text:
L'Associazione Sportiva Dilettantistica FBC Calangianus 1905, meglio noto come Calangianus (IPA :  Lu Caragnani in gallurese) è una società calcistica italiana con sede a Calangianus in provincia di Sassari, attualmente militante nel campionato di Eccellenza Sardegna.

Nata nel 1905 come Società Ginnastica Limbara, è tra le società sportive più longeve in Italia, nonché una delle principali in Sardegna per storia e titoli.

Affiliata alla Federazione Italiana Giuoco Calcio con il numero di matricola 8470, mantenuto dal 1933 ad oggi (prima società calcistica sarda per longevità), può vantare 39 partecipazioni alla Serie D comprese tra il 1955 ed il 2009, ed è per questo prima squadra della Sardegna e tredicesima squadra italiana per presenze in Serie D. Trattasi della squadra più titolata dell'isola nel massimo livello regionale, parimerito con Cagliari Calcio, Monteponi Iglesias e Ilvamaddalena. Inoltre è stata, fino alla stagione 2017-2018, assieme ad Olbia Calcio e Cagliari Calcio, l'unica società sarda a non essere mai retrocessa in alcuna categoria inferiore alla stessa.

La sigla FBC presente nell'attuale denominazione deriva dall'acronimo del vecchio nome del club assunto nel 1979, Foot Ball Club Calangianus.

Storia

Origini
Nel 1905 venne fondata la Società Ginnastica Limbara, affiliatasi regolarmente alla Federazione Ginnastica d'Italia il 27 giugno 1911, con il nero come colore sociale. Si hanno poche notizie del periodo che va dalla fondazione della società fino alla conclusione del periodo interbellico: il calcio sardo si sviluppò nei primi anni del Novecento e la SG Limbara di Calangianus figurerà in maniera stabile con una sezione di foot ball, in seguito ad SG Amsicora di Cagliari, Società Ilva di La Maddalena, SG Tharros di Oristano e S.E.F. Torres di Sassari, solo a partire dagli anni venti del Novecento.

Il 1 agosto 1922 la sezione di foot ball viene nominata Centro Sportivo Audax, con il bianco ed il rosso come colori sociali. Rilevante a tal proposito è la data del 24 agosto 1924, nella quale si tenne una gara amichevole tra C.S. Audax e Liberi Calciatori Terranovese, selezione calcistica della città di Olbia (allora Terranova Pausania), giocata a Calangianus presso il campo sportivo edificato nei pressi del caseggiato delle scuole elementari ed in seguito intitolato a Gaetano Mariotti, sito nell'attuale via Marconi. La gara registrò una discreta affluenza di pubblico e vide gli olbiesi imporsi per 2 reti a 0. È in questo periodo che le due compagini galluresi cominciano ad affermare il proprio legame: il cospicuo seguito di pubblico connoterà già negli anni a seguire una delle amicizie più sentite ed antiche dell'isola.

I campionati U.L.I.C. e la seconda guerra mondiale

Nel 1928 la società prende il nome di Usla Calangianus, adottando il giallo ed il verde come colori sociali e partecipando al campionato circondariale U.L.I.C. dello stesso anno, al quale prenderanno parte anche G.S. Terranovese ed A.G.F. Terranova di Olbia, Società Ilva e A.G.F. Maddalena di La Maddalena.Su Il Littoriale del 16 novembre 1928 è citato un incontro di foot ball disputato a Calangianus tra l'Usla Calangianus e la Turritana di Porto Torres, vinto dai padroni di casa per 5 reti a 3.

Nell'anno seguente, in occasione del campionato U.L.I.C. 1929-1930, il Calangianus cambierà nuovamente colori sociali adottando il lilla. La società sarà per le seguenti due stagioni legata all'Avanguardia Giovanile Fascista, disputando regolarmente i campionati U.L.I.C. del comitato di Terranova Pausania fino al 1933 col nome ufficiale di A.G.F. Calangianus.
Il 1933 è un anno di cospicua rilevanza per il Calangianus, il quale si affiliò per la prima volta alla Federazione Italiana Giuoco Calcio e si iscrisse regolarmente al girone Nord della Terza Divisione Sardegna 1933-1934 con la matricola FIGC 8470, conservata ancora oggi. Il periodo che intercorre tra questa stagione e lo scoppio della seconda guerra mondiale è caratterizzato da un forte e lungo momento di crisi per il calcio della Sardegna che non risparmia il Calangianus, il quale rinunciò all'iscrizione al campionato di Seconda Divisione Sardegna 1934-1935, massimo torneo regionale che, seppur elevato al rango di Seconda Divisione durante il medesimo anno, non venne più disputato fino al 1936. Solo nel 1938, con l'assunzione del nome G.I.L. Calangianus, la società torna a prendere parte ai campionati ufficiali, a partire dall'iscrizione al campionato di Prima Divisione 1938-1939, concluso in quinta posizione e disputato adottando l'azzurro come colore sociale. Fu lo scoppio della seconda guerra mondiale ad interrompere definitivamente l'attività della compagine calangianese fino al 1945.

Il dopoguerra e la IV Serie

Nel 1945 il Calangianus cambia nome in Società Sportiva Audax Calangianus, riprendendo parte ai campionati ufficiali di Sardegna con l'immediata iscrizione alla Prima Divisione Sardegna 1945-1946, conclusa all'ottavo posto. A partire da questa stagione la squadra assume per la prima volta come colori sociali i colori rappresentativi del comune di Calangianus, il giallo ed il rosso, mantenendoli fino all'età contemporanea.
Nel campionato di Prima Divisione Sardegna 1946-1947, il 9 febbraio 1947, l'Audax Calangianus batté per 5 reti a 2 il Cagliari Calcio, che conquisterà la promozione in Serie B nello stesso anno. Tale stagione, che i giallorossi conclusero al settimo posto, fu di grande rilevanza per il calcio sardo. Trattasi infatti dell'unico campionato nel quale si affrontarono tutte le società più blasonate del calcio isolano: Cagliari, Torres, Ilva, Olbia, Nuorese, Calangianus, Tempio, Tharros e Carbonia. In corrispondenza alla continua militanza dell'Audax in Prima Divisione (allora il principale campionato su base regionale), il seguito di pubblico della squadra ebbe un incentivo notevole. In questo periodo venne composto dal maestro locale Michele Columbano il primo inno del Calangianus, sui versi dello scrittore locale Giovanni Scano. Il motivo parafrasa una canzonetta popolare in voga all'epoca chiamata "La Romanina", e venne intitolato "Siamo Calangianesi".Il 6 marzo 1949, in una gara interna dell'Audax contro l'Associazione Sportiva Bacu Abis di Carbonia valida per la Prima Divisione Sardegna 1948-1949, il gremito pubblico del vecchio comunale di via Marconi si rese protagonista di un'invasione di campo alla quale seguì un'aggressione nei confronti dell'arbitro Casu, accusato di mancata neutralità nella direzione della gara. La Società Sportiva Audax Calangianus fu radiata dai ruoli federali ed esclusa dalla stagione in corso alla ventottesima giornata, a campionato quasi concluso. Lo stadio Rinascita, diversi giocatori e dirigenti giallorossi vennero squalificati.

In seguito alla squalifica dell'Audax Calangianus nel 1949, lo stesso anno la società prese il nome di Unione Sportiva Calangianus e si iscrisse alla Prima Divisione 1949-1950 in quanto non fu liquidata. La squadra giocherà buona parte delle partite interne in campi periferici, in attesa del completamento del nuovo stadio Signora Chiara, inaugurato nel 1953.Dopo una serie di importanti piazzamenti che sancirono l'immediata rinascita della società, nel 1955 il Calangianus, guidato dal tecnico Di Francesco, si aggiudicò il campionato di Promozione Sardegna 1954-1955 (nuova denominazione della Prima Divisione, adottata a partire dalla stagione 1952-1953), guadagnandosi la prima promozione in IV Serie della sua storia. La militanza nella quarta serie nazionale fu interrotta dalla Ternana in seguito allo spareggio del 31 maggio 1956 giocato a Civitavecchia e finito a reti inviolate, poi ripetuto a Roma il 10 giugno e terminato col risultato di 2 reti a 0 a favore delle Fere.Dopo due stagioni nel massimo campionato a livello regionale, nel 1959, in seguito alla vittoria nel proprio girone del Campionato Dilettanti, il Calangianus conquistò il diritto di partecipare alle qualificazioni interregionali ed alla disputa per l'assegnazione dello scudetto dilettanti. Nei sedicesimi di finale i galluresi incontrarono i toscani dei G.S. Mobilieri Cascina, i quali si imposero per 6 reti a 0 in occasione della partita d'andata a Cascina: a poco servì la vittoria per 2-1 dei giallorossi a Calangianus, che vennero così eliminati dalla disputa. Il G.S. Mobilieri Cascina superò il turno e in seguito si aggiudicò il titolo nazionale. L'anno successivo il Calangianus conquisterà nuovamente il titolo regionale, raggiungendo di diritto la promozione diretta nel campionato nazionale di Serie D. I giallorossi vincono gli ottavi ed i quarti di finale del raggruppamento del sud Italia, tuttavia perderanno in semifinale contro la Scafatese per 2 reti a 1 dopo i tempi supplementari. Il Calangianus soccombe anche nella disputa per il terzo posto, contro la Finale Ligure.

Il 29 ottobre 1961, durante la trasferta contro il Solvay Rosignano valida per il Girone B della Serie D 1961-1962, si verificarono incidenti causati dal pubblico di casa nei quali, a match concluso, vennero coinvolti anche i giocatori delle due formazioni. Diversi calciatori del Calangianus furono arrestati per essere inveiti contro alcuni rappresentanti delle forze dell'ordine. La notizia suscitò clamore nei quotidiani di rilievo nazionale.

Nella stagione successiva, nel girone D della Serie D 1962-1963, il Calangianus sfiorò per la prima volta la promozione in Serie C, concludendo il campionato al terzo posto ad un punto da Tempio ed Empoli. Sarà lo stesso Empoli a vincere il campionato ed aggiudicarsi la Serie C dell'anno successivo. Seguiranno nove partecipazioni al medesimo campionato, tra le quali si annovera il cambio di girone della Serie D 1963-1964, stagione nella quale le squadre sarde vennero accoppiate al girone campano.

Dagli anni 1970 a fine XX secolo

Al termine del campionato di Serie D 1971-1972, dopo 12 partecipazioni consecutive alla Serie D, il Calangianus si classificò sedicesimo e retrocedette in Promozione a causa della differenza reti sfavorevole nei confronti del .

