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SOCOM makes its move to the PS3 with the first online-only installment in the franchise
June 7, 2007 – Sony has finally announced that one of the most enduring franchises of the PS2 era is making the much anticipated move to the PlayStation 3, and with this change in systems comes a number of other significant changes. The most significant change of all is the complete lack of a single player campaign. That's right kiddies, SOCOM's going online exclusive. Another significant change is that Vancouver-based development newcomer Slant Six will be taking the reigns from Zipper Interactive, the developers of all of the previous SOCOM titles.
Another big announcement is that SOCOM three will follow suit with the forthcoming Warhawk and offer a fully downloadable version of the game. Disc junkies need not worry though; the game will also be released on a shiny blu-ray retail package. Sony's press department is remaining tight lipped on what this may mean for Confrontation's gameplay and content and on whether the downloadable and retail versions will launch simultaneously.
The only officially released trailer uses a decidedly Middle Eastern backdrop for a fire fight between Special Forces soldiers and what appear to be local militants clad in ski masks and nondescript fatigues. The action appears to be on par with what we've all come to expect from the franchise with both sides running through the streets to take cover behind cars and in doorways, taking up strategic firing positions on balconies and rooftops, and trading fire with assault rifles and the occasional rocket-propelled grenade. Though all of the trailer's footage appears to be in-game, there's no actual gameplay footage. This means at this point and time there's no information on the nuts-and-bolts of gameplay.
There are a lot of details Sony hasn't yet revealed, preferring instead to wait until E3 next month. Sony has announced that the game will be featuring special forces groups from around the world though we're unsure which countries will be included as of yet. Players will be able to customize their characters facial features and clans will have the option to trick out their uniforms to give themselves one-of-a-kind appearances. Sony also plans to have extensive support for the game including tournaments, clan ladders and for-pay content including new game modes, Special Forces, and weapons, among other things all available from the PlayStation Network Store.
All in all the game appears to be moving in a positive direction from the look of the trailer so expect a full disclosure and a lot more information available after E3 in July.


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Temperature, humidity and pressure monitoring
Correct compliance with storage temperatures is an important prerequisite for the quality assurance of many products, e.g. in the area of pharmaceutical products. Check and document the profile of the ambient temperature by the help of data loggers and make a crucial contribution to verifiable preservation of product quality.

subset: commoncrawl


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Antibiotics are a bit like electronic products. Given time, they become obsolete. Scientists at the Rockefeller University have taken antibiotic technology to the next level by targeting bacterial genes. A new drug may have turned the tables on drug-resistant "superbugs."
Researchers pitted the new drug, called Ceftobiprole, against some of the deadliest strains of multi-drug resistant Staphylococcus aureus, commonly known as MRSA. These bacteria have been blamed for a majority of the staphylococcal infections in hospitals and communities worldwide. Once they instigate an infection, such bacteria have proved extremely difficult to combat. Ceftobiprole has been engineered to interact with the mutated gene that confers antibiotic resistance to the bacteria.
The research, slated to be published in the August 2008 issue of Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, showed Ceftobiprole to be remarkably successful in killing MRSA. The study's lead investigator, Alexander Tomasz of the Laboratory of Microbiology at Rockefeller, said in a Rockefeller University news release, "It just knocked out the cells 100 percent."1 These results are good news for those who are suffering under and/or dying from MRSA infections. The drug was also able to kill S. aureus strains that were resistant to vancomycin (VRSA), a different class of antibiotics.
Bacterial resistance to antibiotics has been used as an example of evolution in action. However, it is rarely emphasized that these bacteria typically survive antibiotics for one of two reasons, neither of which involve the development of new genetic information. Either bacteria acquire an antibiotic-resistant gene from their environment, or they experience a mutation that both makes them antibiotic-resistant and weakens that bacterial strain when compared to its wild cousins. In neither case is a new gene or any new, useful information being created. Resistant bacteria are either the lucky recipients of pre-existing programs, or of a non-lethal mutation.
Though scientists have designed a drug that may remove the dreadful threat of MRSA infection, the fact remains that drug-resistant bacteria do not demonstrate macroevolution.2 When the selective pressure of the antiseptic hospital environment is removed, virulent bacteria such as MRSA are out-competed by other, more fit strains. And when the selective pressure of additional antibiotics like Ceftobiprole is increased, the bacteria again die. In neither case do they change from being the same species, Staphylococcus aureus, and the Bible even describes this in Genesis 1 with the repeated reference to each living creature reproducing "after his kind."
- New antibiotic beats superbugs at their own game. Rockefeller University press release, July 2, 2008. Accessed on newswire.rockefeller.edu July 3, 2008.
- Macroevolution includes the sweeping claim proposed by Charles Darwin in 1859 that all presently existing species developed naturally from a single common ancestor in the distant past. Mutations or gene-swapping events are real mechanisms that contribute to variation within a created kind, but are totally insufficient to account for the origin of any one kind.
* Mr. Thomas is Science Writer.
Article posted on July 14, 2008.


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Decarbonisation: The Basics
Sustainable Investing
• |
April 08, 2021
April 08, 2021
Decarbonisation: The Basics |
Climate change is often cited as a leading ESG priority for investors. It is the number one issue for asset owners in the Morgan Stanley 2020 Sustainable Signals Survey.1 95% already seek, or are considering, to address climate change via their thematic or impact investments.
Our team's ESG approach is focused on material issues that could threaten or enhance company fundamentals and/or the sustainability of returns. Our portfolio managers and Head of ESG Research engage proactively with company management, including seeking to understand environmental policies and practices that could materially affect the sustainability of returns.
Climate change is a big beast of a topic. What are the essential facts that are helpful for investors to know? What is believed to be the economic impact of climate change? What is meant by scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions, and why should businesses and investors care about measuring across the full value chain? What options are available to investors wanting to lower the carbon footprint of their portfolio? How can a high-quality equity portfolio help?
This paper, the first in our Carbon series, sets out to explore these five areas.
1. Climate Change 101
Climate change is widely seen as the defining issue of our time. In recent years, the political winds seem to have truly shifted, as the public has grown increasingly vocal and the issue more urgent.
Climate science is not exact, given the number of assumptions scientists have to make about things they can't model exactly. Nonetheless, there is consensus that it is happening fast, it is man-made, we are not doing enough, and we should focus on preventing irreversible extreme damage.
What matters for investors, in addition to the direct physical impact of climate change, is the resulting changes in government policy, consumer behaviour and the impact on companies and their valuations (the 'transition risk').
The world is undoubtedly warming, and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (the most important global climate science body, comprising 195 member countries) expects us to reach 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels in only twenty years, if no action is taken (Display 1).
WHAT IS MEANT BY TRANSITION RISK? "While the physical risks from climate change have been discussed for many years, transition risks are a relatively new category… Transition risks can occur when moving toward a less polluting, greener economy. Such transitions could mean that some sectors of the economy face big shifts in asset values or higher costs of doing business... As companies disclose more information relating to climate change, financial firms will be able to make more informed decisions." – The Bank of England KnowledgeBank: 'Climate change: what are the risks to financial stability?' |
Scientists attribute rising temperatures to the human induced 'greenhouse effect.' Carbon dioxide accounts for most of it. As Display 2 shows, current concentrations of CO2 in the atmosphere are already significantly higher than for the past hundreds of thousands of years, and the speed and level of the increase suggest most of it is driven by human activity.
Warming will not be evenly spread. The climate will become more unstable and weather patterns disrupted, with heatwaves in some places and hurricanes and floods in others.
The list of resulting direct physical climate change risks is long: damage to assets from extreme weather events and rising sea levels, water stress, crop failures and lower yields, lower fish catches, higher mortality and lower labour force productivity in hotter countries, among other effects.
But the bigger, longer-term concern is that at a certain point in the warming process, various natural feedback mechanisms will kick in, and warming will self-perpetuate and become unstoppable. These include the albedo effect (as polar ice melts, it reflects less light back into space), release of methane by melting permafrost and the Amazon rainforest dieback among other things. These outcomes are impossible to model exactly, which is why there are a wide range of climate scenarios.
Nonetheless, the damage would be irreversible, and our actions in the next few decades will dictate our planet's course for centuries to come.
GLOBAL WARMING OR CLIMATE CHANGE? "We often call [it] global warming, but it is causing a set of changes to the Earth's climate, or long-term weather patterns, that varies from place to place. While many people think of global warming and climate change as synonyms, scientists use "climate change" when describing the complex shifts now affecting our planet's weather and climate systems—in part because some areas actually get cooler in the short term." – National Geographic?' |
The consensus now is that we have to fully decarbonise—reach 'net zero'—by around 2050.
Display 3 models the drastic decline in CO2 emissions required with immediate effect in order to reach net zero by both 2055 and 2040.
What many people do not realise is that these oft-quoted IPCC emissions reduction targets in most cases assume only a 50-66% probability of limiting global warming to agreed temperature targets.
If the world wants to avoid potentially catastrophic climate change with 100% certainty, it has even less time to decarbonise. To limit global warming to less than 1.5°C, experts believe we have perhaps less than ten years, as the remaining 'carbon budget' (i.e. future emissions we are 'allowed' to produce before we reach the limit of CO2 concentration in the atmosphere) is much smaller in that scenario (see Display 4).
2. What is the economic impact of climate change?
The economic impact of climate change is even harder to predict than its physical impact given the lack of historical precedent. The exact relationship between the economy and the earth's temperature is still poorly understood and there is currently no consensus among economists. But we do know that the impact of rising temperatures on ecosystems and humans is not linear and various tipping points (see Display 5) cannot be ignored.
