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The extent to which an animal is affected by the pain or distress of a conspecific will depend on its capacity for empathy. Empathy most probably evolved to facilitate parental care, so the current study assessed whether birds responded to an aversive stimulus directed at their chicks. Domestic hens were exposed to two replicates of the following conditions in a counterbalanced order: control (C; hen and chicks undisturbed), air puff to chicks (APC; air puff directed at chicks at 30 s intervals), air puff to hen (APH; air puff directed at hen at 30 s intervals) and control with noise (CN; noise of air puff at 30 s intervals). During each test, the hens' behaviour and physiology were measured throughout a 10 min pre-treatment and a 10 min treatment period. Hens responded to APH and APC treatments with increased alertness, decreased preening behaviour and a reduction in eye temperature. No such changes occurred during any control period. Increased heart rate and maternal vocalization occurred exclusively during the APC treatment, even though chicks produced few distress vocalizations. The pronounced and specific reaction observed indicates that adult female birds possess at least one of the essential underpinning attributes of empathy.
1. Introduction
The extent to which animals are affected by the distress of conspecifics is of high relevance to the welfare of farm and laboratory animals. Individuals may be exposed to situations in which they experience visual, olfactory and auditory cues from conspecifics that are distressed or in pain, during routine procedures, transport and slaughter. Their reaction to this exposure will depend on their capacity for empathy.
Empathy can be defined as the ability to be affected by, and to share, the emotional state of another [1]. It can be categorized into different levels [1–3] and has been defined as 'a multi-level construct extending from simple forms of emotional contagion to complex forms of cognitive perspective taking' (p. 855 of [4]). The simplest form of empathy, emotional contagion, is an automatic emotional response resulting in a similar emotion being aroused in the observer as a direct result of perceiving the expressed emotion of another [1–3]. This can lead to physiological and behavioural responses, and involves 'state-matching'—when the emotional state of the observer 'mirrors' that of the object. Although birds have not been traditional subjects in this area, recent work suggests a more sophisticated capacity for emotional response to conspecifics than previously realized [5,6].
However, even the apparently simple process of emotional contagion appears to be context-specific. For example, female mice show more freezing behaviour when exposed to the pain of a close relative than when exposed to the pain of a more distant relative [7], suggesting it may serve an adaptive function. If so, empathy may be expected to facilitate parental care in particular, with parents reacting to the distress of their offspring in a manner that improves offspring viability and reproductive success [1]. Studies in this area are few, but changes in maternal behaviour in response to offspring pain have been noted in rats [8].
We used chickens as a model species because, under commercial conditions, chickens will regularly encounter conspecifics showing signs of pain or distress owing to routine husbandry practices or because of the high prevalence of conditions such as bone fractures [9] or leg disorders [10]. In addition, there is considerable background work on their maternal behaviour [11–13]. Hens pay considerable attention to their chicks' behaviour and are sensitive to situations where their chicks make apparent mistakes, altering their maternal feeding display when they perceive their chicks to be eating unpalatable food [14]. This suggests that chickens have a cognitive sensitivity to potential offspring distress, but it is unknown whether they experience an emotional response that could be regarded as empathic.
The current study aimed to provide information on the behaviour and physiological responses of hens while witnessing their chicks being exposed to a mildly aversive stimulus. In particular, as well as general behaviour, heart rate and heart rate variability were used as indicators of sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system activation. Additionally, surface temperatures of the eye and comb were used to detect possible stress-induced hyperthermia (SIH). If hens can react to their chicks' situation and/or behaviour in response to an aversive stimulus, this would provide an important platform for further investigation into the nature and affective valence of such responses, and ultimately whether chickens show the capacity for empathy.
2. Methods
(a) Animals and housing
Thirty-two female chickens aged 50–60 weeks, from two traditional breeds chosen for their increased likelihood of becoming broody (Light Sussex, n = 22; Cotswold Legbar, n = 10), were group-housed in a floor pen (4 × 4 m), bedded with 5 cm of wood shavings, containing nest-boxes and perches. Upon arrival, the temperature in the room was 19°C and the lighting schedule was 12 L : 12 D. Ad libitum layers mash was provided from two suspended feeders and water from two suspended drinkers. The hens were housed with two male Light Sussex chickens to fertilize their eggs. To encourage broodiness, four infertile eggs were kept in each nest-box. Temperature was increased by 1°C and light period by 1 h every two weeks for eight weeks, until a steady state of 23°C and 16 L : 8 D was reached. The hens were then checked three times per day and classified as broody if, during all checks for 2 days, they remained in the nest-box, displayed aggressive behaviour and emitted a characteristic high-pitched vocalization when approached by humans.
(b) Brooding
Broody hens were moved to an adjacent room and housed individually in a pen (100 × 50 × 60 cm) containing a nest-box, a feeder containing layers mash and corn (75% layers mash : 25% corn), and a drinker. The nest-box was bedded with 2 cm of shavings, peat and straw, and contained six infertile eggs. Once the broody hens sat for the majority of their time on the infertile eggs for 24 h, these were swapped with 12 fertile Light Sussex eggs and the hens were allowed to incubate these until hatching. Throughout this period, hens were encouraged to leave the nest-box daily to feed and drink.
Over a period of five months, six Light Sussex and eight Cotswold Legbar hens successfully incubated their eggs. Brood size ranged from four to eight chicks.
(i) Week 1
Each hen and her brood of chicks were transferred to a pen (100 × 100 × 60 cm) bedded with 2 cm of shavings, containing a nest-box, perch, a drinker, a feeder containing layers mash and a chick feeder containing chick crumbs. The hen and chicks were checked three times per day but were not handled further until week 2.
(ii) Week 2: habituation
Each day, for 5 consecutive days, each hen and brood were habituated to the test procedure and apparatus. To prepare hens for non-invasive heart rate monitoring, each hen was fitted with a harness containing material within a pocket, the weight of which was gradually increased until it matched the weight of the heart rate monitor. The harness was made from elastane, fitted around the back and tail and between the legs, and secured behind the neck with hook and loop fastenings, allowing free limb movement. The pocket was positioned over the hen's back. On days 4 and 5, self-adhesive electrode sensors (Ambu Blue sensor M-00-S) were applied before fitting the harness; each hen was gently placed on her back, two small sections of skin overlying the pectoralis muscle either side of the sternum were cleaned using surgical spirit and cotton wool, and the electrode sensors were applied to the cleaned skin. On day 5, a non-invasive telemetric logging system [15] was placed in the pocket and connected to the sensors on the hens' skin using two attached wires.
After the fitting process, the hen and her chicks were placed in the test apparatus and left undisturbed for a period of 20 min. The test apparatus was a 100 × 50 cm wooden structure divided into two sections; the hen box and the chick box, which were separated by a clear Perspex screen. After the 20 min period, the harness was removed.
(iii) Weeks 3–4: testing
Hens were tested on consecutive days for 4 days per week, for two weeks, making up two replicates. Each hen was assigned to one treatment condition (control, C; air puff to chicks, APC; air puff to hen, APH; or control with noise, CN) per day of testing, such that hens experienced all four conditions in a randomized order across each consecutive 4 day testing replicate.
(c) Settling period
Each day, hens were fitted with the heart rate monitor (see above), then placed into the hen box. The hen's brood of chicks was then placed into the chick box and a 5 min settling period commenced. After this, hens were exposed to one of four conditions:
— Control (C). Hen and chicks were left undisturbed for a period of 20 min. For consistency with the other three conditions during analysis, this condition was split into a notional 10 min pre-treatment period and a 10 min treatment period, although no specific treatment was applied.
— Air puff to chicks (APC). After a 10 min pre-treatment period, during which the hen and chicks were left undisturbed, a 10 min treatment period began in which an air puff from a canister of inert compressed air (Sprayduster, AF International, UK) was sprayed into the chick box for 1 s every 30 s.
— Air puff to hen (APH). After the 10 min pre-treatment period, a 10 min treatment period began in which the air puff was sprayed into the hen box for 1 s every 30 s.
— Control with noise (CN). After the 10 min pre-treatment period, a 10 min treatment period began in which the air puff was sprayed from the same location as APC but was directed away from both the hen and chick boxes, so that the hen was subject only to the noise of the air puff. This occurred for 1 s every 30 s.
Immediately after each test the harness and heart rate monitor was removed.
3. Physiological and behavioural responses
All physiological and behavioural parameters were monitored throughout the pre-treatment and treatment periods for all four conditions.
(a) Physiology
A thermal imaging camera (ThermaCam E4, FLIR) was used to capture a thermal image of the hen's head every 1 min, and maximum eye and comb temperature were obtained using ThermaCam Reporter 2000 Professional. A time window of 5 s at either side of the 1 min mark was allowed to ensure a clear image of the side of each hen's head was obtained. Distance from the hen was maintained at 1 m and the thermal camera was set to an emissivity of 0.96. The ambient temperature of the testing room was maintained at 23°C.
Heart rate data were obtained and analysed using a non-invasive telemetric logging system and software [15]. Heart rate variability was calculated using Spike 2 (Cambridge Electronic Design, UK). Owing to technical difficulties, it was not possible to obtain a complete set of heart rate data for two hens, so these were excluded from heart rate analysis.
(b) Behaviour
Hen behaviour, hen vocalizations and chick distress vocalizations were recorded continuously using a video camera positioned over the test apparatus. Videos were analysed using Observer v. 5.0 (Noldus). All the behaviours and vocalizations listed by previous authors ([16] and [17], respectively) were included, using the same descriptors.
(c) Statistical analyses
Heart rate measured in beats per minute (b.p.m.) was calculated every minute. Heart rate variability as the square root of the mean of the sum of the squares of differences between successive inter-beat intervals (RMSSD) and standard deviation of the inter-beat intervals (SDNN) was calculated every 2 min. Heart rate, heart rate variability and temperature data were averaged over each 10 min period to produce one data point per 10 min period. The durations (percentage of time) of all performed behaviours and vocalizations were calculated for each 10 min period.
