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Coffee has a fascinating history that dumbfounds even the coffee drinkers. You will be excited to know how people discovered coffee and the coffeemakers.
Quick coffee facts
- Coffee is traced to Ethiopian plateau and was discovered by Kaldi, a goat-herder.
- Coffee is today grown in most parts of the world including Asia, Africa, Australia, South and Central America.
- On July 8, 1908, Melitta Bentz invented the first paper filter.
- Dr. Ernest Illy developed the 1st automatic espresso machine.
- Alfonso Bialetti invented the world's 1st stovetop espresso maker.
- In 1884, Angelo Moriondo of Turin, Italy invented the espresso machine.
What is a coffee maker?
A coffee maker is a small kitchen appliance that is used to brew coffee. The machine can either manual or electric, and it can make hot or iced coffee. In the simplest design, a coffee maker consists of a jar and a filter or permanent paper that traps ground from the drink. In all coffee makers, the coffee, and hot water should come into contact either directly or indirectly.
However, various coffee makers use different brewing mechanisms. Modern coffee makers consist of various components including a hot plate, filter basket, a glass coffee pot or carafe, and water reservoir.
Discovery of coffee in the 9th century
Reportedly, Kaldi a goat-herder discovered that his goats behaved erratically after chewing red berries from a certain tree. He tried some of the berries and felt the effect just like his goats. Kaldi brought some of the berries to a monastery. After the monk had tested the berries, they didn't approve them for use.
The berries were thrown onto a fire to destroy them. However, the berries produced an appealing aroma, and the monks decided to investigate. Hence, coffee was given a second chance. Just like tea, the religious leaders ground the roasted beans and put them into the warm water making the first cup of coffee.
Despite this tale of coffee discovery, it's alleged that people used to chew coffee berries as a stimulant. People used to grind coffee beans to blend with animal fat and butter to preserve and consume on long journeys. Also, it's thought that Sudanese slaves used to chew coffee beans in a bid to survive the difficult voyages on trade routes.
In the 14th century, coffee cultivation and trade began in Arabic countries and spread to Egypt, Turkey, and Syria. Allegedly, until the 1600s, coffee only existed in Africa and Arabic countries. It was later introduced in India and spread to America and Brazil.
Today coffee is grown in most parts of the world and yields up to 100 billion dollars a year, supporting about 25 million people worldwide. Hence, it's a very vital plant to most people worldwide.
Invention of coffee filters
What is a coffee filter? It's a brewing appliance that is either made of a permanent material or disposable paper. A coffee filter helps to trap coffee grounds to ensure the drink is fine and smooth.
Melitta Bentz conceived coffee filter on July 6. 1908. Bentz wanted to remove coffee grounds from coffee in a bid to control the bitterness. After using different methods, she used blotting paper from Willi's (son) exercise book. She was able to achieve grounds-free, less bitter coffee.
Bentz got a patent and decided to set up a business to sell her innovation. On 15th Dec 1908, Bentz registered her company and sold 1,200 coffee filters during the 1909 Leipzig fair. Bentz employed her husband Hugo and son Horst as the first employees of her company.
Today, Stephen and Thomas Bentz, Melitta Bentz's grandsons still run the company started by company "Melitta Group KG." The company has headquarters in North Rhine-Westphalia and has about 3,300 workers and 50 companies.
Popularity of coffee
Coffee is cultivated and consumed in most parts of the world. The popularity of the drink is comparable to oil. About two billion cups of coffee are drunk daily worldwide. The huge market for coffee makers is a clear show that coffee popularity is growing steadily.
In the 1990s, there was a revolution in coffee brewing; advanced and appealing coffee machines were introduced into the market to meet the need of coffee drinkers. Evidently, more advanced and innovative coffee makers are being introduced into the market daily.
History of coffee makers
Before the introduction of coffeemakers, people used manual methods to grind and brew coffee. The process was usually tiring, and people used to brew a small amount of coffee for a long time. However, the introduction of coffee makers made the process simple. Coffee machines allow you to make custom coffee within a short time to suit busy schedules and specific needs. Below are the types of coffee machines that are used in modern kitchens.
Drip coffee makers
Overview: Drip coffee maker was launched in America in 1972. It's estimated that 73% of Americans were using an automatic drip machine in 1996. These coffee makers come in different sizes, styles and colors. They mainly brew between 4-12 cups of coffee.
Brewing mechanism: Drip coffee makers brew by distributing hot water over coffee grounds in a paper or paper filter through the shower head. The water then drips through the grounds, absorbing its flavor, oils and essences and then passes to the bottom of the glass pot or carafe. The coffee grounds remains on the filter paper.
Uniqueness: Drip coffee makers have different chambers/reservoirs, for water and coffee. These machines brew coffee fast, and they use ground coffee only.
Single serve coffee machines
Overview: Single coffee makers are new to the market and are meant for those who love single serving. These brewers use coffee pods, are simple to clean and allow you to brew specialty coffees. You can make a variety of beverages using this machine including tea, hot chocolate, and other milk based drinks.
Brewing mechanism: Hot water passes through the coffee pod and delivers a perfect cup of coffee into an external cup or mug.
Uniqueness: They are meant to brew coffee for a single serving. Also, they deliver coffee into an external cup or mug, unlike automatic machines that have a coffee reservoir.
Overview: James Nason patented the first design of percolator in 1865. However, the modern percolator is linked to Hanson Goodrich, who patented the design in 1889. If you use a percolator, you should judge when the coffee is ready by observing it through the knob on its lid. Early, percolator used stovetop burners while the current ones rely on electricity.
Brewing mechanism: These machines brew coffee heating water in a pot and then pushing the water through a metallic tube into the brew basket that has the coffee. Finally, the brewed coffee drips into the coffee pot.
Uniqueness: Percolators come with a transparent knob on the lid that lets the user observe the brewing and decide when the coffee is ready. They don't have automatic setting or strength selector.
French Press
Overview: French presses are manual coffee makers that use coarse ground coffee to produce a perfectly brewed coffee. A French press consists of a jar/beaker, plunger, and filters. However, modern French presses may be more complicated. But they all require pressing to extract flavor, essence, and oils from the ground coffee.
Brewing mechanism: You have to put hot water and ground coffee into the brewer. Stir the ingredients, leave it for some minutes and then press the plunger to trap the grounds at the bottom of the beaker.
Uniqueness: French presses require you to press the plunger to extract oils and essences from the ground coffee.
Espresso machines
Overview: Angelo Moriondo invented Espresso machine in 1884. Luifi Bezzera patented an improved design of the espresso machine in 1901. The first commercial coffee maker was made available by Pavoni, the founder of La Pavoni. Most espresso machine relies on pressure to extract flavor from hot coffee, and they have a wand that froths and steams milk for latte and cappuccino.
Brewing mechanism: Espresso machines forces hot water through coffee grounds and then through a filter to create espresso which is a highly concentrated coffee.
Uniqueness: Most espresso machines have a steaming wand to steam and froth milk for latte and cappuccino.


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Whether you live and work in the Philippines, are passing through, or planning a move to the Philippines, we invite you to get connected with the brand new alumni network based in Manila. We have already held events to make you feel at home such as "Welcome to the City", game watchings and Dinner for 12 Strangers, one of UCLA's oldest and most beloved traditions. Come get involved and bring your ideas to grow and expand the UCLA Bruin community!

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Kings Inch Road, Braehead, PA4 8XQ
Vital Information
Hit the snow
Experienced skiers and snowboarders will love today's deal for a 2 hour lift pass with use of equipment for one or two people at Snow Factor, Braehead.
Take on the slopes and show them who's boss before checking out Scotland's only ice bar where the walls, bar, tables and even the glasses are made of ice! If you need warming up, check out Bar Varia, a family-friendly Bavarian-themed restaurant and bier halle, boasting panoramic views of the slopes.
A big slope
Snow Factor is Scotland's only indoor ski and snowboarding facility, with 1500 tonnes of real snow awaiting you on the UK's longest indoor real snow slope. It's also home to the UK's biggest urban indoor ice-climbing wall, making Snow Factor the ultimate destination for snow bunnies and thrill seekers looking for some uber-cool action!
Based within the popular venue Soar INTU Braehead (formerly Xscape), Snow Factor is easily accessible from the M8 and the perfect place for a family day out.
Loved by itisoners
"Great indoor facility and fun for all ages, would highly recommend a visit."
"We had a great time at Snow Factor, real quality family fun together. The staff are friendly and it's a nice atmosphere."
"We loved it, especially the kids."


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Ricky Martin concerts and a tribute to the '90s). But when it came to this week's Mr. Blasberg's Best-Dressed List, his weekly roundup of the best looks in fashion, he couldn't ignore the seductive styles from the opposite coast. It'd be hard to fault him: Some of fashion's biggest names, like Kirsten Dunst and Alexa Chung, rubbed elbows with music heavyweights like Lauryn Hill, all the while showing the best in music-festival style.Our editor at large, Derek Blasberg, did his best to act like he wasn't interested in the Coachella music festival, the glorious few days of music and sunshine in southern California that just wrapped this week. (Blasberg even tried distracting himself with
Over all, there were a few style dictums. Cute, vintage-feeling blouses were all over the place and were worn on top of either mini denim shorts or long maxi skirts. (Bonus points for oversize sunglasses or vintage Ray-Bans and perfectly distressed flat boots.) Not that all of the chicest looks could be so easily categorized into bohemian and short-shorts groupings, however. Some of our favorite fashionistas pushed festival-chic boundaries. Both Diane Kruger and Dita von Teese showed that graphic nautical stripes can look just as sweet in southern California as they do on the Riviera, and models Dorothea Jorgensen and Tali Lenox proved that the sheers and interesting textures we saw during the fall collections are already popping up in some people's wardrobes. And finally, this is a groundbreaking week for the list: We have our first man (wearing women's clothing, to be clear) to make the cut. Kanye West, whose turn in a Céline blouse had the blogosphere blazing, is well deserving of his special mention.


