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Prayer Study: A Big Fraud
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Joined: 23 Sep 2005
Posts: 297
Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2007 2:05 pm
Post subject: Prayer Study: A Big Fraud
The following is an article written by Dr. Flamm, a Professor at the University of California Irvine, and practicing Obstetrician and Gynecologist at Kaiser, Riverside. It highlights the fact that the prayer study was a big fraud. It supposedly showed evidence of prayer as a helpful tool in medical outcome; in this case the pregnancy success rate for infertility patients. The study was published in the Journal of Reproductive Medicine, and the plagiarism and fraud with which it is entangled has since tarnished the reputation of that journal.
At first glance, it is annoying when the religious zealots attempt to intermingle within science. However, when the truth surfaces, the amusement begins. The silly religious zealots do more to discredit themselves than any secularist could hope to do.
Here is the link and text to the article by Dr. Flamm:
The Columbia University 'Miracle' Study: Flawed and Fraud
The much-hyped Columbia University prayer study was flawed and suspicious from the start but now has been fatally tainted with fraud. The first-named author doesn't respond to inquiries. The "lead" author said he didn't learn of the study until months after it was completed. And now the mysterious third author, indicted by a federal grand jury, has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit fraud. All his previous studies must now be questioned.
On September 11, 2001, the United States of America was rocked by perhaps the most horrific event in its history. In the horrible and uncertain days following the destruction of the World Trade Center (and other attacks) by Islamic zealots many Americans turned to prayer. Millions prayed in their homes and churches as their senators and congressmen prayed on the steps of the Capitol building and their president prayed in the White House. Bumper stickers, signs, and banners flooded the nation proclaiming, "God Bless America" and "Pray for America." Millions of faithful Americans prayed for a miracle or perhaps a sign from God. Three weeks later such a miracle occurred. The timing could not have been better.
On October 2, 2001, the New York Times reported that researchers at prestigious Columbia University Medical Center in New York had discovered something quite extraordinary (1). Using virtually foolproof scientific methods the researchers had demonstrated that infertile women who were prayed for by Christian prayer groups became pregnant twice as often as those who did not have people praying for them. The study was published in the Journal of Reproductive Medicine (2). Even the researchers were shocked. The study's results could only be described as miraculous. This was welcome and wonderful news for a shaken nation.
Columbia University issued a news release claiming that the remarkable study had several safeguards in place to eliminate bias and that the study itself was carefully designed to eliminate bias (3). This was no hoax. Media attention immediately focused on the miraculous study, and articles touting its spectacular results quickly appeared in newspapers around the world. Rogerio Lobo, chairman of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Columbia and the study's lead author, told Reuters Health that, "Essentially, there was a doubling of the pregnancy rate in the group that was prayed for" (4). Dr. Timothy Johnson, ABC News medical editor and Good Morning America commentator, stated, "A new study on the power of prayer over pregnancy reports surprising results; but many physicians remain skeptical" (5).
The facts I will relate here about the Columbia University "miracle" study confirm that those physicians who doubted the study's astounding results had extremely good reasons to be skeptical. It remains to be seen whether ABC's Dr. Johnson, a medical doctor who also serves as a minister at the evangelical Community Covenant Church in West Peabody, Massachusetts, will report or ignore the following shocking information that has since been revealed about the alleged study and its authors.
The "Miracle" Study
In vitro fertilization (IVF) is the most advanced form of infertility treatment currently available and represents the last hope for women with severe infertility. Therefore, any technique that could increase the efficacy of IVF by even a few percent would be a medical breakthrough. Yet the Columbia University study claimed to have demonstrated, in a carefully designed randomized controlled trial, that distant prayer by anonymous prayer groups increased the success rate of IVF by an astounding 100 percent (2). The Cha/Wirth/Lobo study involved 219 infertility patients in Seoul, South Korea, who required in vitro fertilization. Twenty patients were excluded due to incomplete data, leaving 199 study subjects. After randomization, 100 patients were assigned to the study group to receive IVF plus prayer from Christian prayer groups in the United States, Canada, and Australia. The control group of ninety-nine patients received IVF but did not receive any prayers from these prayer groups. In vitro fertilization was performed in the usual fashion in both groups. The 100 patients in the study group were not informed that the groups were praying for them. Furthermore, none of the patients were even informed that they were being used as study subjects. The prayer groups, which were thousands of miles away from the study subjects, prayed over photographs that had been faxed to them from Korea. Remarkably, the pregnancy rate in the prayed-for group (50 percent) was almost twice as high as the pregnancy rate in the nonprayed-for group (26 percent, p= .0013). The highly significant results seem to indicate that something spectacular had occurred.
However, even a cursory review of the report reveals many potential flaws. For one thing, the study protocol was convoluted and confusing, involving at least three levels of overlapping and intertwining prayer groups. Tiers 1 and 2 each consisted of four blocks of prayer participants. Prayer participants in tier 1, block A, received a single sheet of paper with five IVF patient's pictures (a treatment "unit") and prayed in a directed manner with a specific intent to "increase the pregnancy rate" for these patients about whom they apparently had no information whatsoever. Prayer participants in tier 2, block A, apparently performed two different types of prayer. First, they prayed for their fellow prayer participants in tier 1, block A, with the intent to "increase the efficacy of prayer intervention." In other words, they were apparently praying to increase the effectiveness of their colleagues' prayers, whatever those prayers might be. Next they prayed in a nondirected manner for the study patients with the "intent that God's will or desire be fulfilled in the life of the patient." Similar prayers apparently took place in all of the other blocks. Finally, in addition to all of the above groups, tiers, blocks, and units, a separate group of three individuals prayed in a general nonspecific manner with the intent that "God's will or desire be fulfilled for the prayer participants in tiers 1 and 2." In other words, these final three prayer participants were praying to increase the efficacy of the second tier of prayer participants who were in turn praying to increase the efficacy of the first tier of prayer participants who were in turn praying for increased pregnancy rates in the study patients.
As can be seen from this brief description, the study protocol was so convoluted and confusing that it cannot be taken seriously. Of course, a simple protocol could have been used to determine if prayer was efficacious in increasing the success rate of IVF. One might simply instruct a few believers to pray for successful IVF in the study group while no one prayed for patients in the control group. With distant prayer the patients would not know if they were being prayed for, or not, so there would be no intention-to-heal or placebo bias. Contrast this with the study design described above and draw your own conclusions. This article is too brief to describe all of the study's flaws but readers who want more information are referred to two critiques I have published in The Scientific Review of Alternative Medicine (6,7).
Briefly, here are a few problems I pointed out. Choosing a complex study design rather than a simple one requires explanation, however the authors give no reason for selecting a bewildering study design. Including prayers asking that "God's will or desire be fulfilled" introduced a vague and obfuscating concept that cannot be measured as an endpoint: no one knows what God's will is, hence any outcome could be viewed as a success. The authors made no attempt to discover how much prayer was being conducted outside the study protocol, perhaps to other gods, since only one-third of Koreans are Christians. Occam's razor (the principle that a simple explanation rather than a convoluted one is more often correct) demands that highly unlikely results be viewed with suspicion. Is it more likely that this study is flawed or fraudulent or that the authors have demonstrated the existence of a supernatural phenomena and thus have made perhaps the most important discovery in history?
Bruce Flamm sent a series of letters to the studys authors and the journals editors as early as October 2001 raising serious questions about the Cha/Lobo/Wirth prayer study and requesting details about the studys procedures. He never received an answer.
The Columbia University Connection
The study's three authors were Kwang Cha, Rogerio Lobo, and Daniel Wirth. Kwang Yul Cha, M.D., was the director of the Cha Columbia Infertility Medical Center at the time of the "miracle" study but apparently severed his relationship with Columbia soon after the study was published. A page on Columbia's Web site, which has since been removed, described Cha as an "internationally renowned clinician and researcher." Cha is a graduate of the Yonsei Medical School in Seoul, South Korea. Professor Rogerio A. Lobo, M.D., recently stepped down as chairman of the department of obstetrics and gynecology at Columbia University. When the study results were announced, Dr. Lobo told the New York Times that the idea for the study came from Dr. Cha; however, the Columbia news release claimed that Dr. Lobo led the study. For two years both Dr. Cha and Dr. Lobo have refused to return my phone calls and e-mails asking questions about the study. The study's third author, Daniel Wirth, who will be described below, has no known connection with Columbia University other than his participation in the study.
In December 2001, the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), after being alerted by media coverage, launched an investigation into the lack of informed consent in the Columbia study.
Columbia University subsequently acknowledged noncompliance with its Multiple Project Assurance (MPA) and its own policies and procedures [8]. Specifically, Dr. Lobo never presented the above research to the Institutional Review Board (IRB) of Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center (CCPM). In response to the DHHS investigation Columbia University agreed to have its IRB perform an educational in-service for Lobo's department.
In addition, in December 2001, Columbia University Vice President Thomas Q. Morris, a physician, informed the DHHS that Dr. Lobo first learned of the study from Dr. Cha six to twelve months after the study was completed and that Lobo primarily provided editorial review and assistance with publication [8]. This seems inconsistent with Lobo being listed as one of the study's authors. This also conflicts with the fact that Lobo was identified by both The New York Times and ABC News as the report's lead author. Lobo was also identified as the report's lead author in a news release posted for two years on the Columbia University Web site. Interestingly, the press release has recently been removed from the Columbia site. If the report's lead author did not conduct the international prayer study, who did?
The Mysterious Daniel Wirth
The remaining author is a mysterious individual known as Daniel P. Wirth. In October 2002, one year after the Cha/Wirth/Lobo study was published, Mr. Wirth, along with his former research associate Joseph Horvath, also known as Joseph Hessler, was indicted by a federal grand jury (9). Both men were charged with bilking the troubled cable television provider Adelphia Communications Corporation out of $2.1 million by infiltrating the company, then having it pay for unauthorized consulting work. Police investigators discovered that Wirth is also known as John Wayne Truelove. FBI investigators revealed that Wirth first used the name of Truelove, a New York child who died at age five in 1959, to obtain a passport in the mid-1980s. Wirth and his accomplice were charged with thirteen counts of mail fraud, twelve counts of interstate transportation of stolen money, making false statements on loan applications, and five other counts of fraud. A federal grand jury concluded that the relationship between Wirth and Horvath extended back more than twenty years and involved more than $3.4 million in income and property obtained by using false identities. In addition to the Adelphia scheme, Wirth apparently found a way to defraud the federal government by collecting Social Security benefits totaling approximately $103,178 from 1994 to 2003 in the name of Julius Wirth. This man, possibly Daniel Wirth's father, died in 1994 but his benefits continued to be paid after his death via electronic funds transferred to the Republic National Bank.
Incredibly, at the time of the indictment, Horvath, Wirth's partner, was already in jail, charged with arson for burning down his Pennsylvania house to collect insurance money ( 10 ). The FBI investigation revealed that Horvath had previously gone to prison in a 1990 embezzlement and false identity case in California. Interestingly, the investigation also revealed that he had also once been arrested for posing as a doctor in California. It appears that the "doctor" who performed biopsies on human research subjects in Wirth's famous healing studies may have actually been Horvath impersonating a doctor. Horvath was a co-author on another of Wirth's studies in which salamander limbs were amputated and found to grow back more quickly when "healers" waved their hands over the wounds.
Both Wirth and Horvath initially pled not guilty to the felony charges, and over the next eighteen months their trial was delayed six times. However, on May 18, 2004, just as the criminal trial of the United States v. Wirth & Horvath was finally about to begin, both men pled guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud and conspiracy to commit bank fraud ( 11 ). Each man faced a maximum of five years in federal prison and agreed to forfeit assets of more than $1 million obtained through fraudulent schemes. Horvath, however, was found dead in his jail cell on July 13, 2004, an apparent suicide.
Daniel Wirth's Prior Research
Wirth, identified as Doctor Daniel Wirth on several of his publications, has no medical degree. He holds a master's degree in parapsychology and a law degree. Wirth has a long history of publishing studies on mysterious supernatural or paranormal phenomena, mainly dealing with alternative and spiritual healing. Most of these studies originated from an entity called "Healing Sciences Research International," an organization that Mr. Wirth supposedly headed. This entity, which sounds like a medical center or impressive research facility, could only be contacted through a post office box in Orinda, California. Between 1992 and 1997 approximately eighteen research papers authored by D.P. Wirth were published, mostly in obscure paranormal journals (12-29).
Wirth has stated that his experiments "represent a seminal research effort within the field of complementary healing," and many faith healing advocates fully agree with his statement. Due to the apparently meticulous design and conduct of Wirth's randomized, double-blind controlled studies he has become the virtual poster boy of alternative healing methods, particularly Noncontact Therapeutic Touch (NCTT). In NCTT the "healer" does not actually touch the patient but supposedly alters undetectable "human energy fields" surrounding the patient. According to Wirth, NCTT apparently achieves its healing effect by an interaction of "energy fields" between the practitioner and the subject. The method requires the healer to 1) "center" his/herself both physically and psychologically, 2) "attune" to the "energy field" of the subject by "scanning" with the hands two to six inches from the body in order to detect imbalances within or blocks within the energy field, and 3) consciously redirect and "rebalance" the energy in those areas of blockage (24). The existence of these imagined human energy fields has never been proven. Even if such fields did exist, it is not clear how a healer could possibly detect or modify them. In fact, in a recent study twenty-one experienced NCTT practitioners were unable to detect any "human energy fields" under blinded conditions. The study concluded that failure to substantiate TT's most fundamental claim is unrefuted evidence that the claims of NCTT are completely groundless (30).
