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Tylaska Spool Shackle 1/2- 3/8$74.96
Tylaska Spool Shackle 3/16 - 5mm$32.21
Antal Dyneema Snap Loop w/o Cover, 100 mm Long$27.20
Antal Covered Dyneema Snap Loop, 110 mm Long$32.30
Antal Dyneema Snap Loop w/o Cover, 125 mm Long$47.60
Antal Dyneema Snap Loop w/o Cover, 160 mm Long$62.90
Loup 9mm- approx. 5 vertical.$82.28
Loup 10mm- approx 9 vertical.$113.08
Loup 11mm- approx 9 vertical.$128.57
Loup 11mm- approx 16 Vertical$135.83
Loup 12mm- approx 6 vertical.$133.67
Loup 12mm- approx 11 vertical.$143.97
Loup 12mm- 17 vertical.$156.38
FSE Robline Dyneema Soft Shackle 12mm (1/2") Gray$31.55
Tylaska Spool Shackle 5/16 - 8mm$41.21
Tylaska Spool Shackle 3/8 - 7/16$52.46
More information on Soft Shackles & Loops:
Whether you call them soft shackles, softies, or loops - it's clear that spliced Dyneema shackles are quickly becoming the norm on high performance race boats from the America's Cup to moths and everything in between. Extremely lightweight and strong, these can replace shackles almost anywhere you need them and happen to be ideal for jib sheets as they won't bang up your mast or get chewed up by inhaulers. Our rope shackle loops are also a great way to attach blocks like the Harken T2 or Airblocks to a padeye, toerail, or boom when you need a block to be able to rotate and pivot in ways a shackle won't allow. A Velcro securing strap comes with each shackle to prevent the loop from coming undone in no-load flogging situations.
Spliced onto the end of a stripped halyard, it's the lightest weight halyard attachment available. These Dyneema shackle loops are offered in a wide range of diameters and lengths. Developed in-house by APS expert riggers, they are all made in the APS rigging shop and can be custom made to any length you need.
Harken has unveiled LOUPS - a new product designed to replace steel shackles, providing greater strength at a fraction of steel's weight. Using UHMW Braid, Harken's engineers overlap consecutive coils, then splice the ends to create a single loop of overlapping lines. That multiple-strand loop is then encased in a 48 carrier polyethylene sleeve to reduce abrasion. The completed loop then undergoes Harken's proprietary process to equalize stress across each strand, ensuring maximum strength when the finished LOUP is ultimately installed.
The EquipLite connector boasts a weight savings of approximately 80% to 90% over comparable stainless steel fittings. Its softer materials result in less damage to masts, spinnaker tracks, topsides, etc. when flogging; combined with its lighter weight, the risk of injury from flogging is also reduced. It uses high tensile allow and DSK 75 Ultra loops to take the connection load with a high tensile aluminum body. Dyneema loops have a UV coating to protect them.
Check out the APS blog for more tips and tricks on Soft Shackles:
How to Choose and Use Soft Shackles
When, Where & How to Use a Spool Shackle
Ti-Lite Soft Attach Blocks Lashing
APS Dyneema Shackle Loops- DSLs
Shop all APS Shackles & Fittings or our full selection of Hardware.


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QuoteAtmospheric scientists have uncovered fresh evidence to support the hotly debated theory that global warming has contributed to the emergence of stronger hurricanes in the Atlantic Ocean.
Said By MelizzyNow Thomas, you know that Global Warming does NOT exist. That we are in a "natural" trend of warmer temps and that this will eventually turn around.
And you know I'm taking a pot shot at the idiot congressman who spews that type of logic to his constituency.
Said By HaggardAn idiot could of told us that.
Said By Thomas
Said By HaggardAn idiot could of told us that.
Bush never mentioned anything... but Gore did!
And for those who may wonder, I'm neither a Republican, nor a Democrat. I'm not even a US citizen.
Said By Tangent210The problem with this whole thing is both sides have extremists which ruin their credibility. I don't know wether it is real or not. That's why its a theory. The science behind it makes sense but not everything in real life is logical. Not to mention that the earth has natural cycle's of warming and cooling. That and the atmospheric data they have collected only reliably dates back a couple hundred years. Not nearly enough to even start to fathom something like global climate change. The way I see it, it may not be real but cutting emissions and not polluting is a good thing. If global warming doesn't kill us the rate of pollution will certainly.
Said By ThomasThe recent analysis of satellite data confirms a link between warmer temperatures and hurricane activity,

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Narcos - Plata o plomo
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Narcos - Plata o plomo
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Narcos (2015)
Plata o plomo by Pablo Escobar
Format: DIN A2 (420 x 594 mm) / (16.5 × 23.4 in)
The poster is sent without frames.
Plata o plomo by Pablo Escobar
Format: DIN A2 (420 x 594 mm) / (16.5 × 23.4 in)
The poster is sent without frames.
Shipping & returns
Ready to ship in 1 business day
From Spain
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Sorry, this item doesn't ship to United States. Contact the shop to find out about available shipping options.
Returns acceptedSee return policy
Daniele Feb 28, 20195 out of 5 starsVery nice poster and fast shippingThe Wolf of Wall Street - Was all this legal? Absolutely fucking not!
Debora Morillo Dec 19, 20185 out of 5 starsLlegó en perfecto estado, y además con muy buena calidad.Lost - We have to go back, Kate!
Sara AG Oct 16, 20185 out of 5 stars
OSP Jan 5, 20185 out of 5 starsit's a very nicely cut T-Shirt!Trainspotting - Who needs reasons when you've got heroin?
Returns & exchanges
I gladly accept returns
Contact me within: 7 days of delivery
Ship items back within: 14 days of delivery
I don't accept exchanges or cancellations
But please contact me if you have any problems with your order.
Conditions of return
Buyers are responsible for return shipping costs. If the item is not returned in its original condition, the buyer is responsible for any loss in value.
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Etsy keeps your payment information secure. Etsy shops never receive your credit card information.
Buyers are responsible for any customs and import taxes that may apply. I'm not responsible for delays due to customs.


text:
The Few 3
The sci-fi epic The Few 3 is a tale of survivalists, militias, and an extremist America and now it marches into its third issue. Hale's past and a deeper secret she is keeping from the militia is revealed as the Palace forces and Herrod's forces begin to make their way into the safety that Hale, Davey, and Peter have convinced themselves of. – See more at: https://imagecomics.com/comics/releases/the-few-3#sthash.fpccpDRD.dpuf
- Story: Sean Lewis
- Art / Cover: Hayden Sherman
- Published: March 22, 2017
- Image Comics


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Member Spotlight
Jim Lawson
"My memories of the Garden go back to the early '60s, when my parents brought me out to visit quite often. It seemed like a magical place to me, filled with redwood trees and wildflowers.
Now, 50 years later, the Garden is the place where I come to remember my parents.
The trees are a little taller now, and nature has brought changes both good and bad, but the Garden is still a magical place for me, a beautiful setting where the wildflowers still glow beneath the mountains, and the paths help me retreat into fond memories of an earlier, quieter time. It was my favorite place growing up in Santa Barbara.
It still is now. And it always will be."
Margaret Connell
"Our family has enjoyed the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden for over 40 years. Early on we came with our small children who had a wonderful time playing in the creek below the rock crossing at the southern end of the canyon. They now come with our grandchildren. My parents, visiting from England, loved the Garden and added Ceanothus and other California natives to their garden when they got home. The canyon has always been a special place with the redwood grove, the sound of running water and a sense of quiet peace. May it last for another 85 years or more!"
Stacy Bloodworth
Stacy Bloodworth spent the summers of her childhood in Santa Barbara visiting family, but her history with the Garden dates back about five years when she first visited to enjoy its hiking trails.
Stacy's relationship with the Garden continued to grow and recently she became the Garden's volunteer event photographer. "It is a different experience to volunteer at a Garden event and see the community and staff involvement. There's a special love for the Garden that develops when one volunteers," she notes. A graduate of Brooks Institute of Photography, Stacy's passion is in capturing candid moments as they unfold. Her gift is sharing that moment with others through her craft.
Pictured here is an unexpected moment captured during the Kathleen Crocetti stained glass exhibit this past summer, when a guest wearing a striking white dress stopped to admire this colorful piece entitled Coast Live Oak with the reflecting light of the fading day shining through. The contrast created more than a gorgeous photograph, but also evoked the feeling and emotion of being there. According to Stacy, "you can't stage a moment like that." When she isn't volunteering at Garden events like the Orchid Show Gala, Trails 'n' Tails, and the Members Picnic, you can find her donating her time and services to other Santa Barbara events such as the Parade of Lights, Harbor Festival, and Hugs for Cubs. The Garden is so fortunate to have Stacy's talent and passion as part of our corps of fabulous volunteers.
Peter Schuyler
Peter Schuyler's interest in landscape design dates back to the 1970's, when he was employed as a gardener at the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden.
"It's where I learned what native plants need in a garden in terms of their horticultural environments and learning which areas work for plants to thrive best," he says.
Now a restoration ecologist, and an SBBG Board member, Schuyler has taken his love of native plants and created a relaxing oasis in the comfort of his own backyard. "My vision was to create something that primarily used natives or else it had to be edible fruits or some sort of vegetable." Using his expertise in the area of ecology, Schuyler built his own water filtration system that would allow his plants to be fed through Mother Nature's natural elements. "I collect all the rainwater off the roof so 6,000 gallons of water goes in to gutters then flows into a series of filters and tanks," a system that decreases the use of municipal water. Schuyler's yard contains over 150 native California species, including drought-tolerant plants and numerous plants from the Channel Islands.
The Santa Barbara Botanic Garden conserves California native plants and habitats for the health and well-being of people and the planet.
Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, Inc. is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization.
Our Tax ID number is 95-1644628.


