text: Flowing, curvaceous gadgets took a back seat to boxier shapes with sharp, straight lines at CES this year, indicating a spreading design trend that experts say largely originates from Apple. The "Blobject" had a good run. Advances in CAD software made this sinuous style possible and Apple made it popular starting with their first iMac. After the iconic Bondi Blue blob exploded in popularity, the trend transformed everything from staplers to soap bottles. CES 2013 seems to have ended the golden age of globules and ushered in a rectilinear revolution. In every product category from 3-D printers to biosensors, exuberant organic forms have been replaced with hard-edged alternatives. While Apple doesn't exhibit at CES, they appear to be responsible for this trend. Since the original iMac, they've slowly transitioned their products from approachable plastic to cool metal and glass, with each generation becoming less curvy and colorful. Apple designers once talked about touring jelly bean factories to learn how to make plastic more playful. Today, it's more likely that they are visiting aerospace engineers or weapon manufacturers. The iPhone 5 killed off the last soft fillets on the device, replacing them with hard-edged, industrial chamfers and the world of industrial designers appears to have noticed. "In the case of the iPhone 5, I've heard that the decision to create a monolith with chamfers was largely a need-based design decision, to reduce size while maximizing the internal capacity for battery, guts, etc.," says Nick de la Mare, executive creative director at Frog Design, the legendary San Francisco product design firm that helped Apple develop the industrial designs for its first products. He doesn't see the iPhone 5's design as a statement of aesthetics as much as function. "Rounded corners typically come at the expense of wasted size and material." "I think there's definitely a move toward planar surfaces, but I don't think the iPhone started it," says de la Mare. "I think a lot of it simply comes down to the creation of a new norm in response to and reaction to the old norm. If you look across other industries you have an apparent trend toward stealth, beginning basically in the mass market with the introduction of the hard geometries and corners of the stealth fighter etc. —; witness the recent Lamborghini design language for example. In a sense it's just a celebration of the machine. These are perfect forms, unyielding and edged, things that only a computer could generate. And as such, a juxtaposition to the organic, more naturalistic elements we were seeing before." Others see Apple's massive popularity as being an influencer of form. "Apple pioneered this radically clean and simple design aesthetic," says Karyn Lu, Manager of New Media Insights & Inspiration at Turner Broadcasting in Atlanta. She's paid to spot tech and design trends for the company that brings us CNN, Cartoon Network, and Adult Swim. and sees Apple's influence in this changing market. "Now that their products are so popularized, I think that sensibility has really seeped into the mainstream consciousness, certainly going beyond technology into our everyday lives," she says. "There's something so straightforward and elegant about the lines and angles of geometric patterns; they've always been that way, of course, but now perhaps in part thanks to Apple, that look is taking on a whole new mass appeal." She also sees other factors at work. "I think the biomimicry trend may play a role as well in the popularization of this design look, as well as a general trend toward de-teching and a nostalgia for more simplicity to return to our lives." Sci-fi luminary Bruce Sterling writes in a essay, "Blobjects are the period objects of our time. They are the physical products that the digital revolution brought to the consumer shelf." Perhaps this new style is just a reflection of a changing mood — if blobjects reflected the enthusiasm of the early web, perhaps these faceted designs reflect today's more pessimistic climate? Until the final verdict is delivered by design historians, the products in this gallery are a preview of what's to come in this new linear landscape. above: Taktik iPhone Case There is no better proof that hard edges are the new blobs than seeing Scott Wilson get behind the style. The former creative director at Nike and creator of some of the most iconic blobjects outside of Apple has now had two hard line products successfully funded on Kickstarter. His TikTok and LunaTik watches made facets fashionable and his Taktik iPhone case actually predicted some of the ID changes of the new iPhones, particularly the angular style on the edges. Photo: LunatikSamsung 85 Inch Ultra High Definition TV Samsung unveiled an armada of new of large-format TVs at CES and while their ultra-high-definition screens are unrivaled, the ultra-minimal styling fit in well with many other products on the show floor. Even the minimal curvature that used to exist on the bezels and stands of these TVs have be flattened, highlighting unbelievably thin electronics and a new, harder design philosophy. Photo: SamsungLapka Personal Environment Monitor The Lapka Personal Environment Monitor looks like an arty sculpture inspired by Tetris. The square devices are a complex array of sensors capable of measuring radiation levels, humidity, and even whether or not a piece of food is actually organic. Photo: Lapka3D Systems CubeX 3-D Printer The 3D Systems CubeX is capable of printing almost any shape imaginable, but its exterior is all right angles, a stark contrast with their initial desktop printer offering, the highly rounded Cube. Photo: 3D SystemsInWin D-Frame PC Case With its flat, acrylic faces and industrial pipework frame, the In Win D-Frame PC case looks more like a power loader mech from Aliens than a tool for power users. Photo: In WinBraven 625s Portable speakers were a popular category at CES, but while they may produce sound waves, most designs aim to emit them from the most rectilinear cases possible. From the silhouette to grill pattern to buttons, Braven products will play smooth jazz, but only through hard edges. Photo: BravenDropcam HD Wi-Fi Video Monitoring Camera Dropcam products are based on the map "pin" icon and are essentially just extruded versions of that design. The depth of their product comes from their web services, not hardware — a flattening of the traditionally spherical Logitech-inspired cams. Photo: DropcamSlingbox 500 & 350 Slingbox was an early pioneer of media sharing and geometric designs alongside Apple, but their most recent releases explore abstract forms and agressive surfaces. Photo: SlingboxIcon 4X4 There is evidence of a trend in consumer electronics, but will Apple's influence spread beyond gadgets? The North American International Auto Show, running in Detroit from Jan. 14 to 27, just a few days after the conclusion of Vegas' CES, will show if the hard-edged style has spilled into car design as well. There are hints that it is already — the Icon 4X4 is a modern homage to the World War II-era Jeep Willys that was designed in a time before CAD, where drafting tables, T-squares, rulers, and protractors were the only tools at hand. Icon's products are tuned for modern performance, but look like idealized versions of a time gone by. Maybe this modern trend is just a case of nostalgia. Photo: Icon


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He's a great person – well, that's if you can call him a person at all; I've never actually met him myself but I know of him.
He's the one who always comes along after me wherever I've been, whatever I've done - or so I've heard, anyway.
Sometimes I've thought I've caught a glimpse of him from behind but he's never actually there when I go back and look. But, somehow, he's always the next to come along, whatever I've been doing.
If I make a drink, he comes along after me and makes a drink.
If I park a car, he comes along after me to park another car – sometimes he even drives off in the car I've only just finished with.
If I have a bath, he always needs the bath straight after me.
As I said, I don't know his name so I've had to make up my own name for him – I call him the 'next' person, although he'd never answer to this name if I called him.
Anyway, this 'next' person has taught me a lot, you know. When I first found out that he was going to come along next whatever I did, it started to change how I go about things.
I've found myself thinking of the 'next' person in the things I do; after all, I wouldn't want him to think I was selfish. Although he never thanks me for thinking of him (because he doesn't always know I was there just before him) he would certainly notice if I kept on leaving things in a mess for him, whether or not he knew it was me.
The other day, I made myself a cup of tea using the last bit of water in the kettle. I was just about to walk away when something inside said, "What about the 'next' person?" So I thought I'd do him a favour and put some water in the kettle to save him having to do it. I didn't boil it as I wasn't sure how long he'd be but I knew it was only a matter of time before he'd come along after me. It may sound daft, me living my life around someone I've not seen but I know he's there; he's as real to me as any of you are.
Here's a few of the other things I've started doing since I realised about the 'next' person:
Anyway, I'm sure there's loads of stuff I do for him besides, and probably a lot more I could do if I noticed. He's a good bloke, you know. I think a lot of him. In fact, I reckon I could go so far as to say I love him.
putting the car keys away as soon as possible so I don't forget – he always uses them after me doing at least my own washing up so I don't make it worse for him – when there's time, I try to do others' washing up too to save him having to do it or, at very least, I try not to leave my knive on the bread board so he doesn't have to clear it up parking the car so as to leave room for him to drive through after me drying my feet before I get out of the bath or shower so he doesn't have to walk on the wet bath mat with his socks on – I bet he hates that! washing the hairs away after getting out of the bath or shower – otherwise he has to do it before he gets in the bath putting a new loo roll actually on the loo roll holder when the old one runs out – he'll only have to do it if I don't! getting a few more backup loo rolls when I put the last one on the holder so he can put a new one on when he finishes one I've even started using the hand-towel, as opposed to a tea towel, to dry my hands so that germs from my hands don't get on his cutlery! Call me a loony if you want.
What about you? What can you do for the 'next' person? You never know when he might come along…

