text:
It has been an interesting journey for Brek Shea in 2010. The FC Dallas midfielder started the campaign in the starting XI for the March 27 season opener against Houston and played 69 minutes in a 1-1 draw.
However, the following week wasn't the 20-year-old Texan's best in training, and he found himself off the 18-man roster for the game against Columbus. Shea returned to the bench a week later in New York and then played 17 minutes as a sub against Seattle. He didn't return to the starting lineup until May 1 at New England.
He has now started 11 games since, tallying four goals and two assists.
WATCH: Shea knocks back RSL
"I was starting and didn't think I was playing well," Shea said when asked about his early season struggles. "I let it get to my head and I was off the 18. I had to step back and look. I knew it was time to play and show I can help the team win."
Head coach Schellas Hyndman got the response he had hoped for after he dropped Shea from the gameday roster.
"I think what you can always expect from the younger players is that inconsistency, but you can't accept lack of trust on their part," Hyndman said. "You've got to trust them to do their job assignments, and then you've got to see how they respond when things don't go their way.
"If I'm helping Brek become more mature and more focused, it's because he's responded in a positive way."
Shea admits the whole situation helped strengthen his relationship with the coach.
"I was frustrated with myself and got mad at him [Hyndman] because of that," Shea said. "It's helped a lot. Now we have a good understanding. I know he's trying to help."
He also looks at the entire experience as something he had to go through in order to mature both on and off the pitch.
"I think everyone just learns from their mistakes," Shea said. "I hope I'm maturing. I know sometimes it doesn't seem like it. I want to mature, but I still want to have my youth and my excitement. I like doing new stuff and like to be a little different."
On Saturday night, FCD handed reigning MLS Cup champion Real Salt Lake a rare 2-0 defeat at Pizza Hut Park, and Shea was front and center. The young midfielder had a goal, an assist and also prevented an RSL goal by clearing Jamison Olave's header off the line.
"(Shea's) a player that will do what I ask him to do," Hyndman said. "I think once he really gets that first touch down, he'll be able to get more and more shots off. I'm really happy that the players are looking for him. He made it a difficult night for [Robbie] Russell."
And Shea admits it feels good to play a bigger role in his side's attack.
"I feel like sometimes I don't get the ball, but lately they've been trying to find me," he said. "I think I'm getting a lot of opportunities from it. That's where my goals have been coming from."
Let your voice be heard:


text:
A Manufacturing Success Story: Stevens Alum's Company is One of Best in New Jersey
When Frank J. Semcer graduated from Stevens in 1965, he didn't join Micro Stamping Corp., the company his father had founded 20 years earlier. He carved his own path, joining W.R. Grace & Company, later Allied Chemical, to develop new polymers for the plastics age.
Micro Stamping sought him out several years later, in search of much needed "young blood" for the small electronics parts manufacturer. It was 1969 when Semcer accepted the offer, and the company, now a publicly-owned conglomerate, had about 50 employees.
Semcer bought back Micro Stamping within eight years. Renaming it MICRO, he upgraded its technology and invested in research and development. A true manufacturing success story, today the company of 350 employees produces six billion components a year for the medical device, automotive, aerospace and electronics industries and boasted sales of $72.5 million in 2010, with increases expected this year. Headquartered in Somerset, NJ, it has additional operations in Florida, Korea and Singapore, as well as New Jersey and Florida manufacturing facilities boasting a total of 140,000 square feet.
This year, Semcer's efforts were recognized by NJBIZ, which named MICRO #85 on its Top 100 Privately Held Companies for 2011, up from #93 the previous year. In addition, The Wall Street Journal pointed to MICRO as a sign of hope for the company's manufacturing sector, and U.S. Rep. Rush Holt (D-Hopewell) glowed about its modern technology and R&D investment in The Times of Trenton.
"All of the company is excited," said Semcer, Chairman of MICRO and a resident of Far Hills, NJ. "We're a growing business in the state of New Jersey, and we're growing in spite of the rest of the world."
What has been MICRO's secret to bucking the struggles of so many of the country's manufacturers?
"It's really the innovative approach that we have to helping our customers reduce their total costs through new product design and different methods of manufacturing," Semcer said.
The collaborative process with clients in which "everyone gathers around the table" is a huge advantage, he added.
And perhaps the company's biggest strength is the chairman himself. Semcer promptly returns his own phone calls and emails. When you meet him, he is approachable and enthusiastic about what he does.
In recent years, Stevens has also figured prominently into MICRO's story. Several Stevens alumni, including the company's president – Semcer's son, Brian Semcer '00 – are on staff. (Three of Semcer's other children, Al, Frank, Jr. and Paige also work with the company.)
MICRO has also employed Stevens' Cooperative Education students for the past few years, with 11 on staff in 2011. Semcer, a father of six and grandfather of 15, puts these students right on the plant floor and lets them apply their Stevens engineering education as they work to help improve manufacturing quality and processes.
"We believe that the Stevens education gives students real knowledge on application versus the theoretical approach," Semcer said.
Semcer himself chose Stevens because he longed to develop his strengths in math and science at a small school, and he wanted a general engineering curriculum because he wasn't quite sure what he wanted to do.
"It's a diverse education that we gained at Stevens so that all of the technology that we use in manufacturing, we employ, from electrical to mechanical to chemical engineering," he said.
Semcer was active during his years as a Stevens student, serving as a member and officer with Theta Xi fraternity, working with The Link student yearbook and playing interclass and interfraternity sports.
He has continued his involvement with Stevens as an alumnus. He is a member of the Stevens Board of Trustees, has served on his class' reunion committee and has been a faithful Alumni Weekend attendee. He is also a generous supporter of Stevens and a member of the Edwin A. Stevens Society. For his pioneering vision as a business owner and innovator, Semcer received Stevens' Award for Innovation and Entrepreneurship in 2010 – the first recipient of this prestigious award.
Semcer, with his wife, Mary Jane, has also been a generous advocate within his home community. This past fall, Semcer received an award from HomeSharing, a Bridgewater, NJ-based organization whose mission is to prevent homelessness through shared affordable housing. The group created the Frank Semcer Outstanding Volunteer Award in honor of Semcer and MICRO, longtime supporters.
As a business leader, Semcer said that he is optimistic about manufacturing in the United States as the time lag and supply chain issues make manufacturing in China no longer so cost competitive.
As for the future of his own company, he said that MICRO will continue to search for ways to innovate, be it through redesigning existing processes or using new technology – just as he learned at Stevens.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
The United States has produced one of the most successful economic stories in human history.
We've had a lot of inherent advantages: abundant natural resources, favorable demographic trends, relative political stability supported by the protective benefit of two oceans, to name a few.
But from colonial times to the present, our happy economy has also been powered by three separate industrial revolutions: 1) the introduction of steam engines and railroads, 2) the inception and widespread use of electricity and the combustion engine, and 3) the invention of computers, the web and mobile communications.
As Northwestern economist Robert Gordon points out in a new paper, these three interlocking events gave rise to a widespread assumption that "economic growth is a continuous process that will persist forever."
That's because each of these industrial revolutions produced a virtuous economic circle.
Each advance built upon the innovations of the previous ones, along the way boosting productivity and revving the American economy, which in turn made American consumers richer and more able to buy stuff.
Well, guess what?
Gordon writes that future growth in consumption per capita — the main engine of the consumer-based US economy — could fall below 0.5 percent a year for what he calls "an extended period of decades."
Yes, that would be a big deal. For some context, between 1860 and 2007 that annual growth rate was 1.9 percent.
What's driving this structural economic slowdown, according to Gordon?
He argues that six "headwinds" are buffeting the US economy, and that these factors were in place even before the Great Recession of 2008.
Count 'em: 1) changing and unfavorable demographics, 2) rising education costs and poor secondary school performance, 3) growing economic inequality, 4) increased competition due to globalization, 5) energy and environmental costs and challenges, and 6) high levels of consumer and government debt.
Taken together, these headwinds will slow growth dramatically into the foreseeable future.
Here's the money quote of Gordon's paper, which is titled "Is U.S. Economic Growth Over? Faltering Innovation Confronts the Six Headwinds":
"Doubling the standard of living took five centuries between 1300 and 1800. Doubling accelerated to one century between 1800 and 1900. Doubling peaked at a mere 28 years between 1929 and 1957 and 31 years between 1957 and 1988. But then doubling is predicted to slow back to a century again between 2007 and 2100."
This slowdown is happening because the productivity gains associated with computers and mobility have been far less dramatic — at least so far — than in the two previous industrial revolutions, all of which leads Gordon to his depressing theme: "Economic growth may not be a continuous long-run process that lasts forever."
Yeah, it's bleak.
But as Annie Lowrie points out in an Economix blog post that deconstructs this same paper, not everyone agrees.
For a more upbeat view of our economic future — particularly on the relationship between emerging technologies and productivity gains — see this article, The Next Great Growth Cycle.
Here's its author Mark P. Mills:
"We are poised to enter a new era that will come from the convergence of three technological transformations that have already happened: Big Data, the Wireless Wired World, and Computational Manufacturing."
Mills also quotes, in a reassuring way, John Perry Barlow, the co-founder of the Electronic Frontier Foundation and, yes, former Grateful Dead lyricist: "The best way to invent the future is to predict it."
And on the topic of famous quotes, we might also point to John Maynard Keynes' legendary quip: "In the long run, we're all dead."
Or maybe we should just take comfort in the words attributed variously to Danish physicist Niels Bohr and the wise sage Lawrence Peter "Yogi" Berra:
"Prediction is very difficult, especially if it's about the future."


