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I was nominated by The Jouska and BookNerdMomo to do this. Thank you both for the nominations! If you guys haven't checked out their wonderful blogs, be sure to do so. 🙂
The Rules:
- Post the award on your blog.
- Acknowledge the blogger who nominated you.
- Answer the questions assigned to you.
- Give 10 random facts about yourself.
- Nominate 10 deserving bloggers for the award.
- Ask 10 questions to your nominees.
Questions from The Jouska:
Do you prefer home-cooked meals or take-out meals?
Definitely home-cooked! Don't get me wrong, I love getting take-out too but since I spend the majority of the year eating dining hall food, there's nothing that beats a home-cooked meal (especially something cooked by my mom) in my opinion.
What's your favorite cuisine?
Mexican! I like Tex-Mex too, but nothing is better than authentic Mexican food. I could eat only enchiladas and quesadillas for the rest of my life and be 100% happy with that.
Do you have a pet? If yes, which animal do you have?
I do! I have a very cute and quite chubby guinea pig named Harmony.
Name any three countries you're dying to visit.
Hmm I guess I'd go with France, Morocco, and Egypt.
If you could go see one 80s band/singer live in concert, who would it be?
I honestly really don't like music from the 80s so I have no clue lmao
What's your favorite clothing item?
I have this old blue Nike sweatshirt and I freaking love it so much.
What do you regret doing as a child or a teen?
Uhh I don't know honestly. I'm sure there are plenty of things I regret, but I can't think of any right now haha
What's your best personality trait?
I'm very empathetic!
Do you prefer traveling alone or along with your family and friends?
I definitely prefer traveling with other people. I get really anxious when I have to go places alone, especially if I'm not familiar with wherever it is I'm going.
Are you more of an e-reader or traditional paperback reader?
Physical reader! I do love my Kindle but I still prefer reading physical copies.
Questions from BookNerdMomo
What's your favorite genre and why?
This changes quite a bit but right now I'd say either historical fiction or fantasy. I love historical fiction because I like imagining what it's like to live in different time periods and learning new things. Fantasy is also a ton of fun to read and it's so much fun to imagine and read about all the different possibilities that fantasy brings into a story.
What female character do you admire the most?
There are a lot honestly, but I'll be a bit cliche and go with Hermione from HP. Not only does she put up with a whole load of crap from Ron and Harry, but she stands up for what she believes in and always gives 100% to everything she does.
Who is your favorite author?
If I had to choose I'd probably go with Ruta Sepetys. I wrote a post yesterday about why I love her actually.
What is your all time favorite quote? Why?
…I've been trying to come up with one for quite some time and I'm failing.
What is your favorite thing about a bookstore? Besides the books.
Knowing that you're surrounded by other people who also love books. 🙂 Most of the people I know IRL aren't big readers, so I like being reminded that I'm not the only one who loves books haha
What is your favorite song at the moment?
Ride by Twenty One Pilots! I'm in the middle of a huge 21P obsession right now.
Which book do you feel like you have a completely different opinion that isn't the opinion most people have of it?
This is a hard one! I tend to have pretty similar opinions of books as other people do… BUT I really liked Allegiant while most people hated it because of its ending. And while I of course was heartbroken by how it ended, I really thought it fit well with the story and characters.
Which movie adaptation of a book have you seen but haven't read the book for?
The Help. I just bought the book at my library's book sale though so I'll read it sooner or later. I absolutely LOVED that movie so I had to get the book.
What's your current favorite tv show?
Once Upon a Time! Captain Swan 4ever.
If you could only read one book for the rest of your life what book would that be?
Is this for real?! You're killing me with these questions haha If I absolutely HAD to choose (I'm talking life or death here), I'd probably go with either Out of the Easy by Ruta Sepetys or Dumplin' by Julie Murphy.
What is your favorite thing about blogging?
Getting to interact with other people who love reading as much as I do! Like I said before, I don't have many people to talk books with IRL except for my mom and little sister and neither one of them read as much as I do so it's awesome to be able to talk to all of you about everything book-related!
10 Random Facts About Myself
- I'm thinking of trying to learn brush lettering. I love how it looks and I think it would be really fun to be able to write out my favorite book quotes and make them look all pretty.
- I'm way behind on my reading for this month! I wanted to read 10 books this month but that just isn't happening haha I'm hoping to finish 5 but even that may not happen.
- I have no self-control when I go to the library, as can be seen in this old but still relevant library book haul post. There are just so many wonderful books I can take out and read!
- I have been taking f o r e v e r to read my current book, The Dark Days Club by Alison Goodman. I have no idea why either. I'm really enjoying it but have just taken forever to read it.
- My town's farmers market started this morning and I'm really excited about it! Fruit from the grocery store doesn't even come close to fresh fruit from local farms. They didn't have much yet, but once it gets later in the season they're bound to have some great stuff.
- I got an ARC of Nemesis in the mail last week! I won a giveaway that Anna Banks did on Twitter. I'm trying to hold off on reading it until at least August so it's closer to its publication date (Oct. 4) but it's so tempting…
- At least once every two weeks or so I have a day where I'm just so overwhelmed by the thought of how many books exist in the world. I wish it were possible for me to read them all!
- My 6 month blogoversary is coming up on July 1st. I have no idea what I'm going to do to celebrate though. Maybe a Q&A?
- I've bought a ton of books this month and I'm definitely going to include my book haul in my June wrap-up. It's so nice to be home for summer break and not have to buy things AND be working ~20 hours a week so I have lots of money to buy books with. 🙂
- I've fallen absolutely in love with CraftedVan's bookmarks. This month's OwlCrate had a few of them and I loved them so I went and checked out their store and bought some cute little succulent bookmarks. I can't wait to get them!
My nominations
Feel free to ignore this if you've already done it (I'm sure some of you have) or just don't want to do it! 🙂
- Theresa @ The Calico Books
- Sara @ Freadom Library
- Shameeka @ Shameeka's Fictional World
- Priyanshi @ PreeHouse
- Kendra @ Reads and Treats
- Kirsty @ Kirsty & The Cat Read
- Jen @ Combustible Reviews
- Jananee @ Head in Her Books
- Annie @ The Misstery
- Eleanor @ Real Tasty Pages
My Questions
- What is your most anticipated release for the rest of 2016?
- Who's one book character that you really admire and/or wish you were more like?
- If you had to pair a song with the book(s) you're currently reading, what would you choose?
- Have you ever been to a bookish event (ALA, BEA, book signing, etc.)? If so, what was your favorite thing about it?
- If you could create a panel about anything, what would it be about and who would you want to be a part of it?
- What's one goal you hope to complete by the end of 2016 (if you have any)?
- Do you have a subscription to any book boxes? If so, which one(s)? If not, would you want to sign up for any?
- What's your favorite summertime activity?
- When do you get the most reading done?
- What inspired you to start book blogging?
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One of the most famous platformers of the Amiga era gets updated for PlayStation Network, but has the game stood the test of time?
If you were an Amiga owner back in the early '90s then Mario and Sonic were just games other people played. Unless you were one of those rare sorts with both a home computer and a console, pretending games like Zool and James Pond were top tier platformers was the only thing that could unite warring Nintendo and Sega fans. Superfrog was another computer favourite offered up as a match to its console rivals but then, as now, it doesn't really come close…
Back in the day Team 17 used to be known for more than just Worms. Instead, they churned out a range of games in almost every genre imaginable. Most were inspired by other popular titles of the day, from Gauntlet style Aliens homage Alien Breed to one-on-one fighter Body Blows and 2D shooter Project- X. Superfrog was one of the last games in this pantheon and the Wakefield-based developer's attempt to finally give the Amiga its own platforming mascot.
As the name alone suggests there is nothing subtle or subversive about Superfrog. You play a frog who is… super. He even wears a little red cape to prove it. Although actually he's not a frog at all, he's a prince who's been cursed by a witch. But as you'd expect complex storytelling is not one of the game's goals and that detail is essentially irrelevant.
Superfrog looked and felt simplistic even back in 1993, and although the controls were certainly better than average for an Amiga game they were clearly leagues behind the best console titles. That seems even more obvious today, as you struggle with controls that are clunky and unresponsive in a way that even mediocre modern titles never are.
But it's not just the controls; the whole game seems outdated and old-fashioned. The level design is formless and unstructured, with no sense of flow and little sense that anything has been created by human hand, rather than having been spat out at random by a computer.
Everywhere looks the same and although the sprawling eight-way scrolling levels were a technical feat back in the day they just feel empty and formless today. Empty except for a multitude of largely meaningless collectables that is, although the Lucozade bottles from the original – a very early example of in-game advertising – are unsurprisingly absent.
The only collectables that do matter are coins, which are needed to open the exit to each stage. The fact that you're not necessarily trying to get to a certain point in the level, or defeat a particular enemy, only adds to the sense of aimlessness. There is a certain thrill at coming across a secret area but it can't offer anything but a slightly different route to the exit.
The real problem with Superfrog is that even if you ignore its mechanical deficiencies it has no unique selling point of its own. Superfrog can jump a bit further than most platform stars and there's a power-up that lets him glide with his cape, but that's it. Another power-up gives him an ally called Spud (who is nothing but a green blob with eyes) that you can throw at emeries instead of jumping on their heads.
Superfrog's real gimmick on the Amiga was that it was a console quality platformer for your computer… and that was it. Obviously that novelty is now lost and it's very hard to defend the game on the ground of anything but nostalgia.
There is at least plenty of content here though, with both the original 24 levels and the same number of new ones. There's also a new set of more linear time trial stages, an online leaderboard, and a level editor. The graphics have been spruced up too, but increasing the resolution and redesigning some of the characters does little to given them any real personality.
We don't like to disparage a game that many will have fond memories of but there's almost nothing here that is defensible in this day and age. We cherish our memories of the Amiga as much as the next thirtysomething, but Superfrog would never have been high on our list of games to resurrect – and for exactly the reasons that make this update so frustrating to play.
In Short: Nostalgia hounds will find plenty to excite them but viewed under the cold light of modern day Superfrog is not, and never really was, a very good platformer.
Pros: There's a lot of tender love care for the original, with smartly updated visuals and a ton of new content. The time trails are arguably more fun than the main game.
Cons: Severely underdesigned in terms of game mechanics, level layout, and characters. Imprecise and clunky controls definitely show their age.
Score: 3/10
Formats: PlayStation 3 (reviewed) and PS Vita
Price: £6.49
Publisher: Team 17
Developer: Team 17
Release Date: 31st July 2013
Age Rating: 3
Thoughts? Email firstname.lastname@example.com or leave a comment below

