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Understanding Financial Statements Reports
Financial accounting's focus is around the financial statements given to people outdoors of the organization. The main element of financial reporting may be the fiscal reports: earnings statement, balance sheet, statement of money flows, and also the statement of stockholders' equity. The earnings statement signifies a company's profitability throughout a specified period of time for example twelve months, three several weeks a treadmill month.
Under accrual accounting the earnings statement reports the quantity of revenues earned and also the expenses which were incurred to generate the revenues. Expenses likewise incorporate costs that expired throughout the earnings statement. If your corporation's stock is openly traded, the earnings statement may also report the income per share of common stock. The total amount sheet reports a corporation's assets, liabilities, and stockholders' equity by a particular instant, for example night time of December 31. Most balance sheets will group all the current assets and every one of the present liabilities. This enables readers to simply begin to see the corporation's capital and current ratio. The statement of money flows organizes the explanations from the alternation in cash and funds equivalents into three sections: operating activities, investment activities, and financing activities. The statement of stockholders equity provides a listing of the alterations occurring to stockholders' equity throughout the accounting period. The alterations include internet earnings, dividends declared, acquisition of treasury stock, along with other comprehensive earnings.
To ensure that your readers of those fiscal reports to create comparisons along with other companies, it's important the fiscal reports follow some common rules. The guidelines are known as generally recognized accounting concepts or GAAP (pronounced gap) and contain several components. One element of GAAP may be the fundamental or fundamental accounting concepts and ideas for example cost, matching, going concern, economic entity, materiality, conservatism, consistency, reliability, yet others.
Another a part of GAAP includes the detailed rules established through the Financial Accounting Standards Board or FASB (pronounced fas Bee). These pronouncements are titled statements of monetary accounting standards. FASB interpretations are also found in GAAP. The accounting rules established through the predecessors from the FASB remain as GAAP unless of course they've been superceded through the FASB.
Lastly, GAAP includes industry practices. For instance, the total amount sheet of the public utility can place the guarana plant assets in front of its current assets. Unique reporting practices frequently exist in industries which are controlled by government departments.
The financial accounting and financial reporting of openly traded corporations likewise incorporate the annual are accountable to the Registration (Form 10-K), the annual are accountable to stockholders, as well as other press announcements on financial matters.
Reiki for Success, Abundance and Financial Success in 2018
A number of individuals have written in my experience asking using Reiki to create abundance, success and/or
financial success to their lives. This information is a rather shortened form of my blog entry about this
matter. Please click the link below to see the more version.
I am likely to present a couple of suggestions for using Reiki to attain abundance, success and/or financial success.
Before I actually do that, I wish to point out that this is something where Reiki and Feng Shui match very
nicely. Many books on Feng Shui particularly let you know how to setup your atmosphere to inspire abundance and success.
I actually do wish to acknowledge something before I continue my discussion. With a people, talking about Reiki and cash or Reiki and financial success within the same breath means they are cringe. They view Reiki as pure Love, a spiritual calling, and also to introduce the thought of money in to the sacred arena of Reiki is abhorrent for them. If that's your point of view, I understand fully and respect your situation. I've known healers in lots of fields who've felt exactly the same way.
But I'm a little more of the pragmatist along with a realist. I am aware that we have to earn a living and we have to support our families. Much more importantly, I recognize the side effects poverty and financial insecurity might have upon us.
Whenever a person feels financially uncertain, even endangered, that individual might find it very difficult to concentrate on the spiritual facets of his/her existence. If a person has a lot financial worry, ideas of "How can I settle the bills?Inch and "Can we lose the home?Inch may occupy a lot of that person's time and energy that they'll scarcely consider such things as helping others heal.
Performs this imply that the indegent and individuals with financial hardships can not be spiritual and should not help others heal? Obviously it does not imply that. However, survival issues may become vital, as well as for many, lots of people, these problems hinder remarkable ability to provide any one of their energy to spiritual and healing issues. Many of us are human, having a limited quantity of energy and sources open to us at any time.
But beyond this, I don't think there's anything inherently wrong within the desire to have abundance, success
and financial security. We reside in a world that's operated by money that's the reality we accept, regardless of
just how much we may wish it were otherwise. Without sufficient money, we're in deep trouble! Whenever we have adequate money, we are able to turn our attention easier to helping others.
Everybody needs to define exactly what the term "sufficient money" way to them. For instance, I'm not keen on the thought of using Reiki to get a windfall, in order to win at gambling. Frankly, I do not such as the energy of gambling, since several people's life is destroyed by gambling.
Getting stated that, however, I let it rest your decision to determine how much cash is "sufficient". Those who
get in touch about using Reiki for success usually wish to have enough money to pay for their bills promptly and supply a great home for his or her families. A number of them have began Reiki along with other healing practices, and wish individuals practices to become financially effective to enable them to both help others and support their
The word "abundance" can also be available to interpretation. Abundance isn't always exactly the same factor as getting lots of money, or just being very prosperous. Each individual needs to determine what "abundance" way to them. Somebody that doesn't have lots of money but who provides extensive friendship and love might believe that their existence is stuffed with abundance. Getting a feeling of abundance enables us to feel quite happy with what we should have. That assumes, obviously, that people don't struggle to obtain the money to consume every single day, or we do not reside in a hazardous place.
You should use Reiki to draw in abundance and success in your direction in lots of ways. Listed here are a couple of suggestions:
1. Draw the Reiki Power Symbol and also the Lengthy Distance symbol on certificates, and put them in the bank or purse. Any time you discover their whereabouts there, consider abundance/success being attracted for you across some time and distance. You may also place these symbols inside a jar of coins and tuck one at the back of your checkbook.
2. Draw the ability Symbol in your Palm Chakras every morning. This can function as a symbolic indication of methods money changes hands, and it'll help draw that cash toward both hands.
3. Use Aventurine gemstones or Malachite gemstones, each of which are frequently accustomed to represent money. Put the
stone in a single hands when you draw the ability and/or Lengthy Distance Symbol over that hands together with your other hands. Focus on the concept of wealth flowing toward you. Leave the gemstones near your checkbook, purse, wallet, etc.
4. While using Lengthy-Distance Symbol, you are able to send Reiki to return for the finances. Quite simply, you are able to send positive energy to return. You may also make use of the Lengthy-Distance Symbol to visit backwards over time aid healing a few of the emotional toll that financial hardships took for you.
5. For those who have a company, you are able to draw the ability Symbol and/or Lengthy-Distance Symbol in mid-air within the
corners of the office, within the check out or charge card machine, etc. Leave small
Aventurine or Malachite gemstones you have billed with Reiki close to the register or charge card terminal.
There are many Chakras which are important to concentrate on in money matters:
1. The Palm Chakras – since money literally "changes hands".
2. The 3rd Eye Chakra – since it is the seat of the intuition, also it can help you produce good decisions
regarding your future.
3. The Solar Plexus Chakra – since it is the area of the inner knowledge, your "gut feelings", also it can
assist you to see whether something is a great or bad financial decision for you personally.
4. Make sure to concentrate on your Root Chakra, too, if self-confidence (or insufficient it) is a problem. Your Root
Chakra can also be important if past financial problems have disturbed your feeling of stability and security (and
made you less confident consequently).
The topic of Reiki for abundance, success and financial success is complex and multi-faceted. I've
just scratched the top with this particular discussion. Don't hesitate to join my e-newsletter to find out more
ways in which Reiki will help you inside your everyday existence.


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There is a certain kind of golden sparkle that glistens across the ocean in this part of South East Queensland and Agnes Water shines bright as the last stop in the surf beach stretch.
Surrounded by two beauties that Australia is well known for - the Pacific ocean and a number of diverse national parks - Agnes Water makes the perfect, quiet seaside getaway and you might even find time to learn how to surf while here with regular lessons on offer.
Its smaller cousin up the road, 1770 is where Captain Cook first landed in Queensland and you will see kayakers and stand up paddleboards dotting the protected waters and you can have a go yourself. You can also camp right on the water here - in a gorgeous, secluded campsite which could just be Queensland's best kept beachside secret.
Agnes Water and 1770 are the perfect place to go adventuring both on land and sea aboard an amphibious vessel and regular day trips to Lady Musgrave Island, one of the southernmost Great Barrier Reef jewels depart daily.
If you are seeking the thrills and spills of some rugged Four Wheel Drive territory, Eurimbulah, Kroombit Tops, Wreck Rock and Deepwater National Park are all easily accessible with secluded camp areas and exciting beaches, fishing spots, walking tracks and natural environment to explore.
You too can be an explorer like Captain Cook and discover Queensland's best kept secret at Agnes Water and 1770.
Note: Information on listed products and services are provided by the operator and were correct at the time of publishing. Rates are indicative based on the minimum and maximum available prices of products and services. Please visit the operator's website for further information. All prices quoted are in Australian dollars (AUD).

subset: commoncrawl


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U.S. Equal Employment
Opportunity Commission
Federal Agency Charges Hot Springs Store Refused to Provide Reasonable Accommodation for Manager's Seizure Disorder
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Savings Station Dodge Stores, doing business as Dodge's Chicken Store #631 in Hot Springs, violated federal law by refusing to provide a reasonable accommodation for a manager who had a driving restriction as the result of her disability, and then firing her, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) charged in a lawsuit filed September 28, 2010.
According to the EEOC's suit, the store manager, who had worked for Dodge's since 2004, developed a disability, a seizure disorder, which prevented her from driving. The EEOC said that the manager twice proposed a reasonable accommodation that involved the reassignment of a daily competitor gas price survey duty that required driving. The manager asked that the duty be completed by a co-worker or that she be allowed to use alternative means to complete the survey such as phone or Internet in lieu of driving. However, Dodge's offered only a demotion to a hostess position. When the manager rejected that offer, which would have resulted in a significant pay cut, she was terminated, the EEOC said.
Denial of a reasonable accommodation to a disabled individual violates Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The EEOC filed suit (Civil Action No. 6:10-cv-06072 in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Arkansas, Hot Springs Division) after first attempting to reach a pre-litigation settlement. The lawsuit asks the court to, among other things, grant a permanent injunction enjoining Dodge's Chicken Store from denying reasonable accommodations to disabled individuals in the future and for lost wages, as well as other out-of-pocket expenses, compensatory and punitive damages to the discrimination victim.
"Reasonable accommodations allow many individuals with disabilities to work," said Katharine W. Kores, the EEOC's director for the Memphis District Office. "Employers should understand that ignoring an employee's request for a reasonable accommodation and discharging her because of her disability is a violation of federal law. The EEOC is committed to its responsibility to enforce the ADA and the ADA Amendments Act."
Dodge's Chicken Store #631 is one of several convenience stores and gas retailers that are operated in Arkansas and Mississippi by the D&H Company of Tupelo, Miss.
The EEOC enforces federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination. Further information about the EEOC is available on its web site at www.eeoc.gov.


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Snow Blowers
Snow Blowers Vs. Snow Throwers
When winter weather gets tough, the purchase of a snow blower or snow thrower will definitely make life easier.
Snow Throwers: are usually single-stage meaning they break the snow up and throw it directly through the chute located on the top. Snow throwers are ideal for paved areas and light snowfall. Because the blades that break-up the snow make direct contact with the ground, it is not recommended to purchase a snow thrower for unpaved areas.
Snow Blowers: are the king of snow clean-up. Although heavier, snow blowers utilize a two-stage technique to clear away the snow. The first stage is an auger that picks-up the snow then the second stage is a fan that sucks the snow out of the auger at greater force compared to a snow thrower. Snow blowers are recommended for large piles of snow that are heavier and/or wetter. Because the auger or blades do not touch the ground, a two-stage snow blower can be used on unpaved areas.
Gas or Electric?
Below is a chart that helps you choose the best power type for your usage:
|Electric Single Stage
|Gas Single Stage
|Gas Two Stage
|Up to 6 inches; light snow
|Up to 12 inches; light to moderate snow
|24 to 32 inches; moderate to heavy snow
|Path Clearance
|12 to 20 inches
|20 to 22 inches
|24 to 32 inches
|Best Uses
|•Small driveways
•Porches & Decks
|•Small to medium driveways
|•Medium/large driveways
•Unpaved Areas
|Key Features
|•Lightweight & compact
•No exhaust
|•More power
•Wider path clearance
•Handles heavy snow
|•Most power
•Widest path clearance
•Handles heavy snow & ice
•Sloped areas


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I am so late in posting this week! To make up for it, I have a very special giveaway for you. Today's giveaway sponsor is Our Daily Bread Designs. This gorgeous patriotic-themed set will wing it's way to one winner, but YOU can order it (or any of the other beautiful sets on Kelley's site) for 10% off using the code TJShop on the ODBD site!
As they say on TV: But wait! There's MORE!
Our lucky winner will also receive the stamp set above, plus TWO extras! The first is this fabulous card using the Marker Watercoloring Technique (June/July 2008 issue of the TJNL) from Design Team Member Lisa Somerville, below:
....PLUS one additional card -- a card that uses a technique from the NEXT issue of the Technique Junkie Newsletter. And the winner will receive the link & password to the June 2009 issue! That's right -- the winner get a sneak peak into the issue a full two weeks before the issue is mailed! Here is a little piece of the card/technique that will be coming to the winner with Lisa's card and the gorgeous stamp set:
Ohhhh, sorry, I guess you can't tell what the technique is much by the scan, can you (snicker, snicker)?
To enter this giveaway, why don't you give me a guess about what YOU think this technique is when you leave your comment. You do NOT have to be a TJ subscriber to enter this giveaway. Just leave a comment with your email address or some identifier (like your name) in the comment along with your guess. Entries should be submitted by Wednesday, May 13th at 8:00am EST. Good luck!
The winner of this giveaway is Catherine Kraft -- congratulations!


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A survey is a set of questions that form a questionnaire. These survey questions are typically answered online. A survey questionnaire can be sent via email, SMS, QR Code etc, to be answered on a web or mobile browser.
Additionally, Mobile Offline App is an exclusive feature of QuestionPro's market research survey software that allows users to capture survey research responses on a mobile or tablet, even in locations that do not have internet connection or suffer from unstable connection.


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It looks like your browser is out of date.
To use all features of KLM.com safely, we recommend that you update your browser, or that you choose a different one. Continuing with this version may result in parts of the website not being displayed properly, if at all. Also, the security of your personal information is better safeguarded with an updated browser.
In the mood for culture, romance and fantastic food? Book flights to Paris and stroll along the banks of the Seine, under the Eiffel Tower and across the Champs-Élysées. Paris is one huge cultural highlight, and one of the few cities in the world to retain her beauty throughout the year. No matter the weather, the city of love, light and fashion never ceases to enthral.
No other place in the world offers such an atmospheric breakfast as Paris. Start your day with a tasty croissant or baguette, and remember to keep some room for Paris' famous tartines or crêpes. Dining in the French metropolis is also a real treat: experience gourmet evenings at top restaurants or feast away in small, cosy bistros. Paris is an ideal destination for a city break or the start for a longer holiday in France. Hungry? Book a flight to Paris now!
Crowned by the stately basilica Sacré-Coeur, Montmartre hill towers majestically above the city and affords the best views. From here, you can sample the unique atmosphere in the streets of the bohemian district of Montmartre.Museum lovers never get bored in Paris: you can easily spend days wandering through historic and modern museums like the Louvre or the Centre Pompidou. If you still have time, take a walk through the gardens of Versailles or the wonderful Bois de Boulogne. And don't forget to visit Disneyland Paris!
Looking for a cheap flight to Paris? With KLM, your holiday begins the moment you step onboard. Your journey will fly by with your own entertainment set on intercontinental flights: free films, games and music. Enjoy our selection of snacks or a tasty dinner and drinks. Add in our many handy extra services (some available for a supplement) and you'll be in France before you know it.
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MINNEAPOLIS -- The Minnesota Orchestra was called the world's greatest not long ago, welcome recognition for musicians outside a top cultural center. Now its members are locked out of Orchestra Hall, stuck in the same kind of labor-management battle recently afflicting teachers and football referees.
Across the country, symphony and chamber orchestra executives have cited flat ticket sales and slumping private support as they seek major pay concessions from musicians, who warn about a loss of talent and reputation. In Minneapolis, the Minnesota Orchestra has already cancelled concerts through Nov. 25 as negotiators argue over a proposal to trim the average musicians' salary by $46,000 a year.
A similar standoff is underway across the Mississippi River at the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra. The Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra has canceled the first month of its season in a labor impasse, and labor troubles are also rumbling at orchestras in Richmond, Va., Jacksonville, Fla., and San Antonio, Texas.
"It breaks my heart," said Christal Steele, a violinist and assistant concertmaster in Indianapolis, where she and fellow musicians have gone without pay and benefits for almost a month. "This is my 40th season, and in that time, I have seen nothing but this orchestra rise in quality and in stature. Now in one fell swoop, they're trying to erase the last 30 years."
Last week, musicians and management at the symphony orchestras in both Chicago and Atlanta reached new contracts after contentious negotiations. Atlanta's musicians went without pay for a month before accepting $5.2 million in compensation cuts over two years, plus reductions in their ranks. The Chicago deal came after a two-day strike that forced the cancellations of the season's first Saturday night show, with musicians wrangling salary increases but agreeing to pay higher health care costs.
"It's shaking up a lot of organizations right now," said Drew McManus, a Chicago-based consultant to orchestras and other arts organizations. "This world of orchestras is one that's always been defined by well-established strata _ the best orchestras in the country, the second tier and so on _ and that is very much in flux at the moment."
The Minnesota Orchestra has seen its reputation grow in recent years under conductor Osmo Vanska. The Finnish-born Vanska has become something of a celebrity in a state that treasures its Scandinavian heritage, and he's won international acclaim for pushing the orchestra to new heights.
After seeing the Minnesota Orchestra play at Carnegie Hall in 2010, The New Yorker's classical music critic Alex Ross wrote that they "sounded, to my ears, like the greatest orchestra in the world."
But the orchestra's leaders have said even as its reputation grows they've seen flat attendance, declining corporate and individual support, and poor results from investments. Meanwhile, salaries grew by 3 to 4 percent annually under the previous contract.
"You couple that with one of the worst financial markets of the last 100 years, and obviously you have to reset our orchestra and our organization in terms of looking to a future that's sustainable," said Michael Henson, the orchestra's president. He said the orchestra has been forced to draw too deeply from its endowment to stay in the black.
"A very significant part of our expenses are musicians' salaries, and that's a logical area for us to address to find a solution for long-term stability," Henson said. Management's proposal would trim average annual salaries for orchestra members from $135,000 to $89,000.
Doug Wright, the Minnesota Orchestra's principal trombonist and a member of the musicians' negotiating team, said the wages reflect the skill involved in reaching the top level and big salary cuts would result in a loss of talent.
"The musicians of a major American symphony orchestra live in a global marketplace," Wright said. "And if we're going to continue to attract and retain the best of the best, our competition is not, you know, the local marching band. Our competition is Boston, Chicago, L.A., San Francisco."
McManus, the arts consultant, said the Detroit Symphony Orchestra took a big blow to its reputation after a six-month musicians' strike in 2010, during which many musicians quit.
Musicians have demanded an open audit of the orchestras' finances, complaining about a $50 million renovation of Orchestra Hall's lobby now underway. Henson said renovation funds come from dedicated donations and are needed to keep drawing audiences and big donors.
Jesse Stone, president and chief executive officer of the League of American Orchestras, which doesn't take sides in labor-management disputes, said orchestras are struggling with the economy like many other businesses that depend on discretionary spending.
"These are big cultural trends that are affecting the movie business, and professional sports, and the way our culture operates now," he said. "So it's not surprising that we're likely to see a period of visible experimentation in American orchestras and the way they operate."


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Workshop: Keep your bike sparkling clean
16 tips for achieving that showroom look
The dilemma with mountain bikes is that they're expensive and beautiful yet designed to be used and abused in the dirty, gritty outdoors. This creates a problem: how do you keep your bike rolling in the dirt and looking good at the same time?
There are those who believe bikes should be treated like utilitarian farm tools. But we like our bikes to look good. If nothing else, it helps keep their resale value high (if you're thinking of eventually trading up) and makes it much easier to identify any serious wear issues on the frame.
Mud and dust is abrasive stuff, and paint – even the hard enamel-based type – is prone to tarnish and wear from rubbing by cables and heels. So it's important to wash your bike regularly, especially during the muddy winter months.
With the price of bikes and components rising with every passing month, it not only makes practical sense, but also pays to keep your bike in showroom condition. Here's how to do it…
How to keep your bike in showroom condition
Time: Half an hour
Cost: Depends on what you've already got
Rating: Easy
Essential tools: Helicopter tape; Scratch remover; touch-up paint; rubber O-rings; wax polish; duster and rag; soft sponge; chain cleaner; brushes; blanket
1 Wash and go
Getting your bike as muddy as a mudskipper's tummy is good for your rough-tough image as a mountain biker, but not so good for the bike. Lots of wet dirt will find its way into the innermost and most delicate parts of your bike. It sits there slowly grinding away at soft aluminium, eating through expensive carbon fibre and contaminating parts you thought were freshly greased. So wash it now with lots of hot, soapy water.
2 Buff it out
Unless you remembered to prep your bike ready for life in the dirt from new, chances are you've picked up a few scratches. Go to the hardware store or car spares shop and find yourself a scratch recovery cream. They're like old-fashioned T-Cut, but less aggressive. Put some on a soft cloth and then buff it into the scratched area – circular movements usually work best. You'll be amazed at the way you can make many of the scratches disappear.
3 Polish it up
Once you've got the bike clean and you've addressed the question of existing scratches, it's time to attack the frame with some wax polish. There are various lotions and potions available on the market, although we usually reach no further than a can of good old Pledge. Lots of beeswax helps create a deep shine as well as preventing the next load of dirty water and mud from sticking to the bike. Soft, clean dusters are a must.
4 New chopper tape
With the bike now washed, buffed and polished, you need to get your hands on a packet of helicopter tape. So-called because it's used to protect helicopter blades, it's a super-tough, thick and clear self-adhesive vinyl. Simply cut sections of it to size and carefully apply these to the areas of the frame where you expect wear to occur. It's best to do this in a warm environment, since this helps the vinyl mould its way around intricate shapes.
5 Pad it out
If you're not yet using a chainstay protector, change your ways. Just one bumpy ride can leave an unprotected drive-side chainstay tatty. Carbon frames especially need protecting, since you're likely to wear them significantly over time. Most protectors are Velcro-fastening Neoprene jobs that weigh little and protect the stay completely. You can also get stick-on plastic ones, but these won't dampen chain slap noise like Neoprene.
6 Chips with everything
Paint chips aren't the end of the world. Do your best to soften their edges with scratch remover, then use a colour-matched enamel paint to touch them in. Some bike makers supply these with their machines. For others, it may mean a trip to the nearest craft and modelling shop to scour the paint racks for a match. Use the paint sparingly. Let it dry, then use the scratch remover to help blend the new paint in.
7 Cable guy
Exposed cables can easily be the kiss of death to frame paint. This is especially true of cables on the top tube's upper side. It's too easy to find yourself absentmindedly sitting on them as you wait for something, with your weight etching the cable pattern into the paint. Such damage is usually saveable using scratch remover and then avoidable by adding small rubber O-rings to the cable – your local bike shop should sell them for pennies.
8 Living rough
The inside finish of many seat tubes often isn't up to the same standard as the outside. This means that just a few height adjustments of the seatpost can leave the its shaft scored and looking second-hand – a nightmare if it's an arm-and-leg carbon model. To prevent this, use a little emery cloth to gently smooth the inside of the seat tube – carbon, steel and alloy all respond well – and your post will remain unblemished.
9 Grease seatpost
Making sure they're clean, smooth both the seatpost and the inside of the seat tube with the correct grease (use carbon-specific grease if required). This will enable you to adjust your post over and over again without visual damage. It pays to regularly remove the seatpost and clean off the old, dirty grease before reapplication. This will ensure that you're not allowing dirt to find a sticky home in the grease or carbon fitting paste.
10 Fork care
Forks are particularly easy to damage, often being the first bit of the bike to strike undergrowth or collide with scenery in a spill. It's worth taking some more helicopter tape and cutting sections to use on the fork sliders. Don't try to cover the whole leg in one single piece, because you won't be able to get it to wrap effectively without pesky air bubbles. Key wear zones are the outside edges of the sliders and places the brake cable might rub.
11 Save your stanchions
There's not much you can do to protect stanchions other than taking care and keeping the bike as clean as possible. It does pay to keep a close eye on the seals, though – the grey or black hard rubber rings that keep the dirt and water out of the inside of the fork. Carefully, and without pushing dirt past them, try to fl oss them clean with a little light lube. This stops any dirt hiding in there and rubbing up and down.
12 Perishing tyres
UV rays can do as much damage to rubber as your skin. Over time, you'll find tyres – especially those that have been outside for a while – can develop cracks. These can be in the tread section, the sidewall, or both. To avoid this, try to keep your tyres clean and dry when not in use. Tyres on wheels in storage should be kept at about 25psi. This lets them retain their shape while unstressed, preventing the rubber drying and cracking.
13 Sparkling transmission
You'll hammer the life out of your transmission if you let it get all gummed up with sticky cack. Using dirt-clogged gears is like throwing money away, since you'll wear out your chain and cassette fast. Clean the transmission more than any other part of your bike and you'll have cleaner gear shifts and save money. Use soap and hot water or bike cleaning solutions to make it sparkle before applying fresh lube.
14 Front mech
The front mech is one of the trickiest components to keep clean, because there's so much space for dirt to hide here. Specifically, grime can creep in between the front mech band and the frame. It stays lodged and can slowly create a nasty set of score marks. Undo the front mech band once every month or so and wipe the accumulated dirt away with a cloth and squirt of frame-cleaning spray. Ensure you readjust the mech afterwards.
15 Chain love
The chain is the bike's teeth, if you will. Its smile is dependent on the chain being clean and tidy. The cleaner you can keep your chain, the better the bike looks, the better the chain works, the better it shifts gears and the less damage it inflicts on the rest of the transmission. Find a set of ways to clean and maintain the chain that you can sustain as an ongoing care program and stick to them. Your bike will look and ride better for it.
16 And so to bed
Bikes get bumped and barged in storage, especially when multiple bikes are stored in small spaces. We like to keep damage from these situations to a minimum and cover our bikes with an old blanket. Call us silly and overly sentimental, but we feel this is the way we'd like to be stored. Seriously, storing bikes in a warm, dry place is the best way to ensure the bike is as well looked after as possible when you're not riding it.
Top tips
- From scour to sour: Don't be tempted to use an abrasive cleaning pad to remove tough marks from frames or components; you might remove the tar spots, cow dung and grease, but you'll tarnish the finish too. Use a specific bike-cleaning solution and soft car sponge. These will shift the dirt without ruining the finish.
- Hot to trot: If you're having trouble getting your protective tape to conform to some of the shapes on your frame or forks, a quick blast from a hair dryer can help just soften it enough to press it into crevices. Remember to keep rubbing the tape to force out air bubbles for a smooth finish.
- Wheely nice wheels: Hubs and rims are easy to overlook, but simple buff with a clean rag will keep them looking new. Hubs also harbour grime like few other components, but an old toothbrush is ideal for getting it out.


text: Yes, that was I standing before the US Embassy in Athens on the eve of the July Fourth weekend holding the American flag in the distress mode - upside down. Indignities experienced by me and my co-guests on The Audacity of Hope, the American boat to Gaza, over the past 10 days in Athens leave no doubt in my mind that Barack Obamas administration has forfeited the right to claim any lineage to the brave Americans who declared independence from the king of England 235 years ago. In the Declaration of Independence, they pledged their lives, fortunes and sacred honour to a new enterprise of freedom, democracy and the human spirit. The outcome was far from assured; likely as not, the hangmans noose awaited them. They knew that all too well. But they had a genuine audacity to hope that the majority of their countrymen and women, persuaded by Thomas Paines Common Sense and the elegant words of Thomas Jefferson, would conclude that the goal of liberty and freedom was worth the risk; that it was worth whatever the cost. These days we have been seduced into thinking that such principles have become quaint or obsolete - words used by ex-President George W Bushs White House counsel Alberto Gonzales to make light of important international agreements like the Geneva Conventions. As every American should know, and remember, the principles enshrined in the Declaration of Independence were based on the firm belief that all men are created equal, that they have unalienable rights - among them life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Not just all Americans, mind you, but all people. The Declaration of Independence was meant to be a statement expressing the self-evident rights of all mankind. Those principles had a universality that was a beacon to the world. True, American democracy and, indeed, the Founders themselves were far from perfect. In the early decades of the Republic, basic rights were denied to women, to black slaves, to Native Americans and to many of the poor. But Americans worked on building that more perfect union and are still working on it. Justice was always at the heart of the American ideal. That we still have a long way to go in securing that justice must not be allowed to obscure the fact that ours is a noble and courageous experiment. Or at least it was. That President Barack Obama would have popularised the phrase audacity of hope, after which we named our boat, now seems a cruel hoax, particularly as many of us recalled the high hopes we had once harboured for Obama the candidate. Instead of an audacity of hope, Obama the president has often displayed a paucity of courage. But its not just Obama. Sadly, all too many of Americans now think of the sacred principles expressed in the Declaration of Independence as applying to Americans, but not to many others - like the 1.6 million people locked in the narrow confines of Gaza. The tendency is to think of ourselves as exceptional - so special that we need not care about suffering elsewhere in the world, including the suffering enabled by our own tax dollars. It is also sad that many US politicians - from the Chief Executive to members of Congress - have been seduced by money and political expediency into disregarding our first presidents farewell address, George Washingtons warning to avoid what he called entangling alliances and a passionate attachment to goals of another country. At the time, it was France that Washington had in mind. Today, the entangling alliance and passionate attachment relate to Israel. Common values are adduced to try to justify conflating US objectives and actions with the goals and behaviour of our ally, Israel. Why the quotation marks around ally? Because decades ago, when the US government broached the possibility of a mutual defence treaty with the government of Israel, it refused to go along. Mutual defence treaties, you see, require internationally recognised borders and normally a mutual commitment to avoid attacking other countries at will and without forewarning. The difficulties, which we on The Audacity of Hope have encountered at the hands of the Greek government, are clearly a result of Israeli pressure with a likely assist from Obamas diplomats. In my own writings, I have highlighted what I have learned about the extraordinary power of joint US-Israeli influence. But it is something quite different to watch that influence be brought to bear on the government of Greece, a seafaring nation normally devoted to unfettered navigation. And for what purpose? To prevent our ally Israel from being exposed for its brutish behaviour vis-a-vis the people of Gaza. I thought Id seen everything. But the Israeli accusation that our Gaza flotilla is carrying sulphur to pour on Israeli commandos attempting to board our boats well, that one takes the cake. Plus, the accusation by an Israeli official that we had vowed to shed the blood of Israeli Defence Forces. Amazing. On the US side, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton appears as unconcerned about what might happen to us at the hands of Israeli (or Greek) commandos as she was on Feb 15 as she watched me brutalised just 12 yards in front of her during a speech she was giving at George Washington University. My offence then? Standing quietly - motionless, actually - with my back turned toward her, as a way of showing that not everyone in that audience was oblivious to the killing, maiming and other suffering inflicted on millions of people in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yemen and the list goes on. Last week, Clinton charged the international flotilla, of which The Audacity of Hope is a part, with planning to enter Israeli waters and warned of the consequences - in effect, giving Israel carte blanche to have its way with us. Meanwhile, descriptions of last years violence, in which Israeli commandos staged a night-time boarding raid on the Turkish ship Mari Marmara in international waters in the Mediterranean Sea and killed nine passengers including one American, get expressed in the passive voice. Violence by whom, a Martian might ask. In any event, we have long since made it abundantly clear that we had no intention to enter Israeli waters. Is it conceivable that Madame Secretary still doesnt know that or is she simply spreading a falsehood meant to discredit our mission? Gazan waters are not Israeli waters. Neither, we thought, is the Aegean Sea. Adding transparent insult to injury, eight days ago the State Department spokeswoman obfuscated when asked directly, twice, whether the US government considered the Israeli blockade of Gaza legal. This determination to fudge on this key issue (the blockade is, on the face of it, against international law) has not stopped US government functionaries from speaking as if the Israelis are well within their rights. Worse still, we have learned that some US officials wouldnt shed a tear if we got our comeuppance at the hands of the Israelis. Before leaving the United States, I was cautioned by a source with access to very senior staffers at the National Security Council that not only does the White House plan to do absolutely nothing to protect our boat from Israeli attack or illegal boarding, but that White House officials would be happy if something happened to us. They are, I am reliably told, perfectly willing to have the cold corpses of activists shown on American TV. So here we are, passengers and crew of The Audacity of Hope, awaiting further instructions from the local Greek authorities, some of whom have been quite candid in expressing their embarrassment and resentment at being manipulated by Washington/Tel Aviv in this new Great Game. The instructions, of course, come from a weak Greek government unable to stand on principle because of the economic damage that can be done to Greece by the US-dominated IMF, the European Union and Israel, a major trading partner. We await a deus ex machina to extract us from this seemingly intractable situation.We remain determined to sail to Gaza at the earliest opportunity.And so do the passengerson the other boats in our international flotilla, at least on those boats that have not been physically sabotaged. (No one has claimed credit for the damage to propeller shafts to two of the boats, but Israeli officials wont exactly deny that they had a hand in the underwater operations.) Delays seem to be built into the scenery in this part of the world. After all, It took Odysseus 20 years to get back to Ithaca. In this day of instant communication, in which audacity can trump cowardice, we continue to hope. Whatever our circumstances, they are light-years better than the everyday experience in Gaza. We are holding that before our eyes. We do not intend to let the suffering Gazans down. On Friday, the Audacity of Hope did make a move to set sail, before being turned back by the Greek coast guard. On Saturday, we were on a coast guard wharf with the boat impounded, the crew restricted, and the captain facing some significant charges. The authorities said the guests were free to leave the boat, but it wasnt clear that wed be allowed back on. So, we decided not to leave the captain. We remain determined to go to Gaza. It would be a fitting way to celebrate the Fourth of July. Veterans Today


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Keira Knightley will never sing again
Los Angeles: Actress Keira Knightley, who had to sing for her role in movie Can A Song Save Your Life?, has vowed never to go behind the mike again.
The 28-year-old plays the role of a folk singer Greta in the movie and believes she has had her share of singing through this movie.
"I literally was given the songs for this about a week before we started shooting. We had to go straight into the studio, and I had never sung before and I had to just kind of try and figure it out. So that's what I did," eonline.com quoted Knightley as saying.
"I'm not going to do it again, that was it. No, no, no, that was my one and only. Come and see this film, that'll be it," she added.


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UPDATE: Congratulations to Meredith B. from Massachusetts — she is the grand prize winner of our Great Gear Giveaway with Joby! Thank you to everyone who entered, stay tuned for more great contests.
It's never easy to get the shot you're after, but we've hooked up with JOBY to put together an amazing prize pack including some of the best goodies for both mobile photographers and the DSLR crew.
Prize Pack Includes:
• GripTight GorillaPod Stand
• GripTight Micro Stand
• UltraFit Sling Strap
• 3-Way Camera Strap
• 20″ x 30″ CanvasPop canvas print
• Winner must reside … Read more


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|Seymour, CT
|High School:
#4 John Murphy
Year by Year Statistics 2012 2011 2010
2012: Started 51 games at SS for the NEC Champion Pioneers, batting .343 with 36 RBI's. He was named to the All-NEC Second team during the regular season, after leading the team in hits (61), slugging percentage (.466), stolen bases (25), triples (4). He was also named to the All-NEC Tournament team. He went 5-10 in the NEC tournament with 4 RBI's, including going 3-3 with 2 runs scored in the NEC Championship game win over Monmouth.
2011: Named NEC Tournament MVP, going 5-13 with 1 HR, 4 R, 5 RBI...Started 53 games, hitting .300 and slugging .414 slugging…Went 4 for 5 against Bryant on 4/29/11…Hit a game-winning single in the bottom of the tenth inning to beat Fairleigh Dickinson on 4/17/11..Drove home 22 of 27 runners from third base with less than two outs...Tied for second in NEC with 43 RBI...After returning from injury 4/2 at Quinnipiac, hit .372 (48-129) through the NEC Tournament, raising average from .192 to .305.
2010: Drove in five runs in 11-1 win vs. Quinnipiac 4/2...Hit first collegiate homerun in win at LIU 4/11...Career-high five hits and scored winning run in 9th inning in 11-10 win vs. Manhattan 4/13...Drove in five runs in 14-4 win over Mount St. Mary's 4/23...Named NEC Rookie of the Week 4/26, going 8-17 with 8 RBI in 4-1 week for SHU...Collected 3 hits and 4 RBI in 13-5 win over Wagner 5/7...
Before SHU: Played baseball at Seymour High school for coach Bob Kelo. Team won 2007 State CHampionship. Three year All-League and All-State selection. Also an All-Suburban and Ct Post All Star in basketball.
Personal: John Michael Murphy. Born: 4/2/91. Major: Psychology. Family: mother Anne, sister Shannon. Favorite Team: Duke Basketball, Notre Dame Football. Favorite Athletes: Gordan Beckham, J.J. Redick. Favorite Movie: Pineapple Express. Favorite Music: Lil Wayne, Eminem.


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Certified Cars in Lakewood, CO Near Denver and Ken Caryl
Advertised price includes $499.50 Delivery & Handling Fee. Sales tax, finance charges, cost of emissions test, other governmental fees or taxes, and transportation costs, incurred after the sale, to deliver the vehicle to the purchaser at the purchasers request are additional to the advertised price. Visit Stevinson Lexus of Lakewood for details. Standard features are based upon trim level. Accessories, options, and color may vary. All prices, specifications and availability subject to change without notice. Contact Stevinson Lexus of Lakewood for the most current information. Special APR With Approved Credit or On Approved Credit. Used vehicles may be subject to unrepaired manufacturer recalls. Please contact the manufacturer for recall assistance/questions before purchasing or check the NHTSA website for current recall information: https://vinrcl.safercar.gov/vin/ MSRP contains base MSRP, any factory installed options, and delivery, processing and handling charges. Delivery, processing and handling fee is based on the value of the processing, handling and delivery services Lexus provides, as well as Lexus overall pricing structure. Lexus may make a profit on the delivery, processing and handling fee.
Find New Lexus SUVs, Sedans and Coupes in The Denver Area
It doesn't matter what type of vehicle you are shopping for, you will definitely find the one you love at Stevinson Lexus of Lakewood. We offer one of the biggest selection of new Lexus models in the Denver, CO region. If you're looking for a used Lexus vehicle, we have a huge selection available for you to choose from as well. Visit our Lexus car dealership to take a vehicle out for a test drive today.


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Here I am on Easter morning in my shop typing this when I should be inside the house with my family. I know, I know, but I just had to share this....
Last night I was sharpening, or rather repairing and sharpening, two chisels that belong to my father-in-law and while doing so I was struck with the notion of how easy this was going for me. I believe this hit me so strong because of my previous battles in years past with these chisels and how hard of a time I've had sharpening these tools and now here I was breezing through the task. The thing that was/is so striking to me is that in the past I had used sharpening aides in the form of guided clamps and even specialized machinery to work on these tools yet here I am now doing it all free hand on water stones and making better results in a fraction of the time.
I sat back and asked myself why is this? I think it can be easily attributed to all of the time that I've spent free handing on water stones and machines like a belt sander and flat hone. I've developed my senses in such a way that I can now work without the help of guides and jigs to produce superior results to what I used to get from the best that these devices can offer.
The really striking revelation, however, is that if I had never tried free handing and had stuck with the guides then I would only be as good as what they allowed me to be. I would be stuck using them forever, stuck buying their proprietary abrasives, and denied the ability to learn how to actually sharpen. I would never have learned how to actually sharpen a tool on a simple sharpening stone. This is crazy!
Now I'm not damning guided devices or those who use them because I can understand the whys and hows but it has to be said that these devices exist not to provide better results (as their manufacturers would have you believe) but are here to soothe our insecurities. Somehow man has lost the ability to see a problem and conquer it. Today we go for the easy way, take the short cuts, no matter what the cost. We'd rather spend hundreds and hundreds of dollars and get what we think is an answer to our fears than to spend $20 for a simple stone and get to work with it. I wonder why we've evolved into this pattern?
Yes I know all about this behavior, I've owned just about every guided sharpening device for knives, scissors, and woodworking tools including some serious machinery. I know why I bought these items and what I was hoping to get from them but what I got in reality was nothing more than wasted money, wasted time, and road blocks in my learning curve. I guess I needed to try them and see what I needed to see but looking back I sort of wish I had never bothered.
My point in all this babbling is to say that if you're someone who's on the fence between going with a guided sharpening system or trying free handing I would strongly advise you to take the road less traveled. If you have a suspicion that free handing is something you might like then you already know the answer, you already know where you're going to go, you just have to listen to yourself and take the first step, the rest is just some hard work and practice and you'll be sharpening great in no time at all. Remember the best things come from hard work, nothing worth having is given to you or bought easily.
Hey, did you ever wonder why sharpening tools on stones with you bare hands is called "free handing"? I believe it's because you're freed from the boundaries inherently built into jigged/guided systems and free to do your best work.
So give it some thought, maybe you have it in you to try..... I say go for it!
Happy sharpening! :)
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Guided Sharpening Devices - Why?
Posted by Dave @ JapaneseKnifeSharpening.com at 9:55 AM
1 comment:
- Chemicalkinetics said...
Nice thought. Although your logic applies more than just knife sharpening, doesn't it? It goes well for cooking, driving, writing, ....
- April 22, 2010 at 5:24 PM
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Madison County to consider 3rd hearing officer for Karen Birch
WAMPSVILLE-- The Madison County Board of Supervisors will vote on a third hearing officer to cover Karen Birch's hearing.
On Monday, the board will take up a resolution to retain the services of John Trela as hearing officer in hearings for Madison County Probation Director Birch
The resolution states Trela would be paid a per diem rate of $1,400 for his services.
Last week, hearing officer David Garvey, recused himself from the job. He was the second chosen to preside over Birch's hearing. Garvey's position as hearing officer in the matter was preceded by Judith LaManna.
Garvey did not specify reasons for stepping down said John Corcoran, an attorney with Hancock Estabrook in Syracuse who handles labor relations legal matters for Madison County.
Since late last year, Birch has been on paid leave as a result of undisclosed allegations lodged by the county.
In labor relations cases, an independent hearing officer determines if an individual is guilty of the charges. If found guilty, a recommendation for an appropriate penalty is made.
The special meeting will take place Monday, Oct. 29 at 9 a.m. at the Board of Supervisors chambers at the County Office Complex on Court Street in Wampsville.


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peconec on Family Tree Circles
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William Johnson and John Johnson Canarsie NY
Looking for connections to William Johnson b. 1809 d.1907 john johnson b. between 1807 and 1808 married ? williams? John owned a fishing station on Bedlows island. I know he had children and lived in Brooklyn,,,,, anyone have any connections?
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A Free Database About Dolls & Makers
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Minna Variation
Added Dec 27, 2007
By burdastyle
New York, New Yo...
This incredibly fun and easily done party dress is all about the inset that you choose for it. We went with gold for a bit of glam, but you can also tone it down with less sparkly options like a cotton trim. This is our little New Year party dress, in case you are still looking for what to wear. You can easily make it in a day or weekend, it is very easy to adjust the fit in the back or sideseams, and you will look super glamorous in it for sure!! This is only a slight modification of the other Minna dress we posted on the site, see in our instructions how to re-shape the neck according to your choice of trim. Have fun with it!
Material Notes
knit, charmeuse, zipper, trim
- For
- Women
- Garment Type
- Dress
- Style
- Classic, Evening Wear
- Material
- Cotton, Knits/Jersey, Lace/Sequins
- Photos
- Stylist
- Hair
- Make up
Jordy Poon
- Model
Kim Matulova
- Location
13 Comments Sign in to add a post
Nov 10, 2009, 06.48 AMby beastofcotton
When I saw the Minna original I thought, "lower that neckline a bit and I've got myself a cocktail dress for the company Xmas party". But the wonderful folks at Burda already did it. Sweet!
Apr 3, 2008, 06.17 PMby beckercs
ok wow. I definitely need this… I can't get enough of deep v-necks and drapery. omg it's perfect. Fo sho.
Jan 20, 2008, 01.00 PMby dairyheir66
I love this dress. I'll probably try it as a top first since I don't wear dresses very often even though I love them.
Dec 30, 2007, 10.05 PMby parkerway
i really think this dress is unique and fun, it can give many variations of style by playing with many fabrics…..great job and fun
Dec 28, 2007, 02.06 PMby baerbelborn
Extraordinary! Never seen such drapery and it seems the pattern is perfect for further alteration. To the scissors, heat up the sewing machine. Summer will come and this dress is mine for the upcoming warm and tender breeze.
Dec 28, 2007, 07.19 AMby mirela
I love it! I wish I had the exact same colors you used, but I think I can come up with something, I hope by New Years! This pattern is something I could not find in my full closet of Burda Magazines I have been collecting since the 90s, not even in the Italian "La mia Boutique". Thank you and BRAVO!!!
Dec 27, 2007, 06.33 PMby pranamama
I'm pretty curvy, too, but I think this will be fantastic as a top, because I'm still nursing a baby, and the flowy-open bottom of the dress(that I will make as a top) will be great for hiding what no one needs to see while showing off the parts I like! Great colors on this one, too!!
Dec 27, 2007, 05.33 PMby kallers
Cute dress, I'm just skeptical about how it will look on more curvy figures (like mine!).
Dec 27, 2007, 12.23 PMby ruffie
Wow this dress is stunning, i love the v neck i will make one for me and my daughters.
Dec 27, 2007, 12.07 PMby atmomma
I can't wait to try this one. Although I love dresses, they usually don't love me back so I think I'll shorten it a bit to make a top.
Dec 27, 2007, 09.51 AMby lauriana
I'm not usually one for deep V-necks and loose folds, but I love it anyway! And I'm loving the wide range of sizes.
Dec 27, 2007, 09.07 AMby baruch
The dress is stunning, will be making mine for NYE, will keep you posted!!
Dec 27, 2007, 08.58 AMby cadetdeeThis dress is wonderful, the brocade trim is really striking, it lifts the dress making it look very rich – although this will also make a lovely summer sun dress too, I think I will need to make two versions – I cannot wait to give it ago! Well done -
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Some of the coolest people I know are rather good at "putting up" food. For instance, my friend, Jim Clayton, Bluffton's grand marshal of jam making and his friend, Don Hurst, are skilled at making jams and marmalades in flavors that range from strawberry, peach and mango to cranberry-pear and just about any flavor in between.
Other folks like to pickle watermelon rind, green beans, fresh chiles and okra.
My grandmother bottled her own tomato sauce from vine-ripened tomatoes and fresh basil and, when she used it, the kitchen smelled like July in mid-January.
Many folks continue the canning traditions of their families but others ¬ uninitiated in the art, or just too afraid of making themselves or others deathly ill with botulism -- keep their distance.
Liana Krissoff, a freelance recipe tester, editor and writer, from rural Carlton, Ga., hopes to change all that with her new cookbook, "Canning for a New Generation: Bold, Fresh Flavors for the Modern Pantry." It's brimming with 200 imaginative recipes and clever canning tips grandmother never wrote down.
Kristoff's cookbook provides detailed instructions for the home canner, as well as the website addresses for experts in the field, such as The National Center for Home Food Preservation (www.uga.edu/nchfp/index.html).
Home canner, or not, this cookbook is filled with recipes begging to be tried, like Mu Shu Pork with homemade plum sauce. Sound good to you? Me, too. Look for it next week.
Muscadine and Plum Pie
Recipe courtesy of "Canning for a New Generation:Bold, Fresh Flavors for a the Modern Pantry," by Liana Krissoff; Stewart, Tabori & Chang, publishers; photographs by Rinne Allen
1 quart Muscadine and Plum Pie filling (recipe follows)
3 tablespoons instant tapioca
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into pieces
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon coarse turbinado or Demerara sugar*
Easy pie dough (recipe follows)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. On a lightly floured surface, roll out one disk of the pie dough into a rough circle, about ? inch thick. Transfer it to a 9-inch pie plate and trim the edges. In a large bowl, stir together the pie filling and tapioca, then dump it into the dough-lined pie plate. Dot with the butter. Roll out the second disk of dough and set it over the filling sealing the edges. Cut slits in the top crust. Brush with milk and sprinkle with the coarse sugar. Bake on the center rack of the oven until the crust is well browned, 45 minutes to 1 hour.* Let cool on a wire rack for at least 1 hour, then slice and serve. Makes 1 9-inch pie.
*Kitchen Ade note: Turbinado and Demerara sugars are similar minimally processed unrefined sugars with large, coarse crystals. Turbinado sugar is off-white in color and Demerara, with its abundance of natural molasses, light brown. Be sure to set a cookie sheet under your pie when baking to catch juices that may overflow.
Muscadine and Plum Pie Filling
6 pounds Muscadine grapes, rinsed
1 pound red-fleshed plums, pitted and sliced ½-inch thick
3 tablespoons strained fresh lemon juice
2 cups sugar
Prepare for water-bath canning: Wash the jars and keep them hot in the canning pot, and put the flat lids in a heatproof bowl. (For detailed instructions on safe canning, visit the The National Center for Home Food Preservation website at www.uga.edu/nchfp/index.html.) Squeeze the grapes and put the pulp in a large saucepan and the hulls in a wide 6- to 8-quart preserving pan. Bring the pulp to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes, until the seeds start to separate from the pulp. Ladle into a sieve set over the preserving pan and use a rubber spatula to push as much pulp and juice through as possible; discard the seeds. Bring to a boil over high heat and boil, stirring occasionally, until the hulls are tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the plums, lemon juice, and sugar. Bring to a boil, and boil for 1 minute. Ladle boiling water from the canning pot into the bowl with lids.
Using a jar lifter, remove the hot jars from the canning pot, carefully pouring the water from each one back into the pot, and place them upright on a folded towel. Drain the water off the jar lids. Ladle the hot fruit and juice into the jars, leaving ½-inch headspace at the top. Use a chopstick to remove air bubbles around the inside of each jar. Use a damp paper towel to wipe the rims of the jars, then put a flat lid and ring on each jar, adjusting the ring so it's just finger-tight. Return the jars to the water in the canning pot, making sure the water covers the jars by at least 1 inch. Bring to a boil, and boil for 25 minutes to process.
Remove the jars to a folded towel and do not disturb for 12 hours. (After 1 hour, check that the lids have sealed by pressing down on the center of each. If it doesn't move, the jar has sealed. If it pops down and then up again, it has not sealed; refrigerate the jar immediately and use the contents.) Label the sealed jars and store.* Makes 3 1-quart jars.
*Kitchen Ade note: Stored in a cool, dry place, canned food will keep for at least 1 year with no loss of taste or quality.
Easy Pie Dough
3 cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon pure kosher salt
1¼ cups cold leaf lard, or 1 cup cold vegetable shortening and ¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter*
1 large egg
1 tablespoon vinegar
About 5 tablespoons ice water
In a large bowl, stir together the flour and salt. Using a pastry cutter, two table knives held in one hand, or your fingertips, cut in the lard until the largest pieces are the size of peas. Make a well in the center; add the egg and vinegar and stir them together with a fork or spatula. Sprinkle a few tablespoons of the ice water over the mixture and toss just to combine. Using sharp folding and cutting motions, with a wooden spoon or a spatula, stir just until the dough holds together. Turn out onto the counter and gather the dough into a very rough ball.
Use the palm of your hand to smear the dough away from you. Use a bench knife to scrape it back into a rough ball. Repeat twice. (This flattens the pieces of fat into shards, which will melt into flaky goodness when the crust bakes.) Divide the dough into 2 roughly equal sized pieces. Wrap them tightly in plastic, smoothing each into an even, flat disk shape. Chill in the freezer for about 20 minutes or in the fridge for 30 minutes, until firm. The dough can be wrapped in a couple more layers of plastic and frozen for several months; defrost in the fridge for a couple hours before continuing. Makes enough for 1 double-crust 9-inch pie.
*Kitchen Ade note: Krissoff describes leaf lard as the "pure snowy-white fat that surrounds pigs' kidneys." Don't substitute any other kind of lard for leaf lard; use Crisco, mixed with unsalted butter, instead.
Concord Grape Filling
To make grape filling, reduce the sugar to 1 cup (or to taste), and boil the pulp, hulls and remaining ingredients together just until the hulls are tender, about 10 minutes. Ladle into a hot quart jar, put the lid and ring on, and process in a boiling-water bath, as above, for 10 minutes; alternatively, put it in a freezer bag (or freezer-proof container) and freeze. When ready to use the filling, thaw it and stir in 3 tablespoons instant tapioca. The recipe above makes a bit more than 1 quart.
Sue Ade, a Lowcountry resident since 1985, is a gourmet baker and collector of vintage cooking utensils and cookbooks. She can be reached at email@example.com or 683-0375.


text: Young Living's Basil Vitality essential oil pairs well with savory foods, but you can also add its sweet, slightly peppery flavor to any meal. Try Basil Vitality oil with sauces, breads, soups, chicken, or seafood. Or try a sweet concoction like basil-strawberry lemonade. If you want a lighter basil flavor in your dish, dip a toothpick in the oil and swirl it in your preparations.


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Mad Science camps offer a daily combination of in-class discovery and exploration, outdoor games and physical activities, and hands-on applications of the scientific principles presented.
Your child will be able touch, see, hear, smell and taste what science is really all about.
We use simple, real world science techniques that allow even the youngest of campers to enjoy our learning environment.
Campers create, build and assemble a variety of take-home projects while exploring how science affects the world around us.


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KraftMaid Design Styles
Classic or Contemporary? Transitional or Timeless? Explore our five design styles to find the one that suits you best.
Luxe TransitionalIncluding all the newest features in design, this luxurious style is way ahead of the curve. Part contemporary, part progressive, beautiful Luxe Transitional pushes design to an entirely new level in a way that expresses individual personality and passion.
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Light and TimelessTime for a change? You can update your kitchen or living space with a design that offers comfortable, uncluttered simplicity. Light & Timeless cabinetry promotes a clean and airy appearance that never goes out of style. With the neutral backdrop, you'll also have the perfect setting for displaying a few treasured accessories that are uniquely your own.
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Classically TraditionalIf these walls could talk, they would recite stories rich with history and unforgettable experiences. The warm, natural wood and refined elegance draw people in to create an authentic space where memories are made. Just the right balance of conventional grace and lived-in comfort creates your dream kitchen.
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Contemporary & DynamicThe motto for the Contemporary & Dynamic style is "less is more." The minimalistic, cutting-edge approach lets you achieve the originality you're looking for in a kitchen. An understatedly elegant style, Contemporary & Dynamic features bold, straight lines and a clean, streamlined appearance so you can make a statement that is uniquely your own.
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Is Anthrax Trying To Become The New Metallica? Guitarist Wants To Kick 'Pirates' Off The Internet
from the bye-bye-fans deptYou would think, given the reaction to Lars Ulrich and Metallica from when he went all crazy on people who shared files, that other famous acts would be a bit more clued in. Not so with Scott Ian, the guitarist for Anthrax. In a recent interview, he spends a big chunk complaining about "theft" and how many more records the band used to sell in the past. And he keeps building up steam until it's a full on rant, complete with falsely claiming it's "theft" (over and over and over again) and comparing it to drunk driving... including claiming that if you're caught downloading unauthorized music, you should lose your internet access completely:
You lose your Internet. That's it, no more Internet for you. Seriously! Like you drive drunk, you lose the privilege of driving. You download illegally, you lose the privilege of having the Internet. The punishment fits the crime. Why these service providers don't stop the torrent sites and put a consequence on this, I have no idea. Everybody complains about the trillions of dollars being lost, but nobody does anything about it. Believe me, if I could do something about it, I would.First off, downloading a single song and losing your internet access permanently is "the punishment fits the crime"? Really? As for why service providers don't stop torrent sites, it's because (a) the law is a bit more complex than Ian seems to understand, (b) censoring the internet because some search engines might possibly be used for bad things (while they can also be used for legal things) is a dumb idea and (c) because stopping torrent sites won't do anything, since they'll just pop up elsewhere.
Ian doesn't seem to have any interest in thinking through the logical fallacies of his argument. As far as he's concerned, there is nothing to discuss:
There is no argument. I'm not even going to get into that conversation. You're stealing! It's stealing, that's what it is. It's not free for us to make these records. These records are on sale in many, many places where you can pay your money to buy the product that we are selling. Anything outside of that is stealing. There is no conversation to be had. There's no, "Well, I just wanted to check it out, and then I liked it so I bought the record." I don't give a fuck. It's stealing. Everyone can say that, "I just wanted to check it out," or "There's no way for me to get music where I live." That's bullshit. It's fucking bullshit! I've been doing this for way too long. I sold records in the '80s and '90s before there was an Internet, and no one seemed to have a problem going out and buying a shit ton of records back then. The whole record industry has collapsed because people are stealing. That's the end of the story.Except, that's wrong. Pretty much all of it. It's not stealing. It may be infringement, but that's different than theft. And anyone who's being intellectually honest in this debate can at least admit there's a pretty big difference. And, no, no one said it was free to make the records, but that's really beside the point. It's not free for me to make Techdirt either. But does that mean that I'm being "ripped off" if no one pays me directly for it? Of course not. Because I'm using a smarter business model. Ian might want to try that, rather than blaming all of his fans. The fact that he sold records in the "pre-internet" days is kinda meaningless. I sold magazines in the pre-internet days, but times change. Business models change. Get with the program.
Anyway, since Ian seems so unwilling to adapt, I thought why should we let that stop folks here from coming up with some suggestions on what he should be doing. Over at Step2, I've kicked off a discussion on how Anthrax might better deal with downloaders, while still being able to make more money. Head on over to join that discussion.


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Home >> Course Descriptions >> College of Business Administration
Financial Statement Analysis
Three semester hours.
An intensive study of financial statement analysis. Topics covered include: study of the basic accounting concepts and principles related to financial statement analysis; liquidity, solvency, and profitablity analyses; sourcesof financial analysis information; personal financial statements. Prerequisite: ACC 5300 or equivalent with a grade of "C" or better.
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Inspired by Little Sprouts from designer Vanessa Christenson of V and Co.
Quilt tester: Judy Sams Sohn
2—3/8-yard pieces red prints (background)
2—3/8-yard pieces white prints (background)
1/2 yard tan print (sashing, inner border, binding)
7/8 yard black print (outer border, binding)
3 yards backing fabric
54" square batting
Finished quilt: 45-1/2x46"
Quantities are for 44/45"- wide, 100% cotton fabrics. Measurements include 1/4" seam allowances. Sew with right sides together unless otherwise stated.


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ORONO, Maine — The University of New Hampshire men's basketball team is on a winning streak and has three seniors to thank.
Chandler Rhoads, Chris Matagrano and Ferg Myrick each registered double digits to lead UNH to a 57-54 win at Maine on Wednesday night at Alfond Arena.
UNH (6-14, 2-6 America East) captured its second straight victory and won at Maine for the first time since the 2007-08 season. Maine fell to 8-13 overall, 3-5 in the league.
Matagrano posted 16 points with seven rebounds and two assists. Rhoads netted a team-high 18 points to go along with seven boards, while Myrick added 13 points and six boards.
UNH hosts Stony Brook on Saturday.
Women beat Maine
DURHAM — The University of New Hampshire women's basketball team beat Maine 61-54 at Lundholm Gymnasium on Tuesday night.
Kaylee Kilpatrick and Cari Reed scored 16 points apiece as UNH improved to 8-12, 3-5 in America East. Maine is 2-19, 1-7 in the league. Former Oyster River High School standout Danielle Walczak scored eight points in 31 minutes for Maine.
UNH is at Stony Brook on Saturday.


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Ski The Tasman
Ski The Tasman is a unique day skiing New Zealand's longest glacier, the Tasman. The package includes guide services, three scenic flights, picnic lunch, and the two longest ski runs in New Zealand.
- Adult
- $997.00
Contact Us
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Ski The Tasman is an air-accessed glacier skiing package, professionally guided by Alpine Guides.
Every fine winter day (July-September) we guide small groups of skiers on this unique adventure in Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park.
If you can ski blue runs at a ski area (intermediate ability) you can ski the mighty Tasman Glacier. Our rental "fat" skis make off-piste easy, even in deep powder snow.
The "standard" Tasman Glacier skiing package includes the 2 longest ski runs in the Southern Hemisphere - from 8 to 10km long. Mountain flying experts, Mt Cook Ski Planes, provide all flights.
Flying every fine day: 01 July to 30 September.
Physical address
Ski The Tasman, 81 Bowen Drive, Aoraki Mount Cook, Christchurch - Canterbury, 7999, New Zealand.
Opening times
- Business hours:
- 7am to 8 pm (7 days) during winter
- Months of operation:
- Jul, Aug, Sep
Facilities and Features
- Proximity to airport:
- Operate from Mt Cook Airport
- Proximity to town:
- 5km from Aoraki Mount Cook Village
Pricing and Conditions
- Age restriction:
- 10
- Other charges:
- Rental equipment, if required
- Further pricing information:
- Ski The Tasman is weather dependent


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I know it's out of context of this forum, I'm sorry in advance! But I'm trying to learn more. I've been undetectable for 2 months, been on meds for 6 months, I feel fine but I have a crawling t-cell count, that is only at 115 now and recently has slowed to an average increase of 3 per month despite a whopping increase of 80 the first few weeks, which is hard to fathom because back then my viral load was still high. I started very low. So at this rate it could take years to get to 200 or 300. My doctor is keeping me on various antibiotics until I get stabilized at 250 for 6 months. Is it practical for me to think that I could effectively remain on antibiotics for that long? Is there anything else I should worry about regarding my slow t-cell gain? My labs are mostly good except for a low t-cell count and low overall white blood count (2800) - but I don't have any sign of infection.
Prophylaxis against opportunistic infections is extremely important, and I would urge you to stay on it indefinitely if necessary. The potential benefits (preventing an opportunistic infection) far outweigh any potential risks.
Regarding your slow rise in CD4 count, there are a number of potential causes, some having to do with how damaged your immune system may be. (See below.) That your current combination antiretroviral regimen is suppressing your HIV plasma viral load to undetectable levels indicates the treatment is working well virologically. The degree of immune reconstitution you will obtain is difficult to predict, as there is considerate variation from person to person. Research is underway on various immune-based therapies that hopefully will help situations like yours. You can read about some of them in the archives of this forum. Have a look.
Good luck. Stay well!
Dr. Bob
CD Count. (CD4 COUNTS NOT INCREASING DESPITE UNDETECTABLE VIRAL LOAD, 2010) (LACK OF CD4 RESPONSE DESPITE TREATMENT, 2010) May 24, 2010
Since my last consultation 6 months ago my CD4 count has gone up 2 only points from 153 to 155.I got this new result yesturday. My last increase was almost 50 points in 6 months. How concerned should I be about such a slow and disappointing increase? How normal is this slow increase?
I have been on medication for nearly two years...currently Keletra and Truvada. Should I be asking my consultant to be looking at a medication change to affect the CD4 count?
The consultant seems content that my VL is undetectable and I am phsyically very well.
Response from Dr. Frascino
The problem of poor CD4 response despite use of effective antiretroviral therapy that drives the HIV plasma viral load to undetectable levels is a vexing and perplexing problem. We still don't completely understand the reason for this phenomenon (see below). Concern related to inadequate immune reconstitution (rise in CD4 count) on effective antiretroviral therapy is yet another argument in favor of staring treatment early, before CD4 cells decline.
Dr. Bob
why does my CD4 count not improve? (LACK OF CD4 RESPONSE DESPITE TREATMENT, 2010) Apr 23, 2010
Dr. Franscino,
I am a 50 yr old caucasian male. I was diagnosed in June, 2008. At that time my CD4 was around 36 and my VL was well over 350,000. I had symptoms of wasting plus sweats and constant 101+ fevers. It took me two weeks to get in to see an AIDS Dr. here in Mississippi and was started on Atripla, bactrim and zithromycin (the latter has been discontinued). I have been 100% compliant, never missing a single dose. My VL was undetectable after about 9 mos., but my CD4 seems to have peaked at around 260 (highest reading 3 mos ago) and at my last visit was back down to 175 :( . The percentages are consistently 24-27% for the past year or so. Is there anything else I can do to raise the CD4 count? My Dr. says HGH is to risky (side effects) and IL2 is still too experimental, expensive, and not shown to make anyone "healthier" even tho it can at least temporarily boost the memory CD4 count. HELP???!!!
Response from Dr. Frascino
There are a number of potential reasons immune reconstitution (rise in CD4 count) may falter, and they are all complex in nature. These include, among others, ongoing immune inflammation caused by HIV (even when HIV viral load is suppressed to undetectable levels), inadequate functioning of your thymus gland and damage to the architecture of the lymphoid tissues. I would agree with your doctor's advice on IL2 (not helpful) and HGH (many side effects).
There is no doubt that HIVers with suppressed HIV replication, i.e. undetectable viral loads, (even if CD4 response is relative weak) fare better clinically compared to patients not on combination antiretroviral therapy. Consequently treatment is still very much warranted even in those with a poor CD4 response. We are learning more about chronic inflammation and the other potential causes of poor immune reconstitution. Your situation is not uncommon.
This is yet another reasons for early diagnosis and treatment before the CD4 count falls and immune damage occurs.
Stay tuned to this site and we'll keep you posted as this story evolves and more effective treatments come online. One option now would be to try a protease and/or integrase inhibitor-based regimen. This sometimes will give a boost to the CD4 count while continuing to keep the viral load maximally suppressed.
Good luck.
Dr. Bob
stubborn T-Cells (CD4 COUNTS NOT INCREASING DESPITE UNDETECTABLE VIRAL LOAD, 2010) Jan 16, 2010
I have been + for 10 years. My initial VL was 300,000 and T's was 79. My initial therapy was Epivir, Zerit and Viramune along with Bactrim. I have since changed therapy due to the Zerit and now on Truvada and Viramune. My VL went undectable within the first 3 months and besides the occasional blip, has stayed there. But, my T's stubbornly stay within the 200 range. My doctor, an infectious disease specialist, is not worried about this at all. He says there is no rhyme or reason to why my T's do not increase beyond 300. He says that I have very healthy T's even though I don't have many. And that there is no way (besides maybe interluken, which he is strongly against) to raise them medically. And changing my current therapy would not be smart since I am undetectable. I have never had an OI, just get the occasional cold and allergies. I am more worried about my long term health with low T's. I found out I was + just by a random test. Is there something my doctor may be missing? Any tests to see what else could be keeping my T-4's low? He did test me about a year ago for Pylori and that came back negative. Are there any drugs or alternative therapies available to increase T-4's? Thank you
Response from Dr. Frascino
I've addressed this problem a number of ties previously in this forum (see below for an example) and have very little new to add at this time. This problem of inadequate immune reconstitution (rise in CD4 cells) is another reason why we encourage combination antiretroviral medication be started before there is significant loss of CD4 cells. This also argues for early HIV testing to determine who is infected and close clinical monitoring of those known to have acquired the virus.
Dr. Bob
Low Cd 4 count (CD4 COUNTS NOT INCREASING DESPITE UNDETECTABLE VIRAL LOAD, 2009) Jul 18, 2009
6/28/07 I tested hiv positive. At the time viral load was 145000 and cd4 was 50. I was put on atripla and one month later I was undectable and cd4 was 255. Its been two years now of being undectable and the cd4 is not going up. The range over the last 2 years for my cd4 has been 198 to 260, my last cd 4 was 223. Why is it not going up? I have been depressed and started Zolot 100mg. Could depression keep the cd4 count down? Does the Sustiva in atripla cause depression? Would a protease inhibitor help?
Response from Dr. Frascino
Dr. Henry already addressed your question regarding lack of immune reconstitution despite driving HIV plasma viral load to undetectable levels for a considerable period of time. I'll reprint his response below. I completely agree with his comments. I'll also post below some recent information about lymph node fibrosis, which, I believe, may well be the main culprit responsible for your CD4 counts not increasing.
Depression would not be the cause of your CD4 counts not having risen as expected. Sustiva can exacerbate some types of depression. I tend not to recommend Sustiva in folks who are experiencing significant depression. Would a protease inhibitor help? Possibly. It may be worth a try for two reasons. First it will allow you to discontinue Sustiva (in light of your depression) and second it may result in improved immune reconstitution.
Good luck!
Dr. Bob
Cd 4 Count not going up Jul 7, 2009
6/28/07 I tested Hiv Positive and one week later my doctors found my cd 4 count to be 50 and my viral load to be 145,000. I was told i probably had the virus for about 6 to 8 years without knowning. They immediately put me on Atripla and Bactrim DS and one month later I was undectable and cd 4 was 255. Six months later I was taken off Bactrim. Its been two years of being undectable now, and my cd4 count is not going up. The cd 4 count range over the last two years has been 203 to 260, my last cd4 was 223 and still undectable. Why is my cd4 count not improving?
Response from Dr. Henry
There are many reasons why the CD4 count may not recovery well despite good HIV suppresssion. Possibilities include poor thymus function, genetic factors (HLA and CCR5 and other markers), destroyed lymphoid tissues architecture, ongoing immune activation, and others. Patients seem to do better with suppressed virus levels even when the CD4 recovery is poor compared to patients not taking ART so treatment still has a positive clinical effect. Your situation is not that uncommon and is a strong argument for identifying HIV infection early and starting treatment at higher CD4 counts. KH
Falling CD4 despite undetectable viral load?????? Jun 25, 2009
Dr. Bob,
My HIV doc is totally stumped!!!! I'm on HAART and my viral load has been undectctable for over a year and yet my CD4's are continuing to decline. Is there any scientific rational for why this is happening???
Response from Dr. Frascino
Yes, but it is preliminary information and rather complex. Simply put the latest research indicates the cause may involve fibrosis in the lymph nodes. This research is preliminary but HIVers whose normal lymph node architecture has been replaced with collagen appear to be most at risk. I'll reprint some information about this topic below.
Dr. Bob
The Puzzle of CD4-Cell Depletion Despite Good Viral Suppression In some patients, CD4-cell counts fail to rise as expected. Could extensive lymph node fibrosis be responsible?
We expect that when combination antiretroviral therapy (ART) suppresses a patient's HIV viremia, a steady increase in CD4-cell count will ensue. In some patients, however, such increases are minimal or fail to occur, and in others, CD4-cell counts plummet after an initial rise, even though viral load remains undetectable. The combination of ddI and tenofovir has been associated with these aberrant CD4-cell responses, but the underlying mechanism is unclear, and the phenomenon is also seen in patients taking other drugs.
In a recent study, NIH researchers sought evidence to support any of several hypothetical explanations for the aberrant CD4-cell responses seen in four patients on combination ART whose CD4 counts had fallen from a median of 719 cells/mm3 to a median of 227 cells/mm3 despite persistently undetectable plasma viral loads. Three of the four patients were receiving a regimen containing tenofovir and ddI.
Residual replicating HIV did not seem to be the problem: Results of ultrasensitive PCR and assays for peripheral blood mononuclear cellassociated HIV RNA and proviral HIV DNA and of assays for cell-associated HIV RNA and proviral DNA in mononuclear cells from inguinal lymph nodes were similar to those obtained in other, successfully treated patients. Thymic production of naive CD4 cells was similar to that seen in successfully treated age-matched controls. No evidence of occult drug resistance sabotaging treatment was found. Changing ART regimens to avoid the tenofovir/ddI combination had little effect on CD4-cell counts during the follow-up period (median duration, 10 months).
The single unusual finding was a striking abnormality in inguinal lymph node architecture in the four patients: From 24% to 34% of the T-cell zone was replaced by collagen. In contrast, collagen levels in six successfully treated patients have been reported to range from 2% to 12% (J Clin Invest 2002; 110:1133).
Comment: We do not know the exact pathogenesis of CD4-cell depletion in untreated HIV infection, so creating logical hypotheses to explain aberrant CD4 responses is especially challenging. These authors offer the intriguing suggestion that the unusual lymph node architecture documented in all four patients in this study may be related to (or even responsible for) the inadequate CD4-cell response i.e., that CD4-cell depletion is independent of specific components of an antiretroviral regimen and is instead caused by lymph node fibrosis. They note that such architectural damage may well be "clinically irreversible with currently available interventions."
Abigail Zuger, MD
Published in AIDS Clinical Care June 1, 2009