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In an entirely unexpected move on December 4, 2003, Abbott Laboratories increased the U.S. wholesale price of its 100-mg capsules of ritonavir (Norvir®), to five times what it had been the day before -- and increased the price of the liquid formulation comparably. Norvir, originally approved in 1996 and with estimated sales of over $1.3 billion to date, is widely used in small doses to "boost" the effect of other protease inhibitors, and the new price will greatly increase the cost of several widely used treatments. The new price may be the largest overnight, unexpected price jump in history for a life-critical drug.
Abbott did not announce the increase except in a letter to wholesalers stating the new price (we learned about the change through emails from patients). After opposition from doctors' and other organizations, and stories in The Wall Street Journal, Chicago Tribune (Abbott is located outside Chicago), and other news media, Abbott sent a Dear Doctor letter to HIV physicians, saying that it had carefully planned the increases so that they would not block patients' access. It said it would provide the drug free to those who pay out of pocket (about 5% of patients using the drug, according to Abbott) regardless of their financial status -- and would not raise the price for ADAP or Medicaid until June 2005. [Note: It could not raise these government prices much until 2005 anyway, due to existing regulations and agreements.] For those paying through private insurance (about 40%), Abbott said it had contacted "many" health-insurance providers and found that they do not restrict HIV medications through a formulary, nor plan to increase co-pays or premiums. (Prices outside the U.S. are unchanged because of price controls in the major markets.)
In fact, patients are already changing their treatment (especially from full-dose Norvir), despite the risk of switching from a regimen they know is working for them to one they do not know (see "Price of AIDS Drug Soars Fivefold" in the Seattle Times, January 5, 2004; free registration required). And another problem not visible right away is that some insurance companies keep raising premiums for those who need expensive care, eventually making the insurance prohibitive and abandoning these patients.
Abbott did not raise the price of the small ritonavir dose in Abbott's Kaletra product -- immediately putting competitors' protease inhibitors at a major disadvantage if they use the boosted dosing most doctors now recommend. Abbott just added another $2500, $5000, or $10,000 per year (wholesale cost) to the price of its competitors' products (depending on how much Norvir needs to be taken to slow the body's destruction of the other drug).
The five-fold price increase could also inhibit the development of new boosted protease inhibitors, now becoming increasingly successful treatment options. "Why bother to invest in these areas if Abbott has effectively priced you out of the market in the U.S.?" one scientist asked.1
Community Response
On December 18, 2003, the HIV Medicine Association asked Abbott to "reconsider the recent 500 percent price increase of ritonavir (Norvir®), a drug which as you know is necessary to the success of virtually all protease inhibitor combinations for the treatment of HIV infection. The HIV Medicine Association (HIVMA) represents 2,600 physicians and other health care providers who practice HIV medicine. While we recognize the value of ritonavir, we are alarmed by your decision to raise the cost of protease inhibitor (PI) regimens to the point where many people who need these life-saving drug combinations will struggle to pay for them or will not have access to them at all."2
Efforts have started to organize a boycott across all Abbott products. A five-fold drug price increase speaks to everybody, and opens a Pandora's box for a whole new level of corporate abuses. A boycott could be effective if buying from Abbott becomes something to avoid in the medical community, and major hospitals and other institutions redirect large orders when they have the opportunity, when equally good products are available from competitors. Antitrust avenues are being explored as well (not even Microsoft could raise its competitors' prices); we have heard that state attorney general offices are interested. Also, several ritonavir patents were developed with government support, and under a Federal law known as the Bayh-Dole Act, the government could license a third party to produce the drug if the patent holder fails to make it available on reasonable terms.
And AIDS treatment activists are talking with other groups affected by pharmaceutical-industry abuses.
Comment: Drug Development
In addition to specific remedies, we also need a new look at the big picture of how medicines are developed.
People died in the clinical trials and clinical experience that led to the modern use of boosted protease inhibitors. Patients need options, but now one company wants to take away much of the benefit of what has been learned, in order to increase its market share and profit. Congress has given big pharmaceutical corporations a monopoly on life and death, but this system cannot work unless the power is used with some restraint and respect for public interest.
Americans are told they must suffer exorbitant prices for critical drugs to provide incentive to develop new medicines. But in fact, the industry's record in creating medical breakthroughs is remarkably poor in light of the great advances in biological sciences, and the great resources pharmaceutical companies have at their disposal. The biggest reason, we believe, is one that gets far too little attention -- that the pharmaceutical industry does nothing to develop non-patentable treatments, and very little to develop even proprietary treatments if the rights are unclear or scattered among competitors, who seldom cooperate well. Many if not most of the best medical and scientific leads are off the table entirely under the current system, simply because of ownership and rights issues. Nothing can be done without a clearly visible hook of something to sell -- a way to build a business, perhaps, but not a way to discover new knowledge or create new medicines.
Pharmaceutical companies are marketing organizations, not research organizations. They conduct or fund only a little basic research (much of it for public-relations purposes), and usually farm out clinical research to specialized companies.
And increasingly pharmaceutical companies are lobbying organizations, with more Federal lobbyists, 623, than members of Congress, 535. These lobbyists include 23 former members of Congress, who have special access to their colleagues. The industry spends over $78 million a year on Federal lobbying3 -- an average of over $145,000 every year to influence each member of Congress, with all this money often targeted to changing just a small number of key votes. Campaign contributions, real and fake "issue" ads, and monies to change public discussion by influencing academics, medical journals, think tanks, physicians, reporters, activists, and other "thought leaders" are not counted in this total.
This is why an unworkable system that threatens everyone's life is so hard to change.
Meanwhile, government, university, non-profit, and public/private groups sometimes develop new drugs (a recent example is the emergency contraceptive, Plan B). But they have been discouraged from doing so by the ideology that this is industry's job -- even while "open source" development in other fields is showing new ways to organize the work of thousands of individuals and teams around the world to create and run large projects successfully.
Pharmaceutical pricing has become a serious issue everywhere in the world (even where there are price controls -- which have worked less well for new drugs because there is no baseline price, and in any event are under attack by the U.S. government). A five-fold, out-of-the-blue price increase sets a precedent that can hurt anyone. And it moves us further toward a world where the big advances of 21st-century medicine for cancer, Alzheimer's, autoimmune, infectious, and other diseases will routinely be reserved for rich or well-insured minority, while others live or die without them.
The first step toward a better way is to open drug development to a variety of teams, structures, and institutions, not just one. What big pharma can do, and do well, is to bring together the loose ends left by others to accomplish the critically important and intensely political task of getting proprietary drugs into rich or well-insured bodies. Today's pharmaceutical industry can make a better Viagra. But will not develop medicines for diseases of poor countries -- or non-proprietary treatments for anyone, even when they are the best at any price.
For More Information, and How to Help
A place to start is the AIDS Treatment Activist Coalition (ATAC). It has posted materials on the Norvir price increase on its site: www.atac-usa.org.
Treatment activists who join ATAC can participate in ongoing discussions on the Norvir price increase, ADAP funding, drug development options, prison health care, and other issues.
Unnamed pharmaceutical-company scientist quoted by Keith Alcorn of AIDSMAP, in "Ritonavir price increased: What are the consequences in 2004?" at: www.aidsmap.com/news/newsdisplay2.asp?newsId=2466 (follow the link to Part 2).
A press release and the letter to Abbott from the HIV Medical Association are at: www.idsociety.org/HIVMA_Template.cfm.
America's Other Drug Problem: A Briefing Book on the Rx Drug Debate, prepared by Public Citizen's Congress Watch, at: www.citizen.org/documents/drugbriefingbk.pdf (PDF).
Copyright 2003 by John S. James. Permission granted for noncommercial reproduction, provided that our address and phone number are included if more than short quotations are used.
Back to the AIDS Treatment News December 26, 2003 contents page.


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|There's more than one way to do things
Re: Reading multiple web sitesby Herkum (Parson)
|on Jun 24, 2010 at 14:16 UTC ( #846317=note: print w/replies, xml )
|Need Help??
You may or may not realize it but there is a good chance that those "stores" already have an API for sharing pricing data. A good example of this would be EBay. I posted some things for sale there and I noticed when I searched for similar items I ended up getting several web sites that were displaying my item for sale!
Chances are that someone is just selling a kit of some sort that gets the information for them. That being said it can be difficult to write your own even using their API. EBay has modules on CPAN for doing this stuff, I looked at it and it is written completely in EBay techno babble. (God forbid they write something simple and comprehensible to the average joe).
Basically, I am suggesting that you might be better off trying those published API's instead of rolling your own. You can very easily encounter a lack of conformity for the information that you want to get, as well as invalid HTML. That is not even touching JS issues.
In Section Seekers of Perl Wisdom