subset: commoncrawl


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"The goal of life is living in agreement with nature."— Zeno ~ 450 BC (from Diogenes Laertius, Lives of Eminent Philosophers)
Homo sapiens roamed the Earth. We can only speculate about how these early humans reacted, but migrating to new habitats appears to be a common response.
Jasper National Park in Canada, 2017
Ecological awareness first appears in the human record at least 5,000 years ago. Vedic sages praised the wild forests in their hymns, Taoists urged that human life should reflect nature's patterns and the Buddha taught compassion for all sentient beings.
In the Mesopotamian Epic of Gilgamesh, we see apprehension about forest destruction and drying marshes. When Gilgamesh cuts down sacred trees, the deities curse Sumer with drought, and Ishtar (mother of the Earth goddess) sends the Bull of Heaven to punish Gilgamesh.
In ancient Greek mythology, when the hunter Orion vows to kill all the animals, Gaia objects and creates a great scorpion to kill Orion. When the scorpion fails, Artemis, goddess of the forests and mistress of animals, shoots Orion with an arrow.
In North America, Pawnee Eagle Chief, Letakots-Lesa, told anthropologist Natalie Curtis that "Tirawa, the one Above, did not speak directly to humans... he showed himself through the beasts, and from them and from the stars, the sun, and the moon should humans learn."
Some of the earliest human stories contain lessons about the sacredness of wilderness, the importance of restraining our power, and our obligation to care for the natural world.
Five thousand years ago, the Indus civilisation of Mohenjo Darro (an ancient city in modern-day Pakistan), were already recognising the effects of pollution on human health and practiced waste management and sanitation. In Greece, as deforestation led to soil erosion, the philosopher Plato lamented, "All the richer and softer parts have fallen away, and the mere skeleton of the land remains." Communities in China, India, and Peru understood the impact of soil erosion and prevented it by creating terraces, crop rotation, and nutrient recycling.
The Greek physicians Hippocrates and Galen began to observe environmental health problems such as acid contamination in copper miners. Hippocrates' book, De aëre, aquis et locis (Air, Waters, and Places), is the earliest surviving European work on human ecology.
Advancing agriculture boosted human populations but also caused soil erosion and attracted insect infestations that led to severe famines between 200 and 1200 CE.
In 1306, the English king Edward I limited coal burning in London due to smog. In the 17th century, the naturalist and gardener John Evelyn wrote that London resembled "the suburbs of Hell." These events inspired the first 'renewable' energy boom in Europe, as governments started to subsidise water and wind power.
In the 16th century, the Dutch artist Pieter Bruegel the Elder painted scenes of raw sewage and other pollution emptying into rivers, and Dutch lawyer Hugo Grotius wrote The Free Sea, claiming that pollution and war violate natural law.
Netherlandish Proverbs (1559) - Pieter Bruegel the Elder. If you look closely at the mid-ground to the right, you can see a wealthy man dumping money into the sewage.
Perhaps the first real environmental activists were the Bishnoi Hindus of Khejarli, who were slaughtered by the Maharaja of Jodhpur in 1720 for attempting to protect the forest that he felled to build himself a palace.
The 18th century witnessed the dawn of modern environmental rights. After a yellow fever epidemic in Philadelphia, Benjamin Franklin petitioned to manage waste and to remove tanneries for clean air as a public "right" (albeit, on land stolen from Indigenous nations). Later, American artist George Catlin proposed that Indigenous land be protected as a "natural right".
At the same time in Britain, Jeremy Benthu, wrote An Introduction to Principles of Morals and Legislation which argued for animal rights. Thomas Malthus wrote his famous essay warning that human overpopulation would lead to ecological destruction. Knowledge of global warming began 200 years ago, when Jean Baptiste Fourier calculated that the Earth's atmosphere trapped heat like a greenhouse.
Then, in 1835, Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote Nature, encouraging us to appreciate the natural world for its own sake and proposing a limit on human expansion into the wilderness. American Botanist William Bartram and ornithologist James Audubon dedicated themselves to the conservation of wildlife. Henry David Thoreau wrote his seminal ecological treatise, Walden, which has since inspired generations of environmentalists.
Man and nature in the Spessart Mountains, 2017
A few decades later, George Perkins Marsh wrote Man and Nature, denouncing humanity's indiscriminate "warfare" upon wilderness, warning of climate change, and insisting that "The world cannot afford to wait" - a plea we still hear today.
At the end of the 19th century, in Jena, Germany, zoologist Ernst Haeckel wrote Generelle Morphologie der Organismen in which he discussed the relationships among species and coined the word 'ökologie' (from the Greek oikos, meaning home), the science we now know as ecology.
In 1892, John Muir founded the Sierra Club in the US to protect the country's wilderness. Seventy years later, a chapter of the Sierra Club in western Canada broke away to become more active. This was the beginning of Greenpeace.
"That land is a community is the basic concept of ecology," wrote Aldo Leopold in A Sand County Almanac, "but that land is to be loved and respected is an extension of ethics ... a thing is right when it tends to preserve the integrity, stability and beauty of the biotic community. It is wrong when it tends otherwise."
Customary landowner, Auwagi Sekapiya, of the Ubei Clan; Kosuo tribe in Papua New Guinea, 2003.
In the early 20th century, the chemist Alice Hamilton led a campaign against lead poisoning from leaded gasoline, accusing General Motors of willful murder. The corporation attacked Hamilton, and it took governments 50 years to ban leaded gasoline. Meanwhile, industrial smog choked major world cities. In 1952, 4,000 people died in London's infamous killer fog, and four years later the British Parliament passed the first Clean Air Act.
Ecology grew into a full-fledged, global movement with the development of nuclear weapons. Albert Einstein, who felt morally troubled by his contribution to the nuclear bomb, drafted an anti-nuclear manifesto in 1955 with British philosopher Bertrand Russell, signed by ten Nobel Prize winners. The letter inspired the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, in the UK - a model for modern, non-violent civil disobedience. In 1958, the Quaker Committee for Non-Violent Action launched two boats - the Golden Rule and Phoenix - into US nuclear test sites, a direct inspiration for Greenpeace a decade later.
Rachel Carson brought the environmental movement into focus with the 1962 publication of Silent Spring, describing the impact of chemical pesticides on biodiversity. "For the first time in the history of the world," she wrote, "every human being is now subjected to contact with dangerous chemicals." Shortly before her death she expressed the emerging ecological ethic in a magazine essay: "It is a wholesome and necessary thing for us to turn again to the Earth and in the contemplation of her beauties to know the sense of wonder and humility."
Norwegian philosopher Arne Næss cited Silent Spring as a key influence for his concept of 'Deep Ecology' - ecological awareness that goes beyond the logic of biological systems to a deep, personal experience of the self as an integrated part of nature.
In The Subversive Science, Paul Shepard described ecology as a "primordial axiom," revealed in ancient cultures, which should guide all human social constructions. Ecology was "subversive" to Shepard because it supplanted human exceptionalism with interdependence.
The ecology symbol designed by comic artist Ron Cobb
In India, villagers in Gopeshwar, Uttarakhand, inspired by Gandhi and the 18th century Bishnoi Hindus, defended the forest against commercial logging by encircling and embracing trees. Their movement spread across northern India, known as Chipko ("to embrace") - the original tree-huggers.
In 1968, the American writer Cliff Humphrey founded Ecology Action. One media stunt involved Humphrey gathering 60 people in Berkeley, California, to smash his 1958 Dodge Rambler into the street, declaring, "these things pollute the earth." Prophetically, Humphrey told Greenpeace co-founder Bob Hunter, "This thing has just begun."
A year later, inspired by the writings of Carson, Shepard, and Naess, and by the actions of Chipko and Ecology Action, a group of Canadian and American activists set out to merge peace with ecology, and Greenpeace was born.
Co-founder Ben Metcalfe commissioned 12 billboard signs around Vancouver that read:
Look it up.
You're involved.
It's hard to imagine now, but in 1969, most people did have to look it up. Ecology was still not a household word, although it soon would be.
Crew of the Greenpeace, the original voyage to protest nuclear testing in Amchitka, 1971, with the ecology logo on our sail
In 1977, after two anti-nuclear bomb campaigns and confrontations with Soviet whalers and Norwegian sealers, Greenpeace purchased a retired trawler in London and renamed it the Rainbow Warrior, after a indigenous legend from Canada. The Cree story (recounted in Warriors of the Rainbow, by William Willoya and Vinson Brown) tells of a time when the land, rivers, and air are poisoned, and a group of people from all nations of the world band together to save the Earth.
Nearly a half-century after the foundation of Greenpeace, the global ecology movement has reached every corner of the world, with thousands of groups springing up to defend the environment. Meanwhile, the challenges facing us grow ever more daunting. The next half-century will test whether or not humanity can respond to the challenge.
Rex Weyler is an author, journalist and co-founder of Greenpeace International.
Resources and Links:
Environmental History Timeline: Radford University
Ramachandra Guha: Environmentalism: A Global History, 2000
The European Society for Environmental History: ESEH.org
Environmental History, Oxford Journals
Donald Worster: Nature's Economy: A History of Ecological Ideas, 1977
J. D. Hughes: Ecology in Ancient Civilizations (U. New Mexico Press, 1975): Oxford Academic
Society for Environmental Journalists: sej.org
Letakots-Lesa (Eagle Chief) and Natalie Curtis on Pawnee songs: Entersection
William Willoya and Vinson Brown: Warriors of the Rainbow
Alice Hamilton, MD: Exploring The Dangerous Trades, 1943
Aldo Leopold: Sand County Almanac, 1949
Rachel Carson: Silent Spring, 1962
Barry Commoner: The Closing Circle, 1971
Paul Shepard: The Tender Carnivore and the Sacred Game, 1973
Gregory Bateson: Mind and Nature, 1978
Roderick Nash: The Rights of Nature, 1989
Deep Ecology for the 21st Century: A good survey of ecology writers, Arne Naess, Chellis Glendinning, Gary Snyder, Paul Shepard, and others
Rex Weyler was a director of the original Greenpeace Foundation, the editor of the organisation's first newsletter, and a co-founder of Greenpeace International in 1979.
Deep Green is Rex's column, reflecting on the roots of activism, environmentalism, and Greenpeace's past, present, and future. The opinions here are his own.
Global bank of warnings and ideas is important for global action. Even for the local communities and t small close knit communities which naturally ha...
Global bank of warnings and ideas is important for global action. Even for the local communities and t small close knit communities which naturally has a tendencies locking themselves inwards and start cultivate their own narrow minded ideology which lead to their own religious indoctrination and separation further fragmentation of whole field of knowledge. We have to start thinking about ECOLOGY OF MOVEMENT. Toyota and their Miray already on the road. 1 kilogram of hydrogen can move you 100 kilometers producing 7 liters of water. The question is 'how much of oxygen does it sucks in? This movement revolution will further alter a composition of troposphere and with the ocean warming will the phytoplankton be able to replenish the oxygen amount used for our traveling???
8 January, 2018 at 11:19
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(Unregistered) MSTTreeBuddha
Great history. I thought I knew a lot about the subject, having Clive Ponting´s Green History of the World and all. I recently saw Cosmos 2 and...
Great history. I thought I knew a lot about the subject, having Clive Ponting´s Green History of the World and all. I recently saw Cosmos 2 and their presentation of a guy scientist who pursued the lead thing .
It´s great to hear about Alice Patterson, MD, and then the later work of Clair Patterson, MJ Stasik, H Needleman later on, and PJ Landrigan. The accusations and actions by the Corp Execs is treacherous and noteworthy.
Ultimately, I have become alerted to the problem of the Big Shareholder controlled business model. The inequality in power because of Corp Exec privilege in the hierarchy is fundamental. Workers in the 1840s UK organized the first modern co-op, while in 1850s Germany Raiffeisen organized the first modern credit union (co-op bank), and those have led to a number of noteworthy modern achievements like food co-ops.
Ralph Nader´s legacy NGOs the PIRGs organized their own businesses in the 1990s, Green Century Mutual Funds and EarthTones Telecom. That´s what it may take, unfortunately, given the limitations on Planet Earth and its inhabitant ecosystems.
Greenpeace´s work with campaigns to Green Industries is fantastic, and their relative success or lack thereof an indication of the need for alternative business models.
10 January, 2018 at 16:31
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Global Atmospheric methane sharp increase not just becaused by fires as Worden suggests but perhaps agriculture, cattle growing, permafrost melting, o...
Global Atmospheric methane sharp increase not just becaused by fires as Worden suggests but perhaps agriculture, cattle growing, permafrost melting, ocean temperature increasing:
"What is Behind Rising Levels of Methane in the Atmosphere?"
January 11, 2018
11 January, 2018 at 5:33
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mansi desai
very nice writing skill which you have posted here so thanks for this posting so thanks for this posting ,
very nice writing skill which you have posted here so thanks for this posting so thanks for this posting ,
mansi desai
15 January, 2018 at 12:09
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Philemon is an epistle of Paul's that is not often read. It is stuck there within the canon of the New Testament, wedged in between better known works. Yet, within this book lies a remarkable story. A story that flips the social order of Rome and rightly gets to the heart of the gospel of freedom and equity. Martin Luther frames the story within a larger context of salvation and redemption. Luther writes in his preface to The Epistle of St Paul to Philemon,
This epistle gives us a masterful and tender illustration of Christian love. For here we see how St. Paul takes the part of poor Onesimus and, to the best of his ability, advocates his cause with his master. He acts exactly as if he were himself Onesimus, who had done wrong. Yet he does this not with force or compulsion, as lay within his rights; but he empties himself of his rights in order to compel Philemon also to waive his rights. What Christ has done for us with God the Father, that St Paul does also for Onesimus with Philemon. For Christ emptied himself of his rights (Philippians 2:7) and overcame the Father with love and humility, so that the Father had to put away his wrath and rights, and receive us into favor for the sake of Christ, who so earnestly advocates our cause and heartily takes our part. For we are all his Onesimus's if we believe.
This is what Paul's ministry was all about, being conformed into the image of the crucified Christ. How remarkable it is to rest in the knowledge that the God of the universe emptied Himself and took on flesh, becoming obedient even to the point of death by humiliation. That death then was followed by the resurrection and subsequent restoration of humanity's relationship with God.
It really is a wonderful book. I encourage you to read and reflect upon the glories of restoration through a selfless act.