Dopo tre stagioni nel primo campionato regionale, nella stagione 1975-1976 il Calangianus allenato da Paolo Degortes ritornò in Serie D, vincendo nuovamente il titolo sardo. Nello stesso periodo, il 25 marzo 1975 i giallorossi vennero impegnati da un match amichevole internazionale contro l'Internacional di Porto Alegre dell'ancora giovane Falcão. Vi permarrà due stagioni, per poi retrocedere nella stagione 1977-1978 (i giallorossi si salvarono ma retrocedettero in seguito alla riammissione della Romulea) e risalire l'anno successivo, in seguito alla vittoria del titolo nello spareggio contro il Sant'Antioco per 1 rete a 0, in data 10 giugno 1979. L'Unione Sportiva Calangianus assunse, a partire dalla stagione consecutiva, il nome Foot Ball Club Calangianus 1905, militando per 5 anni di fila nel campionato di Serie D, che al contempo prese la denominazione di campionato Interregionale. Una breve parentesi in Promozione, con 12 conseguenti campionati di Serie D (Interregionale e CND) consecutivi, si ebbe tra il 1984 ed il 1986.

In occasione degli interregionali 1986-1987 e 1987-1988 il Calangianus sfiorò la promozione in Serie C2, concludendo entrambe le stagioni al terzo posto con quattro punti di differenza dalle prime classificate, rispettivamente Tempio ed Ilva. Ancora una volta, nella stagione 1995-1996, il Calangianus si avvicino alla promozione in Serie C2, concludendo in seconda posizione il girone B (7 punti separarono i giallorossi dalla vincitrice Vogherese). I giallorossi vinceranno nello stesso anno il proprio girone per la disputa dello scudetto dilettanti, tuttavia non riuscendo a qualificarsi al triangolare finale.

Nella stagione 1997-1998 il Calangianus si classificò sedicesimo e retrocedette in Eccellenza (nuovo nome del massimo campionato a livello regionale), permanendovi per quattro stagioni.

Gli anni duemila
All'inizio della stagione 2001-2002, il Calangianus viene prelevato dal notaio Roberto Goveani, durante la cui presidenza i giallorossi conquisteranno la vittoria del campionato con la conseguente promozione in Serie D, in seguito alla vittoria per 2 reti a 0 sul campo del Pula il 6 maggio 2002. In occasione della conquista del titolo venne composto da Marco Columbano l'attuale inno del Calangianus, intitolato "Giallorossi Alè Oh Oh".

In seguito alla stagione di Serie D 2002-2003, conclusa con un settimo posto, il Calangianus annuncia tramite un comunicato stampa le dimissioni dalla presidenza della società di Roberto Goveani il 16 maggio 2003, appena il campionato si concluse. Dopo un mese la società sarà presa in gestione da una lista di trenta imprenditori locali, capeggiati da Davide Di Pellegrini, i quali ne eviteranno il fallimento e la cessione del titolo, ormai quasi ultimata in favore del Castelsardo. Il 30 giugno 2003 Roberto Goveani cede la società al nuovo gruppo dirigenziale.

Nella stagione 2003-2004 il Calangianus, arrivato 15º nel girone B della Serie D, giocherà e perderà i play-out sul campo del Rodengo Saiano per 3 reti a 0, il 31 maggio 2004. Il Calangianus sarà ripescato nel girone H della Serie D nazionale della stagione successiva, che concluderà in nona posizione. Seguono altre quattro partecipazioni al campionato di Serie D, nelle quali i giallorossi trovarono la salvezza ai play-out nelle stagioni 2006-2007 e 2007-2008 (risultati complessivi, rispettivamente, Calangianus 4-3 Renate e Calangianus 3-1 Guidonia Montecelio), fino al sedicesimo posto e alla conseguente retrocessione nella stagione 2008-2009. Durante la stagione 2006-2007 il Calangianus dovette disputare parte degli incontri casalinghi negli stadi periferici Bruno Nespoli di Olbia, Biagio Pirina di Arzachena e Nino Manconi di Tempio Pausania, a causa della dichiarata inagibilità dello stadio Signora Chiara in seguito agli scontri di Catania del 2 febbraio 2007.Il Calangianus, in seguito alla retrocessione nel 2009, milita definitivamente in Eccellenza fino alla stagione 2017-2018, reduce di rendimenti altalenanti tra i quali si denotano due salvezze ai play-out nelle stagioni 2013-2014 (Calangianus 3-1 Serramanna) e 2014-2015 (Calangianus 1-0 Fertilia).

Il 10 novembre 2012, prima della gara tra il Calangianus e i rivali del Tempio giocata allo stadio Signora Chiara e valida per il campionato di Eccellenza Sardegna 2012-2013, gravi disordini e scontri tra le due tifoserie hanno causato l'intervento dei Carabinieri e l'arresto di alcuni tifosi di ambedue le parti.

Rilevante è la stagione 2016-2017, conclusa dai giallorossi al terzo posto, in seguito al quale ebbero accesso di diritto alle dispute finali per l'accesso ai play-off nazionali di Serie D. Il Calangianus, dopo il momentaneo successo casalingo per 2 reti a 1 nella semifinale contro il Castiadas giocata il 23 aprile 2017, perse per 1 rete a 0 la finale giocata nel campo neutro di Sa Rodia (Oristano) contro il Budoni, il 30 aprile 2017.Alla fine di una stagione 2017-2018 caratterizzata da problemi societari che hanno messo a repentaglio il titolo stesso del Calangianus, i giallorossi hanno concluso al 14º posto, guadagnandosi un posto ai play-out persi il 29 aprile 2018 a Monastir per 4 reti a 0: trattasi della prima retrocessione al di sotto del massimo campionato regionale, dopo 113 anni.

Il 13 marzo 2019, in occasione della gara contro la Dorgalese valida per il campionato di Promozione Sardegna 2018-2019, è stato inaugurato il nuovo stadio Signora Chiara, il quale è stato dotato di un nuovo manto sintetico di ultima generazione e rinnovato a livello strutturale.

Durante la sua permanenza nel campionato di Promozione Sardegna, il Calangianus disputa una stagione 2018-2019 da metà classifica ospite di comuni limitrofi quali Telti, Luras, Luogosanto, Valledoria e Tempio Pausania per buona parte di suddetto campionato a causa dei lavori di restauro dello stadio casalingo e le due stagioni 2019-2020 e 2020-2021 sospese a causa della pandemia di COVID-19 in Italia, rispettivamente alla ventiduesima e alla sesta giornata. In seguito alla ripartenza post pandemia, il Calangianus batte per 4 reti a 1 il Porto Torres il 1 maggio 2022 allo stadio comunale di Campanedda, aggiudicandosi con una giornata di anticipo la vittoria del girone C del campionato di Promozione Sardegna 2021-2022 ed il ritorno nella massima serie regionale.

Cronistoria

Colori e simboli

Colori
I colori della maglia sono il rosso e il giallo, scelti in quanto colori rappresentanti dello stesso comune di Calangianus. La società ha utilizzato, dal 1905 fino ad oggi, diversi colori di maglia dal comune giallo-rosso (spesso abbinato a bianco o nero) adottando, tra i tanti, il nero (colore sociale della S.G. Limbara), il bianco e il rosso (colori sociali del C.S. Audax),  il giallo e il verde (colori sociali dell'Usla Calangianus), il lilla (colore sociale dell'AGF Calangianus) e l'azzurro (colore sociale del GIL Calangianus), fino al 1939. Gli attuali colori sociali, il giallo e il rosso sono stati adottati a partire dalla stagione 1945-1946. La classica divisa del Calangianus è quella a strisce verticali alternate gialle e rosse. Sul lato sinistro è presente lo stemma della società.

Alcune divise storiche del Calangianus:

Simboli ufficiali

Stemma
Lo stemma storico era composto da uno scudo in araldica con al centro una croce gialla, a completare il contorno del medesimo colore, su fondo rosso. Dall'alto al basso, in nero, le scritte in ordine FBC Calangianus 1905. Nel 2022 è stato introdotto lo stemma attuale, il quale presenta la simbologia rappresentativa della cittadina: la stella a 8 punte e la foglia della quercia da sughero.

Inno
Il vecchio inno venne composto a cavallo tra gli anni 40 e gli anni 50 dal maestro locale Michele Columbano sui versi dell'artista locale Giovanni Scano, ed è intitolato "Siamo Calangianesi". Segue la tonalità del famoso canto "La Romanina". Attualmente, l'inno del Calangianus è quello composto dall'artista locale Marco Columbano, nel 2002, in seguito alla vittoria del campionato di eccellenza e la successiva risalita in Serie D. Si intitola "Giallorossi Alè Oh Oh".

Strutture

Stadio

Situava in piazza Guglielmo Marconi il primo impianto sportivo del club, il campo sportivo Limbara intitolato a Gaetano Mariotti, meglio noto come Rinascita e successivamente come Lu Campu Ecchju (dal gallurese "il campo vecchio"), radiato nel 1949 in seguito ad un grave pestaggio nei confronti di un direttore di gara.

Disputa attualmente le sue partite interne presso lo Stadio Signora Chiara, noto come Lu Campu Nou (dal gallurese "il campo nuovo"). Lo stadio ha ospitato 39 stagioni di Serie D, succedendo il vecchio campo sportivo Gaetano Mariotti. Ha inoltre ospitato, tra le più rilevanti, una stagione del Budoni Calcio ed un incontro valido per la Serie C2 1983-1943, il 24 settembre 1983, tra Olbia ed Alessandria (il primo nella storia tra le due compagini).

L'impianto, inaugurato nel 1953, ha una capienza totale di circa 2461 spettatori di cui 433 al coperto, presenta un terreno di gioco in erba sintetica ed è caratterizzato da una struttura lunga continua delle tribune, accorciate per metà nella curva di dimensioni maggiori al fine di far spazio a nuovi spogliatoi.

Centro di allenamento
Il campo sportivo Gesuino Mariotti è stato la seconda struttura calcistica di Calangianus, edificato nel medesimo periodo del Signora Chiara. Il primo usufruttuario del centro era la A.S.D. Calangianese, seconda squadra del paese nata nel 1975 e militante, nella stagione 2021-2022, in Seconda Categoria.

Società

Organigramma societario

Settore giovanile
Il settore giovanile giallorosso prese nel 2001 il nome di Audax Calangianus (il quale fu la prima denominazione della società). Nonostante sia una realtà minore rispetto a quella delle società più blasonate della Sardegna (Cagliari, Torres, Olbia), il Calangianus è stato modello di organizzazione del settore giovanile e trampolino di lancio per calciatori e tecnici che successivamente ebbero modo di intraprendere carriera nei principali campionati italiani. Un esempio è rappresentato dal difensore Ivano Baldanzeddu. Nell'anno 2013, il settore giovanile è stato chiuso.

A partire dalla stagione 2016-2017, il settore giovanile è stato rifondato per ogni categoria.

Nel 2022, il settore giovanile ha preso parte al Selis Social Goal for Peace, competizione collaterale al Torneo Mondiale Manlio Selis organizzata con il main sponsor Le Coq Sportif, nella quale il Calangianus ha affrontato, assieme ai settori giovanili di Olbia Calcio, US Tempio, Porto Rotondo, San Teodoro, Atletico Monti ed Atletico Buddusò, una selezione di ragazzi proveniente da Israele e Palestina.

