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The Ericsson AB logo sits on a flag as it flies outside the company’s data networking devices factory in Tallinn, Estonia. (Photographer: Peter Kollanyi/Bloomberg)
Ericsson Acquires Niche AI Workforce For India Centre
PTI@PTI_News
Sep 15 2019, 5:15 PM Sep 15 2019, 5:15 PM September 15 2019, 5:15 PM September 15 2019, 5:15 PM
Ericsson AB has acquired workforce of Niche AI for its Bengaluru-based artificial intelligence centre, and is looking for more buyouts to build a team of 150 engineers for India operations this year, a senior company official said.
The Swedish telecom gear maker started its India wing of Global Artificial Intelligence Accelerator last year to develop open-source solutions to modernise its telecom network, using AI and machine learning.
“We’re looking at both organic hiring, one by one through recruitment off the market, as well as what you might call as inorganic, which is more through acquisitions and acquihires (acquiring only talents),” Sanjeev Tyagi, head of Ericsson R&D Bengaluru, told PTI. “One such company that we have acquired is Niche AI.”
Ericsson plans to have a team of around 300 highly qualified engineers in GAIA by the year-end of which half are expected to be in India.
“We continue to be on our target and towards our objective we have hired more than 75 engineers between Bangalore and Chennai and with a couple of dozen more expected to join in the coming months and we continue to recruit actively,” Tyagi said.
The company is acquiring talents from companies for GAIA and not their assets like patents, clients etc.
Tyagi said that as 5G technology starts spreading, there will be huge proliferation of internet-of-things devices and large number of different elements in the network, which can be efficiently managed only through AI and machine learning-like technologies, for which GAIA is developing solutions.
“The exponential growth in IoT devices will mean that the traditional methods of managing networks are no longer going to scale and that is an area where we are going to need self-organising, self-healing, self-governing networks using AI and ML (machine learning),” Tyagi said. “We’re also looking at leveraging machine learning techniques to optimise the volume of signalling needed between a 5G handset and the radio base station so as to conserve battery life.”
He didn’t disclose financial details of the Niche AI acquisition.
“We have been evaluating companies based on size, their core competence, the capabilities of the engineering team, cultural fit, and several other parameters. Niche AI was one company that we found suitable on all fronts. The size of the acquisition itself is small and that is something we found across the board. NicheAI ‘acquihire’ was in single digits in terms of the size of the workforce,” Tyagi said.
Stay Updated With Business News On BloombergQuint
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BargainWheels
Car Hire FAQ
Car Rental Cambridge – Cheap Discount Car Hire – Special Deals and Offers
Cambridge is a majestic tree lined town with a population of approx 16,000, a picture of idyllic beauty and vibrant colour, it also boasts a star studded array of sports stars who have gained world acclaim in events such as rowing, cycling and Horse Riding.
It is highly likely on your visit to Cambridge you will bump into the likes of Olympic gold medal winners Caroline and Georgina Evers-Swindell, Mark Todd or our darling of NZ cycling, Sarah Ulmer.
When the Evers-Swindell twins are not rowing they are busy promoting Lake Karapiro as a viable contender to host the 2010 World Rowing Champions.
Historic Cambridge has an array of choice for the visitor, whether you fancy wandering the streets browsing the numerous Antique shops, art galleries or craft stores to walking the heritage trail where you can view a potpourri of architectural styles and impressive buildings, some dating back to the turn of the century.
The equine industry brings a great deal of fame to this town, with many overseas buyers recognizing the quality of our throughbreds with the pasture being some of the richest in the world.
If it is thrill seeking adventure you are after then try jet boating, jet skiing, trout fishing or kayaking on the mighty Waikato River.
Choose Bargain Wheels Car Rentals in Cambridge for the cheapest discount car hire with special deals and offers.
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Barr View Primary & Nursery Academy
Dear Parents & Carers, thank you for your continued support during the January lockdown, should you need to contact the school all of the details are on our home page, just scroll down a little, thank you and take care.........Dear Parents & Carers, thank you for your continued support during the January lockdown, should you need to contact the school all of the details are on our home page, just scroll down a little, thank you and take care.........Dear Parents & Carers, thank you for your continued support during the January lockdown, should you need to contact the school all of the details are on our home page, just scroll down a little, thank you and take care.........Dear Parents & Carers, thank you for your continued support during the January lockdown, should you need to contact the school all of the details are on our home page, just scroll down a little, thank you and take care.........Dear Parents & Carers, thank you for your continued support during the January lockdown, should you need to contact the school all of the details are on our home page, just scroll down a little, thank you and take care.........Dear Parents & Carers, thank you for your continued support during the January lockdown, should you need to contact the school all of the details are on our home page, just scroll down a little, thank you and take care.........Dear Parents & Carers, thank you for your continued support during the January lockdown, should you need to contact the school all of the details are on our home page, just scroll down a little, thank you and take care.........Dear Parents & Carers, thank you for your continued support during the January lockdown, should you need to contact the school all of the details are on our home page, just scroll down a little, thank you and take care.........Dear Parents & Carers, thank you for your continued support during the January lockdown, should you need to contact the school all of the details are on our home page, just scroll down a little, thank you and take care.........Dear Parents & Carers, thank you for your continued support during the January lockdown, should you need to contact the school all of the details are on our home page, just scroll down a little, thank you and take care.........Dear Parents & Carers, thank you for your continued support during the January lockdown, should you need to contact the school all of the details are on our home page, just scroll down a little, thank you and take care.........Dear Parents & Carers, thank you for your continued support during the January lockdown, should you need to contact the school all of the details are on our home page, just scroll down a little, thank you and take care.........
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Barr View Sports News
Barr View Primary School Academy Pupil Premium
The Government introduced the Pupil Premium Grant in April 2011. This grant, which is additional to main school funding, is seen by the government as the best way to address the current underlying inequalities between children eligible for free school meals (FSM) and their peers, by ensuring that funding to tackle disadvantage reaches the pupils who need it most. The Pupil Premium is allocated to schools and is clearly identifiable. Schools can decide how the Pupil Premium is spent, since they are best placed to assess what additional provision should be made for the individual pupils within their responsibility.
At Barr View Primary School Academy we support all our pupils. We do this by providing high quality classroom teaching supplemented by interventions to support vulnerable learners as and when required. The School Leadership Team and Governing Body monitor the impact of all spending and interventions, including the Pupil Premium. The nature of some of the interventions outlined below means many have benefited additional children who do not receive Pupil Premium funding. Please click on the button below for more information.
Pupil Premium Report 19 -20 V2.pdf Download
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Barr View Primary
Barr View Primary and Nursery School,
Aldridge Rd,
B44 8NT
enquiry@barrview.bham.sch.uk
© 2021 Barr View Primary & Nursery Academy.
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Judge Aaron Persky, by Jason Doiy.
F* Rape Culture with GRLCVLT: An Event to Unseat Aaron Persky
By Raechel Price 1 Comment
Posted on Jun 16, 2016 Aug 16, 2016
Last night, I joined a cult.
Shelby Jones is the president of Golden Gate Grlcvlt, the Bay Area chapter of a secret society of women dedicated to promoting friendship and sisterhood.
“We’re a sisterhood, we’re very very much a strong community,” Jones said.
When I arrived at the Starlight Social Club, it was packed with people milling about, cocktail in one hand, sheets of paper and envelopes in the other. The late-afternoon sun filtered in through the high windows, and the vibe in the bar was jovial — those engaged in discussion looked as if they were at a Sunday picnic, not discussing unseating a Santa Clara County judge.
I was there for Shelby’s event, FOR HER, a community event to recall Aaron Persky, the judge who sentenced Brock Turner to six months in jail for three felony counts of assault.
“We women and our allies are tired of being told that we do not matter, that our value comes in second to that of a RAPIST collegiate athlete,” Shelby wrote in the Facebook event post.
I attained a letter and an envelope from a tall girl in a studded leather vest. I asked her about Shelby, and she pointed me to the upstairs ballroom. The music was blaring, women in #fvckrapeculture t-shirts running the letter signing and collection table.
The room was slowly filling with a variety of women: hipsters in plaid and oversized wireframes, young professionals who obviously just left the office, punks in patched jeans and the aforementioned studs. I met people from Marin County, Sacramento, students and artists, women and men from all walks invested in the same thing: speaking out against rape culture.
I finally met Shelby, and she pulled me into the hallway to talk. I asked her to tell me all about this secret cult of hers. Girlcvlt, typically stylized as GRLCVLT, started a few years ago in LA.
“When I got into the group, it was amazing to see a culture that inspired being empathic and compassionate toward women in a society that oftentimes is not,” she said.
Jones tells me the event was inspired by the head of the New York chapter, Remy Holwick.
“Remy, who is a good friend of mine, saw the ruling… and went ‘I can’t, I just can’t deal with this, it’s too frequent that women are treated as commodities or objects,’” Jones said.
Jones articulated the same anger, both her own and Holwick’s, that I’ve heard echoing through my social media feeds: that Brock Turner’s sentence sends a clear message that our society prioritizes the achievements of men over the legitimacy of a victim’s narrative.
I learned about the Stanford case the way many of my fellow women did, through the Buzzfeed article about the victim’s letter she read in the courtroom on the day of the sentencing.
Kiana Carlisle and her friend Sarah Rose Butler were heartbroken when they read the victim’s letter.
“I cried,” Carlisle said.
“The end was so powerful,” Butler added.
I didn’t finish it in one sitting. I think it took me three days to get to the end.
The news of the case broke just before California’s primary election on June 7. Aaron Persky was up for reelection this year, but according to the Mercury News his election was cancelled because he was running uncontested. By the time the full details of the case became apparent, it seemed like it was too late for citizens to do anything.
“[Remy] sent me a message saying ‘what do you think about hosting a small event… and it grew to not a small event,” Jones said.
By the end of the night, they had collected 700 letters.
“I think that the communal voice of all these women and their allies saying ‘this is bullshit,’ has been loud enough that it’s not going to stand and we’re going to see some change,” Jones said.
Carlisle, Butler and I communed around a small table, discussing the case, rape culture and all of the facets of our society that contribute to stories like this happening all too often.
Up on stage, the music stopped. A young woman named Jessica performed a few pieces of spoken word poetry. Her powerful words struck a chord with many in the room.
Then Jones took the stage. “My name is Shelby Jones, and I am a rape survivor.”
She revealed it was the first time she had said that fact publicly. When she asked who else in the room were survivors, almost half the hands went up, including a couple of men.
“The statistic is one in three, and this is way more than that,” Jones said.
Cassie Negrete, who works at Facebook, joined our little group. She told us about growing up with abstinence-only education in Texas. We discussed how important it is to teach kids that touching someone without their consent is wrong.
As I talked to those girls, a piece of my soul knit itself back together. The last few weeks of news have been a trying time to be both queer and feminist. But last night was incredibly healing. I realized that not all social activism has to look like anger and protest, shouting in the streets. It can look like this, fancy daiquiris in a bar in Oakland, surrounded by several hundred of your fellow feminists, doing our part to ensure that justice comes to Santa Clara County.
You can — and should! — attend tonight’s event in San Francisco to show your support.
Where: 1014 Folsom St., San Francisco
When: June 16, 7-10 p.m.
Tags: culture, feminism, news, politics
Dimitri E. Magganas says:
I would talk with Stanford about Brock Turner. This makes Stanford look really, really bad. I wish I could insult all guilty parties, but how do you insult people who are bad human beings, overall?
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Annu Kapoor’s Extempore Monologue for ALTBalaji’s Home!
Annu Kapoor, one of the finest actors in Indian cinema and an excellent speaker on TV has shot for a 48 sec long monologue for his upcoming series Home.
Annu Kapoor has hosted many live shows on TV and Radio in his long-standing career. The actor is not known for his impeccable acting skills but is also touted to be a good speaker and thought leader as well.
Giving a testimony of the same, the actor was asked to shoot for a promo of his upcoming Web series
Annu has delivered the monologue at extempore and the makers have utilized the best content of multiple promos.
ALTBalaji’s upcoming series ‘Home’ dwells upon the story of a family struggling to fight for their home stuck into the corrupt hands of the builders.
Habib Faisal who presented the story of a middle-class family with his debut film ‘Do Dooni Chaar’ will be exploring the genre yet again for
Habib Faisal is the first director to present a story on the digital platform of a middle-class family inspired from real incidents.
‘Home’ stars maven actors like Annu Kapoor, Supriya Pilgaonkar, Amol Parashar and Parikshit Sahani in a pivotal roles.
The series is sure to resonate with every Indian who dreams to have their own shelter and is loosely based on the true events revolving around the story about a housing society where families lost their homes due to misconduct of the builder.
To give you a glimpses of the series, trailer will be live from 16th August.
The 12 episode show will be streaming on the ALTBalaji app and the website from 29th August.
Related Items:ALTBalaji, Annu Kapoor, BollywoodDhamaka
Paurashpur Trailer: An epic saga about politics, lust and gender disparities
Sumeet Vyas enthralls in the new teaser for the political drama ‘Dark 7 White’
Angad Bedi shines bright as an encounter specialist in the trailer for ‘Mum Bhai’
It’s ‘Simmba’ way for Rohit Shetty this Independence Day
JP Dutta’s Paltan shot with real guns from 1967
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Affordable Detox Retreats (54) Raw Food Detox (62) Asia & Oceania (197) Thailand (57) Phetchabun (10) Muay Thai Battle Conquer Gym (10)
56 Day Wellness Package, Meditation, Yoga, Detox, Muay Thai, Crossfit, explore Temples in Thailand
Muay Thai Battle Conquer, 26 Moo 9, Nong Chaeng, Bueng Sam Phan, Phetchabun, Thailand
Detox Weight Loss and Muay Thai Camp Thailand
This listing has one of the 10 most popular offers available in Thailand
This weight loss and detox program is about detoxifying your life. It isn’t just about food and exercise. It’s proven that eating a good diet, living in nature and partaking in exercise can greatly improve mental health. If you’re battling with anxiety and depression, addictions, at Battle Conquer you will be with like-minded people living with a loving family, soaking up our traditional way of life. Muay Thai Battle Conquer Gym looks forward to welcoming you to their beautiful rural retreat.
Pau, Bee, Bey, & 7 More…
Unique country location
Submerge yourself in true Thai Culture
Daily yoga classes all week in our newly build shala
Full packed schedule with heaps of activities to choose from
Muay Thai & Western Boxing 6 days a week
CrossFit and Strength & Conditioning
5 day raw detox
55 nights accommodation
10 Thai massage treatments
Raw Food Detox
56 days with instruction in English
The organizer also speaks: Thai
Group size: Maximum of 20 participants
Airport transfer available:
Suvarnabhumi Airport (US$96 per person)
Check-in Time:
Check-out Time:
Air-conditioned public areas
Air-conditioned rooms
Special menu request
ATM / banking
Private Lodgings at Battle Conquer Gym
The small and humble village is mostly made up of family and farming folk, you’ll find Battle Conquer hidden in the middle of miles of rice fields that stretch out as far as the famous hills. We have 30 purpose-built lodges at their family home, making camp accommodation very convenient with the gym facilities and Noi’s Cafe being only steps from your door. Staying at the family home means submerging yourself in the camp culture, you’ll find it vibrant and friendly yet completely cut off from the stresses of modern day life.
Single, double or twin bed
Wardrobe or hanging rail with hangers
Pillows, linens and towels
Kwang Sai Hotel
My aunty and her family own and run Kwaing Sai Hotel so you’re in good hands! The hotel is 4km from our camp, this takes approximately 10 minutes by car. We arrange transport throughout the day for your convenience to and from the hotel. Located on the edge of Smo Thot town you’ll be closer to some great coffee shops, restaurants and the local markets. As you’ll be spending your days at the camp you still soak up our village life and family appeal.
2 twin beds or double bed
Ar-moire with hangers
Private bathroom with hot water
Weight loss & detox
The Weight Loss & Detox Programs aren’t just about food and exercise, instead they’re about detoxifying your life. Exercising, eating a clean diet, living in nature and partaking in mindful exercises, such as yoga and meditation are considered to greatly improve mental health as well as the physical self. At the end of the day, the two go hand in hand.
Now imagine being at a retreat that combines all of these and puts them together such a way that your new lifestyle change becomes second nature.
Welcome to Battle Conquer.
You’ll start with the “Raw Fest” (optional may not be suitable for all guests.) This allows the colon to rest by removing a complex diet and providing natural energy and vitamins from raw foods. After five days your body will be ready to start enjoying our fresh Thai food packed with heaps of nutrition.
Wellness, Your Strive for Health.
To help you reset & unwind we have daily guided meditation at unique locations like our nature walk and pretty local temples with their unusual architecture. There are hikes that take you to breathtaking views & Thai massage treatments to help you unwind and help boost muscle recovery.
We offer a variety of different yoga styles such as vinyasa, yin and hatha, please ask for a copy of our latest schedule for more information,
07.00 A choice of Muay Thai & Western Boxing or our additional scheduled class that could be either, CrossFit, hiking, swimming or Stretch depending on what has been scheduled
09:00 Healthy Thai Breakfast at Noi’s Cafe
10:30 Yoga
12:20 Temple visit with guided meditation
13.00 Lunch at Noi’s Café (on request and if at the camp)
15.30 A choice of Muay Thai & Western Boxing or additional class; swimming, hiking, CrossFit, Stretch depending on what has been scheduled
18:00 Yummy healthy evening meal at Noi’s Cafe
19.00 Relax
Sunday Gym Excursion
Sunday is the gym excursion day, please see included excursions for more details. Please note that the schedule is subject to change and availability.
The Meditation experience is very special, in the week you will have the opportunity to take part in guided meditations delivered by our experienced yoga and meditation instructors, learning key meditation skills in some beautiful locations in the countryside or temples. The week ends with a spiritual trip to our local temple for teachings and guided meditation from our only English-speaking monk.
Muay Thai Battle Conquer
Muay Thai Battle Conquer is a traditional, family-run gym with deep roots in the fight game. The Keawma family has been involved in fighting, training, and promoting Muay Thai for decades, they accept all levels of fitness and experience making it perfect for all, age and ability are no barrier!
The name of the gym itself comes from the Thai saying Phichit Suk, said to fighters for good luck and translating to “battle conquer.”
Included excursions
The Buddha Run.
Take the Battle Conquer challenge of climbing three hundred steep steps to a hillside temple set in a cave as many times as you can in one hour or simply relax at the top taking in the magnificent views.
Fish Temple & Monkey Temple, feed the monkeys and fish.
The first stop is the market to buy bananas, make sure you have a lot as there is going to be plenty of hungry monkeys. Next stop is the pretty Fish Temple set out on a jetty with stone steps leading down to the water. Give a donation for a bag of fish food and be amazed at the sheer size of the fish ready to greet you.
Temple visits with guided meditation
Four times a week we take you to a different local temple to sit and mediate with our teachers. The temples are all very different and beautiful with plenty of interesting architecture and paintings to see.
Meditation with English speaking Monk
Guidance and teachings from our humble Monk, the only one in this province who speaks English.
Etiquette for visiting Monk and Temples.
Be sure to have your shoulders and knees covered when visiting any of the temples, shoes must be taken off before you go in. Also, as part of Thai tradition, it is good manners to leave a donation in the collection box to help pay towards the running costs and utility bills.
Sunday Gym Excursion.
Everyone looks forward to the Sunday rest day! There are many beautiful places to visit in Phetchabun so on Sunday, they take you to their favourites. It could be the stunning Nong Pye Lake, one of Phetchabun's largest set deep in the valley with beautiful panoramic views, take a raft out and relax, swim, fish, if you’d like refreshments, it’s not a problem, simply wave a flag and you can order the most delicious food and drinks delivered to your raft.
We have several hikes that we use throughout the year depending on the season. Some take you into the jungle to a pretty waterfall, others up to the big lake for swimming or off on a tour of the countryside.
Pau has been trained by his uncle and fighting since the age of four. By the age of 14, he had more than 100 fights under his belt and was recruited to fight out of the Wy Cun Gym in Bangkok, where he trained and fought alongside Saensak Muangsurin, the great boxer who became the WBC welterweight. Pau built a record of 58 wins and 10 losses during his time in Bangkok. Pau continued to develop a wealth of Muay Thai knowledge to this day, which he teaches in a traditional and very intuitive style. Whether just beginning or a seasoned fighter, you’ll be sure to learn a great deal from him.
Bee is one of our home grown fighters, and has been training at Battle Conquer Gym since the age of 9. While his fighter name is Pet Tai, referees tend to refer to him as Hitman. They are not fooled by his sweet face as they know him to be a killer in the ring, particularly skilled in elbow technique. He has had 58 fights (winning 34 times), and is somewhat famous at the Nakhon Sawan Stadium, one of the biggest venues in the area. He can be bashful, but is very playful and a delight to be around.
Bey is one of our masters, with 128 fights under his belt (75 wins), and all at the tender age of 22. He has multiple championships in Bangkok, at both the Lumpini and Rajadamnern stadiums, and was once light weight champion in Chiang Mai. He is known for being quick in the ring, and will coach you to be the same as he gets you powered up and fight ready. But trying to punch Bey will be one of the hardest challenges you face at Battle Conquer.
Yo has 25 western boxing fights and 71 Muay Thai fights under his belt. He's represented Thailand at olympic level for Western Boxing and we are lucky to have such a talented fighter and trainer at our camp. Coaching now for five years you will learn a lot from Yo.
Quan has been in the ring 57 times and won 32 fights. Among these fights is premiering at Saraburi stadium, one of the largest in Thailand. He recently returned to Battle Conquer after a few months absence and due to his wonderfully welcoming attitude to all guests he was greeted heartily upon his return. He is strong, fast and can adapt to all levels.
Pepo is our youngest trainer, but don’t let that fool you. At 17 he has already been fighting for 10 years, and has fought in 30 matches. He started his training in Pattaya and won a belt in Sattahip. His kicks in particular are acrobatic, and it is fun to watch him as he flies through the air. Let him teach you how to do the same. Pepo is quiet and gentle and a particularly good trainer for beginners.
Luk, another native of Battle Conquer Gym, has been training here since the age of 12. He has 45 fights to his name (28 wins), and once earned the title of Light Weight Champion at Phitsanulok. He has expert technique, particularly adept with his knees and elbows. But he also has a secret weapon in the ring, he disarms his opponents with his broad and unceasing smile. He is full of energy, a wonderful jokester, and loves teaching.
Jad has been fighting for over 30 years, and has racked up 360 fights. Included in this count is winning the light weight championship in North Thailand. To expand his skills further Jad traveled to Myanmar where he fought and won in Muay Kaad Chuek, a bare knuckles form of boxing native to that country. Before coming to Battle Conquer Gym Jad opened a gym in his home town where he taught young kids to fight. Jad is tireless, and while he will push you to your limits, he is known around here for how encouraging he is.
Training since the age of 12, Jacks has fought in Bangkok in both the Lumpini and Rajadamnern stadiums, once winning the championship at the latter. All told he has been in 300 fights. He spent three years in China, teaching Muay Thai and learning Chinese, before returning to Thailand to join us at Battle Conquer Gym. He is soft spoken and a caring gentle warrior.
With 200 fights under his belt, and 145 wins, Game is a highly expert coach. In fact, he has himself trained two fighters through to championship wins. After he was named Champion of North Thailand, he traveled to China where he taught Muay Thai for a year. While he has the skills of an expert champion, his gift is always making people feel good about their workouts, even beginners.
An untouched paradise set in the heart of Thailand’s farmland, the province of Phetchabun is a quiet, peaceful place where you can feel at home in nature.
There are so many amazing experiences to be had here from visiting temples and meditating with monks to taking out a raft on the largest lake to fully kicking back and relaxing. %With so many stunning views to be had in the undisturbed part of the world it feels as if time has stood still.
Located in Bueng Sam Phan, Phetchabun, Thailand.
Bangkok, 290 kilometers
Tour assistance
Noi's Cafe serves up wholesome Thai food in a canteen style offering two different dishes accompanied with rice and salads or vegetables. Thai food is one of the tastiest and healthiest foods around the world and here in the farmland it’s even more nutritious. All the fresh food is carefully selected and bought from the local markets every morning. If you’ve ever wondered what real, home-cooked Thai food tastes like you will find out at Noi’s Cafe.
Noi's Cafe home-cooked Thai meals are full of a variety of different vegetables, fruit and herbs and spices, providing a range of nutrients and health benefits. Noi's Cafe does not use any dairy and only have the freshest cuts of white meat or fish (optional). This makes the food incredibly healthy and detoxifying, a clean eating diet like this one is perfect for weight loss.
Breakfast at Noi's is the most important meal of the day, it's protein and fibre rich to keep you full, that said if you are at the camp and feeling peckish at lunchtime fresh fruit and salads are available on request.
While we try to cater for everyone please be aware that you will be traveling to Thailand’s farmland, far away from the usual tourist destination, we are the first camp of our kind. Our family cook all the food and the standard diet is white meat, fish, eggs, tofu, nuts, rice, fresh vegetables and fruits. It’s all locally sourced and brought fresh from the markets, the fruit and vegetables served will depend on what is in season.
The following meals are included:
The following drinks are included:
The following dietary requirement(s) are served and/or catered for:
Regular (typically includes meat and fish)
Other dietary requirements on request
If you have special dietary requirements it's a good idea to communicate it to the organiser when making a reservation
Things to do (optional)
In addition to fights, these country carnivals usually have a big selection of rides, carnival games, live music, dancing and great food.
Bicycle & Moped Hire
Hire one of their bikes and go off and explore the beautiful countryside and the many hidden temples. Moped hire is 150 to 350 THB. Bicycle hire is 100 THB per day.
To support the detoxing process, this package includes 10 Thai massage treatments.
Twice daily Muay Thai or Western Boxing 6 days a week.
Free PT session per week
Buddha Run Challenge with Guided Meditation
Jungle Hike with waterfall swimming (seasonal)
Thai massage treatment x 10
Daily yoga class available 7 days a week
Shakti Shala Stretch Classes
Meeting our Monk
Temple visit with guided meditation 4 days per week
Monkey Feeding and Fish Feeding
Night Market Tour
Day market and town trip 5 day raw detox (optional)
Daily healthy breakfast, lunch and dinner from Noi’s Cafe.
Coffee and Tea facilities
Water freely available
55 nights Accommodation in air conditioned private room with en-suite
Room cleaned daily Fishing in local ponds/lake (equipment provided for free)
Free use of mountain bike
Recommended Airports
Transfer available for additional US$96 per person
Arrival by airplane
Please book your flights to arrive at Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) in Bangkok. Airport transfer can be arranged at an additional 2.900 THB per car per way, please coordinate your flight details with Muay Thai Battle Conquer Gym prior to your arrival date. Or a private transfer from Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) to the bus station can also be arranged at an additional cost of 1.050 THB to be paid to the driver directly. This is to ensure that that you catch the correct bus to Smo Thot. Once you had reached Smo Thot, a tuk tuk pick up service can be arrange to transfer you to the camp/hotel at 150 THB
Arrival by bus
First catch a taxi to Mo Chit bus station,(Bangkok). Once at Mo Chit bus station buy a first class ticket too Smo Thot 239 Baht. When your on the bus leaving Bangkok please let us know so we know what time you will arrive in Smo Thot. So we can let our tuk tuk drivers know your time of arrival they will bring you to the camp/hotel (tuk tuk cost to camp 150 baht). Talk to the driver and the assistant on the bus and tell them you want to stop at Smo Thot. NOTE* do not go to Phetchabun city stop off at Smo Thot. Address: 26 Moo 11 Nong Chaeng, Bueng Sam Phan District, Phetchabun, 67160
Check in is open from 6am til 10pm, please coordinate your arrival time directly with Battle Conquer Gym. If you are catching the bus the last one leaves at 4pm.
Airport: Suvarnabhumi Airport Airport transfer available: Suvarnabhumi Airport (US$96 per person) Additional charges may apply. You can request this in the next step.
A reservation requires a deposit of 50% of the total price.
The deposit is non-refundable, if the booking is cancelled.
The rest of the payment should be paid on arrival.
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Muay Thai Battle Conquer camp is a traditional family-run Muay Thai, detox, weight loss, and yoga training camp set in beautiful rural , Phetchabun, Thailand.
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OH NO! Written by Mac Barnett, illustrated by Dan Santat
OH NO! (Or How My Science Project Destroyed the World) is the latest picture book from Mac Barnett, with amazing art work by the incomprable Dan Santat. As with all of Mac Barnett's books (thus far...) there is a story behind the story. With his first picture book, written fresh out of college, Billy Twitters and His Blue Whale Problem, Barnett, who really knows his kid's books, was interested in taking the "theme of Nice Kid Gets a Giant Pet [which] has a venerable history" and taking a look at the consequences that come with owning an enormous pet, which is rarely done in this particular genre. As he said in his interview at 7 Impossible Things last year, "I thought, surely there’s a different story to be told here. And so came Billy’s ordeal, a nonstop parade of inconveniences and awkward social situations. This whale doesn’t talk. It doesn’t have a name. It’s not even mobile. This is not a fun pet. Even the ending, which leaves Billy feeling better, is not really a depiction of unalloyed happiness."
And, as Barnett shares in an interview this month with Betsy Bird at School Library Journal, "I wanted to write about a very particular kind of regret that only children can feel: a regret that is sincere but also usually less acute than the situation warrants. I'm thinking particularly of an episode at 826LA, a nonprofit writing center I used to run. I walked into the bathroom to find a kid who'd flushed many paper towels down a toilet and wrecked a 100-year-old plumbing system. He was standing in an inch of (thankfully clean) water, and he smiled sheepishly, apologized, and went back to the writing lab to finish his homework. It was a small step from that bathroom to ruined major metropolitan area, from the scatological the eschatological." I love this back story and the feeling that Barnett evokes in OH NO!, a deceptively simple story. (Read the whole interview for another really great story about what first inspired Mac to think about writing kid's books and how he got his foot in the door and which famous children's book author's kid he went to college with...)
But, really, I shouldn't write too much about this book. Barnett's inspiration and text are amazing, it is clear from reading his other books (and interviews with Adam Rex) he approaches creating picture book as a collaborative effort and, fortunately for us, he collaborates with some amazing artists who are also authors themselves. So, let me rave for a minute about the work of Dan Santat and what a spectacular book OH NO! is, from cover to cover, inside and out.
But first check out this hilarious video that Dan made (starring himself) to go with the book....
Disney Hyperion has pulled out all the stops to make this unique book even more special. The dust jacket is two sided, the interior revealing a fake movie poster for the book, which, it goes without saying, was inspired by certain movies of old. In fact, Dan has recently made OH NO! shirts with this very picture on them that can be purchased at zazzle.com with all proceeds going to support 826LA, the Los Angeles branch of a non-profit writing and tutoring center, 826 National, which now has seven locations all over America. The book itself is printed to look exactly like a well-used computation book, complete with coffee (or tea) rings on it! The endpapers reveal the heroine's blueprints for her robot, among other things, and have some brilliant diagrams and depictions of DNA chemical structure and copious notes.
The interior pages make you feel like you have jumped into a (badly dubbed) science fiction movie with translations for words from English to Japanese scrolling across the bottom of the page like a newsfeed. As the book opens, we see an anxious little girl with a serious grimace on her face. She walks through the streets of a decimated city muttering, "Oh no... Oh man... I knew it... I never should have built a robot for the science fair." From there, she grumbles on about the mistakes she made by giving her robot a "suer claw," "laser eye" and "the power to control dogs' minds." This sets Santat up for some brilliantly hilarious illustrations of dogs trying to be robots, with the requisite tinfoil helmet and cardboard box bodies. How does our scientist-hero stop her creation? With another experiment (gone wrong) of course! You will just have to read this spectacular book to find out what she comes up with!
After reading OH NO! before bed one night - my husband, myself, three kids (which includes two teenagers) and a big dog, were all cracking up. Besides being an all-around great book, one that prompted a weekend Godzilla movie marathon, Dan Santat pays homage to a comedian and one of his very, very funny bits about procrastinating on a science fair project that my husband and kids happened to be familiar with.
Brian Regan is a very funny, clean comedian and I just happened to find an animated clip of "Cup of Dirt" to share with you!
aauthor: Barnett aauthor: Santat Picture Books Robots
nice review thnx for the guidance.
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Watch Chance the Rapper, Jeremih & Valee Light Up a Christmas Party in 'Are U Live' Video
By Heran Mamo
Chance the Rapper, Jeremih and Valee's "Are U Live"
Chance the Rapper, Jeremih and Valee liven the party and overall holiday season in their "Are U Live" music video, which unwrapped itself on Thursday (Dec. 3).
"Are U Live" was featured on Jeremih and Chance's SoundCloud mixtape Jeremih & Chance's Merry Christmas Lil Mama: Rewrapped that the Chicago natives released on Dec. 15, 2017. Now after Chance and Co. have "been trying to clear this record for THREE years," as he noted on Twitter, the song has arrived on streaming services for the very first time with an accompanying Lyrical Lemonade visual.
The three rappers get the party started, commit a couple of party fouls from broken glass to unsuccessful daps, and dance the night away in the Cole Bennett-directed clip, which reminds viewers how the song helped popularize the "Woah" dance craze.
Artists Mentioned
'Prayers for Jeremih': Chance the Rapper, 50 Cent & More Respond to COVID-19 Reports
Last month, Chance requested prayers for Jeremih on social media after the R&B hitmaker was hospitalized in a Chicago ICU, where he was using a ventilator to assist with his breathing, while battling a severe case of COVID-19. The "oui" singer was later transferred out of the ICU and into a regular hospital room. His family told CNN in a statement that the virus "viciously attacked his body" and added they felt "very grateful for everyone who is praying."
The Coloring Book rapper expressed gratitude on Twitter yesterday (Dec. 3) for being able to speak with Jeremih on the phone and for his reported release from the hospital today. "I AM FILLED WITH PRAISE RIGHT NOW I JUST HEARD MY BROTHER JEREMIH’S VOICE ON THE PHONE FOR THE FIRST TIME IN ALMOST A MONTH HE WILL BE OUT THE HOSPITAL TOMORROW WE GIVE ALL GLORY TO THE FATHER IN JESUS NAME," Chance wrote, later thanking the staff at Northwestern and those who prayed on Jeremih's behalf "when it seemed so grim" in a separate note.
Check out the new video and see Chance's tweets below.
Watch the "Are U Live" music video below.
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PA Officials Abruptly Revoked Business Waivers After Republicans Questioned Shadowy Process
Jeff Swensen/Getty Images
Hannah Bleau
Pennsylvania officials suddenly revoked a number of business waivers after critics demanded transparency from Gov. Tom Wolf (D) regarding the criteria used in granting exemptions to “non-life essential” businesses, allowing them to operate during his stringent lockdown orders, PennLive revealed on Wednesday.
Wolf, alongside Health Secretary Rachel Levine, shut down all non-life essential businesses in mid-March, but the governor followed up with a short-lived waiver program, which allowed nonessential businesses to apply for the right to operate, even under the lockdown orders. Secrecy shrouded what amounted to a shadowy process, piquing the interest of GOP lawmakers, who subpoenaed additional information regarding the criteria used to determine which businesses could operate and which had to remain closed.
The Department of Community and Economic Development did not provide explicit details, instead releasing a list Friday containing the businesses that were granted requests, totaling 6,123.
Several business owners have indicated they received a waiver, which the government officials suddenly revoked without warning — an action that appeared to occur right before the administration’s release of the list of recipients.
“Just hours before the administration disclosed the first details about which businesses received waivers, state officials were still revoking exemptions without explanation, according to several interviews with business owners,” PennLive reported.
Tiffany Kuhn was one of those individuals. She received an email from Wolf’s administration Thursday evening, informing her that her waiver — allowing her to operate her mobile notary business — had been rescinded. She suspected that the decision had something to do with a complaint from a competitor.
“My first thought was, someone turned on me,” she said.
Spotlight PA also found that other businesses appeared to receive similar emails on Thursday evening, while others received the news the following day.
Officials granted Micah Durling, who owns a photography business, a waiver March 25, allowing him to operate his business. However, they ultimately revoked the waiver:
The Lancaster County company, which he owns with his wife, specializes in pictures for real estate listings. The couple had adjusted to a new way of working: wearing gloves and masks, wiping down their equipment after shoots, and only taking pictures when no one was home.
Then, on Monday afternoon, they received an email from the state, abruptly revoking the waiver without explanation. The reversal came a few days after a competitor who had not received a waiver began asking about the discrepancy, Durling said.
“It was crushing,” he told Spotlight PA. “This frankly blindsided us.”
The department attributed the decisions to “a quality control review process,” which resulted in officials revoking exemptions for 69 businesses previously awarded the waivers.
“During that process, which is ongoing, we are rescinding waivers that were issued in error or do not meet the appropriate criteria,” Casey Smith, a spokesperson for the Department of Community and Economic Development, said, according to PennLive.
Smith’s explanation has done little to satisfy critics, as the administration has yet to release the criteria officials used to determine eligibility.
Pennsylvania attorney Wally Zimolong filed a class action lawsuit on behalf of the businesses that were denied the waiver and told Breitbart News on Saturday that the administration’s release of the list “only makes it worse.” He explained that some businesses that were denied waivers happened to be “identical” to businesses located just miles away.
“These were competitors,” he told Breitbart News.
Wolf and his administration have yet to address the discrepancies or provide the details of the criteria used in the controversial business waiver process. All the while, Wolf is keeping several counties in the most restrictive red phase of reopening, barring nonessential business operations. Wolf has extended his stringent lockdown orders — for counties remaining in the red phase — to June 4.
EconomyHealthPoliticscoronaviruslockdownPennsylvaniaReopen Americasmall businessTom Wolfwaivers
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For better learning in college lectures, lay down the laptop and pick up a pen
Series: Evidence Speaks
Susan M. Dynarski Thursday, August 10, 2017
Susan M. Dynarski
Professor of Public Policy, Education, and Economics - University of Michigan
Do computers help or hinder classroom learning in college? Step into any college lecture and you’ll find a sea of students with laptops and tablets open, typing as the professor speaks.
With their enhanced ability to transcribe content and look up concepts on the fly, are students learning more from lecture than they were in the days of paper and pen?
A growing body of evidence says “No.” When college students use computers or tablets during lecture, they learn less and earn worse grades. The evidence consists of a series of randomized trials, in both college classrooms and controlled laboratory settings.
Students who use laptops in class are likely different from those who don’t. They may be more easily distracted or less interested in the course material. Alternatively, they may be the most serious (or wealthiest) students who have invested in technology to support their learning.
Randomization assures us that, on average, the students using electronics in a study are comparable at baseline to those who do not. That means that any comparison we make of students at the end of the study is caused by the “treatment,” which in this case is laptop use.
In a series of laboratory experiments, researchers at Princeton and the University of California, Los Angeles had students watch a lecture, randomly assigning them either laptops or pen and paper for their note-taking.1 Understanding of the lecture, measured by a standardized test, was substantially worse for those who had used laptops.
When college students use computers or tablets during lecture, they learn less and earn worse grades.
Learning researchers hypothesize that, because students can type faster than they can write, a lecturer’s words flow straight from the students’ ears through their typing fingers, without stopping in the brain for substantive processing. Students writing by hand, by contrast, have to process and condense the material if their pens are to keep up with the lecture. Indeed, in this experiment, the notes of the laptop users more closely resembled transcripts than summaries of the lectures.
Taking notes can serve two learning functions: the physical storage of content (ideally, for later review) and the cognitive encoding of that content. These lab experiments suggest that laptops improve storage, but undermine encoding. On net, those who use laptops do worse, with any benefit of better storage swamped by worse encoding.
We could try to teach students to use their laptops better, nudging them to think about the material as they type. The researchers tried this in a second experiment, advising the laptop users that summarizing and condensing leads to more learning than transcription. This instruction had no effect on the results.
Students using laptops can also distract their classmates from their learning, another lab experiment suggests.2 Researchers at York and McMaster recruited students to watch a lecture and then tested their comprehension. Some students were randomly assigned to do some short tasks on their laptops during the lecture (e.g., look up movie times). Others were allowed to focus on the lecture. All seats were randomly assigned.
As expected, the multitasking students learned less than those focused on the lecture, scoring about 11 percent lower on a test. What is more surprising: the learning of students near the multitaskers also suffered. Students who could see the screen of a multitasker’s laptop (but were not multitasking themselves) scored 17 percent lower on comprehension than those who had no distracting view. It’s hard to stay focused when a field of laptops open to Facebook, Snapchat, and email lies between you and the lecturer.
These studies, like all lab experiments, took place under artificial circumstances. Students were paid to participate, lectures were unrelated to actual coursework, and performance on tests had no bearing on college grades. This controlled setting allowed researchers to carefully manipulate conditions and thereby try to tease out the mechanisms underlying the effect of laptop use on learning.
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Matthew M. Chingos and Grover J. “Russ” Whitehurst
But what happens in a real classroom, over multiple lectures? Perhaps laptop-using students review and encode their notes later, after class. They might even perform better on assessments, since they have more accurate notes for review. Further, students might work harder to stay focused on the lecture, even in the face of distractions, when their grades are at stake.
To capture these real-world dynamics requires randomly assigning hundreds of college students to different classroom conditions. At the United States Military Academy (USMA), a team of researchers took on this task.3
The USMA is a selective, liberal-arts college whose graduates go on to become officers in the US military. All students at the USMA take a semester-long, introductory economics class. The class is taught by professors in sections of no more than twenty students. Students in this introductory class all take the same multiple-choice and short-answer tests, which are administered online and graded automatically. This provides a consistent measure for comparisons of learning across sections.
The researchers randomly assigned these sections to one of three conditions: 1) electronics allowed, 2) electronics banned, and 3) tablet computers allowed, but only if laid flat on desks where professors could observe their use. Because professors at USMA teach multiple sections of the same class in a given semester, the researchers assigned each professor to more than one treatment condition.
At the end of the semester, students in the classrooms where electronics were allowed had performed substantially worse, with scores 0.2 standard deviations below those of the sections where electronics were banned. There was no discernible difference between sections where tablets were allowed (but restricted) and those where electronics were unrestricted.
In real-world education settings, a fifth of a standard deviation is a large effect. For example, the Tennessee STAR experiment found that children who were randomly assigned to smaller classrooms between kindergarten and third grade scored a fifth of a standard deviation higher than children in standard classrooms.
We can criticize the external validity of any of these studies. How relevant, after all, is the experience of cadets learning economics to community college students learning Shakespeare? But the evidence-based strategy is not to therefore ignore the studies but to consider the specific reasons that their results would or would not extrapolate to other settings.
By Robert E. Litan
Restoring the American Dream
By Richard D. Kahlenberg
Higher Education to 2030
The USMA authors argue compellingly that we would expect effects at other colleges to be, if anything, larger than those in their study. USMA courses are taught in small sections, where it is difficult for students to hide distracted computer use from their professors. Further, USMA students have strong incentives to perform, since class rank determines who gets the first pick of jobs after graduation.
The best way to settle this question of external validity, of course, is to replicate this experiment in more colleges. Until then, I find the existing evidence sufficiently compelling that I ban electronics in my classrooms.
Students with learning disabilities may need a laptop or tablet in order to participate in class. I (and every teacher I know) solicit and accommodate such requests. There is a loss of privacy, in that a student using a laptop is revealed as having a learning disability. This loss of privacy has to be weighed against the deterioration in learning that the other students suffer if laptop use is freely allowed.
Students may object that a laptop ban prevents them from storing notes on their computers. But free smartphone apps can quickly snap pictures of handwritten pages and convert them to PDF format. Even better: typing and synthesizing handwritten notes is a terrific way to review and check one’s understanding of a class.
There may well be particular classroom settings in which laptops improve learning. Perhaps a coding class, in which students collaborate on solving a programming problem. But for the typical lecture setting, the best evidence suggests students should lay down their laptops and pick up a pen.
The author was not paid by any entity outside of Brookings to write this particular article and did not receive financial support from or serve in a leadership position with any entity whose political or financial interests could be affected by this article.
Pam A. Mueller and Daniel M. Oppenheimer, “The Pen Is Mightier Than the Keyboard,” Psychological Science, Vol 25, Issue 6, pp. 1159 - 1168. First published date: April-23-2014. http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0956797614524581
Faria Sana, Tina Weston, Nicholas J. Cepeda, “Laptop Multitasking Hinders Classroom Learning for Both Users and Nearby Peers,” Computers & Education, Volume 62, 2013, Pages 24-31. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0360131512002254?via%3Dihub
Susan Payne Carter, Kyle Greenberg, Michael S. Walker, “The Impact of Computer Usage on Academic Performance: Evidence from a Randomized Trial at the United States Military Academy,” Economics of Education Review, Volume 56, 2017, Pages 118-132, http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0272775716303454. The What Works Clearinghouse has reviewed this study and given it its highest rating: https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/Docs/SingleStudyReviews/wwc_carter_022217.pdf.
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Utagawa Hiroshige (Ando) (Japanese, 1797-1858). Aoi Slope, Outside Toranomon Gate, No. 113 from One Hundred Famous Views of Edo, 11th month of 1857. Woodblock print, Sheet: 14 3/16 x 9 1/4 in. (36 x 23.5 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Anna Ferris, 30.1478.113 (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 30.1478.113_PS1.jpg)
Utagawa Hiroshige (Ando) (Japanese, 1797-1858). Aoi Slope, Outside Toranomon Gate, No. 113 from One Hundred Famous Views of Edo, 11th month of 1857. Woodblock print, Sheet: 14 3/16 x 9 1/4 in. (36 x 23.5 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Anna Ferris, 30.1478.113 (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 30.1478.113.jpg)
Aoi Slope, Outside Toranomon Gate, No. 113 from One Hundred Famous Views of Edo
Utagawa Hiroshige (Ando)
Why are two half-naked figures out on such a chilly night? It was customary for artisan apprentices to engage in kan-mairi, wintry nighttime visits to temples and shrines where they would bathe in icy water to temper their bodies and offer prayers to the gods for the refinement of their skills. These two apprentices are returning from a visit to Konpira Shrine, which lay directly behind and to the right. Like the bundled figures on Aoi Slope to the left, they carry lanterns; the lantern of the shorter apprentice bears the name of the shrine god, Konpira Daigongen. The other apprentice also holds a small bell, which he rings as they hurry bravely through the cold.
ARTIST Utagawa Hiroshige (Ando), Japanese, 1797-1858
MEDIUM Woodblock print
Place Made: Japan
DATES 11th month of 1857
PERIOD Edo Period, Ansei Era
DIMENSIONS Sheet: 14 3/16 x 9 1/4 in. (36 x 23.5 cm) Image: 13 3/8 x 8 3/4 in. (34 x 22.2 cm) (show scale)
MARKINGS Publisher: Shitaya Uo Ei
SIGNATURE Hiroshige-ga
COLLECTIONS Asian Art
Curator's Choice: Hiroshige, One Hundred Famous Views of Edo
ACCESSION NUMBER 30.1478.113
CREDIT LINE Gift of Anna Ferris
CAPTION Utagawa Hiroshige (Ando) (Japanese, 1797-1858). Aoi Slope, Outside Toranomon Gate, No. 113 from One Hundred Famous Views of Edo, 11th month of 1857. Woodblock print, Sheet: 14 3/16 x 9 1/4 in. (36 x 23.5 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Anna Ferris, 30.1478.113 (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 30.1478.113_PS1.jpg)
IMAGE overall, 30.1478.113_PS1.jpg. Brooklyn Museum photograph, 2006
CATALOGUE DESCRIPTION To the left in this view is the Aoi Slope of the title, along which some people, obviously chilled by the cold air, are walking with the aid of their lanterns. The water pouring over the spillway to the right is the overflow from Tameike Pond, which fell into the Outer Moat and passed by the Toranomon Gate (not seen here). The two large barren trees to the left are hackberry trees from which Enoki Slope (further to the left) took its name. At right is Sanno Hill and the gray temple buildings of Sanno Shrine. In the foreground, the two almost naked figures are artisan apprentices; it was their custom at the coldest time of the year to visit temples and shrines at night and bathe in the icy water and offer prayers to the gods for the refinement of their skills. The younger apprentice carries a lantern which bears the name of the shrine god, Konpira Daigongen, while the older one is ringing a small bell. Behind the stray dogs are the portable stalls of noodle vendors, hung with red lanterns. Tameike Pond was drained and leveled in the mid-1880's and Aoi Slope now survives as a street in front of Toranomon Hospital.
kan-mairi
Konpira Daigongen
One Hundred Famous Views of Edo
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Last Minute Change is No Big Deal as CCP Moves to Final 4
Photo by Gordon Radford (Post Dispatch)
Owen Boyette
As the Chaminade Basketball team walked into the locker room at halftime, they were down 21-20, but two quarters later, the Red Devils punched their ticket to a fifth trip to the final four in six years after defeating Mehlville 60-51. CCP came out on a defensive tear in the second half, grabbed a 30-27 lead, and never gave it back. Coach Bennett and his squad are now on a nine-game win streak. Win two more, and they’re champions.
The conditions of this quarterfinal matchup were anything but normal. After Chaminade’s Wednesday night win over Marquette, the plan was to face Mehlville at Lindenwood University, at 2:45, completely open to the public; fast-forward 24 hours, and plans changed. MSHSAA announced that not only would the game be moved to Francis Howell Central and played at 1:45, but it would be closed to the public, with only sixty people (including players and coaches) from each school to be allowed into the gym.
For Luke Kasubke, this change meant nothing. The 6’5″ Kansas-State signee lead the team with 20 points and did so in emphatic fashion. Kasubke attack the rim like a man, which was especially impressive as he had to get through Mehlville’s 7-footer Davion Bradford and 6-7 forward Lamontay Daugherty who guarded the rim. Kasubke’s eagerness to attack the basket resulted in eight trips to the free throw line where he knocked down all but one.
When he was making the shot, it was usually a reverse layup where Kasubke would release the ball over his head and avoid Bradford’s thunderous blocks. To cap his off his strong performance, the senior forward hit a three with less then 2:30 left on the clock that gave Chaminade a 52-43 lead; and more importantly, marked the beginning of the end for Mehlville. From there, it was a foul fest putting #0 on the line to knock down shots.
While guarding 7 footers sounds like a daunting task to most, it must feel natural to Tarris Reed. Back in January, Reed was responsible for shutting down Trinity Catholic’s skyscraper Ryan Kalkbrenner. On top of that, TReed has previously defend DeSmet’s twin towers who sit at 6’10 and 6’11. This time, Chaminade’s sophomore center was asked to slow down Mehlville’s post player star; and for the most part, Reed did his job holding Bradford to 5 points and 4 rebounds. Tarris Reed three quarter fronted Davion, with his closer arm behind Bradford, resting on his back, and his far arm reaching across Davion’s chest to deny the pass into the paint. Reed did all off this while only committing 3 fouls and only 1 in the second half keeping Tarris out of foul trouble.
Offensively, Tarris Reed was force, as always. He continued to finish soft at the rim, and at one point, he even utilized a reverse layup beating Bradford of the dribble. The center finished with 15 points and 6 rebounds. He grabbed offensive boards to score second chance points, and he sank a three pointer in the closing moments of the third quarter, in the midst of a Chaminade 7-0 run. There were no monster jams for Reed, but he used his low post vision to get the ball in the basket.
Damien Mayo dribbled the ball up past half court, isolated himself just behind the three-point line and a little bit to the left, dribbled right then swept back left, cleared the lane, then took flight.
Dylan Branson saw Lamontay Daugherty’s man beat him off the dribble, slid into help, and then jumped into the air to the block the shot.
The two guards met in the air, and Mayo won the matchup. Body-to-body, Mayo dunked the ball on top of Branson and slammed it into the basket. This moment shifted the momentum all the way into the Red Devils favor. Chaminade’s parent section, who played the role of the Red Army, went into a frenzy after the sophomore sensation dunked on top of the former Red Devil.
It was a team effort. It took team defense. It took team rebounding. But the intensity that the Red Devils came out of the locker room after halftime with propelled them to advancing to the final four, and one last chance for Luke Kasubke & company to capture a state title.
Next Game: Friday March 20th 7:50, vs Staley High School at Missouri State University.
*special conditions will be in place for the final four
Be on the lookout for spectator conditions for the next gam
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Great Bay Community College students persevere despite pandemic to complete their education and launch healthcare careers
By s tetro | Posted on December 14, 2020 December 14, 2020
Portsmouth, NH – Last winter, a group of Great Bay Community College (GBCC) students were excited to begin their Medical Assistant (MA) program and launch a career in healthcare. The program was slated to start in April, and in just 12-weeks it would prepare them for a high-demand job in patient care. But when COVID hit, the students’ journey was disrupted when New Hampshire’s Stay at Home Order closed down business and other facilities across the state.
Like many programs at GBCC, the MA program requires training at a clinical partner site and lab work at the college, alongside classroom instruction to create a learning experience that readies graduates for the workforce. Amid restrictions on clinical partners and access to hands on training, the college faced the challenge of re-tooling to meet students’ educational needs. Educators at GBCC worked closely with clinical sites and restructured lab-based instruction. After a brief pause, GBCC was able to restart the program over the summer. In October, students completed the program and earned their certificates.
“Helping students navigate through a fast-paced, hands-on program such as the MA certificate required much more than just a migration to online learning. We had to work closely with our externship partners to ensure that students could safely be trained on site. And we had to do the same for our labs while building in the online education component so all pieces would be complementary and interconnected over the 12-week period. These students showed great resilience and are so proud to move to the next phase of their careers,” said Bruce Vance, program manager of allied health at GBCC.
Medical assistants are in constant demand since every medical practice needs at least one MA. The need for medical assistants and other healthcare professionals initially gave rise to a partnership between GBCC and Exeter Health Resources/Core Physicians to create a “bootcamp” style providing competency-based training in a short timeframe. Launched in 2015, the boot camp still runs four times a year and serves 40-50 students annually in allied health. From that foundation, the MA certificate was created to focus on the education and training needs for MA certification. Today, numerous healthcare providers across the region – including Exeter Health Resources/Core Physicians, which currently has 44 MA openings – provide externship experience for students.
Karrie Hunter entered the MA program after having taken a career break of over a decade to raise her children. As a student, she participated in a tuition share program created by Exeter Health Resources and was hired ahead of completing the program.
“I love healthcare and have a passion for helping people,” said Hunter. “I chose GBCC’s MA program because I like the interaction with people, helping, clinical skills, taking EKG, weighing people, instructing people and a position as an MA is very structured. I am also able to keep up on my computer skills since so much of that is ingrained in the MA position. The teachers at Great Bay were great and I really enjoyed doing the Zoom classes twice a week,” she said. Upon completion of the certificate, students have earned the necessary academic credential, learned the on-site training skills and logged the required supervisory hours to sit for the national exam that provides a CCMA (Certified Clinical Medical Assistant) credential. Demand continues to be strong for the program, and a full cohort of students began their training in late October. The program is offered four times through the year and a full schedule for the programs and information sessions can be found online.
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Komoto's Murals
CENTRAL CA'S FIRST SPANISH LANGUAGE THEATER
As the only Spanish language theater from 1948-1980 in the Central Valley, the Azteca theater became a cinema treasure & refugee for the predominantly immigrant Mexican American community in the region.
The Azteca opened its doors on November 30, 1948 & some of Mexico’s biggest names from the Golden Age of Cinema called the Azteca home. Maria Felix, Agustin Lara, Pedro Armendariz, Antonio Aguilar & Pedro Infante were among those who graced the stage at the Azteca.
The Azteca also served as a cultural center for the Latinx community. The Azteca hosted rallies for Cesar Chavez & on March 24, 1966 over a thousand people came to the Azteca to hear Cesar Chavez speak during his famous 340 -mile march from Delano to Sacramento.
Arturo Tirado, owner at the time & unofficial “mayor of West Fresno” utilized his relationships with city officials to ensure Chavez & his marchers were protected & welcomed when they arrived in Fresno.
Tirado ran the Azteca until the mid-1980s, in its later years it held many charitable food drives & even provided valuable legal citizenship information. Although much of the original elements of the theater are gone, the building still stands as a reminder of the rich history Fresno, specifically Chinatown holds.
Maria Felix
ARTURO ROMUALDO TIRADO
"The unoficial mayor of West Fresno"
Arturo Tirado, often referred to as the unofficial “mayor of West Fresno” elevated the Azteca to new heights during his time as owner.
In 1956 Gustavo A. Acosta owner of the Azteca leased the theater to Tirado, unleashing a golden age of cinema in the Central Valley. Tirado brought in household names from Mexico's Golden Age of Cinema to the screen & stage. The Azteca became a cultural epicenter under his direction hosting several rallies led by Cesar Chavez. His political influence ensured Cesar Chavez & his followers were always protected.
In its later years Tirado used the Azteca as a cultural epicenter. Charitable food drives & even citizenship information were provided for the Latinx community. held many charitable food drives & even provided valuable legal citizenship information to the Latinx community.
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Oil sector hangs in balance as OPEC meets
Business // Energy
Jordan Blum, Houston Chronicle
Dec. 4, 2018 Updated: Dec. 4, 2018 9:56 a.m.
Khalid Al-Falih, Saudi Arabia's energy and industry minister, center, speaks to reporters ahead of the 174th Organization Of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) meeting in Vienna, Austria, on Friday, June 22, 2018.
NEXT: See which countries are members of OPEC.
Stefan Wermuth / BloombergShow MoreShow Less
2of17The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries was created by Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Venezuela in 1960. The following data is from 2018.Stefan Wermuth / BloombergShow MoreShow Less
Joined OPEC in 1969
Crude oil reserves: 12.2 billion barrels
Natural gas reserves: 4.5 trillion cubic meters
Daily oil production: 1 million barrels per day
Crude oil reserves: 8.3 billion barrels
Natural gas reserves: 422 billion cubic meters
Daily oil production: 1.6 million barrels per day
BRUCE STANLEY/APShow MoreShow Less
5of17Republic of Congo
Daily oil production: 350,000 barrels per day
Cultura Travel/Philip Lee Harvey/GettyImagesShow MoreShow Less
6of17Ecuador
OPEC member 1973-1992, 2007-present
Natural gas reserves: 11 billion cubic meters
Claudio Perez/Bloomberg NewsShow MoreShow Less
7of17Equatorial Guinea
Ken Childress Photography 713-66Show MoreShow Less
8of17Gabon
Crude oil reserves: 2 billion barrels
9of17Iran
Founding member of OPEC
Crude oil reserves: 155.6 billion barrels
Natural gas reserves: 33.8 trillion cubic meters
10of17Iraq
Felipe Dana/STFShow MoreShow Less
11of17Kuwait
Daily oil production: 2.7 billion barrels per day
GUSTAVO FERRARI/APShow MoreShow Less
12of17Libya
Shawn Baldwin/BloombergShow MoreShow Less
13of17Nigeria
Tom Saater / BloombergShow MoreShow Less
14of17Qatar
Natural gas reserves: 24 trillion cubic meters
Osama Faisal/Associated PressShow MoreShow Less
15of17Saudi Arabia
Daily oil production: 10 million barrels per day
CHRISTOPHE VISEUX/NYTShow MoreShow Less
16of17United Arab Emirates
Gavin Hellier/Getty Images/Robert Harding World ImageryShow MoreShow Less
17of17Venezuela
Crude oil reserves: 302 billion barrels
JORGE SILVAShow MoreShow Less
The health of the U.S. energy sector hangs in the balance as OPEC, Russia and others begin meeting Thursday in Vienna to consider cutting oil production after a recent collapse in crude prices.
Driven by Saudi Arabia and non-OPEC ally Russia, the so-called OPEC+ group will determine whether to stabilize the oil sector to avoid a global glut of oil. If no agreement is reached, analysts said, it could potentially trigger another oil bust.
"The repercussions will be felt in Houston boardrooms and wallets across America," said Matt Reed, vice president at Foreign Reports, a consulting firm focused on Mideast oil politics.
RELATED: Saudi minister says premature to say if OPEC+ to cut output
"Practically everyone is pumping as much as they can right now," Reed added. "The U.S., Saudi Arabia, Russia and Iraq are producing more than anyone thought possible even a few years ago. Why? Because the price is right and people keep buying it."
But surging worldwide oil production has contributed to the recent plunge in U.S. crude prices, $76 a barrel down to $51 near the end of last month -- a drop of more than 30 percent. Prices recovered to about $53 this week on hopes of a OPEC production cut.
Oil prices also received an extra boost this week from news that Canada will cut production from Alberta to help undo the deep discounts on its crude.
What needs to happen?
Most U.S. energy companies need oil closer to $60 a barrel than $50 to remain healthy. Anything above $60 is a boon for the vast majority of the industry.
Energy analysts believe OPEC and Russia will agree to cut production anywhere from 1 million barrels a day to 1.6 million barrels, with 1.3 million as a possible compromise. Determining how much to cut and which nations will carry the burden is, of course, where the specifics must be worked out. The world consumes nearly 100 million barrels of oil a day.
From HoustonChronicle.com: Trump's lobbying against output cuts could hurt energy sector
At the same time time, the lower oil price has caused Houston-area fuel prices to fall some 20 percent over the past several weeks to a 2018 low of about $2.10 on average for a gallon of regular unleaded.
There's the possibility that OPEC could reach a vague deal to reduce output without coming to terms on any specific numbers, and Saudi Arabia and other nations would simply adjust accordingly on a month-to-month basis to help keep supplies in check.
Nervousness over an ambiguous deal, however, could cause oil prices to further crater in the short term.
Saudi Energy Minister Khalid Al-Falih told Bloomberg Tuesday it was still premature to say what kind of cuts OPEC and Russia may or may not agree to later this week.
The last time a global glut pushed oil prices down - in part because of the U.S. shale boom - was in the fall of 2014. OPEC couldn't reach a deal and the Saudis increased their output, triggering an oil bust that pushed prices to a low of $26 a barrel by early 2016.
Later that year, the world's two biggest producers other than the U.S. - Saudi Arabia and Russia -formed an alliance outside of OPEC, and the burgeoning OPEC+ group was formed. They agreed then to cut production, lifting prices and ending the bust and restoring.
With the market balanced, they again increased production this summer, in part to help offset falling production from struggling Venezuela and from the U.S. sanctions on oil exports from Iran. But the upticks in production have come faster and more furiously than assumed.\
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And the White House unexpectedly issued waivers to several countries, including China and India, to keep buying Iranian oil.
Russia is churning out oil at a post-Soviet record of more than 11 million barrels a day, the Saudis are just below that volume, and the U.S. is pumping oil more quickly than expected at a projected record of 11.7 million barrels daily. Driven by West Texas' booming Permian Basin, U.S. outputs keep surprising on the upside.
At this weekend's Group of 20 meeting in Argentina, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman loosely agreed to keep the alliance going to stabilize prices. But there are no firm numbers. So that's where this week's OPEC meeting comes into play.
And who will join the Saudis and Russia in scaling back? The United Arab Emirates, Iraq, Kuwait and others may also have to agree because the top producers don't want to act on their own.
In fact, the Saudi-Russian alliance has begun to overwhelm OPEC to the point that Qatar, an enemy of Saudi Arabia, said it is pulling out of OPEC. Qatar, however, is primarily a natural gas producer that doesn't pump much oil, so the effect of global supplies should be minimal.
What about the U.S. and President Trump?
Because the U.S. doesn't control its oil companies as is the case in many other countries, the United States can't just decide to scale back production.
President Donald Trump, however, is a working against output cuts, arguing that lower oil prices mean lower fuel prices, which are good for Americans. The counter argument is that low oil prices cripple the energy sector and cost states like Texas many thousands of jobs and the U.S. economy billions of dollars that come into the country from growing crude exports.
AT THE PUMP: Gasoline prices plunge to lowest level of the year
Much to the chagrin of the Houston energy sector, Trump has repeatedly urged the Saudis to increase rather than decrease production.
Some analysts ventured that Trump might stop harping on oil prices after the midterm elections, but he was still bringing it up on Thanksgiving. So the Saudis must weight Trump's reaction into any agreement that is reached.
"Oil prices getting lower. Great! Like a big Tax Cut for America and the World. Enjoy!" Trump tweeted. "Thank you to Saudi Arabia, but let's go lower!"
The Canadian province that invested $1.1 billion of taxpayers’ money in the controversial Keystone XL project is now considering the sale of pipe and materials to try to recoup some funds.
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Texas railroad commissioner vents at France
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Jordan Blum
Reach Jordan on
Jordan Blum is a senior energy reporter at the Houston Chronicle since 2015. He has extensively covered the industry from the 2014 bust in oil prices to the more recent boom in West Texas' Permian Basin. He has written about everything from Texas' national lead in renewable wind power to the Houston area's growing dominance in petrochemical and plastics manufacturing.
