volunteer with OCAF.
Local artist Carol Fox will have her oil paintings for sale at the Holiday Market, along with Robin Faye. Both are students of OCAF member, Ouida Williams' painting class.
Using a lot of colors, Fox's painted objects take a life of their own.
''If you want a regular picture of an object, take a picture of it. When I paint the object, I give it new life with colors.''
Favorite artists from the past Holiday Markets, who will be returning this year include Margaret Agner, silk; Del Moody, metal; Heike Mueller, wood; Ann Peden, jewelry; Charles Pickney, jewelry; Clinton Acosta, clay/wood; Alfredo Arroyo, wood; Kathy Adams, clay; Good Dirt potters; Jean Gibson, watercolors; Joe Gilvey, wood; Catherine Hartley, clay; Jimmy Hopkins, metal; Chester and Gail Karwoski, stones/books; Audrone Kirschner, watercolors; Laura Leiden, painting/calligraphy; Barbara Mann, jewelry; Bonnie Montgomery, fiber; Del Moody, metal; Ron Moore, ink; Barbara Odil, mixed media; Charles Pinckney, jewelry; Pattie and Pat Quinn, glass and wood; Frank Saggus, birdhouses; Lonnie Taliaferro, baskets; Jim Talley, wood; Ronnie Tidwell and Rodney Couch, photos; Amy West, jewelry; and Wally Wszulkowski, watercolors.
Artist Cindy Murphy of Social Circle will make a second trip to the Holiday Market with her sister, Mary Ellen Jurkin, also of Social Circle. Murphy, who has painted for seven years, uses a palette knife technique on her oil paintings. Her sister creates stained glass and Murphy, through her painting, continues the stain glass design in mosaics and has created some unique pieces.
''We call ourselves 'two sisters of color creations,''' Murphy said. ''We tend to use colorful and bright colors, and both techniques feed off well of each other.''
Published in the Athens Banner-Herald on Wednesday, December 4, 2002.
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Just days before Iran's tenth presidential election, Tehran is gripped with febrile excitement. Crowds, in numbers not seen since the protests accompanying the 1979 revolution, line the streets till the early hours of the morning with estimates of their peak numbers running well into the hundreds of thousands. On Monday, supporters of reformist candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi formed a human chain stretching the 12-mile length of Vali Asr, an avenue bisecting the capital. There were face-offs with President Ahmadinejad's allies who shouted slogans denouncing Mousavi (along with the inevitable chants against Israel and the United States). These popular outpourings are portentous, particularly since they have been accompanied by a series of vociferous public attacks on major figures in Iran's ruling elite.
Last Wednesday, during the second of a series of televised debates which pitted pairs of presidential candidates against one another, the front runners – Ahmadinejad and Mousavi – traded bitter blows. Ironically the debate that exposed gaping cracks in Iran's ruling system was held on the 20th anniversary of the death of Ayatollah Khomeini. President Ahmadinejad accused Hashemi Rafsanjani, a former president of Iran and current head of the Assembly of Experts, of "money laundering" and "political sabotage", and suggested that he was standing against not one candidate but a triumvirate of Mousavi, Rafsanjani and Mohammad Khatami (another former president). In turn, Mousavi branded Ahmadinejad a dictator, while denouncing the lawlessness and mismanagement of his regime. Ahmadinejad even questioned the PhD credentials of Mousavi's wife, Zahra Rahnavard, who has campaigned alongside Mousavi often holding his hand (a symbolic act in the Islamic Republic); she has since threatened to sue. This open criticism of key Iranian political figures will be deeply unnerving to those hoping for a perpetuation of the political status quo.
The Ahmadinejad/Mousavi debate covered a wealth of spicy topics from holocaust denial to the nuclear issue and from the economic troubles to censorship and personal liberties. The range of topics (and the very existence of televised debates and indeed contested elections) confirms the surprising extent of political space in Iran, especially that available for the open discussion of ideas. Censorship and repression certainly continues: Facebook has been sporadically blocked and there have been attacks on the press, notably the banning of the revived pro-reform Yas-e No newspaper. Nonetheless, despite these and other severe limitations, wide ranging debate continues (in a way rarely seen among Iran's Arab neighbours) and Persian media, both in print and online, is sophisticated and critical. Off limits in Iran's debates however is direct criticism of the Supreme Leader and of the Khomeinist vision of Islamic government. Until now these boundaries have been pushed but essentially maintained; now they seem deeply strained.
Yesterday Rafsanjani wrote an open letter to the Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, criticising his silence in the face of what he referred to as Ahmadinejad's "insults, lies and false allegations"; fifty clerics including several Ayatollahs signed a further letter to the "noble Iranian nation" detailing their concerns of threats to the whole ruling system. Although the allegations that Rafsanjani's family have been among the profiteers from Iran's oil wealth have a particular piquancy, it is the attacks on the political records of previous administrations that are the most damaging. Ahmadinejad went so far as to say that only his administration has worked for the nation, thus attacking not only ex-prime minister Mousavi and ex-presidents Rafsanjani and Khatami, but also the current Supreme Leader himself who served twice as president under the previous Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khomeini. Ahmadinejad's attacks essentially constitute a wholesale critique of the revolutionary regime from an individual that many had previously counted amongst its strongest advocates. More broadly, this humiliating trading of insults highlights the divisions within Iran's ruling system, and points to a potential crisis of both leadership and legitimacy.
The electoral mania of today stands in stark contrast to the run-up to the 2005 presidential elections when there was, among some groups of Iranian society, a strong frustration at the failures by President Khatami's administration to achieve reform. Then, many expressed disinterest, others a commitment to abstain from voting. Now, the country is gripped by a desire to participate: a strong reminder perhaps of the potential universal appeal of participatory politics. Campaign videos for Mousavi, using celebrity endorsements to attract the young, have focused on the need to increase voter turnout.
There is a sense that Ahmadinejad's record has polarised and re-energised politics. Huge numbers of young, westernised Iranians desperate for reform are throwing their weight behind Mousavi (and there is growing pressure for Mehdi Karrubi, the second pro-reform candidate to withdraw to avoid splitting the reformist vote). Nonetheless it seems that despite the rapturous support for Mousavi (reminiscent of Obamamania) many are unclear what he really stands for. A friend in Tehran told me by phone this morning that "although people are out on the streets … they don't know why they are there". She told me that the protests are like "fresh air" for a population aching for change. Many, it seems, project their own aspirations on to Mousavi; it is unclear if he shares their varied goals and even if he does, what he will be able to deliver if elected.
Calling Friday's result remains difficult, although it seems that Karrubi and Mohsen Rezaee are not serious challengers. Polls in Iran are notoriously inaccurate but this morning the pro-reform Aftab news did predict a decisive win for Mousavi, who they suggest will take 54% of the votes on Friday constituting an outright majority and thus eliminating the need for a second round. A looming threat is electoral manipulation: anti-reform Ayatollah Mesbah-Yazdi has issued a fatwa justifying vote rigging and reports are circulating that some 2.6 million additional ballots slips have been printed; many believe the results of the first round of the 2005 presidential elections were adjusted to ensure Ahmadinejad was carried to the second round.
Public appetite for change is clear as is frustration with the existing political, social and economic situation. Although change is sought across the board, the direction that change should take remains disputed. Despite the radical limitations on Iran's democratic system – the extremely restricted choice of candidates and the relative impotency of the presidency – Iranians do evidently value these elections. Iran seems to have reached a potential turning point. The events of the next few days will shape the future evolution of the republic.

subset: commoncrawl


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- Visit
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Porcelain footed bowl with flared rim, white body, raspberry and gold banded edges and a monogrammed "P" on the inner rim.
standing bowls
Bowl, Serving
"P" (Painted)
"CH.PILLIVUYT&CIE / PARIS / EXP. 1867 / MEDAILLE D'OR" (Red maker's label inside red oval)
Original to Phillips House (Salem, Mass.),
Ch Pillivuyt & Cie (Manufacturer)
Mehun-sur-Yevre, France
4.12 (H), 11 (diameter) (inches)
Gift of the Stephen Phillips Memorial Charitable Trust for Historic Preservation
Mehun-sur-Yèvre (Cher, Centre region, France)


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FREE SHIPPING on orders over $100 (Canada & USA only)
At Accessory Insanity, we carry a huge selection of Totally Cute Wallets for women, girls and girlfriends. Yes, we have a wallet for EVERYONE. Cute animals, funky flowers, inspirational, music themed ... we have them all.
All prices are in USD. © 2017 Accessory Insanity | Sitemap


