From Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki
WASHINGTON (Dec. 22, 2010)-- The second year of our declared
independence found General George Washington's Continental Army encamped
at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. In the week before Christmas of 1777,
more than 12,000 poorly-clothed, hungry and near-frozen American
soldiers were huddled against a brutal winter, enduring the numbing cold
as disease ravaged their ranks. As many as 2,000 of them did not
survive Valley Forge.
General Washington wrote that, "unless some great and capital change
suddenly takes place. . . this Army must inevitably. . . starve,
dissolve, or disperse, in order to obtain subsistence in the best manner
they can."
Despite these bleak conditions, the fighting men of the Continental Army
lifted their own spirits, located much needed supplies and took to
training with determined vigor. They honed their basic fighting skills,
learned new tactics, preserved their dwindling strength and disciplined
themselves for the difficult campaign that would follow. It was an act
of sublime courage and determination. Six months later, the Continental
Army marched out of Valley Forge fit and ready, stronger and more
cohesive as a fighting force, and went on to seize American
Since that winter, American patriots in an unbroken line have found
themselves on duty during the holiday season each year. Our freedom and
security as a nation has required it. So as Americans and their
families gather to celebrate these holidays, let us remember the men and
women, who sacrifice so much for our privileges, comforts and
well-being. They are away from their own families, standing watch for
us on freedom's distant frontiers. We salute their valor, past and
present, and we pray for them and our Veterans, who have so selflessly
given us the gifts we enjoy this holiday season, as we have every season
I offer my warmest best wishes for a blessed and joyous holiday to all
our serving military, our Veterans, all of their families, the survivors
of the fallen, and the members of our Veterans Affairs family, who are
privileged to serve them. May God bless each and every one of you, and
may God continue to bless this wonderful country of ours. Merry
President George H. W. Bush Invites Desert Storm Veterans to Special Bush School Event Marking 20th Anniversary of Gulf War
Rare Gathering of Bush 41 Foreign Policy Team, Foreign Dignitaries at Texas A&M Next Month to Look Back at the Liberation of Kuwait
COLLEGE STATION, Texas, Dec. 21, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- President George H. W. Bush today released a video inviting all veterans of Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm to a special Gulf War retrospective that the George Bush School of Government and Public Service is hosting next month, on January 20, 2011, on the campus of Texas A&M University. The highlight of this special milestone event will be a rare roundtable discussion between the key members of the Bush 41 foreign policy team about the historic events that led to the liberation of Kuwait.
The presidential invite video can be seen at http://bush.tamu.edu/scowcroft/, and all interested veterans of the first Gulf War are invited to register to attend at http://gulfvets.questionpro.com by 5:00pm on Monday, January 10, 2011.
SCRIPT FOR PRESIDENT BUSH-GULF WAR VET INVITE VIDEO:
Some two decades ago, you answered the call to duty and helped spearhead an unprecedented coalition of nations determined to reverse Saddam Hussein's unprovoked invasion of neighboring Kuwait. Your service in uniform during the course of Operation Desert Shield / Desert Storm did more than eject the invaders and uphold international law. Your courage, honor and selflessness also helped unite and inspire our Nation and heal the wounds of Vietnam.
It was, without a doubt, a great honor to serve as your Commander-in-Chief.
Next month, on January 20th, the George Bush School of Government and Public Service will convene a rare gathering of key players and distinguished guests at Texas A&M University to reflect on those momentous events that culminated in the liberation of Kuwait. As someone who contributed much to that historic achievement, I hope you will accept this personal invitation to attend this special event as well.
If you can attend, we look forward to seeing you on the 20th.
If, however, you cannot join us, I hope you will once again accept my heartfelt gratitude and respect for helping the United States and our allies write one of history's noblest and most hopeful chapters.
The distinguished participants in this rare event on January 20th to mark the beginning of military operations to liberate Kuwaitare scheduled to include:
His Highness Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, The Amir of the State of Kuwait
His Excellency the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the State of Kuwait Sheikh Dr. Mohammad Sabah Al-Salim Al-Sabah
The Honorable Richard B. Cheney, former Vice President of the United States
The Honorable J. Danforth Quayle, former Vice President of the United States
The Honorable James A. Baker, III, former Secretary of State of the United States
The Honorable Colin L. Powell, former Secretary of State of the United States
The Honorable Brent Scowcroft, National Security Advisor to Presidents Gerald Ford and George H.W. Bush
General (Ret.) Walter E. Boomer, United States Marine Corps
Ambassador Ryan Crocker, Dean of the George Bush School of Government and Public Service
Members of the general public are also invited to attend and may register for tickets by calling the Texas A&M UniversityMemorial Student Center at (979) 845-1234. For more information, please go to: http://bush.tamu.edu/gulfwar/
ABOUT THE GEORGE BUSH SCHOOL OF GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC SERVICE
Opening its doors on the campus of Texas A&M University in 1997, the Bush School today ranks 22nd among public universities for public affairs programs. The School educates principled leaders in public service and international affairs, conducts research, and performs service. The Master of Public Service and Administration and the Master's Program in International Affairs are the two academic cornerstones of the School.
In addition, the Bush School offers certificate programs in Homeland Security (online), Nonprofit Management (in-residence) and Advanced International Affairs (online or in-residence). Distinguished, multidisciplinary faculty members are national and international leaders in their fields, and the School is home to the Institute for Science, Technology & Public Policy; the Mosbacher Institute for Trade, Economics, and Public Policy; and the Scowcroft Institute of International Affairs.
SOURCE George Bush School of Government and Public Service
Paid Research Volunteer Opportunity: Seattle VA study examining mindfulness-based intervention for Gulf War Syndrome.
Call Michelle at 206-277-1721.
Location: VA Puget Sound - Seattle
Written by Anthony Hardie, DAV-Wis. Special Assistant
(davwi.blogspot.com) – The U.S. House of Representatives today voted to fund the federal government into next week, buying time for the current lame duck Congress to seek a compromise effort to decide FY11 funding for the entire federal government.
At stake are all twelve FY11 appropriations bills – including the Defense (DoD), and Military Construction and Veterans Affairs (MILCON-VA) bills -- which both houses of Congress have been seeking to roll into a single bill.
The House has already passed a Continuing Resolution (CR), which, if passed by the U.S. Senate would fund the federal government at current FY10 levels.
Meanwhile, the Senate has been working on a separate, omnibus appropriations bill. However, Senate Republicans have been successful in using a variety of delaying tactics that to date have prevented the Senate from passing even a single FY11 spending bill.
At particular stake for veterans are the VA spending bill and key measures, including Congressionally directed military medical health research, in the DoD spending bill.
The current Congress ends on January 3, 2011, when the House majority will shift to Republican control. The Democrats’ control of the Senate will be retained, albeit with a smaller majority than is currently held.
According to The Hill, one of two leading Capitol Hill daily newspapers, House Republicans want to roll federal spending back to FY08 levels.
The New York Times used even stronger language, calling the current impasse a “collapse” into “partisan chaos.”
According to the Times, “Aides said that behind closed doors, White House officials and some Democratic lawmakers were still trying to strike a deal to finance the government through September. But the officials said it was much more likely that government financing would be extended only into February or March.”
With all the twists and turns in Congress over the last week, the ultimate outcome is anyone’s guess.
The Hill: House funds government for three days, forcing return of lawmakers next week
New York Times: Republicans Prepare for Looming Budget Battle
91outcomes.com: Legislative Update: Current Status of DoD Gulf War Illness Research Funding Remains Volatile
LUNG CANCER ALLIANCE REACHES OUT TO VETERANS, VETERANS HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS
Pledges Continued Support to Reduce Lung Cancer Mortality Among Veterans
Respiratory symptoms a frequently reported symptom among Gulf War veterans; CT screening may be important for some veterans
Written by the Lung Cancer Alliance
Washington, DC—Lung Cancer Alliance (LCA) salutes the nation's 21.9 million Veterans who have so nobly served our country and pledges to continue to make the high incidence of lung cancer among Veterans one of its highest priority issues.
