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Former Boston Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling asked a Rhode Island judge to dismiss a state economic development agency's lawsuit over its $75 million loan guarantee for his now-defunct video game company, calling claims he and fellow executives misled the agency "implausible."
Attorneys representing Schilling and others at his former startup, 38 Studios, on Friday filed documents asking Superior Court Judge Michael Silverstein to throw out the lawsuit alleging fraud, racketeering and conspiracy.
The state Economic Development Corp. in November sued Schilling, other 38 Studios executives and some of its own former officials, including Keith Stokes, the executive director at the time. The lawsuit claims the defendants misled the agency's board into signing off on the loan guarantee in 2010 and withheld information, including that the company needed more money than it was getting from the state's bond sale to complete a video game in production in Providence.
The company filed for bankruptcy in June, and Rhode Island is now likely on the hook for some $100 million, when interest is factored in.
The filing seeking dismissal says Schilling and the other 38 Studios defendants - the former chief executive and financial officers and the board chairman - repeatedly disclosed the company's financial needs to Economic Development Corp. officials. It notes that the initial lawsuit says Stokes and others at the agency, including two law firms working for it, knew 38 Studios needed the full $75 million, but that it was getting only about $50 million because some was to be kept in reserve.
"Given the EDC's admissions concerning 38 Studios' disclosures to the EDC's executives, attorneys and financial advisor, it is impossible for the EDC simultaneously to claim that the 38 Studios defendants supposedly defrauded the EDC," the filing says.
The filing says the economic agency's board "well knew" the amount 38 Studios was getting wouldn't be nearly enough to fully finance the game. The resolution approved by the board says the estimated cost of the game's production is "in excess of $125 million."
The filing also says the agency's lawsuit doesn't prove anyone at 38 Studios knowingly made false statements to the agency.
The Economic Development Corp. and former Gov. Don Carcieri had held up 38 Studios' relocation from Massachusetts as a coup for economically struggling Rhode Island, saying it would bring hundreds of high-paying jobs and millions of dollars in tax revenue.
Max Wistow, who is representing the agency in its effort to recoup some of its investment in 38 Studios, said he is preparing a response to the filing, which is due in 30 days. He said in January he hoped the case would go to trial within a year. The agency's lawsuit doesn't seek a specific dollar amount, but wants Schilling and others to repay the bonds floated on 38 Studios' behalf and seeks triple damages.
Schilling's attorney could not immediately be reached. Stokes' attorney, David Martland, also filed a motion to dismiss but he would not comment further when reached Monday.
Schilling has sparred with Gov. Lincoln Chafee over 38 Studios' collapse, saying the governor had it out for the company and didn't do enough to help save it. He has called the suit political.


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Two things are particularly notable:
- There are a number of options that have a negative cost. In other words, not only would they reduce emissions, they'd also save us money. The biggest one is insulation and low-energy lighting is also up there.
- The solutions we hear a lot about – such as wind, solar and carbon capture – are among the most expensive options.
So why are we not voluntarily making decisions that would not only reduce emissions but also save us money?
The Economist identifies a couple of possible reasons, the most compelling to my mind is that the people who make the choices are not the people who pay the costs of those decisions. For example, property developers have to pay for insulation but they won't get the benefits of lower electricity bills, so their incentive is to go cheap on insulation. If the property is to be rented out, it's not even the buyer who pay those bills – it's a tenant.
How to solve this? In theory, awareness of the issue should be enough: if tenants and buyers of new houses (or other buildings) are aware that good insulation can save them substantial amounts of money, they should demand it and be prepared to pay more for it – in the same way they'd be prepared to pay more for a good bathroom or kitchen.
So why isn't this happening? And seeing as it doesn't seem to be happening, is there a role for government in mandating it in building standards or requiring developers and sellers to at lease provide understandable information (eg, energy efficiency ratings)?
[HT: RSMG Blog]

subset: commoncrawl


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Top Line: Pegula's failure in Buffalo, NHL trade rumors and more
Braden Holtby has had a terrible start to 2013, but improved against Florida. [Jeanine Leach/Icon SMI]
By Allan Muir
Another extended Snowmaggedon guide to today's must-read hockey stories:
• Sabres owner Terry Pegula might be a brilliant businessman, but he's a joke of an owner according to several NHL insiders. A hatchet job by the Buffalo News, or a fair indictment of a man who somehow doesn't recognize the sad state of his own affairs? It doesn't help that his $12 million man was scratched last night.
• Wayne Gretzky called this Swede "his favorite player of the last decade." Except what he really said was probably "favourite."
• Bruce Garrioch has trade talk involving the Ducks, Sharks, Wild and more in his Sunday column.
• What is the price of principle? In the case of Tim Thomas, bailing on the Bruins likely cost him his shot at the Hall of Fame. I'm guessing he can live with that.
• What's behind Patrick Kane's hot start? The quick answer is time well spent in Switzerland during the lockout, but the real answer speaks more to his maturity. Kane is finally growing up, and that's allowed him to find the focus that he's lacked too often in the past.
• A big save early got Braden Holtby in the game and powered the Washington netminder to his first shutout--and first big win--of the season. The Caps also got another goal from Alex Ovechkin, who might just be getting used to that whole right wing thing.
• The craziest stat of the early season? After last night's convincing 6-0 win in Montreal the Maple Leafs have the league's second-best road record at 6-1.
• Martin Brodeur might be numbed by his own milestones but he was thrilled to see a teammate achieve one in a 3-1 win over the Penguins. Speaking of Marty, here's an interesting infographic to commemorate his 1,200th game.
• The Sharks may have lost their fourth-straight contest last night, but there's no panic in San Jose. Which is nice to say, of course, but the inability of the team to score when Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau are silenced is clearly a big issue whether they're worried or not.
• Nikolai Khabibulin suffered the loss in Detroit Saturday but for a guy playing his first game in nearly 11 months, the 40-year-old looked pretty sharp.
• This is cool. Marc-Andre Fleury personally pays to bump four students from the standing-room only section to glass seats at each Penguins game.
• So much for that "lasting and permanent damage" the league was doomed to suffer after the lockout, eh?
• The Blues have now lost four straight and Brian Elliott is reminding everyone why he was available for anyone to pick up prior to his magical 2011-12 season. Looks like he's out of the mix for now, with rookie Jake Allen in. The Blues obviously need a different look in net. After giving up five-or-more goals just three times all of last season, they've done it now in each of their last four. More bad news: veteran Jamie Langenbrunneris lost for the season.
• Catching up: here's a great read from Friday's Toronto Star about the 90th anniversary of hockey's first-ever play-by-play broadcast.
• When a star goalie is lost, the rest of the team is supposed to rally around the backup, not feed him to the wolves like the Flames did to Leland Irving last night in Vancouver.


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- Financial Information and Services
The department offers a range of undergraduate and graduate programs in the fields of alcohol and substance abuse, mental health counseling, clinical psychology, general psychology and cognitive neuroscience. Field work is an essential part of most programs and puts the classroom learning into real-life situations for further discussion - back in the classroom.
Welcome to the Department of Psychology at the City College of New York, a department that trains leaders in the science and practice of psychology. The department offers undergraduate and Masters coursework needed to obtain New York State certification as an Alcohol and Substance Abuse Counselor. We offer Masters degrees in General Psychology and in Mental Health Counseling. We house doctoral programs in Clinical Psychology, a program honored for its training of minority students, and in Cognitive Neuroscience, a program that trains students in the use of state-of-the-art techniques in brain imaging.
Fieldwork placement, independent study, and the Honors Program provide students with opportunities to work closely with faculty on projects that examine social, cultural, clinical, cognitive, biological, developmental, and educational influences on behavior.
To better guide psychology majors through their academic experience, we offer a faculty advisement program called P.A.S.S. – the Psychology Advisement Support System. We sponsor two organizations for students studying psychology, The Psychology Student's Association (PSA), known as the "Psych Club," and Psi Chi, the National Honor Society of Psychology.


