Microscopic blood in urine unreliable indicator of urinary tract cancer

Public release date: 9-Jan-2013
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Contact: Rachael Zaleski
mcpmedia@elsevier.com
215-239-3658
Elsevier Health Sciences

Large number of follow-up examinations could be safely avoided say Kaiser Permanente researchers in Mayo Clinic Proceedings

Rochester, MN, January 9, 2013 Microscopic amounts of blood in urine have been considered a risk factor for urinary tract malignant tumors. However, only a small proportion of patients referred for investigation are subsequently found to have cancer. A new Kaiser Permanente Southern California study published in the February Mayo Clinic Proceedings reports on the development and testing of a Hematuria Risk Index to predict cancer risk. This could potentially lead to significant reductions in the number of unnecessary evaluations.

Individuals with microscopic hematuria (three or more red blood cells per high-power field on a recent urine analysis) are currently referred for follow-up radiologic and invasive examinations, even when they are asymptomatic. American Urological Association (AUA) best practice policy recommendations include urine testing and abdominal computed tomography (CT) or intravenous pyelography plus renal ultrasonography. Patients may also undergo cystoscopy, a procedure that involves passing a narrow tube fitted with a miniature camera into the bladder to closely examine both the bladder and urethra.

In an earlier study, researchers had found that the AUA practice recommendations did not perform well in identifying which patients were most likely to have malignant tumors, suggesting that there might be alternative criteria that better identify patients who truly require further evaluation. Subsequently the team of investigators conducted a prospective cohort study of patients over a two-year period in an integrated care organization in three regions along the West Coast of the United States. They identified both a test cohort and a validation cohort of patients with hematuria evaluations and followed the patients passively through their electronic health records for a diagnosis of urothelial or renal cancer. The degree of microscopic hematuria, history of gross hematuria, smoking history, age, race, imaging findings, and cystoscopy findings were evaluated as risk factors for malignant tumors.

The test cohort consisted of 2630 patients, of whom 55 (2.1%) had a neoplasm detected and 50 (1.9%) had a pathologically confirmed urinary tract cancer. The strongest predictors of cancer were age of 50 years or older and a recent diagnosis of gross hematuria. Male sex was also predictive of cancer, whereas smoking history and 25 or more red blood cells per high-power field on a recent urinalysis were not statistically significant.

The findings were used to create a Hematuria Risk Index to predict cancer risk and performed comparably in the validation cohort of 1784 patients. Overall, 32% of the population was identified as low risk and 0.2% had a cancer detected; 14% of the population was identified as high risk, of whom 11.1% had a cancer found.

"These data confirm that a large number of follow-up examinations could be safely avoided," observes senior investigator Steven J. Jacobsen, MD, PhD, Kaiser Permanente Southern California, Pasadena, California. "They suggest that microscopic hematuria is an unreliable indicator of urinary tract malignant tumors. Patients with microscopic hematuria younger than 50 years and with no history of gross hematuria may not benefit from further evaluation and therefore could avoid unnecessary risk from radiation exposure and invasive endoscopy. These findings may be used to simplify referral guidelines for evaluation in asymptomatic patients with microscopic hematuria and reduce the number of unnecessary evaluations."

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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Public release date: 9-Jan-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Rachael Zaleski
mcpmedia@elsevier.com
215-239-3658
Elsevier Health Sciences

Large number of follow-up examinations could be safely avoided say Kaiser Permanente researchers in Mayo Clinic Proceedings

Rochester, MN, January 9, 2013 Microscopic amounts of blood in urine have been considered a risk factor for urinary tract malignant tumors. However, only a small proportion of patients referred for investigation are subsequently found to have cancer. A new Kaiser Permanente Southern California study published in the February Mayo Clinic Proceedings reports on the development and testing of a Hematuria Risk Index to predict cancer risk. This could potentially lead to significant reductions in the number of unnecessary evaluations.

Individuals with microscopic hematuria (three or more red blood cells per high-power field on a recent urine analysis) are currently referred for follow-up radiologic and invasive examinations, even when they are asymptomatic. American Urological Association (AUA) best practice policy recommendations include urine testing and abdominal computed tomography (CT) or intravenous pyelography plus renal ultrasonography. Patients may also undergo cystoscopy, a procedure that involves passing a narrow tube fitted with a miniature camera into the bladder to closely examine both the bladder and urethra.

In an earlier study, researchers had found that the AUA practice recommendations did not perform well in identifying which patients were most likely to have malignant tumors, suggesting that there might be alternative criteria that better identify patients who truly require further evaluation. Subsequently the team of investigators conducted a prospective cohort study of patients over a two-year period in an integrated care organization in three regions along the West Coast of the United States. They identified both a test cohort and a validation cohort of patients with hematuria evaluations and followed the patients passively through their electronic health records for a diagnosis of urothelial or renal cancer. The degree of microscopic hematuria, history of gross hematuria, smoking history, age, race, imaging findings, and cystoscopy findings were evaluated as risk factors for malignant tumors.

The test cohort consisted of 2630 patients, of whom 55 (2.1%) had a neoplasm detected and 50 (1.9%) had a pathologically confirmed urinary tract cancer. The strongest predictors of cancer were age of 50 years or older and a recent diagnosis of gross hematuria. Male sex was also predictive of cancer, whereas smoking history and 25 or more red blood cells per high-power field on a recent urinalysis were not statistically significant.

The findings were used to create a Hematuria Risk Index to predict cancer risk and performed comparably in the validation cohort of 1784 patients. Overall, 32% of the population was identified as low risk and 0.2% had a cancer detected; 14% of the population was identified as high risk, of whom 11.1% had a cancer found.

"These data confirm that a large number of follow-up examinations could be safely avoided," observes senior investigator Steven J. Jacobsen, MD, PhD, Kaiser Permanente Southern California, Pasadena, California. "They suggest that microscopic hematuria is an unreliable indicator of urinary tract malignant tumors. Patients with microscopic hematuria younger than 50 years and with no history of gross hematuria may not benefit from further evaluation and therefore could avoid unnecessary risk from radiation exposure and invasive endoscopy. These findings may be used to simplify referral guidelines for evaluation in asymptomatic patients with microscopic hematuria and reduce the number of unnecessary evaluations."

###

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?

AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-01/ehs-mbi010913.php

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Tiny Bluetooth Speaker Piggybacks on Your Smartphone

LAS VEGAS -- There's no shortage of Bluetooth speakers at the 2013 International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas this week, but we're quite taken with the tiny-sized Pulse speaker and Rewind earbuds from Felt Audio.

[More from Mashable: Philips Brings the Smart Cover to Bluetooth Speakers]

The Pulse speaker ($99) piggybacks onto an iPhone case for easy carrying and can be plucked off and clipped onto something nearby. For example, when driving in a car and wanting to talk hands-free (with good audio), clip the small speaker onto the car visor or seat belt, so chatting is easy without a headset. The Pulse provides Bluetooth capabilities up to 40 feet, so you can use it in an office or at home to blast music too. (We gave it a listen and were impressed with the quality, especially from such a small device).

In addition, the speaker is great for those who use the treadmill -- clip it to your sweatpants and attach Felt Audio's earbuds to the device to get rid of earbuds danging from a smartphone (audio will be redirected to the Bluetooth speaker). An accompanying earbud cartridge, with retractable earbuds, can tack on to the speaker, so it takes worrying about your smartphone out of the equation during a workout.

[More from Mashable: PaperTab Is a Tablet as Thin and Flexible as Paper]

The company said it will be giving away free custom-made iPhone, iPad and iPod touch cases that Rewind earbuds and Pulse speaker to the first 5,000 purchasers, but it hasn't decided how much they will cost in the future.