A number of academic studies have tried to assess the overall impact of unmitigated climate change on global gross domestic product (GDP). Many of them arrive at a fairly modest global cumulative impact, less than 7% of global output in 2100, relative to a scenario of no climate change. This group of studies has been critiqued for various reasons. Some more pessimistic studies arrive at a much greater impact: a loss of up to 50% of global GDP by 2100 in an 'emissions-as-usual' scenario, relative to no impact of climate change.
The potential problem with looking at global GDP is that most of it is currently produced by richer, typically cooler countries. Some of them, for example Canada, may actually benefit in the medium term from global warming.
Most of the negative impact, however, is likely to be felt in poorer, hotter countries that contribute less to global GDP. Therefore the nominal impact on global GDP in terms of reduced economic productivity in largely poorer countries may understate the impact on the global population and thus the long-term social impact on the whole world.
For example, Display 6 from a 2015 paper from Stanford and Berkeley universities, highlights the disproportionate impact of climate change on the poorest countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America. They estimate it could structurally reduce these countries' growth rate by over 1 percentage point a year. Such increased inequality and divergence, compounded for decades, would mean these countries never get out of the poverty trap.
A local climate emergency in poorer countries may create its own negative feedback loop—e.g. increased political instability and conflict, resulting in millions of climate refugees—which could spill over and further affect global sentiment and politics, trade, investment, and thus global economic growth.
In summary, while the degree of economic impact is not clear at this stage, many experts believe that the direction of travel is lower growth and predictability. Given these are major drivers of equity market valuations, investors cannot afford to ignore climate change risk in their portfolios.
3. Emissions in more detail
The biggest sector in terms of emissions is power and heat generation, at 42%. Transport is the second largest at around 24%, and industry is third at 19%. This suggests that utilities and transport-related businesses would likely be most impacted by government policy and technological disruption, given they are the two largest contributors to global carbon emissions. We discuss the impact of this further in a later paper.
By region, China is now the largest emitter, and has grown emissions substantially since 2000. What China does in terms of carbon policy is thus more important than many perhaps realise. The U.S. and the EU are now in second and third place respectively and their emissions have generally declined in the last decade or so (Display 8).
Greenhouse gas (GHG) accounting divides all emissions into three scopes:
It is best to think of the three scopes as concentric circles, with Scope 1 in the middle followed by Scopes 2 and 3.
Scope 1 and 2 emissions are reasonably straightforward to assess and are regularly reported by most companies. Around 80% of Scope 1 and 2 emissions in the MSCI World Index are concentrated in just three sectors—utilities, energy and materials.
Scope 3 emissions are harder to quantify. They can be much higher than Scope 1 or 2, but historically, companies have not had much direct control over them. There is little comprehensive data available by company, and double-counting can also be an issue when comparing companies. For e.g. the same CO2 emissions from aluminium produced for a Coca-Cola can would go into the emissions calculation for the aluminium smelter (direct), the can manufacturer, the Coca-Cola bottler and the retailer (all indirect). Whose emissions are they?
In the example in Display 9, Scope 3 accounts for 96%+ of Unilever's emissions, based on their estimates. 63% of total emissions are created by the consumer— e.g. turning on the kettle or using hot water. These emissions are driven by the energy mix of the consumer's utility provider, not by Unilever. The company has limited control over its users' or suppliers' energy choices.
As we have discussed, measuring Scope 3 emissions is challenging. However, if companies can better understand their full value chain emissions and identify where the risks are, it can help them set meaningful reduction targets, engage with suppliers and other partners, enhance their communications to stakeholders and in turn their corporate reputation. And, of course, in so doing they can play their part in the decarbonisation agenda. We discuss individual company actions further in a later paper.
4. Managing carbon in a portfolio: options for investors
In very broad terms, public equity investors concerned about carbon consider two main avenues:
Investors may choose to invest in companies whose primary activities directly contribute to decarbonisation— such as the renewable energy sector. This 'impact-like' approach can be difficult to implement widely. Factset's 'Alternative Power Generation' subset of companies constitutes a mere 0.24% of the MSCI World Index market cap (as at 31 August 2020). It is arguably also a lower quality segment of the market, which could affect long-term performance. According to Bloomberg, in 2019 companies in the S&P Global Clean Energy Index had an average return on capital of just 3.1% and a negative cash flow yield of -4.6%.
Due to the scarcity of such pure play companies another, related approach is to invest in companies that have small but growing exposure to business areas that contribute to energy transition, e.g. 'mainstream' industrials that provide smart grid or renewable energy equipment. While this approach casts a wider net, it is still a niche area. According to FTSE Russell, only 6% of the global equity market (by capitalisation) could be characterised as 'green' in 2017, which includes such transition activities. Similarly, MSCI estimates that only 15% of MSCI All Countries World Index companies have more than 5% of their revenues aligned with the draft EU Sustainable Taxonomy (March 2020).
Given their more niche and opportunistic nature, such investments often comprise a 'satellite' allocation within a core-satellite approach, and some investors deploy them as part of their 'divest/ invest' strategy.
"The most meaningful way to measure the greenhouse gas impact of our business is to look across the whole lifecycle of our products. Accurate measurement and transparent reporting of our GHG footprint help us adapt our strategy, set ambitious targets and assess our progress… Climate change is a principal risk factor for both our business and society at large… Mitigating climate change starts by reducing our own environmental impact." – Unilever |
In contrast, a carbon reduction approach is immediately implementable. There are an increasing array of options, particularly in the passive arena, from exclusions/ divestment through to reweighting/ optimisation and traditional selection.
Some investors have chosen to divest from companies owning fossil fuel reserves in order to manage stranded assets risk and make public their concerns about climate change. But others argue that this approach has its shortcomings. As it does not address current carbon emissions across other carbon-heavy sectors that do not own fossil fuel reserves (for example, utilities), it doesn't result in the lowest carbon footprint.
In light of this, we have recently seen a proliferation of indices and ETFs offering low-carbon credentials. Weights in an index are tweaked based on individual companies' carbon intensity, in order to give investors broad market exposure (and therefore minimal tracking error to a standard benchmark) but with an optimised, reduced carbon footprint. This approach accounts for both current emissions and fossil-fuel reserves.
MICROSOFT AND SCOPE 3 REPORTING In January 2020 Microsoft announced its commitment to be carbon negative by 2030. It also changed its carbon targets and internal pricing scheme to include all Scope 3 emissions. It noted that it has a lot of work to do around Scope 3 emissions management. The company is engaging closely with suppliers, and those partners with relatively higher emissions could find themselves at a competitive disadvantage. |
Index strategies are a route chosen by many investors, but this approach alone can dilute the desired result in terms of carbon impact. For example, in a sample of twenty Global, U.S., EAFE and European low-carbon ETFs (classified by Morningstar), the weighted average Scope 1 and 2 carbon intensity reduction versus the relevant benchmark was 49% (ranging from a 2% to 77% reduction). We think it is possible to do even better.
5. Reducing carbon exposure through a high-conviction, high-quality portfolio
As active investors, we naturally believe that investing in an index is not the best way to compound one's wealth. For those seeking an active strategy, what may not be as obvious is that you do not have to explicitly invest in an environmentally-focused strategy in order to achieve a low carbon footprint.
We believe that investing in a concentrated portfolio of predictable, high-return-on-capital compounders, whose value is based on intangible rather than physical assets, is a proven way of significantly reducing one's carbon exposure without sacrificing long-term performance.
A natural by-product of our high-quality approach is that our global strategies have a carbon footprint that is 90-95% lower than MSCI World on a Scope 1 and 2 basis, and around 80% lower on a Scope 1, 2 and 3 basis.
In fact, there is a strong inverse correlation between returns on operating capital employed (ROOCE, the metric we focus on when assessing company quality) and carbon intensity. High-quality, high-ROOCE companies are not only steady compounders but also have a structurally lower carbon footprint. Pollution is a capital-intensive exercise.
For the purposes of the carbon theme, most of the high-quality companies we hold can be classified in two ways.
These companies may have significant indirect Scope 3 upstream supply chain emissions (e.g. raw materials and packaging), and therefore our focus is on how companies manage them. Nonetheless, their products typically have no (taking a pill, having a drink, applying skin cream) or relatively low (taking a shower or cooking) product use-related (Scope 3 downstream) emissions, compared with more energy-intensive activities, such as driving a petrol car, or flying. As power generation decarbonises, thanks to the growth in renewables, and households switch to green energy, these emissions are likely to decrease.
This lower carbon-to-sales footprint is the first reason why compounders' exposure to carbon risk is significantly lower than average. They also enjoy higher profit margins than most 'brown' companies, which further reduces their profits' sensitivity to carbon pricing. As illustrated in Display 12, Arcelor Mittal's profit sensitivity to carbon price is 300 times higher than Alphabet's and 22.6 times higher than L'Oréal.
Source: Bloomberg, data as of 2018.
Furthermore, because the companies we hold benefit from low price elasticity, significant pricing power and the non-discretionary, recurring nature of their revenues, carbon pricing of total lifecycle emissions is likely to have minimal impact on demand for their products.
Last, but not least, they are not likely to suffer from decarbonisation-driven technological and policy disruption, unlike the industries in the carbon cross-hairs (e.g. autos, metals, fossil fuels). There is lower pressure to replace their products and services with less-carbon options. In the example above, a shift to electric vehicles will directly impact oil and auto companies, whereas decarbonisation of household energy is unlikely to negatively impact Unilever's products directly. Instead, it will make their use more environmentally friendly.
It is fashionable to talk about the cloud providers' power-hungry data centres, but despite the remarkable growth of the cloud, major software companies' Scope 1 and 2 intensity remains very low, and they have also made great strides in powering their data centres with renewable electricity. Alphabet is now one of the largest direct purchasers of renewables. Also, although these companies' own energy consumption has grown, net net they have reduced energy intensity of computing for everyone, as the cloud offers significant energy savings compared to on premise computing. Covid-19 has further accelerated this trend. |
Policymakers are increasingly focused on the urgency of climate change reform. Ignoring climate risk in portfolios has become a risk in itself, and the transition to a low-carbon economy is likely to mean the relative opportunity set changes. Stakeholders are also playing a greater role in asset owners' ESG approaches: the 2020 Morgan Stanley Sustainable Signals Survey found that constituent demand is now the most important factor driving the adoption of sustainable investing, followed by the financial return potential.