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Kristin Tate
Ben Swann.com
November 7, 2013
Libertarian activist Adam Kokesh was arrested in July for uploading a video of himself loading a shotgun in D.C.'s Freedom Plaza.
D.C. gun laws are some of the strictest in the U.S. As reported by ABC News, "The District has a litany of laws on the books that make it more difficult to obtain some firearms, impossible to obtain others, and illegal to carry any loaded gun in the city." Just being in D.C. with a loaded firearm, even if it is legally registered, is a violation of the law. D.C. laws also ban gun owners from carrying firearms openly or concealed in public.
On July 9, not even a week after producing and uploading his video, Kokesh's home was raided by a SWAT team. He spent over 120 days in jail with no bond, no bail, and no trial. 57 of those days were spent in solitary confinement.
On Wednesday, Kokesh pled guilty to to carrying a rifle or shotgun, possession of an unregistered firearm and unlawful possession of ammunition. He also pled guilty to possession of marijuana in Washington, DC. He will now be released from jail while he awaits his sentencing on January 17.
Just two weeks ago, Kokesh pled not guilty to the charges, claiming he was merely exercising his constitutional rights. However, on October 23, Kokesh's attorney Peter Cooper randomly quit his case. After the court appointed the activist a new attorney, he decided to plead guilty.
At this time, it is unknown why Cooper suddenly quit the case. Kokesh's manager, Jeffrey Phillips, said, "Cooper is a buddy of Adam and represents him whenever he gets in D.C. trouble. There's no reason for him to just leave other than [the feds] got to him. He was scared away by the government basically. The court appointed Adam a new lawyer who has no idea what he is getting himself into. They obviously do not want him to have a good lawyer, and we had a good lawyer."
While Kokesh awaits his January sentencing, he is not allowed in the District of Columbia and must report to supervising authorities once per week. He is also not allowed to own any firearms.
Kokesh could spend over six years in prison, but his friends and family maintain that he is not a danger to society.
His girlfriend Carey Wedler said, "While everyone may not agree with Adam's way of doing things, he is and has always been very peaceful. He has never been a dangerous person."
We will keep you up-to-date on Kokesh's situation as news breaks. See our piece from last week with exclusive interviews here.
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There is no escaping geology on the West Coast of the US. Earthquakes shake California continuallly. Volcanoes loom over northern California, Oregon, and Washington. Each of these hazards marks a different kind of plate boundary--a transform fault to the south, a subduction zone up north. This map shows the western US, along with all of the known major fault lines and zones.
Coverage Area: Western US, California, Oregon, Washington, Baja California


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Tag Archives: small business growth
All Posts, Promoting Your Website One Response
Small Business Growth in Five Stages
Every business, even the largest ones, goes through peaks and valleys and different stages of success and frustration. What we do know is that we can learn from each other and recognize at which stage our business is and what we can do to reach the next level. There is a five-stage model for small business growth that we can use to help categorize our own businesses. In their Harvard … Read more


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Rate This Movie SYNOPSIS: The true story of Irish outlaw Daniel Morgan, who is wanted, dead or alive, in Australia during the 1850s. REVIEW: Director – Philippe Mora Starring – Dennis Hopper, Jack Thompson, David Gulpilil When I first saw that I had a western film to review I thought there might be some kind of mix-up. Then I saw …Read More »
Home | Tag Archives: Frank Thring


