Cycling is gaining in popularity according to Cycling UK. Traffic counts suggest that the number of miles cycled in 2016 was around 3.5 billion. That’s a 23% increase from 10 years before. Despite that, we have a long way to go to reach the levels seen in 1949
(14.7 billion miles)!
But, for some, cycling can seem a bit scary. We may be put off by the amount of traffic on the roads or their fumes….making it seem safer to just use the car.
Various studies have looked at the overall health benefits of cycling as we can’t ignore the risks from air pollution and accidents. Even despite these, the benefits from cycling far outweigh the negatives. And it’s an activity that can be undertaken at all ages. Active commuting to school increases fitness amongst children in some studies and a recent study showed elderly (70-80 year old) long-distance cyclists had immune systems of 20 year olds!
Cycling at any age demands the right kit. Children need to be fully protected and safe off the roads – plus well supervised when on the roads.
And for an elderly cyclist taking up cycling, a good bike and the right gear is essential – a helmet being key – as balance can be impaired in older age and falls will more easily lead to fractures in weaker bones. Choose a specific cycle path free of cars until you are fully confident and avoid cycling in poor weather – the risks are far greater if it’s wet, windy or if visibility is poor.
Consider an electric bike – it’s not cheating as they still require work and studies show they have benefits for health, whilst making longer distances and hills easier for those who are less fit and active. See our blog later in the week for more….plus a special offer!
And cycling can have all sorts of benefits beyond cardiovascular fitness. It’s also good for building muscle which we lose at around 8% per decade after the age of 40. And strong muscle helps us burn off more fat as well as protect our joints and improve our balance – important as we age. What’s more, exercise has been shown to decrease our risk of dementia – women with high physical fitness at middle age were nearly 90 percent less likely to develop dementia decades later according to a recent study.
Getting out in the fresh air will clear the mind and expose us to more sunlight, boosting vitamin D which many of us lack over the winter months. Joining a club or cycling with friends keeps us socialising – which can add years to our lives too. Plus, we avoid the stress of sitting in traffic jams and we are doing our bit for the environment too. Win-win!
And the more of us who cycle, the more we will reduce the negative effects of cycling…. breathing in air pollution and the accidents due to other road traffic. So “on your bike!!’


The date of October 12th, 1492 is still seen in the indigenous, afro and mestizo circles with historical resentments that need to be overcome because we live in another era. The agro-musical band “Campo y Sabor”(Land and Taste) considers that the Spanish ships also brought important products for the human alimentation like: rice, chickpeas, lentils, coffee, wheat, oat and several vegetables, that were unknown in this continent and when these ships returned, Europe could get to know: Corn, beans, potatoes, cacao, pineapple, tomato, peanut, avocado and other wonders which were native of this continent.
To commemorate the meeting between Europe and Abya Yala, the continent that later would be called America by the Europeans, it will take place on October the 12th the second edition of the Festival of “Land and Taste”, because what happened on that date was a meeting of tastes. The discovery of new land and a new world of tastes that transformed the alimentation of the planet, from there started a fusion of food cultures and the enrichment of the culinary art.
In this occasion, the guest product is LA PAPA that took away so much hunger from the Europeans. At the beginning it was received with disdain, afterwards its acceptance became so big that the famous Spanish omelet is made of “Papa”, that the Iberians call potatoes.
Our main protagonist León Octavio Osorno and director Ede Müller gave an interview on national radio Caracol in August, throughout the last shoot of “With his Feet on the Ground”. (interview in Spanish)
On August 3 the new Embassy of Villa Maga in Tibirita (Dept. Cundinamarca) was opened. It´s been a dignified ceremony enjoying the overwhelming landscape of Cundinamarca/Boyacá. With new ambassador Francisco Jaramillo Cabo, León Octavio Osorno and Don Ivan, the constructor of the embassy.
Don Ivan is regarding his creation, Casa Asisi, the new embassy of Villa Maga
View from the terrace
Francisco Jaramillo Cabo (middle), the new ambassador of Villa Maga holds the speech of inauguration, with León Octavio Osorno and Don Ivan.
During the ceremony of inauguration
After the ceremony, paying homage to the nature
The free trade agreement (FTA) signed by Colombia with the United States (2012) and the European Union (2013) laid down a number of requirements to be fulfilled by Colombia. In 2010, the Colombian Agricultural Institute (ICA) brought new legislation into force, Resolution 970. This resolution declared native seed to be illegal and forced farmers to plant only certified seed, penalizing and criminalizing the use and production of native seed. Farmers convicted of using non-certified seed face terms of imprisonment of 4 to 8 years.
Between 2010 and 2012, more than 4,000 tons of seed were seized from farmers and destroyed. Massive outrage in 2013 about these events was expressed in different ways, and led to nationwide agricultural strikes in Colombia. This civil response has momentarily stopped the criminalization of the use of non-certified seed.
The “Network of Guardians for Seeds of Life“ is fighting for agroecological practices to preserve agrobiodiversity and for regional markets to be supplied with local native seed and food.
By clicking this link, you can adopt a native seed and contribute to the network’s goals.
http://colombia.redsemillas.org/ (spanish only).
CAMPO Y SABOR: “WATER IS FOR EVERYBODY“ (LIVE IN RIOSUCIO 2013)
FIRST SUCCESSFUL EUROPEAN CITIZEN INITIATIVE
The first successful European Citizen Initiative (ECI) “Water is a Human Right” has collected more than 1,500,000 signatures in protest against plans by the European Commission to open up public water services to the private market through the backdoor. A European Citizen Initiative (ECI) “is an instrument for greater civil participation, implemented by the European Union in spring 2012”.
Even before the signatures were handed in to the European Commission (this will happen in autumn 2013) “Water is a Human Right” has achieved a first political success!
The Commission has announced (June 21, 2013) that water will be excluded from the concessions directive, which could have forced communities to hand over their water services to private companies.
You can undersign the campaign here until September 9, 2013: www.right2water.eu
More information about the subject can also be found here.
In 2005 León Octavio wrote a song called “Water is for everybody“ which was released on CD as part of the “Referendum for the Water”. The referendum collected more than 200,000 signatures to protest about governmental plans to privatize the public water services in Colombia. This forced the parliament to discuss the issue, delaying privatisation to this very day.
Here you can see Leon Octavio´s band “Campo y Sabor” performing their song “El agua es de todos” at the “Carnaval de Riosucio” in January 2013:
I was out for a morning run in the park next to my house in Cali. Last night there was a big party in the open air theater. Once I left the park next to the theater I found many of these little paper wrapers you can see above. That´s how they sell the cocaine here. What a statement!!
YES, cocaine is violent, that´s for sure. For the last five decades Colombia has been suffering from a civil war in which cocaine is also playing a prominent role. About 10 per cent of rural Colombian communities (4 million people!!) are displaced in their own country, because the guerilla or the paramilitary units claim their land for their purposes (the production of cocaine is one of their businesses). But also the national military is involved in criminal acts against the civilian people. The situation is very complex and complicated, today even more, as multinational companies also defend their interests on land (e.g. palmoil, bananas, coal) with criminal and violent methods.
At the moment the guerilla and the government are holding peace talks in Havanna/ Cuba. For the first time in more than ten years dialogue is possible. One key issue is how to deal with the displaced people and their land that was violently taken away from. While it may be a good start, it´s hard to believe that the results of this dialogue will lead to an end of the violence, that is mainly fueled by business interest.
But there is also another Colombia that is not always talked about in the media. It’s the beautiful and diverse country with its deep roots and the cultural heritage of the three ethnical groups (indegenous, black and mestizo) which create a unique mixture. Colombians take pride in these cultural goods.
There is progress and resistance to a violent Colombia. There are Colombians who are not giving up to believe in Colombia’s transformation into a peaceful and humane society.
That´s the Colombia we are exploring in our documentary.
VIVA LA VIDA.


The use of an elastic cotton band is a perfect addition to Visceral Therapy techniques as it intensifies and prolongs their impact.
The principle of the way in which taping affects the body can be integrated very well into the treatment of visceral and fascial systems of our musculoskeletal system.
The use of elastic cotton bands makes intensifies the effects of the therapy and prolongs and improves them.
Visceral Taping intensifies the positive impacts and stimuli on our complex organ system. It regulates the tension behavior of the fascial network and gives a lasting good effect to the lesion chain of the body. Wearing the tape for several days after a qualified visceral treatment creates a long-lasting change of tension in organs and fascial network. In this way taping prevents a switchback to habitual patterns.
A successful tape application combines treatment of organs, scars, musculoskeletal system, fascia as well as acupuncture points.
- The history of taping
- Basic understanding of the principles of usage
- Technique of cutting tape material and criteria for choosing high quality tape material
- Main modes of action on different parts of the body
- Active exercises for basic application methods and different application techniques
- Indications and contraindications of Visceral Taping
- Treatment of the organ system, the lesion chain and myofascial chains
- Consolidation of tape colors and acupuncture points


