text:
Possible Duplicate:
Is there bittorrent software that runs in a terminal?
I tried btdownloadcurses and while it works fine for most of the torrents, it seems to trip over ones where UDP is employed to track the sources.
The messages I am getting are:
Problem connecting to tracker - ('url error', 'unknown url type', 'udp', 'udp://tracker.openbittorrent.com:80
So are there any other command line clients with UDP support?


text:
Sustainability initiatives
Binghamton's entire campus is committed to sustainability. We have a broad network of programs, projects and initiatives that encompass every facet of the University and affect every member of the campus community — from students in our residence halls to our maintenance crews.
Learn more about our initiatives in these areas:
You may also wish to view Binghamton University's Climate Action Plan (pdf, 2.2m).

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Playing defiance's orpg . The chat text is completely removed. May someone tell me which part to edit so that I can remove the chat text ? That map doesn't have any default chat system, it uses display-text-messages to display player chat message instead. And you wont see any user's chat messages.
Link to the map: http://www.epicwar.com/maps/5461/


text:
Nvidia Maxwell GTX 750 Ti Review
BioShock Infinite
Published: 18th February 2014 | Source: nVidia | Price: £114.99 |
Bioshock Infinite
Although it's not a match for the GTX650Ti Boost, the GTX750Ti still does well to make a playable experience in Bioshock Infinite. Remember this is a card that is very affordable to even the poorest gamer.
Most Recent Comments
I wonder if they can carry the same amount power efficiency throughout the whole range of Maxwell? Would be good to see a high end card that is about as efficient as a mid range card. Only thing is we might end up with a Ivy bridge/Haswell situation where once you overclock them the heat will go up quite a bit.
AMD have got some catching up to do power efficiency wise if the high end Maxwell cards are just as efficient as this.Quote
17% less CUDA cores, 38% less TAUs and less power from the wall whilst being around 20% faster than a 650ti on average is kinda epic.
Around 40w less than a 265, but the 265 packs more of a punch. I've got a feeling most gamers will be looking at the 265, if you can actually get one that is.
We all know that AMD's price's on paper are very different in reality :PQuote
Actually outputs more frames as well due to better power delivery -


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Dancing With The Stars Las Vegas Odds Going Into The Finals – One Of Tightest Ever!
Going into the Dancing With The Stars All Star Finale is a tight one at that. The odds makers at Sports Bovada, have placed their final bets. It's been an interesting season as they've seemed to nail who is going to finish 'last' every week. Then again, all season we've seen them placing Emmitt Smith at the top to win and well, as you know, he was eliminated last week. So, below are the odds as of right now for who will win the Dancing With The Stars All Stars. I'm in agreement with them this time. I think this is exactly how it will play out….
Shawn Johnson 1/3
Melissa Rycroft 4/1
Kelly Monaco 5/1
Last week's Las Vegas Odds going into Week 7 to compare:
Shawn Johnson 4/7
Emmitt Smith 5/1
Kelly Monaco 15/2
Melissa Rycroft 15/2
Apolo Anton Ono 17/2
Be sure to let us know what you think and how you would place the couples. Let's get Heidi and Court's thoughts on the odds too:
Courtney: No arguments here – I still think it's going to be Shawn's to lose, with Melissa & Kelly a distant 2nd & 3rd. I have a feeling Shawn & Melissa will end up pretty close in scores (and both will likely be near-perfect, unless Tony really whiffs this freestyle), and Kelly will likely trail by 3-5 points. I'm fully expecting the judges to drop the hammer on Kelly, since I don't think they were expecting her to last through last week's elim. When it comes down to the winner, though, I'm fine with either Melissa or Shawn winning – although I think overall, Shawn & Derek have been the most creative, the best dancers, and the best entertainers this season.
Heidi: I agree that's the order they SHOULD be in, but I don't think it's a slam dunk by any stretch of the imagination. And these odds guys with the 1/3 appear to think it is a slam dunk. If Melissa gets too far ahead in points – like, say, three – because of Shawn and Derek getting docked again for their quickstep, I think it's a real horse race. I think Melissa could win this – but her routines will have to be spectacular, and by that I don't mean all lifts. That said, I'm not convinced at all that the judges will dock Shawn and Derek for the quickstep again. They just don't have a history of doing that. They didn't for Mark and Chelsea and I'm sure there are others – probably all on Derek and Mark, since those two are the ones who take risks. They tend to loosen up on their own issues in the finale. Not to mention that I have this sneaking suspicion that Derek and Shawn had the quickstep picked FOR them, as did the others. In any case, Shawn and Derek suffer from the "sure thing" syndrome and I hope their fans realize this. Their biggest risk is that people don't vote because they assume she's going to win. That's the price of creating AMAZING dances all season long. Not to mention that the producers edits of the packages are going to go OVERBOARD on the sob stories of "Tony's never won…" and "Melissa and Kelly are such underdogs…" blah blah blah. Unfortunately, that crap works on the average Joe.


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Santa Rosa County soon could receive more than 100 new high-wage jobs after commissioners approved incentive packages for two companies to either expand existing operations or move to the county.
MILTON � Santa Rosa County soon could receive more than 100 new high-wage jobs after commissioners approved incentive packages for two companies to either expand existing operations or move to the county.
Commissioners on Thursday approved incentives for two businesses looking to bring jobs to the county. The names of the two companies have not been released.
Project Harvest is the expansion of an energy technology firm in Navarre. The expansion would create 30 new jobs over the next 30 years with an average wage of $60,000, which is nearly double the county�s current average wage, said Shannon Ogletree, the county�s interim director of economic development.
Project Breeze involves a manufacturing company from the northeast United States that builds pre-fabricated houses that are shipped overseas. The company is considering purchasing an existing building in East Milton.
Project Breeze has committed to hiring 100 people in its first year in Santa Rosa County and 300 employees during a five-year period, Commissioner Don Salter said.
�With the economy we�re in, any job is a good job, but this company would be paying 115 percent above the county average wage,� Salter said after the meeting. �It would mean an immediate 100-job employment opportunity. It would be a nice impact.�
Commissioners on Thursday morning approved a $24,000 incentive for Project Harvest that will be paid out over a four-year period.
Project Breeze qualified for two incentives from the county. The company qualifies for the state�s Qualified Target Industry incentive that will refund them $300,000 over a four-year period and includes a local match of $60,000 over the same timeframe.
Santa Rosa County also has its own Super Qualified Target Industry incentive, which was adopted earlier this year. The Super QTI will reimburse the company an additional $200,000 over the course of five years.
None of the incentives for either company will be paid until the new jobs have been verified.
The incentive packages for both companies have to be approved by the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, which should take 10 business days or less, Ogletree said.
Once that happens, he expects both businesses to move forward with their plans by the end of the year.
Contact Daily News Business Editor Dusty Ricketts at 850-315-4448 or firstname.lastname@example.com. Follow him on Twitter @DustyRnwfdn.


text:
When author Margaret Meacham was a little girl, she let her imagination soar while perched high in the branches of a buckeye tree in her family's Pittsburgh backyard.
Now, half a century after those leafy daydreams, the 60-year-old Meacham is a popular author of children's books, some of which have been translated into German and French. She has taught creative writing to hundreds of students at Goucher College and online through the Gotham Writers' Workshop. She is the mother of three grown children and lives in Brooklandville with her husband and their two dogs.
In the space of four days last month, Meacham published her first adult novel, "The Survival of Sarah Landing," as well as her 15th book for children, "The Ghosts of Laurelford."
The former, which is set on the Eastern Shore, is a literary whowroteit. The protagonist, Sarah Landing, is a widowed single mother of three who is struggling with writer's block and a dwindling bank account. Her life changes after a promising student dies under mysterious circumstances and leaves behind the manuscripts for two exquisite picture books.
"Laurelford" is set in Pittsburgh in the early 20th century, and was loosely inspired by diaries kept by Meacham's maternal grandmother. Fifteen-year-old Lacey accompanies her disabled grandfather to a series of seances held at a country estate, where she quickly becomes entangled in a ghostly legend, a family tragedy and her own experiments into the paranormal.
Meacham recently sat down to talk about her books, her development as a writer and her continuing reliance on spell-check.
How did you become a novelist?
The first time I thought I would be a writer was in the second grade. My teacher was very, very strict. Handwriting was big back then, and I had terrible handwriting. Spelling was big back then, and I was a terrible speller. I still am.
But, at the end of the day, the teacher would tell us all to sit down and be quiet and listen. She would read these great stories: "Charlotte's Web" [by E.B. White] and the Narnia books [by C.S. Lewis.]. I was so relieved that I hadn't been kicked out of the second grade and had made it through another day.
It seemed like a miracle to me that these authors could create these scenes, with characters who were just as real as the children sitting next to me.
What first inspired you to write for kids?
In the late 1970s, I was a librarian for the Baltimore County public library system, and young adult literature was almost a new genre at the time. I saw how charged up the kids themselves were if I could give them a book that they liked. If you write a book that adults like, you don't really change them that much. But if you can change a child's life, that's really exciting.
You've set several books on the Eastern Shore: "Oyster Moon," "The Secret of Heron Creek" and now "Sarah Landing."
I like to write about places that I love and know well and that inspire me. I grew up in Pittsburgh but spent summers visiting my paternal grandmother on the Chesapeake Bay. The Eastern Shore is an acquired taste, in a way, if what you're used to is the Jersey shore. It's much more understated and still fairly unspoiled. Any excuse I get, I run over there.
With "Sarah Landing," was it difficult to switch from writing for children to writing for grown-ups?
It was somewhat intimidating. It was one of the first things I've written from two different points of view, and the first book I've written from the voice of the villain.
I was kind of shocked at how easily it came off. It was kind of scary, really. But one thing I learned from writing in his voice is that Sarah really is kind of ditsy. I hadn't known that, but it became apparent to me when I realized that he sees her as this foolish woman.
"The Ghosts of Laurelford" is your second book about clairvoyance. Most children's authors portray psychics as charlatans, but your books leave room for both skeptics and believers. Do you have personal experience with mental telepathy?
No, but I wish I did. I don't have second sight and I haven't even witnessed it, but I sure do believe there are mysteries out there that we don't know about in this world. If people say that if they can't feel something or taste it or see it, then they won't believe that it exists — that's too bad.
If you go
Margaret Meacham will sign copies of her new adult mystery novel, "The Survival of Sarah Landing" from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday at the Ivy Bookshop, 6080 N. Falls Road. Free. Call 410-377-2966 or go to theivybookshop.com.
About the books:
"The Survival of Sarah Landing" was published Nov. 20 by Sunbury Press. 172 pages, $14.95.
"The Ghosts of Laurelford" was published Nov. 16 by Sunbury. 132 pages, $14.95.


