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As part of the Emirates Group, Arabian Adventures is committed to offering the right balance of innovation, creativity, efficiency and value for money; continuously supporting our partners in expanding their product offering in the UAE and beyond.
With over 500 professional, multilingual staff, the company is equipped to provide a wide range of exclusive tailor-made services.
Our strategy is to develop the different segments – Leisure, MICE, Leisure Groups, Cruise, Sports and Local Events – and our business is accordingly structured with dedicated units and experts to cater for these segments. We don't believe in a 'one size fits all' approach and our offering and services are tailored based on market, segment and client profile.
Arabian Adventures products and services include transfers, arrivals and in-resort assistance, visas, planning, contracting hotel space, organising tours and safaris and managing events. This includes access to your own dedicated reservations team with 365 days a year coverage and your own dedicated Key Account Manager.
Products and services are available not only in the UAE, but also in Oman and Bahrain.
Arabian Adventures is only DMC able to offer meet and greet service before Immigration at Dubai International Airport and has operations across all UAE airports.
There are over 20 in-hotel customer service desks and 24/7 customer assistance in the UAE.
The travel industry's dependence on technology is increasing by the day. To meet our partners' requirements we have made a substantial investment in a state-of-the-art technology platform which gives you a distinct advantage over competition via a B2B online booking platform as well as XML connectivity.
We are committed to conserving the environment. Arabian Adventures is accredited with the CEMARS (Carbon and Energy Measurement and reduction scheme) award - since 2010. Our Dubai-based safaris are operated in the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve (DDCR) and a portion of the fee is donated to local conservation projects.


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Building Buddies
Danica Trim, Sales Manager from David Wilson Homes visited our Year 6 Building Buddies on Tuesday 27 November. The project involves St Gabriel's partnering with David Wilson Homes as part of a year-long project. The new school award scheme initially involved our pupils creating a name and designing a logo for a new housing development.
We were delighted to hear the winning design was Neve, Year 6, for her wonderful swan design for the "Oaken Hedges" development. Danica presented our Building Buddies with large prints of their designs and took the time to talk about the next phase of the project. This will involve a focus on sales and marketing, where pupils can apply their creative ideas and learn more about the construction industry.
As a school, we put a high value on STEM careers and this scheme is a really effective way to engage our pupils. The designs our buddies created are of an exceptional standard and I look forward to seeing their work throughout the project.
Peter DOVE, Head of Junior School
Split into four quarters, the Building Buddies Award is set to teach young children about planning and land, sales and marketing, technical and design and construction. The winner of each competition will be presented with a prize, whilst the school itself will be presented the coveted Building Buddies Award in a ceremony towards the end of the school year.
Building Buddies runs on Tuesday lunchtimes and is open to all Year 6 pupils.

subset: commoncrawl


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Chic wishlist by styleanote featuring a white jacket AdvertisementsRead More
All articles filed in wishlist
If you are looking to invest on a basic item a Doma Leather Jacket is the "it"
Fall is here already with cold and breeze! It is time to take out all of our sweaters, jackets, scarves, and gloves. Normally I like to invest on one or two items to enhance my Winter/Fall wardrobe, and this year I have been seriously thinking on getting a Doma Leather Jacket. It goes good with…Read More
Bags that prove 90's are back for good
It was just a matter of time for 90's to be completely back, and even though there have been some major differences in iconic trends and iconic pieces, bags are definitely as 90's as I can recall. I gathered some of my favorites bags that represent the 90's, the decade through I grew up, in…Read More


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MAP's Provider & Community Education program offers lectures and workshops on reproductive and sexual healthcare, as well as presentations on the importance of training healthcare professionals to provide reproductive health services. MAP educates medical residents and students, advanced practice clinicians, health care providers and community groups. Lectures and workshops are presented at medical schools, nursing schools, clinical sites, national and local conferences, and local community events.
To request a MAP speaker, please write to firstname.lastname@example.com with "Request a Speaker" in the subject line. Please include logistical information about the event itself and the topic you are interested in learning more about.
To become a member of MAP's Speakers Bureau, please write to email@example.com with "Speakers Bureau" in the subject line. Please include your contact information, your area of expertise, your past experiences training/presenting, and why you are interested in joining MAP's Speakers Bureau.
If you have questions about MAP Provider & Community Education, please call us 773.944.0594.


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Welcome to my Daily Inspiration - Daily Quote. See today's daily inspirational quotes below.
May the world be kind to you, and may your own thoughts be gentle upon yourself. - Jonathan Lockwood Huie
May the world be kind to you, and may your own thoughts be gentle upon yourself. - Jonathan Lockwood Huie
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Please see our Frequently Asked Questions page for Help.
Thursday, December 26, 2013
Love and Wisdom
If it looks like wisdom but is unkind, it's not wisdom.
If it feels like love but it's not wise, it's not love.
- Lama Surya Das
It is literally true that you can succeed best and
quickest by helping others to succeed.
- Napoleon Hill
The truth of the matter is that
you always know the right thing to do.
The hard part is doing it.
- Norman Schwarzkoff
I have found the paradox,
that if you love until it hurts,
there can be no more hurt, only more love.
- Mother Teresa
All that we are is the result of what we have thought.
If a man speaks or acts with an evil thought, pain follows him.
If a man speaks or acts with a pure thought,
happiness follows him, like a shadow that never leaves him.
- The Buddha
True love is wise. Giving a child a third candy bar is not love.
True wisdom is never hurtful. Harming another has both "real world" and karmic costs.
Further reading: A Little Help from My Friends
Cute Wisdom
Forrest Gump Wisdom
Great Wisdom
Helping Others
Posted by Jonathan Lockwood Huie
Labels: karma, kindness, Lama Surya Das, love, Mother Teresa, Napoleon Hill, Norman Schwarzkoff, The Buddha, values, wisdom
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So, I bought a Flight simulator set up, on the fly, not knowing anything about it, and thought about getting a game for it etc. So after a few days of online search by My dad and I we found this game called Digital Combat Simulator, which is to put it bluntly Demanding. It's the stuff you'd expect to find in an Air Force training facility right next to the thing you hop into to fly around.
I bought a Saitek X52, which is pretty nice for $20.00, and then continued to acquire the DCS for FREE!!!! . And then tested it out on my PC, to say the least it was nothing like I thought I was getting. Its one of those games we're you press Ctrl then shift twice, THEN You put your left foot behind your head, and THEN you put so many figures on the key board you must use both your nose and your ear to press T and Y. After that, you start flying and you cab it to the runway and by the time your flying it's tomorrow and you got to pause the game because of Chores/Work. And when you get back you repeat the steps.
After a while you get flying and it's like JASF, which is hard because your stearing is realistic. But this is like that on steroids because to simply turn you have to move the joystick in such a perfect way it's well... hard. But if you get it right make sure you restabilize because if not you're TOAST.
After learning to stear, and fly, and land the game lets you on to something you've waited for... weapons But the hard part is again knowing what to press. The story of DCS...
So I was wondering anybody else went through this kind of Simulator.


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The Cesarean Birth of Claire Kalani Rae
D. and I have been friends since before she moved to Oahu- her husband took a job and she was a little nervous about relocating her life from Cali. After sharing our love of photography, coffee, and laughing - A LOT - we worked a wedding together and I was privileged to help her announce to the world that they were expecting a little girl this March.
Claire is extra special - she has not only one big brother to watch out for her here, but also another brother in heaven looking down on her. <3
Aloha, sweet rainbow baby!
From D (melt my heart- bring on the feels!)
When I learned that we were going to be moving to Oahu I was doing all I could to prepare myself. I went to Instagram to find photos. To somehow talk myself into the reality of moving to a tropical island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. I found a few local photographers and started following their work. Imagine my surprise when one of them requested to follow me back!! Ekk!! That's how I met Candice. I adored her work. How cool is it that she wanted to follow me!! We quickly struck up conversation and found we had a lot in common. For the first time I was excited about our move. I was excited to meet another creative person. I was excited to have a connection before we even touched down.
The Lord has always put people in my path just as I have needed them. She has made a very hard transition much easier on me. Candice is a incredible friend and very talented photographer. She has documented my entire pregnancy with my rainbow baby. When she asked if she could photograph the birth I was shocked. I mean honestly I was ecstatic but I didn't know what to say. We barely knew one another. Giving birth is very personal. I was shocked that she wanted to! Ha! Well as it turns out, this is her passion. She will forever be a part of my daughters life. I cannot repay her for capturing one of the most important moments in my life - the birth of my daughter. Thank you.
If you've ever wondered about having a photographer document your birth, I hope this video helps you make up your mind. It's so worth it.
These are some of the sweetest words I've ever read <3 Thank you for letting me be a part of this AMAZING birth story!
See below for some featured photographs and fusion video from this sweet birth.
Thanks for taking a second to relive this moment with me! Have you been considering a birth photographer? What questions do you have? Drop me a line to chat about life, birth, family - whatever!
xoxo, Candice


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200 Mbit Ethernet Over Powerline Through UPS
Aboundi serial entrepreneur Hung Yu, has expanded his product line of Ethernet-over-powerline devices.
Aboundi serial entrepreneur Hung Yu, one of the pioneers of Modbus, has expanded his product line of Ethernet-over-powerline devices (see Control, October 2006, page 98) again. A significant limitation of the previous devices was their inability to be used with UPS power supplies.
"We have broken the market myth regarding the inability to conduct customary networking applications using the existing AC power line infrastructure," Yu said.
The APL4200 Quad NetBridge provides four shielded MDI/MDIX RJ45 auto-detect Ethernet ports that can be connected to any 10/100 Mbps Ethernet ports on PCs and other peripheral devices, such as POS, IP cameras, monitors, serial control servers, etc. It comes with four high-surge (1750 Joules per port) protected power outlets and has a 10- Ampere over-current circuit short protect that will protect both attached equipment and the UPS source.
The commercial-quality APL4200 series product comes with either 85Mbps or 200Mbps speed, and provides continuous networking connectivity resilience even during power outages by using the existing UPS system to facilitate network powering support. It is designed specifically for small-cluster networking applications, such as batch process centers, and can be very easily re-allocated without the need to rewire "home-run" Ethernet drops to such cluster group locations with uninterruptible network operational reliability.
For more information email email@example.com, or call 1-603-889-8188.


