text:
LONDON (Bloomberg) -- Oil slipped from a three-year high amid speculation that a surge in hedge-fund buying had pushed prices up too quickly.
U.S. crude futures lost 0.4% while in London Brent retreated from $70/bbl, a level it crossed last week for the first time since 2014. Money managers increased their bullish bets on U.S. crude to the highest in more than a decade, according to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission on Friday. Futures' 14-day Relative Strength Index also suggested prices might have overshot.
Something interesting to share?
Join NrgEdge and create your own NrgBuzz today
Key findings
A month ago, the world witnessed something never thought possible – negative oil prices. A perfect storm of events – the Covid-19 lockdowns, the resulting effect on demand, an ongoing oil supply glut, a worrying shortage of storage space and (crucially) the expiry of the NYMEX WTI benchmark contract for May, resulted in US crude oil prices falling as low as -US$37/b. Dragging other North American crude markers like Louisiana Light and Western Canadian Select along with it, the unique situation meant that crude sellers were paying buyers to take the crude off their hands before the May contract expired, or risk being stuck with crude and nowhere to store it. This was seen as an emblem of the dire circumstances the oil industry was in, and although prices did recover to a more normal US$10-15/b level after the benchmark contract switched over to June, there was immense worry that the situation would repeat itself.
Thankfully, it has not.
On May 19, trade in the NYMEX WTI contract for June delivery was retired and ticked over into a new benchmark for July delivery. Instead of a repeat of the meltdown, the WTI contract rose by US$1.53 to reach US$33.49/b, closing the gap with Brent that traded at US$35.75b. In the space of a month, US crude prices essentially swung up by US$70/b. What happened?
The first reason is that the market has learnt its lesson. The meltdown in April came because of an overleveraged market tempted by low crude oil prices in hope of selling those cargoes on later at a profit. That sort of strategic trading works fine in a normal situation, but against an abnormal situation of rapidly-shrinking storage space saw contract holders hold out until the last minute then frantically dumping their contracts to avoid having to take physical delivery. Bruised by this – and probably embarrassed as well – it seems the market has taken precautions to avoid a recurrence. Settling contracts early was one mechanism. Funds and institutions have also reduced their positions, diminishing the amount of contracts that need to be settled. The structural bottleneck that precipitated the crash was largely eliminated.
The second is that the US oil complex has adjusted itself quickly. Some 2 mmb/d of crude production has been (temporarily) idled, reducing supply. The gradual removal of lockdowns in some US states, despite medical advisories, has also recovered some demand. This week, crude draws in Cushing, Oklahoma rose for the second consecutive week, reaching a record figure of 5.6 million barrels. That increase in demand and the parallel easing of constrained storage space meant that last month's panic was not repeated. The situation is also similar worldwide. With China now almost at full capacity again and lockdowns gradually removed in other parts of the world, the global crude marker Brent also rose to a 2-month high. The new OPEC+ supply deal seems to be working, especially with Saudi Arabia making an additional voluntary cut of 1 mmb/d. The oil world is now moving rapidly towards a new normal.
How long will this last? Assuming that the Covid-19 pandemic is contained by Q3 2020, then oil prices could conceivably return to their previous support level of US$50/b. That is a big assumption, however. The Covid-19 situation is still fragile, with major risks of additional waves. In China and South Korea, where the pandemic had largely been contained, recent detection of isolated new clusters prompted strict localised lockdowns. There is also worry that the US is jumping the gun in easing restrictions. In Russia and Brazil – countries where the advice to enforce strict lockdowns was ignored as early warning signs crept in – the number of cases and deaths is still rising rapidly. Brazil is a particular worry, as President Jair Bolosnaro is a Covid-19 skeptic and is still encouraging normal behaviour in spite of the accelerating health crisis there. On the flip side, crude output may not respond to the increase in demand as easily, as many clusters of Covid-19 outbreaks have been detected in key crude producing facilities worldwide. Despite this, some US shale producers have already restarted their rigs, spurred on by a need to service their high levels of debt. US pipeline giant Energy Transfer LP has already reported that many drillers in the Permian have resumed production, citing prices in the high-US$20/b level as sufficient to cover its costs.
The recovery is ongoing. But what is likely to happen is an erratic recovery, with intermittent bouts of mini-booms and mini-busts. Consultancy IHS Markit Energy Advisory envisions a choppy recovery with 'stop-and-go rallies' over 2020 – particularly in the winter flu season – heading towards a normalisation only in 2021. It predicts that the market will only recover to pre-Covid 19 levels in the second half of 2021, and a smooth path towards that only after a vaccine is developed and made available, which will be late 2020 at the earliest. The oil market has moved from certain doom to cautious optimism in the space of a month. But it will take far longer for the entire industry to regain its verve without any caveats.
Market Outlook:
In this time of COVID-19, we have had to relook at the way we approach workplace learning. We understand that businesses can't afford to push the pause button on capability building, as employee safety comes in first and mistakes can be very costly. That's why we have put together a series of Virtual Instructor Led Training or VILT to ensure that there is no disruption to your workplace learning and progression.
Find courses available for Virtual Instructor Led Training through latest video conferencing technology.
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Short-Term Energy Outlook (STEO), May 2020
As mitigation efforts to contain the 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic continue to lead to rapid declines in petroleum consumption around the world, the production of liquid fuels globally has changed more slowly, leading to record increases in the amount of crude oil and other petroleum liquids placed into storage in recent months. In its May Short-Term Energy Outlook (STEO), the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) expects global inventory builds will be largest in the first half of 2020. EIA estimates that inventory builds rose at a rate of 6.6 million barrels per day (b/d) in the first quarter and will increase by 11.5 million b/d in the second quarter because of widespread travel limitations and sharp reductions in economic activity.
After the first half of 2020, EIA expects global liquid fuels consumption to increase, leading to inventory draws for at least six consecutive quarters and ultimately putting upward pressure on crude oil prices that are currently at their lowest levels in 20 years.
As with the March and April STEO, EIA's forecast reductions in global oil demand arise from three main drivers: lower economic growth, less air travel, and other declines in demand not captured by these two categories, largely related to reductions in travel because of stay-at-home orders. Based on incoming economic data and updated assessments of lockdowns and stay-at-home orders across dozens of countries, EIA has further lowered its forecasts for global oil demand in 2020 in the May STEO. The STEO is based on macroeconomic projections by Oxford Economics (for countries other than the United States) and by IHS Markit (for the United States).
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Short-Term Energy Outlook (STEO), May 2020
In the May STEO, EIA forecasts global liquid fuels consumption will average 92.6 million b/d in 2020, down 8.1 million b/d from 2019. EIA forecasts both economic growth and global consumption of liquid fuels to increase in 2021 but remain lower than 2019 levels. Any lasting behavioral changes to patterns in transportation and other forms of oil consumption once COVID-19 mitigation efforts end, however, present considerable uncertainty to the increase in consumption of liquid fuels, even if gross domestic product (GDP) growth increases.
Members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and partner countries (OPEC+) agreed to new production cuts in early April that will remain in place throughout the STEO forecast period ending in 2021. EIA assumes OPEC members will mostly adhere to announced cuts during the first two months of the agreement (May and June) and that production compliance will relax later in the forecast period as stated production cuts are reduced and global oil demand begins growing.
EIA forecasts OPEC crude oil production will fall to less than 24.1 million b/d in June, a 6.3 million b/d decline from April, when OPEC production increased following an inconclusive meeting in March. If OPEC production declines to less than 24.1 million b/d, it would be the group's lowest level of production since March 1995. The forecast for June OPEC production does not account for the additional voluntary cuts announced by Saudi Arabia's Energy Ministry on May 11.
EIA expects OPEC production will begin increasing in July 2020 in response to rising global oil demand and prices. From that point, EIA expects a gradual increase in OPEC crude oil production through the remainder of the forecast and for production to rise to an average of 28.5 million b/d during the second half of 2021.
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Short-Term Energy Outlook (STEO), May 2020
EIA forecasts the supply of non-OPEC petroleum and other liquid fuels will decline by 2.4 million b/d in 2020 compared with 2019. The steep decline reflects lower forecast oil prices in the second quarter as well as the newly implemented production cuts from non-OPEC participants in the OPEC+ agreement. EIA expects the largest non-OPEC production declines in 2020 to occur in Russia, the United States, and Canada.