Admiral T. Joseph Lopez, USN (Ret.), a member of the LCA board and only the second admiral in the Navy to rise to a four star rank from direct commissioning from the enlisted ranks said, “Lung cancer kills more Americans and Veterans than all other major cancers combined and it is attacking our Veterans with a higher frequency than our civilians, and now that we have incontestable evidence that early detection with CT screening can save lives, we simply must bring this benefit to our Veterans as expeditiously as possible. We can do no less.”
Admiral Lopez recommends coordination between the VA and DOD in identifying those at highest risk and developing a comprehensive program of screening and early disease management.
“If we do this right and integrate CT screening for those at high risk into our Veteran and Military healthcare system in an efficient and cost effective way, we can set the standards for the civilian population and not only extend life, but save lives,” he said.
“What we cannot do is ignore this. I believe that screening should be our first step and the optimum choice to save and extend life for potential lung cancer victims in our Veteran community,” he said.
One of the first studies to document disparity in lung cancer incidence and mortality was carried out by the VA in 1987 and indicated that former Marine ground troops in Vietnam died of lung cancer at a 58% higher rate than marines who did not serve in the war.
According to the most recent U.S.Census update, 35% of veterans today are from the Vietnam era.
Last week, the National Cancer Institute announced the results of a large, 53,000 person, eight year civilian study which showed that screening a high risk population with CT scans can reduce lung cancer deaths by 20%.
LCA President and CEO Laurie Fenton-Ambrose said: “Veterans deserve our deepest gratitude for their extraordinary sacrifice and unyielding protection of our freedoms. We can help express that by moving quickly to bring the benefits of CT screening to those who are at high risk for lung cancer.”
Lung Cancer Alliance, www.lungcanceralliance.org, is the only national non profit dedicated exclusively to providing patient support and advocacy for those living with or at risk for lung cancer. Lung Cancer Alliance is committed to reversing decades of stigma and neglect by empowering patients, elevating awareness and changing health policy.
To learn more, please click here to download the 2009 Lung Cancer and Veterans Fact Sheet (pdf).
SOURCE: http://lungcanceralliance.org/news/2010-veterans-day.html
Labels: Lung Cancer
Senate: $11.8 million for Gulf War related health research in Omnibus
(91outcomes.com) - According to a key staff member in the office of U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), a longtime, leading champion of Gulf War Illness treatment research and other Gulf War related efforts in the U.S. Senate:
Here is what I found in the most recent FY 2011 Omnibus DOD Appropriations currently under consideration.
Provides $8 million for the Peer Reviewed Gulf War Illness Research Program and $3.8 million for the ALS Therapy Development Institute Gulf War Research Project.
This will ensure continued funding at this year’s level, a wonderful outcome that is even more exceptional given the current challenges facing a lame duck Congress trying to get a lot done in a matter of days left before the end of the year.
And, General “Mic” would probably have been pleased to see this continued, designated funding for Gulf War related ALS funding.
So, in total, it appears highly likely that the FY11 funding for Gulf War related research in the CDMRP will be at $13.8 million, as described above. Excellent news!
And, according to another key Hill insider from one of the leading veterans service organizations on this issue:
We have no influence on the current funding levels (they have been set by CBO and will not be impacted).
Putting all of our energy into planning a concerted effort to influence the next Authorization funding cycle will be a much more worthy endeavor.
In everyone’s opinion [on the Hill, this year’s GWI funding level] is set in stone at this point.
As noted in the 91outcomes’ earlier article, the House version already had a provision ensuring that DoD funding continues, for the most part, at FY10 levels. As such, this includes $8 million for the peer reviewed $8 million Gulf War Illness research program.
And, if the Senate should also change course from the proposed “omnibus” appropriations act and move to a “clean” Continuing Resolution like the House has already passed, this will also result in the same funding outcomes for CDMRP Gulf War related health research.
So, good news all around!
Now is the time to begin thinking about preparing for a concerted effort in the next Congress to seek increased funding for DoD-Army-CDMRP GWI research.
Given the possibility of new inter-agency, inter-institution research consortiums being funded, having a coordinated message by all organizations and individuals contacting Congress will be of critical importance.
WHAT NOT TO DO TODAY:
Fragmented messages and random calls by individuals not really clear on what it is for which they’re asking has the strong potential of derailing efforts.
Anything perceived by members and staff in Congress as having a lack of clear unity on a particular issue -- like CDMRP GWI funding -- can lead to lots of calls and confusion and result in that particular issue – like CDMRP GWI funding -- to be left in the “too hard to do” category and left off from funding entirely.
And, the current “CR” and omnibus appropriations bills do not contain “line items” for these research programs – they’re mostly “clean” bills that simply say to continue funding across the board at last year’s levels.
This also means that there is little if any possibility of changing funding from last year’s levels.
WHAT TO DO TODAY:
So for now, individuals interested in contacting their members of Congress should simply say, “thank you” for the continued funding at this year’s level for all programs, including the DoD-Army-CDMRP peer reviewed Gulf War Illness research program.
WHAT TO DO AFTER JANUARY 3RD:
Stay tuned here on 91outcomes for updates on concerted efforts in the next Congress, which begins in January.
It will be important that Gulf War veterans speak with one voice on these critically important issues, particularly with the possibility of a need to fund consortiums with FY12 funding.
Labels: ALS, Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, CDMRP, Congress, Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program, Consortiums
Legislative Update: Current Status of DoD Gulf War Illness Research Funding Remains Volatile
(91outcomes.com) – Just like last year, monitoring Congressional appropriations actions for the FY11 peer reviewed Gulf War Illness (GWI) research program administered under the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program (CDMRP) and efforts to ensure the program’s funding success remain highly challenging.
As of today, it appears that both House and Senate actions suggest final GWI CDMRP funding for FY11 might be at $8 million, the same level as FY10. However, it should be noted that the situation continues to change rapidly. As always there are no guarantees until the entire Congress sends a final bill to the President.
Continued careful monitoring, combined with veterans advocates and organizations at the ready to contact key members of Congress, will be required.
On Wednesday, December 8, 2010, the House narrowly passed by a vote of 212-206 a Continuing Resolution (CR) that provides -- with various unrelated exceptions -- continued FY11 appropriations at FY10 levels, through September 30, 2011.
Under the CR, funding for the GWI program administered by the CDMRP reportedly would be retained at the FY10 funding level of $8 million.
Thirty-five House Democrats sided with 171 House Republicans in voting against the CR, while Eight Democrats and eight Republicans did not vote. This deep division suggests that future prospects for a final omnibus appropriations bill after Senate and conference action may also be challenging.
The Senate appropriations committee’s FY11 Defense appropriations act report language, which provides detailed funding by line item, directs $8 million for the Peer Reviewed Gulf War Illness Research Program.
The funding was requested in a letter by Senators Sanders, Bond, Feingold, Kerry, Tester, Schumer, Leahy, Durbin, Burris, Brown, Boxer, Snowe, and Kohl.
The Senate bill passed out of committee on September 16, 2010 by an 18-12 vote. Like all the other FY11 appropriations bills, the defense appropriations bill was not considered by the full Senate. However, it may very well remain a guide for future Senate action as discussed below.