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Romans 12:6 "We have different gifts, according to the grace given us." NIV
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
I'm over at Heart of the Matter Online today....
Monday, June 21, 2010
Happy - yet Sad......
And we are celebrating today - he got Wii Sports Resort and a Blue (his favorite color) Wii controller with Wii motion plus. He is one happy boy. A little disappointed that Phil Mickleson didn't win the US Open but he enjoyed following the tournament.
But first we had to get through yesterday....
Yesterday we had to say goodbye to a huge part of our lives for the past twelve years. Not only was he our Pastor - he was and is our dear friend - part of our family. We named our youngest after him. After thirteen years, our Pastor is going to another church tomorrow - on my birthday. Part of me is pouting and glaring at God much like one of my kids when something happens they don't like and another part of me is rejoicing.
Our Pastor is an amazing human being. He loves everyone. He promotes an environment where people are taken as they are - just like Jesus did. That is not to say that wrongs are glossed over and ignored. He preaches the Word of God and does not stray from it while infusing it with the love of Jesus. And he is one of the most humble people I have ever known. If it were freezing he would hand you the shirt off his back without a hesitation. He would give you the last bite of food he had. I am honored to have known him and his wife - who would take up a whole other entry as I strive to be her when I grow up.
He grew up as I did - in the deep south. Racial prejudice is still alive here I am sad to say. But he didn't think people should be judged as Martin Luther King Jr said - '...by the color of their skin, but the content of their character.' He was and is shy. His own struggles growing up helped him - and later me - have compassion and understanding when our boys were diagnosed. He was there - for two births, three diagnosis, my surgery, the death of my father, the near death of my mother, four baptisms (me, the boys), and he renewed mine and my husband's vows. He helped us through hard financial times, rejoiced with us in happy times, taught me to love the Word of God and how to study it. Because of he and his wife I am a better person, a better Christian, a better mother and a much better wife.
It was with great weeping and wailing and gnashing of the teeth that we let him go yesterday after his last sermon. His official move is tomorrow. I pray the church that receives him and his wife know the jewels they are getting. I'm sure God is directing his steps and Pastor is merely following His call.
When I was little I didn't go to church much and when I did the Pastors terrified me. They seemed untouchable and didn't want to be bothered with the kids. Oh, I am so glad my boys had a Pastor who lived what Jesus said, 'Let the little ones come to me... and don't impede them...'
I love you my friends. God Bless, God speed. You are faithfully in my thoughts and prayers and I treasure the twelve years we spent together. Go, and be as the butterfly.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Hot, Humid, Hazy…. Feels like August here….
I can't get over how hot this week has been! Heat index near 100? We only usually see that type of heat in late July or August. Since we're still waiting on my medical issues to get straightened out and it's VBS – Vacation Bible School – week at our church – followed by Middle and my birthdays we're doing some light schooling. I'm trying to digest the wonderful downloadable webcasts at Tapestry of Grace. So far I've watched Out of the Shrinkwrap and Lesson Planning 101. I have purchased and downloaded the other two but haven't watched them yet. If you want to really get a taste of Tapestry of Grace I highly recommend the above titles. TOG can look overwhelming at first but it's really a nice frame work that I find quite flexible. Each session is $7.00 and I believe there is a code to get one of them free. They will be adding new Teacher Trainings each month.
I am also faithfully reading and re-reading my The Old Schoolhouse Review Crew Manual. Yes, I got picked to be part of the Older Review Crew this year. I am very excited at the opportunity. The support is fantastic. I based a lot of my curriculum choices by reading the reviews of The Old Schoolhouse Review Crew. I love the practical suggestions I gleaned for tweaking a product to use with my family. So I'm happy to be a part of it this year.
Middle son enjoying the NCAA Women's Golf Finals. He and his Dad made a day of it – watching Perdue win their first title.
My Mother, Grandmother and Brother now live in Oak Island. My Mother – who shares mine and middle's infatuation with Pelicans took this shot off the Oak Island pier.
We went to the beach Saturday for the first time in a long time. Oak Island was a less crowded beach than Wrightsville Beach – which is much closer. I suspect it has to do with the smaller waves and it's a south facing beach instead of east. We examined a wriggly little fish from the surf – let him go – examined seaweed and kelp. Then we went back to grandma's to grill and ride around in the golf cart.
Monday the heat arrived full force so we're just trying to stay cool. Hope your week is going well!
Monday, June 14, 2010
Interesting conversation with the youngest...
On the way home he pipes up from the back seat:
Him: What day did I hatch?
Me: What?
Him: (patiently) What day did I hatch? You know, out of my egg.
Me: (thinking that this kid has really made a huge leap in his biology knowledge) You're a mammal. You were born.
Him: (exasperated sigh) I was not! I was hatched! I'm a chicken!
Me: (knowing it's useless to argue with an 8 year old Aspie but doing it anyway) No, you are not a chicken. I'll take you to Dr. B - he delivered you.
Him: Hatched me. Was Dr. B there?
Me: Yes, he delivered babies then.
Him: Was Daddy there?
Me: Yes, the whole time.
Him: That's silly. Rooster's aren't there when chickens hatch.
We pulled up at home - DH right behind us and I inform him that he needs to tell our son he is not a chicken and did not come from an egg.
Him: Technically....
I then left for the library....
Multitude Monday
Since being chosen for the 2010-2011 TOS Review Crew I am determined to start blogging on a more regular basis. Now that I have the house fairly organized it's time to start on my time. I have loved this meme for a long time and decided to take the plunge and start my own list of things to be thankful for.
1. A husband who is also my best friend.
2. A nice home that is cool in the summer and warm in the winter.
3. A fabulous church family.
4. Three amazing kids who inspire me even when they challenge me.
5. The little wiggly fish in the ocean this weekend. God made them perfectly tiny.
6. The baby mockingbird fledglings from last week who seemed to think I could protect them. (So far so good)
7. A day of rest.
8. My mother, brother and grandmother now live less than an hour away in a safe house.
9. My husband has a good job.
10. We have our curriculum for next year and are ready to go anytime.


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I'd like to think of myself as an individual well-versed in internet communities. digg, facebook, reddit, 4chan, hypem, blog, to name a few. BUT theres one internet community that I've refused to participate in (besides youtube and yahoo, those guys are morons) and that is twitter. but recently, its popularity has EXPLODED, making me question if there is something more to twitter than just facebook status updates, considering the fact that...
1. future Best Buy managers are required to have 250+ "friends" on twitter (for some outreach bullshit I guess)
2. popular news anchors/journalists/24 news channels have their own twitter accounts
3. twitter has integrated itself with many video games, such as city of heroes and champions.
4. there don't seem to be as many "fake" celebrity accounts on twitter
SO to answer my many questions about twitter, I decided to sign up for an account myself, just to see what the fuss is all about. I predict that twitter is just a dumbed-down version of facebook, made for older/less technologically savvy individuals that still want to take part in the "internet revolution".
update 1. twitter's website is lagging. fabulous.
update 2. apparently my full name is too long. why the hell did they limit your full name to 20 characters?!
update 3. twitter is over capacity to upload my picture.
update 4. I already hate twitter.
found this gem at gossipgamers.com
Now Playing - "Tick Tock (P. Diddy)" - Kesha ♫
1. transforming USB flash drive
yeah you read that right. boring old flash drive? imagine having a USB flash drive that TRANSFORMS!!! and actually looks balla when its transformed, not like some horribly disproportioned kids meal toy.
ravage (black panther)
tigatron (white lion)
2. the USB powered chainsaw
sudden zombie invasion at work? annoying boss/coworkers got you thirsty for blood? do you need to cut down tiny office trees? or do you want to equip your ravage USB flash drive with a weapon? look no further. the USB powered chainsaw is as deadly as it sounds. maybe even more. and yes you read it right. a USB. powered. CHAINSAW.
I present to you. the i.Saw
3. the USB fridge
a little more practical for those hot summer days and less "texas chainsaw massacre (or texas chainsaw instruments?)" plug it in and wait a couple minutes to reach the desired temperature, and this fridge will keep your can of soda (or anything relative to its size) cool so you won't ever have to drink warm diet coke again (it tastes rancid).
USB fridge
4. USB desk vacuum
what better way to say "my desk is the apex of cleanliness and organization," this USB desk vacuum has a cool retro feel that keeps your desk free from "crummies"
USB desk vacuum
♫NP: "the boy who blocked his own shot" - Brand New
p.s. the new Brand New album entitled "Daisy" will be released on September 22, 2009 aka first day of fall, aka my birthday. best gift ever. unless the album sucks. but not like the vacuum.
so I email the Nazis (what I'll call the Homeowner's Association) and they reply with.
"We will check your car in the next 3-4 work days. If the plates are updated and that was the only problem you should be fine. If there were other problems such as no/outdated Loudoun or inspection stickers, then you are still subject to be towed."
1. 3-4 work days is not good enough, my car is going to be towed in 2-3 workdays.
2. so you're telling me that you guys are going to come back in 3-4 days to check if you guys could tow my car for other reasons.
3. "should be fine" means nothing to me.
so I shoot back an email to them saying if they could come back and check the legality of the car before tow date that would be great, and if they could notify me before they tow it of any other legal issues. and they reply with.
"No. You are required by the laws of Virginia to keep the county and inspection stickers current. It is your responsibility, not that of the Association, to insure your vehicle is legally compliant."
1. IF ITS NOT THE ASSOCIATION'S RESPONSIBILITY TO INSURE MY VEHICLE IS LEGALLY COMPLIANT WHY ARE YOU TOWING IT BECAUSE IT IS NOT LEGALLY COMPLIANT. AND EVEN IF MY CAR WASN'T LEGALLY COMPLIANT, SHOULDN'T THE STATE OF VIRGINIA THREATEN TO TOW MY CAR AND NOT YOU NAZIS?2. they never answered the question of "will my car be towed even though it is legally compliant because you guys don't want to come and check it before the tow date"
I tell this story because it reminds me of another story. one of high-ranking Nazi officials happened to be in my AP Literature class back in high school. she told us a story about how her father made up a BS rule on the spot forbidding individuals to "display aquatic vehicles in plain view (aka the driveway" BECAUSE his neighbor had an expensive boat sitting in the driveway that made his expensive car look like he got it from the flea market.
1. be famous enough so random people/strangers will give me... stuff
inspiration: interview of John Cho from this month's GQ [excerpt below]
How often do people call you Harold?
Any perks?
People always offer me... stuff.
Any by stuff do you mean weed?
2. learn echolocation. its definitely doable. at least for this blind kid.
Wtf blogger why do you have formatting issues?


