Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers escort an arrestee in an apartment building in the Bronx on March 3, 2015, during a series of early-morning raids. (AP/Richard Drew)

On Feb. 22, websites favorable to President Donald Trump touted a poll result that showed wide support for one of the presidents highest-profile immigration policies -- cracking down on "sanctuary cities."

"SHOCK POLL: 80% OF AMERICANS OPPOSE SANCTUARY CITIES," said a headline in the conspiracy-minded site InfoWars. The poll also got prominent play on the conservative websites NewsMax, BizPacReview. Breitbart, Town Hall and American Thinker, as well as on the Russian websites RT and Sputnik.

One of our readers asked us to investigate. We decided not to put the 80 percent finding to the Truth-O-Meter, because we dont doubt the reliability of the poll itself. But questions phrased differently can show dramatically different results.

All told, the finding is a case study in how poll results can be seized by advocates for one side of an issue -- and how some of the nuances in the questions and the answers can be lost in the hubbub.

About the Harvard-Harris poll

The poll result in question came from a new and relatively little-known poll -- the Harvard-Harris survey -- that initially didnt put its full data documentation online. The shortage of information about the poll caused one contributor to the liberal website Daily Kos to wonder whether someone had "catfished" the media with fake data.

We can confirm that the polling partnership is real -- and legitimate. It is headed by longtime Democratic pollster Mark Penn and Stephen Ansolabehere, a professor of government at Harvard University and the director of its Center for American Political Studies. The poll grew out of courses the two have taught together at Harvard. Penn and Ansolabehere are collaborating on the project with the Harris Poll, a venerable public-opinion pollster.

The poll, conducted online between Feb. 11 and 13, was initially released exclusively to the Capitol Hill newspaper The Hill, and the pollsters posted a detailed presentation of the results here,

A closer look at the questions

The question in the poll that attracted the most attention -- certainly from the political right -- was this one: "Should cities that arrest illegal immigrants for crimes be required to turn them over to immigration authorities?" On this question, 80 percent of respondents said yes.

But as we looked into the question, we noticed a couple things.

One was that, despite the blaring headlines about sanctuary cities, the question being asked didnt actually use the words "sanctuary cities." The other concerned words that the question did use -- "arrest" and "crimes."

To understand why such wording choices matter -- and why they could potentially change the results of the poll -- we first need to review what the term "sanctuary city" actually means.

What is a sanctuary city?

There isnt a federal law defining "sanctuary city." Different jurisdictions that use the term -- and even some that shy away from it -- may have some policies in place that other cities dont, and vice versa. But generally speaking, it means they have policies limiting how much local law enforcement assists federal immigration authorities seeking to apprehend and deport people in the United States illegally.

For instance, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and San Diego do not hold immigrants for immigration officials unless they have violent felonies on their records or current charges, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Supporters of sanctuary cities argue that not questioning people about their immigration status builds trust between police and the community, encouraging residents to report crime and help in prosecutions. If an undocumented immigrant gets arrested for a non-immigration offense, they can still be charged, tried and convicted for that crime, Lena Graber, a special projects attorney for the Immigrant Legal Resource Center, told PolitiFact.

Opponents counter that sanctuary cities attract illegal immigration and undermine enforcement of the law. Any crime by someone in the country illegally is a crime that could have been avoided by having removed that person, Ira Mehlman, a spokesman for the Federation for American Immigration Reform, which seeks to reduce immigration levels, told PolitiFact in November.

The question wording

The specific wording used to ask any poll question is always important. Its not even necessarily a comparison of "good wording" vs."bad wording" -- if a question is asked a certain way, it could nudge respondents to answer in one direction.

In this case, respondents were asked about "crimes." To many, that could bring to mind "violent crimes," especially when paired with the term "arrest."

But the experts we spoke to said the jurisdictions described as sanctuary cities dont simply let murderers, rapists, armed robbers and other people they arrest for violent crimes go free. Not only would federal immigration officials be notified, but the violent crimes they were charged with would be prosecuted.

Instead, where the rubber hits the road with sanctuary cities is with lesser, non-violent offenses, even down to a broken tail light -- or simply any interaction with police, such as an undocumented immigrant becoming a happenstance witness to a crime. These are the cases in which police in sanctuary cities would typically be trained to refrain from asking for immigration status or informing federal immigration officials.

And this nuance is not captured by the question that garnered 80 percent support in the Harvard-Harris poll -- as well as the lions share of headlines.

"Question wording always affects responses," said Steven S. Smith, a political scientist and pollster at Washington University in St. Louis. "Arrest for crimes certainly primes the respondent to think that the person is dangerous and therefore should be a high priority in immigration law enforcement."

Karlyn Bowman, a polling analyst at the American Enterprise Institute, noted that there is little history of past polling on the issue of sanctuary cities. But she did uncover one poll released a few days after the Harvard-Harris poll that seems to back up the idea that different wording can substantially change the result.