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Marketers can now find Facebook users based on demographics, interests and purchases, according to the social network.
The demographics of each users can be based on anything from financial to relationships or life events, according to Inside Facebook. Facebook's Core Audiences offers all these options to marketers and advertisers looking to create ads for its millions of U.S. users. Users can also be targeted by location, work, politics and education.
Through deeper location targeting, retailers can target people who live near chain stores or multiple locations. They can also exclude certain areas, such as certain zip codes within a state or city. With the Core Audiences demographic capabilities, marketers can aim Facebook ads at those who have recently changed their relationship status or other key markers, such as workplace and job title.
U.S. & World
News from around the country and around the globe
Previously we wrote about Facebook gathering data on users buying groceries and other products via loyalty cards and information suppliers last year, so it's not surprising that information is now available to those willing to buy Facebook ads. So far, the information seemed to be charming advertisers, such as General Motors who left the social network.
Facebook stressed how names will not be available and there will be some kind of randomization of the data, but it's all based on its users' information. For those unwilling to play Facebook's game (and that of information suppliers), that means not signing up for loyalty programs or cards and registering online. If not, your information is fair game.


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9 Reasons for Cucumbers this Season
Cucumber – often referred to as vegetable is also considered as a fruit in many parts of the world. Since adolescence I have known cucumber as a salad material and often found in refreshing drinks. But now, after knowing the nutritional content and magnificent mineral value I feel that this is the most easily consumed item that can take good care of health. Many researches have stated that cucumber is best food for overall health….Read More


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2 May 2018


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Note: the language here is a bit NSFW, so proceed with caution.
Personally I think dating a Jedi would be pretty damn cool. I'd tell my Jedi boyfriend to play pranks on people all day. But we're through if he ever force chokes a teddy bear. There are some lines people just should not cross.
Just Before Dark (YOMYOMF Short List) [YouTube via Reddit]


text: Brian's Toys wishes a Merry Christmas and safe holidays to all! For this week's newsletter, check out new products from Sideshow, Gentle Giant, and Hasbro. Pick up the Wicket the Ewok mini bust, the 12" Vintage Jumbo Death Squad Commander, or the complete set of G.I. Joe Wave 4 Renegades.


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About FLI
Pakistan is a country rich in cultural and ethnic diversity. Many of Pakistan's people recognize the importance of preserving this wealth of cultural heritage, including Pakistan's many languages. However, until recently there has been a lack of institutional support in this area. For this reason, the Forum for Language Initiatives (FLI) was founded in 2003. FLI's intent is to function as a resource centre for the many language communities in Pakistan's mountainous northern region.


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Pac-12 M5: 10.18.12 EditionPosted by Connor Pelton on October 18th, 2012
- The USA Today Preseason Poll came out yesterday, sign #217 that actual games are quickly approaching. As expected, both Arizona and UCLA were ranked in the Top 15, but the Wildcats ranked two spots ahead of the Bruins came as a surprise to most. It appears that more and more of the voters/national media are under the impression that Shabazz Muhammad and Kyle Anderson will miss significant time in 2012-13 due to the current NCAA investigation. Following Arizona and UCLA at #11 and #13, respectively, is Stanford, who comes in at #37 in the "Also Receiving Votes" category. The Cardinal certainly have the talent to be there, but seeing no California or Colorado along with those two was interesting. Be sure to check back later today as Kevin will break down the Pac-12's involvement in the poll.
- One of the top Class of 2013 power forwards will take an official visit Arizona this weekend. Aaron Gordon, out of Archbishop Mitty High School (CA), will attend the Washington-Arizona football game on Saturday before taking in the Red-Blue game Sunday afternoon. The younger brother of former UCLA and New Mexico star Drew Gordon, Aaron's athleticism makes him the most sought after player on the west coast. He is most comfortable at the four, but can also score from the wing if needed. Gordon won't announce his college decision until spring, but it looks as if he has narrowed down his choices to Washington, Oregon, Arizona, Kansas, and Kentucky. He will take an official visit to Lexington sometime later in the year.
- Shabazz Muhammad. Kyle Anderson. Adria Gasol? The latter might not be as well-known as the rest of the Bruin freshmen class, but being the brother of Pau and Marc, he certainly draws interest. Gasol will walk on with UCLA this season, but it is unlikely that he sees any meaningful minutes in his first year with the program. The Dagger's Jeff Eisenberg describes him as appearing "lost on the court" and "shows a serious lack of basketball fundamentals." So, not exactly words that ooze Pac-12 basketball player, but he will be a fun story to follow throughout the winter.
- Yesterday we told you power forward Marcus Lee would be choosing between California and Kentucky in the morning, and unfortunately for Pac-12 fans, the Deer Valley High School (CA) prospect is headed to the Bluegrass State. We knew things didn't look good when Lee decided to forgo his visit to California this weekend after attending Big Blue Madness last Friday. Lee is the fifth member of John Calipari's 2013 recruiting class, joining the likes of the number one point guard in the nation along with the top two shooting guards.
- We're back to the gridiron tonight with a sure to be entertaining Thursday night affair between Oregon and Arizona State, and that means it is time for Drew and I to renew our prognosticating battle. Drew has come all the way back to tie our competition up through seven weeks of play, so every game is even more important from here on out. Last week's results leave both of us at 39-15. Below are this week's picks, with our predicted scores for our game of the week in bold.
Game Connor's Pick Drew's Pick Oregon at Arizona State Oregon 49-21 Oregon 47-31 Stanford at California California Stanford Colorado at USC USC USC Washington at Arizona Arizona Arizona Utah at Oregon State Oregon State Oregon State


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Miserable Lesbians: The Musical Parody takes place in 1815. Twenty six years after the start of the French Revolution, lesbianism is still illegal in France. Factory worker Anne Muffaway is the latest to be locked away for loving a woman. Enter kindly Jean Jackman who helps the dying lesbian by rescusing her adopted daughter, Courgette, from the clutches of her evil guardians, Borat and Bonham Carter, evades capture by tone deaf policeman Inspector Crowe, and then teams up with brave gay rights rebels to storm the jail and free the lezzers - turning them from miserable lesbians to happy ones.
Miserable Lesbians will be having a poolside launch party, concert and fundraiser on Sunday June 30 from 12-5 pm at Villa Alm, 2145 Toscanini Drive, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA. Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 at the door. Ticket price includes gourmet food buffet, open bar, and live performance by the Mis Les cast. Tickets can be purchased here. There will also be a silent auction and moore fun!
Miserable Lesbians is adapted from the short film of the same name which was the big winner at the 2013 Toscars – the awards for short film parodies - in Hollywood, sweeping the board by winning an all time record eight Golden Fists including Best Picture and Best Director. Les Miserables stars Hugh Jackman and Helena Bonham Carter have been told about this parody version, and think the storyline is hilarious and gave the cast their best luck wishes. Director Sandro Monetti reveals: "Hugh Jackman asked me who was playing him and Helena Bonham Carter told me she'd love to be in it!" Miserable Lesbians is the first Toscars film ever to have an after life as a stage musical. The project has won international media attention, including being featured on BBC radio in Britain twice. Team Mis Les support gay marriage and equal rights and have used the comedy in this show to get that important message across.
Miserable Lesbians will be at the Edinburg Fringe Festival – venue Spotlites at the Merchants Hall on Aug 17 2013, at 7:55 pm. You can also catch a performance on Off Broadway in New York, venue 59e59 Theaters on July 27 2013, at 2pm and July 28 2013 at 7 pm.
Sean Borg in British Weekly says the musical is "hilariously funny. This hysterical piece of comedy featuring original songs wrapped around a fast moving story about brave rebels trying to overturn anti-lesbianism laws in 19th Century France actually had me falling off the edge of my seat with laughter." The original songs include, "Lovely Lezzers," "I Dream of the Furry Cup," "Mistress of the House," and "Can You Hear the Lesbo's Sing." The music was written by Michael Daniel, with lyrics by Sandro Monetti and Michael Daniel.
The cast for this parody musical include Mario Vernazza as Inspector Crowe who previously has played Inspector Javert in the Les Miserables stage play. Nadia Wit as Anne Muffaway who performs stand up at The Comedy Store, and Hollywood Improv. Natasha Sill as Madame Bonham Carter who won a Toscar as best supporting 'Whactress' for her work in the film version of Miserable Lesbians. Kate Amess as Courgette from Essex, England, she is known for her acting work on an array of TV and film productions. Kerstin Alm as Gavrob and Warden Wong also appeared in the film version of Miserable Lesbians and is thrilled to be part of the stage comedy. Anthony Wemyss as Jean Jackman played Marius Redymayne in the film but steps up to the male lead role for the stage. Laura-Beth Hill as Eppynine and Miss Heidi Big born and raised in Leeds, and now works in film, TV, improve and more.
Behind the scenes cast includes Sandro Monetti, writer, director, and narrator of Miserable Lesbians, premiered his one man show last year at the London West End sellout comedy hit "Clooney, Cowell, Pitt and Me: Amusing Encounters with the A-List." This leading British showbiz journalist and author continues his hot creative streak by staging his attention grabbing debut musical. Summer Watson, the Vocal Coach, a British opera singer whose classical album Summer hit number one in the US charts and number two in the UK. Tayler Jade McManus, the Choreographer, at 17 is a star student at CHAMPS (Charter High School of the Arts- Multimedia and Performing) in LA. Michael Daniel, the Composer, work includes the award winning soundtrack for the recent movie Blood Rush.


