David Oh's eldest son taped aluminum foil over his windows. His daughter painted a sign warning visitors away from the front door. His wife pulled the phone cord out of the wall and turned the couple's cellphones off.
David's time on Earth had come to a temporary end ? and he was taking his family with him.
As soon as the rover Curiosity dropped onto the Martian surface on Aug. 5, David and hundreds of his fellow scientists and engineers at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory switched from Earth time to Mars time.
As the lead flight director for the Mars Science Laboratory team, David would sync his life up with the rover's for the first 90 Martian days of the Curiosity mission. It may not be rocket science, but it's quite an undertaking.
A Mars day, called a sol, is 39 minutes and 35 seconds longer than a 24-hour day on Earth. That small difference adds up fast, so that noon becomes midnight after 2 1/2 weeks. As scientists wind up sleeping during the day and working through the night, their lives pull away from those of their families.
Not the Oh clan. For the first month, all five have stuck together, an idea championed by David's wife, Bryn.
"This project for six years has been so much a part of his life," she said at the family's tidy two-story home in La Ca?ada Flintridge."This was a way that I thought that we could be a part of it."
The family has learned a lot about Southern California since their experiment began, talking to friendly folk in a Canoga Park bowling alley at 4 a.m. and gawking at late-night partygoers while eating dinner at dawnat Fred 62 in Los Feliz.
They've discovered the Hollywood sign isn't lit at night and that the sand on Santa Monica's moonlit shores is still the perfect temperature for walking barefoot. They've noticed that freeway traffic bottoms out at 3 a.m., then starts to pick up again just an hour later.
During one of their frequent late-night walks in the hills near their house, one of the kids saw two shooting stars streak across the quiet sky during the Perseid meteor shower.
The idea of working on Mars time goes back to the 1997 Pathfinder mission, which sent the first rover to the Red Planet.
The beetle-like Sojourner rover was designed to skitter around the surface for a week, sending back data once a sol. Members of the Pathfinder team wanted to analyze the results as quickly as possible so they could plan the rover's next moves. To minimize delays, they decided to work on Mars time too.
Sojourner kept going all week, then continued for a second and a third. The Earthlings did their best to keep up, but after a month they'd had enough.
"The team rebelled," said Andrew Mishkin, a senior systems engineer on that mission who has endured three stints on Mars time himself. "They were just too exhausted to continue."
Living on Mars time is like moving two time zones to the west every three days, causing scientists and engineers to feel constantly jet-lagged. That throws off the body's internal clock, which is synced to a 24-hour day and reset by light and dark.
When that system is out of whack for several weeks, negative effects ripple throughout the body. Metabolism slows, which can cause weight gain. People become less sensitive to insulin, leading to an increased risk for Type 2 diabetes. Some medicines don't work as well when taken outside the usual circadian window. And in sleep-deprived states, people make more mistakes.
At first, JPL had no formal policies to keep scientists and engineers from working themselves to the edge of their physical limits. They often logged 18 hours a day, and many tried to stick with Earth time when they were off duty, leaving them utterly drained, Mishkin said.
After the Pathfinder mission ended, JPL asked a panel of sleep experts for advice. The key, the experts said, was to keep the body clock on track so that people could sleep during their "night" and stay alert during their "day."
To do that, the panel recommended that workers stay on Mars time instead of confusing their bodies by toggling between days and sols. They also suggested setting time limits for shifts, limiting caffeine to small doses, and filling the operations rooms with bright light to suppress levels of melatonin, the sleep-inducing hormone, said Dr. Charles Czeisler, a sleep medicine expert from Harvard University who served on the panel.
WASHINGTON (AP) ? Social Security. Medicare. Iraq. Afghanistan. Illegal immigration.
They're all costly to taxpayers and the next president presumably will have to address them to one degree or another. Yet GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney made no mention of those issues Thursday in his wide-ranging acceptance speech that closed the Republican National Convention.
The address was Romney's most sweeping attempt yet to outline the case for his candidacy. It was no time to get into the nitty-gritty of federal budgeting and solutions to the nation's ills. But Romney did find ways to talk about an array of other issues, some of them sensitive for him personally and politically.
Romney did, for example, pledge to "protect the sanctity of life," a reference to abortion, even though there are clear differences on the issue between him and running mate Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin. He referred to his family as Mormons, a rarity for a candidate who typically refers to his religion as "my faith." And Romney even showed emotion, which he seldom does in public, when he spoke of longing to wake up again with a pile of children in the bedroom he shares with wife Ann.
But there was much Romney did not say, areas he didn't address. And those unmentioned topics say a lot about the challenges that face the Republican ticket in the final three months of the presidential campaign.
Here are some examples and some clues about why Romney may have chosen to skip them:
?WHAT TO DO ABOUT WAR. Polls show that most Americans want to get American troops out of the costly wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and President Barack Obama is generally seen as a president who is doing just that. Obama began drawing down the force with a plan to have all out by the end of 2014. While Romney has occasionally criticized Obama for signaling when the drawdown in Afghanistan would happen, he also has endorsed the 2014 end to U.S. combat in Afghanistan, subject to conditions at the time. Romney has criticized Obama's withdrawal plan but offered few details about how he would change it.
?GOVERNMENT AID: On Social Security, Romney has not talked specifics about what we would do with these budget-busting entitlement programs other than to say he would gradually raise the retirement age on the massive program for aid to seniors. He generally has steered clear of proposals to touch Medicare and Social Security in the short run, which leaves a relatively limited portion of the $3.6 trillion federal budget to cut. His addition of Ryan has caused Romney a headache as Democrats seek to make him own Ryan's budget proposals that call for Social Security benefits based on workers' needs and optional private alternatives to Medicare.
?ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION: It's a touchy subject for both Romney and the Republican Party. Challenged on the right during the primary season, Romney struck a tougher stance on the issue than he had in the past. He emphasized his support for a U.S.-Mexico border fence and his opposition to education benefits to illegal immigrants, sometimes in sharp tones that caused some Hispanics to turn away. That's potentially problematic because Republicans are trying to narrow the advantage Democrats have among Hispanics, the nation's fastest-growing ethnic minority group. It represents large chunks of the voters in swing states like Florida and Colorado. Some 12.2 million Hispanics are expected to vote in November.
While Romney glossed over these issues, it's a good bet Democrats won't let him do so again between now and November.
When the SKUD18 Paralympic Sailing Competition gets underway Australia's Dan Fitzgibbon and Liesl Tesch and Great Britain's Alex Rickham and Niki Birrell will be the teams to beat.
From September 1, 11 SKUD18s will take to the water to fight it out in an 11-race series for the two-person keelboat Paralympic medals. Competition concludes September 6.
In the build-up to the Paralympic Sailing Competition the Australians and Brits have dominated the class. During the 2011-12 ISAF Sailing World Cup just one point separated the two at the end of four sailed regattas with the Brits coming out on top.