The poll, conducted by Quinnipiac University and released on Feb. 23, asked, "Thinking about people who have immigrated to the U.S. illegally, who do you think should be deported: Should no illegal immigrants be deported, only illegal immigrants that have committed serious crimes, only illegal immigrants that have committed any crime, or should all illegal immigrants be deported?"

The results: Only 3 percent said no illegal immigrants should be deported, and 19 percent said all illegal immigrants should be deported. But 53 percent of respondents said deportations should only be done for "serious crimes," compared to 22 percent for "any crime."

Thats not just a plurality -- its a majority. And that tells a different story than the Internet headlines.

The pollsters speak

Both Ansolabehere and Penn responded to our inquiries.

Penn called our question about wording differences "an important one" and agreed that finding the right wording in a case like this one is tricky,

"We think the question is fair and clear as worded to obtain the sentiment on the issue," he said. "Had we said serious crimes, that would have tilted it one way and minor crimes would have tilted it the other way. In either case, it would be a different question about the gradations of policy, and a deep dive would surely find some nuances as with all policy."

He added that the task was made more difficult given his teams failure to find any questions on sanctuary cities that had been road-tested in previous polls.

Ansolabehere added, "If you can think of alternative wordings that capture the policy better, please send them to me."

Continue reading here:
Anatomy of a statistic: Do 80 percent of Americans oppose sanctuary cities? - PolitiFact

On the latest Real Men Feel, Andy Grant and Appio Hunter are joined by their friend, Emotional Strength Trainer Amanda Foy, to explore emotions, awareness, and how emotional trauma affects our cells and health.

Video:

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Audio alone:

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The Anatomy of Awareness with Amanda Foy, Episode 48, February 21, 2017

Amanda says that guilt and shame are the only useless emotions. They have no purpose but to make you feel horrible. Guilt is acceptance without positive action. Shame is a lack of acceptance or acknowledgment of having a human experience. While trauma is defined by each person. What one person finds traumatic another person may not. It can depend on what we were taught and how we are expected to be.

When you get sick, it is your bodys way of taking you out of a situation you dont know how to handle. Illness comes when you are too stubborn to do the work you need to do, so it is a good thing. ~ Amanda Foy

Do you want to talk about how to have richer, more mindful, and enduring relationships?

Photo credit: Pixabay

The Real Men Feel Show is a weekly podcasthosted by RMF founder, Andy Grant and his friend and fellow coach, Appio Hunter. Each episodeis recorded live with Zoom, a video meeting service that allows up to fifty people to be part of a live video conversation. Viewers can watch, make comments and ask questions in a chat room, or even request to join the live program on video and audio, and really be part of the show. Real Men Feel Show is live each (most) Tuesdays at 8pm Eastern at RealMenFeel.org/show Some weeks feature Andy and Appio discussing what is going on with them, while other shows feature invited guests. Live participants are always welcome and can share comments in a chat room or even ask to be seen and heard as part of the show.

See a directory of past shows here.

Here is the original post:
The Anatomy of Awareness: Emotional Trauma and Health - The Good Men Project (blog)

Getty Images Randy Holmes / ABC

Katherine Heigl's newest series, Doubt, has been cancelled after just TWO episodes. Yikes!

Two episodes hardly seems like enough time to pass judgement, but it seems like CBS had seen enough, according to TVLine and already have a replacement filling its slot.

The former Grey's Anatomy star was leading an all-star cast that included the likes of Laverne Cox and Dule Hill and it was forecast to be a hit, but ratings have bombed something sharpish.

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The series focused on Heigl, an attorney that falls for her client who has been accused of murdering his girlfriend.

CBS has not made a decision when or if the further 11 episodes will air.

The actress was tweeting about the show on Thursday (February 23) after the second episode aired and all seemed fine then.

Oh how things have changed.

Elsewhere, she and husband Josh Kelley welcomed their first son, Joshua Bishop Kelley, on December 20.

The couple are already parents to two adopted daughters and now big sisters 8-year-old Naleigh and 4-year-old Adelaide.

Last year, she opened up about her 2008 Emmy Awards controversy that saw her withdraw herself from the race because she didn't consider her Grey's Anatomy material was enough "to warrant an Emmy nomination".

Grey's Anatomy is currently in it's 13th season and airs on ABC.

Want up-to-the-minute entertainment and tech news? Just hit 'Like' on our Digital Spy Facebook page and 'Follow' on our @digitalspy Twitter account and you're all set.