Data were analysed using PASW Statistics v. 17. All data were checked for normality using a Kolmogorov–Smirnov test and all non-normal data were transformed using the formula x = √(x + 0.5). A repeated-measures ANOVA was conducted with condition and period as within-subjects factors. Post hoc tests (least significant difference) were conducted in the event of a significant interaction effect from an ANOVA, during which pre-treatment and treatment periods were compared for each condition. A mixed between-within-subjects model was able to consider the influence of two additional factors: (1) the order of testing and hence the prior experience of the hens (namely whether hens received (i) APC before APH (n = 7) or (ii) APH before APC (n = 7)); and (2) the breed of the hens ((i) Light Sussex (n = 6) or (ii) Cotswold Legbar (n = 8)). Spearman's rank order correlations were used to test for associations between hen vocalizations and chick distress vocalizations.
4. Results
Table 1 shows the physiological and behavioural responses of hens to each condition.
(a) Physiological recordings
During C and CN, there were no significant differences in heart rate, heart rate variability and eye temperature between the pre-treatment and treatment periods.
For heart rate (figure 1), there was a significant interaction effect between condition and period (Wilks's Lambda = 0.409, F3,9 = 4.898, p = 0.038, partial eta-squared = 0.591) with a significant increase between the pre-treatment and treatment period for APC. There was no significant increase in the heart rate for APH.
A significant interaction effect between condition and period was also noted for eye temperature (figure 2; Wilks's Lambda = 0.372, F3,11 = 6.188, p = 0.010, partial eta-squared = 0.628) and comb temperature (Wilks's Lambda = 0.303, F3,11 = 8.448, p = 0.003, partial eta-squared = 0.697). Specifically, eye temperature decreased between the pre-treatment and treatment period for APC and APH, and comb temperature decreased between the pre-treatment and treatment period for APH. Conversely, there was an increase in comb temperature between the pre-treatment and treatment periods for C.
There was no significant interaction effect between condition and period for heart rate variability.
(b) Behavioural observations
There were no significant differences between the pre-treatment and treatment periods for any behaviour during C and CN.
There was a significant interaction effect for preening (Wilks's Lambda = 0.073, F3,11 = 46.334, p = 0.000, partial eta-squared = 0.927), standing alert (Wilks's Lambda = 0.194, F3,11 = 15.276, p = 0.000, partial eta-squared = 0.806), total vocalizations (Wilks's Lambda = 0.487, F3,11 = 3.869, p = 0.041, partial eta-squared = 0.513) and maternal clucking (Wilks's Lambda = 0.641, F3,11 = 7.286, p = 0.018, partial eta-squared = 0.359), with an increase in time spent standing alert and vocalizing, and a decrease in time spent preening between the pre-treatment and treatment periods during both APH and APC. Maternal clucking increased between the pre-treatment and treatment periods exclusively during APC.
There was no significant interaction effect between condition and period for alarm calling, walking, ground pecking, sitting alert or any other behaviour. Similarly, there was no significant interaction effect for total number of behaviours, time spent in different areas of the hen box or movements between the different areas.
(c) Order of testing
The order of testing had no influence on the hens' response to the conditions.
(d) Breed
The hens' breed had no influence on their response to the conditions.
(e) Chick distress vocalizations
For chick distress vocalizations, there was no interaction effect between condition and period. Chick distress calling was not correlated with either maternal vocalizations or vocalizations by the hen in general throughout the conditions.
5. Discussion
During the C condition, no significant changes were observed in hen behaviour or physiology between the pre-treatment and treatment periods. The CN condition similarly had no effect, indicating that extraneous stimuli associated with the air puff (e.g. sight of apparatus and noise of puffing action) did not, by themselves, have any manifest effect on the hens, either directly or associatively via a learned connection with the air puff sensation itself. It is therefore likely that the response of the hens to APC was directly relevant to the chicks' situation, rather than simply being a response to a peripheral feature of the air puff. The air puff was selected for the use as a putative stressor during APH and APC, and the behavioural and physiological changes occurring in response to APH indicate that it fulfilled its role, to the extent that it induced changes consistent with 'emotional stress' [18,19] and behavioural responses observed in negatively valenced situations [20].
Hens showed a similar set of behavioural and physiological changes to both APH and APC. During the hens' exposure to the air puff (APH), eye and comb temperature decreased, time spent preening decreased and time spent standing alert increased. During the chicks' exposure to the air puff (APC), hens showed a decrease in eye temperature and time spent preening, and an increase in heart rate and time spent standing alert. Increased standing alert and decreased preening therefore occurred during both APH and APC, and it seems likely that the two changes are related. Standing alert facilitates a number of functions; it might allow hens to pay attention to stimuli such as conspecifics, predators or potential food sources. In domestic chickens, time spent standing alert is associated with higher levels of fear in response to novel object, open field and predator tests [21]. Lower levels of preening have been observed in negatively valenced situations such as behaviourally restrictive housing [22,23]. Hens also selectively avoid environments associated with high levels of standing alert and low levels of preening [16]. In the present study it seems likely that hens increased their vigilance by decreasing preening and increasing time spent standing alert in response to both an air puff directed towards themselves and towards their brood of chicks.
Eye temperature decreased during both APH and APC, and comb temperature decreased exclusively during APH. The phenomenon of SIH is thought to occur in numerous species and is characterized by an increase in core body temperature of between 0.5 and 1.5°C within 10 min of the onset of emotional stress [24], occurring irrespective of any physical activity [25]. During SIH, vasoconstriction in the peripheries causes a decrease in surface body temperature. It has been suggested that this mechanism might have two functions; to redistribute blood to more important organs (e.g. the muscles and brain) and to prevent blood loss owing to potential injuries in the peripheries [26]. Decreased surface body temperature has been found in response to apparent emotional stress in sheep [27] and cattle [18]. Similarly, rats show a decrease in tail temperature in response to restraint in a restraining tube [26]. Very little has been published on the effects of relevant stressors on eye or comb temperature in chickens, but the patterns of change seen in the current study are consistent with the features of SIH.
It is also interesting to consider the differences in response to APH and APC. Hens' heart rate increased following their chicks' exposure to the air puff (APC), and not following APH. An increased heart rate is a general feature of the sympathetic nervous system response, and is commonly associated with physical exertion or preparation for such exertion. However, physically demanding behaviours, such as walking or flapping wings, were not features of the hens' response to APC. Indeed, maternal clucking was the only behaviour to occur exclusively in response to APC and, as this does not require significant body movement, it is unlikely to have been the cause of the heart rate change. It could also be argued that the heart rate response to APC might have been caused by a change in posture; hens spent more time standing alert (with head and neck upright) and less time preening (with head and neck in a downward position). However, these changes were also observed in response to APH, during which heart rate did not increase significantly. Therefore, it is unlikely that the heart rate increase occurred in response to physical activity or changes in posture, and may be more indicative of a preparatory state (aroused readiness to act) in response to the chicks' situation.
Maternal clucking occurred exclusively in response to APC. Maternal clucking, also termed the 'follow me call' [28], is emitted by the hen to stimulate following behaviour in the chicks [17,28,29]. It has also been found to enhance memory retention during discriminative learning in chicks [28]. The authors suggest that the acoustic qualities of this type of call stimulate chicks to store information about events occurring around the time it is emitted. It seems plausible in the current study that mother hens would call their chicks towards them and away from the perceived danger of the air puff, despite them being physically separated during testing. Additionally, enhancement of the chicks' memory about what to do if this event occurred again in the absence of the mother would prove adaptive. Interestingly, maternal clucking was not a feature of the response to APH, so its presence in APC may be relevant to the hens' perception of the two situations (i.e. that the air puff to the chicks required a different response from the air puff directed at the hens themselves).
A more parsimonious possibility is that the increased maternal clucking by the hens during the APC treatment period was simply an automatic response to distress calling by the chicks. However, the data do not support this; during APC there was no significant increase in chick distress vocalizations between the pre-treatment and treatment period, and there was no correlation between chick distress calls and vocalizations made by the hens. Other aspects of chick behaviour were not recorded, so we cannot speculate as to the exact cues that stimulated the hens' responses, but the feature of their chicks' distress-induced behaviour that the hens are sensitive to remains an interesting topic for further study.
It is important to consider whether the behavioural and physiological responses in this study are indicative of a valenced response (i.e. a positive or negative response), as would be necessary to label it as 'emotional' and thereby 'empathic'. Some of the physiological and behavioural changes discussed have previously been used as signs of an emotional response in animals [19,20], and we have shown independently that adult hens will work to avoid environments associated with some of the behavioural changes that were observed during the APC and APH conditions in this experiment [16]. However, direct evidence would be required to conclude that the hens' response to APC was negative, as it might simply indicate a non-valenced, and thus non-emotional, reaction (akin, for example, to 'arousal', 'interest' or 'heightened attention') to the behaviour of their chicks. Future research should focus on methods to determine the valence of the responses of farmed animals to perceived conspecific distress.
6. Conclusion
The presence of specific behavioural and physiological changes in hens observing their chicks being exposed to a mildly aversive stimulus indicates a responsive capacity that is distinguishable from the hens' own experiences of the same stimulus. It can therefore be concluded that adult female birds possess at least one of the essential underpinning attributes of 'empathy': the ability to be affected by, and share, the emotional state of another [1].
However, it is not possible from this study to conclusively differentiate between a non-evaluative behavioural and physiological response (akin, for example, to 'interest' or 'heightened attention') and one that is accompanied by a valenced, emotional component1 (i.e. positive/reinforcing or negative/punishing [30]), the latter being an important requirement for the demonstration of 'emotional contagion'. Despite this, the current study provides an important platform to investigate the possible empathic responsiveness of chickens using methods to determine both the valence of the response and further cognitive features of the state generated while observing conspecific distress.
This project was funded by the BBSRC Animal Welfare Initiative. This project was carried out following university ethical approval.
- Received December 15, 2010.
- Accepted February 14, 2011.
- This journal is © 2011 The Royal Society