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Re-sizing is a difficult operation which requires great know-how and a deep study of the piece. This intervention is not possible on every piece of jewellery and is dependent on the model design. It is recommended to limit the number of times the same model is resized.
Re-sizing operations vary from one piece of jewellery to another and will be subject to a specific examination. For a ring re-sizing, operations will be the following:
- Cleaning and diagnosing the piece
- Measuring the body of the ring
- Cutting the body of the ring
- Removing/adding material
- Welding
- Polishing the gold elements
- Cleaning the piece
- Rhodium plating the white gold elements
- Checking the piece


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Many people are daunted by the thought of growing roses. Why? Because the blooms appear so beautiful and delicate they then think that the bush is also delicate. However, even beginners can get great success with roses.
10 Top Tips For Growing Roses Successfully
September 26, 2010 by Leave a Comment


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TVXQ Draws a Total of 2 Million Audience in Japan through its Concert Tour
TVXQ became a foreign singer who drew a total of 2 million audience in the shortest time in Japan through its concert tour in the country.
From April 22, the duo held 'TVXQ LIVE TOUR 2014~TREE~' in 10 major cities of Japan and drew 600,000 audience, proving that they are the most popular Kpop star in the country.
TVXQ kicked off its concert tour in Japan in 2012, and drew 550,000 audience for 'TVXQ LIVE TOUR 2012~TONE~', 850,000 for 'TVXQ LIVE TOUR 2013~TIME~' and 600,000 for 'TVXQ LIVE TOUR 2014~TREE~'.
TVXQ made a grand finale of 'TVXQ LIVE TOUR 2014~TREE~' by holding its concert in Osaka from June 18-19 and June 21~22, and the duo also became the first foreign singer who held its exclusive concerts at Tokyo Dome and Osaka Kyosera Dome three years in a row.
At the concert, TVXQ performed a total of 26 songs including its hits such as 'Why', 'OCEAN', 'Somebody to love', 'Spellbound', 'Something' and 'Sweat'.
Meanwhile, TVXQ will take part in 'a-nation stadium fes.' to be held at Ajinomoto Stadium in Tokyo on August 30.


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To Rent( 9 Results )
Luggage Trailer
Need a little extra room for all your luggage?
GPS (Sat Nav)
Never get lost again. Rent one of our portable GPS unit's to help with directions.
These are easy to use and give you turn by turn instructions.
Baby Seats
We have a number of baby seats available.
We have a number of baby seats available to rent.
Booster Seats
We have a number of child booster seats available.
We have a number of child booster seats available.
Fridge Trolley
This upright trolley is the most practical way of moving a fridge and other large items.
Move furniture, boxes and even large pot plants around the home or office. Solid steel construction. Pneumatic tyres. Protective rubber covered uprights. Easy to grab handles.
Carry fridges, boxes and other heavy furniture items.
Office & Desk Dolley
Shifts large desks and other objects into tight spaces easily.
Non slip rubber platform.360 degree non marking tyres. Solid wooden platform with carry handle.
Moving Office Furniture, Plants and other heavy bulky items.
Heavy Duty Grade Quilted Pad
The ultimate protection during transit. Protects against knocks and scratches.
Double stitched cloth binding on all four sides alleviates loose fibres. Offering soft protection and durability, the Visy Boxes and More quilted pad range are the proven product of choice when it comes to furniture protection whilst moving. This heavy duty style has a thicker inner layer for the ultimate protection around corners. Zig Zag stitching throughout the pad increases strength and resilience to tearing and scratching during moving. The heavy polycotton outer layers provide extra strength against tearing or ripping. Can be custom made to your company's colours and branded with your company name.
Covering furniture. Floor Protection. Fill void spaces in containers and trucks.
Furniture Lifting Arm Straps
Two man lift straps – reduces the strain of the load by over half. Set of 2.
Using the laws of physics these arm straps reduce the load strain of heavy and bulky items. Multi level arm loops to accommodate different heights. Easy to navigate large and bulky items. Sold per pair.
To assist in lifting heavy items
Ratchet Straps
Hold loads in place using our ratchet straps – 4.2m long.
- Lashing strength of 680kg.
- Safe working load of 226kg.


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Chinese Children Books: Summer
Books Included:
- Summer Vocab Book
- Summer Mini-Book
Want it for FREE? Sign up to my email list and you can get it for free from my Chinese Resources Library.
Learn how to use them to teach Chinese? Click HERE
These Chinese Books are designed to go with this Chinese Theme Pack. (Click HERE to download the FREE version).
- All download links will expire. Please download and save to your computer right away. Please do not use hotmail or aol email addresses, as these older email servers cannot support the download links.
- In order to purchase and download your orders successfully, it may help to read my Store FAQ.
Questions? Email me at firstname.lastname@example.com
*I really appreciate your honest ratings and comments for this product, thank you in advance!