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Chondroid lipoma is a rare and unusual benign soft tissue lesion. Although there have been several reports of the imaging findings of chondroid lipoma, very few described the radiographic calcification or ossification in a chondroid lipoma. We present a case of chondroid lipoma with adipose tissue and ossified components on plain radiography and MRI images. Correlation of imaging findings and pathological examination is provided to confirm the diagnosis.
Chondroid lipoma is a rare benign adipose tissue tumour which has components of mature fat and a chondroid matrix, bearing a markedly close pathologic resemblance to myxoid liposarcoma and extraskeletal myxoid chondrosarcoma.1-5 Chondroid lipoma may arise from the superficial muscular fascia, skeletal muscle or subcutis, and the tumour is most frequently located in the proximal extremity and limb girdle. It is characterised by showing a non-aggressive behaviour that does not require radical treatment. Reports regarding its cytologic and radiological features are scarce.2 There have been very few reports describing radiographic calcification or ossification in a chondroid lipoma.6-8 In this case report, we describe the imaging and pathologic findings of a chondroid lipoma in the right thigh.
A 34-year-old female was admitted to the outpatient department due to an increasing lump on the right thigh, which she stated as having been present for five years. Painful feeling sometimes occurred to the right upper leg. There was no complaint of lower limb weakness. There was no history of trauma and the patient was otherwise in good health. On physical examination, a deep-seated round mass was detected and located on the right thigh with a size of 25 x 25 x 15 cm, showing hard consistency and non-mobile feature (Figure 1).
Radiographs showed a bulge soft tissue mass in the right lower thigh having predominantly radiolucent density with multiple chondroid matrix of calcification (Figure 2), but the bone cortex is still intact. A MRI was obtained to further define the extent and nature of the lesion, confirming heterogeneous soft tissue mass in the anterior compartment of the muscle of the right lower thigh which mostly consisted of fat tissue, thick septation and some nodular non-adipose components (Figure 3). T2-weighted images through the tumour demonstrated high signal intensity comparable with the signal intensity of fat (Figure 3A). Fat-suppressed T2-weighted images through the distal part of the tumour showed suppression of the signal through the central fatty components and lobular high signal intensity component at the peripheral rim (Figure 3B). After intravenous administration of gadolinium, the heterogeneous mass showed peripheral enhancement (Figure 3C). According to these MRI findings, diagnosis of liposarcoma was initially suggested. Because the presence of chondroid calcification which was shown on radiographs, and these nodular non-adipose components tend to be chondroid matrix, the diagnosis of chondroid lipoma was recommended.
Fine needle aspiration biopsy was then performed. The smear from the biopsy showed chondroid material with sparse spindle cells with mild nuclear atypia. Cytology diagnosis was suggesting for malignancy. Based on clinical, radiological and cytological findings, the patient underwent extensive surgical excision of the tumour.
Pathological examination revealed that macroscopically the tumour was solid, composed of yellow material, which mostly consisted of fat tissue but in the periphery there were some foci of white solid area of cartilage tissue (Figure 4). Microscopically the tumour was composed of mature adipose tissue admixed with well formed lobules of hyaline cartilage (Figure 5). Based on the microscopic findings, a diagnosis of chondroid lipoma was established. Due to its rarity, the slides were sent to the University of California, Los Angeles for a second opinion, and the diagnosis of chondroid lipoma was confirmed. The patient had a good recovery after surgery, and did not develop any post- operative complications.
Chondroid lipoma is a rare, benign, lipomatous soft tissue tumour that manifests as a painless lump. Tumours are located most frequently in the proximal extremity and limb girdle, then in decreasing frequency in the leg, trunk, head and neck region, foot, and hand.4,9 Tumour depth was predominantly in the deep subcutis or skeletal muscle. The median tumour size was 4cm, and usually occurs predominantly in middle-aged adults. Women are more commonly affected than men. An accurate diagnosis is essential in guiding the treatment plan; however, imaging and histologic examination are not always conclusive, and reliance may be placed on immunohistochemical features.1- 6
There are few reports of imaging studies of chondroid lipoma. Reports of chondroid lipoma with evidence of radiographic calcification are very limited.7,8 In this case, a large tumour was found in the right thigh with presence of calcification, as shown in the radiographic images. The curvilinear calcification within the soft tissue mass raised a differential diagnosis of an extraskeletal chondroma or chondrosarcoma, a lipomatous lesion together with fat necrosis, or even synovial sarcoma. MRI features of chondroid lipoma help to make the diagnosis, although MRI appearances of6 chondriod lipoma were only reported in a very few studies. 1,6-8,10
MRI images demonstrate the typical fatty components based on signal intensity. Chondroid lipoma reflects the large fat and chondroid consistency of the tumour. These lesions often reveal high signal of fat peripherally, but contain nodular foci representing cartilage matrix of low signal intensity relative to muscle on T1 and T2 weighted MRI images. High signal intensity indicative of fat observed on T1- or T2-weighted MRI images is suppressed on Fat - supressed or short time-to-inverse inversion-recovery weighted (STIR) images, as is noticed in this case. These MRI findings are similar to the previous cases of chondroid lipoma with intralesional calcification. 6,7
At gross pathological examination, chondroid lipoma is an encapsulated, often multilobular, yellow to white mass with a size range of 1–11 cm. Chondroid lipomas are characterised by the presence of cells resembling chondroblasts and lipoblast mature adipose tissue, and myxoid matrix. These features may closely resemble myxoid liposarcoma or extraskeletal myxoid chondrosarcoma and thus lead to a pseudosarcomatous misdiagnosis. Immunohistochemically, tumour cells are consistently positive for vimentine and S100 protein. Positivity for CD68 and cytokeratins also has been observed.2,4
Unlike other malignant tumours such as chondrosarcoma which require the consideration of radical surgery and postoperative radiotherapy, chondroid lipoma is considered to be treated successfully with local excision. No recurrences, metastasis, or lead to malignant transformation have been observed. 6,7
In conclusion, we report a case of chondroid lipoma of the right thigh, a rare benign adipose tissue tumour containing mature fat and chondroid matrix. The correlation between radiological features as well as clinical presentation and the cytohistomorphology of this case plays an important role in making accurate diagnosis and guiding the treatment plan. In particular, we demonstrate the typical MRI appearances of chondroid lipoma, in addition to the calcification within the tumour shown on radiographic images. A combination of MR imaging and radiography is needed to make the clinical diagnosis of chondroid lipoma.
Not commissioned. Externally peer reviewed.
The authors declare that they have no competing interests.
Not applicable.
The authors, Setiawati R, Dimpudus FJ, Sun Z, declare that:
Please cite this paper as: Setiawati R, Dimpudus FJ, Sun Z, Chondroid lipoma of the right thigh: Correlation of imaging findings and histopathology of an unusual benign lesion. AMJ 2012, 5, 7, 355-358. http//dx.doi.org/10.4066/AMJ.2012.1260.
PubMed Central Canada is a service of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) working in partnership with the National Research Council's national science library in cooperation with the National Center for Biotechnology Information at the U.S. National Library of Medicine(NCBI/NLM). It includes content provided to the PubMed Central International archive by participating publishers.


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BF'ing mamas...question for you
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May 14th, 2013, 09:00 PM
Mega Super Mommy
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Ardmore, PA
Posts: 1,197
I exclusively pumped from the get go with my son because of latching issues and was pumping 2-4 ounces on day three at the hospital. Apparantly that's not the norm?
At morning pumpings once I was fully established about 4 weeks in I was pumping almost 14-16 ounces just in my morning pumping session, I had to always change the bottles out. Now I'm paranoid that it won't be the same this time around if I can't breastfeed again.
There is always time to run out and get the stuff afterwards if need be. You will not need any of the supplies aside from maybe some breast pads (which are cheap anyway) before you start to pump. Does your hospital send you home with any formula? Even breastfed babies at my hospital are sent home with a carepackage of about 8 2 ounce bottles of ready feed formula.
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"Only patients with a valid doctor's recommendation are allowed inside, ' explains Aaron Burke, manager of the dispensary, 'having security on the door helps to send a message that we are a respectable, legal business."
It does seem odd to step off the street in downtown San Francisco and find a group of people inhaling marijuana vapor from the table top machines that line the back wall.
Medical marijuana has been legal in the state of California since 1996 though repeated action by the Bush government to prosecute at a federal level meant the industry was still very clandestine.
With Barack Obama's election came a promise that as long as individuals were not in contravention of state law. Federal authorities would not pursue them.
Under California law qualified patients may possess up to eight ounces of dried marijuana and/or six mature marijuana plants.
Since most people don't possess the knowledge or equipment to grow their own marijuana, patients have formed collectives which grow and distribute the cannabis for them.
That has given rise to places such as SPARC where patients can select from a range of different types of marijuana. Though all the plants originate from either indica or sativa strains years of selective breeding have resulted in combinations such as Hindu Skunk and Raspberry Kush.
"People with different conditions benefit from different kinds of marijuana," explains Burke, "those suffering from chronic pain or insomnia may benefit from an indica plant whilst patients who struggle with stimulating their appetite may be better off with a sativa based strain."
It's an indication of how professional the marijuana industry has become in California that all the packaging and branding of products at SPARC is bespoke, that they contain Sour Diesel and Pineapple Trainwreck just makes them more, well, Californian.
On November 2, California will be voting whether to approve Proposition 19, a law which would legalise the drug for personal recreational use.
Click to enlarge interactive graphic: cannabis in California


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Today I had the opportunity to catch up with Ms. Anita Wilson to talk about her new single "I've Seen Him Work," from her upcoming album, "Sunday Song."
We talked about the unique way she weaves themes around each project like "Worship Soul" in 2011 and "Vintage Worship" in 2014. We also talked about being a part of the McDonald's Inspiration Celebration rolling into Detroit on May 10th.
Always great talking to Ms. Anita! Check out our conversation here:
You can find Anita on her website: MsAnitaWilson
ALSO HEAR: Ricky Dillard Returns to Detroit to Headline "Saturday Night Live" Music Series & John P. Kee, "Bringing The Choirs Back To The Choir Stand"
RED CARPET RUNDOWN: 32nd Annual Stellar Awards
RED CARPET RUNDOWN: 32nd Annual Stellar Awards
1. ERICA CAMPBELL1 of 15
2. TAMELA MANN2 of 15
3. TASHA COBBS3 of 15
4. CHENETA JONES4 of 15
5. BRI (BRIANNA BABINEAUX)5 of 15
6. LEXI6 of 15
7. JONATHAN MCREYNOLDS7 of 15
8. CHERYL FORTUNE8 of 15
9. MARCUS D. WILEY9 of 15
10. FRED HAMMOND AND GUEST10 of 15
11. MAJOR11 of 15
12. JOE DOUGLAS & SPIRIT OF PRAISE12 of 15
13. LORETTA DEVINE13 of 15
14. CASSANDRA CLEVELAND ROBINSON14 of 15
15. ANGEL TAYLOR15 of 15
Follow @PraiseDetroit Follow @RandiMyles2go
Text "Praise" To 24042 for your chance at ticket giveaways and inspirational news before anyone else!…Standard Messaging Rates Apply
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Mother Model Search
Mother Model's Jeff and Mary Clarke, who launched the A-list career of Ashton Kutcher after discovering him in an Iowa bar, are on the search for the next fresh face. The 5th Annual Tribute Model Search is Saturday, October 22nd at 2pm at Macy's Lower Level, West County Center. From this search, the Clarkes will pick new models who will walk the runway at the TRIBUTE Fashion Show on Saturday, November 19th at MX in downtown St. Louis. TRIBUTE is where it all starts. Where dreams come true. Where lives change direction. Some last minute Christmas shopping changed the life of Caitie … Continue reading


