Wayne State part of international effort to understand chemical movement, processes in oceans

Public release date: 30-Nov-2012
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Contact: Julie O'Connor
julie.oconnor@gmail.com
313-577-8845
Wayne State University - Office of the Vice President for Research

DETROIT - From the middle of the country, a Wayne State University researcher is working to advance understanding of the movement of chemical compounds through the world's oceans.

Mark Baskaran, Ph.D., professor of geology in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, has received a three-year, $190,000 grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) for a project that will follow the pathways and cycling of two trace elements in the Pacific Ocean from Peru to Tahiti.

Titled "GEOTRACES-210Po and 210Pb distribution at Eastern Pacific Interface Regimes," the project will examine levels of polonium (Po) and lead (Pb) isotopes in water samples from Peru to Tahiti to investigate how much carbon is exported from the upper 100 meters of ocean water to deeper waters, and how hydrothermal waters released from the bottom of the ocean affect the removal of polonium and lead. While some of the key trace elements and isotopes (TEIs) to be measured during the sampling expedition have been induced by humans, others are the result of radioactive decay of naturally occurring uranium.

During a two-month cruise beginning in October 2013, Baskaran and WSU student John Niedermiller will collect thousands of liters of water samples from up to 5,000-meter depths for polonium and lead analysis in various types of waters, including those with high biological activity, those with low oxygen, and hydrothermal plumes (areas of warmer water). Such plumes can affect a number of biological processes, including large areas of algae bloom.

Baskaran's work is part of the GEOTRACES project, which has been funded by the NSF since its official inception in 2008, although the research groups involved started working together in 2004. GEOTRACES brings together scientists from some 30 countries to study how recent environmental changes especially those resulting from increased industrial and commercial activity in the last 200 years have affected distribution of key TEIs and chemical processes that take place in the ocean.

"The surface of the earth and the environment are undergoing tremendous changes," Baskaran said. "Water masses move from one ocean to another. By using key TEIs, we can study the processes that control these chemical species."

GEOTRACES defines key TEIs as micronutrients essential to life in the ocean; tracers of modern processes in oceans; substances significantly perturbed by human activities; and proxies that are usable to reconstruct the past.

Based on his previous research with polonium and lead isotopes, Baskaran believes samples from the selected area will prove useful in tracking changes that have occurred. His team's data will be added to that of researchers studying other TEIs in the same samples to provide the best possible assessment of what has occurred and when, especially within the past century.

Findings of all GEOTRACES researchers will be compared and integrated with data gathered from the Geochemical Ocean Section Study (GEOSECS), funded by the NSF and conducted in the 1970s. GEOSECS was designed to collect information on chemical and biological processes taking place in the world's oceans. Scientists plan to study all major ocean basins over the next decade.

GEOTRACES researchers will combine their findings with those of GEOSECS in order to create a more complete understanding of such processes. One example, Baskaran said, is that by learning more about the role of micronutrients in causing things like large algal blooms, researchers can determine whether the blooms can be minimized.

"Understanding and predicting are the goals of our work and that of other GEOTRACES researchers," he said. "Once we have a really good handle on what processes are taking place, prediction becomes much easier."

###

The National Science Foundation grant number for Baskaran's study is OCE-1237059.

Wayne State University is one of the nation's pre-eminent public research universities in an urban setting. Through its multidisciplinary approach to research and education, and its ongoing collaboration with government, industry and other institutions, the university seeks to enhance economic growth and improve the quality of life in the city of Detroit, state of Michigan and throughout the world. For more information about research at Wayne State University, visit http://www.research.wayne.edu.

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

Public release date: 30-Nov-2012
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Julie O'Connor
julie.oconnor@gmail.com
313-577-8845
Wayne State University - Office of the Vice President for Research

DETROIT - From the middle of the country, a Wayne State University researcher is working to advance understanding of the movement of chemical compounds through the world's oceans.

Mark Baskaran, Ph.D., professor of geology in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, has received a three-year, $190,000 grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) for a project that will follow the pathways and cycling of two trace elements in the Pacific Ocean from Peru to Tahiti.

Titled "GEOTRACES-210Po and 210Pb distribution at Eastern Pacific Interface Regimes," the project will examine levels of polonium (Po) and lead (Pb) isotopes in water samples from Peru to Tahiti to investigate how much carbon is exported from the upper 100 meters of ocean water to deeper waters, and how hydrothermal waters released from the bottom of the ocean affect the removal of polonium and lead. While some of the key trace elements and isotopes (TEIs) to be measured during the sampling expedition have been induced by humans, others are the result of radioactive decay of naturally occurring uranium.

During a two-month cruise beginning in October 2013, Baskaran and WSU student John Niedermiller will collect thousands of liters of water samples from up to 5,000-meter depths for polonium and lead analysis in various types of waters, including those with high biological activity, those with low oxygen, and hydrothermal plumes (areas of warmer water). Such plumes can affect a number of biological processes, including large areas of algae bloom.

Baskaran's work is part of the GEOTRACES project, which has been funded by the NSF since its official inception in 2008, although the research groups involved started working together in 2004. GEOTRACES brings together scientists from some 30 countries to study how recent environmental changes especially those resulting from increased industrial and commercial activity in the last 200 years have affected distribution of key TEIs and chemical processes that take place in the ocean.

"The surface of the earth and the environment are undergoing tremendous changes," Baskaran said. "Water masses move from one ocean to another. By using key TEIs, we can study the processes that control these chemical species."

GEOTRACES defines key TEIs as micronutrients essential to life in the ocean; tracers of modern processes in oceans; substances significantly perturbed by human activities; and proxies that are usable to reconstruct the past.

Based on his previous research with polonium and lead isotopes, Baskaran believes samples from the selected area will prove useful in tracking changes that have occurred. His team's data will be added to that of researchers studying other TEIs in the same samples to provide the best possible assessment of what has occurred and when, especially within the past century.

Findings of all GEOTRACES researchers will be compared and integrated with data gathered from the Geochemical Ocean Section Study (GEOSECS), funded by the NSF and conducted in the 1970s. GEOSECS was designed to collect information on chemical and biological processes taking place in the world's oceans. Scientists plan to study all major ocean basins over the next decade.

GEOTRACES researchers will combine their findings with those of GEOSECS in order to create a more complete understanding of such processes. One example, Baskaran said, is that by learning more about the role of micronutrients in causing things like large algal blooms, researchers can determine whether the blooms can be minimized.