In addition to his extensive work on NCTT, Wirth has previously conducted several studies involving Christian faith healing. For example, he evaluated and reported on forty-eight patients treated by Greg Schelkun, a spiritual healer trained in the Philippines in the "Espiritista System" of faith healing (17). This system includes "psychic surgery," laying on of hands, and distant prayer healing. It has a Christian foundation in which the practitioner supposedly cultivates divine healing by entering a trace-like state and opening themselves to the healing power of the Holy Spirit. Schelkun asserts that he acts only as a channel for the "universal energies" of God and that any "miraculous cures" that occur are due solely to the Grace of God. Wirth evaluated patients treated by Schelkun for conditions ranging from ovarian cysts to AIDS and even cancer. Wirth found that 90 percent of patients believed that their condition was improved by the treatment.
In October 2001 narcotics officers raided the Santa Monica, California, office of Dr. William Eidelman, co-author of many of Daniel Wirth's papers. Eidelman is a believer in paranormal healing and an outspoken proponent of the medical use of marijuana. Officers presented a search warrant charging that Eidelman provided undercover narcotic agents with medical marijuana recommendations without valid medical grounds. On May 28, 2002, Eidelman's license to practice medicine was suspended.
Journal of Reproductive Medicine
Perhaps the most fascinating aspect of this entire sordid saga can be summed up in one question: How did a bizarre study claiming extraordinarily unlikely and apparently supernatural results end up in a peer-reviewed medical journal? We may never know. For two years the editors of the Journal of Reproductive Medicine (JRM) refused to answer my calls or respond to letters about this study. The fact that study co-author Lobo serves on the Editorial Advisory Board of the JRM may or may not be relevant. It is known that Columbia University Vice President Thomas Q. Morris informed DHHS investigators that Dr. Lobo first learned of the study from Dr. Cha six to twelve months after the study was completed and that Dr. Lobo primarily provided editorial review and assistance with publication ( 8 ).
On May 30, 2004, the London Observer made many of these events public for the first time in an article titled "Exposed: Conman's Role in Prayer-power IVF 'Miracle'"(31). The Observer article noted that the study was still posted on the JRM Web site and that phone calls from the Observer to the JRM were not returned. Three days after the scandal had been made public and linked to the journal, perhaps in response to an avalanche of inquiries, JRM co-editor-in-chief Dr. Lawrence Devoe finally stated that the Journal of Reproductive Medicine would remove the flawed Columbia study from its Web site and publish an editorial clarifying their author requirements. Both the Observer article and a June 7, 2004, article in The New York Sun stated that the authors did not respond to their requests for comment.
It must be emphasized that, in the entire history of modern science, no claim of any type of supernatural phenomena has ever been replicated under strictly controlled conditions. The importance of this fact cannot be overstated. One would think that all medical journal editors would be keenly aware of this fact and therefore be highly skeptical of paranormal or supernatural claims. One must therefore wonder if the Columbia researchers and the JRM editors were blinded by religious beliefs. Everything else being equal, if the claimed supernatural intervention had been Ms. Cleo manipulating Tarot cards rather than Christians praying, would the reviewers and editors have taken this study seriously? In any case, the damage has been done. The fact that a "miracle cure" study was deemed to be suitable for publication in a scientific journal automatically enhanced the study's credibility. Not surprisingly, the news media quickly disseminated the "miraculous" results.
Damage Control
Clearly, JRM's belated decision to remove the Columbia study from its Web site will not correct the errors it made in publishing an absurd article and then persistently ignoring warnings about the mistake in doing so. Serious damage has been done. The editors were informed of several of the study's flaws within weeks of its publication and yet allowed the entire study to remain on their Web site for two years. During that time the public was never given any reason to doubt the study's validity or its miraculous claims. As a result of JRM's inaction the Cha/Wirth/Lobo study has been cited in many other "healing" publications and on other Web sites as strong scientific evidence for the validity of faith healing. A Google search performed on June 4, 2004, for the terms, "Wirth, Columbia, prayer" found 686 sites; many of these links led to articles touting the miraculous results of the Cha/Wirth/Lobo study.
Worse yet, the Columbia study is now being cited by faith healers as a shining example of "healing" research of the highest scientific quality. For example, I recently wrote a letter to the editor of Southern California Physician critical of its article "Prescription for Prayer" and the appalling claim by noted faith healer Dr. Larry Dossey that some 1,600 studies have revealed "something positive" about intercessory prayer. I commented that if there were, in fact, something positive it certainly wouldn't take 1,600 studies to find it! Dr. Dossey's published response to my letter included the following convincing argument, "Controlled clinical trials and the peer-review process continue to serve us well. The most recent example of this process in action in the area of intercessory prayer is from Columbia Medical School-a positive, controlled clinical trial published in the respected, peer-reviewed Journal of Reproductive Medicine" (32). Yes, Dossey had used the hopelessly flawed Columbia "miracle" study to demonstrate the scientific validity of faith healing.
In the February 2004 edition of her nationally distributed newsletter, faith healing advocate Dr. Susan Lark cites the Cha/Wirth/Lobo study as strong evidence for the power of prayer (33). She notes that critics of faith healing have argued that most prayer studies have not been credible due to weak methodologies. However, she points out that "those researchers who believe in prayer are answering this critique quickly-and effectively. The fact is, the medical journals are rapidly filling with studies that are proving the power of prayer." She then presents the proof by describing the Columbia "miracle" study.
In a published critique of phony healing methods, noted physician and chairman of the Dutch Union Against Quackery Dr. Cees Renckens has this to say about the Cha/Wirth/Lobo study: "Very recently a seemingly impeccable paper proving absurd claims was published in a serious and (hitherto?) respected journal in the field of reproductive medicine" (34). Dr. Renckens also states, "Fraud is difficult to extract from an apparently impeccable paper, but everyone is invited to draw one's owns conclusions about the trustworthiness of the authors. We do not believe anything of the story and are very much opposed to publishing this kind of absurdity in serious journals."
For both Columbia University and the JRM, the only honorable solution to this scandal is to fully and publicly disclose their mistakes and apologize for the attempted cover-up. Columbia erroneously submitted a profoundly flawed and absurd article and JRM erroneously published it. Simply claiming that they were duped by Wirth and attempting to blame him for their own mistakes would be unethical-and almost certainly false. It would also be a setback for science.
In summary, one of the authors of the Columbia Cha/Wirth/Lobo study has left the University and refuses to comment, another now claims he did not even know about the study until six months to a year after its completion and also refuses to comment. The remaining author is on his way to federal prison for fraud and conspiracy. Fraud is the operative word here. In reality, the Columbia University prayer study was based on a bewildering study design and included many sources of error. But worse than flaws, in light of all of the shocking information presented above, one must consider the sad possibility that the Columbia prayer study may never have been conducted at all.
Finally, Daniel Wirth's history of criminal fraudulent activity casts a dark shadow over many of the supposedly seminal publications in the field of alternative and faith healing. In light of these facts, all of his frequently-cited publications must now be viewed with suspicion. While faith healers have performed rituals and cast out demons for millennia, they are now attempting to validate their claims with scientific methods and publish their results in peer-reviewed medical journals. It is one thing to tell an audience at a tent revival that prayers yield miracle cures but quite another thing to make the same claim in a scientific journal. By doing so, faith healers cross the line into the domain of science, a domain where superstitious and supernatural claims are not taken seriously.
Lessons from the 'Miracle' Study Scandal
The real scandal here lies not in Wirth's actions but in those of Columbia University and the Journal of Reproductive Medicine. The scientific method is designed to detect and correct errors and misconduct. In this case the system failed in many places. In fact, if Wirth had not been arrested, the Cha/Wirth/Lobo study might have never been retracted.
Faith healing advocates like Drs. Dossey and Lark will no doubt try to put a positive spin on this scandal by claiming that it has successfully weeded out a few bad apples from an otherwise pristine bunch. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Extraordinary claims demand extraordinary evidence. Unless replicated under strictly controlled conditions, studies claiming to have demonstrated "miracle" cures belong in religious and paranormal magazines, not in scientific journals. This is true regardless of whether the claimed "miracle" involves supposed actions of deities, ghosts, psychic powers, or other "mysterious" phenomena.
It is often claimed that faith healing may not work but at least does no harm. In fact, reliance on faith healing can cause serious harm and even death (35).
In the entire history of modern science, no claim of any type of supernatural phenomena has ever been replicated under strictly controlled conditions. All scientists and editors of scientific and medical journals should be fully aware of this obvious fact.
The "faith" in faith healing refers to an irrational belief, unsupported by evidence, that mysterious supernatural powers can eradicate disease. Science deals with evidence, not faith.
Publication of absurd studies and pseudoscience in medical and scientific journals does serious damage to the public's perception of medical science and science in general.
1. Nagourney, E. Study links prayer and pregnancy. New York Times. 2001; October.
2. Cha KY, Wirth, DP, Lobo, RA. Does prayer influence the success of in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer? J Reprod Med 2001;46:781-787.
3. Eisner, R. Prayer may influence in vitro fertilization success. Columbia News. This document remained on the Public Affairs News page of Columbia University Internet site for more than two years after the publication of the Cha/Wirth/Lobo study (www.columbia.edu/cu/news).
4. Schorr, M. Prayer may boost in-vitro success, study suggests. Reuters News Service: 2001; October.
5. Johnson, T. Praying for pregnancy: Study says prayer helps women get pregnant. ABC television Good Morning America 2001; October 4.
6. Flamm, BL. Faith healing by prayer: Review of Cha, KY, Wirth, DP, Lobo, RA. Does prayer influence the success of in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer? Sci Review Alt Med 2002; 6(1):47-50.
7. Flamm, BL. Faith healing confronts modern medicine. Sci Review Alt Med 2004; 8(1):9-14.
8. Carmone, MA. Letter to Thomas Q. Morris, MD, Vice President for Health Sciences Division, regarding possible noncompliance with DHHS regulations for protection of human subjects in the conduct of the Cha et. al. Study.
9. Pair charged with scheming Adelphia out of $2.1 million. Associated Press. October 16, 2002.
10. Dale, M. Arson added to charges pending against ex-Adelphia manager. Associated Press. Contra Costa Times. February 5, 2003.
11. McDermott, J. Mystery man admits to conspiracy. The Morning Call Newspaper. May 18, 2004. This article can be viewed in the news archives at
12. Wirth DP, Cram JR, Chang RJ. Multisite surface electromyography and complementary healing intervention: A comparative analysis. J Altern Complement Med 1997 Winter; 3(4):355-64.
13. Wirth DP, Cram JR. Multisite electromyographic analysis of Therapeutic Touch and qigong therapy. J Altern Complement Med 1997 Summer; 3(2):109-18.
14. Wirth DP, Richardson JT, Eidelman WS. Wound healing and complementary therapies: A review. J Altern Complement Med 1996 Winter; 2(4):493-502.
15. Wirth DP, Chang RJ, Eidelman WS, Paxton JB. Hematological indicators of complementary healing intervention. Complementary Therapies in Medicine 1996 January: 14-20.
16. Wirth DP, Richardson JT, Martinez RD, Eidelman WS, Lopez ME. Non-contact Therapeutic Touch intervention and full-thickness cutaneous wounds: A replication Complementary Therapies in Medicine 1996 October: 237-240.
17. Wirth, DP. The significance of belief and expectancy within the spiritual healing encounter. Soc Sci Med 1995;41(2):249-260.
18. Wirth, DP. Complementary healing intervention and dermal wound reepithelialization: An overview. Int J Psychosomatics 1995;42:48-53.
19. Wirth DP, Cram JR. The psychophysiology of nontraditional prayer. Int J Psychosom 1994;41(1-4):68-75.
20. Wirth DP, Barrett MJ. Complementary healing therapies. Int J Psychosom 1994;41(1-4):61-7.
21. Wirth DP, Mitchell BJ. Complementary healing therapy for patients with Type 1 diabetes mellitus. Journal of Scientific Exploration 1994;8(3): 367-377.
22. Wirth DP, Barrett MJ, Eidelman WS. Non-contact therapeutic touch and wound reepithelialization: an extension of previous research. Complementary Therapies in Medicine 1994 (2) October: 187-192.
23. Wirth DP, Brenlan DR, Levine RJ, Rodriguez CM. The effect of complementary healing therapy on postoperative pain after surgical removal of impacted third molar teeth. Complementary Therapies in Medicine 1993 July 133-138.
24. Wirth DP, Cram JR. Multi-site electromyographic analysis of non-contact Therapeutic Touch. Int J Psychosom 1993;40(1-4):47-55.
25. Wirth DP, Richardson JT, Martinez R, Eidelman WS, O'Malley AC. Full thickness dermal wounds treated with non-contact Therapeutic Touch; a replication and extension. Complementary Therapies in Medicine 1993 July: 127-132.
26. Wirth, DP. Implementing spiritual healing in modern medical practice: Advances. J Mind-Body Health 1993;(9):69-81.
27. Wirth DP, Johnson CA, Horvath JS, MacGregor JD. The effect of alternative healing therapy on the regeneration rate of salamander forelimbs. Journal of Scientific Exploration 1992; (6):375-391.
28. Wirth, DP. The effect of non-contact Therapeutic Touch on the healing rate of full thickness dermal wounds. Nurse Healers Professional Associates 1992;13(3):4-8
29. Wirth, DP. The effect of non-contact Therapeutic Touch on the healing rate of full thickness dermal wounds. Subtle Energies 1990; 1:1-20.
30. Rosa L, Rosa E, Sarner L, Barrett S. A close look at Therapeutic Touch. JAMA 1998 Apr 1:279(13):1005-10.
31. Harris, D. Exposed: Conman's role in prayer-power IVF 'miracle'. The Observer May 30, 2004.
32. Dossey, L. Response to letter to the editor. Southern California Physician December 2001:46.
33. Lark, S. The power of prayer. The Lark Letter: A women's guide to optimal health and balance. February 2004:1-3.
34. Renckens, CNM. Alternative treatments in reproductive medicine: much ado about nothing. Human Reproduction 2002;17(3):528-533.
35. Flamm, BL. The inherent dangers of faith healing. Sci Review Alt Med. In Press.
About the Author
Bruce L. Flamm is a clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of California, Irvine. Dr. Flamm is the author of several medical books, book chapters, and research articles. In addition to his work in the medical field he is an expert in the history of calculating devices and has co-authored a book on the subject.
I am Dariush the Great King, King of Kings, King of countries containing all kinds of men, King in this great earth far and wide, son of Hystaspes, an Achaemenian, a Persian, son of a Persian, an Aryan, having Aryan lineage
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subset: commoncrawl