Under the report accompanying the Senate bill, total appropriations for the military medical research programs currently operated by the CDMRP would be $358 million. In addition to the GWI appropriation, $150 million would be designated for peer reviewed research on breast cancer, $10 million for ovarian cancer, $80 million for prostate cancer, $60 million for psychological health and traumatic brain injury (TBI), and $50 million for the multifaceted peer reviewed medical research program (PRMRP).
It is currently expected that the Senate will combine the House’s CR into a Senate omnibus appropriations bill. Any action must be completed by the end of the current Congress on January 3, 2011.
Additionally, the FY11 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) remains an unknown variable in the legislative equation. It remains unclear whether or not the NDAA will pass before the current Congress ends and what impact, if any, an enacted NDAA might have on the CDMRP’s GWI research program.
Looking Back at Last Year: Who to Call
Last year, retaining funding for the Gulf War Illness research program was, as usual, extremely challenging for the handful of veterans advocates and organizations involved.
Initially, the Senate version of the FY10 Defense Appropriations Act lumped Gulf War Illness under the Peer Reviewed Medical Research Program (PRMRP), a catch-all that included more than two dozen conditions including GWI and funded at just $50 million. While the PRMRP restricts research to the listed conditions, there is no guarantee that research will be funded for any particular condition from among those listed.
Initially, the House failed to include funding for the GWI program at all.
However, as the bill went back and forth between the House and Senate, advocacy efforts resulted in amendments to the final bills in both chambers and final FY10 GWI funding at $8 million.
A last minute save on October 1, 2009 by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and four of his colleagues amended (SA 2559) the Senate’s bill to include an amendment that would have appropriated $12 million for the GWI program. Those Senators included Robert Byrd (D-W.Va.), Russ Feingold (D-Wis.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), and Sherrod Brown (D-Oh.).
And, a December 11, 2009 letter by Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-Oh.) and 25 other Members of Congress called for the conference committee to fund the CDMRP’s GWI research program at the Senate’s $12 million level.
Ultimately, the conference committee set final funding for the FY10 GWI program at the original, lower House level of $8 million. Both the House and Senate agreed and the final Defense funding bill was enacted by the President.
GWI research supporters Sanders, Durbin, and Brown remain in the Senate.
However, Byrd died on June 28, 2010 and is being succeeded by former West Virginia Governor Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.). Feingold was defeated in the November 2010 election and is being succeeded by Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), a Tea Party favorite.
GWI research funding supporters who signed onto the December 2010 Kucinich letter included the following. Of the 21 who remain in Congress, only four are Republicans, who will hold the majority in the House beginning January 3, 2011.
Rep. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.)
Rep. Shelley Berkley (D-Nev.)
Rep. John Boccieri
Rep. Corrine Brown (D-Fla.)
Rep. Henry Brown, Veterans’ Affairs Health Subcommittee Ranking Member
Rep. Dan Burton (R-Ind.)
Rep. Steve Buyer, House Veterans’ Affairs Committee Ranking Member
Rep. John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.)
Rep. Bob Filner (D-Calif.), House Veterans’ Affairs Committee Chair
Rep. Charlie Gonzalez (D-Tex.)
Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-Ariz.)
Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill.)
Rep. John Hall
Rep. Rush Holt (D-N.J.)
Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-Oh.)
Rep. Steve LaTourette (D-Oh.)
Rep. Frank LoBiondo (R-N.J.)
Rep. Jim McGovern (D-Mass.)
Rep. Michael Michaud (D-Maine), Veterans’ Affairs Health Subcommittee Chair
Rep. Gwen Moore (D-Wis.)
Rep. Collin Peterson (D-Minn.)
Rep. Mike Quigley (D-Ill.)
Rep. Janice Schakowsky (D-Ill.)
Rep. Patrick Tiberi (R-Oh.)
Rep. Timothy Walz (D-Minn.)
Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska)
FY11 PRMPR
PRMPR research areas in the Senate bill would include the 32 conditions listed below. Four that are particularly relevant to Gulf War veterans are highlighted. The House CR would retain the list the same as in FY10. It should be noted that the final outcome remains indeterminate.
amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS),
chronic fatigue syndrome,
chronic migraine and post-traumatic headache,
dental research,
drug abuse,
epidermolysis bullosa,
fragile x syndrome,
inflammatory bowel disease,
interstitial cystitis,
kidney cancer,
mesothelioma,
neuroblastoma,
neurofibromatosis,
osteoporosis and related bone disease,
Paget's disease,
Parkinson's,
pediatric cancer,
pheochromocytoma,
polycystic kidney disease,
post-traumatic osteoarthritis,
social work research,
tuberous sclerosis complex, and
vision research.
§ FY11 House Continuing Resolution (CR) for combined FY11 appropriations: H.R. 3082 [Would fund GWIRP at $8 million]
§ Senate FY11 Defense Appropriations Act, S. 3800 [Would fund GWIRP at $8 million]
§ Senate FY11 Defense Appropriations Act Committee Report, S. Rpt 111-295 [Would fund GWIRP at $8 million]
§ FY10 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), PL 111-84 [Authorized GWIRP at $12 million]
§ FY10 Defense Appropriations Act Explanatory Statement (essentially the conference report), p. 367 [Funded GWIRP at $8 million]
Labels: 1991 Gulf War, ALS, Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Bob Filner, CDMRP, CFS, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
National Survey Finds Gap in Doctor-Patient Communication
Editor’s comment: This study captures the experience of many ill Gulf War veterans, who, at best, have frequently had their symptoms poorly understood by clinicians due to mixed and flawed VA and DoD messages about Gulf War illnesses, and, at worst, outright ignored our discounted.
Recognizing doctor-patient communication as a serious issue in treating Gulf War veterans’ illnesses is a key step to advancing effective treatments for Gulf War veterans.
Written by Elizabeth Weise, USA TODAY
Dr. Megan Wills Kullnat, a fourth-generation physician, communicates with a new patient at her pediatric practice.
(USA TODAY) - Doctors and patients alike say that when they communicate well, healing goes better, and it can even make the difference between life and death.
But a national survey of doctors and hospitalized patients finds that, in reality, effective communication often is sorely lacking.
Only 48% of patients said they were always involved in decisions about their treatment, and 29% of patients didn't know who was in charge of their case while they were in the hospital.
"That's terrible," says Beth Lown, medical director of the Schwartz Center for Compassionate Healthcare at Massachusetts General Hospital, which commissioned the survey by Marttila Strategies in Boston. These patients "are orphans" in the hospital, she says.
Eighty-one percent of patients and 71% of doctors agreed communication made a difference in "whether a patient lives or dies," according to the survey of 500 doctors and 800 patients.
"So there's a disconnect between what people say they want and what's happening," says Gregory Makoul, chairman of the American Academy on Communication in Healthcare.
Emphasis on better communication has increased in recent years as the medical community has become more aware of its effect on patient healing. Since 1995, U.S. medical students have been required to get training in communication skills. And in 2005, the United States Medical Licensing Exam began to include testing on interpersonal and communication skills.
Communication skills and high patient-satisfaction scores can give hospitals a competitive edge as well as reduce malpractice claims, says Debra Roter, a professor at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore.
Gulf War Illness Medical Treatment Research Funding Panel Meets Today
Opening Moment of Silence Recognizes Severity of Gulf War Illness, Impact on Gulf War Veterans Two Decades After War
Written by Anthony Hardie
(91outcomes.com) – Today, the integration panel of the Congressionally directed Gulf War Illness Research Program (CDMRP is a U.S. Department of Defense military medical research funding program) will meet in the Washington, DC area to make its final determinations for funding approximately $8 million in Gulf War Illness research proposals.
The program is focused on treatments and research that will lead to treatments in order to improve the health and lives of Gulf War veterans of the 1991 Persian Gulf War.
