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Is it pancreatitis?
Diagnosing this condition in dogs and cats is challenging. Here is a rundown of the tests at your disposal if you suspect pancreatitis, including a promising new serum assay.
Mar 01, 2006
Pancreatitis, an inflammatory condition of the pancreas, occurs frequently in dogs and cats.1-3 We do not know the prevalence of pancreatitis in dogs and cats, but recent studies suggest that it is underdiagnosed.1,2
A recent study of dogs presented for necropsy to the Department of Pathology at the Animal Medical Center in New York, N.Y., showed that 64% of 73 dogs that died or were euthanized for various reasons had evidence of an inflammatory infiltrate of the pancreas.2 Although these findings were surprising, this study did not investigate which of these patients had lesions that were clinically significant.2
In a large retrospective study of necropsy findings, 1.5% of 9,342 canine and 1.3% of 6,504 feline pancreata showed important pathologic lesions.1 Also, according to this study, 59% and 46% of all canine and feline patients with exocrine pancreatic lesions, respectively, had evidence of pancreatitis.1
Pancreatitis can be classified based on clinical, etiologic, and histopathologic features.4 In the veterinary literature, pancreatitis has been classified based on various parameters, such as histopathologic changes and clinical presentation.5-8 Unfortunately, a universally accepted multidisciplinary classification has not been proposed or agreed on in veterinary medicine. In contrast, several international multidisciplinary symposia have been held to establish a classification system for pancreatitis in people, and the use of this classification system has been universally agreed on in human pancreatology.4 Since this system is based on simple clinical and histopathologic features that are also observed in dogs and cats, I use the human classification system for pancreatitis in dogs and cats.4
According to this classification system, pancreatitis can be acute or chronic. Acute pancreatitis is an inflammatory condition of the pancreas that, after removal of the inciting cause, is completely reversible.4 In contrast, chronic pancreatitis is characterized by irreversible changes of the exocrine pancreas, such as atrophy or fibrosis.4 Both forms of pancreatitis can be mild or severe. Mild forms of pancreatitis are associated with little or no pancreatic necrosis or systemic effects, and affected patients often recover. In contrast, severe forms of pancreatitis are associated with extensive pancreatic necrosis, multiple organ involvement, and often a poor prognosis.
The clinical signs in dogs and cats with pancreatitis depend on the severity of the disease. Mild cases may remain subclinical, while more severe cases may present with a wide variety of clinical signs.
In a recent retrospective study of 70 dogs with fatal pancreatitis, clinical signs reported included anorexia in 91% of the cases, vomiting in 90%, weakness in 79%, abdominal pain in 58%, dehydration in 46%, and diarrhea in 33%.7 These findings are somewhat surprising as abdominal pain is the key clinical sign of pancreatitis in people. Thus, the question arises as to whether dogs with pancreatitis have abdominal pain less frequently than people do or, as I think is more likely, whether we fail to correctly identify abdominal pain. Keep in mind that retrospective studies could underestimate the true prevalence of abdominal pain because of lack of reporting, a difference in investigators, or other factors. Classically, diarrhea has not been described as a typical clinical sign of pancreatitis. However, 33% of dogs with fatal pancreatitis in this study had diarrhea, so it seems prudent to evaluate dogs that have diarrhea for pancreatitis.


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There's no question that Dennis O'Connor has found much success on Scoop.it. It wasn't all coincidental, though. Dennis shared with us two of his best curation secrets and tricks:
1. Develop multiple sources for your topics
It's important to carefully think through the keywords that you set for your topic so that Scoop.it can crawl the web and provide you with interesting and relevant content and inspiration. In addition to taking full advantage of this, Dennis also uses other tools like Twitter, StumbleUpon, and Prismatic to find content to share on Scoop.it. Once he finds the content he wants to share with his audience, he uses Scoop.it as his social media hub to add value to that content and share it everywhere.
2. Tag your posts
Dennis takes a lot of time to tag each of his posts. This allows him, he explained, to assemble publications based upon his tagged topics. When he's using his information on Scoop.it for his E-learning classes, it's easy for him to filter his Scoop.it pages based upon different subjects and easily compile a list of posts and articles on appropriate topics to provide to his students. Something interesting that Dennis does with his tagged articles is to pull them by subject and create "special editions" of his topics on his blog for special classes and events that he is teaching.

subset: commoncrawl


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The report "Alpha Olefin Market By Type (1-Butene, 1-Hexene, 1-Octene, 1-Decene, 1-Dodecene 1-Tetradecene, C16-18, C20), & Applications (LLDPE, HDPE, Detergent Alcohols, Synthetic Lubricants, Polybutene-1, AOS, & Others) - Global Trends & Forecast To 2018", defines and segments the global alpha olefin market with analysis and forecasting of the global volume and revenue. Alpha olefin demand will grow with a CAGR of 4.2% from 2013 to 2018 and reach 4.6 million metric tons.
Browse 84 market data tables and 22 figures spread through 173 pages and in-depth TOC on"Alpha Olefin Market - Global Trends & Forecast To 2018"
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The alpha olefin market is mainly driven by polyethylene application, which accounts for the largest consumption share of alpha olefins. Rising demand for co-monomers in the production of polyethylene and poly alpha olefins (used in synthetic lubricants) is driving the alpha olefin market. Along with polyethylene and poly alpha olefins (PAO), oil field drilling is also a growing application.
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The alpha olefin players are constantly looking for capacity expansions and new product development targeting new applications which in turn would increase their market shares. This market has a very few large players that are mainly in the alpha olefin business. Most of these players are local companies operating in specific areas and capturing insignificant market shares individually. Shell is the largest player of this market followed by CP Chem and Sasol.
The report forecasts volume and revenue of the global alpha olefin market and its various submarkets with respect to the main regions such as North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Middle East, and Rest of the World. Major countries such as U.S., Canada, and Germany were analyzed.
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text:
Mindtree Mock Paper Answers
Thanks for practicing the mock paper. You can download the mock paper and its answers(available in pdf format) and practice it offline as well. The answers to this paper have been prepared with absolute care and expertise. You can verify your answers with these and see how would you fare for the recruitment process of this company.


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|Home >> Course Descriptions >> College of Arts and Sciences
|Functional Analysis I
|Three semester hours.
This is the first course in Functional Analysis. Topics include: Topological vector spaces, Banach spaces, the open mapping and closed graph theorems, the Hahn-Banach theorem, duality and weak topologies. Prerequisites: Graduate standing and permission of instructor.
Home - General Information - Student Services -
Academic Undergraduate Regulations -
Undergraduate Degrees - Academic Graduate Regulations -
Graduate Degrees - Course Descriptions - Faculty -
Appendix A - Appendix B - Appendix C - Appendix D


