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With the arrival of Spring, Rome incredibly becomes even more beautiful. It's almost impossible to believe that Rome can be even more beautiful than usual, but this transformation makes this city in Lazio, especially in this period, tinted in rose, almost becoming a painting in the open sky.
Today we do not want to tell you about Pincio or Villa Borghese, but a small place unknown to many, that every year gives us the gift of marvellous colours to see: we are at The lake of Eur.
Eur, is an area of Rome, mainly known for its work related zone. Here ,you will find many administrative offices for many agencies in Rome., however that is not all you will find. There are many large homes, buildings and structures, and to say they are romantic or pretty, there is just about little or nothing. EUR is distinctively different from the streets of Trastevere, from the green of Villa Borghese or the splendour of the Vatican. However , at this time of year, it is one of the most beautiful places in Rome.
CHERRY BLOSSOMS, lake of EUR, Sakura trees, Spring in Rome


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Check out the latest T-shirt design from one of our favorite T-shirt vendors in the UK. Entitled Quattrific, the new design is geared towards the hordes of fans who love Audi's rallying era with a clean artistic design depicting the S1 rally car. Check it out after the jump.
More Information

subset: commoncrawl


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Blog of Dr. Miland Brown that features different aspects of world history. Not everything can be covered but sites dealing with any historical issue or topic are possible future posts. Also includes sites which discuss teaching history. Dr. Brown is an academic in North America.
Thursday, September 21, 2006
How Did Wal-Mart Attain a Cost-Leadership Position?
Wal-Mart has pursued many strategies over the decades to achieve and then maintain a cost-leadership position. Some have failed but the majority have been successful. Of these, six are of note. These include 1. an innovative warehousing system, 2. an emphasis on everyday low prices, 3. basing store design on consumer studies, 4. effective use of superstores, 5. using size to negotiate for the best price on brand-name items, and 6. an industry leading inventory control system.
One of the biggest innovations that Wal-Mart has introduced was in having a flexible regional warehouse system. Most Wal-Mart stores are within a six hour drive of a Wal-Mart warehouse. Wrote Camerius (2004), "Wal-Mart built the distribution center first and then spotted stores around it, pooling advertising and distribution overhead" (p. C377).
The use of new distribution centers continues to be a part of Wal-Mart growth. Scheraga (2005) wrote, "The locations of the facilities indicate Wal-Mart's expansion plans. They also illustrate an ongoing challenge the retailer faces in choosing DC locations: Wal-Mart is adding stores at such a pace that new DCs must be planned five years in advance of the store expansion they are designed to support. The first step in the DC site-selection process is identifying the centroid or the point most central to the locations the DC is meant to support" (p. 68)
This has been a sound policy for Wal-Mart. All stores need to be restocked frequently. As such, warehouses are a necessity. To make the most money, the business should have the fewest number of warehouses supporting the most number of stores for efficiency. Further, to be responsive to store needs, each warehouse should be as close as possible to the actual stores. Getting the contrast between a lower number of warehouses coupled with short distances can be hard. However, Wal-Mart solved this problem early on and continues to benefit from it. The warehouse system reduces overhead for Wal-Mart significantly reducing production costs. This then has been translated into lower prices for consumers.
A second strategy that Wal-Mart has pursued has been everyday low costs for customers. While many businesses have attempted to make this claim, few have delivered like Wal-Mart. Rather than have a few loss leaders on sale every week, Wal-Mart attempts to keep all items in the store cheaper than competitors. This then allows Wal-Mart to avoid costly weekly advertising in newspapers. Customers know that all Wal-Mart items are always on sale.
Anonymous (1995) wrote of the Wal-Mart approach, "There are only two ways to lower prices: Lower the cost of goods sold through improved supplier relationships while holding gross margin percentage constant, or, lower the retail prices. Increasing the range of merchandise requires either: increasing merchandise intensity per square foot, or, increasing store size. Wal-Mart has been pushing both these initiatives relentlessly over the past 10 years. By lowering gross margins and reducing costs of goods sold, Wal-Mart has been able to strengthen its price and value image" (p. 46).
Clearly, this has been an effective strategy for Wal-Mart. Consumers think of Wal-Mart as a low cost product provider. This is central to Wal-Mart's image. The smiley face dancing around slashing prices on TV commercials resonates with the public. This has a drawback with a backlash by some social activists who deride the low costs as harmful to society. However, in the American capitalistic society, it has been almost uniformly positive for the Wal-Mart business plan.
A third area that Wal-Mart has used to maintain a cost leadership has been designing stores based on consumer studies. Looking at consumer research, Wal-Mart has built stores with wide aisles, warm colored carpeting, and smiley faced store displays. The stores are known for having friendly greeters. Further, Wal-Mart uses brown papers bags rather than plastic bags in some instances. All of these store designs have resulted from Wal-Mart heeding consumer studies.
This is important as these store features have been identified with Wal-Mart by customers. This has translated into higher sales. Hence, the good use of research has helped Wal-Mart attain and keep their cost leadership position. As Camerius (2004) noted, "Consumer studies determined that the chain was particularly adept at striking the delicate balance needed to convince costumers its prices were low without making people feel that its stores were too cheap" (p. C377).
A fourth strategy that Wal-Mart has pursued has been building superstores. Wal-Mart is not alone in this approach (K-Mart, Home Depot for example) but has been successful in doing it. The large 100,000 to 300,000 square feet buildings merge the general merchandise sales approach with a warehouse model. This allows for a reduction in operating expenses which then translates into further price reductions for consumers. It also has allowed Wal-Mart to branch into the grocery business.
This model closely matches first the strategy of warehouses discussed earlier. This in many strengthens the warehouse approach. In addition to having warehouses close to store, many stores also now have a larger inventory of goods to sell on hand. As Wal-Mart knows what items sell in large quantities, they can have them at hand reducing transportation costs and making more sales if there is a run on an item. At the same time, there is a warehouse close by if they need to have additional merchandise delivered.
This appears to have been a successful model for Wal-Mart. Customers seem to appreciate having a large number of items on one place. This includes having low cost grocery items. Many customers can buy new clothes, pick up a new appliance, and buy their groceries in one shopping trip. This has been a winning idea and has broadened the number and types of items that Wal-Mart can offer consumers.
The fifth strategy that this post will discuss is perhaps Wal-Mart's most controversial way of maintaining a cost-leadership position. Wal-Mart has used both its large size and geographical diversity to directly bargain with brand-name product producers. This saving could be passed on to Wal-Mart customers. Camerius (2004) wrote, "As the nation's largest retailer and in many geographic areas the dominant distributor, it exerted considerable influence in negotiation for the best price. Delivery terms, promotion allowances, and continuity of supply. Many of these benefits could be passed on to consumers" (p. C382).
Few retail chains have the ability to negotiate the same low prices that Wal-Mart has been able to do. This has been a huge advantage for Wal-Mart. It makes it virtually impossible for retailers to compete with Wal-Mart on many items. The public realizes this and patronizes Wal-Mart. However, it has also created a backlash from consumer advocates claiming that Wal-Mart drives smaller competitors out of business with predatory pricing. This has not impacted the success of Wal-Mart as a cost-leader. However, it has created a PR backlash which may threaten its future.
As such, the ability to negotiate with the power of size and regional distribution capability has been a huge winner for Wal-Mart. The company has become synonymous with low prices. Customers appreciate this. This has been a successful strategy. However, it has also planted the seeds for what could be an eventual downfall politically or economically if the public turns against this concept and blames Wal-Mart as one of the primary boogie man of the working class.
The final strategy this post will examine is the Wal-Mart inventory system. A computer network connects all of the stores to Wal-Mart headquarters. Every product is recorded as it is scanned when purchased. When a particular product is selling well, Wal-Mart headquarters can send a message to a warehouse to immediately ship the product to a store. In this way, Wal-Mart never runs out of a product which is selling well. Wal-Mart can respond to consumer demand almost immediately. How can most local businesses and even other national chains compete with this? In most cases, they can not and Wal-Mart has benefited.
An anonymously written Chain Store Age article from 1999 reported an interesting quote from a small business owner (Charles Weinacker) who worked with Wal-Mart.
"There is no excuse for being out of stock if you are a vendor with Wal-Mart using Retail Link. I know where I am every day with Wal-Mart," Weinacker says. "That's where they are kicking butt. They are never out of stock. Their biggest concern today is people aren't using the system," Weinacker says (p. 92).
Is this a good strategy for maintaining cost-leadership? As other retailers are rushing to copy this system, the answer would seem to be yes. This is a good strategy. Many recent news items have not only acknowledged this but addressed how Wal-Mart is pushing this further by introducing RFIDs for every item that a producer ships to Wal-Mart.
Wal-Mart has more than six strategies for how it achieved and is maintaining a cost-leadership position. Thee could be strategies that have not been reported here which could even be more important than these six. However, this is a representational sampling of the ideas which have lead to the success of Wal-Mart.
Anonymous. (1995). The profit wedge: Key to successful retailing. Chain store with executive with shopping center age, 71 (January), 46-48.
Anonymous. (1999). Vendor challenge: Vendors armed with data to meet the future. Chain store age, 75(13), 92, 93.
Berman, R. (2006). Behind the Wal-Mart bill. Chain store age, 82(3), 48.
Camerius, J.W. (2004). Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.: Strategies for dominance in the new millennium. In C. Hill & G. Jones (Eds.), Strategic management: An integrated approach (C374-C385). Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Company.
Scheraga, D. (2005). Wal-Mart's muscle. Chain store age, 81(6), 64-66.
2 comments:
- Ahistoricality said...
allows Wal-Mart to avoid costly weekly advertising in newspapers
Then why do I get MallWart circulars on a weekly basis?
For that matter, I've never seen paper bags or carpeting in one of those stores. Is Anonymous reliable?
- M said...
The anonymous article from 1995 is from a reputable trade magazine. However, it is eleven years old now which is OK for me as I was looking over several decades just not current.
Wal-Mart may be using circulars now but it has not always been part of their business plan. They could probably drop circulars and feel the impact the least compared to their competitors.
My local Wal-Mart has carpeting and gives me paper bags. I am sure there are some regional differences even though all the stores have the same parent company.