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SATURDAY, May 9, 2009 (HealthDay News) -- Dr. Charles Ericsson, head of clinical infectious disease at the University of Texas Medical School in Houston, spoke to HealthDay about what scientists know right now about the swine flu outbreak:
What exactly is the swine flu?
"Swine influenza is a known cause of flu in pigs. But once in a while, through mutations, it can acquire the ability to attack humans," Ericsson explained. Formally named swine influenza A H1N1, this strain "appears to have components from human, pig and bird viruses," he said.
How easy it is to become infected?
That's not yet entirely clear. "We know it's passed on through the 'droplet route,' which means that if I'm within three to six feet of somebody and they cough or sneeze I might get some of that spray inhaled through my eyes or nose," he said. "If that happens, and if they have the flu, you can easily get it." It's less clear if you could be infected simply by being in a room where exhaled droplets might still be lingering. As with other flu viruses, people can sometimes become infected by touching something with a virus on it -- a desktop, a doorknob -- then touching their eyes, nose or mouth, according to experts at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. You cannot get swine flu from eating pork.
What can I do to protect myself?
"Cough etiquette is the critical thing. You should be cautious about your own behavior -- covering your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze in public," Ericsson said. Avoiding crowds, and avoiding folks who are sick or don't use "cough etiquette" is also important, experts say, as is avoiding handshakes, kissing, or touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Also very effective: frequent hand washing, using either soap and water or alcohol-based hand cleaners. The effectiveness of face masks is still "controversial," Ericsson said. If a true pandemic emerges, then mask wearing "might not be a bad idea" in crowded environments, he said. "And if you are ill you should certainly stay home from work" to avoid spreading the illness, he added.
What are the symptoms of infection?
"Basic flu-like symptoms: a high fever, a bothersome dry cough, maybe a little gastrointestinal upset like belly pains or diarrhea, and general malaise," Ericsson said. "Basically you will feel just plain rotten." Flu symptoms typically appear within hours, experts say, whereas common cold symptoms emerge more gradually, are milder, and only rarely include high fever. "Typically, most people with any significant flu are going to have a fever of at least 101," Ericsson said.
Why does swine flu appear to be more deadly in Mexico than in the United States?
"I suspect we just haven't seen enough cases to see its full potential [in the U.S.] yet, and we'll just have to wait and see," Ericsson said. On the other hand, "Maybe it's mutated since Mexico, and that is why it's appeared to be less dangerous among the cases we've seen so far in the U.S," he said.
Is there an effective, available vaccine?
The answer is no, not yet, although scientists at the CDC and elsewhere are beginning the vaccine process - which typically takes months. "The current flu shot isn't going to do anything with [swine flu], because the virus is very capable of changing its clothes and wrapping itself up differently to evade our body's defenses," Ericsson noted.
If I get infected, is there an effective treatment?
Yes, according to Ericsson. The swine flu so far seems to be susceptible to two prescription drugs, Tamiflu and Relenza, which can shorten the course of the illness. Antibiotics, which only fight bacteria, are useless against the flu virus.
Is there enough Tamiflu and Relenza to cover all Americans?
"We've got stockpiles," Ericsson said, "but if we ever get into a real pandemic there is a risk that these not unlimited resources may get used up." That could mean prioritizing certain high-risk or otherwise important groups. And Ericsson stressed these two drugs won't do much to help people who become infected but only fall mildly or moderately ill. "They should be reserved for people who fall seriously ill and are hospitalized, and for whom it could be a matter of life or death," he said.
Bottom-line: How dangerous is the virus and how big is my risk?
Unfortunately a good answer to that question isn't here yet. Right now, Ericsson said, "it's a moving target, and we just don't fully know the full story yet. But I would have to say that, at this point, I do not think the average American on the street is at any great risk."
More information
For the latest updates on the swine flu outbreak, head to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.


text: Site Editor Log On Home » copier paper Paper Orders (office copier and fax paper) Effective February 24, 2015, the College has a new office supply and paper vendor, W.B. Mason. Please order your paper through them. They will deliver directly to the location specified when you submit an order. If you do not have an account yet with W.B. Mason, contact Matthew Curran at firstname.lastname@example.com assistance getting set up. You can find more information here: MiddTags: MiddTags: copier paperfax paperorder paper Read more about Paper Orders (office copier and fax paper)


