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Why Study Political Science?
"Politics is not confined to government-it affects almost all aspects of human existence."
Niccolo Machiavelli, 1469-1527
Government affects our personal and professional lives on a daily basis. This is particularly true in Alaska where a third of all jobs are with state, local and the federal government. So studying government (or political science) equips you to:
- Understand and interpret current affairs in a rapidly changing world.
- Deal with government in your future profession or business.
- Seek a variety of jobs in government.
- Work for various public and private interest groups that lobby government.
- Seek election to public office.
Political Science at UAS
Studying government at UAS in Juneau has several advantages:
- Being located in the state capital the degree is able to combine classroom learning with practical experience in politics and government.
- All students get hands-on experience by interning with the state legislature, or a state, federal or local government agency.
- This practical experience has been very useful to students in securing jobs. Over 60 legislative interns have gotten jobs in the legislature, state government, departments or agencies, or the U.S. Congress; two have been elected to the Alaska Legislature.
- It is recommended that one of the two secondary concentration be in economics. This insures that graduates will acquire a broad grounding in the interplay of politics and economics.
- The excellent student teacher ratio at UAS means that students receive individual attention from faculty who are readily accessible.
- The faculty are well-connected to other universities in Alaska, throughout the nation and in various parts of the world to advise students interested in graduate work, study abroad, and pursuing other educational opportunities as well as internships and job opportunities.
Diverse Study Opportunities
Political Science students can take advantage of many classroom and practical study opportunities, including:
- The Legislative Internship Program: Interns spend the spring semester working in the Alaska legislature, earn 12 hours of upper division credit and a $5,000 stipend. This program has been operating for 18 years and has graduated 180 students.
- Internships with state, local and federal government departments such as the governor's office, the state ombudsman's office, and the U.S. Forest Service; and with interest groups such as the Alaska Municipal League; some have worked in the office of a lobbyist.
- Practical class assignments involving writing a constitution for a newly independent country, observing activities at the state legislature and Juneau Assembly, and interviewing politicians, lobbyists, journalists and members of the public as part of survey research work.
- Opportunities to study on the national student exchange in the U.S. and Canada, and abroad in Europe, Asia, Africa and Latin America.
- Working as research or teaching assistants for faculty.
Career Opportunities
Many options present themselves when you have a degree in government. These include:
- A foundation for teaching civics and social studies at the K-12 level.
- Political journalism in TV, radio and newspapers.
- Research in the private and public sectors.
- Work in the government relations departments of major corporations.
- Careers in association management and non-profit organizations, especially those that lobby, such as chambers of commerce, environmental groups, and Alaska Native organizations.
- Working as a staffer in a state legislature and the U.S. Congress.
- A variety of opportunities with federal, state and local government departments and agencies such as: the foreign service, state administrative positions, and city management.
- A foundation for graduate work for careers in politics, public administration, international relations and law.
Graduates of the UAS program in Government have secured jobs with a wide range of public and private organization including: the Alaska State Legislature and various Alaska state agencies; the U.S. Congress; many city governments; the U.S. Forest Service, the Postal Service, the National Marine Fisheries Service, and the Federal Highway Administration; school teaching and administration; Catholic Social Services; several Native corporations and organizations; Safeway; Alaska Airlines; Marriott Hotels; several law firms; and AML Shipping Lines.
Course Work
Please see the Bachelor of Social Sciences Requirements page to learn more about electing either a primary or secondary concentration in Government.


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WHETHER... March is in like a lamb and out like a lion, or vice versa, can confound some people, even people who use the phrase, year after year, to describe the season's famous bluster. But whether you feel solid in your lion-lamb usage, one thing is for sure: 'Tis the season to admire furry animals of a sheeply, pasture-pretty sort. Spring demands it, really, by its very nature, given that the world is in a state of renewal, and alongside that renewal come the newborn beasties. But you don't need to visit with a brand new baby animal to savor this springly connection; walking among sheep and llamas and goats, in a gorgeous, not-too-far-from-the-beach setting, should do the trick. As should a rustic-type stayover in a cabin, tent, or yurt. Nope, you can't visit with llamas at most hotels in the Golden State, or even casual countrified inns, but you can at El Capitan Canyon of Santa Barbara. They've got beasties on the property, and a beastie-inclusive package on for spring: The Springtime Adventure Package.
THE PACKAGE... is on through most of the spring, wrapping up on June 12. The deal? Two nights in a Creekside Canyon Cabin, a guided hike -- make that privately guided -- out to see the property's llamas, sheep, and goats, a massage for two, and hot breakfast coupons. Call it rustic posh, with some spring-furry animal admiring thrown in, to keep you grounded as to the time of the year. It's a Sunday through Thursday thing and starts at $795, with some extras and asterisk. We're not going to demand that you have some lamb- or sheep-type interaction, but, please: It's spring. You can see the springtime animals on greeting cards and wrapping paper or you can get out and enjoy nature in a natural setting for a few days. (Choose the latter.)

subset: commoncrawl


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ARLINGTON - Adrian Beltre homered, Shin-Soo Choo had three hits in his return to the leadoff spot and the Texas Rangers snapped their longest losing streak in nearly nine years, holding on to win 5-4 over the Minnesota Twins on Friday night.
Nick Tepesch (3-3) allowed only three singles over 7 1-3 scoreless innings for the Rangers, who entered the series opener mired in an eight-game losing streak for the first time since August 2005.
Minnesota has lost its last nine road games, including a three-game sweep at the Los Angeles Angels before getting to Texas.
Manager Ron Washington decided to shake up his lineup a bit, with Choo leading off for the first time in 18 games. Carlos Pena, in only his fourth game back with the Rangers, took over in the No. 3 spot where Choo had hit .149 (10 for 67) since June 7.
The change paid off immediately when Choo had a leadoff single in the first and scored on Beltre's ninth homer, which just cleared the fence and landed in the Rangers bullpen in right-center field.
Beltre added what proved to be a deciding run with a sacrifice fly in the eighth.
Kevin Correia (4-9) allowed four runs and six hits over six innings. The right-hander, who struck out three and walked two, had given up only two earned runs over 18 innings his previous three starts.
Jason Frasor and Neal Cotts each got an out in the eighth after Tepesch gave up a one-out hit to Minnesota leadoff hitter Brian Dozer.
Joakim Soria, the closer in only his second appearance since June 14, allowed four runs in the ninth, including Jorge Polanco's two-run triple for his first major league hit that made it 5-4.
Soria had given up just one earned over 20 2-3 innings his previous nine games.
Luis Sardinas and Choo had RBI doubles in the fifth, both on balls that left fielder Josh Willingham tried to catch.
Sardinas hit a sinking liner down the left-field line that rolled into the corner after Willingham made a diving attempt to catch it. Choo hit a flyball that glanced off Willingham's glove when he ran into the 14-foot fence.
NOTES: Rangers ace Yu Darvish (7-4, 2.62 ERA) is scheduled to start Saturday. He lost his last two starts, allowing 12 runs (eight earned) over 11 innings. ... Phil Hughes (8-3) pitches the middle game for the Twins. ... 1B/OF Brad Snyder declined an outright assignment to Triple-A Round Rock and took free agency Friday, three days after the Rangers designated him for assignment.


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Woman accused of $70,000 theft from Tripp Umbach
Anne Dushac worked at Strip District consulting office
A woman is accused of stealing more than $70,000 from the Strip District consulting firm where she worked, the District Attorney's Office said.
According to the criminal complaint, 29-year-old Anne Dushac is suspected of writing unauthorized business checks to herself and using a Tripp Umbach company credit card for personal expenses.
Dushac was asked by one of the DA's detectives if she used the company's American Express card for her personal benefit, and she acknowledged that she did, according to the complaint.
"When asked about specific AMEX transactions, she stated that AT&T and Sprint were her personal cellphone carriers, purchases from Bath and Body Works, Barnes and Noble, Bed, Bath and Beyond, Candy Warehouse, creditreport.com, Apple Web store, Alloy Catalog Clothing, Direct Air, Forever 21, DSW, Home Depot, Lowe's, Michael's, PayPal, Pier 1 and Pat Catan's were all for her personal benefit," the complaint said. "When asked, she stated that purchases from Target, Giant Eagle Market District, Costco, Walmart and Kmart were a mix of business and personal use. When she was asked how a small company of a handful of people in the corporate office could use hundreds of dollars of items from these types of stores every week, the actor could not provide a suitable answer and she stated that she could not provide a breakdown of how much of these purchases were personal vs. business related.
"When asked if she executed company checks payable to herself, she stated that she did reimburse herself for business-related expenses. She was unable to (at any time since the interview) provide proof of any transaction from her personal bank account statements or credit card statements of any legitimate business purchases for which she would need to be reimbursed."
Dushac, of Aliquippa, was arraigned on Tuesday and released on her own recognizance. The complaint lists her charges as theft and access device fraud, both of which are felony counts. Her preliminary hearing is scheduled for Monday.
Dushac was hired in 2008 as an office manager whose duties included payroll, and her title was later changed to operations manager, with broader duties that included accounting responsibilities, according to the complaint.