text:
Please enter your Mobile Number and Education Level to proceed.
9th Services
Basic Plan
Advance Plan
Face to Face Plan
Mentorship Plan
Skill Based Test™
Pricing For 9th
10th Services
Ideal Career Test™
Stream Selector Test™
Pricing For 10th
11th Services
Engineering Selector™
Humanities Selector™
Commerce Selector™
Pricing For 11th
12th Services
Ideal Career™
Commerce Selector™
Pricing For 12th
B.Com Services
Ideal Career
Pricing For B.com
Humanities Career™
Professional Skill
Pricing For BA
B.Sc Services
Ideal Career Test
Professional Skill Index
Pricing For B.Sc
B.Tech Services
Pricing For B.Tech
MBA Services
Professional Skill Index
Pricing For MBA
MASTERS Services
Pricing For Masters
Professional Skill Index
Pricing For Working
Study In India
Study Abroad
Career Options
Experts Q&A
For 9th Class Students
For 10th Class Students
For 11th Class Students
For 12th Class Students
For Bcom Students
For BA Students
For B.sc Students
For B.Tech Students
Ideal Career Test™
Skill Based Career Test
Stream Selector™ Test
Engineering Branch Selector™
Humanities Career Selector™
Commerce Career Selector™
Professional Skill Index™
Educator Professional Skill™
Law Entrance Exam
Design Entrance Exam
Medical Entrance Exam
Engineering Entrance Exam
Tourism Entrance Exam
Management Entrance Exam
Mass Comm Entrance Exam
9th Class Mentorship
10th Class Mentorship
11th Class Mentorship
12th Class Mentorship
Mentorship For B.Com
Mentorship For B.Sc
Mentorship For B.Tech
Mentorship For B.a
Study In Usa
Study Europe
Study In Australia
Study In Singapore
Study In Dubai
Study In Hong Kong
Study In Canada
Study In Ireland
Education Loan
Ask & Answer
Ask on Phone
Ask on Chat
Experts Q&A
Ideal Career Test™
Skill Based Career Test
Stream Selector™ Test
Engineering Branch Selector™
Humanities Career Selector™
Commerce Career Selector™
Professional Skill Index™
Educator Professional Skill™
For Career Counsellors
Register For Counsellors
For Counsellors Job
Counsellors Certification
Counsellors Interview
Inspirational Stories
Counsellors Profile
Counsellors Dashboard
Counselling Services For 9th
Counselling Services For 10th
Counselling Services For 11th
Counselling Services For 12th
Counsellors In Delhi
Counsellors In Mumbai
Counsellors In Bangalore
Counsellors In Chennai
There is no career counsellors available for this category in ludhiana . Explore all Career Counsellors
National Resource Person at Deptt. of Personnel and Training, New Delhi
Facilitated wide variety of participants like Defence personnel,Engineers, Managers, Police officers, Educators, professors, Lecturers, Executives & Professionals across diverse departments in fun based experiential learning programs and Training skills.
My signature program is " Knowledge, Skills and Attitude lead to Success" .
I have worked with wide variety of like organisations Indian Army,Escorts Ltd, British Council, IDP Austrailia, Yamaha , Maruti –Suzuki ,NTPC, Alstom and OP Jindal University
I have been conducting Disaster Management Programs for various Govt.as well as private organisations including NGO's and rural centers as part of my social awareness programs.
Defense & MilitaryAir Force Related CareersArmy Related CareersNavy Related CareersPolice Service- Border Security ForceView more »
Transforming /Empowering people through Counselling Psychology and Training & Development,Personality Development Skills
Dr. Vinay Masih is Transforming /Empowering people through Counselling Psychology and Training & Development,Personality Development Skills. Ask Dr. Vinay Masih to get Expert Career Advice.
Humanistic StudiesCareer counselorInterview TipsResume WritingView more »