The CES drink louge

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[wp_scm_ces_2013]

This story originally published on Mashable here.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/tiny-bluetooth-speaker-piggybacks-smartphone-022300235.html

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After a loss, a family learns to widen its embrace

FILE - In this Oct. 30, 2010, file photo, Notre Dame kicker Brandon Walker wears a "DS" sticker honoring Declan Sullivan before the start of a NCAA college football game against Tulsa in South Bend, Ind. Sullivan would have been in his element this weekend, video camera at hand, adding his own sly observations about the team for which he grew up rooting and served as a film assistant until his tragic death in October 2010. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy, File)

FILE - In this Oct. 30, 2010, file photo, Notre Dame kicker Brandon Walker wears a "DS" sticker honoring Declan Sullivan before the start of a NCAA college football game against Tulsa in South Bend, Ind. Sullivan would have been in his element this weekend, video camera at hand, adding his own sly observations about the team for which he grew up rooting and served as a film assistant until his tragic death in October 2010. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy, File)

FILE - In this 2010 photo provided by H. Michael Miley, Declan Sullivan, 20, from Long Grove, Ill., is shwon. Sullivan would have been in his element this weekend, video camera at hand, adding his own sly observations about the team for which he grew up rooting and served as a film assistant until his tragic death in October 2010. (AP Photo/Family photo courtesy of H. Michael Miley) NO SALES

FILE - In this 2010 photo provided by H. Michael Miley, Declan Sullivan, 20, from Long Grove, Ill., is shwon. Sullivan would have been in his element this weekend, video camera at hand, adding his own sly observations about the team for which he grew up rooting and served as a film assistant until his tragic death in October 2010. (AP Photo/Family photo courtesy of H. Michael Miley) NO SALES

MIAMI (AP) ? Declan Sullivan would have loved this weekend. For all the doubts his family has confronted in the 27 months since the death of their first-born son, his father is certain about that.

"Like a lot of the kids in our neighborhood, Declan grew up a Notre Dame fan," Barry Sullivan said. "He heard the stories in our house, we took him to games, it was always a part of his experience and in a way, I guess, his identity. That's what made him so determined to go there.

"But as he got a little older, he began to appreciate what made it special, beyond just the football. ... Then he got into business school there and he'd call home, talking about the value of Notre Dame degree.

"And what I remember now, thinking about back then," he added, his voice trailing off, "was how much he'd grown up."

Declan Sullivan, named after an Irish saint, never got to finish that journey. He was killed in an accident on Oct. 27, 2010 ? a fall off a 40-foot lift, from atop which he was taping a Notre Dame practice. He was 20.

What placed him there on a day when wind gusts pushed past 50 mph was the rambunctious spirit he displayed even as a kid, and the dream of getting himself on the football fields at South Bend one day. His family's presence at Monday's national championship game between Notre Dame and Alabama is a way of remembering that spirit, just as they honored his memory by creating a memorial fund ? partnering with the Horizons for Youth organization ? to help other youngsters set off in whatever directions they chose.

"That was the way Declan was," Barry Sullivan recalled. "When he got something into his head, it was tough to shake."

His father took it as a sign of his son's growing maturity when Declan altered his plan to get on the field, telling Barry he planned to trade in his shoulder pads and the football team for a trumpet and the jazz band in his senior year of high school. But his plan to make it into the marching band didn't pan out, either. Then one of his professors at Notre Dame mentioned there might be a chance to work as a videographer for the football team, and all those days Declan spent lugging his family's video camera around, filming everything, made it seem a comfortable fit.

When his sister, Gwyneth, followed him to Notre Dame, the Sullivans brought along their third child, Macartan, on road trips from their home in suburban Chicago, and the games became family weekends.

"He'd be assigned to film different aspects of the games, but we'd always all meet up in the same spot, on the walk between the practice fields and athletic department building where he had to turn in his cameras. When we go back there now," Barry Sullivan recalled, "it's still the place we meet afterward."

A memorial plaque marks the spot now, barely two dozen steps from where Sullivan fell to his death.

"Sadness, I guess is what I remember most about that time," Notre Dame lineman Mike Golic Jr., said. "Declan's a guy we all miss a lot and it's hard to imagine what they went through. I have all the respect in the world for his family, for the way they carried themselves and how they've handled it since."

In the immediate aftermath, there were fingers pointed, calls for accountability and speculation about lawsuits. The Sullivans anguished over mistakes made, knew only too well his death could have been prevented. Yet they remained quiet throughout.

"We heard it, all of it, the speculation, the liability claims, but that was not our first impulse and frankly, we never found reason to think any differently," Barry Sullivan said. "We kept quiet first out of a respect for privacy and also because an investigation was going on.

"But we never felt the need to pursue any legal action. We never felt like we had to teach anybody a lesson. ... At every juncture, they treated us with kindness and concern, sympathy and obviously, they accepted responsibility for what had happened. We had great sorrow of our own to deal with, but it was plain that they were suffering, too. Maybe if we'd been confronted with a cold, unfeeling institution, we would have felt different.

"But Alison (Drumm, his wife) and I looked at each other and we just kind of realized," he concluded. "'If we don't pursue this, nobody else can, either.'"

The state of Indiana and university conducted investigations. Notre Dame paid a $42,000 fine to the state for safety violations.

A moment of silence was observed before the next game against Tulsa, when the Irish came out with shamrock decals with Sullivan's initial on their helmets. The gestures that meant the most to the Sullivans were the private conversations with the Rev. Paul Doyle and university president, the Rev. John Jenkins, whose candid admission in an e-mail sent to the Notre Dame community concluded, "Declan Sullivan was entrusted to our care, and we failed to keep him safe."

Some people are dismayed to this day that was enough for the Sullivans. Yet they never looked back, determined only how they could go forward. They wondered about whether they could return to South Bend and find even traces of the joy the place held for them once.

"We had questions, 'Would the place seem as special as it did before? Would there always be a cloud over it?'" Barry Sullivan recalled.

"Then, the day after funeral, our daughter took the lead. She had classes the next day and told us, 'That's where I want to be.' And the first few times, there was that sense of sorrow. But the memorial helped, the warmth showed by the people who embraced us helped."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2013-01-05-FBC-T25-Memories-of-Declan/id-073140211df44ab7a95881a3e37ef8e3

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Video: Simpson, Bowles discuss economic climate

Work hazards worse for temp employees

America?s 2.5 million temporary, or contingent, workers ? a growing but mostly invisible group of laborers who often toil in the least desirable, most dangerous jobs ? are hurt more frequently than permanent employees, new research shows.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032608/vp/50378884#50378884

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2012 was worst year for whooping cough since 1955

The nation just suffered its worst year for whooping cough in nearly six decades, according to preliminary government figures.

Whooping cough ebbs and flows in multi-year cycles, and experts say 2012 appears to have reached a peak with 41,880 cases. Another factor: A vaccine used since the 90s doesn't last as long as the old one.

The vaccine problem may continue to cause higher than normal case counts in the future, said Dr. Tom Clark of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

"I think the numbers are going to trend up," he said. The agency provided the latest figures on Friday.

Last year, cases were up in 48 states and outbreaks were particularly bad in Colorado, Minnesota, Washington state, Wisconsin and Vermont.

The good news: Despite the high number of illnesses, deaths didn't increase. Eighteen people died, including 15 infants younger than 1.

Officials aren't sure why there weren't more deaths, but think that the attention paid to bad outbreaks across the nation resulted in infected children getting diagnosed faster and treated with antibiotics.

Also, a push last year to vaccinate pregnant women ? a measure designed to pass immunity to infants ? may have had some small measure of success, Clark said.

