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Note on data Data on emergency department waiting times for the ACT has been corrected and resupplied to the AIHW for the period 2008-09 to 2010-11. The revised data is reported in Australian hospital statistics 2011-12: emergency department care. Hospitals are an important part of Australia’s health landscape, providing services to many Australians each year. A summary measure of the significance of Australia’s hospitals is the amount that is spent on them—an estimated $46.3 billion in 2009–10, about 3.7% of Australia’s gross domestic product, or about $2,181per person (AIHW 2011). Hospital spending has been increasing faster than inflation—adjusted for inflation, it increased by 5.0% each year, on average, between 2004–05 and 2009–10. Access to our hospital services, the quality of the services, as well as funding and management arrangements for them are under constant public scrutiny. This summary report presents an overview of statistics on our hospitals that can serve as a background to public discussion and debate. While most data for this report are for 2010–11, some data for private hospitals were only available for 2009–10. More detailed statistics and information on how to interpret the data can be found in the companion report, Australian hospital statistics 2010–11. Further detail is also available in spread sheets and interactive data cubes at <www.aihw.gov.au/hospitals-data/>.
LETTER: Medicare changes create problems Medicare changes create problems Over the next two years, the Affordable Healthcare Act, or many elements thereof, will likely be rolled out. Some features are already being used. There are also changes coming to Medicare and some changes are causing physicians to opt out, myself included. Opting out means the physician may not bill Medicare for services but receives payment, at time of services, from the patient. Then the patient files the claim with Medicare. This frees the doctor to manage the details of the practice as is deemed best. Two changes to Medicare make it difficult for solo physicians to continue to participate in Medicare. The first is Medicare’s insistence that the clinical medical record (doctor’s notes), not just the processing of claims, be computerized. The primary reason a small practice can not comply with this mandate is the cost of implementing and continued operation of the system. There is also the very real concern of privacy and security. Consider South Carolina’s debacle with the hacking of the state’s Department of Revenue’s computer. Medicare is also forcing (without exception) physicians to accept payment electronically. That sounds secure and convenient, but it also permits Medicare to withdraw funds automatically for overpayments or just by error on the part of Medicare. At your next visit, if your physician is tapping away at a laptop, just ponder how secure that system is. Then request that your prescriptions and diagnosis not be entered. It’s one thing for your social security number to be accessed, but do you really want to risk your confidential medical record being hacked? ED, VD, PTSD or ADD, this knowledge about you should never be available. For every 256 bit “un-hackable” encryption program, there’s someone developing a 257 bit way to beat it. Dr. Mike Vasovski
TalkBack for Jan. 12: Potholes, Gun control, Thanks What is wrong with John Kerry being secretary of state? The people in New Jersey are hurting. They paid taxes all their lives. The president is the commander in chief and if he says something needs to be done, it ought to be done right then. If anyone has been on Gregg Avenue from Highway 1 to Old Trolley Line Road, you will see many potholes repaired with dirt that washes away when it rains. I had to have my front end realigned. Something desperately needs to be done. No car lot The planning commission and City Council have created the ugliest traffic jams on Silver Bluff, Pine Log and Whiskey roads. The last thing we need is used car lot. Stop defacing the town. Good, taxpaying people live on the Southside. What is wrong with this country that people would make bulletproof clothing for children? We need to get gun control. My husband and I were having breakfast at the Huddle House on Richland Avenue on New Year’s Day. Someone paid for our breakfast, and I just wanted to say thanks. It will be paid forward.
AikiWeb: The Source for Aikido Information AikiWeb's principal purpose is to serve the Internet community as a repository and dissemination point for aikido information. Follow us on > Browse Articles Article: "Repelling an Attack With the Heart" Posted 12/31/2008 12:23pm [from Here's an article entitled "Repelling an Attack With the Heart" which describes the reaction and response of Matt and Theresas Fluty sensei of The Aikido Center in Sacramento, CA when they found their aikido dojo vandalized on Christmas Day. [Discussion: 1 reply] 1997-2013 AikiWeb and its Authors, All Rights Reserved. For questions and comments about this website:
Seminar: Minegishi Sensei in the Philippines Posted 3/20/2003 8:15pm [from Rommel Miel] Aikido Philippines is inviting everyone to attend an aikido seminar with Mutsuko Minegishi Sensei, 6th Dan Aikikai. Minegishi Sensei is the founder of Aikido in Micronesia particularly Guam Aikikai and Saipan Aikikai. The following is the schedule of her sessions: March 19 (Wednesday) - 7:00-8:30pm, Philippine Heart Center Dojo; March 20 (Thursday) - 6:30-8:00pm, Hara Dojo, BF Homes Clubhouse, Pilar Banzon St., Phase 1,Paranaque City March 21-23 (Friday-Sunday) - AM & PM practice, Aikido Cebu, Club Mango (formerly Club 10), Rivergate Commercial Complex, Gen. Maxilom Avenue, Cebu City. [Discussion: 0 replies]
Special events can be arranged to meet a variety of needs. A very small event (5-10 people) could be held in either the Crew's Mess or the Wardroom of USS Razorback, either during the week, or even on the weekends outside of normal hours. This is the perfect venue for a special birthday party or similar event. A larger event (10-15 people) could be held in the Education Center or on the Mary Munns, our museum barge. Larger events can be held on the Savannah Lou, the barge holding our snack bar and souvenir shop. Finally, the entire museum complex, including the Savannah Lou, the Mary Munns, and USS Razorback can be reserved for functions, such as dinner parties, corporate conferences, or similar events. Our rates are $100 per hour, with a four hour minimum. Dog tags can be made for your special event as well. Please see the attached Adobe PDF document for the format. For more information contact the AIMM staff at 501-371-8320. Special Event fees do not include state, county or city sales taxes.
Dassault Falcon Offers Wireless Tire Pressure System on Falcon 50 Dassault Falcon received EASA and FAA approval to install the SmartStem tire pressure system on Falcon 50s. The system provides a fast and reliable method of checking tire pressure without gas loss while reducing maintenance costs, improving convenience and automatically tracking tire pressure checks. It is also designed for easy retrofit to existing aircraft since it is compatible with all standard tire maintenance equipment. SmartStem communicates tire pressure, temperature and other stored information wirelessly to a handheld reader without the use of an internal battery in the stem.
Elisra melds offense and defense The maxim that attack is the best form of defense implies that the two modes are effectively two sides of the same combat coin. Elisra’s designers see it this way, claiming that their latest combined defensive aids suite (DAS) and intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, target acquisition and search (ISTAR) systems represent the most complete all-in-one-box package available for modern warplanes. This covers functions such as electronic support measures (ESM), as well as protection against laser and infrared threats. “Fighters have to be equipped with both self-protection and attack platforms. These are parallel systems so why should they not share the same sensors and processor,” said Nati Catran, the group’s deputy marketing vice president. “Why have double systems when all the key data can be handled in one spectrum.” What Elisra has on display in the vast Israeli Pavilion here at Le Bourget is claimed to be the first example of entire DAS and ISTAR functions being combined in one line-replaceable unit. By reducing the number of boxes required in a fighter, this approach makes for much easier installation, while also cutting life cycle costs and spares requirements. But no less importantly, explained Catran, it also significantly reduces pilot workload. Elisra’s single box includes the following elements: DAS controller, which does the data fusion and decision making; radar warning receiver; laser warning controller and analyzer; radio frequency jammer; and a chaff and flare dispenser. “The RWR (radar warning receiver) antenna must be able to measure accurately and at the same time the interpulse data of the radar has to be measured,” Catran told Aviation International News, explaining the type of combined processes through which the DAS essentially serves as the ISTAR system. “Everyone has been thinking about doing a system this way, but Elisra is the first to do it,” he added. Technological advances such as digital receivers and more advanced computer processors have made the all-in-one-box concept feasible, greatly reducing weight and power-supply requirements. Under another aspect of the same concept, Elisra can offer the following functions, all using infrared sensors: a passive approach warning system, panoramic displays (using IR cameras), collision avoidance and conflict resolution and weapons direction capability. “The user is getting all these functions for the price of one system–a DAS and a ESM for the price of a DAS,” concluded Catran. In other words, providing situational awareness is another task on top of other DAS and ISTAR functions. Maybe this sounds too good to be true–surely there are reliability issues? “Not really,” said Catran. “This is no different from the various sensors of the human body (eyes, ears, nose, etc) working together. However, there is a risk that the central processing unit will be damaged and so we have redundancy for this.” The Israeli air force is already using the DAS/ISTAR combination on various aircraft, including helicopters. Catran said that the same system can be applied for different force requirements so that, for example, AgustaWestland’s Merlin helicopters could be equipped for emerging urban attack roles. “Future helicopter programs require a high degree of commonality and this is possible through DAS/ ISTAR,” he stated. Elisra is also looking to apply the all-in-one concept to new military aircraft programs such as the AgustaWestland Future Lynx multi-role helicopter. It also sees potential for retrofit programs as operators such as the U.S. forces in Iraq see a need for defensive aids to protect against ground-launched weapons. The company is thinking of applying the all-in-one DAS/ ISTAR concept to unmanned air vehicles. This would use multispectral sensors and data dissemination systems to relay information to network centric warfare platforms.
Avanti WCR683DZD-2 149 Bottle Dual Zone Wine Cooler With Reversible Tempered Double-Glass Door (click to enlarge) - Features Top Storage for 74 Bottles in Upper Zone and 75 Bottles in Lower Zone - Read More... The Avanti WCR683DZD-2 149 bottle dual zone wine cooler has ample storage space and two temperature zones for your convenience. It features a high-quality reversible tempered double-glass door with stainless steel trim and interior LED lighting, so your wine collection looks its best as it's being chilled to taste its best. One Touch Digital Control Changing temperature has never been easier with the Avanti wine cooler's one touch digital control for red, white or sparkling wine. Change the temperature in an instant, and monitor it with the dual function electronic display. Dual Zone Cooler The Avanti WCR683DZD-2 wine cooler has dual zones, so you can store at different temperatures 74 bottles of white wines at the top, and 75 bottles of red wines at the bottom. The wooden shelves in the Avanti 149 bottle dual zone wine cooler are placed on sturdy pull-out rollers, so you can quickly access every bottle in your collection. Reversible Tempered Double-Glass Door The WCR683DZD-2 features a reversible tempered double-glass door for extra insulation and strength. It is bordered by a stainless steel trim that compliments the black cabinet. - Model: WCR683DZD-2 - Product Type: 149 Bottle Dual Zone Wine Cooler - Product Dimensions: L: 27.00" x W: 24.00" x H: 71.00" - Product Weight: 241.00 lbs. - Product Color: Black/Stainless Stee - Application: Ideal dual zone wine cooler can hold up to 149 bottles total, with 74 bottles in the upper zone and 75 bottles in the lower - Warranty: 1 year limited warranty - Voltage: 110 volts - Frequency: 60 Hz - Capacity: 149 - Wine Cooler Style: Freestanding - Type: Dual zone - Finish: Black - Cooling Technology: Compressor - Temperature Control Type: Push Button - Digital Temperature Readout: Yes - Stainless Steel Doors: Yes - Interior LED Light: Yes - Number of Wine Racks: 15 - Rack Construction: Wood - Removable Wine Racks: Yes - Locking Doors: Yes - Stemware Storage: No - Built-in interior fan helps regulate the temperature inside your unit - Easy to use one touch digital control for red, white or sparkling wine - Interior LED lighting system for an added effect to highlight your collection - Stores 149 bottles-- 74 on top and 75 on the bottom-- in two different temperature zones - Strong tempered double-glass door with stainless steel trim is functional and attractive - Wooden shelves slide in and out for easy stocking and emptying
My name is Cory Shultz, and I am the Editor in Chief over at For the Love of Gaming. Adam has been kind enough to allow me to write this post, and share some exciting news regarding For the Love of Gaming. As many of you know, Pax East is less than a month away,and For the Love of Gaming will be attending. This is our first event ever where we will be going not as guests, but media coverage. We are extremely excited to be going to Pax East, but sadly the costs of hotels and traveling are killing us. The cost is going to be over $600 dollars, and that isn’t even covering our food costs. We are asking for some help from the gaming community. If anybody can make a donation to our travel fund, please head to our site HERE and go to the right side of the page, and click the donate button. Any amount will help, and if you donate a minimum of 1 dollar, then you will be entered into a drawing for $30 dollar GameStop gift card. We are extremely excited to be attending Pax East, and we are set to bring the best coverage ever seen by a small team. I really hope you will come visit us during Pax East, and I want to say thank you in advance for your donations!
It's Sunday the day after and I am at the Plant filling orders to ship to Mexico. This gives me lots of time to reflect and soak on how this plane compares to all the rest of Baslees creations. All I can say is that it is clearly in a class of it's own. Several have asked me how it compares to my other favorite which is Butch Whitlocks They are both true classic art forms. Butch's D-7 is more Picaso with it's bright colors and blistering flight performance namely rocketing rate of climb and snappy roll Butches plane has the WW1 look with modern day performance and reliability. Now this Sopwith Camel by Russ Turner would have to be a Micheal Angelo. With a welded chromoly Fuselage and stainless rolled flying wires and 9 cylinder radial it becomes a time machine. This plane is all that a replica builder could ever hope for..... The real thing. This plane is truely a time machine taking me back in time without the nasty realities that the real This is a super sweet handling plane. No it doesn't do the Baslee blast off and it's ailerons won't snap your neck. Instead it just makes your spine tingle and gives you goose bumps. Here it is a day later and I am still grinning like a hound dog eating briars. It has been raining all morning so I may not get to fly it again until after Oshkosh. I'm sure this plane has a lot more to say.
This weekend was amazing. Almost 200 people attended Aviation Geek Fest 2013 in Seattle this year — it was bigger and better than ever. Many attendees came from the Seattle area, but we are quite a few who came from out of state: Colorado, Oregon, Minnesota, Arizona, Georgia, Florida, New York, Texas, North Carolina, Nevada, Montana, Hawaii, Massachusetts and California. The group was also international. There were a few folks from Canada (British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec) and a father and son came all the way from Oslo Norway for the event. This has truly turned into a world event and it makes sense since Seattle is a major hub for aviation lovers. Awesome. The point of the event is to bring aviation lovers (or AvGeeks) together to celebrate our passion and do some pretty cool things together. This was the first year where the event was two days. Saturday, the 16th, took place down south at Boeing Field and Sunday took place up north at Paine Field. Starting at 9am, AvGeeks were able to enter the Museum of Flight and start their aviation adventure. Our group had own room up on the top floor, overlooking the runway with free coffee, tea and water — all of which was needed to keep up during the day. The 737 tour was not until, noon, which gave people plenty of time to check out the Museum of Flight. I spent the morning up at #AGF13 HQ (the room at the Museum of Flight) talking aviation and airlines with all the AvGeeks that showed up. At about noon, it was time for us to prepare to get on the three buses to be taken to the Renton 737 Factory. The only down side to the tour is we were not allowed to take any of our own photos. Luckily, Boeing agreed to take some photos for us and share them. On the ride over to the 737 factory, I Tweeted out a photo of the AvGeeks on my bus and was told they looked sad. This was because I just got done telling them, “no phones and no cameras,” then took the photo. Right after, I also explained that everyone was getting a free $20 gift card to The Boeing Store — that is when I should have taken the photo — oops. Our 737 tour started with a few short videos highlighting the 737 and of course the new MAX. This tour was super VIP, since it is not open to the public and they stated that this was the largest group that have toured the facility. We were broken into four groups and taken down both of the 737 lines. Since it was Saturday, the line was not moving, but we all enjoyed figuring out the airlines that the 737s belonged to by the liveries on their rudders and winglets. Not too surprising, there was not one livery that could stump our group. After the tour, it was back on the buses and we headed back to the Museum of Flight. I hadn’t been in a few years, so I took about two hours quickly going through their new shuttle trainer and checking out old friends (Concorde, first Boeing 747, Constellation, among others) in the Air Park. The museum closed at 5pm, but we were given a special after hours tour of the Personal Courage Wing, which shows off aircraft and memorabilia from World War I and II. By the time our tour was done at 6:30pm I was quite tired. Really we only had one scheduled event: the 737 tour, but everyone was kept busy the entire day. It was a great day, but I was excited for the next. I was up earlier than I normally am during the weekend, but I didn’t even need coffee right away, I had AvGeek adrenaline in my blood. Shortly after arriving at the Future of Flight, we were treated with a few Boeing 777 test flights, viewed from the strato deck. Like down south, we had our own AGF13 room with coffee to fuel us through the day. Throughout the day, AvGeeks had the ability to check out the Future of Flight, Historic Flight Foundation and the Flying Heritage Collection free of charge. Although I wasn’t able to do everything, it was fun watching the #AGF13 hashtag on Twitter to see what everyone else was up to. I was hoping to get over to also see the Flying Heritage Collection and the Museum of Flight Restoration Center, but I just ran out of time — next year I promise. Our Boeing Factory floor tour was set at 3pm. Before hand, at 10am, 11:30am and finally at 1pm, there were separate tours to the Dreamliner Gallery. My tour wasn’t until 1pm, but I was once again enjoying talking with the other AvGeeks who were hanging out at the Future of Flight. At about noon a group of us saw via social media that the DC-3 at Historic Flight Foundation was open and very quickly, we were all piled into a car and headed over. I don’t think I have seen a group of AvGeeks move so fast. I have seen the outside of the plane before, but never the inside — she is a beauty. Historic Flight is hoping to offer rides to paying passengers later in the year (hopefully more on that in a future story). After grabbing a quick lunch, we hurried back to the Future of Flight to catch our bus to the Dreamliner Gallery. The gallery is the place where airlines go to design the interiors of their 787′s. This is the first facility like this in the world that allows customers to figure out so many options at one place, greatly reducing the time and money spent to prepare a new aircraft to join their fleet. Like the 737 factory, the Dreamliner Gallery is not normally open to the public. We went room-to-room looking at seats, lighting, galley options, lavatories and even crew rest areas. None of us wanted to leave, but we were excited to take our Boeing Factory floor tour. We boarded our bus again and headed back to the Future of Flight for a short video before getting on another set of buses to be taken to the factory. It is a nice tradition that aircraft get a water canon salute — our buses were no different — at least most of our buses. We were split up into four different buses and just so happens that two of the buses (one which I was on) missed the water canon salute. The other two received a nice wash down from the Snohomish County Airport Fire Department. Kindly, one of the fire fighters took photos and shared them with us. Our four AvGeek groups toured around the factory floor, including the new 787 surge line. I have toured the factory a number of times now, but each time is a bit different and it never gets old walking among the brand new airliners. Being on the floor is very different than the public tour that takes place up on the walking platforms. I much more enjoy looking up at a 777, 787 or 747-8 than looking down. After our tour, it was back on the buses and to the Future of Flight for an AvGeek social with pizza and beer. Part of the social was giving out a number of prizes, including two free tickets on Southwest Airlines. By the time I was heading home, I was exhausted — but in a good way. There was quite a bit of walking, talking and learning and I was so thankful everything went so smoothly. Will there be an Aviation Geek Fest 2014? Heck yes there will! Start preparing now. We are going to set the date to be President’s Day Weekend for next year, which is February 15th and 16th, 2014. The event will likely be similar with new and exciting things. Be sure to add your email to the AGF e-mail list (if you already signed up for AGF13, you do NOT need to sign up again). No details yet, but we are planning for it to be epic. A huge thanks to…. the Future of Flight, Boeing, Museum of Flight, Historic Flight Foundation, the Flying Heritage Collection, Southwest Airlines and everyone else who helped to make this an amazing event. I cannot wait until next year! More AGF13 Goodies: - Airline Reporter correspondent Mal Muir shares his experience and #AGF13 photos - AGF13 experience on Bill Next Best Blog - Additional Boeing Factory Floor Photos (not from AGF13) \|This story written by…David Parker Brown, Editor & Founder. David started AirlineReporter.com in the summer of 2008, but has had a passion for aviation since he was a kid. Born and raised in the Seattle area (where he is currently based) has surely had an influence and he couldn’t imagine living anywhere else in the world.@AirlineReporter \| Flickr \| YouTube\|
Ah, landing at Kai Tak Airport in Hong Kong used to be the life. From 1925 to 1998 it was the only airport with access to Hong Kong. Landing on Runway 13 always provided entertainment for the pilot and folks on the ground, but probably a lot of fear for those sitting in the back of the aircraft. Today I am sharing four videos high lighting how exciting landing with large aircraft at Kai Tak Airport used to be. However, in 1998 a new airport was opened, Hong Kong International Airport and Kai Tak was closed. VIDEO1: Shown above, shows a Japan Air Lines Boeing 747 Freighter from the ground landing at Kai Tak Airport VIDEO2: Shows from the city how the large aircraft looked flying over. VIDEO3: Takes a look at the approach from the cockpit I never had the opportunity to land at Kai Tak, anyone else care to share their stories in the comments?Found at tnooz via Shashank @ Simpliflying
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Comments are submitted by their authors and do not reflect the opinion of AirNav, LLC. All comments must adhere to AirNav's Policy on Comments. From Mark Brown Looking for cheap gas in DFW area? This is the place to go. Easy to taxi up for fuel, great burger joint right on the airport. CHEAP gas and the guys at the FBO know how to treat GA pilots. Will fly hear over Arlington ANY day of the weak. (Be warned though, high minimums if IFR conditions are present). From Patrick Townsend It's been a long time coming but well worth the wait. The City of GP always has the lowest price fuel in the area and now with the fabulous new terminal building complete with a fantastic restaurant located within, you can't go wrong with the advantages of stopping by. Super helpful staff and great folks to deal with. Highly recommended!! Thanks for keeping the fuel prices reasonable Mike and keeping up such a wonderful place! From Jason Andrews Bright Shiny and New! The new terminal is a beautiful modern example all cities should follow. Stopped for the day, the staff is very friendly and proud of what they have built. The restaurant is not open yet as of 5/10/12 but it should be very soon. Hope the burgers will be good, because I'm coming back here for sure! Response from Mike Day, Airport Operations Officer, City of Grand Prairie The restaurant name has changed to Mixed Up Burgers due to a name conflict with another entity. Same great food, just a new name. The operating hours in the terminal are 7am - 9pm Monday - Saturday; 7am-6pm on Sunday. From Jack Johnson Nice Airport...But I think it is strange that their "New" terminal building is locked. This was especially bad, because I had passenger that needed to use the restroom. (Air sick) Most of the airports are open or have a code to enter to get in. From Mike Day The Grand Prairie Airport's new Terminal is now open for business.
Saturday, 18 May, 2013 Synthesizer music - Progressive compositions and arrangements of beautiful classical ... Violinist, composer and songwriter and winner of the German Folk ... Experience and leadership combined with a young and enthusiastic team ... Category: Music\Sound Files © 1996-2010 Airnyc.Org Art Directory \| All Rights Reserved
Welcome to Airpark Dodge Chrysler Jeep in Scottsdale, Arizona. Airpark Dodge Chrysler Jeep is Arizona's Foremost Dealer for Jeep, Chrysler and Dodge New Cars and Quality Used Cars. The Airpark Dodge Chrysler Jeep Dealership is located in the North Scottsdale Auto Mall on Frank Lloyd Blvd and North 78th Street. Airpark Dodge Chrysler Jeep is proud to serve our neighbors around the entire Phoenix area including Glendale, Cave Creek, Carefree, Mesa, Scottsdale. Apache Junction, Tempe and Chandler. We have an excellent selection of New Jeep Cars, New Chrysler Cars, and New Dodge Cars and Trucks. Our New Dodge inventory includes: the 2013 Dodge Ram Laramie, Calibers, Challengers, 2013 Chargers, Dakotas and more. Our Chrysler inventory includes: 300 Tourings, 300 Hemis , PT Cruisers, Sebrings, and Town & Countrys. Our New Jeep inventory includes: The 2013 Jeep Commander, Compass, Grand Cherokee, Liberty, Patriot, Wrangler and much much more. Airpark Dodge Chrysler Jeep in Scottsdale is an Arizona Dealership that is proud to be the premier Chrysler, Jeep and Doge Dealership in the North Scottsdale Auto Mall. Airpark Dodge Chrysler Jeep excels in outstanding customer service, and we honor Dealership Staff Employees who excel in Jeep, Chrysler and Dodge Sales customer satisfaction. Airpark Dodge Chrysler Jeep continues to work daily on providing every customer with the finest customer service experience attainable. See all the details of the New 2013 Jeep Wranglers. We have an impressive selection of Jeep Wrangler Rubicons, Saharas, and Sports. Our Award Winning Jeeps have excellent off road capability. Airpark Dodge Chrysler Jeep has many other 2013 Jeep Models to select from as well. The new 2013 Jeep Commander is available with Customer Cash and 0.0% APR for 60 months. Airpark Dodge Chrysler Jeep in Phoenix also has a large selection of New Chrysler Models and New Dodge Cars as well as Quality Pre-owned Cars and Trucks. Airpark Dodge Chrysler Jeep has the full line of Brand New 2013 Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge Models and as new 2013 Chrysler, Jeep, and Dodge models arrive, we will have them immediately available to you. Airpark Dodge Chrysler Jeep also has an excellent selection of the newly designed Dodge Avengers . Airpark Dodge Chrysler Jeep will also have the new 2013 Jeep Cherokee in stock soon. New Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep vehicles are arriving daily. We have the full line of 2013 Dodge vehicles, including the All-new RamDakota. Our flagship Ram model remains the ever popular 2013 Ram Models. The 2013 Ram 1500 is the most award winning Ram truck and stands alone with unmatched combination of fun and freedom. You can research the all new Dodge, Jeep and Chryslers and other models right here in our virtual Car Showroom. Check out the 2013 Dodge Ram Heavy Duty 2500 and 3500 . Used Chrysler, Dodge, and Jeep Vehicles and Pre-owned Cars of other Makes are among the most reliable and sought after vehicles in the Arizona market. Airpark Dodge Chrysler Jeep is proud to offer our customer a large selection of Certified Pre-owned Cars, as well as a large selection of other quality Inspected Used Cars. Airpark Dodge Chrysler Jeep grows stronger every day with new customers. We are always striving to excel in Jeep, Chrysler, Dodge and Ram Sales and Jeep, Chrysler and Dodge and Jeep Service, and Jeep Chrysler and Dodge Parts. We always have great money-saving Service Specials for you to use. We look forward to providing each customer with a unique & personalized touch that puts us among the top Jeep, Chrysler and Dodge Dealers in the Phoenix area, including Scottsdale, Avondale, Glendale, Mesa, Tempe, Carefree, Cave Creek, Apache Junction and all of Maricopa county.
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Lufthansa Airbus A340-300 - Image ID: 30901 Operator: Lufthansa - - Aircraft: Airbus - A340-300 Airport: Spain - In Flight Photo taken on 2007-10-16 by JPC van Heijst [Contact] EXIF information is not available. Is the data incorrect? Let us know! (10.12.2008, 20:32 CET) Passing directly underneath us. 1 Tony Scruton (10 December 2008 - 20:52 CET) 2 Stuart Lawson (16 December 2008 - 20:50 CET) Certainly easyier for you up front to catch them .... I tryed on Sunday on my flight back to BHX from DXB and seen a couple ... but hard to catch from the side windows as you dont see them coming and you got to be quick and hope for the best .... 3 JPC van Heijst (17 December 2008 - 00:38 CET) Yes indeed from the cabin you have to be very lucky to see and then photograph one, but I must say that from the 737 cockpit this is one of the very few I took last two years that is sharp. Problem is that all the cockpitwindows are laminated and the many different layers make it extremely difficult to zoom and get a sharp image.... but once every few months there is a shot that is sharp fortunally :) (17 December 2008 - 19:29 CET) I've never seen a "in flight" photo like this!!! 5 van P....e (27 December 2008 - 18:32 CET) Monsieur van Heijst...You are Ze best ;) (17 January 2009 - 02:27 CET) Brilliant! I love this Picture 5 STARS (15 September 2009 - 18:52 CET) absolutely stunning in flight pic.;.no words to describe.exceptional (5 December 2009 - 17:12 CET) Super, thanx for posting !!! i totally loved it :)
AE Max Guns Airsoft Extreme offers custom AEG's! We call them AE Max guns. These are all fine crafted by our gunsmith with the finest upgrade parts and tested to make sure they are in top working order. If you do not see a custom gun that you would like to, please email us. Copyright © 2013 ::: Airsoft Extreme :::.
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Verne Jobst To Keynote Annual EAA Wright Dinner November 22, 2006 - Longtime EAA member, supporter, and 40,000-hour pilot Verne Jobst will be the featured guest speaker at the 4th annual Wright Brothers Memorial Banquet on Friday, December 15, at the EAA AirVenture Museum’s Eagle Hangar. The gala event will commemorate the 103rd anniversary of Orville and Wilbur Wright’s first successful powered flights at Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina, December 17, 1903. Renowned as an entertaining after-dinner speaker, Jobst will share his memories from a 50-plus year flying career, focusing in particular on his role as chief pilot for the EAA’s 1977 Lindbergh Commemorative Tour. He logged more hours behind the controls of EAA’s Spirit of St. Louis replica than Charles Lindbergh actually flew in the original aircraft! Jobst, who soloed at age 16 in an Aeronca Chief, got his first airline job in 1951 flying DC-3s with Capital Airlines. He went on to amass over 40,000 flight hours during his long and varied career, which also included flying for United Airlines, U.S. Steel, and the C&O Railroad. Jobst is very active in the sport aviation world, having served as president of the International Aerobatic Club; air show director at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh; and pilot for a wide variety of historic aircraft including EAA's B-17 Aluminum Overcast. Reservations for this special evening event are just $25 for EAA members and $30 for nonmembers. Make your reservation online call 920-426-6880. Social hour begins at 6:30 p.m. with dinner at 7 p.m. followed by the keynote address.