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The economic inequities, the environmental crises, the bioethical conundrums and all the issues troubling modern societies are imbroglios of politics, ethics and technologies impossible to disentangle. In these hybrid situations, public participation becomes more and more difficult. To navigate a world of uncertainties, future citizens need to be equipped with tools to explore and visualize the complexity of public debate . The purpose of mapping controversy is to contribute to the development of these tools through the creative use of digital technologies.
For a few examples of the works realized by the students of the controversy mapping course, see: the archive of the controversy websites ( http://controverses.sciences-po.fr/archiveindex/ ).
Introduced by Bruno Latour more than fifteen years ago, the cartography of controversies is currently taught in several European and American universities (Paris, Copenhagen, Milan, Manchester, Amsterdam, Liège, Lausanne, Dublin, Oslo, Padova, Trento, Cambridge, Mass., São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Buenos Aires…).
Characterized by a
radically experimental approach
, controversy mapping is developed through several research projects – MACOSPOL (mapping controversies on science for politics) 2007-09 – MEDEA (mapping environmental debate on adaptation) 2011-14 – EMAPS (electronic maps to assist public science) 2011-14 – FORCCAST (formation à la cartographie des controverses pour l'analyse de sciences et des techniques) 2012-20
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Tommaso Venturini (responsible of the course) firstname.lastname@example.com / 01 45 49 53 71 / médialab, Sciences Po, 13, rue de l'Université Mathieu Jacomy (teaching assistant) / email@example.com Thomas Tari (teaching assistant) / email@example.com Axel Meunier (teaching assistant) / email@example.com Nicolas Baya-Laffite (teaching assistant) / firstname.lastname@example.com
Understand the junction between science and society, observe it through the case study of a specific controversy and make the results of this analysis public.
The most important task of the course is the analysis of a socio-technical controversy . Achieving this task implies understanding some crucial notions of STS (Science and Technology Studies) and mastering a number of traditional and digital investigation techniques. The course is meant to teach all that is necessary to accomplish this task.
The course alternates master lectures and practical workshops. – The master lectures are meant to introduce and discuss the theoretical notions and the methodological tools necessary for controversy mapping. – The practical workshops (in smaller groups) are meant to assure a constant and personalized support until the final exam and to provide a space for sharing and confrontation among the students.
Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia (PCD, OMIM #242650 ) or Immotile Cilia Syndrome (ICS) is an hereditary condition affecting the motility of ciliary and spermatozoa flagella. The disorder, transmitted in an autosomal recessive mode, has an incidence of 16,000-30,000. Dysmotility to complete immotility of cilia and flagella results in multisystemic disease of varying severity, characterized by infections of the upper respiratory tract, bronchiectasis, and male sterility. When heterotaxia (situs inversus) is associated, as in in up to half of patients, PCD is also referred to as Kartagener syndrome ( OMIM #244400 ). The condition is most often associated with ultrastructural defects of axoneme, the skeleton of cilia and flagella, which is constituted of several families of proteins including dyneins, kinesin and microtubule-associated proteins (MAPs).
Our recent genome-wide linkage studies in over 30 families identified several chromosomal regions which may anchor genes linked to the phenotype, suggesting that the disease is genetically highly heterogeneous1. These results, were compatible with the localization of several dynein genes, long standing candidates for PCD since roughly half of the structural defects are in the dynein arm. Indeed, in the last few months, we and others have found mutations in 3 distinct axonemal dynein genes (DNAI1, DNAH11, DNAH5) in Kartagener syndrome. Since each of these mutations was observed in only few families thusfar, other genes, probably including additional isoforms of dynein, must also be responsible for PCD. Multiple dynein proteins are encoded by a family of distinct genes mapping to different chromosomes.
( Blouin et al. 2000 )
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Study of the genetic etiology of Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia : A summary of progress in the identification of disease-causing genes, November 2001. This bulletin was sent to physicians who collaborated to our research project on PCD. This document provide informations also that physicians are encouraged to forward to the patients and families who where included in the study.
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on Kartagener Syndrome Project by the group.
A gene that contributes to heart laterality and is responsible for some cases of Kartagener syndrome, was identified by researchers in the Division of Medical Genetics of the University of Geneva Medical School and collaborators.
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Integrating the co-expression modules with genetic data provides insight into the function and regulation of each module. The turquoise and tan MEs were associated with the rs3737787 genotypes (turquoise ME correlation = 0.28, p-value = 0.02; tan ME correlation = 0.33, p-value = 0.006) (
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). We observed a significant overlap between the rs3737787 correlated genes and both the turquoise and tan module genes ( Pinko Sybil trousers Limited Edition Cheap Online kKGw2l
). The tan module was the only module to be associated with FCHL, the FCHL component trait signature, and rs3737787 genotypes. To emphasize the biological implications of the tan module, we renamed it as the USF1 -regulated FCHL-associated (URFA) module. The turquoise module was not significantly associated with FCHL, suggesting that while the expression of turquoise module genes depends on rs3737787 genotypes, the gene functions of the turquoise module are less likely to be related to FCHL ( Figure 1 , Outlet Shopping Online Red Valentino lace ruffle dress 2018 New Discount Cheapest Price pxvdzh
). These results demonstrate that rs3737787 genotypes predict the expression of many genes, some of which predispose to FCHL.
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We should point out that our sample size of 70 individuals provides 80% power to detect a significant association (p-value≤0.05) with correlation coefficient = 0.33, and only limited power to rule out associations with a correlation coefficient<0.33. To have 80% power to detect a significant association (p-value≤0.05) when the true correlation coefficient = 0.2 requires 194 individuals, and when the true correlation coefficient = 0.1 requires 783 individuals. Therefore our sample size does not permit us to rule out associations of smaller magnitude (correlation coefficient<0.33). However, our sample size of 70 individuals provides enough power to detect significant moderate correlations (correlation coefficient≥0.33) between eigengenes, SNPs, and clinical traits.
The URFA module contains 504 co-expressed genes that are enriched for the gene ontology (GO) Biological Process categories of Cellular Lipid Metabolic Processes and Lipid Metabolic Processes (p-values = 1.0×10
and 9.3×10
; Benjamini-Hochberg multiple comparison corrected p-values = 0.022 and 0.039) (
Table S5
). The URFA ME accounts for 10% of the variation of FCHL, 6% of TC, 17% of TG, and 9% of ApoB (
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). The fact that the URFA ME was associated with rs3737787 reflects the fact that most module genes are at least partially regulated by this SNP. To evaluate whether the module causally affects FCHL component traits, we utilized the Network Edge Orienting (NEO) R software package Outlet Exclusive Thom Browne Trouser Length Cardigan Skirt In Crystal Skeleton Embroidery Buy Cheap Looking For Sale Best Free Shipping Outlet Store Discount Outlet cFKVCNN
which takes SNP genotypes as input into structural equation models that compute causal edge orienting scores (referred to as LEO.NB scores). Since we are only considering a single SNP (rs3737787) we computed LEO.NB. SingleMarker scores for the causal orientation of a ME→trait. The LEO.NB. SingleMarker score is a relative model fitting index for the causal model (rs3737787→ME→trait) relative to alternative causal models, and the larger the value for the LEO.NB. SingleMarker score the stronger the evidence that this causal orientation is correct. We required that the our causal model fit at least two times better than the next best alternative model, which equates to a LEO.NB. SingleMarker score of 0.3 Bottega Veneta Intrecciato crossbody bag Factory Outlet Cheap Price Clearance With Paypal Ost Release Dates Outlet For Sale Best Sale Online eyoU3nF7KM
(please see the Materials and Methods for a detailed description). We found sufficient evidence to infer a causal relationship between the URFA ME and fasting plasma TGs levels (LEO.NB. SingleMarker score = 0.31), the key component trait of FCHL. The LEO.NB. SingleMarker score for the URFA ME to FCHL was 0.25. We then used the NEO software to prioritize genes inside the URFA module by calculating the LEO.NB. SingleMarker scores evaluating the causal model (rs3737787→gene expression→trait). We identified 18 causal candidate genes for FCHL, and 171 causal candidate genes for fasting plasma TGs levels ( Cheapest Brand New Unisex Sale Online Miu Miu matelass Buy Cheap Best Wholesale 2018 Unisex Sale Online sYZoR
). We observed 13 causal candidate genes for both FCHL and TG. None of the URFA module genes showed evidence for causally affecting TC or ApoB. Since our interest was in FCHL disease status, we characterized the 18 causal candidate genes for FCHL disease status as potential candidate genes for genetic association studies in Mexican FCHL families ( Katya Dobryakova printed long bomber jacket Ebay Cheap Online Cheap Price Original xraLaodT
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Agustin Pelleteri, Erick Torres and Leandro Barrera scored second-half goals to give visiting Chivas USA a 3-1 victory over the Vancouver Whitecaps on Saturday at BC Place.
Vancouver's Carlyle Mitchell had scored his first Major League Soccer goal to give the Whitecaps a 1-0 lead in the 27th minute, but Chivas rallied in second half. Pelleteri tied it in the 47th minute on an assist from Mauro Rosales and Torres gave the Goats the lead for good in the 81st minute.
Barrera added an insurance goal on another assist from Morales in the 94th minute.
Chivas earned its fourth consecutive victory. Three of its goals came after Vancouver was reduced to 10 men in the 69th minute when Jordan Harvey was red-carded.


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Someone is sitting pretty.
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
Backjoy etc.
Someone is sitting pretty.
29 comments:
Love those parfum bottles, great paintings done while sitting straight!ReplyDelete
I have to look up Backjoy, thanks for the tip. xxx
how about that Fuchsia colored thingie (I clicked on your link to amazon)? That would be quite a Hingucker, wouldn't it? And noticed immediately, if you forgot to pick it up.Replies
That is a great endorsement..if you can't trust your fellow bloggers who can you trust:)?ReplyDelete
I will mention to J..
Les balances:) cute cute..and you've nailed Shalimar.Replies
Honestly I really like this thing and miss it a lotDelete
I should be back in form tomorrow
My posture has improved a lot...something even Yoga belts were not doing for me.
Oh my gosh!! THANK YOU for your infomercial! I've actually just gone to my first set of chiropractor appointments ever. Turns out I have some joint problems in the sacrum from all the marathon running and dancing that I used to do. I'm off to my chiro again today and will ask her about Backjoy! It might be one way to help restore my spine.ReplyDelete
x Milla
PS I love the Café Richard watercolour!!
Thanks for the tip on Back Joy. I'm going to order one for my husband, who complains all the time about his desk chair.ReplyDelete
I should probably order one for me, too, even though I have an Aeron chair.Replies
I like that it's so portableDelete
Great on the bus so it should work well on a plane
but I should have bought the Fushia : (
As much as I love your work and anything to do with Paris, Im going to have to thank you for the backjoy infomercial too! Just ordered one. I already do all those exercises you mention in the earlier post, plus now I do a bike ride each day to get my heart pumping away, seems to help with all manner of pains in my body from the work I do. Still I am always happy to add something new to the back care regime! You might want to try pilates, those exercises are all part of it, but it really strenghens the core as they say and helps enormously.ReplyDeleteReplies
Thanks ChristinaDelete
I'd love to hear if others are as happy with this seat thing as I am.
I do watergym exercizes to strengthen my core.
I'd do Pilates too if it were as convenient or as refreshing as a dunk in the water.
Well this is a timely post. I could use one of those back thingys. I am going to a new chiropractor right now for a sacroiliac problem. One hip being forward and one back and have had screaming pain in the knee. I think this would be good for doing my painting and drawing and sitting at this computer so I don't hunch over so much. Love your paintings BTW. Did you do any local color 'Painting' while there? I need to go back to ones I missed due to this back of mine. Love your painting desk too. :)ReplyDelete
Carol, sounds like your loss of the Backjoy seat has led to a positive result: sharing its benefits here...The series in the bathroom studio, I hope they are bringing you as much pleasure as they are bringing to your audience...love the luminosity...Will you be selling the coffee paintings on Etsy? Best, RitaReplyDeleteReplies
Coffee watercolors will be on Etsy next TuesdayDelete
Bon Appetite
I love the watercolors, it's nice to see so many! I like them all :)ReplyDelete
We had howling winds here last night, did you get that in Maine?
I'm glad the the back thing works for you. So far I have been lucky enough to not have a back problem, but I know a lot of folks who suffer through every day....
Wait. That's a bathroom???? In MAINE???? It looks like the Georges V!ReplyDelete
I'd love to stay and write more but I have to get me one of them Backjoy thingies. Thank you for saving my posture for posterity!Replies
The Georges V?Delete
I bet the Georges V does not have a collection of Maine pebbles along the window ledge..
Sometimes it's odd how life harmonizes...I have no back troubles, but when I walked into my oil painting teacher's studio today, there was her very own Backjoy...she has had it for years and swears by it!ReplyDeleteReplies
that's so funnyDelete
Someone I've known a long time just told me he's had his for 8 years (two of them)
Never said boo about it before
I have ordered the Backjoy!! Thanks :)))ReplyDelete
I remember my Dad having one of those or something similar! That was years and years ago, he said it helped a lot. To bad I didn't keep it.ReplyDelete
Carol, isn't art grand! What a generous artist you are, sharing watercolor tips, advice on finding fine places in which to paint, where to have the counsel of good painting teachers, and ... what something called Back Joy can bring to many folks who spend many hours seated at tables or desks.ReplyDelete
Merci for the advice. Merci also for sharing all the recent paintings, in many colors both full strength and muted.
Progress report on the Backjoy:ReplyDelete
it seems so insubstantial and bendy you think it's doing nothing for you, but then I try sitting without it and feel the difference! Great product - thanks for recommending it :)Replies
me too KarenDelete
I can't figure it out but my wretched slouching bent-over shoulders have gone away!
Go figure...
mine is sitting on top of a pillow too- my chair is not high enough for my table and it still works?!