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Journal of the South African Veterinary Association
On-line version ISSN 2224-9435
Print version ISSN 1019-9128
J. S. Afr. Vet. Assoc. vol.83 n.1 Pretoria Jan. 2012
Clinical evaluation of general anaesthesia in pigeons using a combination of ketamine and diazepam
Aidin AzizpourI; Yashar HassaniII
IYoung Researchers Club; Ardabil Branch, Islamic Azad University, Ardabil, Iran
IIDepartment of Animal Science, Ardabil Branch, Islamic Azad University, Ardabil, Iran
This study was undertaken to investigate the clinical effects of ketamine, diazepam and a ketamine and diazepam combination in the general anaesthesia of pigeons. Thirty-two pigeons of both sexes with body weights ranging from 280 g to 300 g were allocated randomly to four groups comprising eight birds each. Group D received a 0.5 mL mixture of diazepam (0.2 mg/kg) and normal saline, group K a 0.5 mL mixture of ketamine 5% (30 mg/kg) and normal saline, group D, group KD a 0.5 mL mixture of ketamine 5% (10 mg/kg), diazepam (0.2 mg/kg) and normal saline, whilst group C (control) received 0.5 mL of normal saline only. Each mixture was administered intramuscularly.
Under standard operating room conditions, general anaesthesia was not observed in group C (normal saline alone). In group D, sedation and muscle relaxation without complete loss of consciousness was observed. Induction time of anaesthesia in group KD was significantly quicker than group K (p < 0.05). Duration of anaesthesia in group KD was significantly longer than group K (p < 0.05). Recovery took longer in group KD in comparison with group K, but the difference was not statistically significant (p > 0.05). The birds in group KD were calm and sedated, with good muscle relaxation, whilst in group K the birds were excited and showed a drop in body temperature.
According to the results of this study, the combination of low dose ketamine hydrochloride (HCL) and diazepam overcame the adverse effects of ketamine alone. This combination produced a more rapid induction of anaesthesia, as well as an increase in anaesthesia duration, with good muscle relaxation and a smooth and slow recovery. Use of a combination of ketamine HCL given at 10 mg/kg and diazepam given at 0.2 mg/kg for anaesthesia in pigeons is therefore recommended.
Avian anaesthetic and surgical techniques have progressed greatly in the last decade. The choice of anaesthesia and route of administration is often as important as the surgical procedure itself.1 General anaesthesia in various avian species may be produced by administration of either inhalation or injectable agents.2,3 Injectable anaesthetics and sedatives can be administered intramuscularly, intravenously or intraosseously.4 Inhalation of anaesthesia is preferred for birds but requires expensive equipment. The use of an injectable agent in comparison with an inhalation agent has the advantage of increased speed of anaesthesia induction, the need for minimal equipment and a low cost.2,3,5
Several injectable drugs are used in birds. These include barbiturates, chloral hydrate, phenothiazine derivatives, alpha-2 adrenergic agonists, ketamine and propofol.6,7,8 Pigeons are very sensitive birds and any mismanagement in a crisis can lead to immediate shock and death. Pigeons are often referred to a hospital in a critical condition and these birds require safe anaesthesia and painless surgery. In these situations, careful selection of the safest possible anaesthetic agent is very important.9,10
Ketamine is a dissociative anaesthetic agent which can be used for the induction of general anaesthesia in many species by either the intravenous, intramuscular or intraosseous route.1,5,6 However, ketamine is rarely used as the sole sedative agent in birds. According to Athar et al.2, ketamine has a wide safety margin in birds and as much as 10 times the therapeutic dose is normally required before symptoms of toxicity appear. For respiratory depression that may result from ketamine, supportive ventilation and administration of doxapram can be applied.
When ketamine is used as the sole anaesthetic agent, it produces poor muscle relaxation, muscle tremors, myotonic contractions, opisthotonos, persistent pain reflexes and stormy recoveries.11,12,13 Therefore, it is most often combined with other agents (alpha-2 adrenergic agonists, diazepam or azaperone), depending on the species involved.10,14,15 A combination of ketamine and benzodiazepines (diazepam and midazolam) or ketamine and alpha-2 adrenergic agonists are commonly used for general anaesthesia in pigeons.9'10'15-16 Diazepam has potent muscle relaxant and anticonvulsant properties and has been used in a wide range of wild and domestic animals and birds.15-16-17 When used together, diazepam and ketamine have a synergistic effect, resulting in a smooth recovery and better muscle relaxation.11-18 Their efficacy is enhanced whilst minimising their unwanted adverse effects.
The purpose of this study was to compare the effects (time to onset of anaesthesia, duration of anaesthesia, duration of recovery, response to external stimuli, muscular relaxation, palpebral and pedal reflexes, and cloacal temperature) of diazepam and ketamine in pigeons when administered intramuscularly alone or combined.
Materials and methods
Thirty-two healthy adult pigeons of both sexes (9 males and 23 females) with body weights ranging from 280 g to 300 g were used in the study. All the pigeons were from the same flock and their ages were between 1 and 2 years. All the birds were acclimatised in a quiet room for 2 weeks. They were fed a wheat-based diet similar to their previous diet and had free access to water and food, except for a period of 1 h prior to drug administration. This minimised the chances of vomiting. Before the commencement of the study, the birds were found to be in good health, based on physical examinations.
Trial procedure
The pigeons were allocated randomly to four equal groups of eight birds each. The groups were differentiated as follows: in group D, diazepam was administered at a dose of 0.2 mg/kg, in group K, ketamine 5% was administered at a dose of 30 mg/kg, in group KD, a ketamine (5%) and diazepam combination was administered at a dose of 10 mg/kg and 0.2 mg/kg, respectively, whilst in group C (control), a 0.5 mL dose of normal saline was given per bird.
All medications were administered intramuscularly into the deep pectoral muscle using an insulin syringe. The medications in groups D, K and KD were diluted with normal saline to make a final volume of 0.5 mL.
Post-treatment monitoring
After drug administration, each bird was placed in sternal recumbency in separate cages, so that each bird could be observed individually and external stimulation was kept to a minimum.
The clinical parameters for each pigeon were as follows:
- he severity of opisthotonos was scored on a scale of 0-4: lack of opisthotonos was scored as 0 and those with severest opisthotonos were scored as 4.
- Onset of anaesthesia: Time interval (in minutes) from administration through the stages of anaesthesia to loss of consciousness.
- Duration of anaesthesia: Time interval (in minutes) from loss of consciousness to reappearance of sensation.
- Eyelids: scored as - for closed, + for half-opened and ++ for opened.
- Duration of recovery: Time interval (in minutes) from the return of reflexes to complete consciousness.
- The severity of excitability, such as wing flapping and ataxia was scored from 0 to 1. No excitability was scored as 0 and the birds showing most excitability were scored as 1.
- Muscle relaxation was tested in the muscles of the neck, wings and legs. The ease with which the wings of the birds could be pulled, their hind limbs could be flexed and the neck could be extended was recorded as the degree of muscle relaxation. It was graded on a scale of 0.0-3.0, where 0.0 represented weak relaxation. Birds given this score showed closed wings and stiff limbs. A score of 1.5 represented moderate relaxation where there was mild resistance to extension of the neck, opening of the wings and flexing of the limbs, whilst a score of 3.0 represented excellent relaxation where the birds showed a flaccid neck, no resistance to opening of the wings and flexing of limbs.
- Pedal reflex was evaluated by using a towel clamp forceps. The presence and strength of the reflex was scored based on a scale of 0-4, with 0 being a weak reflex and 4 being a strong reflex.
- Palpebral reflexes were tested by touching the eyelids with a sterile cotton tip swab. Lack or presence of the reflexes were scored as - or +, respectively.
- Cloacal temperature was measured before anaesthesia and again 10 min after induction of anaesthesia. A digital thermometer was used.
Statistical analysis
Opisthotonos, onset of anaesthesia, duration of anaesthesia and duration of recovery were compared using an independent f-test. The Kruskal-Wallis test was used to compare the mean scores amongst the different groups. Cloacal temperature was analysed by one-way ANOVA and Duncan's multiple-range test. All statements of significance were based on the 0.05 level of probability.
Ethical considerations
The Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee approved the protocol for this project, under the following project number 671.
No anaesthesia or opisthotonos was observed in groups C and D. Diazepam alone produced better muscle relaxation than ketamine alone, but the muscle relaxation was not as good as with the ketamine and diazepam combination. Opisthotonos in the ketamine and diazepam combination was more severe than with ketamine alone, but the difference was not statistically significant (p > 0.05) (Table 1). The onset of anaesthesia after injection was significantly quicker with the ketamine and diazepam combination (1.50 min ± 0.23 min) than with ketamine alone (4.50 min ± 0.41 min) (p < 0.05) (Table 1). The duration of anaesthesia in the KD group (14.10 min ± 1.48 min) was significantly higher than group K, where ketamine was used alone (8.13 min ± 1.41 min) (p < 0.05) (Table 1). Recovery from anaesthesia took longer with the ketamine and diazepam combination (23.12 min ± 2.85 min) compared with ketamine alone (19.25 min ± 2.69 min), but the difference was not statistically significant (p > 0.05) (Table 1). The excitability during the recovery was significantly less in group KD as compared with group K (p < 0.05). The pigeons that were treated with diazepam alone were calm and sedated during recovery (Table 1).