During a recent visit to Jerusalem, I found this fax from my Addis Ababa office waiting on my desk one morning: Dear Dr. Rick, I would like to inform you concerning Solomon Shume, the registrar in our clinic. He developed some skin lesions around the neck and face. We performed a biopsy which revealed pathology compatible with Kaposi's sarcoma. I am writing to let you know about the problem, and to ask if there is any recommendation on your side. This was enough. Kaposi's in a young Ethiopian, especially one whom I know had herpes zoster in the past, has to be HIV. I spoke with some experts in Israel and learned of the debate about whether Kaposi's should be treated or not. I phoned my office in Addis Ababa, who informed me that Solomon's head was swollen to twice its normal size. We imported chemotherapy for him. In a period of a few weeks I was inundated by AIDS cases. First there was the teacher, the brother of my long-time patient Paulos. Then Musah, my friend Mohammed's brother. Then the woman in the bar. And now Solomon. What a tragedy. Who is next? ONE DOCTOR FOR 40,000 PEOPLE I thought back to my introduction to Paulos' brother, the teacher. He was thin, but was comfortable and did not look ill. He complained of headaches and described his left side as getting progressively weaker. Upon examination I detected his reflexes were increased; when I jerked the ball of the foot upward, it set off a series of reverberatory movements that lasted 30 seconds. "Sustained clonus," I jotted down. His left big toe went up when I stroked the bottom of the foot with a key -- a sign of an "upper motor neuron" lesion, most likely a brain tumor. Brain tumors are not easy to treat in America, but here in one of the poorest countries in the world, dealing with a brain tumor is almost an impossibility. I thought back to my training in Baltimore: I would order an MRI, have a senior neurologist confirm the diagnosis, get a neurosurgeon to consult and plan a biopsy. All within a day or so. We would consider surgery, radiation therapy, and perhaps chemotherapy as well. In one of the poorest countries in the world, dealing with a brain tumor is almost impossible. Back to reality. Here in Addis Ababa when I saw him there was no CAT scan and no neurosurgeon. Getting a chest x-ray is a task, and the 550-bed university hospital has chronic supply problems. Dedicated Ethiopian doctors spend hours on call working in suboptimum conditions, striving to help their people. There was no chance of getting further tests done here, and no money to send him abroad for more precise evaluation. As a general internist in America, I was one of many, and it was easy to feel powerless and frustrated. In my one year in practice in an upper-middle class community, I sometimes got the feeling that I was passing time as a gatekeeper or doorman, sending patients here and there for opinions from consultants in the medical hierarchy. I used to ask myself: "Is it really necessary to send this patient to a lung specialist? I mean, will he really treat asthma differently from the way I do?" Here in Ethiopia, with one doctor for about 40,000 people, I have few colleagues to rely on or consult, and have gotten used to working under limited circumstances. I refer to texts, look up Medline articles on therapies I am unfamiliar with, and occasionally call friends in the States with a question. I treated the teacher for tuberculosis, which can also cause brain tumors. He did well for about a year. Later, I got a call from Paulos that his brother was not well. "What now?" I asked. "He is coughing and has chest pain. I think it is birrd, cold," he said. Usually these things turn out to be insignificant; Ethiopians take to bed for a week or two for minor ailments, but one can never be sure. Ethiopians often attribute their various aches and pains to blowing winds or to cold. When riding in a taxi or bus, windows are always completely closed, and Westerners feel as if they're suffocating. But Ethiopians are untroubled, content in knowing that dangerous winds will not touch them, at least for the duration of the trip. When a popular Ethiopian died sometime back, a doctor friend told me it was due to AIDS. In the media, it was reported that he died of birrd, cold. DO I TELL THEM? Paulos' brother was too sick to come to me, so I got in my car with Paulos and went to examine him. We drove a few miles down paved roads and turned off to a dirt road in a poor section of the city. After a few hundred meters and a couple of turns, the road became virtually impassable. "Okay, stop," Paulos said. "Paulos, this is Addis Ababa," I said. "I need someone to watch the car." "No problem," he said, and after 30 seconds one of his brothers showed up. "Samson," he said, "watch the car." We headed down the road to his house, a small structure made of wood in a crowded area. There was a decaying fence around it, with a few sheep in the yard. As we entered the dented tin gate, I saw that the hut was poorly lit, poorly painted, with a wood floor, a kitchen table, photos of deceased relatives on the walls, and a huge football trophy on the table (a sign of Paulos' successful coaching). The patient was on the sofa in a darkened corner. I leaned over and opened the shutter to add some light, revealing multiple, scattered, dark lesions. I watched silently as he slowly took off his shirt to identify the site of his chest pain, revealing similar lesions scattered over his trunk. Clearly he had Kaposi's sarcoma. The diagnosis now became clear: tuberculosis of the brain along with Kaposi's sarcoma. It could only be AIDS. We paused for tea and discussed African football. "What do we do now?" I thought to myself. "Do I tell them anything? Do we sit down and speak with him privately, or hold a family conference?" I know the culture well; you do not openly give grave news. I got up to leave. But what about the diagnosis? The teacher did not ask, and I did not tell. Paulos walked me back to my car. "What do you think?" he asked. There was no use in warning him about anything else. I never mentioned the word AIDS. "He is ill, very ill," I said. I wanted to let them know that he would not do well, but I was careful not to take away hope. "I will try treatment, but be aware that it may not work. And be a bit careful in touching him," I said. "Watch out for contact with his blood or stool or any other body fluids." There was no way that this fellow would be having intimate relations or be much of a danger to his community. There was no use in warning him about anything else. I never mentioned the word AIDS. I felt that they all knew about the possibility, but it was an unspoken assumption. I left the country for a few months. When I returned, one of the first questions I asked my gardener, Belay, was: "How is Paulos' brother?" "He's okay," he replied. I was surprised. I would have expected a significant deterioration in two months. "Lucky guy," I thought to myself. That night as I was speaking with Endaleh, a handicapped boy who lives with me, he asked: "Did you know that Paulos' brother died?" "What?" I said with astonishment. "Belay told me that he's okay!" The following morning, Belay came up to me. "I need to tell you something," he said quietly, "Paulos' brother died. Since you had just arrived, I did not want to give you bad news." Paulos and a younger brother came to see me recently. Over tea in my living room, I expressed my sorrow at the death of his brother. "Paulos, what do you think was the cause of your brother's death?" I asked. "Bronchitis," he replied, "or maybe birrd." Solomon is a 27-year-old who worked for five years as the registrar in our clinic. Back in 1990 when we had 25,000 displaced people and were setting up medical files on all of them, he was enormously helpful in organizing this project, arranging the files, and managing to locate lost charts when others could not. He was a handsome and reserved Amhara, quiet and hard working. In the evenings he took classes at local colleges; he received a 2-year diploma from the Commercial School, and had begun taking business classes at the university. When the fax from Ethiopia arrived in Israel saying that he had Kaposi's sarcoma, I was shocked and saddened. Our office staff, to their credit, visit him at home every day. They cook him gunfo and atmeet, the Ethiopian equivalent of chicken soup and a Vitamin B-12 shot, and Solomon did well for a couple of weeks. He then developed a high fever and people feared he was dying. Our Ethiopian doctor went to see him and started him on ampicillin and gentamycin. Strong drugs, seven injections daily. I returned to Ethiopia in the middle of this, and wanted to see him. In the Talmud it is written: "It is the duty of every person to visit someone who has fallen sick." In Jewish tradition, each visitor is said to take one-sixtieth of the illness away from the ailing person. I had no idea where he lived, and with whom. My nurse told me he was renting "a very nice room with a wooden floor and electricity and a solid roof." His mother came from Nazareth, a couple of hours away, to help him. His brother, who had been a refugee in Yemen returned as well. My nurse and I drove off to see him. A beggar with leprosy, who had lost most of his fingers and toes, shoved his palm into my car, asking for money. We drove west from my clinic for a few miles into the center of town along potholed roads, dodging donkeys carrying loads of firewood and herds of goats marked with a dot of red dye on their backs being taken to the slaughterhouse. We drove past Black Lion Hospital, the decaying university hospital, and drove up the hill toward the merkato, the sprawling marketplace of the city. At a stoplight, a middle-aged beggar with leprosy who had lost most of his fingers and toes, shoved his palm into the window of my car, asking for money. Next to him stood a mother wearing a ragged white dress with a naked baby. I reached into my pocket and gave them each 10 cents, half the price of a roll of bread. We parked and 30 or 40 local kids surrounded us, looking at the rare spectacle of a farenge (foreigner) coming into their village. As we got out of the car, they started the familiar chant I hear daily throughout the city: "Farenge, give money, Farenge, give money." INVOKE THE MAGIC We entered the house, and Solomon's brother introduced himself. He was in his early 30s, tall and thin, with a full head of short black hair. He graciously bowed slightly as he shook our hands and smiled, revealing two gold teeth. He pointed to the bed, where I saw a tuft of black hair protruding from under the white blankets. It took several minutes for Solomon to turn from his stomach to his back and uncover himself a bit so I could see him. When he did, I was shocked by the difference two months made in his appearance. He had lost weight, his eyes were sunken back, and his Kaposi's spots were clearly visible. We chatted about my trip to Israel and the weather in Ethiopia, about how the clinic was not doing well without him, and about local politics. After 10 minutes, we saw a visible change in his mood. He became more animated and smiled a bit, his energy level picked up, and his eyes looked less glazed. The Talmud states: "The essential duty of visiting the sick is to pay attention to the needs of the invalid, to see what is necessary to be done for his benefit, and to give him the pleasure of one's company." I asked Solomon about his symptoms. He complained of lack of appetite, about pain in his mouth, and especially in his ears when he swallowed. He showed me his eardrops and vials of antibiotics. I did not think there was much I could do medically for Solomon, but I thought I should examine him, if only to invoke the magic of "laying on of hands." I looked inside his mouth. It was filled with candida yeast. My nurse told us she was painting his mouth with gentian violet daily to keep down the candida growth. After 40 minutes, I got up to leave. I shook hands with his brother, and then sat down on Solomon's bed for a moment and placed my hand on his chest. I recalled the statement of our sages: "If one visits the sick, but fails to pray for mercy, he does not fulfill his religious duty." "Solomon," I said, looking into his eyes, "may God bless you and heal you." "Thank you, Dr. Rick," he replied. NOTHING MORE TO DO I always feel impotent in such situations. I would have liked to have done something grand and save his life, or extend it significantly. Or should I have discussed deeper and more delicate topics with Solomon, perhaps told him he is gravely ill with AIDS. The Talmud says: "One who visits the sick should speak with judgment and tact. Speak in such a manner so as neither to encourage him with false hopes, nor to depress him with words of despair." I felt we should be talking about what it means to have AIDS, about families and love, about ultimate issues. I felt we should be talking about what it means to have AIDS, about what is important in this world, about families and love and kindness, about missed opportunities and ultimate issues. But here in Ethiopia many things are left unsaid. Neither Solomon nor the teacher ever asked their diagnosis. In America, AIDS treatment involves technical issues such as AZT doses, schedules of aerosolized pentamidine, T-cell counts and viral loads take on great importance. There are discussions of whether to put a dying patient on a ventilator, or run a "code" on him if he arrests in hospital. The patient, the human being with a heart and soul, may be easily swept aside by issues of technology. In Ethiopia, such issues are simply not pertinent. Instead people stay together, visiting, supporting, and awaiting the inevitable end. Quietly. I was happy that I came to Solomon's home. It had clearly boosted his spirits, and that is perhaps the most important thing I could have done. As a doctor who feels much more comfortable defeating death (yes, sometimes we are successful) than making life's demise more calm and pleasant, I welcome situations like this with a bit of trepidation as a way of opening myself up to life's uncertainties, to develop an attitude of kindness and compassion. In the end, I always feel like I should do more, even though I realize that there is nothing more to do. When death comes, I feel aching and hollow. And a bit more appreciative of life. At least for a moment. Contributions can be sent directly to Dr. Hodes at: Dr. Rick Hodes PO Box 7600, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Contributions can also be sent to: 711 3rd Ave, 10th floor, New York, NY 10017
Dear Rosie & Sherry, I’m a single Jewish male, age 27, who makes a decent living doing work that I enjoy. After dating a number of women, I get the feeling that’s “not enough.” Many of the women seem to expect to maintain the standard of living they grew up with after they get married. I have also seen this indicated from some of your letters. Whatever happened to the days of starting out a marriage in a one-bedroom apartment and working your way up? I'm not saying all women are materialistic, yet why do so many of them look at how much a guy earns? Especially in today’s difficult economy, many people, including myself, have gone through additional career training after college in order to get a good job. I am grounded enough to realize that a husband must support his family, but am I doomed to be single until I become mega-successful in my career? You make a very good point that seems, to us, to reflect a problematic issue in contemporary culture – the expectation of "instant gratification" and the resistance to the idea of waiting to achieve a goal. You're right that many young adults – and we believe this to be true as much for men as for women – expect that once they finish school and embark on a career, they'll be able to live the same lifestyle they had when they were growing up. Some of them are shocked to realize that they cannot support this lifestyle on an entry-level salary, even when they've prepared for their career with higher education and internships. They may turn to their parents for supplemental income so they can have the better apartment, clothes, vacations and car they were accustomed to having. And they expect that, if they get married at this point in their lives, they'll start out with pretty much what they're used to. A generation ago, when we were getting married, most newlyweds expected to live modestly at first and, as they worked their way up the ladder, gradually acquire a more comfortable lifestyle, buy a home, drive a nicer car, and put some money in the bank. Today, it seems that the percentage of people who don't want to wait has grown. Many young people plan to work hard and gradually become more comfortable. On the other hand, we still know of many men and women in their 20s who expect to do what their parents and grandparents did – start off more simply, work hard, and gradually become more comfortable. They don't believe they'll be deprived of enjoyment by this choice, and they're right. In addition, they'll probably derive a lot of satisfaction from making their own way in the world and working together as a couple to build better financial security and more material comfort. This is not to denounce parents who worked hard to make a better life and don't want their adult children to have to struggle they way they did. And we know that, given the abysmal level of some starting salaries, sometimes parents feel they have to help their young adult children meet basic expenses for a modest lifestyle. What concerns us, however, is the sense of entitlement that some young adults have. When a young person expects to have what they always have and isn't willing to consider a situation in which they'll have to work themselves up to that, we think that they are losing more than they're gaining. Because in truth, accepting the idea of delayed gratification can help them deal with adversity. And that should not be regarded as a “hardship” for a marriage; it provides a good mutual experience in working through challenges. For after all, every married life will necessarily come with its challenges. One word of caution, however: Men and women often have different definitions of what it means to “live frugally.” A guy can have one pair of shoes and old bed linens and not feel that anything is amiss. A woman, however, often (though not always) has a better appreciation of the niceties of clothes and home furnishings. So beware that even if you find a woman who is willing to rough it for a while, you will need to be sensitive to her level of expectation, which may differ from your own. We also believe that in one respect this issue is having an adverse effect on the Jewish community. Many men and women are absorbing a message, prevalent in Western culture, that they must build up their careers, financial situations, and lifestyles before they get married. This makes logical sense on one level, but it means that many Jews are only beginning to think about marriage when they are in their 30s and 40s. By then, there may be less of a pool of suitable people who have the qualities they are looking for in a mate. In addition, many of them have become so entrenched in their independent lives that it can be hard to make some of the adjustments that will facilitate a healthy marriage. There's also a spiritual issue. Since many aspects of everyday Jewish life are centered around family relationships, a lot of unmarried men and women feel left out of the community. Some even lessen their commitment to Jewish observance because of this disconnection. Those who marry later usually have fewer children. And finally, men and women who are fortunate to find the right person to marry when they are in their 30s and 40s usually have fewer children than couples who married at an earlier age, which has an adverse effect on Jewish demographics. We like the idea of men and women marrying the right person in young adulthood and growing together, and we believe more people should be encouraged to start dating for marriage when they are in their 20s. This seems to be what you are doing, but it seems that you've been dating women who have a different perspective. Therefore we'd like to make the following suggestion that can help you find the one who is right for you: Let the people with whom you network know how you are working to achieve your goals and precisely what perspective on life you are looking for in a marriage partner. This may mean that you have a smaller pool of women available, but that's fine. You're looking for the right person to marry, rather than for a large amount of women to choose from. It sounds to us that you're headed in a good direction in life and know the type of young woman who would be a good partner in your journey. We wish you the best of luck in your search. Rosie & Sherry
We are living in remarkable times. The approximately 60-year reprieve from anti-Semitism that the nations of the world have given our people out of pity and sympathy in the aftermath of the Holocaust seems to be coming to an end. Our default status in the world – scapegoat, blame, hatred, anti-Semitism, de-legitimization – is being restored as Israel is no longer the underdog and victim in the world's eyes, but rather somehow we have become the aggressor and the perpetrator. We sing with great enthusiasm, “When the month of Adar begins, we intensify our sense of joy.” But how can one be happy right now when we reflect on the Jewish condition in the world? What does Adar contain that would allow us to overlook and disregard the threats that Israel confronts, the isolation it experiences and the challenges our people face? One year ago, the beautiful Fogel family was brutally murdered. Udi and Rut Fogel, together with their children Yoav, 11, Elad, 4, and 3-month-old Hadas had their throats slit while they slept in their beds. Their three surviving children, Tamar, Roi and 3-year-old Yishai, live today with their grandparents who have at an advanced age heroically taken on the role of parents to these young children. As we mark the first yahrzeit of this atrocity we can't help but ask, where is the simcha [joy] of Adar? How can one feel a sense of joy when incidents like this still happen to our people? Today we are not safe even among the intellectual elite, even at the highest academic institution in America. Harvard's Kennedy School of Government is hosting a conference entitled: "Israel/Palestine and the One-State Solution," and you can be sure, that one state is not Israel. One featured speaker is Ali Abunimah, creator of the website Electronic Intifada, who opposes the existence of a "Jewish State." Also presenting is Harvard's own Stephen M. Walt, co-author of the anti-Israel book, The Israel Lobby. Where is the joy of Adar when an anti-Israel group can freely present hate-rhetoric at Harvard? Yes, some Harvard graduates have written to the university's president to protest their hosting this conference. But perhaps as appalling as the actual conference, is the relative silence of the Jewish community. Where is the outrage? Where are the rallies, letter writing campaigns, protests, sit-ins? Where is the joy of Adar when a virulently anti-Israel group can freely present their hate-filled rhetoric and advance their one-state-free-of-Jews solution, on the most prestigious campus in America? Today, even a candidate for public office is not afraid to reveal his blatant anti-Semitism. Just this past week, Arthur Jones, a republican candidate for Congress in Chicago, said: "As far as I'm concerned, the Holocaust is nothing more than an international extortion racket by the Jews." Jones, who organizes neo-Nazi events in commemoration of Hitler's birthday, continued by calling the Holocaust "the blackest lie in history. Millions of dollars are being made by Jews telling this tale of woe and misfortune in books, movies, plays and TV." Thankfully, Republicans have not put him on the ballot because of his views. But here is the scary thing. He has collected over 1,000 signatures on a petition to allow him to run. That means that there are more than 1,000 other people in Chicago that share his anti-Semitic views. His candidacy comes now, in the month of Adar, supposedly the most joyous of all months. Where is the simcha? A Sleeping Nation When Haman targeted the Jews for annihilation, he said to Achashveirosh, "Let's destroy the Jews." Achashveirosh replied, "Not so fast. I am afraid of their God, lest He do to me what He did to my predecessors." Haman relieved the King of that fear when he said "Yeshno am echad," which translates literally as “there is a certain nation.” The Talmud (Megillah 13b), using a play on words, explains that Haman was telling the King something much more strategic and insightful. Yoshnu am echad - there is a sleeping nation. They have been negligent of mitzvot, they are divided, fighting with one another and divisive. They are asleep as to what is important and what threatens them, Haman pointed out to the King. The Jews were on the brink of extinction, because they were asleep. The Jewish people were vulnerable and on the brink of extinction because they were asleep. Their eyes were closed to what was happening around them. They didn't take the threats seriously. Haman, like so many of our shrewd enemies throughout Jewish history, understood that going about business as usual, living with our eyes closed and sleep walking through life makes us particularly vulnerable and susceptible to attack. Haman recognized that “there is a nation that is sleeping.” All he had to do was continue to lull the Jewish people into a false sense of security, to breed complacency and apathy, and he could accomplish his goal of ridding the world of our people. So what spoiled his plan? The answer is simple: Mordechai and Esther stood up and, like an alarm, rang and rang until they woke up our people from their practically comatose sleep. Mordechai understood that the antidote to “the nation that is sleeping” is as the Book of Esther states, “lech knos kol ha'yehudim - go and gather all the Jews together” and wake them up. He understood that the response to “they are scattered and dispersed” is to bring them together in fasting and praying. That wakeup call saved our people and ignited a response that provided not only the spark that led to military victory but attracted people of Shushan to want to join the Jewish people. Purim Then and Now I look around today and can't help but think our people have been lulled asleep into a false sense of security once again, making ourselves vulnerable. Our enemies are no less evil than Haman, their plans no less nefarious, and their goal no less threatening to our very existence. And yet, for so many, it is business as usual, eyes shut to what is happening and threatening us. Now is the time to wake up, now is the time for to come together in prayer, and in fasting, in letter writing, phone calls, advocacy, lobbying and any way that we can raise our voice on behalf of our people. Do you think Israel is going to attack Iran? Or do you think no attack will take place and Iran will be allowed to go nuclear? Do you realize that either option is an absolute disaster, potentially devastating and earth-shattering? Do you truly understand the scenario and the casualties if Israel attacks Iran? Can you even imagine the rockets raining down throughout the country, terrorist attacks, condemnations from around the world seeking to isolate Israel, a possible embargo? And if no attack happens, do you understand the threat and reality of a nuclear weapon held at Israel's head? And if we do understand, how can we possibly remain asleep and go about business as usual? Purim is unfolding again right before our very eyes. Iran is modern-day Persia and Ahmadinejad is modern-day Haman sharing the same, explicit goal – to wipe out, in minutes, 6 million Jews. We must not allow that to happen. We have an obligation to remember Amalek and what they sought to do to us. The Torah says it is not enough to “not forget.” You can be asleep and yet not forget somewhere buried in your memory that these were once enemies. No, we must also “remember” – zachor. We must remember at all times what our enemies are capable of and never feel a false sense of security. Real joy is being alive, responsive and alert, ready to face whatever challenges may come. The time has come to wake up, to remember the Fogel family, and to hold accountable people who celebrate such a murder. The time has come to wake up and to raise our voices in protest of anti-Israel conferences at Harvard and at other universities in this country. The time has come to wake up and to vocally reject the candidacy of a man who can deny the Holocaust. And the time has come to wake up and do everything that we can to make sure Iran does not go nuclear. Perhaps the joy of Adar is the happiness of waking up, of rising from our sleep of recognizing what we confront and stepping up to make a difference. Real joy is being alive, responsive and alert, ready to face whatever challenges may come and to be confident that we will be triumphant, as we ultimately have been throughout our illustrious history. When Adar begins, we remember enemies past like Amalek and Haman and we focus acutely on our present enemies and stopping them. When we wake up and confront them, that in itself is a source of joy.
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Miller Energy Resources Reports First Quarter Results Revenues Increase 102% to a Record $8.9 Million HUNTSVILLE, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Miller Energy Resources (“Miller”) (NYSE: MILL) today reported its results for the first quarter ended July 31, 2011. The Company reported revenues grew 102% to a record $8.9 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2012 compared with $4.4 million in the first quarter of the prior fiscal year. Net loss for the first quarter of fiscal 2012 was $182,680, or $0.00 per diluted share, and improved from a loss of $1.1 million, or $0.04 per diluted share, in the first quarter of fiscal 2011. “We expect our oil revenues to grow in the second half of this fiscal year as our new oil drilling rig becomes operational.” “Our first quarter revenues more than doubled since last year due to new oil wells that we reworked in Alaska,” stated Scott Boruff, CEO of Miller Energy Resources. “We expect to accelerate our redevelopment efforts on the Osprey platform in the Cook Inlet of Alaska during the second half of fiscal 2012 as our new drilling rig comes online. We anticipate the new drilling rig to be delivered later this month and our crews are preparing to deploy it as soon as possible. “We have reworked three wells on the Osprey platform over the past six months and their production is exceeding our expectations. We expect the installation of the new drilling rig will improve our ability to rework wells more efficiently. In addition, we will continue to develop the extensive acreage we acquired in Alaska during fiscal 2010 and 2011,” continued Mr. Boruff. First Quarter Highlights - Revenue more than doubled to $8.9 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2012 from $4.4 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2011. - Oil sales revenue rose 114% to $8.2 million for the three months ended July 31, 2010, compared with $3.8 million for the three months ended July 31, 2011. - Increased EBITDA to $3.7 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2012 compared with an EBITDA of $1.3 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2011. (See discussion of non-GAAP financial data and reconciliation of EBITDA to GAAP.) - Invested $19.8 million in new equipment during the first quarter of fiscal 2012 to accelerate oil development opportunities in Alaska. - Increased oil sold in Alaska by 39.6% to 97,473 barrels in the first quarter of fiscal 2012 compared with 69,800 barrels in the first quarter of 2011. - Successfully redeveloped RU-1 well on the Osprey platform. The well began flowing at approximately 350 barrels of oil per day (BOD), above expected production rates. - Signed contract for the custom construction and purchase of a $17.9 million drilling rig for the Osprey platform. - Secured $100 million credit facility to fund development of equipment and properties. - Completed the rework of RU-7 oil well in the Company’s offshore Redoubt Shoals Field. RU-7’s initial production of 250 BOD is about twice the projected flow rate of 120 BOD. First Quarter Results First quarter 2012 revenue rose 102% to $8.9 million compared with $4.4 million in the first quarter of the prior year. The primary factor in revenue growth was due to the increased oil revenues arising from higher production from our Alaskan operations and higher oil prices. “Our Alaskan operations accounted for the majority of our oil revenue in the first quarter and benefited from the three new wells that we reworked since the first quarter of last year,” continued Mr. Boruff. “We expect our oil revenues to grow in the second half of this fiscal year as our new oil drilling rig becomes operational.” Costs and direct expenses rose to $12.8 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2012 from $8.9 million in the first quarter of the prior year, reflecting Miller Energy’s increased pace of activity in Alaska. General and administrative expenses were $5.8 million compared with $3.3 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2011. Depletion, depreciation and amortization expense rose to $3.8 million compared with $3.0 million in the first quarter of 2011. The increase in depletion, depreciation and amortization was due primarily to the addition of wells and equipment in the Alaskan operations. Other income rose to $3.5 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2012 compared with $2.6 million in the first quarter of 2011. The fiscal 2012 results included a $3.8 million gain on derivatives compared with a similar gain of $2.9 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2011. Operating loss for the first quarter of fiscal 2012 was $3.9 million compared with an operating loss of $4.5 million in the first quarter last year. The reduced operating loss for the first quarter of fiscal 2012 was due to an increase in revenues from the Alaskan operations partially offset by higher costs and expenses to develop the Alaskan properties. For the first quarter, Miller Energy’s net loss was $182,680, or $0.00 per share. In the prior year comparable quarter, Miller Energy reported a net loss of $1.1 million, or $0.04 per diluted share. Miller Energy reported a significant increase in EBITDA to $3.8 million in the first quarter of 2011 compared with $1.3 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2011. (See discussion of non-GAAP financial data and reconciliation of EBITDA to GAAP.) Investor Conference Call Miller Energy will hold a conference call to discuss the financials for the first quarter of fiscal 2012. The conference call will take place at 4:30 p.m. Eastern time, on September 14, 2011. Participants can access the call by dialing 800-765-0709, Confirmation code: 8220944. In addition, the call will be webcast on the Investor section of the company's website at www.millerenergyresources.com where it will also be archived for 30 days. A telephone replay will be available through September 22, 2011. To access the replay, please dial 888-203-1112. At the system prompt, please enter code 8220944 followed by the # sign. Playback will automatically begin. Regulation G Disclosure - Discussion of Non-GAAP Financial Data and Reconciliation to GAAP This press release contains non-GAAP financial measures within the meaning of Regulation G promulgated by the SEC. The Company believes these non-GAAP financial measures provide information that is useful to the users of its financial information regarding the Company’s financial condition and results of operations. Additionally, the Company uses these non-GAAP measures to evaluate its past performance and prospects for future performance. The Company believes this non-GAAP financial information is helpful in understanding the results of operations separate and apart from items that may, or could, have a disproportional positive or negative impact in any particular period. While the Company believes these non-GAAP financial measures are useful in evaluating Company performance, this information should be considered as supplemental in nature and not as a substitute for or superior to the related financial information prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP. Further, these non-GAAP financial measures may differ from similar measures presented by other companies. The Company uses EBITDA, or Earnings Before Income Taxes, Depreciation and Amortization, as a measure to evaluate earnings by excluding certain non-cash expenses. The Company believes that excluding these non-cash charges provides investors and other interested parties with an additional meaningful measure to evaluate the Company’s results of operations. The following table reconciles the non-GAAP financial measure “EBITDA” with “Net income (loss)” calculated and presented in accordance with GAAP. Reconciliation of EBITDA to GAAP (First Quarter Ended) For the Three Months Ended July 31, 2011 2010 (as restated) Net loss $ (182,680) $ (1,148,856) Add (deduct): Interest expense 308,106 214,785 Income tax benefit (247,155) (765,820) Depreciation, depletion and amortization 3,830,263 2,978,356 EBITDA $ 3,708,534 $ 1,278,465 About Miller Energy Resources Miller Energy Resources is a high growth oil and natural gas exploration, production and drilling company operating in multiple exploration and production basis in North America. Miller Energy’s focus is in Cook Inlet, Alaska and in the heart of Tennessee’s prolific and hydrocarbon-rich Appalachian Basin including the Chattanooga Shale. Miller Energy is headquartered in Huntsville, Tennessee with offices in Anchorage, Alaska and Knoxville, Tennessee. Statements Regarding Forward-Looking Information Certain statements in this press release and elsewhere by Miller Energy Resources may contain certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities and Exchange Act and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that represent the Corporation’s expectations and beliefs concerning future events. These forward-looking statements involve the implied assessment that the resources described can be profitably produced in the future, based on certain estimates and assumptions. Forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, estimates and projections that involve a number of risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated by Miller Energy Resources and described in the forward-looking statements. These risks, uncertainties and other factors include, but are not limited to, adverse general economic conditions, operating hazards, drilling risks, inherent uncertainties in interpreting engineering and geologic data, competition, reduced availability of drilling and other well services, fluctuations in oil and gas prices and prices for drilling and other well services, fluctuations in the US dollar and other currencies, the availability of sufficient capital to fund its anticipated growth, fluctuations in the prices of oil and gas, the competitive nature of its business environment, its dependence on a limited number of customers, its ability to comply with environmental regulations, changes in government regulations which could adversely impact its businesses well as other risks commonly associated with the exploration and development of oil and gas properties. Additional information on these and other factors, which could affect Miller's operations or financial results, are included in Miller Energy Resources' reports on file with United States Securities and Exchange Commission including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2011. Miller Energy Resources' actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward- looking statements as a result of a variety of factors, including those discussed in its periodic reports that are filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All forward-looking statements attributable to Miller Energy Resources or to persons acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by these factors. Investors should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. Miller Energy assumes no obligation to update forward-looking statements should circumstances or management's estimates or opinions change, unless otherwise required under securities law. MILLER ENERGY RESOURCES, INC. CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS 2011 April 30, 2011 ASSETS Current Assets Cash and cash equivalents $ 4,564,691 $ 1,558,933 Restricted cash 225,968 202,980 Accounts receivable Related parties 83,473 27,822 Customers and other 1,596,578 1,619,720 State production credits receivable 3,620,336 3,620,336 Inventory 969,010 1,043,960 Prepaid expenses 473,941 Current portion of derivative asset 679,207 Total current assets 12,213,204 8,305,475 Oil and Gas Properties Cost 504,057,088 496,308,182 Less accumulated depletion (18,076,715 ) (14,439,233 ) Oil and gas properties, net 485,980,373 481,868,949 Equipment Cost 23,262,003 10,292,514 Less accumulated depreciation and amortization (2,352,988 ) (2,003,053 ) Equipment, net 20,909,015 8,289,461 Other Long-Term Assets Land 526,500 526,500 Restricted cash, non-current 10,055,132 10,026,516 Deferred financing costs, net of accumulated amortization 2,330,155 63,907 Other assets 402,171 — Total other long-term assets 13,313,958 10,616,923 Total Assets $ 532,416,550 $ 509,080,808 LIABILITIES AND EQUITY Current Liabilities Accounts payable $ 9,760,027 $ 7,496,786 Accrued expenses 3,275,793 4,185,087 Current portion of derivative liability — 2,305,118 Current portion of borrowings under credit facility 23,118,691 2,000,000 Total current liabilities 36,154,511 15,986,991 Long-term Liabilities Deferred income taxes 178,078,910 178,326,065 Asset retirement obligation 17,562,400 17,293,718 Non-current portion of derivative liability 2,062,831 2,732,659 Total long-term liabilities 197,704,141 198,352,442 Total Liabilities 233,858,652 214,339,433 Commitments and Contingencies Equity Common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (500,000,000 shares authorized, 40,749,251 and 39,880,251 shares issued as of July 31, 2011 and April 30, 2011, respectively) 4,075 3,988 Additional paid-in capital 53,011,871 49,012,755 Retained earnings 245,541,952 245,724,632 Total Stockholders' Equity 298,557,898 294,741,375 Total Liabilities and Equity $ 532,416,550 $ 509,080,808 MILLER ENERGY RESOURCES, INC. CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS For the Three Months Ended July 31, 2011 July 31, 2010 (as restated) Revenues Oil sales $ 8,191,042 $ 3,819,610 Natural gas sales 128,321 146,823 Other revenue 536,411 409,068 Total revenues 8,855,774 4,375,501 Costs and Expenses Oil and gas operating 3,796,252 1,724,913 Cost of other revenue 226,644 250,195 General and administrative 5,772,190 3,310,437 Exploration expense 31,528 — Depreciation, depletion and amortization 3,830,263 2,978,356 Other operating expense (income), net (892,460) 638,468 Total costs and expenses 12,764,417 8,902,369 Operating Loss (3,908,643 ) (4,526,868 ) Other Income (Expense) Interest expense, net (308,106 ) (214,785 ) Gain on derivatives, net 3,755,656 2,904,857 Other income (expense), net 31,258 (77,880) Total other income 3,478,808 2,612,192 Loss Before Income Taxes (429,835) (1,914,676) Income tax benefit 247,155 765,820 Net Loss $ (182,680 ) $ (1,148,856) Loss per Share Basic $ (0.00 ) $ (0.04) Diluted $ (0.00 ) $ (0.04) Average Number of Common Shares Outstanding Basic 40,339,610 32,835,722 Diluted 40,339,610 32,835,722 MILLER ENERGY RESOURCES, INC. CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS For the Three Months Ended July 31, 2011 2010 (as restated) Cash Flows from Operating Activities Net loss $ (182,680 ) $ (1,148,856 ) Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash provided by operating activities: Depreciation, depletion and amortization 3,830,263 2,978,356 Issuance of equity for compensation 2,497,936 844,534 Issuance of equity for services 218,267 283,303 Deferred income taxes (247,155 ) (765,820 ) Gain on derivative instruments, net (3,755,656 ) (2,904,857 ) Changes in operating assets and liabilities: Receivables (32,509 ) 532,884 Inventory 74,950 (492,068 ) Prepaid expenses (242,217 ) 627,386 Other assets (2,410 ) 159,712 Accounts payable and accrued expenses 644,938 1,266,356 Net cash provided by operating activities 2,803,727 1,380,930 Cash Flows from Investing Activities Purchase of equipment and improvements (12,789,993 ) (171,028 ) Capital expenditures for oil and gas properties (7,004,030 ) (3,869,738 ) Investment in equity method investee (399,934 ) — Net cash used by investing activities (20,193,957 ) (4,040,766 ) Cash Flows from Financing Activities Payments on notes payable (2,000,000 ) — Deferred financing costs (1,954,099 ) — Proceeds from borrowings 23,118,691 — Proceeds from equity issuance — 303,710 Exercise of equity rights 1,283,000 76,749 Restricted cash (51,604 ) 1,079 Net cash provided by financing activities 20,395,988 381,538 Net Increase (Decrease) in Cash and Cash Equivalents 3,005,758 (2,278,298 ) Cash and Cash Equivalents at Beginning of Period 1,558,933 2,994,634 Cash and Cash Equivalents at End of Period $ 4,564,691 $ 716,336 Cash paid for interest $ 142,215 $ 129,411 Miller Energy Resources Robert L. Gaylor, 865-223-6575 SVP Investor Relations Recent Stories from Miller Energy Resources - Miller Energy Resources Reports Fourth Quarter and Year End Results August 30, 2011 HUNTSVILLE, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Miller Energy Resources (“Miller”) (NYSE: MILL) today reported its results for the fourth quarter and year ended April 30, 2011. The company reported fourth quar... more » - Miller Energy Resources’ CEO Issues an Open Letter to Shareholders August 01, 2011 HUNTSVILLE, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Miller Energy Resources, Inc. (“Miller”) (NYSE: MILL) today issued a letter to shareholders from the company’s CEO, Scott M. Boruff to address the recent blog on... more » - Miller Energy Resources Reports Third Quarter Results March 22, 2011 HUNTSVILLE, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Miller Petroleum, Inc. d/b/a/ Miller Energy Resources (“Miller Energy”) (NASDAQ GM: MILL) today reported its results for its fiscal third quarter and nine months... more »
Trey Johnson returns (AuburnSports.com photo) AUBURN, Alabama -- This weekend's recruiting efforts do not have a name, but Auburn is following up last weekend's Junior Day by hosting approximately 30 recruits from Georgia today, says AuburnUndercover.com. Most of the players are from four high schools, including nine from Stephenson in Stone Mountain. One return visitor from Georgia is four-star linebacker Trey Johnson from Lawrenceville, an Auburn commit who was at Junior Day last Saturday, says AuburnSports.com. Inside the Auburn Tigers says Lithonia High defensive end/outside linebacker David Johnson got a jump on the weekend with a visit Friday. "I like how Auburn is focused on education," he told the website. "The educational structure at the college will be the No. 1 thing I use to make my decision." Auburn has five commitments for the 2013 signing class. Those three websites have more names and such... Follow Auburn on Twitter:
Select Preservation Resources - Shocking Statistics: Reasons for Preservation Week: Facts that illustrate the need for national preservation awareness. - PW Fact Sheet: More facts that discusses how items become damaged and simple steps to keep them safe. - Preserving Your Memories: Organized by material type, these web sites, books, and other sources give useful information on caring for any kind of collection. - Disaster Recovery: Information for before and after a disaster has damaged precious collections. - Bibliographies & Indexes: A list of links to resources collected by professional preservation organizations - Videos: Video resources depict ways and reasons to preserve collections - Preservation for Children: Tools to help children understand the importance of preservation. - Comprehensive Resources - Resources in Other Languages: Spanish, French, Chinese, Italian, and Arabic resources for spreading the preservation message. - Books of Fiction about Conservation - Books of Fiction about Books for Book Groups
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Deadly Backcountry Accident Likely Caused By Cornice Failure A few new details have emerged in the backcountry skiing accident that caused the death of one person and injured two others over the weekend near Haines. Alaska State Troopers were in Haines on Monday, interviewing witnesses and investigating the incident that claimed the life of 34-year-old Christian Cabanilla. He was part of a group of five skiers on a commercial heliskiing tour Sunday with Southeast Alaska Backcountry Adventures (SEABA). According to troopers, the group was dropped off on a ridge near Garrison Glacier at nearly 6,000 feet elevation in the mountains near Haines. Troopers said the group was walking on the ridge to their start point when they described hearing a “whomp” sound. That’s when the snow under them collapsed and four of the five skiers fell down the ridge an estimated 600 to 1,000 feet. The guide of the group was not involved in the fall. Troopers said the SEABA-owned helicopter was observing the group and responded to rescue the three injured skiers. Trooper spokesperson Megan Peters said the incident was likely a cornice failure and not an avalanche. Peters said after the fall, the four skiers came to rest on top of the snow and appear to have been injured from the fall, not from being buried in snow. SEABA helicopters flew the skiers to the Haines Airport where ambulances met the patients and transported them to the Haines clinic. Cabanilla was pronounced dead at the clinic. His body was flown to Anchorage for autopsy. The two injured skiers were transported to a Juneau hospital. One of them was later transported to Harborview Medical Center in Juneau. Peters said troopers would not release the type of injuries and are not tracking their condition, but the injuries were initially described as “non-life threatening.” Troopers are not releasing the names of any of the other skiers involved because they are considered witnesses in the death investigation. SEABA company officials have not commented since Monday when they said they were mourning the loss of a friend. Cabanilla was employed as a guide with SEABA, but on Sunday, he was not skiing with the group as the lead guide, according to the company and troopers.