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Brief SummaryRead full entry
Hymenoptera is one of the four large insect orders exceeding 100,000 species in the world, the other major orders being Coleoptera, Lepidoptera and Diptera (Gauld and Bolton 1988, Goulet and Huber 1993). The Hymenoptera order contains about 115,000 described species and authors estimated that there are between 300,000 and 3,000,000 species of Hymenoptera (Gaston 1991), possibly around 1,000,000 (Sharkey 2007). These estimates mean that only 1/10 has been described so far and 9/10 awaits description. However, the number of Hymenoptera species is difficult to estimate with accuracy, as most of the mega diverse regions of the world have not been extensively studied and inventoried regarding this group (LaSalle and Gauld 1993).
Hymenoptera have been traditionally subdivided into three assemblages (the paraphyletic sub-order Symphyta and the monophyletic Aculeata and Parasitica belonging to the sub-order Apocrita). Each group exhibits different biology. 'Symphyta' are mostly phytophagous and are the most primitive members of the order. Parasitica are mainly parasitic species but some of them have returned secondarily to phytophagy, while Aculeata encompass a larger spectrum (predators, pollinators, parasitoids); all eusocial hymenoptera belong to this last group.
Members of the Hymenoptera are familiar to a general audience and common names exist for a large variety of groups: "wasps", "bees", "ants", "bumblebees", "sawflies", "parasitic wasps". Hymenoptera adult sizes range from the very small Mymaridae (0.5 mm) to the large aculeate wasps (up to 5 cm long in Europe). This group of mandibulate insects is well defined by the combination of several characters: they have two pairs of functional wings (with the exception of apterous species) bearing fewer veins than most other insect groups and rarely more than seven cross veins. The abdominal tergum 1 is fused to the metanotum and in most Hymenoptera the metasoma (apparent gaster) is joined to the mesosoma (apparent thorax) by a petiole.
Ecologically and economically few groups of insects are as important to mankind as the Hymenoptera. Bees provide the vital ecosystem service of pollination in both natural and managed systems (Gallai et al. 2009) while parasitic Hymenoptera control populations of phytophagous insects (Tscharntke et al. 2007) and can be effective agents for control of pest insects (Bale et al. 2008, Brodeur and Boivin 2004, Jonsson et al. 2008). Some of the phytophagous hymenoptera have an intimate association with their hostplants (Nyman et al. 2006) and can also be considered as major pests to forests (e.g. Diprionidae) (De Somviele et al. 2004, Lyytikainen-Saarenmaa and Tomppo 2002). Ant invasions cause huge economic and ecological costs (Holway 2002, Lach and Thomas 2008) and Hymenoptera stings, specifically those of wasps, hornets and bees cause serious allergic reactions and anaphylaxis (Flabbee et al. 2008, Klotz et al. 2009).


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COLUMBIA, SC (WIS) - The University of South Carolina has one of the twenty most valuable football teams in the nation, according to Forbes.
The magazine lists the Gamecocks at number 17.
To come up with the list, Forbes figured in several factors including ticket sales, contributions, sponsorships, and merchandise sales.
The economic impact of visiting fans for home games is also a major factor.
Forbes listed the Gamecocks value at 67 million dollars. That's up five percent from the year before.
The school had $48 million in football revenue for a 26 million dollar profit.
The team's appearance in the Capital One Bowl last year generated more than four and a half million for the SEC, which is the highest of any non-BCS bowl.
The 2011 game against Clemson in Columbia also attracted $8 million in visitor spending for that weekend.
The Texas Longhorns topped the list. The SEC was well represented with seven of the top ten teams.
Copyright 2012 WIS. All rights reserved.


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Thanks, great stuff as usual, but still unusual in it's perception. Great post.
I'm selling out for Starks or Melton, then Umenyiora followed by drafting DeAndre Hopkins.
Then I spend the next four rounds getting, not necessarily in this order, a right tackle, fast
linebacker, defensive end and a defensive tackle.
Spend the last five picks to find cornerback depth and a tight end. Maybe even a Quarterback.
Next, I would book hotel space for the Super Bowl.
This is a great time of year, we can let our "what ifs" run wild.


text:
If we are to practice what we preach about games as a central part of our culture, we need to think about accessibility as more then access to large customer groups with credit cards.
To my knowledge there are no games specifically designed for mentally disabled people (but would more than anything love to be proven wrong! If you know of such titles: please notify me). Considered what a small, yet diverse group we are talking about, it is perhaps not surprising that players with handicaps (particularly mental ones) are not considered a "hot" market. However, with the ongoing changes to the games industry, with the rise of both indie games developers and a serious games industry, we might be at a time where we can truly embrace the idea of games as something for everyone.
Just because I don't know of any specific game titles for this group, doesn't mean that there aren't suitable titles out there. So I am considering some game features that could be suitable and in such; help my search in finding the right games.
Of course these features are based on my personal perceptions and understandings of mental disabilities. As I said, it is a very diverse group that covers anything from requiring assistance with pretty much everything, to those with their own jobs and houses (though usually within a supported framework). For this little mental exercise I should therefore point out that I have the latter in mind, with the idea that the game should initially be played with assistance –but with the goal of it becoming an independent activity with time/training/play. A mentally disabled person may have the cognitive capabilities of a child, with limited literacy (both digital and traditional), but will still have a lifetime of experiences that means that their actual cognitive abilities are higher than that of a child.
The things I have considered as important features for a game that could work well for mentally disabled players might first come across as a list of traits for casual games or childrens games. And honestly I think the solution is somewhere in between. However, casual games can be quite complex, just not require much time or intensity, and children's games can have themes or other features that are simply not suited for adults. So, getting the "right mix" will be the key.
Here is my first attempt to make a list of game features that support mentally disabled players:
- - Recognizable themes (sports, music, hobbies, movies, celebrities)
- - Game pace is set by the player
- - Low demand for eye hand coordination
- - Minimal interface
- - Minimal text (preferably voice acting)
- - Easily translated/adapted into other languages
- - Intuitive/easily recognizable game rules (low level of abstraction and complexity in the game rules)
- - Little need for strategic choices (as in planning ahead, min/maxing)
- - Forgivable design (the possibility to redo important choices if wanted)
- - Co-op functionality
- - "Show and tell" features (f.ex automatic screenshot at the end of a level that is kept in a photo book)
I believe that the main obstacle in designing games for mentally disabled people, is making sure that the designers understand their target audience/users/players and their special needs. However, the call for specialized knowledge might also be the solution to the problem:
There are many interest groups, companies and researchers working on how to generally improve the quality of life for the handicapped. I also know that there are many budding indie game companies out there, just looking for an investor, partner or niche that can give their business an edge.
Perhaps we should get them on a date?