Muscle relaxation following the administration of the ketamine and diazepam combination was twice as pronounced than with diazepam alone (p < 0.05). Muscle relaxation was not observed in groups K and C (Figure 1). The pigeons' pedal reflexes were significantly weaker in groups K and KD when compared with groups C and D (p < 0.05). This reflex was markedly weaker with the ketamine and diazepam combination than with ketamine alone (Figure 2).
There were significant differences in eyelid status between group KD and groups C, D and K (p < 0.05). The eyelids of pigeons treated with the ketamine and diazepam combination were completely closed. With ketamine alone, the pigeons' eyes were completely open during anaesthesia (Table 2). There were no significant differences in the palpebral reflexes in the different groups and these were present in all the groups (Table 2). The cloacal temperature was 41.30 °C ± 0.72 °C before medication. When measured 10 min after drug administration in groups K and D, the cloacal temperature was recorded to have decreased significantly (p < 0.05). However, in pigeons from group KD, the cloacal temperature remained within the initial range, measuring at 40.93 °C ± 0.86 °C (Table 2).
The dose and anaesthetic response of ketamine varies across different bird species.13 The recommended dosage of ketamine is approximately 10 mg/kg - 60 mg/kg, given intramuscularly or intravenously. Larger birds (greater than 1000 g) require a lower dose per kilogram (10 mg/kg). The recommended intramuscular and/or intravenous dosage of diazepam in birds is 0.2 mg/kg - 1 mg/kg.11 In this study,the dosage of ketamine was about half the normal dose used in pigeons.9,10,15 There are very few articles in the current literature on the ideal intramuscular dosage of the diazepam and ketamine combination in pigeons. For this reason a low dosage of ketamine and diazepam was used.
A ketamine and diazepam combination produced a fast and smooth induction of anaesthesia, whilst a dosage of ketamine alone produced a slow and smooth anaesthesia. The duration of anaesthesia with a ketamine and diazepam combination (14.10 min ± 1.48 min) obtained in this study was longer than the 8.13 min ± 1.41 min obtained with ketamine alone. Diazepam is distributed widely throughout the body after administration and, being fat soluble, it can be deposited into muscle and fat tissue.19 The diazepam that was absorbed by the fat and muscle tissue is then released slowly into the system, resulting in a longer duration of anaesthesia than with ketamine alone. Paul-Murphy et al.20 reported that the average surgical time needed for most perching bird species was 15 min. Therefore, the increase in anaesthesia duration through this combination provides enough time for most surgical procedures.
In the present study, the recovery was smooth but slow in the pigeons anaesthetised with the ketamine and diazepam combination. This observation is similar to those reported by Lumeij and Deenik15 and Varner et al.18 In the ketaminetreated pigeons, recovery was stormy. These birds showed severe convulsions and wing flapping. This was also found by Atalan et al.14, who reported that the stormy recovery is caused by the dissociative characteristics of ketamine anaesthesia. With the ketamine and diazepam combination, the reduction of side effects during the recovery could be the result of the low dose of ketamine used in this group, as compared with ketamine alone (used at a higher dosage), as well as the simultaneous administration of sedatives such as diazepam.
In this study, muscle relaxation was significantly more pronounced in the ketamine and diazepam combination than with diazepam alone (p < 0.05). Improvement of muscular relaxation in this combination was associated with the muscle relaxant properties of diazepam.15,18,19 Poor muscle relaxation was found when ketamine was used alone.13,14 The presence of palpebral reflex in the ketamine-treated pigeons was reported previously by many studies9,10 and was also observed in our study. In the present study, the cloacal temperature 10 min after anaesthetic administration dropped to 39.17 °C ± 0.59 °C in the ketamine group. Yet, it remained at 40.93 °C ± 0.86 °C in pigeons treated with the ketamine and diazepam combination.
The present study showed that intramuscular injection of the diazepam and normal saline mixture could not induce anaesthesia, but sedation and muscle relaxation were observed. Normal saline alone produced no sedation, muscle relaxation or anaesthesia. Solution volume alone therefore plays no role. This finding correlates with previous investigations.15,18
The combination of ketamine HCL given at 10 mg/kg and diazepam given at 0.2 mg/kg provides more ideal conditions for the veterinary surgeon. This is, to a large extent, thanks to the sedation and the prolongation of the anaesthetic effect produced by diazepam. The ketamine and diazepam combination produced more a rapid induction of anaesthesia, an increase in the duration of anaesthesia, as well as smooth recovery and more muscle relaxation without any adverse effects. It can therefore be considered an important tool for the light anaesthesia of pigeons.
The authors are thankful to Dr G. Sadeghi-Hashjin from the Department of Pharmacology in the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at Tehran University, Iran for his technical help.
Competing interests
The authors declare that they have no financial or personal relationship(s) which may have inappropriately influenced them in writing this paper.
Authors' contributions
The authors made equal contributions to the experimental project design and acquisition of data.
1. Forbes NA. Avian anesthesia. Vet Q. 1998;20:265-266. [ Links ]
2. Athar M, Shakoor A, Muhammad G, Sarwar MN, Chaudhry NI. Clinical perspectives of intravenous ketamine anesthesia in peafowl (Pavo cristatus). Acta Vet Hung. 1996;44:357-361. PMid:9055460 [ Links ]
3. Christense J, Fosse RT, Halvorsen OJ, Moril I. Comparison of various anesthetic regimens in the domestic fowl. Am J Vet Res. 1987;48:1649-1657. [ Links ]
4. Harrison, GJ. Anesthesiology. In: Harrison J, Harrison LR, editors. Clinical avian medicine and surgery. 7th edn. Philadelphia: WB Saunders, 1986; p. 520-545. [ Links ]
5. Samour JH, Jones DM, Knight JA, Howlett JC. Comparative studies of the use of some injectable anesthetic agents in birds. Vet Rec. 1984;115:6-11. PMid:6464345 [ Links ]
6. Hall LW, Clarke KW, Trim CM. Principles of sedation, analgesia and premedication. In: Hall LW, Clarke KW, Trim CM, editors. Veterinary anesthesia. 10th edn. Oxford: Elsevier Ltd, 2001; p. 292-316. [ Links ]
7. Krajka A, Juranova R. Anesthesia in poultry. Vet Med. 1994;39:23-27. [ Links ]
8. Machin KL, Caulkett NA. Cardiopulmonary effects of propofol and a medetomidine-midazolam-ketamine combination in Mallard ducks. Am J Vet Res. 1998;59:598- 602. [ Links ]
9. Durrani UF, Arif khan M, Saleem ahmad S. Comparative efficacy (sedative and anesthetic) of detomidine, ketamine and detomidine, ketamine cocktail in pigeons (Columba tivia). Pakistan Vet J. 2008;28:115-118. [ Links ]
10. Durrani UF, Ashraf M, Khan MA. A comparison of the clinical effects associated with xylazine, ketamine, and a xylazine, ketamine cocktail in pigeons (Cotumba tivia). Turk J Vet Anim Sci. 2009;33:413-U7. [ Links ]
11. Patrick R. Anesthesia, analgesia and monitoring. Paper presented at: The North American Veterinary Conference; 2005 Jan 08-12; Orlando, USA. [ Links ]
12. Valverde A, Bienzle D, Smith DA, Dyson DH, Valliant AE. Intraosseous cannulation and drug administration for induction of anesthesia in chickens. Vet Surg. 1993;22:240-244. PMid:8362509 [ Links ]
13. Wright M. Pharmacologic effects of ketamine and its use in veterinary medicine. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 1982;180:1462-1470. PMid:6124527 [ Links ]
14. Atalan G, Uzun M, Demirkan S, Yildiz S, Cenesiz M. Effect of medetomidine-butorphanol-ketamine anesthesia and atipamezole on heart and respiratory rate and cloacal temperature of domestic pigeons. J Vet Med A Physiol Pathol Clin Med. 2002;49:281-285. http://dx.doi.org/10.1046/j.1439-0442.2002.00451.x,PMid:12227468 [ Links ]
15. Lumeij JT, Deenik JW. Medetomidine, ketamine and diazepam-ketamine anesthesia in racing pigeons (Cotumba tivia domestica): A comparative study. J Avian Med Surg. 2003;17:191-196. [ Links ]
16. Zamani Moghadam A, Bigham Sadegh A, Sharifi S, Habibian S. Comparison of intranasal administration of diazepam, midazolam and xylazine in pigeons: Clinical evaluation. Iran J Vet Sci Technol. 2009;1:19-26. [ Links ]
17. Lees P. Sedatives. In: Lees P, editor. Veterinary applied pharmacology and therapeutics. 5th edn. Oxford: Baillière Tindall, 1991; p. 337-339. [ Links ]
18. Varner J, Clifton KR, Poulos S, Broderson JR, Wyatt RD. Lack of efficacy of injectable ketamine with xylazine or diazepam for anesthesia in chickens. Lab Anim. 2004;33:36-39. [ Links ]
19. Bateson AN. Basic pharmacologic mechanisms involved in benzodiazepine tolerance and withdrawal. Curr Pharm Des. 2002;8:5-21. PMid:11812247 [ Links ]
20. Paul-Murphy JR, Brunson DB, Miletic VA. Technique for evaluating analgesia in conscious perching birds. Am J Vet Res. 1999;60:1213-1217. PMid:10791932 [ Links ]
Correspondence to:
Yashar Hassani
PO Box 56157-83137,
Department of Animal Science,
Ardabil Branch, Islamic Azad University,
Ardabil, Iran
Received: 08 Sept. 2011
Accepted: 09 Mar. 2012
Published: 06 June 2012
© 2012. The Authors. Licensee: AOSIS OpenJournals. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution License.