On February 6, 2012, Alaska Rush Soccer Club introduced Yeniel Bermudez as the club’s new Director of Coaching Developmental. Yeniel began his playing career in his native Cuba with FC Cienfuegos in the Campeonato Nacional de Futbol de Cuba before eventually being honored with the captaincy for the Cuban U-23 National Team. He defecting to the United States in 2008 during Olympic qualifying and since then has played in the USL with the Charleston Battery and the Los Angeles Blues and coached the youth academy's for those teams.‘I am very happy to be with Alaska Rush and look forward helping grow the club and develop it’s players,’ said Yeniel. ‘I believe this is a good fit for me as a coach and couldn’t have asked for a better situation here in Alaska.’ This specific role will require Yeniel to oversee the Youth Academy developmental program, SoccerMania summer camp, and SoccerFest. In addition, Yeniel will coach the 03B Nike and 99G Swoosh teams as well as act as Lead Coach for a technical academy Alaska Rush will introduce in March 2012. ‘We are very excited and fortunate to have Yeniel onboard with the club. He’s a great addition to the coaching staff and will contribute greatly to Alaska Rush becoming the best soccer club in the state,’ said Technical Director Jason Leonardis. ‘Yeniel has a wealth of knowledge and experience in the game of football that is very difficult to duplicate, especially here in Alaska. We are honored to have him with the club,’ added Jason.
Submitted by Jenny Levine on January 30, 2006 - 11:46am If you're still fuzzy on the "Library 2.0" concept (a bandwagon on which I am proud to say I am still a passenger), then this is your lucky day. I'm still waiting for the video from this month's OCLC Symposium, "Extreme Makeover: Rebranding an Industry" (notes here), to go online to highlight how libraries can do more in the physical world to implement L2 concepts. But now, thanks to both North Carolina State University and to Casey Bisson, we also have two powerful examples of how libraries need to think differently about their online services through the L2 lens. Karen has already written about the new NCSU catalog, so I want to highlight Casey's latest achievement. Read More » Submitted by Tom Peters on January 26, 2006 - 5:00pm Recently Apple, Inc., announced that it will allow colleges and universities to use a special sector within the overall iTunes service to load and distribute course lectures, other course content, and related digital audio and video files. The Cupertino, California-based company calls its new service " iTunes U." Read More » Submitted by Tom Peters on January 19, 2006 - 7:53am Years ago, the rallying cry, "Think globally, act locally," gained a certain popularity. It encouraged us all to consider the global, long-term consequences of our everyday actions, so we could then concentrate on making personal decisions and actions that were as socially, culturally, and environmentally responsible as possible. The phrase then got boiled down to a single word—"glocal"— which, for some reason, always makes me think of the old phrase "local yokel" meaning a dull and gullible country bumpkin or clodhopper. Read More » Submitted by Michael Stephens on January 17, 2006 - 8:40pm A lot of folks are winding up 2005 with a look back in various articles or blog posts. Some are looking toward 2006. One post that John Blyberg pointed me to is Dion Hinchcliffe's "Where Are We with Web 2.0?" Read More » Submitted by Teresa Koltzenburg on January 17, 2006 - 2:06pm Thanks, TangognaT, for catching this misquote in Michael Stephens's and Michael Casey's latest co-authored post, "Better Library Services for More People" on this blog. - > Hi, - > Thanks for the mention in your ALA TechSource post. I think I was - > misquoted a little bit.... I don't think my original post contains - > the text "It's time for examples." Sorry about that! Midwinter Read More » Submitted by Michael Stephens on January 16, 2006 - 8:10pm - UPDATE TO ORIGINAL POST on January 19, 2006 Please note that content, noted in text, has been amended. “What's going on here? I think Library 2.0 is a library response to the larger social technology changes going on right now. I wouldn't be surprised if there's an Automotive 2.0, a Psychiatrist 2.0, or a Teacher 2.0. Some librarians are noticing the change and are trying to figure out how libraries can capture the good stuff of Web 2.0 and use it to further serve our patrons. They have added a library-centric name to a larger concept that is appearing in our libraries, in our cities, and in the world at large." — from "Confrontational Aspects of Library 2.0 Discussed," by David King (on dave's blog). Read More » Submitted by Karen G. Schneider on January 16, 2006 - 6:38pm It was exciting to read Teresa's post about the North Carolina State University (NCSU) Libraries' catalog. This achievement represents a magnificent step forward for integrated library systems, and the NCSU Libraries catalog's rich combination of search and browse, combined with its powerful search engine, stand in silent rebuke to the piteously clunky library systems most libraries pay dearly for because we've never insisted that the catalog could be better than that. Read More » Submitted by Teresa Koltzenburg on January 13, 2006 - 3:56pm If you live in Chicagoland, then you likely know about the tremendous learning resources the Metropolitan Library System provides for the area's libraries. One of MLS's library-tech gurus is none other than Jenny Levine and, along with the help of Tame the Web's Michael Stephens (both of whom are contributors to this blog too), MLS will be providing yet another useful new-technology learning session here in Chicagoland this winter... as well as in Texas and Washington State a bit later this year (details to come in subsequent post about TX and WA sessions). On February 10 (in Burr Ridge) and on March 3 (Chicago): Jenny and Michael are presenting: Read More » Submitted by Teresa Koltzenburg on January 12, 2006 - 8:02pm If you attended LITA's Forum in San Jose last September, you may have heard this analogy: "Making minor changes to library catalog systems is like putting lipstick on a pig." Read More » Submitted by Teresa Koltzenburg on January 11, 2006 - 7:44pm I've been meaning since Monday to post about some of the technical problems the ALA TechSource blog (i.e., the RSS problem in Bloglines that Mark points to in a post last Saturday in his ...the thoughts are broken... blog) has been having. It's now the end of the workday (well, the official end, anyway) Wednesday, and I suppose this post could fall under a 'Better Late Than Never' category heading, but, still, I apologize for not addressing this on this blog earlier this week. Read More » Submitted by Teresa Koltzenburg on January 11, 2006 - 5:08pm Sad news has gripped us here at ALA. Tuesday, Gerald Hodges, associate executive director for marketing and communications, passed away. American Libraries Online provides a bit about Gerald's life, accomplishments, and his important contributions to the Association and to the field here. A longtime member and supporter of ALA, Hodges had stipulated that a portion of his estate be used to establish the Gerald Hodges Fund, in support of intellectual freedom issues and legal challenges to legislation such as the Children's Internet Protection Act and the USA Patriot Act. Read More » Submitted by Michael Stephens on January 10, 2006 - 12:41pm Submitted by Jenny Levine on January 9, 2006 - 1:10am I've been fascinated by the conversations taking place about Library 2.0, because even just a year ago it seemed unthinkable we would be at the point at which we have a name for the next generation of online library services. And yet, here we are. Unfortunately for me, other commitments have kept me offline for much of the last few months, so I've missed the details of those discussions. Still, I feel compelled to weigh in on some of the more recent questions about the concept, with caveat apologies if some of this has already been highlighted elsewhere and I just haven't seen it. Read More » Submitted by Tom Peters on January 6, 2006 - 2:11pm Like a puny but feisty kid trying to grow up and gain respect in a blue-collar town, portable electronic devices designed primarily for reading digital-textual documents, such as ebooks, are about to re-enter the general U.S. consumer electronic fray. When dedicated reading devices hit the U.S. market in the late 90s, they were soundly drubbed, or worse, laughed at and ignored. Will 2006 be just a re-match with the same, predictable result? Read More » Submitted by Michael Stephens on January 6, 2006 - 12:20am Submitted by Karen G. Schneider on January 5, 2006 - 12:29pm I am seeing some very good summaries about the year behind usâ€”everything from top-ten lists to Roy Tennant's powerful rumination in LJ, "What I Wish I Had Known." But the date that popped into my head this morning as I huffed on the treadmill, working off the holiday gingerbread while my brain did the thirty-minute free-style, was January 1, 2007. I put myself there and asked, what do I want to look back on for the previous year? While my pudgy legs labored, I vanquished Google, fixed the library catalog, and brought the profession forward thirty years. 2006 in LibraryLand: A Brief History Read More » Submitted by Teresa Koltzenburg on January 3, 2006 - 12:27pm As Countdowns and Top [insert number here] Lists are the rage this time of year for content producers, bloggers who will be attending ALA Midwinter in San Antonio may want to know that there are only 19 days until OCLC's Blog Salon, er... and there are only 17 more days until Midwinter begins in San Antonio. Looks like the Salon is now in the RED suite (as Alice notes in a follow-up comment). See you there!
In preparation for Christmas, I read Stephen Nissenbaum's 1998 "The Battle for Christmas," a thorough exploration of this season. The book's title will be deceiving, because it has nothing to do with the recent sacred-vs.-secular Christmas quarrels. Nissenbaum explores the myriad ways that Christmas has evolved in our nation. It turns out we've been jockeying for more than 300 years over what this holiday means. In Colonial America our faith-filled ancestors banned Christmas altogether, outlawing it in some colonies. Until the 1760s, one could not even find an almanac that would print the word "Christmas" on the date Dec. 25. This opposition was because Christmas had become a drunken spectacle where gangs of poor young men roamed the streets, making merry and engaging in acts of petty rowdyism, vaguely like today's New Year's Eve. It was customary and permissible for these gangs to knock on doors of strangers to demand gifts. ("So give us some figgy pudding....") Our nation's first "battle" for Christmas was the movement to domesticate the holiday, a battle that Nissenbaum suggests involved merchants, the middle and upper classes and the church. Merchants began linking Christmas and the purchase of manufactured gifts as early as the 1830s as society began to stress family celebrations in front of a tree and with Santa visiting every home. In case you think that your complaining will reverse the commercialism of this holiday, according to Nissenbaum that complaint first emerged in the 1830s. Complain if you must, but don't expect results. Nissenbaum so thoroughly explores Clement Moore's "'Twas the Night before Christmas" that one learns why Saint Nick touches the side of his nose and why his pipe is a short one. Nissenbaum contends that the ascendance of Santa Claus, the emergence of the Christmas tree and even the giving of gifts contribute to this gradual process of making Christmas a less revolutionary, more predictable holiday. He explores Dickens and Scrooge, Christmas parties for poor children and even the complicated master-slave relationship at Christmas leading up to and immediately following the Civil War. If you prefer to maintain that Christmas was a pure season of private devotion and public worship until Sears, Roebuck, Wal-Mart and the Supreme Court got involved, don't read this book. Ditto if you enjoy lamenting that "They've taken Christmas away from us," Nissenbaum might say that a pure, simple Christmas never existed. Rather it has evolved since the first day the Colonists set foot on our shore, an evolution showing no sign of abating. Nissenbaum's scholarly, heavily footnoted book is enlightening and readable. But his analysis of Christmas reminds me of a scientist who thoroughly explains the rainbow but never grasps its beauty. And so as this season continues to evolve, I'll enjoy my Christmas tree, sing both "White Christmas" and "Joy to the World," and be grateful again for the mystery of Bethlehem, which properly understood, is the most revolutionary act of history. Contact columnist minister Creede Hinshaw at Wesley Monumental United Methodist Church in Savannah at email@example.com.
Jump to content September 23, 2011 The Marine Corp. Logistics Base in Albany flips the switch on its new Landfill Gas to Energy system. Use the comment form below to begin a discussion about this content.
Bahraini Voters in America Head to the Polls Bahraini citizens living in the United States voted in Bahrain's Parliamentary elections today, a coordinated effort among 30 overseas embassies and diplomatic missions outside of the Kingdom of Bahrain. "I was happy to see my fellow Bahrainis living in the U.S. coming to the polls and participating in the democratic process," said Houda Nonoo, Bahrain's Ambassador to the United States. "This is the time where we reaffirm what it means to be an active citizen of Bahrain, passionate about our nation and excited for the future." Approximately 1200 Bahraini residents applied to vote overseas in this year's election. Nationwide voting in Bahrain occurs this Saturday, October 23, 2010. US citizens who are resident in Bahrain and own property can vote in the Municipal elections. Bahrain is also home to the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet. Nawaf Alma'awadah, Chief Public Prosecutor and Elections Executive Director, welcomed the figures by commenting, "We are pleased to see Bahraini citizens all over the world participating in the democratic process. It is important to us that all citizens of Bahrain have the opportunity to vote and it is important to the people of Bahrain that their voice is heard." Bahrain's Supreme Committee for Elections has emphasized its commitment to upholding free and fair elections in advance of Bahrain's nationwide voting this weekend. Judge Abdulla Al Buainain, President of Legislation and Legal Commission said: "We will be using UN-approved transparent ballot boxes for the first time in these elections which serves as an excellent illustration of the probity of the elections, and with over 370 NGO monitors, a nominated Agent for every candidate and webcams in the polling stations, we can confidently assert that the elections will be free, fair and transparent." Meanwhile, Parliamentary candidates have been campaigning for over four weeks and 35 of the 40 seats in the lower house, the Chamber of Representative or Chamber of Deputies, remain to be decided when over 318,000 Bahraini citizens cast their votes. Five candidates have already secured their seat including the first female MP, Ms Latifa Mohamed Ahmed Al Gaoud of the Southern Governorate. Other candidates that have secured their seats as they were either uncontested or have since seen candidate withdrawals are: Abduljalil Khalil Ebrahim Hasan, in the Capital Governorate; Adel Abdulrahman Jasim Almuawda, Muharraq Governorate; Abdulla Khalaf Rashed Mohamed Aldoseri and; Khamis Hamad Mohamed Alromaihi, both of Southern Governorate.
Nasrallah: New Front With Israel “Might Not Help” the Palestinian Intifada Hizbullah’s secretary-general Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said he believed that opening the southern front with Israel “might not help” the Palestinian intifada. In an interview with the London-based Al-Majallah magazine, published Friday, Nasrallah said that because Hizbullah had no branches outside Lebanon, its members had to go to Jordan themselves to transfer weapons to the Palestinian resistance, which he added, “needs all the help it can get.” Nasrallah also said that an Israeli spy ring recently uncovered in Lebanon had not penetrated the ranks of the resistance movement. He denied any links between Hizbullah and Osamam Bin Laden’s Al-Qaeda network, and slammed ongoing efforts to make peace with Israel. (Albawaba.com)
Washington has no plans to bolster its military forces in the Gulf, a senior US military officer stressed Wednesday, dismissing Iraq's new threats against Kuwait as mere "rhetoric." "Our military forces remain at the normal level of preparedness and alertness," said Lieutenant General Paul Mikolashek, commanding general of the US Third Army and Army Forces Central Command. Asked if Washington had any plans to bolster its forces in the region, he replied: "No. We have a continuous presence of forces here." "There has been a lot of rhetoric. What is important to us, the military, is what actions are being done. Right now, we see a lot of rhetoric," the general said, explaining he was in Kuwait on a routine visit. He said the current situation in the Gulf was "totally different" to the one that existed in August 1990, when Iraq invaded Kuwait. "As you know, (Iraqi President) Saddam Hussein was dealt a devastating defeat in (Operation) Desert Storm. He has lost military control over about 60 percent of his country. "His armed forces have been degraded and sanctions have been in place for 10 years. He (still) has some very dangerous military capability, but the situation is not anywhere near the way it was in 1990," Mikolashek said. Kuwait's state minister for foreign affairs Sulaiman Majed al-Shaheen said Tuesday that the latest Iraqi threats had escalated tension to pre-invasion levels. During his visit, Mikolashek has met with senior Kuwaiti officials including Defense Minister Sheikh Salem al-Sabah and will see thousands of US troops stationed in Kuwait. Some 4,500 US troops are in Kuwait, including 3,000 ground forces, a combat task force, an Apache helicopter unit, command and control systems, two Patriot batteries and stockpiles of propositioned military hardware. An undisclosed number of US aircraft and 400 aircrew are also deployed at Ahmad al-Jaber air base, 80 kilometers (50 miles) south of Kuwait City, from where they patrol the southern "no-fly" zone over Iraq. Kuwait has defense pacts with Washington, London and Paris, signed after the 1991 Gulf War, and the Kuwaiti military regularly holds exercises with their forces. The Central Command, one of five US regional commands, covers an area stretching from Pakistan to Egypt – KUWAIT CITY (AFP) © 2000 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com )
Owner: Briana Borten Ambiance and rejuvenating therapies — panacea for a hectic lifestyle Portland, OR — In the urban world of busy-ness — noise, hustle, conflict — there must be a sanctuary hiding somewhere — a sanctuary offering soft sounds, relaxation and an aura of comfort. Push the red door at 2768 NW Thurman Street and step inside. Immediately, you’ll have the sensation that you have retreated 500 years — or 5,000 miles — to a gentler world. The dark maroon walls, soothing plants, mirrors, wall hangings, candles and barely audible Middle Eastern music allow you to shed the weight of the emotional shields necessary for survival in the give and take of urban existence. Welcome to The Dragontree holistic day spa. You have just discovered your personal refuge with a wide range of benefits: full body massage and body polishes, natural skin care and waxing, acupuncture and herbal medicine, group treatments and parties, ayurvedic medicine and bliss therapies, foot baths and foot massage, saunas and showers. Meet Briana Borten, the genius behind the Dragontree. Briana was a fairly average girl growing up in Montana, until an automobile accident changed her life. That collision left her with a broken neck — and intense pain. Because of chemical conflicts, she could not relieve her distress through pain killers. “When we decided to open (a second location) at the airport we went to many banks,” Briana says. None of them wanted to be involved. A massage service at an airport? Goodness, mercy! The concept must have sounded a bit radical for many bankers. Then a friend introduced Borten to Terry Brandt, who was just starting the Albina Opportunities Corporation (AOC). AOC’s game plan was to make business loans to women, minority, immigrant and disabled-owned businesses with good track records. “We already had a lengthy (business) plan for the airport,” Borten says. “We provided Terry with that plus some other information he needed.” Now, Briana reports, both business locations are doing “really well.” The main difference is that the Thurman Street office takes clients mostly by appointment whereas at the airport site, visitors are mostly walk-ins. A full range of treatments One could hardly count the number of massage techniques in various corners of the world, but Dragontree can provide many of them. Their web site promises “an array of therapies designed to still the mind, mend the body and uplift the spirit.” The Dragontree offers a seemingly infinite variety of massages, facials, waxing and acupuncture. The spa offers group services— including saunas — for friends, family and parties. Teas and light lunches can put the finishing touches on a rejuvenating experience. For more information on the NW Portland location, visit www.thedragontree.com. The airport location has its own website. The Dragontree employs 20 support staff and has 30 professional contractors, guaranteeing a wide range of specialties as well as superlative personal attention. “We may open a few more locations,” Briana says, but she promises The Dragontree will never get too big. “We like to know everyone who works for us like a (member of the) family.” Services run from about $15 to about $375. The Dragontree’s northwest studio at 2768 NW Thurman is open 10:00 – 7:00 Monday through Thursday, 10:00 to 9:00 Friday and Saturday, and 11:00 until 6:00 Sunday. The airport location on Concourse C at Portland International Airport is open from 8:00 to 8:00 daily. Call the Thurman Street location (503) 221-4123 or the PDX site (503) 331-1131 for appointments or information.
Special Event: James Joyce and Paris in the 1920s and 1930s Friday, February 4, 2011, 4–10 pm FREE for Members $5 for non-members When James Joyce lived in Paris in the 1920s and 1930s, he lived in a world full of the influence and inspiration of artists, actors, dancers, and musicians. All events are in the Auditorium unless otherwise noted. Films: Paris in the 20s and Following James Joyce: Dublin to Buffalo (2004) Following James Joyce was directed by Patrick Martin and Stacey Herbert. Science: "Joyce and Albert Einstein: At the Crossroads" With David Ben-Merre, Assistant Professor of English, Buffalo State College Art: "Paris Explosition: Joyce among the Artists" With Mariann Smith, Curator of Education, Albright-Knox Art Gallery, and Laurence Shine, Buffalo State College Literature: "A Chapter of Accidents: Back to Paris, 1920" With Ronan Crowley, MA Trinity College, Dublin Dance: "Dancing in Paris: Isadora Duncan" With Cathy Skora, Folkloric Productions Music: "Paris: The Rite of Spring, the Rise of Jazz" With Charles Mancuso, Associate Professor of Music, Buffalo State College Part of M&T FIRST FRIDAYS @ THE GALLERY On the First Friday of every month—from 10 am to 10 pm—Gallery admission and most events and performances are free for everyone. www.mandtfirstfridays.org
Connect to Trove Free search service for Australian and online resources: books, images, historic newspapers, maps, music, archives and more The National Library's database of Australian electronic journals A wide range of links to theological resources. Includes Lutheran but many others. Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (ELCA) Includes a "Resources" page with an excellent range of links to Lutheran theology. Contains a world-wide directory, resources on Lutheran beliefs, study tools and a liturgy page. Also has an eccentric (but funny) Lutheran humour resources page. Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod In addition to resources and directories, contains statements on Lutheran beliefs and practices. Lutheran Theology Web Site (David J. Webber) David Webber is a Lutheran pastor in the Ukraine. This site contains an amazing range of links and full text documents on the theology of Lutheranism from a wide array of sources including Australian. Lutheran Resource Site Contains links to Lutheran denominations in U.S. & Canada. Contains doctrinal statements and prayer resources. Lutheran Church of Australia Includes current doctrinal statements in ‘About Lutherans’ section. Project Wittenberg. Lutheran Electronic Archive Contains most of Luther’s works in electronic format. English and German with concordances & biographical notes. Find out what makes ALC a great place to grow.
Welcome to Alcove Technologies Alcove Technologies (Alcove means niche/special in Latin) is a multi-faceted Project services company offering the following services to its global customers. Alcove is a preferred services partner to worldwide business in more than 30 countries, providing our project services in multiple technologies and business domains. Alcove provides its services mostly from its offshore facilities providing many benefits to its customers such as lower cost, larger scale of operations, shared services/resources, a large pool of project resources, quick turn-around time, high-quality, highly-efficient project delivery services. Our philosophy is, let our clients focus on their core business, while we handle these functions efficiently & cost effectively as their technology and business services partner. Alcove’s core competency is in-depth knowledge, skills and outsourced services in each of our chosen service lines. Alcove is run by a team of seasoned and specialist industry professionals in each of its chosen service offerings with decades of experience in delivering strategic value to our global customers. Alcove technologies is a leading Mobile Apps development company Among various IT Services, Alcove provides Mobile Apps Development services in all mobile platforms, to our worldwide clients - If readon for further details The phenomenal growth of mobile devices has opened up avenues for organizations to integrate them into the main stream-computing environment. Unlike the PC based environment, the mobile environment is constituted by a plethora of devices with diverse hardware and software configurations and communication intricacies. This diversity in mobile computing environments presents unique challenges in application development, quality assurance and deployment, requiring special skills and expertise. \|>> Read More\| \|> Alcove's Mobile Apps Development\|
See this season's full concert list before it's too late. All events are free to the public. Please note that details of the 2013 competition have not yet been announced. Check back for more info later or review the 2012 materials using these links: The final stage of the 2012 competition took place on October 9, 2011.
Your daily news briefing, with the video fo the day, top news and quote of the day. News to know The French Defense Ministry has announced that French and Malian troops have taken control of the cities of TImbuktu and Gao, and the land in between the two Malian cities, according to CNN. The area was a stronghold for Islamic extremist troops for almost a year. The Islamist group still controls some areas in northern Mali. French President Francois Hollande said yesterday, "We are winning in Mali," after troops were greeted by celebration in freed areas over the weekend. Under extremist rule, Malians were banned from listening to music, drinking, smoking and watching sports. The mayor of Gao, who had been exiled, was reinstated. France has over 2000 soldiers on Malian soil, with another thousand aiding from other countries. The U.S. had already been providing intelligence and airlift support, and has recently begun aerial refueling missions in support of French and Malian troops. Quote of note "The good news is that, for the first time in many years, Republicans and Democrats seem ready to tackle this problem together. It looks like there's a genuine desire to get this done soon. And that's very encouraging." - President Barack Obama, in a pre-released excerpt from his talks in Las Vegas on immigration reform. Hot video: Hundreds of motorcycles shut down highway so man can propose to girlfriend GateHouse News Service
911 operator Jordan Turner (Halle Berry), armed with a flashlight, decides to go after a killer on her own. Some things go very wrong in this film. For one of the characters, it happens right at the beginning, just after she makes a call to 911 in Los Angeles. Young blond-haired Leah (Evie Thompson) gets through to veteran 911 operator Jordan Turner (Halle Berry) just as someone is smashing his way into the frightened girl’s home. Jordan does almost all of the right things, making only one small error, and Leah is eventually found in a shallow grave. Six months later, on anxiety meds and having transferred from live phones to the 911 Training Unit, Jordan is explaining the rules of the job to a new batch of operators, when another call from another young, blond-haired woman comes through. Things have gone wrong for her. She’s been kidnapped, she’s in the trunk of a speeding car, she’s calling from a disposable cellphone that can’t be traced. When the operator freaks, Jordan jumps in, back on the job, ready to do it right this time. Frightened, hysterical Casey (Abigail Breslin) is in the trunk, and in what becomes a phone relationship between a victim and the person who’s trying to save her, Jordan successfully calms her down, gets her to start doing the kinds of things that will get that car noticed by police who have no clues as to its whereabouts. Up to this point, the film is tense, nerve-racking. There’s a really creepy sequence done in shadows, filmed in a way that we can’t get a clear picture of the perpetrator’s face. The music is loud, the trunk is more confining than any trunk should be. Jordan and the cops and, of course, Casey, keep getting lucky breaks which, in turn, keep getting thwarted. The viewer is drawn in. This is gonna be a nail-biter. But while things continue to go badly for the characters (the grim, calm kidnapper inexplicably turns into a raving, screaming sweating loony), they also go wrong for the film, which suddenly falls apart. It’s as if, at the halfway mark, they fired the competent screenwriter and put a far-more violence-minded sloppy one in his place. But no, this is all credited to Richard D’Ovidio, whose most recent credit was the really dumb remake of "Thirteen Ghosts." Plot elements start getting tossed off, with no understandable explanation for why they happen. There are a confusing couple of minutes in which finally-revealed kidnapper Michael Foster (Michael Eklund) stares at old photos of a young blond-haired girl – presumably his sister – who’s wasting away in a hospital bed. But how that leads up to his hobby of kidnapping and murdering young women with the same hair color remains a mystery. In short order, the mood becomes gruesome, with a few scenes that are horrifically violent for the sole purpose of being horrifically violent. We already know what this guy is capable of; we don’t need to see more of it. And here’s a great idea: Have the 911 operator, who’s trained to talk on the phone, go out on the road at night, armed only with a flashlight, to try to find the guy herself. The film’s denouement sends all credibility down the tubes. Its ending is ludicrous. Ed Symkus covers movies for GateHouse Media. Written by Richard D’Ovidio; directed by Brad Anderson With Halle Berry, Abigail Breslin, Michael Eklund
W e accept the Paypal/ Western union/ /TT, you can choose you like. Also We accept Escrow for payment. but beyond 400USD per order We will send the goods within 2 days after buyer's payment We will responsible for the China customs problem and buyer should be responsible for the destination customs problem We provide EMS,DHL,UPS, or Airmail for shipping method.express shipping usually take 3-5 working days depends on the country delivered to. 4.If other shipping ways are preferred, contact us and we will use your ways. We will give you track number when we send the products out,so you can check it in line. 5. Please check out your ADDRESS carefully when processing order 1. We test it before ship out All of the products be make sure working well and then sent out . 2..we can change within one month, But you should pay the freight from your country to China.Than we will change for you.but the freight is paid a half each.if the damage is man-made,we don't afford it . All emails will be answered within 24 hours.,Please leave a message in the Trade Manager. Thank you for ordering and hope you like your purchase here.You comment is very important in our business success. PAQI TECHNOLOGY (HONGKONG) LIMITED is an electronic components trading company located in Hong Kong. We have more than 8 years' experience in this industry and now we expand our business to our overseas markets. We are strong in the trading of all major brands of semiconductors, such as ST, FSC, TOS, TI, NS, PHI, ATMEL and MICROCHIP. Besides, we also deal with other kinds of components, such as LEDs, Street Lamps, LCD Modules, and Please check the items you need from our website or ... View detail
Mary Berry's Christmas Collection: Over 100 Fabulous Recipes for Your Favourite Festive Food by Mary Berry Known for her practical and unfussy approach to cooking, Mary Berry has finally taken on the trickiest of culinary periods. In Mary Berry's Christmas ... Show synopsis Known for her practical and unfussy approach to cooking, Mary Berry has finally taken on the trickiest of culinary periods. In Mary Berry's Christmas Collection she combines all her favourite winter recipes with a selection of new mouthwatering dishes to give us not only the time-honoured traditional roast turkey and classic Victorian Christmas cake, but also a variety of new and exciting food ideas for the festive period. Her Gammon with a Mango Salsa, Crunchy Caramelised Onion Salad, yummy Stilton and Pear Crostini or Quail's Eggs in Pastry Cases take the pressure off entertaining whether it's the Boxing Day crowd or a family New Year gathering. With clues on leftovers, buffets, a Christmas Day countdown and a trouble-shooting section, Mary will help solve all your holiday cooking problems. A wonderful seasonal cookery book from the queen of Aga cooking. Find your copy \|Buy it from\|\|$24.82\|
A suicide bomber has killed at least 15 people in a town in eastern Afghanistan. The man blew himself up on Sunday in a hotel restaurant in the town of Urgun, in the eastern Afghan province of Paktika. The attacker is believed to have been targetting several local officials who were in the restaurant at the time. The blast injured at least 24 people. The commander of an Afghan special forces unit and a district governor were among those injured, said Mohammad Akram Kheplwak, the provisional governor. Local officials said that the attacker was a Pakistani. The International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Kabul, the Afghan capital, said the explosion had caused some buildings to collapse and that many civilians were among the dead. The suicide attack was the 102nd in Afghanistan this year, said Major Luke Knittig, a spokesman for NATO's International Security Assistance Force. The attacks that have killed 241 people since the start of 2006, killing mostly civilians. During the previous year the Taliban and their allies carried out around 20 suicide bomb attacks. 'Many Taliban killed' Taliban fighters also launched several attacks in southern Afghanistan on Friday and Saturday, sparking a series of clashes in which a Nato soldier and about 55 Taliban fighters were reportedly killed. The weekend battles were in the district of Trim Kot in the province of Uruzgan and in adjoining Kandahar, where the Taliban movement originates. ISAF said their forces in the province were attacked by a "large number of insurgents". The coalition soldiers returned fire and called in war planes. ISAF said in a statement: "Initial battle damage assessment indicates that approximately 50 insurgents were killed in the attack. Regrettably, an ISAF soldier was also killed during the same incident." Nearly 120 foreign soldiers have died in combat in Afghanistan this year, up from just over 70 last year.