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DETROIT -- Ford is adding 2,200 U.S. salaried jobs this year — the most white-collar hiring the automaker has done in more than 10 years.
The jobs will be in such areas as product development, manufacturing and information technology. They are full-time Ford jobs with benefits — not agency or contract workers. Ford ended 2012 with 28,000 salaried workers in North America. Openings will be posted on the Ford Careers website at www.careers.ford.com.

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Collegiate Track Conference Championships
@ DeSales University
Allentown, PA
Rain 50 degrees
Mike Landi (Farmingdale, NY/Farmingdale) finished 60th in 29:55, leading the Rams to a 12th place finish on Saturday, October 22nd at the Collegiate Track Conference Championships in Allentown, PA. Mike was followed by Shane Smith in 87th place (31:22), Armann Leifsson (88th, 31:32), Jacob Barnhart (110th, 34:34) and Phil Renna (111th, 34:49).
The womens team was led by Ivory Elder (Dix Hills, NY/Hills West) in 91st place (25:24). Following Ivory were: Shannon Tulloch (97th, 26:22), Karla Joseph (106th, 28:59) and Rachael Osbourne (115th, 30:57). The women did not finish a full team.
Farmingdale State will run next in the Halloween Classic on Sunday, October 30th at Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx.


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Marie also mentions the opposite mistake of doing too much on behalf of the book. We know that poet too—the one who sends you ten reminders to buy his or her book, six invitations to the same reading, and endless Facebook brags. Major turnoff, especially if this poet hasn't bought your latest book, has never shown up at one of your readings, and has never sent you a note of congratulations.
Marie suggests that you keep the personal touch in your efforts and that you seek out reviews and readings. That seems obvious, yes? And yet I know some poets who have given up on doing readings. I can sympathize. Who hasn't driven several hours to give a reading only to discover that the venue host forgot to do any pr or that the majority of the people in the audience are really just there to hear themselves read in the open? Still, if you don't ask for readings, chances are you won't get many. And if you don't do readings, chances are you won't be selling books, minimal or otherwise.
Finally, I was pleased to see that Marie advocated the salon—my favorite kind of reading, the one where a friend hosts a reading for you and invites her friends and yours. These are intimate and wonderful—and usually have some good snacks. And people who've come expecting and hoping to buy your book and have it signed. You go home feeling special.
Now go read the rest of the interview.


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CALGARY, Alberta, Dec. 1, 2012 /CNW/ - Direct Energy Regulated Services has announced default natural gas rates for December 2012. These rates will apply to customers who have not chosen a competitive supplier within the ATCO Gas North and South service territories. The rates have been verified by the Alberta Utilities Commission.
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The South territory includes customers living south of the City of Red Deer.
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St. Bonaventure's annual Blessing of the Brains has drawn some national attention.
Paige Schaefer, a blogger for Nerdscholar.com, featured the pre-exam ritual at the university in a feature story about unique stress relievers at five colleges across the country.
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—Robert Hormats,U.S. Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment
The annual Pacific Energy Summit provides a vehicle for ongoing collaboration and dialogue on the topics of energy security and climate change and seeks to forge lasting partnerships that address these challenges jointly.
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This invitation-only event took place in an interactive forum where delegates explored what is needed to realize the full potential for more integrated energy trade and investment between Asia and North America.
The Asia-Pacific is the most economically dynamic region in the world and sits at the forefront of global efforts to effectively and sustainably meet growing energy needs. Policy decisions define how we will meet burgeoning energy demand to sustain economic growth and address the concurrent environmental impacts.
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Energy-Efficiency Policies in the Asia-Pacific: Can We Do Better?Tilak K. Doshi, Energy Studies Institute, National University of Singapore
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Forging a New Trans-Pacific Energy Trade: Opportunities and Challenges
Mikkal E. Herberg, The National Bureau of Asian Research; University of California, San Diego
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The 2013 Pacific Energy Summit was discussed in over 50 national and international news sources.
Self-sufficiency will open doors in Asia-Pacific region
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How to Secure Our Energy Future
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By Rep. Charles Boustany (R-La.) - 4/02/13, The Hill
The high-risk, high-stakes plan to export LNG from B.C. to Asia 4/2/2013, The Globe and Mail
Canada's close ties with Asia of little concern to United States 4/3/2013, The Vancouver Sun
Canada Taps LNG Export Market: While the U.S. Waits, Canada Makes Moves4/4/2013, Energy & Capital
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text:
Some of you might know this Greek Myth.
It is basically about a man named Daedalus. A king named King Minos, put him in something that he couldn't escape except by flying. (Possibly a high tower) Well, his son Icarus was with him. Daedalus made a pair of wings for himself and Icarus. He told his son not to fly to close to the sun or the adhesive in the wings will melt and fall apart. Then, they both took into the air. Unfortunately, Icarus did fly close to the sun. His wings fell off and he fell into the sea.
When you look at Pit, he has wings. The name of the game, Kid Icarus could also refer to the son in this Greek Myth. Also, Pit has some kind of Toga. This is what Romans wore in the ancient times. Rome does believe in things like the Greek Gods and did some things like the Greeks, but I won't go into that right now.
I hoped you liked this cheat!


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Honolulu Community College off warning
ACCJC reaffirms accreditation status for the collegeHonolulu Community College
Communications & External Affairs, Chancellor's Office
(Honolulu) – The Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC), Western Association of Schools and Colleges sent Honolulu Community College a letter dated February 7, 2014 stating that the Commission removed the warning status and reaffirmed accreditation for the College.
"We are extremely happy about the Commission's decision to remove us off of warning. The entire college community was involved in addressing the accreditation recommendations. We have made great progress and will continue those efforts around continuous improvement and improving student success around degree and certificate attainment," shares Dr. Erika L. Lacro, Chancellor of Honolulu Community College.
The College is required to submit another follow-up report by October 15, 2014. Reaffirmation with a follow-up report is granted when an institution is found to substantially meet or exceeded the eligibility requirement, accreditation standards, and commission policies.
A copy of the ACCJC letter can be found on the homepage of www.honolulu.hawaii.edu.


