text:
Tyra Mail! It says…
If a model falls on an abandoned runway in the middle of an empty stage, does she make a sound? And when Tyra Banks falls while no one's watching, does she just slip quietly into unsmizing nothingness?
America's Next Top Model has been canceled after 12 years and 22 seasons, and it's really okay that you do not care. If you do feel something, like I do, it's probably just the sad sensation of time passing and culture changing. Just as the end of American Idol made barely a pop culture ripple (despite its massive impact on the TV landscape), ANTM probably won't be recognized as a watershed program with a long-legged legacy. For my money, it deeply altered the possibilities of the reality genre – and, at its accidental best, was an incisive magnum opus of female psychology. Tyra the Creator knew she'd birthed something amazing in Top Model, and over the next few years she methodically destroyed it.
So let's take a moment for America's Next Top Model…a love-hate letter to beauty, with a singular viciousness and vision.
There's really two stories being told during every episode of ANTM: the petty day-to-day existences of the model-contestants and the larger godlike arc of Tyra Banks herself. As a transcendently perfect but savvily commercial supermodel, Tyra was perfectly poised in 2003 to launch a show like Top Model. As creator and curator, she brought industry cachet and as host, she brought built-in ratings and popularity. To watch ANTM's first cycle – Tyra's known for compulsive branding-by-renaming, so her "seasons" are "cycles" – is to watch a fascinating exercise in first-time showrunning. Everything about ANTM 1, from production to casting to editing, showcases Tyra's charming self-empowerment and zeal. There's a sweet earnestness, an openminded experimentalism, to cycle 1; mundane moments like the girls' first bikini waxes, cigarette breaks, a judging chamber that's clearly a hotel conference room. Tyra imbues her presence with a self-conscious approachability, showing up at the tiny models' hovel for dinner in a velour sweatsuit. No one seems to have expectations about being on a reality show. The girls are incredibly diverse: Adrienne is a rough white-trash urchin, Robyn is a conservative Christian caught between skinny and plus-size, Elyse is the elegant smart-ass who is allowed to actively bash the idiocy of modeling on-camera (and remain a front-runner till the end!). The judges have real credentials, and painfully differing opinions (I miss you, Janice Dickinson). It all seems possible in Cycle 1. Legitimacy and enduring fame seem very real. We see all the ugly boring parts of beautiful, these glimpses of the modeling experience (and the female experience) that we never see again after the flagship cycle.
However, most of the hallmarks that make Cycle 1 truly compelling continue to exist and morph over the next few cycles. Fans and detractors alike can't deny that Tyra had an eye, even early on, for world-building. She parlayed her skill sets in modeling and public performance into an expanding vocabulary for fans (and the media): "smizing," "tooch," "H2T." Tyra's ANTM is an auteur's funhouse, a paradise of sirens, a place where the beauty industry finds transcendence beyond its boundaries. Big girls, strange girls, dark girls, they all stand a chance. In the beginning seasons, she had a savvy eye for casting girls who echoed her physically and in personality, and these girls were consistently rewarded (look no further than Cycle 4's supremely bland Felicia, who lasted four episodes too long). These ideal contestants became disembodied walking signifiers of Tyra herself, scattered amongst the latest crop, reinforcing her omnipotent and omniscient presence as the Author-God of the ANTM universe. She hooked us in with a phenomenally clever and suggestive tagline: "You wanna be on top?" And as dystopian and weird as Top Model gets, its first few cycles are bursting with startlingly astute observations about what happens to women when they're isolated from the male gaze but haunted by it, devoted to it. Every single episode has the same naming convention: "The Girl Who…" The Girl Who Cheats. The Girl Who Everyone Thinks is Killing Herself. The Girl Who is a Visual Orgasm. It's an unabashed commentary on culture, and meta-commentary on reality culture. Each cycle becomes more and more claustrophobic, even as the contestants' living quarters are upgraded to sprawling estates that the Cycle 1 wretches could never have dreamed of. Every successive cycle shines a burning spotlight on a tightly monitored, hermetically sealed powderkeg of women – and we, as the audience, quickly got that the goal wasn't really to be the best, the most beautiful, the most superhuman. The goal was survival.
And in Tyra's dogged pursuit of her own legend, her own legacy, she stumbled on the show's most iconic moment, what I would argue is its beating heart and the key to its twisted vision of womanhood. Sandwiched in between the naturalistic early cycles and the bloated, vapid later cycles is Cycle 4. Tiffany.
Tyra's epic freakout on the hapless Tiffany Richardson is by far the most-quoted clip of ANTM, and it elevated the show out of its creative niche into mass reality entertainment. On the surface, it's basically just a host berating a participant for not taking the competition seriously enough. Beyond the scene's histrionic trash-TV value, however, it also exposed Tyra's endgame all at once, in a shocking reveal of her pathetic vulnerability and maniacal control of not only the Top Model project, but her own narrative. Tyra's speech is absolutely littered with the charred remains of a real female human being. It's a coded story about the way the beauty industry's been Dementoring her since her childhood. "When my mother yells like this, it's because she loves me," Tyra spits, hitting a hysterical sound outside pitch on the word "love." "When you go to bed at night and you lay there, you take responsibility for yourself, 'cause nobody's gonna take responsibility for you." How many beds do you think Tyra Banks laid in all by herself, surrounded by identical beds filled with identical women vying for her life? "You have no idea where I come from," she tells Tiffany, apropos of nothing. "You have no idea what I've been through." Perhaps most telling is the indelible phrase "We were rooting for you, we were ALL rooting for you! How dare you?" The amount of context contained in that vitriolic indictment is incredible. Every woman is rooting for you even when she hates you, even when she's against you, Tiffany. You owe HER your successes and your failures, even when you're selling your face and your body to men. LEARN something from this!
In taking this tack, I obviously am showing my hand a little. I think Tyra Banks is a sympathetic figure, but also an absolute psychopath. The vision she built with ANTM is a danger to society – but in both the straightforward anti-feminist way AND the subversive-to-patriarchy way. Sometimes it's hard to want the misery that these women want; sometimes we want to kill them for wanting it. ANTM certainly does encourage us to hate beautiful, ambitious women, to despise their delusions of grandeur and gaze-greediness. I could write a whole separate blog post on Jade Cole, who is hands-down the most interesting contestant in ANTM history. She's a reality addict's dream and was definitely Tyra's nightmare, as she expertly (and self-reflexively) played to camera and became Cycle 6's breakout star, the emblem of all that was insane about model ego and and ANTM specifically. "This is not America's Next Top Best Friend," crowed Jade, framing the decorative wall letters "A N T M" with her hands. She was right; she just didn't know yet that those letters stood for "America's Next Top Meme."
I would argue that Cycles 1-8 are the meat of Top Model, the oevre we're really talking about when we dissect the importance of this show. Because Tyra is the auteur and Tyra is insane, the show slowly but surely begins to crumble after the mild but still accessible wackiness of Cycle 8 (whose standouts included the heavily-accented first Latina winner Jaslene and the mail-order bride Natasha). The winner of Cycle 9 was rumored to be pre-fixed by Tyra. Contestants were forced to film "viral videos," which anyone familiar with the internet knows is a comically absurd proposition. The judges were cycled in and out at a rapid pace until Tyra had assembled a panel of sycophants – empty and under-qualified personalities, most of them not even of the fashion world (i.e. the universally despised "PR Maven" Kelly Cutrone). By the time the first "gimmick" cycle – 17, the All-Star season – rolled around, ANTM was not ANTM anymore. It was Top Model only in name, and that dream was a farce, evidenced by the complete professional invisibility of almost every past winner. The death gong tolled around Cycle 18, the first cycle to pit teams against one another (British and American) and Cycle 21's inclusion of male models was simply a phallic stab into ANTM's long-cold corpse.
The full lifespan of great TV is really quite poignant: when a show becomes successful, it's immediately pumped full of creative and stylistic hormones that overstrain its heart. Then when it experiences brain-death, it's kept on life support. And when it finally dies, almost no one comes to the funeral. They're at a party with the show's hot younger siblings. That's the story of America's Next Top Model. And even if ANTM's demise as a show isn't unique, its legacy is.
Never before did we get to watch such a vivid portrait of mean. Never before did we get so close to the bleeding scalps and swollen toes of America's most beautiful women, or see them cry and routinely be crushed despite their model faces, their model smiles. Never did we get front-row tickets to dozens of closed rooms like this, studies in female group dynamics engineered by one of its seminal victims, a mastermind who both kept us at arms-length and desperately tried everything she could to hold our attention. America's Next Top Model is over forever, but we all still wanna be on top.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
- Font:
- +
- -
CHICAGO — A government agency has dropped plans to test a controversial treatment for autism that critics had called an unethical experiment on children.
Don't miss these Health stories
More women opting for preventive mastectomy - but should they be?
Rates of women who are opting for preventive mastectomies, such as Angeline Jolie, have increased by an estimated 50 percent in recent years, experts say. But many doctors are puzzled because the operation doesn't carry a 100 percent guarantee, it's major surgery -- and women have other options, from a once-a-day pill to careful monitoring.
- Larry Page's damaged vocal cords: Treatment comes with trade-offs
- Report questioning salt guidelines riles heart experts
- CDC: 2012 was deadliest year for West Nile in US
- What stresses moms most? Themselves, survey says
- More women opting for preventive mastectomy - but should they be?
The National Institute of Mental Health said in a statement Wednesday that the study of chelation (kee-LAY'-shun) has been discontinued. The statement says the agency decided the money would be better used testing other potential therapies for autism and related disorders.
The study had been on hold because of safety concerns. A study published last year linked a chemical used in the treatment to lasting brain problems in rats.
The treatment is based on the fringe theory that mercury in vaccines triggers autism — a theory never proved and rejected by mainstream science.
Chelation (kee-LAY'-shun) removes heavy metals from the body and is used to treat lead poisoning. Its use as an autism treatment is based on the fringe theory that mercury in vaccines triggers autism — a theory never proved and rejected by mainstream science. Mercury hasn't been in childhood vaccines since 2001, except for certain flu shots.
But many parents of autistic children are believers in the treatment, and NIMH agreed to test it.
The researchers had proposed recruiting 120 autistic children ages 4 to 10 and giving half a chelation drug and the other half a dummy pill. The 12-week test would measure before-and-after blood mercury levels and autism symptoms.
The study outline said that failing to find a difference between the two groups would counteract "anecdotal reports and widespread belief" that chelation works.
Autism is a spectrum of disorders that hamper a person's ability to communicate and interact with others. Most doctors believe there is no cure.
In canceling the study, the agency noted it would take another year to review the study and three years to do it. In the meantime, the agency said, it was likely that other research would "provide deeper understanding of the causes of autism and more refined avenues for developing treatments."
Scientists applaud decision
Several scientists praised the decision, including the lead author of the rat study, which found lingering problems in animals that did not have elevated lead levels.
"I think they're making the right decision not to go forward with the study," said Barbara Strupp, a professor of psychology and nutritional sciences at Cornell University.
"Our data raise concerns about administering (the chelation compound) to children who do not have elevated levels of heavy metals," Strupp said.
Dr. Paul Offit, chief of infectious diseases at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, agreed with the decision to cancel.
"Suppose that a child suffers a severe side effect from chelation," said Offit, author of "Autism's False Prophets," a new book on autism research. "Without any evidence it's helpful, I think it's unethical."
The chelation drug proposed for the study, DMSA, can cause side effects including rashes and low white blood cell count.
"This was a wise and careful decision," said Ellen Silbergeld of Johns Hopkins University's Bloomberg School of Public Health, who had been invited to comment on the study during an earlier review, in an e-mail.
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