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Welcome To Historic 1066 Country
Hastings & 1066 Country is home to some of Sussex's finest coast and countryside including the famous historic site on which the Battle of Hastings was fought. The amazing town of Hastings is home to Europe's largest beach-launched fishing fleet, which is celebrated every year in the town's three fish festivals. Bexhill is home to the striking modernist De La Warr Pavilion, which can be found on the charming seafront. Further west Pevensey has a castle that was once a Roman Fort, and a unique courthouse museum.
Rural 1066 Country is perfect for both intrepid ramblers and casual walkers, sprinkled with gems from the moated wonders of Bodiam Castle and Herstmonceux Castle to Rudyard Kipling's former home Bateman's and the exquisite gardens at Great Dixter, Pashley Manor and Merriments. Rye, the home of Henry James, offers a spectacular nature reserve, museums and art galleries. Nearby Camber offers spectacular golden sand dunes over two miles of beach.
Throughout Hastings & 1066 Country there is a full, year-round events programme with festivals and celebrations for all seasons.


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Too small, too big, not satisfied? It only takes a few steps to return your article.
Pure sensuality and erotic deliciousness - since 1997 the Berlin-based fashion designer Simone Franze and Nastrovje Potsdam, fulfil fashion dreams of sophisticated and confident women.
With endearing details and ingenious cuts, the seductive lingerie, the gorgeous nightwear as well as the fabulous dresses and tops ensure unforgettable appearances and admiring looks. Delicate lace, playful frills, cute little ribbons and a touch of nostalgia – perfectly combined ingredients that create the charm and character of each individual Vive Maria collection. Give in to the temptation and let Vive Maria seduce you too!
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Rutgers Restricted Access
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In general, ProQuest supports the current and prior major releases of Internet Explorer, Firefox, Google Chrome, and Safari on a rolling basis.
ProQuest Deep Indexing provides searching of indexed figures, tables, graphs, maps, charts and other illustrations from scholarly journals.
Subject coverage includes:
Agricultural economics, Zoology, Agricultural entomology, Agricultural history, Agriculture (general), Agriculture engineering, Agriculture products, Animal sciences, Biotechnology, Botany, Chemistry, Conservation, Cytology, Education, Farm management, Feed science, Fertilizers, Fibers and textiles, Food and nutrition, Forestry, Horticulture, Human ecology, Human nutrition, Hydrology, Hydroponics, Information systems for agriculture, Microbiology, Natural history, Natural resources, Pesticides, Physiology, Plant sciences, Pollution, Public health, Rural sociology, Soil sciences, Veterinary medicine, Water quality, Weather and climate, Wildlife Agricultural energy.
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text:
Fischbacher earns her first World Cup downhill victory in four years
CRANS-MONTANA, Switzerland — Andrea Fischbacher of Austria was the surprise winner of the delayed women's World Cup downhill on Sunday, claiming her first victory in four years.
Fischbacher skied down the new Mont-Lachaux slope in 1 minute, 34 seconds, beating compatriot Anna Fenninger by 0.15.
"It's just a great feeling," Fischbacher said. "It's been a hard time these past few years. I had some problems with my back and knee … I was always skiing but my head wasn't free, I was thinking too much. Today it was just `go down and do what you can.'
"Today it was flat light so it was really difficult. You just have to let your skis go and go down really fast."
Fenninger, who is the only realistic challenger to overall leader Maria Hoefl-Riesch, instantly ran over with the rest of her teammates after seeing Fischbacher beat her time and the group fell over into the snow in an embrace.
"I thought, `what's happening now?'," Fischbacher said. "And then I realized I was first."
Tina Maze of Slovenia was third, 0.47 seconds behind Fischbacher. Maze narrowly prevented an all-Austrian podium as she edged out Elisabeth Goergl by just 0.02.
Hoefl-Riesch was ninth as home favorite Lara Gut and Marianne Kaufmann-Abderhalden both skied out.
It was Fischbacher's first win since claiming gold in the Super-G at the 2010 Winter Olympics. The 28-year-old skier's success comes almost exactly five years after her last World Cup victory.
Fenninger moved 157 points behind Hoefl-Riesch in the overall table, and 80 points off the German in the downhill standings.
"It was a special moment because I was in the lead and had never won a downhill," Fenninger said. "But I was really happy for Andrea because she had a tough time and in the team you can tell she was really fighting for it. . . . It was a good race for me today for the overall," Fenninger said.
Thick fog had seen the race called off on Saturday and moved to Sunday, with the scheduled super-combined event canceled. Bad weather had also caused Friday's second training session to be canceled.
More fog delayed the start of the downhill for 2-1/2 hours.
Goergl was 12th down and took an early lead, with all the favorites yet to ski.
Gut, who won Olympic bronze in the downhill in Sochi, was fastest in training and the Swiss skier made a strong start but skied off the trail as she tried to maintain her balance following a near fall.
Kaufmann-Abderhalden did the same as the pair failed to take advantage of Hoefl-Riesch's under-par performance.
Dominque Gisin of Switzerland, who is joint Olympic downhill champion with Maze, also had a disappointing run and finished 10th, more than 1-1/2 seconds behind Fischbacher.
Fenninger looked set to claim her first downhill before Fischbacher's surprising success.
There was disappointment for the American contingent in the first downhill after the Olympics.
The highest finisher was bronze medalist Julio Mancuso, who ended 18th, 2.34 behind.
"I was going for it and made some big mistakes. It happens," Mancuso said. "It was hard to see and the snow was difficult, it's just a tough hill.
"It's always hard to come back to a World Cup after the Olympics. But it's also really fun and exciting and there was a good crowd here, so it's fun to come back and race."
Only Mancuso and Stacey Cook qualified for the downhill at the World Cup Finals in Lenzerheide. Leanne Smith will join the duo in the Super G at the event.
"Each of these athletes has the ability to ski well on this type of terrain and in these types of conditions, but we just didn't execute," U.S. Ski Team women's speed Head Coach Chip White said. "We only had one training run and it was a few days ago, so that didn't help, but it's not an excuse."


text:
Mobility vs Security – Can You Really Have Both?
From peeking at Brittany Spears medical records to the theft of almost five million medical records from a tape back-up, no healthcare issue garners more adverse publicity, or passion, than violations of patient privacy. While you might expect that since the institution of HIPAA and quarter million dollar fines that this is relatively uncommon now, you would be wrong. A stunning incidence of nearly 18 million breaches of privacy has occurred over the past two years according to a recent report from ANSI, the American National Standards Institute. That is equivalent to the population of the states of Florida or New York.
As the world moves towards adoption of Electronic Health Records and Health Information Exchanges, concern for the vulnerability of private health information is escalating as the scale of these data breaches reach epic proportions. A West Coast health care system experienced the theft of electronic health information for 4 million of its patients. And another major academic medical center inadvertently disclosed the electronic health records of 20,000 of its patients. The risks are real and global. And they leave an organization – any organization – subject to severe legal and financial damage, not to mention the damage to their reputation. None of these organizations were cavalier about their security compliance. But let's face it, the workforce is larger and more mobile. The data is more prolific and ubiquitous and takes on many different forms. And the thieves are getting more sophisticated.
But so are the solutions. In the past, it was necessary to balance mobility with security-the more mobile, the less secure. Not anymore. Cisco's AnyConnect combines industry-leading Cisco cloud and premises-based web security and next generation remote access technology to deliver the most robust and secure enterprise mobility solution on the market today.
AnyConnect enables users to easily and securely access the applications and information they need to do their jobs using their mobile device of choice, including iPhones and laptops. AnyConnect can also protect against accessing band-width hogs such as streaming video and music that can grind down your network. It protects your sensitive patient data all while keeping malware out. For example, deployment of AnyConnect could be used to wipe out the hard drive of the stolen laptop remotely so that no patient info could be compromised. AnyConnect's broad protocol support and authentication methods give healthcare organizations intelligent, simple, always-on connectivity to support its complex systems and mobile workforce effectively, safely and intelligently.
If you want the freedom of mobility coupled with comprehensive security wrapped in unrivaled simplicity, learn how your organization can become more secure while preserving mobility with Cisco's Any Connect.
In an effort to keep conversations fresh, Cisco Blogs closes comments after 60 days. Please visit the Cisco Blogs hub page for the latest content.