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SEATTLE, April 27 (UPI) -- High levels of omega-3 in the blood -- which is good for the heart -- may boost the risk of aggressive prostate cancer in men, U.S. researchers found.
Theodore M. Brasky and colleagues at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle analyzed data from a nationwide study involving more than 3,400 men. Half developed prostate cancer during the course of the study and half did not.
The study, published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, found men with the highest blood percentages of docosahexaenoic acid, or DHA -- an inflammation-lowering omega-3 fatty acid commonly found in fatty fish such as salmon -- have two-and-a-half-times the risk of developing aggressive, high-grade prostate cancer compared to men with the lowest DHA levels.
In addition, the study found men with the highest blood ratios of trans-fatty acids -- linked to inflammation and heart disease and abundant in processed foods that contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oil -- had a 50 percent reduction in the risk of high-grade prostate cancer. Neither fat was associated with the risk of low-grade prostate cancer risk.
"We were stunned to see these results and we spent a lot of time making sure the analyses were correct," Brasky said in a statement. "Our findings turn what we know -- or rather what we think we know -- about diet, inflammation and the development of prostate cancer on its head."
However, overall, the beneficial effects of eating fish to prevent heart disease outweigh any harm related to prostate cancer risk, Brasky adds.


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Full Genomics
From Personalbiology.org
Full Genomics
Full genome sequences and the sequencing technology do not mean full genomics.
Genomics is about bioinformatic processing and application of informatics to genome sequences. What bioinformatics can extract and transfer to the people is the key in doing genomics.
Personal genomics technologies and openfree genomics culture can provide people with next generation applications.