text:
Taking the stand on the third day of the George Zimmerman trial, a friend of Trayvon Martin testified about the final moments of the teenager's life, saying that Martin told her someone was following him.
"A man was watching him," said 19-year-old Rachel Jeantel, who was on the phone with Martin just before he was fatally shot. "He said the man kept watching him. He kept complaining that a man was just watching him."
That man was Zimmerman, a former neighborhood watch captain charged with second-degree murder for killing 17-year-old Martin in Sanford, Florida, on Feb. 26, 2012. He told police he was pursuing the teenager because there had been a rash of crime in the area. A confrontation ensued, and Zimmerman said he was forced to kill Martin in self-defense.
Read more: See Zimmerman's neighborhood watch guide (pdf)
Jeantel testified Wednesday that, as he neared the home of his father's girlfriend, Martin tried to lose Zimmerman.
"And then he said, 'That N-word is still following me now,'" said Jeantel. "I asked him how the man looked like. He just told me the man looked 'creepy.' 'Creepy, white' -- excuse my language -- 'cracker. Creepy [expletive] cracker."
Jeantel says she heard Martin talking to Zimmerman in the background of the call.
"He said, 'Why are you following me for?' And I heard a hard-breathing man say, 'What you doing around here?'" said Jeantel.
Jeantel also said she heard a bump from Martin's headset hitting something and "wet grass sounds."
"I start hearing a little bit of Trayvon saying, 'Get off, get off!'" said Jeantel.
She told the prosecutor that the screams for help heard on the 911 call made by a neighbor belong to Martin. But on cross-examination, defense attorney Don West read part of a transcript from Jeantel's deposition, in which she said she wasn't sure if it was Martin's voice or not.
"It could be. Like I said, I don't know but it could be," said Jeantel, according to the transcript. "The dude sound kind of like Trayvon. Trayvon do got that soft voice and that baby voice sometimes, so it could be, I don't know."
Jeantel admitted to West that she lied several times to Martin's family. She said she told them she was 16, not 18, because she wanted to be treated like a minor and have privacy. She also said she lied about not attending Martin's memorial service because she was in the hospital. The truth, she said, was that she was afraid to see the body.
"You got to understand, you the last person to talk to the person and he died on the phone after you talked to him -- you got to understand what I'm trying to tell you," said Jeantel. "I'm the last person, you don't know how it felt. You think I really want to go see the body after I just talked to him?" Jeantel.
Jeantel appeared to get frustrated several times during the cross-examination, including one time when West suggested they could break until the morning so she'd have more time to review the deposition transcript.
"No, I'm leaving today," Jeantel told the defense attorney as she looked over the papers.
"Are you refusing to come back tomorrow?" asked West.
The judge stepped in and asked West to keep the questions and answers to Jeantel's testimony.
Earlier in the afternoon, jurors heard five other non-emergency calls Zimmerman made reporting suspicious people in his neighborhood. The defense wanted the calls to be thrown out, questioning their relevance, but the judge ruled they would be allowed in. Prosecutors had argued that the calls show Zimmerman's state of mind the night he shot Martin.
In one of the calls, made on Feb. 2, 2012, about three weeks before Martin's death, Zimmerman tells the dispatcher he saw a black man walking around a neighbor's home. He said he had seen this man also walking around the neighborhood on trash days.
"I don't know what he's doing, I don't want to approach him, personally," said Zimmerman on the recording.
In another call made in October 2011, Zimmerman reports two "suspicious characters" who were "just hanging out, loitering" in his neighborhood. When the dispatcher asks if he can still see the suspects, Zimmerman said no because he "didn't want to attract attention" to himself.
An eyewitness who also testified on Wednesday said she heard what sounded "like a boy" cry for help during the altercation that ended in Martin's death.
Jayne Surdyka, Zimmerman's former neighbor, said she heard screams and opened her window to look out into the courtyard on the night of the shooting.
Defense attorney Don West challenged Surdyka about what she heard that night, saying it is possible for a teenager to have a deeper voice, and for a man to have a higher-pitched voice.
"It sounded more like a boy to me," said Surdyka.
Multiple times Wednesday, Surdyka said she saw two men struggling on the ground, one on top of the other, but she couldn't discern who was on top, because it was dark and rainy that night.
Prosecutor Bernie De La Rionda played for the jury the 911 call Surdyka made the night of shooting. On the recording, Surdyka is heard crying and becoming hysterical. The 911 operator stayed on the phone with her to calm her down.
Prosecutors also called Jeannee Manalo, another eyewitness, to the stand Wednesday. Manalo testified that, from her point of view inside her townhome, she could see two men struggling on the ground. She also said she believes Zimmerman was on top of Martin during the altercation, and that she could see his hands moving.
During cross-examination, Manalo said photographs she saw on the news of a younger Martin support her view that Zimmerman was on top during the altercation. Defense attorney Mark O'Mara asked her if she had ever seen recent photos of Martin. She said no, but maintained that, based on the photographs, the bigger person was on top -- and Zimmerman seemed to be the bigger person.
Before court recessed for the day, the defense told the judge it expects to need a couple more hours to question Martin's friend, Jeantel. Testimony is scheduled to resume at 9 a.m. ET on Thursday.
HLN is live-blogging Zimmerman's trial. Click here for HLN's live blog of Tuesday's proceedings. Read below for minute-by-minute updates:
5:12 p.m. ET: West asks to recess until Thursday but the prosecutor wants to continue. The judge asks how much longer West will take and he says they should plan on a couple more hours to which Jeantel replies, "What?" The judge has recessed court until 9 a.m. ET Thursday.
5:11 p.m. ET: West reads part of the transcript where Jeantel is asked if the voice in the background of the 911 call belongs to Martin: "It could be. Like I said, I don't know but it could be. The dude sound kind of like Trayvon. Trayvon do got that soft voice and that baby voice sometimes, so it could be, I don't know." Jeantel admits she said that in the deposition.
5:10 p.m. ET: West tells Jeantel they can give her more time to go over the transcript and resume tomorrow. She says she's going to finish today. West asks her if she's refusing to testify. The judge tells West to keep the questions based on her testimony.
5:08 p.m. ET: Jeantel says she heard the 911 call made by a neighbor on TV. She says she told them in the deposition that it sounded like Martin's voice yelling in the back. Defense attorney West approaches her again with a transcript from the deposition, which she is reading.
5:06 p.m. ET: According to the deposition, Jeantel told Crump that Zimmerman said, "What're you talking about?" In the deposition, she said that was her answer but in court she says she had rushed her interview and that isn't her answer.
5:03 p.m. ET: In the deposition, West asks Jeantel what Zimmerman said when Martin asked him why he was following him. Jeantel is reviewing the transcript.
4:59 p.m. ET: Defense attorney West has approached with Jeantel with a transcript of her deposition and has asked her to take as much time as she needs to read it.
4:57 p.m. ET: The judge is back on the bench and the jury is being seated.
4:38 p.m. ET: The judge has recessed court for a 15-minute break.
4:34 p.m. ET: The attorneys are at a sidebar.
4:33 p.m. ET: Jeantel says she rushed her interview with Martin family attorney Benjamin Crump because she didn't want to talk about death.
"You didn't take it seriously?" asked defense attorney West.
"Nope," said Jeantel.
"If you weren't going to take it seriously, why didn't you refuse to do it?" asked West.
"I'm already there on the phone," said Jeantel.
"But you're at home," said West.
"In the closet. You think I wanted to be in the closet that long?" said Jeantel.
4:30 p.m. ET: Defense attorney West is asking Jeantel about a time he interviewed her -- it took about four hours. Jeantel says they were supposed to meet again later that week but West didn't want to talk to her. West apologizes for scheduling conflicts. They met again later.
4:25 p.m ET: Friends told Jeantel that she was being called the 16-year-old girlfriend of Martin. She said all the phone calls and text messages made it look like they were in a relationship.
"I did say, 'Stuff was going on,' that's it," said Jeantel, in reference to what she told Martin's family about their relationship. "There was another young lady that he was seeing."
4:21 p.m. ET: The day after the interview, Jeantel says her brother texted her to tell her that her voice was on television.
"I was just shocked that my voice on television," said Jeantel. She had said she didn't want her picture or identity released.
4:19 p.m. ET: Jeantel says she knew Martin's parents and their attorney would be present for her interview with Crump. She gave consent for it to be recorded, but not for it to be broadcast or released to the public. She didn't know parts of it would be released at a press conference. They asked her to repeats parts of it louder so it could be recorded correctly.
"I speak low," said Jeantel.
4:12 p.m. ET: The attorneys are at a sidebar.
4:11 p.m. ET: When Crump asked Jeantel why she didn't go to the memorial service, she says she lied again and said she was at the hospital because Martin's mother was listening. Jeantel says she lied about her age -- that she was 16, not 18 -- because she wanted more privacy as a minor.
4:09 p.m. ET: The Martin family attorney, Benjamin Crump, did an interview with Jeantel. She says it was a phone interview and she knew she was going to be recorded and that Martin's parents would be listening as well. Jeantel says she didn't know a reporter from ABC News was present. She also didn't know that law enforcement wasn't present.
4:06 p.m. ET: Jeantel says she told Martin's mother that she didn't go to the memorial service because she had gone to the hospital. She admits that she lied.
4:04 p.m. ET: Jeantel says she didn't tell Martin's mother every detail, just that Martin was being followed. She also gave Martin's mom a letter.
West asks Jeantel why she didn't go to the memorial service.
"You got to understand, you the last person to talk to the person and he died on the phone after you talked to him -- you got to understand what I'm trying to tell you. I'm the last person, you don't know how it felt. You think I really want to go see the body after I just talked to him?" said Jeantel.
4:01 p.m. ET: Jeantel says her mother agreed to let her meet with Martin's mother.
"You didn't really want to?" asked defense attorney West.
"No," said Jeantel.
"Did you feel like you were caught in the middle here?" asked West.
"No, it just... the truth, I never wanted to see somebody cry. I'm not the kind of person who wants to see people cry. I'm not an emotional person. Her son dead," said Jeantel.
3:56 p.m. ET: Martin's mother left a long text message for Jeantel, asking her to talk to their attorney. Jeantel says she wanted to talk to her own mother first. Martin's mother thought she was a minor, like her son, but Jeantel says she was actually 18 at the time.
3:52 p.m. ET: Jeantel says Martin's dad asked her to talk to his attorney. She says she doesn't watch the news and didn't see any coverage on the case.
3:49 p.m. ET: Jeantel says Martin's father told her she might have been the last one to talk to him before he was shot.
3:44 p.m. ET: West asks Jeantel why she didn't tell police she was the last person to talk to Martin.
"I never thought I was a witness of this situation," said Jeantel. She says she heard the man who shot Martin had been caught and she thought the police would track down her number and reach out to her.
3:39 p.m. ET:"I believed it was just a fight. He had already told me he was by his father's house. I thought his father was going to help him... I never thought it was that deadly serious," said Jeantel.
3:35 p.m. ET: Defense attorney West asks Jeantel what she was talking to Martin about as he left the store, before Zimmerman spotted him.
"He got caught by the rain, he was at the mailing area," said Jeantel. She says he took a shortcut to get there.
3:32 p.m. ET: Jeantel says she talked to Martin while he was on his way to the store, while he was inside the store and when he was on his way home from the store.
3:30 p.m. ET: Defense attorney Don West is going over call records between Martin and Jeantel, looking at the exact times of those calls.
3:26 p.m. ET: Jeantel says she saw Martin a lot in February. They talked and text a lot, too. She says she was texting and talking with him a lot the day he died.
3:22 p.m. ET: The jury is being seated.
2:58 p.m. ET: Jeantel says the voices heard in the background of the 911 call belong to Martin. The prosecutor has finished his direct examination and the judge has recessed court for 20 minutes.
2:57 p.m. ET: Jeantel says she lied about going to the funeral and wake because she felt guilty.
2:56 p.m. ET: A friend of Jeantel's who went to Martin's wake told her Martin was dead.
Prosecutor de la Rionda asks Jeantel why she didn't go to the wake.
"I didn't want to see the body," said Jeantel, getting emotional. She starts to wipe tears from her eyes.
2:54 p.m. ET: Jeantel talks about how she found out Martin had died. She says she didn't realize she had spoken to him the day he died.
2:51 p.m. ET: Jeantel says she was quiet for a bit on the phone and then she says she heard Martin speaking.
"He said, 'Why are you following me for?' And I heard a hard-breathing man say, 'What you doing around here?'" said Jeantel.
She also says she heard a bump and "wet grass sounds."
"I start hearing a little bit of Trayvon saying, 'Get off, get off,'" said Jeantel.
2:47 p.m. ET: Jeantel called Martin back and he said he was walking and closer to his dad's fiance's house.
"A second later Trayvon come say [expletive]," said Jeantel. "The [expletive] behind me."
2:45 p.m. ET: Jeantel says she told Martin to start running but he said he was close to his dad's fiance's home. Then Martin told her he was going to start running "from the back."
"I start hearing wind and the phone just shut off," said Jeantel.
2:42 p.m. ET:"He started walking home," said Jeantel. They changed the subject to the basketball game happening that day.
"And then he said that [expletive] is still following me now," said Jeantel.
The court reporter is having trouble hearing so the judge asks Jeantel to answer again.
"Now the [expletive] is following me," said Jeanel.
2:39 p.m. ET: "He just told me he wanted to try to lose him," said Jeantel.
2:37 p.m. ET:"I asked him how the man looked like. He just told me the man looked creepy. Creepy, white. Excuse my language, cracker. Creepy [expletive] cracker," said Jeantel.
2:35 p.m. ET:"A man was watching him," said Jeantel. "He said the man kept watching him. He kept complaining that a man was just watching him."
2:32 p.m. ET: Jeantel says she was just friends with Martin, they had never gone out on a formal date. The two of them were talking on the phone the night he was shot. He told her it was raining that night and he was going to get candy and a soft drink from the store.
2:30 p.m. ET: The prosecution calls 19-year-old Rachel Jeantel to the stand. She was friends with Martin, having met him him elementary school.