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Taking off into the future
Flying has fascinated us since way back when and has inspired endless ingenuity. We venture a look at what the next 20 years might bring.
It is the year 1962. In the U.S., a new comic series has just been launched – literally: "The Jetsons" is about a family in the future, basically right on the other end of the timescale from the stone-age saga "The Flintstones." The hero of "The Jetsons" is George, an office worker who travels to work on a folding flying saucer. Although this vivid utopia is now 56 years old, its technology has failed to materialize. Not yet, at least. All around the world, scientists are working on the future of flying, on tomorrow's travel – and even on flying vehicles for family men. In their minds, humans are already hurtling through the air in transparent pods at five times the speed of sound. In reality, though, innovation is taking shape out of sight, soundlessly behind cabin walls, in aircraft fuel tanks and in a wealth of detail. What we dismiss in disbelief today will be entirely normal 20 years from now.
Supersonic travel with no magic involved
Have breakfast in New York, lunch in Abu Dhabi and attend an evening gala in Sydney… is this even possible? Fly at supersonic speed and the answer is yes. The most successful attempt at supersonic air travel was made by the legendary Concorde. Nearly 62 meters long and seating 100 passengers, it was the largest supersonic aircraft ever to take off. Economically, though, it was unviable and ceased operations in 2003. Speed is nevertheless essential in the business world. "That's why we will be boarding supersonic jets again in Frankfurt for New York in 20 years, crossing the Atlantic in just three or four hours," says Volker Gollnick, Director of the Institute for Air Transportation Systems at the Hamburg University of Technology TUHH. These planes will not be as large as Concorde, but Gollnick thinks there is a market for smaller models. The first prototypes could be in the air long before 2038: U.S. companies Aerion and Boom Technology are going head to head in the development contest. Next year, Boom expects to commence test flights with a prototype. The two-seater XB-1, nicknamed "Baby-Boom," will fly at more than twice the speed of sound – as fast as a jet. Later, says the company, there will be a bigger brother, with space for 55 passengers. Rival Aerion is collaborating with Airbus on a 12-seater, which they hope to begin testing in 2021. This jet would be slower than the Boom model but wouldn't require an afterburner (the technology that sealed Concorde's fate), says Aerion boss Doug Nichols. Noise remains a critical factor: Even Concorde was not permitted to fly overland at supersonic speeds due to the supersonic boom. Things will be no different 20 years from now, Gollnick believes, making supersonic jets unsuitable for mass transportation.
Hybrid: kerosene and electricity
Electric aircraft could make air travel greener. The California startup Wright Electric has announced that it is building an e-plane for around 150 passengers, scheduled to fly from 2027; by 2040, the state-owned Norwegian airport authority Avinor is demanding all airlines to operate only emission-free short-haul flights by 2040. Arne Seitz is skeptical: "The batteries will still be big, heavy and expensive," says the expert for energy technologies and propulsion systems at the Bauhaus Luftfahrt research institution. "We probably won't be seeing fully electric propulsion in the coming two decades except in niche products like short-haul air taxis." But he can very well imagine seeing a smaller hybrid plane take to the air with a kerosene fueled gas turbine on board that drives a generator. Small electric engines could conceivably improve aerodynamics by having several propellers on each wing. Large aircraft with more than 100 seats, says Seitz, will have to continue to rely on conventional jet engines. "If we want to achieve the industry's climate goals, what we need are synthetic fuels," explains his colleague Andreas Sizmann, who heads Future Technologies and Ecology at Bauhaus Luftfahrt. He thinks that aircraft could run on fuel produced from water and carbon dioxide with the help of renewable electricity or concentrated sunlight just as they do on conventional fuel now. "But such fuels will only be sustainable if the carbon-dioxide needed for production comes from the atmosphere," says Sizmann. This should be possible using filter systems, initial designs for which look like giant washing machines. However, the proportion of synthetic fuel used would also depend on the oil price and on the relevant national policies, Sizmann warns. "This is why engine technology needs to become even more efficient," adds Seitz. In concrete terms, this could mean combining turbines with piston engines like in automobiles. "That kind of engine could save fuel by up to 12 percent," says Seitz.
Parts on demand with 3D printing
It's probably every aircraft manufacturer's dream: Press a button and a ready-made plane rolls off the 3D printer just a few hours later. That scenario is still a long way off and most of today's components are still milled or cast because 3D printers cannot process every material. The most common practice in the aviation industry is to produce components using metal or plastic powder that is melted by a laser beam according to a digital template, with the material hardening layer by layer. The advantage: These components are just as strong but have less mass, which is why they are so popular in the industry. Reduced weight means reduced fuel, fewer emissions and lower costs. Almost all aircraft manufacturers employ 3D-printed components in their aircraft, in the cabin or in the engine. The Airbus A350, for instance, contains more than 1000 printed parts, such as plastic brackets. 3D-printed components made of metal, like the borescope eyepieces made by engine manufacturer MTU Aero Engines, are still rare. The tiny apertures in the engine cowling enable visual inspections. "We expect that between 15 and 30 percent of all engine components could be 3D-printed 20 years from now," says Karl-Heinz Dusel, Head of Rapid Technologies at MTU Aero Engines. GE Aviation is currently testing an engine for which one third of the components have been produced by so-called additive manufacturing. But due to cost considerations, printing ready-made aircraft will probably not be possible even 40 years from now.
One ticket for everything
The plane is due to take off in only 15 minutes, but the security checkpoint blocks the frantic passenger's path. Mercilessly. Implacably. At the front of the line, someone tries to cram 25 tins of hand cream into a small plastic bag. Body scanner, final call, we're cutting it really close now … This is what things used to be like. In the future, sensors and cameras will automate processes at the airport so that they are almost unnoticeable. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) imagines a kind of tunnel for passengers to pass through with their hand baggage. Regional airports, which can be built closer to urban areas because the aircraft are quieter, might even dispense with check-in counters and baggage conveyors entirely. Passengers would board their plane with their luggage much as they would a bus. New technology and more streamlined procedures could save quite a bit of time, in fact. But just how the airports will get passengers to their gates faster without ruining their own business by endangering the shops and restaurants en route, is another matter entirely. At large airports, automated systems would load luggage more efficiently and major hubs could introduce a plane-on-demand system to reduce traffic and shorten the time on the ground. Airlines would no longer own their own planes but would rent them as required. "Initial studies show that about 20 percent fewer aircraft could fulfill the same task," says Dr. Kay Plötner, Head of Economy and Traffic, who developed the system at Bauhaus Luftfahrt with his colleagues.
By 2038, our in-flight experience will also become more interactive. Augmented reality (AR) technology could enable our windows to tell us what we're flying over down below. Free Internet above the clouds would be standard, and passengers would enjoy a personalized entertainment program on their own electronic devices, rendering in-seat screens redundant. Data analysis would make it possible to seat passengers beside others who share the same interests. Cabin interiors are unlikely to change very much since the available space will remain the same. Another idea, still very much in its infancy, is a universal seat that the crew can convert into whatever is needed in a particular cabin class. Business to economy at the flick of a switch? To get where they're going, the passengers of the future will only need a single, automatic ticket for all modes of transportation, including air taxis, which will quickly transport them – seated or standing – from the airport to the city, where they will land in open areas on specially built platforms or the roofs of tall buildings. And that takes us right back to the world of George Jetson. And it also makes one thing certain: Much of what we regard as "cloud cuckoo land" today will be standard issue in 2038. The skies of tomorrow will be a very different world.