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Former Grey's Anatomy star Katherine Heigl's new show has been cancelled after TWO episodes - Digital Spy

The Fashion and Beauty Editor at OK! Pakistan, and the force behind the blog, Diary Of A Pasha, breaks down her style

The Fashion and Beauty Editor at OK! Pakistan, and the force behind the blog, Diary Of A Pasha, breaks down her style. Learn from her why sometimes, its best to break the rules

Understanding your body is the key to looking good and a trait found amongst all impeccably dressed fashionistas. While people shy away from talking about their bodies, these brave souls explain how they work their anatomies to their advantage.

How would you describe your body type?

Im definitely apple-shaped and slightly rectangular too. I dont have those desi hips but I do have a huge belly.

Has your body type changed over the last five years?

My body type hasnt changed, but my body size has. Unfortunately I have increased from a European size 8 to a 12!

How has your style changed over the years?

My style mantra has always been classic with a twist of glam or classic with a little bit of funk. My size doesnt allow me to be too trendy, and I feel one should dress according to what flatters them no matter what the trends are. So if I want to incorporate a trend, I usually use it as an accessory.

In your opinion what is your most troublesome area?

My belly!

How do you dress your body according to your body type?

I wear looser and longer shirts, add a belt to hide the bulges, wear a jacket when necessary, or wear something flattering like an empire-line or a one-shoulder top.

In your opinion what is the biggest mistake a person can make while dressing here?

Fashion is a way of expression, and I dont think it should be taken too seriously. I believe people can make whatever mistakes they want. Trying to dress proportionately is important, but attaining fulfilment and happiness is more valuable. So wear a short dress even if you have cankles because you only live once!

Which silhouettes suit your body the most?

I prefer to go with the flow. If something pleases me Ill wear it, but I stay clear of short tops, if my pants are tighter.

What is the one piece of clothing that you shy away from wearing and why?

I would say a short choli or a crop-top, because of my shape.

Read the original post:
Style anatomy: Alizeh Pasha - The Express Tribune

Jessica Capshaw as Arizona, James Pickens Jr. as Webber. Photo: Eric McCandless/ABC

Back Where You Belong Season 13 Episode 14

Editor's Rating 3 stars

If youve read even one of these Greys Anatomy recaps, you know that my fuse is short when it comes to Jo Wilson. Does it make me cold and unfeeling if I admit to spending the majority of Back Where You Belong yelling at Jo whenever she appeared onscreen? Listen, I am not making light of the terrible things she has endured. The girl has had it rough. BUT COME ON. You are a doctor, lady. When your patient is in trouble, you set aside your feelings no matter how valid they may be and you save that patients life. I feel like that must be the No. 1 rule of doctorhood. At least top five.

Of course, it wasnt surprising that this happened. Jo makes everything about herself! When shes put on a mother-son kidney transplant and her patients abusive father shows up uninvited to the life-saving party, its only a matter of time until she makes this about her own tragic situation.

After the transplant goes awry and the abusive jerk of a father, Ken, offers his own kidney to keep both his son and estranged wife alive, Jo goes ballistic. She doesnt want him anywhere near them. He shouldnt be given a chance to worm his way back into their lives and Cynthia, his wife, should most certainly not be left without a choice in the matter. While all of this is true, there is no time to debate. Two lives are on the line. No one wants to use this guys kidney, but there is no time. As Arizona points out, The choice that keeps everyone alive is the right one.

Jo goes on to harass Ken before hes put under. NO, JO. You suck it up now, then after youve done your job, you go out into the parking lot and sob into Owen Hunts strong, caring arms. Do you think Stephanie wanted to operate on a young boy so soon after her traumatic experience losing one on the table? No. But Stephanie Edwards is a professional. Anyway, Jo fans out there: Help a recapper out. Sell me on your girl, because I am struggling here.

If Jo would like to see how its done, all she has to do is take a quick peek at what Nathan Riggs is up to at the moment. He, too, is faced with a patient story that hits way too close to home, but he keeps his feelings out in the hallway, thank you very much. All jokes aside, this is a great story line that sheds light on both the stigma of mental health and a supporting character who could use a little shading. Its easily the highlight of the episode.

A homeless, mentally unstable woman wanders into the ER and shes put under the care of Riggs, DeLuca, and Maggie. The woman is incoherent, but the good docs discover her ancient-looking pacemaker is causing issues, so they need to replace it. Riggs comes up with the bright idea to use the serial number on the womans pacemaker to figure out her name and maybe, like, an emergency contact or two.

The plan works! Before long, the womans mother, Gwen, arrives at Grey Sloan Memorial. She explains that her daughter, Claire, has been gone for 12 years after seemingly being abducted from her college dorm room. The family had a funeral for her. She has a gravestone. So imagine Gwens (and later her ex-husband Tims) complete and utter shock when she learns that her daughter is alive. Its a bittersweet moment.

