What Causes Spondylolisthesis And What Is It, Anyway?}

Submitted by: Patrick Foote

Hearing spondylolisthesis causes some individuals to wonder whether the speaker is using a foreign language. While it may have originally derived from the Greek words for vertebrae and dislocation, the word spondylolisthesis is, in fact, part of the English language. Understanding how to pronounce or spell spondylolisthesis is one thing, but comprehending what it is and how it is caused is another matter altogether. So what exactly is this odd-sounding condition and what causes it, anyway?

Spondylo-What?

Though its name makes the condition seem highly complex and difficult to comprehend, spondylolisthesis is actually quite simple to understand one you know a little bit about the spinal anatomy. The main components of the spine include:

Spinal cord The so-called information superhighway, the spinal cord is a large bundle of nerves that delivers sensory and motor signals from the brain to the rest of the body.

Spinal nerves These tiny branches stem from the spinal cord and travel throughout the body, providing feeling and mobilization for every part of our bodies, from our heads to our toes.

Vertebrae Bone structures that house and protect the spinal cord. Most people have a total of 33 vertebrae; nine are fused together to form the coccyx and the sacrum while the 24 individual vertebrae in the neck and back are articulated with each other.

Facet joints These synovial joints are tasked with connecting articulating, adjacent vertebrae.

Intervertebral discs Positioned between articulating vertebrae, these saucer-shaped pads absorb the impact that is placed on the neck and back when the spine facilitates movement and supports weight.

Now that youre aware of the various components of the spine and the tasks they perform, its time to explain what spondylolisthesis is and how it develops. Simply stated, spondylolisthesis is vertebral displacement that occurs when one vertebra shifts forward and over the vertebra beneath it.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NgF90frjhsA[/youtube]

When spondylolisthesis is diagnosed, the physician assigns a grade to the condition that identifies the extent to which the affected vertebra has shifted out of place:

Grade 1 0 to 25 percent slippage

Grade 2 25 to 50 percent slippage

Grade 3 50 to 75 percent slippage

Grade 4 75 to 100 percent slippage

Grade 5 the vertebra is completely displaced and is no longer positioned above the vertebra directly below it

What Does Spondylolisthesis Feel Like?

Interestingly, spondylolisthesis causes no symptoms in many patients. This has to do with the fact that neural compression is what often causes symptoms, not the actual displacement of a vertebra. Especially in cases of low-grade spondylolisthesis, the spinal nerves and the spinal cord are unaffected and, therefore, the patient remains unaware that they are even afflicted with the condition. Higher grades, however, can and typically do lead to pinched nerves or even compression of the spinal cord itself. This causes patients to experience radiating symptoms of pain, numbness, tingling, and muscle weakness. When spondylolisthesis occurs in the lower back (the portion of the spine most susceptible to vertebral displacement), patients may have difficulty walking and may appear to have a protruding abdomen.

What Causes Spondylolisthesis?

Believe it or not, the primary cause of spondylolisthesis and other degenerative spine conditions is simply the natural aging process. After supporting the weight of the upper body and facilitating every bend, twist, lift, and so forth, its no wonder that the neck and back tend to become sore and tired by about middle age. In fact, almost every portion of the spine is prone to degenerative changes, which occur slowly over time.

The facet joints are one of the primary victims of the natural aging process, as years of articulated movement can cause the cartilage that lines the joints to wear away. When the bones of the joints uncomfortably rub against one another, they can become inflamed, painful, and tender to the touch, and may be less able to perform their responsibilities, leading to loss of mobility. This is called facet disease, which is a type of arthritis and is also sometimes called facet syndrome or spinal arthritis.

The intervertebral discs also undergo several changes during the natural aging process. An intervertebral disc has a tough outer shell, called the annulus fibrosus, that can become weak and brittle with age. A discs inner material, called the nucleus pulposus, can lose water content and elasticity, preventing the disc from properly absorbing impact. Together, these changes can cause a herniated disc, which occurs when the annulus fibrosus ruptures and the nucleus pulposus seeps into the spinal canal, as well as a bulging disc, which occurs when the annulus fibrosus becomes too weak to properly support the nucleus pulposus, allowing it to shift out of place and balloon to one side.