"Understanding and predicting are the goals of our work and that of other GEOTRACES researchers," he said. "Once we have a really good handle on what processes are taking place, prediction becomes much easier."

###

The National Science Foundation grant number for Baskaran's study is OCE-1237059.

Wayne State University is one of the nation's pre-eminent public research universities in an urban setting. Through its multidisciplinary approach to research and education, and its ongoing collaboration with government, industry and other institutions, the university seeks to enhance economic growth and improve the quality of life in the city of Detroit, state of Michigan and throughout the world. For more information about research at Wayne State University, visit http://www.research.wayne.edu.

---

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

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-11/wsu--wsp113012.php

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Meditation with art therapy can change your brain and lower anxiety

Public release date: 29-Nov-2012
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Lee-Ann Landis
leeann.landis@jefferson.edu
215-955-2240
Thomas Jefferson University

(PHILADELPHIA) Cancer and stress go hand-in-hand, and high stress levels can lead to poorer health outcomes in cancer patients. The Jefferson-Myrna Brind Center of Integrative Medicine combined creative art therapy with a Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program for women with breast cancer and showed changes in brain activity associated with lower stress and anxiety after the eight-week program. Their new study appears in the December issue of the journal Stress and Health.

Daniel Monti, MD, director of the Jefferson-Myrna Brind Center of Integrative Medicine and lead author on the study, and colleagues have previously published on the success of Mindfulness-based Art Therapy (MBAT) at helping cancer patients lower stress levels and improve quality of life.

"Our goal was to observe possible mechanisms for the observed psychosocial effects of MBAT by evaluating the cerebral blood flow (CBF) changes associated with an MBAT intervention in comparison with a control of equal time and attention," says Monti. "This type of expressive art and meditation program has never before been studied for physiological impact and the correlation of that impact to improvements in stress and anxiety."

Eighteen patients were randomly assigned to the MBAT program or an education program control group. All had received the diagnosis of breast cancer between six months and three years prior to enrollment and were not in active treatment. The MBAT group consisted of the MBSR curriculum (awareness of breathing, awareness of emotion, mindful yoga, walking, eating and listening), paired with expressive art tasks to provide opportunities for self-expression, facilitate coping strategies, improve self-regulation, and provide a way for participants to express emotional information in a personally meaningful manner.

Patient response to the MBAT program was measured using a 90-item symptom checklist, completed by each patient before and after the eight-week program. In addition, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used pre and post-program to evaluate cerebral blood flow, corresponding to changes in the brain's activity. Scans were performed at rest, during a "neutral task" (control), meditation task, stressor task and at rest againdesigned to evaluate the general as well as specific effects and provide a thorough analysis of the CBF changes between the pre and post-program scans.

Participants in the MBAT group demonstrated significant effects on cerebral blood flow compared with the control group. The MBAT group showed increases in the emotional centers of the brain including the left insula which helps us to perceive our emotions, the amygdala which helps us experience stress, the hippocampus that regulates stress responses, and the caudate nucleus that is part of our brain's reward system. These increases correlated significantly with a lowering of stress and anxiety, as also reflected in the results of the pre and post-program anxiety scores among the MBAT intervention group.

The observed psychological and neuropsychological changes are consistent with current literature that states that MBSR interventions have shown to reduce anxiety, depression and psychological distress in a variety of populations. These have been associated with improved immune function, quality of life and coping effectiveness in women with breast cancer.

Given the improvements in anxiety levels and observed changes in CBF in the MBAT participants, these findings suggest that the MBAT program helps mediate emotional responses in women with breast cancer. "With the sample size enlarged, perhaps we can extrapolate these results to other disease populations and gain a fuller understanding of the physiological mechanisms by which mindfulness practices confer psychological benefits," says Monti.

###

Thomas Jefferson University Hospitals

Thomas Jefferson University Hospitals (TJUH) are dedicated to excellence in patient care, patient safety and the quality of the healthcare experience. Consistently ranked by U.S. News & World Report among the nation's top hospitals, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, established in 1825, has over 900 licensed acute care beds with major programs in a wide range of clinical specialties. TJUH is one of the few hospitals in the U.S. that is both a Level 1 Trauma Center and a federally-designated regional spinal cord injury center. TJUH patient care facilities include Jefferson Hospital for Neuroscience, the region's only dedicated hospital for neuroscience, Methodist Hospital in South Philadelphia, and additional patient care facilities throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey. TJUH partners with its education affiliate, Thomas Jefferson University.

---

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

Public release date: 29-Nov-2012
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Lee-Ann Landis
leeann.landis@jefferson.edu
215-955-2240
Thomas Jefferson University

(PHILADELPHIA) Cancer and stress go hand-in-hand, and high stress levels can lead to poorer health outcomes in cancer patients. The Jefferson-Myrna Brind Center of Integrative Medicine combined creative art therapy with a Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program for women with breast cancer and showed changes in brain activity associated with lower stress and anxiety after the eight-week program. Their new study appears in the December issue of the journal Stress and Health.

Daniel Monti, MD, director of the Jefferson-Myrna Brind Center of Integrative Medicine and lead author on the study, and colleagues have previously published on the success of Mindfulness-based Art Therapy (MBAT) at helping cancer patients lower stress levels and improve quality of life.

"Our goal was to observe possible mechanisms for the observed psychosocial effects of MBAT by evaluating the cerebral blood flow (CBF) changes associated with an MBAT intervention in comparison with a control of equal time and attention," says Monti. "This type of expressive art and meditation program has never before been studied for physiological impact and the correlation of that impact to improvements in stress and anxiety."

Eighteen patients were randomly assigned to the MBAT program or an education program control group. All had received the diagnosis of breast cancer between six months and three years prior to enrollment and were not in active treatment. The MBAT group consisted of the MBSR curriculum (awareness of breathing, awareness of emotion, mindful yoga, walking, eating and listening), paired with expressive art tasks to provide opportunities for self-expression, facilitate coping strategies, improve self-regulation, and provide a way for participants to express emotional information in a personally meaningful manner.

Patient response to the MBAT program was measured using a 90-item symptom checklist, completed by each patient before and after the eight-week program. In addition, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used pre and post-program to evaluate cerebral blood flow, corresponding to changes in the brain's activity. Scans were performed at rest, during a "neutral task" (control), meditation task, stressor task and at rest againdesigned to evaluate the general as well as specific effects and provide a thorough analysis of the CBF changes between the pre and post-program scans.

