Dear Doctor: I'm a 45-year-old man. Do I really need a PSA test every year?
Dear Reader: The short answer: Only in certain situations. Prostate cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer death among men, and in an effort to spot it early, doctors have long used the PSA test to measure prostate-specific antigen, or PSA, a glycoprotein produced within the prostate. PSA production increases in prostate cancer, as does the release of the protein into the bloodstream.
Since the inception of the PSA test in 1986, prostate cancer diagnoses have increased so much that one in six men will now be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetimes. One might think it is a good test, but not so fast.
The PSA test is problematic in three ways. The first is that it will detect many prostate cancers that will never be clinically significant, meaning they will never cause symptoms. Autopsy studies have shown that 30 percent of men have some form of prostate cancer by age 55, and 60 percent of men have prostate cancer by the age of 80. The majority of these cancers would have gone unnoticed, with no ill effects.
The second problem with the test is that investigating an elevated PSA with a prostate biopsy can cause significant side effects, including prostate infections, impotence, incontinence and, occasionally, death. These side effects are magnified when a patient has either prostate surgery or radiation treatment for prostate cancer, a type of treatment that may be unnecessary for a low-grade prostate cancer.
The third problem with the test is that PSA levels also increase in men who have enlarged prostates or inflamed prostates -- but not cancer. Men can be subjected to biopsies and their inherent risks simply because they have another condition entirely.
Based on these problems, some professional organizations now recommend that doctors not perform the PSA test. What appears to counter this logic is a large European study with 162,243 men ages 55 to 69 that showed the prostate cancer death rate decreased by 21 percent in men who were offered a PSA test every four years.
The American Urological Association (AUA) has taken this study into account and varied its recommendations by age and risk. It does not recommend screening for average-risk men between the ages of 40 to 54, but says that higher-risk men -- typically those with a family history of prostate cancer or who are African-American -- may benefit at that age.
For men ages 55 to 69, the association recommends that doctors explain the risks and benefits of the PSA test and conduct it every two years. This recommendation changes for men with an elevated PSA, between 4 and 7. In these men, testing should be more frequent to make sure that the level does not rise beyond 7, which may be an indication for biopsy. However, if the PSA level is consistently low and at a level of 1 or less by the age of 60, there may be no need for further screening tests.
So my feeling is that the PSA is a useful test for average-risk men between the ages of 55 to 69, but it doesn't have to be repeated yearly if it is normal. The test could be done every two to four years.
Another variable that may add to decision-making -- and take some of the fear out of the follow-up -- is the advent of the prostate MRI, which can both detect prostate cancers in men with an elevated PSA and decrease the complications from prostate biopsy. That technology suggests that the pros and cons of the PSA will continue to evolve.


Q: How does crime differ from research misconduct?
Although you've not mentioned "research" misconduct, I am assuming that is what you meant.
Research misconduct is a serious offence that breaches the professional ethics and public trust as well. Most of the accusations in this regard are handled by the universities or institutions that the accused researchers are affiliated with. And while investigations that confirm research misconduct usually result in the retraction of research papers, suspension, finding bans, employment termination, rarely so such cases reach the court.
However, this is a hot topic of discussion among academics. Some favor the criminalization of research conduct while others think that misconduct is not so extreme as to warrant criminal prosecution. Some countries such as China are trying to penalize researchers who have indulged in unethical practices related to conducting or publishing research. The main intent here is to encourage researchers to follow ethical guidelines.
I'm sure you will find this article interesting: Should research misconduct be considered a criminal offence?


TL:DR – Innovation doesn’t have to be expensive and is a vital business growth strategy. Authentic empathy for your customers is a valid and proven success metric.
The first speaker at the DLR Summit on June 13th discussed the positive impact of great customer experiences. Edmund Dueck of Liferay outlined the need for innovative customer experiences. Positive customer experiences ultimately increase an organisation’s competitive chances.
Creative thinking and great customer experiences go hand in hand: To illustrate this, Edmund used the example of a large suspension bridge in Germany. The Geierlay suspension bridge is situated in the middle of nowhere, outside a small, German town. Commissioned by the inhabitants of Moersdorf, the project aimed to boost tourism. For a town with nothing of note to attract tourists and a small economy, the locals had to think creatively. The project was a roaring success. The bridge has attracted over 500,000 visitors per year, twice that of Eltz Castle which is better known.
Why is a suspension bridge relevant to business?
Innovate or die: Oft quoted in marketing, but holds true. Every business, from your local bank to software vendor must stay ahead of the competition. If you are not sure whether you need to innovate, it’s time to look at your profitability. Then ask yourself if this is sustainable when there are twice as many competitors in this space.
Change velocity is real: The rate of change in technology is causing a high rate of distress for business. According to research, 76% of marketers think that marketing has changed more in the last two years compared to the last 20 years. If your organisation can not keep abreast of change, perhaps it is time to look to a digital partner?
Trends: It is vital for your organisation to stay abreast of of industry trends. From there, each team should evaluate what your organisation can realistically adopt. You may not have a large budget but not all innovation is costly.
Digital Partners: According to the former CTO of IBM, ‘many enterprises are choking on their own early, digitised practices’. So what is the solution? Banks are the best example of early innovation gone wrong. Legacy systems start to fail over time and patches only work for so long (TSB UK is the latest example). To stay relevant, organisations must maintain and upgrade digital real estate. If internal resources are not available, you must look at a digital partner. Our Team Augmentation service is a cost effective upgrade and maintenance service. Regardless of the discipline required, we offer resources as required.
Empathy and Competition: Social media has turbo charged the power of ‘Word of Mouth’ marketing. For any company (even those without large budgets), customer connection is key. A prospect who feels a connection to a brand will be more likely to convert and customers are less likely to churn. Connecting in a genuine and empathetic manner is a key to a successful sales strategy.
Customers as a nodal point: Put your customer at the centre of your strategy. Whether you rent industrial equipment or develop salon software, putting customers at the centre of everything you do is innovative – particularly when your competitors don’t. Edmund highlighted a leasing company that designed their services around the customer. Taking this approach means that prospects can receive a quote within two minutes online. Furthermore, they can lease equipment directly from the site. ID checks are automatic, making it easy for customers to then collect the vehicle. This innovative approach has helped the company corner the market.
Care is your best strategy: Customers connect to your business with small gestures, perhaps it’s time to start thinking small. When Phorest Software started out, they did not focus on costly solutions to surprise and delight customers. The team had to get creative with their marketing activities. When the company was in it’s infancy, I remember an email that they sent to some customers on their birthday. This birthday email linked to a video featuring the marketing manager singing happy birthday to the customer. This simple gesture won the hearts and minds, creating a valuable connection. This connection boosted engagement and retention.
Behave online as in real life: We have all visited (and swiftly left), websites with autoplay videos, pop up windows demanding email addresses and annoying chatbots. While these features may work when well executed, more often than not, they can actually act as a deterrent. If you wouldn’t follow customers around with billboards and megaphones in real life, perhaps it is worth avoiding them online.
If you are looking to innovate, our Team Augmentation service can help with a range solutions to suit your budget and timeline.
Contact the team to book an informal discussion your business objectives.


What does Brexit mean for the translator?
After hearing the result of the EU referendum on the morning of 24 June, I contacted all the people in Italy, France and Belgium I had recently worked with, to express my disappointment. I wanted them to know that I hadn't supported the decision to leave, which came across to some as a rejection of our European neighbours.
Working as a translator, I continually feel the benefits of collaborating with a team of people based overseas with different mother-tongues. Everyone contributes different skills, knowledge, and reference points, and the results are good. The whole is greater than the individual components and the work is rewarding. We’re stronger together.
But Britain's decision to leave the European Union does make me worry. A survey of the UK's translation services highlighted by Stirling-based translation company Global Voices, found that about a third of income in this field comes from within the EU. Global Voices goes on to point out that there are at least 23 recognised languages in the EU, with English, French and German being the three leading business languages. If Brexit has a negative impact on trade, or leads to an increase in border tariffs, the incentive to do business with the UK may fall. It's even possible that one day English will no longer be recognised as a major European language, which would decrease demand for translation into English.
It's also possible - if free movement into and out of the UK is undermined - that translators from overseas will find it more difficult to live and work in the UK. They make a strong contribution to the translation industry, especially as translation should always be in one direction: into one’s mother tongue. This makes employment of non-UK translators essential, since we obviously need people to translate out of English. It is also unclear whether English-speaking translators based overseas will be able to stay and work abroad. I have long dreamed of working as a translator in Italy, but am no longer certain it will be possible.
There is a silver lining – for translators working with clients in other continents. Empowerlingua, which offers translation and interpretation services, predicts that fresh business in the form of trade agreements from outside Europe may, for those with the appropriate skills, generate translation work on a more global scale.
Much of my work as a scientific translator is concerned with the pharmaceutical and medical sectors. The future of projects in these fields is difficult to predict. According to Signs and symptoms of translation, a blog by a Spanish to English medical translator, Brexit will coincide with a period of change in EU legislation surrounding clinical trials for new drugs for use on humans. New regulations are set to arrive in 2017 or 2018. It looks certain that the European Medical Agency will move its headquarters out of London and into Europe. Extra translation work could be created by agreements with pharmaceutical companies carrying out clinical trials overseas, and from import, export, manufacture, storage and distribution of medicinal products and devices. However, this is by no means certain. If the UK become more dependent upon UK or US-based drug testing and manufacture, demand for pharmaceutical and medical translation will fall.
And then there's the exchange rate. Some translation agencies, acting as the go-between for a translator and a client, pay in pounds but are paid in euros. With a weak pound, it's much more expensive for them to do this than it used to be.
So a number of uncertainties cloud the future of post-Brexit Britain, and language services are no exception.


