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Monitoring Tests for People With HIV
Summer 2003
A note from TheBody.com: The field of medicine is constantly evolving. As a result, parts of this article may be outdated. Please keep this in mind, and be sure to visit other parts of our site for more recent information!
A wide variety of monitoring tests are available to help gauge HIV disease progression and the state of overall health. HIV viral load tests provide a picture of viral activity, while CD4 cell counts shed light on the status of the immune system and can help physicians predict -- and therefore prevent -- the development of opportunistic illnesses (OIs). These tests can help guide treatment decisions and indicate whether treatment is working. Viral load tests and CD4 cell counts offer a more accurate representation of HIV activity and disease progression than older, indirect surrogate markers -- such as beta-2 microglobulin and neopterin -- that are no longer commonly used.
In addition, general tests such as the complete blood count, the blood chemistry panel, and blood sugar and lipid (fat) tests can help keep track of side effects such as low blood cell counts, liver toxicity, and elevated triglyceride and cholesterol levels. Other tests, such as genotypic and phenotypic resistance assays and therapeutic drug monitoring, can help optimize anti-HIV therapy.
Almost all the laboratory tests described in this article require a blood sample; fortunately, a single sample often can be used for several different assays. Typically, a person with HIV or his or her physician will receive a report that combines several test results, along with normal or "reference" ranges. In many cases, a person should receive initial tests as soon as possible after an HIV diagnosis to establish a baseline against which future tests may be compared. In general, most monitoring tests should be performed every 3-6 months or so. Results obtained by different laboratories and different test methods can vary greatly, and results may even vary from day to day at the same lab. Tests should preferably be done at the same lab using the same procedure each time, to allow for more accurate comparisons.
Many factors -- such as time of day, recent vaccinations, and concurrent infections such as the flu -- may influence test results. A test that returns an unexplained or unexpected result should be repeated. A single abnormal lab result is not always cause for concern; upward and downward trends over time are usually more important. (The normal lab values given below and in the chart on page 38 represent typical reference ranges; values may vary considerably between laboratories.)
Complete Blood CountWhole blood is made up of various types of cells suspended in a liquid called plasma. The complete blood count (CBC) is an inventory of the different cellular components of the blood: red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. This test is important because people with HIV may have low blood cell counts (cytopenias) due to chronic HIV infection or as a side effect of medications, particularly drugs that damage the bone marrow, where all blood cells are produced. Blood cell counts are typically reported as the number of cells in a cubic millimeter of blood (cells/mm3) or as a percentage of all blood cells. Most experts recommend that people with HIV should receive a CBC about every six months, and more often if they are experiencing symptoms or taking drugs associated with low blood cell counts.
Red Blood CellsRed blood cells (erythrocytes) carry oxygen from the lungs to the body's cells, bound to a molecule called hemoglobin. Anemia is a condition characterized by a reduction in the number of red blood cells, often leaving a person fatigued, weak, and short of breath. Anemia is common in HIV positive people. HIV itself and various OIs such as Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) can affect red blood cells and their oxygen-carrying capacity. In addition, drugs such as AZT (zidovudine, Retrovir) may lead to low red blood cell counts due to bone marrow suppression, while other medications such as ribavirin (used to treat hepatitis C) can directly destroy red blood cells (hemolysis). Several tests are used to help diagnose various types of anemia.
Red Blood Cell Count (RBC): the total number of red blood cells in a quantity of blood. Normal ranges are 4.5-6.0 million cells/mm3 for men and 4.0-5.5 million cells/mm3 for women. (Women typically have lower counts than men due to the loss of blood through menstruation.)
Hematocrit (HCT): the proportion of red blood cells as a percentage of total blood volume. A normal hematocrit is 40-55% for men and 35-45% for women.
Hemoglobin (HGB): the number of grams of hemoglobin in a deciliter of blood (g/dL). Normal levels in healthy adults are 14-18 g/dL for men and 12-16 g/dL for women. As a rough guideline, hemoglobin should be about one-third the hematocrit.
Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin (MCH) and MCH Concentration (MCHC): the amount or concentration, respectively, of hemoglobin in an average red blood cell.
Mean Corpuscular Volume (MCV): the average size, or volume, of individual red blood cells. Conditions such as iron deficiency can lead to smaller than normal red blood cells, while certain vitamin deficiencies and some drugs (including nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors [NRTIs]) can produce larger than normal cells.
Red Blood Cell Distribution Width (RDW): a measure of the size and uniformity of red blood cells.
White Blood CellsWhite blood cells (leukocytes) carry out the body's immune responses. The CBC looks at numbers of various different types of white blood cells.
White Blood Cell Count (WBC): the total number of white blood cells in a quantity of blood. A healthy adult normally has 4,000-11,000 white blood cells/mm3. A WBC increase often indicates that a person is actively fighting an infection or has recently received a vaccine. Decreased WBC (leukopenia) can leave a person vulnerable to various pathogens and cancers.
Differential: a report of the proportions of different types of white blood cells as a percentage of the total number of white cells; these percentages may be multiplied by the WBC to obtain absolute counts. People with HIV should be especially concerned with neutrophil and lymphocyte levels, in particular CD4 and CD8 cell counts (discussed below).
Neutrophils: a type of cell that fights bacterial infections. Neutrophils normally make up about 50-70% of all white blood cells. Various anti-HIV drugs (especially AZT), OI medications (including ganciclovir [Cytovene], used to treat cytomegalovirus, or CMV), and cancer chemotherapies that suppress the bone marrow may lead to low neutrophil levels (neutropenia). The risk of bacterial infection increases when the absolute neutrophil count falls below about 500-750 cells/mm3.
Lymphocytes: there are two main types of lymphocytes. B cells produce antibodies that fight foreign invaders in the body, while T cells target infected or cancerous cells and help coordinate the overall immune response. A normal lymphocyte count is about 20-40% of all white blood cells. The typical differential does not include specific subsets of T cells, but because CD4 and CD8 cell counts are important to people with HIV, they are measured separately (discussed below).
Monocytes: a type of cell that fights pathogens by engulfing and destroying them. Monocytes circulate in the blood for about 24 hours; when they leave the bloodstream and migrate into the tissues, they mature into macrophages. Monocytes and macrophages normally account for 2-10% of all white blood cells.
Eosinophils: cells that play a role in defense against parasites and in allergic reactions. They normally make up 0-6% of all white blood cells.
Basophils: another type of cell involved in allergic reactions, in particular the release of histamine. They normally account for 1% or less of all white blood cells.
PlateletsPlatelets (thrombocytes) are necessary for blood clotting. A normal platelet count is about 130,000-440,000 cells/mm3. Low platelet counts (thrombocytopenia) -- which can lead to easy bruising and excessive bleeding -- may be caused by certain drugs, autoimmune reactions, accelerated destruction by the spleen, or HIV disease itself.
CD4 and CD8 Cell Tests
CD4 Cell CountAs noted above, T cells are types of lymphocytes that help the body get rid of infected or cancerous cells and help coordinate the immune response. CD4 cells (also known as T4 or T-helper cells) carry the CD4 receptor molecule on their surface and coordinate the cell-mediated immune response. Most CD4 cells reside in the lymph nodes, and various factors can cause them to enter or leave the bloodstream. A normal CD4 cell count in a healthy adult is about 600-1,200 cells/mm3; it tends to be somewhat higher in women than in men, and considerably higher in young children. CD4 cell counts often fluctuate due to factors including time of day (levels are usually higher in the morning), fatigue, stress, vaccinations, infections such the flu, and monthly menstrual cycles in women.
HIV primarily targets CD4 cells. As HIV disease progresses, CD4 cell counts decline, typically by about 30-100 cells/mm3 per year (depending on viral load), leaving a person increasingly vulnerable to infections and cancers. People with CD4 cell counts above 500 cells/mm3 generally have relatively normal immune function and are at low risk for OIs.
When the CD4 cell count drops below 200 cells/mm3, an individual is prone to infections such as Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP). The risk is even greater when the CD4 cell count declines further; people with fewer than 100 cells/mm3 may contract OIs such as toxoplasmosis and cryptosporidiosis, while those with fewer than 50-75 cells/mm3 are at risk for MAC and CMV. A CD4 cell count below 200 cells/mm3 or a CD4 percentage below 14% signals a diagnosis of AIDS.
The CD4 cell count is a valuable tool for gauging HIV disease progression. Along with viral load, it provides information about when anti-HIV therapy is indicated and how well it is working; effective treatment can halt HIV replication and restore CD4 cell levels. Current U.S. HIV treatment guidelines recommend that people should consider starting anti-HIV therapy when their CD4 cell count falls below 350 cells/mm3. In 2001 this level was reduced from 500 cells/mm3 after research showed little benefit to starting treatment in asymptomatic people with 350-500 cells/mm3, especially given the adverse effects, inconvenience, and cost of therapy. Studies are underway to assess the value of treatment in people with 200-350 cells/mm3.
Many people who have started combination anti-HIV therapy have seen dramatic increases in their CD4 cell counts and have been able to safely stop OI prophylaxis (preventive treatment). However, the CD4 cell count tends to eventually drop back to its previous lowest level -- known as the nadir -- if anti-HIV therapy is discontinued. Importantly, CD4 cell numbers do not tell the whole story: how well the cells function and what pathogens they target are also important. (Tests of T cell activation and proliferation are available as research tools, but are not widely used in clinical practice.)
Most experts recommend that the CD4 cell count should be measured when HIV is diagnosed, then every 3-6 months or so -- closer to three months if the count is low or falling or a person is starting or changing treatment, and closer to six months if the count is high or has been stable for several months. An individual CD4 cell measurement is not as informative as downward or upward trends over time; any large or unexpected change should be confirmed with a repeat test.
CD8 Cell CountTwo types of T cells carry the CD8 surface molecule: T-suppressor cells, which inhibit immune responses, and killer T cells (also known as cytotoxic T lymphocytes, or CTLs), which target and kill infected or cancerous cells. A normal CD8 cell count is about 200-1,000 cells/mm3. As with CD4 cells, a variety of factors can cause CD8 cell counts to fluctuate. CD8 cell counts typically rise over time in people with HIV, but (unlike CD4 cells) CD8 cell numbers do not independently predict disease progression, and their relation to immune status is not well understood.
CD4 and CD8 Cell PercentageBecause absolute CD4 and CD8 cell counts are so variable, some physicians prefer to look at CD4 or CD8 cell percentages -- that is, the proportion of all lymphocytes that are CD4 or CD8 cells. Percentages are usually more stable over time than absolute counts. A normal CD4 cell percentage in a healthy person is about 30-60%, while a normal CD8 cell percentage is 15-40%.
CD4/CD8 Cell RatioThe CD4/CD8 cell ratio will also be reported. This is calculated by dividing the CD4 cell count by the CD8 cell count. A normal CD4/CD8 cell ratio is about 0.9-3.0 or higher -- that is, there are at least 1-3 CD4 cells for every CD8 cell. In people with HIV this ratio may be much lower, with many more CD8 cells than CD4 cells.
Blood Chemistry TestsThe blood chemistry, or chem panel, measures many important substances in the blood. Although the chem panel does not directly measure HIV disease progression, it can help indicate how well various organs are functioning and provide valuable information about drug side effects. A chem panel should be done at least every six months, and more often in people who are experiencing symptoms or taking drugs that can adversely affect blood values. As noted previously, different laboratories have different reference ranges for what they consider normal values.
ElectrolytesElectrolytes are positively or negatively charged molecules (ions) that play important roles in cellular activity and heart and nerve function. Normally electrolyte levels are regulated by the kidneys, and any excess is excreted in the urine. Most healthy people can get all the electrolytes and other minerals they need by eating a balanced diet. Electrolyte imbalances may signal malnutrition, kidney problems, or dehydration (which may be caused by prolonged vomiting or diarrhea). Such imbalances are not uncommon in people with acute or chronic illnesses.
Bicarbonate: a form of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) in the blood. Bicarbonate acts as a buffer to help maintain the body's acid-base balance (pH). A normal bicarbonate level is about 22-33 millimoles per liter (mmol/L). A high level might indicate an "anion gap," which may signify high lactate levels or lactic acidosis (an adverse effect associated with NRTIs).
Calcium: a major component of bones and teeth, calcium is also required for proper nerve and muscle function. A normal total serum calcium level is 8.5-10.5 milligrams/deciliter (mg/dL).
Chloride: sodium and chloride are often found together, and both help regulate the body's fluid balance. A normal chloride level is 95-105 mmol/L.
Magnesium: this mineral plays a role in nerve impulse transmission and muscle contractions. A normal range is 1.5-3.0 mg/dL.
Phosphorus: most of the body's phosphorus is located in the bones, but it also plays an important role in maintaining the body's pH balance. A normal level is 2.0-4.5 mg/dL.
Potassium: this mineral also plays a role in nerve impulse transmission and muscle function. A normal level is 3.5-5.0 mmol/L. Abnormal potassium levels may be related to kidney failure or dehydration.
Sodium: this mineral is important in maintaining the body's fluid balance and is involved in transmission of nerve impulses. A normal level is 135-145 mmol/L. Abnormal sodium levels may be due to dehydration, elevated lipid levels, or kidney dysfunction.
Liver Function TestsLiver function tests, also known as the hepatic panel, are laboratory tests that help measure how well the liver is working. The liver carries out many vital bodily functions; when it is not working properly, levels of various enzymes, proteins, and other substances in the blood may rise or fall. Elevated liver enzyme levels may be a sign of liver damage caused by factors such as viral hepatitis, heavy alcohol consumption, or drug toxicity. Because several anti-HIV medications are known to cause liver damage (hepatotoxicity), people taking antiretroviral therapy should have their liver function monitored regularly, about every two months. This is especially important for people coinfected with the hepatitis B or C viruses.
Alanine transaminase (ALT): formerly called SGPT, ALT is an enzyme normally present in liver cells. When these cells are damaged, ALT is released into the bloodstream. A normal ALT level for adult men is 0-50 International Units per liter (IU/L); levels are somewhat lower in women. While mild elevations are common, an ALT level more than 2.5 times the upper limit of normal (ULN) is cause for concern. Recent research has shown that even moderately elevated ALT or AST levels in people with HIV are associated with a higher risk of death. In general, upward or downward trends in ALT are more informative than a single measurement.
Aspartate transaminase (AST): formerly called SGOT, AST is another liver enzyme that may spill into the blood when liver cells are damaged. AST levels may also be elevated in people with muscle damage. A normal AST level for adult men is 0-45 IU/L.
Bilirubin: bilirubin is a pigment released when red blood cells are broken down. A normal bilirubin level is 0.1-1.5 mg/dL. An elevated level (hyperbilirubinemia) may indicate liver damage, impaired bile flow, or excessive red blood cell destruction. High bilirubin levels can lead to jaundice (yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes).
Alkaline phosphatase (AP): elevated AP levels may signal obstructed bile flow or bone destruction. A normal level is 35-115 IU/L.