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LEGO® Creator 3-in-1LEGO® Creator 3-in-1 sets deliver a rewarding build and play experience with highly detailed and colorful LEGO houses, vehicles and creatures. Boys and girls of all ages love to create wonderful models, and immerse themselves in a world of stories and adventures where creativity and imagination are free to flourish. With LEGO Creator 3-in-1 sets, children also get to choose between 3 exciting builds for even more build and play fun.
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You are Here:
Technical Resources
Ecological Sciences
Invasive Species & Pest Management
/ Pesticides in the Next Decade
Loading Tree...
Technical Resources
Diana L. Weigmann, Editor
Virginia Water Resources Research Center
Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University
(Article starts on page 471.)
Don Goss
National Water Quality Technology Development Staff
Soil Conservation Service
P.O. Box 6567
Fort Worth, Texas
(817) 334-5422
R. Don Wauchope
USDA-Agricultural Research Service
U of GA Coastal Plain Experiment Station
Tifton, Georgia 31793
(912) 386-3892
A screening procedure has been developed to evaluate the relative loss of pesticides from soils. A pesticide database was developed by the Soil Conservation Service (SCS), Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and the Cooperative Extension Service (CES) to provide information for this screening process. Screening results are expressed as an overall potential for a specific pesticide lost when used on a soil series. Pesticide loss was estimated from over 40,000 runs of the GLEAMS (2) model using a combination of soils and pesticides with a wide range of properties. The estimated pesticide losses were categorized into leaching, adsorbed runoff and solution runoff. Algorithms using soil properties were developed to group soil series into three or four loss potentials for the three categories of loss. In addition, algorithms using pesticide properties were developed to group pesticides into three or four loss potentials for each category of loss. The soil and pesticide groupings are combined in a matrix to give an overall loss potential for each loss category. Statistics of the overall loss potential indicate that the low loss potential is pure; that is, it does not contain occurrences that have INTERMEDIATE or high losses. The INTERMEDIATE loss potential does not contain occurrences of high loss, but does contain many occurrences of low loss. The high loss potential contains incidences of INTERMEDIATE and low loss.
KEY WORDS: Soil, Pesticide, Koc, Half-life, Solubility, Organic Carbon, Screening, Leaching, Runoff, Solution, Adsorbed.
The interaction of soils and pesticides has frequently complicated evaluation of pesticide fate in the environment. Pesticides have unique properties such as half-life, organic carbon partitioning coefficient, and solubility that interact with soil properties such as organic matter content, erosion potential, and hydraulic properties. This paper explains the development and outlines the use of a procedure that will assist in screening soil-pesticide interactions. The results are intended to be a first tier evaluation of pesticide use. The procedure is not intended for regulation.
Boundaries Of Consideration:
A pesticide loss is assumed to have occurred if the pesticide is leached below the root zone, or leaves the field boundary in solution or adsorbed on sediment suspended in runoff waters. Thus, the boundaries are the bottom of the root zone and the edge of the field.
Factors Considered In Pesticide Loss Potential:
The potential of losing pesticides from a field by surface water runoff or leaching below the root zone is a combined function of pesticide, soil, climate and management factors. The pesticide loss assessments listed in this paper have been developed by using a combination of soil and pesticide properties.
Soil Parameters:
Only a few basic soil properties were chosen to represent a wide range of soils. The properties chosen were those that were known to affect pesticide movement. The key soil factors were:
(1) surface horizon thickness,
(2) organic matter content of the surface horizon,
(3) surface texture,
(4) subsurface texture, and
(5) hydrologic soil group.
The hypothetical soils were two layered, 36 inches deep, with an upper layer thickness of 6", 10" and 14". The texture of each horizon is presented in Table 1. Table 1 also presents the hydrologic group selected for each soil based on upper and lower horizon texture and the effective hydrologic conductivity used in the GLEAMS (2) model.
The organic matter content for horizon one was 0.5%, 1.5%, 2.5% and 4.5%. The organic matter content for horizon two was 0.01%. The textural properties were estimated from the textural class, and other physical properties were then estimated. These values are presented in Table 2. Other soil factors were estimated from the above parameters by methods or values given in CREAMS (1). These values also apply to GLEAMS (2).
The estimated properties that vary with above inputs are:
(1) Effective saturated conductivity from texture and hydrologic group using Table A-6, pg. A-8. CREAMS (1) (Fallow)
(2) Bulk density from texture by a method used at the National Soil Survey Laboratory (NSSL), Lincoln, Nebraska. The NSSL method utilizes a large database for predicting the most probable bulk density from texture.
(3) SCS curve number from Hydrologic soil group using Table A-4, page A-5. (1) (Fallow, straight row)
(4) Porosity from [1 - (bulk density)/2.65)]*100.
(5) Field capacity from texture using Table A-3, pg. A-4. CREAMS (1)
(6) Wilting point from texture using Table A-3, pg. A-4. CREAMS (1)
(7) Soil evaporation parameter using Table A-3, pg. A-4. CREAMS (1)
(8) Percent sand, silt, and clay from texture using Table B-4, pg. B-3. CREAMS (1)
Effective hydrologic conductivity (in/hr) by soil textural class and hydrologic group.
Horizon 1
Horizon 2
Sandy Loam
Silt Loam
Clay Loam
Textural and related properties of soils.
Field Characteristics:
The field was a square, 10 acres in size, and had a 4% smooth slope. Channel flow and impoundment were not defined. The field was fallow, disked with 10% mulch cover.
Pesticide Parameters:
The pesticides parameters chosen were solubility, soil half-life, and the organic carbon partitioning coefficient (Koc). The values for half-life were 1, 2, 4 and 40 days. The solubility values were 0.1, 1, 10, 1,000, 10,000, and 100,000 ppm. The Koc was 100, 300, 500, 700, 10,000, and 100,000 ml/g. The pesticide was applied to the surface of a bare soil at a rate of 4 kg/ha.
Factors Not Included In Pesticide Loss Potential:
The meteorological components used in the rating process were for evaluating potentials independent of climate and were not intended to represent any climatic zone. The primary goal was to determine the capacity of a soil to retain a pesticide at the point of application, regardless of management or climatic inputs. The meteorological data used in the model to estimate pesticide losses was artificially generated to produce the most likely situations for pesticide loss (worst case scenario). A 3.5 inch precipitation event was generated every second day after application for five events, and then a 1.0 inch event every other day for at least four times the half-life of the pesticide.
The persistence (half-life) of a pesticide in a soil is partially dependent on soil moisture and temperature. The degradation of the pesticide is favored by warm and moist climates. The difference in half-life rates of the pesticide due to soil moisture and temperature has not been considered.
The type of crop and the method of pesticide application was not considered. The soil was assumed to be fallow and the method of pesticide application was to the soil surface. To consider each crop and method of application available for a pesticide is beyond the scope of this screening procedure.
Some soil parameters that are thought to influence pesticide half-life rates or solubility have not been considered. These factors include: soil pH, aluminum content, elements toxic to microbes, and total soil surface area.
Almost all possible combinations of the soil and pesticide parameters listed above were evaluated with GLEAMS (2). The total number of combinations examined was 40,896.
Development Of The Algorithms
A stepwise regression using SAS was used to select the soil or pesticide input parameters that weighted most heavily for estimating each category of pesticide loss from the GLEAMS runs. These parameters were then used with various algorithms or equations to group pesticide loss. Mostly a trial and error procedure was tried for setting algorithm break points to separate each group. Usually, three groups were separated, but for leaching loss a group fell out conspicuously and was established as a fourth group. The groups were assigned names. The groups for soil loss potentials are:
Very Low (Leaching only)
The groups for pesticide loss potentials are:
Relative pesticide loss values for each category group were combined into a matrix. The maximum values for each cell in the matrix were examined to see if they fell below the limits for a pre-established overall potential. The objective of the matrix was to establish each category of loss as one that does not contain pesticide loss greater than the established threshold for that category. The upper limit of loss for a VERY LOW rating was set at zero. The upper limits for a LOW rating were set so each category of loss potential did not contain pesticides that are expected to contaminate that water resource from a non-point source. The lower limit for the HIGH category was arbitrarily set at about three times the value of the upper limit of the LOW category.
The group ranking of soils and pesticides do not have an absolute definition relative to quantity. Pesticide losses from this model reflect only the relative ability of the soil to retain the pesticide at the point of application. The interplay of climate determines whether the leaching or surface loss potentials are reached in a given area. Tables 3 through 8 give the algorithms that resulted.
Soil Leaching Potential Algorithm. (SLP)
Pesticide Leaching Potential Algorithm after Gustafson(3) (PLP)
Soil Adsorbed Runoff Potential Algorithm (SARP)
Published paper said (Soil K Factor >= 0.05), but Joe knew that this was wrong. Changed this to (Soil K Factor <= 0.02) --- MSH 6-12-97
Pesticide Adsorbed Runoff Potential Algorithm.(PARP)
Soil Solution Runoff Potential Algorithm. (SSRP)
Pesticide Solution Runoff Potential Algorithm. (PSRP)
Tables 9 through 11 give the statistical parameters maximum, minimum, mean, and standard deviation for each overall potential within each category of loss. The purity of the groupings can be determined by comparing the statistical tables with the overall potential given in tables 12 through 14. An example would be comparing Table 9 with Table 12. These comparisons indicate the zero loss potential (VERY LOW -- Potential 4) is pure. That is, the VERY LOW category does not contain losses that are over 2. The LOW loss potential (Potential 3) does not contain occurrences of INTERMEDIATE or HIGH losses. The INTERMEDIATE loss potential does not contain occurrences of HIGH loss, but does contain many occurrences of LOW loss. The HIGH loss potential contains incidences of INTERMEDIATE and LOW loss.
Definition of Algorithms
Leaching algorithms:
The soil algorithm for grouping soils for potential loss to leaching are given in Table 3. The pesticide algorithm for grouping soils for potential loss to leaching are given in Table 4. The procedure used to establish the algorithms resulted in an algorithm very similar to the Groundwater Ubiquity Score (GUS) by Gustafson (3). The GUS was chosen as the algorithm to use since that work contained additional verification not planned for this procedure.
Surface algorithm:
The algorithms for surface losses are not as definite as the algorithms for leaching. The number of factors which correlate to surface losses were much greater than those to leaching losses. The stepwise regression procedure showed little difference in the weighting of the first five to seven parameters. Table 5 through 8 present the adsorbed and solution runoff algorithms for soils and pesticides.
Potential Pesticide Loss To Leaching, Using GUS.
Table 10
Potential Pesticide Adsorbed Loss To Runoff.
Table 11
Potential Pesticide In Solution Loss To Runoff
Soil Solution Loss Potential
Potential Pesticide Loss To Leaching Screening Matrix (ILP)
Potential Pesticide Adsorbed Loss To Runoff Loss To Runoff Screening Matrix (IARP)
Potential Pesticide In Solution Loss To Runoff Screening Matrix (ISRP)
Definition of loss potential.
The potential pesticide loss is relative, and explains no more than a relative expectation of pesticide loss. The HIGH Category has a higher expectation of contaminating the respective water source than INTERMEDIATE, which has a higher expectation than LOW. The VERY LOW category for leaching has essentially a zero expectation of having the pesticide leach below the root zone. Because HIGH and INTERMEDIATE contain occurrences of loss that are low, further examination of that soil-pesticide combination may be required. Possibly the GLEAMS (2) model should be run using the real pesticide-soil-crop-climate combinations to develop better estimates of the pesticide loss potentials. The screening procedure establishes an expectation of loss, not an absolute estimate of loss.
The soil-pesticide interaction ratings are designed as screening tools. The ratings reflect current technology on a national scope. They are relative to each other and do not have absolute units of loss.
Background Soil And Pesticide Information
Pesticide Database:
The Pesticide Database (6) was primarily developed to provide data for development of this screening procedure. However, the database has found popularity for use by others in similar projects. A peer review group consisting of twenty-two NACA, ARS, SCS, Extension Service (ES), Environmental Protection Agency, Forest Service and industry members was formed to approve the screening procedure and pesticide database. The current screening procedure and pesticide database has been reviewed by this peer group. The pesticide database is being presented in another paper in this proceeding (6). This database is repeated in Table 17 and contains the estimated loss potentials using the algorithms developed in this paper.
Table 17
Pesticide Database
Soil Database:
Pesticide leaching and surface loss potentials for soils have been estimated using the algorithms developed in this paper. The potentials are available through queries of the Soil Interpretations Record (SCS-SOI-5) data set at Ames, Iowa. The soil ratings can be obtained for a state or for a survey area. If this service is not available, the local or state SCS Office may be of assistance in obtaining the soil potentials. The algorithms may also be used to estimate the soil potentials if the required soil information is available.
Adjusting soil leaching and surface loss potentials.
When evaluating the soil potentials, several factors should be considered that may cause an adjustment in the soil rating. Field soil scientists should review the soil leaching and surface loss potentials. Relative comparisons of potentials should be made to determine if they fall in logical ranks, and if the potential is in agreement with the soil scientist's information of soil series or map unit behavior. Soil scientists have the information about the hydrology of a particular soil series or map unit that is required to verify the calculated ratings. Table 15 lists factors that should be examined when a soil surface loss or leaching potential is suspect.
Factors to consider when evaluating soil surface loss or leaching potentials:
The potentials should always be checked if the potential has been calculated for slopes greater than 15 percent, organic soils, soils that have an organic surface layer, or water tables less than 6 feet from the surface. If the ratings are obtained from Ames or the SCS, these soils are flagged. The flags are:
Slope greater than 15%:
Slopes greater than fifteen percent may have more pesticide surface loss than indicated by the ratings. This loss is due to higher erosion than estimated by the slope parameter used in GLEAMS. The surface adsorbed loss potentials should be adjusted upward one group.
Surface Organic Matter Layers:
Organic soils will rarely have pesticide loss from surface runoff or leaching. Pesticides with a Koc over 300 ml/g are strongly adsorbed to the organic matter (OM). Particles moved from these soils by wind or water would carry pesticides with them. Occasionally a map unit or soil series that has OM data for cultivation may be in range or forest land. In such cases, an organic layer may develop at the surface. If the organic layer is greater than one-half inch thick, considerable pesticide may be adsorbed in this layer, and not susceptible to leaching. These soils should have the soil surface loss and leaching potential estimated with the additional OM incorporated into the surface horizon.
Shallow And Perched Water Tables:
Soils that have water tables less than six feet below the surface and perched water tables are difficult to rate. These soils usually have a dual hydrologic soil group rating. The SCS uses dual hydrologic groups when water movement is impeded by water tables (for example A/D). The first group represents hydrologic characteristics after drainage, and the second group represents hydrologic characteristics before drainage.
The shallow water table has a greater expectation of contamination than deeper water tables, particularly if it occasionally rises into the root zone.