Rickham, aged 30, started sailing in Jamaica after a diving accident and teamed up with Birrell in late 2007, only to sail a disappointing fifth at Beijing 2008. They switched roles after Beijing and have been unbeaten in world championships for the last four years, winning this year's IFDS Disabled World Championships in Florida, USA.
'We have grown up a lot since not getting anything in China,' said Rickham. 'I think we are a much better crew now. We are a good combination because we are such different personalities.'
The pair have a good record on Paralympic waters having won gold at the 2011 World Championship and more recently at an ISAF World Cup event in June. This added to a victory in Melbourne last December and a silver in Miami in January and silver in Hyeres has put them in a good place to banish their Beijing demons.
But in a competitive fleet the pair aren't getting complacent. 'Everyone brings their 'A' game,' said Birrell. 'The Australians are fast, but so are the Canadians, the Americans and the Israelis. We know we are fast. We just have to start well and not make mistakes.'
At Beijing 2008 Fitzgibbon, sailing with Rachael Cox, took silver medal in the class behind the American gold-winning crew of Nick Scandone and Maureen Mckinnon-Tucker. Fitzgibbon and crew Tesch, a former Paralympic basketball player, formed their partnership in 2011 and hit the right note almost immediately.
Fitzgibbon and Tesch have finished on the podium at every event they've sailed in together and know what it takes to beat the Brits. They will be key contenders when racing gets underway.
Canada will field John Mcroberts and Stacie Louttit who took the Beijing bronze behind the Australians, while New Zealand will be represented by Tim Dempsey and Jan Freda Apel who are at their first Paralympic Games but finished second on Paralympic waters in June.
Disabled Sailing London 2012 Paralympic website
Click here for printer friendly version Click here to send us feedback or comments about this story.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention tells us that fewer than half of the nation's adults get enough physical activity to benefit their health, which is a shame, considering how easy it is for most people to simply slip into a pair of sturdy shoes and hit the pavement or trail at their own pace.
Links: Rapidshre|Extabit National Academy of Sports Medicine, ?NASM Essentials of Personal Fitness Training? Publisher: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; Fourth edition | ISBN: 160831281X | 2011 | PDF | 648 pages | 27.8 MB
Since 1987, the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) has been a global leader in providing evidence-based certifications and advanced credentials to health and fitness professionals. NASM Essentials of Personal Fitness Training, Fourth Edition, continues to lead the way by providing the most comprehensive resource for aspiring personal trainers and other health and fitness professionals.
Based on NASM?s proprietary Optimum Performance Training (OPT?) model, you will learn a systematic approach to program design with exercise program guidelines and variables; protocols for building stabilization, strength, and power programs; guidance on how to build a clientele through professional development; and more! By following the techniques in this book, you will gain the information, insight, and inspiration you need to change the world as a health and fitness professional.
This text is a recommended resource for the NASM Certified Personal Trainer (CPT) certification. The NASM CPT certification is accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA). Extabit Link
David Hall is an entrepreneur and innovator. His latest project is in the field of robotics and human sensory technologies. David has built a small team of experts around him and the company has just acquired a $2 million dollar venture capital financing boost from a private investor.
Things are looking good. A medical consortium in India is hinting at an order of 125 units if their prototypes are approved.
There is just one problem though. And it?s not technology, or a patent or a financing problem.
The real challenge
Two years back, David invited two university friends, Andy and Lisa, innovators and entrepreneurs themselves, to be co-owners of Retina Technologies. In the beginning things went well as they each found a way to bring their expertise forward to build the business. As the company became more stable, relationships between David and his two colleagues have become tense, with infighting about roles and responsibilities and future direction. David is accusing Andy and Lisa of not delivering their share of the workload. Andy and Lisa in turn say that they are delivering way beyond what is expected and that David is a control freak who swings from being prince charming to having temper outbursts in front of the 10 staff. It?s got to the point where the relationship between them is affecting the morale of the staff and the future of the company.
This type of scenario plays out at all levels in many organizations, with high costs to the business and human relationships.
So, what should they do?
Three key actions
There are three actions that David, Andy and Lisa need to do as soon as possible:
1. Decide to work it out
Rather than avoiding talking this out, David, Andy and Lisa need to make a decision to work this out. It?s always easier to take the lower road and to not deal with interpersonal issues because of the anxiety that sets in. But once they make the commitment, they should meet within a few days, preferably in the morning and off-site.
If emotions are extremely high, it is wise to invite a facilitator to help reframe issues, keep the focus and direct the session towards a satisfactory and collaborative outcome.
2. Dive within and deal with personal issues first
This action is probably the most challenging and is the area most people avoid. Because David, Andy and Lisa will feel that the contract between them has been betrayed, and the fantasy of their relationship has faded, it is extremely important that each do a deep dive within to examine the real reasons their own disappointment and their roles in the drama. Each person needs to examine their own projections and take responsibility for their stuff without blame. This might be hard to do in a vacuum without feedback and especially hard if the three leaders have not encouraged? real feedback from colleagues up till now. If the three leaders get in the room without doing this pre-work, the chances are not good for a successful outcome. [More details will follow on this step in the next article].
3. Dialogue without damage
In order to have dialogue without damage, rules of engagement need to be in place so that each participant can speak their mind in a constructive way without playing games, using passive aggression or having hidden agendas. Dialogue without damage means that the real truth of what drives David, Andy and Lisa ? their interests, concerns, disappointments and personal accountabilities are communicated in a transparent way. This is tough because David, Andy and Lisa will want to defend themselves, yet with committed listening to what?s really being said, can be a healing balm. This type of authentic engagement can set the company on a new track. [More details will follow on this step in the next article].
Critical success factor A critical success factor for any organization, and especially a company that prides itself on innovation and entrepreneurship, is the willingness to engage in clear, authentic dialogue.
A workplace where productivity and morale is low can be traced back to poor and ambiguous communication. This approach gives permission for a non-professional business etiquette to become the norm in the workplace, creating a ripple effect on the culture of the organization. Communication becomes muddy and meetings are mismanaged to the extent that meetings become the major energy-stealers and time-wasters in the organization.
Dialogue without damage is generative in that it calls forth a new future through the flow of meaning in relationship. When we engage in generative dialogue without damage, we interrupt the destructive cycle and create a compelling future.
This article was also published on TheIdeasEngine.com, a division of AuthenticDialogue.com
Dene Rossouw is co-founder of AuthenticDialogue.com and TheIdeasEngine.com in Vancouver, specializing in influencing and innovative solutions. He helps his clients have the necessary conversations of leadership and helps organizations innovate by leveraging the power of employee ideas. He can be reached at 1.778.386.5167.
A small Japanese boat confirmed to have been lost during the 2011 Japan tsunami has washed up on a remote Canadian island.