subset: commoncrawl


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A Review of Treatments for Patients with Metastatic Melanoma
Melanoma is a rare but deadly form of skin cancer. The incidence of melanoma is on the rise, and is in fact increasing faster than any other cancer in the United States. In 2008, there will be an estimated 62,480 new cases of invasive melanoma diagnosed in the United States, accounting for 5% of all new cancer diagnoses in men and 4% of new cancer diagnoses in women. The number of new cases of melanoma has steadily increased for 30 years. These numbers do not include all of the cases of in situ melanoma, which are the melanomas that are confined within the outermost portion of the skin. This early form of melanoma accounts for an additional 50,000 cases per year.
Most melanomas develop in the skin, which includes nail beds, soles of the hands/feet, and scalp, but melanoma can also occur in the eye, or on mucosal surfaces such as the anal canal, rectum, and vagina. Because most cutaneous melanomas are visible, it is a cancer that is extremely amenable to early detection.
When diagnosed early, where melanoma is confined within the skin and is not associated with ulceration, survival rates are considered quite good. For Stage 0-IIb, the five-year survival rate varies from 67% to 100%. When ulceration is present in a thicker lesion (Stage IIc), the 5-year survival rate drops to 45%. When regional lymph nodes are involved (Stage III), the 5-year survival rate ranges from 24% to 69%, depending on the presence of ulceration in the primary lesion and the number and size of involved lymph nodes. When melanoma has spread outside of the regional lymph node basin (Stage IV) to other sub-cutaneous sites, distant lymph nodes, or other organs, most commonly the liver, lung, or brain, the 5-year survival rate drops to between 5% and 17%. The median survival for patients with Stage IV disease is only 6-9 months. Despite valiant attempts to identify new treatments and thus improve survival, this number has unfortunately remained low for over two decades (Balch et al, 2001).
The AJCC staging system for melanoma was revised in 2002 (Balch et al, 2001). Stage IV disease is further divided into three sub-groups: Group A includes individuals with sub-cutaneous and lymph node confined disease; Group B includes individuals with lung-confined disease; Group C is all patients with an elevated LDH level or other sites of metastatic disease. Survival differences in these groups were recently validated by Neuman et al. (2008).
Melanoma is considered an immunogenic disease. When a melanoma lesion is initially biopsied and/or removed from the skin, the presence of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (Tils) is assessed. Tils represent infiltration of the cutaneous melanoma lesion by cells of the immune system. At the time of the original diagnosis, there can also be signs of regression, meaning that the original melanoma lesion has gotten smaller over time, indicating destruction of the melanoma tumor cells by cells from the patient's immune system. Additionally, the incidence of melanoma is much greater in immunosuppressed individuals. These factors have led researchers to postulate that increasing the activity of the immune system will be a viable mechanism for treating melanoma. In fact, two of the three FDA-approved treatments for melanoma are immune stimulants.
Therefore, it is important to be aware of the ways that researchers believe immune function can be enhanced and the potential treatments on the horizon for melanoma. One target of immunotherapy is the Cytotoxic T Lymphocyte-Associated Antigen (CTLA4) receptor, which is found on the surface of T-cells. T-cells play an important role in immune surveillance, detecting non-self cells present within an individual. CTLA4 is an important down-regulator of T-cell proliferation. By blocking this receptor, T-cell division and replication can proceed unimpeded. Two agents, ipilimumab (MDX-010; Medarex, Princeton, New Jersey, USA, and Bristol-Myers Squibb, New York, New York, USA) and tremelimumab (CP-675,206; formerly known as ticilimumab; Pfizer, New York, New York, USA), are presently in advanced stages of testing in malignant melanoma. They have demonstrated efficacy in improving outcomes in patients with metastatic melanoma.
Current Treatments for Stage IV Melanoma
Systemic therapy remains the mainstay of treatment for Stage IV disease despite low efficacy rates. The NCCN guidelines provide recommendations for management of metastatic melanoma. These guidelines are based on current evidence and are reviewed regularly by a panel of experts. When a single site of metastatic disease is identified, resection of that site is recommended if feasible and if the patient is physically able to undergo surgery (Young et al, 2006). Following resection that renders the patient free of identifiable disease, he/she could undergo no further treatment and active observation for early detection of a recurrence, enrollment onto a clinical trial, or Interferon alpha 2-b which is approved for use in patients with Stage II-III melanoma at high risk for recurrence. If the patient is not a candidate for resection of all disease then observation or systemic therapy should be considered. Current recommendations for systemic therapy include referral to a clinical trial, which is preferred, dacarbazine or its oral form, temozolomide, high dose Interleukin-2, or other chemotherapy not currently FDA approved for the treatment of melanoma, which includes dacarbazine or temozolamide in combination with other agents, paclitaxel alone or in combination with cisplatin or carboplatin. In patients diagnosed with brain metastases, therapy to treat the brain lesion(s) should be instituted first followed by systemic therapy of the melanoma. If possible, providers are encouraged to refer patients to a clinical trial due to the low efficacy rates of currently available treatments.
Interferon alpha 2-b has been studied in several clinical trials. It was FDA-approved for the adjuvant treatment of high-risk melanoma, considered to be Stage IIb-IV resected disease. The pivotal trial leading to its approval was ECOG 1684, in which patients were randomized to receive high-dose interferon alpha 2-b for one year versus observation. Overall relapse-free survival was improved in the treatment arm from 0.98 years to 1.72 years, and an overall survival benefit of 9% was observed ( Kirkwood, 1996). In subsequent trials with high dose interferon, this survival benefit has not been observed. Interferon therapy is associated with toxicities which include flu-like symptoms, fever, chills, myalgias, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fatigue, depression, anorexia, elevation in LFTs, and myelosuppression. Ongoing clinical trials are underway to evaluate different dosing schedules and use in combination with other agents.
Interleukin-2 (IL-2) is another immune-modulating agent. IL-2 is FDA-approved for the treatment of Stage IV melanoma. Response rates range from 16-20%, with durable responses occurring in approximately 6% of patients treated (Rosenberg et al, 1998). These durable responses have been observed to last for up to 10 years. IL-2 must be administered by a team of highly qualified and experienced individuals. It is typically administered in an intensive care setting due to the toxicities. These include capillary leak syndrome, hypotension, renal dysfunction, flu-like symptoms, and rash, among others. Patients must be carefully selected to undergo this therapy due to the significant toxicity with which it is associated.
Dacarbazine is an intravenous chemotherapy FDA-approved for the treatment of metastatic melanoma. It has been studied in numerous clinical trials with response rates ranging from 5-28%, with a median response rate of 15%. Temozolomide is an oral agent, which demonstrates similar response rates with no significant difference noted in progression free survival or overall survival (Quirt et al, 2007). Temozolomide offers patients a convenient oral treatment regimen.
Other chemotherapy agents have also been shown to have an effect on melanoma. Nitrosureas have a response rate ranging from 10-20%; cisplatin 14-29%; paclitaxel 14%; and vincristine 12% (Wolchok, 2007).
Biochemotherapy, which is the combination of chemotherapeutic agents with immune modulating agents have been studied extensively in metastatic melanoma. While this combination has been shown to improve response rates, no benefit in overall survival has been observed. Side effects of biochemotherapy include severe and prolonged myelosuppression, flu-like syndrome, capillary leak syndrome, renal and hepatic dysfunction, and severe nausea/vomiting (Atkins, 2003).
Combination regimens, the most promising of which have been CVD (Cisplatin, Vinblastine, Dacarbazine) and Dartmouth (Carboplatin, Dacarbazine, Carmustine, and Tamoxifen) have not been demonstrated to be superior to single agent dacarbazine in Phase III clinical trials (Chapman et al, 1999).
Adoptive immunotherapy is also being studied extensively in patients with metastatic melanoma. In carefully selected patients, several small clinical trials have reported response rates as high as 50% (Dudley et al, 2002 and 2005; Heemskerk et al, 2008). Clinical trials are ongoing to improve the technique and examine response in larger samples of patients.
Throughout the oncology world, there is a great deal of interest in developing targeted therapy, with many currently under investigation. While some of the selected targets for therapy are proteins or cytokines, which have been identified as being altered in a particular disease, another target is identifying mechanisms to alter the function of the immune system. Several key pathways known to be altered in melanoma that are being examined include the mitogen-activated protein kinase ( MAPK) which includes raf, ras, PI3K, MEK; the retinoblastoma pathway (Rb); p53; and c-kit to mention a few. Because of the immunogenic nature of melanoma, there is particular interest in approaching therapy of this disease by targeting the immune system. Many targets exist, including CTLA4.
CTLA4 and the Immune System
To understand the immune system targets of several new therapies for melanoma, it is essential for oncology nurses to first have a general understanding of the immune system. We will briefly review the components of the immune system, which are important to understanding the function of CTLA4 in modulating the immune system and its response to melanoma.
The immune system is divided into two main parts: the innate immune system (what we are born with) and the adaptive immune system (what we develop as a result of exposures). The immune system has several very unique and complex roles in defending our bodies, including the recognition of self versus non-self, active versus passive, general versus specific, among others. Cancer cells are self cells that have been altered in a slight but significant manner to allow them to undergo division and metastasis without detection by the host immune system. The rationale behind targeting the immune system is to help the cells of the immune system recognize the cancerous cells as being foreign and target them for destruction.
Dendritic cells are a type of B-cell; they are antigen presenting cells (APCs), which are responsible for activating T-cells and directing the adaptive immune system. After processing antigenic peptides intracellularly, dendritic cells then express those peptides, or proteins, on their cell surface for presentation to the T-cells. Helper T-cells are able to recognize these antigens as foreign and produce cytokines to activate a B-cell and/or T-cell response to that antigen. They also have the ability to differentiate into cytotoxic T-cells. Cytotoxic T-cells are activated by a specific antigen; amplify their replication, and specifically attack cells, which express the given antigen. B-cells can also recognize antigens that are presented to them by APC's, such as dendritic cells. Lastly, Natural Killer Cells are an immune cell that is able to recognize non-self cells and to attack and destroy those cells.
Maturation of dendritic cells is essential for T-cell activation and therefore an effective immune response. Following recognition of a foreign antigen on the tumor cell surface, dendritic cells infiltrate into the tumor, process various proteins or antigens intracellularly, and then undergo maturation. Mature dendritic cells are then able to express those antigens on their cell surface via Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC), and to release co-stimulatory cytokines. The dendritic cell then presents that foreign antigen to the T-cell receptor through the MHC. This binding sends a stimulatory signal to the T-cell for replication; secondary signals are sent to the T-cell through binding of the B7 on the dendritic cell to the CD28 receptor on the T-cell. This binding leads to T-cell replication. These activated t-cells can specifically target and destroy cells expressing the antigen.
There are a variety of factors which can inhibit the immune system's ability to optimally recognize and destroy tumor cells. One mechanism is tumor-mediated inhibition of dendritic cell maturation. Tumors are also able to block the co-stimulatory signaling between B7 and CD28 which is essential for T-cell maturation. Without this second signal, the cytotoxic T-cell will proliferate but will not produce cytokines such as IL-2, which is essential for full activation. Tumors can also reduce expression of MHC expression, thereby reducing recognition by the cytotoxic T-cells.
CTLA4 Role in Immune Function
Cytotoxic T Lymphocyte-Associated Antigen 4 (CTLA4) is a protein involved in T-cell expansion or replication and activation in response to an immune event. Following T-cell stimulation, T-cell proliferation is upregulated. Following successful response, CLTA4 is upregulated, which then sends an inhibitory signal to down-regulate or decrease T-cell proliferation and IL-2 production.
Anti-CTLA4 monoclonal antibodies block the ability of CTLA4 to down-regulate T cell proliferation. The theory behind this therapy is that by decreasing the inhibitory signal, there will be a subsequent increase in the number of activated T-cells available, to improve the ability of the T-cells to recognize melanoma cells as non-self.
Anti-CTLA4 therapy in Melanoma
Two monoclonal antibodies targeting CTLA4 are currently in advanced stages of investigation for use in melanoma, ipilimumab (MDX-010; Medarex, Princeton, New Jersey, USA, and Bristol-Myers Squibb, New York, New York, USA) and tremelimumab (CP-675,206; formerly known as ticilimumab; Pfizer, New York, New York, USA). The efficacy rates and toxicity profiles of both drugs are quite similar.
Ipilimumab is a fully humanized IgG1 monoclonal antibody to CTLA4. It has been tested in both the adjuvant and the metastatic setting. Several phase I/II trials were conducted combining ipilimumab with vaccine therapies and other immune agents (Hodi, 2003; Phan, 2003; Attia, 2005; Maker 2005; Maker 2006). In a phase I trial combining ipilimumab with vaccine therapy in previously treated patients with metastatic disease, Attia et al (2005) report a 3.6% complete response rate and an 8.9% partial response rate with the 2 patients who achieved complete responses maintaining them at 30 and 31 months and the partial responders maintaining for 4-34 months. A Phase I trial conducted by Weber et al (2006) in the adjuvant setting administered ipilimumab at a dose of 3 mg/kg every 8 weeks for 12 months in combination with a vaccine, and reported that 19 of the 25 patients treated were alive at 12 months.
Ipilimumab has been studied in the first line setting in patients with metastatic disease at a dose of 3 mg/kg every 4 weeks for 4 total doses (Fischkoff et al, 2005). This study reported 5.4% of patients with a partial response and 10.8% of patients with stable disease. A phase II trial of ipilimumab administered in combination with dacarbazine (Fischkoff et al, 2005) demonstrated complete responses in 5.7% of patients durable at 17+ and 20+ months, partial responses in 11.4% of patients at 3 months up to 21+ months, and stable disease in 11.4% of patients lasting for 4-8 months. Another Phase II trial combined ipilimumab with IL-2 (Maker et al, 2005); this study demonstrates a complete response in 8.3% of patients with a duration of 13+ to 16+ months and a partial response in 13.9% of patients with a duration of 7 to 19+ months. This encouraging data led to several phase III trials.
In a Phase III trial, ipilimumab was administered alone or in combination with dacarbazine in the first line metastatic setting (Weber, 2007), 3 mg/kg every 3 weeks followed by 12 week rest and then every 12 week maintenance. Stable disease was seen in 39% of patients with the duration of response ranging between 99-379 days in responders (Weber, 2008).
A phase II single arm study of ipilimumab administered to patients with metastatic melanoma who had progressive disease following at least one line of prior therapy demonstrated an overall response rate of 5.8% and stable disease in 27.1% when evaluated by the independent review board; progression free survival at the 6-month follow up is 49.1% (O'Day, 2008).
Tremelimumab is a fully humanized IgG2 monoclonal antibody to CTLA4. This agent has also been studied in a multitude of Phase I-III clinical trials alone and in combination with other agents. In addition to clinical trials in melanoma, ongoing studies are examining the effect of this agent on other cancer types such as prostate cancer.