This is a short summary of Sniegowski and Raynes (2013), a review about the evolution of the mutation rate, with an emphasis on the Drift Barrier Hypothesis (DBH). The summary is written in my own words, with a few footnotes and highlighting that express my thoughts.
Then what keeps the mutation rate from dropping to zero?
One force could be adaptive evolution which creates selection for the generation of beneficial mutations 2. This selection, however, is limited (Sniegowski, 2000).
Another force can be the fitness cost of increasing genomic replication fidelity3. This doesn't seem to solve the problem, mainly because although the cost of fidelity in prokaryotes should be higher than in eukaryotes, the genomic mutation rate is lower4.
There is also a physio-chemical constraint on the fidelity of replication and repair mechanisms5. But this constraint should be similar to all species so it cannot explain the diversity.
DBH (Sung et al. 2012): Reduction of the mutation rate has a diminishing effect on fitness6 and therefore at some point selection towards low mutation rates is weaker than drift. This effect is highly dependent on the population size.
"Drake's Rule": genomic mutation rates of DNA microbes7 are very similar (0.003 mutations per genome per generation) - the per base-pair mutation rate decreases with the genome size (Drake, 1991). This suggest a universal selective force which acts to adjust the mutation rate of microbes. This rule was recently tested and confirmed in C. reinhardtii and M. florum (Sung et al. 2012), and it fits with the DBH, as microbes usually have very large populations.
In contrast, in eukaryotes, however, the per base-pair and genomic mutation rate increases with genome size. This fits with the DBH, because eukaryotes presumebly have small effective population sizes.
However, it is noted that both mutation rates and effective population sizes are very hard to measure and estimate.


An equation: an equation is mathematical statement that two things are equal. It consists two expressions and it contains the sign of equality (=).
The solution of an equation: The values of variable that satisfy the equation that means the value of variable make the equation true. This value of variable is called the solution of an equation.
Let the variable of required the equation be and the solution of an equation is -7.
Therefore the required equation is that gives solution is -7.
Therefore another equation is that gives solutions is -7.


Are Universal and Legendary Plotting a Namor Movie?
Latino Review is floating a theory that's sure to intrigue fans of a certain aquatic superhero, to say nothing of those who try to track the serpentine path of Marvel's film rights.
Following Universal Pictures' announcement on Wednesday of an "Untitled 2016 Event Project" from its new partner Legendary Pictures, the website suggests tentpole could be a Sub-Mariner movie, as the studio still holds the rights.
It's certainly an interesting proposition, even if there's not much evidence to support it. Latino Review notes that the untitled film, pegged for release on Nov. 4, 2016, is vaguely characterized as "new and not a sequel or remake, though it may be based on underlying intellectual property."
That could describe Namor, of course, but it could also be used to describe any number of other properties. The site also points to its own earlier rumor about Zac Efron being targeted for a Marvel movie, and the possibility of Universal/Legendary beating Warner Bros. to putting an undersea hero on the big screen. However, none of that is particularly convincing.