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Weren't you so thrilled that it took you hours preparing yourself because you w anted to look your finest? You tried altering lot of times searching for the right clothes to use, backward and forward in the mirror until lastly you felt fantastic, all set to go and in best shape. Tottenham escorts of https://charlotteaction.org/tottenham-escorts say that the number of wives have said that they had a waistline of 22 or 24 in their wedding gown. However over the years they simply started to leave shape especially after having infants. They want to dress easily at home with their house dress. They get lazy and do not trouble to look good for their spouses. They start to get symptoms feeling low stylish irritable. Exactly what's their discuss this? They respond "I'm already married and he or she loves me the way I am." or "He or she has to accept me, for better or for worse" However, there are still numerous partners who grumble about this because they desire their partners to look attractive. They want to flaunt their dashing partner to their pals.
However, there are still lots of partners who complain about this because they desire their partners to look appealing. Tottenham escorts tells that they wish to show off their dashing partner to their buddies. We have enjoyed programs on the subject of "make over". In these programs, they ask somebody in the street if they might give them a makeover and after, they surprise the partner of this individual. We have seen the remarkable changes plus the joy of the partner how appealing his/her partner has become. Their partners have commented that they have been longing for their spouse to wear more trendy clothes and newer hairdo but simply couldn't encourage them. They even hint of the need to go on a very first health 2b weight management. It came to the point that signs feeling low snappy irritable brought frictions to their marriage.
If how you look is important for your partner, throw down the gauntlet to make him or her pleased. Although this might be a lightweight reason for your partner to get attracted to potential relationships outside, this might be your fault too, unintended as it might be. Tottenham escorts said that this can likewise be an element that can create a dissatisfied relationship a handy suggestion is to want that to love is always to consider the other. Be delighted to fulfill your partner as if it is always the very first time you satisfied or your very first date. With that, you will likewise be thrilled to dress well for them. And when there is enjoyment, it improves the relationship and will absolutely remove those signs feeling low snappy irritable. If you think you are leaving shape, deal with it prior to it gets worse, get some exercise and watch your diet plan. You might want to work on a first health 2b weight management. Obtain some nice and inexpensive clothes and stop using those loose house clothes. You certainly would wish to receive great compliments from pals too like "My, you have not altered" or "You're always looking terrific" When you look terrific, you feel terrific! Keep looking excellent for your partner!


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Dosen Pembimbing
Dr. Mudjilah Rahayu, SE., MM.
This paper provides empirical evidence of manufacture firm-spesific factors or
determinant in the use of derivatives in Indonesia Stock Exchange from 2010-2013.
The exploration of this research by economic sectors specifically in manufacture
sector due to the major foreign debt of debtors in Indonesia which did not hedge
their debt is from this sector. I could have a huge impact for Indonesia's economy.
Quantitaive approach is used in this study by using hypothesis testing. Sampling
technique used was purposive sampling and estimated data used the Logit regression
model. The results indicate that the use of derivatives is positively significance
associated with firm size (LSIZE) with confidence level of 95%. On the other hand,
although with other variables had jointly influenced the using of derivatives,
liquidity variable (current ratio), debt to total asset (for variable of financial
distress), total asset growth (for variable of investment opportunities) and Foreign
Sales Activity (FSA) and Foreign Sales Activity (FSA) did not influenced partially
significance for manufacture firm in using derivatives instruments.
Key Words : derivatives, determinant, manufacture, logit, instrument


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We see your signs everywhere!!
Ulster County, NY (PRWEB) March 05, 2012
With all the negative national housing reports, it is surprising to many that Murphy Realty Group continues to make advances in the Ulster County Real Estate market. John Murphy, owner and Principal Broker of Murphy Realty Group, said that despite these national reports, the Ulster County Real Estate market has remained stable. Of course, the market is not what it was 6-7 years ago, but then again, that was not a stable market. The real estate market then, resembled the stock market, the bubble expanded and finally got to the point of bursting. Even in these conditions, the Ulster County Real Estate market has seemed to level off, and return to a more stable and normal market.
The amount of foreclosures are drastically down, and going over the year end stats for 2011, compared to 2010, things are looking up. The entire Ulster County Real Estate market is seeing much improvement, and if these stats continue, should gradually get better. Here are a few stats pulled from the Ulster County MLS data base, for the Woodstock Real Estate market:
Year To Year Market Report:
Area: Woodstock NY Property Class: Residential Homes
In 2011 93 Woodstock NY Homes sold with an average sale price of $419,906
In 2010 86 Woodstock NY Homes sold with an average sale price of $344,837
That's an 8% increase in the amount of homes sold, and an increase of 22% for the average sale price.
Some areas within Ulster County saw little to no change, and others saw a great increase. Although there are reports stating that pending homes sales have increased in the first 2 months of 2012. Overall, it's an exccellent sign for the real estate market.
From the day Murphy Realty Group opened their doors for business, the company has had a strong local presence. From their unique an distinctive colors and signs, to strong print advertising, TV sponsorships, radio ads, and an impressive company website, Murphy Realty Group is a strongly recognized company.
With stats improving, Owner and Principal Broker of Murphy Realty Group, John Murphy is ecstatic with the success his company has had, and states that he is proud that his company is still "The Fastest Growing Real Estate Firm In Ulster County". The firm is not growing in size however, but growing in success. There are many companies with multiple offices and upwards of 50, 60, and 70 agents. Yet, Murphy Realty Group year after year, shows a larger sales increase than any other company, while composed of one office location, and 10 hardworking, full time, Ulster County Real Estate MLS Top Producers. John has said "you never have to wonder who is answering the phones here, each one of us is a full time Top Producer, we know the inventory, and can easily answer any and all questions".
Along with his team of MLS Top Producers, John has a unique, and aggressive marketing strategy, targeting the entire Ulster County Real Estate market, as well as more localized areas, such as Woodstock NY Real Estate.
The company has launched various real estate websites, targeting local areas throughout the county, with each one optimized and specializing in that specific area. Each of these sites are highly ranked in the search engines for relevant content to each site. An example of these websites would be http://www.UlsterCountyNYRealEstate.com which is currently ranked #1 for the search term Ulster County Real Estate, and http://www.WoodstockNewYorkRealEstate.com, which offers a complete website dedicated to the Woodstock NY Real Estate market. The website offers a great deal of information, a local blog which is full of helpful knowledge about the area, and advanced MLS search options for anyone to browse Woodstock Homes For Sale.
With Murphy Realty Group's dominant online presence, they reach home buyers and sellers, not just locally, but from all over. Specifically, WoodstockNewYorkRealEstate.com, helps give buyers from out of the area, such as NYC, an insight into the Woodstock Real Estate market, gives local market stats, information on upcoming events, and more.
Moving forward, Murphy Realty Group plans to expand even more. For more information on the Ulster County Real Estate market and Murphy Realty Group, visit:http://www.murphyrealtygrp.com


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P.S. I miss you
Sleep has been evading me Lying on a strange bed in a strange room The pillows are persuading me But there's no comfort here without you I restlessly toss and turn My mind is perceiving the bed as steel With nails and fire, it pricks and burns Your distance arouses the insomniac in me I have been studying the ceiling And I imagine seeing your beautiful face Are you peacefully sleeping? Or are you awake feeling lost and displaced? I don't smell you in the sheets This generic softener doesn't remind me of home Wherever I can feel your heartbeats Is where I want to be, is where I belong The hours are slowly passing by And sunrays are shyly sneaking through the window But they don' reflect on your eyes It's just another morning without your morning glow


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We arrived in Cagayan on the evening of 24 January. Ronald, the host leader of the Illigan SOM met us. The next morning we commenced the SOM on Leadership with 69 delegates. On the 26 Jan. we started off at the City Plaza, where over 300 people were celebrating the national Bible week: Foundations of Righteous Leadership and Living - a nation- wide event that is endorsed by the President of the Philippines, Rodrigo Deuterte. I spoke at the closing ceremony from Jeremiah 18.
We then went to the Mayor's office where we met the Chief of Police and the Mayor. Off then to the city hall, office of the 14 Councillors of Illigan city, the city Administrator and the Mayor and deputy. I spoke for 45 mins on leadership to all the staff, some 40 people. We then prayed and prophesied over the sick for over 2 hours. Numb hands were healed, a lady with cancer - pain and numbness disappeared, a goitre disappeared, knee pain gone - glory to Jesus. We continued the SOM on the 27th.
Following an amazing meeting in Ronald's church on the Sunday we left for Maranding. Garth ministered at the Lighthouse Gospel House youth meeting.
We ministered in Bacalod, at Camp 5 with Miguel and visited the Prayer Mountain at Shiloh.
Friday and Saturday we completed an SOM on the gifts of the Holy Spirit at Maranding with Gloria and the leaders of her network of Churches.
On Sunday we were part of the 30th anniversary celebration of the ministry in Maranding. We returned to Mumbai on Tuesday, 30 January giving thanks to God for an extraordinary trip.
Basil Dsouza, Asia Director for SOM
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Readers of Victorian novels know what debtor's prison is–a scabrous place where distressed maidens, handsome heroes and pitiable children who owe as little as 60 cents are locked up until their debts are paid. The U.S. abolished federal imprisonment for unpaid debts in 1833, and today, most of us are pretty sure that we can't be sent to the pokey for blowing off a creditor.
We'd be wrong.
Creditors work the system to jail debtors
While we can't be sent to a federal prison for ignoring bills, many states allow citizens to be popped into state or local lockups for unpaid debt. Savvy collection agencies use this process to do an end run around the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. Here's how it works:
- The collection agency sues the debtor, often in small claims court, with perhaps only a mailed summons (legal in some states, Illinois for example) or, worse, an imaginary notice referred to as "sewer service"
- The debtor tosses the paper threat unread or misunderstands its implications. The debtor automatically loses the case because he doesn't show up in court. He's ordered to pay the collection agency, and the judge issues a arrest warrant for failing to appear and/or make the court-ordered payments
- Mr. Debtor is dragged out of a PTA meeting on the outstanding warrant and goes to jail
- He makes bail, which is (amazingly!) set at the exact amount owed
- The bail is turned over to the creditor. Taxpayers foot the bill for arresting and jailing the "evildoer"
- If unable to come up with the money owed, Mr. Debtor rots in jail. According to a Minnesota Star Tribune article, an Illinois man was sentenced "to indefinite incarceration" until he paid his $300 lumber yard debt
What about mortgage lenders?