The green-and-white vessel was discovered by two locals on Spring Island, northwest of Vancouver Island. British Columbia's Emergency Management agency then matched the boat's serial number to one listed as lost by the Japanese consulate, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Office of Response and Restoration.
The boat is not the first alien debris to wash up on the U.S. coast in the wake of the March 2011 tsunami. An estimated 5 million tons of debris were swept out to sea by the wave, and about 1.5 million tons of that is likely still in the Pacific Ocean, according to NASA estimates. There have been 11 confirmed tsunami debris sightings on the North American coast, according to NOAA, including a Harley-Davidson motorcycle found in Canada.
The most dramatic piece of debris to drift ashore so far is a 66-foot (20-meter)-long dock covered with an estimated 100 tons of urchins, starfish, crustaceans and other sea life. The dock beached in Oregon in June, triggering a massive clean-up effort in order to prevent invasive species on the dock from establishing themselves on the Oregon coast. [See Photos of the Japan Tsunami Debris]
NOAA expects that more debris will gradually come ashore over the next several years, but much of this debris will be indistinguishable from the usual flotsam and jetsam that washes up on beaches daily. The debris is highly unlikely to carry any radiation from the Fukushima nuclear plant disaster, experts say.
Researchers are working to map the path of tsunami debris as it spreads across the Pacific. Complicating the issue is that there is no single raft of trash ? rather, the debris is spread out over miles.
"For me the story is not what's been found but what hasn't been found," NOAA oceanographer Glen Watabayashi said in a statement on NOAA's Office of Response and Restoration blog. "With all the summer vessel traffic along the West Coast and out in the North Pacific, there have been no reports of any large concentrations of debris."
Oceanographers like Watabayashi are using software designed to model the spread of oil during spills to pinpoint the current concentration of the debris. Summer weather and currents are keeping debris away from shore now, according to NOAA, though officials expect an uptick when wind patterns change in the fall.
Follow Stephanie Pappas on Twitter @sipappas?or LiveScience @livescience. We're also on Facebook?& Google+.?
Copyright 2012 LiveScience, a TechMediaNetwork company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
JK Shin, President of IT & Mobile Communications Division at Samsung Electronics unveils the new Galaxy Camera at a Samsung event in Berlin, Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2012. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)
JK Shin, President of IT & Mobile Communications Division at Samsung Electronics unveils the new Galaxy Camera at a Samsung event in Berlin, Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2012. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)
Jean-Daniel Ayme, vice president European Telecom Operations at Samsung Electronics holds a new Galaxy Note II at a Samsung event in Berlin, Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2012. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)
JK Shin, President of IT & Mobile Communications at Samsung Electronics unveils the new Galaxy Note II at a Samsung event in Berlin, Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2012. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)
Jean-Daniel Ayme, vice president European Telecom Operations at Samsung Electronics shows a new Galaxy Note II at a Samsung event in Berlin, Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2012. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)
BERLIN (AP) ? Samsung has unveiled a voice-controlled camera as part of a fall lineup of consumer gadgets aimed at setting itself apart from rival Apple.
The South Korean electronics giant presented the 16-megapixel Galaxy Camera at the IFA tech show in Berlin on Wednesday.
It comes days after Samsung suffered a costly defeat in a patent dispute with Apple in the United States.
Samsung's Galaxy Camera runs Google's popular Android operating system, giving it features previously restricted to smartphones or tablet computers such as photo organizing, photo sharing and voice-control.
The company also announced two new phones, the Galaxy Note II and the ATIV S running Microsoft's Windows 8 operating system.
Samsung says the devices will be available in many countries from the end of October.
I just purchased this book "From Newbie to Millionaire", by Christine Clayfield. I was blown away by the incredible value for the small price I paid! No matter what stage you are at with your online marketing business, even if you are totally new to it, this is the book to help you get started marketing good money. Christine Clayfield is a millionaire seller and has banked over 1 million dollars in sales in just one year! She has been selling online for a little over five years and she knows what she is talking about! You get her actual wealth building formula from A to Z.
?You get it all from how to understand Internet terminology, to building your first products and websites to getting those sales in your pocket. The book "From Newbie to Millionaire" is over 506 pages of need to know content, that will answer many of the questions you have about how to make good money with your own online business. No fluff and no filler each page is filled with just the stuff you need to know to make money, faster and easier than you ever have before.
?The first part of her huge 500+page "IM Encyclopedia" is definitely for newbies, however as she starts Part 3 with "Niche Research", the information is for anyone wanting to increase their IM business no matter what the level of your experience you will find gems to add to make you more money. There is a huge video library that is very newbie friendly too that is included, so even the more experience internet marketers will find some golden-nuggets that should increase their bottom line. This is a killer internet marketing manual. You MUST own this for your own reference even if you are a veteran. I think you could learn a lot from what Christine teaches.
?I want to assure you: "From Newbie to Millionaire" is a complete Internet Marketing education in one book! She includes absolutely everything you need to start from scratch and create an Internet Marketing Business Plan, and how to make money online. She covers it all from doing keyword research to buying your domain name, setting up your WordPress site to making that first critical sale!
?Best part is, you don't have to have Internet marketing genius either. She shows you how to outsource the work if you don't want to do it with online freelancer sites too. If you can turn on a computer and send email you can have your own online business that can make you extra money with just a little effort working from home.
It's worth a look to check this out. Just click on the link below.
By Ken Y-N ( August 28, 2012 at 00:34)
? Filed under Business, Gaming, Internet, Polls
According to a recent survey from Just Systems and reported on by japan.internet.com into social gaming, almost half the players had spent money on it, and 60% of them regretted their purchases!
Demographics
Between the 10th and 13th of August 2012 1,000 members of the Just Systems-affiliated FastAsk monitor group who played social games completed a private internet-based questionnaire. No further demographics were given.
My wife spends what is, I suppose, technically real money on social games. She is a member of a number of online survey sites, and rather than cashing out, she transfers saved points to social games, in particular Oshare Dorobo, (perhaps ?The Elegant Thief?) a Dress-Up Barbie-type game where in order to complete some quests you need (or so she claims) to buy particular hairdos which are only available from a random vending machine that costs 300 yen per spin. It?s probably about 1,500 yen?s worth of points per month she gets through, and I wish she?d never told me about the month she won 5,000 yen?s worth of tokens?