text:
If I know anything about myself, it's that history and geography are not my strong suits. It took me forever to learn the 50 states and their locations and, to this day, I still get Wyoming and Colorado confused – they are both sort of rectangle-ish! I am also very lacking when it come to any history predating the New Kids on the Block, A.L.F., Fraggle Rock and the Goonies. I could tell you how many toothpicks Dustin Hoffman counted in Rain Man (246 and 4 left in the box), but I can't remember pretty basic United States history such as when and where the civil war ended (1865 at the Appomattox courthouse – sadly, I did a report on Appomattox and visited the very courthouse in middle school and still couldn't recall this without the help of Google).
Even so, I can appreciate Independence Day and the hard work and sacrifice from our armed forces to keep our freedoms alive! In honor of our Independence and our flag, I whipped up a batch of "Old Glory" Cupcakes. These were very pretty and delicious to eat, but there was an unintended side effect – to get the colors this rich, a lot of food coloring was used, that food coloring ended up dyeing tongues blue. As weird as that was to discover, it was kind of fun feeling like a kid again with one of those blue raspberry popsicles.
Hope everyone has a safe and Happy Independence Day, and many thanks to all of our soldiers, international and domestic, fighting for our freedoms every day.
Yields: 6 cupcakes
2/3 c. flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/8 tsp. salt
2 tbsp. cream
2 tbsp. milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
5 tbsp. butter, softened
1/3 c. sugar
1 egg
Prepare your ingredients: In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. In a liquid measuring cup, mix together the cream, milk, and vanilla.
Make the batter: Using a hand-mixer, whip the butter for about 30 seconds. Add the sugar, and cream until very light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, just until incorporated. Now, switch to a whisk to add the dry ingredients in three installments, alternating with the wet ingredients. (Add in this order: dry-wet-dry-wet-dry.) After each installment, stir just until combined. Batter will be thick.
Bake: Line a muffin tin with six liners. Distribute batter evenly between the liners; it should fill them about 3/4 of the way. Bake in a preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean. Cool on wire rack before frosting.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
via press release:
Programming Will Run on New Late-Night Animated Block and Digital Channel
Network Inks Exclusive Deals with Former Adult Swim Development Head
Nick Weidenfeld and Producer Hend Baghdady
Building on its more than 20 years of animation domination, Fox Broadcasting Company ("FOX") has created a new unit to oversee the development and production of alternative animated series, shorts and user-adapted material for a brand new late-night animated programming block and new digital multi-platform network, it was announced today by Kevin Reilly, FOX President of Entertainment.
To run this new unit, FOX has inked an exclusive deal with Nick Weidenfeld, former head of program development for Adult Swim and executive producer of acclaimed series "Childrens Hospital" and "The Boondocks." The network has also tapped producer Hend Baghdady ("Warren The Ape," "The Andy Milonakis Show") as the executive in charge of production for the new division.
Under their leadership, the unit will develop and produce an ambitious slate of original animated shorts and series to run both on-air and online. The late-night programming block will air Saturdays (11:00 PM-12:30 AM ET/PT) on FOX and will feature four new animated series per season starting in January 2013.
The digital channel will extend across platforms such as Web, mobile apps, game consoles and Video on Demand. It kicks off in 2012 and will feature 50 original short-form pieces per year, online windows of FOX animated shows, and user-adapted content. It will create a unique opportunity for fans and up-and-coming talent to engage with professional FOX-curated content, which they could possibly platform into their own series. FOX will also use its expertise and cross-promotional power to nurture these new assets through this pipeline.
"This may be the first time a network is building a clear bridge for talent to develop and grow ideas in the digital/alternative arena and organically move them into the mainstream," said Reilly. "These new late-night series will be assets in their own right – but the clear possibility exists for a breakout digital success to graduate to primetime."
"Nick had an incredible track record at Adult Swim and is a dynamic guy with the instincts to cultivate and produce inventive and irreverent series that animation fans love. Together with Hend, they are the perfect partners for us in this exciting new venture," Reilly continued.
FOX ANIMATION UNIT – Page 2
Prior to teaming with FOX under his Friends Night production company banner, Weidenfeld served as the head of Program Development for Adult Swim. Over the last eight years, Weidenfeld helped grow the late-night block of programming on Cartoon Network – featuring breakout hits such as "Robot Chicken" and "Aqua Teen Hunger Force" – into the No. 1 cable entertainment channel among young men. He executive-produced a variety of animated and live-action shows, including the Peabody Award-winning "The Boondocks," "Childrens Hospital," "NTSF:SD:SUV::," "Metalocalypse," "Superjail!" and "China, IL," to name a few. In 2009, Weidenfeld co-created and co-wrote the animated hour-long cartoon, "Freaknik: The Musical," starring Grammy Award-winning singer T-Pain as well as Cee Lo, Lil Wayne, Andy Samberg, and Bill Hader. The musical is currently being adapted for the stage. Most recently, he adapted the feature film "Black Dynamite" into an animated series and built a sketch show around the rap group and Internet sensation, Odd Future.
Hend Baghdady began her career in New York working on the first season of "Crank Yankers" with Jackhole Industries. Since then, she has developed, produced and created production formats and templates for live-action and animated comedy series for MTV, Comedy Central, and Adult Swim. Her most recent credits include the "Community" stop-motion Christmas special "Abed's Uncontrollable Christmas"; the first strip animated show "DJ & The Fro"; "The Andy Milonakis Show"; "Warren The Ape"; and Kanye West's pilot "Alligator Boots."
Fox Broadcasting Company (FOX) is a unit of News Corporation and the leading broadcast television network among Adults 18-49. FOX finished the 2010-2011 season at No. 1 in the key adult demographic for the seventh consecutive year – a feat that has never been achieved in broadcast history – while continuing to dominate all network competition in the more targeted Adults 18-34 and Teen demographics. FOX airs 15 hours of primetime programming a week as well as late-night entertainment programming, major sports and Sunday morning news.


text:
Milford defeated Lake Forest, while St. Georges defeated Hodgson to advance to the DIAA D-2 state wrestling finals Tuesday night at Smyrna High School. On the Division I side, CR edged Cape Henlopen to advance to the finals against Smyrna.
In DIAA Division II wrestling action on Tuesday, Lake Forest defeated Delaware Military Academy 43-30. In the other preliminary, defending D-II champion St. Georges defeated Sanford 53-24.
Milford dominated in the semi-final round, defeating Lake Forest 44-16.The Buccaneers will face defending champion St. Georges in the title match tonight.The Hawks defeated Hodgson 47-15.
In the Division I match, Smyrna defeated Salesianum 32-22, giving the Eagles a chance to defend their state title from last year.
Caesar Rodney and Cape Henlopen embroiled in a barn-burner, but the Riders pulled out a 27-25 victory to set up rematch with Smyrna.


text:
A wave of scandal has enveloped the U.S. government. The administration—at what level of seniority is not yet known—appears to have used the IRS to suppress its political opponents, in this case Tea Party conservatives and pro-Israel groups.
In investigating cases, the Roman jurist Lucius Cassius famously asked "Cui bono?"—who benefits. His insight was that the wrongdoer is someone who had something to gain. Given that every IRS victim was on the opposite end of administration policy, we can probably dispense with the notion this was just a rogue operation.
We saw abuse of this kind a generation ago by the Nixon White House. If an administration of whatever ideological persuasion uses intimidation tactics to suppress views with which it disagrees, then a basic guarantee of the Constitution has been violated.
But, while the IRS is under scrutiny, an economic dimension also bears consideration.
Our first chief justice of the United States, John Marshall, famously stated (and I paraphrase) that the power to tax is the power to destroy. If the government doesn't like something or someone, it might try to tax it out of existence.
The economy is improving of late, but in a way that should worry us: expanding but with fewer people working. Amid high unemployment, we should be loath to destroy jobs by taxing people's production (via their income).
I don't believe the administration hates entrepreneurs as it may the Tea Party. Its advocacy for higher taxes stems from a vision of social justice: rich paying more than poor.
But such a vision can be pursued in other ways. A tax on consumption (excluding necessities like food and shelter) would ensure that Warren Buffett pays more taxes than his secretary.
We must stop the bleeding of jobs. When tens of millions of Americans are denied the opportunity to feel they are contributing to society, we are slow-cooking a future social explosion.
Some have expressed alarm at record high use of food stamps and disability benefits. These critics imply that fraud and waste are involved.
But even if every such expenditure were just, we have an enormous problem on our hands. People who are poor or disabled feel a sense of humiliation. As financial advisors, you know that your retired clients often experience depression and a lack of self-worth because they are not working.
Whether looked at from the perspective of Lucius Cassius or John Marshall, the IRS is in a business that no longer makes sense.
In an era when the IRS is used not just to collect income taxes but to administer our health care system, maybe it's time we restrain the IRS before it restrains us.
* * *
Longtime readers know they can always count on original and insightful analysis from economist Alexei Bayer's monthly columns. What you may not know is that Bayer is the author of magnificent fiction as well, including stories published in prestigious literary journals such as the Kenyon Review. I am pleased to note the debut of Alex's first novel, published in English and Russian, called Murder at the Dacha. The page-turning whodunit, set in the Soviet-era 1960s, will surely be a highlight of your summer. An independent producer has already optioned the TV rights, so you'll be glad you read it (you can order on Amazon) before it hits the screen.


text:
Public Comment
Measure R: The Name of the Game is POWER
With some twenty-four ballot measures to consider on November 6th, you probably are feeling a bit overwhelmed. At least Berkeley Measure R is easy to connect the letter with what the measure is about. "R" stands for "Redistricting," but after that, it's not so easy! You'll be told that Measure R is just a matter of drawing fair and up-to-date district boundaries. Not so!! Be very, very careful!
Redistricting is the basic political strategy game with a goal of building voting districts ensuring the election of one side while decreasing the chances of opponents. The mind-numbing details of redistricting usually put most people to sleep so that those in power get to do what they want. Needless to say, it's incredibly important for everyone to keep a close eye on the process.
In 1986, because District elections were fiercely opposed by the then self-described progressive Council majority, the issue went on the June ballot as a citizens' initiative Charter Amendment. It set specific boundaries for eight nearly-equal-in-population Council Districts, and provided that these lines be retained as much as possible after each future ten-year census adjustment.
The day after the election, Mayor Newport and Vice Mayor Fukson appeared in a photo on the front page of the Daily Cal giving the finger to the community when they learned the measure had been approved. Stating that students had been denied a chance to vote on the issue because they leave Berkeley to go home in May, Council action followed by placing a measure on the November ballot repealing district elections entirely.
For most of that year, the issue was hotly debated. Then-Councilmember Nancy Skinner led the campaign against district elections, arguing that boundary lines were arbitrarily drawn resulting in disenfranchising students, and that the influence of all residents would be diminished because they would be able to vote for only one person on the Council.
Supporters of district elections countered that district elections would break the power of political groups who put together slates and actively discourage others from running, and that the proposed predominantly student population district would result in a councilmember responsive to student concerns and possibly a future successful student candidate.
In November 1986, the voters soundly rejected the council's repeal measure. Since then, there have been two adjustments to those boundaries in response to census changes with no complaints. The 2010 census showing 9,000 more people now requires a third adjustment. Enter Measure R.
In 2011, the original boundaries were challenged as being unconstitutional because there is no predominant Asian District. The City Attorney paid an outside specialized law firm to investigate and no constitutional issue was found to exist. However this argument is still being used by some as a reason to vote for Measure R.
By May 2012, proving it was possible, six different redistricting maps, moving as few as 26 blocks, had been submitted for consideration. City staff found all six met census requirements and were in compliance with the existing charter. The council could have accepted or tweaked any one of those proposals, but it didn't.
Instead, the Council, led by Mayor Bates and Councilmembers Capitelli and Wozniak, went along with presentations from Assembly Member Nancy Skinner and a group called The Berkeley Student District Campaign to stop redistricting now and empower the Council to draw completely new boundaries because the original boundaries intentionally discriminated against students.
Fully knowing it wouldn't be in compliance, the Student District Campaign had submitted a map completely changing all districts, showing a total disregard of neighborhoods particularly in Districts 3, 4, 5, and 8. They portrayed this as long overdue "reform" that would result in at least two student districts designed to give students a real voice in City matters. If Measure R passes such a map may or may not be enacted. Who knows?
However, it is clear, Measure R gives the Council the power to change district boundaries any way they want, and to do it every ten years, leaving residents completely out with no way to change anything. Don't be fooled by statements that districts have to be nearly equal in population—that's the law in any event—or that certain factors like major streets have to be considered—that's discretionary standard practice—or that compliant boundaries aren't possible—that's simply false. The Council could have selected one of the compliant maps, or drawn a compromise map of their own devising, or completed redistricting under the current rules and THEN put new boundaries on the ballot for voter approval. They didn't.
Remember, the name of this game is POWER with the added provision that no two sitting councilmembers can end up in the same district. Vote NO on Measure R and keep the power with the people where it belongs.