The funding, appropriated each year by Congress, in contained in the annual Defense authorization and appropriations acts. This year’s defense authorization bill for has become the subject of news and controversy for several of the proposals it contains, though the media has made no mention of the Gulf War Illness research funding authorization it is believed to contain.
Proceedings of the panel are not public at this stage because the information being discussed includes proposals detailing proprietary intellectual property of the researchers and research institutions involved.
The funded proposals will be announced in the upcoming months, after they have been funded and contracts to perform the proposed research have been completed.
It is customary for each CDMRP panel to begin with a “Moment of Silence”. Having been given the honor of making today’s “Moment of Silence,” below is what I will be saying before the scientists, medical doctors, Gulf War veteran “consumer reviewers” and CDMRP staff and contractors begin this morning.
In recognition of the 250,000 veterans of the 1991 Gulf War who remain disabled by chronic multi-symptom illness better known as Gulf War Illness, may God bless these efforts, all the researchers who have worked so hard to develop proposed solutions to help improve the health and lives of Gulf War veterans, and the CDMRP staff, contractors, and reviewers, and the veterans all involved hope to help.
MOMENT OF SILENCE DEDICATION – Anthony Hardie, Gulf War Veteran
Delivered at the Commencement of the Gulf War Illness Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program’s Integration Panel Meeting at metro Washington, DC., December 2, 2010
The following are real stories from real Gulf War veterans who have written to me in the last few months.
From a A Missouri Navy Gulf War Veteran with PTSD and GWI: “I am a 90-91 veteran of the Gulf War. I have tried to receive help for many years through the Va and other sources. Since my discharge from the Navy I feel as though I really have not had a "good day" , when I am not sick with physical problem I am so withdraw from the outside world. I really don't know why I am writing this to you I just seen this and thought maybe someone would understand. Could you tell me where I could go or what you think Is wrong maybe you have encountered other veterans with some of these same problems.
“I have chronic breathing problems and bad stomach aches and body aches. My nose runs all the time and I have this persistent cough and a lot of time have hoarseness. I hate nighttime I do not sleep. I have severe anxiety and insomnia. I have severe mood swings and most of the time just want to be alone I cannot be around groups of people and really do not ever want to carry on conversations with anyone. I do not have friends and really do not want them. I just feel like life isn't going to be long for me so its hard for me to see the future. Is there any information or advice you could give me to help me and my family before I loose them all. Thank you your fellow veteran.”
And, From a female Gulf War veteran: “I finally (today) filed for VA disability for issues I have been dealing with since 1991 and that have increasingly gotten worse in the last 10 yrs. I filed for Fibromyalgia, Fatigue, tinnitis, headaches, plantar fascitis, and IBS. I did take the little pills and get the shots before deploying, but the military didnt keep records of this! There were also the black pesticide trucks all over Khobar where I lived every night. Main problem is that now, at 42, I can no longer handle the episodes or manage them with rest, diet, supplementation, etc, and new symptoms are cropping up now. I do not think I can work and support myself in a few years when they worsen even more.”
And, after responding to her, “THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU - It is nice to have someone tell me I have a case for my 19 years of suffering!!”
And, from A Medically Retired Army Gulf War Veteran from Kentucky: “ I'm feeling a little crappy, but oh well. I will live. Never had these rashes before the gulf. And they get bad and I get much sicker like I am now . Then my norm. But I have faith, things are going to get better.”
…And so, for the veterans like the Missouri Gulf War veteran with PTSD and GWI who has given up hope…
…For the 42-year-old female Gulf War veteran who is relieved just to know she has a case for her 19 years of suffering….
…For the Gulf War veteran from Kentucky who has faith in what we have been doing and what we are about to do here today…
…And for the approximately 250,000 of our fellow Gulf War veterans still dealing with chronic and debilitating multi-symptom illness not explained by any known psychiatric or medical diagnosis, please join me in a moment of silence before we begin this critically important work today and May God bless our efforts here today.
Labels: CDMRP, Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program, Gulf War Illness Research Funding, Gulf War Illness Treatments


Because contact lenses are worn directly on the eye, they can potentially cause side effects. The lenses, roughly the same diameter as a person’s iris, float on a layer of tears right in front of the cornea. Contacts are not “one size fits all,” and in fact must be carefully prescribed to match not only the person’s prescription but his eye size and shape. When they are prescribed and fitted properly, contact lenses provide great vision, including peripheral vision, and they are hardly noticeable.
Contact lens designs have taken advantage of new materials technology and are more comfortable to wear than ever before. Lenses are often coated or impregnated with moisturizing agents that keep the eye from drying out. Ciba Vision is a brand that uses a substance called hydrogel, a substance designed to keep the eye moist all day. Wearers report that they are extremely comfortable. But Ciba Vision isn’t the only brand of contact lenses. Acuvue, made by Johnson & Johnson, is one of the top-selling brands of contact lenses in the world.
A few decades ago, the only choices in contact lenses were “hard lenses” or “soft lenses.” The vast majority of people who need vision correction can wear soft contact lenses, which are the ones most often seen in advertisements. Contact lenses today are assumed to be soft lenses unless otherwise specified. These can correct nearsightedness, farsightedness, presbyopia (problems with close vision that often develops as people get older), and astigmatism. People who have very mild astigmatism can often rely on the shape of the lens itself to gently push the cornea into a more regular shape, mainly correcting mild astigmatism without having been specifically prescribed with astigmatism correction.
Though the overwhelming majority of contact lenses are soft lenses, there are still some types of hard contacts available. They are made of a stiff plastic called polymethyl methacrylate, or PMMA. While they can correct vision problems that may not be manageable with soft contacts, they are the least comfortable contact lenses. There are also rigid gas-permeable lenses, which are more comfortable than PMMA lenses and can be worn overnight for up to one week.
When it comes to soft contact lenses, there are several varieties, including daily wear, disposable, and one-day lenses. Daily wear lenses must be removed at night for cleaning and storage. They’re then put back in the next morning. While they may last for a year and are economical, they can be uncomfortable to wear for long periods of time or in dry, windy weather.
Enzymatic cleaning
With daily wear lenses, weekly enzymatic cleaning is often necessary. This is an extra step in the cleaning process that cleans protein deposits and other substances that can build up on lenses. When daily wear contacts are handled haphazardly, or when cleaning and storage instructions are not followed faithfully, contact lens side effects can include pink eye and even ulceration of the cornea.
Disposable contact lenses may be designed only to be worn during waking hours or to be worn overnight. They are used for a period of one day to one month and then discarded. Lenses designed to be worn for longer than a day have to be cleaned and stored when they are taken out. One-day disposable contact lenses are considered the safest contact lenses available because the only handling they require is that of putting them in and taking them out.
Contact lens side effects are rarer with disposable lenses than with daily wear lenses but can include eye irritation, pink eye, and only very rarely corneal ulceration. They must be fitted and prescribed as carefully as daily wear lenses and must still be handled with clean hands.
Special effects contacts
Some contact lenses are not worn for vision correction at all, but for special effects or fashion. Colored contact lenses are made with varying degrees of tint to subtly or radically alter eye color. The lighter the wearer’s natural eye color, the less tint that is required to change eye color. People with dark eyes must use the so-called opaque contact lenses to change the color of their eyes. Though the tiny dots that make up the color are opaque, they aren’t one solid sheet of color. The circle in the center of the lenses is clear and fits over the wearer’s pupil.