Meanwhile, Maggie is standing by very confused. Why isnt this reunion more of a happy ending? Riggs has to spell it out for her. Gwen and Tim buried their daughter. They gave up on her, moved on, and have been living their lives while their own daughter was out in the world, homeless and alone. Theyll never forgive themselves for that, he explains. And they never should. Oof. Rough stuff, right? Sure, its an on-the-nose parallel to Riggss situation with his missing fiance, but that doesnt make his rare moment of vulnerability any less moving.

Claire is eventually diagnosed with schizophrenia and put on a heavy round of meds. Gwen and Tim are warned that their daughter may not recognize her own parents. She doesnt at first, but after shes given some time to calm down, she finally greets them. From the hallway, Riggs watches the family get the happy ending that hell never have. (Or will he?!) RIGGS IS CRYING, YOU GUYS. Be still my heart. Tears coming out of a face that has a head of hair like that? Yes, please and thank you.

Maggie is also moved by seeing a new side of Riggs. She goes home, crawls into the Sister Bed, and tells Meredith about what went down. Meredith gets it. When Derek died, she had one day of not knowing where she was. She tried to stay calm, she explains, but inside was going crazy. I guess its like that for Nathan every day. Even Maggie admits that Meredith understands what Riggs must be going through. So, I guess were getting back into the whole Meredith-Riggs-Maggie thing of it all. More important, does this Riggs story line mean that were one step closer to Megan turning up alive? Am I the only one still holding out hope for this?

Meredith finally answers the question thats been on everyones mind: If Mer is on the board of the hospital, how on Earth could Bailey have the power to suspend her? Checks and balances, people. Or plot contrivances, maybe.

Poor Mer realizes that her suspension might be less of a vacation and more of a prison sentence. Shes stuck in the house all day with Amelia, back from Stephanies and still moping around the house.

A thing I do not find amusing: Arizona being into Eliza Minnick for real. (Wheres the heat?) A thing I find very amusing: Richard Webbers repeated use of the word menace to describe Eliza Minnick. Hes going to be so hurt when he finds out!

Bailey takes her coffee black, and also, no prisoners.

Weve been deprived of a good Meredith-Richard scene for a while, so having Richard tell Meredith to stop sticking up for him and get back to work, all while poking a little fun at Ellis, is a welcome return. Also, its only right that Webber gets Meredith to return to Grey Sloan.

Merediths impression of Ellis Grey for days and days, please.

Jacksons as snarky as a teenage girl when hes angry. Most people have seemingly gotten over Aprils decision to take Merediths job, but not her baby daddy. Since this is probably all leading up to a big romantic reunion, I will allow it for now.

The Greys Anatomy Kid Watch is back on. Zola, Bailey, and Ellis: If you can hear this, call out!

It took two words to undo me: Hi, mom.

Karl Lagerfeld Calls Out Meryl Streep for Canceling Oscars Dress Order; Streeps Reps Deny It

Pamela Anderson Certainly Seems Fine With You Believing That She and Julian Assange Are Romantically Involved

Connie Britton Leaves Nashville Fans With the Cold Comfort of a Heartfelt Coda After That Momentous Episode

These flamingos know how to party.

Ronald Reagan was the last president to skip the event, but that was because he was recovering from an assassination attempt.

Time to test your patience.

I have had more stimulating conversation with this man than all my ex husbands and lovers combined.

Unwind and get some rest, Nat.

The boxing legends family is considering a lawsuit over the incident.

Just some wise counsel from a good friend.

To which we say, ohhhhhh.

Dont cry because its over, smile because you screamed a lot.

Yikes.

Industry veterans discuss whether they truly can separate art from artist.

Edward R. Murrow and political activism, two of George Clooneys favorite things!

Retiring in (bloody, hyper-violent) style.

Khateeb worked on the film The White Helmets.

The man was reportedly found with a bag over his head.

More here:
Grey's Anatomy Recap: All Stirred Up - Vulture

PARIS For at least the past year, populism has been wreaking havoc on Western democracies. Populist forces parties, leaders, and ideas underpinned the Leave campaigns victory in the United Kingdoms Brexit referendum and Donald Trumps election as President of the United States. Now, populism lurks ominously in the background of the Netherlands general election in March and the French presidential election in April and May.

But, despite populisms seeming ubiquity, it is a hard concept to pin down. Populists are often intolerant of outsiders and those who are different; and yet Geert Wilders, the far-right Dutch populist leader, is a firm believer in gay rights. In the US, Trumps presidential campaign was described as an anti-elite movement; and yet his administration is already practically a subsidiary of Goldman Sachs.

While todays populist resurgence comes from the nationalist right, some of the leading populist exponents in recent decades such as Venezuelas late president, Hugo Chvez were firmly on the left. What they share is a zero-sum view of the world, which necessitates the creation of scapegoats who can be blamed for all problems. Moreover, because populist leaders claim to embody the uniform will of a mythical people, they consider democracy to be a means to power, rather than a desirable end in itself.