Asset owners are faced with a surfeit of choices to address climate change in a portfolio. We believe that one compelling way to compound shareholders' wealth in the long term and achieve a low-carbon footprint is by owning high-quality companies with sustainably high returns on operating capital. And in so doing, address stakeholders' growing concerns about one of the most pressing issues for our planet.
Look out for more in our Carbon series, including:
The Impact of Decarbonisation: government policies, tools, and industry impact
Contributions to Decarbonisation: corporate policies, targets and engagement case studies
Risk Considerations
There is no assurance that a portfolio will achieve its investment objective. Portfolios are subject to market risk, which is the possibility that the market value of securities owned by the portfolio will decline. Market values can change daily due to economic and other events (e.g. natural disasters, health crises, terrorism, conflicts and social unrest) that affect markets, countries, companies or governments. It is difficult to predict the timing, duration, and potential adverse effects (e.g. portfolio liquidity) of events. Accordingly, you can lose money investing in this strategy. Please be aware that this strategy may be subject to certain additional risks. Changes in the worldwide economy, consumer spending, competition, demographics and consumer preferences, government regulation and economic conditions may adversely affect global franchise companies and may negatively impact the strategy to a greater extent than if the strategy's assets were invested in a wider variety of companies. ESG strategies that incorporate impact investing and/or Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) factors could result in relative investment performance deviating from other strategies or broad market benchmarks, depending on whether such sectors or investments are in or out of favor in the market. As a result, there is no assurance ESG strategies could result in more favorable investment performance. In general, equity securities' values also fluctuate in response to activities specific to a company. Investments in foreign markets entail special risks such as currency, political, economic, and market risks. Stocks of small-capitalisation companies carry special risks, such as limited product lines, markets and financial resources, and greater market volatility than securities of larger, more established companies. The risks of investing in emerging market countries are greater than risks associated with investments in foreign developed markets. Non-diversified portfolios often invest in a more limited number of issuers. As such, changes in the financial condition or market value of a single issuer may cause greater volatility.
Head of ESG Research
International Equity Team
Executive Director


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HyVisual: A Hybrid System Visual Modeler
The Hybrid System Visual Modeler (HyVisual) is a block-diagram editor and simulator for continuous-time dynamical systems and hybrid systems. Hybrid systems mix continuous-time dynamics, discrete events, and discrete mode changes. This visual modeler supports construction of hierarchical hybrid systems. It uses a block-diagram representation of ordinary differential equations (ODEs) to define continuous dynamics, and allows mixing of continuous-time signals with events that are discrete in time. It uses a bubble-and-arc diagram representation of finite state machines to define discrete behavior driven by mode transitions.In this document, we describe how to graphically construct models and how to interpret the resulting models. HyVisual provides a sophisticated numerical solver that simulates the continuous-time dynamics, and effective use of the system requires at least a rudimentary understanding of the properties of the solver. This document provides a tutorial that will enable the reader to construct elaborate models and to have confidence in the results of a simulation of those models. We begin by explaining how to describe continuous-time models of classical dynamical systems, and then progress to the construction of mixed signal and hybrid systems.
The intended audience for this document is an engineer with at least a rudimentary understanding of the theory of continuous-time dynamical systems (ordinary differential equations and Laplace transform representations), who wishes to build models of such systems, and who wishes to learn about hybrid systems and build models of hybrid systems.
HyVisual is built on top of Ptolemy II, a framework supporting the construction of such domain-specific tools. See Ptolemy II for information.


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I've been dying for Easter!
Not dying eggs...
I've been dying coffee filters
for projects.
These went from this...
To this!
and then from this...
To this!
I made them to decorate for Easter.
Here are some photos of some of the other Easter decor around the house.
(sweet little Wendy Addison bunny from my neighbor Sarah)
A little Spring lamb
I love me some sheep!!!!!
Little bouquet of silk tulips
I cut some forsythia to force about ten days ago.
They haven't bloomed in the garden yet.
I thought these should come in and be decorated
with some pastel mercury balls I acquired a few years ago to
use for Easter decorating.
I got a little carried away and posted a lot of these on the garden blog too.
I really love forsythia for it's early Spring bloom...
even if early Spring isn't so early where I live.
It was 21 degrees last night!!!!!!!!!
I put together a couple of little Easter collages with some of the
decor in my house this holiday.
(except the chicks...they are from last year)
Today will be spent in the kitchen, in preparation for a little Easter feast tomorrow.
Not many of the children will be home this year, but I will put in a ham,
make some rolls...etc.
I thought I would make cupcakes today
and decorate them all Easter-like
and decorate them all Easter-like
for the children.
Oh it's going to be a good day...the sun is shining,
and the town Easter egg hunt starts in a few minutes,
so I'm out the door.
I hope you all enjoy a wonderful Easter too!!!!!
Why seek ye the living among the dead?
He is not here, he is risen.
St Luke: 5-6


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Our team of professionals will take care of everything while providing excellent customer service
Magic Touch Carpet Repair & Cleaning provides professional carpet cleaning and repair services. We will restore your carpets to their original condition without spending a fortune! We offer high-quality carpet cleaning Scottsdale residents can trust at affordable prices for all kinds of commercial and residential properties. We offer carpet repair, stretching, patching, as well as tile and grout cleaning. Give us a call today for a free estimate!
Scottsdale is a city in the eastern part of Maricopa County, Arizona, United States, and is part of the Phoenix metropolitan area. Named Scottsdale in 1894 after its founder Winfield Scott, a retired U.S. Army chaplain, the city was incorporated in 1951 with a population of 2,000. As of the 2020 census, the population was 241,361, up from 217,385 in 2010. Its slogan is "The West's Most Western Town". It has been one of the fastest growing cities in the United States over the past decades.
Arts Districts, Bella Vista, Boulder Heights, Briarwood, Canyon Heights, Canyon Ridge, Casa Blanca, Central Scottsdale, Cholla Vista, Cox Heights, Desert Springs, Eagle Point, Enchantra At The Boulders, Foothills At Ironwood Village, Fox Hollow


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WYPF targets climate solutions investments
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DIY pom pom garlands are nothing new. But making one for under $2 seemed like something I needed to share. My friends are always asking me about things if find in the Target dollar section so I wanted to give up the goods on this one to spread the Valentine love. A bundle of baker's twine as well as a bag of pom poms are only $1. So I was able to make more than enough garland for a festive Valentine vignette I am working on. It's slow going over here as I still seem to be knee deep in laundry. A sick four year old also added to my slow moving pace. So I will show you a little bit of the vignette at at time. Here are the details on how to string a pom pom garland. I only spent $2 for the twine and the pom poms. You will also need a sewing needle as well as a bit of tape. The tape is to wrap around the end of the twine before trying to thread it through the needle. I tried {with crazy levels of frustration} to jam the twine into that tiny hole for far too long before I grabbed a piece of tape. After that is was smooth sailing. So there is nothing to it except for threading the needle through each pom pom. It took all of five minutes. You have probably seen Megan's cute Christmas garland or this Valentine garland I just spotted from Third Floor Design Studio. What I love is that the possibilities are endless. String one on your child's headboard, on the mantel, or drape one over a bench. They even look cute when formed into shapes or words. I was thinking it would be cute to mount one on canvas. And don't under estimate the power of cute washi tape. With a cute pattern, you can tape it to anything and it actually looks cute. Not bad for $2. I will be back tomorrow with some festive Valentine vases that I have been working on all week. Other Valentine posts can be seen here: have a sweet day
Such a cute idea! love poms poms especially in valentine's Day colors! XO
So cute! Where did you get the twine? Sorry if you mentioned and I missed it! I've been looking for some like this and that's a great price!
And please, consider donating to this fabulous cause. Use the code INSPIRE within the next four days and have your donation doubled!!
Thanks for this post. The garland is so pretty! Love it.
Have a great day.
I know what I will be looking for in the Target dollar bins. Thanks!!!
Very cute! I just made some for my classroom. They look sweet:)
very pretty!
I was excited to find the twine in the $ section too! And I was just as FRUSTRATED trying to thread it!!! I'm afraid I wasn't as smart as you though with the tap, I just went to Michaels and bought a needle with a bigger eye to thread it through. 🙂 There were cute little foam hearts in my $ section so I made 2 heart garlands with the twine. So I <3 this idea too. (Pun intended!) 🙂
cute cute cute!! off to tarjay!!
that's a great deal for that much twine! thanks for the tip girlie!
AH! This is SO cute!! I need to get bakers twine so I can make these little garlands for every holiday!!
Such a cute idea!
So cute!! I love how simple it is, which is exactly what I need right now. By the way, your trip to Utah looked amazing!! I would love to hear more about it – when can we have you and the hubby over??
I physically can't walk past the dollar section at Target and not look at stuff…aka buy something. (c; They have the most awesome little finds there!!! And how much do I adore anything with pom poms??? It's a LOT.
Such a sweet garland. I like the simplicity of it. Pom poms are just so happy aren't they!
Super cute (and simple too)!
aw thanks for the shout out!! I love the bakers twine and I wish I would have thought of tape! such a quick solution!!


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An interesting excerpt from George's Lakoff "Don't Think of an Elephant!" 2014.
"Every language in the world has in its grammar a way to express direct causation. No language in the world has in its grammar a way to express systemic causation.
What's the difference between direct and systemic causation?
From infanthood on we experience direct, simple causation. We see direct causation all around us: if we push a toy, it topples over; if our mother turns a knob on the oven, flames emerge. Picking up a glass of water and taking a drink is direct causation. Slicing bread is direct causation. Stealing your wallet is direct causation.