2:27 p.m. ET: Rumph says there is no database that identifies people who call 911 or the non-emergency line several times. Zimmerman called fives times in six months. Rumph says she wouldn't be able to tell if this is unusual for a neighborhood watch volunteer unless she did more research. Rump has been excused but is subject to being recalled.
2:26 p.m. ET: O'Mara tries asking Rumph if she hears anything of concern in Zimmerman's voice. The prosecution objects and the judge tells O'Mara he could call Rumph as his own witness.
2:22 p.m. ET: The call forms don't give Rumph any more details about the contact police officers made with any of the subjects. Rumph tells defense attorney O'Mara the names of the officers who would be able to give more details about the incidents.
2:20 p.m. ET: Rumph says police came into contact with two subjects on August 6, 2011. They also came into contact with two subjects related to the call on October 1, 2011. The prosecutor has finished his direct examination.
2:19 p.m. ET: The fifth and last call was made at 8:29 p.m. ET on February 2, 2012. Zimmerman says he's seen a black man walking around on trash days. This same man is walking about a neighbor's house. "I don't know what he's doing, I don't want to approach him, personally," says Zimmerman.
2:16 p.m. ET: The fourth non-emergency call was made at 12:53 a.m. on October 1, 2011. Zimmerman reports two "suspicious characters." "They're just hanging out, loitering," says Zimmerman. He describes them as two African American males in their mid-to-late 20's or their early 30's. "I didn't want to attract attention," he tells the dispatcher.
2:14 p.m. ET: The third non-emergency call being played in court was made at 11:08 p.m. ET on September 23, 2011. Zimmerman says someone in the neighborhood had their garage door open. "It's late and they usually don't have their garage door open all night," says Zimmerman. He tells the dispatcher they just had a neighborhood watch meeting and were told to report anything suspicious.
2:11 p.m. ET: The next non-emergency call being played in court was made at 10:20 p.m. ET on August 6, 2011. Zimmerman is reporting two young black men in their late teens. He mentions the neighborhood having been broken into recently. "They typically run away quickly and I think they head over to the next neighborhood over," says Zimmerman.
2:09 p.m. ET: Prosecutors are playing a non-emergency call made by Zimmerman reporting a suspicious person on August 3, 2011 at 6:45 p.m. ET. He says he doesn't want to give out his address because he's afraid the suspect could still be nearby. He describes the man as black and wearing a white tank top, black shorts. He says their neighborhood was robbed that day and the man looks like the person who did it.
2:05 p.m. ET: The prosecutor is going back over the 911 and non-emergency lines with Rumph and asking her about the times and dates of specific calls.
2:03 p.m. ET: Prosecutors call Ramona Rumph back to the witnesses stand. She maintains the calls received on the 911 and non-emergency lines. She testified on the first day of trial.
1:59 p.m. ET: Defense attorney O'Mara is going over a statement that Manalo made to the prosecutor about the individuals' sizes. She says she based her opinion on the photos.
Prosecutor de la Rionda asks one more question: "The person who got up was the person on top, correct?"
"Yes," said Manalo. She has been excused.
1:58 p.m. ET: Prosecutor de la Rionda asks Mandalo if she remembers telling him in a sworn statement that, "I think Zimmerman is definitely on top because of his size." She says yes.
1:56 p.m. ET:
1:54 p.m. ET: The attorneys are at a sidebar.
1:52 p.m. ET: Manalo tells the prosecutor that, based on the pictures, Zimmerman was the bigger of the two individuals that night.
1:50 p.m. ET:"But you're not certain, as you sit here today, who was where in that altercation?" asked O'Mara.
"No," said Manalo.
O'Mara has finished his cross-examination.
1:48 p.m. ET: Manalo says she hasn't seen any current photos of Martin and the way he would have looked that night. She was comparing a current photo of Zimmerman to the photos of Martin in a football jersey.
1:44 p.m. ET: The attorneys are at a sidebar.
1:42 p.m. ET: Manalo says the only way she would know if she was mistaking the identity of the individuals involved in the struggle is to see a recent picture of Martin.
1:40 p.m. ET: The attorneys are at a sidebar.
1:39 p.m. ET: Manalo says she looked at several photos including one of Martin in a football jersey to determine the size of the individuals involved in the struggle.
1:35 p.m. ET: The photos of Martin are being entered into evidence.
1:32 p.m. ET: The jury was not present for the previous line of questioning. Jurors are now being seated.
1:31 p.m. ET: Defense attorney O'mara has approached Manalo and is showing her pictures of a younger Martin. She says she used the photos to identify who was on top and who was on bottom during the struggle. O'Mara also shows her screen grabs from surveillance video at the 7-Eleven that night showing Martin. She says she didn't see those images.
1:25 p.m. ET: The judge is back on the bench and the attorneys are at a sidebar.
12:01 p.m. ET: Nelson has recessed court for lunch. The live blog will pick back up when court resumes at 1:10 p.m. ET.
11:59 a.m. ET: The attorneys are at a sidebar now.
11:57 a.m. ET: Manalo said she doesn't know who is bigger Zimmerman or Martin now.
11:54 a.m. ET: O'Mara has asked Manalo to describe a photo she saw of Martin that she used as a comparison to Zimmerman's size. Manalo said the photo of Martin was one of the first ones they used in the news.
11:46 a.m. ET: The attorneys are at a sidebar with the judge.
11:45 a.m. ET: Manalo said she did not see that Zimmerman's face was bloody the night of the shooting. She only saw got a glance at the profile of his face.
11:42 a.m. ET:
11:40 a.m. ET: O'Mara is pointing having Manalo point out where she saw one man on top of the other.
11:37 a.m. ET: Manalo is reviewing her statement she gave to the police the night of the shooting. O'Mara asked if Manalo said she described the size of the two men on the ground. Manalo says that it seems that she didn't.
11:34 a.m. ET: O'Mara is reviewing his materials.
11:33 a.m. ET: O'Mara asked if her Manalo's statement she gave police that night is more accurate than her testimony today. Manalo said she did not understand the question.
11:30 a.m. ET: Manalo said she could not tell where the "help" sound she heard came from, but it was closer than the initial howling sound she heard.
11:28 a.m. ET: O'Mara is pointing out on a map where Manalo saw the two men on the ground.
11:26 a.m. ET: De La Rionda has finished his direct examination. Defense attorney Mark O'Mara is about to begin his cross examination of Manalo.
11:22 a.m. ET: De La Rionda is showing Manalo pictures of the courtyard so the jurors can see her point of view of the shooting.
11:19 a.m. ET: The paramedic asked Manalo's husband for a plastic bag to help stop the bleeding.
11:18 a.m. ET: Manalo's husband went outside to see what was going on after they heard the gun go off.
11:15 a.m. ET: Manalo said she saw movement with men's hands, and the person on top was bigger than the person on the bottom.
11:12 a.m. ET: The attorneys are at a sidebar with the judge.
11:09 a.m. ET: Prosecutor De La Rionda is asking Manalo about what details of the altercation she saw.
11:08 a.m. ET: Manalo saw a neighbor come out of his house across the courtyard.
11:05 a.m. ET: Manalo said she heard a noise that sound like someone calling for help. When she looked out the sliding door a second time she saw two people on the ground.
11:04 a.m. ET:"I heard howling sound." said Manalo. "I looked out the sliding door."
Manalo said she did not see anything when she look out the sliding door after the howling sound.
11:02 a.m. ET: Manalo was in her living room with her family at the time of shooting. The back of her house faces the courtyard, the location of the shooting.
11:01 a.m. ET: Manalo was living in Zimmerman's neighborhood at the time of the shooting.
10:58 a.m. ET: Prosecutors has called their next witness, Jeannee Manalo.
10:55 a.m. ET: The parties are in the courtroom. Testimony should begin any minute.
10:40 a.m. ET: Court is in a 15 minute recess.
10:38 a.m. ET: Surdyka said she went on national television and told a reporter what she saw and heard that night. Her identity and voice was obscured during the interview.
10:35 a.m. ET: West has pointed out multiple times that Surdyka told the 911 operator that she didn't want to be a witness, but shortly after the shooting she told police officers she did want to be a witness.
10:33 a.m. ET: Surdyka spoke to police officers at the scene, and eventually gave them a written account of what she saw that night.
10:30 a.m. ET: Surdyka said before had not heard Zimmerman's or Martin's voices before the night of the shooting. She also said she still hasn't heard either of their voices to this day.
10:27 a.m. ET: West asked Surdyka if it is possible for a 17-teen-year-old to have a deep voice.
Surdyka said she guessed it was possible.
10:24 a.m. ET: Surdyka said heard two voices that night one dominate and another one that sounded higher pitch boy.
"It sounded more like a boy to me," said Surdyka.
10:21 a.m. ET:"That's what I saw, and that's the only thing I can tell you is what I saw and hearing the shouts, and he was face down," said Surdyka.
10:18 a.m. ET: West asked Surdyka if she saw a muzzle blast. Surdyka replied that she didn't know what muzzle blast was.
10:15 a.m. ET: West asked Surdyka if she was watching the altercation when the gun was fired. She said she believes she was watching when the gun went off.
10:11 a.m. ET: Surdyka said she thought she was on the phone with the 911 operator when the shots were fired. West questioned if that was true. He asked if her she was describing to the operator what she heard after the gunfire, and Surdyka said she was not sure.
10:08 a.m. ET: West is trying to pick apart Surdyka's account of the night of the shooting, making multiple references to how dark it was that night, and how hard it was to see due to the rain.
10:05 a.m. ET: West is having Surdyka point on the map where she saw the men on the ground. However, she says she is not sure where on the map exactly the voices she heard came from.
10:01 a.m. ET: Surdyka said five to 10 minutes passed from the first loud voice from the moment she heard the fight.
9:58 a.m. ET: West asked, "At what point did you realize this was a really serious event? One that help is desperatly needed."
"When I shut my nightlight off, and I could see two men on the ground. I knew it was something very serious," said Surdyka.
9:55 a.m. ET: West asked Surdyka if she thought she heard screaming for help or mercy. She said she thought the person was screaming for help one time and then a yelp right before the gun when off.
9:51 a.m. ET: De La Rionda has finished his direct examination of Surdyka, and now defense attorney Don West will ask her questions on cross examination. The attorneys are at a sidebar with the judge.
9:49 a.m. ET: The operator told Surdyka she needs to speak with an officer, and tell him what she saw.
9:45 a.m. ET: Eventually, Surdyka calms down, and the operator is able to get her address from her, and more details about what she saw in the courtyard.
9:42 a.m. ET: Surdyka does not seem fazed by listening to herself be emotional on the 911 call.
9:40 a.m. ET: Surdyka began to cry and panicked on the 911 call, because she was worried someone was killed. Martin's parents are composed as they listen to the 911 call.
9:37 a.m. ET: One the 911 call, Surdyka can be heard telling the operator she heard a "bang" or "pop."
"Oh my god I don't know what he did to that person," said Surdyka.
The operator said that she isn't the only person who has called 911 about the incident, and they have an officer on the scene.
9:35 a.m. ET: The court is having technical problems with playing the 911 call.
9:34 a.m. ET: Da La Rionda is now playing Surdyka's 911 call from the night of the shooting.
9:32 a.m. ET: Prosecutor De La Rionda is showing Surdyka pictures of the crime scene to demonstrate what Surdyka saw that night.
9:29 a.m. ET: A neighbor came out of another townhome and walked towards Zimmerman according to Surdyka. She also said Zimmerman was holding his hand to his forehead.
9:27 a.m. ET: Surdyka said Zimmerman got up after the teenager and started to walk towards her townhome.
9:25 a.m. ET:"I heard like from my window a pop, pop, pop." said Surdyka. "You know I don't know what a gun really sounds like."
9:24 a.m. ET: Surdyka said the last yelp she heard was made by the "boy" in her opinion.
9:22 a.m. ET:"I could see two people one the ground. One on top of each other." said Surdyka.
9:19 a.m. ET: Surdyka said shut off the lights in her townhome so she could see into the courtyard better.
9:16 a.m. ET:"All I could really hear. You know I guess I expected to open the window and like hear a conversation going on. But it really wasn't like someone out there just talking. When I opened the window a very aggressive voice. Someone sounded very angry, very agitated, and that kind of struck me. I don't know why I didn't hear the words," said Surdyka.
9:14 a.m. ET: After hearing voices, Surdyka opened a window and could see into the courtyard.
9:13 a.m. ET: Surdyka said she got up to close the window of her townhome, because it was raining on Feburary 26, 2012. Shortly after closing the window, she heard a loud "dominant" voice.
9:10 a.m. ET: Prosecutor Bernie De La Rionda has called Jayne Surdyka to the stand. She was living in the Zimmerman's neighborhood, Resort at Twin Lakes, at the time of the shooting.
9:07 a.m. ET: Here are some notes on the alternate juror that was just dismissed:
Appears to be the youngest on the panel
Resident of Seminole County, Florida for nine years
From Chicago
Single no kids
Working at current job for 1 year
No prior jury service
9:05 a.m. ET: Nelson has ruled that the five calls Zimmerman made reporting other suspicious people in his neighborhood will be admissible. An alternate juror has been dismissed for reasons unrelated to the trial.
9:00 a.m. ET: Judge Debra Nelson is on the stand, and the attorneys have joined her for a sidebar.
8:36 a.m. ET: Court is scheduled to start at 9:00 a.m. ET.
8:30 a.m. ET:
Prosecutors in the George Zimmerman trial could call a parade of eyewitnesses to the stand Wednesday to try to prove the former neighborhood watch captain intended to kill Trayvon Martin.
Interactive map: The Trayvon Martin killing
Zimmerman is charged with second-degree murder for killing 17-teen-year old Martin February 26, 2012. He told police he was pursuing the teenager because there had been a rash of crime in the area. A conflict ensued, and Zimmerman said he was forced to kill Martin in self-defense.
Selene Bahadoor, the first eyewitness to the shooting to testify, took the stand at the end of Tuesday's proceedings. Bahadoor said she isn't sure herself what she saw and heard that night.
A resident of Zimmerman's gated community, Bahadoor testified that she looked out her kitchen window that night after hearing a noise.
"It was not clearly distinguishable, but it sounded like, 'No' or 'Uhhh' -- that's what it sounded like," said Bahadoor. She also heard "something hitting the concrete, it sounded like running."
She said the view from her kitchen window was blocked, so she moved to the sliding glass doors at the back of her townhome.
"I saw what looked as figures and arms flailing," said Bahadoor. She says it was too dark for her to identify the individuals or to clearly see what position they were in.
Bahadoor said a neighbor offered to call police and she went back inside to turn off her stove. That's when she heard the gunshot.
Prosecutor Bernie de la Rionda asked her what she saw upon her return to the glass doors.
"It was just a body in the grass," said Bahadoor. "I remember it being face down."
Defense attorney Mark O'Mara called Bahadoor's motives into question when he pointed out to jurors that she signed a petition on Change.org in favor of prosecuting Zimmerman.