In the initial dose escalation study, 29 of the 39 study participants had metastatic melanoma. In this study, a single dose of tremelimumab was found to induce long-term remissions (36+ months) in some patients, complete responses in 2 patients and stable disease in 4 others (Ribas et al, 2005). Another phase I trial of tremelimumab with a redosing arm reported overall response rates of 8% in patients dosed at 10 mg/kg monthly and 7% in patients dosed at 15 mg/kg quarterly (Ribas et al, 2005). Another phase I trial was completed in patients with metastatic melanoma, where the primary end point was to identify changes in circulating cellular levels of tumor antigen-specific T-cells. While that level was not altered as a result of tremelimumab administration, 1/15 patient had a complete response, 2/15 had a partial response, and 3/15 had stable disease at 3+, 8+, and 11+ months (Ribas, 2006). An update of this trial demonstrated durable responses, of greater than 2 years, in 3 patients (Comin-Anduix, 2008).
A pilot study combining tremelimumab with autologous vaccination was also initiated. A total of 16 patients with metastatic disease were enrolled. Another trial combining tremelimumab with PF-3512676 is currently open and enrolling patients (Ribas et al, 2007).
A phase II study of tremelimumab, administered to patients with metastatic disease who had progression following at least one line of prior therapy, demonstrated an overall response rate of 8.3% and a clinical benefit rate (which includes stable disease) of 22.8%, with a mean overall survival of 10+ months (Kirkwood et al, 2008).
A Phase II study of tremelimumab administered in combination with IFN in patients with metastatic melanoma who had progressed on prior therapy demonstrates and overall response rate of 19% and plans to complete enrollment with additional patients (Tarhini, 2008).
Moving forward with tremelimumab, a dose of 15 mg/kg every 3 months was selected for use in subsequent trials due to the equivalent efficacy when compared with 10 mg/kg monthly and superiority in toxicity profile (Gomez-Navarro, 2006). A Phase III open-label, randomized, comparative study of tremelimumab and chemotherapy (temozolomide or dacarbazine) administered in the first line setting in patients with metastatic disease was recently halted early due to the lack of impact on overall survival between the two treatment arms. At the time the study closed, the median overall survival in the tremelimumab arm was 11.8 months and in the chemotherapy arm was 10.7 with a hazard ratio of 1.04 favoring the chemotherapy arm; however, additional subgroup analyses and continued follow up is planned (Ribas et al, 2008). A phase II clinical trial evaluating tremelimumab in second line therapy revealed an overall response rate of 8.3%, stable disease in 22.8%, and a duration of response of 9.7-13.5 months (Kirkwood et al, 2008).
In patients treated with these agents, there is a great deal of discussion about when disease status should be assessed. In most melanoma clinical trials, tumor evaluations are performed every 6-8 weeks due to the limited life expectancy of patients and the usual time for response from antineoplastic agents. However, many patients treated with anti-CTLA4 agents, who appear to have stable disease or even progressive disease at the initial analysis, go on to have tumor regression on subsequent evaluations at much later time periods than would normally be expected (Wolchok, 2008). Patients from these trials are described as having regression in the target lesions, or those identified at the start of the study to be used for response, but development of new lesions when disease is first assessed, only to have improvement by subsequent evaluations (5-6 months following initial treatment) and prolonged duration of response (Hamid et al, 2007). The key point to take away from this discussion is that the current approach to disease assessment for progression may need to be reevaluated in patients receiving this type of therapy. This will present an educational opportunity for oncology nurses familiar with the trial data.
Toxicities and Nursing Management
Toxicities from this therapy are considered Immune Breakthrough Events (IBEs) or Immune-Related Adverse Events (IRAE) and include diarrhea, colitis, autoimmune hepatitis, maculopapular rash, pruritis, vitiligo, uveitis, and hypophysitis. These toxicities are related to activation of the immune response.
For the gastrointestinal events, patients generally present with diarrhea, which can quickly progress to colitis if untreated. In the early trials with these agents, there were reported cases of GI perforation and death. However, a treatment algorithm has been developed (Weber, 2007). If another cause has not been identified, grade 1-2 diarrhea should be treated symptomatically with loperamide or diphenoxylate and atropine. Therapy should be held until symptoms resolve to a grade 1. If symptoms of colitis are present with grade 2 diarrhea, budesonide or other moderate dose steroid can be added; for grade 3-4 diarrhea, high dose steroids should be initiated. For any patient on high dose steroids without a response in 5 days, an anti-TNF agent such as infliximab can be considered. It is important to note that use of high dose steroids for diarrhea/colitis or the other IBEs has not been associated with any abrogation of the anti-tumor response. Oncology nurses should ask patients to monitor the number of bowel movements daily. Patients should report any changes noted early. Patients with more frequent bowel movements should also be assessed for signs or symptoms of dehydration due to fluid loss. Intravenous fluids can be used to supplement oral intake if needed.
Autoimmune hepatic toxicity has also been seen. Patients typically remain asymptomatic but can have dramatic increases in the liver function tests and bilirubin levels. A treatment algorithm is available for guidance (Weber, 2007). Baseline LFTs and bilirubin levels should be assessed on all patients and monitored throughout the course of therapy. In a patient with normal values at baseline who presents with level ≥ grade 2, they should initially undergo intensified monitoring consisting of work up for autoimmunity and frequent LFT and bilirubin levels. Oral or intravenous steroids should be initiated in patients with prolonged elevation in levels. Patients with progressive elevation in levels should be admitted to the hospital for daily lab checks, started on IV steroids, progressing to mycophenolate mofetil, tacrolimus, and finally infliximab, if not reversing.
Hypophysitis is an inflammation of the pituitary glad. Patients experiencing hypophysitis generally present with endocrine symptoms, including fatigue, headache, diplopia, personality changes and loss of libido. Diagnosis is made with the use of laboratory tests for effective functioning of the pituitary gland, specifically thyroid function tests and blood levels of cortisol, testosterone and ACTH. Replacement therapy is effective in managing symptoms which were reversible in some cases. Oncology nurses need to be aware that hypophysitis is a common toxicity of anti-CTLA4 therapy. In patients presenting with symptoms of hypophysitis, laboratory studies should be evaluated and replacement therapy started if appropriate. Patients requiring replacement therapy will need education regarding the importance of this therapy in light of its potential duration.
Skin toxicities generally manifest as a maculopapular rash or pruritis. When biopsied, these areas have shown t-cell infiltrates. The rash can be effectively managed with topical steroids, topical antihistamines, and a short course of oral steroids, if needed. Oncology nurses can educate patients receiving anti-CTLA4 agents about the potential for skin toxicity as well as good skin hygiene as a mechanism of managing the side effects associated with rash and pruritis.
Uveitis is also seen when receiving treatment with these agents. Patients report itchy red eyes. Ophthalmologic evaluation reveals uveitis, which generally responds to topical steroidal drops.
Nursing Management of Toxicities resulting from anti-CTLA4 Therapy
Melanoma and the management of metastatic disease continue to be challenging in the United States and throughout the world. The treatment options available to patients are limited in their efficacy and often times are associated with numerous toxicities. Enrollment onto clinical trials is encouraged for patients with all types of malignancies, but especially so for melanoma. Targeted therapies, specific to melanoma cells or to the immune system as a whole, are sure to play a significant role in this evolution. As the basic science of melanoma continues to evolve, we will hopefully be better able to identify those patients most likely to benefit from particular therapies.
The anti-CTLA4 therapies highlight two important aspects of the changing landscape of oncologic therapies. First, many of the targeted therapies that have been developed have much different side effect profiles than traditional antineoplastic agents, making it imperative that oncology nurses are knowledgeable of the toxicities of each agent they are administering and their management. Second, the anti-CTLA antibodies present a challenge to us in our way of thinking about monitoring disease status and progression in patients with cancer. With immune targeted agents, we can no longer assume that the lack of a definitive response at first evaluation means that a person's disease is resistant to that therapy. Delayed responses have been seen in many patients and prolonged, durable responses have been seen in those same patients. Throughout the course of melanoma treatment, nurses must remain continually aware of the devastatingly poor prognosis associated with metastatic disease and initiate supportive care measures quickly and seamlessly when appropriate.
As newer treatments for the melanoma continue to be tested and developed, oncology nurses must be aware of the characteristics of the disease that make it both difficult and unique to treat. They must be aware of the treatments that their patients are receiving and the potential side effects to effectively and skillfully manage the toxicities and facilitate early intervention to prevent progression to life threatening complications.
Grading of Common Side Effects of Anti-CTLA4 Antibodies
Grade 1
Grade 2
Grade 3
Grade 4
Grade 5
Rash Macular or papular eruption or erythema without associated symptoms
Macular or papular eruption or erythema with pruritus or other associated symptoms; localized desquamation or other lesions covering <50% of body surface area (BSA)
Macular or papular eruption or erythema with pruritus or other associated symptoms; localized desquamation or other lesions covering <50% of body surface area (BSA)
Severe, generalized erythroderma or macular, papular or vesicular eruption; desquamation covering ≥ 50% BSA Generalized exfoliative, ulcerative, or bullous dermatitis
Increase of <4 stools per day over baseline; mild increase in ostomy output compared to baseline
Increase of 4 – 6 stools per day over baseline; IV fluids indicated <24hrs; moderate increase in ostomy output compared to baseline; not interfering with ADL collapse)
Increase of ≥ 7 stools per day over baseline; incontinence; IV fluids ≥ 24 hrs; hospitalization; severe increase in ostomy output compared to baseline; interfering with ADL
Life-threatening consequences (e.g., hemodynamic
Asymptomatic, pathologic or radiographic findings only
Abdominal pain; mucus or blood in stool
Abdominal pain, fever, change in bowel habits with ileus; peritoneal signs
Life-threatening consequences (e.g., perforation, bleeding, ischemia, necrosis, toxic megacolon)
Attia P, Phan GQ, Maker AV, et al: Autoimmunity correlates with tumor regression in patients with metastatic melanoma treated with anti-cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen-4. J Clin Oncol 23:6043-53, 2005.
Balch CM, Buzaid AC, Soong SJ, et al: Final version of the American Joint Committee on Cancer staging system for cutaneous melanoma. J Clin Oncol 19:3635-48, 2001
Balch CM, Soong SJ, Gershenwald JE, et al: Prognostic factors analysis of 17,600 melanoma patients: validation of the American Joint Committee on Cancer melanoma staging system. J Clin Oncol 19:3622-34, 2001
Chapman PB, Einhorn LH, Meyers ML, et al: Phase III multicenter randomized trial of the Dartmouth regimen versus dacarbazine in patients with metastatic melanoma. J Clin Oncol 17:2745-51, 1999
Comin-Anduix B, Lee Y, Jalil J, et al: Detailed analysis of immunologic effects of the cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen 4-blocking monoclonal antibody tremelimumab in peripheral blood of patients with melanoma. J Transl Med 6:22, 2008
Dudley ME, Wunderlich JR, Yang JC, et al: A phase I study of nonmyeloablative chemotherapy and adoptive transfer of autologous tumor antigen-specific T lymphocytes in patients with metastatic melanoma. J Immunother 25:243-51, 2002
Dudley ME, Wunderlich JR, Yang JC, et al: Adoptive cell transfer therapy following non-myeloablative but lymphodepleting chemotherapy for the treatment of patients with refractory metastatic melanoma. J Clin Oncol 23:2346-57, 2005
Gollob JA, Veenstra KG, Parker RA, et al: Phase I trial of concurrent twice-weekly recombinant human interleukin-12 plus low-dose IL-2 in patients with melanoma or renal cell carcinoma. J Clin Oncol 21:2564-73, 2003
Gomez-Navarro, J et al Dose and schedule selection for the anti-CTLA4 monoclonal antibody ticilimumab in patients (pts) with metastatic melanoma. Journal of Clinical Oncology , 2006 ASCO Annual Meeting Proceedings Part I. Vol 24, No. 18S (June 20 Supplement), 2006: 8032
Heemskerk B, Liu K, Dudley ME, et al: Adoptive cell therapy for patients with melanoma, using tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes genetically engineered to secrete interleukin-2. Hum Gene Ther 19:496-510, 2008
Hodi FS, Mihm MC, Soiffer RJ, et al: Biologic activity of cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 antibody blockade in previously vaccinated metastatic melanoma and ovarian carcinoma patients. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 100:4712-7, 2003
Kirkwood JM, Strawderman MH, Ernstoff MS, et al: Interferon alfa-2b adjuvant therapy of high-risk resected cutaneous melanoma: the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Trial EST 1684. J Clin Oncol 14:7-17, 1996
Kirkwood , JM et al. A phase II trial of tremelimumab (CP-675,206) in patients with advanced refractory or relapsed melanoma. J Clin Oncol 26: 2008 (May 20 suppl; abstr 9023).
Maker AV, Attia P, Rosenberg SA: Analysis of the cellular mechanism of antitumor responses and autoimmunity in patients treated with CTLA-4 blockade. J Immunol 175:7746-54, 2005
Maker AV, Phan GQ, Attia P, et al: Tumor regression and autoimmunity in patients treated with cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 blockade and interleukin 2: a phase I/II study. Ann Surg Oncol 12:1005-16, 2005
Maker AV, Yang JC, Sherry RM, et al: Intrapatient dose escalation of anti-CTLA-4 antibody in patients with metastatic melanoma. J Immunother 29:455-63, 2006
Neuman HB, Patel A, Ishill N, et al: A Single-Institution Validation of the AJCC Staging System for Stage IV Melanoma. Ann Surg Oncol, 2008
O'Day, SJ Efficacy and safety of ipilimumab induction and maintenance dosing in patients with advanced melanoma who progressed on one or more prior therapies. J Clin Oncol 26: 2008 (May 20 suppl; abstr 9021).
Phan GQ, Yang JC, Sherry RM, et al: Cancer regression and autoimmunity induced by cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 blockade in patients with metastatic melanoma. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 100:8372-7, 2003
Quirt I, Verma S, Petrella T, et al: Temozolomide for the treatment of metastatic melanoma: a systematic review. Oncologist 12:1114-23, 2007
Ribas A, Camacho LH, Lopez-Berestein G, et al: Antitumor activity in melanoma and anti-self responses in a phase I trial with the anti-cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 monoclonal antibody CP-675,206. J Clin Oncol 23:8968-77, 2005
Ribas, A et al. Antigen-specific T cell responses in patients with melanoma treated with the CTLA4 blocking mAb ticilimumab. Journal of Clinical Oncology , 2006 ASCO Annual Meeting Proceedings Part I. Vol 24, No. 18S (June 20 Supplement), 2006: 8033
Ribas A, Hanson DC, Noe DA, et al: Tremelimumab (CP-675,206), a cytotoxic T lymphocyte associated antigen 4 blocking monoclonal antibody in clinical development for patients with cancer. Oncologist 12:873-83, 2007
Ribas, A et al. Phase III, open-label, randomized, comparative study of tremelimumab (CP-675,206) and chemotherapy (temozolomide [TMZ] or dacarbazine [DTIC]) in patients with advanced melanoma. J Clin Oncol 26: 2008 (May 20 suppl; abstr LBA9011).
Rosenberg SA, Yang JC, White DE, et al: Durability of complete responses in patients with metastatic cancer treated with high-dose interleukin-2: identification of the antigens mediating response. Ann Surg 228:307-19, 1998
Tarhini, AA et al. Phase II trial of combination biotherapy of high-dose interferon alfa-2b and tremelimumab for recurrent inoperable stage III or stage IV melanoma. J Clin Oncol 26: 2008 (May 20 suppl; abstr 9009).
Weber, JS et al. The efficacy and safety of ipilimumab (MDX-010) in patients with unresectable stage III or stage IV malignant melanoma. Journal of Clinical Oncology , 2007 ASCO Annual Meeting Proceedings Part I. Vol 25, No. 18S (June 20 Supplement), 2007: 8523.
Weber J: Review: anti-CTLA-4 antibody ipilimumab: case studies of clinical response and immune-related adverse events. Oncologist 12:864-72, 2007
Weber, JS Safety and efficacy of ipilimumab with or without prophylactic budesonide in treatment-naive and previously treated patients with advanced melanoma. J Clin Oncol 26: 2008 (May 20 suppl; abstr 9010).
Wolchock, JD Antitumor response and new lesions in advanced melanoma patients on ipilimumab treatment. J Clin Oncol 26: 2008 (May 20 suppl; abstr 3020).
Wolchok JD, Saenger YM: Current topics in melanoma. Curr Opin Oncol 19:116-20, 2007
Wolchok JD, Yuan J, Houghton AN, et al: Safety and immunogenicity of tyrosinase DNA vaccines in patients with melanoma. Mol Ther 15:2044-50, 2007
Young SE, Martinez SR, Essner R: The role of surgery in treatment of stage IV melanoma. J Surg Oncol 94:344-51, 2006