Any application or force to something or someone that produces an immediate change to that thing or person is direct causation: When causation is direct, the world cause is unproblematic. We learn direct causation automatically as children because that's what we experience on a daily basis. Direct causation, and the control over our immediate environment that understanding it allows, is crucial in the life of every child. That's why it shows up in the grammar of every language.
The same is not true for systemic causation. Systemic causation cannot be experienced directly. It has to be learned, its cases have to be studied, and repeated communication is necessary before it can be widely understood.
That's right, no language in the world has a way in its grammar to express systemic causation. You drill a lot more oil, burn a lot more gas, put a lot more CO2 in the air, the earth's atmosphere heats up, more moisture evaporates from the oceans yielding bigger storms in certain places and more drought and fires in other places, and yes, more cold and snow in still other places. The world ecology is a system - like the world economy and the human brain.
As a result, we lack a concept that we desperately need. We need to understand and communicate, for instance, about the greatest moral issue of our times - global warming. The ecology is a system operating via system causation. Without an everyday concept of system causation, global warming cannot be properly comprehended. In other words, without the systemic causation frame, the oft-repeated facts about global warming cannot make sense. With only the direct causation frame, the systemic causation facts of global warming are ignored. The old frame stays, and the facts that don't fit cannot be comprehended."
This excerpt by Lakoff provides some fundamental insight of the problems involved in understanding the climate change issue. It is clear that Lakoff understands very well the concept of "system dynamics;" without a dynamic view of complex systems, it is impossible to understand the concept (and the danger) of the problem.
However, Lakoff's book is not about climate science, but about communication. Its main thesis is that the apparently simple way concepts are presented in the current political debate is only a reflection of a complex tangle of ideas and perceptions that form people's single personalities. Lakoff maintains that Liberals and Conservatives have different worldviews but that, overall, conservatives have been able to "frame" their worldview in simple snippets that turned out to be more effective than the equivalent attempts by liberals. And it is because of this effectiveness that we see the present increasing polarization in the political scene in the US.
In my opinion, there is a lot of truth in this interpretation which, however, fails to understand the basic reasons for the increasing polarization. These reasons are deeper and complex as well as I discuss in this post.


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This article is more than 1 year old
2012 CES will be Microsoft's last hurrah
Did it jump or was it pushed?
Microsoft has said that Steve Ballmer's opening keynote for the Consumer Electronic Show (CES) in January will be the last time a Redmond head takes the stage, and it won't be having an exhibition stand at the show after 2012 either.
The move ends nearly 20 years of Microsoft's involvement with the show, both in giving the keynote and taking out acres of floor space to show off the latest technology to come out of Seattle. In a blog post Microsoft's corporate VP of communications Frank Shaw said that the move was down to the changing priorities of the company and the timing of the show.
We have decided that this coming January will be our last keynote presentation and booth at CES. We'll continue to participate in CES as a great place to connect with partners and customers across the PC, phone and entertainment industries, but we won't have a keynote or booth after this year because our product news milestones generally don't align with the show's January timing.
The official explanation may however be a Redmond herring. There are rumours that the Consumer Electronics Association, which runs the show, was asking for larger than usual "donation" from companies looking to give a keynote and Microsoft may have baulked at the cost.
Bill Gates first took to the CES stage in 1994 to show off the forthcoming Windows 95, and quickly made the keynote his own, for both good and bad reasons. His talks were eagerly anticipated, not just for the content but also for the chance of watching new technology fail on stage.
Steve Ballmer carried on the tradition, although in El Reg's opinion he was lacklustre at best – using the keynote as a sales pitch rather than leavening the mix with interesting stuff people might actually want to hear. Last year's performance was a particular low point, with very little news and products shown off that never made it to market. ®


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By all rights, this issue of WholeFoods should not exist. Just a few years after printing its first issue in 1977, the publication was struggling to keep its head above water. Holding the position of dead last among competitor magazines, the management team at the time seriously considered calling it quits. This may have been the end of the WholeFoods story—had it not been for Howard Wainer.
Howie purchased the magazine in February 1984, took over the reigns as publisher of WholeFoods and made the precarious move to open a publishing company to produce this magazine and others. Within a few issues, the magazine re-established its footing and broke ground with coverage of the natural products industry that was unique, thorough and insightful. It only took a few issues under the management of the Wainer family before WholeFoods became a top publication in its field (and still is today).
So, how did Howie manage to revive WholeFoods to the point where it is today? Well, he answered that very question in March 1989 as he reflected on the company's fifth anniversary: "This turnaround was the result of my dream and the WholeFoods philosophy." The philosophy, he explained, was to inform and educate natural products retailers with timely and important information about the products they sell. After all, Howie said, "An educated retailer is better equipped to help the consumer." He firmly believed in the importance of the natural products industry and the value of a strong industry publication to serve its needs for good, reliable information.
Twenty-five years (and more than 300 issues) later, this philosophy remains the same, although the faces that have brought you your monthly issue have changed over the years. But without fail, Howie's core WholeFoods philosophy and values drive the WholeFoods team each and every day to put out the best product we can for our readers.
Now, walk with us through the pages of WholeFoods' history as we revisit some of the most formative moments in our industry's history over the past five years.
—The Editors
Ephedra Dies. Marking the first time a dietary supplement was removed from the market since the passage of the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 (DSHEA), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a ban on products with ephedrine alkaloid. The agency's reason was that 16,000 adverse events were reported by those using ephedra supplements and 100 deaths were caused by the substance. Reactions from the industry were mixed, though one of the initial fears was that it would not be the last such ban and, ultimately, would place DSHEA in danger. To help cut off any problems, the Coalition to Preserve DSHEA was formed. Then in May 2004, Nutraceutical Corporation and Solaray, Inc. filed a complaint in a Utah District Court challenging the FDA's ban of ephedra.
Low-Carb Craze. This year, low-carb offerings popped up everywhere from bun-less Burger King Whoppers to low-carb wraps at Subway. Estimates said that nearly three million Europeans and about 11% of Americans were on a carbohydrate-restrictive diet. The industry responded to the trend with its first major tradeshow dedicated to the low-carb industry (the LowCarbiz Summit) and the creation of the Low Carb Manufacturers Alliance. In spring 2004, the Grocery Manufacturers of America petitioned the FDA to establish guidelines for the labeling of carbohydrates. Unfortunately by mid-2004, the low-carb diet was under fire for causing consumers to make poor food choices and a consumer even filed a lawsuit against Atkins Nutritionals, saying the diet contributed to his heart condition.
WholeFoods captured the twists and turns of this movement in a special section devoted to news and trends associated with low-carb foods.
Feeling Insecure. 2005 was marked with new public health crises that led to an overall feeling of uncertainty about the U.S. government's ability to protect its people. In one of the worst natural disasters this country has faced, Hurricanes Katrina and Rita devastated the Gulf Coast and left victims waterlogged and without food or shelter. The natural products industry lent a helping hand by donating products and other aid to those affected. If that weren't enough, fears of a bird flu pandemic and other illnesses caused by bacteria-tainted foods contributed to a feeling of helplessness.
Organic Rules. After a long fight, organic proponents convinced Congress to pass the Organic Food Production Act in 1990. After 12 years of much back and forth, the rule was adopted on October 21, 2002. In response, organic farmer Arthur Harvey filed a lawsuit to close loopholes in the law and was defeated, but in April 2005, a federal appeals court reopened the case and suggested that parts of the rule may be invalid. At the same time, the American Herbal Products Association tried to get the U.S. Department of Agriculture to allow organic status for herbal supplements, and the Organic Consumers Association fought for the term "organic/organics" to not be allowable on health and beauty care items.
Ephedra Saga Continues. In a record decision, a U.S. District Court ruled on April 13, 2005 that FDA's 2004 ephedra ban was unlawful and exceeded the agency's authoritative reach. The judge also granted an injunction from Nutraceutical Corporation to let the company again sell ephedra supplements that contain 10 mg or less of the ingredient. Success was not long-lived, however. The following year, the U.S. Court of Appeals reversed this decision and blocked Nutraceutical from selling supplements containing ephedra. And at the end of 2006, Nutraceutical Corporation's request for a rehearing was turned down; the company answered by filing a petition to move the issue before the Supreme Court.
Pressure Builds for Regulations. In 2006, industry put added pressure on the government to establish specific regulatory guidelines for the dietary supplements industry. In the first quarter, industry made it clear it wanted some attention from the government by proposing a regulatory model for traditional medicine suggested by the Traditional Medicines Congress (made up of nine industry companies). And then after much prodding, the FDA promised (again!) to unveil its final rule on current good manufacturing practices for dietary supplements in December 2006. It took another year before the document was officially approved.
But perhaps the biggest regulatory news of the year was the Adverse Event Bill. On June 21, the Dietary Supplement and Non-Prescription Drug Consumer Protection Act called for serious adverse events of supplements (and OTC drugs) to be reported to FDA. Many in the industry backed the bill as it illustrates a strong commitment to consumers.
Hain Grows and Grows. Fiscal Year 2006 was a time of extensive acquisitions for The Hain Celestial Group. The firm acquired Spectrum Organic Products, Inc. in December; the Queen Helene, Batherapy, Shower Therapy and Footherapy brands in March; a prepared foods business in the United Kingdom in April; and the Linda McCartney brand in June. These acquisitions followed the 2005 takeover of Zia Cosmetics. And at the beginning of the year, the company parted ways with H.J. Heinz Company, which sold its 6,090,351 shares of Hain stock for $20 per share.