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Listing information
- Year Built: 1982
- Status: Sold on 2/28/2014
- Fireplaces: 1
- Foreclosure: No
- Lot Size: 100 x 215
- School District: Burnt Hills - Ballston Lake
- Property ID: 103038686
- Beds: 3
- Total Rooms: 9
- Parking Type Description: Attached 2 cars
- Total Square Footage: 1,979 ($119.20 per sq. foot)
- Estimated Annual Taxes: $7,742
- Style: Colonial
- Baths: 3 (Full: 2 3/4: 0 1/2: 1 Other: 0)
- Stories: 0
- New Construction: No
- Below Ground Sq. Feet: 750
- County: Schenectady
Age Description Actual
Amenities Ceramic Tile, Chair Rail, Fireplace Insert, Sliding Glass Door, Walkout Basement, Wall to Wall Carpet, Wood Floors
Appliances Dishwasher, Microwave, Range W Oven, Refrigerator
Attic Full, Hatch
Basement Finished Area, Full, Rec Room
Condition Excellent
Cooling Type Central Air
Exterior Brick, Cedar
Exterior Features Deck, Lighting, Porch
Family Room Fireplace Type Fire Place - Wood
Garage Description Attached
General Taxes Description Estimated
Handicap Access No
Heat Fuel Natural Gas
Heat System Hot Air
HO Association No
Interior Features Cable Hook-Up, Garage Door Opener, Gran/Solid Surf Counters, High Speed Internet Acc, Paddle Fan
Lot Description Landscaped, Privacy, Treed/Wooded
Master Bedroom Second Floor
Other General Taxes - 3061, Lot - 100 X 215, Possession - Arranged, School Taxes - 4681, Tax Id Section - 16.9, Tax Identification Block - 1, Tax Identification Lot - 30.1, Total Woodstoves - 0
Roof Asphalt Shingle
School Taxes Description Estimated
Sewer Septic
Survey No
Total Taxes Description Estimated
Water Public
Bathroom - Partial Bath Main Level
Dining Room Main Level
Family Room Main Level
Kitchen Main Level
LAUNDRY Main Level
Living Room Main Level
REC Basement
Bathroom - Full Bath 2nd Level
Bathroom - Full Bath 2nd Level
Bedroom 2nd Level
Bedroom 2nd Level
Bedroom 2nd Level
Listed by Bruce Dedon of Coldwell Banker Prime Properties 518-370-2100