text:
Connor Scully insists Cove Rangers can cause Hearts problems in tonight's League Cup clash.
The Premiership Jambos take on the Highland League champions at Balmoral Stadium tonight.
It's Cove's second match of the League Cup group stage and the Jambos' first.
The Granite City side were beaten 2-0 by Inverness Caley Thistle in their cup opener on Saturday.
They then faced Aberdeen in a friendly to open the Balmoral Stadium on Sunday, but that game was abandoned after 57 minutes due to a serious head injury suffered by Cove's Jordon Brown.
Tonight John Sheran's side will have Mitch Megginson, who netted 52 goals last term, back from suspension.
Scully believes Cove can take confidence from their display against Inverness and believes they can cause Hearts problems.
The midfielder said: "It will be a tough game but it will be good for the fans to have a club like that at our ground.
"We're really looking forward to it.
"It's been a tough spell, we're not expected to get a result, but hopefully we can get something.
"I think we do cause teams problems and you look at Saturday in the first 30 minutes we were in the game and had a couple of good chances.
"Their keeper made a couple of good saves and we take positives out of that and go into the match with our heads held high.
"Mitch Megginson with his goals will come back in and hopefully that helps us."
Jambos boss Craig Levein watched Cove's match with Caley Thistle in the Highland capital at the weekend.
Scully thinks it's a compliment that the former Scotland gaffer has scouted them.
He added: "I don't think anyone should take Cove lightly because we have players who played at a full-time level anyway.
"It's good he has been looking at us and noting things down.
"It's a compliment and it shows they won't take us lightly.
"Nobody does because every time we go on the park we do ourselves and the club proud."
Striker Jonny Smith also thinks Cove will create chances this evening.
And he thinks it's important they take their opportunities against Hearts because he knows they might not get too many.
He said: "I think we can cause a shock. We were unlucky against Inverness.
"They had chances but we had some too, and they defended well at times.
"If we'd put our half chances away it would have been a different game.
"We always know that we're good going forward and that we're going to create chances.
"It's the early stages of the season, we're using it as pre-season and we will get better.
"When you're five or six games into the season you get half chances and you bury them.
"But in the first game or two sometimes you don't and it brings you back to reality.
"You just need to keep improving."
Help support quality local journalism … become a digital subscriber to the Evening Express
For as little as £5.99 a month you can access all of our content, including Premium articles.Subscribe