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Is Tesla's fight with The New York Times over?
LOS ANGELES -- Tesla Motors' CEO Elon Musk has been at war with The New York Times regarding a recent negative review that he claimed was rigged to make the Model S sedan fail.
In an interview Monday with Bloomberg TV, Musk claimed the negative review has cost the company as much as $100 million.
"We did get a lot of cancellations as a result of The New York Times article," Musk said in the Bloomberg interview. "It probably affected us to the tune of tens of millions, if not maybe on the order of $100 million."
The missing millions, Musk quickly corrected, referred more to the market valuation of Tesla Motors -- not the dollar amount of actual canceled orders. As far as the number of actual cancellations, he revised his statement to say "a few hundred."
Might all this finger-pointing and number-tossing be a way for Musk to establish a case for economic loss for Tesla and sue The Times?
Tesla spokeswoman Shanna Hendriks responded via email: "I am unaware of any plans to sue the NYT. We are very focused on correcting the misperception that the NYT story created in the market about how Model S performs in cold weather."
Tesla is no stranger to the courtroom, having sued BBC's "Top Gear" for libel when the histrionic English program televised the rolling away of a Tesla Roadster on a flatbed -- even though the vehicle had not run out of charge, nor was in any way incapacitated. The courts, while sympathetic to Tesla, ruled for the BBC.
Calculating the costs
The initial run of Model S sedans cost around $100,000, but the new batches coming off the line are less-expensive, shorter-range versions. If the average transaction price is about $85,000 for vehicles coming off the line today, a few hundred cancellations would mean a revenue loss of about $25 million. When asked specifically how many orders were canceled as a direct result of the article, Tesla declined comment.
Having journalists review new vehicles is a cost of doing business for automakers, a PR gambit with the promise of a gleaming cover shot (and a Motor Trend Car of the Year award) worth far more than any advertisement. The potential downside is a picture of your crippled car on a flatbed.
That's what happened with The Times' Tesla review.
Taken to task
Already, The New York Times' public editor Margaret Sullivan has taken reviewer John Broder to task for "taking what seem to be casual and imprecise notes along the journey" to back up his powerful claim that the Model S was not ready for prime time in cold-weather conditions.
"Did he use good judgment along the way? Not especially. In particular, decisions he made at a crucial juncture -- when he recharged the Model S in Norwich, Conn., a stop forced by the unexpected loss of charge overnight -- were certainly instrumental in this saga's high-drama ending," Sullivan wrote.
Despite her public admonishment of Broder, Sullivan added she is "convinced that [Broder] took on the test drive in good faith." The column remains available on the newspaper's Web site.
Today, Musk dashed out of a speech in Washington, D.C., before he could be asked about future steps against The Times. In a recent Twitter post, Musk expressed feelings of vindication following Sullivan's counterpoint: "Faith in @NYTimes restored."
But, echoing statements he made during the Bloomberg TV interview, Musk also Tweeted: "Revolutions don't happen if you just roll over to the powers that be. Got to fight for what you believe."
ATTENTION COMMENTERS: Automotive News has monitored a significant increase in the number of personal attacks and abusive comments on our site. We encourage our readers to voice their opinions and argue their points. We expect disagreement. We do not expect our readers to turn on each other. We will be aggressively deleting all comments that personally attack another poster, or an article author, even if the comment is otherwise a well-argued observation. If we see repeated behavior, we will ban the commenter. Please help us maintain a civil level of discourse.


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Last night, my daughter asked me to watch the television show American Idol while she did her homework so that I could call her when her favorite performer, Kimberly Locke, appeared. I obliged. I had never seen this program before and was impressed by the talent of the contestants (especially that of Kimberly), but a bit put off by the ethos of the show. Much later in the evening, after the Lakers-Timberwolves game turned into a rout, I stumbled on the country music version of American Idol, a program called Nashville Star. Again, I enjoyed the performances and this time I liked the ethos (graciousness and humility among the performers and kindness among the judges) as well. "The country of country," as Trunk likes to call it, is unfamiliar territory to me, but it seems like a pretty congenial place.
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3 ft and 7 inch to meter
Convert English or US height/length units to metric units. Feet (ft ') and inches (in ") to centimeters (cm). Here is the answer to the question: 3 ft and 7 inch to meter or 3 feet 7 inches in meter.
If you are looking for a BMI Calculator, please click here.
Use the calculator below to compute any feet and inches values to centimeters and meters.
Feet and inches to centimeters converter
This video explains how to convert a height given in feet and inches to inches, centimeters, and meters.
Height conversion chart
Conversion Factors for Units of Length
1 inch = 2.54 centimeters
American and British Units of Length
1 mile (mi) = 1,760 yards = 5,280 feet
Sample feet and inches in meter conversions


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Even with last fall's record-high U.S. corn production supplies of corn and other feed grains are extremely tight. Corn use remains at record levels and, with soaring demand and poor early-season weather — especially in the Midwest — the supply appears destined to become even tighter.
"There's virtually no cushion for any type of significant weather-reduced crop — especially corn," said Keith Collins during a recent Environmental Working Group-sponsored forum. Before retiring last January, Collins served for 15 years as USDA chief economist.
"The rest of the world needs grain and oilseed. I think they'll be looking toward the United States. If we don't pull a (good) crop, particularly corn, domestic users — both feed and fuel users — are highly vulnerable to serious financial problems. This could cause very serious disruptions to both livestock producers and ethanol production."
So, will the U.S. harvest a good corn crop? How vulnerable are we?
"We had some weather-delay issues with planting," said Al Dutcher, Nebraska's state climatologist. "We finally got our crop in and now have returned to a very, very wet pattern. It resembles sort of what Iowa and Illinois have faced. Unfortunately, we've seen precipitation events that are mind-boggling" in terms of the amount of moisture in a short time.
For example, a six-hour, late-May storm system dumped 10 inches of rain in the western Platte River valley, "which is some of (Nebraska's) highest-yielding ground. Thirteen counties had extensive flood damage, and we can't even assess how many acres will be lost to erosion problems and to drowning out the crop. Whether we'll be able to get back in and replant is another consideration."
Forecasts call for even more severe weather, said Dutcher. If those materialize, "we could have a really serious situation. This trend has been going on since last fall. We had a very wet period during pre-harvest of corn before a drying trend."
In early December, "a very aggressive upper air pattern with a building La Niña event" brought storm systems into the central part of the country. That led to three consecutive weekends of "high precipitation value events …. In terms of liquid equivalency, we were looking at anywhere from 300 to 500 percent above normal precipitation. That marked the second December in a row we received this type of storm system output."
After that the weather calmed but soil remained saturated. Then, storms returned to force late planting.
The Nebraska crop is "approximately a week to 10 days behind schedule …. If we replicate last year's temperatures, we'll be looking at Nebraska's corn crop coming into tassel stage around July 18. Silking stage would be around July 25. Statistically, in the central plains, our hottest week of the year tends to fall during the seven-day period I just described."
If temperatures are cooler than normal, that will push crop maturity to a later date. If the crop can get through pollination without heat stress, "we'll still be looking at trying to get the crop matured prior to the fall freeze period.
"We've been fortunate that over the past decade the fall freeze has (hit) a lot later than we'd typically expect. But based on this year's patterns," an early freeze could occur.
Based on the early season and forecasts, said Dutcher, "it will take nearly perfect weather from this point forward to recover from all these problems. And that's not even looking at what possible acreage may have been lost — and may not be replanted — in these recent rain events."
Elwynn Taylor, an Iowa State University professor of agronomy and Extension climatologist, said the United States has been fortunate with a long string of good cropping years.
During the past two decades, "we only had two years when the crop was even close to trend-line yields for the nation. Since 1996, every year has been essentially a trend-line yield except for 2002 (well below trend) and 2004 (well above trend).
"We cannot expect to continue on this near trend-line. It isn't a normal thing, although it has occurred occasionally throughout history.
"In fact, I looked back for the period of corn production records (which go back to the 1860s), and it's not uncommon, it turns out, to go about 20 years with erratic corn production and then 10 or 12 years near the trend-line."
Taylor is unsure when the country will return to the erratic conditions. "But I do know our corn is just as susceptible to erratic weather as it ever was. We do have much higher yield potential and average because of the technology, plant breeding and (management)."
However, under the same weather conditions experienced 50 years ago, "our current hybrids have the exact same percentage change in yield as they did then. A bad year now will cut yield in half, just like it did in the late 1930s."
This year, planting in the Corn Belt "was somewhat of a problem. This was perhaps overstated in the press, but nevertheless a problem. When planting was finally accomplished in most of the Corn Belt, we again entered a (period) of severe weather and flooding."
While considering the economic impact of corn and yields, Taylor points to the great excess of corn in 1983. "The government decided to (employ) the PIK (Payment-In-Kind) program to reduce the excess supply. That corresponded with the first major drought we'd had since 1974 — there'd been a nine-year period of no drought conditions."
By 1988, there was great market volatility due to a severe drought in the U.S. Corn Belt.
Bringing the analogy up-to-date, "we've had volatile corn markets in the past year up to the present," said Taylor. "The one in 1988 was due to supply, the current one because of demand. And now we have the potential for both conditions to occur."
Taylor added several other ingredients to the mix. "It was droughty in South Carolina last year. Historically, the major Corn Belt droughts begin there (16 of 17 did) and work their way west."
Having heard the climatologists' comments, Advanced Economic Solutions economist Bill Lapp — who is also a member of USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service advisory board and former chief economist for ConAgra Foods — acknowledged the crop and corn supply are in a tough spot.
"I know how precarious yield development is, having looked at thousands of fields of corn. For those unfamiliar, there's about a 10- to 14-day window in mid-July or the end of July — this year it'll be closer to the end of July — when the silks develop.
"Those are hollow tubes that must capture pollen that's blowing in the air. That pollen goes down the tube and germinates the kernel."
While the process sounds simple, it "must happen and be repeated in the Midwest states in that (two-week window) literally one quadrillion times. There are over 10 billion bushels of corn and each bushel has about 90,000 kernels."
If it's too hot or too dry, the development of those kernels "is certainly altered. Of all the years there's been concern and angst over the successful completion of the pollination process, this year is the kingpin in my judgment."
(Editor's note: This story was written just prior to the June flooding in Iowa and other Midwest states.)