Honeybee Colony Collapse. In spring 2007, researchers began to notice a drop-off in the U.S. honeybee population for reasons that no one could explain at the time. Honeybees pollinate a majority of U.S. crops, so many feared that the agricultural sector might be affected. A month later, Cornell University released a statement saying that the population losses may have been triggered by parasitic mites. The U.S. Department of Agriculture responded with a plan to address the problem, but the exact cause and solution are still under investigation.
GMPs (Finally!). After literally years of waiting, regulations for good manufacturing practices were approved. The reaction from the industry was enthusiastic (if not ecstatic) over the possibility that the rules would help weed out low-quality manufacturers and instill extra confidence in consumers about supplement quality. However, many were skeptical that the agency had the resources to ensure the rules are enforced.
Food Chain Dilemmas. The year started off with much focus on E. coli prevention, as the United Fresh Produce Association pushed for voluntary changes, while other groups asked FDA to address the problem of foodborne illnesses. FDA responded by stating that food safety was a top priority, setting aside a record-level $1.1 billion of its budget for the Food Safety and Inspection Service. And then, the melamine disaster hit. More than 100 pet foods (including one natural line) were recalled because of melamine contamination, causing deaths in pets. The source was traced to a company in China, which secretly mixed the melamine into rice protein concentrate to give a false appearance of high protein levels. FDA proceeded to inspect a variety of grains for contamination and found none. However, melamine was later found in animal feed stock and in baby formula (in China in 2008). The situation had a three-fold effect: consumer concern about the origin of food/supplement ingredients, skepticism of any ingredients sourced from China, and doubt that the FDA could adequately ensure the safety of the U.S. food supply. The agency noted in August that it needed to be more proactive and focus on prevention, but a few months later, released a plan to close half of its testing laboratories. At the end of the year, FDA dropped this plan.
The Merger that Was, then Wasn't, then Was, then…In a move that increased its already dominant position, Whole Foods Market announced it was acquiring rival chain Wild Oats Markets for $565 million, with the deal set to close in April. But before it could be set in stone, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced it would file a lawsuit to ban the merger on the grounds that it will create a monopoly. Whole Foods returned the favor, saying it would challenge the lawsuit. Finally in August, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia said the merger was a "go," and finally closed—until it resurfaced in 2008! After reconsidering the situation, the FTC again tried to block the merger, which met much opposition from Whole Foods Market. As of press time, the situation was still unfolding.
WholeFoods Goes Green. WholeFoods made 2008 a landmark "green year" with the debut of its Green News coverage in January. This section set out to highlight the industry's efforts in preserving natural resources through alternative energy sources, recycling, environmentally friendly packaging and more. Then in October, the team officially launched the WholeFoods Magazine Greenbook (www.wfcgreenbook.com) with the goal of giving readers a paperless way to read WholeFoods via a password-protected Web site.
Stevia Success. 2008 was a sweet year for stevia fans. Wisdom Natural Brands's stevia received GRAS status in the summer of 2008, marking the first time that stevia was made available as a sweetener and not simply a supplement. In turn, industry saw a flurry of stevia sweetener product launches while two big-name partnerships entered the ring: Cargill/Coca-Cola and Whole Earth Sweetener Company/PepsiCo. Then in mid- to late 2008, the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives deemed that the herb was safe for use in food products and in December, FDA said it would not oppose GRAS status for rebaudioside A (rebiana), the leaves of the stevia plant. But stevia's road to market was not perfectly straight. At the tail end of 2008, a petition submitted to FDA claimed that because the herb had been researched for therapeutic purposes, stevia should be deemed a drug and, therefore, unsuitable for grocery applications. As of press time, the jury is still out on how FDA will react to this petition.
Economic Woes. By the end of 2008, American citizens were nervous about the economic climate. The country had seen its share of banks in trouble, bankruptcy of major U.S. corporations, credit crunches and high gas prices.
Signs of these economic troubles reared their heads in the natural products industry, too, but throughout the year, market research indicated stability and growth, too:
• Despite the increased cost of grains, cereal sales remained steady and those with organic claims saw a large sales jump (May 2008).
• Sales of soy products grew 7% in 2007 over 2006 numbers (June 2008).
• Consumers spent less in general, but opened their wallets for organic and environmentally friendly products, with 88% buying as much or more of these items in the first half of 2008 (July 2008).
• A report from the Council of Responsible Nutrition found that consumers won't stop buying supplements, even in difficult economic times (December 2008).
• Data from the 2008 WholeFoods Annual Retailer Survey indicated greater foot traffic than last year and a 3.7% increase in sales among all independent stores (December 2008).
(More) Food Chain Dilemmas. Consumer concerns sprouting from the last few years' food safety crises were center stage, starting with the issue of clones. In February, WholeFoods reported that an amendment to the U.S. Farm Bill had passed, thereby stopping meat from cloned animals' offspring from entering the U.S. food chain. Then a month later, the FDA ruled that meat from cloned animals was as safe as conventionally produced meat. Needless to say, the issue erupted into a flurry of concerns about labeling, safety and ethics.
Things only got worse in April with bad press for the food chain. Undercover video footage from a large meat supply showed the slaughtering of sick cattle that should not have been used for human consumption. Consumers feared the worst: meat contaminated with mad cow disease had entered the food chain. In the end, operations at the plant were suspended and two company employees faced animal cruelty charges.
And then, the situation went from worse to worst: outbreaks of Salmonella were associated with cantaloupe in May, tomatoes in August and tomatoes/peppers in September. In the latter part of 2008, FDA attempted to assuage fears that the U.S. food chain was insecure by talking up its progress with its 2007 Food Protection Plan and deciding to allow irradiation of lettuce and spinach. In response, Mike Leavitt, secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Health services announced a plan in November for a Food Protection Act.
Looking into the Crystal Ball for 2009–2013 WholeFoods asked our columnists to comment on what issues could be on the horizon for the next five years. Here's what they had to say. Predictions from Jay Jacobowitz, Merchandising Editor • Consumers will continue to move toward a more holistic approach to health, manifesting as the desire to get higher quality nutrition from fresh, local foods and steering away from "magic bullet" quick fix approaches. • The overall grocery retail landscape will continue to reshape into generally smaller boxes (footprints) delivering more specialized shopping experiences. • The world will break into hard-discount (i.e., Wal-Mart) and value-added camps (i.e., Safeway), with those sitting on the fence getting hurt (ouch!). • Independent natural products retailers who do not believe they add enough value (individualized attention, knowledge, soothing surroundings, true caring) to justify charging fair prices will go out of business trying to chase the discounters. Predictions from Richard A. Passwater, Ph.D., Science Editor • Major research studies from outside of the United States will establish new uses for many existing herbs and add scientific evidence as to how many herbs work to improve health. Predictions from Scott Tips, Legal Editor • Universal Healthcare will be adopted to great acclaim in the media and with a sigh of relief by most Americans. This sigh will turn into anguish with the increasing realization by perceptive Americans that Universal Healthcare is nothing more than a coercive vehicle for ensuring continued control over medicine by the pharmaceutical–government monopoly…The government and media will attempt to suppress statistics showing medical failures as well as deaths caused by an immense, wasteful, uncaring bureaucracy. Black markets in holistic care could develop. • 2008 was not kind to market |
Date reflects the month in which the news was reported.
• The government of Wales rescinds its ban on kava, allowing the herb to be sold again (January 2004).
• Annual sales at Whole Foods Markets top $3 billion for the first time (January 2004).
• Soybean production reaches its lowest level in 26 years (January 2004).
• The federal government announces a ban on ephedra sales (February 2004).
• WholeFoods celebrates its 20th anniversary under current management (February 2004).
• The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issues a bioterror compliance guide (February 2004).
• The first case of Mad Cow Disease in the United States boosts interest in organic meat (February 2004).
• The European Union (EU) does not vote to lift its moratorium on genetically engineered foods (February 2004).
• DSN Nutritional Products plans to cut 300 jobs following its takeover of Roche Vitamins (February 2004).
• WholeFoods Magazine's Heather Wainer is promoted to publisher of the publication, and former publisher, Howard Wainer, assumes the role of the president of WFC, Inc., the company that publishes the magazine (March 2004).
• Whole Foods Market makes its first appearance overseas with the acquisition of Fresh & Wild Holdings Limited (March 2004).
• UNFI becomes the primary distributor for Wild Oats (March 2004).
• U.K. reconsiders ban on kava (March 2004).
• Industry mourns the loss of George Higashida of Sun Chlorella
(March 2004).
• Shelton's premium poultry celebrates its 80th anniversary (March 2004).
• The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) changes its beef production and handling procedures in response to finding cattle infected with mad cow disease (March 2004).
• Residents of Mendocino County, CA vote to ban genetically engineered crops (April 2004).
• FDA cracks down on products containing androstenedione (May 2004).
• Dale Stauch of Life Time/Nutritional Specialties succumbs to cancer (May 2004).
• The Grocery Manufacturers of America petition the FDA to establish guidelines for the labeling of carbohydrates (May 2004).
• Nutraceutical Corporation and Solaray, Inc., file a complaint in a Utah District Court challenging the FDA's ban of ephedra (June 2004).
• The House Committee on Energy and Commerce decides that DHEA will not be regulated as a steroid (June 2004).
• The Coalition to Preserve DSHEA is formed. FDA states it is not looking to change DSHEA (July 2004).
• Hain Celestial acquires Jason Natural (July 2004).
• New York State advances legislation that would impose onerous health claims substantiation requirements on retailers (July 2004).
• Rainbow Grocery is selected as the WholeFoods 2004 Retailer of the Year (July 2004).
• Agriculture Secretary Ann M. Veneman advises the withdrawal of the National Organic Program Statement of Clarification (July 2004).
• The 27th session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission endorses draft guidelines on supplements that base maximum levels of nutrition on safety rather than recommended daily allowances (RDAs) (August 2004).
• UAS Laboratories marks its silver anniversary (August 2004).