text:
Leading HIV nutrition researchers gathered in Geneva in June and July for the 12th World Conference on AIDS and a daylong symposium, entitled "Update on Wasting, Metabolism and Altered Body Shape in HIV/AIDS," held prior to the international conference. AIDS Project Los Angeles nutrition advocate Marcy Fenton, M.S. R.D., attended both conferences and wrote the following report on information presented in Geneva.
For the sake of survival, maintaining weight and lean body mass has long been a major challenge and goal in HIV disease.
Recent acknowledgment of metabolic abnormalities and body composition changes among people with HIV infection have forced mainstream HIV researchers and clinicians to pay attention to nutritional considerations. Why are these problems occurring and what can be done?
In reviewing my notes from the 12th World AIDS Conference in Geneva, the problems become a wee bit clearer. Still, much more remains to be understood why these changes are occurring and to identify helpful treatment options.
Maintaining body mass
Early HIV nutrition studies determined that severe weight and protein loss would lead to death, despite high CD4-cell counts.
Because water gain can mask loss of body cell mass (cells found in muscle and organs), while weight stays the same, researchers learned that body weight is not an adequate way to monitor these changes. This led to the greater use of bio-electric impedance analysis (BIA) and other techniques of monitoring body cell mass.
Early studies found that body cell mass loss often occurs in the asymptomatic stage of HIV disease and that men and women lose body cell mass at different rates. This difference is likely due to the basic hormonal differences of how and where men and women store fat and muscle. In early stages of wasting, women seem to lose fat and not lean body mass, while in late wasting both fat and lean body mass is lost. Men seem to lose lean body mass earlier and subsequently in the disease.
Determining how many calories are needed by people with HIV disease has been very important. Researchers have used the measurements of "resting energy expenditure" and "total energy expenditure." Resting energy expenditure is the amount of energy used when the body is at rest and necessary to breathe and support the basic body functions. It does not include the energy needed for play, work and digestion. Total energy expenditure includes all these components.
In early studies, researchers also found an association with malnutrition and opportunistic infections. Other direct relationships between nutritional alterations and HIV infection include:
The onset of wasting, occurring during the asymptomatic phase of HIV disease
An increase of resting energy expenditure in asymptomatic people and throughout HIV disease, especially in the presence of an additional infection
An association between the decrease in weight and increase in viral load.
Redefining wasting
With the increased use of protease inhibitors and other potent antiretroviral drugs, a decrease in the numbers of cases and severity of malnutrition has been seen. Yet numerous posters presented in Geneva at the conference and the pre-conference update showed that wasting still occurs and adequate routine screening and intervention still must be provided.
Sherwood Gorbach, M.D., of Tufts University in Boston called for re-examination of the AIDS wasting definition. He pointed out that weight loss can occur without chronic fever or diarrhea, as the current definition states, and how recent research has found that as little as 5 percent weight loss over four months was associated with increased opportunistic complications and a decreased survival. While a study at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found the occurrence of AIDS wasting at 18 percent, nutrition centers estimate malnutrition at 50 percent.
Simple starvation -- plain inadequacy of intake -- is the main reason for weight and lean body mass losses. This could reflect many reasons, including anorexia, fatigue, lack of money, social isolation, depression, malabsorption, nausea, fevers or difficulty eating or chewing. At the update, Derek Macallan, M.D., a respected researcher from England, stressed that inadequate intake is the major factor in weight loss.
In studies published in the New England Journal of Medicine and Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, intake has been repeatedly assessed to be 40 percent below meeting dietary needs at time of severe weight loss. Macallan showed that weight loss occurs when people actually have a lower total energy expenditure. They are using less than normal amounts of energy for activity and digestion. This often is coinciding with an acute infection and the major factor is that intake is poorer.
Macallan's work underscores that it is important to maintain intake in order to maintain weight and lean body mass. It also reminds us of the need for aggressive attention and nutrition feeding in order to maintain weight and lean body mass during periods of inadequate intake. Intake is not the only factor, but a vital one.
Building body mass
How fat (lipid) and protein metabolic changes affect weight and energy balance has not been resolved.
Abnormal lipid metabolism with elevated triglyceride levels has long been recognized. This problem, possibly caused by an effect of cytokines (interferon-alpha, tumor necrosis factor, interleukin-1), has been associated with an increase in synthesis of fat and a decreased clearance of triglycerides.
Daily breakdown and building (or "synthesis") of body protein is often referred to as "protein turnover." Usually breakdown and synthesis are equal and fairly constant. There is an increase in usual protein turnover seen in body building, in wasting, and in recovery from an illness or trauma.
An increase in protein metabolism doesn't automatically translate into increases in lean body mass. While S. Bruce Williams et al (Abstract 42339) found that high protein intake assists in maintaining or increasing body cell mass in HIV-positive men independently of muscle-building activity, providing adequate calories, proteins and nutrients is not enough.
To best utilize nutrients and build lean body mass, individuals must be more physically active, free of systemic illness and metabolic abnormalities. In recovery from catastrophic events, initial weight gain is primarily in fat. Over time, with increased strength, function and desire, activity increases to tone muscles. Muscle, however, may never be regained to reach original baseline level. It is important to evaluate therapies over time and consider all these components.
Researchers, clinicians and patients search for ways to maintain and/or increase lean body mass.
The syndrome
Appearance of a very troubling syndrome has coincided with the success of potent antiretroviral therapy.
While the syndrome lacks an official name, it is now being called "lipodystrophy" or "peripheral lipodystrophy syndrome," and just last year it was known as "Crix belly" or "protease paunch." The medical dictionary defines lipodystrophy as a disturbance of fat metabolism, and there are different kinds of it.
The two major components of lipodystrophy include: (1) changes in body shape, with an increase in fat located in the middle of the body, and a reduction in fat from the arms, legs, face and buttocks (peripheral fat wasting) and (2) changes in the way nutrients are metabolized, causing high levels of triglycerides, cholesterol, blood glucose and other abnormalities. (See list on this page for other metabolic abnormalities.) You may see the term body "habitus" used in abstracts or clinical journals. Habitus is just another way of saying body physique or body shape.
The rate of incidence of lipodystrophy is not known. As with other syndromes and early in exploration of most new phenomena, numerous symptoms are suspected to be a part of this syndrome. Many nutrition researchers suspect that all symptoms do not have to be present.
Following the 5th Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections, the reports of lipodystrophy occurrence ranged from 5 percent to 64 percent. In reports from the 12th World AIDS Conference, the incidence of lipodystrophy among HIV-infected people on HAART were more often in the range of 12 percent to 26 percent (Abstracts 12299, 12373 and 12391). Changes seem to be occurring between three months to three years after initiation of therapy. Bottom line: no clear definition and no clear numbers.
Your body is your castle
Body shape changes can include an increase in belly fat or width, sometimes to the point where the individual, man or woman, appears to look pregnant.
This belly fat is primarily an increase in "visceral fat" or "visceral adipose tissue" (VAT), a hard type of fat that surrounds and protects the abdominal organs. It is not the flubby, soft fat usually seen, which is fat that is deposited under the skin. This second type of fat is called "subcutaneous fat" or "subcutaneous adipose tissue" (SAT).
Losses in subcutaneous fat often occur as losses in the extremities of the body, that is, the face, arms, legs and even the buttocks. A few studies reported that there was a greater amount of visceral fat as compared to subcutaneous fat in patients treated with protease inhibitors than those not taking protease inhibitors. Doctors David A. Cooper, M.D. and Andrew Carr, M.D. from Sydney, Australia found that the VAT/SAT ratio was greater in those who complained of gastrointestinal symptoms and had an enlarged abdomen than without complaints.
Another body shape change is the "buffalo hump." The anatomical term for this is the "dorsocervical fat pad," located just below the back of the neck. The buffalo hump has been found to occur in people on combination therapies with and without protease inhibitors. It has also been associated with greater truncal fat and the other abnormalities, though it is not yet clear if it is caused by a separate mechanism.
Cooper and Carr have been closely monitoring this syndrome and had much to share at the update and the conference. Effects and side-effects noted have been:
Increase in abdominal girth
Thinning and increased wrinkling of the face
Thinning of the arms and the legs
Increased prominence of subcutaneous veins
Loss of fat in the arms and legs
Elevations of plasma insulin
Elevations of C peptide concentrations
Insulin resistance
Decreased HDL cholesterol
Pancreatitis - thought to be a complication of hypertriglyceridemia and not reported in the literature
Increased bleeding and factor VIII requirements in hemophiliacs
Ectodermal dysplasia
Dry skin and cracked lips
Loss of body hair
Ingrown toenails
Premature coronary artery disease
Increase in breast size in women
A case report of gyncomastia (development of breasts in men)
Enlarged dorsocervical fat pad ("buffalo hump")
In a report in the June 20 edition of The Lancet, Cooper and Carr hypothesize that lipodystrophy occurs because HIV-1 protease inhibitors have a high attraction for the active site of the HIV-1 protease, which may be similar enough in structure to some human proteins and affecting their function.
Two proteins that may be affected are low-density lipoprotein-receptor-related protein (LRP) and cytoplasmic retinoic-acid binding protein type-1 (CRABP-1). They described the metabolic pathways in which these proteins are involved, how they lead to insulin resistance, hyperlipidemia and complication with retinoic acid analogues. Their hypothesis requires better analysis and more decisive studies.
In a possible variation to the previous hypothesis, Donald Kotler, M.D., of St. Lukes Roosevelt Hospital in New York City suggests that the appearance of these body shape alterations were seen prior to the era of protease inhibitors. According to Kotler, fat redistribution and metabolic abnormalities are a response to life-threatening illness and due to changes in a hormone called cortisol.
Blood cortisol levels change throughout the day and night. A 24-hour urine collection and testing for "free cortisol" may better reveal any irregularities over a single blood sample.
In a study presented at the World AIDS Conference, body shape changes were seen in 16 percent of 118 women after initiation of successful antiretroviral therapy with a protease inhibitor (Abstract 12373). Women more often experienced increase in breast size (71 percent) and abdominal belly size (71 percent). About half experienced total weight gain (47 percent) and the same percentage, but not necessarily the same women, experienced peripheral wasting. Fewer women experienced loss of fat from the buttocks (29 percent) and buffalo humps (23 percent).
More cases of insulin resistance have been reported in people taking protease inhibitors (Abstract 32172).
High levels of blood glucose, also called blood sugar, indicate problems with usage of insulin or amount of insulin in the body. Insulin resistance is when there is a problem with the use of insulin. Unlike antiretroviral drug resistance, which occurs when HIV is no longer responding to the drug, insulin resistance may require diet, exercise and meds to help in transporting of the insulin or help in making the cells more receptive to the insulin.
Insulin resistance may be difficult to detect. Accurate tests to measure insulin resistance are not widely available, and insulin resistance may exist without apparent changes in blood glucose. The normal fasting blood glucose value is 80 to 110 mg per decaliter "Impaired fasting glucose" is the term used when someone's fasting blood glucose is higher than 110 but below 126 mg/dl. Diabetes is diagnosed when two fasting blood glucose values are more than 126 mg/dl.
How protease inhibitors alter glucose metabolism is not understood. Is there some defect at the cellular level, low insulin secretion (Abstract 32172), an increase in fat accumulation, an accelerated insulin clearance (Abstract 32276) or do protease inhibitors cause an inhibition of the protease that converts proinsulin to insulin (Abstract 12387)?
One abstract from Stanford University reported hyperglycemia in about 11 percent of the 215 patients receiving at least one protease inhibitor. Median serum glucose was 86.5 mg/dl prior to beginning protease inhibitor therapy and rose to 138.6 mg/dl after therapy began. Prevalence of hyperglycemia associated with indinavir (Crixivan) was 11.6 percent; saquinavir (Invirase), 4.3 percent; nelfinavir mesylate (Viracept), 8.2 percent; and ritonavir (Norvir)/saquinavir combination, 6.3 percent. One study found 15.1 percent of 45 patients developed hyperglycemia (greater than 120 mg/dl blood glucose). Another study, however, reported 2 percent incidence of hyperglycemia or diabetes, which is no greater than the 2 percent to 6 percent seen in the general population (Abstract 60148).
All people taking protease inhibitors should have their blood sugar checked every three to six months. If you have a history of diabetes in your family, make sure your doctor is aware of it. The primary treatment for hyperglycemia is diet and exercise. Oral hypoglycemic medications or injectable insulin are options to add if and when diet and exercise aren't enough.
The American Diabetes Association recommends that people with diabetes receive their treatment and care from a physician-coordinated team, which should include at least a physician, nurse, dietitian and mental health professional with expertise and interest in diabetes.The American Diabetes Association recommends that a "registered dietitian knowledgeable and skilled in implementing current principles and recommendations for diabetes, be a member of the treatment team."
The Health Care Financing Administration, the federal agency that regulates and monitors Medicare, recently issued instructions on Medicare coverage of physician-prescribed diabetes, outpatient self-management training services and home blood glucose monitors and test strips for all people with diabetes. Coverage took effect July 1, 1998.
A blood glucose meter can cost $60 or less, and may be obtained without cost. Ask your pharmacist for information. The cost of monitoring strips varies widely. Medicare, Medi-Cal and some insurance providers wil cover them. Non-physician services, such as medical nutrition therapy from a registered dietitian, must be part of a physician's professional service.
Heart disease and hyperlipidemias
Low high-density lipoprotein levels and high triglycerides have been seen in people with HIV disease for a long time, but the number of people experiencing these abnormal values is increasing, along with the abnormal values themselves.
Lipoproteins are molecules that have proteins and lipids packaged together. When the lipoprotein package has more protein than fat, it is called a high-density lipoprotein, or HDL. When the lipoprotein package has more fat than protein is called a low-density liprotein (LDL) and when there is much more fat than protein, it is called very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL). Factors that increase the possibilities of heart disease are blood values high in cholesterol, high in LDL, low in HDL, excessively high in triglycerides, high in blood glucose and insulin resistance.
The major concern with excessive triglycerides is pancreatitis, where 5 percent of all patients are at risk. With protease inhibitors, especially ritonavir, triglyceride, LDL and cholesterol levels have dramatically increased. Insulin resistance may make triglyceride levels worse. All these changes make reducing risk factors for heart disease a very real concern.
Prescriptive use of gemfibrozil (Lopid) and atorvastatin, lipid-lowering agents, have been reported to have some benefit in reducing lipid levels. There was discussion at the conference that the lipid-lowering drugs known as statins, should not be used with protease inhibitors.
|Brand Name
|Generic Name
Leading researchers at both the conference and the preceding update suggested following the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP), which aims to reduce cholesterol, high serum triglyceride levels by body weight control, limiting consumption of saturated fat and cholesterol, regular exercise, stopping smoking and restricting use of alcohol.
Specific dietary recommendations regarding saturated, monunsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids, cholesterol, sodium, complex carbohydrates and alcohol, as well as an exercise program, should be fully explored by your physician, registered dietitian and rest of your medical team.
Buffalo hump
While some success at treating buffalo hump through liposuction has been reported, one poster presented at the conference reported on improvement in the condition using recombinant human growth hormone (Serostim) (Abstract 32164).
Growth hormone promotes the breakdown of fat, building of lean tissue and depositing of triglyceride from the blood into the cells. The report was based on two individuals experiencing buffalo humps along with associated symptoms of central adiposity, peripheral muscle wasting, fatigue and hyperlipidemia. Other studies looking at lipodystrophy and the use of growth hormone are under way, and more are needed.
For the most part, reports used computerized tomography (CT), dual X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to precisely measure fat in the arms, legs, face and trunk. BIA, while good at identifying trends in fat and body cell mass, is not able to distinguish visceral and subcutaneous fat changes. Regardless, BIA was and still is used in identifying changes in monitoring body composition and nutritional health.
Some claim that the reduction in death and opportunistic infections attributed to protease inhibitors and potent antiretroviral medications outweigh "cosmetic" problems with body shape. Others say that these body-shape changes are not merely "cosmetic."
While there were some reports of switching antiretroviral medications in an effort to decrease symptoms of the syndrome, the overriding belief among clinicians is to continue using anti-HIV drugs. One grave concern expressed in Geneva is that increased amount of visceral fat coupled with other developments, insulin resistance, and changes in lipid profile to low HDL-cholesterol and high LDL-cholesterol, is a formula for atherosclerosis and heart disease. Indeed, there have been reports of blockage in the arteries to the heart (myocardial infarctions) and deaths.
Other concerns are that body changes are psychologically devastating, make confidentiality more difficult to maintain, and can be physically uncomfortable. Added medical, dietary and behavior changes necessary to treat hyperlipidemias or hyperglycemias can be confusing and burdensome.
Replacing one protease inhibitor with another has been reported to be only somewhat helpful. Switching from indinavir (Crixivan) to nelfinavir mesylate (Viracept), for example, was reported to often coincide with some reduction in triglycerides, visual signs of peripheral lipodystrophy syndrome and hyperglycemia, but not cholesterol (Abstracts 12287, 32172).
Other studies reported at the conference showed that a patient's self-report of body shape changes matched actual changes. Hopefully, the days are over when doctors will tell their patients that perceived body changes are "all in your head."
Progressive resistance therapy
Using exercise, testosterone and anabolic agents as a way to interrupt wasting and to build lean body mass was discussed at the update and a topic of a satellite symposium at the conference.
Continued successful use of progressive resistance training (PRT) to build lean body mass is one of the key results presented in the area of wasting. Ronenn Roubenoff, M.D., of Tufts University in Boston and part of the Nutrition for Life Study there, shared results of his study which demonstrated that PRT could be safe and effective in HIV infection.
The benefits of PRT has been well recognized in the elderly, and people with rheumatoid arthritis, congestive heart failure, coronary artery disease and chronic renal insufficiency. One of the concerns in HIV disease has been that excessive exercise increases IL-1 and TNF levels that could stimulate HIV replication and make clinical condition worse.
At the update preceding the conference, Roubenoff presented results of a study that found no harmful effects on viral load following muscle stimulation. In the study, which involved 25 men and women, a small decrease in viral load was seen at two and six hours after exercise.
At the update, Roubenoff presented results from a study involving 15 HIV-infected males and four HIV-infected females participating in a short-term, high-intensity progressive resistance training program (Abstract 42357). For eight weeks, participants used compressed air resistance equipment three times a week at 80 percent of 1-repetition maximum, performing three sets of eight repetitions per machine. Roubenoff stressed training on the large muscle groups rather than small, and participants were trained to perform on machines to do leg extensions, leg presses, chest presses and lateral pulls.
Results of this study showed a significant increase in muscle strength, generally an increase in total body weight that was actually exceeded by the increase in lean body mass, and a decrease in body fat. A subgroup of people who had wasting before the study gained both fat and lean weight and a greater overall weight gain than the non-wasted participants.
Positive changes were also found eight weeks after the training period ended. Roubenoff is in the process of developing a PRT protocol that can be easily followed and more widely distributed into the HIV community.
Studies on hypogonadism, which is a reduced activity of the sexual glands, were also presented in Geneva.
Hypogonadism correlates with negative sexual (androgenic) and body composition (anabolic) effects. This means sexual function, psychological status, mood, energy, appetite and bone density can be affected. Changes in nutritional status due to hypogonadism can occur before the appearance of sexual dysfunction. Hypogonadism can occur even when there is adequate sexual function.
The normal range for total testosterone is wide, and a definition of hypogonadism is not clear. Both free and serum total testosterone are often low in HIV-infected men and women, though the estimated range of 30 percent to 50 percent for men, may be less in the era of protease inhibitors than before (Abstract 32174).
At the update preceding the conference, Adrian Dobs, M.D., suggested screening for hypogonadism in men be done using total testosterone, as the costs are lower and results can be categorized as absolutely low (less than 300 nanogram per milliliter), indeterminate (300-500 ng/ml), and normal (greater than 500 ng/ml).
According to Dobs, individuals with indeterminate results should receive serum-free testosterone tests, which are more sensitive and expensive. Gonadal hormones should be checked regularly, especially in symptomatic men. Low testosterone in HIV is usually related to a response to chronic disease. Other possible causes are malnutrition, megestrol acetate (Megace) therapy or advancing age.
Dobs reported on a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in which men with low free but normal total testosterone were administered 5 mg testosterone scrotal patches (transdermal) daily. While free testosterone increased, there were no changes in body composition, likely to be the inadequate amount of testosterone administered.
Dobs compared this study to the one by Bhasin, where 600 mg testosterone per week was given with and without exercise. Even without exercising, subjects experienced an increase in lean body mass and strength. With exercise, the results were greater.
Researchers agreed, however, that this very high dose of testosterone has too many detrimental side effects for therapeutic use.
At the update, Steven Grinspoon, M.D., suggested that a deficiency of free testosterone depletes muscle mass. In a six-month, placebo-controlled intervention study, 300 mg of testosterone enanthate was injected intramuscularly every three weeks to people with hypogonadism and 10 percent weight loss. Fat-free mass, lean body mass and muscle mass were all significantly improved with testosterone.
In another testosterone study discussed at the update, women who were mostly androgen deficient and who had a 10-percent weight loss received 150 ug of testosterone patch each day. An improvement in free testosterone to normal levels, a 1.9-percent increase in fat mass, and significantly improved quality of life scores were seen. Study participants who received a placebo or a double-dose patch did not gain weight.
One poster at the conference contradicted fairly widespread views on the relationship of testosterone and wasting (Abstract 32174). Reviewing charts of HIV-infected men after initiation of protease inhibitor therapy and some who were on anabolic agents over a two-year period found that hypogonadism did not correlate with CD4 count or viral load and was not significantly associated with wasting. Seventy-five percent of those patients who were wasting were not hypogonadal and hypogonadism did not significantly predict the occurrence of wasting.
Review of growth hormone
Treating HIV wasting with growth hormone, which has been shown to spur nitrogen retention, was reviewed at the update by Kathleen Mulligan, Ph.D., from the University of California at San Francisco.
Nitrogen retention results when body protein (mainly muscle and organ tissue) is no longer being broken down and lost. HIV-infected people who either had lost more than 10 percent of their usual weight or were less than 90 percent of their ideal weight were given either 0.1 mg/kg of growth hormone per day or placebo over 12 weeks.
Patients receiving growth hormone generally experienced a significant increase in lean body mass greater than the increase in total body weight. They also experienced a loss of fat mass and a significant increase in treadmill work outputs. The weight of those in the placebo group did not change significantly. Side effects were mild, and included swelling or puffiness, athralgia or myalgia (diffuse muscle pain), or diarrhea.
An increase in resting energy expenditure with an increase in the breakdown of fat and decrease in the breakdown of protein was also reported. Growth hormone does not seem to change HIV progression or viral load. A subset of the participants in the study kept written records of their "self-selected dietary intake" before beginning treatment and at the end. There was little difference in dietary intakes between the group that received growth hormone and the placebo. Adequate dietary intake, however is important and should be stressed when taking growth hormone in order to assure energy for weight gain and continued lean body mass growth.
According to Mulligan, optimal dosing, impact on disease progression and survival, timing of intervention and interaction with other therapies and exercise are all areas of growth hormone that still need to be addressed.
Research reported at the update and at the conference by Marc Hellerstein, M.D., Ph.D., showed the benefits of testosterone injections and progressive resistance training (Strawford, 42335). In this eight-week trial, 24 HIV-infected men with greater than 5-percent weight loss were given 100 mg of testosterone injections per week to establish similar androgen levels, and progressive resistance training. Subjects were randomized and given either oxandrolone at 20 mg per day or placebo.
At the end of eight weeks, both placebo and oxandrolone groups were in positive nitrogen balance, all gained lean body mass (8.8 pounds and 15.4 pounds, respectively), and both groups gained muscle strength, though in each category significantly more in the oxandrolone group. No adverse effects or significant changes in viral load were reported.
At the satellite symposium during the conference, sponsored by the maker of oxandrolone, Carl Grunfeld, M.D., revealed the first reports of a trial comparing 20 mg, 40 mg and 80 mg doses of oxandrolone. Elevated liver function tests, AST (SGOT) and ALT (SGPT), an increase in LDL and drop in HDL were seen in the 40 mg and 80 mg groups, with the most severe adverse effects seen in the 80 mg group.
High levels in liver enzymes, which may indicate liver cell injury, should be taken very seriously. Liver disease, injuries, tumors or certain medications all may result in high liver enzyme levels. Both Grunfeld and Hellerstein cautioned against taking the higher doses of oxandrolone, or using it as a prophylaxis, and both agreed that oxandrolone was indicated for those who were exhibiting signs of weight loss or wasting. Using the approved dose of 20 mg per day with a progressive resistance exercise routine seems to be safe and beneficial.
At the symposium, Linda Heller, M.S., R.D., C.S.P., of Children's Hospital of Los Angeles, presented data on the first study looking at the effects of anabolic agents on children. Ten malnourished children between the ages of 4 and 14 used oxandrolone at .1 mg/kg for three months and then monitored for an additional three months off drug.
Total weight gain, increased muscle and loss of fat weight were seen in this study. The prescriptive period was followed by a reduction in weight, muscle and fat, though not significant. Laboratory values reflecting sexual development were normal. Remarkably, Heller's skinfold thickness measurements on these children were closely matched to computerized tomography measurements, the techniques used to test body composition.
Reports cited in this article are available at AIDS Project Los Angeles' HIV Resource Center. Visit the center between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday or call (323) 993-1612.


text:
Cow debate divides community in Rio Rancho
Neighbors take sides over roaming bovine
A cow problem is causing a rift between neighbors in Rio Rancho.
While some residents are calling police when they see cattle that have wandered from King Ranch outside their doors, others say the farm animals are welcome.
The evidence of the cattle is obvious with cow pies and bald spots eaten away in the grass dotting the landscape.
"Driving to work, I take the back roads to my babysitter's house, and see them almost every morning," said resident Jo Hesch.
Cows have been seen roaming in parks and the front yards of homes in the Northern Meadows neighborhood. Hesch said she's not bothered by the cows she sees munching on grass.
"King Ranch is up there, he's probably got a hole in his fence -- no big deal," she said.
In April, KOAT interviewed the president of the homeowners association about damage caused by cattle.
"It's an ongoing problem," Mike Lizzi said.
The group has a new plan of action that calls for people to call police when cows are trespassing. Rio Rancho police spokesman Nick Onken told Action 7 News that is what people are doing.
"We've cited individuals associated with the cattle a handful of times in recent months," he said.
Onken confirmed to Action 7 News that the people cited were associated with King Ranch.
But it seems like for every person who shoos the moos, there's another who doesn't want to see the cows go away.
"They ate some of the bushes the other day," said resident Marilyn Fleming. "We live here, and this is why we live out here, because it's wild."
Police said citations can only go so far, adding that it's difficult to prove who the animals belong to, making it difficult to make charges stand up in court.


text:
The learning is naan stop! Explore new recipes and learn the techniques with instructor Eli Silverthorne required to make healthy regional Indian dishes effortlessly at home. Recipes can be easily accommodated for vegetarian eaters. After the cooking is complete, take off your apron and savour the results of your labour with a cocktail. Perfect for the beginner or intermediate home cook.
For more information and to register, please go to: www.universe.com/indiancuisine_sept19
Safety regulations require students wear closed toe shoes when participating in any cooking class.
This class has a maximum capacity of 14 students.
Classes are for students 16 years and older.
Participants will be provided with an apron and all necessary tools and equipment.
Menus, recipes and instructors are subject to change as required.
Help us help the environment! In the off chance we cook too much, please bring a container with you to help take home any leftovers. (One 1 litre container is recommended).
If you need to cancel a class, it is possible to get a refund (less the service fee) up to 7 days before the date of the event via your universe.com account. A credit note may be issued for cancellations received by email (firstname.lastname@example.com) a minimum of 48 hours before the event.
Please note that there are no credit notes or refunds for missed classes or classes cancelled less than 48 hours before the event.
* All Open Kitchen classes purchased online or by credit card are subject to a 5% service fee. Our ticketing service hosted by universe.com includes this fee in the total listed price.
Cost: $75/Per person + a service fee
Tuesday Sep. 3rd, 2019
Where: Stratford Chefs School Kitchens, 136 Ontario Street MAP
Contact: 519-271-1414


text:
Small Chrome Silk Scarf
Sale price £45.00 Regular price
This small silk twill Chrome scarf is a signature piece by Cristina Sabaiduc created in collaboration with artistic photographer Jo Holland. This season they worked with mundane household liquids, like balsamic vinegar, wine, cleaners and soaps, frozen in a moment of time.
- 100 x 130 cm
- 100% silk - medium-weight silk twill
- Finished border edges
- Printed in the UK
- Dry clean or hand wash in cold water
- Has magnets to secure the scarf when styling


text:
The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)
The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requires federal agencies to evaluate environmental impacts into their decision making processes and ensures that environmental information is available to public officials and citizens before decisions are made and actions are taken. To fulfill this responsibility, Wildlife Services (WS) prepares analyses of the environmental effects of program activities.
Environmental Documents and Public Notices of Availability / Involvement Opportunities
This link takes you to Wildlife Services Environmental Documents which include Environmental Assessments (EA), Environmental Impact Statements (EIS), Findings of No Significant Impact (FONSI), and Records of Decision (ROD) that are available and organized by State. Documents will be added as they become available.


text:
Difference between revisions of "Talk:Leveling a Finished Panorama"
m (3 revision(s))
m (3 revision(s))
(No difference)
Revision as of 21:42, 13 July 2006
Made some additions. Small text would be better in footnotes. How to create them? Erik Krause 17:51, 23 Mar 2005 (EST)
Thanks for the additions. I have not a clue how to do footnotes. Yet another learning curve to climb! For that matter I don't even know how to put in a signature line like yours just above. Pushing the "Your signature with timestamp" button just produces --~~~~ . What's the trick? --Rik
Actually I see from Google "mediawiki footnotes" that there is active discussion on this topic, see [1]. --Rik (5 min later)


text: Mudumalai-01434 Post author By Marco Cueva Post date March 21, 2016 No Comments on Mudumalai-01434 By Marco Cueva Born 1965 in San Pedro Sula, Honduras View Archive → Leave a Reply Cancel replyYour email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *Comment Name * Email * Website Notify me of new posts by email. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.


text:
Sudbury Accent: An uncommon love for mushrooms
Ivan Vincent and his partner have an uncommon love for mushrooms.
The two recently launched the Ugly Barn Farm, down a meandering country road in Markstay.
There really is a lopsided, decrepit barn on site, but the mushroom magic happens in a state-of-the-art building that houses storage rooms, labs, incubators, a prep room and hot rooms where the mushrooms flourish. The air in the building is HEPA-filtered.
"Oh god no, no, no I'm not using that thing," Vincent laughs of the barn. "Mushrooms are super finicky. If you have dust, they won't grow because dust carries spores and mould. If I was using the ugly barn I'd be incredibly unsuccessful."
Vincent is well-suited to his new role as farmer. He has been tinkering with mushrooms – as a hobbyist – since college, and is an environmental technician with a background in science.
"Why not mushrooms," he says.
They really are a rare commodity. While there are several people growing produce around Sudbury and organizing community-supported agriculture programs, this was a unique way for Vincent to enter the agricultural sector.
"I just happen to have the experience to do it and I just decided to go for it," he says. "I was working in a job I didn't really appreciate. But I'll tell you, when you start your own business you tend to appreciate what it was."
Vincent says they got a "really generous grant" from the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation. They also invested some of their own money and took out a loan. In total for labour, materials, equipment and the building, it cost the couple $167,000 to get up and running, even though in retrospect, he sees where he could have been more efficient and cost-effective.
They have been in business for about a year – and have learned a lot of hard lessons, he says – but he admits the summer was especially challenging because of the heat.
"You have to be meticulous in the lab and you have to put a lot of thought into designing the place you want to grow in," Vincent says. "Mistakes are costly."
They are serious about bringing mushrooms to the tables of northerners. Currently, the Ugly Barn Farm sells 14 kinds of mushrooms – as tea, dried and fresh mushrooms, as well as (very popular) grow-your-own-mushroom kits. They were selling their wares at the Sudbury Winter Market, which took place last fall at Southridge Mall. Vincent says business was brisk, and the oyster and shiitake mushrooms (at $16 per pound) proved to be especially popular.
They also sold mushrooms at the summer market, and to a few places around town. Currently, The Laughing Buddha on Elgin Street is using Ugly Barn mushrooms, but Vincent says there has been interest from Verdicchio's, as well as Metro supermarkets.
"Some of our medicinal mushrooms are anti-diabetes, anti-bacterial, anti-viral," he says.
Some of the mushrooms Vincent is growing have been studied for their therapeutic properties in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease and multiple sclerosis.
"With some good results," he says.
Vincent also harvests mushrooms, including chaga, from the woods.
"You can't grow chaga," he says. "It's kind of an unsustainable one to harvest also, because the sclerotia takes 10 years to grow before it comes out of the tree. "¦ The best way to harvest chaga is in small amounts over a vast period, or if you have connections with the lumber industry."
Vincent says the Ugly Barn aims to be carbon neutral. They heat with wood rather than fossil fuels, but he admits he goes through a lot of industry-standard plastic bags.
There is one room in the building that looks more like a science lab than a farm. It includes ventilation hoods, petri dishes and syringes. It is where the magic happens.
Growing mushrooms for sale is laborious and Vincent takes many precautions to avoid contaminating his crop. They begin their growth cycle on a petri dish and are then transferred to clear plastic bags, where they take on their fungal appearance. From there, the mushrooms are divided into 10 segments and each is transferred to a second bag.
"(The growth cycle) is a minimum six weeks, but I like to go a little longer," he says. "By the end of it you get a higher yield and just a better looking mushroom, if you let it go."
Twitter: @marykkeown
705 674 5271 ext. 505235


text:
out of step
Unfinished essays and spontaneous eruptions on radical politics and popular culture
About Me
- Name: Wally Conger
- Location: Central Coast, CA, United States
This blog shares its title with the autobiography of radical individualist and newsletter publisher Frank Chodorov (1887-1966), in whose memory it is also dedicated.
Recent Posts
- Libertarianism: why we're Left
- Is "Shoot 'Em Up" anti-gun?
- New Rothbard book now shipping
- Bringing libertarianism to Sherlockians
- Sy Leon, R.I.P.
- Just shut up and eat your veggies
- What does "freedom" mean?
- Movie review: SHOOT 'EM UP
- A return, of sorts...
- Surmounting barriers to freedom (3)
More Conger Polemics
Other Conger Hangouts
Essential Agitprop
- Left & Right: The Prospects for Liberty
- Left & Right: 40 Years Later
- Confessions of a Right-Wing Liberal
- The Anatomy of the State
- War, Peace, and the State
- The Death of Politics
- What's Left, What's Right?
- What is Anarchy?
- New Libertarian Manifesto
- Agorist Class Theory
- Building a New Libertarian Movement
- Libertarian Leftism
Indispensible Resources
- Liberalism: In the Classical Tradition
- For a New Liberty
- Left & Right: A Journal of Libertarian Thought
- The Libertarian Forum
- Out of Step
- Agorism.info
- Agorist Action Alliance (A3)
- Alliance of the Libertarian Left
- Molinari Institute
- BlackCrayon.com
Downloadable Pamphlets
- Introducing the Movement of the Libertarian Left
- War or Liberty
- Counter-Economics
- Tax is Theft!
- Libertarian Revisionist History
- Thomas Knapp
- B.K. Marcus
- Wendy McElroy
- Brad Spangler
- Roderick T. Long
- Sunni Maravillosa
- James Leroy Wilson
- B.W. Richardson
- Kevin Carson
- Karen De Coster
- Sheldon Richman
- Per Bylund
- Shawn Wilbur
- Vache Folle
- Tom Ender
- William Gillis
Recommended Podcasts
- Radio Free Liberty
- Freedomain Radio
- Black Op Radio
- Slice of SciFi
- Dragon Page Cover to Cover
- The Kick-Ass Mystic Ninjas
- Escape Pod
- Dateline Jasoom
- SciFiDig
- StarshipSofa
- Noircast: Hardboiled Podcasts
- Uncle Warren's Attic
"Never before in history have slaves been so well fed, thoroughly medicated, lavishly entertained. But we are slaves nonetheless."
-- Edward Abbey


text:
Here's something I've been thinking about. In two of my classes, my professors recently said essentially the same thing. It was something like this:
"A story is only interesting when something goes wrong."
They were talking about how no one wants to read a story in which life is perfect. You quickly get bored and lose the desire to keep reading because if nothing is going wrong, it feels like nothing is happening. Of course, a lot might actually be happening (people going to work, children playing, the wind stirring up leaves) and yet it is all boring unless it involves problems. That's because you start to care about characters as soon as they face trials. "Oh, no! Is he going to get away from those thugs!? I must keep reading, or I just won't know if he survives this....!"
It's kind of funny because people don't like their own lives to be like the stories that they enjoy reading. As soon as problems appear in their lives, they say, "Oh, no! How am I going to get out of this?" And they immediately become unhappy, wishing constantly for their trials to be gone.
But isn't it all the things that go wrong that actually make our lives interesting? If nothing were to ever go wrong, we wouldn't have to make difficult choices. We wouldn't have to struggle, and consequently, we would never grow or develop. Life wouldn't be a journey as much as a stagnation. And we would actually be bored, just as bored as if we were reading a story in which nothing was happening. (Inside of our souls, nothing would be happening.)
So, I have this theory. I think that we can learn to see life as an endlessly fascinating story in which we have endless opportunities to grow. Our trials keep us from getting bored and they keep us progressing. I am going to try to stop being miserable when things don't work out the way I want them to. I am going to try to relax and enjoy my own good story.
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Life is an endlessly fascinating story.
Here's something I've been thinking about. In two of my classes, my professors recently said essentially the same thing. It was something like this:
Posted by Jessio at 8:06 PM
Friday, August 26, 2011
What I learn when I walk.
Last night I went for a walk in the cool of the evening. I love taking walks almost every day. It's amazing what a powerful tool that such a simple action can be. I often seem to leave my apartment in a cloud of worries. All of the problems and trials that I have to deal with are trying to force their way to the front of my mind and the effect is a little like a whirlpool. I think about it all and feel confused and overwhelmed.
As I'm walking, I feel my body become stronger, and the most amazing thing happens. My thoughts begin to slow down and suddenly I am able to organize them. I can put them into perspective and begin thinking about them separately. Solutions start presenting themselves, and I am relieved to start figuring out what to do. Of course, some problems don't really have solutions, but I am able to quietly tuck them away and stop dwelling on the things I can't change. I feel wiser and more capable and my life feels more manageable.
This is what happened last night, and I started thinking about the importance of taking care of our bodies. When we take care of our bodies, as the Lord has asked us to do, we are all more receptive to the Spirit of God and the peace that the Spirit brings. The older I get, the more I see that the commandments that the Lord has given us really are for our good. When we keep them, we can be at peace in all kinds of circumstances.
Posted by Jessio at 4:58 PM
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Bring in the new semester with chicken burritos!!!!
Tonight I got Paul to make some chicken burritos, and they were SO good! He fried up an onion and a green bell pepper with cilantro, canned green chiles, and chicken cut up in little chunks. In a separate bowl, he partially crushed some pinto beans so that they could be easily wrapped in with the meat and vegetables. Then he wrapped it all in three huge tortillas. (Oh, and he put rice in his own, but I didn't need the extra carbs on mine.) It was delicious! It's nice to have a husband who cooks, and cooks very well and willingly.
We are both three days into our new semester. It's a little stressful at first, but I think it will get better as we go along.
Paul has to do a research project in the next several weeks and he is also working on his thesis project this semester. For the small research project, he is sending out surveys to find out about people's experiences with personality discrimination in job interviews. He supposes that certain personality traits make you more likely to be favored in a job interview, regardless of how qualified you are for the job. I think it will be interesting to see if the research supports his assumptions. I'm really proud of him!
Oh, and I should mention that we had a lot of fun with my cousin Charsty and her two little girls last weekend. We were both really sad to have them go Monday morning. Now it's just the two of us again, although that works really well because we like each other so much. :)
Posted by Jessio at 6:15 PM
Saturday, August 20, 2011
There and Back Again; a Robbins Tale.
Posted by Jessio at 4:59 PM


text:
We believe that technology can provide great learning tools for all learning abilities. Every Mac and iOS device comes standard with innovative accessibility features.
iOS is the world's most advanced — and most accessible — mobile operating system. Innovative features like VoiceOver, AssistiveTouch, and Guided Access help students with special needs enjoy more of what iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch have to offer.
Learn more
Powerful features designed for students with special needs are integrated in every Mac. Technologies like VoiceOver, built-in braille support, and Sticky Keys and Slow Keys help students navigate and control the Mac. All without having to buy additional software.
Learn more


text:
Monday, October 27, 2008
Do It Yourself
Now you can! Obey Giant has kindly provided a way for us do-it-ourselfers to make our own posters. The large size fits nicely on a standard 8.5 x 11 piece of paper.
Artist Shepard Fairey of "Be the Revolution" campaign 2004 fame, is the brilliance behind the poster and the give away.
So do it!
And vote!
I did.
6 comments:
- magnusmog said...
I'll be in California the day after the election and I can't think of a more interesting time to be in the US :)
- October 28, 2008 3:51 AM
- mary jane said...
Interesting indeed! I can't believe the crazy direct mail we get from the Republican National Committee...country-style glossies of the "Obama is a terrorist" meme...huge, every day in the mailbox. I've never experienced such a battering of "be scared" ever...it really becomes disturbing, and the money that is being spent on this stuff...koo koo.
- October 28, 2008 9:28 AM
I agree! I think this has been the most "edge of your seat" election ever. I've been glued to the coverage. This is such a crucial time in our history.
Great posters, love the colors.
- October 28, 2008 10:26 AM
- Cristina said...
I want to send him the socks! I helped make him Senator Obama when I lived in Chicago. Looking forward to getting to teach how to capitalize titles when he's President Elect Obama. Yes we cna (sic)!
- October 28, 2008 7:19 PM
- Unionpearl said...
Love it! Thanks for sharing the tool.
- October 28, 2008 8:56 PM
- woolies said...
Great posters. ....hope he wins.....
- October 30, 2008 10:31 PM


text:
Have interest and click the website to consult:
Unlike traditional escooters, Airwheel S8 self-balancing scooter is able to provide premium riding experience due to its marvellous design for riding comforts. Riders are able to change between standing and sitting riding postures freely and can hardly feel tired from scooter riding. In this chapter, the following is to describe how to change 2 wheel electric scooter S8's main board. Firstly, dismantle saddle and shell and disconnect operating arm and vehicle body wiring. Note: please remember the wiring position before disconnecting.
Disconnect power and disconnect upper cover and main board connecting lines. Dismantle connecting lines.
Remove the operating arm base, remove main board and remove thermal conductive silicone piece.
Then, place thermal conductive silicone piece, install main board and clear up and fasten it based on the record. After finished, you can install operating arm base.
The next step is calibration. Keep S8 horizontal and its wheels hang up. Insert calibration line as shown in the picture. Please pay attention to the standard port.
Connect the operating arm and scooter body connecting lines and connect the saddle and operating arm connecting lines. Then, turn on power, short connect calibration line and press A button in the remote control. Separate calibration line to ensure the line end does not touch the self-balancing scooter body. After calibration, turn off power and unplug the calibration line.
After the calibration, you need to install upper cover as you have remove it. Please do not impose lines when installing operating arm. If the above pictures and description cannot satisfy you, you can visit the https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=movmDRWA9eQ to watch the video of Airwheel S8 electric scooter with seat at YouTube. If you have any question, please feel free to contact us.
Video Link: http://www.youtube.com/embed/movmDRWA9eQ
Media Contact
Company Name: Airwheel Holding Limited
Contact Person: Eric
Email: email@example.com
Phone: +8618651968700
Country: United States
Website: http://www.airwheel.net


text:
Please select an item from the map on which to make a report.
Please do not use this form for reporting emergencies and urgent problems.
There are similar problems nearby that we're already aware of, is one of them yours?
If you let us know your email address, we'll notify you when this problem is updated or fixed.
Remember that FixMyStreet is primarily for reporting physical problems that can be fixed. Remember that you can contact Oxfordshire County Council for additional issues that are not covered on this reporting facility.
All the information you provide here will be sent to the relevant department. The summary and description will also be made public, plus your name if you give us permission.
e.g. '10 inch pothole on Example St, near post box'
e.g. 'This pothole has been here for two months and…'
Or sign in with password to prefill this information.
These details will be sent to the council, but will never be shown online without your permission. (See our privacy policy.)
No account?
Fill in your details manually.
Forgotten your password?
Fill in your details manually.
Forgotten your password?
Confirm by email instead, providing a new password at that point. When you confirm, your password will be updated.
Providing a password is optional, but doing so will allow you to more easily report problems, leave updates and manage your reports. Your password should include 6 or more characters.


text:
The National Supplemental Screening Program (NSSP) is a health screening program for former U.S. Department of Energy workers.
In 1993, the U.S. Congress enacted Public Law 102-484, Section 3162 directing the U.S. Department of Energy to initiate a program to evaluate the health of former DOE workers who may have been exposed to hazardous substances at work. DOE, through its Office of Health, has sponsored beryllium screening for former workers from many sites; a surveillance program for Rocky Flats radiation workers; and several former worker, site-specific, health screening programs.
The newest initiative is called the National Supplemental Screening Program (NSSP). It is operated by Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU) and its partners—National Jewish Health (NJH), Comprehensive Health Services Incorporated (CHS), Axion Health and the University of Colorado Denver. These organizations are highly respected for their expertise and capabilities in occupational medicine.