The final tally will be higher but unlikely to surpass the nearly 63,000 illnesses in 1955, he said.

Whooping cough is a highly contagious disease that can strike people of any age but is most dangerous to children. Its name comes from the sound children make as they gasp for breath.

It used to be a common threat, with hundreds of thousands of cases annually. Cases gradually dropped after a vaccine was introduced in the 1940s.

For about 25 years, fewer than 5,000 cases were reported annually in the U.S. But case counts started to climb again in the 1990s although not every year. Numbers jumped to more than 27,000 in 2010, the year California saw an especially bad epidemic.

Experts looking for an explanation have increasingly looked at a new vaccine introduced in the 1990s, and concluded its protection is not as long-lasting as was previously thought.

Children are routinely vaccinated with five doses beginning at 2 months, and a booster shot is recommended at around 11 or 12. Health officials are considering recommending another booster shot, strengthening the vaccine or devising a brand new one.

___

Online:

Whooping cough: http://www.cdc.gov/features/pertussis/

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2013-01-04-Whooping%20Cough/id-6a07be58a68e4e4f88a7325399af38ea

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5 HVAC System Upgrades that will Improve Whole-House Comfort ...

As the holiday season comes to a close and the New Year is upon us, now is a great time to think about what you can do to have a more comfortable home in 2013. Thinking back on 2012, were you completely satisfied with the comfort levels in your home all year long? If not, consider making some of the HVAC system upgrades below to achieve maximum whole-house comfort this year.

5 HVAC system upgrades that will improve whole-house comfort

1. Programmable thermostat. Do you still have a manual thermostat installed in your home? Programmable thermostats give you complete control over your home?s temperatures without the added stress of manually changing your thermostat?s settings multiple times a day. This is specifically useful if you want your desired home temperature levels to be ready for you by the time you wake up or return home from work.
2. Zoning system. A zoning system allows you to individually control the temperature levels of specific parts of your home. This is one of the best ways to reduce hot and cold spots and allows you to focus your HVAC system?s energy consumption on the parts of your home that you occupy most often.
3. Whole house humidifier and dehumidifier. Temperature levels are only part of the story when it comes to home comfort. In order to have a truly comfortable home, you have to be able to control indoor humidity levels as well. Whole house humidifiers and dehumidifiers are the best options available to St. Louis area homeowners for keeping humidity levels in check all year long.
4. Better air filtration. Does anyone in your home suffer from asthma or allergies? Does it seem like someone in your family is always sick, not matter the time of year? If you?re currently using standard 1? filters with your HVAC system, you could significantly improve indoor air quality and the comfort of you and your family by upgrading to a better air filtration system. Advanced air filtration options include everything from whole house air cleaners to UV light air purifiers and more.
5. Energy recovery ventilator. Along with a better filtration system, an energy recovery ventilator (ERV) is another HVAC upgrade that will improve your home?s air quality and the comfort and health of your family. ERV?s are able to exchange stale indoor air with fresh outdoor air. This is done without having to worry about losing energy like you would if you naturally ventilated your home by opening your doors and windows.

If you have any questions about any of these HVAC system upgrades, or if you?d like a heating and cooling system serviced or installed in your home, contact Jerry Kelly, your St. Louis heating and air conditioning company. We service the St. Louis area and surrounding towns like Chesterfield, Ladue and Weldon Spring.

Source: http://blog.jerrykelly.com/2013/01/5-hvac-system-upgrades-that-will.html

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History of America: Three points of Flourishing Real Estate Investing

As the potential of the housing market shakes on its affiliation, depositor tries to resolve their next giant budge. Now, distinct any time in the last more than a few years, that choice is a tough one to build. Sinking house costs, towering foreclosures and growing list residences on the market may be sufficient to prevent depositors from luring out their amount. The altering souk, yet, does not of necessity mean it's time to skip distribute. On the other hand, it does require the shareholder pay nearer thought to his or her next payment. The subsequent are some points that can decrease the peril of investing through these difficult periods.

To avoid the non flourishing real estate investing Marko Rubel gives three tips. He is a lively investor in California, Nevada, Arizona, and Texas, as well as other spots of the country through his students and partners.

Disburse Near thought to the souk:

?
when purchasing for investment assets, make sure what further local houses are vending for. Apart from of what each one is important you about your vision investment take a look at the assets and evaluate it to other houses in the area. This will say to you the true worth of the assets recovered than any real estate agent or economical statistics. This rule is the same when in view of payment assets. If you are seem to supply in rentals, do some purchasing more or less. Stumble on what the normal payment is in the area for a place similar to what you are allowing for getting. In order for your payment to be successful, rent in the area should be logically charged. If it is too soar, tenants will be more fitting to purchase a residence.

Does What You perform most excellent:

As a substitute, particularly if you are a trainee real estate depositor; concentrate your liveliness on investments you are well-known with. Mayhap you contain always allowed an attention in mender-higher and have finished some refashioning of your possess. If this is the case, you will sense more relaxed spending in a residence of this environment.

Be ready for good real Estate investing:

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Real estate investing can arrive through a lot of revelations, particularly on the economical end of effects. Before you spend in belongings, confirm you wholly recognize the economical statements. You must be able to repeat the reports and make clear them in without knowledge in real estate investing to anyone. You no need to be amazed with working expenses, situation expenses, or dues. By meaningful and accepting the economical end of belongings, you can top off bad savings.

Source: http://the-american-history.blogspot.com/2013/01/three-points-of-flourishing-real-estate.html

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16 Tips for Getting Hired in Health Care Management | Minnesota ...

There is no magic potion or secret code to uncover the answer to the age-old question, ?How do I get hired??? To be honest, getting hired in any industry involves a lot of hard work.

Kellie Colberg, Employment Coordinator for Accurate Home Care

Kellie Colberg, Employment Coordinator at Accurate Home Care, understands the commitment involved in getting hired and has compiled the following 16 tips to help you grab a career in the health care management sector?or any industry, really.

1. Have health care experience or a passion for health care that you can show, or talk about why you?re interested in this field and what you can bring to the company.
2. Have a resume that showcases your strengths first?whether that is career, educational or volunteering.
3. Include a cover letter tailored to the company you?re applying to.
4. Know about the company you are applying to work for; check out the website.
5. Come with questions to the interview about the company and don?t ask all the questions to the first person you interview with?save some for others to ensure you ask everyone a different question.
6. Follow-up on your application with an email or a phone call, but don?t be obsessive about this. Call/email to ensure they received your application, and then ask when you can expect a follow-up action.
7. Be flexible and realistic; you may not get your dream job/hours coming right out of college.
8. Use your resources; network with friends and your school. Accurate Home Care posts job openings with Globe/MSB all of the time. Networking can seem overrated, but you honestly never know who will know someone that has an opportunity for you.
9. Always present yourself as you want people to perceive you. First impressions are critical and you only get one first impression.
10. Show up at the interview being yourself because if you do get the job and show up with a ?different? side to your personality, the employer will start questioning what else you have that will be a surprise.
11. Don?t just take a job to get one. Be sure you are going to work somewhere because you want to be there for a long time. Employers don?t want to spend the time and resources bringing someone on just to have them leave. An exception to this would be a temp job.
12. Don?t go in talking about how you want to advance in a short amount of time. This is a turn off as the employer is trying to fill a certain position and they don?t want to think about having to refill it before it?s filled.
13. If you?re interested in a company, apply, even if there aren?t open positions. You never know what is not posted and/or what they might have coming up.
14. Send a handwritten thank you note to anyone you have interviewed with and follow-up with the appropriate people you were told to after the interview.
15. Provide references that will give you honest and good referrals. Make sure you alert your references that an employer may be calling.
16. Don?t give up! Looking for a career can be time consuming and frustrating, but the right opportunity will come if you have the patience and commitment to finding it!