With opaque contact lenses, the circular area over the pupil is of a fixed diameter, and human corneas open wider or get smaller depending on the amount of ambient light available. In conditions of low light, the pupil opens widely, and the opaque portion of the lens may partly cover the outer edges of the pupil, partly obstructing vision. Wearers usually don’t find this to be much of a problem. Another contact lens side effect with opaque colored contact lenses is that they may shift slightly when the wearer blinks. This shifting may cause part of the opaque portion of the lens to block part of the pupil for a brief instant after blinking until the lens shifts back into place. Some of the newer designs claim to stay in place better to combat this problem.
Opaque contact lenses can be made with or without vision correction so that people who have perfect vision can still take advantage of the ability to change eye colors. These lenses, called Plano lenses, still require an eye doctor’s prescription, because in the U.S. all contact lenses are part of the purview of the Food and Drug Administration, which has declared that a prescription is necessary when ordering contact lenses online.
Another just for fun type of contact lens is the special effect lens. These are available from numerous online retailers and are very popular for costume parties, Halloween, and going to clubs in some parts of the world. The special effects consist of outrageous colors, swirls, patterns, cat-eye pupils, starburst patterns, and even blackout and whiteout effects. The blackout and whiteout effects are made with what is called scleral lenses. They cover more than just the iris of the eye; they cover the entire visible part of the eye. They are only meant to be worn on special occasions for short periods of time. Scleral lenses had the contact lens side effects of irritation but extended to the entire visible part of the eye rather than just the iris and the cornea.
Special effect contact lenses are generally made with no vision correction, though some companies will custom make special effects lenses with prescriptions for an extra charge and with the extra wait time.
Proper cleaning and handling of contacts
While contact lenses are manufactured and packaged under very strict conditions, the fact that they are inserted directly onto the eye opens up the opportunity for contact lens side effects. A speck of dust or a truant eyelash trapped under a contact lens can feel as irritating as a grain of sand. Proper cleaning and handling of lenses will minimize the possibility of a foreign object making it into the eye.
Human error is almost always the cause of contact lens side effects, but there are people whose eyes simply cannot adjust to having a foreign object on them, and there are people with allergies to the materials the lenses are made from or the cleaning solutions that must be used with all contact lenses except for daily disposables.
In 2006, Bausch & Lomb, one of the largest, oldest, and most respected makers of contact lenses recalled one of its contact lens cleaning solutions, Renu, when it was associated with an eye fungus called Fusarium keratitis. Of the patients with the infection, most wore soft contact lenses and reported using Renu solution on them. However, a few of the patients reported that they did not use Renu, and several patients said they wore lenses overnight, which is associated with greater risk of infection regardless of lenses or solutions. But contact lens side effects like the outbreak of Fusarium keratitis are extremely rare.
Bifocal and monovision contacts
Perhaps the main reason people wear contact lenses is that they feel like they look better in contacts than they do with glasses. They are also convenient and do a great job of correcting vision. Contact lenses can now correct vision problems that required glasses to correct in the past. In addition to nearsightedness, farsightedness, and presbyopia, contact lenses can be made to correct for astigmatism and can even be made into bifocal contact lenses for people who hate the idea of wearing bifocals. Another contact lens technique that can take the place of bifocals is what is called monovision. With monovision, one eye is corrected for distance vision, and the other eye is corrected for close vision. After the patient’s eyes adjust to the new vision correction, they report not noticing that the correction is different for each eye and that the brain compensates for it, allowing clear distance and near vision.
The best candidates for wearing contact lenses include people who need correction all the time. People who wear glasses only part-time don’t always adjust to wearing contacts for extended periods. Potential contact lens wearers must be willing to commit to the time and effort of handling the lenses properly every time they are inserted, removed, and cleaned. People who play sports may find contact lenses superior due to the better peripheral vision compared to eyeglasses, and for reasons of safety.
People who should probably not wear contact lenses
People who should probably not wear contact lenses include those who are unwilling to commit to handling and storing them properly. People who have trouble using their hands, in cases of arthritis or other conditions may find that contact lenses are not worth the effort. People with uncontrolled diabetes, asthma, and allergies may find it difficult to adjust to contact lenses, as will people who have naturally dry eyes. Those with chronic infections of the cornea are far more prone to experiencing adverse contact lens side effects.
The fact is that millions of people worldwide wear contact lenses with no problems and no contact lens side effects. Anyone who is tired of wearing eyeglasses or who would like to see what they would look like with different colored lenses should consult their eye care professional about getting fitted for contacts.
Tags: Acuvue, cleaning process, disposable, eye color, side effects


Brigantine Schools the Latest to Announce Remote Learning in September
Gilles Glod/Thinkstock
School-aged children in Brigantine will not be hopping aboard school buses next month as yet another district has announced they will begin the year virtually.
In an e-mail sent to parents of children in Brigantine schools Thursday evening, it was announced that they, "...will be starting the school year fully remote on September 8th."
In the statement, Glenn Robbins, Superintendent of Schools, said,
Today, two crucial pieces of information came to our attention, which is why we will be starting the school year fully remote on September 8th. We will continue to evaluate and plan for a re-entry date on/or before November 11, 2020, the end of our first marking period for the 2020-2021 school year.
First, in accordance with the requirements of the Department of Education, we are unable to fully staff the physical building to protect the health and safety of all students and staff. The second crucial piece of information in regards to changes came to us in discussion with the Atlantic County Department of Health. It was stated that for the safety of all students and staff, they must be at least 6 feet apart or more at all times, and that barriers and/or masks cannot be used as substitutes. This includes prior to boarding the school bus at the bus stop, while on the bus, and in the school building at all times. These ever-evolving changes along with inconsistent guidance from Trenton have placed us in a situation that we had hoped we would not have to face.
As a parent and school leader, I am disappointed that we are unable to open in person on September 8th, but I am confident that our remote plan of everyday virtual learning with direct instruction will be a leading institution for others to model from.
Officials say they will continue to evaluate and plan for a re-entry date on or before November 11th, which is the end of the first marking period.
2020 Election: NJ changing the way you vote
Source: Brigantine Schools the Latest to Announce Remote Learning in September
Filed Under: Brigantine, New Jersey Coronavirus
Categories: News, South Jersey News


ghost towns, urban exploration and abandoned places at night
Trip The Rhyolite Fantastic
Rhyolite under the starry Milky Way. Rhyolite is one of the best known ghost towns in the West, founded in 1904, and at one point having a population of 10,000. This evening, I was excitedly testing a new lens, an Irix 15mm f/2.4, which seems quite good so far. I illuminated the former Cook Bank building with a hand-held LED flashlight during the 15 second exposure.
Saluting The Night Sky
The Car Forest is an art installation outside Goldfield, Nevada. I drove up from Beatty to photograph here on a gorgeous evening, surrounded by braying and sometimes galloping burros. Many of these cars were repainted since my last visit, some for the better, and some by idiots.
This Blood Red Room
Photographing the abandoned and apparently haunted penitentiary at night was creepy, interesting, exciting, and sometimes challenging. The penitentiary has imposing Gothic stone architecture adorned with turrets and like a castle, and has an extremely violent history, with almost a thousand deaths within these stone walls. Photos were created with only a handheld flashlight in total or near total darkness. Tim Little and Mike Cooper also photographed here the same evening. The former West Virginia State Penitentiary, a National Historic Places Registered facility, operated by the Moundsville Economic Development Council in Moundsville, West Virginia, was built in 1866, just three years after West Virginia seceded from Virginia, and closed in 1995.


Mathematics and Physics at the Crossroads
6 June 2016 to 30 September 2016
INFN - Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati <!--ID_UTENTE=509-->
LNF Map and Travel Directions
Participants Schedule
Topical Workshops
About Frascati
lia.sabatini@lnf.infn.it
Frascati is a town and comune in the province of Rome in the Lazio region of central Italy. It is located 20 kilometres (12 mi) south-east of Rome, on the Alban Hills close to the ancient city of Tusculum. Frascati is closely associated with science, being the location of several international scientific laboratories. Frascati produces the white wine with the same name. It is also a historical and artistic centre.