text:
A few months back I won two separate contests online and ended up with $125 in gift certificates from McCormick & Schmicks! Being the foodie that I am - I was calculating how many free lunches I could have with these GCs...but then I remembered...the holidays are coming. So I decided to save them up and use them for a nice family dinner with me, Larry, Mom & sis!
M&S is a seafood restaurant. They have fresh catch every day and have special menu items based on that. This means their menu varies from day-to-day and from location-to-location - but you know it's fresh!
M&S is right across from Fountain Square and there is a huge line of carriages ready to take you around the downtown ($35 for 25 minutes). This was Coby - very pretty and a big boy! There was one carriage that looked just like Cinderella's...they also have big down blankets to keep everyone warm.
My sister - well - she'd been with family for a solid week now. She decided she needed a margarita - she is 21 now...
Now for the comedic portion of the meal - we told the waiter that Larry's allergic to eggs. We made sure what he ordered had no eggs...all good. Waiter brings out the salad ($3.95) in this lovely bowl. We all oooh and ahhh over it. Waiter leaves. 5 seconds later - waiter comes dashing back like OJ in a Hertz commercial to stop Larry from eating the salad. Turns out the "bowl" has eggs in it.
He said, "I didn't want to kill you right after Christmas!" What a good waiter.
We also got some bread...warm crispy rolls with soft butter. So delicious. These were very good!
And thank God we had them - since it took about 40 minutes for our entrees to arrive from the time the bread & salad came. I mean it was a busy night but 40 minutes is ridiculous. The server was seen running from table to table - would have been nice if he'd brought us more bread or something. This really put a damper on the experience. But...finally...sustenance arrives!
We were all trying to stay under $30 each for all food since we had $125 in GCs. I chose basically a "you pick 2" kind of option. For $19.99 you could choose from swordfish, crab cakes, tilapia, shrimp and salmon. You could also do 3 for $24.95.
I chose swordfish and crab cake - the dish came with a side of green beans. So how was it?
Swordfish - really great - it's a very "meaty" fish - almost like chicken. It was delicious - I wish I'd just gotten their Swordfish entree after tasting one bite. Loved it!
Crab cake - it was a very nice crab cake. M&S is a seafood restaurant after all. They provided tartar sauce - which seemed a bit odd - I'm used to a special crab cake sauce but the cake didn't need any sauce - it was good on its own.
Green Beans - meh - not quite cooked enough and no seasoning. The grilled tomato was a nice touch though...
Mom got the steak & shrimp combo with a 6 oz. filet for $29.95 (pushing her $30 limit already!). She raved about every bite. The shrimp are stuffed and were very good. The mashed potatoes were flavorful. The steak - well she didn't let me have a bite that night - but there was a bit leftover and I took it for lunch. Even cold - 2 days later - delish! Also - she got it medium rare and it was cooked perfectly!
Larry wanted to get steak. But me being the foodie and knowing this is a seafood restaurant - I made him get fish. Poor guy - can't even order on his own! He ended up with the special for the day - Atlantic Salmon stuffed with blue crab, bay shrimp & brie for $26.95. He didn't know what Brie was but I assured him he wouldn't mind it. It was an excellent dish - the beans were bland as with mine - but the fish was delicious. We really couldn't even taste any brie...so it must be a small amount in there. Either way - really great piece of fish. They do seafood very well!
My sister - well she doesn't like fish. ???? She got Blackened Chicken Linguini for $13.95 and asked for it light on the spice. She loved it - ate most of it and gobbled up the leftovers the next day. It looked really great and I did try a bite of the chicken - juicy, tender - very good. She was far under budget - so we all got dessert!
Before we get to dessert - the you pick two that I got also allows you to add a side (since there's no "starch" with it) for $3.95. I chose the macaroni and cheese. I barely took a bite I was so full from the rest of the meal and tasting everybody else's I guess. I took it home and had it for lunch - even better heated up a couple days later!
Now for dessert. A few years back I went to an M&S in California and had an amazing White Chocolate Bread Pudding. I tweeted with M&S before this visit in hopes of having that again...but the recipe couldn't be found so no luck. But kudos to the M&S twitter for trying!
All the desserts were $4.95 - which is a good price. I got pineapple upside down cake with Graeters vanilla. It was good but not great. Wish the cake had been warm...then it would have been excellent. The plate was warm...thus the melting ice cream...but the cake wasn't.
Mom got carrot cake - I thought it was dry from my taste but the frosting made up for it. She loved it and thought the coconut was a fantastic addition.
Sis is a sucker for a big fat chocolate cupcake. We saw the dessert tray walk by earlier in the meal and she knew that's what she was getting. She liked it a lot and was surprised it wasn't dry - she was very pleased!
Every damn dessert has eggs - of course. Larry got lemon sorbet ($3.95) and man was it lemony! But he ate every last bite...so yeah for having something he could eat!
I'm going to recap here - overall the food was great. Nothing was amazing and OMG I must have that again...but it was all really great (except for those damn beans). The service - while attentive for the most part was slow. The wait time really dampened the overall experience and was what we remembered at the end of the night. Our 6pm reservation didn't get us out the door until 9pm. That's a long darned dinner.
I'm adding something from the Metromix reviews...Why Should You Go? They know how to do seafood - the catch is fresh and they do a great job. It's expensive but far more affordable and better tasting than the now-defunct Oceanaire. I know they have lunch specials under $10 - so I say - if nothing else - hit them up for lunch sometime! Their daily menu is also always online under the Cincinnati location.
So Happy New Year to all from the Food Hussy and her family - hope you all enjoy the New Year and I can't wait to share more culinary adventures with you for 2010!


text:
Regional council in Ukraine diverts from small diversion hydropower in the Carpathians
Posted on 09 August 2013
Across Central and Eastern Europe, WWF is concerned with projects also in Austria, Bulgaria and RomaniaRegional self-governance authority of Ivano-Frankivsk region in Ukraine decided to recognize as unacceptable the design, approval construction and operation of diversion small hydropower plants in the mountain rivers in their province.
"This is the result of a joint campaign by WWF and a coalition of Ukrainian NGOs to protect all rivers which are important for biodiversity and water safety in the Ukrainian Carpathians, including Ivano-Frankivsk region", said Anatoliy Pavelko, WWF's Hydropower Campaigner.
The decision of Ivano-Frankivsk regional council is not mandatory for the operators of hydropower plants, but it expresses the opinion of the self-governance authority of the region.
There are about 150 planned hydropower plants in the area. "While there is a general perception that small hydropower is green renewable energy, this is not necessarily the case. Many plants are to be built in ecologically sensitive areas destroying river dynamics and habitats for rare and endangered species. They also affect the ecosystem services - the processes by which nature produces resources that we often take for granted such as clean water, habitat for fisheries or tourism, to name but a few", explained Diana Popa, WWF's Regional Policy Project Manager.
One of the big projects in the Ukrainian Carpathians is the Goloshyno hydropower cascade, which includes both a dam and a diversion plant. "It is planned on Biliy Cheremosh River, a habitat for many rare and endangered species included in the Red Book of Ukraine such as Danube salmon (Hucho hucho) and grayling (Thymallus thymallus). There are two national parks near the hydropower plant, but only weak environmental impact assessments of the projects have been conducted. Moreover, the river was supposed to be officially declared protected by the government", explained Anatoliy Pavelko.
There are 22 permits already issued for hydropower plants in the Ivano-Frankivsk region. Many of them are on rivers which are important for biodiversity protection.
Five hydropower plants are now working in the Ivano-Frankivsk region. Two of them are restored old ones which have not been used for 40 years. The others are newly constructed. Their existence cannot be deemed appropriate from environmental point of view as they lack fish passes or have inefficient ones and during dry season all water is diverted from the river bed into a pipe.
Across Central and Eastern Europe, WWF is fighting against a megalomaniac hydropower project in Kaunertal in Tyrol in Austria, and against small hydropower affecting Natura 2000 species and habitats in the Romanian Carpathians and the Bulgarian tributaries of the Danube River.


