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Although it is often thought that sexual selection is weaker in simultaneous hermaphrodites than in gonochorists, some simultaneous hermaphrodites exhibit bizarre mating behaviour. In the simultaneously hermaphroditic nudibranch Chromodoris reticulata, we found a peculiar mating behaviour, wherein the nudibranch autotomized its penis after each copulation and was able to copulate again within 24 h. To have sufficient length to be replenished for three copulations, the penis is compressed and spiralled internally. No other animal is known to repeatedly copulate using such 'disposable penes'. Entangled sperm masses were observed on the outer surface of the autotomized penis, which is equipped with many backward-pointed spines. There is a possibility that the nudibranch removes sperm already stored in a mating partner's sperm storage organ(s).
1. Introduction
Several hypotheses have been proposed regarding the evolutionary conditions promoting simultaneous hermaphroditism [1]. The most prevalent hypothesis postulates that low population density and low mobility favour simultaneous hermaphroditism, conditions where sperm competition may be of minor importance. However, hermaphrodites frequently live under high-density conditions. Furthermore, multiple mating is common in many species [2], indicating that sperm competition may be as important in hermaphrodites as it is in gonochorists. Consistent with this, many hermaphrodites have evolved sperm storage organs or specialized means of digesting excess sperm [3], and a cryptic choice may be performed by the 'sperm recipient (female role)' [4,5].
Because almost all nudibranchs (Gastropoda: Opisthobranchia) are simultaneous hermaphrodites whose female reproductive organs store allosperm donated from mating partners, there is a high potential for sperm competition. Nudibranchs perform both the 'male role' of donating sperm to a mating partner and the 'female role' of receiving sperm from the partner simultaneously during copulation. Nudibranchs generally have two sperm storage organs in the female reproductive system, a bursa copulatrix and a seminal receptacle, and they can digest allosperm in the bursa copulatrix (gametolytic organ) [6]. This enables the possibility of post-copulatory female choice or cryptic female choice. Among nudibranchs, the morphology of reproductive organs is extremely diversified, and the configuration and connection of each pouch differ among groups [6]. However, there have been few detailed studies of the relationship between mating behaviour and the morphology of reproductive organs, particularly from the perspective of sexual selection, and little is known about sperm competition in nudibranchs. In this study, we describe an extremely peculiar mating behaviour, wherein a nudibranch autotomizes its penis after copulation and can copulate again within a day, and we discuss the advantage of this behaviour in sexual selection.
2. Material and methods
(a) Subject animal and maintenance
Chromodoris reticulata is a non-selfing, simultaneously hermaphroditic sea slug (see the electronic supplementary material, figure S1). Both partners provide sperm during copulation. The animals were collected by scuba diving during their reproductive season, from April to June, in 2005, 2006, 2009 and 2010 in shallow coral reefs (2–7 m depth) in the vicinity of the Sesoko Station of the University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa, Japan (26°38′ N, 127°52′ E). Collected animals were maintained individually in perforated, small plastic cases sunk in a seawater tank.
(b) Experimental tanks (observations of mating behaviour)
For observations, we placed two individuals that had been isolated individually for over 24 h since collection in the experimental tank (27 × 9 × 6 cm; length, breadth, height). We observed the sequence of their mating behaviour and timed copulating duration (31 pairs). Furthermore, we set up matings between an individual, that had recently copulated during the experiment and another individual that had been isolated for 24 h or longer since collection or its last copulation, to determine the time interval between two copulations (108 pairs).
(c) Anatomical observations of reproductive organs
After behavioural observation, we observed the morphology of the male reproductive organs in cleared samples (n = 7). We histologically examined 8 μm-thick tissue sections of the vas deferens, composed of the penis and prostate gland, stained with Mayer's haematoxylin and eosin (n = 5). We measured the length and area of each part of the male reproductive organs on photographs, using image-editing software (NIS-Elements, Nikon, Tokyo).
3. Results
(a) Penis autotomy
We observed 31 reciprocal copulations. After each copulation, the penes were elongated and autotomized. In a typical case, two individuals encountered and touched each other with their genital orifices and then projected their copulatory apparatus after they separately crawled on the bottom and side of an experimental tank. After two individuals touched with the right side of their bodies, and adjusted the tip of the projected genitalia of the other, each inserted its penis into the partner's vagina and started copulation. After tens of seconds to a few minutes from the beginning of copulation, they pushed away the partner using the buccal bulb and separated with their penes stretched and elongated (figure 1a,b). When both individuals advanced further, one individual removed its own penis from the partner's vagina. After a few minutes, the other individual also removed its penis and their copulation ended. After copulation, both individuals crawled with their elongated penes remaining outside the body. Finally, they autotomized and discarded their penes (figure 1c). The mean duration of copulation was 9.50 ± 5.05 min (mean ± s.d.; n = 31). In each observation of copulatory behaviour, C. reticulata exhibited penis elongation and autotomy. Penis autotomy occurred 20.57 ± 7.04 min (mean ± s.d.; n = 9) after unplugging the penis from the partner's vagina.
(b) Remating
Behavioural observations (n = 108) revealed that C. reticulata needed approximately 24 h after the previous copulation to copulate reciprocally. When we paired a focal individual that had copulated less than 9 h before with another individual that had been isolated for 24 h or longer since the last copulation, the focal animal never copulated reciprocally and only eight copulated unilaterally in the female role (n = 47; table 1). Focal animals copulated reciprocally (n = 19), or unilaterally in the male role (n = 7), 22.4 h after the first copulation or later. In one case, we observed three successive copulations each separated by approximately 24 h.
(c) Morphology of autotomized penes and reproductive organs
The surface of the autotomized penis was equipped with numerous backward-pointed spines (figure 1e). The tip of the autotomized penis was somewhat swollen (figure 1c,d), and sperm were entangled in the spines (figure 1f). In some cases, a sperm mass was attached to the penis (figure 1d).
When the vas deferens was fixed 24 h or later after copulation and observed in wholemount, the inner duct of the middle region of the penis was compressed and coiled loosely (figure 2; n = 4). Individuals that had been fixed immediately after copulation had no spiral part of the penis (n = 3). The average length of the internal penis, including the spiral part, in cleared samples was 30.7 ± 10.0 mm (n = 4). The average length of an autotomized penis was 10.9 ± 1.5 mm (n = 10).
The arrangement, size and shape of the cell nuclei differed among the proximal spiral part of the internal penis, the distal part near the genital orifice of the internal penis, and the autotomized penis. Although the distal part and the autotomized penis had similar characteristics, the proximal part was different from the two regions. While the area of the nuclei significantly increased in order from the spiral part (60.6 ± 14.3 μm2; average ± s.d., n = 32), to the distal part (90.9 ± 17.1 μm2, n = 31) and autotomized penis (131.7 ± 30.5 μm2, n = 36) (p < 0.05, Steel–Dwass test), the cell density increased in reverse order (see the electronic supplementary material, figure S2).
4. Discussion
Although the penes of individuals that had been fixed and cleared at least 24 h since their last copulation had a spiral structure, those that had been fixed immediately after copulation did not. This suggests that the spiral structure is important in the autotomy and replenishment of the penis. On the basis of the average length of the internal penis, including the spiral structure, and that of the autotomized penis, C. reticulata penes were sufficiently long for at least three copulations. This corresponds with the observation of an individual that copulated three times over three consecutive days. The shapes and arrangements of cell nuclei were similar between the distal part of the penis and the autotomized penis, suggesting that only the distal part of the internal penis is available for copulation as the 'next penis'. The spiral part of the internal penis appears unready for immediate copulation. Since cell density in the penis decreased and nucleus size increased towards the distal part of the internal penis, we propose that the tissue at the spiral part of the penis is compressed and undifferentiated, gradually differentiating into the 'next penis'. When the distal part of the penis elongates to be used for copulation, part or all of the spiral structure seems to be uncoiled at the same time. After the penis is autotomized, it may need approximately a day for the spiral structure to be available for copulation.
The surface of the penis in C. reticulata was covered with numerous small, backward-pointed spines, and a large amount of sperm was entangled in the spines. One possibility is that C. reticulata performs sperm replacement using the thorny penis in the same manner as some damselflies, notably Zygoptera, such as Calopteryx maculata [7], which use a hook-shaped structure located at the tip of the male copulatory organ to remove the allosperm of previously copulating males already stored in a copulatory pouch [8]. Damselflies remove allosperm by voluntarily moving the hook-shaped copulatory organ. However, the penis in nudibranchs is not a muscular organ, as shown in the electronic supplementary material, figure S3, and thus it is impossible to move each spine voluntarily in C. reticulata. Another possibility is that excess sperm from the current donor was pushed out by the recipient and was attached to the penis. DNA analysis of the removed sperm is needed to verify its origin. The transformation and extension of the penis to insert deep into the copulatory pouch, and the development of backward-pointed spines, make it difficult for the penis to be withdrawn. This difficulty must be the essential reason for the particular penis autotomy.
Although various animals are known to autotomize parts of the body, only a few animals have been found to autotomize their penes or male reproductive appendages. For example, the hectocotylus of Argonauta [9] and the pedipalp of some orb-weaving spiders [10] are autotomized to facilitate transferring spermatophores. Furthermore, a periwinkle [11] sheds its penis after its reproductive season, probably to save the cost of maintenance. The reproductive organ is used differently in these animals compared with nudibranchs. Apophallation in Ariolimax [12] would instead have a common point that this land slug and C. reticulata sacrifice their penes under competitive conditions with rivals in reproduction. Different from C. reticulata, penis loss in Ariolimax is caused by the mating partner, and the land slug cannot regenerate its penis. Chromodoris reticulata may compensate for the short-term cost of decreased reproductive opportunities caused by the loss of a penis with the reproductive advantage gained by sperm displacement under severe sperm competition. They further minimize the loss of reproductive opportunities by preparing the 'next penis' using the spiral structure to shorten the interval until the next possible copulation. Thus, the 'disposable penis' in C. reticulata provides an example where sexual selection is as important for simultaneous hermaphrodites as it is for gonochorists.
We thank K. Sakai and other members of the Sesoko Station of the University of the Ryukyus for support during the field survey and T. Hanahara, K. Asahina, H. Numata and S. G. Goto for comments. This work was supported by JSPS grant-in-Aid (no. 22570029) for Scientific Research to Y.N.
- Received December 13, 2012.
- Accepted January 22, 2013.
- © 2013 The Author(s) Published by the Royal Society. All rights reserved.