Research results
Q1: Have you ever spent money on in-game items, etc for social games? (Sample size=1,000)
Q1SQ1: Do you regret, have you reflected on using money in social games? (Sample size=485)
Regret, reflected on
26.4%
Perhaps regret, reflected on
34.2%
Perhaps don?t regret, reflect on
20.8%
Don?t regret, reflect on
18.6%
Q1SQ2: On average, about how much money do you use per month in social games? (Sample size=485)
Up to 1,000 yen
55.3%
Up to 2,500 yen
22.1%
Up to 5,000 yen
12.4%
Up to 7,500 yen
1.9%
Up to 10,000 yen
4.1%
Up to 20,000 yen
1.2%
Up to 30,000 yen
0.8%
More than 30,000 yen
2.3%
Q1SQ3: What is the most money you?ve used in a month in social games? (Sample size=485)
Up to 1,000 yen
33.8%
Up to 2,500 yen
19.0%
Up to 5,000 yen
20.6%
Up to 7,500 yen
4.5%
Up to 10,000 yen
9.7%
Up to 20,000 yen
5.8%
Up to 30,000 yen
1.6%
More than 30,000 yen
4.9%
Q2: Do you regret, have you reflected on the time you?ve spent playing social games? (Sample size=1,000)
Regret, reflected on
12.8%
Perhaps regret, reflected on
28.4%
Perhaps don?t regret, reflect on
26.8%
Don?t regret, reflect on
32.0%
Of the 412 people who have reflected on their wasted time, 55.6% want to reduce their play time, and 16.3% want to stop completely.
More research needed on the best treatment options for multidrug-resistant TBPublic release date: 28-Aug-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Sumrina Yousufzai syousufzai@plos.org 415-568-3164 Public Library of Science
The use of newer drugs, a greater number of effective drugs, and a longer treatment regimen may be associated with improved survival of patients with multidrug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TR), according to a large study by a team of international researchers published in this week's PLOS Medicine.
Global efforts to control tuberculosis are being challenged by the emergence of strains that are resistant to several antibiotics including isoniazid and rifampicin, the two most powerful, first-line (standard) anti-tuberculosis drugsso-called multidrug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB). The treatment of MDR-TB is lengthy, toxic, expensive, and has mostly resulted in poor outcomes for patients. Importantly, the optimal treatment regimens for MDR-TB have not been determined and, to date, there have been no randomized controlled trials of treatments for MDR-TB.
In this study, a large group of international researchers (the Collaborative Group for Meta-Analysis of Individual Patient Data in MDR-TB) combined data on outcomes of 9153 patients from 32 centers to find out more about the best way of treating MDR-TB. The researchers found that the use of certain drugs, the use of four or more effective drugs, and the duration of treatment were associated with successful patient outcomes.
The authors conclude: "This individual patient data meta-analysis of 9,153 patients suggests that treatment of MDR-TB should include a later generation quinolone, and ethionamide or prothionamide. In patients who have not received second-line drugs before, the optimal number of likely effective drugs appears to be at least four in the initial intensive phase, and at least three in the continuation phase. The duration of therapy associated with highest odds of success was 7-8.5 months for the initial intensive phase, and 25-27 months for total duration."
However, these findings should be interpreted with caution because of the limitations in the methods and type of data used in the study. The authors say: "In view of the serious limitations of these observational data, these findings should be considered to have highlighted several important questions for future clinical trials.
These questions include the role and choice of injectables (medications that have to be given by injection), the optimal duration of an injectable and total therapy, and the potential value of later generation quinolones as well as certain group 4 and group 5 drugs."
###
Funding: Partial funding for the assembly of individual patient data and meta-analysis was provided from the Stop TB Department of the World Health Organization, through a grant from USAID. Funding for data gathering at participating centres came from the following sources: in the State of California from the US Centers for Disease Control Cooperative Agreement Funds; in Italy from the European Community's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007-2013) under grant agreement FP7- 223681; in Mexico (Veracruz) from the Mexican Secretariat of Health, the National Institutes of Health of the United States (A135969 and K01TW000001), the Wellcome Trust (176W009), the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (55000632), and the Mexican Council of Science and Technology: SEP 2004-C01-47499, FOSSIS 2005-2 (14475), (87332); in South Africa from the South African Medical Research Council funding. Funding was provided to the following investigators: M Bauer and D Menzies were supported by salary awards from the Fonds de Recherche en Sante de Quebec, L Shah was supported by CIHR (Canada Graduate Scholarship), Neel Gandhi received a Doris Duke Charitable Foundation Clinical Scientist Development Award. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decisions to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.
Competing Interests: JR is a Consultant for bioMerieux. WWY has been indirectly sponsored to participate in International Conferences by GlaxoSmithKline and Pfizer in the last 3 years. CDM is on the Scientific Advisory Board for Otsuka pharmaceuticals development of OPC67683 (Delaminid), a new anti-TB compound. SK received salary support from the Eli Lilly Foundation as part of funding for the activities of Partners In Health by the Foundation's MDR-TB Partnership. This funder was not involved in the study design; collection, analysis and interpretation of data; writing of the paper; and/or decision to submit for publication. The Partners In Health project in Tomsk received funding from Mr. Tom White, the Open Society Institute, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. None of these funders were involved in the study design; collection, analysis and interpretation of data; writing of the paper; and/or decision to submit for publication. KD is an unpaid, volunteer member of the New Diagnostics Working Group (NDWG), formed of members of the Stop TB Partnership. The Secretariat of the NDWG is hosted by FIND (Foundation for New Innovative Diagnostics). JB was working as consultant for Otsuka Pharmaceutical for the implementation of clinical trial in Peru. JB was co PI of a NIH grant in Peru, Epidemiology of Tuberculosis. MP and GP are members of the Editorial Board of PLOS Medicine. All other authors have declared that no competing interests exist.
Citation: Ahuja SD, Ashkin D, Avendano M, Banerjee R, Bauer M, et al. (2012) Multidrug Resistant Pulmonary Tuberculosis Treatment Regimens and Patient Outcomes: An Individual Patient Data Meta-analysis of 9,153 Patients. PLoS Med 9(8): e1001300. doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.1001300
IN YOUR COVERAGE PLEASE USE THIS URL TO PROVIDE ACCESS TO THE FREELY AVAILABLE PAPER (THIS LINK WILL BECOME LIVE WHEN THE EMBARGO LIFTS):
Dick Menzies
Montreal Chest Institute
McGill University, Montreal, Canada
Dick.Menzies@McGill.ca
Phone 1-514-934-1934 - ext 32128
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
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.
More research needed on the best treatment options for multidrug-resistant TBPublic release date: 28-Aug-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Sumrina Yousufzai syousufzai@plos.org 415-568-3164 Public Library of Science
The use of newer drugs, a greater number of effective drugs, and a longer treatment regimen may be associated with improved survival of patients with multidrug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TR), according to a large study by a team of international researchers published in this week's PLOS Medicine.
Global efforts to control tuberculosis are being challenged by the emergence of strains that are resistant to several antibiotics including isoniazid and rifampicin, the two most powerful, first-line (standard) anti-tuberculosis drugsso-called multidrug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB). The treatment of MDR-TB is lengthy, toxic, expensive, and has mostly resulted in poor outcomes for patients. Importantly, the optimal treatment regimens for MDR-TB have not been determined and, to date, there have been no randomized controlled trials of treatments for MDR-TB.