text:
Services on Demand
Related links
- Cited by Google
- Similars in Google
South African Journal of Education
On-line version ISSN 2076-3433
Print version ISSN 0256-0100
S. Afr. j. educ. vol.28 n.3 Pretoria Aug. 2008
The "movement" of mixed methods research and the role of educators
John W. CreswellI; Amanda L. GarrettII
IJohn Creswell is Professor of Educational Psychology at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, USA, and has taught courses in qualitative and mixed methods research for 30 years. He is the author of 11 books, Co-Director of the Office of Qualitative and Mixed Methods Research at Nebraska, the founding Co-Editor for the Sage journal, Journal of Mixed Methods Research, and a Senior Fulbright Scholar. E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
IIAmanda Garrett is a doctoral student in Educational Psychology at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, USA, and a researcher in the Office of Qualitative and Mixed Methods Research at the University of Nebraska
The landscape of research is continually evolving, enabling researchers to study increasingly complex phenomena. Educational researchers have propelled much of this forward progress and have developed novel methodologies to provide increasingly sound and complete evidence. Mixed methods research has emerged alongside quantitative and qualitative approaches as an important tool for researchers. In this article our overall aim is to better acquaint educational scholars with the mixed methods field by articulating the development of the mixed methods field and by citing current trends and issues. The role of educational researchers in the evolution of mixed methods research is high-lighted. The early and ongoing dialogue of mixed methods research is multi-disciplinary in nature with current writings across fields. The current debate over key aspects of mixed methods research is now in progress and is ripe for future contributions. Even the very nature of what constitutes mixed methods research is being discussed among scholars. Understanding and advancing the mixed methods field is an important goal for methodologists and researchers. With the increased interest and enthusiasm for mixed methods research, it is likely that the dialogue surrounding mixed methods approaches will thrive, continuing the movement of the field.
Keywords: educational research; mixed methods
Orientation to the mixed methods field
At this moment in the development of research approaches, the educational researcher needs a large toolkit of methods and designs to address complex, interdisciplinary research problems. This researcher may be part of a team of researchers with individuals bringing to the table different research skills and training most likely skills in both quantitative and qualitative research (Creswell & Plano Clark, 2007). These skills are needed to study the increasingly complex problems facing educators and social scientists. Addressing these problems requires amassing substantial evidence all types of evidence gained through measurement of precise questions, as well as more general assessment through open-ended questions. New tools are continually added to the researcher's toolkit, because our approaches for scholarly inqui- ry continually evolve. As evidence for this, even a couple of decades ago the research community was not familiar with some of the approaches to sophisticated statistical analysis such as structural equation modeling (Kline, 1998) or some of the more community-based approaches to qualitative research such as participatory action research (Kemmis & Wilkinson, 1998). In short, research approaches continually evolve and change in response to the complex, interconnected global communities and their needs in our world.
This large toolkit now includes skills in quantitative and qualitative research. Quantitative research has traditionally provided a measurement orientation in which data can be gathered from many individuals and trends assessed across large geographic regions (Creswell, 2008). On the other hand, qualitative research yields detailed information reported in the voices of participants and contextualized in the settings in which they provide experi- ences and the meanings of their experiences (Creswell, 2008). When researchers bring together both quantitative and qualitative research, the strengths of both approaches are combined, leading, it can be assumed, to a better understanding of research problems than either approach alone.
This core assumption is the basis for an approach to inquiry called "mixed methods research". It has been described as a "third movement" in the evolution of research methodology following quantitative and then quali- tative and, as a "movement" it is seen as the prevailing way most educators will be approaching research (Tashakkori & Teddlie, 2003). However, it is early in this "movement". Despite substantial developments in mixed methods, the field of study is plagued by early growing pains such as debates and disagreements about core issues such as its essential nature. Lingering behind many thoughtful discussions about mixed methods are key stances of authors, many of which are not articulated clearly, and certainly not apparent to the casual reader of the mixed methods literature. A need exists to better understand the emerging nature of mixed methods and to clarify the stances of authors. A need also exists to examine the literature closely to see whose voices are being heard or at least presented. Such an exploration in this article, it would seem, would help those decide if mixed methods is appropriate to use, assess whether it is a legitimate inquiry approach, and consider how to apply the approach to a particular study.
Purpose and concept clarification
The purpose in this article is to briefly discuss the developments and trends of mixed methods that educators should be cognizant of and that educators have helped shape. The term "movement" is emphasized to suggest that mixed methods is a growing trend in research methodology. As a working definition, mixed methods is an approach to inquiry in which the researcher links, in some way (e.g. merges, integrates, connects), both quantitative and qualitative data to provide a unified understanding of a research problem (adapted from Creswell & Plano Clark, 2007).
A sub-text flowing throughout the discussion will be the important role that individuals in the field of education have played in the growth of mixed methods research. Our focus on the role of educators is not to minimize the contributions of others (and certainly others are mentioned); our focus is only to create a dialogue about the educators involved in mixed methods during its 20-year history. Discussing the role of educators is a unique contribution of the article that has not been discussed in the mixed methods literature to date. We also hope to uniquely map the contribution of authors at the beginning of mixed methods, and to take a current assessment of its growth. A focus on topics being discussed may enable other researchers to build on current streams of thinking and help advance the literature with their own studies. Reflecting on the various stances about the nature of mixed methods research should reinforce the idea that this form of inquiry is emerging and has not yet reached the consensus stage.
Developmental overview of the mixed methods field
It is a fair statement that mixed methods research has come into its own as a research approach in the last 20 years. Like bookends on a library shelf, we can map the early beginnings, as well as the current status of interest to see the modest start, as well as the substantial growth over time. To understand the beginnings of mixed methods, we need to return to the 1980s. Prior to this decade, authors wrote about the importance of gathering both quantitative and qualitative data (Jick, 1979) and debated the merits of combining qualitative and quantitative data (Reichardt & Cook, 1979). These early writers had not conceptualized mixed methods as a distinct approach to inquiry.
Several writers working independently in different parts of the world conceptualized mixed methods as we know it today. In 1988, in the US, two professors of sociology, John Brewer at Trinity College in Connecticut and Albert Hunter at Northwestern University, authored the first book looking at the synthesis of qualitative and quantitative data methods called Multimethod Research: A Synthesis of Styles. Also in 1988, a second book on mixed me- thods research would be issued, by a management, organizational specialist, Alan Bryman of the UK, titled Quantity and Quality in Social Research. In that same year, the educator and evaluator, Jennifer Greene at Cornell University and her colleagues, presented a paper on "mixed-method evaluation designs" at the Annual Meeting of the American Evaluation Association Meeting in New Orleans, Louisiana. This paper would be published in the journal Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis the following year (Greene, Caracelli, & Graham, 1989) as a "Conceptual Framework for Mixed-Method Evaluation Designs. Also, beginning in 1989, in the US in Nebraska, John W. Creswell (senior author) was writing a chapter on "Combined Qualitative and Quantitative Designs" that would come out in 1994 in his book by Sage Publications titled, Research Design: Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches. The only specific writing on the research approach of mixed methods that he had to rely on was the work by Jennifer Greene and her colleagues (Greene, Caracelli & Graham, 1989). All of these writers had come to the same conclusion that it was timely to advance an approach to research that combined both quantitative and qualitative modes of inquiry.
In this development, we find that both Creswell and Greene were educators. Still more educators are found as authors of important studies that have provided the books for mixed methods research some 14 and still counting to date (see Tashakkori & Creswell, 2007) and the articles for discussion leading the path for mixed methods research (see Table 1 for an alphabetical listing of the authors from the field of education and their contributions, mentioned in this article). Books, of course, are only one way to assess the magnitude of developments in the field of mixed methods research.
Other markers of the development of mixed methods research include journals publishing mixed methods research, conferences including or focusing on mixed methods, specific courses on mixed methods, and funding agencies that are encouraging and awarding grants to mixed methods projects. Several journals are now available that are receptive to or exclusively publish mixed methods studies or discussions about mixed methods [Journal of Mixed Methods Research, Quality and Quantity, Field Methods, International Journal of Multiple Research Approaches (IJMRA)]. Examples of mixed methods studies abound in the literature, and with increasing frequency they are called "mixed methods" studies an improvement over past studies, which used words such as "qualitative and quantitative" or "combined" or "integrated" research. Interest can be found throughout the world in using mixed methods approaches by noting recent publications of studies from Sri Lanka (Nastasi, Hitchcock, Sarkar, Burkholder, Varjas & Jayasena, 2007), Germany (Bernardi, Keirn & von der Lippe, 2007), Japan (Fetters, Yoshioka, Greenberg, Gorenflo & Yeo, 2007), and the UK (O'Cathain, Murphy & Nicholl, 2007). A major conference on mixed methods research now is entering its fourth year at the University of Cambridge, UK, and new international conferences are on the horizon. A number of courses are now available on "mixed methods research" (Creswell, Tashakkori, Jensen & Shapley, 2003) and several on-line mixed methods courses are available (at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln taught by Ron Shope and at the University of Alabama-Birmingham by the educator, Nataliya Ivankova). Funding agencies encourage mixed methods research such as the National Institutes of Education in the US (National Institutes of Health, Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences, 1999) and in the UK (Bryman, 2006).
Issues in mixed methods research
One aspect of this worldwide "movement" is the clarification of and the clustering around topics by various scholars writing about mixed methods research. The field has emerged enough so that topics and individuals writing about them can be identified. The following discussion is not meant to be an exhaustive list of topics currently being discussed, but a discourse to encourage others to map this emerging field of research and add their contributions to growing discussions. Topics being discussed (in no apparent order) in the mixed methods community include the growth of a specific research language for mixed methods, mixed methods designs, how quantitative and qualitative data are to be integrated, the value and contributions of mixed methods research, explicit techniques of conducting mixed methods studies, the steps involved in carrying out mixed methods research, the tension between the paradigms in quantitative and qualitative research, the discussion of who is influencing and guiding the field of mixed methods research, and the basic question of what is mixed methods research.
One issue is the emergence of a language of research, a bilingual language. This language is neither quantitative nor qualitative. For example, Onwuegbuzie & Johnson (2006), two educators, call for the use of the term, "legitimacy," rather than validity.
Another issue is a continued discussion about the types of research designs available to conduct a mixed methods study. These range from a parsimonious set of designs from the educators Creswell and Plano Clark (2007) to complex, longitudinal evaluation designs from educational school psychologists, Nastasi and her colleagues (Nastasi et al., 2007).
Another topic that mixed methods researchers are discussing is how quantitative and qualitative data are "mixed" in a mixed methods study? This discussion goes from where in the process of research the data are mixed (e.g. data analysis, interpretation), how they may be mixed (e.g. one form of data are transformed into the other), to why they are mixed or, altematively, the reasons for mixing (see Bryman's, 2006 list of 16 reasons).
In addition, conversations are emerging about the value-added by mixed methods research. The question is whether mixed methods research provides "more" than quantitative or qualitative research alone (e.g. better understanding of the problem, more efficiency, more cost effective, more evidence, and so forth). The article by O'Cathain et al. (2007), for example, probes the "yield" from mixed methods studies in the health sciences in UK.
Ideas are also being exchanged about the "techniques" of conducting a mixed methods study. Issues in this domain include the unusual blends of data such as discourse analysis with structural equation modeling, the approaches available for selecting qualitative follow-up participants from a survey, strategies for resolving contradictions when researchers merge quantitative and qualitative datasets, and the specific uses of quantitative and qualitative software programs to assist mixed methods researchers (Creswell, 2008).
The practice of conducting a mixed methods study has also drawn the attention of mixed methods writers (Corden & Hirst, in press). Many questions may arise in implementing a mixed methods study that would have to be addressed. Some steps involved in implementing a mixed methods study include how key decisions are negotiated, the formation of teams of researchers and their dynamics of interaction, the skills that individuals bring to research teams, the authorship decisions among team members, and the logistics of conducting a mixed methods study as a "lone" researcher.
Another issue is the continued tension to co-exist between those philosophically inclined and those methodologically inclined. Concems that may arise in this context include whether researchers can use multiple worldviews and paradigms in their mixed methods study, how compatibility can be established on an academic team of mixed methods researchers, and whether "communities of practice" (Morgan, 2007; Descombe, in press) exist in which shared beliefs and values prevail within a field of study or in an interdisciplinary configuration of team members or informal networks of scholars.
From a postmodern perspective, there is an on-going dialogue about the "discourse" of mixed methods research. Who is controlling the discussion (Freshwater, 2007), the language used [Does it lean toward post-positivist and quantitative approaches? asks Howe (2004)]. The lack of agreement on definitions and the conflicts and confluence among different scholars from different nations is yet another area for dialogue.