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Rocky Hill student coordinates visit by Wolf Conservation Center
The Wolf Conservation Center (WCC) of South Salem, N.Y. and their Arctic gray wolf, Atka, will visit Rocky Point School Saturday, May 11 from 1 to 2:30 p.m.
The program, which is open to the public, includes an awe-inspiring, up-close encounter with this important but misunderstood predator. Attendees will learn about the history of wolves in the United States, the importance of wolves in a healthy ecosystem and the efforts to save these magnificent creatures for future generations. By providing science-based education programming with Atka, the WCC encourages a philosophy of respect for all living things. Nature is essential for the physical and emotional health of children and adults; Atka the wolf helps forge that connection.
Rocky Hill School sixth-grader Alyssa Grayson of West Warwick is an avid supporter of wolf conservation. She orchestrated Atka's visit to campus. In 2012, she won the Humane Society of the United States "Kind Kid Award" for her work teaching others to protect and respect all animals. She also maintains a blog at wolfwatcher.org.

subset: commoncrawl


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Home Recording Gifts This Christmas
Complete Home Recording And Production Packages For Christmas 2012
Computer music moves at a breakneck pace with more features and greater sound quality being squeezed into ever smaller and more affordable packages. We've produced a list of great gear to help you make the right choice but if you need more advice or need to advice on shipping times for christmas then feel free to get in touch with our friendly sales team on 0151 448 2080.
Vocal recording & podcasting package for under £50
Once you've recorded everything you can listen back on the HP20 headphones and use Music Creator (which includes studio features and effects) to edit and mix everything to a professional standard. Also worth noting that the Q2U mic has an XLR output so can be used as a traditional handheld mic, being a dynamic with cardioid polar pattern it has the same characteristics as industry standard mics such as the SM58.
Upgrading From the Q2U...Once you've gotten a taste for playing around with sounds in Music Creator you might want to upgrade to get higher track counts, better effects and more professional features. Programs such as Sonar Essentials X2 work in a very similar way to Music Creator but offer far more advanced options and let you have even more getting creative. You might also want to add a virtual instrument to Music Creator for songwriting. It might also be worth grabbing an XLR cable in order to use your Q2U mic with mixing desks and other audio equipment.
Professional recording package for under £100The Avid Vocal Studio represents a bit of a breakthrough, with industry standard software and hardware for really staggering price. A condenser is often the "go to" mic for many studio engineers, highly sensitive with great clarity and a distinctive professional sheen. Those same engineers will then almost certainly go on to edit and mix within Pro Tools, which many consider to be the best software for detailed audio editing and fast workflow. Get a pair of Sennheiser headphones and you've got everything you need to record more or less anything with all big brand names used in studios every day.
Using a condenser mic along with 3GB of samples and 100 virtual instruments in Pro Tools SE you're well setup for songwriting and recording just about any instrument you fancy. The extra sensitivity of a condenser mic makes it suitable for a wide range of sources, including acoustic guitar, percussion and particularly vocals.
Upgrading From Vocal Studio...Pushing the budget slightly over £100 but a mic stand would be a valuable addition, allowing you to more easily record in different locations than the desktop stand that is included with Vocal Studio. If your songwriting ambitions know no bounds then you might want to consider getting Pro Tools 10, a comprehensive piece of software with stacks of instuments and effects, MIDI functionality, scoring features and industry standard audio editing facilities.
Perfect Podcasting package for under £200Samson again, first to market with a USB microphone and bringing great portability, ease of use and affordability. The Samson C01 USB Recording/Podcasting Pak comes with a handy aluminium case so you can take it on the move with your laptop and deliver podcasts on the train or record acoustic guitar in the kitchen if that's what you're into. Get a mic stand for complete flexibility when you're recording at home and a pair of quality closed back headphones for better isolation.
Upgrading From The Podcasting Pak...Step one in getting broadcast quality is choosing a condenser mic and Samson have you covered, step two would be to record in an acoustically treated room. Acoustic treatment can be a very costly and space consuming business, thankfully sE Electronics have come up with a solution in the RF-X Portable Filter to deaden unwanted room reflections.
A package for the budding bedroom producer at less than £300
It really is incredible how far your money can go on computer recording gear, even when buying quality brands such as Focusrite, M-Audio and Samson. You can get your audio interface, monitors, mic & headphones, XLR cable and mic stand all for less than £300. One of the best value for money music packages you can possibly get, all the essential items for a budding Daniel Bedingfield or Mike Skinner (The Streets). Especially when you consider that Ableton Live Lite and a whole suite of mixing plugins come free with the Focusrite interface.
Ableton really excels at composition, with cutting edge time stretching, beat matching and MIDI features. So you can get your beats, harmonies and melodies all composed and mixed with plugins from Focusrite, Ableton and any 3rd parties then add a killer vocal or guitar part using your Samson C01 mic. Let the vocalist listen on the SR850 headphones while you make sure it all sounds as it should on the M-Audio AV30 monitors. All this is made easier with the "newbie friendly" approach from Ableton who never over-complicate or clutter their software.
Upgrading From The Producer Bundle...Ableton do offer an upgrade path from Live Lite to the full Ableton Live program, giving a greater number of audio tracks, built-in FX and the best computer composition program in the business. Once you've got your chops songwriting, recording and programming virtual instruments then you can take a step up with a tube condenser microphone. The MXL V69 is renowned for delivering similar performance to microphones twice it's price and is considered one of the best value for money microphones on recording forums Gearslutz and Tapeop.
Band tracking for a little over £300
Get your demo down and record jams in practice to help with songwriting, if you already own a computer then you can get 4 channels simultaneous recording for around £300 at Dolphin. This includes:
- One condenser mic, for quality vocal recording
- 3 x dynamic mics, use dynamics on guitar, snare, kick and any acoustic instruments
- 4 x stands
- 4 x XLR cables
- Alesis IO4 4 Channel audio interface, you can take a DI of bass/keys on one channel here too
Record however you like, a basic setup for the whole band, 4 mics on drums with overdubs later or anything in between. The Beatles recorded to 4 track so why not give it a go? The Alesis IO4 comes with a copy of Cubase LE so you can start recording out of the box.
Upgrading From The Band Bundle...
If you start to feel the limitations of 4 track recording then you can easily upgrade to an 8 channel Firewire interface. Of course once you've done that you'll need some new mics, so try specialist mics for kick, snare, guitar, brass, strings and vocals. If you're looking to upgrade Cubase then you can go from LE (included with the Alesis) to the full copy of Cubase with a discount.
Less than £200 for a dream amp rig and song sketch pad for a guitaristIt's one thing squeezing mic and headphone inputs into an audio interface but quite another to get a whole collection of vintage amps and effects. Line 6 achieve this by bundling their fantastic POD Farm with the GX USB Recording Interface, throw in a pair of quality monitors and a handy MIDI controller then you have all you need for a songwriting scratch pad and getting creative all 'in the box' (everything done within the computer itself).
Have a listen to the range of sounds you can get from POD Farm here.