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The 100 Moments of TSU Athletics presented by Taco Bell® series continues by remembering an unlikely run that propelled one team into the Tennessee State University record books.
After finishing fourth in the regular season, the 2007 TSU volleyball team won three straight matches in the conference tournament, earning the OVC Championship and a berth in the NCAA Tournament.
The stretch of wins earned TSU's Kelly Davis MVP honors while teammates Collese Dornan and Endia Oliver joined Davis on the All-Tournament team.
The Tigers clawed to a 14-6 conference record during the regular season, putting them behind the tri-champions of Jacksonville State, Morehead State and Southeast Missouri.
TSU drew the fifth-seeded Murray State Racers in the opening round of the OVC Tournament, and made quick work of them, winning the match 3-0.
Up next for Tennessee State was number one-seed Jacksonville State. After dropping the first set, the Tigers came roaring back to take the next three sets and earn a spot in the OVC Championship.
TSU fed off of the last match's momentum, winning the first two sets over Morehead State in the final. However, fatigue may have caught up to the Tigers as Morehead State won the next two sets. With the match tied at two sets apiece, the teams traded blows in the fifth and final set until Tennessee State pulled away to a 15-12 set win.
The key to the tournament was TSU's defense. The 2007 team led the conference in blocks with 3.12 per game and opponent hitting percentage (.160).
The 100 Moments of TSU Athletics presented by Taco Bell® highlights some of the greatest moments in honor of Tennessee State's centennial celebration. A new moment will be released each weekday for a total of 100. These moments were chosen by the TSU 100 Moments committee, which consists of alums from various departments. TSU has so many great moments, not all can be represented in these 100.
Sports Information Assistant Alex Mitchell contributed to this article.