Allenatori e presidenti

Calciatori

Palmarès

Competizioni regionali

1958-1959

2001-2002

1954-1955, 1975-1976, 1978-1979 (girone B), 2021-2022 (girone C)

1959-1960

1965-1966

Statistiche e record

Partecipazione ai campionati

Campionati nazionali

Regionali

Partecipazione alle coppe

Statistiche di squadra
 Il Calangianus è la squadra più titolata in Sardegna per quanto riguarda il massimo livello calcistico regionale, parimerito con Cagliari Calcio, Monteponi Iglesias e Ilvamaddalena.
 Il Calangianus è la società sarda che ha avuto più presenze in Serie D, collezionando 39 stagioni. Trattasi inoltre della tredicesima squadra italiana per presenze nella quarta serie nazionale.
 Il Calangianus, fino alla stagione 2017/2018, non è mai retrocesso sotto il massimo livello regionale, eccezion fatta per la stagione 1948-1949, nella quale la squadra venne squalificata dal campionato alla venticinquesima giornata. Ha mantenuto il primato in Gallura assieme all'Olbia.

Tifoseria

Storia
Il seguito dei tifosi del Calangianus si contraddistingue nell'isola: trattasi di una delle principali tifoserie storiche della Sardegna. Il seguito nei riguardi della novità del foot ball è rilevante a Calangianus già dai primi incontri della compagine paesana registrati intorno al 1924, quando ancora i colori indossati dalla C.S. Audax erano il bianco ed il rosso.

Prima del 1987, data di fondazione del primo gruppo ultras di Calangianus, sono stati diversi i club al seguito dei giallorossi, identificabili a partire dalla stagione 1954-1955, stagione che vide la squadra gallurese aggiudicarsi il titolo regionale. Il primo gruppo di tifoseria organizzata della cittadina furono i Supporters, dal quale nacque il Club Brigate Giallorosse. Nel 1987 nacquero le Brigate Giallorosse, oggi non più presenti, e nel 2013 nacque il gruppo Gioventù Ultras Calangianus.

Gemellaggi e rivalità
La tifoseria calangianese sostiene, dal 1987, un'alleanza con la tifoseria di Olbia. I due club galluresi, tra i pionieri del calcio isolano, connoteranno già dai primi anni del Novecento una delle alleanze più longeve dell'isola. Altra grande amicizia intercorre con i vicini del Lauras. Negli anni sono intercorsi rapporti di amicizia e rispetto reciproco con le tifoserie di Nuorese e Ilvamaddalena.

La rivalità più sentita è, per ragioni principalmente campanilistiche, quella con i vicini del Tempio: le due squadre galluresi si contendono uno dei derby più importanti e seguiti del panorama calcistico sardo. Inoltre, conseguenza della rivalità con i tempiesi e dell'alleanza con la tifoseria olbiese è l'inimicizia che intercorre tra la tifoseria giallorossa e quella della Torres. Altre rivalità degne di nota sono quelle con le tifoserie di Alghero e Arzachena.

Note

Bibliografia
 Il Corriere Dello Sport, consultabile sul sito Emeroteca del C.O.N.I.
 Annuario Italiano Giuoco del Calcio 1932, consultabile sul sito Emeroteca del C.O.N.I.
 Il Littorale, consultabile sul sito Emeroteca del C.O.N.I.

Voci correlate
 Sport in Sardegna

Altri progetti

Collegamenti esterni

FBC Calangianus 1905
Calcio in Sardegna

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
package com.github.ac31007_group_8.quiz.student.controllers;

import com.github.ac31007_group_8.quiz.common.ParameterManager;
import com.github.ac31007_group_8.quiz.student.models.StudentQuizModel;
import com.github.ac31007_group_8.quiz.util.Init;
import spark.Request;
import spark.Response;
import spark.TemplateEngine;
import spark.template.mustache.MustacheTemplateEngine;

import java.util.*;
import java.util.logging.Logger;

import com.github.ac31007_group_8.quiz.staff.store.*;

import com.github.ac31007_group_8.quiz.util.GoogleMail;

import static spark.Spark.*;

import io.github.gitbucket.markedj.*;
import java.io.File;
import java.io.FileNotFoundException;
import java.io.PrintWriter;
import java.io.StringWriter;
import java.text.DateFormat;
import java.text.SimpleDateFormat;
import javax.mail.MessagingException;
import javax.mail.internet.AddressException;
import org.slf4j.LoggerFactory;

/**
 * @author Can G, Allan M
 */
public class StudentQuizManager {

    public StudentQuizManager(){

    }
    private static final org.slf4j.Logger LOGGER = LoggerFactory.getLogger(StudentQuizManager.class);

    @Init
    public static void init() {
        get("/student/takeQuiz", StudentQuizManager::serveTakeQuiz);
        post("/student/takeQuiz", "application/json", StudentQuizManager::receiveTakeQuiz);

    }

    //SERVE QUIZ

    public static Object serveTakeQuiz(Request req, Response res){

        //Sat up template engine
        TemplateEngine eng = new MustacheTemplateEngine();
        HashMap<String, Object> map = ParameterManager.getAllParameters(req);

        //Validate quizID - is valid input provided?
        String quizIDString = req.queryParams("quizID");
        if (quizIDString == (null) || quizIDString.equals(""))
        {
            //display error page
            throw halt(400, eng.render(eng.modelAndView(map, "invalidQuiz.mustache")));
        }
        int quizID = Integer.parseInt(quizIDString);

        //Validate quizID - does it exist?
        StudentQuizModel quizModel = new StudentQuizModel();
        Quiz quiz = quizModel.getCompleteQuiz(quizID);
        if (quiz == null)
        {
            throw halt(400, eng.render(eng.modelAndView(map, "invalidQuiz.mustache")));
        }

        //Don't show quiz if unpublished
        if (!quiz.isPublish_status())
        {
            return eng.render(eng.modelAndView(map, "unpublishedQuiz.mustache"));
        }

        List<Question> allQuestions = quiz.getQuestions();
        int ind=1;
        for (Question q:allQuestions){

            q.setQuestion(Marked.marked(q.getQuestion()));
            q.setQuestionIndex(ind);
            ind++;
        }

        map.put("quizTitle", quiz.getTitle());
        map.put("moduleCode", quiz.getModule_id());

        Integer inMinutes = quiz.getTime_limit();
        if (inMinutes == null){
             map.put("timeLimitOfQuiz", "-");
        }
        else{
            int h = inMinutes/60;
            int m = inMinutes - h*60;

            map.put("timeLimitOfQuiz",((h+"").length()<2?"0"+h:h)+":"+((m+"").length()<2?"0"+m:m)+":00");
        }
        map.put("timeLeft", inMinutes);

        map.put("allQuestions", allQuestions);

        return eng.render(eng.modelAndView(map, "takeQuiz.mustache"));

    }

    //RECEIVE QUIZ

    public static Object receiveTakeQuiz(Request req, Response res){

        HashMap<String, Object> map = ParameterManager.getAllParameters(req);
        TemplateEngine eng = new MustacheTemplateEngine();

        //receive params: quizID, answerIDs, questionIDs
        int quizID = Integer.parseInt(req.queryParams("quizID"));
        int duration = Integer.parseInt(req.queryParams("duration"));
        boolean emailResult = req.queryParams("emailResult")!=null;

        //retrieve questionIDs in the quiz.
        StudentQuizModel quizModel = new StudentQuizModel();
        List<Question> questions = quizModel.getQuestions(quizID);

        //get ticked answers' answerIDs:
        List<Integer> answerIDs = new ArrayList<>();

        for (Question question: questions) {
            int questionID = question.getQuestionID();
            String[] values = req.queryParamsValues(("question" + Integer.toString(questionID)));

            if (values == null){
                    Logger.getGlobal().info("No answers submitted for question with ID " + questionID);
                    throw halt(400, eng.render(eng.modelAndView(map, "badRequest.mustache")));
            }

            for (String value:values) {
                answerIDs.add(Integer.parseInt(value));
                Logger.getGlobal().info("Adding answer with ID: " + value);
            }
        }

        Quiz quiz = quizModel.getCompleteQuiz(quizID);
        int score = calculateScore(answerIDs, quiz);

        User currentUser = (User)req.session().attribute("user");
        if (currentUser==null || currentUser.isStaff()){
            LOGGER.error("IMPOSSIBLE HAPPENED. should be prevented in filter!");
            res.redirect(map.get("baseURL")+"/student/login", 301);
            return null;
        }

        java.sql.Date sqlDate = new java.sql.Date(new Date().getTime());
        quizModel.writeResult(score, quizID, currentUser.getUserid(), sqlDate, duration, answerIDs);

        String mailResult = "";
        if (emailResult){
            //SEND EMAIL
            DateFormat df = new SimpleDateFormat("yyyy/MM/dd/ HH:mm:ss");
            String pageHtml = createHtml(questions, answerIDs, quiz, score, df.format(sqlDate), duration);

            try{
                String message = "Quiz results for quiz: "+quiz.getTitle();

                sendEmail(pageHtml, message, currentUser.getEmail());

                mailResult = "Email sent.";
            }
            catch(FileNotFoundException fnfe){
                LOGGER.error("File not found", fnfe);
                mailResult = "Failed to send email.";
            }
            catch(AddressException ae){
                LOGGER.error("Wrong format of email address", ae);
               mailResult = "Failed to send email.";
            }
            catch(MessagingException me){
                LOGGER.error("MessagingException", me);
                mailResult = "Failed to send email.";
            }
            catch (Exception me){
                LOGGER.error("Other exception", me);

                StringWriter sw = new StringWriter();
                PrintWriter pw = new PrintWriter(sw);
                me.printStackTrace(pw);
                mailResult = "Failed to send email! "+me.toString()+" --- " +sw.toString();;

            }
        }

        map.put("mailResult",mailResult);

        return eng.render(eng.modelAndView(map, "endQuiz.mustache"));

    }

       private static void sendEmail(String pageHtml, String message, String email) throws FileNotFoundException, AddressException, MessagingException{

        String fileName = UUID.randomUUID().toString()+".html";
        String path = StudentQuizManager.class.getResource("/temp").getPath();

        File targetFile = new File(path, fileName);
        targetFile.deleteOnExit();//if for some reason is not deleted when has to
        try (PrintWriter writer = new PrintWriter(targetFile)) {
            writer.println(pageHtml);
            writer.flush();
        }

        GoogleMail.Send("QuizResultSender1@gmail.com", "spamAllanToDeath", email, "Quiz Results", message, targetFile);

        targetFile.delete();

    }

    private static String createHtml(List<Question> allQuestions, List<Integer> answersByStudent, Quiz quiz, int score,String whenTaken, int duration) {