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Finally! A Complete List Of Which Foods Are Best To Eat For Burning 38% More Body Fat...
Discover The 110 Amazing Fat Fighting Foods... Guaranteed To Melt Stubborn Body Fat!
Dear Friend
If you would like to burn up to 9 pounds of body fat a week, this may be the most important message you'll ever read.
Did you know that there are some scientifically proven foods that are known to aid weight loss? These are foods doctors, scientists, medical researchers and nutritionists know help weight loss.
Here's what I mean:
Simply adding one of these foods to your regular diet (and of course cutting out all the junk) will instantly boost your weight loss.
Substituting several of these foods for the foods you regularly eat will have a significant effect on the amount of weight you lose. But don't take my word for it, take a look at what others have to say:
Why Do These Fat Fighting Foods Work?
Every single one of these foods can help you lose more weight. They have either been directly scientifically proven to aid weight loss (such as grapefruit) or are rich in specific nutrients that stimulate thermogenisis (fat burning).
For example, foods rich in chromium have the effect of maintaining blood sugar levels, which means less cravings, and a reduced desire to overeat. When you know what these foods are, you'll be able to incorporate them into a diet where you won't ever have to count calories, fats, or carbohydrates again.
What you'll discover when you order the Fat Fighting Foods ebook will astound you.
Fat Fighting Fruits
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Fat Fighting Herbs And Spices
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Fat Fighting Foods contains a very simple and easy to follow way of eating, with just a few rules to follow. I have even summarised them on one page so you can put it up on your refrigerator, take it shopping or keep with you for easy reference.
And the best news is you can put these fat fighting rules into practise in minutes… and make the necessary changes in time for your next meal!
Fat Fighting Foods costs just $97 and will save you thousands in groceries as you'll never need to buy expensive packaged diet foods ever. Every food listed is 100% natural (and cheap to buy) and are regular foods you can buy from the store.
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When you order Fat Fighting Foods you'll get a 260-page ebook, outlining the foods, explaining why they fight fat and how to prepare them and combine them, so you'll know exactly how to get started.
There has been no simpler way to boost your weight loss… or a more comprehensive list of foods that fight fat – until now.
This guide contains the most up to date list of foods that will help you lose weight (last updated August 2007).
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P.S. These Fat Fighting Foods really work. The information in Fat Fighting Foods is backed up by the research of scientists, doctors and nutritionists. But its only those who put the plan into practice who will get the best results. Make sure you are one of them by ordering today.
P.P.S. If you don't lose weight following the plan, I insist you contact me for a full refund.
Copyright FatFightingFoods.com . All Rights Reserved.
Supporting Research:
Fujioka K, Greenway F, Sheard J, Ying Y. The effects of grapefruit on weight and insulin resistance: relationship to the metabolic syndrome. J Med Food. 2006 Spring;9(1):49-54.
Fordyce-Baum MK, Langer LM, Mantero-Atienza E, Crass R, Beach RS. Use of an expanded-whole-wheat product in the reduction of body weight and serum lipids in obese females. Am J Clin Nutr. 1989 Jul;50(1):30-6.
Conceição de Oliveira M, Sichieri R, Sanchez Moura A. Weight loss associated with a daily intake of three apples or three pears among overweight women. Nutrition. 2003 Mar;19(3):253-6.


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Still plenty of time to link up your blog! The "Linkin with my ladies" Thursday blog hop is in full swing! Hop on over!…Continue
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Join us for the newest blog hop on the block! Meet new mommy bloggers, gain more followers and read some great content!
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Love my boys. Love em to death and I will gladly make mud pies and participate in worm eating contests but I'm just not the sporty type of mom.
I love sports don't get me wrong. I'm one of the biggest Texas Longhorns football fans you'll ever meet (Hook em horns!) but I'm more of a spectator than anything else.
So when my baby bear begged me to go out and play baseball with him this afternoon, I reluctantly dragged myself up off the couch and out to the front yard to throw the…Continue
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Hello mommy bloggers! Join us for the LINKIN WITH MY LADIES Thursday blog hop! Going on LIVE now!
Be one of the first blogs to link up!
Hi there and welcome from The Girlz Korner where you'll find light, witty and rather entertaining articles on every topic imaginable from beauty, health, fashion, parenting, recipes and everything else in between. So if you get a chance to kick back and exhale, if only for a brief moment, we'd love to have you. Hope you enjoy your stay :) http://www.thegirlzkorner.com
Nice blog! I just followed you on Linky.


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Tiffani Thiessen thankful she missed TMZ era
NEW YORK (AP) — Tiffani Thiessen is probably best known for her role as Kelly Kapowski on "Saved by the Bell," but the actress says she had no idea at that time how popular the teenage sitcom was.
"I mean, I was so young. I was 15 when I started that show," Thiessen, now 39, said in a recent interview.
"I remember Mark-Paul (Gosselaar) and I touring the (United) States and going overseas. ... That was the first time that I realized what an impact that show had when 5,000, 6,000, 10,000 kids were showing up to these malls and these places where we would sit there for hours and do autograph signings and pictures and stuff," she said.
"That's when I was really like, 'Where am I? What is this?' Kids wanted my empty cup of water and, you know, things like that. It was strange. I had to constantly remind myself that what I was doing was a job and I enjoyed my job and I was going back to school and do homework like all these other kids who were sitting here."
"Saved by the Bell," which also starred Mario Lopez and Dustin Diamond, aired from 1989 to 1993.
The show now airs in syndication and remains a part of the pop culture zeitgeist. Jimmy Fallon tried — unsuccessfully — to rally the cast for a reunion in 2009. (They did pose for a People magazine cover.) Justin Bieber wore a T-shirt with the likeness of Kelly Kapowski to the MuchMusic Awards in 2011.
Thiessen is grateful that she grew up in the limelight before TMZ and other 24-hour media outlets and gossip blogs came along on the Internet.
"Thank God I missed that. The photographers that would follow us were like for Teen Beat and Bop (magazines)," she said.
She said the limelight got a little more intense with her next big role as Valerie Malone on the '90s romance drama "Beverly Hills, 90210." But it was "nothing like (what) the kids are going through now."
Thiessen credits Aaron Spelling, who was an executive producer of "90210," with giving her an interesting perspective on fame.
"Aaron Spelling said something to me a long time ago that was really interesting," she said. "He said ... movie stars are in big screens and you have to go see them in the theater. TV stars are in people's homes and they feel much more of a connection because you're watching them in your home, and I thought that was really interesting because it was kind of true. A lot of people you know would stop me on the street thinking they went to high school with me."
Thiessen divides her time between Los Angeles, where she lives with her husband and daughter, and New York City, where she films the USA series "White Collar," which aired its season four series finale this week.
Matt Bomer plays former con man Neal Caffrey, who is working with the FBI to catch white-collar criminals. Her character is married to agent Peter Burke, who supervises Caffrey.
"If I wasn't an actor, I probably would be an event planner, which is why my character, Elizabeth, on 'White Collar' is an event planner. It was kind of my idea. Presentation is huge for me. I love throwin' a good party. Absolutely. Like my daughter's birthday last year. I did all the catering, all the food, all the decor and I loved every minute of it. Of course, my husband's like, 'Do we have to do this much?' I just love doing it."
Alicia Rancilio covers entertainment for The Associated Press. Follow her online at http://www.twitter.com/aliciar


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Wed, Feb 6 2013
LeTourneau University student Whitney Brouwer, a senior flight science major from Raymond, Minn., was awarded a $5,000 scholarship from the 2012 Air Race Classic champions Dianna Stanger and Victoria Holt, known as The Racing Aces.
Stanger and Holt won the 36th Air Race Championship in June 2012 following a four-day race covering nearly 2,900 statute-miles across eight states and making nine stops. They decided to donate their $5,000 winning purse and sponsorship money to empower a female flight student to realize her own dream of flight. The Federal Aviation Administration reports that only 7 percent of all pilots are women, and that that percentage has not increased in nearly a century.
"There is nothing better than giving back — especially when it is so well deserved," said Stanger at a Feb. 1 luncheon celebration at the Abbott Aviation Center in Longview, when she presented the scholarship to Brouwer. Stanger is an advocate in promoting all there is good about being a pilot. Donating a scholarship on behalf of her Air Race team is just one of the great ways to give back.
Brouwer dedicates her time to working with the university flight team and working at a local flight service center. She earned her private pilot's certificate in August 2010 and has logged over 250 flight hours.
"Aviation is an exciting field, and I enjoy the different opportunities it presents," Brouwer said. "I love to fly, and I'm also becoming certified as an Airframe and Powerplant mechanic." Brouwer will use the scholarship to help pay her university expenses.
LETU Flight Science Chair Lauren Bitikofer says Brouwer is a top student.
"Whitney helps the aircraft mechanics with annual and 100-hour inspections by performing many tasks including: changing oil, cleaning spark plugs, and servicing wheels and brakes," Bitikofer said. "In more than 35 years of observing and teaching students, I would place her within the top 2 percent of all students for potential, ability, and personal integrity."
In addition to presenting Brouwer with a ceremonial check and certificate the pilots toured the Abbot Aviation Center. The Abbott Aviation Center houses LeTourneau's School of Aeronautical Science at the East Texas Regional Airport. "I was extremely impressed with the facility and the level of hands-on experience the students receive," Stanger commented.
The Flying Aces team thanks the 2012 sponsors for their support; AvFuel, Byrne & Storm, P.C., Federman, Lally & Remis LLC, IBC Bank, Flight Safety, Formosa and Ladd Gardner Insurance.
Stanger is now busy preparing for the 37th annual Air Race Classic with co-pilot Joyce Wilson. They will race as the Team XXtreme Aviatrixx, learn more about them at www.xxtremeaviatrixx.com.