Participants in the MBAT group demonstrated significant effects on cerebral blood flow compared with the control group. The MBAT group showed increases in the emotional centers of the brain including the left insula which helps us to perceive our emotions, the amygdala which helps us experience stress, the hippocampus that regulates stress responses, and the caudate nucleus that is part of our brain's reward system. These increases correlated significantly with a lowering of stress and anxiety, as also reflected in the results of the pre and post-program anxiety scores among the MBAT intervention group.

The observed psychological and neuropsychological changes are consistent with current literature that states that MBSR interventions have shown to reduce anxiety, depression and psychological distress in a variety of populations. These have been associated with improved immune function, quality of life and coping effectiveness in women with breast cancer.

Given the improvements in anxiety levels and observed changes in CBF in the MBAT participants, these findings suggest that the MBAT program helps mediate emotional responses in women with breast cancer. "With the sample size enlarged, perhaps we can extrapolate these results to other disease populations and gain a fuller understanding of the physiological mechanisms by which mindfulness practices confer psychological benefits," says Monti.

###

Thomas Jefferson University Hospitals

Thomas Jefferson University Hospitals (TJUH) are dedicated to excellence in patient care, patient safety and the quality of the healthcare experience. Consistently ranked by U.S. News & World Report among the nation's top hospitals, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, established in 1825, has over 900 licensed acute care beds with major programs in a wide range of clinical specialties. TJUH is one of the few hospitals in the U.S. that is both a Level 1 Trauma Center and a federally-designated regional spinal cord injury center. TJUH patient care facilities include Jefferson Hospital for Neuroscience, the region's only dedicated hospital for neuroscience, Methodist Hospital in South Philadelphia, and additional patient care facilities throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey. TJUH partners with its education affiliate, Thomas Jefferson University.

---

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?

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

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-11/tju-mwa112912.php

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Job Listing: External Communications Coordinator - Selkirk, New ...

Position Description

Audubon International seeks a highly-qualified and enthusiastic individual to serve as its External Communications Coordinator. The incumbent will report directly to the Director for Finance and Administration and work closely with the Executive Director and other Audubon International staff and Board members to develop, manage, and implement innovative external communications strategies that effectively advance the organization's programs, stakeholder relations, and overall mission.

Organization Overview

Audubon International is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization dedicated to delivering high-quality environmental education and using incentive-based approaches to implement sustainable natural resource management in all places people live, work, and play.

Audubon International presently has approximately 12 staff members and is headquartered in the Albany, New York area. It should be noted that the organization is in the process of moving its headquarters from Selkirk to a more centrally located commercial office building in Rensselaer Technology Park (www.rpitechpark.com), and this move will be completed by early January 2013.

The organization, which has been in existence for over 25 years, works with a wide range of interested partners, including golf courses, developers, agriculture producers, small businesses, large corporations, academic institutions, fellow not-for-profits, community associations, local governments, and state and federal agencies. Through education, technical assistance, certification, and recognition, Audubon International facilitates the implementation of natural resource management practices that ensure land, water, wildlife, and other natural resources are sustainably used and conserved. Utilizing a set of award-winning environmental education and certification programs, Audubon International is able to positively impact environmental health at multiple geographic scales, including individual properties, communities, and ecoregions.

Specific Duties and Responsibilities

External Communications

• In conjunction with the Executive Director, Director of Finance and Administration and other AI staff members, play a leading role in setting short- and long-term communications goals.
• In conjunction with the Executive Director and the Director of Finance and Administration play a leading role in developing and implementing communications strategies to achieve communications and membership development goals.
• In conjunction with the Executive Director, serve as the organization's primary POC in regards to communications with the news media (TV, radio, print, online, etc.) and other external audiences.
• Give talks and presentations to audiences of all types (i.e., news media, government, industry, academic, etc.) to deliver information on AI's programs and activities.
• Assume primary responsibility for posting or otherwise disseminating all official news releases and similar important public announcements.
• Assume primary responsibility for developing/maintaining contact information for members of the media, as well as cultivating strong professional relationships with members of the media.
• Assume primary responsibility for developing/maintaining contact information for key stakeholders in pertinent sectors/industries (i.e., recreation, leisure, government, business, etc.) as well as cultivating strong professional relationships with these stakeholders.

Support of Education/Certification Programs

• Assist the Executive Director and program staff in meeting program growth targets on an annual basis for the organization's various education and certification programs, including the following (or their future equivalents):
  • Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program
  • Audubon Signature Program
  • Sustainable Communities Program
  • Green Lodging Program
  • Professional certificate program in sustainable natural resource management
• In conjunction with the Executive Director and Director of Finance and Administration, play a leading role in marketing and promotional efforts for all the above mentioned AI education and certification programs.
• Lead in the organizing, promotion, management, and implementation of special events or summits held periodically and designed to market and sell AI programs and services.
• Coordinate with appropriate AI's staff to ensure that information maintained in the organization's web-based member database is up-to-date and accurate.

Website Development and Publications

• Assume primary responsibility for managing all content (i.e., news releases, programmatic information, graphical content, blogs, etc.) that appears on Audubon International's official website, as well as social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube.
• With appropriate assistance from program staff, assume primary responsibility for developing and disseminating the organization's formal publications and newsletters.
• Serve as a liaison, as appropriate, between the organization and external contractors periodically retained to perform needed IT software and hardware upgrades.

Administrative and Development

• Assist the Director of Finance and Administration with the recruitment of corporate sponsors to generate financial support for the organization's operations and capital budgets, as well as increase the organization's capacity, public visibility, reputation, and professional credibility.
• Assist the Director of Finance and Administration with the identification of major donors, as well as cultivating meaningful professional relationships with these donors.
• Work with the Director of Finance and Administration to ensure effective planning and delivery of ongoing fundraising, business affiliations, sponsorships, and other efforts.