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Depends on the particular models.
The real R heros in my view are the R 19mm, the R 60mm Macro, the 180mm APO 2.8 and the Modular APO-Telyts.
I'm sure someone has run real-world shooting tests on equivalent Leica M and R lenses; I'm looking to add some Leica glass for my Sony Nex, and there are adapters for both lenses. I am drawn to the mechanical simplicity of the M lenses, but here in Russia, an R lens is significantly cheaper than its M counterpart. Any thoughts?
In my experience, the M versions has been more frequently redesigned, which has given the M lenses an edge over the (mostly older) R designs. The M 35mm f1.4 versions are always better than the R version.The M 50mm f1.4 and f2 are better than the R versions.When they are both from the same generation, there is little difference. The R 80mm f1.4 is equal to the 75mm f1.4. The latest 28mm 2.8 are both very similar. The Apo 90mm f2s are very similar.The real R heros in my view are the R 19mm, the R 60mm Macro, the 180mm APO 2.8 and the Modular APO-Telyts.


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The American School of Classical Studies at Athens has been continuously excavating the Ancient Athenian Agora since 1931.
The Agora of Athens was the center of the ancient city: a large, open square where the citizens could assemble for a wide variety of purposes. On any given day the space might be used as a market, or for an election, a dramatic performance, a religious procession, military drill, or athletic competition. Here administrative, political, judicial, commercial, social, cultural, and religious activities all found a place together in the heart of Athens, and the square was surrounded by the public buildings necessary to run the Athenian government.
These buildings, along with monuments and small objects, illustrate the important role it played in all aspects of public life. The council chamber, magistrates' offices, mint, and archives have all been uncovered, while the lawcourts are represented by the recovery of bronze ballots and a water-clock used to time speeches. The use of the area as a marketplace is indicated by the numerous shops where potters, cobblers, bronzeworkers, and sculptors made and sold their wares.
In 1931 excavations looked like this:
Today in 2016, a few meters away, excavations look like this:
Read more on the Agora Website.


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Wednesday marks anniversary of Shannan Gilbert's disappearance
Three years ago Wednesday, Shannan Gilbert, a prostitute from Jersey City, vanished in Oak Beach.
Her case led authorities to discover 10 sets of remains along Ocean Parkway before finding Gilbert's body in December 2011. But what prompted her disappearance -- and the details surrounding her death -- remains a mystery that her mother still seeks to unravel.
"Time may pass and she's not been with us but that doesn't mean that we will . . . forget," said Mari Gilbert of upstate Ellenville. She said she's had no updates on her daughter's case for almost a year.
"I think they don't care," said Gilbert, who believes authorities aren't trying hard to solve her daughter's case because she was a prostitute. "At the end of the day, they were all loved, and they are all missed."
The victims -- first discovered in Gilgo Beach -- led to one of the biggest homicide cases in Suffolk County police history. But the department has not commented on the progress of its investigation, if any, since new leadership took over in 2012.
"We are not commenting further at this time on the Gilgo investigation until/unless we have some additional information pertaining to the investigation that serves the investigation or the public by its release," said a statement yesterday.
The Gilgo killings gained worldwide attention, inspiring an Off-Broadway play last year titled "Killing Time" and a book written by New York Magazine contributing writer Robert Kolker called "Lost Girls: An Unsolved American Mystery" due out in July. But except for one tangential federal arrest unrelated to the killings, they remain, as the book title says, unsolved.
Police recently returned to the scene. In March, a missing Queens Village woman's car was found abandoned not far from where the first four bodies were found. Nassau and New York City police found only personal effects. Authorities said the case of Natasha Jugo, 31, was not tied to the Gilgo killings.
Gilbert disappeared May 1, 2010. The 24-year-old vanished in the gated community of Oak Beach after being summoned by a client, Joseph Brewer, who has since been eliminated as a suspect. Investigators said she placed a frantic 911 call for help in the early morning hours, knocked on a couple of neighbors' doors and wasn't heard from again. The 911 tapes have not been released.
Under mounting pressure from Gilbert's family, the search for her led authorities to find 10 other bodies along Ocean Parkway, including that of a toddler, an Asian man dressed in women's clothing, and body parts belonging to remains found in Manorville in 2000 and 2003. Half of the remains found along Ocean Parkway during the searches have been identified. All five were young women working as prostitutes.
Ironically, Gilbert's body was the last one to be found. She was discovered in Oak Beach. The cause of death is undetermined.
Last November, Mari Gilbert filed a wrongful-death suit in State Supreme Court in Suffolk against Dr. C. Peter Hackett, formerly of Oak Beach and now of Fort Myers, Fla., claiming he was the last man known to have seen her alive. Her attorney, John Ray, said Hackett has asked a judge to dismiss the case. Hackett has not commented on the suit.
The pending suit claims he drugged her daughter against her will and let her leave in a helpless condition.
Mari Gilbert believes her daughter was murdered and that her death is linked to the first four women found near Gilgo Beach. Authorities have said they do not believe they are connected. "I'm not going to stop until I find out exactly who killed Shannan," she said Monday.
Gilbert's body is at the Suffolk County medical examiner's office per her mother's request while she tries to raise $15,000 for an autopsy by an independent forensic examiner.


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Chicken Croquettes (Croquetas de Pollo) From 'Spain'
Miniature fried savory patties are some of my favorite small bites. I'm most familiar with hearty arancini and fluffy salt cod fritters, but I'll eat just about anything bite-sized that's served hot from the fryer. And based on the description in Jeff Koehler's new cookbook, Spain, Spanish croquettes offer something a little different.
These croquettes are bound with a thick, buttery cross between béchamel sauce and and eggless pâte a choux dough. This floury base gets mixed with ground meat or fish (in this case, chicken), cooled, and then shaped into cylinders and fried. Because of the abundance of butter in the filling, the hot croquettes offer a creamy, lush interior that gushes out of the crisp breadcrumb coating.
Why I picked this recipe: A tapas spread isn't complete without something fried. Why not these curious chicken-filled nibbles?
What worked: The finished croquettes are a wonderful surprise—the crisp exterior breaks away into a gloriously creamy interior, fragrant with nutmeg.
What didn't: Koehler doesn't give a frying temperature for the croquettes. I successfully fried mine at 350 for about 4 minutes, flipping halfway through. I reheated the oil to 350 between batches.
Suggested tweaks: To make shaping the croquettes easier, I'd recommend cooling the chicken mixture in a square baking dish instead of a bowl. After the mixture has firmed up, you should be able to turn it out of the pan and slice it into small rectangles with a knife sprayed with a little cooking spray. Roll the rectangles into the small cylinders as described. Also, the croquettes taste even better with a little squeeze of lemon right before biting in.
As always with our Cook the Book feature, we have five (5) copies of Spain to give away this week.
All products linked here have been independently selected by our editors. We may earn a commission on purchases, as described in our affiliate policy.


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Suitable for most print methods our blank promotional sashes are pre made into a loop and are ideal for Screen printing, digital and Iron on transfers as well as hot foil printing and light embroidery.
Discount offered when bulk buying sashes - See under main price.