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Jack in the box: You can't keep Smith down
Five years ago, Jack Smith owned a web design company and considered himself in good company. Now, however, the dot-com landscape has changed, and Smith is a rarity.
"I'm kind of the last man standing," he says.
But the company he started in 1998, PeopleSpace Inc., is not just surviving in the post dot-com climate; it's thriving.
What's his secret?
"The only way to succeed in business," Smith deadpans, "is to stay in business."
For Smith that has meant slashing costs from $30,000 a month overhead to $5,000– and shifting his business focus.
PeopleSpace now specializes in "advergaming." Using the popularity of games as a hook actually called a "sticky application"– Smith, along with two full-time employees and a number of contractors, helps companies add depth to their websites.
"The average visit to a web page is seconds," Smith explains. "Once you add games, the average is seven minutes."
Some big groups see the value. For instance, the official site of the National Hockey League offers PeopleSpace's "Puck Shuffle," a simple yet possibly addictive game in which players attempt to clear a board of different colored hockey pucks by clicking on groups of matching circles.
That game can be used for nearly any purpose, Smith explains, and indeed the Washington Redskins are considering the same game with their logo on the circles.
Then there's "Dental Defense," offered at Dentistry.com, a Space Invaders-type premise in which you attempt to defend your teeth from the ravages of too many sweets. If one too many cookies or cupcakes hit your molars, watch those pearly whites turn a dingy brown and then fall out.
Even Playboy's gotten some PeopleSpace action, with a video strip poker game in which players can win a playmate's clothes right off her body.
What's Smith's favorite? "That would have to be 'Mooz,'" he says. The G-rated puzzle game asks players to group farm animals together in threes (play it at peoplespace.com/mooz).
Smith, whose passion for games is obvious from the walls of toys lining the conference room he shares with developer Gabe Silverman, says he hopes the last few years of pinching pennies are coming to an end. He says he's currently negotiating a dozen different deals with businesses and ad agencies, and hopes he can pay back those who have helped him get by during the dark days of dot-comism.
"Charlottesville has been my city of angels," says Smith. "If I were in New York, I would have had a million-dollar business, but I'd probably have gone out of business." Here, he's had friends and even competitors offer him a hundred dollars or a place to stay.
"Now, my goal," says Smith, "is to click into high gear."
Jack Smith.


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A comprehensive tertiary healthcare centre servicing local patients and foreign patients from neighboring countries.
Part of the KPJ Healthcare Group, which owns 19 hospitals in Malaysia, the hospital has more than 50 resident physicians specializing in orthopedics, dermatology, hematology, neurology, pediatric surgery, radiology, physiotherapy, urology, ob-gyn, ENT and more.
A tertiary care hospital servicing local and international patients with modern facilities and over 110 consultants that cover a wide array of specialties.
An subsidiary of the KPJ Healthcare Berhad group reputed for quality and advanced healthcare services.
A leading private medical institution in Malaysia which has obtained a number of international accreditations.
An acute care general hospital in Penang with advanced facilities and healthcare professionals specializing in a wide range of medical areas.
A world class medical institution offering tertiary healthcare services that cover a wide range of specialties.
The single largest outpatient clinic located within Malaysia's premier shopping centre complex.
A Christian non-profit medical institution operating in the company of over 500 medical facilities with the Adventist Health International.
A secondary level healthcare hospital with 80 beds and a wide range of specialties available.
Copyright © 2008 - 2020 Health-Tourism.com, All Rights Reserved


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I got a new ThinkPad with the built-in fingerprint reader. At first I thought it was silly, but then I thought, hey, this could save me typing my password every time I boot up.
Is anyone using it? Does it work as advertised or does it sometimes fail to recognize your finger? And, for extra credit... will it work with Windows 7 (64 bit)?


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Trace Mayer rejoins Gary to promote Proof of Keys.
Every January 3rd, the bitcoin community demands and takes possession of all bitcoins held by trusted third parties on their behalf.
It's a great way for bitcoiners to flex their monetary sovereignty muscles.
For more information go to ProofOfKeys.com
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Thanks for joining Hall Of Fame Podcaster Gary Leland .
If you enjoyed this article, you'll love keeping up with the latest episode every week.
I use the Trezor Wallet to secure my crypto GaryLeland.com/Trezor
Receive $10 worth of Bitcoin FREE when you open an account with Coinbase @ CryptoCousins.com/Coinbase
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Gary is available to emcee your Bitcoin/Crypto event. Please email email@example.com for additional info.
DISCLAIMER: This article is not intended to provide, investment advice. Please conduct your own thorough research before investing in any cryptocurrency.
Produced by John Bukenas..
Into and outro voice over by Elsie Escobar.
Show Notes by Patrick Hafey
Podcast: Play in new window | Download


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Yes, zombies are sometimes overplayed. There are zombie books, zombie snacks, zombie plushies, games and movies.
But that doesn't mean that in the right hands zombies can't still be interesting... and terrible.
[Thanks Eindacor_DS]
You can contact Brian Crecente, the author of this post, at email@example.com. You can also find him on Twitter, Facebook, and lurking around our #tips page.


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Andy Warhol exhibit won't include Mao in China
But if you go carrying pictures of Chairman Mao, you ain't going to make it with anyone, anyhow.
Officials at Pittsburgh's Andy Warhol Museum apparently agree with The Beatles, saying silkscreens of the iconic Chinese communist leader won't be on display when a traveling exhibit of Warhol's works opens in Shanghai on April 28.
"We always knew the Maos would be up for question based on the political climate," museum director Eric Shiner told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review for a story Friday. "I didn't want politics to enter the equation such that we were putting the entire exhibition in jeopardy because we want to share Warhol's work with people in China."
Shiner denied that the decision to nix the Mao Zedong images amounted to "censorship," despite reports in the New York Times and other outlets that China's Ministry of Culture objected to the images. Shiner said he made the decision not to include the images, not Chinese officials.
Similar silkscreens, including those of Marilyn Monroe and Jacqueline Kennedy, will be among 300 items that also include paintings, photos, drawings, installations and sculptures in the largest display of Warhol's work in Asia, and the first Warhol exhibit to visit China.
Shiner told the newspaper that five Mao silkscreens were shown when the exhibit was in Hong Kong, and four will be displayed in Tokyo when the exhibit moves there next year. The Maos weren't shown in Singapore because that country prohibits art displaying political figures, Shiner said.
BNY Mellon is financially supporting the tour, which drew 40,000 people a month when it first opened in Singapore from March to October, according to BNY Mellon spokesman Ronald Gruendl. The objects drew another 100,000 spectators while on display in Hong Kong from Dec. 31 through March, Gruendl said.
He would not comment on the decision to exclude the Mao images in China.