Minimum Qualifications

• A Bachelor's degree in an appropriate field of study (i.e., environmental studies, mass communications, journalism, etc.) and at least 3 years of related professional experience, OR a graduate degree in an appropriate field of study (i.e., environmental studies, mass communications, journalism, etc.) and at least 1 year of related professional experience.
• Self-starter with creativity and desire to make a positive impact.
• Excellent interpersonal communication skills and experience working with diverse. constituencies and membership demographics.
• Ability to excel both by working independently and as part of a collaborative team.
• Strong persuasive writing skills.
• Skills and/or experience managing newsletters or other publications.
• Experience and comfort with public speaking.
• Experience and comfort with event planning/administration.
• Familiarity and experience with website development.
• Working knowledge of IT systems (or ability to quickly gain such knowledge)
• Computer proficiency (i.e., Microsoft Office suite, database management, internet-based research, professional applications of social media, etc.)

Compensation

This is a full-time, permanent position. Audubon International offers a mission-driven work environment that promotes continued employee growth and development. The organization offers its employees a strong compensation package, including competitive salary, excellent health benefits, retirement benefits, and generous vacation. Diversity is highly valued.

Deadline for Application

December 21, 2012

How to Apply

Submitted applications will be reviewed upon receipt and must include the following:

• Cover letter summarizing the candidate's qualifications for the position, including a description of how prior educational training, experience and skills prepare the candidate to fulfill the job responsibilities detailed above.
• Curriculum vitae or r?sum?.
• Contact information (name, job title, phone and email) for 3-5 professional references
• Persuasive writing sample (5 pages maximum) which demonstrates an ability to effectively communicate technical concepts or analysis to a non-technical audiences.
• Application materials should be submitted via e-mail to ryan@auduboninternational.org with the job title and your name in the subject line (i.e., External Communications Coordinator - Jane Smith).

Audubon International is an equal opportunity employer committed to practices that ensure employees and applicants for employment are provided with equal opportunities without regard to race, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, age, religion, physical or mental disability, medical condition, veteran status, marital status, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any other factor that is not related to the position.

Source: http://www.ecoemploy.com/jobs/communications1128.html

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On Tuesday the trading session opening was marked with the dollar ...

On Tuesday the trading session opening was marked with the dollar trading. Thus, Greek aid optimism influenced the market for a short time.? In the European trading session American currency narrowed its losses and ended the day strengthening against European opponents and remained neutral against the yen. It is obvious that investors have already taken into account the decision of European Union according to rumors, and their attention was switched to the U.S. fiscal cliff, which brought a lot of fear now.? The dollar was also supported by the US economic statistics published yesterday , most of which demonstrates positive dynamics. Total volume of durable orders is the same in October in comparison with September, it was better-than-expected by forecast, which expected its decrease by 1.2%? m/m, the consumer confidence rose in November ? the Conference Board Consumer confidence index showed? 73.7 after 73.1 in October, when it was expected only 73.0. Housing market statistics also confirms the housing market recovery ? according to the Federal Housing Finance Agency (the FHFC) house prices rose by 0.2% m/m and by 4.4% y/y, and S&P Case-Shiller report demonstrates rise in house prices in 20 megalopolises in the same month by 3% y/y. Regional data has some divergences? ? the production index conducted by the FRS Richmond in November increased to 9 from 7 earlier, the production index of the FRS Chicago decreased in October by 1.2% m/m, but increased by 5.9% per annum. Today there is only a few news. Housing market data for October will come out, which may demonstrate its decrease by 1.0% after increase +5.7% in the previous month.? The FRS Economic data of the regions (the Beige Book) will pe published soon, which? will bring information about the situation in the region. If talking about the nearest perspectives, we can assume that the dollar will be interesting only as a shelter-currency, and the invetors? attention will be drawn mostly by news about the negotiations of the US government about the budget problems.

EUR

On the last trading session investors concentrated their attention on the euro for a short time which was caused by the information about the new aid tranche for Greece. On Tuesday the Ministers of Finance of the EU, the ECB and the IMF came to a consensus about the new aid tranche for Greece and allocated 43.7 milliard euros to this country from the EFSF. What is more, it was announced that there is an intention to consider different measures in order to support Greece such as lower interest rate of Greece?s debt, reduce credit interest rates which had been provided by the EFSF, and also 10 years postponement of credit provided by the European Financial Stability Facility. Nevertheless, It didn?t bring risk seeking in the market, maybe because of the fear of budget problems in the USA, which is the most important problem now as it must be solved till by the end of current year. There was almost no news about the EU economy. Only France Consumer Confidence Index for November was published, which showed better results than expected. The Consumer Confidence Index remained unchanged, at the level 84 as in October when it was forecasted its decrease to? 83. Today there are more news ? the money supply data is going to come out , the aggregate M3 is expected to widen to +2.8% y/y in October from+2.7% y/y earlier, but it might slow down to +2.8%? per quarter after +3.0% q/q in the previous period. Germany inflation rate is also expected to come out? ? according to the preliminary calculations the Consumer price index (CPI) for November is expected to decrease? -0.1% m/m, +1.9% y/y against 0.0% m/m, +2.0% y/y in October. It is unlikely that this statistics will cause activity in the market. Members of market will pay attention to the political events in the USA.

GBP

The British pound was changing its positions against the dollar, but it ended the day decreasing as the euro. The pound sterling was supported by the GDP growth data for the 3^rd quarter which demonstrates more precise results. According to the report the main economic indicators remained +1% q/q, but it decreased by 0.1% y/y, at the same time household expenses in Great Britain for the 3^rd quarter demonstrated the highest growth for more than two years? ? by 0.6% after its decrease by 0.2% before, and gross profit increased by 0.5% and? 1.0% correspondingly. Maybe it reduced slightly fears of the results for the last quarter of this year. What is more, yesterday at the meeting of Parliament the head of the BoE announced? that he will be surprised if the economy demonstrates bad results for the 4^th quarter. The pound was negatively influenced by the announcement of the governor of the Bank of England P. Fisher about British economy that may need additional stimulus next year. Moreover, interest in pound could be reduced by fear of the US budget problems and good data of the US economy. Today there will be no news about ?islands? economy, and the pound will remain under the influence of external information.

JPY

Yesterday in the trading session Japanese currency decreased slightly against the dollar and ended the trading day almost on the starting prices. The currency pairs demonstrated weak dynamics in narrow corridors, maybe because of subsided political announcements about aggressive quantitative easing and coming elections in the Land of the Rising Sun, fixed on the middle of December. It intensified uncertainty and forced the market to wait for new reference points. Today there was no news about Japanese economy . This week the main information will come out tomorrow. And for the present the currency pairs which involve the yen may produce profits. It may support the Japanese currency in today?s trading session.