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Investigate the evolution of biological processes by capturing evolutionary signatures in transcriptomes. The aim of this tool is to provide a transcriptome analysis environment for answering questions regarding the evolution of biological processes.
I will confess that I frequently have the feeling in my experimental work of holding a dialogue with someone who is considerably brighter than me.
- Hans Spemann
Development is the major process establishing complex life on earth. Hence, studying the evolution of developmental processes allows us to understand the key machanisms that control and constraint the evolution and diversification of complex organisms on this planet. To study the evolution of developmental processes an evolutionary transcriptomics approach (= phylotranscriptomics) has been proposed aiming to quantify the evolutionary conservation of developmental transcriptomes (Drost et al., 2015 Mol. Biol. Evol. ; Drost et al., 2016 Mol. Biol. Evol.).
myTAI package allows users to capture evolutionary information that is hidden in transcriptomes using an evolutionary transcriptomics approach.
This evolutionary transcriptomics approach (= phylotranscriptomics) defines the concept of combining genetic sequence conservation information with gene expression levels to quantify transcriptome conservation throughout biological processes (Domazet-Loso and Tautz, 2010 Nature ; Quint, Drost et al., 2012 Nature ; Drost et al., 2015 Mol. Biol. Evol. ; Drost et al., 2016 Mol. Biol. Evol.).
This subfield of Evolutionary Developmental Biology aims to determine and investigate stages or periods
of evolutionary conservation in biological processes of extant species. However, although
motivated by and applied to developmental processes, the
myTAI package is implemented
to quantify transcriptome conservation in any transcriptome experiment of interest and
therefore aims to provide a standard approach to investigate the evolution of biological
processes in the context of transcriptome conservation.
In particular,
myTAI provides an easy to use and optimized software framework to perform phylostrancriptomic analyses for any annotated organism and developmental process of interest. Additionally, customized visualization functions implemented in
myTAI allow users to generate publication quality plots for their own phylotranscriptomics research.
The following tutorials will provide use cases and detailed explainations of how to quantify transcriptome
conservation with
myTAI and how to interpret the results generated with this software tool.
These tutorials introduce users to
The current status of the package as well as a detailed history of the
functionality of each version of
myTAI can be found in the NEWS section.
Users can download
myTAI from CRAN :
# install myTAI 0.4.0 from CRANinstall.packages("myTAI", dependencies = TRUE)
# to perform differential gene expression analyses with myTAI# please install the edgeR package# install edgeRsource("http://bioconductor.org/biocLite.R")biocLite("edgeR")
Users can also read the tutorials within (RStudio) :
# source the myTAI packagelibrary(myTAI) # look for all tutorials (vignettes) available in the myTAI package# this will open your web browserbrowseVignettes("myTAI") # or as single tutorials # open tutorial: Introduction to Phylotranscriptomics and myTAI vignette("Introduction", package = "myTAI") # open tutorial: Intermediate Concepts of Phylotranscriptomics vignette("Intermediate", package = "myTAI") # open tutorial: Advanced Concepts of Phylotranscriptomics vignette("Advanced", package = "myTAI") # open tutorial: Age Enrichment Analyses vignette("Enrichment", package = "myTAI") # open tutorial: Gene Expression Analysis with myTAI vignette("Expression", package = "myTAI") # open tutorial: Taxonomic Information Retrieval with myTAI vignette("Taxonomy", package = "myTAI")
In the
myTAI framework users can find:
TAI() : Function to compute the Transcriptome Age Index (TAI)
TDI() : Function to compute the Transcriptome Divergence Index (TDI)
REMatrix() : Function to compute the relative expression profiles of all phylostrata or divergence-strata
RE() : Function to transform mean expression levels to relative expression levels
pTAI() : Compute the Phylostratum Contribution to the global TAI
pTDI() : Compute the Divergence Stratum Contribution to the global TDI
pMatrix() : Compute Partial TAI or TDI Values
pStrata() : Compute Partial Strata Values
PlotPattern() : Function to plot the TAI or TDI profiles and perform statistical tests
PlotCorrelation() : Function to plot the correlation between phylostratum values and divergence-stratum values
PlotRE() : Function to plot the relative expression profiles
PlotBarRE() : Function to plot the mean relative expression levels of phylostratum or divergence-stratum classes as barplot
PlotMeans() : Function to plot the mean expression profiles of phylostrata or divergence-strata
PlotDistribution() : Function to plot the frequency distribution of genes within the corresponding phylostratigraphic map or divergence map
PlotContribution() : Plot the Phylostratum or Divergence Stratum Contribution to the Global TAI/TDI Pattern
PlotEnrichment() : Plot the Phylostratum or Divergence Stratum Enrichment of a given Gene Set
PlotGeneSet() : Plot the Expression Profiles of a Gene Set
PlotCategoryExpr() : Plot the Expression Levels of each Age or Divergence Category as Barplot or Violinplot
PlotGroupDiffs() : Plot the significant differences between gene expression distributions of PS or DS groups
PlotSelectedAgeDistr() : Plot the PS or DS distribution of a selected set of genes
FlatLineTest() : Function to perform the Flat Line Test that quantifies the statistical significance of an observed
phylotranscriptomics pattern (significant deviation from a frat line = evolutionary signal)
ReductiveHourglassTest() : Function to perform the Reductive Hourglass Test that statistically evaluates the existence of a phylotranscriptomic hourglass pattern (hourglass model)
EarlyConservationTest() : Function to perform the Reductive Early Conservation Test that statistically evaluates the existence of a monotonically increasing phylotranscriptomic pattern (early conservation model)
EnrichmentTest() : Phylostratum or Divergence Stratum Enrichment of a given Gene Set based on Fisher's Test
bootMatrix() : Compute a Permutation Matrix for Test Statistics
All functions also include visual analytics tools to quantify the goodness of test statistics.
DiffGenes() : Implements Popular Methods for Differential Gene Expression Analysis
CollapseReplicates() : Combine Replicates in an ExpressionSet
CombinatorialSignificance() : Compute the Statistical Significance of Each Replicate Combination
Expressed() : Filter Expression Levels in Gene Expression Matrices (define expressed genes)
SelectGeneSet() : Select a Subset of Genes in an ExpressionSet
PlotReplicateQuality() : Plot the Quality of Biological Replicates
GroupDiffs() : Quantify the significant differences between gene expression distributions of PS or DS groups
taxonomy() : Retrieve Taxonomic Information for any Organism of Interest
MatchMap() : Match a Phylostratigraphic Map or Divergence Map with a ExpressionMatrix
tf() : Transform Gene Expression Levels
age.apply() : Age Category Specific apply Function
ecScore() : Compute the Hourglass Score for the EarlyConservationTest
geom.mean() : Geometric Mean
harm.mean() : Harmonic Mean
omitMatrix() : Compute TAI or TDI Profiles Omitting a Given Gene
rhScore() : Compute the Hourglass Score for the Reductive Hourglass Test
The developer version of
myTAI might include more functionality than the stable version on CRAN.
Hence users can download the current developer version of
myTAI by typing:
# The developer version can be installed directly from github: # install.packages("devtools") # install developer version of myTAIlibrary(devtools)install_github("HajkD/myTAI", build_vignettes = TRUE, dependencies = TRUE) # On Windows, this won't work - see ?build_github_devtools# install_github("HajkD/myTAI", build_vignettes = TRUE, dependencies = TRUE) # When working with Windows, first you need to install the# R package: rtools -> http://cran.r-project.org/bin/windows/Rtools/# or consult: http://www.rstudio.com/products/rpackages/devtools/ # Afterwards you can install devtools -> install.packages("devtools")# and then you can run: devtools::install_github("HajkD/myTAI", build_vignettes = TRUE, dependencies = TRUE) # and then call it from the librarylibrary("myTAI", lib.loc = "C:/Program Files/R/R-3.1.1/library")
Domazet-Lošo T. and Tautz D. A phylogenetically based transcriptome age index mirrors ontogenetic divergence patterns. Nature (2010) 468: 815-8.
Quint M, Drost HG, et al. A transcriptomic hourglass in plant embryogenesis. Nature (2012) 490: 98-101.
Drost HG, Gabel A, Grosse I, Quint M. Evidence for Active Maintenance of Phylotranscriptomic Hourglass Patterns in Animal and Plant Embryogenesis. Mol. Biol. Evol. (2015) 32 (5): 1221-1231.
Drost HG, Bellstädt J, Ó'Maoiléidigh DS, Silva AT, Gabel A, Weinholdt C, Ryan PT, Dekkers BJW, Bentsink L, Hilhorst H, Ligterink W, Wellmer F, Grosse I, and Quint M. Post-embryonic hourglass patterns mark ontogenetic transitions in plant development. Mol. Biol. Evol. (2016) doi:10.1093/molbev/msw039
I would be very happy to learn more about potential improvements of the concepts and functions provided in this package.
Furthermore, in case you find some bugs or need additional (more flexible) functionality of parts of this package, please let me know:
I would like to thank several individuals for making this project possible.
First I would like to thank Ivo Grosse and Marcel Quint for providing me a place and the environment to be able to work on fascinating topics of Evo-Devo research and for the fruitful discussions that led to projects like this one.
Furthermore, I would like to thank Alexander Gabel and Jan Grau for valuable discussions on how to improve some methodological concepts of some analyses present in this package.
I would also like to thank Master Students: Sarah Scharfenberg, Anne Hoffmann, and Sebastian Wussow who worked intensively with this package and helped me to improve the usability and logic of the package environment.
PlotSelectedAgeDistr() allowing unsers to visualize the PS or DS gene distribution of a subset of genes stored in the input ExpressionSet object
PlotGroupDiffs() allowing users to plot the significant differences between gene expression distributions of PS or DS groups
GroupDiffs() allowing users to perform statistical tests to quantify the gene expression level differences between all genes of defined PS or DS groups
PlotDistribution() now uses ggplot2 to visualize the PS or DS distribution and
is also based on the new function
PlotSelectedAgeDistr(); furthermore it loses arguments
plotText and
... and gains a new argument
remove arguments 'main.text' and '...' from
PlotCorrelation() is now based on ggplot2
PlotGroupDiffs() receives a new argument
gene.set allowing users to statistically quantify the group specific PS/DS differences of a selected set of genes
analogously to
PlotGroupDiffs() the function
GroupDiffs() also receives a new argument
gene.set allowing users to statistically quantify the group specific PS/DS differences of a selected set of genes
Fixing wrong x-axis labeling in
PlotCategoryExpr() when
type = "stage-centered" is specified
PlotCategoryExpr() now also prints out the PS/DS absolute frequency distribution of the selected
PlotCategoryExpr() to
Advanced Vignette
PlotReplicateQuality() to
PlotCategoryExpr() allowing users to plot the expression levels of each age or divergence category as boxplot, dot plot or violin plot
PlotReplicateQuality() allowing users to visualize the quality of biological replicates
PlotGeneSet() and
SelectGeneSet() now have a new argument
use.only.map specifying whether or not instead of using a standard
ExpressionSet a
Phylostratigraphic Map or
Divergene Map is passed to the function.
adding new vignette Taxonomy providing spep by step instructions on retrieving taxonomic information for any organism of interest
adding new vignette Expression Analysis providing use cases to perform gene expression
data analysis with
adding new vignette Enrichment providing step-by-step instructions on how to perform PS and DS enrichment analyses with
adding examples for
pTDI(), and
to the Introduction Vignette
a new function
taxonomy() allows users to retrieve taxonomic information for any organism of interest; this function has been taken from the biomartr package and was removed from
biomartr afterwards. Please notice, that in myTAI version 0.1.0 the Introduction vignette referenced to the
taxonomy() function in
biomartr. This is no longer the case (since myTAI version 0.2.0), because now
taxonomy() is implemented in myTAI.
the new
taxonomy() function is based on the powerful R package taxize.
a new function
SelectGeneSet() allows users to fastly select a subset of genes in an ExpressionSet
a new function
DiffGenes() allows users to perform differential gene expression analysis with ExpressionSet objects
a new function
EnrichmentTest() allows users to perform a Fisher's exact test based enrichment analysis of over or underrepresented Phylostrata or Divergence Strata within a given gene set without having to plot the result
a new function
PlotGeneSet() allows users to visualize the expression profiles of a given gene set
a new function
PlotEnrichment() allows users to visualize the Phylostratum or Divergence Stratum enrichment of a given Gene Set as well as computing Fisher's exact test to quantify the statistical significance of enrichment
a new function
PlotContribution() allows users to visualize the Phylostratum or Divergence Stratum contribution to the global TAI/TDI pattern
a new function
pTAI() allows users to compute the phylostratum contribution to the global TAI pattern
a new function
pTDI() allows users to compute the divergence stratum contribution to the global TDI pattern
FilterRNASeqCT() has been renamed to
Expressed() allowing users to apply this filter function
to RNA-Seq data as well as to microarray data
PlotRE() and
PlotMeans() are now based on colors from the RColorBrewer package (default)
PlotRE() and
PlotMeans() now have a new argument
colors allowing unsers to choose custom colors for the visualized relative or mean expression profiles
geom.mean() and
harm.mean() now are external functions accessible to the
myTAI user
a new function
pStrata() allows users to compute partial TAI/TDI values for all Phylostrata or Divergence Strata
a new function
CollapseReplicates() allows users to combine replicate expression levels in ExpressionSet objects
a new function
FilterRNASeqCT() allows users to filter expression levels of
ExpressionSet objects deriving from RNA-Seq count tables
MatchMap() now receives a new argument
remove.duplicates allowing users to delete
duplicate gene ids (that might be stored in the input PhyoMap or DivergenceMap) during the process of matching a Map with an ExpressionSet
EarlyConservationTest(), and
PlotPattern() implement a new argument
custom.perm.matrix allowing users to pass their own (custom) permutation matrix to the corresponding function. All subsequent test statistics and p-value/std.dev computations are then based on this custom permutation matrix
EarlyConservationTest() and
ReductiveHourglassTest() now have a new parameter
gof.warning allowing users to choose whether or not non significant goodness of fit results should be printed as warning
now when specifying
TestStatistic = NULL in
PlotPattern() only the TAI/TDI profile is drawn (without performing any test statistics); this is equavalent to performing:
combinatorialSignificance() is now named
changing the title and description of the
myTAI package
some minor changes in vignettes and within the documentation of functions
ReductiveHourglassTest(), and
now support multicore processing
MatchMap() has been entirely rewritten and is now based on dplyr; additionally
it now has a new argument
accumulate that allows you to accumulate multiple expression levels to a unique expressiion level for a unique gene id
All three Vignettes:
Intermediate, and
Advanced have been updated and extended.
two small bugs in
ReductiveHourglassTest() and
EarlyConservationTest() have been fixed that caused
that instead of displaying 3 or 4 plots (
par(mfrow=c(1,3)) or
par(mfrow=c(2,2))) only 1 plot has been generated
a small bug in
PlotMeans() that caused the visualization of a wrong y-axis label
when plotting only one group of Phylostrata or Divergence Strata
Introducing myTAI 0.0.1:
A framework to perform phylotranscriptomics analyses for Evolutionary Developmental Biology research.


text:
Jean Shorts Tight AF
by Pedasstrian / Tuesday, 17 May 2016 / Published in Booty Shorts, Free Videos
One of my favorite candid creepshot videos on the site. This young sexy blonde girl has an awesome booty and some saran wrap tight jean booty shorts gripping it. What a lovely view!