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We offer presentations and webinars on a variety of topics. To view all upcoming events, change the month on the calendar.
Registration is required. When you open an event for more details, you will find the link to register. Email email@example.com if you have any questions.
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text:
Features & Highlights
Why you should buy this product
Fully Protect your phone with a unique style through this slim case. Providing ultimate protection from scratches and its perfect mold keeps the phone trim and trendy. Equipped with perforated grip to allow you have a unique customer experience. Reinforced curves to ensure the durability of the case. Precise openings to allow the full functionality of the phone and its features. It is a TPU and PC HYBRID Cover. Packed in high quality retail packaging. The ION Cover is honestly alluring, protective, and sleek. Enhanced to fully protective the phone without adding unnecessary bulk to the phone, it is truly a SHOCKING Experience.
- Color:Mint
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text:
Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas could resign, leading to a potential collapse of the Palestinian Authority, if American attempts to relaunch peace talks stay deadlocked, aides said on Tuesday. "President Abbas is not playing games and he is not going to hold on to the presidency just for the title," chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erakat told AFP.
"If president Abbas feels that his project of establishing a Palestinian state is in danger and that Israel wants to destroy the idea of a Palestinian state, then I think he will not remain in the position of the presidency." "If there is not going to be a Palestinian state, then there is not going to be a Palestinian Authority," Erakat said.
Another senior Palestinian official told AFP that Abbas was likely to resign if the peace process does not progress. "If that happens the Authority will fall, and there will not be a Palestinian Authority or any of the institutions of a Palestinian state," the official said.


text:
Small Dog Breeds A-Z (over 69 dog breeds listed!)
Browse A-Z
A List of Small Dog Breeds That Start with Y
There's a Dog Missing!
Do you know of a small dog breed that starts with "Y" and is not on this list? Would you like to share this information with others?
If your answer is "YES", then please click here to submit your short article to us!
Once your article has been approved, it will be included on this website.


text:
"One hundred members of the Senate sit here in the shoes of more than 300 million Americans as we discharge our duties," committee Chairman Patrick Leahy said. "The Supreme Court stands for all Americans ... it is an awesome responsibility."
If confirmed, President Barack Obama's second Supreme Court nominee -- now the solicitor general -- would be the fourth female justice and third woman sitting on the court, joining Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Sonia Sotomayor.


text:
by Archive Admin
August 25th, 2017
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Author(s): Quello, James H.
Date of Publication or Speech: July 18, 1996
Location: Federal Communications Commission
Associated Organization: Chairman Fields, Congressman Markey
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Tags: competition, deregulation, marketplace, Telecommunications Act of 1996
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Babies in the East of England to be offered vaccination against meningococcal group B (MenB) – a disease which can lead to meningitis
Public Health England (PHE) is hailing the start of a new vaccination programme, which offers young children protection against meningococcal group B (MenB) disease.
From today, September 1st, the MenB vaccination will be added to the NHS Childhood Immunisation Programme in England to help protect children against this devastating disease which can cause meningitis (an infection of the protective membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord) and septicaemia (blood poisoning) which are serious and potentially fatal illnesses.
Babies will be offered the MenB vaccine with the other routine vaccinations at two months, four months and 12-13 months of age. Vaccinating babies at these times helps protect them when they are most at risk of developing MenB disease. Infants under one year of age are most at risk of MenB and the number of cases peak at around five or six months of age.
In March 2014, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) recommended a national MenB immunisation programme for infants using a three-dose schedule. In March 2015, the programme, using Bexsero® vaccine, was announced.
Dr Mary Ramsay, Head of Immunisation at Public Health England said:
"This vaccine will help to save lives and prevent permanent disability. Meningococcal B disease can be devastating for babies and young children and it has cut many lives short and left young people disabled.
"The disease develops rapidly and early symptoms in babies and young children can include a high fever with cold hands and feet, vomiting and refusing to feed, agitation, drowsiness or being floppy or unresponsive, grunting or breathing rapidly or having an unusual high-pitched or moaning cry.
"A classic sign is pale, blotchy skin, and a red rash that doesn't fade when a glass is rolled over it. Additional symptoms include having a tense, bulging soft spot on their head (fontanelle), having a stiff neck and an aversion to bright lights or having convulsions or seizures.
"We must all remain alert to the signs and symptoms of meningococcal disease and seek urgent medical attention if there is any concern as the vaccine does not protect against all types of meningococcal disease.
"Be aware of all signs and symptoms and trust your instincts – don't wait for a rash to develop before seeking urgent medical attention."
Dr Ramsay added: "Bexsero has a good safety record, but Public Health England is also making parents aware of an increased risk of fever when the vaccine is given alongside other immunisations, and the need to purchase infant liquid paracetamol for the two and four month appointment visits.
"It's important that parents use paracetamol following vaccination to reduce the risk of fever. The fever peaks around six hours after vaccination but is nearly always mild and gone within two days. The fever shows the baby's body is responding to the vaccine, although the level of fever depends on the individual child and does not indicate how well the vaccine has worked – some infants may not develop a fever at all.
"We know that fever in young infants may cause some parents concern, but it's important to be aware that it will be short-lived in nearly all cases. The vaccine will go on to help protect against MenB disease during a period when babies and young children are most at risk – we've all too often seen the disease result in severe disabilities, or tragically even death, causing devastation to our families and communities.
"The good news is that giving paracetamol reduces the chances of getting fever by more than a half, and also reduces the risk of irritability and discomfort, such as pain at the injection site, after vaccination."
Public Health Minister, Jane Ellison said: "This is a landmark moment.
"Men B can be truly devastating and we know the suffering it can cause to families. Now, in our country, every new baby can get this free vaccine to protect them from this terrible disease."
Chief Executive of Meningitis Research Foundation, Christopher Head, said: "We are delighted the MenB vaccine has been introduced as it has been at the top of this charity's agenda for many years. We hope this vaccine will save many lives and spare countless families the trauma of seeing a loved one die or become seriously disabled because of MenB.
"This vaccine could potentially prevent up to 4,000 cases of meningococcal disease in children younger than 5 years in the UK. However, we must remind the public that there are still some forms of the disease which are not covered by vaccines so it is vital that people are still aware of the symptoms of meningitis and septicaemia."
Chief executive of Meningitis Now, Sue Davie, said: "We're delighted to reach this milestone and see the vaccination programme protecting our newborn babies in England. This programme will save lives straight away and for years to come. We stand ready to support the roll out in any way we can."
Kelly Mellor's nine year old daughter Ellie Mae contracted meningococcal disease when she was just 11 months old. She said: "When Ellie Mae first became ill our worlds came crashing down around us. Our beautiful, healthy baby was suddenly purple from head to toe and we had no idea if she would pull through.
"Fortunately for us, Ellie is a fighter but her recovery has not been without trauma. Ellie has undergone 76 operations and lost both her legs and one arm.
"The launch of this vaccine is vital for making sure other families don't have to go through what we have and I encourage all new mums to take up the vaccination with the other routine ones. Whilst Ellie is alive she is not without health problems and life is a constant uphill struggle.
"Ellie contracting meningitis has been life changing and has not just affected her, but the whole family. We can't change the past but this vaccine can change people's futures."


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Brand name: Viramune XR and Viramune
Generic name: nevirapine, or NVP
Class: Non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (non-nucleoside, NNRTI, or non-nuke)
Manufacturer: Boehringer Ingelheim, www.viramunexr.com, (800) 274-8651
AWP: $632.68 for XR/month, $133.02 for 240 mL suspension (50 mg/5 mL)
Standard Dose: One 200 mg IR (immediate release) tablet once daily for two weeks, then full dose of one 400 mg once daily for Viramune XR or one 200 mg tablet twice daily for Viramune, with or without food, with no dietary restrictions. Viramune is frequently prescribed as two 200 mg tablets once daily, although once-daily dosing is not FDA approved with the IR formulation; Viramune XR once daily is approved only for adults. Dose for children 15 days or older is 150 mg/m2 once daily for 14 days, then 150 mg/m2 twice daily thereafter, not to exceed 400 mg daily. Take missed dose as soon as possible, unless it is closer in time to your next dose. Do not double up on your next dose. If you interrupt therapy for more than seven days, you will need to restart with 200 mg IR daily for 14 days, followed by 400 mg XR daily or 200 mg IR twice daily. For dialysis patients, an additional dose of 200 mg IR is required after each dialysis. A 50 mg/5 mL oral suspension is also available.
Potential side effects and toxicity: Most common side effects include headache, nausea, vomiting, fever, and rash (reduced with 14-day lead-in dosing). Severe rash, including Stevens-Johnson syndrome, while rare, can be life-threatening; notify your health care provider immediately. Seek medical attention right away if you experience blistering, mouth sores, conjunctivitis (redness or inflammation of the eye, or pink eye, which if untreated may result in permanent vision loss), swelling, muscle or joint aches, fever, or malaise (general ill feeling). Do not increase dose if rash develops during dose escalation or if it is accompanied by the conditions listed above. Once-daily lead-in dose should not exceed 28 days. An alternative drug should be considered at this time. An increase in liver enzyme levels has been observed and in rare instances, hepatitis has developed. In such cases, it may be necessary to stop taking Viramune (either formulation) until liver function returns to normal. Permanently discontinue it if abnormalities return. Rarely, severe and life-threatening liver damage, including fatal cases, has occurred. Women with CD4 counts greater than 250 T-cells, including pregnant women have the highest risk of serious liver damage, though men with more than 400 T-cells are also at risk. The package insert says Viramune or Viramune XR should not be started in these groups unless the benefit outweighs the risk. The highest risk period is within the first six weeks of treatment, but patients should be monitored closely for the first 18 weeks. See chart for potential drug class side effects.
Potential drug interactions: Non-nukes interact with many other drugs. See package insert for the most complete list. Tell your provider or pharmacist about all medications, herbs, and supplements you are taking or thinking of taking, prescribed or not. Do not take with Atripla, Complera, Edurant, Intelence, Rescriptor, Reyataz, Sustiva, or St. John's wort. Rifampin should not be used with Viramune; Mycobutin (rifabutin) is the recommended alternative to rifampin for tuberculosis treatment. Use with caution with midazolam, triazolam, cisapride, fluconazole, or Cordarone, lidocaine or disopyramide, ethosuximide, clonazepam, calcium channel blockers (Procardia and others), immunosuppressants (including transplant drugs), and Coumadin (warfarin). Do not use with Biaxin or Nizoral. Viramune decreases methadone levels; dose adjustment may be necessary to avoid withdrawal symptoms. Can reduce levels of protease inhibitors; dose adjustment may be needed if they are taken together. Kaletra should be increased to three tablets twice a day in treatment-experienced people. Use caution with anti-convulsants: Dilantin, phenobarbital, and Tegretol. Effectiveness of birth control pills may be decreased; consider the use of alternative or additional contraception. During the first six weeks of therapy, prednisone should be avoided; it can cause increased severity and incidence of rash.
More information: The once-daily Viramune XR was FDA approved in 2011, but many providers already prescribe once-daily dosing with the old formulation. The regular Viramune (IR) formulation may go generic (nevirapine) this year. Monitor liver function and signs of rash during first six months. Do not ignore yellowing of your eyes or skin, as this may be a sign of a severe liver effect. Studies show that nevirapine crosses the blood-brain barrier to a useful degree, which may be beneficial for patients at risk for neurological damage (such as dementia) from HIV. Viramune should not be used for PEP (post-exposure prophylaxis). Viramune has been shown to have a positive impact on triglycerides and cholesterol levels. When taken around the time of labor, Viramune has demonstrated effectiveness in preventing the transmission of HIV from mother to child, but there was an increase in HIV drug resistance when taken alone. The use of at least one other HIV drug helped to cut down the incidence of resistance. Single- or double-dose Viramune may be used for babies born to HIV-positive mothers. Mothers should not breast-feed their infants while taking Viramune. See package insert for more complete information on potential side effects and interactions.
Doctor's Comments
Viramune is a component of the vast majority of first-line regimens worldwide, in part because of the low cost of generic nevirapine. It has not been as popular in the United States, however, in part because of the stronger clinical data with Sustiva, but also because of its greater early toxicity. It's listed as an "acceptable" NNRTI in the DHHS guidelines and an "alternative" in the IAS-USA guidelines. Viramune can cause skin rashes and liver toxicity during the first few weeks, which can be severe and even life-threatening. The risk is greatest when it's started in people with high CD4 counts: above 250 in women and above 400 in men. Below those CD4 thresholds, the risk is low, and the long-term safety is excellent, with less lipid elevation than with Sustiva. Viramune should be started at half-dose (200 mg once daily) and increased to the full dose (200 mg twice daily) after two weeks only if there is no rash or liver enzyme elevation. Viramune XR, a new 400 mg single tablet, once-daily formulation, was approved last year. Compared to Sustiva, resistance to Viramune is somewhat more likely to cause cross-resistance to Intelence.
-- Joel Gallant, M.D., M.P.H.
Activist's Comments
The softer, gentler non-nuke, Viramune is now a "once-daily" XR (extended release) formula. This reformulation helped this drug maintain some market share from moving over to the generic version. Clinical studies showed that people who were undetectable on another regimen could safely switch to Viramune. Many in Florida have switched safely to this lipid-friendly drug (better at maintaining normal levels of cholesterol and triglycerides), so this drug has a niche for those who can't tolerate Sustiva-based regimens or Atripla. However, with so many new drugs with fewer pills and fewer side effects, I have a feeling this drug's day as a mainstay are numbered.
-- Joey Wynn


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Blog Archive
- ▼ 2016 (1)
About Me
Thursday, March 24, 2016
Counting marbles...
10:17 PM | Posted by Andy Hearn | Edit Post
Doesn't time fly.. It's been ages since I've updated this blog, but rest assured, in the meantime I have been busy collecting data on the Bornean wild cats in the field and conducting analyses in the office. In my absence this website seems to have fallen to pieces, but I intend to address this pretty soon, most likely with a whole new website.
Regardless, I've got some exciting news to share regarding a project we've been working on for many years - estimating the population density of marbled cats in Sabah. In a new (open access) PlosONE paper, we present the first estimates of marbled cat density from anywhere in their range. We show that marbled cats are found in a range of forest types, including both primary and selectively logged, but tentatively suggest that oil palm plantations may not support this elusive wild cat.
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We Buy & Sell Used Machinery for you in Tennessee
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We have hundreds of late model, quality machine tools in stock at our Chicago area warehouse, and can find additional equipment through our worldwide networking system. Our goal is to help customers increase their productivity and profits with quality pre-owned machinery at reasonable prices.
Liberty Machinery provides the following services for you:
Liberty Machinery Company is also a single source for liquidation. We will buy one piece of machinery to an entire facility. Liberty Machinery Company can purchase your equipment outright, sell it on a consignment basis or liquidate it by auction.
When buying and selling used metalworking machinery, fabrication equipment, finishing equipment and machine tools in Tennessee contact Liberty Machinery at 847-276-2761 and you can view our inventory here.


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When visiting the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal's theme parks this August, there were a few things I couldn't wait to do: ride the replica Hogwarts Express train which carried Harry from King's Cross Station in London to his magical wizarding school; try Butterbeer, a magical non-alcoholic beverage beloved by all wizards; and check out the new thrill ride in Diagon Alley.
However, there was one thing I was even more excited about: getting my hands on a working magic wand from the film.
When the first Harry Potter theme park opened in 2010 as a new attraction in Universal's Islands of Adventure, Universal began selling replica character wands from the film ranging from Harry Potter and Hermione's to the villainous Lord Voldemort's for $34.95.
Sounds awesome, right?
However, these wands didn't do anything. It was like paying nearly $40 for a fancy, specialized stick.
Other than a full out Potter nerd (such as myself) or a collector, I'm not sure who wants to buy Potter's wand if you can't swish it in the air, say " Wingardium Leviosa," and make some magic happen.
When Universal Studios opened a new Harry Potter section to its park last month called Diagon Alley, they started selling new interactive wands priced at $47.
These wands allow fans to run around the neighboring Harry Potter parks in Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure to "perform magic" with a flick of the wrist at areas marked by gold medallions on the ground.
The magic of the wands lies in a sensor at its end so when a wand is moved in a certain way it triggers another sensor in areas ranging from window displays to water fountains to light up lanterns, squirt water from a frog's mouth, and so forth.
The magic may not be real; however, it will make any child — or fan of the books and films — feel like a wizard.
When I returned from Florida and told my editors that myself, my brother, and his girlfriend all invested in wands of our own (nearly a $150 purchase), they thought we were nuts.
But I can assure you, it was totally worth it.
The adventure to acquire our wands
Though various Universal gift shops and carts through the Harry Potter World parks were selling wands, we headed straight to the main source, Ollivanders' Wand Shop, to acquire our ticket into geekery and wizardom.
That's where Harry found his wand in the books, and we wanted the same experience as our favorite wizard.
For those who waited in a relatively short line, you could watch a short demonstration where Ollivander himself selected one person from the crowd to demonstrate a wand selection ceremony.
We weren't allowed to take photos, but you can see what the experience was like here.
It was essentially like stepping right into the first "Harry Potter" film.
After the show, we were finally able to purchase our wands from a giant selection.
We were pretty impressed not only with how they were packaged, but at the craftsmanship that went into each individual wand.
The Ollivanders' box detailed they were "Makers of Fine Wands since 382 BC."
Here's the moment we couldn't wait for: the great unboxing.
I know the wand is supposed to choose the wizard, but since that wasn't in the cards, I chose Hermione Granger's wand. She's Harry's brainy friend played by Emma Watson in the films.
My brother, Sam, went for one of a few custom wands offered. These ones came in special cases marked with "Ollivanders" on the cover.
Both are incredibly detailed.
Hermione's is decorated with small branches twisting and weaving through the wand with small leaves protruding throughout.
Here's how they worked
Each interactive wand came with a map of the two Harry Potter parks highlighting the different areas where fans could locate sensors to try out their wands and perform spells.
The newer Diagon Alley section is home to 16 opportunities to cast spells while the older Hogsmeade section has been updated with nine interactive areas.
Numbered circles show where to locate places to perform spells while diamonds highlighted where restaurants and shops could be found.
Around the maps' perimeter are instructions on the different spells needed to be used at each location.
Thankfully, little gold medallions were on the ground to identify when we were at a special location so we didn't have to look at our maps every five seconds.
There were also kids lined up at nearly every location. If there weren't, and someone saw you successfully "perform a spell," flocks of kids were quick to come over.
Getting the wands to work at first was a bit frustrating if you weren't patient enough to make multiple attempts.
Most of the locations asked you to perform simple two or three part movements with your wand that were usually a simple shape, letter, or number. The problem was matching your movements perfectly with a sensor hanging at these locations.
Once you got the hang of it though, the results were incredible.
A simple swirl of your wand and this house elf in shining armor sprang to life.
A triangular movement unleashed a green mist upon a defenseless bird in a window down a dark alley.
A popular attraction involved getting this umbrella to pour rain in Diagon Alley.
Here's my brother's girlfriend successfully activating one of her first sensors. This one made a window display come to life.
Another feature we activated was a water fountain with a small frog serving as the spout.
Some of the best features were those found by accident. We noticed if two people activated sensors on each side of the above mentioned fountain at the same time, water shot out from the top at an innocent bystander. It was pretty funny.
There are also a few hidden off-map locations to perform magic we read up on to prep for our visit.
One we found was outside a stationary and ink store called Scribbulus in Diagon Alley. If you flicked your wand in any old fashion near a piece of parchment, invisible ink appeared on the empty scroll. The words we saw were different every time we tried it out.
Both phrases above are about the material wands are made of.
I'm sure there are other secret locations and that Universal will add even more interactive locations throughout the parks over time.
During our 3-day visit, there was only one noticeable issue I noticed with the wands.
Early on at the parks, there was a kid frustratingly swishing and flicking his wand at one window display to no avail. A worker at the parks soon told the distraught little boy and his family he needed an interactive wand to make a "magic spell."
The parks were still selling these pointless $35 wands when the real wands any kid wanted were the ones that made things move. It's an easy mistake to make upon purchase since the wands look nearly identical. There were no easily visible signs in the wand stores to differentiate the interactive ones from the simple replicas. I had to ask an employee in the wand store which wand was which.
One foolproof way to make sure you're getting your money's worth is to open up a box and see if there's a sensor at the end of the wand. (That's what I did to make sure I purchased the right one.)
Overall, as someone who invested over a decade reading sevenHarry Potter novels numerous times and watching another eight movies, $47 dollars didn't seem like a huge drain to act out the scenes I once envisioned in my head.
The 12-year-old me had a blast.
J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series was such a huge influence not only on my life but multitudes of people worldwide.
According to Scholastic, the series has sold more than 400 million copies worldwide while it has been translated into 68 languages. All together, the films have generated over $7.7 billion at theaters worldwide.
As fans wandered the Universal theme parks dressed in wizard robes, their faces lighting up like the very lanterns and window displays their wands conjured to life, it was difficult to feel like you were anywhere but inside a real Wizarding World of Harry Potter.