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I admit it felt crazy getting up at midnight to drive through the night in order to be fishing at dawn on the Salmon River, a tributary of Lake Ontario in western New York. But the opportunity to catch Great Lakes steelhead will do that to a person. And besides, if it was crazy, I was not alone in my craziness.
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Two weekends ago, my friend Mike took me fly-fishing on Lewis Creek in Starksboro.
(Starksboro, looking North)
"I've got an amazing 3 weight Orvis rod that I want to try out," he said, "and I've been tying some new flies." Then he rattled off a list that sounded more like indie band names than flies: Wooly Bugger, Wingless Prince, Pheasant Tail Flash Back.
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There are several ways to spot the summit of Mount Everest, the world's highest mountain. You can sometimes see it as your jet airliner approaches the airport in Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal. Or you can rise before dawn, skip breakfast and spend an hour in a tourist plane flying around the summit, weather permitting.
Those are the easy ways. Or you can do it the hard way: by foot, in which case the summit can still be an elusive quarry, obscured by cloud and hiding among several other high peaks in the Himalayas.
A trek to the Everest Base Camp is on the To-Do list of thousands of people and many make it after a long, arduous hike. And some do not – numbed by the cold, gasping for breath and exhausted by the sheer exertion required to drag your body over steep, rock-strewn slopes to a bleak spot on a glacier, which doesn't even have a view of the celebrated peak.
So what is it about the trek to Mount Everest – a trip fraught with a certain level of risk – that draws increasing numbers of people each year?
Well, first off, there is the unparalleled adventure of hiking amid the grandeur of the highest mountains in the world. And then there is the challenge.
"You don't have to be a fantastic hero to do certain things – to compete. You can just be an ordinary chap, sufficiently motivated," said Edmund Hillary, the New Zealand beekeeper who reached the summit with his Sherpa companion, Tenzing Norgay, in 1953 – the first mountaineers to do it.
I ticked the Everest Base Camp off my list in October as part of a group of seven.
We start the trek nearly 200 kilometres away in the village of Jiri after a harrowing daylong trip from the chaotic Nepalese capital of Kathmandu. We are happy to get walking after the ride over a rutted two-way road wide enough for one vehicle and without guardrails to prevent the bus from plunging hundreds of metres down the sheer sides of mountains.
So here we are in the Himalayas, a bunch of ordinary guys, including my son, a sturdy dude of 24 shouldering his own pack – along with a guide and three porters – who seem to fit Hillary's definition. We have one main vice in common, and that is enjoying the outdoors.
What draws us is the chance to see spectacular vistas of lush green valleys contrasted with snow-capped mountains that dazzle in the sun and glow in the light of the moon. It's an opportunity to walk far back in time when the wheel did not exist, to a place where people live off small plots of fertile land around their modest stone dwellings. Depending on the altitude, they grow rice, corn, cabbages, bok choi, carrots, lentils, soybeans and potatoes, and they pick bananas and apples. Always on offer are fresh eggs. That's what we eat – a basic vegetarian diet.Many of the crops are grown in small terraced fields that ripple down the sides of the steep valleys to the rivers raging below, swollen by monsoon rains and melting glaciers. Farmers till the soil with plows pulled by a couple of yaks, dig up potatoes with hand tools and fuel fires with patties of yak dung made by hand.
For supper at the little Shobha Lodge in Bandhar where we spend our second night, the national dish of dal bhat is served. It consists of rice, lentil soup and curried vegetables – all you can eat. It's also the place where we eat the first of many slices of apple pie – a fritter, in this case.
"My daughter is cooking," says the proud mama of her offspring, who has attracted everybody's attention with her charm, beauty and culinary skills. She also keeps the books and in the morning we settle our bills with her.
The daughter, who also works as a teacher, explains that classes start at 10 a.m. to give students who live up to two and a half hours away time to walk to the school in Bandhar. Walking is a way of life because there are no roads in the mountains. We have caught the tail end of the annual monsoon and the trails are muddy. We slip and slide in the rain while Nepalis, who learn to walk on the paths, skip gracefully past us, often wearing only flip flops.
All goods moving up and down the trails have to be carried by people or pack animals, often the former. We see porters struggling under loads of plywood and mattresses for new lodges being built for the influx of trekkers, metal stoves, containers of kerosene for the fires that cook meals at higher altitudes, bags of rice, kitchen pots and even a generator.
We see no one on bicycles or scooters, no cars or trucks – and no sign of obesity. In our first nine days of trekking, we cross three valleys and climb a total of 29,000 feet or 8,839 metres, almost equivalent to the height of Mount Everest. We glimpse a few snow-capped mountains during the first eight days of the trek. But Everest is not to be seen until our ninth day on the trail. We first spot the peak of Everest through a clump of trees as we head for Namche Bazaar. But it is far in the distance.
Later in the day, we arrive in Namche at 11,319 feet or 3,459 meters where the many hotels are bursting with trekkers, restaurants are dispensing espressos and a couple of bars feature loud rock music and pool tables, which were humped up the trail on somebody's back.
Most of the trekkers in Namche, built on the side of a steep bowl, flew from Kathmandu into Lukla, a village perched on the edge of a cliff along with its runway. It is two days' walk from Namche.
We try to see Everest again by taking a day hike to the Everest View Hotel a couple of hours from Namche, but no luck there, as the peak is hidden by cloud. However, we do get in some acclimatization time, which helps us adjust to the higher altitude.
We also touch base with several people we have met along the way and make friends with three young British women, recent graduates of Leeds Metropolitan University. Two are physiotherapists and one is a speech therapist. They are doing the trek after spending three months volunteering at a school near Kathmandu for children with cerebral palsy, a disorder that affects mental and physical development. It's not a good condition in a part of the world where a strong back ranks high on a CV.
They stay with us every step of the way, and their good humour buoys our spirit as we move up the slopes.
There are several enchanting surprises along the way, with our next stop at Tengboche being one of them. We attend a monastery service with monks clad in maroon robes as they murmur their mantras and prayers punctuated by the clash of cymbals and off-key blasts from horns. Surrounding the village, which is at over 12,000 feet, are snow-capped peaks including Everest and Ama Dablam, almost blinding in the sun.
The village has several hotels and two are said to be owned by the monks, as is the bakery. It tempts us with fresh coffee and has us dithering over a choice among the many chocolate cakes, pies and other baked goods including croissants (spelled crissants). I opt for a piece of chocolate-rum cake after a late lunch and return at breakfast for Dutch apple pie.
But the best view of Everest, to my mind, comes on the 14th day of our trek, just before supper in Dingboche. The clouds part and the late afternoon sun bathes the summit of Everest in a golden hue, the perfect colour for the crown of the world.
The 1,000-foot climb from Thukla to Lobuche at 16,207 feet or 4,940 meters nearly does me in and I consider throwing in the towel – a day away from the Everest Base Camp.
But a shower – in actual fact, a bucket of hot water scooped with a cup – and a pill to counter altitude sickness provided by my friend Bob Johnston help give me the strength to go on.
The next day, we trudge into the Everest Base Camp at 17,598 feet or 5,364 metres, shake hands with our group and hug the British girls. It's mission accomplished.
After spending the night at Gorak Shep, the village closest to the Everest Base Camp, we begin our descent and head for Pheriche. In the dining room of the Snow Land Lodge, the guests sing Happy Birthday as I celebrate my 69th with a chocolate cake.
My group and I feel like we're on top of the world.