Previously, Jordan was an award-winning reporter at The Advocate in Baton Rouge and New Orleans as a statehouse reporter and education writer, and then as the newspaper's Washington Bureau chief. Jordan is a New Orleans native who graduated from Texas Christian University with a journalism degree before going back to work at daily newspapers in Louisiana.
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Examiner - Bellaire, West U, River Oaks // Examiner Opinion
By: CYNTHIA LESCALLEET, Staff Writer
April 29, 2003 Updated: Oct. 5, 2016 10:45 a.m.
What could they have been thinking?
New nominations for the hotly contested What Were They Thinking? title, also known as, Is There Anybody Here With a Lick of Sense?
American Airlines executive team wins Boneheads of the Month. The same day same day Americans flight attendants followed its mechanics and pilots in voting to give back hundreds of millions of dollars in salary and benefits to keep the company out of bankruptcy, American revealed it had given huge bonuses to six top executives, presumably for their stellar work in driving the company to the edge of bankruptcy. American also provided millions more in extra pension benefits for 45 top executives.
Honest to God, management made the announcement about the executive bonuses right after the polls had closed and the flight attendants had approved $340 million in annual concessions by a margin of 52.7 percent, the second time the attendants had been polled. ##M:(full story)## The companys unions had voted to give back a total package worth $1.62 billion and hundreds will lose their jobs, and then they find out the top execs have given themselves big pay raises. Disgusting doesnt cover it. CEO Donald Carty, who makes $811,000 a year, would have gotten a $1.6 million bonus.
Naturally, the flight attendants immediately threatened to pull back on their concessions, as did the ground workers and mechanics. American then announced that six executives would give up their bonuses (awww!), but not the pension benefits. American called the big raises executive retention bonuses. I dont know if youve looked around the airline industry lately, but there is not a whole lot of executive head-hunting going on.
If American wants to stay out of bankruptcy (which is debatable: certain circuit courts are noxiously servile about protecting executive compensation from bankruptcy). I suggest they undo this deal right away because their passengers are now talking about boycotting the airline and those were the passengers in first class.
Donald Rumsfeld and the looting of Iraqs incomparable National Museum in Baghdad. This one is so simple its embarrassing. Does no one in this administration have any manners? Where is Karen Hughes? When something even more horrible than is usually expected happens in the course of war even when it is not our fault what we say is: What a terrible thing. Were so sorry that happened. Even though it was not our fault, we like all civilized people regret and mourn the irreplaceable loss to the history of civilization. Thats all we have to say.
It is not necessary to become defensive and react as though the looting were some attack on ones professional competence, and it is certainly not necessary to become sarcastic and try to belittle the loss (My goodness, were there that many vases? asked Rumsfeld of the looting of 7,000 years worth of archaeological treasure. Is it possible there were that many vases in the whole country? he asked sarcastically. Well, yes.)
Is this really the face of America we want to show the rest of the world? Are there any grown-ups in this administration?
The Bush administration granting contracts to rebuild Iraq to Dick Cheneys firm Halliburton and the Republican-connected Bechtel Group of San Francisco. Has no one in this administration any sense of public relations? Have they any idea how this looks to the rest of the world, which was largely convinced we invaded Iraq for the oil to begin with? Halliburton and Bechtel? Have any of these people ever heard of the need to avoid the appearance of impropriety? Or are we just past that now, so cocky we dont even care? We knew going in this was going to be the peace from hell, and so far the administration has made every misstep possible. Did it occur to no one that the fact that Rumsfelds chosen puppet, Ahmad Chalabi a convicted embezzler, sentenced in absentia to 22 years prison in Jordan might prove a bit sticky? Might even be perceived by the Arab world as a colossal insult?
George W. Bush, for lying to Tony Blair in Northern Ireland, promising the United Nations would have a major role in rebuilding Iraq and then waiting two whole days before making it clear the U.N. would have no role. Bush didnt just stab Blair in the back, he gutted and filleted him. So much for the Bush administration and loyalty. Thats sure way to make all our friends anxious to stand up with us next time.
(Also, special mention to the dipsticks in the administration who prepared the briefing books for the Northern Ireland trip, which were clearly labeled, Belfast, Ireland, thus adding to Bushs well-established reputation as someone who cant tell one country from another.)
Worst Idea of the Month: Fundamentalist Christian missionaries are now salivating over the prospect of going to Iraq to convert the hapless heathen. This is guaranteed to make America as popular as the clap in the region. The Southern Baptists are poised to deploy en masse, reminding us of Texas newspaperman William Branns famous comment, The trouble with our Texas Baptists is that we do not hold them under water long enough.
By: CYNTHIA LESCALLEET
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Two brothers of ousted Sudanese president arrested on corruption charges
By Yousra Elbagir
Two brothers of the ousted Sudanese president have been arrested on corruption charges.
Omar al-Bashir was toppled in a coup last week and the military has tried to be seen to act swiftly against officials and former supporters of the regime.
But thousands of demonstrators are still on the streets of Sudan’s capital Khartoum, demanding a transitional civilian government be put in place.
Yousra Elbagir reports from Sudan.
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Cheap flights from Sydney to Norfolk Island
Home Oceania Norfolk Island Cheap flights from Sydney to Norfolk Island
Sydney (SYD) to Norfolk Island
How far in advance should I book a flight from Sydney to Norfolk Island?
Users have found that booking a flight from Sydney to Norfolk Island at least 61 days early can save you up to 3% on average compared to booking a flight this week. If booking 61 days before your flight isn’t an option for you, users have found flights from Sydney to Norfolk Island for as little as $623 when booking for a departure date within the next two weeks. You can also check prices now. Some users have found airline tickets as low as $623 for flights departing within the next 3 days.
What is the cheapest month to fly from Sydney to Norfolk Island?
Due to multiple factors, expect to potentially pay more when booking in December. For low rates, August can be a great choice for travel to Norfolk Island. Flights to Norfolk Island from Sydney in August are about $623 on average during August, but can be found for as low as $533.
Cheap flights from Sydney to Norfolk Island in January, February 2021
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From Sydney to Norfolk Island
Can I find flights from Sydney to Norfolk Island for under $774 on Cheapflights?
Yes, there are multiple flights from Sydney to Norfolk Island for under $774. The cheapest flight booked recently is on Air New Zealand for just $675, but on average you can expect to pay $840.
Which airlines flying from Sydney Kingsford Smith to Norfolk Island have flexible changes due to COVID-19?
Air New Zealand is one of the carriers that may have flexible change policies. You can use our site to filter for other airlines that may also have this kind of flexibility.
Are there direct flights from Sydney to Norfolk Island for under $774 on Cheapflights?
Cheapflights has 10 direct flights from Sydney to Norfolk Island under $774. A good price for a direct flight from Sydney to Norfolk Island is less than $774.
The Sydney Kingsford Smith to Norfolk Island flight path was viewed by 258 users in the past month. Keep an eye out for changes in search interest prior to high and low season.
What are the cheapest flights from Sydney to Norfolk Island?
On average you can expect to pay $398 for a flight from Sydney to Norfolk Island. The cheapest flight overall is $250 while the most popular route, (Sydney Kingsford Smith - Norfolk Island) is currently priced at $676.
How long does is the flight from Sydney to Norfolk Island?
Departing from Sydney to Norfolk Island will take you 2h 35m. Generally, flights for this route are direct.
What is the cheapest airline to fly from Sydney to Norfolk Island return?
Currently priced at $675, Air New Zealand will fly you from Sydney to Norfolk Island and back. In addition to Air New Zealand, many other airlines offer competitively priced options for your trip.
What are the cheapest airlines to fly from Sydney to Norfolk Island one-way?
To fly one-way, consider booking your trip with Air New Zealand, which is currently one of the cheapest options available, starting at $351.
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Chicago-Theater.com
Your independent guide to the best shows in Chicago
Genesee Theater
Genesee Theater Please selectVenue homeLocation and directionsSeating maps
Home Free Vocal Band
Gary Allan
Glenn Miller Orchestra
Jason Bonhams Led Zeppelin Experience
Brit Floyd
Happy Together Tour
Bee Gees Gold - A Tribute to The Bee Gees
Black Violin
The McCartney Years
Upcoming events Please selectView all shows LeAnn RimesDaniel Tiger's NeighborhoodHome Free Vocal BandGary AllanGlenn Miller OrchestraJason Bonhams Led Zeppelin ExperienceAdam CarollaRon WhiteThe Guess WhoJeff FoxworthyBrit FloydHappy Together TourLittle River BandBee Gees Gold - A Tribute to The Bee GeesGeorge ThorogoodTheresa CaputoPostmodern JukeboxMelissa EtheridgeChristopher CrossMillion Dollar QuartetMiranda SingsBlack ViolinABBA ManiaThe McCartney YearsDavid SedarisKenny G.Jay Leno
203 North Genesee St, Waukegan, IL 60085
LeAnn Rimes released her first hit, Blue, when she was just 13-years old, and has had a rocky path since with many awards and further Billboard-topping moments mixed in with some of the challenges of living the public eye. Perhaps best known for her Country crossover success with hits like How Do I and Can't Fight The Moonlight, the songstress is hitting the road and bringing along her hit-filled catalogue.
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The world's first country a cappella group had a phenomenal start to their career, winning NBC's The Sing-Off in 2013. Since then they've released five studio albums, including Country Evolution, which hit the No.4 spot on the Top Country Albums chart and featured unique Home Free takes on Dolly's '9 to 5', and 'The Devil Went Down to Georgia'.
Country mainstay Gary Allan is hitting the road once more as he brings his plethora of hits to fans across the nation! The soulful singer has been pleasing critics and fans alike since his debut album Used Heart For Sale hit the charts in 1996. Over two decades later the star's further eight studio albums have seen Allan reach Gold and Platinum status multiple times!
Glenn Miller Orchestra has been consistently touring since forming in 1956, and now is your chance to witness one of the most popular bands in the world as they come to a town near you. The bands unique jazz sound and arrangement makes them highly sought after, even more so now that they're bringing a night of nostalgia and swing.
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Jason Bonham's Led Zeppelin Experience will celebrate the life and music of his father - the legendary Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham. The incorporates multimedia aspects into the concerts, including rarely seen home movies of him and his dad, plus anecdotes from his life, giving background context to the songs that he chooses to perform. All these elements combine for a truly heartfelt show that is more than a tribute concert, without bombarding the audience with filler.
Year opened: 1927
About Chicago-Theater.com: We are an independent show guide not a venue or show. We sell primary, discount and resale tickets which may be priced above or below face value.
I Am King - The Michael Jackson Experience (Rescheduled from 10/16/2020)
POP 2000 Tour
Glenn Miller Orchestra (Rescheduled from 4/4/2020, 8/15/2020)
David Brightons Tribute to David Bowie (Rescheduled from 9/17/2020)
Peter Yarrow (Rescheduled from 5/1/2020, 10/4/2020)
The Fray (Rescheduled from 11/7/2020)
Dokken (Rescheduled from 10/24/2020)
Los Chicos del 512 (Rescheduled from 1/29/2021)
Tommy James and the Shondells (Rescheduled from 10/17/2020, 4/3/2021)
Please note: The term Genesee Theater as well as all associated graphics, logos, and/or other trademarks, tradenames or copyrights are the property of the Genesee Theater and are used herein for factual descriptive purposes only. We are in no way associated with or authorized by the Genesee Theater and neither that entity nor any of its affiliates have licensed or endorsed us to sell tickets, goods and or services in conjunction with their events.
Chicago-Theater.com is part of the Theatreland Ltd Collection. Established in 2003, Theatreland offers the largest individual collection of websites providing complete, impartial guides to all the theatrical, musical and performance arts events and venues in the world's greatest theatre cities, from New York's Broadway to London's West End and from the showrooms of Las Vegas to Shakespeare's Globe Theatre.
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Julian Lloyd Webber
Julian Lloyd Webber Home
Julian Lloyd Webber opens up about injury and shock retirement
21 May 2014, 16:01 | Updated: 25 May 2014, 22:00
After announcing his forced retirement due to a herniated disc, the cellist has revealed his coping strategy and his plans for the future following his final concert.
Listen to David Mellor's exclusive interview with Julian Lloyd Webber >
Julian Lloyd Webber has opened up about his forced retirement, following the discovery of a problem with his bowing arm during a performance in October 2013. "No sooner had the concert began then I just felt 'what's wrong?'" he explained to Classic FM's David Mellor. "I couldn't really hold the bow properly and just felt very very weak.
"Many doctors and surgeons later I discovered I actually had this herniated disc which is pressing on my spinal canal and therefore there is a loss of power in the bowing arm as a result."
Gallery: Julian Lloyd Webber's career in pictures
After weighing up his options and taking advice from medical experts, Lloyd Webber has decided not to pursue surgery to fix the problem. His repertoire is now limited to less powerful works - meaning famous concertos by Elgar and Shostakovich are now off limits.
"I'm going to massively miss the Elgar and all the other great works I can't play now," he said. "I could have gone on playing The Swan probably for the rest of my life, but I like to play the big pieces and it just was no longer possible. I was having to be really careful the music I chose and it was very restrictive."
He added: "When you're a soloist with an orchestra, as a cellist you've got to make a massively powerful sound to get through that orchestra and it's hard enough at the best of times; when there's a problem it's just no fun at all. And not really fair on either the music or the audience."
Following his final concert on May 2, Lloyd Webber now intends to dedicate more time to his work in the field of music education. He has also hinted he may increase his responsibilities as a music director and conductor.
Julian Lloyd Webber opens up about his injury
Classic FM's David Mellor interviews Julian Lloyd Webber about his life and career on 25 May at 7pm.
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Today’s famous birthdays list for August 24, 2020 includes celebrities Steve Guttenberg, Marlee Matlin
Actors Steve Guttenberg and Marlee Matlin share a celebrate birthdays on August 24th. (AP)
By Mike Rose, cleveland.com
Top celebrity birthdays on August 24, 2020
Birthday wishes go out to Steve Guttenberg, Marlee Matlin and all the other celebrities with birthdays today. Check out our slideshow below to see photos of famous people turning a year older on August 24th and learn an interesting fact about each of them.
Former British Prime Minister David Cameron, left with TV personality and writer Stephen Fry watch the Cricket World Cup match between England and Australia at Lord's cricket ground in London, Tuesday, June 25, 2019. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)AP
Actor Stephen Fry turns 63
Fun fact: Nominated for a Golden Globe in 1999 for his role in ‘Wilde’
SARASOTA, FL - APRIL 21: Steve Guttenberg attends the 2018 Sarasota Film Festival on April 21, 2018 in Sarasota, Florida. (Photo by Aaron Davidson/Getty Images for Sarasota Film Festival)Getty Images for Sarasota Film F
Actor Steve Guttenberg turns 62
Fun fact: Played Jim Craig in the TV movie version of ‘Miracle on Ice’ in 1981
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 18: Actress Marlee Matlin speaks at the 4th annual Women's March LA: Women Rising at Pershing Square on January 18, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Chelsea Guglielmino/Getty Images)Getty Images
Actress Marlee Matlin turns 55
Fun fact: Awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2009
CHARLESTON, SC - JANUARY 30: Comedian Dave Chappelle talks with the media while campaigning for Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang on January 30, 2020 in North Charleston, South Carolina. The comedian has endorsed the candidate and performs the second of two South Carolina campaign benefit shows Thursday evening in Charleston. (Photo by Sean Rayford/Getty Images)Getty Images
Comedian Dave Chappelle turns 47
Fun fact: Was one of the writers of the film ‘Half-Baked'
M. Night Shyamalan, from left, Lauren Ambrose and Rupert Grint attend the Apple TV Plus world premiere of "Servant," at BAM Howard Gilman Opera House, Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2019, in New York. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP)Charles Sykes/Invision/AP
Actor Rupert Grint turns 32
Fun fact: Is the oldest of the acting trio in the ‘Harry Potter’ films but his character was in the middle.
More celebrities with birthdays today
Composer-musician Mason Williams is 82. Rhythm-and-blues singer Marshall Thompson (The Chi-Lites) is 78. Rock musician Ken Hensley is 75. Actor Anne Archer is 73. Actor Joe Regalbuto is 71. Actor Kevin Dunn is 65. Actor Jared Harris is 59. Talk show host Craig Kilborn is 58. CBS News correspondent Major Garrett is 58. Rock singer John Bush is 57. Broadcast journalist David Gregory is 50. Country singer Kristyn Osborn (SHeDaisy) is 50. Movie director Ava DuVernay is 48. Actor James D’Arcy is 47. Actor Carmine Giovinazzo is 47. Actor Alex O’Loughlin is 44. Actor Beth Riesgraf is 42. Actor Chad Michael Murray is 39. Christian rock musician Jeffrey Gilbert (Kutless) is 37. Singer Mika is 37. Actor Blake Berris is 36.
Other popular or historical birthdays on August 24th
Carlo Gambino, mobster
Vince McMahon, pro wrestling promoter (75)
Cal Ripken Jr., MLB star (60)
with The Associated Press and HistoryOrb.com
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Want to see more celebrity birthdays as well as additional fun facts posts? Follow me on Facebook for the latest by clicking the “like” button below.
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Time and Chance (46)
All productivity comes with a certain element of risk.
This is true for code monkeys, spot monkeys and everyone in between the two extremes (the code monkey being a computer programmer at his keyboard; the spot monkey, a professional wrestler whose specialty is flying through the air and landing on people without killing them). Too much time pounding the keys can ruin your wrists, which everyone who has carpal tunnel syndrome will tell you is very painful and not easy to get rid of. Then again, a 360 off the top rope that ends on the ring apron instead of its designated target will probably break your neck, so maybe there are worse things than sore wrists.
For me the big job hazard is paper cuts. Lots of paper cuts. First world problems, I know.
Back in Ecclesiastes, the Preacher is working his way through a series of related observations disguised as ordinary proverbs. The first four are about work and the risk that comes with it.
Ecclesiastes 10:8-9 — 16 Tons and Whaddayou Get?
“He who digs a pit will fall into it, and a serpent will bite him who breaks through a wall. He who quarries stones is hurt by them, and he who splits logs is endangered by them.”
Nothing Changes in 3,000 Years
Tennessee Ernie Ford’s answer to “You load sixteen tons, what do you get?” is “Another day older and deeper in debt.” You will also have back problems and die young of whatever that coal dust is doing to your lungs. In two consecutive two-line proverbs, the Preacher lists four kinds of jobs where there is some risk of injury along the way: the 1,000 B.C. versions of the construction worker, the demolition man, the miner and the lumberjack. All involve tools and physical labor, but we can apply the same principle to any area of life in which things do not go as planned — which, as we know, is all of them.
In at least one sense, the 3,000 years of technological progress since these lines were written have not really made the worker’s life better: they have made his workday more productive but his mistakes more likely to end in a fatality. Sure, you could cut yourself very badly indeed with an old iron ax, but a chainsaw can take a limb off in a split second if you mishandle it. The pit you can dig with a shovel may be deep enough to injure you if you forget it’s there, but the pile of dirt you can move with a backhoe in only five minutes is big enough that if it falls on you, you will not be getting up again.
There are also allegorical levels to this principle worth observing. Haman constructed a gallows, and ended up hanged on it. Solomon’s half-brother Absalom “broke down the wall” of his father’s kingdom and was bitten by a serpent named Joab. The workers of evil often themselves come to evil ends. It is always your sin that will “find you out”.
In our modern world, and in the absence of a healthy respect for God and fate, men have gotten unbelievably overconfident of humanity’s ability to reshape our world at will, and they no longer consider at any great length the risks involved in some of their major construction and destruction projects ... assuming they ever did. But technology has made the stakes higher and the failures of humility potentially more lethal.
So we see unintended consequences everywhere. The conversion of cornfields formerly dedicated to food production to the production of ethanol results in widespread starvation in the Third World. Massive wind farms blight the landscape, degrade quickly and are hard to recycle; their blades contain highly toxic plastics that are almost impossible to dispose of; they occasionally spontaneously combust; they slaughter birds by the millions; and, to top it off, in many cases they take more energy to build and transport than they will ever generate over their lifetimes. Now we have graduated to shutting down the entire global economy over fear of infection. It will be interesting to see the downstream consequences that has for us.
We have forgotten the principle that every undertaking comes at some risk. Those risks are worth assessing before we just jump right in and have a go at seeding the clouds, playing around with DNA or terraforming the planet. The bites of some serpents are fatal, while others are merely annoying.
Ecclesiastes 10:10 — Risk Management
“If the iron is blunt, and one does not sharpen the edge, he must use more strength, but wisdom helps one to succeed.”
A warning on the United States Forest Service website reads: “Be very afraid of a dull ax, because it is dangerous. It glances off a surface more easily. A blunt ax, improperly tapered, also has a tendency to glance off. An ax should always be kept razor sharp.” The accompanying graphic shows the head of an ax rebounding off the base of a tree and bisecting the toe of its wielder’s boot. Cutting vegetables with a dull knife reveals the same principle at work: sharper is better. This at first seems counterintuitive. The inexperienced person says, “I’m less likely to hurt myself if this blade is not super-keen.” Hard-earned wisdom — hopefully that of others but sometimes our own — tells us this is not really the case.
Risks can be managed. Experience helps, so long as you don’t get overconfident. I once sat on the jury at a civil trial where a veteran crane worker was alleged to have fallen to his death because he didn’t like taking the time to strap on his safety gear before scrambling down the ladder for his mid-morning coffee break. Knowing all the potential hazards of a job doesn’t help you if you get cocky. The same is true for elders in local churches, or even for veteran Christians. We have seen a problem before, so we think we know how to deal with it, and end up making a mess of things. Knowing the risks should not make us self-sufficient, but even more dependent on the Lord when a man or woman’s spiritual life is at stake.
Ecclesiastes 10:11 — Risk vs. Reward
“If the serpent bites before it is charmed, there is no advantage to the charmer.”
The final proverb of the four is about relative risk and reward. There are certain high-risk activities that the Preacher suggests may be less worth pursuing than others. In a sense, the lumberjack has no choice. Trees need to be felled or the cabin would never be built, the fire never started, and dinner never cooked. Stones must be quarried or everyone would live in caves or mud huts. Pits must be dug because buildings need foundations, the dead must be buried, and some minerals we extract from the ground are critically important in a variety of industries. In all these cases, the risk is worth the reward. You minimize it as much as possible and then, well, ahead you go.
But what exactly is it about snake charming that anyone thinks is necessary? I suppose a man too small or weak to cut wood or break rock might consider taking it up, or maybe a man not clever or opportunistic enough to find his way into some other career. But it stands as a pretty good example of a high risk/low reward situation. The snake charmer can look forward to nothing more impressive than a few coins occasionally tossed his way for showing off his tricks. Meanwhile, in order to get any attention at all, he must charm the sort of snake everyone else finds terrifying: the one whose bite can end your life in about thirty seconds. And if he’s not good at it? Well, at least he doesn’t have to worry about what to have for dinner tonight.
Moral of the story: if you have to choose, be the code monkey, not the spot monkey.
Labels: Ecclesiastes / Risk / Time and Chance
Too Hot to Handle: No-Fault Separation
Blessed are the Hated
On Knowing and Being Known
Praying for Catastrophe
David’s Covenant and the Resurrection
Too Hot to Handle: Coalition of the Unwilling
The Multicultural Road to Hell
The Gospel in Context
Bad Ideas that Refuse to Die
Too Hot to Handle: Disconnected?
Mystery Beasts and Inscrutability
Quote of the Day (42)
Redistributionism and Jubilee
Too Hot to Handle: Unpardon Me
Vision, Inspiration and Leadership
Which Error?
Too Hot to Handle: Faith in the Crosshairs
The Mercy of Fire
Too Big for Its Boots
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'Seems Like a Good Policy!' CBO Shows Medicare for All Could Cover Everyone for $650 Billion Less Per Year
The analysis shows that administrative costs under a single-payer healthcare system "will be lower than what even the most rabid Medicare for All supporters have traditionally claimed."
Kenny Stancil, staff writer
The barriers to Medicare for All, wrote Matt Bruenig of the People's Policy Project, "are not technical deficiencies or costs, but rather political opposition from Republicans and conservative Democrats who would rather spend more money to provide less health care." (Photo: Win McNamee/Getty Images)
The Congressional Budget Office on Thursday released a report examining the costs associated with universal healthcare proposals that are based on Medicare's fee-for-service program and found that implementing a single-payer health insurance program in the United States would not only guarantee coverage for every person in the country but would also reduce overall healthcare spending nationwide.
"A large share of Medicare administrative costs are tied up in tasks like eligibility determination... that would no longer exist in a Medicare for All system."
—Matt Bruenig, People's Policy Project
In the words of researcher Matt Bruenig—founder and president of the progressive think tank People's Policy Project who called the CBO's working paper (pdf) on the topic "more exhaustive than any other recent study on the subject"—the new analysis shows that administrative costs under a single-payer healthcare system "will be lower than what even the most rabid Medicare for All supporters have traditionally claimed."
According to Bruenig, "Modeling the cost of a single-payer program is relatively straightforward. You begin with the status quo healthcare system and then make educated guesses about the following questions:
How many more units of healthcare services will be demanded and supplied when price barriers are removed?
How much more efficient will health insurance administration be after the enrollment and payment systems are radically simplified?
How much money will be saved by reducing the payment rates for healthcare providers and drug companies?"
In its analysis, the CBO looked at several distinct single-payer designs and determined that four such systems—fully implemented by 2030—would save anywhere from $42 billion to $743 billion that year alone.
"Never let a politician ask: 'How will we pay for it?'" tweeted Democratic Socialists of America for Medicare for All.
Never let a politician ask: “How will we pay for it?”
— DSA for Medicare for All (@dsam4a) December 11, 2020
Bruenig explained that the CBO option that most closely resembles current Medicare for All proposals is the one based on low payment rates and low cost sharing, which would generate $650 billion in savings in 2030.
If one were to add long-term support and services to that option, as many current Medicare for All proposals do, savings would fall to about $300 billion, he noted.
What Bruenig found most noteworthy is the CBO's findings on administrative costs:
Medicare for All advocates have historically pointed towards the 2% administrative costs of traditional Medicare as what we should expect in a Medicare for All system. Critics of this view have typically argued, among other things, that Medicare's low administrative costs are a mirage driven by the fact that their per-enrollee administrative costs are being divided by disproportionately large per-enrollee healthcare utilization.
This rebuttal never really made any sense. Private Medicare Advantage plans have a similarly sick and elderly enrollment population, but manage to spend a whopping 13.7% of their revenue on administrative expenses. The CBO's analysis, which starts with the current Medicare administrative costs and then determines how each element of those costs would go up or down in a single-payer system, seems to put this claim to bed once and for all.
Indeed, the CBO finds that the current Medicare administrative costs that are often touted by advocates are actually higher than the administrative costs you would expect in a single-payer system because a large share of those costs are tied up in tasks like eligibility determination and collection of Medicare Part B premiums that would no longer exist in a Medicare for All system.
What this means, Bruenig said, is that other studies estimating the effects of a single-payer system on administrative costs are "missing hundreds of billions of dollars of savings per year."
The CBO's deep dive into insurer administrative costs is well worth the price of admission on this paper. Never seen anything like it. And they conclude that admin costs will be lower than what even the most rabid M4A supporters have traditionally claimedhttps://t.co/Fm8XmS8gVg pic.twitter.com/nlWRtsVrvr
— Matt Bruenig (@MattBruenig) December 11, 2020
"Overall," he continued, "the study confirms what serious Medicare for All analysts have known for some time now: It is possible to provide high-quality public health insurance to every person in the country while also saving money overall on health spending."
Bruenig added that "the barriers to the policy are not technical deficiencies or costs, but rather political opposition from Republicans and conservative Democrats who would rather spend more money to provide less healthcare."
If Lawmakers Really Care About "Unity" They Should Support Policies Voters Actually Want
Republican State Officials Are Already Using Trump’s Big Lie as Cover To Pursue New Laws To Make It Harder To Vote
Solutions, U.S.
Medicare for All, Healthcare, US Congress
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Does your dress code affect workplace productivity?
Just like technology, workplace fashion has rapidly evolved through the decades. In the past, style has been more formal – dressing for the office in the 1940s and 50s was very much a hierarchical statement, echoing the sentiment of the workplace itself.
Nowadays, much of the modern workforce is more casually dressed, with many businesses embracing ‘dress down Friday’ policies alongside more flexible working styles, as Professor Karen Pine, Psychologist at Hertfordshire University says:
“Over the last three decades, we have experienced a big movement in the workplace, where traditions and protocols have fallen enormously. The biggest changes have included the decline of the hierarchy, the boss being less of an authoritarian figure and more of a coach, all colleagues being called by their first name and the biggest change, the transition from a formal dress code to a casual one.”
Does the workplace dress code directly affect working culture? More importantly, does it impact upon the productivity of the workforce?
“61% of employees are more productive when the dress code is relaxed”
Chris Bailey, author of The Productivity Project, tested the theory of casual vs. suited style to discover what attire worked best in his office. He rotated his wardrobe between a traditional suit, business casual wear and, believe it or not, pyjamas. During this three-week social experiment, he charted his energy levels, motivation and workplace focus relating to each outfit.
The results? Clothing didn’t affect focus or energy, but it did “have an incredibly strong influence over how confident or relaxed I felt.”
Although this is just one social experiment, larger studies have found that up to 61% of employees are more productive when the dress code is relaxed.
From Casual Fridays to Business Casual
We tend to think of Casual Friday as a modern development, but there are historical references dating back far further than we might have imagined, with one newspaper stating “Dressing down began in Britain when old school ties and sports jackets were worn into the city on Fridays, so that bankers could head off smartly at 4pm for their country estates.”
Dress-down Fridays were even part of a marketing campaign in 1960s America, with the Hawaiian Fashion Guild using the term ‘Aloha Fridays’ to promote wearing Hawaiian style shirts to work.
Indeed, it seems the Hawaiian Fashion Guild weren’t the only ones to turn to the workplace to help boost casual clothing sales – Levi’s introduced a new range of chinos, called Dockers, in the 1990s, marketing them via a ‘Guide to Casual Business Wear’ booklet.
But what is casual business wear, anyway? The term seems ubiquitous now, but is largely considered to have made its way to the mainstream from Silicon Valley in the early 1980s, where it described the uniform style of khaki pants, sensible shoes and collared shirts – a staple look, now common the world over.
In recent years, fashion trends have become more accessible, diffusing into more comfortable styles and enabling workplace fashion to become an extension of an individual’s environment and personality.
As workspaces become increasingly agile, our personal style is evolving to match.
Any business based in a hot and humid climate adds another level of difficulty in dressing appropriately for the office – to combat this, PWC Singapore recently introduced the ‘FlexDress Everyday’ policy</strong>; a revised dress code in which employees can exercise their own judgement when it comes to what they wear, leaving room to dress in outfits they might feel more comfortable in.
Trillion So, Human Capital Leader at PwC Singapore, explains:
“our new dress code will give the flexibility to our people to dress more comfortably and I’m happy to see a lot more employees – especially working mothers and fathers – take advantage of our flex initiatives. We are excited to go against the grain and enable our people to ‘be themselves’ unlocking the diversity each of us brings to the workplace.”
PWC’s Australian branch also recently updated their dress code, replacing the list of acceptable clothing for their 6,000 employees with a simple message: “staff should dress in a way that makes them feel great, is respectful to clients and colleagues, and safe and appropriate for the environment they are in.”
In the UK however, the majority of workers say they would feel more productive and put more effort into their appearance if there wasn’t a dress code, according to a study by Stormline:
“Businesses in the UK seem keen on making their talent dress in specific, often very restrictive ways. Our research suggests that this sort of attitude could actually be harming businesses and their ability to attract the top talent, while creating some low-level disgruntlement among their teams.” – Regan McMillan, director of Stormline.
Perhaps we need to look to other countries and follow their example: at Roche Pharma AG in Germany, a more relaxed dress code is key, with “dress appropriately” being the official guidance for employees. Put simply, Roche Pharma AG encourages everyone to dress for comfort when at their desks all day, while still sometimes donning a suit for more formal business settings. General Motors CEO Mary Barra recently introduced a similar dress code for her US-based workforce, too. Clearly, a flexible approach to workplace fashion is the future.
“Telling adults what to wear to work is completely out of step with a 21st century economy, in which employees should be trusted knowledge workers” Anthony Mitchell, co-founder and chairman of Australian strategic leadership firm Bendelta.
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Survey: Father's Day Statistics 2013
Consider making something nice for dad
By Charles Tran
Nearly one-quarter of dads are feeling sentimental in anticipation of this Father's Day. In a new CreditDonkey survey, 24.7% of fathers said they are hoping for something homemade this year. However, only 15% of all the respondents said they plan to give their dads something they have made for them. Female respondents are almost three times more likely to give something homemade (23.2% vs. 8.4%) than the sons and grandsons who responded to the survey.
While many dads are hoping for electronics or gift cards this year, others do want a more personal touch. Just over 25% of our respondents said they would like their children to take them out to dinner.
68.3% plan to celebrate Father’s Day.
17.9% plan to spend less this year on Father’s Day, while most (67.5%) plan to spend the same.
Most plan to give a greeting card (26.3%), gift cards (26%), and dinner (25.8%).
What dads want: We asked over 100 dads what they wanted to receive. Most want to receive gift cards (31.2%), dinner (24.7%), and electronics (29%).
Only 14% of the fathers surveyed want to receive a greeting card, yet 26.3% of all the respondents plan to give one. Female respondents are over 40% more likely to give a greeting card than male respondents (31.5% vs. 21.6%)
29% want to receive electronics, yet only 13.3% plan to give electronics. Male respondents were 45% more likely to want to give electronics than female respondents (15.6% vs. 10.7%).
50.3% plan to shop online for most of their Father’s Day shopping. Only 9.1% will do most of their shopping at mom and pop stores.
Do you plan to spend more or less this year on Father's Day? © CreditDonkey
What do you want to give for Father's Day? © CreditDonkey
What do you want to receive for Father's Day? © CreditDonkey
How do you plan to do most of your Father's Day shopping? © CreditDonkey
Father's Day Tips
Sons and Daughters: Consider making something homemade for dad. Nearly 1 in 4 fathers surveyed want to receive something homemade, yet only 15% of sons and daughters surveyed plan to give something homemade.
Fathers: Share this story. Post or tweet this story, maybe it will give your kids a hint!
(CreditDonkey.com surveyed 1,045 Americans, age 18 and over between May 24 and May 30, 2013. 68.3% plan to celebrate Father's Day. Most of the results and analysis are based on the 719 Americans who plan to celebrate the June 16 holiday.)
Charles Tran is the founder of CreditDonkey, a credit card comparison and reviews website. Write to Charles Tran at charles@creditdonkey.com. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook for our latest posts.
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Director, DOP, Colourist, Producer
Daniel Alexander is an award winning Director/Filmmaker and BAFTA Crew member from the UK. Daniel also sits on the board of Screen Central (previously the Producers' Forum) and frequently delivers creative development programmes with collaborators including BFI, Creative England & BBC Academy. Daniel recently directed a film for the Commonwealth Games, which was televised by the BBC via the Gold Coast, Australia to over 1 billion people around the world.
With a host of skills including Director of photography, Editor, Director, Colourist and Producer, Daniel has developed himself as a brand, which is known for creating breathtaking visuals and creative development for other filmmakers.
Clients & collaborators include: Commonwealth Games, BFI, Creative England, BBC Academy, Sony, Nike, Apple, Channel 4, BBC 2, MTV, BET, The Home Office, The Box, Virgin Media, Mike Tyson, Barclay Card, EA Sports, and more.
www.danielalexanderfilms.com
info@danielalexanderfilms.com
Colourist
Michael B Clifford
Director & Producer
Director Producer
Carl Timms
I provide high quality video production and live filming services
Rob Shaw
Managing Director at Media Dog
Managing Director / Film Director
Alasdair Mackay
Freelance Lighting Cameraman / DOP for Broadcast Television
Lighting Cameraman / DOP
Lou Murrall
Director of Photography, Cinematographer, Camera Hire
Skilled in Camera, Documentaries, Camera Operation and Cinematography.
Lighting Cameraman
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Congress Faces Full Buffet in Another Washington Spring
The 105th Congress returns this week to a large smorgasbord of bills in need of debate and decision.
By Lawrence J. Goodrich Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor
Congress faces a grueling five weeks of work as it returns from the Easter recess tomorrow. Besides the budget, members will take on matters ranging from controversial education legislation to tobacco to expanding the NATO military alliance.
With the budget and 13 annual spending bills still on the agenda, and an abbreviated election-year schedule, the time between now and Memorial Day may well determine how productive the second session of the 105th Congress will be.
Every move on Capitol Hill now takes place with an eye toward November. Democratic leaders are already taunting Republicans for running a "do-nothing" Congress. Republicans reply that the first three months of the year are slow because much work is still in committee. Several measures are just now moving to the floor.
"We're gonna have a very aggressive agenda," says Senate majority leader Trent Lott (R) of Mississippi.
Among the issues that will make news:
Budget. While the Senate passed its budget measure before the recess, the House has yet to take up a bill. A key issue will be the size of the GOP tax cut proposal. The Senate limits the tax cut to $30 billion, but conservatives agreed to support the bill only after Senator Lott promised to work for a higher figure. The challenge will be how to pay for the reduction, and what form it will take.
Disaster relief. Each chamber has passed its version of a bill to provide funds for disaster relief, the Bosnia peacekeeping mission, and Gulf military deployments. A conference committee will meet to try to bridge the serious differences: The House wants to pay for the emergency-spending bill with cuts elsewhere; the Senate does not. The House has split off additional loan guarantees for the International Monetary Fund into a separate bill and attached anti-abortion legislation; the Senate has a single measure. "I really don't know how it is going to be resolved," says Senate minority leader Tom Daschle (D) of South Dakota. "My guess is both sides are going to have to give."
Tobacco. Senator Lott says he'll bring the Senate Commerce Committee bill, which the tobacco industry opposes, to the floor in May. It's questionable whether the Senate or House will pass the measure in its current form, and a free-for-all could ensue.
"The package that came out of Commerce is going to have to be modified," Lott says. "If we don't get it through the Senate by the end of May it's going to be hard ... to get it done [this year]." Some believe if Congress succeeds in passing anything, it will be a stripped-down measure to fight teen smoking and recover some health-care costs. Unknown is what tack Rep. Thomas Bliley Jr. (R) of Virginia, chairman of the House Commerce Committee, will take.
Education. After a pair of showdowns on the floor, senators finally agreed on the rules to debate a GOP proposal to expand tax-free education savings accounts to K-12 expenses, including private- and parochial-school tuition. Democrats say that's an attack on public education - they will push amendments to subsidize school-construction bonds and provide funding for 100,000 new teachers.
Foreign policy. The Senate will resume debate over enlarging NATO to include Poland, Hungary, and the Czech Republic. While a minority on both the right and left opposes expansion, the measure is expected to pass. Much murkier are the futures of a bill to reorganize the State Department and pay money owed the United Nations, and the IMF funding. In both cases, language to bar overseas agencies receiving US funds from promoting abortion will almost certainly prompt a veto from President Clinton.
Highways and mass transit. Critics are howling over the spending levels and so-called pork-barrel projects in the House version of the bill. The Senate bill spends less, omits most of the projects, and would force states to toughen drunk-driving standards, setting up a tug of war in conference committee. Conferees face a May 1 deadline, when the current law expires.
IRS reform. Sen. William Roth (R) of Delaware will chair another round of Finance Committee hearings to spotlight Internal Revenue Service abuses of taxpayers. The committee's bill, which includes reform provisions not included in the House measure that passed last fall, should come to the floor soon after.
In keeping student loan rates low, Congress sends hidden message
How to fix Congress: Two former Senate leaders give their repair list
Senate committee passes fast track trade bill, but major challenges ahead
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(David Stockman/AFP/Getty Images)
Nationality: Belgian
Date of Birth: September 15, 1994
Team: Jumbo-Visma
Twitter: @WoutvanAert
Wout van Aert is among the illustrious rank of riders who began their career riding the mud before transferring to the road, alongside Cadel Evans, Jakob Fuglsang, Peter Sagan and Matthieu van der Poel. Starting in cyclocross, Van Aert dominated the under-23 ranks, winning the Superprestige and World Championships, before replicating this at the senior level. For three successive years, the Belgian won the World Championship and National Championship titles.
In recent years, Van Aert has lived up to his potential as a Classics talent. He finished third in his Strade Bianche debut and 13th in his first Paris-Roubaix, both in 2018. In 2019 he want on to take third in Strade Bianche (again), second in the E3 BinckBank Classic and sixth in Milan-Ran Remo.
After a successful Classics campaign in 2019, there were high expectations for his Tour de France debut. Van Aert had already won two stages at the Critérium du Dauphiné and the Belgian National Time Trial Championships. The high expectations were met with his maiden Grand Tour stage victory in stage 10 from Saint-Flour to Albi, outsprinting Elia Viviani and Caleb Ewan.
He was also a remarkable support rider for sprinter Dylan Groenewegen, with Van Aert holding 500 watts for around five minutes during his lead-out effort on stage seven, which was eventually won by Groenewegen.
Then three stages later, he suffered a severe crash during an ITT. He was battling his compatriot Thomas De Gendt for the provisional stage lead before clipping a barrier in the final few kilometres, leading to a heavy cut to his upper leg.
The injury could have ended Van Aert’s career, but after a long recovery process he returned to competition in December 2019, racing cyclocross in Loenhout and finishing fifth in his first race back. The 2019/2020 cyclocross season was an opportunity for Van Aert to return to fitness ready for a new Classics campaign, while also returning to his best on the CX circuit.
Peter Sagan says Wout van Aert should apologise over Tour de France sprinting incident
Peter Sagan says Wout van Aert should apologise for his reaction to a sprinting incident during the 2020 Tour de France.
Wout van Aert and Jumbo-Visma reportedly close to agreeing contract extension
Jumbo-Visma and Wout van Aert look set to extend the Belgian star's contract to 2022
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Have you ever wanted to own a part of cycling history?
Axel Merckx warns Wout van Aert, Mathieu van der Poel and other young stars not to burn out early
Axel Merckx warns young riders who race both road and cyclocross not to burn out too early in their careers
Wout van Aert: Sometimes I wonder what I’m doing to myself with this busy programme
Wout van Aert has said he “sometimes wonder what he’s doing to himself” by racing such a hectic schedule.
Wout van Aert 'doesn't want to pursue the Tour de France yet' but added GC at Tirreno-Adriatico a possibility next year
Wout van Aert says that he thinks winning the Tour de France in the near future is unrealistic, but said he does want to chase the general classification at Tirreno-Adriatico next year.
Wout van Aert expected to return to cyclocross next month
Wout van Aert is expected to start his cyclocross season next month, so we may see the main rivalry of 2020 continue.
Tour of Flanders 2020: Wout van Aert says he's focused on winning, ‘not racing against Mathieu van der Poel’
Wout van Aert says he’s racing for the win, not to beat Mathieu van der Poel at the Tour of Flanders 2020.
Could Wout van Aert win a Grand Tour? ‘It’s a point of no return,’ says Jumbo-Visma star
Wout van Aert’s performances at the Tour de France 2020 have been truly staggering.
Tour de France 2020: Wout van Aert fined for ‘inappropriate behaviour’ after reaction to Peter Sagan incident
Wout van Aert has also received a fine for “inappropriate behaviour” after the incident with Peter Sagan on Stage 11 of the Tour de France.
Peter Sagan shares his thoughts on sprint controversy after stage 11 of Tour de France 2020
Peter Sagan has shared his thoughts on the sprint controversy after stage 11 of the Tour de France 2020.
Wout van Aert tried to speak to Peter Sagan after stage 11 ‘but the only thing that came back was strong words’
Wout van Aert says he tried to speak to Peter Sagan after their incident of stage 11 of the Tour de France, but he only received “strong words” in response.
‘If he wins another stage then I'll be worried’: Sam Bennett wary of Wout van Aert in race for green jersey at Tour de France 2020
Sam Bennett says he’s not worried about Wout van Aert in the green jersey competition, unless he wins another stage.
Five talking points from stage seven of the Tour de France 2020
Ineos victims of their own success and Sagan's fight for green - all the big moments from a hectic day
‘I didn’t expect such a mess - it would be a shame not to try’: Wout van Aert didn’t plan on sprinting for victory on Tour de France stage seven
Wout van Aert didn’t expect to have an opportunity to fight for victory on stage seven of the Tour de France 2020, but it was an chance he couldn’t miss.
‘Maybe the easiest stage I’ve ever ridden’: Wout van Aert switches from mountain domestique to sprinter at Tour de France
Wout van Aert said stage five of the Tour de France was “maybe the most easy stage I’ve ever ridden,” as he won the day from a bunch sprint.
Wout van Aert continues to dominate 2020 with second victory in Belgian Time Trial Championships
Wout van Aert remains the star rider of 2020 as he dominated the Belgian Time Trial Championships to defend his title.
'It's survival of the fittest': Wout van Aert marks anniversary of leaving hospital after Tour injury with Strade Bianche title
The Belgian says this victory marks a year since he left hospital following his season-ending Tour de France crash
Wout van Aert finally takes deserved win at Strade Bianche 2020 after consecutive near misses
Wout van Aert has finally taken his deserved Strade Bianche title in the 2020 edition, having finished third in his first two attempts.
Wout van Aert posts update after season disruption
Wout van Aert has offered an insight into his plans after his schedule was derailed by cancellations.
Wout van Aert takes Strava KoM from Chris Froome
We can expect big things from Wout van Aert this year, particularly after seeing some of his Strava performances.
Wout van Aert will make Classics comeback this weekend
Wout van Aert will make his Classics return this weekend, as the Belgian changes his plans because of the coronavirus outbreak.
Wout van Aert will race cyclocross World Championships
Wout van Aert has announced he will be racing the cyclocross World Championships next month.
Cycling Weekly - magazine subscription
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5 Proven Health Benefits of Chaga Mushrooms
Healthy Food & Nutritions April 13, 2019 0
Chaga is a type of mushroom, found on the bark of birch trees in the northern hemisphere, that’s been harvested for centuries because of its medicinal properties.
It’s a nutrient-dense superfood loaded with a wide variety of vitamins and minerals. Chaga is also high in fiber and packed with antioxidants.
This kind of mushroom is also known as black mass, clinker polypore, birch canker polypore, cinder conk, and the sterile conk trunk rot of birch. The appearance of Chaga mushrooms is distinguishable by its orange tissue, and its exterior looks like a clump of dirt or burnt charcoal.
Chaga mushrooms can be taken as a supplement or in herbal teas. It can cause side effects or interact with certain medications, so individuals should consult a doctor before use.
5 Health Benefits of Chaga Mushrooms
Get familiar with the major health benefits of Chaga mushrooms now.
1. Lowers LDL Cholesterol
Individuals who suffer from high cholesterol may benefit from the consumption of Chaga. High cholesterol increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, and studies show extracts of the fungus are capable of lowering levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL).
Cholesterol is an essential fat the body needs, but it can build up over time and clog the arteries. These blockages can lead to a heart attack or stroke.
Chaga’s high antioxidant activity benefits cholesterol because it lowers low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and it increases levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, which is the cholesterol that’s good for the body.
2. Lowers High Blood Pressure
The consumption of Chaga mushroom extract is believed to promote the dilatation of blood vessels, which opens the blood vessels and lowers high blood pressure.
Additionally, Chaga’s phytochemical content includes antioxidants responsible for hypotensive effects like lowering blood pressure and LDL cholesterol.
Chaga mushroom’s antioxidants lower blood pressure by fighting oxidative stress, which is one of the condition’s main contributing factors. High blood pressure can cause poor cardiovascular health and lead to strokes, heart attacks, and other related health issues.
Chaga mushrooms high antioxidant content can help decrease an individual’s risk of these serious health issues by helping lower blood pressure.
3. Reduce Inflammation
Inflammation is a necessary component in the body’s fight against illnesses, but inflammation can become a chronic health problem if the inflammatory response persists indefinitely.
Chronic conditions like rheumatoid arthritis or autoimmune diseases can cause chronic inflammation. Chaga mushrooms reduce inflammation by regulating cytokine production, which helps control inflammation because the secretion of these molecules promotes inflammation.
In addition, chaga mushroom extract has an anti-inflammatory effect due to its ability to suppress the appearance of chemical mediators produced during the inflammatory response, according to studies.
These mediators are molecules released during inflammation, and they intensify the body’s response and promote its continuation.
4. May Slow the Aging Process
Chaga mushrooms may slow the aging process by supplying the body with more antioxidants and a boost of melanin. These mushrooms are an effective method of fighting oxidative stress, which is one of the causes of physical signs of aging.
Oxidative stress is caused by an imbalance between free radicals and antioxidants. Excessive amounts of free radicals from exposure to the sun, pollution, or chemicals can accelerate the aging process and cause damage to fatty tissue and other parts of the body.
This can speed up the aging process and lead to wrinkles, gray hair, or skin damage. Chaga mushroom’s antioxidant content may help slow the aging process and reverse some of the damage.
Its high melanin content can help protect genes and keep skin youthful and supple. The melanin content may also help decrease the size of age spots and protect the skin and hair from sun damage.
5. Boosts the Immune System
Chaga mushrooms boost the immune system by helping regulate the production of cytokines, which are the immune system’s chemical messengers, and chaga mushrooms help their communication process.
These proteins help stimulate white blood cells and support the immune system. White blood cells defend the body against all types of illnesses.
According to studies, Chaga mushrooms also help boost the immune system by increasing the production of certain immune cells that help regulate and fortify the immune system.
Chaga mushrooms also strengthen the immune system by reducing long-term inflammation, preventing the production of harmful cytokines, and fighting harmful bacteria and viruses.
Via: OrganicFacts | VeryWellHealth
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New technology makes some concerts selfie-free
Ryan Cormier
Before comedian Tracy Morgan appeared on stage in Dover earlier this month, his fans were especially chatty as they awaited the comedian's set.
Friends joked with friends. Strangers struck up conversations with each other. And no one was on their cell phone.
Before entering the Rollins Center at Dover Downs Hotel & Casino, anyone with a phone was asked to put it in a lockable pouch to combat any illicit recordings or photographs, per Morgan''s request.
The result was a throwback atmosphere with 1,600 people suddenly phone-less in 2016.
No selfies. No Instagram videos. And definitely no recordings of Morgan's "Picking Up the Pieces" performance.
Those little anti-social boxes most of us carry were gone. So when opening act Marc Theobald came out to warm up the crowd, he couldn't help but make a crack about the "cell phone suitcases."
"Are you going through withdrawal?" Theobald teased.
For his comeback tour, Morgan's team has been using pouches from Yondr, a San Francisco-based company that began in 2014.
This is how it works: Fans put their cell phone in the neoprene pouch, which is then locked. Patrons keep their phones and when the show is over, the pouches unlock when they are tapped on a magnetic "unlocking base."
STORY: Comedian Tracy Morgan makes emotional Dover return
Since the advent of Yondr, several acts have embraced the technology, including comedians Dave Chappelle and Louis C.K., as well as bands like Guns N' Roses and The Lumineers.
Some, like Chris Rock, use it for specialty shows, like when he was rehearsing to host the Academy Awards earlier this year or when testing material in comedy clubs. Others have used it for entire tours.
"We refer to our first string of shows with Dave Chappelle in late 2015 as the game-changing moment," says Kelly Taylor, Yondr spokesperson, whose company has now worked hundreds of shows. The service has also been used in classrooms and for phone-free weddings.
Broadway producers have looked into using Yondr after a few high-profile clashes in recent years between performers and patrons using phones during shows. (Last year, actress Patti Lupone snatched an audience member’s phone because they were texting during "Shows for Days" at the Lincoln Center.)
After comedian Hannibal Buress had a portion of his set recorded in Philadelphia in 2014, including his infamous line about Bill Cosby allegedly being a rapist, he also turned to Yondr to protect his content.
Morgan has been touring since February, developing new material for a Netflix stand-up comedy special. It will be taped later this month at the Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank, New Jersey.
For fans at Morgan's Dover show -- perhaps the first concert in the state to force an audience to go phone-free -- the addition of Yondr had little impact outside the hall.
Since all ticket-holders were contacted ahead of the show and warned about Morgan's phone policy and the use of Yondr, nearly everyone was aware of the phone policy.
The line to get in was perhaps a little slower since it was the first time for many using Yondr. But, once the show ended, staff held the pouches up to a base that quickly unlocked them. It took only a few seconds.
Dover's Rich Burr got to Morgan's show early to get good seats up front with his wife and two kids, giving them time to kill before the show started.
"Normally, you have your phone and you can keep yourself busy for that half hour," says Burr, who left his phone in his car to avoid the lock-up. "But, this time, you really had to walk around and talk to people. Initially, I thought it was going to be a hassle, but it turned out not to be. It wasn't really a big deal."
The only downside was the Burr family didn't get the opportunity to take a photo of Morgan when he shook hands with fans following his emotional show -- his first in Dover since the night of the traffic accident that nearly took his life in 2014.
It wasn't only Burr's first time using Yondr -- it was also the first time for Dover Downs.
A representative from Yondr was on site, training and assisting Dover Downs staff with the pouches, says Ann Stack, director of marketing for Dover Downs, who worked the show.
Stack says Dover Downs' maiden voyage with Yondr went smoothly with little complaints.
"People were fine, especially when they understood that they hang on to their phone," she says. "It was a very, very quick process overall."
Adam Domski of Pike Creek purchased his tickets through online ticket broker StubHub, so he didn't receive the advance warning e-mail from Dover Downs about Morgan's phone policy.
Both he and girlfriend put their phones in a Yondr pouch, which was quickly unlocked at one of several tables set up after the show.
"It really wasn't an inconvenience," Domski says. "I'm sure people would have been taking pictures, so I kind of liked it. Sometimes the flashes and people taking pictures can be distracting, so I thought it was a good thing.
"I think it's a good idea, especially for artists who want to protect their product."
The uniqueness of having 1,600 phone-free fans focused intently on the show wasn't lost on the fans or Stack.
"Why do you go to live entertainment shows? You go to be entertained and escape. And if you have your phone, you're not escaping. You're staying in your own little realm by texting, looking at social media or taking selfies," Stack says. "You're not getting the full effect of the show because you're distracted. This takes away the distraction and helps you focus on why you're there."
Contact Ryan Cormier of The News Journal at rcormier@delawareonline.com or (302) 324-2863. Follow him on Facebook (@ryancormier), Twitter (@ryancormier) and Insagram (@ryancormier).
A PARTIAL LIST OF YONDR CLIENTS
Chilidish Gambino
Comedy Works comedy club in Denver
DNCE
TJ Miller
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The Corning Museum of Glass has several kid-friendly and family-friendly events lined up for Spring Break Week, starting Saturday and running through April 20.
"We have a number of games scattered throughout our galleries. We hope it will be really fun and interesting," said museum science educator Kathryn Wieczorek.
"A lot of it will be related to the artwork we have," Wieczorek said. "For example, we have a memory game, where you match cards to objects in our galleries. We also have a puzzle involving stained glass."
Adult admission is $10 for people living in the 148, 149 or 169 ZIP codes, and $20 for all others. Admission is free for youths ages 17 and younger.
In addition to games in the galleries, activities will include marble games and an interactive collaborative art game in the education lab; a treasure hunt for a glass bunny hidden in a gallery case among other glass objects; and a drawing for the "You Design It; We Make It!" show.
Related:New museum gallery highlights Corning glass creations
For an additional fee, visitors can also try their own glass-making projects.
In addition to the museum's permanent galleries and displays, spring break visitors can view some temporary exhibits.
Among them is Japanese artist Rui Sasaki's "Liquid Sunshine/I Am a Pluviophile" (lover of rain) exhibit.
"Glass Innovation in Automotive Design" features a Corning Inc. concept car that shows how glass can shape the design and function of automobiles of the future.
There will also be guided tours of the glass through the ages galleries.
"All of our activities are included in the price of admission," Wieczorek said.
"People can be hesitant to bring kids to a glass museum," she said. "But we plan activities to make them very kid-friendly. Many spring break activities are for a limited time only. If they come after spring break, they will have missed out."
JMURRAY@StarGazette.com
For more information about spring break activities at the Corning Museum of Glass, go to cmog.org/event/spring-break.
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06 Oct 2016 Effective management of Haute-Vilaine dams with decision support and forecasting system provided by MIKE Powered by DHI software
The three dams in the Haute-Vilaine region are managed by two stakeholders—the Department of Ille-et-Vilaine and Veolia—and have a total capacity of 20 million m³, making it challenging for...
04 Oct 2016 Recognising engineering excellence – Congratulations DHI Australia!
DHI Australia was proud to receive a High Commendation Award at the Queensland Division of the Australian Engineering Excellence Awards Australia (AEEA) night. The Award was received in the...
29 Sep 2016 Inspiring youth in water management with NZ Aqua Republica Eco Challenge 2016
The inaugural NZ Aqua Republica Eco Challenge, which was conducted from 5- 18 September, was a success! The challenge gave New Zealand students the opportunity to try their hand at managing water...
26 Sep 2016 World Rivers Day: Ensuring the wellbeing of our planet’s life force
The rivers are planet’s arteries. Let’s protect the health and vitality of our rivers that pulsate through Earth.
22 Sep 2016 DHI joins Royal Business Promotion Delegation Visting the United States
His Royal Highness Crown Prince Fredrik and Princess Mary of Denmark will head a Danish business delegation visiting Washington D.C., Massachusetts and Boston under the heading “Innovating through...
20 Sep 2016 Building sustainable cities through Denmark’s collaborative engagement in Malaysia
Malaysia played host to the Municipality of Copenhagen from 6 to 8 September 2016 for the Copenhagen Solutions for Sustainable Cities seminar tour. With the aim of sharing the municipality’s...
14 Sep 2016 HYDRALAB+ free access to major experimental facilities: Call for proposals
The major hydraulic experimental facilities located in DHI, will be open for access to scientists and researchers through the HYDRALAB+ infrastructure network and will have projects in both the...
13 Sep 2016 Supporting new hydropower plant construction in Bhutan with Reservoir Sedimentation Study
To harness Bhutan’s hydropower resources, Druk Green Power Corporation Ltd (DGPC), a public corporation of Bhutan, has commissioned DHI India to carry out reservoir sedimentation studies for a...
08 Sep 2016 Modelling shoreline changes for proposed fishing harbour
Department of Fisheries of Tamil Nadu has engaged DHI India for the preparation of the Techno-Economic Feasibility Report (TEFR) for the renovation and modernisation of the existing fishing harbour...
05 Sep 2016 New technology for real-time optimisation and control of water systems
Real-time operation of water infrastructure is an important element in managing water systems. This includes, amongst others, operation of river and reservoir systems for flood control, irrigation...
31 Aug 2016 How Danish athletes coped with contaminated waters at the Rio Olympics
The National Olympic Committee and Sports Confederation of Denmark took extra steps to help ensure the best possible results for Danish athletes at the Rio Olympic Games.
25 Aug 2016 Hospital wastewater – From a pollution problem to new water resources
Hospital wastewater contains hazardous pharmaceuticals and can cause serious infectious diseases. Hence, it is paramount that hospital wastewater be treated before being released to sewers and the...
22 Aug 2016 Economic impact of floods assessed with new technology
Climate change and its effects have put a great strain on cities to adapt to an increasing threat of floods. As such, the Danish authorities are investing on large-scale projects that look into...
19 Aug 2016 Tech Talk Ep. 4 - Modelling of odour and corrosion in sewer networks
The rapidly expanding global population moving into new urban environments has brought along with it urban problems that require fast and effective solutions. In the fourth installment of our Tech...
16 Aug 2016 Assessing potential flood risks of a new construction site in Slovakia
To provide flood risks assessment of a site for a new business center in Bratislava, Slovakia, DHI has been contracted by HB Reavis, a property developer, to contribute our expertise in the safety...
08 Aug 2016 Delivering solutions to various water challenges with DHI’s services
DHI is offering three new solutions to better share our knowledge in the field of water. With over 50 years of experiences and expertise working with water, we have developed new tools and...
04 Aug 2016 Aiding Bulgaria’s coastal aquaculture research in mussel cultivation in the Black Sea
DHI has been engaged by the Institute of Fishery and Resources, Bulgaria to chart and analyse mussels’ growth and decay in the Black Sea under different conditions. Using our MIKE ECO Lab and MIKE...
01 Aug 2016 Improving efficiency of urban wastewater treatment processes
To improve the energy efficiency of wastewater treatment (or used water treatment) processes, DHI Singapore has adopted a new approach that incorporates international best practices and further...
28 Jul 2016 Advanced integration of modelling and enterprise GIS improves sewer planning efficiency in Singapore
In collaboration with PUB (Singapore’s National Water Agency) and Black and Veatch, DHI Singapore has developed a new approach to improve the efficiency of sewer planning.
25 Jul 2016 A new integrated flood early warning system in Turkey to be developed by DHI
The General Directorate for State Hydraulic Works (DSI) signed a contract with DHI Turkey on July 15 to embark on a new project for a flood early warning system. Its fruition will result in the...
21 Jul 2016 Our expert from DHI Italy presenting a case story on invitation by Copernicus European Service
Andrea Pedroncini, head of marine division of DHI Italy, has been invited by the Copernicus Marine Environment Monitoring Service (CMEMS) to present a case story during the CMEMS Regional User and...
18 Jul 2016 We congratulate Simon Brandi Mortensen on becoming one of Australia’s Top 50 Most Innovative Engineers in 2016
Our expert engineer, Simon Brandi Mortensen has achieved top accolade conferred by Engineer’s Australia, the largest and most diverse professional body for engineers in the country. Awarded one of...
15 Jul 2016 Sharing our knowledge and expertise at the Singapore International Water Week and the World City Summit 2016
From 10-14 July 2016, DHI Singapore participated in the acclaimed Singapore International Water Week (SIWW) and the World Cities Summit (WCS), two biennial events that are organised under an...
13 Jul 2016 Designing a local flood alert system to mitigate flood impacts in Guadeloupe, France
In order to spur efficient decision making in times of flood and potential flood events, the Urban Community of Pointé à Pitre (CAP Excellence) has engaged DHI to design a local flood alert system...
07 Jul 2016 DHI congratulates Ong Qianlin Zoe for being recognised as Singapore's Young Water Leader
Our young engineer from DHI Singapore, Ong Qianlin Zoe, has been honoured and recognised as Singapore’s Young Water Leader for her contributions and innovation in the water industry. She is amongst...
04 Jul 2016 Making great headway at the 19th DHI User Conference in Japan
On 21st and 23rd June, DHI Japan conducted the DHI Users Conferences (DUC) for our MIKE Powered by DHI’s software. Held in two locations—with the first day in Tokyo, and the second in Osaka—the...
28 Jun 2016 MIKE Powered by DHI’s software seminar conducted by DHI Brazil
On 14 June 2016, DHI Brazil conducted their 5th seminar on MIKE Powered by DHI’s software. More than 30 participants from municipal and federal authorities, private companies, as well as...
23 Jun 2016 Celebrating EDB and DHI's R&D collaboration at Singapore International Water Week 2016
DHI Singapore and the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB) are keen to celebrate their continued research and development (R&D) collaboration for the DHI Water & Environment Research Centre...
20 Jun 2016 Our participation in the 5th International Congress on Water Management in Chile
Last month, DHI Peru took part in the 5th International Congress on Water Management in Mining which was held from 18 to 20 May 2016 in Chile. During the congress, we had set up a booth where we...
17 Jun 2016 Sponsoring the Basque Country Youth Sailing Championship
On the 21 to 22 May, DHI Spain, together with the Basque Ports Authority (EKP), sponsored the Basque Country Youth Sailing Championship that was held in San Sebastián, on the Northern Coast of...
15 Jun 2016 The world celebrates Global Wind Day 2016
Global Wind Day is a worldwide event that occurs annually on 15 June. Organised by WindEurope (previously European Wind Energy Association, EWEA) and Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC), Global Wind...
14 Jun 2016 MIKE Powered by DHI software as main feature at DHI Thailand's Annual User Group Meeting
On the 26-27 May 2016, DHI Thailand conducted its 10th annual User Group Meeting (UGM) in Bangkok, Thailand. With a focus on new software features, the meeting provided participants with...
10 Jun 2016 Airbus Defence and Space awarded DHI GRAS as Rising Star of 2015
The Intelligence team of Airbus Defence and Space hosted their 2016 Channel Partner Conference (CPC) from 11-12 May 2016 in Toulouse, France. During the event, DHI GRAS was awarded the ‘Rising Star...