In this study, a large group of international researchers (the Collaborative Group for Meta-Analysis of Individual Patient Data in MDR-TB) combined data on outcomes of 9153 patients from 32 centers to find out more about the best way of treating MDR-TB. The researchers found that the use of certain drugs, the use of four or more effective drugs, and the duration of treatment were associated with successful patient outcomes.
The authors conclude: "This individual patient data meta-analysis of 9,153 patients suggests that treatment of MDR-TB should include a later generation quinolone, and ethionamide or prothionamide. In patients who have not received second-line drugs before, the optimal number of likely effective drugs appears to be at least four in the initial intensive phase, and at least three in the continuation phase. The duration of therapy associated with highest odds of success was 7-8.5 months for the initial intensive phase, and 25-27 months for total duration."
However, these findings should be interpreted with caution because of the limitations in the methods and type of data used in the study. The authors say: "In view of the serious limitations of these observational data, these findings should be considered to have highlighted several important questions for future clinical trials.
These questions include the role and choice of injectables (medications that have to be given by injection), the optimal duration of an injectable and total therapy, and the potential value of later generation quinolones as well as certain group 4 and group 5 drugs."
###
Funding: Partial funding for the assembly of individual patient data and meta-analysis was provided from the Stop TB Department of the World Health Organization, through a grant from USAID. Funding for data gathering at participating centres came from the following sources: in the State of California from the US Centers for Disease Control Cooperative Agreement Funds; in Italy from the European Community's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007-2013) under grant agreement FP7- 223681; in Mexico (Veracruz) from the Mexican Secretariat of Health, the National Institutes of Health of the United States (A135969 and K01TW000001), the Wellcome Trust (176W009), the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (55000632), and the Mexican Council of Science and Technology: SEP 2004-C01-47499, FOSSIS 2005-2 (14475), (87332); in South Africa from the South African Medical Research Council funding. Funding was provided to the following investigators: M Bauer and D Menzies were supported by salary awards from the Fonds de Recherche en Sante de Quebec, L Shah was supported by CIHR (Canada Graduate Scholarship), Neel Gandhi received a Doris Duke Charitable Foundation Clinical Scientist Development Award. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decisions to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.
Competing Interests: JR is a Consultant for bioMerieux. WWY has been indirectly sponsored to participate in International Conferences by GlaxoSmithKline and Pfizer in the last 3 years. CDM is on the Scientific Advisory Board for Otsuka pharmaceuticals development of OPC67683 (Delaminid), a new anti-TB compound. SK received salary support from the Eli Lilly Foundation as part of funding for the activities of Partners In Health by the Foundation's MDR-TB Partnership. This funder was not involved in the study design; collection, analysis and interpretation of data; writing of the paper; and/or decision to submit for publication. The Partners In Health project in Tomsk received funding from Mr. Tom White, the Open Society Institute, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. None of these funders were involved in the study design; collection, analysis and interpretation of data; writing of the paper; and/or decision to submit for publication. KD is an unpaid, volunteer member of the New Diagnostics Working Group (NDWG), formed of members of the Stop TB Partnership. The Secretariat of the NDWG is hosted by FIND (Foundation for New Innovative Diagnostics). JB was working as consultant for Otsuka Pharmaceutical for the implementation of clinical trial in Peru. JB was co PI of a NIH grant in Peru, Epidemiology of Tuberculosis. MP and GP are members of the Editorial Board of PLOS Medicine. All other authors have declared that no competing interests exist.
Citation: Ahuja SD, Ashkin D, Avendano M, Banerjee R, Bauer M, et al. (2012) Multidrug Resistant Pulmonary Tuberculosis Treatment Regimens and Patient Outcomes: An Individual Patient Data Meta-analysis of 9,153 Patients. PLoS Med 9(8): e1001300. doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.1001300
IN YOUR COVERAGE PLEASE USE THIS URL TO PROVIDE ACCESS TO THE FREELY AVAILABLE PAPER (THIS LINK WILL BECOME LIVE WHEN THE EMBARGO LIFTS):
Dick Menzies
Montreal Chest Institute
McGill University, Montreal, Canada
Dick.Menzies@McGill.ca
Phone 1-514-934-1934 - ext 32128
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
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.
If you don?t take care of your body, where are you going to live? This is a riddle often proffered by physical education teacher, Sarah Nelson, to students at Bailey Elementary School
When summer fades to fall and the days get shorter, Minnesotans drift indoors. Often, this results in less physical activity. Mrs. Nelson wants to teach kids healthy habits that are beneficial to lifelong fitness and improved wellness. She tells them that making their hearts stronger helps make their brains smarter. This is based on research that indicates increased blood flow from physical activity not only helps the body, but improves memory, test scores and behavior.
Nelson observes two primary obstacles to regular fitness; children are either over-scheduled with activities not involving physical activity or sedentary. ?Kids in this district do have an advantage,? Nelson says. ?They get gym class four days a week in elementary school. Most other districts provide gym only two or three days per week. The extra time helps keep kids fitter. It also helps us teach fitness by incorporating fun sport units.?
Some elementary sport units include football, tennis, ultimate Frisbee, jump ropes, roller-skating, bowling, badminton and basketball. Nelson adds, ?We never actually play football, but instead play games that incorporate the skills. It?s about having fun, being active and teaching the values of teamwork and good sportsmanship, not necessarily becoming athletes.?
Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has backed teen star Raheem Sterling to become a fans' favourite at Anfield after his dazzling show against champions Manchester City.
Sterling marked the first Premier League start of his career with a virtuoso performance in Sunday's 2-2 draw with City and the 17-year-old was rewarded with a glowing tribute from Rodgers.
After spending the last year watching Stewart Downing deliver a series of lacklustre displays on the wings for Liverpool, the arrival of the pacey Sterling was also greeted with delight on the Kop at Anfield.
Jamaica-born Sterling, who joined Liverpool from QPR two years ago, gave City defender Kolo Toure a torrid time and Rodgers claimed he never doubted the England youth international had what it takes to shine on the big stage.
"It was an easy decision. I said when I first came in, I wouldn't judge people on their status, on what they are or what they have done, but on what I see in front of me," Rodgers said.
"He is a young player who has just improved every single day since I came in here.
"He was a player that played on his own in the one v ones.
"And you look at him fighting for the team, his tactical understanding playing a really experienced player - he was blocking the lines of the pass, he was pressing at the right time, he was coming back to block the lines inside.
"For a 17-year-old playing against the champions, I thought his performance was fantastic but he has a long way to go because you have got to be consistent and that is something I'll have to keep a close eye on."
Liverpool are still looking for their first win of the season but morale at Anfield will be greatly enhanced after the Reds recovered from their woeful 3-0 defeat at West Bromwich Albion to deliver a more vibrant display against City.