text:
ccmh581 | Graduate
Supervision/management In Clinical Mental Health Counseling
- Overview
- Topics
- Costs
This graduate-level course is 6 This course is available to take individually or To enroll, speak with an Enrollment Representative.
Course details:
topic title goes here
Role and Function of Supervisors, Qualifications of Supervisors, Supervision and Supervisory Settings
- Identify state regulations regarding clinical supervision.
- Identify various aspects of supervision in public and private settings, or other settings as applicable.
- Assess the impact of personal history on the supervisory relationship.
- Develop a working definition of clinical supervision.
- Analyze the functions of supervision in the clinical setting.
- Describe essential supervisory characteristics.
- Analyze the components of positive supervisory relationships.
Models of Supervision, Supervisory Interventions
- Describe conceptual and developmental models of counseling supervision.
- Analyze psychotherapy-based models of supervision.
- Discuss the functions of the supervisor as a role model in supervision.
- Identify key supervisor responsibilities for training supervisees.
- Analyze supervisory interventions and their appropriate and timely use.
- Evaluate supervisee competency utilizing multiple tools and measures.
- Demonstrate the appropriate use of key supervisory intervention skills.
- Identify professional issues that affect clinical mental health counselors.
Skills and Tasks of Supervisees
- Discuss the importance of developing appropriate treatment plans, case notes, and clinical documentation.
- Describe the effects of unresolved personal issues as they relate to supervisee performance.
- Define supervisory needs using a conceptual and psychotherapy-based model of supervision.
Management and Consultation
- Define consultation and differentiate from clinical supervision.
- Analyze consultation models and ethical implications.
- Compare and contrast administrative supervision, management, and clinical supervision, including administration finance and accountability in mental health services and programs.
- Review public policies on the local, state, and national levels that affect the quality and accessibility of mental health services.
Emergency Response Management
- Identify supervision strategies which prepare, monitor, and support counselors in providing services to trauma-based clients.
- Explain the operation of an emergency management system within clinical mental health agencies and in the community.
- Articulate the principles of crisis intervention management for the victims of disasters or other trauma-causing events.
Legal and Ethical Issues in Supervision
- Review the ACA Code of Ethics, Section F: Supervision, Training, and Teaching.
- Describe the major legal aspects of clinical supervision, including state licensure requirements.
- Articulate the Approved Clinical Supervisor Code of Ethics, National Board for Certified Counselors.
Please ask about these special rates:
Teacher Rate: For some courses, special tuition rates are available for current, certified P-12 teachers and administrators. Please speak with an Enrollment Representative today for more details.
Military Rate: For some courses, special tuition rates are available for active duty military members and their spouses. Please speak with an Enrollment Representative today for more details.
The University of Phoenix reserves the right to modify courses.
While widely available, not all programs are available in all locations or in both online and on-campus formats. Please check with a University Enrollment Representative.
Transferability of credit is at the discretion of the receiving institution. It is the student's responsibility to confirm whether or not credits earned at University of Phoenix will be accepted by another institution of the student's choice.


text:
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — More than 5,000 miles separate the domes of St. Marys Ukrainian Orthodox Church in McKees Rocks from the the recent violence in Kiev's Independence Square and the tense stalemate with Russia in Crimea.
But the distance doesn't exist for those with deep roots in Ukraine.
"My wife hasn't been able to sleep since this all has been going on," said Father Tim Tomson.
Tomson's wife is from West Ukraine. His grandfather's name was Tchaikovsky when he left that country. He sees Vladimir Putin's actions as an invasion, pure and simple.
"I'm not against Russians," he said. "I'm against Russian imperialism. Ukraine is for Ukraine. Russia is for Russia."
Once all of Ukraine fought to stay separate from Russia during the communist revolution in 1917. But in 1932, Joseph Stalin created a famine killing 6 to 9 million Ukrainians, mostly in the east. He then deported Russians to replace them. That's part of the reason for current tensions.
Now the west of the country is Ukrainian speaking and pro-European Union. The east, along with the Crimean Peninsula, is primarily Russian-speaking and Kremlin-oriented.
"The stated fear by Vladimir Putin that they are protecting the rights of ethnic Russians in Crimea and in East Ukraine is simply an excuse," said Michael Komichak.
Komichak's heritage is Ukrainian – but he's also a retired US Army Colonel and military intelligence specialist.
He doubts that Putin will roll tanks through Ukraine, and believes that Putin may be satisfied in protecting his important Black Sea Naval Base on Crimea. But Komichak also wants to see the US and others keep the pressure on — diplomatically or economically.
"Whether it's to provide the Ukrainians with military intelligence as to Russian movements," he said, "all of those things could cause Putin to believe we're serious without crossing the line or bumping heads."
More Local News


text:
Late Friday night, the Writers Guild of America voted overwhelmingly to approve a strike authorization vote. In a stunning blow to the AMPTP (the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers — basically the major studios and networks) a whopping 90.3% of the 5, 507 WGA votes cast (in a record turnout, by the way!) were in favor of authorizing a strike. By any standard, that is a pretty major majority!
Now, despite the doom and gloom headlines that have been bouncing around the internet and newspapers all week long, this does NOT mean that the WGA will go on strike. It simply means that we (the members of the WGA) have authorized our leaders to strike when and if they deem it necessary anytime after our contract with the AMPTP expires on October 31st.
But more importantly, what this vote does is it tells the AMPTP that we are totally unified in our support not only for our leaders (led by our recently-re-elected president, Patric Verrone — a writer for "The Simpsons" and "Futurama" and a total bad-ass negotiator!) but for the very reasonable demands we are making from the multi-national conglomerates that basically run the industry nowadays. It's simple really, pay us a decent wage for the reuse of our work in every format and platform available (webisodes, cell phone ringtones, whatever) or we'll walk.
The way it usually works is that every three years the WGA and the AMPTP hammer out an agreement called the MBA: Minimum Basic Agreement. The MBA sets up minimum pay schedules for every kind of writing you can imagine (news, radio, TV, film) and generally the minimums go up a little bit each time we negotiate. But this time the negotiations are totally different, and a big reason for that is the internet.
The total explosion of internet broadcasting and the subsequent re-playing (for free!) of WGA written material online since the last MBA was ratified has been almost startling, so the WGA in partnership with our brothers and sisters at the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) and the Directors Guild (DGA) have decided that now is the time to address the issue of actually getting paid when our shows run (or re-run) on the internet.
We're not asking for zillions of dollars here, just a simple pay schedule that we can all agree to — similar, but hopefully better, than the one's already in place for DVD and cable — that will pay us residuals (and contribute to our health and benefits plan) any time our work is rebroadcast on the internet. The AMPTP, however, refuses to even discuss the issue and is urging all three guilds to allow them to study the issue of internet profitability for the next three years and revisit the issue at the next MBA discussions in 2010.
Yes, you heard me right, the networks and studios want to study the issue of internet profitability. The studios claim that they don't make any money off the internet yet. Well, excuse my French, but what a load of crap!
Anyone who's ever viewed an episode of "Alias" or "Lost" (or whatever show you dig) online knows that you cannot fast forward through the ads embedded in the online version of the show. Yes, ads. And unless the network is running those ads for Sprint (or whoever) for free, then, by golly, they're making some money off the internet. To paraphrase Edward G. Robinson: "Where's your Moses now, AMPTP?" I mean, come on, for them to cry poor to us about the internet (while touting it as their highest growth sector to their investors!) is just plain shitty.
The main reason the WGA is so pissed off is that back in the mid-80's when home video was just starting out, the AMPTP asked us to give them a break on residuals. They claimed they didn't know where this new format was going (and in reality, who did back then?) and that if we took a greatly reduced rate of pay for home video residuals, they would revisit the issue once this whole VCR thing took off. So, we agreed to take four cents a tape. Four cents! And then, guess what happened, VCRs and movies on tape (and later, DVD) exploded and the AMPTP said that since we already had a deal in place, they would not revisit the issue again. Hello, lie much?
So, basically, the WGA got screwed big time back in the day and swore that if something like that ever came up again, they'd fight harder for a fair deal — something we wouldn't end up regretting 20 years down the road — and now, that time is here…
The internet is changing every second so even if you did a three year study now, by the time it was completed, it would be totally outdated. I mean, come on, play fair here guys. I think the most galling thing I heard at a recent WGA pre-vote meeting is that the guys who make the plastic for DVD boxes get nine cents a disc. More than twice what we get, and without us they wouldn't need to make the damn box to begin with! Crazy!
Anyway, there are a number of other issues (increasing the payment for cable and "netlets" like the CW, WGA health and benefits coverage for animation and reality show writers, etc.) on the table as well, but for me, the most pressing of them all is the internet. And if the AMPTP can't suck it up and offer us a better deal, then I have a very strong feeling I'm gonna be hitting the streets with mis hermanos come November 1st. Don't get me wrong, I don't want a strike, no one does, but if it comes to that, I really think — and judging by the outcome of the strike authorization vote, I am not alone — that this is the right time and the right reason to take a stand.
I know I probably sound like Norma Rae standing on a chair with a "Union" sign, but I just wanted to fill you in on what's happening down here before the streets of Burbank start running red with the blood of the AMPTP infidels!
Of course, that would be movie blood…not real blood. Unless I get like, a paper cut from one of the picket signs or something. Anyway, que viva la WGA!