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Well Vince Vaughn is causing quite a controversy.
Vince Vaughn covers that latest issue of 'GQ' British magazine and talks about the gun laws here in America. Vince believes we should allow guns everywhere even in schools. Here is what Vince shared with the magazine:
Making comedies: "I'm not blaming anyone else but myself here. The machine can make you idle. You read a script and then you agree to a role, then soon enough you're on set looking at a scene that has had all the juice and the life sucked right out of it. You become a hired gun doing a very inoffensive PG-13 movie and, well, you kind of just go along with it. Like anything in life you're either growing or you're dying. When you get too comfortable you start to decline."
On the American government: "Edward Snowden is a hero. I like what he did. My idea of treason is that you sell secrets to the enemy. He gave information to the American people. Snowden didn't take information for money or dogmas. Governments claim to write endless laws to protect us, a law for this, a law for that, but are they working? I don't think so. The consequences are that there is a staggering loss of freedom for the individual. I look at the drug wars and they are absolutely f***ing ridiculous. There is a black market and the prisons are overcrowded and it's not preventing drug use. There's a corruption that goes all the way to the top."
Owning a Gun: "I support people having a gun in public full stop, not just in your home. We don't have the right to bear arms because of burglars; we have the right to bear arms to resist the supreme power of a corrupt and abusive government. It's not about duck hunting; it's about the ability of the individual. It's the same reason we have freedom of speech. It's well known that the greatest defence against an intruder is the sound of a gun hammer being pulled back. All these gun shootings that have gone down in America since 1950, only one or maybe two have happened in non-gun-free zones. Take mass shootings. They've only happened in places that don't allow guns. These people are sick in the head and are going to kill innocent people. They are looking to slaughter defenceless human beings. They do not want confrontation. In all of our schools it is illegal to have guns on campus, so again and again these guys go and shoot up these fucking schools because they know there are no guns there. They are monsters killing six-year-olds."
Guns in schools: "Of course. You think the politicians that run my country and your country don't have guns in the schools their kids go to? They do. And we should be allowed the same rights. Banning guns is like banning forks in an attempt to stop making people fat. Taking away guns, taking away drugs, the booze, it won't rid the world of criminality."
VINCE VAUGHN: SCHOOLS SHOULD HAVE GUNS Reviewed by JJSantoro on June 02, 2015 Rating:


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Asian Tribune is published by World Institute For Asian Studies|Powered by WIAS Vol. 12 No. 2790
Investigations reveal Sri Lanka Guardian Editor R&AW spies in New Delhi and Chennai
By a Special Correspondent in Colombo
Colombo, 23 March, (Asiantribune.com): Investigations done by Asian Tribune shows that the Colombo based editor of the Sri Lanka Guardian who has taken a new contract of defending allegedly corrupt diplomats at the Sri Lanka High Commission in London has traveled to Chennai and New Delhi last January for detailed discussions with India's Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) operators who are in charge of Sri Lanka.
The investigations show that the chief operator of the Sri Lanka Guardian, Nilantha Illangamuwa traveled to India to meet the R&AW spy B. Raman, and held a four hour long discussion in the Tamil Nadu capital of Chennai about ways and means of how to impose the research and analysis plan to install politicians using diplomats, local politicians and "Human rights activists" to form pro-Indian power cells especially in the North and Eastern Provinces of the country.
To use London based Tamil groups with the help of Sri Lankan diplomats to fill the vacuum by creating another Vardharaja Perumal generation of politicians was the main topic of the discussions they have had, informed sources said.
" (He) took dinner with B.Raman at residential Tower hotel, one of the best hotels in Chennai. It was serious meeting (that lasted) four hours (and centered on the) next R&AW's plans in Sri Lanka", the source told the Asian Tribune.
Two notorious spies, B. Raman and R. Hariharan are two main columnists of the shadowy website called Sri Lanka Guardian that was specially setup to serve the R&AW, that had been in charge of India's dirty work in the island nation during the long drawn terrorist uprising led by the LTTE. RAW slowed down when their Frankenstein Monster back fired after LTTE Supremo Velupillai Prabhakaran and his intelligence chief Pottuamman successfully conspired to assassinate India's Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, utilizing the privileges granted to them by the R&AW.
While Hariharan served as the intelligence chief of the Indian Peace Keeping Forces in Sri Lanka Raman personally planned some of the biggest civilian massacres like the Anuradhapura Sri Maha Bodhi massacre and Pettah Bus Stand massacre to bring down the then regime of J.R.Jayewardene to its knees bringing him under pressure to sign
the ill fated Indo-Lanka agreement. Hariharan few weeks ago was scheduled to fly to London to have detailed discussions with the LTTE elements but had to turn back when his visa was denied at New Delhi.
In January Illangamuwa , the editor of the shadowy website, Sri Lanka Guardian went to New Delhi from Colombo on a special invitation by the Research and Analysis Wing, our informants alleged.
Our informants said that after the meeting with Raman he traveled together with the spy Raman and visited Subramaniyan Swamy, the maverick Indian politician and the leader of the Janata Party.
The sources said, Illangamuwa had also taken a domestic flight to New Delhi to meet certain other officials of the Research and Analysis Wing, India's equivalent of the CIA.
The informant said, "While there had been spies who have been doing this kind of dirty work all throughout history to sell their motherland it is regretful that now corrupt diplomats paid by our own tax payers have retained those traitors."
The main purpose of the noble campaign instituted by Asian Tribune is not to defend the traitorous distracters and their vituperative and machination's but to continues with the aim of containing the march and propaganda disinformation campaign let loose by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam against Sri Lanka and its elected government through the newly found deceptive operatives R&AW agents and LTTE's double agents.
- Asian Tribune -


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Facebook to Pitch 'Life-Saving Tool' on Tuesday
Facebook is apparently preparing to launch a "new tool that can save lives," according to an ABC News report.
The network has apparently been granted exclusive sit-down interviews with both chief executive Mark Zuckerberg and chief operating officer Sheryl Sandberg, according to a press release issued by ABC.
"First on "Good Morning America" Tuesday, Zuckerberg gives Robin Roberts the first look at a new Facebook tool which has the power to save lives from their new Menlo Park, CA headquarters," ABC said. "Then on 'World News with Diane Sawyer,' one of America's most powerful businesswomen Sheryl Sandberg will sit down for an exclusive interview with Diane Sawyer and discuss the personal stories that led to this new initiative and its goals."
Naturally, ABC has an incentive toward hyping this story as much as it can, and the fact that the network has landed both Zuckerberg as well as Sandberg probably indicates that there's some meat in the sandwich.
Historically, one of Facebook's more prominent social initiatives has been to speak out for the rights or gay, lesbian, and transgendered individuals. In 2010, for example, the network added added "in a civil union" and "in a domestic partnership" to its selections in this category. Later that year, Facebook also teamed up with the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), a life-saving proposition of sorts, especially in the case of victims committing suicide to avoid the bullying.
In that vein, Facebook also launched a suicide hotline of sorts in December. If a person spots a troubling post, they must click the settings button next to the comment and select "report." Facebook will then email the individual with the number to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline or a link to start chatting confidentially with a counselor.
It's likely that Facebook's latest "life-saving tool" either continues down one of these two paths, or else attempts to use the social network as a tool to fight a related social ill, such as hunger or poverty.
And, of course, the two interviews will keep up Facebook's positive image in the press during the days and weeks leading up to Facebook's IPO, whenever that is.
For more from Mark, follow him on Twitter @MarkHachman.


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Sting has announced two new UK shows.
The former Police frontman has just released his twelfth studio album, '57th & 9th'.
As part of the newly-announced European tour, Sting will play in Manchester and London in April 2017. He will perform at the Manchester 02 Apollo on April 7, before moving on to the Hammersmith Apollo in London two days later (April 9).
The musician will hit the road with a three-piece band, including his longtime guitarist Dominic Miller, Josh Freese (drums) and Rufus Miller (guitar).
See the dates of Sting's full European tour for 2017 below.
Mar 21 Sant Jordi Club – Barcelona, Spain
Mar 23 Fabrique – Milan, Italy
Mar 25 Sporthalle – Hamburg, Germany
Mar 27 Torwar – Warsaw, Poland
Mar 29 Porsche-Arena – Stuttgart, Germany
Mar 30 Samsung Hall – Zurich, Switzerland
Apr 01 Rockhal – Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
Apr 02 Forest National – Brussels, Belgium
Apr 04 Mistubishi Electric Halle – Dusseldorf, Germany
Apr 05 Heineken Music Hall (as of January 1st AFAS Live) – Amsterdam, Holland
Apr 07 Manchester O2 Apollo – Manchester, UK
Apr 09 Eventim Apollo Hammersmith – London, UK
Apr 12 + 13 Olympia – Paris, France
Tickets for the shows go on sale on Friday (November 18).
Sting played the first concert at the re-opened Bataclan venue in Paris on Friday (November 11). The 65-year-old held a minute's silence for the victims of the terrorist attack at the venue in November 2015, which saw 89 people killed.


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Kira Kosarin and Jack Griffo are the life of the party at the The Thundermans celebration at Paramount Studios on Wednesday (June 28) in Hollywood.
The two stars of the show were joined by their on-screen fam — Chris Tallman, Rosa Blasi, Maya Le Clark, Diego Velazquez and Addison Riecke — plus creator Jed Spingarn and Audrey Whitby to celebrate the show's 100th episode, which they're filming now.
Other Nickelodeon stars who came out to celebrate include Game Shakers' Cree Cicchino and Madisyn Shipman and School of Rock's Aidan Miner and Jade Pettyjohn.
"This one really sums it up. Nothing but joy+gratefulness for how far we've come. Thank you to everyone who made it possible," Kira shared on Twitter, after posting a slew of pics from the party.
Check them all out below!