Program Description: Too often the best library programs never reach the kids most in need. We may be from Iowa, but we know that “if you build it, they will come” isn’t always true. So we found a way to go to them. Discover how the Cedar Rapids (IA) Public Library moved beyond its walls to reach children with barriers to traditional library access through strategic partnerships and volunteer support. Adapt this award-winning program to fit your community.
Jessica Link, Volunteer Coordinator , Cedar Rapids Public Library , Cedar Rapids , IA. Jessica coauthored an article in Public Libraries Magazine’s March/April 2016 issue about summer volunteer engagement.
Kevin Delecki, Programming Manager, Cedar Rapids Public Library, Cedar Rapids, IA
The equation goes something like this. Partners have access to the kids + volunteers have the legs that bring the program to the kids + the library has the resources.
- Created custom, personalized, tracking logs for each child and sheets were put into binders at the center. Extra logs in the binder if the center needed them.
- Provided on-site checkout. Had a mini library at each center on a book cart.
- Offered a weekly program.
- It was about meeting the kids where they are at
Many returned from year one to participate again. Also utilized the Summer VISTA program http://www.nationalservice.gov. It added a lot of diversity to the program.
Partner research (see handout 2):
- Are the right people at the right table?
- Where is your target audience congregating?
- Who is working with the kids you want to work with? For example, the food backpack program. Where do these kids go in summer?
- Community data
- Poverty mapping
- Food desert mapping
- School level – free & reduced lunch
- Registered Section 8 HUD housing. You can search your community within the spreadsheet. Many partners have already done this work for funding so ask first!
- Take a hard look at what your library is already doing well. Can you take what you do well and modify it for outreach? As they were modifying, they had to keep in mind that everything needed to fit in Rubbermaid containers!
- Who is your coordinator/champion that will run with it?
- Stuff-space, staff, supplies, books
- Flexibility and adaptability are key for all parties
- Determine how you feel about lost materials. Communicate early and often to internal and external parties. Decided they didn’t really care if the books didn’t come back. Circulated 1000 books and three books didn’t come back. Kids also took home books to keep as part of the summer library program.
- Meet with all levels of partners-from planning to training and everything in-between. Worked directly with summer staff at the YMCA at a granular day-to-day basis. Have conversations early on.
- Share the load of work.
- Streamline when possible – mail merge reading logs with kid’s names, duo-enrollment form (checkbox on YMCA summer camp form asking parents to enroll the child in summer library program). Also gave the data digitally for mail merge of personalized reading logs.
- Talk about what you are going to do, do it, and talk about what you did.
- Survey – had four questions and asked the kids one by one.
Advice for Librarians & Centers:
- Get involved. Great investment in the library, the community, and the kids.
- Steve Pemberton, PLA BIG IDEAS speaker, spoke about sneaking into the library. What if we sneak books to the kids? Make the library accessible to them. Bring the library to the kids.
- Did you clear out your library stash? Secured a grant to buy 350-400 books for this program. Developed a core collection. Didn’t have to make a decision between who got the books – kids at the library or the centers.
- Did you renew the books? Renewals depended on popularity. If they had a copy in the regular collection, they would bring that copy to the center so the child could finish reading the book.
- Did you bring tech to the centers? Brought Launchpads (20#) and Google Nexus (10#)
- How many centers did you partner with? The first year, they partnered with two different YMCAs. One camp was located at the YMCA and another was offered at the elementary school, but run by the YMCA.
- What about prizes? Stepped away from the traditional prize model. Received a prize when they registered and at 600 minutes (a journal and a coupon for the Friends of the Library sale). When the kids completed the program, teens and younger got to pick a new book. Or teens could pick a coupon for the Friends of the Library sale.
- Do the kids at the centers have to have a library card? Not necessarily. They would issue an express card which doesn’t require a parent signature and allows for e-resources and limited checkouts.
See Handout 1 for the PowerPoint used during this presentation.
Kevin Delecki and Jessica Link seemed very open to questions. Email addresses are linked above.


For many, Charles Dickens and his classic story A Christmas Carol epitomise the festive period, but a leading professor at The University of Warwick wants people to have greater expectations when it comes to Dickens.
Professor Jon Mee, from the University’s English and Comparative Literary Studies department, is a Charles Dickens expert and has published several books on his work. He is a huge fan of Dickens, apart from when it comes to linking the great author to Christmas.
This Christmas is set to be the most Dickensian of all as we approach the bicentenary of his birth on February 7, 2012. The BBC has started a long Charles Dickens season on television and radio, and several other national news organisations are also starting his 200th birthday celebrations early. A new book by Claire Tomalin called Charles Dickens: A Life is out in time for Christmas.
For many, Charles Dickens and Christmas go hand in hand but, Professor Mee does not agree.
In a special light-hearted video produced as part of the University’s Celebrating Dickens season he said, “Did Dickens invent Christmas? Well all I can really say to that is Bah! Humbug! He invented that phrase that everyone knows, and everybody knows it is associated with Ebenezer Scrooge, a character that people know even if they have never read a word of Dickens. Did he invent turkey, stuffing, mistletoe, holly, red berries, all the things that the ghost of Christmas present brings into A Christmas Carol? No, he didn’t invent those, they were already a part of Christmas festivities. What perhaps he did invent was the idea of Christmas as a special point of light in a dark, violent, often unpredictable world of getting and spending.”
He added, “What he tried to explore in his Christmas books is the idea of ‘Carol Philosophy’, a cheerfulness and antagonism to Humbug. People can be themselves in Carol Philosophy. Every year between 1843 and 1848, bar one, he produced a Christmas book that reinforced this Carol Philosophy. He might not have invented Christmas but now he is part of everybody’s experience of the day.”
Celebrating Dickens is a multi-disciplinary project set up by the University of Warwick to help commemorate the bicentenary of one on the most important figures in literary history. Drawing on the knowledge and expertise from a wide range of researchers across the University, the Celebrating Dickens website offers fresh insight into some of his most famous works and the era in which he lived. In homage to Charles Dickens our project is being serialised, like most of his novels, with the first instalment launched today - including a podcast where Professor Mee discusses the Christmas stories.
In January a host of extra articles and podcasts will be released before a special documentary is uploaded on February 7, 2012 – Charles Dickens’ 200th birthday.
Notes to Editors
The Celebrating Dickens website can be found here.
And Professor Jon Mee’s special video can be viewed here.
Each year Jon teaches an MA module on ‘Charles Dickens: Novels, Journalism, Adaptations’ and is also running a new undergraduate module this year entitled ‘Romanticism, Revolution and Reaction’ which covers the relationship between literature, culture and politics from 1789 to c. 1822.
Jon has had several books published about his research including The Cambridge Introduction to Charles Dickens (Cambridge University Press, 2010) and is currently working on a chapter in Reading the (Re)Presented Past: Literature and Historical Consciousness, 1700 to Present called Dickens and the Ways of Seeing the French Revolution: A Tale of Two Cities (Palgrave).
Other published works include edited editions of Barnaby Rudge (Oxford World’s Classics, 2002) and Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities and the French Revolution (Palgrave, 2009).
His latest book, Conversable Worlds: Literature, Contention and Community 1762-1830 (Oxford University Press, 2011) is out now and has been nominated for the Louis Gottschalk Prize of the American Society for Eighteenth-Century Studies.
Jon joined Warwick after more than a decade in the English Faculty at The University of Oxford, where he was Margaret Candfield Fellow in English at University College and Professor of Literature of the Romantic Period. Prior to working at Oxford, Professor Mee was Senior Lecturer at The Australian National University.
On top of his keen interest in Charles Dickens' work, Professor Mee researches the contemporary Indian novel in English; John Thelwell; Mary Wollstoncroft; British popular radicalism in the 1790s; Culture and politics in the Romantic period (1760-1832); Marxist literary theory
For more information contact Luke Hamer, Assistant Press Officer, on 02476 575601, or on 07824 541142. Alternatively email email@example.com


Car safety for children: Using the acronym “ACT” to prevent heatstroke, you can help reduce the risk of heatstroke happening to your child with the following suggestions…
This post was sponsored by Auto Alliance as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central and all opinions expressed in my post are my own.
Summer is in full swing! Here in Florida, and most other places around the country, temperatures are soaring. You know that feeling when you open your car doors on a hot day, after it’s been sitting in the heat for a while? When a wave of humid, hot air hits you right in the face? UGH.
The thing is, even when the outside temperature is only 70 degrees outside, the inside of a parked car can still heat up to 120 degrees within just 15 minutes. And, that’s with the windows open. Yikes!
With three small children in my car, one of my worst fears is accidentally leaving them in the car. It happens way too much, unfortunately.
According to data, on average 37 young children pass away each year from accidentally being left in a car. 75% are children under age of two years old and 50% are children under a year old.
Car Safety for Children – Preventing Heatstroke
Accidents happen, but there are steps we can take to reduce the risk of heatstroke happening to our children. The Auto Alliance has launched a new campaign in support of the National Highway Transportation and Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) “Look Before You Lock: Never Leave A Child Alone in a Car” outreach initiative.
Using the acronym “ACT” to prevent heatstroke, you can help reduce the risk of heatstroke happening to your child with the following suggestions:
A – Avoid leaving your child in your car alone, even for a minute. Also keep your doors locked while the car isn’t in use to avoid children getting inside alone.
C – Create reminders. Leave your purse, lunch, or cell phone in the backseat next to your child so that you’ll have an extra reason to look in the back. This is especially helpful when children fall asleep in the car, and they’re quiet.
T – Take action – if you see a child alone in a car call 911. One call can save a life!
Learn more about how you can prevent heatstroke in this video from the Auto Alliance:
Remember to Look Before You Lock this summer, and always! Find out more about how you can prevent heatstroke from the Auto Alliance website.