text:
Pet Therapeutics
Our story starts with a dog.
When our black lab Skylar was a puppy, my daughter turned to me and said, 'Look, Dad, it's like he's hugging me with his eyes.'As Skylar (and my kids) grew, he continued to melt our hearts with his funny face, wagging tail and sweet nuzzles. Now, he's our furry Buddha – unconditionally loving, totally non-judgmental and always living in the present moment. Skylar has given us so much love and laughter through the years, we thought it was time to give him (and every other amazing dog out there) something in return. So we looked around at the latest technology in comfort for humans – and thought, 'Hey, don't our dogs deserve this too?' And so began our obsession to create PetTherapeutic comfort pads.
Human comfort has always been our inspiration – if thermal reflective heat is all the rage for keeping people warm, then why shouldn't dogs benefit from that too? If we sleep on orthopedic, memory foam mattresses, then our dogs deserve that same comfort. Cooling gel mattresses are another innovation for people…and now it's gone to the dogs. We even went so far as to have our brilliant team of engineers develop a therapeutic magnetic pad so our older dogs could rest easy. We confess, every product we developed, we did it out of love.
That's why we say our products are "engineered for comfort, motivated by love." Pure, crazy, unconditional love for our dogs.


text:
Today, accountants are expected to offer financial services that match the speed at which businesses function. However, meeting performance demands cannot happen at the cost of compliance, risk and regulatory adherence. This means that accountants need to, somehow, add more strategic value wherever they can. While that may sound like unwarranted pressure, even unreasonable, it is becoming increasingly possible and easy. As technology develops and network architectures evolve, applications are becoming more agile, offering accountants flexible access to resources, centralised data libraries and automation functions that were largely absent in the past.
For government entities, the need for more transparent systems and processes means they too are looking at more efficient ways of reporting on their fiscal practices. With technological advances stepping in to meet this demand, financial statements and reporting have become a much-less burdensome undertaking. Let's take a look at a few functions of modern financial reporting systems and how they aid in compliance, reporting, efficiency and transparency.
The importance of integration in financial statement software
In many organisations, client data is still stored across stand-alone computers and network drives. Searching for documentation or previous years' files can be a time-consuming process that involves sifting through reams of data – with losses in productivity. This highlights the importance of an integrated platform. Information stored in one central environment can save many hours of work. Thanks to increases in computing power and storage capacity, modern financial statement software solutions are lean, integrated and highly available. This means they also offer deeper process visibility for improved risk identification. The software is designed to be compatible with most computing systems, allowing ease of set up and use.
Eliminating risk
Eliminating risk and non-compliance is a top priority on any accountant's list, so choosing software that has built-in validation tools is absolutely essential. With these tools, any inaccuracies can be immediately identified and brought to your attention for correction. This will give you peace of mind that all risk has been eliminated, and more time to focus your energy on other areas of your practice.
Automation means less risk and more time
One way to eliminate risk is through automation. Finance departments are inherently process-heavy, with manual task-repetition infamously susceptible to human error, the more automated your daily functions and processes can become – the better. Reliance on spreadsheets has high levels of risk, and spreadsheet solutions are often said to be among the biggest causes of damage to business productivity. When looking for a solution for your, the number one rule to keep in mind is, "If you can automate it, then automate it".
Automation does not only reduce risk, it results in substantial time-savings. The more automated processes your organisation has, the more streamlined your work becomes. Automation frees up staff to focus on other important aspects of their jobs.
Protection and support
Financial statement software is safe to use and provides full protection of sensitive data. Backups ensure that recent copies of documents are always accessible. Like all technology, software packages require support – just in case there are any queries or questions. Financial statement software generally offers online and telephonic technical support to keep your work flowing smoothly.
A comprehensive solution is a must
Public entities are operating in a space where utmost transparency and trust are in increasing demand. CaseWare is widely relied on in 130 countries, and has over 18000 users in Africa alone. We serve a wide range of customers from public entities to auditing firms to blue chip companies. CaseWare is continually updated to ensure our systems meet and exceed the compliance demands placed on modern financial statement software. Our solutions remove the frustrations and confusion involved in dealing with financial standards like IPSAS Accrual or IPSAS Cash and Modified Cash, IFRS for SME and IFRS. Please contact us for more information on how we help public entities remain compliant, efficient and transparent.
Like what you see and want more? Lets chat.
If you fancy something else, see what else we have to offer.


text:
Easily connect and hot swap dual 2.5" and 3.5" SATA/SAS hard drives from a 5.25" bay. The HSB2535SATBK Removable 2-drive backplane lets you quickly install and hot-swap drives from the front of your computer, by turning a 5.25" bay into a hot-swappable SATA/SAS interface for you to connect a 3.5" SATA hard drive (HDD) and/or a 2.5" SATA hard drive or solid state drive (SSD).
The hard drive bay interfaces with SATA/SAS, offering two trayless hard drive bays and can be mounted into any 5.25" front bay, to provide a hot-swappable mobile rack. The bays feature ejection levers which allow drives to be installed and removed quickly from the computer system, providing a convenient way to create backups that can then be removed for safekeeping, archiving, or external portable access.
For added versatility the backplane provides support for both SATA and SAS interfaces, an ideal accommodation for enterprise system integration. Plus, to help prevent drive failure, the bay provides excellent heat dissipation with a built-in fan and slotted aluminum enclosure.
Quantity to buy of StarTech.com 6in 4 Pin Molex to SATA Power Cable Adapter
Quantity to buy of StarTech.com 18in Latching SATA Cable
Quantity to buy of StarTech.com 5.25in Trayless Hot Swap Mobile Rack for 3.5in Hard Drive
Quantity to buy of StarTech.com 2 Drive 2.5in Trayless Hot Swap SATA Mobile Rack Backplane
Quantity to buy of StarTech.com 6in SATA Power Y Splitter Cable Adapter - M/F
Quantity to buy of StarTech.com 4x SATA Power Splitter Adapter Cable
Quantity to buy of StarTech.com Dual Bay 5.25" Trayless Hot Swap Mobile Rack for SATA HDD/SSD
Not quite found what you are looking for? You can find products which may be more suitable by simply checking the features that interest you and clicking the find button.
We use cookies to do things like remember what you've added to your shopping basket and show you content we think you'll be interested in.
If you're happy with the use of cookies by BT Business Direct and selected third parties, click OK to continue.
Some cookies are essential - we can't provide our services without them.
Other cookies can be turned off, although our website won't work as well without them.
Click OK to accept cookies and continue.
These cookies let us do things like remember your login details and settings and provide support using live chat.
We use these cookies to do things like show you content and promotions we think
you'll like while you're browsing BT Business Direct and other sites. They also let you share pages with social media sites.
You can change your cookies settings whenever you like by using the 'Cookie preferences' link at the bottom of every page on this website.
Here are your current cookie settings.