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I would like to use Compiz in Xubuntu (under xfce obviously).
I have seen this tutorial: http://www.ghacks.net/2010/07/11/run-compiz-with-xfce4/
Firstly, this didn't work well for me, because when trying
compiz –replace ccp & in a terminal, it tells me there is no plugin such as cpp, and the window decorations are lost right away.
Is there a reliable way to run Compiz with XFCE, please? I miss my desktop cube.
Thanks for the answers so far. Just running
compiz --replace still causes the complete loss of window decorations.
Also, I tried fossfreedom's suggestion, and then I get the output below. I installed emerald initially because it was complaining about not finding it, but I think I had the segfault even without emerald.
(some other output)
/usr/bin/emerald: Screen 0 on display ":0.0" already has a decoration manager; try using the --replace option to replace the current decoration manager.
Segmentation fault
Setting Update "command"
Well, turns out that just trying to run emerald by itself ends with a segfault, and apparently this is a known bug. Used the solution here to resolve that problem: http://www.webupd8.org/2011/05/get-emerald-to-work-in-ubuntu-1104.html
Still, I wasn't actually hoping to use Emerald, but what the heck.


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Scanners are a bit of a running joke around the Giz office. "If you post a scanner, you're probably fired," our editors demi-joke. So it's sorta distressing news that HP's got a cheap 3D scanner that's actually kind of awesome.
HP's TopShot Laserjet Pro M275 works by taking six images of an object and compiling them into one 3D image. It also connects to wireless networks, so it can send the image wherever as soon as it's scanned, and it's got AirPrint, which lets you print directly from an iPad, Pod, or Phone.
But the price is the oh-hey-waitaminute bit: $US400 is sort of nuts for a 3D scanner. The TopShot certainly won't have the same granular image quality as the models that go for tens of thousands of dollars, but an easy and affordable approximation means you can 3D-scan everything in your apartment or all the cats on the block or whatever the heck else on a whim. [HP]


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Is Moderate-to-High Inflation Inherently Unstable?
33 Pages Posted: 20 Dec 2004
Date Written: July 2004
The data across time and countries suggest the level and variance of inflation are highly correlated. This paper examines the effect of trend inflation on the ability of the monetary authority to ensure a determinate equilibrium and macroeconomic stability in a sticky-price model. Trend inflation increases the importance of future marginal costs for current price-setters in a staggered price-setting model. The greater importance of expectations makes it more difficult for the monetary authority to ensure stability; in fact, equilibrium determinacy cannot be achieved through reasonable specifications of nominal interest rate (Taylor) rules at moderate-to-high levels of inflation (for example, at levels around 4 percent per year). If monetary policymakers have followed these types of policy rules in the past, this result may explain why moderate-to-high inflation is associated with inflation volatility. It also suggests a revision to interpretations of the 1970s. At that time, inflation in many countries was at least moderate, which can contribute to economic instability. The results suggest that some moderate-inflation countries that have recently adopted inflation targeting may want to commit to low target inflation rates.
Keywords: Monetary policy, equilibrium determinacy, Taylor rule, sunspot fluctuations
JEL Classification: E3, E5
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation


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Just copy and paste the code below to embed this station in your blog, website or social profile.
You've chosen Super Radio Sterio, if you want to select another radio station, go back to the Radio Directory
Back to Super Radio Sterio - Piedras Negras, CI.
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CHICAGO, IL — Bally Total Fitness Holding Corp. reported its financial results for the quarter ended March 31, 2003, and the report was mixed.
Net income of $9.7 million ($.30 per diluted share) for the quarter plummeted from the $19.4 million ($.59 per diluted share) in the prior year quarter. Meanwhile, net revenues increased 5 percent to $253.1 million during the quarter, an increase by $12.7 million, which was offset by a $19.1 million (9 percent) increase in operating costs and expenses, Bally's said.
"Bally's results for the first quarter of 2003 show areas where we achieved success, and areas where we need improvement," said Paul Toback, president and CEO of Bally Total Fitness Holding Corporation.
"In a quarter that experienced many significant challenges, including uncertainty related to the war in Iraq, the continuing weak economy, and the particularly harsh winter weather experienced in many of our largest markets, we remain encouraged by trends in many key areas of the business. Our successes for the quarter include a 43 percent growth in products and services revenue. In addition, we were pleased that the number of members joining our clubs during the quarter grew by 4 percent with a 1 percent increase at the same clubs compared to the same quarter a year ago. However, these successes were offset by falling short of our overall membership revenue goals for the quarter."
This shortfall in total membership revenue of 5 percent over the prior year period (a 7 percent decline at same clubs), resulted from a 5 percent increase in dues revenue offset by a 15 percent decline in initial membership fees, the company said.
Additionally, the average committed duration of memberships originated during the first quarter of 2003 was 30.5 months vs. 31.2 months in the prior year period, a 2 percent decrease, due to an increased emphasis on monthly pay-as-you-go membership programs, Bally said.
"Because an important part of our strategy is to grow membership revenues, we are continuing to implement several new initiatives. These include a new marketing campaign, as well as expanding the marketing of our pay-as-you-go membership options," said Toback.


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BRYAN, TEXAS---KBTX Media, Gray Television and Kent Moore Cabinets announce the debut of The Kent Moore Cabinets Digital Studio. The new digital studio is part of a multi-million dollar renovation of the KBTX Media broadcast facilities. The state-of-the-art facility completes KBTX's move to enhanced digital and high-definition programming. Broadcasts from the new digital studios are set to air Thursday, July 12, 2012 at 4:00pm during First News at 4.
The decision to partner with Kent Moore Cabinets was based on KBTX Vice-President and General Manager's confidence in the company's dedication to quality and excellence. "It is important that we invest locally whenever possible. Having a company like Kent Moore Cabinets nearby was a perfect opportunity to have the set constructed here at home," Wright said. "Showcasing their high quality work, day in and day out, on-air and on-line, is something we are proud to do on behalf of Kent Moore Cabinets."
Over forty years ago, Kent Moore started a part-time business while attending Texas A&M University. The demand in the Bryan-College Station area continued to grow and his part-time company became full-time. Kent Moore Cabinets has continued to expand and now has operations in seven Texas cities.
Kent Moore Cabinets prides itself in promoting the phrase, "innovation meets inspiration." KBTX Media shares the same thought process, thereby affirming this partnership opportunity.
Now in its 56th-year of service, KBTX News 3 provides local news, weather, sports and
CBS programming to Bryan-College Station and the surrounding 16-county area, producing six daily local newscasts and three weekend local newscasts.
Local construction of the state-of-the-art broadcast facility is the first of its kind within Gray Television. "In discussing this opportunity, it was clear that Kent Moore Cabinets and KBTX shared the same philosophy of business and community. We see this as a long-term win for the community and for our company," Wright concluded.
KBTX Media plans on a ribbon-cutting in studio on Tuesday, July 31, 2012.
Gray Television, Inc. is a television broadcast company headquartered in Atlanta, GA. Gray currently operates 36 television stations serving 30 markets. We broadcast
a primary channel from each of our stations and also operate at least one digital second channel from the majority of our stations. Each of our primary channels are affiliated with either CBS (17 channels), NBC (10 channels), ABC (8 channels) or FOX (1 channel). In addition, we currently operate 40 digital second channels that are affiliated with either ABC (1 channel), FOX (4 channels), CW (8 channels), MyNetworkTV (18 channels), Universal Sports Network (2 channels) and The Country Network (1 channel) or are operated as local news/weather channels (6 channels).