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Sunday, Jul 07, 2013
by John
One of the major holdings of The Genealogy Center is its collection of city directories, both bound and on microfilm. With more than 55,000 bound directories alone, The Center has long been a major repository of volumes published by the R. L. Polk Company. Fred J. Reynolds, the Allen County Public Library's director for whom The Genealogy Center's collection is named, negotiated an agreement with the company in the mid-1960s for the library to receive a copy of each directory the company publishes each year. While those for some cities and years went out-of-print before a donation could be made, the bulk of what Polk has published since the 1960s is available in book form in The Genealogy Center. Researchers should keep in mind that for many larger cities, no directory has been published for many decades while other smaller cities have either been discontinued or combined with other towns into new county directories. Earlier directories for many U.S. cities published before 1960 are available in The Genealogy Center on microfilm.
City directories are indispensable tools in historical and genealogical research. Although they contain varying amounts of information depending on the time period and locality for which they were published, they can help a researcher in a variety of ways. They can distinguish people of the same name living in an urban area, provide information about residence and employment, and occasionally, show the names of spouses or widows as well as people of the same last name living at the same address. Rural directories, which are extant for a select number of counties and years, mainly in Midwestern states, will sometimes provide additional information, such as the names of children, the number of acres owned, the value of a farm, and even occasionally the religious and political affiliations of residents. When used in conjunction with federal census records, directories can provide valuable information for intervening years, allowing genealogists to pinpoint years of death and changing places of residence. Twentieth century directories offer an additional street and address cross-reference access, allowing users to determine the names of persons living at an address over time. City and rural directories are also valuable for identifying religious congregations, businesses, governmental offices, professionals, and fraternal orders in a particular locality.
Users of The Genealogy Center's catalog wishing to locate directories of various types will want to enter the name of the city and state, combined with the word "directories." If listings appear, they will be separate entries if the directories were produced by different companies. Holdings information will include the years that The Center holds. Also, if a city directory has been recombined into a county directory, expect it to appear in a separate catalog entry with publishing dates that are usually more recent.
To locate city directories on microfilm and microfiche, including most of the Center's holdings before 1960, click on "Databases" from the main web page, and then click on "Microtext Catalog." Then, under the column marked "Specialty Records," click on the "City & County Directories" link. It will allow you to enter a state name, and once selected, an alphabetical list of directories will appear, together with the available years. Some cities have an expanded link that takes the user into a new page with more detailed holdings information. Directories on microfiche are the oldest in the collection and pre-date 1860. Some cities such as Philadelphia and New York have runs of directories extending back to the eighteenth century. Directories on microfilm often begin about 1861 and can sometimes run until 1935 or for a few cities, through 1960, though the coverage varies from place to place.
On your visit to The Genealogy Center, a librarian can show you on a map where both types of directories are located. The bound directories are located, for the most part, in the center section of moveable stacks in the west reading room. They follow the same modified Dewey decimal sequence as books on the main shelves. A few rural directories are not shelved here, however, and are instead to be found with the county histories and other books for a particular county. The pre-1860 directories published on microfiche are housed in in a cabinet marked C and are part of a collection known as "American Directories." The remaining city directories are filed alphabetically by city in cabinets 26 through 34.
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New Car Review
2013 Mini Countryman: New Car Review
Pros: Great turbocharged engine; solid fuel economy; capable handling; choice of backseat styles; available all-wheel drive; better crash test scores than a regular Mini Cooper
Cons: Weak base engine; pricey options; limited cargo space
New for 2013: Redesigned interior trim; window switches moved to door panels; no cost choice of 3-person rear bench or dual rear bucket seats; John Cooper Works model added
The 2013 Mini Countryman is essentially a Mini Cooper to the max. What you make of it depends largely on whether you consider it a bite-sized crossover SUV with great fuel economy, or simply a Mini Cooper that's not so small. Is it a ploy by Mini to capitalize on the crossover/SUV craze? Or is it a genuinely enjoyable vehicle with real advantages over other Mini products? In reality, it's all of that.
Like the smaller Coopers, the Countryman offers turbocharged 4-cylinder engines. Unlike the little guys, it is available with all-wheel drive -- further lending credibility to its crossover designation. Also unique to the Countryman is its choice of two adult-friendly sliding individual rear seats or a new-for-2013 rear bench seat, which makes the Countryman the first Mini in history with seating for five.
With the seating position of a crossover, handling similar to a go-kart, a little versatility and a lot of personality, the Countryman fits in no particular car category. Whatever it is, the Countryman does the Mini brand proud. Because let's face it, as charming as the Cooper is, it's not so charming after a visit to IKEA or when you have to take three adult friends to dinner.
Comfort & Utility
The 2013 Mini Countryman is a 4-door crossover (kind of) SUV that comes in four trim levels: base, S, S ALL4 the new for '13 John Cooper Works (also called the JCW).
Standard features on the base Cooper Countryman ($22,000) include 17-inch alloy wheels, roof rails, rear bike rack preparation, ambient interior lighting, leatherette upholstery, power accessories, a leather-wrapped tilting/telescoping multifunction steering wheel, keyless access, push-button ignition, a trip computer, Bluetooth connectivity and a 6-speaker audio system with auxiliary input and HD radio.
The Cooper S Countryman ($25,600) adds a turbocharged engine, an electronic limited-slip program, a mesh grille, fog lamps, a rear spoiler, dual exhaust pipes, sport front seats and stainless steel pedals. The Cooper S ALL4 model ($27,300) has all-wheel drive but otherwise generally keeps the same equipment roster as the regular S model.
For 2013, Mini has added a new Countryman John Cooper Works model ($34,850) at the top of the range. As with the other Mini models, the JCW version has a slew of performance-oriented upgrades, including a more powerful turbocharged engine, larger alloy wheels (18-in in this case, with 19-in optional), Brembo brakes, a special sport-tuned suspension and various interior and exterior styling flourishes. Unlike other JCW models, however, the Countryman JCW comes standard with all-wheel drive.
Mini has few peers when it comes to the extent to which you can customize its cars, and highlights from the Countryman's lengthy options list include various wheel designs, a sport suspension, xenon headlamps, a panoramic sunroof, satellite radio, navigation, leather upholstery and a premium Harman Kardon audio system. And that's just the beginning. Seriously, the sky is the limit; just don't forget your checkbook because the options can rack up quite a tab.
The base Countryman's standard front seats are rather flat -- that's where the optional contoured sport seats (standard on the Cooper S Countryman) come in. But we love the chair-like driving position, which is absolutely commanding thanks to the Countryman's extra ride height. The pedals are perfectly placed, and the steering wheel tilts and telescopes for comfort.
While the window switches have moved to the door panels for 2013 -- a genuine cause for celebration -- we wish Mini would rethink the ergonomics of the audio and climate controls. Materials quality is also inconsistent. We get a kick out of the pie-plate central speedometer, though, and hope it never changes.
The Countryman now comes standard with a 3-person rear bench seat, though actually putting three adults back there may be a tight squeeze. Two people back there -- even lanky people -- is no problem, however, especially in the no cost optional individual rear bucket seats, which slide and recline for an optimal combination of comfort and cargo space. Also noteworthy is the center divider system that comes with the individual rear bucket seats, consisting of an attractive metal divider that divides both seating rows and contains two cupholders, a glasses case holder and an iPod cradle.
Cargo space behind the rear seats is 16.5 cu ft, which is a lot by Mini standards -- although not by anyone else's standards. Fold down the rear seats, and you'll have 41.3 cu ft (the same assessment applies).
As with Mini's other models, Bluetooth connectivity is now standard on the Countryman. Satellite radio is optional, as is the nifty Mini Connected suite that adds an attractive information and entertainment display in the center of that massive speedometer. Mini Connected gives iPhone users access to an app that can integrate Facebook, Twitter, Internet radio and a variety of other services.
Performance & Fuel Economy
The Mini Cooper Countryman has front-wheel drive except for the S ALL4 model, which has all-wheel drive. A 6-speed manual transmission is standard across the lineup; a 6-speed automatic is optional and, on S and S ALL4 models, comes with paddle shifters.
The base Cooper Countryman is powered by a 1.6-liter inline-4 rated at 121 horsepower and 114 lb-ft of torque. This is a fun little engine in smaller Minis, but the Countryman weighs nearly 400 pounds more than the Mini Cooper Hardtop, and that's a recipe for sluggish acceleration.
Fortunately, the Cooper S Countryman's turbocharged 1.6-liter inline-4 cranks out 181 hp and 177 lb-ft of torque (192 lb-ft during temporary overboost full-throttle acceleration). And even in this model, the heaviest of Minis, it always has enough torque on demand. We love the S engine's exuberant noises, too. The S ALL4 model gains an additional 150 pounds, but snow belt dwellers may consider that a small price to pay.
Speaking of prices to pay, the new Countryman JCW is certainly expensive, but its 208 turbocharged horsepower reliably brings a grin to your face each and every time you step on the gas pedal. Indeed, the Countryman JCW could be considered the best such model in the Mini family. Why? Because its all-wheel drive system -- unavailable on any other Mini except the upcoming Paceman -- allows you to use all of its power, all the time. In smaller, front-drive MINI JCW models, the front wheels have a tendency to spin like crazy when the turbo kicks in.
Fuel economy is stated as 27 miles per gallon city/35 mpg highway for the base Countryman with manual transmission. That's hard to believe since it's the same as the considerably lighter Clubman with the same powertrain. We suspect the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) hasn't actually tested this particular model. The automatic base Clubman comes back to earth with a 25 mpg city/30 mpg hwy rating. The Cooper S Countryman actually does a little better, checking in at 26 mpg city/32 mpg hwy with the manual and 25 mpg city/32 mpg hwy with the automatic. The S ALL4 drops to 25 mpg city/31 mpg hwy with the manual and 23 mpg city/30 mpg hwy with the automatic. The JCW was not rated at the time this article was written.
The 2013 Mini Cooper Countryman comes with standard stability control, 4-wheel anti-lock disc brakes and six airbags (front, front side and full-length side curtain).
The government had not yet crash tested the Countryman at the time this article was written, but the independent Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) awarded the Countryman its top Good rating in every testing category.
Driving Impressions
While the Countryman is the Mini with the most mass, it's still not huge. Therefore, it drives like a sport compact car. Compared to other Minis, the Countryman feels bigger from behind the wheel due to its increased ride height and width, and that dilutes some of Mini's trademark glued-to-the-road driving character (though not much). The Countryman is still extraordinarily surefooted, and you also get a more compliant ride than the Mini norm as a result of the extra suspension travel. If you want to be more glued to the road, the stiffer sport suspension is your ticket to ride, especially with the optional 18-in wheels. If you want a more compliant, family-friendly ride, stick with the standard suspension and 17-in wheels.
Other Cars to Consider
Kia Sportage - The stylish Sportage ($19,000) lacks the Countryman's cool interior vibe, but it compensates with an available 260-hp turbocharged inline-4 that'll blow even the Cooper S Countryman into the weeds.
Subaru Impreza - The Impreza hatchback ($17,895) has standard all-wheel drive, good cargo space and a loyal following. It lacks the Countryman's customizability and cool factor, though.
Volkswagen Tiguan - With strong performance and a more capacious interior with a similarly premium feel, the Tiguan ($22,995) is an intriguing alternative from the conventional crossover ranks.
AutoTrader Recommends
If you're going to buy a Countryman instead of the smaller Clubman, we say go all out and get the S ALL4 model. As the only Mini model with all-wheel drive, the S ALL4 could be a stretch worth making.
What do you think of the new Countryman? Let us know in the comments below.