Gamma glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT): high GGT levels may also be a sign of impaired bile flow. A normal level is 30-60 IU/L.
Blood clotting measures: liver dysfunction may lead to impaired blood clotting as platelets are destroyed by an enlarged spleen and the liver is unable to produce adequate amounts of clotting factors. Platelet count (described above) and prothrombin time (PT) are two measures of blood clotting ability. PT is an indication of how long it takes the blood to clot; a normal value is about 10-12 seconds. Laboratories usually report PT in seconds and in terms of international normalized ratio (INR). PT is generally considered prolonged if it is 1.2 times normal or slower (INR greater than 1.2).
Kidney Function TestsKidney function tests are important for people with HIV because certain anti-HIV drugs (e.g., tenofovir DF [Viread]) and medications used to treat OIs (e.g., foscarnet [Foscavir] for CMV) may cause kidney damage, especially in those with a history of kidney problems. To assess kidney function, urine is usually analyzed in addition to blood tests. The presence of protein, glucose, or red or white blood cells in the urine may be a sign of kidney damage or some other abnormal condition.
Blood urea nitrogen (BUN): nitrogen is a metabolic waste product that is normally filtered out by the kidneys and excreted in the urine. A normal BUN is 8-20 mg/dL. Elevations may indicate kidney dysfunction or a body fluid imbalance (e.g., dehydration).
Creatinine: this waste product of protein metabolism is also normally excreted by the kidneys. A normal blood creatinine level is 0.6-1.5 mg/dL. Elevated creatinine levels may indicate kidney damage.
Other Blood TestsAlbumin: one of the major blood proteins, albumin helps regulate the body's fluid balance and maintain normal blood volume. It also acts as a carrier protein for many drugs. A normal serum albumin level is 3.0-5.5 grams per deciliter (g/dL). An elevated level may be a sign of dehydration, while a low level may indicate malnutrition, liver disease, or kidney dysfunction. A recent study showed that low serum albumin levels are a strong predictor of disease progression and death in women with HIV.
Amylase: this enzyme is produced by certain digestive organs, especially the pancreas. A normal amylase level is 50-160 IU/L. A high level is often a sign of pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas). Some anti-HIV drugs (e.g., ddI [didanosine, Videx]) may cause pancreatitis; people taking such drugs should have their amylase levels checked if they experience unexplained symptoms such as abdominal pain.
Creatine phosphokinase (CPK): this enzyme may be released into the blood when muscles are damaged. A normal level is 20-150 IU/L for men and 10-80 IU/L for women. Elevations may be due to heart muscle damage (such as a heart attack), excessive exercise, or muscle toxicity caused by drugs.
Lactate (or lactic) dehydrogenase (LDH): this enzyme is released from damaged cells. A typical reference range is 100-250 IU/L. Elevated levels may indicate widespread inflammation or cell death (necrosis), for example, due to a heart attack, PCP, or lymphoma (cancer of the lymphoid tissue).
Testosterone: both men and women produce this steroid hormone, and research suggests that levels are often decreased in people with HIV. The generally accepted testosterone range is 200-1,200 micrograms per deciliter (µg/dL) for men and 20-60 µg/dL for women. However, levels vary widely among individuals. Low testosterone levels may lead to loss of libido (sexual drive), fatigue, wasting, and depression.
Sedimentation (sed) rate: this test measures how rapidly red blood cells settle in a test tube. An elevated sed rate may indicate inflammation.
Blood Sugar and Lipid TestsOver the past several years increased attention has focused on unusual metabolic complications in people with HIV. It is still not definitively known whether these manifestations are related to long-term HIV infection itself, immune recovery, antiretroviral drugs, or a combination of these factors. However, dramatically elevated blood lipid (fat) and glucose (sugar) levels have been correlated with the use of protease inhibitors (PIs). Today, most physicians regularly monitor blood fat and sugar levels in their patients taking anti-HIV therapy, and may recommend antiretroviral regimen changes or lipid-lowering medications if levels get too high.
Glucose: sugar is carried in the blood in the form of glucose, which is broken down by cells to provide energy. A normal glucose level is 65-125 mg/dL. A persistently high glucose level is a sign of diabetes mellitus. It may indicate that the pancreas is not producing enough insulin (a hormone that allows the body to use glucose), or that the body is not responding normally to the insulin produced, a condition known as insulin resistance. Some anti-HIV drugs -- particularly PIs -- have been associated with insulin resistance and elevated glucose levels. In addition to tests that measure blood glucose at a single point in time, the hemoglobin A1c test can help assess the amount of glucose in the blood over several months.
Triglycerides: after eating, energy that is not needed immediately is converted into triglycerides and transported to fat cells for storage. A normal triglyceride level is about 45-150 mg/dL. Elevated levels (hypertriglyceridemia) are associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease, especially when accompanied by high cholesterol levels. Extremely high triglyceride levels (greater than about 1,000 mg/dL) can cause pancreatitis. Triglycerides should be measured after fasting for at least eight hours.
Cholesterol: a fatty substance that circulates in the blood, cholesterol is an important component of cell membranes, certain hormones, vitamin D, and bile acids. A healthy total cholesterol level is 120-200 mg/dL. Elevated total cholesterol (hypercholesterolemia) is known to increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, but it is more useful to look at specific types of cholesterol. Low-density lipoproteins (LDL) -- so-called "bad" cholesterol -- can deposit cholesterol in artery walls, causing atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries). But high-density lipoproteins (HDL) -- so-called "good" cholesterol -- help clear cholesterol from the body and may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. In some studies, higher HDL levels have been associated with more robust viral load reductions in people taking anti-HIV therapy. The National Cholesterol Education Program recommends that people try to achieve a total cholesterol level below 200 mg/dL, an LDL level below 100 mg/dL, and an HDL level of at least 40 mg/dL.
Tests for Pathogens Other Than HIVAnyone being treated for HIV most likely will have already received antibody tests (usually an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, or ELISA, followed by a Western blot test) to confirm the presence of the virus. But providers may recommend additional tests to detect other pathogens.
Serologic (blood serum) tests detect antibodies in the blood that indicate that a person has been exposed to a microorganism and has mounted an immune response. Microbiological tests look for pathogens themselves or their genetic material. While many pathogens can be detected using blood tests, some require other bodily substances -- for example, a sputum test for PCP, a stool (fecal matter) test for parasitic infections such as cryptosporidiosis, or a cerebrospinal fluid test (spinal tap) for brain infections such as cryptococcal meningitis.
In most cases, tests for pathogens are performed only if a person is experiencing symptoms of a specific infection. But other tests should be routinely offered to people with HIV. For example, many physicians recommend that people be tested for toxoplasmosis and syphilis when they are first diagnosed with HIV. And, because coinfection is so prevalent, the U.S. Public Health Service and the Infectious Diseases Society of America recommend that all people with HIV should be screened for viral hepatitis. Anyone with significantly elevated liver enzymes should be tested for hepatitis A, B, and C.
HIV Viral Load TestsViral load tests measure the amount of HIV RNA (genetic material) in the blood. The presence of RNA indicates that the virus is actively replicating (multiplying). Along with the CD4 cell count, viral load is one of the most valuable measures for predicting HIV disease progression and gauging when anti-HIV treatment is indicated and how well it is working.
Viral load is expressed either as copies of RNA per milliliter of blood (copies/mL) or in terms of logs. A log change is an exponential or 10-fold change. For example, a change from 100 to 1,000 is a 1 log (10-fold) increase, while a change from 1,000,000 to 10,000 is a 2 log (100-fold) decrease.
If the level of HIV is too low to be measured, viral load is said to be undetectable, or below the limit of quantification. However, undetectable viral load does not mean that HIV has been eradicated; people with undetectable viral load maintain a very low level of virus. Even when HIV is not detectable in the blood, it may be detectable in the semen, female genital secretions, cerebrospinal fluid, tissues, and lymph nodes.
Two types of viral load test are commonly used to measure HIV viral load: Roche's Amplicor HIV-1 Monitor polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay and Bayer's Quantiplex branched-chain DNA (bDNA) assay. Other viral load tests -- Organon Teknika's nucleic acid sequence-based assay (NASBA) and Digene's DNA hybridization test -- are newer and less widely used. Only the Amplicor test is currently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). While first-generation tests measured viral load down to about 400 copies/mL, the ultrasensitive second-generation tests in widespread clinical use today have a lower limit of detection of about 50 copies/mL; some research tests can measure as few as 5 copies/mL. The older-generation tests are better at measuring high viral loads, while the newer tests more accurately measure low viral loads. (The first-generation PCR test was more sensitive than the first-generation bDNA assay, but the newer versions of both tests are comparable.)
A viral load of 100,000 copies/mL or greater is considered high, while levels below 10,000 copies/mL are considered low. Research has consistently shown that higher viral loads are associated with more rapid HIV disease progression and an increased risk of death. Current U.S. HIV treatment guidelines recommend that people should consider starting treatment if their viral load is above 55,000 copies/mL (revised upward from 10,000 copies/mL in the previous guidelines). Importantly, most studies that have correlated viral load and HIV disease progression have been done in men; more recent research indicates that women may progress to AIDS at lower viral load levels, suggesting that the treatment threshold should perhaps be revised downward for women.
Effective anti-HIV treatment can often reduce viral load to low or undetectable levels. Therapy that does not produce an undetectable viral load is often said to be failing. Another warning sign is viral breakthrough, an increase in viral load following earlier suppression. Inability to achieve an undetectable viral load may mean that a person's HIV is resistant to the drugs being used. Providers often take this as an indication to change or add new drugs to a person's anti-HIV regimen. However, research suggests that therapy that substantially decreases HIV levels (especially if it reduces them to below 10,000 copies/mL) is likely to be beneficial even if it does not achieve the "gold standard" of undetectability.
Most experts recommend that a viral load test should be done when a person is first diagnosed with HIV to establish a baseline, then every 3-6 months or so. Tests should be done about four weeks after a person starts or changes anti-HIV therapy to monitor whether the new treatment appears to be working. Various factors -- such as concurrent infections or recent vaccines -- can affect viral load, and blips (brief increases) may occur that do not signal actual HIV disease progression. As with CD4 cell count, an individual measurement is not as useful as downward or upward trends over time.
Treatment Monitoring TestsAs noted above, increasing viral load levels (viral breakthrough) and decreasing CD4 cell counts while a person is taking anti-HIV therapy are indications that adherence is not adequate or that the drugs being used are not effective and may need to be changed. In addition, today there are other tests that can help physicians determine whether current therapy is working or whether a treatment option under consideration is likely to work.
Resistance TestingHIV can develop drug resistance by mutating in such a way that the virus can continue to replicate despite the drug. (Nonmutated HIV is referred to as "wild-type" virus.) This usually occurs when a drug is not completely effective (due to poor adherence, suboptimal drug levels, or other reasons), allowing HIV to multiply and mutate in the presence of the drug. Also, an increasing number of people are becoming infected with HIV that is already resistant to one or more drugs.
Several studies have shown that use of resistance testing to guide treatment decisions leads to more sustained viral load reductions. The ability to tell which drugs are no longer working provides the opportunity to change a specific drug, rather than tossing out an entire failing regimen. Resistance tests are increasingly being used in clinical practice, but they are not yet standardized and should be interpreted by an experienced physician. The tests work best when a person has a viral load of at least 1,000 copies/mL and is currently still on a failing anti-HIV drug regimen. Three types of tests are used to measure drug resistance. (For more information on resistance testing, see "Salvage Therapy," BETA, Winter 2003.)
Genotypic tests: these tests examine the genetic sequence of HIV's reverse transcriptase and/or protease enzymes to look for mutations that are known to be associated with resistance to particular drugs. For example, the K103N mutation confers resistance to current non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs).
Phenotypic tests: these tests are done by adding a medication to an HIV culture in the laboratory to determine how much drug is needed to inhibit viral replication. Resistance levels are usually reported in terms of how much drug is needed to inhibit viral replication by 50% or 90% (the IC 50 or IC 90 , respectively), compared with wild-type virus. Phenotypic tests provide a more direct measure of resistance, but are more difficult, time-consuming, and expensive.
Virtual phenotype: this is a new approach to estimating the viral phenotype using a large database of more than 18,000 pairs of genotypic and phenotypic data. HIV with a similar genotype is identified in the database, and the corresponding phenotypic information is used to estimate resistance. Preliminary research suggests that the virtual phenotype predicts treatment response about as well as a true phenotypic test.
Therapeutic Drug MonitoringTherapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) is used to help individualize anti-HIV therapy by measuring the amount of drug in an individual's blood. This is important because different people absorb, process, and eliminate drugs at different rates, and blood levels may vary considerably among individuals taking the same doses of the same medications. Ideally, the lowest plasma drug concentration between doses (the trough level, or Cmin) should still be high enough to inhibit HIV, but the highest concentration (the peak level, or Cmax) should not cause intolerable side effects.
Some, but not all, studies have shown that using TDM to guide treatment decisions increases the chance of successful viral suppression. However, drug level monitoring is not appropriate for all anti-HIV drugs. TDM has grown in popularity, especially for guiding salvage therapy, but it remains controversial and is still not widely used in the U.S. (For more on TDM and the related topics of inhibitory quotient and viral fitness, see "Salvage Therapy," BETA, Winter 2003; and "Therapeutic Drug Monitoring," BETA, Autumn 2000.)
ConclusionRegular monitoring is an important way for HIV positive people to take control of their health. People with HIV should talk with their physicians about how often they should receive various monitoring tests. Interpretation of test results can be tricky and should be carried out by an experienced practitioner. (For this reason, we do not include a sample lab report here; some of the resources included in the table below provide test result examples.)
Along with general health measures such as blood cell counts and liver enzyme levels, and specific measures of HIV disease progression such as viral load and CD4 cell count, new tests such as resistance assays and therapeutic drug monitoring may help individualize anti-HIV treatment and promote optimal outcomes.
Common Monitoring Tests for People With HIV
Blood Cell Tests
Blood Chemistry Tests
CD4 and CD8 Cell Tests
HIV Viral Load
Blood Sugar and Lipid Tests
Liz Highleyman (firstname.lastname@example.com) is a freelance medical writer and editor based in San Francisco.
Selected Sources
A note from TheBody.com: The field of medicine is constantly evolving. As a result, parts of this article may be outdated. Please keep this in mind, and be sure to visit other parts of our site for more recent information!
This article was provided by San Francisco AIDS Foundation. It is a part of the publication Bulletin of Experimental Treatments for AIDS. Visit San Francisco AIDS Foundation's Web site to find out more about their activities, publications and services.