What would happen if someone did the unthinkable-and didn't deliver a letter? Filled with stunning parallels to today, The Postmistress is a sweeping novel about the loss of innocence of two extraordinary women-and of two countries torn apart by war.
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This is a tough one. I'd have to say any one of the mythical creatures in the Book of Fairy Tales from the book The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton. The book plays a small but important role in the story and all of the stories within this book have characters and creatures that hold a moral and ethical value to them. In a society where this is so easily forgotten I think it would be great to have a few of them amongst us!
Cassandra is lost, alone and grieving. Her much loved grandmother, Nell, has just died and Cassandra, her life already shaken by a tragic accident ten years ago, feels like she has lost everything dear to her. But an unexpected and mysterious bequest from Nell turns Cassandra's life upside down and ends up challenging everything she thought she knew about herself and her family.
Inheriting a book of dark and intriguing fairytales written by Eliza Makepeace - the Victorian authoress who disappeared mysteriously in the early twentieth century - Cassandra takes her courage in both hands to follow in the footsteps of Nell on a quest to find out the truth about their history, their family and their past; little knowing that in the process, she will also discover a new life for herself.
This book is about two woman who are trying to uncover their family's past. There is Nell, who on her twenty first birthday, found out that she is not who she thought she was and then Cassandra, her grandaughter, who knows nothing of Nell's secret until after she passes away. The book jumps back and forth through time periods of each woman in their quest to find out the truth. Not only does it tell their story from different decades, it goes back to before either of their time to the Mountrachet family where it all begins. This is where we are introduced to Eliza and Rose.
I must say that I found it a little confusing when I first started the book. Each chapter would leap between different time periods and characters and I had to keep looking back to remember who I was reading about. It wasn't until I got deeper into the book that I thought that it was brilliant the way Kate Morton began the story. By the time the story was well underway and I was captivated, the characters from every timeline were so well developed that I felt like I knew them. I cared about them and could not wait to read more about them. With each chapter little pieces of the puzzle were uncovered and I loved trying to figure out how it would all tie together in the end. I was right about some, and wrong about others. I was completely hooked up until the very last page. Morton brilliantly tied the pieces between past and present to tell this story of Nell's family past.
This is the first Kate Morton book that I have read. The House at Riverton is on my bookshelf and after reading The Forgotten Garden I am sure I will be picking it up in the very near future. I will also be borrowing her latest from Terri the next time I see her. I loved this book. If I had to describe it in one word I would have to say STUNNING!
I am so glad that Kristine has finally read this book! I read this several months ago hence the reason I waited for her to submit her review as my recollection is not as fresh. I fell in love with this book from the very beginning. I love the way there were several stories in one weaving from 1900 to present day in order to bring the reader to the conclusion of one mystery.
I was swept away on a journey with the character's and I did not and could not put the book down. Morton has an uncanny knack of taking me away to a different frame of mind. I found myself thinking about this book and what would happen whenever I had put it down, I was dreaming about it and the I could not shake the "zone" it put me in while reading it and well after finishing it. In fact, Morton has managed to do this with all three of her books. I am still trying to shake the indescribable feeling her most recent book has given me.
I did not discover this book by accident, quite the opposite. I was anxiously awaiting it to come out in soft cover so that I could go out and purchase it. Seriously, with the way I have been reading lately, who wants to pay hardcover prices? I did however discover Kate Morton by accident when I read the Forgotten Garden. I have not posted a review as it has been a few months since I have read it however I am anxiously awaiting Kristine to finish it and post her review so that I can add my two cents. My suspicions are that she will finish it today. After reading it, I then read The House at Riverton, again will have to wait for Kris' review and promised myself I will by all future books written by this author.
After reading a few pages (100 to be exact) I was sadly disappointed. I found it slow to get in to and way too descriptive to the point of losing my attention. Luckily for me I always finish a book once started and after page 100 I was hooked. As is typical with all of Morton's books, I got swept away in the mystery and could not wait to turn the next page to find out what would happen next. The story is told in the present day (1992) and in 1941 giving life to the character in both generations. This is what has drawn me to Morton is the fact that she tells story over multiple generations and always delivers the story from the viewpoint of each principle character in each generation. Once the story got rolling and we started learning more about the characters, I was lost to her words and where they were taking me. Nothing else existed for me, my husband was ignored, work was annoying for taking me away from the book and the television did not get turned on.
I am not going to get in to any details of the book. I feel that they need to be discovered while reading and giving anything away would be too much. I will say that I was only able to guess correctly certain parts of the mystery as it unfolded and much less than I normally do (and less than The Forgotten Garden which has to be in my top 5 novels this past year). It is hard to describe the feeling now that I have completed the novel. It has been about five hours since I read the last word and the book is still with me. It is a haunting story and has left me feeling haunted still as I type these words. That's the closest I can describe however I don't think it is accurate to how I am feeling. I'm not sure if I like this feeling however like it or not, it is how I can gauge how lost and involved I am in a storyline.
All in all, I would recommend this book. I am only giving it a 4 star rating due to the first 100 pages that I found difficult to get through. It would be higher if I were to rate it from page 101 on. I also highly recommend both of her other titles and I cannot wait for Kristine to read them all so that I can discuss them with her. As I said previously, I will own and read all of Kate Morton's works as she has managed to get me lost in her words three consecutive times.
The unfinished letter is the only clue Tara and Emerson have to the reason behind their close friend Noelle's suicide. Everything they knew about Noelle—her calling as a midwife, her passion for causes, her love for her friends and family—described a woman who embraced life.
I am a huge fan of Diane Chamberlain's books. I started by borrowing a couple of books from friends and was hooked. After a trip to the bookstore, I ended up buying every title I could find. Now here is where my relationship with her books takes a strange twist. At the same time that I purchased her books I went on a health kick determined to lose a little weight. I decided that I was only going to read the books while I was on my elliptical, recumbent bike or treadmill. I figured this would motivate me to get on my equipment every day. Was I right! I found that all of her books pulled me in right away and I couldn't wait to workout so that I could read a little more. When I would look down at the time on my equipment I was shocked that I had been on them for over an hour each! That's over three hours of working out a day just so I could finish the books. I was actually finishing the books faster and I lost fifteen pound in the process! I secretly call it the "Diane Chamberlain" diet. I have never let anyone in on my weight loss secret until now.
I also have a real soft spot for Diane Chamberlain as a person because of my daughter, Sierra. She started a blog when she was eleven called The Reading Chic (www.thereadingchic.blogspot.com) and she reviewed one of her books. She then asked her for an author interview and she gave it to her. It meant so much to Sierra and showed so much character that Diane Chamberlain would give some of her time to someone who was eleven years old at the time.
I absolutely loved The Midwife's Confession. Each chapter is told through the eyes of a different character in typical Chamberlain style. This is part of the appeal for me. You get to know each of the characters so well that you feel you have always known them. This is also what makes her books so easy to read.
At the beginning Noelle commits suicide and the whole book revolves around Tara and Emerson, her two best friends, trying to figure out why she did it. They discover that Noelle had secrets that turn their lives upside down. Just when you think you have it figured out, something else happens. The characters are wonderfully written and the story flows flawlessly. This story tests the boundaries of friendship, love, family and relationships and keeps you guessing with every turn of the page.
If you haven't read The Midwife's Confession I suggest you do. If you haven't read a Diane Chamberlain book then you are really missing out. There is not one of her books that I haven't enjoyed. I can't wait for the next one!
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I would write myself a part in the book The Help as a friend and supporter of Skeeter's. She had no people in her life that supported the way she thought and what she was doing except for the help themselves. I would be the one friend in her life that did not abandon her in her efforts to make a difference.
When Eva's film star sister Katrina dies, she leaves California and returns to Cornwall, where they spent their childhood summers, to scatter Katrina's ashes and in doing so return her to the place where she belongs. But Eva must also confront the ghosts from her own past, as well as those from a time long before her own. For the house where she so often stayed as a child is home not only to her old friends the Halletts, but also to the people who had lived there in the eighteenth century. When Eva finally accepts that she is able to slip between centuries and see and talk to the inhabitants from hundreds of years ago, she soon finds herself falling for Daniel Butler, a man who lived - and died - long before she herself was born. Eva begins to question her place in the present, and in laying her sister to rest, comes to realise that she too must decide where she really belongs, choosing between the life she knows and the past she feels so drawn towards.
This is the fourth book by Susanna Kearsley that I have read. Terri and I came across her books during one of our trips to the book store when searching for different books and authors. We didn't have anything in mind and we were randomly searching the rows of books for something that caught our eye and interest. I can't remember who, but one of us picked up one of her books, read the back, and thought it sounded interesting. We decided to give it a try. After both enjoying it, we were both excited that we had found a new author to enjoy. After reading Mariana, Every Secret Thing and The Winter Sea I decided to read The Rose Garden which is her latest release. I wasn't disappointed.
Let me start off by saying that this is a book about time travel. It is not for someone lacking imagination. It ever so slightly reminded me of the Outlander series with a hint of The Time Traveler's Wife but in a more condensed and less detailed way. Eva finds herself slipping back to the 18th century where she finds Daniel and falls in love. Daniel is a Jacobite with strong loyalties to his kinsman. This is where it is similar in a way to Diana Gabaldon's Outlander. Unfortunately, I found that Kearsley's characters and story lacked the amount of chemistry and adventure of Gabaldon's. I was drawn to characters and their unique hardships but was hoping for more. Having read a few books about the Jacobite period and the uprising I was able to understand the story taking place in the 18th century but someone who has not may find it a little confusing. The details of that period were better written in her book The Winter Sea which is probably my favorite book of hers. I would suggest reading that one first.
Having said all that, I did really enjoy the book. It was a quick and easy book to get through. I finished it in a day and a half. The complications of traveling back and forth through time were interesting to say the least. Anyone who likes a good love story with a little bit of historical value to it would really enjoy this book. Susanna Kearsley is a "new to me" author who's books I'm happy to have discovered.
I read this some time ago so I figured I would let Kristine post her review when it was fresh in her mind and I would add my two cents in. As she mentioned, this author was a surprise find of ours when we first discovered the book Mariana while browsing. Upon reading it, I knew I wanted to read her other books. I too have read four of her books (in order of preference) Winter Sea, Mariana, The Rose Garden and Shadowy Horses. The book Every Secret thing is sitting on my to be read shelf at the moment. Until a few moments ago, I thought these were all of Kearsley's novels however research has turned up some more titles.
Unlike Kristine, I have not read any of the Outlander series so I cannot draw upon any comparisons. What I can say is that I really got lost in this book as I have most of the others. I really enjoy when a book has a plot set in the present day as well as one set in the past (a common theme in Kearsley's novels) and tend to seek out these type of story-lines. In this case it is about time travel. While this would be considered part of the historical fiction genre, I more-so enjoyed the romantic side of the story as it did not fall in to the cheesy category that so many romantic themes can find themselves victim of. I found the characters were well developed and that the story flowed well.
Overall I would give this novel a solid 4 out of 5 and would recommend this book and any of her others for those looking for a good easy read that will help you escape for a few hours. If you were to read only one or two, I would however recommend The Winter Sea first followed closely by Mariana.
I absolutely loved this book and could not put it down. It is such a unique book told from an even more unique perspective. It is genious! The racial divide in Mississippi in 1962 was enormous and something we all know a little about but what this book does is show (so flawlessly) the perspective from both sides in a very unique story. You can feel the inner conflict and turmoil in each of the characters. I laughed, I cried and was even tempted to throw the book across the room a few times. Hearing the stories of these maids ( although fictional) can give you a little understanding of what it was like during that period for them. I also loved how the character Skeeter was written. She understood and knew that what was going on was wrong but was so powerless to the views of her society to speak up without dire consequences. Without giving anything away I want to quickly mention Hilly Holbrook. Although I hated this character there is something very familiar about her. We all know one. The person that knows everything, is right about everything and nobody ever goes against. The one that will have you alienated from everyone if you dare go against her. The one that can't see any farther than her own head. In the book it is her racism and views on segregation that make it impossible for the characters in the book. I truly hated her.
This book was made into a movie that was released just this week. I intend to go see it although I can't see how it could possibly portray the emotion as well as the book. I strongly encourage everyone to pick this book up and read it. You will not regret it. I could go into much further detail about this book but will refrain as I don't want to give anything away!
I just picked this book up yesterday & finished it today. I was thinking about what I wanted to say in my review and then I read Kristine's review. Sometimes this twin thing is a bit creepy because she covered everything I wanted to say!
I have to second what she said, there was a little something about all of the characters that we can relate to people we know today. If I want to get deep for a moment, it goes to show that although the times have changed and the issues may be different today, people really never change. Some people will always be close minded and judgmental and some will always take that extra step to do something they believe in while everyone in between just plays lip-service. I do not think that there is a single person out there who could not identify with these characters in one way or another.
I will keep this short but will say that this was an amazing book. I will also add that Minny was my favorite character. I couldn't get enough of her sassyness.
When I was in school, I took a class titled American Cultural History. I took this class not because I wanted to, but because the courses that I did want to take were full. This ended up being my favorite class because instead of textbooks I was assigned 15+ novels to read. What does that have to do with this book? Nothing really if you look at it literally; this novel takes place in Lithuania and details the plight of the Lithuanian people during WII while the course I took revolved around America. The reason why this course popped in to my mind as I sat down to review this book is that both peaked my interest in historical events through written literature. While textbooks can be dry and boring, history told through the eyes of a character living a story makes you feel closer to what happened and more importantly, makes you want to learn more.
I will be honest and say that I did not know a whole lot about what occurred in Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia in the 1940's. My interest in WII up to this point has mainly focused on events surrounding the Jewish people and the holocaust. This book taught me about Stalin and his regime beyond the standard chapter in a history book that we are taught in school and has made me want to learn more about what occurred in the Baltic region during this time.
I found this novel to be very easy to read despite the heavy content and was able to read it in one day. The characters were all strongly written and their journey eloquently detailed. I was able to smell the smells, feel the pain and suffering and celebrate the happy moments along with Lina. This was a story of strength and love in a time of hatred and oppression. The story was told through the eyes of a 15 year old girl who you are rooting for from the very beginning.
I borrowed this book from my niece Sierra (www.thereadingchic.blogspot.com) after discussing my interest in novels about the holocaust with her. I will start by saying that this book falls under the young adult genre and is written for a younger audience than myself. That being said, I found that this book had many subtle messages within that may not be clear to a younger reader or one that is not educated on the holocaust and Auschwitz in particular. In my view, the fact that this was written through the eyes of an innocent and naive nine year old boy who was ignorant to what was occurring behind the fence was genius as it symbolized the greater ignorance of a nation during this tumultuous time. At one point the boy asks the question to himself of who decides who gets to wear the striped pajama's and who wears the uniform. This is a question that can spark much debate still today. This is just one example of why I enjoyed this book I found that it really made me think and would make a great readers club selection (and most likely has been). Lastly, without discussing the outcome, I feel that how the author chose to close this story was exactly how it should have been. Ultimately, I would recommend this book to the young adult audience however add that I also think that it is a great tool to have adults read it as well in order to initiate conversation to bridge the generational gap (and maybe explain some facts to those less knowledgeable on the subject) on this important and tragic part of our world history.
Terri gave me this book to read after she finished and loved it. Unlike her, I curled up in a chair at the lake to begin reading it. I try to convince myself that I burnt just as many calories as her but who am I kidding! I found it to be a very quick read and finished it in no time. Terri called me and asked me what I thought of it and I told her I hated it! Having said that I had to explain that I thoroughly enjoyed it but hated the events that happened in it. The only thing I can say that best describes how I felt was that I loved and hated it at the same time. This is a book that you have to read to fully understand. I couldn't agree more with Terri's review above.
This book is not for the light at heart. If you are looking for a quick and easy read I do not suggest you pick this one up. With over 750 pages this book deals with love, heartbreak, tragedy, war and the efforts to survive in the most primal and unthinkable circumstances. I found it started a little slow but once I got into it I found I couldn't put it down. I have always been a fan of historical fiction and this one did not let me down. The characters in this book endure an unthinkable amount of challenges and I found myself needing to know what would happen to each of them. Just when I thought I was nearing the end of the book so much happens that it is just astounding. The best way to describe this book would be haunting. It stayed with me long after the last page was turned.
On the eve of the monsoons, in a remote Indian village, Kavita gives birth to a baby girl. But in a culture that favors sons, the only way for Kavita to save her newborn daughter's life is to give her away. It is a decision that will haunt her and her husband for the rest of their lives, even after the arrival of their cherished son.
Halfway around the globe, Somer, an American doctor, decides to adopt a child after making the wrenching discovery that she will never have one of her own. When she and her husband, Krishnan, see a photo of the baby with the gold-flecked eyes from a Mumbai orphanage, they are overwhelmed with emotion. Somer knows life will change with the adoption but is convinced that the love they already feel will overcome all obstacles.
Interweaving the stories of Kavita, Somer, and the child that binds both of their destinies, Secret Daughter poignantly explores the emotional terrain of motherhood, loss, identity, and love, as witnessed through the lives of two families-one Indian, one American-and the child that indelibly connects them.
Let me just start out by saying that I absolutely loved this book and it had me from the first page. The chapters are short and weave between the lives of Kavita, Somer and Asha. The story was so profound that I found myself not able to put it down, finishing it the same day that I started. I loved how it moved between each character and so flawlessly told the heartwrenching story of each woman. This is a book that I would highly recommend and encourage everyone to read.