They deservedly twice led through Martin Skrtel and Luis Suarez but defensive errors allowed Yaya Toure and Carlos Tevez to equalise.
Liverpool's Spanish left-back Jose Enrique is confident there is much better to come from the Reds once they adapt to Rodgers' desire for a slick passing style.
Jose Enrique likes the idea of dominating possession in the style of Barcelona, but he believes it will take time to emulate the Spanish giants.
"We are trying but because there is a new manager we need time. If we can play like this I think we will get many points," the former Villarreal and Newcastle left-back said.
"The best team in the world is the best example - Barcelona. You can see against Real Madrid a few days ago, how when they have the ball it is amazing and when they lose it, within three or four seconds they have it back.
"This the way we try to play. We can't compare with Barcelona - they are different, but we are trying to play like this.
"We are starting to learn but we are learning well."
(FILE | The Associated Press) In this Monday, June 18, 2012, file photo, Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., looks on during a campaign event with Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney at Monterey Mills in Janesville, Wis. When small business owners vote in the presidential election in November, one factor in their choice may be Paul Ryan?s ties to a small company, the construction firm in Janesville, whose roots go back to the business his great-grandfather started in 1884.
New York ?
On his way to becoming a congressman from his hometown of Janesville, Wis., Paul Ryan worked in a small business ? a construction company with roots that reach back to the firm that his great-grandfather started in 1884.
Although the future GOP vice presidential candidate worked at Ryan Inc. Central doing marketing for just a short time ? from 1997-98 ? that experience may help the Romney-Ryan ticket. The obstacles that small businesses face hiring more workers are among the biggest issues in this presidential election. The perception that Ryan understands their problems could bring in votes ? even though he was chosen largely because of his conservative stance on federal spending.
"I always appreciate folks who have spent time in the real world," says Nick Balletta, CEO of TalkPoint, a New York firm that runs online broadcasts for businesses. "In the real world, there?s payroll that needs to be made, bills that need to be paid and customers that need to be satisfied."
The GOP might convince business owners that despite the brevity of Ryan?s time at the company that "it was a valid experience and he would be more likely to understand their situation," says Trey Grayson, director of Harvard University?s Institute of Politics. He also may appeal to independent voters including small business owners in parts of states like Wisconsin, Florida, Nevada, Illinois and Michigan that have struggled more than other areas of the country, says David McCuan, a political science professor at Sonoma State University in Rohnert Park, Calif.
"Ryan helps at some level in certain states," he says. "It?s an open question of whether he helps in the big picture."
Both Ryan and Vice President Joe Biden have spent almost all their working lives in politics. Biden was elected to the New Castle, Del., County Council shortly before he turned 27 and to the Senate when he was nearly 30. Ryan was 28 when he was elected to Congress. Biden?s resume doesn?t include time at a small business, but he talks about the financial struggles of his father, who lost money in business ventures, had to move in with Biden?s grandfather and had jobs that included cleaning boilers and managing a car dealership. That has helped voters identify with his middle-class childhood, McCuan says.
"Biden does a really good job of connecting with the common working person" and that appeals to small business owners, he says.
Ryan has that quality as well, and "brings that everyman kind of pitch" to the GOP ticket, McCuan says. That can mitigate the feeling among voters that Romney can?t connect with people, he says. But, he adds, both candidates look like a regular guy, someone you?d want to have a beer with.
Biden?s experience as vice president is more relevant than his resume.? "No matter what the background of Joe Biden was before, that trumps everything else," Grayson says. ?
story continues below
Nonetheless, Ryan?s small business ties will likely come up during the campaign.
Ryan Inc.?s operations include excavation and building site preparation for commercial and residential construction. It also builds golf courses and creates wetlands. Although it?s based in Janesville, much of its work is done elsewhere ? it has offices in Elgin, Ill., and Hagerstown, Md., and has worked on projects across the Midwest, Northeast and Southeast.
"What we do is move piles of dirt from one place to another" using equipment like bulldozers, says Adam Ryan, company president and Paul Ryan?s cousin. Their grandfathers were brothers.
The company has between 100 and 125 full-time employees at its three locations and during the construction season, that number rises to between 300 and 500 workers, Adam Ryan says. Ryan Inc. is small enough that it doesn?t make the list of the 40 biggest employers in Rock County, where Janesville is located. But the business is highly regarded in the city of nearly 64,000 because of the connection to the Ryan family, says Vic Grassman, Janesville?s director of economic development.
The cousins went to high school together but didn?t work together at Ryan Inc. Adam joined the firm after Paul was elected to Congress. Paul Ryan, who earned less than $30,000 at Ryan Inc., helped the company "figure out what kind of work we should be pursuing," Adam says.
"My recollection is that it did lead to projects for us," Adam says. Neither he nor the Romney campaign could provide specifics. Paul Ryan doesn?t have an ownership stake in the company, according to his cousin and the campaign.
Like other Republican lawmakers, Paul Ryan has called for the repeal of the health care law that the Supreme Court upheld in June. He?s critical of government spending and regulations created under the Obama administration. Although Ryan and Romney have campaigned on issues like health care and regulations that affect small companies, Adam Ryan says his biggest concern as a small business owner is getting more sales in a construction environment that remains weak following the recession.
Next Page >
Copyright 2012 The Salt Lake Tribune. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Taiwan warned Sunday that Typhoon Tembin was likely to return as people struggled to clear mud-filled homes after the storm pounded the south of the island with the heaviest rains in more than a century.
The storm appeared to be heading back towards Pingtung county where people were still reeling from the flooding sparked by Tembin when it swept across the southern tip of the island Friday.
Tembin weakened to a tropical storm after moving out to sea the same day but the Central Weather Bureau said it had intensified into a typhoon again Sunday.
"Tembin regained strength and became a typhoon again early this morning. It was moving east-southeasterly," the bureau said.
Although the typhoon was still hundreds of kilometres (miles) from the island, the bureau predicted downpours in the south and southeast and called on people there to take precautions.
On its current track, Tembin was forecast to make landfall again in Pingtung and move northward off the east coast.
The storm's unusual movement was largely affected by Typhoon Bolaven, which was gaining momentum and churning towards southern Japan and predicted to hit Okinawa. Bolaven was about 800 kilometres (500 miles) east of Taiwan.
Tembin, which forced more than 8,000 people to evacuate their homes islandwide, unleashed torrential rain in Pingtung county that was described as the worst in more than a century.
Weather bureau data indicated Pingtung as a whole received 724 millimetres (29 inches) of rain since Wednesday, while the township of Hengchun saw more than 600 millimetres of rainfall on Friday alone.
Television images Sunday showed soldiers helping people remove thick mud from their homes in the flooded area.
As of 0330 GMT, Typhoon Tembin was around 400 kilometres southwest of the main southern city of Kaohsiung. With a radius of 180 kilometres, the typhoon was packing gusts of up to 119 kilometres per hour and moving east-southeast at eight kph.