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Anti-Japan protests may have quieted down on the day after the anniversary of Japan's invasion of China (which is not saying much: after disappearing for two weeks, perhaps in some Las Vegas strip club, the Chinese leader-in-waiting Xi Jinping denounced Japan's decision to buy disputed islands "as a farce" on Wednesday and said Tokyo should "rein in its behavior"), but that does not mean anything has been resolved, and the Chinese 1000 boat armada is still supposedly on its way to the Senkakus. Elsewhere, the US foreign department may have to promptly find an anti-Buddhist hate tape made in the US, because otherwise the attack of the US ambassador Gary Locke's car in Beijing may have to be explained using good old fashioned simmering hatred and anti-American sentiment without an actual inflamatory event. LA Times reports: "The car of the U.S. ambassador to China was surrounded by a small group of demonstrators on Tuesday, who damaged the vehicle and briefly prevented it from entering the U.S. Embassy compound in Beijing. A YouTube video of the incident showed the protesters chanting slogans such as "down with the U.S. imperialists" and, in an apparent reference to the Chinese government's purchase of U.S. government debt, "return the money!"
The five-minute video shows a black car approaching the embassy and attempting to turn into the gate. As the demonstrators surrounded the vehicle, several dozen Chinese police and uniformed guards rushed to the scene. Several water bottles were thrown at the car and one man could be seen banging on the hood of the vehicle.
The security forces quickly surrounded the automobile and pushed the demonstrators away from it.
A State Department spokesperson said Ambassador Gary Locke's car sustained minor damage but the ambassador was unharmed. The spokesperson said the U.S. had "registered our concern" with China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The U.S. Embassy is located near the Japanese Embassy, which has been targeted by thousands of Chinese protesters in recent days voicing complaints over the Japanese government's move to purchase islands in the East China Sea that are also claimed by China.
Finally, it appears someone gets it:
In an apparent reference to that dispute and the United States' security treaty with Japan, some of the demonstrators chanted: "The U.S. government is the mastermind."
Yesterday China already suggested dumping Japanese bonds as retaliation, following our earlier hypothetical of just who is more likely to dump US paper, should America pick the wrong side to support: recall that both China and Japan now hold over $1.1 trillion in US debt. Things are increasingly looking like China may be it, further explaining why the BOJ .
Full clip of the incident:


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Flex 4 and SD West 2009
Last week I spoke on Flex 4 at SD West 2009. Apart from the warm California weather, I enjoyed the great conference. It had the usual impressive line-up of speakers and attendees, a good number of expo participants and the annual JOLT awards ceremony.
The flagship topic of the conference, as is at most SD conferences (SD Best Practices and SD West), was "agile" software development. Added to it was a pinch of DSL(s), good old C++, Java, .Net, cloud computing, web2.0, security, testing and the now much less talked about data structures and such. The conference was structured around the following tracks:
- Agile Processes, People & Methods
- Cloud Computing
- Java
- Modeling & Design
- New Horizons
- Pervasive Parallelism
- Requirements & Analysis
- Security
- Testing & Quality
- Web 2.0 and Beyond
- Web Services, REST and SOA
Considering that conferences are increasingly getting specialized, the diverse set of tracks might make you dizzy. However, things were not that confusing though. There was clearly some old love for C++ and favor for the wide spread Java and .Net and as mentioned the theme of agility pervaded through them all.
The Web 2.0 and beyond track, in which my Flex 4 presentation was categorized, was not really the central focus of this event, although the track included some well known speakers like Neal Ford and Allen Holub. So my initial feeling about number of attendees for my session (Introduction to Flex 4) was quite mixed. At one level I anticipated complete indiffernce from the masses and at another I suspected the lure of the "new new thing" pulling them to me. Finally, ended up having a room full of attendees and am very happy about it. Better still, I think I probably made a good presentation, cause hardly any one was distracted during the session or walked out in the middle. There were a ton of questions and active participation. From the questions, it was clear some knew Flex well and had possibly used it for building real life applications. However, it was also apparent that some knew just the bare essentials of Flex.
My presentation focused exclusively on the concepts and stayed away from discussing the API (considering its volatile current state). I did show some working code and a whole lot of partial code snippets, which was much appreciated. From prior experience, I am convinced the developer in us gets quite excited on seeing interesting code bits and goes off to sleep when exposed to reams of it sprayed all over the slides. All-in-all I think many people felt happy at the end of the session having discovered part of the future now.
I can't post the original presentation online due to the contractual obligations with the conference organizers. You can buy the recording from them though. I plan to run a set of public presentations on Flex 4 and I promise to make them available online soon.
Apart from speaking at the event, I was also acting as the proxy JOLT award receiver on behalf of my friends at ZeroTurnAround, who could not make it to the conference. They have a pretty cool tool called JavaRebel, which alleviates the pain of repetitive compile-deploy cycle during Java development. Wonder, if my Ruby friends who love to bad mouth Java's shortcoming and overhead related to compile-deploy have to say anything about it. JavaRebel won the JOLT productivity award in the utilities category this year. Congratulations folks!
It was a hurried up trip for me as usual and as it always happens on my way back to New York, I spent a good amount of time at the SFO airport and on the flight. Got back and was immediately caught up with my next set of endeavours. Life seems perpetually so busy, but honestly it isn't a bad thing in these recessionary times. What say?


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State Bar Group Calls for 'Mandatory' COVID-19 Vaccinations, Regardless of Objections
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Went camping this past weekend and after unsaddling I thought she was sore, but she was actually just REALLY itchy. So my sister caught these two pictures while I was scratching her tummy. She has a chronic itch problem but this was a selling point for me when I bought her just because it's so funny!
Leg lifting, it is the funniest thing ever .
Itch Face


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Patch 4.3 Notes from MMO-Champion
New 5 man dungeons
So I may be fighting an angry Sylvanas?? Aww, how am I going to attack or support an attack on my heroine? I don't mind fighting Tyrande, though she is another pretty cool character. That wimpy picture that everyone is whinging about doesn't do her much justice (I agree she looks rather subservient and dependent on Malfurion but maybe all females have to have their "Oh baby I need you, hold me" moment). I think this is picture from Raneman is a great depiction of the Trinity of Tyrande, Malfurion and Illidan.
|Sylvanas in End time - coz you can never have too many pictures of Sylvanas
I am looking forward to seeing Queen Azshara and tell her I dug up her Dressing Gown! I love all this old lore stuff. And we will get to fight Mannoroth as well (though I will be disappointed if he just looks like Magtheridion - hoping for a slightly different colour). Let's hope that there will be some nice looking loot that I can wear for looks from the deadly beautiful Queen (who is supposedly the greatest mortal mage in existence)
|Nozdormu in Well of Eternity - why do all dragons take Night Elf human forms?
So we're going to escort Thrall to Wyrmrest with the Dragon Soul and kill all the baddies in our way. Yeah!!! I like these escort quests where you go with a hero - there seem to be more Horde heroes than Alliance ones (Thrall in Escape from Durnholde, Sylvanas in Halls of Reflection, Arthas in Culling of Stratholme being the only semi Alliance one I can think of).
|I think Thrall is hot. I am totally en-Thralled.
Well, I wonder how far we are going to get here. It will likely take us AGES to get anywhere. But it will be fun to try something new. At every patch we used to get a whole bunch of people suddenly playing again, and our raids would suddenly be full...... though there may not be that many this time because not that many appeared last patch, much to my disappointment.
New Gear
From Ghostcrawler (on How did the team decide to make a Rogue weapon rather than a tanking weapon for this legendary?)
"... We thought that Rogues had maybe felt a little bit not special in this expansion with all the high damage numbers that were being done by classes like Mages. We thought it was just the right opportunity to make them shine and feel kind of special...."
Epic gems will drop in the new raid in Normal and Heroic only. Each player gets a geode when a boss is killed which has a small chance to contain an epic gem, most will have rare gems. It is rare enough to take all of 4.3 to replace all of your red rare quality gems with red epic gems.
Melee classes will be getting a buff that is only active in the new raid to help them compete with ranged classes.
"Quite a few" new profession recipes will be added.