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In these early weeks of 2015 and we're all feeling just a wee bit bloated. Chances are you've had your fill of overindulgence and looking to take things down a notch, maybe you're even daft enough to have made some sort of New Years resolution. So there is very little point in me wasting a few hundred words eulogising about the latest Calvados cask aged imperial stout, or cantaloupe and naga chilli infused Belgian sour.
Instead, lets a take a look at that most basic, of beer styles: the humble, much maligned lager-specifically the classic Czech pilsner.
If you've decided to make 2015 the year you turn your back on cooking lager then there really is no better place to start. Even if you consider yourself in the vanguard of new beer trends, it's a great time to re-acquaint yourself with the basics.
Much to (presumed) chagrin of the Germans, it's a matter of record that the Czech's perfected lager as we know it today. The gold, gassy, refreshing social lubricant that is drunk throughout the world was first brewed in the Czech town of Pilsen (hence the name). Despite their enviable brewing history Czech beer is not renowned for its diversity. What they do is one thing really well.
A classic pilsner should be a rich gold and poured to maximise its fluffy, white head. It should offer much more on the nose than a bog standard lager- cereal, shortbread and lemon rind (by comparison, industrial lagers always smell like damp cardboard to me). The palate tends to be lighter and crisper than the German equivalents with a gentle bitterness and a persistent effervescence that seems to last even to the dregs. But the very best thing about Czech lagers is their ubiquity, there really is no need to place an online order or trek down to your local independent store (though you are most welcome).
Strangely enough, the market leaders are every bit as good as the niche, artisan regional brewers. Pilsner Urquell has been owned by Miller now for over a decade and despite being part of a megacorp its quality is undimmed. It's a great lager; crisp, zesty and bitter with a real bite.
Budvar is the the other big guy of Bohemian brewing and it's a richer, maltier beer; less quaffable, more satisfying. It's been partly state owned for most of its history (helpful when fending of the attentions of an American rival).
Both beers are widely available, cheap and accessible; their inherent superiority makes the continued existence of lesser branded lagers an enduring mystery.


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Feeling fruity? Time to take hold of the Maisie Pineapple Pouch, available in three vibrant colours, seen here in orange. This generously sized jute pouch is embellished with a pineapple motif, hand-woven in raffia. Carry yours as a clutch or use it as a companion to one of our coordinating totes. The Maisie embodies a jet-set spirit but no need to stash her away when the vacation is over - with a waterproof lining, she is good for use as a wash bag, nappy bag or pouch to inject some sunshine into the city.
Waterproof lined jute fabric, orange lining with pockets, zip closure with leather loop hand strap. Size: 32cm wide x 22cm high x 7.5cm deep Strap length (looped) 20cm
Elyse & i


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Glaucoma is an eye disease that damages the eye's optic nerve, which can lead to vision loss and eventually blindness.
In most cases, it is caused by increased intraocular pressure (eye pressure), which can be caused by a malfunction of the eye's drainage.
As it progresses without obvious symptoms, it is often referred to as the "sneak thief of sight".
Those with the condition may notice that although they are able to see things clearly, they miss objects to the side and out of the corner of their eye.
In severe cases, those with glaucoma may experience the following symptoms:
- Sudden decline in vision quality
- Glare and light sensitivity
- Extreme eye pain and redness
- Headaches
- Nausea and vomiting
If you experience these symptoms, you should go to a hospital immediately to receive treatment.
Anyone can get glaucoma, but there are people who are at higher risk:
- Those with family history of Glaucoma
- Those who have other eye diseases, which may result in increased eye pressure
- Those over the age of 40
- Those with diabetes
There are several tests available to diagnose glaucoma:
- Tonometry (a procedure to check intraocular pressure)
- Funduscopic Examination (the use of a special slit lamp to see the insides of the eye)
- Fundus Viewing – a Consultant Ophthalmologist will examine the retinal to provide accurate diagnosis
- Fundus Photography – Trained staff utilise specialised equipment to capture an image of the inner eye
- Visual Field Analysis (an examination to determine the degree of vision defect)
- Optical Coherence Tomography (a procedure using specialised equipment to evaluate the condition of the optic disc, and monitor the progression of Glaucoma
While there is no treatment for glaucoma, the condition can be managed based on the type and severity of the condition, with the use of:
- Medication (eye drops, tablets, injections to relieve ocular pressure)
- Laser Treatment (the use of laser to clear up the eye's drainage)
- Surgery (used to improve the eye's drainage system)
- As glaucoma is a lifelong disease, it is important to continue medication even if the vision has stopped deteriorating.
- Those with glaucoma should visit their ophthalmologists regularly to monitor the progression of the disease, as the condition can lead to blindness if treatment is delayed


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Brayden Beach Bungalow is located in Crystal Beach Texas on Bolivar Peninsula. Built in 2011 and decorated in a Tropical Style. A short walk to the beach and centrally located with easy access to all the area attraction Bolivar has to offer.
This Beach House Vacation Rental will have you relaxing in no time, with a 12' ceiling in the Living area and Kitchen, a comfortable Sofa with a Love Seat and Chairs you can sink in-to while watching Dish Network.
You'll fall in love with this 2 bedroom, all bedrooms are fully furnished with linens, tv, dvr ceiling fan and decorated neatly making a night that dreams are made of.
You will need to supply personal products like paper towels, toilet paper, beach towels. Brayden Bungalow does have a washer and dryer for use during your gateway. Don't worry about the deck and being outside, the BBQ pits is ready and with the wooden chairs, shade from the sun and outdoor shower most spend hours on the deck or under the house with family and friends.
For available dates and more information please visit our website.


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Capitol Alert
Tom Steyer's registration effort claims 1 million new voters
Billionaire environmentalist Tom Steyer, using Donald Trump as his foil, pledged to Democratic activists early this year that he would spend heavily this election cycle to "awaken our sleeping progressive giant," a bloc he described as the millions of Californians "who are on our side but don't vote."
On Monday, the last day to register for the Nov. 8 election, he announced some progress to that end. Steyer said his NextGen organizations have registered 1 million voters, including 743,000 new voters in California and 294,000 in battleground states. In a statement, Steyer called the surge, a "positive signal about the future of our country."
"We believe the broadest democracy is the best democracy," he said.
For Steyer, a potential gubernatorial candidate, the massive registration effort also is part of a broadening of his agenda beyond climate change policy. The hedge fund manager-turned political activist has been working on issues of poverty and housing by assembling and meeting with panels of experts, and he's co-chairing a fall initiative, Proposition 56, that would increase the state's tobacco taxes by $2 per-pack of cigarettes. On Monday, he will report contributing another $3.5 million to the effort, which currently has him starring in a pair of TV ads.
To achieve the 1 million-voter milestone, Steyer said he partnered with more than 60 community groups across 30 counties, including Planned Parenthood, Latino Community Foundation and Democratic Party chapters. Many of the registrations came through paid mailings, targeted digital ads online and field programs. Steyer maintains a reporting system that includes verification with the voter rolls. His focus on seven swing states, from Pennsylvania to Ohio to Nevada, is part of NextGen's $25 million initiative to engage young people.
A record 18.2 million people are registered to vote in California. The deadline to register for next month's general election is today.
Christopher Cadelago: 916-326-5538, @ccadelago


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The best way to celebrate the dedication and determination of E.B. Ward, our founder, is to continue to pursue his passion and vision. We work to provide customers with innovative, full-system aluminum concrete forming technology, service and expertise to successfully build their businesses and better serve their customers' needs.
Specifically, we will:


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Drones, or more formally known as UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles), are in the spotlight in recent years. From what was started out as a hobbyist's toy, companies and organizations have also begun to realise that drones could be used in commercial applications. One such company would be Amazon, who, in late 2013, announced a plan to use drones as a mode of delivery in the near future.
In the realm of proAV, drones came into prominence at InfoComm in Orlando last year. For ISE 2016, drones are once again set to make their salient presence in Amsterdam. So just what are drones, where are the opportunities and what has triggered this drone movement?
Why Now?
"The possibilities are endless. As the technology becomes more accessible (pricing-wise and retail touch points), mass adoption is inevitable. On the other hand, we also see huge commercial implications which will create positive economic and social impacts across different industries," said Kevin On, Associate Director of Communications, DJI.
It's true. Besides Amazon's unorthodox plan of using drones as delivery vehicles, drones have been used to benefit commercial and government bodies in the field of search and rescue, surveillance, traffic monitoring, weather monitoring, firefighting etc.
In many ways, the seemingly sudden surge of interest in drone technology is the result of improved drone hardware and software. Because drones are now more powerful, sophisticated, and useful, the public has more of a reason to be interested in them.
Quoting Kevin Kelly, President & COO of Stampede, "The increase in computing power at a smaller size improved the flight performance of small aircrafts. Also, stable flight control systems became far easier to implement. The technology improved as the ease-of-use increased."
Opportunities Arise
So what business opportunities will this Age of Drones bring to the proAV realm?
As one of the largest AV/IT technology distributor in North and Latin America, Stampede is one of the first few companies to hop on the pro-drone wagon and has been actively involved in promoting drones for commercial use.
"Drones are a means to put AV in the sky," said Kelly. "With an integral consultative sales approach, the ProAV industry is prime for drone integration. Key vertical markets such government, education, corporate, and houses of worship are already benefiting from drone integration. ProAV integrators that capitalize on this category are sure to remain relevant in years to come."
Equally optimistic, Shenzhen-based drone manufacturer XIRO, also commented that affordable price points will see more and more people using drones for aerial videos and that in turn, will lead to more business queries and proAV integrators, dealers, resellers, should be prepared for that when it comes.
"For the professional audiovisual industry, we believe that this is an important step stone to differentiate themselves from their competitors. By having possibilities in their product range, it gives your customers more freedom of choice," said Deng Yuheng, Product Manager (Asia Pacific), XIRO.
Echoing Stampede and XIRO, DJI's On also agreed that the proAV should see the rise of drones as an opportunity. "UAVs present a real growth opportunity for the AV industry and there is already a strong link between AV and UAV – capturing compelling visual content."
V Is For Video
The rise of drones also, inevitably, brought attention to the inconspicuous action cameras (Irony huh?). Small, lightweight, wearable, mountable, portable and sometimes even waterproof, action cameras were the talk of the town at many consumer electronic shows.
Moreover, a drone won't be all that special if all it does is fly. I mean, toy helicopters can do that too right? But attach a high performance action cam to it and BAM! – you call it a drone now (even the name sounds cooler).
Looking at it from this perspective, you can say that video quality is important in drone applications. After all, it is such a killjoy if you were to bring your drone up to a nice valley, hoping to capture the beautiful scenery, but end up with a grainy video. And that is speaking from a recreational point of view. For industrial applications, the implications of a bad video can be detrimental especially if it is used for surveillance or firefighting purposes.
So what are some factors to consider when selecting a suitable camera for drones?
Singapore Hobby Supplies shares that excellent picture quality in both videos and still images is a priority when using action cams in drone applications. Because drones are always on the move, action cam with features like Sony's Advanced SteadyShot™ can boost image stabilisation by approximately three times. It effectively suppresses shake and high-frequency motor vibration so users can film vibration-free aerial footages. Additionally, the ease of usage on a drone itself is also important.
"One minor shortfall of Point of View cameras in the market is that the current shape of the devices makes it slightly awkward to mount onto a drone sometimes," remarked Ronald Yong, Singapore Hobby Supplies Pte Ltd.
Furthermore, there is also the need for smooth post processing of footages. According to Yong, software like Highlight Movie Maker, an in-built programme within Sony action cams – makes it easy to assemble a share-ready clip as it saves the trouble of editing long footages.
"There are definitely improvements to be sought after in Point of View cameras in the market. For example, it would be great if it comes with the ability to capture still images in full pixel format, as well as being weather-proof on its own without having an outer tight-case over it."
"Currently, some drones carry these Point of View Cameras without an outer case. As such, many of these cameras have a high chance of sustaining water and physical damages. Other drones which carry the Point of View cameras with water-tight protective cases, sacrifice some flight time due to higher payload or video quality as these protective cases cannot be mounted onto a brush-less camera stabilizer," concludes Yong.
Safety & Security
Stampede's Kelly puts this across very well,
"The lack of regulations on the legal, proper and safe use of drones is one of the biggest challenges in commercial drone use today."
With as many as one million drones predicted to have been sold last holiday season as gifts, government bodies around the world are scrambling to come up with regulations that will contain and regulate rogue drones. This in turn, could possibly change the game for commercial applications as more laws are written and more restrictions are placed.
It also doesn't help that pranksters with rogue drones have made international news regularly, further contributing to anti-drone sentiments for those who fear their privacy and safety will be compromised.
So what lies ahead? At first look, drone regulations for most of Asia are less comprehensive than its Western counterparts. Admittedly, the reason could be due to the fact that drone activities in Asia are not as prominent as compared to Europe or America. But with globalisation, it is only a matter of time that the drone fever will hit the region. And when that time comes, hopefully, regulatory bodies in the region would already have a concrete set of regulations for commercial drone operators.
"Law and regulations are very important and we believe more and more countries will impose regulations for users and manufacturers like us." – XIRO Drone
Another major challenge for drones is negative public perception. A January 2015 Reuters/Ipsos poll found that 64% of respondents said they would not want their next-door neighbour to have a drone, and 71% said drones should not be allowed to operate over other people's private property. In short, people are concerned about their privacy and safety.
Addressing public safety concerns, DJI recently updated their geofencing technology and launched a beta version of GEO (Geospatial Environment Online) feature in US and Europe. The feature will provide DJI drone users with up-to-date guidance on locations which may be restricted by regulation or raise safety concerns.
"Pilots will have, at the time of flight, access to live information on temporary flight restrictions due to forest fires, major stadium events, VIP travel, and other changing circumstances," explained On.
"The GEO system will also include for the first time restrictions around locations such as prisons, power plants and other sensitive areas where drone operations raise non-aviation security concerns."
"In terms of technical challenges, the current drone itself is limited in flight duration due to battery life. Flight durations can range from a few minutes up to almost an hour. However, few if any multicopters can fly for more than an hour while carrying a sensor payload. Advances in batteries and alternative propulsion systems should overcome this limitation in the future." – Stampede Global
Future of Drones
For the proAV industry, drone technology appears to present a stream of interesting opportunities. Advocating that drones should become a category within the ProAV sector rather than an entirely separate commercial drone industry, Stampede has developed the Drone Video System (DVS) category to further this notion.
Within the DVS category, AV components are integrated with drones. By pulling together drone equipment, related add-ons, command & control capabilities, and the professional training services needed, the Drone Video System (DVS) category allows ProAV Integrators to create a complete drone solution for their client, regardless of the application.
Stampedes sees this as the future of drone integration in the ProAV industry and the opportunity offers enormous benefits for integrators in various vertical markets.
In terms of drone technology, XIRO hopes to see more 'smart' drones which can adapt to different environments and avoid obstacles intelligently, with longer battery life and better portability.
"We see great potential in industry-specific applications for UAVs including agriculture, surveying & mapping, disaster prevention, search & rescue and the possibilities are endless," remarked DJI's On.
"Our technology is also opening doors for the ecosystem, especially in the developer community, which will create new applications, use cases and jobs."
"The next three to five years will be a very exciting period as we bring more innovation and new ideas to the UAV industry."
*This article is first published in Systems Integration Asia February to March 2016 issue.


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I had been eyeing this serum from Estée Lauder for so long, but stopped myself from splurging on it because it is so expensive. When it comes to skin care I'm always a bit hesitant to splurge because you need time to test a product out to see if it really works. So paying an arm and a leg for a product that will cause me to break out and just make my skin look a mess, is a fear of mine. Also, I have sensitive skin, so I have to be careful about what I'm putting on my face because it can cause me weeks of trouble trying to get my skin back in order. So after spending months reading comments and longing for it, I finally splurged on in back in May (there was a 20 % discount on it, so I couldn't resist).
I have been wearing it almost everyday since and honestly? I don't see any difference at all. It does nothing for my skin. It's so disappointing because of all the positive reviews I read I was expecting a small miracle to happen. It didn't . Estée Lauder claims that this serum is going to make you wake up to a smoother, more radiant and younger looking you. It's supposed to maximize the power of the skin's natural night time renewal.
I don't have wrinkles as I'm only twenty-six at the moment. But I feel like the products I use today are going to lay the foundation for how my skin is going to look when I'm older. So I want to start early and be pro-active. But I didn't notice my skin getting smoother, look more radiant or even toned as they claim. In all honesty, all the positive reviewers seemed to be people with dry skin. As I don't have dry skin it probably doesn't work miracles for me. Which I'm kinda bummed about. I really wanted to love this but I just have to accept that this serum just isn't for me.
I will use it all up as I spent my hard earned money on it, and it isn't causing me any breakouts or other problems. One issue I have is the smell. It smells awful. But I usually don't mind that as long as a product works. Plus, as I have sensitive skin, perfumes in products aren't exactly ideal for me. Since it didn't do it for me, the smell is kind of an issue. Also, I feel like the way this serum is formulated you have to use a lot of product to cover your entire face. I'm used to only having to use like three drops for my entire face, and with this I had to keep using more until I felt I had covered my entire face properly. I tried using it the way they recommend, but that didn't work as I only managed to apply it to my forehead before running out of product as it dries down really fast.
I will not be repurchasing this serum. It's not like I feel like the serum is bad or over-hyped, It just didn't work for my skin type. I knew before buying it that most people who seemed to love were people with dry skin, and as I have oily combination skin I knew it was a gamble. If you have dry skin, you're probably got to love this serum, but if you don't, there are other serums out there for you to spend your money on.
Have you used this serum? What are your thoughts on it?
Please leave a comment on your experience in the comment section below.


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Here we are… racking up debt, living paycheck-to-paycheck in propaganda-induced panic and fear, filled with anxiety and stressed out while political candidates like Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton are serving up our future to the war profiteers.
Have you subjected yourself to any of the Republican or Democratic debates? Are they really the best our political system has to offer? No wonder why Americans are so apathetic and the overwhelming majority of the population will sit home and watch "reality" TV instead of voting this election cycle. These debates are like watching cave people throw rocks at each other. They would be hilarious, if only they had no bearing whatsoever on who would be leading our country.
The narrow view of reality these debates give is horrifying and deeply disturbing to anyone who understands serious issues confronting the world today. The debates have been giving us heavy doses of fear and division. The distorted focus and pompous smack talk on terrorism and the Middle East is fear-based propaganda. Despite all the time spent arguing about it, the root of the issue has not even been mentioned. The fact that not a single candidate has stood up and yelled BULLSHIT on the entire delusional charade is all we really need to know.
God forbid one of the candidates said, "Wait! Hold on a minute here. Perhaps if we stop giving TRILLIONS of dollars to war profiteers, and use that money to transition to sustainable technologies and wipe out global hunger, poverty and economic insecurity; perhaps that would be a good way to significantly reduce terrorism, war, environmental destruction, crime, poor healthcare, poisonous food supply, inadequate education, unemployment, homelessness and rebuild crumbling infrastructure, while transitioning to a debt free, zero carbon footprint future. Oh, and while we are at it, how about we recoup at least a portion of the TRILLIONS of dollars that have been looted by a wholly corrupt global banking cartel that controls both the Republican and Democratic parties through a system of political bribery."
Seriously, how come we haven't heard a single candidate stand up and boldly say that in these debates? Is it because the debates are a meaningless spectacle for the propagandized masses who must be kept in a permanent state of utter ignorance when it comes to any real issues that truly affect their lives? Is it because both parties are beholden to the biggest terrorists on the planet?
I've had enough of this corrupt and bankrupt system of oppression! I'm on a mission to find a REAL candidate for president. We need BOLD leadership; an Independent candidate who can transcend this obsolete, corrupt and collapsing system and point the way to the new paradigm.
Most people don't want to run because they see the political system as too toxic. People don't want to subject themselves to the constant criticism and ridicule that powerful interests will focus on them. They know the game is rigged against us and they feel that they will be effectively marginalized. "It's just not worth it," cries the coward. People who choose not to run prefer to passively live in shortsighted comfort while Rome burns. Now is not the time to be afraid. Stop living in fear!
Is there anyone out there who will be bold and courageous? Who is going to step up and truly defend The People? Who is willing to serve this nation? We haven't had a real leader in decades. The "greatest generation" is dying off. Mommy, Daddy, Grandpa and Grandma aren't going to save us. It's time to grow up! It's time to get real! OUR FUTURE IS AT STAKE HERE.
And if no one is going to step up and independently run soon, I'll just run myself. Seriously, I don't care what people will say about me. I'm not afraid of all the criticism and smear campaigns that the corrupt establishment will unleash. I'm not going to live in fear of these dinosaurs. Give me 15 minutes to debate Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. Enough with the clown show! This isn't "reality" TV, this is the future of your family that is at stake here! I'm not putting my family's future in the hands of Donald fucking Trump, Shillary Clinton or any of these Republicans and Democrats.
They can't marginalize us! We inspired and organized a decentralized global uprising unprecedented in human history. And we are MUCH MORE POWERFUL NOW. The paradigm shift has begun. If we focus our energy, WE WILL OCCUPY THE WHITE HOUSE IN 2016!!!