text:
Delegations should bring their country's flag (or flags, for those representing multiple countries) to be carried along with the respective Country Sign in the Parade of Nations during Opening Ceremonies.
Each school should select only two (2) students per country to participate in the Parade of Nations – one student to carry the Country Flag, and one student to carry the Country Sign.
Following the Parade of Nations, all Signs and Flags should be incorporated into your school's Global Village Booth.
Flags may be purchased or made by hand. Schools are encouraged to borrow from schools that represented their country previously (The KY YMCA office has a flag bank for this purpose).
The Country Sign is a creatively designed sign displaying the country's name that is carried in the opening Parade of Nations. Country Signs must be carried by only ONE person during the Parade of Nations to be eligible for awards.
Looking for inspiration? Check out some of last year's Country Signs in our KUNA 2014 Facebook Albums:


text:
Cutie and the Boxer (2013)
This candid New York love story explores the chaotic 40-year marriage of famed boxing painter Ushio Shinohara and his wife, Noriko. Anxious to shed her role as her overbearing husband's assistant, Noriko finds an identity of her own.
No0FailFailFailDocumentaryBiographyZachary HeinzerlingNoriko ShinoharaUshio ShinoharaAlex ShinoharaEthan CohenLittle Magic FilmsCine MosaicEx Lion Tamerartline artpainternew york citymarriageartistboxing glovehusband wife relationshipaspiring artiststarving artist2013Restricted82EnglishJapaneseUnited States20988267.22,91564http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2355540/


text:
Virtual reality realities
Media Design School launching VR programme
Auckland's Media Design School is getting into VR in a big way.
Virtual reality realities
Auckland's Media Design School is getting into VR in a big way.
Idealog's Guide to Dunedin
Dunedin based game development studio RocketWerkz is increasing its staff for an upcoming large scale project following investment from Tencent. And founder Dean Hall says it's just the beginning.
In the new update for Kiwi-created mobile game Jrump, a hero will rise.
This week, the Interactive Games & Entertainment Association (IGEA) reported that sales of interactive entertainment games hit $392 million in 2015, up 13% from 2014.
The Kiwi games sector is getting a startup competition that will give an emerging company funding, software, marketing, legal and mentoring support worth $25,000.
Among the tens of thousands crowding into the E3 interactive entertainment and gaming show from 10 to 12 June are two Kiwis on a mission to promote their platform designed to connect gamers of all stripes.
Telecom Digital Ventures is dipping its toe into the world of cloud gaming with a trial service, Aircade.
This week's Wrap sees games getting serious, a glove to control music with a wave of the hand, a video sharing service to rival Vine and tattoos come to the 3D printer.
Kiwi marketers can tap into new revenue streams in the world of social sports gaming, played out at events and internet cafes and watched via online TV, a Wellington researcher says.
Computer science student Dominik Schmid's Pixel Jam-winning game is all about hazardous driving. After all, yolo.


text:
Acupressure can be effective in helping relieve headaches, eyestrain, sinus problems, neck pain, backaches, arthritis, muscle aches, and tension due to stress. The healing touch of acupressure also reduces tension, increases circulation, and enables the body to relax deeply. By relieving stress, acupressure strengthens resistance to disease and promotes wellness. From www.herbalshop.com
You can relieve tired eyes using chamomile tea bags. Soak two bags in warm water. Squeeze out the excess water and place the bags over your eyes. Lie back and relax.


text:
Basically, we L O V E seeing spontaneous stories and we're exhausted from cliches, SO welcome to: GenreOverLoad!
We will write one story for each genre! Sounds impossible? Well, call us Kim Possible then! xD
However there's a twist: We will have any experienced or unexperienced author on Wattpad write their own chapter!
List of Genre's to tackle~
( ) Humor -I Befiggle
( ) Romance -Black and White
( ) Horror -Careful, I Bite
( ) Fantasy
( ) Mystery/Suspense
( ) Science Fiction
( ) Historical Fiction
( ) Poetry
( ) Teen Fiction
( ) Thriller
( ) Adventure
( ) Non-Teen Fiction
( ) Action
( ) Vampire
( ) Werewolf
( ) Fan Fiction
( ) Paranormal
( ) Spiritual
( ) Short Story
( ) Non-Fiction
People Owning Account (Golden Account)-
1) @KimFry
2) @ShiningLikeFireworks- email@example.com
3) @aliSAURUS - firstname.lastname@example.com
4) @LittleAmy
5) @fran-is-a-writer
6) @niagiddings (edits about me, etc.)
These are the people who are in charge of the account and who will be in charge of taking care of each story.
Wow, can we handle it? Let's find out!!:D
Please contact us in ANY way possible to let me know if your interested!
- 6 places you will never know(:
- JoinedAugust 11, 2011
Already a Wattpad member? Log In I agree to Wattpad's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
GenreOverLoad Jul 27, 2012 03:47PM
Okay, awesome! @KimFryView all Conversations
Stories by GenreOverLoad
- 5 Published Stories
I Befiggle Humor
852 39 3
"I Befiggle Swear" Those words became part of five girls' lives. Practically apart of their language. The Befiggle swear was sacred and if you broke it- you paid the price. It brought many laughs to their...
Careful, I Bite Vampire
323 12 3
What if a nobody was secretly a vampire and suddenly exposed herself to the world? What if there were no rules against that? Valerie Jean did exactly that. She is the only vampire existing in the world. What will h...
Black and White Romance
538 11 4
A unique love story between an actress and her security guard. What will it bring to their professions, lives, and each other? Find out in "Black and White" **A joint story**
1 Reading List