text:
Let the whining begin.
By the time you read this I will have gone under the knife. Well, actually under the scope is more accurate. Back in May, I discovered that if you visit enough surgeons you'll finally find one eager to perform a procedure on whatever hurts, a shoulder in this case, the left one — not the one I use to cast a fly into treetops.
I probably would have put off what had begun to appear inevitable a bit longer had it not been for a major inconvenience. I thought I was coping admirably with the occasional twinge of pain. I just gritted my teeth and muddled through whenever I did something like raise my camera over my head to get an elevated perspective of a farmer in a cotton field. And I just put an ice pack on the offending shoulder following long drives from Denton to the Texas outback.
And I adjusted to household duties by using lightweight frying pans and relying on pizza delivery a bit more than usual (or is healthy).
But a devastating loss convinced me that I needed to have the shoulder repaired. I was fishing recently in my favorite trout habitat and had, somehow, miraculously hooked a nice rainbow. I was skillfully playing him through the swift current, around rocks and other obstructions, and gradually tiring him to the point that he would come to the net, which I held in my left arm, the one with the balky shoulder. When I had maneuvered the fish near enough to grab, I stuck my arm out as far as I could, lowered the net into the water, lifted the rod tip, and gently pulled the fish in. As I was lifting the glistening rainbow out of the water, a spasm hit, my arm dipped, and the fish threw the hook and tumbled into the water. There went dinner.
There also went any notion that I could put this off any longer. One can tolerate only so much inconvenience.
The doctor says this will be a relatively easy procedure — easy for him since he's the one with the knife and I'm the one being sliced. It's supposed to go something like this (or has by now): The skilled surgeon takes a tiny Black and Decker power drill, equipped with an even tinier movie camera, and pokes a hole into my shoulder where he finds the offending spur and grinds it off. He backs the drill out, swabs some iodine or other miracle medicine on the hole, and sends me to recovery where I wake up wondering what happened to the last hour or so.
He puts me in a sling and sends me home, equipped with a basket of pain killers to take the edge off what I'm told will be nothing less than pure agony. I'll get back to you on that.
Recovery, the doctor says, will be rapid. I should be fishing within two weeks and back to work by November.
e-mail: [email protected]


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Jun 22, 2010 at 2:09 am
Nissan Rule!!!! How are u??
Feb 4, 2010 at 1:09 pm
Thanks on the compliment, hell I wish I had her in Germany, but I am in Hawai'i right now, so speedlimit is 60 max Kinda sucks but you are right I get aggitated with slow people
Jul 8, 2009 at 10:14 pm
nice sentra iv bet alot of ppl have gotten the bird flipped at them or cussed out going down a road to slow even when there is no speed limit! also i bet alot of ppl have to fill up common in germany always going a good 130mph's burns gas QUICK! maybe i should move there since i got my camaro fixed?


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| WMU News
KALAMAZOO--A Western Michigan University graduating senior has topped off his high-profile collegiate career by capturing first place in an international trombone soloist competition that concluded Saturday in Paris.
Eric Bowman of Portage, Mich., won the Frank Smith Trombone Solo Competition, the International Trombone Festival's classical trombone division for students to age 25. Competitors in the division are mostly master's and doctoral students. Bowman won the top slot over finalists from the Eastman School of Music and the University of New Mexico, and, in addition to winning the title in his division, Bowman won a trombone valued in excess of $4,000.
In Paris, Bowman was in the rare position of having earned a finalist slot in two soloist divisions at the festival. He also competed in the J.J. Johnson Jazz Trombone Competition for jazz players up to age 25, but was edged out in that event by a student from the Paris Conservatory. Bowman is believed to be the only student ever to qualify as a finalist in both the classical and jazz competitions during the same year.
A music and jazz studies major, Bowman is no stranger to winning prestigious competitions. In 2009, he won the Carl Fontana Jazz Trombone Competition during the International Trombone Festival held in Aarhus, Denmark. In 2010, he was a finalist in the National Jazz Solo Competition held in Washington, D.C.
Earlier this year, Bowman learned he has received a full tuition waiver to attend Florida's University of Miami, where he will pursue a master's degree in jazz studies.
Evan Clifton of Howell, Mich., and Kirsten Schaffert of Sanford, Mich., both WMU music students, were also in Paris competing as finalists in separate trombone divisions. The students were accompanied by Dr. Steve Wolfinbarger, WMU professor of music.
"WMU was represented by three trombone students as finalists in four of the international solo competitions, with three additional students being recognized as alternates or honorable mentions," Wolfinbarger remarked when the three WMU trombonists qualified to compete. "A former student who now studies at a major conservatory even mentioned that we're starting to get a reputation as being the 'killer trombone studio' out there."
Eric Bowman
Bowman, who studied at WMU with Wolfinbarger and Dr. Scott Cowan, assistant professor of music, has a long history of performance with WMU bands, including the advanced jazz combo, jazz orchestra, symphony orchestra, symphonic band, trombone choir, Latin jazz ensemble and Gold Company. He often performs locally at New Year's Fest, Cancer Center Summerfest, weddings, corporate and church events, and at The Union Cabaret and Grille.
Related articles
Trombone student named finalist in two solo competitions | Feb. 15, 2012
WMU trombone students hit high notes | Feb. 8, 2012


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RRC Branded Cotton and Lycra Leggings with White color. Plain sold leggings will gives you slim and perfect feet look as sits made with power stretch fabric. We have also used elastic belt in belt and at bottom too.
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According to a Facebook posting by Samsung Mobile Israel's page, Galaxy S II devices in that country will be seeing the Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) update hit their devices on March 15th. As expected, the posting has since been removed from Facebook, as Samsung is none too keen on things being announced outside of their official channels.
No official announcements have been made regarding the full rollout schedule for Android 4.0 on the various Galaxy S II models out there. The Verge speculates that if Android 4 does indeed come to Israel on the 15th, it will also likely launch in Europe on the same day. As tends to be the case with Android phones in the U.S., our update will likely come a bit later than the 15th as the carriers continue to ensure the update works well with their networks.
Regardless, we hope to see Android 4 hitting 2011′s most popular Android headset later this month, even if it does still feature the Touchwiz custom UI overlay. We'll bring you the goods of a U.S. release once we know more.


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Lauren Shotton portrayed Pansy Parkinson in the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.[1] She replaced actress Genevieve Gaunt who played Parkinson in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban and another uncredited actress in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Although her role was uncredited she is seen throughout the film. Shotton was later replaced by yet another actress, Scarlett Byrne for the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.
- Dead Love (2013) as Cherice
External links
Notes and references
- ↑ "Pansy Parkinson re-cast for Half-Blood Prince?" on SnitchSeeker.com