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Learn more.
A defect exists which allows an attacker to crash a BIND 9 recursive resolver with a RUNTIME_CHECK error in resolver.c
BIND 9.6-ESV-R9, 9.8.5, and 9.9.3 are affected
Versions 9.6.0 through 9.6-ESV-R8, 9.8.0 through 9.8.4-P2, and 9.9.0 through 9.9.2-P2 ARE NOT affected.
Other major branches of BIND (e.g. 9.7, 9.5, etc) are not vulnerable but they are no longer supported by ISC and may lack other important security fixes.
A bug has been discovered in the most recent releases of BIND 9 which has the potential for deliberate exploitation as a denial-of-service attack. By sending a recursive resolver a query for a record in a specially malformed zone, an attacker can cause BIND 9 to exit with a fatal "RUNTIME_CHECK" error in resolver.c
Triggering this defect will cause the affected server to exit with an error, denying service to recursive DNS clients that use that particular server.
CVSS Score: 7.8CVSS Equation: (AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:N/A:C)For more information on the Common Vulnerability Scoring System and to obtain your specific environmental score please visit: http://nvd.nist.gov/cvss.cfm?calculator&adv&version=2&vector=%28AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:N/A:C%29
Active exploits:
At the time of this advisory no intentional exploitation of this bug has been observed in the wild. However, the existence of the issue has been disclosed on an open mailing list with enough accompanying detail to reverse engineer an attack and ISC is therefore treating this as a Type II (publicly disclosed) vulnerability, in accordance with our Phased Disclosure Process.
New versions of BIND are being provided which contain a fix for the defect. The recommended solution is to upgrade to the patched release most closely related to your current version of BIND. These can all be downloaded from http://ftp.isc.org/isc/bind9
Document Revision History:
1.0 Type II Public Disclosure, 04 June, 20131.1 Published FAQ and Supplemental Information, 13 June, 2013
Related Documents:
See our BIND Security Matrix for a complete listing of Security Vulnerabilities and versions affected.
This new Knowledge Base article includes additional information and Frequently Asked Questions about this advisory.
If you'd like more information on our product support please visit www.isc.org/support.
Do you still have questions? Questions regarding this advisory should go to firstname.lastname@example.com
Note: ISC patches only currently supported versions. When possible we indicate EOL versions affected.
ISC Security Vulnerability Disclosure Policy: Details of our current security advisory policy and practice can be found here: ISC Software Defect and Security Vulnerability Disclosure Policy
This Knowledge Base article https://kb.isc.org/article/AA-00967 is the complete and official security advisory document.
Legal Disclaimer: Internet Systems Consortium (ISC) is providing this notice on an "AS IS" basis. No warranty or guarantee of any kind is expressed in this notice and none should be implied. ISC expressly excludes and disclaims any warranties regarding this notice or materials referred to in this notice, including, without limitation, any implied warranty of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, absence of hidden defects, or of non-infringement. Your use or reliance on this notice or materials referred to in this notice is at your own risk. ISC may change this notice at any time. A stand-alone copy or paraphrase of the text of this document that omits the document URL is an uncontrolled copy. Uncontrolled copies may lack important information, be out of date, or contain factual errors.
© 2001-2018 Internet Systems ConsortiumFor assistance with problems and questions for which you have not been able to find an answer in our Knowledge Base, we recommend searching our community mailing list archives and/or posting your question there (you will need to register there first for your posts to be accepted). The bind-users and the dhcp-users lists particularly have a long-standing and active membership.ISC relies on the financial support of the community to fund the development of its open source software products. If you would like to support future product evolution and maintenance as well having peace of mind knowing that our team of experts are poised to provide you with individual technical assistance whenever you call upon them, then please consider our Professional Subscription Support services - details can be found on our main website.


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The Y has a variety of programs for even the youngest New Yorkers. From pre-school to stroller strut to music class to yoga, the Y helps babies become toddlers, toddlers become tots, and tots become strong kids — all through programs grounded in our core values of caring, honesty, respect and responsibility.
Program offerings vary by branch. More information on each category of programming is below, and learn about different classes available for your tot here.
View Program Guides
- Camp — Many of our Ys offer summer camp programs for pre-school children. Campers will participate in camp songs, arts & crafts, music, sports, swimming, academic fundamentals, storytelling, and more.
- Pre-School Sports, Dance & Play — Ballet, karate, tap, soccer, baseball, basketball…the Y has a world of activities that will ensure that your child is ready for bedtime. Browse our Sports, Dance & Play programs by clicking here or by browsing your location specific program guide.
- Swim — New York City's YMCA has been teaching kids how to swim for more than 150 years. Classes are available for kids 6 months and up. From me and my grown-up to your child's first Shrimp swim class. Teach your child to swim in the Y's time-tested progressive swim program. Find the class that's right for you here.
- Early Learning — It's never too early to develop a love of learning. The Y has a myriad of classes to help you nurture your child's intellectual curiosity. Popular Early Learning programs include Busy Bodies, Story, Song and Shimmy, Music and Movement, and more. Browse programs available at your locations click here.
- Child Watch — Do you need someone to watch your child when you are at the Y? We're here for you. At Child Watch, kids will enjoy fun and creative play all in a safe environment while you exercise or take a class. All Child Watch schedules are included in your branch program guides. Find your local Y and take a look.
- Infant Care — YMCA infant centers are designed to meet your child's individual needs by ensuring positive attention and development. Because this is a critical time in your child's life, our infant care focuses on the development of the whole child and equips even infants with essential skills for lifelong learning. YMCA staff are trained especially for this delicate and inquisitive age group. Because a well-trained staff is a key factor in quality infant care, staff members are required to attend numerous training sessions throughout the year. Infant Care is available at the West Side and Vanderbilt Branches.
- Language Classes — Forget videos and apps, teach your child another language the old fashioned way in a language class. The Y offers pre-k language classes in Spanish and Mandarin at select branches. click here to browse classes near you.
- Nursery School — Is it time for your toddler to get their first school experience? The Y has more than 40 years of experience operating quality Nursery School programs in Manhattan. Learn about the CO-OP Nursery School at the West Side Y, or the Early Childhood Center at the Vanderbilt Y.
- Universal Pre-K — YMCA Early Childhood Centers offer a free Universal Pre-Kindergarten program for four-year-olds. UPK places its focus on the healthy development of the whole child by providing a safe, happy, nurturing environment where children are intellectually, socially and physically stimulated while participating in fun activities. The curriculum is based on learning centers and a theme-based approach to learning. Each classroom is equipped with Listening, Block, Math/Science Library, Computer, Dramatic Play, Art, and Sand & Water Centers.Universal Pre-Kindergarten is a partnership with the New York City Department of Education and is licensed by the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. UPK runs Monday through Friday from 8:30 am to 2:50 pm. The child must be born in 2013 and be toilet trained. The program is available at the following Y locations: Broadway, Cross Island, Flushing(All day program), Long Island City, Ridgewood, South Shore, and Vanderbilt. Click on the location you are interested in and reach out to the Youth & Family Director to apply for the Universal Pre-K program.
Questions about how to register for programs? View Program Registration FAQs


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SqaureHue is a brand new subscription service that only sends nail polish, as of right now they only ship within the US (no idea if that will change, sorry international ladies). Each month they will be sending out 3 full sized new polishes.They are their own house brand and come in really gorgeous bottles, they remind me of the Urban Outfitters bottles just for reference. All of the polishes are Big 3 and Camphor Free and cruelty free! In addition to all of that SquareHue also donates a portion of each monthly subscription to charity, their current focus is Human Trafficking. If you want read more about SquareHue please check out their FAQ on their website here!
The cost of the service is $21 per month, that includes shipping. However, good news...I have a promo code to share with you that makes the subscription $14.99 per month for the life of your subscription, woohoo! The following code is only good until December 24th 2012, to sign up for the $14.99 promo price go to SquareHue.com and use the code DECBLOGGER13 at checkout when you go to purchase your subscription. There is a link to enter it right above where you enter your billing address! I do not get any kind of credit for anyone who uses the code...I'm just passing along a good deal!
To see swatches of the 3 polishes included in the December SquareHue box along with photos of the bottles, brush and packaging click the read more button below!
The 3 polishes included in the December box are:
- Sugar Plum: gorgeous jewel toned purple shimmer. The formula was fantastic, it was easy to apply and flowed nicely. I used 2 coats for full opacity. This shade is on my index finger in the photos below.
- Champagne Toast: a golden foil like shimmer. The formula was again, fantastic! Much more opaque than I expected it to be and fully opaque in 2 coats. Champagne Toast is on my middle nail for the photos below.
- Holly Berry: Jewel toned red shimmer. Perfect for the holidays! The formula was great, not thick at all and easy to apply. I used 2 coats for the photos below, you can see Holly Berry on my ring finger.
I have to say, I'm pretty impressed with the formula of all 3 polishes. I wasn't sure what to expect but all 3 were great!
Below is how my SquareHue box looked when it arrived. It was so cute! I love how each polish had it's own little cubby and it was snuggled in crinkly paper!
Here are some bottle shots. The bottles are roughly the same size as the bottles Urban Outfitters uses. I really like these, they are nice and sturdy...and easy to store in the helmer (I care about things like that lol)
I love how the bottle labels say what month the polishes are for!
The brushes in these polishes were nice, they are short and fairly narrow. Below is the brush from Holly Berry next to the brush from my bottle of OPI My Boyfriend Scales Walls. For the ladies out there with small nail beds you will really enjoy these! As much as I love big wide brushes I like these smaller ones also, it makes it easy to be very precise with application!
Overall, I really like this December box. I did get this one for review but I already went and signed myself up for the service. I can't wait to see what we get for January! To sign up for SqaureHue or to read more about their service checkout SquareHue.com