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Well. He is. I'm slowly converting. But mostly just cause I like wearing the cute jersey and having pizza parties with friends. Cop out? Yes. But when I actually get to wear my new snazzie jersey and blue-tastic tights combo around the house on game day... will he care?
The answer is no friends. No he will not.
P.S. This is what it looks like out our front window right now. Poor little cul-de-sac.
And that's how I've been spending most of my time these days. And in case you were wondering, a vent is a lame and sorry excuse for a fireplace. But it keeps my toesies warm.


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The California budget deficit is President Obama's fault. That's not my opinion. Its the official view of Gov. Schwarzenegger and 2/3 of the California legislature -- as embodied in the recently passed (and tardy) state budget.
To balance the budget, lawmakers and the governor are counting on $4 billion in federal funds that haven't been approved but that the state believes it's entitled to. This isn't simply phony accounting. It's also blame-shifting. The legislature and governor are saying: if those funds don't show up, the resulting deficit is the federal government's fault, not the state's.
That's unfair. California's budget deficit is largely a product of a broken system that was created by Californians. But it would be nice if the president were forced to answer detailed questions about California and its problems on this trip. In contrast to President Clinton, who seemed deeply engaged in the state's troubles after the early 1990s recession, President Obama has kept his distance. He's shown up to campaign for allies and raise money -- and that's what he'll be doing during this week's visit. That's produced massive traffic tie-ups (my Los Angeles neighborhood is still up in arms about his last visit, for a Democratic fundraiser, which created gridlock for four hours) but not much else for the state.
Obama needs to submit to questions from California voters and reporters. Among the things he should be asked. Is California, with its 12.5 percent unemployment rate, a drag on the recovery? And if so, why don't you have a strategy for bringing jobs back here? And do you think the budget cuts and tax hikes that California has resorted to to balance its budget have been a drag on the national economy? And if so, why haven't you done more to help the state out financially?


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LGS + P1 "Super Seeing" mode
You are here
- 1.0 Introduction
- 2.0 Performance
- 3.0 Current Instrument Testing Status
- 4.0 OT Visualization
1.0 Introduction
In 2012, we commissioned a new observing mode for ALTAIR LGS known as LGS+P1. In place of using a nearby tip-tilt focus (TTF) NGS, we have added the option of using a peripheral wavefront sensor (PWFS1 or P1) for the NGS TTF measurement. This mode does not provide diffraction-limited resolution, but instead gives "super-seeing" by reducing the natural seeing PSF FWHM by a factor of 2-3. The major benefit of this seeing-improver mode is that it increases the LGS sky coverage to almost 100%, providing a significant level of PSF correction for a wide variety of applications.
To enable LGS+P1, the P1 wavefront sensor was upgraded, replacing the 6 x 6 lenslet array with a 2 x 2 array, thus increasing its sensitivity. A narrow band (FWHM = 10 nm) notch filter was installed to block out the Rayleigh backscatter for the laser propagation, while still allowing the standard set of filters to be used.
Currently, LGS+P1 has been commissioned with NIRI in f/14 and f/32 configurations and with NIFS. It is important to know that significant flexure issues remain (see section 3.0 below) which limit the use of this mode on targets that are not visible during acquisition and also drastically limit the amount of time that a target can remain in a spectroscopic slit. We are currently working to resolve these issues.
2.0 Performance
2.1 On-Axis Performance
The performance on-axis will improve the image quality by a factor of 2-3 over the natural seeing. We have tested this in a small variety of seeing conditions, as shown in Figure 1.
Figure 1: Delivered image FHWM for both NIRI f/14 and f/32 exposures for a range of natural seeing conditions.
Figure 1 shows the LGS+P1 mode performance measured from individual exposures for two nights worth of test data taken under a range of seeing conditions for both NIRI f/14 (texp = 30 sec) and f/32 (texp = 10 sec) configurations. These preliminary results indicate that use of LGS+P1 improves the "effective seeing" from IQ70 to IQ20.
The bottom panel illustrates that K'-band correction is better than H and J. More data are required to assess the effective IQ benefits for excellent seeing cases. Note that for all these data the P1 guide star (using the R filter) was ~ 5'-6' from the field center.
2.2 Field-of-View PSF Variability
Figure 2: NIRI F/14 images of the central region of NGC 2419 for seeing-limited P1 guiding (top) and LGS+P1 (bottom) for (left-to-right) J, H, and K' bands. Each image is the co-added sum of four 30sec exposures.
Figure 2 compares a sequence of seeing-limited images with P1 guiding (i.e. non-LGS native seeing) to corresponding LGS+P1 images showing the decrease in the mean FWHM across the images for three wavebands. In f/14 mode the FoV is 51.2" and the PSF variability, as measured by the FWHM dispersion, across the field is ~ 6% for both seeing-limited and corrected images. For these data the P1 guide star was ~ 5.6' from the field center. For the corrected data, the ALTAIR estimated V-band seeing was 0.40", 0.40" and 0.46" when the J, H and K images were taken, respectively.
2.3 Encircled Energy (NIFS)
Figure 3 shows the encircled energy fraction as a function of radius in the NIFS PSF for different guide modes. These are empirical measurements, taken under similarly good seeing conditions. The 'NGS' case used a bright (R~10) on-axis guide star. The 'LGS' case used a moderately bright on-axis tip/tilt star (R~14), and the 'LGS-P1' case used an R~13.3 guide star some 6 arcminutes off-axis. The 'No AO' case used an R~10.7 guide star with the 'P2' guider. Table 1 provides a summary of the PSF parameters and natural seeing conditions for the different observations.
| No AO
|PSF FWHM (diameter):
| 0.13"
| 0.30"
|50% encircled energy radius:
|80% encircled energy radius:
|Energy fraction within NIFS spaxel:
Seeing conditions (FWHM):
Table 1: Parameters of K-band NIFS PSFs shown in Fig.3, giving the empirical Full Width at Half Maximum (not from a model fit); the 50% and 80% encircled energy radii; the fraction of energy falling in a circle of equivalent area to a single NIFS spaxel (0.103" x 0.042"); and the optical (approximately V-band) seeing conditions during the observation.
Figure 3: NIFS PSF encircled energy for various guide configurations."NGS" is classic natural guide star AO with a bright on-axis star. This should give the best AO correction. "LGS" uses a moderately bright (R~14) on-axis star for tip/tilt and focus corrections, and the on-axis laser guide star (LGS). "LGS-P1" uses the LGS on-axis to correct high-order terms, and an R~13.3 guide star on the peripheral wave-front sensor some 6 arcminutes off-axis. "No AO" is for a similar peripheral guide star, but with no on-axis laser correction. Table 1 provides the PSF metrics.
2.4 Sky Coverage
The limiting magnitude of P1 is R ~ 14 so that the guide star limit is brighter than for the conventional LGS mode, but this is more than offset by P1's much larger patrol field. Figure 4 shows the predicted sky coverage as a function of galactic latitude for the LGS+P1 configuration (red) compared with the conventional LGS mode (black).
Figure 4: Comparison of estimated sky coverage for LGS+P1 (red) compared with conventional LGS (black). Note that sky coverage refers to the percentage of sky with guide stars above elevation 40 at Gemini North.
3.0 Current Instrument Testing Status
It is expected that LGS+P1 mode will be used with the NIR instrument suite at Gemini North which comprises NIRI, NIFS and GNIRS. Note that for all instruments SNR estimates can be obtained by using the non-AO Integration Time Calculator (ITC) assuming an IQ = 20% and CC=50% (the CC conditions for Laser use). There are still a significant number of software modifications needed to reach operational efficiency.
Currently, the issue with the greatest impact to science is that significant flexure is seen between the P1 tip/tilt sensor and the various science cameras. This flexure has been measured to be of order 0.4 arcsec per 30 minutes with NIRI, which is similar to the full width at half maximum (FWHM) of the point spread function (PSF). The implications of the current flexure is that slit spectroscopy and blind offsetting are limited by this magnitude of flexure. Thus, for spectroscopy we require that a continuum source be visible (S/N > 1 per spectral element) somewhere in the science frame for typical exposure times (~15 minutes).
In addition, we cannot support blind offsetting (i.e. invisible targets) at this time, since we have no way to independently check if the target has moved out of the science beam nor is the P1 probe mapping reliable for large offsets at this time. This limitation is one of our highest priority issues. However, since this is a work in progress, part of the shared risk nature of this mode includes the possiblity that we may not be able to implement the flexure model, or the magnitude of flexure may be larger or more difficult to correct than expected. In addition, this flexure may significantly complicate reduction as there may be a ~0.2 arcsec image motion every 15 minutes.
Operational efficiency is currently significantly lower than typical LGS. This is because there is signficant operational software work to be done to reduce acquisition times to the current typical LGS overheads. There is the risk that overheads may be larger than expected, which is part of the nature of the shared risk of the mode. Currently, we ask that PIs use the typical LGS overheads listed elsewhere, but be aware that fewer targets or less on-source time may be a reality. Proposals with scientifically viable contingencies will have an advantage in the case that operational efficiency is still reduced when the semester starts.
To estimate exposure times and feasiblity of targets (i.e. that they are visible in the science instrument), we ask that PIs use the Integration Time Calculator (ITC) for the instrument of interest in non-AO mode assuming IQ=20%, CC=50% conditions. Very roughly, the ITC suggests that for broadband point source imaging, there must be a target in the field with magnitude 22 or brighter to satisfy the flexure requirements (S/N > 5 in a typical exposure of a few minutes). For spectroscopy, the limits are about magnitude 20 (S/N > 1 per continuum spectral element).
For extended sources or narrow-band emission lines, PIs should estimate target viability by consulting the ITC directly to ensure that the observer can acquire the target (or another bright target in the same slit for GNIRS) by direct imaging and that the spectra are visible in each exposure so that any movement out of the slit (for GNIRS) or within the IFU (for NIFS) can be tracked.
LGS+P1 has been tested for f/14 and f/32 in the J, H and K bands. It will be available for use in adaptive optics imaging mode as described in the NIRI imaging pages.
The NIFS top-level spectroscopy page gives information on the spectral and guiding properties. This table is reproduced below and for use with LGS+P1 use the PWFS2 patrol field and limiting guide star magnitude (highlighted). The highlighted region of the spectral properties indicate the grating modes which need to be commissioned.
GNIRS has not yet been commissioned with the LGS+P1 mode. This is available in shared risk mode for spectroscopy using the long and short cameras in cross-dispersed and long-slit modes and also for imaging for X – K bands.
4.0 OT visualization
To help visualize the geometry of the field, we include this example image from the Observing Tool. In the image, the laser guide star appears in the center of the globular cluser and the P1 tip/tilt/focus star is towards the bottom of the image, about 7 arcminutes from the science target. The red circle shows the ALTAIR patrol field used for traditional (STRAP) LGS.