"Cabot sights the coast of America"
by the trade in silks and spices.
In 1484 he went to England with the Venetian traders and settled there for some years. Cabot knew that he could not interest the merchants of Venice in his project of a western route to Asia, since if that were established, Venice would be no longer the great importing centre for the products of the East. Both he and Columbus realized that their hopes lay in interesting the countries on the Atlantic seaboard in the new route. So, while Columbus went to Portugal and Spain, Cabot sought to attract the merchants and rulers of England by the prospects of the plan he had in mind. He talked to the merchants of London and Bristol, the two great English seaports of that time; but none ventured to support the experiment. Then came the news of what Columbus and the Spaniards had done. Cabot's idea had been shown to be possible, and the hard-headed English merchants began to think more favourably of his visionary project. In the winter of 1495-6 the King of England, Henry VII, visited Bristol. He was shrewd, cautious and money loving. In Bristol, no doubt, he heard much about Cabot and his plans. Probably he listened to Cabot himself. He became interested, and he gave Cabot and his sons permission to make a voyage to sail under the King's colours, and, in the language of his charter, authorized them to take possession of any cities, islands or mainland which they might discover-on condition that they bore all costs and gave him one-fifth of all the profits. It was a shrewd bargain and cost Henry nothing, for he supplied no money, and Cabot and his partners were to take all the risks and do all the work.
Cabot gathered a crew of eighteen men, nearly all of them English, and fitted out a small ship, called the Matthew, and on the second of May, 1497, sailed out of the harbour of Bristol into the Atlantic Ocean. Northward and westward the little ship made her way across the unknown waters, buffeting against variable winds for fifty-two days until, on June 24th, land came in sight. What land was it? From the descriptions it is hard to tell. Some say it was the island still called Newfoundland, others Labrador, but the opinion of most modern students is that it was Cape Breton. Wherever it was, as the ship neared its shores, every eye watched eagerly for the great cities, the palaces, the temples and castles, of which they were to take possession. They saw only waves breaking on miles of lonely beach, and rocky cliffs crowned with heavy forests. Cabot and his men went ashore: the first Englishmen to set foot in North America. They set up a cross and planted beside it the banners of England and Venice, and thus claimed all the country for the King of England. They met no inhabitants; but they saw signs of human life: trees rudely chopped, and snares for wild animals. The land appeared fertile and Cabot thought that he had reached the northeastern extremity of Asia, and that the populous cities, the mines of gold and the islands of silk and spices and jewels were only a short distance beyond. He did not tarry, or go farther; but stopping only long enough to take on board firewood and fresh water, set sail for home with the news that he had found the way to the East by sailing westward.
Henry was delighted with Cabot's reports and the prospect of immense wealth which his discovery promised. Cabot was given a present of ten pounds and a pension of twenty pounds a year. He became the lion of the hour, and strutted in silken hose and doublet among the merchants, who were now eager to join his venture. He gave away islands in his new domain, one to his barber, who came from a village near his own native city of Genoa.
During the winter preparations were made for another voyage, and early in May, 1498, with two vessels and 300 men, he sailed again from Bristol. But he found only the rockbound coast of Labrador. The wind was piercing cold, though it was July, the shores were desolate and barren, the sea was filled with huge icebergs. The sailors refused to go farther north, and Cabot turned back. He searched the coasts of Nova Scotia and New England, looking for Japan and China, and at length, as his supplies were running low, he sailed home to England empty-handed. The expedition had been a failure, and he met only the discontent of those who had invested in his voyage and who expected him to bring back ship-loads of gold and jewels. The King had no further use for so unprofitable a servant, and we hear-little more of Cabot, though his son, Sebastian, found employment for many years as a geographer and mapmaker. To-day their names live as those of the first Europeans, since the time of the early Norsemen, to reach the mainland of North America, and the first to plant there the flag of England. By Cabot's discovery Newfoundland claims the distinction of being the oldest existing British colony.
Cabot's name is frequently mispronounced by omitting to sound the final letter "t" of the word. His Italian name was Giovanni Cabotto, which in English becomes John Cabot. There is no contemporary portrait of him.
Paterson, Gilbert. The story of our people. Toronto, Ryerson, 1933, 1938. 429 p. Illus.
Chafe, J.W. assisted by Shack, Sybil. Early life in Canada. Toronto Ryerson Press, 1943. 135 p. Illus.
Herstein, H.H., et al. Challenge and survival: the history of Canada. Scarborough, Prentice-Hall, 1970. 461 p. Illus.
McKenna, Barrie and Rubin, Ken. “Celebration: all aboard the Cabot gravy train!” In Globe and Mail, June 14, 1997, p. D2. Illus.


Is the World Aids Day ribbon as important as the Remembrance Day poppy?
Is wearing a red ribbon to mark today's World Aids Day becoming as obligatory as a Remembrance poppy?
All contestants and judges wore one on ITV's The X Factor - just as they wore poppies two weekends before.
As if they deserved equal consideration. Do they?
Did you catch UKIP's new leader, thrice-married Old Etonian life peer Lord Pearson of Rannoch, 67, on TV?
He made the late Oswald Mosley sound like an Irish navvy.
Pearson's supporters include cutting-edge democrats like Lord Willoughby de Broke, 71; the Earl of Wemyss, 61, and the Earl of Dartmouth, 60.
They sound like Monty Python's Upper Class Twit of the Year.
Let it no longer be said that London mayor Boris Johnson is interested only in boosting himself.
Asked by a downmarket paper to nominate his book of the year, the shifty, straw-haired servant of the people chose Stanley I Presume - written not by himself but by his father, Stanley Johnson.
Kwame Kwei-Armah: Or should I say Ian Roberts?
The National Lottery-funded UK Film Council has chosen 13 ' ethnic' directors and writers for an intensive programme of training and networking to promote their careers here and in Hollywood.
A beneficiary of this scheme last year was 42-year-old Kwame Kwei-Armah, who appears on Newsnight Review.
How would Kwame fare if he'd stuck with his real name, Ian Roberts, instead of opting in his 20s for one that chimed with his Ghanaian ancestry?
Chief Rabbi Lord Sacks described, during his maiden speech in the House of Lords, his visit to a school for affluent children.
He said an inspector asked a class of eight-year-olds: 'Who can tell me the meaning of "economy?".
It's how Jonathan tells 'em!
Is Newbury's Hennessy Gold Cup losing its allure?
Amid the horde of drunken chavs a Hennessy helicopter touched down on the track while horses were still running!
Out of it stepped Henry 'Hooray' Conway, 26, sensitive son of disgraced Tory MP Derek Conway, in a black and white mink coat.
WH Auden’s brilliant biographer, Richard Davenport-Hines, says the late intellectual Isaiah Berlin's volume Enlightening: Letters 1946-1960 - his 2009 'book of the year' choice for the Times Literary Supplement - 'reads like Proust on amphetamines'. Look out!


Stevia to taste - couple of squirts should do it.
Options: chocolate chips, walnuts or almonds, etc.
Preparation: Preheat oven to 350° F and grease a 9x13 pan.
1) Cream the butter until fluffy.
2) Add the honey to the butter and cream them together until fully combined (aim for a fluffy texture).
3) Add the vanilla and beat the eggs into the mixture, one at a time.
4) Add sea salt and cocoa, beat well.
5) Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well to combine.
6) Pour into a pan and bake for 35 minutes until top springs back.
Click here to see Dr. Beth's book: Flax! Fabulous Flax!


I saw Burn the Floor on Broadway and loved it. Is this the same company that produces this show?
We were on the Norwegian Breakaway and got to see this show and it was amazing.