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Bernstein or Jay Z? It doesn't matter which version of New York you love because the city that never sleeps and has the best of everything just got a lot better.
This week, we launched our first public East Coast route between DC and NY. This new route gives more drivers and passengers the ability to save money, meet new friends, and decrease the number of cars on the road. You can now use Zimride to get between DC and NY for half the cost of a train ticket. Half!
Ready for a road trip to the Big Apple? Visit our favorites stops along the route to see what you've been missing on all those planes and train trips.
Baltimore, Maryland
– Fan of The Wire? Check out the real Baltimore by driving the "Wire Tour".
– Between Wilmington and Baltimore is a fun and beautiful town on the Susquehanna River called Havre de Grace . Lots of cool shops, restaurants and ice cream places.
– Get cultured! The National Aquarium, the American Vistionary Art Museum, and the National Cryptologic Museum are all located in Baltimore.
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
– If you're up for a slight detour through Philly (95 runs through it, but the Turnpike does not), 95 takes you RIGHT past Independence Hall, the National Constitution Center, the US Mint (reservations req'd, call your representative in congress) and the South Philadelphia Sports Complex , where the 76ers, Phillies, Flyers and Eagles all play their games.
Princeton, New Jersey
– Princeton University is about 20 minutes off of 95. It's a beautiful campus and the set of many great movies.
– Not ready for the Jersey Shore? Consider bringing your appetite instead — they have the highest rate of diners per capita so a stop is a must. Here's a famous one right off I-95.
Have any recommendations you'd like to share with us? Tell us on Facebook!
Happy travels,
Your Zimride Crew


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Priapism (rarely penile priapism, to differentiate from the very rare clitoral priapism) is a prolonged erection, after or not related to sexual stimulation, lasting >4 hours. The role of imaging in priapism is to distinguish between ischemic low-flow priapism (95%) and non-ischemic high-flow priapism (5%).
Ultrasound is useful as a first line modality, complemented by arterial blood gases. Angiography and MRI may be occasionally used for problem-solving.
On this page:
Clinical presentation
Clinically, priapism can be differentiated into three types, based on symptoms and arterial blood gases 6:
ischemic, veno-occlusive or low-flow priapism
- an emergency and by far the most common form and primarily due to failure of detumescence
- associated with sickle cell disease and thrombophilias due to the risk of thrombosis, and also associated with intracavernosal injection of medication (both prescribed and recreational)
- clinically the penis is rigid and painful
- cavernosal blood gases are hypoxic, hypercarbic, and acidotic
- there is low or no cavernous arterial blood flow
non-ischemic or high-flow priapism
- associated with penile or perineal trauma and is due to unregulated cavernous arterial inflow such as that due to an arteriocavernous fistula
- clinically the penis may be either rigid or not fully rigid
- typically not painful
- cavernosal blood gases are not hypoxic or acidotic
stuttering or episodic priapism
- defined by the American Urological Association as a "recurrent form of ischemic priapism in which unwanted painful erections occur repeatedly with intervening periods of detumescence" 6
Pain is more typically associated with the increased pressure and possible tissue ischemia of ischemic low-flow priapism, than with non-ischemic high-flow priapism
Radiographic features
A high-frequency transducer (>7 MHz) should be used.
Color and spectral Doppler ultrasound is usually most helpful in distinguishing a high-flow priapism from a low-flow priapism:
- low-flow priapism (typically ischemic)
- thrombosis of the corpora cavernosa or corpus spongiosum
- decreased/absent color flow or spectral Doppler in the cavernosal artery/arteries
- cavernosal artery velocity <25 cm/s would be considered low velocity, but low velocity flow is technically non-specific
- patients with low but present cavernosal arterial flow tend to require arterial blood gas evaluation
- increased resistive index of the cavernosal artery
- this can also be seen with a normal erection
- cavernosal artery velocity <25 cm/s would be considered low velocity, but low velocity flow is technically non-specific
- there may be flow in the superficial penile vein
- high-flow priapism (typically non-ischemic)
- an arteriovenous fistula may be visualized
- penile artery Doppler velocities are typically normal (>25 cm/s) or elevated
MRI is not indicated for emergent evaluation of low-flow priapism due to the time it takes for the scan. It may be used in the non-emergent setting for problem-solving.
- T1: abnormally increased signal in the penile corpora may indicate thrombus
- T2: flow voids in the cavernosa may be present in high-flow priapism
T1 C+ (Gd):
- post contrast evaluation may be useful for pre-treatment planning of high-flow priapism
- asymmetric cavernosal enhancement may occur with either type of priapism
MRI may be more likely to see associated conditions that may lead to priapism (e.g. malignancy).
Treatment and prognosis
If untreated, priapism can lead to permanent damage with potential erectile dysfunction, and ischemic priapism is a surgical emergency.
Treatments include irrigation with sympathomimetics and surgical shunts. Surgical shunting is considered after failure of intracavernosal sympathomimetics and can be performed proximally or distally:
- proximal shunting involves either an incision of the tunica of the corpora in the base of the penis (corporospongisal) or placement of graft bypass shunting corporal blood to a nearby vein (corporasaphenous)
- distal shunting (cavernoglanular) involves removal or incision of the tunica of the distal tips of the corpora cavernosa with either a biopsy needle or scalpel respectively, to allow drainage into the glans
Penile prosthesis implantation is a last resort.
History and etymology
The term "priapism" derives from a rural Greek fertility god called "Priapus," who sported a permanent erection.
- 1. Levey HR, Segal RL, Bivalacqua TJ. Management of priapism: an update for clinicians. Ther Adv Urol. 2014;6 (6): 230-244. doi:10.1177/1756287214542096 - Free text at pubmed - Pubmed citation
- 2. Montague DK, Jarow J, Broderick GA et-al. American Urological Association guideline on the management of priapism. J. Urol. 2003;170 (4): 1318-24. doi:10.1097/01.ju.0000087608.07371.ca - Pubmed citation
- 3. Avery LL, Scheinfeld MH. Imaging of penile and scrotal emergencies. Radiographics. 2013;33 (3): 721-40. doi:10.1148/rg.333125158 - Pubmed citation
- 4. Qureshi JM, Wood H, Feldman M. High flow priapism on color Doppler ultrasound. J. Urol. 2013;189 (6): 2312-3. doi:10.1016/j.juro.2013.03.007 - Pubmed citation
- 5. Ralph DJ, Borley NC, Allen C et-al. The use of high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging in the management of patients presenting with priapism. BJU Int. 2010;106 (11): 1714-8. doi:10.1111/j.1464-410X.2010.09368.x - Pubmed citation
- 6. http://www.auanet.org/guidelines/priapism-%282003-reviewed-and-validity-confirmed-2010%29
Related Radiopaedia articles
Ultrasound - prostate and lower GU
- ultrasound (introduction)
- prostate
- other lower genitourinary


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25 ways to use coconut oil in your
Beauty routine
are 25 ways coconut oil can be used in your beauty routine.
1.Shiny hair: On dry hair apply a very little bit of coconut oil to your hair to add SHINE and get to rid of flyaways. Works wonders for dark hair.
2. Dandruff: Coconut oil is known to have anti-fungal properties. By applying coconut oil to your scalp every night and morning, within a couple of days your scalp will be dandruff free.
3.Frizz: When applying coconut oil it will put up a humidity barrier and will stop the hairs from swelling up. Leaving your hair frizz free.
honey and apply it to the hair. Then place a plastic bag overhead and sit under
a dryer for about an hour. Lastly wash it out. This treatment will make your
hair more moisturized. You can also apply coconut oil to your and leave it on
all night and rinse in the morning.
allowing it to stay strong and grow to your desired length. It also improves
your blood circulation by applying it to your scalp and massaging it for a
couple of minutes.
left behind.
face and your make will come straight off. Its also very gentle and moisturizing to your skin.
11.Body Oil: Taking Coconut oil and adding a calming essential like lavender. This can be used as a massage oil to make you feel very relax. Also apply it right after you get out of the shower it will moisturize your skin.12. Skin Softener: Lather your body in coconut oil before your shower or bath. Bathe as normal, It will leave your skin feeling softer than ever.
READ MORE: 12 Astonishing Do's and Don'ts to Hydrating Dry Skin That Will Make You Explode
will make the perfect relaxing and chemical free bubble bath. This lovely DIY will have your skin thanking you. Click here for a more detailed recipe.
safe squirt bottle. Take it into the shower and before shaving rub the coconut oil onto the skin. This will allow for the razor to glide smoothly. Your legs will be so smooth that they will thank you. Tip: Be very careful in the shower because the oil can be very slippery.
23. Whitening Toothpaste: You can have perfectly white teeth by applying coconut oil and baking soda and brushing your teeth as normal.READ MORE: 6 Most Popular Ways For Teeth Whitening that You Will Love
cuticle will help hydrate both your nails and cuticle. Making them grow longer and stronger.
infections. So twice a day apply coconut oil to your feet and nails.
way. You can also intake for health benefits. Before using always test a small patch of skin or consult your doctor to avoided allergic reactions. Here are some great coconut oils to test out.Follow my blog with Bloglovin


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Had a request for a not so pink
baby girl quilt kit.
Well, look who's coming for lunch...
This is the Vintage Baby Quilt pattern & kit,
Cute! I love the yellow print - I've got a little bit of it. ♥ReplyDelete
That is awesome! Love it!!ReplyDelete
Its adorable and awesome!! the red and yellow go great! And the Little red riding hood fabric is precious!ReplyDelete
Honey child Corrie...I really like this...the red riding hood choice is absolutely brilliant ...the colours are great for a non traditional baby quilt...something that will grow with a todler, who also loves R.R.H...
VERY cute...I love this quilt!ReplyDelete
Wow very nice and impressive to all.............
Quilting Kits


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Welcome for fun!Login/Signup
Fun with Categories
Top Deals
Adventures in Pune
Adventures in Pune
Pune is the hotspot for adventure lovers as world class companies organise adventure activity events. Nation capital has many stadiums and sports complex where such adventure sports are organized. Showwoo offers you exclusive tickets for adventure activity, adventures package, adventure sports and adventure tours.


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F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition - GOOD (PAYG, 25Mbps)
Product Overview
BIG-IP Virtual Edition (VE) is the industry-leading application delivery and security services platform. From intelligent L4-L7 load balancing, traffic management, and service offloading to application access, acceleration, and security, BIG-IP VE consistently ensures your applications are fast, available, and secure.
BIG-IP VE modules are available in Good, Better, and Best (GBB) license bundles.
GOOD: BIG-IP Local Traffic Manager (LTM)
BETTER: GOOD + Advanced Firewall Manager (AFM) + DNS
BEST: BETTER + Application Security Manager (ASM) + Access Policy Manager (APM)
The Good bundle contains the LTM module, which includes intelligent L4-L7 load balancing, SSL/TLS termination and offloading, health monitoring, connection state management, and programmatic control over application traffic with F5 iRules.
More detailed information on the capabilities of each bundle is available at https://www.f5.com/pdf/licensing/good-better-best-licensing-overview.pdf
Speed up and simplify your BIG-IP VE deployment by using a CloudFormation Template from the F5 Networks GitHub repository. https://github.com/F5Networks/f5-aws-cloudformation
All hourly offerings include a 30-day free trial as well as access to F5 premium support. https://support.f5.com/csp/article/K25327565
ByF5 Networks
Operating System
Linux/Unix, CentOS 7.3
Delivery Methods


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It's been a while, but I'm back in the street game. I'm finally having fun in the streets again, and it feels good.
The shy street photographer
It always takes me a long time to get back into street photography. Whenever I've been gone for a while I feel out of tune for days, before I'm able to get back into it. Much of it has to do with my shyness and introversion. Which, in turn, is part of the reason why I prefer to take my photos without interrupting the people around me. Another reason is that I simply prefer street photos where the subjects haven't noticed my presence.
Valletta – the perfect backdrop
If you've ever been to Malta's capital Valletta, you'll know that the entrance to the city is made of a beautiful, marbled rock. Mind you I'm no rock expert, so I couldn't tell you what kind they are. All I know is that this rock is the perfect backdrop for street photography. It's bright and gives a great contrast to the people walking by. Like a blank canvas. And then it's my job to capture by-passers as fill the canvas with themselves.
A tip from a shy street photographer
A lot of times, pointing a camera straight into someones face will give you trouble. Or at least an argument or an angry look. Especially if the camera is glued to your face at the same time. So here's the tip: If your camera has a flip out screen you can, a lot of times, negate this problem. Point the camera one way, and the screen another. Then, framing the shot with the screen, you will never be looking directly at your subject. Because you're not facing the people you're photographing, you'll get a lot less trouble. You'd think this wouldn't make a big difference, but in the heat of the moment it works great.


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Safety and Efficacy of a Monoclonal Antibody to Proprotein Convertase Subtilisin/Kexin Type 9 Serine Protease, SAR236553/REGN727, in Patients With Primary Hypercholesterolemia Receiving Ongoing Stable Atorvastatin Therapy
Author + information
- Received February 6, 2012
- Revision received March 7, 2012
- Accepted March 13, 2012
- Published online June 19, 2012.
Author Information
- James M. McKenney, PharmD⁎,⁎ (jmckenney{at}ncrinc.net),
- Michael J. Koren, MD, CPI†,
- Dean J. Kereiakes, MD‡,
- Corinne Hanotin, MD§,
- Anne-Catherine Ferrand, MSc§ and
- Evan A. Stein, MD, PhD∥
- ↵⁎Reprint requests and correspondence:
Dr. James M. McKenney, National Clinical Research, Inc., 2809 Emerywood Parkway, Suite 140, Richmond, Virginia 23294
Objectives The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C)–lowering efficacy of 5 SAR236553/REGN727 (SAR236553) dosing regimens versus placebo at week 12 in patients with LDL-C ≥100 mg/dl on stable atorvastatin therapy. Secondary objectives included evaluation of effects on other lipid parameters and the attainment of LDL-C treatment goals of <100 mg/dl (2.59 mmol/l) and <70 mg/dl (1.81 mmol/l).
Background Serum proprotein convertase subtilisin kexin 9 (PCSK9) binds to low-density lipoprotein receptors, increasing serum LDL-C. SAR236553 is a fully human monoclonal antibody to PCSK9.
Methods This double-blind, parallel-group, placebo-controlled trial randomized 183 patients with LDL-C ≥100 mg/dl (2.59 mmol/l) on stable-dose atorvastatin 10, 20, or 40 mg for ≥6 weeks to: subcutaneous placebo every 2 weeks (Q2W); SAR236553 50, 100, or 150 mg Q2W; or SAR236553 200 or 300 mg every 4 weeks (Q4W), alternating with placebo for a total treatment period of 12 weeks.
Results SAR236553 demonstrated a clear dose-response relationship with respect to percentage LDL-C lowering for both Q2W and Q4W administration: 40%, 64%, and 72% with 50, 100, and 150 mg Q2W, respectively, and 43% and 48% with 200 and 300 mg Q4W. LDL-C reduction with placebo at week 12 was 5%. SAR236553 also substantially reduced non–high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, apolipoprotein B, and lipoprotein(a). SAR236553 was generally well tolerated. One patient on SAR236553 experienced a serious adverse event of leukocytoclastic vasculitis.
Conclusions When added to atorvastatin, PCSK9 inhibition with SAR236553 further reduces LDL-C by 40% to 72%. These additional reductions are both dose- and dosing frequency–dependent. (Efficacy and Safety Evaluation of SAR236553 [REGN727] in Patients With Primary Hypercholesterolemia and LDL-cholesterol on Stable Atorvastatin Therapy; NCT01288443)
- apolipoprotein-B
- hypercholesterolemia
- low-density lipoprotein cholesterol
- safety
- statin
Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death in most Western nations, and is increasing rapidly in the developing world. Reduction of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), especially with statins, is widely recognized as the single most effective intervention to reduce cardiovascular risk (1–4), and clinical trial evidence strongly supports a positive correlation between greater levels of LDL-C lowering and cardioprotective benefits (5–9). Accordingly, current U.S., Canadian, and European treatment guidelines advocate decreasing LDL-C to <70 mg/dl in patients at very high risk (2–4). Within-trial analyses indicate that greater risk reduction may be achieved with even lower LDL-C levels, and indicate no association of these lower LDL-C levels with increased incidences of adverse events (AEs) (10–13).
Despite the proven cardioprotective effects of statins, many patients fail to reach recommended LDL-C targets in clinical practice, even with the addition of cholesterol absorption inhibitors, niacin, or bile acid resins to a statin (14,15).
Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 serine protease (PCSK9) plays a pivotal role in low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) degradation. Gain-of-function mutations of PCSK9 in humans result in hypercholesterolemia (16,17), whereas loss-of-function mutations are associated with low LDL-C and significantly reduced cardiovascular risk (18).
SAR236553/REGN727 (SAR236553) is a highly specific, fully human monoclonal antibody to PCSK9 that, in proof-of-concept trials in familial and non-familial hypercholesterolemia, dose-dependently reduced LDL-C by up to 62% from baseline, either with or without atorvastatin (19–21). The current phase 2 trial assessed 5 different SAR236553 dose regimens in patients with LDL-C ≥100 mg/dl while receiving stable 10-, 20-, or 40-mg atorvastatin doses.
This double-blind, parallel-group, placebo-controlled, US multicenter trial included patients with LDL-C ≥100 mg/dl (2.59 mmol/l) on stable-dose atorvastatin 10 mg, 20 mg, or 40 mg for ≥6 weeks. All patients reviewed and signed an informed consent form approved by a local or central institutional review board prior to any study-related procedures. Study procedures complied with International Conference on Harmonization Good Clinical Practice guidelines. An independent data monitoring committee monitored patient safety.
The primary objective was to evaluate the effect of 12 weeks treatment with SAR236553 versus placebo on LDL-C. Other objectives reported here are measurement of: absolute and/or percentage changes in total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), triglycerides, non–HDL-C, apolipoprotein (Apo)-B, Apo-A1, and lipoprotein a (Lp[a]); and the proportion of patients achieving LDL-C treatment goals of <100 mg/dl (2.59 mmol/l) and <70 mg/dl (1.81 mmol/l).
Study population
Eligible subjects were men and nonpregnant, nonlactating women age 18 to 75 years (inclusive), with LDL-C ≥100 mg/dl (2.59 mmol/l) while receiving a stable dose of atorvastatin 10, 20, or 40 mg daily for ≥6 weeks. Drug-naive patients or patients either receiving a lipid-lowering therapy other than atorvastatin or not on a stable dose of atorvastatin 10, 20, or 40 mg daily for ≥6 weeks were eligible, provided that they met the inclusion criteria after discontinuing all other lipid-lowering therapy and completing a 6-week run-in of atorvastatin 10, 20, or 40 mg daily.
Females of childbearing potential not using an effective form of contraceptive, or pregnant or breastfeeding, were excluded, as were individuals with known sensitivities to monoclonal antibody therapies; type 1 diabetes or type 2 diabetes requiring insulin, or with HbA1c ≥8.5%; any clinically significant endocrine disease; blood pressure >150/95 mm Hg; a history of major coronary event within 6 months of screening; a history of class II to IV heart failure; a positive serum or urine pregnancy test; a positive test for hepatitis B or hepatitis C; triglycerides >350 mg/dl; abnormal sensitive thyroid-stimulating hormone level; serum creatinine >1.5 × upper limit of normal (ULN) in men or >1.4 × ULN in women; creatine kinase >3 × ULN; or alanine aminotransferase or aspartate aminotransferase >2 × ULN.
Non–study-related lipid-altering therapy use was prohibited during the study. Thyroid preparations or thyroxin treatment (except in patients on replacement therapy) and insulin treatment were also prohibited. Nutraceutical products that may affect lipids were allowed if used at a stable dose for ≥6 weeks prior to and during screening, and if maintained at a stable dose throughout the study; initiation during the study of treatment with nutraceuticals that affect lipids, including >1,000 mg daily of omega-3 fatty acids, red yeast rice, and plant sterols, was prohibited.
Study design and procedures
The study comprised 3 periods: screening, 12-week double-blind treatment, and 8-week follow-up (Fig. 1). Screening period duration varied according to atorvastatin treatment status. For patients already receiving stable-dose atorvastatin 10, 20, or 40 mg for ≥6 weeks, the eligibility screening period was 1 week; for patients requiring the 6-week atorvastatin run-in, screening was at week −7 with eligibility assessment at week −1.
Visits during the treatment period were every 2 weeks. Patients continued on the same atorvastatin dose and were randomized 1:1:1:1:1:1 to placebo every 2 weeks (Q2W); SAR236553 50, 100, or 150 mg Q2W; or SAR236553 200 or 300 mg every 4 weeks (Q4W) alternating with placebo to mimic Q2W dosing. Randomization was stratified according to atorvastatin dose, to evaluate any effect of background atorvastatin dose on the LDL-C–lowering efficacy of SAR236553. Visits during follow-up were every 4 weeks.
All laboratory samples were processed by Medpace Reference Laboratories (Cincinnati, Ohio), which maintained Part III certification by the CDC Lipid Standardization Program (22) and accreditation by the College of American Pathologists (23). All lipids, Apos, and safety laboratory tests were performed after 12-h overnight fasts (water only). Triglycerides and cholesterol were measured with enzymatic colorimetric tests (Olympus AU2700 or AU5400 Analyzer, Olympus, Center Valley, Pennsylvania) with calibration directly traceable to Centers for Disease Control reference procedures. Apo-B–containing lipoproteins were precipitated with dextran sulphate, and HDL-C was measured on the supernatant (24). Apo-A1, Apo-B, and Lp(a) were measured with rate immunonephelometry (Dade Behring BNII nephelometer, Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics, Deerfield, Illinois).
Safety assessments
Safety was assessed throughout the study by clinical examination, vital signs, AEs, serious AEs, laboratory tests, and 12-lead electrocardiogram. AE data were collected from screening onwards.
Statistical methods
The primary study endpoint was the percentage change in calculated LDL-C from baseline (mean of week –1 and week 0) to week 12. To detect a 30% difference in % LDL-C change with SAR236553 versus placebo, assuming a 20% to 30% standard deviation and a 5% rate of unevaluable primary endpoint, and using a 2-sided t test at 0.05 significance level, 30 patients per treatment arm were required to achieve a power of >96%.
For the primary efficacy endpoint analysis, a hierarchical testing procedure was applied to ensure strong control of the overall type-I error rate at the 0.05 level when testing the 5 SAR236553 dose regimens versus placebo. The order used was SAR236553 150 mg Q2W versus placebo first; SAR236553 300 mg Q4W versus placebo second; SAR236553 100 mg Q2W third; SAR236553 200 mg Q4W fourth; and finally, SAR236553 50 mg Q2W. The hierarchical testing sequence continued only when the higher-order test was statistically significant at the 5% level. No further adjustment was performed for secondary analyses or endpoints, for which p values were provided for descriptive purposes only.
Efficacy Endpoints
The primary efficacy endpoint was analyzed in the modified intent-to-treat (mITT) population, defined as all randomized patients with an evaluable primary endpoint, using an analysis of covariance model with treatment group and randomization strata of atorvastatin dose as fixed effects, and baseline LDL-C as covariate. The treatment group factor had 6 levels: placebo; SAR236553 50 mg Q2W; SAR236553 200 mg Q4W; SAR236553 100 mg Q2W; SAR236553 300 mg Q4W; and SAR236553 150 mg Q2W. Patients in the mITT population were analyzed according to the randomized treatment group. The last observation carried forward method was applied to impute missing week −12 LDL-C on-treatment values. Throughout the analysis of covariance model, each SAR236553 treatment group was compared with placebo using appropriate contrasts. Ninety-five percent confidence intervals of the difference versus placebo were not adjusted for multiple comparisons. Secondary efficacy endpoints were analyzed in the mITT population using the same analysis of covariance model, with treatment group and randomization strata of atorvastatin dose as fixed effect, and corresponding baseline value as covariate.
Safety Endpoints
All safety analyses were performed on the safety population (all randomized patients who received at least 1 full or partial dose of investigational product, analyzed according to the treatment actually received). Four patients received a dose at 1 (or several) visit(s) differing from the dose allocated (5 cases in 4 patients). For these patients, the treatment arm allocation for as-treated analysis was defined in a blinded manner using a pre-specified algorithm before the database was locked. Demographic and baseline data were summarized on the all-randomized population, and analyzed in the randomized treatment group.
Study population
Of 514 patients screened at 34 centers between January 2011 and August 2011, 183 met the eligibility criteria and were randomized to treatment (Fig. 2). Ninety percent of patients completed the full 12-week treatment period. The most frequent cause of premature study withdrawal (n = 6) was treatment-emergent AEs (described later in the text). Other causes included noncompliance with study medication, difficulty with/unacceptability of subcutaneous injections, and loss to follow-up (Fig. 2).
Table 1 summarizes baseline patient characteristics. The efficacy analysis included 179 patients (98%). One randomized patient was not treated; the safety population therefore comprised 182 patients.
Primary efficacy outcomes
Table 2 summarizes changes in lipid values from baseline to week 12. Mean baseline LDL-C across all treatment groups was similar at 123 to 132 mg/dl. SAR236553 demonstrated a clear dose-response pattern in LDL-C lowering for both Q2W and Q4W administration. Least squares mean ± standard error reductions in LDL-C from baseline were 39.6 ± 3.2% with 50 mg Q2W, 64.2 ± 3.1% with 100 mg Q2W, 72.4 ± 3.2% with 150 mg Q2W dose, 43.2 ± 3.3% with 200 mg Q4W, and 47.7 ± 3.2% with 300 mg Q4W, versus 5.1 ± 3.1% with placebo. LDL-C reductions with SAR236553 were similar among atorvastatin doses (Fig. 3).
Figure 4 illustrates percentage LDL-C change at 2-week intervals. LDL-C reduction among placebo recipients reached a maximum of 13.4% at week 6 and was 5.1% by week 12. LDL-C decreased significantly from baseline by 30.5%, 53.6%, and 62.9% at 2 weeks post-dosing with SAR236553 50 mg, 100 mg, and 150 mg Q2W, respectively, with further reductions reaching 39.6%, 64.2%, and 72.4%, respectively, at week 12 (last observation carried forward). For the 200- and 300-mg Q4W regimens, LDL-C reductions achieved 2 weeks after the first dose were 66.8% and 69.5%, respectively, which waned over the succeeding 2 weeks (after administration of a placebo dose) to 38.6% and 53.4%, respectively, at week 4. A similar pattern was observed with each subsequent 4-week dose, such that LDL-C reductions in these treatment arms appeared consistent at each 4-week period.
Secondary efficacy outcomes
Treatment effects on non-LDL lipid and Apo parameters are shown in Table 2. Total cholesterol, non–HDL-C, and Apo-B decreased substantially. Apo-B and non–HDL-C were reduced by 27% to 56% and 34% to 63%, respectively, and Lp(a) by 13% to 29% across SAR236553 Q2W regimens. Changes in Apo-B and related lipids were proportional with the changes in LDL-C. Changes in triglycerides were variable and mostly small; the exception to this was the 150-mg Q2W regimen, which reduced triglycerides by 19%. Increases in both HDL-C and Apo-A1 were variable, but greater with all SAR236553 regimens than with placebo.
Eighty-nine percent to 100% versus 16% of SAR236553 versus placebo recipients achieved a target LDL-C of <100 mg/dl (Fig. 5). The LDL-C <70 mg/dl target was achieved by 47%, 84%, and 100% of 50-, 100-, and 150-mg Q2W recipients, respectively, and by 46% and 57% of 200- and 300-mg Q4W recipients, versus 3% of placebo recipients. At week 12, the Apo-B target of <80 mg/dl was achieved by 67% to 100% and 59% to 77%, and the non–HDL-C treatment target of <100 mg/dl by 60% to 100% and 54% to 60% of patients assigned to 50 to 150 mg Q2W and 200 to 300 mg Q4W, respectively. Corresponding percentages for placebo were 10% and 3%, respectively.
AEs were similar for all treatment groups, with no dose relationship observed (Table 3).
Five serious AEs occurred in 4 patients during the study: a 64-year-old placebo-treated male required back surgery; a 68-year-old female assigned to SAR236553 200 mg Q4W underwent elective right knee total arthroplasty; a 69-year-old female with a history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, assigned to SAR236553 100 mg Q2W, was hospitalized during the follow-up period for worsening disease; and a 57-year-old male who, after the initial dose of SAR236553 300 mg Q4W, developed diarrhea followed by a rash on his arms, legs, and abdomen, and was diagnosed by biopsy with leukocytoclastic vasculitis. Prednisone treatment led to full resolution. The investigator considered this a significant medical event. No antidrug antibodies were found following the event, but the week 20 follow-up assessment found minimally detectable (titer of 30) anti-drug antibodies. Blood samples obtained about 6 months after the event were assessed for antinuclear antibodies, tryptase, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, and immunoglobulin A, E, M, and G. The antinuclear antibody assessments were negative, and all other results were within normal limits. The same patient required surgery for a humerus fracture that occurred during the follow-up period.
Six patients prematurely discontinued SAR236553 owing to AEs: 1 each in the 100-mg Q2W (neutropenia) and 150-mg Q2W (fatigue) arms, 3 in the 200-mg Q4W arm (injection-site rash, chest pain, and combined headache and nausea), and 1 in the 300-mg Q4W arm (leukocytoclastic vasculitis described earlier in the text). No AE-related discontinuations occurred with placebo.
Mild injection-site reactions (this group term included erythema, pruritis, swelling, discoloration, hematoma, and rash) were the most common AEs (Table 3). These occurred in SAR236553 recipients only, and were more common with Q2W than Q4W dosing. Elevated creatine kinase >10 × ULN occurred in 1 patient (placebo-treated); none had hepatic transaminases >3 × ULN or significant changes in other laboratory values. Muscle complaints were infrequent and similar across treatment groups.
This study demonstrated that SAR236553 is associated with dose-related and dose regimen–dependent LDL-C reductions in patients receiving stable atorvastatin therapy. LDL-C reductions with 100 and 150 mg Q2W were greater than with 200 and 300 mg Q4W at week 12, and reached a maximum of 72% (150 mg Q2W). SAR236553 150 mg Q2W reduced LDL-C to <70 mg/dl in 100% of patients. The continued trend towards lower LDL-C observed with multiple SAR236553 Q2W doses may indicate a potential for further LDL-C reductions with longer therapy duration. LDL-C reductions with SAR236553 were unaffected by atorvastatin dose (10, 20, or 40 mg daily), suggesting that, although both statin and PCSK9 monoclonal antibody therapies up-regulate LDLRs, their mechanisms of LDL-C reduction are independent. Further, these agents appear to provide additive LDL-C–lowering effects when administered in combination. LDL-C reductions achieved with SAR236553 result from increased numbers of LDLRs. The increase in LDLRs arises from PCSK9 inhibition, and enhances the clearance of any Apo-B–containing particles—including LDL, very-low-density lipoprotein, and possibly, Lp(a). To our knowledge, increasing LDLRs by combining SAR236553 with a statin is not associated with any adverse effects.
Our findings suggest that patients who are unable to achieve LDL-C treatment targets with statin monotherapy may do so with the addition of SAR236553. Because LDL-C increased after 2 weeks post-dosing, Q2W administration appears the most favorable dosing schedule.
SAR236553 100 and 150 mg Q2W reduced Apo-B by 48% and 56%, respectively, allowing 90% and 100% of patients to achieve the <80 mg/dl Apo-B goal. Statin trials indicate that no threshold exists, below which further LDL-C reduction provides no additional benefit (25). However, post hoc analyses of large outcomes trials suggest that LDL-C does not represent the vascular burden of all atherogenic lipoproteins, and that non–HDL-C and, even more so, Apo-B levels may correlate better with outcomes (3,26), especially in secondary cardiovascular disease prevention and in high cardiometabolic risk patients (27,28). Adding ezetimibe and/or bile acid sequestrants to statins further reduces LDL-C by 12% to 18%, but reduces Apo-B by only around 6%. This may account for the observed failure to reach Apo-B targets when LDL-C goals are met (29). The potential of SAR236553 to enable nearly all patients to attain both LDL-C and Apo-B targets may thus offer an opportunity for further cardiovascular risk reduction.
In this study, the effects of SAR236553 on triglycerides were minimal; however, baseline triglyceride levels were fairly low at 117 to 146 mg/dl. Statins, which also up-regulate LDLR activity, similarly have little effect on triglycerides in normotriglyceridemic patients (30). Very-low-density lipoprotein particles are the principal carriers of triglycerides. These particles contain Apo-B and are therefore subject to enhanced clearance as a result of LDLR up-regulation by SAR236553. Thus, greater triglyceride reductions would be expected in patients with higher baseline triglycerides, and assessment of the true triglyceride-lowering potential of SAR236553, with or without statins, will require studies in patients with elevated baseline levels.
As in the earlier phase 1 trial (31), there was a trend towards HDL-C and Apo-A1 increases with SAR236553 versus placebo. HDL-C may increase as a result of reduced cholesteryl ester transfer protein–mediated transfer of cholesterol from HDL to LDL or very-low-density lipoprotein, owing to the reduction of LDL to very low levels. This inability to transfer cholesterol from HDL leads to relative increases in HDL-C, as evidenced by the minimal change in Apo-A1, the major apolipoprotein in HDL.
The consistent, robust 13% to 29% Lp(a) reduction with SAR236553 Q2W confirms phase 1 data showing similar effects in SAR236553 patients receiving atorvastatin, but not in those on diet alone (31). As the LDLR up-regulation induced by statins, ezetimibe, and bile acid sequestrants has no impact on Lp(a), it is possible that, with the large LDL-C reductions, remaining competition from the Apo-B on LDLR is minimal, enabling LDLR uptake of the lower-affinity Apo-B on Lp(a). The actual mechanism of Lp(a) reduction will require further study.
SAR236553 was well tolerated during this short study. The frequency of injection-site reactions—which were generally mild, transient, and nonprogressive—requires much larger, longer trials to determine clinical and compliance impacts. There was no evidence of increasing clinical or laboratory side effects with increasing SAR236553 dosage. Specifically, this short study produced no evidence of increases in either hepatic or muscle-related enzymes. The occurrence of leukocytoclastic vasculitis in 1 patient 9 days after initiation of SAR236553 300 mg was not associated with other organ involvement, and the patient responded rapidly to SAR236553 withdrawal and steroid therapy initiation. No similar reactions were reported in prior SAR236553 studies. Although the exact causality of the leukocytoclastic vasculitis in this subject cannot be determined, it was deemed by the investigator to be SAR236553-related. Again, larger, longer trials are required to determine the frequency and severity of this potential side effect.
Leukocytoclastic vasculitis is a generally benign disease that occurs in 40 to 60 individuals/million persons/year, with drug therapy identified as the cause of about 20% of cases (32). Numerous classes of agent have been implicated in its development, including antibiotics and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (33), and leukocytoclastic vasculitis is listed as an AE in the prescribing information for most commercially available monoclonal antibody therapies. A recent review of articles published between 1990 and 2008 reports 118 cases of cutaneous leukocytoclastic vasculitis in patients receiving TNF monoclonal antibody therapy (34).
Our study is the largest and longest reported to date with SAR236553, and included the most diverse patient population. It confirms the finding of earlier proof-of-concept trials that PCSK9 inhibition with monoclonal antibodies robustly reduces levels of all Apo-B–containing atherogenic lipoproteins, especially LDL-C. This effect was uniform, irrespective of baseline atorvastatin dose, and greater sustained efficacy was seen with Q2W dosing than with higher doses given Q4W. The 72% LDL-C reduction with SAR236553 150 mg Q2W surpasses that achieved with almost any other lipid-lowering therapy. These encouraging results suggest the need for further evaluation of SAR236553 in larger, even more diverse patient populations, and with different background therapies, to fully assess its efficacy and safety.
The authors thank all the study investigators; Data Monitoring Committee members (Anders Olsson, MD; David Waters, MD; Dominique Larrey, MD; Robert S. Rosenson, MD; and Geert Molenberghs, PStat); Herbert Thijs, PhD, of the Centre for Statistics (CenStat), Universiteit Hasselt, Belgium, for assisting with the statistical analyses; and Sandralee Lewis, PhD, of PPSI, for scientific writing and editorial support, funded by Sanofi and Regeneron.
This study was financially supported by Sanofi US and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Incorporated. Drs. McKenney and Koren are employees of a research company that has received research funding from Regeneron and Sanofi. Dr. Hanotin and Ms. Ferrand are both employees of Sanofi. Dr. Stein is affiliated with the Metabolic and Atherosclerosis Research Center, and Medpace Research Laboratories; has received research grants related to trials of SAR236553/REGN727 from Regeneron and Sanofi, as well as consultancy fees from Sanofi; and has received grants for trials of numerous lipid-modifying agents, consultancy fees, and honoraria for professional input regarding lipid-altering agents, and/or has delivered lectures for American Association of Clinical Chemistry, Abbott, Amgen, AstraZeneca, Bristol-Myers Squibb, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, F. Hoffman La Roche, Genentech, Genzyme, GlaxoSmithKline, ISIS, Merck & Co., the National Lipid Association, Novartis, Sankyo, Schering-Plough, and Wyeth. Dr. Kereiakes has reported that he has no relationships relevant to the contents of this paper to disclose.
- Abbreviations and Acronyms
- adverse event
- Apo
- apolipoprotein
- high-density lipoprotein cholesterol
- low-density lipoprotein cholesterol
- low-density lipoprotein receptor
- Lp(a)
- lipoprotein a
- mITT
- modified intent-to-treat
- proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 serine protease
- every 2 weeks
- every 4 weeks
- upper limit of normal
- Received February 6, 2012.
- Revision received March 7, 2012.
- Accepted March 13, 2012.
- American College of Cardiology Foundation
- ↵
- National Cholesterol Education Program Expert Panel on Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Cholesterol in Adults (Adult Treatment Panel III) Final Report
- ↵
- Grundy S.M.,
- Cleeman J.I.,
- Bairey N.,
- et al.
- ↵
- The Task Force for the management of dyslipidaemias of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) and the European Atherosclerosis Society (EAS)
- ↵
- Cannon C.P.,
- Steinberg B.A.,
- Murphy S.A.,
- Mega J.L.,
- Braunwald E.
- ↵
- LaRosa J.C.,
- Grundy S.M.,
- Kastelein J.J.,
- Kostis J.B.,
- Greten H.,
- Treating to New Targets (TNT) Steering Committee and Investigators
- Wiviott S.D.,
- Cannon C.P.,
- Morrow D.A.,
- et al.
- Hsia J.,
- MacFayden J.G.,
- Monyak J.,
- Ridker P.M.
- ↵
- Davidson M.H.,
- Maki K.C.,
- Pearson T.A.,
- et al.
- ↵
- ↵
- ↵
- Swergold G.,
- Biedermann S.,
- Renard R.,
- et al.
- Swergold G.,
- Biedermann S.,
- Renard R.,
- Nadler D.,
- Wu R.,
- Mellis S.
- Swergold G.,
- Smith W.,
- Mellis S.,
- et al.
- ↵
- ↵
- ↵
- ↵
- ↵
- Kastelein J.J.,
- van der Steed W.A.,
- Holme I.,
- et al.
- Brunzell J.D.,
- Davidson M.,
- Furberg C.D.,
- et al.
- ↵
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Fox Property Management is a full-service property management company, that provides real estate management services to owners of single family houses, individual condominiums, and small apartment buildings. We serve as the single point-of-contact and do it all (tenant selection and rent collection, maintenance, and reporting, etc.) for owners.
We currently have rentals and manage property in the cities of Fresno, Clovis, Madera, Sanger, Kerman, Chowchilla, and Coalinga. Availability of specific types of units can change on a daily basis. A call to the office rental line can provide you with the most current vacancies.
The company, a division of Remarc, Inc., is based in Fresno and provides management services in Fresno and Madera Counties in California's Central Valley.