09 Jun 2016 DHI’s successful presence at IFAT 2016
From 30 May to 3 June, DHI participated at IFAT 2016, the world’s leading trade fair for water, sewage, waste and raw materials management. Nearly 138,000 visitors from over 170 countries attended...
08 Jun 2016 Providing design verification and optimisation to Lüleburgaz wastewater treatment plant
The Municipality of Lüleburgaz and MASS Construction Company, through a collaborated project initiated by the Turkish Ministry of Environment and Urbanisation and the European Union, have engaged...
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Dicintai
Anthony Davis, Lakers take Game 1 of NBA Finals over hobbled Heat
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Home Celebs Sports Examining potential destinations for free agent QB Cam Newton
Examining potential destinations for free agent QB Cam Newton
Amid an odd NFL offseason where Tom Brady joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Roger Goodell announced draft picks slumped over in a chair in his basement, one storyline remains unsolved: the continued unemployment of Cam Newton.
Despite also-ran quarterbacks such as Case Keenum, Marcus Mariota and Chase Daniel signing multi-year deals, the former MVP and three-time Pro Bowler a unsigned as the calendar approaches June. Newton is coming off a series of injuries and recently underwent surgery to repair a Lisfranc injury in his foot, but it’s still strange that no team has taken a flier on the superstar quarterback yet.
It’s fair to assume Newton will eventually sign somewhere, even as the coronavirus pandemic makes it tougher for teams to perform their own physicals. But which team would be the best fit? We examined some of his potential destinations.
The current odds-on favorite for Newton’s services, according to DraftKings, is New England. It’s borderline suspicious that the Patriots have completely sat out the quarterback market thus far. Jarrett Stidham and Brian Hoyer are the only two QBs on the roster, the former a fourth-round selection in 2019, the latter a career backup in the twilight of his career.
The Patriots insist they’re committed to Stidham as their starter, and the continued inaction at QB confirms that position more and more every day. But doesn’t it still feel like they’ll eventually do something?
It’s possible that Bill Belichick does think Stidham is the guy, or at least wants to give him a shot. It’s also possible that he doesn’t care too much about winning in 2020 and wants to wait until the 2021 NFL Draft to take a stab at the position. And considering Tom Brady’s dramatic exit, it wouldn’t be out of character for him to use this season as a chance to prove he can win without a quarterback entirely. Either way, none of these scenarios leave a ton of room for Newton.
With Ron Rivera now in Washington, rumors of Newton following his old coach were inevitable. Rivera is apparently not ruling out a reunion, and Washington’s current QB situation is suspect at best. Keenum is in Cleveland, Alex Smith is still recovering from a devastating leg injury and recent arrival (and former Newton backup) Kyle Allen isn’t expected to win the starting gig. That leaves first-round pick Dwayne Haskins as the starter. His rookie year was less than inspiring (7 TDs, 7 INTs, 76.1 rating and 151.7 yards per game).
That said, he got about as raw of a deal as one can get, playing with an interim coach, exactly one offensive weapon (Terry McLaurin) and an offensive line that ignored him. Rivera solves the first problem, but Washington didn’t upgrade the line or receiver group at all. It’s hard to imagine Newton being that interested, and the team should probably just see what they have in Haskins since they likely won’t compete for the playoffs.
Another team that appears committed to an unknown entity at QB is the Broncos. Drew Lock won four of his first five starts with Denver, while flashing a big arm and some playmaking ability. John Elway stacked the offense around him, drafting receivers in the first two rounds (Jerry Jeudy, KJ Hamler) while also signing Melvin Gordon. But with a roster designed to win now, how confident should they be that Lock is the guy?
Drew LockGetty Images
His stats during that five-game run (204 yards per game, 89.7 passer rating) were fine, but four of the five teams he played were bottom-third in defensive DVOA, and the numbers look suspect when you remove a 300-yard, 3-TD performance against Houston. He was a rookie and could certainly improve, but history shows there’s a chance he doesn’t, and Denver’s win-now strategy hinges on it happening.
Unless, that is, they bring in a Plan B. Newton is certainly John Elway’s type (that is, he is tall). The team has made too many investments on both sides of the ball to be undermined by subpar quarterback play, and Newton is a high-caliber insurance policy. The risk here would be undermining Lock: a player of Newton’s caliber might zap his confidence and throw chaos into a united front. But you know what else a locker room hates? A talented roster squandered by subpar QB play. Something the next team on this list would know all about.
Gardner Minshew appears to be entrenched as the starter in Jacksonville, but that might not necessarily be by design. When the Cincinnati Bengals released Andy Dalton, the team was “absolutely interested” before he signed with the Dallas Cowboys, according to reports.
Minshew is, in some ways, a cautionary tale for Drew Lock. He flashed in his first few starts, but came back down to Earth once teams got a good look at him. He’s a fun story and has a tremendous moustache, but it doesn’t change the fact that he’s a sixth-round pick. Newton would be an upgrade to this QB room in both the short and long term.
It’s probably within Jacksonville’s best interest to not win many games in 2020. The roster is terrible, and they figure to be among the leading contenders in the Trevor Lawrence sweepstakes. Signing Newton would be antithetical to that mindset. But it’s never a guarantee to land the top pick – nor for that top pick to pan out in the NFL.
Ben Roethlisberger will be back in 2020, even though his legendary injury beard apparently won’t be. If Newton wound up in Pittsburgh, he wouldn’t be the starter. It’s really the only team on this list where that is unquestionably true – and yet it might just be his best fit.
Considering his injury history and unknown medicals, Newton is in a similar stage of his career as Teddy Bridgewater was last year, when he took a one-year deal to back up Drew Brees in New Orleans. It worked out well: Brees missed five games, and Bridgewater won all of them, helping the Saints win the NFC South. This offseason, Bridgewater cashed in with a three-year, $60 million deal with the Carolina Panthers.
The Steelers have a loaded roster: the third-ranked defense in DVOA, a top-three offensive line and a solid group of young receivers. But their season fell apart last year when Roethlisberger got injured, and they can’t afford to go into another season with Mason Rudolph as their backup. Big Ben is 38 years old. Pittsburgh needs a good backup – and maybe a succession plan in case Roethlisberger hangs up his cleats after the season. By signing with Pittsburgh, Newton instantly becomes the former – and can audition to be the latter. Everybody wins.
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Source: TLC
The Derricos Have Another Son Who Isn't Featured on the TLC Show
By Chrissy Bobic
Although Doubling Down With the Derricos is TLC’s newest larger-than-life reality TV family, the skeletons are already starting to fall out of the closet. Because, while the show is about a family with a whopping 14 kids, it turns out that Deon and Karen Derrico have an adopted son who isn't featured in it.
The Derricos’ oldest son, Derron Derrico, was adopted long before they started having kids and he is well in his 20s now. Unfortunately, he isn't part of the narrative being spun on the family’s new show, though some fans have already started wondering about the family’s past, which includes their eldest son.
So, where is the Derricos' adopted son?
Derron isn’t featured on Karen or Deon's respective Instagram accounts, which go back a few years each. Either he was never close enough to his adoptive parents to have them share photos of him, or they scrubbed their accounts of photos when they found out they were getting a reality show where they are featured with their 14 younger kids.
The Derricos have yet to speak out about the absence of their son on Doubling Down With the Derricos, but Derron’s Facebook gives some insight into what may have happened between him and his parents. He often shares memes about cutting negative people out of his life and not being provoked by instigators. He also clapped back at comments from 2014 on a Las Vegas Review-Journal post about him speaking about his father Deon’s fraudulent charges brought against him related to real estate dealings.
This is most of my wonderful family and some our amazing camera crew filming our Television Show... . . #DEONDERRICO #LargeFamily #ILoveMyFamily #MakingGreatTelevision #EverywhereWeGoWeDeep #Love #babies #children #Family #Producer #ExecutiveProducer #Crew #LightsCameraAction #StayTuned
A post shared by DEON DERRICO ♦️♦️💥 (@deonderrico) on Jan 19, 2020 at 10:36am PST
At the time of the 2014 charges, Derron told the publication that he had already been estranged from his father for a year. He also said that, although he still loved Deon, he had proof that Deon had not only taken out a student loan in his name when Derron was still in high school, but also multiple credit cards. When questioned about the accusations, Deon told the outlet that he felt like he "helped raise the devil."
'Double Down With the Derricos' could be the next '19 Kids and Counting.'
Because of their large family, the Derricos could very well be the reality TV family on TLC to rival the popularity of longtime reality stars the Duggars, of 19 Kids and Counting fame. Not only because of the size of their growing family, but also because of the family’s chickens coming home to roost. And if Derron decides to open up about the nonexistent state of his relationship with his parents, it could mean seriously bad press for the show.
#DoublingDownWithTheDERRICOs please tweet us live while watching us on TLC 08.11.2020 @ 10/9c our viewing party shall be lit 🔥 #DEONDERRICO #TheDERRICOs pic.twitter.com/QRlMC099Se
— DEON DERRICO (@DEONDERRICO) July 24, 2020
What is Deon Derrico's job?
Despite being faced with charges relating to his real estate business long before TLC came knocking, Deon is still in real estate. It’s how he and his wife afford to take care of such a large family in Las Vegas and how they have remained able to keep having kids. Now that they have their own show, there’s no doubt that TLC is paying the family well. Only time will tell if the Derricos will have a long shelf life on TV.
Watch Doubling Down With the Derricos on Tuesdays at 10 p.m. ET on TLC.
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Ethanol Inventory Rises
US Ethanol Stocks at 35-Week High Despite Modest Demand Boost
Wall Street Turns Lower
6/19/2020 | 1:37 PM CDT
NEW YORK (AP) -- Stocks veered broadly lower on Wall Street in afternoon trading Friday, erasing the market's gains from an early rally.
The selling followed word that Apple is going to temporarily close 11 of its U.S. stores again as new cases of coronavirus surge in Arizona, Florida and other states. The news stoked worries that rising infection levels could imperil early improvements seen in the economy.
The S&P 500 was down 0.2% after being up 1.3% earlier in the day. Despite the reversal, the benchmark index is still on track for a solid weekly gain, which would be its fourth in the last five weeks. It would also mark a revival following last week's 4.8% drop, its worst in nearly three months.
Losses in financial, industrial and technology companies outweighed gains in health care and energy stocks. Bond yields were mixed. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 97 points, or 0.4%, at 25,982, and the Nasdaq composite was up 0.1%.
Trading has been choppy this week as investors balance optimism that the economy is on the path to recovery as more businesses reopen against concerns that a resurgence in infections could force another round of shutdowns. Several reports out this week gave Wall Street reason for optimism.
A report on Tuesday showed that U.S. shoppers spent much more last month at stores and online retailers than economists expected. That bolstered hopes that the economy can pull out of its recession relatively quickly.
Economists at Bank of America now expect the U.S. economy to shrink 5.7% this year, a severe contraction but not as bad as their earlier forecast for an 8.1% plunge.
"Economic data continue to point to a faster and stronger initial recovery," they wrote in a BofA Global Research report. Some of that is due to economic activity being pulled forward from what they had expected to occur next year, ahead of a long road to full recovery. They lowered their forecast for growth in 2021 to 3.4% from 4%.
The Federal Reserve also reminded markets this week how much it's doing to prop up the economy.
The central bank said early in the week that it will buy individual corporate bonds as part of its previously announced plan to support lending markets for big employers. Later in the week, the Fed's chair said it plans to continue to keep interest rates pinned at nearly zero to help cushion against the recession.
It was huge efforts by the Fed, along with spending by Congress, that helped the stock market turn around from its nearly 34% plunge in March. More recently, it's been hopes that the worst of the recession may have already passed that have pushed the market higher.
Still, many analysts say volatility is likely the only certainty for the market in upcoming months. It may take years for the economy to fully recover, but it took just a few months for the stock market to rally back to within 8% of its record.
In Europe, the German DAX returned 0.4%, and France's CAC 40 rose 0.4%. The FTSE 100 in London added 1.1%.
In Asia, Japan's Nikkei 225 rose 0.6%, the Hang Seng in Hong Kong gained 0.7% and the Kospi in South Korea rose 0.4%.
The yield on the 10-year Treasury note rose to 0.70% from 0.69% late Thursday. It tends to move with investors' expectations for the economy and inflation.
A barrel of U.S. crude oil for delivery in July rose 1.8% to $39.54. Brent crude, the international standard, gained 0.8% to $41.85 per barrel.
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Home / Violence As Obscenity
Violence As Obscenity
Limiting the Media's First Amendment Protection
Constitutional Conflicts
Book Pages: 256 Illustrations: Published: April 1996
Author: Kevin W. Saunders
Law, Media Studies, Politics > Public Policy
This timely and accessible volume takes a fresh approach to a question of increasing public concern: whether or not the federal government should regulate media violence. In Violence as Obscenity, Kevin W. Saunders boldly calls into question the assumption that violent material is protected by the First Amendment. Citing a recognized exception to the First Amendment that allows for the regulation of obscene material, he seeks to expand the definition of obscenity to include explicit and offensive depictions of violence.
Saunders examines the public debate on media violence, the arguments of professional and public interest groups urging governmental action, and the media and the ACLU’s desire for self-regulation. Citing research that links violence in the media to actual violence, Saunders argues that a present danger to public safety may be reduced by invoking the existing law on obscenity. Reviewing the justifications of that law, he finds that not only is the legal history relied on by the Supreme Court inadequate to distinguish violence from sex, but also many of the justifications apply more forcefully to instances of violence than to sexually explicit material that has been ruled obscene. Saunders also examines the actions that Congress, states, and municipalities have taken to regulate media violence as well as the legal limitations imposed on such regulations by the First Amendment protections given to speech and the press. In discussing the current operation of the obscenity exception and confronting the issue of censorship, he advocates adapting to the regulation of violent material the doctrine of variable obscenity, which applies a different standard for material aimed at youth, and the doctrine of indecency, which allows for federal regulation of broadcast material.
Cogently and passionately argued, Violence as Obscenity will attract scholars of American constitutional law and mass communication, and general readers moved by current debates about media violence, regulation, and censorship.
“Saunders has fashioned an ingenious and provocative thought experiment regarding options for state regulation of media violence.” — Sissela Bok, Michigan Law Review
“Violence as Obscenity is a strong and provocative argument about a topic of major importance, buttressed with thorough doctrinal analysis, exhaustive historical background, and appropriate connections with a number of important arguments in the existing First Amendment literature.” — Frederick Schauer, Harvard University
Epartner - Kobo
Kevin W. Saunders is Professor of Law at the University of Oklahoma.
1. The Public Debate over Media Violence
2. The Social Science Debate on the Causative Effect of Media Violence
3. First Amendment Limitations
4. The Concept of Obscenity
5. The History of Obscenity Law and the Development of Its Limitation to Depictions of Sex
6. The Law and Depictions of Violence
7. Sex, Violence, and First Amendment Policy
8. Violence and the Feminist Concern with Pornography
9. Statues and Implications
Cloud Ethics
The Problem with Work
Elementary Aspects of the Political
Vibrant Matter
A Taste for Brown Sugar
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Home > Latest > Live > Point Source Microphones Capture the Sounds of Cirque du Soleil
Point Source Microphones Capture the Sounds of Cirque du Soleil
by Elissa Nadine - January 10, 2020
Cirque de Soleil’s latest production, R.U.N, which opened November 14 at the Luxor in Las Vegas, continues to flip theatre expectations with a little help from Point Source Audio microphones.
A live-action graphic novel out to thrill, R.U.N delivers “back-alley fistfights, bike jumps, car chases, high falls, and body burns,” the sounds of which are captured in all of their visceral intensity though the inventive use of Point Source GO-8WM moldable microphones.
For more than 30 years, Cirque de Soleil has defied the limits of art and innovation as the largest contemporary circus company on the planet. Mesmerizing audiences on six continents, Cirque shows demolish boundaries—and with them, audience expectations—of immersive entertainment, technology, and sound.
Shifting from the ethereal acrobatics that has defined Cirque, R.U.N is a stunt show with special effects that pulse with physicality you can hear and feel: a ground- and body-breaking spectacle, seemingly forged from the sonic vision of globally renowned sound designer Jonathan Deans(pictured).
This is the 15th Cirque du Soleil show for Deans, whose Cirque collaborations—Michael Jackson’s ONE, LOVE, KÀ, Zumanity, O, Mystère, Believe, Elvis, La Nouba, Kooza, Wintuk, Ovo, Corteo, and Saltimbanco—have helped shape the modern circus legacy.
Cirque’s stunt performers don’t hold back, and neither does Deans—though he says he had a challenge in front of him when it came to R.U.N’s live-action combat. “With dozens of people engaged in slamming, brawling action, live Foley is nearly impossible,” he explained.
“It just can’t be predetermined down to a beat because they’d hurt themselves and no one would be ready.”
Deans says he had a lightbulb moment with Point Source GO-8WM moldable microphones, which can be shaped into collar, halo, or headset mics. “We selected about eight artists and put the microphones on top of their heads,” he explains. “They’re running around like microphone stands, if you like, with the mic in close proximity to their physical noises—you know, the bang, punch, the ‘hunh!’”
Point Source GO-8WMs feature miniature 3mm omni capsules, which discreetly pick up sounds all around the performers, and can handle up to 136 dB SPL. “The sounds are natural because they’re actually fighting,” said Deans.
R.U.N features the furious, frenetic music of composer, guitarist, and producer Tyler Bates (Marilyn Manson, John Wick, 300), and Deans couldn’t be more delighted. “The music he writes very much speaks for a certain way of approaching the sound system,” he said. “It was very easy for me to lead the sound system to encapsulate his style of music and implement it into a Cirque show—knowing that this particular run is not a usual Cirque show.”
Not usual is right. A come-to-life graphic novel with a film noir-style voiceover, R.U.N is about motorbikes, fights, and is just very “in your face,” said Deans. “R.U.N incorporates mini movie clips and Tyler’s tracks—meshed with thousands of sound effects—to lead the audience into the scenes.”
Live sounds and recorded tracks are supplemented by a DJ onstage who triggers and sometimes manipulates sounds live, and a live guitarist.
Deans says Point Source GO-8WM mics shine onstage with R.U.N for many reasons. first, they offer superior fidelity. “I need good quality,” he said.
“I want to be able to capture the true sound of what’s going on.”
Point Source GO-8WM mics are unconventionally malleable: “We could just shape them to whatever form we wanted, not knowing exactly how the performers’ moves would work and whether they would feel comfortable about how it would be best placed on them,” he explained.
“Both the location of the transmitter and how the microphone gets to a place where we need them to capture the sounds—not just of the performers themselves, but the sound around them.
I needed a microphone with some kind of rigidity that I could bend to whatever shape was needed, as opposed to a basic shape around the head.”
Finally, quite simply, Point Source GO-8WM mics, like Cirque’s stunt artists, can take it. The GO-8WMs feature a proprietary Lemo-style connector; Deans appreciates that its rugged strain relief doesn’t snap like so many others. “It’s perfect,” he said.
“We’ve got these people doing all these physical things that are crazy for most people. I needed something that could withstand the abuse the microphone and connector would be getting.”
Not to mention that Point Source GO-8WM mics are IP 57 waterproof rated. One Cirque performer went as far as to test that quality by putting the mic up his nose and miking the noises in the back of his throat, then placing it on a tip of a sword before swallowing the whole thing.
Deans said these experiments resulted in rather terrifying internal grumblings that speak to a whole new world of possibilities in theatre sound someday. (“Talk about waterproof. And, it was good.”) Don’t try this at home, kids.
Deans, in all his years with Cirque, is still challenged and still inspired. And thanks to Point Source microphones, he’s able to turn unorthodox miking ideas into reality. “That’s how we do it! We’re not trying to mic a singer or someone talking. It’s a completely unconventional way that we’re using microphones.”
Images by: Ethan Miller/Getty Images
www.point-sourceaudio.com
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Home / football / sport / Super Eagles / 2022 FIFA World Cup: Nigeria draw Cape Verde, Liberia, CAR
2022 FIFA World Cup: Nigeria draw Cape Verde, Liberia, CAR
Funso Adekitan January 21, 2020 football, sport, Super Eagles
The Super Eagles of Nigeria will play Cape Verde, Central African Republic and Liberia in the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
According to a tweet via the team’s Twitter handle, the four teams are in Group C for the African qualifiers.
The group phase qualifiers will get underway in March this year, which is the first international break in 2020.
Only the group winners will advance to the final round of qualifying, where the 10 group winners will be drawn into five two-legged affairs to determine the five sides that will compete in Qatar.
Full draw qualifying draw:
Group A: Algeria, Burkina Faso, Niger, Djibouti,
Group B: Tunisia, Zambia, Mauritania, Equatorial Guinea,
Group C: Nigeria, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Liberia
Group D: Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Mozambique, Malawi
Group E: Mali, Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda
Group F: Egypt, Gabon, Libya, Angola
Group G: Ghana, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia
Group H: Senegal, Congo, Namibia, Togo
Group I: Morocco, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Sudan
Group J: Congo DR, Benin, Madagascar, Tanzania
2022 FIFA World Cup: Nigeria draw Cape Verde, Liberia, CAR Reviewed by Funso Adekitan on January 21, 2020 Rating: 5
Tags: football | sport | Super Eagles
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A Non-Lipolysis Nanoemulsion Improved Oral Bioavailability by Reducing the First-Pass Metabolism of Raloxifene, and Related Absorption Mechanisms Being Studied
Authors Ye JY, Chen ZY, Huang CL, Huang B, Zheng YR, Zhang YF, Lu BY, He L, Liu CS, Long XY
Received 26 April 2020
Editor who approved publication: Dr Lei Yang
Jing-Yi Ye,1 Zhong-Yun Chen,1 Chuan-Li Huang,1 Bei Huang,2 Yu-Rong Zheng,2 Ying-Feng Zhang,1 Ban-Yi Lu,2 Lin He,2 Chang-Shun Liu3 ,* Xiao-Ying Long1,4, *
1School of Pharmacy, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou 510006, People’s Republic of China; 2School of Chinese Medicine, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou 510006, People’s Republic of China; 3School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, People’s Republic of China; 4Guangdong Engineering & Technology Research Center of Topical Precise Drug Delivery System, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou 510006, People’s Republic of China
Correspondence: Chang-Shun Liu
Southern Medical University, No. 1023-1063 of Shatai South Road, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510515, People’s Republic of China
Tel +86 13430301554
Email lcshun1225@163.com
Xiao-Ying Long
Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, No. 280 of Waihuan East Road, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510006, People’s Republic of China
Email longxy3156@163.com
Objective: A non-lipolysis nanoemulsion (NNE) was designed to reduce the first-pass metabolism of raloxifene (RAL) by intestinal UDP-glucuronosyltransferases (UGTs) for increasing the oral absorption of RAL, coupled with in vitro and in vivo studies.
Methods: In vitro stability of NNE was evaluated by lipolysis and the UGT metabolism system. The oral bioavailability of NNE was studied in rats and pigs. Finally, the absorption mechanisms of NNE were investigated by in situ single-pass intestinal perfusion (SPIP) in rats, Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells model, and lymphatic blocking model.
Results: The pre-NNE consisted of isopropyl palmitate, linoleic acid, Cremophor RH40, and ethanol in a weight ratio of 3.33:1.67:3:2. Compared to lipolysis nanoemulsion of RAL (RAL-LNE), the RAL-NNE was more stable in in vitro gastrointestinal buffers, lipolysis, and UGT metabolism system (p < 0.05). The oral bioavailability was significantly improved by the NNE (203.30%) and the LNE (205.89%) relative to the suspension group in rats. However, 541.28% relative bioavailability was achieved in pigs after oral NNE intake compared to the suspension and had two-fold greater bioavailability than the LNE (p < 0.05). The RAL-NNE was mainly absorbed in the jejunum and had high permeability at the intestine of rats. The results of both SPIP and MDCK cell models demonstrated that the RAL-NNE was absorbed via endocytosis mediated by caveolin and clathrin. The other absorption route, the lymphatic transport (cycloheximide as blocking agent), was significantly improved by the NNE compared with the LNE (p < 0.05).
Conclusion: A NNE was successfully developed to reduce the first-pass metabolism of RAL in the intestine and enhance its lymphatic transport, thereby improving the oral bioavailability. Altogether, NNE is a promising carrier for the oral delivery of drugs with significant first-pass metabolism.
Keywords: non-lipolysis nanoemulsion, raloxifene, first-pass metabolism, stability, bioavailability, endocytosis
Oral preparations are the mainstay drug formulations as they are convenient and result in better patient compliance. However, their complex physical and biological barriers result in several challenges during their absorption, regarding their solubility, permeability, and stability.1 Solid dispersions, inclusion technologies, nanoparticle formulations, such as nanoemulsions (NEs), as well as self-nanoemulsifying drug delivery systems and nanoparticles have been employed to improve the oral absorption of Biopharmaceutics Classification System (BCS) class II drugs (poorly water-soluble and highly permeable drugs) by promoting drug dissolution and inhibiting drug efflux in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT).2–4 Some BCS class II drugs, including isoproterenol, testosterone, berberine, and raloxifene (RAL), undergo significant first-pass metabolism in the GIT.5–8 Furthermore, improvements in drug dissolution and solubilization via formulation development are insufficient to solve the issue of poor oral absorption.
In the traditional NE, such as the lipolysis nanoemulsion (LNE}, the highly lipophilic BCS class II drugs are encapsulated in the lipid cores of the NE globules, and the oils in the NE are digested in the same manner as food lipids. Bile salts, lecithin, and related endogenous surfactants are secreted, and the lipid cores are emulsified and hydrolyzed by lipases in order to form fatty acids and monoglycerides.9–12 Through the application of an in vitro lipolysis model to examine some of the drugs loaded into NEs, studies have shown that when the oils in the NEs are digested by lipase, the NE collapses and the loaded drugs are released and exposed during lipolysis. In this way, the drug undergoes the first-pass metabolism after the digestion of NE in the GIT.13–15 In contrast, only a small part of NNEs can be hydrolyzed and of the majority of non-lipolysis nanoemulsion (NNE) are absorbed as the globules or mixed micelles which maybe differ with LNE. Therefore, in this study, we attempted to develop a NNE that could not only enhance the solubility and permeability of drugs but also avoid the first-pass metabolism of drugs in the GIT by the different absorption mechanisms.
RAL is a second-generation estrogen receptor modulator that is used as a first-line drug for the prevention and treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis.16 However, owing to its poor aqueous solubility (solubility: 0.25 μg/mL; log P: 5.2) and the significant first-pass metabolism, the oral bioavailability of RAL is only 2% in humans.16–18 In the intestine, RAL is mainly metabolized by UDP-glucuronosyltransferase (UGT) 1A8 and UGT1A10.19 Therefore, the oral bioavailability of RAL was surmised to be improved via loading into the NNE, which could enhance its solubility and reduce the intestinal first-pass metabolism.
The present study aimed to develop and characterize a NNE formulation. The NNE was systematically improved by in vitro lipolysis. Thereafter, its solubility for RAL, emulsification efficiency, as well as drug-loading properties were derived to screen the required components, optimize the ratio of the components, and confirm the NNE formulation. After characterizing the morphology and globule size of the RAL-NNE, its tolerance in the intestine, namely, its intestinal stability was evaluated by dilution in GIT buffer, followed by in vitro lipolysis and UGT metabolism studies. The protective effect of the NNE on RAL was demonstrated via bioavailability studies in rats and pigs. The absorption mechanism of NNE was investigated by the Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells model, situ single-pass intestinal perfusion (SPIP) in rats, as well as the chylomicron flow blocking approach.
RAL (99.8%), RAL-6-β-glucuronide (M1, 95%), and RAL-4′-β-glucuronide (M2, 97.4%) were purchased from Toronto Research Chemicals (North York, Canada). Cycloheximide (CHX; 99.86%) was obtained from MedChemExpress (New Jersey, USA). Soybean oil (SO; 98.0%; triglyceride), isopropyl palmitate (IP, 97%; monoester), and alamethicin (98%) were obtained from Aladdin Reagent Inc. (Shanghai, China). Linoleic acid (LA, 99.0%) and Tween 80 (98.0%) were obtained from AIKE Reagent (Chengdu, China). Cremophor RH40 (99.0%), Cremophor EL (99.0%), Pluronic F68 (99.0%), and Pluronic F-127 (99.0%) were purchased from BASF (Ludwigshafen, Germany). Labrafac PG (diester), Labrafil M 1944 CS, Maisine 35–1 (monoester), Peceol (monoester), Plurol oleique CC 497, and Transcutol HP (99.9%) were obtained from Gattefossé (Lyon, France). Medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) was purchased from CNAC Pharma Co. (Beijing, China). Lipoid E 80 (PC, egg phospholipids with 80% phosphatidylcholine) was obtained from Lipoid GmbH (Ludwigshafen, Germany). Sodium taurodeoxycholate hydrate (NaTDC, 95%), Trizma maleate (95%), porcine pancreatin (from porcine pancreas, 8×USP), saccharolactone, berberine hydrochloride (BH, 98%), testosterone, and undine 5′-diphosphoglucuronil acid were purchased from Sigma-Aldrich (St. Louis, MO, USA). Tris-HCl was procured from Beyotime Institute of Biotechnology (Shanghai, China). Human UGT1A10 and UGT1A8 were purchased from Corning (New York, USA). Nystatin (4500 units/mg), chlorpromazine (98%), and amiloride (99%) were obtained from Solarbio Life Sciences (Beijing, China). Dulbecco’s Modified Eagle Medium (DMEM, high glucose), Trypsin-EDTA (0.25%), fetal bovine serum (FBS), 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT), phosphate buffer saline (PBS), BCA protein assay kit, and MDCK cells were obtained from GIBCO (New York, USA). Transwell plates (96 well and 24 well) were purchased from Corning (New York, USA). Ethanol and 1.2-propanediol (AR) were supplied by Damao Chemical Reagent Factory (Tianjin, China). Other reagents were of high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) or analytical grade.
The Extent of Lipolysis of Excipients
The excipients (Figure 1) were emulsified and screened by in vitro lipolysis. Briefly, the oil phase comprised of oil mixed with LA (1:1, w/w). The oils, Cremophor RH40, and ethanol were emulsified in a weight ratio of 3:5:2 in order to form the pre-nanoemulsion (pre-NE). The pre-NE was titrated with water at 50°C and stirred at 1000 rpm to obtain the NE (15 mL). The NE was then used to explore the extent of the lipolysis of the oils. A water-soluble surfactant (0.5 g) and co-surfactant (0.2 g) were respectively dissolved in water to explore the extent of the lipolysis of the surfactants and co-surfactants. The in vitro lipolysis study was conducted in accordance with a previously applied method.20 The digestion buffer consisted of 50 mM Trizma maleate and 150 mM NaCl; while 5 M NaOH was also used to adjust the pH to 6.8. The NaTDC/PC solution was prepared by adding digestion buffer, with 5mM and 1.25 mM concentration of NaTDC and PC, respectively. The prepared NE and NaTDC/PC solution were mixed together to obtain a total volume of 46 mL and the pH was adjusted to 6.8 using 1 M NaOH. After the addition of 4 mL of pancreatin, lipolysis was initiated at 37°C with stirring at 100 rpm. After the induction of the lipolysis, a 0.25 M Ca2+ solution was added at a rate of 34 μL/min. The temperature and the pH of the lipolysis system were maintained at 37°C and pH 6.8 (by 1 M NaOH). NaOH consumption was recorded and lipolysis was allowed to proceed for 60 min. To assess the extent of lipolysis, the titration volume of NaOH was used to calculate fatty acid production.
Figure 1 Excipient screening for NNEs. Consumption of NaOH by (A) oils, (B) surfactants, and (C) co-surfactants during the lipolysis; (D) Solubility of RAL in the excipients; (E) Emulsification efficiencies of surfactants; (F) Emulsification efficiencies of RH40 with different ratios of LA and IP.
The Solubility of RAL in Excipients
The solubility of RAL was tested in the excipients (oils, surfactants, and co-surfactants) that had a low extent of lipolysis. Excess RAL was added into the excipients, ultrasonically mixed for 30 min, and agitated in a shaking bath (SPH-200B, Shanghai ShiPing Laboratory Equipment Co., Ltd., China) at 37°C for 72 h. Thereafter, the samples were centrifuged at 37°C for 10 min at 10,142 × g to obtain the supernatant. RAL was quantified at 289 nm with a UV-Vis spectrophotometer (UV-1600; Mapada, Shanghai, China) after appropriate dilution.
Emulsification Efficiency of Surfactants and Co-Surfactants
After lipolysis, the emulsification efficiencies of the surfactants with oils which had low extent of lipolysis were investigated. The surfactant and oil were mixed in different ratios (1:9, 1.5:8.5, 2:8, etc., up to 9:1) and stirred at 50°C and 1000 rpm to prepare the pre-NE. Water was added to the pre-NE to obtain the NE (15 mL). The emulsification efficiency of the optimal surfactant was assessed using the amount of oil emulsified, globule size (≤ 100 nm), and the polydispersity index (PDI < 0.3) after 24 h. Globule size and PDI were measured with a Malvern Zetasizer (Nano ZS90, Malvern, Worcestershire, UK). When the RAL loading dosage was considered, different ratios of LA and IP (1:2, 1:1 and 2:1, w/w) were used as a mixed oil phase of pre-NE to determine the emulsification efficiency of mixed oils. The optimal mixed oil ratio was chosen to prepare the pre-NNEs in two proportions (oily mixtures: surfactants: co-surfactants = 3:5:2 and 5:3:2, w/w) and then select the optimal co-surfactant (Transcutol HP, ethanol, and 1.2-propanediol) according to the indexes of no phase separation and the smaller globule size.
Optimization and Characterization of the RAL-NNE
For comprehensive consideration on RAL loading dose and emulsification efficiency, three pre-NNE composed of mixed oils (LA:IP = 1:2 or 2:1), Cremophor RH40, and ethanol at weight ratios of 3:5:2 (NNE1 and NNE2) and 5:3:2 (NNE3) were used to select the optimal RAL-NNE formulation. The optimized NNE achieved a high drug-loading dose, small globule size, and did not precipitate within 24 h.
The pre-NE of the optimal RAL-NNE (1.0 g) was prepared by mixing RAL (33.75 mg) and LA. After stirring and heating the mixture to dissolve the components, the remaining excipients were added. The pre-NE was emulsified with water titrated at 37°C and 1000 rpm. The final concentration of RAL in NNE was 2.25 mg/mL (15 mL). The IP was replaced with SO to prepare the RAL-LNE.
RAL-NNE and RAL-LNE were diluted 50-fold with water to measure the globule size and PDI. After staining with a phosphotungstic acid solution for 30 s, NNE and LNE were diluted 500-fold with water to determine their morphology with a transmission electron microscope (JEOL JEM-1400, Japan).
Stability of the RAL-NNE in Different pH Buffers at Various Dilutions
RAL-NNE was diluted 10-, 50-, 100-, and 200-folds in water, hydrochloric acid buffer (pH 1.2), and phosphate buffer (pH 5.0 and 6.8), respectively. The globule size and PDI of RAL-NNE were measured to evaluate its pH and dilution stability.
Stability of RAL-NNE in the in vitro Lipolysis System
RAL-NNE (15 mL) was added to the in vitro lipolysis system (total 50 mL) at 37°C and stirred at 100 rpm for 60 min. The lipolysis experiment was performed as described above. Briefly, after lipolysis, the mixture was stirred at 100 rpm and maintained at 37°C for 9 h to determine the changes in RAL content. Before (0 h) and after lipolysis (1, 2, 3, 5, 7, and 9 h), 1 mL was retrieved from the lipolysis reaction for sampling and centrifuged at 37°C for 10 min at 10,142 × g. After appropriate dilution, the content of RAL in the NNE and lipolytic fluid was detected by HPLC.
Stability of RAL-NNE in the Intestinal UGT Metabolism System
After 60 min of lipolysis, RAL-NNE (6 μM) was used in the UGT-mediated metabolic experiment. UGT1A8 (200 μg protein/mL) or UGT1A10 (400 μg protein/mL), MgCl2 (10 mM), alamethicin (60 μg/mL), saccharolactone (4.4 mM), undine 5ʹ-diphosphoglucuronil acid (5 mM), and Tris-HCl (pH 7.4, 50 mM) were mixed and stored at 0°C for 20 min to activate the UGTs. The mixture was pre-incubated at 37°C for 5 min with 200 rpm of stirring; thereafter, RAL-NNE (before or after lipolysis) was added to the mixture. By adding undine 5ʹ-diphosphoglucuronyl acid, the reaction was initiated and allowed to proceed for 120 min. The reaction was terminated by the addition of 400 μL cold acetonitrile (containing 3 μM testosterone as an internal standard) and stored at −20°C. Similarly, the metabolism of the RAL solution (suspension) and RAL-LNE was evaluated. The content of RAL and its metabolites (M1 and M2) was analyzed by HPLC. The metabolic rate of RAL was calculated by determining the content of the metabolized drug as a percentage of the total drug content. The production rate of M1 and M2 was calculated as the content of transferred drugs based on the percentage of the metabolized drug.
Bioavailability in Rats
Female Sprague–Dawley rats (220 ± 20 g) were purchased from the Animal Research Center of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine (Guangzhou, China). All procedures in this study were approved by and performed in compliance with the regulations of the Animal Ethics Committee of Guangdong Pharmaceutical University (NO. SPF2017127). Rats were allowed to acclimatize for 1 week in a standardized lab environment with free access to food and water. Rats were fasted for 12 h before the experiments and given free access to water.
Twenty rats were randomly divided into four groups (n = 5). Three normal groups, namely RAL suspension (RAL-control), RAL-NNE, and RAL-LNE, were orally administered 45 mg/kg, respectively. The fourth group, RAL solution (ethanol:1,2-propanediol: dimethyl sulfoxide: normal saline = 1:2:2:10, v/v), was intravenously injected 7.5 mg/kg. Blood samples were collected from the caudal vein at 0, 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, and 24 h after administration and stored in tubes containing heparin.
Plasma (150 μL) was extracted in four volumes of extraction solvent (methanol: acetonitrile = 1:1, v/v) containing 70 μM BH (internal standard). The mixtures were vortexed for 2 min and centrifuged at 4°C for 15 min at 10,142 × g. The extracts were evaporated to dryness under a nitrogen atmosphere at 60°C. The residue was reconstituted with 100 μL of the mobile phase and the concentration of RAL was quantified by HPLC.
The bioavailability parameters (Cmax, Tmax, and AUC) were calculated by non-compartmental analysis of the drug concentration-time profiles using the Drug and Statistics (DAS) 3.0 software (Chinese Mathematical Pharmacology Society, Beijing, China). The relative bioavailability (Fr) and absolute bioavailability (Fa) of RAL were calculated according to Equation (1) and Equation (2), respectively.
Bioavailability in Pigs
Female Wuzhishan pigs (25 ± 2 kg) were purchased from the Feed Research Institute (Guangzhou, China), as permitted by the Animal Ethics Committee of South China Agricultural University (NO. 2018B038). Pigs were allowed to acclimatize for 1 week with free access to food and water, and fasted for 12 h before the experiments but given free access to water.
Three pigs were administered each formulation in a randomized crossover design, with a washout period of 1 week between administration. Before administration, the pigs were anesthetized with atropine sulfate, Zoletil 50, and xylazine hydrochloride. The oral and intravenous administration dosages were 10 mg/kg and 1.7 mg/kg, respectively. Blood samples were collected from the superior vena cava at 0, 0.25, 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 24, and 36 h after drug administration. The plasma (0.5 mL) was used and the sample was prepared as described in “Bioavailability in rats”. The concentration of RAL was quantified by HPLC and the pharmacokinetics data was analyzed as described above.
Absorption Site and Endocytosis of RAL-NNE in situ SIPI
An in situ SIPI investigation was performed following an established method.21 Briefly, rats were intraperitoneally anesthetized with ethyl carbamate (1.5 mg/kg). Thereafter, the tested intestinal segments (the duodenum, jejunum, ileum, and colon) were identified, cannulated with plastic tubing, and ligated for perfusion. The segment was attached to an infusion pump (Longerpump, Baoding, China) and rinsed with saline (37°C) to remove residues. All perfusates contained the non-absorbable marker, phenol red (30 M), to correct the water flux. The perfusate containing RAL-NNE was perfused at a flow rate of 0.2 mL/min for 20 min to ensure steady-state. Similarly, the perfusates containing RAL-NNE and endocytosis inhibitors, nystatin (30 M), chlorpromazine (30 M), and amiloride (100 M), were respectively injected into the jejunum to assess their impact on the absorption of RAL-NNE.
Perfusion was then performed and the perfusate was collected into microtubes at the predetermined time intervals (0, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, and 70 min). The length and internal diameter of the perfused segment were measured at the last collection and the rats were killed. The perfusate was extracted using 1-fold methanol containing 70 μM BH (internal standard). The mixtures were vortexed for 2 min, centrifuged (10,142 × g, 15 min) and filtrated. The samples (10 μL) were collected and analyzed by HPLC.
The absorption rate constant (Ka) and effective permeability (Peff) of RAL across the rat gut wall were determined using Equation (3) and Equation (4), respectively.21
where Q was the perfusion speed (0.2 mL/min); Cin and Cout (correct) were the concentrations of RAL in the perfusate in and out of the intestinal segment, respectively; and r and l were the radius and length of the test intestinal segment, respectively.
Viability of MDCK Cells
The endocytosis mechanisms of RAL-NNE were further investigated using MDCK cells. The RAL-NNE or free RAL was diluted by EMEM to prepare a series of RAL-EMEM (0.47, 0.94, 1.88, 3.75, 7.50, 15.00, 30.00, and 60.00 μg/mL). For investigating cell toxicity of RAL-NNE, 200 μL of EMEM was added into plates (n=6) and cultured at 37°C for 24 h. The MTT method (5mg/mL) was used to detect the viability of MDCK cells and cell viability was calculated by Supplementary Equation (1) (Supplementary data).
Uptake and Transport of RAL-NNE by MDCK Cells
The endocytosis inhibitors, nystatin (30 M), chlorpromazine (30 M), and amiloride (100 M), are the inhibitors of caveolin, clathrin, and macropinocytosis, respectively.22 The inhibitors were respectively added into well and incubated for 30 min before the uptake experiment for establishing the blocking model. The MDCK cells were rinsed 3× with PBS and EMEM contained RAL-NNE was added and further cultured for 3 h. Then the uptake was stopped by rinsing with PBS. The cells were lysed and centrifuged at 10,142 × g, 4°C, for 15 min. The supernatant was withdrawn and 3-fold acetonitrile was mixed to extract RAL twice. The supernatants were combined and dried then reconstituted with 100 μL mobile phase. RAL content and the protein amount were determined by HPLC and BCA protein assay kit, respectively. The amount of cell uptake was calculated by the ratio of the concentration of RAL and protein (Supplementary data).
When the transepithelial electrical resistance of MDCK cells was > 180 Ω·cm2, the cells were used for a transport experiment.23 Prior to the transport experiment, the cells at the apical side were rinsed 3× with PBS. The endocytosis inhibitors used in the uptake experiment were applied to block the transport of RAL-NNE and the cells were rinsed before EMEM (containing RAL-NNE) adding. RAL content was determined by HPLC. The cumulative transport amount (Q) was calculated by the Supplementary Equation (2) (Supplementary data).
Lymphatic Transport of RAL-NNE in Rats
The rats were purchased and fed as “Bioavailability in rats”. CXH has been used to inhibit the secretion of chylomicrons from the enterocytes and without causing damage to other active and passive absorption pathways of drugs.4,24-26 For investigating the lymphatic transport of RAL, the RAL-NNE and RAL-LNE (45 mg/kg) were respectively orally administered after intraperitoneal injection of 1 mg/mL CHX (1 mg/kg) for 30 min as blocking groups (n = 5). The rat was orally given of RAL-NNE or RAL-LNE but without CHX injection as the normal groups. Blood was collected and treated as described in “Bioavailability in rats”.
RAL concentration was detected using the Waters HPLC System (Waters Corp., Milford, MA, USA), which comprised a 2707 autosampler, a 1525 binary pump, and a 2489 UV-VIS detector. RAL was eluted from a Luna polar omega C18 column (4.60 mm × 250 mm, 5 μm; Phenomenex, Torrance, USA) at a flow rate of 1.0 mL/min.
In the UGT metabolism system, the RAL, M1, and M2 were separated by gradient elution and the mobile phase consisted of ammonium acetate buffer (mobile phase A, pH 4.0) and acetonitrile (mobile phase B). The gradient elution process as follows, 0–16 min, 78% A; 16–32 min, 78–51% A; 32–38 min, 51% A; 38–42 min, 51–78% A; 42–43 min 78% A. The testosterone as internal standard and it was detected at 254 nm. The column temperature, detection wavelength, and injection volume were 30°C, 289 nm, and 10 μL, respectively.
The RAL content in lipolysis, uptake and transport experiments of MDCK cells, SIPI experiment, plasma of rats and pigs were quantitated using isocratic elution. The mobile phase was in a ratio of 30:70 (B:A, v/v). However, in the SIPI experiment, in vivo absorption of rats and pigs, the internal standard, BH was detected at 352 nm. Other separation conditions were the same as previously described but the injection volume of in vivo sample was 20 μL.
Statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS 22.0. Data are presented as mean ± SD. Data were analyzed by one-way ANOVA, and p values < 0.05 were considered to indicate statistical significance.
Screening the Components of NNE
The extent of lipolysis for the NE excipients is shown in Figure 1. Among the tested oils, unsaturated fatty acid (LA) displayed the lowest NaOH consumption, followed by the monoester (Peceol ≈ Maisine 35–1), long-chain triglycerides (SO), medium-chain diester (Labrafac PG), and MCT (Figure 1A, p <0.01). NaOH consumption by the oil, LA, was lower than that by Peceol and Maisine 35–1; however, the oil, IP, did not consume any NaOH. NaOH consumption of the surfactants was found to occur in the following descending order: Tween 80 and Labrafil M 1944 CS > Cremophor EL ≈ Cremophor RH40 (Figure 1B, p <0.05). Furthermore, Pluronic F-127 and Pluronic F68 did not consume any NaOH. Similarly, the co-surfactants, Transcutol HP, 1.2-propanediol, and ethanol did not consume NaOH, whereas Plurol Oleique CC 497 could consume NaOH (Figure 1C, p <0.01).
The solubility of RAL was measured in the excipients with a low degree of lipolysis including the oils (IP and LA), surfactants (Cremophor EL, Cremophor RH40, Pluronic F-127, and Pluronic F68) and co-surfactants (Transcutol HP, 1.2-propanediol, and ethanol). In Figure 1D, RAL was most soluble in LA, Cremophor RH40, and ethanol, respectively.
Emulsification Efficiency of the Surfactants and Co-Surfactants
Based on the extent of lipolysis and RAL solubility, the emulsification efficiency of the surfactants for LA and IP was screened. From the results, the surfactant Cremophor RH40 had the highest capability to emulsify a single oil; this was followed by Cremophor EL (Figure 1E). At the conditions used in this study, the oils could not be emulsified by Pluronic F-127 and Pluronic F68. Furthermore, Cremophor RH40 led to a higher emulsification efficiency when a higher ratio of IP was used in the oil mixture (Figure 1F). Thus, this mixture of oils (LA:IP = 1:2, w/w) and Cremophor RH40 were used to select the co-surfactant. As shown in Table 1, the characteristics of the NNE prepared with the three co-surfactants were not significantly different in the 3:5:2 weight ratio of oil, surfactant, and co-surfactant. However, ethanol displayed excellent emulsification efficiency at the weight ratio of 5:3:2. Phase separations were apparent in formulations containing Transcutol HP and 1.2-propanediol. Also, their globule size was larger than that of the NNE containing ethanol. From these results, LA, IP, Cremophor RH40, and ethanol were selected as the components of the NNE.
Table 1 Emulsification Efficiency of the Co-Surfactants (n = 3)
Although the higher ratio of IP could enhance emulsification efficiency, the solubility of RAL in LA was significantly higher than IP (Figure 1D). As shown in Table 2, the loading dose of the RAL in NNE3 was higher than that in NNE1 and NNE2; however, its globule size and PDI were smaller. Besides, RAL precipitation did not occur in NNE3. Taking account for the emulsification efficiency and the loading dose of RAL, NNE3 was the optimal formulation for RAL. Because of the lipolytic nature of SO, IP was replaced with SO to prepare the LNE for comparison to the NNE.
Table 2 Composition and Characteristics of NEs in the Different Formulations
The globule size and PDI of RAL-NNE and RAL-LNE are presented in Table 2 and Figure 2A. The images obtained from transmission electron microscopy (Figure 2B) demonstrate the spherical shape of NNE and LNE.
Figure 2 Characterizations of RAL-NNE and RAL-LNE. Globule sizes (A), morphology (B) of RAL-NNE and RAL-LNE (× 15,000).
Stability of the RAL-NNE in the Buffers and Lipolysis System
RAL-NNE was stable in water and buffers with a pH from 1.2 to 6.8. However, there were no significant changes in the globule size and PDI of the RAL-NNE with the different dilutions, thereby indicating its good stability in the buffers (Figure 3A).
Figure 3 Stability of RAL-NNE in gastrointestinal situation. (A) Stability in different media after dilution; (B) Lipolysis curves of RAL-NNE and RAL-LNE; (C) Content change of RAL in the NNE and LNE during and after the lipolysis; (D) UGT-mediated metabolism rates of RAL solution, RAL-NNE, and RAL-LNE.
During the 60 min lipolysis period, although NaOH consumption of the RAL-LNE was significantly higher than that of the RAL-NNE (Figure 3B), RAL content was similar between RAL-NNE (77.18%) and RAL-LNE (76.23%). However, after completion of lipolysis, RAL content in LNE was markedly lower than that in the NNE after 3 h. Over time, the difference was found to generally increase (Figure 3C).
Stability of the RAL-NNE in the Intestinal UGT Metabolism System
As shown in Figure 3D, 99.29 ± 2.83% and 57.41 ± 0.86% of the RAL in solution were metabolized by UGT1A10 and UGT1A8, respectively. The respective production ratios of M1 and M2 were 4.66 ± 1.74% and 63.41 ± 1.89% by UGT1A10 and 20.61 ± 0.33% and 36.71 ± 1.07% by UGT1A8, respectively. In the RAL-LNE, no evident change in the RAL level was observed before lipolysis. However, after lipolysis, the ratios of the RAL metabolized by UGT1A10 and UGT1A8 were 51.83 ± 2.95% and 46.00 ± 0.83%, respectively. These values were 4-fold and 38-fold higher than those for the RAL-LNE without lipolysis. In RAL-NNE, only a small amount of RAL was metabolized by intestinal UGT1A10 and UGT1A8 (without lipolysis: UGT1A10, 5.69 ± 1.34%; UGT1A8, 0.50 ± 0.49%; after lipolysis: UGT1A10, 10.84 ± 3.13%; UGT1A8, 5.70 ± 1.45%), independent of whether lipolysis was performed (Figure 3D). These results indicate that RAL-NNE was stable following lipolysis and UGT metabolism in the intestinal environment.
Oral Bioavailability of RAL-NNE in Rats
After oral administration to rats, RAL exhibited a similar bioavailability both in the LNE and NNE groups, but the oral bioavailability of NEs was two-fold than that of the RAL-control group (Figure 4A). The AUC of RAL in the LNE and NNE groups was 4.31 ± 0.57 h·μg/mL and 4.36 ± 0.93 h·μg/mL, respectively; these values were significantly higher than that of the RAL-control group (p < 0.01). The Fr and Fa of RAL in the NE group were 200% and 14%, respectively. No significant differences in Tmax and AUC were found between the NNE and LNE groups (Table 3), but the Cmax of LNE was significantly higher than that of the other group (p < 0.05).
Table 3 Bioavailability Parameters and Lymphatic Transport of RAL in Rats (n = 5)
Figure 4 Plasma concentration-time profiles of RAL-LNE and RAL-NNE in rats (A) and pigs (B) after oral administration. Plasma concentration-time profiles of RAL-LNE (C) and RAL-NNE (D) in pigs.
Oral Bioavailability of RAL-NNE in Pigs
In pigs (Table 4 and Figure 4B–D), the Fr of RAL-NNE was 541.28% while Fa was 23.34% relative to the RAL-control group. Furthermore, Fr and Fa of RAL were 230.23% and 9.93%, respectively, in the LNE group. Unlike in rats, two Cmax values were found in pigs after RAL-NE was orally administered. Although the C1max did not significantly differ between NNE and LNE, the C2max of NNE was higher than its C1max and the Cmax of LNE (p < 0.05). Similarly, there was no significant difference in T1max but at 24 h, the T2max of the NNE and LNE groups was prolonged relative to the control group. The large standard deviation for the T2max of RAL-LNE was due to the inter-individual differences for animals. In contrast, the inter-individual differences in the absorption of RAL-NNE were much smaller (Figure 4C and D).
Table 4 Bioavailability Parameters of RAL in Pigs (n = 3)
Absorption of RAL-NNE in situ SIPI in Rats
RAL loaded into NNEs could be absorbed in different parts of the gut. However, absorption was found to predominantly occur in the jejunum (Table 5). In the jejunum, when RAL-NNE was perfused with amiloride, chlorpromazine, and nystatin, the Ka and Peff values of RAL were significantly decreased. The Peff of RAL-NNE was reduced by 3–10-fold while Ka was reduced by 2–7-fold. The inhibition efficiency followed the order nystatin (caveolin) ≈ chlorpromazine (clathrin) > amiloride (macropinocytosis). These findings suggest that the intestinal absorption of RAL-NNE was significantly inhibited by the endocytosis inhibitors (p < 0.05).
Table 5 Intestinal Absorption Parameters (Ka and Peff) of the RAL-Loaded NNE Administered to Rats (n = 3)
Cell Viability as Well as Uptake and Transport of RAL-NNE in MDCK Cells
The cell viability of free RAL and RAL-NNE was compared in Supplementary Figure 1 (A) and the cell viability > 80% when the concentration of RAL < 3.75 μg/mL. The uptake amounts of RAL were significantly inhibited by nystatin and amiloride (p < 0.05, Supplementary Figure 1 (B)). The cumulative transport amount of the RAL-NNE was decreasing but there were no significant differences compared with the absence of inhibitors.
After injecting CHX (Table 3), the Cmax and AUC0-24 h of RAL-LNE and RAL-NNE decreased significantly (p < 0.05) compared with the normal groups (CHX absence). In Figure 4A, the plasma concentrations of RAL-LNE+CHX and RAL-NNE+CHX were lower than the normal group. The values of AUC0-24 h-AUC0-24 hCHX were above zero and that of NNE was higher than LNE (p < 0.05).
RAL-NNE Development
In the present study, RAL-NNE was developed according to the resistance of the excipients to lipolysis, the higher loading of RAL in the pre-NE, and good particle morphology. As shown in Figure 1, chain length and steric hindrance of the oils and the number of ester bonds in the excipients can affect the extent of lipolysis. Of the oils, MCT exhibited the highest NaOH consumption over a 60 min lipolysis period. Comparatively, the NaOH consumption by SO (long-chain triglycerides) displayed an intermediate extent of lipolysis, with a rate lower than that by Labrafac PG and propylene glycol dicaprylate (medium-chain diester). This is because the long-chain triglycerides have a slower lipolysis rate than the medium-chain diester, which aligns with the results of previous studies.27–29 Maisine 35–1 and Peceol consumed less NaOH than Labrafac PG due to the fewer ester bonds. Interestingly, the isopropyl ester of the monoester, IP, did not consume NaOH and was not digested (Figure 1A). The steric hindrance of the isopropyl group against the active pocket of the porcine pancreatic lipase resulted in resistance to lipolysis.30 LA also consumed a low amount of NaOH. Therefore, the oils, IP and LA, were resistant to lipolysis and the extent of lipolysis in the other oils followed the order, medium-chain triglycerides > medium-chain diglycerides > long-chain triglycerides > long-chain monoglycerides.
As the surfactants, Pluronic F-127 and Pluronic F68 lacked ester bonds, they were resistant to lipolysis. Although Cremophor EL was highly variable in the composition of poly-oxyethylene glycerol triricinoleate, it contained polyethylene glycol and polyethylene glycol ether, which could affect its combination with pancreatin and cause a lower extent of lipolysis than Tween 80 or Labrafil M 1944 CS (containing a lot of ester bonds).31 Cremophor RH40 has a similar composition to Cremophor EL, and thus, underwent a similar extent of lipolysis. Therefore, the excipients without esters might be resistant to lipolysis. The co-emulsifiers, Transcutol HP, ethanol, and 1.2-propylene glycol, did not consume NaOH, whereas Plurol oleique CC 497 did. After the emulsification capacity of the surfactants for oils (Table 2) and the solubility of RAL in these excipients were considered, IP, LA, Cremophor RH40, and ethanol were selected as the components of RAL-NNE.
The LA ratio in the oil phase can increase RAL loading in NNE. As shown in Table 2, the proportion of the oil phase was increased while that of Cremophor RH40 was reduced; these changes not only caused higher drug-loading but also led to a smaller globule size. This may have been because the greater proportion of Cremophor RH40 increased the viscosity of the pre-NE, which formed more lamellar liquid crystals and gels, owing to the absence of thorough mixing, and larger globule size formation during the emulsification process.32 Furthermore, the intermolecular forces of the ionic bond between RAL and LA were enhanced, resulting in smaller globule sizes.15,33 Although RAL was most soluble in ethanol, which could efficiently improve its emulsification efficiency, the weight ratio of ethanol in the pre-NE was limited to 10%-20% as ethanol did not retain its solubilization capacity after dispersion in an aqueous system because of its water solubility, which may lead to drug precipitation.34,35 Therefore, we identified that IP:LA (1:2, w/w), Cremophor RH40, and ethanol in a 5:3:2 weight ratio in pre -NNE was used to prepare the optimal RAL-NNE.
Improvement of the in vitro Stability of RAL-NNE
The stability results from in vitro lipolysis support those from the in vitro metabolism studies. RAL-NNE was found to be stable in buffers of different pH, and the globule size did not change with different dilutions (Figure 3A). The unchanged globule size of NNE demonstrated the successful preparation of the NE and its stability in the GIT environment.36 After lipolysis of NNE and LNE for 60 min, an equal decrease in RAL content was found in the aqueous phase (Figure 3C), a finding related to the 7% lipolysis of Cremophor RH40 in the NNE formulation. A small amount of RAL was also released from the NNE.37 However when lipolysis was terminated by halting the addition of NaOH and Ca2+ to the lipolytic system, and continuously stirring the system for 8 h, the RAL content of the LNE was significantly reduced from 76.23% to 39.45% (p < 0.01), while that of the NNE in the aqueous phase was only decreased from 77.18% to 70.75%. Such findings indicate that most of the LNE droplets collapsed during the lipolysis period. Also, the much higher consumption of NaOH indicated that the RAL-LNE globules were broken after the lipolysis, whereas those of the RAL-NNE remained intact.
The results of the in vitro metabolism study supported those of in vitro lipolysis. As demonstrated by the in vitro metabolism data (Figure 3D), the significant reduction in the rate of RAL metabolism from the RAL-NNE (< 11%) revealed that RAL was encapsulated in the NNE globule and could avoid metabolism by UGTs. Conversely, the rate of the RAL metabolism was much higher after the lipolysis of the RAL-LNE. This is because the LNE was hydrolyzed by pancreatin and the released RAL was metabolized by UGTs. Therefore, the NNE was deemed stable, and the globule remained intact during the lipolysis and metabolism processes in vitro.
The in vivo Absorption of RAL-NNE
The in vivo oral bioavailability results were found to support the in vitro stability data, thereby confirming that the stability and protection of RAL in the GIT was improved by the NNE. After lipolysis, RAL was rapidly released and the chylomicrons were formed by lipolytic products of LNE and then uptake into the blood or lymphatic system, resulting in a higher Cmax than those of SUSP and NNE.15,38 In contrast, the RAL encapsulated in NNE was slowly released and resulted in the lower Cmax. Although no evident difference between the oral bioavailability of NNE and LNE in rats (Table 3), the bioavailability of NNE in pigs was significantly higher than that of LNE (Table 4). Unlike humans or pigs, rats do not have UGT1A10, which is the most important enzyme in RAL metabolism. UGT1A10 also causes a higher rate of RAL metabolism than UGT1A8 (Figure 4).39,40 Therefore, the protective effect of NNE on RAL was not completely demonstrated or could not be distinguished from that of LNE in rats.
In pigs, the C1max was relatively higher than the C2max of LNE, thereby demonstrating that most RAL was exposed at T1max, and the T2max occurred between 10 and 24 h (Figure 4C). These findings may be related to the saturated absorption of RAL after LNE lipolysis and the massive formation of the RAL precipitate. Unlike RAL-LNE, the C2max of RAL-NNE was significantly higher than its C1max (p < 0.01), which indicated that RAL was encapsulated in the NNE and transported by endocytosis, ultimately delaying T2max.
The prolonged delay of the T2max in pigs may be owing to their anesthetic status after oral administration (Table 4 and Figure 4B). In this study, the persistent movement and struggling by pigs led to persistent diarrhea, which may affect RAL absorption seriously. The oral absorption of RAL in pigs occurred while animals were under the influence of the anesthetic, thereby causing a slow RAL absorption rate in pigs. The slow absorption rate intensified the protective effect of RAL-NNE, thereby prolonging Tmax and causing a slower elimination rate. In addition, the safety of NNE had been checked by the experiment of cell viability (Supplementary Figure 1 (A)), which indicated that the RAL-NNE was safe to enterocytes when the concentration of RAL was <3.75 μg/mL. Thus, oral RAL-NNE administration may not have caused diarrhea in pigs. The findings indicate that oral absorption of RAL in pigs could be significantly improved by NNE because of its intactness when transported via blood circulation. However, whether the improvement in oral absorption induced by NNE was indeed superior to that induced by LNE requires further verification under the normal physiological state.
Different from NNE, LNE had been used to enhance the bioavailability of the RAL and it was improved by 2–4-fold compared with SUSP, as previously reported.41–43 However, although the concept of NNE had been proposed, the NNE never be designed for RAL or other poorly soluble drugs to increase their oral absorption.44 Above all, NNE was designed, through a series of systemic studies, the oral bioavailability of RAL in pigs was significantly enhanced by NNE (5 folds) when compared with RAL-SUSP. Moreover, the AUC of NNE was also significantly higher than that of RAL-LNE (Table 4), indicating that NNE was much stable in the GIT and protected RAL from enzymatic (pancreatin and UGT) metabolism, which showed a better oral absorption on RAL-NNE.
Other interesting results include that the plasma concentration profiles in Figure 4C and D revealed the large inter-individual differences in the absorption of RAL-LNE in pigs. However, only a small difference was found in the absorption profiles of RAL-NNE. Previously, large inter-individual differences were reported to exist for the enhancement of oral bioavailability by NEs.45 By loading vitamin K1, which has variable bioavailability, into self-nanoemulsifying lyophilized tablets, El-Say et al found that the bioavailability of vitamin K1 increased and its inter-individual differences in humans decreased relative to that of commercial tablets post-dosing.46 As the LNE is digested in the GIT, the released RAL may form a precipitate with various components, leading to different in vivo profiles.47 However, when RAL was encapsulated in the NNE, it can be absorbed via a more regular route in humans, thereby reducing the inter-individual differences. Such finding indicates that NNE may be a promising drug delivery tool, withminifying inter-individual differences in humans. However, as the oral absorption was only tested in three pigs, further data are required to support the conclusions. Moreover, owing to the complicated GIT environment, the intestinal disposition of RAL-NNE must be investigated.
The Absorption Mechanisms of RAL-NNE
As shown in Table 5 and Supplementary Figure 1 (B), NNE was uptake by endocytosis which mediated by caveolin and clathrin and that was in agreement with previous research.48–51 The chylomicron flow blocking approach has been used to study the intestinal lymphatic transport of drugs in lipid-based formulations.24,52,53 The AUC0-24 h-AUC0-24 hCHX of the LNE and NNE was 1.54 ± 0.35 h·μg/mL and 2.67 ± 0.33 h·μg/mL, respectively, which confirmed the lymphatic transport of RAL in NE. Compared with the LNE, a small part of the NNE was hydrolyzed by lipase and the rest of NNE was uptake by the way of endocytosis. The higher AUC0-24 h-AUC0-24 hCHX of NNE than that of LNE demonstrated more RAL was transported into lymph by NNE. The inhibition effect of CHX on M cell has been demonstrated by Sun et al.54 Moreover, lymphatic transport of the drugs mainly occurred in the jejunum, such as chylomicron formation.55 These results indicated that the RAL-NNE was absorbed by endocytosis, which was mediated by caveolin and clathrin into the blood system, and by chylomicrons or M cells into the lymphatic system.