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Covering Movement Detroit for the first time mid-festival presented a few challenges. At the tail end of a Memorial Day weekend with still ground to cover, arriving at Hart Plaza was a minor mission, but catching sight of raver kids (of all ages) roaming the streets of Motown affirmed that a good time was in full swing.
The rhythm of nature isn't always a driving beat, it's much more stop-start. That cycle of building to the beat drop, then feeling and sustaining the payoff can mirror many natural interactions, but amassing human energy in a positive, entertaining manner rarely goes off without a buzzkill or two.
Beauty was certainly in abundance, at the visceral level, and from the celebratory vibe that lacked the tensions usually associated with large masses of humanity commingling.
Six stages, a lot to take in. The Movement Main Stage, the Red Bull Music Academy Stage, the Beatport Stage, the Thump: Made In Detroit Stage (a VICE venture), the Underground and the Sixth Stage.
Our drive in from Lake Michigan got us there right around 6:30 which meant we missed both Wajeed and People Under The Stairs.
Drugs were confiscated while provocatively dressed women (and men) frolicked in abundance at each of the stages overflowing with eager partygoers.
The full lineup, while not necessarily compelling to a hip-hop/reggae head, had just enough to make the whole thing palatable. Danny Brown was the focus artist among our camp, but due to a need to charge devices in the Media Tent, we missed his entrance.
Hustling to the Red Bull stage, we found Brown jumping into "Grown Up," a more straight-ahead, whimsical tune compared to a lot of his Fool's Gold stuff. Brown ran through five or six more songs from XXX and Old including "Kush Coma" and "Dip."
Lovely Bruiser Brigadettes were on the lawn, and one even had the patch with the logo to prove her membership:
Detroit reps hard for their own.
The dense Main Stage always had good music emanating from it, but the crowd was hard to penetrate. Skrillex, as part of duo Dog Blood (along with German DJ/producer Boys Noize), was an obvious draw for most on Day Two, but many backstage and on the grounds were focused on lesser household names like Hot Since 82 and Joseph Capriati (Beatport).
The Beatport Stage had a great setup with a fantastic backdrop featuring the Renaissance Center behind and the Detroit River alongside.
This was a rather social event, the open air allowed for any manner of chance meetings, ones that tended to separate people from their packs. One-on-one real-life interaction with strangers may be making a comeback in 2015.
The EDM community may get a harsh rap from some journeymen music industrialists, but perhaps a trip to Movement would be enough to soften even the most jaded.
High times in the D, y'all.
Photography: Nick Nitro. Shout to Morin Yousif at Paxahau.


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I've been so happy with my work since we relocated to Portland earlier this year. I've been meeting the best clients and getting to do so many amazing color combos. I love this one from earlier this week, the dusky, smokey pastel pinks and purples cut with dark grey and shocking pops of gold.
cut, color, and style by


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Faithful and consistent giving is Spiritual Warfare! Learn "why", "what", "when" and "to whom to give" to receive the Elohim of Israel's blessings. Consistency and sowing into a fertile ground bring great rewards for tithing the Torah way.
This teaching focuses on the power of praise as a powerful weapon of Spiritual Warfare against our invisible enemy.
Anointed praise effectively drives demons away. Learn how to become a spiritual warrior.
Fasting is a mitzvah (commandment) of the Elohim of Israel. This series gives a practical step-by-step description of how to safely and effectively conduct a Biblical fast. It emphasizes the significance of understanding the Scriptures while on a fast. Fasting and prayer are crucial in the life of a born from above believer during these End-Times.
Learn about the Shofar, an ancient Jewish musical instrument and a weapon of warfare. Find out who can blow the shofar, when and how. Discover how to do Spiritual Warfare for your loved ones using the shofar and proclaiming War Declarations. An excellent tool for home and congregational Bible study.
Do you believe in the supernatural? Do you believe that there is a supernatural world? Have you ever seen an angel or a demon? Do you believe that they exist? This amazing testimony by Sheila Murrell, a Black Messianic Jew, reveals the supernatural world around us.
Today many congregations and churches, including entire denominations, operate without Ruach Elohim (Spirit of Elohim). They are bankrupt regarding the spiritual gifts of Ruach HaKodesh because He departed from them a long time ago. Watching this program will introduce you to Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit) and His Gifts.
Why do you need the gift of tongues?
Learn about the most powerful weapon of Spiritual Warfare against hasatan (satan) and demons (shadim). What are the benefits and hindrances to receiving this gift? Be aware of FALSE TONGUES! An excellent tool for home and congregational Bible study.
Spiritual Warfare is REAL! These Messianic teachings are about supernatural evil forces that intervene in human affairs and how to fight against them. You will learn about the war between two kingdoms: The Kingdom of Adon Yeshua, Sar Shalom (Prince of Peace) with His malachim (angels) and disciples vs. the kingdom of hasatan, prince of darkness with his shadim (demons) and his servants. This war is for the soul of every human being.
We strongly recommend that you watch the
programs in the order listed. You can view each program at
your own pace. Go through every Scripture carefully and take notes.
Be sure to watch every program at least five times! Begin with a
brief prayer and ask Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit) to open your eyes of understanding through these teachings.


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General Information About Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College
Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College is a comprehensive community college located in a rural environment. The college strives to fulfill current and future higher educational and vocational/technical needs of southern West Virginia, its service area and beyond. Our college emphasizes student-oriented, transferable learning, enabling students to achieve work, career and personal success. Our college provides high-quality, affordable, student-friendly, and easily accessible educational services. We are highly effective and flexible in responding to state and community demands and in adapting to global socio-economic system.
Institutional statistical data was gathered from the U.S. Department of Education - Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics, 2009-2010.
Institution Type
- 2-year, Public
Special Learning Opportunities
- Distance learning opportunities
- Weekend/evening college
Student Services
- General Education Courses
- Career Services available upon completion
Credit Accepted
- Dual credit
- Credit for life experiences
- Advanced placement (AP) credits
- The acceptance of credits for work experience or military experience are subject to review by the school and cannot be guaranteed.
Religious Affiliation
- Not applicable
Federal Aid
- Eligible students may receive Pell Grants and other federal aid (e.g. Direct Loans).
Degrees/Certificates offered
- 1-2 years certificate
- Associate's degree
Campus Setting Disability Services Student
- 3% or Less
Admission Total Applicants Full Time Retention Rate 59%
Student Demographics Total Enrolled 3,174 Native American 1.0 Asian 12.0 African American 43.0 Hispanic 17.0 Enrolled FullTime Undergraduates 1,506 Enrolled FullTime Graduates


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- 1 cup jaggery powdered/ crushed
- 2 sour mangoes
- 1 Teaspoon chilli powder
- ½Teaspoon neem flowers
- ½Teaspoon mustard
- ¼teaspoon salt
|Mangai/ Green Mango
|Ingredients for Pachadi
|Mixed with Chilli Powder & Salt
|Cooked Mango in Jaggery Syrup
- Peel or scrape the skin of the mangoes and make thin slices ( approximately 4 cups).
- Pressure cook with chilli powder and salt.
- In a heavy bottomed vessel, melt the jaggery to a thick syrup.Mix the cooked mangoes.
- Season with mustard and finally add neem flowers.


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Apparently it looks like some (or all) users in China are facing issues while accessing the Android Market, Gmail and Google Talk on their Android based devices.
A user on the Android Forums posted a thread today that he was unable to access Market, Gmail and Google Talk from China. According to the user the problems have been happening since 13th June and has been occurring in Mainland China.
Unfortunately, Android Forums itself has gone under so could not check the entire conversation, but here is the page on Google Cache from which the below screenshot has been taken.
The actual thread is here just in case you want to check the debate, however it is still down for me. Are you in China and facing the same issues?
Update: From the comments below we were able to confirm that China is indeed blocking the above services.


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Margaret Thorp
Margaret Thorp was known as "The Peace Angel".
During WW1 this remarkable young woman mobilised such a large anti-conscription vote in Queensland that it was the only State which rejected compulsory conscription during two referendums. She represented WILPF Australia at the 3rd International WILPF Congress in 1921 in Vienna.


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Good morning Joliet, Illinois. We stayed in a local motel. While clean, the electrical needed a little work -- broken plugs, missing light bulbs, non-functioning power outlets, etc.
Good Morning Joliet
Good morning Joliet, Illinois. We stayed in a local motel. While clean, the electrical needed a little work — broken plugs, missing light bulbs, non-functioning power outlets, etc.
We have a 10am appointment to meet a guy from Route 66 Soda. Our meeting is at the Joliet Route 66 Museum. We're off to our appointment.
Route 66 Soda
We entered the museum, paid our entrance fee and asked the lady at the window if she knew Alan from Route 66 Soda. She said she does. She said she would tell him where we are.
Alan met up with us within minutes of our entering the museum. He told us all about Joliet, Illinois, Route 66 Soda and Soda Pop in general. We even got let in on a little secret about a new flavor.
I wish I could have visited with Alan all day, but he had other appointments. He left us with 4 bottles – orange, lime, grape and cherry – of Route 66 Soda. On the way out, we stopped at the gift shop and purchased a couple other flavors. (Oh, their Cream Soda, developed by Alan, is the BEST. )
We then wandered around the museum to take it in.
Breakfast or Was It Lunch?
By the time we completed our museum tour, it was nearly noon. We have not had breakfast, so we went to the Route 66 Diner in Joliet.
I had the chopped steak and eggs. It's delicious. 3 eggs and a chopped steak and hashbrowns for about $10.
The diner is decorated with cute little model cars and trucks. This is the one at our booth…
Route 66 Raceway
On our way out of town we found the Route 66 Raceway. Actually, you can't miss it. It is HUGE. A paved oval, a dirt oval and drag strip all with seating for THOUSANDS of spectators.
Launch Pad
In Wilmington, Illinois is a diner, now closed and for sale, called the Launch Pad. It is home to the landmark repurposed Muffler Man called the Gemini Giant.
I hope it is purchased soon and fixed up. It has much potential!


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You are here: Home » Welcome
Zhejiang Tiantai Jierong New Material Co., Ltd. (formerly Hangzhou Jierong Textile Co., Ltd.) is a high-tech enterprise which focuses on the research, development, production and sales of mesh and filters. The headquarter and factory are located in the beautiful Taizhou Tiantai Industrial Park. Our factory strictly carry with the food SC standard. With more than ten years of innovation and development, our nylon, PET and PLA mesh has already been the leader in China mesh areas. Our products conform to the American FDA, EU regulations10/2011... [Details]


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The Mobile Web is one of the latest incarnations of quick and convenient access to information: keep yourself at your clients' fingertips, with our help. We can design you a specilized Mobile Website so clients and prospective clients can check you out on the go, and we can create personalized QR codes so that looking your business up really is as simple as picking up a phone. Stay on the cutting edge and take your Mobile Marketing to the next level with us!
Here's an example of one of our mobile sites. Click the picture to check out our Reaching Central Texas mobile site!