Perched water tables may flow into local surface waters rather than infiltrating to an aquifer. Pesticides leaching to perched water tables may have a greater potential to contaminate surface waters than solution pesticide in surface runoff. Use the greater loss potential between drained leaching potential and not drained soil solution runoff potential.
Shallow water tables that represent ground water levels in an aquifer, or perched water tables that leak to an aquifer, require special concern. These areas are typically not suitable for pesticide application. When evaluating these conditions the soil leaching loss potential should be used for the hydrologic soil group with the highest infiltration.
Questionable Hydrologic Soil Group:
The National Soils Handbook (5), pages (603-49) to (603-51), explains hydrologic soil groups and suggestions for rating soils into hydrologic soil groups. (This information is now found on pages (618-20) to (618-21) in section (618-35) of the NSSH Volume 1, 1996. – MSH 6-5-98) The hydrologic soil group assigned to a soil series may adequately express runoff potentials but not reflect infiltration as it affects leaching. This most commonly occurs for hydrologic soil group B soils. If the hydrologic soil group does not reflect infiltration, then the estimated leaching loss potential is incorrect. A lower leaching potential may be estimated using a hydrologic soil group indicating lower infiltration rates.
Relative comparison between mapping units of soil leaching and surface loss potentials is a good method to determine if the rank of each soil or mapping units is logical. This can be misleading when two soils have a HIGH leaching loss potential, but you intuitively know one soil should be considerably less than the other. This is usually not an inaccurate rank. The modeling technique to rank the soil loss potentials selected a certain loss potential level to divide the HIGH and INTERMEDIATE ranks. A coarse sand may have an effective saturated hydraulic conductivity of 4.0 in/hr although a sandy loam may have a value of 0.4 in/hr. The pesticide lost from the coarse sand would be several times that of the sandy loam, but the amount lost from the sandy loam was sufficient to rank it as HIGH. Table 16 lists the range of minimum infiltration rates of soils by hydrologic group. The modeling technique equated minimum infiltration rates to effective saturated conductivity. These values may assist in placing soils into hydrologic groups.
Ranges of minimum infiltration rates of soils by hydrologic group (Musgrave, (4)).
Hydrologic Group
Conductivity (in/hr)
> 0.30
0.15 - 0.30
0.05 - 0.15
< 0.05
Lithic soil subgroups:
Lithic soil subgroups are also difficult to rate. In the soil classification system a lithic subgroup is used to indicate coherent material between 7 in. and 20 in. The problems here are similar to shallow water tables. According to SCS procedures a lithic subgroup should have a soil hydrologic group of C or D. A soil that would be rated soil hydrologic group A or B without the lithic contact may have significant water infiltration and movement along the lithic contact. This water may be discharged into and contaminate surface waters. Use the greater loss potential between the hydrologic group without lithic contact leaching potential and hydrologic group with lithic contact solution surface loss potential for the solution surface loss potential.
The lithic material should be examined for potential leakage to the aquifer. Rapid percolation to the aquifer may occur if the lithic material is fractured. If fracturing exists the soil leaching potential should be calculated from tables for soil leaching potentials using the more permeable hydrologic soil group.
Determining the Potential
Figure 1 is an example Soil-Pesticide Work Sheet for evaluating pesticide use in a specific environment. The parameters needed are soil map unit or soil series, crop, target pest, and the recommended pesticides. The recommended pesticide is obtained from the Cooperative Extension Service (CES), a pesticide bulletin provided by the CES, or a state agency responsible for pesticide recommendations. The pesticide adsorbed or solution surface loss or leaching potential is obtained from Table 17 or calculated from algorithms. The soil adsorbed surface, solution surface or leaching loss potentials are obtained from the SCS database in Ames, Iowa, local or state SCS offices, or calculated from algorithms. The soil potentials should be adjusted as previously discussed. The soil and pesticide ratings are combined in a matrix to obtain the overall pesticide loss potential. Table 12 is a matrix for potential leaching loss. Table 13 is a matrix for potential surface adsorbed loss. Table 14 is a matrix for potential surface solution loss.
Several pesticides from the Pesticide Database in Table 17 have estimated or guessed values for these parameters. The estimated values are flagged with an 'E'. The guessed values are flagged with a 'G'. These flags should be carried through the screening procedure.
Rating Classes:
Interpreting the Potential
General considerations:
The method of application should be considered when interpreting the potential. Keep in mind that:
Consult locally developed guidelines or the manufacturer when these conditions exist
The probability of rainfall soon after pesticide application should be considered in most climates. The loss estimates used in this procedure assume considerable precipitation immediately after application. If little or no precipitation occurs, a significant loss may not occur. Considerations in this area depend largely on the half-life of the pesticide. After the elapse of one half-life, half of the original pesticide concentration has been degraded, thus one-half remains. A pesticide with a half-life of four days will be at 25% of the original concentration in 8 days (two half-life periods). Thus, if a rainfall event is not expected for a time equal or greater to three times the half-life of the pesticide, little pesticide loss would be expected.
The purpose of this method is a first tier screening procedure. If a HIGH or INTERMEDIATE potential is the result of the screening procedure, do not reject the use of that chemical on that soil. Further evaluation is warranted. However, if a LOW or VERY LOW Potential is the result, the use of that chemical can be considered safe.
Potential 1, HIGH:
This potential has a high probability of being lost from the field. Before deciding to use HIGH Potential pesticides, they should be evaluated for their health hazard to humans, animals, and plants. If a pesticide is a potential danger to health, an alternative pesticide, or other pest management techniques should be considered. A second tier evaluation may prove this combination not a hazard.
Potential 2, INTERMEDIATE:
This potential is a gray area. INTERMEDIATE guidelines differ from HIGH in that:
Potential 3, LOW:
This pesticide applied on this soil has very low probability of being lost to surface runoff or leaching. This pesticide could be used according to the label with little hazard to the respective water resource.
Potential 4, VERY LOW:
This potential is used only for leaching. The probability of leaching loss is essentially zero unless the soil contains cracks or macropores to depths greater than 30 inches.
Example --
The Pesticide Work Sheet (Fig. 1) is an example from Minnesota. The corn rootworm example provides some interesting comparisons.
For the soil/pesticide interaction leaching loss potential (ILP) four pesticides have a LOW rating, and one has a HIGH rating (the most likely to be lost). If ground water is a potential contamination hazard, the pesticides with a LOW rating would be an environmental "best choice" without further evaluation.
For the soil/pesticide interaction adsorbed to sediment or organic matter loss potential (IARP), one pesticide has a HIGH rating (the most likely to be in runoff), two have an INTERMEDIATE rating, and two have a LOW rating (the least likely). For the soil/pesticide interaction solution runoff potential, one pesticide has a HIGH rating and four have a LOW rating. If surface water is a potential contamination hazard the pesticides Terbufos, or Chlorpyrifos would be an environmental "best choice" without further evaluation. If conservation practices could be employed that reduced sediment loss then Chlorpyrifos would be the environmental "best choice" since the influence of the adsorbed pesticide loss would be reduced.
(1) CREAMS A Field Scale Model for Chemicals, Runoff, and Erosion from Agricultural Management Systems. Conservation Research Report Number 26. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Science and Education Administration.
(2) GLEAMS: Ground Water Loading Effects of Agricultural Management Systems by R. A. Leonard, W. G. Knisel, D. A. Still. Transactions of the ASAE Vol 30 No 5, pg l4O3-1418, 1987.
(3) Gustafson, D.I. 1989. Groundwater ubiquity score: A simple method for assessing pesticide leachability. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 8:339-357.
(4) Musgrave, G. W., "How much of the Rain Enters the Soil?" in Water, Yearbook of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1955, p 151-159.
(5) U.S. Department of Agriculture, Soil Conservation Service National Soils Handbook.
(6) Wauchope, R. Don, Hornsby, Arthur G., Goss, Don W. and Burt, John, P. "The SCS/ARS/CES pesticide properties database: 1, a set of parameter values for first-tier comparative water pollution risk analysis." in 'Pesticides in the Next Decade: The Challenges Ahead', Virginia Water Resources Research Center, Blacksburg, VA, 1990.
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Columbine points to a painful road ahead for Newtown
NEWTOWN -- The road ahead for family, loved ones and the growing community that is Newtown will be one of pain, loss and life in a place that is a national symbol of unimaginable pain. The exit sign on the interstate will continue to read "Newtown" and "Sandy Hook," but for outsiders driving past, the words will forever be a dagger into a nation's tender heart.
"People always say you have to change. We've already changed," Monsignor Robert Weiss said Wednesday during 7-year-old Daniel Barden's funeral, one of eight he will bless for Sandy Hook children at St. Rose of Lima Roman Catholic Church. "This community is never going to be the same."
Get continuing coverage of the Newtown tragedy in images
"If you haven't gotten angry yet, you will. You need to get angry. We need to get angry."
This rugged journey can, however, be eased with the passage of time, the warmth of good memories, and the grace that is love.
So say those who have gone before to the worst places of the human existence. Colorado knows this path too well. The site of the Aurora theater massacre that took 12 lives and devastated dozens more six months ago, is also home to Columbine High School, where 12 students and one teacher were shot dead and 21 injured in 1999, when the heart and soul of a nation was shocked for its children.
"There is nothing anyone can say to help them," Patricia DePooter, who lost her son Corey at Columbine, said through her tears for Sandy Hook. "It is a lonely, empty and numb place."
Walter Jones, a lay pastor and friend of 27-year-old Sandy Hook teacher Victoria Soto, paced away from her funeral Wednesday morning, immersed in that numbness, looking for answers and offering comfort to a stranger through his own grief.
"I saw that child grow up to be a woman I was proud to know," said the 69-year-old, clearing his throat to speak past his grief and looking to the distance. "I don't think a community can be hurt more than this. I've never hurt for someone as much as I hurt today. I don't know what else to say."
Paul Simon sang "Sounds of Silence" at Soto's service, but Jones hoped "Vicki's song" could be a more joyful noise.
"God knows no greater love than to lay down your life for another," he said. "This wonderful young woman did that. We should all be so lucky as to know that kind of love for others, every day. I hope she inspires the world to love one another. She deserves at least that much and more."
The hearts of the community will break anew with each tragedy that follows; the helicopters overhead, the panicked faces of policemen, the terrified faces of children. The warm blood never washes from a stained community.
"I knew that it was a very unfortunate fact that Columbine wasn't going to be the last, any more than it was going to be the first," said Brad Bernall, whose daughter, Cassie, died in the attack. "But I was just absolutely stunned, like I'd walked into brick wall and smacked my face on it."
Cassie expressed her faith in God in her last seconds of life, and Columbine's youthful victims are immortalized in the memory of their Littleton community, exactly as they were on their last day of life, as teenagers.
Similarly, Sandy Hook's 7-year-old Daniel Barden will never make it to a Christmas where he ever gets his two front teeth back. The memory of the red-headed boy will forever be emblazoned with a gaped smile and exuberantly giving bear hugs.
After the attack, Columbine High students finished their year at a neighboring school, much like those at Sandy Hook will in January.
When students returned to Columbine the next fall, the library, the main killing field, had been demolished, and a beautiful memorial was being planned at the park where survivors ran for refuge, a symbolic patch on the community's fabric.
There already are speculations and suggestions in Newtown about the fate of its elementary school.
"I don't think they'll open it," said resident Paul Weiss. "I think they'll tear it down and build a playground or something like that."
In 2006, in the idyllic mountain community of Bailey, a madman with a rifle stormed Platte Canyon High School and executed 16-year-old Emily Keyes as rescuers burst in.
Love and support, however, must be tempered with patience and space, said John-Michael Keyes, Emily's father, who started the "i love you guys" Foundation, named for the text his daughter sent her family while she being held captive.
"Giving the families space and support, there is a balance there," he said in discussing Sandy Hook. "In the months that follow, their job and the community's job is to figure out how to best move through it."
Besides the emotion, these shootings become a call for more attention and meaningful action, just as Newtown is making opening remarks on guns and mental health.
At Columbine, the issue of bullying quickly became a national discussion that led to changes in the school system and an acute sensitivity to the needs of social outcasts, one of the factors experts thought fueled the teen gunmen's murderous rage. Whenever bullying arises, teachers, counselors and parents are quickly called in.
Littleton Mayor Jim Taylor said Wednesday the council had already sent a letter offering their help, in any way they can, to Newtown's city fathers.
After Columbine, the town set up the Greater Littleton Youth Initiative, with membership from schools, mental health agencies, law enforcement and citizen groups. Thirteen years later, it continues to meet each Friday to discuss their children, mental health and any issues that might help avert another attack, or would-be attackers.
Taylor said he hopes it's a road map for Newtown.
"It's such a very hard process to heal from something like this," Taylor said. "It takes time. It just takes a lot of love and support, from the community and outside the community."
Across Colorado, faculty and school administrators became exponentially more aware of intruders on campus and mentally steeled their resolve against the horrible possibilities. When a gunman opened fire on students loaded buses at Deer Creek Middle School, not far from Columbine, in 2010, teachers David Benke and Norm Hanne acted on instinct and wrestled gunman Bruco Strong Eagle Eastwood to the ground. Two students were wounded, but none were killed. Benke and Hanne became national heroes, much like the brave faculty at Sandy Hook.
At Aurora Public Schools Monday night, students and faculty met for workshop on safety, security and stress. The school district estimates that 150 current and former Aurora students, parents and school staff were at the Century Aurora 16 on the summer night when a gunman opened fire at the midnight showing of "The Dark Knight Rises." In the aftermath, the school district held informational meetings for students' parents and other community groups, including 31 faith-based organizations. School staff helped plan memorials and attended funerals, though the schools were relatively uninvolved, except in their hearts.
"We are not the first responders," Superintendent John Barry said of school officials, "but we are the second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth and you name it."
"Through it all," Barry pledged to those at the workshop, "we will come out stronger in the end."
The school system created a website, http://aurorak12.org/disaster-recovery/, to help the community through such tragedies.
At the 10-year anniversary of the Columbine shooting, school alumnus and teacher Lee Andres said she prayed that someday her school's name would not be synonymous with pain.
"It's my hope you look at your school as that - your school - not the most famous high school in the world," she told those at the sunset service. "Perhaps then the world can see Columbine as a symbol for strength, courage and hope."
At the growing memorial along the Sandy Hook bridge, Newtown resident Jeremy Shur said much the same.
"A week ago nobody outside of Connecticut knew who we were," he said, clutching the hand of his toddler. "I wish we could go back in time, but we can't, obviously. We can go forward and make Sandy Hook mean something better than it means now. At least I hope so."
Joey Bunch and Kristen Leigh Painter are Denver Post staff reporters on loan to the New Haven Register and reporting from Newtown this week. Denver Post staff writers Kieran Nicholson, Kevin Simpson and Electa Draper contributed to this story from Denver.