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Luxembourg Web Services delivers a powerful, secure and the first "Public Cloud" hosted 100% in Luxembourg for the benefit of start-ups, businesses and selfemployed via a flexible, professional cloud.
LuxNetwork S.A. is proud to present its very latest platform dedicated to the hosting and deployment of web resources. Luxembourg Web Services (LWS) is deployed to support developers, entrepreneurs, associations and public services in their web projects. To make it possible, LuxNetwork S.A. is providing this professional and upgradeable in real time Cloud infrastructure.
"Currently start-ups and businesses need a high degree of flexibility in terms of resources and infrastructure, given that the success of a product may depend upon rapid deployment of resources. Moreover, decision makers on the market don't want complex, heavy and costly infrastructure. For the configuration, they want a simple and flexible tool, without worrying about its underlying technical complexities. Luxembourg Web Services fully meets those requirements while being highly affordable at the same time – you can have a functional environment for less than €10 a month", explains Julien Doussot, Chief Product Officer of LuxNetwork S.A.
An exclusive partnership
Luxembourg Web Services is unique and innovative. Thanks to its exclusive partnership in Luxembourg, with Jelastic technology, a company based in Palo Alto, where modern web innovators such as James Gosling (Java) or Rasmus Lerdorf (PHP) are based, combines with IBM Pure servers hosted in a Tier IV infrastructure, Luxembourg Web Services can comfortably meet requirements of the new generation of start-up creators and innovative companies. LWS is "Plug & Work" complient, in a couple of clicks, resources and solutions are available together with over 250 applications, all without commitment.
"We also wanted to use Luxembourg Web Services to correct the common misconception of the Luxembourgish cloud as being more expensive than the service offered by Amazon and OVH. We were therefore looking for a new model that would allow us to offer a product that is both feasible and competitive. The idea for this platform came to us when we heard that the government had opted to place one of its web-sites abroad because there was no competitive 100% Luxembourgish option available".
The invoicing system is actually based on the "Pay-as-you-use" concept. Users of LWS only pay an hourly rate for their use that they control according to their current requirements, all with a single click. Moreover with Luxembourg Web Services the Internet traffic is free and unlimited.
"With Luxembourg Web Services, LuxNetwork S.A. is meeting the specific requirements of startups and businesses using web technology. The models have changed, the options and solutions that we are offering are now all about flexibility, modularity and simplicity" stresses Julien Doussot, before concluding "We are proud to be able to offer this unique service on the Luxembourgish market, because we are convinced that offering a solution like Luxembourg Web Services can be good not only for the image of LuxNetwork S.A. as an innovator but also for the image of the Grand Duchy as a whole".
This is just the start of the Luxembourg Web Services adventure – we want to develop an entire community around this "Store", bringing together LuxNetwork's extensive portfolio of services and those of its partners.


text:
If I wanted to pick out a present for
Zebra Romance Swifty Chick Clutch (click for details)
Did I say handmade? Yes, this clutch is not only gorge but is made with the careful hands of a fabric artist! What are you waiting for? Head on over to 2 Fresh Petunias to start shopping for your fave fashionista (even if that's you!)
Click here to shop 2 Fresh Petunias
NOTE: image/item by 2freshpetunias.com


text:
Vote slated to OK utilities for projects
KINGMAN, Ariz. — The Arizona Corporation Commission next week will consider approvals of utility companies to serve two master-planned communities that Las Vegas developer Jim Rhodes intends to build in northwest Arizona.
KINGMAN, Ariz. — The Arizona Corporation Commission next week will consider approvals of utility companies to serve two master-planned communities that Las Vegas developer Jim Rhodes intends to build in northwest Arizona.
An administrative law judge's recommended opinion and order approving the required certificates that Rhodes Homes Arizona applied for 31/2 years ago is set for a vote after a Dec. 16 hearing in Phoenix.
"We are extremely pleased and look forward to commission consideration on Dec. 16 and 17," Rhodes Homes Vice President Chris Stephens said.
The commission has been asked to approve "certificates of convenience and necessity" that would allow Perkins Mountain Water and Perkins Mountain Wastewater companies to provide water and wastewater service to master-planned communities proposed in Golden Valley and White Hills.
The Pravada project would involve construction of more than 25,000 homes and commercial development over more than 5,000 acres in Golden Valley.
Planning for Pravada is further ahead than the other projects.
Rhodes filed applications in July 2005 seeking the required certificates for the Perkins companies.
Scrutiny of the applications intensified in spring 2007 when commissioners focused on Rhodes' business and litigation history and his alleged violation of federal elections law through political campaign contributions.
Concern about Rhodes' ownership and involvement in the utilities serving his developments led to sale of the Perkins companies to Chicago-based Utilities Inc. in November 2007. That company owns and will operate the Perkins companies should the certificates be approved.
A key condition of the recommendation to approve the certificates is a requirement that a $500,000 line of credit or performance bond be established from which the commission could draw to protect customers if Rhodes fails to comply with state regulations. Another condition would prevent transfer of Utilities Inc. stock to Rhodes or his companies without commission approval.
Stephens said approval of the certificates would open the window for Rhodes to apply for an aquifer-protection permit from the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality. A water supply adequacy finding previously came from the Arizona Department of Water Resources.
Stephens said plat approvals from Mohave County are also necessary before Rhodes can begin building Pravada.


text:
When you are selling your property in Maryland it is perfectly natural for people to ask the reasons why. If it is family and friends that you are talking to then there is no reason not to tell them the truth. However, it is a different story when you are talking to potential buyers as even the most innocent response can do more damage than you would think. Some of the answers that you should definitely avoid giving are listed below.
Selling a House in Maryland Requires a Plan
Remember, when you're selling your Maryland home you're in sales mode. You should never lie about your property (there's law that prohibits that), but it doesn't hurt to focus on the positives. Inform the buyer why purchasing your home is a great idea for them and their family.
I'm Moving For A New Job
Even though this is one of the most common reasons for moving it is not a good idea to share this with potential buyers as they will know you are probably in a rush to sell and will therefore make a low offer.
We Need A Bigger House
This has the potential to make buyers think about whether the house will be big enough for their own needs in the future. This is especially true for young couples who might be thinking of starting a family.
We Have Decided To Downsize
This may make buyers question whether the house it too large for them and if it is going to be difficult to maintain. People do think about the future and how long they will be staying in the house that they are buying. My experience as a real estate agent has been to defer these questions to positive features about the home,
We Need Our Mortgage Payment To Be Smaller
This is a bad response for two reasons. Firstly, you don't want to scare potential owners into believing that the mortgage payment may be to high for them to manage. Secondly, if the buyers think that you are in a bad financial position they may make a low offer.
We've Already Bought A New Property
Again this is information that should not be shared with potential buyers because it makes them think that you may accept a low offer. People in this situation may need to sell quickly because paying two mortgages in Maryland is very expensive and buyers will be aware of this. And if this sale is due to a divorce, keep that information private.
We Want To Live Somewhere Quieter
The general rule to be followed here is to say as little about the neighborhood as possible as you can never be sure what people are looking for. Some people may be put off by a noisy street but others might not like it when things are too quiet.
We Are Moving To Take Care Of Our Parents
Again this is information that could lead the potential buyers to think that you would accept a low offer because you need to sell quickly. There is no need to give out any information about your personal lives.
The Stairs Are Too Much For My Back
Too many stairs or stairs that are quite steep can be off putting for a number of people. Older people that have mobility issues will find it a struggle and young families may be worried about the how safe their children will be on the stairs.
The Maryland Utility Bills Are Too High
People in Maryland will almost certainly be put off if they think that the running costs of the house are too high. The new owners may be able to get a good deal from their suppliers or they may make the home more energy efficient so there is no point scaring them unnecessarily.
It Is A Difficult House To Maintain
If work needs doing on the house then this is going to be reflected in the asking price. There is no need to go into specific details about the things that need doing on the house and how much they are likely to cost. There is also need to talk about everything little thing that you think is wrong with the house as this is definitely going to put people off.
A good way to avoid saying the wrong thing altogether is to get your realtor to deal with any potential buyers on your behalf. They will have had many years of experience in answering awkward questions from buyers and they know exactly what answers to give.


text:
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Interoperable communications solutions always ready for action
On the front line, communications failure is not an option, you need a reliable, rugged and dependable system that simply works.
The extra few moments it takes to initiate deployment, receive a message or respond to a threat could dramatically affect the outcome of a situation. Personnel on the ground need easy-to-use back-pack solutions, soldiers on patrol need highly mobile and transportable systems, and those at the base need clear and constant contact with their fellow peers.
Enhancing the coordination and integration of radio and telephony communications allows these crucial personnel the freedom to complete the task at hand - with the confidence of knowing the system behind them is always up for the job.