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Welcome back to a new semester
at Chicago-Kent! It's time to start fresh and push
aside any pain from last semester - and we'll have
three spring issues to help you do so! You can join
our staff, submit articles and cartoons, and simply
read The Commentator every month to stay updated and
entertained all spring long.
DEADLINE: Monday, February 15
Submissions for our first
issue of 2007 are due Monday,
February 5 at 5:00pm. Remember that we rely on YOU
- the students and faculty - to provide us with content.
IF YOU SUBMIT IT, IT WILL PRINT (99.9% guaranteed)!
Submission guidelines:
Around 500 words (800 word maximum, and shorter
is great!)
Include a story title, your name, your class
year and/or title
Include photos and photo captions (remember we
have a staff photographer to take pictures for you!)
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A Kansas City doctor says a Time Warner Cable subcontractor was notified about a gas leak hours before an explosion rocked a popular restaurant on the Country Club Plaza.
The doctor says crews had a lackadaisical attitude about concerns, and that one person was allowed to smoke in the area after receiving complaints about the strong odor of gas.
The explosion tore through the area about 6 p.m. Tuesday. The first report had been made at 1 p.m. to the Heartland Midwest, when they smelled the strong odor, said Dr. John Verstraete.
"We were really upset. They seemed to laugh it off," he said in an interview with KCTV5's Sandra Olivas. "The construction crews working outside. We were like, 'Hey, we smell gas.' . . . They were just, 'Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.'"
He said his employees assumed that subcontractor would have it investigated and notify Missouri Gas Energy.
He said one of the construction workers even was smoking outside, which upset some of the doctor's office employees because of how strong the smell of gas was.
Verstraete of Plaza Physicians Group said Missouri Gas Energy crews finally had come out and tested the air about 5 p.m. He said the crews determined that the natural gas was at a dangerous level and advised immediate evacuation.
"We locked up the doors and tried to get our personal items," he explained. "It was like two minutes and all of a sudden there was this big explosion. It went through you like a sonic wave. You felt it go through your body."
He said glass shattered, and an upper floor wall caved in.
"I know JJs took most of the explosion," he said. "I just hope everyone is OK that was in there."
Everyone made it out of the doctor's office and spa. Outside, they discovered a bystander who had been injured by debris.
The doctor provided aid to his cuts, bruises and scrapes.
"He was shell-shocked," Verstraete said.
His two dogs were inside the office at 906 W. 48th St. when the explosion occurred.
Verstraete's yellow lab Perseus panicked and bolted. The dog was last seen near the Nelson-Atkins Museum. If you see the dog, please call the doctor at 816-756-3526.
He said he is quite concerned about everyone inside JJ's at the time of the explosion. He said he cannot imagine the extent of injuries suffered by those closer to the blast than him and others in his office building.
"This is a terrible ordeal that happened," Verstraete said. "I hope they are OK."
Copyright 2013 KCTV (Meredith Corp.) All rights reserved.


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July 22, 2009
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada -- A genetic approach to determining HIV tropism can be used to effectively identify patients who will respond to treatment with the CCR5 antagonist maraviroc, according to new data presented today at the 5th International AIDS Society (IAS) Conference on HIV Pathogenesis, Treatment and Prevention in Cape Town, South Africa. [Read the abstract.]
Using screening samples from patients enrolled in the maraviroc treatment-experienced clinical trial program, results of this retrospective analysis showed that changes in HIV viral levels and the percentage of patients who achieved undetectable viral loads were comparable between those patients tested with HIV V3 Genotyping and TrofileTM (the recombinant-phenotypic assay originally used in the clinical trial program), indicating comparable accuracy of both tests at identifying treatment-experienced patients that will respond to treatment with maraviroc.
"HIV V3 Genotyping shows promise as a significantly faster and more cost-effective way to correctly identify patients who would benefit from CCR5 antagonists like maraviroc," said Richard Harrigan Ph.D., lead investigator and Director of Research Laboratories, B.C. Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, Vancouver, Canada. "Since the genotypic test is based on methods that are already widely used through the same labs that provide HIV drug resistance testing, this approach could become broadly available and conducted at the same time as resistance testing to determine susceptibility to all drugs, including maraviroc."
The analysis was designed to compare the performance of genotypic assays versus the original Trofile in predicting virologic response to maraviroc.
Population-based sequencing was performed on screening samples from patients enrolled in the maraviroc treatment-experienced clinical trials program, which included the MOTIVATE 1 and MOTIVATE 2 (patients with R5 virus) and A4001029 (patients with non-R5 virus) studies. Results from MOTIVATE were used to support the approval of maraviroc in Canada, the U.S. and the EU for treatment-experienced patients with only CCR5-tropic HIV-1 detectable.
HIV tropism was predicted using Geno2pheno (g2p), a widely available algorithm. Change in viral load at week eight was measured due to it being long enough to determine response to maraviroc and short enough to be relatively unaffected by patient drop-outs and other confounding factors.
Results show that at eight weeks a similar number of patients with CCR5 virus treated with maraviroc achieved undetectable virologic suppression (<50 copies/mL or a >2 log10 copies/mL), regardless of which assay was used to identify their tropism (g2p= 71.9%, N=366; Trofile = 71.6%, N=380). A similar number of patients with CCR5 virus treated with maraviroc also achieved undetectable virologic suppression at 24 weeks (<50 copies/mL), regardless of which assay was used to identify their tropism (g2p= 46.1%, N=393; Trofile = 46.4%, N=405).
Pfizer provided researchers of the study with samples and clinical data from the MOTIVATE 1 and 2, and A4001029 trials. Pfizer also assisted with the statistical analysis.
No comments have been made.
|Please note: Knowledge about HIV changes rapidly. Note the date of this summary's publication, and before treating patients or employing any therapies described in these materials, verify all information independently. If you are a patient, please consult a doctor or other medical professional before acting on any of the information presented in this summary. For a complete listing of our most recent conference coverage, click here.
The content on this page is free of advertiser influence and was produced by our editorial team. See our content and advertising policies.


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We've made some for Henry to give his teacher for Christmas.
Well, I thought I'd give them a go, but (being me) I could see how I might simplify the process and make it a bit less fiddly.
What you need:
> glass nuggets (I used 3cm size) or glass mosaic tiles
> circular magnets
> scissors (regular and nail scissors - really!)
> pictures that you want to use, either printed out or from magazines etc
> a good strong craft glue (I used an UHU glue pen)
First, stick the glass nuggets onto the pictures, like this. You do not need to trace around the glass and cut them out or anything like that. Just stick them down onto the bit of the picture you want. As you can see, I printed out little 3x3cm patterns to use. I also (for Henry's teacher) got Henry to draw pictures which I then scanned in, resized and printed out.
Press down well to get out any air bubbles.
Note about the glue: do a small test just smearing some glue on a picture first, esp. if you've printed them yourself, as some glues sort of dissolve the printer ink and make it all smeary. If this happens, you need to find another glue.
Next, let them dry really well (pref. overnight). The next day, cut roughly around each of the nuggets. You can use the regular scissors for this. Then trim round neatly and leaving as little overlap as possible, using the (curved and therefore perfect for the task) nail scissors. You do not need a super-sharp craft knife and a steady hand for this (as in the usual instructions). This is the easy way!
Then, put a thin layer of glue over the back of the magnet AND over the edges of the paper. This will seal it and stop it from peeling off easily. Then stick the magent into the middle and again let dry really well.
And there you have it: finished magnets!
For packaging, I did as many of the other instructions suggest: stuck small metal washers onto card, then put the magents on them, labelled them and popped them into a small, clear pastic gift bag, stapled along the top.
Next up I'm going to do some square ones with the mosaic tiles I've ordered. Will post them up here as soon as they're done!


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Stories you will only find in the Midway Driller print edition.
Here are a few of the things you can see only in the Midway Driller print edition:
Changes to some of the state's strong environmental make make it easier for developers. Read Thomas Elias' column on our editorial page
Also, read the latest updates on Highway 119 construction.
Plus, read a recap of the year in sports at Taft Union High School on the sports page.
It's all the the Friday Midway Driller, available now.


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By: Mark McGrouther, Category: Science, Date: 21 Feb 2012
In this movie, Ryan Kempster, shark biologist at the University of Western Australia, talks about the senses and survival strategy of the Grey Carpetshark, Chiloscyllium punctatum. Other common names for the species include the Bamboo Shark and Brown-banded Catshark.
In Australia, the family Hemiscylliidae is represented by 3 species in 2 genera (Chiloscyllium and Hemiscyllium). Some species such as the Grey Carpetshark are oviparous, laying egg cases, called mermaid's purses.
Hoese, D.F., Bray, D.J., Paxton, J.R. & G.R. Allen. 2006. Fishes. In Beesley, P.L. & A. Wells. (eds) Zoological Catalogue of Australia. Volume 35. ABRS & CSIRO Publishing: Australia. parts 1-3, pages 1-2178.
Tags fishes, ichthyology, Chiloscyllium punctatum, Grey Carpetshark, Hemiscylliidae,
Thanks Amanda. Like you, I was pretty impressed by this.
Thanks for sharing Mark. Amazing, who would have thought predator avoidance occurs at the embryonic stage, neat stuff.


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SAN FRANCISCO — Luis Aroche learned about violence at Leonard R. Flynn Elementary School, across from the projects where his friend Carl lived.
He remembers sitting down at his desk and seeing his teacher, Mrs. Foster, in tears. His class had just finished the Pledge of Allegiance.
"Carl was playing on the swings and got shot," Aroche said. "And died. Kindergarten. He got found laying in a pool of blood in the park," Aroche paused. Swallowed. Started up again. "He was my desk buddy. He would go with me to the bathroom. And now, Carl wasn't there.
"That was my first experience of loss. And I didn't understand it. To this day, I don't understand it."
Aroche since has become something of an expert on violence — as victim, perpetrator and now as part of a hoped-for solution. Last year, San Francisco Dist. Atty. George Gascon hired the former gang member to be his office's first "alternative sentencing planner," part of an effort to keep offenders from ending up back behind bars.