text: Wednesday, April 27, 2011 Educational Tool Aims to Help Health Care Campuses Go Smoke-free To help support hospitals and other health care organizations go smoke-free, The Joint Commission and the Henry Ford Health System have co-authored a how-to guide that provides guidance for implementing and enforcing a successful smoke-free or tobacco-free policy. "Keeping Your Hospital Property Smoke-Free" is a 28-page educational tool developed with input from staff at hundreds of hospitals. The document is divided into 7 primary sections, each of which provides strategies to consider when enforcing a smoke-free property policy. Each section includes a list and description of successful tactics, in addition to some brief examples to illustrate how the strategies were successfully implemented by hospitals.


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Russia's reviving space industry might be working on its own version of the US Air Force's reusable unmanned space plane. After all, Russian space experts seemed surprised, a little alarmed, and possibly in awe of the American X-37B when it was successfully flight-tested from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on April 22.
The head of Russia's Space Forces, Lt. Gen. Oleg Ostapenko, dropped a tantalizing hint last week that suggested that Russian researchers were working on a similar design.
"Something has been done along these lines, but as to whether we will use it, only time will tell," General Ostapenko was quoted by the official RIA-Novosti agency as saying.
The American X-37B, which spent seven months in orbit doing secret research before returning last December, is a remotely controlled, scaled-down space shuttle-like craft that appears to be dedicated mainly to military tasks.
Most Russian media coverage about the mini-shuttle was dominated by fear. Would the US use the enhanced orbital capabilities the space plane makes possible to undercut Russia's national security? Would the X-37B threaten Russian satellites or even install space-based antimissile weapons?
"The original idea of this space plane was to destroy the enemy's sputniks," says Vladimir Shcherbakov, deputy editor of Vzlyot (Liftoff), a leading Russian aerospace journal.
"It's a kind of space fighter. If your enemy loses all his sputniks – which provide his communication, intelligence, navigation, etc. – he will be in a panic, he'll be helpless. So it's critical, if you're going to build one, that you state what it's for and whom it's directed against," he says. "The Americans haven't declared who their X-37 is to be used against. They just say they're developing new technologies."
Mr. Shcherbakov says it's quite likely that Russia is working on its own space plane, since the Kremlin nowadays identifies successful space projects as key to boosting Russia's international prestige and has spent a lot more money on the once-moribund space industry.
"Nowadays there's more financing, so the search for cutting-edge projects that we can accomplish is going on intensively," he says. "When the Boeing X-37 was tested, it raised questions from the bosses about whether we were building one, too. But this is a secret subject in the US, and even more so here. So no one will tell you for sure."
The once-mighty Soviet space program virtually collapsed during the 1990s, and its only big remaining project is to act as a kind of "space taxi" to ferry astronauts to the International Space Station.
The USSR built a space shuttle, the Buran, which was modeled on the US version, but only managed to test it twice before the program was scrapped in 1993. The surviving copy of the Buran serves as a children's attraction in Moscow's riverside Gorky Park amusement center.
But with growing financial resources, Russian space scientists have a lot more ideas on their drawing boards these days. These include a nuclear-powered spacecraft that could carry cosmonauts to Mars, and a Pac Man-like nuclear powered space pod that could gobble up space garbage and perhaps be used to protect the Earth from asteroid collisions.
A functioning space plane might be useful for the Russians to service the new Glonass satellite network, Russia's answer to the American GPS system, which is still on track to launch this year despite a disastrous crash that cost the program three satellites last December.
Andrei Ionin, an independent space expert, says that Ostapenko's hint about a Russian version of the X-37B is hard to interpret.
"It is the logic of space research that both Russia and the US usually find themselves doing much the same things," he says. "They built a shuttle, we built a shuttle, and so on. But comments like Ostapenko's should be followed by demonstrations and proper official statements. As things stand, who knows what he meant? Perhaps it was just a bit of PR?"


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Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff and President Obama highlighted a student exchange program called Science Without Borders this week. Even though it doesn't resolve their differences over the United Nations' Security Council, currency wars, or nuclear issues, it's an area of cooperation that underscores how both countries acknowledge the need for stronger ties.
The international exchange program which aims to send 100,000 Brazilian students to undergraduate institutions for one year of fully-funded study, was rushed through the Brazilian legislature after Mr. Obama's visit to Brasilia in March 2011. It garnered high levels of private sector investment within months, and has since placed students in nearly 100 US universities.
While attention is often focused on policy disputes between Brazil and Washington, programs like Science Without Borders show how educational and cultural ties between Americans and Brazil's rising middle class are deepening. Brazil has made major strides in the past decade, moving some 40 million men and women out of poverty and into the middle class. And the Science Without Borders program is one of many initiatives to help the country achieve the 21st century standards of development needed to create a vibrant job market, innovative and growing economy, and bring basic services like electric power to all regions of the country.
Educational inclusion is a stated goal of Rousseff's administration, and guaranteeing high quality education, from kindergarten to post-graduate studies, for all citizens is a prominent policy on her agenda.
"We were … able to take on ourselves the leadership of our economic and social policies, and we went from a position of debtors to the International Monetary Fund, to the position of creditors," Rousseff said during her speech to about 500 people at Harvard University's Kennedy School, where she capped off the second day of her first official visit to the United States last night.
Felipe Azevedo attended Rousseff's speech in Cambridge, Mass. He is one of the initial 600 students selected to participate in the Science Without Borders program, which specifically targets undergraduates studying science, technology, mathematics, and engineering.
"For me, when I come back to Brazil I want to finish my degree, graduate in mechanical engineering, and what I want to do is try to work with companies like Petrobras or Vale. Two very, very big companies, not just in Brazil but in the world," Mr. Azevedo says. He is currently finishing his first semester at Washington University in St. Louis, where he takes courses like thermal systems and computer aided design. As part of the program, he will complete an internship in the States this summer before beginning his second semester at Washington University.
"Coming here and being near top technologies and research ... just being in contact with such technology and professors will be great experience for me when I come back and start working in Brazil," he says.
Allan Goodman, president and CEO of the Institute of International Education (IIE), the organization helping facilitate the Science Without Borders program in the US says "this is way more than a traditional exchange program because of its scale and scope and how rapidly it started and how rapidly it grew." It's hard to find detractors of the program's work, he says: "With any program, there are certain skeptics and critics. But I haven't heard any on this one."
Mr. Goodman says Rousseff reflected popular sentiment in Brazil when she created Science Without Borders. This was reiterated when the private sector quickly exceeded the government's original call for a 25 percent contribution to the scholarship program (the government said it would take on 75 percent of the costs). "Industries really want this to happen because they need workers with a science and math background, and some knowledge of English," Goodman says. He refers to Rousseff as "an education president."
Azevedo says, sure, he may a beneficiary of the program, but "really, it's money well spent … education is the main basis for a country to grow, so I think they're doing the right thing in investing in education," he says. "It's [the] first step of being a first world country."
Next year the Science Without Borders program will start sending students to other foreign countries such as France and Germany, as well. The program is slated to run through 2015, but given its initial success – and Brazil's vision for quality education and a globally-ready work force – there may be opportunity for further expansion.
"I must be clear that we have huge challenges ahead," Rousseff said Tuesday night at Harvard. "Precisely because Brazil is a complex country, and the challenge of eradicating extreme poverty while working to implement high education opportunities."
With nearly four months studying abroad behind him, Azevedo says he is already gaining insight into the US system. "In Brazil, students mainly help each other out with exams and homework and papers, but here … students don't want to help each other because they're trying to get the top grade in their class," he says. It's not a bad thing, he insists, just a cultural difference. "Being competitive is one of the main things the world wants from us, but we also need to know how to work with other people and cooperate," he says.
Neither Harvard University nor the Massachusetts Institute of Technology are hosting Science Without Borders students this year, says IIE. But Rousseff met with representatives from both schools this week in an effort to expand the program in coming years. Some 1,600 additional students are slated to go abroad this summer as part of Science Without Borders.
This program is by no means one-sided Azevedo says. US-based students and institutions are learning a little something from their young Brazilian education ambassadors as well. "So many people think we speak 'Brazilian' in Brazil" he says. "It's Portuguese."