text:
Is decision making a "political" process?
Difference in decision-making between public and private sector
Decision support system
What is a "quality decision?"
Improving decision making models
Two types of decision making
Routine Problems:
Programmed decision.
Non-routine problems: Crafted decisions.
Three environments in which programmed and crafted decision consider:
Certain Environments.
Uncertain Environments.
Risk Environments.
Problem avoider: non active. participants-missed opportunities
Problem solver : reactive, gather information and respond to problems.
Problem seeker: Proactive participants and are best at decision making as they are aware of barriers and are to cope well.
Shared vs Individual Decision Making
Decision Making
D = Define
E = Establish
C = Consult
I = Identify
D = Develop Action
E = Evaluate
The Decision Process
Factors Influencing Decision Making
Health care system is a complex which requires behavioural and technical skills to deal with multiple ethical, legal, economic, technical and organizational changes (Gue, 2008: 118). In the workplace, managerial decision making according to Gue (2008: 118) has direct effect on individuals and organisational performance.
Economic Factors
Politics and Regulation
Decision Making Models
Shared Decision Making.
Evidence Informed Decision Making.
Economic Decision making.
To help HSMS with:
Demonstrating accountability and transparency.
Effectiveness and efficiency.
External or internal factors.
Sense making.
Improves effectiveness and efficiency through including more perspectives.
Can create a learning environment and empower individuals
Shared Decision Making in a Management Context
Incident Information Management Committee
Root Cause Analysis Focus Groups
General Clinical Training Committee
Medical Workforce Focus Group
Examples of Committees and Focus Groups
Evidence Informed Decision Making:
Source: YouTube. (2014, November 18). NCCMT - Evidence-Informed Decision Making
Figure 5: Decision Making Levels
Source: Williams and Brown (2014, p. 2).
Figure 7:
Shared Decision Making
Harvard Elementary School (n.d. p.1).
Video 2: Evidence Informed Decision Making
Economic Decision Making
The Agency for Clinical Innovation
Evidence Based
Reality is, decision making is a "political" process
Rational decision making is a political process.
A political perspective is taken in rational decision making
Internal and external stakeholders interests need to be considered
Certain stakeholders are chosen to benefit the interests of others ( Lewis and Boldy, 2006: 183)
Therefore managers in a sense are also rational by basing decisions on the relative importance of stakeholders.
Develops a culture decisions being made in the interests of ones own interests and others. (Lewis and Boldy, 2006)
Money, Politics and power are influencing factors in conflicting interests (Palmer and Short, 2010)
co-payment for visiting GP in 2014
(Grattan, 2014)
Comparison in decision-making management between public and private sector
Decision support system
• Decision Support System (DSS) is defined as "…systems which call for, order and promote deliberations and analysis directly relevant to management tasks where complexity and uncertainty make it difficult to arrive at a reasoned response…" (Cropper and Forte, 1997:20).
Have significant organisational impact
Available in a range of database systems
Executive Information Systems that support decisions are
Applications development.
Hospital Decision making systems
The Wand
AIM' and "Flow Info
Activity Based Management Portal
Provide information such as patient flow, epidemiology, system operations and designs and costs. This also allows hospitals to benchmark with peers
Made with accurate data
A good outcome
What is decision making
Involves a process in weighing out alternatives.
Recognising, analysing, choice of action and implementing action.
Behavioural and Classical theories.
Short term and long term results.
Could be individual or group driven.
Health managers and decision making
Health managers have different responsibilities and duties.
The Health Manager (state) award outlines six categories.
Certain skills and attributes required for each level.
Level one usually involves supporting the department/branch with limited responsibilities.
Level six directly work with CEO, Deputy CEO or Health Executives and have a wider responsibility of managing and delivering policies where needed.
Emotional Intelligence
Emotional Intelligence is vital for health managers. It is the ability to understand, manage and recognise emotions which influence problem solving. Evidence indicates managers with high EI contributes to better teams, conflict resolutions and builds on communication.
Components: Self awareness, Social Awareness, Self regulation and Relationship Management.
Three models: Ability, trait, and mixed models.
Ethical decision making
Vital in decision making.
Considers what needs/ ought to be done based on principle and value.
Four principles: Autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence and justice.
Virtue ethics.
Clinical ethics consultants or committees to improve quality for ethical decision making.
To improve quality of healthcare, control cost, reduce complaints, and increase trust with health care professions and institutions.
Guo (2008) defined six steps of decision making process, which should be taken by health care managers to arrive at right decision. He used DECIDE model to identify these steps, which include the following:
Personal Traits
There are significant personal traits that influence decision making. For example gender, age, past experience, cognitive biases and emotions.
Gender can influence decision making.
Men and women under low stress levels are pretty much equally good decision-makers.
Men are more prone when stressed.
While in financial decisions women are more confident in investment decisions than men.
Across age there is a significant difference in decision making (Ditrech, 2010).
Older adults in regards ability to make decisions maybe more overconfident.
Older adults prefer fewer options than younger adults.
Past experience
Individuals tend to make decision based on previous experiences.
Individuals are bound to make similar decisions in similar situation (Exforsys, 2011).
Cognitive biases
Cognitive bias as thinking patterns based on generalization and observations, which may lead to inaccurate judgments, memory faults and faulty logic (Exforsys, 2011).
Cognitive biases include belief bias, hindsight bias, omission bias and confirmation bias.
Positive emotions increase creative problem solving and facilitate integration of information (Al Tarawneh,2012: 11).
Negative effect can lead to narrowing of attention and failure for search of new alternatives.
Personal Traits
Policies and Procedures
Organisations formalize policies and procedures with guidance and direction to regulate work and/or to solve issues such as employee-related complaints.
For example: NSW Work Health and Safety: Better Practice Procedures Policy, Complaint Management Policy and NSW Health Code of Conduct Policy.
Organisational Hierarchy
Supervisors on the bottom are responsible to allocate tasks, observe and control operations and do a sort of short-term decisions (Power, 2014).
The top or managerial control level, managerial decisions focus on issues of organisation performance, large allocations of resources, major staff choices and strategic directions on products and markets.
Organisational Politics
Is a competition between interest groups or individuals for power, authority and leadership. Informal behaviour, Influence attempts, power tactics and concealing one's motives are the means usually used in organisational politics (Sidhu, Ansari, Volberda and Oshri, 2011).
Influence attempts, power tactics and concealing one's motives are the means usually used in organisational politics.
Decisions in an ideal organisation is subject to rational basis, however politics is non-rational and subject to power interactions between diverse interests.
Economic Factors
It was found economic factors influence organisational decisions.
Economic factors such resource pressures and constraints influenced technical decision making at the organisation level.
Politics and Regulation
A set of groups can and do exercise over decisions (Wiliams and Brown, 2014: 7).
Government, regulatory bodies, legal bodies, the media, members of public and professional representative bodies.
Video 1: Cute baby animals
Source: Youtube (2013 October 29) Cute Baby Animals Compilation
Sense Making
Source: The James Irvine Foundation New Leadership Foundation. (2013, p 1). Sense making
Figure 6: Sense Making
Making sense of complex problems
Can be achieved by sharing ideas or through decision support systems
Source:Executive Development Blog, 2015
Source: Political Power Point, 2015
(Power, 2007)
Source: Decision Support Technologies, 2015
(Power, 2007)
(Baker, 2009)
Advantages of DSS
Develops performance and efficiency of the user.
Decision-making can be made faster.
Saving time and money in making decision.
Improves effective teamwork and communication within groups.
Provides more evidence based for decision-making.
Increases decision-maker satisfaction.
Provides different perspectives to a situation.
(Messum, 2015)
Disadvantages of DSS
Everything is controlled by machines
May reduce skill in staff because they become dependent on the computers.
Overload information associated with reduction in effectiveness.
Shift of responsibility - easy to blame computer.
False sense of being objective - humans still feed information in and decide how exactly to process it.
(Messum, 2015)
What is a quality decision?
The goal of decision-making is "a quality decision"
"A quality decision" should include these characteristics: realistic, feasible, good date, timely, defensible, acceptable and good outcome (Lewis and Boldy, 2006:200)
Source: Decision making process steps management (2015)
Source: Culture tutor, 2015
Figure 8: Which Choice
Figure 9: Politics in decisions
Figure 2: DECIDE
Figure 3 : Matrix Model
Figure 1: DECIDE
Table 1: Private VS Public
Figure 10: Decision Support systems
Figure 11: Decision Proccess
Figure 12: A good decision
Reccomendation #2
Personal traits can assist managers in the decision making process, however, managers should be mindful of bias to these influences.
Recomendations #3
Training in decision making and how to use DSS have to be provided for managers. The trainings should include, conflict resulution, group leadership and group decision making tools
Recommendation #1
Emotional intelligence to be integrated into training modules for all health professionals within the organisation. This is due to the significant impact emotional intelligence can have on the decision making process and an individuals welbeing.
Recommendation #4
Resources within the public health care system are always being stretched, there for it is recommended that one uses evidence and the support from peers to inform ones decisions.
Improving Decision Making Models
Avoiding psychological bias in decision making
The ladder of inference
Decision making under uncertainty
Critical thinking
Linear programming
Reactive decision making
Source: Messum, Lecture week 9, 2015
Critical Thinking Model
"How often do you think about how you think
Critical thinking is discipline skillful using information, experience, observation and data in making decision.
Developing critical thinking skill will give better chance of being "right' and making good decision in life
Source: Critical Thii
What can go wrong?
Politics, power, dominance, group think, predetermined agendas and social pressure.
But wait there is help!
Hoy-Harter Decision making model: Impact of involving certain group members on group dynamics.
Step Ladder technique: Empower and ensure equal involvement.
Evidence to be sourced from a variety of contexts
Ensure evidence is reliable, valid and recent. Use systematic reviews and multiple random control trials.
Economic Decision Making
Cost Benefit Analysis
Net Present Value and Internal Rate of Return
Wheres all the money?
Continuous pressure to perform within a certain
Decision Making Matrix Analysis
When there are to many alternatives to choose from
Ruth's References
Day, G., and Leggat, S. (2015). Leading and Managing in Health Services. Retrieved May 16, 2015, from https://books.google.com.au/books?id=C74sCQAAQBAJ&pg=PA364&dq=emotional+intellige nce+and+decision+making+in+health+management&hl=en&sa=X&ei=V6xYVZv2EKermAXplY HgDQ&ved=0CDgQ6AEwAzgK#v=onepage&q=emotional%20intelligence%20and%20decisio n%20making%20in%20health%20management&f=false
Kerridge, I., Lowe, M., & Stewart, C. (2013). Ethics and law for the health professional (4th ed.). Leichhardt, NSW: The Federation Press.
Mind Tools. (2015). The FourSquare Protocol: Learning to manage ethical decision making. Retrieved May 23, 2015, from http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newTED_83.htm
NSW Health. (2014). Health managers (state) award: Industrial Relations Commission of New South Wales. Retrieved May 15, 2015, from http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/careers/conditions/Awards/hsu_health_managers.pdf
NSW Health. (2012). Corporate governance and accountability compendium for NSW Health. Retrieved May 18, 2015, from http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/policies/manuals/Documents/corporate-governance- compendium-intro.pdf
Schermerhorn, J.R. (2013). Exploring Management (3rd ed.). Retrieved May 17, 2015, from https://books.google.com.au/books?id=qNVP2L6iKi0C&pg=PA88&dq=programmed+and+crafted+ decision&hl=en&sa=X&ei=DtJZVZ_yJubUmgWuzoG4CA&ved=0CCYQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=progr ammed%20and%20crafted%20decision&f=false
Wood, J., Zeffane, R., Fromholtz, M., Wiesner, R., Creed, A., Schermerhorn, J., Hunt, J., & Osborn, R. (2010). Organisational behaviour: Core concepts and applications (2nd ed.). Queensland, Australia: John Wiley & Sons Australia.
Ahmed's References
Al-Tarawneh, H. A. (2012). The main factors beyond decision making . Journal of Management Research, 4(1), 1-23. doi: 10.5296/jmr.v4i1.118
Bauer, T., and Erodgan, B. (2012). An introduction to organisational behaviour (pp. 566-617). Retrieved from http://2012books.lardbucket.org/pdfs/an-introduction-to-organizational-behavior-v1.0.pdf
Berggren, J., and Gonzalez, R. (2010).Gender difference in financial decision making. Retrieved from http://www.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:324378/FULLTEXT01.pdf
Castro, M. F., Guccio, C., Pignataro, G., and Rizzo, I. (2014). The effects of reimbursement mechanisms on medical technology diffusion in the hospital sector in the Italian NHS. Health Policy, 115(2), 215-229. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.healthpol.2013.12.004
Dietrich, C. (2010). Decision making: Factors that influence decision making, heuristics used and decision outcomes. Student Pulse, 2(02). Retrieved from http://www.studentpulse.com/articles/180/decision-making-factors-that-influence-decision-making-heuristics-used-and-decision-outcomes
Exforsys.(2011). Factors and components of decision making. Retrieved from http://www.exforsys.com/career-center/decision-making/decision-making-factors-and-components.html
Guo, K. L. (2008). DECIDE: A decision-making model for more effective decision making by health care managers by the health care manager. Lippincott Nursing Center, 27(2), 118-127.doi: 10.1097/01.HCM.0000285046.27290.90
Mind Tools. (2015). Decision matrix analysis. Retrieved from http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newTED_03.htm
Power, D. J. (2014).What is the context of decision making? Retrieved May 6, 2015: http://dssresources.com/faq/index.php?action=artikel&id=300
Sidhu, J., Ansari, S., Volberda, H., and Oshri, I. (2011). Managing organisational politics for effective knowledge processes. RSM Insight, 8(4), 12-14. Retrieved from http://www.rsm.nl/fileadmin/Images_NEW/Publications/Insight/RSMInsight08-Organisational-Politics.pdf
Simpson, M. (2014).Gender and decision-making. Retrieved from http://www.mediate.com/articles/SimpsonMbl20141024.cfm
Williams, I., and Brown, H. (2014). Factors influencing decisions of value in health care: A review of the literature. Retrieved from http://www.nhsconfed.org/~/media/Confederation/Files/Publications/Documents/DOV_HSMC_Final_report_July_281.pdf
Eliza's References
Agency for Clinical Innovation. (2013). Understanding the use of health economics an ACI framework. Retrieved 19 May 2015
Harvard Elementary School. (n.d.). Shared Decision-Making Committee (SDMC). Retrieved 20 May 2015 http://www.houstonisd.org/domain/21571
Hill, R., & Mind Tools Team. (2015). The hoy-harter model of decision making. Retrieved 25 May 2015 http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/hoy-tarter-decision-making-model.htm
Industrial Relations Commission of NSW. (2014). Health managers (state) award. Retrieved 21 May 2015 http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/careers/conditions/Awards/hsu_health_managers.pdf
NSW Health. (2014, February 10). Incident management policy. Retrieved 4 May 2015 http://www0.health.nsw.gov.au/policies/pd/2014/pdf/PD2014_004.pdf
National Collaborating Centre for Methods and Tools. (2012). A Model for Evidence-Informed Decision-Making in Public Health. [fact sheet]. Retrieved 20 April 2015 http://www.nccmt.ca/pubs/FactSheet_EIDM_EN_WEB.pdf.
Rutledge, M. (2009). Sensemaking as a tool in working with complexity. OD Practitioner, 41(2), 19-24. Retrieved 21 May 2015 http://www.revisions.org/pubs/Rutledge_Sensemaking_ODPractioner09.pdf
The James Irvine Foundation New Leadership Foundation. (2013, p 1). Sense making. Retrieved May 21, 2015 NSW Health. (2014, February 10). Incident management policy. Retrieved 4 May 2015 http://www0.health.nsw.gov.au/policies/pd/2014/pdf/PD2014_004.pdf
Sophia's References
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Critical Thinking. (n.d.). Retrieved 2015, May 23rd from http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newTED_95.htm
Culture tutor [Image]. Retrieved 2015, May 23rd from http://culturetutor.net/?cat=1
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Decision Support Technologies [Image]. Retrieved 2015, May 23rd from http://www.swri.org/4org/d10/isd/decision/default.htm
Grattan, M. (2015). Medicare co-payment: a case study in policy implosion. The Conversation. Retrieved 2015, May 23rd from http://theconversation.com/medicare-co-payment-a-case-study-in-policy-implosion-38311Lewis, J. and Boldy, D. (2006) Decision Making and the Health Service Manager. In M. Harris and Associates Managing Health Services Concepts and Practice Marrickville: Elsevier.
Messum, D. (2015). Managerial Decision Making. [Lecture note week 9].
Nutt, P.C. (2005). Comparing public and private sector decision-making practices. Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, 16:289–318. doi: 10.1093/jopart/mui041
Palmer, G. and Short, S. D. (2010) Health Care and Public Policy: An Australian Analysis. (3rd Edition) South Yarra: Macmillan.
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Power, D.J. (2007) A Brief History of Decision Support Systems. DSSResources.COM. Retrieved February 17, 2009 from the World Wide Web: http://DSSResources.COM/history/dsshistory.html, version 4.0.
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Decision Making
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Kate Meehanon 1 June 2015
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MONTREAL, QUEBEC--(Marketwired - Jun 3, 2014) - Osisko Mining Corporation (OSK.TO)(EWX.F) ("Osisko") is in receipt of legal proceedings from Clifton Star Resources Inc. ("Clifton Star") seeking damages in connection with denial of a loan. Osisko will defend the claim vigorously and believes the claim is opportunistic and entirely without merit.
About Osisko
Osisko Mining Corporation operates the Canadian Malartic Gold Mine in Malartic, Québec and is pursuing exploration on a number of properties, notably in Québec, Ontario and Mexico.
Forward-looking statements
Certain statements contained in this press release may be deemed "forward-looking statements". All statements in this release, other than statements of historical fact, that address events or developments that Osisko expects to occur, are forward looking statements. Forward looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects", "plans", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "projects", "potential", "scheduled" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may", "could" or "should" occur including, without limitation, the results of litigation between Osisko and Clifton Star. Although Osisko believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results may differ materially from those in forward looking statements. Factors that could cause the actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include results of litigation and timeliness of court approvals. These factors are discussed in greater detail in Osisko's most recent Annual Information Form, which is filed on SEDAR and also provide additional general assumptions in connection with these statements. Osisko cautions that the foregoing list of important factors is not exhaustive. Investors and others who base themselves on the forward looking statements contained herein should carefully consider the above factors as well as the uncertainties they represent and the risk they entail. Osisko believes that the expectations reflected in those forward-looking statements are reasonable, but no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct and such forward-looking statements included in this press release should not be unduly relied upon. These statements speak only as of the date of this press release. Osisko undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, other than as required by applicable law.