Struggling writer and wine enthusiast Miles (Paul Giamatti) takes his engaged friend, Jack (Thomas Haden Church), on a week-long road trip through California's wine country, just as one is about to take a trip down the aisle.
When a Christmas Eve blizzard shuts down the airport, five stranded youths take the opportunity to spend the night running wild, having some fun, and finding among themselves a new kind of family.
During the years following the Civil War, banks and trains become the targets of the James-Younger gang, outlaws who terrorize the Midwestern United States. Due to an event, the groups of brothers go their separate ways, but they soon regroup for an ill-fated bank job in Northfield, Minn., that results in an epic chase.
Beck (The Rock) is a tight-lipped bounty hunter who doesn't like to use a gun and accepts any job without asking questions. When he is hired to bring home a mobster's son from the Amazon, Beck becomes involved in the fight against an oppressive town operator and the search for a legendary treasure.
Set in a fantasy world of opposing kingdoms, the movie follows a 15-year-old (Stephanie Leonidas) as she journeys through a parallel reality to recover the fabled MirrorMask that will revive a queen.
Five years after a meltdown on national TV, journalist Simon Hunt joins forces with a former colleague, and a cub reporter to find the No.1 war criminal in Bosnia. However, their extremely dangerous target decides to come after them.
Purple-costumed Phantom (Billy Zane), descendent of a line of African superheroes, travels to New York City in order to thwart a master criminal's acquisition of mystical skulls with legendary powers.
Peter Gaulke takes over, when his father, a respected wildlife TV host dies, but receives far less success. With the ratings dropping for a wilderness-themed TV show, Peter and his know-nothing crew of stoners and idiots go to the Andes in search of Bigfoot.
The movie follows a drifter with no name (Clint Eastwood) as he wanders into a small town, where his gun-slinging abilities are in high demand. There, he is hired to bring the townsfolk together in an attempt to hold off three outlaws who are on their way.
In this comedy, the Little Tramp (Charles Chaplin) heads north to join in the Klondike gold rush. But he gets even more by getting mixed up with some burly characters and falling in love with the beautiful Georgia.
After a global cataclysm has caused an extinction event, an ailing father defends his son as they wander through the post-apocalyptic world, trying to keep the dream of civilization alive and avoid roving gangs of savage humans who will turn them into slaves, or worse.
After his mother is killed, Tod the fox is taken in by the kindly Widow Tweed. He soon befriends the neighbor's new hound dog, Copper. However, two childhood friends find themselves forced to become enemies, but they both try to overcome their inherent differences in order to salvage their friendship.
Business booms at Sid's new egg-sitting service. However, dastardly pirate bunny Squint, who is seeking revenge on the Ice Age gang, steals, camouflages and hides all the eggs. Once again, with Squint's brother, Clint, assisting, Manny, Diego and the rest of the gang come to the rescue and take off on a daring mission that turns into the world's first Easter egg hunt.


The leader of an Attleboro cult charged with starving a baby to death tried to peddle the tale of alleged infanticide to a national TV news show in exchange for the network paying the accused killer mom's bail, the Herald has learned.
Roland Robidoux, the leader of The Body religious sect, made the pitch to Dateline NBC producer Allison Orr, who was trying to get an interview with Robidoux's daughter-in-law, Karen Robidoux. Orr wrote a letter to Karen Robidoux in prison but got no response until Roland Robidoux called her and arranged a face-to-face meeting late last year.
During the sit-down, Roland Robidoux told Orr that she would get an exclusive interview with his daughter-in-law if the show ponied up $100,000 to spring her from the Dartmouth jail.
Karen Robidoux's lawyer, Sam Sutter, said he was unaware of the cult's alleged attempt to make a deal with Dateline.
``I'll have no comment until I speak with my client,'' Sutter said.
Karen Robidoux and her husband, Jacques, are in jail awaiting trial on charges they starved their 10-month-old son, Samuel, to death in 1999 to fulfill a bizarre religious prophecy. Dateline ran an hour-long show on the cult's saga last year and is continuing to follow the case. The Robidouxes are slated for trial in June, along with Samuel's aunt, Michelle Mingo, who is accused of fabricating a ``vision from God'' that ordered the group not to feed Samuel solid food.
According to sources, the embattled sect has fallen into financial crisis since the probe into Samuel's disappearance began. They have had problems paying legal tabs and other bills as their chimney sweep and contracting businesses have struggled. Sutter, who was hired as a private attorney to represent Karen Robidoux, is seeking to stay on the case as a public defender because the group can't pay his fees, sources said.
The cult, which has consistently stonewalled investigators and refused to speak with the news media, rejects mainstream society, including the medical, banking and court systems. But the turmoil caused by Karen Robidoux's incarceration apparently prompted the group to break its own rules and reach out for help, a source said.
Also locked up are members David and Rebecca Corneau, who are jailed for refusing to provide proof that their latest child died in a miscarriage. An Attleboro judge, suspecting the child may be alive and hidden, has ordered them to remain in jail until they say where the remains are buried.
The Corneaus fell under intense scrutiny after their infant son, Jeremiah, died during a home birth in 1999 and was secretly buried alongside Samuel in Maine's Baxter State Park.
The couple, who have been granted immunity in the case, have had four children taken from them by the Department of Social Services.


While nature's engineer, the humble beaver, shapes his own waterways, man has learned to construct artificial dams. It's a fiercely amazing capacity we wield, one that needs to be used responsibly. Otherwise, we run the risk of causing permanent damage to our waterways and countryside. Again, working to construct a feasible hydraulic design is a weighty burden.
Does the topography of a stated region support dam placement? Are there other services to add? Hydroelectric power is one option, so there would be a need for a turbine/generator structure. At night, as a city slept below the dam, the generators would turn into motors and pump water back to the top. Elsewhere, a team of engineers is calculating the hydraulic loads. They're assessing currents and generating hydrologic data. They'll use this information to create a massive barrier. Reinforced concrete, curvature mapping and more, the construct slowly comes together.
Of course, curved concrete walls are used in the heaviest construction projects, but this solution doesn't suit every situation. No, there are compacted embankments to excavate and erect. Mining tailings and river rick-rack further bolster waterway edges and channel meandering currents. Next, is the construct an overflow dam? We've all seen this design in the movies. They contain huge volumes of water, plus they also discharge water as a series of small waterfalls. Overflow dams use spillways and special levee controlling systems to reduce excessive hydrologic loads.
Dams may look fairly plain, but they're loaded with interesting features. On the one hand, they can generate clean electricity and manage excessive volumes of water. On the other, that water gives life to the land below. The stream is regulated as it leaves the structure and meanders its way through the lush countryside. Irrigation systems crop up, and an oasis of sorts takes form. Meanwhile, all existing water life is protected by the hydraulic design plans, as are the plants and animal life that could be threatened by a dam's presence. After all, waterway obstructions raise the water line, and that rise could seriously impact life in and around a large tract of land.
There are passes and fences to build for local wildlife. Having protected the environment, there's still so much to be done. There are levees and walls to build, embankments to strengthen and rick-rack perimeters to lay, and then there's the type of dam to construct. What will it be? Overflow mechanisms, footpaths, concrete elasticity and wall curvature, the options multiply by the second, and the contractors are confounded. Coordinating all resources and adding engineering savvy to the project, consulting engineers arrive onsite to take charge.


Some of the biggest questions people run into deal with the repairing their vehicles. Many times people are confused and don't know how to go about picking the right auto body shop. What process should I run through in picking the right vehicle repair shop? What questions should I consider?What value am I getting for my Auto Body Repair?The most important question in determining what auto body repair shops is: What value am I getting in repairing my vehicle here? Many body shops out there are looking for unsuspecting customers and ways to pad their bottom dollar. A lot of times body shops will offer the lowest price because they know this will attract customers. Unfortunately, from a customer standpoint choosing the lowest price is not always the way to go.Daniel T., Vice President of National Auto Parts, in Dallas, Texas, concurs that doing this will only create more car issues in the future. "Repairing your vehicle is always about what you get in return. These days, body shops continue to push the limits of their customers to see how much more they can get away with. At this point the body shop knows exactly what they're doing. Is the customer to know the better?"What can I do to protect myself?A solution that's been picking up a lot of traction recently is hiring a third party to assist you in this area. There are a few good car crash consultants out there that will help you figure out what's being put on your vehicle and how the vehicle's being repaired. When looking for a good car crash consultant selecting one that gives you a lot of insight on the repair and product being used is imperative. Using these specialists provides visibility in an area with many questions.Another way is looking for a detailed report of the work being put into the vehicle and reviewing the warranty the shops offers. When you get into an accident, every insurance gives you an assessment of the damages, take a look at the sheets and read over to see what product they've listed for use. Auto Body Shops sporadically will attempt to use cheaper parts to make more money. Requesting the use of what's listed on your insurance assessment is not unusual and will help protect against this. In regards to warranties, most legitimate body shops will have an extensive warranty and stand by their work.Where should I look for the body shop?Driving to the nice plush auto body repair shops off the highway might be convenient, but doing this often drives up the price of the job. "All businesses have costs and are in it to make money. With this assumption, you have to believe any cost a business incurs will be passed onto their consumer," Daniel says. Hanging off the highway, and looking more in-city gives any prospective client a better chance to keep labor costs low. Prices per hour for labor can vary wildly from $30-$100 for the same type of work. Don't misunderstand the shop may not look the best, but you can be guaranteed going this route will provide good value.