So what do facet disease, herniated discs, and bulging discs have to do with spondylolisthesis? All of these degenerative spinal conditions lead to inadequate support of the vertebrae, which sometimes causes spondylolisthesis.

How is Spondylolisthesis Treated?

For the most part, a patients treatment regimen will depend on the extent to which the affected vertebra has slipped out of place. In the case of low-grade spondylolisthesis, most physicians advise their patients to initially utilize a conservative, nonsurgical treatment plan that is aimed at easing symptoms rather than on reversing vertebral slippage. This almost always entails the use of medication, primarily over-the-counter, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen or naproxen. Certain medical conditions, especially those that affect the gastrointestinal or cardiovascular system, prohibit patients from taking NSAIDs. Instead, these patients may be advised to take over-the-counter analgesics such as acetaminophen. If a patient is experiencing severe or debilitating pain, his or her physician may prescribe narcotic pain relievers or muscle relaxants.

In addition to medication, the patients treatment regimen may include one or more of the following:

Physical therapy

Cryotherapy

Thermotherapy

Lifestyle modifications (i.e. weight loss)

Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS)

Some patients with low-grade spondylolisthesis may receive little to no relief from nonsurgical treatments after several weeks or months. A minimally invasive procedure that serves to decompress an affected spinal nerve may provide relief, which can typically be achieved after a week or two of rehabilitation. These procedures are performed on an outpatient basis and utilize an endoscope to gain access to the spine through a very small incision.

High-grade spondylolisthesis causes more severe symptoms that cannot always be alleviated through the use of conservative techniques. Some of these patients may be advised to undergo spinal fusion surgery, which entails the installation of a bone graft and stabilizing hardware to reverse vertebral slippage and prevent it from reoccurring.

In Conclusion

Now that youve become familiar with the spinal anatomy and how it is affected by spondylolisthesis, you likely have a better understanding of what the condition is and why it occurs. Hopefully youve also realized that, while spondylolisthesis causes pain and discomfort, it doesnt have to cause confusion no matter how complex its name makes it seem. If you have been diagnosed with spondylolisthesis, talk to your doctor about the various treatment options that are available to you.

About the Author: Patrick Foote is the Director of eBusiness at Laser Spine Institute, the leader in endoscopic spine surgery. Laser Spine Institute specializes in safe and effective outpatient procedures for the treatment of

spondylolisthesis

and several other spinal conditions.

Source:

isnare.com

Permanent Link:

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Aura Reading, Hokum Or Science?}

Aura Reading, Hokum or Science?

by

David Tang

For millennia, spiritual and physical healers have practiced the fine art of reading the body’s aura colors and activity for clues to imbalances such as over-activity and weakness that could be causal in observed illness and disease. The Chinese refer to shen and qi when speaking of the electromagnetic field around our bodies; the Hindi speak of chakras and auras; western science refers to HEFs and the endocrine system; and each culture utilizes the information to inspire different approaches to healing which range from very hands-off (think prayer, energy healing, and the like) to mildly hands-on and invasive (such as the use of herbs, medicines, touch therapy, acupressure, and acupuncture) to the very invasive, as in scalpels and surgery.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_IHbXuF8-c[/youtube]

Traditionally, the aura colors are believed to indicate the types of energy flowing through a person’s system or the manner in which those energies are flowing. The practitioner then utilizes this information as a guide to some aspects of health support actions and suggestions.

For a very long time, western science considered “auras” to be only mystic BS from uneducated, non-scientifically based spiritual ya-hoos. In fact many people today still think that way, poor luddites. Modern science has long ago tested and retested the matter and determined, thanks to the work of scientists like UCLA’s Dr. Valerie Hunt, that auras actually do exist, only science calls them “human electro-magnetic fields.”

Aura reading involves sensing the HEF of an individual, becoming aware of the different energy flows as aura colors. A long established system of significance based on the aura colors is utilized to guide the reader and client in understanding what is being seen or sensed. Until very recently, the client had to have blind faith in the practitioner’s “vision,” leaving them vulnerable to unethical people posing as real aura reading practitioners.