Heal Our Planet Earth Secondary and Universities Educational Outreach: Secondary (High) Schools and Universities Anthony Marr from the HOPE Foundation’s main point was the wild tigers. He believes that something must be done to keep these animals alive. "If we let this go, life will be less beautiful and worth less living," Anthony Marr quoted. The money that he receives as a conservationist is donated to help out the endangered species. He makes many trips to India to help them find other solutions to their problems. If the people living in India keep living the way they’ve done, India will soon become a desert. Changes need to be made and people need to adapt to these changes. I agree with Anthony’s beliefs. Even if tigers are bred, it does not make a difference, because they cannot survive on their own. No matter what humans do, it still will not change the fact that one of God’s creations is becoming destroyed. No animals should be killed for the purpose of human needs. It is not necessary to kill tigers to sell products and make money because of silly beliefs that of they eat this then something will happen. There are so many alternatives. Humans need food, but they do not have to consume so much meat. Every time they eat meat, a precious animal is being killed. Animals do not kill us and eat us, then why should we do the same? More solutions need to be found and more people need to become more involved in saving the beauty of the world. Go on to Student - 10
The Animal Page \| Home Page \| Animal Rights \| The Story of Chinchi By: Mindy Tucker This story came to us in letter form, so we decided to leave it that way to add a more personal touch. Dear Mary and Frank, I was thinking about you, and wanted you to know that you're in my prayers! I got a cute pic of Chinchilla (named by my day care children 7 years ago) and wanted to share it with you. (She got this way on her own!) (To enlarge the photo of Chinchi, click on the photo or link) This little angel came to us at my day care in Hot Springs, Arkansas, as a starving, approximately four week old kitten. I heard a mewing in the grass, and when I found her and tried to pick her up, she scratched and spit at me! She was SO TINY it was a wonder she had that much fight left in her! I took her to a vet friend of mine, and she got us fixed up with some milk and a tiny bottle. Needless to say, she is a "pampered pet" now! I guess you could say this pic is entitled, "The Chair PURR-SON!" (To enlarge the photo of Chinchi, click on the photo or link) Chinchi bonded to me, and will NOT let anyone else touch her unless I'm holding her. My husband and children, grandchildren, and friends want to cuddle and hold her, but they respect her, and get a little pat in once in a while when she's curled up on my lap. I had to hold her when I took her to be spayed 6 and a half years ago, while they gave her the anesthetic!! You're welcome to use her pic and story if you want to. I just thought this was cute, because this is the ONLY kind of mouse she's allowed to "catch!!" HA! We got this new printer/scanner/fax, and I'm not used to it yet! On the other hand, Chinchi doesn't seem to have any problems. (To enlarge the photo of Chinchi, click on the photo or link) May God Bless and keep you both! Your Sister In Christ, \| Animal Stories \| Your comments are welcome: \| Home Page \| Animal Issues \| Archive \| Art and Photos \| Articles \| Bible \| Books \| Church and Religion \| Discussions \| Health \| Humor \| Letters \| Links \| Poetry and Stories \| Quotations \| Recipes \| What's New? \| Thank you for visiting all-creatures.org.
Science Fair Project Encyclopedia The chloride ion is formed when the element chlorine picks up one electron to form the anion (negatively charged ion) Cl−. The salts of hydrochloric acid HCl contain chloride ions and are also called chlorides. An example is table salt, which is sodium chloride with the chemical formula NaCl. In water, it dissolves into Na+ and Cl− ions. The word chloride can also refer to a chemical compound in which one or more chlorine atoms are covalently bonded in the molecule. This means that chlorides can be either inorganic or organic compounds. The simplest example of an inorganic covalently bonded chloride is hydrogen chloride, HCl. A simple example of an organic covalently bonded chloride is chloromethane (CH3Cl), often called methyl chloride. Other examples of inorganic covalently bonded chlorides which are used as reactants are: - phosphorus trichloride, phosphorus pentachloride, and thionyl chloride - all three are reactive chlorinating reagents which have been used in a laboratory. - Disulfur dichloride (SCl2) - used for vulcanization of rubber. Chloride ions have important physiological roles. For instance, in the central nervous system the inhibitory action of glycine and some of the action of GABA relies on the entry of Cl− into specific neurons. The contents of this article is licensed from www.wikipedia.org under the GNU Free Documentation License. Click here to see the transparent copy and copyright details
Science Fair Project Encyclopedia Industrial Design is an applied art whereby the aesthetics and usability of products may be improved. Design aspects specified by the industrial designer may include the overall shape of the object, the location of details with respect to one another, colors, texture, sounds, and aspects concerning the use of the product ergonomics. Additionally the industrial designer may specify aspects concerning the production process, choice of materials and the way the product is presented to the consumer at the point of sale. The use of industrial designers in a product development process may lead to added values by improved usability, lowered production costs and more appealing products. Product Design is focused on products only, while industrial design has a broader focus on concepts, products and processes. In addition to considering aesthetics, usability, and ergonomics, it can also encompass the engineering of objects, usefulness as well as usability, market placement, and other concerns. Product Design and Industrial Design can overlap into the fields of user interface design , information design and interaction design. Various schools of Industrial Design and/or Product Design may specialize in one of these aspects, ranging from pure art colleges (product styling) to mixed programs of engineering and design, to related disciplines like exhibit design and interior design. In the US, the field of industrial design hit a high-water mark of popularity in the late 30's and early 40's, with several industrial designers becoming minor celebrities. Raymond Loewy, Norman bel Geddes, and Henry Dreyfuss remain the best known. In the UK, the term "Industrial Design" increasingly implies design with considerable engineering and technology awareness alongside human factors - a "Total Design" approach, promoted by the late Stuart Pugh (University of Strathclyde) and others. Famous industrial designers - Egmont Arens (1888-1966) - Norman bel Geddes (1893-1958) - Henry Dreyfuss (1904-1972) - Charles and Ray Eames (1907-1978) and (1912-1988) - Harley J. Earl (1893-1969) - Virgil Exner (1909-1973) - Buckminster Fuller (1895-1983) - Kenneth Grange (1929- ) - Michael Graves (1934- ) - Walter Adolph Gropius (1883-1969) - Jonathan Ive (1967- ) - Arne Jacobsen (1902-1971) - Raymond Loewy (1893-1986) - Ludwig Mies van der Rohe (1886-1969) - László Moholy-Nagy (1895-1946) - Victor Papanek (1927-1999) - Philippe Starck (1949- ) - Brooks Stevens (1911-1995) - Walter Dorwin Teague (1883-1960) - Eva Zeisel (1906- ) - Industrial design rights - Design classics - Interaction Design - Automobile design - Six Sigma - Famous Industrial Designers - Design Council on Product Design Design Council one stop shop information resource on Product Design by Dick Powell. - Industrial Designers Society of America - The Centre for Sustainable Design - International Council of Societies of Industrial Designers - U.S. Occupational Outlook Handbook: Designers - Core77: Industrial Designers' Online Community The contents of this article is licensed from www.wikipedia.org under the GNU Free Documentation License. Click here to see the transparent copy and copyright details
Science Fair Project Encyclopedia Joe Walton(born 1936) A noted coach in college and professional football. Walton was born in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania in 1936, the son of former Washington Redskins guard Frank “Tiger” Walton. Joe Walton attended the University of Pittsburgh on a football scholarship. Walton was drafted in the second round of the 1957 NFL entry draft by the Washington Redskins. Walton played for eight years in the NFL for the Redskins and the New York Giants. Walton later served as running backs coach of the Washington Redskins from 1974-77 and offensive coordinator from 1978-80. Walton served as the head coach of the New York Jets from 1983 to 1989 and his teams achieved a 53-57-1 record. He served as the offensive coordinator of the Pittsburgh Steelers from 1990 to 1991 srving under Coach Chuck Noll. On July 27, 1993, Walton was named the head coach of the newly formed Robert Morris College football team. Walton created the team from scratch and turned the Colonials into an instant powerhouse. His teams won five Northeast Conference championships and two NCAA Div. I-AA mid-major championships in their first ten years of existence. Walton was included on the ballot of the 2004 College Football Hall of Fame. In 2004, Robert Morris University announced that it would name it’s new football complex Joe Walton Stadium. The contents of this article is licensed from www.wikipedia.org under the GNU Free Documentation License. Click here to see the transparent copy and copyright details
We are proud to support the Miracles for KIDS Charity by donating a portion of our proceeds. If you would like to participate as well, please add $1 to your order during checkout. To learn more about this amazing foundation please click here. All About Dance Gift Cards are always the perfect gift for any dancer. Returns and Exchanges Team & Group Sales
- FC Barcelona secured a deserving winner with a 94th minute Jordi Alba goal. - FC Barcelona came from behind after going down to Celtic early in first half. Jordi Alba scored a last mminute winner to take all three points off their match against Celtic. Celtic was really unlucky not to have got a point from the match. They scored first and then defended with their live only to see all their hopes get destroyed at the very last minute. An own goal from Mascherano(the credit should go for a great free kick and a Samaras header) gave Celtic a surprise lead. Iniesta equalised for us in the last minute of first half and then Jordi Alba sealed the match with a 94th minute goal. Vilanova chose a back four of Adriano, Bartra, Mascherano and Alba to face Celtic. Iniesta, Xavi and Song formed the midfield. Pedro, Messi and Sanchez formed the front three. Pinto, Montoya, Dos Santos, Sergi Roberto, Cesc, Villa and Tello were on the bench. In the 2nd minute Iniesta played a delightful ball on the blindside of Celtic defense to put Sanchez on goal, but Alexis shot wide from a very promising position. In the 9th minute Alba came from deep sent in a great cross, but Celtic defense did really well to prevent Pedro from reaching on the end of it. In the 17th minute a well taken corner routine resulted in great header from batra, but it was well saved. In the 18th minute Celtic went ahead against the run of play from a set piece free kick. The free kick was sent in perfectly, samaras headed it but a defelction from Mascherano left Valdes hapless. The pace on counter from celtic was seriously troubling us. In the 22nd minute Lionel Messi saw his free kick going agonisingly close of the left corner. In the 33rd minute Adriano took a shot at the near post from outside the box, the goal keeper made no mistake with that. In the 36th minute Xavi came close to equalising when he latched onto a ball from Alexis. In the 38th minute Lionel Messi saw yet another free kick brushing off the bar of the goal. In the 45th minute Iniesta equalised from a play which can only be described as play station football. Messi played the ball to Iniesta who laid it off to Xavi, who inturn gave it back to Iniesta. Iniesta's first touch was terrific which enabled to slot the ball home even when going down. We were probing relentlessly at Celtic from the start of the hal, but they remained very organised in defense. Also they were causing some trouble with their counter. In the 65th minute Messi had a shot which was easily saved by the keeper. The very next minute Iniesta had another shot from outside straight at the keeper. In the 68th minute Celtic keeper made a blind save off Messi just infront of the goal. In the 74th minute the keeper denied Alba from scoring. In the 75th minute the keeper made another brilliant save from a very good header from Messi. In the 76th minute Vilanova made the first chnage of the night bringing in Tello for Pedro. In the 80th minte Villa came in for Alexis. In the 82nd minute Song saw his header deflected for a corner. In the 88th minute Adriano shot high over the bar from edge of the box. In the 90th minute David Villa hit the post after a great piece of inter play between Messi and Iniesta. In the last minute of injury time Jordi Alba got Barca the deserving winner when he met a cross from Adriano on th edge of box. The match resembled our clash with Chelsea of last season for the majority of part. They scored a surprise goal, we were struggling to break their defense, then a moment of magic involving the Holy trio - Messi, Xavi and Iniesta secured us the equaliser before the half. Second half was different story with us coming with full intent but Celtic defense, the keeper and the post were keeping us from the winner. When the 90th minute Villa shot hit the post, I gave up the hope of three points. But the team never gave up hope.
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Lullaby of Birdland This month, instead of writing about a jazz personality, I decided to write about a room. A jazz room which sadly no longer exists but that had a personality as unique as the great musicians who played there. I'm talking about a club called Birdland the original Birdland on Broadway near 56th Street in Manhattan's Times Square (before it got Disney-fied.) It billed itself as "The Jazz Corner of the World," and in the sixties and seventies it undoubtedly was just that. On any night of the week, you'd walk up to the narrow doorway and the doorman in his admiral's uniform would push open the door for you. Black and white publicity photos of people like Miles and Horace and Count Basie were stuck to the glass with Scotch tape. The stairs were steep. They led down to a landing where the box office was located. As you descended them, the light began to turn a dreamy bourbon color and you started to feel a kind of pulse that seemed to emanate from the floor and vibrate through your body. On the first landing there was a box office with a big round window. I remember thinking the first time I stepped up to it to buy a ticket that the woman behind the glass was the most exotic, beautiful creature I'd ever seen. She had big soft black eyelashes, a white flower in her hair like Billie Holiday, and when she handed me my ticket I noticed her fingernails were long and pink like flower petals. Her perfume wafted through the window's speech hole and mingled with the smoke-beer smell coming up from the bar. You could purchase a ticket for the side gallery for about two or three bucks. Tables, which had direct sight lines to the bandstand, could be as high as ten or twelve bucks, depending on who was playing. You descended another flight of stairs and the light became a kind of midnight blue. A hand-lettered sign overhead read: "Welcome to The Jazz Corner of the World. Through these doors pass the most." There were shadows moving around inside and a silvery white gleamings coming off the tablecloths. You were greetedif that's the word for itby the strident and irascible Mr. Pee Wee Marquette, the tuxedoed midget who also worked as the MC. (I can't tell you the number of times I was summarily turned away by Mr. Marquette because I could not produce proof that I was 18 years old. And even after I had my draft card, he still insisted I show it to him every time I came.) Once inside there was the black, stylized silhouettes of musicians on the walls, along with photos of the stars like Stan Kenton and George Shearing, Sarah Vaughn and Ella Fitzgerald, and Duke. The bar went along the left side of the low-ceilinged room. There was a sign up on the back wall that said, "Learn to fly!" And there were beat-up old wooden chairs you could draw right up to the fence separating the gallery from the posher table section. From the gallery, you had to crane your neck a little to see the bandstand, but the sound in any part of the room was amazing. Sound systems at that time were rather primitive. You didn't have the stadium-size speakers or the Buck Rogers sound booth. Basically, someone would turn the mics on and adjust the volume. But somehow when the music came out into that room, it was like the musicians were playing just for you. Miles would insert his harmon mute right into the mic and it would be as if he were literally inside your head. You heard the ping of Philly Joe's ride cymbal exactly as he played it, right there in the very center of the beat. The vibrations from Paul Chambers' bass wrapped themselves around you like a warm fur glove. The grand piano got moved around according to who was playing. When it was the Basie Band, for instance, they'd move the piano off the stage and onto the floor and nestle a couple of front row tables up against it. Other times with smaller groups, the piano got lifted up onto the top step of the bandstand, but didn't seem to matterthe balance always sounded perfect, just the way the musicians were intending it. You heard the softness of Hank Jones's touch or the startling brilliance of Monk's left hand like you were sitting on the piano bench next to either one. About the only sound that didn't resonate beautifully in that room was the voice of Pee Wee Marquette, who seemed to have mastered every bad mike technique ever known: pops, squeaks, hisses, feedback, plus a shrill voice that would rattle the ice cubes in your glass. He was also pretty good at mispronouncing names and one night introduced the audience to "the inimitable Art Blakes-ly!" I'd heard they actually had a kitchen at Birdland; regardless, I think most of the cooking was done on the bandstand. There was also a "dressing room," which from what I could tell was pretty primitive. The air was smoky and stale but the temperature always seemed right. The drinks were watery. And the stage lighting was fairly illuminating, but not very flattering"¹a trait I'm sure the lady singers weren't too crazy about.
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Internet in Chile From Chile Wiki Broadband is named banda ancha in Chile. To get roughly the same bandwidth you'd pay about $30/mo in Northern America or Europe you'll have to pay $80 here, and fiber or ADSL2 service are still rare (fiber might become a more widely viable option around 2012/2013, based on announced rollouts). That said, it's about as good as it gets in Latin America, and things have vastly improved in just a few years. As of 2011, Chile has one cable ISP, a few DSL providers, and three 3G operators. Land-based ISPs typically package internet service with digital television and phone ("triple packs"). Some level of service is available in most places but given the country's geography, coverage may vary, especially in remote and rural areas. Providers offer a choice of USB or Ethernet modems (including with Wifi). If you have a modicum of technical knowledge it is best to have your own wired or wireless Ethernet modem/router, especially if you're using another OS than Windows. Most ISPs don't support Macs or Linux, if you own your modem it will make your life easier. By default you will get a dynamic IP address (via DHCP) though some sell fixed IP service too. Even though mobile broadband (BAM for banda ancha mobil) has been increasingly advertised since 2009, as of 2011 customers still find the performance pretty uneven for applications such as VOIP (e.g. Skype over 3G) because of high latency. Unless you happen to be right under a powerful cell, this is in most cases not a full substitute for a fixed line. - VTR is a cable provider whose rather poor performance and customer service track record has been significantly improving in past years. As of mid-2011 their highest tier offers 120 Mbps downstream / 4 Mbps (up from 2400/512 Kbps in 2007). Monthly bandwidth caps which used to make VTR's faster service somewhat self-defeating were dropped at the end of 2010 (in other words there's no traffic cap anymore). Tests on Speednet.net show that 40+Mbps level of bandwidth is delivered against Chilean test servers but actual speed against US-based servers can fall to mid single digits. VTR and other ISPs have had occasional routing problems because of their backbone provider Global Crossing (the number of international routes in and out of Chile is very limited). In such cases it has proven useful to connect through a US-based VPN. Overall, VTR is probably the best fixed-line option where it's available. - Telefonica Chile changed its name to Movistar in October 2009. They provide DSL and 3G service. In September 2010 they announced a plan to roll out fiber to hundreds of thousands of homes but released few details. At the time this apparently really amounted to a trial in the San Carlos de Apoquindo sector. In the meantime their commercial household is a 40Mbps VDSL (fiber+copper hybrid) available in certain parts of the country. Many ISPs such as Intercity just resell Telefonica DSL packaged with slightly different services. Telefonica owns most of the copper lines in Chile and has proved to be as nastily as any monopolist in the way it sells its Megavia wholesale DSL service to other ISPs. This will increasingly become a moot point as fiber infrastructures get deployed. To have a sense of how Chilean ISPs connect with each other and abroad, you can check PITs such as this one. - Entel used to sell DSL but has refocused on their 3.5G offering, going up to 12Mbps (with a monthly consumption cap). Probably the most reliable mobile operator but less present on fixed broadband. - Claro is the third 3G operator. Reputed to have the weakest coverage. In October 2010 Telmex announced it would fuse its Chilean operations with Claro. Fixed line plans went up to 10Mbps in mid 2011. - GTD Manquehue goes up to 12 Mbps with DSL and 100 Mbps with FTTH (Fiber To The Home), though the availability of their fiber offering is limited to a few districts in Santiago. Since early 2010, GTD owns Telefonica del Sur (which is NOT Telefonica/Movistar). - Tutopia goes up to 8192 downstream, 512 upstream. They're said to have a good backbone connection to the international net through their parent company IFX. Tutopia will connect you to their own IFX network in some cities such as Santiago or Valparaiso and resells Megavia dsl elsewhere (including Viña del Mar). As of 2011 this does not seem a very competitive option anymore and their offer has not evolved in years. - The electricity company Enersis did a Power Line Communications (PLC) trial in 2003 but apparently this never turned into a commercial service. To have a first glance at what's available in any given commune, you can check this site made by the government but it's not always up to date. - If you rent a home and don't have permanent residency, it may be easier to have the landlord contract internet service for you. - According to some press reports, even if a certain ISP is available in your neighborhood, its service might not make it into each building. It looks like some builders are setting things up in a way that grants an effective monopoly to a single vendor within some apartment buildings and condominiums. - Bottom line: if you're an expat just arriving in Chile, it is wise to figure out how you will get reliable internet service before signing a rental contract, especially if you're going to be out of the main cities. Broadband performance tips Here's a couple of tips if you've been used to better broadband outside of Chile and are looking to maximize the performance of your service: - bypass your ISP's DNS servers by using OpenDNS or Google Public DNS. This is especially useful if you're browsing a ton of different web sites. - Implement Quality of Service (QoS) rules or outbound traffic shaping (e.g. prioritization of ACK packets) with software such as cFos or a router that supports QoS. This is useful if you want to to make VOIP calls while you're downloading files. - Get more out of your web browser with performance tweaks (e.g. FasterFox plugin for Firefox). Speedtest works well to see whether you're getting the download and upload speed you contracted. Wifi hotspots are commonly found in many parts of Chile, though people have increasingly figured out they should secure them. - Speedy Wi-Fi is a paid plan managed by Movistar to access hotspots in hotels or cafes. - Some Mcdonalds fast food joints and gas stations offer free wifi. - The Santiago aiport has free wifi (signal found in front of the car rental desks). - makes a mobile wifi hotspot finder. Some libraries provide free wifi. Facilities vary considerably The following webpage has an interactive map with regions as hot spots. Press and get a list for that region. The Spanish language version appears to be more complete in its preamble by indicating now there are 412 libraries with internet, while the sort-of English version says 394. There are other methods for search as well. Internet in remote places Internet access in remote rural areas can be provided through adhoc wireless projects, see for instance Nortei Ltda. Some ISPs have announced WiMax projects but so far no service appears to be available to consumers or small businesses. How to get redundancy to stay online If you're relying on the internet to make phone calls and work remotely, you may want to have two broadband providers which will also provide the benefit of more bandwidth. To make the most out of such a setup, you can use an old computer running Linux or a "dual wan" router that supports load balancing and fail over. Manufacturers of such high-end routers include Zyxel, XinCom, and Draytek. Some of these devices can not only be connected to the internet through cable or dsl, but also via USB GPRS/EDGE/HSDPA modems (explanation from Draytek). Making phone calls on the internet - access Hulu from outside the US without a US proxy (for firefox) http://lifehacker.com/5583515/access-hulu-from-outside-the-us-without-a-proxy-server - Netflix started in Chile in September 2011. An alternative and previous solution was to purchase a VPN from http://www.strongvpn.com/ and access you Netflix subscription from anywhere. - Download anything you want with Graboid. - http://kebrum.com VPN service Initial section from this allchile forum topic. See the 'online television' section above for suggestions. - lowendbox.com and find a cheap vps (I pay 5.95 a month for 1000 GB transfer). Install OpenVPN on that VPS. Install the OpenVPN client on your home computer. Watch Netflix or Hulu and you get the speed of your internet connection. I'm watching Netflix from remote China through my personal vpn. (Oct 2011 post)
Compare book prices at 110 online bookstores worldwide for the lowest price for new & used textbooks and discount books! 1 click to get great deals on cheap books, cheap textbooks & discount college textbooks on sale. A collection of 24 paintings by Bessie Pease Gutmann, whose angelic pictures of infants have charmed millions of people for more than 50 years. 24 full-color illustrations. Recent Book Searches: ISBN-10/ISBN-13: 0521556821 / 978-0521556828 / CAE Practice Tests 3 Teacher's book / University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate, University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate 0521556872 / 978-0521556873 / The Cambridge Companion to Medieval Romance (Cambridge Companions to Literature) / 0521557380 / 978-0521557382 / Psychology and Law: A Critical Introduction / Andreas Kapardis 050552273X / 978-0505522733 / The Outlaw Viking (Timeswept) / Sandra Hill 0619115149 / 978-0619115142 / Fundamentals of C++: Introductory Course / Kenneth Lambert, Douglas W. 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5th-11th of October is National Identity Fraud Awareness Week, a nationwide awareness campaign designed to help you protect yourself from identity fraud, one of Australia’s fastest growing crimes. The threat is growing with around 4.4 million Australians (26 per cent) having now been affected by identity theft, up from 3.8 million (23 per cent) for the same period last year. Identity fraud occurs when thieves steal identifying details from victims by raiding their bins, by stealing their mail, through internet phishing scams or by convincing them to divulge personal details in person or over the phone. - 75% of Australians throw out enough personal information, such as credit card statements, in their rubbish and recycling to put them at risk of identity fraud - 87% of Australians are concerned about identity theft - According to The Australian Federal Police (AFP), identity fraud costs the nation up to $4 billion a year - When it comes to concerns about identity fraud, women fear financial loss, poor credit rating, feeling personally violated and embarrassment far more than men - 81% of middle Australia (household income $40k – $69k) are most likely to put themselves at risk of identity theft by throwing out personal information such as utility bills and credit card statements - Personal information such as your date of birth, address, mother’s maiden name and passwords are now as valuable as money. This is enough information for a fraudster to open bank accounts, apply for credit cards, loans and much more. It is very important to arm yourself or your business with the proper web security software to protect private information.
As Arctic Ice Melts, U.S. Competes for Oil, Gold and other Resources Friday, May 13, 2011 (photo: Susanne Miller, USFWS) With Arctic ice receding due to global warming, American officials have been cozying up to Greenland, where future oil and mineral deposits may become available to exploration. State Department cables released by WikiLeaks reveal that the U.S. and other industrial nations are jockeying to “carve up” Arctic resources in the coming years. The U.S. Geological Survey estimates Greenland territory may sit atop oil reserves as large as those in the North Sea. The Arctic Circle could contain 90 billion barrels of oil, about 1,700 trillion cubic feet of natural gas, and 44 billion barrels of natural gas liquids. Greenland is an autonomous territory belonging to Denmark. But the U.S. believes Greenland is headed for independence, presenting “a unique opportunity” for American gas and oil companies to make money. Scientists have found that Arctic ice is melting faster than had been anticipated, leading various countries and companies to accelerate their plans for commercial exploitation. In addition to oil and natural gas, mining companies have their eyes on aluminum, iron ore, gold and rubies. There is also talk of opening a Northern Sea route between Europe and Asia that would be faster than going through the Suez Canal. Representatives of the eight Arctic Council nations—the United State, Russia, Canada, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Sweden and Iceland—met this week in Nuuk, Greenland, to discuss the future of the region. The battle for control of Arctic resources was considered important enough for President Barack Obama to send two members of his cabinet to the meeting: Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar. They were accompanied by Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska). -David Wallechinsky, Noel Brinkerhoff WikiLeaks Cables Show Race to Carve Up Arctic (by Meirion Jones and Susan Watts, BBC News) State Department Cables (WikiLeaks) Melting Arctic Opens Profit Opportunities for Oil, Gold, Tourism (by Noel Brinkerhoff, AllGov) U.S. Navy Prepares for Militarization of the Arctic (by Noel Brinkerhoff, AllGov) - Top Stories - Unusual News - Where is the Money Going? - U.S. and the World - Appointments and Resignations - Latest News - Arizona Taxpayers Pay the Price for New, Restrictive Laws - North Carolina Law Would Force New Cars to be Sold through Dealerships - Federal Court Panel Says Florida Cannot Punish Businesses with Cuban or Syrian Connections - Kansas Only State to Close Criminal Records to Public - New York City Police Officers Reminded to Allow Women to Bare their Breasts in Public
The team was reeling from a horrible loss to the Capitals. Lots of meetings. Lots of grumbling. The coach wasn’t very happy with his players. The players really didn’t think much of their coach. So how to solve this impasse? Yes, there was the much talked about Gainey — Kovalev meeting this morning. But a bigger impact came from an unlikely source. Rollie Melanson had an idea. With Doug Jarvis still spending time with his very ill father, Melanson suggested that Mike Komisarek take a turn behind the bench. Melanson was on the bench for a rare visit on Friday night. Perhaps Rollie suggested MK take the bench spot as he wanted to escape the tension of the bench to his more familiar perch high above. Whatever the reason, coach Komisarek was just what the doctor ordered. For the players, Komo is someone they respect and trust. And with Carbonneau struggling to get through to the players, MK was a welcome ally. By Komo’s own modest admission, he was there to be a “big cheerleader” and to help the bench “stay positive”. But the camera shots seemed to suggest that Komo was doing more leaning over and providing peer advice to Latendresse and others. It was an important win against a division opponent. But it was three steps, forward two steps back. First the positives. Once again Carey Price led the team stopping 26 shots with some great saves early and late in the game. Andrei Kostitsyn had a huge game with a goal, an assist and numerous chances. He was certainly the first star. Robert Lang also played very well with a team high 6 shots. Saku Koivu had his typical solid effort. His work in the Buffalo crease especially during powerplays was textbook and should be a lesson for his teammates. He was getting hammered but maintained positioning. Matt D’Agostini was steady and didn’t look out of place. He played hard on the boards and isn’t easy to knock off the puck. He also went to the front of the net. He had power play time and was on the ice during the last five minutes of the game with the Canadiens protecting a one goal lead. The three Canadien goals were all result of hard work. Andrei Kostitsyn stole the puck, wheeled around the defenseman and put it past Lalime. After a botched Buffalo line change, Lapierre made a nice pass to Begin for the second Canadiens goal. Markov weaved through the Buffalo zone dishing to Koivu and then Andrei buried the return pass for his goal. Apart from Markov and Hamrlik, the defensive corp had a rough night. Dandenault had some signs of rust but he will get better as he readjusts to playing defense. Bouillon and Brisebois were both responsible for several bad giveaways. Sabres had two great chances to score in the last minute due to Brise. Not sure why he was on the ice at that time of the game. And Josh Gorges was primarily responsible for both Buffalo goals by Tomas Vanek. On the first goal, Gorges was already heading to the bench on Higgin’s backswing. When the puck wasn’t cleared, Gorges had left Vanek all alone in front of Carey Price. (Vanek is at the top of the league in goals, Josh). On the second Gorges got turned inside out by Vanek. After regaining the puck, Gorges put it on the stick of Roy who went to Stafford and then to Vanek for the goal. The Habs were also back to their undisciplined ways. Latendresse and Sergei Kostitsyn took bad penalties and Begin took an ill-timed penalty. Sergei had 3 minors in total with 2 being poor decisions in the offensive zone. The Canadiens power play was 0 for 5. Particularly disappointing was a full two minute 5 on 3 in the third period. Andrei Kostitsyn looked very good playing the point. He has the best shot on the team and the Habs need a point shot to spread the defenders. Nice work by Buffalo’s Toni Lyman with 4 blocked shots on that power play (7 in total). And then there’s Alex Kovalev. More ice time tonight with 3 shots, a few chances and several giveaways. He is not a happy guy. Time to mention two more Sabre defenseman. Craig Rivet is a classy guy who doesn’t deserve the booing from a few moron fans. It was good to see Rivet but equally good to see the way his pal Koivu boxed him out to set up Markov for his goal. Teppo Numinen gives exactly what you want from a veteran defenseman. He still skates well, is an excellent passer and is smart defensively. Still the same problems tonight but a win nonetheless. Job well done Mike! Your coaching record is now 1-0. An inexperienced coach taps the favorite item in his toolbox once again. He turns it on high to shake up the lines: Koivu, Higgins, D’Agostini Plekanec, Kostopoulos, Begin Lang, Kovalev, Latendresse Lapierre, Andrei Kostitsyn, Sergei Kostitsyn Dandenault will play defense for the first time this season paired with Bouillon. O’Byrne – scratch Laraque – groin Tanguay – sore neck Mike Komisarek will be behind the bench. Doug Jarvis spending time with his 93 year old ailing father. Rocket’s 3 stars: 1. Andrei Kostitsyn 2. Tomas Vanek 3. Andrei Markov (photo credit: AP Photo)
Help kids practice their counting skills with this printable counting to eight (8) worksheet that has a fun birds theme. This worksheet will be a great addition to any numbers or counting lesson plan as well as any birds themed lesson plan. On this worksheet, kids are asked to count the number of cardinals and circle the correct number (eight) at the bottom of the page. View and Print Your Birds Themed Counting Worksheet All worksheets on this site were done personally by our family. Please do not reproduce any of our content on your own site without direct permission. We welcome you to link directly to any pages on our site without specific permission. We also welcome any feedback, ideas or anything you want to share with us - just email us at firstname.lastname@example.org.