What Is Mock Tender Steak?
Mock tender steak is a cut of beef from the back of the cow. It got its name from its shape (similar to the tenderloin) rather than its texture, as it can be quite chewy. This lesser-known cut is cooked as a steak and ideally served thinly sliced, or it can be used in soups or stews. Its advantage is that mock tender steak is very economical.
Mock tender steak is a tough little beef steak that is part of the chuck section, specifically the point of the chuck primal next to the top blade. It is very chewy, as it is made up of connective tissue and fibrous muscle. Chuck yields more than six different cuts of steak, each having the most complex bone and muscle makeup compared to the rest of the animal's meat.
Mock tender also goes by several other names including chuck fillet steak, chuck clod tender, shoulder tender, petite fillet, fish steak, chuck tender steak, tender medallions, and shoulder petite tender.
Brown the meat by searing it in a hot pan.
Add a small amount of liquid to the pan and bring to a boil.
Lower the heat, cover the pan, and simmer—this will steam and poach the meat, adding moisture and creating tenderness.
If you prefer to grill your steak, you will need to follow a few steps before placing it on the barbecue in order to achieve a tender and tasty meat. While generally flavorful, mock tender definitely needs a good marinade if it is going to be grilled. But before you place it in the liquid mixture, it is also a good idea to use a mallet tenderizer to break up the tough fibers. Just be sure to create an even thickness and not to pound too thin.
The marinade used should have a strong acid component (which breaks down the tough fibers), balanced with oil or fat to protect the surface of the meat and hold in moisture. Place the mock tender in the marinade the night before and flip over once or twice to make sure the marinade is evenly absorbed. For a medium-rare steak, grill the meat four to five minutes per side (for 3/4-inch thickness). Let rest and then slice thinly before serving.
As with other chuck cuts, the mock tender can be used as stew meat. Cut into pieces and placed in a slow cooker along with plenty of liquid, the meat will go from "mock" tender to "real" tender over a few hours. Just make sure the cooking liquid includes an acid such as tomatoes or beer to help soften up the meat's fibers.
What Does Mock Tender Steak Taste Like?
Mock tender steak has a rich beef flavor. It is a lean cut, so there will be little in the way of rendered fat when it is used as stew meat.
You can use mock tender steak in recipes that call for braising the beef. It also works very well in stews and soups.
You might see mock tender steak in the meat section of your grocery store or at a butcher shop. It formerly was fairly uncommon as it was part of a traditional chuck roast. But as traditional pot roast dinners have declined, butchers are breaking down chuck into a variety of steaks and roasts. As such, mock tender steak may be sold in its own right. It should be inexpensive, but sometimes the pricing in more in line with a small tenderloin steak. In that case, you are not getting good value for your money. A whole chuck tender can weigh about 3 pounds, while it might be cut into individual steaks.
Store fresh mock tender steak in the refrigerator and prepare it within three to five days. Steaks can be kept frozen in airtight wrap for six to 12 months. Defrost the steak in the refrigerator before using it.
Mock tender steak is lean and has only 160 calories in a 3-ounce serving, with 5 grams of fat that includes 2.1 grams of saturated fat. The 28 grams of protein in this serving provides 56 percent of your daily need. It is also a good source of vitamin B12, B6, riboflavin, niacin, iron, phosphorus, zinc, and selenium.


Narrative:A night time fire damaged two Duplexes and left a city block without electrical power in the Logan Neighborhood. Engine 2 from the North Foothills fire station was the first company to arrive at a large fire located at 2514 N Denver St. At little before 10:00 PM, (August 26th), 5 companies were dispatched after the Fire Department received multiple 911 calls. Engine 2’s officer reported a large amount of fire in the back alley behind the above address. The fire had already engulfed an attached carport, a vehicle and two separate duplexes were burning. Engine 2’s firefighters immediately stretched a large 2 ½ inch hose line down the alley and started attacking the fire, while working to control the fire spread to adjacent units. Engine 2’s officer also reported numerous “downed” electrical wires that had fallen after exposure to the flames.
Additional arriving apparatus and crews were immediately put to work upon their arrival. Two companies of firefighters were assigned to search 4 duplex units as area residents reported to firefighters that people were inside. The search group did not find any civilian victims, but did find a dog that had succumbed to smoke inhalation. Fallen electrical wires provided additional safety challenges at this incident. Nevertheless, the fire was brought under control within 20 minutes. Fire crews were kept on scene throughout the night and investigators will be working to determine fire cause this morning. The local Red Cross is assisting 4 displaced residents and Avista assured us that they would work to restore electrical service to the area.
Cause:The cause of this fire is currently under investigation by the Spokane Fire Department's Special Investigation Unit.
Damage:The duplex unit addressed 2514 N. Denver St. was heavily damaged by smoke and fire. All other addresses affected by this fire received minor smoke, fire or water damage. The carport and a vehicle in the carport were a total loss.


With the granting of 98 commutations of sentence, today, President Obama's second term now features the largest last-minute / fourth-year clemency surge in American history.
"Last-minute" is, of course, a term of art. We operationalize it as follows: the percentage increase between the 4th and final year of the term and the average of the first three years of the term.


Florida has a third-grade retention law, just like Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, fifteen other states and the District of Columbia. Learning to read by third grade is so important, according to The National Council of State Legislators, that some states find it necessary to retain children who can't read.
So it's an economic issue, too. [I would agree with that, although the problem is the economic status of the children.] And it's almost as an afterthought that NCSL mentions that retention-in-grade can have detrimental academic results, as well.
Additionally, retention can negatively impact students' long-term achievement (i.e. high school graduation rates).
The source for the statement that retention can have a negative impact on graduation rates is titled, New research suggests repeating elementary school grades — even kindergarten — is harmful. The authors of this 2014 article claim that the research on retention-in-grade is "muddied" and the research they report on makes it even "muddier."
Is that true? Is the research "muddied?"
The National Council of State Legislatures has a concern about third graders going on to fourth grade without sufficient reading skills and they are ok with the assumption that retention-in-grade will help kids "catch up." That assumption isn't supported by research.
Note that third-grade retention states punish 8 and 9-year-olds as an incentive to get them to read better. Furthermore, the implication is that punishing children will "encourage" schools and districts to take the third-grade reading challenge seriously.
...because schools and districts don't really worry when third graders can't read unless they're given some incentive?
Are teachers and schools somehow "holding back" their best effort to teach children to read until the state steps in and "encourages" them to teach better by threatening to punish their students with retention?
Are the children not learning to read because they aren't given the incentive of "not flunking?" Will the threat of retention spur the students to learn more?
Teachers are doing their best to help children. Retention does not motivate children. Reading is a complicated process that can't be improved by "incentives" or threats.


What is the type of matter that constitutes a black hole? Or is it matter at all? If the super dense material is continually being compressed where does it finally end? Surely there must be a limit or is it squeezed into energy?
The matter that falls into a black hole is no different from the matter which makes up the rest of the universe. However, physics as we currently understand it breaks down at the centre of a black hole.
We think we understand what happens in extreme gravity (that's General Relativity), and we think we understand what happens at microscopic scales (that's called Quantum Mechanics/Physics), but if the two are combined the theories break down and we have no idea what's going on.
Only a theory of gravity that is compatible with quantum mechanics (often called quantum gravity) could describe the physics "inside" a black hole. Currently, there is no such theory even though several physicists around the world are working on it. Until they (or others) come up with an answer, we will not know what exists at the center of a black hole.


In order to replace a hub on your trailer, you will need to know the bolt pattern or lug pattern. Trailer wheel hub patterns can be defined by the number of bolts or lugs per wheel and the diameter of the circle that the bolts are arranged on. Determining the bolt pattern is rather easy, but it is very important that accurate measurements are taken. The majority of utility trailers on the road have a 4, 5 or 6 Lug pattern. A very common designation for trailer hubs would be 5 on 4-1/2. This means that the hub has 5 bolts spaced evenly on a 4-1/2" circle (see 5-lug diagram).
1. You will need to first count the number of lug bolts on one wheel. Most trailer hubs typically have 4 or 5 lugs per wheel/hub. Heavier duty, higher capacity trailers generally have 6 or 8 Lugs per wheel.
2. If the trailer hubs have an even number of bolts holding the wheel, measure from the center of one bolt to the center of the bolt directly opposite using a ruler, tape measure or caliper. The hub lug bolt pattern will be determined by the number of lug bolts and the distance between the opposing hub bolt (see 4-lug hub diagram). All but 5-lug patterns are measured in this manner.
The two most common lug patterns are 4 on 4" and 5 on 4-1/2" hubs. These hubs are typically seen on smaller trailers.
NOTE: If you are replacing older wheel hubs, wheels, integrated hub/drums or hub/rotors the bearings should be checked for wear and replaced as necessary. Always use a high temperature wheel bearing grease when re-packing your trailers hubs.
4, 6 and 8 Lug trailer wheel hubs are all measured in the same manner.


