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I Am Mother - Full Movie Watch Online, Download and Stream HD
I Am Mother
A while ago, we heard that Oscar winner Hilary Swank was teaming up with first time director Grant Sputore for a brand-new horror film called I Am Mother. We were curious, because Swank's previous forays into the horror genre weren't exactly…good, for the most part. The Gift was solid enough with Sam Raimi at the helm, and The Reaping and The Resident both initially looked promising, but didn't ultimately make the grade, so it was The Demonologist interesting to us that the actress had chosen to dip her toe back into the scream queen water some years later, especially with an unproven director at the helm.
While the sci-fi scenario of I Am Mother will be centered on a sheltered teenage girl, the fulcrum of the film is clearly the titular "Mother," a manipulative matriarch of The Tracker a robot, which has been feeding the young girl lies. We now know that Rose Byrne will voice this crucial role, as reported by Deadline.
Byrne, an Aussie actress and co-star of the Neighbors comedy films, the Insidious horror films and a longtime run on TV series Damages, reprised her X-Men: First Class role as Moira Mactaggert Troupe Zero in 2016's X-Men: Apocalypse. She recently co-starred opposite Domhnall Gleeson in Peter Rabbit.
Views: 423
Genre: Thriller
Director: Grant Sputore
Actors: Clara Rugaard-Larsen, Hazel Sandery, Hilary Swank, Luke Hawker, Maddie Lenton, Rose Byrne, Tahlia Sturzaker
Country: Australia
Duration: 115 min
Release: 2019
IMDb: N/A


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Curry Laksa (Adapted from www.huonaqua.com.au)
Serves 4
3 fresh salmon or ocean trout fillets, skin off – cut into large cubes
8-10 prawns
200g of rice stick noodles
2 tsp peanut oil
1/2 cup of laksa paste
1 litre chicken stock
270ml coconut milk
1 stem of lemongrass, use pale section only and bruise slightly
1 bunch of bok or pan choy quartered
1 tablespoon of lime juice
150 gms beand sprouts
1/2 cup of vietnamese mint leaves
Fresh chilli and lime wedges to serve
Place noodles in a bowl and cover with boiling water , set aside for 5 minutes. Separate noodles with fork and drain.
Heat oil in wok, over medium heat. Add Laksa paste and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes or until aromatic. Add the stock, coconut milk and lemongrass. Stir to combine. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes.
Add the salmon to the stock mixture and simmer for 3 minutes or until the salmon is pink in the middle. Add bok/pak choy in the final 3 minutes of cooking. Stir the lime juice and remove the lemongrass.
Divide the noodles and bean sprouts among the serving bowls. Pour over the coconut milk mixture and sprinkle the mint. Serve your Curry Laksa immediately with a little chilli and some lime wedges.
JC x
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subset: commoncrawl


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After a few days of frustration and sinking in the standings, the Islanders put together a Super Sunday.
Johnny Boychuk's unscreened slap shot beat former Islanders goaltender Anders Nilsson 2:57 into the Barclays Center matinee against the Oilers on Sunday, and the onslaught continued until the final horn. The Islanders' 8-1 victory brought them back above the Eastern Conference playoff cut line and erased some bitter memories from two straight losses.
"The last 10 games, I think we've played well," said Kyle Okposo, who had a hat trick and an assist. "It's good for some guys to get some confidence putting the puck in the net today."
Goals by John Tavares and Nikolay Kulemin chased Nilsson after only 11:24. Former Ranger Cam Talbot fared no better as the Islanders scored four more in the second — two by Okposo and one each by Josh Bailey and Cal Clutterbuck sandwiched around stellar rookie Connor McDavid's lone Edmonton score past Thomas Greiss.
Greiss, playing for the first time since Jan. 12, was exceptionally sharp despite the lopsided final, making 30 saves.
Coming off an ugly 5-1 loss to the Red Wings in Detroit 24 hours earlier — a game that was more about poor goaltending and intermittent breakdowns than a walloping from the Wings — and the late score by Alex Ovechkin that gave the Capitals a 3-2 win on Thursday night, the Islanders awoke Sunday morning out of the Eastern Conference playoff picture for the first time since the opening weeks.
They still had games in hand, and the goal is to put those to good use. With goals from all angles, two on the power play and four from their top scorers, the Islanders put themselves back into third in the Metropolitan Division, a point ahead of the Penguins and Devils and three behind the second-place Rangers with a game in hand.
"Even though we've been playing some good hockey, results are what matter," said Tavares, who had two assists to give him nine points in his last six games. "You could sense in the room we needed this one today."
The Islanders gave as good as they got against the Oilers, who like the Islanders were coming off a 5-1 Saturday afternoon loss, theirs in Montreal. Eric Gryba and Tavares whacked at one another in the second and Zack Kassian chased a few Islanders around before Brian Strait stepped in and took a pounding from the hulking Edmonton forward.
But the Isles were focused on one thing. The last-place Oilers, headed for the draft lottery for a 10th consecutive season, were focused elsewhere.
"They got thumped 5-1 yesterday as well," Oilers coach Todd McLellan said. "It shows where one team is and how far one has to go."
The week ahead brings visits to the Blue Jackets and Hurricanes, teams below the Islanders in the East standings, and the Pacific Division-leading Kings will come to Brooklyn. There are no gaps in the remaining schedule, and the Islanders will have to keep their level up as well as produce.
"You're not going to get eight many nights," Tavares said. "That said, we should've had a few more. We want to get to doing some of the offensive things we were doing last season that made us successful."
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text:
hey, it's a new post
I've been thinking about new ideas for stuff to do on my blog. Many I've dismissed.
"Too time-consuming."
"Too expensive."
"Would require too many meerkats."
But some I kind of liked. Some would make this blog more fun for me and you. Some would change the way you read blogs FOREVER.
However today I am just gonna do a recap of this year's blog posts.
I had some pretty strong feelings about mittens.
I wrote a trilogy of short stories (with pretentious latin titles) that didn't really conclude:
I mentioned Waylon Jennings in the title of a post.
I took a serious look at relationships.
I kinda like this word doodle.
This one too.
This dude should have been wearing mittens.
I have a big noggin.
Of learning how to speak French.
A word doodle based on a random pic.
Hmmm. I see a trend developing.
A bit of a sad(dish) word doodle.
I like your bum. (I really do.)
And then I wrote a book.
Happy New Year!
Filed under: Uncategorized | 9 Comments
9 Responses to "hey, it's a new post"
I know what I'm doing all day today…
I like my bum too. Thanks.
Happy New Year!
Oh Peter! As long as you include more word-doodles that I can pretend are secretly love letters for me, it will be the best blog in the world!
I know you like it, thanks for letting them know! :D Happy New Year Peter!!!!!!!!!! lots of sexy smooches for you :D
Cliffsnotes! YES!
(Admittedly, I just had to look that word up to make sure I was spelling it right, and I wasn't. Always thought it was 'Cliffnotes.'")
oooh Happy New Year to you, friend!
Happy New Year! Wishing you all the best for 2009! :0)
Happy New Year to you, too! I hope it has been a wonderful one so far!


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CD8+ T lymphocyte responses play an important role in controlling HIV-1 replication but escape from CD8+ T cell surveillance may limit the effectiveness of these responses. Mother-to-child transmission of CD8+ T cell escape variants may particularly affect CD8+ T cell recognition of infant HIV-1 epitopes. In this study, amino acid sequence variation in HIV-1 gag and nef was examined in five untreated mother-infant pairs to evaluate the potential role of CD8+ T cell responses in the evolution of the viral quasispecies. Several CD8+ T cell escape variants were detected in maternal plasma. Evaluation of infant plasma viruses at 1–3 mo documented heterogeneity of gag and nef gene sequences and mother-to-child transmission of CD8+ T cell escape variants. Infant HLA haplotype and viral fitness appeared to determine the stability of the escape mutants in the infant over time. Changes in CD8+ T cell epitope sequences were detected in infants' sequential plasma specimens, suggesting that infants are capable of generating virus-specific CD8+ T cell responses that exert selective pressures in vivo. Altogether, these studies document that HIV-1-specific CD8+ T cell responses contribute to the evolution of the viral quasispecies in HIV-1-infected women and their infants and may have important implications for vaccine design.
The CD8+ T cell response plays an important role in controlling HIV-1 or SIV replication and subsequent disease progression. In primary macaque SIV or adult human HIV-1 infection, the detection of HIV-1- and SIV-specific CD8+ T cell responses correlates temporally with the early decline in plasma RNA following peak viremia (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6) and the generation of variant viral sequences suggestive of potent in vivo selective pressures (7, 8). Furthermore, in the macaque model of SIV infection, CD8+ T cell depletion results in impaired control of viral replication (4, 5).
HIV-1-infected individuals harbor many genetically related variants referred to as quasispecies. Quasispecies have been defined as a "dynamic distribution of nonidentical but closely related mutant and recombinant genomes subjected to a continuous process of genetic variation, competition and selection, and which act as a unit of selection" (9). These dynamic distributions are due mainly to viral and host factors such as an error-prone reverse transcriptase, high viral replication rates, and diverse host selective pressures (including CD8+ T cell responses) (10, 11). The generation of these variant viral sequences may also result in diminished CD8+ T cell recognition. CD8+ T cell escape has thus been proposed as a mechanism for CD8+ T cell failure in acute and chronic phases of HIV-1 and SIV infections (7, 12, 13, 14).
We have previously reported mother-to-child transmission (MTCT)3 of antiretroviral therapy (ART)-resistant viruses (15). The detection of ART resistance mutations in infants was associated with only transient responses to therapy. MTCT of CD8+ T cell escape variants may also have important consequences. Because infants share at least three HLA class I alleles with their mothers, MTCT of CD8+ T cell escape variants may compromise the infant's ability to mount CD8+ T cell responses restricted by shared HLA alleles, resulting in reduced control of viral replication. MTCT of CD8+ T cell escape variants have been documented (16), but it is unclear as to how commonly this occurs (17). Although we and others have reported previously the detection of virus-specific CD8+ T cells in the peripheral blood of young infants, the extent to which early infant CD8+ T cell responses are functional in vivo is unknown.
Therefore, we undertook this study to better understand the potential selective pressures exerted by CD8+ T cells on viral sequences in HIV-1-infected women and their infants. Maternal plasma sequences were analyzed at delivery along with early infant viral sequences to detect the presence of CD8+ T cell variants in maternal plasma and transmission of these variants to their infants. Serial plasma samples obtained from infants over the first year of life were also studied to determine the fate of transmitted variants and the potential selective pressures exerted by infant CD8+ T cell responses in early infection.
Materials and Methods
Study population
Five HIV-1 infected mother-infant pairs were studied. Diagnostic studies (DNA PCR, viral isolation) in all but one infant (P-1115) were consistent with HIV-1 infection during the intrapartum period (18). P-1115 was considered infected in utero following viral isolation from cord blood and from peripheral blood at 1 day of age. RNA was extracted from maternal plasma at delivery and from infant plasma obtained at three different time points (1–3, 3–6, and 11–15 mo of age). This study examined plasma samples obtained before the routine use of ART to interrupt mother-to child HIV-1 transmission, and none of the mothers was on ART at delivery. Characteristics of the mother-infant pairs studied are shown in Table I⇓. The Human Studies Committee at the University of Massachusetts Medical School approved these studies and informed consent was obtained for participation.
Amplification, cloning, and sequencing of maternal and infant viruses
Viral RNA was extracted from 200 μl of plasma using High Pure Viral RNA kit (Roche Diagnostics). We focused on gag and nef genes because these are highly immunogenic regions of HIV-1 (19). cDNA was generated using random hexamers or a reverse primer specific for the 5′ end of pol RTRD: 5′-CTGTCCACCATGCTTCCC-3′, complementary to positions 3742–3759 according to HXB2 numbering (〈http://hiv-web.lanl.gov〉) to allow for complete amplification of gag and nef gag primers were as follows: FGF60, 5′-CAGACCCTTTTAGTCAGTGTGGAAAATC-3′, positions 600–627; and RTRA, 5′-GTTGACTCAGATTGGTTGCA-3′ complementary to positions 2519–2538). Primers for the nef gene were as follows: 587, 5′-AATCTCCTACAGTATTGGAGTCAG-3′, positions 8616–8639; and NEF OA, 5′-GCCCAGGCCACGCCTCCCTGG-3′, complementary to positions 372–392. For the second amplification, gag primers were as follows: GAG000; 5′-GACTAGCGGAGGCTAGAAG-3′, positions 764–782; and GAG G10, 5′-TACTGTATCATCTGCTCCTGTATC-3′, complementary to positions 2325–2348. Second round primers for nef gene were as follows: NEF IS, 5′-CCACATATCTAGAAGAATAAGACAGGG-3′, complementary positions 8747–8773; and NEF IA, 5′-AGTCCCCCGCGGAAAGTCCCTTGTAGC-3′, complementary to positions 343–369. Following verification of specific amplification by gel electrophoresis, gag and nef EcoRI restriction digest analysis. Ten clones per gene were sequenced at each time point for each patient using universal primers T3 and T7 (Davis Sequencing).
Sequence analyses
The nucleotide sequences from the subtype B reference strain HXB2 and from different subtypes were downloaded from the Los Alamos database (〈http://hiv-web.lanl.gov〉). Sequences were aligned with the Clustal X program (20) and later edited by hand. All positions with alignments gaps in at least one sequence were excluded from further analysis. The number of different bases in pairwise comparisons and phylogenetic analysis were determined by the Molecular Evolutionary Genetic Analysis (MEGA) program (21). DNA distance matrices were calculated by the Kimura two-parameter method. Phylogenetic trees were constructed with distance matrices, using the neighbor-joining method as implemented in MEGA. The robustness of each tree was evaluated by bootstrap analysis of 1000 replicas. The dN and dS values were calculated according to the Suzuki and Gojobori method (22) as the average of values obtained at each amino acid position.
Shannon entropy values were calculated as another measure of variability. The normalized Shannon entropy was calculated as -Σi ((pi × lnpi)/lnN)) in which pi is the frequency of each sequence in the quasispecies and N is the total number of sequences compared. A Shannon entropy (23) value of 1 means that all genomes in the quasispecies distribution differ in at least one amino acid (highly heterogeneous population), whereas a value of 0 means that all genomes are identical (highly homogeneous population).
PBMC and B lymphoblastoid cell lines (B-LCL)
PBMC were isolated from whole blood using the Ficoll-Paque (Amersham Biosciences) density centrifugation method and were viably cryopreserved in RPMI 1640 containing 10% DMSO. PBMC used for ELISPOT assays were thawed and washed twice in RPMI 1640 supplemented with 10% FBS, 25 mM HEPES, and 10 mg/L gentamicin (R10 medium) before counting. Autologous B-LCL were generated for each infant by transformation with EBV and maintained in R10 medium.
Molecular HLA class I typing
Genomic DNA was extracted from 4 to 5 million PBMC or B-LCL using the QIAamp DNA minikit (Qiagen). HLA class I A, B, and C typing was performed using the Biotest ABC SSPtray (Biotest Diagnostics).
Peptide synthesis
Peptides for use in the study were synthesized by Genemed Synthesis. All peptides were HPLC purified with a minimum purity of 95% and analyzed by mass spectrometry.
IFN-γ ELISPOT assay
HIV-1-specific CD8+ T cell responses were quantified by ELISPOT assay as described previously. Before the addition of cells, a 96-well flat-bottom plate (MAIPN1450; Millipore) was coated with 1 mg/ml anti-IFN-γ mAb (D1K; Mabtech) and allowed to sit overnight at 4°C. After washing the plate with cold PBS, each plate was blocked for nonspecific Ab binding by the addition of 200 μl/well R10 medium for 2 h at 37°C. PBMC (105) from each time point were added to each well in triplicate per study subject. In infant plates, 105 autologous B-LCL previously incubated with peptides (10 μg/ml) were added to appropriate wells to bring the total volume in each well to 100 μl. This constituted an E:T ratio (PBMC:B-LCL) of 1:1. To ensure assay consistency, all study time points per study subject were assayed on the same ELISPOT plate. Each plate was incubated for 16–20 h overnight at 37°C in 5% CO2. After overnight incubation, the plate was washed with cold PBS, and 0.5 mg/ml of a secondary, biotinylated anti-IFN-γ mAb (7-B6-1; Mabtech) was added for 3 h at room temperature. The plate was washed again with cold PBS, and 0.5 mg/ml streptavidin-alkaline phosphatase conjugate (Mabtech) was added for 2 h at room temperature. Spot-forming cells (SFC) were visualized after alkaline phosphatase color development (Bio-Rad).
SFC were counted using an automatic plate reader (ImmunoSpot Software Version 3; Cellular Technology) and were expressed as SFC/106 PBMC. Two criteria were used to define positive responses. First, each well (from triplicate wells) must have had a minimum of 6 SFC (corresponding to 60 SFC/106 PBMC). Second, the experimental SFC frequency must have exceeded the mean of all triplicate negative control wells (PBMC or PBMC + B-LCL without peptide) by 2 SDs. PHA stimulation of PMBC samples from all study time points served as positive controls for IFN-γ release.
Mutagenesis, DNA transfection, and infections
The wild type HIV-1 proviral DNA used was plasmid pNL43. A 1.9-kb fragment was amplified with primers FGF60 and RTRA. This amplicon was cut with BssHII-ApaI restriction enzymes, and a 1.3-kb fragment was obtained. This fragment was subcloned into the PCR4 TOPO vector as a target plasmid for mutagenesis. The mutation found in a B*4002-restricted epitope (E17K (p17)) was performed using mutation primers 5′-GGGGAGAATTAGATAAATGGAAAAAAATTCGGTTAAGGCCAGG-3′ and 5′-CCTGGCCTTAACCGAATTTTTTTCCATTTATCTAATTCTCCCC-3′ and QuikChange site-directed mutagenesis kit (Stratagene) according to the manufacturer's instructions. The presence of the desired mutation was confirmed by sequencing the whole fragment inserted. To generate the mutated HIV-1 proviral DNA clone, the BssHII-ApaI fragment, carrying the E17K mutation, was reinserted into the parental pNL43 plasmid. The mutated pNL43 plasmid has been designated as pNL43p17E17K.
Hela and MT-4 cells were maintained in DMEM with 10% FBS and R10 medium, respectively. Hela cells (3 × 106) were seeded into 75-cm2 tissue culture flasks 24 h before transfection. HeLa cultures were transfected by the calcium phosphate precipitation technique with 20 μg of each proviral plasmid DNA (pNL43 and pNL43p17E17K). After 48 h posttransfection, supernatants were collected, passed through 0.45-μm pore size filters, and quantified viral production by p24 Ag detection assay. Equivalent p24 amounts (10 ng/ml) of pNL43 and pNL43p17E17K were used to infect 4 × 106 fresh MT-4 cells. Viral replication was monitored by p24 Ag detection.
Marked heterogeneity of early infant viruses
Several investigators have reported limited diversity of HIV-1 envelope (env) third variable region gene sequences of viruses obtained in early pediatric HIV-1 infection (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29) and have proposed the transmission or posttransmission selection of single viral strains. However, other investigators have reported heterogeneity of other regions of HIV-1 env or gag p17, suggesting the transmission of multiple variants (30, 31, 32). Therefore, we thought it important to evaluate the heterogeneity of maternal and early infant HIV-1 gag and nef sequences.
A total of 20 samples from five mother-infant pairs were studied (Table I⇑). The nucleotide sequences from 190 clones were obtained (10 clones/sample; the gag gene in infant P-1026 could not be amplified at the second time point). Phylogenetic trees constructed using mother-infant sequences and subtype reference sequences (〈http://hiv-web.lanl.gov〉) showed that all mother-infant sequences clustered in the same clade as subtype B reference sequences. All sequences in both genes from each mother-infant pair formed distinct clusters with bootstrap values of 100% (data not shown).
Intrapatient genetic distances were calculated using the MEGA program. Mean maternal intrapatient genetic distances ranged from 0.2 to 1.6% of nucleotides for gag and 0.2 to 1.7% for nef (Table II⇓). At the first time point (1–3 mo of age), the mean intrapatient genetic distances for infant sequences ranged from 0.6 to 1.5% for gag and 0.2 to 1.4% for nef. Between the first and second time point (median elapsed time = 2 mo), mean intrapatient genetic distances increased by 1–1.5% for gag and 0.4–1.2% for nef. Additional diversification of infant gag and nef sequences were observed between the second and third time points (0.8–1.5% for gag and 0.9–1.7% for nef; median elapsed time = 7 mo).
To further examine the diversity of maternal and early infant viral variants, amino acid sequences from each mother at delivery and each infant at the first time point (1–3 mo of age) were aligned, and the alignments were used to calculate individual Shannon entropy values (Table II⇑). The Shannon entropy values for all maternal gag sequences at delivery were 1.0, suggesting a high degree of heterogeneity of maternal gag sequences. By contrast, the Shannon entropy values for maternal nef sequences at delivery were more variable and ranged from 0.53 to 1. Shannon entropy values for first infant gag sequences (1–3 mo of age) were also uniformly at or close to 1, indicating heterogeneity of the sequences. First infant nef sequence Shannon entropy values ranged from 0.85 to 1, suggesting a high degree of heterogeneity of these early viral sequences.
Altogether, the analyses of the intrapatient genetic distances and the Shannon entropy values document a high degree of heterogeneity of early infant viral sequences. These data suggest that multiple viral strains are commonly transmitted from mothers to their infants. Alternatively, early viral replication may be subject to sufficient selective pressures to drive rapid evolution of the viral quasispecies (33). Analyses of additional early samples obtained at more closely spaced intervals may help to distinguish between these two possibilities.
Multiple CD8+ T cell epitope variants are detected in maternal plasma
We were interested next in determining whether CD8+ T cell epitope variants could be detected in maternal plasma viral sequences at delivery. To identify potential CD8+ T cell escape variants, pairwise comparisons of HXB2 and maternal plasma amino acid sequences were performed. We used the HXB2 reference sequence because the majority of optimal CD8+ T cell epitopes described in the HIV-1 Immunology Database (〈www.hiv.lanl.gov〉) are based on this sequence. Several amino acid differences between maternal and HXB2 sequences were detected (Table III⇓). To select amino acid changes possibly due to CD8+ T cell selective pressures, we established conservative criteria by focusing on variants within epitopes restricted by maternal HLA alleles that were present in >30% of the maternal quasispecies and that were represented in <10% in the alignments from all subtypes and recombinant forms available at the HIV-1 Sequence Database (〈www.hiv.lanl.gov〉). These criteria minimize the likelihood that the changes occurred through chance alone but may underestimate CD8+ T cell escape variants that have become fixed in the population (11, 34)
A total of 17possible (9 in gag and 8 in nef) CD8+ T cell escape variants was identified (Table III⇑). As expected, several variants were found within CD8+ T cell epitopes restricted by maternal HLA alleles (e.g., Figs. 1⇓, top panel, and 2⇓). Of interest was that potential CD8+ T cell variants were also found within CD8+ T cell epitopes restricted by HLA alleles commonly represented in our clinical populations (HLA A*2, A*24, and B*7) but not shared by the mother (Fig. 1⇓, lower panels). For example, a variant of a HLA A*2-restricted epitope in nef (aa 83–91; AAVDMSHFL) was detected in the plasma of a HLA A*2− woman (M-1002), and a variant of a HLA A*24-restricted epitope in nef (aa 186–194) was detected in an HLA A*24-negative woman (M-1001).
Maternal and infant recognition of variant sequences
Using ELISPOT assays, we next investigated whether maternal and infant CD8+ T cells recognized the transmitted epitope variants. Because of the limited numbers of PBMC available, nine epitope variants restricted by five different HLA alleles were tested: A*2-AL9 (AAVDMSHFL, nef 83–91), A*2-GL9 (GALDLSHFL, nef 83–91), A*24-DM9 (DSRLAFQHM, nef 186–194), A*24-DK9 (DSTLAFQHK, nef 186–194), A*24-QW9 (QYKLKHIVW, gag 28–36), A*30-RY10a (RLRPGGKKQY, gag 20–29), A*30-RY10b (RLRPGGKKRY, gag 20–29), B*7-RW9 (RPMTHQAAW, nef 77–85), and B*40-GI9 (GELDRWKKI, gag 11–19); throughout text, underlined letters in sequences denote amino acid substitutions (mutations) in the peptide (see also footnote a in Table IV⇓). Five of the nine epitope variants (AL9, DM9, DK9, QW9, and GI9) were recognized at lower responder cell frequencies compared with wild type (Fig. 1⇑). An A*24+ mother (M-1003) recognized a HLA A*24-restricted gag epitope but did not recognize the epitope variant. Her HLA A*24+ infant (P-1189) did not recognize either the wild-type sequence or the variant. Variants of a HLA A*24-restricted nef epitope (aa 186–194; AVDLSHFLK) were detected in the plasma of two mothers (M-1003, HLA A*24+ and M-1001, HLA A*24−). CD8+ T cell responses to the wild-type and variant sequences were not detected in PBMC from these women. Responses to the wild-type and variant sequences were detected in infant P-1189 (HLA A*24+) at 2 mo of age, but the frequency of responses to the variant sequence was ∼3-fold less than the response to the wild-type sequence. Infant P-1024 responded to both the wild-type and the variant sequences at 4 mo of age; the responder cell frequency to the variant sequence was 65% of the responder cell frequency to the wild-type sequence. At 15 mo of age, P-1024 did not recognize either the wild-type or the variant epitope, and reversion of sequences to wild type was noted. Additional PBMC were not available from these infants to do additional assays (including peptide titrations) to confirm reduced recognition of the variant sequences. To confirm that DK9 and DM9 epitope variants were escape mutants, a peptide titration using PBMC from another HLA A*24+ individual was performed. Markedly reduced responder cell frequencies to both variants were detected compared with wild type (Fig. 3⇓). Of the four remaining variants, two epitopes (RY10a and GL9) were not recognized on ELISPOT assays using maternal PBMC, and two variants (RW9 and RY10b) were recognized as well as wild-type epitopes by the B*7 and A*30+ infants (data not shown).
CD8+ T cell escape variants are commonly transmitted to infants
To determine whether CD8+ T cell epitope variants found in maternal sequences were transmitted to the infants, infant plasma viral sequences from the first time point (1–3 mo of age) were compared with their maternal viral sequences at delivery (Table IV⇑). Subsequent comparisons with infant viral sequences from the second (3–6 mo of age) and the third time points (11–15 mo of age) were done to analyze fixation over time (Table III⇑).
In all but one case, variants similar to those found in maternal plasma samples were detected in the first infant plasma specimen. When mothers and infants shared the restricting HLA alleles, these variant amino acid sequences were usually found at subsequent time points (e.g., QW9 and DK9; Table IV⇑). Even when mothers and infants did not share the restricting HLA allele, most variant sequences were maintained over time (e.g., the Q28K substitution in an HLA A*30-restricted gag p17 epitope in P-1189 or the P14N in an HLA B*8-restricted nef epitope in P-1024; Table III⇑). Because many of the persistent variants represented single nucleotide substitutions, their persistence likely indicates that these mutations do not significantly limit viral fitness. Alternatively, the lack of reversion may have been due to CD8+ T cell-mediated selective pressure restricted by an infant HLA allele not shared with the mother; however, we did not find evidence to support this.
Amino acid substitutions were also detected within optimal epitopes restricted by HLA alleles commonly represented in our clinical populations (HLA A*2, A*24, B*7) but not shared by the mother. These variant sequences were also passed to the infants; when the infant had the restricting HLA allele, these variants were often detected in the infants' subsequent plasma samples. For example, a variant of a HLA A*2-restricted epitope in nef (aa 83–91; AAVDMSHFL) was detected in a HLA A*2- mother (M-1002; Fig. 1⇑); the same amino acid substitution was found in plasma samples from her HLA A*2+ infant (P-1031) at 2, 4, and 11 mo of age. Reduced recognition of the variant sequences was noted using PBMC obtained from the infant at 4 mo of age (50% of wild type) but variant sequences were not recognized at 11 mo of age.
Only one documented maternal escape variant was not represented in the infant's first sequences. This variant was a rare amino acid substitution E17K in a B*40-restricted gag p17 (aa 11–19; GI9) epitope that was present in all 10 maternal viral clones at delivery (Fig. 2⇑A). ELISPOT assays performed using maternal PBMC revealed recognition of the wild-type but not the variant sequence (Fig. 2⇑B). Of interest, is that this amino acid substitution was not detected in any plasma samples obtained from her infant (at 2, 4, and 11 mo of age). Lack of detection of the virus in the infant's plasma despite common detection of this mutation in the maternal plasma suggests that either a minor wild-type variant was transmitted or that a variant was transmitted but rapidly reverted in the absence of continued CD8+ T cell-selective pressure. This epitope was noted to lie in the α helical region-1 of p17, which is known to be important for viral replication in culture (35). Thus, site-directed mutagenesis was performed to introduce the E17K substitution into a pNL4-3 background. HeLa cultures were then transfected with each proviral plasmid DNA (pNL4-3 and pNL43P17E17K), viruses were collected, and then used to infect MT-4 cells. After infection with equivalent amounts of p24 Ag (10 ng/ml), the mutant virus showed markedly lower levels of replication compared with the wild-type virus, confirming that the E17K substitution adversely affected viral replication (Fig. 2⇑C).
Early infant CD8+ T cell responses exert selective pressure in vivo
Although we have previously reported the detection of HIV-1-specific CD8+ T cell responses in young infants (36, 37, 38), an important question is whether these early virus-specific CD8+ T cell responses are active in vivo. We and others have previously demonstrated that the analysis of viral sequences over time can be used to detect and measure the effects of selective pressures exerted by antiretroviral agents or immune responses in vivo. As indicated by the phylogenetic analyses above, infant viral sequences appeared to diversify over time. To evaluate the potential contribution of CD8+ T cell-selective pressures in vivo, we calculated the ratio of synonymous to nonsynonymous amino acid substitutions (dN/dS) in the gag and nef genes over time. Pairwise comparison between first time point consensus sequences and sequences from the second time point revealed a dN:dS ratio > 1 in the nef gene sequences from four infants (Table V⇓). Nonsynonymous mutations were distributed throughout nef (Fig. 4⇓).
Similar pairwise comparisons of gag p55 gene sequences revealed dN/dS > 1 in only one of four infants. Generally, dN/dS tends to be <1 (purifying selection) when a large gene is analyzed globally because of the requirement to maintain protein function. Silent (synonymous) nucleotide changes usually predominate among the surviving variant sequences. Given the possibility that analysis of the whole gene may have obscured selective pressures on individual proteins within the gag gene, we analyzed the dN/dS ratio in gag p17, p24, and p15 (p2p7p6p1). Analysis of the number of the nonsynonymous mutations compared with length of each protein over gag confirmed that the mutations clustered mainly in p15 (p = 0.001, χ2 test; Fig. 4⇑). A significant relation was observed between accumulation of dN/dS values > 1 (positive selection) in the nef gene compared with dN/dS values > 1 in the gag p55 gene (p = 1.3 × 10 −6; χ2 test). A significant relation was also observed between accumulations of dN/dS values > 1 in p15 compared with p17 and p24 together (p = 0.0032; χ2 test).
Analysis of sequences within potential epitopes restricted by infant HLA alleles revealed evidence of CD8+ T cell selective pressures as early as 2–3 mo of age. In a HLA A*24+ infant (P-1026), a Y135F amino acid substitution (resulting from a single nucleotide substitution TAT to TTT) was detected in an A*24-restricted nef epitope (aa 134–143; RYPLTFGWCF). Epitope variant RFPLTFGWCF (mutation Y135F) was present as early as 3 mo of age and at 13 mo of age was the predominant variant (Fig. 5⇓). This mutation was not detected in the HLA A*24-negative mother's plasma at delivery. This variant has been described as a common escape mutant in HLA A*24+ hemophiliacs (39). Of interest, is that recognition of A*24+CD8+ T cells pulsed with variant RFPLTFGWCF peptide was equivalent to recognition of the unaltered sequence. However, this mutation resulted in decreased recognition of cells expressing the Nef variant by CD8+ T cell clones established from two A24+ patients. The latter was associated with reduced expression of native Nef proteins by Western blot analysis, likely due to a disruption of the normal processing of native Nef proteins. Similarly, we detected diminished recognition of A*24+CD8+ T cells pulsed with variant RFPLTFGWCF peptide only at a very high molar peptide concentration 10−4 (data not shown), confirming that the mechanism for escape was not likely due to impaired HLA binding but was more likely due to abnormal processing of Nef, as previously reported.
In another HLA A*24+ infant (P-1024), Q192H substitution was detected within an A*24-restricted nef epitope (aa 186–194; DSRLAFQHM) in 6 of 10 clones by 2 mo and 7 of 10 clones at 4 mo coincident with the detection by ELISPOT of enhanced CD8+ T cell responses to the wild-type sequence compared with the variant sequence (Fig. 1⇑); this mutation represented the minority (3 of 10 clones) of maternal sequences at delivery. Of interest, is that reversion of this and all but one other CD8+ T cell escape mutations were noted in this infants' plasma at 15 mo of age coincident with a decline in CD4+ T cell count and the lack of detectable epitope-specific responses by ELISPOT. Thus, our data suggest that CD8+ T cell selective pressures were responsible for the generation of the variant sequences and that reversion occurred when CD8+ T cell responses were no longer detectable.
These studies were undertaken to better understand the potential selective pressures exerted by CD8+ T cells on viral sequences in HIV-1-infected women and their infants. Heterogeneity of maternal viral sequences was demonstrated, and CD8+ T cell escape variants were commonly detected in maternal plasma. Evaluation of early infant plasma viruses documented heterogeneity of gag and nef gene sequences and common MTCT of CD8+ T cell escape variants. Infant HLA haplotype and viral fitness appeared to determine the stability of the CD8+ T cell escape mutants in the infant over time. Finally, changes within CD8+ T cell epitopes were detected in infants' plasma over the first year of life, suggesting that early infant CD8+ T cell responses are active in vivo and exert selective pressures on the viral quasispecies.
Evaluation of the evolution of the quasispecies over time can provide important clues to selective pressures operant in vivo. However, the degree to which various factors may exert selective pressure on the virus is highly dependent not only on the specificity and strength of the selective force but also on the functional importance of the region of the targeted viral gene. Our data are compatible with population-based studies (11), as well as studies of infected individuals (43), which suggest that HIV-1 epitope-specific CD8+ T cell responses exert significant selective pressures on the viral quasispecies; SIV epitope-specific CD8+ T cell responses also appear to exert selective pressures in vivo (reviewed in Ref.43).
Variability of founder viral sequences may present a challenge to immune control of viral replication. Selective transmission of a few viral variants has been proposed in horizontal as well as vertical transmission due to the detection of highly homogeneous env sequences in recently infected individuals and greater env gene diversity found in individuals chronically infected (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29). However, heterogeneous populations in HIV-1 env have also been described. To our knowledge, our data are among the first to document heterogeneity of early infant gag and nef gene sequences (26, 30, 44). Although it is possible that some or all of the heterogeneity detected in the first infant sequences resulted from early host selective pressures, all but one of the infants studied acquired infection during birth, and the first samples represent time points very close to the acquisition of infection.
CD8+ T cell escape variants were commonly found in maternal plasma specimens. Because we focused on defined optimal epitopes, our studies likely underestimate the frequency of CD8+ T cell-mediated pressure in our study population. Most occurred in epitopes restricted by maternal HLA alleles, implying that they arose as a result of escape from maternal CD8+ T cell responses. However, several CD8+ T cell escape variants were detected that occurred within epitopes not known to be restricted by any of the maternal HLA alleles; these variants occurred within epitopes restricted by common HLA alleles (e.g., HLA A*2) and likely represent imprints of viral passage through prior hosts. In the same way that viruses resistant to antiretroviral therapies can be transmitted (15), it appears that CD8+ T cell escape variants may become fixed and may be propagated through populations (11). Vaccines that incorporate these epitopes may thus provide little protection against infection.
Studying the fate of CD8+ T cell escape variants over time following transmission between individuals may be a powerful tool to determine the fitness cost of the mutations in vivo. The detection of CD8+ T cell escape variants restricted by nonmaternal HLA alleles in the mothers studied and the persistence of maternal CD8+ T cell escape variants following their transmission to infants who do not share the restricting alleles suggest that the selective pressures exerted by CD8+ T cells commonly target areas of the virus in which mutations do not significantly affect the fitness of the virus to replicate in vivo. In contrast, escape variants with a high fitness cost to the virus are going to be no longer present in the recipient's viral population when they are transmitted to a non-HLA-matched individual. As an example, we found a rare mutation E17K in gag p17 (α helix 1) in a B*4002-restricted epitope GELDRWEKI (GI9) in sequences from a B*40+ mother (M-1002). The amino acid substitution E17K (GELDRWKKI) was not detected in her B*40− child's viral population. Of note was that the amino acid substitution was located in a very conserved region (gag p17, α helix 1) previously described to be important for viral replication in Jurkat cells (35). We also demonstrated reduced recognition of this epitope variant GELDRWKKI in ELISPOT assays and that NL4-3 viruses containing this mutation E17K did not replicate in MT-4 cells. Of note is that this mother must have had replicating virus to transmit HIV to her infant. Therefore, we cannot exclude the existence of compensatory secondary mutations that partially restored viral fitness in vivo. Another possible explanation for detecting only wild-type sequences in the B*40− child at 2 mo of age is that a minor population of wild-type viruses was transmitted and predominated in the absence of the selective pressure. CD8+ T cell epitopes in which variants have impaired fitness may represent good targets for inclusion into HIV-1 vaccines. Further studies should be done to identify these.
We have previously reported MTCT of ART-resistant viruses; the detection of ART resistance mutations in infants before therapy was associated with only transient response to therapy (15). The transmission of CD8+ T cell escape variants may similarly compromise the ability of infants to control HIV-1 replication. When CD8+ T cell escape variants were transmitted to infants with the restricting HLA allele, the variants were commonly detected in sequential infant plasma samples throughout the first 11–15 mo of life. This, together with documentation of reduced recognition of the variants by infant CD8+ T cells, suggests that the transmission of maternal CD8+ T cell variants may compromise the infants' ability to generate effective HIV-1-specific CD8+ T cell responses. We and others have previously described the detection of virus-specific CD8+ T cells in fetuses (45), cord blood (36), or in peripheral blood samples taken as early as 1 day of age (38, 46), implying that the ability to generate virus-specific T cells begins in utero. However, direct evidence for the in vivo activity of these early virus-specific CD8+ T cell responses has been lacking. We observed de novo generation of an amino acid substitution (Y135F) within an A24-restricted epitope in infant P-1026. This mutation has been described previously as a common escape mutant in HLA A24+ hemophiliacs. Our data demonstrating the detection of CD8+ T cell escape variants as early as 2–3 mo of age is thus the first to document that young infants can generate CD8+ T cell responses that exert selective pressures in vivo and contribute to viral evolution over the first year of life. These data also provide support for the use of vaccines to prevent or modify the course of HIV-1 infection in young infants.
We thank the infants and their families for their participation in these studies. We also thank Margaret McManus for data management, Linda Lambrecht and Joyce Pepe for technical assistance, Mei Gong for assistance with viral cloning, and Wanda DePasquale for preparation of the manuscript.
The authors have no financial conflict of interest.
The costs of publication of this article were defrayed in part by the payment of page charges. This article must therefore be hereby marked advertisement in accordance with 18 U.S.C. Section 1734 solely to indicate this fact.
↵1 This work was supported by National Institutes of Health Grants AI 32391 and HD 01489 (to K.L.) and University of Massachusetts Center for AIDS Research Grant AI 42845.
↵2 Address correspondence and reprint requests to Dr. Katherine Luzuriaga, University of Massachusetts Medical School, 373 Plantation Street, Biotech II, Suite 318, Worcester, MA 01605. E-mail address: katherine.luzuriaga{at}umassmed.edu
↵3 Abbreviations used in this paper: MTCT, mother-to-child transmission; ART, antiretroviral therapy; B-LCL, B lymphoblastoid cell line; SFC, spot-forming cell.
- Received January 4, 2005.
- Accepted September 1, 2005.
- Copyright © 2005 by The American Association of Immunologists


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Hong Kong sight + useful Kowloon check in (Day 5)
Hong Kong Day 5
As usual: Bad resolution photos are mine. Good and lomo photos are from my talented friend, Roger Yeo. Check out his Facebook for more photos, he does photo shoots. Some other photos are from Shu En's Olympus Pen. If you're interested to know whose who's, drop a comment.
We took a walk through the wet market which was… the same as Singapore's one I suppose.
We headed back to our apartment to pick up our bags. The apartment owner kindly told us that at Kowloon MTR, you could check in your luggage so you don't have to lug your luggage around town. That sounded perfect for us because we needed to check out in the day, and our flight was at night. In order to utilise this free service, you'll be required to ride the Airport Express -which is a train that operates from a few MTR stations. So technically, you are paying for the check-in service.
However, not all airlines have the check-in service so do check ahead. Our single trip ticket cost 60HKD which was about SGD9.60. We bought the single trip ticket because a very rude customer service officer said, " Well if you are a millionaire, you can pay using your octopus card" to my friend. If I was there I would gladly told her that "thanks, I'm a millionaire and I'll be sure to do that."
But we still bought the single trip ticket anyway.
Useful links:


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Select, from a list, the feeling that best describes your current mood
From the phrases on the topic, select the one that better ilustrates how you feel
Add your own photo or, if you prefer, illustrate it with one of the on topic images provided
Easily share the result with your friends and the world on social networks
Organized and cataloged by feelings.
Hand-picked: the most beautiful pictures ever seen in a app.
Flat and modern design with easy and intuitive usage.
Available for most of the smartphones.
Be sure you're connected to the internet (WIFI/3G), wait a couple of minutes after opening the application, select options (top right button), click "enter code" and enter the code, without quotation marks and respecting the case.
To bring up a background picture to illustrate a quote, touch and hold the screen for about two seconds. To change the image, touch again. Touching and holding for more than 5 seconds brings up the image slideshow. To stop it and select the current image, touch the screen.
Only 5000 quotes are available on the free version and some feelings are blocked. You can upgrade it by selecting the Options menu.
This is a known Android bug that we are trying to fix. It would help if you could be so kind to report us the brand and model of your smartphone.
Please use the form below. We'll try to be as brief as possible.
Testing this app has been a marvelous experience. It seems to read my mind!Joana Lencastre, Betatester
Presented images are always very beautiful and perfect for each quote. Fantastic app.João Antunes, Betatester


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My Content
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Album Title: Signing
By: Joe Locke
Label: Motema Music
Released: 2012
Locke and Keezer have an enviable symbiosis in performance, and their new album is further evidence of it. This particular track comes with plenty of bright notes, but accompanied with a corresponding sense of melancholia. Light and dark, serenity and tension... contradictions that Locke & Keezer have a talent for meshing.
With the release of the Joe Locke /Geoffrey Keezer group's Signing, the much in-demand follow-up to its debut, Live in Seattle (Earshot Awards' "Best live performance of 2006"), Locke's career is set to kick into yet a higher gear. The award-winning artist has teamed up with Motema Music, a strategic collaboration in the coming year-and-a-half to release a series of three Locke projects, each designed to demonstrate a different facet of his unerring lyricism, unfettered imagination, and show-stopping virtuosity. Personnel: Joe Locke (vibes), Geoffrey Keezer (piano), Mike Pope (bass), and Terreon Gully (drums).
Locke's "The Lost Lenore," was first heard on Storms/Nocturne Trio's self-titled 2001 Sirocco Records debut, but is reworked here with deeper groove and a different kind of lyricism. Signing reprises the deep chemistry, inimitable virtuosity and underlying lyricism that made Live in Seattle such a breath of fresh air. With virtually no rehearsal and nearly every track a first take, there's an energy, excitement and persistent sense of discovery not unlike Live in Seattle, despite Signing being a studio recording.
July 9, 2012
This track appears by permission of the contributing artist and/or record company.
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Government Telecom Company Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited has decided not to have any BSNL blackout days starting from New Year Eve (31st December 2018) and for Calendar Year 2019 under BSNL GSM mobile services.
All consumers of mobile services will continue to get all free SMS offers on unlimited plans and on special tariff vouchers while surfing or talking to their near and dear ones on New Year eve and New Year 2019 as per subscribed BSNL Offers, and it has also extended No blackout days for the calendar year 2019 (i.e. on 1st January 2019).
Coming to the earlier situation, every operator declares BlackOut days as per TRAI reporting and the Black Out days shall not exceed a maximum of five (5) days in a calendar year. Indian premiere brand followed the policy, and enabled BSNL mobile plan consumer to make an informed choice about the telecom services.
In telecom, Blackout means, the available Free or Concessional/ Discounted Voice Calls / SMS with or without STVs/ Rate cutters offered by the operator under any plan/package are not available to mobile customers in these days. The operator BSNL informs all mobile plan customers of prepaid and postpaid services about these days through SMS.
The information is not earlier than seventy-two hours and not later than twenty-four hours before the commencement of that day, occasion, date and the rate applicable for calls and SMS on such BSNL BlackOut days.
In keeping with the guidelines issued by TRAI regarding 'Black Out Days', BSNL has proposed the five days as 'BlackOut Days,' accordingly, and brought to the notice of esteemed customers. These BSNL Mobile blackout days also adjusted in some BSNL circles according to with their local festivals, which will inform mobile customers in earlier.
Shri Anupam Shrivastav, Chairman and Managing Director, BSNL, while conveying the best wishes of the New Year 2019, informed that BSNL is always proactive in offering benefits to its esteemed customers with clear example like the removal of blackout days.


text:
Why the Left lost in Bengal
Tag: cpm
"Mogoj Dholai" of people of West Bengal
The sad state of West Bengal
Bandhs (Strikes) is your birthright and you shall have it !!
Trying to make light of the sad state of affairs of West Bengal – A state today whose USP now is Bandhs
The state of state of West Bengal….
West Bengal and the anarchishm which rules it


text:
Eureka Centre
The Eureka Centre is located at the historic site of 1854 Eureka Stockade rebellion and is home to one of Australia's most revered cultural artefacts – the Eureka Flag.
On this page
The Eureka Centre
Find us at 102 Stawell Street South, Ballarat, Victoria 3350
Enter next to the Eureka Aquatic Centre
The Eureka Centre explores the cultural impact of the gold rush and tells the stories of the men and women who risked their lives in the fight for miners' rights.
Located at the historic site of the 1854 Eureka Stockade, the Eureka Centre is home to one of Australia's most iconic cultural objects – the Eureka Flag (The Flag of the Southern Cross).
The centre is surrounded by the scenic Eureka Stockade Memorial Gardens. It is a perfect place to grab a coffee, enjoy the wonderful park surrounds and learn more about the Eureka story.
Get in touch today by calling 5333 0333 or emailing email@example.com
- Entry: Adult $6, Concession $4, Family Pass $18
- Ballarat residents free on provision of photo ID
- Guided tours (10 or more people) and school groups by arrangement
Open daily 10am to 5pm
Closed Christmas Day and Boxing Day
Café hours 10.00am – 3.30pm daily
Education Program
The Eureka Centre provides teachers and students with tools and experiences to deepen their understanding of the Eureka Stockade and the profound political reforms that followed.
Led by professional educators, these programs give students and teachers the opportunity to view the original Eureka Flag and explore the interactive Eureka Stockade exhibition.
The Eureka Education program is funded through the Department of Education and Training (DET) Strategic Partnership Program
For bookings and enquiries email email@example.com or phone 03 5333 0333.


text:
1600 W Flagler St, Miami Florida 33135
We are please to present a prime hard corner building in the heart of Little Havana on Flagler Street. The subject property Is a 12,000 Sq.Ft with a potential yearly income of $136,000 ($20 PSF * 6,792). The property has an enclosed parking area that fits around 16 cars.Zoned T6-8 O, which allows for a mixed-use high density commercial site, retail, multifamily, office, hotel or self-storage. The site allows for up to 41 Units with up to 8 stories. Little Havana is a vibrant, and economically booming neighborhood, benefitting from its strategic location adjacent to cosmopolitan Brickell, and centric to all of Miami's major employment centers such as Downtown, Coral Gables, the Health District and the airport. The area enjoys great public transportation, walkability, and a rich cultural environment. The area is also experiencing an economic renaissance, with many new projects being designed for the area, increasing population densities, and growing incomes. Join the wave of new investment targeting the cultural beating heart of Miami in Little Havana, and the abundant affluent consumers in nearby Brickell and Coral Gables.


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Hi everybody! I've been sick for the past few days, so all of my posts have been previously scheduled ones and I feel like I haven't actually gotten to be active. I'm still feeling under the weather (though marginally better) so in order to make myself feel a little less lazy, I'm going to go ahead and work on a more fun post. And what is more fun that a good ole book tag?
Now, I was unable to figure out who started this tag since I think it actually originated from Booktube but I saw it done on Melting Pages, so definitely check that post out as well.
Let's get started.
Which trope(s) in books annoy you the most?
I'm a bit different than the masses when it comes to some tropes. I love the manic pixie dream girls most of the time, but it's really only because I'm just as in love with them as the MC. I don't even mind the "no one takes me seriously because I drink too much to be a credible source" trope in 95% of psych thrillers. I think the trope I dislike the most is the love triangle. I could do without it, truly. Since I'm not big on romance, one love story is plenty enough for me, thanks.
Which author(s) do you feel are overrated/overhyped?
I can't really think of any. I mean, there are a ton of authors who get an almost weird amount of attention for their books when there are equally incredibly authors hardly getting noticed for theirs, but that's really not their fault. I think that since we all read differently, it's hard to say that an author is overrated. A writer who may seem sub-par or boring to me may have written a lifeline for someone else.
What are your least favorite books you've read since
joining BookTube starting your book blog?
I'll just list the one's I can think of off the top of my head:
What is a terrible ending that ruined an otherwise quality book?
Hm, I'm not sure. I'm most upset right now about the ending of Mockingjay, but it's kind of a happy/sad feeling. It didn't ruin the book whatsoever but it wasn't the ending I was expecting. I know there have been plenty of books with a bad ending for me but my memory is lacking in my current sickly state.
Which fictional character(s) do you wish was not killed off?
*Spoiler Alert* SPEAKING OF MOCKINGJAY… Prim. I'm so angry that Suzanne Collins did that to me.
What are some of your bookish peeves?
One of my biggest peeves when it comes to books is buying one that has had a sticker on the cover. I'm definitely the type of bibliophile to buy used books because I'd just rather spend less money and I don't mind a worn-in novel, but more often than not they end up with a sticker on them. WHY?!
What are some books you feel should have more recognition?
I read some awesome books last year that I seldom hear other people talk about, so I'm gonna go with a few of those:
What are your thoughts on censorship and banning books?
I think it's a shame that some people want to control what type of literature others are reading. I know that books tend to get banned for specific reasons, but it should always be up to readers if they choose to dive into something. For instance, I didn't have a problem with banned books in my high school growing up, but I know that a lot do, and that just seems really silly. Why limit adolescents to your idea of what's acceptable?
Tag some people!
Y'all know how this goes! If you want to do this tag, please do! I'd love to see your answers.


text:
Ken is the Director of SEO at Blast Analytics & Marketing. He has in in-depth understanding of SEO and digital marketing and uses his knowledge to help client websites see their full potential.
Add Ken to your circles on Google+
Blast sent a contingent from our online marketing team to the 2012 SEOmoz MozCon conference in Seattle, WA. Rand Fishkin, SEOmoz CEO and arguably the most influential forces behind link building today, knows how to put on a conference. Over 700 link builders, marketers, business owners and other digital professionals have amassed for three days of talks by some of the best in the business. Day one is in the bag and we have the highlights for those of you not fortunate enough to make the trip.Read More
Jul 26, 2012 2 Comments
Get the answers to all your rich snippets questions: What are rich snippets? Why do I want my listings to have rich snippets? How do I get rich snippets on my listings? Why do I need to markup my website?Read More
Aug 26, 2011 3 Comments
Learn about what happened at MozCon 2011. SEOmoz upgrades, SEO strategies, marketing tips, content strategy, conversion rate optimization, Facebook marketing, rich snippets, and more.Read More
Aug 3, 2011 3 Comments
Blast Advanced Media received the 2009 Silver Ribbon Award in Which Test Won's Best Tests of 2009 for the Best B2C Lead Generation Tests.Read More
Jan 4, 2010 0 Comments
An update to Google Analytics Advanced Segmentation feature allows you to quickly and easily see what your iPhone users are doing on your site. The iPhone has brought phone based web browsing to a new level making it simpler to view websites on their phones. As more and more smartphones make it easier to browse […]Read More
Feb 26, 2009 0 Comments
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text: Tonkon Torp was a "Justice Sponsor" at the March 2 Oregon Liberty Dinner, hosted by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) Foundation. The ACLU of Oregon is a non-partisan organization dedicated to the preservation and enhancement of civil liberties and civil rights. Steven Wilker, an ACLU of Oregon executive committee member, organized Tonkon's sponsorship of and attendance at the dinner. The ACLU Foundation raised a record $112,000 at the dinner, which will be used to support legal and education programs.


text: Profile Starpower is entering its 30th year in the world of dance competitions. This year in Ocean City, dance teams will compete for prizes and scholarships. Photos Map No Records FoundSorry, no records were found. Please adjust your search criteria and try again. Google Map Not LoadedSorry, unable to load Google Maps API. Driving Walking Bicycling Public Transport Miles Kilometers Reviews Leave a Review Cancel replyYour email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *Review text * Rate this Event (overall): TerriblePoorAverageVery GoodExcellent Name * Email * Website Previous Next


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Commentary: does Officer Friendly still exist?
K. Gerard Thomas on how some police officers generate anger and fear from the public they were sworn to serve
The recent video that went viral of a South Carolina school police officer's inappropriate use of force has added more distrust between the public and law enforcement
Many are asking how do law enforcement organizations weed out rogue officers who tarnish the badge and the department they represent.
Deputy Ben Fields of Spring Valley High in Richland, S.C., was videotaped manhandling a 16-year-old African-American girl while she sat at her desk, violently flipping and thrusting her to the floor, allegedly because she would not give up her cell phone or leave the class when ordered by the teacher and assistant principal.
If the incident occurred the way it is alleged, as one who has worked on both sides of the issue as a former teacher and law enforcement representative who has encountered this type of situation, the student was wrong to disobey the directive given by her teacher/instructor – that is a given. But I was trained to never make it personal; to always look for better solutions.
I believe the student was seeking attention as was the officer, who more than likely did not want to lose face in front of the students. So, he resorted to turning a teachable moment into a chaotic moment.
This video outraged parents, community leaders, politicians, educators and law enforcement, alike, as the punitive action did not fit the offense, and no lives were in danger. So, attacking the student on that level was not called for and most agree that a different approach should have been taken.
According to reports from students at the predominantly African-American high school officer, Fields was known as "Officer Slam" due to his tendency to get physical with students from time to time. Fields faces an upcoming civil trial in January 2016; he is being sued by a former student.
Conservative talk show hosts from radio and television nationwide have posed the question: did the student deserve to be violently accosted? As usual in our polarized society, White respondents supported Fields' actions. Black respondents by and large said the officer overreacted.
Many asked if Fields would have acted similarly had the student been a White female student.
Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott blamed the student for inciting the incident, and she and another female student are charged with disturbing a classroom. Fields was relieved of duty by Lott for not following protocol and training.
Working in law enforcement requires those who wear a badge to always consider that every day they go to work could be the day in which they encounter a serious challenge requiring a quick decision that can forever alter their lives and the lives of those with whom they come in contact.
Unfortunately, there are law enforcement officers who generate anger and fear from the public they were sworn to serve, seeking special treatment because they wear a badge. Some believe because they put their lives on the line in the performance of their duty, their actions should never be questioned.
Police review boards have worked with the top brass to assure this type of thinking is eradicated and are working to create a greater sense of respect between law enforcement and the public.
Most law enforcement personnel throughout the nation – whether they be police officers, sheriff deputies, school police, or safety officers – perform their day-to-day duties without being smeared by allegations of racism or questionable acts of violence and abuse. They are just like the rest of us trying to earn a living, and the majority, it can be said, honor the badge or shield they wear with dignity.
These are the officers who don't feel a sense of entitlement. To them, I thank for their brave service and pray for a safe End of Watch, and for the others whom they encounter are safe as well.


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Competitor Package and Registration Link – 2019 McLaughlin Roof Trusses 250 on Sunday, September 1st.
The weekend we've all been waiting for is upon us – SpeedWeekend 2019!
Friday night at 7pm, the kickoff corn boil, bonfire and SpeedWeekend concert featuring The Walking Contradictions will start the weekend off!
Saturday evening at 5:30pm, the Martin's Home Heating Sportsman cars will take centre stage in the Sportsman 100. The Maritime League of Legends Tour Legends (INEX National Qualifier), Tim's Corner Motorsports Bandolero Blast and Passione Flooring & Interiors East Coast Mini Stock Tour will play support.
Sunday beginning at 2pm, it is the 19th Annual McLaughlin Roof Trusses Pro Stock 250 along with racing action in the Fredericton Gun Shop Sharp Shooters, DMR Auto Street Stocks, Tim's Corner Motorsports Bandolero Blast and the Atlantic Modified Tour.
It is a busy weekend on deck and we hope to have you along for the ride!
Advertise With Us!
Are you interested in advertising YOUR BUSINESS at Speedway 660?
We have space available along the front stretch to place YOUR sign. We will order your sign for you.
The cost of a 1'x4' or 1'x6' sign (your choice) is only $250.00 plus HST ($287.50) for the season. If you buy three, your fourth one is free!
Space is also available in Victory Lane. The sign size is 4'x8' at a cost of $1000.00 plus HST ($1150.00). A great opportunity to promote YOUR business to all the fans and race teams who attend our races.
If you are interested in promoting your business here at the track, give us a call now at 1-506-454-7223 or email us at: email@example.com.
2019 Speedway 660 Rulebooks
TECH NOTE: The 2019 Speedway 660 Rulebooks have been posted for all four house divisions. Please read them carefully and any questions regarding them may be forwarded to the tech director by email at email@example.com
Please find rulebooks on our 2019 Rules Page – Click Here!
For more information about Speedway 660, visit Speedway660.com, like @Speedway660 on Facebook or call the Speedway 660 Raceline at (506) 454-7223.
We'll see you at the races!


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For those who follow plant-based or gluten-free diets, "One Happy Island" just got a whole lot happier. While vegan/GF options were once scarce on Aruba, creative veg-friendly menus are now popping up left, right, and center. An exciting new spot… Continue Reading →
Ever since chowing down at Virtuous Pie for the first time while visiting Vancouver, I have been downright obsessed. So what's so special about this place, you might ask? Well first of all, everything on the menu is 100% vegan, but… Continue Reading →
Living in Victoria, BC, has its perks. First of all, we've got the mildest weather in the country, so take that, rest of Canada! It's a lovely environment full of beaches, hiking trails, and mild-mannered folk. Every so often though,… Continue Reading →
When we first arrived in Melbourne, I was a bit concerned about the food. Some of the veggie "meat" and "cheese" choices at the grocery stores are pretty dry (I'm looking at you "Quorn"!). Fortunately, I soon learned that prices… Continue Reading →
Ahh, Aruba, the blissful island of white sands, turquoise seas, and non-stop sunshine. I've been searching for vegan eats on this tiny island over the past four years, and I can say with absolute certainty that the pickings have been pretty… Continue Reading →
With clear blue skies, pink salt ponds, turquoise waters and iconic Caribbean sunsets, it's almost impossible to take a bad photo on Bonaire. After years of hearing my mom (#Momzilla) rave about the unreal snorkelling and diving on this tiny coral island, I… Continue Reading →
If you live in Melbourne, you've most likely heard of Vegie Bar, one of Fitzroy's most popular vegan/vegetarian-friendly eateries. But what you may not know is that right next door, the same team has recently opened a fantastic sweet shop where everything is 100% plant based and vegan: Girls & Boys.
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The results of the LEED 2009 energy performance update ballot are in! The proposed change to the Energy and Atmosphere category in LEED 2009 has passed the ballot with 78.6 percent of the consensus body voting in favor of the update. A minimum of two-thirds approval is needed for any balloted measure.
The final ballot results (by balance category) were:
- Producer: 87.9 percent affirmative
- User: 77.5 percent affirmative
- General interest: 72.7 percent affirmative
The LEED 2009 energy performance update is a proposed increase to the minimum energy performance thresholds. This change is applicable to the LEED 2009 BD+C, ID+C, and LEED 2008 Multifamily Midrise rating systems and does not affect LEED 2009 O+M, ND or LEED 2008 Homes. With this change, project teams will be asked to earn a minimum of four points in the energy performance credits. The referenced energy standard and modeling requirements in LEED 2009 will not change; buildings falling under the proposed change can use the same methodologies and referenced standards, but will need to earn additional points in order to achieve certification.
The resources below will help keep you up to date on the new credit language:
Next steps
Beginning on April 8, 2016, new projects registering for LEED 2009/2008 under the rating systems mentioned above will be required to meet this new threshold. Thus, this change will apply to LEED projects registering between April 8, 2016 and October 31, 2016 (the last day to register a project under LEED 2009).


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The measure has raised concerns, because it doesn't specify where money to fund the program would come from.
Melanie Mason
April 26, 2017
A sweeping measure that would establish government-run universal healthcare in California cleared its first legislative hurdle Wednesday as scores of supporters crammed into the Capitol to advocate for a single-payer system.
Comments Off on Los Angeles Times: California single-payer healthcare bill passes first committee test
Filed under: Healthcare, State of California


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Your time is valuable – and you will never be kept waiting. If there ever is a wait, your service call is free. The promise: "We're On Time, You'll See, Or The Repair Is Free!"™
Our service options guarantee that your home comfort needs are met within your time frame, and that even your trickiest electrical problems will be solved.
We offer 24-hour emergency service, with no overtime charges. Our fully stocked trucks with thousands of specialty parts and materials on board are ready to serve you and to fix your electrical problem on the first call. And when your family's health, safety, and comfort are involved, that means peace of mind. Quality service is important to our clients, and our goal is to ensure that your needs are completely met for any electrical issues that arise.
Mister Sparky Electric offers you an in-depth review of our services and products so that you can make informed decisions on your home electrical maintenance needs. Each and every day we strive to provide the level of professional service, unsurpassed honesty, and integrity you expect from a service provider.
Enjoy our savings — on industry-best service.


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Growing up, I made these every year with my mom. The smell of spearmint always takes me back to kneading in the food coloring of these sweet and minty candies. These holiday treats are perfect for making with kids since they are simple and delicious!
1/3 cup light corn syrup
4 Tbsp soft butter
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp spearmint extract (peppermint extract or mint extract work just fine, though the flavor will be slightly different)
1 lb. powdered sugar
Food coloring – totally optional
In a large bowl, use egg beaters to mix the corn syrup, butter, salt and extract. Next, add the sugar a little at a time. Once the dough becomes too thick for the beaters, continue mixing in the remainder of the sugar by kneading with your hands. This is a great time to get any little ones running around the house involved! Add a few drops of food coloring if you like, and knead until the color is homogeneous.
Roll into small balls with your hands and place on a sheet of wax paper. Using a fork dipped in powdered sugar, press down on the mint balls to flatten. Twist the fork 90 degrees and press down softly again to create a checkered pattern. Mints can be enjoyed as is, dipped in chocolate, or dusted with powdered sugar just before serving as shown above. (Note: if dusting with powdered sugar, remember the sugar will dissolve into the mints after several hours, so dust just before serving.)


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This impressive contemporary home called the Ice House is located near Reykjavik, Iceland and it was designed by the Minarc architectural practice with sustainable features and according to the local regulations so that it would preserve the natural landscape as well as offer a modern aesthetic.
The house incorporates elements that maximize its passive solar gain and offers natural cross ventilation so that the energy costs would be minimal and the designers also used sustainable materials and an organic shape. The interior is bright and open with a neutral color palette and a minimalist use of decorations.
The project spreads over a surface of 1500 square feet and it contains two bedrooms, a bathroom and an additional separate loft. There are elevated decks and floors to maintain the structure above ground level and allow a better view of the surroundings through the extensive glass openings in the living area and in the bedrooms that also ensure abundant natural light inside.


text: The wait is over! J.C. Newman's solid and affordable Quorum cigar is now available in a deliciously dark Maduro wrapper leaf. Expect the same high quality smoke at an awesome price, this time with a hearty taste of the rich and sweet maduro character you crave.Quorum Corona Maduro is a medium bodied smoke with smooth tones of cocoa, cedar, and more in a traditional 5 1/2 x 43 Corona vitola.


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● "These things I have told you, that in me you might have peace. In the world you will have to suffer, but cheer up, I have overcome the world."
(John 16:33)
● "Sell all that you have and distribute it to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come and follow me." Hearing this the rich young man was deeply troubled and he left. Jesus saw this and said "How hard is it for the rich to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God."
(Luke 18:22-25)
The prosperity gospel states that if you pray a whole lot or something then God will give you money and Rolexs and $54 million jets. Mysteriously it only seems to work for the preachers, not the people who attend their seminars, which look more like pep talks than church.
In contrast, Jesus and the Apostles all lived difficult lives, survived through charity, and died violent deaths. The Apostle Paul speaks time and again how he's basically a poor nomad who is constantly being chased out of towns, beaten, starved, and exposed to the elements. He certainly didn't own a jet, or it's first century equivalent, like Caligula had two giant yachts because he didn't want to have orgies with the commoners crossing the Mediterranean. The early church in Jerusalem was sustained by everyone selling their possessions.
Now, 2018, Jesse Duplantis, the serpent, who has already been granted three jets by his gullible audience, "believes" for a brand new jet. He "burned them up for the Lord Jesus Christ", whatever that means. It's clear it doesn't mean the planes have ceased functioning, because he's still flying around in all three. Well now he needs a new one. And not just any jet, a $54 Dassault Falcon 7X, which Jesus specifically told him to get by name. This jet can go anywhere in the world without needing to refuel, because fuel is so expensive (more expensive than a new jet), especially when you own a "fuel farm", which I guess works like a dairy farm only with milking dinosaurs to get oil instead of cows.
From the Google cache of the Washington Times (fuck your ad blocker ban):
Televangelists Kenneth Copeland and Jesse Duplantis defended their use of private jets as a luxury means of travel, arguing that commercial planes are full of "a bunch of demons" that will bog down their busy schedules with prayer requests.
In a Dec. 29 segment of Mr. Copeland's "Believer's Voice of Victory" television program, Mr. Duplantis recalled a story where he was on a plane and had to unbuckle his seat belt to speak to God, The Blaze reported.
"You couldn't have done that over an airline," added Mr. Copeland. "Stand up and say, 'What did you say, Lord?'"
"No, sir, no way," Mr. Duplantis agreed.
"You can't get there from here!" This is the era of fucking Youtube. Astronauts can livestream from space, you don't need a jet to reach an audience physically. I think Jesus would appreciate that, the ability to reach people all over the world instantly.
Kenneth Copeland even says "We're in show business." That's why they need private jets. They're not in the business of saving souls, they're in "show business," which is worse than hooking when it comes to degeneracy.
As if that's not bad enough these Sadducees need to get up in airplanes and stand up and wave their arms to talk to God. God lives way up on the Moon and he can't hear you if you're stuck on the ground. You need to get up in a private jet, in a $50,000 suit with a $20,000 watch, and shout really loud because God is really old so he's hard of hearing.
To top it off they say that airplanes are "tubes filled with demons." Well, if you really are a man of God then exorcise the demons. That's one of the powers the Holy Spirit should have given you if you are legit. No, commercial airlines are not filled with demons, they're filled with regular people who watch your show and pay for your extravagant lifestyle.
No, those airplanes are not filled with demons, these fake preachers are. These are serpents from Hell taking advantage of the poor, the sick, and the despondent. And if there is a God and a Hell these two will burn in the lake of fire.


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The Avril Awesomeness: Live in KL
by KV
My happy ending arrived after all.
After the absurd occurrences leading up to this event that included some of Malaysia's most idiotic circumsized dickheads (forgive the pun) & a dead-undead car, 29th August could not have come soon enough. Finally, the day I've been waiting, since the delightful tunes of "Complicated" first knocked on my ears 6 years back, is here. The Avril awesomeness has landed.
Yea, & that other thing, Merdeka.
Part I: The Wait & the Shit Before…
It was a wonderful feeling, going to Stadium Merdeka on a Merdeka weekend, but not to celebrate the country's backwards growth in 51 years of independence. Joshua, Chris, Chee Fai & I arrived at the stadium at approximately 4.45pm, before cramming in the queue for the RM338 Red Zone entrance under the intense heat & sun light. Hotlink & Maxis were having massive promotions & advertisements, while Belinda C with the 8TV crew were going around acting cute & interviewing people with pink ties or pink shirts. Oh, despite the reported protests, we spotted nothing of that nature, only the armies of FRU personnel & vehicles as well as the police patrolling the area.
Observing the "no camera or recording devices" warning, we stuffed our digi cams in our crotch zone, the waistline of our jeans being the fastener & of course our own trusted P as base support. The doors of the stadium opened at 7.30pm, & with us already sweating & exhausted from the lining-up-under-sun, added with digicams securely positioned in such a way that they gave the impression that we each had a massive erection, it was no easy task to run towards the stage to get a strategic location. In the end, we all got ourselves the best spot possible, center & a row away from the gates that separated our Red Zone & the VIP box.
Wait a minute, the VIP box? To our horror, we discovered that the RM338 Red Zone wasn't as close to the stage as we hoped, thanks to the enormous space nearest to the stage dedicated to undeserving VIPs. The VIP box, situated in what usually was the mosh pit area for standard rock concerts, not only took over the entire area directly in front of the stage, it was filled with chairs! What the fark are chairs doing right in front of an Avril Lavigne stage?! Galaxy, you moron organizers. To make matters worse for us, as the VIPs slowly arrived & landed their colossal butts in assigned seats, we, the die-hard fans who forked out for the most expensive ticket we could get our hands on, observed in complete agony that some of the VIPs consisted of apek uncles, uninterested Datuks & Datins, & overdressed Ah Lians & Ah Bengs who didn't even seem to know who Avril was.
The situation worsened when, after soaking ourselves under the intense sun for so long, rain started to fall just after we entered into the stadium. Then the organizers started handing out colourful garbage plastic bags that were designed as rain coats for all of us to wear. Great, we were already going through two contrastingly extreme weathers, & we found ourselves barricaded behind a box full of very important asses, now we looked like multi-coloured thrash. After playing a set of annoyingly repetitive Avril clips & advertisements, the lights finally dimmed at 9pm, but not for Avril. Instead a Michael-Jackson-wannabe dude hopped out & performed Maroon 5's "This Love", complete with some photostated MJ moves. I had no idea why he was the opening act, nor did I know or care who the hell he actually was, but it felt something like Colbie Caillat opening for Metallica. I was the first to shout "WE WANT AVRIL!" after the dude finished the last lines of "This Love". Thankfully, the dude relieved us of our misery as he left after that one song.
Part II: The Awesomeness Arrives…
I'm telling you, the wait was pure anguish. Legs were sore, & it did not help that Joshua kept complaining like a girl about his back pain. But everything was forgotten (& almost forgiven) when the band finally stepped out & churned out a warming up session, before finally kicking off the tunes of "Girlfriend". At 9.15pm, with the crowd completely exploding in joy, Avril Lavigne Whibley emerged & skipped out onto the stage.
Right at that moment, I was almost shocked in disbelief, overwhelmed with a strange concoction of confused feelings that included me wanting to shout in joy, cry & die at the same time, very much unable to grasp the fact that I am actually watching the petite Avril, the Avril Joshua & I worshipped in high school, in person. But just as she hit the first chorus, I finally regained awareness & before long, supported by my poorly weakening knees & ankles, I was jumping like a 5-year-old starstruck maniac along to the "Hey hey you you!"s.
Part III: Anything But Ordinary…
Okay, I will try to push aside my over-biased opinions & the complete euphoria of seeing my highschool idol live, while trying to rationalize the performance. TOO SHORT would be the first two words that come into mind, as she rocked 17 songs in total in 1 hour & 15 minutes. The good thing is we felt it was too quick simply because we were having the time of our lives. Avril's singing was flawless, & the band was excellent but knew their place well, which was to back & support Avril. Musically however, the overall sound came out as imbalanced, with the bass drum swallowing everything up & the lead guitar barely noticeable. I probably expected too much, since this was after all a big-ass open-air concert. I was most excited to see Jim McGorman who was on rhythm guitar; he was most popular for being part of the house band for Rock Star: Supernova, while Steve Fekete was the latest lead guitarist, replacing Devin Bronson (& before that, Evan Taubenfeld). There was no doubt who the real star was that night, & the crowd lapped up every one of Avril's antics. Avril looked as hot as ever, even with curly hair (though deep down, I might have preferred to see the classic straight-hair), but what I did not expect was how bloody adorable she actually was! With the cheekiest grins & smiles flashed all the time, she pranced & skipped around like the happiest being in the world. Gone are the emo-days of "Let Go" & "Under My Skin". As she performed most of the songs from her latest album (which I do not quite approve of, because it made the concert too pop-ish), I was quite dissatisfied with the meager number of tracks chosen from the 1st two albums. We sang our hearts out to favourites like "My Happy Ending", "I'm With You", "Complicated", & "When You're Gone", but songs that she skipped like "Tomorrow", "Nobody's Home", "Nobody's Fool" & "Mobile" were sorely missed. One thing about singing along to Avril's songs is that her pitch certainly doesn't suit the male normal pitch range; we either had to scream really high (& completely off tune) or really low (with reduced volume).
Part IV: The Best Damn Moments, & Some Not-So…
Here comes my favourite part, the most memorable moments of the concert. I think I've already mentioned how incredibly hot she was that night. But my favourite moment (something all 4 of us agreed on) has to be when a pink baby grand piano was brought out, & Avril played & sang her heart out to a stripped-down version of "When You're Gone" on it. With the spotlight focusing only on her & the piano, it was the single most beautiful moment of the night. The momentum was continued when right after that, she launched into the melancholic "Innocence", & then performed the next few songs ("Losing Grip" &"Hot") with her pink sparkling acoustic guitar, backed by 2 other acoustic guitars. That chain of stripped-down acoustic performances was by far the best agenda of the night. Following in a close second was how she sent us all to the point of complete orgasm when she playfully conducted the crowd to a scream-silent-scream sequence. When she raised her arms, we all screamed madly, & when she lowered her arms, we had to keep silent. Of course remaining silent at some points was impossible, to which she mischievously put her knuckles on the sides of her waist in mock displeasure. The whole sequence finally ended when she raised her arms high up, shaking her hands, soaking in the complete glory of our ecstasy. The smile on her face at the moment – priceless; she was so damn cute I could have died a happy man right there right then. Finally, Avril playing the drums while singing "Runaway", that was a real gem.
Despite that, her interaction with the audience was kept to a minimum, which I largely suspect is due to the unresponsive VIPs sitting their fat asses down right in front of the stage. She also skipped all the swear & bad words in her songs, but WE sure as hell didn't. I remember how loud the crowd barked "SHIT" during the "All the SHIT that you do" line in "My Happy Ending". I swear I saw Avril almost grinning in glee. I also got a strange feeling that Avril gave a very controlled performance. She minimized the screams & energetic jumps, resorting to mostly skipping & prancing around the stage instead. The same pair of jeans (with the skull on her right knee) was worn throughout the night, only changing her tops (the last red hooded sweater was kick-ass!), & at one point we noticed how she sort of tugged down her top. Go figure. The flow of the arrangement was not the best at times; I especially found the break-dance routine by her back-up dancers (twice!) to be awkwardly irksome, & I feel the Lil' Mama remix of "Girlfriend" has to be axed from her track list.
"Sk8er Boi" was appropriately selected as her last encore song, & I jumped like the ground was on fire to the tune. Agonizingly, she did not stay long for goodbyes, only giving us a quick wave & a thank you before disappearing backstage, concluding the first stop of her The Best Damn Asian Tour at 10.30pm. Josh & I stared in disbelief, that just like that, our Avril came & left. We screamed our lungs out for her to come back, but she never reappeared.
Part V: The Shit that Happened…
Avril was awesome; there is no doubt about that. There were however some really bad bits that night (that had nothing to do with her). Between organizers Galaxy & Hotlink, I damn whoever who structured the crowd zone arrangement to hell for what was possibly the worse standing & seating arrangement in recent eons. The seated VIP box is a complete embarrassment & fiasco, & it prevented us, the die-hard fans, from fully soaking in the experience. As if that wasn't enough, the VIPs didn't even seem enthusiastic, & were already standing up to leave even before "Sk8er Boi" ended! Fark all of you man. Joshua was observing the apek tua who was sitting at the left side in the VIP area, & noticed how the stupid apek tua was so unresponsive & just sat crossed-arms throughout the entire concert! Unbelievable shit, we were so angry at this particular apek tua that the only way we could ever forgive him is if he actually died of heart attack, thus explaining why he was so impassive. I do pity those who bought the free-standing RM268 & RM168 ticks, since we in the RM338 zone were already feeling disappointed with our location.
Another thing we 4 guys experienced that night was this creature thingy called BWBs, or Bitch With Boobs. Now before you girls get all angry about this, I'm not referring to women, I'm referring a specific breed that night who, from behind, tried their very best in "boobing" their way through the crowd to get as front as possible. As the 4 of us were among those nearest to the front, Joshua, who was nearest to me, was among the first to experience "boobing". Let me try to explain to you how "boobing" works. A BWB would first try to force one boob in between the people in front of her by thrusting forward her chest. Being the gentlemen we usually were, we would of course try to avoid the poking boob, & just as we did that, before we even realized it, a second boob will appear, following swiftly the first boob. & just as the pair of boobs have gained access to the next level, the entire body of the BWB would of course follow. The procedure would then be repeated from row to row until finally the BWB reaches the front. Of course, a particular BWB failed in her quest as Chee Fai, who was a being a complete non-gentleman at the RIGHT time, elbowed her boobs backwards.
Part VI: The Aftermath…
Oh…guess who I finally met after the concert?
Angel, now our Miss Malaysia Tourism Metropolitan 2008, haha, it's been a long time, as always. Gel was actually still contemplating whether to come to the concert till the day itself, apalah; until I had to bug her to come. But it came not as a surprise that Avril indeed does reunite some of us that were ardent friends during our teenage years, which was another wonder to marvel at that night. Also, it was an endearing sight to see some kids who came dressed in self-drawn Avril t-shirts.
After all, on that night, Avril came & gave me something to remember & cherish for the rest of my life. Though not musically her best (as compared to her awesome acoustic performance in the Roxy Theatre), & despite the lingering thought of how it could have been better, her fantastic performance still left us all with a rapturous sense of exhilaration, a dream fulfilled, & of course, incredibly sore knees & ankles.
Heck, I'm already missing her.Avril Lavigne sang: 1. Girlfriend 2. I Can Do Better 3. Complicated 4. My Happy Ending 5. I'm With You 6. I Always Get What I Want 7. When You're Gone 8. Innocence 9. Hot 10. Losing Grip 11. Everything Back But You 12. Runaway 13. The Best Damn Thing 14. I Don't Have To Try 15. He Wasn't Encore:
16. Girlfriend (Remix)
17. Sk8er Boi


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When we visited Barbados to do location photography for our upcoming book Exotic Gardens of the Eastern Caribbean, among many other places we visited fantastic Hunte's Gardens. It is quite unusual garden, and one of the finest highlights of our new book. Run by Anthony Hunte, a veteran of horticulture related works, it is a marvel.
What's really nice and different about it – he plays his favourite classical music through several outdoor speakers, creating almost surreal ambiance and unusual background for the garden visitors.
Anthony knows well how to make maximum visual impact too, and his garden will make one of the longest chapters of our new book – so many good photos, we simply couldn't decide to not show as many as possible. He is one of main reasons for this book being rather thick, similarly to our Tropical Homes of the Eastern Caribbean book.
Photos shown in this post are not included in the book as they are here, as these are not edited as nicely as photos in our book – but they show well this unusual place. (Please keep in mind we share with you copyrighted pics, and respect that. Thanks!)
When you see these densely planted palms – would you believe this garden is only… 6 years old?
OK, have to go back to my work, still editing amazing photos from the Montreal Estate Gardens on St Vincent.
to see more on our books, visit our main site Ozone Zone Books.
Until the next one! Cheers!