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3 Keys To Reducing Employee Turnover In Biotech
Turn Over – Do You Really Pay Attention To It?
October 20, 2014
By Rick Johnson for BioSpace.com
I have worked with numerous companies that have or had employee retention issues without any real understanding as to why they can't seem to keep good employees. Oh, most of them track turn over. Some even measure it accurately. Some even do exit interviews but very few have a clear understanding as to the cause of high turnover rates. Added to that fact, a common attitude seems to exist that turn over in operations and logistics may just be the "nature of the beast."
This attitude often becomes apparent when I am discussing turn over with business owners that seem to have a track record of high turnover rates in the warehouse or in their trucking business. Ironically, most companies that have a high turnover rate in operations may find that they have a higher than desirable turnover in their sales and administrative force as well.
My suggestion to you—if this is beginning to sound familiar—is that there is no such thing as the "nature of the beast." It's time for you to take a long hard look at the culture of your company: the value you place on your employees and your competitiveness in the market place. I am not talking about lip service. It is easy to say, "Our employees are our most important asset. We strive to become the Employer of Choice."
The acid test.
Ask your employees if they think they are the company's most important asset. Ask your employees if they think you are the Employer of Choice. Do it anonymously. You might just be surprised at what they reveal. Regardless of what you might believe about warehouse personnel or even truck drivers, I am here to tell you that having a high turn over rate and being an Employer of Choice is an Oxymoron.
A strong word of caution.
Once you elect to solicit input from your employees, you not only have to listen to them, you must act on the results. That doesn't mean you have to acquiesce to every wish but you must acknowledge the input and create a plan to address the legitimate issues of concern. Failure to do this will not only cost you credibility and integrity but it will compound your turn over problems.
Look into the mirror.
I know that it isn't easy to take the blame for high turnover. I know that the majority of CEOs, Presidents, and owners do value their employees. This is true even in many of those companies that have high turnover. However, remember the old cliché; "The buck stops here." If you aren't responsible, who is? Trust me, it isn't your Human Resource Manager, (If you have one). It's your responsibility to insure that the culture and the environment that your company is built on releases the power of profit that is stored in every employee that works for you. The maximum force of that power of profit can not be released unless you actually believe that your employees are your most important asset and you demonstrate that belief in everything you do.
I once had an owner argue with me that he treated his employees like family. Yet, his sales force came and went like a revolving door existed. His key management team had only one person with more than ten years of tenure and his overall (unplanned) turnover exceeded thirty five percent.
I told him that if he treated his employees like family, then he could probably be arrested for being an abusive father. I understand that everything you do as a company centers around the profitability of the company. However, if you are struggling with a high turnover rate, you must come to the understanding that your employees may not be profit but without your employees there can be no profits. Rest assured that I understand that you can't baby sit everybody. You can't give every employee everything they want. Well, here's some exciting news. You don't have to. Start by building a culture and environment that is based on the following principles:
• Respect your employees—Demonstrate that respect by valuing their opinions and their ideas. Learn to really listen to them.
• Give credit where credit is due—Demonstrate that by recognizing not just extraordinary effort or the occasional home run but recognize individual efforts in a sincere fashion and do it publicly.
• Create opportunities to learn—Demonstrate your willingness by taking a risk and assign employees tasks that may stretch their talent and then coach them (not manage) through the process.
• Recognize that you don't have to have all the answers—Demonstrate that recognition by asking for help, advice, and input from your employees.
• Learn to say "please, thank you, can you help, what do you think, what would you do"—Demonstrate this with humility, compassion, and sincerity.
Yes, dealing with humans means that sometimes they do stupid human things. But, even though you may be the CEO, you can do some stupid things sometimes as well. After all, you are human too—aren't you? Your responsibility is to have a personal and corporate commitment to recruiting, training, motivating, and retaining the best employees you can possibly get.
So what is an acceptable turnover rate?
The answer to that question is that it depends. It depends on many factors including the unemployment rate, your individual market, the type of business you are in, the external environment, individual job function, and even something as simple as the neighborhood your plant is in. However, I will give you my personal general opinion as to what your unplanned (employees that leave by their own decision) turnover rate should not exceed. (Remember—this is unplanned turn over.)
• Inside Sales—15 percent
• General Administration—20 percent
• Operations—30 percent
• Middle Management—20 percent
• Executive Management—15 percent
I once had a candid discussion with the CEO of a smaller company (million in sales) and he proceeded to give his opinion as to the competency of his entire management staff. It consisted of eleven employees. He made exceptionally negative comments about nine of those managers and the other two managers on his staff, according to him, they were average at best.
I told him the solution to the problem was simple—"We need to replace the CEO." He decided not to hire me.
What's the answer?
So how do you consistently attract, recruit, and retain good people? It isn't easy but it's not impossible. Follow these guidelines and you will have success at recruiting and your retention rates will improve. Being an Employer of Choice is earned and it isn't cheap. You have to invest in your employees. So, when you feel that nagging tinge of reluctance at budget time; when you are looking at employee training, education and development, remember the following formula for high turnover replacement costs.
Replacement cost = 1.5 times annual salary
$50,000 x 1.5 = $75,000 x 100 employees = $7.5 million
1. Be on the lookout.
You must always be on the lookout for good personnel. You never know where you may find your next employee. It could be at the local convenience store, a waitress or waiter, or even that individual you met at the trade show. Remember, the best employees generally already have a job unless they are in transition. I know of a CEO that carries two sets of business cards. On the back of one of the cards, the following statement is printed.
"You act like the type of person that would fit in at our company. The type of person we are always looking for. If you would be interested in pursuing an opportunity at our company; call 111-111-1111 and ask for Joe Job in Human Resources. Tell him you have my card and he will schedule you for an interview."
2. It's not just an HR thing.
Recruitment and retention is not just a HR's responsibility. It is the responsibility of every manager that works at your company. Make sure all your managers are aware of that responsibility and hold them accountable for it. Create some form of recruitment incentive for all employees. Pay them half when their recommended candidate is hired and half after six months.
Establish a buddy system for new employees. Once the employee has been on the job two weeks have them select a buddy mentor to teach them the ropes. This isn't skills training, it's culture training. Reward the buddy with a monthly bonus for the next two months. The most critical time frame for new employees that are making a decision whether to stay at your company or begin looking again is the first sixty days. Can you imagine how they will be welcomed by other employees when there is an opportunity to get a two month bonus for coaching the new employee?
3. We can't afford to pay at or above mid market wages.
This is an over used excuse. It isn't always about the money. Of course employees want to be paid well, who doesn't? That is natural and normal. However, many surveys have been conducted that rank pay third, fourth, or fifth as the most important reasons to work for a company. Recognition, praise for work well done, a sense of belonging, are all more important to most people. That doesn't mean you can be the cheapest in the market but it may mean you don't have to be the highest either. Drink your own kool aid when it comes to selling your value propositions. Isn't that what you tell your sales people when they face price objections. Well, your company has value propositions too. Figure out what the value propositions are for working at your company. If you can't figure them out then you have a problem. Seek outside help to create the kind of culture and environment that will support becoming an employer of choice.
About the Author
www.ceostrategist.com – Sign up to receive "The Howl" a free monthly newsletter that addresses real world industry issues. – Straight talk about today's issues. Rick Johnson, expert speaker, wholesale distribution's "Leadership Strategist," founder of CEO Strategist, LLC a firm that helps clients create and maintain competitive advantage. Need a speaker for your next event, E-mail [email protected] Don't forget to check out the Lead Wolf Series that can help you put more profit into your business.
Check out the latest Inside Recruiter eNewsletter – October 20, 2014.


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December 5, 2016 (Interfax-Ukraine) The construction of 150 meter high telecommunications tower was started near the Chonhar checkpoint in the Kherson region on Friday for broadcasting Ukrainian channels to the Crimean peninsula occupied by Russia.
"We have already appealed to the Ukrainian State Centre of Radio Frequencies for their conclusions in order to give start to at least four channels from this digital broadcasting television tower. That is, the calculations of digital frequency were ordered in order to provide digital broadcasting in the region and on the territory of Crimea. We expect that there will be a local multiplex for at least four channels," a member of the National Council on television and radio broadcasting Serhiyy Kostynsky said. According to Kostynsky, the cost of the television tower is UAH one million and its construction costs UAH 500,000. It is planned that at least four Ukrainian TV channels in a digital format will be broadcast on the territory of Kherson region and Crimea. The random choice of TV stations for broadcasting will be determined on a competitive basis.


text: Glenn and Gershom discuss Israel and the US election. Gershom finds the controversy over Jerusalem in the Democratic platform to be disconnected from reality. Glenn suggests that this only illustrates the power of symbols in political communication. Do Israelis prefer Romney over Obama? Glenn thinks that pro-Israel pandering in US politics is more about evangelical Christians than Jewish voters. Gershom and Glenn have different ideas about why some Americans still view Obama as foreign. Gershom suggests that American Jews will vote Democratic, but not based on Israel. Gershom argues that the segregated economic situation of the ultra-Orthodox in Israel is unsustainable, and he and Glenn explore how it might change.Play entire video


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Automated inline self-calibration at Lonza
Full monitoring throughout bioprocess
For Lonza, process reliability and product quality are paramount. Fully automated and traceable calibration during the process can reduce the risk of undetected measurement errors to a minimum.
Early detection of temperature drifts
Short calibration intervals reduce the risk of incorrect temperature measurements
Maximum process safety and plant availability
Accuracy of 0.03°C is 10 times better compared to a standard Pt100 class AA sensor
Fully automated and traceable storage of last 350 calibrations
Our bioprocess plants require temperature sensors that are 100% reliable. With its automatic inline self-calibration function at 118°C, the TrustSens is a safe bet for us.
Customer challenge
Plant downtime and calibration times should be reduced to a minimum. To keep the risks in bio production as low as possible, an increase in calibration
frequency is required. It should be possible to save time on installation, maintenance and monitoring and to perform these tasks safely and reliably. All specifications require a high level of product quality.
Our solution
The self-calibrating iTHERM TrustSens temperature sensor was used for test purposes over a period of four months in a buffer tank located in a pilot plant fermenter. This sensor is that it performs an automated inline self-calibration at 118°C during each SIP process (Steam in Place) and reports any deviations to the control system using the HART protocol. The average deviation of 0.03°C is also 10 times better than the maximum permitted error of a standard Pt100 class AA sensor.