A homeless man is very interested in that building across the street that he is watching from where he is sitting on that cold damp sidewalk. Who or what is he hoping to find there?
He was uncomfortable sitting on the sidewalk. Being homeless was uncomfortable in a lot of ways but this sidewalk was cold and felt damp through his jeans even though the early morning sun was shining. He adjusted his back against the brick wall he was propped up on and pulled his legs up a bit because out of the corner of his vision to his left was a group of laughing teenagers, jostling each other in a playful shoving and shouldering companionable way as they advanced towards him. He moved his backpack closer to him on the sidewalk to get it out of their way. They saw him sitting there and split into single file to pass him, but they blocked his view of the building across the street that he had been watching since early this morning. The teenagers kept their eyes on the ground as they passed him and were silent until they reached a storefront two doors down from where he was sitting. This was not a store but seemed to be a drop-in center of some kind and was not open yet. They milled around the locked front door in a restless continuous movement as if they were unable to stand still, their pent-up energy exploding out in short dancing bursts.
There was a beautiful woman who had parked her car in a parking space in front of the storefront. She got out of the car with purse and keys in hand and out of the passenger door emerged a huge bear of a man who hauled himself out of the car and shook himself out as if he was cramped and had folded up in sections to fit in the car seat.
The woman had long straight hair that almost reached the waist of her light coat and she turned her head and glanced sideways at him as she approached the teenagers, as if she was letting him know that she saw him and was keeping an eye on him. She called out to the teenagers as she approached the door, asking them if they had been waiting long and they all reassured her that they had just arrived a few minutes ago. She unlocked the door and they all crowded into the storefront behind her.
The woman re-emerged from the store front and walked further up the street to a coffee shop that was a few doors away. The man was envious because he knew that going into the coffee shop like a normal looking customer was impossible for him because his month-long growth of scraggly beard and tangled curly hair made him look like a homeless derelict.
He turned his attention to the building across the street again and saw that there was increased activity as men came in and out of the building more often. Just then he saw the beautiful woman emerge from the coffee shop with two trays with four cups of coffee in each and she held two huge bags that probably held donuts. She was approaching slowly, carefully balancing the coffee trays and juggling the donuts, when a man who had emerged from the building across the street started running flat out, crossing the street and hitting the sidewalk behind her with one big jump.
He saw what made the man run, it was a Deputy U.S. Marshal, who had swung his car around and double parked across the street. The Deputy U.S. Marshall jumped out of the car before it really came to a stop and went in hot pursuit after the running man.
Meanwhile, the beautiful woman had passed the storefront and came to stand in front of the homeless man. Would you like coffee and donuts? I brought those two extra coffees and you can have the donuts in the smaller bag.
He struggled to his feet, but his body was cramped and cold from sitting on the sidewalk and he was not even really upright, when the running man who was looking behind him at the U.S. Marshall pursuing him and not where he was going, crashed into the woman and the U.S. Marshall crashed into the fleeing man. They all fell forward, and the woman fell forward right into the arms of the homeless man, and he caught her and the coffees, but the triple impact of the U.S. Marshall and the running man and her body slamming into him threw him back against the brick wall. His head and body hit the rough brick of the wall and he dimly saw the running man take off again. The Deputy U.S. Marshall ran after the fleeing man again and caught him by the back of his t-shirt, but the running man kept going and the t-shirt ripped right off him tearing into shreds in the Deputy U.S. Marshal’s hands. A pickup truck came screeching up the street and the running man did a parkour style of jump and hurled his body into the back bed of the truck. The truck peeled out of the street and was gone with the fleeing man in it. The Deputy U.S. Marshall stopped pursuit and turned back to the homeless man and the woman with the coffee. Meanwhile, the huge bear of a man and all the teenagers poured out of the storefront, picking up the woman and the coffees and donuts and then the woman just said, bring him and the huge man picked the homeless man up on his feet and half carried him into the storefront. One of the other boys grabbed the homeless man’s backpack and the U.S. Marshall and the rest of the teenagers followed them into the storefront.
They sat the homeless man on a chair beside a table and soon they sorted out the coffee that miraculously hadn’t spilled and gave a cup of it to the homeless man and urged him to drink.
He should have water, the Deputy U.S. Marshall said.
No, coffee better, the homeless man mumbled and clutched the cup as if he was afraid someone would take it away. He sipped at first then drank it in large gulps because it was still hot and warm and creamy and sweet. He tried to grin at the beautiful woman and it came out like a twisted leer instead of the flirtatious grin he intended. He put his hand up to the side of his mouth and felt that it was numb, swollen and sore. He went to touch the side and back part of his head that had hit the wall and the beautiful woman stopped him from touching it.
When you feel a bit better, I need to wash your wounds and clean up the blood and put some antiseptic on them, said the beautiful woman.
You can do it now, please, replied the homeless man.
She brought out a well stocked emergency first aid kit and bathed his whole face gently from a basin of hot water and soap that one of the teenagers brought to the table. She washed his hands and rolled up the sleeve of his shirt that was ripped at the elbow and bathed and cleaned the scraped-up areas there too. She took some tweezers and gently removed small shard like pieces of brick that were imbedded into his arms and shoulder. She dried him gently then used the sterile saline solution water from the emergency kit with some gauze wipes, then applied antiseptic cream to some of his open scraped areas. She put hand sanitizer on his hands and it stung, and he made a little ouch sound when she touched an open scraped part. Some parts she bandaged, and he looked like a spotted alien with his split swollen lips on half his face and the swollen different parts of the side of his face that had hit the wall. Parts of him were turning green and blue and purple and red in different spots, highlighted by the white spots of taped bandages that gave him a weird scary look.
Thank you, I feel so much better now, thanks for the coffee, I have to leave now, he said and stood up, swayed crazily and the huge bear of a man caught him as he fell and led him into a side room with a double bed and a side table and a dresser in it. He eased the homeless man onto the bed.
I can’t stay here, protested the homeless man.
You’re in no shape to leave. You need a doctor to look at you. We already sent for our free clinic doctor and he will be here soon. We don’t know if you have concussion or if you need stitches. Have you had any alcohol or drugs today? We don’t care if you did, we just need to know so that the doctor knows what he can give you if you need a prescription. Lie back and be still. If you’re concussed, you can’t be moving around a lot until the doctor comes. Don’t fall asleep yet though. The big bear of a man adjusted the light blanket as he talked. People call me Daniel, Daniel Hill. Care to share your name? The doctor will need to know who you are, and we wouldn’t mind either.
My name is Colton. Colton Butler King.
Got any I.D. on you, or a health insurance card, Colton Butler King? asked the big man. He was looking at the duffel bag that Colton had tossed on the bed.
Not really. Colton closed his eyes. I don’t do drugs or alcohol or any kind of prescription medications.
Just then the beautiful woman came to the doorway of the room and said, the doctor is on his way. He should be here in about 20 minutes. She came further into the room and said, my name is Jade Rivers. I’m a psychiatrist, but I run this drop-in center. You may as well know that you will probably have to stay here for a couple of days, maybe even a week or two. You can’t be wandering around the streets looking beaten up like that. Besides, you will need those bandages changed every day and those open areas cleaned to avoid infection and you can’t do that on the street. Then maybe we can get you a room where you will be off the street permanently.
The sound of her voice was so low and musical, comforting was the word, he felt like drifting off to sleep. He opened his eyes slightly and could see that the Deputy U.S. Marshall was standing in the doorway to the room. May I have a glass of water now, please? Colton could barely speak out of his damaged lip and his throat was dry with tension.
The Deputy U.S. Marshall brought the glass of water and set it on the bedside table. Do I know you? he asked Colton. I thought I had seen your face somewhere before. I’m new to this area, but I feel like we may have met somewhere. He gave Colton a searching gaze as if he was interrogating a suspect. Have we ever met? My name is Holt Jackson.
No, I’m pretty sure we haven’t met. You don’t know me. Colton propped himself up on his elbow and grabbed the glass of water, but then he had to sip it slowly, so he didn’t drool out the side of his injured lip and embarrass himself in front of all these people. The water refreshed him a bit and he settled back down and closed his eyes again. The bed was surprisingly comfortable. He heard movement and opened his eyes and saw that they were all going back into the main reception area. But I do know you, Holt Jackson, he whispered softly so they couldn’t hear. You’re the man who stole my wife!
A teenage boy around twelve or thirteen came in next and brought in a full water pitcher, and said, we are making coffee. It will be ready soon. You can have as much as you want and once the doctor arrives and looks at you, we are all going to have something to eat. You may have to stick to pudding and soup or chili for a few days. Your lip looks pretty bad and it might be hard to eat anything else. We are making chili and buttered toast and banana pudding tonight because you are here. We learn to cook and feed ourselves and other things we should know as part of this program. It’s pretty good too. My name is Jason Storm. I live in the school orphanage residence up the street with the others. I’m an orphan and so are most of the other children who come here. Do you have parents or children?
I have parents but no children, Colton replied. And I love chili with buttered toast.
I know it was a personal question, Jason said. Sorry, I am curious about what it’s like having families and friends and sisters and brothers and how that feels. I’d like to have a family myself, but no one wants me because I’m too old and people like adopting young babies. It’s okay though. They really look after us here. Jade is from us. Our nation, I mean, that’s how I got here. She found me and brought me here. Do you want a straw? That might help. We have some bendy ones left over from a birthday party last week.
A bendy straw would be perfect, Colton replied.
Yeah, I can see where it would be perfect. I wouldn’t want to drool in front of Miss Rivers either. That would be mega embarrassing. Jason left the room, bouncing out in a slight dance move that took him across the room and out the door.
A man after my own heart, called Colton after him laughing a bit, then wincing when his split lip stabbed his face with pain.
The next person to come into the room was the doctor, who spent a long time examining him. I’m Dr. Brown, he said as he opened an old-fashioned medical bag and took out a stethoscope. Dr. Brown made Colton take off his shirt and examined his chest in the rib area, and then his shoulder, and then his back and head and checked his lungs and heart with a stethoscope. Then he checked his eyes for concussion and examined his banged-up head and asked if he had a headache or was dizzy or felt nauseated.
Headache but not dizzy now or nauseated. Colton tried to look well and healthy as he could, so he could leave.
Jade and the U.S Marshall came back into the room and Jade helped him put his shirt back on. Colton tried to hide the tattoo on his arm and quickly rolled his sleeve back down to cover it. No one here would know what it meant but he didn’t want anyone wondering or asking him about it. He couldn’t hide the rope necklace he wore but it might not matter. Everyone would think it was because he liked baseball because that’s what the professional baseball players wore and so they were really popular with fans. That wasn’t why Colton chose to wear his necklace and he doubted if anyone would ever guess the real reason he wore it.
I don’t want to have to go to the hospital, Doctor Brown. Miss Rivers patched me up and I’m feeling a lot better now. Colton tried to sit up but his back spasmed and he had to lie down quickly again.
The doctor continued talking to both Colton and Jade. Well there doesn’t seem to be any concussion yet, but you need to stay quiet for a few days. Bed rest because by tomorrow or the next day when the shock wears off your body is going to hurt so bad that you will feel like you got hit by a truck. There doesn’t seem to be any broken ribs or dislocated shoulder, but your neck was jolted, and I can see that there is a haematoma on the side of your head where you hit the wall, so it has already filled with blood, so you had quite a bang when three people fell into you. I may need to do a CT scan if your symptoms worsen. I need to put some staples, not stitches in the two big split open areas on the back and side of your head. I might be able to use butterfly bandages on the smaller cuts, but I don’t know if they would stay because you have a lot of thick curly hair there. I don’t want to cut your hair if we can avoid it. Maybe Jade would be willing to clean the staple areas too when she changes your bandages. We will still watch for concussion and I have some pain pills in my bag and I can make out a prescription or Jade can do it for you. If there are any signs of breathing problems or nausea or vomiting, you have to get to emergency right away and call me. Someone has to wake you up tonight a couple of times and make sure you have not lapsed into a coma. Here’s my card. Come see me at the clinic in two days. Jade can bring you. She usually brings other people in anyway. It may be a month or two before you start feeling better. Take care, son.
Colton had to fight back tears when the doctor said that. Take care son, was exactly the last thing that his own father had said to him a few months ago. He disagreed with Colton’s choices and maybe he was right. Maybe he should just go back home and start living his normal life. This life he had chosen was not working out so well for him. Nothing had gone according to plan at all. He always seemed to be one step behind everyone else. A day late and a dollar short, was his father’s saying.
Jason came to the door and said the coffee and chili were both done if everyone wanted to eat. Soon even the doctor and the Deputy U.S. Marshall were seated at the tables, eating and joking with the boys and girls there as they all ate in a companionable way. Jason brought a huge bowl of chili and some banana pudding and hot buttered toast and coffee with cream and sugar in to Colton. Colton sat up on the side of the bed and ate hungrily, trying to eat slowly because of his damaged face, but the chili was so delicious and so was the pudding and coffee, that he soon wolfed down everything set in front of him. He thanked everyone and after a second cup of coffee, Jade came in and doled out two pain pills and he took them with water and was going to lie back down but she went out and got a robe, a pair of pyjama pants and a t-shirt from the laundry room and gave them to him to change into for the night. She took his clothes and put them in the washer in the laundry room and when they were washed, she put them into the dryer. She gave him another bathrobe from the piles and racks of clean clothes that were there for anyone to take and then went to a linen storage closet and got out towels, washcloths and soap for him. He was helped to the bathroom where he washed the unscarred parts and then he dressed in the pyjama pants, but he couldn’t get the t-shirt over his damaged head, so he slipped on the robe instead. He still felt grimy but was forbidden to shower or shave or wash his blood matted hair because of the bandages.
He tried not to fall asleep when he finally got back in bed, because he wanted to keep watch on the building across the street, but everyone stayed late to clean up and rehash the events of the day and speculate on who the man was who had escaped from the U.S. Marshall.