text:
PHQ Asia
Social Networks
EnglishAdd to favorites
Categories listed
- commercial production
- visual effects
PHQ Asia: Latest magazines
showcase magazine Nov 2014 bangkok issue 504Client: Head & Shoulders Video Gallery
More Photos
PHQ Asia commercial production
PHQ Asia is an International production house offering state-of-the-art personaliszed services in TVC production, pProduction facilitation, post-production, visual effects and still photography facilitation.
With over 15 years of experience in Asia, the company is able to draw on immense knowledge and a broad range of skills to provide clients with viable creative solutions to match their budgets.
With a large roster of directors and DoPs, access to highly-trained professional crews and top of the line film and still equipment, PHQ Asia is a one-stop shop for all production requirements.


text:
Proposed features/Way Condition
|Way Condition
|Abandoned (inactive)
|Proposed by:
|Rendered as:
|different color for very bad
Way condition is important in some cases. While not very useful for map drawing, it can be used for routing purposes.
A bad way condition on a motorway could be set if it has many bumps and lane grooves and is thus dangerous to drive fast on (if wet).
A bad way condition on a track indicates that a normal car might have problems getting through. A very bad (vbad for lazy people like me ;) ) condition on a track implies that only a Jeep is able to conquer the track.
Very bad for a footpath could imply that Hiking shoes are essential for conquering this one, while a very good condition makes the path accessible for anybody.
I agree that stating the condition of somethings in inportant, but which bit is this stating the condision of? i.e. A cliif path footway may have fallen away... or, there may be a footway that has been ignored by the landowner and had a fence built over it... or, there may be a footway that is knee deep in mud. Would the grading Vgood to Vbad be stating the safety, how clear its marked, or how easy it is to get across, or is it how confident a person is that the way is marked right (due to poor markings of the way) Or is it just a mix of all of them?
The problem with condision is that (espeically for a footpath) they nearly all change threwout the year. A hard path in the summer may be a quog mire in the winter. I therefore think stating its condision isn't posible. I do agree the surface can be stated though, but tracktype sorted this fine for tracks. For paths, sufaces/unsurfaces would usually take care of it.
If a "car might have problems getting through", then I would suspect that is seasonal, and I think an additional caution tag is needed for that. This would either have discriptive text, or there would be 2 tags stating the months at either end of the period in which this is a problem
I would agree to this proposal if its use to state how well 'maintained' a way is, wich can be always judged relative to the season or weather. Therefore on a footway the factors to consider would be are all the stiles/gates etc accsessable, are there sign posts, are the hedges cut back etc... Then additional to this tag, it would need to be stated what the guidlines for the differnet levels are. I know how I would propose grading footways/bridleways/byways etc, but I'll wait till this is discussed futher before moving on to that. Ben. 04:02 3rd February 2007 (UTC)
I'd like to see something like this to distinguish between different types of cobblestoned roads for cycling. Around here, the quality of cobblestoned roads varies significantly. I'd like to be able to at least distinguish three levels, perhaps a default of normal, as well as good and bad for above and below average roads. Robx 10:11, 26 February 2008 (UTC)


text:
Visit Pelican Point Sanctuary for a unique experience – not just a holiday!
Heron is our two bedroom villa which accommodates up to 4 guests. Beautifully appointed, this villa has also been designed to be wheelchair friendly. As with all of our accommodations, Heron has both bedrooms boast direct access to outdoor area. Features include:
Egret Villa is our three bedroom apartment. This combines two villas into one! One of the bedrooms is actually Robin Villa, a self contained studio apartment. This is adjacent to the main two bedroom apartment "Sandpiper Villa" and has both direct access from Sandpiper Villa, and its own private access if required. An ideal combination for those travelling together but who still want complete privacy. This gives the combination room to accommodate 6 guests. Egret features:
Then you walk through into the Studio Apartment, which features
Sandpiper Villa is a two bedroom apartment featuring a modern, fully equipped kitchen, beautifully appointed bathroom, and a large open plan living/dining area. This villa accommodates up to 4 guests.
Beautifully appointed one bedroom studio, which sleeps 2 guests. This villa caters for a couple and features a spacious king size bed, with all amenities. Features include:
There is something especially cosy and secluded about a loft bedroom. This beautiful, self-contained unit has three bedrooms and one bathroom. The third bedroom is privately hidden away upstairs in the loft. It is suitable for a family, and can sleep up to 6 guests. Set on the ridge with beautiful views of the surrounding property. Your view lingers towards the township of St Helens while taking in Platypus Lake, Granny's Gut, and Georges Bay. Features include:
The studio cottage is set in the surrounds of fruit trees. The location is blissfully tranquil with scenic views across the sanctuary to Georges Bay, and Granny's Gut. You will often be treated to the sight of our cattle grazing nearby. Stylishly furnished as a couples retreat. Features include:


text:
THE SQL Server Blog Spot on the Web
It's time for the fourth T-SQL Tuesday, managed this time by Mike Walsh. I almost missed this deadline completely, since I didn't see the announcement at all. I wrote to Adam to ask if there even was an event this month, since I wasn't able to get into my own blog site (www.SQLBlog.com) for a week, and he pointed me to Mike's site. I'm wondering if it's this hit and miss for everyone. There is no single location where those people interested in T-SQL Tuesday can find out about it. Do you just have to read every possible SQL Server blog to see where the announcement might pop up?
Mike's topic is I/O and in keeping with my past posts, this contribution will include a history lesson. Also, because I just found out about it with only hours to go until the end of Tuesday UTC, it will be very short.
Several of the other bloggers who have already made their I/O posts have mentioned the fact that just looking at the numbers for read operations do not tell the whole story. Back in the early days, the main tool we had was STATISTICS IO, and we used the numbers it returned for Logical IOs to determine which queries were 'better' than which others. In back then, those of us who did a lot of query tuning knew that the numbers returned did not give the full story, as read operations come in two flavors. There are cache reads and there are physical reads (from disk). The value for logical reads includes both. If all the reads were from cache, there wouldn't be much cost at all, but the value gives us a worst case scenario. Potentially, all the Reads could be physical, if the cache is very small or extremely volatile (or both.) So the Logical Reads value basically sets an upper limit. In many cases, with a large cache and popular tables, all, or most, of the Reads were from cache, so what looked like an expensive query from the STATISTICS IO value was not that expensive at all.
The Logical Reads value could look quite large in the case of a join, where the inner table was repeatedly accessed, over and over, for each qualifying row in the outer table. Most of the repeated accesses would be from cached data, but each access to the same data would be counted as a separate Logical Read.
Still, when comparing two queries, looking at this worst case value could frequently be useful. If I had a choice between two queries which yielded the same results, and if one showed a value for Logical Reads in the tens of thousands, and the other showed a few hundred, it was an easy decision as to which query was better.
That all changed in SQL Server 7, when the optimizer was greatly enhanced to add a couple of new processing techniques, in particular HASH JOIN and HASH AGGREGATION.
HASH operations perform minimal read operations, as each table is scanned only once, at most. SQL Server takes the rows and hashes them, storing the hash 'buckets' in memory (as much as possible). The work of HASH operations is not in IOs, but in the CPU cost of calculating the hash values and managing the hash buckets, and the memory cost of storing the hash buckets.
I just wrote a query that joined two tables, and ran it twice. For the first one I forced a LOOP JOIN, and for the second I forced a HASH JOIN. I enabled STATISTICS IO and STATISTICS TIME. Here are the results:
-- First, for the LOOP JOIN:
Table 't1'. Scan count 4999, logical reads 10773, physical reads 0, read-ahead reads 0, lob logical reads 0, lob physical reads 0, lob read-ahead reads 0. Table 't2'. Scan count 1, logical reads 583, physical reads 0, read-ahead reads 0, lob logical reads 0, lob physical reads 0, lob read-ahead reads 0.
SQL Server Execution Times: CPU time = 31 ms, elapsed time = 323 ms.
-- Next, for the HASH JOIN:
Table 't1'. Scan count 1, logical reads 149, physical reads 0, read-ahead reads 0, lob logical reads 0, lob physical reads 0, lob read-ahead reads 0. Table 't2'. Scan count 1, logical reads 583, physical reads 0, read-ahead reads 0, lob logical reads 0, lob physical reads 0, lob read-ahead reads 0.
SQL Server Execution Times: CPU time = 63 ms, elapsed time = 1341 ms.
The LOOP JOIN case has far more Logical Reads, particularly for the inner table (t1) which is accessed multiple times. The HASH JOIN has far fewer reads, but the times, but for actual CPU and for elapsed time, are considerably longer.
I still frequently look at STATISTICS IO values, even with SQL Server 2008 queries, but I try to keep in mind that there is a lot more data to be gathered before I can get the true performance picture.
If you would like to receive an email when updates are made to this post, please register here
Subscribe to this post's comments using
Hey Kalen!
Thanks for the post, looking forward to reading through it more. Apologies about the lack of a good notice mechanism. I blogged about it a week ago but I am not as well subscribed to as a blog like yours. Adam also blogged about it and some folks tweeted about it.
I just added an RSS feed to the #tsql2sday twitter hashtag in my feed reader and that shows me all the tweets that mention #tsql2sday. That is one possible way to get notifications. The way the time flies it is pretty tough to remember which Tuesday of the month you are on, let alone the fact that that is the one TSQL Tuesday happens on :-)
I am glad you made it in with some time to spare, though.
Thanks, Mike. I actually didn't have any time to spare. Deadline was 16:00 PST I posted at 15:22 PST, and I had a dentist appointment at 15:30. So I was a bit late for that.
Your solution is an interesting one, but not realistic for someone who is not into twitter or tweeting.
I'll just have to set up a reminder to look around everywhere on the first Tuesday of the month, and hope to find an announcement somewhere, or at least a link to an announcement.
I think one useful method could be to get the previous month's host to mention it. That didn't happen this time though — clearly last month's host is a slacker. Eh? Oh.
Of course, if April's host is already known, Mike could mention it in his roundup...
https://goo.gl/LwqY7V | https://goo.gl/rVE6qX | https://goo.gl/KTrjVR |


text:
Budget Building Tools and Resources
There are many online resources to help create a personal budget and assess your financial situation. The tools here will help you determine where your money is going and how you can create a limited budget while seeking employment.
Getting your finances under control is very important, especially when you don't have a job. It's a task that usually involves making significant changes in the way you and your family members spend money.
In order to change spending with the least amount of stress for you and your loved ones, you should:
- track your current spending habits for a long enough period of time to see where your money goes. Ideally, you should track your spending for a month to be sure you include most of your recurring monthly expenses, including utilities, loan payments, and rent or mortgage payments.
- identify your priorities. Distinguish between essential expenses you must keep paying for, and non-essential spending that you can reduce or eliminate.
- identify ways to cut spending--or increase income—to balance your budget each month.
- monitor your ongoing spending to be sure you are in fact focusing on mandatory expenses.


text:
system file checker windows 10 : Fixing Corrupted File
The Way to Fixing Corrupted File Using System file checker windows 10 Scanning
System file checker windows 10 are really advantageous for your PC because it will help you to detect the problems. When you have some issues regarding to your PC system, this will be the guide for you to fix the issues. This file, eleven just a small system file but it will work really great for your apps, drivers and also your Windows update. However, sometimes the problem comes from this file system itself. So how will you do when your system checker is corrupted?
How to Scan System file checker windows 10
You can follow the command below to repair your system file windows.
First thing first you can use your Windows key, press it together with X key on your keyboard. or you can rightclick on windows logo. It is used to open your Power User menu. After it opens, you can choose the Command Prompt as administrator. You need to run the system checker as admin when you want repair it. After that you can scan the System file checker windows 10.
There will be some results come out when you finish scanning the system file. If you get the message. It contains the successful of protection and reparation. It means that your system checker is finishing fixing the problem. But, when the message you get is "Windows Resource was unable to fix some it or you will find CBS.Log %WinDir%\Logs\CBS\CBS.log:" it means you have to repair your problems manually.
You can open the sfclogs.txt to repair the issues manually and this file sometimes is hiding in your desktop. You can open it using the notepad feature. You will get the information about the file that can be repaired and cannot be repaired. Make sure that you open all the scan programs within windows, do not use it offline. That's you can fix your System file checker windows 10.