text:
Cate Le Bon
Kevin Morby
The Boot & Saddle
1131 S. Broad Street
Philadelphia, PA, 19147
Doors 8:00 PM / Show 9:00 PM
This event is 21 and over
Cate Le Bon hails from Carmarthenshire, rural West Wales and is currently a resident of Highland Park, Los Angeles, having relocated across the pacific, coinciding with the recording of her new album.
Towards the end of 2012, having completed extensive touring for her previous album, Cyrk, Cate returned to Wales to write the songs that would become Mug Museum. The album was informed by a period of taking stock after bereavement. 'Following the death of my maternal Grandmother I felt a very palpable shift in the roles that we'd all become accustomed to within the female line of the family which, for the first time, had me mulling over the importance of my placement and purpose within this female chain' says Le Bon. 'The album's theme emerged from and circulates around these maternal familial relationships and this period of calm, lengthy, intent consideration in turn drew other relationships into the Mug Museum.'
With Le Bon now relocated to California Mug Museum was recorded at the recently opened Seahorse Sound studios, Los Angeles. Produced by Noah Georgeson (who is perhaps best known for his work with Joanna Newsom and Devendra Banhart) and Josiah Steinbrick. Mug Museum is an album that lets in the sunlight and space and relocates the West Wales lilt in Le Bon's voice to an equally apposite West Coast setting. In the studio Le Bon assembled a band of friends from both continents. Accompanying Le Bon on the recording are the multi instrumentalists Sweet Baboo, H. Hawkline and Nick Murray from White Fence. 'I flew H. Hawkline and Sweet Baboo over from Wales who I've had the pleasure of playing alongside for years' she says 'I saw White Fence play at the Troubadour last year and was mesmerised by the whole show but especially by Nick Murray's drumming and asked him to play on the album immediately after the gig.'
As well as describing the personnel involved in Mug Museum, 'Welsh – Californian' is a phrase that captures the album's sound: woozily melodic, dreamily confident and wrapped in a hazy psychedelic gauze. This is a record made with the type of clarity that follows a change in perspective and situation. There is a directness and openness across the ten tracks on Mug Museum that suggest everyone involved had discovered the same lightness of touch and sense of purpose.
'I wrote the majority of the record in the home country but a few songs were finished out here in the run up to recording' says Le Bon 'I'm sure Los Angeles has bled into the recordings somehow but exactly how I do not know. There was a calm brutality to making decisions - It all happened very quickly and directly, as it should.'
Throughout Mug Museum Le Bon's voice changes register to great dramatic and emotional effect; on 'Duke' and 'Cuckoo Through The Walls' these shifts occur during the course of the same song. Perhaps her voice is at its most startling on 'I Wish I Knew', a duet with Perfume Genius, one of the album's most atmospheric tracks and one on which two distinctive personalities and voices combine to produce a performance of rare alchemy. 'Last April I toured with Perfume Genius' says Le Bon 'I watched him play every single night and not once did my attention waive. I was over the moon when he agreed to come and sing on the album.'
From the bewitching circular riff of the album's opener 'I Can't Help You' to the closing title track that sees Le Bon accompanied by piano and the occasional burst of double-tacked clarinet, Mug Museum's reflective song writing weaves around a richly detailed framework. Like all museums it is a contemplative space, a personal world that is open to everyone. 'A place of weighted hauntings and considered reconciliation, where you resolve and tailor your purpose and significance within your relationships' is how Le Bon describes it. As these ten songs attest, Mug Museum is also a unique and dreamlike edifice and one that has been created by an artist at the height of their powers.
Singing Saw is a record written simply and realized orchestrally. In it, Kevin Morby faces the reality that true beauty - deep and earned - demands a whole-world balance that includes our darker sides. It is a record of duality, one that marks another stage of growth for this young, gifted songwriter with a kind face and a complicated mind.
In the Autumn of 2014, Kevin Morby moved to the small Los Angeles neighborhood of Mount Washington. The move would shape Singing Saw, Morby's first album for new label Dead Oceans. Previous tenants at Morby's new home happened to leave an upright piano behind, with a few mysterious pieces of sheet music and an introductory book of common chords stacked on top. Thankful to finally be in one place for an extended spell, Morby, a beginner at the piano, immediately sat at the new instrument and began composing the songs that would form Singing Saw.
Alongside, he began taking long walks through the winding hills and side streets of the neighborhood each night, glimpsing views of both the skyline's sweeping lights and the dark, dried out underbrush of the LA flora. The duality of the city itself began to shape a set of lyrical ideas that he would refine with the sparse accompaniment of piano and acoustic guitar.
What is a singing saw It is an instrument that creates ethereal sounds, but it is also a tool: basic and practical while also being fearsome, even destructive. Morby watches the singing saw in its eponymous song; that instrument of eerie soft beauty cuts down the flowers in its path and chases after him, while his surroundings mock and dwarf him, Alice in Wonderland style. And in a singing saw, we can understand music as something more powerful than its inviting, delicate sound. No wonder Morby talks about a "songbook" in his head as something he needs to take up the hills so he can "get rid of it." Heavy themes are nothing new for Morby, whose previous records (2013's Harlem River and 2014's Still Life, both released on the Woodsist label) dealt with their own eerie visions and damning prophecies.
Morby opens Singing Saw with "Cut Me Down", a song of tears, debts and a prescient vision of being reduced to nothing. "I Have Been to the Mountain", "Destroyer" and "Black Flowers" continue to explore beauty and freedom, seizing upon the rot that seeps into even the supposedly safest of realms; peace, family and romantic love. By the end of the record on "Water", Morby is literally begging to be put out once and for all, like a fire that might burn all the visions away.
Travels beyond his mountain walks inform songs like "Dorothy", which recounts a trip to Portugal, witnessing a fishing ritual and luxuriating in the aura of a bar light-tinged reunion with old friends The touching innocence of "Ferris Wheel" stands alone in stark simplicity amidst the lush sonic textures of the album. Here, the album is balanced by Morby's signature sweetness and joie de vivre.
The arrangements of Singing Saw trace back to Morby's experience playing in The Complete Last Waltz, a live recreation of The Band's legendary last performance. There, Morby developed a fast friendship with producer/bandleader Sam Cohen (Apollo Sunshine, Yellow Birds), which led Morby to forgo recording in Los Angeles and take the nascent songs of Singing Saw to Isokon Studios in Woodstock, New York. There, in a converted A-frame house, they set about creating a record that would bring a sonic balance, intricacy and depth to match these songs and all that inspired them.
Sam Cohen added a multitude of instrumentation to the record (guitar, bass, drums and keyboard), and were joined by fellow Complete Last Waltz alum Marco Benevento on piano and keyboard, fleshing out Morby's original compositions and upholding the vision for a cohesive piano sound that serves as a touchstone for the entire album. Backup vocalists Hannah Cohen, Lauren Balthrop and Alecia Chakor contribute soaring harmonies; Nick Kinsey (Elvis Perkins) adds drums and percussion; Justin Sullivan, a longtime Morby collaborator and staple of his live band, contributes drums; Oliver Hill and Eliza Bag lift numerous songs with string accompaniments, and Alec Spiegelman on saxophone and flute and Cole Kamen-Green on trumpet bring dramatic swells. Finally, John Andrews (Quilt) adds the eerie lilt of the album's promise, providing saw on the "Cut Me Down" and "Singing Saw".
In the end, Morby fulfills the promise many heard on his first two albums, bringing his most realized effort of songwriting and lyricism to fruition. The songs of Singing Saw reflect the clarity that comes from welcoming change and embracing duality, and the distillation of those elements into an entirely new vision.
$10.00 - $12.00
Upcoming Events
The Boot & Saddle
Tue, November 21
Wed, November 22
Stars Apart
Fri, November 24
On a Black Friday (Radiohead Tribute)
Sat, November 25
The Successful Failures
Wed, November 29
The Weather Station