            Options options = new  Options();
            options.setXhtml(true);//without this does not close img tag and cannot create pdf

            //I have tried using html generation libraries (rendersnake and ecs), but it looks even messier due to iteration
            //And gmail attachment viewer does not support

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Interbrand appoints Satish Krishnamurthy as Chief Strategy Officer; Ameya Kapnadak as Chief Growth Officer
Further, Payal Shah is now the Strategy Director and Head - Human Truths, India, and Rahul Bansal will function as the Strategy Director and Head- Brand Economics, India
BestMediaInfo Bureau Delhi, August 18, 2022
Satish Krishnamurthy (Left) Ameya Kapnadak (Right)
Interbrand has bolstered its leadership team by appointing four executives in elevated and new roles, with the goal in mind to drive strategic partnerships, accelerate growth, and burgeon overall enterprise value.
Rising Star Awards 2022 entry deadline extended to August 29. ENTER NOW
Satish Krishnamurthy has assumed the role of Chief Strategy Officer, while Ameya Kapnadak is taking on the role of Chief Growth Officer and Head of Consulting – Interbrand India.
Further, Payal Shah is now the Strategy Director and Head - Human Truths, India. Rahul Bansal will function as the Strategy Director and Head- Brand Economics, India.
Krishnamurthy brings 21 years of global strategic experience to Interbrand, having worked across brand consulting, creative strategy, and design thinking. His diverse experience straddles from driving strategic mandates for large agencies in the US and India, to being a behavioural architect, and also a Ted X speaker. Krishnamurthy has crafted unique ways to solve problems by taking inspiration from various disciplines. He has impacted successful outcomes for large clients across positioning, service and experience design, and opportunity consulting.
Kapnadak leads the growth and consulting teams at Interbrand's India office. Over the last 25 years, he has worked on and built some of India's most iconic brands. He has a wide and deep experience across diverse industries including technology, banking and finance, automotive, consumer goods, food, and fashion and retail. He started his branding career at J Walter Thompson, and has since worked at Mudra, ICICI Bank and The Times Group, before joining Interbrand in 2011. Ameya is a pharmacist by qualification, and holds a master's degree in management from the Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies.
As a Strategy Director at Interbrand, Shah's approach is to help brands rise to meaningful arenas for growth and sustainable iconic leadership. Possessing a multi-faceted personality and more than 15 years of experience in USA and India, she has been working across categories such as spirits, FMCG, technology and fashion. Some of her clients in the past were Pernod Ricard, Britannia and Gucci. Shah believes in the power of storytelling and delves into experiences for brands that inhabit them. She believes in purposeful innovation that harnesses behavioural data in order to amplify brand growth and value creation. Beyond creating brands, she's a brand mentor at Ecole Intuit-Lab and the host of 'Design Rendezvous'.
Bansal joined Interbrand India in 2016 in their strategy vertical. In this role, he has helped with the expansion of Interbrand's footprint in South Asia across Sri Lanka, UAE, and Bangladesh while also leading projects for some of the largest PSU and Private sector brands in India. Prior to Interbrand, he has worked across a diverse range of functions and sectors including business consulting to help bring global consumer brands into India, gaming, and e-commerce in Southeast Asia.
Ashish Mishra, Managing Director – Interbrand India, said, "We had a late entry in the Indian market but could achieve local leadership for the world's leading brand consultancy in a very short span. We have the top 5 branding projects of the decade as our showreel. Winning and delivering these Iconic Brand Transformations including Godrej, Jio, Britannia, Infosys, Mahindra, Hero MotoCorp and Nerolac took brilliant and committed talent. Most of whom have been the core of our team for most of our history. Our people have grown with the firm and are poised well to create the next generations of icons. At Interbrand, our priority is to nurture a global community of thinkers and makers with the curiosity and confidence to create iconic work."
Tags: Interbrand Satish Krishnamurthy Ameya Kapnadak

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Chuck Jackson grew up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and was a member of The Del-Vikings in the late 1950s before he left the group for a solo career.
When Jackson opened for Jackie Wilson at the Apollo Theater, he came to the attention of Luther Dixon, who signed him to Wand Records, a subsidiary of Scepter Records. His first single was "I Don't Want to Cry," which reached Billboard's R&B chart in 1961 and was a top five hit; it also reached the top 40 on the Hot 100 Chart.
Chuck Jackson was among the first artists to record songs written by Burt Bacharach and his single, "Any Day Now," written by Bacharach with Bob Hilliard, reached number two on the R&B chart in 1962 and was a top 25 hit on the Hot 100 chart. Later, it was covered by country singer Ronnie Milsap. Jackson also had a top ten R&B hit with "I Don't Want to Cry," which he co-wrote.
In 1967 Jackson moved to Motown where he had several chart records, including "Honey Come Back," which became a pop hit for Glen Campbell a year later.
During the Third Annual Beach Music Awards, Jackson met producer/songwriter Charles Wallert and they collaborated on a single, "How Long Have You Been Loving Me" for Carolina Records.
Jackson and Dionne Warwick recorded a duet, "If I Let Myself Go" in 1998.
Chuck Jackson was close friends with Republican Party strategist Lee Atwater, who recorded an album on Curb Records. Jackson also appeared in the documentary, Boogie Man: The Lee Atwater Story.
Songs originally recorded by Jackson became major hits for other artists; in addition to Ronnie Milsap and Glen Campbell, "I Keep Forgettin'" was recorded by Michael McDonald and David Bowie and "I Can't Break Away," which was a chart single for Jackson in 1974, was recorded by the Australian rock band Big Pig and was featured as the opening theme for the film Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure in 1989.
In 1992 Chuck Jackson was honored with the "Pioneer Award" from the Rhythm and Blues Foundation and in 2009 received the "Joe Pop Pioneer Award" from the Carolina Beach Music Hall of Fame.


text:
State's First Wetlands Restoration Project on Kauaʻi Helps Mitigate Climate Change Impacts
The state Department of Land and Natural Resources produced a video for the 24th Annual World Wetlands Day. Video Courtesy: DLNR
In the 1800s, before wetlands were drained for agricultural purposes, a person could paddle a canoe from Waimea town to Polihale on Kauaʻi during the wet season.
Now, to help restore some of the lost wetlands, the State is expanding the Kawai'ele Waterbird Sanctuary by 100 acres. The State's first wetlands restoration on Kauaʻi will not enable a person to canoe cross-country, but it will provide additional habitat for native Hawaiian birds and help mitigate climate change impacts, according to a news release from the state Department and Land and Natural Resources (DLNR).
"If you can protect, restore and re-create wetland areas, you'll end up with a big sponge," Jason Vercelli, a wildlife biologist with the DLNR's Division of Forestry and Wildlife said.
Native birds flock to the Kawai'ele Waterbird Sanctuary, which is part of the state's first wetlands restoration project on Kauaʻi. Photo Courtesy: DNLR
The state's Department of Land and Natural Resources is expanding the Kawai'ele Waterbird Sanctuary by 100 acres as part of a wetlands restoration project on Kauaʻi. Photo Courtesy: DNLR
A restoration project also is taking place at the private Makauwahi Cave Reserve, where wetland areas are planted with taro and banana as well as native plants. Photo Courtesy: DNLR
At the Kawai'ele Waterbird Sanctuary, four native waterbirds now inhabit the shallow ponds: the Hawaiian stilt, Hawaiian coot, the Hawaiian gallinule and the koloa duck. Photo Courtesy: DNLR
On Feb. 2, the 24th Annual World Wetlands Day, scientists and wetlands managers called attention to the wide-array of ecological services and help to humanity that are provided by these shallow, species-rich, environments.
"One of the things [wetlands] can do is to help purify our water," said Helen Raine of Pacific Birds. "During major rain events like we see in Hawai'i, a wetland can trap and allow pollutants and toxins to settle before they reach the ocean. In the same way they can help us control sediment and store flood water."
Protecting and managing wetlands also can provide services people will need as the climate warms.
"Wetlands are also home to some of our endangered Hawaiian waterbirds, like the Koloa Maoli (Koloa duck)," Raine said. "Building flood resilience for people through natural infrastructure like wetlands will also help those birds".
Vercelli has worked to help the Kawai'ele Waterbird Sanctuary for more than a decade. The area was set aside in the mid-1990s. Four native waterbirds now inhabit the shallow ponds: the Hawaiian stilt, Hawaiian coot, Hawaiian gallinule and koloa duck.
Kawai'ele is not a natural wetland, but it was created after sand dunes were excavated to allow water to fill in. Whether created by human hands or not, clearly wetlands are not just for the birds. They provide recreational and educational opportunities. In addition to the interpretive kiosks currently in place, it is hoped the wetland's expansion will eventually see a resource center with laboratory activities for keiki.
Across Kaua'i, along the southern shoreline near Poipu, another wetland restoration is occuring on private land.
At the Makauwahi Cave Reserve, wetland areas are planted with taro and banana as well as native plants and visitors can often spot koloa ducks resting along the moist banks. Hawaiian ducks were once abundant across the state. As the wetlands declined in Kauaʻi, so did bird populations.
The Hawai'i Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission recently adopted a fictionalized koloa maoli (Koloa Iki) as a tool to increase learning about sea climate change resilience and adaptation.
"The Koloa Maoli, living in wetland habitats — which absorb carbon; provide resilience to storm surges; and act as an indicator of saltwater intrusion — can help show us, in a fun way, where we need to take action to make Hawai'i climate ready," said Anu Hittle, the commission's coordinator
Professional Winter Athletes to Testify on Climate… September 4, 2019
Mayor Victorino to Pursue TAT Tax to Help Mitigate… April 28, 2021
Program Established to Mitigate Visitor Impacts at… July 9, 2021
Maui Climate Change Lawsuit Against Fossil Fuel… February 13, 2021
Hawaiʻi Gov. Ige nominates climate change expert… January 6, 2022
Mayor Joins Effort to Raise the Profile on Climate Change April 19, 2019


This 2 piece ensemble is the perfect choice for our modern day brides who like a little versatility to their big day. The inside slip dress is a luxurious satin silk lined in soft chiffon silk. The outer lace shell is made in an imported elegant floral lace. This easy to wear silhouette, is an ideal choice that suits most body types.
Both items can be worn together or separately for future special occasions.
Inside Slip Dress 100% Satin Silk. Lined in 100% Chiffon Silk.