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Ritalin is the brand name of the drug methylphenidate hydrochloride. Doctors prescribe Ritalin to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and a sleep disorder known as narcolepsy.
Ritalin is in a class of medications called central nervous system stimulants (CNS stimulants). The drug works by altering the brain's levels of dopamine and norepinephrine, which are neurotransmitters that allow signals to move from one nerve cell to another.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) first licensed methylphenidate hydrochloride in 1955 for treating what was formerly known as hyperactivity, attention-deficit disorder or ADD. The drug was commonly prescribed in the 1990s when the diagnosis of ADHD became better known and accepted. In 2000, Janssen Pharmaceuticals received approval from the FDA to market Concerta, an extended-release form of Ritalin.
A 2012 survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found about 6.4 million children between ages 4 and 17 had been diagnosed with ADHD at some point. This was a 53 percent increase over the previous decade. Approximately two-thirds of those presently diagnosed have been prescribed drugs like Ritalin or Adderall (another common CNS stimulant).
When given for ADHD, Ritalin is usually one part of a treatment plan that may also include cognitive behavioral therapy, family counseling, or other therapies.
Ritalin can be habit-forming and can lead to dependence or abuse. If people take too much of the drug and find that it no longer controls symptoms, they may need to take larger doses. This can result in unusual changes in behavior.
Patients should also avoid abrupt discontinuation of this medication if they have been on it for a long time. You should tell your doctor if you have ever consumed large amounts of alcohol, have ever used street drugs, or have overused prescription medications.
Selling or giving Ritalin away is against the law and could cause harm to others. Patients should store the drug in a safe place so others cannot consume it. Ritalin should not be used in children under 6 years of age because safety and efficacy in this group have not been proven. The drug should also not be used for any condition for which it was not prescribed.
Ritalin may impair a person's thinking and/or reactions. Patients should be particularly careful while driving or performing activities that require them to be alert.
For more information about Ritalin, you can call (888) 669-6682 or view the FDA's medication guide.
Cardiovascular Problems
You should tell your doctor if you have heart problems, heart defects, angina, high blood pressure, or a family history of these conditions. Ritalin and other stimulant medications have been reported to cause the following:
Mental Health Issues
You should tell your doctor if you have any mental health problems or a family history of suicide, psychosis, bipolar disorder, or depression. Ritalin has been associated with the following psychiatric problems:
Circulation Problems
Patients with circulation problems should alert a medical professional if they experience numbness, pain, skin color change, or sensitivity to temperature in the fingers or toes. You should call your doctor right away if you have any wounds or other injuries appearing on your fingers or toes while taking Ritalin, since these may be signs of numbness.
Seizure Disorder
Patients with a history of seizure disorder should inform their physician because Ritalin could lead to seizures.
Other Conditions
Ritalin is not appropriate for everyone. People should not take the drug if they:
Some common side effects of Ritalin include:
Other, less common side effects of Ritalin may include:
Ritalin is listed by the FDA as a "category C" drug, meaning it may present a risk to an unborn baby based on some studies, though the benefits to the mother may outweigh potential risks to the fetus. You should tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant while using this medication.
Ritalin can also penetrate into breast milk and may harm a nursing baby. Patients should not breastfeed while using this drug.
You should tell your doctor about all medications you take, including vitamins and herbal supplements. Ritalin may interact with other drugs such as:
Alcohol should be avoided by patients who take Ritalin. Alcohol can decrease the effectiveness of methylphenidate or lead to harmful interactions.
Foods that contain vitamin C, including fruits, juices, broccoli, strawberries, potatoes, and tomatoes, can interact with Ritalin and make it less effective. You do not need to completely avoid these foods, but you should try not to consume vitamin-C rich foods for about an hour before or after taking Ritalin.
You should also try to avoid drinking carbonated or "fizzy" drinks for an hour before and after your daily dose of Ritalin to prevent a decreased absorption of active ingredients.
Your dose of Ritalin will likely depend on your individual needs and responses and should be adjusted by your health care provider.
Tablets: Typically, doses are taken two or three times daily, 30 to 45 minutes before meals. The average dose is 20 to 30 milligrams a day. Some patients may require 40 to 60 milligrams, while others only need 15 milligrams per day.
SR Tablets : Ritalin-SR tablets last about eight hours and may be prescribed in place of Ritalin tablets. Ritalin-SR tablets should always be swallowed whole and should never be crushed or chewed.
Children (6 years and over)
Tablets : Most children start with 5 milligrams, twice daily (before breakfast and lunch) with gradual increments of 5 to 10 milligrams weekly. A daily dose above 60 milligrams is not recommended.
SR Tablets : Ritalin-SR tablets last about 8 hours. Ritalin-SR tablets should always be swallowed whole and should never be crushed or chewed.
If you take too much Ritalin, you should seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Helpline at 1-800-222-1222. An overdose of methylphenidate can be fatal.
If you miss a dose of methylphenidate, you should take it as soon as you remember. Skip the missed dose if it is later than 6:00 p.m. You should not take extra medicine to make up for a missed dose.
A: Studies have indicated that Ritalin (methylphenidate) may interact with Zoloft (sertraline) causing an increased risk for dangerous side effects. You may want to contact your health care provider to discuss other possible treatment options. For additional information regarding Ritalin (methylphenidate) or Zoloft (sertraline), see: //www.everydayhealth.com/drugs/ritalin //www.everydayhealth.com/drugs/zoloft
A: Ritalin (methylphenidate) is classified as Pregnancy Category C according to studies. According to the FDA, Category C means that studies in animals shows adverse effects on the fetus and there are no studies in women or studies in women and animals are not available. FDA suggest that it should be given only if the benefit justifies the risk to the fetus. Please consult with your PCP or OB-GYN immediately to make a decision regarding taking Ritalin. It is very important for the health of the baby to consult with a physician to let them know all medications the mother is taking.
A: Only your doctor would be able to determine if you are in need of Ritalin or another product like it. Since you stated that you have difficulty concentrating, then it would be a good reason to talk to your doctor about trying a medication to help this condition. If Ritalin is the medication that you would like to try, it doesn't pose any severe interactions with your Celexa or Seroquel. Caution is advised with the Celexa and Ritalin, but can still be used as long as the doctor is monitoring your conditions. Megan Uehara, PharmD
A: Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) can occur in both children and adults. Stimulant medications are usually used to treat ADHD, some examples are: -Methylphenidate (Ritalin, Metadate, Concerta, Daytrana) -Amphetamine (Adderall) -Dextroamphetamine (Dexedrine, Dextrostat). In 2002, the FDA has approved Strattera (atomoxetine), a nonstimulant medication for the treatment of ADHD. In February 2007, the FDA has approved Vyvanse (lisdexamfetamine dimesylate) another stimulant for the treatment of ADHD in children ages 6 to 12 years. Just this month, the FDA has approved another medication called Kapvay (clonidine HCl extended-release tablets) for the treatment of ADHD in children and adolescents ages 6 to 17 years old. Kapvay is to be used as a single-drug therapy or for use as add-on therapy to other stimulant medication. Kapvay is a non-stimulant drug. Studies suggest that Kapvay may help regulate attention and plays a critical role in impulse control, working memory and executive function. When stimulant medications are prescribed by a doctor and are given under supervision, these drugs would be safe to take. Stimulant medications should be taken as directed. Some parents believe that stimulant medications may lead to drug abuse or dependence, but there is not enough evidence to prove this. Studies show that children or adolescents with ADHD who took stimulant medications were less likely to abuse drugs than those who did not take stimulant medications. Talk to your parents and have them contact your healthcare provider about treatment options. Have a discussion with your doctor and talk to them regarding all other prescription or over-the-counter medications you may be taking that may cause any side effects or drug interactions. Anissa Lee, RPh
A: Brand name Ritalin (methylphenidate) is manufactured by Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation. Ritalin is a stimulant medication that affects the central nervous system. It is used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), attention deficit disorder (ADD), and narcolepsy. Ritalin helps to increase attention and control symptoms such as hyperactivity and impulsiveness. Common side effects of Ritalin include dizziness, headache, loss of appetite, nausea, stomach pain, nervousness, irritability, and trouble sleeping. According to available drug information, tics can occur in up to eight percent of children taking stimulant medications, including Ritalin. This would be considered a frequent side effect. These tics occurred in children who did not have them before starting treatment. At least one study found that tics tended to occur more in younger children. If a child develops tics while being treated with stimulant therapy, it is recommended to stop therapy. Contact your doctor right away for proper evaluation and to determine which treatment options best meets the child's needs. This is not a complete list of side effects that can occur with Ritalin. For more specific information, consult with your doctor or local pharmacist for guidance based on your health status and current medications, particularly before taking any action. Sarah Lewis, PharmD
By Julie Marks | Medically Reviewed by Sherry Brooks, MD
Latest Update: 2014-09-03
Copyright © 2014 Everyday Health Media, LLC