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|North Korea`s intermediate-range missile believed to be the Musudan missile (Yonhap News)
North Korea on Tuesday called on foreigners living in South Korea to prepare to evacuate amid concerns that the communist country is poised to conduct a missile test as early as Wednesday.
"The situation on the Korean Peninsula is heading for a thermonuclear war," the North's Asia-Pacific Peace Committee said in a statement.
"In the event of war, we don't want foreigners living in South Korea to get hurt. All foreign organizations, companies and tourists should work out measures for evacuation."
Seoul officials played down the latest warning as part of its psychological provocations.
"Korean and foreign residents here alike trust the military and the government, and will not unnerved by such a psychological warfare tactic," presidential spokesperson Kim Haing said.
On Friday, North Korea issued a similar advisory to foreign diplomats based in Pyongyang saying that it will not be able to guarantee their safety as of Wednesday.
Intelligence reports suggest Pyongyang has readied two mid-range missiles on mobile launchers on its east coast and plans test-firing before the April 15 birthday of late founding leader Kim Il-sung.
In response, Japan has deployed Patriot missiles in its capital as it readies to defend the 30 million people who live in greater Tokyo from any North Korean attack, officials said Tuesday.
Two Patriot Advanced Capability-3 surface-to-air missile launchers had been stationed at the Defense Ministry in Tokyo before dawn, a ministry spokesman said, while Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera said "we are proceeding with measures including deployment of PAC-3 as we are on alert."
Local reports said PAC-3 will be deployed in another two locations in the greater Tokyo area.
Tokyo's response thus far to the threats emanating from Pyongyang has been low key and Tuesday's moves are the most visible yet that it is rattled.
"The government is making the utmost efforts to protect our people's lives and ensure their safety," Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told reporters Tuesday morning.
South Korean Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se warned that Pyongyang will face deeper isolation if it carries out more provocations.
"North Korea must understand that there is nothing -- absolutely nothing -- to be gained by threats and provocations," Yun said in his speech at an annual reception hosted by the Asia Foundation.
"North Korea, instead of developing missiles and weapons of mass destruction, must take care of its people first, who are suffering from the hardships of want, poverty and destitution," Yun said.
Yun will hold talks with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry in Seoul Friday to discuss the growing hostilities from North Korea and other bilateral issues, a Seoul official said Tuesday.
It will be the second bilateral talks between Yun and Kerry this month. They held talks in Washington on April 2 and Kerry reaffirmed Washington's commitment to protecting South Korea in the face of the North's increasingly bellicose threats.
"It is very unusual for them to hold talks within 10 days, and I think it demonstrates the two nations' willingness to build a new, cooperative relationship," Cho said.
(From news reports)