The most important archeological finding in the area, dating back to Ancient Roman times, during the late Republican Age, is a patrician Roman villa probably belonging to Lucullus. In the first century AD its owner was Gaius Sallustius Crispus Passienus, who married Agrippina the Younger, mother of Nero. His properties were later confiscated by the Flavian imperial dynasty (69–96 AD). Consul Flavius Clemens lived in the villa with his wife Domitilla during the rule of Domitian.
According to the Liber Pontificalis, in the 9th century Frascati was a little village, probably founded two centuries earlier. The name of the city probably comes from a typical local tradition of collecting firewood ("frasche" in Italian)—many place-names around the town refer to trees or wood. After the destruction of nearby Tusculum in 1191, the town's population increased and the bishopric moved from Tusculum to Frascati. Pope Innocent III endorsed the city as a feudal possession of the basilica of San Giovanni in Laterano, but in the following centuries its territories were ravaged by frequent raids that impoverished it. It was owned by various baronial families, including the Colonna, until, in 1460, Pope Pius II fortified the city with walls.
At the beginning of the sixteenth century, Pope Julius II gave Frascati as a feudal possession to the condottiero Marcantonio I Colonna, who lived there from 1508 together with his wife Lucrezia della Rovere (1485–1552), niece of Pope Julius II. In 1515 Colonna gave Frascati its first statute, Statuti e Capituli del Castello di Frascati, under the Latin title Populus antiquae civitas Tusculi.
In 1518 a hospital was built, named after St. Sebastiano, in memory of the old basilica destroyed in the 9th century. After Prince Colonna's death in 1522, Lucrezia della Rovere sold Frascati to Pier Luigi Farnese, nephew of Pope Paul III.
On May 1, 1527 a Landsknecht company, after having sacked Rome, arrived out of the bordering villages. However, the soldiers changed the direction of their movement next to a niche, a "Rural Aedicule" consecrated to the Virgin Mary, and the town was therefore saved. This event is commemorated by a church now called Capocroce.
In 1538, Pope Paul III conferred the title of "Civitas" to Frascati, with the name "Tusculum Novum". In 1598 construction began on a new cathedral dedicated to St. Peter.
On September 15, 1616 the first public and free school in Europe was established on the initiative of Saint Joseph Calasanz. Religious holiday in Frascati: arrival of St Joseph Calasanz and the image of Our Lady (1823).
On June 18, 1656 a part of the plaster peeled off a wall inside the Church of St. Mary in Vivario, and an ancient fresco became visible. It was the image of Saints Sebastian and Roch, protector from the plague. In that same year there was an epidemic of plague in Rome but Frascati was unaffected. Since that year, the two Saints have been co-patron Saints of the city. There are statues of the two saints in the façade of the Cathedral.
In 1757 the Valle theater opened in the centre of the town, and in 1761 the fortress changed to a princely palace under the patronage of Cardinal Henry Stuart, Duke of York.
In 1809 Frascati was annexed to the French Empire, and selected as the capital of the Roman canton.
In autumn 1837, there was a plague epidemic in Rome, and 5,000 people left Rome. Frascati was the only city that opened its doors to them. Since then Frascati's flag has been the same as Rome's, yellow and red. In 1840 the "Accademia Tuscolana" was founded in the city by Cardinal-Bishop Ludovico Micara.
In 1856 the city was chosen as the terminus of the Rome–Frascati railway, the first railway to be built by the Papal State. The last section of the railway line was opened in 1884, 14 years after the city became part of the new Kingdom of Italy. On December 17, 1901, Frascati started to receive electricity from a hydroelectric plant in Tivoli.
In 1906, an electric tram line opened for service between Frascati, Rome and Castelli Romani. The trams traveled wholly along tracks laid down on existing streets as an interurban electric streetcar (light rail). In 1954 the electric tram line was replaced by buses. Another electric tram service, the Rome and Fiuggi Rail Road, called "Vicinali", was opened for service in 1916. It connected Frascati, Monte Porzio Catone, Monte Compatri and San Cesareo. This tram line was destroyed in 1943 and was replaced by buses.
In 1943, during World War II, Frascati was heavily bombed because it contained the German General Headquarters for the Mediterranean zone. Approximately 50% of its buildings, including many monuments, villas and houses, were destroyed. One thousand Italians and 150 Germans died in that air strike[1] and in a second air strike on January 22, 1944, the day of the battle of Anzio (Operation Shingle). The city was liberated from the Nazi German occupation on June 4, 1944 by the 85th Infantry Division. In 1944–1945 the ruins of the buildings were used to fill in a valley, and that land now supports the "8 September Stadium".
Frascati is famous for its notable villas, which were built from the 16th century onwards by Popes, cardinals and Roman nobles as "status symbols" of Roman aristocracy. These country houses were designed for social activities rather than farming. The villas are substantially well preserved, or have been carefully and authentically restored following damage during World War II. Villa Aldobrandini. The main villas are:
Villa Parisi
Villa Falconieri
Villa Grazioli
Vialla Lancellotti
Villa Muti
Villa Ruffinella or Tuscolana
Vila Sora
Villa Mondragone
Villa Sciarra
The Cathedral (Cathedral Basilica of St. Peter Apostle) was designed by Ottaviano Nonni, known as "Mascherino", and the original structure was completed in 1598. A new high façade was added between 1698–1700 by Gerolamo Fontana. The cathedral was demolished by bombing in 1943, and the reconstructed interior appears bare. On the inner side of the façade is the tombstone of Charles Edward Stuart.
The Church of the Gesù (Frascati), designed by the Jesuit architect Giovanni De Rosis, was built at the end of the 16th century, and it has niches on the façade with statues attributed to Pietro da Cortona. The most significant feature of the interior is the trompe l'oiel false dome and other architectural features. These were created by Andrea Pozzo and are copied from models developed for the church of Sant'Ignazio in Rome. In 1773 Cardinal Henry Benedict Stuart, Duke of York, reconsecrated the church to the Holy Name of Jesus and to St. Gregory the Great.
The Bishop's Palace, the old "Rocca" ("Castle"), is a massive construction with two square towers and one rounded one. The Bishop of Frascati resides here. The Palace is flanked by the former cathedral, the church of Santa Maria in Vivario, with a campanile (1305) featuring three orders of three-mullioned windows.
The civic archaeological museum at the Scuderie Aldobrandini ("Aldobrandini Stables") exhibits archaeological finds from the ancient city of Tusculum and the nearby area. It has scale models of the Tuscolane Villas.
The Ethiopian Museum of Cardinal Guglielmo Massaia (1809–1889), a missionary who was buried here, in the Capuchin friary, whose church is dedicated to St. Francis of Assisi, houses works by Giulio Romano and Cristoforo Roncalli. It can be visited on request.


https://rocketswire.usatoday.com/2019/10/17/gm-survey-james-harden-forces-most-adjustments-by-other-teams/
GM survey: James Harden forces most adjustments by other teams
Superstar Houston Rockets guard James Harden forces the most adjustments of any NBA player for opposing teams, according to NBA.com‘s annual GM survey for the 2019-20 season.
From the survey:
Which player forces opposing coaches to make the most adjustments?
1. James Harden, Houston — 48%
2. Stephen Curry, Golden State — 17%
LeBron James, L.A. Lakers — 17%
4. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee — 14%
5. Kevin Durant, Brooklyn — 3%
Last year, James led the way with 60% of the vote in response to that question. Harden was second with 20% in the October 2018 survey.