In the present study, the RAL-NNE was developed successfully and its in vitro GIT stability and UGT enzyme metabolism demonstrated better stability than the LNE. The in vitro stability data were in agreement with the oral bioavailability results obtained from pigs and the oral absorption of RAL was markedly enhanced by NNE. Through uptake and transport in MDCK cells and in situ SPIP study, RAL-NNE was found to be mainly absorbed via endocytosis in the jejunum. The lymphatic transport of RAL was significantly improved by NNE than that of LNE in rats. In conclusion, NNE is a promising method for enhancing oral administration of BCS class II drugs that undergo significant first-pass intestinal metabolism. Through encapsulation with intact NNE, small drug molecules, such as RAL, and macromolecules, such as insulin, may be protected by the NNE through a multiple emulsion system. Therefore, NNE may have numerous applications in the pharmaceutical field.
the National Natural Science Foundation of China This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 81573353).
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44. Porter CJ, Pouton CW, Cuine JF, Charman WN. Enhancing intestinal drug solubilisation using lipid-based delivery systems. Adv Drug Deliv Rev. 2008;60(6):673–691. doi:10.1016/j.addr.2007.10.014
45. McClements DJ. Nanoemulsion-based oral delivery systems for lipophilic bioactive components: nutraceuticals and pharmaceuticals. Ther Deliv. 2013;4(7):841–857. doi:10.4155/tde.13.46
46. El-Say KM, Ahmed TA, Ahmed OAA, Hosny KM, Abd-Allah FI. Self-nanoemulsifying lyophilized tablets for flash oral transmucosal delivery of vitamin K: development and clinical evaluation. J Pharm Sci. 2017;106(9):2447–2456. doi:10.1016/j.xphs.2017.01.001
47. Alskar LC, Keemink J, Johannesson J, Porter CJH, Bergstrom CAS. Impact of drug physicochemical properties on lipolysis-triggered drug supersaturation and precipitation from lipid-based formulations. Mol Pharm. 2018;15(10):4733–4744. doi:10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.8b00699
48. Banerjee A, Berezhkovskii A, Nossal R. Kinetics of cellular uptake of viruses and nanoparticles via clathrin-mediated endocytosis. Phys Biol. 2016;13(1):016005. doi:10.1088/1478-3975/13/1/016005
49. Harush-Frenkel O, Debotton N, Benita S, Altschuler Y. Targeting of nanoparticles to the clathrin-mediated endocytic pathway. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2007;353(1):26–32. doi:10.1016/j.bbrc.2006.11.135
50. Ho YT, Kamm RD, Kah JCY. Influence of protein corona and caveolae-mediated endocytosis on nanoparticle uptake and transcytosis. Nanoscale. 2018;10(26):12386–12397. doi:10.1039/c8nr02393j
51. Ravi PR, Aditya N, Kathuria H, Malekar S, Vats R. Lipid nanoparticles for oral delivery of raloxifene: optimization, stability, in vivo evaluation and uptake mechanism. Eur J Pharm Biopharm. 2014;87(1):114–124. doi:10.1016/j.ejpb.2013.12.015
52. Makwana V, Jain R, Patel K, Nivsarkar M, Joshi A. Solid lipid nanoparticles (SLN) of Efavirenz as lymph targeting drug delivery system: elucidation of mechanism of uptake using chylomicron flow blocking approach. Int J Pharm. 2015;495(1):439–446. doi:10.1016/j.ijpharm.2015.09.014
53. Garg B, Beg S, Kaur R, Kumar R, Katare OP, Singh B. Long-chain triglycerides-based self-nanoemulsifying oily formulations (SNEOFs) of darunavir with improved lymphatic targeting potential. J Drug Target. 2018;26(3):252–266. doi:10.1080/1061186X.2017.1365875
54. Sun M, Zhai X, Xue K, et al. Intestinal absorption and intestinal lymphatic transport of sirolimus from self-microemulsifying drug delivery systems assessed using the single-pass intestinal perfusion (SPIP) technique and a chylomicron flow blocking approach: linear correlation with oral bioavailabilities in rats. Eur J Pharm Sci. 2011;43(3):132–140. doi:10.1016/j.ejps.2011.04.011
55. Mak KM, Trier JS. Lipoprotein particles in the jejunal mucosa of postnatal developing rats. Anat Rec. 1979;194(4):491–506. doi:10.1002/ar.1091940403
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Back to Journals » International Journal of General Medicine » Volume 14
A Rare Case of Extramedullary Multiple Myeloma Presenting as Masses on the Breast and Chest Wall Complicated with Sjogren’s Syndrome
Authors Yuan H, Lei H, Gu P, Ma L, Qiu L
DOI https://doi.org/10.2147/IJGM.S287405
Hongmei Yuan,1,2 Huilan Lei,2 Peng Gu,2 Lang Ma,1 Li Qiu1
1Department of Medical Ultrasound, Laboratory of Ultrasound Imaging Drug, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Ultrasound, Sichuan Key Laboratory of Medical Imaging, Affiliated Hospital of North Sichuan Medical College, Nanchong 637000, People’s Republic of China
Correspondence: Li Qiu
Department of Medical Ultrasound, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No. 37 Guoxue Alley, Chengdu 610041, People’s Republic of China
Tel +86-18980602044
Email qiulihx@scu.edu.cn
Abstract: Multiple myeloma (MM) in the breast has been rarely documented. However, there are no reports on concurrent masses of chest wall soft tissue and breast as the primary symptoms for MM. Herein, we report a case of a 68-year-old woman presented with masses in her right breast and chest wall for 1 month. She recalled having xerophthalmia and xerostomia for 2 years without taking any test to search for the cause of these symptoms. Ultrasonography (US) and computed tomography (CT) examination revealed masses in the right breast and chest wall. Both lesions of the breast and chest wall were confirmed to be plasma cell tumors by ultrasound-guided puncture biopsy and MM was confirmed by bone marrow examination. Meanwhile, Sjogren’s syndrome (SS) was diagnosed by the positive expression of antibodies against antinuclear, Ro/SSA and La/SSB. After three courses of chemotherapy for MM, the symptoms of SS were significantly alleviated and the masses in the chest wall and breast disappeared.
Keywords: multiple myeloma, Sjogren’s syndrome, breast neoplasms, chest wall tumors
Myeloma is a malignant tumor originating from plasma cells in the bone marrow, which includes two types, ie solitary plasmacytoma and MM. MM is more common and predominantly occurs in men. It is caused by the malignant transformation of plasma cells, which can synthesize and secrete immunoglobulins. A large number of proliferative monoclonal malignant plasma cells can cause pathological changes in tissues and organs, mainly in the bones, kidneys, blood system, and nervous system.1 Previous studies showed that the most common symptoms of MM were fatigue and bone pain,2 while masses in the chest wall soft tissue and breasts as the primary symptoms have not been reported. SS is an autoimmune disease, characterized by infiltration of lymphocytes and plasma cells in the exocrine glands. The patients with primary SS had 44 times higher risk of developing B-cell lymphoproliferative diseases, such as benign monoclonal gammopathy, in particular, compared to the normal population.3 However, only few studies have demonstrated that MM is associated with SS,4,5 and most MM complicated with SS showed IgM type. Herein, we report a rare case of a female patient with IgD-lambda (λ)-type MM complicated with SS presenting as masses on the breast and chest wall.
A 68-year-old woman presented with a one-month history of masses in the breast and chest wall. The patient recalled having dysphagia for dry food, xerophthalmia, xerostomia, and weight loss for 2 years; however, she did not undergo any test to search the cause of these symptoms. Physical examination revealed two masses in the chest wall and right breast, respectively, which showed poor toughness and mobility. On ultrasound examination, a heterogeneous hypoechoic mass (2.2 cm × 1.2 cm) with irregular shape and margin, angular periphery and incomplete capsule was revealed in the right breast about 5 cm from the nipple at the 10 o’clock position. The mass showed an aspect ratio less than 1.0 and posterior acoustic enhancement. No obvious blood flow was detected by color Doppler imaging (Figure 1A). It was classified as category 4 (suspicion for malignancy) according to the Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System for ultrasonography. The left breast and both axillary areas had no abnormality. In addition, another heterogeneous hypoechoic mass (5.8 cm × 2.2 cm) with striped hyperechoic features and unclear demarcation from surrounding muscle was found in the left anterior chest wall (Figure 1B). Striped blood flow with a high resistance index of 0.78 was revealed by color Doppler imaging (Figure 1C). Subsequent CT examination showed a slightly high-density mass with regular shape and margin in the right breast (Figure 2A). Likewise, a soft-tissue density mass was seen in the chest wall around the sternal stalk, and there was no distinct demarcation between the mass and the pectoralis major muscle (Figure 2B). All the masses showed homogeneous enhancement on enhanced CT images (Figure 2C and D). In addition, no significant abnormality was found in the skull, pelvis and hip bones by X-ray findings.
Figure 1 Ultrasound examination of the masses in the right breast and chest wall. (A) A heterogeneous hypoechoic mass with enhanced echo in the rear was found in the right breast. (B) A hypoechoic mass with striped hyperechoic feature was found in the chest wall. (C) Color Doppler Imaging of the mass in the chest wall displayed strip blood flow with high resistance index.
Figure 2 CT images of the masses in the right breast and chest wall. Before treatment (A–D): (A) There was a well-defined slightly high-density mass in the right breast (arrow). (B) An ill-defined iso-density mass ís shown in the chest wall (arrow). The masses in the breast (C) and the chest wall (D) show homogeneous and mild enhancement on enhanced CT images (arrow). After treatment (E and F): the masses of the breast (E) and chest wall (F) disappeared (arrow).
Ultrasound-guided biopsy of breast and chest wall masses was done, and the hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining of the sections showed lymphocyte proliferation (Figure 3A). Immunohistochemical analysis showed that the neoplastic cells were positive for CD138 (Figure 3B), IgD (Figure 3C) and restriction for λ light chain, but negative for CD56 (Figure 3D) and CD117 (Figure 3E). The diagnosis based on the pathological examination was plasma cell tumors. However, full blood count, liver and kidney functions were all in normal ranges. And then bone marrow biopsy revealed that the immature plasma cells accounted for 56% (Figure 3F). Meanwhile, flow cytometry of bone marrow aspirate with CD138/CD38 gating strategy showed positive expression for CD38, CD138, CD10, CD20, CD28, CD33, and λ. Serum protein electrophoresis and immunofixation were subsequently requested, showing monoclonal (M) protein (9.70%) with type IgD λ paraprotein (7.240 g/L). In addition, urinary Bence Jones protein was positive for λ free light chain, which showed kappa (κ) and λ at a concentration of 0.038 g/L and 2.910 g/L, respectively, the κ/λ ratio decreased significantly. According to the clinicopathological and laboratory findings, MM (IgD λ, stage III A) was diagnosed. Furthermore, we performed some tests to reveal the cause of xerostomia and dry eyes. Antinuclear antibodies were positive at 1/320, and the count of antibodies against Ro/SSA and La/SSB in serum was more than 200 U/mL. The presence of these antibodies along with clinical symptoms established the diagnosis of SS.
Figure 3 Histopathological examination of masses in the breast and chest wall. (A) HE staining shows lymphocyte proliferation (original magnification, ×200); immunohistochemical staining of the proliferated lymphocytes show positive for CD138 (B, original magnification, ×200) and IgD (C, original magnification, ×200), but negative for CD56 (D, original magnification, ×100) and CD117 (E, original magnification, ×100); (F) bone marrow smears (original magnification, ×1000) show proplasmocytes and immature plasma cells, which differ in size and shape. The cytoplasm was dark blue with a few granules. The nucleus is biased and binuclear with reticular chromatin and vacuoles in some nuclei and plasma.
Based on the above findings, the patient was diagnosed as extramedullary MM complicated with primary SS, and then she was treated with bortezomib, thalidomide and dexamethasone. The clinical symptoms were improved after three courses of therapy, xerostomia and xerophthalmia alleviated, and the breast and chest wall masses almost disappeared simultaneously on repeated CT examination (Figure 2E and F). The patient’s condition was stable, and we will continue to follow her outcome.
MM is classified as a plasma cell neoplasm by the World Health Organization (WHO),6 A large quantity of an abnormal immunoglobulin called M protein produced by plasma cells derived from B cells is a cardinal feature of MM.7 SS was diagnosed according to the criteria of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) Classification,8 it is an autoimmune disease characterized by lymphocytic infiltration of the exocrine glands and a polyclonal B cells activation.3 It has been well documented that SS has a higher incidence of B cell lymphomas with high standardized incidence ratio (SIR) of 4.9–44.9,10 While only few reported cases have shown that SS may be associated with MM.3,5,11 The relationship between MM and SS is still not clear. Some studies have shown that chronic inflammatory stimulation and immune disturbance of SS may be important factors for the development of MM.3 A systematic review showed the incidence of MM was associated with autoimmune diseases such as SS for the IgA, IgM, and IgG may induce autoimmunity.12 While this case was the rare type IgD MM which was found in 2.0–2.5% of the patients.13 Studies have reported that IgD myeloma is usually associated with λ light chain and has a higher risk of extramedullary infiltration,14 which is consistent with our reports. Most of the patients with IgD MM tended to be younger (median age, 52 years) and more likely to have distinct clinical features, such as renal dysfunction, features of advanced disease.13 However, this case is a 68-year-old woman presented with only breast and chest wall mass without renal function damage. It must be stressed that this case is very rare, and it presented with this rare symptom may be related to the infiltration of plasma cells into the corresponding organs.15,16 Literature has shown that decreased expression of CD56 may be more likely to occur extramedullary dissemination.14
Meanwhile, the imaging manifestations of MM involving breast or superficial soft tissue alone have only been reported in individual cases.17 Due to the same pathological origin, MM and primary plasmacytoma of the breast may have similar imaging manifestations. Surov A reported that MM of breast appeared as a hypoechoic or heterogeneous mass, which may be well-circumscribed and microlobulated, or ill-defined and lobulated.18 In addition, microcalcification was extremely rare in MM.19 There are various posterior features, and the most common feature is posterior acoustic enhancement, followed by no posterior acoustic transmission, while posterior acoustic shadowing is very rare. In our patient, both the breast and chest wall masses showed posterior enhancement. Some lesions were demonstrated as hypervascular mass with multiple vessels on color Doppler flow imaging,18 the breast mass did not have blood flow while the chest wall mass was hypervascular in this case. However, there are few reports about the CT findings of breast plasmacytoma.20 Previous studies on other body parts have indicated that the imaging features of MM were nonspecific,19 most extramedullary plasmacytomas were generally demonstrated as well-defined soft-tissue mass with homogeneous enhancement on CT examination, which was consistent with the breast mass in our patient.
Here, the extramedullary MM presenting as masses on the breast and chest wall complicated with SS was extremely rare. The disappearance of chest wall and breast mass was accompanied by clinical symptoms’ relief of SS after treatment for MM, which may indicate the correlation between MM and SS. Further large-scale clinical studies are needed to ascertain whether the coexistence of these two diseases is accidental or intrinsic.
We reported a unique case of extramedullary MM complicated with SS presenting as breast and chest wall masses, which showed nonspecific imaging characteristics and clinical manifestations. Due attention must be given to patients with simultaneous masses in the superficial organs and tissues, especially in patients with complicated autoimmune diseases such as SS. Ultrasound-guided puncture biopsy is recommended for definite diagnosis to avoid unnecessary misdiagnosis and surgery.
Ethics Approval and Consent
The study was approved by the ethics committee of West China Hospital, Sichuan University. Written informed consent was received from the patient for publication including the accompanying data.
This work was financially sponsored by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 81671696), the Sichuan Key Research and Development Project (No. 2019YFS0219) and the Sichuan Science and technology project (No. 2019YJ0710). We thank our laboratory members for their generous help.
1. Michels TC, Petersen KE. Multiple myeloma: diagnosis and treatment. Am Fam Physician. 2017;95(6):373–384.
2. Rajkumar SV, Kumar S. Multiple myeloma: diagnosis and treatment. Mayo Clin Proc. 2016;91(1):101–119. doi:10.1016/j.mayocp.2015.11.007
3. Terpos E, Angelopoulou MK, Variami E, Meletis JC, Vaiopoulos G. Sjögren’s syndrome associated with multiple myeloma. Ann Hematol. 2000;79(8):449–451. doi:10.1007/s002770000166
4. Tazi I, Rachid M, Benchekroun S. Sjogren’s syndrome associated with multiple myeloma. Ann Hematol. 2008;79(8):449–451.
5. Sanap R, Athalye A, Madon P, et al. Detection of t(14;16)(q32;q22) and monosomy 13 by FISH analysis in a patient with multiple myeloma associated with Sjögren’s syndrome: the first case report from India. Case Rep Genet. 2013;2013:279801. doi:10.1155/2013/279801
6. Kehrer M, Koob S, Strauss A, Wirtz D, Schmolders J. [Multiple myeloma - current status in diagnostic testing and therapy]. Z Orthop Unfall. 2017;155(5):575–586. doi:10.1055/s-0043-110224. German.
7. Kyle RA, Gertz MA, Witzig TE, et al. Review of 1027 patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma. Mayo Clin Proc. 2003;78(1):21–33. doi:10.4065/78.1.21
8. Shiboski CH, Shiboski SC, Seror R, et al. 2016 American College of Rheumatology/European League against rheumatism classification criteria for primary Sjogren's syndrome: a consensus and data-driven methodology involving three international patient cohorts. Arthritis Rheum. 2017;69(1):35–45. doi:10.1002/art.39859
9. Ambrus J, Suresh L, Peck A. Multiple roles for B-Lymphocytes in Sjogren’s syndrome. J Clin Med. 2016;5(10):87. doi:10.3390/jcm5100087
10. Nocturne G, Mariette X. Sjögren syndrome-associated lymphomas: an update on pathogenesis and management. Br J Haematol. 2015;168(3):317–327. doi:10.1111/bjh.13192
11. Kaneko H, Ohkawara Y, Taniguchi K, et al. Simultaneous complication of multiple myeloma with Sjogren syndrome. Asian Pac J Allergy Immunol. 2006;24(4):245–248.
12. McShane C, Murray L, Landgren O, et al. Prior autoimmune disease and risk of monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance and multiple myeloma: a systematic review. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2014;23(2):332–342. doi:10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-13-0695
13. Zagouri F, Kastritis E, Symeonidis AS, et al. Immunoglobulin D myeloma: clinical features and outcome in the era of novel agents. Eur J Haematol. 2014;92(4):308–312. doi:10.1111/ejh.12255
14. Weinstock M, Ghobrial I. Extramedullary multiple myeloma. Leuk Lymphoma. 2013;54(6):1135–1141. doi:10.3109/10428194.2012.740562
15. Gupta N, Rao S, Agarwal P. Multiple myeloma presenting as cryoglobulinaemic vasculitis. Br J Haematol. 2019;185(5):818. doi:10.1111/bjh.15868
16. Eslick R, Talaulikar D. Multiple myeloma: from diagnosis to treatment. Aust Fam Physician. 2013;42(10):684–688.
17. Ali H, Nasir Z, Marzouk A. Multiple myeloma breast involvement: a case report. Case Rep Radiol. 2019;2019:2079439. doi:10.1155/2019/2079439
18. Surov A, Holzhausen HJ, Ruschke K, Arnold D, Spielmann RP. Breast plasmacytoma. Acta Radiol. 2010;51(5):498–504. doi:10.3109/02841851003712924
19. Urano M, Denewar FA, Okabe R, et al. Relapsed multiple myeloma manifesting as extramedullary plasmacytoma of the breast: imaging findings. Radiol Case Rep. 2019;14(5):584–587. doi:10.1016/j.radcr.2019.02.018
20. Lee HS, Kim JY, Kang CS, Kim SH, Kang JH. Imaging features of bilateral breast plasmacytoma as unusual initial presentation of multiple myeloma: case report and literature review. Acta Radiol Short Rep. 2014;3(10):1–4. doi:10.1177/2047981614557666
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Development of TUA-WELLNESS screening tool for screening risk of mild cognitive impairment among community-dwelling older adults
Authors Vanoh D, Shahar S, Razali R, Che Din N, Yahya HM, Omar MA
Accepted for publication 3 March 2016
Published 9 May 2016 Volume 2016:11 Pages 579—587
Divya Vanoh,1 Suzana Shahar,1 Razali Rosdinom,2 Normah Che Din,3 Hanis Mastura Yahya,4 Azahadi Omar5
1Dietetic Programme, Centre of Healthcare Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; 2Department of Psychiatry, University Kebangsaan Medical Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; 3Health Psychology Programme, 4Nutrition Programme, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; 5Institute of Public Health, Ministry of Health, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Background and aim: Focus on screening for cognitive impairment has to be given particular importance because of the rising older adult population. Thus, this study aimed to develop and assess a brief screening tool consisting of ten items that can be self-administered by community dwelling older adults (TUA-WELLNESS).
Methodology: A total of 1,993 noninstitutionalized respondents aged 60 years and above were selected for this study. The dependent variable was mild cognitive impairment (MCI) assessed using neuropsychological test batteries. The items for the screening tool comprised a wide range of factors that were chosen mainly from the analysis of ordinal logistic regression (OLR) and based on past literature. A suitable cut-off point was developed using receiver operating characteristic analysis.
Results: A total of ten items were included in the screening tool. From the ten items, eight were found to be significant by ordinal logistic regression and the remaining two items were part of the tool because they showed strong association with cognitive impairment in previous studies. The area under curve (AUC), sensitivity, and specificity for cut-off 11 were 0.84%, 83.3%, and 73.4%, respectively.
Conclusion: TUA-WELLNESS screening tool has been used to screen for major risk factors of MCI among Malaysian older adults. This tool is only suitable for basic MCI risk screening purpose and should not be used for diagnostic purpose.
Keywords: mild cognitive impairment, screening, sensitivity, specificity, TUA-WELLNESS
Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a condition encompassing clinical, functional, and cognitive criteria.1 Unlike dementia, MCI is reversible if early intervention strategies are taken to tackle the problem.2 With the expanding aging population, the prevalence of comorbidities and functional disabilities have risen tremendously. These have affected the quality of life of older adults, and thus contributed to cognitive decline.3,4 Since MCI is reversible, preventive strategies have to be focused to reduce overall health care cost. A recent review has listed hypertension, diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, physical activity, smoking, and alcohol as modifiable risk factors of MCI.5 Brain training activities, such as computer games and Sudoku, have shown activations in several brain regions among subjects with MCI.6 A diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grain, and low in red meat has been shown to be protective against cognitive decline.7
Focus on screening for cognitive impairment has to be given particular importance with the rising geriatric population. However, to date, there is no evidence of a single best screening tool in detecting MCI.8 Nishiwaki et al9 have reported that Clock Drawing Test (CDT) was not a suitable screening tool for MCI, but more appropriate for moderate-to-severe cognitive impairment. On the other hand, Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) is widely used for screening of global function. However, MMSE has certain limitations such as educational/language/cultural bias, requires an interviewer to provide scoring, and only includes items that measure cognitive functions.10 Besides, MMSE cut-off points vary according to population. There is no comprehensive screening tool that measures other risk factors of cognitive impairment such as comorbidities, diet, lifestyle, quality of life, and practice of calorie restriction. As such, there is a need for the development of a screening tool that incorporates potential population-specific risk factors of MCI.
Screening for MCI is essential as new drugs for early treatment are currently available. There are very limited self-administered screening tools for detecting cognitive impairment and MCI in the community, with a very small proportion rated highly for both validity and content.8 More recently, a self-reported screening tool known as Alzheimer’s Disease Risk Index, for usage in a population, has been developed to identify risk of dementia but not MCI.11 Hence, this study aimed to develop a rapid screening tool, known as TUA-WELLNESS, to identify individuals at risk of MCI in the population. This study was part of a large-scale study to develop a neuroprotective model for healthy longevity among Malaysian elderly. Neuroprotective model comprises of wide range of factors leading to cognitive decline, which are identified through thorough biophysical health, dietary, and lifestyle assessment.
As mentioned earlier, this study was part of the “Towards Useful Aging” (TUA) longitudinal study, which enrolled 1,993 subjects (1,002 men and 991 women) selected from four states in Malaysia, namely, Johor, Selangor, Perak, and Kelantan. Selection of respondents for this study was done in collaboration with the Department of Statistics, Malaysia, using a multistage random sampling method. This involved three stages; primary sampling unit (PSU), secondary sampling unit (SSU), and tertiary sampling unit (TSU). PSU was done to divide Malaysia into four main regions (north, south, east, and central) and select one state from each region based on which one had the highest number of older adults. This was followed by SSU, which involved the formation of census circle (CC) for each selected state. CC was selected by the Department of Statistics based on criteria that at least 10% of the geriatric population resides in the CC. Finally, TSU was the process of choosing living quarters from each CC. Older adults who met the inclusion criteria were chosen as respondents for this study.
A home visit was conducted to inform potential respondents about the upcoming health screening program. Signed inform consent was obtained if respondents were willing to participate in this study. Consent was taken in the form of thumb print for subjects who were illiterate. Subjects were reminded about the program via phone call. They were required to fast overnight for blood withdrawal and body composition measurement. Research was conducted by several trained enumerators. A validated questionnaire was used to obtain information on sociodemography, psychosocial, dietary intake, anthropometry, body composition, fitness, functional status, depression, quality of life, cognitive function, and lifestyle characteristics using an interview-based approach carried out by trained field-workers. This study was for a duration of 1 year (from 2013 to 2014) and had a good participation rate of 88%.
This study only included subjects with at least moderate cognitive impairment. On the basis of Clinical Practice Guidelines of Dementia, moderate cognitive impairment for Malaysian population was indicated by MMSE score of 15 and above. MMSE below 15 was considered severe cognitive impairment and may be indicative of dementia.12 Inclusion criteria were older adults aged 60 years and above with no dementia (dementia was diagnosed by the doctor). Meanwhile, exclusion criteria were bed-ridden or wheel-chair-bound older adults and those with severe psychiatric problems. Respondents of this study were community-dwelling subjects who were not institutionalized. This study was performed after obtaining ethical approval from Medical Research Ethics Committee of Research University Kebangsaan Malaysia.
Assessment of neurocognitive status
Neurocognitive status was the dependent variable in this study, and it consisted of three categories, namely, successful aging (SA), usual aging (UA), and MCI. SA was defined as being free from six chronic diseases (diabetes, hypertension, chronic lung diseases, cancer, heart diseases, and stroke) and having normal global function was assessed using Mini-Mental State Examination, excellent quality of life, good self-rated health, and no functional limitations (measured using activities of daily living and instrumental activities of daily living).13,14 On the other hand, respondents were reported to have MCI if they met the MCI criteria proposed by Petersen et al15 and Lee et al:16 the absence of dementia (diagnosed by doctor), subjective cognitive impairment (obtained from subjects or caregiver), objective memory impairment (scoring at least 1.5 standard deviation [SD] below the mean for at least one of the cognitive tests), very minimal or no functional limitations (measured using activities of daily living and instrumental activities of daily living), and having normal global function. Participants who failed to meet the criteria for SA and MCI were in the category of UA.
Sociodemography information included age, sex, ethnicity, marital status, employment status, total monthly and household income, living arrangement, education years, literacy status, current income satisfaction, and economic hardship. Several comorbidities were assessed, namely, diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, heart diseases, stroke, constipation, osteoarthritis, cancer, cataract/glaucoma, and urinary incontinence. Blood was taken for fasting blood sugar evaluation.
Cognitive function was assessed using MMSE for global function,17 Digit Span for working memory and attention,18 and Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT) for verbal memory.19 Furthermore, level of social support was determined using Medical Outcomes Study (MOS) social support survey20 and Lubben Social Network Scale-6.21 MOS was a 19-item questionnaire that measured various dimensions of social support, namely, tangible support, emotional/informational support, affective support, and positive social interaction. The Cronbach’s alpha value for MOS was 0.97. Lubben Social Network Scale-6 consisted of six items, which screened for social isolation. Neuroticism was identified using neuroticism subscale of Eysenck Personality Questionnaire-Revised, which consisted of 12 items.22 Neuroticism was the personality trait of extreme negative emotions such as depression, anxiety, and moodiness.
Besides, disability was assessed using WHODAS 2.0 and captures six major domains, namely, self-care, participation, cognition, mobility, getting along, and life activities.23 Quality of life was a single question that required respondents to rate their current quality of life as either “very satisfied”, “satisfied”, “not satisfied”, or “not satisfied at all”. Self-rated health consisted of five options, namely, “I am well most of the time”, “I am well some of the time”, “I am not well some of the time”, “I am not well most of the time”, and “I am ill most of the time”.
Meanwhile, Victoria Longitudinal Study-Activity Lifestyle Questionnaire was used to determine the participation of older adults in physical, mental, and social activities.24 The original 70-item questionnaire was reduced by factorial analysis to 26 items, with Cronbach’s α of 0.66. Examples of physical lifestyle activities were exercising, doing housework, and recreation. Mental lifestyle tasks involved performing simple technical activities such as changing bulb or repairing tap leakage, and using modern gadgets. Besides that, social lifestyle activities included going for shopping or eating out with family members.
Respondents were also exposed to several fitness tests, under the supervision of a trained physiotherapist. Among the fitness tests were 2-minute step test, timed up and go, chair stand test, chair sit and reach test, hand grip, and back scratch test. Nutritional status was assessed using body mass index and metabolic syndrome. Based on body mass index, subjects were categorized as underweight (<18.5 kg/m2), normal (18.5–24.9 kg/m2), overweight (25.0–29.9 kg/m2), and obese (30.0 kg/m2).25 Metabolic syndrome was measured using International Diabetes Federation criteria.26 Besides that, intake of fresh fruits, fresh fruit juices, and vegetables were also evaluated using Diet History Questionnaire.27 Practice of caloric restriction among older adults was assessed by asking them if they practice “Sunnah” fasting (fasting every Monday and Thursday by the Muslims), vegetarianism, or restrict intake of certain foods during certain religious occasion.
Development of screening tool
Several factors were taken into consideration during the development of screening tool, namely, use of simple language, short sentences, and tools that can be self-administered by older adults. Selection of variables for the screening tool was based on literature of the risk factors associated with MCI.
Several statistical analyses were employed in this study. Details of the analyses are reported in each of the following sections.
Determination of ten items for TUA-WELLNESS screening tool
A total of 1,993 respondents were involved in the study to identify the items for the screening tool. Selection of questions related to cognitive decline was done in two phases. The first phase was the univariable analysis between the parameters and neurocognitive status (SA, UA, and MCI) using Pearson χ2 for categorical variables and one-way between-group ANOVA for numerical variables. Factors with significant P-value (less than 0.05) were entered into the multivariate model.
The second phase was the ordinal logistic regression (OLR) carried out between all the significant variables in the first phase with neurocognitive status as the dependent variable. OLR was chosen because the dependent variable (neurocognitive status) had three categories. Reference variable for the OLR model was the group with normal cognitive function, which was SA. The coding for the dependent variable was 0 (SA), 1 (UA), and 2 (MCI). Thus, any significant variables from this OLR model were the predictors of cognitive decline. OLR was employed in a stepwise manner due to the presence of numerous variables in this study. Seven different OLR models were created, and the details of each model were as follows:
Sociodemography model, which consisted of age, monthly income, sex, ethnicity, years of education, literacy status (either literate or illiterate), current income satisfaction, and economic hardship.
Comorbidities model, which consisted of fasting blood sugar, systolic blood pressure, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, heart diseases, stroke, chronic lung diseases, cancer, constipation, cataract or glaucoma, osteoarthritis, and urinary incontinence.
Fitness, nutritional, and functional status model, which consisted of percentage body fat, fat free mass, disability, metabolic syndrome, abdominal obesity, score from hand grip, 2-minute step test, chair stand test, chair sit and reach test, timed up and go test, and back scratch test.
Psychosocial, which consisted of tangible support, affective support, total social support, social isolation, neuroticism, health and life satisfaction, and capability of sexual relationship with spouse.
Dietary intake and practice, which consisted of consumption of fresh fruits or fresh fruit juices, intake of eicosapentanoic acid, and docosahexanoic acid as well as practice of calorie restriction.
Lifestyle model, which consisted of total score for mental lifestyle task, and participation in physical activities (either regular or not active).
Final model, which consisted of intake of fresh fruits or fresh fruit juices, score from timed up and go test, total score for mental lifestyle task, education years, systolic blood pressure, intake of docosahexanoic acid, tangible support, disability, fasting blood sugar, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, chronic lung diseases, cancer, heart diseases, stroke, quality of life, self-rated health, caloric restriction through “Sunnah” fasting or practicing vegetarianism, capability of having sex, participation in physical activity, use of modern gadgets, and performing simple mechanical-based task.
From the OLR model, eight risk factors were significant and were selected as items of TUA-WELLNESS. However, several other factors such as quality of life, self-rated health status, intake of vegetables, and the presence of six chronic diseases were still included in the final model, although these factors did not appear significant in the multivariable model, due to its strong association with cognitive decline based on previous literature. Certain noncategorical variables such as intake of fresh fruits or fruit juices, disability, and years of education were converted to categorical variables for easier administration. Table 1 lists the initial selection of questions for the screening tool.
Table 1 Selection of questions for TUA-WELLNESS screening tool
Note: aOdds ratio for three questions obtained using chi-square.
Abbreviation: OR, odds ratio.
Calculation of sensitivity and specificity of the screening tool
The odds ratio of the selected variable was converted into a simplified coefficient for convenience in scoring. Sensitivity and specificity were calculated using binary logistic regression on a subset of 493 subjects who were randomly selected. Sensitivity and specificity were calculated for each cut-off point (Table 2). Sensitivity and specificity were calculated using the following formulae:
Table 2 AUC, sensitivity, specificity, and Youden’s Index for possible cut-off points
Note: Cut-off ≥11 was chosen because it had the highest sensitivity (83.3%) and Youden’s Index (0.57).
Abbreviations: AUC, area under curve; CI, confidence interval.
Sensitivity: True positive/(true positive + false-negative)
Specificity: True negatives/(true negative + false-positive)
Determination of predictive accuracy of TUA-WELLNESS tool
Both predictive accuracy and concurrent validity were calculated on randomly selected 493 community dwelling older adults. Area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) was calculated to identify the predictive accuracy of the TUA-WELLNESS. AUC showed the effectiveness of the TUA-WELLNESS tool to screen for MCI among community dwelling older adults. Greater AUC curve indicated robustness of the screening tool in classifying cognitive decline. Youden’s Index [(sensitivity + specificity) − 1] was calculated. Best cut-off point for the screening tool was chosen based on the highest Youden’s Index and sensitivity value above 70%.28 Ninety-five percent confidence interval (CI) was calculated for each cut-off point (Table 2).
Concurrent validity
Concurrent validity for normally distributed variables was calculated using Pearson correlation. If the assumptions of normality were violated, Spearman’s rho was used and 95% CIs were calculated using the bias-corrected bootstrap method.
Concurrent validity was analyzed to determine the correlation between the score of the TUA-WELLNESS screening tool with scores on standard cognitive tests such as MMSE, Montreal cognitive assessment (MoCA), digit span, RAVLT, digit symbol, and visual reproduction test.
Summary of statistical test used for this study is shown in Figure 1.
Figure 1 Summary of statistical analysis used in this study.
Abbreviations: OLR, ordinal logistic regression; SC, simplified coefficient; AUC, area under curve.
The mean age of the respondents was 68.5±5.93 years, and 50.3% of the participants were men and 49.7% women. Most of the respondents were able to read, write, and count (92.3%) and were retired (76.1%). The most commonly reported chronic disease was hypertension (50.4%), followed by hyperlipidemia (32.0%), diabetes (26.6%), osteoarthritis (24.0%), and cataract or glaucoma (24.0%). The prevalence of MCI in this study was 16.0% as reported in an earlier study.29
The items in TUA-WELLNESS screening tool are listed in Table 3.
Table 3 Final Selection of Questions for TUA-WELLNESS
Notes: aSimplified coefficient refers to the highest score for each item. The higher the score, the lower the risk of MCI.
Abbreviations: SC, simplified coefficient; MCI, mild cognitive impairment.
As listed in Table 1, the three questions related to health status, quality of life, and chronic diseases are not from OLR. These were chosen due to their association with good cognitive function.
Table 3 lists the 10 items in the TUA-WELLNESS screening tool. Item 7 was different for men and women. The final OLR model showed that mechanical repairing activities were protective against cognitive decline. However, this was not common among women. Thus, another question on frequency of reading or sewing was created for women. Reading and sewing were chosen based on their significance during univariate analysis. Similarly, item 8 was divided into two sections; Muslim subjects would answer the section on “Sunnah fasting”, while non-Muslim subjects were required to answer the section on practicing calorie restriction based on respective beliefs. Items 5 (fruits/vegetables) and 10 (quality of life/health status) consisted of more than one component. This was done to form a screening tool with lesser items for convenience of older adults.
Cut-off 11 was chosen because it had the highest sensitivity (83.3%) and Youden’s Index (0.57). AUC value for TUA-WELLNESS was 0.84, indicating very good discriminating power. The total score for this tool was 17, and higher scores indicated lower risk of MCI (Table 3).
As listed in Table 4, concurrent validity between TUA-WELLNESS and other standard cognitive assessment tools have shown significantly weak to moderately positive correlation. Meanwhile, for normally distributed RAVLT score, Pearson’s correlation was 0.40 (95% CI: 0.30–0.49, P<0.001).
Table 4 Concurrent validity between TUA-WELLNESS and other cognitive assessment tools
Notes: *P<0.01, significant using Spearman’s rho. aBias-corrected bootstrap method.
Abbreviations: CI, confidence interval; MMSE, Mini Mental State Examination; MoCA, Montreal cognitive assessment; BCa, bias-corrected and accelerated method.
This study team has developed a ten-item questionnaire which was successfully used as a screening tool to identify elderly at risk of MCI. Cut-off point 11 was chosen as the suitable cut-off point because it had the highest Youden’s Index and sensitivity values. Apart from that, AUC of 0.84 was excellent and enabled us to distinguish older adults with cognitive impairment. Hosmer and Lemeshow30 have reported that an AUC value of <0.7 is considered poor, 0.7–0.8 acceptable, 0.8–0.9 excellent, and 0.9–1.0 is outstanding discrimination.
TUA-WELLNESS tool is a good screening tool because it is simple, can be completed by older adults without assistance, and enables self-calculation of score. It meets the criteria of an appropriate tool for screening purpose.31 Older adults and their caregivers are able to know their risk of MCI by summing the scores listed at the end of each box. Hence, they may immediately identify their risk of MCI. Older adults who persistently obtain low score in TUA-WELLNESS have to perform some lifestyle modifications, which include keeping blood glucose and cholesterol levels in the normal range, frequently engaging in mentally demanding task such as exploring modern gadgets such as smartphones and iPads, practicing calorie restriction via occasional fasting, and increasing intake of fresh fruits and vegetables. Although poor intake of vegetables is not a risk factor of MCI in our study, it has been included in the screening tool following previous literature, which has shown protective effects of higher vegetables intake against both cognitive decline and dementia.32
Questions related to quality of life, self-rated health, and presence of chronic diseases are part of the tool despite their being nonsignificant. Montejo et al33 (2012) have demonstrated that quality of life is an important predictor of memory complaint among 1,637 noninstitutionalized older adults. Besides that, Hamid et al14 have proposed that healthy or optimal aging can be achieved by absence of six chronic diseases (hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, chronic lung diseases, cancer, and stroke) and superior satisfaction in health status. Pimenta et al34 have reported that chronic diseases among older adults increased the risk of cognitive decline, functional impairment, and affected quality of life. Older adults with dementia usually present with multimorbidities as compared to elderly with no cognitive impairment.
TUA-WELLNESS is not for screening for dementia and is not suitable to be used for diagnostic purpose. Sensitivity and specificity of the TUA-WELNESS is acceptable and almost similar with other available screening tools for MCI. In a population-based study among older adults in the United Kingdom, prevalence of MCI was found to be 20% using Petersen’s criteria, and MoCA was used as cognitive assessment tool. Sensitivity was in the range of 80%–100%, while specificity is within 50%–76%.35
The available assessments for MCI such as MMSE, MoCA, or CDT have emphasized only cognitive function, but fail to capture other risk factors associated with MCI, such as comorbidities, consumption of fruits and vegetables, and engaging in cognitive stimulating tasks. Hence, TUA-WELLNESS is a comprehensive screening tool specifically for detecting MCI, and the items included in TUA-WELLNESS tool have been proven to be predictors of MCI in previous studies. However, this study has certain limitations. TUA-WELLNESS is not applicable for diagnostic purpose. An individual scoring below 11 for the tool should not be confirmed as having MCI but needs to be informed for further in-depth cognitive assessment. Besides, validation of TUA-WELLNESS is still ongoing, and thus is not reported in this paper.
In conclusion, TUA-WELLNESS screening tool has managed to embrace major risk factors of MCI among Malaysian older adults. This tool has an excellent AUC, Youden’s Index, and sensitivity values for identifying elderly at risk of MCI. However, this tool is only suitable for basic MCI risk screening purpose. Older adults with higher risk of MCI, assessed using this tool, should be motivated to make lifestyle changes to preserve mental health.
Compliance with ethical standard
This study, which involved humans, meets the ethical guidelines of the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Research Ethics Committee and the 1964 Helsinki Declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards. Informed consent was obtained from all participants.
The authors thank Ministry of Education Malaysia for funding the study through Long-term Research Grant Scheme (LRGS) (LRGS/BU/2012/UKM-UKM/K/01). We appreciate the contribution and hard work of all coresearchers, staffs, fieldworkers, local council, and respondents.
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Evacuation of chronic and subacute subdural hematoma via transcranial neuroendoscopic approach
Authors Cai Q, Guo Q, Zhang F, Sun D, Zhang W, Ji B, Chen Z, Mao S
Published 30 January 2019 Volume 2019:15 Pages 385—390
DOI https://doi.org/10.2147/NDT.S193548
Editor who approved publication: Dr Yuping Ning
Qiang Cai,1 Qiao Guo,1 Fan Zhang,2 Daofa Sun,2 Wenfei Zhang,1 Baowei Ji,1 Zhibiao Chen,1 Shanping Mao3
1Department of Neurosurgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei Province 430060, China; 2Department of Neurosurgery, Xiantao First People’s Hospital, Xiantao, Hubei Province 433000, China; 3Department of Neurology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei Province 430060, China
Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of neuroendoscopic surgery for chronic or subacute subdural hematoma.
Patients and methods: Between September 2016 and September 2018, neuroendoscopic surgery was performed on 25 patients with chronic and subacute subdural hematoma. Hematoma evacuation was performed with a 0°, 4 mm diameter rigid neuroendoscope via a transcranial neuroendoscopic approach.
Results: All patients successfully underwent neuroendoscopic surgery, and no surgical complications or rebleeding was observed. Postoperative computed tomography scans showed that the hematoma was successfully evacuated. All patients had recovered well at discharge, the observed 30-day mortality rate was 0%, and no patients suffered recurrence for 2–26 months after surgery.
Conclusion: Neuroendoscopic surgery was a safe and effective approach for the treatment of chronic and subacute subdural hematoma. This approach has the advantages of decent visualization and minimal invasiveness and could reduce recurrence and the mortality rate.
Keywords: subacute subdural hematoma, chronic subdural hematoma, transcranial neuroendoscopic approach
Chronic subdural hematoma (CSDH) and subacute subdural hematoma (SASDH) are the two most common neurosurgical diseases; the incidence of these diseases has been increasing, partly due to an increase in the elderly population and the use of oral antiplatelet and anticoagulation agents.1,2 Patients often live with these two conditions in the community and do not seek medical attention until they become symptomatic. Indeed, SASDH is rare, and the management of this condition is often similar to CSDH,3 which includes twist-drill and burr-hole evacuation and craniotomy.4 The first two approaches are less invasive, but the recurrence rate is higher due to their limited exposure and insufficient drainage.4 Although craniotomy has been used to clear the membranes to reduce potential recurrence, it also carries the risk of damage and significant morbidity and mortality rates due to the invasive approach.
It was estimated that the recurrence rate was ~5%–33% in CSDH, and some patients suffered repeated recurrences, which was troublesome for both neurosurgeons and patients.5 Additionally, the overall outcome of CSDH has not changed substantially during the past three decades,1,6 which has prompted neurosurgeons to look for new approaches.
Recently, minimally invasive surgery with a neuroendoscope for CSDH and SASDH has been successfully demonstrated.4,7,8 This technique may provide broader visualization and the chance to separate the membrane of the intra-hematoma cavity to reduce the recurrence rate,9 which makes it a promising method for the treatment of CSDH and SASDH. To explore the safety and efficacy of this approach, we treated 25 patients with CSDH and SASDH by neuroendoscopy and reported their treatment outcomes herein.
Clinical-radiological features
Between September 2016 and September 2018, 25 patients (17 male, 8 female) affected with CSDH and SASDH were treated by neuroendoscopy. Patient age ranged from 42 years to 96 years (average 65.8 years). All patients in this study had undergone a computed tomography (CT) scan and/or magnetic resonance imaging before the operation, and findings consistent with CSDH were apparent in 20 cases and SASDH was detected in five cases. Hematoma occurred on left side in 14 cases, on right side in ten cases, and on both sides in one case (Table 1). Among these patients, there were four recurrence cases, which had been treated with burr-hole surgery for the first time.
Table 1 Demographics, radiographs, intraoperative findings, and postoperative outcomes of the 25 patients with chronic and subacute subdural hematoma treated by neuroendoscopy
Abbreviations: CSDH, chronic subdural hematoma; SASDH, subacute subdural hematoma.
The presenting symptoms included headaches, mental status changes, weakness, seizure, gait disturbance, nausea, and vomiting. Two patients presented as comatose, and severe impairment with brain herniation occurred in one case. Among these patients, five were also on anticoagulation or antiplatelet therapy.
Surgical approaches and methods
A neuroendoscopic approach was used for these patients, and all procedures were approved by the ethics committee of Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University. All patients provided written informed consent, and this procedure was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki.
After receiving general anesthesia, the patient was placed in the lateral position, and a straight or curvilinear scalp incision was made on the parietal region. Then, a bone flap ~2.5–3 cm in diameter was created over the lesion. After the dura was suspended, it was opened in cruciform fashion. When the dura was retracted and retained with sutures, the outer membrane of hematoma was revealed. The liquefied blood was slowly aspirated with a syringe to decrease the intracerebral pressure. Then, the outer membrane was opened, and a 0°, 4 mm diameter rigid endoscope (Aesculap, Tutlingen, Germany) was inserted into the cavity; suction was used to remove the residual hematoma and blood clots. Under neuroendoscope control, the fibrin septa were cut, and the neovessels were coagulated. After the evacuation was complete, a draining catheter was introduced into the cavity, and irrigation was performed with normal saline at body temperature. Before closing the dura, the hematoma cavity was carefully inspected for bleeding. Finally, the bone flap was replaced and fixed, and then the scalp was closed (Figure 1A–H).
Figure 1 The basic steps of neuroendoscopic hematoma evacuation for chronic and subacute subdural hematoma.
Notes: (A) The patient was placed in the lateral position, and a straight scalp incision was made on the parietal region. (B) After a bone flap was created, the dura was suspended. (C) After the dura was opened in a cruciform fashion, the outer membrane of the hematoma was revealed. (D) The liquefied blood was slowly aspirated with a syringe to decrease the intracerebral pressure. (E) The residual hematoma and blood clots were evacuated by suction under the neuroendoscope. (F) Fibrin septa were checked and treated under the neuroendoscope. (G) A bridging vein was seen, and a draining catheter was introduced in the cavity under the neuroendoscope. (H) The bone flap was replaced and fixed.
A postoperative CT scan was performed 24 hours after surgery, and the draining catheter was removed in 3–5 days based on the results of the CT scan. All patients were monitored for 2–26 months after the operation, and recurrence was defined as hematoma reaccumulation that required reoperation.
All patients underwent neuroendoscopic surgery successfully. The average operative time was 58 minutes (range 43–75 minutes); the duration of the procedure increased by 25 minutes on average (16–33 minutes) because of the creation of the bone flap and the use of the neuroendoscope. The average maximum hematoma thickness was 24.3±6 mm, and the average shift of the third ventricle from the midline was 10.3±4 mm. Trabeculae and fibrin septa were found intraoperatively in 16 cases (64%), and all septa could be cut under the neuroendoscope (Figure 1F). After the hematoma was evacuated, the subdural space and hematoma cavity were inspected in all cases, and the bridge veins could be found in most of the patients (Figure 1G). No surgical complications were encountered, and no rebleeding after endoscopic surgery was observed in these patients.
The symptoms improved in all patients after surgery, and postoperative CT scans showed the subtotal evacuation of the hematoma and the regression of the midline shift and revealed that the draining catheter had been placed in an ideal location (Figure 2A–L). All 25 patients recovered well; the modified Rankin Scale score was 0 in 19 patients, 1 in 4 patients, and 2 in two patients at discharge. No patient had died at discharge, the observed 30-day mortality was 0%, and no patients suffered recurrence for 2–26 months after the surgery (Table 1).
Figure 2 Neuroendoscopic surgery for subacute subdural hematoma.
Notes: (A–C) Preoperation CT scan showing a subacute subdural hematoma on the left side. (D–I) Hematoma evacuation under the neuroendoscope during the operation. (J–L) Post-operation CT scan showing the subtotal evacuation of the hematoma, regression of the midline shift, and ideal placement of the draining catheter.
Abbreviation: CT, computed tomography.
An increasing trend in CSDH incidence has been observed and has primarily been attributed to an increase in the overall aging population resulting from an increase in life expectancy. In 1975, the incidence of CSDH was 1.7/100,000/year, it increased to 13.1/100,000/year in 1992, and in 2011, the incidence was 20.6/100,000/year. It has also been observed that the incidence of CSDH has increased significantly more in the elderly. The incidence in people over 65 years was 80.1/100,000/year in Karibe’s study, and it increased to 127.1/100,000/year in individuals over 80 years of age. The peak age of onset of CSDH also increased from 50 years in the 1970s to 80 years more recently.9
Surgical evacuation was the gold standard for treating symptomatic CSDH, and the traditional treatment options included twist-drill and burr-hole evacuation with or without drains and craniotomy.10 Twist-drill evacuation was the least invasive procedure; it could create a single cranial opening <1 cm in size and was often performed at bedside under local anesthesia. The use of a burr-hole with drainage under local anesthesia was the first-line treatment in most of the departments, even in elderly patients, due to its low morbidity and mortality indices. Although these two minimal treatments have been shown to be effective in the management of CSDH, recurrence still occurred in a small portion of patients. In contrast, craniotomy was used for cases with greater exposure, which enabled resection of the outer capsule and neomembranes and resulted in the lowest recurrence rate. However, due to its invasive approach, craniotomy was associated with a higher morbidity rate.4,11 Weigel et al found that the recurrence rate was 33% in the twist-drill group and 12% in the burr-hole group, while in the craniotomy group, the recurrence rate was only 10.8%. They also found that twist-drill and burr-hole evacuation and craniotomy had similar cure and mortality rates, but morbidity was higher in patients who underwent a craniotomy (12.3%), while morbidity was only 3% for the twist-drill procedure and 3.8% for the burr-hole procedure. This finding led to their support for the burr-hole procedure as the first-line approach in light of the cure-to-complication ratio.11 A recent meta-analysis by Ducruet et al also found that the twist-drill procedure had the highest rates of recurrence (28.1%) vs burr-hole evacuation (11.7%) and craniotomy (19.4%). However, they also found that the burr-hole procedure carried significantly higher complication rates (9.3%) compared with twist-drill evacuation (2.5%) and craniotomy (3.9%).12 Therefore, all these traditional treatments had advantages and shortcomings.
The technique of neuroendoscopic hematoma removal had been discussed extensively in the literature and was first introduced to SCSDH in 1988.4 It was found that endoscope-assisted techniques did not increase morbidity, and with improved intraoperative visualization, it could help identify and destruct neomembranes, septums, and solid clots and coagulate the source of bleeding, which made this approach more safe and effective for the treatment of CSDH.7 Májovský et al found that a flexible endoscope-assisted evacuation for CSDH permitted decent visualization of the hematoma cavity and retained the advantages of a minimally invasive approach. The main advantages were the correct positioning of the catheter under visual control, identification of septations, and early detection of cortex or vessel injury during surgery.4 Yokosuka et al performed endoscopic surgery using a rigid endoscope in eleven patients with acute and subacute subdural hematoma and obtained good outcomes.8
A significant problem with CSDH surgery was recurrence, and it was estimated that 8%–33% of all patients needed reoperation.12 Recurrence risk factors often included older age, male sex, brain atrophy, use of anticoagulant or antiplatelet drugs, and the presence of a mixed- or high-density hematoma on CT.5 A septated chronic subdural hematoma (SCSDH) is a special type that features hematoma cavities divided into different portions by fibrin septa. It was an independent risk factor for recurrence; a burr-hole drainage approach could only remove the fluid but not the solid blood clot, particularly for a thick, widely distributed solid hematoma.13 Craniotomy was considered for this situation, but it was associated with complications due to the invasive surgery itself. Neuroendoscopic surgery might be a suitable treatment for SCSDH, and with the help of a neuroendoscope, surgeons could view the hematoma cavity well and tear the neomembranes by using microscissors or microforceps, which could reduce the recurrence rate. Many studies concluded that this surgery was superior to other surgeries in treating SCSDH.13 In Yan et al’s study, 28 cases of severe SCSDH were successfully treated with endoscopic surgery, and there was no recurrence at 6 months to 2 years post-discharge.14 In our study, we also found fibrin septa in 16 cases, and four patients suffered from recurrence after the first surgical approach by burr-hole evacuation. After the neuroendoscopic technique was used to clear up the fibrin septa, all patients recovered well, and no recurrence occurred (Figure 3A–H).
Figure 3 Neuroendoscopic surgery for recurrent CSDH.
Notes: (A) CT scan showing a CSDH on the right side. (B) MRI showing fibrin septa in the hematoma cavity. (C) CT scan showing the incomplete evacuation of the hematoma one day after the first burr-hole surgery. (D) CT scan showing hematoma reaccumulation 10 days after the first burr-hole surgery. (E) CT scan showing the hematoma in the subdural area 1 day after the second burr-hole surgery. (F) MRI showing that the hematoma had not disappeared 15 days after the second burr-hole surgery. (G) Operation view showing fibrin septa in the hematoma cavity during the third surgery via the neuroendoscope. (H) Forty days after the third surgery by neuroendoscope shows no recurrence.
Abbreviations: CSDH, chronic subdural hematoma; CT, computed tomography; MRI, magnetic resonance imaging.
Catheter placement was another method that was used to reduce the recurrence rate. It was concluded that placement of the drain after burr-hole evacuation could reduce the risk of recurrence by nearly 15%.15 However, this procedure also had a risk of some potentially life-threatening complications such as inadvertent placement of the catheter into the brain parenchyma (Figure 4A–D) and parenchymal hematomas due to blindly inserted catheters.15,16 As an immediate verification approach, neuroendoscopic surgery could reveal the misplacement of 19% of catheters, and they could be adjusted to a desired location.4 In our study, all catheters were placed in an accurate location, and there were no complications due to draining catheters.
Figure 4 Incorrect placement of the draining catheter by burr hole.
Notes: (A, B) MRI showing a CSDH on the left side before the operation. (C, D) CT scan showing inadvertent placement of the catheter in the brain parenchyma after burr-hole surgery.
Based on the analysis of our data and findings of the related references, we could conclude that transcranial neuroendoscopic surgery was a safe and effective approach for the treatment of chronic and subacute subdural hematoma. This approach has the advantages of decent visualization and minimal invasiveness and could reduce recurrence and mortality rate.
This work was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (81671306) and the foundation of China Scholarship Council. Qiang Cai, Qiao Guo, Fan Zhang and Daofa Sun are co-first authors for this study.
Kolias AG, Chari A, Santarius T, Hutchinson PJ. Chronic subdural haematoma: modern management and emerging therapies. Nat Rev Neurol. 2014;10(10):570–578.
Rust T, Kiemer N, Erasmus A. Chronic subdural haematomas and anticoagulation or anti-thrombotic therapy. J Clin Neurosci. 2006;13(8):823–827.
Tripathy S, Swarnakar P, Mishra S, et al. A review of sub acute subdural hematoma (SASDH) with our institutional experience and its management by double barrel technique (DBT): a novel technique. Surg Neurol Int. 2016;7(29):S767–S774.
Májovský M, Masopust V, Netuka D, Beneš V. Flexible endoscope-assisted evacuation of chronic subdural hematomas. Acta Neurochir. 2016;158(10):1987–1992.
Matsumoto H, Hanayama H, Okada T, et al. Clinical investigation of refractory chronic subdural hematoma: a comparison of clinical factors between single and repeated recurrences. World Neurosurg. 2017;107:706–715.
Gelabert-González M, Iglesias-Pais M, García-Allut A, Martínez-Rumbo R. Chronic subdural haematoma: surgical treatment and outcome in 1,000 cases. Clin Neurol Neurosurg. 2005;107(3):223–229.
Boyaci S, Gumustas OG, Korkmaz S, Aksoy K. Endoscopic evacuation of subdural collections. Turk Neurosurg. 2016;26(6):871–877.
Yokosuka K, Uno M, Matsumura K, et al. Endoscopic hematoma evacuation for acute and subacute subdural hematoma in elderly patients. J Neurosurg. 2015;123(4):1065–1069.
Uno M, Toi H, Hirai S. Chronic subdural hematoma in elderly patients: is this disease benign? Neurol Med Chir. 2017;57(8):402–409.
Buchanan IA, Mack WJ. Minimally invasive surgical approaches for chronic subdural hematomas. Neurosurg Clin N Am. 2017;28(2):219–227.
Weigel R, Schmiedek P, Krauss JK. Outcome of contemporary surgery for chronic subdural haematoma: evidence based review. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 2003;74(7):937–943.
Ducruet AF, Grobelny BT, Zacharia BE, et al. The surgical management of chronic subdural hematoma. Neurosurg Rev. 2012;35(2):155–169.
Yan K, Gao H, Zhou X, et al. A retrospective analysis of postoperative recurrence of septated chronic subdural haematoma: endoscopic surgery versus Burr hole craniotomy. Neurol Res. 2017;39(9):803–812.
Yan K, Gao H, Wang Q, et al. Endoscopic surgery to chronic subdural hematoma with neovessel septation: technical notes and literature review. Neurol Res. 2016;38(5):467–476.
Sivaraju L, Moorthy RK, Jeyaseelan V, Rajshekhar V. Routine placement of subdural drain after Burr hole evacuation of chronic and subacute subdural hematoma: a contrarian evidence based approach. Neurosurg Rev. 2018;41(1):165–171.
Kaliaperumal C, Khalil A, Fenton E, et al. A prospective randomised study to compare the utility and outcomes of subdural and subperiosteal drains for the treatment of chronic subdural haematoma. Acta Neurochir. 2012;154(11):2083–2089.
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Strategic approach to developing a self-microemulsifying drug delivery system to enhance antiplatelet activity and bioavailability of ticagrelor
Authors Na YG, Byeon JJ, Wang M, Huh HW, Son GH, Jeon SH, Bang KH, Kim SJ, Lee HJ, Lee HK, Cho CW
Published 15 February 2019 Volume 2019:14 Pages 1193—1212
Editor who approved publication: Prof. Dr. Thomas J. Webster
Young-Guk Na,1 Jin-Ju Byeon,1 Miao Wang,1 Hyun Wook Huh,1 Gi-Ho Son,1,2 Sung-Hoon Jeon,1,3 Ki-Hyun Bang,1,2 Sung-Jin Kim,1 Hye-Jin Lee,1 Hong-Ki Lee,1 Cheong-Weon Cho1
1College of Pharmacy, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, Republic of Korea; 2Korea United Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., Sejong, Republic of Korea; 3SamA Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., Suwon, Republic of Korea
Background: Ticagrelor (TCG) is used to inhibit platelet aggregation in patients with acute coronary syndrome, but its poor solubility and low bioavailability limit its in vivo efficacy. The purpose of this study was to manufacture an optimized TCG-loaded self-microemulsifying drug delivery system (SMEDDS) to enhance the oral bioavailability and antiplatelet activity of TCG.
Materials and methods: Solubility and emulsification tests were conducted to determine the most suitable oils, surfactants, and cosurfactants. Scheffé’s mixture design was applied to optimize the percentage of each component applied in the SMEDDS formulation to achieve optimal physical characteristics, ie, high solubility of TCG in SMEDDS, small droplet size, low precipitation, and high transmittance.
Results: The optimized TCG-loaded SMEDDS (TCG-SM) formulation composed of 10.0% Capmul MCM (oil), 53.8% Cremophor EL (surfactant), and 36.2% Transcutol P (cosurfactant) significantly improving the dissolution of TCG in various media compared with TCG in Brilinta® (commercial product). TCG-SM exhibited higher cellular uptake and permeability in Caco-2 cells than raw TCG suspension. In pharmacokinetic studies in rats, TCG-SM exhibited higher oral bioavailability with 5.7 and 6.4 times higher area under the concentration–time curve and maximum plasma concentration, respectively, than a raw TCG suspension. Antiplatelet activity studies exhibited that the TCG-SM formulation showed significantly improved inhibition of platelet aggregation compared with raw TCG at the same dose of TCG. And, a 10 mg/kg dose of raw TCG suspension and a 5 mg/kg dose of TCG-SM had a similar area under the inhibitory curve (907.0%±408.8% and 907.8%±200.5%·hours, respectively) for antiplatelet activity.
Conclusion: These results suggest that the developed TCG-SM could be successfully used as an efficient method to achieve the enhanced antiplatelet activity and bioavailability of TCG.
Keywords: ticagrelor, SMEDDS, optimization, bioavailability, platelet aggregation, antiplatelet activity
Ticagrelor (TCG), a cyclopentyl-triazolo-pyrimidine, belongs to a class of chemically noncompetitive and reversible antagonists of the platelet P2Y12 ADP receptor.1–4 TCG was approved for use in patients with acute coronary syndrome based on a phase III study (Platelet Inhibition and Patient Outcomes), which showed a significant benefit compared with clopidogrel.5,6 However, TCG exhibits very low solubility (<10 μg/mL) at all pH values. It also has low intestinal membrane permeability corresponding to Biopharmaceutical Classification System (BCS) class IV. Because of these properties of TCG, the absolute bioavailability of TCG after oral administration is ~36%.7 Although formulations to enhance the bioavailability and antiplatelet activity of TCG, such as solid dispersion8 and cocrystallization,9 have recently been reported, few studies have been performed.
We developed a self-microemulsifying drug delivery system (SMEDDS) to overcome the above barriers and enhance the antiplatelet activity of TCG. SMEDDS have recently attracted interest for the oral delivery of insoluble drugs because of their ease of manufacture and their practical advantages in improving drug solubility and oral bioavailability.10–12 They have been applied to BCS class II or IV drugs such as atorvastatin, valsartan, lopinavir, nelfinavir, and tamoxifen citrate.12–16 A SMEDDS formulation is a stable, single-phase, and isotropic mixture of oil, surfactant, and cosurfactant without an aqueous phase. It forms an oil-in-water (o/w) microemulsion with a globule size in the range of 20–200 nm when dispersed in the gastrointestinal tract via gentle gastric motility or in an aqueous phase after oral administration.17 This self-formed microemulsion transports the drug in solubilized form. The small droplet size of the microemulsion provides large surface area for rapid dissolution and absorption of the drug, which increases the permeability of the drug through the intestinal membrane. Other potential advantages of using SMEDDS to improve the oral bioavailability of poor water-soluble drugs are their promotion of transcellular and paracellular absorption, reduction of metabolism of CYP/CYP450 by gastrointestinal enzymes, and enhancement of lymphatic transport, all of which can protect the drug from first-pass metabolism.18–21
In this study, we developed and optimized a TCG-loaded SMEDDS (TCG-SM) formulation by design of experiments using Scheffé’s mixture design based on a small number of trials and response surface methodology. We also characterized the optimized TCG-SM, evaluated its in vitro dissolution, performed cellular studies, and compared its antiplatelet activity and pharmacokinetics with those of a raw TCG suspension.