Hallie Ganderton isn’t like most children.Hallie Ganderton isn’t like most children. While many other seven-year-old girls are hoping for new toys, gadgets, or clothes, Hallie has a much bigger dream: She wants to take her power wheelchair with her anywhere she goes.
While other seven-year-old girls are hoping for new toys, gadgets, or clothes, Hallie Ganderton has a much bigger dream: She wants to take her power wheelchair with her anywhere she goes.
Hallie has cerebral palsy, and uses her trackball-operated wheelchair to get around. Her disorder affects every aspect of her life — from her mobility, to her speech, to her sight.
“She needs around-the-clock care,” said Hallie’s mother, Heather Ganderton. “She has difficulty with the most basic things, like using her hands, bathing, toileting, and talking.”
Lindsay Jones, who has been Hallie’s respite worker for three years, entered Hallie in a contest to win a wheelchair-accessible van. The custom modifications for such a vehicle would normally cost about $20,000, plus the cost of the van itself.
The contest, organized by the National Mobility Equipment Dealers Association, awards a wheelchair accessible van to the three families/ individuals in Canada or the United States who accumulate the most votes on the website.
Jones said the contest is in celebration of May being National Mobility Awareness Month, and is also based on being a hero, and she says Hallie is just that.
“She works so hard, she’s so intelligent, she always challenges herself and always wants to succeed,” Jones said. “And she does it all with the biggest smile on her face.”
Her power wheelchair stays at John McGivney Children’s Center, where Hallie is a Grade 2 student, and her family uses a manual wheelchair to move her at home. But Heather said Hallie is getting bigger, and it’s getting harder to constantly switch her from chair to chair.
Hallie said she could “be a superstar” if she won the van, because she could bring her power wheelchair anywhere she goes and be more “independent.”
Even though Hallie needs a lot of help, said Jones, she is constantly inspired by the determination she sees in the young girl.
“Being with a respite is usually a time for fun, a time to take a break,” she said. “But Hallie always wants to work on her schoolwork, or her math, or her occupational therapy.”
At birth, Hallie suffered a severe brain injury, and her heart stopped. Doctors said she might not make it, and if she did, she would be blind, unable to crawl or use a walker, and would be reliant on a feeding tube. But Hallie has always loved a challenge.
Not only did Hallie survive, she also regained full sight through light therapy, learned to use a walker at age two, learned to spoon-feed herself, and remains an optimistic and happy young girl who continues to inspire her family and friends.
“She doesn’t let me go easy on her, she likes to be challenged,” Jones said. “If I tell her she can’t do something, she will work even harder just to prove me wrong. She’s grinning ear to ear just hearing me say that, because she knows it’s true.”
Heather Ganderton is a stay-at-home mother of three, while Hallie’s father Shane works in IT. In addition to seven-year-old Hallie, Heather has two sons — nine-year-old Parker and 11-year-old Carter.
She says Hallie’s brothers have rallied to support her in this contest, getting their school behind them as well.
“Parker is even doing announcements at school,” Heather said. “They both see beyond her disabilities, they include her in their games.”
But it hasn’t been easy. Jones said though she loves working with Hallie, it’s sometimes difficult to watch the young girl’s daily struggles.
“It’s hard to hear her say things like it’s her dream to walk,” Jones said. “But she doesn’t cry or ask why she is this way, she knows what her condition is and accepts it.”
“She’s made me realize that in life there’s obstacles, but everyone can overcome them.”
Heather said the van would be an incredible blessing for her family, and is asking the community to vote for Hallie every day until the contest closes on May 10.
Jones said hearing the struggles of Hallie’s family brings a tear to the eye, but seeing their progression and accomplishments is inspiring.
“I really do believe her progress was not a miracle,” she said. “She got where she is today because of her incredible hard work and her family’s hard work.”


We came to know Chetan Bhawgat for his books. I suddenly thought this : From 1980s to till date, some millions of young men and women from India went to US with different aims and objectives. Let us consider we are talking about 10,00000 young men and women [ educated, moderate to hi-skill, sexually active age-group, having passed some 18-25 years in India ] sample population. For the whole group, this was perhaps most striking cross cultural exposure.
Now, I ask myself :
Why dont we have any enduring cultural commentary in the form of a novel, a collection of essays, a film or anything that documents his experience ?
Where is the missing commentary ?
In contrast, a significant document of historical studies come from Traveller’s Tales. Consider Hi-eun-sang, Marco Polo, Al-Beruni, Iban-Batuta. Or the grand Encyclopeadia Indica compiled by British Administrators in India.
Here are some explanations given by my friend Saayan
1. The people had no time to consider this.
2. ALL the people went there with some objective and documenting cultural differences were not one among them.
3. Many went and found the niche which minimizes cultural contrast [ e.g a Punjabi living in Southhall, London or a Sylheti in Tower Hamlet ]
But is it possible to believe that a million strong group with all the possibilities of having been impacted by one of the greatest cultural impact of their lives could remain mute, dumb and nothing significant to tell ?
I doubt. I strongly doubt this.
Hence my uneasiness
Because, the only alternative left then is to conclude this : From circa 1980 to till date, India exported only those [ including people from IIT /IIM and other centres of learning ] who are, to the last man and woman, culturally passive and de-sensitized individuals ?
And a corollary : Indian young men and women who could manage to enter those institutions are the most in-authentic and counter-feit material, culturally speaking.
I am devastated.


Thanks to the Men and Women in Blue
Posted on July 14 2016
We encounter people in uniform multiple times a day as we go through our regular activities. When we board a train and are greeted by a conductor wearing pressed work pants, visit the doctor cloaked in a clean lab coat, or purchase food to grill at our celebratory summer barbeques from a butcher donning a meat coat. In each case, the presence of a recognizable uniform evokes a sense of security and comfort and serves as a consistent reminder of the many people working hard to make society a better place for everyone. Police uniforms are one of the most important examples of this and the image presented by police departments has changed significantly over the centuries.
The earliest police departments in the U.S. did not issue uniforms to its members and police wore plain clothes and the only recognizable identification they wore, if any, was a badge or patch. As city populations grew, police began wearing uniforms so they would be easily identifiable to citizens needing their assistants. The New York City Police Departments was the first to outfit its force in uniforms in 1854 followed shortly thereafter by Boston and Chicago in 1858. Many of the earliest police forces outfitted their officers in surplus Union Army uniforms from the Civil War – beginning a long tradition of men and women serving our communities in blue.
Police shifted to work shirts and work pants in the 1960s and moved away from anything that would present a military appearance. This was done to help bridge the divide between officers and the communities they protect. In addition, the blue work shirt is easier to clean than lighter color shirts and the work shirt was a comfortable tool to help police do their jobs effectively.
Working Duds thanks all of the men and women in uniform who work hard to serve and protect us everyday.


Hangzhou, China Project Center (IQP)
Hangzhou is located on China’s booming southeastern coast and is one of China’s most beautiful and bustling cities. The capital of China’s richest province (Zhejiang) and one of China’s ancient imperial capitals, Hangzhou exemplifies China’s quest to become a modern economic power while retaining its unique historical identity. Students will see firsthand the beauty of China’s antiquity when walking along World Heritage Site West Lake in downtown Hangzhou and experience on a daily basis the booming growth of Hangzhou, China’s 4th largest metropolitan area with a population of 8 million. From Hangzhou, students can easily travel to Shanghai, only an hour away on the high-speed train, and to many other cities both inland and on the seaboard. Hangzhou has a humid subtropical climate with four distinctive seasons. Average temperatures in Hangzhou in November fall between 49°F and 63°F.
Hangzhou students will live in hotel style accommodations in the Xiasha District. Rooms are fully furnished with two single beds, linens, towels, a full bathroom, a living space, broadband internet, satellite TV and free local phone service. A kitchen is not available in the hotel and students are not allowed to cook by themselves. Accommodation type and location are subject to change without notice and will be confirmed the term prior to departure.
Chinese cuisine varies greatly by region, and may not be what you’re used to from a typical Chinese restaurant in the U.S. The staples foods of Chinese cooking include rice, noodles, vegetables, sauces, and seasonings. Dairy is rarely, if ever, used. It may be hard to identify what is in a particular sauce, especially for students with a peanut allergy, so be sure to keep healthy practices and your advisors and students informed of your health in case of an allergic reaction. Make sure to take any dietary restrictions or allergies (nuts in particular) into account as you consider this site and inform your advisor and IGSD of any health concerns well in advance of your participation in this program.
Students must arrive on or before the posted start date and stay through the posted end date of the program. Dates will be posted at the top of this page. WPI housing will be available from the start date to the end date. If students plan to arrange any personal travel before or after the program, they will be responsible for arranging and paying for their own housing.
Past Hangzhou students have:
- Determined feasibility of electronic bike share system in Hangzhou
- Recommended e-book sharing and recycling practices for innovative e-platform library company
- Analyzed clinical trial protocols in China, Europe, and US for Chinese cancer drug biotech firm
Students will be billed the following fees by WPI for the WPI semester they are away. These will be billed to you on the regular WPI billing cycle (i.e. Fall semester, and Spring semester).
In addition to this, students should budget for the following while away:
- WPI Tuition and Fees
- WPI Housing Fee (if applicable)
- WPI Meal Plan (if applicable, reduced for term away)
- Global Projects Program Housing and Program Fee (for applicable programs)
- Local transportation
- Airfare (if applicable)
- Tourist activities and incidentals
- Project related incidentals
A breakdown of all estimated expenses for Hangzhou can be found here: Hangzhou Estimated Expenses
WPI is committed to the health, safety, and security of all students who participate in our programs. While off-campus study can present unique challenges and inherent risks, we believe that careful research and diligent planning are keys to a safe and rewarding project experience. WPI utilizes several key resources to understand the risks of travel in the countries where we operate, and we urge you to consult these same resources as you research your intended destination. You can also discuss questions and concerns about your travel plans with on-campus resources such as the IGSD, the Student Health Center, the Office of Disability Services, and the Student Development and Counseling Center. It very important that you consider your own health requirements as you review what sites are most interesting to you, and that you carefully review the published information concerning health, safety, and security at the resources linked below prior to applying to a particular site. Make sure to visit the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) website for the most up to date health and vaccine information, and review all information in relation to your own health and any medical conditions you may have.
Country-specific travel health information from the Centers for Disease Control
Country-specific page from the U.S. Department of State
Student travel website from the Bureau of Consular Affairs, U.S. Department of State