text:
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The View from Lazy Point: A Natural Year in an Unnatural World (2011)
by Carl Safina
No current Talk conversations about this book.
Heart-wrenching, eye-opening and exquisitely written. Safina has been compared to many of the giants in the natural history world, but he's a better writer than the lot of 'em. In this latest book, he waxes a bit more philosophical than he's done before. His philosophy fits my belief system like a glove, and his conclusions are breathtaking. One trembles to think that we are on the razor's edge, that our window to ameliorate our planet's distress is closing rapidly- and that if we don't do it, it will be done for us with a heartless finality that will brook no arguments. As we say where I live, "The mountain don't care if you live or die."
I love this passage:
"So I guess what I'm trying to say is that, though I'm a secular person and a scientist, I believe that our relationship with the living world must be mainly religious. But I don't mean theological. I mean religious in the sense of reverent, revolutionary, spiritual, and inspired. Reverent because the world is unique, thus holy. Revolutionary in making a break with the drift and downdraft of outdated, maladaptive modes of thought. Spiritual in seeking attainment of a higher realm of human being. Inspired in the aspiration to connect crucial truths with wider communities. Religious in precisely this way: connection: with a sense of purpose."
And this, which is purely brilliant:
"If there is a God, then all things natural are miraculous. If there's no God, then all things natural are miraculous. That's quite a coincidence, and ought to give people holding different beliefs a lot to talk about. People who see the world as God's and people who sense an accident of cosmic chemistry can both perceive the sacred. Let's not be afraid to say, to explain- and, if necessary, to rage- that we hold the uniqueness of this Earth sacred, that the whole living enterprise is sacred. And that what depletes the living enterprise always proves to be, even in purely practical terms, a mistake."
I'm still reeling from Safina's descriptions of hunters who still (still!) kill ducks and toss them into the bushes because they are there for the sport (sport!) of duck hunting and have no interest in duck eating. I'm still encouraged by his reports of some of the species that have come back, once we humans gave them a little space and time. And I'm very, very frightened about what my grandchildren will have and hold.
I can't buy everyone a copy of this book, as much as I want to. But I can encourage you, in the strongest possible terms, to read it. And soon. As Safina says in his closing passage, "Time runs short at an accelerating pace."
Part of the work is Safina's lyrical recounting of his life at Lazy Point, its seasons and its creatures, interspersed with his journeys to other parts of the world, such as Antarctica and remote Pacific islands, where he observes their environments and inhabitants.
Interwoven with these natural and personal histories is his argument, which is complex and challenging to reduce down to a few lines in a review. But I'll give it a shot, because what he has to say is very important. His largest argument is that our societies' ways of understanding the world and our place in it are outdated and fail to work with the knowledge we've learned through science in the last century or so. As such, they are likely to encourage us in behaviors that are destructive, and make it hard for us to understand and perceive ways of living that are sustainable over the long run. Some of his critique is aimed at religious beliefs, but the bulk of his challenge is directed towards capitalism, particularly so-called "free market" capitalism. He argues that a social system aimed at maximizing benefits for a few while shunting the costs onto other people and the environment is not healthy, and cannot continue; the question then becomes how long will it take for us to realize this, and what will we put in its place. Much of his argument is spent showing the effects of this way of thinking, pretty much all of them bad, and it's hard to not be persuaded by his evidence.
However, his argument is not simply a depressing jeremiad against a powerful and destructive system. He also takes care to show examples of alternatives, of places and approaches that work. One of his more important assertions is that nature is resilient, and that if given a chance to recover, it frequently will. Safina is not a purist; he's not looking to create a world in which nature is nothing but pristine wilderness. Rather, he hopes for a world of robust ecosystems, filled with species that are healthy rather than struggling at the brink of extinction, in which human beings can be active participants. He wants human beings to live in ways that recognize our interdependence with the world, and which reward us with lasting connections to each other and other species. That is, he argues, we need to shift from a mentality defined by increasing the quantity of consumption, to one in which development hinges on increasing the quality of our experiences. Put another way, he hopes that we can move from a culture focused on providing tons of cheap crap at the expense of our and the planet's health, to one in which we live simpler, but richer and healthier lives.
We need more books like this.
What I really enjoyed was that he didn't dumb down his data and directives just to make the material easier....some of it is technical and difficult but he gives the reader credit for understanding. He makes these subjects conversational while still complex.
I also took note of how much of the study of species involves the patient observation and analysis....as old school as a field notebook and pen, and taking note of what is happening in his backyard (and through us to ours). When he meets with experts, he asks questions that are just what we'd ask if we could.
Long time ocean observer and naturalist writes a day-to-day account of the intricacies of nature. Safina is realistic about the state of our natural world, disheartened and yet able to dwell in the miracle of it all never the less. A title to be read slowly, attentive to his words and the knowlege he imparts.
"Carl Safina's ambitious new book, "The View From Lazy Point," is a series of field reports entwined with a loving meditation on the interconnectedness of nature and humanity. The story he tells is "partly about a kind of heartbreak for a world that remains so vitally unaware of how imperiled it is." But it's also about how, despite the gloomy reports, "the world still sings." Safina's account of "a natural year in an unnatural world" can be harrowing, but its impassioned, informed urgency is also filled with hope, joy and love. "
References to this work on external resources.
Wikipedia in English (1)
Amazon.com Product Description (ISBN 0805090401, Hardcover)
An exhilarating journey of natural renewal through a year with MacArthur fellow Carl Safina
Beginning in his kayak in his home waters of eastern Long Island, Carl Safina's The View from Lazy Point takes us through the four seasons to the four points of the compass, from the high Arctic south to Antarctica, across the warm belly of the tropics from the Caribbean to the west Pacific, then home again. We meet Eskimos whose way of life is melting away, explore a secret global seed vault hidden above the Arctic Circle, investigate dilemmas facing foraging bears and breeding penguins, and sail to formerly devastated reefs that are resurrecting as fish graze the corals algae-free.
"Each time science tightens a coil in the slack of our understanding," Safina writes, "it elaborates its fundamental discovery: connection."
He shows how problems of the environment drive very real matters of human justice, well-being, and our prospects for peace.
In Safina's hands, nature's continuous renewal points toward our future. His lively stories grant new insights into how our world is changing, and what our response ought to be.
(retrieved from Amazon Thu, 12 Mar 2015 18:03:57 -0400)
A conservationist explores various global regions to investigate examples of environmental degradation and renewal while identifying a link between environmental dangers and human rights issues.
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Dr Loosen Riesling 2011
Winemaker's Notes:
Dr. Loosen's non-estate wine embodies the elegant and racy style of classic Mosel Riesling. It is refreshing and fruity, with a fine mineral edge that is typical of the region. Dr. L Riesling is made with fruit that comes exclusively from traditional vineyards with steep slopes and slate soil. By working closely with local growers on long-term contract, brothers Ernst and Thomas Loosen are able to maintain excellent quality in every vintage. Dr. L Riesling is bottled with a screwcap to avoid cork problems and to preserve freshness.
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See Ernie Loosen (Weingut Dr. Loosen) in our Meet-the-Winemaker video series(#3): http://www.debramasterofwine.com
At the restaurant it was $12 per glass. It was the first time having it and it was quite satisfactory although a buy overpriced. Very sweet, not as dry. Will definitely look for this next time when we hit our local winestore. I would recommend this wine.
Four glasses
External Reviews for Dr Loosen Riesling
Notes of apple and peach notes are backed by lively acidity.
The nose is overwhelmingly lemon/lime, but also a subtle stone aroma. There is a bit more residual sugar on the body than the outstanding '08 vintage of this wine, but despite the sweetness, the underlying flavors (same as the nose) are extremely pure. Good acidity and a nice finish. Extremely fresh now, but I think this has the potential to get more elegant with age. At only 8.5% ABV, it's very easy to drink the whole bottle in one sitting
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Dawn E. Schrader, Dipayan Ghosh, William Schulze, and Stephen B. Wicker, Civilization and Its Privacy Discontents: The Personal and Public Price of Privacy
Comment by: Heather Patterson
Workshop draft abstract:
Privacy awareness and privacy law ought to be built proactively and grounded in specific moral principles that protect our fundamental rights to live together, yet autonomously, in civilized society. In reality, people are willing to compromise their individual liberty in favor of peaceful societal co-existence. In this paper, we examine both the psychological need for the self to be connected to the outside world, and the simultaneous sense that the self wishes to have autonomy separate from that world; thus building loosely on Freud's thesis from which this paper draws it's title. We explore how people both want and fear opportunities that public (utility) collection of consumer data provide, even though they might know that control over, and regulation of, thought and behavior may ensue (e.g. Thaler & Sunstein; Wicker & Schrader, 2011). What is the price, or value, placed on private information? Does the value of privacy shift as risks and benefits shift? Is this valuing influenced by media?
Power consumption metering offers a real-world contextualization in which a price is paid for private information. In order for the real-time prices to be broadcast to consumers who decide on their energy consumption, advanced technology is required for billing purposes. Temporally precise consumption levels are needed in order to charge consumers properly for their usage, so advanced technological monitoring records usage at short intervals and reports the fine granularity usage data. As these temporally precise data are directly reported to the utility, private details of the consumer's life are effectively revealed, posing a risk of privacy violation. Cellular technology creates a similar context, one in which location information is given to a service provider in return for mobile communication services. We therefore designed and conducted two national surveys to ascertain the value of personal privacy and the comparative social and economic costs of privacy impacts of the use of these two exemplary technologies.
Our paper examines consumers' use of these technologies, whether or not they are aware of the privacy and security risks, what prices they are willing to pay to keep that risk at bay, and what they are willing to accept to give their private information. What is the balance is between convenience, cost savings, and privacy protection? We experimentally manipulated whether or not people would be persuaded by a media presentation that was designed to increase their awareness of privacy and security. We further examined the economic cost-benefits and risk ratios and decisions to either adopt new privacy-aware measures/technologies or to change their behavior. In essence, this paper examines the "tipping point" between personal privacy value and public offering cost. We conclude by examining the price people are willing to pay to accept for privacy in relation to privacy law and policy, and make recommendations to limit corporate society, and protect individuals, from creating and accepting tempting risky behaviors that erode privacy rights.
Thaler, R. H, and Sunstein, C. R. (2008). Nudge: Improving decisions about health, wealth and happiness. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.
Wicker, S. B. & Schrader, D. E. (2011). Privacy Aware Design Principles for Information Networks. Proceedings of the IEEE. Issue 99, pp. 1-21. Digital Object identifier: 10.1109/JPROC.2010.2073670.