Source: http://blog.forex4you.com/on-tuesday-the-trading-session-opening-was-marked-with-the-dollar-trading/

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Government supply chain awards to support over 2000 manufacturing jobs

27 November 2012

The government has announced that the successful bids from round one of its ?125 million Advanced Manufacturing Supply Chain Initiative (AMSCI) are projected to create or safeguard over 2,160 jobs supported by approximately ?80 million of joint public and private sector investment.

A statement from the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills said of the ?80 million investment, around ?30 million has been awarded from the initiative subject to due diligence, with a further ?50 million being leveraged from private sector partners.

The investments will finance and strengthen 11 manufacturing supply chain projects across the automotive, aerospace and chemical sectors ? areas the government says are key to its industrial strategy.

Examples of successful round one projects include an advanced manufacturing proving factory to develop the mass production of new low carbon technologies in Yorkshire, an automotive supplier that is enlarging and enhancing its manufacturing facility in the West Midlands and a next generation bio-process manufacturing capability being developed in the Tees Valley.

Business secretary Vince Cable said the round one applications represented a high quality of projects that brought together businesses and forged new partnerships across various supply chains that would strengthen Britain's presence in Europe and the world.

Author
Ken Hurst

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Source: http://www.worksmanagement.co.uk/news/government-supply-chain-awards-to-support-over-2000-manufacturing-jobs/46452/

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Bentley Ponders Future of Speed at GT3 Sneak Peek

Bentley plans to officially unveil their Continental GT-based race car concept at the LA Auto Show, but the Crewe-based manufacturer offered a sneak peak of the heavily modified GT3 contender to a small crowd of invited attendees at a Hollywood sound stage.

?

Boasting aggressive bodywork and 2,200 pounds of weight loss, the GT3 car makes visual promises that will hopefully translate to race victories for Bentley. Setting the tone was a panel discussion with Motorsports head Brian Gush, World Land Speed Record Holder Andy Green, Motor Trend Editor-at-Large Angus MacKenzie, and Bentley board member Rolf Frech; the proceedings were moderated by racer Justin Bell.

?

The chat touched on everything from the GT3's test schedule to RAF Wing Commander Andy Green's upcoming attempt to break the 1,000 mph barrier, but the real star of the show was the winged race car, which loomed large on the left side of the stage. And while there's nothing wrong with experts talking shop about going fast, nothing quite compares to the thrill of watching a fearsome race car roar past on a track-- which we hope to experience soon with Bentley.

Source: http://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/news/auto-blog/bentley-ponders-future-of-speed-at-gt3-sneak-peek-14792881?src=rss

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11th Circuit rejects Alabama's request for immigration law rehearing ...

?The court said the state cannot interrogate families about their immigration status. This is a reaffirmation of that," Bauer said.

MONTGOMERY, Alabama - A federal court today turned down Alabama's request that it rehear a decision that blocked the part of Alabama's immigration law that required public schools to collect immigration status information on new students.

The state had sought a rehearing of the decision by the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals. The decision was another blow to state efforts to get parts of the law unblocked by the courts. The court last month refused the state's request to revisit a decision that said Alabama could not establish a ban on contracts with illegal immigrants and could not criminalize harboring and transporting illegal immigrants.

Mary Bauer, legal director of the Montgomery-based Southern Poverty Law Center, which is among the groups representing plaintiffs trying to overturn the law, cheered the decision.

"The court said the state cannot interrogate families about their immigration status. This is a reaffirmation of that, and we think that is a good and important step," Bauer said.

Sen. Scott Beason, R-Gardendale, who helped write Alabama's law, said he was "disappointed they won't review and look at it again."

Beason said his goal with the school provision was to get accurate information about the cost of educating illegal immigrants. He said one of the problems in discussing illegal immigration is the lack of accurate data.

"Everybody always wants to guess based on what their beliefs are. ... I think it's unfortunate the federal government said we don't want you to know that information."

A key question is what the state will do next. It could petition for review by the U.S. Supreme Court.

"I do think the state should fight on to the Supreme Court. ... I think we should exhaust all of our opportunities," Beason said. Beason, who lost a bid to step up to Congress earlier this year, said he stands by efforts to make the state unwelcome to undocumented workers.

Jennifer Ardis, press secretary for Gov. Robert Bentley, did not have a comment on the order. A spokeswoman for Attorney General Luther Strange said the attorney general's office also did not have a comment.

Bauer said she thought it would be a "wildly uphill" fight for the state at the Supreme Court.

"This should be the end of the line. The state should move on and not fight for their right to harass and intimidate kids out of an education," Bauer said.

The Republican-controlled Alabama Legislature passed the sweeping immigration law, which it partly rewrote after complaints that it had become too burdensome on law-abiding citizens and businesses. Lawsuits were filed by the U.S. Justice Department and a group of 36 plaintiffs led by the Hispanic Interest Coalition of Alabama attempting to get the law overturned.

The courts blocked large chunks of the law including the school provision.

But what some Republicans have called the ''teeth'' of the law remain, including a provision allowing police officers to question and detain people they have reason to believe are in the country illegally.

Other provisions that remain include a ban on providing driver's and business licenses to illegal immigrants, and a requirement for employers to use a federal database to verify workers' immigration status.

Bauer said that, while the court upheld the law enforcement provisions on their face, it left the door open to future challenges on how police apply the law.

Beason said he is still proud of Alabama's controversial law, saying it was an attempt to address a problem that the federal government has not.

"We were attacking the problem from every angle. The court has said some of the angles cannot be used. I disagree with them," Beason said.

Source: http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2012/11/11th_circuit_rejects_alabamas.html

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Home Brewing Skyrockets ? A Look at the Benefits for Newbies ...

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Source: http://healthyeating.usseniorcitizen.com/home-brewing-skyrockets-a-look-at-the-benefits-for-newbies/

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Jamie Foxx on Barack Obama: Our Lord and Savior!

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2012/11/jamie-foxx-on-barack-obama-our-lord-and-savior/

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?????? ???????????? ??? ?????????????????? - ????????? ...

?? ????? ????? ????????? ??????? ??????????? ????????????? ??? ???????????????????.??? ??? ???????????? ?? ????????? ???? ? ??????????? ?????????!

?????? ?????? ????????? ??????????, ???????? ?? ??? ???? Batterycenter.ru, ??????????!