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The near-unanimous vote by the Maine legislature last week to temporarily ban the accessing of public information about concealed carry permit holders in Maine was ridiculous. It was also the best of a bad set of options.
Government transparency is an incredibly important issue, one that underpins many others and is essential for a healthy democracy. What should and should not be subject to Maine's public information laws should be thoroughly debated.
There are legitimate reasons to restrict access. Access to and use of Maine's sex offender registry was changed, for instance, after a 2006 case in which a vigilante apparently used the registry to find and kill two registered offenders before killing himself.
After the Sportsman's Alliance of Maine (the organization behind the current push to make concealed carry permits off-limits) began requesting the email addresses linked to Maine hunting and fishing licenses, the state made that data more difficult to access.
Our state should weigh the factors surrounding the concealed carry permit debate in the same manner: the people's right to information and oversight of government vs. the individual's right to privacy and any real threats this information could pose.
What has happened so far around the concealed carry permit issue is not that kind of debate. The seeds of that kind of reasoned discussion seem to have been consumed in a public conflagration that has produced a great deal of heat and very little light.
In part this is due to the strategy of the NRA and other anti-gun control organizations to vociferously oppose even the smallest step towards any kind of restriction on guns. At the federal level this has led to the defunding of scientific studies of gun violence. Here in Maine it meant that even a newspaper seeking to do broad-based research on concealed carry permits without identifying individuals was greeted with the full force and anger of gun owners.
It's a strategy that works. The NRA's membership, along with Tea Party supporters energized by their fear of perceived encroachment by the current federal administration, are willing and able to launch a full-out campaign of opposition against even the smallest slight. The tactic has served them well in a number of fights on gun safety and it all but assures that the conversation stays far away from the kind of gun control measures they're really worried about.
This time, in Maine, the backlash was also fueled by a Governor and a Republican Party desperate for any opportunity to change the conversation.
Governor LePage and Republicans in the Legislature would love to talk about anything other than the important issues currently before them. Their budget proposal makes cuts and increases taxes that are deeply unpopular and their plan to refuse $3 billion from the federal government for health care coverage is, as this newspaper noted yesterday, unconscionable.
A recent Harvard study published in the New England Journal of Medicine looked at a number of states (including Maine) and found that expanding coverage in this way caused a decrease in mortality of 19.6 deaths per 100,000 residents. These are real people in our state who we know with a high degree of scientific certainty will live or die based on a decision by the Governor on whether or not to accept these federal funds.
If you want to see how unpopular the GOP's position on the budget and taxes is, look no further than the NRA. Even they are (somewhat clumsily) using the tax fairness message in an attempt to push their own agenda. The TV ad they recently ran promoting their idea for more armed guards in schools featured the line "Mr. Obama demands the wealthy pay their fair share of taxes. But he's just another elitist hypocrite when it comes to a fair share of security."
Even the Maine House Republicans seemed to concede the point yesterday when they sent an email attacking Bangor Senator Geoff Gratwick for proposing a tax incentive for plug-in electric vehicles with the subject line "Tax Cut for the Rich."
Regardless of the merits of Gratwick's proposal, it's heartwarming that there now seems to be total agreement on the fundamental concept of tax fairness.
Because the measure passed by the legislature on concealed carry permits is temporary, the debate will rise again during this legislative session, right as the House and Senate are debating the budget and other important issues. No doubt Republicans will then once again attempt to push the issue to center stage with the potential side effect of precluding meaningful debate.
The right move to de-escalate this conflict, allow this idea to be considered on its merits, and maintain the Legislature's focus on the life-and-death issues is for Democrats to refuse to allow them to change the conversation. They should spend the time between now and then starting the fire beneath their own, widely-supported priorities on things that matter much more deeply. By the time LePage and Republicans attempt to reignite the concealed carry issue, there will be less oxygen left in the room for it to once again burn out of control.


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A Scroll for Anska
A Scroll For Anska is a quest revolving around the Dragon Priest Vokun. You can start it off by entering High Gate Ruins and talking to Anska inside.
- Help Anska Retrieve Her Scroll
- Return The Scroll TO Anska
After talking to Anska and accepting her request, head into ruin with her along side. There will be many Draugr inside, so be prepared. Be careful with Anska. She CAN die, causing you to fail the quest. She knows a few good spells, so she won't die easily.
Not only are there Draugr, but there are many boobie traps inside like usual. Watch where you step!
Eventually you'll end up in a puzzle room with a few levers on pedestals. Look towards the bottom for an engraving of an eagle, dolphin/whale, wolf, or snake. You have to pull down the levers in that order. This will open up a gate that leads down stairs to a new room.
Keep venturing into the tomb until you find Vokun. He'll have a Staff of Fireballs along with his mask that reduces the cost of Conjuration, Illusion, and Alteration spells by 20%. He'll mainly stay away and use his fireball attack, so take cover if you can't stand the head. If you're a mage, it's best to have the Atronach Stone or some fire resisting potions.
After defeating Vokun, move on to the next room. You can find a word wall with the Shout Storm Call next to the Scroll. Give it to Anska to complete the quest. She'll also give you the Spell Tome: Conjure Flaming Familiar


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I actually even sewed my first pattern for it, sort of. A couple of weeks ago at Thrift Shop (my newest fave, and where I also bought the upholstery sample books that I've been crafting the crap out of), I picked up some vintage sewing patterns that I thought looked pretty easy:
Awesome, right? It's something that I totally know how to sew already, but creating the pattern pieces myself would just be a pain in the butt. Awesomely as well, all the pattern pieces are present! The jumper pattern was even completely uncut until I got my hands on it, although the jumpsuit pattern was clearly well-used, which is also good, because I can assume that it works.
I say that I only sort of sewed to a pattern, however, because I used the front and back pattern pieces for the jumper but I didn't bother with the notches, the interfacing, the buttons, or the instructions--I already pretty much knew how I wanted to sew the afghan, so I'll save the real-live jumper business for later, I suppose.
I'm very pleased with how Will's dress turned out (eventually--it took the entire afghan to get there, which isn't exactly as waste-less as I like to flaunt myself, but now that I know what I'm doing the next thrifted afghan will have a fate that includes at least TWO dresses, and perhaps even three. And also? A couple of bonnets. And maybe a little matching bag).
Which is good, because the baby's all, "Where MY pretty dress, Momma?"
P.S. I FINALLY figured out how to turn my button alphabets into digital downloads. Check out the 8x10 button alphabet digital download and the 4x5 button alphabet digital download over in my pumpkinbear etsy shop.