This furniture set consists of 4 of our stylish steel barrel drum chairs, and one of our small round tables. There would be no better way to spend those sunny days in your back garden, than relaxing with this upcycled furniture.
The table comes with a glossy painted exterior, and a hand cut wooded top – which is removable to store all of your essentials. The chairs come with a bold, vibrant shell, with black lining along the edges. They are supplied with black embroided leather-feel upholstery, which looks as nice as it feels.
Looking to have a drink or dine in style? This furniture combination would be perfect for you.
This product is handmade, ready to order so please allow upto 3-4 weeks to recieve your order.
Available in a variety of colour and can be made bespoke with decals. Please call us on 03333 442 360 for your bespoke requirements.


text:
A recent study by Sallie Mae shows that many of the families choosing community college for their students today are in income brackets over $100,000. We'll explore possible reasons for the demographic change.
The face of the community college student appears to be changing in more ways than one, as a slow economy and skyrocketing tuition rates at four-year schools have begun to take their toll. A recent study by student loan provider Sallie Mae found that more students from high-income families are moving to community college right out of high school, thanks to lower tuition costs and better career options. It also seems that the attitude toward community college education is improving, as more students see this path as a viable option to a bright future.
The Changing Demographic
The report on the Sallie Mae website, titled, "How America Pays for College 2011," explains that in the past four years, many families across the country and from all income brackets have shifted from four-year institutions to two-year community colleges. This shift could be a factor in why middle- and high-income families have been able to reduce education costs and take less money from income and savings to pay the price for higher education.
The study found that during the 2009-2010 academic year, 12 percent of high-income families (families making $100,000 or more) sent students to two-year colleges. The following school year, that percentage went up to 22 percent. That increase correlates with a drop in four-year college enrollment during the same time frame, which shifted from 56 percent during the 2009-2010 school year, to just 48 percent the following year. This group also reported paying 18 percent less
The FAFSA deadline is fast approaching and many community colleges are offering workshops and other types of assistance to help students get the financial aid necessary to head to college next year.
The deadline for submitting the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is looming, and colleges across the country are offering assistance with financial aid paperwork. This basic form, which is the first step in gaining grants or loans from the federal government, have helped many students pay for the rising costs of higher education. For those with questions about the FAFSA, answers may be as close as their local community college.
What is FAFSA?
The FAFSA is the first step in the financial aid process, whether students are looking for federal or state assistance. According to a report at the Rhode Show, this mother of all financial aid forms allows the federal government to determine a student's eligibility for financial aid. The states also use the paperwork to determine whether students qualify for loans or grants at the state level. Colleges and universities use the information on the FAFSA to get an idea of just how much financial aid a student might need to attend a specific school.
The FAFSA opens the door to a variety of financial aid options, including the popular Stafford loans and grad PLUS loans. Student loans like these are preferable to private loans for most students because they come with low interest rates and an array of consumer protections and benefits. One of the most attractive features of some of these loans is an Income-Based Repayment Plan that allows students to pay off balances in increments they can afford once they graduate from
Many community college students provide tax help during these months, through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program. We'll highlight some of the schools where these services are available.
April may still seem like a long way off, but it's not too soon for many Americans to begin thinking about filing their tax returns. Tax preparation can be a complex business, and not everyone can afford to hire the services of a CPA to help them with the process. The good news is that help is available for those who cannot afford professional assistance, and it may be as close as your neighborhood community college. By enlisting the help of a college student who is majoring in the accounting field, you can get expert advice without paying a fortune for the service.
About VITA
Tax assistance at the local community college is generally offered through the IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program, also known as VITA. According to the IRS website, this program is available to anyone who earns $50,000 or less and requires assistance filing their tax returns. The volunteers that work with VITA are trained in IRS guidelines and are IRS certified to offer tax advice on issues such as earned income tax credit, child tax credits and other tax deductions.
Those that work on the community college campus are often accounting students from the school, but other volunteers may be working in that particular office as well. Many of this year's VITA programs are already up and running, allowing many who qualify for the services a head start on this year's tax return. Many offices provide free electronic filing, so those that use their services can
Learn about a recent endowment to California community colleges that will provide financial support to thousands of students in need.
Community college students in California who are struggling to make ends meet and pay their tuition bills may get a boost this academic year. The Foundation for California Community Colleges has set up a permanent scholarship fund of nearly $68 million to provide students with the financial aid they need to continue their education. The endowment fund is a culmination of three years of fundraising work that started with a gift from the Bernard Osher Foundation.
About the Scholarship
Three years ago, the Bernard Osher Foundation gave the Foundation for California Community Colleges a gift of $25 million to begin a scholarship fund for community college students. According to a press release on the Foundation for California Community Colleges website, the Bernard Osher Foundation was founded in 1977 by Bernard Osher, as a means of supporting higher education and the arts. In addition to the initial gift, the foundation also promised to match funds raised by the colleges themselves.
The L.A. Times reports that California's 112 community colleges worked together for three years to raise $28.5 million for the scholarship fund. This allowed the Bernard Osher Foundation to contribute an additional $14.2 million to the endowment, which brought the grand total in the scholarship fund to $67.7 million. The scholarship fund is designed to provide financial aid to thousands of California community college students annually.
According to a report in the San Francisco Business Times, this fund is the biggest system-wide community college endowment in the
A new study by the Institute for College Access and Success points at the glaring problem facing many community college students: they can't access federal student loans. Learn about the study, the problem, and what resources you do have available.
Community colleges are known for their low-cost education options that help students with limited funds get the training they need to find good jobs after graduation. However, many hopeful students are realizing that even community college can become an "impossible dream," once they discover federal loans are not available for many of these institutions.
A recent study from the Institute for College Access and Success found that more than one million students across 31 states do not have access to the federal loans they need to make a college education a reality. We will explore the reasons behind this reality, and how it impacts the ability of adults to get the education and training they need today.
What Federal Loans can Do
The Institute for College Access and Success conducted this study through their initiative, Project on Student Debt, which is committed to helping make college more available and affordable to students of all backgrounds. The study states that community colleges serve a variety of purposes, from awarding associate degrees and certificates to providing workforce training and lifelong learning opportunities for students of all ages. These schools are designed to serve students of all backgrounds and income levels, ensuring everyone in this country has access to necessary training to land good jobs after graduation. Community colleges are currently educating 40 percent of all the undergraduate students across the country.
The low tuition and fee rates have historically made these institutions more affordable than other schools of higher learning.
Mentoring at Community College: Helping Students Succeed
Learn about mentoring programs at community colleges around the country and the benefits they offer to students.


Don't just drink coffee. Open a cross-chain dialogue. Gain insights from farm owners and workers. Learn their stories and their way of life. It may not be far from your own. Follow them on Social. See that they are receiving the premium you pay for their coffee.


text:
Books: A Paper Love Affair
Larry McMurtry has done many things in his life but perhaps none is as impressive as turning Archer City, Texas -a lonesome patch of Texas prairie- into one of the world's great book towns. And in his suitably titled Books we learn all about this labor of love as we're granted a rare and fascinating look into the world of book collecting and book dealing.
As the bestselling author of more than 30 novels (including the 1985 Pulitzer prize winning Lonesome Dove), over a dozen works of non-fiction, and Oscar Award-winning screenplays like Terms of Endearment and The Last Picture Show, he's contributed his share to the American literary canon. And as one of the last true book scouts and purveyors of rare and antiquated books, he's been involved in the book trade in one way or another for the past seven decades. That experience and longevity has yielded some fascinating stories and insight which he chronicles in his plain and engaging prose as only someone with his skill-set and résumé can.
From McMurtry's humble farm beginnings, to his days as a book scout, to his first bookshop in Washington D.C., to the international auction circuit and beyond, the pages are peppered with larger-than-life characters and book hoarding eccentrics. Things eventually come full circle as he returns home to Archer City; the place where his love affair began as a book-obsessed youth hoarding a ragged stash of 19 books (a sum that has since blossomed into more than 300,000 volumes). And the endearing narrative thread throughout is that McMurtry has remained that West Texas boy for whom the written word is the "cheapest and most stable pleasure of life." Operating in a world that prizes books as commodities rather than art, he has never lost that perspective.
Books is written in typical McMurtry fashion with his rapid-fire burst of one and two page chapters and non-pretentious style succinctly detailing action and ideas with economy. He seems to have an anecdote for every occasion and for a man who was on the fringe of the beat generation, palled-around with Ken Kesey (and reportedly married his widow), and has rubbed elbows with just about everyone from aristocrats to Hollywood folk, it's not all that surprising. And these tidbits are augmented with interesting revelations such as the struggle between his inner-writer and inner-reader and the resulting friction, which he concludes, is a benefit to both his passions.
But more than just documenting the amazing life of a bibliophile and recounting some fascinating stories about books, there is a timeless quality and an obvious preservational importance to Books. It's been labeled a "memoir", but it's not really. McMurtry is not the memoir type. It's more like a postcard for posterity, a chronicling of the dying art of book dealing for future generations. And with the rise of the Internet and EBay this world seems to vanish a little more each day. That's why Books is not only an interesting book, but an important one. And it would be hard to find a more apt chronicler for the task.
Posted by aaron at 7:37 AM No comments:


text:
Sigle
AASE peut désigner :
 Advanced Aerodynamics and Structures, un constructeur aéronautique américain.

Voir aussi
 (864) Aase, un astéroïde découvert le
 Syndrome d'Aase, une forme rare de l'anémie de Blackfan-Diamond


text:
Benefits and financial advice
Leisure and libraries
Life events and communities
Rubbish, recycling and streets
Travel and road safety
Latest news from Brighton & Hove City Council
Support with the cost of living
Annual report shows progress on climate action
Supporting the Ukranian humanitarian crisis
Want news from us straight to your inbox?
Refurbished BTN BikeShare bikes heading to Malawi to support communities
Approximately 100 BTN BikeShare bikes will soon be shipped to Malawi to support communities in the southeast African country.
Have your say on the city's community safety strategy
We're after your views to help set the priorities in the city's Community Safety and Crime Reduction Strategy.
Heritage Treasure Saltdean Lido on track to reopen the restored main building in 2023
To mark the National Lottery Heritage Fund's #HeritageTreasures Day this week we are celebrating the protection and restoration of some of our local treasures taking place this year.
Free bus travel and 50p fares for young people under 19
Younger passengers using buses across the city can benefit from cheaper fares until 2025.
City could welcome Women's Rugby World Cup in 2025
Following the success of UEFA Women's EURO 2022, councillors will consider bidding to become a host city for the Women's Rugby World Cup in 2025.
Madeira Terrace restoration – cliff surveying starts
Ahead of restoration work on the Grade II* listed Madeira Terrace starting this autumn, specialist contractors will be surveying the condition of the East Cliff wall this week.
Nearly £200,000 of funding secured to support active travel and promote infrastructure
We have secured almost £200,000 in government funding to continue our work to encourage active travel and provide better walking, wheeling and cycling infrastructure for people in Brighton & Hove
Western Road improvements to begin this month
Work to improve the look and feel of a popular shopping area of the city will begin on Monday 9 January
Actions to reduce, re-use and recycle
Take positive action to reduce waste and help tackle the climate crisis.
Support for rough sleepers this Christmas
Accommodation and support is available for people sleeping rough in the city who need the council's help this Christmas, with our SWEP shelter open from Christmas Eve to 28 December and from New Year's Eve to 2 January.
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Facet News Category
Filming in the city
Our social media acceptable use guidelines
Go to Visit Brighton
What's happening in the city?
Circular Saturdays
Various dates
Find out how to upcycle, save money and learn new skills at a series of free repair workshops. Local organisations and individuals are running events with a special interest in the circular economy.
Find out more and get tickets
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© Brighton & Hove City Council