But populists have more in common than an obsession with cultural boundaries and political borders. They also share a recipe for economic governance, one that Project Syndicate commentators have been tracking since long before todays brand of populism began dominating the worlds headlines. Guided by their insights, we can begin to understand the origins of todays populist resurgence, and what is in store for Western countries where its avatars come to power.

See the article here:
The Anatomy of Populist Economics - Project Syndicate

ABC

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OK, after last night's Grey's Anatomy, I'm even more on the side of the attendings who oppose Eliza Minnick. Apparently, under her method, NONE OF THEM WILL EVER GET TO DO SURGERY EVER AGAIN. Seriously. It's another episode of Stephanie and Jo and Ben doing actual procedures while the actual, trained surgeons stand around and give instructions and look concerned. I'm annoyed about this from the perspective of someone who is overly invested in the training procedures of a fictitious hospital, and that's on me. But I'm also annoyed about it as a viewer, in part because it seems like the past few episodes have all followed the formula of: Eliza insists on her method/attendings object/surgery proceeds regardless/everyone grumbles/patient lives or dies. The biggest problem from a storytelling perspective is that I see Eliza's method is different, but I don't see that it's necessarily an improvement. And if you're going to get me off of Team Webber, you're going to have to do better than that.

Anyway.

This week, Ben, Stephanie, and Jo are working on a mother-to-son kidney transplant. The first bump in the road comes when the boy's estranged, abusive father turns up at the hospital. Once Jo learns about the abuse, she's immediately (and understandably) traumatized, and tries to get Owen to kick him out of the hospital. The father gets in her face more than once, and it seems like it's foreshadowing some big development in Jo's storyline her abusive ex returning? Her opening up more to Alex about her past?

After the kidney is removed from the mother, her other kidney fails, leaving just one functional kidney between the two of them. Everyone goes into a tailspin trying to figure out who the kidney "belongs" to. April's in charge because Bailey's away from the hospital (more on that soon), and because April is really, really bad at deciding things, everyone just stands around and wrings their hands for a while. Then, the boy's father steps forward and says he'll donate the kidney, which sets off another round of handwringing. Jo, in particular, is worried he'll use his status of "heroic organ donor" to try to ingratiate himself back into the family. So she goes into the OR just as he's about to be put under, and basically begs him to do the right thing and disappear after the surgery. Let me just say that I'm pretty sure one of the reasons Bailey thought Webber was failing as residency director was that residents were making emotionally motivated, heart-first decisions. It doesn't seem like Eliza's curbed that yet?

Apparently Jo's successful, because the boy and mother wake up and are informed that the hospital just happened to get a perfect match at the exact right time. They buy it and then Jo winds up crying on Owen's shoulder outside the hospital. It's a sweet moment, but it mostly just makes me wish Jo would talk to Alex and Owen would talk to Amelia. Also, Eliza and Arizona kiss and I am wholly indifferent.

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Meanwhile, a young woman comes into the OR looking disheveled and talking incoherently about snakes. She collapses, and Maggie and Riggs figure out that she has an old pacemaker that needs replacing. Riggs uses the serial number on the pacemaker to identify the young woman, Claire, and locate her parents. (Can we have more storylines where Riggs SOLVES MYSTERIES?) Claire's parents haven't seen her in 12 years, ever since she wandered away from her college apartment. She was gone so long they held a funeral for her. "She has a gravestone," Claire's mother says, baffled, especially because she thinks she was called to the hospital to identify her daughter's body. Because of his past, Riggs takes the whole thing very personally. At this point, I will feel extremely cheated if Riggs's long-lost fiance never emerges from the desert, where she presumably wandered with amnesia for years after her helicopter crash. I don't care how unrealistic that is, I AM OWED IT.

Claire is diagnosed with schizophrenia and given medication. Shortly after, she emerges far enough from her altered state to identify her parents. It's a nice little story, and there are parts of it that are very accurate, but it's definitely Hollywooded up. I wish there were more television about the mundane nature of mental illness, because the reality of it isn't the heightened drama of hallucinated snakes and reunited families and medications that work in an instant. Sometimes it's years trying to get the right diagnosis, months trying to figure out the right combination of medications. Or it's a quiet descent into psychological chaos, not an immediate, easily identifiable break. But it's mostly just an everyday effort that sometimes feels like second nature and sometimes feels like a terrible slog. I can see why Grey's why any media, really wants to frame mental illness as something that dramatically emerges and tidily recedes. And I value storylines that show that severe mental illness is treatable, and can and should be treated. But I'd love to see those stories told in a more nuanced way.

Meredith spends a solid portion of the episode FOLDING LAUNDRY, which is aggravating for a million reasons. Bailey comes over to ask her to come back to work, and Meredith says she's not interested in doing so until Richard is reinstated. Bailey flounces, but later Richard comes over himself. Meredith tells him she keeps hearing her mom's voice in her head saying, "Meredith. It's Richard." But he tells her to go get her job, and she picks up the phone to call Bailey. So at least one thing is as it should be.