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Scientific Advisory Council
Grant Program
Chris Simon was appointed CEO May 2016. Previously, he served as a Senior Partner of McKinsey & Company where he led the Global Medical Products Practice. He brings more than 20 years of experience helping businesses transform and grow.
Mr. Simon was the lead partner for the strategy review with Haemonetics that launched in October 2015, where he gained invaluable insights into the company's business and markets. Together with management and the board of directors, he co-architected the strategic plan that the company is now implementing.
He was with McKinsey since 1993. Before that he served in commercial and operating roles at Baxter Healthcare Corporation and as a U.S. Army Infantry Officer in Korea and with the 1st Ranger Battalion.
Mr. Simon earned a Bachelor of Science in Economics from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and an MBA from Harvard Business School.
Michelle Basil joined Haemonetics in March 2017 as Executive Vice President, General Counsel. She is responsible for Haemonetics' Legal, Compliance, Corporate Development
and Corporate Audits and Controls groups.
Prior to joining Haemonetics, Ms. Basil was a Partner and Chair of the Life Sciences Practice Group at the Boston-based law firm Nutter, McClennen & Fish where she was legal counsel to public and private companies and their investors, principally in the life sciences and medical technology industries. At Nutter, Ms. Basil's practice focused on corporate and securities law, including mergers and acquisitions, strategic collaborations, capital markets transactions, corporate governance and other matters affecting publicly traded companies and their officers and directors.
Ms. Basil is admitted to the bar in Massachusetts and holds both a Bachelor of Arts and a Juris Doctor from the University of California at Berkeley.
Bill Burke joined Haemonetics as Chief Financial Officer in August 2016 and is responsible for the global finance organization including investor relations. Previously, Mr. Burke was Chief Integration Officer and Vice President, Integration for the Medtronic/Covidien merger. Prior to this role, Mr. Burke worked at Covidien for more than nine years in various finance leadership roles including Chief Financial Officer for Europe, Vice President of Corporate Strategy and Portfolio Management and Vice President of FP&A.
Prior to Covidien, he held a number of roles within FP&A and Corporate Audit at Tyco Healthcare Group. Mr. Burke holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Bryant College with a focus in Accounting and is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA).
Josep Llorens joined Haemonetics as SVP, Global Manufacturing and Supply Chain in August 2018, and is responsible for expanding manufacturing capacity, upscaling strategic sourcing, driving greater throughput and improving product quality. Mr. Llorens brings over 20 years of experience in transforming supply chain, logistics and manufacturing operations to increase quality, improve customer satisfaction and reduce costs.
Previously, Mr. Llorens was Senior Vice President, Industrial Strategy and Advanced Manufacturing Engineering Leader for Philips Healthcare Diagnostic Imaging. Before that position, he held various Operations and Supply Chain roles within the Philips health care business, delivering supply chain and operations optimization in Diagnostics and Treatment, Patient Monitoring and Cardiac Care businesses and leading global teams focused on continuous improvement.
Mr. Llorens holds a bachelor's degree in Business Administration from University of Barcelona and a master's degree in Telecommunications Engineering from the Polytechnic University of Catalonia in Barcelona. He also received an Executive Certificate in Technology, Operations and Value Chain Management from the MIT Sloan School of Management.
Chad Nikel joined Haemonetics in 2009 as Site Director for the company's Illinois facility, where he managed TEG operations, research and development, and marketing. In April 2011, he was promoted to Vice President, Global TEG, where he chartered a team in the global launch of the TEG product line and led an initiative to acquire a next generation technology for hemostasis monitoring. Mr. Nikel was promoted to Vice President, North America Blood Bank in September 2013, where he led commercial activities for the company's Blood Center business and assumed global responsibility for the Whole Blood business in 2015. Mr. Nikel was promoted to Vice President, Global Blood Center, in 2017 and to his current role as President, Global Blood Center, in 2018.
Prior to joining Haemonetics, Mr. Nikel was Director, Strategy and Business Development at IPM Life Sciences. He previously held roles in research and development, operations and project management. Mr. Nikel began his career in the United States Air Force, where he served for five years and earned the rank of Captain.
Mr. Nikel holds a Bachelor of Science in both Civil Engineering and Environmental Engineering from the United States Air Force Academy and an MBA from St. Mary's University.
Kevin O'Kelly-Lynch joined Haemonetics in December 2016 as Senior Vice President, Global Business Services. He has an extensive and seasoned background in global business and shared services spanning customer service and tech support, finance, procurement, IT, fleet and sales operations. He brings to Haemonetics the knowledge and experience to help the company successfully transform the way it creates enabling platforms to deliver critical services across multiple functions.
Mr. O'Kelly-Lynch most recently served as Vice President, Medtronic Business Services, where he led the Global Business Services Integration activity post the acquisition of Covidien, and managed a service delivery team of over 600 deployed in the United States, Europe and India. Prior to Medtronic, he was Vice President, Assistant Treasurer at Covidien plc, where he was responsible for global treasury operations. He has also held the position of International Treasurer & Managing Director at Tyco International, and Transfer Pricing Manager and Management Accountant at Diageo plc. He began his career at Fujitsu.
Mr. O'Kelly-Lynch received a Bachelor of Science in Management from Trinity College, Dublin and is a Chartered Global Management Accountant (CGMA).
Dr. Purdy has more than 20 years of experience in medical devices and diagnostics spanning all regions of the world, along with extensive experience in new product submissions, particularly in China, Europe, Japan and the U.S.
Most recently, he was Vice President, Clinical Regulatory and Quality Compliance at Thermo Fisher Scientific since 2012. He was responsible for the oversight and coordination of worldwide regulatory and quality compliance, overseeing a team of 2,500 employees at more than 100 global sites. He also held numerous clinical, regulatory and quality roles of increasing scope at Boston Scientific between 2000 and 2012, playing a critical role in ensuring regulatory and quality excellence for innovation-based products. He began his career working in clinical research at Smiths Medical.
Dr. Purdy holds a doctorate in Human Physiology (Haemodynamics) from the University of Southampton and a Bachelor of Science in Applied & Human Biology from Aston University (both in the UK). He also holds an Advanced Certificate in Management, Innovation and Technology from MIT's Sloan School of Management.
Jacqueline Scanlan joined Haemonetics in March 2017 as Senior Vice President, Human Resources. She is responsible for the global Human Resources and Communications functions, with a focus on driving talent management.
Previously, Ms. Scanlan was Corporate Vice President, Human Resources, North America at Novo Nordisk. In this role, she led all aspects of the organization and people strategy for North America, and served as a key member of the Executive Team. Her responsibilities included organization development as well as change and talent management. Prior to Novo Nordisk, she held various HR leadership roles at Campbell Soup Company, including International HR, Global Talent Management and Organizational Effectiveness, and HR Business Partner. Earlier in her career, Ms. Scanlan held HR and consulting roles at Bristol-Myers Squibb, DuPont Pharmaceuticals Company and Accenture.
Ms. Scanlan received a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from St. Joseph's University and a Master of Science in Organizational Dynamics from the University of Pennsylvania.
Stewart W. Strong joined Haemonetics in September 2019 as President, Global Hospital. He is responsible for overseeing the global Hospital business to drive market leadership and accelerate profitable growth.
With more than 20 years of experience in Interventional cardiology and radiology, general and cardiac surgery and vascular access procedures, Mr. Strong has a robust background developing and leading high performance teams across multiple functions in the medical device space.
Prior to joining Haemonetics, Mr. Strong was President and General Manager of the Interventional Business Unit for Teleflex Incorporated. While in this role Stew helped to transform Teleflex into an established brand in the Interventional Cardiology space. Notably, Mr. Strong helped lead the successful $1 billion acquisition and integration of Vascular Solutions, Inc. in 2017 and the acquisition of Essential Medical in 2018. He previously held the role of Global Vice President and General Manager of Teleflex Cardiac Care and Vice President of Sales for their Vascular business unit. Mr. Strong joined Teleflex through the acquisition of Vidacare Corporation where he held the position of Vice President of Sales. Additionally, he has held leadership roles of increasing responsibility at AtriCure, Inc., Medtronic's Heart Valve division and Johnson & Johnson's Ethicon Endo-Surgery division.
David J. Wilson joined Haemonetics in September 2017 as President, Global Plasma. He is a proven business leader with more than 20 years of experience in senior leadership roles at medical technology companies. He is responsible for expanding and strengthening the company's market position in the plasma industry.
Mr. Wilson was most recently President, Cordis (a Cardinal Health company), which he led from March 2015 through August 2017. Cordis is a nearly $1 billion business focused on cardiovascular devices that Mr. Wilson brought back to profitable sales growth during his tenure as President. Prior to Cordis, Mr. Wilson held positions of increasing responsibility at Johnson & Johnson driving sales, marketing, research and development, operations and business development. He also worked previously in plasma-based sciences both at Ethicon Biosurgery and at Cohesion Corporation.
Mr. Wilson received a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering from Auburn University, a Master of Science in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and an MBA from Columbia University.
© 2011-2020 Haemonetics Corporation