text:
Forensics Talk
A Forensic Nurse's Weblog
Entries categorized "Research"
Trayvon Martin Shooting: Forensics & Injuries Can Tell The Tale!
The News is out that George Zimmerman has been charged with second degree murder today.
To say that this whole incident is a tragedy would be an extreme understatement. I believe there were wrongs on both sides. One person has died, and the other has had to hide for fear of his life and may now spend the rest of his life in jail.
That person, instead of having his rights as a citizen protected, has been essentially tried, found guilty, and sentenced to death, in the public forum - all occurred almost immediately after the shooting.
And all thanks to the unconscionable actions of the media, and of others, who deliberately fan the flames of hatred for their own personal agendas.
There are aspects of Zimmerman's story that I do question. I question the claim of his head being banged on the sidewalk, as perhaps, opposed to hitting his head on the soft, wet ground. Reprotedly he had grass stains on the back of his jacket. The injuries were not clear enough to determine exactly what caused them.
If zimmerman's head was being banged against a hard sidewalk, I question why he wasn't knocked out, or received more injury than he did. Having one's head banged against a hard surface like a sidewalk, could cause significant injuries, such as a concussion and brain damage, and even death.
I question the fear factor involved. Fear is individual to each person. However, using the reasonable person standard, used by the courts, I have to question whether a reasonable person would fear more for his life in the banging his head on the sidewalk vs the grass and ground scenarios?
I was surprised to see the number of stock photos on Fotolia showing young males, both black and white, all wearing hoodies! So, I tried another key word. Same thing happened. Another one. Again, same thing. What does that say about the general public perception of youth and crime?
It indicates there is a general public perception that hoodies are worn by only young criminals, would it be so strange for Zimmerman to have that perception as well and be suspicious?
I also question Martin's behavior. It's reported that he was beating Zimmerman. The police report stated Zimmerman had injuries consistent with an assault.
The rest has to be proven in a court of law with a fair trial and an impartial jury. I am very interested to hear the forensics reports, including gunshot wound and residue, and the trace evidence found.
Apr 11, 2012 7:47:51 PM | Workplace Violence, Abuse / Neglect, Accident Investigation, Bullying, Civil Litigation, Crime, Criminal Investigation, Criminal Justice, DNA, Domestic Violence, Elder and Vulnerable Adult abuse, Forensic News, Forensic Nursing, Forensic Psychology, Forensic Science, Homicide, Legal Blogs, Medical Blogs, Medicolegal Death Investigation, Personal Injury, Profiling, Research, Traumatic Brain Injury, Violent Juveniles
Genetic Link To Suicidal Behavior Confirmed By CAMH Study
Article Date: 10 Oct 2011 - 0:00 PDT
"A new study from the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health has found evidence that a specific gene is linked to suicidal behaviour, adding to our knowledge of the many complex causes of suicide. This research may help doctors one day target the gene in prevention efforts.
In the past, studies have implicated the gene for brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in suicidal behaviour. BDNF is involved in the development of the nervous system.
After pooling results from 11 previous studies and adding their own study data involving people with schizophrenia, CAMH scientists confirmed that among people with a psychiatric diagnosis, those with the methionine ("met") variation of the gene had a higher risk of suicidal behaviour compared to those with the valine variation. . . " Read More
Oct 10, 2011 6:35:12 AM | Medicolegal Death Investigation, Research
Headaches Are Common In Year Following Traumatic Brain Injury, Especially Among Females
Article Date: 19 Aug 2011 - 1:00 PDT
"Recurring headaches are common during the year following a traumatic brain injury (TBI), regardless of the severity of the TBI, and they tend to occur more often among females and those with a pre-TBI history of headache, according to an article in Journal of Neurotrauma, a peer-reviewed journal published by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. The article is available free online at the link below.
More than 70% of patients who had suffered a TBI reported having headaches during the first year after their injury. This finding is a result of a multi-center study described by Jeanne Hoffman, PhD, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, and a group of colleagues from University of Washington, Craig Hospital (Denver, CO), Mayo Clinic (Rochester, MN), University of Alabama at Birmingham, University of Texas Southwestern Medical School (Dallas), Virginia Commonwealth University (Richmond), and Moss Rehab (Philadelphia, PA).
Females and persons with a pre-injury history of headache were significantly more likely to report headache, but there was no statistical link between incidence of post-injury headache and the severity of the TBI."
Sources: Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., Publishers, AlphaGalileo Foundation.
Aug 21, 2011 2:51:00 AM | Civil Litigation, Forensic News, Medical Blogs, Personal Injury, Research, Traumatic Brain Injury
Forensic Cases: Colin Pitchfork, First Exoneration Through DNA
Explore Forensics
One of the keystones of forensic science is DNA testing. DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) is the genetic material present in every cell. Each individual has a Unique DNA Profile. There are even a few differences between the DNA of identical twins.
A British scientist, Sir Alec Jeffreys, developed DNA profiling in the 1980s. DNA for profiling can be extracted from samples of human cells found at a Crime Scene, including blood, semen, skin, saliva, mucus, perspiration and the roots of hair, and Profiling can even be carried out on old and dried out samples.
The case of Colin Pitchfork was the first murder conviction based on DNA profiling evidence (there was a previous rape conviction based on this type of evidence).
The Exoneration
After going missing, Lynda Mann, a 15-year-old schoolgirl, was raped and murdered in the grounds of Carlton Hayes psychiatric hospital in Narborough, Leicestershire, in November 1983. Forensic examination of semen sample showed that it was a type found in only 10% of men, and was from someone with type A blood. However, the police did not find a suspect.
In 1986, another 15-year-old schoolgirl, Dawn Ashworth, was similarly sexually assaulted and strangled in the nearby village of Enderby, and semen samples showed the same blood type.
Richard Buckland, a local 17-year-old with learning disabilities who worked at Carlton Hayes psychiatric hospital, had been spotted near Dawn Ashworth's murder scene and knew unreleased details about the body. In 1986, he confessed to Dawn Ashworth's murder but not Lynda Mann's.
Using Sir Alec Jeffreys' new technique, scientists compared the semen samples with a blood sample from Richard Buckland. This proved that both girls were murdered by the same man, and also proved that this man was not Richard Buckland – the first person to be exonerated using DNA. . . Read More
Aug 7, 2011 10:04:04 AM | Child Sex Offenders, Criminal Investigation, Criminal Justice, DNA, Forensic News, Forensic Science, Homicide, Legal Blogs, Research, Sexual Assault
Ground-Breaking Effort To Prevent Opioid Abuse And Overdose
" Fatal overdoses involving prescribed opioids tripled in the United States between 1999 and 2006, climbing to almost 14,000 deaths annually - more than cocaine and heroin overdoses combined. Hospitalizations and emergency room visits related to prescription opioid pain medicines such as oxycodone (brand name Oxycontin) and hydrocodone (Vicodin) also increased dramatically in the same period.
Now a report in the August issue of Health Affairs describes a major initiative at Group Health to make opioid prescribing safer while improving care for patients with chronic pain. Health Affairs is the nation's premier health policy journal, and its August issue focuses on substance abuse.
In the Group Health initiative's first nine months, clinicians at the Seattle-based integrated health system developed and documented care plans for almost 6,000 patients - 85 percent of those receiving long-term opioid therapy for chronic non-cancer pain.
Group Health's initiative was implemented well before the White House Office of Drug Control Policy, the Food and Drug Administration, and the Drug Enforcement Administration announced a national action plan in April 2011 to stem the epidemic of prescription drug abuse. Scientists from Group Health Research Institute are evaluating the initiative's effects on care, hoping Group Health's experience can help guide national efforts.
Use of prescription opioids has increased sharply since the 1980s. Excluding people with cancer and those in end-of-life care, about 4 percent of U.S. adults now use prescription opioids long term. Pharmaceutical industry advocacy and education have fueled increased opioid prescribing for chronic non-cancer pain - despite limited scientific evidence supporting the drugs' long-term effectiveness for chronic non-cancer pain.
In January 2010, Group Health Research Institute Senior Investigator Michael Von Korff, ScD, and colleagues published the first-ever study on overdose risk by dose among patients receiving prescribed opioids for chronic non-cancer pain. That study, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, linked higher risk of fatal and nonfatal overdose to higher daily dose prescribed. His research also showed that Group Health, like other health systems nationwide, had been prescribing more opioids for chronic non-cancer pain over time - a twofold increase from 1997 to 2005.
Group Health launched a major primary care-based initiative to enhance opioid prescribing safety later in 2010. Led by Group Health Medical Director of Primary Care Claire Trescott, MD, the initiative aims to standardize use of opioids for chronic non-cancer pain, without creating undue restrictions on clinically appropriate opioid prescribing."
Aug 5, 2011 5:29:18 AM | Criminal Investigation, Legal Blogs, Medical Blogs, Medicolegal Death Investigation, Research
Tenfold Increase In Stroke Risk Following Traumatic Brain Injury
Article Date: 31 Jul 2011 - 0:00 PDT
If you suffer traumatic brain injury, your risk of having a stroke within three months may increase tenfold, according to a new study reported in Stroke: Journal of the American Heart Association.
"It's reasonable to assume that cerebrovascular damage in the head caused by a traumatic brain injury can trigger either a hemorrhagic stroke [when a blood vessel bursts inside the brain] or an ischemic stroke [when an artery in the brain is blocked]," said Herng-Ching Lin, Ph.D., senior study author and professor at the School of Health Care Administration, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University in Taiwan. "However, until now, no research had been done showing a correlation between traumatic brain injury and stroke."
It is the first study that pinpoints traumatic brain injury as a potential risk factor for subsequent stroke.
Traumatic brain injury occurs when an external force such as a bump, blow or jolt to the head disrupts the normal function of the brain. Causes include falls, vehicle accidents, and violence.
In the United States alone, approximately 1 in 53 individuals sustain a traumatic brain injury each year, according to 2004 statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Worldwide, traumatic brain injuries are a major cause of physical impairment, social disruption and death.
Using records from a nationwide Taiwanese database, researchers investigated the risk of stroke in traumatic brain injury patients during a five-year period. The records included 23,199 adult traumatic brain injury patients who received ambulatory or hospital care between 2001 and 2003. The comparison group comprised 69,597 non-traumatic brain injury patients. The average age of all patients was 42 and 54 percent were male.
During the three months after injury, 2.91 percent of traumatic brain injury patients suffered a stroke compared with only 0.30 percent of those with non-traumatic brain injury - a tenfold difference.