Follow Lauren on Twitter.

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Grey's Anatomy Just Isn't the Same With Eliza Minnick on Board - Cosmopolitan.com

ADVANCE FOR WEEKEND EDITIONS - In this Thursday, Feb. 9, 2017, photo, Dr. Jeffrey Fahl, chair of the anatomy department at UNLV, shows the Review-Journal how a virtual anatomy table works at UNLV's School of Medicine in Las Vegas. (Rachel Aston/Las Vegas Review-Journal via AP) less ADVANCE FOR WEEKEND EDITIONS - In this Thursday, Feb. 9, 2017, photo, Dr. Jeffrey Fahl, chair of the anatomy department at UNLV, shows the Review-Journal how a virtual anatomy table works at UNLV's School of ... more Photo: Rachel Aston, AP ADVANCE FOR WEEKEND EDITIONS - In this Thursday, Feb. 9, 2017, photo, Dr. Jeffrey Fahl, chair of the anatomy department at UNLV, shows the Review-Journal how a virtual anatomy table works at UNLV's School of Medicine in Las Vegas. (Rachel Aston/Las Vegas Review-Journal via AP) less ADVANCE FOR WEEKEND EDITIONS - In this Thursday, Feb. 9, 2017, photo, Dr. Jeffrey Fahl, chair of the anatomy department at UNLV, shows the Review-Journal how a virtual anatomy table works at UNLV's School of ... more Photo: Rachel Aston, AP ADVANCE FOR WEEKEND EDITIONS - In this Thursday, Feb. 9, 2017, photo, Dr. Jeffrey Fahl, chair of the anatomy department at UNLV, shows the Review-Journal how a virtual anatomy table works at UNLV's School of Medicine in Las Vegas. (Rachel Aston/Las Vegas Review-Journal via AP) less ADVANCE FOR WEEKEND EDITIONS - In this Thursday, Feb. 9, 2017, photo, Dr. Jeffrey Fahl, chair of the anatomy department at UNLV, shows the Review-Journal how a virtual anatomy table works at UNLV's School of ... more Photo: Rachel Aston, AP

Medical school brings a virtual touch to anatomy studies

LAS VEGAS (AP) Dr. Neil Haycocks twists and turns the 3-D image to review the head and neck CT scan from a variety of angles.

Even without being a doctor, it's easy to tell from the clear, virtual image that the man has suffered a serious injury.

"I don't know exactly what happened to this person, but my guess is that they were struck with some sort of blunt object," Haycocks said as he pointed out a fractured mandible and a depressed bone.

As he sliced through the patient's skull to further examine his injuries, Haycocks demonstrated a crucial benefit to the virtual anatomy tables at University of Nevada Las Vegas's new School of Medicine the ability to examine a patient without destroying vital organs.

With a touch of a button, the skull was whole again.

The touchscreen tables, which replace cadavers that would be found in a traditional anatomy lab, are just one example of the innovative curriculum the first class of 60 students will encounter when they set foot in the school on July 17.

THE BACKBONE

UNLV won't be the first school to use anatomy tables, reported the Las Vegas Review-Journal (http://bit.ly/2kIQvIS).

But it's the school's commitment to teaching the subject that sets it apart, according to Dr. Ellen Cosgrove, vice dean for academic affairs and education.

"We've decided to make the virtual anatomy the backbone and the framework of our anatomy instruction," she said.

Haycocks, who learned human anatomy in a traditional lab, said cadaver dissection is limited in its educational benefits.

"You spend hours cutting through tissues, trying to find this or that," Haycocks said. "Sometimes it's well preserved, and sometimes it isn't. Sometimes you accidentally destroy whatever it is you're looking for, and sometimes you're just lost you never find out what's going on. It's a very lengthy and time consuming process."

Haycocks previously taught at a college where he oversaw a cadaver lab. He said that he loved working with the students and seeing their reactions as they cut open a human body.

"That's enjoyable for me at least, but it's really inefficient," he said.

The technology can display images of the body from a variety of perspectives and angles, including 2-D cross-section and 3-D rotation.

With a slight tap, Haycocks lit up the screen with millions of tiny blue channels, illustrating a patient's veins.

And in terms of instruction, virtual anatomy is beneficial because everyone gets the same information. It's also less time consuming and costs much less than a traditional cadaver lab, which runs upward of $10 million.

"If you talk to most people who teach anatomy nowadays, they would agree, perhaps grudgingly, that in well under 100 years, nobody is going to cadaver dissection anymore," Haycocks said.

COMBATING INERTIA

Haycocks sees several benefits from a curriculum standpoint, but he also points out a few flaws to the system.

"For me, the main disadvantage is that you don't have that first patient experience with a real human body," he said.