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Kirk Talon is at it again - when are we gonna get this guy to stop trying to keep us all alive?
"Do you have 20 minutes to spare? The way you respond to a kite accident could make a major difference in someone's life. Kirk Talon, a 30-year veteran firefighter/EMT with the City of Davis, CA, has generously offered to conduct a How to Recognize a Severely Injured Kiter clinic on Saturday, April 13, 2013 at 11am. This 20 minute clinic will cover how to approach an injured kiter and how to properly immobilize someone before Emergency personnel arrives so as to minimize further damage.
Take advantage of this free clinic under the Red Bull tent behind the registration area. We will also be raffling off a large first aid kit courtesy of Kirk and http://www.onscenesafety.com"


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The Crush isnt tweaked... yet. Contemplating the 450 upgrade, but its currently a bone stock 409. If we were to put equivalent sized props on them, the holeshot comparison would be interesting, as both boats run the same 1.26:1 reduction in the tranny. Top end probably wont be all that close, as the 196 with the gate up is a pretty fast hull... but we'll see!
No idea what MC ships as the standard prop on that package. I would have *guessed* it to be in the 13x15 range, but they certify some much smaller ones according to the 2013 Approved Towboats list. Those 13x12 and 13x14.5 wheels would have the boat screaming at skiing speeds, so Im guessing theyre not installed on typical (non-tournament) boats.
"Those 13x12 and 13x14.5 wheels would have the boat screaming at skiing speeds, so Im guessing theyre not installed on typical (non-tournament) boats."
The 13 X 12 was tested as a jump specific prop and will run higher RPM at 36 MPH, a bit over 4000 while the 13 X 14.5 spins 3750 RPM or so at 36. Lower RPM at that speed than say another brand of boat with another brand of propeller. The 13 X 14.5 is well suited to do it's slalom thing with the Ilmore and 1.26:1 trans.
Eric Johnson
Johnson Propeller Co., Inc
[email protected]
Thing is, there are several variations, of those engines, that GM offers. (Which is the same way that PCM makes the 6.0HO...... They just use a different long block assy.)
CARB requires that the engines be dyno'd using SAE standards. Ilmore is the only manufacturer that uses SAE standards to rate their engines. That is why Ilmore engines actually test at the level that they advertise. They use the CARB criteria to rate them.
SAE standards require that all pumps, belts, manifolds, cat converters, alternator, etc. be on the engine, when it is dyno'd. Ilmore does this, and the other marine manufacturers do not. They dyno the engines with shop headers and no belt driven components on the engine. (Which is how the marine industry has always done it in the past) That is why the CARB numbers are lower than advertised on those engines.
Oh boy here we go again....
Friend of mine is a retired (and later re-hired by a former competitor) engineer with the big motor companies who has worked on their engines all his life.
He once told me manufacturers are allowed a 10% tolerance between the stated H.P. and the actual H.P. According to those charts, it sure seems like what he claimed is supported by the charts. Unfortunately, the tolerance seems to only be on the low side, as none of them are even close to their stated H.P.
PT 1999 ProStar - I had a 197 with the 5.7 engine with a power slot, and mine maxed out at about 43.5 MPH. Add a footer in tow and it might lose 1-2. Yes, the tower will help with the upward pull...but a Skylon for $300 works just as well if you don't want to add $2-4k to your cost.
I found that rather than trying to find the one boat that does it all (which doesn't exist), it was easier to be happy with my 197 as a ski boat, and I bought an outboard Barefoot Sanger to foot behind. Speed is no longer an issue (60 mph) and the wake is phenominal. You can often find a handful of Outboard Sangers, FlightCrafts, and Barefoot 200s for sale throughout the year. The challenge is all will be old, so you may have to live with less then perfection, or take your time looking. I spent 3 years looking before I found one that the wife really liked.
Im not disagreeing on the different hp rating conventions. Ilmore does seem to be the only one quoting the CARB numbers, for whatever reason. I dont doubt the different marinizers put out comparable hp levels when comparing similar engines. It is convenient that all of the Indmar and PCM numbers are low, though. Who actually conducted the CARB testing? Do all marinizers go through this (and only Ilmore chooses to publish those numbers) or did Ilmore take the initiative to have the competitors tested to the same standard they chose? The numbers on the 350 based PCM sure look way out of bed with the way those boats perform (277hp vs. 330-343 stated). I saw the same chart posted at the MC booth at the boat show, I took it for marketing spin. Its not like automotive headers on a dyno will give you real world hp numbers anyways. Like I said, the proof is in the pudding (the way the boats perform).
PT, I sure would think the 197/6.0L would be good for 44-45 even with a big guy like you on the end of the line. You can hold off on that Sanger for now- you know where to go if you need a 60+mph Barefoot Boat! No outboard necessary.
"Eric, does that mean the 13x14.5 is the (common) stock prop on the 197's these days? Even 6.0L's? Im guessing youre referring to the SN200/Acme1868 (12.5x14.25) running very high RPM, which was the stock prop on the Excal (350) boats... though now Ive heard CC is going to the slightly larger 654 (12.5x15). Its been my experience that OJ's run slightly lower RPM vs. Acmes of the same dimensions for whatever reason. A prop with 14.5" pitch sure seems short for a 6.0L though... one would think it would need a larger wheel to keep from bouncing off the rev limiter at WOT. Ive seen 6.0L 196's run right up to the 5600 limit with 12.5x15.5 Acmes. Not sure where Ilmore puts the limiter, but assume it would be similar."
Yes, even the 6.0's and they don't get on the limiter with that prop. Yes. I was refering to that set up. I have run our 13 X 15 4-blade on those with lower RPM than the stock or even the new prop they went to. Run a lower pitch on the 5.7. The 196 is a different animal than the new hull, seems to have a bit more drag.
Eric Johnson
Johnson Propeller Co., Inc
[email protected]
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My passion for wildlife was stimulated in my teenage years, mainly thanks to my Mum (a biology teacher) who made me look at the world differently and being inspired by writers such as Paul Colinvaux. This early interest developed into biological research in my 20s, when I did practical conservation work in places such as the Comores and Mongolia.
Today, any free time I have I spend pottering around the flatlands of East Anglia or escaping to our hut on the Northumberland coast looking for wildlife and castles with my wife and children.
I studied Biological Sciences at Oxford and Conservation at UCL, and worked at Wildlife and Countryside Link before spending five years as Conservation Director at Plantlife.
I joined the RSPB as Head of Government Affairs in 2004, became Head of Sustainable Development in 2006, before becoming Conservation Director in 2011.
Yesterday, I was lucky enough to be asked to give evidence to the Efra Select Committee on the Natural Environment White Paper. Lucky because I was representing 36 members of Wildlife and Countryside Link and their 8 million supporters. And lucky because I was sharing the panel with Pavan Sukhdev , the leading light in environmental economics and the driving force behind a seminal report published last year called the economics of ecosystems and biodiversity - or TEEB for short. He is a hugely impressive man and it was good to hear him explain how to capture the value of nature and invest in protecting a healthy natural environment.
My fellow witnesses were equally impressive, but perhaps not quite so well known - Peter Unwin from Defra, Ellie Robinson from the National Trust, Chris Knight from PriceWaterhouseCoopers and Andrew Clarke from the National Farmers' Union. Yes, the benches were quite crowded.
The Committee, under the careful chairing of Anne McIntosh MP, probed well and encouraged a good debate. It was a departure from the normal, slightly confrontational format but it seemed to work well.
And yes, consensus did largely break out. There are many things to welcome in the NEWP: it has great ambition, sets an excellent framework for action over the next few years and includes some great initiatives, but the funding and delivery tools do not yet look sufficient.
We talked through these issues at length. And if at any time thoughts wandered, it was only over to Brussels where we were waiting to hear the announcement about the EU Budget.
My closing point was about our support for so-called Local Nature Partnerships which are designed to encourage local people to come together to take action for wildlife. I explained our worry that the timetable to apply for government funds to support these partnerships was too tight and would prevent the formation of new, creative coalitions necessary to deliver great things for nature. So, I was delighted when Peter Unwin announced that, yes, ministers agreed that timing was tight and so the deadline for applications would be extended until September. It is nice to know that Ministers do listen!
Finally, I encouraged the Committee to invite Peter or perhaps the Secretary of State to appear in a year's time to hear progress on implementation. Am confident of great things being achieved, but the Committee has an important scrutiny role to play and if we are not on track then it is right that the UK Government is encouraged to explain what it is going to do about it.
And that is the power and responsibility of the Select Committees.
Today President Barroso sits down with his college of Commissioners from the 27 Member States to decide how to spend roughly trillion euros of EU tax payers money between 2014-2020.
The sensible thing surely is to ensure that this money is spent on things that the EU has said that it wants to achieve and from which EU citizens will benefit – such as reversing biodiversity loss and cutting greenhouse gas emissions. Given that the EU has set Member States a whole series of environmental targets – which we applaud – it follows, doesn't it, that EU spending should reflect these priorities?
The current seven-year EU budget totals around €975 billion, or €139 billion per year. However, only around 10% of this amount is directly spent on climate measures, energy and resource efficiency and nature conservation.
Through the BirdLife International partnership, we have joined forces with other NGOs to call for smarter spending and intelligent investment.
Smarter spending would see at least 35% of the EU budget being used to tackle climate change and at least 15% being allocated to action to restore and protect biodiversity and ecosystem services.
Intelligent investment would see 50% of the EU budget allocated to those in sectors that underpin a green economy (i.e. renewable energies, energy efficiency, nature protection, agri-environment schemes etc..).
To illustrate the mismatch between ambition and spend, look at our friend, the Common Agriculture Policy. Currently only 5% of the CAP supports the environment (through incentives for wildlife friendly farming under Axis 2 of Pillar 2 – I know there is a lot of jargon). We would like to this to grow significantly – although rumours which have emerged over the past week have helped to lower our expectations.
Equally, the only pot of money dedicated to nature conservation - the aptly named LIFE programme - currently constitutes just 0.2% of the EU Budget. Given the emerging consensus (through things like the National Ecosystem Assessment) that investment in a healthy natural environment makes economic sense, it does not seem excessive for the LIFE programme to grow to 1% of the EU budget – with maybe €750 million dedicated to supporting the conservation of species and habitats of international importance.
Citizens across Europe appear to want change. A Eurobarometer poll from May 2011 shows that 89% of EU citizens agree that "EU funding should be allocated more to support environmentally friendly activities and developments". What's more, the Commission's public consultation on the single EU fund for the environment LIFE+ from 2011 shows that 86% of respondents think there is a need for a specific EU financial instrument for environment and climate action and 55% want to see it increased.
With such strength of public support, surely this collective of Commissioners cannot fail to find smarter ways to spend a trillion? We'll probably know the scale of their ambition by Thursday lunchtime.
There's a lot going on this week, so I shall be brief!
We entertain our Council at the Lodge tomorrow for one of our quarterly meetings. On Wednesday I will be giving evidence to the Efra Select Committee on behalf of Wildlife and Countryside Link. The focus is on the UK Government's Natural Environment White Paper. While I face my grilling, President Barroso et al will be deciding how to spend c3 trillion euros of European tax payers money. We expect negotiations to go on well into the night.
I shall try to highlight our hopes and expectations for the EU budget tomorrow.
Until then, enjoy the tennis and the sultry weather (assuming it's sultry where you are).