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Jennifer Remy held up the paper envelope and, from her seat on the witness stand, identified her signature and other identifying marks.
Inside, she said, was a slide containing tiny blue fibers.
Remy, a lab analyst with the State Bureau of Investigation, was accepted as an expert witness by the state during Wednesday�s court proceedings in the Donald Eugene Borders trial, and she testified how she examined a pair of dentures belonging to Margaret Tessneer.
Tessneer was found dead by her daughter, Libby Clark, and son-in-law, Tommy Clark, on Sept. 20, 2003.
Police said there were several suspicious circumstances surrounding Tessneer�s death, including a damaged phone line and torn screen door.
Police said the 79-year-old was raped. Lying beside Tessneer on the bed where her body was discovered was the lower plate of her dentures, clearly visible in crime scene photos.
Remy, who specializes in the analysis of fibers, paint and hair, said she was asked to examine a pair of dentures for any fibers they might contain. She was then asked to compare those fibers with samples from a pair of pantyhose that had also been found near Tessneer�s body.
She said she found none.
But Remy did find numerous tiny blue fibers on the false teeth, she testified Wednesday.
Borders is charged with the rape and murder of Tessneer and is currently standing trial. The trial began last week with three days of jury selection and has continued into this week with testimony from the state�s witnesses.
Borders was arrested in 2009 after police obtained a DNA sample from a discarded cigarette butt and matched his DNA with a sample developed from sperm found on Tessneer�s body, according to investigators.
Remy said when she does fiber analysis, she takes fibers taken from a crime scene - called the question sample - and compares them under a microscope to a known fiber sample, called the known standards.
�It�s a very targeted search,� Remy said.
The fibers� color, size, cross-sectional shape and material from which it came are all examined, she said.
Remy said the blue fibers she found on the dentures were made of both cotton and man-made materials.
She then compared the sample with fibers from Tessneer�s housecoat and nightgown, but neither matched, she said.
According to testimony from former chief medical examiner Dr. John Butts, and Dr. Steven Tracy, the pathologist who performed the autopsy, both doctors believed Tessneer had been suffocated.
Tracy previously testified that Tessneer had no underlying medical condition to explain her death and through the process of elimination, said he was convinced she had died of asphyxiation secondary to suffocation.
Despite his opinion, the cause of death on the autopsy and death certificate has never been changed from �undetermined� to �homicide.�
Defense probes death report information
During cross-examination, Borders� attorney, David Teddy, questioned both doctors extensively about why the cause of death on the death certificate and autopsy had never been changed from �undetermined.�
Both Tracy and Butts said they had been waiting on further findings in the investigation before making any changes.
Teddy also questioned investigators in the case about whether they asked the pathologist to change the cause of death as it is listed on the death certificate and autopsy report.
Shelby Police Sgt. Rich Ivey said he was assigned the cold case in 2008 and a list of suspects contained in the case file eventually led him and SBI Agent John Kaiser, who was assisting him in the case, to Borders.
Teddy questioned Ivey about a meeting between Kaiser and Tracy, and asked if during the meeting Dr. Tracy was asked to change his opinion about cause of death.
Ivey said no.
�You�re absolutely certain?� Teddy asked.
Ivey responded with a �yes.�
When Teddy asked Ivey to read his case notes from November 2009, Ivey read aloud in court his notes recording a conversation with Libby Clark about how Kaiser asked Tracy to change his mind about the cause of death.
Some of Borders� family members whispered prayers as they watched the proceedings unfold.
One woman smiled jubilantly when Teddy asked why Ivey had testified, under oath, that neither he nor Kaiser asked for Tracy to change the cause and manner of death.
Ivey, hesitating, said he didn�t remember what was in his notes.
Earlier in the day, while Kaiser was on the stand, he testified that he did not ask Tracy to change his opinion, but had informed the pathologist that he would be working on the case. Kaiser said he also kept Tracy informed about developments in the case to assist Tracy in his own investigation. He said Tracy requested the pantyhose and dentures to be submitted to the SBI lab for testing.
�I never asked Dr. Tracy to change autopsy results,� Kaiser said. �It was our hope that he would change it. I would never go to the medical examiner to ask them to change autopsy results. I don�t have those qualifications.�
Defense motions to strike examiner testimonies from court record
Assistant District Attorney Sally Kirby-Turner asked for Ivey�s notes, and re-read the excerpt from November 2009 about how Kaiser had spoken to Dr. Tracy about changing the cause of death.
�Were you present?� Kirby-Turner asked. �No,� Ivey said.
She asked if he remembered having any conversations in 2009 about the meeting between Kaiser and Dr. Tracy.
�No,� he said.
�Have you ever asked Dr. Tracy to change opinion?� she asked.
Ivey again said �no.�
During the course of the trial, while questioning Remy, Teddy contended that not all email correspondence relating to the case had been turned over to the defendant.
�If I hadn�t opened the case file on the stand, I wouldn�t have found the correspondence,� Teddy said. �I don�t think they have complied with the court�s order.�
Teddy said he doesn�t want it to be an issue that has to be dealt with at an appeal hearing.
Kirby-Turner said all emails were searched using key search words and submitted to defense.
�It�s not as if (the state) kept out disculpatory statements,� she said. �I�m doing everything I can.�
The particular email Teddy referenced dealt with court scheduling with a witness, Kirby-Turner said.
Judge Richard Boner ordered the state to make all efforts to retrieve emails pertaining to the case, even if only dealing with lunch choices.
By the time court recessed Wednesday, Kirby-Turner said all copies of emails had been found.
She said seven were found that had been sent from the SBI lab to the district attorney�s office.
Teddy made a motion to strike the medical examiner�s testimonies from the record.
�... It�s clear that the medical examiner�s office has been converted from independent investigative agency to an agent of the state,� he said.
He listed other cases where medical examiner�s offices �became agents of the state.�
�I believe that�s what happened here based on testimony of Ivey, Kaiser and Dr. Tracy,� Teddy said.
Teddy asked Judge Boner not to make a decision on the examiners� testimonies Wednesday, but to think about it and make a ruling when court resumes Thursday.


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Two of our four Mercedes-Benz servicing depots in Kent are also approved MOT test centres: Ashford and Sittingbourne.
Vans and light commercial vehicles (LVCs) fall into one of three categories for testing purposes.
- Vans up to 3 tonnes must pass a Class 4 MOT test annually, from the vehicle's 3rd birthday onwards
- Vans of between 3 and 3.5 tonnes must pass a Class 7 MOT test each year, from 3 years old
- HGVs and LGVs over 3.5 tonnes, semi-trailers, articulated LGVs, PSVs (public service vehicles, minibuses and vehicles with 8 or more seats) and certain other configurations are required to take the annual test from their first year after manufacture. If in doubt, have a chat with our team to be sure your vehicle is always legal and in an excellent condition of roadworthiness.
In most cases, MOT tests and annual tests can be carried out while you wait, but it's advisable to book an appointment in advance. Don't forget, you can book an MOT up to one month before it's due.
Fleet managers will be pleased to learn that we can help you plan the testing and servicing of your entire fleet, to make your scheduling simple and minimise the time vehicles are off the road.
All LVC MOT tests are carried out by Mercedes-Benz-trained technicians using the latest diagnostic equipment.
To book a van MOT, please contact the MOT centres at Ashford or Sittingbourne, and for annual HGV tests contact the service departments at whichever depot is most convenient.
Mercedes-Benz Sparshatt Truck & Van Sittingbourne
Unit 10, Eurolink Industrial Estate,
Sittingbourne, ME10 3RN
Tel: 0844 396 1122
Open 24hrs 6 Days a Week
Trucks: New vehicles, Used vehicles, Service, Parts
Vans: Used vehicles, Service, Parts
Mercedes-Benz Sparshatt Truck & Van NEW Dartford site
Unit 1, 21 Kennet Road, Dartford DA1 4QN
Tel: +44 1322 520030
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Mercedes-Benz Sparshatt Truck & Van Ashford
Leacon Road, Brookfield Industrial Estate,
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Tel: +44 1233 610400
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Cannon Lane, Unit 11, Cannonbridge Industrial Estate,
Tonbridge TN9 1PP
Tel: +44 1732 370920
Trucks: Service, Parts
Vans: Service, Parts


text:
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Lights, Camera, Action!
A Vampire for the Times
Season 3 of the critically acclaimed HBO series True Blood introduced us to Russell Edgington, the Vampire King of Mississippi and the big bad guy of the past season. After watching Russell in action throughout the course of season 3, I thought to myself that if Edgington had actually existed in the real world, he would have fit in extremely well in our current world order. We live in an age where we are reminded of the threat of another terrorist attack either internally or externally almost on a daily basis. The divide between rich and poor continues to grow at an alarming rate, and politicians and other religious and societal leaders preach unity and togetherness, but actually practice divisiveness, power mongering and hypocrisy.
On the surface, Russell Edgington (played with gusto, excellence and a touch of camp by Denis O'Hare) seems to be a cool, cultured blue blood of a vampire. He also donates regularly to the American Vampire League, a political organization that is trying to do their best to co-exist peacefully with humans. And he tolerates the Vampire Magister, the judge and jury of internal vampire disputes, although he finds the Magister and his ways archaic and prohibitive.
But Edgington's façade belies a bigoted, Machiavellian nature. Edgington sees vampires as the superior life form, and according to his world view, humans and the other supernatural species that inhabit the True Blood world are only good for food and/or slave labor. At close to three thousand years old, Edgington has been a part of many crucial moments in the history of the world, even going so far as to employ werewolves to do his bidding while roaming Europe and while masquerading as a Nazi during World War II.
While Edgington wants vampires to take, what he believes to be their rightful place on the top of the food chain, he won't hesitate to sell out his own kind for money and power. Some examples include giving and selling vampire blood to both humans and werewolves, and exposing the Vampire Queen of Louisiana's dire financial state of affairs so that he could marry her, take over her territory and her V (the term for Vampire blood) business.
In an act of revenge, vampire Eric Northman, kills Talbot, Edgington's consort in response for Edgington and his werewolves slaughtering Eric's family in Sweden close to one thousand years ago. This causes Edgington to go off the deep end and exhibit his true vampiric nature. On national TV, Edgington disrupts a news broadcast, eviscerating the host on live TV. He goes on to declare that vampires are the dominant species, and that humans need to beware.
Edgington's subsequent action causes anti-vampire sentiment and hate crimes to skyrocket. The American Vampire League denounces him as an extremist and a terrorist and declares that the brazen act of one vampire is not an accurate or fair representation of all vampires. Hmmm, where have we heard that before?
While Edgington's actions on True Blood are heightened and exaggerated, the real world messages and analogies are clear and unmistakable. When a terrorist act occurs, it's easy to give in to fear and assume that an entire ethnic or religious group is responsible rather than a select few extremists. Or that a select few that have power and influence, are above the rules and laws of their governing body and will do what they need to keep and consolidate their power (such as the AIG's, Citigroup's and the Bank of America's of the world), even if it means exploiting those less fortunate.
Edgington has no use for government of any kind whether it's the old school Magister or the American Vampire League, unless it benefits him in some way, shape or form. In order to consolidate his territory and power, Edgington forces the Magister to marry both he and the Vampire Queen of Louisiana. After the Magister performs the ceremony and threatens to report Edgington to the Vampire Board, Edgington kills him.
While not as drastic or visceral, we've seen this mentality countless times in the real world too. The Republicans and many Tea Party members use it as a mantra. They want the government to get their hands out of Medicare, Social Security and the banks. But when something goes wrong (like the financial crisis of 2007 or a natural disaster) , they're quick to jump back on the government bandwagon only to go back to their "hands off" government approach once the problem is fixed. I know that many Wall Street brokers, credit card companies and mortgage lenders are baring their fangs because of all the new regulations that have been imposed upon them. But like Edgington, they have found loopholes and ways around the current restrictions, even going so far as to give their top executives nice, big bonuses this year.
In the end, many of us are just like the vampire. Despite our best attempts to be civilized and politically correct, when push comes to shove and we feel threatened or in a position of superiority, we turn our minds off, and show our basest, most savage natures.
- Hamilton Maher
Image courtesy of trueblood-online.com
Posted by Tom Pope and Hamilton Maher at 5:16 PM
Labels: Action, Camera, Lights, Russell Edgington, True Blood, vampire
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The new agency replaces the Driving Standards Agency (DSA) and the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) with responsibilities for setting, testing and enforcing driver and vehicle standards in Great Britain. This change was originally announced in June, which was followed by a three month consultation period. Transport Minister Robert Goodwill explained: "The two organisations have a history of working closely together and the merger is an opportunity for the DVSA to provide even better and more efficient customer service to motorists and commercial operators. I fully support the new agency and look forward to seeing the DVSA take shape from April 2014. "There will be a gradual introduction of the new agency name ahead of the formal launch in April 2014, with no change to the level or quality of services during the transition period."
For more information click here.
LATEST TWEETSTweets by MCIATweets
A new agency with responsibility for maintaining vehicle standards, which include motorcycles has been launched today (28 November 2013) as the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA).