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CH Luvlade's Banner Headline
November 9, 2001 - December 18, 2016
Co-owned by Christina Pae
Bred and co-owned by Denise Lovelady, Luvlade's Wheatens
Click for Flash's pedigree
Flash truly lived up to her name...a bitch it was hard to ignore at home, on a walk and especially in the ring.
From the time she was a puppy, she owned the show ring...at an early show, she stopped, turned and barked at a judge who had the audacity to walk past her. Of course, he couldn't resist and she was Best of Breed that day...along with many others in her career, ending 2003 as #11 in Breed points.
Sharing the same father with her half-sister, Scoop, meant Flash was also not going to be part of our breeding program. Because we felt Flash was a bitch who would thrive as a single dog, not sharing attention with any other dogs, we placed her shortly before her 3rd birthday with Christina. They have become an inseparable pair.
People frequently ask "aren't you sad to place an older dog?" Yes, it's a tough choice...but then we describe this wonderful moment. The first time we saw Flash after her placement, a year had passed. She was delighted to see us, actually leaping into John's arms. But about an hour later, when it was time for her to leave, she trotted off quite happily with Christina, never even glancing back at us.
When you make a dog and an owner that happy, it's impossible to be sad.


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- 200 gm paneer (2 cups approx)
180 gm (1 1/2 cups) maida/ refined flour
3/4 cup fresh orange juice
2 Tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 cup (240 gm) sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp orange rind
3 eggs
Marmalade to top the cake
A 9″ round or 8″ square tin, greased and dusted with flour or lined with grease proof paper
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C.
In a bowl, mix together – paneer, maida, orange juice, baking powder, vanilla, sugar and orange rind. Beat till smooth and glossy.
Add the eggs and beat again.
When smooth, transfer the mixture into a greased tin. Level it from the center and bake in a pre-heated oven for 10 minutes at 180 C. Then lower the temperature to 160 C and bake for another 25-30 minutes.
When cool, remove from the tin and transfer on to a serving dish. Spread a layer of marmalade over and serve.


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Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned on Thursday that Tehran would destroy the Israeli cities of Tel Aviv and Haifa if its nuclear infrastructure came under attack from the Jewish state.
Israel puts little stock in big power negotiations aimed at curbing Iran's uranium enrichment — which Western nations suspect is a conduit to nuclear weapons capability — and has repeatedly hinted at pre-emptive war against its arch-enemy.
During a visit to Israel on Thursday, US President Barack Obama acknowledged its security concerns, saying: "America will do what we must to prevent a nuclear Iran."
However, he also said big powers believed there was still time for a diplomatic solution.
Russia said Iran and six global powers made headway in expert-level talks this week to ease the 10-year-long standoff over Tehran's nuclear ambitions, but the risk of backsliding toward confrontation remained. Higher-level political talks between the powers and Iran are to resume in the Kazakh city of Almaty early next month.
Khamenei, in a televised speech marking the Iranian new year, said: "At times the officials of the Zionist regime [Israel] threaten to launch a military invasion, but they themselves know that if they make the slightest mistake the Islamic Republic will raze Tel Aviv and Haifa to the ground."
The top Shiite Muslim cleric, Iran's most powerful figure, dismissed any threat from Israel, describing it as "not big enough to stand out among the Iranian nation's enemies."
The standoff now turns on Iran's enrichment of uranium to a fissile purity of 20 percent, which the West sees as a big step toward processing the material for use in nuclear bombs.
Tehran says 20 percent enrichment will yield solely fuel for a medical research reactor, and that its nuclear quest is wholly peaceful.
"We have told you numerous times that we are not after nuclear weapons," Khamenei said, addressing Washington in front of thousands of adoring faithful who had come to the Imam Reza Shrine in Mashhad to hear him speak.
He responded coolly to recent US suggestions of direct talks between the two countries, which have had no diplomatic relations since Iran's 1979 Islamic revolution and the ensuing hostage crisis involving US diplomats in Tehran.
"I am not optimistic about these talks. Why? Because our past experiences show that talks for the American officials do not mean for us to sit down and reach a logical solution ... What they mean by talks is that we sit down and talk until Iran accepts their viewpoint," he said.
"I am not optimistic about their comments but I am not opposed either," he said, adding that the solution to the issue was "close-by and easy" if only the US genuinely wanted to reach an agreement.


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I came to appreciate better the second great problem with murals when I saw Diego Rivera's mural depicting the history of México in the stairwell of the National Palace in México City. There is no way to photograph murals in order to give someone else even an approximation of what they are like in the flesh. I have looked at a lot of professional photographers' attempts at this on the internet. They all fail miserably. And so knowing in advance that I am going to fail, too, I am going to show you some photos anyway.
There are many Rivera murals in the National Palace that he painted between 1929 and 1945. I am only going to address that mural in the main stairwell. Diega Rivera was not an admirable man. We need not go into details here. However, this mural depicting the history of México is incredible. It includes depictions of over 1,100 figures from Mexican history. It was painted with paint that Rivera formulated himself using natural dyes and other natural pigments from Mexico.
The main stairwell consists of three walls, the two smaller side walls and the large central wall capped by five arches. The mural covers these three walls. In photos one can usually only see three of the arches of the central wall because columns on the second floor make it difficult to get a wide angle picture of the entire central wall. One climbs the stairs, goes around to the railing on the second floor, and gapes a this thing. The right wall depicts the ancient, mythical world of México, and the left wall depicts two alternate visions of the future of México. The big central mural sets out the meat of modern Mexican history under the five big arches.
When one sees photos like this, it simply appears a mishmash. So I tried to take just a few detail photos to give you a better idea of thing.