TCG was supplied by Korea United Pharm Inc. (Seoul, Republic of Korea). Tween 20 (polyoxyethylene sorbitan monolaurate), Tween 80 (polyoxyethylene sorbitan monooleate), olive oil, castor oil, oleic acid, mineral oil, sunflower oil, cotton seed oil, linseed oil, Span 80 (sorbitan monooleate), and polyethylene glycol 400 (PEG 400) were purchased from Samchun Chemical Co., Ltd (Pyeongtaek, Republic of Korea). Labrafac CC (medium-chain triglycerides), Lauroglycol FCC (propylene glycol monolaurate, type I), Lauroglycol 90 (propylene glycol monolaurate, type II), Peceol (glycerol monooleates, type 40), Labrafac Lipophile WL 1349 (medium-chain triglycerides), Labrafil M 2125 CS (linoleoyl macrogol-6 glycerides), Labrafil M 1944 CS (oleoyl macrogol-6 glycerides), Capryol PGMC (propylene glycol monocaprylate, type I), Capryol 90 (propylene glycol monocaprylate, type II), Labrasol (caprylocaproyl macrogol-8 glycerides), and Transcutol P (diethylene glycol monoethyl) were kindly provided by Gattefossé Co. (Lyon, France). Capmul MCM (glyceryl caprylate/caprate) was provided by ABITEC Corporation (Cleveland, OH, USA). Lecithin, isopropyl palmitate, and isopropyl myristate were purchased from Tokyo Chemical Industries Co., Ltd. (Toshima, Japan). Span 83 (sorbitan sesquioleate), Span 85 (sorbitan trioleate), tetraglycol, propylene glycol, DMSO, MTT, and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid were purchased from Sigma-Aldrich (St Louis, MO, USA). Pluronic L64 (triblock copolymer-EO13PO30EO13) and Cremophor EL (polyoxyl 35 hydrogenated castor oil) were obtained as a gift from BASF Co. (Ludwigshafen, Germany). The HPLC-grade acetonitrile and methanol were purchased from JT Baker (Phillipsburg, NJ, USA). All other chemicals and solvents used in this study were of analytical grade. Distilled water was used throughout the experiments.
The HPLC analysis of TCG was carried out by modifying a method described previously.22 An Agilent 1100 series LC model (Agilent Technologies Inc., Santa Clara, CA, USA), equipped with a pump, autosampler, thermostat, and UV-Vis detector was used for analysis. An Xterra RP18 column (250×4.6 mm, 5 μm; Waters, Milford, MA, USA) was used for the analysis of TCG. The isocratic mobile phase consisted of acetonitrile and 50 nM ammonium acetate buffer (58:42, v/v). The pH of the mobile phase was adjusted to 8.2 with 6 M ammonium hydroxide. The flow rate was 1.0 mL/min, sample injection volume was 20 μL, and the column temperature kept constant at 40°C. The wavelength for ultraviolet detection of TCG was 254 nm.
Preliminary screening of excipients for SMEDDS
To select a suitable oil, surfactant, and cosurfactant for the SMEDDS of TCG, the solubility of TCG in various excipients was determined by equilibrium solubility. Equilibrium solubility studies on TCG were carried out in various oils (Capryol 90, Capryol PGMC, Capmul MCM, Labrafil M 1944 CS, Labrafil M 2125 CS, Labrafac Lipophile WL 1349, Peceol, Lauroglycol 90, Lauroglycol FCC, Labrafac CC, isopropyl myristate, isopropyl palmitate, linseed oil, cotton seed oil, sunflower oil, mineral oil, oleic acid, castor oil, and olive oil), surfactants (Cremophor EL, Pluronic L64, Labrasol, Tween 80, and Tween 20), and cosurfactants (propylene glycol, tetraglycol, Transcutol P, and PEG 400). Briefly, an excess amount of the drug was added to different vials containing 1 g of each excipient and mixed for 72 hours to reach saturation at 25°C using an angle rotator (model AG; FinePCR, Gunpo, Republic of Korea) with 15 rpm. The saturated mixtures were centrifuged at 15,000 × g for 15 minutes at 25°C to remove the excess TCG. The supernatant was filtered through a 0.45 μm polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membrane (Millipore, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India), and the filtered solution was diluted 100 times with isopropanol. The TCG concentration was then measured by HPLC analysis.
Evaluation of emulsification and phase separation
The evaluation of emulsification was carried out for the preselected excipients to determine the most appropriate surfactant and cosurfactant. Based on the requirement for a self-forming microemulsion, a type IV composition was used, which dispersed very finely and formed small droplets.23 The SMEDDS formulations were prepared with a composition of 20% oil, 40% surfactant, and 40% cosurfactant, and 100 mg SMEDDS was diluted in 10 mL of distilled water or media at pH 1.2, pH 4.0, or pH 6.8. Subsequently, the mixture was homogenized for 30 minutes and then evaluated for emulsification and phase separation. The emulsification grade of SMEDDS was classified by the droplet size, transmittance, and phase separation (Table S1, Supplementary materials) by modifying the previously reported grading system.12 The phase separation was visually confirmed by the presence or absence of precipitation.
Pseudoternary phase diagram
The pseudoternary phase diagram was used to determine the ranges of the microemulsions. Based on the solubility studies and emulsification results for each excipient, the ternary phase diagrams were plotted by combining various percentages of Capmul MCM (oil), Cremophor EL or Tween 20 (surfactant), and Transcutol P (cosurfactant). The vertices of the triangle graph corresponded to each component. For any mixture, the total percentage of oil, surfactant, and cosurfactant was 100%. One hundred milligrams of each mixture were added to 10 mL distilled water and gently stirred using a magnetic stirrer to evaluate microemulsion-forming ability. The droplet size, transmittance, and phase separation of the microemulsion formed were measured. A mixture that formed a transparent microemulsion with droplets <300 nm (grade A and B as described in method; Evaluation of emulsification and phase separation) was considered a suitable SMEDDS formulation. All studies were repeated in triplicate.
Experimental optimization of TCG-SM formulation
The composition of the SMEDDS formulation was optimized using Scheffé’s mixture design, which is desirable for response surface methodology to optimize complex formulations.24 The experiments were designed using three factors and four responses (Table 1). Design-Expert® 11 (Stat-Ease Inc., Minneapolis, MN, USA) was used to perform the experimental design and statistical analysis.
Table 1 Factors and responses used in Scheffé’s mixture design
The experimental design and statistical analysis were performed using Design-Expert 11 (Stat-Ease Inc.). Based on pseudoternary phase diagram, the percentages of Capmul MCM (X1, w/w %), Cremophor EL (X2, w/w %), and Transcutol P (X3, w/w %) were set within ranges of 10%–40%, 10%–80%, and 10%–80%, respectively. In all experiments, the percentages of X1, X2, and X3 added up to 100%. The solubility of TCG in SMEDDS (Y1), the precipitation of TCG (Y2), droplet size (Y3), and transmittance (Y4) were used as responses to optimize the SMEDDS composition. The 17 designed experiments were fitted to linear, cubic, quadratic, and special cubic or quadratic polynomial models. The appropriate fitting model for each response was determined by comparing various statistical parameters provided by ANOVAs, such as sequential P-values, lack of fit, squared correlation coefficient (R2), adjusted R2, and adequate precision. The desirability function was analyzed for the optimization of factors associated with desirable responses after the fitting of the statistical model.
Solubility of TCG in SMEDDS (Y1)
The solubility of TCG in SMEDDS was evaluated to prepare a formulation capable of dissolving a large amount of TCG in the minimum volume of SMEDDS formulation. Solubility measurements were conducted by modifying the method for screening excipients (see method; Preliminary screening of excipients for SMEDDS). In brief, excess TCG was added to 1 g of prepared SMEDDS and the solubility was measured after stirring for 72 hours. The samples were centrifuged at 15,000 × g for 15 minutes at 25°C, the supernatant was diluted with isopropanol, and TCG measured by HPLC.
Precipitation (Y2)
A precipitation test was performed to confirm that the microemulsion formed homogeneous droplets <200 nm in diameter. Briefly, 10 mL of distilled water was added to 100 mg of the TCG-SM, and the mixture was vortexed for 30 minutes to form a homogeneous microemulsion. The microemulsion was filtered through a 0.22 μm PVDF membrane filter, immediately diluted with isopropanol, and analyzed by HPLC. The degree of precipitation was evaluated by comparing the TCG concentration with that of TCG-SM dissolved in isopropanol. The equation used is as follows:
where Cw is the concentration of TCG in TCG-SM diluted with distilled water and Cp is the concentration of TCG in TCG-SM diluted in isopropanol. A precipitation percentage close to 0% indicates that the precipitation of TCG does not occur.
Droplet size (Y3)
The SMEDDS droplet size was measured after the reconstitution procedure. One hundred milligrams of SMEDDS were added to 10 mL of distilled water to prepare a reconstituted microemulsion. The microemulsion was subsequently incubated for 30 minutes at room temperature. The samples were loaded into a cuvette and then monitored with an electrophoretic laser scattering (ELS) analyzer (ELS-8000; Otsuka Electronics, Osaka, Japan). The instrument was set to measure the droplet size 50 times and calculate the average size.
Transmittance (Y4)
The transmittance of each mixture was determined by measuring the absorbance of the formulation at 620 nm using a microplate reader (Sunrise; Tecan Group Ltd., Männedorf, Switzerland) compared with distilled water as control. To measure absorbance, 100 mg of each mixture was added to 10 mL distilled water for forming the microemulsion. The transmittance was calculated using the following equation:
where A is the absorbance of microemulsion. A transmittance close to 100% indicates a clear and transparent microemulsion.
Characterization of TCG-SM
The optimized TCG-SM was prepared by dissolving 90 mg of TCG in 400 mg of the optimized SMEDDS. The morphology of the TCG-SM was evaluated using a transmission electron microscope (JEM 1400; JEOL Ltd, Tokyo, Japan) with an acceleration voltage of 120 kV. The TCG-SM was dispersed in distilled water. Then, 10 μL of the sample was directly mounted on a copper grid and dried at room temperature before being observed with the microscope. For droplet size measurements, 100 mg of TCG-SM was suspended by gentle mixing in 10 mL distilled water for 30 minutes. The droplet size was measured using an ELS analyzer (ELS-8000; Otsuka Electronics).
In vitro dissolution of TCG in the optimized TCG-SM was compared with that of TCG in Brilinta® 90 mg (commercial product) using the United States Pharmacopeia (USP) apparatus II method with a dissolution tester (DST-810; Labfine, Anyang, Republic of Korea). Distilled water and media at pH 1.2, pH 4.0, and pH 6.8 were prepared as dissolution media according to the USP guidelines. The volume of dissolution media was 900 mL with 37°C±0.5°C. The paddle speed was set at 50 rpm throughout the experiment. The TCG-loaded Cremophor EL (TCG-CE) and TCG-SM containing 90 mg of TCG were filled into hard gelatin capsules (capsule 00 size). The TCG-CE was prepared with the same amount of Cremophor EL as in the TCG-SM formulation to compare the effect of SMEDDS on micelle formation. At predetermined time points of 5, 10, 15, 30, 45, 60, 90, 120, and 180 minutes, samples (5 mL) were collected and filtered through a 0.45 μm membrane filter and then diluted with isopropanol. The concentration of TCG in each formulation was analyzed by HPLC.
Cell study
The heterogeneous human epithelial colorectal adenocarcinoma (Caco-2) cell line was purchased from Korean Cell Line Bank (Seoul, Republic of Korea). The cells were cultured in DMEM supplemented with 10% FBS and 1% penicillin/streptomycin at 37°C in a humidified 95% air and 5% CO2 atmosphere.
Cytotoxicity study
Cytotoxicity studies were performed to determine the toxicity of TCG and the SMEDDS formulation. Briefly, cells in 200 μL of culture medium were seeded into 96-well plates at a cell density of 5×104 cells/well. The cells were treated with the raw TCG solution as control, blank-CE, TCG-CE, blank-SM, and TCG-SM at equivalent concentrations of TCG and incubated for 24 hours at 37°C. The samples were diluted with culture media containing 1% DMSO (v/v) to achieve various concentrations of TCG ranging from 9 ng/mL to 90 μg/mL. After incubation for 24 hours, MTT solution (5 mg/mL, 30 μL/well) was added to the culture medium and incubated for a further 4 hours. The medium was removed, and 200 μL of DMSO was added to each well. The absorbance values of each well were measured at 560 nm using a microplate reader (Sunrise; Tecan Group Ltd.). The cell viability was calculated using the following equation:
where Abtest is the absorbance value of the cells treated with samples and Abcontrol is the absorbance value of the cells incubated without samples.
Cellular uptake study
We assessed the uptake of TCG into Caco-2 cells from raw TCG solution, TCG-CE, and TCG-SM. The cells were seeded in 6-well plates at 1×106 cells/well and incubated for 24 hours. The cells were treated with raw TCG solution as control, TCG-CE, and TCG-SM at an equivalent concentration of 9 μg/mL TCG, which was previously shown to be noncytotoxic (see method; Cytotoxicity study). After incubation for 4 hours, the medium in the wells was removed and the wells were washed three times with 1 mL cold phosphate-buffered saline. Cell lysis was achieved by adding 0.5 mL of 1% (w/v) Triton X-100 solution to each well. Subsequently, 0.5 mL of acetonitrile was added to the lysed cells and shaken for 5 minutes to extract TCG from the cells. The samples were centrifuged at 15,000 × g for 10 minutes. The supernatant was filtered with a 0.45 μm membrane filter and analyzed by HPLC. The cellular uptake of TCG from different formulations was calculated by normalization to the amount of protein measured using the bicinchoninic acid assay.
In vitro permeability in Caco-2 cell line
The Caco-2 cell line was used as a model system to study gastrointestinal epithelial permeability. The cells were seeded onto polycarbonate membrane (HTS Transwell-24; Corning, Cambridge, MA, USA) with a surface area of 0.33 cm2 and a diameter of 6.5 mm at a density of 5×104 cells/well. DMEM was used as culture medium, and cells were grown for 21 days to reach a monolayer. The wells containing cell monolayers with transepithelial electrical resistance values above 300 Ω·cm2 were used for the permeability study. Raw TCG solution as control, TCG-CE, and TCG-SM at a dose equivalent to 9 μg/mL of TCG was prepared by diluting with Hanks’ balanced salt solution (HBSS, pH 7.4). Permeability studies were performed to assess apical–basolateral (A–B) transport and basolateral–apical (B–A) transport. The Caco-2 cell monolayer was washed with prewarmed HBSS before the permeability study. To measure A–B transport, 250 μL of the test solution was added to the apical chamber and 800 μL HBSS to the basolateral chamber. To measure B–A transport, 800 μL of test solution was added to the basolateral chamber and 250 μL HBSS to the apical chamber. Samples of 70 μL were then taken from the apical or basolateral chamber at predetermined time intervals (30, 60, 120, and 180 minutes) and immediately replaced with the same volume of HBSS. The TCG concentration in the buffer was determined by liquid chromatography with tandem time-of-flight mass spectroscopy (LC-TOF MS/MS) analysis (see method; LC-TOF MS/MS analysis of TCG). The apparent permeability (Papp) across the Caco-2 cell monolayer was calculated using the following equation:
where Papp is the apparent permeability coefficient (cm/s), ΔC/Δt is the rate of drug appearance in the receiving chamber (nmol/s), Area is the surface area of the Transwell membrane (0.33 cm2), and C0 is the initial concentration of transported TCG (μM). The efflux ratio (ER) was then calculated using the equation:
to determine the ratio of B–A transport (Papp (B–A)) to A–B transport (Papp (A–B)).
Pharmacokinetic studies
Evaluation of in vivo oral bioavailability
All animal experiments were conducted in accordance with the “Guiding Principles in the Use of Animals in Toxicology” adopted by the Society of Toxicology (Reston, VA, USA), and the experimental protocols were approved by Chungnam National University Institutional Animal Care Committee (Protocol no CNU-00911, Daejeon, Republic of Korea). Male Sprague Dawley rats aged 6–7 weeks with a body weight of 200–250 g were obtained from Samtaco Bio Korea Inc. (Osan, Republic of Korea) and housed at 22°C in a dark–light cycle of 12 hours where food and water could be freely accessed. Animals were adapted for 2 weeks before starting the study. The rats were randomly divided into three groups of eleven rats. The raw TCG suspension as control, TCG-CE, and TCG-SM at an equivalent dose of TCG was orally administered to rats at a dose of 10 mL/kg. The raw TCG suspension was prepared by suspending TCG in 0.5% (w/v) carboxymethylcellulose solution with low viscosity. The TCG-CE and TCG-SM were diluted with distilled water. Approximately 0.3 mL of blood samples was collected from the retro-orbital plexus using heparinized tubes at 0, 0.17, 0.33, 0.66, 1.0, 1.5, 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, and 24 hours and centrifuged immediately at 17,000 × g for 15 minutes at 4°C. The plasma samples were kept frozen at −80°C until LC-TOF MS/MS analysis.
LC-TOF MS/MS analysis of TCG
The concentrations of TCG were determined using an LC-TOF MS/MS system consisting of two Shimadzu LC-20AD pumps, a Shimadzu CBM-20A HPLC pump controller (Shimadzu Corp., Kyoto, Japan), a CTC HTS PAL autosampler (CEAP Technologies, Carrboro, NC, USA) and a quadrupole time-of-flight TripleTOF™ 5600 mass spectrometer (SCIEX, Foster City, CA, USA). The chromatographic column used for this assay was a Kinetex® XB-C18 column (50×2.1 mm, 2.6 μm; Phenomenex, Torrance, CA, USA). The mobile phase for TCG consisted of solvent A (0.1% formic acid in distilled water) and solvent B (0.1% formic acid in acetonitrile), with a gradient elution (0–0.5 minute, 10% solvent B; 0.5–1.0 minute, 10%–95% solvent B; 1.0–1.5 minutes, 95% solvent B; 1.5–1.6 minutes, 95%–10% solvent B; 1.6–3.0 minutes, 10% solvent B). The flow rate was 0.4 mL/min, and the injection volume was 10 μL. The scan mass spectra of TOF MS/MS and TOF MS were recorded using the positive ion mode. To analyze TCG and an internal standard (ISTD, verapamil), m/z 100–600 with 0.15 second accumulation time was used for TOF MS/MS. For quantification, the TCG and ISTD (m/z 523.1 and 455.3) and their respective product ions (m/z 153.0 and 165.1) were selected for quantitative analysis. The temperature of ion source was set at 500°C with a curtain gas flow of 33 L/min and 4.5 kV of the ion spray. For TCG and ISTD, the declustering potentials were 100 and 125 V and the collision energies were 40 and 30 V, respectively. The calibration curves for TCG was prepared at concentrations of 3–2,200 ng/mL and showed a good linearity with an R2 value >0.99.
Pharmacokinetic data analysis
WinNonlin software (8.0; Pharsight Co., Sunnyvale, CA, USA) was used to perform noncompartmental analysis. The maximum plasma concentration (Cmax), the time to reach the maximum plasma concentration (Tmax), and the half-life (T1/2) were observed from the plasma concentration–time profiles. The area under the concentration–time curve (AUC0–∞) was calculated by the linear trapezoidal method. The relative bioavailability (RBA) was calculated using the following equation:
where AUC0–∞ (test) was the AUC0–∞ of TCG-CE or TCG-SM, and AUC0–∞ (control) was the AUC0–∞ of raw TCG suspension.
Pharmacodynamic study
Preparation of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and platelet-poor plasma (PPP)
Light transmission aggregometry (LTA) was used to evaluate the antiplatelet activities of TCG. PRP and PPP were prepared prior to the experiment. Rat blood was collected via the jugular vein or postorbital plexus and drawn into a tube containing 3.2% sodium citrate solution (1/9 vol of blood). The blood was centrifuged at 200 × g at room temperature for 15 minutes to obtain PRP. The remaining blood was centrifuged at 2,000 × g at room temperature for 10 minutes to obtain PPP.
Antiplatelet activity test
The in vitro and ex vivo antiplatelet activities of raw TCG suspension as control and TCG-SM were evaluated using an automated aggregometer (Chrono-Log Model 700, Chrono-Log Corporation, Havertown, PA, USA). The platelet number of PRP was measured using a hematology analyzer (Advia 2120i; Siemens Healthineers, Forchheim, Germany) and adjusted to 5×107 platelets/mL against a PPP blank.
For in vitro studies, rat blood for preparation of PRP was collected via the jugular vein under anesthesia with pentobarbital (50 mg/kg, intraperitoneal injection). The obtained PRP was incubated with the raw TCG suspension or TCG-SM for 30 minutes at room temperature before aggregation was induced. Then, 240 μL PRP was stirred and incubated for 1 minute at 37°C before 10 μL ADP (20 μM) was added to induce platelet aggregation. Platelet aggregation was measured 10 minutes after addition of ADP.
For ex vivo studies, rats were randomly assigned to two treatment groups (n=9). Blood was collected from the jugular vein or postorbital plexus at 1, 2, 5, 10, and 24 hours after a single oral administration of raw TCG suspension or TCG-SM at an equivalent dose of TCG (2, 5, and 10 mg/kg). Approximately 1.8 mL blood samples were collected into a tube containing 0.2 mL 3.2% sodium citrate solution (pH 7.4). The blood was centrifuged (200 × g for 15 minutes at room temperature) to obtain PRP. After obtaining PRP, the remaining blood was centrifuged (2,000 × g for 10 minutes at room temperature) to obtain PPP. Then, the antiplatelet activities of raw TCG suspension and TCG-SM were evaluated as described above.
Pharmacodynamic data analysis
The values for in vitro 50% effective concentration (EC50) were calculated from nonlinear regression for the log concentration–response relationship for inhibition of platelet aggregation. To evaluate the ex vivo antiplatelet activity, the values of the AUC were calculated from the aggregometer and were used to calculate the percentage inhibition of platelet aggregation (IPA%) using the following equation:
where the AUC of sample and AUC of blank were the AUC of sample PRP and blank PPP, respectively. The IPA% values of samples at predicted time-points were normalized to that of PRP at 0 hour. The values for the ex vivo 50% effective dose (ED50) were calculated from the linear regression for log dose–response (95% CI of X when Y=50). The area under the inhibitory curves (AUIC0–24) was calculated from the response–time relationship. GraphPad Prism 7 (GraphPad Software Inc., La Jolla, CA, USA) was used to calculate the EC50, ED50, and AUIC0–24 values.
Data are expressed as mean ± SD, except for the antiplatelet activity results, which are presented as mean ± standard error of the mean (SEM). Student’s t-test was used to assess the significance of differences. For the pharmacokinetic studies, one-way ANOVA was used and performed using Prism 7 (GraphPad Software Inc.). Statistical significance was defined as P<0.05.
Preparation and characterization of optimized TCG-SM
Screening of excipients for TCG-SM
To develop a SMEDDS to dissolve the unit dose of TCG (90 mg) using a minimum volume of formulation, the first step was to select the appropriate excipients to achieve high solubility of TCG. The solubility of TCG for several excipients was shown in Figure 1. As shown in Figure 1A, Capmul MCM produced significantly higher solubility (101.19 mg/mL) than other oils (0.03–42.97 mg/mL). The solubility of TCG in the oil components of SMEDDS is crucial because oils are liable to solubilize hydrophobic drugs and can further improve the lipophilicity of the dissolved drug.25 Therefore, Capmul MCM with the highest solubility was used as the oil of the SMEDDS formulation. Of the screened surfactants, Tween 20, Tween 80, Labrasol, Cremophor EL, and Pluronic L64 all provided good solubility for TCG (>110 mg/mL). Generally, surfactants lower the surface energy and allow the oil to disperse into small droplet sizes in the aqueous phase.26 Among the cosurfactants screened, tetraglycol and Transcutol P produced the highest solubility for TCG (420.34 and 369.51 mg/mL, respectively) (Figure 1B). Cosurfactants can help increase the solubility of the drug in micelles, form micelles with the surfactant in the aqueous phase, prevent drug precipitation, and maintain a more stable micelle.27
Figure 1 Solubility of ticagrelor in various excipients.
Notes: (A) Oils. (B) Surfactants and cosurfactants. Values are expressed as mean ± SD (n=3).
The droplet size, transmittance, and phase separation were evaluated to confirm the self-emulsifying ability of the preselected surfactants and cosurfactants. They were graded as shown in Table S1 (supplementary materials). The results of emulsification studies related to various combinations of surfactants and cosurfactants were listed in Table 2. Compared with other surfactants, Cremophor EL exhibited grade A emulsifying ability and showed no phase separation. Tween 20 exhibited excellent emulsifying ability (grade A or B) and showed no phase separation in distilled water and pH 6.8 media. Although Tween 20 showed phase separation in pH 1.2 and pH 4.0 media, an emulsion was formed when the samples were remixed. For the cosurfactants, the emulsifying ability of Transcutol P was higher than that of tetraglycol, especially in combination with Cremophor EL or Tween 20. Based on the above results, small droplet size (<300 nm), high transmittance (>90%, grades A and B), and a lack of phase separation were observed in SMEDDS formulations that combined Tween 20 or Cremophor EL as surfactant, Transcutol P as cosurfactant, and Capmul MCM as oil.
Table 2 Evaluation of emulsification and phase separation according to the combination of preselected excipients
Notes: aThe grade was classified according to Table S1 (supplementary materials): grade A (excellent), grade B (good), grade C (fair), or grade D (poor). bPhase separation: O (phase separation occurred; emulsion did not form when remixed), Δ (phase separation occurred; when remixed, emulsion was formed), X (no phase separation occurred).
Next, pseudoternary phase diagrams were prepared for both surfactants to determine the final components and set the range to be used in the experiments. In Figure 2A and B, the green line represents a microemulsion with a clear and/or transparent appearance (grade A), the red line represents microemulsions with a slightly less clear appearance (grade B), and the blue line indicates grade C emulsions with a bluish-white appearance. The grade A and B regions of SMEDDS formulations including Cremophor EL as surfactant were wider than those for SMEDDS formulation using Tween 20 as surfactant. This indicated that SMEDDS formulations including Cremophor EL as surfactant had better self-microemulsification properties than those containing Tween 20. A small droplet size results in an increased interfacial surface area, which reduces the micelle surface energy, enables faster drug release, and improves drug absorption.28 Thus, the final composition selected for SMEDDS was a combination of Capmul MCM/Cremophor EL/Transcutol P. When the concentration of oil exceeded 40%, unstable emulsions were formed, and it was verified that the droplet size increased as the oil content increased. In addition, the SMEDDS formulation could form droplets of <300 nm when the surfactant and cosurfactant were present in the mixture in the range of 10%–80%. Therefore, SMEDDS formulations were developed with composition of 10%–40% oil and 10%–80% surfactant/cosurfactant to produce transparent and homogeneous microemulsions (grade A, B) and to avoid the range in which unstable microemulsions were formed.
Figure 2 Pseudoternary phase diagram.
Notes: (A) Capmul MCM, Cremophor EL, and Transcutol P. (B) Capmul MCM, Tween 20, and Transcutol P. Green line, red line, and blue line indicate compositions forming microemulsion of the grade A, grade B, and grade C, respectively.
Design of experiments for optimizing TCG-SM
Scheffé’s mixture design was applied to optimize the TCG-SM. The results of responses were fitted to Design-Expert 11 software and statistical analysis suggested different fitting models and their relationship to the variables. The solubility of TCG in SMEDDS (Y1), precipitation (Y2), droplet size (Y3), and transmittance (Y4) were important variables in the preparation of SMEDDS that maintained a stable formulation and improved the oral absorption of insoluble drugs. A high solubility of TCG in SMEDDS allows the SMEDDS to include a high drug content in a minimum volume of a stable formulation without precipitation. When the SMEDDS formulation is dispersed in an aqueous phase, some of the drugs are not encapsulated in micelles and are present as free drug, which can lead to precipitation.29 Therefore, the relationship between precipitation and variables was confirmed. A small droplet size increases the surface area of micelles, which enhances drug absorption by intestinal membrane contact and enables rapid drug dissolution.30 Transmittance was chosen to monitor the goal of forming a clear homogeneous microemulsion when dispersed in an aqueous phase.
As shown in Table 3, the statistical models of Y1, Y2, Y3, and Y4 responses were fitted to linear, quadratic, cubic, and special quadratic models, respectively. Various statistical parameters for each model such as sequential P-value, lack of fit, R2, and adjusted R2 value were considered when fitting the statistical models. The sequential P-values of all suggested models were <0.05, which indicated that the model parameters were significant at the 95% confidence level.31 The lack-of-fit P-values of the models were >0.05, suggesting that the fitted model was appropriate.32 The R2 and adjusted R2 were analyzed to determine how much the variability of experimental data was reflected by the models.33 All R2 and adjusted R2 values for Y1, Y3, and Y4 were >0.9, indicating that the data were close to the fitted values.34 Although the R2 value of Y2 was 0.7732, the precision of Y2 was adequate at 8.0892, which indicates that the Y2 model could be used to navigate the design space (adequate precision >4).35 All R2 and adjusted R2 values of responses were similar (difference between R2 and adjusted R2 <0.2). A similar value for R2 and adjusted R2 has been reported to be an appropriate goodness-of-fit indicator.36
Table 3 Summary of model fitting and statistical analysis
Note: R2, squared correlation coefficient.
The relationship between the factors was schematically illustrated in three-dimensional response surface plots and coefficient equations (Figure 3 and Table S2, supplementary materials). As shown in Figure 3 and Table S3 (supplementary materials), the solubility of TCG in SMEDDS (Y1) ranged from 126.51 to 330.59 mg/mL and the precipitation of TCG (Y2) ranged from 0.2% to 67.7% (Figure 3A and B). For droplet size (Y3) and transmittance (Y4), the ranges of Y3 and Y4 were from 54.7 to 1,023.6 nm and 49.5% to 99.2%, respectively (Figure 3C and D). The solubility of TCG in SMEDDS (Y1) and precipitation (Y2) increased as X3 increased. There was no significant interaction effect between X1, X2, and X3 in the solubility of TCG. In the case of droplet size (Y3), the effect of the interaction between X2 and X3 was significant, and the Y3 value tended to decrease as X2 increased and X3 decreased. The transmittance (Y4) was influenced by the interaction of X2 and X3 except for the main effect, and the value of Y4 tended to increase as X2 increased and X3 decreased.
Figure 3 Three-dimensional surface plots of responses.
Notes: (A) Y1: Solubility of TCG in SMEDDS. (B) Y2: Precipitation. (C) Y3: Droplet size. (D) Y4: Transmittance.
The factors were optimized using the desirability function by considering all the responses. The goals of Y1 and Y4 were set to be maximized and those of Y2 and Y3 were set to be minimized. Figure 4A shows the desirability plot that reflected the effect of the different variables on the four responses. The optimized values of X1, X2, and X3 were 10.0%, 53.8%, and 36.2%, respectively. The desirability value of the corresponding point was 0.766. The optimized factors and the values of predicted responses are listed in Table 4. To confirm the prediction accuracy, the difference between the predicted and actual values for each response was calculated as a percentage. Although the percentage error associated with Y1 (6.25%) and Y3 (5.61%) was slightly high, the errors between predicted values and actual values for Y2 (2.50%) and Y4 (1.36%) were very low. The fact that the errors were <10% indicated that the optimization of TCG-SM was successful.
Figure 4 (A) Desirability plot using numerical optimization. (B) Transmission electron microscopy images and an electrophoretic laser scattering measurement of optimized ticagrelor-loaded self-microemulsifying drug delivery system in corresponding distilled water. Scale bar 200 nm.
Table 4 Predicted values and actual values of optimized TCG-SM
Note: Values are expressed as mean ± SD (n=3).
Abbreviations: TCG-SM, ticagrelor-loaded self-microemulsifying drug delivery system; CI, confdence interval.
The transmission electron microscopy data of optimized TCG-SM showed that the microemulsion with spherical droplet shapes in the nanometer range were observed and of a size similar to that obtained by ELS measurement (116.4±5.7 nm), as shown in Figure 4B.
It has been reported that self-forming microemulsions exhibit enhanced dissolution patterns.37,38 In this study, we assumed that the dissolution rates of TCG were significantly improved by the optimized TCG-SM formulation. For that reason, the dissolution profiles of Brilinta as control (commercial product), TCG-CE, and TCG-SM were determined in the media at pH 1.2, pH 4.0, and pH 6.8 and in distilled water (Figure 5). During the 3-hour experimental period, Brilinta showed very low dissolution of <10% in all media. The TCG-CE formulation slightly increased the dissolution of TCG within 3 hours in all media, with >40% dissolution in pH 1.2 media, pH 4.0 media, and distilled water (46.3%, 41.3%, and 43.1%, respectively), but not pH 6.8 media (34.6%). The optimized TCG-SM significantly enhanced the dissolution of TCG within 30 minutes in all media, with >85% dissolution (89.4%, 90.8%, 86.5%, and 97.1% in pH 1.2, pH 4.0, pH 6.8 media, and distilled water, respectively).
Figure 5 Dissolution profile of Brilinta®, TCG-CE, and TCG-SM in (A) pH 1.2 media, (B) pH 4.0 media, (C) pH 6.8 media, and (D) distilled water.
Notes: Values are expressed as mean ± SD (n=3).
Abbreviations: TCG-SM, ticagrelor-loaded self-microemulsifying drug delivery system; TCG-CE, ticagrelor-loaded Cremophor EL.
The SMEDDS formulation exhibited an excellent solvent capacity for hydrophobic drugs and formed a self-microemulsion after the penetration of water.39 The oil in the SMEDDS can improve the emulsification ability and improve the interfacial fluidity of surfactants in micelles when the formulation is diluted with aqueous medium in the presence of surfactants with a high hydrophilic–lipophilic balance.40 These results demonstrated that TCG-SM showed a higher dissolution than TCG-CE, which did not form oil-dispersed micelles because it contained only surfactant. These characteristics of the optimized TCG-SM indicate that the formulation not only provides a large surface area by forming nano-sized droplets but also improves the solubility and dissolution of TCG.
In vitro cytotoxicity study
The cytotoxicity of the raw TCG solution, blank-CE, blank-SM, TCG-CE, and TCG-SM for Caco-2 cells was studied using a standard MTT assay. Figure 6A shows the viability of cells incubated with five different formulations for 24 hours. TCG-CE and TCG-SM exhibited a similar dose-dependent inhibitory effect to raw TCG solution on proliferation of Caco-2 cells. However, formulations without TCG (blank-CE and blank-SM) showed no cytotoxicity on Caco-2 cells. These results indicated that the oil, surfactant, and cosurfactant used in SMEDDS were not toxic for Caco-2 cells at the concentration used in the SMEDDS (400 μg/mL, calculated from the corresponding TCG content), while the raw TCG solution, TCG-CE, and TCG-SM exhibited significant cytotoxicity at concentrations of TCG above 9 μg/mL. Interestingly, the cytotoxicity appeared to be associated with the TCG concentration, but not with the formulations. This confirmed that the formulations are highly biocompatible and can be used as drug carriers for oral administration, while TCG-SM displays similar cytotoxic activity in vitro to the commercial TCG formulation (Brilinta) based on the dose of drug. Therefore, further cell studies were performed with formulations containing 9 μg/mL of TCG, a lower concentration than the half-maximal inhibitory concentration of raw TCG solution (13.1±2.3 μg/mL) calculated from the nonlinear fitted curve.
Figure 6 (A) Cell viability of Caco-2 as a function of TCG corresponding concentration for raw TCG solution, blank-CE, TCG-CE, blank-SM, and TCG-SM. (B) Caco-2 cellular uptake of TCG treated with raw TCG solution, TCG-CE, and TCG-SM after incubation for 4 hours. (C) Papp of raw TCG solution, TCG-CE, and TCG-SM across Caco-2 cell monolayer.
Notes: (A) Values are expressed as mean ± SD (n=4). (B) Values are expressed as mean ± SD (n=4). *P<0.05 vs raw TCG solution, #P<0.05 vs TCG-CE. (C) Values are expressed as mean ± SD (n=4). *P<0.05 vs raw TCG solution, #P<0.05 vs TCG-CE.
Abbreviations: blank-CE, Cremophor EL without ticagrelor; blank-SM, self-microemulsifying drug delivery system without ticagrelor; CE, Cremophor EL; Papp, apparent permeability coefficients; SM, self-microemulsifying drug delivery system; TCG-CE, ticagrelor-loaded Cremophor EL; TCG-SM, ticagrelor-loaded self-microemulsifying drug delivery system; TCG, ticagrelor.
To confirm whether the SMEDDS formulation could enhance the uptake of loaded TCG, Caco-2 cells were incubated with raw TCG solution, TCG-CE, or TCG-SM, and their intracellular TCG content was quantified by HPLC analysis. As shown in Figure 6B, Caco-2 cell uptake of TCG from TCG-SM was 1.50 and 1.35 times higher than that from raw TCG solution and TCG-CE, respectively, after incubation for 4 hours (P<0.05). In the case of TCG-CE, the uptake was 1.11 times higher than that of raw TCG solution, but these were not significantly different (P>0.05). Based on these results, we concluded that cell uptake of TCG was improved by TCG-SM.
Permeability test
Caco-2 cell monolayer models were also established to evaluate the permeability of raw TCG solution, TCG-CE, and TCG-SM. Figure S1 (Supplementary materials) illustrates that the cumulative amount of transported TCG was time-dependent for all formulations. TCG-SM exhibited better transepithelial transport than the other formulations, which was consistent with the analysis of Caco-2 cellular uptake of TCG discussed above. As shown in Figure 6C, the observed mean Papp (A–B) values of raw TCG solution, TCG-CE, and TCG-SM were 2.64×10−7 cm/s, 2.81×10−7 cm/s, and 4.30×10−7 cm/s, respectively. The mean Papp (A–B) of TCG in TCG-SM was 1.63 times higher than that of raw TCG solution (P<0.05). Similarly, mean Papp (B–A) values of 5.96×10−7 cm/s, 5.67×10−7 cm/s, and 7.24×10−7 cm/s were obtained for raw TCG solution, TCG-CE, and TCG-SM, respectively. The mean Papp (B–A) of TCG in TCG-SM was 1.23 times higher than that of the raw TCG solution (P<0.05). This result is probably due to an increase in the drug transported (A–B), thus increasing the level of B–A transport. Observed ERs were 2.26, 2.02, and 1.68 for raw TCG solution, TCG-CE, and TCG-SM, respectively. The ER of TCG-SM was decreased by 25.7% compared with that of raw TCG solution. These results support the improved permeability of TCG by a SMEDDS formulation. The enhancement in the Papp (A–B) of TCG-SM compared with raw TCG solution and TCG-CE could be due to smaller droplet size and higher lipophilicity for the reconstituted TCG-SM.41 These reduced-size droplets containing TCG solubilized by SMEDDS formulation easily permeated across the barrier membrane, which indicates improvement in the apparent permeability, flux, and relative permeability of TCG. In addition, the enhancement of the lipophilicity of TCG by microemulsion increased its adhesion to intestinal membrane, which could be associated with improved drug transport and optimizing intestinal absorption and permeation.42 Based on these results, we could confirm the enhancement of the transepithelial permeability of TCG by the SMEDDS formulation.
Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic studies
Pharmacokinetic study
To evaluate the pharmacokinetics of the formulations, samples of raw TCG suspension, TCG-CE, and TCG-SM were orally administered to rats at a dose of 10 mg/kg TCG. The relevant pharmacokinetic parameters of each formulation are shown in Table 5. Cmax and AUC0–∞ of TCG after oral administration differed significantly in the following order: TCG-SM> TCG-CE> raw TCG suspension (Figure 7). As expected, raw TCG suspension exhibited poor Cmax (68.94±25.67 ng/mL) and AUC0–∞ (443.26±147.80 ng·h/mL). The TCG-CE exhibited a slightly increased Cmax (85.10±35.57 ng/mL), but the AUC0–∞ (427.25±153.96 ng·h/mL) was similar to that of the raw TCG suspension. However, the Cmax (439.18±172.01 ng/mL) and AUC0–∞ (2,525.29±390.27 ng·h/mL) of TCG-SM were significantly higher than those of raw TCG suspension and TCG-CE (P<0.05). TCG-CE and TCG-SM formulations showed slightly reduced Tmax compared with raw TCG suspension, but the difference was not significant (P>0.05). Therefore, the TCG-SM formulation improved the oral bioavailability of TCG by 637.1% compared with the raw TCG suspension. The improved oral bioavailability of TCG-SM was correlated with the result of the in vitro dissolution test and cell studies, which showed that TCG-SM was advantageous for achieving increased drug release, higher cellular uptake, and enhanced permeability across the intestinal epithelium.
Table 5 In vivo pharmacokinetic parameters of TCG in rats after oral administration of raw TCG suspension, TCG-CE, and TCG-SM
Notes: *P<0.05 vs raw TCG suspension, #P<0.05 vs TCG-CE. Values are expressed as mean ± SD (n=11). “–” indicates compared samples of raw TCG suspension are equal with each other.
Abbreviations: AUC, area under the concentration–time curve; Cmax, maximum plasma concentration; RBA, relative bioavailability; Tmax, time to reach the maximum plasma concentration; T1/2, half-life; TCG, ticagrelor; TCG-CE, ticagrelor-loaded Cremophor EL; TCG-SM, ticagrelor-loaded self-microemulsifying drug delivery system.
Figure 7 Mean plasma concentration–time profiles of TCG in rats after oral administration of raw TCG suspension, TCG-CE, and TCG-SM at a dose equivalent to 10 mg/kg of TCG.
Note: Values are expressed as mean ± SD (n=11).
Abbreviations: TCG, ticagrelor; TCG-CE, ticagrelor-loaded Cremophor EL; TCG-SM, ticagrelor-loaded self-microemulsifying drug delivery system.
In vitro antiplatelet activity test
To confirm the antiplatelet activity of TCG and formulations, in vitro antiplatelet activity tests were carried out. The platelet aggregation in the presence of different concentrations of TCG (5.2, 15.7, 31.4, 261.3, 522.6, 1,567.7, 3,135.4, and 5,225.7 ng/mL) in raw TCG suspension and TCG-SM diluted with distilled water were measured using an LTA method. Both raw TCG suspension and TCG-SM inhibited platelet aggregation in a dose-dependent manner (Figure 8). In the blank formulations (blank-solution and blank-SM), corresponding to the negative control, mean platelet aggregation induced by 20 μM ADP ranged from 56% to 67% (data not shown). The responses to different formulations were normalized to platelet aggregation with blank PRP. The mean EC50 values for raw TCG suspension and TCG-SM were 39.45 ng/mL and 58.39 ng/mL, respectively; ie, the EC50 value of TCG-SM was higher than that of raw TCG suspension. This result was suggested to be because of the influence on platelet aggregation of the excipients used in SMEDDS. Although the excipients used in TCG-SM have not been studied in detail, Poloxamer 188, which is frequently used as a surfactant, inhibits platelet aggregation.43 In vitro, it was difficult to confirm the synergistic effect on antiplatelet activity of the SMEDDS formulation because the drug-loaded formulations were added directly to PRP for the assessment of in vitro antiplatelet activity. These results did not allow for the enhancement of absorption of the drug caused by the formulation. Therefore, there was no significant difference in the efficacy of the two formulations. However, further ex vivo studies were performed to assess whether TCG-SM has more potent antiplatelet activity than raw TCG suspension in rats.
Figure 8 In vitro concentration–response curves for TCG inhibitory actions on ADP-induced platelet aggregations of raw TCG suspension and TCG-SM.
Notes: EC50 was defined as the concentration of the drug that inhibits platelet aggregation to 50%. Values are expressed as mean ± SEM (n=3).
Abbreviations: EC50, 50% effective concentration; SEM, standard error of mean; TCG, ticagrelor; TCG-SM, ticagrelor-loaded self-microemulsifying drug delivery system.
Ex vivo antiplatelet activity test
Ex vivo platelet aggregation was used to evaluate the antiplatelet activity of TCG in different formulations and was measured as the degree of platelet aggregation induced by 20 μM ADP in blood samples taken at 1, 2, 5, 10, and 24 hours after oral administration. A dose-related inhibitory effect on platelet aggregation was demonstrated after a single oral administration of raw TCG suspension and TCG-SM (2, 5, and 10 mg/kg) (Figure 9A). As indicated in Table 6, the AUIC0–24 data showed that the level of antiplatelet activity of TCG-SM was greater than that of raw TCG suspension at the same drug dose. The AUIC0–24 of the rats treated with 2, 5, and 10 mg/kg of TCG-SM was 270.4%±113.3%·hours, 907.8%±200.5%·hours, and 1,254.0%±233.9%·hours, respectively, which was much higher than in rats treated with raw TCG suspension (2, 5, and 10 mg/kg; 117.0%±88.08%·hours, 444.3%±205.7%·hours, and 907.0%±408.8%·hours, respectively), demonstrating the significantly improved antiplatelet activity of orally delivered TCG-SM in Sprague Dawley rats. In addition, the raw TCG suspension (10 mg/kg) exhibited a similar AUIC0–24 (907.0%±408.8%·hours) to that of the 5 mg/kg dose of TCG-SM (907.8%±200.5%·hours). These results indicated that the application of the SMEDDS formulation could achieve higher drug efficacy even with a lower dose of drug. We also calculated the ED50 of raw TCG suspension and TCG-SM at various time-points after their administration (Figure 9B and Table 6). The ED50 values for raw TCG suspension at 2, 5, and 10 hours after administration were 5.1, 4.5, and 8.4 mg/kg, respectively, while those of TCG-SM were 3.5, 2.5, and 4.4 mg/kg, respectively. The ED50 values of both formulations were lowest at the 5-hour time-point, indicating the time of peak antiplatelet activity. The ED50 values of TCG-SM were lower than those of raw TCG suspension at all time-points. These results indicated that TCG-SM not only improved the bioavailability of TCG but also increased its antiplatelet activity by enhancing absorption of the drug.
Figure 9 (A) Ex vivo antiplatelet activity evaluation of raw TCG suspension and TCG-SM according to dose of 2, 5, and 10 mg/kg. (B) Dose–response curve for ADP-induced platelet aggregation in TCG according to time-points (2, 5, and 10 hours) after oral administration of raw TCG suspension and TCG-SM.
Notes: (A) Values are expressed as mean ± SEM (n=9). (B) ED50 was defined as the dose of the drug that inhibits platelet aggregation to 50%. Values are expressed as mean ± SEM (n=9).
Abbreviations: ED50, 50% effective dose; SEM, standard error of mean; TCG, ticagrelor; TCG-SM, ticagrelor-loaded self-microemulsifying drug delivery system.
Table 6 Ex vivo pharmacodynamic parameters of TCG in rats after oral administration of raw TCG suspension and TCG-SM with dose of 2, 5, and 10 mg/kg
Notes: *P<0.05 vs raw TCG suspension of same dose. Values are expressed as mean ± SD (n=9).
Abbreviations: AUIC, area under the inhibitory curve; ED50, 50% effective dose; TCG, ticagrelor; TCG-SM, ticagrelor-loaded self-microemulsifying drug delivery system.
In summary, the optimized TCG-SM showed high dissolution, low cytotoxicity, and high permeability. These results led to increased bioavailability and antiplatelet activity of TCG (Figure 10).
Figure 10 Main design and result for the development of TCG-SM.
Abbreviations: BCS, Biopharmaceutical Classification System; blank-CE, Cremophor EL without ticagrelor; blank-SM, self-microemulsifying drug delivery system without ticagrelor; CE, Cremophor EL; TCG, ticagrelor; TCG-SM, ticagrelor-loaded self-microemulsifying drug delivery system.
The optimized TCG-SM contained 10% Capmul MCM (oil, X1), 53.8% Cremophor EL (surfactant, X2), and 36.2% Transcutol P (cosurfactant, X3). The SMEDDS formulation produced high solubility of TCG, small droplet size, low precipitation, and high transmittance. In addition, the formulation showed higher dissolution profile, improved cellular uptake, and permeability of TCG on Caco-2 cells. The pharmacokinetic study demonstrated the enhanced bioavailability of TCG in the TCG-SM formulation, and the ex vivo pharmacodynamic study showed that TCG-SM increased the absorption of TCG and showed greater inhibition of platelet aggregation than the same dose of raw TCG suspension. In conclusion, the optimized TCG-SM could be potentially used for improving the antiplatelet activity of TCG at a reduced dose. SMEDDS as a liquid formulation should be placed in a soft gelatin capsule for the development of drug product, which may lead to problems such as capsule aging and high manufacturing costs. So, we will proceed with the solidification study of SMEDDS to make a solid formulation such as a tablet. In addition, we will investigate the integrity of SMEDDS in body and in vitro–in vivo correlation of SMEDDS using GastroPlus program.
This work was supported by the Basic Science Research Program (2016R1A2B4011294) through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology. The sample excipients of Gattefossé Co. and ABITEC Corporations were from the kind support of Masung & Co., Ltd. We would like to thank DW Yeom for fruitful discussions about the design of experiments study.
Mr Gi-Ho Son and Mr Ki-Hyun Bang are employed by Korea United Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., Sejong, Republic of Korea. Mr Sung-Hoon Jeon is employed by SamA Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., Suwon, Republic of Korea. The authors did not receive grants/funds from these affiliations for this study. The authors report no other conflicts of interest in this work.
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Wijeyeratne YD, Joshi R, Heptinstall S. Ticagrelor: a P2Y12 antagonist for use in acute coronary syndromes. Expert Rev Clin Pharmacol. 2012;5(3):257–269.
Wallentin L, Becker RC, Budaj A, et al. Ticagrelor versus clopidogrel in patients with acute coronary syndromes. N Engl J Med. 2009;361(11):1045–1057.
BRILINTA (ticagrelor) [package insert]. Wilmington, DE: AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP; 2016.
Ramesh K, Shekar C, Khadgapathi P. Enhancement of solubility and rate of in vitro drug release profiles of poorly soluble ticagrelor by solvent evaporation solid dispersion technique. Indo Am J Pharm Res. 2015;5(12):3850–3858.
Pai G, Sathyanarayana MB. Fabrication and solid state characterization of ticagrelor co-crystals with improved solubility and dissolution. Int J Pharm Qual Assur. 2017;8(1):1–8.
Chen ZQ, Liu Y, Zhao JH, Wang L, Feng NP. Improved oral bioavailability of poorly water-soluble indirubin by a supersaturatable self-microemulsifying drug delivery system. Int J Nanomedicine. 2012;7:1115–1125.
Kamboj S, Sharma R, Singh K, Rana V. Aprepitant loaded solid preconcentrated microemulsion for enhanced bioavailability: a comparison with micronized aprepitant. Eur J Pharm Sci. 2015;78:90–102.
Yeom DW, Song YS, Kim SR, et al. Development and optimization of a self-microemulsifying drug delivery system for atorvastatin calcium by using D-optimal mixture design. Int J Nanomedicine. 2015;10:3865–3878.
Yeom DW, Chae BR, Son HY, et al. Enhanced oral bioavailability of valsartan using a polymer-based supersaturable self-microemulsifying drug delivery system. Int J Nanomedicine. 2017;12:3533–3545.
Patel G, Shelat P, Lalwani A. Statistical modeling, optimization and characterization of solid self-nanoemulsifying drug delivery system of lopinavir using design of experiment. Drug Deliv. 2016;23(8):3027–3042.
Kamboj S, Rana V. Quality-by-design based development of a self-microemulsifying drug delivery system to reduce the effect of food on nelfinavir mesylate. Int J Pharm. 2016;501(1–2):311–325.
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Jaiswal P, Aggarwal G, Harikumar SL, Singh K. Development of self-microemulsifying drug delivery system and solid-self-microemulsifying drug delivery system of telmisartan. Int J Pharm Investig. 2014;4(4):195–206.
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Mourabet M, El Rhilassi A, El Boujaady H, Bennani-Ziatni M, Taitai A. Use of response surface methodology for optimization of fluoride adsorption in an aqueous solution by Brushite. Arab J Chem. 2017;10:S3292–S3302.
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Balata GF, Essa EA, Shamardl HA, Zaidan SH, Abourehab MA. Self-emulsifying drug delivery systems as a tool to improve solubility and bioavailability of resveratrol. Drug Des Devel Ther. 2016;10:117–128.
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Nekkanti V, Karatgi P, Prabhu R, Pillai R. Solid self-microemulsifying formulation for candesartan cilexetil. AAPS PharmSciTech. 2010;11(1):9–17.
Memvanga PB, Eloy P, Gaigneaux EM, Préat V. In vitro lipolysis and intestinal transport of β-arteether-loaded lipid-based drug delivery systems. Pharm Res. 2013;30(10):2694–2705.
Edwards CM, May JA, Heptinstall S, Lowe KC. Effects of pluronic F-68 (poloxamer 188) on platelet aggregation in human whole blood. Thromb Res. 1996;81(4):511–512.
Table S1 The classification standards of emulsification grade
Table S2 Coefficient equations of responses according to the level of factors
Table S3 The experimental composition and observed responses through Scheffé’s mixture design
Figure S1 (A) Apical-basolateral (A–B) transport of TCG across Caco-2 cell monolayer for 180 minutes. (B) Basolateral-apical (B–A) transport of TCG across Caco-2 cell monolayer for 180 minutes.
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How to Make Compound Sentences
Compound sentences combine two clauses into one sentence. (Clauses are each a potential sentence with a subject and predicate.) Complex sentences do that too.
However, compound sentences use a conjunction (or sometimes a semicolon) to join two or more equal, independent clauses.
The conjunction ‘and’ combines two similar thoughts.
‘But’ (and 'yet') show a contrast between the thoughts.
‘Or’ indicates that only one of the two is correct.
'Nor' is used like 'or' when neither thought is true.
‘So’ shows that the second thought follows from the first.
'For' can sometimes be used to mean 'because.'
You could put the list above into simple sentences, each starting ‘The conjunction____.’
A shorter, more elegant, alternative is to combine facts about the most common conjunctions into one or two compound sentences:
The conjunction ‘and’ combines two similar thoughts; ‘but’ shows a contrast between the thoughts. ‘Or’ indicates that only one of the two thoughts applies, and ‘so’ shows that the second thought follows from the first.
It’s also possible to combine two independent clauses without a conjunction. In that case you would use a semicolon instead of a comma to separate them. (That's what I did in the first sentence of the example in italics above.)
You can say ‘I like ice cream, but he prefers butter.’ You can also say ‘I like ice cream; he prefers butter.’
Both are correct, although sometimes using a conjunction makes the thought clearer.
Compound Sentence Examples:
My family went to the park yesterday, and we had a wonderful time.
Larry’s family went to the zoo, but they didn’t enjoy it.
His children were scared of the lions; they left right away.
Your children are older, so they probably wouldn’t be scared.
Do you want to take them to the zoo, or would it be wiser to go to the park?
Let's go to the zoo, but we can start with the monkeys!
You can express the connection between ideas using two sentences rather than one compound sentence. Instead of using ‘and’ between clauses, you could make the second clause a new sentence. (You might begin it with ‘in addition’ or 'furthermore.'
Contrasting sentences can begin with ‘however’ or ‘nevertheless;’ others with ‘as a result,’ ‘consequently,’ ‘as an alternative,’ ‘instead,’ etc.
However, these are all more formal than a compound sentence. (I thought about demonstrating these with the same example of family trips to the zoo, but we would never use such academic language for a family trip!
I can’t imagine one parent telling another, “Larry’s family went to the zoo. However, they didn’t enjoy it.” In conversation English speakers would use ‘but’ every time!)
Other Ways to Combine Sentences
Sometimes two sentences can be combined without needing to make a compound sentence. If both subjects or both verbs are the same, we can make two sentences into one simple sentence (= only one clause) with a compound subject or a compound verb.
Jim enjoys skiing. Susie enjoys skiing too.> Jim and Susie both enjoy skiing.
Bruce is very efficient at work. He is efficient at home too.> Bruce is efficient at work and at home.
I like to walk in the park. I also like watching the ducks there.> I like to walk in the park and watch the ducks there.
Note that in the last example I changed the form of the 2nd verb (from a present participle to an infinitive) so they would share the same form. Parallel constructions are easier to understand and sound better. Teachers and test-givers look for them when reading essays. (They may take off points when two similar thoughts are expressed in different ways:
Michael rides his bike every day. He also practices judo and is always watching baseball games on T.V.)
Better:
Michael rides his bike every day. He also practices judo and watches baseball games on T.V.
or: Michael rides his bike, practices judo, and watches baseball games on T.V. every day.
Try Making Compound Sentences
Take out a piece of paper and combine these sentences.
You can make compound sentences using a comma and conjunction or using a semicolon (;). Sometimes you could make a simple sentence using a compound subject or verb instead.
Use parallel constructions whenever possible. (Answers at the bottom of this page.)
1. I have studied Spanish for many years. As a result, my Spanish-speaking friends can chat easily with me now.
2. You are quite intelligent. However, you don’t think before you act.
3. My friends Jesse and Jennifer have just moved into a new home. They’ve made many changes in its appearance.
4. Susie could study music next year. She could study drama instead.
5. Larry watches the news. Bill makes news.
Compound sentences are fairly easy to make, as they combine two similar clauses. Sometimes we need to combine unequal thoughts or clauses.
Complex Sentences explains how to make sentences combining unequal clauses. It talks about noun, adjective, and adverb clauses, as well as subordinate conjunctions and relative pronouns.
English Sentence Structure summarizes sentence formation of all types.
Possible Answers
(Other answers may also be correct.)
1. I have studied Spanish for many years, so my Spanish-speaking friends can chat easily with me now.
2. You are quite intelligent, but you don’t think before you act.
3. My friends Jesse and Jennifer have just moved into a new home, and they’ve made many changes in its appearance.
or: My friends Jesse and Jennifer have just moved into a new home and made many changes in its appearance.
4. Susie could study music or drama next year.
or: Susie could study music next year, or she could study drama (instead). (You can omit ‘instead,’ or leave it in the sentence for greater emphasis.)
5. Larry watches the news, but Bill makes news.
or: Larry watches the news; Bill makes news.
(If I said these aloud, I would heavily stress ‘makes.’)
Home> English Grammar Lessons> Compound Sentences.
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X Factor star’s wife “almost bled to death” following horrific miscarriage
It all started on holiday
By Safia Yallaoui
Tags: The X Factor
The wife of an X Factor star has revealed she suffered a complication after a miscarriage last month which saw her almost bleed to death.
Debbie King, who is married to G4 singer Jonathan Ansell had a miscarriage while on holiday with her family, and suffered a placenta percreta which led to excessive bleeding after doctors removed the feotus.
Debbie suffered a horrific miscarriage (Credit: WENN)
She had to undergo three rounds of emergency surgery just days after the miscarriage, when she was rushed to hospital with Jonathan and their two children.
Read more: Sarah Harding has tweeted ‘frenemy’ Cheryl – and their social media fans can’t cope
Debbie revealed she was “frightened” that she was going to die.
She told the Mirror: “I was frightened for my life. I had gone from desperate for a baby to just desperate to be alive. We were devastated about losing our baby but now I am just glad I didn’t die.”
She was 10 weeks pregnant when she flew to Lanzarote, and although she had noticed some bleeding already, a doctor reassured her she was fine.
Three days into their family holiday she was bleeding again and she went to get an ultrasound from a local doctor in the area.
She said: “The doctor scanned me and said that he could see a heartbeat, but it was very slow and the foetus wasn’t moving. He wanted me to go to the bigger hospital in the capital Arrecife.
“We got there and had a scan but unfortunately after a few minutes, the doctor said there was no heartbeat.
Jonathan is in the operatic group G4 (Credit: FameFlynet UK)
“Jonathan wanted me to have it when we were there, but I just had this awful feeling about having an operation away from home.
“Now in hindsight, thank goodness I didn’t do it there because it would have been so difficult and we would have ended up stuck out there without as much support.”
They remained on the Spanish island for another 10 days, silently heartbroken at what had happened.
She admitted: “I put on a brave face. We hadn’t told anyone about the pregnancy. It was really hard and there were moments when I was very sad but I didn’t want to spoil the holiday for the kids.
“I spoke to my gynecologist back in the UK who said it was safe to wait until I got home.”
Back in Leeds Debbie went to a private hospital to undergo surgery, which was supposed to be a quick procedure but ended up taking two hours as she bled uncontrollably.
About the miscarriage she said: “I was ok about it. I was upset but I had two beautiful children and I had desperately wanted another baby but I thought we could try again.”
Jonathan found fame on The X Factor (Credit: Twitter)
To try to stem the flow of blood doctors filled a Rusch balloon inside her, which presses against the blood vessels in the uterus.
Debbie recalled: “They left it in for four hours but when they tried to take it out, I just starting bleeding a lot. I could feel the blood pouring out of me and my blood pressure was dropping massively.”
The bleeding wouldn’t stop and a few hours later doctors transferred her to St James’s Hospital in Leeds, where doctors tried for three hours to save her.
She revealed: “Jonathan had gone out for a walk and as he was coming back in, he saw the nurses running out saying, ‘We’re moving her. Where is the husband?’ as they wheeled me into an ambulance.
“They told him they were taking me to St James’s Hospital and they would meet him there. He got there in about 20 minutes, but it took the ambulance over an hour because they couldn’t control the bleeding and get me stabilised.
Read more: Susanna Reid forced to apologise after famous guest accuses her of being “hurtful”
“Jonathan was waiting outside and the nurse just kept coming in and out to get more blood. Essentially, every drop of blood in my body was replaced.”
After the traumatic experience she ended up in coma for two days and she remembers it well.
She said: “I was in a coma but, though I couldn’t move or speak, I knew what was going on. The doctors told me it can happen but it’s quite rare.
“It was the most frightening moment of my life because I didn’t know if I was ever going to come out of it. I just wanted to speak but I couldn’t.”
Doctors eventually discovered that she had placenta percreta where the placenta had attached itself to the C-section scar that remained from her first pregnancy, and it had grown into the gap between her uterus and bladder.
“They told me it is so rare and none of the doctors had ever treated anything like this before. I have been told that I will become a case for medical journals and textbooks. My consultant is trying to change the way ultrasounds are done to make medical staff more aware of the condition,” she said.
“I felt lucky to be alive but was petrified about the surgery I was still facing.”
Jonathan and Debbie have two young children (Credit: Facebook)
Shockingly she had to go through another surgery to remove the placenta and if she started bleeding again she could have died, but luckily doctors saved her and she is now on the mend.
She is so thankful for her life and to the medical staff that looked after her, as she said: “They are hopeful that there won’t be any lasting impact. They still don’t know for sure if my bladder will go back to normal but I am reasonably young, fit and healthy and we hope it will.
“I have missed weeks of my kids’ lives – things like seeing them go back to school. I know they are fine and are being cared for but I just want to be their mum and go home to them. I can’t wait to enjoy tiny little things like reading a bedtime stories to my kids.
“Throughout everything, Jonathan has been incredible. He hasn’t left my side, other than to sleep. He was meant to go on tour in Ireland but he postponed the shows for the first time ever because he was scared about what was happening. He is starting the UK leg this Friday and the Irish leg will happen next year.
“But I can’t thank the staff who looked after me enough, especially the surgeons who literally saved my life. I want to do something for the NHS when I am fit and well because they are so undervalued but so kind, knowledgeable and caring.”
Her husband Jonathan found fame after coming second on The X Factor back in 2004.
Emmerdale SPOILERS: Zak Dingle finally returns to the village – but viewers are furious
Charlie Dimmock: Is the bra-dodging Garden Rescue star married?
Myleene Klass pays tribute to partner Simon Motson after revealing her miscarriage agony
The Wheel’s Michael McIntyre left ‘disappointed’ as show is branded a ‘major anti-climax’
This Morning star Emma Kenny hits back at reports she’s been axed as show’s psychologist
Saira Khan ‘blocks two of her former Loose Women co-hosts on social media’
Piers Morgan posts rare throwback snap with all three sons as he laments not being able to hug them
Ulrika Jonsson admits ‘mentally things are dark’ in brutally honest Instagram post
Boxer Barry McGuigan breaks silence over tragic death of his daughter
COVID UK: ‘Out of order’ Laurence Fox sparks fury by buying fake badge making him exempt from wearing a mask
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle fans divided over new Tom Bradby interview
Thomas Markle to release documentary about ‘what went wrong’ with daughter Meghan
Emmerdale news: Sammy Winward slams soap for storyline that saw her to strip to a bikini to herd cows
Dancing on Ice 2021: Denise Van Outen rushed to hospital in agony after horror accident during training
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EU-Startups.com is the leading online publication with a focus on startups in Europe. The website was founded in October of 2010.
We write about internet and tech startups out of Europe and provide our readers with data-driven analysis, interviews and startup-related news. In addition to our focus on young technology companies, we also publish other kinds of news out of the tech-space that has a commercial or cultural impact on startups in Europe.
Each month, EU-Startups.com reaches an audience of more than 300,000 startup-interested and tech savvy people from across Europe. More info about our audience and regarding advertising options can be found here.
Vision/Mission: Our vision is to connect the European startup scene and to encourage entrepreneurship within Europe.