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'Affirming the antecedent' or 'Modus ponens' is a logical inference which infers that "if P implies Q; and P is asserted to be true, so therefore Q must be true."
While modus ponens is one of the most commonly used concepts in logic it must not be mistaken for a logical law; rather, it is one of the accepted mechanisms for the construction of deductive proofs that includes the "rule of definition" and the "rule of substitution".
In simple words, mathematical logical and the subject of statistics include logical derivations and inferences. Each incident or occurrence or phenomenon is supposed to depend on the occurrence (or non occurrence) of another dependent incident or occurrence or phenomenon. Hence, if we have confirmed that occurrence of incident 'P' implies that incidence of, say 'Q' is bound to occur. Then if P has already occurred, it can be concluded that 'Q' has occurred too. Many a time, the reverse is assumed too. I.e. If P implies Q, and if Q has occurred, it is implied that P has also occurred. But this gives rise to a fallacy that the reverse logic may or may not be true.
Hence, this concludes the definition of Affirming the Antecedent along with its overview.
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Mortality Incidence and the Severity of Coronary Atherosclerosis Assessed by Computed Tomography Angiography
Author + information
- Received March 3, 2008
- Revision received July 11, 2008
- Accepted July 14, 2008
- Published online October 14, 2008.
Author Information
- Matthew P. Ostrom, MD,
- Ambarish Gopal, MD,
- Naser Ahmadi, MD,
- Khurram Nasir, MD, MPH,
- Eric Yang, MD,
- Ioannis Kakadiaris, PhD,
- Ferdinand Flores, BS,
- Song S. Mao, MD and
- Matthew J. Budoff, MD⁎ (mbudoff{at}labiomed.org)
- ↵⁎Reprint requests and correspondence:
Dr. Matthew J. Budoff, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, 1124 W. Carson Street, RB2, Torrance, California 90502
Objectives This study investigated whether cardiac computed tomography angiography (CTA) can predict all-cause mortality in symptomatic patients.
Background Noninvasive coronary angiography is being increasingly performed by CTA to assess for obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD), and minimal outcome data exist for coronary CTA. We have utilized a cohort of symptomatic patients who underwent electron beam tomography to allow for longer follow-up (up to 12 years) than currently available with newer 64-slice multidetector-row computed tomography studies.
Methods In all, 2,538 consecutive patients who underwent CTA by electron beam tomography (age 59 ± 14 years, 70% males) without known CAD were studied. Computed tomographic angiography results were categorized as significant CAD (≥50% luminal narrowing), mild CAD (<50% stenosis), and normal coronary arteries. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards models were developed to predict all-cause mortality. Risk-adjusted models incorporated traditional risk factors for coronary disease and coronary artery calcification (CAC).
Results During a mean follow-up of 78 ± 12 months, the death rate was 3.4% (86 deaths). The CTA-diagnosed CAD was an independent predictor of mortality in a multivariable model adjusted for age, gender, cardiac risk factors, and CAC (p < 0.0001). The addition of CAC to CTA-diagnosed CAD increased the concordance index significantly (0.69 for risk factors, 0.83 for the CTA-diagnosed CAD, and 0.89 for the addition of CAC to CAD, p < 0.0001). Risk-adjusted hazard ratios for CTA-diagnosed CAD were 1.7-, 1.8-, 2.3-, and 2.6-fold for 3-vessel nonobstructive, 1-vessel obstructive, 2-vessel obstructive, and 3-vessel obstructive CAD, respectively (p < 0.0001), when compared with the group who did not have CAD.
Conclusions The primary results of our study reveal that the burden of angiographic disease detected by CTA provides both independent and incremental value in predicting all-cause mortality in symptomatic patients independent of age, gender, conventional risk factors, and CAC.
Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death in the U.S. (1). Current guidelines recommend that primary care physicians appropriately screen, identify, and implement various treatment interventions in patients at intermediate and high risk for coronary heart disease (CHD). Standard CHD risk factor assessment in combination with traditional noninvasive stress imaging modalities, and more recently, coronary artery calcium score (CACS), are able to predict those patients who are at risk for coronary atherosclerosis. Invasive coronary angiography remains the gold standard for detection of anatomic coronary disease. Coronary computed tomography angiography (CTA) is an emerging technology that has the potential to become a powerful tool in the gamut of noninvasive modalities to identify and prognosticate those patients with coronary artery disease (CAD).
Cardiac computed tomography is a robust technology for the noninvasive assessment of a spectrum of cardiovascular disease processes. Considerable advances have been made in the field of cardiac imaging, particularly in the ability to view the coronary artery lumen with sufficient diagnostic accuracy (2). Traditionally, noninvasive coronary angiography has been an arduous process given the rapid cardiac motion, small size of the vessels, tortuous anatomical patterns, concomitant calcification, and overlying veins. These challenges require imaging modalities used for noninvasive coronary angiography to possess both high temporal and spatial resolution. Cardiac computed tomography has developed rapidly and is now poised to become a noninvasive method to evaluate the lumen of the coronary arteries. Original CTA studies were performed with electron beam tomography (EBT) (3). This current study utilized a cohort of symptomatic patients who underwent EBT to allow for longer follow-up (up to 12 years) than currently available with newer 64-slice multidetector-row computed tomography (MDCT) studies. Computed tomographic angiography, with both EBT and MDCT, has excellent negative predictive value and is an invaluable tool in evaluating symptomatic patients with an intermediate likelihood of CAD. The ability to visualize coronary plaque (using both noncontrast and contrast computed tomography [CT]) is promising, but fraught with some limitations (i.e., limited reproducibility, inability to distinguish between fibrous and lipid laden plaque). Despite very high negative predictive values for both obstructive disease and short-term cardiac events, use of CTA in asymptomatic patients as a screening test is currently not recommended because of its requirements for both significant radiation and contrast administration. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the incremental prognostic value of atherosclerotic burden and degree of stenotic disease on CTA as well as of CAC over traditional risk factors in predicting all-cause mortality in an outpatient setting with long-term follow-up.
Patient population
This study sample included 2,538 consecutive patients, 1,774 men and 764 women with an average age of 59 years (range 36 to 89 years), who were physician referred for evaluation of suspected CAD. Patients were excluded if found to have an irregular heart rate, allergy to contrast medium, or impaired renal function. Patients referred for CTA evaluation with known prior CAD, including prior myocardial infarction, coronary artery disease on prior catheterization, or prior revascularization, were also excluded. After receiving a full explanation about the procedure, all eligible patients provided signed written informed consent before the CTA.
Subjects were given a risk-factor questionnaire to assess ethnicity and cardiovascular risk factors. The presence and number of risk factors were calculated on the basis of the National Cholesterol Education Program guidelines (4). Risk factors included age (men >45 years, women >55 years), current cigarette smoking, diabetes mellitus, history of premature coronary disease in a first-degree relative (men age <55 years, women age <65 years), hypertension, and hypercholesterolemia. In addition, body mass index data were collected.
CTA protocol
The studies were performed with a C300 EBT Scanner (GE-Imatron, South San Francisco, California). A noncontrast scan acquiring 35 slices was initially performed craniocaudally (3-mm section thickness without gap) to obtain CACS. After this, a flow study was performed (8-mm section thickness with 4-mm intersection gap) to obtain the circulation time (the time from the contrast injection in the vein to the peak visualization of the ascending aorta). The circulation time (average of 19 s in this study) was determined by a time-density curve at the aortic root, using 15 to 20 ml nonionic contrast injection (Iopamidol 370, Bracco Diagnostics, Plainsboro, New Jersey). To facilitate adequate breath hold, the patients were connected to an oxygen mask and asked to hyperventilate before breath hold during scanning. Atropine was used to increase heart rates when heart rates were <55 beats/min, and nitroglycerine (0.4 mg sublingual) was used in all studies unless contraindicated.
All CTA images utilized a 100-ms acquisition per image and were reconstructed with 512 × 512 matrix, 18-cm field of view, yielding a voxel size of 0.34 × 0.34 × 3.0 mm3. Nonionic contrast was administered through an antecubital vein with an injection rate of 4 ml/s and total volume of 120 to 160 ml. Image acquisition was triggered to the patient's electrocardiogram. Electrocardiogram-triggering corresponding to a fixed point after the R-wave (rate-adjusted trigger) to approximate end systole was done (5). The delay time after the R-wave was varied on the basis of the resting heart rate just before the scan, previously demonstrated to improve both calcium reproducibility and diagnostic accuracy of CTA (6–8). The trigger delay was 350 ms for heart rates <60 beats/min, 320 ms for 61 to 70 beats/min, 300 ms for 71 to 80 beats/min, 280 ms for 81 to 90 beats/min, 260 ms for 91 to 100 beats/min, and 246 ms for heart rates >100 beats/min. The data obtained by the scanner for the analysis were transferred and processed at a dedicated, commercially available image workstation (Insight, Neo Imagery Technology, Industry, California).
CTA study interpretation and reporting
All studies were analyzed by an experienced reader, blinded to all clinical variables, history, and patient demographics. Axial data (Fig. 1), as well as maximum intensity and volume-rendered subsets were used for analysis (Fig. 2). On the basis of the CTA results, the patients were assigned to 1 of the following groups: normal study (normal coronary arteries), mild nonobstructive coronary artery disease (low-grade atherosclerosis of the coronary artery or arteries and lesions <50%), or significant obstructive coronary artery disease (lesions ≥50%). Because of the higher spatial resolution of EBT, no segments were deemed uninterpretable due to motion. Dense calcifications were treated as nonobstructed segments for the purpose of analysis. Within each of the groups, the patients were further subdivided with respect to the number of vessels diseased: 1-, 2-, or 3-vessel disease. Three-vessel disease was defined as either obstructive CAD in all 3 of the major epicardial vessels (right coronary, left anterior descending, and left circumflex arteries) or right coronary artery and left main artery disease.
Coronary artery calcium was defined as a plaque of at least 3 contiguous pixels (area = 1.03 mm2) with attenuation of 130 HU or greater. The quantitative CACS was calculated according to the Agatston method (9,10). The total CACS was calculated from the sum of each of the 4 major epicardial vessels (left main, left anterior descending, circumflex, and right coronary arteries).
End points and definitions
Epidemiologic methods for follow-up included ascertainment of events blinded to CTA results. The primary end point was occurrence of all-cause mortality, which was verified by querying the Social Security Death Index. Death status was ascertained in all patients (i.e., 100% follow-up). Patients who underwent cardiovascular scanning were followed up for a mean of 6.5 ± 1 years.
Statistical analysis
Analyses were performed with SPSS, version 15 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, Illinois). All continuous data are presented as a mean value ± SD, and all categorical data are reported as a percentage or absolute number. Kruskal-Wallis tests and analysis of variance tests were used to assess differences between groups. Kaplan-Meier survival curves were constructed for CTA-diagnosed CAD and were compared with the log-rank test.
The effect of the CAD diagnosed by cardiac CT angiography on all-cause mortality was determined using Cox regression analysis. After adjustment for age, gender, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, family history of premature CHD, and coronary artery calcification, the forward stepwise model was used to determine independent predictors for all-cause mortality. Hazard ratios (HRs) and confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. Receiver-operator characteristic (ROC) curves were constructed for 3 models: model I, a comparative analysis of age and other cardiac risk factors; model II, CTA-diagnosed CAD; and model III, a combination of CTA-diagnosed CAD and CACS. Area under the curve (AUC) was calculated to predict the ability of each model to detect all-cause mortality, with an AUC value of 0.50 indicating no accuracy and a value of 1.00 indicating maximal accuracy.
Clinical characteristics
Overall, the study population consisted of 2,538 patients; 70% were men and the mean age was 59 ± 14 years (range 36 to 89 years). The majority of the patients were Caucasian (n = 1,893, 75.4%); 10.2% (n = 259) were African American; 9.5% (n = 241) Asian; 3.3% (n = 84) Hispanic; and 2.4% (n = 61) other. Of the studied patients, 1,085 (43%) had no CTA evidence of disease, 1,060 (42%) had nonobstructive CAD (<50% stenosis severity), and 393 (15%) had obstructive CAD. Patients with increasing severity of CAD tended to be older, male, hypertensive, hypercholesterolemic, and have a family history of premature CHD (p < 0.0001) and diabetes (p < 0.001). The CACS also increased with severity of CTA-diagnosed CAD (p < 0.0001) (Table 1).
Survival by absence or presence of CAD
In the 15-year follow-up period, 86 all-cause deaths were observed, with an event rate of 3.4% (86 of 2,538). Overall survival was 98.3% and 95.3% among the cohort when grouped according to the absence or presence of CAD, respectively (p = 0.0001) (Fig. 3). The unadjusted and adjusted HRs for mortality are shown in Table 2. After adjustment for age, gender, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, hypercholesterolemia, history of smoking, family history of CHD, and baseline CAC, the stepwise multivariable model showed that the presence of coronary atherosclerosis was an independent predictor of mortality and had significant incremental value over clinical risk factors and CAC (HR: 2.51, 95% CI: 1.47 to 4.25, p = 0.0001).
Survival by severity of CAD
Patients with CAD detected by CTA were further partitioned into subgroups of obstructive (≥50% stenosis by CTA) and nonobstructive (<50% stenosis by CTA) disease and quantified as to number of epicardial vessels involved. Survival rates were 97.3%, 95.4%, and 93.1% for patients with 1-, 2-, and 3-vessel nonobstructive CAD, respectively. Survival rates were 92.9%, 89.7%, and 80% for patients with 1-, 2-, and 3-vessel obstructive CAD, respectively (Fig. 4). Unadjusted and adjusted HRs for mortality are shown in Table 2. The classification of CAD severity by 3-vessel nonobstructive CAD and 1-, 2-, and 3-vessel obstructive CAD had corresponding HRs of 1.74, 1.82, 2.31, and 2.59 (p = 0.0001), demonstrating the additional prognostic predictive power of severity of CAD.
Survival by CACS in patients with nonobstructive CAD
Among the 1,060 patients with CTA-diagnosed nonobstructive CAD, coronary artery calcium was found to be an independent predictor of all-cause mortality. Six percent of patients had scores of zero with nonobstructive disease present on contrast-enhanced EBT. Patients with nonobstructive CAD were divided into 4 groups according to CACS: 1 to 9 (n = 121), 10 to 99 (n = 212), 100 to 399 (n = 292), and ≥400 (n = 326); the corresponding survival rates were 99.2%, 99%, 96.9%, and 96.1% (Fig. 3). After adjustment for age, gender, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, hypercholesterolemia, history of smoking, and family history of CHD, the stepwise multivariable model (Cox regression) showed that a CACS 100 to 399 and ≥400 were independent predictors of mortality in patients with nonobstructive CAD and had significant incremental value (HR: 5.1, 95% CI: 1.6 to 14.56, p = 0.003; HR: 6.2, 95% CI: 1.5 to 10.5, p = 0.001, respectively) (Table 3). In comparison, the patients with nonobstructive CAD and CACS of 1 to 9 had a 99.2% survival rate, with only 1 event among 121 patients.
Incremental value of burden of CAD on CTA in predicting survival
Receiver-operator characteristic curves were generated to determine the predictive value of traditional risk factor assessment, extent of CAD as determined by CTA, and CACS in combination with CTA disease burden with respect to mortality. The AUC was calculated for each model (Fig. 5). In our cohort of patients, we found that the angiographically significant CAD characteristics as detected by CTA (model II) more accurately predicted mortality than did traditional risk factor assessment (model I [AUC 0.83, 95% CI: 0.77 to 0.88, p = 0.0001 vs. AUC 0.69, 95% CI: 0.61 to 0.77, p = 0.0001]). When CACS was combined with significant CAD detected on CTA (model III), the AUC demonstrated even greater predictive power than presence of significant CAD alone (AUC 0.89, 95% CI: 0.86 to 0.93, p = 0.0001).
The primary results of our study reveal that the burden of angiographic disease detected by CTA positively correlates with the incidence of all-cause mortality among patients with suspected CAD referred for evaluation in an outpatient setting. Furthermore, this is the first study to demonstrate that CTA is incremental to traditional risk factors plus coronary calcium in predicting all-cause mortality. Given the recent emergence of CTA as an evaluation tool for CAD, very few prognostic data exist. To our knowledge, this cohort represents the largest and longest follow-up after CTA in such a population, and is one of few studies demonstrating the prognostic value of this technology. The end point, all-cause mortality, with 86 events, provides this investigation with significant statistical power to evaluate the prognostic significance of CTA using EBT.
We utilized EBT to allow for longer follow-up. Clearly, improved spatial resolution is available now with MDCT. At the time of the EBT studies, adequate MDCT angiography was not yet available because of lower rotation speeds and fewer detectors. One of the most important advances for coronary imaging has been faster gantry rotation speed, resulting in better temporal resolution and improved z-axis spatial resolution made possible by thin collimations with extensive volumetric acquisition (11). The new 64-slice MDCT scanners provide fast scan times, improved cardiac gating options, and isotropic resolution (which provides 3-dimensional information free of superimposed tissues or interference, resulting in uniform resolution throughout). The 64-slice detectors yield a 3-dimensional data set: for example, near isotropic voxels of 0.35 × 0.35 × 0.5 mm3 that could be rotated in any given plane without loss of resolution (12).
Our results suggest that CTA is a noninvasive modality that incrementally predicts all-cause mortality over traditional risk factor assessment. Computed tomographic angiography is a noninvasive method able to accurately quantify anatomic epicardial coronary disease and differs from other noninvasive methods that rely on functional measurements and surrogates of CAD. In our study, we have shown that the presence and extent of coronary atherosclerosis as detected by contrast-enhanced EBT adds incremental prognostic value over traditional risk factor assessment and the CACS alone. There is a clear difference with respect to survival among patients with normal CT angiograms and those with detected atherosclerosis. Among the patients with nonobstructive CAD by CTA, the CACS has further predictive power as patients with CACS >100 had a significantly lower survival rate than patients with CACS 1 to 9. Patients with nonobstructive CAD and CACS 1 to 9 had a survival rate of 99.2%, with only 1 event occurring in the group of 121 patients. Patients with a normal CTA and CACS of 0 had a survival rate of 99.8%, with only 1 event occurring in the group of 403 patients. This event rate is similar to a recent analysis of 25,257 patients in which the 10-year adjusted survival rate was 99.4% for patients with a calcium score of 0 (13). A normal CTA with a CACS of 0 conveyed an excellent prognosis in this study population.
In the patients with CTA-detected disease, survival is significantly negatively correlated with burden of angiographic obstructive CAD, as well as 3-vessel nonobstructive CAD. In the patients with 1- and 2-vessel nonobstructive CAD, there was a trend toward increased mortality; however, the p value did not meet significance. Patients with the highest degree of CAD, 3-vessel obstructive disease, had the lowest survival rates (80%), and the survival rates improved as the severity of CAD decreased. The results remain evident even when adjusting for risk factors and CACS. We know from previous studies using conventional invasive coronary angiography that higher angiographic disease burden conveys a worse prognosis. The 6-year follow-up of the medical treatment arm in the CASS (Coronary Artery Surgery Study) trial (7) demonstrated a higher incidence of mortality associated with higher angiographic burden of disease. At 6 years, the survival rates were as follows: no obstructive disease, 92%; 1-vessel disease, 87%; 2-vessel disease, 74%; and 3-vessel disease, 56% (7). Although our results show a similar trend, the overall survival among our cohort is improved, likely reflecting the myriad advancements in medical, interventional, and surgical therapies for the treatment of CAD in the last 3 decades, including revascularization and other antiatherosclerotic therapies.
In our last analysis, we demonstrate the incremental power of CTA for detection and prognostication of all-cause mortality over traditional risk factor assessment alone. When combined with CACS, CTA becomes even more robust in predicting all-cause mortality, with an AUC of 0.89.
It must be stressed that this CTA study was performed with EBT, not the more current 64- to 320-slice detector systems available. It is more difficult to detect noncalcified, nonstenotic plaque by EBT compared with newer scanners, and it is possible that a lot of the plaque that is now seen in 64-slice MDCT was missed by EBT scans. However, clinical diagnostic results from EBT parallel those of MDCT scanners. Several papers have compared calcium scores, demonstrating almost identical results (8,14). Outcome studies of calcium scores have yielded similar prediction of events using both MDCT and EBT (15). Similarly, we have published results on the diagnostic accuracy of CT angiography using EBT compared with angiography that parallel closely the diagnostic results of MDCT and coronary angiography (16,17). We have published intravascular ultrasound comparison data comparing electron beam computed tomography-detected plaque and intravascular ultrasound, and the results parallel those in papers using MDCT angiography (1). Overall accuracy for electron beam computed tomography angiography to determine plaque morphology was 92% (54 of 59), demonstrating excellent detection of underlying plaque type (calcified vs. noncalcified) (18). The higher spatial resolution of MDCT should improve the diagnostic accuracy and the visualization of noncalcified (nonobstructive) disease.
It has been suggested that CTA may be helpful to rule out the presence of significant CAD and avoid invasive coronary angiography in patients with a low to intermediate clinical likelihood of significant CAD. Multiple studies have demonstrated CTA accuracies over 90%, with negative predictive values of 96% and 98% for the presence of obstructive CAD (19,20). Outcome data with CTA are just developing. Lesser et al. (21) evaluated the accuracy of CTA with 16-slice MDCT for determining significant CAD and a 6-month prognosis and clinical outcome in a "real world" clinical setting. The 6-month follow-up of the 834 patients originally not referred for cardiac catheterization showed 2 patients (0.2%) who subsequently had significant CAD. There were no cardiovascular deaths (21). Pundziute et al. (22) analyzed the prognostic value of CTA in patients with known or suspected CAD. A total of 100 patients (73 men, age 59 ± 12 years) who were referred for further cardiac evaluation based on suspicion of significant CAD underwent additional CTA to evaluate the presence and severity of CAD. The first-year event rate was 0% for patients with normal coronary arteries on CTA versus 30% for patients with any evidence of CAD on CTA. However, Pundzuite et al. (22) assessed "soft" events (mainly revascularizations that may have been prompted by the CT results). This study and others suggest that a normal CTA provides an excellent prognosis. Min et al. (23) studied the association of all-cause death with the CTA-defined extent and severity of CAD. In a single-center consecutive cohort of 1,127 patients ages ≥45 years with chest symptoms, stenosis by CTA was scored as minimal (<30%), mild (30% to 49%), moderate (50% to 69%), or severe (≥70%) for each coronary artery. In patients with chest pain, CTA identified increased risk for all-cause death. Importantly, in both the study by Min et al. (23) and the present study, a negative CTA portends an extremely low risk for death.
Gilard et al. (24) studied 141 patients whose CTA were considered normal. During the follow-up period (mean 14.7 months), those patients experienced 0% mortality, a 3.5% rate of subsequent invasive angiography, and a 0.7% rate of myocardial infarction (24). The risks of subsequent death, new referral for invasive angiography, and coronary events compare favorably with risks after normal invasive angiography, which were 0.4%, 4.3%, and 0.6%, respectively.
In our study, the majority of the deaths (54 of 86, 63%) occurred among the patients without obstructive CAD by EBT. Patients with minor or intermediate coronary narrowings had an intermediate event rate, higher than that of patients with normal or near normal coronary vessels. Acute coronary events frequently occur after acute or subacute obstruction to coronary blood flow at a site of previously nonobstructive coronary atheroma. Multiple studies over the last decade have demonstrated that the vast majority of myocardial infarctions (60% to 83%) occur at the site of a nonobstructive plaque (25,26). Virmani et al. (27) pointed out that these sites are frequently characterized by plaque with a thin fibrous cap and necrotic core that do not usually show severe narrowing but rather positive arterial remodeling. In addition, our study further adds evidence to the fact that increasing plaque burden as denoted by higher CACS is a significant risk factor for outcomes in these vulnerable patients and should be considered an excellent risk stratification marker in the absence of significant nonstenotic CAD.
Study limitations
This study was a single-center, retrospective, observational analysis of a large cohort of patients referred for CTA. The majority of patients had cardiac risk factors and, therefore, are not representative of the general population. In addition, we had incomplete information with respect to risk factors and the various treatment interventions implemented, as this information was obtained by survey.
Given the design of the study, we were unable to determine the cause of death, and only report on all-cause mortality; thus, our model likely includes events unrelated to atherosclerotic disease. However, the bias resulting from cause of death misclassification does not occur in this model, and for this age group, the prevalence of CHD death has been reported to be approximately one-half of deaths from all causes (28). With our rates of coronary risk factors higher than in the general population, we expect our rates of cardiac death also to be accordingly higher than the general population rate of one-half of all-cause mortality. Patients with active cancer, acquired immune deficiency, congestive heart failure, or advanced lung disease were generally not referred for CTA evaluation and were excluded from this study.
There could also exist a treatment bias, whereby patients with higher CAD burdens are more likely to be treated aggressively, improving outcomes. We have previously demonstrated that patients with higher calcium burdens are more likely to be placed on a regimen of statin therapy and more likely to maintain statin therapy (improved adherence) over the subsequent 3 to 5 years (29). Thus, higher calcium scores (and presumably CTA burdens) are confounded by improved antiatherosclerotic therapies that would possibly lower cardiovascular mortality. However, this confounder would weaken the predictive value of cardiac CT.
We utilized a cutpoint of 50% luminal severity due to the inexactness of measuring stenosis on CTA. Symptomatic lesions with ≥50% to 75% diameter stenosis are generally considered significant, and stenotic lesions >70% often result in revascularization procedures when evidence of viable, ischemic myocardium is present in that vascular distribution. Patients with lesser degrees of coronary arterial stenosis may be managed with medical therapies. We utilized a lesser cutpoint (≥50% stenosis present by CTA) to be more conservative, given the intertest variability between CTA and cardiac catheterization (8,14–16,30). A CTA cutpoint of ≥70% luminal irregularity would have led to fewer patients classified as having significant CAD, and thus likely to decreased sensitivity for detection of obstructive disease.
Given the early experience of our center with CTA, all data included in this study were obtained using contrast-enhanced EBT with electrocardiographic triggering as opposed to newer MDCT scanner technology that is currently available. The ability to discern mixed plaque and noncalcific plaque has been demonstrated to be superior using the newer technology (7), and better risk stratification may now be obtainable.
Aside from several small studies with short-term follow-up, there is a paucity of outcome data for the emerging technology of CTA, a modality that is currently being utilized with increasing frequency. These results offer further validation of CTA and its clinical role in CAD evaluation and help to fill the outcome data void that exists for this promising technology. Our results show that CTA demonstrating the presence of luminal obstruction or nonobstructive, noncalcified plaque in contrast-enhanced EBT coronary angiography is a powerful noninvasive modality that accurately predicts all-cause mortality as correlated with severity of CAD, with incremental benefit over traditional risk factor assessment and CACS. Moreover, CAC scoring, performed concurrently with CTA at our institution, provides further prognostic information about patients with normal CT angiograms, and also imparts additional predictive power when combined with CTA for patients with atherosclerosis.
Dr. Budoff is on the Speakers' Bureau for General Electric. This study complies with current ethical considerations and was approved by the Institutional Review Board
- Abbreviations and Acronyms
- area under the curve
- coronary artery calcification
- coronary artery calcium score
- coronary artery disease
- coronary heart disease
- confidence interval
- computed tomography angiography
- electron beam tomography
- hazard ratio
- multidetector-row computed tomography
- receiver-operator characteristic
- Received March 3, 2008.
- Revision received July 11, 2008.
- Accepted July 14, 2008.
- American College of Cardiology Foundation
- ↵
- Thom T.,
- Haase N.,
- Rosamond W.,
- et al.
- ↵
- Schussler J.M.,
- Grayburn P.A.
- ↵
- Budoff M.J.,
- Achenbach S.,
- Duerinckx A.
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- Expert Panel on Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Cholesterol in Adults
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- Budoff M.J.,
- Achenbach S.,
- Blumenthal R.S.,
- et al.
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- Agatston A.S.,
- Janowitz W.R.,
- Hildner F.J.,
- Zusmer N.R.,
- Viamonte M. Jr..,
- Detrano R.
- Nasir K.,
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- Liu S.T.,
- et al.
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- et al.
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- et al.
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- ↵The burden of chronic diseases as causes of death, United States. http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/burdenbook2004/Section01/tables.htm. Accessed July 31, 2005.
- ↵
- ↵


text:
AXE, the men's fragrance and grooming brand, is known for broad humor in its advertising, but a commercial that will air during the Super Bowl strikes a decidedly somber note.
To introduce a new line, Axe Peace, the 30-second spot opens on military helicopters flying over a jungle and cuts to a tank driving down the street of a bomb-ravaged city. A young uniformed man reminiscent of the North Korean leader Kim Jong-un then appears — first lady at his side — overlooking a sea of soldiers, and the ad cuts to a leader who is apparently Middle Eastern surrounded by military men and his wife as he opens an ominous-looking steel attaché case with blinking lights and buttons.
"In a world filled with war," begins a voice-over with movie-trailer gravitas, "sometimes the most powerful weapon is love."
The tank hatch opens, and a soldier emerges and embraces a young woman, then a soldier who had been in a helicopter runs toward a woman and embraces her. The soldiers filling the square, to the delight of the first lady, hold thousands of colored placards aloft to form a portrait of the first couple framed by a heart. Finally, the leader with the attaché case presses a red button that starts a fireworks display and he kisses his wife's hand.
The slogan for the campaign is borrowed from 1960s protesters, "Make love, not war." Text at the close of the commercial urges consumers to support Peace One Day, a nonprofit whose efforts include establishing Sept. 21 as Peace Day.
Along with donating $250,000 to the group, Axe, a Unilever brand, is promoting it on its website and Facebook page, which the brand says has 22 million followers globally, including more than 4.2 million in the United States.
The global campaign, which also includes print and online ads, and a microsite, AxePeace.com, is by the London office of Bartle Bogle Hegarty, with Rupert Sanders directing the commercial. An expanded 60-second version of the commercial (which forgoes most of the voice-over) was introduced on YouTube on Tuesday.
Axe, which declined to disclose expenditures for the campaign, spent $62.7 million in the first nine months of 2013, more than the $49.5 million it spent in all of 2012, according to the Kantar Media unit of WPP.
Introduced in the United States in 2002 as a body spray and aimed at men aged 18 to 24, Axe's offerings now include antiperspirant, body wash, shampoo, face wash and shave gel. In the 52 weeks ending Dec. 1, sales for the brand totaled $626.8 million in the United States, an increase of 5.6 percent over the previous year, according to IRI, a market data firm.
David Kolbusz, the deputy executive director of Bartle Bogle Hegarty in London, said the commercial "creates a narrative arc that starts off playing off the tropes of many films about war and conflict." Ultimately, he continued, what viewers had thought was saber rattling is actually men "showing their affection for the women who had captured their hearts."
While Axe marketers in the past have described the brand as giving men an advantage in the "mating game," and still evoke terms like "wingman" on its Facebook page, Mr. Kolbusz says the brand's tone is evolving.
"Social mores are changing and guys are changing and there's more of an equilibrium" between the sexes now, Mr. Kolbusz said. "It's not us-versus-them anymore, but rather more of a symbiotic relationship."
The campaign introduces the hashtag, #KissForPeace, for couples to post photos of them smooching to Twitter and other social networks. Some will be posted on a digital billboard in Times Square from Jan. 27 through Feb. 9 and, beginning Feb. 10, on AxePeace.com.
"We know for that brief moment when a guy and girl are kissing that the world is a more peaceful place," said Matthew McCarthy, senior marketing director for Axe and other men's grooming products at Unilever.
Wading into geopolitics aligns Axe with consumers' values, Mr. McCarthy added.
"The state of the world and making a difference in the world is something that's hugely relevant to young people," he said.
David Vinjamuri, the author of "Accidental Branding" and an adjunct professor of marketing at New York University, has lauded Axe advertising in the past but said he was puzzled by the new commercial.
"Axe has done some of the most indelible advertising in the last 10 or 15 years, but to me this is too far from what Axe represents," Mr. Vinjamuri said. "The internal logic of the commercial is tortured, and I really think that this is one of those Super Bowl ads that will leave people scratching their heads."


text:
There is an expression in Texas: "All Hat and No Cattle". It refers to someone who may look the part but doesn't live it. The image is of a cowboy who doesn't work on a ranch or own cattle. By way of disclosure I have to admit that I do own cattle but would hardly consider myself a cowboy. The real ones should be admired for their hard work and abilities.
In healthcare it isn't uncommon to find a "manufacturer" who doesn't actually make anything. This is the healthcare version of All Hat and No Cattle. Their name is on the box but not on the factory that makes it. Because they don't actually make a product, often we find that they don't even understand it.
"All Hat and No Cattle Manufacturers" can be interesting if not confusing to listen to. I've heard them complain about the quality, availability or some feature of their "product" and I wanted to ask them why they didn't change whatever was concerning them. After all, they are the ultimate determiner of their product. They informed me that manufacturing decisions are made somewhere else.
One of the benefits of actually making our own product is that we get to constantly review it and make it better. If we don't like something, we change it. If we see a better way to do it or a way to make it better we simply change what we are doing. Our folks are always looking at ways to improve what we do and the products we make.


text: John Drew Report post Posted August 17, 2017 Unconfirmed release date Dec. 1st, 2017? (Take that with a grain of salt, the source is The Irish Sun). Sept 8th, possible release date of the first single - You're the Best Thing About Me Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites


text:
Home > Sridhar Chalasani
New Search
Accepting new patients at some locations
Call this Provider(269) 441-1771
My goal is to take the best possible care of a patient in a caring and compassionate way. Every patient gets my undivided attention.
3770 Capital Ave. SW
Suite A
Battle Creek,
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Accepting new patients
601 John St.
Suite M-302
Dr. Chalasani likes coming to work each day knowing that he will make a positive difference in his patients' lives. This is why he chose the medical field – to help people get better. Dr. Chalasani has a special interest in diverticulitis as well as colon cancer screenings and treatment. He also spends some of his free time educating the community on colon cancer awareness. When not helping patients, Dr. Chalasani enjoys spending time his family and taking photographs.
The ratings displayed below are an average of all patient responses to Bronson Healthcare's Press Ganey survey.
This survey is used by hospitals and medical practices across the country and was developed by Press Ganey Associates. Surveys are sent to randomly selected Bronson patients after they have had an appointment with a Bronson physician in an outpatient practice setting.
The comments and star ratings you see here reflect the views and opinions of patients who have completed and returned their surveys. Press Ganey independently compiles the data and forwards it to Bronson to be posted.
Learn more about the survey here.
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text:
Wild-haired Gordon teenager Rob Baron has kicked off the first 'Back to School Sessions' gig at The Space in Ballarat. In this video, Rob covers '3am' by Matchbox Twenty.
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Recently a contestant on the X Factor, Rob Baron is driven by his passion for music.
He'd like to see more young people performing live music locally.
"I'm hoping to see more live music in Ballarat, there's so much up and coming talent, I want to see more of that in Ballarat."
He recently he played an acoustic set at The Space, run by Ballarat youth services organisation B'You.


text:
Let's stump Sassy Cheryl.
The Sassy gals have been working behind the scenes to stump the boss. Sassy Cheryl claims that she can tell which design team member made a particular card by just looking at it. So, we are putting Sassy Cheryl to the test.
Want to play along? It's easy... just enter our challenge for this week. Use a Sassy Cheryl image and the challenge criteria "Cut it Out". Link up your post at our challenge page using Mr. Linky. Then take a look at Sassy Cheryl's guess... is she right? Or is she wrong? Just tell us what you think by leaving a comment on the challenge page..then you'll get an extra entry in our random draw this week if you've guessed right. To recap: participate in the challenge and get one entry... participate and guess correctly, get another entry.
The winner will receive a $10 Gift Certificate to Sassy Cheryl's shop! How cool is that?
We all changed cards this week... Which DT member made this card?


text:
Cell Simulation Brought to Life.To uncover the complex mysteries of life, simulations of the dynamic behaviors of cells by systems biology approach is an invaluable tool. However, since the system is extremely complex, it is almost impossible to capture the workings of entire system through traditional graphs. E-Cell 3D accelerates the understanding of the whole cell with sophisticated 3D graphics.
Seeing is Believing.With E-Cell 3D, scientists can easily capture the dynamism in the cellular system, including the molecular concentrations of each of the components, flux and enzymatic activities, and compounds that are controlling the system that change their coordinates. Central process in systems biology is the modeling process, and this type of visualization aids the heuristics of experienced research scientists while modeling.
Intuitive programming, intuitive visualization.Quartz Composer, available with MacOS X allows rapid prototyping of 3D graphic compositions through visual programming environment. Development of E-Cell 3D requires numerous trial-and-errors to get everything right for scientific researchers. Quartz Composer is an excellent platform for this purpose.
Optimized for speed.E-Cell 3D takes advantage of the advaned graphics APIs provided by MacOS X, including many Quartz graphics features such as Core Image. Moreover, in order to maximize the performance of our visualization, we have also created custom patches for Quartz Composer using OpenGL for optimized performance. Critical graphics calculations are therefore processed by the vector calculations of GPU.
Only on MacOS X.Many of the advanced technologies that E-Cell 3D is based on is made possible by the latest and greatest APIs available on MacOS X. E-Cell 3D runs on any Macs with Intel processors, including the consumer-level Macs such as Mac mini, Macbook, and iMac.
E-Cell 3 backend.E-Cell 3 is one of the most advanced simulator for molecular cell biology, with its ability for multi-timescale, multi-algorithm, object-oriented simulations. We have also compiled E-Cell SE 3 on MacOS X.
Take control in 3D-space.Novel interface requires a new input device. Keyboard and mouse are bound to 2D-space, and it is just not intuitive to control something from lesser dimensions. In order to take full control of the 3D-space of E-Cell 3D, we are supporting the revolutionary device by Nintendo. The Remote.
Shake, Twist, Trigger.Remote is equipped with 3D motion sensor, so you can move, rotate, and zoom the cell simulation with the twist of your hand. Enjoy simulation experience with E-Cell 3D by invoking the Tracer windows with the Trigger behind the remote. Of course, Remote is wireless with Bluetooth connection, so you are free to go as wild as you wish (but don't forget to attach the strap to make sure you don't harm anything!)
DarwiinRemote for MacOS X.The use of Remote on MacOS X is made possible by the efforts of the DarwiinRemote Project.
Finally, please note that you can use your legacy devices (i.e. keyboard and mouse) if you still choose to:-)
E-Cell System is a software platform to model, simulate and analyze complex, heterogeneous and multi-scale biochemical reaction systems like the cell. At its core is a multi-algorithm simulator that can execute composite models driven by both stochastic and deterministic algorithms simultaneously.
E-Cell System offers very high flexibility for advanced users to build their own plugin algorithms/routines either through Python scripting or C++ programming. Run-time simulation can also be manipulated with Python scripting. On the other hand, novice users can build models using graphical model editor and employ numerous established algorithms that are bundled with the software.
Simulations demanding high computational resources, such as when estimating parameters, can utilize distributed computing technology through its multi-session simulation tool.
Learn more (E-Cell Project site) >>
Learn more (E-Cell Project site) >>
Here you can watch/download the videos explaining the basic concepts and features of E-Cell 3D. Sit back and relax, grab a popcorn, and enjoy the show :-)
BGM is "She's Close" by The Lingus, an indie rock band in Northern Ireland.
This song is available under Creative Commons License.
E-Cell 3D Demo Software for MacOS X on Intel-based Macs.
E-Cell 3D demo software is available here until we are ready with the full version.
This demo is a fully functional E-Cell 3D software equipped with the circadian
oscillation model of Drosophila by Ueda et al. (2001, Journal of Theoretical Biology),
but currently the model cannot be changed.
Source code for this release is available here.
MacOS X Tiger (10.4) MacOS X Leopard (10.5) MacOS X SnowLeopard (10.6)
E-Cell 3 for MacOS X (10.4) on Intel-based Macs.
E-Cell Simulation Environment 3.1.105 is finally available for MacOS X.
This package install everything you need to run E-Cell 3 with GUI.
Please note, this installation is not compatible with fink. If you have installed
fink in your computer, please remove it before installing. Source code is also installed in /sw directory.