text:
Recently Browsing 0 members
No registered users viewing this page.
Similar Content
By Glitterwolf
Okay people, we have a pandemic on our hands, we're all affected by it in some way.
I hereby put out a challenge to all of you:
Paint a mini, build a diorama, print a 3D print, draw something, whatever you feel like that has to do with either the current pandemic or an earlier plague/disaster.
You could go realistic or fantasy/scifi/ pulp style.
Make it a tribute to those who fight the virus or show the horrors of a plague in a medieval setting.
It's up to you
Medical Staff Empty street diorama People in hazmat suits Police/firefighters People in lockdown Hoarders/looters Plague victims Plague doctors
No rewards here, just for the sake of creativity.
If you can't paint right now but have a suitable piece to show you did earlier, post it.
Stay Safe, Stay Healthy, let's try to at least fight the loniless and fear by being creative with it.
Post as many stuff as you like.
No rules only that it has to has something to do with a pandemic/plague/ disaster from your point of view.
By Rat13
Having just started a 45 figure batch paint of guardsmen, I decided a side project may be in order. Just a little something I could fiddle with off and on to disrupt the monotony and I knew just the project.
About a year ago, after I finished my first commissar, I thought it would be a good idea to paint all my commissars differently. That way I could tell all of my HQs or elites apart, but wouldn't you know it after a couple games I realized it was completely unnecessary. Having already started down that path however I decided to press on.
Within about the first week of pondering different color schemes I had a great idea. Unfortunately I lacked the skills and hobby confidence to attempt it. This past year I've managed to learn quite a bit though, especially about sculpting/working with greenstuff. So I think it's time to attempt a Hulk Hogan commissar.
First up was locating a good reference photo for both his moustache and boa (see above).
As the moustache was the trickier of the two I decided to start there. In a twist of fate getting a good texture was the easy part, but getting the proper size wasn't. After some back and forth I finally got the size correct. Then it was just a simple matter of using a pin and a toothpick to achieve a hair like texture.
This is what you get zooming in, but at a regular viewing distance I think it looks good.
Next came the boa. Try as I might I couldn't get a good feathery texture going. I could get a good amorphous blob/coral like texture though. Much like the moustache it'll fail upon close inspection but I think with a good paintjob it'll hold up just fine.
See I told you that moustache is passable with some distance.
Now it's just a matter of letting everything dry before priming. I guess it's a good thing we have holiday commitments for the next couple days.
As with any greenstuff project you always end up with some leftovers. After adding a skull to the Hulkster's base I thought I'd share the wealth with a few random models from my desk.
By SGHawkins09
Not sure if this belongs here or under conversions but since I need help/feedback on the sculpting, I figured here was better.
I am adding puffy sleeves to a figure and I am very much a novice when it comes to sculpting. I have been working on one and while it looks good to me, I need a second opinion. What do you guys think?
By Metalchaos
Hi everyone, Now that the contest is over, here are more pictures of my converted 77038, Hell Hound. The original sculpt is by Ben Siens. This was my entry in Reaper's Facebook Convert and Paint contest. Khan is my elf riding dog in our D&D campaign. The contest was the perfect pretexte to make this conversion. I first removed all the spikes and flames on the hound's back. I then built the armor and saddle using green stuff and a paperclip. The chest is from Reaper's 02638, adventuring accessories. There were amazing entries in the contest and I managed to get an honorable mention. Thanks to Reaper miniatures and Matthew Clark for organizing this contest.
By RandomExtra
I started a D&D campaign for my son and some of his friends, and using it as an excuse to acquire and paint some new minis. Here is my son's Tiefling sorcerer (sorceress?)The plan: We don't really like the "combat bikini" on this one, so I am going to attempt to add, well something to it. It won't be great, probably wont even look good, but hey I'm only trying to get better, so please comment, critique, advise, instruct, and what not.
Going with a light purple skin because its for a Tiefling character, and I think purple is an interesting color to paint. Turquoise colored garments as a complimentary color, and some yellow gold metal for some contrast.
And some color after the nip tuck. I went with blue for a base cause I'm guessing it will work better with the purple skin.
We decided to chop the staff and try for a glass orb for the arcane focus. Any recommendations are appreciated.
Finally to end the night with some Green stuff. I started with a "sheet" of it for the Front and Back panels. I'm going to try to add some detail tomorrow after this dries.
Overall I don't think the cloth is laying quite right, or the size is off. Either way I hope I can fix it in the next session.
Who's Online 20 Members, 1 Anonymous, 30 Guests (See full list)


text:
The kids and I were on our own this weekend.
It was deliciously cold and wet outside. After the back-to-back soccer games on Saturday morning, we spent the weekend folding laundry and watching a Billy the Exterminator marathon.
Nothing makes me want to clean my house more than watching six-hours of cockroach and vermin infested homes.
Unless, I happen to be watching Hoarders... but that's a post for another day.
I managed to make it through the weekend without baking anything. Which is a challenge for me in the winter months. I do love to bake...but we've barely made it through the pumpkin products I baked last week, so I am trying to use self-control.
Speaking of self-control: I have none.
Case in point: The Girl asked me to take her to the craft store after church yesterday so she could get some polymer clay.
I told myself I would not look at the yarn.
Especially since I bought 6 skeins on the first of September and made this:
Don't buy yarn. Don't buy yarn. Don't buy yarn, I chanted to myself as I walked around the store...
... but, of course, i did.
I found THE softest, loveliest, coziest, yarn. Ever.
It's Lion Brand: Quick and Cozy bulky yarn. It looks and feels like chenille, but is as light as feathers.
Y'all, its like crocheting with spun clouds.
I'm sure I looked a fool as I stood there feeling each skein and flipping through that rolodex in my head of people who needed something, anything.
I remembered a little boy on my September list. He needed this yarn.
Without a pattern or an idea of what I would do, I threw four skeins in the cart and ran to the checkout before I got into bigger trouble.
|If anyone is interested in the super-easy pattern,
let me know and I will write it out and post it.
Speaking of kids... this one is walking around like an old man.
He's been dealing with hip pain for over a year. We took him to an orthopedist and his hips are perfect but he's been referred to a general surgeon.
Turns out he has a sports-hernia, quite possibly bi-lateral. He has had a great sense of humor about this issue, even when in significant pain. Most mornings when he wakes up, he can barely get out of bed. It takes him a long time to come down the stairs. He is like an old-man in a 14 year old body. Yesterday, he went to the garage and made himself an "old-man cane." He thinks he's quite clever.
I think he maybe headed for a little outpatient surgery toward the end of October. When that happens I may see if they can surgically remove that hat.
Speaking of hats...
I've got nothin' on hats, but I couldn't think of a third Speaking of, and I hated to end with two...
Happy Monday!


text:
The Chinese hairy crab has been discovered in Scotland for the first time and experts said the creatures have the potential to destroy local ecosystems.
The species, also known as the Chinese mitten crab, pose a serious threat to salmon and trout in Glasgow's River Clyde, where the remains of one was found.
Researchers from Royal Holloway, University of London, and the Natural History Museum, said the Mitten Crab Recording Project has already confirmed populations are present across rivers in the UK but this was the first time they has ventured as far north as Scotland.
The creatures have been revealed to be one of the 100 worst alien species as they cause severe structural damage to riverbanks by burrowing, destroying local ecosystems.
A delicacy in China, the crabs are named after the furry mats covering their claws. They are native to East Asia but are now found across the US and north-east Europe. They were first found in the River Thames in 1935, probably a result of shipping.
One was first sighted in Scotland two weeks ago when shelled remains were found in Dalmarnock.
David Morritt, from Royal Holloway, said: "Our laboratory feeding trials with sub-adult Chinese mitten crabs reveal that the crabs apparently show a preference for larger eggs, which are easier to handle and probably more profitable in terms of energy gained.
"The occurrence of these Chinese mitten crabs in a Scottish river could have a devastating impact on the famous salmon and trout fishing rivers should they manage to reach parts of the catchments where these fish spawn."
However, Jo Long, senior conservation policy officer at the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, said it was important to assess the danger before looking at worst-case scenarios.
"While the remains of an adult Chinese mitten crab have been found in the River Clyde, we do not yet know whether there is a breeding population in the wider Clyde estuary," South China Morning Post quoted her as saying.
"I think we would be concerned if there was a population that was beginning to emerge."