Harden finished with a career-high 36.1 points per game last season, along with 7.5 rebounds and 6.6 assists. Though he finished second in the league’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) voting after winning it the prior season, it seems Harden’s 2018-19 exploits have made him even more feared among league executives relative to a year ago.
Headlined by his legendary step-back jumper, Harden made 36.8% of his three-pointers last season, even on an extremely high volume of 13.2 attempts per game. The combination of Harden’s shooting efficiency with his ballhandling, passing, on-court intelligence, and his crafty knack for drawing fouls (11.0 free throws per game) makes him an extremely tough cover for opposing defenders and a nightmare for coaches to plan for, as shown in the survey results.
In five preseason games this month, Harden is averaging an astonishing 28.6 points, 9.4 assists, and 6.8 rebounds in just 27.7 minutes per game — which would seem to indicate that the 30-year-old hasn’t lost a step since his scoring binge last season.
Elsewhere in the GM survey, Harden was selected by 86% as the NBA’s top shooting guard, up from 73% a year ago.
Harden also received votes for being the league’s best passer; having the best basketball IQ; who will win MVP this season; and what player each GM would want taking a shot with a game on the line.
Harden and the Rockets will begin their 2019-20 regular season in just one week, with a nationally televised home opener on Thursday, Oct. 24 versus 2019 MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks.
Harden scores 40, but Rockets' defense struggles in loss to Spurs
James Harden, Russell Westbrook share new Sports Illustrated cover
Highlights: How Houston's James Harden dazzled versus Raptors
Rockets beat Clippers in Hawaii behind James Harden's 37 points


Articles From : laurengoodman
laurengoodman
Emotional Inflammation: Discover your Triggers and Reclaim Your Equilibrium during Anxious Times - Free Webinar with Lise Van Susteren, MD and Stacey Colino
If the news and other current events have you feeling anxious or outraged, you’re not alone. There is a name for this: emotional inflammation, a state that’s not unlike post-traumatic stress but stems from simply living in a world that feels increasingly out of control.
During the webinar, you’ll have the chance to identify how you react to intense circumstances, and you will learn several individualized strategies to relieve stress, improve critical thinking, and reclaim your inner calmness.
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DEEPAK CHOPRA on Solutions News on Friday, September 18th
On this week’s episode of Solutions News, we’re interviewing the well-known Deepak Chopra, a prominent figure in the New Age movement, author, and advocate for alternative-medicine. Chopra founded the Chopra Foundation, a nonprofit that researches well-being and humanitarianism. He is the author of over 90 books, and we will be discussing his recent Metahuman: Unleashing Your Infinite Potential on the show among other fascinating and solutions-oriented topics.
Lorenzo Kristov, PhD talks about the need for microgrids to achieve a clean, renewable, and resilient future on Solutions News
Source: World Business Academy Last week, the World Business Academy welcomed Lorenzo Kristov, PhD on Solutions News, a radio show hosted by Rinaldo Brutoco that airs live on KZSB 1290am and as a podcast.
Riane Eisler on Solutions News on Friday, September 11th
Riane Eisler is a social systems scientist, cultural historian, and attorney whose research, writing, and speaking has transformed the lives of people worldwide. Her newest work, Nurturing Our Humanity: How Domination and Partnership Shape Our Brains, Lives, and Future, shows how to construct a more equitable, sustainable, and less violent world based on partnership rather than domination.
Lorenzo Kristov on Solutions News on Friday, September 4th
Lorenzo Kristov is an independent consultant focusing on power system transition to integrate high levels of renewable generation and distributed energy resources. In the 2000s, Kristov was a lead designer of the locational marginal pricing-based market structure the California Independent System Operator (CAISO). He later led initiatives to redesign the transmission planning process and the new generator interconnection process to accommodate rapid growth of renewable energy projects in California.
Congresswoman Julia Brownley on Solutions News on Friday, August 28th
Julia Brownley was first elected to Congress in 2012 to serve as the Representative for California’s 26th District, which encompasses most of Ventura County and a portion of Los Angeles County. Brownley has served on the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis, and has also been selected to serve as one of the House Democratic Caucus’s Senior Whips.
Hazel Henderson on Solutions News on Friday, August 21st
Hazel Henderson is the founder of Ethical Markets Media, LLC and the creator and co-executive producer of its TV series. She is a world-renowned futurist, evolutionary economist, worldwide syndicated columnist, consultant on sustainable development, and author of The Axiom and Nautilus award-winning book Ethical Markets: Growing the Green Economy and eight other books.
Director of Office of Emergency Services Patrick Maynard on Solutions News
Patrick Maynard has exhibited tremendous leadership during numerous major incidents affecting the residents of Ventura County during the past nine years. He has the skillset to handle any major emergency and has forged the necessary relationships to activate all of the right resources to solve a problem. Maynard has taken the helm during a critical time when one of the greatest challenges confronts Ventura County residents: the coronavirus pandemic.
Solutions News is welcoming George Eskin, retired judge of the Superior Court of Santa Barbara County, on Friday, August 7th.
During his tenure on the bench, Judge Eskin’s primary assignment was a criminal trial department, where he established a Military Veterans Treatment Court Calendar, and he also presided in a civil trial department. He was appointed by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court to serve four years on the Criminal Law Advisory Committee to the Judicial Council. Santa Barbara Women Lawyers Foundation honored him as its 2012 Founding Father, and he received the 2013 John T. Rickard Judicial Service Award by the Santa Barbara County Bar Association.
Erik Talkin, SB County Foodbank CEO, on Solutions News
Solutions News is welcoming Eric Talkin, CEO of the Santa Barbara County Foodbank, on Friday, August 1st. For the past ten years, Erik’s goal has been to help the Foodbank become an organization that moves people from hunger to nutritional self-sufficiency and health – both for themselves and their communities. He also serves on the Board of Directors of the California Association of Food Banks and the National Advisory Council of Feeding America.
Apr 14 2020 10:54 AM
This Week Solutions News Features Voice from the Climate Strike
On this episode of Solutions News, we are mixing things up. Last week we interviewed Brent Goodlet who organized the General Climate Strike that occurred on September 27, 2019 - the day we recorded this show. In honor of this action and the millions who participated in the youth-led strikes that occurred around the world on September 20, 2019, we are going to take a listen to some of the young voices and others who are making this a global event.
Solutions News Welcomes Brent Goodlet (replay)
Brent Goodlet is a postdoctoral scholar and community organizer focused on grassroots campaigns. After coming to terms with the dire warnings of the scientific community about the climate crisis that we all now face, Brent and the Climate Strike SB team organized Santa Barbara’s first Climate Strike in September of 2019. They embraced the powerful and disruptive potential of a global general strike, as it is now being called for by numerous national and international groups, including 16-year-old climate activist Greta Thunberg and her global Fridays For Future movement.
Solutions News Welcomes Stacy Pulice
On this episode replay of Solutions News we focus on citizen engagement. We are thrilled to welcome our guest, psychologist, educator, and environmental advocate Stacy Pulice. We take a look at how citizen scientists are helping advance humanity’s knowledge. From working with NASA to identify extraterrestrial planets, to counting larvae of some of the rarest pollinators, some of the most important science these days is being done by passionate volunteers.
Solutions News Welcomes Jon Aimonetti, Executive Director of Fairview Gardens
WHAT: This week’s Solutions News live radio broadcast and podcast interviews Jon Aimonetti
WHEN: 5 to 6 pm Friday, March 27, 2020
WHERE: KZSB 1290AM
This week Solutions News welcomes Rep. Tom Malinowski
Rep. Malinowski represents the 7th District of New Jersey. He served as a Senior Director on President Clinton’s National Security Council where he worked to end conflicts around the globe. He then served as the chief advocate for Human Rights Watch, where he led the bipartisan campaign to end the use of torture by the Bush Administration. Later he served the Obama Administration as Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor where he helped lead America’s fight for human rights around the world.