text:
Smartphone fired into space to see if screams can be heard
A smartphone has been blasted into orbit from India by a team of researchers from the University of Surrey.
They hope to use a purpose-built app to test the theory, immortalised in the film Alien, that "in space no-one can hear you scream".
The phone will play out several of the screams submitted by people online.
The test will monitor the durability of standard commercial components in space.
It will also test two new innovative propulsion systems.
The first - named Warp Drive (Water Alcohol Resisto-jet Propulsion De-orbit Re-entry Velocity Experiment) - uses the ejection of a water-alcohol mixture to provide thrust.
The second technology is pulsed plasma thrusters. These use an electric current to heat and evaporate a material, producing a charged gas that can then be accelerated in one direction in a magnetic field to push the satellite in the other direction.
'Fantastic achievement'
The mission will see the so-called "smartphone-sat" - a world first - orbit the Earth for six months.
Weighing 4.3 kg (9.5lbs) and measuring 10cm by 30cm (4in by 12in), the satellite has been developed by the University of Surrey's Space Centre (SSC) and Surrey Satellite Technology (SSTL).
"This mission is a fantastic achievement and a great tribute to the hard work of the engineers involved," said Sir Martin Sweeting, director of SSC, and also executive chairman of SSTL.
At first, the Strand-1 satellite will be controlled by a standard onboard computer, but in phase two of the mission, a Google Nexus phone will take the reins - equipped with a number of special apps.
One of them, iTesa, is to record the magnitude of the magnetic field around the phone during orbit.
The 360 app will take pictures using the phone's built-in five megapixel camera, and will act as a method of establishing the satellite's position.
Images captured by the app will be posted on Facebook.
Twitter tracking
The Scream in Space app, developed by Cambridge University Space Flight, makes use of several screams that were submitted by visitors to the project's website.
At various points, the app will play videos of the screams and monitor if the phone's onboard speaker picks up the noise.
The screams set for intergalactic broadcast include this ear-busting effort from Year 6 at Chudleigh CE Community Primacy School and this very dramatic "nooooooo!" from Richard Barrington.
The line "in space no-one can hear you scream" was the tagline for the hugely popular 1979 science-fiction thriller Alien, starring Sigourney Weaver.
In theory, because space is a vacuum there are no molecules, so sound cannot travel as vibrations are not carried.
Strand-1's progress can be tracked on Twitter, where at the time of writing it had just passed over Kenya.
Amateur radio enthusiasts are also encouraged to track the satellite, details of which can be found on the Surrey Satellite Technology website.
The team does not expect to get the smartphone back.


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Obama has finally done the right thing by freeing Manning early
Chelsea Manning's 35-year sentence and treatment by the US military were unremittingly punitive. Her imminent freedom is welcome, says Rebecca Dallison
It's been a long time coming, but US president Barack Obama's decision to commute Chelsea Manning's unduly severe prison sentence is hugely welcome.
When Manning, working as a US Army intelligence analyst in Kuwait, copied thousands of files onto a CD labelled "Lady Gaga" to avoid suspicion and smuggled them out of her military base, she set in train a series of momentous events that helped define the era of internet activism.
Within weeks, documents that Manning said showed "the true nature of 21st-century asymmetric …


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FYI Monday: Dark Character Designs by Sebastien Feraut
This post is part of the For Your Inspiration Monday Series showcasing the most inspiring designs out there. Each week a new artist or design style will be presented in order to get your creative juices flowing for the upcoming week. I hope you enjoy the series.
Sebastien Feraut aka NIARK1 is a freelance graphic designer / illustrator based in Paris, France. His main focus is on character design, which are always highly detailed, whether it's digital vector work or traditional paintings. There's no doubt that Seb is extremely gifted, a fact which saw him land a lot of big clients. Find below a small selection of his work. For more inspiration make sure to visit Seb's portfolio at www.niark1.com


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AUBURN UNIVERSITY – The state of Alabama's role in the Civil War and its aftermath will be the focus of a free, public symposium at Auburn University.
"The Yellowhammer War: A Civil War Symposium" will be held Saturday, Sept. 13, beginning at 8:30 a.m. in Langdon Hall on the Auburn University campus. Speakers will include contributors to the book, "The Yellowhammer War: The Civil War and Reconstruction in Alabama," which was published to mark the sesquicentennial of the Civil War and will be available for purchase at the event.
Edited by Auburn University professor of history Kenneth Noe, the book is a collection of essays covering topics including race, women, the home front and even Alabamians' reactions to the assassination of Abraham Lincoln.
Noe said the idea behind the book was to contact people researching Civil War and Reconstruction in Alabama today, and invite them to write on topics of their choosing.
"While each topic is interesting in and of itself, taken as a whole the essays really provide a snapshot of where Alabama Civil War studies are during the sesquicentennial," he said. "When we were considering titles, 'The Yellowhammer War' seemed to be a very appropriate name for a book about the war and reconstruction in the Yellowhammers' state."
"Yellowhammer" was a nickname for Alabama Confederate soldiers.
"During the first winter of the war, a company of Alabama cavalrymen showed up in camp wearing brand new uniforms trimmed in regulation cavalry yellow," Noe explained. "Some of the veterans already in camp, dressed in their tattered clothing, teased the new arrivals about looking like yellowhammer woodpeckers. After that, the name stuck."
The symposium will conclude with a walking tour of Civil War era Auburn led by faculty and graduate students from the Auburn University Department of History, beginning at 2:45 p.m.
"The war itself began in 1861, but really came home to Auburn in 1864 when Union troops came through," said Noe. "This is Auburn's chance to embrace the sesquicentennial and to mark our history from the 1860s and 1870s."
"Dr. Noe and the authors of 'The Yellowhammer War' made a significant contribution to the state of Alabama with this new book, and we are pleased to have so many of these historians on campus for the symposium," said Mark Wilson, director of the Caroline Marshall Draughon Center for the Arts and Humanities. "The walking tour of Auburn sites will be a special treat, especially for those who will be visiting campus for the first time."
In addition to the symposium, Special Collections and Archives of Auburn University Libraries is currently featuring its collection of Civil War documents related to the Hampton Roads peace conference, which took place in February 1865. The exhibit in Ralph Brown Draughon Library will be open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. the day of the symposium and 1-9 p.m. the following day.
When the Hampton Roads Conference was convened, it was agreed that no formal notes would be kept of the proceedings. Therefore, the private papers of Hampton Roads Conference attendees, such as U.S. Major Thomas Eckert and Confederate Assistant Secretary of War John A. Campbell, have become extremely important in understanding why the Hampton Roads negotiations ultimately failed.
For the complete schedule, list of presenters and other symposium details, go to http://www.cla.auburn.edu/cah/programs/yellowhammerwar/.
The event is sponsored by the Department of History and the Caroline Marshall Draughon Center for the Arts and Humanities, both in the College of Liberal Arts at Auburn University.
(Written by Carol Nelson.)
Media Contacts:
Mark Wilson, Caroline Marshall Draughon Center for the Arts and Humanities, (334) 844-6198 (firstname.lastname@example.com),
Mike Clardy, Office of Communications and Marketing, (334) 844-9999 (email@example.com)


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PIP Rules and Forms
It's the Law
New Jersey law requires Decision Point Review, Precertification and Notification Requirements for patients who are injured in auto accidents and their medical providers.
Everything You Need to Know
We've gathered all the forms and information you need if you're injured in an auto accident. Hopefully, that won't ever happen, but if it does, this is what you need:
Forms to View and Print
Application for Benefits — Personal Injury Protection Form.
Important no-fault medical information for the insured.
Important requirements for the health care provider.
Health care providers must send their treatment plans to NJM in writing using the Attending Provider Treatment Plan (APTP) form.
All requests for surgical procedures (CPTs 10000-69999) have to be submitted with the Surgery Precertification Request NJ No-Fault Claims.
All requests for pre-service appeal must include a fully completed New Jersey Pre-Service Appeal Form and faxed to the appropriate NJM office below.
All requests for post-service appeal must include a fully completed New Jersey Post-Service Appeal Form faxed to NJM at 1-609-963-6075.
NJM Insurance Group
Attn: PIP Department
301 Sullivan Way
PO Box 928
West Trenton, NJ 08628-0278
1-609-493-1277 West Trenton
1-609-493-1565 Parsippany
1-609-493-1474 Hammonton


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Make a difference in a child's life. Be a foster or adoptive parent.
Being a foster or adoptive parent enriches the life of that child, deepens and enhances your life and strengthens the community in which we live.
Most children flourish and grow in the family homes of their relatives or a family foster home. They need love, attention, shelter, the opportunity to learn and become self-confident, education, someone to listen to them, and someone to connect with until they can go home or to a permanent forever home.
Learn about the joys and benefits for foster parenting.
Watch our video on becoming a foster or adoptive parent
Interested in becoming a foster or adoptive parent? For more information, contact the Foster and Adoptive Care Coalition (www.foster-adopt.org), (314) 367-8373.


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Do You Feel Upset About Iraq? This Time Let's Get Clear, Informed and Involved Before It's Too Late!
August 12, 2014
Hosted by Helen Hillix, Todd Benton and Chris Reese
[Download MP3] [itunes] [Bookmark Episode]
Guest Information
Episode Description
In 2003 we were manipulated into war with lots of hype and very little information. The result? We helped destabilize Iraq, now embroiled in never-ending sectarian violence, and we feel lost in the quagmire. Many of us feel guilty, upset or confused. What do we do now? Bomb? Invade? Bury our heads in the sand? Let's face this challenge together and do three things differently. Let's get solid information BEFORE we act. Let's talk honestly about our feelings – guilt, fear, anger – so we can face the latest challenges calmly, knowledgeably and courageously. Let's get involved. For solid information, we welcome James Gelvin, author of 4 books and Professor of Modern Middle East History at UCLA, who will give us the historic context of what's happening in the Mid-East and our role in it. For honest discussion, we've got Beth Green. To get involved, start here: Tune in, call, share, and help your friends by passing on the podcast. Then join our post-show forum to continue the conversation!
Inner Revolutionary Radio
Archives Available on VoiceAmerica Variety Channel
You count! Your voice, compassion and dedication to doing the right thing are part and parcel of the Inner Revolution that is sweeping our world, and Inner Revolutionary Radio is your platform. We may not be perfect, but we are standing up to mindless conformity, facing our negative patterns and beliefs, working together to make this a better world. Inner Revolutionary Radio gives us a voice and a way of joining forces. We share a vision: a recognition of our Oneness with one another and the planet; an acknowledgement of our Accountability for our impact on ourselves and each other; a dedication to Mutual Support, knowing that we can't thrive in a world that is not also thriving. And we're developing the courage to stand up to all tyrannies, even those in our heads. Each week we offer News of the Inner Revolution and introduce you to guests who are shaking up the world. Tune in, participate, and support this vision.
Helen Hillix, Todd Benton and Chris Reese
Helen Hillix, Todd Benton and Chris Reese met many years ago, when our journeys for inner healing brought us to the InnerRevolution.Org. Under the guidance of Beth Green, the organization's founder, we evolved into spiritual activists who support the three principles of The Inner Revolution: Oneness, Accountability and Mutual support – in all areas of life. Ultimately, there is no personal healing; no one person can be well in a world where others are suffering. It takes a collective shift in awareness for sustainable change and for everyone to thrive. InnerRevolutionary radio was Beth Green's baby, and now it's our turn to nurture this platform and share the vision: gathering others and sharing work that is being done around the world under many different banners to bring more consciousness into personal, political, spiritual and business arenas. As co-hosts of InnerRevolutionary Radio, Helen, Todd and Chris bring you a weekly opportunity to confront mindless traditions, look at how we separate from one another, and learn to transform our thinking. And, once a month we interview Beth, who is an amazingly wise, compassionate, and funny woman. We have day jobs too: Helen is an intuitive counselor, Todd a web developer, and Chris is an insurance industry executive. Each of us practices the principles of Oneness, Accountability and Mutual Support in all aspects of our lives. It's a ride, with ups and downs, and worth every minute of it! Join us to learn, laugh and evolve.