Stroke risk in patients with traumatic brain injury decreased gradually over time, researchers said:
After one year, the risk was about 4.6 times greater for patients who suffered a traumatic brain injury than for those who had not.
After five years, the risk was 2.3 times greater for traumatic brain injury patients.
Stroke risk among traumatic brain injury patients with skull bone fractures was more pronounced than in traumatic brain injury patients without fractures, researchers said.
During the first three months, those with skull bone fractures were 20 times more likely to have a stroke than patients without skull bone fractures. The risk decreased over time.
Furthermore, the risk of subarachnoid hemorrhage (bleeding in the area between the brain and the thin tissues that cover the brain) and intracerebral hemorrhage (bleeding in the brain caused by the rupture of a blood vessel) increased significantly in patients with traumatic brain injury versus non-traumatic brain injury patients. . . " Read More
Jul 31, 2011 8:53:15 AM | Civil Litigation, Legal Blogs, Medical Blogs, Personal Injury, Research, Traumatic Brain Injury
1 in 3 Patients Harmed During Hospital Stay
American Medical News
Many adverse events can be prevented, providing what a patient safety expert calls "humongous opportunities for improvement."
By Kevin B. O'Reilly, amednews staff. Posted April 18, 2011.
"One-third of hospital patients experience adverse events and about 7% are harmed permanently or die as a result, according to a study that detected patient safety problems at a far higher rate than other methods.
The study, in April's Health Affairs, echoes two reports issued in November 2010 that showed rates of adverse events hovering near 25% among hospitalized Medicare patients nationwide and at 10 North Carolina hospitals.
The findings draw attention to the safety troubles that have lingered in U.S. hospitals in the 12 years since the Institute of Medicine's headline-grabbing report "To Err is Human." The study cited research estimating that up to 98,000 patients die each year due to preventable medical errors.
"This is one of the best studies that now gives us a sense of how much harm is happening to patients in American hospitals," said Robert Wachter, MD, chief of the medical service at the University of California, San Francisco Medical Center, who was not involved in the research. "There is a tremendous amount of harm befalling patients who are admitted to hospitals and humongous opportunities for improvement."
To judge from a survey released March 31, patients are scared of medical mishaps. Nearly 60% of adults polled by the Consumer Reports National Research Center believe medical errors are common in hospitals, and nearly half said serious harm is common. Nearly 80% of patients said they feared contracting an infection in a hospital, 71% were worried about medication errors and 65% were scared of surgical mistakes. . . " Read More
Apr 20, 2011 6:29:34 AM | Forensic News, Forensic Nursing, Forensic Science, Legal Blogs, Medical Blogs, Medicolegal Death Investigation, Personal Injury, Research
Hospital Errors May Be More Common Than Thought
New Tracking Tool Suggests Medical Errors May Occur in One-Third of Hospital Admissions
By Denise Mann
WebMD Health News
"April 7, 2011 -- Medication errors, infections, and other hospital-related errors may be 10 times more common than previously estimated, according to a study involving a new tracking tool.
Medical errors may actually occur in as many of one-third of hospital admissions, according to a new study in the April issue of Health Affairs.
"It's a little scary," admits study author David C. Classen, MD, an associate professor of medicine at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City.
Whether the problem is getting worse or error tracking methods are improving is not known. "We have gotten better tools to detect medical errors which give us a better yardstick to determine if we are improving," he says.
Researchers used the Institute for Healthcare Improvements' Global Trigger Tool. With this method, two or three trained nurses or pharmacists review medical charts for certain triggers such as a stop-medication order, an abnormal lab test result, or the use of a known antidote, and then follow up with a physician review of the medical chart to see if these triggers led to any medical mistakes.
Study results show the new tool may be more sensitive than other tracking methods, including voluntary reporting and other measures.
Protect Yourself From Hospital Errors
Common hospital errors included medication-related issues, procedure-related mistakes, and hospital-acquired infections. The most severe mistakes were related to a surgery or procedure, the new study showed.
Classen says that asking questions and demanding answers can help reduce the risk of medical errors when you are hospitalized.
If someone tries to give you medication, "stop and say 'I want to hear all about it before I take it,'" he suggests.
Before surgery, "insist that your surgeon comes and sees you before starting the procedure to review the steps," Classen says. . . " Read More
Apr 11, 2011 7:00:04 AM | Medical Blogs, Research
Army Slow To Act as Crime-lab Worker Falsified, Botched Tests
By Marisa Taylor and Michael Doyle
McClatchy Newspapers
Posted: 03/19/2011 12:00:00 AM PDT
Updated: 03/19/2011 08:58:03 PM PDT
WASHINGTON -- "For nearly three years, the military held the key to Roger House's exoneration and didn't tell him: A forensics examiner had botched a crucial lab test used in the Navy lieutenant's court-martial.
In fact, the military had begun second-guessing a decade's worth of tests conducted by its one-time star lab analyst, Phillip Mills.
Investigators discovered that Mills had cut corners and even falsified reports in one case. He found DNA where it didn't exist, and failed to find it where it did. His mistakes may have let the guilty go free while the innocent, such as House, were convicted.
"It cost him his family and it cost him his Navy career," House's attorney, John Wells, said in an interview. "It's certainly outrageous and unconscionable; it's the kind of action that makes you want to scream."
But the problem was bigger than just a lone analyst.
While a McClatchy Newspapers investigation revealed that Mills' mistakes undermined hundreds of criminal cases brought against military personnel, it also found that the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Laboratory was lax in supervising Mills, slow to re-examine his work and slipshod about informing defendants. Officials appeared intent on containing the scandal that threatened to discredit the military's most important forensics facility, which handles more than 3,000 criminal cases a year.
The military has never publicly acknowledged the extent of Mills' mistakes nor
the lab's culpability. McClatchy pieced together the untold story by conducting dozens of interviews and reviewing internal investigations, transcripts and other documents. The McClatchy investigation shows: Read More
Mar 26, 2011 7:52:57 AM | Computer Forensics, Criminal Investigation, Criminal Justice, DNA, Forensic News, Forensic Nursing, Forensic Science, Medical Blogs, Research
Traumatic Brain Injury: CTE Found in Bob Probert's Brain Tissue
By IRA PODELL, AP Hockey Writer Ira Podell, Ap Hockey Writer – Thu Mar 3, 1:08 pm ET
Bob Probert knew the fierce pounding he dished out and received over 16 seasons as an NHL enforcer was taking its toll as he got older. That's why he wanted his brain to be analyzed once he died. Even though heart failure ultimately ended his life last July at age 45, Probert also was living with a damaged brain. Researchers at Boston University said Thursday that Probert had the degenerative brain disease Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy. The disease was found through analysis of brain tissue donated by Probert.
He is the second hockey player from the program at the Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy to be diagnosed with the disease after death. Reggie Fleming, a 1960s enforcer who played before helmets became mandatory, also had CTE.
CSTE is a collaboration between Boston University Medical School and the Sports Legacy Institute that is attempting to address what it calls the "concussion crisis" in sports. The group has been at the forefront of research into head trauma in sports, and has received a $1 million gift from the NFL, which it has pushed for better treatment of concussions.
The family of former Bears safety Dave Duerson agreed to donate his brain to the study after he committed suicide last month at the age of 50.
During his years as one of the most feared players in the NHL, Probert had 3,300 penalty minutes — fifth on the league's career list. He was the toughest and most prolific fighter of his time. Probert, who struggled to overcome drinking problems during his time in the NHL, played for the Detroit Red Wings from 1985-94 and the Chicago Blackhawks from 1995-2002.
"We are only beginning to appreciate the consequences of brain trauma in sports," said Chris Nowinski, the Sports Legacy Institute's co-founder and chief executive officer. "Early evidence indicates that the historical decision not to discourage contact to the head was an enormous mistake, and we hope aggressive changes continue to be made to protect athletes, especially at the youth level." Read More
Mar 17, 2011 9:09:35 AM | Accident Investigation, Forensic Nursing, Forensic Science, Legal Blogs, Medical Blogs, Medicolegal Death Investigation, Personal Injury, Research, Traumatic Brain Injury
Danger of Multiple Emergency Room Visits to Different Hospitals
KevinMD
by Jeffrey I. Kreisberg, PhD
"If you are one of the more than 100 million Americans who visit emergency rooms (ER) at least once a year, you're not alone.
Americans, insured and not, make ample use of hospital emergency rooms. One out of every five visited an ER at least once in 2007, the latest year for which the National Center for Health Statistics has data. Among the uninsured, 7.4 percent made two or more visits to an ER, but so did 5.1 percent of people with private insurance.
Well if you want to stay safe and receive quality medical care while you're in the ER, it's best if you visit the same ER each time.
A report published released recently in the Archives of Internal Medicine and reviewed by Kaiser Health News, showed that nearly one in three Massachusetts adults who made multiple ER trips to separate hospitals — some upwards of five — created a host of dangerous and costly problems because full health information is not always shared between hospitals. The reasons for choosing different facilities varied, sometimes patients moved or changed insurance between visits, while others got transferred between facilities. . . " Read More
Mar 13, 2011 7:57:25 PM | Medical Blogs, Research
Medical records and Facebook
"Provocative piece by hospitalist el jefe Bob Wachter. He laments how archaic most electronic records are, and I agree:
You'd think that medicine's conversion from paper to electronic records would solve many of these problems, but "" to date "" all it has done is create new-fangled electronic silos. In most EMRs, including the GE system we're using at UCSF, the notes are really just electronic incarnations of what previously lived on dead trees "" no more likely to facilitate collaboration than the paper records they replace."
" In many cases, they spew out template-driven notes that are long on noise and contain very little useful information. Very little power of
"Very little power of the electronic medium is being harnessed."
"On the other hand, Web 2.0 sites, like Facebook, provide intuitive tools that enhance collaboration and social communication:
How great would it be if, through the medical record, I could interact with multiple specialists who have seen my patient "" in real time, just like my kids are interacting with far-flung friends on Facebook. And if nurses could leave me a note which I could answer online without having to respond to a page. And if the daily plan for a patient "" developed collaboratively "" could be shared among all the caregivers, with notes appended when a patient's clinical ship seemed to be blowing off course.
"One problem is that much of health information technology is staffed and programmed by has-beens. There is very little innovation, with most of forward-thinking ideas confined to sites like Google, Facebook, and MySpace." Read More
Understanding Patient Violence against Health Care Workers
Kevin MD