An actress with a face that, like it or not, burns itself into your memory, not to be forgotten once initially exposed, feisty young actress Juliette Lewis once commented that her ability to look alternately attractive and repellant was a key element to her success, claiming that many attractive actresses simply can't be ugly if needed. Ugly she was as a viscously sadistic serial killer in Oliver Stone's notorious Natural Born Killers, in sharp contrast with her role as the virtually seductive cyberpunk-siren in the futuristic Strange Days. Born June 21, 1973, in Los Angeles, CA, Lewis had a distinct wild streak from her earliest days. Daughter of graphic artist/actor Geoffrey Lewis, Lewis realized her dreams of becoming an actress at the age of seven, turning those dreams into reality by becoming a professional actress at the age of 12. Distressed at the obstacles refraining her from fully immersing herself in her dreams (namely school and her parents), Lewis became legally emancipated at 14, gaining exemption from child-labor laws and the ability to work more than five hours a day. The final obstacle, high school, Lewis hurdled by dropping out at the age of 15, earning her equivalency exam with the aid of a tutor. That same year, she was arrested for being underage in an underground disco (the mug shot taken now hangs poster-size in her home). Moving to Hollywood and living for a short period with actress Karen Black while seeking work, Lewis moved into an apartment with friends, finally finding the independence she had so diligently pursued. The payoff for her persistence was not far behind, as Lewis soon landed a role in the Showtime-produced Home Fires (1987). Following up with light comedic roles in the suburban extraterrestrial comedy My Stepmother Is an Alien (1988), and taking the role of Audrey in the third installment in the vacation series National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, Lewis was well on her way to fully achieving her dreams of stardom. Her dramatic turn as Amanda Sue Bradley in Too Young to Die, the true story of the first minor to receive the death penalty, earned Lewis well-deserved praise and the recognition that would carry her forward into more challenging territory. Lewis' breakthrough role came in the form of the awkward and rebellious daughter flirting with a psychotic Robert De Niro in Martin Scorsese's Cape Fear, a role that earned her an Oscar nomination. More mature roles began to follow such as Johnny Depp's love interest in What's Eating Gilbert Grape and in her first foray into the mind of a serial killer, Kalifornia (both 1993). Her most notorious role to date, as the homicidal Mallory to Woody Harrelson's psychopathic Micky in the controversial and numbingly hyperkinetic ode to excess Natural Born Killers, displayed her remarkably enthusiastic ability for boundless exorbitance. With a few exceptions, namely 1999's The Other Sister, Lewis' post-Natural Born Killers career was filled with supporting roles and ensemble parts. She was the pregnant kidnapping victim in the noirish The Way of the Gun and played Jennifer Lopez's best friend in the domestic-violence thriller Enough. In 2003, Lewis played Luke Wilson's excessively unfaithful wife in Old School. Director Todd Phillips enjoyed working with her so much he cast her in 2004's high-profile comedic retooling of TV's Starsky and Hutch. She kept working steadily in a variety of projects including The Darwin Awards, Catch and Release, Drew Barrymore's rollerderby comedy Whip It, and she teamed up again with Todd Philips for his 2010 comedy Due Date. Lewis is also a devoted member of the Church of Scientology.
I received my film cell montage (The Dark Knight Mini Montage Film Cell) a few days ago. It looks great and is in mint condition. I love the choice of cells. I also; like how sturdy and protective the shipping package is. Thanks again for your prompt and courteous help. Have a great week. Gone With the Wind Film Cell Double - Series 6 Recommended products list Clerks II DS 1 Sheet Movie Poster - Style A \| Shut up and Sing Movie Poster Print - Style B \| Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film for Theaters Masterprint Poster \| Gattaca Movie Poster Print - British Quad Style A \| Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back Autographed Movie Script \| The Animal DS 1 Sheet Movie Poster - Style A \| Androcles and the Lion Australian Daybill \| Walt and Mickey Art One Gallery Print \| The Godfather 20 Inch Reel Lit Pub Table - Goldberg \| Coach Carter DS 1 Sheet Movie Poster - Style A
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Mixing business with pleasure, French poster artist Paul Colin (1892 – 1985) and jazz entertainer Josephine Baker became wildly successful. Baker’s lover and friend, Colin designed the magnificent Art Deco poster for Baker’s La Revue Nègre, which propelled them both to fame. Colin was hired by the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées to design 1,900 posters and countless stages sets, mostly for Baker. Colin, whose posters encompassed numerous themes from the performing arts, also illustrated Baker’s memoirs, published in 1927. The Giclee printing process delivers a fine stream of ink resulting in vivid, pure color and exceptional detail that is suitable for museum or gallery display. This art print is produced on a lightly textured superior stock - 192 gsm, acid-free and 100% cotton watercolor paper. Gham Bo by Paul Colin, ? 2008 ADAGP/Pro Artis
Founded in 2009, All-Pro Science, Inc. (APS) is the maker of the first and only all-natural line of nutritional supplements. Its mission is to provide athletes and individuals with an all-natural nutritional path for optimum health and performance. Initially, APS launched a select core series of products that featured COMPLETE 100% Vegan Protein Powder and COMPLETE 100% Organic Grass-Fed Whey Protein. Now, APS proudly offers a full range of products that addresses all aspects of sport performance, recovery and wellbeing. For the first time in industry history, athletes from all walks of life can choose to follow an all-natural performance supplement lifestyle. In fact, APS supplements are not only athlete tested, they are athlete coveted. Our 80 plus and growing family of prestigious APS Team Athletes is comprised only of top-level competitors who willingly, without monetary compensation, promote the quality, integrity, purity and efficacy of our products. The only thing they ask for in return is another round of our world-class products. Click to Read More...
Author Miller's Book Out of Nowhere Reginald Spencer has more enemies than most people have acquaintances. He has been receiving anonymous phone calls. Calls ordering him to do things that are sure to put the final shovel of dirt on his company's grave. However, Spencer is afraid if he tells anyone, the next thing that will happen will be the death of his daughter, Cindy. They have already killed his son. But Spencer can't seem to move fast enough for the voice on the phone. Peo... Without a Trace In a small Indiana town, young girls are disappearing, vanishing without a trace. Because there are no bodies, the powers that be don't agree that any crimes have been committed, perhaps they just left home? Seasoned police detective, Rex Thomas is not convinced that the girls, all students at the same university with everything going for them, would suddenly just leave without telling anyone and not even taking any clothes or belongings with them. ... View these reviews in summary mode Tim Miller Message Board Talk about the novels, new and used books that Miller has written!
Author King's Book Stig of the Dump The magic of a story for children may lie in many things - the story itself, the characters, a myth, humour, evocation of a place or time, so many things. The simple beauty of it is that it may form a part of you, get beneath your skin so to speak, almost as easily as the lessons your parents teach you. And the reason is not hard to find. It is so often the first time you have encountered, in print or in real life, what it presents. The eponymous Stig is... View these reviews in summary mode Clive King Message Board Talk about the novels, new and used books that King has written!
Go to any road race or endurance sports event and you'll see Accel Gel packets. Accel Gel is a performance and recovery fuel that features the same patented 4:1 ratio of carbs to protein as Pacific Health's famous Endurox R4 and Accelerade recovery drink mixes. This precise balance of carbs and protein significantly increases endurance, reduces exercise-related muscle damage, and accelerates muscle recovery. Available in convenient single-serving packets both with and without caffeine. The most effective, smoothest, and best-tasting exercise gel just got better: It's ALL- NATURAL! Accel Gel is the only scientifically-proven exercise gel designed to deliver rapid energy to your working muscles-and the only product with the patented 4:1 ratio of carbs to protein. Accel Gel TASTES great and gives you FASTER, BETTER energy. \|Serving Size: 1 pckt\| Servings per Container: 24 \|Ingredient\|\|Amount\|\|% Daily Value\| \|Calories from Fat\|\|0\| \| Percent Daily Value is based on a 2000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.\| † Daily Value not established. Water, fructose, sucrose, whey protein isolate and hydrolysate, maltodextrin, glycerin, natural flavors, citric acid, malic acid, salt, ascorbic acid, vitamin E acetate, vegetable color, soy lecithin. Consume 15 minutes before exercise and every 30 - 45 minutes during exercise.
Macro Greens (powder) MacroLife Naturals Macro Greens powder contains an undenatured assortment of green superfood extracts, natural fibers, adaptogenic herbs, enzymes, antioxidants and non-dairy probiotics. Each serving provides a balanced blend of powerful nutrients and whole-food vitamins that are easy for your body to digest and assimilate. Macro Greens powder is naturally nourishing, replenishing and rejuvenating. It’s like getting the energizing effects of five full servings of fruits and veggies in just one scoop! The benefits of MacroLife Naturals Macro Greens go far beyond the natural energy boost you’ll feel soon after taking it. Macro Greens can also help aid in digestion, improve mental alertness, strengthen your immune system and balance blood sugar levels. All of the ingredients in MacroLife Naturals Macro Greens powder work synergistically together to give you a living superfood blend with taste and nutrition unlike any other. If you’re looking for a delicious natural whole food greens blend, be sure and try MacroLife Naturals Macro Greens powder. Macro Greens (powder) BEYOND VITAMINS Macro Greens goes far beyond basic nutrition in maintaining health. You can take lots of capsules, plus a whole lot of fruits and vegetables, or. . . One Tablespoon of Macro Greens ! Macro Greens is a non-allergenic nutrient-rich super food supplement that optimizes pH for stimulant-free health and surpasses the nutrition of five servings of fruits and vegetables without the calories or carbohydrates. The benefits of using Macro Greens daily include increased energy, weight loss, increased mental clarity, balanced blood sugar, strengthened immune system and improved digestion. \|Serving Size: 1 Tbsp(9.4g)\| Servings per Container: 90 \|Ingredient\|\|Amount\|\|% Daily Value\| \|Vitamin C Complex\|\|400mg\|\|667\| \|NUTRIENT-RICH SUPER FOODS PROPRIETARY BLEND\| \|--Certified Organic Barley Grass Juice Powder\|\|1200mg\| \|--Certified Organic Spirulina Powder\|\|600mg\| \|--Spinach Powder w ith Octacosanol, Triaconsanol, Hexacosanol, Tetracosanol Proprietary Blend\|\|85mg\| \|NON-DAIRY PROBIOTIC CULTURES MIN. ORGANISMS (AT MFG) 18 Billion Units\| \|--Lactobacillus Acidophilus and Bulgaricus\| \|--Bifidobacterium Longum and Breeve\| \|ANTIOXIDANT Proprietary Blend\|\|1280 mg\| \|--Acerola berry juice powder\| \|ADAPTOGENIC AND METABOLIC HERBS PROPRIETARY BLEND\|\|1,690mg\| \|--Red Raspberry Powder\| \|--Parsley Juice Powder\| \|--Ginger Powder (Freeze-Dried)\| \|--Horsetail Stem Powder\| \|--Licorice Root Powder\| \|--Eleuthero Root Extract\| \|--Suma (Pfaffia Paniculata)\| \|NATURAL FIBERS PROPRIETARY BLEND\|\|1933mg\| \|--Lecithin Powder 99% Oil Free\| \|--Certified Organic Flax Seed Meal\| \|HARMONIZING AND SUPPORT HERBS PRORIETARY BLEND\|\|1170mg\| \|--Yucca Juice Powder\| \|--Watercress Juice Powder\| \|--Carrot Juice Powder\| \|--Certified Organic Beet Juice Powder\| \|--Nova Scotia Dulse\| \|--Aloe Vera (Freeze-Dried)\|\|450mg\| \|NATURAL PLANT ENZYMES\|\|200mg\| \|--Protease, Lipase, Amylase and Cellulase\| \| Percent Daily Value is based on a 2000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.\| † Daily Value not established. Stevia, and Certified Organic Natural Flavors. Mix 1 Tbsp into 10-12 ounces of your favorite non-citrus juice, water, smoothie or protein shake. For best results and taste mix into 1/2 apple juice and 1/2 water. Enjoy 2-3 times daily! No Fillers or Animal Testing. No Sugar Added and Low-Glycemic. No Artificial Colors, Preservatives or Ingredients. Taste may change depending on harvesting season. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
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Jim McCaffertyBasketball Player/Basketball & Track Coach/Administrator Loyola University/Xavier (Ohio) University Jim McCafferty was a standout basketball player, basketball coach, track and field coach, and athletics administrator. He has been inducted into the Loyola and Xavier (Ohio) halls of fame. Born in Scammon, Kansas, McCafferty was a prep basketball star in Henryetta, Okla., before coming to Loyola to play football in 1938. He played one season before the school dropped the sport. McCafferty stayed on and switched to basketball, playing three seasons (1940-43). He was named to the All-Dixie Conference team in 1941 and led the team in scoring as a junior and senior. As a senior captain, he helped lead Loyola to a Dixie Conference Championship, being named Most Valuable Player of the conference tournament. After finishing his playing career, McCafferty was a Loyola assistant coach for eight seasons, including the Wolfpack's NAIA National Championship in 1945, which is still New Orleans' only major basketball team championship. Many players from the championship team said in later interviews that McCafferty was responsible for the game-planning and coaching, while head coach Jack Orsley focused on managing and administrating the program. In 1948 U.S. Basketball hired him to coach Team USA for the Central American Olympic Games in Panama, and McCafferty coached the USA to the gold medal. McCafferty, who was Loyola's track coach for 11 seasons, later became the Wolfpack's head basketball coach and Athletic Director. He led Loyola to its only NCAA basketball tournaments, gaining one of 16 bids in both 1954 and 1957. Under his tutelage, Loyola athletes competed in the most prestigious track events in the country - the Drake, Florida, and Texas relays, and the NCAA Championships. His track team won consecutive Gulf States Conference Championships in 1951 and 1952. He left Loyola to become head basketball coach at Xavier University (Ohio) from 1957-63, also serving as the Musketeers' athletic director from 1961-79. In his first season, Xavier was ranked No. 4 by UPI and No. 7 by AP. The Muskateers were invited to the NIT and won the title in what Sport magazine called "one of the greatest upsets in basketball history." McCafferty won 91 games at Xavier from 1957-63, third most in school history, and took the school to its first NCAA Tournament in 1961. He was the first commissioner of what is now the Midwestern Collegiate Conference in 1979. The league awards the James J. McCafferty trophy to the school that accumulates the most performance points. McCafferty was 90 when he died in Seattle in 2006. Loyola University is currently (July, 2011) in the process of recognizing McCafferty through a scholarship in his honor - the Coach James McCafferty Scholarship, which will go to an athlete on the Loyola track or basketball team. For more information, call Loyola at 504-861-5851. McCafferty's honor was presented to Ken Leithman (pictured to left with Sugar Bowl President Lance Africk), a member of McCafferty's track teams at Loyola from 1949-51. Story submitted by Les East of the Greater New Orleans Sports Selection Committee.
Your Search Returned 500 tagged news reports A civil lawsuit filed by Irving Picard names Frank Avellino, Michael Bienes, and Sonja Kohn as accomplices to the $20 billion Bernie Madoff ponzi scheme. Kohn funneled investors to Bernie Madoff and, as the lawsuit The son of Convicted Financer Bernie Madoff was found hanging in his apartment in NYC on Saturday. According to New York City police, Madoff committed suicide. Madoff was found hanging in his apartment from a pipe on a black 46 year old Mark Madoff, son of Bernie Madoff committed suicide on the anniversary of his father’s arrest. Mark Madoff was found dead in his apartment. According to reports, Mark Madoff hung himself using a dog collar attached to a Mark Madoff was found dead in his SoHo apartment. He was found by his father-in-law. It has also been reported that his 2-year-old son was with him in his apartment. Mark had been exchanging emails with his wife, Stephanie. Mark, the son of Bernie Madoff's, has likely died of suicide attempt this morning. It is pertinent to note that today marks the second anniversary of Bernie Madoff's arrest. Mark,46, was found dead at his Soho apartment. The Economic Monitor Subscribe to The Economic Monitor to get the day's most relevant news, data and anlaysis ...Bankruptcy Court in New York in the weeks before the statute of limitations expired on the two-year anniversary of Madoff's December 11, Today is the second anniversary of Bernie’s Madoff’s arrest - the convicted fraudster in New York City, infamous for his Ponzi scheme. Bernard Lawrence "Bernie" Madoff is an incarcerated former American stock broker, investment advisor, The son the jailed Billionaire Bernard Madoff was found dead in his Manhattan apartment today in an apparent suicide to mark the second anniversary of his father’s arrest. The maddoff sons Today is the second anniversary of Bernie’s Madoff’s arrest - the convicted fraudster in New York City, famous for the Ponzi scheme. The son of Bernie Madoff, Mark Madoff committed suicide Saturday afternoon by hanging On the day when two years ago, the arrest of Bernie Madoff, the Ponzi schemer, took place, his son Mark Madoff was found dead in his New York City apartment. According to the reports, Mark Madoff committed suicide by hanging himself.
Complete 2013 Long-Range Weather Forecast for the Northeast Region, November 2012 to October 2013 includes week-by-week details. Free 2-Month Weather Forecast MAY 2013: temperature 55° (1° below avg.); precipitation 3.5" (1" below avg. north, 1" above south); May 1-8: Showers, then sunny, warm; May 9-14: Rainy periods, cool; May 15-21: Showers, then sunny, cool; May 22-28: Scattered showers, seasonable; May 29-31: Sunny, hot. JUNE 2013: temperature 65° (avg.); precipitation 3.5" (avg.); Jun 1-4: T-storms, then sunny, cool; Jun 5-9: T-storms, warm; Jun 10-21: Showers, cool; Jun 22-25: Sunny, hot; Jun 26-30: Scattered t-storms, cool. Annual Weather Summary: November 2012 to October 2013 Winter will be colder and drier than normal, with below-normal snowfall. The coldest periods will be from Christmas through early January and in mid-January and early, mid-, and late February. The snowiest periods will be in mid-November, mid- to late December, mid- to late February, and early March. April and May will be slightly warmer than normal. Rainfall will be below normal in the north and above normal in the south. Summer will be drier than normal, with near-normal temperatures. The hottest periods will occur in early July and mid-August. September and October will be warmer and drier than normal.
Japan will send its ambassador Masatoshi Muto back to South Korea one week after recalling him, as an ongoing territorial dispute heightens between Tokyo and Seoul over sovereignty of a chain of islands in the Sea of Japan (East Sea), Chinese Foreign Minister Koichiro Gemba said on Wednesday. The move comes just one day after Japan formally proposed to South Korea that the two countries take the territorial feud to the Hague-based International Court of Justice (ICJ) for arbitration. Gemba told a news conference Wednesday that Ambassador Masatoshi Muto will return to Seoul later in the day to "resolve the dispute from inside South Korea." He added that Japan needed to express its unwavering position on the territorial issue from inside South Korea, Chinese news agency Xinhua reported. Japan's foreign minister also said that sending Muto back to Seoul was in line with Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda's policy to resolve the heightening feud by peaceful means and based on international law. But Tokyo stiffened its rhetoric on the disputed islands, known as Takeshima in Japan and Dokdo in South Korea, with Gemba saying in a parliamentary session earlier Wednesday that South Korea's control of the islets amounted to an illegal occupation. "We are in a situation where we cannot exercise part of our jurisdiction because of South Korea," Gemba was quoted by local media as saying. "We can say this situation constitutes an illegal occupation." Both Gemba and Defense Minister Satoshi Morimoto used the expression "illegal occupation" for the first time since the ruling Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) took power in 2009 -- marking a volitional change in the severity of language used by the Japanese government to describe its stance on the territorial dispute. Gemba's remarks Wednesday came after South Korea swiftly rejected Japan's proposal to South Korea to take the island row to the ICJ to seek resolution on the issue. South Korean Foreign Minister Kim Sung-hwan stated that the proposal from Japan is "not worth consideration," and warned that South Korea will take stern measures against Japan if it " continues to raise any unjustified issue over the islets," according to local media reports. Gemba also rapped Kim for echoing remarks made by South Korean President Lee Myung-bak, calling for Japan's Emperor Akihito to apologize for the nation's past colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula if he were to visit South Korea. Lee's comments were made on the back of an unprecedented visit by a South Korean president to the islands just days before the August 15 anniversary of Japan's World War II surrender, which ended its 35-year colonial rule over the Korean Peninsular. The Japanese government is considering postponing an upcoming Japan-South Korea summit and intergovernmental consultations that are scheduled for the near future, in an official show of disapproval towards their South Korean counterparts, lawmakers here have said. In addition, Finance Minister Jun Azumi also said that Japan may scale back its currency swap deal with South Korea from the current 70 billion U.S. dollar level. Azumi will also be postponing this weekend's meeting with his counterpart in Seoul and Trade and Economy Minister Yukio Edano has decided not to hold bilateral talks with South Korean officials at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations economic ministerial meeting, which takes place later in August, officials said, in a sign the row will not rest in the near future.
Friends of Valley Pet Hospital Monday, 23 May 2011 23:54 We have exciting news to share! It has always been my desire to provide high quality veterinary care with state-of-the-art equipment and full service diagnostics. While I have been able to offer many of these services, the level of care and variety of services has been limited by the size of my clinic and staff. As a result, I have decided to combine my efforts with Aloha Dog & Cat Hospital, located less than one mile east. I believe this merger will greatly benefit my patients and clients, as we will now be able to offer enhanced daily veterinary care to your pets. Aloha Dog & Cat Hospital is a highly respected full service veterinary hospital with a team of five experienced doctors. Originally a one doctor practice like mine, they have steadily grown in size since the 1960’s. The owner, Dr. Doug Gribskov succeeded his father and has been joined by Dr. Kate Gribskov, the third generation. Recently remodeled, the facility is spacious and efficient. New equipment such as digital radiographs, ultrasound and laser surgery allows for more in-depth diagnostics and treatment. We will be relocating to Aloha Dog & Cat Hospital on June 13, 2011, where I will continue to be available to provide your veterinary care. Should you require an appointment when I am out of the office, a team of exceptional doctors will be consistently available to accommodate your veterinary needs. To make this transition as smooth as possible, we encourage you to learn more about our new home at www.alohadogandcat.com or stop by the hospital at your convenience for a tour. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8am to 5:30pm and Saturday, 8am to 4pm. Even positive change can be challenging, but I am certain you will be as excited with this change as I am! Jennifer R. Leddy, DVM
For February at 6500′, it’s a warm day–about 40 degrees–and the sun makes it feel even warmer as we hike across the windswept grassland plateau. Snow still blankets the north-facing slopes, but the rest of the ground is free of snow, soft, and slightly muddy in places. Everywhere, almost literally, signs of elk abound; I have never seen so many turds and tracks in one place. This small plateau must be great winter ground for them. I haven’t seen (or felt) any invasive Drooping Brome (Cheat Grass) in my socks all day, only native Bouteloua (Grama Grass). Here on the Colorado Plateau, where some areas have been grazed extensively, that must be one sign of a healthy ecosystem. Through the Grama we hike, our heavy packs weighing us down more and more, until–finally–the east rim of the Grand Canyon reveals itself to us. Last weekend, Jackson Frishman invited me to join him on a trip to visit the confluence of the Colorado and Little Colorado Rivers. Jackson’s proposal was ambitious: nearly 40 miles of hiking in 2.5 days, with no water along the route (we had to carry our own water cache). He introduced it to me as a hare-brained plan, and honestly that’s all he needed to say to get me on board. Jackson told me he wanted to visit the confluence because the Grand Canyon Escalade–a proposed tourism development on the western edge of the Navajo Nation, which overlooks the confluence. If the project passes, it would include a tram from the rim down to the Little Colorado River (read more about Escalade here, here, and here). For me, it was a good time to familiarize myself with this area, learn a little more about the proposal, as well as to visit the Grand Canyon again; I began my backpacking life there, and the Grand Canyon evokes many special memories for me. On Friday night, we discussed the final plans over beers and enchiladas, and it was clear that the stress of planning the trip had turned into excitement for what lied ahead. We started out on Saturday morning; our packs were weighed down with a couple of extra gallons of water for the return hike. We dropped the water underneath a couple of stiff piñon boughs to keep it from freezing, as well as to keep it away from the ravens which were surely watching us. As we got closer to the park service boundary with the Navajo Nation, we found an old hogan, with a missing west wall; the doorway of a Navajo hogan faces east to receive the morning sun and it’s good blessings, and when someone dies in a hogan they are carried out through a hole that has been knocked in the west wall, then the home is abandoned. After several more miles, we crested a hill and scared a large herd of maybe 200 elk out of a drainage. They must have known about a water source that we didn’t. We watched the elk until they disappeared into the horizon and would see them several times over the next couple of days. The final push to the east rim was tortuous; buttes on the north side of the Colorado River were visible, but they never seemed to get any closer. However, finally, after what felt like hours we arrived at Cape Solitude. Solitude indeed. We had not seen any other human footprints all day, and aside from a windbreak built from rocks, our campsite showed no sign of other humans at all. In the second-most-visited national park, solitude can be tough to come by. It’s a special feeling to have a piece of the Grand Canyon all to yourself. We woke up to a windy but beautiful sunrise the next morning and hiked back to our water cache (thankfully untouched) from the day before. After rehydrating, I was happy to hike to our second night’s camp, closer to our trailhead, but with another private view of the canyon’s rim. Horned larks flitting through the sagebrush and elk were our only company. The next morning Jackson and I returned to our cars, shared a couple of cold beers, and parted ways. We hiked through the Grama–through a healthy ecosystem–to a part of the Grand Canyon only a few people get to see. Elk tracks went right up to the rim. I wonder if they admire the view from time to time? In my twentieth year of visiting the Grand Canyon, I still stand in awe of the vast landscape, and can’t help but wonder if some of that awe would be diminished if I could take a tram all the way to the bottom, or if–consequently–the elk tracks didn’t go all the way to the rim. P.S. You can also read Jackson’s post and see his image of Cape Solitude at his blog here. His blog is always worth a visit, with fantastic writing and wonderful imagery.
Questions to ask your Healthcare Team When diagnosed with ALS, it may feel overwhelming to receive a lot of information from healthcare professionals. Being prepared for meetings with the doctor and other members of the healthcare team can help in gathering the most information and gaining a better understanding of your diagnosis and treatment options. The following is a list of questions to ask the doctor and other healthcare professionals. It can be very helpful to bring another person along to the appointments. A friend or family member can be supportive, provide an extra set of ears, and ensure all the questions are answered. Note taking or tape recording the meeting is a good way your friend or family member can help you capture all important information. (if recording, be sure to ask for permission to record the meeting). Click here for a printer friendly pdf version of this information (this would be helpful as a take-along for new pts to clinic) Questions about a doctor’s experience Questions about your diagnosis Questions about treatment Questions about side effects Questions about diet Questions about exercise Questions about social concerns Questions to ask myself Questions about a doctor’s experience: - Where did you receive your medical training and complete your residency? - Have you ever cared for other people with ALS? - How many people with ALS do you care for each year? - Do you work with a healthcare team? Who are they and what are their specialties? Questions about your diagnosis: - What is my diagnosis? What type of ALS do I have? - Is there a stage of my ALS? What does this mean? - What are the symptoms that I may experience from this diagnosis? Questions about treatment: - What treatment(s) do you recommend? Why? - Are there any clinical trials available to me at this hospital? At other hospitals? - What are the benefits of each of my treatment options? - What are the risks of treatment? - What on-going evaluations will I need during my treatment? How often? - What about other treatment options such as complementary and alternative therapies? - Please explain the medications being prescribed for me. What does each one do? Questions about side-effects: - What are the potential side effects of my medication options? How likely are they to occur? - What medication(s) will be prescribed to help manage my side effects? Do these medications have additional side effects? - How can I contact you in case of an emergency or if I have further concerns? Questions about diet: - Will my diet need to be changed or modified? - Do you have a dietitian or nutritionist that you recommend? Questions about exercise: - What physical activities do you recommend? Are there any I should avoid? Questions about social concerns: - Are there any lifestyle changes I should make? - Who can I speak with about my financial and/or insurance concerns? - What support programs are available for myself and my family? Questions to ask yourself: - Does my doctor seem interested in my questions? Is the doctor easy to communicate with? - Did I get enough time with the doctor to answer all of my questions? - Do I feel that my doctor cares about my medical outcome? - Will I be able to reach my doctor if I have any questions or concerns while being treated? - Is my doctor open to me seeking a second opinion? Even if you feel comfortable with the answers a doctor gives, it might be advantageous to seek a second opinion. Second opinions can be extremely valuable when making decisions about treatment. They can help provide more information about treatment options as well as more confidence in the treatment plan. Ultimately, many doctors welcome hearing the opinions of their colleagues.
California Voters: What You Need to Know About Important State Ballot Initiatives Photo Credit: Shutterstock.com Stay up to date with the latest headlines via email. This article was published in partnership with GlobalPossibilities.org. With so much at stake nationally in this election, it may be hard to keep up with all the local issues, and especially hard to figure out how to vote on California's ballot initiatives. A really good, non-partisan roundup of all of them is available from public radio station KQED. If you're looking to cross-reference that with something more left-leaning, CREDO and the Courage Campaign teamed up to provide a Progressive Voter Guide that lets you compare how a whole bunch of progressive organizations stand on the ballot initiatives. (You can also download it to your phone by texting VOTECA to 30644.) And below, we take a look at some of the most crucial state-wide ballot initiatives. Proposition 30: Temporary Taxes to Fund Education. Guaranteed Local Public Safety Funding. Initiative Constitutional Amendment. Official Overview from the Secretary of State: This measure temporarily increases the state sales tax rate for all taxpayers and the personal income tax (PIT) rates for upper-income taxpayers. These temporary tax increases provide additional revenues to pay for programs funded in the state budget. The state's 2012-13 budget plan--approved by the Legislature and the Governor in June 2012--assumes passage of this measure. In a Nutshell Individuals making more than $250k and couples more than $500k a year would have an increase in their income tax for seven years. Sales tax would increase by a quarter of a cent for four years. The money generated (an estimated $6 billion over seven years), would help K-12 schools as well as community colleges, and public safety. If the measure is not passed, it's bad news. KQED reports, "This year's state budget includes 'trigger cuts' if the measure fails. K-12 schools and community colleges would lose $5.35 billion. The University of California and California State University systems would each lose $250 million. City police departments, CalFire, the park system, flood control programs and others would also lose several million dollars each." What People Are Saying This is one of the most important fights on the California ballot and supported by most progressive organizations across the board as being essential for education. It's also endorsed by many major labor and education groups as well as most of the state's major newspapers, including the Los Angeles Times and the S an Francisco Chronicle. Here is what the Yes on 30 campaign says the proposition would do: - Stop another $6 billion in cuts to our schools this year. After years of cuts, our schools still face a $6 billion dollar budget deficit this year. If we do nothing, the cuts will get deeper. - Prop. 30 stops the cuts, provides billions in new funding for our schools starting this year --- supporting everything from smaller class sizes to afterschool programs. - Guarantee local public safety funding. - Prop. 30 establishes a guarantee for public safety funding in our state constitution, where it can't be touched without voter approval. This will keep cops on the street and save the state billions in prison costs over the long term. Whose Side Are You On? The list of endorsers for Prop 30 is huge. Check out the full list here. The No on Prop 30 site lists its sponsors as Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, the National Federation of Independent Business California and Small Business Action Committee, with a full list of endorsers with one notable on the list that bears mentioning -- the Koch brothers' Americans for Prosperity. The No side has also been aligned with billionaire siblings Molly Munger and Charles Munger, Jr.
Are American Vigilantes Hunting Down and Murdering Immigrants as They Cross the Arizona Border? Stay up to date with the latest headlines via email. The mountains near here rise as jagged and unforgiving obstacles on the horizon for immigrants and smugglers who cross the border by moonlight and make their way northward along the foothills, stopping in the cypress groves for rest. It’s a natural passage and the easiest route to travel. But it was also here, on April 8, that a group of what was described as four white men wearing camouflage opened fire on a packed truck carrying immigrants illegally into the country, killing two of them. The victims, Gerardo Perez-Ruiz from the central Mexican city of Toluca and another man believed to be from Guatemala, were part of a group of 20 to 30 immigrants driving through a remote desert wash near Eloy when the group of gunmen suddenly appeared. According to statements provided by five surviving immigrants, the gunmen yelled, “Alto!” — “Halt!” — as the truck neared, then fired their weapons before disappearing without another word into the pre-dawn darkness. The murders this spring were not the first in the smuggling corridor near Eloy. In fact, they bear distinct similarities to the killings of four immigrants in the area in 2007 — high-profile incidents that accelerated fears that U.S.-born vigilantes had begun a shooting war meant to turn back the tide of undocumented immigrants. For more than 10 years now, the bulk of undocumented immigrants from the south have poured across the Arizona border, pushed by a change in U.S. border policy from the coastal cities and states into the far more treacherous Sonora Desert crossing. Partly as a result, the number of those dying, or being killed, as they cross the border has accelerated dramatically. Between 2004 and 2011, an average of 223 bodies of migrants have been found every year in just the Tucson Sector, now the busiest section of the border — and that doesn’t include hundreds of skeletonized remains. Although most of the deaths certainly were the result of searing heat, in hundreds of cases, the victims’ remains were too rotted to be sure. The recent shootings near Eloy, coupled with the murders in January and February of 2007, have raised these worries again. An internal Department of Homeland Security (DHS) report from the earlier period, obtained by the Report, said the 2007 shootings were likely connected to each other. And in the second incident that year, police found two men with non-Hispanic names “concealed in the brush” nearby watching the police response — a “curious” fact, the DHS report said. Through it all, most Arizona authorities have dismissed virtually all the non-weather-related deaths as the result of attacks by drug and human smugglers — and there is little doubt that that is behind some of the mayhem. But many activists and at least some in law enforcement fear that a small but committed cadre of hard-core extremists on the border may actually be engaging in murder. Matt Browning, a retired Mesa police detective who spent years undercover infiltrating racist border and neo-Nazi skinhead groups, is one of them. “In Arizona, we might not have Hammerskins or Volksfront or the Klan,” Browning said, referencing some of the more prominent contemporary white supremacist groups. “What we do have is a lot of angry, militant white men on the border sitting like hunters waiting for these people to come across.” ‘Hispanics Would Be Killed’ This May 2, a man named Jason Todd “J.T.” Ready strode into the house he shared with his girlfriend and her family in the Phoenix suburb of Gilbert. Minutes later, a frantic Lisa Mederos was on the phone to 911 reporting threats from an enraged Ready. Next came the sound of a shot, and the line went dead.