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Tri-State Bird Rescue and Research is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. seven days a week, 365 days a year, to accept injured, orphaned, and oiled native wild birds. If you need more information on how to help an injured wild bird, click here.
We are located at:
170 Possum Hollow Road
Newark, DE 19711
If you have any other questions, or need help with directions, please call (302) 737-9543.
Holiday hours
8 a.m. to 10 a.m.; 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Christmas Eve
We will be open to the public from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Christmas Day
We will be open to the public from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
FROM THE SOUTH ON ROUTE 1 – After crossing St. George's Bridge, go 2 miles to Exit #152. Follow the ramp to the stop light at Rt. 72 North (Wrangle Hill Road). Turn left onto 72 North. Stay on Rt. 72 North for 10 miles, straight through Newark to the traffic light by Wendy's restaurant. Turn left here, still on 72 North (Possum Park Road), and drive 1.6 miles to Possum Hollow Road on your right. Turn right onto this road. We are at the end of the road.
FROM THE NORTH – From I-95 S, take the first Newark Exit # 3 (Rt.273West), stay in the right lane. Turn right at the first light onto Harmony Road. Go FIVE lights until Harmony Rd. dead ends onto Capitol Trail / Kirkwood Highway. Turn left onto Capitol Trail / Kirkwood Highway (Rt.2). Turn right at the fourth traffic light onto Possum Park Rd. (there is a Wendy's restaurant on the corner). Go 1.6 miles to Possum Hollow Rd. Turn right on this road. We are at the end of the road.
FROM THE LONGWOOD/ROUTE 1 AREA — Take Rt. 82 South, go straight past the side of the high school, DON'T turn left. Follow to dead end at Kaolin Road just beyond the small white bridge. Turn right onto Kaolin/Marshall Bridge Road which becomes Limestone Road (Rt. 7) in Delaware. Follow to traffic light at Rt. 72 South, turn right. Go 3.4 miles to the light where Rt. 72 turns a hard left; turn left. Then take the first left onto Possum Hollow Road. We are at the end of the road.
FROM THE NEWARK AREA — Get onto Kirkwood Highway (Rt. 2) toward Wilmington. Turn left, at the traffic light by Wendy's, following Rt. 72 North (Possum Park Road). Follow it 1.6 miles to Possum Hollow Road on the right. Turn right onto Possum Hollow Road. We are at the end of the road.
FROM MARYLAND ON I-95 — Turn off at Maryland Exit 109-B (Newark). Go north on Elkton Rd. (Rt. 2) for 3.6 miles before being forced to bear right onto Delaware Ave. Follow Delaware Ave. through Newark, past the high school, to Rt. 72. Turn left on Rt. 72 and go 1.4 miles to Possum Park Road. Turn left on Possum Park Road and go 1.6 miles. Turn right onto Possum Hollow Road. We are at the end of the road.
FROM PENNSYLVANIA VIA RT. 896 – Follow 896 into Newark to the traffic light at Cleveland Avenue at the top of the hill. Go left on Cleveland Avenue 0.6 miles to traffic light at Paper Mill Road (also called Curtis Mill Road). Turn left on Paper Mill Road and go 2 miles to traffic light next to Shell Station. Turn right. Go about 300 yards to Possum Hollow Road on left. Turn left and follow road to end.