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There's an unlikely hot-button issue in photojournalism today, and it has nothing to do with circulation woes, working in conflict zones or icing down an achy back from lugging equipment.
It's the iPhone. Specifically, "Can I use my iPhone to shoot assignments?"
As photographers ask themselves the question "How am I going to make this look different this time?" they are conflicted about the iPhone's place in the field. Many consider it a toy — just as they did the 35mm camera until its value as a candid camera became evident — but is the resulting work photojournalism? Phone photography? Phonojournalism?
Among the iPhone's biggest proponents is David Hume Kennerly, whose work is shown here. A veteran photojournalist — who won the Pulitzer Prize at the age of 25 for a 1971 portfolio that included pictures of the Vietnam War — he has covered eight wars, was President Gerald Ford's personal photographer and is a television director and producer. He's currently in Afghanistan running photojournalism workshops and is headed to Chicago soon to work on a Discovery channel documentary about White House chiefs of staff called "The Gatekeepers."
He remembers the moment that "really sent me down the iPhone photo path," taking a photograph of a Dallas church on Nov. 18, 2010: "When I got the Hipstamatic application, it really changed my perspective about this whole thing. It's kind of no-fault photography, in a way."
Kennerly has embraced the iPhone aesthetic so completely that it's as much an extension of his vision as any camera ever has been. "The perspective seems to work for me. It's just compatible with the way I see things," he says. The lack of controls and settings on the camera, instead of being limiting, is freeing for him, he adds, and it lets him concentrate on the subject at hand.
The best of his iPhone photographs are stunning for their visual impact — deftly layered and artfully composed. Faces, clouds, close-ups, shadows and brilliant colors (it helps to live in Santa Monica, Calif.) and bold compositions make the photographs "pop." His iPhone photographs are the journal of a well-traveled life, a visceral, visual diary.
Like every other piece of equipment he owns, Kennerly figured out how the iPhone works best and uses it to his maximum advantage. But it's not the camera, or the apps (although he favors Hipstamatic's Ben Watts lens and Big Up film) that give his photos their punch. His photographs show the difference that having a photographer's eye makes, a maturity of vision that transcends any camera choice.
He uses professional cameras for his work, of course, but he's itching for an assignment where he can use his phone alone. "I'll be happy to do that," he says.
In the meantime, Kennerly's Facebook pages are dappled with hundreds of iPhone photos taken since 2010, and fans and friends marvel at his regular photo updates from all over the world. They also ask him for advice, most often why their phone photos don't look like his. "Because I'm a pro!" he shoots back. But then, he explains, "Quite frankly, you can. All you need is 40 years experience."
Michael Zajakowski is a Tribune photo editor.
Twitter @zajakowski


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Tyler The Creater (Odd Future) Having A Convo While Getting Arrested! "Hope You Guys Are Filming This Because I Didnt Do Anything"
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I've never cried in a hardware store before. Although perhaps you have.
I was in E Hayes & Sons in Invercargill in New Zealand. A strange place to hang out on holiday amidst the natural beauty of New Zealand's South Island you may think. And you would be right.
But this is why.
On the way to Invercargill I watched a film starring Anthony Hopkins called The Worlds Fastest Indian. It was made in 2005 and based on the true story of Burt Munro and his quest to turn his 1920s Indian Scout motorbike into the fastest motorbike in the world.
Burt was a somewhat eccentric motorcycle fanatic who spent his time tinkering with his motorbike in his shed, making improvements to the engine and bodywork. He would often work through the night choosing his passion for speed over sleep. He improvised with found items rather than 'proper' equipment. He would cast parts in old tins and make his own barrels and pistons.
In 1962 he travelled alone to the USA to fulfil his ambition to achieve a worldspeed record at Speed Week on the salt flats at Bonneville, Utah.
His local community, friends and family did not believe that he could do it. Even the local motorcycle club were sceptical about their eccentric neighbour. The only person who did believe in Burt was Thomas, the small boy who lived next door.
Against the odds, Burt and the motorbike arrived in Utah, 8,000 miles away in one piece. Burt charmed officials to let him race despite not registering, being 63 years old, riding the oldest bike in the competition with no apparent regard for his own safety. He had no safety parachute or fire extinguisher. Officially both were required in order to be eligible to race.
Burt broke the world record achieving 179 mph. Burt returned to Bonneville several more times setting more speed records in his lifetime. Burt died on 6 January 1978, aged 78.
"You live more in five minutes on a bike like this going flat-out than some people live in a lifetime" Burt Munro
Burt's story inspired me because of his passion (for motorcycles) and his single-minded pursuit (of speed) – and his success despite the odds.
It is an enchanting and beautiful story told with love and humour. I fell in love with Burt Munro a bit. So that's why, when I came across his motorcycle bike and memorial to Burt in a hardware store in Invercargill – it was all a bit emotional.
So if you ever feel in the need of inspiration against the odds, take 90 minutes out of your day-to-day life and watch The Worlds Fastest Indian.


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Inlcudes Kite and Bag only.
Based on the original Rev II design, the JB2 (John Barresi) Signature Series is an amazing new Revolution Quad-line kite you have been waiting for. Faster and more responsive than any other quad-line kite, and less expensive than the full sized JB Sig Series kite.
For more videos on basic quad flying, line management and more visit: Our Forum
The JB2 is sure to become a new favorite for many of our long time Rev flyers... The 6 foot size, speed, and agility may take time to master but your reward is unstoppable fun? The look, the feel, and the flying is a new exhilarating experience. The B2's speed and agility will test your skills in winds over 12 mph.
The three piece leading edge allows the B2 to break pack down to a compact 27" long, making it the most portable Revolution Kite ever made and and your new best friend when traveling.
Check out the video of John Barresi and TK flying the B2 last week in Florida. Watching it took me way back to the early nineties when John would put literally hundreds of hours on his Rev II out in Berkeley.


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Monday, March 27, 2006
The Results Are In
A total of 62 students took the test. 26 students passed the test with an 80 or better. 9 students also passed with grades ranging from 79 down to 70. Here's the part I don't like….27 students failed the test with scores from 69 down to 20. That is the highest number yet who did not pass a nine week benchmark this year. While more students passed than failed I know most of the 27 who failed are capable of doing better.
The reasons for these results are many and that's what frustrates me about testing.
We can blame the testing environment or the timing of the test. It was too hot, too cold, or there were too many phone/intercom interruptions. The test was too close to Spring Break (the day before).
We can blame the test. Are the questions (most of the questions were from a professional resource) poorly constructed? Is the test too hard? Not challenging enough?
We can blame the students. They didn't study. They don't care. They can't read. They aren't motivated. They have test anxiety. They have too much home environment baggage.
We can blame the teacher. The curriculum wasn't taught. The material was taught in a poor manner. The teacher has poor organization skills. The teacher has problems managing the students during lessons. The teacher sticks to one teaching format leaving out various learning styles.
Here's the rest of my test data:
Caucasion: Total-41, Passed-26, Failed-15
Black: Total-18, Passed 9, Failed-9
Hispanic: Total-4, Passed 1, Failed-3
Special Education: Total-7, Passed-5, Failed-2
Gifted: Total-6, Passed-4, Failed-2
Boys: Total-35, Passed 19, Failed-16
Girls: Total-26, Passed 16, Failed 10
The Special Education students took the same test as everyone else. The two who failed had modifications. Two of the incorrect answers were removed. Ten of the 41 who passed earned 100's on the test. Of the four Hispanic students one has only lived in the states and has spoken English since birth----he's also special ed, and passed the test. Two of the Hispanic students have recently arrived from Mexico and are in my room as part of that "Aw, teach 'em American History even though they can't even ask me to go to the restroom without a translator" mentality. The final Hispanic usually makes a 100 on my tests, however, he failed.
All students had the opportunity to have the test read to them. All students had a study sheet one week in advance of the test. Every question and answer that was on the test was on the study sheet.
What do you think? I really want to know. Look at my test. Reread my post with the questions. Tell me honestly what you think.
Here's what I think…I think the State of Georgia is asking a lot of their nine and ten year old students. I think the questions on my test and on the state test (very similar to mine) are too difficult for the average 4th grader. There's too much reading---too much information that confuses students.
Here's another point to ponder. Many teachers in my state are beginning to voice concerns that the there are noticeable dips in the fourth grade state test scores while more students are passing the third grade and fifth grade tests. The third and fifth grade tests are gateway tests to determine if the student can move on or not. The fourth grade test does not determine pass or fail.
Could it be that over the last three years the cut score on the third and fifth grade tests have been shall we say "adjusted" in order to have higher numbers of students meet the bare minimum to pass, while the fourth grade test has not been "adjusted" and remains at the highest level of expectations possible? Could it be that while I'm am trying to ready my students by exposing them to the benchmark tests that are similar to the state test I am simply following the state's lead and setting the students up for failure?
Lurkers, it's time to make yourselves known.
What's a teacher to do?
3 comments:
- Kate said...
I used to teach in GA. I won't go back. I've found a lot of the southern states tend to think if they make the standards tougher, they'll somehow catch up to the higher performing states. The standards are no longer developmentally appropriate.
We've gotten too far from teaching what the kids need to go on. We've also been too busy, in a lot of districts, interfering in HOW teachers teach. Now we have states like FL who are on the verge of linking student test scores to teacher pay, and I wonder:
Who will teach the special education students? The children from disadvantaged families who statistically do poorer on the tests? The ESOL kids? You won't be able to hire the best teachers to go into those jobs, because they'll be better paid if they go where they are LESS needed.
- Jennie W said...
I have to say that when I took your test my thought was that it was too hard for 4th graders. The type of question as well as the thought process to figure them out where just too far above the 4th grade curriculum. I think state testing has been an educational craze...and I'm hoping it goes away, but I'm terrified it won't. I don't think we are getting any better final product with the increase of student testing - its all standardized testing that I don't really think measures student learning.
What's a teacher to do? Run for school board...or maybe Congress...we need some real people up there.
I teach 4th grade in Virginia and I just had a very heated argument about this very topic. I'm glad that teachers are thinking critically about this issue. And I wish that our logical and concerned voices were being heard.
I think that it is really hard to write a Social Studies test that doesn't become a reading test. To understand history, students must have reading skills. Cause and effect, sequencing, making judgements -- students have to have all of this to understand history and they are called upon, in my state, to use these skills on a 4th grade state history test.