Meet the Male Senators Who Voted Against a Bill Protecting Victims of Domestic Violence (Hint: They're Republicans) Stay up to date with the latest headlines via email. Eight Senators on Monday voted not to consider the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act, a bill that protects victims of domestic violence. The Senators who voted against moving to debate on the bill were: Sens. Ted Cruz (R-TX), Mike Lee (R-UT), Tim Scott (R-SC), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Mike Johanns (R-NE), Rand Paul (R-KY), Pat Roberts (R-KS), and James Risch (R-ID). VAWA’s reauthorization has been caught up in partisan gridlock over added provisions that would protect undocumented immigrants, as well as LGBT and Native American victims of domestic violence. Congress failed to reauthorize the bill by the end of 2012, and the Senate is now considering the same legislation again, in its new legislative session. All of the women in the Senate, with the exception of Sen. Deb Fischer (R-NE), co-sponsored the legislation. Once Senators consent to take up the measure, it will be voted on in its entirety. It is expected to pass, but will face a tougher battle in the House.
FAQs on General Petraeus' Testimony Stay up to date with the latest headlines via email. Q. How did General Petraeus' testimony in front of Congress go? A. Pretty good. He emphasized that progress was being made in Iraq. The same way he talked about the progress being made in Iraq when he testified in the same room back in 2004. He might be using the same script. Q. What's the difference between then and now? A. Back then, Baghdad still had electricity and water and the wheel. Q. Did General Petraeus speak about what the future holds for our Iraqi involvement? A. He acknowledged the road ahead would be difficult. He also allowed that fire engines are often red. Q. The General said we have raised the number of trained Iraqi security forces fighting alongside American troops. Is it a significant rise? A. 60 percent. From five to eight. Q. Five to eight brigades? Divisions? A. No. Troops. Used to be five guys we could trust. Now it's eight. Q. What happened to the Democrats holding the General's feet to the fire? A. Everyone except MoveOn.org scampered away like 12-year-old girls running from a big hairy spider. Q. What did MoveOn.org do? A. They ran a full page ad in the New York Times spotlighting General Betray Us. A. How often do you get a rhyme like that? Once in a lifetime shot; they took it. Q. Doesn't the latest National Intelligence Estimate report Iraq's government is paralyzed by internal squabbling and petty personal differences? A. Yes, so if you think about it, we have made strides in installing an American-style democracy. Q. Did the General really respond to whether our intervention in Iraq was making America safer, by saying, "Unh, I don't know, actually"? A. Yeah. So? Q. Nothing. Just curious. A. Well, move on. I mean, keep going. Q. What does the General mean when he says security gains since the surge have been "uneven." A. "Uneven" is traditional Pentagon speak for "getting our butts handed to us on a paper plate." Q. What about those benchmarks that were oh-so-important in January? A. Turns out they weren't really all that important. What is important is other stuff. Stuff that looks good right now. Q. The President called the insurgents in Iraq, Al Qaeda 12 times in his speech. What's up with that? A. A small group calls itself Al Qaeda of Iraq, but its not the same Al Qaeda responsible for 9/11. Surfing off the credibility of the name. Kind of like a terrorism franchise. Q. Does fighting one hurt the other? A. There used to be two teams in the Canadian Football League called the Red Ryders. But if you beat one it didn't mean you got credit for two victories in the standings. Q. What ever happened to "we'll step down when the Iraqis step up?" A. Someone stole the steps. Q. Was a timetable provided for reducing troops in Iraq? A. Nothing clear cut. Something to do with snow and hell. Q. And the upshot of the whole thing? A. General Petraeus asked for more time. He's hoping to come back in March with a new report. Q. So, they're just going to keep kicking the dead cat down the road. Until when, do you think? A. Does November 4th, 2008 have any meaning here? Q. Is that a question? A. Sorry, no. Will Durst is a comic, writer, actor, former radio talk show host and former fork lift driver. Catch Durst performing his solo show "The All-American Sport of Bipartisan Bashing" in Off Broadway at the New World Stages (340 West 50th Street) which has been extended through the end of October. Yea. Telecharge.com for tickets.
Dr. Carl Auer von Welsbach (1858-1929) had a rare double talent of understanding how to pursue fundamental science and, at the same time, of commercializing himself successfully as a inventor and discoverer. He discovered 4 elements (Neodymium, Praseodymium, Ytterbium, and Lutetium). He invented the incandescent mantle, that helped gaslighting at the end of the 19th century to a renaissance. He developed the Ferrocerium - it`s still used as a flint in every disposable lighter. He was an eminent authority, and great expert in the field of rare earths (lanthanoides). He invented the electric metal filament light bulb which is used billions of times today. Additionally, all his life he took active part in different fields, from photography to ornithology. His personal qualities are remembered highly by the people of Althofen, he not only had an excellent mind but also a big heart. These qualities ensured him a prominent and lasting place not only in Austria`s science and industrial history. 9th of Sept. 1858: Born in Vienna, son of Therese and Alois Ritter Auer von Welsbach ( his father was director of the Imperial printing office the "Staatsdruckerei"). 1869-73: went to the secondary school in Mariahilf, (then changed to the secondary school in Josefstadt.) 1873-77: went to secondary school in Josefstadt, graduation. 1877-78: military service, became a second lieutenant. 1878-80: Inscribed into the technical University of Vienna; studies in math, general organic and inorganic chemistry, technical physics and thermodynamics with the Professors Winkler, Bauer, Reitlinger; and Pierre. 1880-82: Changed to the University of Heidelberg; lectures on inorganic experimental chemistry and Lab. experiments with Prof. Bunsen, introduction to spectral analysis and the history of chemistry, mineralogy and physics. 5th of Feb. 1882: Promotion to Doctor of Philosophy at the Ruperta-Carola-University in Heidelberg. 1882: Return to Vienna as unpaid Assistant in Prof. Lieben`s laboratory; work with chemical separation methods for investigations on rare earth elements. 1882-1884: Publications: " Ueber die Erden des Gadolinits von Ytterby", "Ueber die Seltenen Erden". 1885: The first separation of the element "Didymium" with help from a newly developed separation method from himself, based on the fractioned crystalisation of a Didym-ammonium nitrat solution. After the characteristical colouring, Auer gave the green components the name Praseodymium, the pink components the name Neodidymium. In time the latter element was more commonly known as Neodymium. 1885-1892: Work on gas mantle for the incandescent lighting. Development of a method to produce gas mantle ("Auerlicht) based on the impregnation from cottontissue by means, measures, methods of liquids, that rare earth has been absolved in and the ash from the material in a following glow process. Production of the first incandescent mantle out of lanthanum oxide, in which the gas flame is surrounded from a stocking; definite improvement in light emmission, but lack of stability in humidity. Continuous improvements in the chemical composition of the incandescent mantel "Auerlicht", experimentations of Lanthanum oxide-magnesium oxide- variations. 18th of Sept. 1885: The patenting of a gas burner with a "Actinophor" incandescent mantle made up of 60% magnesium oxide, 20% lanthanum oxide and 20% yttrium oxide; in the same year, the magnesium oxide part was replaced with zirconium oxide and the constitution of a second patent with reference to the additional use of the light body in a spirits flame. 9th of April 1886: Introduction the name "Gasgluehlicht" through the Journalist Motiz Szeps after the successful presentation from the Actinophors in the lower Austrian trade union ; regular production of the impregnation liquid, called "Fluid", at the Chemical Institute. 1887: The acquisition of the factory Würth & Co. for chemical-pharmaceutical products in Atzgersdorf and the industrial production of the light bodies. 1889: The beginning of sales problems because of the defaults with the earlier incandescent mantle, ie. it`s fragility, the short length of use, as well as having an unpleasant, cold, green coloured light , and the relatively high price. The factory in Atzgersdorf closes. The development of fractioned cristallisation methods for the preparation of pure Thorium oxide from and therefore cheap Monazitsand. The analysis of the connection between the purity of Thorium oxide and its light emission. The ascertainment of the optimal composition of the incandescent mantle in a long series of tests. 1891: Patenting of the incandescent mantle out of 99% Thorium oxide and 1% Cerium oxide, at that period of time, because of the light emission it was a direct competition for the electric carbon-filament lamp. The resuming of production in Atzgersdorf near Vienna and the quick spreading of the incandescent mantle because of their high duration. The beginning of a competition with the electric lighting. Work with high melting heavy metals to improve and higher the filament temperature, and therefore the light emission as well. The development of the production of thin filaments. The making of incandescent mantle with Platinum threads that were covered with high melting Thorium oxide, whereby it was possible to use the lamps over the melting temperature of Platinum. This variation was discarded because with smelting the platinum threads either the cover would burst or by solidifying it would rip apart. The taking out of a patent for two manufacturing methods for filaments. In the patent specification Carl Auer von Welsbach described the manufacturing of filaments through secretion of the high smelting element Osmium onto the metallic-filament. The development and experimentation of further designing methods such as the pasting method for the manufacturing of suitable high smelting metallic-filaments. With this method Osmium powder and a mixture of rubber or sugar is mixed together and kneaded into a paste. The manufacturing results in that the paste gets stamped through a delicate nozzle discharged cylinder and the filament subsequently dries and sinters. This was the first commercial and industrial process in the powder metallurgy for very high smelting metals. 1898: The acquiring of a industrial property in Treibach and the beginning of the experimentation and discovery work at this location. The taking out of a patent for the metallic-filament lamp with Osmium filament. 1899: Married Marie Nimpfer in Helgoland. 1902: Market introduction of the "Auer-Oslight" the first industrial finished Osmium metallic-filament lamp using the paste method. The advantages of this metallic-filament lamp over the, at that period of time, widely used carbon-filament lamp were: 57% less electricity consumption; less blackening of the glass; because of the higher filament temperature, a "whiter" light; a longer life span and therefore more economic. The beginning of the investigation of spark giving metals with the aim ignition mechanisms for lighters, gas lighters and gas lamps as well as projectile and mine ignition. Carl Auer von Welsbach knew of the possibility to produce sparks by mechanical means from Cerium from his teacher Prof. Bunsen. The ascertainment of the optimal compound from Cerium-Iron alloys for spark production. 1903: The taking out of a patent for his pyrophoric alloys (by scratching with hard and sharp surfaces a splinter which could ignite itself.) In the patent specification 70% Cerium and 30% Iron was given as an optimal compound. Further development of a method to produce the latter alloy cheaply. The optimizing of Bunsen, Hillebrand and Norton´s procedure, used at that time mainly for producing Cerium, was based on the fusion electrolysis from smelted Rare Earth chlorides. The problem at that time was in the leading of the electrolysis to secrete a pore-free and long lasting metal. This was the first industrial process and commercial utilization of the rare earth metals. 30th of March 1905: A report to the "Akademie der Wissenschaften" in Vienna that the results of the spectroscopic analysis show that Ytterbium is made up of two elements. Auer named the elements after the stars Aldebaranium and Cassiopeium. He ommitted the publication of the attained spectras and the ascertained atomic weights. 1907: The founding of the "Treibacher Chemische Werke GesmbH" in Treibach-Althofen for the production of Ferrocerium- lighter flints under the trade name "Original Auermetall". The publication of the spectras and the atomic weights of both new, from Ytterbium separated elements, in the completion of his report to the Academie der Wissenschaften. Priority dispute with the french Chemist Urbain concerning the analysis of Ytterbium. 1908: The solution of the electrolysis of fused salts (cerium chloride) problem, at which the minerals Cerit and Allanite are used as source substances. 1909: The adaption of the procedure, from his collaborator, Dr.Fattinger, to be able to use the Monazitsand residue out of the incandescent mantle production, for the production of cerium metal for the lighter flints. The production of three different pyrophoric alloys: "Cer" or Auermetall I : Alloy out of fairly pure Cerium and Iron. Used for igniting purposes. "Lanthan" or Auermetall II : The Cerium-Iron alloy enriched with the element Lanthan. Used for light signals because of its particularly bright sparking power. Erdmetall or Auermetall III : Alloy out of Iron and "natural" Cermischmetall; a rare earth metal alloy of corresponding natural deposits. Both of the first alloys could not win its way through the market. only the easy to produce Erdmetall, after the renaming it Auermetall I, obtained world wide status as the flint in the lighter industry. 1909: The International Atomic weight Commission decided in favour of Urbain´s publication instead of Auer´s because Urbain handed it in earlier. The Commission of the term from Urbain Neoytterbium- known today as Ytterbium and Lutetium for the new elements. The carrying-out of large scale chemical separations in the field of radioactive substances. The production of different preparations of Uran, Ionium (known today as Th230 isotop), a disintegration product in the Uranium-Radium-line, Polonium and Aktinium, that Auer made available, for research use, to such renowned Institutions and scientists as F.W.Aston and Ernest Rutherford at the Cavendish Laboratory in Cambridge (1921) and the "Radiuminstitut der Akademie der Wissenschaften" in Vienna. 1922: A report on his spectroscopic discoveries to the "Akademie der Wissenschaften" in Vienna. 1929:World-wide production of ligther flints reached 100,000 kg. 8th of April 1929: Carl Auer von Welsbach died at the age of 70.
Who is Althouse? * View only LAW posts * Contribute * Shop AMAZON* I don’t drink coffee. Mrs. Bissage drinks coffee. But this morning I decided to have waffles so I wanted a little coffee. So I stole some of Mrs. Bissage’s coffee. Now my urine smells like coffee. Just like last Saturday, it's a beautiful day in West Central Wisconsin, and just like last Saturday, I'm going to cut wood. It has rained constantly for a week, which makes today, exceptionally beautiful. But first, a spot of coffee. Ahh...coffee...I do love it so!Breakfast is still undecided...I am open to suggestions from Vox Althousi My urine smells like asparagas. But it was worth it. As for breakfast, I'm going with scrambled eggs and SOS. Now my urine smells like coffee.Could be worse, could be the other way around. So your urine smells like coffee! Isn't it heartening that you're not drinking coffee, only renting it!Bacon...it's calling my name...yes... Mark Helprin's Memoir From Antproof Case:"Caffeine, Constance, is similar to the gentic code.""It is?""Yes, C8H10N4O2. 3,7-dihydro-1,3,7-trimethyl-1H-purine,6-dione. As you know, DNA duplicates itself, but caffeine interrupts this holy process like a typhoon blasing all the punts in the River Isis, and explodes the genetic system. Caffeine replaces adenosine at the receptor sites of the neurons, causing the neurons themselves to fire at untenable rates. This usurpation and its unbridled effects, its attack upon the balance of nature, its liberation of the fire and light that serve as the battering ram of the soul, is a sin of the highest order."The greatest per capita consumption of coffee in the world is in Finland. True, they held back the Russians, but they're the most nervous people on earth, no one understands their language, and the beat themselves with branches. The average American drinks seven hundred and twenty gallons of liquid a years, of which approximately half is coffee. That is, one gallon, or sixteen cups, per day. Three percent of the population drink fifty cups a day, and fifteen percent drink forty. Sixty-seven percent of American adults and twenty-three percent of children are dependent on caffeine or various coffee acids." Love the new Althouse picture! Very happy! No cleavage though...Anybody still for McCain around here? Rugby World Cup's this afternoon - I think you can listen to commentary via the BBC here, and I'm still looking for a video stream. I wonder how many people vote purely on the positions of the candidates, and how much they vote on a perception of their 'electability.'Do people at some level say 'I like this guy, but he'll never get elected, so I'm 'throwing my vote away' if I choose him.'? Caffeine is poison. Fondly, Maxine no offense blogging cockroach but:GO SOX!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! In one of the newsrooms I used to work, the breakroom inevitably smelled like cat piss to me.It was the "coffee."My kitchen currently smells like the wonderful cappuccino I just made.The worst coffee I have ever drunk--and believe me, I've drunk plenty--has been (it's a toss-up) served up by churches and rest-stop vending machines. I take my caffeine cold in the morning. But I'll join in. McCain is still on the radar, but only because I just listened to Captain Ed's interview on Pajamas Media. After acknowledging his immigration stand hurt him, McCain noted that he got the message that Americans want security first. That struck me as a very grown-up response and will make me look more closely at him.Anyone else seeing local news stories every night about the new super staph bug that is killing more people than AIDS? Baltimore broadcasts are really doing the disaster scenario treatment. Good morning from the west coast. Firstly, there is no such thing as bad coffee. If it's the only coffee you can get, it's good coffee. uws guy, I'd phrase that slightly differently: if it's the only caffeine you can get, it's good caffeine.Don't know that extends to the coffee itself ... . Christy: My college roommate, who couldn't stand coffee (the smell of fresh-ground and brewed was OK, though), started each morning with 2-3 cans of Dr. Pepper.At the time (hypocritically enough), I found that mind-boggling. They've been covering the staph-infection story around here, as well.I can't help but thinking that this may be, to a degree, the chickens coming home to roost with regard to the abuse of antiobiotics for the past 30-odd years. This doesn't make it any less awful or alarming, however. I was infected by MRSA late last year, which I think I got from spending so much time in hospitals with a family member who had cancer. It was a terrible experience, because there's so much alarming information (and disinformation) about the bacteria out there. The infection was eventually cleared up, but it took several months and several recurrences. The treatment was an old antibiotic called Bactrim, which is a sulfa drug, as well as months of twice daily showers with Hibiclens. As I said, not fun but not the end of the world. You'll know it if you get it, it's not easy to ignore and is usually only dangerous to healthy people if left untreated, but it's a real public health concern. Staphylococcus is everywhere, but as readeriam said, due to many factors including the over-prescription of antibiotics, some strains of staph became resistant through natural selection. Evolution in action!My advice: use a lot of alcohol-based hand sanitizer (it's an antiseptic, not an antibiotic so it doesn't promote resistance), wash your hands when you can, stay out of hospitals if you can, stay away from schools (disease incubators), and shower at home rather than at the gym.I hope this didn't kill your appetite for coffee! I'm having a dry, rich "Scandinavian" blend from McNulty's right now. You can't live in a bubble. You build immunity by being exposed (a little bit) to the germs.People that have led a rarified existence and never come in contact with anything....are at greater risk.Always wash hands, and yes, Alcohol hand sanitzer. But that's different than never ever ever allowing yourself to come in contact with anything. Yikes! Doesn't sound like fun.Sulfa drugs are the one thing I have to put down on med forms under "drug allergies." Had a terrible reaction as a baby, and the allergy was confirmed was some silly doctor proceeded to give me one any at around age 4 or 5, in connection with one of my plastic surgeries following being seriously mauled by a dog. Damn near killed me.I'll just have go with my typical inveterate, frequent hand-washing and hope. I certainly can't avoid schools or other places clogged with children. "Anybody still for McCain around here?"Not me. Great American, but a lousy politician, too old, and too needy for media favor."Do people at some level say 'I like this guy, but he'll never get elected, so I'm 'throwing my vote away' if I choose him.'?"Absolutely. For example, while I have no concerns (but spiritual ones) with Mormons, I'm pretty sure most swing voters will not vote for a Mormon for President - so Romney is off the list.Conversely, Giuliani is more liberal than I, especially on social issues - but I think he's not only our best chance, but best of the field (voting Democrat is, in my estimation, akin to choosing suicide to prolong life... irrational as hell). The trend has been away from legislators and toward executives for the Presidency, starting with Jimmy Carter. Hillary defies the conventional wisdom by being a female Senator front runner, and will defy all odds if/when elected. Rudy or Mitt were positioned for a successful run, if the Republicans hadn't self-destructed the past couple of years. McCain is an ass. For the good of the party, he should sit down.Drinking unleaded iced tea after completing the yard work. High-test coffee would be much better. Maxine: I agree with you on that one.I also wonder if the problem with some other illnesses, and also allergies (which among children in particular appear to be on the rise), has been aggravated by overly sealed homes cleaned overzealously specifically with antibacterials. But maybe that's a separate topic. So what music has everyone been enjoying lately? Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, Susan Tedeschi, David Crowder Band Just got a couple of recordings of Handel operas: Giustino, conducted by Nicholas McGegan, and Tamerlano, conducted by Jean-Claude Malgoire with Rene Jacobs. Haven't gotten to the McGegan recording yet, but the Malgorie Tamerlano is pretty good so far. "Now my urine smells like coffee."If drinking coffee makes one's urine smell like coffee, how are we supposed to know what urine smells like?"it's a beautiful day in West Central Wisconsin"I know! I'm personally enjoying it right now."This usurpation and its unbridled effects, its attack upon the balance of nature, its liberation of the fire and light that serve as the battering ram of the soul, is a sin of the highest order."I keep telling myself to write like that and I keep forgetting."Love the new Althouse picture! Very happy! No cleavage though..."Click through to Flickr and check the photostream. (What does a photostream smell like?) Flaming squirrel ignites car in Bayonne, New Jersey. Christy: My college roommate, who couldn't stand coffee (the smell of fresh-ground and brewed was OK, though), started each morning with 2-3 cans of Dr. Pepper.Christy and reader_iam: I once had a roommate who had an extremely lazy eye and drank a 12-pack of Jolt a day. NEVER knew who or what he was looking at. My urine smells like guinness stout. As does my hair, fingernails, eyebrows and nose hairs. It was a long night. My wife had a Case of MRSA a few years ago. real disaster, near malpractice IMHO. anyway...she spent a week out in the woods, drove 10 hours home. Her knee started bothering her. took her to the ER. They diagnosed it as a knee trauma of some kind and referred her to an ortho guy. he drained fluid (but didn't analyze it) did xray, ultra-sound, MRI, cat-scan, never could find a problem. The knee swelled up the size of a volley ball. admitted her. The Hospital Bug guy (they all have bug killers) took one look, ran labs and put her on 3 sets of antibiotics. they ended up doing othroscopic surgery, flushing her knee with gallons of fluid, and putting her on a 3 week mult-drug intravenous antibiotic regime (at home). She lost most all the cartilage in her knee. having said that, my local (DC) TV did a story on MRSA last night, it was awful, the clown didnt have a clue. one of his best lines was:"there are two strains of MRSA, one found in hospitals is serious, the one found in schools isn't, it responds well to antibiotics" duh. the second kind is your average normal staf. if it responds to well antibiotics, it isn't MRSA you idiot A Conderacy of Dunces, John Kennedy Toole:"I shall have a coffee," Ignatius said grandly. "Chicory coffee with boiled milk.""Only instant," the bartender said."I can't possibly drink that," Ignatius told his mother. "It's an abomination.""Well, get a beer, Ignatius. It won't kill you.""I may bloat." or staph :) Why does the professor always leave us in a coffee house? Why can't she leave us in a bar? You know for brunch. A jazz combo playing softly in the background. Eggs Benedict or maybe a spinach omelet with a bellini and fresh brewed coffee as a chaser. Then we can segue into a few beers and a Philly cheese steak sandwich while we are watching the game. All the while we are leafing through the papers and reading how the Yankees insulted Joe Torre by offering to make him the highest paid manager in the major leagues. Then an appetizer platter, maybe some mozzarella sticks or fried zucchini dipping into a blue cheese sauce. A few more beers until the dinner hour. Than we can call for a bottle of wine or two, say a nice Shriaz from Australia or a hearty Chilean vintage that we would enjoy as we order a skirt steak in chimichurri sauce with garlic mashed potatoes. Then an after dinner cocktail, perhaps some Martel cognac with dessert, some prunes braised in red wine with mascarpone cheese. Topping off the evening with some Jameson’s and a few beers just to keep us mellow. Why doesn’t she ever leave us there I ask you? Why always a coffeehouse and not a bar? Because I only put up posts like this in the morning (when I think you come here expecting to see something) and I would never drink alcohol in the morning. In the evening — when I might have a glass of wine — I may or may not put up a post or two, so I never feel the need to put up a placeholder post like this. So what music has everyone been enjoying lately?MotorheadQueenEarth, Wind and FireMichelle BranchThe Soundtrack from Last of the MohicansOk, so my tastes are a little ecclectic. Bill, too funny.Palladian and Drill Sgt, sounds awful. I'm so sorry to hear about your experience with staph. My mom retired as a TB nurse 20 years ago complaining about the overuse of antibiotics and what it was doing to the TB strains. Health departments were then cutting back on TB programs and she was convinced it was poised to make a major comeback. Duh!Allison Krauss, Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, Alan Jackson .... Professor, a mimosa with fresh squeezed OJ with your mushroom omelet? Coffee on the side with a big icy cold glass of spring water. Freshly buttered rye toast and a basket of fluffy croissants.You might be missing a trick. Just say'n, ya know. I would only consider McCain if he'd renounced McCain-Feingold several years ago, when it wouldn't have been so politically expedient. I assumed Bush signed it to get it off the table and let the SC gut it. I'm surprised no one is actively running against it.Caffeine is an irritant to the colon. When my cats were still living, I could only eat about half a chocolate bar without being ill. Four doctors and multiple fun tests didn't find I was allergic to my cats (but not other cats). Freshly buttered [seedless] rye toastOne of our Organic Chem labs was to extract and convert the essence of carraway seeds into its stereoisomer, the essence of oil of peppermint. Aside from the texture, a roomful of boiling carraway seeds put me off them. "a mimosa with fresh squeezed OJ with your mushroom omelet...."That's a horrifically huge meal that should only be eaten late in the day. My idea of a good breakfast is coffee with a lot of milk. Possible a piece of toast. A croissant for a special occasion. Then, sometime after 3, it's time for food. And I'm a morning person. (It's all about the ghrelin.) You can't live in a bubble. You build immunity by being exposed (a little bit) to the germs.I agree. I have a pretty amazing immune system thus far knocks wood, and I think one of the reasons is that I spend a lot of my week in public schools in (not always well-ventilated) little practice rooms, sometimes teaching kids who should probably be home instead of bringing their illness to school. (I should also note how many kids I seem to have to teach to cover themselves when they cough or sneeze. I'm good-natured about it, saying things like, "Please, don't share!" when they do this.) Oops, forgot to join the later conversation...What I'm listening to: the two newest releases from Chris Potter, some older Jerry Bergonzi (thank you, Amazon downloads!), the newest project from Maria Schneider, and a recent release from a Vermont/Boston-based trumpeter named Alex Toth (not the comic book guy), whom I discovered a couple of years ago at the appropriately-named Discover Jazz Festival in Burlington.Trooper York:Why does the professor always leave us in a coffee house? Why can't she leave us in a bar? You know for brunch. A jazz combo playing softly in the background.Jazz combos can play at coffeehouses, too (even if I've had the unfortunate experience of having a few of those go out of business on me). A couple of my groups should be recording fairly soon, so don't be surprised if I put up a link to something of mine at a future Alt-Coffee-house. Kev, the reason they went bankrupt is because the place is full of coffee drinkers. You need real drinkers, who come for coffee and a salty breakfast with a hair of the dog (not in the eggs of course). Once you get them in, you can keep them there getting and spending. Trust me, I consulted enough times to turn any coffee joint into a real fun wine/beer/coffee joint. Let me help you with the menu, we can make it happen dude. My natural inclination is not to eat anything for at least three or four hours after I get up. But I've always been told that's bad. For years I did eat breakfast, when I was actively trying to lose weight. Now I've slacked off and started having the first meal at something more like lunch, I've noticed that it doesn't seem to matter either way, as far as the weight thing goes. Ann, I Googled "ghrelin," so I got the basic definition, but that doesn't mean I'm grasping your point. Care to expand? My curiosity is piqued. Professor we have to agree to disagree. Although I don't know if it technically counts as breakfast when you haven't gone to bed from the night before. I think it's called the Elvis paradox. So we might be in accord, it will just necessitate further research and development. I've found that if I skip breakfast, I don't get hungry 'til evening, but a bowl of cereal at 7 makes a dangerous hole open up at 11:30. Ralph: Yeah. I don't make it to evening, but yeah--about the 11:30 thing.Maybe it's sort of like the old rule, from college, about beer: go ahead and drink it, but try to put off peeing as long as possible, because once you loose the floodgates, you'll have to go every 5 minutes. Never quite understand why that was (never seemed to logical to me), but in the event ... it proved out, time and time again. Now evening. Notre Dame got crushed (smile). Michigan State nearly got to OSU. I am having similarly to another on this board, a very strong glass of coffee in a single cup packet from a hotel room in Stockholm.There is something very pleasant about drinking coffee from a clear drinking glass. The warmth passes so much better. On a good, almost great day like today it is a very fine way to wane the evening. Kroger supermarket is selling a model of Poos Jabse . Trooper--just to clarify, when I said I had coffeehouses go out of business on me, I meant that I played there, not that I owned them. I have the sneaking suspicion that you're right with the "alcohol = business" idea, even as I still hope that a few independent coffeehouses with live music can stay afloat in an over-Starbucked area.I would like to ask you, though--were the places that you consulted with still all-ages venues after alcohol was added to the proceedings? Keeping younger people from hearing live music because of alcohol sales is a big soapbox issue for me; I teach at a two-year college and several secondary schools, so I wouldn't want to play at a place where my students couldn't even walk in the door, much less sit in on occasion. The all-ages thing can work, but many owners don't want to put forth the effort. New Homebuilding in Central Ohio October 22, 2005 October 20, 2007 The colors were slightly nicer in 2005.(Location about a mile from my usual supermarket) Kev, the key is what type of liquor license is involved. If you have a "Full" license in New York State, it includes all types of liquor such as wine, beer and hard liquor such as whiskey, vodka, tequila etc. I usually recommend only a beer and wine license which costs about 1/3 as much and there is a lot fewer problems. It takes a lot to let someone get drunk on wine and beer if the staff is paying attention. This is best for the coffee shop/wine bar location. Your place can be family friendly especially at brunch. You really want to have kids only up to the early afternoon if you want to be successful. Plus families with children are not the people you want in your joint if you want to make money. They are normally on a budget and take up space that is better utilized by singles that come to your joint to socialize. What you also need to do is get a large selection of nondescript wines from Italy, Spain, Argentina, and Chile and put the per bottle price at a high number. Then have a lot of half price nights and afternoons so you still get your profit margin. For example you can get some great wines at $4.95 wholesale and price them at $40. On half price day you still get $20 a bottle. Your goal is to get the price of the bottle in just one drink. Then you start making money and you can pay waitresses, bartenders and your jazz combo’s. This presupposes that your goal is to have a viable business that will survive. If you want to provide a community meeting place, just start a bonfire, link hands, and starting singing Kumbaya. Hope I didn’t bore you. All the best. Post a Comment
Who is Althouse? * View only LAW posts * Contribute * Shop AMAZON* That would be a cat... Really? Sorta looks like a possum to me. Although the behavior is cat-like: climbing. In a barn. look at the claws, not the pelt.Raccoon I could be a shrunken head made by the Shuar tribe of the Amazon. Not a cat. Legs too short. I'm thinking thirdresponder has got it right. You have had a meetup with Pogo. Not an Opossum. Every one I ever saw had naked pale flesh colored toes/claws That's really Titus' pet racoon. A Rare Cuscus? Definitely a raccoon. Possums have white rat-like tails, and it's hard to get a glimpse of a possum during daylight. I almost tripped over one the other night emptying some trash. Ugly mofo's. Looks racoon.Since the misty eyed animal lovers messed up the fur markets, racoon hunters have largely retired.This leaves hoards of racoons, many of which die an ugly death under the wheels of cars. The rest are property vandals.Bring back the racoon coat - now! I forgot about the tail, Garage. Matches my claw comment though. naked flesh colored tails as well. Drill SgtYea sort of pinkish flesh color, and they have opposable thumbs. The one I seen didn't even run away when I almost stepped on it, just sorta lumbered along. Weird animals, but they're good for gardens and I've heard they almost never get rabies for some reason. The picture is so dark, I can't really tell what it is. If everyone thinks that it's a possum, be careful, it might not be dead, but it simply could be playing possum. Davy Crocket's hat left over in the barn from childhood. This new man friend of the Professor mut be older than we thought. I'm gonna say cat. Can we move on to an argument about the proper name for that 12-tined implement in the center of the lower third of the photo? It's a big-ass rat, people. If it's a rat ,that place is a stud farm for rats. That's the Secretariat of rats. Opossum. Raccoons would have a bigger gradations of coloring from top to bottom (at least the 'coons in my area) and longer hair on the backs. The coloring is too grey to be a Raccoon. Blogger peter hoh said... Can we move on to an argument about the proper name for that 12-tined implement in the center of the lower third of the photo?Back in the Hoosier state we used to call them manure forks. YMMV. There's a long list of things this animal cannot be. Panda. Elephant. Bald Eagle. Rainbow trout. Opossum is also on that list. I'm sticking with cat. Raccoons don't usually let people get that close, unless they have been habituated and are used to receiving treats from people. If that were the case, this creature would be waiting for a handout, not turning away. The problem is that the tail is moving faster than the shutter speed. Taking that into account, I don't think the tail is thick enough to be a raccoon tail. YMMV, of course. Chupacabra. But he's playing 'possum. Amy, it's not unreasonable to call that a manure fork. I'm pretty sure that if you asked a dozen farmers, you'd get at least 6 different names for that fork. I have a 10-tine version with a medium length, D handle. It's excellent for scooping mulch. Out west, we called a straight handle 6-8 tine the manure fork.the D handle 12 tine was a silage fork Drill Sgt, I call it a silage fork, too. I bought mine from a company in Iowa. They call it an ensilage fork. Tomato, tomahto. I agree with Peter about the cat (ratty barn cat) and the fork. For the real strong forker who needs to really fork some forkable forkage, I would recommend a forkin' scoop fork from Piqua, Ohio. Them folk know their forks. LOL Meade,They may know forks but they can't count.their 12 tine fork has 10 tines :) Uh oh. SGT did the forkin' math. More questions. Is that a D-handle fork or a straight handle? Is there some sort of peg on which it hangs or is the handle resting on the floor? There was a beaver in the barn. Don't forget that part. I'm sticking with cat. Raccoons don't usually let people get that close, unless they have been habituated and are used to receiving treats from people.I get that close to racoons in the backyard of my near west side Madison backyard all the time. If I got any closer, they'd scat, but they are pretty fearless. In fact, they've hissed at me more than I've threatened them. MikeLook at the back claws. Those are climbing claws from a raccoon IMHO, not flat small cat claws Look at the back claws. Those are climbing claws from a raccoon IMHO, not flat small cat clawsAbsolutely. NOT a cat.Opossumor Raccoon I've changed my mind seeing other species elsewhere are less striped than the ones in my yard raiding the garbage can.But definitely NOT a cat. I call it a pitch fork, although I have heard manure fork as well. Regardless, it would safer to store it tines down. Sorry, kids. Used to have a pet racoon, and that ain't a racoon. Thats a blurry tabby.Racoons have more defined markings and all black feet. And the tail is too smoothly curled for a racoon's. Drill Sgt. - I'm agreeing with racoon. The italacized lead-in was a quote I was responding to. I should have stripped the first sentence out. It's the same color as the raccoons I'm familiar with from Massachusetts woods, and the feet/legs are the right shape for a raccoon, too. The opossums I've seen have all been smaller, paler, and less furry, but that photo that DBQ linked to looks pretty close to Ann's photo.I'm still going with raccoon. Definitely not a cat. Okay, time for wagers. I say cat. If I'm wrong, I'll hang my head in shame. I'm open to ideas for tangible things that might be waged. Keeping in mind what Sky Masterson's pop told him: One of these days in your travels, a guy is going to show you a brand-new deck of cards on which the seal is not yet broken. Then this guy is going to offer to bet you that he can make the jack of spades jump out of this brand-new deck of cards and squirt cider in your ear. But, son, do not accept this bet, because as sure as you stand there, you're going to wind up with an ear full of cider. "Can we move on to an argument about the proper name for that 12-tined implement in the center of the lower third of the photo?"That's not a manure fork, but an ensilage fork, used to pitch hay or corn silage. I have to go with cat too, raccoons usually have black feet and prehensile toes ( no accounting for a mutant 'coon). Barns/stables=cats, lots of cats.My tabby's feet and legs are much the same color and shape. It looks as if the cat is in a prejump crouch, thus the foreshortening effect of the legs. This is a pose I've observed in my cats for years. I bet the price of one Cincinnati 5way chili at the diner of your choice that the Gray furry animal in the picture is a RACCOON, or it's a cat that has had foot replacement surgery. Traditionalguy: Great hedge! You should be on Wall St. Traditional Guy, mind if I borrow against that hedge? Only Althouse knows for sure.Tell us, Althouse. It's a cat. Post a Comment