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" Never lose sight of the fact that old age needs so little but needs that little so much . " – Margaret Willour
" Our society must make it right and possible for old people not to fear the young or be deserted by them , for the test of a civilization is the way that it cares for its helpless members . " – Pearl S. Buck
" In youth the days are short and the years are long : in old age the years are short and the days are long . " – Nikita Ivanovich Panin
" Growing old is mandatory ; growing up is optional . " – Chili Davis
" Old age is the most unexpected of all the things that happen to a man . " – Leon Trotsky
" Inside every older person is a young person wondering what happened . " – Jennifer Yale
Election times are always strange times in India . One can witness many unusual happenings , many bizarre scenario . One such thing is clamour for young blood in politics . There is nothing wrong in the demand per se . In fact young blood is always welcome and it should be more than welcome in the arena of politics .
But what would you say when a 76-year-old Mr. Jaswant Singh is replaced by a young ( ? ) candidate Col. Sonaram Choudhary in Rajasthan , who is 71-year-old ? He is a Congress turncoat , and Shri Jaswant Singh is a loyal party worker and old party war – horse , but it becomes insignificant in the young party of new India . What would you say when there is a cacophonous clamour for the retirement of Shri Lal Krishna Advani from public life ? Several crooks are ruling the roost and Shri Advani has unblemished record of service in public life . His only fault is his age . Unfortunately he is 86 . Is old age sin in our country ? Is it a crime to get old or be old in new India ?
Not always . Former Communist Chief Minister of Kerala , Shri V. S. Achuthanandan [ Velikkakathu Sankaran Achuthanandan ] , the grand old patriarch of CPM is 90 and is still active .
M. Karunanidhi [ Muthuvel Karunanidhi ] , the DMK patriarch , also known as Kalaignar , is 89 . Both , far from saying good-bye to public life , are on election trail . Both are going through rigorous and tortuous daily routine during election time in this hot , unbearable Indian summer . They are yet to bid adieu .
Take the case of world leaders . Oldest ruling monarch is 85-year-old King Bhumibol Adulyadej , the King of Thailand . This year he completes 67 years as the King of Thailand .
Queen Elizabeth II of United Kingdom is 87 years old and she is firmly in the saddle . She ascended the throne in 1952 . This year she completes 62 years as the reigning queen . Far from retiring , these two monarchs are still calling the shots and are much respected and revered in their respective countries .
Let us take few examples from the world of cinema .
Hollywood Actors :
1 ) – At 82 , Clint Eastwood is still very much involved in the movie making business. In 2012 he plays an aging baseball scout in "Trouble With The Curve " [ 2012 ] .
Clint Eastwood also keeps his plate full directing movies . His most recent films are ; " Invictus " [ 2009 ] , " Hereafter " [ 2010 ] , " J. Edgar " [ 2011 ] and " Jeresy Boys " [ 2014 ] . Thus from 1955 to 2014 , its 59 year-long and uninterrupted career .
2 ) – At 90 , Christopher Lee is still acting in Peter Jackson's " The Hobbit " movies .
3 ) – At 96 , Kirk Douglas , the star who starred in " Spartacus " [ 1960 ] , worked last in " Empire State Building Murders " [ 2008 ] . From 1946 to 2008 , it is 62 year-long career .
4 ) – At 96 , Olivia de Havilland , who enthralled audiences world over in the classic " Gone With The Wind " [ 1939 ] , is still working . Her last film " I Remember Better When I Paint " [ 2009 ] . It is incredibly 74 year-long career which started in 1935 .
Indian Actors :
1 ) – The ever – green Ashok Kumar's career spanned for 61 long years . Right from " Jeevan Naiya " [ 1936 ] to " Aankhon Me Tum Ho " [ 1997 ] , Dada Muni , as he was fondly called , was working till he was 86 .
2 ) – Pran is another gem in the crown . He was active till the age of 83 . From " Yamla Jat " [ 1940 ] to " Kiska Dosh " [ 2003 ] , it was 63 year-long career .
3 ) – Dev Anand , another indefatigable legend , worked for 65 years . From " Hum Ek Hain " [ 1946 ] to " Charge Sheet " [ 2011 ] , it was an awe – inspiring 65 year-long journey of perennial glory and ever – lasting super – stardom . He was 88 when he died . He released his last film " Charge Sheet " same year , which was written, produced and directed by him . He also starred in it as the main protagonist . It is unbeatable record in the world of cinema in India .
There are such people in the world of literature also .
Writers :
1 ) – Khushwant Singh , the age – defying author ; novelist , historian and journalist , died at the age of 99 . He wrote till he was 97 years old . " The Mark Of Vishnu and Other Stories " [ 1950 ] to "Agnostic Khushwant : There Is No God " [ 2012 ] , he enjoyed 62 unquestioned active years as an author of repute .
2 ) – Maya Angelou , the American writer , poetess and civil rights activist , is writing since 45 years . She is 85 now . Yet to retire , she is widely respected and revered in the U.S.A.
So why this clamour for the retirement of Shri Lal Krishna Advani or denial of ticket to Shri Jaswant Singh ? I feel it is not related to age . This is power – struggle . New satraps want to remove old guards unceremoniously and they are taking positions behind the age factor . A person should be respected for his / her age and should not be despised . Age is a boon . When I read comments related to age I am peeved . A person serves his organization from the young age . He gives his life in the service of his party and organization . And suddenly one day a new ascending leader appears on the scene and simply orders the banishment of the old guard . Though the old person in question is not infirm or incapacitated . No one is questioning why Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee is not given a ticket . Everyone knows that he is bed – ridden and can't even speak or recognize people . But Shri Lal Krishna Advani is still active and mentally alert .
" A man is not old untill regrets take place of dreams . " – John Barrymore
No one can stop new leaders or younger people from ascending the firmament . But it does not mean curtain for older leaders , who are still fit and can still serve the country. I feel sad , when I see that contribution of Shri Lal Krishna Advani is being overlooked . Malicious , derogatory and abusive comments are continuously being posted on the various social networking sites , so that he should get dejected and retire . Suggestions are being dished out by so-called party – sympathisers that old people should accept the new order and should not crib or demand any special privilege . It was recently said by the alleged member of the alleged " Club 160 " said that old guard should learn to accept " no " to their demands and they should accept the dictate of younger dispensation with graceful silence . It was said that they should learn to get adjusted to the new , changed ways of the young party of the new India . It could be argued that it is true to some extent . But the tone and tenor of this statement was contemptuous , smug and full of hubris . It was disrespectful .
" Never lose sight of the fact that old age needs so little but needs that little so much . " – Margaret Willour
Then what is the solution . In my opinion there should be a fine balance between old and new generation . For every young Arjun , there has to be a sagacious Bhishma Pitamah and an experienced Dronacharya . For every imperious and bellicose Duryodhana , there has to be a sagely Vidur and a stoic Kripacharya . If this fine balance in the time of yore could not save us from a devastating Mahabharata , what will happen , if today we will have only inexperienced Arjuna and imperious , bellicose and belligerent Duryodhana in our mist ?
Think India , think ! And be afraid . Be very afraid !
" There is one more terrifying fact about old people : you are going to be one soon . " – P. J. O'Rourke
On behalf of all the students and staff of VIDUR Acting Institute , I urge for the respect of elders and pray for the betterment and well – being of my country .
VIDUR Editing Studio , VIDUR Club and VIDUR Theatre also pray for our beloved India and out age – old ethos .
[ I have taken information about world and Indian leaders from Wikipedia . For Hollywood actors , I have taken information from a website ; http://www.pajiba.com I am indebted ]
Filed under: Politics | Tagged: Aankhon Me Tum Ho, Acting Institute, Acting Trainer, Agnostic Khushwant : There Is No God, Arjun, Ashok Kumar, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Bhishma Pitamah, Bhumibol Adulyadej, Bollywood, Charge Sheet, Chief Minister Kerala, Chili Davis, Christopher Lee, Clint Eastwood, Club 160, Col. Sonaram Choudhary, Congress, CPM, Dada Muni, Dev Anand, Diction Trainer, DMK, Dronacharya, Duryodhana, Empire State Building Murders, Film, Gone With The Wind, Great Britain, Hereafter, Hindi Teacher, Hollywood, Hum Ek Hain, I Remember Better When I Paint, India, Invictus, J. Edgar, Jaswant Singh, Jeevan Naiya, Jennifer Yale, Jeresy Boys, John Barrymore, Kalaignar, Kamal Nayan Chaturvedi, Khushwant Singh, King Bhumibol Adulyadej, Kirk Douglas, Kiska Dosh, Kripacharya, L. K. Advani, Lal Krishna Advani, Leon Trotsky, M. Karunanidhi, Maharashtra, Margaret Willour, Maya Angelou, Mumbai, MUMBAI - MAHARASHTRA - INDIA, Muthuvel Karunanidhi, Nikita Ivanovich Panin, Olivia de Havilland, P. J. O'Rourke, Pearl S Buck, Peter Jackson, Politics, Pran, Queen Elizabeth II, Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Shri Jaswant Singh, Shri Lal Krishna Advani, Shri V. S. Achuthanandan, Sonaram Choudhary, Spartacus, The Hobbit, The King of Thailand, The Mark Of Vishnu and Other Stories, Trouble With The Curve, V. S. Achuthanandan, Velikkakathu Sankaran Achuthanandan, Vidur, VIDUR Acting Institute, Vidur Chaturvedi, VIDUR Club, VIDUR Editing Studio, Vidur on Twitter, VIDUR Theatre, Vidur's Blog, Vidur's Students, Yamla Jat | Leave a comment »


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Integral operations
The Integral mission is providing new insights into the Universe's most violent and exotic objects, such as black holes, neutron stars, active galactic nuclei and supernovae.
Integral is helping us understand processes such as the formation of new chemical elements and the mysterious gamma-ray bursts, the most energetic phenomena in the Universe. Integral is the most sensitive gamma-ray observatory ever launched.
The mission
Gamma rays are even more powerful than the X-rays used in medical and dental examinations. Fortunately, the Earth's atmosphere protects us from this dangerous cosmic radiation. However, this also means that gamma rays from deep space can only be detected by satellites.
Integral is a truly international mission with the participation of various ESA member states plus the United States, Russia, the Czech Republic and Poland. The four instruments are exploited by teams led by scientists in Italy, France, Germany, Denmark and Spain. A Russian Proton rocket placed the spacecraft into orbit, while ESA and NASA ground stations stay in touch from Earth.
The Mission Operations Centre (MOC) is located at ESOC, Darmstadt, Germany; the Science Operations Centre (SOC) at ESAC in Spain; and Switzerland hosts the Integral Science Data Centre (ISDC).
|Gamma-ray astrophysics observatory
|17 Oct 2002
|Proton/Baikonur, Kazakhstan
|4000 kg
|142,550 km/7206 km - 64 hr elliptical
|Two years - presently extended to 31 December 2021
|++ Detecting some of the most energetic radiation that comes from space ++
The Flight Control Team
The Flight Control Team (FCT) at ESOC operates from a Dedicated Control Room (DCR) co-located with the XMM-Newton DCR. Spacecraft Operations Manager (SOM) Richard Southworth oversees the FCT, which comprises spacecraft operations engineers, data analysts, and satellite controllers.
Since late 2007, the XMM-Newton and Integral FCTs have been merged such that Integral team members provide back-up support to XMM-Newton and vice versa. The after-hours engineering on-call rota is also shared, with just one engineer having responsibility for both missions outside normal working hours. Additionally both missions are now controlled in parallel by just one Spacecraft Controller.
In 2006, the team also conducted sophisticated manoeuvres that enabled Integral to conduct unique Earth observations related to the cosmic diffuse high-energy background radiation. A second set of 16 Earth observations is currently under consideration for the time frame 2012-13 to enable the Flight Control Team to calibrate the background radiation as we move toward the solar maximum period of the current solar cycle.
Additional ESOC teams provide ongoing support to Integral in the areas of Flight Dynamics, Ground Facilities and Software Support, among others.
Mission operations overview
Integral was launched on 17 October 2002 at 06:41 CET by a Russian Proton rocket from Baikonur, Kazakhstan. The launch sequence, involving a delayed injection of the rocket upper stage 50 minutes after lift-off, was nominal.
The satellite was placed in a 66-hour high elliptical orbit with an apogee of 153 000 km, a perigee of 690 km, and an inclination of 51.6°. The satellite was acquired, as planned, 1 hour and 32 minutes after lift-off by the ESTRACK station at ESA/ESAC and 3 minutes later by Redu station.
Launch and Early Operations Phase - LEOP
LEOP included raising the orbit perigee from 690 to 9000 km and lasted, as planned, for six orbits. It involved five perigee-raising propulsion burns at apogee 3, 4, and 5, and an apogee adjustment manoeuvre at perigee 6 to adjust the geo-synchronicity of the orbit to 72 hours. During the LEOP, the instruments were switched on and checked out.
Commissioning Phase
The commissioning phase of the mission started on 4 November 2002 and lasted until 17 December when the mission entered officially its routine phase. During commissioning, calibration of the spacecraft platform took place, the main instrument's high-voltage power was switched on, and scientists and principal investigators (PIs) at the MOC measured initial instrument performance before moving to the ISDC to assist with in-flight calibration of the instruments.
Routine science operations began, as planned, at the end of 2002. The performance of the ground and space segments continues to be excellent, and exceed the original mission specifications.
Extended Mission
Integral is now in its third mission extension, and the currently planned end of mission is December 2014. The long mission duration is possible because all elements of flight hardware and software are still operating nominally - all consumables, such as fuel, etc., still have ample reserves. The continuing excellent performance and minimal degradation of the payload instruments make mission extensions highly worthwhile in terms of science return.
During this phase, Integral will face a number of challenges. In particular, the orbit is evolving such that the perigee altitude is decreasing. This change in orbit means that Integral will pass through the inner (proton) Van Allen belts every three days; it is not known how well Integral will cope with such a harsh radiation environment.
The ground stations - Redu
Routine communications for Integral are provided by the ESA ground station at Kiruna, Sweden, and by the DLR station at Weilheim, Germany.
Ground segment & mission control system
The Integral ground segment uses the SCOS-2000 mission control system.
The MOC at ESOC is responsible for the operation of the spacecraft and instruments, for ensuring the spacecraft safety and health, for the maintenance of the satellite's on-board software, for the provision of flight dynamics support including determination and control of the satellite's orbit and attitude and for provision of all telemetry and auxiliary data to the ISDC.
Integral operations are executed using an automated time line. The time line is generated on a revolution-by-revolution basis, i.e. one time line covers the period from perigee passage to the next perigee passage, which is approximately three days.
The MOC maintains the on-board software and the operational database and is responsible for the short- and long-term archiving of the telemetry, telecommands and auxiliary data. The archive is consolidated (filling of data gaps) with the satellite playback telemetry received from the ground stations when required. In addition to the real-time link to the ISDC that provides the majority of the TM data within seconds, the consolidated data are put on CDs and provided offline to ensure data completeness.
The platform and payload
The platform is three-axis stabilised and to a large extent identical to that of XMM-Newton. All operations must be executed in real time, as no on-board time-line execution or storage of telemetry is available.
The main payload consists of the Spectrometer on Integral (SPI) and Imager on board Integral (IBIS).
These are complemented by two monitor instruments in the X-ray (JEM-X) and optical ranges (OMC), co-aligned with the main instruments, and a radiation monitor for real-time measurement of the radiation environment and safeguarding of the instruments.
SPI, IBIS, and JEM-X are provided with coded masks, allowing source localisation to an accuracy of better than one arc minute.
The payload, designed and built by European scientific institutes, provides the science community with an unprecedented combination of imaging and fine spectroscopy over a very wide range of wavelengths from gamma ray to optical.


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Let me just put it this way. I follow a number of conservative pundits on my Twitter feed, and while Marco Rubio was talking, I sure didn't notice them lighting up the switchboard, as it were. At point Ramesh Ponnuru tweeted: "Rubio is doing well I think but why does he keep touching his face?"
A bigger question about his physical actions would, of course, present itself in short order. That was the most ill-advised drink of liquid since Socrates took hemlock. It will dominate commentary and late-night, and it deserves to. Just bush league. And the way he kept nervously looking at the camera...
Otherwise he wasn't bad. It wasn't a failure. And I don't think he's a complete lightweight. He gave a good speech at the GOP convention. But he didn't succeed last night at all. Two reasons.
First, Quixote-like, he kept tilting at the right-wing caricature of Obama that only right-wingers buy into. I doubt very strongly at this point that most Americans will just sit there listening to how Barack Obama opposes the free enterprise system and think that it makes sense to them. No. It doesn't. The R's could sell middle Americans on that idea when the memory of the stimulus was fresh, and when the jobless rate was 9 percent. But with things getting better, that's a story that only conservatives believe. They make the error of continuting to believe that others believe it.
Second, and this isn't really his fault but just the way it is, he doesn't have the gravitas yet. His voice doesn't have enough depth to it. He looks sort of young, as many have observed, but he sounds younger, and that's the issue. He comes across like the proverbial substitute teacher. You know you can throw spitballs in his class, and he's not going to have the authority to make you stop.
You either have that weight or you don't. I know conservatives will say that the idea that Obama had it in 2007 is a joke, but they're wrong. Obama tapped into very deep yearnings in the country rhetorically, yearnings that weren't limited to Democrats. That's what gave him gravitas. Rubio did a little of that--he has a nice immigrant's story to tell. But it's too many right-wing talking points.
Backed up, I should note, by right-wing reality. Yesterday afternoon, Rubio was one of just 22 senators to vote against reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act. Nice. Savior? He has a long way to go.


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Idoit40fans wrote:I thought this was going to be a new thread and that someone else was going to have created it.
Gaucho wrote:Arrived at what?
We have won 11 in a row. A franchise record. We are now first in the East. We are TEN POINTS ahead of New Jersey who is in second place. We are first in our division, 25 points ahead of our nearest competition. And we are now FIRST in the NHL with 82 points. Click here and see. We are first in the NHL in goals scored. And first in a bunch of other team and individual stats. For just today we have arrived. We don't have miles to go before we sleep. We have arrived. Savor it. Enjoy it. Please for just one day. I beg of you. No negative emails. No negative vibes. Tomorrow all bets are off. We can worry, we can vent, and we can go back to our individual dark places. But for 24 hours I declare a no fly zone on negativity and unhappiness. We deserve our success. We are what our record says we are. At least for one shining moment. Ok back to work. Go Caps. I hope you are as proud as I am.
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The world's biggest specialty auto trade event, the SEMA (Specialty Equipment Market Association) show, opens this Tuesday ... where else, but Las Vegas, Nevada.
Every year SEMA draws the wildest custom cars, and hottest product innovations to the Las Vegas Convention Center, providing attendees with educational seminars, product demos, and special events.
Everyone from the local hot rod shop, to the biggest automotive brands on the globe, are doing their best to out-bling and out-muscle each other in the name of publicity and sales.


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I could not be happier with the success of the 2010 Winemaker Wednesday series at The Frenchman's Cellar in downtown Culpeper. When I first suggested this series to Jeffery Mitchell, owner of FC, there was no hesitation on his part. A true believer in Virginia wines and Virginia artisan food products. His shop, located within the Frenchman's Corner, is an oasis of wines, micro-brews and artisan cheese delights in Central Virginia.
You know how I love one-on-one chats with winemakers, and I have no doubt that you also see the benefit of a visit to charming downtown Culpeper, for the opportunity to visit with an icon in Virginia winemaking.
So get your wine-loving self to FC on Wednesday, September 15th, when Luca Paschina of Barboursville Winery will be the featured winemaker. From 6pm – 8pm wine enthusiasts will have the opportunity to experience a casual, intimate setting in which to taste the highly revered Barboursville wines and chat with Luca about his approach from vineyard to bottle. The wines will be paired with artisan cheeses from the Frenchman's Cellar's international array.
The Frenchman's Cellar/Corner, 129 E. Davis Street, Culpeper. Phone. 540.825.8025. Complimentary tasting paired with artisan cheeses. Of course, wine available for purchase.


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Writing is an enjoyable exercise, for most. It is a great way to express your thoughts and feeling with words.
And to garner appreciation for it just adds to the charm, doesn't it? Further, the thought of "earning" a bit through your work sounds intriguing enough…true? The number of bloggers turning into writers speaks for itself. But not many writers/bloggers find it easy to promote their work. The key word here is "driving traffic to your site where you publish your writing."
So I thought of putting together a simple list of things one can do to gather a bit of recognition, to begin with.
Attractive Blog Page
Once during our Marketing session in college we were told: jo dikhta hai who bikta hai. (One (product) that is seen is the one that is sold.)
So to begin with, make sure you have a decently attractive blog page. There are a lot of blogging/writing platforms available. WordPress, Joomla, Blogger, Blogspot, Drupal etc., and almost all of them provide members with easy plugins to further help you link it to social media sites. Choose the one that you find easy enough and start harping about your blog/writing.
Create a short and crisp (and may I add "killer") bio or profile for yourself. Add a picture of yourself if you wish. Once people start liking your content/post, they do tend to read about you.
Blogging platforms also provide members with certain color and background themes to make the page more appealing. They also help with easy navigation layouts. This helps members to organize their blocks and make their "recent" or famed posts more accessible to readers. They provide space for certain ads as well. Easy navigation should be one of the key features of your page.
Do not forget to provide the RSS feed links for people who wish to follow you.
SEO and Link Building
Wise men have said: On the internet, Content is King!
You have to churn out good, readable material. Know your niche, your strengths and your dominance. It will help you write superlative content.
And you needn't be a techie geek to know the working of Search Engine Optimization. All you need remember is that SEO essentially banks on the structure of the content you put in. The content needs to be the one that readers are looking for. It needs to be of relevance to the readers to connect with. Make sure you keep the content current and update it on regular basis. This will help readers come back to your site and also share it amongst their friends.
Link Building refers to the back links your page is connected with. One easy way of doing it is by submitting to 'bookmarks'. People suggest guest blogging and writing guest articles as an effective mean to creating and building back links.
You can also chalk out press releases and submit articles to promote your site. Make sure it has ample of back links to bring in readers.
Social Media Platforms
The mention of social media essentially pops two names in your mind –doesn't it? FaceBook and Twitter. Yes, they are amongst the top ranking social media platforms to connect with people across the globe. And surely they are a great way to stay connected with people.
One major advantage of networking on social media sites is to help gather an audience and create more back links. You don't really need to "know" people to gain popularity. Start networking and you'd be amazed to know how small the world actually is.
On FaceBook: You can link your blog/writing page to your profile information tab. You can create a Fan Page for people to "like" and enroll for updates.
Request feedback from friends and family regarding your post. Take criticism positively and work towards betterment.
On Twitter: Tweet in accordance to content relevant to your blog post or writing. Use keywords that work as links to your site. Be creative. Have fun. Tweet links to your content a few times during the day. Oh, don't forget to re-tweet good posts to gather a good following.
Keep a track of what's trending on Twitter.
Use hash tags, wisely please.
Place a re-tweet button on your post for people to talk about it.
Follow relevant, popular and interesting people. Reply to relevant, popular and interesting people.
Then there are other sites like LinkedIn (more professional), Digg, Reddit, StumbleUpon, etc. The internet has millions of other blogging and community sites. Spend some time researching them and registering with them. Leave your blog post links at relevant junctures. This helps in generation of good will. Please make sure you don't end up spamming. You have to look at it in terms of a long term investment. Make sure you don't get in the "bad books" of people by spamming them unnecessarily.
Indulge in commenting on blogs you like and find interesting. The comments could be praising the blog post or adding value to the post. Writers can indulge in writing book reviews and posting them on relevant sites – like Amazon, Flipkart, Goodreads, BookChums!
Indulge in forum discussions on relevant sites. Register with forums that are of interest to you and interact with other members by answering their queries, if you can. Do this regularly. It helps in good brand building. Wherever necessary and relevant, leave links to your post.
Guest Blogging
It is always good to keep a check on the blogging community. Interact with bloggers/writers that have similar concerns and interests. Invite fellow bloggers to write on your site, and you write for them in return (with your by line of course). This free advertising bit helps in image building and gaining more exposure and visibility online.
Stay Active
Popularity doesn't come in a day. It's not magic. Unless of course you are controversy's child. But considering how mortal we all are, there is a considerable patience we all need to hold for results to start pouring in.
You ought to stay active online and look for means to constantly promote yourself and your blog if you really want to stay visible and gain popularity. Always remember: Consistency pays.
Other Cool Stuff
Make sure you do something new each day. You'll have something new to write about each day.
Get creative with video blogs and upload them on various portals. There's YouTube, Tubemogul, etc. to experiment with. Check out Scribd. That might interest you too.
And if all this is still mumble-jumble for you…I'm around to help you.


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What better way to kick off the sixth day of pre-Christmas than with six slices of foie-gras? No animals have been hurt in the making of this post!
This could be a pretty festive dish thanks in part to those geese. I enjoy a little foie gras every now and again.
No, this was not just a clever ploy to bring fat into another post. Rather, I feel that foie gras is more of a delicacy than eggs.
Today, we will be talking of a delicacy in the database world. It is a feature that should help every DBA sleep better at night. Sadly, this delicacy can be tainted by another feature that may just give you hear burn instead.
First though, let's recap.
- Table Compression – Day 5
- Exercise for msdb – Day 4
- Backup, Job and Mail History Cleanup – 3rd Day
- Service Broker Out of Control – 2nd Day
- Maint Plan Logs – 1st Day
On the Sixth Day of pre-Christmas…
My DBA gave to me a way to ensure my databases are not corrupt.
Sadly, the method chosen is to force feed (gravage) the checkdb through an SSIS style maintenance plan. Have you ever tried to run checkdb through a maintenance plan? It doesn't always work so well.
Many times, when running checkdb, you may run into this pretty little error message.
Msg 5808, Level 16, State 1, Line 2
Ad hoc update to system catalogs is not supported.
Well, that is just downright wrong. If I am provided a tool to create maintenance plans, then the tool should not generate an error such as that when I want to run consistency checks against the database. This is akin to force feeding us something that isn't all that good for our health. There was even a connect item filed for this behavior, here.
So, what is it that causes this behavior?
Well, there are a couple of things that contribute to this behavior. This can be reproduced from tsql as well. To find what is causing this behavior, I used a tool that is a bit more reliable. To recreate the failure, I created a small test database and then created a maintenance plan to run consistency checks for that database. Then the reliable tool I used is Profiler.
Next up is to run the profiler with a filter for the test database, then to start the maintenance plan. It shouldn't take too long to have the maintenance plan complete. When it completes, it is time to investigate the TSQL generated by Profiler and it should become apparent pretty quick what TSQL is being run during a maintenance plan that causes the checkdb to fail with the above mentioned error.
Are you ready? This code is pretty complex and perplexing. You better sit down so you don't fall from the surprise and shock.
[codesyntax lang="tsql"]
EXEC sys.sp_configure N'user options', 0
Why would a maintenance plan need to run that snippet every time that a checkdb is performed?
Now, there is another piece to this puzzle. This error is thrown when another configuration setting is present. If we change that setting, the error no longer happens. Soooo, a quick fix would be to change that setting. The setting in question is "Allow Updates". It has a value of 1 and must be changed to a value of 0. Since SQL 2005, we want it to be a 0 anyway.
[codesyntax lang="tsql"]
EXEC sp_configure 'allow updates' ,0
RECONFIGURE WITH override
Now, another option for this issue would be that the maintenance plan not run the sp_configure at all. Or, if it is deemed necessary, that it be changed to the following.
[codesyntax lang="tsql"]
EXEC sys.sp_configure N'user options', 0
RECONFIGURE WITH override
The best option in my opinion is that a maintenance plan not be used for consistency checks. I'd prefer to see a custom built routine, a routine using sp_msforeachdb, or the maintenance plan routines developed by Ola Hallengren that can be found here. All of these methods require that a little more thought be put into the consistency checking of your database, but that means you will get better sleep through the night.


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It's late, but I just found out about this Carl Wilson book -- (ostensibly) about Celine Dion -- which came out in December. I haven't read it yet, but after discovering this Crawdaddy interview (c/o John Mark), I really really really want to.
A few posts back, I hinted at my own internal dialogue on the question of taste (check down in the comments of this post). I swear I haven't been out searching for a book that expertly sinks its teeth into this complex issue -- no time -- but apparently I just found it.
Here are some excerpts from the interview:
Celine presents some special qualities: everyone agrees that what she does is at a high level of musical accomplishment, for instance, no matter how much they dislike her, so that combination was striking to me; it raises a particular puzzle. (How can music be at once good and no good? What does the word "good" really mean?)
(These are apposite questions, but I feel I should interject that there are probably few music fans who would argue that "good" means "played with technical skill." (Maybe the real question is "what is technical skill"?) It's nice when interesting musical ideas can be combined with sophisticated physical execution -- but sometimes interesting ideas don't even need that. And sometimes something as hard-to-define as attitude trumps both the quality of the ideas and the execution.)
Most of all, though, as I say in the book, I think I had more of a personal grudge against Celine, and that edge made the project more compelling to me: why did she piss me off so much?
Yes. That is a really brave question for a critic to ask.
Maybe related: in grad school I came to the conclusion that it is impossible for a writer to achieve true objectivity when discussing art -- and the simulacra of objectivity that many writers actually attained was easily confused with boredom. When it comes to music criticism, I have always preferred writers who emphasize their subjectivity (see Lester Bangs, f'r'instance) -- including their failings and idiosyncracies. That way, I feel like I at least become aware of a specific context in which a given work succeeds or fails. And learning about the contexts for art is almost as important as learning about art itself. I guess.
Crawdaddy!: In your exercise to try to change your own taste, did you come any closer to being able to define what taste is, or how we develop our sense of taste? You quote the poet Paul Valéry, who wrote: "Tastes are composed of a thousand distastes." At the end of this experiment, do you agree with that?
Wilson: I think that tastes are composed of a thousand misunderstandings. And about half of those are wonderful misunderstandings, in which someone's imperfect expression of their sense of what it's like to be alive manages to squish itself into the tunnels of our own sense of what it's like to be alive, and we mistake their experience for ours, because music and pictures and words and so on have the power to simulate the experience of other minds, even though I suspect we're never really hearing what the maker thinks we're hearing. It's like taking things the wrong way the right way.
An interesting analysis, to say the least. And it raises the question of whether "communication" -- at least as it's understood within a language-based framework -- ever really happens in music. To put it another way: is "musical meaning" possible? (And if so, what is it? And if not, how do we determine musical "value"?)
And the other half of those are lousy misunderstandings, in which we take things the wrong way the wrong way, and imagine that another set of music and pictures and words represents an assault against us, that it's the manifestation of everything that makes our lives difficult. It has to do with how much code we share with the makers, to some degree, but also what pleasure we respect and what pleasure we don't. All artists, good or bad, are trying to build little machines that express meaning and give pleasure. What I've discovered, I think, is that this is very seldom done in bad faith -- or that, at least, whether it's in good faith or bad faith is generally irrelevant to our liking for it. I think Celine makes her music in as much good faith as, say, Ghostface Killah does. That I like what Ghostface does and not so much what Celine does has to do with a lot of social meaning and positioning that is implied by the trappings around each of them, and maybe with how successfully and creatively they do it, but it doesn't imply that there are bad intentions behind one and not the other. Maybe Ghostface is in his room laughing at his fans' gullibility. I'll never know. So taste is not moral in the way that much of the discourse around it implies. Art is always manipulative and taste is always a choice of collusions.
I do think that when you like something for being "not like" the mainstream, for being "not like" what people you don't like prefer, you're playing a status game and thinking very shallowly about art.
I love that metaphor of artists building "little machines that express meaning and give pleasure" -- though with all the "misunderstanding" referenced above, one wonders, again, how much meaning is really conveyed. (My own trajectory as an artist -- over the last ten years or so -- has been very much about becoming as interested in musical pleasure as I used to be solely in musical meaning.)
Amen as well to the bit about intentions. I guess we're into the issue of morality here; but if intentions don't necessarily have anything to do with the quality of the music, is "bad music" immoral? (Sometimes it sure feels like it is...)
Obviously I'm asking a lot of pompous, over-broad questions tonight. Sorry.
Anyway, if not intentions, then what about context (again)?
However, we're all aware that we need to be decent to people we don't necessarily love; that we don't need to love everyone in order to respect them. So I think what the book calls for is a bit of a renewal of the golden rule on an aesthetic level: you can say Rascal Flatts aren't your cup of tea, but you can still think, well, they're beloved of a lot of people who'd probably be extremely nice to me if I came into their house for dinner. And if we were eating some fried chicken and peas and chatting and they put on a Rascal Flatts record, maybe I'd have fun listening to it while I was talking to them. So there's a tone of contempt that we adopt about what we consider inferior music that I think is contextual: "This music doesn't make sense within my life." And maybe that does mean it's second-rate, or maybe it means that it'd be first-rate within another kind of life. The background sense that what we're debating is ways of living might make us slow down a bit in our snap judgments. It's probably not a way any of us can think all of the time, but like any sort of moral thinking, it can be a check upon our worst instincts.
So musical taste is a kind of social tool that can be used (to connect) or abused (to discriminate and divide)?
Note how the "digital revolution" has a tendency to make the social context of music much more visible than it has ever been. Aside from the obvious example of the blogosphere (where people are constantly confessing and sharing their tastes), software like iTunes (f'r'instance) keeps a running tab on the number of times a listener has played a given song -- and that history can then be recorded into a last.fm or Mog.com account (say), where it goes on display for anyone who wants to view it. Genres may split and subdivide, but, more and more, patterns of taste are represented, albeit imperfectly.
I ended up feeling that this is where criticism needs to go, really; that arid and witty dissections of culture aren't what I want to read —- whether it's reportage or reflection, I want to hear about what life is like for other people, and art is a vehicle for that exchange. It's more than just that, of course: I like to read technical and historical analyses, too. But critics who are merely trying to fix a numerical value to artworks, like a Consumer's Report on car tires, only help to kill the whole enterprise. (Although that ratings game can be a good subterfuge, the way that someone like Robert Christgau uses it as bait on his intellectual hook.)
I remember too many things about high school, but one of the less-pleasant memories is of watching a fellow student getting cut down (verbally, of course) by a peer, over the fact that the former was wearing a Led Zeppelin T-shirt. At hand was a question of whether the LZ-garbed student was an "authentic fan" of the band -- or whether he was wearing the shirt simply because he wanted to be perceived as such (so as to garner whatever dubious status that might earn him). You know, the whole "poser" debate.
Is the state of music criticism an example of the high school status dynamic writ large? A culture of "one-upsmanship"?
Related questions, none of which are new: why does music (more obviously, I think, than, say, dancing, or visual art, or literature) help to mark social status? Why is it so essential to identity?
Crawdaddy!: Was the book an outgrowth of wanting to become more democratic in your taste, or did writing the book cause you to become more democratic in your taste?
Wilson: Both. Mainly it was a concentrated period of trying to figure out what "democratic" means. I think it's a glorious paradox. It doesn't mean populism and majority rule. It means something closer to being vulnerable enough, brave enough, to listen to other people without interrupting. And then to give your own point of view just as patiently. It means looking for the lucky misunderstandings and not losing your head over the injurious ones.
Ah -- patience! What a beautiful concept.