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Source: http://forums.ferra.ru/index.php?showtopic=53147

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NibMor Mint Drinking Chocolate - Laurel On Health Food

by Laurel on November 25, 2012

Back in September I stopped by a Dessert Pop Up Shop hosted by Clean Plates here in NYC. At the event, I talked to a few ladies who started up the chocolate company NibMor. Created by two fellow graduates of Integrative Nutrition, NibMor makes organic, vegan chocolate that?s free of refined sugar, dairy, gluten, and GMOs. During the event, I learned about NibMor?s new low-glycemic drinking chocolate which was set to hit shelves this holiday season. Fast forward a few months and I spotted their new Mint Drinking Chocolate on the shelves at Whole Foods this afternoon. I picked up a single packet to try at home.

To make the drink, you just mix the contents of the packet with hot water or your choice of milk. I mixed my packet with half hot water, half unsweetened almond milk. First off, I loved that the drink was not overly sweet (so many cocoa mixes are sickeningly sweet). But this mix was spot on with sweetness. Another thing I love is the simple ingredients. The packet is only organic coconut palm sugar, organic cacao powder, and organic mint flavor. It tastes great, is creamy and comforting when mixed with milk, and is a lovely treat for a cold night over the holidays.

The only thing I would change about the drink is to kick up the mint! The minty flavor is pretty subtle, and for a mint chocolate lover like me, I just wished the mint was stronger.

Overall, I love the drink and would definitely try it again for a quick hot cocoa fix. You could easily split this potassium and magnesium rich dessert drink with a loved one for a low calorie treat.

Disclaimer: I was not provided any free samples for this review. I chose to review the product on my own and purchased it with my own funds. The opinions expressed in this post are, as always, 100% my own.

Pin It

Tagged as: almond milk, chocolate, cocoa, Drink, mint, nibmor, Review, vegan

Source: http://www.laurelonhealthfood.com/2012/11/nibmor-mint-drinking-chocolate/

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Darren Sammy hails Tino Best ? Cricket News Update | bettor.com

Darren Sammy hails Tino Best ? Cricket News Update

West Indies skipper Darren Sammy, on Sunday lavished praise on fast bowler Tino Best for his impressive show in the 2-0 Test series whitewash over Bangladesh.

Whilst Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Darren Bravo and Marlon Samuels all starred with the bat, the latter scoring a dazzling double century, Tino Best was the pick of West Indies bowlers, picking up six wicket apiece in each game. The 31-year-old Barbadian speedster finished the two-match Test series at the top of the wickets chart, clinching twelve wickets from four innings at an impressive average of 14.33.

"Tino is a brilliant bowler, as he performed consistently. He put us in good positions and more. It's good to have him in the side, performing so well for us," said Sammy while speaking to media reporters at the post-match press conference after his side romped to a 10-wicket win on the final day of the second Test in Khulna, on Sunday.

However, Best?s match winning performances came at a cost, with the Barbados quick ruled out of the limited-overs leg of the itinerary, commencing in Khulna on Friday.

"[Best] will need to return home...for ongoing treatment and rehabilitation," West Indies? team physio CJ Clark confirmed yesterday. "It?s expected that he?ll be back to full fitness for the Caribbean Twenty20 tournament in January."

The right-armer picked up a Grade 1 lateral hamstring strain on the first day of the second Test and bowled only ten overs in Bangladesh's first innings. However, he made a stunning comeback in the second innings returning with a six-wicket haul, to help his side register a comfortable 10-wicket win over the hosts, to complete 2-0 series whitewash.

West Indies head coach Ottis Gibson admitted that losing the frontline seamer ahead of the limited overs leg of the tour was unfortunate; however, he said that it is important for the team that Best remains fit for assignments next year.

"It?s unfortunate that Tino will be leaving, after he came back and bowled so well in the second innings of this game," Gibson said. "There is a lot of cricket coming up next year and it will be important for us that he gets himself ready for that cricket."

Uncapped Barbados fast bowler Jason Holder has been called up as Best?s replacement for the upcoming ODI series and the one-off T20 International.

Source: http://blogs.bettor.com/Darren-Sammy-hails-Tino-Best-Cricket-News-Update-a203548

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Hi there.

Hey there, I'm Keyskull.

I've used this name on another site, and most people there started calling me Key, so go ahead and do that if you want, I guess.

On that site, I started Jan. 17. I started role playing the same week, so that makes it eleven months that I've been roleplaying. Lots of people there said I was pretty good at it, but I don't really think so.

Likes:
Dragons
Homestuck
Pokemon
Magic/fantasy role plays
Well-written original Role Plays
Fan-ficts
Anime
Video Games/RPG, Simulation
Music
Art/drawing/painting
reading/writting
NCIS
NCIS Los Angelos
Castle

Dislikes:
mean/stupid people.

(and other things that I won't mention just yet...)

Oh, fair warning: I do most of what I do on a whim with little if any planning. It just works better for me. I also do a lot of fanfic role plays.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/RolePlayGateway/~3/9Q0riZGmoYY/viewtopic.php

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SEC Chairman Mary Schapiro to step down

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The head of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Mary Schapiro, announced on Monday that she would step down from the agency on December 14.

SEC Commissioner Elisse Walter will be designated to succeed Schapiro upon her departure, the White House said in a statement.

"The SEC is stronger, and our financial system is safer and better able to serve the American people - thanks in large part to Mary's hard work," President Barack Obama said.

Speculation had swirled for months that Schapiro would leave soon after the November presidential election. The announcement marks one of the first departures of Obama's financial regulation team in the aftermath of the election.

Schapiro led the SEC through a major overhaul in the wake of the financial crisis, as it bore the brunt of criticism for its oversight leading up to the crisis and for failing to catch now-convicted Ponzi schemers Bernard Madoff and Allen Stanford.

In the past two years, the agency has logged record enforcement actions, including 735 in the 2011 fiscal year and 734 in 2012, it said in a statement announcing Schapiro's departure.

The SEC has also been bogged down with major rules that the 2010 Dodd-Frank financial regulation law required it to write, many of which are still in process.

"I've been so amazed by how hard the men and women of the agency work each and every day and by the sacrifices they make to get the job done," Schapiro said in the statement.

(Reporting by Aruna Viswanatha; Editing by Gerald E. McCormick and Andrew Hay)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/sec-chairwoman-mary-schapiro-step-down-nyt-154441661--sector.html

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Great Tips For Building A Smart E-mail Marketing Plan - Businesses

Email marketing has be around as long as the Web. Aggressive spam filters have been created to deal with the torrent of unwanted email messages, but not all marketing emails are spam. Many people voluntarily sign up to email marketing lists because it benefits both the business and consumer. Continue reading to find some simple ideas to ensure people want to read the emails you send.