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You think you're doing artists a "favor" by "giving us exposure that we can't get ourselves."
You want us to pay a monthly fee for your nothing-else-like-it (ha!) online art gallery, enter your art competition for exposure, design your new logo for free, or purchase booth space at your event. You promise "exposure" in return for our art or our money.
Think again.
Artists are all kinds of tired listening to lines like these. We know how the world works and we know you're trying to make money by – in part – using our art.
Let's Be Partners
We're trying to make money, too. Acknowledge that. Acknowledge that we have something you want in the form of talent and ideas. Acknowledge that we are valuable to you and your business. Acknowledge that we have gifts.
Don't pretend we can't see past your motives.
Don't present your idea like you're doing us a big favor in the form of "more exposure for our art."
You're using artists to help you make more money. That's fine, but be honest about it.
Why not try something radical and create a partnership?
Why not treat us as equals as you would with other business relationships?
Instead of: "I've got a great idea that will give you lots of exposure for your art" . . .
Opt for: "I have this great product. I'd like more people to buy it and I think you can help me. How can we work together so that we both benefit? What do you need right now?"
This is not only an honest approach, it's a keystone for a stronger relationship. If we like you, we'll help spread the word. If you're just another salesperson, we'll figure it out.
A lot of people want our money or talents and we seem to be disappointed more and more frequently. Signing on for "promised exposure" hasn't yielded great results to date.
We're tired of it. We're not dumb. We see through the marketing speak.
Prove It
Give us the numbers. You want our money, art, and talents? We want cold, hard facts.
We'd like to see a screen capture of your Google Analytics in detail.
We want to see your click-through rates from your email marketing campaigns.
We'd like to know exactly how you're going to promote your art competition: advertising, mailings, frequency, etc.
We'd like to talk personally with 5 highly satisfied customers.
We'd like to know precisely how many people walked through your doors during your last exhibit and how much art (in $$) was sold.
Any other smart businessperson would demand these statistics. We are smart businesspeople.
Stop making promises. Start showing us results. If you don't have the results, be up front. Tell us why we should take a chance on you. Make your case.
Let's Talk About This
I'm feeling feisty and hope this post starts a conversation. I receive these pitches just like you do. They come to me when people want access to you via this blog. They want me to write about their great new product or service for artists that will give you lots of exposure.
Most of them are well-meaning. They don't know what they're doing. They don't understand that I've heard it all before and get pitched to several times a week.
Others are just bad at what they do. They've obviously never looked at this blog. They just know it ranks high and that it has "art" in the title.
One poor, genuinely nice guy last week got an earful when he pitched his idea to me. Normally I wouldn't even bother responding. But I sensed authenticity in his email. I just told him he needed a different approach – that artists are tired of hearing about promised exposure.
Was I right? Are you tired of hearing about promised exposure and not seeing results?


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Style # 219092
With a statement leopard print and heavy knit that contours to fit your body like a glove, this gorgeous bebe dress is sure to be the key to unlocking summer party fun.
- 92% nylon, 8% spandex
- Center back to hem: 31" (79 cm)
- Machine wash according to care label
- Made in USA with imported materials
- Model is 5'9" and is wearing a US size S
Leopard Pattern Dress is rated out of 5 by 4.
Rated 5 out of 5 by Lizzy84 from Very Sexy This dress is obviously for a night out, it is very short and yes, very sexy! It is stretchy material, however, it is thin so it does show imperfections. Love it:)
Date published: 2013-08-02
Rated 2 out of 5 by marisher from Not so Happy The dress didn't exactly fit the way I wanted, it was a final purchase sell so I was pretty disappointed. I have never had an issue with a dress not fitting that was a small from Bebe, however this one was a little too big.
Date published: 2013-07-29
Rated 5 out of 5 by Renee1129 from the dress feel great Love the print of the dress..dress fit great, I order the M/L because of my breast size, but everything fits perfectly.
Date published: 2013-06-24
Rated 4 out of 5 by prettyunique from Sexy ~ Trendy Simple sexy cool trendy love it. I got it in a large and it's still pretty short. Nice dress for the price.
Date published: 2013-06-10


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Skip to comments.Rep. Gowdy Hammers ICE Director Morton Over Release of Illegal Alien Felons (Video)
Posted on 03/19/2013 8:36:19 PM PDT by montag813
by John Hill
Stand With Arizona
Today's House Judiciary Committee hearing showed exactly why we would love to see S.C. Rep. Trey Gowdy replace the disgraceful Lindsey Graham in the U.S. Senate next year.
Tuesday afternoon, Rep. Gowdy (R), the Chairman of the Immigration Subcommittee, grilled ICE Director John Morton and DHS officials about the release of thousands of illegal immigrants from detention, including Level I violators (aggravated felons).
The Obama administration has claimed that sequestration budget cuts forced them to release the detainees. But it has since been revealed that DHS and its division have spent hundreds of millions on other, often frivolous expenditures, from brand new uniforms for TSA agents ($50 million) to designer furniture and thousands of armored vehicles - while pleading poverty to release thousands of alien criminals onto our streets, putting Americans at greater risk.
Gowdy wasn't having any of it.
What is a Level I violator? Gowdy asked Morton.
First, obviously I disagree about your characterization about these being Morton began.
Thats fine. You can use your time to disagree with my characterization, dont use mine. What is a Level I violator, Gowdy shot back.
Morton explained Level I violators are aggravated felons. He added that eight Level I violators were released, but after faulty computer records and a mistake, four were put back into detention.
If its $122 a day to house four Level I aggravated felons, then releasing them saves you, what, about $600 a day? Gowdy pressed. You cant find $600 anywhere else in your budget? He did not get a straight answer to the question.
EXCERPT...Click HERE for the Full Story...
Future senate material perhaps...
I wish he was in my State! He would be a great replacement for McCain!
DC would rather send billions of dollars, hundreds of tanks, dozens of planes and what not to the Muslim Brotherhood running Egypt.
Want on or off this ping list? Just drop me a FReep mail.
Gowdy was on Greta this evening. He's great.
Thanks for the ping.
Two things that I find most interesting about all of these committees grilling all these bureaucrats are:
1. The gross and blatant incompetence in pretty much each and every person.
2. The arrogance they show toward certain members of Congress when they're are posed tough questions
If there is one thing good about having that moron in the White House, and I shudder to say good, its that the actions that he and his ilk have been taking for the past 5 years have allowed the public to see just how dangerous and incompetent they really are.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.


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Hey there friend :) Yes, that childish message has gone away now, hopefully to a much better place :P see, i'm actually so grown up i feel tired all the time! Have fun, look around, add me to your bookmarks, and visit once every blue moon, who knows? Maybe a new post will be up! and for those already following me since wayyy back in the dark ages, i apologise profusely for the chronic lack of posting.. i miss you all..


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Numbers of positive flu cases in the local area including Franklin County and Washington County, Md., have decreased significantly over the past few weeks, according to health officials.
Numbers of positive flu cases in the local area including Franklin County and Washington County, Md., have decreased significantly over the past few weeks, according to health officials.
"In the last three weeks, the number of flu cases diagnosed at Meritus Medical Center, Hagerstown, has decreased by 50 percent compared to the three prior weeks," said Dr. Mohammed Bilgrami, infectious disease physician at WillowWood Adult Medicine, a practice of Meritus Health.
Officials with Summit Health in Franklin County concur, saying patients with flu-like symptoms visiting emergency rooms at Waynesboro and Chambersburg hospitals have decreased these past few weeks.
"At one point, 15 percent of patients in our emergency departments were here for flu-like symptoms," said Ericka Kalp, director of epidemiology and infection prevention at Summit Health. "Currently less than 5 percent of our patients at the hospitals have symptoms consistent with the flu."
The flu season started out with an intense spike in positive cases being reported across the country. In Pennsylvania, the Department of Health classified the flu outbreak as widespread, as activity was reported in all regions of the state.
In Franklin County, four deaths have been attributed to the flu this season, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Health's flu website. In addition, more than 30,000 positive flu cases have been reported throughout Pennsylvania — with Franklin County having 506 positive cases.
Though Meritus was reporting lower numbers of cases this week, the Maryland Department of Health's website indicated the number of flu cases across the state continue to be widespread through all regions, according to data compiled the week of Jan. 26.
Taking precautions
Although flu activity has been decreasing, medical facilities are still taking precautions to protect their patients, particularly because on average the flu season peaks in January or February.
"Patients with flu-like symptoms at Chambersburg and Waynesboro hospitals' emergency departments are being asked to wear masks to help prevent the spread of flu," said Kalp, who added that at Chambersburg a designated waiting room has been set up for patients with flu-like symptoms.
At Meritus Health, precautions are being taken in emergency rooms and waiting rooms at doctors' offices. "We have signs to indicate that people who have flu-like illnesses should wear a mask, and we are isolating patients with flu illness for seven days from the onset of their symptoms," said Bilgrami.
For those who wish to protect themselves, flu shots are still available.
"The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend that people should get vaccinated against the flu as long as the flu virus is circulating," said Bilgrami.
"It is recommended that everyone over 6-months of age receive the flu vaccine," said Kalp.
People who wish to get a flu vaccine may visit their doctor's office for more information.


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*1/2 (out of four)
Breaking news: When you get married, you will inevitably deal with your spouse's family and exes in some capacity!
This is the major insight of writer-director Edward Burns' inane "Newlyweds," which has nothing in common with "Bridesmaids" but shares a lot with many other sources. Burns ("The Brothers McMullen") bites conflict from a "Seinfeld" episode, a line from "Chasing Amy" and needlessly has characters address the camera ala "The Office" to comment on what just happened.
Meanwhile, Linda (Kerry Bishe), who could be in the dictionary under "hot mess," feels like a thinly sketched combination of Charlize Theron's destructive home-wrecker in "Young Adult" and Carey Mulligan's damaged drama fiend in "Shame."
Linda travels from L.A. to New York, where she finagles a temporary stay with her half-brother Buzzy (Burns, who shouldn't name characters "Buzzy") and his new wife Katie (Caitlin Fitzgerald)—who are convinced their marriage will succeed because work schedules often prevent them from seeing each other. Add in Linda's recently married ex (Johnny Solo), Katie's recovering alcoholic Irish ex (Dara Coleman), Katie's intolerable sister (Marsha Dietlin) and her unhappy husband (Max Baker), and Burns has cooked up a big steaming pot of family dysfunction.
But he forgets to save any issues for his own character. "Newlyweds" revolves around a nice, innocent guy and the messed-up people around him. Burns seems to think he's the first guy to ruminate about the reasons people get married. He recognizes the problems, but stops before making a statement about them, giving his film an exasperated tone that achieves nothing profound. Buzzy questions what thoughts are better kept to himself; until he has more to say, Burns should follow his own advice.
Watch Matt on "You & Me This Morning," Fridays at 7:30 a.m. on WCIU, the U
firstname.lastname@example.com. @mattpais