In the early 70’s the first aura camera appeared on the scene, the “Kirlian photography” system, a flawed system to be sure, but one which was exciting enough to inspire greater research into the technology eventually leading to the modern era of biofeedback-based HEF measuring aura camera instruments. This new equipment has supplanted the random color assignment at the base of Kirlian photography, with actual HEF-correlated aura colors, giving a more realistic image of a person’s “aura” or “HEF”, and thus empowering client and aura reader alike with real, measurable, information about the current state of the client’s energy field. That’s right folks, aura reading really is a science.

Written by Mel Bryson. See your unique aura colors

with an

aura camera

.

Aura readings

through aura photography at auraphoto.com .

Article Source:

Aura Reading, Hokum or Science?

}

Watches}

Submitted by: John Francis

Keeping Fine Watches in Fine Form

High quality watches typically cost a large quantity of money, and it is unlikely, unless the watchs owner is filthy rich and equally careless with his wealth, that an expensive watch will be tossed aside after a few years. The highest quality watches, from Rolexes to Bvlgaris, will likely be treasured for a generation or more. Even the highest quality watches, however, require regular servicing, which may mean a simple battery change or something more extensive, such as changing the rubber gaskets on a waterproof watch. How should a fancy watch owner go about finding a good service center, and what sort of servicing might be required?

First, before you take your precious watch, which cost you gobs of money, in for servicing at a local service center, check your owners manual. Some watch companies service their own products while others contract with service centers to make repairs. These authorized service centers will have the parts needed to repair your watch immediately available, they will be very familiar with the brand and the procedures for servicing it, and they will be regulated by the watchmakers to a certain extent. Taking your watch to an unauthorized service center could lead to lengthy or, even worse, shoddy repairs that will harm the integrity of your family heirloom.

When should expensive watches be sent in for repairs? First and foremost, check your owners manual for the watch manufacturers recommended servicing schedule. Mechanical watches typically need to be serviced more often, meaning once every couple of years. Otherwise, they may lose their accuracy or water-resistance. Quartz analog watches require less servicing than mechanical watches. Some basic servicing needs to be done every couple of years accompanying battery changes, but they wont need a full servicing for six to ten years. A full digital quartz watch doesnt actually require any servicing except for a change of batteries.

While the time and continual investment required for keeping a high quality watch in tip top shape is more than one might expect, expensive watches have an undeniable appeal. For wealthy adventurers, the $3,500 Breitling Emergency watch sends an SOS signal to a search and rescue station close by and will lead to a search and rescue operation by aircraft to find you. If youre a stylish heiress who is unlikely to require rescuing, you might be interested in the $65,000 Patek Philippe dress watch with 264 hand set, high quality baguette diamonds. While most of us can only dream of owning such watches, it is important for the lucky few who do own high quality watches to keep their possessions in the best shape possible to preserve for future generations.

About the Author: Everything you need to know about

Watches.

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Become An Electrician: A Creative Job With A Social Responsibility}

Become An Electrician: A Creative Job With A Social Responsibility

by

James Copper-5768

Become an electrician and you will know how great the job is? Today electricity is in everyone’s day-to-day life. Televisions, computers, ovens, vacuum cleaners, refrigerators, air conditioners etc., the list goes on. It’s interesting to know how all these appliances work. We all, in this modern world, are completely dependent on various kinds of electric appliances.

Become an electrician to have a great career. But that comes with its own advantages and disadvantages. Electricians are one of the important people in our society. Their work involves different challenges. To become an electrician, one needs to take up a great social responsibility. An incomplete work done by them may even cost others, their lives. To become an electrician one needs to have some special qualities within them. One has to have good mathematical skills as working in a technical field involves mathematical calculations. An electrician has to work with different types and colors of wires. To become an electrician it is necessary to have a good vision to differentiate between colors.

Technical work, like this, involves hard physical activities like climbing and hanging at different times. To become an electrician it is important to have a good body and health. Many people have a habit of wearing metal ornaments like golden necklace, bracelets, rings etc. To become an electrician it is important to practice safely and also keep others safe by take some common safety measures, like using things which are non conductors of electricity like rubber hat, rubber shoes, rubber gloves etc. Wearing the right kind of clothes on the job is also important. It is better to wear tight clothes on the field as loose clothes may interrupt your work and come in contact with wires while handling them. All the tools of an electrician must be kept in well organized manner. This will help in finishing the job well in time.

