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Empowering Peer Leaders
These 14 individuals form a diverse group of leaders—they have varied backgrounds and experiences, they come from communities across the North Shore, and they each have unique Jewish journeys. They also all have one thing in common. These are individuals who see leadership and peer-to-peer engagement as an important way to create transformational change in our community. Discover their stories below!
Jacob Abbisso, Gann Academy:
Jacob Abbisso is an honor student at Gann Academy, class of 2018. A Co-Director of the Environment Club, Jacob especially enjoys studying science and Hebrew. Since 2008, he has raised money for the Marblehead Animal Shelter and other non-profit organizations as "The Balloon Kid," twisting balloons at childrens' parties and town events and donating his proceeds. Jacob is a graduate of Cohen Hillel Academy, where he received the 2014 Dr. Bennett I. Solomon Memorial Faculty Award for Menschlichkeit. Jacob is an avid fisherman and boater, plays guitar, and practices martial arts. At his temple, Jacob attends Post Confirmation classes and loves being a Madrikh and B'nei Mitzvah/Hebrew tutor. He is excited to share his passion for Judaism as a Sloane Peer Leadership Fellow.
Ben Birnbach, Marblehead High School:
Ben Birnbach is a member of Congregation Shirat Hayam, works as a madrich in its Hebrew school, and went to Israel on the Y2I program. He is a junior at Marblehead High School, where he is involved in the Headlight newspaper club and plays on Marblehead's tennis and soccer teams. Ben loves to ski and fish and is also a poet who has been published twice in the Marble Collection magazine.
Morgan Brodsky, Danvers High School:
Morgan Brodsky is a member of Temple Emanuel in Andover, MA and a sophomore at Danvers High School. At school, she is on the cross-country team along with the indoor and outdoor track teams. She also participates in the Tomorrow's Teachers program and the Student Council and is a member of a Dance Competition Team at Dance Etc. in Middleton. She is in her temple's Confirmation Class and has spent the past seven summers at Camp Pembroke. She enjoys travelling and is looking forward to going to Israel for the second time next summer.
Elise Chigier, The Governor's Academy:
Elise Chigier is a junior at The Governor's Academy in Newbury, MA. There, she is involved in Spectrum, which is an LGBTQ advocacy group. She also trains her peers with the Anti-Defamation League. Over the summer she likes to wakeboard and volunteer wherever she can. She enjoys skiing, drama and theatre tech. She loves dogs and photography, and is a member of Temple Emanuel.
Maya Goldman, Marblehead High School:
Maya Goldman is a member of Congregation Shirat Hayam in Swampscott and travelled to Israel this summer on the 2016 Y2I program. As a junior at Marblehead High School, she is a member of the Rotary International Interact Club and the school's student government. Maya plays JV Field Hockey and runs on the JV Winter and Spring Track teams. Additionally, she loves to dance. She was a part of the Boston Ballet School for six years and began dancing at the age of 3. Maya is looking forward to being a Peer Leadership Fellow and meeting lots of great people!
Samantha Hano, Beverly High School:
Samantha Hano is a junior at Beverly High School. She is involved in several extracurricular activities including Model United Nations and theatrical productions. Samantha also enjoys filmmaking, as well as spending time with friends and family. She is a member of Temple B'nai Abraham in Beverly, MA, and is excited to have the opportunity to be a part of a unique group of teens interested in Jewish community outreach.
Averi Kaplowitch, Marblehead High School:
Averi Kaplowitch spent the summer of 2016 in Israel with Camp Micah, where she has been a camper since 2009. A junior at Marblehead High School, she is involved in Student Government, Best Buddies, Team Harmony, Peer Mediation, and Young Entrepreneurs and has recently been working with the ADL in order to bring the World of Difference program to her school in an effort to educate the student body about combating all forms of hate and discrimination. She enjoys playing tennis with her friends, loves to watch Grey's Anatomy, and is a huge Patriots fan. She can't wait to begin working with the other Sloane fellows!
Daniel Kasten, St. John's Prep:
Daniel Kasten is a student at St. John's Prep in Danvers, where he is a member of the class of 2019. At SJP, he is involved in the Jewish Student Union and Investment Club and also enjoys playing baseball, basketball, Ultimate Disc and golf. He volunteers at the Boys and Girls Club in Salem and all around the North Shore through NSTI. In the summer, he attends Camp Tevya and is a member of Congregation Shirat Hayam in Swampscott, MA. An interesting fact about Daniel was that he was photographed in the Grown Ups 2 movie filmed on the North Shore as a young Adam Sandler look-alike.
Marissa Samuels, Marblehead High School:
Marissa Samuels is a madrikh for Temple Emanu-el and a sophomore at Marblehead High School. There, she is involved in Team Harmony Club and Interact Club and enjoys art and playing tennis.
Michelle Slezinger, Swampscott High School:
Michelle Slezinger is a sophomore honors student at Swampscott High School where she plays on the volleyball team and she is a member of the French Club. She has also been a part of the school chorus for seven years. She is a member of Temple Emanu-el and has been a madricha there for the last four years. Over the summer, she enjoyed being a LIT in Nature's Classroom Adventure Camp.
Rachael Weiss, Swampscott High School:
Rachael Weiss is a member of Chabad of the North Shore in Swampscott and a junior at Swampscott High School. She is involved in the Anti-Bullying Club, the TLC Club, and the Peer Leaders Club and enjoys playing on the tennis team. She spent two weeks this summer traveling around Israel with Y2I and met many new friends from all over the North Shore. She enjoys spending time with her friends, volunteering yearly for Special Olympics, taking care of and riding horses, and listening to music.
Mae-Lou Zaleski, Danvers High School:
Mae-Lou Zaleski is a junior at Danvers High School and a member of Temple B'nai Abraham in Beverly, MA. She is a varsity football and basketball cheerleader, and is also a member of Model UN and SADD. She was adopted from China at the age of one and her current interests include photography and literature.
Emily Zieff, Beverly High School:
Emily Zieff is a sophomore at Beverly High School. She plays clarinet in marching band and concert band, plays piano, and sings. She enjoys reading, writing, and listening to music. Emily is a member of Temple B'nai Abraham in Beverly, MA, and attends URJ 6-Points Sci-Tech Academy in the summer. She is also very passionate about her photography.


text:
Rio Tinto has suspended a senior member of staff following an inquiry into a $10.5m payment made to a consultant on a mining project in West Africa.
The company said it launched an investigation, led by an external counsel, in August 2016 after it discovered email correspondence from 2011 showing "contractual payments" made to a consultant providing "advisory services" on the Simandou scheme in Guinea.
Rio Tinto said energy and minerals chief executive Alan Davies, who had accountability for the Simandou project, had been suspended with immediate effect.
At the same time legal and regulatory affairs group executive Debra Valentine, who had intended to retire in May 2017, has stepped down from her role.
"Based on the investigation to date, Rio Tinto has notified the relevant authorities in the United Kingdom and United States and is in the process of contacting the Australian authorities," said the company.
"Rio Tinto intends to co-operate fully with any subsequent inquiries from all of the relevant authorities. Further comment at this time is therefore not appropriate."
Separately, Rio Tinto has agreed to sell its stake in the Simandou iron ore mine to Chinalco, another stakeholder in the project, for a sum between $1.1bn and $1.3bn.
Rio Tinto has described Simandou as the "largest planned integrated mining and infrastructure development contemplated in Africa", providing access to "one of the world's largest untapped high-grade iron ore resources".
The $20bn project includes a railway, port, access roads and power generation.
"The project has the potential to transform the Guinean economy and bolster the West African nation's global competitiveness as an attractive and stable investment destination," said Rio Tinto.
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subset: commoncrawl