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Dave White Profile
Dave White
Your Movies.com Man at the Multiplex
Dave White's first movie review was of the animated feature Snoopy Come Home. He was seven years old...Read full profile
Your Movies.com Man at the Multiplex
Dave White's first movie review was of the animated feature Snoopy Come Home. He was seven years old...Read full profile
Beauty, meet Suffering. Now fight. Read full review
Critics scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating more favorable reviews.
out of 100
Metascore®Universal acclaimbased on a weighted average of allcritic review scores.
The harrowing 12 Years a Slave is a mesmerizing period drama for the ages.
Read Full Review
Though the film brims with memorable characters, the show ultimately belongs to Ejiofor, who upholds the character's dignity throughout.
A document that is raw, eloquent, horrifying and essential.
12 Years a Slave is easily the greatest feature film ever made about American slavery.
Movie audiences have never been presented with anything quite like the intertwined beauty and savagery of 12 Years a Slave.
While this is very much a McQueen picture, with visual flourishes and motifs unmistakably his, the historical urgency and staggering injustice of the events keep McQueen and company utterly honest in their approach and in their collective act of imagining Solomon Northup's odyssey to hell and back.
Perhaps the nature of the story is such that the film can't help but be obvious and quite melodramatic at times, but it gets better as it goes along and builds to a moving finish.
See all 12 Years a Slave reviews at Metacritic.com
Pause for kids 14 & under
Imperfect but must-see epic drama with major cruelty.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that 12 Years a Slave is a harrowing, moving drama based on a book written in the 1850s by Solomon Northup recounting his experiences as a slave, and it can be difficult to watch. There are scenes that show extreme brutality (beatings, hangings) and rough language (the use of the "N" word), and extreme emotional cruelty. Expect some slave market nudity, plus the sexual assault of a slave by a master. Very young teens and tweens may find it too intense, but older teens should watch it to bear witness to a tragic part of American history.
Messages: No one can take away your dignity or your identity, no matter how hard they try.
Role models: Solomon Northup is steadfast: He will not let anyone rob him of his humanity and his central identity. Through decades of strife, he maintains a modicum of hope to fight against his despair. A few other characters display kindness in cruel times, specifically the Canadian abolitionist, Bass.
Violence: Characters are strung up on a tree and hanged; in one prolonged scene, one man struggles mightily not to be choked, and it's tough to watch him. Men and women are beaten, sometimes with whips, and publicly, too. The "N" word is hurled left and right; a master forces himself on a slave. Two men engage in a fistfight; another man is stabbed, his body hurled overboard a ship. One close-up shows the bloody aftermath of a horrible, extended lashing.
Sex: A woman grabs a man's hand and touches herself with it; it's more sad than sexy. Another scene shows men and women completely naked while "buyers" look them over. A master ogles his female slave.
Language: "Whore" and the "N" word.
Consumerism: Not applicable
Drinking, drugs and smoking: Some wine-drinking at dinner; later one of the men at the table is shown throwing up, as if he has drunk too much.
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© Common Sense Media Inc. 2010. All rights reserved.
Movies.com, the ultimate source for everything movies, is your destination for new movie trailers, reviews, photos, times, tickets + more! Stay in the know with the latest movie news and cast interviews at Movies.com.
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Lace accents the nude three-quarter sleeves and bateau neckline of this Donella Crepe modest fit-and-flare. Complete with scoop back and back ruching. Finished with zipper over inner corset closure.


text:
See photos of Jennifer
Jennifer Martin has been pro-life since conception.
The resident of Yorba Linda, Calif., and the newest professed member of the Missionaries of the Gospel of Life (MEV), began her life as an unplanned pregnancy. Her mother was 17, her father was 18 and not knowing what else to do, they followed a doctor's advice to make an appointment at Planned Parenthood.
"My mother didn't even know what Planned Parenthood was but she and my Dad went down there and started talking to a counselor," Ms. Martin said. "When the counselor asked if she was thinking about having an abortion, my mother ran out."
Her parents chose life, got married, are still married 33 years later and have three other children, including one who died in utero.
"I really think that, going through that in the womb, my parents making that choice for me, was a very powerful influence on me," she said.
Her decision to undertake the MEV program was an outgrowth of an already robust pro-life activism. The program is a direct response to the call issued by Blessed Pope John Paul II in Evangelium Vitae: "What is urgently called for is a general mobilization of consciences and a united ethical effort to activate a great campaign in support of life. All together, we must build a new culture of life." Missionaries promise to witness before the Church and the world to the priority of the right to life as the foundation of all other rights.
Ms. Martin made her MEV promises during Mass at her parish, St. Martin de Porres in Yorba Linda. She chose the Feast Day of St. Maximilian Kolbe, because he is her patron saint.
"It was really beautiful," she said of the Aug. 14 ceremony. "There were about 100 people at Mass, with about 50 to 60 teenagers who got to witness the ceremony. My pastor, Father Sy Nguyen, got permission from Priests for Life to accept my promises."
After the homily, Ms. Martin was called up to the altar.
"I stood and made my promises facing the altar," she recalled. "When I turned around to face the congregation, everyone clapped. I was a little bit nervous but this was not about me. It was for the glory of God."
The promise ceremony was the culmination of two years of hard work, study and prayer, in addition to her ongoing pro-life work. Ms. Martin serves on the pro-life committee at her church, and maintains a Facebook page, Orange County/CA Pro-Life Events and News. She's also a counselor for her parish's post-abortion healing program, Project Rachel.
Ms. Martin has her degree in marriage and family therapy and is working on becoming licensed. She is also being trained as a crisis pregnancy counselor through the American Association of Christian Counselors and working on her doctorate in clinical psychology.
When she read about the MEV program on the Priests for Life website, she saw it as a way to "drive me closer to God and help me connect with more people who are pro-life. I just really wanted to be part of something that was going to make a change." She particularly liked the program's immersion in the writings of Blessed Pope John Paul II.
"I learned what it really means to be a pro-life Catholic," she said, "and really brought me to the roots of why I believe what I do."
Ms. Martin is the first person to undertake the MEV program in her parish, but she's hopeful there will be more.
"A lot of people after the Mass were asking me about it," she said. "I would absolutely recommend it. I'm so blessed to be a part of it."
For information about the MEV program, visit www.MissionariesOfTheGospelofLife.com.