subset: commoncrawl


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Dell got burnt by Ubuntu, they have to pay an entire dev team to support their own (badly out of date) fork of Ubuntu because if they use bog standard Ubuntu the drivers break. What we need is one of the companies to embrace and fund one of the BSDs which has a stable driver API so this kind of Mickey Mouse breakage doesn't occur, otherwise all the OEMs are gonna have to get together and just fork Linux away from Torvalds.
Wouldn't help, over the last 2 years no fewer than 3 different Intel chipsets have been broken horribly by mainline and had to be fixed by Intel which sometimes took weeks.
Its time for everyone to get together and tell Torvalds to STFU or step down, whichever he wants to do. Quick what do BSD, Solaris, Windows, OSX, iOS,ChromeOS and Android have that Linux DON'T? A stable driver ABI so changes to the kernel don't crap on the drivers. Linux is the ONLY one that has such silliniess as programs and even patches "requires kernel x.xx" because of the frankly broken way Torvalds has instituted the thing. Now is anybody gonna argue with a straight face that Linus is smarter than ALL of those OS designers put together?
Lets call a spade a spade, its politics. Linus LIKES having God like control thanks to the way things are set up and if there was a stable ABI he'd be just one more link in the chain and he don't like that. And don't trot out the "ZOMFG they might...gasp...have NON FREE drivers sob!" because guess what? There already ARE non free drivers, and they usually work BETTER than what Torvalds and friends approve, see how Nvidia is THE card to use in Linux for example.
If Linux is EVER gonna get out of last place either the community needs to rally around getting Torvalds taken out of the big chair for somebody that will listen to reason or there needs to be a forking AWAY from Torvalds so that a stable ABI can be implemented. Isn't that what is supposed to be great about FOSS? You can fork away from damage?
Well this is major damage, its being done for political reasons (in fact the ONLY article anybody can produce by a kernel dev in support of the current situation includes the line "and I hope all non free drivers break!" which proves beyond a reasonable doubt its a political NOT a design choice) and it needs to go. When the entire planet is doing it one way and having it work just fine and you chose another and having Mickey Mouse breakage its time to take a good look in the mirror and think. Its this kind of crud that keeps Linux in last place, it ain't the DEs, it ain't the software, its the fact that NO retailer can sell your product installed and not run the risk of having half his sales come back broken on first update. That kind of crap went out with XP on the MSFT side, OSX on the Apple side, yet here it is 2013 and it still happens on the Linux side, that is truly sad.


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GOLDEN — State wildlife managers say residents of Coal Creek Canyon northwest of Golden have reported that seven or eight pet dogs have been taken by a mountain lion since November.
KMGH-TV reported Monday (http://tinyurl.com/kndbxw9 ) that Colorado Parks and Wildlife plans to trap and relocate the lion.
Agency spokeswoman Jennifer Churchill says officers also want to put a radio collar on the animal to track it.
Churchill says officers generally don't trap lions that kill one or two pets, but they're concerned this one is attacking dogs instead of its normal prey.
Officials have put up a sign outside a fire station warning that a mountain lion is active in the area.
Information from: KMGH-TV, http://www.thedenverchannel.com


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We like competition. Friendly competition makes life interesting and keeps people on their toes.
In the case of the greater Bluffton area having two chambers of commerce hoping to provide resources, marketing and networking opportunities to local businesses, time will tell if the area can sustain the two separate chambers.
We have to give credit to the new upstart chamber for seeing an apparent need in the community and seizing an opportunity. We also have to give the existing chamber a nod for also recognizing an opportunity and making plans to move its office to Old Town where a lot of local businesses are located.
There's no doubt that Bluffton continues its growth and businesses setting up shop here want and need a voice in how they get people to walk through their doors. And not all new businesses have advertising and marketing budgets so a membership in a local chamber of commerce seems like a viable option.
There's a difference between this approach and a business that is definitely keying on tourists and that may want to draw customers from the interstate.
After about four months of getting going, the Greater Bluffton Chamber of Commerce has put together its bylaws, has a board of directors in place, an executive director and about 200 members. That's pretty quick work for a group who is relying mainly on volunteers and in-kind services from some of its members and local businesses.
The mission of the new chamber is to have more of a focus on small businesses less dependent on tourism dollars.
That focus is wise since the new chamber doesn't have a piece of the pie that comes from Bluffton's share of the state accommodation tax money and local bed-tax revenue.
Providing training, direct marketing and networking opportunities for local businesses seems to be keeping the new chamber busy. But the group also has plans in September for a business expo and a Lowcountry boil in November.
These are welcome opportunites for all local businesses in Bluffton and we support the efforts behind them.
We also applaud the move to Old Town by the existing Hilton Head-Bluffton Chamber and hope the move makes them more visible and more involved in local events. They realize, like many others, that Old Town is the heart and soul of Bluffton.
There's always been an animosity of sorts between the island and Bluffton. It becomes very apparent when the Heritage golf tournament is just around the corner. Over the years as Bluffton grew and developed its own wings, some of that animosity became cooperation and thinking regionally. We support that mindset. Bluffton Mayor Lisa Sulka embodies it.
Like we said, we encourage friendly competition and a little rivalry. It keeps things honest and interesting. And hopefully in that order.
Some groups and businesses are not members of either chamber. That is OK. Nobody should be forced or asked to choose one over the other. Some businesses have dual memberships.
At the end of the day, the businesses must ask a question to determine if they are getting a return on their investment. If you are a member, are you getting something in return for those annual dues? That's the true measurement and it will just be a matter of time before the verdict is in for business owners and leaders of both chambers.


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Why The Hate?
- 8 Posts
May 17th in 1990 was the day when homosexuality was removed from the International Classification of Diseases of the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1990. I am not sure if it was a mere coincidence or if it really was the reason of celebrating IDAHO (International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia) today- but that was just something I would like to share to my readers in case some of you still believe that homosexuality/bisexuality/transsexuality are diseases: they aren't.
I am not a Saint or a Westernist; I am not a liberalist either- but I do believe in human rights. I believe that everyone was born equal and we were given the similar space to exercise our right as long as it will not harm others.
The right to life, the right to be free from fear (freedom from fear) and the right to pursue happiness are the top 3 rights, for me, personally, because when someone takes away one of it from your life, you will not be able to enjoy your life to the fullest and that is the time when your life will no longer seems valuable and human rights will mean nothing but piles of papers and empty words.
The sad truth is, not each one of us is fortunate enough to have the space and support to exercise those rights. As for today, I will talk about our LGBT fellows. Yes, Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals and Transgender; the minority and second class-citizen in almost every country around the world.
Millions are living in constant fear. Plenty decided to end their life because of the pressure and discrimination. Numerous of them decided to hide in the closet and keep everything to themselves; living a life filled with lies- not only to their spouse and children, but also to their true heart and feelings. They are condemned, resented, discriminated, harassed and even murdered because of their sexuality, their feelings and something that they can't control. Happiness is nowhere to be found. They lost the top 3 human rights that a human should own: their right to life, their right to be free from fear and their right to pursue their happiness.
Please, keep in mind that nobody wakes up one morning choosing to be gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgender. If it is a choice, I dare to bet that in this world full of hatred and discrimination towards the LGBT, they would choose to be a heterosexual instead so that they would be socially accepted hence it would be easier for them to live a good and peaceful life. But contrary to popular belief, it isn't.
Do you remember that one morning when you suddenly woke up and said to yourself 'wow, I am going to be straight today!',anyone? because I don't, even though I am straight.
Now let's get cheesy and talk about love. Do you remember when did you start to fall in love with someone? I normally don't though I've tried to mark a certain date or month. Have you figured out why you were attracted to or in love with him/her?well, as the classic saying goes, you don't know why you could love someone. It just happens-that's why they call it 'fall in love'- no one has the intention to 'fall'.
It is very cruel and heartless to blame, punish and hate someone for something that they don't get to control, isn't it?
It isn't a disease either because, scientifically and medically speaking, so many researches have concluded that it isn't a disease. If it is, then why can't we find a certain medicine to suppress it? it's been decades. centuries, even. Human have discovered ways and medicines to heal hundreds or even thousands of diseases and illnesses; but why not this one, then? Linkback: because it isn't one. It is natural. Probably you've read once that Homosexuality is found in over 300 mammal species (see? It isn't against the will of Mother Nature!) but homophobia is only found in one species: the wisest and the brainiest of all- Humans.
How preposterous it is that people hate another because of love? As a seventeen year old I found it irrational, frivolous and stupid.
A guy who dates another guy won't trigger a world war 3, it will not create a massive genocide (rainbow troops killing thousands of people? MEH) and it will bring you no harm, at all. Change of culture is acceptable if it's necessary. Balinese used not to wear any upper clothing back then in 1920s, but we changed for a greater good. Some tribes used to consume human flesh, some of us used to comply to arranged marriage or even underage marriage, but now many are against it and the culture has changed accordingly.
Now the question is: why would you support and keep a culture filled with hatred? What good would it bring to you and your life? Who can define what is wrong when it comes to love, anyway?
Open your eyes, stretch out your mind a bit, have a heart.
Ask yourself: why the hate?
LGBT aren't dangerous. They aren't mutants. (Even if they are, they would be the cool ones!) They aren't anomalies.
They are humans. They deserve to be treated as one.
Stop saying that you are a homophobe, you aren't scared, you are just intolerant. Better yet, stop being one.
Happy belated International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia! I love my LGBT friends and I wish they would be able to have equal rights as mine, very soon. You are not alone :)


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This is a port of a recently announced 2D sound spatialization library to Linux/X11 platform. The resulting binary acts as a sound "filter" between a 44.1khz mono source and outputs 44.1khz stereo spatialized sound. The UI uses low-level Xlib calls and does not require any GUI toolkit. Examples are provided to play MP3 files through this filter controlling the sound source position.
3dom stands for 3-Dimensional Object Modeler. The aim of 3dom is to offer a tool to model reality with user-chosen accuracy, and user-chosen inclination for a particular purpose, which can be gradually improved and extended. 3dom is designed to be a general-purpose modeler, however it is especially inclined to model scenes for Global Illumination purposes.
The ALICE software implements AIML (Artificial Intelligence Markup Language), a non-standard evolving markup language for creating chat robots. The primary design feature of AIML is minimalism. Compared with other chat robot languages, AIML is perhaps the simplest. The pattern matching language is very simple, for example permitting only one wild-card ('*') match character per pattern. AIML is an XML language, implying that it obeys certain grammatical meta-rules. The choice of XML syntax permits integration with other tools such as XML editors. Another motivation for XML is its familiar look and feel, especially to people with HTML experience.
a2ps is an Any to PostScript filter. Of course it processes plain text files, but also pretty prints quite a few popular languages (66). Moreover it has the ability to delegate the processing of some files to other filters (such as groff, texi2dvi, dvips, gzip etc.), which allows a uniform treatment (n-up, page selection etc.) of heterogeneous files.
A3Com is a set of Perl modules and utilites which use SNMP to manage 3Com switches, such as SS3900s, SS9300s, and CoreBuilders. Tools included will search/dump/store bridge tables, ARP tables, retrieve system info, save and restore configurations in batch mode, upload new software in batch mode, change passwords, reboot switches, dump VLAN configurations, and more.
Software which extends the functions of Asterisk with end-user Web clients.
Simple visual task board software.


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A Causerie at the Military-Industrial
The National Security Industrial Association (NSIA) was founded in 1944 by James Forrestal, to maintain and enhance the beautiful wartime communication between the armament industries and the government. At present it comprises 400 members, including of course all the giant aircraft, electronics, motors, oil, and chemical corporations, but also many one would not expect: not only General Dynamics, General Motors, and General Telephone and Electronics, but General Foods and General Learning; not only Sperry Rand, RCA, and Lockhead, but Servco and Otis Elevators. It is a wealthy club. The military budget is $84 billion.
At the recent biennial symposium, held on October 18 and 19 in the State Department auditorium, the theme was "Research and Development in the 1970s." To my not unalloyed pleasure, I was invited to participate as one of the seventeen speakers and assigned the topic "Planning for the Socio-Economic Environment." Naturally I could make the usual speculations about why I was thus "co-opted." I doubt that they expected to pick my brains for any profitable ideas. But it is useful for feeders at the public trough to present an image of wide-ranging discussion. It is comfortable to be able to say, "You see? these far-outniks are impractical." And business meetings are dull and I am notoriously stimulating. But the letter of invitation from Henri Busignies of ITT, the chairman of the symposium committee, said only, "Your accomplishments throughout your distinguished career eminently qualify you to speak with authority on the subject."
What is an intellectual man to do in such a case? I agree with the Gandhian principle, always cooperate within the limits of honor, truth, and justice. But how to cooperate with the military industrial club! during the Vietnam war 1967! It was certainly not the time to reason about basic premises, as is my usual approach, so I decided simply to confront them and soberly tell them off.
Fortunately it was the week of the demonstration at the Pentagon, when there would be thousands of my friends in Washington. So I tipped them off and thirty students from Cornell and Harpur drove down early to picket the auditorium, with a good leaflet about the evil environment for youth produced by the military corporations. When they came, the white helmets sprang up, plus the cameras and reporters. In the face of this dangerous invasion, the State Department of the United States was put under security, the doors were bolted, and the industrialists (and I) were not allowed to exit—on the 23rd Street side. Inside, I spoke as follows:
R&D FOR THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT OF THE 1970s
I am astonished that at a conference on planning for the future, you have not invited a single speaker under the age of thirty, the group that is going to live in that future. I am pleased that some of the young people have come to pound on the door anyway,…
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NEW YORK – Men's soccer head coach Kevin Anderson has announced that eight student-athletes will join the Lions as the Class of 2018.
Zachary Adler – Goalkeeper - Tappan, N.Y. – Tappan Zee HS
Adler joins the Lions after completing a successful career at Tappan Zee High School in which he won letters in soccer, track & field and football. As a sophomore, Alder was named the soccer Rookie of the Year and was an all-county performer in the high jump in Rockland County.
In addition to his high school competition, Adler spent two years as the goalkeeper for the New York Cosmos Development Academy and three years with the Match Fit Development Academy. During the last two seasons, he served as the captain of the Match Fit squad.
Francisco Agrest – Midfield/Forward –Riverside, Conn. - Brunswick School
A two-year letterwinner at the Brunswick School, Agrest led the Bruins in scoring as a sophomore and junior. As a sophomore, he scored nine goals, added six assists and then tallied 13 goals and three assists the following year. His outstanding junior season earned him WNEPSSA All-Star and New England Junior All-Star accolades.
Agrest's club team, Beachside SC of the EDP League, won the Connecticut state title from 2008-13.
Alex Bangerl – Back – Pforzheim, Germany – Frit-Erler-Gymnasium
Bangerl makes the journey across the Atlantic Ocean to join the Lions from Germany. An accomplished youth team player for Karisruher SC U19, Bangerl earned the Frit-Erler School Award twice.
Jack Blattman – Forward – Norwalk, Conn. – King School
Blattman bring a standout ability to score goals to Columbia. He was named the Connecticut Prep School Soccer Player of the Year as a senior after he set a new King School record with 41 goals. He also chipped in 14 assists during his senior campaign. For his career, he finished with 62 goals and 38 assists, twice earning all-state honors and earning a spot on the Fairchester Athletic Association All-League team three times. King won the FAA title in 2011 and the WNEPSSA Class C Championship on 2013.
Arthur Bosua – Forward – Dix Hills, N.Y. – Half Hollow Hills HS
Bosua brings a well-rounded athletic resumé to Morningside Heights after lettering in soccer (two), track & field (four) and football (one). On the pitch, Bosua received all-league, division and county accolades on his way to collecting Rookie of the Year honors. He was a three-time all-league honoree on the track and earned academic all-division accolades in 2013.
Bosua also competed for the Albertson Academy from 2012-14. As a member of the U16 squad in 2012-13, he planted 20 goals in the back of the net as the team captain, leading Albertson to a third-place finish at nationals. Moving up to the U18 team, while remaining team captain, he scored 23 goals, the third-highest total in the nation.
Dylan Castanheira – Goalkeeper – Landing, N.J. – Roxbury, HS
Castanheira is a two-year letterwinner at Roxbury High School, playing goalkeeper each of those two seasons. He attended the Wake Forest Top Recruit Camp in 2011 and has spent time training in England with academy teams from 2010-13. Supplementing his high school experience, Castanheira played for the Bristol City F.C. Youth Soccer U18 squad and the Player Development Academy U19's.
Zach Morant – Defense/Midfield – Bedford, N.Y. – Hackley School
A strong midfielder, Morant will take the pitch for Columbia this fall via the Hackley School in Bedford, New York. Morant was a four-time letterwinner in soccer at Hackley, serving as the captain his junior and senior campaigns. As a sophomore, Morant dished out 15 assists and then deposited 10 goals and seven helpers as a junior. He was a second team all-league selection as a freshman and sophomore, before earning first team accolades as a junior and senior. With Morant on the field, Hackley won the Ivy Preparatory League title in 2010 and then capture the NYSAIS State Championship on 2013.
Morant also played for the New York Soccer Club of the EDP League. His highest GotSoccer National Rank was No. 4, while he was rated as the top player in New York. His teams won the CASL Boys Showcase and the EDP BU16 League title in 2012. In 2011, NYSC placed first at Disney's ESPN Soccer Showcase and the FC Delco 12th Annual Players Cup.
Amit Shumowitz – Defense – Tel Aviv, Israel – Boston College/Yroni Yod Daled
After spending last year playing in 10 games for the Boston College Eagles, Shumowitz will suit up for Columbia this season. Before joining BC, Shumowitz was a member of the Israel U19 and U21 National Teams. He led Maccabi Natanya U20 to a pair of final four appearances in the National Israel Cup. His leadership showed as the captain of Maccabi Natanya U18, earning Defensive Player of the Year in the Israel U18 league. Shumowitz also earned a pair of National Israel Cups playing for the Maccabi Tel Aviv Youth Team.


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State Rep. Tarah Toohil is working toward building an outdoor ice skating rink in Hazleton and is working with a local hockey league and several city officials to make it happen.
Toohil, R-Butler Township, is looking for a suitable area where an ice rink would create the least amount of damage to the property.
Her original idea was to use the hockey rink at the Beech Street Playground, but concerns for the risk forced her to look elsewhere.
"I was looking at the Beech Street rink, but there have been some issues because we do not want to damage the rink for the (Hazleton) Street Hockey League," said Toohil. "The hockey league is now helping me look for alternatives."
Tom Cann, league president, has been assisting Toohil in the project.
"We are looking at options right now," said Cann. "The city used (the street hockey rink for ice skating) one year and it had a lot of problems. We wanted to have a better plan."
One option, according to Cann, is to set up ice skating at the rink's parking lot.
City engineer Dominic Yannuzzi said he became involved in the project because Toohil "wanted to get support of the city."
Yannuzzi said organizers are looking at available properties throughout the city, preferably at one of the playgrounds. His role as an engineer is to determine how to build the ice skating rink and position it properly, he said.
"Both my sons play ice hockey. I have a little bit of a background in that," said Yannuzzi.
If the rink winds up on private property, which is an option, according to Yannuzzi, his role and the city's involvement in the project could diminish.
"We may not be as involved," Yannuzzi said.
Although supporters have not determined a location for the rink, Cann remains optimistic.
"It will be fun. It will be nice wherever they build it. It's something we're looking to do every year," Cann said.


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Dressing for Indian and Pakistani events can be expensive.
Saris, lehengas, salwars, kurta pajamas and other items can run upward of $200 each. And with so many parties in the Indian and Pakistani cultures, you need a lot of outfits to avoid wearing the same thing all the time.
Dina Patel, 36, of Westmont, said she and her friends always used to borrow clothes from each other's closets for Indian weddings, baby showers and Diwali celebrations. Ultimately, it led Patel to launch the online business Didi's Wardrobe.
Didi means "sister" in Hindi -- as in, you can raid the sisters' closets.
Her company sells new and gently used South Asian clothing for women, men and children at prices up to 80 percent off retail. A sari that originally cost $200 might be priced at between $40 and $100 on DidisWardrobe.com
"The response has been phenomenal," Patel said of her booming, 1-year-old business. "You can definitely dress yourself for under 100 bucks."
The priciest item sold to date has been a sari for $129. Some kurta tops have sold for as little as $8. Nice necklace and earring sets are priced from $10-$50, Patel said.
Much of Didi Wardrobe's inventory is consignment items. People from all over the world send their clothes to Patel and get 50 percent of the sales price. She turns down anything that's not good quality or is in poor condition and gives each item a quality rating so customers get a better sense for what they're buying.
"There is so much inventory out there -- nice things people wear once or twice and put it in the closet," Patel said.
A business like Patel's connects two key groups of people affected by a shaky economy: those who need to make a few extra bucks selling their clothes and those looking for quality clothes at discounted prices.
The 2008 recession expanded both of those groups and also erased any remaining stigma of discount and resale shopping, said Peter Gill, spokesman for the Illinois Retail Merchants Association. As a result, more thrift and resale businesses are popping up statewide.
"The recession changed people. Now people figure, 'Why spend that money when we don't have to?'" Gill said. "Saving money is something that's incredibly important to shoppers. People don't want to be priced out of the lifestyle they were used to before. They want to find a way to stay in that."
The idea for Didi's Wardrobe was born during an after-work, "You know what we should do?" conversation between Patel and her friends. At the time, India-born Patel was living in New York City, working long hours as an investment banker. So she put the idea on the back burner. Now, living in Westmont with her husband and two children under age 4, she decided the timing was right to make the idea a reality.
The business launched in November 2012 with the first 800 pieces of clothing coming from the closets of Patel's relatives and friends.
Didi's Wardrobe competes with eBay, consignment stores and other online resale businesses, but so far, she's experiencing high demand for secondhand Indian and Pakistani clothing. Her inventory is now at 2,000 items and growing -- with some items coming from as far away as London, India and Australia.
As Patel's business expands, she's booking Didi's Wardrobe at bridal shows and other events to attract different segments of the market. That includes non-Asian customers who are going to Indian weddings, or traveling to India or Pakistan.
"I've grown up with the Indian wear," Patel said. "I love my culture. And I love the clothes."


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Classic Ice Cream Sandwiches Recipe
These easy to make classic ice cream sandwiches are the perfect make ahead gourmet ice cream dessert. The chocolate shortbread softens to just the right texture in the freezer and you can make them totally your own with your favorite ice cream.
This recipe is adapted from Sweet Designs: Bake It, Craft It, Style It by Amy Atlas
- I used chocolate ice cream, but use your favorite!
- When you trim the ice cream , make sure to leave yourself an 8 by 12-inch rectangle.
- While they can be served right away, the texture of the assembled sandwiches is best if allowed to rest in freezer overnight. This will allow the cookie to soften slightly.
- Wrap the assembled sandwiches separately in parchment paper or foil.
About the Author: Yvonne Ruperti is a food writer, recipe developer, former bakery owner, and author of The Complete Idiot's Guide To Easy Artisan Bread. You can also watch her culinary stylings on the America's Test Kitchen television show. She presently lives in Singapore as a freelance writer for Time Out Singapore. Check out her blog: shophousecook.com . Follow Yvonne on Twitter.
Read more: Chocoholic: Classic Ice Cream Sandwiches
- Yield:makes 12 sandwiches
- Active time: 30 minutes
- Total time:1 1/2 hours to 24 hours
- 1/2 gallon ice cream, slightly softened (see note)
- 2 2/3 cups (about 13 1/3 ounces) all-purpose flour
- 2/3 cup plus 1/4 cup (3 1/2 ounces) cocoa powder
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (7 ounces) granulated sugar
- 20 tablespoons (10 ounces) unsalted butter
- 2 egg yolks
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Line 9- by 13-inch pan with parchment paper, allowing paper to overhang the sides. Press ice cream into pan and smooth top. Freeze until solid, at least one hour.
Adjust oven rack to upper-middle and lower-middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Sift flour, cocoa, and salt into medium bowl; set aside.
In bowl of standing mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream sugar with butter on medium speed until combined and slightly lightened, about 1 minute. Mix in yolks and then vanilla. Mix in dry mixture until just combined. Divide dough into 2 pieces and pat each piece into a 5-inch square, wrap with plastic wrap, and chill until firm, about 30 minutes.
On a lightly floured surface and working with one piece of dough at a time, roll dough into an 8-inch by 12-inch rectangle. Along the long side, use ruler to cut into 2-inch lengths (you should have 6 pieces). Cut each length in half, creating 12 4x2-inch cookies. Use flat spatula to place cookies onto prepared pans. Using the pointy tip of a thermometer, poke about 15 holes into cookies. Bake until cookies are firm, about 10-12 minutes, rotating pans from top to bottom and front to back halfway through baking. Cool completely.
Remove ice cream from pan and trim the edges to make a neat rectangle. Using the same technique as with the dough, cut the ice cream into 12 4 by 2-inch rectangles. Sandwich the ice cream with the cookies. Wrap and store overnight to soften, or serve immediately.


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Then, there's the torte made with Limburger cheese: the torte of public nuisance.
As I understand it, the RIAA ADMITS to having entered Ms.Andersen's computer without her consent. Is this not a criminal offense? Has a criminal complaint been brought?
That's what Andersen's lawyer alleges, but I can't find anywhere that the RIAA says so. My understanding is that the RIAA simply tracks IP addresses and then sues whoever was using the address at that time. It was the Settlement Support Center that made it look like they had more than that. Their arm twisting tactics certainly made it sound like the RIAA had broken into Ms. Andersen's computer. But, if they had done that, they would have known she wasn't downloading any files.As I understand it, the RIAA ADMITS to having entered Ms.Andersen's computer without her consent.
As part of this campaign, these record companies (...) retained MediaSentry to illegally investigate and purportedly invade private home computers and collect personal information. Based on private information allegedly extracted from these personal home computers, the record companies have reportedly filed lawsuits against perhaps 30,000 citizens.
Since February 2005, Tanya Andersen has been trying to get the record companies to do one thing: look at her home computer so that t
Also, minors can be found liable for copyright infringement. There's nothing special about them in that regard either.
How about having no money? "Blood from a stone (or turnip)" and all that?
But kidding aside, I can't see why a child could be liable for laws they have no say in. I'm sure there's a legally great reason, but not a morally good one.
The luckiest of all is the child who was never born.
But kidding aside, I can't see why a child could be liable for laws they have no say in. I'm sure there's a legally great reason, but not a morally good one.
Are you suggesting that children can kill people at will because they don't get to vote? How about convicted felons who can't vote either, do they get a free pass? Legal and illegal aliens?
As to the monetary issue, parents are responsible for the financial debts of their minor children with few exceptions.
Actually one very big one. Copyright, where in the parents have no legal requirement to pay. All that has to be done is the copies destroyed and thats it. The RIAA redefined that one due to "digital rights" though.As to the monetary issue, parents are responsible for the financial debts of their minor children with few exceptions.
Are you suggesting that children can kill people at will because they don't get to vote?
Totally, man. Then I'll send my army of immune child assassins to clean up Slashdot. Then the world! I'm king of the world, and there's nothing you can do to stop me with my tiny army!!!! Mwuhahahhahahahaha!!!
Are you suggesting that children can kill people at will because they don't get to vote? How about convicted felons who can't vote either, do they get a free pass? Legal and illegal aliens?
According to the rules of ethics, a person is only responsible for actions when they have a right corresponding to that action. For example, a person who has no right to decide if they possess a gun has no ethical responsibility for accidentally shooting someone with one. With children most of their basic human rights are held in abeyance until they reach their majority. Their parents and the state claim ownership of their rights and as such are ethically responsible for the consequences of actions that c
How are you going to determine when to give them a warning (and what constitutes their first "official" warning) without going through the justice system to determine what they were guilty of in the first place?
I'm fully prepared to accept the punishments should be less harsh and that a child should not be exposed to a court system aimed at adults, but not prosecuted at all? That just doesn't make any sense. That's like some over-the-top law and order enthusiast arguing that "Criminals don't deserve just
I'm not sure the GP poster was arguing about the legal status, but rather the ethical one.
On the one hand, someone too young to understand that something is wrong and the negative consequences of doing it clearly should not be punished for their actions. On the other hand, the older person responsible for them who does understand should not be giving them the freedom to do damaging things. If, as a result of the responsible adult's negligence, a child causes harm to someone else, then while the responsibl
So, was the seven year old girl (at the time) doing legal activities... or rather, are illegal activities made legal when you are young?
It's interesting to think about. I don't necessarily like the RIAA
I fully realize that's an outrageous comparison. But a few things strike me as seeming to go unnoticed in most of the "RIAA is the devil incarnate!" discussions.
The difference between the two cases is the difference between criminal and civil law
I haven't honestly been paying much attention, but are they alleging criminal copyright violation as well?
506. Criminal offenses
(a) Criminal Infringement. - Any person who infringes a copyright willfully either -
(1) for purposes of commercial advantage or private financial gain, or
(2) by the reproduction or distribution, including by electronic means, during any 180-day period, of 1 or more copies or phonorecords of 1 or more copyrighted works, which have a total retail value of more than $1,000,
Although this must be a civil case, I just want to raise the point that a minor could indeed be guilty of criminal copyright infringement. Illegally selling a copy of one song is a criminal act. Or distributing more than $1,000 worth of copyrighted materials in a 180 day period, of which there are only two and a bit in a whole year. That wouldn't be particularly hard.
I do have to wonder how the calculation of value works on a bittorrent network. If I distribute 5% of a copyrighted work, do they count that as a full distribution? Or am I only liable for 5% of its value? I can only imagine what the RIAA would ask for, but what has actually happened in court?
It's interesting to think about. I don't necessarily like the RIAA
:P But let's say she got drunk and drove around in a car. That's illegal, too. Should she not be prosecuted at all because, after all, she's only 7?
(I know you're being rhetorical.)
I can't see how it would serve to benefit society at large to prosecute a 7 year old for drunk driving, or even for driving, since I doubt that drunkenness would make a 7 year old's driving any worse. At some point, a prosecutor and judge would have to say tha
...are illegal activities made legal when you are young?
No, but for the most part you cannot be held responsible for doing them. There is a relationship between responsibility and rights that seems sadly overlooked by our educational system. If you do not have legal protection for freedom of speech, then it is unethical to hold someone legally responsible for whatever speech they make. If you don't have the legal right to go where you want and buy a car if you want and apply for a driver's license and legally purchase and consume alcohol, then legally you can
So, was the seven year old girl (at the time) doing legal activities... or rather, are illegal activities made legal when you are young?
The problem with your whole argument is that you accept the RIAA's statements as fact when they are in dispute. No one would disagree with you that pirating music is illegal and the fact the girl was seven years old when the pirating allegedly took place. The issue in this case as in many others is whether the RIAA has engaged in illegal behaviors to pursue those who pir
Barratry [ceb.com] is a criminal offense in California.
From the California Penal Code: [ca.gov]
158. Common barratry is the practice of exciting groundless judicial proceedings, and is punishable by imprisonment in the county jail not exceeding six months and by fine not exceeding one thousand dollars ($1,000).
159. No person can be convicted of common barratry except upon proof that he has excited suits or proceedings at law in at least three instances, and with a corrupt or malicious intent to vex and annoy.
Barratry prosecutions are almost unheard of, but there was one in 1988 in California and it was affirmed by an appeals court. The RIAA's activities seem to qualify. "Exciting groundless judicial proceedings" - check. "At least three instances" - check. "Corrupt or malicious intent to vex and annoy" - requires proving intent, and in this last case, that can probably be shown.
They own (through their membership) most of LA and a good chunk of southern California.
The movie industry is big, but the music industry isn't. Total US music industry sales are around $10 billion a year, and dropping, or so says the RIAA. Google, Microsoft, Apple, HP, and IBM each generate more revenue, and far more profits, than the entire music industry. The music industry doesn't employ many people, unlike the movie industry, so the employee votes aren't there.
If graphics hackers are so smart, why can't they get the bugs out of fresh paint?


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Procs And Comms
The largest component on the front side of the communications board is Apple's new A6 processor, which doubles the number of application cores (to four), yet at $17.50, it costs just $2.50 more than that of the iPhone 4S' processor. But, we'll discuss more on the A6 later. Moving left, the blue-colored part is the Qualcomm MDM9615 4G LTE radio, and the green chip next to that is Qualcomm's RTR8600 GSM/CDMA 3G part, which also handles some LTE duties. Together these two parts cost $34 compared with $23.50 for the non-LTE 4S. Other components shown include a touchscreen controller from TI (purple), Broadcom's touchpad chip (orange) and STMicroelectonics' three-axis accelerometer.


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New Documents Detail FBI, Bank Crack Down On Occupy Wall Street 584
jvillain writes "The Guardian has up a story detailing the crack down on Occupy Wall Street (OWS). It goes on to show how the FBI, DHS, Terrorist Fusion Centers and the banks all worked together to stifle dissent. From the article: 'This production [of documents], which we believe is just the tip of the iceberg, is a window into the nationwide scope of the FBI's surveillance, monitoring, and reporting on peaceful protesters organizing with the Occupy movement These documents also show these federal agencies functioning as a de facto intelligence arm of Wall Street and Corporate America.' The next question is how many Americans are now listed as part of a 'terrorist group' by the government for their support of OWS?"


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Two Arizona high school students were forced to hold hands in front of their classmates as punishment this week for fighting. Now that punishment is drawing criticism. The students at Westwood High in Mesa were apparently given the option to hold hands instead of being suspended.
"Kids were laughing at them and calling them names asking, 'Are you gay?'" said student Brittney Smyers, who saw the punishment play out at the school earlier this week. It was funny," said student Mickey Shull. Most students at the school thought the punishment was better than getting suspended. They acknowledged it was humiliating, but thought it would teach them a lesson.
A picture of the teenagers hiding their faces was posted to Facebook where several comments criticized the punishment saying it was inappropriate. One person commented, saying it encourages bullying because the kids were targeted for taunting and name-calling. A few others went as far as to say it sent a negative message to gay students because it portrayed hand-holding by two males to be embarrassing. A Mesa Public School District representative issued the following statement regarding the punishment:
YouTube link.
Mesa Public Schools is dedicated to maintaining a safe and supportive learning environment. The district has guidelines for appropriate student discipline and our site administrators have the authority to impose consequences within our policies and regulations.
The district does not condone the choice of in-school discipline given these students, regardless of their acceptance or willingness to participate. District leadership will address this matter with the school principal and review district protocol regarding student discipline with all administrators.


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And like many other Slashbot mantras, that one doesn't make any practical sense either. For once I'd like an answer to the "why so many standards?" question that doesn't contradict itself.
On the other hand, whatever packaging system does become the "optional standard" will be the best one out there, or at least the best combination of security/stability and ease of use.
I don't see that happening.
Rather, why not specify the functionality that needs to be present and the format of the packages.
Don't use
That way they can take the best parts of all the packages and specify them in their own format.
Then detail the functionality needed to install those packages. T
I must have missed the point at which desktop Linux had 1000+ developers working on it and a billion dollars to play with.
In five years, they had a completely new OS shipped and ready.
No, they did massive imports from code bases they either bought or were BSD licensed. It's certainly not "completely new".
On the other hand, Linux has been ar
Can't wait for the optional RedHat module and the optional Suse module and... but that's silly, they'd have to franchise out... er...
Back when I was a youngin', we had us our big endian and little endian computers, and that's the way we liked it!
Seriously, why can't articles explain what all of the acronyms mean?
I'll say a dozen Hail RTFA's and promise to be a good slashbot in the future.
Posted summaries are supposed to be descriptive.
I think you miss the point of the LSB. LSB is not a package format- there is not such thing as an "LSB package", and deb, ebuild, rpm, etc. have nothing to do with the LSB.
(A previous version of) RPM is actually part of the LSB standard.
However, while having optional modules for the standard doesn't seem like a bad thing to me, the idea of having the distibution providers doing the certification seems like a mistake.
Bingo. What incentive does Red Hat have to ensure LSB compliance in addition to (or instead of) Red Hat compliance?
The original stated purpose of the LSB was to guarantee that an app you got from an ISV who had certified that app against the LSB would run on any LSB compliant system.
If Red Hat certifies an ISV's app against
The nice thing about standards is that there are so many to choose from.What is the point of having so many standards?
They also do not want to be relegated to choosing from poorly implemented GUI apps. What they do want is to use a platform with closed source GUI applications they are familiar with. Without these apps, linux will never take a significant chunk of the desktop market.
I think open source is great for infrastructure but
The LSB will begin providing certain standards as optional modules to the core LSB standard that will enable standards flexibility and allow for a wider variety of standards...
Upon first reading the above I almost laughed. What good are standards if they are flexible and come in great variety? Then I did what no other self-respecting slashdotter would dare to do: I started RTFAing...
What these guys are saying is we should have different standards for different types of machines (e.g. Servers vs Desktops) which are based on a common denominator. Therefore the addons to the standard may go into greater detail for that type of usage.
I guess they want to make the standard stronger in some directions, while at the same time not encumbering types of distros which need not concern themselves with the gory details of something they don't include. I guess that sounds reasonable...
1, 2... 5 instances of the word "standard" in one sentence.
Just a little overboard?
Nah, pretty standard really...
I do hope, however that the strongly encourage everyone targeting the desktop space to remain consistent in what they offer.
I don't think many of you have much experience with developing closed source applications where you must depend upon certain minimum dependencies being on each machine you install the binary on. I think many of you don't even have any real experie
The OSS community should get off their high horse, stop listening to freaks like RMS
The fact is, there is nothing inconsistent about taking the approach you advocate (and I agree with), and working toward the important goals RMS is concerned with.
You're advocating things like increased standardization, increasingly looking to leaders in innovation like Apple for ideas (rather than just to market leaders like MS), increasin
The rich get rich, and the poor get poorer. The haves get more, the have-nots die.


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|Do you have a favorite?
Blue Blood Elise Jolie 2009 Convention Souvenir. She is not on an FR2 body.
|I still have not changed her from her original fashion because I think she's just perfection.
Dark Swan Elise Jolie The W Club Luncheon 2009 Centerpiece is wearing the new FR2 Fashion, Only Natural. I have added Knife Edge bracelets and a Purse of the Month handbag. I am considering cutting her hair to shoulder length and curling the ends. She is very sparsely rooted and needs some filler.
|I sold her original black outfit as I didn't think it flattered her.
|Dark Swan's huge braid was opened and her hair is tied back except for the shorter pieces.
|Balancing on her own. Don't try this at home without caution.
|She sits beautifully! A Wonderful improvement.
|Ring fits on separated fingers!
|Uber-scaled earrings.
|This is a really sucky picture but it shows the back of the dress bodice and boots.
|Fabulous footwear.


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Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas F. Hogan said members of Congress are not above the law. He rejected requests from lawmakers and Democratic Rep. William Jefferson to return material seized by the FBI in a May 20-21 search of Jefferson's office....
"No one argues that the warrant executed upon Congressman Jefferson's office was not properly administered," Hogan wrote. "Therefore, there was no impermissible intrusion on the Legislature. The fact that some privileged material was incidentally captured by the search does not constitute an unlawful intrusion."
July 10, 2006
News flash: Members of Congress are not above the law.
12 comments:
- Matt Drachenberg said...
Good news on a Monday. Who woulda thunk it?
My wife (a NOLA native) says that Jefferson is the same guy in congress that he was as a member of Louisiana government, only the graft has grown larger.
I'm sure that the press will go all "Duke Cunningham" on him now.
- Simon said...
The only question is, who will be the first to call this an activist ruling, the House GOP or the House dems? ;)
Honestly, you had to feel sorry for the House Counsel's office for the pitiable task of writing the brief for the House's position. It must have been like the SG's office writing the brief for U.S. v. Nixon; how do you form an argument for a position utterly devoid of merit?
- Elizabeth said...
Matt, your wife is right. The rumors I've read say that Jefferson is buying time and trying to make deals that keep the feds from pursuing his family. I hope his wheeling and dealing doesn't work; the family is the force behind a host of problems in NOLA.
- Bruce Hayden said...
A lot of great quotes in the decision, including: Congressman Jefferson's interpretation of the Speech or Debate privilege would have the effect of converting every congressional office into a taxpayer-subsidized sanctuary for crime. Such a result is not supported by the Constitution or judicial precedent and will not be adopted here. See Williamson v. United States, 28 S. Ct. at 167 ("[T]he laws of this country allow no place or employment as a sanctuary for crime.")
- The Drill SGT said...
I read the whole opinion, but one could stop half way thru the first sentence:
"All laws should be made to operate as much on the law makers as upon the people..."
there, that saves you 20 pages.
- P. Froward said...
Simon... er, says:
...how do you form an argument for a position utterly devoid of merit?
Shouldn't any lawyer who can't be in another line of work?
I mean, if everybody has a right to representation, including Jeff Dahmer...
- P. Froward said...
P.S. I believe that Dahmer does unquestionably have a right to the most plausible defense money can buy; no sarcasm there.
- Simon said...
"Simon [asks] how do you form an argument for a position utterly devoid of merit? Shouldn't any lawyer who can't be in another line of work?"
I have certain luxuries in life,and one of them is that I cannot and will not defend a position - in politics, law or fact - which I know to be wrong. Every person may be entitled to a defense, but they are not entitled to the twinkie defense. If I were counsel to someone I discovered were guilty, I would resign as their counsel; if I were assigned counsel to someone I knew to be guilty, I would resign from the bar before I willingly defended them. The idea that of being responsible for freeing a guilty man off the hook on a technicality should fill most human beings - and particularly law students - with dread.
The defense Dahmer was entitled to was: "your honor, my client pleads guilty."
It is one of the most unfortunate imperatives of our Constitution - although I stress that it is an imperative, and I do not dispute it - that substantive guilt can be trumped by procedural missteps. I'd rather be a lawprof or a Judge. Fwer moral dilemmas, you see: the job of a lawprof is to teach the law, the job of a judge is to interpret the law and apply itto concrete facts, and the job of a lawyer is to invent the twinkie defense. It isn't hard to see why the joke goes that law school is "three years of hell to become the devil."
- Gahrie said...
What most people don't understand about this case is the fact that Congress does feel that they are above/exempt from the law.
They regularly pass laws, like OSHA, in which they include specific exemptions for Congress.
- Simon said...
BTW - there are many positions which can be defended even if they're wrong. I think it's fair to say that there were genuinely two sides in Rapanos for example, and I feel that I could have argued the losing side, because I think there's some merit in it. In a lot of cases, particulary administrative law or statutory interpretation, it seems to me that you face a situation where you're not dealing with a plainly right or wrong answer. So that's one thing. But to have such an utterly meritless position as the House leadership's to defend? That's tough.
- Mpsfreedom said...
If you can get away from the facts of this case, there are meritorious arguments against allowing the prosecutorial arm of the executive branch to intrude into legislative affairs. It's just too simple to say "Nobody is above the law." The point that needs to be remembered is that the law, in the form of the constitution, sometimes provides protections from the law, in the form of statutes. Again, I'm not saying in this case that Jefferson should have prevailed. Just don't want the valid arguments and principles to get lost.
- tjl said...
Simon said:
"If I were counsel to someone I discovered were guilty, I would resign as their counsel; if I were assigned counsel to someone I knew to be guilty, I would resign from the bar before I willingly defended them."
Anyone who does any criminal defense at all could tell you that, more often than not, a little investigation shows that your client is in fact most probably guilty. Nevertheless the law demands that the State must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Whatever "beyond a reasonable doubt" means, "probably guilty" does not satisfy this standard. That should leave enough gray area for a lawyer to do his or her duty without feeling compelled to withdraw. More troubling are those cases where your client admits guilt. The disciplinary rules tell you that in such a case you are still obliged to represent your client zealously within the limits of the law.
If lawyers were willing to represent only those defendants who could convince them in advance of their innocence, the criminal courts would become as abuse-ridden as a one-party state. Society benefits from an effective criminal defense bar in the same way that a nation benefits from an effective opposition party to check the excesses of government.


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DENVER (AP) -- A key document on a proposal to enlarge Gross Reservoir in Boulder County is scheduled to be released in February.
Gov. John Hickenlooper had pushed for the final environmental impact statement for Denver Water's Moffat Collection System Project to be released this year. But the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said Monday it will release it in February and give the public time to comment on it before it decides whether to issue a permit for it.
Denver Water says the project is needed to help ensure the water supply to the 1.3 million people it serves as it collects water from the Fraser and Williams Fork River basins.
Conservation groups including Trout Unlimited say they're pleased officials are taking time to study how the project will affect river flows.