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Newport team clinches softball D division title — headed to nationals
by Richard Creaser
NEWPORT — Solid defense and great team chemistry have propelled D&D Electric onto the national stage. The Newport-based team has earned a berth at the Amateur Softball Association of America's national eastern C and D division championships in Canton, Ohio, at the end of August. D&D Electric earned the berth by winning the D division state tournament held at Gardner Park in Newport over the weekend.
D&D Electric defeated Accura Printing of Barre, 4-2 to clinch the title and remain undefeated throughout the tournament. Coach and pitcher Rhonda Howard credits solid defense, particularly from fielders Krista Sargent and Christiane Brown, for keeping Accura off the board and securing the win.
"They had some really great catches to keep them off the bases," Howard said. "It was a really close game but we came out on top."
Slow pitch softball is a game within a game. The slow arc of the ball is deceptive in its movements. Unlike a batting practice lob, the ball can be imbued with off-speed movement. Controlling the arc and controlling its location are essential elements to the game.
"A good pitcher can have a great impact," Dori Austin of The Rez in Waterbury said. "A good pitcher can place the ball to make a hitter hit it where you want it to land. That's why you will hear the good pitchers moving their players around."
The ability to dictate the flow of the game separates the good pitchers from the rest, Ms. Howard agreed. It's also a matter of learning the hitting habits of your opponents and playing to their weaknesses, she said.
"If you know the teams, you know where they are most likely to hit it," Laura McClure of Burnett Scrap Metals from Burlington said. "It does help to play against teams you normally would play. You start out already knowing something about them."
Playing against unfamiliar teams requires patience and a willingness to watch your rivals in action against other squads. It was not unheard of for at least some opponents to watch games in progress, scouting out their rivals in preparation for the next round.
Slow pitch is less about big, dramatic hits and more about small ball — the art of generating hits and moving your players along the base paths.
"Defense plays a huge part in this game," Ms. Austin said. "You need to work at getting people on base and taking advantage of any play that lets you score runners. You have to earn every run."
As competitive a sport as it might be, particularly at the state tournament level, no one has forgotten that having fun is also part of the equation. Many of the players at the tournaments have not only played with their teammates for years, but they have also played against one another for years as well.
"When you get to a tournament like this, sure, it's about winning games and moving on," Ms. McClure said. "But you also have that social aspect. It's about good friends meeting up with friends they haven't seen in a while."
Cans of beer, canopies and the smell of hot dogs give the tournament a festive air. The fact that Ms. Austin is also driving around on a motorized cooler only adds to the carnival-like atmosphere. The scooter-cooler is a handy way to get around and keep beverages cold, but it also has a story behind it, Ms. Austin said.
"I wrote a letter to talk show host Ellen Degeneres and she read it on air," Ms. Austin said. "A little while later they sent this cooler from her show. They featured the Cruzin' Cooler on her show and she sent us one."
Ms. Howard, Ms. Austin and Ms. McClure have all been part of teams that have competed at the national level. It is, they agreed, an incredible experience as players and fans of the game.
"The level of softball you see when you get to nationals is just phenomenal," Ms. Howard said.
Does that high level of play intimidate the Vermont teams at all? Not in the least, Ms. Howard said.
She played on the Newport squad that went to nationals in 2007.
"The teams from the south, where they can play pretty much all year, yeah, they have some advantages," Ms. Howard said. "We play sometimes in the winter, in the snow. But ball is ball. You go out there, give it 100 percent and see what happens."
Ms. McClure's team, though relatively new, includes a core group that had participated in eight straight C division state titles. Team chemistry matters as much as field time when it comes to tournament play, she said.
"It takes it to a whole other level," Ms. McClure said of the national tournament experience. "It's an awesome experience and it's just always great to be able to travel as a team."
Winning the state tournament or being the runner-up is only part of the ticket to the national tournament. Each team that advances to represent Vermont now faces less than a month to raise the money to get them to Ohio. D&D Electric will hold a team meeting later this week to formulate a plan, Ms. Howard said.
"We don't have anything definite planned right now but we have a few ideas," she said. "We are thinking of a big garage sale, holding a car wash, and approaching local businesses to sponsor us."
Anyone interested in supporting D&D Electric in their bid for the eastern national C division title can contact Ms. Howard at (802) 673-4156 for more information.
contact Richard Creaser at [email protected]
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Mohd Rafi Forum Issue.
Mohd Rafi Forum Issue.
Oct 30 2007, 02:42 PM
Post #1
Group: Admin
Posts: 1183
Joined: 19-October 03
Member No.: 1
In the past few days this board has seen unwanted, unwarranted stir in Rafi forum and COC. Despite changing the rules of this board, members here do not seem to comply nor take care when they post on any sensitive issues and matters. Personal snide remarks coming in from both parties involved. New threads appearing to protest or to prove a point. This board has tolerated all these events and only WARNED you all, with a broad perspective of being liberal, to allow you to make amends to your approach to several aspects and topics involved.
Some of the neutral members who have been observing the activity have voiced their concern and their messages were forwarded to the Administration, which has deferred the action that was to be taken against some of the members here. This is how the situation has been seen, keeping in mind the years of membership you all hold here -
" To the members who have been involved in the controversy - Removing your posting rights, moderating you or banning you would mean that all the past few years' contributions from your end would bear no value or meaning." If you are ready to forsake it, and continue to post in the manner you all have been, action against you all will be taken immediately irrespective of the status you hold on this board. The under-mentioned members will be under observation as of today.
Members who will be under observation (alphabetical order) - Bawlachintu, Binod, Nasir, Prince Ali, Sajdah, and Venkat. (List posted - as per the reports made against you all)
Any further posts triggering the issue that has been surfacing from time to time over the past 3 days, action will be taken immediately and the action will not be REVOKED.
Member Yob - You should comply by extra rules which have been laid ONLY FOR YOU, apart from those mentioned in the guidelines. You have been excused each time for your unwarranted posts in sensitive issues, despite having been given several warnings to stay away from these issues and been instructed to use the REPORT Link to raise your objection and that you should only concentrate on your credible contribution. Your promises to adhere by the instructions given to you, are broken each time. Remember you HAVE to build your credibility here and that SHOULD BE the priority. This board and administration has been more than FAIR to you.
You violated the SPECIAL ORDER put on you. YOU DID NOT USE THE REPORT LINK as directed to you earlier. On reviewing your case again, in the recent happenings, you are relieved from moderation which was imposed ONLY because you broke the SPECIAL ORDER put on you. Make an effort to concentrate on your contributions and if you find anything objectionable, JUST REPORT THE POST. THERE SHOULD BE NO MORE THREADS/POSTS ON THIS BOARD IN THIS REGARD.
Member Bawlachintu - You are WARNED AGAINST starting threads to prove a point to members whose opinions you object. This board is for all and opinions from all are welcomed. The restriction is only on how one posts the opinion without hurting the sentiments of the fans and members here in general.
Member Binod and Member Venkat - You are both WARNED to keep your personal dislikes for each other off the board, which is visible in several of your posts.
Member Princeali, Nasir, Venkat and Sajdah - You are hereby WARNED and INSTRUCTED to refrain from bringing up topics and details that can stir and fuel unwanted reactions on the board.
You will all face moderation if found not heeding to this warning.
Don't show Me your attitude, I've enough of Mine.
|Lo-Fi Version | Disclaimer | HF Guidelines |
|Time is now: 8th August 2020 - 05:24 AM