text:
- Twelve million people are facing a hunger crisis in East Africa
- The United Nations warns that the crisis could spread
- Relief organizations are calling on the international community to join together to end the crisis
- If you want to help, donations can be as simple as sending a text
(CNN) -- Twelve million people are facing a hunger crisis in the Horn of Africa, and they are in desperate need of help.
The United Nations declared a famine in parts of southern Somalia, calling for a widespread international response to end the suffering.
Thousands of Somalis have been fleeing the country each week in search of food, water and shelter -- many of them walking for days in the sweltering sun toward refugee camps in Kenya and Ethiopia.
Nearly half a million children are at risk of dying from malnutrition and disease.
Relief organizations are calling on the international community to join together to end the crisis, and they're working to gain entrance into areas with limited humanitarian access.
There are ways you can help.
UNICEF is asking for $31.8 million over the next three months for relief efforts. The money will help provide therapeutic treatment for women and children with severe malnutrition, access to clean drinking water and vaccinations to prevent deadly diseases like measles and polio.
"The earlier we act, the more children we can save. Americans are a generous people, and a little goes a long way -- just $10 can feed a child for 10 days," said Caryl Stern, president of the U.S. Fund for UNICEF.
To help UNICEF's efforts, text "FOOD" to 864233 to donate $10 from the United States or visit the website. Follow this link to make a donation from other countries around the world.
International Medical Corps has teams on the ground in Somalia, Ethiopia and Kenya to provide food, water, hygiene, sanitation and mental health services to people in refugee camps.
Visit the website to donate from various countries or text "AFRICA" to 80888 to donate $10 to the group's drought relief response from the United States. It will show up on your next mobile phone bill.
In central Somalia, the International Rescue Committee is giving cash and other assistance to families whose livestock, pastures and farmland have been decimated and helping to repair boreholes and wells for those left behind.
In overcrowded camps in Kenya, the group has helped establish reception centers for newcomers to receive food, health screenings and medical referrals. In Ethiopia, the organization is bringing in water and installing water-supply systems in three camps serving 82,000 refugees.
Visit the website to make a donation from various countries.
The United Nations World Food Programme has plans to airlift high energy biscuits and highly nutritious supplementary foods for children and pregnant or nursing mothers into southern Somalia.
Donations can be made from various countries online or via text. To donate $10 from the United States, text "AID" to 27722; to donate $5 from Canada, text "RELIEF" to 45678; to donate £3 from the United Kingdom text "AID" to 70303.
World Vision is working to regain safe humanitarian access in south central Somalia where millions of children are in urgent need of food and assistance.
The organization continues to implement programs in Somaliland and affected areas in Puntland. For families fleeing the drought, World Vision is providing nutrition supplements to malnourished children and improving healthcare and sanitation.
To donate to relief efforts from the United States, visit the website, call 1-888-56-CHILD or text "4AFRICA" to 20222 to donate $10.
Oxfam America is responding to the crisis by providing life-saving water, sanitation services, food and money. The organization aims to reach 3 million people, including 700,000 in Ethiopia, 1.3 million in Kenya, and 500,000 in Somalia.
Visit their website to donate from various countries.
Staff members from Catholic Relief Services are visiting a refugee camp in Dadaab in eastern Kenya and in surrounding communities that are hosting refugees. Workers are on the ground determining the level of food, water and sanitation needs.
In Ethiopia, the group is leading a Joint Emergency Operational Plan that is feeding more than 400,000 people.
Visit their website to make a donation from around the world or call 1-800-736-3467 in the U.S.
Mercy Corps has teams in Ethiopia, Somalia and Kenya distributing food and water and expanding critical relief efforts. The group is currently on the ground helping more than 150,000 people in the region survive.
Visit the website to make a donation from various countries.
ShelterBox, which provides tents and essential supplies to people who have been displaced after disasters, has a response team in Ethiopia and a second team on the way to Kenya.
The teams will be working with the Norwegian Refugee Council and Rotarians to establish how they can be of assistance during the crisis.
To help, visit the website to donate from various countries or text "SHELTER" to 20222 from the U.S. for a one-time $10 donation. Location and time specific donations cannot be accepted.
Save the Children has launched a major humanitarian response in Kenya, Somalia and Ethiopia feeding underweight children, providing life-saving medical treatment, and getting clean water to remote communities.
Visit the website to donate from various countries or text "SURVIVE" to 20222 to donate $10 from the United States to Save the Children's East Africa Drought and Food Crisis.
AmeriCares is preparing to send urgently needed medical aid to areas of East Africa. The organization will ship medicine and supplies to help medical teams serving refugees in Mogadishu.
Visit the website to make a donation from various countries or call 1-800-486-HELP from the United States.
Doctors Without Borders is operating nine medical-nutritional programs in south-central Somalia. These programs, along with three projects in refugee camps in Kenya and Ethiopia, provide thousands of medical consultations each day. Teams are treating more than 10,000 severely malnourished children.
Donations can be made online in the U.S. and by following this linkin other countries.
Samaritan's Purse is feeding 2,100 families in Wajir and Garissa counties, providing a supplemental nutrition program for 1,700 school children and supplying porridge and health care to 400 children under 5 years old in Garissa. The group is also drilling boreholes in the region to supply water in hard hit communities.
Visit the website to make a donation from the United States and other countries.
The UNHCR - The UN Refugee Agency distributed 2,500 emergency assistance packages to 15,000 people in southwest Mogadishu. Each package contains a tarpaulin, three blankets, a sleeping mat, two jerry cans, a kitchen set and utensils. The UNHCR plans to distribute 7,500 additional packages in the coming weeks.
Visit the USA for UNHCR to make a donation from the United States or go to the UNHCR's main website to donate from other countries.
CARE is reaching a million people affected by the food crisis in Kenya, Ethiopia and Somalia and working to provide emergency relief to another million. The organization is providing food, water and sanitation facilities in Ethiopia. In Somalia, CARE is rehabilitating water pans and shallow wells and operating cash-for-work programs.
Visit the website to make a donation from various countries.
Relief International provides emergency services in conflict-affected areas in East African countries. The organization is on the ground providing food to hungry families and essential nutrition to malnourished children through feeding centers.
Go online to donate to the Horn of Africa: 2011 Famine Response fund or call 1-800-573-3332 from the United States.
ChildFund International is helping to provide food, water and basic health services to victims in Kenya and Ethiopia. The organization is focusing on newborns and children up to 5 years old due to their vulnerability and the lifelong implications of inadequate food intake.
To make a donation, visit the website, call 1-800-776-6767 or text "RESPOND" to 90999 and donate $10 to drought relief efforts from the United States.
Action Against Hunger is working to help victims in Kenya, Ethiopia, Djibouti and southern Somalia. The organization is providing treatment and medical care for acutely malnourished children, general nutritional support for children under 5 years of age, and emergency access to food, clean water and improved sanitation for vulnerable populations.
To help Action Against Hunger's efforts, text "NOHUNGER" to 20222 to donate $10 from the United States or visit their website.