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Harmless' Christmas Cards are now on sale!
Help support vital self harm and suicide prevention services by sending a festive card this holiday season!
Send a card, save a life!
Premium quality cards come in packs of 8 with 2 designs and self seal envelopes
£4 per pack
All the money raised will go directly towards supporting the ongoing work of Harmless and The Tomorrow Project and saving lives.
Buy yours in our online store: www.harmless.org.uk/store/Christmas-cards


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Policies and Procedures
Grievance Procedures
The University of Texas at Dallas is committed to providing an educational environment that is conducive to the personal and professional development of its students. To supplement that commitment, the University has developed procedures for students to report complaints.Students who are having difficulties with their service providers or faculty, or who want to address issues regarding access, should contact the Office of Student AccessAbility (OSA).
Difficulty with Accommodations
When difficulties with accommodations arise, it is usually the result of misunderstandings or miscommunication between parties. If a student experiences difficulty receiving appropriate accommodations in a timely fashion, he/she should schedule a meeting with the faculty member during office hours. If the issue is still unresolved, or if the student is not comfortable speaking with the professor, he/she should contact OSA immediately. OSA will work with the student and faculty member to resolve the issue. Students should not wait until the end of the semester or after receiving a final grade to contact OSA.
Student Affairs GrievanceIf the issue or concern is within Student Affairs/Student Life and/or related to OSA, the student is urged to immediately contact the OSA director at 972-883-2098. If the issue cannot be resolved through OSA, the next step is to contact the Dean of Students at 972-883-6391.
Grievance Procedures
are located at
Student Grievance Procedures, Sections 51.01 - 51.03
- Statement of Equal Educational Opportunity
- Sexual Harassment
- Complaint Procedures
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Grievance
If the student feels that he/she has been discriminated against in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act 1990 or Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, he/she has the right to file an internal or external grievance. Complaints alleging discrimination on the basis of disability should be made in writing to the ADA/Section 504 Rehabilitation Act of 1973 Coordinator and Dean of Students (see Grievance Procedures).
The complaint must be made as soon as possible after the action occurs, but no later than 10 days after such occurrence. The timeline for bringing a complaint can be waived for good cause as determined by the ADA/Section 504 Rehabilitation Act of 1973 Coordinator.
If the student does not want to file the grievance through the University process, they may take the complaint to the Department of Education, Office of Civil Rights.
Back to Students


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State-Native American committee holds hearing in Albany
This morning the New York State Senate Select Committee on State-Native American Relations held a public hearing in Albany to advance a productive dialogue between Indian nations and state government. Representatives of the Oneida, Seneca, and St. Regis Mohawk Indian Nation met with a bipartisan group of state senators to talk about economic development and challenges facing their tribes.
Members of the Select Committee attending the hearing included Senator George Maziarz, Senator Timothy Kennedy, and Senator Patrick Gallivan.
Senator George Maziarz (R-C, Newfane), Chairman of the Select Committee, said "It has been many, many years since there has been such a concerted effort to work with our Native American partners to advance our common interests. This was an opportunity for Senate members to learn more about the identities of the various nations and tribes, and what progress they are making on economic development, education, health care, and other quality of life issues. We will continue these discussions in a respectful and cooperative spirit."
Senator Tim Kennedy (D-58th District) said, "New York has a long history of cooperation with the Native American nations throughout our state. The Senate Standing Committee on State-Native American Relations is a pivotal recognition of our cooperation and collaboration, and it will help us take important steps toward advancing our collective economic development goals. In Western New York, we've seen first-hand what can be accomplished by fostering economic partnerships with local Native American nations, specifically the Seneca Nation of Indians. As tribes like the Seneca Nation work to diversify their economies, New York State should continue to encourage any economic growth and job creation opportunities."
Senator Maziarz noted that some ideas have already surfaced to advance future collaborations. One is to explore the appointment of a specific economic development liaison to the Native American nations to coordinate regional strategies with the newly-established Regional Economic Development Councils. Another is to invite the Native American representatives to a joint hearing with the Senate Commerce and Economic Development Committee.
"We have to keep the momentum moving forward," Senator Maziarz said, "because we must acknowledge, sustain, and support the substantial role that Native American nations play in our economy. Their enterprises create good jobs for thousands of New Yorkers. We should continue the dialogue and we should work together to bring key projects to fruition."


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United Nations Framework Classification for Fossil Energy and Mineral Reserves and Resources 2009 (UNFC-2009)
United Nations Framework Classification for Fossil Energy and Mineral Reserves and Resources 2009 (UNFC-2009)
Рамкова класификация на Организацията на обединените нации на изкопаемите енергийни и минерални запаси и ресурси от 2009г. (РКООН)
Classification-cadre des Nations Unies pour l'énergie fossile et les réserves et ressources minérales 2009 (CCNU-2009)
ENSZ fosszilis energiahordozó- és ásványi nyersanyagkészletre és -vagyonra vonatkozó osztályozási keretrendszere, 2009 (UNFC-2009)
Рамочная классификация ископаемых энергетических и минеральных ресурсовОрганизации Объединенных Наций 2009 года (РКООН-2009)
Clasificación Marco de las Naciones Unidas para la energía fósil y los recursos y reservas minerales 2009 (CMNU-2009)
تصنيف الأمم المتحدة الإطاري لاحتياطيات
The United Nations Framework Classification for Fossil Energy and Mineral Reserves and Resources 2009 (UNFC-2009) is a universally applicable scheme for classifying/evaluating energy and mineral reserves and resources - it is the successor to UNFC-2004. Designed as an all-encompassing framework, it enables the incorporation and unification of existing national systems, while allowing their classification units and glossary to be retained. The principal objective of UNFC-2009 is to enhance international communication by providing a simple, user-friendly and uniform format for the reporting of energy reserves and resources, using market-based economic criteria. It has been developed to meet, to the extent possible, the needs of applications pertaining to international energy and mineral studies, government resource management functions, corporate business processes and financial reporting standards.
The proposed draft text of UNFC-2009 (ECE/ENERGY/GE.3/2009/L.5) was approved by the Committee on Sustainable Energy at its eighteenth session in November 2009. The final text of UNFC-2009 was published as an official ECE Energy Series publication in 2010.
UNFC-2009 - Proposed Text as at 8 October 2009
(following public comment period and input at Sixth Session of Ad Hoc Group of Experts)
Draft UNFC-2008 and Draft Explanatory Note to UNFC-2008
The Revision Task Force of the UNECE Ad Hoc Group of Experts on the Harmonization of Fossil Energy and Mineral Resources Terminology invited the Group of Experts and other interested parties to review and comment on the draft revision of the 2004 United Nations Framework Classification of Fossil Energy and Mineral Resources (UNFC). The draft UNFC was accompanied by a draft Explanatory Note, to which comments were also invited. Both documents were made available in English and Russian.
Deadline for comments: 6 February 2009
Press Release 10 December 2008 "Revised UNFC aims to simplify reporting of energy and mineral reserves and resources in a globalized world".