Kellie has been?with Accurate Home Care for the past?3 years, and has had many years of experience in hiring, placing employment ads, and the entire hiring process.? Kellie and Accurate Home Care have been great community partners with Minnesota School of Business in Elk River by working collaboratively on several projects each quarter.

Kayla is the Communications and Community Relations Specialist at Minnesota School of Business - Elk River. Kayla's passion is writing stories about MSB students that inspire other people and sharing stories that motivate and educate students.

Source: http://blogs.msbcollege.edu/2013/01/03/16-tips-for-getting-hired-in-health-care-management/

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Bloody protest: S. Korean stabs himself at airport

Kim Hong-ji / Reuters

Kim Chang-geun, right, 57, a member of an anti-Japan civic group, stabs himself in the stomach with a knife during a rally at Gimpo Airport in Seoul on Jan. 4, 2013. The rally was held to denounce Japan's conservative new Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, and demand an official apology for Japan's war crimes during the World War II.

A South Korean protester stabbed himself in the stomach at an airport outside Seoul?on Friday during a demonstration ahead of the arrival of a Japanese government official, Reuters reports.?The injured protester was taken to hospital.

South Korea's president-elect Park Geun-hye?said that Japan needed to come to terms with its colonial history as tension simmered over Japan's past rule of Korea and an island dispute.?

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said in a December 31 interview he wanted to issue a statement that would supersede a landmark 1995 apology for Japan's military aggression, a move bound to raise hackles in South Korea, ruled by Japan from 1910-1945, and in China, where bitter wartime memories run deep. Read the full story.

Ahn Young-Joon / AP

Bleeding protester Kim Chang-geun, center, who tried to hurt himself with a knife, is escorted to an ambulance by plain-clothes policemen during a protest against the visit of a special envoy sent by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. South Korean President elect Park Geun-hye will meet with the delegation on Friday in her first diplomatic test.

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Source: http://photoblog.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/01/04/16345898-south-korean-stabs-himself-in-protest-against-japan-officials-visit?lite

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OLG Estimates $50?$100 Million in Hosting Fees for a Downtown ...

January 3, 2013 at 5:00 pm

news

City launches online public consultation about a potential casino, with some new revenue figures included.

By Hamutal Dotan ? Photo by Andrew Louis

The City of Toronto has just launched its online consultation about the prospect of opening a casino in Toronto (the in-person consultations start next week). As part of that public consultation process, the City has put out a short primer on the various casino options [PDF], with a number of financial, health, social, and city-building factors detailed.

On page six of that primer, a new and important number: $50?$100 million. That?s how much the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation now estimates the City of Toronto would make in annual hosting fees, if we decided to allow an ?integrated entertainment complex? at Exhibition Place, the Port Lands, or in the convention centre area. (An earlier report from Ernst & Young estimated hosting fees as high as $168 million?though as we wrote at the time, the basis on which they did so was always unclear.)

It?s a substantial sum, but in the scheme of Toronto?s $9.4 billion operating budget, it?s hardly a deal-maker.

The now-cancelled vehicle registration tax brought in about $49 million a year, for instance, and newly elected mayor Rob Ford had no difficulty convincing councillors to cancel that in December 2010. Even for the fiscal conservatives on council, policy considerations were more important than the amount of money involved in that case. Similarly with a casino: while the amount of money is non-trivial, it also isn?t overwhelmingly large. There?s certainly recently political precedent for saying that other goals can outweigh it, and many councillors have indicated they will be arguing just that in March, when they make a decision on the matter.

There are other potential impacts on Toronto?s economy if we permit a casino: increased property taxes and some job creation are also discussed in the report. Those will weigh less heavily in council?s debate, however, since they are both harder to predict and would, to at least some extent, accompany any other development in the same parcels of land. It?s the hosting fees that make casinos distinct as a revenue-generating tool for the City, compared with other economic development options in the same areas.

Before council makes any decisions though, and informing their debate, the public will have a chance to weigh in. Residents can fill out an online survey anytime between now and January 25, and there are several public meetings taking place this month as well.

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ONLINE CONSULTATION
Take the City?s survey.

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PUBLIC MEETING SCHEDULE

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Timeline for Casino Debate

November?December 2012

• City held ?significant and serious discussions? with the OLG regarding hosting fees and location options. Those discussions produced the number we now have?the $50?$100 million estimated hosting fee.

January 2013

• Public consultations are held online and in meetings across the city.

February?March 2013

• We get a final, exact number?the specific hosting fee the OLG would give to Toronto if council approved a casino.
• Staff prepare a report for city council, summarizing the public consultations and including the results of discussions with the OLG. The report will also include staff?s recommendations regarding the preferred location of a potential casino, and how much revenue they think is enough to make the whole prospect of a casino worthwhile.
• Once the report is issued, the matter will come back for discussion at the executive committee, and ultimately, to city council as a whole

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Related Reading:

The City of Toronto?s report on a casino: [PDF]

Ernst & Young?s report: [PDF]

The Medical Officer of Health?s report on the impacts of gambling expansion: [PDF]

OLG?s modernization plan: [PDF]

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Adkins Arboretum Offers Winter/Spring Education Programs for Adults

Adkins Arboretum
January 3, 2013
RIDGELY, MD

This season, Adkins Arboretum is offering a full slate of programs for adults, including landscape design, stewardship, art, and weather patterns and climate change. Programs include:

Nature as Muse
Wednesdays, Feb. 6, March 6, April 3, 10 a.m.?1 p.m.
Each month this writing group will follow a different winding path through the Arboretum to quietly observe nature in detail. This will provide inspiration for expressing ideas that begin as seeds in our minds and then blossom into discovery as we write. No previous writing experience necessary. Enjoy how the paths in the Arboretum and the paths in your mind can lead you on an unpredictable but delightful journey. Bring a sack lunch and dress for both indoor and outdoor forest adventure. This program is free for members, free with admission for the general public.

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Homegrown Series with Elizabeth Beggins
Fridays, Jan. 11, Feb. 8, March 8, 10 a.m.?noon
Fee: $15 per program, $35 for all three for members; $20 per program, $45 for all three for the general public.
Elizabeth Beggins is a writer and educator with over a decade of experience as a market gardener on the Eastern Shore. She believes that health depends on a keen understanding of what we eat and that our choices as consumers are vital to sustaining ourselves and our planet. She also is director of The You Food Project, a grassroots initiative designed to connect youth to food and the environment through school gardens. In this three-part series, she will teach participants the basics of producing food?from poultry to vegetables to gardening with kids.

Backyard Chickens
Jan. 11
Admit it. You?ve considered getting a few backyard birds for months, but up to now, you?ve chickened out. Poultry keeping is both easier and more rewarding than you might imagine. Join Elizabeth for a program on the merits and methods of owning a small flock of chickens. With the proper preparations, you?ll soon find yourself more attracted to keeping chickens than you ever dreamed possible.

Beginning Vegetable Gardening
Feb. 8
Little is more satisfying than growing your own food. Except eating it! Best for novice gardeners, this class will teach the basics behind raising your own produce. Elizabeth Beggins will discuss what to plant, when to plant it, and where to get it; equipment needs; soil building techniques; and recipes for garden success. Make this the season for your vegetable garden dream to finally come alive.

Growing with Kids
March 8
Children are innately curious, and few opportunities hold as many exciting possibilities for discovery as spending time in a garden. Adults, whether family or friends, serve as a gateway by creating time and space for the young to explore the abundance of life that can come from the earth. In this final session of the ?Homegrown? series, Elizabeth Beggins will provide ideas for kid-friendly gardening projects that are sure to inspire growers of every age.
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Season?s Bounty Series with Elizabeth Beggins
Fridays, April 5, June 7, and Sept. 6, 10 a.m.?noon
Fee: $15 per program or $35 for all three for members; $20 per program or $45 for all three for the general public.