Given that a first patient often resonates with students, others in the medical community might also question the virtual anatomy approach.

"A lot of education in general, and medical education in particular, there's a lot of inertia," Haycocks said. "Things have been done a certain way for the last 150 years, and by God, the faculty had to do it a certain way so they're going to make the students do it a certain way."

Haycocks said a fourth-year elective is in the works that would give students the opportunity to learn at a month-long boot camp to become an autopsy technician.

"If you want to practice cutting human tissue without any of the rules of surgery, it's hard to beat someone who died the day before," Haycocks said.

Cosgrove said it might take a student in a traditional lab an hour of dissection to view a particular nerve and what path it takes.

At UNLV, students will be able to go through several virtual anatomy stations that have specific learning objectives with problems for them to solve.

"At the end of the two hours, you emerge from that experience with a wealth of information," she said.

___

Information from: Las Vegas Review-Journal, http://www.lvrj.com

Go here to see the original:
Medical school brings a virtual touch to anatomy studies - mySanAntonio.com

Brandon Grubl was frustrated when his friends from the Porter County Conference spoke with him on March 5, 2011.

The slight was used as fuel before he boarded a bus in route to a very big stage.

His basketball buddies told him what almost everyone in the Region and the state of Indiana had already concluded.

Grubl's Morgan Township team had no chance in its sectional championship game at Bowman Academy.

"All my friends said they were going to the Merrillville-Valpo game instead," Grubl remembered on Wednesday night. "Nobody believed in us."

In 2009, Bowman beat the Cherokees 82-66 to win the championship. In 2010 it was 98-70, as the Eagles cut down the nets and went on to win the Class A state championship.

Morgan coach Matt Bush gathered his underdogs in the hallway and said one thing to his team.

"If you don't think we have a shot in this game, then walk out now."

Grubl went out and scored 22 points as his Cherokees shocked Bowman 53-49, in one of the Region's biggest sectional upsets.

Considering that the Eagles returned to state championship games the following three Marches is proof of this David vs. Goliath tale.

"A few of us, the vets, felt like we had a shot," Grubl said. "We knew we had to keep it close in the beginning, and if we did that, we'd beat them in the end. We knew all the pressure was on them.

"We were playing with house money."

As the 107th IHSAA boys basketball tournament tips off on Tuesday, one thing is certain.

"There will be upsets all over the state," E.C. Central coach Pete Trgovich said. "It happens every year."

Trgovich won a state title at E.C. Washington in 1971, when his Senators were the heavy favorites in every game. But when he led the Cardinals to the 2007 Class 4A state championship over Indianapolis North Central, E.C. was a heavy underdog.

In Trgovich's last three seasons as the Cards coach -- 2006, '07 and '16 -- his team has cut down the nets at the sectional.

"You have to prepare for anybody and everyone," Trgovich said. "You have to understand the regular season doesn't mean anything. There is a difference. A lot of people say we got a good draw because we got the bye.

"But I'd rather be playing. I also don't like having seven days off."

E.C. Central (13-9) will play the winner of the Morton (13-9) and Highland (9-13) winner. If the Cards get past the semifinal, they'll be in the championship on their home court.

"We can't play down to our competition," said E.C. senior Jermaine Couisnard, who carries a 27.5 scoring average into the tournament. "We have to go out there and play one game at a time. We can't worry about a game we don't have, just the next one."

That was the philosophy Tom Johnson's 1998 Crown Point Bulldogs team had. C.P. entered the tournament with seven losses. Few thought they had a shot at anything.

And in such a scenario history can be made.

"We had a group of kids who believed," said Johnson, now coaching at Greater South Shore Conference co-champion Wheeler. "No one picked us to do anything.

"So it became an 'us against the world' mentality in our locker room."

Crown Point upset Merrillville 60-49 to win the program's first sectional championship since 1986. As they prepared to play a Hammond team with four Division I players in the old one-game regional, something happened.

"The blizzard hit after we won," Johnson said. "The roads were impassable and we only missed one day of practice. Our parents found 4 by 4s and were going around picking up kids to get them to the gym."

Crown Point shocked the Wildcats 61-56. Then, played toe-to-toe with Zach Randolph's Marion team in the semistate before falling 76-63.

"Those were the most competitive kids I've ever coached," Johnson said. "They hated to lose more than they liked winning."

Clint Swan now coaches the Bulldogs, a similar group trying to make history and win the program's third straight sectional championship. The teams in the Class 4A Michigan City Sectional have a combined 100 wins.

It is, without question, one of Indiana's toughest sectional. And for the first time in the last three seasons the Bulldogs are the favorites, getting a draw that has Valparaiso, Michigan City and Merrillville all on the other side.

"If one team is an overwhelming favorite, which we're not, they can't get caught looking ahead," Swan said. "You can't ever take any night off. This group has kept it simple. It's always, 'The next play. The next practice. The next game.'"