Being uncertain about your financial future can cause stress and depression. Use the tips below to better manage your personal finances.
One of the benefits of online banking is that your bank can send you online alerts to help you manage your money. You can set your account to notify you automatically, via phone or email, when certain things happen to your account. Banks will send out warnings for a low account balance or an unusual transaction, for instance. Alerts help prevent fraud.
The best way to accumulate money and saving is to make a budget for less money than you earn, and stick to it. By developing proper spending procedures, you will begin to save money for the future. It?s simple?spend less than you make.
When checking your mail, pay attention for notices from creditors alerting you of changes to accounts. You have a legal right to be informed of changes 45 days in advance. Decide if the changes negate the value of having that account. If you don?t like the changes, then by all means, close your account!
It is vital that you use a safe method for disposing of old financial documents. A shredder is the best way to dispose of documents. Fraud or identity theft are real dangers if you leave your sensitive documents to the mercy of recycling or waste disposal. Protect yourself from this by doing a thorough job.
If you have had a hard time qualifying for credit for a large purchase, such as a home, have a look at your credit reports. You credit score may be compromised by outdated or inaccurate information. If you notice an issue, contact the credit bureau right away.
Plan at least one calender day every month to pay bills. You won?t spend the entire day paying down bills, obviously, but the payment of your debt does warrant its own day. Schedule the date on your own calendar and make it a habit you always keep. If you forget to pay your bills on this day, things could snowball.
Consider using a flexible spending medical account. Everything that you put away will lower your tax liability on your payroll check.
When thinking about your personal finances, patience will save you money. Many people buy the latest and greatest electronics as soon as they come out. If you can be patient and wait just a little while, you can get the same products for less. You will then have much more money available to purchase other products you like.
Keep an up to date filing system, saving all necessary financial documents that you need for filing income taxes. Take all of your insurance, health care, rent, income, and financial documents and keep them in a file cabinet.
Make sure your credit card is payed through an automatic system via your bank. Even though you may not be able to pay off your credit card balance each month, at least making the minimum payment on time will establish a positive credit record. Setting up automatic payments is an easy way to ensure that you make every payment on time.
Having a garage sale is a great way to make some spending money and also rid the house of clutter. You may even want to consider offering your neighbors the opportunity to consign their unwanted things that you could sell at your yard sale for a small portion of the price. You can get as creative as you would like with a garage sale.
Nobody desires to go through losing their own home. Consider if your personal finances would be easier to maintain if you moved in a home with a lower mortgage or rent payment. You do not want to be evicted after failing at repayment efforts. Some people are wise and they think ahead.
Work with a tax planner to overhaul your financial situation. Think about the investments of pre-tax income you can make through your employer. Set these pre-tax dollars aside for medical expenses. Take advantage of all the 401K matching programs and workplace programs that your company offers you. Try your best to make the most of your money.
It can seem overwhelming to try to rehabilitate your finances after years of neglect. But with determination and patience, you can do it. The most important thing is that you do a great deal of research and ask the advice of financial advisers. Apply the advice from above to put your finances back in order.
Things You Can Do In Order To Save Money
compare secured credit cards ? Being able to properly manage your personal finances is one of the most important skills you can have. If you have never studied up on personal financial management, chances are that you are making mistakes that are costing you a great deal of money. This article is loaded with personal finance tips to help you better your life.
If you own your own home, be sure to get frequent refinance quotes to make sure you aren?t paying too much for your home. Interest rates are always shifting, so check often, and if you get a good offer, go ahead and refinance your home. You can often save hundreds of dollars each month with a lower interest rate. Be sure to find a loan that doesn?t charge hidden fees.Instead of paying full-price for new release books, CD?s and DVD?s, consider applying for a library card at your local public library. You can return these items after you are finished and will pay next to nothing to do so. Libraries are also a great source of free entertainment for families with young children.
What are you spending on your kids? It is easy to put too much money from the budget in this department, especially when times are good. While your kids need many things, you should not be providing all of their wants, especially, if it is not in the budget. This will make it easier to save for their college education and to help them when they get older, with anything they might need.Consider driving a used car instead of borrowing money to buy a new car. If you buy a new car, you will be paying a lot of interest. It is not worth the interest for the amount of money you will be losing on the value of the vehicle as soon as it leaves the lot!
As stated in the beginning of this article, it can be hard to deal with with your personal finances. But, now if you use the tips provided to you above, you will see your finances to be more secure. In turn, you may find your whole life to be improved. Click credit card application for bad credit
If you are looking for car loans with bad credit, it may be no difficulty. The bulk people do not consider you can get auto loans with bad credit but this is not forever the case. There are more than a few dealerships or car broker who specialize in receiving loans for people with bad credit.
If you are in the need for an auto loan and have bad credit here are some tidbits that may be helpful to you. Since not every dealership offers exacting finance you may want to start by doing a small training. You can do a search on line for local dealerships or car brokers who have special finance department. One more way may be to ask associates and family members if they have had a alike need for car loans with deprived credit.
The key is to find a car dealership or car agent who really cares about you and your state of affairs. There are some salespeople out there that may think particular financing a worrying state and these may be the people you want to avoid.
Look for a seller that treats you with admiration and shows eagerness toward finding you an auto loan despite your bad credit. Let's face it, bad credit is already stressful to those that carry a low credit score. There is no need to further the agony as you search for a car loan under bad credit situation.
Are you in need of a vehicle and you needed to get it fast? Do you need to get a car loan, but you know you have bad credit? Car loan, bad credit not a big deal, type of lenders is all over the place. You can get your loan regardless of your credit by using the following methods that work and have worked for some time. First, if you know that you have manifold repossession and totally horrifying credit you need to go in front and hit up that buy here, pay here lot you were thoughts about going to. Just make sure you get some sort of guarantee and they will report to your credit for you. Also, get the vehicle checkered out by a mechanic before you purchase it and not their mechanic.
Second, you can get online to get your car loan. There are plenty of seats you can go online to get your loan. These comprise American General, Prosper, Bar None, and a handful of others that are more local to certain areas. Just be honest with them and they will work with you as best they perhaps can.
WASHINGTON (Aug. 22, 2012) -- The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff says the military must undergo three transitions in the coming years, with each dependent on finding the best way forward in lean economic times.
During a town hall Aug. 16, in Rosemount, Minn., Gen. Martin E. Dempsey told Minnesota National Guardsmen determining the best way to transform the military isn't just about what's best for the armed forces, but "really about figuring out what's best for the country" in the years ahead.
"What does the nation need in 2020?" Dempsey asked. "How do we build that capability? How do we deliver in a way that's affordable for the nation?"
"We're all citizens first," he said. "Therefore, I think we've got to figure out how to help the country through that economic challenge while preserving the military that it needs."