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- 2008.001.013
- Pièce
- 1912-1914
Fait partie de Lorne Shields Historical Photograph Collection
Green cloth binding with "photos" embossed in black on the cover; number "7" stamped in blue. Grey pages with dark green border around photos. Notations in black ink. Photographs are mounted onto a card betwen two additional pieces of paper; the outside pieces of paper have windows cut to fit around the photographs.
No loose photographs however several photographs are becoming loose and peeling out of their windows. Many photographs are significantly faded and yellowing has occurred.
Locations include Scheveningen, Antwerpen, Kharbin, Kayota (Korea), Seoul, Kobe.
Themes include: street views, architecture, Transiberian railroads, landscapes and waterscapes.
Dates include September - December, 1912; 1-12 Januari, 1913; Februari, 1913.


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WBUR News
Support the news
Bulger Defense Seeks Delay In Openings
Lawyers for reputed gangster James "Whitey" Bulger asked a judge Monday to delay opening statements in his racketeering trial so they can investigate a claim that law enforcement protected a hit man who is expected to be a star prosecution witness.
In a written motion, the defense said John Martorano, who admitted to killing 20 people, has committed crimes since his 2007 release from federal prison and has been shielded from investigation.
Prosecutors opposed the delay, saying in a written response that the allegation was "thoroughly debunked" after an investigation. They said the complaint was made by a disgruntled state trooper who falsely accused another trooper of ignoring allegations against Martorano.
Judge Denise Casper did not immediately rule on the motion. The judge had said she hoped to have opening statements Wednesday.
The motion was filed as Casper began questioning potential jurors individually. Several people were excused after they said they had read books or media accounts about Bulger's alleged crimes and had already formed an opinion that he is likely guilty. Several others were excused after they said it would be a financial hardship for them to serve on the trial, which is expected to last three to four months. Still others were excused after they told the judge they had booked a summer vacation.
Bulger, 83, the former leader of the Winter Hill Gang, is accused of a long list of crimes, including participating in 19 killings. He fled Boston in 1994 and was one of the FBI's most wanted fugitives until he was captured in Santa Monica, Calif., in 2011.
Authorities say he was a longtime FBI informant who provided information on the New England Mafia, his gang's main rivals. Bulger has pleaded not guilty and denies being an informant.
This article was originally published on June 10, 2013.
This program aired on June 10, 2013. The audio for this program is not available.
Support the news


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Blind Items Revealed #5 - Kindness
This Academy Award winning actress who likes to pretend she is foreign born even though she isn't also likes to pretend she didn't film the first few movies of her career. Anyway, she was being a great mom and on a field trip with her kids to a museum when she noticed that another group of kids from another school only had ten kids at the museum while most of the other schools had fifty kids or more. It turns out that the school district had no funding to have school buses take kids on field trips so it was up to individual parents to arrange for rides and carpooling. So, our actress spoke to someone at the school and the next thing you know the school had its very own $250K school bus to take kids to activities. She also paid for several parents to get certified as school bus drivers.
Nicole Kidman


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text: PLEASE NOTE: Effective December 1, 2008, Federally Employed Women ("FEW") terminated its relationship and activities with the Legal and Education Fund ("LEF" and previously referred to as the "FEW Legal and Education Fund" and "FEW-LEF"). The termination of the relationship between the two entities is based upon policy and procedural differences that could not be resolved to the mutual satisfaction of the leadership of the two organizations. FEW's leadership believes the termination of the relationship between the two organizations to be in the best interest of FEW and its membership. The leadership of the LEF has been directed to discontinue any and all use of the FEW name or acronym in connection with its activities.


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Look extra cute in one of our CoHo Shirts. The shirts are pigment dyed for added softness. This is sure to become your new favorite tee shirt.
- 4.3 ounce
- Sizes are unisex and come in sizes XS to 3XL
- 50% Poly 25% Combed ringspun cotton and 25% rayon
- Tri-Blend Jersey fabric
- The body of all of the shirts is Heather White. Many different sleeve colors available
We sublimate each shirt here in our shop so you may choose your sleeve color
- First you will choose your sleeve color. The body of the shirts are all heather white
- Next you will choose your size. We have included size measurements given to us by the manufacturer.
- Machine Wash inside out/Tumble Dry
- Please be sure to include your telephone number on your order in case we have any questions about your order
Each shirt is custom made just for you. There are no refunds or exchanges so please double check your order for accuracy.


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A few weeks ago in my Friday Favorite Finds, I shared a delicious looking recipe for cinnamon chocolate chip muffins.
This idea inspired me to capture the flavor of oatmeal chocolate raisin cookies in a muffin – only replacing the raisins with dried cherries because that makes everything better.
We made these muffins using entirely applesauce, and they were great & very moist, but more dense than a typical muffin. You can certainly make them that way, but I recommend using 2 T applesauce and 3 T melted better to get the combination just right. This should add some fluff but not all the calories from using 5 T melted butter.
Oatmeal Cookie Muffins – Inspired by Sweet Tooth
- 1 1/2 C white whole wheat flour
- 1/2 C oats
- 1/2 T baking powder
- 1/4 tsp. baking soda
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- 2 T applesauce
- 3 T melted butter (or additional applesauce)
- 1/3 C honey (or 1/2 C brown sugar)
- 1 egg
- 3/4 C Greek yogurt
- 1/4 C dark chocolate chips
- 1/4 C dried cherries (optional)
Begin by combining 1 1/2 C white whole wheat flour with 1/2 C oats, 1/2 T baking powder, 1/4 tsp. baking soda, 1/4 tsp. salt and 1 tsp. cinnamon. Stir well.
In the same bowl, pour in 2 T applesauce (you can use up to 5 T – if you do, omit the butter), 3 T melted butter, 3/4 C Greek yogurt, 1/3 C honey and 1 egg.
Lightly mix the egg before mixing the entire batch of wet ingredients together with the dry ones.
The batter you've made will be quite thick. However, it' shouldn't be a large ball of batter – it should be pliable and scoopable {is that even a word?!}. If it's too tough, add milk, 1 T at a time until you have a batter. {The grind of your wheat flour as well as the yogurt can contribute to variations in the final consistency of the dough!}
Stir in chocolate chips, or raisins, or dried cherries, or toss them all for fun.
Fill 12 muffins tins 3/4 of the way full. If desired, sprinkle with coarse sugar for a topping.
Bake at 375 for 20 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center.
Makes 12 muffins, or 6 jumbo muffins.


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« Teacher Bonus Pay Program Comes Under Fire in Federal Complaint | Main | Why Is Classroom Management Such a Problem for New Teachers? »
The Teaching Profession in 2015 (in Charts)
At the end of every year (now for a record two years!), we dig through all the white papers and research findings and think tank reports sent to Education Week, as well as a few in-house originals, to find some useful nuggets of visual information that may have escaped people's notice and that help capture the state of teaching.
If not all groundbreaking, the data and graphs and statistics below serve as a reminder about some of the struggles educators face on a frequent basis that may not garner as much attention as perhaps deserved.
Last year's edition of this post focused a lot on the teaching profession itself: Composition, salary, benefits, etc. This year's edition looks at teaching largely through a student lens, because ultimately, how students perform in life after school comes to shape the teaching profession; schools are often a mirror for the communities surrounding them. When teachers get training in cultural competency, for instance, it's often not because that's just a nice thing to learn; it's because a lot of students of color are failed by the system, and that perpetuates economic inequalities, which drive demand for school solutions, which are implemented by teachers. One big cycle.
Now here are some graphs.
Chart #1: How Many New Teachers Stay?
For a decade or so, the de facto statistic about new teachers was that almost half of them leave the teaching profession within five years. But a longitudinal study conducted by the Institute for Education Sciences, published in April, found that statistic to be very different by 2012: Only 17 percent of new teachers are now believed to leave the profession within five years:
Even if future studies find that the measurement has moved again, the change documented is a little shocking, and shows that it takes a long time and a lot of effort to understand where and when and how teachers move. The new data don't necessarily reduce the need to understand and address teacher attrition, but it does help clear up what turned out to be a major misconception.
Chart #2: Teacher Shortages
This summer, as schools looked to fill teacher vacancies, some folks looked at teacher-prep enrollment numbers and came to a conclusion: That there is a national teacher shortage, and ______ is to blame for it. Subsequent examinations, both here and in other outlets, have shown that "national teacher shortage" is a red herring, indifferent to the reality that education is still very local and reasons for shortages of any one kind may vary.
There are persistent teacher shortages in some forms, such as in certain subject areas, in rural locations, and in non-white demographics, among others. But in terms of sheer quantity? The teacher-to-student ratio is about as good as it's ever been, as you can see in this chart published in Education Week this past August based on data from the National Center for Education Statistics:
Teacher-prep numbers aren't the same as the overall teaching supply. An important part, yes, but not the whole story.
Chart #3: Student Poverty
In a study released last January, the National Center for Education Statistics published a sobering statistic: As of 2013, 51 percent of public school students qualified for free-and-reduced-price meals, a common indicator of low-income families. That's up from 32 percent in 1989. Here's a state breakdown:
The stressors that come from low-income life—worries about security, mental and physical health, etc.—affect instruction every day. For teachers, this chart represents a frank assessment that those struggles are only growing at present.
Chart #4: Discipline Bias
In April, researchers at Stanford University conducted an experiment to see how teachers would respond to behavioral issues based on a student's race. But rather than just look at responses to first infractions, the study also examined responses to second infractions. In doing so, they found that while teachers are more likely to discipline a child of any race for a second violation, the discipline rate is higher for black students than white students.
This isn't the first study to delve into racial bias among teachers, nor will it be the last. Bias is an ongoing issue in education, and studies like these can serve as valuable reminders to acknowledge a problem.
Chart #5: Suicide
Over the past two decades, the suicide rate for children ages 5-11 held fairly constant. But that's because a drop in the suicide rate among white children corresponded to a significant jump in the suicide rate for black children, according to a study by the Nationwide Children's Hospital published in May.
"Our findings suggest questions about what factors might influence increasing suicide rates among young black children," the researchers concluded. "Black children may experience disproportionate exposure to violence and traumatic stress and aggressive school discipline."
Charts #6 and #7: Progress-ish
In 2015, 10 states had fewer than 10 girls take the AP Computer Science exam. No girls took the exam in Mississippi, Montana, or Wyoming. Actually: No one took the exam in Montana at all. (It's called the Big Sky state, not the Big Sci state, people forget that.)
There is still a big gender disparity, although some states show gains. In Hawaii, a full third of test-takers were also girls:
Fun fact: In four states (Alaska, Iowa, Kansas, and Wisconsin) girls performed better than boys on the 2015 AP Computer Science exam; indeed, in Iowa, all 24 girls who took the exam passed.
There was also some good news on black students, as pass rates on the exam went up in several states (although not everywhere). But there were nine states where no black students took the AP exam at all. Another disparity: The District of Columbia had the largest percentage of black test-takers, at 22 percent—but about half the district is black students.
Credit to my Education Week colleague Liana Heitin for both of the above charts.
Chart #8: Girls and Computer Science, Redux
Why might girls not be invested in computer science? Confidence is one possible culprit. According to a Gallup poll commissioned by Google and published in November, girls are less likely to feel confident about their computer science skills than boys:
The Gallup poll also found a dearth of computer science role models in film and television who were women or people of color. I recommend Arrow's Curtis Holt and Felicity Smoak:
Then again, maybe students can find role models in their own classrooms ...
Chart #9: The Rise of Non-Fiction
The Common Core State Standards promised an emphasis on non-fiction, and NAEP data indicate that this emphasis may be delivering. According to a study from the Brookings Institution, the gap between non-fiction and fiction has narrowed to its smallest point yet:
The non-fiction push continues to be a sore spot; many English teachers say they've had to abandon classic literature—or worse, use snippets—in order to teach more non-fiction, while supporters of the movement say non-fiction is meant to include all classes, like science and math.
See also: The Teaching Profession in 2014 (in Charts)
Read more of Education Week's end-of-year coverage.