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But last night everything changed, at my house-mate's insistence. A piece from my thesis, a 4-foot long, 10-inch diameter bass cannon powered by an Aura 50-watt bass shaker will be coming along. What am I going to do with it? I have tentative plans, should the desert accept them. I'll post about successes and failures when I get back.
Well, it has been a summer of imagining temporary things. In June, together with architect/skater Matt Baran, I developed SOUNDSKATE, a skateable infrastructure which brings the non-skating public into a playful intersection with skaters through the re-mixing of the sounds of skating (design details to be posted at a later date).
|SOUNDSKATE by Nick Sowers and Matt Baran
The idea is that this set of quarter pipes and half pipes--the standard skating infrastructure-- would be augmented with resonance chambers, tubes, and surfaces which would produce interesting sound effects. Skaters would then go about creating a personal skating routine full of riffs, bridges, choruses and, of course, self-indulgent solos. The "noise" of skating is thus turned into a noise-music soundtrack. SOUNDSKATE amplifies the sound of skating and in so doing, it aspires to bring acceptance and interest in skating to a wider public.
|SOUNDSKATE by Nick Sowers and Matt Baran
For another temporary installation, I took part in the Sukkah City competition--an opportunity to re-think the sukkah, a temporary structure which is put up for seven days during the Jewish holiday of Sukkot.
Though not selected as a finalist, I am still convinced that I should realize my sukkah. The concept was pretty straightforward: build a sukkah in California, record the sounds of making it, then destroy it (record that sound as well) and re-project the sukkah in Union Square Park, NYC. I have half a mind to just bring a PA system and blast my sonic sukkah throughout the park. Alas I will be in Texas, not New York, at the beginning of Sukkot.
I'm packing up gear for Burning Man tonight. The most precious cargo is: a ZOOM H4n recorder and a set of microphones (a pair of stereo binaurals, one omni-condenser and one omni dynamic cardioid).
There are a number of installations at Burning Man that I am looking forward to listening to. One that stands out is Sounds from the Urban Innerground which is set up at the base of the giant man. It will be playing sound from cities around the world continuously for 24 hours corresponding roughly to the time when the sounds were recorded in their respective locations. So I could be up at dawn in the desert of Nevada and listening to the sounds of Mumbai's rush hour.
There is a lot of sound art I expect to find that won't even be dubbed as 'sound art' (part of what I love about this kind of art). These will be sonic experiences, minute and perhaps even mute, evoking through the vibration of air the connection people share in a rare place like Black Rock City.
It's exciting to be a part of such a large, leave-no-trace event. It's inevitable that how you destroy or dismantle what you take with you factors into the design of what you bring. This is the power of sound: to record these constructions and deconstructions with a medium that is the essence of temporary.
See you on the flip side of the Burn.