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text:
Skip to comments.Viewpoint: Dispelling the darkness [One BYU student recounts her battle with depression]
Posted on 02/06/2013 1:04:13 PM PST by Colofornian
I had my first panic attack somewhere around the age of 12...
I thought...I would grow out of such episodes over time...As I got older, the attacks and periods of depression only grew more frequent and intense...
For those inexperienced with depression, its not simply a few bad days or fleeting moments of unhappiness, but a constant, oppressive feeling of hopelessness. It interferes with your day-to-day life. It was difficult to focus or do anything. Some days it would take me hours to get out of the house simply because I couldnt summon the will to do anything. Several times a week, I would spontaneously begin sobbing; sometimes devolving into a curled ball of tears as I waged and inner battle I thought I could never win. My grades and personal relationships suffered. Eventually, I worried about my safety from my own self as I became plagued with destructive and even suicidal thoughts.
...I share because with all of the advancements weve made in being understanding, there are still too many stigmas associated with depression and anxiety, particularly in Utah and the LDS culture.
Utah has often had one of the highest rates of anti-depressant use in the country. Some have blamed these numbers on LDS culture...
Many times clinical depression is the result chemical imbalances in the brain...There is no reason to be ashamed of depression or the treatment. Shame and fear only compound depression, making it more isolating...
Depression thrives in isolation...
Even in depression, there is hope.
I have been in counseling for about a year. Two months ago, I began taking a low dose of Prozac. Both have helped immensely...
(Excerpt) Read more at universe.byu.edu ...
Depression is never anything easy to fight through: Dealing with past "issues" that have been stuffed. Frustration, often relationally-based. Emptiness. Loss of hope. Feeling overwhelmed without the needed energy. And then the repetitive thought cycles and feelings of isolation, and for so many Mormon women -- just the opposite -- always "on display" in the "worthiness" comparison "game."
(For more on the "on display" aspect, see: )
There is help.
Christian counselors are out there. And the true Christian Gospel is one of hope, empowerment, and is anti-legalistic.
About three years, ago, a Truth in Love campaign included billboards in their outreach toward Lds women, particularly overstressed and depressed Lds women. (See RELIGION: Group targets LDS women)
Per this linked article from the Rexburg Standard Journal (Rexburg, Idaho is "base" for BYU-Idaho): Cares preaches that God's forgiveness and blessings are available to everyone for free if they simply accept the "good news of God," that "we are already perfect and worthy in God's sight." So the question is, are Mormon women actually plagued with guilt and stress because of their religion...? The Speaking the Truth in Love campaign is different from many anti-Mormon groups in that most typically seek to argue or dispute facts regarding Mormon history or doctrine...the Truth in Love campaign seeks to fellowship and love Mormons into accepting their views that Mormonism will lead to "eternal death" rather than "eternal life." One reason for the change in tactic may be because of recent scientific studies by Mental Health America and Express Scripts, a national drug distribution company. The report ranks Utah as the most depressed state in the country and shows that Utah residents are prescribed antidepressant drugs at twice the national average. Researchers have drawn conclusions that the large LDS population was partially to blame for the high levels of depression in the state.
I provided links to first two headlines below...plus several others [wherever you see "source headline"]:
* Two Studies Find Depression Widespread in Utah
* Utah leads the nation in rates of depression
* And referenced where Utah has the most anti-depressant use, especially in women: Study Finds Utah Leads Nation in Antidepressant Use. Some point to the pressures of Mormonism, especially for women, to explain the surprising findings. [Source urls: http://www.usu.edu/psycho101/lectures/chp2methods/study.html http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2002/06/03/eveningnews/main510918.shtml ]
Other related depression and suicide Utah anecdotes:
* Utah, which a 2007 report said had the country's highest rate of nonmedical painkiller abuse. Source headline: Utah has new prescription for painkiller problem [Original link...click on first link above for linkage to actual article]
And depression is not only a female issue in Utah:
* Utah leads the nation in suicides among men aged 15 to 24: As of 5 years ago: Utah leads the nation in suicides among men aged 15 to 24...Utah also has the 11th highest suicide rate 14.3 deaths per 100,000 people in the nation over all age groups, according to the most recent data from the American Association of Suicidology. Source headline: Deadly taboo: Youth suicide an epidemic that many in Utah prefer to ignore [Original link -- click on first link above for linkage to actual article]
* Utah has the country's highest suicide rate for males between the ages of 14 and 25. That grim statistic is given a name and a troubled family in Carol Lynn Pearson's impassioned Facing East, now at the International City Theatre in Long Beach. Source url: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2285528/posts
* For more than 10 years, 15- to 34-year-old males in Utah have had suicide rates markedly higher than those seen nationally. In fact, in the early to mid-1990s, suicide was the number one cause of death among 25- to 44-year-old men in the state and the second-leading cause of death among men aged 15 to 24. Source url: http://www.adherents.com/largecom/lds_LowSuicideRate.html
Now, this article actually says being active Lds "helps" in comparing rates. But this and another study I saw actually says when you compare the suicide rates for active Lds, inactive or less-active Lds, and non-Lds, the middle category is by far the highest:
In addition, per this article the risk of suicide among males aged 15 to 19 was three times higher among the less active church members than among their active peers, but the rate among the active youth was comparable to the national suicide rate.
So...this article not only says suicide risk is 3x higher among less active Lds than active Lds (among 15-19 yo), but that the suicide rate for active Lds 15-19 yo is no different than the national suicide rate!!!
One point that can be drawn from the above is that Mormonism is no barrier to the suicide rate for teens, and in fact, jeopardizes more teens (the less active ones)!
It includes a mention on how so many Lds women feel they are constantly "on display" in the "toxic perfectionism" comparison "game."
If people would just cheer up there would probably be less depression
suicide risk is 3x higher among less active Lds
People who accept responsibility for their own actions tend to have higher suicide rates than those who blame somebody else.
There is a reason suicides are very high in responsibility taking cultures like the Japanese, the American Indian and Mormons and very low in blame somebody else cultures like those in Obama strongholds. However, I'll take my very remote risks of suicide in the former versus my relatively high chances of being murdered in the later.
I know, I was there.
I once was lost but now I'm found, was blind (in more ways than one) but now I see.
Jesus ALONE saves.
Colofornian! How's my favorite anti-LDS knee-jerker?
This article is from an lds university.
Doin' well, Tep...
The real Jesus loves you!
Perverted logic. (But, hey, it's the "V" man, right?)
Gangbangers have a higher "cide" rate, period...[When you combine being murder victims...murder perps...and suicide]
Ya just gotta decide which sides of the "cide" you're gonna zero in on, hey "V" man?
Looks like Colo is fine, back on the job of exposing the LDS...
(I've seen other stories as reflected in what you attempted to link to these past 3-4 yrs...your link doesn't show a specific article, tho)
Nearly 1 in 5 Utah women use antidepressants
Is Mormon culture depressing Utahns?
Utah statical claims of LDS use of antidepressants (The Mormon defense)
Two studies find depression widespread in Utah (exmormon and mormon discussion)
That's Mormon apologists for you...They want to slough it off all upon non-Mormons!!!!
Sorry, Lds. You can't have 60% of a state's population; articles like this one and the Jan. 31, 2013 DesNews article featuring a study of 20 such Lds depressed women...and not have Mormons highly contributing to that #1 state rating.
Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. Matthew 6:1 KJV.
Be careful not to do your 'acts of righteousness' before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. Matthew 6:1 NIV.
Could 150 years of intermarriages explain some of the depression?
Not sure...worth investigating...
For all interested in the long-term effects of intermarrying amidst a limited gene pool within smaller Mormon communities, see:
FATAL INHERITANCE: MORMON EUGENICS by Linda Walker
It discusses Nephritis/Alport's Syndrome...
Per Walker, citing former BYU History prof Michael Quinn: The hierarchy children are from the elite first families of Mormonism and these families started polygamy in America. Nearly all the Mormon founding families were relatives, so the first polygamists enjoyed relations to different degrees when the divine experiment began. The Twelve Apostles of Mormonism then acted to increase this familial relationship by marrying other relatives until in 1877, at the end of Brigham Youngs reign as Mormon Prophet and King, the polygamous hierarchy became l00% interrelated.[4] D. Michael Quinn, former Brigham Young University Professor, states The Mormon practice of polygamy enabled men to marry daughters, nieces, cousins, granddaughters and former wives of other General Authorities. [5] Did this practice affect my family and other Mormon pioneer families adversely, possibly even in other momentous ways?
Good question to ask...
Oh...and Walker mentions how when polygamy was being prosecuted in the 1880s and when it went underground in the 1890s and 1900s, the children of lesser known plural wives were oft' kept in the dark about their genetic kinship.
Hence, some may have wound up marrying blood relatives without even any realization of that!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.


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Advice for Parents
September 22, 2009
Parents often find that a son or daughter's first year of college is a cause for celebration–as well as a source of anxiety. Celestino Limas, dean of students and chief diversity officer, provides these suggestions to help parents survive and thrive during their student's first year of college:
Embrace the transition you will be experiencing. You will see changes in your daily routine, your finances, and your family relationships. It's normal to be a bit apprehensive. Give yourself license to make this a transition for yourself so that you can be a better support for your student.
Allow your student's college experience to truly be his or her own. You may feel you have advice to offer on how to pick a major, where to study, or who is the best roommate. But over-sharing your "wisdom" can be off-putting for your student. Keep your advice at the ready, but share it only when your student asks so that he or she can claim the college experience as his or her own.
Stress learning rather than the accumulation of grades. Students may be surprised at how college faculty and staff prioritize knowledge compared to their high school teachers. To reinforce this message, encourage your student to share with you what he or she is learning; it will help ensure your student approaches every interaction on campus as a learning opportunity.
Establish parameters for communication. Rather than relying on communication to occur unscheduled, negotiate a set time to talk over the phone or via video chat as a way to anchor your communication. You can always text and e-mail in between visits, but this will help provide an opportunity to discuss issues rather than simply updating each other.
Do not "catastrophize" academic setbacks. Allow your student room to get acquainted with his or her studies and put one test or course in perspective. Students often turn to their parents for context, and the more you can help them realize that the course in which they earned a B- amounts to only 4 credits of the 128 they will earn, the better they will be able to cope with the academic transition and be successful.
Promote alcohol and drug information at locations that are easy to find on the Web, in print, and on campus. Encourage your student to reach out to residence hall staff, College Outdoors staff, student government representatives, academic faculty and staff, and athletic and club sport coaches.


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Later this month, several technology companies will begin releasing their earnings reports for the latest quarter. The reports will generally cover the July-September period, though some companies have fiscal quarters that depart from that.
Last week, Samsung Electronics Co. forecast another record quarterly operating profit, likely driven by strong sales of high-end smartphones that offset weak semiconductor orders. Samsung estimated that its July-September operating income nearly doubled to 8.1 trillion won ($7.3 billion) from 4.25 trillion won a year earlier. The result was better than the market consensus of 7.6 trillion won. Full results are expected later this month, though a specific date is not yet known.
Here's the schedule for selected technology companies. Dates for many companies are not yet known.
— Oct. 16: Intel Corp., IBM Corp.
— Oct. 17: eBay Inc.
— Oct. 18: Google Inc., Microsoft Corp., Advanced Micro Devices Inc., Verizon Communications Inc.
— Oct. 22: Yahoo Inc.
— Oct. 23: Facebook Inc., Netflix Inc.
— Oct. 24: Zynga Inc., AT&T Inc.
— Oct. 25: Apple Inc., Sprint Nextel Corp.
— Oct. 26: Comcast Corp.
— Nov. 1: Sony Corp.
— Nov. 13: Cisco Systems Inc.
— Nov. 20: Hewlett-Packard Co., Dell Inc.
— Dec. 20: Research In Motion Ltd.


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'Avengers' and 'Captain America' Star Chris Evans Bares His Chest for Details – Hunk of the Day
What haven't we seen Chris Evans do yet? We've already seen him shirtless in 'Fantastic Four,' 'What's Your Number?' opposite Anna Faris, and 'Captain America,' and we'll hopefully see those abs again in 'The Avengers.' But we haven't seen him shirtless while rock climbing… until now.
Thanks to Details, we have some pretty hot shots of this this handsome hunk bare chested while trying to scale a rock wall. Not only that, but the magazine also gave us a sneak underneath Evans' manly man persona.
Looks like there's more to this guy than meets the eye. He's a student of Buddhism, is somewhat of a mamma's boy and likes to fart… but we could already guess that last tidbit.
As we wait for his latest theatrical performance in 'The Avengers,' let's just remind ourselves of what we're hoping we can expect from him.


text: CORNEJO CLOSES STORE: After nearly seven years, Maria Cornejo will shutter her Zero + Maria Cornejo store at 807 Greenwich Street in New York today. The company plans to focus more on its flagship at 33 Bleecker Street, where the entire clothing and accessories collections are displayed. The address also houses its headquarters and design studio. The designer, who has a Melrose Place store, plans to revamp her Web site with an upgraded online store within the next three months.