Spring Greens
April 5
As the cold of winter makes its reluctant exit and the palette of the landscape goes from dormant-brown to emergent-chartreuse, we often gravitate toward the fresh experience? being outside, renewing the garden, eating green foods. In this first program of a three-part series, Elizabeth Beggins will help you explore avenues for revitalizing yourself and your menu as she discusses growing and preparing such spring delicacies as zesty mustard, nutty arugula, and elegant pac-choy, in addition to favorites such as lettuce and spinach. Tasting samples and starter seed kits are sure to put some spring in your step.

Abundant Summer
June 7
Days lengthen, thermometers rise, and kitchens fill to overflowing with Mother Nature?s gifts. Now is the time to maximize the bounty of summer. Plan on succession plantings at home, and benefit from the burgeoning variety at farmers? markets. In the second session of this tasty series, Elizabeth will guide you in how to prolong our home harvests and how to savor and store those available from local farmers. Enjoy the flavors of the season as you learn.

Fall Harvest
September 6
Just because we can stop worrying about what to do with yet another summer squash doesn?t mean the food season is over. Late summer is the time to plant a fall garden and the time you?ll find the widest variety of produce all year. Elizabeth will show you how a little preparation now can yield big returns as the weather turns cooler. Greens, garlic, and gorgeous local offerings available at markets and roadside stands are the focus of this final program in the series. As always, savory treats and tools to use at home are an added bonus.

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Winter Fun for Families
Sun., Jan 20, 1?3 p.m.
Fee: $8 per person or $25 per family for members, $10 per person or $30 per family for the general public
Have a bad case of cabin fever? Bundle up the family for an afternoon of winter wonder at Adkins Arboretum. Join Youth Program Coordinator Jenny Houghton for a winter wildlife hike, an exciting critter experiment along the Blockston Branch, and a recycled bird feeder craft to take home. Warm clothes are a must, and hot chocolate will be provided.

Beginning Drawing
Mondays, Jan. 21 and 28, Feb. 4, 11, and 18, 10 a.m.?12:30 p.m.
Fee: $110 members, $140 general public
This five-session class taught by Lee D?Zmura will focus on drawing processes and skills. Emphasis will be placed equally on freehand drawing and technical skill to enhance accuracy and overall composition. A list of materials will be provided.

Wild Wild Weather
Fri., Feb. 15, noon?1 p.m.
Dan Satterfield, a forecast meteorologist for more than 32 years will speak about climate change and his work with Climate Central. He is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma with a degree in meteorology (atmospheric physics) and has a master?s degree in earth science. In January 2010, he was a guest of the National Science Foundation on a tour of science underway in Antarctica. On January 11, 2010, Dan became one of fewer than 5,000 people to have ever stood at the South Pole. Seven months later, he spent two weeks on top of the Greenland ice sheet, where scientists were recovering an ice core that will provide climate change information reaching back 130,000 years! Forecasting the weather is Dan?s job, but sharing the wonders of the earth sciences with students is his passion. This program is free for members, free with admission for the general public.

Winter Tree ID: Learn Your Buds and Bark
Sun., Feb. 24, 1?2:30 p.m.
Fee: $15 members, $20 general public
Adkins Arboretum Science Advisor Mary Travaglini will also guide discovery of clues on the ground and assess the habitats we visit to help sleuth out trees in winter. Come away knowing your trees without their leaves!

Peatlands and Bog-like Habitats of the Delmarva Peninsula
Sat., March 2, 1?2:30 p.m.
Fee: $15 members, $20 general public
Bogs are wetland habitats with deep deposits of peat, or partially decomposed plant material. Because most bogs develop in areas of the world where glaciers formerly occurred, there are no true bogs on the Delmarva Peninsula. There are, however, wetland habitats on the Peninsula where peat is well formed and bog-like conditions develop, including habitats such as Atlantic white cedar swamps, acidic fens, and interdunal swales. These habitats often support carnivorous plants that are adapted to the unique environmental conditions that result from peat formation. Join Bill McAvoy to learn more about the ecology and flora of these fascinating habitats.

McAvoy is the botanist for the Delaware Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program and has studied and published on both the vascular and nonvascular flora of the Delmarva Peninsula for over 20 years. Registration required.

Philadelphia Flower Show bus trip
Wed., March 6
Fee: $75 members, $95 general public includes transportation, tip, and admission
Register by Tuesday, February 26.
The British have a word for something that?s inventive, dazzling, and extraordinary. That word is ?brilliant!? In 2013, the PHS Philadelphia Flower Show will glow with the majestic beauty and creative genius of Great Britain and will pay tribute to centuries of inspiring and influential culture, culminating in the urbane design of 21st-century London. Your admission ticket provides access to the Show?s finest features, including complimentary wine tastings, horticultural demonstrations, culinary presentations, and shopping in the Marketplace. The bus departs from Creamery Lane parking lot (near the fire station) in Easton at 8 a.m. and from Adkins Arboretum in Ridgely at 8:30 a.m. An additional stop at the 301/291 Park and Ride for Chestertown-area participants will be added upon request. The bus will depart for home at 6 p.m.

Composting
Sat., March 9, 10?11:30 a.m.
Fee: $15 members, $20 general public
Join Dr. Francis R. Gouin, Professor Emeritus, University of Maryland and composting expert, to learn about the science in composting, how to start a compost pile and manage it from start to finish, and the benefits of using compost in gardening. Enough Said, a compilation of 125 essays that Dr. Gouin wrote for the Annapolis Horticulture Society newsletter over a twelve-year period, will be available for purchase at this program. This collection of articles on composting, pruning, soil testing, planting, eliminating pesky weeds (like bamboo and kudzu), and much, much more is a user-friendly reference that many gardeners consider an indispensable guide to ?best practices? in the garden.

iNaturalist
Sun., March 10, noon?2:30 p.m.
Ever taken an interesting photo of a plant or animal, and wanted to share what you?ve seen and where you?ve seen it? Liberate that photo from your hard drive, and share it with an online army of naturalists and scientists. Matt Muir will show how social media, photo sharing, and nature are linking local and global expertise for use in education and science. In an ever-growing world of nature-sharing websites, Matt will focus on iNaturalist.org, a free and open-source community that connects your observations to species range maps, state and county lists, and other external information sources. Learn how iNaturalist can be used to keep lists of all your species records, to establish projects where others can complement your efforts, to seek identification help, and to create field guides for your backyard, your favorite nature area, or any location that you choose. This program is free for members, free with admission for the general public.

Geological Formations and Weather Patterns
Fri., March 15, noon?1 p.m.
Fee: $15 members, $20 general public
Environmental issues such as climate change and sea level rise are both at the forefront of public interest. Archaeology, as a discipline, is generally not viewed as a way to understand these topics, but according to Darrin Lowery, Ph.D., the best way to understand the impact of climate is to look at the past. By integrating both geology and archaeology, we can more thoroughly understand important environmental issues associated with the Chesapeake Bay region. Join Dr. Lowery to explore various aspects supporting a detailed understanding of Delmarva?s ever-changing landscape.

Raised on Tilghman Island, Dr. Lowery comes from a long line of boat builders, farmers, and watermen. His interest in archaeology and geology began at the age of seven while combing the eroding shorelines of the Chesapeake Bay with his father. His interest is in how geological formations reveal weather patterns and how these weather patterns affect human development.