Finally, there are continued discussions about what constitutes mixed methods research. This discussion spans from how it might be defined to stances groups of individuals take in this endeavour. It seems that it is the core issue on the table right now. Again, educators have been central to much of this discussion to which we now turn.
The nature of mixed methods research from multiple perspectives
As with all new methodologies, the early stages of development are marked by some confusion and debate about the nature of the methodology. Such has been the case with mixed methods research. At its basic elements, mixed methods research involves collecting both quantitative and qualitative data (in response to quantitative and qualitative research questions), the merging, linking, or combining of the two sources of data, and then conducting research as a single study or a longitudinal project with multiple phases. From the perspective of the editors of the Journal of Mixed Methods Research, we also add into this configuration a need for the mixed methods project to advance our understanding of this form of inquiry. Authors need to position their study within the on-going discussions about mixed methods research (Creswell & Tashakkori, 2007a).
The difficulty of conceptualizing mixed methods in this way is that we have a diverse community engaged in mixed methods research. Scholars come from many social and human sciences fields, such as sociology, psychology, marketing, education, communications studies, family medicine, and nursing, to name just a few areas. It is not surprising that views of what constitutes mixed methods research will vary. However, the different stances can be seen easily (see also Creswell & Tashakkori, 2007b) from those who focus on methods, on the process of research, on philosophical issues, and those who build on existing research designs.
First there are the applied methodologists who tend to focus on the research methods (see Brewer & Hunter, 1988; Creswell, 2003). Mixed methods, to them, means the collection, analysis, and interpretation (i.e. the methods) of both quantitative and qualitative data in a study. This approach forces a focus on the "techniques" of research, and it might be seen as a "clean" way to view mixed methods without being encumbered by philosophy or other aspects of the research process (e.g. the research questions). The disadvantage in this viewpoint is that the division between what constitutes quantitative data and qualitative data is not always clear. Quantitative data (e.g. scales on an attitudinal instrument) does tend to be more close-ended while qualitative data (e.g. focus-group discussion) are more open-ended. Student records at a school, for instance, may be viewed by a researcher as either quantitative information or qualitative information.
A second group of individuals view mixed methods not as a method, but as a process of research that encompasses all phases of the research process, not just the methods (see the educators, Tashakkori & Teddlie, 2003). Included within this conception would be the phases of research from the broad philosophical assumptions directing the inquiry to the final interpretation and report of the study. Their idea is to "mix" at all the stages of the research approach, quantitative, and qualitative research. The advantage of seeing mixed methods this way is that one cannot easily disentangle the methods from the research questions and the research questions from the larger guiding philosophical assumptions. Indeed, research follows a systems perspective of all parts that work in tandem throughout the process of inquiry. The difficulty with this perspective is that it then calls researchers to mix multiple paradigms or worldviews in a study (e.g. a post-positivist paradigm and a constructivist paradigm). Some writers have called this linking of different paradigms as "incompatible" (Smith & Heshusius, 1986; Sale, Lohfeld & Brazil, 2002). In their view, these philosophical assumptions that one brings to research, called "paradigms" or "beliefs", cannot be combined.
A third group of mixed methods scholars feel that the methods are incidental to inquiry and that the philosophical assumptions are the important focus of inquiry. This perspective about mixed methods has a strong hold in the Commonwealth countries where the tone toward research is less the empirical models of inquiry that have dominated the US and more toward a philosophical debate about approaches to research (see Giddings, 2006). The advantage of this approach is that few scholars would argue that a broad philosophical stance is a component of conducting research (whether it is expressed or implied in the written report) and that all inquirers bring to research views about issues such as the basis for claiming knowledge, the nature of reality, and the place of values in inquiry. This line of thinking, however, raises the important question as to what the nature of the philo- sophical assumptions might be. In the field of mixed methods, a number of scholars embrace pragmatism as the philosophical underpinning for conducting mixed methods research (Morgan, 2007; Tashakkori & Teddlie, 2003). Pragmatism is an American philosophical approach developed by writers such as Dewey, Meade, and James, and may not play well abroad today. Pragmatism, as discussed by the mixed methods writers means that the focus of research is on the research question and different methods can be employed to answer this question. Multiple, pluralistic approaches to research are all viable, and the emphasis is on "what works" (Tashakkori & Teddlie, 1998). Others argue for a philosophy based on advocacy or under-represented groups (Mertens, 2003), while still others have more of an eclectic approach to allowing multiple philosophies to inform mixed methods inquiry (Greene, 2007; Creswell & Plano Clark, 2007). The disadvantage of thinking about mixed methods from this framework is that it is not applied enough (see Morgan, 2007). A discussion about philosophy tells us little about how to conduct a mixed methods study, what dilemmas might emerge in doing so, or the practicalities of how to begin thinking about combining both quantitative and qualitative data in a study.
A recent trend to emerge is to think about mixed methods as a means of collecting, analysing, and using both qualitative and quantitative data within an established approach (or research design or methodology). This issue emerged for us when an individual at one of our workshops asked whether ethnography was mixed methods research. Ethnographers have typically collected both qualitative data (e.g. interviews) and quantitative data (e.g. surveys), and analysed both during a project (see the ethnographic data collection procedures recommended by LeCompte & Schensul, 1999). This trend toward linking mixed methods procedures with established research designs seems like a practice of mixed methods growing in importance. It would be valuable for mixed methods writers to start looking closely at the conduct of mixed methods studies (see Cordon & Hirst, in press) to see how mixed methods is being implemented. For example, researchers have developed a multiple case study in which both quantitative and qualitative data are gathered (see Luck, Jackson & Usher, 2006) and have conducted experiments in the health sciences with qualitative data flowing into an otherwise quantitative intervention trial before the treatment, while the treatment is being conducted, or after the treatment (Sandelowski, 1996), An entire book has been written by Jane Eliot on narrative research (Eliot, 2005) in which quantitative longitudinal designs are used alongside qualitative story gathering. The use of visual ethnography (Pink, 2001) also holds potential for combining in documentaries elements of quantitative trends with the qualitative words of participants.
The etiology of a research approach probably follows statements made by a few individuals early in the emergence of the idea, followed by a period of debate and discussion about direction, and the final emergence of a consen- sus approach that is widely embraced and becomes the standard for the field. As an emerging approach to inquiry, mixed methods has yet to reach consensus and seems to be in the debate and discussion stage of development. Discussing different stances on the nature of this inquiry marks the stage for mixed methods as an active debate. Mentioning specific topics moves in the direction of consensus, as well as "marking" the history of the concept, the educators involved, and its current interest.
Increased interest in mixed methods research, worldwide, is likely to continue over the next few years. Like qualitative research, we believe that mixed methods is here to stay as a research approach. Funding initiatives, available journals, and perhaps, most importantly, the students who gravitate to it will provide the needed momentum for it to continue to be a "movement". Perhaps it can be predicted that it will expand in scope geographically to more countries in the world and that it will continue to draw from scholars who have traditionally been trained in quantitative or qualitative research. In education, a field that has always been open to many possibilities and perhaps not locked into somewhat rigid disciplinary trends such as often found in the fields of sociology and psychology, the openness to experiment with research methodologies and ways of thinking about research will encourage mixed methods research. Already sub-fields such as counseling psychology, physics education, and leadership have begun to embrace mixed methods research (Klenke, in press; Plano Clark, 2005), and the educational sub-fields will undoubtedly place their individual stamp on the field. The text on mixed methods specifically written for educators has yet to be written, but it is on the horizon.
These predictions must be seen as looking into a crystal ball. However, the impact of mixed methods can be seen as a "movement". Developments have occurred in a reasonably short period of 20 years, involving many edu- cators in the process, and engaging the attention of scholars worldwide. The emergence of various perspectives about the nature of mixed methods research is in a healthy state of development.
Bergman M (ed.) 2008. Advances in mixed methods research: Theories and applications. London: Sage. [ Links ]
Bernardi L, Keim S & von der Lippe H 2007. Social influences on fertility: A comparative mixed methods study in Eastern and Western Germany. Journal of Mixed Methods Research, 1:23-47. [ Links ]
Brewer J & Hunter A 1989. Multimethod research: A synthesis of styles. Newbury Park, CA: Sage Publications. [ Links ]
Bryman A 1988. Quantity and quality in social research. London: Routledge. [ Links ]
Bryman A 2006. Integrating quantitative and qualitative research: How is it done? Qualitative Research, 6:97-113. [ Links ]
Corden A & Hirst M (in press). Implementing a mixed methods approach to explore the financial implications of death of a life partner. Journal of Mixed Methods Research. [ Links ]
Creswell JW 1994. Research design: Qualitative and quantitative approaches. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. [ Links ]
Creswell JW 2003. Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches, 2nd edn. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. [ Links ]
Creswell JW 2008. Educational research: Planning, conducting, and evaluating quantitative and qualitative research. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Merrill Education. [ Links ]
Creswell JW & Plano Clark VL 2007. Designing and conducting mixed methods research. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. [ Links ]
Creswell JW & Tashakkori A 2007a. Editorial: Developing publishable mixed methods manuscripts. Journal of Mixed Methods Research, 1:107-111. [ Links ]
Creswell JW & Tashakkori A 2007b. Editorial: Differing perspective on mixed methods research. Journal of Mixed Methods Research, 1:303-308. [ Links ]
Creswell JW, Tashakkori A, Jensen KD & Shapley KL 2003. Teaching mixed methods research: Practices, dilemmas, and challenges. In: Tashakkori A & Teddlie C (eds). Handbook of mixed methods in social and behavioral research, pp. 619-637. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. [ Links ]
Descombe M (in press). Communities of practice: A research paradigm for the mixed methods approach. Journal of Mixed Methods Research. [ Links ]
Eliot J 2005. Using narrative in social research: Qualitative and quantitative approaches. London: Sage. [ Links ]
Fetters MD, Yoshioka T, Greenberg GM, Gorenflo DW & Yeo SA 2007. Advance consent in Japanese during prenatal care for epidural anesthesia during childbirth. Journal of Mixed Methods Research, 1:333-365. [ Links ]
Freshwater D 2007. Reading mixed methods research: Contexts for criticism. Journal of Mixed Methods Research, 1:134-146. [ Links ]
Giddings LS 2006. Mixed-methods research: Positivism dressed in drag? Journal of Research in Nursing, 11:195-203. [ Links ]
Greene JC 2007. Mixed methods in social inquiry. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. [ Links ]
Greene JC & Caracelli VJ 1997. Advances in mixed methods evaluation. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. [ Links ]
Greene JC, Caracelli VJ & Graham WF 1989. Toward a conceptual framework for mixed-method evaluation designs. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 11:255-274. [ Links ]
Howe KR 2004. A critique of experimentalism. Qualitative Inquiry, 10:42-61. [ Links ]
Jick TD 1979. Mixing qualitative and quantitative methods: Triangulation in action. Administrative Science Quarterly, 24:602-611. [ Links ]
Kemmis S & Wilkinson M 1998. Participatory action research and the study of practice. In: Atweh B, Kemmis S & Weeks P (eds). Action research in practice: Partnerships for social justice in education. London and New York: Routledge. [ Links ]
Klenke K (in press). Qualitative research methods in the study of leadership. Amsterdam: Elsivier. [ Links ]
Kline RB 1998. Principles and practice of structural equation modeling. New York: Gilford. [ Links ]
LeCompte MD & Schensul JJ 1999. Designing and conducting ethnographic research (Ethnographer's toolkit, Vol. 1). Walnut Creek, CA: AltaMira. [ Links ]
Luck L, Jackson D & Usher K 2006. Case study: A bridge across the paradigms. Nursing Inquiry, 13:103-109. [ Links ]
Mertens DM 2003. Mixed methods and the politics of human research: The transformative-emancipatory perspective. In: Tashakkori A & Teddlie C (eds). Handbook of mixed methods in social and behavioral research. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. [ Links ]
Morgan DL 2007. Paradigms lost and pragmatism regained: Methodological implications of combining qualitative and quantitative methods. Journal of Mixed Methods Research, 1:48-76. [ Links ]
Nastasi BK, Hitchcock J, Sarkar S, Burkholder G, Varjas K & Jayasena A 2007. Mixed methods in intervention research: Theory to adaptation. Journal of Mixed Methods Research, 1:164-182. [ Links ]
National Institutes of Health, Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research 1999. Qualitative methods in health research: Opportunities and considerations in application and review. Washington, DC: National Institutes of Health. [ Links ]
O'Cathain A, Murphy E & Nicholl J 2007. Integration and publications as indicators of "yield" from mixed methods studies. Journal of Mixed Methods Research, 1:147-163. [ Links ]
Onwuegbuzie AJ & Johnson RB 2006. The validity issue in mixed research. Research in the Schools, 13:48-63. [ Links ]
Pink S 2001. Doing visual ethnography: Images, media, and representation in research. London: Sage. [ Links ]
Plano Clark VL 2005. Cross-disciplinary analysis of the use of mixed methods in physics education research, counseling psychology, and primary care. Doctoral dissertation, University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Dissertation Abstracts International, 66, 02A. [ Links ]
Plano Clark VL & Creswell JW 2008. The mixed methods reader. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. [ Links ]
Reichardt CS & Cook TD 1979. Beyond qualitative versus quantitative methods. In: Cook TD & Reichardt CS (eds). Qualitative and quantitative methods in evaluation research. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage. [ Links ]
Sale JEM, Lohfeld LH & Brazil K 2002. Revisiting the quantitative-qualitative debate: Implications for mixed-methods research. Quality and Quantity, 36:43-53. [ Links ]
Sandelowski M 1996. Using qualitative methods in intervention studies. Research in Nursing & Health, 19:359-364. [ Links ]
Smith JK & Heshusius L 1986. Closing down the conversation: The end of the quantitative-qualitative debate among educational inquirers. Educational Researcher, 15:4-12. [ Links ]
Tashakkori A & Creswell JW 2007. The new era of mixed methods. Journal of Mixed Methods Research, 1:3-7. [ Links ]
Tashakkori A. & Teddlie C 1998. Mixed methodology: Combining qualitative and quantitative approaches. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. [ Links ]
Tashakkori A & Teddlie C (eds) 2003. Handbook of mixed methods in social and behavioral research. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. [ Links ]