• Two university professors challenge the "flawed science" behind vitamin C RDAs in their book Asorbate: The Science of Vitamin C (August 2004).
• The U.S. Court of Appeals denies the Drug Enforcement Administration's petition for a hemp food rehearing. Previously, courts ruled to keep hemp sales legal (August 2004).
• The U.S. House of Representatives passes the Anabolic Steroid Control Act of 2004 (August 2004).
• RFI acquires Beyond Organic Ingredients, a division of Garden of Life (September 2004).
• SPINS is sold to current CEO Tony Olson and Board Member Jeffrey Ubben (September 2004).
• Judge forces LaneLabs to refund three of its products, dating back to 1999 (September 2004).
• The National Nutritional Foods Association (NNFA) unveils the Natural Products Foundation (September 2004).
• Planet Organic acquires Sangster's (September 2004).
• The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) tells FDA to consider allowing truthful, non-misleading health claims for more foods (October 2004).
• Nutrition experts push for vitamin C RDA revisions (October 2004).
• Leo Weinstein, founder of Levlad, dies at age 61 (October 2004).
• Law firm Emord & Associates marks 10th anniversary (October 2004).
• Wakunaga of America signs deal to market and sell Essential Phytosterolins Inc. products (October 2004).
• WholeFoods Magazine moves to new offices in South Plainfield, NJ (November 2004).
• Four hurricanes batter Florida: Charley, Frances, Ivan and Jeanne (November 2004).
• Nature's Plus says it will no longer distribute product to Whole Foods Market (November 2004).
• The Hemp Industries Association wins right for companies to sell hemp food products in the United States (November 2004).
• Low-carb product launches slow to 1.2%, according to ACNielson (November 2004).
• FDA gives the green light to olive oil health claim for reduced risk of coronary heart disease (December 2004).
• Yogi Bhajan, leader of Golden Temple, passes away (December 2004).
• FDA announces three major regulatory initiatives to further implement DSHEA (December 2004).
• The International Association of Natural Products Producers is formed to develop criteria for the word "natural" (December 2004).
• FDA issues final regulations to protect food and animal feed from terrorists (January 2005).
• Industry mourns the loss of Life Time's Harry A. Shippy and Bioforce USA's Kitty Ross (January 2005).
• Julian M. Whitaker, M.D., sends second petition to FDA to change the warning labels on statin drugs to alert consumers that they deplete CoQ10 supply (January 2005).
• The EU denies proposals to end bans on genetically modified crops (January 2005).
• The 75th anniversary of the first supermarket (January 2005).
• Chr. Hansen considers the sale of its food ingredients business (January 2005).
• A deadly tsunami in Southeast Asia kills hundreds of thousands on December 26, 2004. Industry responds with supplies and other support (February 2005).
• Harvest Partners takes over Levlad and Arbonne (February 2005).
• Jarrow Formulas and Kaneka co-brand coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) (February 2005).
• Frederick David Babitt, formerly of New Chapter and Futurebiotics, dies at age 59 (February 2005).
• Sales of Hoodia gordonii surge (February 2005).
• President George W. Bush signs the 2005 Appropriations Omnibus Bill on December 8, giving key organic agricultural programs the same funding level as it received in 2004 (February 2005).
• NIH Funding Bill allots funding for chromium picolate research (February 2005).
• The Institute of Medicine calls for an amendment to the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) of 1994 (March 2005).
• Senator Orin Hatch asks Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt to discuss his plans for working with the natural products industry (March 2005).
• The Dr. Rath Health Foundation places a full-page ad in The New York Times to assert the right of health freedom for all consumers (March 2005).
• CRN asks the FTC to rein in deceptive practices conducted by ConsumerLab.com (March 2005).
• Dean Foods consolidates its branded business into one consumer packaged goods group: White Wave Foods (March 2005).
• Julian M. Whitaker, M.D., files a lawsuit against FDA for not allowing warning labels on statin drugs to alert consumers that they deplete CoQ10 supply (April 2005).
• Steven M. Mister, Esq., replaces Annette Dickinson, Ph.D., as the new president and CEO of CRN (April 2005).
• Industry mourns three losses: Donald Blaine of Kyowa Hakko, Michael Geiger of American Casein Co., and I. Gerald Olarsch, N.D., of Naturopathic Research Labs (April 2005).
• According to the Natural Marketing Institute, natural products sales reach $68 billion (April 2005).
• After his case was dismissed in January 2004, organic farmer Arthur Harvey and his team appeal seven and win three counts seeking to tighten the National Organic Program final rule (April 2005).
• Sunset Brands, Inc. acquires U.S. Mills (April 2005).
• A U.S. District Court says that the 2004 ephedra ban is unlawful and exceeds the agency's statutory authority (May 2005).
• NNFA alerts members of potential adulterated co-enzyme Q10 (May 2005).
• Yucaipa Companies acquires 9.2% of the Wild Oats Market for $20 million (May 2005).
• Country Life Vitamins forms a joint venture with Kikkoman (May 2005).
• FDA says Codex Draft Guidelines for Vitamin and Mineral Food Supplements will not affect access (May 2005).
• The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) dismisses a complaint from the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN) against ConsumerLab.com (May 2005).
• The Hain Celestial Group acquires Zia Cosmetics (May 2005).
• A new USDA food pyramid calls for good fats (June 2005).
• Carlson Laboratories celebrates its 40th anniversary (June 2005).
• NBTY acquires Solgar Vitamin and Herb Co. for $115 million (July 2005).
• A new bill before the senate threatens to ban DHEA (July 2005).
• Himalaya USA marks its 75th anniversary (July 2005).
• Basics of Janesville, WI, is named the 2005 Retailer of the Year by WholeFoods Magazine (July 2005).
• On July 4, the Codex Alimentarius Commission adopts guidelines that some say could curtail the health freedom of those who use supplements (August 2005).
• FDA files an appeal challenging the statement that the ban on ephedra is unlawful (August 2005).
• Hain Celestial decides to discontinue 500 SKUs, making room for some anticipated expansions (August 2005).
• Natrol celebrates its silver anniversary (August 2005).
• Atkins Nutritionals, Inc. files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy (September 2005).
• David Taylor is sworn in as the president of the NNFA (September 2005).
• Senators Tom Harkin and Orrin Hatch reintroduce the Food Stamp Vitamin and Mineral Improvement Act that, if passed, would allow the purchase of dietary supplements with food stamps (September 2005).
• Industry offers help to victims of Hurricane Katrina (October 2005).
• Hain completes alliance with Yeo Hia Seng Limited (October 2005).
• USDA extends National Organic Program to include the certification of non-food products (October 2005).
• California sues nine food manufacturers for failing to warn consumers about the potential danger of acrylamide (October 2005).
• Country Life Vitamins celebrates its 35th anniversary (October 2005).
• FDA approves first qualified chromium picolinate health claim (October 2005).
• New York Task Force recommends the state create an expert committee to evaluate the safety and efficacy of supplements sold in the state (November 2005).
• FDA Commissioner Lester Crawford resigns from his post two months after assuming the position. Andrew von Eschenbach steps in as the acting director (November 2005).
• Bioforce AG celebrates its 50th anniversary (November 2005).
• Hurricane Rita hits the Gulf Coast on September 24 (November 2005).
• Elliot Balbert steps down as the DSEA president and Jon Beninger takes over the role (November 2005).
• After leading the OTA for 16 years, Katherine DiMatteo leaves her position as executive director (November 2005).
• Two new independent retailer groups are founded: Natural Synergies and the International Natural Food Retailers Association (December 2005).
• LycoRed acquires assets of Buckton Scott Nutrition (December 2005).
• The Lewin Group anticipates supplement use could save $5.6 billion in U.S. healthcare costs (December 2005).
• While Congress is bombarded with consumer outrage at the relaxing of organic standards, the Agriculture Appropriations Committee votes to allow the use of synthetic substances in such products (December 2005).
• The Traditional Medicines Congress releases a draft of a proposed regulatory model for dietary medicine (January 2006).
• FDA issues a qualified health claim for tomato and tomato sauces as helping to reduce the risk of prostate cancer (January 2006).
• The Health Freedom Protection Act is introduced to Congress that suggests allowing truthful disease claims for foods and dietary supplements (January 2006).
• Heinz says it will sell its shares in Hain Celestial (January 2006).
• Starting January 1, 2006, food manufacturers must label the inclusion of the top eight allergens (January 2006).
• Bluebonnet Nutrition Corporation celebrates its 15th anniversary and receives kosher certification of its plant (February 2006).
• The NNFA offers information to industry about ephedra, in light of recent seizures by FDA (February 2006).
• A new bill suggests restricting the use of dietary supplements by high school students in California (February 2006).
• Nutrition labels must now list the trans fats content of all packaged food products (February 2006).
• Hain Celestial announces a merger with Spectrum Organic Products (February 2006).
• The Environmental Protection Agency finalizes two drinking water protection rules (February 2006).
• M.D. Anderson Cancer Center at the University of Texas chooses Sabinsa Corporation's Curcumin C3 Complex as its curcumin of choice (February 2006).
• Lonza acquires the DHA business of Nutrinova (February 2006).
• The NNFA celebrates 70th anniversary with a party for retailers (March 2006).
• The Campaign non-GMO advocacy group urges consumers to tell state representatives to oppose the National Uniformity for Food Act of 2005 (March 2006).
• Industry speaks out against negative studies on omega-3s and saw palmetto (March 2006).
• The Hain Celestial Group acquires Para Labs (April 2006).
• The European Commission announces its approval of genetically modified maize for food use (April 2006).
•Industry fights criticism of glucosamine–
chondroitin combination supplements (April 2006).
• Klaire Laboratories founder Claire A. Farr and Floyd E. Leaders, Jr., Ph.D., herbal medicine advocate, pass away (April 2006).
• FDA issues a guidance to food manufacturers about the definition of "whole grain" (April 2006).
• 394 more retail stores join the National Nutritional Foods Association (May 2006).
• The NNFA board of directors proposes a name change for the group: the Natural Products Association (NPA) (June 2006).
• The FDA sets a date for unveiling its final rule on current good manufacturing practices for dietary supplements: December 2006 (June 2006).
• FDA says no to a petition by Ito En Ltd. for a green tea health claim for reduced risk of heart disease (June 2006).
• The industry mourns two losses this month: Charlie Fischer of Jarrow Formulas, Inc. and Tom Krech of LifeTime Nutl. Specialties (June 2006).
• A study from the Hartman Group shows that 60% of shoppers believe their diets could be healthier (June 2006).
• USA Trade Online says CoQ10 supply shortage has been eradicated (July 2006).
• WholeFoods selects Tunie's of Coral Springs, FL as its 2006 Retailer of the Year (July 2006).
• The NIH Office of Medical Applications of Research and the Office of Dietary Supplements says they are unsure whether multivitamins offer benefits (July 2006).
• The U.S. House of Representatives allots $5 million for its Organic Transitions research program (July 2006).
• FDA finalizes heart health claim for barley (July 2006).
• The Dietary Supplement and Non-Prescription Drug Consumer Protection Act calls for the reporting of serious adverse events from dietary supplements (August 2006).
• NPA replaces the NNFA (August 2006).
• The USDA issues a final rule for the National Organic Program (August 2006).
• NBTY acquires Ester-C (September 2006).
• NPA opens office in China (September 2006).
• A U.S. Court of Appeals overturns the decision to remove the ban on ephedrine alkaloids (October 2006).
• Industry pays its respects to three women who pass away this fall: Dorothy Epstein (president of Synergy Plus), Maureen Salaman (author and lecturer) and LiAnn DeLores Rott (owner of Golden Gate Brokerage) (October 2006).
• U.S. long-grain rice supply is contaminated by a genetically modified species
(October 2006).
• The potential threat of a bird flu epidemic spurs immune awareness (November 2006).
• CRN and the National Advertising Division of the Better Business Bureau say they will police claims made by supplement manufacturers and suppliers (November 2006).
• Europe's Medicine Control Agency upholds kava kava ban on the grounds that it is linked with liver toxicity (November 2006).
• An E. coli outbreak associated with tainted spinach prompts food safety concerns (November 2006).
• E. coli-contaminated spinach sickens 204 people and kills three (December 2006).
• The N.Y. City Board of Health holds a hearing on the use of trans fats in city restaurants (December 2006).
• Nutraceuticals Corporation requests a rehearing regarding the ephedra ban (which is turned down), and the company petitions to move the issue before the Supreme Court (December 2006).
• Congress passes a bill requiring adverse events related to dietary supplements to be reported to FDA (January 2007).
• Solgar Vitamin and Herb Company turns 60 (January 2007).
• New York City bans trans fats from its restaurants (January 2007).
• ConsumerLab.com drops its lawsuit against the Council for Responsible Nutrition (January 2007).
• Report claims that demand for organic products is depleting supply (January 2007).
• Nutraceutical Corp. renews its ephedra lawsuit against FDA (February 2007).
• Hain Celestial purchases Avalon Natural Products (February 2007).
• FDA says it will change its labeling regulations for dietary supplements to provide voluntary "per day" serving information in addition to mandatory "per serving" recommendations. The agency also suggests updates for calcium/vitamin D claims (February 2007).
• DSEA starts a new media campaign (February 2007).
• American Health launches Ester-C line (February 2007).
• The FDA says cloned animals are safe for the U.S. food chain (February 2007).
• NSF International says a new section on AERs should be added to NSF/ANSI Standard 173 (March 2007).
• Alan Richman, longtime WholeFoods Magazine editor, retires in January and Kaylynn Chiarello-Ebner replaces him (March 2007).
• FDA proposes a rule defining which foods can be labeled "gluten free" (March 2007).
• Jarrow Formulas celebrates 30 years in business (March 2007).
• The possibility of milk from a cloned calf's offspring entering the food chain sparks debate in Europe (March 2007).
• Whole Foods Market says it will takeover Wild Oats Markets for $565 million (April 2007).
• GNC is acquired by a private investment firm and the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan for $1.65 billion (April 2007).
• DSEA's "Just Like Me" paid media campaign raises $925,000 in its first two weeks (April 2007).
• Senator Dick Durbin and Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro call for the development of a single food agency in the Safe Food Act that would combine 15 federal agencies (including the FDA and the USDA) (April 2007).
• FDA publishes a list of consistent definitions for food ingredients (April 2007).
• Senators Patrick Leahy and Herb Kohl propose a bill to ban food products (April 2007).
• Botanical Laboratories sells its natural brands to NUTRA, Inc., a division of Nutraceutical Corp. (April 2007).
• Aubrey Organics celebrates 40th anniversary (April 2007).
• Jarrow Rogovin, Jarrow Formulas's president and CEO, challenges Congressman and Chair of the House Energy and Commerce Committee John D. Dingell's claims that supplements are unsafe (May 2007).
• The NIH launches a Phase III clinical trial to see whether creatine can slow Parkinson's Disease (May 2007).
• Researchers begin to worry about the U.S. honeybee population (May 2007).
• A natural pet food is recalled because of melamine contamination (June 2007).
• The NPA files a brief of Amicus Curiae that challenges FDA's standard for banning ephedrine alkaloids in dietary supplements (June 2007).
• FDA creates a new post: assistant commissioner for food protection (June 2007).
• The White House approves the long-awaited good manufacturing practices for dietary supplements (July 2007).
• Natrol acquires Medical Research Institute (July 2007).
• A DSEA report estimates that dietary supplements could save the country more than $24 billion in healthcare costs over the next five years (July 2007).
• The Senate approves an amendment that exempts dietary supplements from drug user fees (July 2007).
• Investigators find that Wal-Mart's labeling of organic foods misleads consumers (July 2007).
• CRN launches a campaign that targets misleading, untruthful ads about supplements (July 2007).
• The U.S. Supreme Court denies an appeal from Nutraceutical International Corp. aimed at overturning a federal ban on ephedrine alkaloids (July 2007).
• WholeFoods Magazine announces that Health Foods Unlimited is its 2007 Retailer of the Year (July 2007).
• GMPs are in print (August 2007).
• The U.S. Pharmacopeia suggests cautionary statements for black cohosh and green tea (August 2007).
• Nutraceutical Corp. acquires NaturalCare Inc. (August 2007).
• DSEA launches test campaign of its "Just Like Me" television commercials (August 2007).
• FDA launches a tomato safety initiative (August 2007).
• The USDA publishes a final rule amending the organic National List of allowed and Prohibited Substances (August 2007).
• The United States and Europe sign a food safety agreement (August 2007).
• John Mackey, CEO of Whole Foods Markets, uses a pseudonym to attack competitors on online financial message boards (September 2007).
• Debra Short is sworn in as the NPA's next president (September 2007).
• 2007 Farm Bill 231-191 allots more than $300 million for organic agriculture (September 2007).
• The NPA announces several new initiatives including a finished products testing program, a testing program for Chinese raw material, a truth in advertising program and, most notably, making a definition for "natural" with respect to personal care (September 2007).
• The U.S. District Court allows the Whole Foods–Wild Oats merger to occur (October 2007).
• The USDA gives $1 million in funding to help alleviate the costs of states' organic certification. It also allots $5.5 million for E. coli research (October 2007).
• AHPA suggests FDA amends its serious adverse-event requirements (October 2007).
• FDA drops its plans to close testing labs (October 2007).
• The National Enzyme Company celebrates 75th anniversary (October 2007).
• Codex proposes guidelines for GMOs in the food chain (November 2007).
• Hain Celestial receives an FDA warning letter because some of its teas contain stevia and aren't labeled as a supplement (November 2007).
• Vitamin C prices skyrocket as Chinese producers face cutbacks (November 2007).
• Industry companies are affected by California wildfires (December 2007).
• Clorox acquires Burt's Bees (December 2007).
• Ann Yates, an alternative healthcare pioneer, passes away (December 2007).
• Researchers say artificial food coloring causes hyperactivity in children (December 2007).
• The serious adverse-event requirements take effect on December 22, 2007 (December 2007).
• The 29th session of the Codex Committee on Nutrition for Special Dietary Uses takes place in Bad Neuenahr, Germany (January 2008).
• FDA proposes a labeling rule that says a product can no longer state it is "high in" or a "good source of" DHA/EPA (January 2008).
• Plethico Pharmaceuticals United acquires Natrol (January 2008).
• Lonza challenges patents held by Martek for non-food applications of omega-3 fatty acids (DHA) (January 2008).
• WholeFoods Magazine redesigns its Web site (February 2008).
• Researchers find that the price of low-calorie foods has jumped 20% (February 2008).
• Even in hard economic times, industry survey says consumers will buy green and organic products (February 2008).
• Vitamin Angels receives an unusual donation: Kat Von D attempts to set a tattooing record with all proceeds benefiting Vitamin Angels (February 2008).
• Nourish America launches the 1,000 for $1,000 Campaign (February 2008).
• Researchers from Tufts University suggest new dietary guidelines for senior citizens (February 2008).
• Ayurceutics changes its brand name to Avesta (February 2008).
• An amendment passes to stop the introduction of cloned foods in the U.S. food supply chain (February 2008).
• China and the United States sign two food safety agreements (February 2008).
• Danisco finishes the expansion of world's largest xylitol plant (February 2008).
• FDA approves meat from cloned offspring for U.S. food supply (March 2008).
• The U.S. Public Health Service recommends that women of childbearing age take folic acid supplements (March 2008).
• Whole Foods Market no longer offers plastic bags (March 2008).
• Coca-Cola invests in Honest Tea (March 2008).
• A class-action lawsuit is filed against Dannon Co. Inc. for claiming probiotics in its yogurts help regulate the digestive system (March 2008).
• President George W. Bush releases a budget plan for 2009 that ups FDA's budget to $2.4 billion (April 2008).
• The American Botanical Council acquires the rights to HerbMedPro (April 2008).
• Sabinsa Corporation announces contract manufacturing capabilities (April 2008).
• FDA plans to open a new office in China (May 2008).
• New research indicates that organic foods are better for your health than non-organic foods (May 2008).
• The NPA announces a new program to certify health and beauty care products as "natural" (June 2008).
• Big Pharma giant GlaxoSmithKline petitions the FDA to consider "weight loss" a disease claim (June 2008).
• The Natural Products Association tradeshow, Natural MarketPlace, will now be managed by New Hope Media (June 2008).
• First gluten-free certified supplements are available from Country Life Vitamin (June 2008).
• The 11th Annual Natural Products Day draws more than 200 participants (the largest amount than ever before) (June 2008).
• Report finds that the organic products market is healthy though food prices have risen 83% over the past three years (June 2008).
• The most common claim among beverages launched in 2007 is additive/preservative free, according to Mintel's Global New Product Database (June 2008).
• Industry groups lend a helping hand to victims of a destructive earthquake in China and a deadly cyclone in Myanmar (July 2008).
• A study published in the BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine journal finds that top medical journals may be swayed by pharmaceutical advertising money (July 2008).
• NBTY acquires Leiner Health (July 2008).
• Stevia achieves GRAS status (July 2008).
• WholeFoods Magazine announces that Native Sun Natural Foods Market of Jacksonville, FL is the 2008 Retailer of the Year (July 2008).
• The 2008 Farm Bill is enacted into law, offering much support for local and organic agriculture (July 2008).
• The U.N. Food and Agricultural Organization predicts rice production will reach a new high in 2008: 666 million tons (July 2008).
• Avalon Natural Products, Whole Foods Market and Beaumont Products are sued over Prop 65 violations (August 2008).
• The DSEA and National Products Foundation merge (August 2008).
• The industry mourns the loss of Solgar Vitamin and Herb Company CEO, Rand Skolnick (August 2008).
• General Mills takes over LÄRABAR (August 2008).
• FDA receives a 17.8% increase in funding for FY2009 (August 2008).
• Ethical and cruelty-free labeling is the most common claim among newly launched health and beauty products, according to Mintel (August 2008).
• Few grocery stores receive high marks on a seafood sustainability rating from Greenpeace (August 2008).
• The American Medical Association asks the government to update its vitamin D guidelines (September 2008).
• The FTC again attempts to block the merger of Whole Foods Market and Wild Oats Markets (September 2008).
• WholeFoods Magazine launches online Greenbook (www.wfcgreenbook.com) (October 2008).
• FDA says that brown rice products can bear a whole-grain health claim, regardless of fiber content (October 2008).
• Glanbia buys Optimum Nutrition (October 2008).
• The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) asks parents to report to FDA any negative effects from food dyes on children (October 2008).
• FDA okays irradiation of lettuce and spinach (October 2008).
• Studies raise questions about the safety of plastics made with BPA (November 2008).
• FDA reports a total of 604 adverse event reports from January to June 2008 (November 2008).
• Hurricane Ike hits the Texas coastline, affecting several natural products businesses in the area (November 2008).
• FDA allows calcium/vitamin D to make an osteoporosis claim (November 2008).
• Bayer receives a warning letter for health claims on its OTC/supplement combination products (December 2008).
• The industry mourns the loss of Coleman Barry of Nature's Trading Company; Ben Weider, co-founder of Weider Nutrition); and Mel Rich of Phoenix Laboratories (December 2008).
• The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests that all children beginning with newborns take 400 IU of vitamin D, which is double the present vitamin D recommendations (December 2008).
• The government prematurely stops its large-scale study of selenium and vitamin E's effect on prostate cancer (December 2008).
• Coburn & Coffman PLLC submit a petition to FDA saying that stevia should be deemed a drug and unsuitable for use in conventional foods (December 2008).
• Whole Foods Market sells a portion of its stock to Green Equity Investors V, L.P. for $425 million (January 2009).
• The 30th session Codex Committee on Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary Uses meets in early November (January 2009).
• Newly proposed Section 912 of the FDA Amendments Act threatens research-supported dietary supplement ingredients (January 2009).
• The USDA approves its first rules about organic fish (January 2009).
• U.S. courts deny a motion to dismiss a lawsuit against China-based companies that may have been forced by their government to raise their vitamin C prices and limit supplies (January 2009).
• Government study says the use of complementary and alternative medicine in stable (February 2009).
• Whole Foods Market tries to stop the FTC from conducting a trial to halt the merger of Whole Foods and Wild Oats Markets, saying that it violates that chain's due process rights (February 2009).
• FDA says it won't object to Rebaudioside A (from the leaves of the stevia plant) being generally recognized as safe as a general purpose sweetener.
• WholeFoods celebrates its 25th anniversary under the management of the Wainer family (February 2009).
Published in WholeFoods Magazine, February 2009


text:
James B. Craig Nursing Center at Central State Hospital Closing
Post Views 10The Telegraph reported the James B. Craig Nursing Center at Central State Hospital in Milledgeville will close in a little more than a year. The closing will send 127 seriously disabled patients to smaller community nursing facilities, and forcing its 350 employees to unemployment.
Regional Hospital Administrator said: "We're anticipating closing the Craig Center Dec. 31 of 2013," according to The Telegraph.
There are three reasons the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities has decided to close the state-run nursing home. Regional Hospital Administrator said: "Number one is the state of Georgia is choosing not to be in the nursing home business any longer," according to The Telegraph. The second reason for the closing is the belief the individuals who reside at the Craig Center can be supported by existing community care facilities. The third reason is that state officials aren't sure the Craig Center's operation would meet standards of a U.S. Department of Justice settlement.
The Justice Department investigated Georgia state hospitals in 2007 and discovered "preventable deaths, suicides and assaults occurred with alarming frequency," according to a federal announcement in October 19, 2010.
The federal announcement said: "Further investigation found that the state also failed to serve individuals with mental illness and developmental disabilities in the most integrated setting appropriate to their needs." There was a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act and a previous U.S. Supreme Court decision relating to Georgia state hospitals.
In October 2010, state and federal officials reported a legal settlement involving Georgia's mental health and developmental disability system. According to an assistant U.S. attorney general for civil rights, under the settlement the state of Georgia provides services in the community to people with developmental disabilities and people with mental illness.
The settlement gave Georgia five years to give 9,000 mentally ill individuals community-based care. This created at least 1,000 Medicaid waivers to move all developmentally disabled people in state hospitals to community nursing care, including a boost in family and housing support. State hospitals averaged $174,000 per year in spending to house each patient, compared with the $47,000 per year average of giving services at home. Services provided outside of institutions could qualify for Medicaid matching funds instead of the state paying entirely, according to a news release on the settlement.
Currently, only half of the Craig Center's 255 beds are filled. Considering how much state health-care facilities have cut back, many of the people working at the Milledgeville center won't find similar positions when they lose their jobs.
James B. Craig Nursing Center at Central State Hospital Closing by Harrison Barnes


text:
Hold on to your seats folks, this one gets exciting! Definitely I^3!
Surprisingly for two topics that have been central to corporate finance for decades, we still really do not have very good explanations to either. A new paper by Faulkender, Milbourn, and Thackor attempts to solve both problems with a new theory that suggests not only are dividends and debt related, and tied to investor uncertainty. Moreover, it appears the theory actually fits the data!
Super short version: When managers and shareholders agree on the things stock prices rise. Moreover, debt levels and dividend payout ratios drop. This key insight is shown both theoretically and empirically.
Longer version: While often studied, capital structure and dividend policy have many unanswered questions and none of our models fit the evidence very well.Hence the need to new thinking on the matter and that is what by Faulkender, Milbourn, and Thackor have brought to the table (computer screen?) in Does Corporate Performance Determine Capital Structure and Dividend Policy?
A few quick look-ins:
"..troubling is the fact that existing theories also do not explain why some firms never pay dividends whereas others consistently do, why the payment of dividends seems dependent on the firm's stock price, and why there seem to be correlations between firms' capital structure and dividend policy...We are thus left without a theory of dividends that squares well with these stylized facts. The evidence on capital structure is even more troubling."
"In this paper, we address this question by developing a fresh approach with a simple model that departs from the usual agency and signaling stories. We assume that the manager wishes to maximize a weighted average of the stock prices at the initial and terminal points in time. At the initial point in time he raises the funds needed for a future project with either debt or equity, and thereby determines the firm's capital structure. Moreover, he also decides how large a dividend to promise to pay at the next point in time. At the time that the manager makes his financial policy choices, he is aware that investors may not agree with his future project choice… project-choice disagreement arises solely from potentially different beliefs about project value rather than agency or private information problems.
* Their main point:
"higher agreement between the manager and the investors implies a higher stock price, so the model predicts leverage and dividend payout ratios to be inversely related to the firm's stock price.After theoretically modeling the problems, the authors empirically test their predictions and find strong support. Again in their words:
"We find that firms for which there is greater agreement (i.e., lower analyst forecast dispersion and greater performance-based compensation) have significantly less debt in their capital structure – as measured by either market or book leverage, or interest coverage – and pay out a significantly smaller fraction of the earnings in the form of dividends, measured using both the dividend payout ratio and the dividend yield."Good stuff!!
You probably do want to read the whole thing on this one (indeed the literature review (disguised in the introduction) is excellent and is definitely understandable for even undergraduates!)
Cite: Faulkender, Michael W., Milbourn, Todd T. and Thakor, Anjan V., "Does Corporate Performance Determine Capital Structure and Dividend Policy?" (