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Kristina Kuzmic shares her best tips for avoiding conflict with in-laws and reflects on the lessons she's learned from her own relationship with her mother-in-law.December 5, 2017
Kristina Kuzmic talks about how she makes sure she never forgets her precious holiday memories.November 14, 2017
Kristina Kuzmic shares a personal story about staying positive in even the most difficult of times.October 24, 2017
Kristina Kuzmic shares a story about an early Halloween memory with her kids and why she thinks parents should take more pictures.October 17, 2017
Kristina Kuzmic reflects on the experiences that helped her grow in life and shares the advice she would give to the early-20s version of herself.October 10, 2017
Truth Bomb Mom Kristina Kuzmic shares her back-to-school survival tips, including how to handle homework time and making school more enjoyable for kids.September 25, 2017
Kristina Kuzmic discusses the importance of giving back and how she teaches her children to be confident individuals.September 18, 2017
Truth Bomb Mom Kristina Kuzmic is getting real!September 4, 2017
Kristina Kuzmic discusses how she maintains a positive relationship with her ex.August 28, 2017
Kristina Kuzmic talks about the friendships that helped get her through the tough times in life and why she chose to let go of other friends who were holding her back.August 21, 2017
Truth Bomb Mom Kristina Kuzmic talks dating after divorce and how it can affect not only your children but also you — as both a mom and a person.August 14, 2017
Truth Bomb Mom Kristina Kuzmic shares her best tips for raising teenagers, including dealing with moodiness and how to approach difficult questions.August 7, 2017
Kristina Kuzmic is joined once again by her children's pediatrician, Dr. Neela Sethi, who reveals crucial signs and symptoms to look out for in your children.July 31, 2017
Have you ever seen a parent yelling at their child in public? Kristina Kuzmic has, and she wants you to hear exactly what she said to that mother.July 24, 2017
Kristina Kuzmic wants women to stop being so hard on each other! Hear why she think moms should be less judgmental of one another, plus her thoughts on other topics like divorce, mothers-in-law, and jealousy.July 20, 2017
Join Kristina Kuzmic in the stylist's chair, as she gets her hair done and shares her favorite ways to spend time alone.July 10, 2017
"Where do babies come from?" It's a question that trips up parents every time, but Kristina Kuzmic's got the perfect answer!July 3, 2017


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Seems like everything is bad for us now, the food we eat, the urban air we breathe, the water we drink (or don't drink). We have rules about eating pounds of vegetables daily. Food packaging must be labelled so we waste even more shopping time, squinting helplessly at levels of trans fats and all the other fats we didn't want to know about. Debates rage on about the negative impact on our psyches from pervasive influences like popular music and violent television or movies. Big Brother alerts us against our self-indulgent ways, even if he contradicts Himself about the benefits of consuming eggs or a glass of wine. But whoa. This is supposed to be about political correctness.
Luckily—in this overwhelming information age—we have the PC language police to tell us what's what. "Sticks and stones will break our bones, but names will never hurt us." The day of the healthy old schoolyard retort is over. We are directed to walk about on tiptoes not to offend anyone with a mere word. Every historic place name in the United States with the word "squaw" has been re-named. Pundits outdo themselves in creating euphemisms for words and phrases deemed harmful to someone. Left alone, the passage of time and cultural changes usually allow such words to wax and wane quite naturally on their own. No, we can speed up the process by revising history.
So what was one of the most threatening things we Canadians could be exposed to? Drinking copious amounts of dubious "spring" water from a plastic bottle? Watching "Trailer Park Boys"? Not exactly. Step forward, former Governor General of Canada, Roméo LeBlanc—a highly unsung hero in the political correctness movement. During his tenure (1995-1999), the Hon. M. LeBlanc wished to save millions of Canadians from a slice of blatant public pornography. He strongly proposed emasculating the proud heraldic lion, an ancient symbol incorporated into the sovereignty of Canada. The lion's claws were deemed violent instruments, and the wisp of his identifying male appendage too provocative. Not to mention the suggestive lolling tongue (Mick Jagger, take a bow). Whatever were those filthy mediaeval heralds thinking? Or the Queen herself when she approved the official GG flag in 1981?
We will never know what panicky discussions this proposal might have caused chez Rideau Hall, the centre of the Canadian Heraldic Authority (and also the GG's home). I did have confidence that cooler heads would prevail and tradition would triumph. It's not easy to tell on the original image, but we can see his claws and tongue are still intact. Let's hope some social pendulums are swinging back to reality.
27 May 2007
Politically Correct, the Canadian Way
Labels: Canadian heraldry
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My avatar and several smilies no longer work.
In the process of doing some site maintenance I moved the forums to the main SG domain (from forums.speedguide.net to speedguide.net/forums). Old links should be automatically redirected to the new locations, but, please let me know in case you see something unusual like missing images, broken links, etc.
Linux is user friendly, it's just picky about its friends...
Disclaimer: Please use caution when opening messages, my grasp on reality may have shaken loose during transmission (going on rusty memory circuits).
Thanks, fixed what I saw


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Carpet Cleaning Bellflower
Having carpets at home can upgrade the way it looks and it can tempt guests. Then again, there will come a period that carpets will be stained on account of numerous explanations. At times, spilled espressos, stains and pets, could be the explanation for carpet staining. It will harm the nature of the carpet and far more atrocious, it may clear a path for carpets to smell truly disagreeable. Thus, it may influence the by and large presence of the carpets. Accordingly, individuals might as well search for the best carpet cleaning companies that will help them to alter the stains in their carpet in the best way.
One of the best companies when it comes in cleaning carpets is that of carpet cleaning Bellflower CA. It will offer incredible support in cleaning the carpets in each and every way. They can coddle individuals' each need so they may as well think about in getting the best companys. Individuals need to realize that any stains their carpet can get will influence its quality, so it is an absolute necessity to search for the best company that can offer the best conceivable help that they can have. When they get that company, they can get the significant serenity that their carpets will be cleaned productively.
If you're anxious about the health of your home, Carpet Cleaning Bellflower has top of the line equipment's and cleaning agents for all kind of carpet cleaning and a lots of other options which you can choose from our service. All of our products are biodegradable and self-neutralizing. We will discuss with you to determine which method of cleaning your project will suit at time of schedule. We offer varieties of carpet cleaning services that can fit any person's budget and needs:
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Due to following reasons Bellflower homeowners choose us:
• Experience
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• Natural Detergent