text:
To expand a bit more on the question raised by f in the comments: what does the phrase "culture of death" really mean? Is it anything more than a partisan catch-phrase used by the pro-life movement?
I really ought to get out my copy of Evangelium Vitae, or find an online copy and link to it, and quote from JPII. But I have some other things I need to do tonight, so will limit myself to a couple of comments:
I think there are two main aspects to the cultural tendency we're talking about here. One is in fact the increasing willingness to take innocent ife for utilitarian reasons: abortion and euthanasia. War and capital punishment obviously have some relevance here, too, but are not exactly the same thing, in that these at least in principle distinguish the innocent from the guilty, whereas guilt and innocence in their ordinary senses have no place in the thinking that justifies abortion. No need to belabor those; I think most people understand the moral issues involved there.
The other is more subtle and has to do with a increasingly widespread belief, which is pushed with evangelical fervor by some people, maybe most egregiously by that Singer fellow at one of the Ivy League schools–Princeton, I think: the belief, mentioned in the previous post, that human life is nothing special, no different from any other form of life. This can be seen, with reason, as a kind of death wish, a desire to have done with the moral and spiritual burdens we all carry by pronouncing them meaningless, mere illusions generated by the activity of our brains. Personally I think this is nonsense, but it can be argued very plausibly on purely intellectual grounds (like so many other dead-end skepticisms, e.g. Hume's).
If there is in fact no such thing as the human, except perhaps in an elemental biological sense, then there is no reason to go to any particular trouble to save human lives that are unproductive or troublesome, and no reason not to–for instance–develop ways of manufacturing humans suited for specific tasks. It would be no more an ethical problem than breeding bloodhounds or bird dogs. I have heard such ideas propounded with an obscene enthusiasm.
The death of the human is the death of the moral.
—Maclin Horton