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Microsoft Chief Executive Steve Ballmer said on Thursday that walking away from a deal with Yahoo remained one of "three big options" the company is weighing and to expect an announcement shortly.
Neither side would comment on whether they were seeking a last-minute deal before Microsoft makes good on its threat to turn its unsolicited bid, currently worth $42.4 billion, into a hostile takeover battle.
The Wall Street Journal reported late on Thursday that Microsoft appeared to be leaning toward going hostile in its pursuit of the Internet company, citing people familiar with the matter. An announcement could come on Friday, the Journal said.
A Microsoft spokeman declined to comment.
But in a sign that Yahoo continues to resist Microsoft's embrace, a source familiar with discussions between Yahoo and Googlesaid a partnership could come as early as next week. The non-exclusive partnership would involve Yahoo carrying Google advertising alongside Yahoo's Web search results.
Ballmer told employees during a regularly scheduled company Town Hall meeting that Yahoo is valuable as part of a strategy to beat Microsoft arch-rival Google, but there are limits on the price Microsoft is ready to pay.
"Yahoo's not a strategy, it's a part of a strategy," Ballmer declared. His remarks were first reported by Silicon Alley Insider, whose reporter said he monitored the internal conference call. A company spokesman confirmed the comments.
"We're interested to pay for it at some level and beyond that level we're not willing to pay for it. I know exactly what Yahoo is worth to me ... I won't go a dime above and I will go to what I think it's worth if that gets the deal done," he said.
Microsoft has promised this would be the week that it spells out its next moves if Yahoo allowed a deadline set for last Saturday to expire on its three-month-old offer to buy Yahoo for $31 per share in cash and stock.
Seeking to force Yahoo to the negotiating table in early April, Ballmer wrote a letter to Yahoo's board of directors threatening to cut the bid and mount a proxy fight to remove the board if Yahoo did not reach a deal by April 26.
Ballmer went further last week by saying Microsoft was considering walking away from the deal. But most Wall Street analysts dismiss this as a hardball negotiating tactic rather than a real threat to end its two-year-long pursuit of a deal.
On Thursday, five days after Microsoft's deadline for reaching a negotiated deal expired, Ballmer told employees "we ought to announce something in very short order."
"We've got basically the three big options in front of us," Ballmer summarized. "There's the friendly deal, there's an unfriendly deal, (and the) third path is simply to walk away."
The two companies are in a standoff over price. Yahoo responded within weeks of receiving the unsolicited takeover bid by saying the offer "substantially undervalues" it. It has sought other partners, while not ruling out a Microsoft deal.
The Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday that Microsoft had told Yahoo it was willing to raise its bid to as much as $33 a share, but was unwilling to go as high as the $35 to $37 a share for which Yahoo's major investors have lobbied.
Ballmer repeated the key reasons for buying Yahoo were that it would allow Microsoft to move faster in creating a credible No. 2 to Google, which dominates key segments of the Internet market and is expanding rapidly in new directions.
Yahoo would provide Microsoft scale, a bigger audience for Web search -- a key starting point for many Internet users -- and a stronger presence in online advertising, he said. "The world is rooting for us," Ballmer said. "The world hopes that there's ... a very strong company that's not the number one guy," he said, referring to Google.
Most Wall Street analysts believe Microsoft's most likely next move is to begin a months-long proxy campaign, according to a Reuters poll conducted late last week. Analysts believe Microsoft will win but at great cost to Yahoo employee morale.


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So rancorous are relations between the government and the opposition that even the humble Christmas party invitation is being used as a political weapon. At least in Labor's case.
With the festive season approaching - and for many in this place, the temporary lull cannot come soon enough - the usual round of Yuletide knees-ups are being organised for the final sitting week, which is the last week of November.
The Coalition invitation, extended to MPs, senators and staffers, features an innocuous Christmas tree illustration. The most frightening aspect is the revelation that the Northern Territory Country Liberal Party senator, Nigel Scullion, will be plying all and sundry with his ''famous mango daiquiri's (sic)''.
Labor's invitation is far more foreboding. It features Tony Abbott, portrayed as the evil Christmas Grinch, poised atop Parliament House, his pointy fingers holding a bright red Christmas bauble upon which is inscribed the word ''no''.
The portrayal of Mr Abbott as the Dr Seuss character - a bitter, grouchy, cave-dwelling creature with a heart two sizes too small - has not gone unnoticed in the Coalition.
''There's a clear choice this Christmas: enjoying Nigel's famous mango daiquiris, or a Labor Party obsessed with Tony Abbott. Which would you rather attend?'' said one senior Liberal figure.
Moreover, the Coalition party is free.
Depending on who you are and when you pay, Labor's shindig costs between $25 and $50 a head. Mr Abbott may be the Grinch but Labor is Scrooge.
A Labor staffer returned fire: ''The Coalition's has to be free otherwise no-one would turn up. They've got to bribe staffers with free booze.''
Phillip Coorey is the political editor based in Canberra. He is a two-time winner of the Paul Lyneham award for press gallery excellence.


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Minute Taking - An Introduction: Online Course OnlineNew
Minute taking is not usually about writing a verbatim record of what is said but it is about understanding why minutes are required and recognising what is important to record.
This course is an introductory guide for anyone who is required to take minutes. It does not cover the additional skills required to take minutes at University committee meetings.
Target audience
University staff
- to help you to understand the purpose of minutes
- to enable you to understand the responsibilities of the Chair
- to provide tips on note taking
- to provide a simple process to follow
- to provide an opportunity to have a go at writing minutes and compare them to an example set of minutes
- Please make a booking in order to receive the web link to access the material for this online course
- A Raven password is needed to access this online course
- Further information regarding Raven
- If you are unable to or prefer not to complete this training online please contact PPD, who will be happy to discuss alternative options with you
Approximately three quarters of an hour
Related courses
Booking / availability


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Another mellow day at Kamioka.
I went to look for the music shop at the Keikyu department store. It was just a small section of the larger store and didn't really have much to offer.
After work I made some rice with onion and chopped up carrots. While writing this post, I managed to burn the onion but you couldn't really taste it. I added seaweed, pepper, garlic powder, salt and the pièce de résistance some tuna.
To my surprise it actually taste nice despite when Jesse came home he noticed the misty haze of smoke I created.
Monday, 30 July 2007
Jimmy's Cooking Show
Another mellow day at Kamioka.
Posted by Jimmy In Japan at 11:59 pm
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Follow the leader. Math for Meds has helped nearly one million nurses and other health care professionals become safe practitioners of dosage calculations. This classic resource continues to blaze the trail into a ninth edition, with its ratio and proportion method and building-block organization. Hundreds of full-color images of drug labels, syringes, and equipment complement the range of calculation competencies'from reading medication labels to calculating flow rates for heparin infusion. The straightforward language has also been retained, as the ninth edition preserves the tradition of making the complex understandable.Anna M. Curren is the author of 'Math for Meds: Dosage and Solutions', published 2004 under ISBN 9781401831226 and ISBN 1401831222.[read more]
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Chem-Dry, the world's largest floor and carpet cleaning company, has 3,500 franchises in more than 35 countries, and one of the first franchises in Massachusetts was Colonial Chem-Dry, started in 1983 by Glen and Debbie Purcell of Uxbridge.
Chem-Dry, the world's largest floor and carpet cleaning company, has 3,500 franchises in more than 35 countries, and one of the first franchises in Massachusetts was Colonial Chem-Dry, started in 1983 by Glen and Debbie Purcell of Uxbridge.
The husband-and-wife team now own 12 franchises in six different territories. These include the Marlborough/Concord, Worcester, Sturbridge, Norwood/Canton and West Surburban areas. The latter includes Framingham, Waltham, Newton, Wellesley and surrounding suburbs. That first franchise is now at 153 Milford St. in Upton. To say the Purcells are sold on Chem-Dry's green-certified cleaning products would qualify as an understatement. Debbie Purcell recently discussed the 30-year-old company with Daily News staff writer Bob Tremblay.
QUESTION: Why was the business started?
ANSWER: We were looking for a business opportunity. Family friends had discovered the Chem-Dry franchise opportunity and shared the information with us so we made the decision to buy.
The local chamber of commerce sponsored home shows in Milford and Franklin and they provided the jump-start that our business needed. Customers were amazed by the cleaning results shown during the live demonstrations.
Q: Why did you choose your current locale?
A: We were living in Milford at the time so our first franchise purchase was for the Greater Milford area, including Mendon, Upton, Hopedale, Franklin, Norfolk, Wrentham, Medfield, Millis, Medway, Walpole and Foxboro.
Q: Has your business moved?
A: When we started in 1983, we were renting a one-bedroom apartment in Milford and operating the business from our home. The following year, we purchased a house in Uxbridge and operated from that location for another four or five years. When the business outgrew our house, we rented in the Hopedale Industrial park for a few years. In 1995, we purchased the building at our current location in Upton.
When we first started out, Glen and I were out in the field cleaning carpets together. It wasn't long before we couldn't keep up with the demand and had to hire service help and an office staff. We rapidly expanded our service territory.
We've also expanded our service offerings, which now include upholstery cleaning, tile and grout cleaning, marble polishing, water damage restoration, in-plant cleaning of Oriental and area rugs, and on-site drapery cleaning.
Q: What did you do before you started this business?
A: I was a dental assistant working for a dentist in Acton and Glen was installing sprinkler systems for a fire protection company.
Q: Is this your first business?
A: Yes.
Q: Do you have other businesses?
A: At one time we owned a fire and water damage restoration franchise called Restorx, but having to deal with clients who were going through a traumatic experience was very stressful and after a few years we turned our focus to our Chem-Dry business.
Q: What does your company do?
A: Using green-certified, people- and pet-friendly cleaning products, we help our clients provide a cleaner, healthier environment for their families or employees. We clean carpets and hard-surface floors, upholstered and leather furniture, draperies and rugs.
Q: What makes you different from the competition?
A: Our goal is to provide our customers with the most outstanding service experience possible. We invest heavily in training and supporting our people. Our 30 years of experience have been invaluable in identifying and responding to the needs of our clients. We offer an unconditional satisfaction guarantee, but we feel that "satisfied" is the lowest acceptable level of service. What we really want to do is exceed our customer's expectations. The unique Chem-Dry process allows us to do that with safer, more effective, faster drying, longer-lasting cleaning results.
Q: What is the price of your service?
A: A lot depends on what services our clients select and the quantity. Some clients have only one room to clean and others have an entire house or they might need multiple services performed. We have a minimum charge of $139. Our average job is about $300.
Q: Any news to report?
A: The theme for 2013 in honor of our 30th anniversary is 30 Acts of Kindness. We are looking for nominations/candidates in need of free services. We also sponsored the Nipmuc High School Fundraising Car Wash on our property on May 11. Due to our very visible location on Rte. 140 in Upton, it was a great success. Student volunteers washed cars and we provided free car mat cleanings to all car wash purchasers along with free cans of Chem-Dry World Famous Spot Remover and free car litter bags.
We were the recipients of the 2010 and 2011 Angie's List Super Service Award, the 2005 Chem-Dry Corporate Services Award, the 2010 Chem-Dry Perpetual Excellence Award, the Chem-Dry President's Club Award from 2004 to 2013 and the 2013 Chem-Dry Marketer of the Year Award.
Q: How many employees do you have?
A: We have six service technicians, two office staff and a full-time commercial account representative, not including Glen and myself. All our service technicians have been certified by the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification.
Q: Do you have any other MetroWest connections?
A: Glen and I graduated from Acton-Boxborough High School. My maiden is name is Cary.
The company's website is www.carpetcleaningcd.com.