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Discussion in '3CX Phone System - General' started by pacpac, Jan 18, 2012.
Hi, how can I connect to the various extensions when connected to my 3CX system outside the LAN?
Have you read this blog?
Yes, I have read and this allows me to place Direct SIP calls. However, is there a way I can call, for example, extension 200 from extension 100 outside the LAN (both phones connected into 3CX via the Internet)?
Yes, why not.
If you have properly setup the phone extensions in 3CX and the phones, it is possible to dial ext. 200 from ext. 100 outside the LAN.
I have set up extensions 100 and 200, and connected both (outside the LAN) to a PAP2T. When trying to dial 100 from the 200 extension I just get a fast busy signal, and no ring on 100. Is it possible to use the PAP2T to dial extensions outside the LAN? I have connected 2 DECT phones to the PAP2T.
The PAP2T has two independent working SIP accounts, so it should be possible to dial the other account.
- Do both accounts (ext. 100 and 200) of the PAP2T register in 3CX?
- Have you permit the "use of extension outside the LAN" in the properties of the extensions in 3CX?
- Can you dial from a local extension (inside the LAN) to the remote extension(s) (outside the LAN) v.v.?
Hi, see below:
1) Yes both accounts are registered in 3CX OK. I can dial out standard numbers with no problems.
2) Yes, this is permitted.
3) Unable to try inside LAN, the 3CX is at a dedicated server in a different location.
Dial-out is OK, but if you dial-in, in 3CX, is it possible to accept the call with ext. 100 and/or 200?
Be sure that the dialplan in the PAP2T, supports the digits you are dialling.
What does the 3CX log show just after you tried a call, does it show up? Is it getting to 3CX? If not, then it is being blocked within the ATA.
Nothing shows up in 3CX. This is the dial plan I have set in the PAP2T, which support UK dialing without 00 and country code:
How would it look like to include being able to dial extensions from 100 to 900?
You may add e.g. “|xx.” without quotes in your dialplan.
You can also add (in bold). which covers 3 digit numbers from 100 to 999. The S0 (that's a zero) sends the matched digits out immediately, no timeout.
Thanks, it works. How would the dial plan look in order to dial *777, etc.? As of now, that does not work.
If you make use of *xx (two digit star codes) then change it to *xx.
Depending on what codes you use you can break it down a bit more. *[1-689]xS0 would immediately send any two digit star codes beginning with 1 to 9 but not 7. Then *7xxS0 would send three digit star codes beginning with 7.
There are a number of sites that go into detail on how to "craft" a Linksys dialplan...this is but one of them...
Another good one with some extra information..
Thanks for advice, works very well.


A police officer responding to a domestic dispute comes face-to-face with an angry 56-year-old woman in a nightgown wielding a large knife.
Footage obtained by A Current Affair under freedom-of-information laws shows police deploying their Tasers in potentially life and death situations.
The Tasers are fitted with cameras so they record every encounter from the minute they are removed from their holsters.
In the incident mentioned above, the woman is seen being tasered after refusing police commands to put down her knife.
The footage shows the woman first threatening to stab police outside the front of her home as her family take refuge inside.
Despite being warned she will be shocked the woman advances towards police wielding the blade.
The officers then deploy a stun gun that sends 50,000 volts of electricity through her body.
Tasers have been marred by controversy but the police officers who wield them say they offer a better alternative than the lethal force of a gun.
Frontline officers in NSW and Queensland both have access to Tasers but can only use them with proper training.
Victoria Police recently concluded a 12-month trial of Tasers and is reviewing the results.
Last month a US District court awarded $9m to the family of a North Carolina teen who was killed after being stung by a Taser manufactured by Taser International, the same company that provided stun guns for the Victorian trial.
The verdict is a massive blow for the infamous firm, which has maintained its weapons are non-lethal and do not affect a victim's heart while delivering 50,000 volts of electricity.
Both claims were contradicted by the court's finding.
Victoria Police told the Sydney Morning Herald they were aware of the case but referred to a US Department of Justice study that found ''research does not support a substantially increased risk of cardiac arrhythmia "¦ even if the [Taser] darts strike the front of the chest.''
NSW Police assistant commissioner Alan Clarke said Tasers have a strong deterrent effect.
He told A Current Affair suspects will often comply with police directives rather than face the temporary agony of an electroshock gun.
"Last year through 2010 we were drawing the Taser 80 to 85 times a month and fired 30 percent of time. In 2011 we are drawing the Taser about 66 times a month," Clarke told the program
© Nine Digital Pty Ltd 2018


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This market-leading text and reference provides the most current, comprehensive presentation of occupational therapy concepts and practice. Following the authors' clear guidance and expertly crafted exercises, readers will learn how to apply a client-centered, occupational and evidence-based approach across the full gamut of practice settings.
Completely updated and revised, this Eleventh Edition reflects a greater emphasis on evidence and the growing focus on occupation as the basis for practice. Plus, this edition has greatly expanded its first-person narratives, offering unique insights into the experience of living with disease or disability. A new unit, Occupation and Health in Society, addresses social and health policy, health promotion, community integration, and occupational justice.
A companion website offers student and instructor ancillaries.
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Book Description Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2008. Hardcover. Condition: New. Eleventh, North American Edition. Seller Inventory # DADAX0781760046
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Shallows is set in a small whaling town in Western Australia, where land-based whaling has been a tradition for over 150 years. When Queenie Cookson decides to join an antiwhaling protest group, she defies her husband, her ancestry, and her community. Winner of the prestigious Miles Franklin Award in Australia, this eloquent and moving novel speaks with immediacy and passion of the conflict between the values of a closeknit, traditional society and the evolving mores of the wider world.
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Tim Winton is the author of several novels, short-story collections, and children's books, for which he has received every major literary award in Australia, including the Australian/Vogel Award and the prestigious Miles Franklin Award. He currently lives in a fishing village in Western Australia with his wife and three children.From Library Journal:
This novel, winner of Australia's prestigious Miles Franklin Award, has great ambitions. Not only does it aspire to depict a community in crisisan old whaling port now the scene of a Save the Whales protestbut also to ponder such matters as guilt and innocence, responsibility, damnation and redemption, the urge to suicide, and the visitation of the sins of the fathers upon their children. When writing about the troubled marriage of his central characters, Cleve and Queenie Cookson, or about the anti-whaling confrontations out on the open sea, Winton brings his book alive. But his grandiose strivings hurt it. Too many minor characters, often mere stereotypes, appear for the sake of thematic concerns rather than as an integral part of the narrative. And the symbolism telegraphs the story's conclusion. Promising, well-intentioned, but only passable. Charles Michaud, Turner Free Lib., Randolph, Mass.
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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Enlightenment Unfolds is a sequel to Kaz Tanahashi's previous collection, Moon in a Dewdrop, which has become a primary source on Dogen for Western Zen students. Dogen Zenji (1200-1253) is unquestionably the most significant religious figure in Japanese history. Founder of the Soto school of Zen (which emphasizes the practice of zazen or sitting meditation), he was a prolific writer whose works have remained popular for six hundred years. Enlightenment Unfolds presents even more of the incisive and inspiring writings of this seminal figure, focusing on essays from his great life work, Treasury of the True Dharma Eye , as well as poems, talks, and correspondence, much of which appears here in English for the first time.
Tanahashi has brought together his own translations of Dogen with those of some of the most respected Zen teachers and writers of our own day, including Reb Anderson, Edward Espe Brown, Norman Fisher, Gil Fronsdal, Blanche Hartman, Jane Hirschfield, Daniel Leighton, Alan Senauke, Katherine Thanas, Mel Weitzman, and Michael Wenger.
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Dogen, the 13th-century Zen monk whose name is now synonymous with early Japanese Zen, was once nearly forgotten in Japan. Only in the last century and a half have his writings been published, and only in recent decades have they appeared in Western languages. Most of these focus on his life work, the Shobogenzo, selections of which are translated here. Enlightenment Unfolds also contains accounts of Dogen's studies in China, poems, instructions on Zen practice, and informal talks with his students. Enlightenment for Dogen was not something that results from practice but is the practice itself. For those engaged in Zen practice, reading Enlightenment Unfolds can be worked seamlessly into that practice, with insights gleaned from daily contemplation. Dogen is one of the few Zen monks to value the Zen literary tradition, but he never meant it to be separate from practice. As with Moon in a Dewdrop, Tanahashi's previous collection of Dogen's writings, we find that brilliant awakenings occur in everyday moments--and in the everyday moments of reading this collection, enlightenment indeed unfolds. --Brian BruyaAbout the Author:
Kazuaki Tanahashi, a Japanese-trained calligrapher, is the pioneer of the genre of "one stroke painting" as well as the creator of multicolor enso (Zen circles). His brushwork has been shown in solo exhibitions in galleries, museums, and universities all over the world. Tanahashi has edited several books of Dogen's writings and is also the author of Brush Mind.
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The short life and passionate music of romantic composer Frédéric Chopin provide the foundations for this 1945 drama, which proved influential in its gaudy, undeniably watchable formula of historical exaggeration and shrewdly simplified motives for its principals. In an Oscar-nominated performance, Cornel Wilde presents the Polish native as a passionate nationalist driven by his love of his native country and his hatred of its czarist regime, a thematic focus that can be forgiven in light of the political backdrop at the time of the production. Already a prodigy in his native land, where he's mentored by a shamelessly scenery-chewing Paul Muni as Professor Elsner, Chopin flees to Paris where his flashing eyes, dark nimbus of curls, and florid technique earn him stardom, while his involvement with the writer George Sand (a beautiful Merle Oberon, even when draped in then-provocatively masculine garb) introduces a romantic crescendo. Still, the tortured pianist-composer pines for his homeland, frets about its political fate, and begins to wither under the rigors of his new career as ur-superstar; in a typically over-the-top but riveting image, we see drops of blood spatter across the keyboard as he thunders through a recital, gallantly ignoring his failing health to spread his music and, by extension, awareness of Poland's fate. Numerous subsequent musical dramas (including two more Song-titled biographies from the same studio) would ply a similar mix of grand gestures and larger-than-life emotions, yet the most interesting comparison to be made is with 1991's Impromptu, a more acerbic spin through the Sand/Chopin affair (and the Parisian demimonde including Alfred DeMusset, Franz Liszt, and Eugene Delacroix) directed by frequent Stephen Sondheim collaborator James Lapine. --Sam Sutherland
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Could taking vitamin D for acne be the key to a healthier complexion?
According to recent research, the vast majority of people with acne are deficient in vitamin D.
Are you one of these people?
Unfortunately, if you have moderate to severe acne – you probably are…
But, don’t worry too much. Low levels of vitamin D can be easily remedied, but you want to do it the right way for best results – and to avoid vitamin D toxicity.
Using L-lysine for acne is one of those little known acne remedies that works amazingly well for some people:
(Probably the same people who told you about it, right?)
So I thought I’d dive right in and explain all the nitty-gritty details about this interesting way to treat acne…
Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid), is essential for humans and other animals. It’s water soluble, meaning if we get more vitamin C than we need one day, it’s expelled from the body in our urine.
Therefore, it’s important to get vitamin C every day, because we don’t store it in our bodies like some other vitamins.