by Joel R. Voss aka. Javantea April 6, 2006 11:22 JST Now I have survived the first 48 hours in Tokyo, Japan, I'm in good enough shape to discuss the first 24 with you. I'm eating some BIG Cup Noodle Curry from Circle K in Kanda (神田). Here is my list of goals for the first 24 hours: - Eat (食べる [たべる] taberu) - Get onto the Internet (インターネット inta-netto) - Find Asakusa (浅草) - Get key (鍵 [かぎ] kagi) to room - Get to room (部屋 [へや] heya) in Asakusa - Get lost (迷 [まよう] mayou) in Tokyo - Get unlost (見当たる [みあたる] miataru) in Tokyo - Find Akihabara (秋葉原) - Read Manga (漫画 [まんが] manga) On the plane I met a nice Japanese man who lives in Tokyo. We talked about Tokyo and a few things. When I got off, I went through customs quite easily. They speak English and they are quite helpful. Before exiting the airport I met a nice American who was in a similar position as me trying to find an ATM to buy a ticket. We found a confusing atm that gave us our money eventually. Note to traveller: 1 yen (円 [えん] en) is approximately 1 penny, so 30,000 yen is $300 US depending on the exchange rate. I took the JR train to Tokyo Station (東京 [とうきょう] toukyou 駅 [えき] eki). It cost ~$30. My Japanese friend told me to take the Keisei to Ueno since I was headed to Asakusa, but Tokyo Station is probably the best for anyone. The view from the train is spectacular. It can't be reproduced with a camera. When I got to Tokyo station at 3 PM it was shock. Everyone was wearing black suits. I will put a picture up in the next few days to illustrate this. I was a bit too embarrased to take a photo of it, but it's quite impressive. It was the first thing to actually shame me in my current lifestyle. Soon after, I saw my first Japanese punk, who was wearing slightly cooler version of my clothes. That lifted my spirits. I left my two bags in the lockers near Yaesu. This is a good idea if you are going to be out and about. Don't worry, if you come back to get them in 24 hours, there's only a 500 yen charge to get them back. So I walk out on the street and I am quite amazed. The buildings outside Tokyo Station are very tall (高 [たか] taka). They are tall and have very bright advertisements. But unlike Las Vegas, these ads are completely packed into every square meter. A short walk in a random direction shows me that there is a lot of excellent things downtown. My first three goals go totally unsatisfied in the first 2 hours. The sun goes down at 5 PM. My first two secondary goals are easy to complete. The vending machines catch my eye. They're selling simple drinks mainly (tea (お茶 [おちゃ] ocha), coffee, soda), but many also sell cigarettes. I go up to one to check the prices: holy moly! Cigarettes for 300 yen! I am very hungry and a bit tired at this point, so I buy the cigarettes. I decide that I won't smoke until I'm desparate. Japanese girls don't like men who smoke. I go into a 7i and ask "Doko wa chizu desu?" (where is the map? (地図 [ちず] chizu)) He pointed toward the refrigerated food (cheeze). I replied, "iee, map wa." He finally understood, so he pointed toward the magazines, where there are maps. Cross 1 off my list. The map I got was absolutely horrible for the American tourist. The only English characters in the entire book are the ku (Tokyo, Shinjuku, Ueno, Taito, etc). I use it and the maps on the street poorly to get back to Tokyo station. Many maps on the street have up as north, so you have to look for the black circle to ensure which direction is north. Cross 2 off my list. So I go walking and I eventually find Akihabara and Ueno, which is close to Asakusa. Akihabara at 5-9 is really a sight to see. It's quite wild. The people, the shops, and the bright lights are sweet. Cross 3 off from my secondary goals. I pass right through the place and head to Ueno (上野). But when I go north from Ueno Station, I get to a dead end. I mistakenly take a left which I should not even thought of. Asakusa is East of Ueno. This mistaken left turn takes me to Toudai and Ueno Park, which is quite a sweet place, but very residential instead of commercial. It also has windy streets that take you increasingly west. This is when I buy a lighter and smoke 2 cigarettes. They made me very tired and nervous, which didn't help. Eventually I ended up at Suidoubashi, which is a very nice place for 24h. I found a manga internet place (see the picture). It says internet manga night pack (11:00pm-6:00am), 1500 yen ($15), 4th floor. If you read katakana, you would have no problem reading that. Cross off 2 from my primary list and 4 from my secondary list. I stay there 6 hours. In that time, I read and responded to a few e-mails. When I see the sign that says "Be quiet in respect of other users that might be reading or sleeping", I fall asleep (眠り込む [ねむりこむ] nemurikomu). A few cat naps later, I read a Shonen Weekly Jump. I print my deposit agreement in case they weren't willing to print it out. I ask "Printout mo ii desu ka?" He doesn't understand at first, but then he says "Douzo." After a few hours it hits me, I forgot the verb formation of printout. Printout is a noun. To make it a verb, I need to add "o shite". The proper way to ask permission is to say the sentence, conjugate the verb with the te form and add "mo ii desu ka?" I will remember this. It sounds difficult, but it is extremely easy. At 5am I set off to find Shinjuku. I take the train from Suidoubashi to Tokyo Station. I decide that Shinjuku is only 1 stop away, so I can walk. Wrong. Shinjuku is a long ways and if you don't know where it is or have a decent map, you won't get there without the train. I ended up getting to Daiba and a train station that totally confused me. A woman asked me if she could help. I told her I was very lost and needed help getting to Shinjuku. She was very nice and spoke English (英語 [えいご] eigo) very well. She showed me that the map shows a number in a circle next to Shinjuku and that is the fare amount (wow, that makes perfect sense) and I just needed to get on the Yamanote (very common route) and wait for Shinjuku. It was probably 12 stops away. I was amazed how far from Shinjuku I was. To get to Shinjuku from Tokyo station, you have to go right through the Imperial Palace, which is probably impossible (or a capital offense, j/k). Arriving in Shinjuku (新宿), I saw Kinokunia Bookstore (ahh!) and a bunch of cool stuff. I found a soba (蕎麦 [そば] soba) place that uses a ticket vending machine. I bought one that looked interesting and sat down. I figured out that I needed to give the cook the ticket. She asked which type of noodles. I said "kore", which was totally incorrect. When someone gives you a choice, point and say "sore kudasai". The noodles were excellent. There are no spoons, just slurp the tasty soup. What is the correct word for when you enter and exit? Arigatou gozaimasu? Often, I say arigatou. It makes sense to say Ohayogozaimasu in the morning and konichiwa in the afternoon to be more friendly. I'll try to learn from example and report back. At this point it started raining cats and dogs. I'm from Seattle and this is about as much as it rains on a tough day in Seattle. I found a map that said Nishi-Shinjuku (西新宿) was west of Shinjuku. If you have memorized Level 4, you would know why this is a bit amusing. So I go the way that it shows. I look around for the park that it shows. I know the system of addresses pretty well at that point: Each ward (ku) is separated geometrically into about 8 sections (丁目 [ちょうめ] chome). Each chome has a couple dozen blocks (bun) separated by streets. Each block has several buildings. This gives you a ku and 3 numbers: (Nishi-Shinjuku-ku 7-chome, 2-bun, 6 or Nishi-Shinjuku-ku 7-2-6). Each block has one or more sign that says all these numbers in English often also. I circle the Nishi-Shinjuku 7-chome neighborhood 5 times before I think to call them. I call and say "I'm across the street from Little Spoon." The guy says oh, you're across the street from us. I look around. Yup, this block is 2-bun. So I go to each building on the block and sure enough there it is. A note to tourists, if you make large withdrawls or purchases overseas with your credit/debit card, the bank will cancel your card until they can get in contact with you. What if you have no incoming line? You're screwed. They caused me a bunch of embarassment. Luckily they didn't cancel my card before I grabbed 300 yen from it. I used my second card to pay for the room, but now both my cards are cancelled until I call the silly banks (バカバカしい bakabakashii -- 銀行 [ぎんこう] ginkou). After getting my keys, I headed to Tokyo Station to get my bags (袋 [ふくろ] fukuro). Tokyo Station is big, so you might have a hard time finding your locker if you don't remember any landmark. I put mine near the Yaesu exit and it still took me a good 30 minutes to find it. Many vending machines take many types of coin, but you'll have trouble with a few machines. The lockers only take 100 yen coins. The bill changer only takes 1000 yen bills (千円 [せんえん] sen en). So the obvious solution is to buy a drink from a convenience store for 130 yen with a 10000 yen ($100) bill which yields: 9870 yen in 9 1000 yen bills, 1 500 yen coin, 3 100 yen coins, 1 50 yen coin, and 2 10 yen coins. You can change a 1000 yen bill to 10 100 yen coins, which produces the solution. I'm doing this math for you so that you understand the coin system. Those 500 yen coins are $5, so don't treat them like a quarter. I took the train to Ueno Station. By this time it's raining so hard that most people stop at the kiosks to buy umbrellas before going out. This time I turned right at the dead end. This took me directly into Taito-ku, which was to be my destination. I found 2-chome and then I followed the directions to my house. I tried the key. No fit. No way. Absolutely. By the time I checked the picture of Asakusa house a man asked me if he could help. I tried to reply in Japanese, but my ability to converse is very limited. A young girl (少女 [しょうじょ] shoujo) came out and asked me to come in speaking very fluent English. They looked at my soaked map and told me that I was still in Ueno (Taito-ku spans Ueno and Asakusa) and although my map shows streets and such that looks exactly like what I was looking at, I need to go to Asakusa. When they show me the map, they draw a line 10 blocks east. They give me their map and when I exit thanking them profusely, the girl gives me her umbrella. I don't think I could find nicer people if I tried. I walk with a sense of happiness that is not very common for me. When I get to the correct arterial, I see the landmark for my place, View Hotel, which is taller than the 6 story buildings that line all of Tokyo by a factor of 7 at least. A bit of looking and I find the house. I go in and my room is excellent (素晴らしい [すばらしい] subarashii). It was just then the 24th hour and I fall asleep before I can cross 5 off my primary list. I sleep for 14 hours. - Getting Cheap Air Fare to Japan - Getting a Cheap Place in Japan - Learn Hiragana and Katakana - Learn Kanji Quickly - Level 4 - Learn Kanji Quickly - Level 3 - Part 1 - New Japan Site on AltSci If you are interested in traveling Japan, feel free to
Ethics of dementia research What are clinical trials and how are they controlled/governed? A clinical trial is a biomedical/health-related study into the effects on humans of a new medical treatment (medicine/drug, medical device, vaccine or new therapy), sometimes called an investigational medicinal product (IMP). Before a new drug is authorised and can be marketed, it must pass through several phases of development including trial phases in which its safety, efficacy, risks, optimal use and/or benefits are tested on human beings. Existing drugs must also undergo clinical testing before they can be used to treat other conditions than that for which they were originally intended. Organisations conducting clinical trials in the European Union must, if they wish to obtain marketing authorisation, respect the requirements for the conduct of clinical trials. These can be found in the Clinical Trials Directive (“Directive 2001/20/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 4 April 2001 on the approximation of the laws, regulations and administrative provisions of the Member States relating to the implementation of good clinical practice in the conduct of clinical trials on medicinal products for human use”). There are also guidelines to ensure that clinical trials are carried out in accordance with good clinical practice. These are contained in the “Commission Directive 2005/28/EC of 8 April 2005 laying down principles and detailed guidelines for good clinical practice as regards investigational medicinal products for human use, as well as the requirements for authorisation of the manufacturing or importation of such products” (also known as the Good Clinical Practice or GCP for short). This document provides more concrete guidelines and lends further support to the Clinical Trials Directive. The London-based European Medicines Agency (EMA) has published additional, more specific guidelines which must also be respected. These include guidelines on inspection procedures and requirements related to quality, safety and efficacy. Copies of the above-mentioned documents in 22 languages can be found at: http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/pharmaceuticals/clinicaltrials/clinicaltrials_en.htm The protection of people participating in clinical trials (and in most cases in other types of research) is further promoted by provisions of: - the European Convention on Human Rights and Biomedicine (Oviedo Convention, Act 2619/1998), - the Additional protocol to the Oviedo Convention concerning Biomedical Research - the Nuremberg Code of 1949, - the revised Helsinki Declaration of the World Medical Association regarding Ethical Principles for Medical Research Involving Human Subjects, - The Belmont Report of 18 April 1979 on the Ethical Principles and Guidelines for the Protection of Human Subjects of Research. What are the different phases of trials? Testing an experimental drug or medical procedure is usually an extremely lengthy process, sometimes lasting several years. The overall procedure is divided into a series of stages (known as phases) which are described below. Clinical testing on humans can only begin after a pre-clinical phase, involving laboratory studies (in vitro) and tests on animals, which has shown that the experimental drug is considered safe and effective. Whilst a certain amount of testing can be carried out by means of computer modelling and by isolating cells and tissue, it becomes necessary at some point in time to test the drug on a living creature. Animal testing is an obligatory stage in the process of obtaining regulatory approval for new drugs and medicines, and hence a legal requirement (EU Directive 2001/83/EC relating to Medicinal Products for Human Use). The necessity of carrying out prior testing on animals is also stated in the World Medical Association’s “Ethical Principles for Medical Research Involving Human Subjects. In order to protect the well-being of research animals, researchers are guided by three principles which are called the 3Rs: Reduce the number of animals used to a minimum Refine the way that experiments are carried out so that the effect on the animal is minimised and animal welfare is improved Replace animal experiments with alternative (non-animal) techniques wherever possible. In addition, most countries will have official regulatory bodies which control animal research. Most animals involved in research are mice. However, no animal is sufficiently similar to humans (even genetically modified ones) to make human testing unnecessary. For this reason, the experimental drug must also be tested on humans. The main phases of clinical trials Clinical trials on humans can be divided into three main phases (literally, phase I, II and III). Each phase has specific objectives (please see below) and the number of people involved increases as the trial progresses from one phase to the next. Phase I trials Phase 1 trials are usually the first step in testing a new drug or treatment on humans after successful laboratory and animal testing. They are usually quite small scale and usually involve healthy subjects or sub-groups of patients who share a particular characteristic. The aims of these trials are: - to assess the safety of experimental drugs, - to evaluate any possible side effects, - to determine a safe dose range, - to see how the body reacts to the drug (how it is absorbed, distributed and eliminated from the body, the effects that it has on the body and the effects it has on biomarkers). Dose ranging, sometimes called dose escalation, studies may be used as a means to determine the most appropriate dosage, but the doses administered to the subjects should only be a fraction of those which were found to cause harm to animals in the pre-clinical studies. The process of determining an optimal dose in phase I involves quite a high degree of risk because this is the first time that the experimental treatment or drug has been administered to humans. Moreover, healthy people’s reactions to drugs may be different to those of the target patient group. For this reason, drugs which are considered to have a potentially high toxicity are usually tested on people from the target patient group. There are a few sequential approaches to phase I trials e.g. single ascending dose studies, multiple ascending dose studies and food effect. In single ascending dose studies (SAD), a small group of subjects receive a very low dose of the experimental drug and are then observed in order to see whether that dose results in side effects. For this reason, trials are usually conducted in hospital settings. If no adverse side effects are observed, a second group of subjects are given a slightly higher dose of the same drug and also monitored for side-effects. This process is repeated until a dose is reached which results in intolerable side effects. This is defined as the maximum tolerated dose (MTD). Multiple ascending dose studies (MAD) are designed to test the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of multiple doses of the experimental drug. A group of subjects receives multiple doses of the drug, starting at the lowest dose and working up to a pre-determined level. At various times during the period of administration of the drug, and particularly whenever the dose is increased, samples of blood and other bodily fluids are taken. These samples are analysed in order to determine how the drug is processed within the body and how well it is tolerated by the body. Food effect studies are investigations into the effect of food intake on the absorption of the drug into the body. This involves two groups of subjects being given the same dose of the experimental drug but for one of the groups when fasting and for the other after a meal. Alternatively, this could be done in a cross-over design whereby both groups receive the experimental drug in both conditions in sequence (e.g. when fasting and on another occasion after a meal). Food effect studies allow researchers to see whether eating before the drug is given has any effect on the absorption of the drug by the body. Phase II trials Having demonstrated the initial safety of the drug (often on a relatively small sample of healthy individuals), phase II clinical trials can begin. Phase II studies are designed to explore the therapeutic efficacy of a treatment or drug in people who have the condition that the drug is intended to treat. They are sometimes called therapeutic exploratory trials and tend to be larger scale than Phase I trials. Phase II trials can be divided into Phase IIA and Phase IIB although sometimes they are combined. Phase IIA is designed to assess dosing requirements i.e. how much of the drug should patients receive and up to what dose is considered safe? The safety assessments carried out in Phase I can be repeated on a larger subject group. As more subjects are involved, some may experience side effects which none of the subjects in the Phase I experienced. The researchers aim to find out more about safety, side effects and how to manage them. Phase IIB studies focus on the efficacy of the drug i.e. how well it works at the prescribed doses. Researchers may also be interested in finding out which types of a specific disease or condition would be most suitable for treatment. Phase II trials can be randomised clinical trials which involve one group of subjects being given the experimental drug and others receiving a placebo and/or standard treatment. Alternatively, they may be case series which means that the drug’s safety and efficacy is tested in a selected group of patients. If the researchers have adequately demonstrated that the experimental drug (or device) is effective against the condition for which it is being tested, they can proceed to Phase III. Phase III trials Phase III trials are the last stage before clinical approval for a new drug or device. By this stage, there will be convincing evidence of the safety of the drug or device and its efficacy in treating people who have the condition for which it was developed. Such studies are carried out on a much larger scale than for the two previous phases and are often multinational. Several years may have passed since the original laboratory and animal testing. The main aims of Phase III trials are: to demonstrate that the treatment or drug is safe and effective for use in patients in the target group (i.e. in people for whom it is intended) to monitor side effects to test different doses or different ways of administering the drug to determine whether the drug could be used at different stages of the disease. to provide sufficient information as a basis for marketing approval Researchers may also be interested in showing that the experimental drug works for additional groups of people with conditions other than that for which the drug was initially developed. For example, they may be interested in testing a drug for inflammation on people with Alzheimer’s disease. The drug would have already have proven safe and obtained marketing approval but for a different condition, hence the need for additional clinical testing. Open label extension trails Open label extension studies are often carried out immediately after a double blind randomised clinical trial of an unlicensed drug. The aim of the extended study is to determine the safety and tolerability of the experimental drug over a longer period of time, which is generally longer than the initial trial and may extend up until the drug is licensed. Participants all receive the experimental drug irrespective of which arm of the previous trial they were in. Consequently, the study is no longer blind in that everybody knows that each participant is receiving the experimental drug but the participants and researchers still do not know which group participants were in during the initial trial. Post-marketing surveillance studies (phase IV) After the three phases of clinical testing and after the treatment has been approved for marketing, there may be a fourth phase to study the long-term effects of drugs or treatment or to study the impact of another factor in combination with the treatment (e.g. whether a particular drug reduces agitation). Usually, such trials are sponsored by pharmaceutical companies and described as pharmacovigilance. They are not as common as the other types of trials (as they are not necessary for marketing permission). However, in some cases, the EMA grants restricted or provisional marketing authorisation, which is dependent on additional phase IV trails being conducted. Expanded access to a trial Sometimes, a person might be likely to benefit from a drug which is at various stages of testing but does not fulfil the conditions necessary for participation in the trial (e.g. s/he may have other health problems). In such cases and if the person has a life-threatening or serious condition for which there is no effective treatment, s/he may benefit from “expanded access” use of the drug. There must, however, be evidence that the drug under investigation has some likelihood of being effective for that patient and that taking it would not constitute an unreasonable risk. The use of placebo and other forms of comparison The main purpose of clinical drug studies is to distinguish the effect of the trial drug from other influences such as spontaneous change in the course of the disease, placebo effect, or biased observation. A valid comparison must be made with a control. The American Food and Drugs Administration recognises different types of control namely, - active treatment with a known effective therapy or - no treatment, - historical treatment (which could be an adequately documented natural history of the disease or condition, or the results of active treatment in comparable patients or populations). The EMA considers three-armed trials (including the experimental medicine, a placebo and an active control) as a scientific gold standard and that there are multiple reasons to support their use in drug development . Participants in clinical trials are usually divided into two or more groups. One group receives the active treatment with the experimental substance and the other group receives a placebo, a different drug or another intervention. The active treatment is expected to have a positive curative effect whereas the placebo is expected to have zero effect. With regard to the aim to develop more effective treatments, there are two possibilities: 1. the experimental substance is more effective than the current treatment or 2. it is more effective than no treatment at all. According to article 11 of the International Ethical Guidelines for Biomedical Research (IEGBR) of 2002, participants allocated to the control group in a trial for a diagnostic, therapeutic or preventive intervention should receive an established effective intervention but it may in some circumstances be considered ethically acceptable to use a placebo (i.e. no treatment). In article 11 of the IEGBR, reasons for the use of placebo are: 1. that there is no established intervention 2. that withholding an established effective intervention would expose subjects to, at most, temporary discomfort or delay in relief of symptoms 3. that use of an established effective intervention as comparator would not yield scientifically reliable results and use of placebo would not add any risk of serious or irreversible harm to the subjects. November 2010, EMA/759784/2010 Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use The use of placebo and the issue of irreversible harm It has been suggested that clinical trials are only acceptable in ethical terms if there is uncertainty within the medical community as to which treatment is most suitable to cure or treat a disease (National Bioethics Commission of Greece, 2005). In the case of dementia, whilst there is no cure, there are a few drugs for the symptomatic treatment of dementia. Consequently, one could ask whether it is ethical to deprive a group of participants of treatment which would have most likely improved their condition for the purpose of testing a potentially better drug (National Bioethics Commission of Greece, 2005). Can they be expected to sacrifice their own best interests for those of other people in the future? It is also important to ask whether not taking an established effective intervention is likely to result in serious or irreversible harm. In the 2008 amended version of the Helsinki Declaration (World Medical Association, 1964), the possible legitimate use of placebo and the need to protect subjects from harm are addressed. “32. The benefits, risks, burdens and effectiveness of a new intervention must be tested against those of the best current proven intervention, except in the following circumstances: The use of placebo, or no treatment, is acceptable in studies where no current proven intervention exists; or Where for compelling and scientifically sound methodological reasons the use of placebo is necessary to determine the efficacy or safety of an intervention and the patients who receive placebo or no treatment will not be subject to any risk of serious or irreversible harm. Extreme care must be taken to avoid abuse of this option.” (WMA, 1964 with amendments up to 2008) The above is also quite similar to the position supported by the Presidential Commission for the Study of Bioethical Issues (PCSBI) (2011). In its recently published report entitled “Moral science: protecting participants in human subjects research ”, the Presidential Commission argues largely in favour of a “middle ground” for ethical research, citing the work of Emanuel and Miller (2001) who state: “A placebo-controlled trial can sometimes be considered ethical if certain methodological and ethical standards are met. It these standards cannot be met, then the use of placebos in a clinical trial is unethical.” (Emanuel and Miller, 2001 cited in PCSBI, 2011, p. 89). One of the standards mentioned is the condition that withholding proven effective treatment will not cause more than minimal harm. The importance of placebo groups for drug development The ethical necessity to include a placebo arm in a clinical trial may differ depending on the type of drug being developed and whether other comparable drugs exist. For example, a placebo arm would be absolutely necessary in the testing of a new compound for which no drug has yet been developed. This would be combined with comparative arms involving other alternative drugs which have already been proven effective. For studies involving the development of a drug based on an existing compound, a comparative trial would be necessary but not necessarily with a placebo arm, or at least with a smaller placebo arm Nevertheless, the EMA emphasises the value of placebo-controlled trials in the development of new medicinal products even in cases where a proven effective drug exists: “forbiddingplacebo-controlled trials in therapeutic areas where there are proven, therapeutic methods would preclude obtaining reliable scientific evidence for the evaluation of new medicinal products, and be contrary to public health interest as there is a need for both new products and alternatives to existing medicinal products.” (EMA, 2001). In 2001, concerns were raised about the interpretation of paragraph 29 of the 2000 version of the Helsinki Declaration in which prudence was called for in the use of placebo in research trials and it was advised that placebo should only be used in cases where there was no proven therapy for the condition under investigation. A document clarifying the position of the WMA regarding the use of placebo was issued by the WMA in 2001 in which it was made clear that the use of placebo might be ethically acceptable even if proven therapy was available. The current version of this statement is article 32 of the 2008 revised Helsinki Declaration (quoted in sub-section 7.2.1). The PCSBI (2011) highlight the importance of ensuring that the design of clinical trials enables the researchers to resolve controversy and uncertainty over the merits of the trial drug and whether the trial drug is better than an existing drug if there is one. They suggest that studies which cannot resolve such questions or uncertainty are likely to be ignored by the scientific community and this would be unethical as it would mean that people had been unnecessarily exposed to risk without there being any social benefit. Reasons for participation People with dementia who take part in clinical trials may do so for a variety of reasons. One possible reason is that they hope to receive some form of treatment that will improve their condition or even result in a cure. This is sometimes called the “therapeutic misconception”. In such cases, clinical trials may seem unethical in that advantage is being taken of the vulnerability of some of the participants. On the other hand, the possibility of participating in such a trial may help foster hope which may even enable a person to maintain their morale. A review of 61 studies on attitudes to trials has shed some light on why people participate in clinical trials (Edwards, Lilford and Hewison, 1998). In this review, it was found that over 60% of participants in seven studies stated that they did or would participate in clinical trials for altruistic reasons. However, in 4 studies, over 70% of people stated that they participated out of self-interest and in two studies over 50% of people stated that they would participate in such a study out of self-interest. As far as informed consent is concerned, in two studies (which were also part of this review) 47% of responding doctors thought that few patients were actually aware that they were taking part in a clinical trial. On the other hand, an audit of four further studies revealed that at least 80% of participants felt that they had made an autonomous decision. There is no proof whether such perceptions were accurate or not. The authors conclude that self-interest was more common than altruism amongst the reasons given for participating in clinical trials but draw attention to the poor quality of some of the studies reviewed thereby suggesting the need for further research. It should not be necessary for people to justify why they are willing to participate in clinical trials. Reasons for participating in research are further discussed in section 3.2.4 insofar as they relate to end-of-life research. In a series of focus groups organised in 8 European countries plus Israel and covering six conditions including dementia, helping others was seen as the main reason why people wanted to take part in clinical trials (Bartlam et al., 2010). In a US trial of anti-inflammatory medication in Alzheimer’s disease in which 402 people were considered eligible, of the 359 who accepted, their main reasons for wanting to participate were altruism, personal benefit and family history of Alzheimer’s disease. Random assignment to study groups As people are randomly assigned to the placebo or the active treatment group, everyone has an equal chance of receiving the active ingredient or whichever other control groups are included in the study. There are possible advantages and drawbacks to being in each group and people are likely to have preferences for being a particular study group but randomization means that allocation is not in any way linked to the best interests of each participant from a medical perspective. This is not an ethical issue provided that each participant fully understands that the purpose of research is not to provide a tailor-made response to an individual’s medical condition and that while some participants benefit from participation, others do not. There are, however, medical issues to consider. In the case in double-blind studies, neither the participant nor the investigator knows to which groups a participant has been allocated. Consequently, if a participant encounters medical problems during the study, it is not immediately known whether this is linked to the trial drug or another unrelated factor, but the problems must be addressed and possible contraindications avoided, which may necessitate “de-blinding” (DuBois, 2008). Although many people would perhaps like to benefit from a new drug which is more effective than existing drugs, people have different ideas about what is an acceptable risk and different reasons for taking part in clinical trials. People who receive the placebo are not exposed to the same potential risks as those given the experimental drug. On the other hand, they have no possibility to benefit from the advantages the drug may offer. Those receiving a drug commonly considered as the standard therapy are not necessarily better off than those receiving a placebo as some participants may already know that they do not respond well to the accepted treatment (DuBois, 2008). If people who participate in a clinical trial are not informed which arm of the trial they were in, valuable information is lost which might have otherwise contributed towards to treatment decisions made after the clinical trial. Taylor and Wainwright (2005) suggest that “unblinding” should occur at the end of all studies and so as not to interfere with the analysis of data, this could be done by a person who is totally independent of the analysis. This would, however, have implications for open label extended trials as in that case participants, whilst better equipped to give informed consent would have more information than the researchers and this might be conveyed to researchers in anad hocmanner. Open label extension trails Open label extension studies (mentioned in sub-section 7.1.8) seem quite fair as they give each participant the opportunity to freely consent to continuing with the study in the full knowledge that s/he will receive the experimental drug. However, Taylor and Wainwright (2005) have highlighted a couple of ethical concerns linked to the consent process, the scientific value of such studies and issues linked to access to drugs at the end of the prior study. With regard to consent, they argue that people may have had a positive or negative experience of the trial but do not know whether this was due to the experimental drug, another drug or a placebo. They may nevertheless base their decision whether to continue on their experience so far. For those who were not taking the experimental drug, their experience in the follow-up trial may turn out to be very different. Also, if they are told about the possibility of the open label extension trial when deciding whether or not to take part in the initial trial (i.e. with the implication that whatever group they are ascribed to, in the follow-up study they will be guaranteed the experimental drug), this might induce them to participate in the initial study which could be considered as a form of subtle coercion. Finally, researchers may be under pressure to recruit as they can only recruit people in an open label extended trial who took part in the initial study. This may lead them in turn to put pressure (even inadvertently) on participants to continue with the study. The scientific validity of open label extension trials is questioned by Taylor and Wainwright (2005) on the grounds that people from the experimental arm of the first study who did not tolerate the drug would be unlikely to participate in the extension trial and this would lead to bias in the results. In addition, open-label trials often lack a precise duration other than “until the drug is licensed” which casts doubt on there being a valid research purpose. The above authors suggest that open label extension studies are dressed up marketing activities which lack the ethical justification for biomedical research which is the prospect of finding new ways of benefiting people’s health. However, it could be argued that the aim of assessing long-term tolerability of a new drug is a worthwhile pursuit and if conducted in a scientific manner could be considered as research. Moreover, not all open label extension trials are open-ended with regard to their duration. The main problem in interpreting open label extension studies is that little is known about the natural course of the disease. Protecting participants’ well-being at the end of the clinical trial Some people who participate in a clinical trial and who receive the experimental drug experience an improvement in their condition. This is to be hoped even if benefit to the health of individuals is not the aim of the study. However, at the end of the study, the drug is not yet licenced and there is no legal right to continue taking it. This could be psychologically disturbing to the participants in the trial and also to their families who may have seen a marked improvement in their condition. Taylor and Wainwright (2005) suggest that the open label trials may serve the purpose of prescribing an unlicensed drug on compassionate grounds, which whilst laudable, should not be camouflaged as scientific research. Rather governments should take responsibility and set up the appropriate legal mechanisms to make it possible for participants whose medical condition merits prolonged treatment with the experimental drug to have access to it. Minimising pain and discomfort Certain procedures to which people with dementia or their representatives consent may by burdensome or painful or simply worrying but in accordance with the principles of autonomy or justice/equity, people with dementia have the right to participate. The fact that they have made an informed decision to participate and are willing to tolerate such pain or burden does not release researchers from the obligation to try to minimise it. For example, if repeated blood samples are going to be necessary, an indwelling catheter could be inserted under local anaesthetic to make it easier or medical staff should provide reassurance about the use of various scanning equipment which might be worrying or enable the person’s carer to be present. In order to minimize fear, trained personnel are needed who have experience dealing with people with dementia. The advice of the carer, if there is one, could also be sought. Drug trials in countries with less developed safeguards Clinical trials are sometimes carried out in countries where safeguards are not well developed and where the participants and even the general population are likely to have less possibility to benefit from the results of successful trials. For example, some countries have not signed the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Dignity of the Human Being with regard to the Application of Biology and Medicine (1997) (referred to in section 188.8.131.52). The participants in those countries may be exposed to possible risks but have little chance of future medical benefit if the trial is successful. Yet people in countries with stricter safeguards for participants (which are often richer countries) stand to benefit from their efforts and from the risks they take, as they are more likely to be able to afford the drugs once developed. This raises ethical issues linked to voluntariness because there may be, in addition to the less developed safeguards, factors which make participation in such trials more attractive to potential participants. Such practices also represent a lack of equity in the distribution of risk, burden and possible benefit within society and could be interpreted as using people as a means to an end. Parallels can also be drawn to the situation whereby people in countries where stem cell research is banned profit from the results of studies carried out in countries where it is permitted or to the results of studies carried out in countries where research ethics are slack or inexistent. For a detailed discussion of the ethical issues linked to the involvement in research of people in other countries, particularly lower and middle income countries where standards of protection may by lower, please refer to the afore-mentioned report by the Presidential Commission for the Study of Bioethical Issues. - Researchers should consider including a placebo arm in clinical trials when there are compelling and sound methodological reasons for doing so. - Researchers should ensure that patients are aware that the aim of a randomised controlled trial is to test a hypothesis and provide generalizable knowledge leading to the development of a medical drug or procedure. They should explain how this differs from medical treatment and care which are aimed at enhancing the health and wellbeing of individual patients and where there is a reasonable expectation that this will be successful. - Researchers should ensure that potential participants understand that they may be allocated to the placebo group. - It should not be presumed that the treating doctor or contact person having proposed the participant for a trial has been successful in communicating the above information. - Researchers conducting clinical trials may need training in how to ensure effective communication with people with dementia. - Appropriate measures should be taken by researchers to minimize fear, pain and discomfort of participants. - All participants should, when possible, preferably have the option of receiving the experimental drug (if proven safe) after completion of the study. - Pharmaceutical companies should not be discouraged from carrying out open-label extension studies but this should not be the sole possibility for participants to access the trial drug after the end of the study if it is proving beneficial to them. - In multi-centre clinical trials, where data is transferred to another country in which data protection laws are perhaps less severe, the data should be treated as stated in the consent form signed by the participant. Last Updated: jeudi 29 mars 2012