Dempsey highlighted his three transitions. First, he said, is to move from a military that is generally focused on deploying for combat into one that can perform missions besides counterinsurgency.
Service members of his generation were criticized as being "stuck in [a] Cold War mentality," Dempsey said.
"It was a challenge, I will admit to you," he said, "for us to change the way we looked at problems from that Cold War paradigm into the counterinsurgency paradigm."
"I would submit to you that those of you that have done nothing but [counterinsurgency] are going to have exactly the same challenge going back to looking at other kinds of warfare," he said.
But that's exactly what service members must do, Dempsey said. "Not because we think it's on the horizon, but it could be someday and you can't wait until it's there to get ready for it."
The second transition is economic, he said, and involves managing a shift from the "largely unconstrained budgets of the last ten years -- 'if you needed it you got it' -- to something that is going to be more constrained."
That might make service members uncomfortable, the chairman said, but the military has an obligation to become more affordable to the country. "Why? Because national power is actually the aggregate of three things, not just the military," Dempsey said. "It is the military, but it's also economic well-being and it's also diplomatic influence."
The last transition is the drawdown of military members. Over the next five to six years, the Army and Marines will reduce in size by about 120,000 people in total, he continued.
"We owe it to those young men and women who have served so honorably and so well to make sure we take care of them," Dempsey said.
"In all of that we've got to keep faith with our military family," he said, adding that family includes veterans, wounded warriors and the parents and spouses of service members killed in action.
One way to keep faith as the Defense Department draws down is to guarantee that resources continue to be dedicated to family support programs, Dempsey said.
"The challenge of course, is we've got 1,000 flowers blooming out there," he said. "We've got to make sure that we can identify the ones that are most important and ensure we continue to resource those."
"The second way we keep faith is by pay, compensation, healthcare and retirement," the chairman added.
Finally, he said, keeping faith with the military family means providing the toughest training possible.
"I'm not keeping faith with you if I resource all that other stuff and I don't train you," he explained, "because then I send you off to war and you're not ready for it."
"Change is always uncomfortable," Dempsey said, "but often if we're agile enough, the change can actually make things better for us and improve relationships, not disrupt them."
?Writing short fiction is definitely my comfort zone.? Years ago I started out writing song lyrics, ad copy, and jokes.? These, like short fiction, are short, so when I?tried short fiction, I was?right at home.?
The following are my thoughts on?writing short fiction.? I?shall use Andrea Pearson's prompt questions as a guide.? ??
What are the steps - to you - in writing good short fiction?
The main concept behind short fiction is make a long story short.? The fewer steps involved, the better.?? I usually think of my story's ending first.? Of course, a lot of novelists do this as well.? But unlike a novelist, I want to take the quickest route to that ending.? One way to do that is to make the ending the focus of?the story.? The beginning and middle are just the means to that ending.?
When you're writing the short story, pretend that your readers are extremely busy and extremely impatient.??They will only allow you?a few seconds to grab their interest.? Consider yourself?lucky if you can?keep their interest for more than five minutes.? In short, pretend you are writing an?advertisement. How many people like long ads?? None!? The?same is true for jokes and song lyrics.? Imagine a joke?that is 200 pages long before it reaches the punchline.? Not a pretty sight!?
So your steps might be 1) Quick hook or setup, 2) Skim through the middle (or cut it out if your ending won't suffer), 3)?Hit the reader with your cool ending, punchline or bottom line.? Always remember that?step 3 is the most important.? It is the reason the impatient reader is reading your short story.? ???
?
What exactly is short fiction? (Length, etc.)
In track and field, there are sprinters and there are long-distance runners.? Short story writers are sprinters, and short fiction is the 100-meter dash.? The novelist, by contrast, is the long-distance runner, and the novel is the marathon.??
The same story can often be told?as a short story or in a novel.??Short fiction is?the disapline of communicating as much information with the fewest words possible.? ?By contrast, a novelist tries to stretch out the story without losing the reader's interest.??
Do you feel this is an inborn talent for people, or something that can be achieved through practice and hard work?
I feel it's a combination of talent, practice and hard work.?I've heard writers complain that short fiction is difficult, but for me, holding a reader's interest for 200 to 1000 pages seems like a daunting task.?
Again, some of us are?naturally sprinters and some are natural long-distance runners--but hard work and?determination can make any novelist a short-fiction writer.? ??
Have you seen short fiction translate successfully to the big screen?
If memory serves, Rudyard Kipling's "The Man Who Would Be King" was a short story that made an excellent action-adventure film.? Interestingly enough, screenplays are about the same length as most short fiction, so I would imagine that any short story could easily be translated into a screenplay.?
What is your favorite piece of short fiction? Why?
"The Tell-Tale Heart" by Edgar Allen Poe.? It has all the intensity, suspense and drama you will find in a thriller novel, but you can read it in one sitting--that leaves you time to play golf.?
Who is your favorite short fiction author? Why?
O. Henry!? I love his twisted endings!?
What makes good short fiction?
If it is not too long, it's good short fiction.?
What is the most difficult part of writing in this genre?
Cutting all those scenes you are hopelessly in love with, but do nothing to move the plot forward.?
?
Not having to fill hundreds of pages with more words than you really need.?
?
?
?
?
_____________________
This weeks challenge:
Let's focus on short fiction.?
You have until Thursday, August 30, 2012 at midnight to write and post, and it can be in any format.
I will read, comment on, and feature your responses a week from today.
* Have your title say FWE or Friday Writing Essential, and have the initials "LFSF" (Let's Focus on Short Fiction) in it.
* Make sure to post to the Writing Essential Group.
* Put FWE or Friday Writing Essentials and the initials "LFSF" in your tags. (I won't find your post without these tags.)
Have a great week! :-)
Please provide details below to help Gather review this content. If it is found to be inappropriate and in violation of the Gather Terms of Service, action will be taken.
You have successfully submitted a report for this post.
Rather than avoiding talking this out, David, Andy and Lisa need to make a decision to work this out. It?s always easier to take the lower road and to not deal with interpersonal issues because of the anxiety that sets in. But once they make the commitment, they should meet within a few days, preferably in the morning and off-site.
Critical success factor
I just purchased this book "From Newbie to Millionaire", by Christine Clayfield. I was blown away by the incredible value for the small price I paid! No matter what stage you are at with your online marketing business, even if you are totally new to it, this is the book to help you get started marketing good money. Christine Clayfield is a millionaire seller and has banked over 1 million dollars in sales in just one year! She has been selling online for a little over five years and she knows what she is talking about! You get her actual wealth building formula from A to Z.
According to a recent survey from Just Systems and reported on by japan.internet.com into social gaming, almost half the players had spent money on it, and 60% of them regretted their purchases!![[ Back to EurekAlert! ]](http://www.eurekalert.org/images/back2e.gif){kind=small}
Public release date: 28-Aug-2012
Share ] 