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In many ways a digital camcorder is very similar to a digital still camera. In fact the two are interchangeable to a certain degree, with most digital still cameras able to shoot video, and the majority of digital camcorders able to shoot photos. The same underlying technology drives both devices. A lens focuses an image onto a digital sensor, which then captures said image and writes it to a digital storage medium. In most cases the digital sensor is a CCD, but CMOS sensors are also employed. There's no real advantage or disadvantage to each sensor type, although manufacturers tend to favour one or the other.
Early digital camcorders used cassettes for storage, but unlike older analogue video cameras they recorded digital data rather than raw video. These days digital camcorders write to many different kinds of digital media including DVD discs, hard disks and memory cards. Recording your movies digitally also makes it far easier to edit and show your handy-work off once you've shot it. There's no need for the expensive and complex video capture equipment that was necessary with analogue video cameras, since the digital data can be copied directly to a computer without conversion.
There's no avoiding the fact that social networking plays a huge role in our lives, and sharing video is an important piece of that puzzle. In fact video sharing sites like YouTube have become so prolific that an entirely new breed of digital camcorders has appeared to address that market. Pocket digital camcorders are designed to be small and light enough to be carried with you at all times, so when something amazing happens you can film it and share it with the world. Not only are pocket camcorders small and light enough to carry everywhere, but they also capture video in a format that can be uploaded directly to YouTube without any editing or encoding.
If you're looking to record your memories for generations to come, you'll probably want the best possible image quality, which means a full size digital camcorder HD. The vast majority of digital camcorders record to built-in storage (either hard disk or solid state memory), SD cards or a combination of both. The advantage of built-in storage is that you can't forget to take it with you, and in the case of a hard disk, it can be very capacious. The benefit of an SD card is that it's really easy to get your data off the camcorder - simply remove the card and pop it into your computer's card reader.
There are a lot of features to consider with a digital camcorder, but the best place to start is resolution. A Full HD digital camcorder will clearly command a premium, but they're not as expensive as you might think. Standard definition digital camcorders are still available, and are also comparatively cheap, but you'll be losing out on the image quality. Another important factor is the lens, with many manufacturers partnering themselves with experts in the field to reap the benefits.
There's no end of accessories to go with a digital camcorder, some essential and some merely useful. Most important is storage. If you're not buying a model with a huge, built-in hard disk, you'll need to stock up on memory cards. With Full HD camcorders squeezing around an hour of footage onto an 8GB SDHC card, you'll probably want to invest in a few spare cards to keep in your camera bag. It's also worth picking up a spare battery or two, especially if you're planning day trips with your camcorder.
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Upcoming & Past Shows
The following is the tentative schedule for the current season. TV schedules occasionally change without warning, so be sure to check your local programming guide for confirmation. To access program information from previous seasons, please use the drop down menu.
Episode 3643 Debut 6.30.2017
Comparison Test: Luxury Sedan Challenge
FYI: Pet Peeves
Goss' Garage: (UN)Leaded Gas
Quick Spin: 2017 Aston Martin DB11
Quick Spin: 2017 Honda Civic Si
Long Term Update: BMX X1 | Chrysler Pacifica
Track Test: 2017 Chevy Camaro ZL1
Comparison Test: Luxury Sedan Challenge
Quick Listing
Road Tests: 2017 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
First Impressions: 2017 Honda Civic Si
First Impressions: 2017 Aston Martin DB11
Comparison Tests: Luxury Sedan Challenge
FYI: Pet Peeves About New Cars
Episode 3642 Debut 6.23.2017
Road Test: 2017 Acura MDX Sport-Hybrid
Clean Cities: Idaho
Tire Tracks: Lamborghini Diablo
Goss' Garage: Replace in Pairs
Quick Spin: 2018 Honda Odyssey
Quick Spin: 2018 Toyota Camry
Track Test: 2017 Alfa Romeo Giulia
Quick Listing
Road Tests: 2017 Acura MDX Sport Hybrid
Road Tests: 2017 Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio
Green Motoring: Clean Cities: Boise, Idaho
First Impressions: 2018 Toyota Camry
First Impressions: 2018 Honda Odyssey
Goss' Garage: Replace in Pairs
Episode 3641 Debut 6.16.2017
Drivers' Choice Part 1
FYI: American Muscle Car Museum
Drivers' Choice Part 2
Road Test: 2017 Maserati Levante
Eye Spy: Jaguar I-Pace
Drivers' Choice Best of the Year
Quick Listing
Road Tests: 2017 Maserati Levante
FYI: American Muscle Car Museum
Episode 3640 Debut 6.07.2017
Road Test: 2018 Porsche 911 GT3
Road Test: 2017 Volvo S90
Over The Edge: Peelable Paint
Goss Garage: Catalytic Converter Issues
Quick Spin: 2017 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2
Clean Cities: Biltmore Estate
Quick Listing
Road Tests: 2018 Porsche 911 GT3
First Impressions: 2017 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2
Goss' Garage: Catalytic Converter Issues
Green Motoring: Clean Cities: Asheville, North Carolina
Episode 3639 Debut 5.31.2017
Road Test: 2017 Jeep Compass
Road Test: 2017 Mercedes-Benz C300
Auto World: Summit Point Driver Training
Goss Garage: Engine Mounts
Quick Spin: 2017 BMW C650 GT
Quick Listing
Road Tests: 2017 Mercedes-Benz C300 Coupe
First Impressions: 2017 BMW C650 GT


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Reminder: Joe Rogan Questions Everything Tonight
Posted by: Craig Woolheater on July 24th, 2013
Joe Rogan is hosting a new TV show about Bigfoot, UFOs and ESP, and he says the show is teaching him "a lot about crazy people."
"The same pattern exists in people who believe in UFOs, or who believe in ghosts, or who believe in psychics," says Rogan — who performs stand-up on Friday at the Hard Rock Hotel.
The pattern is: True believers risk looking foolish, even if they are telling the truth, so they can get pretty defensive.
"If you really saw a UFO, and you tried telling people — how crazy would you sound, even if it really did happen? It would (mess) with your head because nobody would believe you," Rogan says.
Rogan is open-minded but values facts and truths over ideology. He gave me a five-minute primer on gigantopithecus and Homo floresiensis.
"There are real, legit anthropologists who believe in Sasquatch," Rogan says.
But some true believers in Sasquatch and UFOs ignore contradictory facts and evidence of hoaxes.
"They only see things that confirm their idea. It's called 'confirmation bias.' It's a real problem with people and ideas," Rogan says.
"Some people just get it in their mind there is a bigfoot, and then every time some dude in a monkey suit takes a blurry picture, they're convinced it's the best Sasquatch footage ever."
"Joe Rogan Questions Everything" debuts July 24 on SyFy.
Life-long unexplained paranormal mystery-addict Joe Rogan ventures into unknown worlds and untapped territories to search for answers to life's most startling theories. Having explored these questions for years on his podcast, Joe now takes his journey to the next level, traveling the country and knocking on any door necessary to find the truth. In his own unique and inquisitive style, Joe will stop at nothing to quench his curiosity for the unknown.
Joe Rogan Questions Everything premieres on Wednesday, July 24 at 10/9c.
Les Stroud on Joe Rogan's show and they discussed Bigfoot on the show.
Apparently there will be a special Survivorman Bigfoot episode!
They also discussed Finding Bigfoot and Meldrum's Falcon Project.
Here's the video of the Bigfoot segment. Of course, being as it is Joe Rogan's show, there is some off-color language…
Craig Woolheater
Co-founder of Cryptomundo in 2005. I have appeared in or contributed to the following TV programs, documentaries and films: OLN's Mysterious Encounters: "Caddo Critter", Southern Fried Bigfoot, Travel Channel's Weird Travels: "Bigfoot", History Channel's MonsterQuest: "Swamp Stalker", The Wild Man of the Navidad, Destination America's Monsters and Mysteries in America: Texas Terror - Lake Worth Monster, Animal Planet's Finding Bigfoot: Return to Boggy Creek and Beast of the Bayou.


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The game has one redeeming quality, and that's a completely out of place narrator that says things like "Double kill!" and "Ten headshots!" to remind you that you're doing a good job. Thanks guy!
I started the game with high hopes, but in the hour or so that I played, the game just got more generic as I went, and by the end there was nothing motivating me to keep playing. So if you're looking for a game with some good shooting and don't need any fancy dialog or new mechanics, then pick up Alien Rage tomorrow! Otherwise, hang on to your $20 for now.
Alien Rage comes out tomorrow, September 24th for Xbox Live Arcade, Playstation Network, and Steam.


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(BPT) – Parents know kids can't concentrate when they're hungry. But did you know that what children eat – especially in school lunches – can also affect their ability to focus, learn and behave well in the classroom? Packing your children's school lunches is a great way to manage their nutritional intake and help feed their ability to learn.
It will take some creativity, however, to ensure you pack lunches that not only meet a child's nutritional needs, but also his or her taste preferences. Keep these tips in mind as you're packing your child's nutritious lunches this school year:
* Brain-building foods: Research supports the ability of certain foods to enhance cognitive function. Foods like fish and nuts, which contain brain-building omega-3 fatty acids, can support focus. So tuna fish salad not only supplies protein, but is also brain food. Not every child is a fan of fish, so look for other kid-friendly options like a handful of nuts. From pistachios and almonds to walnuts and peanuts, a serving of nuts not only contains healthful fats, but also a healthy dose of fiber and vitamin E.
* Fill-them-up foods: "Empty calories" are empty for several reasons, including how quickly they can leave children feeling hungry again after they've dined on nutritionally poor calories. Foods that are high in protein and fiber, such as a sandwich of deli meats on whole grain bread, can help kids feel full longer and provide them with nutrient-rich calories.
* Liquid power: Sugary sodas are notorious sources of empty calories. One can of regular soda, sweetened with sugar or high-fructose corn syrup, packs about 150 calories, adding up to the equivalent of 10 teaspoons of table sugar, according to the Harvard School of Public Health. Consider packing lunches with more nutritionally valuable beverages like skim milk or water. Skim milk is low in calories and contains calcium and potassium. Water, of course, contains no calories at all and is the best source of hydration.
* The choice is yours: Making sure kids get the nutrition they need while providing the great taste they love can be a challenge. A classic sandwich can achieve both if you choose ingredients wisely. Hormel(R) Natural Choice(R) pre-packaged deli meats provide kids with familiar favorites, such as Honey Deli Ham, Oven Roasted Deli Turkey, Roast Beef and Rotisserie Style Chicken Breast, that are 100 percent natural and free of preservatives and additives. Low in fat and free of trans fats, Hormel Natural Choice meats have no MSG, gluten or artificial ingredients. When paired with other nutritious options like whole grain breads, and a side of fresh fruit with non-fat yogurt as a dip, a sandwich of Hormel Natural Choice deli meats can be the foundation of a nutritious lunch. You'll be amazed how simple making a better choice can be.
* Kid-friendly presentation: How you present lunch can encourage kids to eat it. When it comes to packed lunches, a great presentation could be as simple as having one or two favorite lunchboxes on hand and allowing your child to choose which one he would like to carry today. Or, it could be as inspired as creatively arranging a sandwich and sliced veggies to mimic a smiling face when he opens his lunchbox at school. Remember, kids love color, so providing a colorful mix of foods can be very appealing to them. It also gives you the opportunity to incorporate the concept of a rainbow of nutrition, and the value of eating foods from all colors in the spectrum.
With the right recipe of creativity, fun and nutritious foods, parents can be confident they're packing school lunches that will keep kids full and happy throughout the school year.
Courtesy of BPT