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You may have already seen the headlines trumpeting, "XMRV virus not found in UK CFS patients." I've seen this splashed all over the internet the last few days. Fortunately, both the Whittemore Peterson Institute (WPI) that did the original XMRV research and the CFIDS Association (CAA) and were quick to send out press releases explaining this new study for us lay-people.
What CAA and WPI both say is that the UK study is flawed, that it did not use the same selection criteria for patients as the WPI/Cleveland Clinic/National Cancer Institute study, that they did not use the same laboratory methods to test for XMRV, and that they rushed to publish their results without any review, so the results are basically meaningless.
One of the main researchers of the UK study was Simon Wesseley (plus two of his close colleagues) who is well-known for proclaiming that CFS is psychiatric, that it can be cured with Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) and Graded Exercise Therapy (GET), and for choosing study participants with revised CFS criteria in order to prove his own theories. 'Nuff said.
You can read for yourself the statements from the CFIDS Association and Whittemore Peterson Institute (this one is a pdf file, so click on the press release link in the right column under Breaking News). Both are very enlightening, though they can't stop the mainstream media from splashing the misleading headlines all over the place. One UK news organization posted their daily reader quiz today as "Do you think ME is a real illness?" I'm sure it's not the last time we'll see tabloid-like news on CFS. Fortunately, letters of protest are flooding out almost as quickly as the headlines, though certainly some damage has already been done, particularly in the UK.
On a brighter note, the XMRV study (the original one) made several best of 2010 lists:
- MedPage included the XMRV CFS study as one of its Next Best Things in medicine
- Discover Magazine named the study #55 of its 100 Top Stories of 2009
It's easy to let this latest PR setback get you down, but I'm keeping faith that good science will prevail, and 2010 will bring more good news (maybe even treatments?) for CFS!


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Recent Posts
Tag Archives: views
"X-Men First Class" paid Youtube to get millions of fake views?
The evidence supporting this claim is surprisingly solid. A TV trailer of X-men First Class movie is right now the Most Viewed video on youtube with more than 2 million view count. Problem is, it got less than a thousand … Continue reading
Posted in Entertainment, internet stuff, Movies Tagged 20th century fox, fake views, first class, fox, millions, movie, paid, trailer, tv, views, x-men, x-men first class, youtube Leave a comment


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Cornelius Tolsma
Go back to the town of Capernaum of old. Ask the people in town, "Who is your chief sinner?" Who would they point out? One of their likeliest candidates would be the man sitting in the tax collector's boothLevi. If you are a small boy and you've done something wrong, you may hear your father say, "Don't do that! You don't want to grow up to be a criminal, do you?" In New Testament times, your father may have said, "You don't want to grow up to be a tax collector, do you?" That's right! They bunched the tax collectors together with the criminals, with the murderers and the thieves. And Levi chose to be a tax collector.
In New Testament days, a tax collector would buy his job and then do all he could to make a big profit. He would use all the tricks of the trade: lying, fraud, extortion, cheating, bribery. He was notorious for squeezing the little guy and swindling the government. And Levi chose to be a tax collector.
So what if they put him out of the synagogue? Levi took the job. So what if they called him a crook? He wore the badgetax collector. He sold out his religion, sold out his people, for the big buck. The Pharisees had him pegged. The townspeople had him pegged. Levi was a sinner. If anyone in town had a heart of stone, it was Levi. Levi chose to be a tax collector.
One day, Jesus met Levi, the tax collector. He did not deny Levi's problem. He didn't say, "Levi isn't all that bad." He knew about Levi's heart of stone. He knew that Levi was a sinner. He said that Levi was lost: lost from God, a slave to sin, bound for hell. If the paralytic needed to be raised from the bed of his sickness, Levi needed to be raised from the bed of sin's infection. If Lazarus was to be called out of a grave in Bethany, Levi needed to be called out of the grave of hell. Levi needed to be saved.
When the Pharisees saw Levi, they would turn their heads and spit. They hated sinners. They hated Levi. They thanked God that they were not like this tax collector. But one of the best Pharisees, Paul, would finally understand that "all have sinned" (Rom. 3:23), that all are dead in trespasses and sins (Eph. 2:1, 5). Paul would look at Levi and see himself. He would call himself the chief of sinners. He would admit that he was as bad as Levi, the tax collector. Do you see the lost of mankind in Levi? Do you see yourself in Levi?
Praise God! Jesus saw the sin-stained life of Levi and he did not turn his head and spit. Christ was drawn to Levi. He was drawn to Paul. He was drawn to sinners then; he is drawn to sinners now. Jesus came "to seek and to save that which was lost" (Luke 19:10). He came, he said, "to call ... sinners to repentance" (Luke 5:32).
Mike was a teenager. It was more than his scruffy appearance that made him look older. Mike's battle with drugs and alcohol was adding years to his age and sorrow to his soul. Mike was a sinner, and Christ came to save sinners.
Have you ever bought something, only to get home and find that it didn't work right? Has someone ever promised to do something for you and then not done it? Jesus came loaded with promises: the solemn vow of all the Old Testament promises and the fresh promises of his own lips. Was he God's Messiah, sent to save his people? Would he meet Levi's desperate need? And Paul's? And mine? And yours?
Jesus walked down the street in Capernaum. He walked down the street to meet Levi, a man paralyzed by sin, dead in sin, under the divine curse, far from God. When he got to Levi's tax booth, Jesus told him, "Follow Me." Money was piled high in his life. Leave it, Levi, and follow Jesus. Sin had captivated his soul. Rise up, Levi, and be reconciled to your God.
Wait a minute! You mean, leave this? The question seems natural. A man like Levi was sure to ask it. We look at Levi's lucrative business. He had insider information, power politics, and cold ambition going for him. His cash box was heavy with silver and gold. Leave it, indeed! "How hard it is for those who are wealthy to enter the kingdom of God!" How hard it is for the materialist. "Then who can be saved?" Jesus answered, "The things impossible with men are possible with God" (Luke 18:24-27). Jesus turned to Levi, dead in his materialism, and said, "Follow Me." The grand old Bible call to decide between following idols and following the Lord (cf. 1 Kings 18:21) is renewed in Jesus. This call to turn from idols and follow the Lord comes true in Jesus. And Levi "left everything behind, and rose and began to follow Him." The amazing grace of God had come in Christ and transformed Levi.
Levi was dead in sin. But the dead in sin hear the voice of the Son of God and live (John 5:25). Levi had a heart of stone. But "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh" (Ezek. 36:26). Levi was a sinner. But "I will put My law within them, and on their heart I will write it.... For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more" (Jer. 31:33-34). The Old Testament promises waited for the Messiah to fulfill them. The Messiah called out to Levi, and he rose up and followed him.
Jesus claimed the right to forgive sin when they brought the paralytic to him. Matthew, Mark, and Luke bring the two stories togetherthe story of the paralyzed man and the story of Levi (Matt. 9:2-9; Mark 2:3-14; Luke 5:17-28). You remember the story of the paralytic brought to Jesus for healing. Surprisingly, Jesus first said to the man, "Friend, your sins are forgiven you." This provoked the Pharisees: "Who is this man who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone?" How beautifully and clearly Jesus responded. "But in order that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins," he said to the paralytic, "I say to you, rise, and take up your stretcher and go home." And he immediately arose and went home (Luke 5:20-25).
Jesus didn't step back when he was questioned. He carefully showed what it meant for him to have power to forgive sin on earth. He boldly added testimony to testimony and proof to proof. He then walked out of that house and down the streets of Capernaum to the office of the town's chief sinner, Levi. So that you might know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins, he said to this notorious sinner, "Follow Me." And Levi arose from the death of sin and followed him.
Jesus explained it this way in the parable of the prodigal: "For this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again; he was lost, and has been found" (Luke 15:24). And so that you might know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins, he went from there to the cross, where he died as the sacrifice for sin and rose from the grave so that all who believe in him would be raised to everlasting life.
The Day of salvation is here! The big bang of the new creation has begun. See it as Levi rises from the power of sin to become Matthew, the disciple, the apostle, the gospel writer. See it as Jesus is risen from the tomb. Death is swallowed up in victory. This Jesus is the friend of sinners. This provides assurance for all who trust in him. Yes, I am a Levi, but that doesn't destroy hope. It was to Levi that Jesus came, and Jesus is the Messiah who has come with the power of new life. "In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace, which He lavished upon us" (Eph. 1:7-8).
Mike's father and mother wanted him to come to church with them. They had come to know the power of new life in Christ themselves, and they prayed that Mike would find his hope in Christ. How glad they were when he consented to go.
That day in Capernaum, Jesus had an audience. The Pharisees and the teachers of the law were watching as he raised the paralytic and as he raised Levi. They had gathered to examine this Jesus. Was he the Messiah? The wonder of salvation is to be heralded to men on earth, to angels in heaven, and even to hordes of demons and the prince of darkness (Eph. 3:10; 6:12). See it in the Pharisees. See the power of God in Christ give life to Levi. Here is a sovereign demonstration of the forgiveness of sin and the gift of new life. Christ has come to reconcile his people to God. Even tax collectors are brought into the family. Even the worst are led to repentance. The great confrontation between the kingdom of darkness and the kingdom of heaven has begun, and the victory of heaven is sure. Jesus is the victor and his people are the beneficiaries.
Jesus urged the Pharisees to join him in this great work, to be part of the new Israel that was to proclaim the coming of the Messiah to the world. They stood on the sidelines and watched all this take place. What did they think? Jesus, don't disappoint us. Stay away from sinners like Levi. That's what they thought. Thank God that Jesus did not take their advice.
Mike went to church with his parents. Sure, he looked like a bum, but he was just a scared kid trying to find a place for himself in this worlda breathing place in his fight against drugs and alcohol. Now he had come to this church, where the good news was supposed to be preached. Then someone came up to him and snarled in his ear, "What are you doing here? We don't want the likes of you in our church."
How different Levi was! At once, he took up the business of introducing sinners to Jesus. And it is there, in the fellowship of the redeemed sinners, that the triumph and glory of Jesus is revealed. Where will you be found? With the Pharisees denying the power of Jesus or with Levi living out the joy of salvation in his life?
The author is the pastor of Falls OPC in Menomonee Falls, Wis. He quotes the NASB. Reprinted from New Horizons, April 2001.
|© 2020 The Orthodox Presbyterian Church
Chaplains and Military Personnel


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The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates approximately 660,000 drivers are using cellphones while driving at any given moment during daytime hours. The NHTSA also reports drivers who are talking or texting while driving are three times more likely to be in an accident.*
Also, consider this example from the NHTSA of the dangers of texting: Five seconds is the average time a driver's eyes are off the road while texting. It may not seem like a long time, but at 55 mph, it's enough time to travel the length of a football field.*
Not only is talking or texting while driving dangerous; it may be against the law, as more state legislatures are banning these activities because of the safety threats they pose. By 2014, more than 40 states and territories have banned texting while driving, and more than a dozen have banned hand-held phones for all drivers.* So, know your state and local laws about talking and texting while driving.
To be safe, you should avoid cell phone use while driving. Also:
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This decadent pina colada from Heather Herman (formerly of The Trilby) is rich and frothy but not too sweet. It's just perfect for a hot day (and maybe a big order of eggy French toast.) Don't skip the brandied cherry—here's a guide to making your own.
- Yield:makes 1 cocktail
- Active time: 6 minutes
- Total time:6 minutes
- 1/2 ounce egg white
- 1 1/2 ounces white rum
- 1 ounce pineapple juice
- 1 ounce Coco Lopez cream of coconut
- 1/2 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
- Garnish: brandied cherry
Shake egg white in a cold cocktail shaker without ice until frothy. (You can also use an immersion blender.)
Add ice to shaker, as well as rum, pineapple juice, Coco Lopez, and lime juice. Shake until well chilled, about 30 seconds.
Fill a Collins glass with fresh ice, strain cocktail into serving glass and garnish with brandied cherry.
All products linked here have been independently selected by our editors. We may earn a commission on purchases, as described in our affiliate policy.


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Japanese seafood miso soup is usually cooked with red miso, which has stronger taste and saltier than ones cooked white miso. I personally prefer to use white miso for all kind of soup, not so authentic but well accepted by my family.
This hearty snapper miso soup (鯛の味噌汁 read as tai no misoshiru) is kind of one dish meal, great with a bowl of steamed rice and some pickles.
Five other recipes from My Kitchen included in this issue are:
- Chinese Kale with Sesame Dressing
- Mom's Style Braised Pumpkin
- Curry Flvoured Creamy Broccoli
- Apple Chicken Soup
- Barley-Chicken Soup
* * * * *Fish Miso Soup Recipe
Ingredients (4 servings):
200g Snapper Fillet, cut into bite size
1 tub Silken Tofu, cubed
1 tbsp Wakame Seaweed
800ml Water
1 tsp Dashi Stock/Anchovies (Ikan Bilis) Stock
2 tbsp White Miso Paste
2 stalks Spring Onion (optional), chopped
1. Boil water in a pot, add in dashi stock and snapper. Let it simmer until snapper is cooked.
2. In a bowl, dissolve miso paste with some hot soup then add into the pot with soup.
3. Add in tofu and bring to boil with medium heat, remove from heat once the soup is boiled.
4. Add in wakame and spring onion. Serve warm.
Cook's notes:
If using red miso for this recipe, do remember to reduce the amount of miso.


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Pharmacokinetics of Generic Lopinavir/Ritonavir in Pregnant Women
|The safety and scientific validity of this study is the responsibility of the study sponsor and investigators. Listing a study does not mean it has been evaluated by the U.S. Federal Government. Read our disclaimer for details.
|ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00621166
Recruitment Status : Completed
First Posted : February 22, 2008
Last Update Posted : July 17, 2020
- Study Details
- Tabular View
- No Results Posted
- Disclaimer
- How to Read a Study Record
|Condition or disease
|HIV Infections
|Drug: generic lopinavir/ritonavir
|Phase 2
HAART in pregnant HIV-infected serves two goals, preventing mother to child transmission and providing adequate treatment for the mother. Levels of HIV RNA at delivery and the use of antiretrovirals (ARV) are independently associated with decreased transmission[1]. With a HAART regimen the transmission rate can be reduced till under the 2 %[1, 2]. Possibly suitable drugs which can be used during pregnancy is lopinavir/ritonavir based regimens. In Thailand, aluvir is not available therefore a generic lopinavir/ritonavir tablet formulation will be used in our study.
In order to prove adequate levels of lopinavir/ritonavir, we will record 12-hour PK at third trimester. Second trimester and post-partum 12-hour PK are optional. Furthermore, we will collect safety and efficacy throughout the study.
|Study Type :
|Interventional (Clinical Trial)
|Actual Enrollment :
|20 participants
|Intervention Model:
|Single Group Assignment
|None (Open Label)
|Primary Purpose:
|Official Title:
|The Pharmacokinetics and Safety of Generic Lopinavir/Ritonavir (200/50 mg Tablets) 400/100 mg q12h in Thai HIV-infected Pregnant Women
|Study Start Date :
|June 2008
|Actual Primary Completion Date :
|December 2009
|Actual Study Completion Date :
|December 2009
generic lopinavir/ritonavir
Drug: generic lopinavir/ritonavir
Patients will start with lopinavir/ritonavir new formulation 400/100 mg bid with a low fat diet plus 2 nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs). The choice of the 2 NRTIs is at the discretion of the investigator, though in general the use of zidovudine+lamivudine (300/150mg Combivir®) is recommended. If patients can be included at or before gestational week 20, a 12h pharmacokinetic curve will be recorded at week 20 (± 2 weeks)(Group 1). There should be a minimum of 2 weeks between start of lopinavir and pharmacokinetic recording. If they are included after week 20, the first 12h pharmacokinetic curve will be recorded at gestational week 33 (± 2 weeks)(Group 2). For the patients in both groups a 12 hr curve will be recorded.
Subjects in Group 1 will be offered to conduct a second 12h pharmacokinetic curve at week 20 (± 2 weeks), but this is only optional. Both groups will be asked to participate in the post partum curve, again this is optional.
- To evaluate the pharmacokinetic profile of generic lopinavir/ritonavir tablets 200/50 mg in pregnant Thai HIV-infected women [ Time Frame: 1 year ]
- To determine the antiviral activity of generic lopinavir/ritonavir 400/100 mg BID in Thai pregnant women To determine the safety of generic lopinavir/ritonavir® 400/100 mg BID in Thai pregnant women Compare pharmacokinetics parameters before and after [ Time Frame: 1 year ]
Choosing to participate in a study is an important personal decision. Talk with your doctor and family members or friends about deciding to join a study. To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contacts provided below. For general information, Learn About Clinical Studies.
|Ages Eligible for Study:
|18 Years to 40 Years (Adult)
|Sexes Eligible for Study:
|Accepts Healthy Volunteers:
Inclusion Criteria:
- Documented positive test for HIV-1 infection
- Subject is at least 18 and not older than 40 years of age at the day of the first dosing of study medication
- Subject is able and willing to sign the Informed Consent Form prior to screening evaluations.
- Pregnant for a maximum of 30 weeks at the day of first dosing of study medication
Exclusion Criteria:
- History of sensitivity/idiosyncrasy to the drug or chemically related compounds or excipients, which may be employed in the trial.
- Relevant history or current condition that might interfere with drug absorption, distribution, metabolism or excretion.
- Inability to understand the nature and extent of the trial and the procedures required.
- Abnormal serum transaminases or creatinine, determined as levels being > 3 times upper limit of normal.
- Concomitant use of medications that interfere with Generic lopinavir/ritonavir pharmacokinetics
- Active hepatobiliary or hepatic disease (N.B. chronic hepatitis B/C co-infection is allowed)
- Documented previous virological failure of a lopinavir/ritonavir containing regimen or documented resistance to lopinavir/ritonavir prior to dosing
To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contact information provided by the sponsor.
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier (NCT number): NCT00621166
|Department of Obsterics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University
|Bangkok, Thailand, 10330
|Principal Investigator:
|Surasith Chaithongwongwatthana, MD
|Department of Obstetrics and Bynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University
|Responsible Party:
|The HIV Netherlands Australia Thailand Research Collaboration
|ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
|Other Study ID Numbers:
|First Posted:
|February 22, 2008 Key Record Dates
|Last Update Posted:
|July 17, 2020
|Last Verified:
|July 2020
Generic lopinavir/ritonavir
Antiviral activity
HIV Infections
Lentivirus Infections
Retroviridae Infections
RNA Virus Infections
Virus Diseases
Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Viral
Sexually Transmitted Diseases
Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes
Immune System Diseases
HIV Protease Inhibitors
Protease Inhibitors
Enzyme Inhibitors
Molecular Mechanisms of Pharmacological Action
Anti-HIV Agents
Anti-Retroviral Agents
Antiviral Agents
Anti-Infective Agents
Cytochrome P-450 CYP3A Inhibitors
Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme Inhibitors


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Posts Tagged 'itv'
What's your talent?
Photo by Ferran. | This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.
I just watched yesterday's edition of "Britain's Got Talent". And I have to say that I absolutely love the format and the overall watching experience. Talent shows such as BGT or AGT are so much more fun than the singing-only "xxx Idol" shows.
Maybe I am a complete media bitch but I definitely love watching this show and every single week I am looking forward to the next round of talent going on air via BGT.
So, since that programme is all about talent:
What would you do on that stage? What's your talent?