Recently I've been looking into solving the visibility of any volume from any volume. Specifically, given two volumes, do any two points within them see each other? Implementing a visibility query that answers this could be the ultimate tool for occlusion culling and sort of a fundamental building block for other visibility operations. After all, operations such as point visibility and object visibility could be seen as special cases of such an algorithm.
Umbra 3.4.16 now includes this feature and I'll discuss here how it works and how it came to be. I'll also cover some use cases, such as visualizing total visible volume and improving dynamic object culling accuracy.
Umbra already supports line segment queries. These are visibility queries between two points. This might be splitting hairs, but Umbra’s line segment query differs from ray casting in that it requires an endpoint where the query terminates. This query simply traverses Umbra’s visibility graph between the two points, effectively intersecting a line segment with the graph. Supporting other shapes requires efficiently intersecting other corresponding volumes.
Solving visibility between two red boxes. Traversed portals in green.
The new query for volume-to-volume visibility forms a “tunnel” between two shapes and traverses the visibility graph (portals and cells) inside this volume. If the graph is connected along it, we know the shapes see each other.
This idea is somewhat similar to testing moving objects for collision. If an object moves during a frame, you’d want to take into account all intermediate positions instead of start and end positions only. Otherwise, a collision could be missed. The collision is therefore computed against this combined shape where the object slides along a ray, sometimes called Minkowski sum of a line segment and the moving object. Similarly, we want to intersect portals of our visibility graph against a volume which forms when one volume slides towards other. In our case, the volume also changes along the way if the two ends are different.
In practice, we don’t have the luxury of supporting arbitrary volumes, so I’ve concentrated on spheres and boxes. Sphere-to-sphere visibility involves intersecting a cut cone (a conical frustum) with the visibility graph. The connection between two AABBs (axis aligned bounding boxes) is defined by volume limited by the silhouettes of the two boxes.
Unfortunately, the table of intersection algorithms on realtimerendering.com only offers an empty slot for the cone-AABB intersection. For moving AABBs it suggests defining the volume using plane equations, where computing the planes can be costly. Turns out there are interesting methods for computing both intersections.
Cone-AABB intersection involves solving intersection point of cone axis against each AABB plane, computing closest points inside AABB and seeing if they are inside the cone. Both end radiuses of the cut cone also aren’t necessarily those of the spheres.
There’s a method for computing ray-AABB intersection called the slab method. It involves computing the range where a ray overlaps an AABB on each axis. If there’s a common range where all axes overlap, it means the ray intersects the AABB. It’s possible to extend this method for computing our AABB-tunnel intersection so that on each axis the ray has a variable thickness as well.
It should be noted that this method doesn’t support occluder fusion. This means that combined coverage of all occluders is not considered, but rather each occluder by itself. In other words, the query tells whether there’s any connection within the tunnel between the two volumes rather than a direct line of sight. Interpretation of the result is therefore conservative – as it is with other visibility queries.
The new queries are exposed as runtime API functions that implement sphere-to-sphere and AABB-to-AABB visibility. The API allows batching several queries together, which improves performance especially if target volumes are close to each other. The queries can additionally be performed for a single point by using an AABB with zero dimensions or a sphere with zero radii.
I usually avoid specific performance numbers, since they are dependent on content and Umbra parameters used. One general characteristic is that queries that quickly reach the endpoint or an occluder are faster than ones that traverse a lot of volume. This means that performance also depends on the exact use case. I’m happy that especially the AABB query is only slightly slower than the line segment query. The AABB query can simply be used for solving whether characters in-game world see each other, but it could also open up interesting opportunities for utilizing spatial information hierarchically and otherwise. Let’s look at some examples.
One application of volumetric queries is visualizing total visible volume from a point. We can subdivide the scene into a grid and solve visibility for each node from the camera point. This yields the visualization below. It is a top-down view of a simple scene, where red lines indicate boundaries of visible and occluded space. White lines are the camera frustum.
In the above visualization, the camera point acts as the source volume. We can also visualize visible volume for an arbitrarily sized box (white).
Following this idea further, precomputing and storing visibility of each grid node would allow us to build a database for fast visibility lookups. The problem now becomes storing and accessing the data efficiently. Storing state for each grid node would produce too much data for a practical solution. For example computing and storing visibility hierarchically while merging nearby similar nodes could be sufficiently small and fast.
Dynamic objects are objects that move and whose positions are not known until runtime. These objects can be tested for visibility against Umbra’s software depth buffer. The software depth buffer is a conservative approximation and its accuracy depends on the parameters used. Unlike static objects, dynamic object visibility can therefore “leak” slightly through nearby walls if the camera is at an angle.
Below purple boxes are handled as dynamic objects. Bright purple boxes are visible according to the depth buffer test. The leaks are caused by Umbra’s depth buffer using a single depth value per visibility graph cell. Smaller “smallest occluder” parameter value makes the depth buffer more accurate and thus reduces dynamic object leaking.
We can improve dynamic culling accuracy also by additionally testing dynamic objects for visibility using our new query.
There’s also a query variant that tests AABB vs. static object visibility. While intended for more general use, we can also use it for generating a list of all visible objects - as an alternative to Umbra’s regular visibility query queryPortalVisibility. Since queryPortalVisibility solves visibility in one pass instead of object-by-object, it of course wins in performance. Initially this doesn’t seem like a useful exercise - however, this kind of implementation would be easier to distribute to a high number of jobs for example for a GPU implementation.
Read more about our Umbra 3 gaming product in here!


There seems to be a big difference when we understand that standard costing system is concerned with the manufacturing of a product or providing of a service whilst budgetary control system is concerned with the overall policy of the company.But are there any similarities between these two systems.?
It is interesting to note that it is possible for both systems to operate independently but since both systems involve the estimation of costs, most firms often operate both systems together. Budgets set can be used as guides to setting standard costs. Vice versa, the standard costs already determined can be used as aids in the preparation of budgets.


How can I make a Stacked Column graph of this data in Excel?
Create an appropriate Pivot Chart type (e.g. I prefer Bar to Column) from your Pivot Table and format to taste. I prefer Bar to Column) from your Pivot Table and format to taste. If you really want a Stacked Chart, you'll need to add a series to your data.