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We have applied the State Tax Analysis Modeling Program — known as STAMP® — to estimate the costs and economic effects of Michigan's 2008 state RES mandate and the proposed "Michigan Energy, Michigan Jobs" ballot proposal. STAMP® is a comprehensive computer model that captures the detailed impact of tax and regulatory policy changes on a state's economy.[*] To analyze this RES policy, the net percentage change in electricity was calculated and its effects were determined based on elasticities of economic variables with respect to changes in utility costs.[†] The modeling results appear below.
In light of the wide divergence in the costs and capacity factor estimates available for the different electricity generation technologies, we provide three estimates of the effects of Michigan's RES mandate, using low, medium and high cost estimates of both renewable and conventional generation technologies. Each estimate represents the change that will take place in the indicated variable against the absence of the RES mandate. The Appendix details our methodology.
Graphic 1 shows the estimated costs and economic impact of the current 10 percent RES mandate in 2015, compared to a baseline of no RES policy. Our results are a comparison between the projected economic activity with the RES in 2015 and the projected economic activity without it.
The current RES will impose higher electrical costs on the Michigan economy of $950 million in 2015, between the low estimate of $850 million and high estimate of $1.04 billion. As a result, the RES mandate would increase electricity prices by a total of 0.85 cents per kWh (or 7.9 percent), within a range of 0.76 cents per kWh (7.0 percent) to 0.93 cents per kWh (8.6 percent).[‡]
The STAMP model simulation indicates that upon full implementation, the RES law will harm Michigan's economy. The state's ratepayers will face higher electricity prices, which will increase their cost of living and put downward pressure on households' disposable income. In 2015, Michigan's economy will have 7,220 fewer jobs, within a range of 6,430 to 7,870 lost jobs.
The job losses due to the RES will reduce real incomes. The price increases will have a similar effect, as firms, households and governments spend more of their budgets on electricity and less on other items, such as home goods and services. In 2015, the RES will reduce real disposable income by $600 million, within a range of $540 million to $660 million. Furthermore, net investment will fall by $83 million, within a range of $74 million to $91 million.
Graphic 1: The Cost of the 10 Percent
RES Mandate to Michigan in 2015 (2012 Dollars)
Note: Costs are calculated in comparison to a baseline projection of Michigan's economy absent the 10 percent RES.
We used the same methodology to study the 25 percent RES mandate by the proposed "Michigan Energy, Michigan Jobs" ballot measure against a baseline of no RES requirement. Graphic 2 displays the results in 2025.
The higher proposed RES mandate, requiring that 25 percent of energy be produced from a renewable source, would impose larger costs on the state. The higher electricity costs seen by all households and businesses
in the state would dampen the economy. In 2025, the 25 percent RES would impose costs of $2.55 billion, within a low estimate of $2.37 billion and a high estimate of $2.65 billion.
As a result, the RES mandate would increase electricity prices by 1.93 cents per kWh (or 16.2 percent), within a range of 1.79 cents per kWh (15.1 percent) to 2.00 cents per kWh (16.9 percent).[§]
The far right column in Graphic 2 shows the projected results of the current 10 percent mandate in 2025. The effect is substantially lower than under the ballot measure. Furthermore, the effect is lower than it is for the 10 percent mandate in 2015 (see Graphic 1 above). This occurs because the cost of renewable energy is expected to decrease relative to conventional energy over time and because Michigan is expected to generate a higher percentage of electricity from renewable sources in 2025 under the baseline scenario than it will in 2015.
These electricity price increases are more than triple the increases for Michigan's current RES. In 2025 under the medium cost scenario, the 25 percent mandate would increase electricity prices by 1.93 cents per kWh, compared to only 0.56 cents per kWh under the 10 percent mandate.
The higher costs would lead to more economic damage. The higher proposed mandate would cost Michigan's economy 10,540 jobs in 2025, within a range of 9,780 to 10,960 job losses. The higher mandate would leave individuals with less disposable income to spend on home goods and services. In 2025, real disposable income would be an estimated $1.42 billion less, within a range of $1.32 billion to $1.47 billion.
The proposed 25 percent RES would bring some new investment, such as infrastructure upgrades and green energy projects, but net investment — which would include lost investment due to higher electricity costs and a slower economy — would fall by $147 million, within a range of $136 million and $153 million.
This projected net loss in investment may seem counterintuitive, given the emphasis that the proposal's supporters place on jobs and investment. The investment in new renewable power sources, transmission lines and reconfigurations of the electricity grid would supplant investment in relatively affordable and efficient electricity production from traditional sources.
Graphic 2: The Cost of the Proposed 25 Percent RES Mandate to Michigan in 2025 (2012 Dollars)
Note: Costs are calculated in comparison to a baseline projection of Michigan's economy absent both the 25 percent and 10 percent renewable energy standards.
Graphic 3 shows how the two different RES mandates would affect the annual electricity bills of households and businesses in Michigan absent any cost caps. In 2015, the higher electric bills required to meet the existing 10 percent RES are projected to cost average households an extra $70 per year; commercial businesses, $650 per year; and industrial businesses, $21,470 per year. In 2025, the higher electric costs required to meet the 25 percent RES mandate are projected to cost average households an extra $180; commercial businesses, $1,630; and industrial businesses, $53,580.
Graphic 3: Annual Costs of RES on Electricity Ratepayers
(2010 Dollars)
Note: Costs are calculated in comparison to a baseline projection of Michigan's economy absent both the 25 percent and 10 percent renewable energy standards.
The electricity cost hikes for residential, commercial and industrial ratepayers necessary to meet the existing 10 percent RES appear to exceed the retail cost caps written into the Clean, Renewable, and Efficient Energy Act. If the projected cost of the 10 percent RES were passed onto consumers in 2015 under the provisions of the cost cap, the residential, commercial and industrial ratepayer price hikes would be roughly double, triple and ten times the cost cap stated in the law.[¶] It is worth noting that electrical producers appear to be charging the legal maximum under the cost cap to many of their consumers.[21]
The projected electricity cost hikes for the proposed 25 percent RES may also violate the 1 percent cost increase limit on consumers' electric bills. Under that cap, which prohibits compliance with the RES from producing price increases of more than 1 percent annually, prices would be permitted to increase by 13.8 percent between 2012 and 2025. Graphic 2 shows that the projected rate hikes attributable to the proposed RES would be between 15.1 percent and 16.9 percent — slightly above the percentage cost cap.[**]
It is not obvious, however, that the cost caps would prevent Michigan's economy from suffering most or all of the full economic impact of the RES as summarized in Graphic 1, Graphic 2 and Graphic 3. Some costs of complying with these renewable energy standards may be recoverable from consumers in other parts of their electric bills, since the list of "recoverable charges" utilities may legally pass on is not limited to renewable energy compliance costs alone.
In addition, renewable energy sources receive both state and federal subsidies. These subsidies lower the cost of renewable energy to electricity producers, and they therefore lower the costs that utilities may charge consumers. This fact does not mean that ratepayers have escaped the economic costs of complying with the renewable energy mandates, however. The money they may have saved as electric consumers may instead be taken from them via taxes they pay directly or indirectly to support the government subsidy programs. Of course, in the case of federal subsidies, Michigan ratepayers may not bear all of the costs, but they inevitably bear some of those costs as federal taxpayers.
Moreover, for a variety of reasons, utilities may choose to bear some of the RES costs that they cannot pass onto consumers without exceeding the cap.[22] While this may spare consumers some of the rate hikes they might otherwise experience, the loss in the utilities' cash reserves and profitability can cause economic damage in other ways. Alternatively, the utilities might be granted the ability to extend these charges for many years to come, allowing them to recover costs over time that they cannot charge now and in the immediate future.
[*] Detailed information about the STAMP® model is located at http://goo.gl/3TCj3. In brief, however, STAMP® is a "computable generalized equilibrium model." A CGE model is 'computable' in the sense that it requires the solution of a system of nonlinear simultaneous equations for each policy simulation. It is 'general' because it allows for the interdependence and interaction of all markets, their prices and their quantities. It is in "equilibrium" because supply is assumed to equal demand in each market.
[†] See Appendix for details.
[‡] Based on a projected price of 10.78 cents per kWh for 2015 using a price of 10.37 cents per kWh for 2011 (for the latter, see "Electric Power Monthly: January 2012," (U.S. Energy Information Administration, 2012), 118, Table 5.6.B. Average Retail Price of Electricity to Ultimate Customers by End-Use Sector, by State, Year-to-Date, http://www.eia.gov/electricity/monthly/current_year/ January2012.pdf (accessed Sept. 11, 2012)).
[§] Based on a projected price of 11.88 cents per kWh for 2025 using a price of 10.37 cents per kWh for 2011 (for the latter, see "Electric Power Monthly: January 2012," (U.S. Energy Information Administration, 2012), 118, Table 5.6.B. Average Retail Price of Electricity to Ultimate Customers by End-Use Sector, by State, Year-to-Date, http://www.eia.gov/electricity/monthly/current_year/ January2012.pdf (accessed Sept. 11, 2012)).
[¶] For instance, the $70 annual medium-cost scenario for a residential ratepayer amounts to approximately $6 per month, which is double the $3 per month maximum permitted under the cost cap in the law. See the "retail rate impact" limits in MCL § 460.1045(2)(a)-(c).
[**] The 16.2 percent medium-cost scenario is equivalent to a 1.16 percent compounded annual increase from 2012 through 2025.