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Hello all,
finally the sample set of the Trost organ Waltershausen is ready for taking pre-orders.
Apologies for the delayed release, but implementing all new features, like native tremulants, and new designs took a lot more of work than expected.
The DVD package contains two DVDs and a booklet (German version available!)
The Trost organ of Waltershausen with its 53 stops (47+6) is the biggest baroque organ in Thuringia.
It is largely preserved in its original state of 1730 and therefore is an invaluable reference when performing organ music by J. S. Bach and his contemporaries. Today this organ is viewed as the most authentic "Bach organ".
It is a typical instrument of the Thuringian organ building school with ranks such as a Violonbass, mixtures containing thirds, Sesquialtera, and Viola di Gamba, etc. This, and the richness of well-blending stops, allowing endless sound combinations, already anticipates the romantic organ of a century later in a fascinating way.
Trost's outstanding and innovative concepts using unconventional and extreme pipe measurements in stops like the Geigenprincipal, Flauto traverse, Vagarr, but likewise stops with a delicate sweetness preferred by Bach, such as the Flauto dolce, Flöte dupla and Nachthorn etc., also support the upcoming gallant style. The "Gravität" demanded by Bach is realized by three 16 foot manual ranks, a 16 and 32 foot Posaune in the Pedal, 12 eight foot flue manual ranks, rich mixtures as well as two Sesquialtera stops. The instrument has an extremely rich plenum sound, while never forcing the sound.
The reverberation time is about 2 s, providing an absolute clearness for polyphonic structures.
Due to Trost's innovative specification and the extended compasses, all music up to early romantics can be played at this organ.
Sound examples please check (live demos following)
Technical details:
Samples 24-bit, 48 kHz
Multi-loops (up to 9)
3 Release Layers (Short, medium, long attack)
NEW: Original tremulants for all Oberwerk ranks and all manual reed ranks!
Separate tremulant control for all manuals (extd. mode)
Display: 1280*1024
Memory requirements:
Minimal 3100 MB (16-bit compressed, single loop) up to 6500 MB (24-bit compressed, all loops)
Several display modes: Full console, optimized single touch page, dual monitor touch pages
Please check http://www.organartmedia.com/Waltershausen-VCons.html
The following features can be activated (extended mode) and deactivated (authentic mode) optically and functionally by control switches:
- Combination system with 16 programmable combinations
- Extended compasses (invisible)
Manuals: C-f3
Pedal: C-f1
Introductory price (until November, 15, 2009):
690.- Euro, (790.- Euro later on), customers outside EU: 579,83.- Euro
Shipping will be by end of September, order processing due to sequence of the orders.