Landscape Design Workshop
Sat., March 16, 8:30 a.m.?4:30 p.m.
Fee: $85 members, $110 general public
This workshop will address the typical challenges of homeowners in the Chesapeake Bay region. Three experienced landscape designers and avid gardeners will lead this all-day intensive design session. Come with your challenges and dreams, and leave with a landscape plan, ideas, and confidence to transform your home landscape for your enjoyment and pride.

Topics include analyzing the challenges and opportunities of your property; developing a plan for circulation and unique features; designing ?rooms? for outdoor living; choosing materials for patios and walks; incorporating sustainable practices; and selecting ornamental plants. The day will be organized around presentations followed by breakout sessions for you to work one-on-one with designers. The designers will offer practical advice on to get started, what to do with wet areas, how to lay out a path, how to screen an undesirable view, and plants recommended for specific conditions. Step by step, you will develop your own landscape design.

Workshop leaders are Arboretum Executive Director Ellie Altman; landscape architect Barbara McClinton, formerly of the Baltimore landscape architecture and land planning firm Daft, McCune, Walker; and landscape designer and native plant enthusiast Chris Pax, a graduate of the George Washington University sustainable landscape design master?s program.

Bring lunch. A continental breakfast and break refreshments will be provided. Also bring a property plat, photos, and other documentation of your property. Worksheets and handouts on native plants will be provided.

Herpetology Walk: Reptiles and Amphibians
Sat., March 16, 10?11:30 p.m.
Join Scott Smith to learn about the frogs, turtles, snakes, and salamanders that inhabit the Arboretum wetlands and forest. Scott Smith is the Maryland DNR-Natural Heritage Program Wildlife Diversity Ecologist and Amphibian and Reptile Atlas project coordinator for Talbot and Caroline counties. This program is free for members, free with admission for the general public.

Introduction to Nature Journaling
Wed., March 20, 10 a.m.?2:30 p.m.
Fee: $35 members, $45 general public
This workshop with Lee D?Zmura presents the popular pastime of nature or travel journaling. Participants will learn techniques to quickly and spiritedly record plants, animals, experiences, and places as they happen. Emphasis will be placed on initial sketches, text, and color rendering. Bring a sack lunch; a list of materials will be provided.

Sticks and Stones: A Garden?s Bones
Fri., March 22, 1?2 p.m.
Fee: $15 members, $20 general public
The first time he saw a rustic fence made of eastern red cedar, Pierre Moitrier immediately fell under the spell. He was compelled to start building with this wonderful material. Along the way, he found a true outlet for his creativity. Drawing inspiration from nature, his travels, and the charm of the old villages in France, he started creating one of-a-kind structures for the garden. In this talk, Pierre will take you from harvest to construction and show you how to transform a mere pile of cedar twigs into benches, fences, arbors, and gazebos that showcase intricate patterns. While presenting beautiful slides of his work, he will share valuable insights on construction techniques. Walk out inspired and ready to build your own rustic cedar structure!

Moitrier is a professional gardener at Designs for Greener Gardens, an Annapolis-based fine gardening company he owns and operates with his wife, Nancy. After leaving his native France twelve years ago with a degree in sustainable rural land use, Pierre landed in the garden universe. He quickly developed a strong interest in gardening and a true passion for hardscapes for the garden, including rustic stonework, magical garden follies, and creative woodwork using native Juniperus virginiana in its rough form. His work has been featured in Adrian Higgins? column, on HGTV and in American Nurseryman, among others.

Full Moon Walk
Wed., March 27, 6?8 p.m.
Fee: $15 members, $20 general public
Take a guided tour of the Arboretum under a full moon. We?ll discover the night sights and sounds of the meadow and forest, the crunch of leaves underfoot, and spring in the woodland. Along the way, with guidance from Science Advisor Mary Travaglini, we might identify some buds by flashlight, check what the goats do under a full moon, and even see what smells the plants might give us. At the end of our walk, a little fire will be going, and we will have warm drinks and marshmallows to toast!

Designing for Waterfront Landscapes
Sat., April 13, 10 a.m.?noon
Fee: $35 members, $45 general public
Waterfront properties present homeowners with a slew of both daunting challenges and precious opportunities. Join landscape designer and native plant enthusiast Chris Pax, a graduate of the George Washington University sustainable landscape design master?s program, for a look at plants that are good for waterfront landscape conditions and to review some of the special rules and regulations that may apply in your county. You may bring your plat diagram, some photos, and a bag lunch to enjoy with the group afterward?Chris will stay until 1 p.m. to answer questions about your specific property. When registering, please specify the county in which your property is located. This class is an excellent follow-up to the Landscape Design Workshop offered on March 16.

Second Saturday Nursery Walk
Sat., April 13, 1?3 p.m.
Join horticulturalist Eric Wittman for a walk that explores the tremendous diversity of plant material at the Arboretum?s Native Plant Nursery. Eric will select dozens of trees, shrubs, and perennials to aid visitors on their journey toward incorporating more native plants into their landscapes. Learn more about all the plants your native Arboretum has to offer. This program is free for members, free with admission for the general public.

Close-up Photography
Sat., April 20, 8 a.m.?noon
Fee: $45 members, $60 general public
Spring at the Arboretum is the ideal time to photograph close-up images of colors, textures, and patterns and turn ordinary images into powerful abstracts. Instructor Joshua Taylor Jr. will help participants learn how to capture striking images with basic photo equipment. The use of extension tubes, close-up filters, diffusers, and reflectors will be demonstrated during the shooting session with the instructor.

Participants will receive online pre-workshop instruction and an illustrated handout. ? The workshop also includes a morning photo shoot with the instructor and a classroom session on image enhancement techniques. Participants will have the opportunity to e-mail the instructor two JPEG images from the workshop for a written critique. Bring ALL photo equipment, including a digital memory card, extra batteries, and camera manual. A tripod is optional, but highly recommended. Please be reminded that point-and-shoot cameras have limited options, but they are welcome and can work quite well for close-ups.

Taylor has presented photography workshops at the Smithsonian National Orchid Show, the U.S. National Arboretum, and the U.S. Botanic Garden, as well as for public gardens, preserves, and horticultural societies across the region. In addition to teaching in the Smithsonian Studio Arts Program and at the Corcoran School of Art and Design, he exhibits his work regularly and speaks at camera and garden clubs.

Spring Ephemerals
Sun., April 21, 1?2:30 p.m.
Fee: $15 members, $20 general public
First thing in spring, a dazzling diversity of flowers emerges, but many of us hardly blink before they are gone. Join Arboretum Science Advisor Mary Travaglini on a walk to find these early spring flowers, the harbingers of spring!

Mary holds a bachelor?s of science from Cornell University and a master?s in landscape architecture from the University of Michigan. Active as an outdoor educator, landscape architect, and ecologist, Mary has worked extensively on federal lands and within the private sector as a trail crew leader and landscape designer, and has worked most recently for The Nature Conservancy, the National Park Service, and the Society for Ecological Restoration.

Nature Journaling with Spring Ephemerals
Wed., April 21, 10 a.m.?3:30 p.m.
Fee: $35 members, $45 general public
Join Lee D?Zmura to focus on the many spring ephemerals in bloom at the Arboretum. Following a brief discussion about these early blooming flowers and techniques to capture their beauty, the class will sketch outdoors and return to compose journal entries. Bring a sack lunch; a list of materials will be provided.

Source: http://carolinetowncrier.com/ctc/adkins-arboretum-offers-winterspring-education-programs-for-adults/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=adkins-arboretum-offers-winterspring-education-programs-for-adults

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Ivory Coast stampede survivors blame barricades

ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast (AP) ? Survivors of a stampede in Ivory Coast that killed 61 people, most of them children and teenagers, after a New Year's Eve fireworks display said Wednesday that makeshift barricades stopped them from moving along a main boulevard, causing the crush of people.