There are many options to become an electrician. One can just start working under a senior supervisor. This is called on-the-job training. You won’t get a certificate in this method. One can also join an apprenticeship program. This includes classroom as well as practical training. A proper certificate is issued after completion of this program. To become an electrician, it is better to have a certified academic course from a reputed university. Just completing a conventional electrician course is not enough to become an electrician. One has to take up a specialization subject like specialization in outdoor wiring, specialization in indoor wiring, specialization in maintenance, specialization in repairing household appliances, specialization in handling transponders, etc. After completing the course with specialization in one of the subject, it is better to take certification from a competent authority. This will keep you one step ahead of others. Research brings newer technologies every day. To become an electrician with latest technological knowledge, one has to keep appearing for exams as time changes to acquire latest certification and knowledge.

To become an electrician is easy, but to keep up yourself to the responsibilities, the job brings along is hard. If you like tackling challenges then you will love to become an electrician.

James Copper is a writer for http://www.electricianscareer.co.uk where you could find out how to become an electrician

Article Source:

Become An Electrician: A Creative Job With A Social Responsibility

}

Students Have High Risk Of Sustaining Injuries In School}

Students Have High Risk Of Sustaining Injuries In School

by

Larry Drexel

One morning earlier this month, two vehicles struck a 13-year-old Orange County boy as he walked to school. The pedestrian accident occurred at some time around 7:30 a.m. in the 18900 block of Spring Street near Santiago Middle School, the school in which the boy attended. A westbound Toyota 4Runner struck the boy first, the impact throwing him into opposite lanes of traffic. An eastbound Land Rover Discovery was the second vehicle to strike the boy.

“He suffered moderate injuries and was taken to a nearby hospital”, explains Jim Ballidis, a California injury attorney.

Unfortunately, accidents that occur around schools are all too common. Hurried drivers, bicyclists, skateboarders, and pedestrians can be a dangerous combination. Moreover, the activities students engage in while at school can be dangerous without proper instruction and supervision.

Between 10% and 25% of the more than 14 million unintentional injuries to children each year happen on school premises. That’s not too surprising since more than 53 million children in America spend almost a quarter of their waking hours on school property.

Recently a verdict here in Orange County Superior Court documented the clash between the Huntington Beach City School District and the Camm family. The suit claimed that Samuel Camm had cut off his thumb while using the school’s band saw in his woodshop class. Additionally, there were reports that the saw was “defective and dangerous.” The school settled privately and the undisclosed settlement will pay for the various surgeries and accrued medical bills.

Last November, 15-year-old North High School student Zachary Kimura and his parents, David and Wanda, filed a negligence claim against the Torrance Unified School District after he suffered first- and second-degree burns on his face, neck, arms, and hands during an accident in one of the classrooms.

On Friday, October 22, students and staff members were cooking Korean barbeque on three butane stoves when one of the stoves malfunctioned, igniting into a fireball 6 feet wide and 12 feet high, reported the Daily Breeze. Kimura, who had purchased a plate of food and was waiting in line, and several other students were injured by the blast. His claim alleges that the school district neglected to take precautions to protect the students, to provide proper supervision, and to obtain permits to use the stoves in the classroom.

Due to the relatively high risk students have of suffering injuries, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC, has created a new school health brochure. School staff and students will find safety tips and guidelines for preventing unintentional injuries in the 2010 National Health Objectives.

A free, downloadable version of the brochure can be found at the CDC’s website http://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/

If your child has been injured on their way to or at school, Larry Drexel recommends contacting Jim Ballidis, a

California injury attorney

who has written extensively on children dangers and accident prevention.

Article Source:

Students Have High Risk Of Sustaining Injuries In School

}

How To Create Your Own T Shirt}

Submitted by: Kenneth Wisnefski

Have you ever been out somewhere and someones t-shirt showcasing a witty line or funny image catches your eye and sense of humor? It is most likely happening more often because more and more people are not relying on shirt manufacturers to be clever, but they are applying their own ingenuity into making their own shirts. The possibilities are now limitless in making your self, your friends, and the rest of the world envious of your duds by engineering your own shirts. You dont need many tools to accomplishing this fashion feat!