text:
Bruce Anderson says that the scandalous events of the past week show that the Arabs can take brutality — but not from American women
Anyone who wants to understand the peoples of Arabia and the surrounding regions ought to start with Wilfred Thesiger's Arabian Sands. He was writing about the late 1940s and, as he knew, the world which he described was about to vanish. This provides the modern reader with a necessary perspective. It should make him aware that in the whole of human history, no major region has undergone such profound changes in such a short period.
Today, the Maktoums of Dubai fly the world in their private 747s to inspect racehorses. Then, they still rode out on camels to battles and blood feuds against their neighbours. In the late 1940s, oil exploration was gathering momentum. The first consequence was a greater demand for labour and an increased traffic in negro slaves.
There was also cruelty. In one Arabian town, Wilfred came across three youths who looked miserable. That was hardly surprising. Their right hands had just been cut off on the King's orders because they had been circumcised in the wrong way. Even for those correctly cropped, the conditions of life were hard, especially in the desert, 'a bitter, desiccated land which knows nothing of gentleness or ease'. But its inhabitants 'were not ignorant savages; on the contrary, they were the lineal heirs of a very ancient civilisation who found within the framework of their society the personal freedom and self-discipline for which they craved'.
They also had high standards of conduct. Wilfred Thesiger once heard two youths arguing about the merits of their paternal grandfathers. One scored a knock-down victory. 'My grandfather never farted in public.' The flatulent grandfather had been dead for 20 years, yet his breach of decorum was still a matter for mockery and shame.
So was nudity. The Bedu would not undress completely in front of each other; their very wives probably never saw them naked by daylight. In the nature of things, armies have to desensitise their soldiers, but nothing would have prepared Iraqi troops for the treatment they received at the hands of uniformed American females. Throughout the Arab world, there will be humiliation and rage. It was a cultural atrocity. Indeed, the killing of two Iraqis in captivity was a lesser offence.
It is never easy to be an occupying power. However just the cause, however necessary the invasion, resentments are easily aroused. The conquered young men will be especially quick to impute the worst of motives to the occupiers. Even those who are willing to acknowledge that Saddam's regime was unspeakable can quickly develop a hostile attitude towards those who displaced it, and will not take much persuading that the Americans are no better than Saddam. If the US forces had set out to create adverse propaganda and enrage al-Jazeera's audience, they could not have done better than they did in Abu Ghraib prison.
Of course, that was not a deliberate policy, but is al-Jazeera's audience aware of this? It was an appalling failure of command and control, which merges into other areas of American weakness.
It is not true that Americans always fail to understand the rest of the world. In Washington, around the two miles or so between the White House and Dupont Circle, there is an awesome amount of think-tank expertise which has no equivalent in any other capital. But the USA seems incapable of transmuting knowledge into public diplomacy. This is not just a failure in the Islamic world. It also applies to the US's relations with Russia and China, not to mention Europe (the Europeans may not deserve better treatment but even if they did, they would not receive it).
Recent history has been kind to Americans. That may explain why they find it difficult to identify with less fortunate nations. Over the past few years, Russia has undergone a succession of crises: economic, social and geopolitical. Thus far, the outcome has been surprisingly benign, which is just as well given that we are dealing with a nuclear power. But matters might have been easier if a succession of American leaders had expressed their sympathy with Russia. They should have praised the Russian people's stoicism and their creativity, while assuring them that their sacrifices would help to build a better future and that Russia would always be a great nation and a great power. Such was its manifest and eternal destiny.
The Chinese official classes can be suspicious, even paranoid; always ready to find quarrel in a straw. It is easy to see why. They combine a profound belief in their own racial and cultural supremacy with the knowledge that until very recent years their modern history had been less successful than any other nation's in Asia, except Burma's. Again, it should have been possible to find language and compliments to soothe the prickliness. The problem is that American public discourse, influenced by puritanism and restraint, is not always at ease with the romanticism of diplomatic language, or its insincerity. But a successful giant needs cunning as well as strength.
The consequences of failure are worse in the Arab world because the Arabs are so much weaker. Many of them believe that they have had to endure long centuries of oppression. Photographs of American female soldiers jeering at the genitals of naked Iraqi captives will inflame all that to a white heat.
'Female soldier' ought to be an oxymoron. The difficulty arises when prosperity and easy living detaches a society from the realities of life in its armed forces. There is bound to be a glib assumption that the only attribute which need distinguish the average soldier from the average Guardian reader is a higher level of physical fitness, and that there is no reason why women should not serve in combat.
Thus far, those viscerally opposed to women as fighting soldiers have failed to make their case. It is a problematic one because it is premised on lavatories, which seems vulgar, and on emotional archetypes, which sounds out of date.
Of necessity, the front line of combat involves intimate squalor. To expose women to such privations only renders life more squalid for everyone. When Charles Guthrie was Chief of the Defence Staff, he told a parliamentary committee that he was much more worried about women in the front line than about homosexuals. That is common sense.
There is also much to be said for a feminine corrective to the masculine instinct for conflict. The female reluctance to embrace the horrors of war can help to preserve peace. This could not be achieved by a feminised military, which might have the reverse consequence, as de-natured women degrade their sex. In prisons, female inmates often lose all self-respect and behave worse than their male equivalents. There may be parallels with an army unit consisting of Private Jezebel, Corporal Clytemnestra and Major Lady Macbeth. After Vietnam, a demoralised American army was unable to resist the pressure of political correctness; hence women in the front line. Yet by feminising their forces, the Americans may also have brutalised them. Those photographs would have been far less shocking if the US troops had been male.
Our army has been watching recent developments in Iraq with apprehension, tempered by relief. It now looks as if the original horrifying photograph of an Iraqi being beaten and peed on by a British soldier was a fake. This is exactly the type of joke which would have appealed to other-ranks humour: a chance to trick a naive journalist, earn drinking money and enjoy a good laugh. That it would lead to a public-relations nightmare was well above its perpetrators' pay grade.
Yet even if that photograph was a stunt, there is no complacency in the Ministry of Defence — only a constant alertness as to what tomorrow's headlines might bring. But our senior officers believe that we h ave some advantages over the Americans. The first is that we are smaller and poorer. They can spend or blast their way through every obstacle. We have to think of a way round. Second, we believe in initiative. These days, even junior officers and NCOs are expected to display it, while almost every squaddie is a thinking, questioning soldier. 'Their's not to reason why' is long out of date. Soldiers in the field expect to be briefed on the reasons for their mission and will not put up with waffle.
They are especially concerned with public support. During the first Gulf war, Peter Inge, then Chief of the General Staff, visited British troops who were preparing to go into action. They all had one anxious question. 'The people at home, sir, are they behind us?' They only relaxed once they had heard a firm 'Yes'.
The third advantage which the British army possesses is a hand-me-down officer class. These days, many officers do not come from smart, hereditary military families, but they benefit from the ethos created by those who did. The soldiers themselves often seem more at ease with officers who talk differently. A friend of mine once overheard an argument between two Jocks from different regiments. 'Oor adjutant is a Baronet,' boasted one. 'Oor second in command is an Earl,' trumped the other. They seemed to take it for granted that their regiment's standing depended on the number of officers listed in Debrett.
The importance of the officer class is not merely symbolic. Difference breeds deference, and anyone who has heard army officers talk will know about the importance they attach to training and discipline, which depend on authority. This passion for training often bewilders politicians, who cannot understand why men should not be sent straight from Belfast to Iraq or vice versa. Yet no General will happily commit men to a theatre of operations unless he is satisfied that they have trained hard for their new role and their new circumstances. If a British officer had been told that he was to take command of Iraqi prisoners of war, he would have spent weeks preparing his men for their responsibilities. In that time, he would have expected to weed out the potential sadists, not to mention any half-wits who might have decided that it would be amusing to bring in women to taunt the captives.
Although the British army is not perfect, it is probably the best in the world, man for man, and its senior officers are constantly striving for further improvements. Between the hammer of discipline and the anvil of training, they believe that they can transform often unpromising material into damascene steel. No one I have spoken to at a senior British level would wish to disparage the Americans. On the US army's strength, courage and willingness to take casualties so much depends. But strength without subtlety can yield victories without substance.
The last few days have been a disaster for the Coalition cause in the Arab world, and long-standing failures of command in the American forces are largely to blame. They will have to raise their game.