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I'll use the coin-operated jukebox in this week's Sepia Saturday image prompt to post a follow-up to the article on Photomatic booths and photos that I wrote a year ago.
Original Photomatic photo booth, Machine No. DP 3
Image © and courtesy of The Powerhouse Museum
Based on an advertisement in Wellington's Evening Post dated 23 January 1940 and a battered instruction plate in the Tauranga Museum collection, I have deduced previously that at least one Photomatic photobooth, such as the well preserved original shown above from Sydney's Powerhouse Museum, was exported to and operated in New Zealand.
Catherine & Errol Morton, Wellington, New Zealand, January 1940
Silver gelatin print in crimped metal frame with printed card backing
Taken by Photomatic (Wellington) Ltd.
Images © and courtesy of Margaret Parkes
I now have direct evidence of that. Margaret Parkes kindly sent me these images of two Photomatic portraits of her parents, probably taken on the eve of her father's departure for service overseas in the Second World War, possibly at the Centennial Exhibition.
I have a pair of prints of my mother and father taken in Wellington before his departure to WW2. To the best of my knowledge they were taken early in January 1940 as the troops boarded the ship on the 5th. My parents Errol and Catherine Morton were living in Taranaki so the time she was most likely to have visited Wellington was for his departure, although I see that the Centennial Exhibition was on at the time.
Advertisements from Ellesmere Guardian, 19 November 1937,
and Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, 16 November 1937
Images courtesy of Papers Past
A detailed search in the online newspaper archives of the period shows that Photomatic Limited was formed in May 1937, shares in the company quickly being listed for sale by brokers in Auckland. In November that year, the department store of Hay's Ltd in Christchurch advertised the new Photomatic as the only one of its kind in the South Island, "a wonderful machine ... takes your photo, develops, prints, and FRAMES it ... in ONE MINUTE."
Advertisement from Evening Post, 2 July 1938
Image courtesy of Papers Past
Between 11 June and 6 August 1938 Photomatic (Wellington) Limited were seeking "smart young ladies" and "smart youths" to apply in person for positions as attendants for Photomatic portrait-taking machines. The advertisement for 2 July 1938 described the booth as being located in Selfridge's Department Store, Cuba Street.
Advertisement from Evening Post, 23 January 1940
Image courtesy of Papers Past
Then there is nothing until early 1940, when the company appears to have operated a Photomatic booth at the Centennial Exhibition in Wellington. Various trade directories show the company operating from premises at 315 Cooke's Building, 58-60 Queen Street, Auckland Central in 1937-1938, from 182 Featherston Street in 1941, and at 23 Waring Taylor Street in 1948-1949, both in Wellington.
Which leaves us with a few questions that I hope we'll be able to answer some day. Why are there so few references to Photomatic booths in New Zealand? Were the booths hired out, complete with operaters, to franchisees in the various locations, or did the firm maintain control of each one? How many were there? Where did the instruction plate in the Tauranga Museum Collection come from, and where is the rest of the booth? How long did the firm remain in business? Were they really still going in 1948? Where are all the portraits taken in these booths? There must be many remaining in private collections, but I haven't been able to find any in public collections listed online.
Bud Payne, Durban, South Africa, 4 April 1968
Photomatic photobooth portrait (65 x 68mm)
Images © and collection of Brett Payne
There are few signs of Photomatic booths being exported to other parts of the world, but I found evidence that they were, somewhat bizarrely, in my own family photo collection. This photobooth portrait of my father was taken in the coastal city of Durban, South Africa in 1968, which is pretty late in context of the heyday of the American Photomatic. Although the silver card backing has no identifying marks indicating that it emanated from a Photomatic apparatus, the metal frame, card type and apparent method of manufacture are identical. It has occurred to me that it may have been produced from a refurbished Photomatic machine after the demise of the business elsewhere.
Mystery Photobooth Portraits
Image Collection of Donald Lokuta and courtesy of Rutgers Today
Lastly, I thought I'd direct readers to an article that appeared recently regarding an exhibit titled "445 Portraits of a Man" currently on display as part of "Striking Resemblance: The Changing Art of Portraiture," an exhibition showing at the Zimmerli Art Museum at Rutgers University in New Jersey until July. It's an extraordinary collection of Photomatic images, all of the same man, taken over three decades from the late 1930s until the 1960s. The man's identity and why the portraits were collected, remains a mystery.
If you haven't had enough of coin-operated machines after that, you may well find a few more among the remaining Sepia Saturday contributions this week.
Relevant advertisements and share price listings appeared in several New Zealand newspapers on the following dates:
Auckland Star: 15 May 1937, 17 Jul 1937, 11, 18, 22 & 23 Feb 1938, 2, 11, 15 Mar 1938
Ellesmere Guardian: 16 & 19 Nov 1937
Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser: 16 & 19 Nov 1937
Evening Post: 11 & 21 June 1938, 2 Jul 1938, 6 Aug 1938, 23 Jan 1940
Auckland Libraries Photographers Database, entry for Photomatic Wellington Ltd.
Payne, Brett (2013) Andy Warhol looks a scream, Hang him on my wall, on PhotoSleuth, 3 May 2013.
Verbanas, Patti (2014) Mystery Photobooth Portraits Baffle Historians, Rutgers Today, 27 March 2014.


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Buncee loves the just-published Yahoo! News writeup about using buncee.com for creating and sharing a holiday greeting, and the AppAdvice article about our app buncee bits!
Just in time for the holidays, Buncee LLC demonstrated its easy-to-use e-greeting solution today at Wine, Dine & Demo 2012. buncee® showcased its online content sharing platform –http://www.buncee.com – which helps users create and share their everyday memories, interests, greetings, invitations, digital scrapbooks, and even business stories in a fun and social way…
"buncee® Delivers a New Way of Creating and Sharing Multimedia Holiday Greetings Online", Yahoo!News
When you really need to express yourself and simple text just can't get the job done, there is Buncee Bits. It allows you to create personalized graphics in a snap, and deliver them directly to your recipient or share them with the world.
"Give Buncee Bits A Try For A Chance To Win A $10 iTunes Gift Card", Tyler Tschida, AppAdvice
Buncee Bits on the Apple iTunes App Store !!


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The Food Safety Summit Executive Educational Advisory Committee (EEAC) announces the education program for the 2013 Food Safety Summit has been finalized and will reach food safety professionals desks both online and in print in the coming days. The three day conference and trade show, now in its 15th year, moves to a new location in Baltimore, MD and introduces exciting new innovative developments for the industry. This event will take place at the Baltimore Convention Center, April 30 - May 2, 2013.
"The Food Safety Summit provides Solutions for Today, Planning for Tomorrow, with a carefully developed education program designed to address the critical issues facing food producers, processors, retailers, distributors, and regulators," said Scott Wolters, Director Tradeshows and Conferences, Food Safety Summit. "Our goal is to advance food safety by providing relevant food safety information and solutions across the entire food supply chain, while keeping the industry, businesses and consumers safe. This year the EEAC has developed a stellar program addressing some of the most pressing concerns while providing the most relevant solutions."
The event will kick off on Tuesday, April 30th with three half day workshops focused on the FDA's Food Defense Plan Builder Application; Tools for Food Safety Professionals including Business Acumen, Executive Speak, Communication and Leadership Style; and How Industry, Local and State Food and Drug Officials can Work Together Effectively. In the afternoon there will be one half day workshop specifically focused on the Impact of the US Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) on International Regulatory Policies and Trade.
Craig Henry from Deloitte & Touché, LLC has put together a dynamic panel of speakers to discuss and debate the estimated $3 billion required to properly implement the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). The vast majority of the food supply chain, including US trading partners are uncertain about what in the new regulations addressing preventative controls, performance standards, traceability requirements and user fees to name a few will require. The panel will address what impact the US food safety policy as a result of FSMA have on international trading partner's food safety regulations and/or policies and what will be the impact on supply chain logistics and in the marketplace.
On the morning of Wednesday, May 1st, Will Daniels, Senior Vice President, Operations and Organic Integrity of Earthbound Farm will offer the keynote address and discuss the Future of Food Safety: When Industry, Academia and Regulators Work Together. Daniels will be addressing the need to have better collaboration; creating transparency and also his desire to protect public health.
This year's Food Safety Summit will offer 18 education sessions and 8 hours of uninterrupted time in the exhibit hall. New and exciting topics to be addressed include: The Impact of Social Media; Solutions for Allergen Control; 20 Years After E. Coli 0157:H7; Understanding and Controlling Norovirus; Review of the Agriculture Process; Combating Cross Contamination along with many other fascinating sessions. For the first time a webinar series will be available for those who are unable to attend the event. Available sessions are listed on the Food Safety Summit site and registration is now open.
After the success of last year's Town Hall discussion, FDA, Deputy Commissioner for Foods, Mike Taylor and USDA Under Secretary for Food Safety, Elizabeth Hagen will be joined by Joe Corby, Executive Director of the Association of Food and Drug Officials (AFDO) to discuss and answer questions about the most pressing issues of today and tomorrow in regards to regulatory agencies and the private sector. The session will be moderated by Gary Ades, Ph.D., President of G&L Consulting Group, LLC and Chair of the Food Safety Summit Executive Educational Advisory Committee.
"There are so many important issues facing those that keep our world's food supply safe, and we applaud the work of our EEAC who are bringing together leaders in the industry to provide the most compelling information to our attendees," added Wolters. "During the three-day attendees will have access to the most up to date information in regards to FSMA, HACCP, GFSI, Food Defense and more and be armed with solutions to implement when they return to their offices."
In addition the 3 day program, the Summit will offer two certification programs starting on Monday, April 29. Covance and Rutgers University will provide a 2.5 day Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP) certification training course which will offer the seven basic principles of HACCP through lectures and break-out sessions and exchange "best practice" advice with participants and experienced instructors. The Restaurant Association of Maryland will offer a two-day ServSafei training and certification course taught by Clay Hosh from the National Restaurant Association. ServSafe leads the way in providing comprehensive educational materials to the restaurant industry and recognized by more federal, state and local jurisdictions than any other food safety certification.


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Hannah Schneider's new album Red Lines is out! The stunning video for Dreaming Kind was recently premiered at Clash Magazine who described Hannah as "a provocative, pioneering artist" and "acoustic lilt is matched to a searingly modernist approach".
Red Lines is out now on CD, gatefold LP & digital. GET IT HERE


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1. Introduction
For several decades Ted Trainer has been developing and refining an important theory of societal change, which he calls The Simpler Way (Trainer, 1985; Trainer, 1995; Trainer, 2010a). His essential premise is that overconsumption in the most developed regions of the world is the root cause of our global predicament, and upon this premise he argues that a necessary part of any transition to a sustainable and just world involves those who are overconsuming accepting far more materially 'simple' lifestyles. That is the radical implication of our global predicament which most people, including most environmentalists, seem unwilling to acknowledge or accept, but which Trainer does not shy away from and, indeed, which he follows through to its logical conclusion.
The Simpler Way is not about deprivation or sacrifice, however; it is about embracing what is sufficient to live well and creating social and economic systems on that basis. This essay presents an overview of Trainer's position, drawing mainly on the most complete expression of it in his latest book, The Transition to a Sustainable and Just World (Trainer, 2010a), an analysis which is supplemented by some of his more recent essays (Trainer, 2010b; Trainer, 2011).
My review is designed in part to bring more attention to a theorist whose work has been greatly underappreciated, so the review is more expository than critical. But in places my analysis seeks to raise questions about Trainer's position, and develop it where possible, in the hope of advancing the debate and deepening our understanding of the important issues under consideration. I begin by outlining the various elements of The Simpler Way and proceed to unpack them in more detail.
2. Outline of The Simpler Way
The premise of Trainer's position, as noted, is that a necessary part of any transition to a sustainable and just world involves those who are overconsuming accepting far more materially 'simple' lifestyles. Given the extent of ecological overshoot (Global Footprint Network, 2012), Trainer argues that there is no way to sufficiently decouple current economic activity from ecological impact in the time available, which necessitates moving away from high impact, Western-style consumer lifestyles without delay.
While Trainer is unreservedly in favour of renewable energy, he presents an evidential case that renewable energy and other 'tech-fixes' will never be able to sustain energy and resource intensive consumer societies. This goes against the grain of mainstream environmental thinking which seems to assume that ecological sustainability can be achieved without giving up high consumption, energy-intensive lifestyles.
Trainer also insists that mere 'lifestyle' changes are insufficient to achieve sustainability; fundamental structural change is also required. On that basis Trainer proposes that growth-based, consumer capitalism must be replaced with a zero-growth or 'steady state' economy. In recent decades many other theorists have also been arguing for a steady state economy (Daly, 1991; Victor, 2008; Jackson, 2009), but Trainer maintains that even most advocates of a steady state economy do not appreciate the radical implications of such an economic framework; most importantly, they do not seem to appreciate that a zero-growth economy implies giving up interest bearing loans, since that mode of financing economic activity requires capital growth in order to pay back the debt plus the interest. Even the Transition and Permaculture Movements (Hopkins, 2008; Holmgren, 2002), which Trainer believes are the most promising eco-social movements at present, are subjected to his sympathetic criticism for seemingly trying to build more resilient and sustainable communities within consumer capitalism, rather than focusing on the more radical project of replacing consumer capitalism.
After presenting his critical analysis of the global situation, Trainer describes his vision of The Simper Way, which is a vision of communities creating highly localised, zero-growth economies, based on far lower resource and energy consumption than what is common in developed nations today, and in which the profit motive has been largely or entirely removed. Since Trainer believes that governments are inextricably intertwined with the economic imperative to grow, his theory of change is fundamentally 'anarchistic,' in the sense that he believes that 'top down' parliamentary processes cannot be relied on to play any significant role in restructuring society for The Simpler Way.
The change that is needed, he argues, if it is ever to arrive, must be driven by grassroots, community-based action. It is a peaceful revolution that Trainer envisions, but a revolution all the same, and it is one that he believes can be completed in a matter of months (Trainer, 2010a: 14), provided a critical mass of people are prepared to act for its realisation. The problem is not what needs to be done. 'That's easy,' he asserts (Trainer, 2010a: 15). 'The problem is developing the understandings and values whereby ordinary people will want to design and build the new systems, and will delight in doing so' (Trainer, 2010a: 15).
3. The Global Predicament
Trainer's vision of The Simpler Way can only be understood in relation to his diagnosis of the global situation, which arises out of the 'limits to growth' analysis (Meadows et al, 2004). He argues that the most serious fault in the existing economy is the commitment to industrialised production, global trade, consumer lifestyles, and limitless economic growth. While the figures and statistics on resource depletion and environmental degradation are well known (MEA, 2005), their significance are not generally acknowledged or fully understood.
Trainer contends that very few people recognise the real extent of ecological overshoot. The global economy, he argues, is far beyond the levels of resource and energy use that can be maintained for much longer, let alone spread to all people. Add to this situation the fact that global population will increase to 9 billion in the next few decades and the magnitude of our problems becomes clear. 'Our way of life,' he concludes, 'is grossly unsustainable' (Trainer, 2010a: 19).1
• A PDF of the complete 20-page essay is available at The Simplicity Institute or Energy Bulletin.


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There are extreme social and economic disparities in Brazil. Some 60% of the rural population live below the poverty line. Unfair land distribution is one of the reasons for this. Roughly 4.8 million Brazilian families are landless, while some 4 000 large landowners possess over 85 million hectares of land. Families who have lived for generations on their land, though most of them without land titles, are systematically expelled to make way for large soya, sugar cane and eucalyptus plantations and for extensive cattle farming. Brazil's biodiversity is under severe threat and social problems have become exacerbated. HEKS/EPER helps improve the food security and incomes of the rural population and supports the building of a strong civil society.
In 2017, 6400 people obtained access to 17000 hectares of land and 9500 people access to water. 10000 people boosted their crop yields and 8000 increased their income.


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2012 Porsche Panamera S Hybrid
With automakers doing their best to showcase the most fuel efficient and powerful models they can come up with, it comes as little surprise that Porsche will be rolling out the 2012 Porsche Panamera S Hybrid the 2011 Geneva Motor Show.
Essentially employing the same powertrain found in the Cayenne S Hybrid, the Panamera S Hybrid will pair a 333-horsepower, supercharged 3.0-liter V-6 gasoline engine with a 47-horsepower electric motor. Power is routed through an eight-speed automatic transmission. Total combined power is 380 horsepower and 427 pound-feet of torque, which will reportedly push the Panamera from 0-60 mph in 5.7 seconds onto a top speed of 167 mph, according to Porsche.
EPA ratings are still forthcoming, but on the European combined test cycle, the Panamera S Hybrid is expected to achieve up to 35 mpg when rolling on low-resistance tires. A Porsche North America representative tells us the actual U.S. MPG numbers will likely ring in slightly higher.
The hybrid Panamera is slated to reach U.S. dealers later this year, and will sticker for $95,975 (including destination). Although that's roughly $5200 more than the base price for a V-8-powered Panamera S, Hybrid models are equipped with Porsche's adaptive damper system, a rear window wiper, and navigation as standard equipment.


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Why is Isiah Thomas logic about the performance of David Lee so negative?
What did Frye do in his rookie season so appealing to Isiah that David Lee did not do last season to make Isiah put Frye in the Starting lineup? what must David Lee do to get into the Starting lineup?
I say this because of Isiah Thomas "Decision Making" last season. Every NBA Coach wished they had a Guard Lineup of Marbury, Francis, and Crawford, with a fast push the ball up court 3 point shooter in Nate Robinson.
There was no reason at all that Marbury & Francis should have been on the court at the sametime in the first half of the season. They should have been each others backup.
The samething goes with Eddy Curry and Channing Frye, every NBA Coach would've LUV to have Frye backingup Curry in their rotation.
Under Coach Larry Brown it was recognized that Curry & Frye had the same Big-Man Game, only thing differ was one had an inside game and the other had an outside game. But both played the Center Positions the same from the baseline to the paint (Conflict of interest together).
And the same exact thing with "Marbury & Francis" but a BIGGER "Conflict of interest" on whom is the better (Franchise) PG. "I am the BEST PG in the NBA!" this challenge still lives on in the NBA (oponents and teammates).
Having Curry & Frye backup each other, and having Marbury & Francis backup each other would have been a great rotation of players on this Knick Team. But the Icing on the Cake was at SF with Q.Richardson & Balkman backing each other up (both added defense & Rebounding).
The two Players that was supposed to LOG in the majority of playingtime last season was David Lee and Jamal Crawford (They were the Leading Rebounder and the Leading Scorer). Their was no way that Marbury or Curry should've lead this Knick Team in minutes played if Frye & Francis was their Backups (all four players would have had to play defense).
Last season the Knicks were an above .500 team with two Centers (Curry & Frye), two SF-(Q.Rich & Balkman), and two PG-(Marbury & Francis).
Coach Isiah had an easy task last season by just matching the three positions above and Running with them all season long untill the MESHING process took affect in midseason. Marbury, Q.Rich, and Curry "VS" Francis, Balkman, and Frye.
These were SIX players that would be needed in the rotation in the Post Season games.
Throughout the regular season last year the Knicks had PF-Malik Rose & David Lee with some spearing peremeter defensive minutes for Jared Jefferies.
The Knicks had SG-Nate & Crawford with some spearing peremeter defense minutes for Jared Jefferies.
Injuries last season was not the reason why the Knicks did not have an above .500 season it was Head Coach Isiah Thomas "SAVE-FACE" poor decision making coaching. Which lead to an entire season without any chemistry minstered to high contract player$ that are hard to trade.
The perfomance of Q.Richardson, David Lee, and Jamal Crawford last season should not have been put as 2nd Fiddle to anyone on the Knick Roster they were the best TRIO on the team.
Will Head Coach Isiah Thomas put on his coaching cap this 2007-8 season and start out fresh his second season coaching this Knick Team with an 8-Man rotation that Click together for 3-quarters to WIN, so the other teammates could get some garbage playingtime here and there?


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ARTICLE: Honeybees as plant 'bodyguards' –
"Honeybees are important to plants for reasons that go beyond pollination, according to a new study published in the December 23rd issue of Current Biology, a Cell Press publication. The insects' buzz also defends plants against the caterpillars that would otherwise munch on them undisturbed.
The researchers, led by Jürgen Tautz of Biozentrum Universität Würzburg, Germany, earlier found that many caterpillars possess fine sensory hairs on the front portions of their bodies that enable them to detect air vibrations, such as the sound of an approaching predatory wasp or honeybee.
"These sensory hairs are not fine-tuned," Tautz said. "Therefore, caterpillars cannot distinguish between hunting wasps and harmless bees." If an "unidentified flying object" approaches, generating air vibrations in the proper range, caterpillars stop moving or drop from the plant…
"Our findings indicate for the first time that visiting honeybees provide plants with a totally unexpected advantage," the researchers said. "They not only transport pollen from flower to flower, but in addition also reduce plant destruction by herbivores."
…If crops are combined with attractive flowers in such a way that honeybees from nearby beehives constantly buzz around them, it may lead to significantly higher yields in areas with lots of leaf-eating pests—a notion Tautz's team intends to test. "Our finding may be the start of a totally new biological control method," he said."