What You Will Need

– Software

– Artwork

– Transfer paper

– Printer

– Iron

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Y6wR1fC0A8[/youtube]

– Hard surface

– Pillowcase

– T-shirt

There are kits that you can buy that supply almost all of the provisions you will need. Here are some tips to remember during the process.

Print a Preview

Always print a preview copy before printing it on the transfer paper. Do this to make sure that colors print correctly, the image does not delve into the printers no print zone, and to see a life-sized version of the image.

Flip the Image

You have to flip the image, especially if you have text in the design. The text should be backwards on screen or on the print out.

Use the Right Side of the Paper

The transfer paper has stripes on the non-print side. Put the paper in the printer so that it prints on the clear white side.

White Does Not Print

Consider the background color when selecting the color of text or the color of an image. For instance, white does not print, you will just get an outline of the desired image, but not the complete image.

Test Your Design of Scrap Fabric

Wasting the transfer paper is bad, but wasting a t-shirt is worse. Some fabrics will take to the image more readily than others, so keep this in mind.

Make it HOT

It is easy to get anxious during the process, so be sure to set the iron on the hottest setting without producing steam. It will take a great amount of heat to produce the image, so be sure to keep the iron on for a while and evenly cover the design onto the fabric. Peel the paper while it is still hot.

Use a Hard Surface

A harder surface will retain heat better, so make sure that you are using the hardest surface you can find in the process. Ironing boards are not the best surfaces to use for this particular process.

About the Author: Article written by

TooFastOnline.com

, a

Punk Clothing Store with all the clothes for you kids

and, what the heck, we even got some clothes for you adults that can’t grow up.

Source:

isnare.com

Permanent Link:

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}

Best Print Ads Copywriting Tips}

Submitted by: Neville Pettersson

So, what exactly is the best way to create the best print ads for your small business? Well one thing is for certain, finding someone else to create it for you is a bad idea. Not only do they not necessarily know your business like you do, they also commonly have got a hidden agenda, e . g . to try and sell you a whole lot more advertising space. Writing your own copy is the only genuine way to make certain your company is described in the best possible light. The following post is jam-packed with some fantastic advert writing recommendations as well as design recommendations. So lets get straight into it.

It is far more important to get the message across then feel concerned about the length of your headline – fourteen word head lines get nearly as much readership as 3 word head lines.

Apply CAPITAL Letters For All The First Letters Of Words Throughout Any Headline.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=deTgkwJFNHA[/youtube]

Non-specific statements really do not count – Provide genuine data, amounts, numbers and statistics. Precise figures and percentages are wonderful. Whenever you make any kind of a claim which is vague or immeasurable, e . g . “highest quality support” or “Quality guaranteed” it makes virtually no effect. The reader will lose his / her respect for you because of the exaggeration.

Clearly establish the objective of your advertisement? – Will it be to get consumers to; try you out, buy goods from you, make contact with you, make an meeting? No matter what it is, jot it down and remember, only ever “market” one product at a time. If all you are looking for is to try to get an appointment or to get the person to come in, then do not look to sell your services at the same time. It will just confuse the potential shopper.

Give a good solid guarantee! – Providing a guarantee will give you serious leverage above your competitors, this is especially true whenever no one else is providing one. The more powerful the guarantee the far more gross sales you will generate, and the very best sort of guarantee is the 100% unconditional money-back guarantee. Let’s face it! You will feel more secure purchasing a product or service if you know you may take it back if it turns out it doesn’t do exactly what it stated it would do.

Begin using your picture so they can relate to you – An individual’s eyes are drawn to photos of people. They are ‘attention grabbing’.

UBA (Unique Business Advantage) – The intent of any yellow page advert is to let the prospect know the reason why you are superior to the opposition. Reveal to them all the things you provide which your competitors don’t. Buyers naturally try to look for value. When these people cannot differentiate any difference between two products they will quickly turn to selling price. You can solve the problem simply by presenting them what they’re looking for in the first place – good value.

The best print ads do not try and sell the product or services in the advert! – The function of your yellow pages advertisement shouldn’t be to convince the prospect that they ought to buy whichever products you offer; they’re currently looking in your area so they already require whatever you are promoting. You intention is actually to persuade the potential client Why they should select your company above your competitors.