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Justine Kibbe, Fishers Island Naturalist
Justine Kibbe grew up summering on Fishers Island, where her parents fixed-up an old Fort Wright house on Officer's Row near Silver Eel Cove. She spent long summer days bicycling, exploring, fishing and swimming, all of which instilled in her a passion for marine environments.
Years later, it felt only natural to return to Fishers Island, where she now makes her home.
Today Justine spends most of her time in the field monitoring 12 key sites, where she observes and records data and trends: From variable weather, tides, local wildlife species and migratory birds, to noting marine debris, and the health of seaweed and seagrass. She "reads" the environment and surrounding ecosystems, becoming familiar with its rhythm and verse.
"Our lives present us with many wonderful opportunities—unique circumstances and moments in time that make it possible for us to do something equally wonderful. For me, it would be to share my desire and ability to simply love an Island. I will always be grateful to my Mom, who in her own way from the beginning, encouraged me to do just that…"
In 2013 The Day has published a feature on Justine's work for the Conservancy, complete with video.


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I met JP through my dad, when I was getting ready to go off to college I needed the number one thing a student needs to survive; a laptop. Since JP used to work with computers and he loves technology, my dad decided to introduce me to him because I had no knowledge of laptops. JP was a wonderful help, I told him everything that I wanted in a laptop, and he did the rest. One day, he came to my home and surprised me with my own brand new laptop. He was such a great help to me during my hunt for college necessities and he has been ever since. Now I can count on JP to be a lasting family friend.
"You win with Gwinn" is not just a slogan that rhymes; it's a slogan that's true. JP Gwinn is not your normal car salesman; he fell in love with cars at a young age. After getting his first paycheck from his job at age 14, he went and bought a 1932 Silver Rolls Royce clock radio, which he still has it to this day! As a little boy he owned every Hot Wheels he could get his hands on. Growing up JP and all his friends would set out on the roof guessing the different types of cars as they passed by on the street, it was their own fun little competition. In his later years he would spend hours building replica car models, he even built NASCAR models with one of his sons, Jonathan.
JP is a real family man; he has a wife of 28 years with three kids and four grandkids. Not only does he love his family but he has a heart for others as well. Being a part of the Tascosa Lions Club he and the organization look to help other families in need. Besides his family there is another important factor in JP's life: God. JP and his family attend Mass at St. Mary's Cathedral every Sunday. He really relies on God for everything. That is how he got his job at Greg Lair, it was in God's will that he got to meet the manager of Greg Lair the day he went to visit and it was in God's will that he got hired the same day.
Starting out as a concierge, JP has always been in the customer service industry, he has had many years to perfect the way he works in customer service. Through all those years JP has learned to personalize all orders and services based on one single customer and not a general population. He wants to truly serve his customers to the best of his ability. He will even stay after his shift is over just to make sure his customers are fully satisfied.
Being in the 21st century technology is becoming more and more prominent, and it is taking driving to the next level. Most new cars today have what looks like a tablet that already comes installed in the car. There is one quality about JP that will make him the best car salesman out there… JP loves technology. He admits that he is a huge techie and he is always up to date on the latest and greatest gadget, which is why his favorite type of cars are the newer ones that have all the cool technology.
If you were to buy a car from JP, you would have no worries buying a techie car because he would be able to explain everything so well. It would be just like learning your ABC's all over again.
JP believes in making commitments, not in setting goals. He wants to work hard to break the mold of car salesmen. By making the commitment to personalize service to every single customer, he hopes to achieve the love and loyalty of his customers. JP wants every customer he helps to walk away loving him, and not just thinking he was just a nice car salesman.
By the end of the day JP just wants to have a great career selling cars under Christian ethics and beliefs. He wants to sell cars as a Godly man and he wants people to say he was a great Christian man that loved God and showed it all through selling cars. He wants to be set apart from all the other salesmen and do something different in the car selling industry.
Remember, you win with Gwinn.
Thank you, JP Gwinn, very much for your excellent customer service when my husband and I purchased my new Buick Enclave! I am so happy with this new vehicle and you made the whole thing effortless. "You Win with Gwinn," Most definitely! We will definitely look to Greg Lair Buick GMC again for our future needs!
Mary Crist
Thanks to JP Gwinn, I drove my Crystal Red "Candy on Wheels" Yukon home today! I am super pleased with the service and attentiveness that my husband and I received from JP. ... You can't go wrong at Greg Lair GMC with JP, "You win with Gwinn!" Thank you for all your hard work!
Nicole Parker
Great attention to detail, almost all the paper work was done over the phone, which made my trip easy. I really didn't think I would find Nebraska fans here in Texas. Thank JP. He told me his motto was "Win with Gwinn" and I sure did. Thanks guys. I will be back for more good times and buy another vehicle.
David Wells
... I finally found the right Denali, and the right salesman, the right service package all at Greg Lair. I threw many questions at JP. He answered them all with patience and knowledge. ... I also appreciate his sense of humor as I tried to decide what I really wanted. As he says, "you win with Gwinn" and I did.
Shannon Jackson


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A quicker approval of loans includes a special importance to the unemployed people. Getting ended their only supply of stable earnings, finance starts holding a location of prominence within their lives. With no fast financial help by means of loans for unemployed, they'll only go much deeper within their financial obligations. Thus, a quick loan for unemployed is really a necessity for that unemployed individual compared to only desire as with situation from the regular loan borrowers.
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However, the first is to make sure that the operation is not unduly protracted. Market research of times taken by loan providers for approving and sanctioning the quantity is going to be beneficial in distinguishing between your justifiable and unjustifiable delay along the way. Time taken for approving the short loans for unemployed differs between regions and counties. Thus, borrowers must try to obtain more specific data for any better knowledge of the customs winning a specific place.
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Long-term loans or fast loans are going to give you more money than you get, but you're going to pay more about it. Finally, you need to know what's good for you. Now fast cash loans are able to quickly become a long-term loan, which is taking some days and sometimes even before a fast cash loan.


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The Key Elements of Great Styles
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What to Look into When Choosing the Right Suit
Whenever you are able to dress professionally that there will be an increase in the business value that you have. It is finding the right suit that you need to due to this reason. When you are able to do this one that you will feel confident about yourself and change the way people look at you. But with the number of option that you have that choosing the right one can be challenging as well. And that is why in its article that we will be talking about the many different factors that you need to consider when looking for the right suit.
When choosing the right suit that you need to see to it that you will not be pressuring yourself. Not listening too much on what the salesperson is telling you is a thing that you need to do. Whenever this will happen that you will just be paying for more and will not fit the taste that you want. And they will also be letting you know that everything will look good on you. It is you that will be choosing the suit that you want but you also can take some of their advice.
Make it a point that you will have a purpose for the suit that you have. By seeing to it that you will know what the suit is for that you are also able to find the right one for you. It is also you that needs to look at the occasion that you have to find the best suit for you. It is the right style and color that you will know once you will also determine the purpose.
Knowing the size that you have is a thing that you also need to do. When it comes to suits that many men do not know the size that they have. It is several factors that one needs to be looking at so that they will be able to determine the right sized suit. A suit that has a pad that is not protruding too much is a thing that you should have. A suit that will have buttons that is not far the chest is the one that you need to choose. A suit that has the right length is a thing that you also need to be choosing. See to it that when choosing a suit to choose the one that is not too long or too short.
A suit that you can customize is a thing that you should also look for. A suit that will be uniquely yours is what you will get once you will consider this factor. Choosing the colors for the buttons is one way that you can customize your suit. When it comes to the customization that you will be able to find a number of ideas once you will check online.