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LETTER- 30 years is enough
"Make it last" is a part of the code of conduct for green living that pertains to possessions. Unfortunately, this maxim is being ignored by the officials who plan to junk our main water supply reservoir and allow it to silt up [December 11: "Gaffney undrained: Confident water boss seeks fourth term "]. Their vision is so long for 50-year water needs, but so short concerning the future of the Rivanna Reservoir and their responsibility for it.
Planning for future water supply should start with the fate of the current one in mind. This community is too environmentally and aesthetically sensitive to tolerate a big mud lake in its midst. It is very likely that the reservoir will eventually be dredged– whether for water or not.
Decades could be added to the life of the current system and delay the need for Ragged Mountain Reservoir expansion if the dredging is done now. If it then lasts merely 30 years instead of 50, well, those are 30 years we can enjoy the forest at Ragged Mountain; 30 years that water won't have to be pumped up a long pipe with subsequent evaporation loss; 30 years we can spend perhaps millions of our dollars on things other than the water that comes out of our taps; and of course 30 more years of recreation at the Rivanna Reservoir.
J.A. Barker


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Researchers have some new advice for high school students who want to improve their grades: Become friends with academically oriented classmates.
It may sound obvious, but researchers went to considerable effort to prove it.
They surveyed all members of the junior class at Maine-Endwell High School in Endwell, N.Y., and asked students to rate each of their classmates as either a "best friend," a "friend," an "acquaintance" or someone they didn't know. They got responses from 92% of students and used them to reconstruct the social networks among 158 11th-graders as of Jan. 11, 2011.
The research team also obtained the grade point averages for all 158 students in January 2011 and January 2012, so they could track how their academic performance changed over time. For the analysis, those GPAs were converted into class rankings. Then they compared the rankings of each student to those of their best friends, friends and acquaintances.
Sure enough, the researchers found a linear relationship between a student's grades and the academic environment of their social network. If a student's class ranking at the start of the study was higher than usual for her social network, it tended to fall over the course of the year. Conversely, if a student ranked below the rest of her group, her class ranking tended to rise.
The most significant influence appeared to be the grades of those labeled as "friends." To explain this, the researchers hypothesized that the grades of "best friends" made little difference in the equation because they were probably very similar to start with. But the gaps between students and their "friends" were bigger, so there was more opportunity for influence.
The findings were published Wednesday in the journal PLOS ONE. The results are in line with other studies showing that happiness, obesity and other traits can spread through social networks.
Of note: Six of the study authors are students at Maine-Endwell high. The senior author is Hiroki Sayama, director of the Collective Dynamics of Complex Systems research group at Binghamton University in Binghamton, N.Y.
You can read the study online here.
Return to the Booster Shots blog.
Follow me on Twitter @LATkarenkaplan