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A 29-year-old man was found shot to death in the Gresham neighborhood overnight and two others were wounded in South and West side shootings.
The man killed, identified as Corey Williams, was pronounced dead at Advocate Christ Medical Center at 3:15 a.m., according to the Cook County medical examiner's office.
He had been shot in the 8100 block of South Marshfield Avenue about 2:15 a.m., police said. It's not clear why he was shot. Williams lived in the 6000 block of South Richmond Avenue, according to the medical examiner's office.
Police responded to a shots fired call and found the man on the ground. Police found shell casings on the block.
In the Little Village neighborhood about 1:30 a.m., a 29-year-old man arguing with his girlfriend was shot by his mother's boyfriend at a home in the 2300 block of South Central Park Avenue.
Police said the 29-year-old was drunk and in an argument when his mom tried to intervene in the argument. The mother's boyfriend tretrieved a gun and shot his girlfriend's son once in the hand and once in the shoulder, police said.
He's in custody and a weapon was recovered. The 29-year-old was at Mount Sinai Hospital and expected to recover from his wounds.
Late Wednesday night, a 20-year-old man was shot in Washington Park neighborhood.
He was standing in the 5800 block of South Wabash Avenue about 11 p.m. when he heard shots and felt pain, Chicago Police News Affairs Officer Hector Alfaro said.
The man was taken to John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County with a wound to his upper thigh, Alfaro said.
No one is in custody and Area Central is investigating.
email@example.com | Twitter: @PeterNickeas


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Actress Connie Britton showed her support for the New York victims of superstorm Sandy on Monday (03Dec12) by handing out care packages to those in need.
The American Horror Story star spent two years training for her craft in the Big Apple and she was horrified by the damage inflicted by the post-tropical cyclone when it hit America's East Coast in late October (12), so she decided to team up with the Direct Relief International charity to do her part to help.
During the visit to the Ryan/Chelsea Clinton Community Health Center, Britton passed out much-needed supplies to locals struggling to return to normalcy and chatted with residents grateful for her efforts.
She tells ABC News, "It was really scary to think of the impact of a disaster like that. I felt this really strange sense of being disconnected at a time where I really wanted to be able to help in some way... It feels to me that we're still a community that needs help."


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17th St Bridge, Pensacola FL
This bridge, known as the "Graffiti Bridge," is a local landmark. For a static structure, it's pretty dynamic. The grafatti changes on a daily basis. The city used to try to discourage the graffiti artists, but it got to be too big a job and the cops would just be wasting their time. They do have better things to do than arrest kids for painting on what has turned out to be a community canvas!


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Kids ask for a lot of outrageous things—ponies, anyone?—but one Georgia mom was arrested for giving in to her 10-year-old's request for a tattoo, reports the Atlanta Journal Constitution. Mom Chuntera Napier took Gaquan, her son, to get a tattoo when he asked for one to memorialize his older brother Malik, who died after being hit by a car at the age of 12.
Napier defended her decision to Channel 2 news: "What do I say to a child who wants to remember his brother? It's not like he's asking me if can I get him a Sponge Bob," she said. "He's asking me for something that's in remembrance of his brother. Well, how do I tell a child no?"
Unfortunately for Napier, Georgia law states that it is unlawful for anyone to tattoo a child under the age of 18, and Napier was arrested for child cruelty and being party to a crime. She was released and has a court hearing in March.
"I always thought if a parent gives consent, then it's fine," said Napier. "How can somebody else say it's not OK? He's my child, and I have a right to say what I want for my child."
Watch to Napier's interview with Channel 2:
We can't argue with the law, but do you think, in this case, that Napier should be charged with child cruelty? Would you ever let your under-18 teen get a tattoo, if your state allows it?


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Overdue farm bill finally becomes law
The 959-page, $956 billion farm bill was signed by President Obama Feb. 7 at the Mary Anne McPhail Equine Performance Center at Michigan State University's College of Veteirnary Medicine in Lansing, Mich. The U.S. Senate passed it Feb. 4 68 to 32, helped along with often rare bipartisan support. The overdue bill—its predecessor expired in 2012—passed the House last week with a vote of 251 to 166.
The new five-year law cuts food stamps by $8 billion, farm subsidy and commodity programs by $14 billion, and conservation programs by $4 billion. However, several programs affecting veterinary medicine—specifically those lobbied for by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA)—will be granted funding in the massive piece of legislation.
"The U.S. Department of Agriculture often refers to the Farm Bill as the 'Food, Farm and Jobs Bill,' but here at the AVMA, we'd like to add that it's a bill for animals too, because of its far-reaching impact on the work that veterinarians do every day to protect their health and welfare," Ron DeHaven, DVM, AVMA's executive vice president and chief executive officer, says in a release.
"For several years now, the AVMA has urged policymakers to respond to the critical need for more agricultural research that supports advancements in animal health, production and products. We are pleased that Congress answered that call by passing a bipartisan bill that gives veterinarians and scientists the resources they need to continue providing the best veterinary care to animals, guarding our nation against diseases that impact animal and public health, advancing science and keeping America's food supply safe and affordable," he says.
Most notably, the farm bill includes authorization of the Veterinary Services Grant Program, a modified Animal Health and Disease Research/1433 Formula Funds program, and funding for the National Animal Health Laboratory Network. Other programs supported by the AVMA were reauthorized, as was the animal fighting provision listed as the Animal Fighting Spectator Prohibition Act on the latest AVMA legislative agenda. Notably absent was the Veterinary Medicine Mobility Act, which many hoped would be attached to the farm bill. It will now wait its turn for a vote in the House, having passed the Senate Jan. 8.
Here are items of veterinary interest in the farm bill:
Veterinary Services Grant Program. This new program will receive $10 million annually to relieve veterinary shortage situations, support private veterinary practices engaged in public health activities and support practices of veterinarians who are participating in or have successfully completed a Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program contract or similar state program. The bill is meant to complement the existing Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program, which provides student debt forgiveness for veterinarians willing to work in rural shortage areas. The AVMA proposed the legislation and has worked for its passage since 2008.
National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN) funding. The farm bill authorizes $15 million for the NAHLN, a network of federal, university and state veterinary diagnostic labs. The NAHLN is designed to help establish a surveillance and emergency response system that provides resources for surveillance testing, information management, quality assurance and the development and validation of new diagnostic tests. The funding supports the network's early warning system so that veterinarians and scientists can quickly detect emerging and foreign zoonotic diseases before they impact animal or public health or the food supply.
Animal Health and Disease Research/1433 Formula Funds program. Referred to as the Farm Animal Integrated Research Initiative, this expanded program in the farm bill supports animal agriculture research, including a competitive grants program with a broader scope to include three focal areas of food security, One Health and stewardship. The program will be funded with $25 million.
Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research. This would provide $200 million in funding for new research projects aimed at addressing key problems of national and international significance, including knowledge gaps in animal and plant health, food production and products, food safety, and nutrition and health, to name a few.
Food Animal Residue Avoidance Databank (FARAD). Up to $2.5 million will be reauthorized annually for FARAD, which gives scientists the tools they need to provide vital information to veterinarians and livestock producers to ensure that milk, meat and eggs are free of drug and chemical residues before entering the food supply.
Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI). The AFRI provides grants for research, education and extension work into sustaining all components of U.S. agriculture. The farm bill reauthorized up to $700 million annually for the program which will include new priority areas for research, including: the study and development of surveillance methods; vaccines, vaccination delivery systems and diagnostics for pests and diseases, including epizootic diseases in domestic livestock; zoonotic diseases in domestic livestock or wildlife reservoirs that present potential public health concerns; the identification of animal drug needs; and the generation and dissemination of data for the safe and effective therapeutic uses of animal drugs for minor species (such as sheep, goats, rabbits, guinea pigs, zoo animals, fish and shellfish, etc.) and minor uses in major species (i.e. dogs, cats, horses, cattle, swine, chickens and turkeys).
Animal Fighting Spectator Prohibition Act of 2013. In addition to food research and food safety programs, the animal fighting legislation cracks down on the abusive practice of animal fighting by making it a federal crime to attend, or cause a minor under the age of 16 to attend, these cruel events. Targeting those who participate in animal fights is essential to putting organizers out of business.
The farm bill allocates $756 billion to food stamps and nutrition, $89.8 billion to crop insurance, $56 billion to conservation and $44.4 billion to commodity programs, leaving $8.2 billion for everything that does not fall into those categories. The president's signing of the farm bill at the Michigan State veterinary college marks only the second time he has signed legislation in a location other than the White House.
For more information on the legislative issues the AVMA will continue to pursue in 2014, go to dvm360.com.


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I took the coveted CCDE Practical Exams on 31st of August, and Thankfully I passed (My CCDE Number is 2016::14), this is my third attempt, the journey started in 2011, Gone through a lot of studies, Boot camps, Ciscolive Sessions, CCDE Mock Lab in Ciscolive, Mentorship from existing CCDEs.
My First attempt was in 2014 that ended with an average score, the second attempt was in February, 2015. The second attempt made me change a lot of my strategies as this beast requires a totally different approach and preparation than CCIE.
My Advice to the CCDE Candidates: