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17 LOCATIONS IN AUSTRALIA We are everywhere you want to be
Find your nearest Skydive Australia location on the map and you'll be freefalling in no time.
Why CHOOSE US?
Skydiving is our passion, we love what we do. Everyone in our team has the same can-do mindset - we're energetic, experienced and committed to making your skydive a safe and memorable experience you'll never forget.
Australia's MOST SPECTACULAR VIEWS
Australia's MOST TRUSTED SKYDIVE
Australia's HIGHEST TANDEM SKYDIVES
Australia's BEST BEACH LANDINGS
What an experience!
All the staff were amazing and pleasant which really helped to put me at ease.
The jump itself was the biggest thrill with the best views and a definite must for people thinking about it. 10/10!
About SKYDIVE AUSTRALIA We love to jump out of planes
Tandem skydive over some of Australia's most spectacular beach, city and bushland panoramas, from beach jumps at Sydney's only beach skydive, to action packed city jumps into the heart of Melbourne and everything in between! This adventure tourism attraction offers tandem skydiving from Australia's highest altitude of up to 15,000ft. Experience the ultimate thrill of freefall at over 200km/hr for up to an insane 60 seconds, and then float under canopy for 5-7 minutes soaking up the spectacular views from above.
Skydive with the best: best views, best locations, best customer service and the best instructors. You're in safe skies with the Skydive Australia crew, so step outside your comfort zone and push personal boundaries with a skydive experience you'll remember forever.
- Byron Bay
- Hunter Valley
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- Newcastle
- Sydney - Wollongong
- Great Ocean Road
- Melbourne
- Yarra Valley
- Airlie Beach
- Brisbane
- Cairns
- Mission Beach
- Rockingham
- York
- Fraser Island
- Noosa
- Bribie Island


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Courtyard By Marriott Cape Charles hotels are provided below. Search for cheap and discount Courtyard By Marriott hotel rates in Cape Charles, VA for your upcoming individual or group travel. We list the best Courtyard By Marriott Cape Charles hotels/lodging so you can review the Cape Charles Courtyard By Marriott hotel list below to find the perfect place.
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subset: commoncrawl


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By: Shan Qiao in Toronto, ON
At the age of 60, quitting a well-paying job to refinance her townhouse and start an entrepreneurial venture was the last thing Helen Poon's friends thought she would do. But Helen did just that, setting out to build a healthy eating and living co-op so she could hire people who would be compensated by becoming healthy.
According to a 2017 study, over three quarters of Canadians aren't meeting the recommendations of Canada's Food Guide for fruit and vegetable consumption, this results in an estimated economic burden to society of $4.39 billion annually. While dietary recommendations are made annually by the Canadian government, Poon recognized that a more hands-on approach would be necessary in order to affect more immediate change. The result, the Sprouts Co-Op in Toronto which focuses on specific neighborhoods across the GTA.
The thought of building a community-based healthy food and living co-op had been brewing in her mind for a couple of years, well before Poon decided to quit her job. "You are what you eat," she continues. Hence the 2017 co-op which is steered by Poon but also receives support from a handful of people that have drawn influence from her.
Poon has never been one to shy from a challenge, so when she learned of the difference sugar alternatives like honey could make, she immersed herself in the subject. Canadians consume an average of 26 teaspoons of it every day, which amounts to 21% of their total daily caloric intake, playing a huge role in many diseases and conditions that have become more prevalent in recent years. Despite her lack of experience in the subject, she has been able to incorporate the ingredient in several recipes without sacrificing taste in any way.
"Helen was my supervisor at our previous organization we both worked for. At the end of last year, she told me she wanted to start a food and health co-op and hire people with disabilities," says Daphne Au-Young who holds a Master's degree in Clinical Psychology and joined Sprouts as a board member.
"I thought it's a great initiative to provide affordable healthy food for the community and meaningful employment for individuals with disabilities. I admire Helen's determination to start an organization at the age of 60. It shows that one is never too old to turn a dream into a reality," Au-Young explains.
As an immigrant woman who came to this country after China's 1989 political turmoil, Au-Young said her parents sacrificed their high paying jobs in Hong Kong for stability and freedom in Canada. The version of Sprouts' "meaningful employment" makes her very happy to see clients moving past their traumas and living a normal life again.
A major influence within the Asian community, Poon is also a mentor to young men like Dave Tran. A descendant of Vietnamese immigrants and high school English teacher, Tran is currently the Vice-Chair of Sprouts and considers Poon an inspiration.
"There have been several important people in my life recently, demonstrating amazing leadership over the years, helping to build a greater diverse community for all. Helen is one of those people. She is quite an inspirational person who is a work horse; she always gives her 100% into anything she does and it can become infectious—in the best way," he explains.
Rui Ping Chen came to Canada 10 years ago as a young girl who also met Helen in her previous job. After learning of Sprouts, she was intrigued. "What kind of dream was big enough for her to leave a management position? She talked to me about Sprouts with so much passion and wisdom that I immediately understood why she did what she did."
"I believe in what Sprouts is trying to promote 'we are what we eat'," says Ping, behind a makeshift reception table that collects people's membership fees and registration forms at Sprouts' first product launch event in Markham last November. That night, Sprouts successfully attracted more than three dozen people to join as members, after a year-long endeavor by Helen and the people influenced by her.
As the Sprouts Co-op continues its steady growth, Poon hopes to extend her reach to an even more diverse range of members. And while the Co-op's Toronto base has limited its current operations to the GTA, it will be interesting to see what the future holds for this ambitious startup.
This piece is part of a series titled, "Ethnic Women as Active Participants in Ontario". Writers interested interested in participating are encouraged to join the NCM Collective for an opportunity.
By: Viji Sundaram in Mountainview, California
A much heralded push toward digital patient portals, commonly integrated with electronic health records, may be exacerbating health disparities between rich and poor, instead of reducing them, as they were intended to.
In fact, for a variety of reasons, "you could argue they increase disparities," said Suneel Ratan, chief strategy officer of Community Health Center Network and the Alameda Health Consortium, who has researched the use of patient portals in Bay Area community health centers.
Last year, MayView Community Health Center's three clinics – here in Mountain View, Palo Alto and Sunnyvale -- launched their patient portal tool to meet "meaningful use" requirements in order to receive federal incentive checks, a part of the Electronic Health Records Incentive Program. The program was designed to help health care providers move away from a paper-based system. A few mouse clicks allows a doctor to navigate the entire medical history of a patient.
Patient portals, which have been in use for more than a decade in larger hospitals nationwide, are commonly integrated with electronic health records. They are secure online websites that give patients 24-hour access to their personal health information from anywhere with an Internet connection. It's a way of patients being engaged with their care team and on their own time, with the hope that it will lead to better health outcomes.
Among other functionalities, patient portals typically include online appointment scheduling, bill pay, prescription renewals and the ability to accept patient-generated data on allergies and other health issues. Patients also have access to lab results.
MayView, a federally qualified health center (FQHC), spent about $30,000 in staff time to build its portal, the clinic's Executive Director Kelvin Quan said, noting that the tool was not only to meet the federal "meaningful use" standard by tethering it to electronic health records, but also to "meet a standard in adopting the patient care model known as 'Patient Centered Health Home,'" a kind of one-stop shop for patient care.
Soon after MayView launched the tool, many patients enrolled, but enthusiasm seemed to wane after a few weeks, when the program became something like "white noise," [a collection of sounds that are a mere distraction] as MayView's Medical Director Dr. Aarti Gupta described it.
Enrollment figures in MayView's program show that of the clinic's approximately 6,600 patients, only 600 are currently enrolled. Of them, only 200 are active users.
Quan believes the tool's low patient penetration is because "technology doesn't work for our population," a good percentage of whom are Hispanic and Asian and Pacific Islanders. That could be the reason why East Palo Alto-based Ravenswood Family Health Center, also an FQHC and with a similar patient demographic, has low usage of its patient portal – 10 to 15 percent -- according to Chief Executive Director Luisa Buada.
"The majority of our patients are Spanish-speaking with lower literacy (including health literacy, reading literacy and computer literacy) rates," said Dr. Justin Wu, Ravenswood's Clinical Informatics Officer. "Add to that the current political climate with mistrust around immigration issues and a general hesitancy to give out information or have health information online, and I think it helps explain some of the problems we've been having with patients in using our patient portal." The two clinics reflect a national usage trend that showed that Asian Americans, Latino Americans and African Americans were 23 percent, 55 percent and 62 percent less likely to register for digital personal health record access, respectively, compared to non-Hispanic whites.
First off, "many of our patients can't afford computers. If they can, their [technology literacy level] makes it difficult for them to navigate the information," Quan said.
For those who have the app on their cell phone, the font is so small, they can't read it, he said.
David Lindeman, director, Center for Innovation and Technology in Public Health and the CITRIS program at UC Berkeley, believes that if some of the text were taken out of patient portals and replaced with images and videos the tool could possibly be embraced by more patients.
A study done two years ago by five academics shows why the patient portal program has been relatively successful at Kaiser Permanente, a large grouping of hospital and practices, as well as the nation's second-largest insurer. By 2015, Kaiser had registered 70 percent of their 5.2 million patients on their portal, well above the health care industry expectation of 50 percent, according to Quan.
The bulk of Kaiser's patient portal education material – not entirely simply written -- is geared toward white, middle-class people, who are better educated. Patients with a post-graduate education are more likely to register than adults with a high school education or less on to My Health Manager.
"You have to meet the patients where they are coming from," said Quan.
My Health Manager enrollees can email their care team members with health questions and expect a response within 48 hours.
Most of MayView's patients are on Medi-Cal (the federal-state health insurance program for low-income people, known as Medicaid in the rest of the nation). Some are undocumented. Care providers at the clinic are already stretched thin, Gupta said, one of the reasons why MayView's patient portal lacks the e-mail communication functionality.
"If they had to respond to queries from their patients on the computer, it would take time away from attending to patients" who prefer face time with their providers, Gupta said.
Besides, "Medi-Cal will not reimburse them" for computer time, Quan said.
Ratan said most FQHCs don't have the resources to implement robust functionality in their patient portals. But at least one he has worked with has deployed a patient portal that includes medical records, in addition to appointment schedules and refills.
Republished in partnership with New America Media.
By Belen Febres-Cordero in Vancouver
Upon arrival, immigrant populations in Canada tend to present less allergies than their Canadian-born counterparts, but prevalence increases with time, a national study finds. However, exposing them to ethnic foods and cultural practices that they were accustomed to may help reduce allergies in this population, according to the researchers.
"There is no definitive answer as to the cause(s) of the definitely noted increase in allergies in immigrant populations when they move to Western countries such as Canada. However, the pattern is real and needs to be analyzed", says Dr. David Fischer, President of the Canadian Society of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (CSACI).
As first-generation immigrants to Canada, Dr. Hind Sbihi (picture below), Research Associate at the University of British Columbia, and Jiayun Angela Yao, PhD candidate at the same institution, became intrigued by allergy rates among newcomers and conducted a study to understand the role that genetics and environmental factors play in the development of non-food allergies, such as hay fever.
The researchers explain that in the past decade, the media, public and researchers have mainly focused on food allergies "It's critical to raise awareness for non-food allergies given their high prevalence in our population, and posing a big burden to our health care system," they add.
Canada has some of the highest allergy rates
This is particularly true because Canada has some of the highest allergy rates in the world. According to the American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology, approximately 10-30% of the global population has hay fever. While in the United States roughly 7.8% of people 18 and over has this allergy, almost 20% of the population in Canada is affected by it. Considering these statistics, Sbihi and Yao wanted to understand if immigrants in the country would also display an increase in allergies.
"Our study highlighted the unique opportunity to investigate allergies in migrant populations, who are going through a natural experiment, in which the environment around them changes dramatically in a relatively short period of time," they explain.
To conduct the study, the scholars used the data collected in the Canadian Community Health Survey, which gathered information about the health status, lifestyle habits and basic demographics of a large and representative sample of Canadians. In the survey, respondents were asked whether they had non-food allergies – diagnosed by a physician-, and whether they were immigrants to Canada and if so, their time since arrival. "We took the responses to these questions, and assessed the statistical association between non-food allergies and immigration status", they say.
Following this method, the study found that only 14.3% immigrants who had lived in Canada for less than 10 years had non-food allergies, while the rates for immigrants over 10 years and non-immigrants were 23.9% and 29.6%, respectively.
These results suggest that environmental factors, such as pollution, levels of sanitization and dietary choices, carry more weight in the development of allergic conditions in Canada, Dr. Fischer explains, while Dr. Sbihi and Yao add that more research is needed to pinpoint what those factors are, and to better understand how allergies arise by country of origin.
They also highlight the need for undertaking multicultural strategies to improve newcomers' health.
Ethnic foods may help
Dr. Sbihi and Yao add that it is also important to understand that allergies are symptoms of a loss of internal balance that results from a dysfunction of the immune system. "Providing immigrants with means to access food or cultural practice that are ethnically-friendly may help them transition smoothly into the new environment without perturbing their natural balance," they suggest.
"Our best hope to curb the increasing trend in allergic disorders is to prevent it. Prevention can only happen when there is a good understanding of risk factors that come to play in the development of these disorders." For these reasons, they suggest that raising awareness among health practitioners about the link between immigration, environment and allergies might help in their patients' management.
"The main role for medical practitioners is to work with patients to recognize if they have allergies, to manage them acutely with their patients and if necessary refer them allergist if there is some doubt about the diagnosis or for more definitive management," says Dr. Fischer.
NEW UBC research finds that many online resources for preventing Alzheimer's disease are problematic and could be steering people in the wrong direction.
In a survey of online articles about preventing Alzheimer's disease, UBC researchers found many websites offered poor advice and one in five promoted products for sale—a clear conflict of interest. "The quality of […]
Indo-Canadian Voice
As diet and exercise become increasingly prominent in Canadians' lives, many Vancouverites have turned to yoga to supplement their fitness regimen. It is now the second most popular leisure activity in the country.
More than just a physical activity, yoga is also one of the most diverse spiritual traditions in the world, influencing numerous faiths…
The Source
By Dr. George I. Traitses If you are looking to lower your blood pressure, yoga might be the answer. A new study has found that yoga has countless benefits for people who have high blood pressure. The study was presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Hypertension recently. By simply practicing yoga,
The Philippine Reporter
WE all have bad days, even bad weeks. Life takes its toll on all of us causing occasional sleepless nights, changes in appetite and mood. But what if they persist and those symptoms are in fact the early signs of something more serious?
Often we dismiss the early symptoms of depression and anxiety disorders as […]
Indo-Canadian Voice
By Dr. Sawraj Singh
I have had the opportunity to visit many countries and regions of the world. I lived in America for more than forty years. America is like a miniature version of the world. There are communities from every country and region living in America. Therefore, I had opportunities to interact with almost all different communities. Every year, we hosted Diversity Day. Hundreds of people belonging to different communities came to our farmhouse. From this extensive interaction with diverse communities, I got the impression that Punjabis are one of the unhealthiest people in the world.-- Delivered by Feed43 service
The Link
In my experience, the body is like an onion, with layer upon layer of past history beneath the visible surface. What does this mean?
Let's start at the beginning, with a pregnant mom. Like many pregnant women, this mom has lower back pain. Unbeknownst to her, the baby's head got stuck in an odd position in the pelvis. Labour is long and painful, and the doctor eventually resorts to using forceps to pull the baby out. The baby seems okay and everyone breathes a sigh of relief.
Epoch Times
Commentary by Rohit Phillips in Aurora, Ontario
The fast-growing multicultural consumer segment of Canada represents a potential opportunity for pharmaceutical companies, especially if they can improve patient outcomes on a national scale.
For a small or mid-tier drug company battling to make headway in the general market, capturing a large portion of the multicultural market may be the path to improved profitability and growth.
Ethnic (or "Diversity") Healthcare is all about the 'culturally sensitive connection' to effectively address 'health and healthcare disparities' that result from cultural differences. These differences influence the health and well-being of Canada's growing visible ethnic minority population, which made up to 20 per cent of the total population in 2013 and is projected to grow to 32 per cent by 2031.
Fifteen years from now, it's projected that visible minorities will make up 63 per cent of Toronto, 59 per cent of Vancouver, 31 per cent of Montreal. Together, these three areas will account for 70 per cent of Canadian GDP.
Genetic, Environmental and Cultural Factors
The factors contributing to varied drug responses are complex and inter-related. Differences in drug response among racial and ethnic groups are determined by genetic, environmental, and cultural factors. These factors may operate independently of one another, or they may work together to influence outcomes.
Biological Factors: The genetic makeup of an individual may change the action of a drug in a number of ways as it moves through the body. Clinically, there may be an increase or decrease in the intensity and duration of the expected typical effect of the drug.
Environmental Factors: Diet, climate, smoking, alcohol, drugs, pollutants —may cause wide variations in drug response within an individual and even wider variations between groups of individuals.
Cultural Factors: Cultural or psycho-social factors, such as the attitudes and beliefs of an ethnic group, may affect the effectiveness of, or adherence to, a particular drug therapy.
Being Culturally Sensitive
Multicultural marketing isn't just attaching a face to your campaign.
It has more to do with presenting information in a culturally relevant way and context. Isn't all communication and marketing about better connecting with the audience?
So, what aspects of any ethnicity do marketers and advertisers need to understand to connect their brand messages well?
Here are a few important ones:
1. Language: It's not just about translation from English. The message must be written for and from the perspective of the minority language audience. Health promotion communication should also take into account the visual and oral cultural cues, like pictures and music.
2. Beliefs: Beliefs can be powerful forces that affect our health and capacity to heal. Whether personal or cultural, they influence us in one of two ways – they modify our behaviour or they stimulate physiological changes in our endocrine or immune systems. Many cultural beliefs have implications for healthcare, which may be direct or indirect.
As an example, many Asians believe that the number four is unlucky because when pronounced in Japanese or Chinese it sounds very similar to the word for "death". Thus, items arranged in groups of four, such as pills or syringes, can symbolize bad luck for those people who believe in numerology.
3. Behaviours: Culture has a bearing on the way a person acts in response to a particular situation. Buddhist teachings emphasize ''face'' or dignity. An individual's wrongdoing causes the immediate family to lose face. Such behaviours have a direct bearing on disease screening and diagnoses as patients may not admit or realize they have health problems, especially mental health problems, as this may bring shame upon their family.
4. Communication style: Refers to ways of expressing oneself to others and can be very different for a Chinese-Canadian compared to an Indo-Canadian. Older Chinese patients tend to be polite and may smile and nod. Nodding does not necessarily indicate agreement or even understanding of medical facts. Understanding of verbal and non-verbal communication styles of these cultures is critically important during screening, diagnoses and outreach programs.
5. Notions of modesty: Modesty is highly valued in South Asian culture. An example is an elderly woman who may be soft-spoken and not advocate for herself. Important decisions are made in this culture only after consulting with family members or close family friends. Involving the family and friends in intervention/prevention programs and long-term care for specific ailments like diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancers can go a long way in increasing compliance, raising awareness and generating brand loyalty.
Despite the many differences among the cultures that make up our nation, we all have the same basic needs: to be able to convey the symptoms and concerns of an illness, to receive competent care, to be acknowledged and valued.
A few fundamentals
When conducting situation analysis and a SWOT analysis of your business plan, the following are important for success:
· Explore implications of demographic changes (regional and national)
· Segment patient population by ethnicity
· Identify differences in disease incidence (determine if your product treats a condition in which a health disparity exists between the ethnic and general populations. For example, is mortality different among ethnic groups in your disease category?)
· Examine the growth patterns of your customer base
· Find out from physicians and managed care organizations what issues they encounter in an increasingly diverse population. Then identify challenges and opportunities your company can pursue
· Find out what your competition is doing to serve the needs of the "emerging majority"
Rohit is a seasoned healthcare marketing and advertising professional with an entrepreneurial instinct and a degree in pharmacy. Rohit is currently employed with The Gibson Group, a healthcare communication agency in Canada.
-- Canada's economic development minister Navdeep Bains at a Public Policy Forum economic summit


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"The product is fun and lets me flex my creative muscles every season, but the best part of working here honestly, is the team. The people I work with are amazing, and that counts for a lot in the design industry!"
Gymboree Group, Inc. is a portfolio of children's brands operating specialty retail stores with high-quality clothes and accessories. Our family of brands includes Gymboree, Crazy 8, and Janie and Jack. Since our start in 1976, we have grown from offering mom-and-baby classes in the San Francisco Bay Area to currently operating hundreds of retail stores throughout the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico, along with franchises around the world. We believe that respect for the customer, respect for the brand, and respect for each other are at the core of everything we do.
The Sales Lead is responsible for supporting the management team in achieving financial goals by demonstrating selling behaviors and floor leadership, promoting a positive work environment and executing operational processes and objectives in compliance with company standards and policies. The Sales Lead position is considered a key holder role, not a management role.
1196 Broadway Plaza
Walnut Creek, CA 94596


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I had this thought:
Focusing too much on style is like going to a buffet at an expensive restaurant, eating your fill, and only then realizing that there were other rooms filled with delicious food!
I hate when that happens.
Charles C. Goodin
Another Point About Style -- Buffet
I had this thought:
Posted by Charles C. Goodin on Monday, January 10, 2011


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Well, this is the last day of my online diary. I can't say that I am unhappy about that. When I agreed to this, I thought it would be a goof and that nobody would really read it. I have since discovered that tons of people have read it, and they let me know they have read it. At one point this week, part of it was posted on the Defamer Web site with a smarmy joke that was actually pretty funny and well-observed. I also saw an article that talked about how I said I liked the show Breaking Bonaduce and then quoted someone else who reviewed it for one of the Hollywood trade papers who said something about the fact that there is no way to shower long enough to get clean after watching that show. So, what, now I am supposed to stand behind my opinions or something? Then people posted observations on their personal blogs about what I was blogging about. It is all quite terrifying.
It certainly makes me less inclined to mention shows and CDs that I don't like. People work really hard to create, and who am I to say publicly that I don't like their creations? Millions of people love CSI. I don't. There's no real reason, I just don't feel the need to see grisly stuff like that. Why would I write that in a place where hundreds of thousands of people might read it? Damn, I did it again. This is why doing something like this is so dangerous.
But this is why I stopped doing stand-up comedy. In order to be really funny you usually need to be very angry. This self-righteousness is what makes people laugh. They want you to say the things that they have secretly thought. But I always thought, "Who the hell am I to talk like an authority about anything?" Later, someone told me that the most important thing an artist can do is to share himself with people. It is his or her job to bare his soul. This sharing makes people feel less alone. So, does that mean I should blab on about how lame I think Dr. Phil is for taking all of the suffering we are seeing down South in the aftermath of the hurricane and turning it into riveting, emotional television that makes him look like the most caring man on Earth, when, in fact, this is a ratings bonanza? I don't know.
I have opinions about all sorts of things I shouldn't share. For instance, what is going on with Tom Cruise? Is he really in love, or was his relationship with Katie Holmes orchestrated to promote BatmanBegins and War of the Worlds? Sometimes I think that if Tom Cruise is not in love with Katie Holmes, then he is doing all this because the celebrity media are out of control. If tabloids are going to hunt celebrities down and bother them 24 hours a day waiting for them to get laid, or do coke, or fall down in the mall, then why shouldn't celebrities manipulate them to promote their movies? If tabloids can make millions taking pictures of celebrities dropping their kids off at preschool, then why not orchestrate a fascinating relationship that helps their film get seen by more people and keeps them in the news?
I think 9/11 is the cause of all of this. People are more freaked out than they can say out loud. If we all talked about how scared we are that someone is going to nuke a city, or blow up the electric grid, or whatever nightmarish thing you can think of as you close your eyes before you go to sleep, then none of us would be able to leave the house to go to work. This celebrity obsession is a fantastic distraction from anthrax fears. I would rather read about Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt than sit around wondering how bad the next attack will be in the United States. Maybe the terrorists feel the need to top their last atrocity and aren't going to do anything until they can make that happen.
So, in fact George Bush has done nothing to make us safe—the terrorists are just in a planning stage—and because they are very patient, unlike us, they don't mind waiting years between events. But let's also remember that Brad and Jen were having a lot of problems even before Angelina Jolie came on the scene, so it is hard to blame her for all this, because a strong relationship can withstand a hot lady hitting on the man of the house.
Which part of that paragraph would you rather think about? I would rather imagine and read about whether or not Brad and Angelina consummated before the split with Jennifer than about how there seems to be no exit strategy out of Iraq for our troops.
Shit, I've blogged again. I've babbled about issues I have no information about, other than what I read on the toilet when trying to get a break from my kids yelling at me. Should I be allowed to do that? Should anyone care what an aging comedy writer has to say?
Our world is not very thoughtful lately, but we all love to talk. We all think we are right. Like in my head, I am right about everything. So, why shouldn't I mouth off? Bloggers and former DJ's and hosts of shows like A Current Affair have no more right to speak out than I do. If I'm just trying to set people straight and educate them about my correct views, do I automatically become a self-righteous windbag like them, simply because I'm talking, and I am right? Like with Bush, remember when he thought we should not be nation-builders and mocked the Social Security lockbox? Those were the days. Don't you wish George Bush got caught getting a hand job from an intern? Isn't that a preferable scandal to all this? If only Clinton could have kept his dick in his pants, maybe we wouldn't have to have an administration that is not just arrogant but also inept. Even if you agree with their philosophies, these guys are awful at running a country. How many messes can you create in eight years?
And it is only beginning. This current administration is the wet dream of American corporations because Bush and company believe that business is the answer to all problems, not love. Have you ever heard anyone from this administration talk about how the citizens of this world need to join together and remember that we need each other? They laugh at that kind of talk. Butputting the hammer down does not work in all situations, and all we have done is show the world that we can be defeated. And that leads to more countries thinking they can have nuclear weapons because we are not the almighty USA anymore; we are the guys who can't even control Iraq.
I need to stop. I am blogging myself into oblivion. I am rambling. I am everything bad about the Internet. One more thing, though: I am so glad that Cheney got a new helicopter pad at his house. And I am shocked that Bush thinks I need a tax cut and am not willing to sacrifice for my country financially. And I am constantly amazed that Bush never thinks he should tell the country that conserving energy is a good idea. And I agree with the New York Times that Bin Laden tricked us into a war in the Middle East in order to inflame Muslims and create a movement. And I believe that George Bush is a terrifying man who behaves like a deer caught in headlights when real disasters occur. Whether it is reading to children during 9/11 or complimenting Brownie on doing "a heck of a job" while people die, Bush is the real disaster. And still the Democrats don't have a candidate or a point of view. Someone quick, unplug my computer!! End this please before the Huffington Post asks me to be a contributor!!! One more thing …


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Sunday February 17, 2019; 11:06 pm EST
Sometimes the depths hold more than mystery
I have always felt that the ocean held mystery. … dark and foreboding. I inherited a small cottage on the Atlantic shore from my uncle and would spend weekends there to get away from the daily grind. Although I would enter the waves and laugh with friends, I always felt myself hold back a little, unsure of the dark waters around me. It was not the sea life that I feared. It was the realization that the ocean was a vast graveyard of lost souls … countless shipwrecks through the centuries, plane crashes and the drowning of nameless others.
One night I felt restless and couldn't sleep. I decided to walk the beach in the moonlight, gazing out to the vastness of the ocean. As I stood quietly looking at the moon, I was startled by movement caught in the corner of my eye. I gasped as I saw a dark figure slowly emerge from the waves, undeterred by the crashing of the surf. In shock, I watched as more figures rose from the waves heading toward me.
I fled, without looking back. I ran as fast as I could through the soft sands to my cottage. Slamming and locking the door behind me, I shut myself in the bathroom where I stayed until morning light.
I sold my cottage not long after that, not telling anyone of my experience. Really, who would believe me? I soon purchased a little cabin in the woods that continued to feed my soul the quietude that I hungered for after a long week of work. The early summer evening was beautiful as I sat at the edge of the pier overlooking the lake. I languidly sipped my wine but suddenly stopped when I remembered that lake waters are dark and deep and that they too, hold secrets …


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Photo above: Experiencing the new world of Full Cup coffee from the trifecta for home.
BUNN employees having a great time demonstrating the trifecta at Phoenix Cooks 2012!
Sharing Full Cup coffee from Bunn's trifecta brewers at Phoenix Cooks on September 1 at the Westin Kierland Resort in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Tasting Full Cup coffee from the commercial trifecta machine at Phoenix Cooks on September 1.
BUNN booth at Phoenix Cooks 2012. Look at all those trifecta brewers!
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Rajasthan's largest city, Jaipur, dates back to the 18th century. Considered the first planned city in India, it is part of the tourist friendly Golden Triangle. Along with Delhi and Agra, Jaipur is a convenient place to stay if you are visiting sites such as the Birla Temple, the City Palace or the Vidhan Sbha.
In honor of the Prince of Wales's visit in 1876, all the city's buildings were painted a deep, brick red. Now faded to a rosy pink, these same buildings have earned Jaipur the nickname "Pink City." The city's actual name comes from the Maharaja Jai Singh II, who first settled in the area.
Accommodations run the gamut from budget guest houses to palace-like venues where you can live the life of a maharaja. The Krishna Palace is actually in the budget category, but you wouldn't know it from the expansive gardens, roof top restaurant and large rooms with private bath. Another surprise is the Pearl Palace, with enough art work to classify it as a mini art museum. A government run Youth Hostel, part of the Hostelling International network, as well as an assortment of bed and breakfast properties are also available.
Hotels in Jaipur are varied – in the moderately priced category are properties such as the Arya Niwas Hotel, which was once a mansion belonging to a feudal lord. Managed by a live-in family, the hotel offers a sizable garden and a restaurant serving vegetarian food. The Loharu House is a private residence belonging to the Royal Family of Loharu. A few rooms are rented out and guests are treated to well appointed rooms and meals prepared by the family's chefs. The Colonel's Homestead Jaipur is another option, sitting next to a 50 acre nature area filled with colorful birds. The couple that operate the property are well versed in local attractions and the best places to do some shopping. Home cooked meals are also offered.
The Naila Bagh Palace is a heritage home that was built in 1872. It was then home to Jaipur's Prime Minister Thakur Fateh Singh Ji. Managed by the seventh generation of his descendants, the palace sits in the midst of expansive gardens. A sizeable courtyard is open to guests, offering a place to just sit and relax. Another splurge property is the Trident Jaipur. The recently renovated low rise property is designed like a sprawling, white Mughal palace, complete with swimming pool. Upgrade to a room overlooking the lake for the best views.


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Yountville grape source. Made in Solano County!
Fine, rich lemony flavors on the palate and nose. What really stood out, though, is the savory, almost meaty flavor element underneath the fruit...and the mouth watering acidity. Only 77 cases made.
I really enjoyed this one, and I am not really very familiar with Semillon.
I also have a bottle of Matthew Rorick's Petit Verdot (Gascony Cadet) that I am now looking forward to trying. Tom, or any other fans of Mr. Rorick...have you tried Gascony Cadets? It's a 2006, so I am assuming it is reasonably within its drinking window.


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Carl DeYoung, 84
Carl W DeYoung, 84, formerly of Corunna, passed away Monday, March 18, 2013, at his home in Waterloo.He was born Feb. 11, 1929, in Crystal, Mich. His parents were George and Dorothy (Doyle) DeYoung and he was raised by William and Pearl Thompson.Carl was a graduate of Ashley High School, a U.S. Army Reservist, former Waterloo Volunteer Fireman and a member of Corunna Church of Christ. He loved to golf, bowl, fish and was a big IU basketball fan.He worked for Indiana Decorative, Charleston Metal and Kitchen Quip of Waterloo before retiring in 1979.He married Janice Musser June 21, 1952, in Butler and she died Jan. 14, 2010.Surviving are five daughters, Cathy (Dan) Zimmerman of LaGrange, Roxanne (Roger) Knight of Columbia City, Jennifer (Michael) Wilcox of Angola, Terrie (Michael) Mills of St. Joe and Christi Rosa (Gary Cossart) of Fremont; a son, Kim (Deloris) DeYoung of Waterloo; 11 grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; four great-great-grandchildren and a sister, Betty Robertson of Taft, TX.He was preceded in death by his parents; wife; two grandsons, Jason Snook and Andy Kintzel; a granddaughter, Shawn Marie Shipe; a great-grandson, Corey Anglin and a brother, George DeYoung.Services will be held at 11 a.m. Friday at Feller and Clark Funeral Home, 875 S. Wayne St., Waterloo, with Todd Steere officiating. The burial will be in Fairfield Cemetery, Corunna. Calling is Thursday from 4 to 7 p.m. at the funeral home. Memorials can be directed to American Cancer society. To send condolences, visit www.fellerandclark.com.


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Food & Drink
6 imperiled and extinct sports sites
By Matthew Casey, Special to CNN • Updated 9th September 2013
View Gallery
6 Pictures
Sports venues in the United States have come full circle, going from embodying the history of a city, its teams and fans to multipurpose cookie-cutter structures and back to sport-specific complexes designed with a retro look and feel.
There are movements afoot to save some of these unused and often-forgotten places. Some are successful, some fail and some are yet to be decided.
Here are some of the most endangered well-known sports sites in the United States and a couple that were sacrificed in the name of progress, selected by CNN.com in conversation with the
National Trust for Historic Preservation
Miami Marine Stadium
The Miami Marine Stadium was built on the tip of Key Biscayne during the early 1960s to help boost Miami tourism and is the only venue in the United States designed for watching boat races.
Over time, it became a multipurpose spectator facility, also hosting concerts and sunrise Easter morning services.
Its floating barge stage was the setting for Sammy Davis Jr.'s hug of Richard Nixon during the 1972 Republican National Convention.
Though closed for 20 years and facing demolition for development, Miami Commissioners voted this summer to give the nonprofit group
Friends of the Miami Marine Stadium
control of the property while it creates a plan to renovate and reopen the facility.
The canopied structure has more than 6,500 seats, and the man-made basin that serves as the "track" for boat races is longer than the National Mall in Washington, according to the stadium's modernist-influenced architect, Hilario Candela.
The Astrodome was tagged the "eighth wonder of the world" when it opened in 1965. It was the first multipurpose, domed sports facility and its name also became synonymous with artificial turf.
The former home of the Houston Astros and Houston Oilers altered the course of sports venues in the United States: many professional sports cities -- Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, San Francisco, Minneapolis, San Francisco, Oakland and Seattle -- built similar multipurpose stadiums -- some covered and some open-air -- for both football and baseball.
The future of the Astrodome has been up in the air since 2009. The Oilers left Texas for Tennessee in the late 1990s and the Astros played their last game at the dome in 1999.
Harris County voters will
vote this November on a bond initiative to renovate the dilapidated structure
, which once hosted Muhammad Ali, Evel Knievel and the 1992 Republican Party Convention, into a modernized civic center.
Nation's most endangered historic places
Joe Frazier's Gym
, Philadelphia
The building that houses Joe Frazier's Gym has stood in North Philadelphia since 1895, according to the
National Park Service
Born in South Carolina, Frazier made his way to New York City and, despite being diagnosed with cataracts, became a boxer, won a gold medal in Tokyo in 1964 and settled in Philadelphia.
In 1968 he turned the three-story structure into his personal gym, living upstairs and training downstairs.
"Smokin' Joe," who defended the heavyweight championship in 1971 by becoming to the first person to beat Muhammad Ali as a professional, also won an Olympic gold medal in boxing in 1964. Frazier sold the building in 2008 and died of liver cancer in 2011.
The structure was on the brink of oblivion until this year, when it was added to the National Register of Historic Places.
Hinchliffe Stadium
, Paterson, New Jersey
Hinchliffe Stadium opened in 1932 in Paterson, New Jersey, and was home to the New York Black Yankees, the New York Cubans and the Newark Eagles of the Negro League.
Larry Doby, the man who broke the color barrier in the American League, played there during high school before joining the Newark Eagles.
Several other professional baseball teams played in the 10,000-seat venue, which also hosted football, boxing, auto racing, track and field meets, international soccer and concerts.
The facility has been vacant since 1997 when a lack of upkeep forced local schools to stop using it. Also referred to as City Stadium, it was named a
National Historic Landmark
this year.
New Jersey representatives have introduced legislation to have it included as part of
Paterson Great Falls National Historic Park
Tiger Stadium, Detroit
The decision to vacate Tiger Stadium in Detroit was controversial from the start -- and despite making the list of National Register of Historic Places in 1989, multiple efforts failed to save it.
Tiger Stadium opened on the same day in 1912 as Fenway Park in Boston, and professional baseball was first played on the site in 1896.
The Tigers moved to Comerica Park after the end of the 1999 season, but demolition didn't begin until 2008, taking more than a year to complete.
The baseball diamond is still there, maintained for the last three years by group of volunteer weekend warriors named the
Navin Field Grounds Crew
, after one of the stadium's previous monikers.
The Kingdome
The Kingdome opened in 1976 and was home to the Seattle Seahawks, Seattle Mariners, Seattle Supersonics and Seattle Sounders.
In 1994, the building started crumbling, when ceiling tiles fell from the roof, forcing the Seahawks to play several games at the University of Washington. The Mariners moved to Safeco Field in July of 1999. The facility was demolished in 2000 and the Seahawks returned to the University of Washington for two years before moving into to CenturyLink Field in 2002.
The venue was considered hideous by many and the movement to save the Kingdome was primarily financially based, as taxpayers still owed $125 million when it was demolished in 2000.
Still, notable athletes played there, such as former U.S. Rep. Steve Largent, a Hall of Fame receiver for the Seahawks, and Randy Johnson, Ken Griffey Jr. and Alex Rodriguez, who all starred for the Mariners.
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Century 21 Sunbelt welcomed four new agents to its office last week from MPI Properties, increasing the staff to 16.
"We are really happy and excited about that," Century 21 Manager Mike Shevlin said. "It's good for our company and really good for our agents too."
The new agents from MPI Properties include Jeannette Jones, Katie Fischer, Don Hayford and Norma Salter.
Article Photos
Photo Provided
Fischer has lived in Matlacha for five years and has been practicing real estate for three years. Jones is a broker and associate, as well as Hodge. Hayford is a Florida native and resident of Pine Island since June 2011. Salter has lived and worked on Pine Island for nine years.
"We can use good agents," Shevlin said, adding that they are all on the island.
He said he is really looking forward to working with Fischer because it is nice to have a young, full-time Realtor in the office.
"She is an active Realtor out here and real pleasant," Shevlin said, adding that Fischer has a real good marketing tool if individuals are looking for a tide chart, which are located at all of the marinas.
Shevlin believes, Hayford, a retired professional baseball player, is going to be a good asset to Century 21 as well.
"He is bright and hard working," he said.
Shevlin said that Salter is a retired rodeo gal, who he is also excited to work with.
The last addition to the team is Jones, who Shevlin has known for a really long time. He said she was the broker of Matlacha and Pine Island Properties.
Shevlin said is looking forward to working with Jones due to her expertise and knowledge, as well as her good will and hard work.
"Century 21 is happy and proud that they came here," he said. "They could have gone anywhere and they came here. We are very appreciative of that."
In the very near future, another young energetic woman is expected to join the Century 21 team. Shevlin said they have a couple other people working on their licenses to join their team.
"If anyone is interested in a really nice, good profession, the economy is changing," he said of the real estate profession. "It's a great time to get in for sure. There is a lot of action, properties are moving up, very busy."
Pine Island, Shevlin said, is a great place for real estate because of its diversity in homes. He has been serving Pine Island as a realtor for 33 years.
"You can be here for a long time," he said. "If you like people and you like property and land and you like the island, it's wonderful."


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How about square straight sided bowls in the form of interlocking jigsaw puzzle pieces with variations, 3 prongs - 1 hole, 2 prongs - 2 holes, ditto prongs at right angles, 3 holes 1 prong, 4 holes... etc.
More ideas are needed!!
...with plastic lids for immediate return to fridge. Less washing up = ecofriendly.
Medium sized shallow bowls for stir-fry's and pastas (about the size of Leni's Denby)
- large leaf salads and tossing = yesteryearSmall leaves are in and drizzle is the new toss
drizzled en assiette
Glass topped things will not form a seal the way a plastic top will. No good for the 'fridge/freezer.
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Discussion in 'General Chat' started by Rednax, May 1, 2017.
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Slide Session I: Neuroimaging
PET Imaging of mGluR5 with [18F]FPEB in Epilepsy
Presenting Author: Mehdi Djekidel
Collaborating Authors: Beata Planeta Wilson, Jenna Sullivan, Evans Morris, Tore Eid, Hitten Zaveri, Colleen Malone, Nihal Chandra deLanerolle, Goncharova Irina, Jullie Pan, Richard Bronen, Pue Farooque, Richard Mattson, Kamil Detynieki, Robert Duckrow, Kenneth Vives, Lawrence Hirsch, Hal Blumenfeld, Dennis Spencer, Richard Carson
Electrochemical imbalances occurring in epilepsy are not well understood. The glutamate system including metabotropic glutamate 5-receptors (mGluR-5) has been implicated in animal and human models of epilepsy. Imaging plays a cornerstone role in epilepsy evaluation. Positron emission tomography (PET) is an optimal modality to noninvasively explore these processes. PET evaluation of glucose metabolism, benzodiazepine and serotonin receptors has been successfully performed in humans and has shown decreases in the seizure onset zone (SOZ) interictally. We seek to gain a new perspective on the role glutamate receptors play in epilepsy, through PET imaging of mGluR-5 changes using [18F]FPEB. Our study includes patients with severe medically refractory epilepsy whom are being evaluated for surgical resection of the SOZ. We identify the SOZ based on a gold standard of intracranial electrico-corticography teager energy measurements, which we then correlate with FPEB imaging results. Our preliminary data includes imaging of 5 subjects with medically refractory epilepsy with an age ranging from 22-53 yo (average age 33.6) and a 4/1 female to male ratio. We found interictally decreased mGluR5 distribution in the SOZ when compared to a normal healthy control reference -constructed from eight healthy control subjects-. Additionally a correlation with glutamate microdialysis data obtained during IEC showed no direct correlation between mGluR5 volume of distribution obtained from [18F]FPEB scans and glutamate levels in three subjects. Further exploration in a larger cohort –which is the goal of our ongoing project- is needed to further validate these results and potentially explore their value in daily clinical practice.
Functional Connectivity of Cognition in Temporal Lobe Epilepsy
Presenting Author: F. Scott Winstanley
Collaborating Authors: Hyang Woon Lee, Jagriti Arora, Dennis D. Spencer, R. Todd Constable
Rationale: Medically refractory mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE) is associated with cognitive impairment, reduced daily functioning, and overall decreased quality of life. Anterior temporal lobectomy (ATL) is an effective treatment for medically refractory temporal lobe epilepsy; however, this procedure carries the risk of additional postoperative cognitive morbidity. Identifying preoperative neural functioning as well as identifying risk factors for postoperative cognitive morbidity is an essential part of the evaluation for epilepsy surgery. Recent advances in fMRI have demonstrated that resting state intrinsic connectivity contrast (rs-ICC) analysis of fMRI BOLD signal fluctuations has also shown to be a powerful tool in identifying neural underpinnings for various cognitive functions in normal subjects. Analysis of ICC data can identify the tissue elements most affected in TLE, potentially assisting in the management of these patients. This study aims to 1) elucidate neural correlates of cognitive impairment by analyzing the fMRI intrinsic connectivity contrast (ICC) in medically refractory TLE patients; and 2) determine if these ICC correlations can predict postoperative cognitive morbidity in ATL patients.
Methods: We recruited 25 TLE patients who performed resting state fMRI, underwent neuropsychological tests as part of presurgical evaluation, and underwent standard temporal lobectomy with at least one year of post operative follow-up. There were 12 left and 13 right TLE patients, 9 males and 16 females with mean age at surgery of 39.1 ± 11.1 years old. A gradient-echo fMRI sequence was obtained from each patient, and the ICC was measured by a voxel based calculation of the degree of correlation coefficient for each voxel within the brain hemisphere and within medial or medial/lateral temporal lobes to ipsilateral (ipsi-ICC) and contralateral (contra-ICC) to the seizure focus. Analysis of rs-ICC was correlated with preoperative and postoperative scores obtained on a battery of neuropsychological tests including the verbal and non-verbal Selective Reminding Tests (SRT), the California Verbal Learning Test (CVLT), and the Boston Naming test (BNT).
Results: Verbal SRT scores were positively correlated with ipsi-ICC in left hippocampus and contra-ICC in both hippocampi using medial temporal mask. Verbal SRT showed similar positive correlation with ipsi- and contra-ICC values with whole brain mask in left middle and part of inferior temporal gyri. Impaired non-verbal SRT was correlated with decreased ipsi- and contra-ICC in right hippocampus, right superior temporal gyrus with medial/lateral temporal mask. Decreased CVLT scores were correlated with decreased ipsi- and contra-ICC in left middle temporal gyrus, and BNT showed similar positive correlation with left hippocampus, left superior/middle temporal and parahippocampal gyri, using whole brain mask.
Conclusion: These findings suggest that impairments in cognitive function in TLE patients are reflected in the intrinsic functional organization of the brain as measured by ICC. Impairments of verbal learning and naming in TLE patients showed alterations in dominant temporal lobe structures while non-verbal learning abnormalities were closely related to ICC changes in non-dominant temporal structures, in good agreement with the previous knowledge of memory and language networks. This study also demonstrated a relationship between pre and postoperative test scores and rs-ICC, indicating rs-ICC may be a useful predictor of cognitive outcome in patients undergoing ATL.
The Face of Category-Selectivity in Human Visual Cortex
Presenting Author: Andrew Engell
Collaborating Authors: Gregory McCarthy
The ultimate goal of cortical resection is to disrupt pathological processes while preserving normal function. Stimulation mapping or fMRI are thus used identify those regions that are critical to typical cognitive, perceptual, or sensorimotor behavior. Importantly, this approach is predicated on understanding the extent of localized function in a given region, and what role the region might play in a broader brain network. Here we investigate the properties of a core set of brain regions that area activated by face perception. Although the role of these regions as 'face-selective' patches of cortex has been reinforced by twenty years of fMRI research, we argue that they play a broader role in the perception of animate agents. For instance, it has been shown that viewing biological motion evokes a greater response in these areas than does non-biological motion. The current study uses a large sample of fMRI data (N > 100) to pursue three aims: 1) investigate the nature of the overlap between face and biological motion activation maps, 2) define and contrast the spatial reliability of activation across key nodes (lateral temporal, ventral temporal, and occipitotemporal cortices) of the face and biological motion networks, and 3) create probabilistic atlases of visual-category perception. We find that face and biological motion activations substantially overlap, but nonetheless have spatially separable peaks. However, in the ventral temporal and inferior occipitotemporal cortices these peaks do not maintain a consistent spatial relationship. We also characterize the spatial reliability of the response to each task and find that the Euclidean distance of the category peaks measured at different times (within-category variance) is not substantially different from the difference between face and biological motion peaks (between-category variance). Finally, we make freely available probabilistic atlases of face-, biological motion-, scene-, and house-selective BOLD activations.
3D Color Brain Movies to Improve Seizure Localization with >200 Channel Intracranial EEG
Presenting Author: Pue Farooque
Collaborating Authors: William Chen, Hyang Woon Lee, Mark W. Youngblood, Xiao Han, Stephen Jhun, Irina Goncharova, Kenneth Vives, Dennis D. Spencer, Hitten Zaveri, Lawrence J. Hirsch, Hal Blumenfeld
In cases of medically intractable epilepsy, intracranial EEG (icEEG) is the gold standard for identifying the seizure generating region. As rapid advancements in acquisition technology have led to improvements in the spatial resolution of icEEG data, the complexity of analyzing a large number of 2D, un-contextualized data channels has become a major impediment to understanding icEEG information. In an attempt to simplify data analysis and increase reviewer consistency, this study aimed to develop a new technique for clinical seizure localization using 3D color movies. The clinical usefulness of this technique was tested through a patient-by-patient comparison with a traditional icEEG analysis and again with surgical resection area. We analyzed 140 seizures from 48 intractable epilepsy patients (28 temporal and 20 extratemporal) with icEEG recordings, epilepsy surgery, and at least one year of postsurgical follow-up. The icEEG data was processed by performing a fast-fourier transform on the calculated signal power and the Beta frequency band was plotted over time onto a MRI-based surface rendering of each patient's cortex. Two independent blinded reviewers interpreted the icEEG data using a conventional visual analysis followed by 3D movies. Agreement between two reviewers was good, especially for 3D movies. Overall agreement rates between 3D movies and icEEG visual analysis or surgery were around 90% for side, 80% for lobe, and slightly lower than 80% for sublobar using a fixed Maximum Power Coloration Value (MPCV) and the Beta frequency range. These agreement rates were improved when variable MPCV and frequency range was allowed during review, especially for sublobar. In general seizure localization using 3D movies was comparable with the traditional icEEG visual analysis, but was measurably faster and considered qualitatively easier by both reviewers. These findings suggest that 3D movies could be a useful diagnostic method for presurgical seizure localization in patients with intractable epilepsy.
EEG and fMRI Correlates of Behavior during Childhood Absence Seizures
Presenting Author: Jennifer Guo
Collaborating Authors: Stephen Jhun, Robert Kim, Jorge Rodriquez-Fernandez, Adam Kundishora, Wendy Xiao, Xiaoiao Bai, Michiro Negishi, Hetal Mistry, Christopher Bailey, Michael Crowley, R. Todd Constable, Linda Mayes, Hal Blumenfeld
Seizures in childhood absence epilepsy (CAE) are characterized by 3-4 Hz spike-and-wave discharges on electroencephalography (EEG) and temporary loss of consciousness. While CAE is considered a generalized type of epilepsy, prior studies using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) show involvement of focal attentional and default mode networks, including the orbital/medial frontal cortex, medial/lateral parietal cortex, and thalamus. We recorded 256-lead high density EEG in 20 pediatric patients as well as simultaneous 32-lead EEG and fMRI in 34 patients as they performed behavioral tasks requiring attentional vigilance.
Overall, seizures caused greater impaired performance during the more difficult continuous performance task (CPT) compared to the less attentionally demanding repetitive tapping task (RTT). However, performance on both tasks varied from patient to patient and seizure to seizure. Behavioral performance was then related to EEG measures. Time-frequency analysis of ictal data on EEG show greater power changes in the 3-4Hz range for seizures associated with poor behavioral performance (>75% omissions) compared to seizures with good behavioral performance (<25% omissions). Source localization for seizure activity using both distributed and single dipole models localize spikes to medial frontal cortex. Timecourse of fMRI signal changes of seizure activity showed early increases in medial frontal cortex, bilateral insula, thalamus, then occipital cortex followed by decreases in a widespread frontal-parietal network. Finally, concordance between sources on high-density EEG and fMRI regions during seizures was determined. Characterizing electrophysiology and functional imaging signals during absence seizures may shed light on mechanisms of loss of consciousness during absence seizures.
Contribution of 7T MR Spectroscopic Imaging to Seizure Localization in Surgically Resected Epilepsy
Presenting Author: Jullie Pan
Collaborating Authors: RB Duckrow, J Gerrard, C Ong, L Hirsch, SR Resor Jr, Y Zhange, HP Hetherington, DD Spencer
Outcome studies in epilepsy surgery show it to be an excellent option for medically intractable epilepsy. However the challenge in these cases commonly depends on seizure localization with sufficient accuracy for surgery. In this initial report we evaluate the contribution of ultra-high field (7T) MR metabolic imaging in the process of localization for surgical epilepsy. Patient data are included in this analysis if their region of resective surgery overlapped with available MRSI data, resulting in a group of n=24 patients (a mix of medial temporal lobe MTL and neocortical epilepsy patients). The classification of interest was whether MRSI abnormalities completely agree with surgical resection (class 1), partially agreed (class 2), or did not agree (class 3). Two major outcome groups of ILAE I-III and IV-VI are used. With three classes and two outcomes, a 3x2 contingency table is devised. Of the n=24 patients, 16 underwent intracranial EEG monitoring for seizure localization. All MTL patients with MRI=defined asymmetric hippocampal atrophy (n=8) demonstrated concordance between surgery and MRSI (class 1) and excellent outcome (I-III). Out of the n=16 remainder, n=5 good outcome (I-III) was found with class 1 concordance; 10 poor outcomes (IV-VI) were found if there was either partial concordance or discordance (class 2 or class 3). n=1 patient was inaccurately classified, with good outcome and class 3 discordance. We discuss the results of this initial analysis.
|1 Concordant: region of surgical resection agrees with MRSI (NA/Cr) abnormality
|2 Partial Concordance: region of surgical resection displays MRSI abnormality but there are other regions of abnormality at least or worse
|3 Discordance: region of surgical resection does not display MRSI abnormality


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The massive 8.8-magnitude earthquake and subsequent tsunamis that ripped through Chile on Saturday have devastated coastal communities, particularly in the Maule-Itata region. Many of the smaller coastal towns have suffered enormous destruction, including to most infrastructure. The area also happens to be home to many of the country's prime surf locations, which makes the international surf community both uniquely positioned and responsible to help.
With support pouring into Chile from all parts of the world, including from the surf industry, Save The Waves, local residents, and international travelers have begun assembling ground crews in the coastal town of Pichilemu. Teams are already running supplies from Pichilemu to the surrounding areas while organizing runs further south to the areas hardest hit from the massive earthquake and subsequent tsunamis with the support of Save The Waves.
High profile professional surfers have jumped in to support the relief efforts, led by Chile's own Ramon Navarro, who was traveling to the Todos Santos Big Wave Event in Mexico when the earthquake hit. Navarro, a Save The Waves surf ambassador, is working with Quiksilver's Quinn Campbell, on the ground in Pichilemu and Billabong's Chris Evans in California to activate swift relief efforts via Save The Waves. Says, Navarro, "I sincerely appreciate support for Chile from my international surf community, Kelly Slater, Rob Machado, Malloy brothers, Kohl Christenson, Save The Waves, Jon Rose from Waves for Water, Greg Long's whole family, Patagonia and others – they have shown they're true friends and care a lot for Chile. Chile needs your help so please get involved."
The Malloy brothers are organizing a benefit concert in the Santa Barbara-Ventura area to drive relief efforts with the support of some major names, details TBA. Save The Waves ambassador Greg Long along with Kohl Christensen have committed to traveling to Chile in the coming days to carry water filters and to help with efforts on the ground. Part-time Chile resident Jesse Faen has been rallying people all week. On Wednesday, Save The Waves also dispatched environmental director Josh Berry and a small team to Chile, to rendezvous with ground crews there and assist in relief efforts.
Save The Waves has an initial supply of 1000 emergency water filtration systems en route through a partnership with Jon Rose and Waves for Water. Waves for Water successfully provided clean water through filters in the wake of the Haiti disaster, as well as the Padang earthquake last year. These initial filters will provide clean drinking water for up to 10,000 people across the coastal areas in Chile hardest hit, and distribution of the filters is a major focus of relief efforts.
International support:
Save The Waves Coalition:
· Online donations: http://www.savethewaves.org/
· Donations by check: Save The Waves Coalition
PO Box 183, Davenport, CA 95017, USA; +1-831-426-6169
· Mark "Chile Earthquake" in comments/memo fields
· Save The Waves Nonprofit Tax ID # 36-4515216
· Contact: Lindsey Davis, +1-831-426-6169, firstname.lastname@example.com
Local support (product & other donations):
· Polanco's Supermercado, Calle Principal, Pichilemu, Chile
· The Pichilemu Institute of Language Studies: www.pichilemulanguage.com
· Local contact: Quinn Campbell, +1-714-293-0620 cell, email@example.com


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1976 Ford Bronco - The President's BroncoPosted in Features on April 7, 2014
When Utah Ford Bronco Club President Steve St. Clair acquired this '76 Ford Bronco, he says that it was set up as an "old-school mud bogger." It had a brand-new 450hp carbureted engine, exhaust dumps, a T-18 transmission, Dana 20 transfer case, 4.10 gears, and a limited-slip differential in the rearend. "It drove like a tank and had what seemed like two inches of wheel travel," he says.
St. Clair didn't leave the Ford Bronco in that configuration for long. He went to work on the rig, crafting it from a straight-line mud racer into a trail-ready machine. There were some bumps along the way. One in particular was that the frame had been filled with foam to keep mud out. "I still have to keep a fire extinguisher really close whenever I'm welding on the Ford Bronco frame as the foam catches fire every time," he says.
"For a vehicle in need of constant touch-up, off-the-shelf paints can't be beat."
We met St. Clair while he was wheeling the rig in the California desert. The SoCal desert is one of his favorite wheeling areas, but he says that other favorites include the Moab Rim trail near Moab, Utah, and The Maze, near St. George, Utah.
We like that St. Clair created a very proficient trail rig without carving up the classic Ford Bronco. Not only does it wheel great, it looks great, too.
At A Glance
Vehicle: 1976 Ford Bronco
Owner: Steve St. Clair
Stomping grounds: Bluffdale, Utah
Build time: "Ongoing"
Engine: Ford 351ci Windsor V-8, EFI
Transmission: AOD
Transfer case(s): Advance Adapters Atlas II
Low range ratio(s): 4.3:1
Crawl ratio(s): 50.4:1
Front axle/differential: High-pinion kingpin Dana 60, Yukon chromoly 35-spline axleshafts, Sexton Off-Road drive slugs/4.88:1 gears, ARB Air Locker
Rear axle/differential: Ford 9-in, 35-spline axleshafts/4.88:1 gears, ARB Air Locker
Front: Deaver Spring 3.5-in-lift coils, CAGE Off-Road Products shocks, Light Racing JounceShocks
Rear: Deaver Spring 3.5-in-lift leaf springs, CAGE Off-Road Products shocks, traction bar
Steering: PSC Motorsports steering pump and reservoir, fullsize Bronco steering box, Surplus City hydraulic ram, Sexton Off-Road GM 1-ton tie rod and drag link
Tires: 37x12.50R17 BFGoodrich Krawler T/A KX
Wheels: 17x9 Trail-Gear aluminum beadlock
Armor: Customized Hanson Offroad front bumper, BC Broncos corner armor, homemade rock rails, Hanson Offroad rear bumper
Cool stuff: Wild Horses Gorilla Warflares fender flares, half-doors, Warn 8274 winch


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Wedding On The Water
My friend Colleen got married last weekend. Pam and Chris, whom I hadn't seen in years, came into town.
After I moved to the States, Pam was one of my first American friends. We played guitar and hunched over a Neil Young songbook together. One time, we were walking in the park, and I cracked open a pack of gum, balled up the wrapper and tossed it on the ground. Pam lunged to pick it up and gave me a horrified look: "Girish, you can't ever do that, okay?" I mumbled an apology and said something lame about it being "different in India". To this day, when I buy chewing gum, I think of that moment.
Chris and I used to record music together in a home studio. Now, I've been a movie-head for as long as I can remember but I don't think Chris ever knew that. We talked about absolutely nothing but music. At the wedding, we made plans for our ongoing dream project, writing arrangements for a bunch of jazz ballads set to electronica beats.
The ceremony was alfresco, on the lake. As Colleen and Jassen were exchanging their vows, the speedboats criss-crossing the water blew their horns to wish them well. Meanwhile, a hundred people leaned forward in their seats, trying to disentangle the words of the bride and groom from the din of the horns. Fragments and phrases floated up, and we didn't hear a single sentence in its entirety. But we knew what they were saying.


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The Bassett House was located on Elizabeth St. where the SNET
Telephone building is today. The Bassett House was once the home of Shelton Bassett. Later
it became a hotel where the actors and actresses stayed while they performed at the
Sterling Opera House. In 1911 a terrible fire destroyed the Bassett House. The Hotel Clark
which was named after Charles E. Clark, was built in its place after the fire. The hotel
was managed by the late Christopher D. O'Brien. Correct answers were received from:
CF Douglas
Rick Dunne
Ellen Lenart
Mayor Marc Garofalo.
The quiz was produced by Mrs. Blackwell's fourth grade class at Irving School.
To see our earlier quizzes and learn more about Derby's unique
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