Do not send emails out without having the recipient grant their permission. Most consumers have no interest in receiving anything spontaneously peddled to their personal email accounts. Sending email without permission can be detrimental to your business. Starting by doing things properly can make your efforts appreciated by your readers.

TIP! Add personalization into your emails. There is much more that you can do than simply putting a first name into the message template.

To make sure you have covered everything in your marketing with email plan, use multi-part messages. This includes HTML and content that is plain text. This helps because some customers may prefer to view it in HTML, while another may prefer plain text. This is worth the little extra effort so that you can avoid losing plain text subscribers who would find little use for an HTML-only list.

Don?t add people?s email addresses to your list without first making sure it is okay. The people you add will be left angry, leading them to report your email and cause you a headache. You could also face penalties from the provider of your email services if you violate their rules regarding spamming.

Make succinct subjects. A subject line that is less than 60 characters long is more likely to be noticed by a reader and is more likely to be opened than a message with a lengthy subject line. If long subjects simply cannot be avoided, always be sure to include any essential information at the start of the subject line. Doing this will ensure that readers always see it first.

TIP! Check how your emails look on different computers and browsers. After you?ve deemed a particular design perfect, see how it looks in all major browsers, operating systems, and email clients.

When done right, a reader does not even realize that your marketing via email messages are, in fact, marketing at all. If you provide valuable information or deals on your service to them, they actually look forward to reading your messages. This helps further your marketing, and it can increase your profits. It also might bring you customers who are more than willing to purchase your products and offerings. Use what you?ve learned from the article above, and start enjoying success with marketing via email.

Other articles you might like;

Source: http://elektrotehnickifakultet.com/great-tips-for-building-a-smart-e-mail-marketing-plan.html

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Poll: How Do You Care for Pets When Away from Home? - Alameda ...

Pet-owners face an extra challenge when traveling away from home during the holidays.

What do you do with your pet or pets while you're away?

Do you take them with you? Leave them someplace else? Leave them at home?

We'd like to know what our readers in Alameda do. Also if you have any recommendations for others.

We hope you will check one of the answers in our quick poll below and add a comment in the comments section.

Like Alameda Patch | Follow Alameda Patch | Blog?on Patch | Get Free?Patch Newsletters | Post Events | Post Announcements

Source: http://alameda.patch.com/articles/poll-how-do-you-care-for-pets-when-away-from-home-f1aec634

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At least 120 killed in Bangladesh factory fire

Hasan Raza / AP

Bangladeshi firefighters battle a fire at a garment factory in the Savar neighborhood in Dhaka, Bangladesh, late Saturday.

By NBC News wire services

DHAKA, Bangladesh -- At least 120 people were killed as a fire swept through a garment factory on the outskirts of Bangladesh's capital, the chief of the fire brigade said Sunday.

The fire at the nine-story factory in the Ashulia industrial belt started on the ground floor late Saturday and quickly spread, trapping hundreds of workers.

"This morning we have recovered 120 dead bodies and the death toll could rise," Abu Nayeem Mohammad Shahidullah, director general of the fire brigade, told reporters.

---

Fire department Operations Director Maj. Mohammad Mahbub told The Associated Press that?the nine-story factory was operated by Tazreen Fashions.

Witnesses said the workers, mostly women, ran for safety as the fire engulfed the plant, but were unable to come out through narrow exits.

"Many jumped out from the windows and were injured, or died on the spot," said Milon, a resident.?"We are appalled to see the charred bodies coming out of the factory since last night. It was an endless stream."

Mahbub said army soldiers and border guards had been deployed to help police keep the situation under control as thousands of anxious relatives of the factory workers gathered at the scene.?

Bangladesh has around 4,500 garment factories that make clothes for such ?brands as Tesco, Wal-Mart, JC Penney, H&M, Marks & Spencer, Kohl's and Carrefour.

Bangladesh is the world's biggest exporter of clothing after China, with garments making up 80 percent of its $24 billion annual exports.?

But safety standards at the factories are poor and not enforced strictly, causing scores of accidents each year.?

Saturday's fire was the worst in years, and rescuers and police said the death count may surpass any previous toll.?

This article includes reporting by Reuters and The Associated Press.

More world stories from NBC News:

Follow World News from NBCNews.com on Twitter and Facebook

?

Source: http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/11/24/15420144-fire-sweeps-clothing-factory-in-bangladesh-at-least-120-killed?lite

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Families of inmates who died at the Orleans Parish jail advocate for ...

They come clutching framed photographs of their loved ones in their best moments: wearing a broad smile at a wedding or posing in full military garb. But the stories they tell don't have happy endings.

Each ends at Orleans Parish Prison. Michael Hitzman and William Goetzee committed suicide, both while they were supposedly under observation by deputies. Cayne Miceli stopped breathing while trying to get out of 5-point restraints, later dying at the hospital. The exact causes of Tracy Barquet Jr.'s death are unknown, but, like Miceli and Goetzee, he died while in the care of the jail's psychiatric unit.

Their family members have unfurled the grim details of these deaths in sit-down meetings with five of the seven New Orleans City Council members and Mayor Mitch Landrieu. All unlikely advocates, several members of the group have become regular attendees at City Council meetings on the jail and its budget.

Their aim is to put a human face on the jail's most troubling statistic: the 38 inmate deaths that have occurred since Hurricane Katrina. But they also are trying to push the city to get on board with a massive overhaul of the jail, a reform that will likely be outlined in a federal consent decree mandating scores of changes in how Orleans Parish Sheriff Marlin Gusman runs his facilities.

"I'll be tormented and tortured every day of my life," said Donna Gauthier, who was engaged to Goetzee before he killed himself in the jail last year. "We thought it was a safe haven. He was getting whatever help he needed."

Sophia Becker, Miceli's sister, said the fact that others lost relatives after her sister's death in January 2009 makes her skeptical about the the prospects of reform under the current leadership. "It is very angering that more families are being affected," she said.

Fixing the mental health care provided by the jail -- which the U.S. Department of Justice has called profoundly inadequate in investigations from 2009 and earlier this year -- is expected to be a key component of a consent decree. In federal court filings, the Justice Department has characterized the settlement as near completion. But negotiations last month hit an impasse over how to pay for the upgrades.