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The following commentary does not necessarily reflect the views of AgWeb or Farm Journal Media. The opinions expressed below are the author's own.
Rick Lundquist is an independent nutrition and management consultant based in Duluth, Minn. He provides livestock production advice.
By Rick Lundquist, Ph.D.
My clients have come a long way with heat abatement in recent years. It's paid dividends in sustained milk production during the summer. I think I can safely say that my Florida clients deal with heat and humidity that will rival anywhere in the world. But we can always do better. Summer milk production has fared better than summer reproduction. We still see summer pregnancy rates in the single digits on some dairies.
Nutritional strategies help combat heat stress (more frequent feedings, high quality forage, higher DCAD, etc). But the best way to reduce the effects of heat stress is to reduce the heat.
I asked Dr. Jose Santos of the University of Florida to visit a few of my clients south of the I-4 corridor last month to address our reproduction and heat abatement issues. South of I-4, which runs between Tampa and Orlando, is where the tropics begin in Florida. Reproduction suffers here in the summer. One comment by Dr. Santos stuck in my mind; at an internal body temperature of 103 degrees F, we are frying embryos. That means when I see a cow with a respiration rate of 80 or more that has recently become pregnant, chances are that embryo is dead.
I visited a dairy in Florida last week that had probably the best heat abatement I've seen. There were sprinklers over the feed lanes, fans (all working) over the feed lanes and beds, fans over the holding areas with sprinklers over and under the cows, soakers in the exit lane and rainbirds in the travel lanes. This is how a comprehensive heat abatement system should look in hot, humid climates.
We can't allow the cow's body temperature to rise above the critical point at any time of the day or night, or much of our heat abatement could be wasted. Holding pens are critical because body temperature can spike here when cows are crowded.
How long does it take for the internal temperature of a cow to return to normal after she gets hot? That's a lot of mass to cool down. Research shows that once a cow gets hot (103 F body temperature or more) it takes at least 45 minutes to cool her down if she is under fans and soakers. Damage to the embryo may already be done. Otherwise, it can take 6-8 hours for her body temperature to return to normal at an ambient temperature of 68 degrees.
Hat's off to Dr. Tom Bailey and the team from Elanco for putting together a comprehensive heat abatement guide. Following the recommendations in this guide will definitely reduce the effects of hot weather on our herds.
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A once great industry on the brink
After tough choices avoided, future bleak
Photographs by Bill Greene, Globe Staff
First in a four-part series
PORTLAND, Maine -- In the veiled blue of the sinking twilight, Knoep Nieuwkerk is guiding the 38-foot Hannah-Jo homeward, past the Portland Head Light, when two of his crewmen begin what seems an act of madness: tossing gleaming, freshly caught cod back into the sea.
One by one the fish hit the water, and slide to the ocean floor, dead. The 400 pounds of cod Nieuwkerk's crew dump that day would have earned them $600, at least, at the next day's Portland fish auction. Yet days spent fighting wind and waves often end this way, with the New England fisherman's most despised ritual.
The government allows small boat fishermen to catch only 500 pounds of cod per day and requires them to toss any extra overboard before they reach shore. The rule is supposed to protect the fish, but fishermen often can't help but catch too much cod as they scour the sea, meaning that every year more than three million pounds of fish are squandered in the name of saving the fishery.
Fishermen say the government won't even let them donate their catch to charity, though they have begged.
"It really makes no sense," Nieuwkerk says. "The fish are dead either way."
If a single word describes what has happened to the once-proud tradition of fishing in New England, it is this: Waste.
Twenty-seven years ago, the federal government seized control of the region's fishing industry in a bid to save it, then presided over its collapse, as the number of fish in one of the world's richest fishing grounds fell to historic lows. Tough choices were avoided -- like enforcing firm annual limits on the catch. And foolish choices were subsidized: the expansion and modernization of a fishing fleet that may now be three times too big for the fishery to sustain.
Instead of forcing the fleet to shrink, the government has deployed a bewildering array of half-measures -- like the 500-pound cod limit. Many local fishermen are living like Nieuwkerk, risking their lives on the open seas, yet finding it harder and harder to earn a living. And now many must face the possibility of a future without fishing at all.
Fed up with the failure of fishermen and their regulators to act, a federal judge has ordered the government to drastically reduce fishing in the region's waters. Next month, the council that oversees fishing here will meet to decide just how to do that. As early as next spring, New England's signature industry could be radically diminished -- a Draconian comeuppance for decades of indecision.
It is a sad, surprising turn that the first men who plied New England waters could have scarcely imagined. When European fishermen came upon the stretch of Atlantic off what is now called Cape Cod, the waters churned with schools of fish. New England's fleet of great wooden schooners -- nearly 800 of them in Boston and Gloucester combined -- were soon the envy of the world. In New England, cod was king. Enriched by a West Indies trade of fish for molasses, boat owners were referred to as the "codfish aristocracy."
Yet the story of how a great industry was laid low is not, as many assume, primarily a tale of unbridled fishermen's greed, unless Nieuwkerk's dream of helping his three kids get a start in life can be called greed. It is, instead, a familiar story of modern times: Technology has transformed the hunt at sea much as it has revolutionized agriculture and warfare, putting enormous power -- such as Nieuwkerk's GPS locator and nylon nets -- within easy reach.
But neither fishermen nor their regulators reacted to the change. The result has been an entirely avoidable, man-made disaster. These increasingly powerful boats have beaten down many stocks of groundfish -- the cod, flounder, and other species that feed near the ocean bottom. Although some species have begun to show signs of revival, the industry remains locked in economic depression, threatening the kind of collapse that has wiped out Newfoundland's fishing industry.
The risk is not to the regional economy -- once the engine, fishing is now, outside of a few ports, a small business here -- but more to regional identity. Surviving the loss of a few thousand jobs along the coast is imaginable in a way that New England without fishing -- home to the bean but not the cod -- is not.
And so the decisions made in the coming weeks will be among the most pivotal in the more than three centuries of our iconic industry. Yet setting a new course for fishing in New England is not as simple as picking one of the five complex options to be debated next month, options that include the kind of strict catch quotas that New England, unlike some other North American fisheries, has largely avoided.
If there is to be a solution that works -- one that does not just set new rules but creates a climate in which they will be accepted and obeyed -- it can't come from the government or courts alone, veterans of the conflict agree. The present dilemma is very much the result of a clash of cultures between three very different groups of people -- scientists, environmentalists, and fishermen -- whose interests and passions have collided time and again at the water's edge, building a deep well of distrust that has worsened and sustained the crisis.
It falls to scientists to determine how many fish are left -- and thus how many can be caught -- yet the ways of these ancient animals are difficult to plumb. Counting fish has proved a profoundly difficult thing to do. Most fishermen believe the scientists are not up to the task; indeed, some have even actively sabotaged the fish counting effort that ultimately will govern whether they have work or not.
Environmentalists have also played a crucial role, filing lawsuits that have moved the government to forcefully intervene to stop overfishing. But their idealism has come at a price: the imperiled livelihood of hundreds of fishermen and their families. Environmentalists increasingly see the need to find a middle way, balancing advocacy for the fish with compassion for those who catch them.
Finally, there are the fishermen themselves. Many are focused, naturally enough, on survival. But to survive as a group, this band of individualists will have to come to consensus on a gut-wrenching fact: Some must go.
"In the past, it's been a complete disaster," says Vaughn Anthony, a retired National Marine Fisheries Service scientist who has watched the crisis build over more than 30 years. "But we have a chance for a magnificent fishery again."
The killing machines
They appeared like giant sea creatures in the 1960s, pushing through the frigid Atlantic just a few miles off New England's coast.
And, in a sense, they were monsters. With their football-field-size nets, the 400-foot ships were nearly perfect fish-killing machines. Called "factory trawlers," they came from the Soviet Union, Japan, and other nations to scour fish from international waters and then fillet and freeze everything right on board. The boats were so efficient, fishermen swore that the seagulls that followed them in search of food starved to death.
"After the trawlers came, if you happened to be somewhere when they descended on you, two days later there were no fish," says Jake Dykstra, a white-bearded 82-year-old Rhode Island fisherman. "We didn't believe it could happen."
Before the trawlers, Dykstra and his peers had little reason to think of fish as anything but an unlimited resource. Even after the government stepped in to seize control of the nation's fisheries from these giant boats in 1976, fishermen continued to see the ocean as eternally able to rejuvenate itself.
For Dykstra, as for many, the equation was simple: Rough work for a decent living. And it was very rough work.
Dykstra, who started fishing when he was eight, has constant pain in his knees from decades of kneeling on a pitching deck, picking fish from his net. Today he can't stand for long. But he loved being on the open water catching scup and butterfish, and he also loved the money. Fishing bought Dykstra a boat, a house, and a good life.
"It was what I knew," Dykstra says. "But it also paid."
Yet the fishery he knew was already diminished from its glory years. Before the arrival of modern boats, New England's waters were even richer, and the fish were huge. Some legends say fish were so plentiful, it was hard for a small boat not to bump into 3-foot-long cod; one fish, caught in 1895, weighed over 200 pounds. Today, the average size of cod on the Scotian Shelf, a stretch of Atlantic off Nova Scotia, is 6.5 pounds. In the 1850s, it was 20 pounds.
New England became an international hub of the trade in cod cured with salt, a signature food item before the invention of refrigeration. Cargo ships brought loads of salt here from as far away as Sicily and left heavy with salted cod caught in the Grand Banks off Newfoundland for destinations around the world. These were the "salt bankers" described in Rudyard Kipling's "Captains Courageous."
The cod became a symbol of prosperity in New England, with its image carved in the woodwork of wealthy merchants' mansions. A carved wooden cod still hangs in the Massachusetts State House.
And so there had seemed little cause for worry when the foreign trawlers steamed into view. The fish might be smaller than they once were, but the nets were full. Thus, the early reception was friendly. The trawler captains were mostly interested in herring, mackerel, and squid -- species New Englanders snubbed. When local swordfishing boats ran out of live bait, East German captains would happily dump a load of herring on their decks.
But between 1963 and 1974, New England's groundfish declined by almost 70 percent, according to US government statistics. So many trawlers were on the water, Dykstra remembers nights at sea lit up like Times Square.
Dykstra, then president of the Point Judith Fishermen's Cooperative Association, Rhode Island fishermen who collectively processed and marketed their catch, suggested a one-sentence law: No one but US fishermen could fish within US waters.
It took more than 50 pages to finally say it, but in 1976, Congress passed a bill now known as the Magnuson-Stevens Fisheries Conservation and Management Act. The law, which claimed all fishing rights within 200 miles of the American coast, took effect in 1977.
The foreign trawlers were kicked out, and American fishermen had the fishing to themselves -- and, before long, a new problem.
High times in Boomtown
By the late 1970s, the tired, old Italian fishermen playing cards and drinking beer in Gloucester's St. Peter's Club were sitting up straight at the conversations they overheard.
Fishermen were talking about making money again. St. Peter's was the unofficial headquarters of Gloucester's fishing community, a rectangular building on Main Street with a worn bar on the first floor. Photographs of sailors and their boats lined the walls, and a 600-pound stone statue of St. Peter -- the patron saint of fishermen -- rested on a pedestal nearby. For years St. Peter's was where fishermen went to complain about the trawlers and the bad fishing.
Now, the fishermen were clanking mugs together and boasting about steel-hulled boats and newly painted pilothouses. They took daily bets on who would bring home the biggest catch.
With the foreign trawlers gone, and with government assistance pouring in, an irrational exuberance had taken hold. Landings of cod and other fish shot up, and the money poured in.
"The times were high," remembers Vito Calomo, who finished building a new steel-hulled boat, the Italian Gold, in 1980. "Fishermen wanted to have bragging rights. Their chest would come out like they won the Olympics, and it was all about who could catch the most fish the fastest."
The US Commerce Department and other federal agencies had begun trying to rebuild and modernize New England's aging fleet, with loan guarantees, even before the foreign trawlers left. But with foreign competition gone, opportunity beckoned. New tax laws gave lucrative credits to people investing in boats, drawing in money from bankers, businessmen, and others riding high in the go-go 1980s.
The boom hit everywhere. Off Portsmouth, N.H., a Badger's Island boat-building company arranged "package" deals for investors to take advantage of loan guarantee programs: If they built a boat, the company would provide a bona fide captain to catch the fish.
In New Bedford, fishermen remember bank officers in shiny shoes coming down to the docks to woo them into taking out loans. The construction of new groundfishing boats in the northeast tripled in just three years, peaking in 1979 with the launch of 176 vessels.
It was easy to be swept up in the excitement. In Virginia, a businessman named John Hastings and four partners took the tax credits and built the Virginia Gentleman, an 83-foot steel hulled boat in an Alabama boatyard. A government loan guarantee secured a low-interest rate.
Vito Seniti, an Italian immigrant, purchased the Virginia Gentleman for $425,000 in 1986, with the help of the government loan.
"When I bought the Virginia Gentleman, the government called me, and they said, `We'll even give you another boat,' " remembers Seniti, who still fishes. "They wanted you to fish."
These were killer boats. Armed with modern electronics; powerful diesel engines; and sturdy, efficient trawls, they could take many more fish than the previous generation of vessels. One marine economist estimated the productivity of the average groundfish boat increased by 10 percent annually between 1977 and 1982.
The number of fish being landed at New England ports soared. Between 1976 and 1982, the amount of Georges Bank cod landed jumped from about 15,000 metric tons to a high of more than 39,000 metric tons -- about 60 million servings -- worth more than $60 million in 2002 dollars. In 2001, fishermen landed 10,635 metric tons of cod from Georges Bank.
Standing between the growing army of fishermen and the fish stocks was a government group called the New England Fishery Management Council. Created by the Magnuson Act, the council was charged with deciding what restrictions are needed to ensure that fishermen don't overfish.
But the majority of the council is made up of fishermen -- not a group with an interest in raising a caution flag, particularly in flush times. It was a self-defeating formula for preserving the fishery. And, soon enough, the signs of defeat were unmistakable.
In its first decade of "saving" New England groundfish, the government allowed the overall population to drop by a stunning 65 percent. By 1989, even the reluctant council had to admit there was a problem, declaring cod, haddock, and yellowtail flounder overfished, but did little about it.
At Gloucester's St. Peter's Club, fishermen started talking again about disappearing fish. Some blamed it on unusually cold water. Quietly, a few began seeing the wisdom in limits on the catch, as painful as that would be.
As St. Peter looked on, the debates raged over. But the peeling paint on boats down at the state pier and the rattling trucks in the parking lot told the real story: There were barely enough fish to make a living.
"We got scared," Calomo says.
Spreading the misery around
On March 9, 1994, a group of angry fishermen tore through the Gloucester waterfront, tipping over cars and tossing fish off a truck. Two days later several hundred New Bedford fishermen made their way from Leonard's Wharf to the local federal building, throwing rocks and setting off the kind of orange smoke devices used to declare an emergency at sea.
Up and down the New England coast that month, protests roiled virtually every major fishing port. The reason? The council had finally decided to act, announcing limits on the number of days fishermen would be allowed to go to sea. The restrictions were the first in a series of increasingly stringent measures, each one ratcheting up the outrage of fishermen, but each still inadequate to address the dilemma.
The council's choice was and remains to spread the misery around, tightening limits on everyone, instead of addressing the fundamental problem: There are too many boats, a fleet of 1,500 in a fishery that can sustain perhaps 300-400 full-time boats.
"The council has never made the hard cuts it needs to," says Andrew Rosenberg, the former northeast administrator of the National Marine Fisheries Service, the federal agency which overseas the nation's fisheries. Rosenberg used to call his job "a thousand ways of saying you're killing too many fish."
Quotas are the rule in most well-managed fisheries. In Alaska, for example, the pollock catch -- the single largest in the world -- closes down when the annual limit is reached.
But here, after one early experiment with annual catch quotas triggered rage and cheating by fishermen, the council has relied on what is known as "effort control."
It is, simply put, a way to set limits on the catch by making fishermen less efficient. First, a target for the catch is set, based on scientists' estimate of what the fishery can sustain. Then the council decrees limits on how many days boats can fish, what kind of gear they can use, and when they must throw fish back.
Nieuwkerk, for example, is allowed to go after groundfish only 70 days each year on the Hannah-Jo, and he must use a net with a wide mesh that allows smaller fish to escape.
But effort control hasn't worked because the council has refused to set limits that are strict enough. And when the fishermen catch more than the target for the year, as they have routinely in recent years, the council has done little about it. In the 1996 fishing year, for example, the fleet caught nearly four times the amount of Georges Bank cod it was supposed to. In 2001, they were still catching more than twice the target.
"We only have those targets because the government says we have to," says one council member who asked not to be identified. "We don't like them."
As the council has dithered, the perils of inaction have been spotlighted outside our waters. In April Canadian officials banned both commercial and recreational cod fishing off Newfoundland, acknowledging that efforts to turn around their collapsed stocks had been a total failure. And a number of scientists have called for a total ban on cod fishing in the North Sea, saying that the population is so threatened it could go the way of Canada's stocks.
Beginning in the 1990s, Congress did attempt to reduce the number of boats in the New England fleet. But because the effort was driven by the desire to help struggling fishermen rather than encourage them into another line of work, it wound up having little impact on fleet size.
Congress spent $24 million buying back boats from fishermen and then ordered their destruction. But other boats quickly took their place on the water, according to a report by the General Accounting Office.
In 1996, Vito Seniti's Virginia Gentleman met its end in a gritty marina underneath the Fairhaven-New Bedford bridge. The government that helped pay to build it bought it back and ordered it destroyed.
"It killed me," Seniti says. "Everything on that boat was new."
Today the council can point to some successes. Yellowtail flounder in Georges Bank is thriving; haddock and winter flounder are staging a solid recovery. The council has totally rebuilt the scallop population, bringing an economic boon to New Bedford.
"I have been critical of the council myself," says Tom Hill, the council's vice-chairman. "But we have achieved some great successes."
But many fish species show little sign of bouncing back. A number of fish stocks are still near the lowest level they have ever been. And there is still this fact: Twenty-seven years after the government stepped in to revive the groundfish stocks, there are about the same number of groundfish -- and a lot fewer cod.
'Something is wrong'
Cranking in his third string of gillnets in roiling seas 43 miles off Portland, Nieuwkerk guided a monkfish down a deck chute to crewman David Barthelmey, who sliced the fish and threw its entrails to a waiting flock of seagulls. A cod came next, then a pollock, then a flounder.
Fishing is the only work that Nieuwkerk, a blond man with powerful arms, has ever known. The son of a Dutch psychiatrist, he began fishing as a child, escaping from sailing on his family's boat to go down to the Cape Porpoise dock in Kennebunkport and fish.
He chose fishing as his life's work in high school and painstakingly worked on boats, saving a little each week, to buy his first boat 21 years ago.
"I just don't know," Nieuwkerk says now, "what is going to happen."
Part of the allure of fishing is the stark independence of the life, of man and net, and the dangerous sea. But now Nieuwkerk's fate is tied up with a cast of characters he has never met.
There is Steve Murawski, a bearded man who once worked a swordfish boat out of Gloucester, but who now directs government scientists' efforts to count New England's fish from a crowded office in Woods Hole. There is Peter Shelley, a lifelong environmentalist who has lost some of the early idealism of his youth and now worries that some of his colleagues are going too far.
And there are others, too, who may have bits of wisdom to offer him: Gudrun Palsdottir, the matriarch of a fishing family in a tiny Icelandic village, where experiments with quotas are having some effect. Or Luis Ribas, a Portuguese-born fisherman who is convinced he has a novel way to save the fish and save the fleet -- even as he can't afford to insure his two old wooden boats.
For Nieuwkerk, and for all fishermen, there are many reasons to be angry right now. They love the ocean, and depend on it, yet environmentalists accuse them of wanting to exploit it. They find their lives and livelihood controlled by scientists who speak, sometimes patronizingly, in the detached language of statistics. Over the coming year, they feel they are going to be punished -- and many put out of business -- by a government that utterly failed to do its job.
In Portland, or any other fishing community, it is not uncommon to see the bumper sticker: "Commercial fishing is not a crime."
On a recent fishing trip, Nieuwkerk had to turn back early as the weather soured. The waves were 9 feet high, but the real danger was a wind that ripped around from southwest to northeast in a half-hour. Nieuwkerk's boat, little more than a pilothouse and an open deck with a thigh-high railing and three bunks below, was getting a vicious tossing. A coffee cup fell off a chair and rolled across the pilothouse floor. Cod, hake, pollock, and flounder sloshed in a long white freezer at the back of the boat.
In the warmth of the pilothouse, Nieuwkerk contemplated the mad world he has found himself in. It is a world in which he must throw dead cod back into the sea. It is also a world in which the fish seem to be coming back, but fishermen are about to be ordered to fish even less, or maybe not to fish at all.
"There is so much more cod out there than ever before, but the scientists say there still isn't enough," Nieuwkerk says as he gazes out at the relentless march of steel-gray waves. "Something is wrong."
Tomorrow: Counting cod, courting controversy