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AMARAL UPHOLSTERY and AMARAL & FIELDS FABRICS located in Alameda Califorinia is a full service business that offers reupholstery services with hundreds of fabrics in stock as well as thousands of samples in the books that line the walls of our comfortable and convienent downtown location. Take your time browsing our website to view some of the options we have available.
In addition, we offer window treatments and several beautiful showrooms. Please explore our website and check out some of our examples here on the web, then contact us and arrange for a free estimate by emailing a photo of your project or providing specifications and we'll provide an estimate based on yardage and labor. We'd also love to have you stop by our Showroom and meet our helpful professional staff.
Click here for our latest specials.
Thanks for visiting!
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Dance Business Professionals Network - BBS and DBM Members Only
This Members-Only section includes the video, audio, .pdf download modules and Discussion Q&A Forum for Dancers, Instructors, Promoters, & Performers The "Who, What, Where, When, How, and Why" of SUCCESSFUL Business Development and Marketing.
Once you receive your BBS� and DBM� certification, you are granted Lifetime Membership Access to this section of the Dancer's Hangout site. Click here for the Next BBS� and DBM� Course Dates near you.
Learn to Earn $$
Inside this section are the DBM� online course materials that are designed to teach you step-by-step on how to grow your dance business FINANCIALLY to levels you never thought possible.
DBM and BBS Graduates: No charge
Click here to become a Member.
Those who passed the DBM and / or BBS Certification Courses prior to April 2011 are automatically grand-fathered into the system as a Lifetime Member to further enhance and continue their education.
Take your Passion of Dance to the NEXT LEVEL
Inside you will find how the absolute BEST Dance Studios, Instructors, Performers, and PROMOTERS in the world SUCCEED and continue to FLOURISH against ANY odds - no matter what the ECONOMY is dictating. Here in the Members-Only area, both students and graduates may download course materials on an ongoing basis, and freely discuss and exchange ideas, collaborate events, and work on projects in a Worldwide Master Mind Network, taking our industry to a new level.
Click: www.DanceBusinessManagement.com for full details
click pic below...
Awesome video for the aspiring Entrepreneur!
See you on the dance floor!
- Edie, The Salsa FREAK!!
Last but not least, REMEMBER we dance because we love this S#&@*T!!!


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2013 Napa Valley Film Festival
Past NVFF Events
Wednesday, November 13, 2013 at 1:05 PM - Sunday, November 17, 2013 at 11:55 PM (PST)
Event Details
Celebrating the best new independent films from around the world, along with the food, wine, hospitality and natural beauty of the legendary Napa Valley.
The 3rd annual Napa Valley Film Festival (NVFF) runs November 13-17, 2013 in Napa Valley's picturesque communities of Napa, Yountville, St. Helena and Calistoga:
- 95+ new Independent films, studio sneak previews and special screenings
- 250+ filmmakers and industry guests
- 100+ boutique wineries pouring all weekend
- 12 Screening venues throughout Napa Valley
- Panel discussions with actors, directors, writers and producers; plus culinary demonstrations & panels with noted local chefs
- Festival Gala at 500 First
- Tribute and Awards programs
- VIP Receptions, private dinners, Wrap Party and more!
NOTE: All purchases are non-refundable. If you cannot attend, please contact us to assign your pass(es) to a family member or friend.
Have questions about 2013 Napa Valley Film Festival? Contact Past NVFF Events
When & Where
Wednesday, November 13, 2013 at 1:05 PM - Sunday, November 17, 2013 at 11:55 PM (PST)
Add to my calendar


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Community Attitude Survey Approach
by Yelena Mitrofanova, Extension Educator
See Also: Community Needs Assessment
Steps in the Community Attitude Survey Approach
Here are the steps in conducting a community needs survey using the Community Attitude Survey Approach.
1. Decide on the purpose and goals of the needs assessment survey. Ask yourself: What are my goals in doing a survey? What do I want to get out of it? How will the results be used? In any case, you need to keep the purpose of the survey in mind throughout the process; it will influence the choice of survey population and the choice of questions.
2. Decide how much time you have to do the survey. Ask yourself: How much time do I have to do the survey, from start to finish? Your answer will depend on the size of your target group and resources you have.
3. Decide whom you will survey. The next step is finding out who will fill out the questionnaire. Who will you survey -- general public, beneficiaries, people in a specific neighborhood or segment of the community or potential members? Almost all surveys rely on sampling -- that is, identifying a section of the population satisfies the characteristics of the target group. Sampling is a big topic, there are many different kinds of sampling. Some Web sites with more detailed information include:
Sampling terminology -- http://trochim.human.cornell.edu/kb/sampterm.htm
Sampling from the Centre for Applied Statistics at Lancaster University's Statistics Glossary -- http://www.cas.lancs.ac.uk/glossary_v1.1/main.html
Sample Size Calculator -- http://www.researchinfo.com/docs/calculators/samplesize.cfm
4. Decide which method you will use to collect your survey data. Will your survey be written or oral? You need to decide whether it will be done in person, by phone or by mail. There are some advantages and disadvantages for each method. No matter which method you choose, in order to get better return rate, I suggest you provide incentives for completing a survey. You could offer the respondents a chance to win a $20 gift certificate to a local grocery store, restaurant or video store.
5. Design the questionnaire. There are many forms of questions you can use in the survey. Questions might be:
Open-ended -- They are often "why," "how" or "what" questions. Why it is important to you? What are the best things you like about the neighborhood?
Closed-ended -- Sometimes referred to as forced choice questions. Specific questions that prompt yes or no answers. Do you like the lighting in your street? Yes or No.
Multiple choice -- Allow the respondent to select one answer from possible choices. These type of questions find out more details than closed-ended questions and the results can be compiled more easily than open-ended questions.
Likert scale -- Each respondent is asked to rate items on a response scale from 1-Strongly disagree..to..5-Strongly Agree. These type of questions are a great tool to measure respondent's attitudes.
Some guidelines for designing your survey questions:
--Place easier questions first.
--Address sensitive issues as discreetly and sensitively as possible.
--Avoid words that provoke bias or emotional responses.
--Use a logical order and place similar questions together.
Remember: The questions you ask depend on the audience you are trying to reach and the information you are trying to obtain!
6. Administer the survey. Decide how you distribute and collect the survey. Revise the questionnaire several times. When you are satisfied with the questionnaire, administer the survey to your target population. There are several strategies for distributing surveys:
Direct mail -- You need to mail a copy of the survey, cover letter and pre-stamped and pre-addressed return envelope to each participant. For general distribution, publishing a survey in your newsletter or local newspaper might be a good idea.
Interview and phone surveys -- To reach those who have difficulty reading or using printed material is a good way to collect opinions. You still need to print a questionnaire and put together a team of interviewers.
Drop boxes -- It could be a good option to collect information if you have an incomplete mailing list of respondents. However, it is better if it is used along with at least one other method of distribution.
7. Compile and analyze your results. Tabulate your results. For closed-ended questions, this can be a matter of simple addition. For open-ended questions, you can compile results into the categories. However, analysis can be far more complicated. You will need to look at the overall survey to see how each percentage compares to the others. For example, what questions had the highest proportions of similar responses? The next step is summarizing the data in a one-page report. In the report, look for any patterns -- do people in a particular part of the community/neighborhood feel strongly about a particular issue than someone in another areas? Or list "top five" issues and concerns which were identified by respondents.
8. Disseminate the survey results. When you get the results, decide what to do with them. The results should be made public as soon as possible so community members and local leaders can be aware of a problem or potential problem and start working to solve it.
9. Plan future actions. Ask and answer the question: What should we do now? A good answer may lead to a good discussion and developing an action plan.
10. Implement your actions. Implementation of an action plan is the main reason of conducting a needs assessment survey in the first place.
11. Repeat your assessment. Community needs change over time. You want to be sure to know if, when, how and why change is needed. Community needs assessment is really an ongoing process just like community action itself.
A Community Needs Assessment Guide, Center for Urban Research and Learning and the Department of Psychology Loyola University Chicago, 2000; Iowa State University Extension Web site: http://www.extension.iastate.edu/communities/tools/assess/
Community Tool Box Web site: http://ctb.ku.edu/tools/
If you need more information about this initiative or want to be a part of the group, contact:
Yelena Mitrofanova, Extension Educator
e-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension in Lancaster County
444 Cherrycreek Road, Suite A, Lincoln, NE 68528.
Phone: 402-441-7180
(This resource appeared in the July 2005 NEBLINE Newsletter. For information on reproducing this article or using any photographs or graphics, read the Terms of Use statement)