The Core Team & Management
Thomas Ohr is the Editor and CEO of EU-Startups and founded the publication in October of 2010. He is excited about Europe’s future, passionate about new business ideas and lives in Barcelona. Before running EU-Startups (Menlo Media) as a business, Thomas worked in the German media industry. Till January of 2016 he served as Senior Brand Manager at one of Germany’s biggest magazine publishers. You can contact him at [email protected]
Ana Metz is the Startup Sourcing Director of EU-Startups. Passionate about how design and technology can influence people and business, Ana is scouting startups and innovative businesses from all over the world, for media, corporates and investors. If you’re interested in our startup sourcing service, please reach out to [email protected]
Charlotte Tucker is the Head of Content at EU-Startups.com. She spends her time scouting the next big story, managing our contributors, and getting excited about social impact ventures. She has previously worked as a Communications Consultant for number of European Commission funded startup projects. If you have some exciting news to share, send your press release in English and team photo directly to [email protected]
Anastasiia Ponomareva is the new Events & Partnerships Director of EU-Startups. Passionate about entrepreneurship, with a background in IT recruitment and years of experience leading different startup events, Anastasiia believes in the power of connecting professionals within the startup ecosystem. If you’re interested in sponsorship opportunities, or other types of collaboration, reach out to [email protected]
Bojana Trajkovska is a startup enthusiast from the Balkan region and the contributing editor of EU-Startups. Currently exploring the entrepreneurial community in Germany. She is a passionate reader and traveller.
Peter Kovacs is the Co-Founder of Global Startup Awards, xLabs and IseeQ. He contributes to EU-Startups with founder interviews and stories, mostly from the CEE region.
Bernardo Arnaud lives in Vienna and has been advising companies for 18 years in several different industries. He also founded a few companies throughout his entrepreneurial journey.
Mariaclaudia Carella lives is Bari (Italy) and is passionate about startups and social impact. She recently worked as a Press Trainee for the European Parliament.
Reinaldo Ferreira is a serial entrepreneur and investor in technology companies. He lives in Porto and writes mostly about Portuguese startups and technology topics.
Maricel Sanchez has over 10 years of experience in trading, supply chain management, logistics and manufacturing. Aside from helping startups to raise funds, she’s also a public speaker and the President of Toastmasters Nice.
Floraidh Clement is a Scottish writer and social media manager, based in Berlin and working within its vibrant startup scene. Areas of interest include travel, fashion and eco tech.
Veronica Fresneau is a tech and startups enthusiast, and an advocate for women in tech. She is based in Amsterdam and has more than ten years of Marketing & Communications experience in several EMEA markets.
Daria Kholod is a startup enthusiast from Russia who lives and works in the Netherlands. She covers the Dutch innovation ecosystem focusing on South Holland – Rotterdam, The Hague, Delft.
Previous writers include Ieva Treija, Mary Loritz, Hannah Neuburger, Mevish Aslam, Marko Srsan, Andrius Neviera, Benoit Curdy, Stefano Bernardi, Mark Nessfield, Luca Mayer and Tony Fernandez. You’d like to join our team of contributing writers? Please contact us.
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Calle Encarnació 103, 2-2
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About: fourth industrial revolution
Future EU 07-05-2019
OECD calls for bigger EU budget to deal with digital revolution
The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) defended a larger budget for the EU, saying the bloc's funding is already “stretched” despite new challenges like digitalisation.
Middle-ground politics 21-02-2019
Europeans confident about their future jobs… but not their education
A majority of young Europeans (77%) feel well prepared for the labour market of the digital era, but they are also very critical about how their national education systems prepare them, a survey published on Thursday (21 February) revealed.
Economy & Jobs 12-02-2019
Finnish finance minister: ‘Case closed’ for universal basic income
Finland is the first country to complete a nation-wide experiment on universal basic income. With the first results in, Finnish finance minister Petteri Orpo told EURACTIV.com that the largest parties in his country don’t support the idea anymore.
Carbon pricing and digital tax find traction in Davos
Business leaders and decision makers agreed during last week's World Economic Forum in Davos that new taxes, including carbon pricing or a digital levy, would not only achieve a fairer economic model but would also help to fight climate change and deal with the ageing population.
How to save the generation Europe left behind
To establish a new Europe that moves forward, it is important that Europe seizes technological innovation to ensure young Europeans are not left behind, writes Andrianos Giannou.
Elections 19-01-2018
Set voting age at 16 to renew EU, says Davos report
The voting age for next year’s European elections should be lowered to 16 as part of a suite of reforms to revitalise the European project.
Europe is recovering but needs to confront lingering dangers to its unity
Europe is on the road to recovery which means now is the time for it to take the lead on a global scale and tackle the concerns and needs of its citizens, write Martina Larkin and Eckart Windhagen.
Politics 18-01-2018
Watch out for the next crisis, gloomy Davos report tells leaders
Human development is "at risk” and the current economic recovery may be hiding the roots of the next big crisis, including persistent inequality, in particular between men and women’s salaries, the World Economic Forum (WEF) has warned in its annual Global Risks Report.
Champion of ‘helicopter money’ questions universal basic income
As chair of Britain's Financial Services Authority, Adair Turner saw the collapse of the financial system from the very top. In the aftermath of the crisis, he became one of the main advocates of helicopter money - but today he doubts if universal basic income is the best way to address growing inequality.
Zurich boss: ‘We need to look at protection, savings and retirement together’
Amid growing social inequalities and the digital transformation of the economy, Zurich’s Gary Shaughnessy believes public officials, employers and insurers should all cooperate to provide protection to the most vulnerable groups.
Commission ignores calls for objectives in new industrial strategy
The European Commission did not include new strategic objectives and targets in its industrial package unveiled on Monday (18 September), stressing instead that a master plan already exists for European industry.
Digital revolution forces rethink of labour and welfare
The transformation of jobs in the digital era will force governments to review their welfare systems and workers to constantly update their skills, senior European officials, experts and ministers agreed during a conference held in the Estonian capital Tallinn this week.
German minister: ‘Platforms have to pay social security in the future’
Thorben Albrecht is responsible for addressing the impact of the digital revolution on the labour sector and preparing Germany workers for the future. The minister presented his Work 4.0 white paper at the Future of Work conference hosted by Estonia’s rotating presidency of the EU.
Special ReportOpinion
FP9: An unmissable chance to boost European additive manufacturing industry
The new EU Framework Programme offers an unmissable opportunity to step up public research investment in additive manufacturing/3D printing. Let’s make the most out of this key technology for Europe’s future, writes Filip Geerts.
Europe looks at 3D printing to pursue its industrial renaissance
The European Commission backs additive manufacturing as one of the pillars to strengthen its industrial sector and step up efforts to maintain the EU's global advantage.
Millennials see robots as job creators rather than a threat
Young people remain optimistic about the impact of robots and artificial intelligence in the work place, as a large majority of them believe that more jobs will be created than will disappear, according to a global poll published on Monday (28 August).
Estonia to lead debate on the future of social systems in the digital era
The upcoming rotating presidency of the EU will focus on the future of work and the role technology can play in transforming social systems in the context of the new industrial revolution.
Broadband 27-02-2017
EU calls for greater industry involvement in 5G
The European Commission this week will urge EU member states and the private sector to get more involved in the development of the next generation of broadband networks enabling the digital revolution, as the World Mobile Congress opens in Barcelona.
Davos admits to globalisation’s failures, falls short of solutions
The World Economic Forum concluded its four-day gathering by calling for more inclusive growth to face growing populism and the backlash against globalisation
Social Europe & Jobs 18-01-2017
Davos warns ‘squeezed’ middle class needs attention
Threatened by unemployment and stagnant wages, the middle class is increasingly feeling the pinch and falling prey to populism, as shown in recent elections and the Brexit vote, international and business leaders in Davos warned.
Pre-Davos report calls for reforming capitalism to survive global backlash
The World Economic Forum study warns that democracy is in “deeper crisis” and urges for more inclusive growth amid the growing inequalities fuelled by technological disruption.
Innovation & Industry 16-11-2016
ILO director: ‘Trump is the result of our own failures’
Income inequality and the future of jobs became a key topic in the campaign for the US elections. It could also play a decisive role in the upcoming elections in France, where the populist candidate Marine Le Pen has shaken the political landscape.
Moedas: ‘Countries that increased spending in R+D better weathered the crisis’
Innovation was a top priority for the world's most powerful nations at the G20 meeting last September, in Hangzhou. However, Europe still has some “negative trends” to address, says Commissioner Carlos Moedas.
RSS - fourth industrial revolution
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26 May The Associated Press (AP) covers EverLog Faux Logs
Posted at 18:57h in Print by Sean
Faux logs trim homes’ fire risk in woodlands
Susan Gallagher – THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
YORK, Mont. — Marty Welch hopes the Montana forest near his new house doesn’t burn during the summer wildfire season, but if it does, the Indianapolis man is optimistic his retirement getaway will be left standing.
The four-bedroom house a stone’s throw from the Helena National Forest has the look of hewn logs and suits its rustic setting. But the walls of Welch’s house, built in 2006, are made of concrete. The roof is green metal.
“I wanted a house I wouldn’t have to worry about during the fire season,” said Welch, who spent part of his boyhood on this property. Now retired as a regional sales manager for a tool company, he divides his time between Indianapolis and York, about 20 miles from Helena.
The faux logs that EverLog Systems of Missoula began producing commercially in 2004 form the walls of 30 houses around the country and are in a couple of golf buildings at the ultraexclusive Yellowstone Club north of Yellowstone National Park. Work on a Louisiana hunting lodge is nearly finished.
Dick Morgenstern of the Missoula area designed the patented, concrete log after 25 years of pre-casting concrete for stadiums, parking garages, bridges, sewer manholes and other projects. He set about developing the log when forest fires in the Bitterroot Valley south of Missoula burned 356,000 acres and 70 houses in 2000.
“They were wrapping homes in tinfoil,” Morgenstern said. “I’d had this log-home thing in the back of my head for years, and I started experimenting.”
He made a rubber impression off of real wood, then transferred that impression to concrete. Tinting to achieve wood’s color came later.
“I didn’t want something out there that look like rock or plastic,” Morgenstern said. “I wanted it to be believable.”
The logs, produced in Missoula, have a polystyrene core encased by concrete reinforced with metal rods. EverLog Systems has produced a log as long as 28 feet.
For the consumer, cost runs 10 percent to 20 percent higher than the price of milled, wood logs but is comparable to the price of handcrafted logs, said Stewart Hansen, the company’s president.
Besides the hand-hewn look in Welch’s home, the products of EverLog Systems include a round log and a square timber style. Knots, saw marks and tree rings are replicated. Off-white lines of caulk, or chinking, band the concrete houses, as they do homes built with traditional wood logs.
“One of the reasons I chose this was low maintenance,” said Welch, whose wife, Susan Shallabarger, joins him at the house when her work commitments in Indianapolis allow. “I kept saying I’d love to have a log home, but there’s so much maintenance. Once I had the house built, I wanted to enjoy it, not feel like I had to come out here and work on it.”
Hansen said EverLog Systems sells to people concerned not only about fire risk and maintenance, but about wood logs’ shrinkage over time.
“You will get some shrinkage as the logs dry,” said David Gray, vice president at Montana Log Homes in Kalispell. But in modern construction, shrinkage is “well addressed” by builders who factor it into their plans, Gray said.
EverLog Systems also touts faux logs as a defense against termites.
Tests have found the construction exceptionally energy efficient, according to the National Center for Appropriate Technology, a nonprofit that works on sustainability issues from its Montana headquarters and five field offices nationwide.
If there’s a drawback, Welch said, it lies in remodeling.
“If you were going to add a room, that might be difficult,” he said.
Hansen acknowledges the environmental concerns surrounding production of concrete. EverLog Systems is experimenting with use of fly ash, a byproduct of coal production, as a replacement for cement, which requires considerable energy to produce and is a key ingredient in concrete.
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Apple iPhone 3GS Security Holes Revealed in YouTube Videos
By: Brian Prince | July 27, 2009
A security researcher is backing up his claims that the Apple iPhone 3GS is not enterprise-ready, with YouTube videos demonstrating how an attacker could get your private data.
A security researcher who has asserted Apple's iPhone 3GS is not enterprise-ready has posted tutorials on YouTube to back up his claims.
Jonathan Zdziarski, who teaches forensic classes about recovering data from the iPhone, has posted two tutorials to YouTube to demonstrate issues he contends are serious enough to make IT pros leave the iPhone out of the enterprise. In one, he shows how an attacker can remove a passcode and get to data on the device.
"Now law enforcement has all of the tools that they need to be able to do this," he noted in the video. "The problem is the bad guys also do too. So while this is good for forensic purposes, it's also quite terrible for the rest of us in terms of our own private security."
In the second video, he shows how a hacker can use software tools to download a raw disk image from the phone that could provide personal information, deleted voice mails and other data.
Product Overview and Insight: Armis Security
Six Remote Work Security Challenges Your Organization...
Security has emerged as an important selling point for Apple with iPhone 3GS. In fact, Apple Chief Operating Officer Timothy Cook said as much during the company's latest earnings call, noting that the phone's new hardware encryption and improved security policies were part of the reason enterprises were expressing interest in 3GS.
The data encryption feature protects user data by encrypting it in transmission, at rest and when backed up to iTunes. The smartphone also provides secure methods to prevent unauthorized use of the device through passcode policies and restrictions. If the phone is lost or stolen, all data and settings can be cleared remotely.
Still, Zdziarski maintains that the security holes he demonstrated mean there is work left to be done.
"Unfortunately, the iPhone is completely wide open," Zdziarski said in one of the videos. "As much as I like this device, Apple really needs to fix some of these security issues for the consumer before, in my opinion, it's ready for the enterprise."
Apple did not respond to a request for comment in time for publication.
Previous eWeek Newsbreak, July 24, 2009
Next How IT Can Safely and Profitably Befriend Web 2.0 at...
How BlackBerry Has Become a Cyber-Security Player
eWEEK VIDEO: BlackBerry CTO Charles Eagan explains where his company's cyber-security efforts...
Why McAfee Is Integrating AI Into Next Gen Security
eWEEK VIDEO: McAfee CTO Steve Grobman provides insight into why artificial intelligence is...
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Residents in Manhattan Beach told to avoid RV park being used as COVID-19 quarantine location
MANHATTAN BEACH, Calif. - Manhattan Beach city officials are warning its residents to stay away from Dockweiler Beach RV Park because it's being used to temporarily house individuals who have been ordered to isolate or quarantine by the Los Angeles County Department of Health due to COVID-19.
"All residents and visitors who may be on the beach, strand, or bike path should avoid the area entirely," officials said. "Dockweiler Beach RV Park is within the jurisdiction and control of Los Angeles County. Individuals that may be housed at this location will likely be those who cannot self-isolate/quarantine in their residence and need comprehensive services to ensure safety, health and well-being."
RELATED: CoronavirusNOW.com, FOX launches national hub for COVID-19 news and updates.
Supportive housing facilities will be distributed across all areas of L.A. County, including the Pomona Fairplex grounds.
For updates and information regarding coronavirus in Manhattan Beach, visit https://www.citymb.info/services/learn-about/coronavirus.
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Separately Managed Accounts
529 Portfolios
Find a Fund
[alert-heading]
Oct 19 2018 Conversion of Class C Shares to Class A Shares - Read More
Beginning on 10/19/18, Class C shares held for 10 years or more will automatically convert to Class A shares. Thereafter, Class C shares held for 10 years or more will automatically convert to Class A shares on a monthly basis. This conversion allows shareholders to take advantage of the lower expenses offered by Class A shares. Please see the prospectus supplement for more information. If you have any questions, please contact your financial advisor or call Franklin Templeton.
Sep 10 2018 Class A and A1 Changes to Sales Charges and Dealer Commissions - Read More
Effective 9/10/18, certain sales charges and commissions paid to dealers on Class A and A1 shares of our mutual funds changed. Please see the prospectus supplement for more information. If you have additional questions, please contact your financial advisor or call Franklin Templeton.
FGRAX
Franklin Growth Opportunities Fund
Share Class A
Share Class Advisor
Share Class C
Share Class R
Share Class R6
Average Annual Total Returns
Cumulative Total Returns
After-Tax Average Annual Total Returns
Average Annual Total Returns [further-information]
Average annual total return shows the investment's average annual change in value over the indicated periods. It is not the same as a year-by-year annual return. Figures reflect reinvestment of dividends and capital gains.
Month End
Quarter End
View Historical Data
Performance data quoted represents past performance, which does not guarantee future results. Current performance may differ from figures shown. Investment return and principal value will fluctuate with market conditions, and you may have a gain or a loss when you sell your shares.
Month EndAs of 12/31/2020
Since InceptionInception 06/23/1999
Fund without Sales Charge (%) (NAV)
Fund with Sales Charge (%) (POP)
Russell 3000 Growth Index (%)
S&P 500 Index (%)
Quarter EndAs of 12/31/2020
45.41 33.73 -0.95 28.67 -2.94 5.80 7.81 39.65 10.44 -3.43
37.42 26.38 -6.40 21.27 -8.53 -0.30 1.60 31.62 4.07 -8.97
38.26 35.85 -2.12 29.59 7.39 5.09 12.44 34.23 15.21 2.18
18.40 31.49 -4.38 21.83 11.96 1.38 13.69 32.39 16.00 2.11
Cumulative Total Returns [further-information]
Cumulative total return shows the change in the investment's value over the time period indicated. Figures reflect reinvestment of dividends and capital gains.
Since Inception since 06/23/1999
45.41 45.41 92.61 140.55 308.65 836.02
HYPOTHETICAL $10K INVESTMENT
After-Tax Average Annual Total Returns [further-information]
After-tax average annual total returns represent the average change in value of an investment on an annualized basis. Returns are calculated using the highest individual federal income tax rates; state and local taxes are not considered. Your actual after-tax return depends on your particular tax situation and may differ from those shown. "Before Shares Sold" figures assume taxes are paid on fund distributions (dividends and capital gains) but do not reflect taxes that may be incurred upon sale or exchange of shares. "After Shares Sold" figures also adjust for taxes due if the fund investment is sold at the end of the measurement period.
After-tax average annual total returns represent the average change in value of an investment on an annualized basis. Returns are calculated using the highest individual federal income tax rates; state and local taxes are not considered. Your actual after-tax return depends on your particular tax situation and may differ from those shown. "Before Shares Sold" figures assume taxes are paid on fund distributions (dividends and capital gains) but do not reflect taxes that may be incurred upon sale or exchange of shares. "After Shares Sold" figures also adjust for taxes due if the fund investment is sold at the end of the measurement period.
No chart available for this data.
Before Shares Sold
After Shares Sold
SALES CHARGE, EXPENSES & FEES As of 09/01/2020 (updated annually)
Gross Expense Ratio
Net Expense Ratio [further-information]
Net Expense Ratio represents the expense ratio applicable to investors.
Max Initial Sales Charge
CDSC
Volatility Measures [further-information]
The difference between a fund's actual returns versus its expected performance, given its level of market risk as measured by beta. A positive alpha indicates the fund performed better than its beta would predict while a negative alpha indicates the fund's under performance based on the expectations indicated by the fund's beta.
A measure of a fund's volatility in relation to the stock market, as measured by a stated index. By definition, the beta of the stated index is 1; a fund with a higher beta has been more volatile than the index, and a fund with a lower beta has been less volatile than the index.
The Sharpe ratio, developed by Nobel Prize winner William Sharpe, provides a measure of a fund's historical risk-adjusted performance. A higher number indicates better historical risk-adjusted performance.
The linear relationship between two return series. Correlation shows the strength of the relationship between two return series. The higher the relationship, the more similar the returns.
R-Squared
This number indicates what percentage of a fund's performance fluctuation can be explained by movements in the benchmark index. R-squared (correlation) ranges from 0 to 100. An R-squared of 100 would mean that the fund is tracking its benchmark exactly. A low R-squared indicates that very few of the fund's movements are explained by movements of its benchmark. R-squared can help determine the significance of the fund's beta. A higher R-squared generally indicates a more useful beta. Lower R-squared means the fund's beta is less relevant to its performance.
This figure provides a statistical measure of the range of a fund's returns. A high standard deviation indicates a wide range of returns and thus greater volatility.
As of 12/31/2020 Updated Monthly, based on a 3-year period
[further-information-text]
A benchmark is a comparable broad-based index that can be used to evaluate a fund's performance.
Performance data represents past performance, which does not guarantee future results. Current performance may differ from figures shown. Investment return and principal value will fluctuate with market conditions, and you may have a gain or loss when you sell your shares.
All investments involve risks, including possible loss of principal. Growth stock prices reflect projections of future earnings or revenues, and can, therefore, fall dramatically if the company fails to meet those projections. To the extent the fund focuses on particular countries, regions, industries, sectors or types of investment from time to time, it may be subject to greater risks of adverse developments in such areas of focus than a fund that invests in a wider variety of countries, regions, industries, sectors or investments. Smaller, mid-sized and relatively new or unseasoned companies can be particularly sensitive to changing economic conditions, and their prospects for growth are less certain than those of larger, more established companies. Historically, these securities have experienced more price volatility than larger company stocks, especially over the short-term. These and other risks are described more fully in the fund's prospectus.
Most Franklin Templeton funds offer multiple share classes. Share classes are subject to different fees and expenses, which will affect their performance. In general, Class A/A1 have a maximum initial sales charge; Class C/C1 shares have a 1% contingent deferred sales charge; Class Z, Advisor Class and Class R6 shares have no sales charges nor Rule 12b-1 fees; Class R shares have no sales charges, but do have a Rule 12b-1 fee.
Total Returns include change in share price, assume reinvestment of all distributions, and reflect the deduction of fund expenses and applicable fees. Total Returns With Sales Charge: returns reflect the deduction of the stated sales charge. Total returns, distribution rate, and yields reflect any applicable expense reductions, without which the results for those impacted funds would have been lower.
For more information on any of our funds, contact your financial professional or download a prospectus. Investors should carefully consider a fund's investment goals, risks, sales charges and expenses before investing. The prospectus contains this and other information. Please read the prospectus carefully before investing or sending money.
Source: FTSE. Important data provider notices and terms available at www.franklintempletondatasources.com.
A statistical measurement of the range of a fund's total returns. In general, a higher standard deviation means greater volatility. Based on the fund's monthly returns over the 3-year period ended as of the date of the calculation.
A statistical measurement of a fund's historical risk-adjusted performance. It is calculated by taking a fund's excess return over that of the three-month Treasury bill divided by its standard deviation. Higher values generally indicate better historical risk-adjusted performance. Based on the 3 years ended as of the date of the calculation.
The annualized percentage difference between a fund's actual returns and its expected performance given its level of market risk, as measured by beta. Based on the 3-year period ended as of the date of the calculation.
A measure of the fund's volatility relative to the market, as represented by the Russell 3000 Growth Index. A beta greater than 1.00 indicates volatility greater than the market. Based on the 3-year period ended as of the date of the calculation.
Percentage of the fund's returns explained by movements in the Russell 3000 Growth Index. 100 equals perfect correlation to the index. Based on the 3-year period ended as of the date of the calculation.
Public Offering Price — Purchase price for each share of the fund on a given day. It includes the maximum initial sales charge, if any.
Net Asset Value — The amount per share you would receive if you sold shares that day.
Source: Morningstar®. The style box reveals a fund's investment style. The vertical axis shows the market capitalization of the stocks owned and the horizontal axis shows investment style (value, blend, or growth). Placement is determined by fund portfolio holding figures most recently entered into Morningstar's database and corresponding market conditions. Shaded areas show the past 3 years of quarterly data. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Source: Morningstar®. For each mutual fund and exchange traded fund with at least a 3-year history, Morningstar calculates a Morningstar Rating based on how a fund ranks on a Morningstar Risk-Adjusted Return measure against other funds in the same category. This measure takes into account variations in a fund's monthly performance, and does not take into account the effects of sales charges and loads, placing more emphasis on downward variations and rewarding consistent performance. The top 10% of funds in each category receive 5 stars, the next 22.5% receive 4 stars, the next 35% receive 3 stars, the next 22.5% receive 2 stars and the bottom 10% receive 1 star. The weights are: 100% 3-year rating for 36-59 months of total returns, 60% 5-year rating/40% 3-year rating for 60-119 months of total returns, and 50% 10-year rating/30% 5-year rating/20% 3-year rating for 120 or more months of total returns. While the 10-year overall star rating formula seems to give the most weight to the 10-year period, the most recent 3-year period actually has the greatest impact because it is included in all three rating periods. Morningstar Rating is for the named share class only; other classes may have different performance characteristics. Past performance is not an indicator or a guarantee of future performance.
©2020 Morningstar, Inc. All rights reserved. The information contained herein: (1) is proprietary to Morningstar and/or its content providers; (2) may not be copied or distributed and (3) is not warranted to be accurate, complete or timely. Neither Morningstar nor its content providers are responsible for any damages or losses arising from any use of this information.
The hypothetical scenario does not take into account federal, state or municipal taxes. If taxes were taken into account, the hypothetical values shown would have been lower.
For net asset value (NAV) purchases, a 1% contingent deferred sales charge (CDSC) may apply to shares redeemed within 18 months.
Prior to 9/10/18, these shares were offered at a higher initial sales charge of 5.75%; thus actual returns would have differed. Total returns with sales charges have been restated to reflect the current maximum initial sales charge of 5.50%.
Indices are unmanaged and one cannot invest directly in them. Index returns do not reflect any fees, expenses or sales charges.
For performance reporting purposes, the inception date for Classes A/A1, R, R6, Z, and Advisor Class shares of all Franklin Templeton Funds is the date of effectiveness of the fund's registration statement or the first day the fund commenced operations. For Class C shares, generally the inception date is the first day the fund commenced offering such shares. Exceptions: Templeton Global Balanced Fund Classes A and C use the inception date of the old Class A and C shares, renamed Class A1 and Class C1. For Franklin Mutual Series Funds and Franklin International Small Cap Growth Fund, the inception date for Classes A, C, R and R6 shares is the funds' oldest class', Z or Advisor, inception date. Franklin U.S. Government Money Fund Class R6 inception date is the first day it commenced offering such shares.
After-tax average annual total returns represent the average change in value of an investment on an annualized basis. Returns are calculated using the highest individual federal income tax rates; state and local taxes are not considered. Your actual after-tax returns depend on your particular tax situation and may differ from those shown. The before shares sold calculation assumes taxes are paid on fund distributions (dividends and capital gains) but does not reflect taxes that may be incurred upon sale or exchange of shares. The after shares sold calculation also adjusts for taxes due if the fund investment is sold at the end of the measurement period.
Distributions are made to those who are registered shareholders of the fund on the record date. Distributions are paid on the pay date. Estimates can change prior to the record date depending on market conditions and number of shares outstanding. All dates and distributions are subject to board approval. Net investment income distribution estimates do not include short- or long-term capital gain distributions the funds may be making. The actual amounts of net investment income shareholders will receive will be reported, along with any short-term capital gain distributions, as Ordinary Dividends on Form 1099-DIV.
Copyright © 2021 Franklin Templeton. All Rights Reserved.
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News August 2015 Quindell Plc
Quindell Plc
The Financial Reporting Council (FRC) today announces the following matters in relation to Quindell Plc (the company):
The Conduct Committee of the Financial Reporting Council (the Committee) has been reviewing the annual reports and accounts of the company. This review was conducted in accordance with the Committee’s operating procedures for reviewing corporate reporting in order to secure compliance by companies with the financial reporting requirements of the Companies Act 2006 which includes IFRS. The findings of the Committee in relation to this review are set out below.
The FRC has also launched an investigation under the Accountancy Scheme into members and two member firms in relation to the preparation, approval and audit of the financial statements of the company for the period ended 31 December 2011 to the year ended 31 December 2013 and for the preparation and approval of the company’s interim results for the half year ended 30 June 2014.
Findings of the Committee
The Committee first wrote to the company on 20 March 2014 with regard to the 2012 report and accounts and extended the scope of its work on 30 September 2014 into certain aspects of the 2011 report and accounts.
The principal issues raised by the Committee were the timing and amount of revenue recognised for claims management and related services, the acquisition of Quindell Limited by Mission Capital plc and the accounting for certain acquisitions and related transactions with TMC (Southern) Limited (“TMC”).
The company has today published its annual report and accounts for the year ended 31 December 2014. These contain substantial restatements of prior year revenues, profits and net assets, including corrections and adjustments in response to the issues raised by the Committee. In this respect, note 3 to the company’s accounts explains that the company has:
revised its accounting policy for claims management revenue recognition and certain related costs reducing 2013 revenue by £109 million and profit after tax by £130 million.
corrected the accounting for the acquisition of Quindell Limited by Mission Capital to treat it as a reverse acquisition, reducing goodwill and net assets at 31 December 2012 and 2013 by £25 million.
corrected the accounting for certain transactions entered into with TMC in 2011, which would have reduced revenue and profit for that year by £4 million. This has had the effect of reducing net assets at 31 December 2012 and 2013 by £2 million.
The FRC notes that, in the light of market concerns and certain of the Committee’s questions, the company reviewed certain other aspects of its financial reporting for the periods prior to 31 December 2013 which resulted in additional adjustments that are also reflected in the annual report and accounts published today.
The effect of all the restatements has been to turn the 2013 profit after tax of £83 million to a loss of £68 million and reduce reported net assets from £668 million to £446 million at 31 December 2013.
The Committee notes that the directors and auditor have reported that it has not been possible, so far, for them to determine that all material errors and omissions arising from historic transactions have been identified. The directors have provided the Committee with an undertaking to keep it informed and make such corrections as may be necessary.
In light of the positive actions taken by the directors in correcting the identified errors, amending accounting policies and providing their undertakings, the Committee is closing its review of the 2011 and 2012 report and accounts.
Investigation under the Accountancy Scheme
We will report as appropriate in due course on the outcome of the investigation under the Accountancy Scheme referred to in the opening paragraph.
The FRC is responsible for promoting high quality corporate governance and reporting to foster investment. We set the UK Corporate Governance and Stewardship Codes as well as UK standards for accounting, auditing and actuarial work. We represent UK interests in international standard-setting. We also monitor and take action to promote the quality of corporate reporting and auditing. We operate independent disciplinary arrangements for accountants and actuaries; and oversee the regulatory activities of the accountancy and actuarial professional bodies.
The Conduct Committee is a body authorised under the Companies Act 2006 (the Act) to review and investigate the annual accounts, strategic and directors’ reports of public and large private companies to see whether they comply with the requirements of the Act, including applicable accounting standards. Following implementation of the Accounting Regulation (EC) No. 1606/2002, this may mean compliance with UK or International Financial Reporting Standards.
Where breaches of the Act are discovered the Conduct Committee seeks to take corrective action that is proportionate to the nature and effect of the defects, taking account of market and user needs. Where a company’s accounts, strategic or directors’ report are defective in a material respect the Conduct Committee will, wherever possible, try to secure their revision by voluntary means. If this approach fails, the Conduct Committee is empowered to make an application to the court under section 456 of the Act for an order for revision. To date no court applications have been made.
Paragraph 20 of IAS 18 ‘Revenue’ states that revenue arising from the rendering of services should be recognised when, among other things, the amount of revenue can be measured reliably, it is probable that economic benefits associated with the transaction will flow to the entity and the manner and terms of settlement have been agreed with the counterparty.
Paragraph 24 of IAS 18 states that the stage of completion of a transaction may be determined by a variety of methods and an entity uses the method that measures reliably the services performed. Using the proportion that costs incurred to date bear to the estimated total costs of the transaction is not always the most reliable method. Paragraph 26 states that when the outcome of the transaction cannot be estimated reliably, revenue shall be recognised only to the extent of the expenses recognised that are recoverable.
Paragraph 9 of IAS 18 requires that revenue should be recognised at the fair value of the consideration received or receivable. In some circumstances the fair value may be substantially different to the face amount. Where the receipt of consideration is dependent upon significant further actions by the entity which may take some time to resolve a willing buyer would likely demand a substantial discount before acquiring an individual receivable.
Paragraph 7 of IFRS 3 ‘Business Combinations’ requires that the guidance in IFRS 10 ‘Consolidated Financial Statements’ be used to identify the acquirer - the entity that obtains control of the acquiree. Paragraphs B13 to B18 of IFRS 3 contain guidance on determining which party is the acquirer. Paragraph B19 notes that a reverse acquisition occurs when the entity that issues securities (the legal acquirer) is identified as the acquiree for accounting purposes.
Paragraph 51 of IFRS 3 requires the acquirer to identify any amounts that are not part of what the acquirer and the acquiree (or its former owners) exchanged in the business combination, ie amounts that are not part of the exchange for the acquiree. The acquirer recognises, as part of applying the acquisition method, only the consideration transferred for the acquiree and the assets acquired and liabilities assumed in the exchange for the acquiree. Separate transactions are accounted for in accordance with the relevant IFRSs.
The Conduct Committee maintains a Financial Reporting Review Panel (FRRP). The Chairman is Geoffrey Green and the Deputy Chairs are Joanna Osborne and Ian Wright. There are currently 21 other members drawn from a broad spectrum of commerce and the professions. Individual cases may be dealt with by a specially constituted Review Group of the FRRP.
In relation to disciplinary matters, the FRC is the independent, investigative and disciplinary body for accountants and actuaries in the UK dealing with cases which raise important issues affecting the public interest. In brief, the stages of the disciplinary process are:
Decision to investigate;
Investigation;
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Does gender matter in international and community development? Find out in this free online course.
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This course is part of the program Gender and Development, which is one of the building blocks that leads to a degree in Sustainable Development and Humanitarian Action. Find out more.
Explore the relationship between gender and development
This online course explores why gender matters in contemporary international and community development, asking you to:
explore the challenges for achieving gender justice throughout the world
examine the concepts of gender, development and what brings gender and development together.
What topics will you cover?
What does gender have to do with international development?
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Explore the concept of Gender and how it is now considered an integral part of development.
Evaluate the concept of Development – what does it mean, what is its history, have we arrived yet?
Investigate ways in which gender and development can contribute to positive change.
Assess the complex circumstances in which gender and development work occurs.
This course is designed for those who have an interest in or are working in gender development or the humanitarian and community sectors.
Take your learning to the next stage
The course provides a free introduction to a Deakin University’s postgraduate degree in Development and Humanitarian Action which can be done entirely on FutureLearn.
Helen M Dalton
Dr Helen M Dalton believes in furthering intercultural thinking, assisting students connect theory to the real-world environment, and encouraging participatory and inclusive development.
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Dr Maree Pardy, is an anthropologist and lectures in Community and International Development. She researches and publishes in the areas of gender & cultural diversity, human rights and global change.
Deakin University is one of Australia’s largest universities with more than 61,000 students and over 15,000 online.
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Garcelle Beauvais reveals intimate details about friendship with Jamie Foxx
Beauvais did not hold back while revealing some personal information about her former co-star
Garcelle Beauvais kept it very real about a former co-star on The Real’s latest episode. The newly minted co-host divulged an intimate detail about her former costar Jamie Foxx.
Foxx and Beauvais were costars on The Jamie Foxx Show which ran for five seasons from 1996 – 2001 on the WB. The two played each other’s on-and-off-again love interests and it appears some of that chemistry made it off-screen.
Read More: Garcelle Beauvais to join ‘The Real’
On a recent episode of the show with co-hosts Loni Love, Adrienne Bailon, and Jeannie Mai, Love asked Beauvais about a hot topic recently discussed on her podcast, Going to Bed with Garcelle.
Jamie Foxx and Garcelle Beauvais in 2002. (Getty Images)
Love recalls when Foxx was a guest and admitted that he and Beauvais should have been together in real life. Beauvais told the other co-hosts on The Real: “We have a great friendship, I love him, but you know sometimes – if we got together we probably wouldn’t be the friends we are right now.”
But that’s not where it ends. Love wanted more details after Beauvais said Foxx was “hung like a horse.”
Read More: Garcelle Beauvais reveals a woman once thought she was biracial sons’ nanny
Beauvais said while they were doing the show that there were ample opportunities for Foxx’s man parts to make an appearance.
“We did 100 episodes right. Every now and then, he’d have to rip off a pair of pants, or do some comedic act or whatever, however you want to say it. And it came out honey, it rolled out,” she said. “I love him so much. Never say never, who knows?”
A stunned Mai and Bailon were visibly amused by the revelation.
Beauvais is also the newest cast member of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills and the first Black woman to play a main character on the show.
Watch the full segment of The Real below:
The post Garcelle Beauvais reveals intimate details about friendship with Jamie Foxx appeared first on TheGrio.
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Games Encyclopedia Top Games PC PS4 PS3 Xbox One Xbox 360 Switch Android iOS Rankings Images Companies
PC XSX XONE
CrossFire X
Continuation of one of the most popular chain shooters. This time the production offers not only multiplayer, but also a feature campaign created by Remedy Entertainment studio, known among others from Quantum Break and the first two parts of the Max Payne series.
Action | FPP | FPS | network | multiplayer | shooters | Battle Royale | Xbox exclusive titles
developer: Smilegate / Remedy Entertainment
publisher: Smilegate
Game mode: single / multiplayer
Multiplayer mode: Internet, players: max 16
game release date:
PC XONE XSX
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CrossFire X is the second installment in the FPS series started back in 2007. In comparison to the original, which is a multiplayer shooter, this time players get at their disposal a game with a single player campaign, which is the result of cooperation between Smilegate (known for the first CrossFire) and Remedy Studios, known for Quantum Break and the first two installments in the Max Payne series.
CrossFire X takes players to a world in which two paramilitary organisations are fighting for influence. On the one side of the barricade there is the Global Risk faction, which brings together in its ranks former special forces soldiers, so that it can undertake dangerous missions around the world. On the other hand, there are mercenaries representing the Black List, focusing on terrorist activity. In the course of the game, players must take sides in the conflict.
In CrossFire X the action is shown from the first person perspective (FPP). The game revolves around realistic battles. The creators provide players with an extensive arsenal, which consists of machine guns and sniper rifles, pistols, melee weapons, grenades, as well as a number of gadgets useful on the battlefield.
CrossFire X offers three variants of gameplay. The first one is a story campaign - the Remedy Studios team worked on it. The second is a competitive multiplayer mode, which is based on the formula developed for the first installment of the series. The third one is the battle royale mode, where the players fight a fierce battle over who will remain on the battlefield as the last one.
Technical aspects
CrossFire X features high-quality 3D visuals based on the Unreal Engine 4 technology.
Military FPS Crossfire X Will Debut Next Year
news 09 June 2019 23:54
Microsoft has announced that it will release Crossfire X - a successor to the FPS series from the Korean developer Smilegate, which is enjoying huge popularity in Asia - on Western markets. The title will debut next year, initially only on Xbox One.
Halo: Reach PC Launch Date, Bleeding Edge and Other XO19 Announcements
On this year's X019 we learned about the release date of Halo: Reach on PC and a new update for Sea of Thieves. In addition, Microsoft revealed the first gameplay from CrossFire X and revealed when Ninja Theory's multiplayer title Bleeding Edge will launch.
Remedy Showed the Trailer of Its Campaign for CrossFire X
news 23 July 2020 19:18
At the end of the Xbox Games Showcase the trailer for the campaign dedicated to the FPS CrossFire X was shown. Remedy Entertainment, the studio known from the Max Payne series and Alan Wake and Control, is working on this new mode.
Trending action games
Skul: The Hero Slayer
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Bushy Tail gameplay
Bushy Tail gameplay (0)
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The Smartest Approaches to Use Cari ...
The Smartest Approaches to Use Caribbean Girls at Home.
by William Ciavarella on 1 Settembre 2020 Commenti disabilitati su The Smartest Approaches to Use Caribbean Girls at Home.
In January 2018, 15 Nicaraguan gals joined MOST IMPORTANT GRID Options meant for our next annual Mujeres del Encanto (Girls in Photo voltaic) mission to install a solar-powered consuming water rising system within the rural number of San Isidro, Nicaragua. There is one important function – they wish to cook really fatty meals. The principle meals merchandise are rice, meat, beans, yuka. Rice is nearly a relentless side dish for all dishes, it seems that it is current in each dish. Therefore, if you are a great lover of rice, your Nicaraguan girlfriend will likely be prepared to prepare one thing extremely tasty with rice.
Nicaragua known as a multinational nation in Central America. Though most Nicaraguans nonetheless profess Catholicism, there are additionally now approximately two million evangelicals inside the country, belonging to dozens of different protestant denominations Silva, 2015. Regardless of nice progress in advancing the standing of girls women of nicaragua throughout the period beneath evaluation, she talked about discriminatory practices nonetheless existed which thwarted Nicaragua’s potential to carry out the gender fairness targets established by the country’s authorized, institutional and coverage framework.
Htun, Mala N. 1998. Girls’s Political Participation, Illustration and Management in Latin America. Issue Brief, Women’s Leadership Conference of the Americas. The Affiliation of Girls Builders of Condega (AMCC) is a civil non-revenue organization that works to advertise processes of financial, political and ideological empowerment and the complete train of citizenship of girls, youth and adult, North Nicaragua.
Nicaraguan Dating Services
In 1998, President Ortega himself was accused of sexual abuse by his stepdaughter. Nicaraguan courts dismissed her accusations, though the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights later declared the case to be legit. Whereas nicaraguan women for marriage at her request legal action went no additional, she lately introduced the issue again into the highlight, publically reaffirming her testimony.
Voces Vitales Nicaragua partnered with espresso exporter CISA Exportadora to launch Voces del Norte, a program that goals to foster ladies’ tutorial excellence, particular person leadership and continued engagement in the community. It’ll nicaraguan girl goal eighty youth from the northern Jinotega region over a interval of six months. Maclure Richard and Sotelo Melvin, Children’s rights as residual social coverage in Nicaragua: state priorities and the Code of Childhood and Adolescence”, Third World Quarterly, vol. 24, no four, 2003, p. 671-689.
The Latest On Major Factors Of Carribean Women
Group volunteers spent a week digging the 700-metre pipeline from the pump house to the water distribution tank, across fairly rough terrain. From the water distribution tank, water is pumped, through pipelines, to village properties and the village school via 35 faucet connections, remodeling their lives. One resident, Reina, who has three kids, used to fetch water 10 instances a day using a bucket which she carried on her head – a activity that took 4 hours. Getting access to clear water at home has made a huge distinction to her life, not least in freeing up her time.
Shahla Humbatova has worked as a protection lawyer in Azerbaijan since 2013, and is considered one of a handful of authorized advocates who have been constantly keen to defend people going through punishment for exercising their fundamental freedoms. She has bravely defended human rights defenders, journalists, bloggers, youth activists, members of the political opposition, and others. Her example has inspired other attorneys to better advocate for his or her purchasers in politically sensitive circumstances, and her braveness in representing LGBT purchasers in a conservative tradition has pushed civil society further down the trail to tolerance. She is one in all solely two feminine legal professionals to take these circumstances on in a troublesome environment by which human rights legal professionals have usually been harassed and threatened in social media, suspended from practicing legislation, and disbarred.
Cement-coated tank in Chamorro’s Peace Park (Parque de Paz) symbolizing the want of Nicaraguans that their nation “never again” be stricken by such violence. She doesn’t underestimate the task ahead. Femuprocan is campaigning for reforms to the legislation governing cooperatives, which it maintains is biased in the direction nicaraguan women seeking men of men. Additionally it is pushing the government to make good on its promise to supply credit score to girls to purchase their own smallholding.
Nicaraguan Ladies
In 1982, forty four p.c of Nicaraguan cooperatives had girls members. A characteristic characteristic of the 1980s was the rising variety of ladies becoming a member of cooperatives and grassroots social organizations. Part of the attraction was that, by https://hotlatinbrides.org/nicaraguan-women-brides/ cooperatives, girls were capable of achieve access to land for cultivation, profit from group credit and agricultural extension providers, and play an element in decision-making.
William CiavarellaThe Smartest Approaches to Use Caribbean Girls at Home. 09.01.2020
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Germany News Today
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Xinhua Silk Road: China’s Quanzhou rolls out multiple measures to optimize business environment
BEIJING, Aug. 27, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Quanzhou City, located in southeast China’s Fujian Province, has rolled out a series of…
BEIJING, Aug. 27, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Quanzhou City, located in southeast China’s Fujian Province, has rolled out a series of measures to optimize business environment.
Quanzhou has been committed to attracting investments. It strives to realize a great breakthrough in industrial investment attraction, with the expected investment amount on newly signed industrial chain projects exceeding 55 billion yuan.
Since the beginning of this year, Quanzhou has made all-out efforts to help enterprises relieve difficulties. The city has tried to improve the mechanism to find out enterprises’ needs, established a group of foreign-related lawyers to provide services for enterprises, helped them coordinate the difficulties in employment, meals, materials, financing, sales, tax and fee handling, and issued risk warnings. The reimbursement of unemployment insurance and job stabilization subsidies have been raised from 50 percent to 100 percent.
In the meantime, Quanzhou has tried to optimize the enterprise-related policy implementation mechanism to benefit enterprises. As of the end of July, the city has reduced or exempted a total of 2.045 billion yuan worth of social insurance premiums, provided 4.914 billion yuan of re-lending funding support for 817 enterprises, and reimbursed 276.03 million yuan of unemployment insurance and job stabilization subsidies, which has benefited 2,814 enterprises.
Moreover, Quanzhou strives to improve government services by streamlining administrative approval process in a bid to achieve the goal of «one submission, parallel processing, time-limited settlement and unified delivery.»
The municipal administration service center in Quanzhou has set up special offices for «market access, investment and construction, convenience services, and social and people’s livelihood» to provide «one-stop» services for enterprises and the general public.
Quanzhou has built a new model of «Internet + government services.» The city has tried to optimize online administrative approval system and launched more than 200 self-service machines to provide 24-hour government services for the public.
See the original link: https://en.imsilkroad.com/p/315749.html
View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/xinhua-silk-road-chinas-quanzhou-rolls-out-multiple-measures-to-optimize-business-environment-301120208.html
SOURCE Xinhua Silk Road Information Service
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Giant Freakin Robot > Culture
Armie Hammer Accused Of Cannibalism
By Doug Norrie | 1 week ago
Armie Hammer has his name in some headlines, though it’s unlikely this falls under the “any publicity is good publicity” category. The actor is at the center of a crazy Twitter story right now in which some of his private DMs (direct messages) are reportedly making their rounds and the messages are disturbing. Namely, in some of them, the actor apparently is claiming to be, among other things, a cannibal.
The tweets in question are apparently screen grabs from an account labeled “Armie Hammer” with the blue checkmark and everything. Of course, there’s no confirmation that they are real and screenshots can, of course, be easily doctored and faked. This could be much ado about nothing and we are still a long way off from knowing if Armie Hammer has gone full Hannibal Lecter. But if true, the messages are at best disturbing and at worst they are really, really painfully disturbing. They involve eating people, drinking blood, and a variety of other things that are tough to even type out. Check out one of the tweets:
Multiple victims of Armie Hammer came out saying he used his fame to manipulate em to have sex, calling em "kitties" and drink their BLOOD, now WHAT IN HANNIBAL LECTER??? pic.twitter.com/LWxgZdXC4t
— tevin 💀🔪 (@tevinauguste) January 10, 2021
What lends at least a little bit of credence to the idea that Armie Hammer could be engaged in some weird stuff in his DMs is his past Twitter record isn’t exactly helping him. Back in 2017, he was “caught” liking a bunch of rope bondage tweets that were of the BDSM variety and showed people being tied up Shibari-style. Because Twitter likes are available for anyone to see on the app, it appeared very much like Hammer was into this kind of thing. And the dude does have the body on his mind as well. Check out this Tweet:
I pulled a muscle in my back this morning and went to have physiotherapy on it and it hit me…. the human body is crazy. When you hurt your body, sometimes the best medicine is to just have another human being rub their human body against your human body.
— Armie Hammer (@armiehammer) January 5, 2021
Again, liking to get massaged and enjoying seeing people tied up is a far cry from wanting to sit down at your table with a glass of Chianti and some fava beans. Cannibalism, or even the idea of it, is a much, much darker turn than just liking a bunch of random stuff on Twitter. But these supposed DMs were shared from a number of different accounts of people who claim Hammer engaged them on the topic.
Armie Hammer’s star began to rise when he played both of the Winklevoss twins in the David Fincher Facebook biopic The Social Network. And he followed that up with a star turn in the remake of The Lone Ranger and a KGB role in The Man From U.N.C.L.E.
But from a big-budget standpoint, the actor’s career has slowed down a bit in recent years. He’s still taking a lot of roles, but they aren’t of the same scope as those earlier films. The star might not be on quite the same rise even if fans have wanted to see him enter bigger franchises like X-Men.
Next up for Armie Hammer is in Crisis alongside Gary Oldman and Evangeline Lily, a movie about the opioid epidemic. And then he’ll star in the Kenneth Branaugh film Death on the Nile. So the roles are still coming for the actor. What we’ll have to wait on is if he’s actually partaking in human flesh, because if so, I’d say the career would likely take a turn for the worst.
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RADIO September 05, 2019
KAMALA HARRIS WANTS INCENTIVE TO EAT LESS MEAT: Government should encourage less cheeseburgers!
During the CNN town hall on climate change, Kamala Harris said the government should provide incentives for Americans to eat less red meat...because, you know, cheeseburgers are bad for the environment.
Why Eric Weinstein Is Finally Talking to Glenn Beck | Ep 93
A pre-Inauguration Day plea: You wield MUCH more power than you know
Dan Bongino details behind-the-scenes 'SMEAR' against Parler
YOU will be RESPONSIBLE for loss of rights if you riot
A new poster is circulating social media, calling for a record-breaking armed protest to take place across America on Inauguration Day. Here's Glenn's advice for those considering attendance: DON'T GO. No matter who is responsible for the poster or for any possible future chaos that may take place, the far left and the media WILL blame Trump supporters regardless of the facts. And because of that, if you attend and partake in rioting, you WILL be responsible for the loss of our rights that will come as a result. Don't go. But, listen to this clip to find out what Glenn thinks you SHOULD do on Inauguration Day instead…
Parler exec speaks out against ‘unfair’ Big Tech throttle
Big Tech isn't making it easy for organizations outside of the left's coalition to survive. Amy Peikoff is the Chief Policy Officer for Parler — the social media platform now throttled by Amazon, Apple, and Google. She joins Glenn to discuss the recent moves made against Parler and how the company is fighting to move forward: "We're doing everything we can to save civil discourse on the Internet. I promise: We're on it."
Can Frustrated Conservatives Learn from the Tea Party? | Matt Kibbe | Ep 92
The nation was shocked as the "Save America" rally in Washington, D.C., devolved into a siege of the U.S. Capitol. The day after, as heads were still spinning, Glenn sits down with Matt Kibbe, host of BlazeTV's "Kibbe on Liberty," to look at what led to this: Woke authoritarianism is in power, lockdowns are unending, and the Left has finally found out how to weaponize fear. The media is all too happy to watch the country burn, as long as the Left is holding the torch. But Glenn and Matt remember the lessons learned from the Tea Party, Martin Luther King Jr., and other movements that found success through peace. Conservatives and libertarians must find a path forward so we have more 9-12 marches, fewer stormings of the Capitol, and real change from those who believe they rule over us.
Here's how the left used COVID-19 to DESTROY us & our kids
COVID 19 was used to not only destroy businesses, morale, and education but to destroy us and our kids, too. The left is in control of nearly everything now, and they've used that power to make us feel alone. Glenn says he believes a miracle could happen to turn this great nation back towards the principles on which it was founded — BUT, we must turn back towards God first. Life DOES have meaning and tomorrow WILL be better.
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> news > general news > emissions > Cautious welcome for emissions discussion paper
News - General News - Emissions
Cautious welcome for emissions discussion paper
No smoke without ire: The federal government acknowledges that Australia lags the developed world on vehicle emissions, but industry bodies advise caution on how it goes about catching up.
Thorough consultation needed for smooth vehicle emissions transition: AAA, FCAI
THE Australian Automobile Association (AAA) and Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) have cautiously welcomed this week’s release of the federal government’s Vehicle Emissions Discussion Paper, respectively urging thorough consultation and consideration of Australia’s unique market conditions.
Representing Australia’s eight motoring clubs, the AAA reiterated its call for the government to ensure “transport cost and equity to remain central considerations” in its quest for emissions reductions and to work closely with stakeholders to make sure they are “achieved in a fair and cost effective manner”.
Weighing in from a new-car importing and manufacturing perspective, the FCAI highlighted the need for a solution that takes into account Australia’s “market, consumers and driving needs”, and the commitment of the industry it represents to help establish a CO2 emissions target “that takes into account the realities of the Australian market and will produce real fuel consumption savings to Australians”.
Federal environment minister Greg Hunt described the discussion paper as examining “options for improving standards for air pollutants and fuel efficiency (CO2) standards, ways to better educate and inform consumers, alternative fuels and electric vehicles, the use of incentives and bolstering emissions testing arrangements”.
The discussion paper warns that a failure to improve vehicle fuel-efficiency – and therefore emissions – in Australia will increase the cost of living for consumers and harm the competitiveness of local businesses on the world market through higher transport costs.
AAA chief executive Michael Bradley said the government must be careful that its attempts to reduce emissions do not end up having the same effect, pointing out the risk of “unintended consequences that may impact fuel prices, reduce the choice of vehicles available to consumers, restrict travel options or slow down the overall renewal and modernising of Australia’s car fleet”.
However, both Mr Bradley and FCAI chief executive Tony Weber acknowledged the level of detail included in the discussion paper, which Mr Bradley said made clear that “a great deal of consultation will be required on behalf of the Government to arrive at fair and effective policy settings”.
Mr Weber said he was “pleased the Government has recognised in its discussion paper the need to consider all of these factors before a target can be determined”.
Following the success of programs in the United States and European Union, the discussion paper makes a strong case for Australia to introduce some kind of CO2 emissions standards and provides a comparison of Australia’s current and projected light passenger and commercial-vehicle CO2 emissions against other markets, which it says “demonstrates that Australia is projected to fall behind the EU and the US”.
Referring to the flow-on effect of vehicles imported to Australia from countries that have adopted emissions standards, the paper predicts that emissions “will continue to improve under a business as usual scenario”, but that Australian emissions have not fallen “at the rates in other countries where mandatory standards and other measures are in place”.
It concludes that “a key factor in this is that both the US and the EU have introduced fuel efficiency (CO2) standards”.
The discussion paper also points out that compared with the US, EU and Japan, Australia’s standards regulating noxious emissions (such as particulates and oxides of nitrogen) “are less stringent than those in comparable countries”, threatening air quality and public health against a backdrop of Australia’s ageing and increasingly urbanised population.
Mindful of this, Mr Weber referred to a recent presentation to the government by industry research firm IHS Automotive, which demonstrated that Australia “needs its own solution for emissions reductions”.
“When looking at the facts, they state that no ‘cookie cutter’ approach can work. Australia is not Europe or the United States, and has its own unique market, consumers and driving needs.”
Left: FCAI chief executive Tony Weber (top) and AAA chief executive Michael Bradley. In its Greenhouse and Vehicle Emissions Policy Principles, the AAA also agrees that “the adoption of any foreign or international emissions standards must take into consideration the Australian new vehicle fleet and how and why it differs from those found in other markets”.
The discussion paper takes these points this into account, for example citing recent findings by the National Transport Commission (NTC) that “Australian consumers had a much stronger preference than their UK counterparts for larger, more powerful vehicles, and for vehicles with automatic transmissions”.
“When considering Australia’s reduction of CO2 in the light vehicle fleet it is worth noting that broadly, consumer preferences within the Australian market are currently more closely aligned with the US market than EU markets,” the paper points out.
Another proposal in the discussion paper is that following the local manufacturing exit at the end of 2017, government fleet purchasing policy is based on individual vehicle and fleet average emissions targets. Supporting the purchase of electric and alternative-fuel vehicles by government fleets is also mooted, although cost and infrastructure barriers are cited in the discussion paper.
More broadly, changes to Luxury Car Tax breaks could be extended to vehicles meeting certain CO2 or noxious emissions criteria. Changes to the fuel tax credit for heavy vehicle operators are also on the table, including incentives for the adoption of newer, more efficient models.
It is also ominously noted that high fuel prices in Europe have helped drive the uptake of efficient vehicles.
State and territory registration fees and stamp duty charges could also change based on the Australian Capital Territory model that bases the level of stamp duty on CO2 output, or the Queensland version where electric and hybrid vehicles have the lowest stamp duty rate and those with seven or more cylinders pay top whack.
While Australia will only adopt Euro 5 noxious emissions standards for light vehicles from November 1 this year, Euro 6 for light vehicles became mandatory in Europe from September 2014 and the discussion paper says equivalent standards are also currently in force in the US and Japan.
Australia is also behind on heavy vehicle emissions, with Euro V (roman numerals are used for standards applying to models with a gross vehicle mass greater than 3.5 tonnes) introduced in Australia on models produced from January 1 2011, even though it is superseded by Euro VI, which was adopted in Europe at the end of 2012, while the discussion paper says equivalent standards came into effect in the US and Japan in 2010.
At this point the debate over Australian fuel quality rears its head, with a clash between the World Wide Fuel Charter 2013 that says petrol containing a maximum of 10 parts per million (ppm) of sulphur is needed to meet the durability requirements of the Euro 6 noxious emissions standards, and Australian refineries, which question whether 10 ppm is really necessary and suggest the costs of producing lower sulphur fuel may affect the viability of their local operations.
As a result, Australia’s adoption of Euro 6 could be informed by the ongoing review of the Fuel Quality Standards Act.
Mr Weber was pleased the discussion paper “recognised the inter-relationship of fuels, pollutant emissions and CO2 emissions”, and highlighted the importance of considering “a range of policy matters, including fuel quality, infrastructure and incentives for the take up of low-emissions vehicles, and driver behaviour”.
The discussion paper highlights the Volkswagen Group emissions-testing defeat device scandal and Australia’s engagement with international regulators to explore the options for introducing a global standard for real-world emissions testing, potentially based on the European Union’s recently agreed Real Driving Emissions test.
“As a new and more robust test procedure for measuring light vehicle efficiency and emissions is expected to be adopted in EU and UN vehicle regulations in the next few years, the Australian Government will consider the merits of adopting this new test cycle to inform the current fuel consumption labelling standard,” says the paper.
It also suggests the potential for developing a real-world adjustment factor for CO2 emissions, as used in the US.
The AAA wants to take the testing regime further, calling for “independent testing of vehicle emissions under real world driving conditions (that) must be undertaken using Australian vehicles on Australian roads”.
Subsidies for electric vehicles as seen overseas are likely to get short shrift in Australia, with the discussion paper citing a recent report by research firm Energia that found the cost of subsidies “outweighed benefits such as economic and employment growth and air quality improvements”.
The emissions intensity of generating electricity in Australia is also cited as a barrier, although the discussion paper concedes that pollution from power stations will fall over time due to initiatives such as the Renewable Energy Target and improvements in the cost competitiveness of renewables.
It is a similar case for hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles, due to the energy required to produce large quantities of hydrogen. However potential factors contributing to a case for government support of electric and hydrogen vehicles include “improved fuel security and improved utilisation of electricity generation and network assets”.
But the FCAI would like to see more government input to infrastructure and incentives designed to accelerate the uptake of alternative-fuel vehicles in Australia.
“To effectively introduce a range of low-emissions vehicles, it is important the industry and governments work together to provide the appropriate infrastructure. In countries such as Japan, government-led consumer incentives and infrastructure investment played significant roles in the uptake of vehicles with these technologies,” he said.
In the absence of CO2 emissions standards, the only current methods of reducing fuel consumption and related CO2 emissions in Australia – apart from Luxury Car Tax breaks – are consumer education initiatives such as the mandatory fuel consumption labels on new light vehicles and the Green Vehicle Guide website.
As a result, market-led improvements to fuel-efficiency, such as customer preference and the availability of imported vehicles from countries that do have CO2 reduction standards, are currently the major drivers of lowering the carbon footprint of Australia’s vehicle fleet.
7th of January 2016
More pressure on government to tackle emissions
FCAI will continue discussions with government in 2016 for support of green car tech
7th of December 2015
AAA wants real-world emissions testing
Peak body will run on-road tests to see whether more manufacturers are cheating
2nd of November 2015
Government set to review vehicle emissions
Federal government may consider tighter standards than Euro 6: Hunt
7th of May 2015
New FCAI president calls for federal action on key issues
Federal policy clarity needed for car sector on CO2, intelligent transport: Buttner
24th of April 2015
Market Insight: The great green car dilemma
Gulf between greenest cars, top sellers widens with new tech vs traditional values
Market Insight: New-car emissions down but rate slows
Tailpipe emissions in Australia fall, but 2.3 per cent drop the slowest since 2009
All Emissions articles
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Gold Coast businesses urged to nominate
Written on the 16 April 2014 by Marshall Hall
The organisers Gold Coast’s most important business awards are now calling for entries for the 2014 honours.
Ian Cousins, the president of the Gold Coast Business Excellence Awards, said the committee behind the awards were proud to be celebrating their 19th year of operation and was urging new businesses to get involved.
“Our winners represent the cream of the crop when it comes to businesses in the tourism capital of Australia,’’ said Mr Cousins.
“The quality of our winners are world class and we are always looking to find more businesses to honour.
“Our previous winners have included the likes of international boat builder Riviera, international earth moving manufacturer Digga, fast growing coffee franchisor Zaraffa’s, and international marina builder Superior.”
The awards are divided into 10 categories and there is a category for every type of business, regardless of their size or stage of development.
Six monthly awards ceremonies are held through May and October, with the annual awards winners including the prestigious Business of the Year award being announced at a black tie gala evening in November.
Entries for the May awards are due on May 1.
Mr Cousins said the awards, which were now considered the Gold Coast’s most comprehensive and prestigious business honours, were growing from strength to strength.
“It really is amazing when you look back at how much these awards have grown and you also look at the amazing companies that have been winners.
“These awards really highlight how strong and diverse our business community is on the Gold Coast.”
Mr Cousins urged more businesses to get involved in the 2014 awards.
Sponsors include City of Gold Coast, Suncorp Bank, Virgin Australia, AusIndustry, OntheNet, Griffith University, Regional Development Australia Gold Coast and Gold Coast Airport.
And our major supporters are SMART Advertising, Document Solutions Australia, Bloomtools, Consulting Hall, Jupiter’s Gold Coast, Regina King Photography, Bruce Lynton BMW, Bond University & KPMG.
The awards’ media sponsors include the Gold Coast Bulletin, NBN Television, 92.5 Gold FM & 90.9 Sea FM.
Danielle Hall or Marshall Hall - Event Directors
Author: Marshall Hall
About: Marshall Hall is the managing director of Gold Coast public relations, events management and human resources management company Consulting Hall.
Connect via: Twitter LinkedIn
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Work at Goodwill
Goodwill Stores
Daily Discounts
Halloween Bootique
Join Our Email Loyalty Program!
Think Before You Donate
Job Search Services
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5 Things About Goodwill of Southwestern Pennsylvania
Think Before You Donate - Get the Facts about Online Rumors
Do you need help? Click here to contact Goodwill’s Welcome Center.
During the giving season, negative rumors resurface in the form of a nearly ten-year-old email that includes a variation of a message like this: “Think about these before you donate. As you open your pockets to do a good thing and make yourself feel good, please keep these facts in mind…”
The message then quotes erroneous information and salary figures for several nonprofit organizations’ chief executives, including a reference to a so-called “Goodwill CEO and Owner Mark Curran, who profits $2.3 million a year.”
This information is not true.
Steven C. Preston is the CEO of Goodwill Industries International. Michael Smith is the President/CEO of Goodwill of Southwestern Pennsylvania.
Goodwill® has a more than 110 year-plus track record in providing services that meet critical human needs in local communities in the U.S., Canada, and 13 other countries. Goodwill SWPA has been serving people since 1919.
Nationally and locally, Goodwill is a leading social services enterprise, and consistently ranks among top charities that make your donations go further. Last year, Goodwill SWPA served more than 10,000 people.
Because Goodwill is widely known and respected as a network of nonprofits that fund job training and employment services through the sales of donated items in Goodwill stores, we sometimes stand in the line of fire from individuals and organizations who are misinformed and/or misrepresent us to the public.
Across the country, Goodwills spend about 82 cents of every dollar on programs and services for people in need. Goodwill SWPA is proud to report that this number is 90 cents of every dollar. This is a very healthy number in the nonprofit world, and a solid indicator of our commitment to good stewardship of your donations.
Goodwill definitely encourages you to “think before you donate” — the one legitimate message that this otherwise spurious email contains — and to research and learn more about the charities you’d like to support. Be certain the organization you choose uses its revenue for charitable purposes that support a mission you can get behind.
This email message has been debunked on Snopes.com. Click here to read the report.
Financial information is available in our Annual Reports, which can be found on our website.
Please review Goodwill’s financial information on GuideStar, an online nonprofit database that has certified us with the GuideStar Exchange Seal for our commitment to transparency.
No News.
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412.481.9005TTY: 412.632.1438
Goodwill of Southwestern Pennsylvania is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Program. Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities. For more information, call 412-632-1809 or e-mail accommodations.request@goodwillswpa.org.
We help people improve their quality of life through work and related services.
Goodwill of Southwestern Pennsylvania © Copyright 2021 | Goodwill of Southwestern Pennsylvania is a registered 501(c)(3) and our EIN number is 25-1098928.
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Trump rips Barack Obama’s ‘con job’ after ‘trying to take credit’ for strong economy
Washington Times | Feb 19, 2020 | News | 0
(AP Photo/Steve Helber, File)
President Trump ripped former President Barack Obama for pulling a “con job” after he touted his own involvement in the current economic boom.
On Presidents’ Day, Mr. Obama tweeted, “Eleven years ago today, near the bottom of the worst recession in generations, I signed the Recovery Act, paving the way for more than a decade of economic growth and the longest streak of job creation in American history.”
Mr. Trump responded Monday evening by accusing his predecessor of “trying to take credit” for his economic achievements.
“Did you hear the latest con job?” the president tweeted. “President Obama is now trying to take credit for the Economic Boom taking place under the Trump Administration. He had the WEAKEST recovery since the Great Depression, despite Zero Fed Rate & MASSIVE quantitative easing.
“NOW, best jobs numbers ever,” he continued. “Had to rebuild our military, which was totally depleted. Fed Rate UP, taxes and regulations WAY DOWN. If Dems won in 2016, the USA would be in big economic (Depression?) & military trouble right now. THE BEST IS YET TO COME. KEEP AMERICA GREAT!”
The Trump campaign also issued a statement criticizing Mr. Obama’s tweet, saying Mr. Trump “reversed the floundering Obama/Biden economy” following “the worst economic recovery in modern history.”
“By contrast, though, deregulating, lowering taxes, and supporting free-market policies, President Trump has created the hottest economy on record, with unemployment hitting generational lows and all-time lows for African Americans, Hispanics, the disabled, veterans and many other hard-working Americans,” Trump campaign national press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said, Fox News reported.
“Paychecks are growing at the fastest pace in a decade and twice as fast for low- and middle-income Americans,” she continued. “It’s no wonder Democrats seek to take credit for the Trump economy after eight years of betraying blue-collar workers and inflicting pain upon the middle class as Americans everywhere suffered. But the failed days of Democrat stagnation are over, and the soaring Trump economy is here to stay.”
© Copyright (c) 2020 News World Communications, Inc.
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6:37 am May 15, 2020
Court, COVID, race are topics for first Trump-Biden debate
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Makgato admits to her impending cabinet chop
The feisty Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) Women’s Wing president, Dorcas Makgato has made a sullen admission of her awareness that she will be dropped from her post as a cabinet minister once Vice President Mokgweetsi Masisi attains full executive powers.
Makgato is the Minister of Health and Wellness.
This publication has seen a WhatsApp message exchange between Makgato and an opposition colleague where she appeared to have resigned herself to her dreary fate in the looming new dispensation.
The opposition politician who was once a BDP functionary and a leader in its structures before decamping to one of the opposition parties still maintains exceptionally close contact with former colleagues in different positions in the BDP.
Makgato, while speaking for herself in the WhatsApp exchange also mentioned that herself “and others” whom she did not name will be dropped from their cabinet posts post come April 1st.
Informed sources who spoke to this publication have stated that, like any other new president, Masisi is looking to consolidate his power and support base by reconfiguring the cabinet through positioning his loyalists to key posts.
They further noted that Masisi will also be seeking to mark a clear departure from the previous administration and to shake off widely held perceptions that he will be a mere Khama stooge.
Makgato, who is also Member of Parliament for Sefhare-Ramokgonami constituency, is said to have been roving in BDP circles that were against the leadership of Vice President Masisi towards the crucial Tonota congress.
She was believed to have been sympathetic to the alternative Nonofho Molefhi and Botsalo Ntuane nexus of power.
But now, since Masisi’s convincing evisceration of all opposition in the party at the elective congress last July, the fiery and brash minister who hasn’t lost any contest to Masisi stands out like a sore thumb with a huge bull’s eye on her person.
The same opposition politician also claimed that the fallout between Masisi and Makgato resulted from the latter pursuing a motion to topple Masisi from the heights of power in the party.
“She was pushing a motion sponsored by (President Ian) Khama to slap Masisi with a motion of no confidence. After Masisi agreed with Khama’s terms and conditions for when he assumes the presidency, he asked her (Makgato) to drop it, but Masisi was already aware of his true enemies,” the source stated.
“But she is very strong in the party and Masisi should play his ball wisely,” highlighted a source.
However, this publication has not managed to get the terms and conditions referred to by the source by press time.
Besides Makgato, the Global Post has been made to understand that Masisi has already bandied about four names that will either be ejected from ministerial portfolios and or demoted to lower ministries.
It is said Masisi is contemplating dropping Sadique Kebonang from the Ministry of Mineral Resources, Green Technology and Energy Security.
The number one reason is said to be Kebonang’s failure to show explicit loyalty to Masisi who was instrumental in his ascension to the ministerial post.
Rather, it is said he continued to maintain a perplexing loyalty to Khama.
Other ministers whom it has been claimed are living on borrowed time include Alfred Madigele, Biggie Butale, and Thapelo Olopeng whom claims have been made he will be shipped off to “a smaller ministry.”
Olopeng’s assistant in the Ministry of Youth Empowerment, Sport and Culture Development Kefentse Mzwinila is tipped to succeed him.
When contacted for comment Makgato told this reporter that the “real Makgato” has left her phone behind.
She then professed ignorance on the allegations before blasting off: “It’s a Sunday, ga ke a theogela.”
She continued to state: “You don’t have news, so you want to make me your story. Go and talk to those who gave you the story and finish it there. If you write anything besides what I said, ga rena go utlwana.”
For his part, Butale noted that as far as he was concerned, Masisi valued his contribution and that he will be surprised if he is dropped from his cabinet portfolio.
Apart from the cabinet ministers this publication has been made to understand that MP for Nata-Gweta Polson Majaga, MP for Francistown East Billy Buti, Francistown West legislator Ignatius Moswaane and the party chief whip Letlhakeng-Lephepe legislator Liakat Kablay are not in Masisi’s plans.
BDP MP accuses minister of ‘habitual lying’
Chandrakant Chauhan Joins Botswana Life As The New Board Chairman 0
Parents accuse teachers of dereliction
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Erato suite
Kalipso suite
Afroditi suite
Nefeli suite
Location of Villas
Samos island
Samos monasteries
Combine your summer holidays in Samos with a visit at the most famous and majestic monasteries of the island!
Samos hosts many significant monasteries that are scattered around the island. Today, they constitute an attraction for many visitors and tourists. Most of the monasteries were built during the 16th century. Indicatively, we present the most important of them.
Zoodochos Pigi Monastery
The Monastery of Zoodochos Pigi is built in the 17th century on the top of a hill, located on the west of the Vlamari area and offers a beautiful view of the Aegean Sea. The richly decorated and gilded wood-carved iconostasis dominates inside the church.
Agia Zoni Monastery
The Monastery of Agia Zoni was built in 1695 in the Vlamari area about 3 km away from Samos town. Inside the temple, visitors can admire 17th-century frescoes as well as the temple’s special wood-carved iconostasis.
Megali Panagia Monastery
The historic monastery of Megali Panagia was built in 1586 near Koumaradei village and is dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. Inside the temple, visitors can find rare frescoes from the 16th century, the imposing throne and the iconostasis, as well as gilded wood carvings.
Panagia Vrontiani Monastery
The Monastery of Panagia Vrontiani is located about 2 km away from Vourliotes village. It was built in 1566 and is the oldest monastery in Samos Island. It is decorated with many beautiful frescoes, while its gilded wood-carved iconostasis is also significant.
The Holy Cross Monastery
The monastery of the Holy Cross was built in 1592 near the Mavratzei village and is a spiritual attraction for the island of Samos. The inside of the temple is decorated with an ornate gilded wood-carved iconostasis. In the monastery are kept remarkable relics, the most important of whom is the asterisk containing Holy Wood.
Panagia Spiliani Monastery
Panagia Spiliani is a very picturesque Monastery, built inside a cave about 1 km away from Pythagorion village. Visitors can worship, inside the church, the miraculous icon of the Virgin Mary.
Prophet Elias Monastery
The Monastery of Prophet Elias was built in 1625 a few kilometers away from Karlovasi town. Inside the church there are remarkable religious icons of the 18th century.
Get to know Samos island better during your vacation, through its religious history!
OUR SUITES
Samos airport
Ship timetables
Samos weather
Visit Greece
Malagari region, 83100
Samos, Greece
info@grandviewvillas.com
Copyright © 2020 Grand View Villas Samos | MHTE: 0311Κ91000262801 | Privacy Policy | Powered by
We wish this message to find you all safe and healthy, in terms of the unprecedented situation we all experience.
We would like to point out some features for our Hotel Complex "GRAND VIEW VILLAS" which make it a safe and protected place to spend your holidays.
1) Our hotel accommodation consists of two autonomous villas (buildings), each of which consists of two independent luxury suites of 75 m².
2) Each suite has an independent private entrance as well as a private walkway leading from the parking lot to the entrance of each suite.
3) There is no reception or any other place where many people gather so that the risk of transmitting diseases is too low.
4) In addition, the cleaning staff of our hotel complex complies with all the prescribed measures announced by the government.
We wish everyone a good rest of the season, opening our doors from 01/07/2020 and soon overcoming the problem with COVID-19.
For any information or clarification do not hesitate to contact us. All contact forms are available on our official website www.grandviewvillas.com.
Panagiotis Mitsou
for Grand View Villas
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2019 MLS Preseason Evaluations
Artwork + GIFs + other moving images
2012-20 MLS Salary Cap, Roster Info
Really??? Columbus Crew Fans, You're Angry???
vidda grubin
By: Vidda Grubin
Really??? Columbus Crew Fans, You’re Angry???
In 1996 (Truthfully 1994) Lamar Hunt brought Major League Soccer to Columbus, Ohio. Interestingly, very few Columbus soccer fans said, “Why?”
That simple question, “Why?” why did Lamar Hunt choose Columbus, is the magnifying lens screaming down at the once sleepy, moderately sized town with 1000X power. The minutiae in the petri dish known as Columbus, C-Bus, The Heart of Ohio, Funky C (okay, I made that one up), under the awesome strength of the “Why?” lens, becomes ants the size of the Leveque Tower, dust particles bigger than Nationwide Insurance headquarters and Les Wexner taller than, well, Les Wexner.
That minutiae consists of many things, perhaps most importantly, Columbus’ role as the capital of Ohio, a few Fortune 500 companies, tOhio State University, the popularity of soccer in Ohio, the cost of living and doing business in Columbus and the former lack of major professional sports franchises in Columbus. Those and other bits of Columbus in the early 90’s peaked Lamar Hunt’s interest when he was searching the United States of America for a few towns to call home to his multiple Major League Soccer franchises. And each of those tiny bits, magnified 1000X, tells the story of “Why?”
The simple (and it is quite simple) story of “Why?” is a tragic comedy, whose ending is sardonic laughter beginning deep within the bowels of Columbus business elites, tOSU and Major League Soccer’s billionaire owners. For years the laughter rumbled and bubbled inside their intestines’, gurgled and burned upward through their esophagus’ and then exploded like so much Saturday night beer and tacos over the entirety of Columbus Crew loving fandom on October 17, 2017.
Like most stories in tUSA, this one begins with a bunch of men giving away land to which they perceived themselves entitled. Columbus and tOSU became places on a map. Much agriculture, buggy and beer making later and presto! 1996 Columbus, Ohio.
Lamar Hunt peered in on Columbus and saw steady growth, few valleys and mountains on the economic graph representing the “Bus” and a safe place to hide an asset until it matured and flourished or needed to be picked-up and ceremoniously moved to the next stop on the modern version of yesterday’s carnivals, American Professional Sports.
Some of the minutiae in Funky C wanted to stay minutiae. tOSU said “You can use our stadium, for a hefty fee, but don’t be loud and obnoxious, know your place and, mostly, pretend we don’t exist. Deal?” Lamar smiled and signed on the dotted line. He had plans, plans that could yield some ripe fruit or be dug-up in the future and transplanted elsewhere.
Business and money in Columbus was skeptical. Soccer?
Though unsure, some were willing to step under the magnifying glass, it was, although soccer, professional sports. Never underestimate the ego. The ego wants what the ego wants. But business and money in Columbus was only willing to take on a tiny fraction of ownership of the fledgling soccer franchise and league. There would be no real “takers” amongst the native Columbus money elites.
For those who started and put millions into the business, the first sixteen years of the carnival known as Major League Soccer was a battle of epic proportions. Failed franchises and an almost failed league later, Lamar Hunt and others enlisted the millions of soccer fans in tUSA and survived the war triumphant. Alas, Lamar would not see his league thrive, having passed away December 14, 2006. RIP, sir, you were a visionary among the timid.
When Lamar Hunt’s sons decided to sell the Columbus franchise in 2013, the only taker at a reasonable price was Anthony Precourt’s, Precourt Sports Ventures LLC of California. The selling price, reportedly, 68 million dollars, stadium included. That magnifying glass was all powerful in 2013.
Why in the world were there no local business and money elites willing to buy the Crew franchise? The league was finally on relatively solid footing. Columbus was in the midst of a boom likely to continue for years to come, and a professional soccer franchise catering to the tens of thousands of local soccer fans and the tens of thousands of possible transplant soccer fans in the 25-45 demographic seemed to be a no-brainer.
The simple answer, Columbus is still the Columbus of fifty years ago. Quiet houses, dinners out, maybe a show and The Ohio State University and its athletics. The powers that be in Columbus, the money and political elites never gave a damn about soccer or the Columbus Crew. It was easy keeping the whole black and gold thing at arms-length, no risk and young people be damned. In the minds of those who own Columbus, this thought: “Eventually, all those kids will do exactly what I do, go to dinner, talk about tOSU, and mow their lawns on Sunday. We don’t need soccer.”
So, Really??? Columbus Crew Fans, You’re Angry???
A business, that is solely in the business of making money, with franchises just like McDonalds, decided to move a franchise to a different location, while the local people with money and power never in 20+ years showed any interest in the franchise.
And you are surprised and upset. Really???
Written By vidda grubin on Thursday, October 19, 2017
I am extremely delighted to land on this article as I have found exactly what I was searching for. Your smart analysis and accuracy in mentioning the various points correctly has enticed me. Thanks for sharing such an informational article with us.
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Last Updated: Oct 24, 2014 05:35PM • Subscribe via RSS • ATOM
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HILLIARD CIVIC ASSOCIATION
Old Hilliardfest
Announcement: OHF2020 Cancellation
Sept. 8 Old Hilliardfest could be the last on Hilliard streets
By KEVIN CORVO Friday September 7, 2012 7:46 PM Download a PDF version of this article.
The 27th annual Old Hilliardfest Art and Street Fair on Sept. 8 in Hilliard could be the last.
The city of Hilliard on Sept. 5 informed organizers it will no longer issue a permit for the closure of roads necessary for the event.
In a letter to John Peters, the chairman of Old Hilliardfest, Hilliard Law Director Pam Fox wrote: “Because of the issues that the administration has encountered this year and in years past with the closure of Main Street, the city’s primary north-south roadway, from early morning to late evening, the decision has been made to require that Old Hilliardfest be moved from the street beginning next year.”
Fox told Peters that the permit for this year’s event was issued “despite the failure of Hilliardfest organizers to obtain consent from all the property owners affected by the street closures, in accordance with the (police department’s) rules; however, at this late date, the city of Hilliard administration has no intention of interrupting this year’s event.”
The letter advises organizers that planning for next year’s event “will have to include an off-street location.”
“There are many successful events that take place around central Ohio that do not involve street closures and we are confident that you will locate a convenient site,” Fox wrote. “The city recognizes the history of the Old Hilliardfest and wishes the success of the event to continue. However … the safety and welfare of the residents and visitors to the city governs our decision to keep (Main Street) open.”
Ed Daniel, an organizer of the event for most of its history, informed other organizers of the event late Sept. 6.
Jamie Hevener, co-manager of Old Hilliardfest, said Sept. 7 she was not sure if the event will be staged next year.
“Right now, we don't know if there will ever be an Old Hilliardfest again, which was a signature event (and was a) responsible component for making our city win Best Hometown of Ohio,” said Hevener, adding that organizers hope that its history and public support for the event might cause the city administration to reconsider.
Hilliard Police Chief Doug Francis first mentioned the issue Aug. 27 at a City Council committee meeting.
He said the city could encounter problems related to a resident who had not agreed to the closure of the Main Street. He said the city was working on providing alternate access for the resident.
The Hilliard Civic Association showcases the best and brightest that Hilliard has to offer.
Mail: PO Box 435, Hilliard, Ohio 43026
info@hilliardcivicassociation.org
Receive Regular Updates
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The Honors College values our students, alumni and community.
See below for some recent Honors spotlights. Check back often for updates on the Honors College and what our staff, students and alumni are up to!
Judge Thomas Kleeh
Judge Kleeh joined the Honors Program at West Virginia University in 1992 and graduated with a bachelor of science in business administration with an emphasis in accounting in 1996.
Kleeh discussed influential classes and people he encountered throughout his time with the Honors Program that continue to shape his life to this day.
Read more about Judge Kleeh here.
Thaiddeus “Ted” Dillie
Thaiddeus “Ted” Dillie, a class of 2020 West Virginia University and Honors College graduate with a bachelor of science in biochemistry, a major which is a collaboration between the Davis and Eberly Colleges.
Ted, a Weirton, West Virginia native, was exposed to strong WVU pride throughout his childhood, so his decision to attend college here was not a difficult choice. However, as a first-generation college student, navigating the waters at such a big university was an adjustment for Ted.
Ted said his experiences with the Honors College and within his major allowed him to have a rich and unique experience at WVU, one he hopes to continue in his future.
Read more about Ted Dillie here.
Honors Friends
Honors Through the Years
Dr. Bill Collins, former director of the Honors Program, spent time with us reminiscing on the beginning of the Honors Program and its evolution into the Honors College today.
Read more about Dr. Collins here.
© 2021 West Virginia University. WVU is an EEO/Affirmative Action employer — Minority/Female/Disability/Veteran. Last updated on August 14, 2020.
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Horror DNA TV
With a Voice that is Often Still Confused But is Becoming Ever Louder and Clearer
By: Jennifer Turner
In: Books
"With a Voice that is Often Still Confused But is Becoming Ever Louder and Clearer" Book Review
Written by Jennifer Turner
Written by J.R. Hamantaschen
2015, 208 pages, Fiction
Released on September 9th, 2015
Every once in a while you'll find a book that transports you and makes you forget about the outside world. If you should ever find such a treasure, for the love of God don't read it on the bus. On two separate occasions this collection of macabre short stories made me zone out and miss my stop. And those missed stops were totally worth it.
I normally don't like short story collections, but J.R. Hamantaschen's With a Voice that is Often Still Confused But is Becoming Ever Louder and Clearer is awesome. Eclectic, poignant, thought provoking and sometimes cringe inducing, it's kind of like my life sans the unfortunate wardrobe choices.
"Vernichtungsschmerz" is the opening story, and it deals with death and the decisions we make on how to face it. "VernI'mnottypingthislongasswordagain" was a little slow to get into, but soon shifted gears to where I was actually disappointed that it ended so quickly. Very visual, hence the word cringe-worthy. This is not a unicorn and fluffy kitten writer; readers, expect to have your head messed with.
Next up is "A Related Corollary", a brief but honest view on people who are depressed but hang on for their friend's and family's sake. I wasn't particularly wowed by it. Perhaps because I struggle with depression it is more like reading a diary of my everyday life. I do recommend this people not prone to depression, it might help them understand what life is like for the rest of us
"The Gulf of Responsibility" centers on a social worker whose investigation of his client leads him into a horrific underworld. Like "Vernseriouslyfuckthisword", it's slow to get into but then sucks you in. I like the protagonist Alex, he's quite realistic and a fun if flawed character to read. It ends on a vague note, making me wish there was more to the story. Lucky me I got my wish
When a law student's personal records are sent out to the entire school, an African American student ponders how this will affect his relationship with a racist colleague in the piece "Big with the Past, Pregnant with the Future". This story is actually thought provoking and has a good view on racism. In fact, I had almost forgotten this was a horror story until a brilliant little twist at the end.
A popular Goodreads reviewer finds her life in danger when she wins a book from a sadistic writer in "Soon Enough This Will Essentially Be A True Story". I love this story. In fact, this one has to be one of my favorites. It's witty, J.R. actually writes teenagers very well; something a lot of adult writers cannot. The ending murder spree reminds me of good old '80s slashers before they turned into self-aware '90s parodies of themselves. I have to say I'm glad I like this collection because I'm kind of terrified of what would've happened had I not.
In "I'm A Good Person, I Mean Well and I Deserve Better", a couple's date night turns into a fight for their lives when a monster attacks. I like this one almost as much as "Soon Enough This Will Essentially Be A True Story". The awkward pre-monster portion made me chuckle. It reminds me of a few not-so-fond memories of my online dating days. Ever notice in some horror or action films, two completely opposite characters wind up together and then skip off into a happy ever after? I hate that, we're supposed to just accept these two different lives just melding together perfectly with no problems. "Good Person" deconstructs these fairy tale endings with a harsh but entertaining sense of realism.
"Cthulu, Zombies, Ninjas and Robots: or a Special Snowflake in an Endless Scorching Universe" follows a guy named Malcolm as he attends a very reviled Lovecraft/Cthulu convention. My least favorite of the collection, it kind of meanders and it's hard to follow. Perhaps if I had actually read Lovecraft I might appreciate the story more. Yes, I am a self-proclaimed horror junkie who has never read Lovecraft, COME AT ME BRO!
"Oh Abel, Oh Absalom" follows a man named Vernon who gets out of prison only to find himself still being punished for his crimes by a mysterious group. Another favorite of mine with some great character development, and it also ties in with "Gulf of Responsibility". Vernon is an asshole character, but an asshole surrounded by murderers, which makes it easy to kind of root for him. It brings back our protagonist from "Gulf", Alex, and fills in the gaps from the previous story making it more understandable.
Wrapping up the collection is "It's Not Feelings of Anxiety; It's One, Constant Feeling: Anxiety", where an average Joe fears failure as tries to deal with the responsibility of marriage and a new baby. It feels very realistic even though I'm female, unmarried, and never having children, I can empathize with that all-too-familiar fear of messing up. Like "Big with the Past", you are lulled into forgetting that you're reading horror until the inevitable oh by the way MONSTER! endings that I love so much.
In conclusion, J.R. Hamantaschen is just too awesome to pass up. How can you not love a guy who posts reviews for his book by a pug, and pointedly dedicates this book to no one. Horror fans need to read this collection. Just try not to read it on a bus.
Author: Jennifer Turner
Jennifer's love of horror began when she was five and her father let her watch A Nightmare on Elm Street. She is an avid bookworm and part time misanthrope who sometimes wonders if an apocalypse wouldn't be all that bad.
The Perfectly Fine House
Slaves to Gravity
The Prisoners of Stewartville
The Passengers You Cannot See
Burn the Dark: Malus Domestica #1
J.R. Hamantaschen
OBEY - CONSUME
All content ©HorrorDNA 2002-Present
Horror Features
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Part of MultiCultural/HPMG News. ©2021 Verizon Media. All rights reserved.
Robert J. Spitzer, Contributor
Distinguished Service Professor of Political Science, SUNY Cortland; author of 15 books
Campuses Just Say 'No' to Guns
02/27/2011 07:43 pm ET Updated May 25, 2011
In the upside-down world of gun politics, momentum to allow civilian gun carrying on college campuses has accelerated in recent months. Only Utah has allowed the practice so far, but the effort is now proceeding in a dozen states, led by Texas and, ironically, Arizona. So let's recap why campus gun carrying is a fatally defective notion that's disconnected from reality.
The nation has been justly horrified at mass shootings in recent years on campuses including Virginia Tech and Northern Illinois, but campuses are nevertheless among the safest places in the country. While gun rights advocates argue that gun-free zones are "shooting galleries" and "magnets for killers," the facts demonstrate the opposite. Campus crime rates, including violent crime, are remarkably low, and declining. In fact, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, violent campus crime dropped 9 percent from 1994-2004. In the last six years, campuses have averaged one homicide for every million students. By far the most frequent campus crime is alcohol and drug use, not interpersonal violence.
Second, campuses have been anything but passive in their efforts to improve safety. Universities nationwide have beefed up security measures, including added personnel, improved lighting and patrolling practices, installation of notification systems and cameras, and implementation of campus lock-down plans. Notably, campus police officials (including the International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators) and administrators have uniformly opposed civilian gun carrying, partly because they understand the hazard of well-intentioned, armed amateurs who might too easily misjudge a potentially confrontational situation. Even though campus police are well trained in rapid campus response, seconds count, gun carry advocates say, if a violent crime is occurring. Sure, but trading seconds for safety is a poor bargain that underscores the decisive importance of professional training and judgment. A study of line-of-duty firearms discharges by New York City police over eleven years found that officers hit their targets about a third of the time. How could armed civilian faculty and students expect to even approach that statistic in a real-life violent incident?
Third, most students are young adults subject to periods of intense stress and impulsive behavior in an environment of dense living arrangements where alcohol and other drugs are often available. In this environment, the mere presence of guns escalates risks of gun suicides, thefts, and accidents. Guns are the easiest and most reliable suicide method, a fact underscored by the dismaying reality that gun suicides annually outpace gun homicides. According to the National College Health Assessment, 9 to 11 percent of college students contemplated suicide during the previous year. And for anyone who's ever lived or worked on a campus, it's no secret that personal property easily gets legs.
Fourth, repeated claims by groups like Students for Concealed Carry on Campus that they have a constitutional right to carry guns should impel them to take remedial classes in constitutional law. The Supreme Court's Second Amendment rulings in 2008 and 2010 expressly recognized the legality of existing laws restricting gun carrying at educational institutions, among other places.
Finally, college campuses are places of learning, not the Hobbesian world suggested by gun carry advocates. No good argument can be made that gun-carrying civilians would improve either the campus environment or objective safety. As is all too typical for the gun debate, gun enthusiasts focus only on guns, to the exclusion of the totality of factors that make for safer campuses. Either way, they've got it wrong.
Spitzer is the author of Gun Control: A Documentary and Reference Guide
College Guns Concealed Weapons Gun Control Campus Crime
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Schlafen im Weinfass (Sleeping in Wine Barrels)
Schlafen im Weinfass (quite literally meaning sleeping in a wine barrel) features one of the most unusual get-away’s I’ve seen. Overlooking the verdant Black Forest, Schlafen im Weinfass has several giant wine barrels that have been converted into cosy rooms.
There are a total of five ‘squares’ on a farm in Sasbachen village, a small community renowned for its wine-making and wood processing. Each square contains two of the giant wine barrels, allowing the novelty retreat to accommodate at least four people at a single location.
The rooms come with their own little rocky garden, flowers, a bench and a bathroom (accessed at the rear of the barrels). The barrels are also heated, keeping the cold at bay during the winter months. Each barrel is named after the type of wine that it was originally used to store, and have been fully restored and adopted for use as a habitable space.
The barrels have a double bed, which can be separated into two single beds if required. A single night stay, for two people with a breakfast and a basket of cheese, sausage and wine, will set you back only 155 Euros.
Via Inhabitat
Tags: converted giant wine barrel, Germany, Sasbachen village, Schlafen im Weinfass, unusual retreat, verdant Black Forest
Prefab Housing in Thailand
The Crib - A Versatile Tiny Space
J Louis says:
Really neat, just would not want to have these near the edge of a downward rolling mountain unless this wine barrel house has power breaks in it’s design.
Small Houses Nestled Among a Bavarian Forest
Niall Burke May 20, 2014
Treehouse Solling – A Modern Retreat Set Among The Forest
House Unimog Combines Simplicity and Structure
A Tiny House For One – The Diogene Cabin
PODhouse’s Arched Micro-Cabins
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Find a Dealer Norway
Motocross 2021
Hit the perfect line
Take the guesswork out of finding the perfect Suspension setup, or fine tune the Engine mapping exactly the way you like it.
myHusqvarna app
Victory doesn't just happen by chance
It is a sport of absolutes, requiring exceptional courage, phenomenal fitness, razor-sharp skills, meticulous preparation and unwavering determination – facts that cannot be escaped once the gate drops. The key to a long, enjoyable and successful personal motocross career is taking a wider view and knowing what must be done for continued success. Our range rewards riders who are prepared to look ahead and progress beyond their limitations. Always crafting their skills, refining their technique and preparing wisely, with smart attention to detail. In this sport, one can never stop learning, because when you stop progressing, you might as well stop riding.
Redefining Motocross
Progression starts here
Set your sights on new horizons
Lightweight agility
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Masterstroke
The Early Days of Moto
In the 1950s, Husqvarna’s ultra lightweight and compact ‘Silverpilen’ street model was the first choice for riders wanting to build offroad-capable self-modified bikes
The first official European Motocross Championship was held in 1952, with the first World Championship running in 1957
Husqvarna’s first motocross championship titles came in 1959 (Rolf Tibblin’s European 250 cc title) and 1960 (Bill Nilsson’s 500 cc world title)
In both 1962 and 1963 Husqvarna swept the 250 cc and 500 cc world titles in a single season with Rolf Tibblin and Torsten Hallman
The first production motocross competition models arrived in 1963 with a production run of 100 replicas of Hallman’s championship bike
Thanks to cross-Atlantic exploits to introduce the sport to the USA by riders like Torsten Hallman, the sport exploded in popularity in the late ‘60s and ‘70s
By 1979 Husqvarna Motorcycles had clinched 13 motocross world titles, 9 Baja 1000 wins and multiple victories in the US nationals and legendary Trans-AMA series
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Ottinger Puts on a Show at Texas
April 17th, 2013 by JaimeB
Nick Ottinger was in dominant form at Texas Motor Speedway.
Nick Ottinger dominated Round Four of the NASCAR iRacing.com Series World Championship from start to finish at Texas Motor Speedway Tuesday night, cruising to a comfortable victory over two time champion Ray Alfalla. Ottinger, who started from the pole, led 128 of 167 laps and was only passed for position once on the track as the race went caution-free. Ottinger’s victory makes it four different winners thus far in the 2013 NiSWC season.
“Feels great to break through and get a win! Starting up front helped, however, we knew the car was stout and had a blast going caution-free,” said Ottinger after picking up his third career NiSWC win.
Ottinger beat Alfalla to the checkers by 3.4 seconds, with Marcus Lindsey finishing third, six seconds behind. Teammates Chad Laughton and Dustin Montgomery rounded-out the top five finishers.
“We knew the car was stout and had a blast going caution-free.”– Nick Ottinger
Despite not getting the victory, runner-up Alfalla was pleased with his result, “That was awesome. It was nice to see the whole race go green, as it makes it quite interesting seeing what people’s cars do and how pit strategy plays out.”
Alfalla was the only driver who could keep up with Ottinger’s blistering pace, but even he fell short in the end. At the start, Alfalla looked to move up from his seventh place starting position and found it slow going as most of the field was running laps within a tenth of a second of each other. With passing being extremely difficult, Alfalla tried to use pit strategy to his advantage.
Instead of pitting with Ottinger, Alfalla stayed out on the track for three extra laps before making his stop. This put him behind initially as other drivers had two or three laps on fresher tires, but Alfalla’s slightly newer tires started to pay off as he sliced back through the field.
As the race approached the halfway point, Alfalla was in pursuit of Ottinger and slowly started to reel him in thanks to his slightly fresher tires. Finally on Lap 80, Alfalla took the lead from Ottinger and it looked as if the tide had turned. There was, however, still one more pit stop left in the race.
Alfalla grabbed the lead at mid-race, but a slow final pit stop nixed his chances of challenging for the win.
Ottinger once again pitted three laps before Alfalla, giving him a chance to overtake the defending champ with fresh tires. When Alfalla hit pit road for the final time, his crew let him down with a slow stop, dropping him far behind Ottinger with no chance to catch him without the help of a caution flag. Alfalla clawed his way back to second, but could not reel-in the leader.
“Unfortunately my final pit stop was slow, and I lost a ton of time,” explained Alfalla. “I managed to get back to second, but Nick was four seconds ahead. I just rode the rest of the way.”
While good finishes helped Alfalla and Ottinger gain in the points standings, Tyler Hudson still leads the way after another solid run. The points leader finished seventh at Texas and holds a slim six point lead over Lindsey. Despite finishing 20th last night, Brian Schoenburg now sits third in points, 25 points back. Peter Bennett is another two points behind in fourth while Jason Karlavige rounds-out the top five after four online races.
For Week Five, the NiSWC heads to Richmond International Raceway for the second short track race of the season. Richmond has been one of the most unpredictable tracks on the schedule in recent years and usually has its fair share of carnage. Qualifying will be of upmost importance as drivers will try to position themselves to be in front of the trouble.
Sheehan charged from to 13th to P6 and could be a factor at Richmond.
Steve Sheehan was the winner at RIR last year and has looked strong in recent weeks, but he will have his work cut out for him if he hopes to repeat under the lights. Ottinger and Hudson were also stout last year and are off to a great start in 2013, so look for them to be the favorites. As always when it comes to Richmond, expect the unexpected. Remember that last year’s Pro Series race went caution free; something no one thought was possible.
With such a competitive and close start to the season, this might be the week someone makes a big step toward taking control of the championship. Be sure to tune into iRacingLive and MRN to catch all the action from Week Five of the NiSWC from Richmond!
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Teen awaken two days after Baraga County accident that killed two others
GARRETT NEESE
For The Daily News
gneese@mininggazette.com
HUNTER PELON
L’ANSE — A Baraga teen who family members said was not expected to survive after an automobile accident Monday that claimed two of her friends has awakened at a Green Bay, Wis., hospital.
Hunter Pelon, 17, was talking and remembered people after regaining consciousness Wednesday, her mother, Amber Pelon, said in a message Thursday night. She called the sudden turnaround a “miracle.”
Hunter Pelon had been airlifted to Green Bay after she was found unconscious in a running vehicle in L’Anse Township on Monday afternoon, along with 17-year-olds Christopher Turpeinen of Pelkie and Dylan Roberts of L’Anse. The other two teens had died.
Some of Hunter Pelon’s classmates had traveled to Green Bay for what they thought were their goodbyes, her mother said.
“From going from me having to make decisions to her talking to me the next day is just crazy,” Amber Pelon said. “I’m so glad to have her here. She is such a strong, beautiful girl.”
While the cause of the other two teens’ deaths still is being investigated, the Baraga County Sheriff’s Office stated in a news release that asphyxiation was suspected.
All three teens were students at L’Anse Area Public Schools, which has brought in a number of resources this week to help students and staff process the news. Hunter’s recovery was welcomed by students and staff at L’Anse Public Schools during a week of high emotions, Superintendent Susan Tollefson said.
“Obviously there’s an extreme sadness for the classmates that they’ve lost,” she said. “And just amazement with the positive news of Hunter being awake. I think that was unexpected for them.”
Pelon has four other siblings in the district, ranging from kindergarten to seventh grade.
“It’s a small school,” Tollefson said. “Everybody knows these kids and their siblings. We’re happy for the positive news and hope her recovery continues in a positive direction.”
Four to five counselors and social workers from the Copper Country Intermediate School District came to the school Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, Tollefson said. Since the CCISD is closed tomorrow, two counselors from the Marquette-Alger ISD will fill in.
HOPE Animal-Assisted Crisis Response has brought crisis dogs to the school, which Tollefson said have gotten an “amazing” response.
A Michigan State Police chaplain trained in crisis intervention was to visit Friday, Monday and Tuesday as well. Dollar Bay-Tamarack City Area Schools also sent a counselor Friday. Dial Help may offer assistance next week, Tollefson said.
“It’s going to be a very difficult week,” Tollefson said. “We appreciate the support from other community agencies, and schools that are sending their social workers to help us cope with this tragedy.”
Three rooms are set up where students can talk to counselors, separated by age group. Mental health professionals recommend establishing a routine and opportunities to return to a normal structure. So students are going to their regular classes, but may be excused to leave for counseling as necessary, Tollefson said.
“We’re trying to provide counseling support – large group, small group, or try to stay in the classroom if that’s what they’re comfortable with,” she said.
The district is also trying to intervene with those closest to the three students, Tollefson said.
Tollefson thanked the staff for their work supporting each other and the students this week.
“Just being together and working together, it shows the strength of the staff, the way they pull together in a crisis,” she said.
Some students have also found some solace in action. A group planned a memorial at Tuesday’s basketball game, including testimonials from two students, a moment of silence, and empty seats to mark the three students.
Instead of admission, the school set up a voluntary donation at the door. It raised $4,500, split equally between the three families. The referees also donated their checks back, Tollefson said.
Afterward, students requested an interfaith prayer at Sacred Heart Church.
Students also made large banners with the three students’ faces on them, and hosted an impromptu bake sale to raise funds.
“Students like to feel like they’re doing something in a time of crisis to try to make it better,” Tollefson said.
Pelon’s GoFundMe page had raised almost $12,000 as of Friday morning. The family continues to need money for medical expenses; Pelon’s mother is also staying with her in Green Bay, the GoFundMe page said. To donate, go to https://www.gofundme.com/f/1wj46remk0.
A GoFundMe page has also been established for the family of Chris Turpeinen. That has raised more than $2,566 of a $10,000 as of Friday morning. To donate, go to gofundme.com/f/help-support-the-family-of-chris-chris-turpeinen.
IM to move forward on ‘green’ burials
IRON MOUNTAIN — Natural or “green” burials may be permitted in a portion of Iron Mountain Cemetery Park later ...
Dickinson reports 11 new virus cases; Iron has five
Pandemic interrupts longtime wolf, moose study on UP’s Isle Royale
IM teen accused of sexual assault
On the ice at Cowboy Lake
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Suu Kyi’s Flair Already Causing Rifts
Burma’s Frontier Appeal Lures Shadowy Oil Firms
The Slippery Slope that is Sanctions
US Looking to Forge Military Ties with Burma
Burma Business Roundup (Saturday, June 2)
Burma Govt Wants Investment Focus Away from Natural Resources
Suu Kyi Meets Refugees
Suu Kyi Arrives in Mae Sot
Suu Kyi Shines, But Party's PR Machine Stumbles
Govt Closes Jade Mines to Squeeze KIO
Boomtown Ruili Faces Backlash
Suu Kyi Too Busy for Facebook
Forced Labor Deemed Rife Despite ILO Report
Suu Kyi Urges 'Healthy Skepticism' at Forum
Alleged Rape, Murder Sparks Arakan Unrest
GE Sees Opportunity in Burma's Energy Needs
Hundreds Ordered off Army Land
Surveys Show Chinese Manufacturing Slowing
Suu Kyi Says Burma Reforms Depend on Army
India's Economic Growth Slides to Nine-year Low
Suu Kyi Presses for Migrants' Rights in Thailand
Filipino Extremists Stage More Attacks
Govt and KIA to Hold Informal Talks
Striking Workers Left in the Dark
Parallel Battles for Burma and Asean’s Human Rights Commission
Burmese Refugees Conduct Repatriation Workshop
Mixed Feelings for Suu Kyi’s Mae La Visit
Suu Kyi Steals Show at WEF in Bangkok
Three in Hospital but Hunger Strikers Claim Victory
Shan Leader to Receive Award from US Congress
Burma Reforms Need World Support: Parliamentary Body
Thai Army Wants Burmese Refugees to Return
Australia Hopes for Visit from Aung San Suu Kyi
Prospect of Thaksin Return Heats up Thai Politics
Groups Say Tibetan Woman Sets Self on Fire
Studies Show Land Rights Key to Saving Forests
Indonesia Has to Stand By Asean
Forget Gaga—Indonesia Wild for Own Raunchy Shows
A Happy Day, and a Grim Anniversary
Norway Says IDPs Will Not be Forced Home
Performance Artists in Mandalay Face Charges
Migrant Workers Speak of Suu Kyi Joy
Suu Kyi Woos Thousands in Mahachai
Torture Common during Thein Sein’s Govt: Report
Suu Kyi Arrives in Thailand for Four-day Visit
Burma Signs Deal to Set Up Exchange with Japanese Help
Thailand's PTTEP to Sign Contract with Burma
Thai Webmaster Sentenced in Free Speech Case
China Rolls Out Mini-stimulus to Fight Slump
By Kyaw Zwa Moe 5 June 2012
What is the vital factor that is necessary for successful reform in Burma? “National commitment,” says Aung San Suu Kyi.
“Our success will depend on how irreversible the reform process is—on national commitment,” the Burmese democracy icon told the World Economic Forum (WEF) on Friday. “There has to be commitment on the part of all of those who wish to improve the state of our country.”
Of course, this refers to the Burmese armed forces, which still plays a key role despite a nominally civilian government taking office over a year ago. Suu Kyi said that the potential for backtracking “depends on how committed the military is to the reform process.”
The country clearly requires national reconciliation after decades of authoritarian military rule, mismanagement and ethnic conflict. This is one of Suu Kyi’s goals, but it is made exceedingly complicated due to Burma’s disparate tapestry of ethnic minorities.
Yet the 66-year-old added, “It is national commitment that will bring us both national reconciliation and improvements in our material conditions.”
Does this mean that the main opposition leader still harbors doubts regarding not only the military but also President Thein Sein’s apparently reformist government?
While Suu Kyi maintains that she has faith in the sincerity of the general-turned-president, she nevertheless told a WEF press conference, “I can’t read their hearts and minds. We all have to make sure that they keep their word.”
Thein Sein, who is widely hailed as a soft-spoken reformist, has embarked on a program of broad democratization since assuming office last March. And he promised to go further during his recent speech to mark the one year anniversary of taking power.
But the question remains how far the president wishes to go with reform. And does this match what his government desires on the one side, and Suu Kyi and her supporters crave on the other?
Suu Kyi warned that the president is not alone in the government. So even if Thein Sein is genuinely determined to carry out reform, many believe that certain ministers and high ranking officials remain resistant to this process.
But the president might even be part of the problem. Some believe he does not have the willingness to work hand-in-hand with Suu Kyi towards further reform.
Thein Sein himself planned to attend the WEF but canceled his trip at the last minute—prompting observers to postulate that his absence was due to the presence of Suu Kyi in the forum.
Of course, Thein Sein would not want to be overshadowed by his once prisoner. He could even feel intimidated to share the same panel as the Nobel Laureate. As expected, Suu Kyi outshone every world leader and prominent economist at the event.
And yet again Thein Sein has called off a visit to Thailand. While we can put the first cancelation down to competing with Suu Kyi, the reason behind the second—a trip scheduled on June 4-5—is less clear.
Thein Sein himself probably did not like what Suu Kyi did in Thailand. She visited Burmese migrant workers in the port town of Mahachai, just south of Bangkok, on Wednesday to listen to their heartfelt stories.
And she returned there on Thursday to talk with Thai Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yubamrung regarding the rights of the more than two million Burmese living in Thailand. Suu Kyi was warmly welcomed and Chalerm promised to help improve the conditions her compatriots.
No high ranking Burmese official has ever come out to talk about rights of migrants who are commonly exploited and abused in Thailand. Yet during her short visit Suu Kyi tried to get such an assurance from the highest level and quickly became a hero among downtrodden migrants.
On Saturday, Suu Kyi went to Mae La refugee camp, the biggest of nine such facilities along the Thai-Burmese border, which houses more than 40,000 refugees. She was then scheduled to meet ethnic leaders and other dissidents in Mae Sot.
But the Burmese government reportedly complained to the Thai authorities about the trip. Dissident sources in the area say that Burmese diplomats in Bangkok also complained to the Thai Foreign Ministry about Suu Kyi’s trip and her arranged meeting with rebel groups by the frontier.
It becomes increasingly clear that Thein Sein, and his administration generally, is not happy about Suu Kyi’s performance on the road. On Friday, the official website of the President’s Office said that Thein Sein’s scheduled visit to Thailand next week was postponed, but did not provide any explanation.
One high-ranking Thai government official quoted by the Bangkok-based The Nation newspaper attributed Thein Sein’s no-show to his administration’s “dissatisfaction” regarding Suu Kyi’s trip.
Prominent figures based around Mae Sot who expected to meet Suu Kyi were clearly perturbed by the snub, with an arranged plan for refugees to greet her at a football field in Mae La also canceled.
Thein Sein’s government does not like Suu Kyi getting involved in solving ethnic conflicts. The opposition MP previously offered to play a role in ceasefire negotiations but did not even receive a response from the president.
Just like Burma’s former regimes, it appears that even Thein Sein does not want direct dialogue between Suu Kyi and ethnic leaders. Or perhaps it is a specific sector for both the cabinet and the military which wants Suu Kyi disengaged from the peace process.
Yet many think that Suu Kyi should be the top candidate for dealing with ethnic leaders, including armed groups, as she commands near-universal respect. So why does the government not let channel her efforts in that direction?
This appears to be the issue of “national commitment” that Suu Kyi raised at the WEF. If Thein Sein has a genuine desire for further reform, there is no reason he should feel irritated, intimidated, overshadowed or dissatisfied with Suu Kyi’s performance.
Kyaw Zwa Moe The Irrawaddy Kyaw Zwa Moe is the Editor of the English edition of The Irrawaddy.
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Zombie fitness app a runaway success for UK business
Topic Selected: Fitness
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Zombies, Run!, the brainchild of London-based games company Six to Start and writer Naomi Alderman, is the first ever fitness game with a story, and is becoming a huge hit with joggers from Italy to Australia. The game, downloaded as an app and played on iPhone or iPod, puts the player in the centre of a zombie apocalypse. Through their headphones, the player can hear zombies chasing them – and receives instructions to run in the real world to escape from them.
The app has already being called a breakthrough innovation in fitness and gaming, putting the player at the heart of the story. The player is called ‘Runner Five’, who comes from a tiny base which is the last remnant of humanity after the zombie apocalypse. Every time the player goes out running in the real world, they collect virtual ‘supplies’ such as batteries, water and canned food, for their community.
The player has to run frequently to keep the base growing, and at the end
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Download The Inward Journey (Audio: Lecture I.2.2)
The Inward Journey (Audio: Lecture I.2.2)
When one studies primitive mythologies, the imagery of the mythological world derives from the psychological experiences of the shamans. The source of the imagery of primitive myths is the shaman’s psychological crisis. The shaman is a person who in his early puberty has cracked off, broken off and gone into what we would today call a psychosis. — Joseph Campbell
In the imagery of the schizophrenic’s experience, Joseph Campbell recognized a synthesis of mythological motifs similar to Jung’s archetypes. He recounts Dr. John Weir Perry’s analysis of an individual’s descent into madness: the break away or departure from everyday reality, a retreat inward with dark encounters of a symbolic kind, and finally — in the most fortunate cases — a return journey of rebirth and renewal.
He then follows the uncanny parallels between these stages and the “universal formula” of the hero’s journey gathered from mythologies of cultures around the world, and reveals how the phases of the schizophrenic’s crisis correspond to the separation, initiation, and the return of the shaman’s experience during his voyage into other worlds. In later years, Campbell would learn that filmmakers George Lucas and Stanley Kubrick modeled their own work on his Hero with a Thousand Faces, the groundbreaking book that explores this “monomyth” of the hero journey.
Running time: approx. 60 minutes
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Monday , January 18 2021 Download App
Home / World Watch / As National Restrictions Are Lifted And Gung-Ho About Vaccine, Boris Johnson Urges People To Be Careful
As National Restrictions Are Lifted And Gung-Ho About Vaccine, Boris Johnson Urges People To Be Careful
Impactnews Desk December 3, 2020 World Watch
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UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has asked citizens of his country not to get carried away with over-optimism after the end of national restrictions and opening up several parts of the economy amid the pandemic, reported ANI.
“It’s vital that we are not carried away with over-optimism or fall into the naive belief that the struggle is over. Today, in England, we have ended national restrictions, opening up significant parts of the economy,” said Boris Johnson during a press conference.
The approval of a vaccine is a huge step towards normality, but the rules in your area have not changed.
Please keep following the restrictions to protect those around you. pic.twitter.com/pN64L1YITH
— Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) December 2, 2020
“There are immense logistical challenges. The vials are going to be stored at -70 degrees Celsius, each person needs two injections, three weeks apart. So it will inevitably take some months before almost vulnerable are protected,” he added.
Talking about securing the vaccine doses for the UK, he said, “We have purchased more than 350 million doses of 7 different vaccine candidates and the UK was the first country in the world to preorder supplies of this Pfizer vaccine, securing 40 million doses.”
“Through our winter plan, the National Health Service is preparing for the biggest programme of mass vaccination in the history of the UK, and that is going to begin next week,” he added.
Last month, AstraZeneca’s vice president, Jose Baselga, announced that the company’s vaccine had already been launched into mass production.
He said that 3 billion doses of this drug would be ready at the beginning of 2021, with one dose to be sold at a price of about two euros. According to Johns Hopkins University, there are 1,663,405 cases in the United Kingdom.
Tags Boris Johnson COVID-19 impactnews United Kingdoem Vaccine
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US President Donald Trump Issues Emergency In Washington DC Ahead Of Joe Biden Swearing In
Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan Lays Down Condition For Talks With India
Laying down condition for talks with India, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has reportedly said …
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What is "Adult Content"? Hell, I don't even know anymore.
Please avert your eyes.
The first time I went into a gym locker room when I was a kid, I was completely wigged out that grown-ups were walking around naked. Not because adults were naked--I had seen plenty of that--but because it seemed so arbitrary. Naked in locker room = a-ok. Naked in KMart = alert the police. How could rules be so iron-clad in one place, then completely disregarded in another?
It was a dual morality that seemed a bit pointless. Why were we pretending to be shocked by nudity, when it was obvious from the locker room experience that we could all handle it just fine? Yes, I get that the gender-segregation made it "different," but I think that's crap. If some chick was walking around naked in the Winn-Dixie, we would need to giggle and/or pretend to be scandalized.
I think the same phenomenon is happening right now with sex--this sort of weird combo of pretending, denial, and reacting like we think we're supposed to react.
We are all here via fucking--someone did IT with someone else. Our ancestors made love, they had tepid sex because the ovulation thermometer said it was time, they co-mingled souls and saw God, they slam-fucked on a dirty old couch in the dorm. Everyone* came from someone coming. To ignore that and pretend that sex is still some sort of unspeakable thing that adults cannot even discuss without everyone needing to giggle and/or be scandalized is ridiculous. Ridiculous! And yet it's STILL happening all the time. I don't mind the giggling part, sex is funny, but the scandalized bit, I am just so...done with that.
To wit: Trisha Borowicz has made a smart, funny, amazing film about female pleasure called Science, Sex and the Ladies. It's educational and cheeky. She's been shopping it around to festivals but reports they flat out won't run it because it's "too explicit." "Even festivals that are known for taking risks," she reported via email, though I've added in my head that she was also shaking her head in disbelief.
The film is sort of "explicit," in that it shows stuff like photographs of an aroused clitoris vs. unaroused clitoris, but it's not porn. It's about biology and the history of how society views women's sexual pleasure and how women can best have an orgasm. It's for learnin'. And besides, even if it was porn, these are film festivals, for fuck's sake. When the hell did film festivals get all uptight?
I honestly don't know what's acceptable anymore. Every night on TV there are shows about grisly sexual/violent crimes, but this month Facebook made me take down a photo of a vaguely naked woman. Everyone's mom has read Fifty Shades of Grey, and there were articles in major publications about it, but Google has docked me for my supposed "pornographic content." My friggin' Sunday paper supplement has coupons for vibrators and lubes, but my blog provider (Google, again) has threatened to take down all Blogger blogs with ads for "adult products." Seriously? The dorky newspaper coupon section is more progressive than these supposedly modern, forward-thinking tech companies?
Do we really not get the difference between supposedly offensive content and regular adults just trying to figure out how to have proper sex? Why do we have such a nonsensical patchwork of rules that apply here, but not there? For this body part but not that one?
So, yes, this was supposed to be about Science, Sex and the Ladies, but kind of digressed into ranting. Fear not, next post I will tell you how you can see the movie, for free. People, especially women, need to know how their bodies work. Why is that even controversial? It's madness!
Anyway, tomorrow we talk about the movie and female pleasure.
Til then.
*Test-tube babies: even you came from some jizz.
Labels: finally wrote a damn new post, ranting, science sex and the ladies, unnecessary censorship
True Tale: I was a Grade School Nudist
Yes, I know that every kid is a nudist. But I really was one. Like, officially. As in, card carrying member of the ASA (American Sunbathing Association.) As in going to special places--nudist camps, or if would want to make them sound really creepy and culty, nudist colonies--which were created for no other reason than so people could walk around naked.
This was the Shameful Secret of my childhood, like having an alcoholic mother who hit or an uncle who touched you in the areas where the bathing suit covers. No one was to know. As you may recall, I grew up in the 1970s, the time of hippies, macrame owls and mushroom decor, but I grew up in 1970s Georgia, a place of macrame owls, etc..., but also a very conservative, uptight place. It was a place where every white family had a "nigro" maid named something like Mavis, vegetarians were suspect and you sure as fuck weren't supposed to be something as whack as a nudist.
Nudism, then as probably now, was considered to be something weird, at the very least, and at the worse, probably sexual. Not sexual in a particularly nameable way but just...wrong. Naked=sex, end of story.
The reality, which would become apparent to anyone who spent 2 minutes at a nudist camp, is that they are about a sexual as any average RV park. Picture the folks in line at your Target store. Now picture them naked. Now picture them naked and running for a tennis ball, their own balls flopping in the wind. Feeling sexy? Exactly.
Every nice weekend in the summer, my dad would load up the car with camping equipment and we'd be off to a campground in nearby Florida. It was run by a sweet old man named Uncle Sammy who was also, incongruently, incredibly racist. And, if you must know, he had rather large testicles that were kind of a blueish hue.
My two sisters and I hated going. HATED it. And it wasn't because of our unfortunate kid's eye view of Uncle Sammy's literally blue balls. Being nudists was the thing that made us different. Made us weird. Made us wrong. "How was your weekend?" our neighbor Mrs. P would leeringly ask me when we got back. "Did y'all go camping?" She knew what she meant and I knew what she meant, but both of us were loathe to acknowledge it. "Yes," I would admit, mumbling. "Oh, reeeeeeally?" she would smirk triumphantly.
It was this sort of insinuating attitude about nudism that was what was so shameful about it to us. The actual nudism was no big deal. Really.
People find this really hard to believe. Even today, if I mention it to someone--I mean, people who know I write this blog, friends who know me well--they get that Mrs. P look on their faces. It's a mixture of judgey, sort of aroused, completely intrigued, yet put off at the same time.
"It's like a KOA, but everyone's naked," I say, lamely. They never believe me and press for more details. Because surely--surely!--there's more to it than that. But really that's it. Here's what people do at a nudist camp: swim, play old-school sports like horseshoes, ping pong or pool, sit around and play cards, sit in saunas or whirlpools, lie out in the sun, eat dinner and so on. All of this is done naked. Or naked but wearing the appropriate gear like tennis shoes. (If the idea of a bunch of your average Appleby's customers walking around naked isn't non-sexual enough, seeing those same folk naked but for a pair of socks and tennis shoes should do the trick.)
BTW, if you were wondering, the cliche about nudists and volleyball is totally true. Nudists love their volleyball--love it! Every camp has a court, no exceptions. Another nudist thing is the Importance of Towels. Nudists have an inordinate faith in the power of towels as all-purpose protectant. Every nudist carries a towel so that can put it between their sweaty naked ass and whatever surface they put said ass upon. The towel, you see, magically protects everyone from...well everything. I'm not sure why no one considers the "towel flipping factor," that is, once you re-use the towel, can you really be sure you're putting the butt side on your butt? Nonetheless, it seems to work. I don't know the science behind it, but to my knowledge, nudists don't suffer from any greater incident of butt-transmitted disease.
Because everyone is naked there probably are some things I've seen that most people haven't seen. I have seen flaccid penises covered in tanning oil (it was the 70s, remember). I have seen very obese men walking around naked, their genitalia tiny and cowering under the massive flap of their bellies. I have seen boobs hanging down to stomach level, all kinds of scars, varicose veins, sunburned boobs, flat wrinkly bums, prodigious bushes (70s, ditto), and balls that hang down nearly to knee level. I have seen women walking around with a tampon string hanging out their wangs (the accepted nudist procedure, by the way, is for a menstruating woman to don a pair of underpants. Why they couldn't just tuck the string inside and try to "pass" as a non-menstruating woman remains unexplained to me. Perhaps many women of the day still had the whole belt and pad apparatus?)
What I did not see includes: orgies, sex of any kind, an erect penis. (As a child, I read a Q&A pamphlet for new nudists featuring naked cartoon "Love is..." looking folks. For the question "What if I get, you know, aroused?" naked cartoon man was advised to take a quick jump in the pool.)
When teenage nudist kids start rebelling against their parents they do so--seriously--by wearing clothes. Every nudist camp has kids in their awkward years Fighting the Power by wearing a long t-shirt or--fuck it!--even a full pants and shirt combo.
As I said, my sisters and I hated our nudist secret. It wasn't the actual nudism so much because, in truth that was kind of fun. Not the naked part, which we really didn't care one way or the other about, but going on adventures-- running wild, exploring woods and creeks, water skiing, climbing trees and getting to play grown-up games like pool. Nudist camps are like a secret club. They are all over the country and--at least at the time--you had to know where they were (invariably down a long dirt road in the middle of nowhere), the secret code to unlock the gate or who to ask for at the intercom when you pulled up. When we pulled up to the gate at a new club, we'd ask for whoever--Dottie, say--and Dottie would come to the gate, bronzed, wrinkled and wearing only a terry cloth wrap around skirt. The Dotties always seemed to smoke and had a vague white-trashiness about them. The Dotties always had the nicest mobile home in the place, but nudist camp nice, which is not really that nice.
For my sisters and I, it was the secret part that was so bad. We weren't supposed to tell anyone about it. Knowing that I had a thing about me that people couldn't know gave me a sense of shame that took years to shake. I thought if anyone ever knew this horrible nudist thing about me...well, that'd be about it. I, seriously, didn't even tell my husband until we'd been married several years. I still haven't told my children, or many of you guys. I don't think either of my sisters have told their husbands. (uh, til now. Sorry! Hope you enjoy your Big Talk tonight.)
It is not right to make children keep secrets and, well, let's just say that perhaps the situation could have been handled differently. Though I don't know how. There really was no good way to present the whole nudist family idea to my Georgia neighbors. And I still think there's something a little weird about needing to be naked in public, among other naked people. Couldn't people be just be fine walking around naked in their house without formalizing it, building camps, forming the ASA and whatnot? Was there something sexual about it that I wasn't getting?
That said, as an adult, I can see some of the advantages of the whole nothing-to-hide aspect of it all. I recently went to a Korean spa with my friend Janet. It was hardcore. Old Korean women were squatting down by these sort of low faucets scrubbing the bejesus out of their nether regions. (For a really long time too. They are either really really clean or there must be some sort of pleasure in taking to your crotch with a scrub brush that I'm not aware of.) Everyone was naked because you had to be--sign on the door said so. As I soaked with Janet in the hot tub (making, like, constant eye contact so I wouldn't appear to be staring at her boobs in an unseemly manner*), I looked around.
Everyone looked bad naked, and yet everyone looked good. That is to say, we all looked human. Clothes give the illusion that other people have perfect bodies and that, plus general media bombardment, etc... gives us the idea that most everyone else looks fucking amazing. Of course we "know" that's not true. We know models are genetic rarities, culled from millions of others, and that they are strategically posed, photoshopped, etc... But seeing these regular bodies made me really know it, in a deep way. The chick with the amazing boobs had a bit of a wide ass going on. The trim woman was also a bit gaunt. It was incredibly liberating to realize that we all looked...well, okay enough.
The other day I had the experience of being on the other side of the naked generational divide. I was pet sitting for friends who have a pool. I invited my husband and two daughters over to swim. When they got there, I shouted, "Woo! Let's go skinny dipping!" I peeled off my clothes and dove into the pool. When I surfaced, my three family members were staring at me in semi-horror. "Woo!" I said, again, defiantly. I swam around briefly, to prove my point that they were missing out--big time--but it was half-hearted. I felt foolish and suddenly way way too naked. Soon I climbed out and grabbed my towel. I was half-embarrassed, half-hating their prudery.
Despite that, at 47, I think I've pretty much come to peace with my supposedly sordid past. At least enough that I feel fine telling you, Dear Internet Stranger, and who knows who the hell you'll tell. The good part is that I don't really care any more.
In an interesting coda to all this: My nudist connection which had always been the Worst Thing of my Life also turned out to be one of the best things. When I was looking for an idea to pitch to Rolling Stone, my dad told me that a local nudist camp was hosting bands like Foreigner and Loverboy for a concert, a two-day Nudestock festival. This, anyone could see, was comedy gold. My piece on Nudestock (thank you to my RS editor, the amazing Jancee Dunn) was my first national story.
So what have we learned here? Here are your takeaways: Things are never all good or all bad, they just are. Keeping secrets=bad. Some men have really really long balls.
Now you know the worst,
* For the record, Janet has an incredible ass.
(Note: names, places, and such have been changed to protect the privacy of various pissed off family members)
(photo source)
Labels: excessive talk of balls, jancee dunn love, now i've done it, nudism, nudist childhood, nudists
On the Benefits of a Smaller Penis by Blue
Oh god, please tell me I didn't send an email last night to
IBWMW about my lover's ruddy, noble, well-formed penis
Reader Blue sent in the following missive. When I asked her what pseudonym she'd like, she answered, "I can't believe I sent that! I wrote that while drunk a few weeks ago and sent it while drunk last night."
Don't worry, Blue, lots of people write to me when they're drunk, which is probably not at all flattering, but I'm just gonna decide that it is actually highly flattering and be done with it.
Besides, the whole drunk Internet/texting/sexting possibilities available to Today's Modern Drunk makes me so so so happy that my own drunken days were pre-all of that. I can't even fucking imagine the hideousness of waking up all bleary-eyed and hung over and having to face my Sent Mail folder to see what horrors might lie within.
To her credit, Blue is not the incoherent mess of a drunk I was, so I reprint her story here in its full glory. Enjoy.
a few weeks ago i saw your invitation to "Just sit down at the computer, rip your heart out, and jot the results down" and started writing this. i don't know if this is what you want, and that was awhile ago but here's my story:
i started writing this because of the part of dusky's letter where she writes "the idea that naturally the greatest sex of your life will be with the love of your life." for me sex was indeed "a litmus test of the true inner feelings of two people" although love has always been a Big Deal for me, sex had never been the highest on my list of priorities. i had attributed my lackluster sex life to my complete disinterest, not the other way around. it had kind of escaped my notice that the way people feel physically and the way they feel emotionally have a lot to do with each other. there is no aphrodisiac like love...
so i didn't know this but not everybody is ...you know... anatomically compatible. there is such a thing as too much of a good thing. sorry guys, but now you know. it CAN be too big. but i didn't learn this little secret until i cheated. and let me tell you, for those lucky people out there who have never cheated on anybody: it a repulsive experience, don't do it! but then, the marriage sucked and sometimes you don't know the grass is greener until you get on the other side of the fence. sure it looks greener, but.... now i know.
there are people in the world who are really good at having sex. just like mozart was a great composer, da vinci was a master painter, and stratavarius made the best violins ever, some people are really REALLY good at fucking.
Posted by Jill Hamilton at 10:56 AM 8 comments
Labels: on penis size, reader mail week, ruddy in complexion, small penis, true wife's tale, uncircumsized
Bad Erotica, that is, Erotica Other People Like
Somebody mentioned erotica for folks over 60, which reminded me of this post. Pretend like you haven't met before.
As part of my affiliate deal with Good Vibrations, I get to pick from an assortment of free stuff each month which I can offer to you as a prize or keep for myself*. (My motto: if you're going to sell out to a corporate overlord, do it for a sex-positive, girl-power one that showers you and your loved ones with free sex toys.)
Usually I pass the free sex toy love on to one of y'all, but a couple months ago, Good Vibes was offering a book called Lust: Erotic Fantasies for Women. Oh yes, I decided selfishly--giving not a whit of thought to you and your needs--this one's for mama.