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We have 649 games and 19 people are playing games with you.
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Published in all the games, animations and pictures are copyright their respective owners.


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Featured News - Current News - Archived News - News Categories
Measure seen as potential boost to upstate economy
State Sen. Patrick M. Gallivan has announced that, after weeks of negotiating, the final enacted state budget will include a provision to boost the film production industry in upstate New York.
Currently, New York state provides a tax incentive for up to 30 percent of certain production costs, but Gallivan has long argued that upstate and its unique cities need something more to attract significant studio interest.
"It's all about costs, and one of the most prohibitive costs for film productions is labor. In New York state, most of the high-skilled labor associated with film production in based in New York City. The further away from New York City a production takes place, the more expensive it is to film. A universally applied tax credit doesn't necessarily do much for upstate," Gallivan said. "This reform will really level the playing field so Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse and other upstate communities can attract bigger productions and the inherent jobs and economic benefit that come with them."
The new tax credit creates a two-tiered system so that an additional 10 percent credit can be applied to the amount of wages or salaries paid to most individuals directly employed by a film production in the specified geographic area. This brings the total available credit in upstate counties to 40 percent without altering the total cost of the program for taxpayers.
"This is a very useful tool that will help upstate film commissions attract more production spending. It's a direct response to people asking 'Why does more than $20 million in production spending drive across state lines every year?' and 'Why did "Draft Day" choose Cleveland instead of Buffalo?' " said Nora Brown, executive director of the Rochester and Finger Lakes Film and Video Office.
"Upstate and Western New York miss out on some film opportunities because the current incentive structure doesn't allow us to compete with neighboring states," said Tim Clark, commissioner of the Buffalo Niagara Film Commission. "This new tiered film tax credit program rectifies this inequity and will really put our region on the map when studios are evaluating shoot locations."
For the purposes of this legislation, upstate counties have been identified as the following: Allegany, Broome, Cattaraugus, Cayuga, Chautauqua, Chemung, Chenango, Clinton, Cortland, Delaware, Erie, Essex, Franklin, Fulton, Genesee, Hamilton, Herkimer, Jefferson, Lewis, Livingston, Madison, Monroe, Montgomery, Niagara, Oneida, Onondaga, Ontario, Orleans, Oswego, Otsego, Schoharie, Schuyler, Seneca, St. Lawrence, Steuben, Tioga, Tompkins, Wayne, Wyoming and Yates.
A final state budget is expected to be passed before the end of the week. The new film production tax credit is modeled after legislation (S.498) authored by Gallivan.
Senator Patrick M. Gallivan represents all or parts of Erie, Wyoming, Livingston and Monroe counties in the New York State Senate.


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"Are those hula hoops for work?" asked the rental car company employee charged with the task of picking me up. I giggled and answered, "Sure." I am certain the he wondered what type of business would involve two hot pink hula hoops. The young man seemed even more perplexed when I asked him to load up my heavy paper box simply labeled "Research."
"Are those hula hoops for work?" asked the rental car company employee charged with the task of picking me up. I giggled and answered, "Sure." I am certain the he wondered what type of business would involve two hot pink hula hoops. The young man seemed even more perplexed when I asked him to load up my heavy paper box simply labeled "Research."
My research box stays mostly in my car for easy access. I once told a tow truck driver that it was, by far, more valuable than anything in my purse. It holds an eclectic assortment of documents, reports and motivational items important for my various writing projects. Most of the contents are irreplaceable — including journals, an unpublished thesis, hand-written words from moving performances, some poetry and a note that my dad wrote to me years ago.
Pop once scribbled the words, "Be quiet if you want candy" because I was talking too much at one of his weekly card games. He regretted spending that afternoon teaching me how to read his marked cards. But I could easily be bribed with candy. He wrote the note left-handed with one of his "funny work pencils." They were flat, wide and ugly. He sharpened them with his knife before giving them to me. Unlike the pink and purple pencils that I bought from The Strawberry Basket, Pop's pencils reminded me of his hands, which often smelled like dirt and saw dust.
I've always treasured hand-written notes. In particular, my father's note was evidence in case he forgot to stop on our customary trip to the gas station. There he would reward me by allowing me to fill a brown paper bag with an assortment of candies. Of course Pop always filled my bag with candy before returning me home to my mother.
I drew a heart on his note, remained quiet and placed my bribe and the ugly pencil in an empty Crown Royal bag. To the dismay of my mother, I thought that those bags were the most beautiful purple and gold storage places for my princess Barbie's clothes. My mom disagreed, so I hid this bag so well that I forgot exactly where it was located.
I never cashed in Pop's note. That day was one of the last times I spent in his home before he suffered his first stroke. It sent him to a nursing home, and the third eventually led to his departure. My mom found the purple bag years later with his note still tucked neatly inside. I have kept it close by ever since.
I pulled the note out when I started researching Pop's family. I wondered what he would want me to know or remember about his life. Looking at his words reminds me of funny little things like him sitting across the kitchen table with a big straw cowboy hat and the way his ears moved when he did his crooked smile. Surprisingly enough, I recognize the same smile in the Army photo of pop given to me at his burial.
Pop and I had some sweet adventures. I am sure that I was the only girl on the block with a pet goat and a budding career in poker. I enjoyed the days that he took me to his construction sites. I remember bragging to friends as my dad worked on the glass castle on Cotton Grove Road, "My dad builds castles for me." It was my own personal fairy tale.
I ran through the houses that he built, pretending that each one of them was mine (and of course I would promise to share them with my friends, Barbie and Ken). I always had a burst of energy on his construction sites, and I wanted to build things, too. My Pop insisted that I stay away from danger after a nail cut into my back while sliding down a stack of concrete blocks.
I barely understood his reaction to the incident. His hands had scars and bruises, but he wanted me to sit aside and stay "pretty." So Pop bought me a hula hoop as a distraction, which I could impressively wield for hours. I picked them up again as a way to overcome moments of writer's block.
Halfway through the ride over to the rental car location, the gentleman looked at the hula hoops again. I had watched him peeking at them in the rear view mirror, and he finally worked up the nerve to ask, "So exactly what type of business are you in?" He looked disappointed when I said that hula hooping helps cure my writer's block during busy grant seasons. He listened patiently while I talked about the importance of affordable housing for the remainder of the ride.
After bending his ear, he said, "Well that sounds very serious." My guess is that he didn't expect to hear something so serious coming from a girl with hot pink hula hoops. Bless his heart, maybe I should invite him to my next poker game? With a crooked smile, I pulled a journal out of the Research box and noted "Clearly, I learned more from my Pop than I ever imagined."
Antionette Kerr is a freelance writer. You can email her at email@example.com.


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AUSTRALIA'S notoriously variable climate is on full display, with parts of the nation about to experience one of the largest heatwaves in territorial extent in decades after coming off a sharp shift in 2012 from wetter to drier-than-average conditions.
A major swath of central Australia stretching from Oodnadatta to Coober Pedy and Birdsville can expect maximum temperatures of 45 degrees or hotter for at least a week.
Towns to the south and east, such as Mildura and Hay, can expect to broil with 40-degree maximum temperatures for just as long.
''We have a major heat event under way,'' Karl Braganza, manager of climate monitoring at the Bureau of Meteorology, said. ''There are not many instances in the historical record where you get a heat event covering such a large area of the continent.''
Brett Dutschke, senior meteorologist at Weatherzone, said it was unusual to have so prolonged a hot spell. ''It's a once-in-20 or 30-year heatwave event in desert areas,'' he said. ''More populated areas further south … are going to experience some of this as well.''
The mercury is forecast to hit 36 degrees in Melbourne on Thursday and 41 degrees of Friday, with temperatures also soaring in Canberra although Sydney will largely be spared.
Much of south-eastern Australia has weathered warm temperatures for months. ''We effectively had midsummer heat arriving at the end of spring,'' Dr Dutschke said.
Nationwide, though, 2012 was probably an average year, temperature-wise, with the Bureau of Meteorology due to release figures Thursday morning.
The rainfall shift, though, was stark. Much of the continent went from cool and wet in the March quarter to drier-than-average conditions within a short spate of time.
"The stunning reversal in rainfall from wet to dry across large parts of the continent, particularly the south, is a result of a switch from a La Nina (weather pattern) early in the year to El Nino-like conditions through winter and spring," Dr Braganza said.
While much of south-eastern Australia enters its high fire danger period, there may be some modest relief on the way. Weatherzone's Dr Dutschke says models indicate temperatures and rainfall will start to trend back to more normal summer patterns from about the middle of January.