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Industry Insights
The global advanced ceramics market was valued at USD 56 billion in 2015. The rising demand for electronic devices, notably in the emerging regions such as Asia Pacific, is expected to drive the growth of this industry over the forecast period.
Advanced ceramics, such as alumina nitride, silicon carbide, and titania, are more economical and high-performing in comparison with plastics, metals, and glass, thereby rendering them a good alternative to traditional materials.
The products, particularly the oxide and alumina ceramics, have properties such as, high modulus, wear resistance and inertness, which make them vital in the electronics segment. The rising demand for consumer durables in India, China, and Thailand is expected to be a key driver for the growth of the product during the forecast period.
The growth of this industry can also be attributed to the new manufacturing innovations taking place in the electronic devices segment, most notably in major markets such as Japan and China. In addition, the presence of numerous manufacturers in the region is expected to augment the product demand during the forecast period.
Application Insights
Advanced ceramics materials are widely used in devices, which undergo high wear & corrosion and operate at high temperatures. These products find wide applications in electrical equipment, catalyst supports, electronic devices, engine parts, and bio-ceramics, among which, the electronic devices segment accounted for the largest share in 2015.
The bio-ceramics segment was valued at nearly USD 2 billion in 2015. The bio-ceramics segment is expected to observe significant growth during the forecast period, primarily driven by the growing application scope in the medical sector. The recent developments in this field have facilitated the use of bio-ceramics for tissue & bone development and joints & hip replacement.
Full Research Report On Global Advanced Ceramics Market Analysis available at: https://www.millioninsights.com/industry-reports/advanced-ceramics-market-size
Material Insights
Among the key materials considered, alumina ceramics recorded a market share of 35% in 2015. This dominance can be attributed to specific properties such as high resistance to corrosion and weather conditions, which has increased the application scope in the electrical & electronics, automotive, and machinery industries. In addition, alumina is also used as a raw material in the manufacturing of bio-ceramics, which is expected to boost the segment growth during the forecast period.
The titanate ceramics is expected to observe the fastest growth during the forecast period, at a CAGR of over 11%. This rapid growth can be attributed to the high usage of the material in electronic components such as capacitors.
Product Insights
The ceramic matrix composites segment is slated to witness the highest growth of nearly 13% during the forecast period, as a result of increasing scope in key end-use verticals such as aerospace and automotive. In addition, the ceramic matrix composites find applications in transport equipment, space shuttles, and sports equipment, owing to its durability and hardness.
End Use Insights
The advanced ceramics industry has been segmented into electrical & electronics, machinery & automotive, environmental, and medical. Among the aforementioned segments, the environmental sector is expected to witness the highest growth during the forecast period, on account of increased usage in wind turbines and solar panels.
The manufacturers are investing heavily in R&D for the introduction of new and advanced products such as ceramic tiles, mosaic tiles, and ceramic surface grinding machinery. This is expected to positively impact the growth of the machinery segment.
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Regional Insights
The Asia Pacific region recorded a market share of 35% of the global industry and is slated to continue its dominance through the forecast years. The increased demand from the automotive sector in emerging markets such as India and China and the availability of cheap labor, raw materials, and rapid industrialization in the region are expected to drive this trend.
The North American market, particularly the U.S., has been witnessing considerable growth in terms of application in the medical and environmental segments. However, owing to mature nature of this regional market, the overall product demand in the region is expected to be slow during the forecast period.
Competitive Insights
The advanced ceramics industry is highly competitive, with the presence of a large number of manufacturers across the globe. The advanced ceramics market is dominated by two key participants, Morgan Advanced Ceramics and CeramTec, followed by Elan Technology, Oerlikon Surface Solutions AG, Optech Incorporated, CoorsTek, Kyocera Industrial Ceramics Corporation, 3M Company, DuPont, and Murata Manufacturing Co. Ltd.
Most players in this industry have adopted strategies such as new product developments and capacity expansion in order to acquire a competitive edge over their competitors. On February 2016, CeramTec increased its production capacity by opening the new kiln hall in Marktredwitz.
Related Reports of this Category available at Million Insights: https://www.millioninsights.com/industry/advanced-materials
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WASHINGTON DC - NASA on Wednesday announced it would be conducting spacewalks later this month, and they plan to broadcastr them live.
The walks on the International Space Station will take place on Friday 19 October, and Thursday 25 October 2018.
Astronauts will be attending to power system upgrades.
NASA plans to have experts available to preview the work at a public briefing they plan to hold on Tuesday 16 October 2018 at the Johnson Space Center in Houston.
The experts include Kenneth Todd, the International Space Station Operations integration manager, Mary Lawrence, the spacewalk flight director, and Jaclyn Kagey, the lead spacewalk officer.
Live coverage of the briefing and spacewalks will air on NASA Television and the agency's website.
NASA TV coverage of both spacewalks will begin at 6:30 aam on each day. The spacewalks will begin around 8:00. Each is planned to take about six-and-a-half hours to complete.
The spacewalks, NASA says, will focus on replacing older technology batteries with six new lithium-ion batteries. The new batteries, and accompanying adapter plates, arrived at the station on the Japanese H-II Transport Vehicle-7 (HTV-7) cargo craft on 27 September 2018.
Ground controllers will set the stage for the spacewalks by remotely swapping out old nickel-hydrogen batteries on the station's port truss, or "backbone," using the station's robotic arm.
On 19 October 2018, space station Commander Alexander Gerst of ESA (European Space Agency) and Flight Engineer Nick Hague of NASA will venture outside the Quest airlock for the first excursion to upgrade two power channels.
This will be the second spacewalk for Gerst and the first for Hague.
Six days later, Gerst and Hague again will team up to complete the power system upgrades.
The spacewalks, NASA says, will be the 213th and 214th in support of station assembly, maintenance and upgrades and the eighth and ninth this year.


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Supplier Diversity is much more than just a requirement. It is a cost effective way to dramatically enhance your organization's strength. Working with the right vendors can propel your organization into new areas of growth while addressing diversity standards.
Building a reliable, diverse supply chain means working closely with your vendors to ensure they are at the top of their game.
Our Vendor Assessment program will help you identify and grow these valuable relationships.
Our Supplier Excellence Program helps your organization recruit and mentor sustainable vendors to be a part of your supply chain.
We take sustainability to a much deeper level with our approach to your specific needs.
Human Resources Training represents a value proposition that many organizations have yet to fully realize. Our solutions help your organization achieve its full potential by investing in your most important resources--your employees.
In today's ever changing environment, a strong Human Resources function brings peace of mind to the chaotic landscape. Our Human Resources consulting team will support management's efforts to develop and utilize your company's most important asset - its people.


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Picture perfect
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Each level brings new twists, challenges and puzzles. Will you come face-to-face with the eccentric King who built this weird and wonderful realm?
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