When it arrived in its discreet brown wrapper, I snuck away to be alone with my new smut and started reading. There was a story about an anonymous encounter on a subway which was kinda good. Something about a lady working at a fruit stand and a TV star who comes and whisks her away, eh... Next. I kept reading and reading, hoping to get to "the good part," as it were, but it started to become apparent that, for me at least, there wasn't gonna be a good part.
By the time I got to a story about retiree sex, I stopped looking to be aroused by the book and started reading as sort of a sociological study. (Yes, I am this nerdy. Reading porn as an intellectual exercise. I would appreciate it if you'd not bring it up again.)
I am not at all against retirees having sex. I'm all for it, I swear! But seriously, listen to this supposed "erotica" in "Moving" by Susan St. Aubin.
We trade medical notes: he sometimes takes Viagra in the afternoon. Mornings he can do without. I tell him about the hormone cream I've started using in my cunt to bring back its raw silk texture.
What. The. Fuck???
My point here is not that it is unsexy**, but that yes, though it is unsexy to me, it's completely fucking off-the-charts sexy to someone else. For all I know, writing it was so fucking hot to Susan St. Aubin that she had to slip away several times while writing it to push her hand between her legs to relieve the growing pressure in her hormone cream-covered raw silkiness.
I find it fascinating how different people are turned on by different things. Your particular biological predilection, plus snippets from your experiences--people you knew growing up, a sexy movie scene you saw in 2003, an early lover, an idea you saw in a book--all converge in your brain to form an idea of what is erotic to you.
A friend of mine lent me a book called The Mammoth Book of Best New Erotica, Vol. 5. I turned to something called "I Want to Watch you Do It" because I liked the title. In it, the girl makes the guy jack off in front of her while she watches, then he takes charge and bosses her around. She, overcome with lust, can do nothing but obey his sexual commands. "Just do what I ask and don't say a word until you come at least twice. Nod your head if you agree," demands the guy, as her puts her through a series of moves. Oh, darling, I loved that #$##! But that's because it happens to fire up whatever particular erotica neurons I have set up in my brain. You, by contrast, might be left completely cold. Perhaps you need a vampire involved, or a fetching Scotsman, or a fierce dominatrix wearing a specific brand of blue boots.
I can imagine that Mammoth contributor Joshua Hoobler would be among those unaroused by my beloved story of sexual instructions. His story, "Not at Risk," lavishly shares the details of some dude giving himself enemas (5 of them!) and having sex with a series of three dildos. (Each oh so very very special.)
On Sunday morning I wake up early, have my regular bowel movement, wipe thoroughly, take the enema bag out from the bathroom cabinet, fill it with warm water, hang it on the towel rack, grab the Astroglide, slip on some latex gloves, lube up my asshole and commence upon a series of two quart enemas...It takes me at least three and sometimes up to five to get to where the toilet water is as clear when I'm done as it is when I sat down.
Again, the point is not that this is unsexy***, but that this guy and I have a vast chasm--oh so very, very vast--between what we each consider sexy. When he was describing the particular quality of his friggin' poo, I not only wasn't turned on, I was whatever the complete opposite of turned on is. In truth, I really kind of wanted to retch.
However, if me retching turns you on, I would direct you to Puke Planet, a site for those with a vomiting fetish.
Which, I think, kind of makes my point...
*I also get a 20% commission on anything you order from Good Vibes through In Bed With Married Women. Might I suggest the We-Vibe couples vibrator thing? The woman wears it during penetration, while it hums along outside and inside at the same time. Haven't tried it but, damn, sure sounds good.
**Though, c'mon it totally is!
***But, holy fuck, it is so so so unsexy!!!
Labels: bad erotica, fetish for fetishes, genius insight that people are different, smut, yes another rerun--so?
Brainy Sex Books, a reading list. Plus, for no good reason at all, Scary Robots.
A while back on the IBWMW Facebook page, I capriciously volunteered to compile a list of books referenced on In Bed With Married Women. Once it got down to actually doing it, however, I became acutely aware that the task bore an uncomfortable resemblance to actual work. In private retaliation--fight the power!--I spent a morning on non-reading-list-compiling activities like watching YouTube videos of creepy-ass real-looking robots. Look at this Japanese nurse one:
GAAAhhhhhhhhhh! She's alive!
And look at this one (below) of three robots and their comic resemblance to their human inventors. I kind of want the stern-looking Middle-aged Asian Man Robot in the center so he could stare contemptuously at me all day with his downturned mouth and eyebrows knitted in consternation. "Shouldn't you be getting to that reading list you promised over a month ago?" he'd finally say. And, damn it, he'd be right.
For you, stern Asian robot man who I imagine harshly judging me*, Thy Will Be Done. Here goes.
Books I can personally vouch for:
Sex at Dawn: How We Mate, Why We Stray, and What It Means for Modern Relationships : I wrote a whole big post on this because it kind of made my brain explode. It's about non-monogamy, sperm competition, the societal components of sexual jealousy, penis shapes and all kinds of brain-sparking topics. It's not meant to be hardcore science, but a jumping off point to rethinking all kinds of relationship/sexual things.
Bonk: The Curious Coupling of Science and Sex : I am madly in love with Mary Roach because she is so funny and smart and well, here... I just opened to a random page in which she is touring a sex toy factory and describing the crew of middle-aged Latina women working the assembly line. "Now we have paused to watch a team of women, wearing latex gloves, whose job is to rub a light film of red paint into the testicles and glans of large fleshtone dildos, to pinken them, 'to give them the realism.'....The women are laughing and chatting as they work. Their movements are inadvertently erotic; the hand-staining of a dildo tip could be the efficient caress of a sex worker." See what I mean? (Even better is Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers but that is about dead bodies, not sex, which may well be a dealbreaker for you.)
Anatomy of Love: A Natural History of Mating, Marriage, and Why We Stray or Why We Love: The Nature and Chemistry of Romantic Love by Helen Fisher: Deliciously passionate writing on the science and anthropology of sexual attraction, crushes, the body language of flirting, brain chemistry and reasons we act like such fucktards when we're "in love." (Is the term "fucktards" offensive? If you are a fucktard, I mean no offense.)
Candy Girl: A Year in the Life of an Unlikely Stripper by Diablo Cody, penner of "Juno." So funny, completely dirty, very fascinating look into her experimental stripper phase. Some parts are so graphic--like the particularly vile (to me) fetish of one repeat customer at her seedy San Francisco peep show booth--that I can't stand even repeating it. Oh, don't worry, you'll know when you get to him.
The Art of Love : Ancient Roman poet Ovid offers instructions on conducting oneself before, during and after a love affair. So fascinating to see that the games and subterfuge of passion are pretty much unchanged (except for archaic bits such how to whiten your skin with the ground-up horn of a lusty stag. As we now know in modern times, non-lusty stag horn works just as well.) Here's Ovid on taking your time in love: If you will listen to me you will not be too hasty in attaining the culmination of your happiness. Learn by skillful maneuvering to reach your climax by degrees. When you are safely ensconced in the sanctuary of bliss, let no timid fear arrest your hand. You will be richly rewarded by the love-light trembling in her eyes, even as the rays of the sun fitfully dance upon the waves. Then will follow gentle murmurs, moans and sighs, laden with ecstasy that will sting and lash desire.
A Natural History Of Love : Diane Ackerman writes with a florid (in a good way) style on how the historical and anthropological ideas of love have developed and changed over time.
Anything by Dan Savage. Start with Savage Love: Straight Answers from America's Most Popular Sex Columnist (from 1998!) and move your way forward.
If you have something to add in the way or smut and/or sociological treatises, do let us know.
*My need for Robot Judgement probably indicates all sorts of psychological things wrong with me, but I'm gonna handle it like I do all such issues. I shall ignore it.
Labels: dan savage, diablo cody, diane ackerman, Helen Fisher, mary roach, ovid is my master, scary robots, sex at dawn, yes it is a rerun motherfucker thanks for noticing
What is "Adult Content"? Hell, I don't even know a...
Brainy Sex Books, a reading list. Plus, for no goo...
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Arizona Lawmakers Vow to Boost Firefighter Cancer Coverage
A group of Arizona lawmakers has vowed to boost protections for firefighters and other first responders who are diagnosed with a cancer linked to the workplace to address concerns that some cities are denying coverage.
Republican Sen. Heather Carter said the bill she’s introducing will make clear that cancers listed in a 2017 law must be covered by worker’s compensation insurance. The measure announced by Carter, Republican Sen. Paul Boyer and a bipartisan group of lawmakers at a news conference attended by dozens of firefighters will also add two cancers common to women to the list of those presumed to be job-related.
“We are going to make it absolutely perfectly clear that our heroes will receive the benefits that they are due,” Carter said. “They will be able to spend their time fighting cancer, and not fighting the government, not fighting lawyers and not fighting their high-paid executives and high-paid medical experts.”
The 2017 law was adopted by the Legislature with overwhelming majorities in the House and Senate and lists a series of cancers such as lung, esophagus, melanoma and testicular that are presumed to be job-related for firefighters and police officers. Medical studies have shown that chemicals those professionals are exposed to on the job are linked to those cancers.
The law requires firefighters have a clean bill of health before they join the profession, work at least five years and develop the cancer within either 15 years of retiring or before age 65, Carter said.
“That seemed very simple,” Carter said. “For all of us in the Legislature that voted on that bill, we thought we had an iron-clad policy in place.”
But it also contained exemptions for a presumed work-related cancer diagnosis where there is evidence of a cancer cause other than occupational exposure.
Carter said those exemptions are being exploited by insurance companies and governments, and her new proposal will stop that practice.
Bryan Jeffries, a Mesa firefighter battling cancer who is president of the Professional Fire Fighters of Arizona union, said his department has supported him in every way.
“We want that to be afforded to every firefighter throughout the state of Arizona,” Jeffries said “And unfortunately some of them have not received that same support.”
Carter’s bill is expected to be formally introduced late Thursday. It will add breast and ovarian cancer to the list presumed to be related to work.
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Coping with Voices
Research on the topic of coping with hearing voices and related experiences.
Baker P.K (1996) The Voice Inside: a practical guide to coping: Mind Publications, UK
Coleman R and M. Smith (1997) Victim to Victor: working with voices Handsell, Gloucester, UK
Coleman R (1996) From Power to Partnership, Handsell publications, UK
Coleman R (2006) Recovery – An Alien Concept, 2nd Edition, P&P Press Limited, UK
Julie Downs, (Ed), (2001), Coping with Voices And Visions, A guide to helping people who Experience hearing voices, seeing visions, tactile or other Sensations, Hearing Voices Network, Manchester, England
Sandra Escher; Philippe Delespaul; Marius Romme; Alex Buiks; Jim Van Os., (2003) Coping defence and depression in adolescents hearing voices. Journal of Mental Health, Volume 12, Issue 1, pages 91 – 99
The level of self-initiated coping defences in the face of auditory hallucinations reflects the degree to which the psychotic experiences are exceeding the person’s resources. As it has been suggested that individuals who feel overwhelmed by their psychotic experiences are also more likely to develop depression, greater levels of self-initiated coping defences should predict onset of depression in the context of auditory hallucinations.
Eighty adolescents (mean age 12.9 years, SD=3.1) who reported hearing voices were examined at baseline and followed-up three times over a period of 3 years. Fifty per cent were receiving professional care, but 50% were not in need of care. Baseline measurement of self-initiated coping defences and psychopathology were used as predictors of depression at follow-up.
Baseline level of self-initiated coping was strongly associated with baseline severity of positive psychotic symptoms. Coping at baseline, with the exception of active problem solving, predicted an increase in the level of depression over the follow-up period (OR=3.0, 95% CI: 1.4, 6.4), independent of baseline psychopathology, demographic characteristics, receipt of professional care and appraisals and attributions related to the voices.
The results suggest that individuals who have a tendency to feel overwhelmed by the experience of voices, as evidenced by a more defensive style of response, are more likely to develop depression.
Falloon I.R.H. and Talbot R.E. (1981), Persistent auditory hallucinations: coping mechanisms and implications for management, Psychological Medicine, No.11, pp. 329 339
Romme M and Escher S: (Eds.), Accepting Voices (1993, second edition 1998), Mind Publications, London.
Romme M, Honig A, Noorthorn EO & Escher S (1992) Coping with hearing voices: an emanciapatory approach. British Journal of Psychiatry: Jul;161:99-103
Abstract A questionnaire comprising 30 open-ended questions was sent to 450 people with chronic hallucinations of hearing voices who had responded to a request on television. Of the 254 replies, 186 could be used for analysis. It was doubtful whether 13 of these respondents were experiencing true hallucinations. Of the remaining 173 subjects, 115 reported an inability to cope with the voices. Ninety-seven respondents were in psychiatric care, and copers were significantly less often in psychiatric care (24%) than non-copers (49%). Four coping strategies were apparent: distraction, ignoring the voices, selective listening to them, and setting limits on their influence.
Romme M and Escher S (eds) Understanding voices: coping with auditory hallucinations and confusing realities. First published by Rijksuniversitiet Maastricht, Limburg, Holland (1996) and English edition, Handsell Publications
Romme M and Escher S (2000) Making Sense of Voices – A guide for professionals who work with voice hearers. Mind Publications
M. Romme, A. Escher (1991) Empowering people who hear voices (paper presented at conference held in Liverpool) published in Cognitive Behavioural Interventions with Psychotic Disorders Eds. G. Haddock; P. Slade, Routledge, London, 1996
Sayer, J.; Ritter, S.; Gournay, K. (2000) Beliefs about voices and their effects on coping strategies. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 31(5), 1199-1205
Cognitive behavioural techniques are increasingly used as adjuncts to medication in the treatment of auditory hallucinations for people with schizophrenia. There are now literally hundreds of nurses trained in the use of cognitive behavioural interventions for psychosis. However, there is still disagreement about the nature of the cognitive processes that lead to deficits or biases in patients’ processing of information about their psychotic experiences. Using Chadwick & Birchwood’s Beliefs About Voices Questionnaire (BAVQ), the investigator collected data regarding voices from a sample of men and women being treated for schizophrenia by secondary mental health services. The investigator then carried out a cross-lagged panel analysis of the data.
The investigator found, as predicted, positive relationships between a resistive coping style and an attribution of malevolence to voices, and between an engaging coping style and an attribution of benevolence to voices. Coping and attributional styles were not necessarily stable over time. There was a non-significant difference between women’s and men’s attributions and coping styles. There was less fluctuation over time in the women’s scores on the BAVQ. This research shows that one cannot assume that either coping or attributional style becomes more stable over time. However, while there are strong relationships between attributions and coping styles, and particularly between malevolence and resistance and benevolence and engagement, these relationships are not necessarily mutually exclusive and some people in the study believe their voices to be both malevolent and benevolent.
These findings suggest that clinicians need to make a very careful assessment of attribution and coping with regard to hallucinations and that systematic reassessment is very important. Further research is necessary in both the phenomenology of attribution and coping, but also to relate these variables to other aspects of schizophrenic illnesses.
Tarrier N., Harwood S., Yusupoff L., Beckett R. & Baker A. (1990): Coping Strategy Enhancement (CSE): Method of Treating Residual Schizophrenic Symptoms. Behavioural Psychotherapy, No.18, pp. 283 293
Yusopoff and Tarrier N. (1996) Coping strategy enhancement for persistent hallucinations and delusions, pp. 86-103, in Cognitive, Behavioural Interventions with Psychotic Disorders, Routledge, London Therapy, Eds. Haddock G. and Slade P
Research & Review Article Summaries
Research: Positive Experiences of Voices
2 responses to “Coping with Voices”
Aubry Pierre November 26, 2012 at 5:53 PM | Permalink | Reply
I’m a French student (Psychology Master 1) working on a university research with the Maastricht questionnaire.
I’m looking for “Romme M and Escher S (2000) Making Sense of Voices – A guide for professionals who work with voice hearers. Mind Publications” but it isn’t available anymore on Amazon. Do you know where i may find it ?
Pierre Aubry
Charity March 27, 2014 at 3:02 PM | Permalink | Reply
I have been hearing voices for years now. I have am seeking therapy for them.
International Research Committee
Share Your Ideas for Research
"Normal" people and the general population
Culture and Ethnicity
Experiencing Voices
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“Normal” people and the general population
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Home Stories Is Israel harboring deadly secret weapon?
Is Israel harboring deadly secret weapon?
By Meghashree Das
We all know the massive destruction which happened near a port in Lebanon and about 4000 injured in the same. A massive explosion which heard as far away as Cyprus, and could be seen from neighboring villages tore on Tuesday, killing at least 100 people and injuring more than 3,700 others. The burst reported to have been caused by a collision sent an orange-tinged mushroom cloud that towered over the past capital and emitted a shock wave that blew doors off and chased cars hinges kilometers away.
The hospitals of Beirut struggling to deal with shortages of equipment and electricity as well as a coronavirus pandemic were immediately overwhelmed. As triage centers were installed in parking lots and ambulances rushed to Beirut they appealed for contributions of blood.
What caused the explosion?
Lebanon’s President, Michel Aoun, blamed the detonation on 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate that he said had been stored unsafely at a warehouse in the interface. An identical quantity of the chemical arrived at a Moldovan-flagged cargo ship, the MV Rhosus that docked in Beirut in 2013 after enduring technical issues while drifting from Georgia into Mozambique.
The Rhosus was scrutinized, banned by leaving, and was soon afterward abandoned by its owners, according to Shiparrested.com. Its cargo should happen to be disposed of or resold and was transferred to Warehouse 12 following a court order. There’s presently a crater in which the warehouse keeping the ammonium nitrate once stood Ammonium nitrate is a white commonly.
However, it can be used to create an explosive used in the construction and mining sectors. Militants have produced bombs with it. Experts say that ammonium nitrate is relatively secure when stored. When you’ve got a large amount of material lying about for quite a while it begins to decay, the corrosion can be extensively strong which can send off a radiation to blast off the energy.
Currently, the situation is under monitor and Iran, Israel is being fact-checked. They are being held accountable for the number of secret weapons that the places have kept with themselves, but the causes are still unknown.
President Aoun promised a clear investigation into the blast.
“We are determined to proceed with an investigation and unveil the conditions surrounding what happened as soon as possible and hold those responsible and people who have been negligent accountable and serve with the most intense punishment,” he said on Wednesday after visiting the destroyed port.
Mr. Koraytem and requires this to be removed were ignored and the director-general of Customs, Badri Daher, stated their warnings about the danger posed from the ammonium nitrate that was stored.
READ It Is All About Taking Your Passion In The Right Direction- Shilpa Sharma Proved This By Her Brand, Jaypore.
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Home > Unintentional > Mezzanine debt offers the best of both worlds … or does it?
Mezzanine debt offers the best of both worlds … or does it?
Staff WriterSeptember 4, 2009 - 3.12am
With lending from traditional quarters – namely, the major banks – still difficult to come by for companies large and small, it would appear that opportunities must abound for investors who are looking for something extra from their fixed interest portfolios. While credit funds offered by traditional fixed interest managers remain in demand this year, another form of debt investment is also catching on – mezzanine finance. GREG BRIGHT reports.
Mezzanine finance is not new. It has been provided for years by ‘sponsors’, typically banks or other institutions, to assist in the financing of buyouts or infrastructure-style investments. Outside investing in mezzanine finance is not even new, at least not in the US and Europe. But what is new is the disaggregation of the market in recent years and the emergence of specialist mezzanine finance managers who are tapping funding from pension funds. At a seminar produced by Conexus Financial, publisher of this magazine, in Melbourne late July, several specialist mezzanine debt managers presented before an audience of super fund investors and asset consultants. The common theme was that mezzanine debt offered potential returns close to those offered by private equity, but with reduced risk.
The consensus from a panel of investors who reviewed the day was that mezzanine finance may well represent a good opportunity over the next 12-18 months in particular, however, because of the massive dislocation still present in various markets, it had to compete with a lot of other opportunities in the alternatives space. Mezzanine finance refers to the layer of financing between senior secured debt and ordinary equity. Because it ranks behind senior secured debt it has a higher return to compensate. It typically takes the form of a loan, with current income or payment in kind, but also captures some upside from equity participation. According to Tim Russell, a managing director and head of mezzanine finance for Goldman Sachs JB Were, Australia is a relatively immature mezzanine market in comparison with the US and Europe, probably because of the dominance of the big banks here. “Historically, mezzanine in Australia was a bank’s market,” he says.
“It was characterised by low volumes and was used by the banks to earn a higher return on a small part of the capital structure of the investment they were financing. This meant that ‘inter-creditor rights’ (the differing rights between each loan class) were relatively relaxed or poor because the underwriters were the same institutions.” However, he says that between 2005-2007, as the private equity market took off, the seeds were sown for an institutional mezzanine market. He says that recent changes are expected to prompt further evolution into a more independently managed institutional model. The Basel II regulation has meant that banks no longer want to underwrite or hold mezzanine, he says. Like private equity, mezzanine investing is for the long term and funding terms need to be matched to the investment duration. It is also complex, Russell says, with bespoke solutions aligning interests with those of the financial sponsor.
deals, default, europe, european, funding, loans, mezzanine, returns, secured, specialist, sponsors, typically
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Langdon Hickman’s Top Albums of 2019
The "I'm Listening to Death Metal" mastermind likes more than just death metal... but still loves death metal.
Langdon Hickman
Upcoming Metal Releases: 10/20/19 — 10/26/19
All the new metal releasing between October 20th and October 26th, 2019 -- spin (or skip) new music from Alcest, Dawn Ray'd, Botanist, Sunn 0))), Hour of Penance, and more.
Invisible Oranges Staff
Loudness, Chillness, and “Life Metal”
Former Editor-in-Chief Ian Cory drops by to explore Sunn O)))'s monumental new album in light of the loudness wars of yore and chillness wars of now.
Ian Cory
Abstract Antithesis: Sunn O)))’s Doomy Drone Blossoms on “Life Metal”
We dive into the latest full-length from the legendary drone/doom outfit to see how it stacks up against 2015's "Kannon" and works prior.
Upcoming Metal Releases: 4/21/19 — 4/27/19
All the new metal releasing between April 21st and April 27th, 2019 -- spin (or skip) new music from Sunn O))), Vaura, Lumberjack Feedback, and more.
Andrew Rothmund
Pipe Dreamer’s Heartfelt Post-Metal Holds “No Solace for the Soulless” (Ear…
Frozen Soul’s Chainsaw-Sculpted “Crypt of Ice” (Album Review)
Forlorn Visions: Wolf King Perceives the “Wandering Soul” (Music Video Prem…
2021 Invisible Oranges - The Metal Blog, Townsquare Media, Inc. All rights reserved.
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Royal College of Physicians Edinburgh
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UK Medical Heritage Library
Access to 20+ million pages of medical texts from the 19th century
King's College London (KCL) + 10 others
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SALMON WATERSHEDS LAB
Ecology & Conservation of Aquatic Systems
Jonathan Moore and Team
Review reveals hidden risks of estuary development for young salmon
A new study from the Salmon Watersheds Lab has found significant evidence that human activity in estuaries is impacting juvenile Pacific and Atlantic salmon. The team’s review of 167 peer-reviewed studies (from an initial search of 13,000) identified negative impacts from several stressors, including the effects of flood-protecting tidal gates, pollution and habitat modification.
Dr. Emma Hodgson, a post-doc researcher with the Salmon Watersheds Lab (SWL) at the time of the research and lead author on the paper, says the review is the first to synthesize what is known, and not known, about how human activities in estuaries may impact juvenile salmon.
“Risk can be defined by the severity of the impact and the certainty we have about whether that impact is likely—that certainty is based on the amount of evidence and agreement between the evidence,” Dr. Hodgson says.
The review summarized more than 1,300 statistical tests related to the biological impacts from 14 stressors to determine the environmental impacts of human activities.
One stressor the review identified as likely to have a negative impact on salmon populations, is a reduction in connectivity from the presence of tide gates. These metal gates are designed to reduce flood risks, but can also cut off access for salmon to parts of a river.
For example, in one study reviewed, the number of juvenile salmon found above tide gates was 2.5 times lower than in free-flowing rivers.
The review also identified such stressors as light and noise pollution, which have potentially severe negative impacts on salmon, but which have been poorly studied.
Dr. Jonathan Moore, head of the SWL and co-author on the paper, hopes this review will help guide stakeholders and decision-makers in being effective stewards of juvenile salmon and their estuarine habitats.
“Natural resource managers need to make tough decisions, in short timeframes, about the potential environmental risks of proposed developments and whether they should go ahead,” says Dr. Moore. “They won’t have time to wade through thousands of papers when making these decisions, so we did it for them.”
Media: SFU News.
More Science News
© 2015 by Salmon Watersheds Lab
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Julex Market Weekly 02-09-2014| Global Equity Markets Rose in a Volatile Week
• Global Equity Markets Rose in a Volatile Week
Disappointed US job reports triggered speculation that the Fed may keep loose monetary policies longer. The Global stock markets recover all the losses suffered after the below-than-expected ISM manufacturing number was reported on Monday. Last week, S&P index rose 0.8%, and MSCI EAFE index rallied 2.4%. The MSCI Emerging Market was up 1.7%. Gold climbed 1.7%, and the SPGC commodity index rallied by 2.3%. The bond markets remained flat. Barclays US Treasury index was unchanged, while US high yield bonds rose by 0.7%.
• ISM Index Disappointed Investors
Markets got off to a very poor start to the week following the release of disappointing manufacturing data. Factories expanded in January at the weakest pace in eight months as colder-than-usual winter weather slowed demand and production, bringing a halt to recent momentum in U.S. manufacturing. The Institute for Supply Management’s (ISM) manufacturing index decreased to 51.3 from 56.5 the prior month.
• US Added 113K Jobs and Unemployment Rate Dropped to 6.6%
The Labor Department’s nonfarm payrolls report showed that employers added only 113K jobs in January, well below expectations. Investors appeared to focus on bad weather as an explanation, however, and stocks rallied as the week ended. A different government gauge of the labor market, known as the household survey, was more positive. The household survey showed a large increase in the number of Americans reporting that they had a job, helping bring down the unemployment rate to 6.6% in January—its lowest level since October 2008.
• Janet Yellen Became the First Woman to Lead the Fed
Janet Yellen was sworn in Monday to succeed Ben Bernanke, becoming the first woman to lead the Federal Reserve in its 100-year history. Yellen, 67, made no remarks at her swearing in but did smile to acknowledge the applause of the assembled group. Nominated by President Barack Obama on Oct. 9, her four-year term as chairman will end on Feb. 3, 2018. Meanwhile, the Brookings Institution, announced that Bernanke was joining the Washington think tank as a distinguished fellow in residence.
• ECB and BOE Kept Monetary Policies Unchanged
The European Central Bank’s president, Mario Draghi, is taking a wait-and-see approach as the threat of deflation hangs over the euro zone and the region’s unemployment remains stubbornly high. Despite mounting pressure to take action, the central bank on Thursday kept the benchmark interest rate unchanged for a third straight month, at a record low of 0.25 percent. Mr. Draghi said that the central bank needed more data before any additional moves to spur the economy could be justified, and that it would make a reassessment next month.
The Bank of England marked five continuous years of interest rates at their historic low of 0.5% on Thursday as it again decided to leave them unchanged. It is the 60th monthly meeting in succession that the Bank’s monetary policy committee (MPC) has set the rate at that level. The £375bn program of quantitative easing, which pumps money into the economy, was also held at the same level, with the UK’s GDP still below the level it was six years ago despite improving growth during 2013.
• US Retail Sales
The retail sales in the US are likely to rise by 0.3% in January. US consumers continue to support the economic recovery.
• Euro Zone GDP Growth
The euro zone economy is expected to grow 0.2% in the fourth quarter and 0.4% from a year earlier.
Julex Market Weekly 01-19-2014 | US Equities Fell on Earning Concerns
Julex Market Weekly 02-16-2014 | Stocks Have Their Best Week in 2014
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Quit Vaping
The goop staffer who tried a famous—hypnotherapy—quitting method dropped his cig habit in less than two weeks.
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Aaron Eckhart explains how The Kerry Gaynor Method helped him kick the habit with Chelsea Handler.
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Kerry Gaynor is not a doctor but has contributed to the health of thousands of people.
Kirsten Dunst on the Conan O'Brien show. She shares how she quit smoking using The Kerry Gaynor Method.
Colin Farrell on Ellen sharing the start of his latest attempt to quit smoking for life.
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Eva Mendes reveals she was hypnotized and it changed her life
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KCSO investigate stabbing in Taft that leaves man seriously wounded
by: Karen Cruz-Orduña
Posted: Jun 3, 2020 / 06:14 AM PDT / Updated: Jun 3, 2020 / 06:14 AM PDT
TAFT, Calif. (KGET) – A man was left with serious wounds in Taft Wednesday morning.
The Kern County Sherriff’s Office said they were called to Naylor Avenue at around 3:40 a.m.
Deputies found a man who suffered major wounds.
He was rushed to Kern Medical.
KCSO said the victim appeared to have been stabbed and is expected to survive.
At this time, there is no suspect information.
More Crime Watch Stories
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) -- A person suffered minor injuries in a shooting Monday evening in south Bakersfield, police said.
The shooting happened just after 7 p.m. on Lacey Street near South H Street, according to police. No arrests had been made.
Man fatally shot in Arvin
Arvin, Calif. (KGET) — A man was shot to death in Arvin Sunday night, the Kern County Sheriff's Office announced.
Michael Gonzalez, 34, was shot around 7:40 p.m. on the 100 block of B Street, and died just after 8 p.m. from his wounds.
Sheriff’s Office warns of phone scam
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) -- Sheriff's officials are warning of a phone scam where a caller claiming to be from the sheriff's office says there is a warrant out for the person's arrest for missing a court date, and money must be wired to an account to retract the warrant.
The caller uses the names of actual Kern County Sheriff's Office employees, officials said.
Crime Watch / 1 hour ago
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Korean 7-year-old girl becomes celebrity in Dubai after rich men discover her Instagram
Meet Breanna Youn, the mega-popular social media powerhouse princess who’s only seven years old.
Breanna Youn used to live an ordinary and humble life with her mother and father in Busan, South Korea where the family owned and operated a seafood business. Not thinking much of it, Mrs. Youn began posting videos of her daughter with a cute lisp on social media to share with friends and family back in 2014.
However, it wasn’t long until Breanna’s popularity took off and hundreds of thousands of people started to follow her social media accounts to see videos of the adorable little girl. After opening up a Vine and Instagram account for Breanna, her mother also decided to begin posting to Facebook.
It was then the families life changed forever.
Thousands of predominately Middle Eastern followers began to flood the page with likes and comments. So many, in fact, that this prompted the family to take a two-week trip to Dubai. Here, Breanna’s parents converted to Islam, and her mother began to wear a hijab on her head.
She even encouraged Breanna to learn Arabic to be able to communicate with her adoring fans.
Breanna also gained a number of celebrities followers, including singer Shamma Hamdan, who once drove to pick up Breanna in her Mercedes-Benz before taking her to dinner at the famous Burj Al Arab.
She’s now been able to ride inside many luxurious cars.
“In Korea, she got attention and people wanted pictures with her because she is cute. Here, they want to take them because they recognize her. It makes us feel really special.”
– Mrs. Youn
The family decided to make their trip to Dubai permanent, and continue to live there with the support and gifts of Breanna’s adoring fans.
Breanna takes photos with every fan she comes across!
As for Breanna, she is happy and comfortable with her fame. When asked about the move to Dubai, she gave a warm answer.
“I love Dubai more than Korea, even though it is very hot.”
– Breanna Youn
Check out some of these too cute videos that made her famous.
Today, the media super-star enjoys a life every little girl dreams of including a Hello Kitty inspired.
A great big Hello Kitty shaped mirror is a must.
Breanna poses for photos in this Hello Kitty chair!
This is the dream.
Breanna has now returned home to live in the Philippines with her family, and continues to be a social media star.
It’s thanks to her fans she gets to live this sweet lifestyle!
Sources: Great Daily, The National
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Compliance with public float rule a problem for many companies
August 27, 2017 Lankanewspapers 0 Comments
About 70 companies of 220 listed on the main board of the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) have been unable to comply with the 20% minimum flat requirement that has been long pushed by both the CSE and the Securities and Exchange Commission.
The position is much better on the second or Diri Savi board where 17 of 74 listings have been able to comply with the less stringent requirement.
Stock analysts said that a few companies, including some old established firms like John Keells PLC (not JKH), the commodity broking and warehousing subsidiary of JKH, have overcome the problem by migrating to the second board. Others are considering a similar move.
In recent weeks the CSE website has been publishing dozens of disclosures from listed companies stating that they are non-compliant and saying what they are trying to do about it.
These range from a filing by Sri Lanka Telecom PLC, one of the biggest market capitalized companies quoted on the CSE, which despite having as many as 12,248 public shareholders on their share register is non-compliant with a public float of just 5.52%.
SLT has said that they are in the process of evaluating options that are available to them to comply with the requirement and would communicate steps to be adopted “in due course.”
Commercial Bank of Ceylon PLC whose subsidiary Commercial Development PLC is non-compliant with the public float rule has attempted to sell down its over 90% stake in the subsidiary. But it had only succeeded in disposing just 183,483 shares in July, reducing its stake in Commercial Development from 94.55% to 93.01% due adverse market conditions.
Commercial Development said in a recent filing that their parent will continue to try to sell down to comply with the rules.
The holding company of Singer Sri Lanka recently reduced its controlling stake while retaining comfortable control in order to help make the Singer share more liquid. There was also a sub-division of shares dramatically increasing the number of shares in issue.
Lankem Ceylon PLC with 2,003 public shareholders owning 17.3 percent of the company said in a recent filing that they hoped the rights issue they had recently announced would help overcome the minimum float difficulty.
Gestetner PLC, where 701 public shareholders own 15.57% has said it was exploring “the best course of action” to rectify the current position while the management of Aitken Spence Plantation Management PLC with 103 public shareholders owning 11.78% of the company is working on a rectification plan to present to its board.
“While there is an effort to get the public float issue sorted out as best as possible, neither the SEC nor the CSE is waving a big stick threatening penalties for non-compliance,” an analyst said.
“Given that both the CSE as well as the regulator are keen to increase the number of listing, and they are slow in coming, they wouldn’t want already quoted entities to be forced de-list over this matter. That is why several extensions or the original deadline have been granted.”
CSE CEO Rajeeva Bandaranaike said that the position improved considerably from where they were some time ago. But there was yet more distance to cover.
← Cabinet paper to initiate jobs– Dayasiri Jayasekara
Key issue in Kataragama Dewale tussle Money or faith? →
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Home Magazine Shop Talk The Home Machinist (Part 11)
The Home Machinist (Part 11)
The boring head and traveling rest.
ith a flourish , RotorWay announced a new helicopter last summer to replace the venerable-and consistently popular-Exec 162F that had been the company’s mainstay for years. The new ship, called the A600 Talon, features a number of improvements to the basic 162F design-the short list includes a larger cabin, revised tailrotor power system, new instrumentation and a host of smaller changes to improve the ships utility. While the Talon looks much like the 162F, they can almost be called two
different helicopters.
The Talon is the latest iteration in a series of helicopters that goes back to 1961, when B.J. Schram put a 40-horsepower motorcycle engine into a frame and got off the ground vertically…sort of. It took six years, but in 1967 the Scorpion became the company’s first
production kit. It could be built by the owner, and it actually flew. Over the years RotorWay has taken the basic design, improved it, simplified the building process and extended the life of all of the critical components. With more than 1600 kits sold, and more than 700 flying, RotorWays line is a genuine success story.
Over the last 40-plus years, RotorWay has been at the forefront of many aviation advances. The company’s engineers incorporated elastomeric bearings in the main blades, which damped vibration and made the life of the blades much longer. They gave up on the available engines and built their own, incorporating a FADEC (fully automatic digital electronic control) system in 1994, before NASA started the research for just such a system.
The Talons FADEC is the latest improvement and is best described as a closed loop system. The new engine-a very distant cousin of the venerable Volkswagen flat-four-has sensors that monitor all key engine parameters including the four EGTs and CHTs, coolant temperature, manifold and atmospheric pressures, oil pressure and temperature, and some others I forgot. These data are input to the computer, which in turn controls the ignition dwell and timing as well as the amount of fuel inserted into the cylinders. Unlike common aircraft fuel-injection systems, which squirt fuel into the intake ports even when the valve is closed, the RotorWays is more like a modern cars: Its electronic injectors are pulsed to meter fuel. The fuel-rail pressure remains constant, but the duration of injector opening determines fuel flow. Moreover, for extra safety, the Talon has two FADEC systems operating at all times-one is the main system, which is more “intelligent” and capable, and another “piggyback” system that is up to running the engine alone but has fewer inputs and creates a less fine load/flow map; the standby FADECs system also has fixed ignition timing.
Airshow coverage sponsor:
This FADEC system is doubly important to RotorWay given that the company allows, recommends actually, that a high quality 92 octane automotive gas. Company president Grant Norwitz explained that auto fuels aren’t controlled like their aviation counterparts, so while the sign on the pump may say 92 octane, it could be much lower. The company’s research has shown that some fuels can be as much as 10 points below their advertised rating, which can cause various levels of detonation. Detonation, we all know, is bad news for any engine. With RotorWays FADEC system, the CPU will alter the timing to accommodate low-octane fuel. The pilot will note a decrease in performance, but there will be no catastrophic failure.
Power from the engine gets to the blades through a transmission, via a set of belts, and thence to the main-rotor shaft. In this secondary drive, the Talon uses a cog belt instead of the oil-bath-enclosed chain on previous models. While were talking about the transmission, the clutch assembly is now activated by a hydraulic ram that gets its power from the engine oil pressure. However, there’s sufficient tension for the clutch to stay engaged without any oil pressure. The main rotor can be easily disconnected for engine work, and there’s a mechanical complement in the clutch for autorotations. There is also a shaft drive for the tailrotor instead of the series of belts on previous models.
Revised On the Outside, Too
As one approaches the Talon, the most striking exterior change is apparent. The ship stands 4 inches higher, with skids that are further apart and longer. This wider and longer coupling will make for safer landings, with much less of a chance of excessive rolling. Its subtle, but the stance of the ship on the ground now makes the angle of the main-rotor mast much closer to vertical. As the instructors and their students departed RotorWays school, the Talon lifted off in a noticeably flatter attitude without the rocking we’ve seen.
Climbing in through the wide doors (no changes there), two things are striking, especially to those with experience in RotorWays. One, your butt will love the new leather-covered seats; two, your eyes will be drawn to the instrument panel. No longer is it covered with steam gauges; the Talon has entered the 21st century with a glass display manufactured by MGL Avionics of South Africa. The pilot can set the screen to many different scenarios, showing the engine and flight parameters desired as well as the GPS output. Also, perhaps a small thing, theyve installed inertial seat belts, which will contribute to comfort and safety.
The instrument display is coupled to the FADEC, so any difficulty noted by the computer will automatically show up, giving the pilot definitive data to make the land/continue decision. Later, if the pilot desires more information and/or assistance, the last 900 hours of flight data can be downloaded to a PC and transmitted to the RotorWay factory. There, the experts will diagnose and, if the computer is hooked up to the engine, adjust the CPU via the Internet-just what you need when you’re stuck in the Australian outback.
Building the Helicopter
The documentation supplied with any aircraft kit is of vital importance. RotorWay provides builders books, blueprints and DVDs (a little over 10 hours total for the series) to make the project about as easy as possible to build. We read the books, examined the prints and watched the DVDs. They are all correlated to each other, and the DVD tells you what to assemble for the segment under construction. Having a DVD, in lieu of just written documentation, is a real plus. Its one thing to say, “File the bushing and make sure its square to the fuselage” and quite another to read that and then watch the DVD, where the bushing is filed and then checked for square by installing a bolt and examining for a gap between the bolts head and the filed bushings side.
We also liked having a video to assist in the visual identification of the various components. A part may have the most distinctive name imaginable, such as “left engine cover,” but a picture of it makes for a lot more peace of mind. Given that many, if not most, of RotorWays customers are new to the building process, some of the videos may be a little overdone in their detail and simplicity for the accomplished builder. But the engineers know there are a lot of non-pilot customers who wont have much of a background in aviation, building or even mechanical aptitude. Thus little things like a demonstration of hitting a piece of wood with a hammer to drive in the landing-gear plugs seem pretty basic. Better too much information than not enough, we always say.
Prior to shipment, the engine is run-in on a dynamometer, the main blades are balanced, the tailboom is finished except for inspection panels, and the fuselage frame is completely welded. What the builder is doing is assembling the components. Even the fiberglass body panels, which are laid up by hand, are complete and need only be assembled to the fuselage. Nuts, bolts and sundry items are packaged in transparent shrink-wrapped packages to be opened only when needed for the specific sub-assembly being built. Aircraft-specific tools, such as Cleco pliers (and sufficient Clecoes) are supplied. They say the only things not supplied are the paint and avionics. Even with all this, the ship still qualifies under the “51% rule” for builder maintenance, and as with any helicopter, periodic maintenance is vitally important. Incidentally, the
company estimates the average build time to run between 450 and 600 hours.
I recall a fellow at my home airport trying to teach himself how to fly his RotorWay. At the time I was flying a Hughes 269 some 5 hours a day, so I was fairly proficient. The maneuverings of his ship made me hide behind a thick concrete wall. To avoid these problems, RotorWay has developed a three-phase training program, which is conducted at the company’s flight school, located at
Stellar Airpark, in Chandler, Arizona. The first phase is attended when the customers helicopter is about 90% complete, and it covers hovering and ground operations as well as what to look for during the final rigging of the aircraft.
This brought up the dreadful thought of a new engine being pounded at high power settings for hours at a time-especially in Arizona. Norwitz said that wasn’t a problem, because the engine is liquid cooled and engineered for just that operating environment. He went on to say that he had been assisting in some engine research and hovered the ship for about 2 hours nonstop with an air temperature of 107 F.
The second phase of training comes after the student is proficient at hovering and introduces him/her to landings, takeoffs, cross-country and pattern work. The last phase is a final checkride for the Private Rotorcraft license. If desired, supplemental training can take the student to the Commercial rating.
RotorWay has gone through a series of owners in its history. It started with B.J. Schram, was improved under Stretch Wolter and John Netherwood, and became an employee-owned company in 1996. In 2007, the company was sold to Norwitz and a group of deep-pocket international associates. This wasn’t an impulse buy; Norwitz had run the company for a year prior to purchase, had been associated with it for two years prior to that, and he built his own RotorWay in 2003.
The intent of this group is to take the company to the next level, as its members are fond of saying. Immediately, this would mean an increase in
production from its present two ships a week and more sales overseas. A plant has been established in Cape Town, South Africa, where kits will be assembled and the helicopters sold that way. The countries that allow the sale of a pre-built Experimental aircraft include India, China, Brazil, Peru and others.
International trade is not for the faint of heart, so RotorWay has established development partners who are assisting in the process. Augusta Westland is cooperating, and has provided a great deal of assistance in development, partnering, quality control, R&D and establishing the South African subsidiary. Also on board is the Denel Company, a major manufacturer of helicopters for the South African military.
The owners have already made some large steps in expanding the company. The factory has moved about 3 miles away from its former location into an environmentally controlled, 44,000 square foot building.A nationwide dealership network is being established, which will provide parts, builder assistance and sales. The first dealership has been given to Ed
DeRossi in upstate New York. DeRossi is enthused about the possibilities. He has his own RotorWay and does builder assistance for those who live in his area.
As for media reports on the certification of the helicopter, Norwitz, and those of you who followed the travails of Cirrus and Lancairs certification process, know this is a number of years away. In the meantime, the company focuses on the Talon, which has seen a modest price increase from the 162F. The complete kit-less radios, paint, freight and flight training-costs $94,700 including the engine and FADEC. Options include a cargo container, lights and something called AICS (altitude induction compensation system, a supercharger) for $5000.
Our Flight
For comic relief, one of the pilots, John ONeill, opted to see if I had improved any in the last few years since I had been at RotorWay. We lifted off and flew to an abandoned military field just a few miles to the south. The visibility in the Talon is excellent, and with the doors off you have the feeling of flight without any support. The trick is to use the spinning rotor disk, which appears as a blur ahead, as your reference mark for turns and level flight. The controls are quick and, like most, I overcorrected, though I didn’t think a 60 bank was too bad.
ONeill did an autorotation, and the descent rate was brisk but certainly nothing that would upset a passenger. Trying to hover, I immediately remembered how old and slow I was becoming. Flying a helicopter is primarily balance and feel, so I was all over the place for the first few minutes. Once I stopped manhandling the cyclic, the ship stayed in one place, though admittedly a fairly large place.
The throttle is mechanically coupled to the collective, so raising the collective increases the throttle and vice versa. Some small input was required, but for the most part it was minimal. The tailrotor controls were sharp and definite. Because most of my time was in a Hughes 269, I consciously compared the two. The only real difference I noted was the lightness of the RotorWay, something like the difference between a sports car and a minivan.
Payload and range have always been an issue with helicopters. Their less than stellar miles-per-gallon numbers make for a regular trade-off between what you can carry and how far you can go. As for the Talons performance, it will haul a couple of 200-pounders, plus about 30 pounds of baggage and will stay in the air for almost 2 hours, providing you’re at cruise speed. How fast? Normal cruise is listed as 87 knots true, with 100 KTAS as the top speed. Thats within 10 knots of the Robinson R-22, which will burn more fuel per hour.
So it seems as though RotorWay is on a strong forward march, improving the ship, expanding production capability and looking ahead to enticing more fixed-wing pilots into the fold.
For more information, call 480/961-1001, or visit the web at www.rotorway.com. A direct link can be found at www.kitplanes.com.
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Previous articleBuild A Plane Needs Airplane Donations
Next articleJanuary 2008
Clearly the Same?
Laps and Lapping
Where Do I Hook This Now?
Improper Deburring
Confessions of a Blockhead
Fabulous Fabric
Can You Calibrate Your Hand?
Prop-aganda
Puttering in the Shop
Dick Starks - June 21, 2013
Sharon’s Combine Service part II—the repair. Dick Starks.
The Creative Homebuilder
Kitplanes - September 21, 2018
Make your own beading tool.
Light Stuff
Dave Martin - March 10, 2008
Columnist Dave Martin flies one of the best-selling Special Light Sport Aircraft (factory-built), the Flight Design CTSW. Although he encounters a few surprises, transition training for pilots new to the design would likely alleviate such things.
Editor’s Log
Paul Dye - August 21, 2013
Cycles of flight.
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2020 Vision: Connecticut Sports Betting Ready To Narrow Focus
by Matthew Kredell
Twenty states have some form of legal sports betting law. This series looks ahead to which states could have legislative action to regulate sports betting in 2020.
Next up: Connecticut.
Connecticut sports betting presents a tricky situation. Gambling entities in the state are limited to two powerful Indian tribes and the state lottery. However, private casino interests have been trying to make an entrance for years.
The tribes, governor and most lawmakers want legal, regulated Connecticut sports betting. Tribal gaming revenue, and the contribution it generates for the state, has been on a decade-long decline. Sports betting could help to reverse that trend.
However, the state has tried to use sports betting as a carrot to get tribes to come to the table and make concessions in regard to their exclusivity on gambling in other areas.
Recent comments from the governor give hope that the stalemate between the state and tribes on CT sports betting could be broken in the coming year.
What happened in CT sports betting in 2019
New Gov. Ned Lamont hinted that Connecticut sports betting wouldn’t be coming in 2019 by not including any revenue from the activity in the state budget. However, he declared his intentions by calling sports betting in CT “one of the building blocks for a balanced budget in the future.”
Possibly the longest legislative gaming hearing on record illustrated the complexity of gambling issues in Connecticut.
The House Public Safety and Security Committee, chaired by Rep. Joe Verrengia, introduced H 7311 to authorize CT sports betting at tribal casinos, potentially commercial casinos, off-track betting parlors, online and with the Connecticut Lottery.
Behind the scenes, discussions between Lamont and the Connecticut tribes — Mashantucket Pequot and Mohegan — on a comprehensive gambling expansion appeared close in May and June, according to emails obtained by the Hartford Courant.
After talks with the governor broke down, Sen. Cathy Osten, whose district surrounds the tribal casinos, proposed a comprehensive gambling bill favored by the tribes. Her attempts to get it taken up in a special session were unsuccessful.
What might happen in Connecticut in 2020?
It appears Lamont is ready to table the idea of a comprehensive gambling agreement to make Connecticut sports betting happen in 2020.
Lamont told capitol reporters that, while he’d like a larger gambling solution, he would “take what I can get” in the meantime:
“Let’s keep it simple. Right now, the iLottery is important to us. It’s one of the things we had in mind when it came to how we can subsidize community college and move toward debt-free community college. Sports betting is something where I think we can reach broad agreement going forward.”
By putting iLottery and CT sports betting in the same statement, Lamont could be indicating that the state would trade sports betting to tribes in exchange for not fighting the state on offering an online lottery.
Tribal complexities may be overcome in CT
Since the early 1990s, the tribes have paid the state 25% of slot revenues in exchange for the exclusive right to offer casino games in Connecticut.
The tribes have long expressed that they would be happy to begin offering sports betting at the Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun casinos as soon as possible and figure out the broader issues at a later date.
Other gambling topics at issue in Connecticut include internet gambling, extending the liquor hours of tribal casinos past 2 a.m., and allowing the tribes or private companies to build casinos on non-tribal lands in Bridgeport and East Windsor.
Connecticut’s legislative session begins Feb. 5 and goes to May 6.
Matthew Kredell
Matthew started his career as a sportswriter at the Los Angeles Daily News, where he covered the NFL, Kobe-Shaq three-peat, Pete Carroll’s USC football teams, USC basketball, pro tennis, Kings hockey and fulfilled his childhood dream of sitting in the Dodgers’ dugout. His reporting on efforts to legalize sports betting began in 2010, when Playboy Magazine flew him to Prague to hang out with Calvin Ayre and show how the NFL was pushing US money overseas by fighting expansion of regulated sports betting across the country. A USC journalism alum, Matt also has written on a variety of topics for Men’s Journal, Los Angeles magazine, LA Weekly and ESPN.com.
View all posts by Matthew Kredell
New Connecticut Sports Betting Bill Backs Tribal Duopoly
Sports Betting In Arizona Gets Needed Push In Governor’s Address
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Confidential Computing and GDPR
or: How cross-company data collaboration can be enabled in a GDPR-compliant way
This blog has been co-authored by David Sturzenegger and Florian Marty from decentriq
Mergers and acquisitions (M&A) totaled in worth almost $2.49 trillion in the first three quarters of 2019. For any M&A, due diligence is essential to confirm information about the two partners and to estimate the future value of the potentially combined companies1. Identifying the size of the shared customer base is an essential task done early in the process. At this stage however, the two companies usually are legally not allowed to exchange their customer databases.
So far, the only workaround has been to hire a trusted third party who gathers the data from both companies and compares them. This comes with a lengthy legal process in itself, especially when the companies are in different jurisdictions and different privacy regulations apply. What if the two companies could determine the size of their shared customer base without having to share their data with anyone?
We recently worked together with decentriq to examine whether processing in the avato platform, which enables decentriq’s clients and partners to securely match and analyze sensitive data via a browser application, is in line with current GDPR regulations. In this blog, we will first introduce the concept of private set intersection as a generalization of the shared customer base problem introduced above. We then show how its solution has been implemented in decentriq’s avato platform in a way that removes the need for a trusted third party (also not decentriq). With avato, both parties provide their customer databases into the platform, receiving very particular security and privacy guarantees: Provably, nobody (not even decentriq) can access their unencrypted data and only the size of the shared customer base is output.
Private set intersection
A private set intersection (PSI) is the process of determining the intersection of two or more datasets (think lists of customer names) without revealing any of the data to anyone. In the M&A case described above, this means calculating the number of shared customers of two companies without disclosing any customer information to any of the companies or any third party.
This is not a trivial task. Using a trusted third party comes with the lengthy processes and costs discussed above. For avoiding the use of third parties, traditionally hashing approaches have been applied. Unfortunately, none of them are really satisfying:
Naïve approaches apply the same hashing function to the names in both databases, exchange the result and compare the hashes2. The identical name will have the same hash and can thus be identified as shared. As each party knows the hashes of their customers, they can also infer the names of the shared customers. This can already represent a violation of local privacy laws.
More involved approaches use double-hashing techniques. These are more complicated, susceptible to privacy attacks and most importantly still fail in the common case of slight differences in the names – think “Freddy Mercury” in one database vs “Fred Mercury” in the other.
New developments come to the rescue. Recent advances in hardware-based cryptography enable new, strictly superior solutions to the private set intersection problem.
The key to privacy-preserving PSI is encrypted in an enclave
Decentriq’s avato platform leverages Intel’s Software Guard Extensions (Intel SGX) technology to create so-called secure enclave programs. These are isolated computer programs which can provide additional security and privacy guarantees even when running on public cloud infrastructure.
Let’s assume that Anna and Paul work at the two merging companies and are tasked with computing the size of their shared customer base in a privacy-preserving and GDPR compliant way. They decide to use an avato secure enclave. After receiving the relevant security proofs, they locally encrypt their customer databases and submit them into the secure enclave. Provably, this particular secure enclave is the globally only program that can decrypt this data. In the enclave, the identifiers are matched, and the number of shared customers is sent back to Anna and Paul.
The use of an avato secure enclave gives Anna and Paul the following security and privacy guarantees:
Only the particular enclave program Anna and Paul are connected to can decrypt their customer databases.
Nobody can access the decrypted data, including decentriq and potential infrastructure providers running avato.
The secure enclave only outputs privacy-preserving aggregate statistics such as the number of shared customers.
Using avato provides Anna and Paul with a simple and safe way of performing the private set intersection. Compared to other approaches, it does not require a trusted third party or complicated algorithms while making it possible to use more sophisticated matching algorithms (fuzzy matching) and outputting additional privacy-preserving statistics. Crucially, as long as the above guarantees hold and the output is non-personal data (e.g. the number of shared customers), the described use of avato is in line with GDPR.
Why using avato is in line with GDPR
The term ‘personal data’ is the entryway to the application of the GDPR. ‘Personal data’ is defined in Article 4 (1) GDPR as any information relating to an identified or identifiable natural person. Such a person is referred to as a data subject. The data subjects are identifiable if they can be directly or indirectly identified. The definition of personal data is based on the realistic risk of identification, and the applicability of data protection rules should be based on risk of harm and likely severity.3
According to Recital 26 (5) GDPR, the principles of data protection should not apply to anonymous information, namely information which does not relate to an identified or identifiable natural person or to personal data rendered anonymous in such a manner that the data subject is not or no longer identifiable.
In contrast to anonymous information, there is no mention of the qualification of encrypted information in the GDPR, and so far, no EU/EEA court has explicitly decided whether encrypted data is personal or not. However, the highest agency for data protection regulation in Bavaria (Landesamt für Datenschutzaufsicht) has concluded that encrypted data does not fall under the category of personal data, under the premise that it is encrypted with strong state-of-the-art cryptographic methods.4
Whether encrypted data are personal data therefore depends on the circumstances, particularly on the means reasonably likely to be used (fair or foul) to re-identify individuals.5 Factors affecting encrypted data’s security against decryption include the following:
strength of encryption method (the algorithm’s cryptographic strength)
key management, such as security of decryption key storage, and key access control.6
Under WP136, ‘anonymised’ data may be considered anonymous in a provider’s hands if ‘within the specific scheme in which those other controllers (e.g. providers) are operating, reidentification is explicitly excluded and appropriate technical measures have been taken in this respect’.7
According to the UK Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), if (i) a party has encrypted personal data itself and (ii) is responsible for managing the key, it is processing data covered by the GDPR, since it has the ability to re-identify individuals through decryption of that dataset.8 On that basis, Hon/Millard/Walden suggest that if a party cannot view data, it cannot identify data subjects, and therefore identification may be excluded by excluding others from being able to access or read data.9 By analogy with key-coded data, to the person encrypting personal data, such as a cloud user with the decryption key, the data remain ‘personal data’.10 However, in another person’s hands, such as a cloud-based platform provider storing encrypted data without access to the key and no means ‘reasonably likely’ to be used for decryption, the data may be considered anonymous.11 This removes cloud providers from the scope of data protection legislation, at least where data have been strongly encrypted by the controller before transmission, and the provider cannot access the key.
With encryption, many of the parties who are processing the data do not have the encryption key. The encryption key stays with the generator of the data. This is the case with avato, meaning that encryption in this case bears similarities to the effects of anonymization, as decentriq has no means of reversing the process to access the raw data. In fact, decentriq has no way of knowing whether personally identifiable information is contained in the sets transferred to avato, and as such it would be impossible to define the scope of processing within a data processing agreement with its clients. decentriq also has no more chances of accessing the data than anyone who finds the key by accident. avato’s strong encryption therefore bears effects similar to anonymization, i.e. it renders personal data in the sense of the GDPR into non-personal data from the point of encryption.
As a result of the above, for all intents and purposes, avato as a host of encrypted data is not processing personal data under the definition of the GDPR. decentriq cannot access that data, and even if its servers were breached, data subjects would be at little risk from a privacy standpoint since the data would also be unintelligible to the wrongdoers.
In this blog we have introduced the private set intersection problem and motivated it with the use-case of a potential merger of two companies where the number shared customers should be computed privately. We have argued that traditional approaches to this problem are not satisfactory and that new technologies such as Intel SGX enable strictly superior solutions. One such solution is decentriq’s avato platform which enables provably privacy preserving computation on data. We argued that the use of avato is in line with GDPR, even when the computation is performed on personally identifiable data such as in the outlined case. Even though we have used the example of private set intersection, this generalizes to the many more confidential computing use-cases supported by avato.
For more technical information on the avato platform, check out decentriq’s blog at https://blog.decentriq.ch/. To receive the full GDPR assessment done by LEXR reach out to florian.marty@decentriq.ch.
1https://www.bbgbroker.com/due-diligence-in-mergers-and-acquisitions/
2https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Private_set_intersection
3Ustaran E, European Data Protection Law and Practice, 44.
4Tätigkeitsbericht 2017/18 – Bayerisches Landesamt für Datenschutzaufsicht, 89.
5Mourby M, Are pseudonymized data always personal data? Implications of the GDPR for administrative data research in the UK, in Computer Law & Security Review, 2018, Vol. 34, 224.
6ibid.
7Opinion 4/2007 on the concept of personal data, WP136 (2007).
9Hon/Millard/Walden, The problem of ‘personal data’ in cloud computing: what information is regulated? – the cloud of unknowing, in International Data Privacy Law, 2011, Vol. 1, No. 4, 219.
10Ibid.
By Anna Maria Tonikidou
MLaw, LL. M. mult.
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Home Cryptocurrency Digital Currency Australia with the first cryptocurrency bank
Australia with the first cryptocurrency bank
Digital Currency August 9, 2018 —by Mariela Naydenova 0
Banks and financial institutions are all over the place with cryptocurrencies: they “love” them, they “hate” them. And while blockchain is sweeping the floor with new applications in hundreds of industries and companies, the future of cryptocurrencies is yet unclear.
One surprising rumour right now is that the first cryptocurrency bank is going to open in Australia. The idea comes from the Australian millionaire Fred Schebesta, the cofounder of the company Finder.
What is more, the entrepreneur has stated that the bank will be built within the next year and a half and that the idea is a grand one – more than $1 billion to be invested in the cryptocurrency project.
In a recent comment, Schebesta said that while the cryptocurrency market is volatile and not yet understood completely, he and his team have the knowledge and expertise to realize the big project.
Schebesta has significant experience in the field, however. His company Finder is basically a website that draws comparison between leading financial institutions like banks, insurance companies and other. The company itself started comparison services on digital coins in the autumn of 2017. Now, after the successful year, the CEO has set his eyes on launching an entire crypto bank.
Schebesta’s idea is to make people autonomous when it comes to their funds. Given the experience and aggressive steps of the CEO of Finder and the other inspiring crypto-expert, who launched his own OTC cryptocurrency exchange, while also the co-founder of Finder, Frank Restuccia, the cryptocurrency bank may be closer than Australia expects.
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Tennis - Wimbledon Update
The first people’s Sunday in 12 years at Wimbledon took place yesterday due to the many rain delays last week causing a congested schedule that left 12 third round matches to complete. There were six men’s matches, including the four that were carried over from Saturday. 12th seed Tsonga finally won an epic five set encounter against marathon man John Isner and it was no surprise to see the fifth set go way past 12 games, eventually finishing 19-17 to Tsonga.
After sending fourth seed Wawrinka crashing out many would have thought Del Potro would have little trouble seeing off the talented young Frenchman Lucas Pouille seeded 32, mainly due to his limited experience on grass. However, Pouille justified his seeding and world ranking and handled the delays to their match better, eventually coming through to win in four sets, which included a fourth set 6-1 drubbing.
Pouille earned himself a shot at reaching his first Grand Slam quarter-final against 19th seed Bernard Tomic, which should be a highly entertaining encounter as both players seem to be in good form. Seventh seed Gasquet and 15th seed Kyrgios finished off their respective delayed matches comfortably in four sets against Spaniards Ramos-Vinolas and Lopez respectively.
Gasquet will now face compatriot Tsonga for a place in the quarter-finals and Kyrgios earned himself a shot at second seed Murray on Centre Court, a stage he will no doubt relish and the crowd are sure to be highly entertained.
However, Murray has the advantage of a day’s rest and leads the head-to-head 4-0, which includes straight sets wins at the US and Australian Open’s last year. Murray does have the added pressure of favouritism since defending champion Djokovic crashed out but it’s unlikely we will see a crisis of confidence with Lendl back in his camp and the worst case scenario I can imagine is he drops a set.
The other fourth round matches today are between Djokovic’s conquerer, Querrey (seeded 28) and veteran grass court specialist Mahut and I expect Querrey to suffer a giant killer’s hangover and lose to the wily Frenchman, who also leads the head-to-head 2-0. Milos Raonic (6) faces a tricky one against the talented Belgian Goffin (11) and Federer (3), who is now second favourite to win this year’s title, faces the inform Steve Johnson who is on an eight match winning streak on grass.
Tomas Berdych (10) proved too strong for teenager Zverev (24) winning in four sets, extending his winning streak against the young German to 4-0, while compatriot Vesely breezed past Sousa in straight sets to set up an interesting fourth round clash against Berdych.
The one other fourth round match today could be the match of the day between fifth seed Nishikori and ninth seed Cilic, who was advised to win Second Quarter at 9/1. They’ve met ten times previously and Nishikori leads the head-to-head 7-3. They’ve met three times at Grand Slams, all at the US Open, and Cilic won the last two, including the last one which was a straight sets win back in 2014 when he went on to win the title.
Nishikori won the last two encounters on the ATP Tour at Washington and Tokyo, both in three sets. Cilic is the more accomplished grass court player having won a title on the surface at Queens in 2012. He also made the semi-finals at Queen’s this year narrowly losing to eventual winner Murray and he’s a former semi-finalist at Wimbledon. If he can produce that level of form today he should progress, but I expect it won’t be plain sailing as Nishikori is a renowned fighter.
The women’s fourth round will also take place today after all of the delayed matches were completed yesterday. There are a handful of potential epic encounters as well today with the likes of top seed Serena facing fellow veteran Kuznetsova (13), Radwanska (3) facing the in-form Cibulkova (19), Halep (5) against 9th seed Keys (Keys advised to Win Wimbledon @ 12/1 down to 6/1 now) and Pavlyuchenkova (21) against the in-form Vandeweghe (27).
Of these matches I think Serena might be pushed close but come out on top as Kuznetsova on her day can match her power from the baseline. Radwanska against Cibulkova will be extremely close, just like their three encounters this year, which all went to three sets and Cibulkova won the last two, including recently at Eastbourne on grass. Halep against Keys is a tough one to call but, if Keys can serve near her best and keep the ratio of winners above unforced errors, I think she will have the edge on a faster surface.
Veteran Venus Williams has had two very tough matches so far and faces arguably her sternest test today against Suarez-Navarro. The head-to-head currently stands at 3-3 and I see Suarez Navarro grinding a tired Venus down today. Vandewhege and Pavlyuchenkova both looked ominously good beating Vinci and Bacsinszky respectively yesterday and, with both players possessing big power games, this should be an exciting encounter. I imagine the winner will be the one who can serve best and produce the best ratio of winners to unforced errors and, on current form, Vandewhege has to be the call.
Finally, fourth Seed Kerber should prove too strong for the diminutive Doi, while 28th seed Safarova may be in for another long, drawn out epic against the experienced Shvedova, who has been in great form at Wimbledon so far and leads the head-to-head against her 3-0.
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