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It's the last day of 2008, so we at Unframed thought we'd look back on some of the stories of the last year that stuck with us.
Acquisition Story
I really didn't want to choose a story about LACMA, being the LACMA PR Director and all. Seemed kind of like a cheap move. But months later, I still think of this article by L.A. Times writer Suzanne Muchnic. It's about the museum's acquisition of Ed Kienholz's The Illegal Operation and about so much more as well. My, how times have changed, and for the better...
Edward Kienholz, The Illegal Operation, 1962
Spectator Architecture
Like millions of other people around the world, I tuned in for two weeks in August to the Summer Olympics in Beijing. What gave me the greatest pleasure was not Michael Phelps's eight gold medals or watching professional ping pong in prime time; it was the architecture. For fourteen days and nights, television cameras panned across Herzog & de Meuron's Bird's Nest and PTW Architects' luminous Water Cube. Even Rem Koolhaas's still-in-progress CCTV Headquarters got its share of blimp-camera coverage, despite having nothing to do with the games. How could we not take the time to marvel at three of the most compelling works of architecture of the year? They were easily as impressive as Michael Phelps. More so, if you ask me.
Wake Up Call
The "if you build it they will come" mentality that led to financial collapse of MOCA is, to our mind, the most critical arts story of 2008. Though MOCA fortunately did not raid its collection to pay bills as has the National Academy of Design, the meltdown of such core practices and principles at public art museums raises troubling questions about stewardship and philanthropy that are a warning and a wake up call for everyone concerned.
Austen Bailly and Devi Noor
Robert Rauschenberg
We should not let 2008 go by without noting the departure of Robert Rauschenberg, who died in May, at age 82, at his home on Captiva Island, Florida. There are some artists whose existence in the world—just the possibility that they're out there, working, seeing things—is a comfort, something cool held in reserve, and Rauschenberg was one of them. I remember seeing his Combines show at MOCA in 2006 and reading the wall labels listing the things he made art from (the following are from one work—Untitled, ca. 1954—"oil, pencil, crayon, paper, canvas, fabric, newspaper, photographs, wood, glass, mirror, tin, cork and found painting with pair of painted leather shoes, dried grass, and Dominique hen mounted on wood structure on five casters"). There is a sense of humor and freedom here that will be much missed. Before I go home tonight I'm going to take the escalator up to the Rauschenberg gallery in BCAM for one more look.
Robert Rauschenberg, Untitled (Red Painting), 1954, The Eli and Edythe L. Broad Collection, Los Angeles


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Sioux Falls Man Hit with Pepper Spray During Robbery
A Sioux Falls man says he was robbed by two acquaintances Wednesday evening as he walked in the 1800 block of South Minnesota Avenue.
Information Officer Sam Clemens says the 18-year-old man told police it happened around 7:00 p.m. Wednesday.
"He said he met up with two people he knows and they ended up threatening him with some mace and demanded his money. Once he gave them the cash they sprayed him anyway and took his cell phone and ran away."
Clemens says the victim gave police the names of the two suspects, but they were not located.
The man did not require medical treatment.
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