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- Written by Michael Bahati
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CIARA COSTENOBLE: The Story of a Young English-Speaking Hairstylist in Paris.
Her journey as a hairstylist started as a 6-year-old tomboy growing up in a household of three brothers. Although she was against anything girly at this age, she would accompany her mother to the hair salon and sit in awe as she watched the stylist entwine hair between their fingers as they curled, cut, colored, and created styles that seemed to defy gravity. She would dash home and spend hours recreating looks on dolls while begging my mother to let her live out her inspirations on her long tresses, and as the years went by, her passion for hair only grew.
When she turned 14, she persuaded her mother's hairstylist into hiring a new assistant…HER! This is the story of Ciara COSTENOBLE, the girl behind Ciara Coiffure, a Paris-based hairstyle company.
Ciara Coiffure, "Where timeless beauty meets multicultural hair care and artistry"
Working in the salon showed her that her passion could be turned into a career! She apprenticed with the salon and went to cosmetology school during high school where she worked every weekend, and even after school to master her skill. Ciara even participated in several styling competitions as she was drawn to the artistic freedom and challenge! Finally at the age of 17, after completing two years of apprenticeship, she received her cosmetology license.
During College, she continued working at salons but decided to try something different by joining a renowned spa in the Washington, DC area. She enjoyed pampering the hard-working women who considered the hair salon their safe haven where they could let their hair down literally! It is there that she honed her skills and became known for her creative chignons, which led to her specializing in bridal work.
A yearning for adventure started her Parisian journey in January 2011. After a year of struggling with Paris; the French language, the constant humid rain, moving six times in a year and a list of other ups and downs, her best friend and now husband proposed on the top of the Arc de Triomphe and literally changed her life. After marrying the love of her life in the 13th district and settling down, the creative hair bug returned to the tips of her fingers and she willingly accepted. Thus, in 2013 Ciara Coiffure was born! An artistic and unique hair experience specializing in special events styling, such as bridal hair, photo shoots, and editorial work.
Ciara married her husband in the city of love and now shares her passion for all things romantic as she specializes in special event styling such as bridal hair, photo shoots, and editorial work. Ciara is known for her attentiveness as she not only styles but nurtures her clients' manes transforming all hair textures to look their finest. Her Passion for making each client feel and look their very best is what makes her one of the premiere stylists in Paris.
Thanks for reading. If you enjoyed this article and have (or know someone with) an interesting and moving story about living in Paris as an expatriate, please do reach out. We'll be more than happy to talk to them. Drop us an email.
Do you want to receive some awesome articles about the joys, challenges, and lessons learned from expatriation adventures in Paris every week?
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How the Right Pet Food Can Add Years to Our Pets Lives
By Lorie Huston, DVM
Pet foods, in order to promote a healthy long life, must be balanced and complete as well as life stage appropriate for your dog or cat. Many things come into play in order to achieve this, but one of the most important factors is ensuring your pet's diet includes six particular nutrients — nutrients which all animals need to maintain good health. These are:
- Protein
- Carbohydrates
- Fat
- Vitamins
- Minerals
- Water
What Are Essential Nutrients?
Essential nutrients are those that must be supplied in your pet's diet. Your pet's body is not capable of manufacturing these nutrients so they will become deficient if not supplied by one of the ingredients in your pet's food. Conversely, non-essential nutrients — while still necessary to keep your pet healthy and sustain life — do not need to be added to the diet necessarily because they can be manufactured by your pet within his or her own body.
For example, amino acids are the building blocks of proteins. There are over 20 amino acids that are necessary to sustain life for all dogs and cats. Ten of these amino acids are essential in a dog's diet and must be included in at least one of the ingredients in the diet because dogs are unable to make these ten amino acids by themselves. For cats, there are eleven essential amino acids. Unlike dogs, cats require taurine as an essential amino acid in addition to the other ten amino acids.
How Does This Make Proteins, Carbohydrates and Fats Important?
Your pet generates energy when eating the proteins, carbohydrates and fats found in his or her pet food. Each of these nutrients also play other crucial roles in keeping your pet healthy and promoting longer life.
Proteins, for instance, are critical in tissue growth and repair, in keeping the immune system healthy, in transporting oxygen through the blood, in creating hormones and much more. The benefits of carbohydrates depend on its form — sugars, starches or fiber. Sugar is used for energy production; fiber is helpful to keep your pet's intestinal tract healthy. Starches such as fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS) are useful as prebiotics which also help maintain your pet's intestinal health. Fats, meanwhile, are the most concentrated source of energy available. There are even fatty acids such as DHA and EPA which are useful in keeping skin, joints, and other body systems healthy.
Where Do Vitamins and Minerals Come Into Play?
Unlike proteins, carbohydrates and fats — which are all macronutrients that are required in the diet in relatively large quantities — vitamins and minerals are required in smaller quantities in your pet's food. However, this does not mean that vitamins and minerals are any less critical for your pet's health and well-being. These "micronutrients" also play key roles in keeping your pet's body functioning normally and promoting longer life.
What About Water?
Water is frequently overlooked as a key ingredient in any pet's diet. However, water is, arguably, the most important nutrient in your pet's diet. Without adequate amounts of water, your pet can quickly become dehydrated. Make sure your pet has access to clean fresh water at all times.
We all want our pets to live long and healthy lives. Worry about this a little less and get the best pet food that meets your dog or cat's nutritional needs.


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[Camp Lejeune, North Carolina; November 3. Image via Getty]
CAMP LEJEUNE, NC - NOVEMBER 3: Captain Kenneth DelMazo hugs his daughter Izabella as the Marines in the 3rd Battalion, 10th Marine Regiment, prepare to deploy to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom November 3, 2009 at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. Once in Afghanistan, the unit will fall under the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade -Afghanistan. Their mission will be to support combat operations as an artillery battalion. (Photo by Logan Mock-Bunting/Getty Images)


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The U.S. National Academy of Sciences' Harnessing Light Committee has released a landmark report discussing the current state of optical sciences and goals for the future – Optics & Photonics: Essential Technologies for Our Nation. The NAS study, which is a follow up to the Harnessing Light report published in 1998, identifies the technological and economic opportunities the science has enabled, assesses trends in market needs, gives examples of where progress in photonics innovation has translated into economic benefits, and makes recommendations for future research and policies that are intended to advance the optics and photonics discipline.
The NAS report examined the use of optics and photonics in seven content areas —communications, information processing and data storage; defense and national security; energy; health and medicine; advanced manufacturing; and strategic materials—focusing on the enabling nature of optics and photonics and their role in facilitating economic growth. The Harnessing Light committee members also made a number of specific recommendations on how to best capitalize on the opportunities optics and photonics provides.
OSA is planning several events and activities in conjunction with the release of Optics & Photonics: Essential Technologies for Our Nation, including efforts to carry out the report's key recommendation - establishing a National Photonics Initiative (NPI) Check back with this page to stay up to date on these efforts.
Harnessing Light and Enabling a Brighter Future: A Conversation on the National Academy of Sciences Optics and Photonics Report – Get an overview of the NAS report Optics & Photonics: Essential Technologies for Our Nation, and goals for the future in this short video discussion with Harnessing Light committee members.
Essential Technologies for Our Future: Optics and Photonics Leading the Way – Check out picture's from the OSA, SPIE and IEEE Photonics Society special launch event with U.S. federal agency staff for the NAS optics and photonics report keynote speakers Craig Barrett, Former Intel President and CEO, and Steven Chu, U.S. Secretary of Energy and OSA Honorary Member, highlighted the key role optics and photonics plays in economic and technological growth.
Optical Science Trends for the Future – Watch OSA's roundtable discussion at Stanford University, recorded August 21, 2012. National Academy of Sciences Harnessing Light committee members (Alan Wilner, Tom Baer, Milton Chang, David Miller and Ed White) discussed the NAS optics and photonics report Optics & Photonics: Essential Technologies for Our Nation, the state of optical science and technology worldwide and opportunities for the future. View the roundtable slides.
Read OSA's Executive Summary of the landmark NAS report Optics & Photonics: Essential Technologies for Our Nation.
Join the Optics Legislative Network - OSA's grassroots email list. Sign up today.


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Geriatric Member
I could've been a contender.
Global Moderator
[QUOTE=Spray`;81847808]Cord 812
My position on the Cord 810/812 is well-documented. It is also on solid ground. The combination of sheer, perfectly proportioned beauty, the ground-breaking futurism of the design that also successfully avoided lookiing weird, as many visionary designs do, along with the trump card of the Cord being the virtual brainchild of one single human being, Gordon