text:
aPubsoft Video Converter for Mac can convert between all popular video and audio formats, such as AVI, MP4, MOV, MKV, WMV, DivX, XviD, MPEG-1/2, MVI, 3GP, MXF, VRO, NSV, FLV, MPV, VOB and HD video (TS, MTS, M2TS), MP3, AAC, True HD, DTS-HD, DTS, EAC3 and AC3 audio etc on Mac with fast conversion speed and high output quality. In addition, it can also extract audio from video file and convert video to MP3, AC3, and AAC… Which even makes it possible to view just about any format file on just about any multimedia device including the iPod Touch, iPhone/iPhone 4s/5c/5s, iPad/iPad Mini, Apple TV, PSP, PS3/PS4, Xbox360/Xbox 720, Zune, PMPs, Google phones like HTC Droid Incredible, Samsung Galaxy S4, Samsung Galaxy Tab 3, HTC One, HTC Flyer, Acer A700, and mobile phones. Enabling you to clip, merge, crop, split videos, as well as add watermarks and soundtrack to them.
This best aPubsoft Video Converter for Mac allows you to adjust output video effect, trim video/audio, crop video, add watermark to your video and merge video files into one output file. It also enables you to set the specific output parameters for the output video and you can preview the video effect before conversion.
Price:$45 (Lifetime); Supported OS: Mac OS X 10.5, 10.6, 10.7, 10.8, 10.9, 10.10, 10.11, 10.12;
- * Convert over 150 HD and SD video formats.
- * Extract audio files from videos.
- * Trim, crop, merge, watermark video and adjust video effect.
- * Compatible with popular devices – iPad, iPhone, iPod, Samsung Galaxy, Motorola, HTC, Sony, Nokia, BlackBerry.
Key Features:
Powerful video converting software on Mac
* Convert any video to all popular video formats aPubsoft Video Converter for Mac software could easily convert any video to MPEG-4, H.264/MPEG-4 AVC, MOV, AVI, DivX, XviD, WMV, 3GP, MKV, FLV, VOB, and HD video etc. with high speed and excellent image/sound quality. During the converting process, you can minimize the program to the system tray.
* Professional audio converter This Mac Video Converter could convert audio or extract audio from video to AAC, AC3, AIFF, AMR, AU, FLAC, MP3, M4V, MP2, OGG, WAV, WMA audio formats.
* Support almost all popular portable players The Video Converter for Mac can convert all video files to iPod, iPhone (iPhone 4S), iPad (The New iPad), Zune, Blackberry, Nokia, Creative Zen, PSP, PS3, Xbox, Mobile Phone, etc.
* Convert videos in batches You are able to convert one file to different formats with only one conversion.
Edit video effect
* Modify video effect You could get your desired video quality by modifying video Brightness, Contrast, Saturation, Hue and Volume. Also this Video Converter for Mac owns the technique to eliminate some jaggedness from the interlaced video for better viewing.
* Video cutter The aPubsoft Mac Video Converter possesses "Trim" function to help you cut a clip from the original video. You can set the "Start Time" and "End Time" to define the segment on Mac.
* Video cropper The aPubsoft Mac Video Converter allows you to adjust video playing area. You can also select the aspect ratio to extrude your video slightly.
* Video joiner This aPubsoft Video Converter for Mac enables you to combine and join multiple videos together and export a single video.
* Video watermarker With this Video Converter for Mac, you are convenient to add a watermark to your video and adjust its position and transparent. And this converter offers much richer watermark color for you to choose.
Audio track, subtitle, output settings
* Create different movies and music quality You can define video settings, such as Video Encoder, Frame Rate, Video Bitrate, Resolution, and audio settings, including Audio Encoder, Sample Rate, Channels, Audio Bitrate. As for the Resolution, if you don't find what you want, you are available to input your own resolution in Width(pixels) * Height(pixels). All the settings can be saved in the option list of "User-Defined".
* Select audio track and subtitle The aPubsoft Video Converter for Mac supplies you with audio track and subtitle choice. You can choose any audio track and subtitle for the output video on Mac OS X.
Powerful but easy-to-use aPubsoft Video Converter for Mac
* Preview and Snapshot With the aPubsoft Video Converter for Mac, you can preview the original video and output video effect. Once you get one desired movie scene, you can take a snapshot and save it as a picture.
* Highest conversion speed This powerful video converting software for Mac provides you with the highest conversion speed. And it completely supports multi-core processor.
* User-friendly graphical interface The aPubsoft Mac Video Converter offers you an entirely new "Profile" control, thumbnail in the video lists and adjustable window to fit for your screen.
Supported Formats:
Supported input video formats:
TiVo, VRO, MXF, VOB, AVI, AVCHD (*.mts, *.m2ts), MOD, TOD, FLV, F4V, MKV ,MPG, MPEG, WMV, MP4, , EVO, DivX, XviD, Quick Time MOV, RM, RMVB, M4V, VOB, ASF, 3GP, 3G2, H.263, MVI, VP6, DIF, MJPG, MJPEG, QT, , MPEG-2/4, M2V, TP, MVE, DV, VDR, DAT, TRP, NUV, OGM, GXF, NSV, NSF, VC-1, PMF, PSS, PVA, TS, , H.264/AVC, Audio-Video Interleaved HD Video (*.avi), Flip Video/Flip HD Video (*.mp4) etc.
AVI, MPEG, WMV, MP4, FLV, DivX, XviD, MOV, H.264/MPEG-4 AVC (*.mp4), MPEG2 HD Video (*.mpg; *.mpeg), MPEG TS HD Video (*.ts), Quick Time HD Video (*.mov), H.264 HD video (*.mov), WMV HD Video (*.wmv), Divx-HD (*.avi), ASF, 3GP, 3G2, SWF, VOB, TS, DV, F4V, *.mpg and *.vob VCD/DVD, etc.
1080i (1920×1080), 1080p (1920×1080), 720p (1280×720)
AC3, WMA, AAC, WAV, OGG, FLAC, M4A, MP3, MP2, AIFF and etc.
5.1 channels, stereo channels, mono channel
Supported editing and burning software
iMovie 8/9/11, Final Cut Pro 6/7, FCP X, Adobe Premiere Pro, Avid Media Composer, Final Cut Express 4, Kdenlive, After Effects, Adobe CS4 Master Collection, Adobe Encore, Media 100, Clesh, etc.
Supported Media player
Apple TV/ATV 2/ATV 3, iPad/iPad 2/the new iPad 3/iPad Mini, iPhone 4S, iPhone 5, iPhone 5c/iPhone 5s, iPod Touch 4g, iPod Touch 5g, PS Vita, PSP, PS3, Xbox 360, Xbox 720, Microsoft Surface Tablet, Google Nexus 7 Tablet, Nexus 7 2, Samsung Galaxy Tab/Galaxy Tab 2, Samsung Galaxy S/S II/S III/S4, Galaxy Note 2/Note 3, Motorola XOOM/XOOM 2, Samsung Galaxy Note, Asus Transformer Pad TF300, Asus Eee Pad Transformer, Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime, Toshiba Thrive, Acer Iconia Tab A100/A200/A500/A700, Samsung Galaxy Nexus, HTC One X, Nook Tablet, Amazon Kindle Fire, Sony Tablet S/Tablet P, HDTV, Home Theater, Networked Devices, NAS, PowerPoint Presentation, PDF, Prowshow Producer, iTunes, QuickTime Player, BD/DVD Player, WD TV, Popcorn Hour, etc
System Requirements
* 1G Hz or above PowerPC G4/G5 or Intel processor.
* Mac OS X (including MAC OS X 10.4, Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard, 10.6 Snow Leopard, Mac OS X 10.7 Lion, Mac OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion, Mac OS X 10.9 Mavericks, Mac OS X 10.10 Yosemite, Mac OS X 10.11 EI Capitan, macOS 10.12 Sierra) on iMac, MacBook, Mac Pro, MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, etc.
* 512 MB physical RAM (memory) or more.
* 1024*768 or higher resolution display.
User Comment
"From my first use and impression of the software I see it has a well designed interface and easy to use. It has large number of file format to convert to (I liked it). "
Awards for aPubsoft Video Converter for Mac


text: I wanted to embed some youtube videos on my site. I can get it to where I can have the videos to play in their own player. What I want to do is display one player and have links. When the link is pressed, load that youtube video into the player. Can this be done via JavaScript or php? Thanx


text:
Preble County teen charged in deadly crash
Alex Powers, 19, driving under influence, police say
A Preble County teenager is facing a felony charge after Middletown police say he caused two separate accidents that killed two people Friday.
Investigators told WLWT that 19-year-old Alex Powers clipped the side mirror of a car in Middletown and drove off. About an hour later, police said Powers' car slammed into another vehicle at Towne Boulevard and Pendleton Circle, killing a couple from Camden, Ohio.
Detectives said Glen Pugh, 69, was pronounced dead at the scene, and Elaine Pugh died after being taken to a Dayton hospital.
Middletown police believe Powers bought a can of compressed air moments before the fatal crash.
Powers is charged with two counts of aggravated vehicular homicide and operating a motor vehicle under the influence. He is being held in Middletown City Jail.


text:
Welcome to 101 Ocean
Thanks for visiting the 101 Ocean website. Our restaurant is located right in the heart of picturesque Lauderdale by the Sea and we're just 50 yards from the beach.
Our goal is to provide quality food and service at very affordable prices in casual, relaxed and beautiful surroundings. 101 Ocean is a casual yet classy restaurant with excellent food and an atmosphere that's always fun and entertaining.
We have a huge outdoor bar and inside we have a beautiful fish tank and waterfall that captivates the kids. Our restaurant welcomes everyone - we very much hope you'll visit us soon!


text:
During Florida's 64-52 win Saturday over Alabama, coach Billy Donovan could be heard screaming from one end of the floor to another.
"Move it!" Donovan yelled. "Move the ball."
The No. 11 Gators (23-5, 13-3 SEC) are closing in on their fourth outright SEC title in school history. But Donovan knows that unless UF's ball movement and player movement improves, the Gators won't be playing deep into March.
"What's made our team really good is defending collectively and running offense collectively," Donovan said. "When we do those things we are as good as anybody out there. When we don't, we're very mediocre and average because our talent is not such that we're going to overwhelm you by throwing the ball to a guy and clearing out and letting the guy go one-on-one."
As a result, Florida's offense has sputtered over its last four games. During that stretch, Florida has averaged 64 points per game, below its season average of 72.8 points. The Gators have shot just 27.9 percent from 3-point range (24-86) with an assist-to-turnover ratio of 42 to 39.
Donovan said there's a direct correlation between the ball movement and 3-point shooting.
"When you see us with a low number of assists, you see guys getting missed," Donovan said. "It's not a selfish missing really, where they just don't want to throw the ball. It's a recognition of what's going on."
For example, Donovan said point guard Scottie Wilbekin had only one assist against Alabama because his teammates got caught up watching him penetrate to the basket instead of moving to open spots on the floor.
Donovan said after watching the Alabama film that senior Erik Murphy could have had "four or five" more open looks from 3-point range if he moved to proper spots on the floor. He also thought junior center Patric Young got caught up in watching Wilbekin drive to the basket instead of moving to other spots on the floor to create space.
"So much on penetration and so much on ball movement is predicated on guys moving to open areas," Donovan said. "If a guy drives the ball and gets the ball to the center of the paint, he's done his job. It's the other four guys' responsibility to get open. So there's no question that our 3-point shooting is definitely correlated to us moving better on the perimeter and giving our guards outlets for better looks where we can make shots."
Florida will get a chance to solve its offensive woes Wednesday night in its home finale against Vanderbilt. A win would give Florida its fourth outright SEC title. The Gators, 14-0 at the O'Connell Center this season, also will be going for their first unbeaten season at home since 2006-07.
Vanderbilt (13-15, 7-9 SEC) is rebuilding this season with five new starters, but has been playing better of late. The Commodores have won three straight and rank third in the SEC in scoring defense at 59.6 points allowed per game.
"They are really sound on the defensive end, they guard really well," Donovan said. "So I think this is a great challenge for us."
Yeguete, Frazier rusty
Donovan backtracked on his comments that junior forward Will Yeguete was "terrified" before he checked in for the Alabama game. But it was clear that the 6-foot-7 Yeguete was not comfortable in his first game back from knee surgery.
"I think he was really nervous, uptight, concerned," Donovan said. "I don't think it was about his knee."
Donovan said instead it was case of Yeguete shaking off some rust after sitting out six straight games after getting bone chips removed from his right knee. Yeguete played with a full-length stocking on his right leg and brace over his right knee.
"He basically had a little bit of practice on Thursday, a good portion of practice on Friday," Donovan said. "He's got two practices under his belt. We're playing for first place. This guy comes in. The crowd is excited and he probably feels like, 'Oh my God. The weight of the world is on my shoulders here.' He just wasn't himself. I think he'll get back to that, where he needs to get to."
Donovan also said freshman guard Michael Frazier II practiced just 30 minutes due to back spasms Thursday. On Friday, Frazier shot on his own, but was held out of contact practice. Frazier had sat out the Tennessee game with a concussion.
Frazier and Yeguete both went scoreless against Alabama. Frazier was 0-1 from the floor and missed both of his free-throw attempts in six minutes off the bench.
"Between the concussion and lack of practicing, he wasn't prepared to play," Donovan said. "And that's why I didn't play him in the second half. We weren't getting enough out of him, and probably rightfully so, he probably wasn't ready to play. But I think you had to throw him in there just to try to see what he could do."
Florida drops to No. 11
Florida fell three spots to No. 11 in this week's AP poll. The Gators rebounded from a 64-58 to Tennessee last Tuesday by beating Alabama 64-52 at home Saturday.
Since going into Feb. 5 at Arkansas No. 2 in the country, the Gators have dropped nine spots by going 5-3 in their last eight games.
Florida is ranked No. 9 in the ESPN/USA Today coaches poll.
Gators closing in on fourth outright SEC basketball title
During Florida's 64-52 win Saturday over Alabama, coach Billy Donovan could be heard screaming from one end of the floor to another.