Ivory Coast police said unknown people put tree trunks across the Boulevard de la Republic where the trampling took place.

"For security, because there were so many important people at the event, we closed certain main streets," said a police officer who was overheard briefing Ivory Coast President Alassane Outtara on the incident.

"After the fireworks we reopened the other streets, but we had not yet removed the tree trunks from the Boulevard de la Republic, in front of the Hotel Tiana near the National Assembly (parliament) building," she said. "That is where the stampede happened when people flooded in from the other streets."

Ouattara ordered three days of national mourning and launched an investigation into the causes of the tragedy but two survivors, in interviews with The Associated Press, indicated why so many died in what would normally be an open area, the Boulevard de la Republic. An estimated 50,000 people had gathered near the Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium and elsewhere in Abidjan's Plateau district to watch the fireworks. As they streamed away from the show some encountered the blockades.

"Near the Justice Palace we were stopped by some people who put blockades of wood in the street," 33-year-old Zoure Sanate said from her bed in Cocody Hospital. "They told us we must stay in the Plateau area until morning. None of us accepted to stay in Plateau until the morning for a celebration that ended at around 1 a.m.

"Then came the stampede of people behind us," she said. "My four children and I were knocked to the ground. I was hearing my kids calling me, but I was powerless and fighting against death. Two of my kids are in hospital with me, but two others are missing. They cannot be found."

Another hospital patient, Brahima Compaore, 39, said he also was caught in the pile of people stopped by the roadblock.

"I found myself on the ground and people were walking on me," said Compaore. "I was only saved by people who pulled me onto the sidewalk."

Local newspapers are speculating that thieves put up the roadblocks so that pickpockets could steal money and mobile phones from the packed-in people.

Ouattara pledged to get answers. Some observers wondered why police did not prevent the tragedy.

"The investigation must take into account all the testimonies of victims," he said Wednesday. "We will have a crisis center to share and receive information."

Ouattara also postponed the traditional New Year's receptions at his residence, which had been scheduled for Thursday and Friday.

The leader of a human rights organization said that deadly incidents were predictable because the police and civil authorities had not taken adequate protective measures.

"The situation is deplorable," said Thierry Legre, president of the Ivorian League of Human Rights. "It is our first tragedy of 2013 but in 2012 we could already see possibility of such a tragedy because there are not adequate authorities patrolling our roads and waters."

Legre said the New Year's stampede "exposes our weak and dysfunctional civil protection system. This must be corrected immediately. The government cannot invite people to this kind of public gathering without taking adequate precautions to protect their safety and their lives."

He called on the government "to implement measures to avoid such tragedies in the future by reinforcing the civil protection system."

The government organized the fireworks to celebrate Ivory Coast's peace, after several months of political violence in early 2011 following disputed elections.

Just one night before the New Year's incident, there had been a big concert at the Felix Houphouet-Boigny Stadium where American rap star Chris Brown performed. That Sunday night event was for the Kora Awards for African musicians. No serious incidents were reported from that event.

In 2009, 22 people died and over 130 were injured in a stampede at a World Cup qualifying match at the Houphouet Boigny Stadium, prompting FIFA, soccer's global governing body, to impose a fine of tens of thousands of dollars on Ivory Coast's soccer federation. The stadium, which officially holds 35,000, was overcrowded at the time of the disaster.

Another African stadium tragedy occurred on New Year's Eve in Angola where 13 people, including four children, died in a stampede during a religious gathering at a sports stadium in Luanda, the capital.

Angop, the Angolan news agency, cited officials as saying Tuesday that 120 people were also injured. The incident happened on New Year's Eve when tens of thousands of people gathered at the stadium and panic ensued. Faustino Sebastiao, spokesman for the national firefighters department, says those who died were crushed and asphyxiated.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/ivory-coast-stampede-survivors-blame-barricades-130553379.html

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Writing Better Dialogue | ArticleTree.info - Writing & Speaking ...

by RonWilson

Why is dialogue so important to good story writing? The same reason that communication is essential to any good relationship-- because you have to understand someone to care about them. The main reason readers continue turning the pages is because they care about your characters, and dialogue is the key to allowing your reader to understand these new fictional characters.

Just before writing a scene, play it over in your mind - several times - this helps to get the feel for the characters and the story dialogue. The first few times you play the scene in your mind it should be silent, but gradually, allow the characters to come to life. Visualize them speaking to each other, as well as consider the thoughts that are taking place inside their heads. By doing this, when the dialogue emerges characters are talking to one another, not at each other.

Writing dialogue is the most interesting tools we use to pass on information and reveal character. Among the secrets to engaging story dialogue is that the characters don't necessarily need to be discussing something important to the story. As an example, a man and a woman meet for the first occasion in a supermarket and the reader sees they are attracted to one an other-- they don't have to refer to their attraction. Instead, they discuss their loathing of queues and rising milk prices-- something they share which brings them together. The conversation becomes more compelling as it reveals their characters.

When it comes to story dialogue, we need to express what we are trying to communicate in each particular scene, and then weave it into the action by breaking it into chunks. Think of the way people speak in real life. They never just stand there and speak. They are always moving, touching their hair, folding their arms, raising their eyebrows, or touching their chin as they speak.

A well handled dialogue scene can infer past events, clarify the underlying nature of a relationship, and reveal what a character has been doing 'off stage'. If you can really get a character's tone and mannerisms right, at the end of the story your reader should know what your character's goals are, their inmost desires, and how they were brought up.

What to do to set about creating realistic dialogue in your story? Start by watching and listening to real people when they speak. Study their behaviors and mannerisms and how they move while they are talking. However, in the real world people often say the same thing several times over, and in our fictional worlds we want everything to be concise and valuable to the story, so get a taste of how people interact with one another, but make in more concise.

Source: http://writing.articletree.info/writing-a-speaking/2384-writing-better-dialogue

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Thompson's late TD pass decides Outback Bowl

South Carolina wide receiver Damiere Byrd (10) celebrates with tight end Rory Anderson (81) after scoring on a 56-yard first-quarter touchdown against Michigan during the Outback Bowl NCAA college football game, Tuesday, Jan. 1, 2013, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

South Carolina wide receiver Damiere Byrd (10) celebrates with tight end Rory Anderson (81) after scoring on a 56-yard first-quarter touchdown against Michigan during the Outback Bowl NCAA college football game, Tuesday, Jan. 1, 2013, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

South Carolina's Ace Sanders (1) runs back a punt 63-yards for a touchdown against Michigan during the first quarter of the Outback Bowl NCAA college football game, Tuesday, Jan. 1, 2013, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

South Carolina cornerback Jimmy Legree (15) intercepts a pass intended for Michigan wide receiver Drew Dileo (9) during the first quarter of the Outback Bowl NCAA college football game, Tuesday, Jan. 1, 2013, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

Michigan wide receiver Drew Dileo (9) celebrates after scoring on a five-yard touchdown reception against South Carolina during the second quarter of the Outback Bowl NCAA college football game, Tuesday, Jan. 1, 2013, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

South Carolina cornerback Akeem Auguste (3) breaks up a pass intended for Michigan wide receiver Joe Reynolds (85) during the first quarter of the Outback Bowl NCAA college football game, Tuesday, Jan. 1, 2013, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) ? Steve Spurrier's plan to use two quarterbacks in the Outback Bowl worked so well that Dylan Thompson and Connor Shaw both earned game balls.

That's a first for the Head Ball Coach, who has a well-known penchant for benching struggling QBs. Except in this case, the Gamecocks' winningest coach used his talented pair of passers by design.