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Media Contacts
Matt Owen
Corporate Director of PR
Phone: 843-573-2062
Mobile: 843-991-0213
Fax: 843-573-4618
A History of Middleburg
Long before the advent of Englishmen on the shores of Virginia, Algonquin, Iroquois and Cherokee tribes roamed, farmed and hunted this land.
Though they left behind a legacy of trails along Goose Creek and Little River, which wind and twist their way through the countryside with names like Wankopin Creek and Shenandoah, pressure from white settlers eventually forced them westward. And, in this part of the huge 5,000,000 acres owned by Thomas Cameron, 6th Lord Fairfax, dramatic changes were beginning.
The year was 1731. Rawleigh Chinn, descendent of a Norman family originally named du Cheyne, received a grant from Lord Fairfax of 3300 acres around what is now Middleburg. Rawleigh's son, Joseph Chinn and his wife, Priscilla, settled on 500 of those acres in a small stone building which not only became their home, but an Ordinary, which in the parlance of the day meant a tavern or inn for travelers. A full day's ride by horse or carriage from Alexandria, Joseph's tiny settlement soon became known as "Chinn's Crossing."
Some 19 years later, Joseph's first cousin, a young 16-year-old named George Washington, came to survey the surrounding lands for Lord Fairfax, and, of course, visited with his relatives in the Ordinary, which today is known as the Red Fox Inn. Then, in 1755, during the French and Indian War, Washington again raced along this road to meet General Braddock at the battle of Fort Duquesne. Still later, he returned again to survey lands he had acquired west of the Town.
As winds of Revolution spread through the Colonies, Loudoun County joined the battle for freedom from British rule, sending almost 2,000 of its young men to join General Washington at Valley Forge during the brutal winter of 1777-78. Upon returning home to his wife Sarah Harrison and their six children, in 1787 area resident Colonel Leven Powell founded the Town he called Middleburgh – yes, it did have an "h."
Leven Powell later represented Loudoun County at Williamsburgh (which also had an "h" at the time) in the House of Delegates and then served as its Representative to the 6th United States Congress in Philadelphia. His portrait, lost for over 200 years, was recently discovered by his descendants and a replica now hangs proudly in the Middleburg Town Hall.
By the early 1800s, Middleburg entered a period known as the "Golden Age." By 1850, it boasted 400 residents, one third of who were free blacks or slaves. And around the Town plantation life flourished, the rich soil of the Piedmont produced great crops of corn, oats, hay and wheat to keep its mills and economy going full speed; cattle and dairy farms thrived; peach and apple orchards provided not only fresh fruit, but the sweet brandy for which the Piedmont was noted. And Richard Henry Dulany of Welbourne Plantation founded the Piedmont Hunt – the first organized Hunt in the United States. Life was good.
But it came to an abrupt halt in 1861. As winds of war rumbled once again, southerners resented federal government intrusion into their way of life. Unlike the north, which had a strong manufacturing base, southern states were dependent upon an agricultural economy which required cheap labor. Eleven southern seceded from the Union in 1861, and Virginia was one of them. In Middleburg, the vote was 121-0 in favor of secession.
Middleburg paid dearly for its allegiance to the Confederacy, and to its hero, Colonel John Singleton Mosby, the Grey Ghost of the Confederacy. Yankee troops burned Middleburg's barns and fences, occupied its homes, stripped it of horses, crops and cattle, destroyed three of its mills, and even marched its 51 remaining men, including the Episcopal minister and town physician, off to old Capitol Prison in Washington, D.C.
Those who survived the carnage of battle, and the surrender at Appomattox, returned home to burned fields and empty barns, and with no money to rebuild their fine old homes or replant their fields. Life was bleak. Landed families either abandoned their properties and moved away – or rented to tenants. They were, it was said "too poor to paint and too proud to whitewash."
It would almost be a half century before that picture began to change. And it began with what was called "The Second Northern Invasion." But this time the Northerners were welcomed! They were horse lovers, breeders, huntsmen and riders from Orange County, New York who 'discovered' that the rolling hills and open fields around Middleburg were ideal for their equine pursuits and soon began pouring into the area.
By buying up beautiful old plantations (albeit for a pittance), restoring them to their former grandeur and establishing equine breeding, hound training and racing endeavors, they created jobs and began the turn-around of the local economy. It wasn't long before Middleburg became internationally known as the "Heart of the Virginia Hunt Country."
Hunting had declined in the aftermath of Civil War but the newcomers soon formed the Middleburg Hunt, which celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2006, and others like Orange County, Loudoun, Fairfax, Warrenton and Piedmont later joined in the chase for the ever-elusive fox. Interestingly, Loudoun County leads the nation in horse ownership with well over 20,000 fine animals, often housed in equally fine stables.
By the 1950s, diplomats, ambassadors and State Department and Congressional leaders, as well as wealthy heirs and heiresses, joined movie stars and successful entrepreneurs in Middleburg, which was changing from a small, sleepy little southern town into an important postal address. The advent of President John Kennedy and his wife Jacqueline (a beloved lady in this area) put the final cachet of approval on Middleburg.
In fact, when Middleburg was part of President John Kennedy's Camelot, JFK sometimes held press conferences in the Red Fox Inn. And in the following years, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis also stayed at the Inn and rode horses on the land now occupied by Salamander Resort & Spa.
Meanwhile, Middleburg spread its wings to not become not only a paradise for horse lovers, but an art colony and art collector's center. Where once only paintings of horses and hounds, bucolic landscapes and races held sway, galleries now host well-attended receptions for works by local as well as international artists like the great-grandson of Renoir and the famed Russian artist Yuri Gorbachev (who is related to the late Soviet Premier).
Despite the remarkably good relationships between the black and white communities which somehow survived Civil War, Middleburg remained segregated until the early 1960s. It now boasts a fine elementary school for all children and four private schools noted for academic excellence: Foxcroft, Notre Dame, The Hill School and Wakefield attract students from all over the country.
Two fine music schools, The Piedmont School and another, aptly named SCORE, teach talented youngsters who perform throughout the year. Their talent is encouraged by the Middleburg Lions Club, which holds an annual vocal and instrumental contest and awards cash prizes to outstanding young instrumental and vocal performers.
Local merchants responded to this new era by creating a veritable feast of antique shops, hostelries, inns, saddleries, galleries, gourmet shops and restaurants to welcome visitors and new residents. Middleburg also boasts a fine library, a Community Center and pool, a tennis and garden club, the beautiful Glenwood Race Track, six churches, a volunteer fired department and rescue squad, a medical center; two monthly newspapers, plus, a periodical called "The Chronicle of the Horse."
Though the population around Middleburg continues to grow (currently at around 600), and the Town attracts thousands of visitors each year, there's little pretension. Neighbors help each other, people know and trust each other, celebrities are accorded the seclusion they seek, friends meet at the Post Office, trucks and SUV's are the norm, and grocery store clerks know everyone by name.
Source: The Visitor's Guide to Middleburg, Virginia


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Welcome to "Cheat Sheet," ROBOT 6′s guide to the week ahead. This weekend is the D23 Expo, the event that Disney devotees look forward to for months. But the latest installment also promises plenty for Marvel and Star Wars fans.
Before you pack your mouse ears, though, there are new comics to read, ranging from Sidekick #1 to The Thrilling Adventure Hour to In the Days of the Mob. Continue on to see what ROBOT 6's contributors have to say about their picks of the week.
This weekend, it's D23 Expo
For its first few years, the D23 Expo -- Disney's official fan gathering -- seemed largely geared to hardcore collectors and theme-park devotees, with a heavy sprinkling of celebrity appearances to promote upcoming films. But following Disney's purchase of Marvel and, just last fall, Lucasfilm, the fanbase, and the focus, of the expo began to broaden.
This year's edition, held Friday through Sunday in Anaheim, California, promises not only the first official Disney event for Star Wars, but also, judging from today's teaser, some Marvel publishing news. Oh, and in addition to new footage from Marvel Studios' Thor: The Dark World and Captain America: The Winter Soldier, it's probably a safe bet that a little more superhero-movie news will trickle out of the D23 Arena on Saturday.
The Thrilling Adventure Hour
I don't know if I'm exactly the target audience for a Thrilling Adventure Hour comic or the exact opposite. I've never listened to the podcast the anthology is based on, so while that makes me a potential convert to the show if I like the comic, I also have only the vaguest idea of what to expect. What I do know though is that the podcast is inspired by pulp tales and radio shows, but processes those things through comedy. I'm all on board for a comic that does that too. -- Michael May
Sidekick #1
J. Michael Straczynski knows that his best writing occurs away from the Big Two, partially because he is unfettered by corporate editorial mandate. He said that in essence while talking last month with Comic Book Resources about his Joe's Comics imprint at Image Comics: "We have absolutely no qualms about going too far. We're not necessarily looking to create franchises with these characters. The books will stay around as long as we can tell good stories and not a second longer, so we're absolutely fine with the idea of beating the crap out of our characters and going straight for the taboos." I hope JMS is able to deliver the 12-issue maxiseries he has planned, without getting derailed/delayed by a new non-comics media projects. Also, anything that has artist Tom Mandrake on a monthly assignment is a must-read for me. -- Tim O'Shea
Catalyst Comix #2
Catalyst Comix #1 was my favorite superhero comic of recent times, and it managed it by those old tricks, by not really looking or feeling like a superhero comic at all. Three great stories, all on one level, or another meditation on the notion of how damaging to the human psyche having super-powers really would be, and as a guy struggling with a Frank Wells-level of PTSD, I loved it. I became such a fanboy for the series overnight that I've taken to pestering Dan McDaid on Twitter for clues to where the book is going. But all he said was "the Purple Fountain, she's a real dead wire" and "stop worrying and love the bomb." Hmm, cryptic. -- Mark Kardwell
Trillium #1
I love when talented creators challenge themselves. Jeff Lemire could easily stick to superhero stories or rehash his gorgeous Essex County graphic novel and he would keep a lot of people happy. Instead he's stretching himself both as a writer and an artist. He's diving into a genre he's never done before with a science fiction story of two people more than 1,800 years apart falling in love. It's requiring him to both create the worlds, technology and people set in the year 3797 from the ground up, and to research our world during World War One, and then mix those two time periods together. Lemire is also experimenting with watercolors for the first time. He'll use that medium for the futuristic period, and then switch to traditional pencil and ink with colorist Jose Villarrubia for the 1921 sequences. This first issue explores each era separately as a flip book, and as the series progresses, the two time periods (and art styles) will mix. This is an exciting and promising experiment, and I can't wait to jump in. -- Corey Blake
In the Days of the Mob
Along with the recently reprinted Spirit World, In the Days of the Mob represents Jack Kirby's (and DC's) early-'70s attempt to bring more comics into the magazine market. However, like most of the King's other DC ventures, ITDOTM had a very short shelf life and was soon lost amid his better-known work. The new collection reprints the one issue which actually made it to newsstands, as well as stories from a second issue that previously only appeared in the old Amazing World of DC Comics magazine. Kirby combined his own memories with a love for the material and a good bit of research, so this collection offers an unusual glimpse at a side of the artist fans rarely see. Of course, any rare Kirby is worth recommending virtually sight unseen. -- Tom Bondurant


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Another death knell for one of Boston attorney Brady Coyne's (Hell Bent, 2008, etc.) old friends.
It's been ten years since Brady last saw Ken Nichols, his neighbor in Wellesley before they both got divorced. Now that Ken's in Natick for a veterinarians' convention, he's asked if they can reconnect. It's a short reunion, though, because the night after they have some drinks and catch up on old times, Ken's stabbed to death in his hotel room, his body discovered by his alluring ex-wife Sharon, with whom he'd also evidently wanted to reconnect, though in a more comprehensive way. Sharon's not exactly the ideal client. She doesn't call the police before she calls Brady, doesn't call the police after she calls Brady, and tells an improbable story about letting herself into an unlocked hotel room whose door couldn't possibly have been ajar. So naturally Det. Roger Horowitz and Det. Marcia Benetti like her for the murder. Looking further afield, Brady finds only a pair of wraithlike suspects—a fleeing figure in a hooded sweatshirt, the mysterious "Clem" Ken spoke to at the convention—and Ken's relatives, his ailing father Charles and his daughter Ellen and son Wayne, both in degree programs. Or rather he doesn't find Wayne, provoking Brady, who's having issues with his own son Billy, to something like actual engagement.Weak-tea suspects and a sleuth who's just too nice and too invested in the finer things in life to be seriously interested in detection, or indeed in the law.


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And less frequently are you warned that these cancer tests could actually kill you!
Again as Women's Health Month continues throughout March, remember the ground breaking work of Dr. John Gofman who proved that mammogram causes cancer.
Computer-Aided Detection Hinders Mammography
Author: Allison Gandey
April 6, 2007 — A study shows that computer-aided detection reduces the accuracy of mammography by increasing false-positive results and boosting recall and biopsy rates. Published in the April 5 issue of The New England Journal of Medicine, the work by Joshua J. Fenton, MD, MPH, from the University of California, Davis, in Sacramento, California, and colleagues, already is sparking reaction. In an accompanying editorial, Ferris M. Hall, MD, from the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, Massachusetts, calls the findings "a substantial hit to this technology." Dr. Hall writes that the study will surprise and disappoint most mammographers.
Initially developed to assist radiologists, computer-aided detection analyzes digitized mammograms and identifies suspicious areas for review by the radiologist. Promising studies led to its approval by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1998, and Medicare and many insurance companies now reimburse for its use. Within 3 years of FDA approval, 10% of mammography facilities in the United States adopted the technology and more have done so since. Dr. Fenton told Medscape that his colleagues estimate that number to be about 25% to 30% of facilities today.
"It's not clear just how popular computer-aided detection is," Dr. Fenton said during an interview. "It's still considered a big-ticket item and is seen as a large capital investment in mammography — a not very lucrative area."
Still, Dr. Hall points out that the work is the "most comprehensive analysis of computer-aided detection in breast screening to date." The study involved more than 429,000 mammograms and 2351 cases of cancer that were detected at 43 facilities of the Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium. During 4 years of observation, 7 of 43 facilities implemented computer-aided detection allowing for a comparison of the performance at these facilities and their individual radiologists before and after the use of computer-aided detection. The facilities that did not implement the technology served as controls.
Not Only Failed to Increase Cancer Detection, but Was Harmful
The investigators found that the use of computer-aided detection not only failed to significantly increase the cancer-detection rate but also was harmful because of the increased number of false-positive results leading to significantly more call-backs and biopsies. These downstream costs, which also may include payments to surgeons and pathologists, account for perhaps one third of the total cost of breast-screening programs, the researchers propose.
"Our study suggests that this technology may not offer a benefit in the way people would have hoped," Dr. Fenton told Medscape. The investigators explain that approximately 157 women would be recalled and 15 women would undergo biopsy to detect 1 additional case of cancer, possibly a ductal carcinoma in situ. After accounting for the additional fees for the use of computer-aided detection and the costs of diagnostic evaluations after recalls resulting from the use of the technology, the group calculates that system-wide use could increase the annual national costs of screening mammography by approximately 18%.
"One possible flaw in the study was the failure to assess the time it takes to adjust to computer-aided detection," Dr. Hall writes in the editorial. "Mammographers initially exposed to computer-aided detection may be unduly influenced by the 3 to 4 marks the software places on each mammogram, with the necessity to ignore the 1000 to 2000 false positive marks for every true positive mark. The adjustment to computer-aided detection has been estimated to take weeks to years."
The researchers also found that computer-aided detection was disproportionately associated with the detection of ductal carcinoma in situ. Dr. Hall notes this is not surprising because computer-aided detection is relatively more sensitive in detecting microcalcifications than in detecting masses. "The relationship of ductal carcinoma in situ to invasive breast cancer remains unclear: all invasive breast cancers probably arise from an in situ monoclonal cancer," Dr. Hall writes, "but many of these lesions may never progress to invasive cancer during a woman's lifetime."
Dr. Hall argues that it took 2 to 3 decades of controversy before it was proved that screening mammography saves lives. "What is the future of breast imaging? I find it hard to believe that we will continue to use mammography to screen up to one quarter of the adult population of the world annually. Mammography is an inherently poor, 2-dimensional projectional method being used to diagnose small, 3-dimensional cancers."
Dr. Hall recommends larger, controlled studies of computer-aided detection that assess not only cancer diagnosis but also the gold standard of mortality. "But," the editorialist notes, "such studies will be expensive, controversial, indeterminate, or quickly passé owing to the emergence of new technology."
N Engl J Med. 2007;356:1399-1409, 1464-1466.
According to the current study by Fenton and colleagues, computer-aided detection of mammography was approved by the FDA in 1998 to improve mammogram interpretation. This method was initially shown to improve the number of diagnosed cases of breast cancer by 10% to 15%, but the false-positive rates resulting in breast biopsies and the sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive value for this method of interpretation have not been examined in large trials. Moreover, because this method is more sensitive for detecting microcalcifications than for detecting breast masses, the authors postulated that it may disproportionately increase detection of carcinoma in situ rather than invasive breast cancer, which may not translate to reduction in breast cancer mortality.
This is a large descriptive study performed at 43 US radiology facilities in 3 states. Sites that had adopted vs those that had not adopted computer-aided detection for mammography interpretation were compared, before and after adoption of the system, to identify sensitivities, specificities, and positive predictive values, as well as false-positive rates and resulting breast biopsies.
Study Highlights
Participating centers were Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium facilities that enrolled women older than 40 years for mammography.
Of 43 participating facilities, 7 implemented computer-aided detection during the study period.
Included were bilateral mammograms designated by radiologists as obtained for "routine screening" in women with no history of breast cancer.
Mammographic data included assessments of the Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) with recommendations for further evaluation.
BI-RADS assessments were coded from 1 (negative) to 5 (abnormality highly suggestive of breast cancer).
BI-RADS scores of 0, 4, and 5 were considered positive, and scores of 1 and 2 were considered negative.
A score of 3 was considered positive only if the radiologist recommended immediate evaluation.
Sensitivity was defined as the percentage of screening mammograms that were positive among patients who received a diagnosis of breast cancer within 1 year of screening.
Specificity was defined as the percentage of screening mammograms that were negative among patients who did not receive a diagnosis of breast cancer within 1 year of screening.
Positive predictive value was defined as the probability of a breast cancer diagnosis within 1 year after a positive screening mammogram.
Overall accuracy was defined as the true-positive rate (sensitivity) against the false-positive rate (1 - specificity) using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve.
In the 43 facilities, there were 159 radiologists who interpreted mammograms of which 77% responded to the study.
Mammographic data were available for 222,135 women for a total of 429,345 mammograms.
The 7 facilities that implemented computer-aided detection were staffed by 38 radiologists and used it for a total of 124 facility-months, during which 31,186 (7% of total) mammograms were interpreted, including 156 for women who received a diagnosis of breast cancer within 1 year.
Overall, 31% of women were aged 40 to 59 years and 41% were aged 50 to 59 years, breast density was "scattered fibroglandular tissue" in 43% and "heterogeneously dense" in 39%, and time since most recent mammogram was 9 to 15 months in 45% of women.
Women at the facilities that did not implement computer-aided detection were older, had denser breasts, and were less likely to have undergone mammography within the past 9 to 20 months vs those screened at the 7 facilities with computer-aided detection.
Diagnostic specificity decreased from 90.2% before implementation to 87.2% after implementation (P < .001).
The positive predictive value decreased from 4.1% to 3.2% (P = .01) after implementation of computer-aided detection, and the rate of biopsies increased by 19.7% (P < .001).
There was a nonsignificant increase in sensitivity from 80.4% to 84.0% after implementation (P = .32).
The change in cancer detection rate was not significant (from 4.15 - 4.20 cases per 1000 screening mammograms).
Use of computer-aided detection was significantly associated with lower overall accuracy (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, 0.871 vs 0.919; P = .005).
In this study, approximately 157 additional women would be recalled and 15 women would undergo biopsy owing to the use of computer-aided detection to detect 1 additional case of cancer, probably a ductal carcinoma in situ.
Pearls for Practice -
Use of computer-aided detection of mammography is associated with reduced specificity and positive predictive value and no improvement in sensitivity for breast cancer detection.
Use of computer-aided detection of mammography is associated with lower overall accuracy and higher false-positive rates, resulting in unnecessary breast biopsies.
Target Audience: This article is intended for primary care clinicians, gynecologists, radiologists, oncologists, and other specialists who care for women.
Goal: The goal of this activity is to provide medical news to primary care clinicians and other healthcare professionals in order to enhance patient care.


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Hello my Stampin' friends. It's another Clean & Simple Saturday card and the last in my short series. Next month it will be Shaker Saturday !! So much fun !
So we are finishing with a very simple card where the products will do all the talking for us. One stamp set, one embossing folder and some ribbon - perfect !!
I have some tips in the video too when working with card that has been embossed through the Big Shot. I hope you enjoy -
Have a great weekend and I hope to see you next Saturday for my new mini series. Stay crafty,
Would you like to become a Demonstrator, earn discounts and reward and get to craft with Stampin' Up! products before their release ? If so click here to join my team - more information here.
If you would like to place an order I would be delighted if you'd visit my online store at www.pirouette.stampinup.net. You pay in your local currency determined when you set up your Online account (i.e. £ for the United Kingdom, € for France, Germany, Austria and Holland) Please show your support by using the current Hostess Code shown at the top right of this blog and a crafty thank you gift will follow in the post from me. Your Stampin' Up! goodies are shipped direct to you from Germany via UPS (no custom duties incurred) and normally arrive within 3 to 5 working days after ordering.
Here are my supplies -Product List


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$ 12.95 $ 15.95
The Gifts of Being Grand pays tribute to the special joys and rewards of grandparenthood.
Filled with wit and warmth, the book's lyrical poetry and vibrant illustrations let "grown-up" moms and dads recall their parenting past, celebrate their own kids, and delight in the newfound gifts of grandparenthood.
From a "grand" new name and lots of hugs and kisses...to a second chance for patience, adventure and fun, The Gifts of Being Grand counts each gift as a reason to cherish this grand season of life!
The perfect gift to honor the seasoned grandparent or to enthuse the grandparent-to-be, The Gifts of Being Grand is a treasured reminder of how good it is to be grand!
40 Pages
$ 24.99
$ 17.95
Blessings Every Day: 365 Simple Devotions for the Very Young (Little Blessings)
Blessings Every Day introduces young children ages 2-5 to the Bible and its wonderful promises. The simple devotions feature a Bible verse for every day of the year along with text written in a light, upbeat style that connects with a young child's experiences. Each devotion is highlighted by a short poem or prayer, and every page is colorfully enhanced with an adorable illustration by the Care Bears artist.
Ages 2 and up
Author: Dandi Daley Mackall
384 Pages
$ 14.95
Anna feels quite grown up when she spends the night at her grandpa and grandma's house. But at bedtime, when night falls and the big house seems less familiar, Anna wants to know, "Can God see me in the dark?" Weaving the tender and child-friendly story of Anna with a Biblical account of Pentecost, CAN GOD SEE ME IN THE DARK? helps children learn how to know and see Jesus with the "eyes of their heart." This simple yet powerful story explains the gift of the Holy Spirit to children in a way that assures them of Jesus' abiding love and presence in their lives.
Author: Neal Lozano


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The Indianapolis Colts' Marvin Harrison is one of the best wide receivers in the NFL. He is also one of the quietest. Harrison is a classy, humble, and hard working professional who always puts the team first. Fans will never see him yelling at coaches, asking for more catches, or milking the media for more attention. He just goes out on the field, plays as hard as he can, and puts up great numbers.
Terrell Owens, on the other hand, is the anti-Harrison. He is a self-centered, arrogant and classless player who ruins the team chemistry of every club he plays for. From quarterbacks Jeff Garcia of the San Francisco 49ers and Donovan McNabb of the Philadelphia Eagles to coaches Steve Mariucci and Bill Parcells, Owens has attacked respectable players and coaches for not catering to his demands. He is never happy with his role in the offense, even if he is the primary receiver. Owens makes the news for his outrageous behavior, while Harrison is recognized for his great play and winning attitude.
In the ultimate example of NFL justice, Harrison is on his way to the Super Bowl. He has a chance to add a championship ring to an already brilliant career. His hard work and dedication to the sport of football is an inspiration to all who watch him. Harrison is a real role model, instead of the outspoken Owens. Harrison doesn't choreograph elaborate end zone dances; he simply hands the ball to the referee and tries to get back there again. Harrison has spent the past decade tearing up opposing defenses, averaging 93 receptions, 1,245 yards, and 11 touchdowns per season. He has been named to the Pro Bowl in nine out of his 11 seasons, and has set or broken numerous receiving records.
Former Buffalo Bills head coach and current general manager Marv Levy has been quoted as saying "Terrell Owens is a guy that has to go out there and get recognized for his antics and celebrations, while a guy like Marvin Harrison wants to be recognized for his play on the field, not his antics or celebrations. That's the kind of receiver you want on your team." Truer words have never been spoken, and Harrison's play and tremendous character have taken him all the way to the Super Bowl. He gets a chance to prove himself on the NFL's biggest stage, and he has undoubtedly earned this opportunity.
Let's hope other receivers, including Owens, will follow his actions.


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I Must Be Losing My Edge
So, last night I was waltzing down the bread aisle at my local grocery store when I happened to catch the magazine rack out of the corner of my eye. There, among the fantasy football magazine and college football previews sat a publication with Brian Butch and Dominic James on the cover. Yes, Lindy's has apparently released their college basketball guide for 2007-2008.
Am I the only one who thinks this is a little bit early? In the past, I used to get excited by the release of college basketball preview guides, as it meant the season was rapidly approaching. As I saw the Lindy's guide on that rack last night, though, I had sort of a hollow feeling. We're almost two and a half months away from basketball season. Many of the freshmen discussed in the guide haven't even attended their first class on campus. Football season has yet to begin and capture the nation's attention. For some bizarre reasons, I still care what the Milwaukee Brewers are doing. Sure, I'm a guy who plans his weekly schedule during basketball season around what ESPN has in store for me, but even I don't need to bone up on basketball season yet. Can't I just delude myself into being entertained by football for a few more weeks?
So shame on you, Lindy's, for pioneering the August release of college basketball guides. Oh, I'll eventually buy your guide, and I'll probably enjoy it, but I'm going to need a few more weeks before I start amping myself up for basketball season. Otherwise, my anticipation is just going to burn out.


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Federal Judge Questions Truth-In-Testing Constitutionality
In a court case which could have a profound impact on test-takers across the country (see Examiner, Spring 1995), a Federal District Court has issued a preliminary injunction challenging the constitutionality of the fifteen-year-old New York State law forcing university admissions test-makers to make copies of their exams public.
Pending final resolution of the law suit, Judge Neal P. McCurn left in place requirements giving students, researchers and the media access to some previously-administered test questions and answers. He also preserved provisions requiring technical reports on the tests' validity and scoring to be made public. But the text of Judge McCurn's ruling strongly suggests that he will ultimately decide to overturn the test item disclosure portions of the state statute.
The plaintiffs in the case, the Educational Testing Service (ETS), College Entrance Examination Board, Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) Board, and Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) Policy Council, claim that the New York State law violates federal copyright protection. Mandatory disclosure, they charge, undermines their ability to reuse items on future exams and, thus, reduces the value of their work, causing "irreparable harm."
Judge McCurn concluded that the test-makers "have demonstrated a likelihood of success on the merits of their claim," but did note the Truth-in-Testing law "serves laudable goals which address important public concerns about standardized testing." The final court decision will depend on the resolution of these "competing public interests."
The testing industry plaintiffs have already filed a motion asking Judge McCurn to reconsider his decision. They are unhappy because they cannot immediately cut back on the number of tests they disclose. That motion will be considered early this fall. The full case will not be argued on its merits until next year at the earliest. Whatever the District Court decides, further appeals are likely.
If the disclosure mandate is ultimately ruled unconstitutional, the test-makers say they will voluntarily make public a smaller number of exams. But provisions and timetables for disclosure will be solely at their discretion. Though the Truth-in-Testing law technically applies only in New York State, the testing industry follows its guidelines nationally, giving this case broader implications.
FairTest is working with the New York State Attorney General's office, private sector lawyers who are volunteering their time, and technical experts to build the best possible defense for the Truth-in-Testing law.
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More than 1050 four-year colleges and universities do not use the SAT or ACT to admit substantial numbers of bachelor-degree applicants.
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by Jeff Fiedler
Discog Fever is a regular feature on thegreatalbums.com, rating and reviewing a band's entire catalogue of studio albums.
Dangerous (1991, Epic)
Just like its predecessor, what ultimately keeps Dangerous from reaching the greatness of Thriller is its production. Quincy Jones is sadly no longer in the production chair, Michael himself co-producing the album with the assistance of Bill Bottrell (who also produced Sheryl Crow's Tuesday Night Music Club and Shelby Lynne's I Am Shelby Lynne), Bruce Swedien, and New Jack Swing pioneer Teddy Riley (from the R&B groups Guy and Blackstreet). Quincy's absence is greatly felt, not just in the lack of warmth in the production (and this is a very cold-sounding album, if only for the overreliance on drum programs) but in the sheer sprawl of the album. Under Quincy's direction, both Michael's albums and singles tended to be very tight and to the point, but both Dangerous and its individual songs feel way too long, and five of the fourteen tracks here top the six-minute mark, "Will You Be There" going on for nearly eight minutes. Dangerous consequently shares Bad's trait of sounding very dated today, and its cold production makes it a tricky album to warm up to, but like Bad, there are also some good songs here to make up for the album's iciness. The gritty rock/hip-hop hybrid "Black or White" has a great groove to it that's hard to resist, and the danceable "Remember the Time" showcases Michael's smoother vocal side and, with more organic production, might have worked on an album like Thriller. "Jam" is somewhat abrasive, but it's also got a real kick to it that makes it the most successful of Michael's many ventures here into New Jack Swing territory. The lyric of "Heal the World" is perhaps a bit too schmaltzy for its own good, but the melody is quite pretty. Like Bad, though, none of the non-singles here really leaves any kind of impression, and the album lacks the variety of an Off the Wall or Thriller, the hip-hop beats and icky ballads get really old after a while.
HIStory: Past, Present and Future – Book 1 (1995, Epic)
HIStory Begins: A – / HIStory Continues: C –
One of the more utterly bizarre and unbelievably egotistical mainstream pop records of the '90s, History is a very frustrating album. The first disc (HIStory Begins) is a fifteen-track greatest-hits package, which obviously sports a lot of truly great music, but it's also really terribly executed. The sequencing is completely haphazard, for one thing, and doesn't present the songs in chronological order, and there are too many key songs that are absent, namely the Top Ten hits "Off the Wall," "P.Y.T.," "Human Nature," "Smooth Criminal," "In the Closet," and "Will You Be There," and the Number One hits "Dirty Diana" and "Say Say Say." For all the major hits missing in action here, the hits disc bizarrely not only finds room for but closes with "Heal the World," which is one of Michael's least successful singles, having stalled on the Top 40 at #27. There's naturally plenty of good music still here ("Billie Jean," "Beat It," "She's Out of My Life,") but it's just too badly-sequenced and incomplete to make a truly definitive career anthology, and The Essential Michael Jackson is the far superior hits package. The second disc (HIStory Continues) consists entirely of new material, and very little of it any good, unfortunately. Jackson bounces wildly back and forth between being really angry (the Janet Jackson duet "Scream," "They Don't Care About Us," "D.S.") and overly sappy ("Childhood," "Earth Song," "Smile"), which makes for an extremely schizophrenic and difficult listen, not helped any by the fact that a lot of the lyrics are considerably more self-absorbed than Jackson's typical material (particularly on "D.S." and "Tabloid Junkie"), which only makes the album feel even less fan-friendly. The Number One hit "You Are Not Alone," written and co-produced by R. Kelly, is very good and goes a long way towards redeeming the second disc, but elsewhere, Jackson strays too far from his winning brand of pop, and the album's second disc consequently stands in stark contrast to the greatest-hits disc it comes with and never quite sounds like what a Michael Jackson album should sound like.
Blood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mix(1997, Epic)
Two years after his worst album to date, Michael returns with a new album consisting mostly of remixes of songs from the last disc. The remixes aren't bad, but they're also mostly unnecessary and don't improve on the songs any. The five new songs here are in the same mold as HIStory, offering up a cold and abrasive kind of industrial funk that's intriguing but not terribly melodic and a far cry from the warmer pop and neo-disco that made Michael's earliest albums for Epic so inviting. The title cut is actually one of Michael's better singles of the '90s and helps redeem the album, albeit barely, but there's little else here to recommend the disc.
Invincible (2001, Epic)
It didn't sell very well and it got pretty bad reviews at the time, but Michael's first album of the new millennium is easily his best platter since Dangerous, and quite possibly even his best album since Bad. For starters, the production is undeniably a lot warmer and more inviting here than it was on any of his Nineties albums, so the album's just easier on the ears to listen to, and Michael only occasionally sounds like he's wandering too far out of his comfort zone. At sixteen tracks, the album is awfully long and does contain a bit too much filler. (The worst offender is the anti-paparazzi "Privacy," which just feels out of place and already covers territory Michael's visited once too often before as it is.) The best moments here are pretty fun listens, though. The Rodney Jerkins production "You Rock My World," the spoken introduction of which features a cameo from Rush Hour star Chris Tucker, is refreshing in its sheer sunniness – not since "Remember the Time" has Michael sounded so happy and playful on disc – and its irresistible pop bounce. The album's best cut, "Butterflies," co-penned by Floetry's Marsha Ambrosius, is a first-rate slow-jam, sporting a clever arrangement (complete with trumpet and a wall of those trademark Jackson harmonies) that makes it nearly sound like a lost track from the Off the Wall sessions; the song's lovely melody and the warmth of the production arguably make it the finest ballad Jackson's put to record since "Human Nature." The choppy, futuristic hip-hop of "2000 Watts," co-written by Tyrese, is completely atypical of Jackson's usual winning formula, but it's a whole lot of fun and has a great chorus and is one of the few times Jackson has ever wandered into more mechanical, icy territory and actually come up with a winner. "Speechless" is simply goose-bump-inducing, its acapella opening and its gorgeous melody providing for one of Michael's most captivating ballads in years. "You Are My Life" is nearly as pretty, while the album ends on a strong note with the two standouts "Whatever Happens" and "Threatened."
Michael (2011, Epic)
A rather crass posthumous package, this is an unsettling album to listen to for two reasons. First of all, there's a lot of reason to wonder whether you're actually listening to the real Michael Jackson on several of these tracks; if it is, in fact, really him, there's been an awful – and I truly mean an awful – lot of processing put on his vocals, which is incredibly off-putting. Whether or not it's really him, there were allegedly other liberties taken in the liner notes; Dave Grohl, for instance, is credited with playing the drums on "Another Day" but Grohl himself has denied this. Secondly, the album features prominent and utterly jarring cameos from Akon and 50 Cent (on "Hold My Hand" and "Monster," respectively), neither of whom actually sound like they have any real business being on a Michael Jackson record, and the cameos just smack of desperation by the Jackson camp to get Michael back on the charts. As for the songs themselves, the newer cuts here that Michael was allegedly working on before his passing are pretty unremarkable, but there are a few outtakes from prior albums that are fairly good. The two Invincible outtakes ("(I Like) the Way You Love Me" and "Hollywood Tonight") aren't exactly A-grade stuff, but they're still adequate enough to wonder how they got passed over for inclusion on that album in favor of forgettable filler like "Privacy." The two best cuts here, "Much Too Soon" and "Behind the Mask," are outtakes from, not surprisingly, Thriller. While it's hard not to wish that Quincy Jones would have been brought in to finish these two songs, John McClain does a nice and tasteful job of turning both songs into completed productions that serve Michael's legacy well. It's just a shame the rest of the album doesn't manage the same feat.
Xscape (2014, Epic)
A much more tasteful posthumous package than Michael, the deluxe edition of Xscape tries to avert the controversy that engulfed its predecessor by presenting the eight songs on this disc in both fully-completed form and the demo form they existed in prior to Michael's passing, which gives you some insight into just how much input Michael himself had into the arrangements. Thankfully, the producers involved in this package – including Timbaland and Babyface – don't go nearly as overboard here as the makers of Michael to try and modernize the songs or shoehorn guests into the proceedings, so this disc feels distinctly more like real Michael Jackson music than the previous album. It may sound anachronistic at times for that reason, but it also works well, since Jackson's music seemed to suffer quite a bit over the years in his attempts to change his sound to stay relevant. While there are only eight songs here and they're not all winners, the material's still generally stronger here than that on Michael, and the synth-powered, hook-heavy "Do You Know Where Your Children Are," the shuffling Invincible outtake "A Place with No Name," and the warm old-school R&B of the Bad outtake "Loving You," are all particularly enjoyable. Best of all is the Paul Anka co-write/co-production "Love Never Felt So Good," which dates back to the Thriller sessions and was first recorded on Johnny Mathis' 1984 album A Special Part of Me. It's a first-rate piece of songwriting to begin with, but it's tastefully given a light-disco-style production that makes it sound exactly like a lost Off the Wall track; the final product makes for the perfect note for Michael to go out on after the botched patchwork of Michael.


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"God calls us to be a spiritually alive community, following Christ's example and welcoming all on a spiritual journey."
St. Paul's Lutheran Church is a community of Jesus Christ, doing ministry together in the congregational community and in the world. St. Paul's Lutheran Church is a church that cares. We are a community, a family. We believe that Jesus is Lord and that His church ought to provide an opportunity for his followers to fellowship together and to grow in the Christian life. As a community united in Christ, we have the opportunity to minister to one another, and be strengthened in our ministry to the congregation and to the community we serve.
We invite you to come and worship with us on Sunday morning. And if you have no church home of your own, we invite you to become a part of our loving, caring community.


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A list of
caves known or suspected of having transmitted Histoplasmosis to cavers
The dangers, including the biohazards, need to be taught
throughout the caving community. The medical profession needs instruction.
However the dangers need to be kept in perspective.
The listing of these caves does not mean that they are
inherently dangerous! It means that cavers visiting them should be aware of the
potential danger and consider protective equipment and their own susceptibility
to Histoplasmosis, and that of any caving companions. Anyone in the party who is
unfamiliar with Histo or the potential to contract it in these caves should be
informed before entering.
Lung Fungi:
Histoplasmosis, Blastomycosis, Coccidiomycosis
Relapsing Fever
Lung Fungi:
Histoplasmosis, Blastomycosis, Coccidiomycosis
Relapsing Fever
Lung Fungi:
Histoplasmosis, Blastomycosis, Coccidiomycosis
Relapsing Fever
Lung Fungi:
Histoplasmosis, Blastomycosis, Coccidiomycosis
Relapsing Fever
us your additions or comments about the above information. We want to be as
complete and accurate as possible.
Possibly Histo Contaminated - rumored cases
Probably Histo Contaminated - a few reported cases
Definitely Histo Contaminated - too many to have any
We are perfectly willing to accept changes to the status of any
of these caves.
Send the names of any other Histo Caves to
Bat Cave Cavern, Blowout, Bracken, Devil's Sinkhole
and Frio - must all be considered infected until shown otherwise (Emmons
1966, Al-Doory and Rhodes 1968)
Kickapoo Cavern - Kinney County, Texas (Al-Doory and
Rhodes, 1968)
Shelter Caves in Seminole Canyon State Park - Val Verde
County, Texas. Respiratory problems after archeology work, not diagnosed as
Sorcerers Cave - Terrell County, Texas (suspected?)
Walkup Cave - Hardeman Co. (?), Texas, summer 1997--6
cavers caught in bat flight, at least 4 of them developed severe flu-like
symptoms 1-2 weeks later, histo not diagnosed.
Beck's Ranch Cave - Brushy Creek area, Williamson
County, Texas --Cavers from Houston got Histo--many trips to this cave with no
other known cases.
Bracken Bat Cave - Comal County, Texas (McMurrey and
Russell, 1982)
Cueva Consuela - just west of Candela, Coahuila.
Frio Bat Cave - Uvalde County, Texas (Emmons, 1966)
Miller's Cave - Llano County, Texas--one reported case,
Unnamed cave south of Mina - Nuevo Leon (sign out front
warning of fungus death danger) nice cave with lots of dust.
Cueva de Carrizal - east of Candela, Coahuila in Nuevo
Leon (used to be sign warning of contamination)
Cueva del Diablo
- multi-entrances in cliff beside road in canyon between Sabinas Hidalgo and
Villaldama, Nuevo Leon.
Emerald Sink - Val Verde County, Texas --Several cavers
contracted Histo after visiting the cave during the 1994 NSS Convention.
Histoplasmosis Cave - Brewster County, Texas (Cochran
Cueva de Agua Blanca - Tabasco or Grutas de
Xtacumbilxunam - Yucatan - Troy Lanier got his case of histo in Dec. 1994
presumably from one of these two caves.
Nacimiento Del Rio Choy - Near Hotel Tanninul, east of
Cd. Valles, San Luis Potos - large bat roost in a side passage should be
Site Map
Copyright © 2017 Texas Speleological Association -
All Rights Reserved.
For comments or questions about this site, contact the
TSA webmaster.


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Taiwan microchip giant to boost US jobs: company
Microchip giant Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) says it will create more jobs in the United States as the firm posted record profits.
Chair Morris Chang said at the company's earnings conference on Thursday TSMC had already brought "hundreds of thousands of jobs" over the last three decades to the US.
" Trump has said many times that he wants to create jobs in the United States. We highly applaud that," Chang said.
"We will continue to create more jobs by helping the fab industry [wafer fabrication - part of semiconductor chip production] in the US," he told investors and analysts.
Chang's comment comes after Foxconn, another Taiwanese tech giant, confirmed last month it is in talks over a new US investment, but gave no further details.
TSMC – the world's biggest contact microchip producer – also announced better-than-expected earnings in the fourth quarter thanks to the launch of the iPhone 7 series.
TSMC is a key supplier for Apple although it has never officially confirmed the iPhone maker as its customer.
Net income in the three months to December surged 37.6 percent from the same period a year earlier to Tw$100.20 billion ($3.2 billion).
Revenue for the quarter came in at Tw$262.23 billion, up 28.8 percent from a year earlier.
"Once again we set a new record in terms of revenue and earnings. 2016 was a good year for TSMC," said Chief Financial Officer Lora Ho.
"Fourth quarter was definitely strong because of iPhone 7," said George Chang, analyst at Yuanta Securities in Taipei.
Looking ahead, TSMC forecast revenue growth to be close to 10 percent in the first half of 2017, and 5 percent in the second half from the same periods year earlier.
Communication applications, including smartphones, are by far the biggest source of revenue for TSMC, at more than 60 percent.
TSMC's Chang said Thursday he sees growth in the global smartphone market, driven by low-end devices, which he projects to grow 8 percent.
Category: Taiwan