While Gusman has said he supports a decree, he insists one will be possible only if the city puts more money into his operations. Attorneys for the city have scoffed at that contention in court filings, saying there is no evidence that the problems at the jail stem from insufficient funding.

U.S. District Court Judge Lance Africk in October appointed a retired criminal court judge, Terry Alarcon, to try to get the two sides to come to an agreement. The next status hearing is scheduled for Tuesday.

James Hitzman, whose son Michael hanged himself inside a Central Lock-Up cell, noted that the city has found money for a similarly broad consent decree to remake the New Orleans Police Department.

"They should be able to find that money somewhere. If things are not fixed under supervised conditions, things will not change," he said. "It is evident they can't do it on their own."

Civil rights attorney Mary Howell, who represents the four families that have become advocates of reform, said she understands the city's skepticism about simply forking over more money. For years, mayoral administrations and successive sheriffs tangled over how much money is needed to properly run the jail, but never really came up with a satisfactory answer. Now is the time to look to other cities and figure it out, she said.

"I do think it is correct that the city should not be writing a 'blank check,'" Howell said. "What they need to do is insist on transparency and accountability. The situation needs to be audited and monitored."

Each of the four deaths -- which occurred under circumstances that Howell characterized as "questionable" -- highlights significant problems at the jail, she said. Hitzman's wife and children filed a lawsuit against the sheriff's office, which was settled. Lawsuits in the Miceli and Goetzee cases are still pending.

In a statement, Dr. Samuel Gore, the sheriff's medical director, defended the jail's record, saying the jail's mortality rate is below the national average, while the suicide rate is just slightly above the national average and compares favorably to cities like Baltimore, Oklahoma City and Phoenix.

Gore said his staff takes steps to identify medical and psychiatric problems during the booking process, as well as analyzing each inmate death to see what caused it and what shortcomings it points up. He noted that the jail population is a challenging one.

"We encounter individuals daily with untreated or undertreated medical conditions, as well as an increasing number of untreated, undiagnosed or undertreated mental health disorders," Gore said.

But investigators from the Justice Department found that conditions at the jail are unconstitutional. The department detailed problems with how inmates are classified, the levels of violence between inmates and by guards, as well as lack of support for inmates who don't speak English. The agency also repeatedly flagged mental health care as deficient, in particular saying the treatment of suicidal inmates is inhumane.

Miceli's case was highlighted in the first Justice report as an example of how the sheriff staff "fails to protect inmates from harm while in restraints." Miceli was put in five-point restraints - a sort of harness that pins a person down -- after she allegedly attempted suicide in an isolation cell. An asthmatic, Miceli complained about not being able to breathe and eventually tried to get out of her restraints. She collapsed as deputies tried to put her back in them. Miceli had no pulse for about 35 minutes, according to a federal lawsuit, but was revived by CPR. She later died at the LSU hospital when taken off life support.

More recently, an April 2012 report noted that "deficient monitoring" contributed to both Hitzman and Goetzee's deaths. Their suicides were also used as examples of the jail's allegedly inadequate mental health screening.

During his screening, Hitzman admitted to recently swallowing drugs. After acting erratically, he was placed in an isolation cell equipped with a video camera. However, it appears nobody watched the camera's video stream, as no sheriff employee intervened when Hitzman hanged himself with his shirt.

Goetzee, a longtime U.S. Coast Guard employee and commander in the reserves, had been arrested in August 2011 after he tried to grab a gun from a federal security officer outside court. During the struggle, Goetzee said, "I want to kill myself. Give me your gun," to the officer, according to a complaint filed at federal court.

Goetzee had been seeking treatment for his mental troubles, which grew out of work exhaustion and a serious car accident.

Despite this history -- and though he told jail screeners about his suicidal thoughts -- the Justice Department found that Goetzee was initially kept in the general population before being sent to the Interim LSU Public Hospital. After he was returned to OPP, Goetzee was placed on suicide watch.

Goetzee committed suicide while in the jail's suicide tank. He was supposed to be under direct observation, but deputy William Thompson left his post, giving Goetzee time to swallow enough toilet paper to suffocate himself.

Gore pointed to this case as an example of the sheriff's office holding itself accountable, noting that Thompson this year pleaded guilty to criminal charges of malfeasance in office. But Gauthier said the result was unsatisfying, as it appears no supervisors were disciplined for the obvious lapse in protocol.

Most recently, in a federal court filing, the Justice Department noted that Tracy Barquet Jr. died in 2010 days after he was beaten and pepper-sprayed by guards. Barquet's death remains classified as "undetermined" by the Orleans Parish coroner.

Gore noted in his statement that the coroner did not find any "indications of any physical confrontations that would be fatal, nor did the coroner find any signs of suicide" in Barquet's death. According to jail records, a deputy was disciplined for spraying pepper spray at Barquet through the cell bars. While inmates said Barquet was beaten, deputies denied it.

For Tracy Barquet Sr., his 25-year-old son's death continues to raise unresolved questions more than two years later. Barquet acknowledged his son had a drug problem, but said he'd never had a previous history of seizures, one potential cause of death posited by the coroner's office. The events leading up to his son's death - including the alleged beating and pepper-spraying days before it - are troubling, he said.

"I just want some answers," Barquet said. "We did know he was ingesting drugs. He had a problem with that. I thought by him being in there he would be able to detox. That he was safe."

Howell said the deaths point to the need for outside investigations. She has asked Orleans Parish District Attorney Leon Cannizzaro to consider investigating all deaths at the jail. She also noted that Gusman, before he was elected, had pledged to hire an independent monitor, but never followed through.

While the coroner hasn't found evidence of foul play to rule Barquet's death a homicide, an outside probe could determine whether there was negligence or malfeasance on the part of jail staff, she said.

Cannizzaro said he doesn't have the resources to look into deaths at the jail and must rely on the sheriff's office to investigate itself. When a case is brought to the office, whether by Gusman or a victim's advocate like Howell, his staff reviews it, he said.

Gusman has been cooperative when the district attorney asks for files, he noted.

In a statement, Gusman reaffirmed his support for a monitor, saying such a position could "play a productive part of the future of the sheriff's office." The statement did not say why he has never moved to hire one.

Source: http://www.nola.com/crime/index.ssf/2012/11/families_advocate_for_change_a.html

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