text:
Organizational Talent Rankings via Baseball America
2013 (4) | 2012 (11) | 2011 (3) | 2010 (1) | 2009 (4)
2013 Affiliate Records
MLB: [92-71] AL East
AAA: [87-57] International League – Durham
AA: [71-69] Southern League – Montgomery
A+: [67-65] Florida State League – Charlotte
A: [82-56] Midwest League – Bowling Green
A(ss): [38-37] New York-Penn League — Hudson Valley
Graduated Prospects
Wil Myers (OF); Chris Archer (RHP); Alex Torres (LHP); Josh Lueke (RHP)
The Run Down
The Tampa farm took a big hit in the high-impact department with the graduation of Wil Myers and Chris Archer, and furthermore when Taylor Guerrieri went down to Tommy John surgery in July. What's left is an organization that's seemingly void of top shelf fantasy prospects. Even so, it's probably unwise to sleep on this group — the Rays have a superb player development system that take its time with prospects, often churning out fantasy relevance from the places we'd least expect. There is plenty of potential in this organization, and even though it's not the most exciting brand of potential, you can sure as shizz count on Tampa to get the most out of it.


text:
Illinois held off Maryland in Madison Square Garden to salvage a split in an early season two-game swing through major college basketball.
Returning home with two losses in Madison Square Garden would have doused the enthusiasm for No. 13 Illinois. Inside the locker room, it would have been much worse, coach Bruce Weber admitted, following a narrow 80-76 victory over Maryland in the 2K Sports Classic third-place game Friday.
Confidence would have been rocked on a team talking big things in the preseason."It would have been a major issue,'' Illinois coach Bruce Weber said. "It's not the end of the world, but it still would have been tough to deal with, especially with the hype.''
Losses last season to Utah and Bradley in the Las Vegas Invitational "came back to haunt us,'' said guard Demetri McCamey, who impressed the national media with 20 points on 7-for-9 shooting with seven assists and one turnover. By holding off the Terrapins, Illinois showed some toughness in a short turnaround and salvaged some confidence by bringing some energy to a dead arena -- this had all the atmosphere of an afternoon game at a holiday tournament.
It wasn't the big statement desired by the Illini, but they avoided a disastrous 0-for-2 swing through Manhattan that would have damaged their psyche.
After watching Maryland pull from 74-64 to within 78-76, the Illini improved to 4-1 overall before hosting Yale Tuesday (8:45 p.m., ESPNU) and set themselves up for a fun day Saturday, when the Illini do some sightseeing here before leaving for home. Nevertheless, the Illini showed Weber the emphasis on defense and rebounding hasn't yet paid off during the two-day swing through early season major college basketball.
"Our defense was a little suspect, to say the least,'' Weber said. "That and rebounding. Those were two things we worked on. We have stretches, but we don't finish. We've worked so hard (defensively) at keeping the ball on the side, taking away things.
"Last night, Texas beat us a couple times early, then we got hesitant. We weren't aggressive. There were times where we were pretty good (against Maryland). We'd get runs, three or four baskets, then give up three or four baskets in a row. We couldn't escape them. Offensively, we can get better. We've got to get shots in the paint, drives, curls. We can't depend on ball screens.''
Games with No. 8 North Carolina and No. 11 Gonzaga sit on the horizon.
"By Big Ten or Christmas, we'll have a lot of great experiences,'' Weber said. "You hope that you're starting to click a little better.''
The Illini still must find a way for center Mike Tisdale to stay out of foul trouble. He played a total of 38 minutes in the two games in the Garden.
Weber also wants to build confidence in his bench, something he was able to do against Maryland. Guard Brandon Paul scored 12 points, including two free throws that clinched it with 6.4 seconds left. Forward Tyler Griffey logged 20 minutes and scored on points on 3-for-5 shooting from the 3-point line.
Freshman guard Crandall Head logged eight minutes after not playing against the Longhorns. Center Meyers Leonard enjoyed a first half dunk, probably the highlight of his young career.
"He was talking about it in the locker room at halftime,'' said freshman forward Jereme Richmond. "The seniors shut that down, told him you can't base a career off one play. He's such a freak athletically, and I have to give him a little credit on that one.''
After losing the late game in overtime Thursday, Illinois to the Garden 15 hours later. The Illini skipped the usual afternoon shootaround and held a brief walk through in a hotel room with the court line taped onto the floor.
"We came back mentally tough,'' Weber said. "A year ago, we couldn't.''
The Illini likely benefit from competitive and tough freshmen and sophomore classes. The youngsters have a swagger about them, and they're not afraid to talk.
"Our seniors, they have a lot of experience,'' Richmond said, "but the younger guys are more vocal and more competitive. This team is kind of backwards. (The seniors) lead by example, and we lead vocally. You get that mixture of communication, and it makes it a good team.''Maryland, picked to finish sixth in the ACC, dropped to 3-2. NOTES: Illinois ended a three-game losing streak to the Terps. Maryland had won five of the last six games in the series. . . The Illini will visit Ground Zero, the Statue of Liberty and Rockerfeller Center before returning to campus Saturday evening. . . Illinois report card Front court -- C- That's two straight games where Mike Tisdale and Mike Davis were lost in the shuffle. Tisdale spent 38 minutes on the MSG floor over the two games here because of foul trouble. Davis was quiet against the Terps, a school just down the road from his hometown of Alexandria, Va. Back court -- A- McCamey played very efficiently, scoring 20 points on nine shots with seven assists and just one turnover. Bench -- A Guard Brandon Paul is the reliable spark off the bench, and Weber doesn't seem interested in starting the athletic guard. Griffey found himself playing key minutes after sititng most of the game against Texas. Jereme Richmond also had a productive night. Overall -- B+ Illinois made it harder than it needed to be. Leading 74-64, Illinois allowed Maryland to creep within 78-76. This wasn't the big statement desired by the Illini, but they avoided a disastrous 0-for-2 swing through the Big Apple.


text:
Parrie Henderson-O'Keefe's son Peirman has a surprise waiting for him for his 16th birthday: an iguana named after a rare Pokemon character that he met at an animal shelter in Washington, D.C.
He took to the 2-year-old iguana, Charizard, as soon as he saw her at the Washington Humane Society-Washington Animal Rescue League on Thursday, scratching her neck as she shed an old layer of skin. She crawled onto his shoulder when he picked her up.
The shelter was one of more than 680 shelters participating on Saturday in Clear the Shelters, a nationwide pet adoption drive sponsored by NBC Owned Television Stations and Telemundo. Shelters offered no-cost or reduced-fee adoptions or waived spaying and neutering fees.
U.S. & World
Among the other more unusual animals adopted Saturday were chickens, a pigeon, two fire-bellied toads, ferrets, rabbits, parakeets, guinea pigs and mice.
There was also an American Alligator at a shelter in Pasadena, California. Tina, who stretches nearly 7 feet long and weighs more than 100 pounds, isn't up for adoption. She was born in captivity but ended up at the shelter when a wildlife exhibit closed and large zoos didn't take her.
Henderson-O'Keefe, who lives in Washington, D.C., learned about Clear the Shelters in an email from the shelter. She went early to look around with Peirman and his sister, 12-year-old Eldie. When they left, Peirman told Henderson-O'Keefe he wanted Charizard the iguana for his upcoming birthday.
Peirman, who hope to study amphibians and reptiles, then left for a camp in Ohio, and Henderson-O'Keefe and Eldie decided to adopt Charizard as a surprise.
"He's going to be thrilled. Ecstatic," said Henderson-O'Keefe, who planned to call her son to give him the news. "That's all we've been talking about since he saw her."
"He's probably going to make us FaceTime the reptile," she added.
Charizard was at the animal shelter for three months before being adopted, Henderson-O'Keefe said. The iguana's previous owners trained her to be walked on a leash. The shelter did not know why she was given up, according to Henderson-O'Keefe.
Henderson-O'Keefe said she will keep Charizard in a cage on the balcony with her tortoises and feed the iguana food from her rooftop garden. Right now, she said, Charizard is calm and not moving much as she gets used to her new home. She will become more active as she gets settled, Henderson-O'Keefe said.
"She'll probably be very happy up there," Henderson-O'Keefe said, who played with the iguana outside and said Charizard seemed to like being around people.


text:
A month? Already? In fact a month + a week? God damn, sorry followers!
October has been STUPID busy for Dani and I, so we have neglected our blog, our plants and our friends all in the quest for the big dream. What's been going on you say?
– Dani has been making goodlyGOLD items in bulk with her new assistant/pal Alicia and there are a bunch of new stockists coming soon.
– She has produced a limited edition range of jewellery exclusively for LIFEwithBIRD which is pretty exciting as she loves their clothing.
– There have also been a bunch of fuck-ups with her suppliers sending the wrong thing, plating necklaces in the wrong stuff… that sort of thing… the stuff that makes everything just a little bit more painful than it needs to be.
– I have taken on the challenge of making 10 PAIRS of crazy high heels for a high profile runway show that is coming in 2 weeks. I'm not allowed to say any more than that, but when it's done and shown dont you worry, I'll be talking about it as much as possible.
– This has also involved me getting the most awesome Emma Greenwood on board to sew the 20 uppers I need. The decision was made that my nerves are a bit shaky and my stress levels a bit high for me to pull of 2 days of sewing and expect good results. Emma knocked them up in an afternoon and they're perfect. She rulez.
– I am now knee deep in resin molds, leather uppers and nails trying to get them all made. Looks achievable, so lets keep our fingers crossed.
* if you want to see update pics of the shoe stuff as I do it, follow us on Instagram DEADANDBURIED – that would also explain the crap photos this month, no time for good cameras.
or just spy on us here if you (understandably) don't use instagram > http://web.stagram.com/n/deadandburied/
– I am also working 3 days a week AND doing extra 3d stuff at night to pay for…..
….wait for it…..
A top of the line Replicator2 is coming my way (as seen on the cover of Wired magazine this month) which will mean I can finally print out crrrrraaazzzzyyyyy 3d parts and get my ideas realised. I have had to sell some musical gear but hell, who cares when you have a black bad assed printer on the desk?
This is part of a bigger push to restructure my shoe brand idea from 'hobby' to a Jimmy Choo level business, so 2013 is shaping up to be fucking busy.
Oh, and extra thanks goes to my dad who, as you do, just finished the restoration of my vw and got it registered for me last week (mainly so I get it the hell out of his driveway). So, when I get a free hour one day I'll go pick it up and be crusing the streets in this rocket.
Apologies to anyone we've forgotten to call back / have dinner with / answer your emails. We're busy, it sucks, but it's what it takes to make it alllll happen.
We are having another Quick and the Dead pop up shop too this year, so keep an eye out for info on that in the next week or so. If you make things and want to sell stuff that is in the gift-buying price bracket ($50 – $100) then get in touch with us!
ps. if you're reading this Madeline, that's why I haven't been in touch again, oops, I'll email you soon!


text:
return to dining chairs
Colter Dining Chair - Dark Gray
Availability: in stock - get it 6/11-6/23
Dimensions: 19"w 21.5"d 33.5"h
Assembly: none required
Freight: ships free* (inside delivery available in cart)
The Colter Dining Chair features commercial quality construction with a clean modern design. Crafted with a chromed-steel frame, the chair is upholstered in 100% leather with ultra clean tone-on-tone stitching. The unsurpassed quality of the chair makes it ideal for multiple applications including home, office, restaurant, hotel, you name it! Coordinates nicely with matching Colter Stools and Arm Chair. Seat height 18.5-inches. Seat depth is 16.5". Seatback height is 16". The Colter Dining Chair is priced individually, and only sold in MULTIPLES OF TWO (2)!
- more detail images -


text:
As featured in Daily Mail Weekend Magazine
If you enjoy cooking or want to learn, you'll love TheAmateurChef! There are over 150 recipes and cooking techniques for all tastes and skill levels. Every recipe has an accompanying cook-along video, giving you simple step by step instructions to create the dish. Whether you're just starting out in the kitchen or a competent cook looking for inspiration for your next dinner party, there's a recipe for everyone. There's no creative editing to make things look easier or "Here's one I made earlier", so if you like the look of a dish, grab your laptop, tablet or smartphone and cook-along!
preparation 7 mins • you cook for 6 mins •
This great recipe is all about deep flavours. It's so tasty, yet so healthy and packs four of your 'five-a-day'. The sweetness of the roasted butternut squash with the earthy mushrooms and lentils works so well. Throw in a good whack of fragrant basil at the end and top with a drizzle of truffle oil for the ultimate in richness. This vegetarian dish showcases some wonderful ingredients that I don't believe we use enough!
I'm The Amateur Chef and this is a little about me and how my website works.
I created TheAmateurChef.co.uk after being food-obsessed for 7 years. I've pored through cookery books, websites and TV shows, picking up tips and tricks, as well as a wife and a baby along the way…
The problem with many recipe books is that a top chef's idea of a simple dish is often a world away from what ordinary, untrained cooks think is simple. I've often thought it would be great to have someone in my kitchen, showing me what to do and when. The cook-along concept is simple - each of my recipes has been honed to make your time in the kitchen as enjoyable as possible. I like to think of them as real recipes for real people! You have realistic timings and can cook alongside me in your kitchen, as I show you what to do and when. Read more...
All content © 2012 TheAmateurChef.co.uk - Privacy Policy