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MusTech.Net Gearing Up For The School Year -New Features
It's always a great time of the year for me and MusTech.Net. As teachers get ready to start their year, I try to post more frequently and more of the things that teachers want and need in their information gathering endeavors. This year is NO different AND I'm going to attempt to add some new features!
Here is what we have in store:
The Monday Morning Music Mix (MMMM) – This has been a long time feature of MusTech.Net and it will continue to bring you the best posts and information to you for your Monday mornings! PLEASE send me pictures of your morning beverages (coffee, tea, etc.). I will post them and give you credit as I get them and use them (seriously, send me some picts!). Use the contact form on MusTech.Net or Tweet me on Twitter (http://twitter.com/pisanojm).
The Music Education Blog Carnival has already re-started and we are nearing the end of the submitting window for the Sept. Edition. Check out our posts about the blog carnival here and here.
Wednesdays will now bring you updates about the latest and hottest conversations on the MusicPLN.org. Not a member yet? Sign up today – it's FREE!
Friday will become Resource Friday and I will be providing the latest links posted to our Music Education Diigo group and others of interest.
The Music Education Blogger Campaign will begin anew and this time there will be no end-date. More information about this coming next month.
The Official Music Educator Twitter's List will continue to be updated and I will be posting an Official Music Educator Google Plus List that consists of members of our Twitter Group and the MusicPLN.org. This one will be one to watch!
Guest Posts – I've decided that I will be accepting at least one student guest article and one outside guest article per month to post on MusTech.Net. This is new and exciting as I rarely accept guests article writers here on MusTech.Net, but I'm ready to give this a try and think it might be a great asset and opportunity for a number of folks! More information about this will be posted toward the end of October.
Finally, podcasts… oh…. podcasts. Last year I teamed up with Keith Mason at MusicTechForMe.com and we only did a few podcasts, but this year, I plan on something a little different, more exciting and more consistent… stay tuned!
I hope you are all excited for a great year; I know I am! Our Grove City Marching Wolverines Band looks great this year and I'm sure my/our Jazz Ensembles will be just as awesome! We will be performing at Walt Disney World in October – the students are pretty jazzed-up about the trip!
…and two, last, "shameless plugs" from me: If you aren't a subscribing member of In-Tune Monthly, please check it out. I write for this magazine and it truly has incredible content that will relate to you and your program. Also, don't forget to check out my new iPad application: A.P.S. MusicMaster Pro – it's one program that you and your students need. You can find out more about it at the A.P.S. Development LLC website (want to really find out about it? check out the video or read the manual).
Again, best wishes for a great school year!
Joseph M. Pisano, Ph.D., is an industry innovator, educator, clinician and lecturer, trumpeter and conductor, and the creator of many music and education websites. He is currently the Vice President of Innovation and Engagement at Keystone Ridge Designs, Inc. After twenty-three years as a professor and administrator in higher education, he made the move into industry in 2018.
As one of the youngest full professors in Grove City's history, he served in many capacities during his tenure including Professor of music, Director of Music and Fine Arts Technology, Technical Director of the Pew Fine Arts Center, Associate/Assistant Chair of Music and Fine Arts, Director of Jazz Studies.
He finished his tenure at the college as the Director of Bands, where he directed the college's Symphonic Concert Band, Wind Ensemble, Marching Band, Pep Band, and various smaller ensembles. He continues to guest direct bands, consult with music programs, and adjudicate ensembles and programs today.
He has been named a TI:ME Teacher of the Year, received the JEN Jazz Educator Award, the PA Citation of Excellence, and named a "member for life" of the PA Intercollegiate Bandmasters Association. He is a past Vice President of the Technology Institute for Music Educators, an associate member of the American Bandmasters Association, a past President of the PA Intercollegiate Bandmasters Association, and a member of various education and music honoraries.
He has written for numerous publications including DCI Magazine, Teaching Music Magazine, SBO, and was the Educational Editor for In-Tune Monthly Magazine for eight years; he has contributed hundreds of articles to various publications.
He is an active conductor, trumpeter, clinician, and educator. Find out more at his website: jpisano.com.


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Headline Performance Measures:
We are delighted to report that for the fourth consecutive year we have secured over 40% of A Level grades at A*- B.
Vocational courses are going from strength to strength, with a 100% pass rate in all BTEC Level 3 courses, including over 85% at Distinction*/Distinction grade.
Increasing numbers of students are choosing to continue their education at university on completion of their studies with us, including Oxbridge universities, and the prestigious Russell Group of universities.
Based on un-validated data from the DfE, our provisional progress measures for 2018 are as follows:
A Level Progress: -0.05
Academic Progress: -0.06
Applied General Progress: +0.17
Progress in English for learners without a C grade: +1.00
Progress in Maths for learners without a C grade: +0.33


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Softball's Savanna Corr has been awarded Sacramento State's Female Individual Performance of the Year. The Chino Hills, Calif., native threw the second perfect game in the softball program's Div. I era (1990-pres.) in a 7-0 win over Fairleigh Dickinson on March 10. Corr retired all 21 batters she faced, and needed just 89 pitches while striking out eight. The effort was part of a stretch that saw Corr retire 27 consecutive batters, which included four shutout innings vs. Pacific on the same day she threw the perfect game. The fourth-year senior also threw a no-hitter in a Big Sky Tournament win over Idaho State, becoming just the sixth Hornet to throw multiple no-hitters in a season during the Div. I era.
Krystal Aubert (Softball) - Aubert was named the USA Softball Collegiate National Player of the Week after helping the Hornets to a 5-0 record during the week of April 15. The first baseman hit .692 (9-for-13) with six runs, four walks, a double, three home runs and eight RBIs over five games. She homered in all three games of a sweep of Big Sky Conference opponent Northern Colorado, and reached base safely in a program-record 11 consecutive plate appearances.
Shilah Bedingfield (Track & Field) - Bedingfield was unbeatable at the Big Sky Conference Outdoor Championships in Missoula. The sophomore finished first in the 200 and 400, and was also part of the team's 4x100 and 4x400 relays which took the top spots. At the meet, she set the school record in both individual events, running a 23.16 in the 200 and 53.02 in the 400. The Hornets' 4x400 relay team produced the fourth fastest time in program history as well.
Kennedy Nicholas (Basketball) - Nicholas dominated in Sacramento State's thrilling 77-76 home win over Southern Utah. The junior forward scored 22 points and collected a career-best 20 rebounds. Nicholas was 10-of-17 from the floor and 10 of her 20 rebounds came on the offensive glass. Rounding out her line, Nicholas added two assists, three blocks and two steals. The 20 rebounds are tied for sixth most in a single game in program history, and are the most by a Hornet since 2016.
Corinne Viden (Golf) - Viden earned her first collegiate victory and set the school record while helping the Hornets to the team title at the Gunrock Invitational. The sophomore shot 69-69-70-208 during the three-round tournament at Del Paso Country Club. Her 54-hole total beat her previous low by 10 stokes and was three strokes better than the former school record. She led all players in the field by playing the par-5 holes at 7-under during the tournament.
June 11 - Female Newcomer of the Year - Ashtin Olin (Volleyball)
June 12 - Male Newcomer of the Year - Benji Kikanovic (Soccer)
June 13 - Female Senior Scholar-Athlete of the Year - Raegen Rohn (Basketball)
June 14 - Male Senior Scholar-Athlete of the Year - Bernardo Moraes (Tennis)
June 17 - Women's Academic Team of the Year - Women's Tennis
June 18 - Men's Academic Team of the Year - Men's Tennis
June 19 - Female Individual Performance of the Year - Savanna Corr (Softball)
June 20 - Male Individual Performance of the Year
June 21 - Biggest Upset Award
June 24 - Hornets Care Award
June 25 - Clutch Play Award
June 26 - Coach of the Year
June 27 - Female Hornet Award
June 28 - Male Hornet Award
July 1 - Team of the Year
July 2 - Female Student-Athlete of the Year
July 3 - Male Student-Athlete of the Year
July 8, 2019 CORR AND LOSBERGS NAMED BIG SKY SCHOLAR-ATHLETES
June 24, 2019 WOMEN'S SOCCER IS WINNER OF THE HORNETS CARE AWARD
April 18, 2019 HORNET FEST OUTDOOR MUSIC FESTIVAL COMING TO CAMPUS APRIL 27
April 11, 2019 HORNET STUDENT-ATHLETES EARN 37 WINTER ALL-ACADEMIC AWARDS
February 18, 2019 SACRAMENTO STATE AWARDED NCAA INNOVATIONS IN RESEARCH AND PRACTICE GRANT
January 24, 2019 HORNET STUDENT-ATHLETES EARN 43 CONFERENCE ALL-ACADEMIC HONORS
November 13, 2018 SACRAMENTO STATE MOURNS THE PASSING OF FORMER COACH, AD CAL BOYES
October 9, 2018 SACRAMENTO STATE ATHLETICS LAUNCHES NEW SPIRIT GROUP - THE SWARM


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Revenge? Gaudy stats? Stanford's Bryce Love has other goals in mind
The sweet nectar of revenge. Isn't that what Stanford is after Friday night against San Diego State, the team that unceremoniously ended the Cardinal's College Football Playoff hopes in Week 3 last year despite a 184-yard rushing performance by Bryce Love.
You'd have to think the team is itching to get back at the Aztecs. So the question was broached to Love during a teleconference this week. Love, being the most elusive back in college football, neatly sidestepped the get-even issue.
"We're just trying to go 1-0 at the end of the day, honestly," he said.
Whatever he does this season and whatever he does in the NFL after that, he's on his way to becoming the country's most quick-footed pediatrician. For a time, the human biology major was torn between healing kids and doing genetic research. Now, after visiting hospitals and seeing how the pros work, he said he's "definitely passionate" about pediatrics.
When he was 5 or 6, he had pneumonia. "I remember pretty vividly having to go to the hospital," he said. "The IVs, the antibiotics — I remember having to take all that." Along with his mother, the doctors made him feel better, he said. "I would say that in my mind they were superheroes, looking out for me."
He hopes to be on the superhero end of the doctor-patient relationship in the future. Maybe some kid will ask him, "Is it true, doctor, that you played football and your teammates called you 'Sweet Feet'?"
He's a couple of classes short of his degree, which he plans to get in December. "I see a light at the end of the tunnel, so to speak."
That would mean he got through Stanford two quarters ahead of time, despite having what amounts to a full-time job as a college football player. Now that's breakaway speed.
No doubt, he'll be a marked man on the field this season. On the other hand, he was a marked man last year too and still raced to a school-record 2,118 yards, many of them on a bum ankle. He's 1,174 yards short of breaking Stepfan Taylor's school career record of 4,300. At last year's pace, he'd pass Taylor around game 7 or 8.
He called Taylor's record "an amazing accomplishment" but added, "I like to think there's no such thing as an individual accomplishment." Beating the record "would be reflective of my team in years past." It would be "a blessing" and "an amazing achievement."
At 5-foot-10, 202 pounds, he's 10 pounds heavier than last year. He's stronger overall, and he paid special attention this offseason to his ankles, after getting one of them wrenched in the Oregon game. He missed the next game against Oregon State and felt the pain to some degree for the remaining six games. He was limited to just 69 yards when he returned against Washington State but surpassed the 100-yard mark every game after that, including 166 against Washington.
Head coach David Shaw said Love has become a more vocal leader, quite a step for a fellow who preferred to leave that job to others for most of his college career.
He doesn't have any individual goals, he insisted. "My mindset is to be the best teammate and best player I can be for the team," he said. "Statistically, last year I didn't have any numbers in my head. Just win as much as we could."
He's anticipating a greater role in the passing game — "opening things up, opening up the running game and using that to open up the passing game, making the matchups tough."
With the help of running backs coach Ron Gould, he said, he understands the whole offense better. "Coach G always preaches that understanding leads to control. Understanding the different block schemes, understanding what we're going to do against certain defenses, why we're going to a certain play — that ultimately helps whoever's out there, me in particular, understand how we're trying to open things up. That makes a big difference in terms of patience, being able to set up blocks."
One area in which he expects to improve is pass protection. He got better at it as the 2017 season went on, but in the second quarter against San Diego State, he failed to pick up two blitzes by cornerback Kameron Kelly. One forced Stanford to punt; the other forced a fumble that erased a possible field goal try at the end of the half.
The main unrealized goal that he referred to when he announced he was coming back rather than entering the NFL draft was a team objective. That, he said, is to get back to the "standard of excellence" that the 2015 Rose Bowl team had.
If last year's team had won the Pac-12 or if he had won the Heisman instead of finishing second to Baker Mayfield, would he have come back? Good question, he said. He said he didn't know.
He doesn't have all the answers yet, but he's working on it.
Tom FitzGerald is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: firstname.lastname@example.com Twitter: @tomgfitzgerald


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Spring Storms19 Apr 2013
- Details
- Written by Super User
Many outcomes are possible across the 'Arab Spring'
Noel Weeks, Professor of history at Sydney University is chairman of MERF Australia.
[Insightful analysis of events in the Middle East by Christian historian, Dr. Noel Weeks is reprinted, with permission from Australian Christian periodical AP]
Anybody who thinks history is irrelevant should follow closely the events consuming many Arab countries at the moment and the attitudes of Western governments and commentators to those events. It can be argued that the West is seeing the events in terms of its own dominant theory of history and ignoring the alternate possibilities.
The Western hailing of the turmoil as a "Spring" flows from reading the movements as democratic with all that connotes in the Western mind: free, progressive, secular. In turn that flows from a theory that sees democracy as the inevitable direction of history. The Arab world is following us in demanding freedom and rights.
[Historical Background]
A little knowledge of history, especially of history as experienced by Arab peoples, might allow other possibilities. And that is not to deny the reality of Western influences in what is happening.
As a start this is not the first movement in living memory which owes something to Western influence. When European imperial powers such as Britain, France and Italy withdrew progressively after World War II from the sections of the Arab world they had dominated, Arab thinkers saw the possibility of the resurgence of Arabic culture and power to the position of influence it had known in the Middle Ages. Coming together in that movement were memories of the former greatness of Arab civilization, the importation of nationalistic ideas from the West and a sense of resentment at the outside powers who had held them in subjection during the age of European empires.
Since the great age of Arab power had been under Islam, that was the model, yet the movement was not sectarian. One of the founders was Michel Aflaq, who was a member of an Arabic-speaking church whose lineage goes all the way back to the church of the Eastern Roman Empire. The aim was to unite Christian and Muslim, Sunni and Shi'ite, in a movement whose characteristics were that it was Arab, non-sectarian and democratic. Hence arose Pan-Arabism, the United Arab Republic and the Ba'ath Party.
What happened to that great dream? Saddam Hussein and the Assad family in Syria were, or are, the remnants of it, claiming Ba'ath affiliation. Yet both represent a form of military dictatorship built around a religious minority. If there is a remnant of the Ba'ath lineage it is in their attitude of toleration to the Christian church. Egypt and Libya were also military dictatorships. The fall of Saddam unleashed a wave of persecution of Christians in Iraq that forced a very large proportion to flee the country. There is a very real prospect that the same could happen in Syria, if Assad falls. There are ominous signs of a similar threat in the new Egypt.
There are unavoidable questions arising from this history. Some actions of the Pan-Arabists may not have pleased some in the West, such as Nasser's nationalization of the Suez Canal, but on the whole its objective was Western-style governments. Why in country after country were they replaced by military dictatorships? Is relatively stable democracy not the future to which all must come, but rather the product of special circumstances?
Looking at countries such as Japan and India, it would be foolish to argue that Christianity is the sole preparation for democracy, but one can argue that it is one such preparation. Of course Western governments and commentators determined on secularization and immorality cannot allow that democracy might need an ethos, for which Christianity is a preparation.
Yet a lapse back into military dictatorship is not the only possibility. The great Arabic culture of the Middle Ages produced a brilliant analysis of the dynamics of the Islamic cultures of western North Africa: The Muqaddimah (Introduction to History) by Ibn Khaldun. He observed that dynasties tended to become corrupt and senile, estranged from the population and oppressive. As that happened so their grip on power slackened until there arose a group united by a purer religious faith. That group would overthrow the old and corrupt dynasty and establish their own, which in turn would eventually succumb to the same cycle.
[Islamic Revolutions]
A prominent British Jewish figure, Lord Jonathan Sacks, has suggested that Ibn Khaldun is a significant influence upon al-Qaeda. A movement motivated by Islam defeated the Russians in Afghanistan and, partly as a consequence of that defeat, Soviet Communism collapsed. Now they are fighting against corrupt Western governments and also against the corrupt regimes which support the West, such as in Saudi Arabia and Yemen.
I have no special insight into the motivations of al-Qaeda, but the significant thing is that the dynamics of that movement conform to the pattern recognized by Ibn Khaldun: a revolutionary movement inspired by a "purer" form of Islam that seeks to overthrow regimes it sees as corrupt and those who support them.
Let us not deny the fact that their view of many Arab governments and particularly of the West as corrupt is plausible. One of the immediate consequences of the Allied attack on Saddam Hussein's Iraq was the flood of pornography unleashed upon the country. Such corruption is symptomatic of the West in the eyes of strict Muslims, and they are not wrong.
Therefore one of the possible consequences of what is happening in the "Arab Spring" is the establishment of Islamicist movements in power. There is evidence that that is what is happening in Libya where one of the first acts of the new regime was to legalize polygamy, which Gaddafi had opposed. It is ironic that this is the country where the West played the greatest role in defeating the old regime.
I spoke previously of Christianity as providing the conditions for successful democracy. One of those preconditions is that the successful party must govern for the good of, and in the interests of, the whole nation; not just of the group which supported it. That flows from God's command to us to do good to all men. That Christian ethos is not commonly accepted. Where sectarian and tribal mentalities prevail the more common thing is to punish the opponents.
A radical Islamic party winning means persecution. In turn that means the party presently in power must use all means to stay in power, knowing that to lose power is a death sentence. Hence the brutality with which the Alawis in Syria and the Sunnis in the Gulf states have clung to power. That is not to approve what has happened there. It is simply asking whether the West has a practical contingency plan, if a change of government in any of those places unleashes a bloodbath.
[Another alternative]
There is another alternative. Many people in these countries do not want Islam, particularly the more legalistic forms of Islam. That may be partly because they have been influenced by Western secularism, but it also flows from experience. Islam is now deeply unpopular in Iran. Hence a great interest in Christianity that at the moment is being held down by political and social pressure. Mass turnings to Christ are a real possibility. Please note that that anticipation is coming from native Christians involved in these countries.
So what will be the outcome of the "Arab Spring"? Military dictatorships, maybe immediately, maybe as a result of attempts at democracy descending into chaos? Or radical Islamic regimes opposed to the church, to the West and to forms of Islam that are not their form; hence persecution and mass migrations such as has happened with Christians from Iraq as a result of the bungled Western attack? Or revival of the church and turning to Christ whether directly or in reaction to legalistic Islam? Maybe an Islam-wide war of Sunni against Shi'ite with stupid Western governments taking sides? We simply do not know what will happen and all these outcomes are quite possible in different places. Personally, I would put Western-style democracies as lowest on the list of possibilities.


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Tahoe real estate: Chase International names top agents of 2016
INCLINE VILLAGE, Nev. — Chase International recently recognized its top Lake Tahoe area agents of 2016.
Brent Johnson of the South Lake Tahoe office was named agent of the year. Johnson, a South Lake Tahoe native, sold $58.3 million in sales volume.
Paul Windt of the Zeyphr Cove office was named the top referral agent in the region, and South Lake Tahoe's Peter Erdody was recognized as top rookie.
Katrine Watson was the top listing agent (in volume) with more than $52 million in listings. Watson works out of the company's Tahoe City office.
In addition to being named agent of the year, Johnson's achievements made him the top listing agent in units, units sold, and volume sold, as well as top sales agent in both units and volume.
This article was provided by Chase International. Visit http://www.chaseinternational.com to learn more.


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Dean Black who was Commanding Officer of 403 Squadron is an avid reader of this blog.
He first started the KH Game and he inspects every picture I post on this blog…
I see a KH-W in the background. This is the first of W that I can recall! Hooray!
LCol (Ret) Dean C. Black


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Fertilizer for Okra
Anonymous added on April 14, 2011 | Answered
What fertilizer mixture do I need for growing okra in east Texas sandy soil?
Certified GKH Gardening Expert
Certified GKH Gardening Expert
Answered on April 14, 2011
Compost would make a great fertilizer for growing okra or you could use a balanced commercial organic fertilizer.
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Udacity is developing a new nanodegree on cybersecurity
It's no secret that cybersecurity experts are in increasing demand, and Udacity has responded to the state of affairs by developing a new nanodegree focused on cybersecurity. The full details are not available quite yet, but small hints are available on their official website.
According to the Department of Labour, the demand for information security analysts is estimated to grow 28% from 2016 to 2026.
Udacity reports having trained around 10,000 artificial intelligence engineers already, and at this point, thousands of students are actively enrolled in their courses on data analysis and artificial intelligence.
The paid courses are not the only ones their interactive platform allows you to access; there are free ones as well. All in all, Udacity claims some 8 million students, and around 30,000 have graduated from their nanodegree programs.
The company is known for developing courses on the industry's most sought-after fields, which also include:
– Vehicle systems
– Big data
– Artificial intelligence
Sebastian Thrun is the man behind the name. Apart from being the founder of Udacity, he's also the CEO of Kittyhawk Corp., a flying vehicle startup. Upon its first launch, Udacity was focused on releasing massive open online courses, but nowadays, the focus mostly lies on credentialed skill development. They are collaborating with big names in the industry, including Microsoft, Amazon, Google, Nvidia, Mercedes-Benz, and the like.
There's also an opportunity to contribute to the development of the course, as Udacity is searching for partners for the new cybersecurity program.


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The Spy Gone North - Full Movie Watch Online, Download and Stream HD
The Spy Gone North
This, however, is not a snapshot of that much-documented moment when Kim Jong-un and Moon Jae-in met over the military demarcation line Warfighter at Panmunjom last month. Instead, it is the final scene of The Spy Gone North, a South Korean espionage thriller which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival on Saturday.
Director Yoon Jong-bin's film is based on the life of a real South Korean secret agent who infiltrated the North's political elite in the 1990s to uncover In the Aisles details of PYoonyang's nuclear programme. It goes beyond its suspense-driven source material to offer a remarkably timely tale championing rapprochement over confrontation.
While The Spy Gone North revolves mainly around the battle of wits between protagonists from the North and South, it veers away from the usual historical narrative by Blessed Madness having the two characters – a South Korean spy played by Hwang Jung-min and a North Korean official played by Lee Sung-min – establishing some kind of rapport as the story unfolds.
Views: 8613
Director: Jong-bin Yoon
Actors: Cho Jin-woong, Hwang Jung-min, Ju Ji-hoon, Ki Joo-bong, Kim Hong-pa, Lee Hyori, Lee Sung-min
Country: South Korea
Duration: 137 min
Release: 2018
IMDb: 6.8


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Hotline hearts Free Energy: At the start of the year I was on FNX Radio's morning show and listed a few relatively unknown bands I thought were going to break through in 2010. While Beach House and Yeasayer have made me proud so far, I'm still waiting for Lissy Trulllie to shine through (we'll revisit her in the summer after producer Bernard Butler wraps up her debut album).
But another pick, Philadelphia rock n' roll bandits Free Energy, are stating to make some riff-waves and the DFA Records product hits the Middle East in Cambridge on May 26. Attendance is mandatory.
The band's James Murphy-produced debut album "Stuck On Nothing" was released digitally last month, but gets the brick-and-mortar treatment through DFA and Astralwerks on May 4. Predictably, Free Energy's cowbell-loving party-anthem vibe went over well at SXSW a few weeks back, and the tour dates below are sure to spread the band's summer love juice across the States. Crack a cold one and peep the full tour itinerary after video of Free Energy's St. Patrick's Day performance on David Letterman:
Free Energy US Spring Tour Dates
04/21: Rochester, NY @ Bug Jar
04/22: Detroit, MI @ Magic Stick Café
04/23: Chicago, IL @ Beauty Bar
04/25: Minneapolis, MN @ Triple Rock
04/26: Madison, WI @ Annex
04/27: West Liberty, IA @ Secrest 1883 Octogonal Barn*
04/28: Milwaukee, WI @ Turner Hall Ballroom*
04/29: Lake Geneva, WI @ Knotty Pines Farm*
04/30: Monticiello, IL @ Kalyx Center*
05/01: Maquoketa, IL @ Codfish Hollow Barn*
05/14: Lewiston, ME @ Bates College
05/26: Boston, MA @ The Middle East Downstairs +
05/27: Hamden, CT @ Space +
05/28: Philadelphia, PA @ The First Unitarian Church +
05/29: New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom +
06/01: Chapel Hill, NC @ Local 506 +
06/02: Charlotte, NC @ Snug Harbor +
06/04: Jacksonville, FL @ Jackrabbits +
06/05: Tampa, FL @ Crowbar #
06/06: St. Paul, MN @ The Grand Old Day Festival
06/06: Orlando FL @ Backbooth #
06/08: Birmingham, AL @ Bottletree +
06/09: Nashville, TN @ The Exit In +
06/10: Bloomington, IN @ The Bluebird +
* = Daytrotter Presents: Barnstormer III
+ = w/ Jukebox The Ghost
# = Jukebox The Ghost solo dates
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Breakout 2k10: Free Energy @ Mid East in May
Posted by Michael Marotta at 1:25 PM
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South Florida Attractions
Discover Hollywood Beach and the local area with our list of top attractions and activities. Nestled between Miami and Fort Lauderdale, we're ideally positioned for exploring the whole of South Florida.
Gulfstream Park Racing & Casino
A world-class entertainment venue featuring a race track, casino, shopping and dining.
- Less than 10 minutes' drive from the hotel
- Thrilling race track with a full calendar of race events
- Daily casino tournaments, live action poker and slot machines
- Over 20 restaurants and bars
- 20 shops and boutiques
Hard Rock Stadium
Home to NFL's Miami Dolphins, Orange Bowl, the Miami Open tennis tournament and the Miami Hurricanes.
- Less than 20 minutes' drive from the hotel
- A multi-purpose football stadium and events venue
- Luxury experiences and premium seating packages
- Live music venue for world-famous performers
Las Olas Boulevard
A popular thoroughfare in Fort Lauderdale, interlaced with canals and waterfront homes, featuring a variety of bars, nightclubs, entertainment and shopping.
- Less than 25 minutes' drive from the hotel
- One of South Florida's premier shopping destinations
- Over 50 restaurants and bars
- A full calendar of events, fairs and celebrations
Downtown Hollywood
Explore the many sidewalk cafés, boutiques, shops, art galleries and restaurants in Downtown Hollywood.
- Minutes from the beach and 15 minutes from the hotel
- A pedestrianized, friendly vibe
- Festivals, street markets, and entertainment
- Over 100 restaurants and bars
South Beach
One of South Florida's trendiest destinations, with a glamorous beach scene, fashionable nightclubs and top restaurants.
- Around 40 minutes' drive from the hotel
- Celebrity-chef restaurants
- Art deco historic district
- High-end boutiques
- Vibrant bar and clubbing scene
- A wealth of culture and museums


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Centipede Control in New Jersey, New York City, Philadelphia, Connecticut, and Delaware
What Do Centipedes Look Like?
Size: The house centipede ranges from 1 to 1 1/2 inches (25 to 38 mm) in length. Including the length of their antennae and hind legs, centipedes may appear as long as 3 or 4 inches (76 to 102 mm).
Color: House centipedes are dark yellow in color with a trio of dark, longitudinal stripes on the body. Their legs are patterned with alternating dark and light stripes.
Characteristics: In general, centipedes are easily identified by their long, flat bodies and numerous legs. The black lines that run down the back of the house centipede also serve as a distinguishing characteristic. Additionally, the last pair of hind legs on an adult female are approximately twice the length of the body.
Call for service: (800) 768-6109
- Though their name implies that they have 100 legs, centipedes actually only possess a pair of legs per body segment for an approximate total of 30.
- While thousands of species exist, only the house centipede tends to wander into homes.
- Even though centipedes are not particularly destructive, many people fear the fast-moving and intimidating-looking creatures. As such, centipedes are considered a nuisance pest.
What Do Centipedes Eat?
Centipedes feed on a range of pest insects. Their diet consists of:
- Silverfish
- Firebrats
- Flies
- Carpet beetle larvae
- Spiders
- Various small arthropods
Adult centipedes live for approximately one year. In their lifetime, female house centipedes will lay a maximum of 150 eggs in damp soil during the spring and summer.
Stages of Life
Developing by way of complete metamorphosis, the arthropods pass through an egg, larval and nymphal stage before reaching adulthood.
Immature centipedes undergo 10 instars that cause their bodies to grow to accommodate additional pairs of legs. Adults overwinter in warm, moist places.
- Vegetation: May notice adult centipedes in gardens, around house plants or near other sources of vegetation.
- Darkness: Often found in basements and other dark areas.
- Moisture: Look for centipedes around sources of moisture, such as leaky pipes, drains and bathrooms.
Problems Caused by Centipedes
- Panic: Despite the ecological benefits they provide by preying on insects and other pests, centipedes often cause psychological distress for the occupants of the homes they invade due to their disturbing appearance and darting motions.
- Nuisance: For this reason, pest control professionals regard the arthropod as a nuisance pest and will take action to remove the creature from homes, if necessary.
Signs of Infestation
- Food Sources: Centipedes are solitary creatures that rarely invade homes in large numbers unless the structure is already infested with other pests that the arthropods typically prey upon.
- Moisture: Therefore, if several adult centipedes are spotted around house plants or in basements, crawl spaces and other moist locations, a different and more pressing infestation usually exists somewhere in the home.
Prevention Tips
Since centipedes are secondary pests that enter structures to pursue sources of food, prevention should center on making homes and buildings less favorable to prey like carpet beetles, flies, cockroaches and similar insects.
- Traps: Sticky traps can help determine which pests are attracting the invading centipedes.
- Habitats: Any sites that make ideal centipede habitats should be modified or eliminated.
- Exclusion: Caulk cracks in concrete slabs and block walls. Seal the covers to sump pumps.
- Moisture: Reduce humidity levels by grading the soil around the building to facilitate water movement. In particularly dire situations, the use of dehumidifiers may prove helpful.
Tips for Removal from Home
Should they be removed?
While centipedes in yards or gardens should be left alone, the ones that move indoors may require the attention of a professional pest management specialist.
Call an expert
Pest management professionals have the appropriate certifications and licenses to apply all the necessary pesticide sprays and dusts. Homeowners unfamiliar with pest management processes should not attempt to apply over-the-counter products without proper training or assistance.
Learn more about Western's comprehensive Home Pest Control Plans.
Call for service: (800) 768-6109


text: Phuket weather very much fits the image of a tropical island: a mix of hot sunny days and steamy rainy days. Phuket is found 870 kilometres north of the equator, with average temperatures during the year varying by only a few degrees. Whether you visit in March, June or December, it's


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Virtue signalling is the conspicuous expression of moral values.[1] The term was first used in signalling theory, to describe any behavior that could be used to signal virtue—especially piety among the religious.[2] In recent years, the term has become more commonly used as a pejorative by commentators to criticize what they regard as empty or superficial support of certain political views, and also used within groups to criticize their own members for valuing appearance over action.[3][4]
In signalling theory
In evolutionary biology, signalling theory is a body of theoretical work examining communication between organisms. It is concerned with honest signals. For example, a peacock's tail is an honest signal of his fitness, since a less fit peacock would only be able to produce a less spectacular tail.
Similarly, signalling is considered in economics. A bank with impressive architecture signals its greater financial soundness than a bank with less impressive architecture. Candidates whose qualifications include those not strictly necessary signal to employers possession of abilities greater than those of applicants with lesser qualifications.[5]
Religion may have arisen to increase and maintain cooperation among group members,[6] and costly religious rituals look paradoxical in both evolutionary and economic terms, but when signalling is considered, such costly public rituals act as hard-to-fake signs of commitment.[7] Such behavior is sometimes described as "virtue signalling".[2]
Pejorative usage
In the late-2000s, many users on internet forums and social media gave "virtue-signalling" a pejorative sense when they denounced such empty acts of public commitment to unexceptionable good causes as changing Facebook profile pictures to support a cause, participating in the Ice Bucket Challenge, offering thoughts and prayers after a tragedy, celebrity speeches during award shows, and politicians pandering to constituents on ideological issues.[4]
Lexicographer Orin Hargraves says that the term stems from social media, which removes barriers to broadcasting sentiments. Hargraves links the term to the "-shaming" category of neologisms, such as "prayer-shaming", which can have an opposite meaning to virtue signalling. Merriam-Webster editor Emily Brewster described it as an academic-sounding counterpart to "humblebrag", a term coined by Harris Wittels in 2010.[4]
The blog LessWrong discussed the underlying concept as early as February 2009.[8][9]
On June 22, 2014, a comment posted on a PJ Media article used the term "Virtue Signalling" to describe several articles critical of a piece by George Will about the US Federal government's reactions to claims of on-campus rape.[10]
An article by The Boston Globe mistakenly cited a usage from 2004.[4][10][a]
In April 2015, writing in The Spectator, British author James Bartholomew used the term to describe public, empty gestures intended to convey socially approved attitude without any associated risk or sacrifice.[11] Bartholomew specifically criticized in-store advertising at Whole Foods Market where a picture of a mother carrying her child on her shoulders under the caption "VALUES MATTER...We are part of a growing consciousness that is bigger than food—one that champions what's good."[12][13][14] He stated that "This a particularly blatant example of the increasingly common phenomenon of what might be called 'virtue signalling'—indicating that you are kind, decent and virtuous."[12] He also applied the phrase to several other media, academic, and political figures.[12] According to Bartholomew, virtue signalling can be either declarations of support, or declarations of hate towards negative things, as a way to hide self-aggrandizing intentions of the signal.[15][11][3]
In a later article, Bartholomew incorrectly claimed to have invented the phrase.[16] Bartholomew's claims have been challenged by The Boston Globe[4] and The Guardian, although both credited Bartholomew with popularizing the term.[3]
Adam Smith Institute Executive Director Sam Bowman opined that the meaning of the term popularised by James Bartholomew misuses the concept of signalling and encourages lazy thinking.[5] In The Guardian, Zoe Williams suggested the phrase was the "sequel insult to champagne socialist",[17] while fellow Guardian writer David Shariatmadari says that while the term serves a purpose, its overuse as an ad hominem attack during political debate has rendered it a meaningless political buzzword.[3]
Helen Lewis, writing for the New Statesman, blamed virtue signalling for the Labour Party's defeat in the 2015 general election, suggesting that the desire to be seen as holding virtuous opinions leads political activists to focus on issues such as nuclear disarmament that are lofty and remote to common voters, resulting in an echo chamber effect that led Labour strategists to underestimate support for Conservative policies.[18]
See also
- Activism 2.0
- Armchair revolutionary
- Armchair warrior
- Concern troll
- Dog-whistle politics
- Hypocrisy
- Moral superiority (disambiguation)
- Political correctness
- Race card
- Self-licensing
- Self-righteousness
- Shy Tory Factor
- Slacktivism
- Social desirability bias
- Social justice warrior
- Tribalism
- Watching-Eye Effect
- ^ The Boston Globe cited an etymology blog Wordspy,[4] which cited a post to internet forum Something Awful.[10] This post was made in 2015, but the author of the post registered an account in 2004, which Wordspy misinterpreted to be the date of the post.
- ^ "virtue signalling - Definition of virtue signalling in English by Oxford Dictionaries". Oxford Dictionaries - English. Retrieved 26 October 2017.
- ^ a b Bulbulia, Joseph; Schjoedt, Uffe (2010). "Religious Culture and Cooperative Prediction under Risk: Perspectives from Social Neuroscience". Religion, Economy, and Cooperation. pp. 37–39. ISBN 3110246333.
- ^ a b c d Shariatmadari, David (January 20, 2016). "Virtue-signalling – the putdown that has passed its sell-by date". The Guardian. Retrieved 2016-04-11.
- ^ a b c d e f Peters, Mark (December 25, 2015). "Virtue signaling and other inane platitudes". Boston Globe. Retrieved 2016-04-11.
- ^ a b Bowman, S. (2016) Stop Saying 'Virtue Signalling' blog post for the Adam Smith Institute
- ^ Steadman, L.; Palmer, C. (2008). The Supernatural and Natural Selection: Religion and Evolutionary Success. Paradigm.
- ^ Irons, W. (2001) Religion as a hard-to-fake sign of commitment, in The Evolution of Commitment, Randolph Nesse (ed.) New York: Russell Sage Foundation, 292–309.
- ^ Yudkowsky, Eliezer (February 17, 2009). "Cynical About Cynicism". LessWrong.
If people are trying to signal virtue through their beliefs, then a rationalist may have to advocate contrasting beliefs that don't signal virtue.
- ^ Eliezer Yudkowsky (March 20, 2009). "Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate". LessWrong.
...trying to signal their cynical sophistication or something.
- ^ a b c Paul McFedries. "Virtue Signalling". Word Spy.
- ^ a b Hobbs, Julia (17 February 2017). "What Is Virtue Signalling? And Should We Feel Bad About Doing It?". Vogue (UK edition). Retrieved 5 October 2017.
- ^ a b c Bartholemew, James (April 18, 2015). "The awful rise of 'virtue signalling'". Spectator. Retrieved 2016-04-11.
- ^ "Values Matter". Whole Foods Market. October 20, 2014.
- ^ "Whole Foods Market launches first-ever national campaign". Whole Foods Market. October 20, 2014.
- ^ Ambrosino, Brandon (31 August 2016). "The Politics of Kindness in 2016". JSTOR Daily. Retrieved 5 October 2017.
- ^ Bartholemew, James (October 10, 2015). "I invented 'virtue signalling'. Now it's taking over the world". The Spectator. Retrieved 2016-04-11.
- ^ Williams, Zoe (April 10, 2016). "Forget about Labour's heartland – it doesn't exist". The Guardian. Retrieved 2016-04-11.
- ^ Lewis, Helen (July 22, 2015). "The echo chamber of social media is luring the left into cosy delusion and dangerous insularity". New Statesman. Retrieved 2016-04-15.


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Walker Edison Furniture Company Grey Rattan Outdoor Dining
This image gallery named as Walker Edison Furniture Company Grey Rattan Outdoor Dining might be ideal solution for your decoration. As the author has insert this image into Rattan Outdoor Dining Chairs post section, would ease you to find the perfect match of you decor desire.
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Reduce the Things That Put On Bathroom Floor: The wall cabinets with towel bar could give your floor wider because it places on the wall. It's possible to use the walker edison furniture company grey rattan outdoor dining comfortably. But what do you think about the wall cabinets with towel bar? It is extremely useful items, isn't it? You can start to put as optional and solution of your narrow outdoor chair. Let us begin to use the chair wall cabinets with towel bar!
Your toilet can function as the storage also. There'll always be empty space right over the outdoor chair. It may be the wonderful idea to consider it as the spot to include customized shelf. Well, if that distance is fairly limited for large things, it can be the location to store extra chair papers and towels too. Spices rack can be the next choice you should attempt. The rack can store your makeup directly next to the sink. If you do not have the space to put the towel, you can put in the hardware to the door and use it for towel rack as the little chair wall cupboard.


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Secretary of Interior Dirk Kempthorne lists polar bears as threatened
Kempthorne said the listing will be accompanied by administrative guidance and a rule that defines the scope of impact my decision will have, in order to protect the polar bear while preventing unintended harm to the society and economy of the United States.
Kempthorne said the decision is based on three findings: That sea ice is vital to polar bear survival; that polar bear sea-ice habitat has dramatically melted; and that computer models suggest sea ice is likely to further recede in the future.
Because polar bears are vulnerable to this loss of habitat, they are, in my judgment, likely to become endangered in the foreseeable future in this case 45 years. The ESA defines endangered as a species in danger of extinction and threatened as a species likely to become endangered in the foreseeable future.
Kempthorne said he has accepted the science presented by the Fish and Wildlife Service and by the U.S. Geological Survey and has also accepted these professionals best scientific and legal judgments that the loss of sea ice, not oil and gas development or subsistence activities, are the reason the polar bear is threatened.
He noted that polar bears are already protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, which has more stringent protections for polar bears than the Endangered Species Act does. The oil and gas industry, he said, has been operating in the Arctic under the MMPA for decades in compliance with these stricter protections.
Kempthorne said while listing the polar bear can reduce avoidable losses of the bears, it should not open the door to use the ESA to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from automobiles, power plants and other sources.
ESA is not the right tool to set U.S. climate policy. To make sure the ESA is not misused to regulate global climate change, Fish and Wildlife will propose what is known as a 4(d) rule that states that if an activity is permissible under the stricter standards imposed by the Marine Mammal Protection Act, it is also permissible under the Endangered Species Act with respect to the polar bear. That rule takes effect immediately, he said.
Guidance will also be issued to Fish and Wildlife Service staff that the best scientific data available today cannot make a causal connection between harm to listed species or their habitats and greenhouse gas emissions from a specific facility, or resource development project, or government action.
He also said that ESA regulatory language needs to be clarified, and said the department will propose common-sense modifications to the existing regulation to provide greater certainty that this listing will not set backdoor climate policy outside our normal system of political accountability.
Note: See story in May 18 issue of Petroleum News, available to subscribers online at noon, Friday, May 16, at www.PetroleumNews.com.


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Knowledge is power!
That's why we've put together some great resources to make you a smarter, stronger, and more confident bicyclist. You can find tips on basic repairs, gearing up, picking a route, and all sorts of other stuff. So what are you waiting for - start your quest for inner peace and enlightenment right here with our Brilliant Bicyclist Tips:
- Tips for new riders
- Tips for occasional riders
- Tips for regular riders
- Tips for riding to work
- Tips for buying a bike
- Basic bike maintenance tips
Year-Round Bike Tips
With 300 days of sunshine, one can get in a bike ride any month of the year in Boulder. If you are just getting committed to bike commuting, consider attending one of the fix-a-flat workshops and other sessions held by Community Cycles.
It's always good to check out your bike before you ride. If you aren't familiar with the ABC Quick Check, learn more here.
Bike and Bus
If your ride is too long or you want to only bike one way, you still have options!
Bus-Bike Shelters provided by Boulder County give you the opportunity to leave your bike in downtown Boulder, at 30th and Iris, the Table Mesa Park and Ride, or downtown Longmont. Store your bike so it's available when you ride the bus to that location. Visit the link to learn how you can get your card.
If you want to bring your bike on RTD, you can learn more about access and racks here! All of RTD's buses have front racks which can carry two bikes. Bikes may also be stored underneath on regional buses. And light rail lets your roll your bike right onto the train! It's a great way to extend your range.
And don't forget what a great option riding a B-Cycle is. With stations in Boulder and Denver, you can use their bikes for trips of 30 minutes or less. With great daily and monthly rates, B-Cycle is a great way to roll.
Shop Talk
Boulder Bicycle Works - http://www.boulderbicycleworks.com
2888 Bluff St. Boulder, CO 80301 (across from RallySport Fitness Club) 720.287.2884
Has your bike been sitting in the garage too long? Is your chain stretched or your cables too tight? Bring your bike to Boulder Bicycle Works, mention the Love to Ride June Bike Week Challenge and get a $40 tuneup. Parts not included. Call or come by to schedule your tuneup.
Republic Cycles -http://www.republiccyclesboulder.com2626 Baseline Road (Basemar Shopping Center) 303-413-0228
If you haven't ridden your bike in the last year and you aren't sure what it might need, you can bring it by Republic Cycles for a free safety check. Normally a $15 value, just mention the June Bike Week Challenge to have your bike checked over by the friendly and experienced staff at Elevation.
Community Cycles - http://communitycycles.org
2805 Wilderness Pl, Boulder, CO 80301
Do you work on your own bike? Looking for a refurbished bike? Come by Community Cycles during the June Bike Week Challenge for 10% off used parts and bikes. Just mention the challenge when you visit the shop.


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Ronald Louis Trory
Ronald Louis Trory, formerly of Winchester, passed away peacefully on May 1, 2009. He was 95.
He was the beloved husband of Edna, and the loving father of Jean, Roger and Christopher.
His body has been donated to the University of Ottawa, School of Anatomy for medical research.
His family gratefully thank the staff at Longfields Manor for their warmth and caring in his final years.


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Purpose: To evaluate the maximum tolerated dose (MTD), dose-limiting toxicities (DLT), and pharmacokinetics of eribulin mesylate (E7389), a halichondrin B analogue, administered every 21 days in patients with advanced solid tumors.
Experimental Design: Eribulin mesylate was given as a 1-hour infusion every 21 days at doses of 0.25, 0.5, 1, 2, 2.8, and 4 mg/m2. The MTD was identified using an accelerated titration design. The pharmacokinetics of eribulin were evaluated in the plasma and urine with the first dose.
Results: Twenty-one patients were enrolled. At 4 mg/m2, three patients experienced a DLT of febrile neutropenia on day 7. The dose level was reduced to 2.8 mg/m2 where two of three patients experienced dose-limiting febrile neutropenia. Six additional patients were enrolled at 2 mg/m2 (seven patients in total received this dose) and one of these patients experienced a neutropenic DLT. The MTD of eribulin mesylate was therefore 2 mg/m2. Nonhematologic toxicities included alopecia, fatigue, anorexia, and nausea. Pharmacokinetic analysis showed linear kinetics for eribulin over the dose range studied and a terminal half-life of 2 days. The plasma-concentration-time profile exhibited a rapid distribution phase followed by a slow elimination phase. Drug clearance was nonrenal. One patient with non–small cell lung cancer achieved an unconfirmed partial response and 12 patients had stable disease.
Conclusions: Eribulin mesylate administered as a 1-hour infusion every 21 days has a manageable toxicity profile at 2 mg/m2, with further dose escalation limited by neutropenia.
- eribulin
- halichondrin B
- phase I
Translational Relevance
Several tubulin-targeted agents are approved for the treatment of cancer. However, these agents are often associated with neuropathy and/or hypersensitivity reactions. Newer agents with improved safety profiles are needed. Eribulin mesylate (E7389) is a nontaxane microtubule dynamics inhibitor with a novel mechanism of action. Preclinical studies have shown that eribulin is a potent inhibitor of proliferation of several human cancer cell types in vitro and in vivo, including breast, colon, prostate, and melanoma. This phase I study evaluated the pharmacokinetics, maximum tolerated dose, toxicity profile, and antitumor activity of eribulin administered as a 1-hour infusion every 21 days. Eribulin showed a manageable tolerability profile with no instances of infusion-related reactions. Such characteristics are potentially advantageous over currently approved tubulin-targeted drugs. The results of phase III trials of eribulin in metastatic breast cancer are awaited. Eribulin represents a potential addition to the chemotherapy armamentarium for patients with cancer.
Eribulin mesylate (E7389) is a nontaxane microtubule dynamics inhibitor that is a structurally simplified, synthetic analogue of the marine natural product halichondrin B, which was originally isolated from Halichondria okadai (1–4). Eribulin consists of the macrocyclic ketone analogue of the biologically active C1-C38 moiety of halichondrin B and, like the natural product, inhibits tumor cell proliferation by induction of G2-M cell cycle arrest, disruption of microtubule polymerization, and initiation of apoptosis (2, 5–7). Eribulin inhibits microtubule dynamics through a novel mechanism distinct from those of other tubulin-targeted agents; it suppresses microtubule polymerization, exhibits no effect on microtubule depolymerization, and sequesters tubulin into nonfunctional aggregates (6, 8).
Preclinical studies show that eribulin is a potent inhibitor of proliferation in several cancer cell lines in vitro, including breast, colon, prostate, and melanoma (mean IC50 of 1.8 nmol/L; range 0.09-9.5 nmol/L), with potencies superior to those of vinblastine or paclitaxel in most cell lines examined (2). In vivo, eribulin has antitumor activity against a variety of human tumor xenografts, including melanoma, breast, ovarian, and colon cancer (2). In addition, eribulin inhibits in vivo tumor growth in taxane-resistant PTX10 and PTX22 human ovarian cancer cell lines, whose resistance is based on mutations in β-tubulin (9). These findings, combined with the novel effects on microtubule dynamics, suggest that eribulin has potential for a unique spectrum of clinical activity compared with other microtubule-targeting agents.
The aims of this phase I study were to determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD), dose-limiting toxicities (DLT), and pharmacokinetics of eribulin when administered as a 1-h i.v. infusion once every 21 days to patients with advanced solid tumors. In preclinical studies, eribulin was evaluated as a slow i.v. bolus or a 1-hour i.v. infusion (10, 11). The tolerability of eribulin given as an i.v. infusion, as opposed to a slow i.v. bolus, was explored because other tubulin-targeting drugs are given over extended times (paclitaxel over 3 hours and docetaxel over 1 hour). Additionally, as other microtubule inhibitors are given at extended intervals, the schedule used in this study allows for potential combination with other agents that are given every 21 days.
Patients and Methods
Eligibility criteria. Patients ages ≥18 y were eligible if they had a histologically or cytologically confirmed diagnosis of an advanced solid tumor, measurable disease, progression following standard therapy (or a tumor for which no standard therapy exists), received no more than two prior chemotherapy regimens for metastatic disease, a Karnofsky Performance Status of ≥70%, and a life expectancy of ≥3 months. Requirements for adequate organ function included an absolute neutrophil count of ≥1,500/μL, platelets ≥100,000/μL, creatinine ≤1.5 mg/dL, total bilirubin ≤1.5 mg/dL, and aspartate transaminase and alanine transaminase ≤2 times the upper limit of normal. Patients were excluded if they had received chemotherapy within 3 wk of eribulin treatment (6 wk for nitrosoureas) or significant comorbid conditions. Patients were not permitted to use medications metabolized by CYP3A4 or potent inhibitors or inducers of CYP3A4 (eribulin is a CYP3A4 substrate; ref. 12), or therapeutic doses of anticoagulants. Prophylactic use of antiemetics, antidiarrheals, and antiallergic measures, such as corticosteroids and antihistamines, were permitted. Prophylactic use of filgrastim, pegfilgrastim, and erythropoietin were permitted after the first treatment cycle. The protocol was approved by the institutional review board at each participating institution. All patients gave written informed consent before treatment.
Study design and treatment. This was a phase I, open-label, two-center study of eribulin mesylate administered as a 1-h infusion every 21 d. The starting dose level was 0.25 mg/m2, and planned subsequent dose levels were 0.35, 0.5, 0.7, 1, 1.4, 2, 2.8, 4, 5.6, and 8 mg/m2 (doses given are for the eribulin mesylate salt). The starting dose was chosen based on the findings of the first phase I study of eribulin (13) and was one dose level lower than the dose at which grade 3 toxicity occurred.
Dose escalation was conducted using a two-stage design based on design 3B of Simon et al. (14). In the accelerated stage, the dose was escalated among cohorts consisting of at most one patient per study site (provided that the second patient was enrolled no later than 1 wk after the first patient) in steps of two dose levels until either a patient experienced a single DLT or two patients experienced grade 2 toxicity (cumulative across all dose levels and cycles). Intrapatient dose escalation was permitted (with a maximum of one dose escalation per patient) once another patient was observed for at least 1 mo after treatment with the higher dose. The nonaccelerated stage commenced at one dose level above the highest dose administered in the accelerated stage and involved cohorts of at least three patients. Dose escalation was terminated when two or more patients experienced a DLT at a given dose level. Patients continued to receive eribulin until they no longer received clinical benefit, had progressive disease, or experienced unacceptable toxicity. The MTD was defined as the highest dose at which no more than one of six patients evaluable for toxicity experienced a DLT. At least six patients were to be treated at the MTD.
Eribulin was supplied by Eisai Medical Research, Inc., as an injectable solution in 1-mL vials containing 500 μg/mL of eribulin mesylate in ethanol/water. The drug solution was diluted with 4 mL of 0.9% sodium chloride to provide a 5-mL solution of 100 μg/mL and administered with a syringe pump as a 1-h infusion.
Clinical assessments. A medical history and demographic data were collected at screening (days −14 to 0). A physical examination and laboratory tests (including a complete blood count with differential, chemistry, and urinalysis) were done at screening and on days 1, 8, and 15 every cycle and at least 30 d after study completion. An electrocardiogram was obtained at baseline and at study completion. Imaging of involved cancer sites was done within 4 wk of enrollment and every 6 wk. Response was assessed using Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (15).
Adverse events (AE) were evaluated and graded using the National Cancer Institute Common Toxicity Criteria, version 2.0. Serious AEs were defined as any untoward medical occurrence that resulted in death, or was life-threatening, required hospitalization, resulted in persistent or significant disability/incapacity, or was a congenital abnormality/birth defect. A DLT was defined during cycle 1 (and cycle 2 if the patient had undergone intrapatient dose escalation) as grade 4 neutropenia not reversible to grade 3 or less within 5 d without the use of growth factors; febrile neutropenia; neutropenia associated with bacteremia or sepsis; grade 4 thrombocytopenia or grade 3 thrombocytopenia accompanied by clinically significant bleeding; or grade 3 or higher nonhematologic toxicity excluding untreated nausea, vomiting, or tumor flare/lysis.
Pharmacokinetic sampling and analysis. Blood plasma samples for pharmacokinetics were collected during cycle 1 predose and at 15, 30, 60, 65, 70, 90, and 105 min and 2, 4, 8, 12, 24, 48, 72, and 96 h after drug administration. Urine samples were collected predose and within 24, 48, and 72 h after the start of infusion on day 1 of cycle 1. Plasma and urine concentrations of eribulin were measured using a validated liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry method, described in detail elsewhere (16).
Briefly, analysis of eribulin in human plasma and urine (500 μL for each sample) was done using liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry on a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer under the positive ion mode. Liquid-liquid extraction with 90:5:5 ethyl acetate/methanol/ethanol (v/v/v) was used followed by reverse phase chromatography. Eribulin was monitored at precursor ion m/z 730.4 and product ion m/z 712.5. Quantitation was based on a 1/×2 weighted linear regression analysis of a calibration curve of peak area ratios of eribulin to internal standard versus eribulin concentrations.
The quantifiable range of the assay was from 0.177 (plasma) or 0.442 (urine) to 88.5 ng/mL of the eribulin-free base. Pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated by a noncompartmental approach using WinNonlin software version 4.1 (Pharsight Corporation).
Patient characteristics. Between August 2003 and April 2005, a total of 21 patients were enrolled, and all received one or more cycles of eribulin. All patients were eligible for toxicity and response assessment. Patient characteristics are shown in Table 1 . The most common tumor types were non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and renal cell carcinoma. A total of 85 treatment cycles were administered, with a median number of two cycles (range 1-17). Of the 19 patients who received prior chemotherapy, four patients (21%) had received paclitaxel and two patients (11%) had received docetaxel for metastatic disease. Reasons for discontinuation included progressive disease (16), toxicity (2), physician discretion (2), and withdrawal of consent (1).
Dose-limiting toxicities and maximum tolerated dose. The dose of eribulin mesylate was escalated from 0.25 mg/m2 to 0.5, 1, and 2 mg/m2 in the accelerated dose-escalation stage of the trial and to 4 mg/m2 in the nonaccelerated stage. Eribulin mesylate was tolerated until the 4 mg/m2 dose level, where three patients experienced febrile neutropenia on day 7 (Table 2 ). The dose was reduced to 2.8 mg/m2, where two of three patients experienced febrile neutropenia. Six additional patients were enrolled at the 2 mg/m2 dose (seven patients in total) and one of these patients experienced grade 4 febrile neutropenia, which was a DLT. Of note, another patient treated at the 2 mg/m2 dose level had a decline in leukocyte count from a pretreatment level of 6,300/μL to 2,000/μL on day 8, and, in response, granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (filgrastim) was administered. The neutrophil count was unavailable, which precluded determination of whether this event was a DLT, so the patient was considered not evaluable. There were no nonhematologic DLTs observed during this trial. The MTD for eribulin mesylate administered as a 1-hour infusion every 21 days was defined as 2 mg/m2.
Adverse events. The most frequently reported AEs (all grades) considered possibly or probably related to the study drug were neutropenia (38%), fatigue (33%), and alopecia (33%). A total of 10 patients experienced 22 serious AEs (all causalities). Seven patients reported nine serious AEs that were considered to be treatment related: hyponatremia (one patient; grade 3); febrile neutropenia (five patients; all grade 4); and grade 4 febrile neutropenia, grade 2 pyrexia, and grade 3 infection in one patient. One patient died of progressive disease during the study.
The neutropenia associated with eribulin exhibited a nadir 7 to 15 days after the first treatment with recovery to normal by the end of the 21-day cycle. The mean, median, and range for the nadir in absolute neutrophil count during cycle 1 were 1,390/μL, 780/μL, and 100/μL to 3,580/μL, respectively, among the six patients who received the 2 mg/m2 dose and had data during this time. There were two cases of grade 1 thrombocytopenia at the 1 and 1.4 mg/m2 dose levels. Grade 1 anemia occurred at doses ≥0.5 mg/m2 in 24% of patients. Seven patients received filgrastim or pegfilgrastim therapy, six patients received erythropoietin therapy, and, of these, two patients received therapy with both types of growth factor. There were no other serious hematologic events.
The majority of nonhematologic AEs were grades 1 and 2 across the entire dose range (Table 3 ). The most common nonhematologic toxicities attributed to eribulin were fatigue (33%; all grade 1 or 2), alopecia (33%; all grade 1 or 2), and nausea (19%; all grade 1). There was a single occurrence of grade 1 peripheral neuropathy, which occurred in a patient treated at the 4 mg/m2 dose level.
Pharmacokinetics. Plasma samples for analysis of eribulin pharmacokinetics were obtained from all 21 patients. Individual plasma eribulin concentrations were measurable up to 96 h following the infusion. The pharmacokinetic profile of eribulin was characterized by an extensive volume of distribution, a slow-to-moderate clearance, and a slow elimination (Fig. 1 ), with only a small fraction of the drug (∼7%) excreted unchanged in the urine. Eribulin exhibited a plasma terminal half-life of ∼2 days. Plasma area under the concentration-time curve (AUC0-∞) and maximum plasma concentration (Cmax) increased approximately linearly over the dose range studied (Table 4 ); the dose-normalized Cmax and AUC0-∞ values were consistent across dose levels with the exception of the 2 mg/m2 dose level, where higher values were observed.
Antitumor activity. Among the 21 assessable patients, there were no complete responses. However, one patient (4 mg/m2) with NSCLC who had no prior taxane therapy received four cycles of eribulin and achieved an unconfirmed partial response. Twelve patients experienced stable disease (3 NSCLC, 2 renal cell carcinoma, 2 gallbladder adenocarcinoma, 1 pancreatic adenocarcinoma, 1 intestinal adenocarcinoma, 1 esophageal adenocarcinoma, 1 oral cancer, 1 endometrial stromal sarcoma). The median duration of stable disease was 86 days (range 47-386 days). Of the 12 patients who experienced disease stabilization, four had received prior taxane therapy.
In this phase I study of eribulin mesylate given as a 1-hour infusion every 21 days, the MTD of eribulin was 2 mg/m2. Febrile neutropenia was the principal DLT and has also been observed with eribulin given as a bolus over 1 to 2 minutes weekly on days 1, 8, and 15 of a 28-day cycle (13). This finding is consistent with preclinical observations of reversible bone marrow toxicity that was also dose limiting in rats and dogs (11). Fatigue, alopecia, and nausea were the most common nonhematologic toxicities and this side effect profile is comparable with that which has been reported previously with the other two schedules. Notably, neuropathy, an AE expected of a tubulin-targeting agent (17, 18), was not a predominant toxicity on this study, as only one patient experienced grade 1 neuropathy at a dose higher than the MTD. It should be noted, however, that the median number of treatment cycles in this study was 2, and a higher incidence of neuropathy might be expected over a longer treatment period. In addition, because only seven patients were treated, there is a possibility that other grade 3 or 4 toxicities might be observed in a larger patient population.
Pharmacokinetic analysis showed that the plasma disposition of eribulin was biexponential. Plasma concentrations declined slowly with a t1/2 of ∼2 days. Cmax and AUC increased proportionally in a dose-dependent manner. The pharmacokinetic profile of eribulin was comparable at similar doses across the three phase I studies, which used different dosing schedules or infusion times (13, 19). The urinary excretion data showed that eribulin is minimally excreted by the kidney. Less than 10% of eribulin was detected unchanged in the urine, which was also similar to the weekly schedule. There is an ongoing study evaluating the metabolism of eribulin in the setting of hepatic dysfunction as renal clearance does not seem to have a major role (NCT00706095).
Eribulin has been studied as a slow i.v. bolus or a 1-hour i.v. infusion in other phase I trials. In the first phase I study, eribulin mesylate was administered as an i.v. bolus over 1 to 2 minutes on days 1, 8, and 15 of a 28-day cycle in 38 patients (13). The MTD was 1.4 mg/m2, with neutropenia as the DLT observed at 2 mg/m2. In the other phase I trial, eribulin was given as a 1-hour i.v. infusion on days 1, 8, and 15 of a 28-day cycle (20). Neutropenia was also reported as the most common DLT with a MTD of 1 mg/m2. These results are consistent with the study reported here. A shorter infusion would achieve higher peak plasma concentrations compared with the 1-hour infusion, and the higher Cmax would help to achieve levels associated with apoptosis preclinically (100 nmol/L; ref. 5).
The weekly schedule as a bolus was chosen for further development of eribulin in phase II and III trials. In two phase II trials, patients with metastatic disease were initially treated with eribulin mesylate at 1.4 mg/m2/wk on days 1, 8, and 15 of a 28-day cycle, which was the MTD from the phase I study (21, 22). In these phase II studies, many patients experienced dose interruption or omission due to neutropenia on day 15 (21, 22). This necessitated a change in the treatment schedule to days 1 and 8 of a 21-day cycle (21, 22). A recent study in Japan formally evaluated eribulin given on days 1 and 8 of a 21-day cycle (23). This study affirmed that neutropenia was the main toxicity associated with treatment and that the recommended phase II dose with this schedule is 1.4 mg/m2 (23). The development of eribulin includes phase Ib and phase II studies to evaluate eribulin in combination with other anticancer agents. For these studies, the 2 mg/m2 dose given on day 1 of a 21-day cycle determined in the present study will be evaluated.
Eribulin causes neutropenia and fatigue, which are toxicities also common to taxanes (24). However, neuropathy did not seem to predominate and there were no instances of infusion-related reactions. Eribulin, which is prepared in an aqueous solution, has a short infusion time and does not require steroid or antihistamine premedications. These are distinct advantages compared with currently approved microtubule-targeting agents.
Although efficacy was not a specified end point of this study, one unconfirmed partial response was observed in a patient with NSCLC and 12 patients with a variety of tumor types experienced stable disease. Four of these 12 patients had received prior treatment with a taxane, which suggests that eribulin may have activity in taxane-resistant patients.
In conclusion, eribulin mesylate as a 1-h infusion every 21 days has a manageable tolerability profile and has antiproliferative activity in several tumor types. Several phase II trials of eribulin mesylate as monotherapy are ongoing or completed (21, 22, 25). The results of phase III trials in metastatic breast cancer are awaited. Combination studies of eribulin with other cytotoxic drugs are currently being explored.
Disclosure of Potential Conflicts of Interest
S. Ashworth, previous employment, Eisai Medical Research.
We thank Laura Wiggins, Melissa Dinolfo, and Nancy Gelfand for their assistance in conducting this study and Sarah Feaver, Ph.D., of Complete Medical Communications, who provided medical writing support funded by Eisai Corporation of North America.
Grant support: Eisai Medical Research, Inc.
The costs of publication of this article were defrayed in part by the payment of page charges. This article must therefore be hereby marked advertisement in accordance with 18 U.S.C. Section 1734 solely to indicate this fact.
Note: Current address for E.H. Rubin: Merck Research Laboratories, North Wales, Pennsylvania.
Presented in poster format at the 41st Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, 2005.
- Received February 11, 2009.
- Revision received April 7, 2009.
- Accepted April 9, 2009.


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Gift giving is one of my favourite parts of Christmas. I love think about the person and imagining what they want. I love running from store to store on a wild goose chase, search for that specific gift on my mind. I love piling up the gifts on my livingroom floor and wrapping them all with a herbal tea and a cheesy made-for-TV movie on TV. I love the act of giving the gift and watching their face light up (or sometime not) at the gift I have chosen. A lot of thought and energy goes into gift giving, but its all worth it for the warm fuzzies I get when I give a present.
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