By Prince Charles
Universities need to stop viewing gender-based violence as a mere criminal issue, gender-based violence is a human rights violation and all human right violations are enemies of development. The reduction of gender based violence to just a women’s issue to the exclusion of men is a major hurdle.
In 1998 South Africa signed on to an international awareness drive called the 16 Days of Activism for no violence against women and children. The annual campaign which starts on the 25th November and ends on Human Rights Day (December 10) has several goals namely;
- To encourage all South Africans to help eradicate violence against women and children
- To encourage society to acknowledge that violence against women and children is a social, rather than governmental problem
- To encourage collective responsibility within communities to tackle violence against women and children
It was in this context coupled with a sharp increase in violence in universities that Amnesty International South Africa together with its various university chapters convened a discussion on how to address gender-based violence in universities in Port Elizabeth. The human rights organisation convened the discussion with the objective of learning directly from university students about the gender based violence situation in universities and furthermore involved various stakeholders in interrogating possible solutions into the phenomenon. The stakeholders included Amnesty International’s university chapters from the University of Pretoria, University of Witswatersrand, Nelson Mandela University, University of Cape Town, University of Stellenbosch and the University of Western Cape. Also represented were ACTIVATE! Change Drivers, Masifunde Learner development, Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality, United Nations Association of South Africa and the Congress of South African Students.
Human right activist Susan Tolmay kicked off the session by drawing a broad picture of the current situation around gender-based violence at institutions of higher learning and made specific mention of the horrific rape incident that took place at the Nelson Mandela University where a male perpetrator raped and robbed two young women at a computer laboratory in October, the incident sparked widespread protest and highlighted fundamental differences in the understanding of gender based violence between university management and the student body. The panel spoke in unison that gender based violence was a human rights issue and therefore required a multipronged approach.
Several speakers were of the view that language as an institution was perpetuating and undermining the fight against gender based violence. The language used in campaigns against gender based violence was regressive, campaigns which label gender based violence as a ‘scourge’ were severely criticised, Nobubele Phuza pointed out that “the scourge is not gender based violence, but it is those men who rape women, they are the scourge”. The reference to people who have been sexually assaulted as being ‘raped’ and labelling them as ‘rape victims’ or ‘rape survivors’ also has profound consequences as it leads to stigmatisation and hinders the call to speak out against violations. Language as an institution was therefore responsible for the normalisation of violence in society because it allowed for a passive voice which exonerates men from responsibility; representatives of Activate in their presentation quoted Jackson Katz where he argues;
“We talk about how many women were raped last year, not about how many men raped women, the use of the passive voice has a political effect, it shifts the focus off of men and boys and onto girls and women. Even the term ‘violence against women’ is problematic. It’s a passive construction; there’s no active agent in the sentence. When you look at the term ‘violence against women,’ nobody is doing it to women. It just happens to them…Men aren’t even a part of it”.
Panellist Vuyo Tshingila lamented the absence of certain voices in the fight against gender based violence at universities and in general society. The absence she argued was due to the fact that society had an obtuse binary/ heteronormative bias when it addresses issues of violence. This automatically created ‘marginalised bodies’ that included refugees, members of the LGBTIQ+ community and rural women.
Another burning issue was the policy framework of institutions of higher learning (particularly sexual harassment policy) the student body accused the universities of not publishing sexual harassment cases. Students also made startling allegations that political movements in the institutions were harbouring rapists, who in turn used sexual assault incidents as tools of political mobilisation. The health care services also received condemnation with students decrying the level of violation young women encounter when they are subjected to rape kits after sexual assaults.
The Nelson Mandela University responded by acknowledging that it is indeed a contradiction that incidents of violence occur in a space named after a Nobel laureate and human rights activist. The institution appealed for a solution orientated engagement rather than a confrontational one and went on to unpack the launch of its Memeza campaign; a campaign which involved the distribution of yellow whistles which are blown once someone is in distress. The whistle is both a literal and metaphorical item in the sense that it is a call for the student body to be ‘whistle blowers’ against gender based violence.
After a multipronged multi-sector dissection of the issues, the entire house agreed that men had to first acknowledge the privilege they enjoy due to the patriarchal arrangement of society and be active participants in changing the current reality of violence. Civil society movements need to partner and make sure that the language used in campaigns against gender based violence is modified and is more politically correct. A fundamental shift in policy by universities is necessary to ensure accountability and to empower marginalised bodies within the higher education space.


DHL is currently branded as “The World’s Largest Shipping Company”. The organisation has four central mission objectives. Simplify the lives of customers, to allow customers, employers and investors to enjoy greater success, to positively contribute to the world and to demonstrate respect.
DHL: The company
Focused on worldwide transport and logistics, DHL is relied upon by thousands of individuals and companies alike every day.
DHL employs modern methods to establish, collate, ship and track an order from inception to completion. Thus, a hierarchical flow can be seen and the company adheres to this protocol; breaking the process down into sex steps as follows:
- Order transmission
Therefore, the first step will be the transmission of the order from the costumer to the DHL team. This can be accomplished by fax, telephone, data exchange or email. After the order is received by one of these dedicated means, DHL will begin the preparation process. Of course, this will be streamlined whenever possible to meet the company’s requirements. Some of the main metrics that will be considered are (but will not be limited to) checking that all information is correct, confirming the pricing conditions, making certain that the customer’s credit is valid and confirming any specific delivery conditions. This will assure quality control during the remainder of the processes.
The next step will involve the routing of all relevant information. This entails confirming the delivery as well as the processing of all internal job orders to the relevant DHL personnel. Then an action known as “picking” takes place. In essence, this separates orders based upon size, urgency and multiple deliveries. Shipping will thereafter be considered; factors such as delivery routes, the type of transport and associated paperwork now coming into play.
Finally, the customer will be invoiced. This can occur after the previous processes have been completed or during these steps. One of the advantages of the pre-invoicing process is that much of the paperwork can be completed well ahead of time.
DHL Tracking Procedure
Of course, part of the efficiency that DHL boasts is due to their robust and comprehensive tracking process. Again, this can be broken down into three discrete phases as follows:
- Advance information flow.
- Accompanying information flow.
- Follow-up information flow.
In the first step of the tracking process, advance information flow is designed to confirm to the customer the scheduled delivery time. This allows the customer to make any necessary arrangements well ahead of schedule to ensure the proper receipt of the product being shipped.
As the name denotes, accompanying information flow revolves around providing all pertinent information that may revolve around the specific shipment of a certain item (hazardous materials, for example). This can even involve special sensors monitoring and tracking the shipment along the way; thus ensuring the utmost levels of safety. An ancillary benefit of the accompanying information flow is that the product can be tracked while en route. This will enable DHL to inform the customer of any changes as may be warranted in some circumstances.
Lastly, the follow-up information flow is all information that can be perused after the shipment has been completed. A post-delivery invoice is an example of this. Still, this is perhaps the most important past of the tracking process. This is due to the fact that information can also be sent in reverse order. In other words, checkpoints that were passed along the delivery route can be confirmed. An international border is such a checkpoint. This will allow DHL (and the customer) to be able to systematically track the shipment of goods along the entire route; ensuring higher levels of satisfaction.
DHL Safety Precautions
DHL places a number of safety features into the entire shipping process. This is obviously important for a company that ships countless products to various destinations around the world each and every day. Notwithstanding the aforementioned shipment monitoring procedures in regards to hazardous or delicate items, DHL also works closely with many governmental organisations. A prominent example of this is their collaboration with C-TPAT (The Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism). DHL uses these measures to ensure the security of their products as well as the prevention of illegal items along every step of the supply chain. Payment methods are secure and all customer information is kept strictly confidential. In fact, this is likely one of the reasons that DHL is the carrier for all official correspondences within the Department of Homeland Security in the United States.
Of course, the pricing structure will depend upon several different variables. These can include the size and weight of the package, the destination (local, regional or international) and the speed of the delivery. Thus, same-day deliveries are priced higher than those which will take a longer period of time to complete. Additionally, the quotes will vary widely depending on the specifics of an item. For instance, a package with dimensions of twenty square centimetres that weighs twenty kilogrammes which is being sent from the United Kingdom to the United States will cost approximately one hundred and twenty-six pounds. In many instances, the prices can be slightly reduced if the customer drops off a parcel at a DHL collection checkpoint as opposed to utilising the pickup service provided.
The most substantial benefit offered by DHL is fast and efficient worldwide shipping. Their prices are quite amenable compared to similar carriers and their levels of security are some of the highest in the industry. Furthermore, the processes of tracking and logistics will ensure that the parcel arrives at the designated location within the specified time frame. By enacting such a top-down hierarchical workflow, DHL has centralised many of these metrics; allowing for an immense reliability and offering the utmost levels of privacy and discretion to the customer.
Should the tracking service not work, our support team and the support team of the shipping companies would gladly help you.


DayStar today announced an award of $250,000 from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) to develop energy-efficient processes to manufacture solar cells with the goal of reducing the costs of producing each solar cell.
HALFMOON, N.Y., Aug. 18 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- DayStar Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq: DSTI - News), a developer and manufacturer of proprietary flexible solar cells without silicon on specialty metal foils, today announced an award of $250,000 from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) to develop energy-efficient processes to manufacture solar cells with the goal of reducing the costs of producing each solar cell.
DayStar is currently ramping up its proprietary manufacturing process and believes, that at full capacity, it will produce solar cells at large volumes beyond 100 megawatts per plant. Co-funding from NYSERDA's Industrial Process and Productivity Improvement program will help DayStar lower the cost of producing solar power while also reducing the energy used in manufacturing and advancing DayStar's environmentally friendly production process.
Peter R. Smith, President of NYSERDA, noted DayStar's advanced development program. "The bright ideas that DayStar brings to us for development are putting New York in the forefront of the evolving clean-energy industry. These advanced designs will yield higher efficiencies and more reliable electric service -- and provide jobs right here in the Empire State."
"NYSERDA has been incredibly supportive every step of the way since it helped DayStar Technologies move to New York state from California in 2004," said Dr. Steve Aragon, DayStar's Vice President of Engineering. "This co-funding will help us reduce the costs of producing our propriety solar cell by increasing the speed and reducing the energy used in the process. As a renewable energy company, we're focused on using the least amount of energy ourselves, regardless of the source."
NYSERDA's Industrial Process and Productivity Improvement program encourages innovative process and productivity improvements that demonstrate a quantifiable energy benefit at industrial facilities in New York state. DayStar is developing a continuous, in-line, manufacturing tool that will replace a more costly process with a state-of-the-art technique, saving significant energy and improving production rates as part of their GEN-III manufacturing goals.
About DayStar Technologies, Inc.:
DayStar Technologies, Inc. is an emerging leader in low cost, high efficiency Photovoltaic Foil(TM) that converts sunlight into energy. The Company's patented and proprietary products include silicon-free CIGS solar cells, which are deposited on flexible metal foils using production processes adapted from commodity computer component manufacturing. DayStar believes the unique combination of its CIGS solar cell design coupled with proprietary manufacturing processes on flexible metal substrates can lead to solar electricity at commercially viable rates. For more information on the Company, please visit www.daystartech.com
SAFE HARBOR STATEMENT: This news release contains "forward-looking statements" that are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. "Forward-looking statements" describe future expectations, plans, results, or strategies and are generally preceded by words such as "future," "plan" or "planned, " "will" or "should," "expected," "anticipates," "draft," "eventually" or "projected." You are cautioned that such statements are subject to a multitude of risks and uncertainties that could cause future circumstances, events, or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, including risks that our products may not achieve customer acceptance or that they will not perform as expected, and other risks identified in our annual report on Form 10-K and other filings with the SEC. You should consider these factors in evaluating the forward-looking statements included herein, and not place undue reliance on such statements. The forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof and DayStar Technologies Inc. undertakes no obligation to update such statements.


Rebel Leader: Honor Truce, ‘War Is Over’
MONROVIA, Liberia (AP) _ Rebel leader Charles Taylor urged his fighters on Sunday to honor a cease- fire approved by Liberia’s three warring factions, saying the country’s 3 1/2 -year-old civil war was over.
The cease-fire went into effect at midnight Saturday and there were no reports of violations, said a spokesman for the West African force responsible for policing it.
″I think everybody is fed up with the fighting,″ said John Adda, deputy field commander of the five-nation force.
The civil war has killed 150,000 of Liberia’s 2.6 million people, and forced 750,000 to flee the West African nation founded by freed American slaves in 1822.
The United Nations says up to 200,000 people are in danger of dying of starvation and disease in northern areas controlled by Taylor.
The rebel leader, who has broken several previous truces, told his fighters it was time to get on with their lives.
″Some of you were shoeshine boys, carpenters and farmers. I ask you to return to your villages, towns and cities and begin to rebuild your life,″ Taylor said on radio controlled by his National Patriotic Front of Liberia.
″The war is over,″ he said.
The war began in 1989 when Taylor led an invasion to oust the tribalist dictatorship of Samuel Doe, who was later executed. It collapsed into factional feuding and anarchy, leading to the intervention of troops from Nigeria and other nations in the region.
Liberia’s interim government, Taylor’s rebel movement and an anti-Taylor rebel faction signed a U.N.-sponsored peace package last month in the West African nation of Benin.
Besides the cease-fire, it calls for a seven-month transitional government and presidential and legislative elections in February. The government and two rebel factions are to be disarmed by an expanded West African army, which will be supervised by U.N. observers.
Taylor ordered his fighters not to shoot at the West African force, warning ″anybody doing so will be held personally responsible.″
He has said he expects to run in the elections against President Amos Sawyer, leader of the interim government backed by the West African coalition.
Until the new elections, Liberia is to be ruled by a five-member council made up of representatives of the three main warring factions and two ″eminent″ Liberians chosen from a list compiled by the three sides.


Disease Feared as Capital’s Last Major Drinking-Water Source Cut With PM-Macedonia, Bjt
SARAJEVO, Bosnia-Herzegovina (AP) _ The Bosnian capital’s last major source of drinking water has been cut, increasing the threat of disease from contaminated water, a U.N. official said today.
Peter Kessler, a spokesman for the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, said the pump serving a well at the city brewery in Sarajevo stopped operating Sunday because of a Serb blockade of fuel.
The well had been supplying less than 20 percent of Sarajevo’s normal water needs. The main pumping station is in Serb-controlled territory.
Kessler said a ″trickle″ of water was still reaching the city on one line, providing enough for about a pint of water per resident per day.
Most residents are using hand pumps to obtain ground water, which often is contaminated, causing 200 to 300 cases of dysentery per day, he said.
As the crisis mounted in besieged Sarajevo, Bosnia’s collective presidency was resisting pressure to accept a three-way partition of their country along ethnic lines as proposed by Serb and Croat leaders.
The Muslim-led government fears the plan would squeeze Muslims into a tiny state between hostile neighbors.
At a meeting Sunday in Zagreb, Croatia, seven of the presidency’s 10 members agreed to return to peace talks in Geneva. But they said they would bring their own plan to maintain Bosnia as a federation of provinces that wouldn’t be formed strictly along ethnic lines.
Serbs, who control about 70 percent of Bosnia, have emphatically rejected similar proposals in the past.
Meanwhile, military pressure continued to mount against outgunned government forces.
Kessler said the town of Trnovo, about 15 miles south of Sarajevo, had fallen to the Serbs, forcing an estimated 3,400 people to flee to a nearby government-held mountain. The Bosnian army’s 1st Corps confirmed the loss and said a nearby refugee camp, Grebak, and the small town of Rogoj also were overrun. The army estimated the number of people who fled at 1,500.
In central Bosnia, Kessler said, food convoys were resuming operations through the Gornji Vakuf area after a two-day suspension because of security concerns.
Two convoys were due in the government-held town Zenica today and two in Sarajevo on Tuesday - the first to reach the capital this month.
Cmdr. Barry Frewer, a spokesmen for U.N. peacekeepers, said there were sporadic clashes Sunday throughout the country. Some of the fiercest fighting was between Croats and the government troops in Novi Travnik in central Bosnia.
Croat and government soldiers at first fought together against Bosnian Serbs who rebelled 16 months ago against Bosnia’s secession from Serb- dominated Yugoslavia. But that alliance has collapsed in fierce fighting over central Bosnian territory.
Bosnian Serbs and Croats have since collaborated on the battlefield as well as at the negotiating table.
At least 138,000 people are dead or missing in Bosnia’s war, and more than 2 million have been left homeless.


Foods, Nutrients and Calories
Methionine food sources
Gravels, Substances and Oils
CaribSea, Freshwater, Super Naturals, Blue Ridge density is equal to 1826.1 kg/m³ or 114 lb/ft³ with specific gravity of 1.8261 relative to pure water.
Hydrogen (H) weigh(s) 8.375 × 10-5 gram per (cubic centimeter) or 4.841 × 10-5 ounce per (cubic inch).[...]


LocationLouisiana State University, 3357 Highland Road, Baton Rouge, LA 70802, USA
Text description provided by the architects. Following Hurricane Katrina, the E.J. Ourso College of Business at Louisiana State University re-constituted its mission as the innovative business generator for the Gulf South region of the United States. To advance its mission, the College of Business embarked on the design and construction of a new facility to advance its mission of business innovation. To embody the College’s mission, the design team envisioned the facility as a glass and steel ‘academical village’ for business education. The courtyard plan arrangement and building forms contextually recall the sloped roof pavilions and arcaded courtyards of the nearby historic landmark campus. These traditional architectural forms, however, are constructed of contemporary materials and details to illustrate a forward looking aesthetic that embodies the mission of the school to generate business innovation in the Gulf region and yet are respectful of the traditions of the campus. The pavilions are clad in ceramic coated translucent mirror glass and the transparent rotunda is clad in a bronze solar screen resulting in a composition of forms that are ephemeral apparitions of the original campus, reflecting the strong heritage of the Louisiana State University while looking to the promises of the future.
The facility houses: 24 interactive tiered classrooms, 18 collaborative team rooms, a 300 seat auditorium, a mock trading room and faculty and department offices. Teaching spaces and offices surround the courtyard which is headed by a bronze screen clad rotunda. A multi-story business commons within the rotunda is the centerpiece of the business campus. Business centers, offices and classroom surround the business commons.
The design team researched glass technologies and developed a cream colored ceramic fritted insulating glass unit with mirror glass back panel which creates a moiré pattern over the surface of the pavilions resulting in a three dimensional appearance that is similar in color and modeling to its stucco-clad neighbors, but is completely different in its tailored four sided glazed detailing. The south and west sides of the rotunda are surrounded by a custom bronze screen that utilizes an arch motif. The arch motif recalls the university’s treasured campus arcades. The screen is designed to shield the glass rotunda from harsh solar gain.


Few people realize how complicated it is to build - that is until they find themselves lost in the maze of design options, building codes, zoning laws, contractors, and so on. No two building projects are exactly alike, so there is no single, clear-cut path to follow.
The architect is the one professional who has the education, training, experience, and vision to guide you through the entire design and construction process, from helping you define what you want to build to helping you get the most for your construction dollar. Architects see the big picture. They don't just design four walls and a roof - they create total environments, interiors and exteriors, that satisfy functional needs and are exciting, dynamic spaces in which to work and live.
Architects Solve Problems
Most building projects start with a want or need. "I need more file space in my office." Or, "We've outgrown our house." But how does that need or want get translated into square feet and three-dimensional space?
That is what architects are trained to do, solve problems in creative ways. With their broad knowledge of design and construction, architects can show you alternatives and options you might never think of on your own.
Architects Can Save You Money
The architect's services are a wise investment for the money, not an added cost to your project. Why?
Architects Can Make Your Life Easier
Building is a long process that is always intricate and troublesome, especially because you as the owner are already busy with your life. The architect you hire acts as your agent looking out for your interests and tries to find ways to make that process go smoothly.
If your project requires engineering or other design services, the architect can coordinate this team of experts so you don't have to. The architect sorts out complex building codes and zoning laws to get through the complex procedures to obtain the required building permits. The architect can help you find qualified construction contractors based on your requirements. The architect visits the construction site to help verify that the project is being built according to plans and specifications.
A Word About How Architects Get Paid
Architects’ fees are associated with the size and complexity of a project. Architects usually charge a percentage of the total project cost, anywhere from 5%-15% for new construction and 15%-20% percent for remodeling projects. Remodeling projects generally cost more than new construction because of the challenges faced in dealing with older construction techniques and blending architectural styles together.
For new construction Archestrate LLC offers schematic design packages that include a floor plan, an elevation and a preliminary cost estimate. We charge a set fee based on the square footage of the project for this package. Once the schematic design package is approved by the client, the construction document phase can begin. Our fee for construction document and construction administration services is usually 5-15% of the total cost of the project (schematic design cost is applied to total fee.) Renovations and additions require a consultation and site visit before a fee can be proposed.
Six Steps Toward Building Your Dream
Design and construction projects involve several steps. Typically, projects go through the following six phases. However, on some projects, several of these steps may be combined or there may be additional ones.
STEP 1: Programming/Deciding What to Build
The owner and architect discuss the requirements for the project (how many rooms, the function of the spaces, etc.), testing the fit between the owner's needs, wants, and budget.
STEP 2: Schematic Design/Rough Sketches
The architect prepares a series of rough sketches, known as schematic design, which show the general arrangement of rooms and of the site. Some architects also prepare models to help visualize the project. The owner approves these sketches before proceeding to the next phase.
STEP 3: Design Development/ Refining the Design
The architect prepares more detailed drawings to illustrate other aspects of the proposed design. Floor plans show all the rooms in correct size and shape. Outline specifications are prepared, listing the major materials and room finishes.
STEP 4: Preparation of Construction Documents
Once the owner has approved the design, the architect prepares detailed drawings and specifications, which the contractor will use to establish actual construction cost and build the project. These drawings and specifications become part of the building contract.
STEP 5: Hiring the Contractor
The owner selects and hires the contractor. The architect may be willing to make some recommendations. In many cases, owners choose from among several contractors they've asked to submit bids on the job. The architect can help you prepare bidding documents as well as invitations to bid and instructions to bidders.
STEP 6: Construction Administration
While the contractor will physically build the home or office, the architect can assist the owner in making sure that the project is build according to the plans and specifications. The architect can make site visits to observe construction, review and approve the contractor's applications for payment, and generally keep the owner informed of the project's progress. The contractor is solely responsible for construction methods, techniques, schedules and procedures.
In conclusion, once you have decided you need an architect for your project, have selected one (select an architect you can trust and that you have chemistry with), have come to an understanding on fees, and have the programmatic elements completed, you are ready to embark on the design process. We like to think that the hard part is behind you and the fun is just beginning.
STILL UNSURE IF YOU NEED AN ARCHITECT?
Shelley Olivier, AIA, NCARB


A New Generation of Artists in London Is Putting a Spotlight on Queer Issues
Photo courtesy of Travis Alabanza.
According to artist duo and couple
Queer visibility may be at an all-time high, but if interest peaks at a magazine cover, the experiences of those who fall outside the familiar axis of privilege—defined by wealth, whiteness, and conventional notions of beauty—continue to be marginalized, and with them, the intersectional politics at the heart of queer identities. Moreover, as statistics from the U.S. lay bare, when support is not extended to those most at risk from exposure, visibility can have violent consequences. In 2015, at least 21 trans people were murdered, the highest on record. Nearly all of the victims were transgender women of color.
Hastings and Quinlan are part of a growing, London-based network of artists advocating for an engagement with queer issues that goes beyond the buzz. At the top of the agenda is the continued lack of diversity in the U.K. cultural sector when it comes to representing people from the broader queer community, and a frequent failure to move beyond the inclusion of white, homosexual, cisgendered men. “Our work developed from looking critically at mainstream gay identities,” Quinlan says. “While there are things we value about those identities, they can also be claustrophobic and oppressive.”
In the summer of 2016, Hastings and Quinlan installed UK Gay Bar Directory (UKGBD) at London’s Somerset House. The work consists of a bank of monitors playing video footage they took of the interiors of 170 gay bars across the U.K. Shown alongside this film archive was the The Scarcity of Liberty (2016), a cork board on which are pinned flyers, magazine covers, and other ephemera collected while filming. Among the sea of idealized faces and rippling torsos staring out from the board, there is a striking absence of lesbian, trans, and non-binary-identifying individuals. Nor is there any body type visible that does not adhere to a narrow physical ideal.
This, Hastings and Quinlan say, is precisely their point. In an attempt to create the type of space they feel is missing, they run @GayBar, a nomadic night that moves between galleries and studios across the city. Along with sets by DJs from across the queer spectrum, they have also held vigils for trans and lesbian cultural figures such as Leslie Feinberg, author of the novel Stone Butch Blues.
Today’s queer culture has roots in feminist, gay, and lesbian liberation movements, and the AIDS activism of the 1980s. Against this backdrop, queer theory rose to prominence in the early 1990s, when groundbreaking U.S. writers such as Judith Butler and Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick took aim at conventional wisdom regarding sex and gender. Attempting to dismantle the binary constructs denoted by the terms “male” and “female,” and the assumption that the sex we are born with corresponds to gender identity, they called for a radical reassessment of the way we understand identity.
In recent years, changing attitudes toward sexuality have been enshrined into U.K. law, with the same-sex marriage bill passed in 2013 bringing parity for gay and lesbian couples. But for many in the queer community, acceptance into the traditional fold comes at a cost they are unwilling to pay: putting aside their anti-establishment beliefs and assimilating into what contemporary queer theorist Elizabeth Freeman calls “state-sponsored narratives of belonging and becoming.” As former British Prime Minister David Cameron said prior to the bill’s introduction, “I don’t support gay marriage in spite of being a conservative. I support gay marriage because I am a conservative.”
Rosie Hastings and Hannah Quinlan, D.I.N.K #2 (Dual Income No Kids), 2016. Image courtesy of the artists.
In a series of backlit CGI landscapes that Hastings and Quinlan call their “queer sublime,” the rub between the radical promise of queerness and the conformist nature of mainstream gay culture takes on epic proportions. D.I.N.K #2 (Dual Income No Kids) (2016) shows the beach at New York’s Fire Island after a hurricane has hit. Fire Island was a safe haven for gays and lesbians decades before the Stonewall riots of 1969 drew widespread attention to homophobia, and has since become a popular gay party resort. Here, the anarchic force of natural disaster is used as a tool for countering apathy. In the foreground, a battered magazine lies open at an advert from a Tiffany and Co.’s 2015 “Will You?” wedding ring campaign—the first by the brand to feature a same-sex couple. Its image shows two coiffed white men barely visible beneath a layer of sand.
Over the past decade, South London has become a hub for emerging queer artists. Arcadia Missa, a Peckham-based gallery founded in 2011 by Rozsa Farkas, is one of the city’s most prominent supporters of queer young artists. Farkas began working with Hastings and Quinlan the year after they graduated in 2014 from nearby Goldsmith’s University—itself home in recent years to leading queer and feminist scholarship, including the Centre For Feminist Research—and this past autumn, Arcadia Missa debuted their work at Frieze London.
Fellow Goldsmith’s graduate Liv Wynter is a self-described queer, working-class artist who tackles the politics of gender through poetry and rap. Wynter, who lives in South East London, rose to prominence in 2015 after taking part in the U.K.’s biggest rap battle league, the Don’t Flop Rap Battle—a competition that, for all its craft, is often depressingly sexist. During her performance, she took down her opponent for his aggressively misogynist lyrics. After he opened with a threat to “bruise her face,” which drew cheers from the audience, Wynter admonished him for “the complete predictability of performing masculinities; boys wanna front like they from correctional facilities.” The video has since gone viral, attracting over 130,000 views.
Photo courtesy of Liv Wynter.
Wynter is among a number of artists producing work that brings them into direct contact with their audiences—performing live and running awareness-raising initiatives—in an attempt to forge alliances among marginalized groups. Artist Emily Pope, who has collaborated with Wynter, was instrumental in organizing School of the Damned, a free, London-based education program aimed at removing the barriers to learning created by soaring tuition fees. As Pope explains, “if you feel the social and economic effects of being outside of mainstream straight culture, you want to do something about it, and you want a community which is supportive.”
This August, Wynter hosted “Lessons in Anti Apathy” at Arcadia Missa, a discussion between four grassroots organizations that aimed to counter political indifference. On the panel were activist publication Strike!; the activist group Whereisanamendieta, which protests the exclusion of Cuban artist Ana Mendieta’s work and the work of other artists who are female, non-binary, or people of color (the group, with which Wynter is closely involved, believe Mendieta was murdered in 1985 by her husband, the artist
On a recent tour of the U.K., non-binary performance artist Travis Alabanza (who goes by the non-gendered, plural pronoun they) brought their show, Black Trans Lives Matter, to the Goldsmith’s Student Union as part of the U.K.-wide Black History Month. Alabanza, who was selected as a Barbican Young Poet for 2015/2016, honed their craft on London’s queer cabaret and club scene. In 2016, they toured the U.K. with Stories of a Queer Brown Muddy Kid, which Alabanza describes as “my queer black gospel.”
An autobiographical, musical tour de force, it tells the story of their experience of coming out as a person of color, in a culture which too often fails to see beyond white experience. “This is for all those people who were told about Adam and Eve, Adam and Steve, but never Tamar and Jamal,” Alabanza declares. “I’m here to tell you that my existence is fucking holy.” Alabanza is currently an artist-in-residence at the Tate Modern, where they have performed alongside Wynter. They have used their role to highlight the bigotry within the gay community, as well as challenging the fetishization of black bodies.
Photos courtesy of Travis Alabanza.
Fuck Me Harder (2016)—half way between a song and a poem—is told from the perspective of a white sexual partner, who expects Alabanza to conform to a dominant, macho role. “Boys like boys and nothing in between,” Alabanza says, “so take off that face Travis, and put on a masc 4 masc for me.” On popular gay dating sites such as Grindr, the phrase “masc 4 masc” is used to signify a preference for men who can pass as straight, over those who present as more feminine, effectively ostracizing conspicuously queer bodies.
That Alabanza, Wynter, and Hastings and Quinlan have all been invited to exhibit at public institutions shows a growing awareness of queer issues within the British art industry. But there is still much to be done. “I definitely feel we get fetishized as lesbian artists,” Hastings says of her and Quinlan’s recent rise to prominence. Alabanza shares a similar view. “The art world cannot really be a space for queer folk of color,” they say, “as long as it still charges extortionate prices for us to visit exhibitions, and hires only white people as critics.” On the question of what needs to change, Alabanza is clear. “These places can start by hiring us, and not just for a single night—by actually putting queer folk, particularly queer folk of color, into curatorial and commissioning roles.”
Sponsored by Hermès


Alcatel-Lucent was formed in December 2006 via the merger of two large telecommunications companies, Alcatel and Lucent Technologies, who were actually major players in the telecommunications industry since the late 19th century. They were originally La Compagnie Generale d’Electricite (CGE) and Western Electric Manufacturing Company, respectively, until Western Electric Manufacturing Company was bought out by American Telephone & Telegraph (AT&T). Alcatel-Lucent, as the company is now known, is a French global telecommunications company based in Paris, France that specializes in fixed, mobile, and converged networking hardware, IP technologies, software, and services. They have 72,344 employees, with global operations in 130 different countries, generating a reported 14.446 billion euros in annual revenue.
However, they have been recording negative cash flows for the last 7 years, which has consequently resulted in the announcement of plans to reduce their workforce by 10,000 employees (14% of their total workforce) in order to reduce an estimated 1 billion euros in costs. Despite these financial troubles, Alcatel-Lucent is still ranked as the largest technology supersector leader on the Dow Jones Sustainability Index. They own Bell Laboratories, one of the largest R&D facilities in the telecommunications industry, which holds over 29,000 patents and has been awarded 7 Nobel Prizes. In addition to their core competency in telecommunications, they also serve a niche market of non-telecom customers with specialized needs: Enterprise, Submarine, Strategic Industries: Transportation (Airports, Highways, Railways), Energy (Power Utilities, Oil & Gas), and the Public Sector as well (State and Local Governments, Public Safety, and Defense Industries).
Alcatel-Lucent continues to strive to be a leader in providing innovations IP and cloud networking as well, in addition to their ultra-broadband fixed and wireless access services. They have invested an average of 2.5 billion euros a year in research & development to ensure they can remain at the forefront of telecommunications technologies around the world. If you are operating telecommunications equipment and require Alcatel-Lucent parts
, look no further than ASAP Semiconductor. We pride ourselves in being a leading distributor of Alcatel equipment and any other telecommunications products you may need. We have a vast inventory and a comprehensive 24/7 database to procure any parts we do not have. Contact us at firstname.lastname@example.org
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Based on a five-year review of work relative value units (WRVUs), nuclear medicine physicians interpreted more general nuclear medicine studies, while nuclear radiologists focused more on cross-sectional scans. Both specialists, though, shied away from clinical evaluation and management services, which accounted for less than 2% of their efforts.
"This latter finding may present an emerging opportunity for nuclear medicine specialists who perform therapy with resultant patient contact to build their practice, particularly as new theranostic techniques emerge in the marketplace," wrote lead author Dr. Patricia Balthazar and colleagues from Emory University and NYU Langone Medical Center.
As many as two-thirds of nuclear medicine studies are interpreted by physicians who are not certified for those duties, according to the American Board of Nuclear Medicine (ABNM). In addition, nuclear medicine practitioners who stay exclusively within their expertise interpret fewer than 25% of all nuclear medicine exams, with cardiologists and radiologists interpreting most of the remainder, the authors noted.
With those disparities in mind, Balthazar and colleagues sought to determine which services are handled by physicians who consider themselves nuclear medicine specialists.
The researchers reviewed data from the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the U.S. Census Bureau for calendar years 2012 through 2015. The primary outcome was based on the percentage of nuclear medicine in WRVUs per physician per specialty group.
A total of 1,583 physicians called themselves nuclear medicine specialists and fit the inclusion criteria. From their records, Balthazar and colleagues discovered their work patterns were "highly variable."
For example, 86% of their efforts were directed toward diagnostic nuclear medicine services, compared with 12% of their time for nonnuclear-medicine noninvasive imaging services. Nuclear radiologists filled that gap by devoting 71% of their work to nonnuclear-medicine noninvasive imaging services, compared with 27% of their WRVUs going toward nuclear medicine duties.
Both nuclear radiologists and nuclear medicine physicians spent less than 2% of their time on clinical evaluation and management services.
*Counts are defined as total units of service based on WRVUs.
|Most common imaging services provided by nuclear radiologists and nuclear medicine specialists
|Chest x-ray (1 view)
|Chest x-ray (2 views)
|CT, head or brain
|Nuclear medicine specialists
|Cardiac stress and rest test
|Bone and joint imaging
Nuclear medicine appears to be a heavily male-dominated specialty, with men making up 80% of self-identified specialists. These physicians work almost exclusively in urban practices (98%), as well as in nonacademic groups (62%).
"These characteristics prevailed for all specialty groups with the exception of nuclear medicine physicians, whose practices were evenly split between nonacademic (50%) and academic (50%) practices," the authors added.
How can these results benefit nuclear medicine going forward? Balthazar and colleagues suggest the findings provide a foundation upon which to "develop meaningful quality measures, as well as to inform policymakers and training programs about the current status of the nuclear medicine workforce."
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