Shaw began Tuesday's 33-28 victory over Michigan with a 56-yard touchdown pass to Damiere Byrd. Thompson closed it out by throwing a 32-yard TD strike to Bruce Ellington in the final minute to help South Carolina match the school record for victories in a season.

"I don't know if I've ever given two quarterbacks a game ball, but today I said: 'Hey, we've got to give them to both you guys,'" Spurrier said.

"Both those young men are just so super team-oriented. There's no jealousy, nothing. ... Those guys are just really, really good teammates. Wonderful team players," the coach added. "We tried to tell Connor: 'It's your game.' And it was his game, but Dylan was going to play. He understood that. It worked beautifully as it turned out."

Thompson replaced Shaw during the winning drive, covering the final 43 yards after Shaw began the march from his own 30 and kept it alive with a 6-yard completion to Ace Sanders on a fourth-and-3 play. Devin Gardner's third TD pass of the game had given Michigan a 28-27 lead.

"I wasn't nervous. I knew I had great guys around me, and I trusted them and just was confident," Thompson said.

Shaw threw for 227 yards and two touchdowns after missing the Gamecocks' regular-season finale with a left foot sprain. Thompson led the Gamecocks (11-2) to a victory at archrival Clemson, and threw for 117 yards and two TDs in the bowl.

Gardner threw for 214 yards in his fifth start for Michigan (8-5) since Denard Robinson injured his right elbow late in the season. Robinson took some snaps at quarterback and even attempted his first passes in a game since Oct. 27, but lined up mostly at running back and rushed for 100 yards on 23 carries.

Sanders caught TD passes of 4 yards from Thompson and 31 yards from Shaw, who completed 18 of 26 passes before aggravating his foot injury and limping off during the final drive. The speedy receiver had nine catches for 92 yards and also scored on a 63-yard punt return ? one of four plays over 50 yards yielded by Michigan.

Gardner was 18 of 36, including TD passes of 5 yards to Drew Dileo and 10 and 17 yards to Jeremy Gallon, who gave Michigan its late lead and finished with career bests of nine receptions and 145 yards. Robinson set the NCAA record for career yards rushing by a quarterback, hiking his four-year total to 4,495 ? 15 more than West Virginia's Pat White ran for from 2005-08.

"I'd rather win the game," said Robinson, who attempted two passes in the third quarter, both incompletions, and also ran twice on plays in which he took the snap as the quarterback ? a role he's embraced since being injured during a loss to Nebraska.

"It was just what I thought it was going to be," Robinson said. "I tried to make the most of it."

South Carolina defensive end Jadeveon Clowney was quiet for much of the day, but shifted momentum in the fourth quarter with a big hit on Vincent Smith that sent the running back's helmet rolling several yards backward and caused a fumble that the SEC defensive player of the year recovered to set up Shaw's TD pass to Sanders for a 27-22 lead.

The TD capped a three-play sequence that began with Michigan running its second fake punt of the game, gaining 4 yards to the Wolverines 41 for what was ruled a first down, despite not appearing be one when the officials called for a measurement. South Carolina challenged the spot, but the ruling on the field was upheld.

Clowney then slammed into Smith just as the Michigan runner was taking the handoff from Gardner, jarring the ball loose.

"I asked one of those other refs there. I said, 'You know the ball did not touch the first-down marker.' He said, 'I know it didn't.' I said, 'Well, why did he give it to them?' and he said, 'I don't know,'" Spurrier said.

"Clowney knocked the ball out the next play, so I'm glad they gave it to them. ... We gained about 10 or 15 yards."

Robinson was injured during the first half of Michigan's two-touchdown loss to Nebraska on Oct. 27. He missed the rest of that game, as well the next two against Minnesota and Northwestern before returning the final two weeks of the regular season to contribute in ways that didn't require him to throw the ball.

The 6-foot, 197-pound native of Deerfield Beach, Fla., entered the game during Michigan's second possession and ran for 15 yards on his first play. Gardner threw 26 yards to Gallon, moving the Wolverines into position for Brendan Gibbons to kick a 39-yard field goal.

Down 14-3 after Sanders' punt return, Michigan marched 75 yards in 11 plays to trim South Carolina's lead to four, with Robinson carrying four times for 20 yards along the way. Gardner finished the drive by flipping his touchdown pass to Dileo early in the second quarter.

Michigan began the day ranked second in the nation in pass defense, allowing 155 yards per game. South Carolina matched that in the opening half alone, with most of the yardage coming on Shaw's long TD throw to Byrd and Thompson's 70-yard completion to Jones that led to Sanders' second TD for a 21-10 lead.

The Wolverines turned South Carolina's only turnover into Gibbons' 40-yard field goal in the second quarter, and Matt Wile's Outback Bowl-record 52-yard field goal trimmed Michigan's deficit to 21-16.

South Carolina ended on a five-game winning streak that followed consecutive losses to LSU and Florida. The Gamecocks also won 11 games last season.

"We hit eight of 10 goals we started the season with," Spurrier said. "We did that last year, too. That's good, but it still can be better."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2013-01-01-T25-Outback%20Bowl/id-302a60531550490fb2a7f92404b518ff

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Mood drug no help for smoking cessation in prison study

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - The addition of the antidepressant nortriptyline to conventional smoking cessation therapy didn't improve the chances of longterm success among male prisoners, Australian researchers have found.

Depression and other mental illnesses raise the likelihood of smoking, and quitting can depress a person's mood - which in turn can make it harder to quit. Studies have shown that antidepressants, including nortriptyline, can improve the success of smoking cessation efforts.

And prison inmates are notoriously heavy smokers, with higher rates of depression and other mental illness than the general population.

But the new study found that nortriptyline (marketed as Aventyl) - which is not FDA-approved for smoking cessation but often is used for that purpose - did not seem to help inmate smokers stay tobacco-free over time.

Compliance with the therapy appeared to a significant issue, however, said Robyn Richmond, a public health researcher at the University of New South Wales, in Kensington, who led the study.

Prisoners who were faithful to the treatment as ordered at least three-quarters of the time were much more likely to break their smoking habit than those who could not stick to the regimen, Richmond told Reuters Health.

Another factor, Richmond added, was that the prison population in the study tended to migrate, making follow-up of the participants difficult.

"One thinks that you have a captive audience" in prison studies, she said. "However, half of the prisoners were either transferred to another prison within the study or released into the community."

The study, which appears in the journal Addiction, included 425 male inmates from prisons across Australia. All were smokers, with a habit lasting on average 20 years and more than 23 cigarettes a day.

Nearly three-quarters of the inmates in the study had tried to quit in the previous year, according to the researchers.

All of the prisoners in the study received 10 weeks of smoking cessation therapy consisting of nicotine patches and two sessions of behavioral counseling. To that was added either a dummy pill or nortriptyline.

The researchers recorded the inmates' tobacco use at three, six and 12 months after the end of treatment, relying on self-reporting and direct measurements of exhaled carbon monoxide, a byproduct of smoking.

At the three-month mark, about one-quarter of prisoners who had received the antidepressant had managed to stay off smoking continuously, compared with 16 percent of those who had not taken the drug. But by the one year mark, the abstinence rate had fallen to about 11 percent for both groups.

Psychologist Karen Cropsey, a smoking researcher at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, said most jails and prisons in the United States have significantly restricted tobacco use by inmates. Roughly half of prisons, and many jails, now ban smoking completely, she said, while facilities that permit it typically require inmates to go outside to smoke.

Cropsey, who has studied tobacco use by female inmates, said the latest work is the first to look at smoking by male inmates.

Source: http://bit.ly/U67ejn Addiction, online December 11, 2012.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/mood-drug-no-help-smoking-cessation-prison-study-162429930.html

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