About the Author: Information about the source: This particular write-up was written by Neville Pettersson, the author of the

Best Print Ads

Writing Book. Neville shows people how to put together the

best print ads

. To help you publish the

best print ads

for your small business pick up a copy of his guide today.

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Drone delivers transfusion blood intact

Thursday, December 8, 2016

In findings announced yesterday, scientists from Johns Hopkins University took ordinary commercial drones, swapped out their cameras for coolers and packed them with human plasma, platelets and blood cells. The drones were found to deliver their cargo in usable condition after flights lasting almost half an hour, at distances of up to 12 miles.

“For rural areas that lack access to nearby clinics, or that may lack the infrastructure for collecting blood products or transporting them on their own, drones can provide that access,” says pathologist and lead author of the paper Dr. Timothy Amukele.

Although earlier studies have confirmed that drone flights do not affect the useful properties or microbe populations of human blood products, those experiments were performed on small, vial-sized samples. Here, the drones carried much larger quantities of blood, in the proportions and packaging that doctors and medical technicians would actually use on patients, with units purchased directly from the American Red Cross. Unlike Rwanda’s medical delivery drones, which were custom-made for blood product delivery by Zipline, these experiments were completed with regular, commercially available S900-model machines with minimal modification.

Post-flight, the samples were tested for cell rupture, changes in pH, air bubbles and other damage that might indicate that the packages had thawed out or otherwise become unsuitable for use in transfusions. The samples were found to have arrived intact.

Although the test was performed in an unpopulated area, it is speculated that drones might be useful not only for delivery of blood products to rural medical facilities but also for distributing blood resources through urban areas. John’s Hopkins pathologist and research team leader Dr. Timothy Armukele speculates that emergency medical teams may one day be able to transfuse patients on the spot by calling for a drone to bring blood of the appropriate type.

The details of the experiment have been published in the latest issue of Transfusion.

U.S. Senate approves revised bailout package after controversial additions

Saturday, October 4, 2008

The U.S. Senate passed a revised bailout bill designed to help the struggling U.S. financial economy, which has measures nearly identical to the bill rejected by the U.S. House of Representatives on Monday.

“Senate Democrats and Republicans believe it is essential that we work quickly on this important legislation to restore confidence to our financial system and strengthen the economy,” said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.

The new revisions include raising the FDIC insurance cap to $250,000, a move designed to please progressives. However, the $110 billion in tax breaks, earmarks and what has been called pork barrel spending is not offset by any increases in revenues and has added opposition to the bill from some Representatives in the House.

Earmarks added into the bailout bill included $192 million in tax rebates for the Virgin Islands rum industry, $148 million in tax cuts for the wool industry, $100 million tax cuts to the auto racing industry, and $48 million in Hollywood tax incentives.

Vice President of Taxpayers for Common Sense, Steve Ellis, offered his explanation for the pork and earmarks added in. “People who support some of these provisions will forget about the $700 billion and concerns they may have on that, and say, ‘If you give me a few million in tax breaks for my constituents, I’ll go along'”.

The tactic seems to have worked, however, managing to flip enough votes to pass the bill.

“The inclusion of parity, tax extenders and the FDIC increases has caused me to reconsider my position,” said Representative Jim Ramstad (R Minnesota), who voted against the previous bill on Monday. “All three additions have greatly improved the bill.”

But Representative Marcy Kaptur (D Ohio) was not changing her no vote. “I will not support this legislation because it’s the wrong medicine,” she said.

HAVE YOUR SAY
Do you think the bailout bill will help the US economy, hurt it, or be a waste of money?
Add or view comments

The Senate took H.R.1424, a bill originating in the House concerning “equity in the provision of mental health and substance-related disorder benefits under group health plans, to prohibit discrimination on the basis of genetic information with respect to health insurance and employment,” and extended it with the bailout provisions.