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Edna Cukierman, PhD
Associate Professor
Co-Director, Marvin & Concetta Greenberg Pancreatic Cancer Institute
Co-Director, Immune Monitoring Facility
Chair, Institutional Biosafety Committee
Esophagus, Pancreas, and Liver Cancer TRDG Member
Kidney, Bladder, and Prostate Cancer TRDG Member
Lung Cancer and Mesothelioma TRDG Member
Research Program
A New 3D Model System Developed to Mimic Mechanical Aspects of Pancreatic Cancer
Researchers recently presented a new multidisciplinary approach using a 3D human tissue mimetic model to study how human pancreatic fibrous extracellular matrices (ECMs) interact with pancreatic cancer cells displaying common pancreatic cancer mutations, such as lack of p53 and constitutively active KRAS. Full article at Fox Chase Now
Educational Background
- Postdoctoral Fellow, Craniofacial Developmental Biology and Regeneration Branch (Mentor- Dr. Kenneth M. Yamada), NIH/National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, 1997-2002
- PhD, Molecular and Cell Biology, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, 1997
- MS, Biochemistry, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, 1993
- BS, Biology, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, 1991
Honors & Awards
- Distinguished Achievement Award in Cancer Research and Clinical Management –Focus in Pancreas- by the Chinese Society of Clinical Oncology (Chinese's ASCO), 2016
- DOD Idea Award with Special Focus in Pancreatic Cancer , 2015-2017
- Image featured at Dulles and PLH Airports ("Life Magnified" by NIH/ASCB), 2014
- Member of NIH/NCI's Tumor Progression and Metastasis Study Section, 2013-2019
- Temple-FCCC Nodal Award, 2013-2015
- AACR Career Development Award (continuation from 2004), 2006-2007
- Olympus BioScapes Digital Imaging Competition (Honorable Mention Award), 2006
- W.W. Smith Charitable Trust Award, 2005-2008
- Nikon Small World Competition (Image Distinction Award), 2005
- AACR Career Development Award, 2004-2006
- National Pancreas Foundation Award, 2004-2005
- Fellows Award for Research Excellence at the NIH, 2002
Research Program
Research Interests
Desmoplastic Tumor Microenvironment
- Mechanisms of fibrous desmoplastic activation and maintenance via integrin signaling and cytoskeletal dynamics
- Pancreatic, renal, mammary gland and other transformative alterations regulated by cancer- or tumor-associated fibroblasts (CAFs or TAFs) and their self-derived extracellular matrices (ECMs)
- Clinical implications, translational aspects and means of microenvironment activation assessments; compartmental —tumoral and stromal— biomarker detection using multi-spectral and batch digital imaging analyses
- Decoupling of biochemical and biomechanical influences of desmoplasia by combinational 3D models of cell-derived ECMs and biomimetic material engineering
Lab Overview
Central premise: We postulate that it is possible to reprogram the desmoplastic microenvironment back to its tumor suppressive state and that by doing so one could introduce new means of tumor stalling. This idea is based on the fact that desmoplasia is reminiscent of chronic wound healing pathologies, such as chronic inflammation associated with fibrosis. Two major research efforts in the lab actively test this hypothesis from a tumor microenvironment perspective.
How can we alter desmoplastic activity?
We have previously demonstrated that desmoplastic extracellular matrices (ECMs) effectively induce an active myofibroblastic phenotype upon naive fibroblastic cells (Amatangelo et al 2005 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16049333). Using syngeneic human fibroblasts harvested from pancreatic or renal cancer patient-matched normal and tumor surgical samples, we prompt cells to produce a human mimetic 3D stroma system. Due to the nature of the 3D system we are poised to dissect mechanisms of desmoplastic fibrillogenesis from mechanisms of desmoplastic ECM-regulated fibroblastic activation. Signaling mechanisms queried in this project include TGFbeta regulation of desmoplastic ECM production as well as ECM controlled integrin signaling, discrete receptor recycling and cytoskeletal reorganization influenced by actin binding proteins such as stromal palladin and alpha-smooth muscle actin. Approaches include the use of specific inhibitor and activator drugs as well as genetic manipulations. Pathophysiological validations are conducted via simultaneous multi-channel immunofluorescence labeling of the original surgical tissue samples. This approach distinguishes tumoral from stromal compartments and uncovers the localization and levels of proteins representative of the above-mentioned signaling pathways and of altered desmoplastic 3D-adhesion structures. To establish clinical relevance, the same approach is combined with clinically annotated human tissue microarrays and with specially developed software, SMIA-CUKIE. This software is implemented as a batch analysis tool that renders spread sheets of quantitative data and images representative of mask area locations and their corresponding markers. We posit that desmoplastic mechanisms of activation not only comprise clinically important occurrences and are patient outcome-predictive but also constitute novel "desmoplastic index" biomarkers. We aim to identify possible new therapeutics that could redirect the stroma.
How does desmoplasia affect tumor development and progression?
Previous efforts by this and other groups have suggested that cancers are full organ (or full body) diseases and that in order to study them one should account for microenvironmental cues and question their effects upon cancer cell behaviors and drugs responses. Hence, we study tumorigenic activities during tumor development and progression in the context of desmoplastic ECMs. Specifically, we seek to define how 3D ECMs, produced by early- versus late-stage fibroblastic cells (i.e., CAFs also known as TAFs), condition tumor cell signaling to affect cancer cell growth, survival, invasion and resistance to drugs. Models independently researched in the lab include pancreatic adenocarcinoma and renal cell carcinoma while stroma regulated breast and lung cancers are studied as part of ongoing collaborative efforts with other groups.
We combine the use of the above mentioned 3D culturing system with mixtures of fibroblastic and cancer cells (at various tumor progression stages) together with other host cells such as tumor altered immune cells and nerve infiltrates. The project conveys analyses that incorporate biochemical, molecular and cell biology approaches with laser scanning confocal, multi-spectra and real time microscopies. Effects of physical cues, such as desmoplastic ECM alignment and stiffness, constitute central aspects of the study. For this, 3D culturing mimicry is accomplished using combinations of patient harvested and biocompatible materials implementing bioengineering and specially designed tissue patterning approaches. Translational efforts and pathophysiological relevancies are investigated, in collaboration with other groups at FCCC, using the same human tumor tissue samples implanted into immune compromised mice (PDX models) as well as via genetic animal models. In addition the study uses formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded (FFPE) human patient and animal tissue samples to implement a multi-spectra immunofluorescence analysis (SMIA-CUKIE) as above.
This project's ultimate goal is to better understand the underlying tumor-stromal interactive processes governing tumorigenic behaviors, such as metastasis, in order to identify possible new therapeutics aimed at interfering with these types of tumor-stroma interactions.
- Simultaneous Multichannel Immunofluorescence Digital Imaging Analyzer
Software for multi-spectra analysis (SMIA-CUKIE)
- Quantitative SMIA-CUKIE software outputs representative of assorted stromal marker expression and localization values as well as patient outcomes
Analyses were conducted in tissue microarrays corresponding to Fox Chase Cancer Center's PDAC and RCC patient cohorts collected and followed from 1991 to 2012. Data was used in Fanco-Barraza, et al., 2017.
Download the spreadsheet for review. [XLS, 151KB]
Former Personnel
Ashish Abraham
Michael Amatangelo
Daniel Bassi
Dorothy Beacham
Kimberly Brown
Remedios Castelló-Cros
Gil Cukierman
Xiaoshen Dong
Stephanie Elbe
James Flaherty
Sarah Goldston
Vivekanad Gupta
Kelci R. Holman
David Khan
Melissa Lech
Raj Madhani
Roderick Quiros
Ellen Ragan
Poornima Rao
Mastan Rao Chintalapudi
Rebecca Roth
Dustin Rollins
Brad Rybinski
Jeffery Simons
Jerry So
Julie Sosa
Matthildi Valianou
Fernanda Villamar
Olga Villamar
Corinne Watson
Gary Wilk
Galia Wilk
Stephanie Wirtshafter
Alexander Zeni
Extramural Affiliations
- Temple University - Bioengineering Department College of Engineering. Philadelphia, PA
- Drexel University
- Ben Gurion University, Beer Sheva, Israel
- Institute for Translational Medicine and Therapeutics, Clinical and Translational Research Center/Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA
- Adjunct Associate Professor in the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, Department of Medical Genetics and Molecular Biology, Philadelphia, PA.
Janusz Franco-Barraza, MD, PhD
Postdoctoral Associate
Charline Ogier PhD
M&C Greenberg Pancreatic Cancer Institute Postoctoral Fellow
Debora B Vendramini Costa, PhD
Postdoctoral Associate
Selected Publications
Fragoso MF, Romualdo GR, Vanderveer LA, Franco-Barraza J, Cukierman E, Clapper ML, Carvalho RF, Barbisan LF: Lyophilized açaí pulp (Euterpe oleracea Mart) attenuates colitis-associated colon carcinogenesis while its main anthocyanin has the potential to affect the motility of colon cancer cells. Food and Chemical Toxicology 2018, 121:237-45. PubMed
Shafi, A.A., Schiewer, M.J., de Leeuw, R., Dylgjeri, E., McCue, P.A., Shah, N., Gomella, L.G., Lallas, C.D., Trabulsi, E.J., Centenera, M.M., Hickey, T.E., Butler, L.M., Raj, G.V., Tilley, W.D.,Cukierman, E., Knudsen, K.E. Patient-derived Models Reveal Impact of the Tumor Microenvironment on Therapeutic Response. European Urology Oncology 2018 (in press). DOI
Franco-Barraza J, Francescone R, Luong T, Shah N, Madhani R, Cukierman G, Dulaimi E, Devarajan K, Egleston BL, Nicolas E, Alpaugh KR, Malik R, Uzzo RG, Hoffman JP, Golemis EA, Cukierman E: Matrix-regulated integrin αvβ5 maintains α5β1-dependent desmoplastic traits prognostic of neoplastic recurrence. eLife 2017 http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.20600
Roy I, Boyle KA, Vonderhaar EP, Zimmerman NP, Gorse E, Mackinnon AC, Hwang RF, Franco-Barraza J, Cukierman E, Tsai S, Evans DB, Dwinell MB: Cancer cell chemokines direct chemotaxis of activated stellate cells in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. Laboratory Investigation 2017. PubMed
Franco-Barraza J, Beacham DA, Amatangelo MD, Cukierman E: Preparation of extracellular matrices produced by cultured and primary fibroblasts. Curr Protoc Cell Biol 2016, Chapter 10:10.9.1-.9.34. PubMed
Alexander J, Cukierman E: Stromal dynamic reciprocity in cancer: Intricacies of fibroblastic-ECM interactions. Curr Opin Cell Biol 2016, 42:80-93. PubMed
Malik, R., Lelkes, P.I., Cukierman, E. Biomechanical and biochemical remodeling of stromal extracellular matrix in cancer. Trends in Biotech, 33(4):230-236, 2015. PMCID: PMC4380578 PubMed
Rybinski, B., Franco-Barraza, J., and Cukierman, E. The wound healing, chronic fibrosis and cancer progression triad, Physiological Genomics, 46(7):223-244, 2014. PMCID: PMC4035661 PubMed
Håkanson M, Kobel S, Lutolf MP, Textor M, Cukierman E*, Charnley M*. Controlled Breast Cancer Microarrays for the Deconvolution of Cellular Multilayering and Density Effects upon Drug Responses. PLoS ONE 2012;7(6): e40141. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0040141 (*co-corresponding author). PLoS ONE PubMed
Gupta V, Bassi DE, Simons JD, Devarajan K, Al-Saleem T, Uzzo RG, Cukierman E. Elevated expression of stromal palladin predicts poor clinical outcome in renal cell carcinoma. PLoS One. 2011;6(6):e21494. Epub 2011 Jun 28. PubMed
Goetz JG, Minguet S, Navarro-Lérida I, Lazcano JJ, Samaniego R, Calvo E, Tello M, Osteso-Ibáñez T, Pellinen T, Echarri A, Cerezo A, Klein-Szanto AJ, Garcia R, Keely PJ, Sánchez-Mateos P, Cukierman E, Del Pozo MA. Biomechanical remodeling of the microenvironment by stromal caveolin-1 favors tumor invasion and metastasis. Cell. 2011 Jul 8;146(1):148-63. PubMed
Lee HO, Mullins SR, Franco-Barraza J, Valianou M, Cukierman E*, Cheng JD*. FAP-overexpressing fibroblasts produce an extracellular matrix that enhances invasive velocity and directionality of pancreatic cancer cells. BMC Cancer. 2011 Jun 13;11(1):245. (* co-corresponding author). PubMed
Kwon Y, Cukierman E*, Godwin AK*. Differential expressions of adhesive molecules and proteases define mechanisms of ovarian tumor cell matrix penetration/invasion. PLoS One. 2011 Apr 19;6(4):e18872. (* co-corresponding author). PubMed
Castelló-Cros R, Khan DR, Simons J, Valianou M, Cukierman E. Staged stromal extracellular 3D matrices differentially regulate breast cancer cell responses through PI3K and beta1-integrins. BMC Cancer. 2009 Mar 26;9:94. PubMed
Serebriiskii I, Castello-Cros R, Lamb A, Golemis EA, and Cukierman E. Fibroblast-derived 3D matrix differentially regulates the growth and drug-responsiveness of human cancer cells. Matrix Biology. 2008;27:573-585. PubMed


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Thursday, August 15, 2013
Shibuya 4am
I set my alarm for 3:30am this morning!
Was on my mamachari by 3:47am and in Shibuya by 4:03am. I'd always wanted to see what it looked like before the trains start, and as the sun comes up.
It's amazingly fun riding your bike at that hour, taking over just a little too much of the road. Swerving slightly as you gradually wake up. Feeling chuffed that you'd 'caught the early worm'.
From what we could see, some of the popular options to kill time while you wait for the trains to start include karaoke, ticket ramen, or just kicking back on the street (skateboard riding optional).
To add to the ghetto feeling of being in Shibuya at 4am, it seemed to be rubbish day. Collections of discarded objects huddled together in little clusters on each corner.
Stillness just behind 'drink alley'.
There is always the option to just take a nap on a flower bed while you wait for the trains, too.
It was so pretty as the sun started to rise while the night lights were still glistening away.
Love Love
Hello Sandwich
11 comments:
so beautiful ebony! what a great post xxReplyDelete
such lovely photos and my favourite funnily enough is the garbage shot, maybe you could do a book about the prettiness/orderly nature of Japanese rubbish :)ReplyDelete
Awesome post! Makes me want to go exploring at 4am too :)ReplyDelete
ohhhh! sooo good!ReplyDelete
Cool idea for a post! I do love to see those spotless Japanese taxis lined up in low light.ReplyDelete
- JohannaAugust 16, 2013 at 3:24 AM
I love the calm feeling of early mornings but I never thought it can be that relaxed in Shibuya. Thank you for standing up so early to show us this side of it. It was definitely worth it.ReplyDelete
I like the idea of early morning ramen and karaoke.ReplyDelete
Our last day in Tokyo to go to Takayama, we took the 5 train at Shibuya station, not the first one as yours (wow, 4 am!), but it was amazing to see the city waking up :) and that day was after a Halloween party!ReplyDelete
Cycling Tokyo's streets before dawn is great fun. Speeding through an empty Shibuya crossing, viewing Tokyo Tower as the sun comes up or just having a road all to yourself are things that few Tokyo residents ever experience. With less and less time to go cycling out of the city I've been heading into the city in the we hours of the morning for a spot of exploring.ReplyDelete
iinaaaa :) love love looking at photos of tokyo through your lens.ReplyDelete


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Let's be Overcome by the Rich Fresh Wine of June
I found this poem by Marge Piercy. I love how full of imagery and life it is. Fecund and wild. This is how I often feel in the morning, before dawn, watching the sunrise and pondering the day ahead, full of so much.
More Than Enough
by Marge Piercy
The first lily of June opens its red mouth.
All over the sand road where we walk
multiflora rose climbs trees cascading
white or pink blossoms, simple, intense
the scene drifting like colored mist.
The arrowhead is spreading its creamy
clumps of flower and the blackberries
are blooming in the thickets. Season of
joy for the bee. The green will never
again be so green, so purely and lushly
new, grass lifting its wheaty seedheads
into the wind. Rich fresh wine
of June, we stagger into you smeared
with pollen, overcome as the turtle
laying her eggs in roadside sand.