text:
Ferdinand (Free Family Show)
Ferdinand, a little bull, prefers sitting quietly under a cork tree just smelling the flowers versus jumping around, snorting, and butting heads with other bulls. As Ferdinand grows big and strong, his temperament remains mellow, but one day five men come to choose the "biggest, fastest, roughest bull" for the bullfights in Madrid and Ferdinand is mistakenly chosen. Based on the classic 1936 children's book by Munro Leaf.
CAST: John Cena, David Tennant, Anthony Anderson, Gabriel Iglesias, Kate McKinnon, Boris Kodjoe
DIRECTOR: Carlos Saldanha
RUN TIME: 106 min


text:
Dear Mr. Chris Nesmith ( Blackwater Farms )
I am starting a thread regarding the "evolution" of sweaters based on what i observed in the pits over the past 10 years.
During 1997 WSD, Carol Nesmith, Nene Abello, and Robert So combined to capture the 1997 WSC Championship, and one thing i could remember when i first saw those birds being brought in the pit of the Big Dome, i said how come they look small, rounded and short body compared to their opponents? and there is also one very prominent feature about those Sweaters, they have a white band feather on their wings, a very unique feature that was distinct to the sweaters of Mr. Carol Nesmith during those time. As time passes I noticed from pictures of people that acquire birds from Blackwater farms, that the birds became taller, body became longer, and the distinct white band in the wing feathers is no longer seen on the present day sweaters.
During 2000-2001, i could also remember very well that Mr. Abello would show sweater with the same trait as that of a small, rounded, white band feathered lemon hackle warrior, exacty what Mr. Carol Nesmith uses in here in Manila. These birds dominated in every big event and won the Candelaria Championship for him as well.
Now, my questions is what are those sweaters that Mr. Carol Nesmith used ten years back? Any idea as to their make up or how they were bred?
What is the difference of the present day sweaters from Blackwater farms as compared to those sweaters of your father 10 years ago, since they definitely do not show the same features?
Lastly, I have heard of the Left Nose (LN) line of Blackwater Farms, what are these birds? and how are they bred or maintained?
I do hope that this thread reaches your attention, and any information that you would share with us will be very much appreciated.


text:
Adult sex toys are novelties made to vary or enhance pleasure during sexual activity and are primarily used on the genitals or around the genitals, however some novelty products can be used on other parts of the body.
As a token of our appreciation for your business, receive a free gift with every purchase! Find information on our adult toy specials. Store Specials
Keeping your sex toy clean.
Keeping your toy clean and safe is very important especially if you are sharing between partners. After each use wash your product with soap and water or use one of our quality toy cleaners. Once you have finished cleaning your toy, wrap in a clean dry towel and store in a dry place.
What is your return policy.
Here at SeekingO.com adult toys and novelty store we back our selection 100%. This means that if the novelty product goes bad within 30 days of purchase we will replace it with absolutely no charge to you. We pride ourselves in choosing only the highest quality adult toys and novelties. New Pay with PayPal! More Details
Clitoral Vibrators
Rabbit Vibrators
Silicone Vibrators
Waterproof Vibrators
Cock Rings
Masturbation Aids
Penis Extensions
Life-Like Vaginas
Sex Dolls
Penis Pumps
Save (36%)
Save (49%)
Save (52%)
Save (41%)
Save (52%)
Save (39%)
Save (47%)
Save (60%)
Save (43%)
Save (37%)
Save (36%)
Save (49%)


text:
The Mobile World Congress (MWC) last week in Barcelona reminded me of the early days of Comdex. There was a lot of excitement with new announcements such as LG's 3D phone, Sony's Experia Play, HTC ChaCha and Salsa devices with integrated Facebook, new Samsung devices and lots of tablets from companies such as HTC with their Flyer, Samsung which includes a pen, Motorola's Xoom and RIM's PlayBook, all trying to distinguish themselves from the absent iPad.
I was honored to serve as a judge for the Mobile World Congress 2011 16th annual Global Mobile Awards in the category of Best mLearning Innovation. This is the first time that mobile learning has been recognized. The winner was Urban Planet Mobile from Savannah, Georgia, for their mobile English learning initiative. Actually there were two mLearning winners as the mobile learning project BBC Janala, also for learning English, won the Best Product, Initiative or Service for Underserved Segment category.
There was really no other focus on mobile learning at the conference other than an invitation only mLearning Convening Session hosted by the GSMA Development Fund and an open mLearning Business Breakfast hosted by the same organization. Hopefully next year there will be additional focus on mobile learning. (mHealth was evident though.)
The buzz was about Android, security, services, reliability, mHealth, the Microsoft/Nokia partnership, femtocells, NFC, cloud services, mobile money and global opportunities for mobile. As with most technology conferences 3LAs (three letter acronyms) were everywhere including NFC, GPS, LTE, WAC, LBS, RCS (and definitely app, although not an acronym.)
Some of my surprises included:
- Most of the attendees were clad in black suits and ties and most were male.
- The U.S. presence was much higher than I would have expected at this global conference with most keynoters from the U.S.
- Security was as high as I have seen with badges scanned regularly. They were also checked against your passport upon entry each day.
- My co-worker was unable to join me as planned due to illness. I wanted to get him some sort of MWC souvenir, but there was no place to purchase such things. Definitely a missed opportunity for the sponsors. GSMA.
- The keynotes and sessions were excellent although many rooms were over-filled and could not hold all those interested. Most of the speakers were CEOs, with Carol Bartz, CEO of Yahoo! as the lone woman.
- Show transportation was excellent. On time and well coordinated.
- Recycling was evident throughout the conference with yellow, green and blue bins. It was as well throughout the city.
- The venue was kept very clean with service employees clearing your plate as soon as you took the last bite.
- Apple, although the winner of the device of the year with the iPhone 4, was noticeably absent (although this is expected from Apple as they just do not participate in such conferences.)
- For an organization (GSMA) giving awards for the best mobile apps, their conference app was terrible. Imagine a vendor listing of almost 1,400 with no search or even the capability to move to an individual letter of the alphabet. I was searching for a vendor whose name started with W and gave up before my hand got tired scrolling. Many of the app links were to web pages not available where Wi-Fi was not available.
- The venue was very interesting with historical buildings mixed with the latest technology. There were eight buildings with several displays outdoors in temporary structures between the main halls. The problem was most of the walkways were cobblestones making walking difficult (especially for the few women in heels and with light rain.)
- Signage, especially for registration from the transportation area, was lacking.
- Smoking areas were right in front of doors forcing non-smokers to pass through the smoke.
- There was little or no handicap access.
- The wireless was very poor with many demonstrations failing due to lack of connectivity. I had to come to one vendor before the doors opened at 9:00 to see their app even using their own wireless since at 9:00 the conference opened and wireless connectivity seemed to disappear.


text:
Twin Sister | 01/01/70
Domino + Rockfeedback presents: Twin Sister and Real Estate performing a one off joint headline show at The Garage in London on 25th October, with Double Six's latest signings Trailer Trash Tracys as support.
All current tickets for Twin Sister's show originally scheduled for the same night at Cargo are now valid for The Garage. All further tickets for this event will go on sale at 9am on Friday 2nd September at a new ticket price of £9.50. You can buy tickets HERE or HERE.
Twin Sister's debut album In Heaven is due on 26th September, pre-order it HERE. You can watch their video for Bad Street below.
The Long Island five-piece's full UK & Irish tour dates are now as follows:
Tue 25 Oct 2011 UK LONDON THE GARAGE
Wed 02 Nov 2011 UK BRIGHTON JAM
Fri 04 Nov 2011 UK OXFORD JERICHO
Sat 05 Nov 2011 UK BRISTOL START THE BUS
Sun 06 Nov 2011 UK LIVERPOOL MOJO
Mon 07 Nov 2011 UK MANCHESTER DEAF INSTITUTE
Wed 09 Nov 2011 UK GLASGOW CAPTAINS REST
Thu 10 Nov 2011 UK EDINBURGH SNEAKY PETES
Fri 11 Nov 2011 UK BELFAST BUILD FESTIVAL
Sat 12 Nov 2011 IRELAND DUBLIN THE GRAND SOCIAL
Real Estate release Days, their first album for Domino on October 17th. You can download their single, It's Real, for free HERE. The band, consisting of Martin Courtney, Matt Mondanile and Alex Bleeker, will be performing further UK shows in October, details TBA shortly.
Trailer Trash Tracys' debut LP is expected for January 2012. You can download a taster track Dies in 55, HERE.


text:
Photo from http://thestir.cafemom.com
She keeps asking and I keep coming up with excuses. I tell her that I have to clean out the dishwasher or change out the laundry from the washing machine. And each time, she says, "Ok, Mommy, we can play Barbies when you are done." And she waits. She actually sits there and waits. Finally, I cave and end up playing for only 10 minutes because my brain can't take the mind numbing experience for any longer length of time. I usually end up telling her that the Barbie Dreamhouse was destroyed by a monster and poor Ken didn't survive. I know, it's not pretty nor good parenting in the least, but I truly hate playing Barbies.
Don't get me wrong, I love playing with my kids. I can color, do puzzles, play doh, dance parties, pretend restaurant, and all that good stuff. There is just something about playing Barbies that makes me want to throw them out the window and hope that a raccoon eats them. Is that bad? Probably.
I think the reason it bothers me so much is that I can't think of anything to make them do. There's only so many times you can get them dressed for a ball or go up and down the plastic elevator. I'm fried. I need to find a book or website that provides Barbie scenarios – ideas for those of us who are incapable of playing with dolls whose body shapes make me annoyed. Maybe I'll just pull from reality and have Barbie get pissed at Ken because he can't put his socks in the laundry bin, or maybe Barbie goes to the gym and decides to read a magazine instead of working out. Maybe if we do that, playing with Barbies might prove therapeutic for us grown ups. Or maybe it will require our children to need therapy at a later date. It's a toss up.