H.R.1424 was introduced on March 9, 2007, by Rep. Patrick Kennedy (RI-1) and had the support of First Lady Rosalind Carter. It is noted on the Congressional Website that “On 10/1/2008, the Senate passed H.R.1424 as the vehicle for the economic rescue legislation. In the EAS version of the bill (Engrossed Amendment as Agreed to by the Senate), Division A (pp.1-110) is referred to as the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008; Division B (pp. 110-255) is referred to as the Energy Improvement and Extension Act of 2008; and Division C (pp. 255-441) is referred to as the Tax Extenders and Alternative Minimum Tax Relief Act of 2008.” It was not treated as an appropriations bill in the House.

There were two votes in the Senate. The first was to amend H.R.1424, which required 3/5 to be accepted, which it was. The second was a vote on the bill. Passage of the Bill required only a 1/2 majority. It was passed with 74 yeas and 25 nays. Senator Kennedy did not vote.

Wikinews interviews Frugalware Linux founder

Thursday, April 6, 2006

The Frugalware Development Team describes ­­Frugalware as a general purpose Linux distribution, designed for intermediate users who are not afraid of text mode. Frugalware also plans to offer a live CD with desktop options, to be developed by one of its teams. A live CD enables running the Linux software on most compatible Intel and AMD chipset architectures, without having to partition a drive.

A freelance journalist writing for Wikinews interviewed the founder of Frugalware Linux, Miklós Vajna.

Wikinews: Frugalware is a slack distribution at present. Are there plans for developing binary package management platforms of it?

Miklós Vajna: Our package manager is called pacman, and its primary purpose is to install binary packages. If you want to install packages from source, you can use our “repoman” tool.

Wikinews: What are your visions for the future of Frugalware, do you plan to globally distribute it as a product, and would you consider allowing a major corporation to sponsor your efforts?

Miklós Vajna: The second. Frugalware is free, but maintaining it needs hardware, mirrors, money. We got several donations already (build servers), and we continuously need them. If a corporation want to sponsor us, I think that is totally O.K. 🙂

Wikinews: What is Arch Linux in relationship to your project? And how do their efforts fit into your game plan?

Miklós Vajna: The common [thing] in Arch Linux and Frugalware is the package manager. (To be strict: nothing else.) Developing our package manager is a common effort. If anyone [is] interested in its development, he/she can subscribe to the pacman development mailing list.

Wikinews: I’ve successfully installed Frugalware, OpenSUSE, and WinXP on the same box. Do you see a lot of people doing this sort of thing in the future?

Miklós Vajna: We support having more than one operating system on a single machine — though this matters only in case Frugalware is the last installed operating system. We do not have any statistics about what operating systems do other people use besides Frugalware, if they have more than one.

Wikinews: Is it possible that PearPC and Frugalware may have a relationship to distribute the PearPC Emulator with Frugalware in the future?

Miklós Vajna: It is already available [1].

Wikinews: What kinds of software might you include with further editions of Frugalware? Is Muse part of the base package for electronic musicians, or will you have those sorts of things?

Miklós Vajna: No [2]. It is not available at the moment. You can request a package by filing a feature request to our Bug Tracking System, at [3].

Wikinews: Is the autoupdating feature of Frugalware unique to Frugalware and perhaps a keystone to future developments?

Miklós Vajna: I have never tried other autoupdating features. What one can see is that upgrading even from the previous stable release — which means installing 6 months of update at once — requires only a few tricks, and these are documented. So it works as it should, and we always pay attention not to break this great feature.

Wikinews: What can new users of Frugalware do to test and relay infotmation back to the developers through the correct channels?

Miklós Vajna: We have released stable versions two times a year. There are testing releases every two months. If one would like to help us, then download these releases, test them, and if something is broken, then file a bug report to the BTS (mentioned above already).

Frugalware has new X Windows video drivers that provide a major speed improvement over available patches for previous editions of Linux. Alex Smith has been working on them as a developer.

In addition, the PearPC emulator mentioned above, which comes with the package manager, may, with proper tuning and installation of a legal copy of Mac OSX, enable many Intel and AMD Frugalware users to use the Apple OS on their desktops. Alex Smith is also a contact person for the PearPC project, which can also be found in irc://irc.freenode.net and at http://www.pearpc.net.

The official release time of the latest edition frugalware-0.4 was Mar 30 07:42:21. The developers can be reached for comment through IRC at #frugalware in the irc.freenode.net network.