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I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that he hasn't seen a hanging fastball or an inside fastball that he could hit up until recently. His pull power has been in full display the past few nights after spending most of the season spraying the ball to all fields and mostly to right center. I've commented before that once he begins pulling the ball more, he will be deadly. Dayan hits the ball hard. Very, very hard. …
July 27, 2009
FutureSox on Dayan Viciedo
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Mr. Bloomfield was born in Franklin, New Hampshire in 1923 and attended schools in Laconia, New Hampshire.
During World War II, Masse Bloomfield received the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal.
Today, Mr. Bloomfield serves in the Retired U.S. Air Force Reserves as a Lt. Colonel.
Mr. Bloomfield obtained a degree in Bacteriology from the University of New Hampshire in 1948 and a Master of Library Science from Carnegie Institute of Technology in 1951.
After twenty-two years as Head of the Hughes Aircraft Company Technical Library, Masse retired. While at Hughes Aircraft Company, he wrote numerous articles for library journals. Mr. Bloomfield has written several books including "Man in Transition" (1993) and "The Automated Society" (1995). His biography has appeared in "Who's Who in the West" and "Contemporary Authors."
His volunteer activities include acting as a liaison officer for the U.S. Air Force Academy. After some twenty years of service as a liaison officer, he was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Academy in 2009.
Masse Bloomfield is a member of the World Future Society and the National Space Society. He still serves as a contributor to various websites.
- Keynote speaker at two Southern Future Society
- Contributed the paper "The Endless Frontier" to the International Space Development Conference


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Mummy films are unique among classic monster movies in that they're neither primarily based upon myths or literature. Only Isaac Henderson's 1902 play, The Mummy and the Hummingbird and Bram Stoker's 1903 novel, Jewel of the Seven Stars, have inspired cinematic adaptations (the latter spawning four to date) with its subject of an archaeologist attempting to revive a mummy. There were a few examples of the mummy in literature, as with Edgar Allan Poe's "Some Words with a Mummy," Théophile Gautier's The Romance of a Mummy, Ambrose Pratt's The Living Mummy, Louisa May Alcott's "Lost in a Pyramid or, The Mummy's Curse" and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's "Lot No. 249" and "The Ring of Thoth" all deal with mummies, albeit not always in a horror setting, and have never even loosely been adapted into film.
The rise of mummy films seem to be directly related to a then-widespread interest in archaeology and, more specifically, an enduring western vogue for Orientalism and fascination with the Near East. Several major discoveries in the field of Egyptology occurred in the 20th century and helped renew and increase interest in one the the planet's oldest, most complex and enduring civilizations. Yet fascination with Egyptian mummies, with their tantalizing ties to the ancient past, never really translated into a healthy monster subgenre, only sporadically rising to the level of more continually popular monsters like vampires and ghosts.


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PI119122063AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status.

Pomona, NJ

POSITION SHIFT: Evenings

POSITION STATUS: Part-Time

REQ_NUM: 07-25450

Department: Patient Access Mainland

Hours Per Week 24

Holidays Required? Yes

Job Category: *All Part Time Jobs

Location: Mainland Hospital

Weekends Required? Yes

POSITION SUMMARY

The Patient Access Associate I is responsible for the patient registration process, general admissions, and financial assistance processing. This position verifies third party payor accounts, pre-authorization and/or pre-certification requirements. The Patient Access Associate I communicates and collaborates with Patient Access team members and other ancillary departments as needed.

The Patient Access Associate I will be knowledgeable of state and federal government funding programs such as Medicare, Medicaid, TRICARE/CHAMPUS, Workers' Compensation; No Fault Auto, and commercial insurance payers; billing and reimbursement guidelines and methodologies for state and federal government and non-government payers; insurance terminology; medical terminology, EMTALA, HIPAA privacy, and compliance practices.

The Patient Access Associate I is responsible for verifying diagnosis codes, completing medical necessity checks for Medicare, completing patient estimates for self- pay population, and consumer shopper comparison. The Patient Access Associate I must have basic knowledge of ICD-10 and its predecessor ICD-9 in order to ensure accurate diagnosis entry for reimbursement.

The Patient Access Associate I will perform duties after six-week training program under the supervision of the Patient Access management team. This position is a customer service champion responsible for delivering great customer service at each entry point throughout the health system. This position is also responsible for patient throughput, established wait times and turnaround (TAT) times for all Patient Access areas along with aiding in the achievement of top box customer service scores for each respective Patient Access site.

The Patient Access Associate I must pass annual recertification with score of 90% or better. The Patient Access Associate I can perform job duties based on department procedure and protocol; may require direct oversight. Attends all required trainings and in-services and passes all competency tests associated with the in-services.

This position maintains high accuracy rate of A and established productivity rates for Key Performance Indicators (KPI) such as cash collections, wait and TAT times, and pre-registration and registration productivity.

The Patient Access Associate I must achieve Valued Contributor or above on their annual evaluation with no written disciplinary documents on file. The Patient Access Associate have the opportunity for advancement to Patient Access Associate II if all of the above requirements are satisfied and the incumbent has been in the role for one year. In order to advance via the Patient Access Career Path, the Patient Access Associate I must pass the annual recertification with a minimum score of 95%. The Patient Access Associate I must achieve an evaluation rating of value contributor the year of consideration and every year after. If the valued contributor rating is not achieved in the following years, an action plan will be put in place to remediate the staff member back to valued contributor and no further considerations for the career path program will be allowed until the staff member formally achieves valued contributor on their next annual evaluation.

This position supports organizational goals by providing high level, quality customer service, participating in performance improvement efforts, demonstrating a commitment to teamwork and cooperation while verifying and preparing all patient accounts for inpatient and outpatient billing in order to maximize payment for Hospital and Clinic services from all sources.

QUALIFICATIONS

EDUCATION: High school diploma or equivalent required. Associate's degree preferred. Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing sufficient to perform the essential functions; read, understand, and apply policies and guidelines; obtain information from a variety of sources is required. Bilingual preferred.

LICENSE/CERTIFICATION: N/A

EXPERIENCE: 0-1 year experience in Healthcare registration or relevant customer service environment required. Knowledge of general computer and data entry functions required. Previous experience in a physicians' office or hospital setting is preferred. Excellent communication, organizational and analytical skills required. Ability to keep up in very fast paced environment required. Candidates must continuously display professionalism, courtesy and respect to all customers that always mirror AtlantiCare's Values/Behaviors. Candidate must have reliable means of transportation.

PERFORMANCE EXPECTATIONS

Demonstrates the competencies as established on the Assessment and Evaluation Tool for this position.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

Potential for exposure to the hazards and risk of the hospital environment, including exposure to infectious disease, hazardous substances, and potential injury.

This position requires reaching, stooping, kneeling, and crouching approximately 25% of the workday. This position requires frequently lifting, approximately 25-30 pounds, and occasional lifting of 50-100 pounds with assistance. This position also requires pushing and pulling computers on wheels approximately up to 100% of the day if assigned to the Emergency Department or Labor and Delivery. High volume fast-paced environment.

The essential functions for this position are listed on the Assessment and Evaluation Tool.

PI119122063

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Car, 4x4 or campervan, whatever your preferred vehicle of choice, Queensland is jam-packed with on-road and off-road driving holiday adventures to suit every traveller. From coastal drives in convertibles, to red dirt-road tracks in four-wheel drives, the journey is yours to choose. Where will your Queensland driving holiday take you?
Now you have all the information you need to get set for your driving holiday around Queensland.


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Congress to vote on Sandy aid as FEMA warns funds low
(CNN) — The House is poised to vote Friday on a $9.7 billion Superstorm Sandy aid package after delays over fiscal cliff bickering and a warning from federal officials that funds are running out.
Frustrated victims of the massive October storm in the Northeast watched this week as a vote on a much larger $60 billion package got canceled.
Lawmakers are expected to pass the first portion Friday and weigh in on the remaining $51 billion in broader aid on January 15.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency notified the outgoing Congress on Tuesday — its last day in session — that without additional borrowing authority, it will run out of money within days to compensate storm victims under the National Flood Insurance Program.
The large aid package not voted on included more than $9.7 billion in new borrowing authority, according to the federal emergency agency.
It urged "timely congressional action" to meet survivors' needs.
Outgoing lawmakers dropped what seemed like a sure thing for the suffering region into the lap of the new Congress, which convened Thursday. It will now consider it in two parts.
Republicans in the last Congress criticized proposed congressional "pork" spending in the bill that was unrelated to Sandy needs.
Democrat and Republican lawmakers in the region, including New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, had unleashed a firestorm of criticism at their own party in the House for not addressing the measure as originally planned.
"New Jersey deserves better than the duplicity we saw on display," Christie said, adding, that this is "why the American people hate Congress."
Later, closed-door meetings with House Republicans from the Northeast and their leaders Eric Cantor and John Boehner calmed some sentiments.
Boehner is the House speaker while Cantor is the Majority leader.
Democrats were less mollified.
"It's really unbelievable how Speaker Boehner and his party could just walk away," said Christine Quinn, speaker of the New York City Council. "To promise us a vote weeks from now? Why should we believe him at all? It's just shocking."
In a statement, Boehner and Cantor said "critical aid" to storm victims should be the first priority of the new Congress. Both were re-elected and have retained their leadership positions in the new House.
The Senate, which had already approved the larger Sandy plan that the House declined to consider, is expected to sign off on the scaled-back version Friday as well, according to a Democratic leadership aide.
But Senators will hold off on any further action.


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Kim Ginns' "Ride for a Cause"
Searsport — SEARSPORT (Aug 19, 09): Online Registration Now Available For Kim Ginn's "Ride For A Cause" Poker Run
Saturday, August 22, 2009
1st Annual Kim Ginn's "RIDE FOR A CAUSE" POKER RUN
The Breast Cancer 3-Day is an amazing 60-mile journey that helps mothers, sisters, spouses, and friends get one step closer to a world without Breast Cancer. As a Breast Cancer Survivor, Kim Ginn has already gone the distance in defeating this form of Cancer that still today strikes one in eight women in the US. With your support Kim will now continue this battle with women across the world as she walks so long, so far, and with so much hope, the world will hear her footsteps through the support of our Ride for a Cause. Help us send local representation and awareness of Maine's support to rid the world of Breast Cancer.
Door Prizes, Silent Auction and Live Music!
For more information please visit www.Rollies.me and click on Ride For A Cause.