text:
Western blot analysis of extracts from HeLa cells, transfected with 100 nM SignalSilence® Control siRNA (Fluorescein Conjugate) #6201 (-), SignalSilence® Bcl-2 siRNA I #6441 (+), or SignalSilence® Bcl-2 siRNA II (+), using Bcl-2 (50E3) Rabbit mAb #2870 and α-Tubulin (11H10) Rabbit mAb #2125. Bcl-2 (50E3) Rabbit mAb confirms silencing of Bcl-2 expression, while the α-Tubulin (11H10) Rabbit mAb is used to control for loading and specificity of Bcl-2 siRNA.
Product Information
CST recommends transfection with 100 nM SignalSilence® Bcl-2 siRNA II 48 to 72 hours prior to cell lysis. For transfection procedure, follow protocol provided by the transfection reagent manufacturer. Please feel free to contact CST with any questions on use.
Each vial contains the equivalent of 100 transfections, which corresponds to a final siRNA concentration of 100 nM per transfection in a 24-well plate with a total volume of 300 μl per well.
SignalSilence® siRNA is supplied in RNAse-free water. Aliquot and store at -20ºC.
SignalSilence® Bcl-2 siRNA II allows the researcher to specifically inhibit Bcl-2 expression using RNA interference, a method whereby gene expression can be selectively silenced through the delivery of double stranded RNA molecules into the cell. All SignalSilence® siRNA products are rigorously tested in-house and have been shown to reduce target protein expression by western analysis.
Oligonucleotide synthesis is monitored base by base through trityl analysis to ensure appropriate coupling efficiency. The oligo is subsequently purified by affinity-solid phase extraction. The annealed RNA duplex is further analyzed by mass spectrometry to verify the exact composition of the duplex. Each lot is compared to the previous lot by mass spectrometry to ensure maximum lot-to-lot consistency.
Bcl-2 exerts a survival function in response to a wide range of apoptotic stimuli through inhibition of mitochondrial cytochrome c release (1). It has been implicated in modulating mitochondrial calcium homeostasis and proton flux (2). Several phosphorylation sites have been identified within Bcl-2 including Thr56, Ser70, Thr74, and Ser87 (3). It has been suggested that these phosphorylation sites may be targets of the ASK1/MKK7/JNK1 pathway and that phosphorylation of Bcl-2 may be a marker for mitotic events (4,5). Mutation of Bcl-2 at Thr56 or Ser87 inhibits its anti-apoptotic activity during glucocorticoid-induced apoptosis of T lymphocytes (6). Interleukin-3 and JNK-induced Bcl-2 phosphorylation at Ser70 may be required for its enhanced anti-apoptotic functions (7).
Explore pathways + proteins related to this product.
UniProt ID: P10415
Entrez-Gene Id: 596
Cell Signaling Technology is a trademark of Cell Signaling Technology, Inc.
SignalSilence is a registered trademark of Cell Signaling Technology, Inc.
Limited Use Label License, RNA interference: This product is licensed under European Patent 1144623 and foreign equivalents from Ribopharma AG, Kulmbach, Germany and is provided only for use in non-commercial research specifically excluding use (a) in drug discovery or drug development, including target identification or target validation, by or on behalf of a commercial entity, (b) for contract research or commercial screening services, (c) for the production or manufacture of siRNA-related products for sale, or (d) for the generation of commercial databases for sale to Third Parties. Information about licenses for these and other commercial uses is available from Ribopharma AG, Fritz-Hornschuch-Str. 9, D-95326 Kulmbach, Germany.
|Product #
|300 µl (3 nmol)
|$ 270


text:
Detailed digital art print of my road painting. Originally created in gouache with a tiny paintbrush!
A5 size (148 x 210mm) on Archival Smooth Matte paper.
Ready to be mounted and framed, comes signed in pencil in protective cardboard.
©Charis Raine 2019
1-3 business days
Buyers are responsible for any customs and import taxes that may apply. I'm not responsible for delays due to customs.
Just contact me within: 14 days of delivery
Ship items back to me within: 30 days of delivery
But please contact me if you have any problems with your order.
Because of the nature of these items, unless they arrive damaged or defective, I can't accept returns for:
Buyers are responsible for return shipping costs. If the item is not returned in its original condition, the buyer is responsible for any loss in value.
If you'd like to stock my items in your shop, please send me a message! I am always on the lookout for new stockists.
I love creating custom artworks! I am also very happy to help you personalise a print for a wedding, birthday, special occasion etc. Please send me a message if you're interested!
I aim to post my orders as soon as physically possible! You'll receive an email when it has been dispatched then it should arrive within an estimated time of:
U.K: 2-3 business days
Europe: 3-7 business days
North America/Canada: 5-10 business days
Australia/New Zealand: 7-10 business days
Elsewhere: 7-14 business days
Shipping times are estimated and not guaranteed. International orders can sometimes take up to 3 weeks to arrive, especially during busy times and at Christmas.
Please make sure you order early to avoid disappointment.
I offer the most affordable shipping via Royal Mail Standard which doesn't come with tracking. If you'd prefer that option however, you can upgrade to tracked shipping at checkout.


text:
The music festivals, trade shows, conferences, and other gatherings in the U.S. that set the standard for the event industry.
All the magic and excitement of the past, present, and future of Disney entertainment comes together under one roof when D23: The Official Disney Fan Club presents D23 Expo.
Since 2009, the bi-annual D23 EXPO has celebrated all the magic, wonder, and adventure of Disney at this remarkable gathering created especially for you, our most passionate and loyal fans. D23 Expo presents three full days of "inside-the-magic" experiences you won't find anywhere else, including exclusive sneak peeks at upcoming films from The Walt Disney Studios, dazzling celebrity appearances, unforgettable presentations given by Disney luminaries, a look at what's coming from Disney Parks and Resorts and Walt Disney Imagineering, the Disney Legends ceremony, and the Treasures of the Walt Disney Archives exhibition, which spotlights crown jewels from Disney's timeless legacy.
No matter what part of Disney stirs memories or warms your heart, you will discover something magical at D23 Expo—the ultimate Disney fan event.


text:
Washington, D.C., 4 November 2010 (PAHO) — Agencies from Suriname, Brazil, and Colombia were honored as "Malaria Champions of the Americas" during a celebration today of the fourth annual Malaria Day in the Americas, at the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) in Washington, D.C.
The awardees (left to right): Dr. Romeo Rodrigues Fialho, representative of Brazil's Foundation for Health Surveillance of the Amazon; Dr. Zulma Bejerano Maturama, representative of Colombia's DASALUD-Chocó; and Dr. Stephen Vreden, representative of the National Malaria Board of Suriname.
PAHO Deputy Director Jon Andrus presented the top "Malaria Champion of the Americas" award to the National Malaria Board of Suriname, which oversees efforts that have virtually eliminated malaria from most of the country's interior.
Using funds from the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, the National Malaria Board has sponsored training for lay people on the diagnosis and treatment of uncomplicated malaria in gold mining areas, where the disease is now concentrated, and has improved surveillance in areas where the disease has been eliminated. The Board has also guided collaborative efforts between Suriname and French Guiana to reduce high rates of transmission along their common border. In conjunction with the University of Suriname, the Board also established a Malaria Gene Bank to help monitor the development of resistance to anti-malaria drugs.
A second honor was presented to the Foundation for Health Surveillance of the Amazon for its efforts toward integrated prevention and control of malaria in the state of Amazonas. Working through partnerships with all levels of the Brazilian government as well as with nongovernmental organizations and private companies, the Foundation has supported training for more than 7,000 professionals, the creation of 231 laboratories, the distribution of over 75,000 bed nets, spraying of over 350,000 homes, and testing of more than 2.7 million diagnostic exams. These efforts have contributed to a projected 60 percent reduction in cases between 2007 and the end of 2010, and a 60 percent reduction in deaths between 2008 and 2009.
Also honored was the Administrative Department of Health and Social Security of Chocó (DASALUD-Chocó) in Colombia. In collaboration with the Ministry of Social Protection, the National Health Institute, and PAHO, DASALUD-Chocó succeeded in reorienting and strengthening malaria control and prevention efforts, with a focus on areas that have the highest concentration of cases, complications, and deaths. Its efforts have helped reduce the incidence of malaria in Chocó by more than half and have improved surveillance, community education, and patient adherence to malaria treatment regimes.
PAHO Deputy Director Dr. Jon Andrus said all three winners deserved the designation of Malaria Champion of the Americas. "You should all be proud of your work, which has generated such valuable lessons for other countries of our Region."
From the left: Dr. Keith Carter, Lic. Yeni Herrera, Dr. Socorro Gross, Dr. Jon Andrus and PAHEF President Edward L. Kadunc. Photos PAHO/WHO David Spitz.
Dr. Gross noted that malaria cases have declined 56 percent in Latin America since 2000, while deaths have declined by 70 percent.
"Many of our countries seem to be doing things right and addressing the challenges effectively," said Dr. Gross. "It is our goal in today's event to know the stories behind these good results, to document what various partners and stakeholders are doing right and use these important lessons in moving forward."
Yeni Herrera of Peru described comprehensive anti-malaria efforts in her country that have reduced cases by 92 percent since 1997.
Rear Adm. Timothy Ziemer
"Investing in malaria interventions, treatment and diagnosis is a good public health investment that gives a good return," said Ziemer. "Malaria is an important part of the [U.S.] President's Global Health Initiative."
The Malaria Day in the Americas event was organized by PAHO in coordination with the Pan American Health and Education Foundation (PAHEF), the George Washington University Center for Global Health, and Links Media.
- PAHO Malaria Webpage
- Interactive Malaria Statistics
- Malaria Day in the Americas
- Malaria Champions of the Americas


text:
The newest in the fleet, now in build and set to debut launch in 2016, the Contest 67CS marks the first steps in a fresh, long term collaboration with German design team judel/vrolijk & co, renowned for powerful yachts, both racing and cruising, offshore and ocean. That combined experience results in easily driven, sea kindly, handsome yachts, which neatly defines our new bluewater performance cruiser, the Contest 67CS.
"We are delighted to start this ground breaking relationship with a design that offers owners maximum sailing pleasure and cruising comfort," Rolf Vrolijk explains. "Performance is always a must for our designs and the Contest 67CS is no exception."
This way hull lines have been refreshed, newly optimised for moderate displacement cruising with sharper forward sections for enhanced upwind performance, combined with slightly wider, flatter aft sections for more stability and improved downwind characteristics, so assisting autopilot ocean passage. Weight is lower for boat speed and CoG and a new L-shaped keel contributes on all points.