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The world of an athletic director (AD) is a dizzying one. Long and irregular hours are spent talking to coaches, going to games, attending meetings and overseeing an entire institution's athletic department. Stress-levels can run high and sleep-levels can run low. It's a job that you never really escape. Instead, you live it. For those who choose the profession, it's tiring, but most say it's worth it. Getting there though can be the biggest challenge of all — especially if you're a woman.
As we get into the new year, it's useful to look back to see where we are going and, maybe, where we should be going. The number of female athletic directors has been increasing, but the increase hasn't exactly been promising for the state of the profession.
A recent study, "Women in Intercollegiate Sport: A Longitudinal, National Study Twenty-Seven Year Update 1977-2004," shows exactly how much things have and have not changed over the years. The annual study reports that there were 11 more female ADs in 2004 than 2002, but with an increase in the total number of programs, this number is pretty static.
"I don't know if it's an increase or just a shift," says Laurie Garrison, the assistant executive director of communications at the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics. "New women are becoming ADs, but there are also women leaving. If there has been an increase, it's only been slight."
The numbers really depend on an understanding of the situation, Garrison says. It's possible that the new opportunities have been at problem schools where the position is less desirable and women have a better chance because fewer candidates apply overall, she says.
The report also shows that the larger Division I schools have the smallest percentage of programs with a female AD at 8.7 percent, while Division II schools include 16.9 percent and Division III schools come in with 27.5 percent.
Judy Rose has been at the University of North Carolina, Charlotte for 30 years. She's been the AD there since 1990 and has seen more women enter the field, but like the research says, it isn't always at the biggest schools.
"But it's been nice to see that opportunities have truly been available," says Rose.
While the numbers may not clearly show forward progression of women in the field, some say the climate is much better now than it was when they started. After all, females are being considered and getting high-profile positions now.
Take, for example, Dawn Rogers, who in June 2004 with her promotion from an internal position at Xavier University, became the 24th female AD serving at an NCAA division.
"There is a willingness for college presidents to give serious consideration to females," Rogers says. "In my case, Xavier had been moving the institution forward and recognized that this was important."
For some, though, it still remains a tight, men-only club that women have just started to break into.
"It was previously an all-male cultural phenomenon," says Donna Lopiano, CEO of the Women's Sports Foundation. "Title IX doesn't apply to jobs. It only says female athletes have to see the same quality of coaching."
After the passage of Title IX in 1972, record numbers of girls starting participating in sports. However, leadership positions, such as coach and AD, became almost exclusively the domain of males — even though these positions where previously held by females before the legislation passed. In fact, when Title IX was enacted, more than 90 percent of women's intercollegiate athletics programs were administered by a female. Today, 17.8 percent of women's programs have no female involved in the administration at any level, according to the report.
How do females break into the "all-boys' club?" Many in the field say networking is the only way to go, and it's the best way to get in. This is especially important because for some, the job isn't the most desirable because of its long hours and high demand for successful sports programs.
"In the past I'd read and heard that a lot of women weren't going into coaching and athletic administration because they didn't want to put the time in," Rose says. "We need female mentors. I would encourage women to look at the profession and see if there's a fit somewhere."
At some schools though, getting in the door is a bit easier, and so is staying there. Rogers says having a climate that is not only willing to see a female fill the AD spot, but also one that recognizes personal needs and commitments, is one that she doesn't ever take for granted. With a husband and two kids, Rogers is used to the juggling act of family and work.
"When you hire a woman, especially women with a family, there is a great concern that you're not able to do the job — not a concern from just the institution's standpoint, but that it's also right for the person," Rogers says. "For college presidents there is a legitimate concern. Can you handle both responsibilities? It's unfortunate that this is not seen for a man, but honestly, the roles are very different."
Rogers balances work and family by being highly organized and knowing she's going to miss certain events in her children's life. However, she says Xavier is aware of those demands and is flexible.
"First, you need to do your job and fulfill those obligations," she says. "But there's just as many dads in our department that have to leave to pick up their kids, so I'm not alone in that juggling act."
However, Rogers's situation is by no means the norm. She knows other women in the industry who have felt that their school or situation was not family-friendly and, therefore, they consciously decided to not have children.
In some instances though, being a female helps. Rose's gender definitely didn't hurt her when she joined the committee that decides which schools enter the annual NCAA basketball tournament. Although she's now termed out of the committee, she was the only female in the group. For some committees a certain number of women are required to be included.
"Whether we choose to take advantage of those opportunities is up to us," Rose says.
One thing is for certain though, the women at the top of the athletic administration chain didn't get there by accident.
"All [the women] have earned it," Garrison says. "They haven't been given it."
Perhaps the next time the authors of "Women in Intercollegiate Sport" release their report, the numbers will tell a different story.


text:
A few years ago I speculated about the future of recruiting. I consulted my Magic 8 Ball for clues to the future and it warned that life as we know it would evolve into one where a Recruitment Processing Outsourcing (RPO) model would become more prevalent. During the years of a soft economy, corporate recruiters have been scaled back, staffing personnel have been assigned to other non-recruiting tasks within HR, and fill-in contract staffing jobs have essentially dried up. Coming out of the recession has seen resurgence in the need for company growth, but there is still a great deal of uncertainty about committing to an increase of in-house staffing resources.
Even though I predicted the emergence of RPO's, I was somewhat surprised to learn that a former client, a $50 billion global corporation, had recently made a significant commitment to outsource their recruiting activities to the RPO arm of a large search firm. Total ownership of the recruiting process had been ingrained in the culture of this company, so this was a major departure from old school management thinking. The Magic 8 Ball was right. There are signs that this is only the next step in a significant trend. It not only impacts the in-house recruiting model, but also tests long established relationships with third party recruiters. As time goes on, can anyone professing to be a recruiting professional remain unaffected by such changes? To assume that today's world will go on forever could be very shortsighted.
Installing an RPO is not a simple plug-and-play solution. There are very good reasons for this trend to continue, but it cannot happen without a significant effort to make it seamless. The following characteristics need to be considered in evaluation of any new recruiting solution.
This is not a one-size-fits all solution. Small entrepreneurial companies would need to grow into a need that would support outsourcing of recruitment. Large companies would be wise to roll out such a transition in a phased approach after committing to the process. In either, a key to success is 100% agreement in client-RPO communications effectiveness. We all need to begin thinking what role we will play in this new world. Where will this go next?
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Tom: Thanks for this - I absolutely agree that not only are RPOs probably getting even more entrenched into our world of work, but increasingly must be customized and configured to individual client needs instead of the former cut-and-paste template that MSPs seemed to rely on almost exclusively. As the market for RPOs continues to grow, so too does the competition for customers; to your point, this is good news for those recruitment leaders savvy enough to be selective and choose the right provider for their needs. Awesome post and great perspective!
Thanks, Tom and Matt. IMHO, a firm that claims to do RPO and has US-based prices (wherever its sourcing resources) is probably wasting its money.
Nice post Tom. I have worked heavily inside the RPO world and have seen the benefits of it, but I also have paid special attention to some of the concerns and areas that companies were a little slower in trusting to an outside source. I came up with a tweaked version of RPO called IRM (Integrated Recruitment Model). Here is a link to my notes from a webcast I led for SHRM on the topic. http://wp.me/p29q7b-6y