Purdue-bound Sasha Stefanovic knows his team is the favorite for the first time in his career. The Bulldogs snuck up on people in the past. In fact, his half-court shot at the end of regulation allowed C.P. to beat Valpo 59-54 in double overtime in last year's championship game.

"Not really," Stefanovic said when asked if he feels a target on his team's back. "We know everyone is going to give us their best shot. We just have to go there and play our game, play fearless.

"It's the sectional. It's going to be gritty not pretty."

Griffith coach Gary Hayes is in his 16th year as a coach in Indiana, his fifth leading the Panthers. Griffith has won the last two sectionals at the Hammond Civic Center. When he was coaching at Lake Station years ago, winning a sectional was a much tougher task.

"I always thought the hardest game to play is opening night, the first game, if you're the favorite," Hayes said. "Upsets can happen there if your kids aren't ready to go. I've seen it happen."

Griffith will play Hammond in the second game Tuesday night. The Wildcats beat the Panthers earlier in the season.

And for the second March in a row, Valparaiso coach Barak Coolman will have to do just that. The Vikings open against Michigan City on the Wolves home court. If they survive they get Merrillville. And if they survive most believe they'll get C.P.

Coolman won three straight sectionals at Fort Wayne Northrop from 2011 through 2013. He played the favorite in the first game each year, yet his team found a way to sidestep any upsets.

"In the first game everyone's going to have nerves and jitters," Coolman said. "You have seniors thinking it could be their last game. A big part of not getting upset is relaxing and playing your game. Do the things you did in the regular season when you had success.

"There is only one good draw and that's getting a bye all the way into the regional."

See the rest here:
The anatomy of a sectional upset - nwitimes.com

Anthony Bourdain has reached the point of popularity that people meddle with his personal life. I mean, its not just the food and his commentaries anymore. People like to know and dig deeper. Last year, when Anthony split up with his wife Ottavia after 10 years, people were affected. Especially to find out that the reason behind it was because they just made different choices in lifeOttavia her MMA career and Anthony with his life as a chef, TV show host, and an author.

This time around people are talking about the new woman in Anthony Bourdains lifeAsia Argentowhom he met when he shot last seasons Parts Unknown. Asia toured Anthony on the outskirts of Rome where they visited her local grocery store and ate lots of pasta. And I guess in between takes, they fell in love.

It got us curious though, what is Anthony Bourdains type in women?

His ex-wife Ottavia lived in a small town in Lombardy, Italy while his new girl Asia was born in the city of Rome. Italian women are known to consume copious amounts of carbs and still look good (ha, I wish I lived their lives) and they are also known to be feisty and passionate.

He describes Asia as, always honest, completely unsparing. If you ask Asia a question, you are going to get an answerand she doesnt care if it reflects badly on youor on herself. Shes going to give it to you straight.

Photo courtesy of Daily Mail

After a few dates between Anthony and Ottavia, they already got matching knife tattoos and that was just the beginning. They got more tattoos together like their matching serpent tattoo back in 2011.

Photo courtesy of People

Asia, on the other hand, is rather extensively tattooed as well. She has an eye on her shoulder which she had done at 14, an angel on her abdomen, a very visible (and intricate) Victorian necklace on her chest, the name Panos on her wrist, and so much more.

Just kidding with that description, but both seem to have a history with music. Asia was first married to an Italian rock and roll musician Marco Castoldi. She also delved into music by releasing her own album called Total Enthropy back in 2013.

If youre curious as to how Ottavia made it to the US, she actually flew to New York to follow an Irish rock musician that she was infatuated with. After finding a job at a restaurant, he met Anthony through a common friend, and the rest was history. Wait, Anthony has background in music too, right?

Ottavia and Anthonys dates were mostly in dive bars in the middle of the night where they just drink pints of beer and talk about work. They have so much in common since both worked in the restaurant businesstheyre knowledgeable with food, service, and everything in between.

Photo courtesy of CNN

Asia was Anthonys tour guide, as mentioned earlier, so they bonded over plates of pasta and conversed about so many things. He even said that the episode wont be possible without her.

You might be looking at Asia thinking that youve seen her somewhere. Well, shes been working on a lot of projects but one of the most memorable is her role as Yelena in xXx with Vin Diesel. Does that ring a bell?

Screengrab from xXx

Ottavia is an action star in her own right. When she was trying to get fit after she gave birth, she fell in love with jiu jitsu and started training seven days a week. She is also an MMA fighter. During interviews, Anthony would even say, I married Sophia Loren. She turned into Jean-Claude Van Damme.

Notice all the similarities? Bet you didnt, but at least you know a little bit more about Anthony Bourdain and his taste in women.

Read more from the original source:
The Anatomy of Anthony Bourdain's Lovers - Inquirer.net