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(CNN) -- President-elect Barack Obama on Tuesday tried to persuade Senate Democrats to get behind his plan for the second half of the $700 billion bailout, warning he would veto a threatened disapproval resolution, according to senators who met with him.
Barack Obama met with Senate Democrats for the last time before next week's inauguration.
Obama on Monday asked President Bush to inform Congress of his intent to use the remaining balance under the Treasury Department's $700 billion Troubled Asset Relief Program, or TARP. Bush sent a request to Congress on behalf of the incoming administration.
Obama met with Senate Democrats on Capitol Hill to make his case for how he wants to spend the funds and to rally support for his economic stimulus plan.
Obama also attended the weekly lunch of Democratic senators in what was his final visit to the Senate before his inauguration next week.
Obama took about 15 questions, many of which were from Democrats skeptical of TARP, senators in the meeting said. Obama repeatedly promised to make the process more transparent, they said.
"I understand that the president-elect wants to move forward ... but I'm not going to be pushed into quick judgment on this, given all the circumstances," said Sen. Ben Nelson, D-Nebraska. "People back home generally didn't want the first go-round and I'm not going to jump out in front of a train on the second one."
Nelson had voted for the first TARP funding.
On Tuesday night, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid told reporters that while there are problems with the economy, he believes "with transparency, accountability, creating jobs, that the future is good."
Republicans and Democrats have said they were upset by how the Treasury Department spent the first allotment of $350 billion.
Those voicing concerns said they don't feel like there was enough accounting for where the money went. Some Democrats also said homeowners facing foreclosure aren't getting enough help.
Obama made clear that he doesn't want to issue a veto as one of his first actions in office, but he insisted that he has no choice, the senators said.
Sen. Chris Dodd, chairman of the Banking Committee, reminded fellow Democrats what a bad political situation it would be to pass the disapproval resolution and force Obama use his veto pen on it as one of his very first acts, the senators said.
While some Democrats said they felt more comfortable after meeting with Obama, others said they still have a lot of questions and are unsure how they will vote on TARP.
U.S. Rep. Barney Frank, D-Massachusetts, and his House Financial Services Committee met Tuesday to look at how the TARP money has been spent so far.
A bill by Frank would tighten restrictions on distributing the money and designate part of the funds for foreclosure relief.
Frank said Monday that the remaining funds should be made available "under the appropriate conditions."
"We should not allow our disappointment at the Bush administration's poor handling of the TARP program to prevent the Obama administration from using the funds in more appropriate ways," he said in a statement.
Frank said he hoped the House would pass a bill this week that would lay out the conditions necessary to assure the public gets "full benefit of these funds."
A vote on the House bill is expected as early as Wednesday.
On Tuesday night, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said the House is making "great progress" and that "we won't leave here without an economic recovery package."
Obama on Monday made his case to Congress for access to $350 billion in remaining federal bailout funds.
In a letter addressed to the leadership of the Senate and House of Representatives, a top Obama economic aide laid out five priorities for the use of the remaining TARP balance. Read how Obama wants to use the money
Meanwhile, confirmation hearings continued Tuesday on Capitol Hill for a number of Obama's Cabinet nominees, most notably Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-New York, Obama's pick for secretary of state.
Clinton was expected to face tough questions, specifically about her husband and his foundation, but she likely will be confirmed.
She told senators that her goals, if confirmed as secretary of state, will include a renewal of American leadership and a revitalization of diplomacy as a means of promoting the nation's security interests and advancing its values.
In addition to testifying before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, she will submit answers to many of lawmakers' questions in writing, an Obama transition official said.
CNN's Dana Bash, Jessica Yellin, Ed Hornick, Kristi Keck, Bob Costantini, Elise Labott and CNNMoney's Colin Barr contributed to this report.
All About Barack Obama • Barney Frank • Hillary Clinton


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Driver's Support
Sensus Connected Touch, Map updates (AU, NZ, MX, BR, AR, CL, CO, IN, SG, ZA, AE, BH, IQ, JO, KW, OM, SA, QA, US, CA)
If you already have Sensus Connected Touch with navigation installed, we can offer a new SD card with updated map data.
Upgrading screen, 5" to 7" (Ch 175379-, Excl. CN, JP)
With this upgrade from 5" screen to 7" screen, you can connect the front wide-angle parking camera.
Navigation system, RTI, maps (Excl. AR, AU, BR, CL, CO, EC, NZ, PE, PY, UY, ZA)
The software download is a preparation to be able to download new maps and obtain updated information about road and motorway changes, new roads and new points of interest.
Navigation system, RTI, maps DVD (Ch -175378)
Upgrading the navigation map is essential and gives the advantage of a more accurate navigation and economical driving.
Interior rear view mirror with autodim and compass
Anti-glare rear view mirror automatically cuts off disturbing light from the cars behind. A very practical accessory when driving in the dark. Thanks to the compass in the top right-hand corner of the mirror, the compass point that the front of the car is pointing in is always shown.
Front parking assistance
Front parking assistance is an excellent system that warns of obstructions when you have limited space in front of the car, such as when parallel parking, for example.
Rear parking assistance
Rear parking assistance facilitates distance assessment and informs of obstructions when you have limited space behind the car, such as when parallel parking, for example.
Front wide-angle parking camera
Front wide-angle parking camera provides an expanded field of view of 45° to the left and the right. The image from the camera is displayed on the 7" large multimedia screen.
Rear parking camera (Ch 175379- Ch 559322)
Increases your field of vision behind the car when parking. A camera mounted in the tailgate now makes it possible for you to have "eyes in the back of your head" when parallel parking. The monitor displays what is behind the car.
Rear parking camera (Ch -175378)
Increases your field of vision behind the car when parking. A camera mounted in the tailgate now makes it possible for you to have "eyes in the back of your head" when parallel parking. The monitor displays what is behind the car.
Cruise control
With cruise control you can drive very relaxed and safely without having to keep your foot on the accelerator pedal. Easy to handle with buttons on the steering wheel.
Infotainment levels upgrade (Ch 175379-559322)
With this upgrade from "Infotainment level High Performance/High Performance audiosystem (Option code 832) to High Performance Multimedia/Sensus Connect with High Performance Sound (Option code 935), you can connect different types of media, for both business and pleasure. For example audio and video media files can be played. The CD player is replaced by a DVD player and the screen is changed from a 5" to a 7" to adapt to the different media.
USB and iPod® Music Interface (Ch -175378)
Listen to all your favorite music in the car by easily "docking" your portable music player or USB memory. USB and iPod® Music Interface enables you to connect most iPod®, USB memories and certain MP3 players. This means that you can listen to your stored favorite music directly from the car's audio system.
Cradle for USB and Ipod® Music Interface (CH -175378)
USB and iPod® cradle now makes it possible to easily and stylishly connect and store your iPod®/USB device in the compartment in the center console. This allows quick and effortless access to the unit at the same time as it is simply and practically concealed when necessary. The cradle protects your iPod®/USB device from scratches and other damage at the same time as it gives you access to other storage in the center compartment.
CD changer, 6 discs (Ch -175378)
As an accessory, Volvo makes it possible to upgrade from the factory-fitted CD player to a CD changer with room for up to six CDs, provided that the car is factory-fitted with either Premium Sound or High Performance audio system.
DAB/DAB+ Digital radio (Excl. AU, BR, CA, PR, US)
DAB digital radio makes it possible to enjoy digital radio in your car, with interference free reception and superb sound quality. It also gives access to a large selection of unique radio stations.
Rear Seat Entertainment
RSE multimedia system - two screens and two DVD players
RSE (Rear Seat Entertainment) is the ultimate entertainment system for passengers in the rear seat. The system consists of two bright LCD monitors in 7" widescreen format. The monitors can be tilted to minimize the risk of sun dazzling and reflections in bright conditions. The two DVD players are mounted in the monitors and discs are inserted from underneath, this facilitates the insertion of discs for children. It also prevents small things from being inserted down into the DVD device. The system is equipped with AUX inputs that allow the connection of external sources such as iPods®, MP3 players and games consoles. The RSE system contains two wireless headsets and a wireless remote control. The devices have been thoroughly tested and fulfil Volvo's high safety demands.

subset: commoncrawl


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Eyeing use in car dashboards and consoles, Sharp has developed an LCD panel that can be cut to almost any shape.
Conventional LCD panels are rectangular -- something that's required because the tiny chips that drive each pixel of the display are fitted along the edge of the glass panel on which the screen is made. In Sharp's new screens, the chips are embedded between the pixels so that means a lot more freedom in screen shape.
There's still a requirement for a single straight edge but the rest of the screen can be cut with, say, curved sides so the display completely fills the dashboard area in front of the driver.
Sharp is showing off several prototype displays at this week's Ceatec expo in Japan. One, intended for use in the central instrument console, has cutouts for buttons while another has a wavy top that curves around three on-screen dials.
Another advantage of the technology is that because the driver chips are embedded alongside the pixels, the space between the edge of the screen and the edge of the glass is very thin, allowing the screen image to go almost right up to the edge.
Sharp, which is a major manufacturer of liquid crystal displays, said the technology is ready for mass production -- it's just waiting for orders from car makers.
But don't expect them next year. Because it takes several years to take a car from concept to commercialization, the screens won't likely be appearing in production models for the next three to five years. Sharp said they'll cost more than rectangular LCDs, but it wouldn't say how much of a premium they will carry.
The automotive industry has been a major focus for electronics companies in the last few years as cars become more high-tech. It's not just the growing use of flat panel displays instead of conventional instrument displays but innovations like all-round view cameras, Internet-connected navigation services and advanced safety systems.
Martyn Williams covers mobile telecoms, Silicon Valley and general technology breaking news for The IDG News Service. Follow Martyn on Twitter at @martyn_williams. Martyn's e-mail address is email@example.com


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SRD:Helpless Defenders
From D&D Wiki
This material is published under the OGL 1.0a. |
Helpless Defenders
A helpless opponent is someone who is bound, sleeping, paralyzed, unconscious, or otherwise at your mercy.
Regular Attack
A helpless character takes a –4 penalty to AC against melee attacks, but no penalty to AC against ranged attacks.
A helpless defender can't use any Dexterity bonus to AC. In fact, his Dexterity score is treated as if it were 0 and his Dexterity modifier to AC as if it were –5 (and a rogue can sneak attack him).
Coup de Grace
As a full-round action, you can use a melee weapon to deliver a coup de grace to a helpless opponent. You can also use a bow or crossbow, provided you are adjacent to the target.
You automatically hit and score a critical hit. If the defender survives the damage, he must make a Fortitude save (DC 10 + damage dealt) or die. A rogue also gets her extra sneak attack damage against a helpless opponent when delivering a coup de grace.
Delivering a coup de grace provokes attacks of opportunity from threatening opponents.
You can't deliver a coup de grace against a creature that is immune to critical hits. You can deliver a coup de grace against a creature with total concealment, but doing this requires two consecutive full-round actions (one to "find" the creature once you've determined what square it's in, and one to deliver the coup de grace).
Back to Main Page → 3.5e Open Game Content → System Reference Document → Combat


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Natural pink beeswax with the rich color of New Mexican earth, sparkling mica powder and moon gold leaf. This piece contains beeswax, pigment, piñon resin, 21k moon gold leaf, gold powered mica and carving on wood panel. Lisa collected the resin and soil while hiking in the hills of Ojo Caliente outside of Santa Fe. This piece is 9x12 inches on a wood panel 1.75 inches deep, made in 2021. Signed and wired for hanging.
Mica Portal II
What is encaustic? How are these paintings made?
Encaustic is painting with melted beeswax; there is no canvas or gesso and there are no acrylic materials involved. The beeswax is melted, pigment is mixed in and this mixture is fused to a wood panel with heat.Will it melt?
No. Beeswax melts at 160 degrees F. Encaustic paintings should never be hung in direct sunlight or left in a very hot car; this is common sense for storing and hanging any fine art piece. Always hang on a hook to prevent falling and chipping or breaking.Will it last?
Definitely! There are encaustic paintings created by the ancient Romans still around. Chipping on the edges is a risk, see below.How do you clean it and take care of it?
Dust can be wiped off with a soft cloth. The edges of the encaustic paintings can be fragile, be sure to wrap with tissue paper first then bubble wrap and a rigid box when transporting. Always hang on a hook to prevent falling and breaking.


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Poets' Corner
Poets' Corner is a place of pilgrimage for literature lovers. Here, over 100 poets and writers are buried or have memorials.
Many like William Shakespeare, Jane Austen, the Bronte sisters and Charles Dickens are famous worldwide.
Others, though popular in their day, are now less well known. The first poet to be buried here, in 1400, was Geoffrey Chaucer, author of 'The Canterbury Tales'. Not because he was a poet but because he was Clerk of the King's Works. Nearly 200 years later, Edmund Spenser (1553-1598) who wrote 'The Faerie Queene' for Elizabeth I, one of the longest poems in the English language, asked to be buried near Chaucer – perhaps with an eye on his own literary reputation.
And, so began a tradition of burials and memorials which continues to this day. The Deans of Westminster decide who receives a place based on merit though they consult widely. Poets' Corner proper is in the eastern aisle, the 'corner', of the south transept, though over time graves and memorials have spread across the whole transept. There are also several clergymen and actors buried in this transept and musician George Frederic Handel.
Recent memorials include Ted Hughes, C.S. Lewis and Philip Larkin.
Further reading
Poets' Corner by James Wilkinson
For more information on poets and writers see our Famous People section.


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A question appears from time to time on various forums postings regarding the use of dependency injection within JSF Managed Beans when running on WebLogic Sever. The usual problem reported is that the dependency injection simply does not work.
A recent example of this is here:
The Short Story
The short story is that WebLogic Server does indeed support the use of dependency injection, within Managed Beans in JSF applications. The simplest way to get it to work is to use the documented mechanism of deploying and using the WebLogic Server supplied JSF shared-library, in which the WebLogic Server specific implementation of the com.sun.faces.spi.InjectionProvider class is supplied, and automatically configured as the InjectionProvider implementation on the Web container.
It is this WebLogic Server specific class -- com.bea.faces.WeblogicInjectionProvider – in which the actual dependency injection calls are realized. Without this class being present, the dependency injection calls from JSF essentially become NOOPs.
See the documentation for more detailed instructions on how to deploy the JSF shared-library to WebLogic Server and reference it within applications.
Configuring JSF and JSTL Libraries
The Longer Story
To provide support for multiple versions of JSF, WebLogic Server uses its it's shared-library mechanism. In a WebLogic Server installation, there are a set of "deployable-libraries" provided that can be deployed as libraries to a WebLogic Server domain to extend its base functionality, in this specific instance by providing a JSF runtime.
The JSF 2.0 shared-library is represented by the jsf-2.0.war archive. This archive contains the standard JSF and JSTL jar files, plus an additional library wls.jsf.di.jar.
The wls.jsf.di.jar library contains a single class com.bea.faces.WeblogicInjectionProvider, which is the WebLogic Server specific implementation of the com.sun.faces.spi.InjectionProvider interface required to support dependency inject from JSF.
Furthermore, WebLogic Server detects when JSF is present in a web application by examining if the "jsf" shared-library is referenced, or if the Faces Servlet is configured, and automatically sets the ServletContext parameter com.sun.faces.injectionProvider parameter to the com.bea.faces.WebLogicInjectionProvider class to specify the InjectionProvider to use.
** See http://blogs.sun.com/rlubke/entry/jsf_ri_1_2_and for the details of this standard JSF SPI mechanism.
public class com.bea.faces.WeblogicInjectionProvider implements com.sun.faces.spi.InjectionProvider {
public com.bea.faces.WeblogicInjectionProvider();
public void inject(java.lang.Object) throws com.sun.faces.spi.InjectionProviderException;
public void invokePostConstruct(java.lang.Object) throws com.sun.faces.spi.InjectionProviderException;
public void invokePreDestroy(java.lang.Object) throws com.sun.faces.spi.InjectionProviderException;
Using WebLogic Server JSF Shared Libraries
The simplest way to use dependency injection in JSF with WebLogic Server is to follow the documented approach for deploying and using JSF shared-library as referenced above. Once the shared-library is deployed, applications use it by providing a reference in a weblogic deployment descriptor to the JSF library. At runtime, WebLogic Server will arrange to have the contents of the shared-library made available for the application to use.
For deployment of shared-libraries to WebLogic Server, the standard tools such as the console, or the weblogic.Deployer utility are used, specifying the deployment type as a library.
With the JSF shared-library deployed to WebLogic Server, applications can reference it using a weblogic deployment descriptor.
An example weblogic.xml deployment descriptor referencing the deployed email@example.com shared-library is shown below.
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<weblogic-web-app xmlns="http://www.bea.com/ns/weblogic/90" xmlns:j2ee="http://java.sun.com/xml/ns/j2ee" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.bea.com/ns/weblogic/90 http://www.bea.com/ns/weblogic/90/weblogic-web-app.xsd">
This is the documented and supported approach and is what we recommend based on the current architecture we use to support JSF.
Embedding JSF within a Web Application
A common arrangement for applications using JSF, is to provide the JSF jar files within the web archive itself, so that they are always available when the application is deployed. It is this case typically where problems surface with dependency injection not working, since the WeblogicInjectionProvider class provider is not present, resulting in a NOOP when dependency injection calls are made.
If this embedding approach is to be used, then the undocumented (and daresay unsupported at this time) approach to getting dependency injection to work in JSF, is to extract the wls.jsf.di.jar file from the jsf-1.2.war or jsf-2.0.war files from a WebLogic Server installation, and put it into the WEB-INF/lib directory of the web application, alongside the JSF jars. When the application is deployed, the WeblogicInjectionProvider will be available. This works because the web application initialization code we have, in addition to looking at the shared-library references, also checks to see whether the Faces Servlet -- javax.faces.webapp.FacesServlet -- is configured in web.xml. If so, it sets the InjectionProvider property appropriately on the ServletContext of the web application, delegating the dependency injection operations to the WeblogicInjectionProvider.
A Simple Example
Right, with that explained (hopefully) lets take a look at a simple example in NetBeans.
Here is a Java EE project with two modules: WLS-JSF-EJB-DI-WEB and WLS-JSF-EJB-DI-EJB:
In WLS-JSF-EJB-DI-EJB there is a single EJB 3.0 stateless session bean defined as follows:
package oracle.com.demo.ejb;
import javax.ejb.Local;
public interface DateTimeLocal {
String getCurrentDateTime();
String getCurrentTime();
String getCurrentDate();
int getDateStyle();
int getTimeStyle();
void setDateStyle(int style);
void setTimeStyle(int style);
This purpose of this EJB is to return a formatted string representing the current date and time. The formatting of the date is controlled via the DateStyle and TimeStyle properties.
In the WLS-JSF-EJB-DI-WEB module, there is a single DateTimeManagedBean class, annotated with @ManagedBean (no faces-config.xml here!) and a single JSF facelet that uses the Managed Bean to displays the formatted date and time. It also allows the user to change the formatting, again via the Managed Bean.
The Managed Bean class uses an @EJB annotation to inject an instance of the DateTimeLocal EJB, and then delegates all work to it, in order obtain the appropriately formatted date and time string.
package oracle.com.demo.web.beans;
import javax.ejb.EJB;
import javax.faces.bean.ManagedBean;
import oracle.com.demo.ejb.DateTimeLocal;
public class DateTimeManagedBean {
DateTimeLocal dateTimeEJB;
public int getDateStyle() {
return dateTimeEJB.getDateStyle();
public int getTimeStyle() {
return dateTimeEJB.getTimeStyle();
public void setDateStyle(int style) {
public void setTimeStyle(int style) {
public String getCurrentDateTime() {
return dateTimeEJB.getCurrentDateTime();
public String getCurrentDate() {
return dateTimeEJB.getCurrentDate();
public String getCurrentTime() {
return String.format("%s", dateTimeEJB.getCurrentTime());
public String applyFormats() {
return "index.xhtml"; //
The index.xhtml facelet uses the Managed Bean to sets and apply the formatting properties and obtain the current date and time in the desired format.
Finally, a weblogic.xml file is provided in the WEB-INF directory that specifies the use of the jsf#2.0 shared-library.
** NetBeans offers great support for WebLogic here. When you add the "JSF Framework" to a project that is configured to run on WebLogic Server, NetBeans automatically offers you the choice of JSF implementations it is aware of on the server and generates the weblogic.xml file. It will also transparently deploy the specified JSF shared-library to the target WebLogic Server domain if it is not already deployed.
When deployed to WebLogic Server 10.3.4, the resulting page looks like this:
Changing the format properties and applying them, the Managed Bean gets updated, which in turn makes the changes on the DateTimeLocal EJB, which ultimately returns the date and time in the specified format:
This simple application demonstrates the successful use of JSF with a Managed Bean, which injects and uses an EJB 3.0 stateless session bean.
I creates this sample application to assist an OTN question that was asked – the project can be be downloaded from here: http://bit.ly/wlsjsfejb.


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Posted by Editoress on 03/25/04
Tour De Delta Doubles Prize Money ! Richest BC Superweek Ever !
Courtesy Tour de Delta
DELTA (March 25, 2004) - After only three years of racing, the Tour De Delta has become such a big hit that organizers have announced they're doubling the prize money to $20,000, making it the richest three-day event in Canadian cycling and turning BC Superweek into one of the biggest weeks of racing in North America. Combined with the Tour de Gastown and Tour de White Rock, riders will be competing for record purses totaling $40,000 during BC Superweek.
"The goal of the Tour de Delta board of directors is to create an international caliber stage race," explains Race Director, John McMurchy. "Increasing the prize money will attract more professional cyclists and establish the Tour de Delta and BC Superweek on the North American race calendar. Three years ago when our cycling director, Jamie Davidson started recruiting riders from the big teams in the U.S.A. he had to explain what we were doing with the races. Now teams are calling us to see when to pencil in BC Superweek on their racing schedules."
This year's BC Superweek begins with the Tour de Delta Brenco Hill Climb, July 16, the Lehigh Cement Criterium July 17, and the White Spot Road Race July 18. It continues with the Tour de Gastown July 21 and concludes with the three stages of the Tour de White Rock, July 23, 24, 25.
The increased purse money will make a dramatic difference according to Rita Clarkson, director of the Tour de White Rock, the Granddaddy of bike races in BC, which is now in its 25th year.
"It's great news and will definitely have a big impact," she says. "The better riders will come from a further distances based on the size of the prize money. This will guarantee we'll get the better riders out of the U.S. and back east. It'll definitely give us better races and a better BC Superweek. Raising the purses is the key. That and coupling with Cascade Cycling Classic in Oregon. It's one of the biggest races in the States. We' ve positioned BC Sueprweek so it begins the week after Cascade. The top riders have already traveled across the country to race in Oregon so it's easier and more economical for them to drive up to Vancouver for our races."
Last year, BC Superweek attracted more than 40 pros riding on the US Circuit. They included two of the top four men, based on North American rankings: Ontario's Gord Fraser, who won Gastown and American Danny Pate, who won the criterium and finished second to Ben Brooks in the road race in White Rock. Fraser is expected to return along with his teammates on the Health Net Racing Team.
"Gord billeted with us in White Rock," says Rita Clarkson "This was his first time here in a decade and I can tell you he was impressed by the organization and competition in all the races in BC Superweek. I remember the last thing he said, standing in our driveway before heading for the airport. He turned and said don't worry we'll be back next year and this time we'll be bringing our "A Team" with us."
It's too early for any of the teams to name the squads they'll be sending to Vancouver this summer but most of the top teams have included BC Superweek in their announced schedule. "We're thinking of increasing the size of the field from 120 to 140 this year," reveals Tour de Delta cycling director, Jamie Davidson. "We're expecting most of the big pro teams will bring full squads of 6 to 8 racers. The increased prize money is going to help. It is just part of the evolution of our event and a result of the success. The community is really behind it. I mean it's pretty outstanding when you realize Delta has done it all with sponsors completely from within Delta. It was a valuable lesson learned from White Rock, get local sponsors and don't rely on big national sponsors who can pull the plug at any minute. The prize money is not the only reason the top riders keep coming back. The feedback I get each year is that they enjoy everything about the races up here, from the organization to the atmosphere to the crowds. Racing in front of 20 to 30,000 in Gastown is a rare treat for any racer." Increasing the crowds is another benefit organizers hope to achieve by doubling the purse in Delta. They're also trying to raise the fun level at the races by adding more festival type activities and entertainment before each event.
"The races and the Envision Mayors Rally on the Saturday morning make this one of the biggest weekends of the year in Delta," says Mr. McMurchy. " We' re trying to make it bigger and better each year. The Lehigh Cement criterium in the historic village of Ladner will be bustling with family activities prior to the twilight races on Saturday night. Our ultimate goal is to have crowds of over 10,000 spectators come out to Delta every year for the fun and the racing."
Return to Canadian Cyclist homepage | Back to Top |


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05 December 2012
The third Galileo Flight Model, known as FM3, transmitted its first test navigation signal in the E1 band on 1 December, the band being used for Galileo's freely available Open Service interoperable with GPS. Then, on the morning of 4 December, the satellite broadcast signals across all three Galileo bands – E1, E5 and E6.Galileo is designed to provide highly accurate timing and navigation services to users around the world. So the testing is being carried out in addition to the standard satellite commissioning to confirm that the critical navigation payloads have not been degraded by the violence of launch. While the satellites are run from Galileo's Oberpfaffenhofen Control Centre near Munich in Germany and their navigation payloads are overseen from Galileo's Mission Control Centre in Fucino, Italy, a separate site is used for the in-orbit testing.Located in the heart of Belgium's Ardennes forest, Redu is specially equipped for Galileo testing, with a 15m diameter S-band antenna to upload commands and receive telemetry from the satellite, and a 20m diameter L-band dish to monitor the shape and quality of navigation signals at high resolution."This marked the very first time that a Galileo payload was activated directly from ESA's Redu centre in Belgium," explained Marco Falcone, overseeing the campaign effort as Galileo's System Manager."We have now established an end-to-end setup in Redu that allows us to upload commands generated from Fucino's Galileo Control Centre to the satellite payload whenever the satellite passes over the station, while at the same time directly receiving the resulting navigation signal through its main L-band antenna."The result is our operations are much more effective, shortening the time needed for payload in orbit testing."Operating at an altitude of 23,222 km, the Galileo satellites take about 14 hours to orbit our planet, typically coming into view of Redu for between three to nine hours each day. The fourth Galileo flight model, FM4, was launched together with FM3 on 12 October. The two satellites shared the same Soyuz launcher from French Guiana.Both have now been manoeuvred into their operational orbits: at the same altitude but in a different orbital plane to the first two Galileos, launched in 2011, in order to maximise the global coverage.Now that FM3's payload has been activated, FM4 is set to begin transmitting test navigation signals later this month. The first two satellites have already passed their in-orbit testing.
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Sheilan Laing doesn't like to talk about why he doesn't play hockey.
Being unable to lace up his skates and get out there for a good skate – feeling the wind in his face as he picks up speed, hearing the crunch of his blades cutting into the ice and the sound of teammates and foes battling for the puck – not playing is a scar that runs deep with the 37 year old Chilliwack man.
When he thinks about why he's not playing, old feelings bubble to the surface, and he relives the moment that forced him to the sidelines.
He feels frustration and anger as the images flash in his mind.
A playoff game in a men's hockey league. A spirited battle along the boards. A vicious and totally unnecessary cross-check to the back of his head by an agitated opponent.
"I believe it was the final game of the final playoff series," Laing says. "I was checking him along the boards, just working hard. I turned around to head off the ice for a line change, and guys from both teams say he hit me from behind in the head.
"I was knocked out before I even hit the ice."
Laing doesn't remember any of that.
Instead, he remembers sitting in the dressing room crying, and the anguish he felt knowing that he was concussed.
"It wasn't even anger that I felt," he says quietly. "That came later. What I felt in that moment was despair because I knew what I was going to have to go through everything all over again."
^ READ MORE: Hockey player awarded $700,000 in court settlement
^ READ MORE: BCHL responds to growing concussion problem
Laing was no stranger to concussions before that terrible night.
He figures he started down that path in bantam. He was a smaller player then, learning to hit and be hit, and he remembers "seeing stars."
"I was knocked unconscious twice in my first year of bantam," he says. "But back then it was kind of, 'Get your mind straight and get back out on the ice.
A few years later, after experiencing a significant growth spurt, Laing found himself playing junior B in Nelson.
He was hammered into the boards by an opponent and knocked out.
"I was probably out for a week or a week-and-a-half after that hit and I wasn't feeling good whatsoever, but the team doctors said I was ready to go back in," Laing says. "I told them I didn't feel right, but it got to the point where the coach said, 'If you don't get back out on the ice, we're going to be looking to trade you.'
"So I got back out there, and within the first 10 minutes of my first game I got flattened by a guy and was concussed again.
"Several of my teammates told me later that the coach was yelling, 'Get up you pussy!'"
The Nelson coach was true to his word, trading Laing to the Castlegar Rebels soon after. Advised by a non-team affiliated doctor to stop playing hockey, Laing told Castlegar that he was walking away from junior B at 18 years old.
"At that point, I couldn't even walk around without getting dizzy," he says. "I had headaches all the time and the bright lights of a rink made me feel disoriented. That went on for years afterwards and the worst part is I blamed myself. I thought I wasn't 'tough enough' to get through it, and I was the one who quit."
Through it all, Laing's love of hockey never wavered.
He stopped because he had to, but he never lost the desire to play.
Laing grew up playing hockey with a lot of guys in Chilliwack, and figured the local men's rec league would be a relatively safe way to scratch the hockey itch. Most of the players he played with and against knew something of his history and recognized that he was at high risk for another concussion.
"It's not like there was an unwritten rule to not hit me or anything like that," he says. "But guys are pretty respectful about that type of thing. It's supposed to be non-contact and I was a pretty big guy who could handle himself, but if there was a skirmish I'd just turn away or push around a bit and find a way to get out of it."
It was six years from leaving junior B to the night he was blindsided in the men's league game.
Laing was now 26 years old, married with his first child on the way.
Laing only missed three works of work after the hit.
The after-effects of the concussion lasted way longer, wreaking havoc in his life.
He found that he could barely remember anything from his childhood, and memory lapses made it difficult to function at work, where he was a construction site foreman.
Depression and anxiety already plagued him, and got much worse as he struggled to regain what was lost.
"I resorted to a lot of drinking to get through it," he admits. "That took a toll on my marriage."
Laing actually started drinking and experimenting with drugs a lot earlier, when he was a teenager in Nelson. It's a common story with young hockey players who move away from home and experience 'freedom' for the first time, encouraged in their excess by teammates who are two or three years older. By the time he left junior B, the alcohol and drugs were as much about self-medicating as anything else.
"I didn't know it at the time, I had no idea why I was doing it, but I was depressed and anxious and feeling horrible about myself and the shitty way that it (his hockey career) ended," Laing says. "By the time it fell apart in Nelson, I was drinking to the point of blacking out," Laing says. "When I got back to Chilliwack I just partied for three or four years until I met my wife. Even after that, I was drinking way too much."
Up to and following the last concussion, it remained a major issue in his life. When he drank too much, he lost every shred of control. He was emotionally volatile, willing to fight anyone at the drop of a hat and he'd lash out at anyone, even his wife.
Fortunately, he married a woman (Jill) who was blessed with tremendous patience.
"She's always been there for me," he says, smiling. "Many times our relationship has struggled because of the stuff I've gone through and she's stood by me. It's not one thing she's ever said or done, but I honestly don't think there's a chance I'd be here today without her."
In his lowest moments, Laing thought about walking away from life. Thinking about Jill and his two children was all that kept him going.
"Every day I'd be driving down the road and I'd think, 'I can just crash into that telephone pole or drive off this bridge, and I came very close," he says. "I had pills for the depression and anxiety and I'd just stare at it thinking, 'I could take the whole bottle.'
"I thought about buying a gun. I thought about hanging myself in my garage. I didn't care about myself and the only thing that brought me back was my wife and kids and thinking about the harm I'd be causing them."
A turn for the better came when Laing heard a radio advertisement for the Advanced Concussion Clinic in Vancouver.
The specialists were the first to show any understanding of what he was going through.
"You have a broken arm and people can see that you're hurt, but you have a concussion and no one knows how you're feeling inside," Laing explains. "I went to my family doctor for years and he had no idea what to do with me.
"So I drove all the way down to Oak Street in Vancouver on my own dime."
Since walking through the doors to that clinic, Laing has learned a ton about concussions and how to cope with the physical and mental havoc they create.
"But I don't think you ever feel normal again, you just feel like you're a little better," he says. "This last year, especially since I quit drinking alcohol, I think it's given my brain more of an opportunity to heal. I've worked on a lot of mental stuff through it all, therapy and everything, and I feel better than I have since I was 17."
But there are still times when he doesn't feel well.
Eleven years later, there are moments when he struggles to remember the name of someone he met just five minutes ago.
He has a day planner. He literally writes everything down, because he has to.
"Unless I write it down, I'll forget," he says. "There are times when I go into a room with people I've met a dozen times and I can't remember their name, and there are times when I can't remember the name of a certain product or pipe that I've used for 15 years. I can't get the word out and it gets embarrassing and frustrating because now they're thinking I don't know what I'm talking about. And that's where anxiety comes in."
Playing hockey again? Still a dream.
Laing attempted to come back a couple times, playing four games here or five games there.
"But I just couldn't do it, because I get disoriented when my heart-rate gets too high," he laments. "The last time I tried, I was out there for a shift and one of my teammates said, 'nice pass' and I didn't even know what they were talking about. They could see it. They could see that I wasn't the same player anymore.
There was a point when revenge was on Laing's mind and the only thing he thought about was getting back onto the ice so he could challenge the guy whose cheap shot triggered this nightmare.
He admits he even took steroids for a while, because the guy he'd be going after "is a mean and tough cat."
Nowadays, he's about forgiveness.
The man who did this too him has apologized many times since, pretty much every time the two run into each other in public.
A more mature Laing says life's too short to hold grudges, even well-deserved ones.
But that doesn't mean he's cool with how it happened, how it was allowed to happen, and how it could happen again.
"A lot of the guys in the rec league have played rep or junior hockey their whole lives, so they have that competitiveness in them," he explains. "Near the end of the year and into playoffs, we understand that it gets amped up a bit. There's a little more body. A little more stick-work. Emotions run a little higher and we're totally find with that. I was involved in that too.
"But when it comes to cheap shots from behind or taking a guy's knee out, that's unacceptable."
The solution, he says, must be a zero tolerance policy, especially for hits to the head.
"First offence, gone for the rest of the year. Second offence, gone for good," Laing says with conviction. "These are all guys trying to earn a living right? You can't be taking three or four months off to recover from an injury. You get a guy who hip-checks someone and breaks his leg or dislocates his knee, and the guy who's hit can't go to work for four months. What do you do about that? That's not right."
When Laing comes back, as he eventually still plans to do, he hopes to come back to a league that is safer that the one he left.
"I do miss it a lot," he says wistfully. "I love the smell of the rink. I love walking in there and smelling the ice. The concession. The hockey gear. Say it's weird, but those are the smells I've grown up with my whole life. I love the people. I love being on the ice skating as fast as I can for a loose puck. Scoring goals. Making a big play. All those things. Being on the ice or in the dressing room, just joking around. You miss that stuff."
And now that he's finally putting his story out in the open, Laing also hopes that other concussion victims realize that they're not alone.
"I'm at the point now where I'm feeling better about myself and I can be a positive influence for someone who's might be going through exactly what I've been through," he says. "If anyone reaches out to me, I'd love to help them get through it quicker than I did, because it took a very long time for me."
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The origins of the Augustinians as an order stretch back to the 13th century. At that time in northern Italy there were groups of hermits mostly living according to the Rule of St. Augustine.
These hermits formed the core of a new order of friars called into being by the Holy See in 1244 and 1256, in the wake of the other great orders of friars founded by St Francis and St. Dominic. Up to recently the official title of the Augustinians was 'Order of Friars Hermits of St. Augustine'. Now they are known simply as 'Order of St. Augustine' (O.S.A). St. Augustine of Hippo (354-430), while not the actual founder of the order as he lived eight hundred years before its establishment, is regarded as its spiritual founder. The rule of life he wrote for those who lived with him in community in North Africa, the Rule of St. Augustine, is the basis of the way of life of every Augustinian community. It lays great stress on the common life and the search for God together. It is the oldest monastic rule in the Western Church, older even that that of St. Benedict. In the Middle Ages the Augustinians produced many saints, theologians and men of learning, one of the most notable of whom achieved fame after leaving the order - Martin Luther. After the Reformation, the order played a significant role in the great missionary thrust of the Church. They were the first to bring Christianity to the Philippines; many were martyred in Japan in the 17th century; and the first missionary to circumnavigate the world was a Spanish Augustinian. At the time of the Reformation there were over thirty communities of Augustinians, or Austin Friars as they were known then, in England and Scotland. None of these survived and the order became extinct. But the order did survive in Ireland, and it was from there that the Augustinians returned to England in the second half of the nineteenth century. In 1977 an independent province for England and Scotland was formed. A significant step in this movement towards the reestablishment of the Augustinians in this country was the return to Clare Priory in 1953, when it became the first house in England to receive novices since the Reformation. Further information on the history of the Anglo-Scottish Province can be found here. Today, Augustinians of many nationalities are to be found as parish priests, teachers, missionaries and servants of the Church in over forty countries. Text taken from http://www.augustinians.org.uk/who-we-are/order-of-st-augustine |


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Smile Q2 Firmware MT6580 5.1 Rom (Paid)
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Lacrosse, Shinney & Double Ball: How Games Can Beat Historical Trauma
Native games, neuroscience, and historical trauma--they sound like an odd trio but collectively may provide answers to problems across Indian country. Educators, researchers, and youngsters from Alberta, Saskatchewan, the western U.S. and Alaska, even as far away as Delhi, India gathered at the First International Traditional Native Games Conference in Pablo, Montana on June 26-28.
Gregory Cajete, Tewa from Santa Clara Pueblo and director of Native American Studies at the University of New Mexico, has authored five books dealing with Native games. "We see young children as they're growing up, especially the first few years of their life. Everything is play. The human propensity to be athletic is a very integral part of natural forms of education. It's also the way the brain develops."
Jaak Panksepp, a neuroscientist at Washington State University, has studied games and their effect on the brain. "The most sophisticated emotion built into our brains is play," he said. "If we take play out of the lives of our children we will have children that cannot grow up to be normal, vibrant, positive human beings that respect others and know how to interact with them. Play is the bridge to a full human life."
The third element, historical trauma, is well documented among Indigenous Peoples. Native Americans have been subjected to it in many ways, including the period of boarding schools that altered tribal life--and tribal games. "Early on Native games were targeted to erase them," Cajete said. "If you're trying to subjugate a people you begin to go for those institutions that bring people together and have an influence in terms of how well they can be controlled. Native games were the focus of many agents at that time."
The loss of games at boarding schools was illustrated when 17 elders from the Blackfeet Nation were invited to watch as youngsters took part in some games, and to offer comments as tribal protocol dictates. In some cases the youngsters knew much more about the games than did the elders, most of whom had spent time in boarding schools during their early years.
Recovering and restoring those traditional games, getting them reintroduced in Native communities and in schools, is the goal of the International Traditional Games Society, hosts of the conference.
Young people, teens and pre-teens, came to the conference to learn and to compete in various games. Jeremy Red Eagle, Sioux, is a board member of the International Traditional Games Society. He brought 10 young people with him from Helena, Montana. "We focus on the positive things: our language, our ceremonies and culture, our song and dance-and our games." Then Red Eagle commented on two weeks of traveling with these young people and how they were sticking together without fighting or arguments. "These games are the foundation of what started our youth program. These kids will be leaders in our communities."
Many games are played on a field while many others can be played in a classroom or at home. Most are quite simple and can be played with materials readily available: rocks, limbs, sticks, balls of buckskin or yarn. The list goes on. Some are games of skill or endurance while others may be of intuition.
Lacrosse seemed to be the game of choice but shinney was not far behind. Double ball is another favorite, somewhat similar to the other two but using straight sticks with double balls made of two stuffed pouches and joined together by a short band, usually of tanned buckskin.
Nicole Johnston, Inupiaq, chairs the World Eskimo Indian Olympics. She brought two young athletes to the conference to demonstrate games played in the far north. She is also a record holder in the women's two-foot high kick. Their games are all designed for survival in the arctic north and thus very different from those which originated farther south.
The youth who participated in the games were honored at the final ceremony. Gifts were distributed including sets for shinney and double ball The visitors from Alaska gave gifts of an Indian stick pull stick and a kick-ball to the host organization.
Related: Head to Fairbanks, Alaska, for the Annual World Eskimo Indian Olympics
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Ringing BellSynopsisChirin is an energetic young lamb living an idyllic life on a farm with his mother. He was always told by her not to venture outside of the gate so that he would not be eaten by the Wolf King, a ferocious wolf that eats lambs. One night, the Wolf King attacks the herd and kills Chirin's mother while she was in the process of protecting Chirin. Confused, saddened, and enraged, the little lamb confronts the wolf and demands that he takes him as an apprentice so that one day, Chirin can be strong like the wolf and kill him. ReviewRinging Bell begins as more of a production that would befit the style of a classic Walt Disney animated feature. The colors are bright, the animals talk in a cute manner, and the character Chirin himself looks as if he could be a lamb version of Bambi. Ringing Bell looks, and feels, like Bambi in terms of style but as far as this anime is concerned, it is a cautionary fable that does not try to soften its emotional blows. Animation wise, Ringing Bell has some pleasant colors and has aged well, despite the fact that it was made in 1978. The director, Masami Hata, uses character designs that scream of American inspiration, and although the animation cannot be considered as high quality as the animation of Disney, it still looks pretty and brings back a sense of nostalgia. One of the strongest traits of Ringing Bell is its ability to tell a deep and truly sad story within forty-five minutes. Although this anime was marketed toward children, there is nothing in here which takes for granted the intelligence of younger viewers. Characters die; tough subjects such as loss, revenge and 'survival of the fittest' are shown in such a blunt manner, that this anime could rival a drama which would be aimed towards adults. It is a refreshing work of animation, considering that so much entertainment that is aimed towards children is watered down intellectually and relies on gimmicks and pop-culture references to see themselves through. Needless to say, it would not be a spoiler to say that the ending of this anime is not a happy one. Morally speaking, the message of the film is a distinctly Japanese one, providing a cautionary tale of the pitfalls of vengeance and non-conformity. One striking aspect of Ringing Bell is the relationship between Chirin and the Wolf King, which starts off as a hateful partnership but as Chirin becomes stronger, the wolf becomes a surrogate father to him. Instead of relying a hero/villain motif to move the story along, the Wolf King is shown more as just an aspect of nature. In terms of sound, Ringing Bell tells a lot of its story through ballads, kind of like a Disney musical, but without the characters singing, but a chorus. For the time of its American release in the 1980's, Ringing Bell has an okay dub, but time has been just a little unkind to it. In hindsight, the Dub of Ringing Bell is tolerable and stays true to the original Japanese track most of the time. All in all, Ringing Bell is a hard line fable that does not try to talk down to its intended audience but instead crafts a story that proves that even children's films can be emotionally powerful, and that just because a story features talking animals, does not mean that it lacks depth. Interestingly enough, this anime was based off a picture book. Why this book was not translated and brought to the states but Everybody Poops was, is beyond me. A poignant and powerful fable that earns a solid four stars. It is a shame that this anime will probably not see a re-release in the states anytime soon. Take away one star if you dislike older animation. — Dallas Marshall Recommended Audience: This is an anime that was intended for the children in the crowd but can be appreciated by anyone. Version(s) Viewed: VHS, English Dub Review Status: Full (1/1) Ringing Bell © 1978 Masami Hata/Sanrio |
© 1996-2015 THEM Anime Reviews. All rights reserved. |


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June 13, 2012
Princeton, NJ – June 13, 2012 – Ophthotech Corporation today announced results from the first clinical trial to show statistically significant superior efficacy over Lucentis® (ranibizumab) monotherapy for the treatment of neovascular age-related macular degeneration (wet AMD).
In a prospective, randomized, controlled Phase 2b clinical trial of 449 patients with wet AMD, Ophthotech's FovistaTM anti-PDGF therapy (1.5 mg), administered in combination with Lucentis anti-VEGF therapy, met the pre-specified primary efficacy endpoint of mean vision gain. Patients receiving the combination of Fovista (1.5 mg) and Lucentis gained a mean of 10.6 letters of vision on the ETDRS standardized chart at 24 weeks, compared to 6.5 letters for patients receiving Lucentis monotherapy (p=0.019), representing a 62% additional benefit. No significant safety issues were observed for either treatment group in the trial.
Enhanced visual outcomes of Fovista anti-PDGF (1.5 mg) combination therapy as compared to Lucentis monotherapy were demonstrated at every monthly timepoint. In addition, the relative magnitude of visual benefit continued to increase over time. The visual benefit of anti-PDGF (1.5 mg) combination therapy compared to Lucentis monotherapy was greater at the 6-month timepoint than at the 3-month timepoint. The increasing divergence of the efficacy curves suggests the benefit of chronic anti-PDGF combination therapy. A classic dose-response curve was observed.
"This is a truly remarkable finding for patients with wet AMD. To achieve a 62% relative visual benefit over anti-VEGF monotherapy is extraordinary," commented retina specialist Carmen A. Puliafito, M.D., Dean of the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California. "The very compelling and robust results of this well-executed study validate PDGF as an important target for wet AMD and set the stage for a new era of combination therapy via co-formulation or fixed-combination delivery. I look forward to the rapid development of this important drug for our patients."
The robust benefit of Fovista anti-PDGF (1.5 mg) combination therapy over Lucentis monotherapy was consistent across all subgroups including those analyzing baseline vision, lesion size and the proportion of patients gaining 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 lines of vision (ETDRS standardized chart). An average absolute benefit of 7.4% over Lucentis monotherapy was present across all ETDRS lines of vision gain. In addition, a relative benefit of 25% over Lucentis monotherapy was attained in patients who gained 3 or more lines of vision, with 69% and 178% relative benefit in patients gaining 4 or more and 5 or more lines of vision, respectively.
Donald J. D'Amico, M.D., Professor and Chairman of Ophthalmology at the Weill Cornell Medical College, added, "This breakthrough study is a major step forward in our treatment of patients with wet AMD and represents a clear paradigm shift. This convincing study shows clinically significant improvements in visual outcomes in all patient subgroups over six months. In addition to delivering the promise of enhanced visual gain, I am delighted with the potential of pairing this anti-PDGF entity with any of the increasing number of anti-VEGF agents in the marketplace."
"We are very encouraged by the strong and consistent enhanced efficacy demonstrated in this large trial," stated Samir Patel, M.D., Co-Founder, President and Chief Executive Officer of Ophthotech. "Based on these results, Ophthotech plans to expedite the preparation of a Phase 3 registration program with the goal of bringing Fovista anti-PDGF therapy to patients with wet AMD as soon as possible."
The prospective, randomized, controlled Phase 2b trial evaluated the efficacy and safety of Fovista given in combination with Lucentis, compared with Lucentis monotherapy, for the treatment of patients with wet AMD. In this fully masked study, 449 patients were randomized to receive one of the following treatment regimens administered every four weeks for 24 weeks: Fovista 0.3 mg in combination with Lucentis 0.5 mg; Fovista 1.5 mg in combination with Lucentis 0.5 mg; or sham in combination with Lucentis 0.5 mg.
The primary efficacy endpoint in the study was the mean change in visual acuity from baseline at the week 24 visit. As pre-specified in the analysis plan, the Hochberg procedure was employed to account for multiple dose comparisons. Further results will be presented at future medical congresses.
Fovista, formerly known as E10030, is an aptamer directed against platelet-derived growth factor subunit B (PDGF-B), which regulates neovascular pericytes (cells associated with the walls of newly formed small blood vessels). Growth of new blood vessels (neovascularization) is a hallmark of wet AMD. Pharmacology studies indicate that Fovista binds to PDGF-B with high specificity and affinity and inhibits the functions of PDGF-B both in vitro and in vivo. In preclinical studies involving models of ocular neovascularization, concurrent inhibition of PDGF-B and vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A) signaling was superior to inhibition of the VEGF-A pathway alone, and demonstrated the potential to induce neovascular regression.
Age-related macular degeneration is a disease characterized by progressive degenerative abnormalities in the macula of the eye, a small area in the central portion of the retina. Age-related macular degeneration is classified into one of two general subgroups: the "Dry" (non-neovascular) form of the disease; and the "Wet" (exudative or neovascular) form of the disease. The "Dry" form of AMD is characterized by a slow degeneration of the macula resulting in atrophy of the central retina, with gradual vision loss over a period of years. By contrast, "Wet" AMD typically causes sudden, often substantial, loss of central vision and is responsible for most cases of severe loss of visual acuity in this disease. Age-related macular degeneration is characteristically a disease of individuals aged 50 years or older, and is the leading cause of blindness in developed countries around the world.
Ophthotech Corporation is a privately held biopharmaceutical company based in Princeton, NJ focused on developing and commercializing therapies for dry and wet AMD. Ophthotech is developing a pipeline of compounds with strong scientific foundations for the treatment of AMD, with the goal of bringing them to market in an accelerated manner. Ophthotech's venture investors include SV Life Sciences Advisers, Novo Ventures, HBM Partners and Clarus Ventures. For more information, please visit www.ophthotech.com.
Jennifer Devine
SmithSolve LLC
On behalf of Ophthotech Corporation
973-442-1555 ext. 102
Lucentis® is a registered trademark of Genentech, Inc.


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Windows cost building owners billions of dollars per year in energy, maintenance, and repair. But you should look at your glazing with a glass half full mentality.
"Windows have the technical potential to be net energy suppliers to virtually all buildings in all climates," says Stephen Selkowitz, group leader of the windows and envelope materials group in the Building Technology and Urban Systems Derpartment of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. "But that requires matching the right technology with the right design."
Consider the following factors to make sure your windows are working for you.
Clues for Replacement
A full-scale retrofit of the glazing system is rarely justified by energy savings alone. Window replacement usually follows certain red flags.
"If the glass is fogging up or the seals around it are broken, then it's time to replace your system. The windows are reaching the end of their useful life if they haven't already," says John Carmody, director of University of Minnesota's Center for Sustainable Building Research. "Once you decide to make the investment, that's when you should look carefully at the most efficient windows."
Other meaningful warning signs come from occupant complaints.
"The two major concerns that people report are glare and thermal comfort," explains Colin Blackford, regional technical advisor with manufacturer Guardian Industries. "Eventually there will be an opportunity to dramatically increase occupant satisfaction and energy performance by upgrading glazing."
In extreme cases, spikes on your energy bill may reveal the problem, adds Erich Klawuhn, vice president of product management at manufacturer View.
"At an office building in downtown Jackson, MS, they planned a major HVAC retrofit because of the high energy usage," he says. "But at the last minute, they investigated the facade and upgraded it with high-performance glass. Because that project lowered the load, they discovered the existing HVAC system was adequate."
Characteristics of Success
Specific solutions will vary based on building location, size, and use, but the main goal is the same.
"The core approach is to specify high-performance glazing that acts as a selective and active filter for energy flows," Selkowitz says. "Generally, in cold climates, you want to minimize thermal losses and optimize collection of sunlight to offset other losses. In hot climates, the strategy is to minimize solar gain in cooling periods."
However, picking the right products to achieve these goals is complicated, Carmody adds.
"Every building is a balance. There are tradeoffs, because a lot of its energy use is HVAC and lighting," he says. "That's where it gets tricky. If you have glazing with really great thermal resistance, but it also blocks out daylight, then you're losing out on the lighting side."
Low-e coatings were a breakthrough in the glazing industry because they're less visible than past coatings, so they can let in light while keeping out heat, Carmody adds. "They're really powerful because of that win-win," he says.
Electrochromic technology is another recent development, Selkowitz says. It works by wiring the window and electrifying it in either a positive or negative direction to change the optical tinting, Klawuhn adds. The tinting can be adjusted automatically based on weather conditions or manually for occupant concerns.
Important ratings to consider include thermal resistance (U-factor), solar heat gain coefficient, and visible light transmittance.
However, determining the right values might require a little homework.
Tools and Tips
The Center for Sustainable Building Research offers a free facade design tool that allows you to input custom circumstances to learn about your options.
"Instead of going by generalized rules of thumb, jump online and put in window area, climate, and orientation," Carmody says. "Then the tool gives you a rank order of 20 choices from least to most efficient. It's a quick and dirty way to compare."
Berkeley Lab also offers a free tool called COMFEN that is slightly more sophisticated, adds Carmody. It allows you to consider different zones side by side based on glazing, shading, and other criteria.
There are additional considerations that might impact your decision.
"If you have a renovation where you're gutting the whole building, or a situation where you're also updating other systems, there's an interesting opportunity because of the impact glazing has on everything else," Carmody says. "If better performing windows allow you to downsize the chiller or boiler, that's huge. There might be other consequent benefits that make the windows make sense."
Chris Curtland [email protected] is assistant editor of BUILDINGS.


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Icon PLC plans to buy the clinical trial services division of Cross Country Healthcare Inc. in a deal potentially worth more than $55 million, as the Irish company seeks to grow globally and improve its drug safety consulting.
Icon, which is based in Dublin, said Monday it will pay $52 million in cash for the division plus an additional $3.75 million if some performance-based milestones are reached. It expects the deal to close within the next 30 days.
Icon provides development services to drug and medical device makers. Cross Country's clinical trial services division provides contract staffing and permanent placement services as well as drug safety work.
Cross Country, based in Boca Raton, Florida, said the clinical trial services business has been a "meaningful contributor" to the company for more than a decade. The company said it decided to sell it as part of a move to narrow its focus and focus on its resources on its nurse and physician staffing businesses.
Cross Country Healthcare shares finished at $5.60 on Friday. That is nearer their 52-week high of $6.72 set last February. Its shares hit a low of $3.80 on mid-November.


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Eyes Wide Shut. The title names several states— the lucid dreaming of contemporary manners, the shadow world of our dreams and nightmares, and perhaps the most powerful state of all: a conscious denial of what we know to be true about ourselves...we are less than we want to be. After a 12-year wait, director Stanley Kubrick has delivered his final film, and, ironically, it is everything Kubrick wanted his films to be. With characteristic self-knowledge and seemingly unwavering confidence, Kubrick crafted his last masterpiece. Arguably, Kubrick is the finest filmmaker the young medium of cinema has ever seen, and Eyes Wide Shut offers no small testament to his legacy.
It would be criminal to reveal any more about what Warner Brothers has cautiously referred to as a "story of jealousy and sexual obsession" than that stars Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman play a husband and wife who face a crossroads in their marriage. Suffice it to say that the story incorporates elements of several genres: sexual thriller, black comedy, tragedy, and dream play. Kubrick effectively paints--and make no mistake about it, Kubrick paints every frame with elegant detail--a picture that goes far beyond domestic drama and into biblical allegory.
Kubrick makes films that capitalize on all of the potential of the art. They have the themes, imagery, and characterization of great dramatic literature. They have the breathtaking imagery of the most audacious and challenging art (though here, Kubrick sublimates his wilder visual impulses to attack the subconscious with simpler but prolific images). They have music and rhythm. Most importantly, they have the marriage of these elements into an astonishingly cohesive whole.
Kubrick's elliptical advertising turned out to be a clear and concise statement of the film he created. "Baby did a bad, bad thing," Chris Isaak intones in both the trailer and the film, and these transgressions put the married couple into the mirror: literally, in a much-publicized image from the film (and the film's poster art), and figuratively, in the seductive need to see an illusory, shallow image of one's self that is, at the same time, a reflection of reality.


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As consumers search for products that make hair shiny, silky, clean, soft, manageable and healthy, the emphasis on cleansing, conditioning and treatment has become more important than ever.
The global hair care market grossed $50.94 billion in 2005, according to Euromonitor. Growth will continue to result from an emphasis on product development, as manufacturers strive to offer consumers sophisticated value-added products. "Antiaging, antipollution and sun-protective products will enjoy higher levels of penetration, as skin care benefits are increasingly incorporated into hair care products," according to Euromonitor. Color maintenance, vitamin and protein-enriched products, diverse needs and male-specific hair care segments also will continue to make gains.
Consumers Looking For Benefits
Today, men and women are increasingly looking at the product's benefits while perusing retail store and salon shelves. The need for these benefits is challenging formulators to new scientific breakthroughs and the use of innovative combinations of ingredients.
Ingredient suppliers are meeting the demands of the marketplace with new product offerings. According to Erik Gyzen, Dow Corning's major market strategy leader for hair care, the company is offering six new silicone-based formulations for leave-in conditioners, developed at its research and development laboratory in Shanghai, China. The company says leave-in conditioners help to restore moisture in the hair and minimize damage caused by external factors. Silicones, a major focus of today's treatment materials, improve conditioners by providing shine, split-end repair, silky conditioning effects and moisture retention.
"In Asia, a woman's beauty starts with the appearance of her hair. It needs to be shiny, soft, silky and healthy looking," said Vince Ungvary, marketing director, Dow Corning Personal Care, Asia. "This need can be met by leave-in conditioners, one of the fastest-growing segments of the global hair care market."
Combining Lipids and Silicones
According to the company, Dow Corning® natural lipids are stabilized against oxidation so they can be formulated with silicones to improve the feel of hair and skin products. The lipids line is the result of an alliance with International Cosmetic Science Centre (ICSC), a research and development center and supplier of high-quality natural ingredients to the cosmetic industry.
Dow Corning stated its lipids, rich in fatty acids, are good moisturizers and hair conditioners, especially for ethnic hair care products, and can restore the skin's barrier function. They can be used in combination with silicones, which are good emollients that improve the feel of formulations to create products with low film residue, greasiness and tackiness. Incorporating natural lipids in formulations had been difficult because of their inherent oxidative instability, especially for lipids with a high content of essential fatty acids. Rosemary extract has been found to stabilize the lipids against oxidation. To deliver these lipids in concentrated emulsions combined with silicones provides additional benefits for the cosmetic formulator," said Gyzen.
Replicating practices that have been used for centuries, Dow Corning's lipids are derived naturally from plant seeds, fruit nuts or kernels, mango, kokum, black currant, evening primrose, borage, camelina and shea, which are sourced from such locations as India, Pakistan, East Africa, Mexico, Central America and China.
Dow Corning also offers a thickening agent called Dow Corning® RM 2051, which is a ready-to-use polymer in a silicone base that thickens and emulsifies a wide variety of oils in water-based formulations while imparting recognized silicone properties. This product is designed for leave-on hair conditioners and hair styling products. "It contains trideceth-6, an inverting agent that helps bring the polymer into contact with the aqueous solution of a formulation. When the emulsion is added to water, the polymer expands immediately into the water phase to thicken and stabilize the formulation. As the formulation thickens, the oil phase ingredients are emulsified and stabilized," said Gyzen.
Filling the Niches in Haircare
When science and sales combine in the marketplace, the results can be impressive. New products that fill niches also place an important emphasis on building relationships with customers and point-of-sale purveyors. The products' benefits and presentation are among the key points that support today's marketing efforts.
Marketing continues to retain an important place in the determination of hair care product development. For example, a consumer poll sponsored by National Starch Personal Care showed that 43 percent of all women surveyed in the U.S. find hair volume to be important. Among the respondents who believe volume to be important, more than 80 percent want to increase volume, said Kathy Maurer, hair care marketing manager, National Starch Personal Care. "This survey provides clarity on the types of consumers in search of better volume and the types of products consumers are relying on to obtain it."
"Women tend to rely on shampoo, conditioners and mousse for volume while men rely substantially on shampoo and gel to obtain hair volume," Maurer added. "With this detail in hand we looked at our own technologies to determine if we could improve upon the offerings already in the marketplace." National Starch unveiled the Art of Volume formulating kit in May 2006, featuring some of its technology and formulating expertise within a system of prototypes.
"The offering represented by the Art of Volume responds to the needs of consumer product companies facing increased pressure to commercialize high performing, consumer-pleasing products quickly," Maurer said. "We packaged several areas of our expertise to give our customers everything they need to get off to a fast start in creating winning volumizing products."
Science and Ceramides
While marketing and innovative formulation are part and parcel of product development, there are some new and interesting products on the market today that reflect the synergy of science and consumer need across the country. The Matrix Biolage Fortethérapie range, a professional hair care brand, includes ceramide, silicones and conditioning polymers to protect against heat damage, condition, and close the cuticle to control frizz and add shine.
Dow Corning® brand silicones have been designed to provide heat protection. The materials produce protective films that help prevent water loss, which is critical to avoiding cuticle breaks and cracks. At the same time, according to the company, these silicones contribute to improved sensory characteristics such as softness, easy combing and shine. Thermogravimetric (TGA) analyses show a range of silicones helps prevent moisture loss when hair is subjected to heat. According to the company, the 5-7070 Si Amino Elastomer Emulsion offers conditioning, good fixative strength, positive aesthetics and a natural look from one ingredient.
"This approach provides a solution to a common formulating challenge: a number of polymers currently used for styling benefits have poor sensory properties and impart an unnatural look to hair. This one was designed for hair styling applications such as mousses and hair sprays, as well as leave-on and rinse-off conditioners, and shampoos. Delivered in emulsion form, the material allows easy addition and mixing in aqueous-based formulations," said Gyzen. Synergistic effects occur with the silicone emulsion in combination with other styling polymers, allowing blends that suggest versatility for formulating or extending the range of products developed for specific market needs.
Products for Shine, Gloss, Sculpting and Straightening
Product performance is a top priority in hair care. With superior shine being among the most highly sought attributes for hair today, high performance ingredients have taken center stage. Dow Corning® 2-2078 Fluid is a silicone copolymer with both amino and phenyl functionality. Its amino functionality is said to enhance deposition and substantivity on hair, particularly damaged hair, while its phenyl functionality provides superior shine. According to the company, the liquid silicone resin also enhances straightening while providing heat and color protection. "The properties of this material suggest a range of benefits for ethnic hair care products, and have the ability to aid in straightening and protecting hair that is typically drier, curlier and more fragile, thus allowing formulators to create products that meet the specialized requirements of global markets," said Beth Johnson, global hair care technology leader, Dow Corning.
For example, Frédéric Fekkai introduced Fekkai Glosing Sheer Shine Mist, which includes shine-reflecting olive oil extract and an exclusive blend of sheer silicones to impart brilliant and long-lasting shine, while helping to lock in moisture and keep strands soft and conditioned.
PureOlogy recently introduced an Anti-Fade Complex Glossing Mist™ with a blend of silicone technology, including panthenol, wheat amino acids and soy proteins, while utilizing a nanotechnology approach to color and thermal protection.
Repairing, Styling and Texturizing
Consumers crave shiny, healthy and manageable hair; therefore the use of distinctive hair styling polymers for a variety of applications has grown. "Customers formulate these products into pump and aerosol sprays, gels, mousses, putties, muds and pomades, among others, and each hair styling polymer is formulated to provide a different benefit," said Dierdre Crowley, market manager, Rohm and Haas Personal Care, North America. Rohm and Haas polymers are durable and not brittle to help reduce flaking, according to the company. "We understand how water reacts with these polymer films, so we can design our polymers to have excellent humidity resistance and improve all-day hold; and while we don't supply silicone-based materials, we do have products that allow formulators to easily suspend silicones in hair care products," said Crowley. "While the consumer won't feel or see the hair spray in the hair, they get all-day hold because the film was designed to be very strong and flexible so it won't break easily—which is exactly what happens when a product stops holding the hair—the polymer breaks. It's hair science in plain terms, but you need to understand polymers if you're going to make an effective product those consumers want."
Rohm and Haas noted both the DHR and 180 products were developed with the trend to reduce VOC emissions in mind. Both work in 55 percent VOC or 80 percent VOC pump and aerosol sprays, an important element not only to meet regulatory requirements in some countries, but for customers who are looking at various aspects related to the sustainability profile of their products.
Clearly, products today display the scientific skill and nimbleness of innovative formulators seeking to serve a diverse and educated consumer base. As consumers learn more about ingredients, and the interplay between science, aesthetics and execution continue, both marketers and formulators will need to remain dexterous and articulate about their products' capabilities.