by Kevin Pho, MD
"Last fall, a surgeon at Johns Hopkins Hospital was shot by the distraught son of a patient for whom he was caring. The man later killed his mother, then himself. A week earlier, a patient in a Long Island, N.Y., hospital beat his nurse with a leg from a broken chair, causing serious injuries. The following month, a psychiatric technician at a Napa, Calif., state hospital was fatally attacked on the job.
This snapshot of violence against health care workers reflects a disturbing trend. According to a Bureau of Labor Statistics analysis published last year, almost 60% of assaults in the workplace occurred in a health care setting. Nearly three-quarters of these assaults were by patients or residents of a health facility."
No longer havens
"Health care settings have been traditionally thought of as "safe havens," open to anyone as a place to be protected and cared for. This is a trend worth watching. The Joint Commission, a national accrediting agency, soberly noted last year that "health care institutions today are confronting steadily increasing rates of crime, including violent crimes such as assault, rape and homicide."Violence is most common in psychiatric facilities and emergency departments, but can also be seen in waiting rooms, long-term care centers and critical care units."
"Nurses are the most frequent targets. According to a 2010 survey from the Emergency Nurses Association, more than half of ER nurses were victims of physical violence and verbal abuse, including being spit on, shoved, or kicked; one in four reported being assaulted more than 20 times over the past three years. The survey noted that the violence seemed to be increasing at the same time the number of alcohol-, drug- and psychiatric-related patients was rising. . . " Read More
Mar 8, 2011 7:22:29 AM | Workplace Violence, Criminal Investigation, Criminal Justice, Forensic Nursing, Forensic Psychology, Forensic Science, Legal Blogs, Medical Blogs, Personal Injury, Research
Supervision A Factor In Most Child Drownings
Article Date: 05 Mar 2011 - 17:00 PST
"Lack of adequate supervision was a contributing factor in more than 70 per cent of fatal child drownings across Australia, according to a study in the latest Medical Journal of Australia.
Researchers from the University of Ballarat used the National Coroners Information System (NCIS) database to investigate accidental drowning deaths of children aged 0-14 years between July 1, 2000 and June 30, 2009. Of the 339 deaths in that period, supervision was ruled out as a factor in only 29 cases (8.5 per cent), which were the result of events such as cars being swept off the road during flash flooding or boats overturning in rough conditions.
"Supervision was identified as a contributing factor in almost three-quarters (71.7 per cent) of all unintentional cases of child drowning, although the level of explicit identification of supervision varied across age groups," lead researcher Ms Lauren Petrass said.
"Indeed, with deeper interrogation of coroners' findings, absent or inadequate supervision might be associated with as many as 88.8 per cent of child drownings, because in 58 cases (17.1 per cent), inadequate detail was provided in text documents to determine whether supervision was a contributing factor." . . " Read More
Mar 6, 2011 7:47:02 AM | Medical Blogs, Medicolegal Death Investigation, Research
A New Clue to the Genetics of Bipolar Disorder
Philadelphia, PA, 23 February 2011 - "Understanding the genetics of bipolar disorder could lead to new treatments, but identifying specific genetic variations associated with this disorder has been challenging.
A new study in Biological Psychiatry implicates a brain protein called Piccolo in the risk for inheriting bipolar disorder. In the orchestra of neuronal proteins, Piccolo is a member of a protein family that includes another protein called Bassoon. Piccolo is located at the endings of nerve cells, where it contributes to the ability of nerve cells to release their chemical messengers.
Choi and colleagues conducted a creative study to implicate the gene coding for Piccolo (PCLO) in the heritable risk for bipolar disorder.
They compared gene expression patterns in postmortem cortical tissue from people who were diagnosed with bipolar disorder to tissue from people who did not have psychiatric illnesses prior to their death. This analysis identified 45 genes and genetic variations that had significantly altered mRNA levels, and they used this information to narrow the part of the genome that they explored in their genetics study.
They then tested genetic markers (small DNA sequence variations called single nucleotide polymorphisms or SNPs) that are close to the genes that had altered expression levels in the postmortem tissue. A marker for PCLO, SNP rs13438494, emerged as significant in this analysis, suggesting that variation in PCLO contributes to the risk for bipolar disorder. . . " Read More
Mar 3, 2011 7:58:52 AM | Forensic Nursing, Forensic Psychology, Research
Drug-facilitated Sexual Assault in Ontario, Canada: Toxicological and DNA Findings
Journal of Forensic & Legal Medicine
by Janice Du Mont, EdD (Research Scientist, Associate Professor)ab , Sheila Macdonald, MN (Provincial Coordinator)c, Nomi Rotbard, MPH (Research Associate, PhD Student)ad, Deidre Bainbridge, BSc (Nurse Practitioner)e, Eriola Asllani, BSc (Data Analyst)a, Norman Smith, PhD (Associate Professor)fg, Marsha M. Cohen, MD (Research Scientist, Professor)ah
"The purpose of this study was to determine which persons reporting sexual assault to a hospital-based treatment centre may have been covertly drugged and to provide information about whether a sexual assault may have occurred."
"Each consecutive adolescent and adult presenting at a sexual assault treatment centre was screened for drug-facilitated sexual assault (DFSA). Urine was collected and tested for central nervous system active drugs. Oral, vaginal, and/or rectal swabs were tested for male DNA. Unexpected drugs were defined as those not reported as having been voluntarily consumed within the previous 72 h. Positive swabs for unexpected DNA were determined by whether the person reported having had consensual intercourse in the previous week.A total of 184 of 882 eligible participants met suspected DFSA criteria. Mean age was 25.8 years (SD = 8.5), 96.2% were female and 64.7% White. Urine samples were positive for drugs in 44.9% of cases, alcohol in 12.9%, and both drugs and alcohol in 18.0%."
"The drugs found on toxicological screening were unexpected in 87 of the 135 (64.4%) cases with a positive drug finding and included cannabinoids (40.2%), cocaine (32.2%), amphetamines (13.8%), MDMA (9.2%), ketamine (2.3%), and GHB (1.1%). Male DNA was unexpected in 30 (46.9%) of 64 cases where it was found.Among those persons presenting to a sexual assault treatment centre with a suspicion of DFSA, the presence of unexpected drugs and male DNA was common, lending support for their contention that they had been intentionally drugged and sexually assaulted. Most unexpected drugs found were not those typically described as 'date rape drugs'."
Feb 26, 2011 12:38:42 PM | Criminal Investigation, Criminal Justice, Forensic Nursing, Forensic Science, Medical Blogs, Research, Sexual Assault
The Use of Infrared Aided Photography in Identification of Bruises After Evidence is Absent to Naked Eye
by Peter Rowan, MSc, FRCP (General Practitioner)a, Michael Hill, PhD, FRCP (Physician)b, G.A. Gresham, Sc.D, FRCPath (Professor)c, Edward Goodall, PhD, NTF (Senior Lecturer)d, Tara Moore, MSc, PhD (Fellow Professor)d
"The purpose of the study was to determine whether Infrared imaging could play a role in the detection of previous blunt force injury after resolution of skin changes were no longer visible to the human eye. Investigations were performed using an adapted digital camera and the same standard Nikon camera body to photograph the bruises of ten volunteer adult subjects. The same lens was fitted to each camera body and each bruise was photographed until it was no longer possible to identify it with the naked eye."
"The results of photographing subjects over 6 months demonstrated that the median time the bruises persisted in both groups was approximately between 18 and 19 days. There was no statistically significant difference between groups of bruises photographed with both the infrared digital camera that had been adapted to capture only infrared light, and with the standard camera which had the same lens fitted to it.The two groups of photographs of bruises imaged at the same time with the two cameras were not significantly different with regard to what skin changes could be detected. The use of the near infrared spectrum, with wavelengths that are longer than the human eye can detect, did not reveal significant evidence of bruising after it had faded from view to both the human eye and to a standard camera."
Feb 26, 2011 12:15:53 PM | Criminal Investigation, Criminal Justice, Domestic Violence, Elder and Vulnerable Adult abuse, Forensic Nursing, Medical Blogs, Research, Sexual Assault
Free Legal Classics Available From Google Books
Defense Insurance Blog
by David B. Stratton, Esq. of Jordan Coyne & Savits LLP.
"After I helped my wife chop the ice off her van windows this morning at 4:30 am, I made this list of free legal classics."
The Art of Cross-Examination, by Francis Lewis Wellman
The Work of the Advocate, by Elliott and Elliott
Life and Letters of Joseph Story
The Works of Rufus Choate
Day in Court, or The Subtle Arts of Great Advocates, by Francis Lewis Wellman
A Treatise on Equity Jurisprudence, by Pomeroy
Blackstone's Commentaries on the Laws of England, Bks 1-2
John Marshall Gest, The Lawyer in Literature
Samuel Warren, Famous Cases of Circumstantial Evidence
John Forrest Dillon, John Marshall
Harlan Fiske Stone, Law and its Administration
Livingston Rutherford, John Peter Zenger, his press, his trial
Hicks, Men and Books Famous in the Law
Albert J. Beveridge, The Life of John Marshall, vol. 1., vol. 2.,
Posted by David B. Stratton on January 18, 2011 at 01:34 PM in Books, Trial Practice | Permalink
Technorati Tags: classics, legal
Feb 24, 2011 9:16:07 AM | Criminal Investigation, Criminal Justice, Legal Blogs, Research
Factors and Processes Causing Accelerated Decomposition in Human Cadavers
by Chong Zhouab, Roger W. Byard, M.D. (Prof.)ab
Received 16 May 2010; accepted 20 October 2010.
"Artefactually enhanced putrefactive and autolytic changes may be misinterpreted as indicating a prolonged postmortem interval and throw doubt on the veracity of witness statements. Review of files from Forensic Science SA and the literature revealed a number of external and internal factors that may be responsible for accelerating these processes."
"Exogenous factors included exposure to elevated environmental temperatures, both outdoors and indoors, exacerbated by increased humidity or fires. Situations indoor involved exposure to central heating, hot water, saunas and electric blankets. Deaths within motor vehicles were also characterized by enhanced decomposition. Failure to quickly or adequately refrigerate bodies may also lead to early decomposition."
" Endogenous factors included fever, infections, illicit and prescription drugs, obesity and insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. When these factors or conditions are identified at autopsy less significance should, therefore, be attached to changes of decomposition as markers of time since death."
Feb 22, 2011 9:34:11 AM | Forensic Science, Research
Gender Differentiation by Finger Ridge Count Among South Indian Population
by M.D. Nithin, MD (Assistant Professor) , B. Manjunatha, MD (Professor), D.S. Preethi, MBBS (Medical Student), B.M. Balaraj, MD, D.FM (Professor & H.O.D)
"The goal of this study is to determine the gender based on finger ridge count within a well-defined area. Rolled fingerprints were taken from 550 subjects (275 men and 275 women) belonging to South Indian population all within the age range of 18–65 years.
Results show that women have a significantly higher ridge count than men. Application of Baye's theorem suggests that a fingerprint possessing ridge density <13 ridges/25 mm2 is most likely to be of male origin. Likewise, a fingerprint having ridge count >14 ridges/25 mm2 are most likely to be of female origin. These results are helpful as a tool for fingerprint experts as they can be used as a presumptive indicator of gender based on the degree of ridge density."
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