This week Solutions News welcomes Dr. Douglas Metz
Dr. Metz became Deputy Director Primary Care/Family Health at the Santa Barbara County Public Health Department in 2016. Before moving to the Central Coast, he served as COO at Tri-City Health Center in Fremont, CA and served in leadership roles in community health-center settings and other health-related nonprofits in the San Francisco Bay Area. Dr. Metz was a part-time instructor in health sciences at San Jose State University for nine years, and spent 16 years of his professional life as a practicing podiatric physician and surgeon in San Jose.
This week Solutions News Radio welcomes Sandy Blair
On this episode of Solutions News we interview Sandy Blair, Air Force veteran and Founder of the nonprofit Operation WEBS. Operations WEBS, which stands for Women Empower Build Strong, works to provide stability for veterans and sustainable housing solutions for those facing homelessness. Sandy served twelve years in the Air Force and four years as a Peace Officer. She faced adversity upon medical discharge from the Air Force and struggled to find employment. Sandy eventually obtained her real estate license and used her past to fuel her mission to take action and start a nonprofit.
This week, Solutions News radio and podcast welcomes Susanne Chess and Bob Evans
On this episode of Solutions News, we interview Susanne Chess and Bob Evans. Susanne has a passion for business with more than 30 years of key management experience. She is a recognized business leader in Santa Barbara, CA and has spoken at the Women’s Economic Venture Group and the UC Santa Barbara symposia on International Business, and received the Spirit of Entrepreneurship Award for Santa Barbara County. Bob Evans has dedicated his career to executing projects to better our oceans and society, focusing heavily on coastal desalination.
This week "Solutions News" welcomes David Gershon
On this episode of “Solutions News,” we will interview David Gershon, co-founder and CEO of the Empowerment Institute and “the number one expert on social change.” David has dedicated his life to empowering humanity to believe that we can create the world of our dreams and design the strategies and tools to help us make this a reality. David is the author of twelve books, including the award-winning Social Change 2.0: A Blueprint for Reinventing Our World and the best-selling Empowerment: The Art of Creating Your Life as You Want It.
Feb 10 2020 03:26 PM
THIS WEEK "SOLUTIONS NEWS RADIO" WELCOMES DAS WILLIAMS
On this episode of Solutions News we interview Das Williams, current Santa Barbara County First District Supervisor and Santa Barbara and Ventura County local. Williams is running for reelection to provide solutions for clean energy and public service protection. Topics he will address include gun violence, carbon emissions, disaster preparedness, and county revenue sources. In the past, Williams has served as a Santa Barbara City Councilmember, leading the local movement toward renewable energy and helping protect teachers from layoffs during the recession.


Die klinische Prüfung in der Medizin
Die klinische Prüfung in der Medizin pp 53-57 | Cite as
Clinical research in accordance with national and international codes, with emphasis on the Protocol of the Bioconvention of the Council of Europe
Povl Riis
Part of the Veröffentlichungen des Instituts für Deutsches, Europäisches und Internationales Medizinrecht, Gesundheitsrecht und Bioethik der Universitäten Heidelberg und Mannheim book series (IMGB, volume 17)
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Riis P. (2005) Clinical research in accordance with national and international codes, with emphasis on the Protocol of the Bioconvention of the Council of Europe. In: Deutsch E., Schreiber HL., Spickhoff A., Taupitz J. (eds) Die klinische Prüfung in der Medizin. Veröffentlichungen des Instituts für Deutsches, Europäisches und Internationales Medizinrecht, Gesundheitsrecht und Bioethik der Universitäten Heidelberg und Mannheim, vol 17. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-26722-0_6


Tackling climate change one city — and carbon budget — at a time
A governance tool for reaching the municipalities emission targets, Oslo’s ‘Climate Budget’ budgets the city’s CO2 emissions in a similar manner to the city’s finances.
“Oslo is part of a global trend. More than 55 % of people live in cities and urban areas today; a proportion that is expected to increase to 68% by 2050. So we need to find climate-friendly solutions so that all those people can live in our cities,” explains Vegar Andersen, one of Oslo’s seven Vice Mayors.
Cities are already responsible for around 70 % of global green gas emissions today. They also have huge financial resources to localise, and many of them are already threatened by the climate crisis. A few municipalities around the world are taking bold climate action, leading the way towards a healthier and more sustainable future. Oslo, which was designated European Green Capital in 2019, wants to be position itself as a role model to other cities.
The city’s ambition is to reduce its global emissions by 50 % by 2020 and by 95 % by 2030. “CO2 emissions is a political matter and must be dealt with in a matter of government,” says Andersen. In 2017, the city developed a Climate Budget as a governance tool for efforts to achieve these targets. Oslo’s Climate Budget is fully integrated into the budget of the government. It’s a management tool for achieving the city’s goal to become zero-emission by 2030, and it is directly linked to Oslo’s financial budget.
Wha does a Climate Budget do?
A Climate Budget like the one implemented in Oslo shows whether the existing measures to reach climate targets are sufficient. It also imposes an obligation on all municipal bodies to submit regular status reports on the climate measures for which they are responsible.
Oslo wants to create a livelier urban society, with more green spaces, better air quality, and easier access to nature and opportunities for outdoor recreation and prioritise climate measures that will help to achieve the city’s emission goals. But this doesn’t come without efforts. “Everyone must contribute and look towards the same direction. Everyone must want to decrease emissions and everyone must be held accountable,” says Oslo’s Vice Mayor.
Everyone, meaning all sectors. The 36 measures within the Oslo’s Climate Budget have been developed to tackle GHG emissions from waste, buildings, and transport sectors.
Transport is the main source of greenhouse gas emissions in the Norwegian capital. “Road traffic is the largest emissions source in the city, and accounted for 54 % of all emissions in 2016,” explains Vegar Andersen. The rapid phasing out of fossil-fuelled vehicles is therefore essential for the achievement of Oslo’s climate goals. The city is now implementing a variety of strategies in order to improve accessibility and the capacity in the public transport system. The goal is to reduce car traffic into the city by 20 %. The city also wants to implement a rapid transition to low- and zero-emission vehicles. At the start of 2018, already 17.5 % of privately owned cars in Oslo were chargeable vehicles. The city also shows its ambition to keep well-maintained bike roads and lanes throughout the year to improve security and accessibility. “That might come as a surprise, but people in Oslo are biking all year round!”, adds Anderson. 60 kilometres of additional bike roads or lanes are planned to be built on a network of prioritised stretches.
When it comes to the buildings, Oslo wants to encourage fossil-free construction projects and reinforced efforts to promote fossil-free construction practices. A ban on fossil heating fuels will come into effect in 2020 for the building sector. Waste treatment is another priority: “We have a circularity approach to waste,” explains Andersen adding that the city currently recycles 40 % of its waste, and aims to reach 60 % by 2030.
Earlier this week, executive secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, Patricia Espinosa said that if we manage to address climate change in cities, we’ll be in a very good situation to address the global challenge. “I believe what is important is that climate change is embedded in all planning and agenda of all level of government. So addressing climate change doesn’t become a side program for those governments,” she added.
Oslo’s climate budget was the first document of its kind in the world, but other cities like New York City are considering Norway-style bill to budget climate emissions like finances. This is the kind of ambitious climate action the world needs. And we need it now.
Picture Copyrights: Oliver Cole. Oslo.
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