United Kingdom - Scotland Restrictions of freedom Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003 The Act was designed to modernise and improve the use of compulsory measures in mental health care. It reflects the general move over the last two decades towards care and treatment in the community rather than in hospitals or other residential settings. The title reflects the philosophy of the legislation with the focus on ‘care’ and ‘treatment’. In basic terms, the Act provides for the protection of people with a mental disorder in a hospital or community setting. It contains mechanisms for dealing with offenders who have a mental disorder and so interacts with the criminal justice system. The Act covers individuals who are defined as having a ‘mental disorder’. The term includes mental illness, personality disorder and learning disability. The majority of cases involving compulsory measures have been in relation to people diagnosed with a mental illness. However, the Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland monitors the use of compulsory measures and has found increasing use of emergency or short term measures being used for people aged over 75 years with a diagnosis of dementia. Detention (Involuntary internment) The Act deals with several forms of compulsion in relation to a person with mental disorder where: There is a significant risk to the person’s health, safety or welfare or the safety of any other person (what is a significant risk is a question of judgement for health and social care professionals. The tribunal will test this assessment during an appeal or on an application for a compulsory treatment order). Treatment is available to prevent the person’s condition from deteriorating or to relieve its symptoms or effects Compulsory admission is necessary because the person will not agree to admission and/or treatment; and The person’s ability to make decisions about the provision of medical treatment is significantly impaired because of mental disorder. Types of order Emergency Detention (72 hours) Short Term Detention (28 days and can be extended) Compulsory Treatment Order (6 months – can be extended) Mental Health Tribunals The Act introduced a new system of mental health tribunals with a number of functions, including considering applications for orders and appeals against orders. This is detention in a psychiatric hospital for up to 72 hours if necessary. It does not authorise any medical treatment. In an emergency, common law powers might be used. A registered medical practitioner can sign an emergency detention certificate if s/he believes that a person’s ability to make decisions about medical treatment is significantly impaired because of mental disorder. This authorises the removal of the individual to a specific hospital. Before signing the certificate the medical practitioner must be satisfied that: There is an urgent need to detain the person in hospital to access the medical treatment s/he needs If the person was not detained, there would be a significant risk to his or her health, safety, or welfare or the safety of another person, and Any delay caused by starting the short term detention procedure is undesirable. If any treatment is needed the short-term detention procedure must generally be used. Short term detention This may be used where it is necessary to detain an individual with mental disorder who cannot be treated voluntarily and without the treatment the person would be at risk of significant harm. To obtain a certificate the approved medical practitioner must consult and gain the approval of a Mental Health Officer whatever the circumstances. Compulsory Treatment Order Compulsory Treatment Orders (CTOs) are granted by the Mental Health Tribunal. They last for 6 months, can be extended by the responsible medical officer for a further six months and then extended annually. The Tribunal reviews them at least every two years. Therefore, they can restrict or deprive liberty for long periods of time. The Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland looks at how these orders are used for people of different ages and genders to see if there are any trends. Over recent years, the number of new orders has come down. The use of CTOs for people aged 65 and over has increased for people with dementia in recent years. ‘De facto detention’ Practitioners must be careful that they are not using excessive coercion to prevent people from leaving hospital when they wish to. They must take care to document situations where they have concerns if an informal patient wishes to leave. The Tribunal can, under section 291 of the 2003 Act, order that an informal patient is being unlawfully detained. People with dementia pose a difficult problem. The Tribunal has ruled that a person with dementia is unlawfully detained in a general hospital when prevented from leaving. It can be appropriate to redirect someone and dissuade him/her from leaving but repeatedly thwarting a determined effort to leave is likely to a significant deprivation of liberty, and the patient should be formally detained. Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act 2000 Scottish incapacity laws were reformed with the introduction of the Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act in 2000. This Act covers people with a mental disorder who lack some or all capacity to make decisions or act in their own interests. It recognises that capacity is not all or nothing but is ‘decision specific’. The Act introduced a number of measures to authorise someone else to make decisions on behalf of the person with incapacity, on the basis of a set of principles on the face of the Act. These are fundamental. Any action or decision - Must benefit the person - Must be the least restrictive of the person’s liberty in order to gain that benefit - Must take account of the person’s past and present wishes (s/he must be given assisted to communicate by whatever means is appropriate to the individual) - Must follow consultation with relevant others as far as practicable - Must encourage and support the person to maintain existing skills and develop new skills. The individual may, whilst competent, appoint one or more persons to act their financial (continuing) and or welfare attorney. This must be registered with the Office of the Public Guardian. It does not allow the attorney to detain the grantor in a psychiatric hospital. If the person refuses to comply with the attorney the attorney has no compulsory powers to detain. Where there is concern for the person’s safety the attorney can apply to the court for a welfare guardianship order. Powers can be granted to allow the guardian to decide on the accommodation of the person and other powers such as who they can consort with. Where the welfare guardian has powers over accommodation s/he is able to restrict the freedom of the person by placing them in a care home against their will. However, whether this amounts to deprivation of liberty under the European Court of Human Rights ruling will depend on a number of other circumstances and the accumulative impact of which would need to be considered (Patrick and Smith, 2009; Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland, 2011). With regard to the issue of non-compliance, if the person on guardianship, for example, runs away, the guardian can apply to the Court under s70 for an order to require the person to return. Because there is no automatic review of welfare guardianship orders there is concern that the Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act 2000 may not be compliant with the European Convention on Human Rights. The Act states that the order should be for a standard 3 years but can be more or less at the discretion of the Court. However, there has been a practice of orders being granted for indefinite periods and this has given rise to concern in relation to certain groups. However, for people with dementia, who have a progressive brain disorder, an indefinite order may be deemed appropriate. The Scottish Law Commission is currently undertaking a review of the Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act 2000 in relation to deprivation of liberty issues. It has established an advisory group of key stakeholders, including Alzheimer Scotland, and will be reporting in due course. The Road Traffic Act of 1991 contains a few articles relating to offences involving driving when unfit to do so, e.g.: - A person who causes the death of another person by driving a mechanically propelled vehicle dangerously on a road or other public place is guilty of an offence. - A person who drives a mechanically propelled vehicle dangerously on a road or other public place is guilty of an offence. - If a person drives a mechanically propelled vehicle on a road or other public place without due care and attention, or without reasonable consideration for other persons using the road or place, he (or she) is guilty of an offence. - According to the provisions of this act, a person is regarded as driving dangerously if the way s/he drives falls far below what would be expected of a competent and careful driver and it would be obvious to a competent and careful driver that driving in that way would be dangerous. A person who has been diagnosed with dementia must inform the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA). Failure to do could lead to a fine of up to £1,000. Moreover, a person who had an accident but did not previously inform the DVLA of his/her dementia might not be covered by his/her insurance company. Once the DVLA has been informed of that someone has dementia, they send a questionnaire to the person and request a medical report. A driving assessment may also be required. The Medical Advisers at the DVLA then decide whether the person can continue driving (Alzheimer Scotland, 2003). Patrick, H. and Smith, N. (2009),Adult Protection and the Law in Scotland, Bloomsbury Professional. Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland Annual Report 2010 – 2011 www.mwcscot.org.uk Last Updated: mercredi 14 mars 2012
Our opinion on ... - Executive Summary - Necessity for a response - Genetic testing - General principles - Other considerations The present paper constitutes the input of Alzheimer Europe and its member organisations to the ongoing discussions within Europe about genetic testing (in the context of Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia). Alzheimer Europe would like to recall some general principles which guide this present response: - Having a gene associated with Alzheimer's disease or another form of dementia does not mean that a person has the disease. - People who have a gene linked to Alzheimer's disease or another form of dementia have the same rights as anyone else. - Genetic testing does not only affect the person taking the test. It may also reveal information about other relatives who might not want to know. - No genetic test is 100% accurate. - The extent to which health cover is provided to citizens by the State social security system and/or privately contracted by individuals differs from one country to the next. On the basis of these principles, Alzheimer Europe has developed the following position with regard to genetic testing: - Alzheimer Europe firmly believes that the use and/or possession of genetic information by insurance companies should be prohibited. - Alzheimer Europe strongly supports research into the genetic factors linked to dementia which might further our understanding of the cause and development of the disease and possibly contribute to future treatment. - Based on its current information, Alzheimer Europe does not encourage the use of any genetic test for dementia UNLESS such test has a high and proven success rate either in assessing the risk of developing the disease (or not as the case may be) or in detecting the existence of it in a particular individual. - Alzheimer Europe requests further information on the accuracy, reliability and predictive value of any genetic tests for dementia. - Genetic testing should always be accompanied by adequate pre- and post-test counselling. - Anonymous testing should be possible so that individuals can ensure that such information does not remain in their medical files against their will. It is extremely important for people with dementia to be diagnosed as soon as possible. In the case of Alzheimer’s disease, an early diagnosis may enable the person concerned to benefit from medication, which treats the global symptoms of the disease and is most effective in the early to mid stages of the disease. Most forms of dementia involve the gradual deterioration of mental faculties (e.g. memory, language and thinking etc.) but in the early stages, it is still possible for the person affected to make decisions concerning his/her finances and care etc. – hence the importance of an early diagnosis. If it were possible to detect dementia before the first symptoms became obvious, this would give people a greater opportunity to make informed decisions about their future lives. This is one of the potential benefits of genetic testing. On the other hand, such information could clearly be used in ways which would be contrary to their personal interests, perhaps resulting in employment discrimination, loss of opportunities, stigmatisation, increased health insurance costs or even loss of health insurance to name but a few examples. The present discussion paper outlines some of the recommendations of Alzheimer Europe and its member organisations and raises a few points which deserve further clarification and discussion. The necessity for a response by Alzheimer Europe In the last few years, the issue of genetic testing has been increasingly debated. In certain European countries there are already companies offering such tests. Unfortunately, the general public do not always fully understand what the results of such tests imply and there are no regulations governing how they are carried out i.e. what kind of information people receive, how the results are presented, whether there is any kind of counselling afterwards and the issue of confidentiality etc. In order to provide information to people with dementia and other people interesting in knowing about their own state of health and in order to protect them from the unscrupulous use of the results of genetic tests, Alzheimer Europe has developed the present Position Paper. These general principles as well as the Convention of Human Rights and Biomedicine and the Universal Declaration on the Human Genome and Human Rights dictate Alzheimer Europe’s position with regard to genetic testing. Alzheimer Europe would like to draw a distinction between tests which detect existing Alzheimer's disease and tests which assess the risk of developing dementia Alzheimer's disease at some time in the future: - Diagnostic testing : Familial early onset Alzheimer’s disease (FAD) is associated with 3 genes. These are the amyloid precursor protein (APP), presenilin-1 and presenilin-2. These genetic mutations can be detected by genetic testing. However, it is important to note that the test only relates to those people with FAD (i.e. about 1% of all people with Alzheimer’s disease). In the extremely limited number of families with this dominant genetic disorder, family members inherit from one of their parents the part of the DNA (the genetic make-up), which causes the disease. On average, half the children of an affected parent will develop the disease. For those who do, the age of onset tends to be relatively low, usually between 35 and 60. - Assessment for risk testing : Whether or not members of one’s family have Alzheimer’s disease, everyone risks developing the disease at some time. However, it is now known that there is a gene, which can affect this risk. This gene is found on chromosome 19 and it is responsible for the production of a protein called apolipoprotein E (ApoE). There are three main types of this protein, one of which (ApoE4), although uncommon, makes it more likely that Alzheimer’s disease will occur. However, it does not cause the disease, but merely increases the likelihood. For example, a person of 50, would have a 2 in 1,000 chance of developing Alzheimer’s disease instead of the usual 1 in 1,000, but might never actually develop it. Only 50% of people with Alzheimer’s disease have ApoE4 and not everyone with ApoE4 suffers from it. There is no way to accurately predict whether a particular person will develop the disease. It is possible to test for the ApoE4 gene mentioned above, but strictly speaking such a test does not predict whether a particular person will develop Alzheimer’s disease or not. It merely indicates that he or she is at greater risk. There are in fact people who have had the ApoE4 gene, lived well into old age and never developed Alzheimer’s disease, just as there are people who did not have ApoE4, who did develop the disease. Therefore taking such a test carries the risk of unduly alarming or comforting somebody. Alzheimer Europe agrees with diagnostic genetic testing provided that pre- and post-test counselling is provided, including a full discussion of the implications of the test and that the results remain confidential. We do not actually encourage the use of genetic testing for assessing the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease. We feel that it is somewhat unethical as it does not entail any health benefit and the results cannot actually predict whether a person will develop dementia (irrespective of the particular form of ApoE s/he may have). We are totally opposed to insurance companies having access to results from genetic tests for the following reasons: - This would be in clear opposition to the fundamental principle of insurance which is the mutualisation of risk through large numbers (a kind of solidarity whereby the vast majority who have relatively good health share the cost with those who are less fortunate). - Failure to respect this principle would create an uninsurable underclass and lead to a genetically inferior group. - This in turn could entail the further stigmatisation of people with dementia and their carers. - In some countries, insurance companies manage to reach decisions on risk and coverage without access to genetic data. - We therefore urge governments and the relevant European bodies to take the necessary action to prohibit the use or possession of genetic data by insurance companies. Alzheimer Europe recognises the importance of research into the genetic determinants of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. Consequently, - we support the use of genetic testing for the purposes of research provided that the person concerned has given informed consent and that the data is treated with utmost confidentiality; and - we would also welcome further discussion about the problem of data management. In our opinion, any individual who wishes to take a genetic test should be able to choose to do so anonymously in order to ensure that such information does not remain in his/her medical file. At its Annual General Meeting in Munich on 15 October 2000, Alzheimer Europe adopted recommendations on how to improve the legal rights and protection of adults with incapacity due to dementia. This included a section on bioethical issues. These recommendations obviously need to guide any response of the organisation regarding genetic testing for people who suspect or fear they may have dementia and also those who have taken the test and did develop dementia. - The adult with incapacity has the right to be informed about his/her state of health. - Information should, where appropriate, cover the following: the diagnosis, the person's general state of health, treatment possibilities, potential risks and consequences of having or not having a particular treatment, side-effects, prognosis and alternative treatments. - Such information should not be withheld solely on the grounds that the adult is suffering from dementia and/or has communication difficulties. Attempts should be made to provide information in such a way as to maximise his/her ability to understand, making use of technology and other available techniques to enhance communication. Attention should be paid to any possible difficulty understanding, retaining information and communicating, as well as his/her level of education, reasoning capacity and cultural background. Care should be taken to avoid causing unnecessary anxiety and suffering. - Written as well as verbal information should always be provided as a back-up. The adult should be granted access to his/her medical file(s). S/he should also have the opportunity to discuss the contents of the medical file(s) with a person of his/her choice (e.g. a doctor) and/or to appoint someone to receive information on his/her behalf. - Information should not be given against the will of the adult with incapacity. - The confidentiality of information should extend beyond the lifetime of the adult with incapacity. If any information is used for research or statistical purposes, the identity of the adult with incapacity should remain anonymous and the information should not be traceable back to him/her (in accordance with the provisions of national laws on respect for the confidentiality of personal information). Consideration should be given to access to information where abuse is suspected. - A clear refusal by the adult with incapacity to grant access to information to any third party should be respected regardless of the extent of his/her incapacity, unless this would be clearly against his/her best interests e.g. carers should have provided to them information on a need to know basis to enable them to care effectively for the adult with incapacity. - People who receive information about an adult with incapacity in connection with their work (either voluntary or paid) should be obliged to treat such information with confidentiality. People who take genetic tests and do not receive adequate pre and post test counselling may suffer adverse effects. Fear of discrimination based on genetic information may deter people from taking genetic tests which could be useful for research into the role of genes in the development of dementia. Certain tests may be relevant for more than one medical condition. For example, the ApoE test is used in certain countries as part of the diagnosis and treatment of heart disease. There is therefore a risk that a person might consent for one type of medical test and have the results used for a different reason. Last Updated: jeudi 06 août 2009
Galeton, PA USA Width: 8.75" Length: 11.75" Materials/Techniques: Machine piecing, machine appliqué and machine quilting. Artist Statement: My neighbor's fancy chickens were my inspiration for this quilt. They crow all day long! Dedication: This quilt is dedicated to my in-laws who both suffered from Alzheimer's symptoms in their final years. This quilt has Fast Finish Triangles. This quilt earned $125 for the AAQI.
PC Platform Supports Process Documentation Extec industrial PCs allow the use of standard HMI/ SCADA software Savings in time and costs were the mainspring of the North American pharmaceutical industry, when it addressed the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) during the 1990's in order to set out on a joint and standardized approach towards paperless systems, because information and data is exchanged and analyzed more rapidly electronically than in paper form. There is no doubt that a target-oriented and automated implementation of the FDA guidelines is leading to a more cost-effective quality assurance and a reduced defect potential of the product. The main advantage, however, is the fact that the implementation of these guidelines puts the accountability and certification process for product approvals on a standard, comparable and easily reproduced basis. The FDA guideline 21 CFR Part 11 defines the specifications which recognize electronic documents and electronic signatures equal to paper documents and signatures by hand. These specifications refer to all documents which have to be kept by mandatory requirement of the FDA, if these are produced, edited, changed, accessed, archived or transmitted in electronic form. Trust is good… Extec Panel-PC: Display and operator panel for the safe and hazardous area Access to the systems has to be monitored by access control management and has to be defined in order to reliably prevent unauthorized data access. Each electronic signature shall be unique to one individual and shall not be assigned to anyone else. The purpose is the unquestionable validity of each signature for the signed activity. Non-biometric electronic signatures need at least two separate identification codes. They are usually the User-ID and the password. They must be prepared and managed in such a way that at least two individuals are required for a duplication of the signature. Application in the pharmaceutical industry The validated SCADA software package Procon-Win from GTI-Control is used as application software. By using the module “FDA conformable user administration”, the rules of 21 CFR Part 11 are adhered to. Changes in the system will be logged in the audit trail with the associated signature and time stamp. The written data is protected against access from unauthorized users by incorporating electronic symbols and series of symbols. Consequently, the electronically recorded data acquire a legally binding character which can be equated with a handwritten signature and allow for a fail-safe traceability in the production area. Principal architecture of a solution for pharmaceutical industry The functionalities of these SCADA and HMI solutions, which, apart from unlimited data storage, include a complex error and alarm control system as well as an integrated multilingual package, can run on practically all PC-based system solutions. You are always ensured of short response times for control and rapid image sequences. Object-oriented and library-supported project planning allow simple and quick generation of applications. Flexible in explosion-hazardous areas The Extec model PCEX 412 with its 12" display and 1024 × 768 pixels follows the trend towards a keyless system control. A few keys, such as the left and right mouse button or four extra keys which can be allocated to any function, complete the touch screen functionality and provide outstanding ease of operation. The PC platform of the product range PCEX is based on a fanless 400 MHz processor, 256 MB RAM user memory and a 20 GB hard drive. For the use in the rough industrial environment, the front is made with a spill-proof design, which is in accordance to the IP 65 standard. Stainless steel assembly casing, also in customer-specific design, are also available. Apart from the Ethernet network interface, serial interface is available, which can exchange data alternatively or together with the plant, the process control system or via the Intranet or Internet. The interfaces are connected to the terminal block at the back of the devices. The terminal blocks are produced according to the requirements of protection type “increased safety”, as per EN 50019. This ensures easy connectivity to the process control system in the safe area without any further security measures. If required, an additional keyboard, a mouse and a barcode reader for extended data capture can be connected to three integrated, intrinsically safe interfaces.
Two of the leading artists from the early- to late-'90s Cologne techno explosion, Khan (born Can Oral, and not to be confused with his brother Cam Oral, aka Jammin' Unit) and Dr. Walker (born Ingmar Koch) collaborated on a few releases in the mid- to late '90s as Khan & Walker. The two first collaborated as Global Electronic Network in 1994, releasing the Times Square 12" on Mille Plateaux, and followed with a few more releases for the label, including two full-lengths in 1995, Rolleiflex Weltron Time Square (MP 10) and Electronic Desert (MP 14). By this time, the two were quite well-known on their own as Khan and Dr. Walker, respectively, so they began recording as Khan & Dr. Walker beginning with the Radiowaves full-length for Rising High in 1995 (RSN 32). Other releases followed, including the Schleichfahrt full-length for Disko B in late 1996 (DB 37); however, by the late '90s the collaborations came to a close. Khan had moved to New York City in 1992 and Walker remained in Germany, making collaborations somewhat impersonal and problematic; plus, both artists became quite popular on their own, releasing mostly solo releases rather than collaborations.
Welcome to the AMA Manual of Style Everything you need to produce well-organized and clear manuscripts The AMA Manual of Style is a must-have guide for anyone involved in medical and scientific publishing. We’re pleased to announce the launch of our new website! We hope that you will enjoy discovering all the benefits it has to offer and look forward to hearing what you think. Watch this short tour to get an overview of the new site. Please contact email@example.com if you require any technical assistance. AMA Manual of Style Committee Welcome to the new online home of the AMA Manual of Style! With a brand new interface and redesigned search, browse, and personalization, finding what you need in the Manual is easier than ever. - Read the Welcome letter from the Author Committee - Learn more about the AMA Manual of Style Online - Take a Tour of the new site - Visit the Table of Contents - Visit the Manual's Index
Tag Archives: Color Check out these herb garden images: More Summer Color (or “Colour”) at Hardwick Hall in Derbyshire Image by UGArdener Best Viewed LARGE on Black: bighugelabs.com/onblack.php?id=3826064746&size=large&… Outside again today, so here’s another one from the archives. www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-vh/w-visits/w-findaplace/… From the Wikipedia entry: … Continue reading by TheGiantVermin Question by Rita: What is your favorite winter color that you like to wear with hats, scarfs and sweaters etc? Best answer: Answer by Death MaskedI am always one for dark colors, so I usually wear black, dark … Continue reading Question by mom123: where can i find home decor to go with the color pallet i chose? my living room / dining rooms color pallet is brown, black, beige, and blue. Im going for a modern urban look. Im looking … Continue reading My cat insists on wearing scarfs outside, no matter what the temperature. What’s the best color for him? by poodlemama9 Question by Kenny: My cat insists on wearing scarfs outside, no matter what the temperature. What’s the best color for him? He’s a yellow tabby um excuse me kooper, but my cat can dress himself Best answer: Answer … Continue reading Question by TennesseeGirl: Is it a home decor don’t to have wall color very similar to hardwood floor color? I am redoing a bedroom and have aqua color bedding with blues and browns in it. I bought carmel color paint … Continue reading
\|Re: Ella's Hope\| Subject: Re: Ella's Hope by UntoldReveries on 2010/10/2 9:20:58 aveyondboy: Westerly had edited his post a while ago to mention that he had figured it out... you must've not noticed it. And no, you must talk to the guardian, after the forest is back to normal, to trigger this quest.
The Times once again seeks to capture the bitter, nostalgic aging-baseball-fan demographic with yet another worshipful piece about why Hank Aaron's feat is still "more impressive," because he's "ethically preferable" to Alex Rodriguez. Yes, that's an actual phrase used in the article: "ethically preferable." News flash to Harvey Araton: Rodriguez is not competing with Aaron for the Nobel Peace Prize. Bonus old-news flash: people wrote similarly mealymouthed character-assassinating stuff about Aaron when he was challenging Ruth's record. We get it: things were always better when you were young. You don't need to prove it by piddling on the most exciting parts of present-day baseball; doing so only demonstrates how little perspective you actually have.
Stanley Kubrick, one of America's legendary filmmakers responsible for films such as "Paths of Glory" (1957), "Spartacus" (1960), "Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb" (1964), "2001: A Space Odyssey" (1968), "A Clockwork Orange" (1971), "The Shining" (1980), "Full Metal Jacket" (1987), to name a few. But all filmmakers have their beginnings and for Stanley Kubrick, his first feature film would be the 1953 film "Fear and Desire". Having created two documentaries ("Day of the Fight", "Flying Padre: An RKO-Pathe Screenliner") in 1951 and employed at "LOOK" Magazine, Kubrick quite his job to create his first feature film. Using funds that were raised by his family and friends, Kubrick and a classmate from his old high school, Howard Sackler, would go on to create "Fear and Desire". While not a box office hit, the film captured the attention of film critics, who took notice of Kubrick's talent. But among the Kubrick films available, "Fear and Desire" has only been screened at very few places since it's release. One of those screenings were at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. back in 1993. The film also has not been released commercially and even was downplayed by Kubrick, when he was alive, calling the film a "bumbling amateur film exercise". But in 2010, Turner Classic Movies aired a restored print courtesy of the George Eastman House and now, Kino Lorber will be releasing the film on Blu-ray and DVD in October 2012. The version of "Fear and Desire" presented was mastered in HD from archival 35mm elements newly restored by the Library of Congress. The Blu-ray and DVD release will also include "The Seafarers, a short film created in 1953, a film which Kubrick took on in behalf of the Seafarers International Union in order to raise money for his next film "Killer's Kiss" (1954). "Fear and Desire" revolves around four soldiers who have crash landed in enemy territory. Lt. Corby (portrayed by Kenneth Harp), Sgt. Mac (portrayed by Frank Silvera), Pvt. Fletcher (portrayed by Stephen Coit) and Pvt. Sidney (portrayed by Paul Mazursky) are six miles away from where they should be and know they must cross a river in order to survive. So, the four led by Lt. Corby, must evade enemy forces and create a raft and during nighttime, try to escape. But while building the raft, they are afraid they may have been spotted by a plane flying above them, so the four leave the raft and try to see what is out there in the surrounding area. The group spots a cabin where two enemy soldiers are eating. Seeing their weapons and food, the four knows they must take the soldiers out and so, they devise a plan and are able to kill the two soldiers including one enemy soldier returning to the cabin. But Pvt. Sidney begins to crack after he sees the dead mean staring at him. As the four begin to work on their raft and see what is ahead of them near the river, a woman is seen catching fish with other women in the river. While going home, she hears a noise (made by the soldiers hiding behind a bush). The soldiers take her, bind her and try to interrogate her, but she does not speak any English. So, the three continue their reconnaissance and leave the unstable Pvt. Sidney to watch over her. But with Pvt. Sidney's mind becoming more unstable, can the soldiers trust him to watch the woman? "Fear and Desire" is presented in 1080p High Definition (1:33:1, black and white) and features the rare George Eastman House print that is mastered in HD from archival 35 mm elements newly restored by the Library of Congress. For the most part, picture quality for this film is very good considering its age. I detected no film warping, excessive blurring or a lot of scratches. There are nicks and dust that can be seen but by no means, does it prevent you from enjoying the film. Whites and grays were well-contrast, black levels were inky and dark. Overall, picture quality of "Fear and Desire" on Blu-ray is not pristine but the film looks great! As for "The Seafarers", the film is presented in color but definitely looks its age. While in HD, it does have that feeling of early '50s documentary shorts. AUDIO & SUBTITLES: "Fear and Desire" is presented in monaural LPCM 2.0. I detected no major hissing or pops during my viewing of "Fear and Desire". Audio was clear and dialogue can be heard clearly with no problems whatsoever. It's important to remember that this low-budget film was shot without sound and dialogue and effects were added during post production. There are no subtitles included on this Blu-ray release. "Fear and Desire" comes with Kubrick's 1953 short "The Seafarers" which was preserved by the Museum of Modern Art. The Seafarers is a industrial documentary promoting the Seafarers International Union. "Fear and Desire", the first film by Stanley Kubrick that he never wanted people to see. Who can blame Kubrick? Having a remarkable list of films in his oeuvre, his first film was seen by him as amateurish and low-budget. And as a filmmaker, one can easily criticize their earliest work and would rather have people remember the popular films that he's known for, not his first film that he created at 24. But for cinema fans, "Fear and Desire" is fascinating American cinema for the fact that it shows that Stanley Kubrick was a filmmaker and writer that was ahead of his time. "Fear and Desire" is cleverly written to poke at America's continuing involvement in war. And while "Fear and Desire" is not about the United States but people of an unknown country, Kubrick tries to relate one's feeling towards war, the futility of the actions of government and like its title, our soldiers that are sent to fight in a war instead of live for their families, are in fear of their lives being taken and their desire to survive another day. For Kubrick's first film, the use of cinematography and clever editing worked to the film's efficacy. From the facial expressions and the eyes of the soldiers, the sight of a dead person as he grasps the food to show signs of life until no movement can be seen. Also, closeups showcasing the sight of death or insanity for a character to wide angle shots showcasing the river and the wilderness. Kubrick's cinematography was amazing to see at his young age and once again, showing how he was ahead of his time. Also, intriguing was the use of two characters playing the enemy. Actors Kenneth Harp who plays Lt. Corby also plays the enemy general and Stephen Coit plays Pvt. Fletcher and the enemy captain. Kubrick utilizes each character effectively. From the young woman (portrayed by Virginia Leith) with fear on her face as the unstable Pvt. Sidney starts to go insane and rubs his face all over her. While a seen between Kenneth Harp's two characters who encounter each other is quite a memorable sight. For the most part, Stanely Kubrick was able to craft an intelligent film that pokes on society during that era on war. Something he focuses a lot decades later in his film "Full Metal Jacket". As for the Blu-ray release of "Fear and Desire", the fact that many people were exposed to bootlegs, because the film was never released should be happy that the 35 mm elements was restored and that Kubrick fans finally get their wish for an official video release. Not only is the film restored but the film looks great on Blu-ray! As for the inclusion of "The Seafarers", it's more of an industrial documentary promoting the Seafarers International Union but for Kubrick fans, the short gives people a chance to see how a young Kubrick was able to pay the bill sand eventually finance his next film, and that was taking on these type of jobs to earn money. So, you get the 1953 film and his short made that same year in this one Blu-ray release! Just to get this rare gem, restored and presented on Blu-ray is fantastic! Overall, while Stanley Kubrick has many films in his oeuvre that will be forever known and loved by cinema fans, "Fear and Desire" is the legendary filmmaker's first feature film that provides an insightful look at a young Kubrick at work and how his work was ahead for its time. Highly recommended!

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